Review - "Everybody" by Logic

Photo via iTunes

Artist: Logic

Album: Everybody

Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap

Producer: 6ix, Logic, Bobby Campbell, C-Sick, Deats, DJ Khalil, No I.D.

Collaborators: E

Label: Visionary Music Group, Def Jam

Album Rating: Explicit

Rating: ***½:5

Robert Hall, or “Logic” as he’s known through his career, is a rapper hailing from Maryland. Born into poverty with a drug-using mother and non-existent father, Logic gravitated to music after dropping out of high school.

If the title doesn’t say it clearly enough, the theme for this album focuses on Logic rapping from the perspective of everybody. The main themes on this album include racism, suicide, social media, and other controversial topics. Logic raps a lot about his experience with racism, being half black and half white. Although being part black, Logic has a very fair skin tone, leading to stories of him not being accepted by either the white or black community.

In 2009 he released his first mixtape titled “Young, Broke & Infamous,” and then proceeded to release three more mixtapes afterwards. His second mixtape was titled “Young Sinatra. ” Next was “Young Sinatra: Undeniable” in 2012, and then “Young Sinatra: Welcome to Forever” in 2013, boosting Logic into the mainstream. Logic signed to Def Jam Recordings in 2013, and soon announced his first studio album titled “Under Pressure,” which was released in November 2014.

“Under Pressure” was met with mixed reviews, but left no doubt that Logic would soon become a household name. A year later, Logic released “The Incredible True Story,” which debuted at #3 on the Billboard Top 100. Logic’s third studio album titled “Everybody” was released on May 5, 2017.

On the song “Everybody” Logic says:

“White people told me as a child, as a little boy, playin’ with his toys

I should be ashamed to be black

And some black people look ashamed when I rap

Like my great granddaddy didn’t take a whip to the back.”

Logic also speaks more on this in the song “Black SpiderMan” where he says, “I’m just as white as that Mona Lisa, I’m just as black as my cousin Keisha.” Logic throughout this album tries to preach a message of acceptance, of all races, religions, and sexual orientations.

On the song “1-800-273-8255” Logic raps from the perspective of somebody who wants to commit suicide. The title of the song is actually the number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, and was actually done in partnership with the NSPL. The chorus features Logic singing as if he is the person calling the NSPL, saying he doesn’t want to be alive, and that he wants to die today. As the song progresses, the caller realizes that he does in fact want to be alive, and that he doesn’t want to die today. It’s a powerful song, and something Logic says he wrote due to the number of fans who said his music helped them through suicidal thoughts.

On top of a pretty heavy message throughout this album, this album is also extremely well produced. Executive producer “6ix” leads the way on almost every song while also getting some help from legendary producer No I.D., DJ Khalil, C-Sick, J. Cole, and even Logic himself. The instrumentals on this album are insanely well diverse. On tracks such as “Killing Spree,” “Take It Back,” “America,” and “Ink Blot,” the beats are much more in-your-face and hard, bass heavy beats. On songs like “1-800-273-8255” and “Black SpiderMan,” the beats gets more melodic and free-flowing.

Logic also displays his usual crafty lyricism on this album, with lines like, “All alone in my room in the middle of the night, I don’t have the words but my stereo might,” off of the track “Black SpiderMan.” However, I personally felt robbed on this album. On multiple tracks Logic only gives us one verse, choosing to focus more on skits that fit a story he tries to tell within the album. One track titled “Waiting Room” is a nearly five minute skit featuring Neil deGrasse Tyson. While deGrasse Tyson is great, and Logic tells a fantastic story, it left me wanting more from this already short album.

This album also had a lot of artist features, something that Logic usually strays from. However, I can argue that the features subtract from the album more than they add. Names like Black Thought, Chuck D, Big Lenbo, and Killer Mike all sound good, but their contributions are mostly flat.

In particular, I was most disappointed in Killer Mike’s feature. One half of the duo “Run the Jewels,” Killer Mike has demonstrated, in recent years, a ridiculous flow to match with an uncanny set of lyrical skills. In this album, though, Mike is left to just rant on a speech at the end of the track “Confess.” Although the speech isn’t necessarily bad, I was very disappointed to not hear Killer Mike lay some bars down following along with the major themes of this record, as Mike normally tackles controversial topics.

Although the production is probably the best we’ve seen on a Logic album, the content in the album left me wanting much, much more. On four songs we only received one verse from Logic. On two tracks we had long monologues at the end of the song which add nothing from a musical perspective. We’re left with an album that feels more like an audio book than a rap album.

