Final Printed Issue
This issue is dedicated to all the current and former staff that put many
long hours into bringing The Gull’s
Cry to campus news stands!
Gulf Coast State College
5230 West Highway 98
Panama City, FL 32401
www.gulfcoast.edu
December, 2014
Volume:60 Issue:3
Non-Profi t Org
U.S. Postage PAID
Panama City, FL
Permit No. 101
Happy Holidays!
The Gull’s Cry Goes digital next semester
Patti Woodham
Patti Woodham
Sponsor
“The future
does not fit
in the
containers of
the past.”
– Rishad Tobaccowala, a
pioneer in digital marketing.
Every Saturday night for the
past 17 years I have put a yellow
sticky note on my kitchen counter that said, “Make muffins.”
And every Sunday afternoon of
those years I have made muffins.
My entire repertoire consisted of
blueberry, banana nut, chocolate
and strawberry. It didn’t matter,
really, what kind, just so long as
they were there on the corner of
the classroom table every Monday to greet my Gull’s Cry kids.
In 1997, when I first became
the sponsor of the college’s
newspaper, The Gull’s Cry, we
met on Monday and Wednesday mornings from 9 a.m. – 10
a.m., and the muffins were my attempt at bringing to life a blearyeyed bunch of freshmen and
sophomores who slumped into
the classroom exhausted from
a weekend of work, play, and
homework. It was in those first
few minutes that even the grumpiest and grouchiest would mutter
something like thanks and move
on to a seat around the table. And
it was there at that oversized table we would discuss what was
new in their world, and more
importantly, what they thought
of it. With a little scribbling on a
yellow pad, I figure that conservatively some 500 or so students
have been on the staff in the last
17 years. Some stayed only one
or two semesters; some stayed
until they sorted out where they
wanted to go and what they
wanted to do with their lives.
Needless to say, I have seen
the fashion trends go from big
hair and curls, to pajama pants
and tank tops, to all-black from
head to toe, to chunky boots,
to sky-high shorts and skater
clothes, to tattoos of every possible description and location.
Mostly, though, they were all
presentable enough to sit at the
table. Now when I walk across
the campus and spot a student
coming my way, I catch myself
thinking, “Oh, there’s _____ (insert name here).” It only takes
another moment for me to realize that “Of course it isn’t;
_____(name) is already away in
grad school, or works at the local
bank, or is the events planner at
the hospital, or is a reporter at the
News-Herald, or works at Channel 13.” Even in that fleeting
time-lapse, I remember them all.
But the real news of this issue is that this is the last printed edition of The Gull’s Cry. It
will go on in a digital version
beginning in January, 2015, but
it will no longer be printed on
newsprint and distributed. The
first issue from 1957 is over in
the library and was printed on a
mimeograph machine and was
nailed to posts at the Wainwright
Shipyard campus. The rest of
the thousands of issues chronicle the buildings, the faculty, the
sports teams, the administrators,
the campus trends, but most of
all, they chronicle the student
life at Gulf Coast. It’s all there:
the way they looked, the way
they thought, the fun they had.
To the group of students who
are running the paper today, this
is not an especially sad ending
for the physical paper. To them it
is, quite literally, old news. They
don’t read newspapers. Their
parents often don’t read newspapers. They have never spent
a Sunday morning dragging a
cup of coffee and the Sunday
paper from room to room. They
read it all -last night – on line.
They don’t need it to tell them
what is going on in their world.
Continued on page 2...
Images Courtesy of Google Images.
December, 2014 The Gull’s Cry
Page 2
The Gull’s Cry Goes Digital
...continued from page 1.
They get their news and
information
from
flickering hand-held devices that
were the stuff of futurists
less than two decades ago.
And in their world that
prides itself on its connectivity,
oddly enough, that is the part
that I will miss the most. I miss
seeing them saunter into the
classroom; I miss hearing their
tales of work life, and of spring
break, and of new movies and
music. I miss keeping abreast of
Nate Rowe
Nate Rowe
Current Editor
Wow, 57 years! That’s how
long the Gull’s Cry newspaper
has been bringing local and national stories to students around
campus. You can almost think of
our campus paper’s life as that
of Forrest Gump. It has seen 12
different U.S. Presidents in office
and covered close to half a dozen
different wars, if not more. It has
their ever-changing language. I
miss the tears and the hugs at
the end – or at the beginningof various teenage dramas. It
is true that while I still teach
other face-to-face courses and
learn some of the same things
from my students, there is
something different and special
about the involvement and the
inter-dependence of a newspaper that bonds like nothing else.
