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all that jazz
Adjunct professor takes her work home with her PG. 8
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2016 | VOL LXX ISSUE 6 tccclarion.com f/ccclarion T@ccclarion
Annual Clery report reveals low crime rates
Special submission: MEGAN BENDER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
MBENDER@CCCLARION.COM
In light of mental illness awareness week, the Psychology Club submitted an article to the Clarion featuring personal experiences of Citrus College students with mental illness. As the editor-in-chief and as someone who has been a support system to loved ones suffering from mental illness as well as experienced mental illness firsthand, I feel this article is of great value to the Citrus student body. It takes great courage to come forward with personal experiences in an attempt to encourage others to stay strong. This was written by president of the Psychology Club, Isaias Perez, and Vice President Mikaela Villanueva in an attempt to continue the conversation on mental illness and hope.
let’s talk BY MIKAELA VILLANUEVA CONTRIBUTOR
& ISAIAS PEREZ Jessica Sosa Photo Illustration
On the safe side BY STEPHEN IM OPINIONS EDITOR SIM@CCCLARION.COM
& JANELLE PARIS STAFF WRITER
JPARIS@CCCLARION.COM
Campus safety has released its annual security report which includes 2015 crime statistics at Citrus College. Citrus’ largest violation category, drug and alcohol violations, has dropped from 46 counts in 2014 to 26.
The Jeanne Clery Act, which was instituted in 1990, requires all colleges and universities, both public and private, to disclose campus safety statistics and information. The mandated report shows that Citrus’ crime statistics are minimal in the majority of crime categories. The zeros across many of the categories represent another year passing without a major incident at Citrus. Incidents like the shooting at Umpqua Community College in
Oregon and the more proximal University of California Los Angeles shooting earlier this year where a murder-suicide took place, are reminders of the fragility of campus safety. Though her schedule keeps until 10 p.m. on school days animal science major Rachel Montoya said she has no complaints about her safety on campus. “I notice a lot of campus safety supervisors patrolling late at night,” Montoya said.
Psychology major Adriana McFarland also said she’s noticed a lot more campus presence since she started at Citrus more than a year ago. “There’s always at least two police cars driving around when I leave at night,” McFarland said. In comparison to community colleges in the region, Citrus sits among the lowest in many crime categories, such having the minimal amount of vehicle thefts in the S E E C LERY • PAGE 5
Former CSi Turned Screenplay writer David Miranda, Citrus student, shares about his life after retirement and how the theatre program plays a big role in that. PG. 9
CONTRIBUTOR
Opening up a discussion on mental health awareness grants the opportunity to make this topic less taboo. Recently a couple of Citrus College students began this discussion. Alexandria Jensen was willing to share her story in an attempt to possibly help people who face similar situations. At a young age she lost her mother to cancer but it wasn’t until a couple of years later she began to feel the effect of her loss. She started to feel alone to the point where death seemed to be a suitable answer. One day, her grandparents noticed her behavior and asked her about it. Jensen told them that she felt like S E E TALK • PAGE 5
out of this world
RISE teams from Citrus prepare to participate in NASA competition in spring 2017. PG. 7
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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2016
Clarion
EDITORIAL
Goodbye Obama Eight years has passed since President Obama took the Oval Office, and his time as president is coming to an end. We are so caught up with who is going to be the next president of the United States that we have yet to look back at President Obama’s accomplishments during these past eight years. President Obama made history by being the first African-American president of the United States. Following the spirit of the iconic portrait by Shepard Fairey, he created hope for all pursuing goals in high places. We’re in a historic streak of private sector job creation. Unemployment has been cut in half since the aftermath of the Great Recession. We passed health care reform. Osama bin Laden is dead. Homosexuals can now serve openly in the military — among many other bits of progress — and we’ve done all this while Republicans in Congress have done everything possible to sabotage him. Under his watch, gay rights, climate change, health care and equal-
ity for women have made huge strides. Obama took office amid the worst economic crisis in generations. Banks depended on a federal bailout to survive. The official unemployment rate had reached 7.8 percent and could have exceeded 10 percent. The numbers were even worse when the underemployed were included. Many dropped out of the workforce entirely. Today the employment picture is drastically improved. Yet wages, when adjusted for inflation, remained steady for years and only recently have begun to climb, continuing a decades-old trend. He’s been a calm, cerebral, witty and largely scandal-free chief executive whose qualities haven’t been seen in the White House in a long time. When President Obama leaves office, the regular pickup basketball games at the White House will leave too. He has a deeply rooted foundation of belief in the good in people, the strength and value in America, and an indisputable faith in God.
He is a unique blend of class, confidence, diligence, sophistication, and tenacity that reminds us that the president should be the best of us. These qualities have been matched by his wife, Michelle Obama. Michelle is the epitome of the American dream. Michelle gave up a distinguished law career when she became First Lady. She advocated for military families and healthy eating and exercise for children. Through her own and her parents dedication to work and exemplary values, she became an extraordinarily successful career woman, mother, wife and First Lady who also has some great dance moves and karaoke skills. President Obama’s two terms have not been perfect, but his accomplishments have been inspirational — especially to those who believe that being first at something reaches far beyond into generations to come. Mr. President, First Lady, Malia, Sasha — farewell. You will all be missed.