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a huge Logic fan, and as a fan of him I just felt like this would be the album where he would blow me away. On the albums “Under Pressure” and “The Incredible True Story” I felt like he was getting better, and I thought maybe his third album would be the same story. Unfortunately, I think Logic took a step back with this album.

The album on Metacritic received an underwhelming 65 out of 100. Metacritic uses a system where they take scores from other worthy critic sites and averages them out to reflect a total score on their site. In a review on hotnewhiphop.com, Editor Richard Bryan writes, "Everybody is a bit too self-centered considering the propertied scope of the project. There's excessive self-loathing about his whiteness, and pride about his blackness."

What Bryan goes on to say is that Logic seems to talk more about his life journey than the journeys of "everybody." Other sites such as RapReviews.com gave the album a higher score, sitting at 85 out of 100.

Even though I applaud Logic for the message and theme of the album, it’s not enough for me to overlook my disappointment. Logic’s verses were pretty much all great, but on basically a 12 song album, we just weren’t given enough. The consensus opinions via reviews seems to be that although Logic delivers lyricism and great production, the album tries too hard with political/social issues and long skits.

As previously stated, the features just were lackluster, and looked better on paper as opposed to how they actually sound on the album. Logic’s message on this album also seems rushed, and while he tried to make some statements, a good portion of the messages were just misses. Logic has said that his next album will apparently be his last, so let’s hope he can get back to his roots of slick wordplay and stay away from long skits.

AT A GLANCE:

• Robert Hall, or "Logic," recently released his third studio album titled "Everybody."
• Logic's rise to fame came through a trio of "Young Sinatra" mixtapes - "Young Sinatra," "Young Sinatra: Undeniable," and "Young Sinatra: Welcome to Forever."
• Logic's message on this album is to try to rap from the perspective of everybody in the world today.
• Themes include racism, sexuality, suicide, politics, and more.
• Although this album has its pros, the cons almost outweigh them, leaving this album feeling rushed and lacking.

Column - Is LeBron James the Greatest Basketball Player Ever?

For almost 23 years Michael Jeffrey Jordan has been considered the greatest basketball player to ever play the game. At the end of his first retirement in 1994, the Chicago Bulls made Jordan a statue that said, "The best there ever was. The best there ever will be." That's pretty high praise for a guy who at that time had only played nine seasons in the league, and had captured three NBA championships, three finals MVPs, and three regular season MVPs. We all know the rest of the story; Michael came back to win three more championships, three more finals MVPs and three more regular season MVPs.

Jordan is almost universally considered the "GOAT," or greatest of all time. Some people still say Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, others say Bill Russell and his 11 rings, while others say Magic Johnson. Today though, a new player is writing himself into the record books and making a case for himself to be considered the GOAT. LeBron James is now in year 14 in the NBA, and doesn’t look to be slowing down anytime soon. So the question arises: is LeBron James the greatest basketball player ever?

The case for LeBron starts as such: three NBA championships, three Finals MVPs, four regular season MVPs, and 11 All-NBA First Team selections, the latter of which only Kobe Bryant and Karl Malone have done. For the last decade, LeBron has been the best player in the NBA, and continues to dominate. If he makes it to the Finals this year, which is all but a certainty, he will make this his seventh straight appearance in the Finals, which has never been done before. Hardware aside, let’s look at this from a purely basketball perspective.

I will let this be known: For most of my life I’ve been the biggest Jordan fanboy, but having grown up watching LeBron’s dominance my loyalty has teetered. I’ve watched probably every Jordan highlight and I’ve watched every LeBron playoff game of importance. I've seen LeBron absolutely dominate in the 2012 NBA Finals. I've seen LeBron nearly will a team without his two best players to almost beating the stacked Golden State Warriors in 2015. I've also seen LeBron make the first ever comeback in the finals after being down 3-1. Dropping back-to-back 41 point games in games five and six, and the absolutely crucial chase-down block in game seven.

I wouldn’t call myself an “expert” per se, but I am very knowledgeable in the history of the NBA. With that said let’s break down LeBron vs. MJ as basketball players. MJ is considered the greatest scorer ever, having the greatest career-average for points per game at 30.1 with shootings splits of 49.7/32.7/83.5 for field goal, three point, and free throw percentages.

LeBron is currently averaging 27.1 points a game for his career with splits of 50.1/34.2/74. The numbers don’t tell the whole story though, because MJ shot three more field goal attempts per game over his career more than LeBron has. See the difference between their play styles lies in the fact that LeBron makes everybody around him a better player, and is a better assister and rebounder than Jordan.

