Clarion 5/20/2009

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Citrus College

Clarion A First Amendment Newspaper

May 20, 2009, Volume LXII, Issue 15 www.theclariononline.com

On-campus Veterans Center opens

By Ashley Broussard Clarion Staff Writer

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here is no place like home and no one knows this better than combat veterans who have spent months or even years serving their country far from home.

With this in mind, Citrus College opened the doors of a brand new Veterans Center earlier this month.

With a higher turnout than expected at the May 14 ribbon cutting ceremony, the hallway outside the center was full of people.

The amount of interest for the center was described as “moving and touching” by history professor Bruce Solheim, who was the backbone of the project.

Superintendent/President of Citrus College, Geraldine M. Perri, Ph.D., said Solheim first went to her with his idea for the center, and never stopped going back until something could be done.

Speaking about the diversity of students at Citrus, “there is another population, the ones that have served our country,” Perri said.

Solheim was awarded with six certificates of recognition for his tribute to veterans by Karen Davis, mayor of Glendora, and a representative for Congressman David Dreier (R-26th District), State Sen. Bob Huff (R-29th District), and state assemblymen Anthony Adams (R-59th District), Anthony Portantino (D-44th District), and Ed Hernandez (D-57th District).

The Citrus College Veterans Program was already up and running when the Wal-Mart Foundation donated $100,000 to improve it.

Before work on the center began, it was “nothing but white walls, with all the furniture pushed into the corner,” said Joshua “J.D.” Serna, Veterans Center assistant.

Serna served in the Air Force for three and a half years and came home in 2005.

He now helps veterans who come to Citrus register for classes, apply for benefits and scholarships, and even find jobs.

Citrus also offers a class named Boots to Books that is designed to help veterans and their supporters transition back into civilian life

See Center/page 3

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Dustin Call Citrus College Clarion Students scan the skimpy job board in the Career Center in April. Due to a suffering economy, job postings at the Career Center are at their lowest since 2001.

College students face tough job situation

By Dustin Call Clarion News Editor

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alifornia’s statewide unemployment rate rose to 11.2 percent in March, the highest it has been in more than 20 years.

For college students, the unemployment situation seems to be even worse.

An informal survey of communication students at Citrus College showed that 10 of the 25 students who responded were unemployed for various reasons. Five of those

10 students were unemployed for reasons related to the economy.

According to a monthly report compiled by Tedd Goldstein, Citrus College Student Employment Services supervisor, the number of posted job opportunities in the Career Center that are available to Citrus students is the lowest that it has been since at least the fall 2001 semester.

However, many students have still been coming into the Career Center for help.

One of these students, Chad Austin, a 23-year-old sociology

major, shared a story typical among college students today.

Austin had been unemployed for nine months when interviewed by this reporter in April. He had been working at Subway for seven months before he was let go.

Austin said that since he was let go he has submitted “thousands” of applications and received only six call-backs. He still had not found a job. There are a lot of opportunities for work, but the competition is very tough, he said.

Austin, who is originally from the high desert, finds the job mar-

ket to be in worse condition in the San Gabriel Valley than at home.

He has been living away from his parents and, while unemployed, has had to depend on income from his eBay store and shop at 99-cent stores in order to get by.

Despite his rough condition and that of the economy, Austin said he “can’t predict the future, but there’s no point in crying about the present.”

Austin is just one of the hun-

See Unemployed/page 3

Campus rallies in support of transit extension

By Emily Rios Clarion Co-Editor In Chief

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he Foothill Extension of the Gold Line could have potentially received federal funding under the stimulus, but funding was awarded instead to the Eastside Extension, which runs from downtown Los Angeles to East Los Angeles.

Nevertheless, supporters of the extension are working to ensure that this project gets off the ground. Their enthusiasm was evident at the May 7 “I Will Ride” rally held in the Campus Center Mall at Citrus College.

Giving a “hoot” was a theme

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reiterated by those who addressed the issue.

Geraldine M. Perri, Ph.D., superintendent/president of Citrus College, pointed out that Citrus has reached its highest enrollment ever with 14,000 students in spring 2009. In addition to the challenges of serving those students and constructing more buildings, the biggest problem for the campus community has become parking.

One solution to that problem, she said, is the Gold Line, which the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority

See Extension/page 3

Emily Rios Citrus College Clarion Mt. Sierra College professor Glenn Dunki-Jacobs, whose students initiated the “I Will Ride” campaign, spoke of the importance of the Gold Line Foothill Extension during the May 7 rally.

A&E Pg. 14 Opinions Pg. 17 Editorials Pg. 19 cmyk

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News QUOTEof

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WEEK “If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.”

— George Washington

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May 20, 2009

Citrus College Clarion

And in other news...

LOCAL: Glendora restaurants to raise money for war memorial Glendora restaurants are teaming up to raise money for a proposed war memorial tonight during a Dine Out Extravaganza.

The 12 participating restaurants will give a portion of the proceeds collected after 5 p.m. to the memorial's construction.

"As a business in Glendora ... we would like to share a little bit of business for the community," said Roberto Campos, the owner of Sergio's Mexican Restaurant.

Sergio's will be donating 15 to 20 percent of the night's gross to the memorial fund, depending on how much they take in, Campos said.

The Glendora Memorial is a planned monument to honor those Glendora citizens who have died while serving in the Army, Navy,

Marines, Coast Guard and Air Force.

It will be built in front of City Hall in small semi-circle sections with the names of the fallen on its walls.

The cost to build the structure is $140,000 and will be paid by private funds, according to city documents.

"Hopefully this will raise people's awareness of those individuals who made the ultimate sacrifice," said Glendora Mayor Karen Davis.

"There is nothing we can do, and no memorial can ever equal the price they paid. But this is a small way to honor those individuals. And this particular fundraiser allows the public to participate in that, in a very broad sense."

Other participating restaurants are: Chili's Grill and Bar, 1371 Gladstone; Corner Diner, 101 Foothill

Blvd.; Ed's Diner, 141 Glendora Avenue; Frisella's Roastery, 179 Glendora Avenue; Peppertree Cafe, 1020 Route 66; Pico De Gallo, 201 Glendora Avenue; Sergio's Mexican Restaurant, 1031 Route 66 and 1167 Alosta Ave., Azusa; Spaghetti Eddie's, 946 Grand Avenue; TPhillips, 180 Glendora Avenue; Village Eatery, 211 Glendora Avenue; and Whole Enchilada, 855 Alosta Ave., Azusa.

Some restaurants may require customers to show a city flier in order to donate a percentage of the bill to the fund. The flier can be found at the city's Web site, www.ci.glendora.ca.us.

Courtesy Daniel Tedford - SGV Tribune

STATE: CSU approves $300 fee increase

www.twitter.com/ccclarion Campus

Wire

Construction Update Replacement of concrete walkways and patio surfaces north of the Campus Center is scheduled for August 10, 2009 through August 30, 2009. While classes are not scheduled during most of this period, the work will affect pedestrian paths of travel through the center of campus and preclude any event activity in the area north of the Campus Center.

Please keep this in mind in planning any special activities, events workshops, seminars, etc. during the month of August.

Commencement Web Site Don't miss your opportunity to be part of the Citrus College Expert List. Send your name, area of expertise, and contact information to squillen@citruscollege.edu. The college website has been updated with information about this year's Commencement Ceremony. So, if you have questions about the ceremony, caps and gowns, parking,

or anything else, visit www.citruscollege.edu/stdntsrv/grad.

All Campus Book Event REMINDER! The All Campus Book Event is May 28/29! Our featured book, Teaching Life: Letters from a Life in Literature is written by Citrus faculty Dale Salwak. Join Dr. Salwak as he leads the discussions, and signs your book! Be sure to contact Diana Gill (8577) to get your free book, and sign up for a discussion date.

Transfer Reception Details Faculty are invited to attend the Transfer Achievement Reception on June 5 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Art Center Quad. This special event recognizes and honors the achievements of our Citrus College students who have been accepted to four-year colleges/ universities for fall 2009. On the day of the event, students receive certificates of appreciation in recognition of their accomplishments. In addition, two former Citrus College students will speak about their transfer experiences.

Come and support our students!

For more information, call Robert Gamboa at (626) 857-4117.

Student fees for undergraduates will increase by $306 per year starting next academic year, leaders of the California State University system agreed Wednesday.

Up against significant state budget cuts, the California State University Board of Trustees voted to increase student fees for the 2009-10 academic year for undergraduate, credential and graduate students.

The lowest-income students won’t have to pay the increase, a news release said.

Starting in the fall, full-time annual fees will increase by $306 for undergraduate students, $354 for teacher credential students and $378 for graduate students.

The State University fee for undergraduates will increase to $3,354 per year from the current $3,048.

Adding the current average campus fee of $801, CSU undergraduate students will pay about $4,155 per academic year, which is the lowest fee

among comparable public institutions, a news release said.

The student fee increase will generate $127 million in revenue. The CSU system will set aside one-third of the revenue from the fee increase, or $42 million, to put toward financial aid to cover the fee increase for financially needy students.

“It is never an easy choice to raise fees, but we are faced with a dire state budget, and today’s increase is necessary to maintain and operate our university campuses,” CSU board chair Jeffrey Bleich said in the release. “It is critical that students get their financial aid requests in. This year, benefits for programs such as the Pell Grant are more generous than ever. Through financial aid and grants, nearly half of our students will see no increase in their fees. In addition, due to financial aid, CSU students with family incomes of $75,000 or less will pay no fees at all.”

The CSU Trustees voted 17 to 2 in favor of the fee increase with Lt. Gov. John Garamendi and student trustee Curtis Grima dissenting.

The board also adopted a professional fee for state-supported master’s of business administration programs and similar business graduate degrees. The fee adds $210 per semester unit and $140 per quarter unit for an annual cost of $9,174.

Last week the University of California Board of Regents approved a 9.3 percent increase in undergraduate student fees, citing it as a way to address a two-year, $437 million budget shortfall.

For the UC system, the fees for resident undergraduates rise to $7,788 starting in the 2009-10 school year. Adding in miscellaneous fees charged by individual campuses, the average systemwide fees total about $8,720.

Courtesy Sacramento Business Journal

NATIONAL: Poll shows majority of Americans are pro-life PRINCETON, NJ -- A new Gallup Poll, conducted May 7-10, finds 51% of Americans calling themselves "pro-life" on the issue of abortion and 42% "pro-choice." This is the first time a majority of U.S. adults have identified themselves as pro-life since Gallup began asking this question in 1995.