And so it befalls me to launch
The Gull’s Cry into its next life
as a digital being. There you
will find many of the same
bright-eyed writers reporting on
had interest stories covering celebrities that span from Elvis to
Dr. Dre; John Wayne to George
Clooney. It has seen 57 Super
Bowls, 14 summer Olympic
Games, and thousands of regular season games from all sports.
With no doubt, that is an impressive resume! Sadly, it is with
great regret that this is the last
printed copy to hit campus stands
and alumni mailboxes. Have
no fear however, because the
Gull’s Cry itself isn’t going anywhere; in fact, we are expanding!
It is our goal to switch com-
the changes in the college’s life
and in their own, and there is
every chance that the paper will
be better when it is not bound
by column inches and four-page
flats that fit on the press. Perhaps there will be more words,
or fewer words, but one thing
is certain, the minds that create
those words will still attract my
attention, because sometimes
their thoughts are so clear and
piercing that I take in a sharp
breath as I read them. None
of that changes when we see
words on a screen rather than
on an inky-thin piece of paper.
pletely from print publication to
online news resource! It is unfortunate for a lot of printed newspapers out there, but most people
these days prefer information
from their Apple or Android
phones rather than a physical
copy. Though the Gull’s Cry has
been online via PDF format for a
few years now, we want to take
your online campus news to the
next level. Starting next semester,
we will be laying the foundation
a completely new look and home
for us! We plan to turn our paper into a fully digital experience
and are currently brainstorming ideas to get off the ground.
We need your help though!
Listed in the box are some
of the key positions we will be
needing in addition to the wonderful writing staff we’ve had
over the years. Projecting to a
digital platform has opened the
possibility for many new and
exciting avenues, and our only
limitation is our own creativity.
Turning the Gull’s Cry into a fully interactive, digital experience
will take crafting and dedication
from some of GSCS’s most gift-
The emotion will still be
there. Their thoughts about
their world will still be there.
And hopefully, you, our readers, will still be “out there” to
read what they write. As for
me, I am the proverbial old dog
learning new tricks as we go
into the digital world, but I join
the former editors and staff you
will see in the pages following
this one in taking one more trip
down memory lane. At the risk
of sounding like an old country
song, it was a great ride, and
I wouldn’t have missed it for
the world. Muffins anyone?
ed students and staff; we want to
be a part of it! For more information on how to take part in this
historic event, please contact:
Patti Woodham at pwoodham@
gulfcoast.edu or Nate Rowe
at drowe1@my.gulfcoast.edu
Digital Media
Students Wanted!
In addition to our talented writers, we are looking for the following types of out-going students ready to take on the new
Gull’s Cry.
Web and Graphic
Designers
APP Designers
Digital Photography
TALENTED WRITERS
ARE ALSO ALWAYS
WELCOME!
The Gull’s Cry December, 2014
Page 3
Memories from Writers & Editors
Staring at this blank screen reminds
me of the many hours I used to spend
writing and re-writing articles for The
Gull’s Cry. Articles were never really my forte; I was involved in newspapers for the page design. Ms. Patti,
after learning my interests, promoted
me to editor so I could begin changing and updating the look of The Gull’s
Cry. My staff had the pleasure of learning InDesign for the first time, as Ms.
Patti would not have her newspaper
staff using anything but the best. I am
thankful she pushed us to learn the new
program, since I still use it to this day.