LeBron for his career is averaging 7.3 rebounds and 7 assists, while MJ averaged 6.2 and 5.3. LeBron has been called by Skip Bayless the, “greatest passer I’ve ever seen.” Pretty high praise when you consider Bayless watched guys such as Magic, Jason Kidd and Steve Nash play. LeBron is also a more versatile defender. Being 6 feet 8 inches tall and weighing 250 pounds, LeBron is able to guard all five positions on the court without giving away too much of an advantage. LeBron has also been dominating longer than Jordan, who played 13 seasons with the Bulls while LeBron is in year 14 right now.

LeBron has now played 1,552 more minutes in his career, joining only 17 other players to eclipse those numbers. If LeBron plays five more seasons, he’s on pace to pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar who holds the number one spot. Besides the minutes, LeBron has made a bigger impact than Jordan on the teams he’s been on.

After LeBron left Cleveland in 2010 the Cavaliers went from 61 wins to 19, and when he left Miami they went from 54 wins to 37 wins and missing the playoffs. When LeBron went back to Cleveland they increased their wins by 20 games. The year after Jordan’s first retirement the Bulls only won two less games and got robbed in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Knicks.

We’re getting to the point where Michael Jordan defenders are having a harder and harder time arguing against LeBron. I get it, LeBron will never match up to Jordan’s accomplishments. However, did Jordan ever match up to Kareem’s accomplishments? The answer is an easy no. Kareem won six championships, two finals MVPs, six regular season MVPs, and is the number one scorer in all of NBA history.

How then, is Michael Jordan considered better than Kareem? Because people watched him play and said, “This is the greatest basketball player we’ve ever seen.” You know what? That’s what I’m starting to say when I watch LeBron James play.

All Stats courtesy of basketballreference.com
AT A GLANCE:

• Michael Jordan and LeBron James have been in comparison very frequently of late, so the question arises: Is LeBron the greatest of all time?
• Jordan career stats: 30.1 ppg, 6.2 rbg, 5.3 apg. LeBron career stats: 27.1 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 7 apg
• Jordan: 6 championships, 6 finals MVPs, 5 regular season MVPs. LeBron: 3 championships, 3 finals MVPs, 4 regular season MVPs
• LeBron has a higher field goal percentage, 2-point percentage, and true-shooting percentage
• Can LeBron overcome MJ with a win in the 2017 finals?

Profile - Colton Cosner

Photo Credit: Elliot Pond

Sports are often a battle of wills. Who wants it more? Who's willing to lay it all out on the line to win the game? For LBCC, the asnwer is Colton Cosner. A first baseman, Cosner has been one of the driving forces leading LBCC to a 19-5 record in league play, 30-10 overall. The Roadrunners are currently first in their division.

"Colton has improved our play by being one of the best lead-off hitters in the NWAC," said Head Coach Ryan Gipson. "He also makes us better by helping lead this young club in many ways."

Cosner's batting average currently sits at an impressive .287, with 41 hits, 14 RBI, and a home run as well. His consistency at bat remains evident, giving the team somebody to count on when it comes to hitting.

Cosner is originally from West Linn, Oregon, where he graduated in 2015 and currently lives in Corvallis. His major at LBCC is business, and he hopes to eventually continue his baseball career elsewhere while simultaneously getting his degree.

Cosner says that coach Gipson had a huge role in convincing him to leave West Linn and travel down to Linn County.

"What made me choose LB, was the vision coach Gipson gave to me when I first visited the school," said Cosner. "I got along with him really well off the bat and he seemed really interested in getting me to the next level."

Coach Gipson also believes that Cosner is one of the most vocal leaders on the team this year, and that his number-one strength is his feel for the game, something that can't be taught.

"He really knows how to run the bases aggressively and is very comfortable in the batter's box," said Gipson.

Cosner believes his biggest strength is leading his teammates to want to win at all costs.

"I am very competitive and I see it rub off on a lot of my teammates," said Cosner.

Cosner's competitive edge has made its mark as LBCC is dominating the season. If the team keeps up and finishes first in their region, they will get an automatic bid into the NWAC championships where they will face off against the best teams in the entire NWAC.

"Our team has been so successful this year because of our drive to put in that extra work when no other team is," said Cosner. "This year the team is a family on and off the field, and I know stepping out on the field that each teammate would die for one another."

Cosner describes the team bond as, "Something special that I haven't felt really with any other team."