The new results, obtained from Gallup's annual Values and Beliefs

survey, represent a significant shift from a year ago, when 50% were prochoice and 44% pro-life. Prior to now, the highest percentage identifying as pro-life was 46%, in both August 2001 and May 2002.

The May 2009 survey documents comparable changes in public views about the legality of abortion. In answer to a question providing three options for the extent to which abortion

should be legal, about as many Americans now say the procedure should be illegal in all circumstances (23%) as say it should be legal under any circumstances (22%). This contrasts with the last four years, when Gallup found a strong tilt of public attitudes in favor of unrestricted abortion.

Courtesy www.gallop.com

Students and Athletes: Improve Your Performance How? By hypnosis Is there evidence that it works? Yes! Is it expensive? Not really, and if it works for you then it’s worth it

We want to know your inspirational Citrus story. Please take a moment and tell us about how your life has changed as a result of being at Citrus College. We plan to display a selection of stories, along with photos of the writers, on the walls of the Center For Innovation (and elsewhere on campus).

We may also contact you if we would like to feature your story in our publications or events. So make us laugh, cry, or cheer — we know there are incredible stories out there!

Please go to www.citr uscollege.edu/mycitr usstor y to enter your inspir ational stories

Students: Raise your test scores and concentration Athletes: Improve your results Is the therapist qualified ? Yep. Let’s talk – no obligation Check the web site: www.cgmft.com What would it cost? $ 120 Call: 626-966-2662 Charles Gustafson, MA Licensed Marriage and Family Counselor Certified Hypnotherapist 599 South Barranca Avenue Covina, CA 91723

May 20, 2009

Citrus College Clarion

Unemployed: Career Center has less jobs available with more students needing work

Extension: Perri calls Gold Line ‘brain train’

dreds of students who have gone to the Career Center looking for work. Even though job postings are sparse, the center’s staff can help students with a lot more than just job leads.

For example, Goldstein encourages students to take part in the center’s workshops, which are designed to help students with interviewing techniques, developing resumes, and anything else students might need help with.

With such tough competition in the job market, students need to distinguish themselves from the rest of the applicants, Goldstein said. Career Center workshops can help students with just that.

For information about job opportunities or to sign up for special one-on-one workshops, students can visit the Student Employment Center next to the Transfer Center in the ED building.

Dustin Call can be reached at dcall4@gmail.com

needs to fund now.

The Gold Line would expand public transit options in the San Gabriel Valley by extending the rail system from Pasadena to Azusa and eventually to Ontario International Airport.

“The Gold Line will be our brain train. Educational institutions, business and industry and our communities will all profit from it,” she said. “We need it, and we need Metro to support us and support us now.”

Local elected officials were also in attendance, including Azusa Councilman Uriel Macias.

“It is truly remarkable to be one of the few colleges with something like this accessible in such a manner,” he said.

Glendora Councilman Doug Tessitor, who serves on the board of the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority, said that the Gold Line is the only transit project in Los Angeles County that is ready to go. He urged those in attendance to attend Metro meetings and speak on behalf of the Gold Line to get the board to support the Foothill Extension.

Mt. Sierra College professor Glenn Dunki-Jacobs, whose students initiated the “I Will Ride” campaign as a means to petition

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Metro to fund the line, emphasized that everyone would benefit from the Gold Line.

“You will have more people in the area taking the Gold Line than you will see taking the ‘subway to the seas’ with their surfboards,” he said.

Stefano Saltalamacchia, Associated Students of Citrus College president, urged students to support this project, emphasizing the positive benefits it will have for future students.

The “I Will Ride” campaign is still working to ensure that local funds collected under Measure R go toward the Foothill Extension.

Measure R is a half-cent sales tax increase that was approved by Los Angeles County voters in November 2008 and is expected to generate $40 billion over the next 30 years to fund transportation projects and provide traffic relief.

Measure R goes into effect on July 1.

For more information, visit iwillride.org or follow the group on Twitter at twitter.com/IWillRide.

Emily Rios Emily Rios Citrus College Clarion Associated Students of Citrus College president Stefano Saltalacan be reached at Rios_EmilyC@yahoo.com macchia emceed the May 7 rally as Hooty the Owl sporting an

Center: Student vets have place to lounge

May 19 Election Results

and teaches ways for supporters to be there for them.

Thanks to the collaboration between the people in the Veterans Center and the hard work of the Veterans Network and its president, Greg Pizk, a Marine veteran who spent seven months in Iraq, it is now easier to contact and get everyone together for projects.

Although the center, located in ED 248, is smaller than a regular classroom, there is enough room for two computers, a big screen television, a leather couch, a refrigerator, books, and military artifacts.

“Our goal is for our Veterans Center to resemble a mini-USO on campus,” Solheim said in a press release.

Many of the military memorabilia used for decoration was donated by the San Pedro Museum, and some of the pictures on the walls were taken by Citrus veterans themselves.

The help from outside sources toward the Veterans Program at Citrus College continues. A pool tournament open to the public organized by the Veterans Network on May 22 will take place at Joe’s Pool Hall from 4 to 6 p.m.

Ashley Broussard can be reached at ccclarion@hotmail.com

“I Will Ride” T-shirt.

State Ballot Measures N N N N N Y

1A “Rainy Day” Budget Stabilization Fund 1B Education Funding Payment Plan 1C Lottery Modernization Act 1D Children’s Services Funding 1E Mental Health Funding 1F Elected Officials Salaries

Congressional District 32 Primary Election Candidate Teresa Hernandez (Rep) Stefan Lysenko (Dem) Francisco Alonso (Dem) Christopher Agrella (Lib) Betty Chu (Rep) Judy Chu (Dem) Gil Cedillo (Dem) Nick Mostert (Dem) Benita Duran (Dem) Rafael Nadal (Dem) Emanuel Pleitez (Dem) David Truax (Rep)

Votes 4,178 217 987 597 5,016 15,338 11,244 217 588 177 6,509 3,020

Percent 8.69 0.45 2.05 1.24 10.43 31.9 23.38 0.45 1.22 0.37 13.54 6.28

Senate District 26 General Election

Courtney Mitchell Citrus College Clarion President/Superintendent Geraldine M. Perri, Ph.D., addresses a crowd gathered for the opening of the new Veterans Center at Citrus College on May 14.

Votes Candidate Cindy Henderson (P&F) 3,913 Curren Price Jr. (Dem) 32,693 Nachum Shifren (Rep) 9,804

Percent 8.43 70.44 21.12

*Information correct as of press time

May 20, 2009

Life

Life Editor Frank Ram - Ram_Frank23@yahoo.com

Citrus College Clarion

5

Speaker promotes education, world peace

By Sandra Lopez Clarion Staff Writer and

By Mitchie Pardilla Clarion Staff Writer Fighting injustice with violence is based on fear, but fighting injustice with peace is based on hope.

That was the message delivered by Greg Mortenson, author of the bestselling book “Three Cups of Tea.” Mortenson was the most-recent presenter in the Distinguished Speaker Series at the Pasadena Civic Center.

Mortenson is the son of Lutheran missionaries from Minnesota who worked many years in Africa. His father built the first teaching hospital in Tanzania while his mother built a school there. He was raised in the shadow of Mt. Kilimanjaro.

When Mortenson was 11 years old, he climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro with his father, thus initiating his passion for mountain climbing.

To honor his youngest sister, Chrisa, who died of epilepsy at age 23, Mortenson attempted to climb K2, the worlds second-highest mountain, but he failed. He survived 84 days lost in the Himalaya Mountains before he stumbled into the village of Korphe, Pakistan.

There Balti villagers who live in poverty shared everything they had with Mortenson.

They saved his life.

After several months of slow recovery,

Mortenson asked the tribal chief if he could visit the village school. But the village had no school. Instead, Mortenson witnessed more than 80 children sitting in the dirt writing with sticks in the sand.

The Balti villagers were so poor that they could not afford a dollar a day to hire a teacher to come to the village more than twice a week.

In gratitude to the people who saved his life, Mortenson offered to build a school in Korphe.

When Mortenson was well enough to return to the United States, he tried to raise the $12,000 he estimated it would cost to build the school and he went to work as an emergency room nurse and he sold his car and everything else he owned.

Then he typed 500 letters to celebrities and politicians, but only one responded. Television journalist and author Tom Brokaw sent him a check for $100.

But when Mortenson visited the school in Wisconsin where his mother was the principal, he gave a presentation to the students, showing them photographs of Pakistani children struggling for an education. The children responded immediately.

One boy approached Mortenson offering to donate his piggy bank. Instead, the school sponsored a penny drive collecting 62,340 pennies ($623.40).

“A penny is worthless in our society, but over there a penny can buy a pencil,” Mortenson told the audience.

In 2006, Mortenson published the book “Three Cups of Tea,” which recounts his

Mortenson had been unsuccessful in his attempt to summit K2, but in failing, he had stumbled upon the Balti villagers and discovered his real vocation: educating children who have lived in the remote tribal areas of mountainous Pakistan.

Mortenson made it very clear that his mission in life is not to fight terrorism with violence, but to build schools and to educate children, including girls. Fanatical Muslims in the area prohibit girls from going to school.

Mortenson sees education as key in building a prosperous society.

“Educating a woman means educating a nation,” Mortenson said.

Mortenson believes that if women from under-developed areas had proper access to education, they could not only go on to lead more productive lives, but they would also become better-informed mothers who would dissuade their sons from joining the Taliban.

Courtesy of Greg Mortenson After an hour and a half of recounting his Central Asia Institute inspirational story, Mortenson closed with his Greg Mortenson with Khanday Compersonal theory. The most important lesson he munity School students in the Hushe has learned through his experiences is to alValley, Karakoram mountains, Pakways fight injustice by peaceful means and not istan, in December 2006. succumb to fighting out of fear, for hope is struggle to build a school in Korphe. The title based on peace. of the first chapter is “Failure.”

“When it is dark, you see the stars,” Mortenson had been advised that he should Mortenson said. not begin his story with a chapter on failure because most people do not like to talk about Sandra Lopez and the failures in their lives.

Mitchie Pardilla However, Mortenson realized that everycan be reached at one experiences failure and that failure can offer an opportunity to learn important lessons. ccclarion@hotmail.com

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Life

Citrus College Clarion

May 6, 2009

Librarian retires after three decades of service Head librarian ends his tenure at Citrus after serving the college for 36 years.

By Rebecca Vicino Clarion Staff Writer s a veteran employee of Citrus College, John Thompson, Ph.D., understands and acknowledges that his experience as a librarian will determine the path of his future endeavors. Thompson will be retiring in June after many years of service to the community.