With the connections I made at The
Gull’s Cry with The News Herald, I
was able to secure a job working as a
graphic designer. While I was there I
Renee Warren
Renee Warren Lynah
Former Writer
On September 11, 2001, I was
passing Schlotzsky’s on 15th
Street on the way to my math
class at Gulf Coast when breaking news took over my radio
station. Between the time that
I arrived at the college and the
time I parked my car, one struck
tower became two, and what
was first thought to be a horrible flight accident was declared
even had the pleasure of coming back
to help the next generations of Gull’s
Cry staffers with troubleshooting issues. Now I live in Jacksonville and
work for one of the most prestigious political marketing firms, Majority Strategies. It seems my life is still in tune
with The Gull’s Cry, for currently our
firm is diving into the world of mobile
advertising, and this old newspaper designer is learning how to navigate the
bright new world of interactive design.
While it makes me sad to see the
old printed paper go, it also makes
me proud. The Gull’s Cry is not a
thing of the past, it is a reflection of
the present, and I know Ms. Patti
would not have anything but the best.
an act of terror. Within those few
moments, our world changed.
None of us had any idea how
much the events of that morning would define our lives- over
a decade of war, unprecedented
security measures, and a civil
war of sorts- a nation torn between the increasingly conflicting ideals of freedom and safety.
These days, I work with senior
citizens and write features for
Panama City Living Magazine.
I am a wife and mother of two.
I can’t believe it’s been 14 years
Jessica Woodrum Bunnell
Jessica Woodrum Bunnell
Former Editor
since I huddled with my best
friend and advisor around a television in the old language arts
building, watching what felt like
the world coming down. That is
my most vivid memory of my
years on The Gull’s Cry. Among
the all-nighters and weekend pizza/ editing marathons, among the
donuts and muffins and the drama that inevitably ensues when
a dozen late adolescents hole up
in a room together… among the
Patti pep-talks, the interviews,
and the awards (we got one for
that 9/11 issue if I remember correctly!), nothing speaks of my
experience on The Gull’s Cry or
at Gulf Coast more so than that
morning spent in the safe haven
of my Gulf Coast family. I’m
sad to hear The Gull’s Cry will
be going out of print; it truly
feels like the end of an era. But
I am so thankful to have been
a part of it and developed relationships I cherish to this day.
December, 2014 The Gull’s Cry
Page 4
Memories from Writers & Editors
Karen Forehand and her son.
Karen Forehand
Former Writer
A long time ago, a time before
babies and actual jobs, was when
I attended, what was then known
as Gulf Coast Community College. It was the fall of 2002 and I
was a freshman in college! I was
a journalism major so The Gull’s
Cry was the perfect class for me.
All three of my years at Gulf
Coast were spent in that class-
room that soon became my favorite. Everything seemed entertaining to a freshman, from going
on interviews to events that were
to be covered for the next issue.
When I had a horrific car accident in December of 2003,
Ms. Patti was kind enough to be
there for me, besides my family,
of course, for support, and she
“coached” me, in a way, to get
back to being the student that I
had been. I did graduate (a year
later than I had planned) just not
with my classmates that I had
graduated from high school with.
Beth Gribas
Beth Gribas
Former Editor
To finish my bachelor’s degree, I went to a couple of universities, but they did not seem
“to fit,” so technically I am still
a junior in college which is all
right because I do have an AA.
Also in April of 2009, I had a
baby boy named Trent William.
Now do not think that it is easy
being a single mother because
that has been my hardest job of
them all. On top of being a mom,
I am the assistant to the owner
of Outdoor Recreation World,
Inc., and I sell Origami Owl jewelry so my days are quite full.
I even have my five year old
son wanting to go to Gulf Coast
State College because that is
where his mom, aunt, two uncles, grandmother and grandfather all attended at one time
or another. One can only hope
that their son, like Trent, will
find a class like The Gull’s Cry
and a teacher like Ms. Patti to
always have, love and admire.
As a former editor of The Gull’s
Cry, I am filled with sadness upon
learning it is going strictly digital.
Reading traditional, old-school
newspapers entices my senses: my
nares delight in the smell of ink;
my fingers, the rough texture of
newsprint. My ears enjoy the crisp
sound of the paper as I turn the pages. My eyes dance across the page
as I peruse the articles and study
the photographs. I delight reading aloud snippets of information
to those around me, engaging our
minds and sparking conversation.
