Wednesday 09.25.19
‘It’ doesn’t thrill Review: “It Chapter Two” doesn’t scare like the first film
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C URRENT American River College Sacramento, Calif.
Vol. 71 Ed. 1
The
Child prodigy
Musician competed internationally at Carnegie Hall, NY
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(File Photo)
Art New Media student Miguel Gonzalez-Miranda, pictured here standing next to his work at the James Kaneko Art Gallery at American River College, was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in June, 2019.
Art student detained by ICE
By Jennah Booth
jennahpage@gmail.com American River College art student Miguel Gonzalez-Miranda’s portrait “Inner Puzzle” has sat in a narrow closet in the back of the James Kaneko Gallery since early spring. Intended to hang in a student art show in February, the glassframed, mixed-media collage was too heavy to hang and needed to be returned to its artist, but messages to Gonzalez-Miranda from Brad Carps, vice president of the ARC Art Club, went unanswered. Gonzalez-Miranda’s silence continued because on June 4, he was detained by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The ARC student is currently being
held at the Yuba County Jail, according to the Sacramento News & Review. Gonzalez-Miranda’ story is not unique. Throughout many states, including California, many students fear being detained or fear for those close to them who may be undocumented. In September 2017, Donald Trump ordered to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. DACA protected young adults who were brought to the US illegally as young children, also known as Dreamers. A federal judge blocked Trump’s order to end DACA, and the Supreme Court is scheduled to begin considering the fate of the program in November. Gonzalez-Miranda is a Dreamer
who immigrated from Mexico to California as a child. According to SNR, Gonzalez-Miranda was looking into obtaining US citizenship last February, but his inability to pay legal fees related to a misdemeanor when he was a teen, ultimately led to his detainment. This news came as a shock to Carps, and many others in the ARC community, as Gonzalez-Miranda was well known in many ARC and Sacramento City College circles. While Carps says he knows multiple people within his personal circles who are undocumented, he was unaware of Gonzalez-Miranda’s status. “I know five people, including Miguel, whose immigartion status may be threatened in some way and … it’s pretty terrifying,” Carps
said. Gonzalez-Miranda’s sister Sandra Gonzalez-Miranda started a GoFundMe campaign in order to raise funds for legal expenses, as well as support for his family. Since June 21, people have donated nearly $12,000. “Not only has Miguel contributed so much to the community,” Sandra wrote for the GoFundMe. “But he also has become a great inspiration to our family through his support and encouragement to always keep moving forward in the ups and downs of life.” Here at ARC, feelings about Gonzalez-Miranda’s situation resurfaced in the days following his Sept. 9 birthday. Carps dragged the heavy, 24 inch by 36 inch collage out of the closet it’s been
kept in for the last six months. “I always admire him because he … was a very principled guy,” said Carps, who met GonzalezMiranda through the ARC Art Club and various art classes. “He always was very generous with his time and I think that’s a really important indicator of like really positive values.” Patricia Wood, the director for the Kaneko Gallery and faculty advisor for the ARC Art Club, says she’s known Gonzalez-Miranda for around two years as a part of the Kaneko gallery crew and an avid Art Club member. “He was just a fixture of the art community,” she said. “He knew a lot of people because he helped a lot of people. He was just involved.” Wood says she’s met many people at ARC who have faced similar complexities surrounding their or their family member’s citizenship. “I’ve met students who came here when they were two, and the rest of their siblings are documented … they know no other place except for the US,” Wood said. “It’s just really bizarre. People don’t really think of that … [they don’t] understand that history and complexity of the situations.” Gonzalez-Miranda’s involvement around campus extended to groups and clubs that focus on undocumented communities. Deborah Hernandez is a student personnel assistant for the UndocuScholar Resource Connection and co-founded the Undocumented and Unafraid Club while she was a student at ARC. Hernandez said Gonzalez-Miranda helped the club design posters and other artwork. Hernandez says when she found out about Gonzalez-Miranda, her initial reaction was to jump to how they could help him and his family. “I’m part of this community myself too. I’m a DACA recipient,” Hernandez said. “I was really angry and sad … but you know, with this administration, it’s really just like, not a surprise.”
ARC Dreamer | Page 2
What the Green New Deal could mean for ARC
By Oden Taylor
odenshawntaylor@gmail.com
Photo by Oden Taylor | Staff Writer
Hundreds of people gather at the California State Capitol to protest climate change on Sept. 20, 2019.
With next year’s presidential election rapidly approaching and global temperatures climbing on a yearly basis, questions about the effects and prevention of climate change are rising as well. What humanity will do to save itself is at the forefront of social and political conversation. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is a body of the United Nations dedicated specifically to providing the world
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with an objective and scientific depiction of climate change. Its members believe that scientific data shows the effects of climate change are only going to get worse, especially if no action is taken. “The range of published evidence indicates that the net damage costs of climate change are likely to be significant and increase over time,” according to the IPCC’s website. On Friday, Sept. 20, students of all ages around the world united during the Global Climate Strike. The climate strike was inspired by
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BEAVER BALL ARC kicks off
PAGE 6 & 8 2019-20 season with two wins
“Fridays for Future” creator Greta Thunberg, a 16-year-old Swedish climate activist who sailed across the Atlantic ocean in a solar-powered yacht as an act of protest against the harmful effects of air travel. Thunberg brought with her a message: climate change reform now.