With just a few games left of the regular season, LB will be looking to hold onto their first place standing, currently four games ahead of Lane who is in second place. Cosner should be key in helping the team stay focused, and also bringing home a championship for the Roadrunners.


At a Glance:

• LBCC Baseball is currently in first place in their region.
• First baseman Colton Cosner is one of the leading contributors. 
• Cosner is a 20 year-old who graduated from West Linn High School in 2015.
• LBCC has clinched first seed, giving them an automatic bid into the NWAC Championships.
• Cosner is a business major, with hopes of continuing his baseball and academic career after his stint at LBCC. 

Review: "ALL AMERIKKKAN BADA$$"

Artist: Joey Bada$$ (Badass)

Album:ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADA$$

Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap

Producer: Joey Badass, Jonny Shipes, 1-900, Chuck Strangers, DJ Khalil, Jake Bowman, Kirk Knight, Like, Powers Pleasant, Statik Selektah

Collaborators: ScHoolboy Q, Nyck Caution, Kirk Knight, Meechy Darko, Styles P, Chronixx, J. Cole

Label: Pro Era

Rating: ****½:5

The term “All-American” has typically a positive connotation associated with it. It’s usually used to describe something or someone who is the embodiment of all great things associated with America. However, artist Joey Bada$$ (Badass) flips the term on its head, replacing the C with three K’s, referring to the Ku Klux Klan. Joey does this to indicate certain topics he discusses on this album, including racism and other social and political issues. Joey Bada$$ is a New York area rapper with an already impressive resume in the hip-hop industry. Joey is barely 22-years-old and has already released three mixtapes and two studio albums. His newest album titled, “ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADA$$,” was released on April 7, 2017.


What sets Joey apart from his counterparts is his style of “conscious” rap. Joey’s music usually has a higher message and theme to it than the stereotypical rap music focused around sex, drugs, money, and women. In “ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADA$,$” Joey sticks to his roots as a conscious rapper.


From the get-go, Joey tackles social and political issues in today’s society. The opening track “GOOD MORNING AMERIKKKA” has Joey present the question, “What’s freedom to you?” Joey reflects on how African-Americans haven’t been given the same rights throughout history and even more recently within the last few decades.


He also touches on the police brutality incidents and the media’s distorted treatment of killings, saying, “The Coppers still shoot us down on Channel Five news,” and also, “Wishin’ all these dirty cops would come clean,” on the song, “FOR MY PEOPLE.” In just the first two songs, Joey makes it abundantly clear his music, and this album, is meant to send a message and also raise questions about moral ambiguities and hypocrisies in modern American society. Joey describes music as a form of expression and says he uses his music to teach a lesson: his microphone is a weapon. With his weapon, Joey states he is, “Surpassin’ the expectancy of my life in my direction,” to elude to the fact that his message in his songs is far different from the stereotypical rap songs.

Perhaps his strongest message on the album comes on the last track, “AMERIKKKAN IDOL.” Towards the end of this record, Joey states that he believes the government is trying to start a “Civil War” amongst the people, mainly blacks and whites, and pushing the people to their limits. Joey states, “They want us to rebel, so that it makes it easier for them to kill us and put us in jails.” Joey uses this to segway into his call for action: that we as a people stand up and fight for human rights. He asks the listener to rebel and raise hell, but be cautious about it because of his belief in the government’s plan.


“They literally beggin’ for this to happen, so they can kill us off. Usin’ uprisin’ and rebellion as the excuse in a timely fashion. The cancerous foods, the chemical warfare, economic sufferin’ is not workin’ fast enough.” This song dives much deeper into Joey’s thoughts, and it’s perfectly blended together with Joey’s top-tier lyricism and wordplay.


Even though this album is chock-full of Joey’s thoughts on racism, government, and freedom, it doesn’t take away from this album’s musical aspect as a hip-hop record. Joey has received critical-acclaim because his music reflects an “old-school” feel reminiscent of the 80’s and 90’s era of hip-hop where lyricism and wordplay ruled supreme.

Along with that, the musical production on the album is very-well put together. Songs like “TEMPTATION,” “DEVASTATED,” and “FOR MY PEOPLE” feature slower, more rhythmic beats that pair well with Joey’s smooth delivery over the tracks. Songs like “ROCKABYE BABY,” and “RING THE ALARM” feature an old-school “boom bap” instrumental while also giving the listener some nice bass to enhance the experience. Those tracks also include some fun features by ScHoolboy Q, Nyck Caution, Kirk Knight, and Meechy Darko.