Emily Hermosillo Clarion
OPINION
Can the Republican Party Survive The 2016 Election? BY TREVOR RYAN STAFF WRITER
TRYAN@CCCLARION.COM
The Republican Party has represented about half of the citizens of the United States for over 150 years. However, in recent months it has seen a tremendous split down the middle. With Donald Trump as the Republican Party’s presidential candidate, the GOP as we know it is unlikely to survive. The erratic and controversial campaign of Donald Trump has been one of the most divisive and harmful periods for the party. Tensions that have been pushed beneath the surface for years in the GOP have been shot into the sphere of public attention. One glaring tension is the idea of how conservative they want to be. As it stands, the majority of the GOP demographic is older white men and women. Conservatives of minority ethnicities are unlikely to join a party led by a man who generates so much racial tension. Trump’s campaign has relied on name recognition, and his words resonate with people upset with the
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status quo. Upset people get taken away with his vague promises of changing everything for the better. This has all been intertwined with strong allegations of sexual abuse, verbal abuse, tax evasion, a lack of professional tact, but above all, a fundamental misunderstanding of
Letters to the editor The Clarion staff recognizes its role as a conduit for the expression of opinion. We will accept all letters addressed to the editor, but reserve the right to determine and edit the content of the publication for space and grammar. The decision to publish a letter shall not be based on the letter’s agreement with the editorial positions of the Clarion staff. Letters should be limited to 350 words or less. Letters that are obscene, libelous, incomprehensible, or racially/sexually/religiously offensive will not be published under any circumstance.
Letters to the editor can be addressed to the Editor-in-Chief: Megan Bender at mbender@ccclarion.com or contact@ccclarion.com
how American politics work. The other half of Republicans still remember that their nominees historically have been individuals with strong family values and an ethics. These Republicans are left wondering how a man like Trump could be the primary selection of a party that once had men like Abraham
D
ear Editor, Students who are dropping out because they did not consider their education as beneficial should have received proper advisement about the way college can work for them or gained motivation through seeking help from a counselor. I think Citrus College must allow students be able to meet up with the same counselor they want to work out their college education plans with. Many students drop out due to issues such as stress, family issues, mental illnesses, needed a full time job, school costs too much, not sure of major, college atmosphere wasn’t right or they had too much fun outside of class. These issues are solved by learn-
Lincoln to rally behind. For GOP candidates like Mitt Romney and John McCain, criticisms that surrounded them were related to their ability to be an effective president. There was little doubt or concern about their ethics or their respect for the rights of others. Republican voters were not torn between a candidate who wasn’t a Republican and an individual who with every passing day makes another offensive statement or gesture. Now it is not only Republican citizens who are opposed to Trump, but House Majority Leader Paul Ryan has withdrawn support from Trump in light of his most recent debacle. There have been plenty of scandals about the recordings of him discussing how he has sexually abused women. In the past, a recording like this would be enough to chase a candidate from the race, however Trump is quite clearly sticking with the election through to the end. Whether or not Trump wins, he will be indifferent to the fact that he has severely divided the Republican party. With the split between Republi-
cans on Trump’s side of the fence, and voters who probably would have like to have seen the likes of Mitt Romney, or Ben Carson this election season, I wonder whether or not there would be a serious consideration for the emergence of a third party. People who adamantly support Trump want to see a wild card candidate win. These people may feel like their movement deserves an entire party of its own. Whether that third party emerges or not, it will be interesting to see how the Republican Party can continue to effectively exist when most of the party is divided on candidates. At the other end, it’s easy to see how unified the Democratic Party is in comparison. Despite Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton having their obvious differences, they realize how important unity is to the stability of the party they belong to and by extension, the running of the nation. With Trump avoiding to answer whether or not he will accept the will of the American people come Election Day, all we can hope for is a peaceful resolution to an election season that has been anything but.
ing how to use advisement and counseling for fixing issues with classes, work and personal or family issues. Not all students are the same, but the solutions to these problems are similar: learning to manage time, learning to be responsible and learning about what their goals are and setting out to accomplish them. Advisement or counseling helps with almost anything interfering with your education. Counselors are there for a reason. School should be the place where anyone can have an education and can reach their full potential. Counselors are the guides towards your college educational goals. They are the helping hand which many students can use. If the same counselor is of con-
tinuous service to students, the counselor can understand the situation and the student better and are able to see if the student meets their goals. By the end, this can be a beneficial experience for both counselor and student in regards of working something out.
Sincerely, Adriana Aguilar Citrus student
Clarion
ANNOUNCEMENTS
O W L B E AT Everything you need to know about current events in the campus community. If there is something you want us to cover, email us: contact@ccclarion.com
• NOV. 2 - DIA DE LOS MUERTOS
Enjoy tacos and watch live performances for the annual Dia De Los Muertos event from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the campus center mall.
Ow/ wLaulghitner g
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2016
PAGE 3
A COMIC STRIP BY EMILY HERMOSILLO HAVE YOU EVER STAYED AT SCHOOL ALL DAY ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT YOUR LAST CLASS CANCELLED?
• NOV. 5 - BROADWAY SING-ALONG
Support the Citrus Musical Theatre Program by participating in their cabaret-style singalong. Family-friendly content from “The Sound of Music” and “Grease” will show 2 p.m. and mature content from ”Hamilton” will show 8 p.m. Tickets are $20.
DRAW YOUR PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE BELOW.
NOV. 8 - ELECTION WATCH 2016
The Political Science Student Association of Citrus College invites the community to gather while the country votes for our next president. The event will occur from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in Zellers Center for Innovation, CI 159.
Tag us in your submission and we’ll post the best one.
• NOV. 12 - VOCALOSITY
A live concert event from the producer of Pitch Perfect and the Sing-Off will take place at 7 p.m. in the Haugh Performing Arts Center. Tickets from $25 to $45, with discounts for students and senior citizens.
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• NOV. 13 - AGATHA CHRISTIE’S MURDER ON THE NILE
@citruscollegeclarion
The Aquila Theater tours to the Haugh Performing Arts Center, presenting its twist on the classic murder mystery “Murder on The Nile”. Tickets from $20 to $38, with discounts for students, senior citizens, and viewers 16 and under. Show begins at 2 p.m.
Twitter:
@ccclarion
• NOV. 19 - THE HAVANA CUBA ALL-STARS
To celebrate the new friendship between the U.S. and Cuba, some of the country’s greatest musicians will be sharing their rich musical heritage as well as the stories and sounds of the Caribbean at 8 p.m. in the HPAC. Tickets range from $36 to $40. • DEC. 1 - ACCREDITATION CAMPUS COMMUNITY FORUM
As the administration prepares to submit a follow-up report to the accreditation committee, the Citrus College community is welcome to discuss the college’s concerns, recommendations, actions, and the draft report. The forum will take place from 2:40 p.m. to 3:40 p.m. in the Lecture Hall, LH 101. • DEC. 1 - NIGHT OWLS
Get a head start studying for finals 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. in ED 170.