“My experience is this: things are the way they are because that’s the way they’ve always been … If you stay in one place for 36 years, that becomes your background,” Thompson said.

It is his background that has become his present, and he will be the first to tell you that his future has yet to unfold.

As the Dean of Library and Information Systems and coordinator of the library technology program, Thompson has watched Citrus grow and change over the course of three decades.

“The college has changed a lot…

More students, a lot more buildings. The library’s changed; it’s bigger,” Thompson said.

That it is.

After an expansive renovation in 2002, the Hayden Memorial Library now houses more than 50,000 books and 130 periodical subscriptions. Also, the 30 Internet databases that the library is subscribed to offer students the option of using research sources online.

“Things don’t change but things do change. Change, whether it’s age or technology, creeps up on you,” Thompson said. “When I started here we had two electric typewriters, and all the rest of them were manual. Nobody had ever even considered a computer or heard about a computer. The only electrical outlets we had were there primarily so that they could run electric vacuums at night.”

Thompson’s story is like one of his own favorite books, and that is “a story you can believe in.”

After six years of military school, and after his high school graduation, Thompson weighed the pros and cons of several career choices before deciding he wanted to become a high school teacher.

A

"You think you know what you want to do and then you go to college and you take courses. Some of them you do well in, and some of them you don’t, so then you change your mind two or three times,” Thompson said.

The summer before completing his B.A. at Purdue University, he took a course in library science and decided to look for work. After having trouble finding a job, he enrolled at the University of La Verne to work on his master’s degree.

After taking several more library courses, he met a professor who suggested that he apply for an assistant librarian position in the audio visual department at Claremont High School.

Thompson believes that he got the job based on his dabbling in movie making in college.

He spent a year at Claremont, then attended library school from 1972 to 1973.

“I decided I sort of liked that, but I didn’t want to be somebody’s assistant, so I chose to go to library school,” Thompson said.

He also went to work for Citrus College on Saturdays and Sundays, filling a part-time position when there was only one faculty librarian on campus.

In just a few short years, Thompson was promoted to a faculty position as a full-time librarian, and in 1986 he became the head librarian.

“Here I am. Just a few days later, and 36 years have passed, and here I am,” Thompson said.

His office is that of the head librarian’s who worked out of the same space in 1972, proving that some things never do change.

“It’s wonderful working for him,” said his secretary Judy Kamp. “He’s a wealth of information and such a gentleman.”

She personally requested the position after his former secretary retired, and has been working for him since March 2007.

When Thompson started working at Citrus he said he “dealt with people face to face…Technology has changed a great deal. It’s gotten a whole lot fancier, faster, and there’s more to it, and the printed word and volumes have become less important.”

Despite the evolution that the library has endured over the years, Thompson said that a positive reaction to the learning environment is his number one goal.

“There’s never really a good time to

Andrew Vasquez Citrus College Clarion Dr. John Thompson embraces Board of Trustees member Sue Keith at a reception honoring this year’s retirees held on May 19. retire…I like what I’m doing, I like Citrus College, I like being here,” Thompson said.

Nevertheless, Thompson said retirement is something he looks forward to and will revel in his daily leisure with his wife, Elaine.

“I want to take it easy, get up when I want to get up, do the things I want to do, and not worry about finishing projects by Sunday,” Thompson said.

He plans to take jewelry making classes in Pasadena with his wife, possibly go on a cruise to Alaska, travel to Hawaii, Oklahoma, and Tennessee, venture out to the East Coast in autumn to see the changing leaves, complete household tasks that have previously been left in progress, work in the yard, and—of course—read books.

“I look forward to having only one desk piled up with papers,” Thompson said, although he makes no promise to himself about improved organization.

“I’ve come to the conclusion that this is the way I operate. I can clean it all away and the next thing you know it’s back. It crawls out of the drawers and jumps up on my desk,” he said.

At 61 years old, Thompson feels he can step away from his position at Citrus with a garnered sense about who he is and where he wants to go.

“I’ve learned a lot about people and dealing with them, and getting them to do the things you want them to do.

Whether they’re employees you supervise, or supervisors who you’re trying to get to let you do what you want to do, there are different ways of dealing with people.

“Usually patience and kindness work better than yelling and screaming,” Thompson said.

Library Media Technician II April Thompson called Thompson the best boss she has ever had, and added she likes the way he gets his co-workers to think.

“People ask, ‘Oh, are you related?’ and I say, ‘Yeah, he’s my boss,’” April Thompson said.

His calm demeanor and well-rounded personality will be missed at Citrus, but his story will inspire students to work for their dreams and branch out to try all that they are interested in.

“When I was 20, someone who was 60 was old. When I’m 60, someone who is 60 is young. Life keeps going on, so do things that make sense, that you enjoy,” Thompson said. “Look at the future and plan for the future. You’re going to be 60 in 40 years, one way or another...Talk to those people that you might not talk to.

Try those things you haven’t done.”

Rebecca Vicino can be reached at ccclarion@hotmail.com

May 20, 2009

Life

Citrus College Clarion

7

YESS program assists emancipated foster youth

By Cristian Gonzalez Clarion Staff Writer No, this headline does not include a misprint.

YESS is an acronym for an organization called Youth Empowerment Strategies for Success.

YESS LA is dedicated to empowering former and current foster youth.

If you have never heard of YESS LA, do not worry, many Citrus College students and staff do not realize that services like the YESS program are right under their nose.

In fact, it is quite likely that you have passed by the YESS office many times, but never realized it was even there. The YESS office is in a small storage closet in the Educational Development Building between the Financial Aid Office and the Career/Transfer Center.

The YESS program has only been around since July 2007, but since its establishment, it has helped many foster youth find the road to success.

YESS LA helps foster youth from ages 14 to 21 by offering many workshops.

Tutoring is also provided to youth ages 14 and 15 and they can receive up to 50 hours of academic tutoring and preparation for the California High School Exit

Cristian Gonzalez Citrus College Clarion Kate Meurer helps Citrus College student Robert Gardner apply online for summer school classes inside the YESS LA office on May 14.

Exam (CAHSEE).

Mentoring is key. Former foster youth and/or AmeriCorps members share life strategies based on personal experiences to help youth identify and achieve their goals.

Life skills training for youth, ages 16 to 21, include 30 hours of interactive , hands-on, and realitybased experiential activities on housing, money management, daily living skills, and parenting.

YESS staff provide follow-up contact with caregivers and youth to keep them connected to the YESS Program, campus services, and community college events.

Web-based resources provide

students with YESS program campus services, class schedules, links to community resources, upcoming campus and community events, and financial aid information.

Programs like YESS are a huge help when it comes to former and current foster youth. Every year, approximately 4,000 foster youth turn 18 in California. If you are a foster youth, you know 18 is a life changing number.

When a foster youth turns 18, he or she emancipates from the child care system, and many of them have no idea what to do next.

“Many of our foster youth come in confused by the admis-

sion and registration process,” said Diane Russell, education specialist for the YESS program.

“Which can be overwhelming to them because many times they come on to our campus without any support network. We are able to help navigate them through the system in order to have a successful college experience.”

There is no way to keep track of how many foster youth attend Citrus College, so it is difficult for the YESS program to get the word out about its services.

Stephanie Lopez, an outreach advocate for the YESS program, said, “We are exploring new ways reach out to new students so that we can make sure they access the services on campus, plus the ones given to them by the county to ensure their educational experience is funded.”

YESS can help former and current foster youth help reach their potential and goals by teaching them how to tap into funds that make education possible for the individual at no cost to the student.

Countless foster youth students have been helped through the services the YESS program offers.

“The YESS Program has helped me with getting food stamps and everything I need from transportation to school supplies,” said Robert Gardner, 19. “They

Citrus College YESS Program Staff Diane Russell Education Specialist (626) 857-4189 drussell@citruscollege.edu Stephanie Lopez Outreach Advocate (626) 914-8506 slopez@citruscollege.edu Kate Meurer, M.A. Program Specialist (626) 914-8506 kmeurer@citruscollege.edu have been trying to keep in contact with my old foster home in Oregon so I can continue receiving their services.”

If you are a former or current foster youth, do not hesitate to ask for help. Everyone needs assistance sometimes, no matter who you are. The dedicated staff at Citrus is always eager to help students who look for help and want to finish their education.

For more information on the YESS program, visit www.foundationccc.org, e-mail yess@foundationccc.org or call (866) 325-3222.

Cristian Gonzalez can be reached at ccclarion@hotmail.com

8

Life

Citrus College Clarion

May 20, 2009

Summer session courses slashed

By Cheyenne Scharff Clarion Staff Writer ast summer, Citrus College offered five sections of English 100. This summer, students will have only three to choose from.

This is because 25 percent of summer courses have been eliminated, according to Irene Malmgren, vice president of instruction.

“Last summer we offered 329 sections; this summer we will offer 243,” said Sam Lee, dean of language arts.

In contrast to last year, no courses are being offered in photography, French, cultural geography, Japanese, real estate or recording technology.

However, one course in heating and air conditioning has been added to the course offerings.

In addition, summer session 2009 marks the debut of the paper-

L

Courtesy of Citrus College

less, online class schedule at Citrus College.

"Implementing a paperless schedule enables the college to do its part in cutting waste and preserving our monetary and natural resources," said Dr. Geraldine M. Perri, superintendent/president of Citrus College.

The live summer schedule, available at www.citruscollege.edu, is updated daily, and available 24/7 on the college’s website.

The printed schedule is still available upon request at the Admissions and Records Office.

"The college estimates we will save approximately $190,000 annually by not routinely mailing the class schedule," Malmgren said.

Cynthia Yazdani, a child development major, said, “I think it’s a good idea to save money, but [the administration] needs to make the online program more accessible for students.”

Other schools have also gone paperless and now release course schedules primarily online.

Enrollment for the summer session started May 18 for continuing students, and will be available May 26 for new and returning students.

Registration will continue until June 19.

Summer session classes begin June 22. Final examinations will be scheduled on the last day of class.

Although many classes end July 30, Aug. 13 is the official end of the summer term.

Citrus administration is not yet sure if there will be additional class cuts to the fall 2009 schedule Lee said.

Cheyenne Scharff can be reached at ccclarion@hotmail.com

Prevention of Sexual Assault

Citrus Alert:

Ketlyn Henry

Citrus College’s Emergency Notification System

Project Sister Family Services

Wed., May 27, 2009 12:00 p.m.

Campus Center East Wing Sponsored by Psi Beta National Honor Society

Citrus College's emergency notification system, called Citrus Alert, will enable the college to communicate with students and employees quickly in the event of an emergency.