My favorite memory as editor/
writer for The Gull’s Cry was the
50th anniversary issue. It was fun
compiling the articles and pictures
that would best represent the evolution of Gulf Coast Community
College. Working on the staff was a
great experience. I learned to overcome shyness by conducting interviews. I learned to lead and to put
a newspaper “to bed”. The Gull’s
Cry opened doors to an internship
with Rowland Publishing where I
wrote feature articles for Bay Life
Magazine and sister publications.
As The Gull’s Cry takes flight in
search of more fertile grounds, the
mentoring of Patti Woodham will
long remain written in our hearts.
The Gull’s Cry December, 2014
Page 5
Memories from Writers & Editors
I came to The Gull’s Cry in Fall
2012 knowing that I wanted to be
a journalist and having absolutely
no experience in it. Being a part
of this newspaper gave me that
experience I longed for, but what
I will always remember the most
is not so much the articles that I
wrote or the pages I designed, but
the fun I had with my fellow writers and the connection that we felt
creating something together. Today, I’m at the University of Flor-
ida majoring in journalism and I
am so grateful for my time with
the newspaper. I’m saddened that
The Gull’s Cry will no longer be
in print, but I know that it will also
open new opportunities for the paper to continue to inform the campus community. We have a unique
ability with online publishing to
tell more stories, and use the technology now available to us to tell
them vividly and add the color that
Gulf Coast State College bleeds.
Silvia Rueda
Silvia Rueda
Former Editor
Amanda Riehm
Amanda Riehm
Former Editor
I landed in The Gull’s Cry
Staff Room on a total fluke. I had
no idea what I was getting myself
into, much less that I would take
over as editor in less than a year,
and that it would be the trigger
event of everything I’ve done
since. All I remember is a confusing conversation involving me, a
completely lost freshman, and an
even more bewildered advisor
trying to prod my future goals out
of me. She mentioned the course
“Newspaper Production” and I
just intuitively said yes. It was
my first semester in college and
as I timidly navigated through
corridors and stairwells, I was
hardly prepared to find myself
at a conference desk to discuss
what my first article would be.
I assumed the class was a study
of the newspaper manufacturing
process. Instead I just smiled and
nodded and internally panicked.
Then I fell in love. This is the
part where most people say they
“fell in love with writing.” That’s
not the case for me. What I had
was a huge crush on our web
editor, and a solid gang of weirdos to call friends. I don’t know
where he is, or much about what
anyone else is up to these days,
but during that time their friendship was important to me. I have
silly memories of screaming the
lyrics to various Weezer songs in
my old VW cabrio in the school
parking lot, and having all-nighter jam seshes with the crew, writing, editing, and goofing off. It
was all swell and then the editor
graduated, and I took over as
leader of my own highly eclectic,
and intelligent group of writers.
This is around the time I realized I’d actually create a life
with writing. I like informing
people that when I first started
out in college, I intended to be
an aerospace engineer, and then
watching their horrified reactions
when the shock registers that I’m
now a “doomed, starving artist”
(I will be graduating in May ’15
from USF with a BA in English
– Creative Writing). I still love
math and science, and have even
taken electives in those subjects,
but they are more like old friends
I used to watch Doctor Who with.
I owe so much of who I am to the
copies of Gull’s Cry I still have
laying around on a bookshelf
somewhere, to Patti Woodham,
and the gang of collective dorks
who befriended me, and created
something meaningful even when
it seemed to fall on deaf ears.
If we keep writing, someone’s
bound to eventually listen (or we
will have to learn how to limit
ourselves to the maximum word
count rather than continuously
blabbering away at our readers
to their attention span’s death).
December, 2014 The Gull’s Cry
Page 6
Memories from Writers & Editors
souls…who know neither victory
nor defeat. –Theodore Roosevelt
These words hang printed
in a frame given to me by Patti
Woodham upon my departure
from what was then Gulf Coast
Community College. A dozen
years have passed since then;
a proverbial lifetime of change
unfolding with each passing
day. At the time, these words
were a reflection of my service
to the student body, both as Editor-in-Chief of The Gull’s Cry,
and as a member of the Student
Activities Board. I was there
when we scrapped an entire issue, and worked through the
night to dedicate our publication
to the events surrounding September 11, 2001. I worked to
lay out the pages that featured
campus secrets like La Friandise, and I covered the joy and
exuberance as our Lady Commodores Basketball Program
brought home their first National Championship. I lobbied unsuccessfully for the campus to
adopt our beloved “Gully” as a
formal mascot. Yes, I was “in the
arena.” And in my corner, full
of support and encouragement,
was Patti and The Gull’s Cry.