THE 1000 BLOCK
Incident Reports
REPORTS ARE PROVIDED COURTESY OF THE CITRUS COLLEGE CAMPUS SAFETY DEPARTMENT. A REPORT IS NOT A STATEMENT OF GUILT.
Drug Law Violation
Grand Theft
Suspicious Circumstances
Damage to District Property
Standards of Conduct
LOCATION: S4 Parking Lot REPORTED: 10/13/16 CASE #: 2016-114 DISPOSITION: Closed
LOCATION: Reprographics REPORTED: 10/21/16 CASE #: 2016-116 DISPOSITION: Open
LOCATION: Professional Center REPORTED: 10/12/16 CASE #: 2016-113 DISPOSITION: Open
LOCATION: Field House REPORTED: 10/12/16 CASE #: 2016-112 DISPOSITION: Open
LOCATION: Field House REPORTED: 10/11/16 CASE #: 2016-111 DISPOSITION: Open
#whatstrending
LOCAL NEWS, SPORTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND LIFE ON CAMPUS – FIND IT HERE
HOOT TWEETS: @CitrusSTEM: “The Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden is now recruiting Citrus College students as interns for the spring term:... fb.me/a2a0USaYN” @atticuseye: “Citrus College served me undercooked chicken but I ain’t mad cause it was tasty” @isamelody_25: CITRUS COLLEGE : where people sing everywhere lol...”
OWLSTAGRAM:
QUOTABLE: “It’s not who you are that holds you back, it’s who you think you are not.”
-Jean-Michel Basquiat CITRUS COLLEGE
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Megan Bender editor-in-chief John Michaelides sports editor Stephen Im opinions editor Evan Solano ad manager Staff Writers: Christopher Amurao, Sahara Barba, Aldo Lujan Copy Desk: Annell De Lira, Brianna Sewell, Jessica Sosa Editorial Board: Emily Hermosillo, Cindy Hang, Batool Jaffer, Trevor Ryan Freelance Contributors: Tatiana Cervantes, Vidal Espina, Mia Garcia, Janelle Paris
Patrick Schmiedt Clarion adviser Margaret O’Neil Clarion adviser Stacy K. Long Clarion adviser
The Clarion is produced by journalism students and is distributed every other Wednesday during the semester. Ads are not endorsed by the Clarion. Editorials are the opinion of at least 75 percent of the Editorial Board. All other opinion is that of the writer. Views expressed do not represent those of the adviser, faculty, administration, Associated Students of Citrus College and/or CCCBOT. Libel will not be published. The Clarion welcomes feedback from our readers. If you have any gripes, questions, or comments... We want to hear from you! Send your letters in at ccclarion.com/letters. All correspondence must include your student ID#, major and signature. Letters may be edited for content.
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NEWS
Ayumi Nakamura dies in drunken driving accident before starring in play BY EMILY HERMOSILLO STAFF WRITER
EHERMOSILLO@CCCLARION.COM
Citrus student Ayumi Nakamura, 22, died Oct. 22 after the vehicle she was in hit the freeway guardrail which made the car airborne, striking a metal pole. The accident occurred on Lincoln Avenue off-ramp on the 57 Freeway in Anaheim around 4 a.m. The driver, Asako Bonkobara, was found to be under the influence of alcohol during the incident and was placed under arrest according to California Highway Patrol. Cherie Brown, the Acting and Directing program director at Citrus College, announced the news to Nakamura’s classmates the following Monday, evoking tears and embraces. “It came as such a shock to everyone we almost didn’t believe it. I keep catching myself thinking I’m
Clery FR O M PA G E 1
Citrus had only one reported car theft in the last three years, lower than other colleges in the area such as 36 car thefts at Cerritos College, seven at Chaffey College and six at Pasadena City College. In addition to yearly crime statistics, the Clery Act requires campus safety to release timely warnings when criminal activity takes place on campus or off campus in surrounding areas. Timely warnings are intended to raise awareness for students, faculty and staff provide an opportunity for any witnesses to report and come forward with any information in regards to criminal activity. Of the timely warnings dated since October 2015, five out of six were related to sexual harassment.
Talk FR O M PA G E 1
she didn’t want to live anymore. Her grandparents, however, only considered it to be a phase. A couple of weeks later, she locked herself in her bedroom and attempted to strangle herself. Luckily, the police came on time and were able to talk her out of it. During her 72 hour hold, her grandparents reached out for help and Jensen went to Aurora Charter Oak, a behavioral health care facility, where she received the help she needed. As the years progressed, she received more help and transferred to Pacific Clinics, another behavioral healthcare facility, where she furthered her progress. “It was a definite struggle,” Jensen said, but she started to see the silver lining. It wasn’t easy by any means but when asked what advice she would have given herself 5 years ago she said, “let people help, open yourself up to being helped.” It was hard for her since she said “didn’t like getting help,” and said she thought (getting help) was a weakness.