A Citrus Alert will be sent only to inform you of an imminent emergency, such as an act of nature (like fire, earthquake, floods), threat of violence, chemical hazard, or other significant events such as a school closing or power outage.

The Citrus Alert system will send messages to student-provided e-mail addresses and employees' Citrus e-mail addresses, as well as up to six phone numbers that they wish to provide. The Citrus Alert system can also send a text message to a user's cell phone.

Test messages will be sent approximately once a semester.

How do I submit my contact information?

Login to the WingSpan secure area at wingspan.citruscollege.edu Under the personal tab you will find the link to update your emergency contact information.

May 20, 2009

Life

Citrus College Clarion

Karlyn Bradley President

Oscar Fernandez Vice President

Michael Kruggel Legislative Liaison

9

Elisha Corona Legislative Liaison

Student government candidates to address campus

By Sandra Lopez Clarion Staff Writer Eight members of the Associated Students of Citrus College are running for student government offices for fall 2009.

The Candidates Forum is on Wednesday, May 20 at 11 a.m.

Running for the office of legislative liaison are Elisha Corona from Pasadena and Michael Kruggel from Glendora.

Corona, 18, is majoring in political science. She is very fond of politics and one day hopes to be elected to Congress.

“A leader is someone who is passionate at anything they do,” Corona said.

She has been serving as a senator on the spring 2009 ASCC board.

“I hope to inform the school and the board on upcoming legislation that could benefit or harm the school,” Corona said.

Also running for legislative liaison is Michael Kruggel, 21, who is majoring in bioengineering. He is currently serving on the executive board as the legislative liaison for Citrus College.

His reason for seeking office is, to “inform my fellow students of current legislation that will have an impact upon their educational goals.”

His experiences in having already served on ASCC and his leadership abilities will only benefit ASCC, he wrote in his application statement.

ASCC Elections May 27 and May 28 Campus Center Mall “A leader is someone who is able to be an inspiration to those around and be able to guide others unconditionally,” Kruggel said.

Three students are running for ASCC senator: Tamara Dubuni from Covina, Barbara Truong from San Dimas, and Alejandra Delgado from Glendora.

Dubuni, 19, is majoring in computer science. She is seeking office to start networking, to enhance experiences, and to become an active member of the student body.

“I was raised up in different countries. I feel I can combine Middle Eastern ideas with different diversities that the board will have,” Dubuni said.

Her experiences include serving as Muslim Student Association president and being an Alpha Gamma Sigma member, as well as participating in a relationship course to increase understanding between students of different backgrounds.

“A leader is someone who joins people together and helps them work together to achieve their mission in an organized procedure,”

Dubuni said in her application.

Truong, 20, is majoring in biology. She is seeking office to be more involved with the school and to give back to the student community.

She would also like to improve student experiences at Citrus College by increasing student awareness and being more involved in decisions that can affect students’ lives.

“A leader is someone who is not perfect. A leader is someone who will make mistakes, but is not afraid to admit it,” Truong wrote in her platform statement.

Delgado, 22, is majoring in psychology. She is seeking office to use her creativity and develop her passion for education.

“I feel like I can consider many situations of working students to equally represent them,” Delgado said.

In the past, she has served as an activities coordinator in which she developed leadership skills.

“A leader is someone who takes advantage of all of the opportunities

and resources available and seeks out new opportunities for themselves and their supporters,” Delgado wrote in her candidate’s application.

Running unopposed for the office of vice president is 20-year-old Oscar Fernandez of Covina. He is studying to be a chemical engineer and is seeking office to further his goals of helping students become aware of campus events.

Fernandez has served as an ASCC senator.

“A leader is someone who reaches out their hands to help their followers reach a peak,” Fernandez said in his platform statement.

Two students are running for ASCC president: Karlyn Bradley of Pomona and Shawn Glassbrooke of Glendora.

Bradley, 20, is majoring in psychology and wishes to continue his service on the ASCC Executive Board.

“I feel I can add stability, structure, hard work, and time management,” Bradley said.

His previous experiences include

being the ASCC commissioner of activities and ASCC treasurer.

“A leader is someone who is willing to not only lead others, but to be led by others as well,” Bradley wrote.

Shawn Glassbrooke is also running for the top office in student government.

Glassbrooke, 19, is majoring in architecture. He has already served a semester on the executive board and has Boy Scout and Eagle Scout training.

“A leader is someone who is not so much telling people what to do, but giving them direction and having a fall back to help them,” Glassbrooke wrote in his application.

Candidates must garner a minimum of 50 votes to win position, even if they are running unopposed.

If nominated, the new elected officials will assume the responsibilities of their office on July 1.

Student government meetings take place in the Executive Board Room inside the Campus Center every Tuesday at 1:05 p.m.

Students who are interested in being appointed to a student government office must set up an appointment with current ASCC President Stefano Saltalamacchia at (626)-914-8610 or Student Activity Supervisor Adrienne Thompson at (626) 914-8603.

Sandra Lopez can be reached at ccclarion@hotmail.com

cmyk

10

Life

Razors edge: A performance on the verge of breathtaking

Chris Henrie, in a straight jacket, and several nurses of an insane asylum stand at the edge of the stage with outstretched arms as they perform one of the spring dance concert’s most intense pieces, “Fatal Pulse,” in the Haugh Performing Arts Center. The show ran on May 14 at 8 p.m. and May 15 at 2 p.m.

Photos and Story by Andrew Vasquez

By Andrew Vasquez Clarion Correspondent Citrus College’s Dance Department performed its annual spring semester showcase, this year titled “Razors Edge: Dance on the Verge,” and put on a show that could only be described as daring, aggressive, and utterly spectacular.

Directed by dance professor John Vaughan, part-time dance instructors Andrea Cardova-Caddes and Jennifer Alligaier, and several dance students, most of the pieces performed addressed an array of controversial issues such as gay marriage, domestic abuse and postpartum depression during the 2.5hour showcase.

With only two showings–first on Friday, May 14 at 8 p.m. and then Saturday, May 15 at 2 p.m.–audiences only had a limited amount of time to catch this year’s spring performance.

The debate of gay marriage was cmyk

the topic of the piece “8 Kisses,” which, with music by Christina Aguilera and Frank Sinatra, illustrated the debate surrounding gay marriage and the idea that gay married couples are no different than straight ones in terms of the struggles they go through. This piece, although controversial, was humorous, especially toward the end with Sinatra’s “Love and Marriage” playing as the dancers illustrated that gay couples fight just as much as straight ones do, therefore making them no different.

Another theme was sexual desire. In a piece called “A Dream,” the choreography was performed to the hit song “Sweet Dreams” by Eurythmics. The dancers acted out scenes where a man who is seemingly straight, and constantly sought after by women, in the end gives into his hidden temptation and is seduced by another man. A feeling of sexual energy could be felt in every moment of this piece.

The seduction and intensity con-

“Razor’s Edge” was a spectacular performance that transcended the boundaries of emotion. veyed in its performance was as red hot as the scenery and costumes.

Domestic abuse was one of the darker topics performed. In a piece titled “Behind the Wall,” the story is told from a neighbor’s point of view as she hears the couple next to her fighting. Their arguments always end the same way; with the husband hitting his wife, him begging for forgiveness, and her forgiving him in the end. Hilary Kadoya and Antonio Ramirez were both heartwrenching to watch as they enacted scenes of domestic abuse, which, some know first-hand, is a terrible thing to behold.

However, the most emotional piece was “All Gave Some, Some

Gave All.” With music by Enya, the penultimate performance was a reflection on the events of the Sept.

11 terrorist attacks and what an impact the day has had on our country. With the somber yet uplifting song “Only Time” simultaneously playing in the background with President George W. Bush’s reaction speech, performers enacted the atrocities of that day. It was hard not to feel an overwhelming sadness as memories from 9/11 resurfaced.

Still, all of the pieces were controversial or emotional.

Some performances were downright silly. “Work Overtime” was a piece about men and how despite their overall quest to achieve manliness, they all have a feminine side.

This piece had an all-male cast dressed in tutus and dancing to “O Fortuna” by Carl Orff. From start to finish, it was hilarious and had the audience in hysterics.

“Raver’s Fantasy” incorporated every colorful aspect of the rave culture. Lights of every imaginable

color flashed at every second and each of the performers wore clothing that was as bright as the lights.

There were also two pieces performed during the more serene part of the showcase: one rightly titled “Serenity” and the other “Serenade.” Both were beautiful ballet performances that brought a welcomed calm and break from the fluster of emotion that the other pieces brought to the stage.

“Razor’s Edge” was a spectacular performance that transcended the boundaries of emotion.

From the time the curtains came up until the time they descended down, the audience in the Haugh Performing Arts Center saw performances that showed them the worst, most forbidden and even best parts of human nature.

Andrew Vasquez can be reached at ccclarion@hotmail.com

cmyk

Citrus College Clarion

May 20, 2009

11

Ricardo Puentes and Michelle Freeman portray two star-struck lovers in a piece called “Thou Shalt Not Desire Another’s Partner” during the spring dance concert in the HPAC.

Ricardo Puentes is seduced by several beautiful women as he dreams of his many sexual desires in a risque piece titled “A Dream,” performed during the spring dance concert “Razor’s Edge: Dance on the Verge” in the Haugh Performing Arts Center at Citrus College.

Students performing in the Citrus College Dance Department’s annual spring showcase in the HPAC illustrate the controversy surrounding gay marriage.

(Right to left) Cymbaline Olsen, Jessica Cinnamon, Natalia Romuzga, and Cara Agnello float gracefully about the stage during a ballet piece called “Serenade,” performed in the HPAC on May 14 at 8 p.m. and May 15 at 2 p.m.

Dancers wave signs of protest during a dance piece addressing gay marriage for the annual spring concert in the HPAC on May 14 and 15. cmyk

Sports

May 20, 2009

Sports Editor - Irene Davis - ccclarion@hotmail.com

Citrus College Clarion 13

Spring sports results Baseball Final Record: 25-18, 17-11 WSC Final Standing: 2nd Place Final State Rank: 16th

Track and Field

Softball

Had two advance to So Cal Finals.

Final Record: 2322, 12-10 WSC Final Standing: 3rd Place

Had six advance to So Cal Prelims.

Missed Post-Season Play

Men’s Golf Post-season: made So Cal Regionals for first time since 1999.