Overall, Joey Bada$$ creates a record that tackles controversial themes and ideas and leaves it up to the listener to listen and think about the questions being brought up. This isn’t an album full of “bangers” or songs to get rowdy to; instead, I would consider it a thinking-person’s album, and a very good one at that.

In a review from Complex, William E. Ketchum III says, "Like the title suggests, he sees the prejudice built into the foundation of America but can't help but be the country's son all the same." This review captures the feel of this album as Joey criticizes the "American Dream" but also finds patriotism in it as his rise to fame has been his "American Dream."

Patrick Lyons from HotNewHipHop said, "AABA is the most explicitly political rap album I've heard in a year that seems to demand them, so that's certainly worth something." Lyons refers to this year being a demand for those albums because of the state of our country as far as our president and other events. Lyons claims that Joey's album is good but not on the level of other political albums such as Kendrick Lamar's "To Pimp a Butterfly."

If you’ve never listened to Joey before, his mixtapes are available online as well as his first studio album “B4.DA.$$” which can be found on iTunes or anywhere else. If you’re a hip-hop fan who typically likes more fast-paced in your face songs with wild beats, this probably isn’t an album for you. This album lends itself to being digested and thought over, and really implores the listener to pay careful attention to every verse being spit. It’s Joey’s best product yet, and will remain a favorite for quite some time.


At A Glance:

• Joey Bada$$'s second studio album, "ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADA$$," was released on April 7, 2017.
• The album tackles political and social issues including racism, police brutality, and the unfair treatment of certain people.
• The album features appearances from ScHoolboy Q, Nyck Caution, J. Cole and others.
• While this album is consciously-charged, it doesn't take away from the rap aspect of good instrumentals and impressive lyricism.
• Possibly Joey's best work so far, and shows why he should be considered a powerhouse rap artist.

Running Wild: LB baseball holds first place in region

Photo Credit: Elliot Pond

Spring is arguably the best time of year. The rain is stopping, the shine is shining, 
and school is nearing its end. Spring also means the start of baseball season, and that has led to a shining spot on the Linn-Benton campus. LBCC’s baseball team is currently dominating their season so far, with a record of 16-6 overall (6-2 in league) and tied for first in the Southern region of the Northwest Athletic Conference. The team is being lead by starting pitcher Logan Hatley who is proving to be one of the NWAC's best pitchers this season.

After picking up a non-league win against Linfield JV, the team traveled to Coos Bay for two doubleheaders against Southwestern Oregon Community College. The Roadrunner split the first doubleheader against SWOCC on Saturday, April 8, winning the first game 3-0 and then falling 0-3 in the second game. The teams ran it back on April 9, with LB taking both games 5-2.

"We've started the year playing well as a whole overall," said Head Coach Ryan Gipson. "That can be attributed to the high expectations our players have set for another and as a group." 

What has been the team's strength this season is their pitching staff, in conference the team's ERA (earned runs average) is 1.92. Logan Hatley is currently leading the entire NWAC in wins with five and he's fifth in the league in strikeouts with 40. Pitching is easily one of the most important aspects of baseball so having such an outstanding pitcher has helped the team all-around. 

Shortstop Josh Congdon has been one of the team’s best hitters so far. Congdon’s batting average so far is .338, with 14 runs and seven RBI (runs batted in) on the season. Congdon had four runs over the weekend with 12 at bats, and contributed four hits.

Colton Cosner also has had a productive batting season so far. His average sits at .337 with 18 runs and six RBI this season. Against SWOCC, he had four runs and seven hits.

The Roadrunners will host the first doubleheader against Clark on Friday, April 14 with the games scheduled at 1 and 4 p.m. The team will then travel to Clark on Saturday, April 15 and play a doubleheader with games at 1 and 4 p.m.

Clark has currently played six less games than LB, but have been formidable so far, with an overall record of 12-4 and 3-1 in league play. The games should be a great test between the teams to see who will pull ahead as a real contender in the Southern region of the NWAC. Right now it looks to be a three-team race between the Roadrunners, Lane, and Clark.

"Clark is going to be the next best challenge we've faced all year, said pitcher Cole Ashcraft. "All we have to do is play our game of baseball and we should get the series win." 