going to see her at rehearsal.” said theater arts major, Sydney Welsh. Nakamura and Welsh were classmates for about a year and a half before growing close during the summer when they participated in the show “Trip to Bountiful” together. Welsh considers her theater group to be a big family after all the time they spend together and says that they were all affected by the tragedy of Nakamura’s death. “Seeing the amount of people that are hurt by her death is really just a testament to the amazing person she was while she was here,” Welsh said. Cognitive psychology major, Adilene Nevarez, met Nakamura during her rehearsal of “Book of Days.” Despite not having a role in the play, Nakamura was present everyday to help her classmates and step in as an understudy when needed, and she was never late. One day Nevarez did not attend rehearsal because there had been a
Because of this, other students disagree with the safety of Citrus at night. Christine Brickner, Child Development major, said on the Citrus Student’s Facebook page, she feels paranoid after getting out of her psychology class in the LH building between 7 and 10 pm. Brickner said this is a huge concern to her and does not make her feel safe on campus. “When I walk to my car I’m using a tiny flashlight on my key chain at times and I have someone on the phone with me just in case anything happens,” Brickner said in a Facebook comment. Sabrina Gonzalez, broadcast journalism major, added to Brickner’s complaint. “There should be more campus safety officers in the poorly lit parking lot so people can feel safer when walking to their cars.” General psychology major with a minor in social and behavior, Jessica Rios said there is poor attendance of campus safety during
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2016 PAGE 5
Juan Vidal shot in attempted robbery at fast food restaurant STAFF REPORT
Ayumi Nakamura Photo courtesy of Adilene Nevarez
Ayumi Nakamura had a major role in “Play it Again, Sam” which opens Nov. 4.
death in her family. When she returned she found Nakamura had dedicated her time to taking notes for her. “I was in disbelief that someone would do something like that,” Nevarez said, “She was such a beautiful soul. She left an impact on all of us who know her.”
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“
Personal safety starts with you, so you have to do your part and if we are doing our part all will be well.” -BEN MACIAS
campus safety supervisor
the night. “I never see any at night and during the day I just see them lurking around by the parking lots or going across campus,” Rios said in a Facebook comment. While crime statistics and student safety are often correlated, creating a safe and secure environment is a chief concern for campus safety. Officer Ben Macias, supervisor of Campus Safety, reassures all students who might be having doubts. “We have staff here 24 hours a
Juan Vidal, 25-year-old Citrus College student, was shot and killed in an attempted robbery of Jack in the Box in El Monte on Oct. 21, as reported by CBS Los Angeles. Vidal, who was studying to be a pharmacist, was working the counter when a masked man attempted to rob the fast-food restaurant. CBS Los Angeles said friends and family left candles outside of the Jack in the Box on Oct. 22 to honor Vidal. Friends of Vidal also held a car wash to help raise money for family expenses on Oct. 29 at the corner of Fullerton and Colima. The masked man has not yet been found and left empty handed, L.A. County sheriff ’s department said. In the report Vidal’s family asks that if any information is known to come forward.
“Through our strategic plan that is going to occur in the next five years we will be putting several of the blue emergency phones around campus,” Macias said. Macias said he strongly encourages students to go on the campus safety web page as well to see the annual security reports published. “Most reports in 2015 and this year are drug violations by students. Rarely there are cases of violent measures on campus,” Macias said “Citrus is a very safe place. Crime is minimal, violent crime is virtually non-existent.” By reviewing safety tips, having the campus safety phone number, downloading the Citrus Guardian app, staying in well-lit areas at night and being aware of surroundings, students can do their part to stay safe. “Personal safety starts with you, so you have to do your part and if we are doing our part all will be well,” Macias said.
Christopher Amurao Clarion
closest friend, Joshua, who decided to take his own life. Soon, Villanueva turned to the thought of suicide once more and almost succeeded. “I would think about ways that I could do it painlessly and I think that is an indication that I didn’t want to inflict pain on myself because on some level I still loved myself,” Villanueva said. She was able to find worth and meaning within herself. Now in good health and involved in Psi Beta Honors Society and the Psychology Club, Villanueva is able to help those who are struggling the way she did. “I never thought my life would be like this a year ago, I am so glad I never went through with it,” Villanueva said. To start a journey of a 1000 steps you cannot dismiss the first step: talking, discussing, and letting people know that there is a problem. Openly discussing this type of problem is not an easy step, however, it is a necessary one. It may help others to know and understand that mental illness is not a problem victims face alone. As Jensen said, “talking is the most important thing when it comes to mental health.”
“
-MIKAELA VILLANUEVA
vice president of Psychology Club
A display of a burnt record represents the song that saved a victim of mental illness from remaining in a dark place. The submission was put on display by the Psychology club at a Mental Illness Awareness fair on Oct. 18 and 19 in the Campus Center Mall.
Her family did not take her mental health issues seriously and turned to humor to avoid the problem. “They ridiculed me to the point where suicide just became a huge joke,” Villanueva said. A sense of pride is an integral quality in traditional Filipino culture, therefore ignoring and masking over issues was how her family coped with anything regarding mental health. Along with this, Villanueva
Vidal was a student at Citrus College who was hoping to become a Pharmacist. The robber responsible for his death has not yet been found.
day and 7 days a week, so we always have staff here on campus,” Macias said. Officer Macias also said the Citrus Guardian app provides direct communication with campus safety and is accessible to any Citrus student. The app is free on the apple store and Google play for androids under the main app’s name Rave Guardian. Citrus Guardian includes a one-button access where a student can get direct communication with a campus safety officer. The app makes it possible to text or send an image on the mobile app of any suspicious activity on campus. Macias said, “the lights are on timers and facilities worked on fixing the issue and it has been resolved.” He also said brighter LED lighting has also been installed in the parking lots. Macias said there are emergency call buttons on campus. One emergency call box is in parking lot S4.
I never thought my life would be like this a year ago, I am so glad I never went through with it.” “I thought that was some sort of shame,” she said, “when in reality it’s a sign of great strength being able to open and being vulnerable to others.” Through her hard work and dedication she found the perseverance to overcome her state. She has now placed herself in a position where she is currently helping others with special needs, and continues to share her story with anybody that needs to hear it for help. Psychology major Mikaela Villanueva, 19, also attempted committing suicide multiple times. Unfortunately, turning to her family for support was not an option. “We don’t really talk about anything and mental health doesn’t really exist,” she said.