Swimming Men’s Final Record: 5-2 Women’s Final Record: 3-4

Final State Rank: 8th

Trivia

Sports 1. How many numbers have the Dodgers retired? a. 20 b. 10 c. 13

2. The first MLB game to be broadcasted on television pitted the Brooklyn Dodgers against who? a. Washington Senators b. New York Giants c. Cincinnati Reds

4. The Los Angeles Angeles of Anaheim played in Dodger Stadium for a short time when it opened in 1962. When did they move out? a. 1963 b. 1964 c. 1965

5. How many seasons did the Brooklyn Dodgers play at Ebbets Field? a. 36 b. 63 c. 45

3. Only three players have hit a home run out of Dodger Stadium. Which one of these players 6. Who won the most valuable player in the did not do so?

1988 World Series? a. Kirk Gibson b. Orel Hershiser c. Steve Sax

Answers: 1)b, 2)c, 3)a, 4)c, 5)c, 6)a

a. Eric Karros b. Mark McGwire c. Mike Piazza

Speaking SPORTS...

of

By Frank Ram

Players are not the only ones to blame for PED use The recent suspension of Manny Ramirez has brought the usage of performance enhancing drugs to the forefront of the sports world.

Ramirez, who was given a prescription of human chorionic gonadotropin, which is banned by MLB, was suspended for 50 games.

Although his drug test showed no signs of HCG, he was still suspended for obtaining the prescription.

Earlier this year, Alex Rodriguez admitted to using steroids.

Other famous players such as Mark McGwire, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa, and Rafael Palmeiro have all been linked to PEDs. This is a sad situation and is hurtful to the sport, but no one ever bothers to look at it from the other side.

No one can prove Ramirez took steroids. One can only assume based on the test results that showed he had an abnormally high level of testosterone in his system.

Nevertheless, if he did, he was just keeping up with the crowd.

MLB has an intense drug-testing program, but the chances are likely that not all the players are clean.

A-Rod is a perfect example of that.

It is easy to point the finger at someone else, but the fans need to take a look in the mirror as well.

It is the fans who demand that the players hit 40 homeruns and drive in 100+ RBIs a season.

Owners are also guilty of most of the same.

If there was a shot that you could take that would ensure you make 10 times your salary, would you take it?

Most would, so why do we persecute players when they do it?

I am not condoning cheating, but I do understand why players do it. They are just trying to keep pace with everyone else to keep their job.

So before we decide to attack a player for allegedly being caught using PEDs, we should look in the mirror and realize that everyone is guilty of allowing this problem to get as big as it is.

After all, we are the ones filling the stadiums in record numbers season after season.

14 Citrus College Clarion

A&E

A&E Editor Emily Rios—Rios_EmilyC@yahoo.com

By Emil y Rios Clarion Co-Editor in Chief

Nothing is more exciting for a reality TV junkie than season finales.

Lucky for me the finales of “Dancing With the Stars” and “American Idol” fall in the same week.

Even though I loved Ty Murray on “DWTS” and was thoroughly impressed by his work ethic, I was glad he did not make it into the final three because he was not up to the dancing caliber of the other three contestants and it would have

been wrong for him to stay.

The final three included jilted bachelorette Melissa Rycroft, Olympic gold medalist Shawn Johnson, and Gilles Marini, who gained fame as the naked shower guy in last summer’s “Sex and the City” movie.

They are all amazing performers, but out of the three I have been most impressed by Marini. He came into the com-

Keepin’ Finales deliver season’s best it real: petition with little if any fan base, yet he has remained, proving that the competition is about dancing.

My family and I always like to make our predictions about who is going to walk away with the coveted mirror ball trophy. I usually have mine picked before the finals air, but this time I had to wait until after the episode aired.

Monday’s show saw the final three performing a Paso Doble face-odd and a freestyle routine.

Marini dominated the group Paso Doble with his ability to fully engulf himself in the character of the dance.

I thought Marini would dominate the freestyle as well, but I was wrong. His routine, while laden with cool lifts and tricks,

D e N e U SOTES e BY All I Ever Wanted Kelly Clarkson

“American Idol” has thrust countless performers into the musical limelight, but no one has been more closely watched than Kelly Clarkson.

Clarkson’s debut album Thankful was a hit, but the first American Idol hit her stride with her second album Breakaway, which garnered her two Grammy awards with hit songs “Since U Been Gone” and “Because of You.” Her third venture, My December, while still a good listen was a bit darker with a rock edge straying away from the pop hits that launched her career.

Now the idol is back with her fourth album, All I Ever Wanted.

The debut single “My Life Would Suck Without You” is reminiscent of the girl angst of “Since U Been Gone” Clarkson is once again relatable in a song about a dysfunctional relationship that you just can’t escape and still want to be in: “Maybe I was stupid for telling you goodbye/Maybe I was wrong for tryin' to pick a fight/I know that I've got issues/But you're pretty messed up too/Either way, I found

out I'm nothing without you.”

“Don’t Let Me Stop You” is a catchy song about telling that guy to man up and leave if he no longer wants to be with you: “Don't let me let me stop you/From doing what you wanna do/You don't wanna stay with just me it's cool/Take no chance getting over you/No no don't let me let me stop you/If you wanna leave baby you can leave.”

In “Cry,” Clarkson shows restraint in her singing, delivering a message about moving on without being forceful or yelling: “Whenever I see you/I'll swallow my pride/ and bite my tongue/Pretend I'm OK with it all/Act like there's nothing wrong.”

All I Ever Wanted features songs written by Clarkson as well as “Idol” judge Kara DioGuardi, OneRepublic front man Ryan Tedder and Katy Perry, and infuses a variety of styles to form the 14-track album.

The album shows that Clarkson is ready to take back her spot as one of pop music’s dominate female artists.

—Emily Rios

May 20, 2009

lacked actual dancing.

Rycroft was OK in both routines, but when it comes to the finals, you have to be spectacular. Her freesyle lacked personality and was a tad bit boring.

Johnson’s freestyle was amazing, so I was thrilled when I discovered she won. Her partner Mark Ballas did an incredible job choreographing a number that suited her strengths and personality.

It also didn’t hurt that the two were adorable together and seemed quite smitten.

When it comes to “Idol,” I had been calling in and texting for Danny Gokey all season. I thought for sure he was going to go all the way to the finals, so I was sadly disappointed when his run ended just short of that feat, and Adam Lambert and

members, except for Axl Rose,

Greatest Hits have left the band and have Gun’s N’ Roses been replaced by other musi-

Unquestionably one of the biggest rock bands in the ‘80s was Guns N’ Roses. Now, fans can enjoy some of their greatest hits in the convenience of one album.

The original band, formed in Los Angeles, consisted of Axl Rose (Vocals), Izzy Stradlin (rhythm guitar), Tracii Guns (lead guitar), Ole Beich (bass), and Rob Gardner (drums). Not too long after, Duff McKagan replaced Ole Beich and Slash replaced Tracii Guns.

Since then, all the original

Relapse Eminem

After almost five years of pill popping, Slim Shady is back with his lyrically clever antics on Relapse, which hit the shelves May 19.

Eminem comes out swinging with his fifth album debut. He takes listeners through a cinematic adventure as he talks about his addiction to drugs and grotesque image of strippers and female celebs.

In his second single, the thriller “3 a.m.,” Marshall Mathers has a relapse into his alter ego Slim Shady. Shady goes on a serialkilling spree rampage over a Dr. Dre production.

“Insane” is probably the funni-

cians.

The name of the band was a combination of two of the band members’ last names, Tracii Guns and Axl Rose.

The 14-song album is consists of some of the band’s most successful songs.

Of course, the popular “Paradise City,” “Welcome to the Jungle,” and “Sweet Child O’ Mine” are all on the album.

“Paradise City” is believed by some to be about Los Angeles and the corruption at the time. A person can even purchase the song on iTunes as part of the Los Angeles iTunes essential.

However, during a 1988 in-

est, hardcore, hard-to-listen-to song on the album, with intros like, “I was born with a [explicative] in my brain, yea [explicative] in the head.” With this tale of incest, it’s no surprise why Em was on drugs.

This is definitely how a Shady song should sound.

“Same Old Song and Dance” is another Shady murder fantasy, over a track that has a psychotic creepy feel to it. Em gives you a chuckle with one-liners like, “One rape charge, and people think you’re a monster.” Shady at his finest.

Eminem shows his smooth tongue-twisting flow on “Stay Wide Awake.” If Mr. Mathers doesn’t get a lot of criticism and protest from his other songs, he’s most definitely getting all that and more on this one, as he talks about mutilating and blowing up women’s vaginas.

Kris Allen were named the final two.

Lambert is probably the frontrunner and it was evident that even the judges were surprised Gokey was voted off, but I don’t think people should write Allen off. Him and Lambert could not be more different as performers.

Once again, I can’t call a winner, but I am leaning toward Lambert.

Personally, I think “DWTS” and “Idol” are at their best and here’s hoping there is at least a few more seasons of each.

Emily Rios can be reached at Rios_EmilyC@yahoo.com

terview with Hit Parader magazine, Rose said, "the verses are more about being in the jungle; the chorus is like being back in the Midwest or somewhere.”

Some songs like “Breakdown” or “Rocket Queen” should have made the cut.

A longer album with a few more classic GN’R songs would have made this an incredible album.

Still, it is a good one, especially for new GN’R fans and those loyal listeners who have very few albums.

Fans with almost all GN’R albums have no need to buy the album. They own all the music already.

—Frank Ram

In “Déjà Vu”, Em breaks down how he got to the point where he almost could have died and made an album that could get his daughter taken away from him. He gets real down and dirty with the truth on this one.

Eminem says it all in the last track of the album on “Underground.” He is here to reclaim his spot at the top and show how he’s still sicker than ever.

Em gets crazier than ever on Relapse. The production from Dr. Dre is far from bad, but at the same time most of the tracks sound a little similar. I’m not complaining, I’m just glad Slim Shady is back.

Em goes hard on this album, but it’s no Marshall Mathers LP or The Eminem Show. Relapse will do for now. I’ll give it a few spins.

Eminem’s Relapse 2 is schedule to release later this year.

—Irene Davis

A&E Reader drawn into mind’s mysteries May 20, 2009

Citrus College Clarion

By Sandra Lopez

inside his apartment writing a book based on the documentary film entitled “The Navidson Record.”

As Truant becomes obsessed with the old man’s notes on “The Navidson Record,” his world starts spiraling down.

“The Navidson Record” is a documentary film about a house belonging to award-winning photojournalist Will Navidson. Navidson lives there with his wife and two children.

Navidson soon comes to the seemingly impossible realization that his house is bigger on the inside than on the outside. On several occasions, Navidson hires experts to measure his house multiple times, but each time the results are the same.

Then one day after returning home from a much-needed vacation, the Navidsons discover that a closet has magically appeared in their living room.