At a glance:

• Linn-Benton's baseball team holds first place in their region with a record of 6-2 in league.
• Games on Friday, April 14 and also Saturday, April 15.
• Head Coach Ryan Gipson attributes success to players expectations and pitching staff.
• All games, results, and rosters can be found online at NWACSports.org
• Contact Coach Gispon via email at gipsonr@linnbenton.edu 

Sunrise Elementary Students Get Wild Over Reading

One in four children in America grow up not learning how to read, according to DoSomething.org. Also, two-thirds of children who cannot read proficiently by the end of fourth grade will end up in jail or on welfare.

Reading is absolutely essential in our lives today whether you're working a desk job or working a labor job. Due to the increasing numbers of children growing up without being able to read schools like Sunrise Elementary in Albany, Ore., are creating new ways to promote students to learn how to read.

On Thursday, March 3, Sunrise Elementary held a "Wild About Reading" luncheon in the school's cafeteria. The luncheon was held to congratulate students that had done all their reading for the week. The cafeteria was decorated in a wildlife theme and students were allowed to eat on the stage area in the cafeteria as well as the normal tables. Students came in three waves: kindergarten and fifth grade, first and fourth grade, and finally second and third grade.

Sunrise held a "Wild About Reading" event from February 5-26 where students were asked to read four or more nights of the week for 20-30 minutes and have the parents initial a sheet saying the child read. If they student reached the goal for the week they would receive a prize on Friday, and the students who read all 21 nights were invited to the luncheon.

"The reading challenge is focused on developing consistent reading routines at home," said Principal Jodi Smith. "We are very excited for the families that have made reading a part of their routine and the students that can celebrate that success at our Wildlife Safari Assembly."

Sunrise Elementary has been making steady improvements to help students learn how to read. The school is a host to the SMART (Start Making A Reader Today) program, which is a volunteer-based program in Oregon. Volunteers visit schools and spend an hour a week one-on-one with students and help students better their reading skills by reading stories aloud with them. On top of helping the students read SMART also provides the children with up to 14 new books that they can take home.

On top of the wildlife luncheon the wildlife safari will be at the school on Friday, March 4 for two assemblies with live animals for the students who earned it through completing their reading. In a day and age where more and more children are not learning to read Sunrise Elementary is pushing for new ways to promote reading for students.

At a glance: Sunrise Elementary held a "Wild About Reading" luncheon to congratulate their students on reading for the month of February. The reading follows the school's "Wild About Reading" event for the month which asked students to read four nights of the week and have the parents initial saying they did the reading.

Sunrise Elementary 
SMART Reader
Sunrise Newsletter

Albany Christian School Gets New Heater in Gymnasium

Winter can be an extremely tough time in Oregon, especially if your building is over 100 years old. In the midst of a cold winter Albany Christian School (ACS), has just purchased and is installing a brand new heating system in their gymnasium.

Opened in 1964, ACS started as a church that was looking to open a christian school in Albany that would be an alternative education. The school's focus was on academic excellence, while also teaching students about the Bible. The church had been looking for a new facility to house their growing congregation and stumbled upon the old Albany High School building.

After putting in a bid the church moved into the school and had their pastor as the principal, two teachers and just 57 students. In 1985 the school opened up a preschool and now their preschool, elementary and middle school teaches about 300 students in total. The school is now in its fifth decade and of course a 100 year old building is bound to need some upgrading here and there.

The heating system took about a week to install, according to members of the school congregation. The heater follows a few other upgrades just made to the gym mainly the handmade replacement bleachers that went up over the summer time.

The building itself has also gone through major upgrades. In the summer of 2013 the building fell victim to a significant fire which led to many improvements including energy efficient upgrades, and various remodeling projects including the men's bathroom.

Mike Mellison, associate pastor at Willamette Community Church, was also the "point person" in helping get the heater installed. ACS shares the building with Willamette Community Church, in downtown Albany.

"It's nice knowing that the school is continuing to make upgrades where it feels it can better the environment for the kids," said Roger Williams, a parent who has multiple kids going to Albany Christian.

On top of using the gymnasium for school purposes the gym is also used on Thursday nights where the Willamette Community Church hosts an open gym basketball night.

"The old heater really wasn't able to heat up the entire gym quickly at all," said Jamison Dufour, a participant at open gym. "This new heater is much quicker and a lot less noisy."

Having your headquarters located in a 100-year-old building will pose some problems, but ACS and Willamette Community Church continue to show that they will take the endeavors on one at a time.

At a Glance:
Albany Christian School and Willamette Community church share a building in downtown Albany and have been around since 1964. The school was founded by members of the church who purchased the building that wanted to offer children an alternate education in the city of Albany. The church recently had a brand new heating system installed in the gymnasium of the building.