Juan Vidal Photo courtesy of Juan Vidal’s Facebook profile
said she also dealt with bullying throughout her life. She was bullied throughout middle school and high school. “I kind of got that thought reinforced...like ‘I’m not good enough,’” Villanueva said. As a result, she continued on with a shattered self esteem that later developed into a drug and alcohol problem by the time she was 15 years old. Later on, she said she also had to deal with the passing of her
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FEATURES
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2016 PAGE 7
RISE prepare for spring Nasa competitions BY ALDO LUJAN STAFF WRITER
ALUJAN@CCCLARION.COM
The Research in Science and Engineering teams from Citrus College are in the early steps of preparation for a Student Launch Rocket challenge. The Rocket Owls will be competing in the Student Launch competition and the Galactic Owls of RISE will be competing in the Human Exploration Rover challenge. The competitions are separate but will be held in late March and early April 2017 in Huntsville, Alabama. Collectively, the Rocket and the Galactic Owls are made up of 9 students who spend anywhere from 5 to 20 hours a week researching and designing their rocket and rover. Five students are in the Rocket Owls and four are in the Galactic Owls and are all rookies to their respective teams. “We started off this summer not knowing anything,” said Brandon Tong, mechanical engineering major and member of the Galactic Owls. “At first I thought it was going to be a little too much but the more we go about it seems definitely possible,” said Jimmy Lopez, aerospace engineering major and Payload Specialist for the Rocket Owls. “We’re all improving, this is the first time we have had to write anything of this size or at this level.” Out of 60 schools selected to compete in the Student Rocket Launch challenge, Citrus is one of only three community colleges selected. “It is definitely really intense it is pretty stressful,” Lopez said, “just comparing yourself to the other universities that have teams of 20 or 30 students it is a little overwhelming, but it does have its perks. Also just having such a small team makes it easier to make difficult decisions,” Bigger schools competing in the
Vincent Franco Clarion
The rocket made by the Rocket Owls last year is decorated as R2-D2 and won fourth place. The Rocket Owls look at previous rocket designs to try to emulate the same results.
contests typically have a bigger team as well as more funding. Funding for the Citrus programs come from sponsors as well as fundraising events like the Junior Rocket Owls. The Junior Rocket Owls are a group of 27 fifth-grade students who work with individuals from each team to build model rockets using physics and applying mathematical equations which help build their skills. “With four people it feels like a lot of work,” said biomedical engineering major and leader of the Galactic owls Christina Yu, “but I feel like with four people if we all work hard we can do it… it just takes more effort.” Captains from both teams said they feel accomplished in how much their teams have grown since the beginning of the competition because of how much they’re learning about their subject and how many of their skills are being improved. Yvonne Villapudua, leader of the Rocket Owls, said it is a great feeling knowing they’re a community college and much smaller but doing just as good as any other school can do.
Last year, the Rocket Owls placed fourth in the whole competition. Villapudua said she has “big shoes to fill” in trying to do as good as her predecessors. The Rocket Owls turned in their 80 page proposal which got them accepted into the competition and will turn in their preliminary design review which has to be around 250 pages on Friday Nov. 4, along with their presentation. The preliminary design review for their rocket will be the first of four reviews due before the launch. Their rocket has to go about a mile in the air using no greater than an L class motor which is a small fraction of the strongest motor used on rockets, and has to carry a payload protecting fragile material. The Galactic Owls have a prototype rover which is still being tested and changed before they make their final rover. The Rover’s purpose is to maneuver throughout Mars with little to no hiccups. It will be taken through 13 obstacles during their competition. If the Galactic Owls do not have
Vincent Franco Clarion
Brandon Tong takes the Galactic Owls’ rover for a test ride. There has to be two people controlling the rover during the competition, one man and one woman.
a completed version done by February 2017, their instructor Lucia Riderer will remove them from the competition. “I think we’re pretty good on time we are designing the wheel right now
and deciding what material we are going to use for the actual rover” said Yu. The website for the Rocket Owls can be found at http://citruscollegerocketowls5.weebly.com
Take a ride down the Gold Line: Irwindale station BY SAHARA BARBA STAFF WRITER
SBARBA@CCCLARION.COM
Since the completion of the new Metro Gold Line in February, students have had access to eight new stops along the way to Los Angeles. The Irwindale stop takes around 5 minutes to get to starting at the Azusa Pacific University and Citrus College stop. Unfortunately, even though access to Irwindale is a lot easier, there is nothing to do at the station itself. Unlike other stations, there are no shops or restaurants within walking distance. To go anywhere from the station requires a car or bike. There are, however, still entertainment options available at this stop for anyone willing to take the extra steps. The Irwindale Park is around a 30 minute walk from the station which is a good place to go with the family. The park has a community pool, a baseball field, a basketball court and a jungle gym for younger children. Irwindale Library is in the same area as the park, giving students access to even more resources for school work. Fast food restaurants such as Jack in the Box, Subway, and Trendy Thai are a five-minute walk from Irwindale Park. Directly across the street from Irwindale Park is Irwindale Skate Park which is good news for skaters because the new stop gives them better access to the very limited amount of skate parks in the San Gabriel Valley. Another location to visit in Irwindale is Santa Fe Dam, which is about a 15 minute Uber drive from the Gold Line station.
Sahara Barba Clarion
Santa Fe Dam is one of the main attractions available off the Irwindale Gold Line station. The dam is about a five-minute bike ride from the Irwindale stop.
The Original Renaissance Pleasure Faire goes on every weekend from April to May at the Santa Fe Dam. For $28.95 a day, the faire features jousting, numerous plays and copious amounts of beer, music and dancing. Santa Fe Dam is also a great place to unwind. The lake is the main attraction. There are walking and biking trails and boat rentals yearround but there is more to do in the
summer. In the summer, the swim beach and water play area are open to visitors. Access to the water costs $2 a person, but enjoying the view can be relaxing enough and is free of cost. Another notable location accessible off the stop is the Irwindale Speedway where, for $15 you can watch cars race around the track. Driving a car to practice racing is
also an option and costs anywhere from $139 to $1,895. The cost depends on the level of instruction. The higher the cost, the more thorough the level of instruction. For any sentimental sports fans, the Irwindale spot features a small piece of history as well. A giant hole was left in the ground off the side of the freeway when plans to build a Raider stadium in Irwin-
dale fell through in 1990. Though ‘Raider Crater’ is not on the map, it is a part of Irwindale history. The extension of the Gold Line gives access to several cities, cutting driving time in half or even more. Instead of paying for gas, it saves money and time to pay the $1.75 fare on the Metro Gold Line to explore what Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley have to offer.