Clarion Staff Writer

P

arts of “House of Leaves” by Mark Z. Danielewski first surfaced in digital form on the Internet years before it made its actual print debut.

“House of Leaves” soon became a cult hit, targeting younger and older generations alike.

The book version is a good 662 pages long. Some pages are filled with photographs while others feature quotes and poetry. Puzzles, codes and hidden messages are hidden beneath the words.

The plot begins with protagonist Johnny Truant describing his nightmares and insomnia that began when he moved into an apartment once owned by an old man named Zampano.

Zampano spent most of his days

15

www.amazon.com When Navidson opens the door, he discovers that it leads to a long black hallway. He starts to film a documentary that he calls, “the five and a half minute hallway.”

Although his wife begs him not to enter the strange closet, Navid-

son becomes obsessed with this new mystery. Navidson chooses the unknown over his family.

Once inside, the hallway reveals nothing but dark space and an occasional growl.

Obsession is a key theme in “House of Leaves.” It is what drives the characters into a world of insanity.

Truant is a sinful character. Part of the book focuses on his life, in which he indulges in random sex and drugs before he becomes detached from reality.

The more that Truant reads Zampano’s notes, the more he becomes obsessed with figuring out the mystery. He stops going to work, stops hanging out with his friends, and soon stops leaving his apartment.

Truant’s mother, whom the reader gets to know through a series of letters entitled “The Whalestoe Letters,” dies inside an insane asylum. But before her death, she

codes hidden messages inside letters for Truant to read.

Author Danielewski gives his readers an in-depth look at how the mind works.

“House of Leaves” mixes reality with distorted reality. It is about the other dimension of life that most people experience but can never fully grasp.

Although mental insanity is another key theme in “House of Leaves,” the reader is always left to wonder which characters are truly insane and which are merely mixed up in a bizarre world.

“House of Leaves” reflects the complexity of the human mind and offers the reader an entertaining escape from the daily grind.

Sandra Lopez can be reached at ccclarion@hotmail.com

Warped Tour Blood Drive Wednesday May 27, 2009 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

CFI 159 Go to www.givelife.org to schedule an appointment All donors will receive a coupon for a two piece meal from KFC and a 2009 Warped Tour VIP meet and greet voucher

16

A&E

Citrus College Clarion

May 20, 2009

‘Grapes of Wrath’ production a trip worth making

By Ashley Broussard Clarion Staff Writer The sound of an audience laughing, crying, and cheering, “Great production,” could be heard from the Little Theatre during the performance of The Grapes of Wrath on May 17.

“The Grapes of Wrath,” written

by John Steinbeck, is about one family’s journey from Oklahoma to California.

In order to transform the Little Theatre into a believable farm, highway, forest, and barn, three screens were set up for pictures and video clips of scenes from the Dust Bowl, trees for the forest, and fences for the barns.

The audience was first taken back to the 1930s by a song sung

by Christopher Webb, accompanied by video clips and pictures of life during the Dust Bowl and Great Depression.

Tom Joad, played by Jason Francescon, then showed up on scene, getting out of prison on parole after serving four years for killing a man. While in search of his family, he learns they have lost their farm and home because of the effects of the Dust Bowl.

The Joad family of 12 and an ex-preacher, Jim Casey, then set forth on Highway 66 to California in search of work.

Using an authentic-looking rustic truck as prop for their trans-

portation to California, the characters gathered up on the truck during the road scenes and swayed back and forth to look as if they were really traveling.

The trip to California soon proved to be not as simple as once thought. Hard times befall the Joads, first starting with Grampa Joad. The character was expertly played by Chris Aranda, who really got the audience laughing by playing a lively yet rough character.

Showing his lively side, Grampa Joad told his family once he got there he was going to squeeze a bunch of grapes into a bath to sit in, let them run down his pants, and squish them all over his face.

Moving along with the trip, Gramma Joad dies and Rose’s husband, Connie, leaves her while she is pregnant.

Finally arriving in California, the Joads were faced with the reality that they were among hundreds and thousands of families that were in search of work just like them.

Ma Joad, played by a passionate Mignon Delarre, and Pa Joad, by Richard Lozoya, try to keep their family together.

Soon, Jim Casey, played by Ray Spicer, found himself in trouble with the law after hitting a police officer and ended up out of touch with Tom Joad and hidden in the forest.

Jim and Tom surprisingly run into each other one night but get

caught by police. The reunion got paused for the trouble and the choreographed fight scene made the action exciting.

Out of rage, Tom Joad murdered another man in the action, and told his mother he had to go away into hiding, but would always be around to protect poor men who were being taken advantage of for their work.

With only a few family members left, Ma Joad had to determine what was to come of her family.

They eventually found a suitable place to live for awhile, but were driven out because of a storm that the audience could feel they were a part of because of the loud thunder sounds, and honest-looking struggle of the characters to protect what little they had.

The storms forced the family to move in search of a safer place to stay, and the same night, daughter Rose of Sharon, played by Natalie Haro, gives birth.

The men were on the front of the stage fighting the storm, while screams could be heard from Rose of Sharon giving birth, which really showed passion from the actors.

With nothing but themselves left, the family ended up finding a barn to stay where they ran into a young boy and his starved, dying father.

In order to save the man’s life, Rose of Sharon brought the pro-

Andrew Vasquez Citrus College Clarion Tom Joad (Jason Francescon) has a heartfelt talk with Ma Joad (Mignon Delarre) about what California will be like during a performance of “The Grapes of Wrath” on May 17. duction to an end by offering to nurse the man her milk and by striving for survival just like everyone else.

The cast of “The Grapes of Wrath” was able to bring together this classic tale professionally and

maturely into a three-hour-long show that left some of the audience in tears.

Ashley Broussard can be reached at ccclarion@hotmail.com

May 20, 2009

Opinions Opinions Editor Frank Ram - Ram_Frank23@yahoo.com

Citrus College Clarion 17

‘The Rescue’ illustrates distress in Africa

By Kinsey D’Aquila Special to the Clarion In the last 15 years, thousands of Acholi tribe members have been killed, children between the ages of 7 and 17 have been abducted, and cities have been destroyed by the hands of the Lords Resistance Army (LRA), led by leader Joseph Kony in Northern Uganda. Since February 1994, Kony has been leading the army using guerilla warfare against the African government. The LRA is composed of mostly Acholi men and young male children. The females captured are either raped, killed, sold into slavery in Sudan or become one of an average of 100 wives per soldier. Over these 15 years, peace talks have taken place numerous times and peace agreements have been signed, however, no agreement has been followed through. Attempts to peacefully end civil wars are still taking place today.

The war started in the 1980s when a woman named Alice Lawenda had a vision from God that she was to over throw Uganda’s government because of its unjust history. She then created the “Holy Spirit Movement,” which was composed of a rebel army by the name of the Uganda Democratic Christian Army. This would later become the LRA. In 1987, when she was defeated, her cousin, Joseph Kony, took over the leadership role and began mass killings and abductions of the Acholi tribe.

In 1996, thousands were evacuated from their homes and gathered in camps that served as protection from the rebel army. Today, these camps still exist and now hold more than one million survivors in com-

plete poverty. The displaced people still have not returned to their homes, and among the constant fear of rebel abduction, they also fight starvation and disease in their everyday battle to survive.

In 2003, three ordinary friends interested in film went to Africa on a vacation to find a story and stumbled upon the displacement camps in Northern Uganda. They were so enraged by the situation that they vowed to do something about it by bringing the story home to the United States and starting a non-profit organization called Invisible Children.

Invisible Children has hosted numerous events calling all people to support the cause through peaceful activism such as “The Global Night Commute” in 2006, when 80,000 people in 126 U.S. cities walked to public gatherings and lied down together demonstrating their support to end the commuting to camps in Uganda. In April 2007, 68,000 people gathered in 15 cities across the U.S for a event called “Displace Me” and became homeless for a day putting themselves in the shoes of the displaced in Uganda. Both events created awareness and thousands wrote letters to U.S. government officials to take action.

In 2007, the U.S. State Department sent Tim Shortly, as senior advisor for conflict resolution, to lead in ending the conflict peacefully. Germany, Canada, and the U.K. joined in support of ending the war by attending peace talks in which Kony failed to attend for the fourth time.

In September of 2008, military force was taken when Uganda, the Congo, Southern Sudan and the Central African Republic attacked the

LRA’s territory. On Christmas Day in 2008, the LRA attacked Congo, killing more than 600 citizens and abducting roughly 160 children as a means to rebuild their army. Now, 104,000 citizens of the Congo are without homes.

On April 25, “The Rescue” took place. In 10 countries, throughout 100 cities, 76,709 people gathered and “abducted” themselves in order to be rescued, signifying the call to end the longest running war in Africa and bring home Kony’s child soldiers. The goal was to call U.S. government to lead the development of a single international strategy to capture top LRA leaders and to urge the U.S. to facilitate the defection of LRA captives and lower-level combatants, including child soldiers. Local events were held in Santa Monica and Costa Mesa. I attended the Costa Mesa camp at the Orange County Fairgrounds, and was among the 2,000 people who abducted themselves to take a stand for the freedom of the abducted people in Uganda. As a mass, we created a voice by marching together through Costa Mesa to show the world that neither we nor the people of Uganda are invisible. We wrote letters to Sens. Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein in hopes that they will join the movement and use their government-placed power to take action.

The rally officially ended when we were joined by a “mogul” (cultural leader) and some form of media coverage. When these two events took place, our camp was marked as “rescued.” While we waited to be rescued, a letter was read from Congressman Ed Royce, who sent his support and encouragement to our

Kinsey D’Aquila Citrus College Clarion Citrus College student Samantha Whitcher at the April 25 Costa Mesa “Rescue” on the Orange County Fairgrounds. camp. Samantha Whitcher, 19, attended the event in Costa Mesa .

“It was amazing to see how one person can make such a big difference. That’s all I kept thinking when I saw everyone united at the rescue.”

At this event, there was also a group of students from Palm Springs High School that made a decision to miss their senior prom to take part in what is hoped to be a historical event that changes the fate of thousands of lives in Uganda. At Palm Springs High School, they hold a club of roughly 35 students that sponsor Invisible Children through hosting benefit shows, awareness screenings, and other events that inform their school of the urgency overseas.

Later that night, our moguls arrived to the camp. The band Paramore came to the rescue and read “The Rescue Anthem,” which encouraged the nation to use its voice

in the aid of the Acholi tribe in Uganda. That officially ended the night for some of the supporters.