For more than a decade, these
words have served many purposes in my life’s journey. Whether
it be for inspiration, motivation,
or reflection, I have thought of
them often. I place great value in
what I consider a priceless gift.
The Gull’s Cry was more than
just a class for me. It was more
than just a student newspaper. As
I look back, The Gull’s Cry was a
vital part of the foundation upon
which I have built a life. But it is
not just the words. It is not just a
parting gift. It is the time, effort,
and care that was so passionately invested in a college kid who
had no idea the true meaning of
journalism. As I work today as a
Sales Consultant, and strive to be
the best Christian, husband, and
father I can be, the credit belongs
to people like Patti Woodham
and institutions like Gulf Coast
State College and The Gull’s Cry.
Whatever form it may take on,
The Gull’s Cry will always hold
a special place in my heart, and
will always be a vital part of the
fabric of our community. Someone please pass the muffins.
find my niche on campus. I was
a transfer student in my freshman year who was nervous and
unsure. Most of my friends were
attending school at a four-year
university, and I was struggling
to find my way. Just like the
bridge, I felt like my college career was off to a shaky start and
at any moment the sky might fall.
“Well honey, sit down and
tell me what you want to do
with yourself when you grow
up. What are you passionate
about? You seem to like English;
what about joining the newspaper staff?” Those words sounded like sweet southern Alabama
molasses as they poured out of
Patti Woodham’s mouth the first
time, but there was a directness
about her that I appreciated.
Until then, no one had asked
me about my passions. There
were plenty of advisors elsewhere who had helped me sign
up for classes, given me a campus map and sent me on my way.
Patti was different. She could tell
I needed a little push in the right
direction. She sat across from me
in her brightly decorated office.
The colors were warm and quite
literally hugged you as soon as
you walked through the doorway. She had that look which
only a mother of hundreds of
little lost freshmen can give. It’s
the look that simply says, “Well,
what’s it going to be kiddo?”
I didn’t realize when I finally answered yes to Patti’s question about joining the newspaper
staff that I was actually saying
yes to something much bigger.
Over the next two years, I
would make countless memories as a staff writer with other
students. Right before graduation, I remember looking out
the window in The Gull’s Cry
room again. I stood for a long
while and thought about how
nervous I felt two years prior.
Somewhere between working
through the late night deadlines
- where we often left campus
later than the janitorial staff - to
interviewing community leaders
and tackling tough subjects – we
grew up. We grew into talented
writers, assignment reporters,
public relation professionals,
event planners, friends, teammates, and most importantly –
we grew into an extended family.
Cliff Thorne
Cliff Thorne, former editor, and family.
The credit belongs…to the
man who is actually in the arena, who strives valiantly;…who
knows the great devotions,…
and spends himself in a worthy…
cause, who at the best, knows the
triumph of high achievement; and
who, at the worst, if he fails,…
at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid
Nanisa Anderson
Nanisa Anderson
Former Writer
I could actually feel the
ground shake below my feet
before I could see the smoke. I
was standing in The Gull’s Cry
room looking out the window
as the Hathaway Bridge demolition took place in 2003. Just a
few short weeks before I anxiously wondered where I would
The Gull’s Cry December, 2014
Page 7
Memories from Writers & Editors
There is a certain feeling you
get the first time you see your
name in print. I don’t mean the
news clipping your mom cut out
and pasted on the refrigerator
back in grade school, but a real
journalistic by-line. In almost
every way it is an accomplishment, something tangible to be
treasured. At least it was for me.
It’s been over thirteen years since
that first issue was first stuffed
into those famous blue newspaper bins around campus, but I can
still remember the excitement of
seeing the immortal words of
“Staff Writer” underneath my
name. During my two years on
staff, I learned many of the “ins
and outs” of journalism; things
that are difficult to understand
unless you experience them in a
real world setting. Since that time
I have been fortunate enough to
have had some fantastic inter-
views with movie stars, celebrities, famous musicians and even
politicians; none of which would
have been possible without getting my start at The Gull’s Cry.