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2016
Professor’s whole world revolves around music
Clarion
Professor by day
BY STEPHEN IM OPINIONS EDITOR SIM@CCCLARION.COM
& JOHN MICHAELIDES SPORTS EDITOR
JMICHAELIDES@CCCLARION.COM
Teryn McPherson holds on to her passion of being a musician as she continues to learn and grow in her other job: being a teacher. McPherson, 30, is an adjunct professor who teaches music at Citrus College, Fullerton College and Azusa Pacific University where she earned her bachelor’s degree in commercial music arranging and master’s degree in composition. She also regularly performs with her band, Teryn Ré Trio, who released their first album earlier this year. The group also performs as a duo, quartet and even an 18-member big band about once a year. Now a resident of Glendora after growing up in Orange County, McPherson lives just a few blocks from the downtown area. “Music has always been something I wanted to do, no matter what,” McPherson said. “I was never like, ‘Oh, maybe I will try something else and see if music works.’” McPherson performs regularly with the Teryn Ré Trio locally, including stops at The Press in Claremont and Mantra Coffee Company in Azusa. Teryn Ré Trio’s first album “Still Haven’t Found” repurposes popular music from past decades into free, unrestricted melodic versions that epitomize vocal jazz. Inspired by artists like Frank Sinatra growing up, McPherson is a performer, composer and arranger who showcases a jazz voice reminiscent of the soulful singers of the mid-20th century. As the only person in her immediate family to find passion in a musical instrument, her music career began with piano lessons at five years old, and eventually her passion turned into a full-ride college scholarship at APU. “My mom put me in piano lessons when I was 5 and so pretty much, to 5 till 18 or 19, I took lessons and then started playing and singing in church,” McPherson said. McPherson, who grew up in Laguna Niguel, attended Orange County School of Arts to continue studying music. “I went there for piano performance, but after my sophomore year, I realized I wanted to do more vocal stuff,” McPherson said. “At the time, they only had opera or musical theatre and those weren’t really my favorite things. So I transferred to public school and started taking voice lessons, but I still played the piano.” Although McPherson had been playing music since she was in elementary school, she did not start playing jazz until her time as a student at APU. Since moving from Orange County in 2004 to attend APU, McPherson said her experience has been great. “I’ve pretty much met all my close friends and fellow musicians here for the most part that I’ve been playing with forever,” McPherson said. During her time as an APU student and aspiring musician, teaching was not in McPherson’s plans. “I didn’t want to teach, ever,” McPherson said. “I literally was just given a bunch of work after school.” McPherson said her mother, who is a second grade teacher, would tell her teaching stories she experienced. But after graduating with her master’s degree, she was offered to teach music classes.
jazz vocalist by night Teryn McPherson Photo courtesy of Teryn McPherson
“
With college, you can be honest and say, ‘This is the real world. This is how it is.” -TERYN MCPHERSON
music professor and jazz vocalist
“I was kind of just given it, because I wasn’t music education, I was arranging and composition,” McPherson said. “So for me, it’s just been a learning process. Like, what works, what doesn’t. So I pretty much teach the way I was taught.”
In her fourth year of teaching music classes now, McPherson said she loves teaching students at the college level. “At this point they are adults,” McPherson said. “You get to challenge them and push them past what they might have previously gotten challenged. A lot of them came and they already have a passion and are driven.” Her musical talents and education have allowed her to not just perform with a multitude of groups, but compose and arrange for them, including Citrus’ Blue Note Orchestra. McPherson said it is important to help students, especially music majors, figure out what they want to do
with music in the future. “With college, you can be honest and say, ‘This is the real world. This is how it is,’” McPherson said. McPherson has put her bachelor’s and master’s degrees to use in creating original arrangements that put a spin on familiar tunes. The song “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” originally by U2, only took McPherson about an hour to arrange and compose for the album, McPherson said. “Arranging for me, for a small group is a lot easier than people think it is,” McPherson said. “‘Cause all you really have to do is change the feel, tempo and the chords.” McPherson said arranging music for her big band is fun.
“A lot of people say they don’t know any vocalists that write for their own big bands, at least females,” McPherson said. Her preference still is the small group dynamic, McPherson said. McPherson said her plans for the future are to “keep doing the same thing I get to do all the time.” McPherson hopes to tour with the trio, but said the priority for the band is their families. McPherson, who’s married, said she still has a lot of freedom to pursue her musical goals. She said she hopes to release another album in the next couple years. The Teryn Ré Trio’s record “Still Haven’t Found” is available on Apple Music and Spotify.
Clarion
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2016 PAGE 9
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NOV 12 Saturday • 7PM
VOCALOSITY The Aca-Perfect Concert Experience Tickets: $45/35/25 Student/Senior: $40/30/20 16 & under: $20/15/10 ASCC: $22.50/17.50/12.50
Former CSI uses his time in the field as a base for his screenplays post-retirement BY ALDO LUJAN STAFF WRITER
ALUJAN@CCCLARION.COM
During David Miranda’s 24 years of being a crime scene investigator agent he never carried a gun. Since CSI’s aren’t sworn officers, they aren’t allowed to do so. Miranda, a 61-year-old student at Citrus College with an undeclared major, wrote the play “On Days Like These” based off of real events throughout his career. The logline of Miranda’s play is “What do you do when the only weapon you have is the truth?” His experiences aren’t what you would expect for an average community college student to have gone through. One of the events that inspired his play the most is when a family went to him and asked him to go to Mexico to finish an unsolved case. He never ended up going for a number of good reasons at the time but always wonders how it would’ve worked out had he agreed to make the trip down south.