Meanwhile, 36 individuals joined a caravan to Las Vegas, where they joined the rescue camp located there to wait with other abducted to be rescued.

The night was an empowering and inspiring event that has brought hope to hundreds of villages in Africa whose 15 years of prayers have begun to be answered. So what is next? On June 22 and 23 a lobby day will be held in Washington, D.C., on Capital Hill, where meetings will be taking place discussing demands to send aid to Africa. For more information, visit www.invisiblechildren.com.

Kinsey D’Aquila can be reached at ccclarion@hotmail.com

Participation is the key to college success

By Rebecca Vicino Clarion Staff Writer Sometimes community college feels like high school.

Depending on whether you loved or loathed your last four years of adolescence, you might interpret that as a positive or negative.

To me, it’s a little bit of both.

I didn’t want to choose this route straight out of high school, but between a community college that would put me on the path of being able to attend the university of my dreams someday, or a full-time minimum wage job for the next 30 years, I went with Citrus.

My parents used to complete the happily ever after in fairytales with “once the Prince and Princess both went to college,” so I never really looked at the “after high school situation” like I had a plethora of options.

Regardless, college is definitely for me, I am grateful for it; and on a more serious note, I do try to remind myself of that every single day.

It’s amazing that even with our wavering economy, higher education is available to almost everyone in California thanks to the $20 per-

unit fee.

Other countries are starting to catch on to the positive impact.

Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom have all recently founded community colleges.

It has its perks. For the majority of students who have not declared a major or chosen a career path, community college is the ideal place to start exploring different options and putting plans into action.

Most of the students at Citrus are from the Glendora/Azusa area and still live with their parents. In many cases, this means free food, free rent, free water, gas and electric bills, free car insurance, life insurance, health insurance, and so on.

OK, a lot of perks.

Still, the cons exist too. A lot of students might feel that they’re stuck in a limbo between the real world and the same world they’ve spent a good portion of their life in already.

Not everyone loved high school, and to some, the near thought of repeating it all over again with students they went to school with for four years can cause cardiac arrest.

These community college students are easily overlooked. They are the few who are intelligent and

determined to succeed, but by no means fall under the daunting category of “perfect student.”

Besides the obstacles that will surely be forged through by students who have motivation to achieve great things, there’s something else in the way of immediate academic gratification, and it’s out of our control: the state’s recent budget cuts.

As alarming as it is to students who want to be challenged in classes that pertain to their unique interests, some have been left hindered.

That goes for the professors across the state as well, many of whom are at Citrus. Some would do just about anything to teach that class on Shakespearean literature, and the same goes for the many students who shed tears upon finding out that the same class was cut from spring semester’s course list.

Personally, I looked forward to taking a creative writing class in my second semester at Citrus. I cannot find the right words to express how disappointed I was when my English professor, who taught the course, explained to me that it had been cut.

The reduction of literature courses might not have emotionally

affected all students, but a great number of elective courses decreased along with our state’s budget.

Everyone talks, yet, no action.

If students came together to vocalize their frustrations, would it be enough? Or should we be happy with the fact that inexpensive general education exists at all?

I know people care, I believe that, but it’s discouraging to be surrounded by peers who do not.

Maybe we can prove that not all community college students live up to that “loser” reputation by doing the work that we are assigned, completing that work to the best of our ability, attending class, putting away our Blackberrys and iPhones, and actually try to absorb what our professors want us to learn.

The children who attend school, and act as though it’s something that someone forced them to do, negatively reinforce the idea that community college students are going nowhere and doing nothing with their time.

I despise entering the ever-frequent classroom environment that features a lecture that is carried out by the professor alone, and one or

two individuals who will, every so often, have some input to share. The professor is apparently on the students’ shared clock; regardless of what is being discussed, everyone packs up to leave before the end of class, and I usually exit feeling less enlightened than I did upon entering.

An atmosphere that encourages student learning can only be initiated by the students themselves, and if no one seems to care, then pretty soon that’s what we’ll be getting back from our instructors.

Every student who attends this school has made the choice to continue his or her education. Whether pressure comes from external or internal forces, something has urged them in the direction they’re headed.

Maybe more people need to take this into consideration, but a positive atmosphere and fueled ambition are things that the students of the Citrus community need to make happen.

Community college can be a worthy experience if it is treated as such; it’s up to the individual to make what they can of it.

Rebecca Vicino can be reached at ccclarion@hotmail.com

18

Opinions

Citrus College Clarion

May 20, 2009

When study drugs become an addiction

By Chris Smith Special to the Clarion

T

he April 1 edition of the Clarion featured an article about socalled study drugs. This article, though well written and captivating, gave a false view of “study drugs.”

The article is not alone in this respect, editorials and published articles about drugs in general are full of bad information and facts that come from books and not real life.

Here is an inside look into drugs like Adderall and Ritalin – not facts from a book or quotes from a doctor, but a real life view of these drugs from someone who used to use them frequently and illegally. If you’re looking for an article that gives statistics and bland information, I suggest you turn the page, but if you’re interested in the real truth, keep reading.

As for me I was born and raised in Glendora, and I am a 23-year-old Citrus College student. I have completed my A.A. requirements and I will be graduating in June. You wouldn’t believe what I am going to tell you if you meet me face to face, so you will just have to trust me.

My introduction to drugs began in the usual way: drinking and smoking at a young age. I started smoking pot at 14 and soon after I began smoking it daily. When I left home in fall 2006, I hadn’t even seen a hardcore drug. This changed when I moved to Lake Tahoe, Calif. two years later. There, I began using the real drugs.

There’s almost no drug I haven’t tried and that includes Adderall and Ritalin. I used Adderall almost daily and Ritalin occasionally for more than two years. I managed to quit after I left Lake Tahoe in spring 2008.

Now I am finally clean, but it was not without struggle.

First, I need to make it clear that the term “study drug” is misleading. The fact is that people who use these drugs illegally don’t use them to study; they use them to get high. Let’s be honest, the kind of people who have the connections and desire to get illegal narcotics probably aren’t going to use them to stay up late and master the quadratic equation.That being said, I will break the drug uses code and tell you about study drugs. I am choosing to focus on Adderall, though I have done my share Ritalin, Adderall is the study drug I have done to most of. What is Adderall? It’s an amphetamine pill that comes in varying forms.

Adderall can be a compressed powder, like aspirin or a time-release capsule. The compressed powder ranges in size from 5 to 30 mg. It is generally light blue or light orange, but it depends on the brand. Yes, there are different brands.

The drug ranges in cost from $2 a pill for the smallest size to $10 a pill for the largest.

The better the brand, the more it costs.

Adderall is typically taken in one of two ways. The first and most obvious is to take it orally; just swallow it like aspirin. The second, and more efficient way, is to snort the pill.

Like cocaine, Adderall can be snorted.

Most people don’t think of pills as something to snort, but it is a very common way to use them. Do this once and that’s the only way you’ll do it, and putting powder up your nose regularly causes noticeable problems in your sinuses. You can smoke it, but so few people do that it’s not a noteworthy way of taking the drug. Smoking Adderall also eats away at your lung tissue, so don’t do it.

However you get it in your body, the goal is the same: get high. Adderall accomplishes this goal with flying colors. It is as strong as any of the drugs mother warned you not to try. The fun doesn’t last long though, before you know it, you’re opening the bottle again. It’s addictive, no doubt about it.

How do people get Adderall illegally? A common misconception is that people get bogus prescriptions, but that is just not the case. The government makes it difficult to get. My sister-in-law had to jump through hoops to fill her legitimate prescription.

Getting illegitimate prescriptions is not a good route to the drug.

Among the more common and easiest way is sharing them or stealing them from someone you know. Stealing is a pretty shady thing to do. The prescription holder needs their supply to be calm, so don’t take it so you can be high. If you know someone who is generous you won’t even have to take them. Some people with prescriptions don’t take theirs, or at least not regularly, and give a few away or sell them to others for some money on the side.

Another common method is to get the drugs online or from Mexico. You won’t have to search long to find websites that sell Adderall without a prescription, but buyer beware: online pills are extremely dangerous.

The low-quality pills you’re buying from online sources are “dirty,” to use the druggie term. They cause all sorts of bad side effects. Trust me on this one, they are really bad for you.

As for the Mexican connection, it’s very common to get them from Tijuana. Ask around and you can find someone who will run a deal. But watch out for the Federals or your paycheck becomes their pocket money.

The last source is a drug dealer. Most people don’t deal pills, but there are plenty of them out there. This one doesn’t take much explaining: a dealer buys a lot from one of the sources I mentioned and sells them for more than he paid. Though there is much more I could tell you, I choose to stop here. I don’t want to make this piece a howto so I am not going to go any deeper into the world or illegal prescription drugs.

Ladies and gentlemen, those are the facts on study drugs. Adderall and Ritalin use follows a similar pattern, so it’s safe to say I have given you an accurate overview of the two main study drugs.

I don’t see this problem going away. On the contrary, I think it will get worse. Prescriptions for these drugs have been rising year by year, and though President Obama wants to stop drug trafficking from Mexico, I don’t see that as making a significant dent in the supply.

These drugs are serious. They are powerful and they are addictive. Make no mistake: just because they have an FDA-approved label on them doesn’t make them less dangerous.

Quitting drugs was the hardest thing I have ever done. I had cravings for months and even writing about it now makes me want to do them again. I even had dreams about drugs for six months after I quit.

The lifestyle and friends that come with drug use is just as addictive as the pills in their pockets. It took everything important in my life to fall to pieces for me to quit.

All my money went up my nose and my friends and family went out the door. If you’re using them on a regular basis, it probably seems like no big deal, just something you do on the weekends or in your free time. But before you know it, weekends become weekdays and your spare time is when you ditch class or don’t show up for work.

You can’t see how big the problem is until it’s too late and the drug has got you, Today’s vice can quickly become tomorrow’s addiction. A word to the wise, if you’re doing Ritalin or Adderall, or any drug for that matter, do what it takes to quit.

I’m asking you to believe someone you never met and probably never will, so you’ll just have to trust me when I tell you don’t ever try study drugs.

Chris Smith can be reached at ccclarion@hotmail.com

Letters to the Editor In response to ‘Vote no on props 1A, 1B’ I am concerned to read that the Clarion does not support the best known solution to California's current fiscal situation.

First of all, I do not believe that it helps the Clarion's credibility to state that the governor is trying to "hide the tax portion of the proposition" by not stating it in the title of Proposition 1A. It has been, and always will be, the voters' responsibility to read the fine print and come to the polls prepared.