Now, I actually have 3 jobs!
I am the Marketing Coordinator/Marketing
Photographer
for Paradise Palms, Days Inn
and Casa Loma hotel, a Staff
Reporter for Bay County Bullet Newspaper, and I am the
store manager at Timekeepers.
It has been said that every
person writes their own story
and for decades, The Gull’s Cry
student publication has allowed
and encouraged student journalists to gain the experience, and
confidence to write their story
by providing the skills needed to
thrive in a constantly evolving
world. The Gull’s Cry newspaper was and is more than just a
student publication…for my-
My journey to become an editor of The Gull’s Cry came out
of blue in 2012; Ms. Woodham
asked me if I wanted to do it.
My immediate answer was yes,
but at the same time, I was a bit
worried if I could handle the role
for the college newspaper. Well,
I can say now that the worry
ended up as a needless concern
because I simply had no time
for worrying about that while I
was the editor for two semesters.
All weekends were packed for
editing the paper. I sometimes
worked for it until midnight. Ms.
Woodham and I sometimes met at
the college or at Starbuck’s near
the mall to discuss the layouts
and typos. Even with tight schedules due to the deadlines, all the
hard work always paid off once
the paper was printed. Creating
The Gull’s Cry from scratch with
staff was so precious, and each
issue carried a piece of memory.
Now, I am working for a Japanese website as a columnist and
a regular writer while continuing my education. Although I
changed my major from Journalism to Computer Science, I will
never forget my love for writing.
It will be sad not be able to
see The Gull’s Cry in the newsstands around campus anymore,
but I understand that. The newspapers have changed their form
into something more efficient
(paperless) and handy for especially new generations. Me? I
am old school – I will miss the
scent of ink and feel of the paper’s texture. And I am pretty
sure that I am not the only one
who misses the printed version.
Paul Bonnette
Paul Bonnette
Former Writer
self and countless others it was
exactly what we needed, at a
time when we needed it most.
Kana Uptegraft
Kana Uptegraft
Former Editor
December, 2014 The Gull’s Cry
Page 8
When Gull’s Cry
In Carl Grey park I park.
Sunny, misty morning.
Green, green grass.
Early staff meeting,
jet engine’s roaring past.
Gulls circling, spirit soaring,
Gurgling frothy coffee pouring out I shout;
“Spudnuts?!” “Spud what?!”
“Potatoes in dough-nuts?!”
“That’s nuts!”
“Hot off the press?”
Oooh yes!
“Don’t mind if I do!”
“Save the maple frosted for me!”
Claiming one, but eating two.
“Fresh coffee?, “First copy?!”
-Chim chimney cha roo.
Copies circulate. Good and bad times pass.
White sands trickle through the gulf’s hour glass.
Shady walkways, week days, stories, and issues pass.
“Lucy! I’m home!”
I think to myself each night after class,
Again and Again, the Gull’s Nest at last.
By Rob Hansford
CMYK’s! Not RGB’s!
Delirious whimsy on twin CRT’s
HaHa!! It’s a Party!
Jay Peg, Tiff, I, N-Dee Dee
“Jif” not “gif”
Petey Eff, P & G,
Control, plus S, BMP, PSD
“Pumpkin Spice Latte?” -Chim chimney Cha ree
Month after month,
This is how gulls cried.
Forget Prince. Forget doves.
Scan, Click Save, Send, Live, love,-repeat.
Stress, tests, semesters,
hustle and bustle,
I remember these warm words when I start to struggle;
“Fret not my boy!”
“You’ve got the gift of sight!”
“Now, learn how to use it“
“You’ll be alright.”
“Then,- ”
she said with a smile.
“Just hold it in the road!”
Rob Hansford graduated from Berklee College of Music in Boston,
MA and is currently an
English instructor at
Avalon English in South
Korea. While at Gulf
Coast he served as a
writer and artist for The
Gull’s Cry and is the
creator of the paper’s
mascot, “Gully.”
Photo of former staff courtesy of Patti Woodham.
Rob Hansford in South Korea.