“
I was not interested in their opinion on my writing of any fiction or even this book.” -DAVID MIRANDA
Citrus College Student
His play illustrates how things might have gone had he accepted their offer. Miranda was a CSI for many years but knew he was a writer long before that. Being a CSI actually prohibited him, in a way, from being a writer. “Every department that I know of people that I know that have written anything; even if it’s a textbook. Anything you’d write that’s going to go out to the public that isn’t part of a case has to be submitted up to your chain of command for approval,” Miranda said. Miranda has a published book ti-
tled “Evidence Found: An Approach to Crime Scene Investigation.” He did not publish this book while still a CSI even though it had so much to do with his line of work. He said he waited to publish anything he wrote because, “I was not interested in their opinion on my writing of any fiction or even this book.” Miranda was not however, barred from writing altogether. He still had to write homicide reports which by far was not his favorite kind of writing to do. Miranda said there was “nothing more painstaking… than a homicide report.” Miranda plans on turning his play into a movie and plans on writing a whole series of television episodes for it. He also is working on another screenplay on Jeanne de Clisson also known as the Lioness of Brittany; which he is doing heavy research for. He plans to take some directing classes and hopefully direct it himself.
NOV 13 Sunday • 2PM Aquila Theatre in Agatha Christie’s
Murder
on the nile Tickets: $38/28/20 Student/Senior: $36/26/18 16 & under: $20/15/10 ASCC: $19/14/10 AGATHA CHRISTIE® Murder on the Nile © 1948 renewed 1976 Agatha Christie Limited. All rights reserved.
Photo: Richard Termine
student’s work becomes play
From the creative mind of artistic producer Deke Sharon (Pitch Perfect, The Sing-Off) comes the all-new live concert event that takes a cappella to a whole new level!
This performance is supported, in part, with funds provided by the Western States Arts Federation, the California Arts Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Visual and Performing Arts Department events Play it again, Sam
Photo: Ricky Lin
Daniel Escamilla Clarion
David Miranda, Citrus College student with an undeclared major, stands in front the Little Theatre in the performing arts building. A former crime scene investigator, Miranda uses his time in the field in his work here. His play, “On Days Like These,” uses real events from his career as the base of the plot. He plans to turn the play into a movie and already has a whole television series planned out.
PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM
BROADWAY
Nov 4, 5, 12, 2016 • 8PM Nov 6, 13, 2016 • 2PM
Sat, Nov 5, 2016 at 2PM
Written by Woody Allen Directed by Jeremy Lewis
Presale Tickets: $15 • Stud/Sr: $10 ALL tickets (regardless of age) $20 at the door.
SING-ALONG
Classic Musical Theatre (Family friendly) Tickets: $20
Sat, Nov 5, 2016 at 8PM
Contemporary Musical Theatre (Mature content) Tickets: $20
1000 W. Foothill Blvd. Glendora, CA 91741 TiCkeTS: (626) 963-9411 www.haughpac.com Box Office Hours: Tues - Sat 11am - 4pm & One Hour Prior To All Shows
PAGE 10
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2016
FIGHTING OWLS RESULTS/SCHEDULE H O M E
A W A Y
FOOTBALL SAT 10/29 SANTA BARBARA L, 46-44
SAT 11/5 LA VALLEY 6 PM
SPORTS
Clarion
OWLS LOOK TO REGROUP AFTER TOUGH LOSS
STAFF REPORT
SAT 11/12 ALLAN HANCOCK 4 PM
TBA
MEN'S SOCCER FRI 10/28 ANTELOPE VALLEY W, 2-1
FRI 11/4 GLENDALE 5 PM
TUE 11/8 VICTOR VALLEY 3 PM
FRI 11/11 CANYONS 3 PM
WOMEN’S SOCCER TUE 10/25 VICTOR VALLEY W, 2-1
FRI 11/4 ANTELOPE VALLEY 1 PM
FRI 11/11 VICTOR VALLEY 1 PM
TUE 11/8 CANYONS 1 PM
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL FRI 10/26 SANTA MONICA W, 3-1
WED 11/2 VICTOR VALLEY 6 PM
John Michaelides Clarion
FRI 11/4 GLENDALE 6 PM
WED 11/9 LA PIERCE 6 PM
MEN’S WATER POLO SAT 10/26 SANTA MONICA W, 23-7
FRI 11/4 VENTURA 1 PM
FRI 11/4 TBA TBA
SAT 11/5 TBA TBA
WOMEN’S WATER POLO SAT 10/26 LA VALLEY W, 15-14
THUR 11/3 TBA TBA
FRI 11/4 TBA TBA
CROSS COUNTRY
• Friday, Oct. 21 2016 WSC Finals at Oxnard College • Friday, Nov. 4 2016 SoCal Finals at Irvine Regional Park • Saturday, Nov. 19 2016 CCCAA Finals at Woodward Park
WOMEN’S GOLF
• Monday, Oct. 31 WSC Finals at Buena Ventura Golf Course • Monday, Nov. 7 SoCal Championships at Los Serranos Golf Course • Tuesday, Nov. 8 SoCal Championships at Los Serranos Golf Course
Men’s water polo team prepares for Western State Championships
SAT 11/5 TBA TBA
W (10th) M (12th) 11 AM 10 AM
(N/A) TBA TBA
Citrus sophomore Abel Morales carries the ball in a 38-30 loss against Antelope Valley College on Oct. 15 at Citrus Stadium.