Also, I believe that the staff of the Clarion need to understand the necessity of levying

taxes on the populace; it is simply a part of doing the business of government. At some points, taxes may be raised or lowered depending on the need at the time. I am willing to let the government have my extra 1% sales tax, in addition to whatever else they want to charge me if it means that California will no longer be on the verge of bankruptcy.

We all understand that it is the legislators to blame; nobody denies this fact. What we disagree on is the method that should be used to dig the state

out of this horrible fiasco. In the end, we find that, of course, money does not grow on trees, and it does need to come from some place.

This place usually is the taxpayers, however unfortunate this fact may be. Whether directly or indirectly, all citizens benefit from a properly funded government. I urge all to vote yes on Propositions 1A and 1B.

- Andrew Cress, Citrus College Student Trustee

We want to hear from you The Clarion welcomes feedback from our readers. If you have any gripes, questions, or comments ... we want to hear from you! All correspondence must include your student ID#, major and signature. Letters may be edited for clarity or length.

1000 W. Foothill Blvd.

Glendora, CA 91741-1899 Phone: (626) 914-8586 Email: ccclarion@hotmail.com Fax: (626) 914-8797

May 20, 2009

Editorials Editorials Editor Frank Ram - Ram_Frank23@yahoo.com

Citrus College Clarion 19 Citrus College

Clarion

EDITOR

Celebrate Memorial Day for what it really is hile you wake up every day and go about your normal routine of school, work, homework and spending time with friends, there are men and women who have given the ultimate sacrifice of their lives so that you can live yours.

Memorial Day, an entire day that is dedicated to honoring all the fallen military heroes of our country, is observed on the last Monday of every May. When first observed in 1868, Memorial Day was supposed to just be a day to honor fallen soldiers from the Civil War by putting flowers on Union and Confederate soldiers’ graves at Arlington National Cemetery.

After World War I, the holiday was changed to honor all American soldiers who died fighting in any war.

This year the observance falls on May 25, and the reason why the holiday is recognized on a Monday is in order to allow American students and workers to enjoy a three-day weekend.

This emphasis on fun has cre-

W

ated a sad reality that most people have never recognized the true meaning of this day, and have just looked forward to a three-day weekend full of hotdogs, hamburgers, and sitting out in the sun.

The last Monday in May has also adapted a new popular name of the “first day of summer,” which only distracts further from the real meaning.

The United States is currently engaged in two different wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. An estimated total of 4,956 American soldiers have died in these two wars alone.

Operation Iraqi Freedom has left 4,276 soldiers dead, and 679 soldiers have perished in Operation Enduring Freedom, according to The Washington Post.

There are many ways to take time to honor the men and women who have fought for our country and you do not have to extravagantly change your day’s plans to do so.

Consider simply going to a cemetery and placing flowers and flags on soldiers’ graves, visiting memorial sites, and participating

in the National Moment of Remembrance established by Congress.

The National Moment of Remembrance asks Americans to stop wherever they are and whatever they are doing on Memorial Day at 3 p.m. to take one minute of remembrance for those who have died for our freedom.

The new Veterans Center at Citrus offers an everyday way to honor veterans right here in our own community.

Veterans can visit the center and meet others like them; find out information about financial aid, veterans benefits and the Boots to Books course; or even just stop by to hang out and relax.

The center is not exclusively for veterans, though. Anyone who wants to learn more information about how to show support for veterans can also stop by.

Fairmount Pioneer Cemetery in Glendora will be hosting Memorial Day Services on May 25 at 11:30 a.m., featuring congressional representatives, state assemblymen, and mayor guest speakers.

Whether you have recognized Memorial Day your whole life, or never at all, take the time this May 25 to honor the men and women who have died for our freedom.

C

that a student gives up for education is precious. Do not waste these precious gifts.

If you find yourself in a situation where you are failing classes, you should first try to get your grade point average to at least a 2.0. If you reach that score, you will at least be in the clear of not being on probation.

If your GPA is less than 2.0, you will placed on academic probation. The school then gives you an additional semester to stay at Citrus College and bring up your grades.

If your GPA still does not reach or exceed a 2.0 after the second semester, you will be dismissed from Citrus College. Yes, you can be kicked out of a two-year college.

If you find yourself stuck on academic probation, be proactive and do something about it. Do not brush aside your education.

The first thing you should do is talk to a counselor. It is their job to help you, especially in cases of academic probation. They can help you figure out which classes you need to do over to pick up your GPA.

Although your grade from those classes will never be off your permanent record, the grade you receive from your re-do will replace the previous grade as far as your GPA goes.

The second thing you should do is be conservative when picking classes during the semester you are on probation. You run the risk of failing more classes, adding to an already hurting GPA. The original failing grades will still be affecting your GPA and the goal at the moment for anyone on academic probation is to pick up your GPA to stay within Citrus College.

Third, you my find that your work ethic had nothing to do with your failing grades. Many students go to college and have no real idea to what career path they would like to take. Thus they tend to skip classes or do not do their work because of lack of interest.

To help with this, students can visit the Career Center at Citrus College and take a personality test to determine where your interests lie. From there you can take the proper classes you will need to

CHIEF

Frank Ram and Emily Rios MANAGING EDITOR Emily Rios NEWS EDITOR Dustin Call Life Editor Frank Ram Sports Editor Irene Davis A&E Editor Emily Rios Opinions/Editorials Editor Frank Ram Online Editor Emily Rios Photo Technician Frank Ram Adviser Margaret C. O’Neil

McClatchey-Tribune Media Services

You can get kicked out of community college ollege is a time for growth, maturity and responsibility. It is a haven for students to really understand themselves and choose a path that truly fits them.

It is also a luxury. Yes, a luxury in that we able to take our education to a higher level.

It is sad to say that many people take this luxury lightly by deciding to use their time unwisely and then finding themselves facing failing grades at the end of the semester. It is also unfortunate for good students who have failing grades just because they might not know which academic path to take.

Was that party really worth not studying for that final? Did you and your girlfriend or boyfriend really need to hang out yesterday even though your term paper was due? Could you have found help in areas where you just did not understand the subject? Could you have found help in figuring out which direction you would like to take with your education? Is this really worth all the stress?

The time, money and energy

IN

reach the educational goals for the career of your choice. Do not take classes you do not need or have no real interest in taking. Many students pile themselves with classes that do not advance them to their educational goals and fall behind.

Lastly, do not repeat the same mistakes that got you on probation in the first place. If you know what got you in trouble in the first place, eliminate it.

If the problem was that your job is too demanding, try to find a job that is more accommodating to your educational needs. If it was because your social life rules your world, you might want to reset your priorities. If it was because you truly just did not get the subject, there are tutors on campus ready and willing to help you, and professors here at Citrus are always willing to help.

Do not waste your money and your time. Students must realize that failing grades will throw these assets down the drain, and leaving them with unnecessary stress.

Staff Writers Jonny Arellano, Ashley Broussard, Sandra Lopez, Mitchie Pardilla, Cheyenne Scharff, Rebecca Vicino Correspondents Andrew Vasquez Photographers/Artists Jared Nokturne, Alonso Ramirez, Cheyenne Scharff, Andrew Vasquez Page Designers Jonny Arellano, Jared Nokturne, Frank Ram, Emily Rios, Andrew Vasquez 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 the 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! All correspondence must include your student ID#, major and signature. Letters may be edited for clarity or length.

Clarion Mailbox 1000 W. Foothill Blvd.

Glendora, CA 91741-1899 Phone: (626) 914-8586 Fax: (626) 914-8797

Jared Nokturne Citrus College Clarion

cmyk

cmyk

Citrus College Clarion

20

May 20, 2009

Pop Rock Competition Shakes up the Campus Center

Story and Photos

by Andrew Vasquez

With the success of the Pop Rock Competition last spring, the pop rock ensembles were at it again this year, and this time it was bigger and better.

This time around three groups competed in front of a crowd that was larger than the one last year.

With almost 300 people crammed into the Handy Campus Center from 7:30 p.m to 10 p.m. the groups were much more eager to compete against each other.

The three groups were Night Shift, Citrus Pop Rock (CPR) and Morning Groove. The night consisted of six contests and each group played one song apiece. The panel of judges included Citrus College adjunct faculty member Waleed Rashidi, John Avila from Oingo Boingo, and Marko De Santis of Sugarcult.

They voted on who had the best performance.

The bands played a variety of songs, such as “Hump De Bump”

by The Red Hot Chili Peppers and even “Fighter” by Christina Aguilera.

In the end, it was Night Shift that was voted as the winner.

However, throughout the entire competition, the audience was very receptive, and there was not a song where there wasn’t a large amount of people dancing in front of the stage, and that in itself made all of the groups feel like winners. “[The students] put a lot more energy into their performance and the audience responded,” said Gino Munoz, professor of music.

Munoz, who teaches the pop/rock ensemble courses, started the competition last year as a friendly way for each of the groups to test each other’s skills.

He said that everything about the event has improved since last year.

“The quality of the bands and the level of audience participation has definitely improved since the first time we did this,” he said.

Alan Waddington, fine and performing arts lab technician, agrees with Munoz, and attributes the growth to the students’ desire to win the competition.

“The groups got their fans more excited because they had a desire to do well,” Waddington said. “I talked intense strategy with many of them and they really wanted to win and I definitely egged on the people who wanted to win.”

“I told them, when you get up there to perform, get up there and perform,” he said.

First-time performers, such as Victoria Vives of CPR, said that the Pop Rock Competition pushed her to perform better.

“It is my first semester and the thought of competing pushed me and the rest of the group,” she said.

“I really enjoyed it. I didn’t know what I was getting into, but it exceeded my expectations.”

“It’s great to see everyone push their performance to another level,” she added.

Dee Merriwether, singer from Night Shift, said that the night’s audience spurred everyone to be the best musicians and singers they could be.

“Thank God for kids because they always get excited, but overall you have to work for it and we did and the audience responded to our performances,” Merriwether said. “I think that we were ourselves and beyond tonight, and brought it to another level.”

“We took risks on stage and it paid off,” she said.

Andrew Vasquez can be reached at ccclarion@hotmail.com

Maharasih Henza of the group Citrus Pop Rock (CPR) sways her hips to the beat as she sings during the Citrus Pop Rock Competition in the Handy Campus Center on May 14. cmyk

Nightshift guitarists David Brunelle and Ewen Williams put on a show-stopping finale as Brunelle holds onto the neck of Williams’ guitar while everyone cheers during the Pop Rock Competition in the Handy Campus Center on May 14.

Dominique Calvillo of CPR sings her heart out as she competes against two other pop rock ensemble groups in the Handy Campus Center on May 14. cmyk