STAFF REPORT After a perfect 3-0 September start for the Citrus College Fighting Owls football team, October’s 1-4 record has the team at .500 with only two games remaining in the regular season. Citrus is coming off a devastating 46-44 double overtime loss to Santa Barbara on Oct. 29 that saw the Owls lose a 28-17 fourth quarter lead. Sophomore quarterback Brian Meyette passed for 221 yards and 4 touchdowns and freshman running back Devin Floyd provided the Owls’ offense with 288 total yards and a touchdown, but Santa Barbara scored a touchdown with 24 seconds remaining to send the game into overtime. The Owls will look to have a perfect November in the pursuit for their first postseason berth since 2013. Citrus head coach Ron Ponciano’s team has averaged more yards on the ground, through the air and points on the scoreboard, but has also seen the team lose close games. On the season, Meyette has 1,762 passing yards, 16 touchdowns with five interceptions.
Citrusowls.com
Citrus sophomore Jonathan Wong
inant 23-7 victory over the Santa Monica on Oct. 26. Wong scored three goals in the win and assisted on three other goals. Citrus College will be in action next for the 2016 Western State Championships, which begins Nov. 4. The team will wait to find out who their opponent will be when tournament play begins.
Women’s water polo looks to stay hot heading into tournament STAFF REPORT
Christopher Amurao Clarion
Citrus freshman running back Daniel Williams carries the ball in a 48-3 win over L.A. Pierce College on Oct. 22 at Citrus Stadium. The Owls have averaged 159.4 rushing yards per game this season.
Meyette has also added two rushing touchdowns. After losing leading sophomore wide receiver Gino Mastandrea to an injury for the season, freshman running back Devin Floyd has been called upon to ignite the offense. Floyd is averaging 110.7 scrimmage yards per game and has nine touchdowns. Floyd has 747 yards rushing on the season with two games to go in the regular season. Freshman defensive back
Henry Pigee has made an impact defensively during his freshman campaign. Pigee has a team-high 58 tackles and has intercepted two passes. Sophomore defense end Jared Brito has had another solid season for the Owls with 47 tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble. Citrus College will travel to face L.A. Valley College at 6 p.m. Nov. 5 before returning home for the final game of the season to face Allan Hancock.
Men’s soccer looks for road success with playoffs near
In her first season as head coach for the Citrus College women’s water polo team, Jennifer Spalding has provided stability after the team endured several interim coaches during the 2015 campaign. The team has responded by winning 10 of its last 11 games and are 21-9 on the season heading into the 2016 Western State Championships. Citrus freshman driver Hunter Olivier has continued her impressive season with a team-high 71 goals and 36 assists to go along with 82 steals. Heading into the season, Spalding
Citrusowls.com
Citrus freshman Hunter Olivier
said several freshmen players would make an immediate impact. The top six scorers for the Owls are all freshmen. Citrus sophomore goalkeeper Delaney Moller has started 28 games and has 218 saves on the season. The Owls will begin the WSC Championships Nov. 3 with an opponent still to be announced.
Women’s soccer continues to win with eyes on the playoffs
STAFF REPORT After getting off to one of their best starts to a season in over a decade, the Citrus College men’s soccer team ended a three-game slide with a 2-1 victory over Antelope Valley on Oct. 28 at Antelope Valley College. The win against Antelope Valley put the Owls back over .500 with a 7-6-2 record, 2-3-1 in the conference. With less than two weeks left in the regular season, the margin for error lessens with each passing game and with only one home game left, the Owls will have to get positive results on the road. Citrus freshman midfielder Ramon
The Citrus College men’s water polo team has continued to improve and with a five-game winning streak, find themselves at 16-10 heading into the final month of the season. Freshman Jonathan Wong, who won the California Community College Athletic Association Male Athlete of the Month for September, has continued his dominant season for the Owls. For the season, Wong has 124 goals and 37 assists through 26 games played. The Owls are coming off a dom-
STAFF REPORT
Daniel Escamilla Clarion
Citrus freshman defender Matteo Vann pushes the ball past Antelope Valley freshman defender Samuel Estrada on Oct. 11 at Citrus Stadium.
Gutierrez Jr. has contributed with a team-high six goals for the Owls. Sophomore midfielder Emilio Del Villar has three goals and a team-high
three assists. Citrus College will be in action next at 5 p.m. Nov. 4 at Glendale College in an important game for playoff hopes.
The Citrus College women’s soccer team has been consistent offensively all season and after winning five of its last six games, the Owls are 10-6 with a 3-1 conference record. Citrus sits a game and a half behind Western State Conference East-leading College of the Canyons and with the end of the season less than two weeks away, the Owls will look to stay in the hunt at the top and earn a playoff berth. Freshman forward Jackie Mejia added her team-high ninth goal of the season in Citrus’ 2-1 home vic-
Christopher Amurao Clarion
Citrus freshman forward Jamine Collier is guarded by Santa Monica sophomore defender Kenia Godoy on Sept. 27 at Citrus Stadium.
tory over Victor Valley on Oct. 25. Citrus College will host Antelope Valley at 1 p.m. Nov. 4 before a pivotal matchup with College of the Canyons at 1 p.m. Nov. 8, which will play an important role in deciding how the playoff picture unfolds.
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PA Box Office Robert D. Haugh Performing Arts Center Citrus Little Theatre www.haughpac.com SS Art & Coffee Bar Mon. & Thurs. 7:30 a.m.- 5 p.m. Tues. & Weds. 7:30 a.m.- 6 p.m. Friday 8 a.m.- 3 p.m. www.owlbookshop.com
BK Owl Bookshop Mon.-Thurs. 8 a.m.- 7 p.m. Friday 8 a.m.- 4 p.m. www.owlbookshop.com CC Owl CafĂŠ (lower floor) Mon.-Thurs. 7:30 a.m.- 5 p.m. Friday CLOSED http://www.citruscollege.edu/stdntsrv/owlcafe
Cashier Discounted tickets to the movies and local attractions www.citruscollege.edu/stdntsrv
TC Citrus Spa (east side) For appointments call 626-335-1234 www.owlbookshop.com GR The Range Mon.- Sat. 8 a.m.- 9 p.m. Sunday 3 p.m.- 9 p.m. Last bucket is sold at 8 p.m. www.citruscollege.edu/golf