Green New Deal | Page 2
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Sept. 25, 2019
ASB NOTEBOOK
NEWS
For weekly coverage of ARC student government, go to ARCurrent.com
ASB FUNDS STUDENT SUPPLIES, FINDS NEW WAY TO ADVERTISE By Alexis Warren alexis.warren81@gmail.com The American River College Associated Student Body passed two bills, F19 and F19-06, at a meeting on Sept. 20. Bill F19, the Student Giveaways Bill, which allocates up to $1,000 for ASB to purchase school-related items for students attending ARC starting this fall. These items would possibly include: stress balls, flash drives, pens, lined pads, bluebooks, scantrons and healthy snacks, according to the ASB meeting agenda. “One thing that our board’s really passionate about is to make sure that students have the ability to succeed,” Kevin Hill, president of the Club and Events Board (CAEB) said. “With the $1,000 … we can be that resource for students to have pencils, scantrons and bluebooks.” The board also passed Bill F19-06,
The American River College Associated Student Body Senate board met on Sept. 20 to discuss and eventually pass two bills beneficial to ARC students.
the Plastic Display Holder Bill, which grants up to $250 for the purchase of plastic display holders. The holders would be placed on the ARC cafeteria tables in hopes to advertise campus wide news and events. “[The plastic display holders] are
going to have a huge impact for us to announce stuff. Students will see it right away, in front of them, instead of having posters everywhere,” Aesha Abduljabbar, student senate president said. Any club would be able to use
Photo by Oden Taylor | Staff Writer
A demonstrator holds a sign and wears a vest indicating her views on climate change and government reform during the Climate Strike held at the California State Capitol in Sacramento on Sept. 20, 2019.
Green New Deal debate hits college campuses Cont. from page 1 “Young people must hold older generations accountable for the mess they have created,” she said during the World Economic Forum. The Green New Deal may be one answer to the problem of climate change. The deal is a 14-page proposal published in February, originally submitted by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY 14th District) . It outlines a plan for combating climate change while reforming society over a span of 10 years. Many Democratic presidential candidates for the 2020 election co-sponsored and support the Green New Deal including Cory Booker, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. ARC has also started taking active measures to reduce its impact on the planet. Don Reid, the college’s Chief Sustainability Officer since 2008, said current ARC president Thomas Greene has promised that the school will be waste-free by 2025, through
“One thing that our board’s really passionate about is to make sure that students have the ability to succeed.”
URRENT
Club and Events Board President
An American River College student-run publication.
Kevin Hill
Photo by Alexis Warren | Opinion and Social Media Editor
implementing recycling and composting programs as well as standards for all new construction. Greene, however, recently announced that he will retire at the end of the spring 2020 semester, which means he won’t be here to see through on his promise. “UC’s and CSU’s already have programs like this in place,” Reid said. However, Reid also said community colleges across all of California are exempt from any federal mandates. Because of this, the new president could potentially eliminate the plan to be wastefree in the next five years. Although the Green New Deal is still at this time a proposal, it has caused the discussion of climate change to gain serious momentum. While ARC is not required to comply with any standards to combat climate change, the waste-free aspect of the Green New Deal has already changed activities on campus, according to Reid. Most of this success can be
credited to him. As well as working as the chief sustainability officer, Reid also runs the school’s printing services department. Reid said ARC has been supportive of his initiative and purchased new technology, at his recommendation, costing over half a million dollars to ensure that all materials being used for signage on campus are recyclable and that nothing coming out of the shop will go into landfills. Reid is also responsible for ARC winning the 2018 Outstanding School Recycling Program award from the California Resource Recovery Association. Reid says he believes everyone can and should do more to fight climate change. “In my opinion, it should be in all of our job descriptions,” Reid said. The new colorful signs popping up around campus were printed directly onto the old signs using a latex printer and water-soluble inks. Several compost bins have been added to campus as well
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The
the display holders to make their announcements, according to Abduljabbar. There will not be a student senate meeting Friday Sept. 27 because the board will be attending the Student Leadership and Development Educators (SLADE) conference. The next scheduled ASB meeting is Oct. 4 at 10:30 a.m. in the Student Center Boardroom.
as appropriate signage labeling what items can be thrown away, recycled or composted. Reid says that the introduction of the Green New Deal has advanced the discussion of climate change and it is now taken more seriously by students and faculty members. He regularly represents the college at climate change conferences such as the California Higher Education Sustainability Conference. According to Reid, UC’s and CSU’s have entire departments of people that work daily on perfecting and implementing climate action plans for their campuses but for ARC it’s only him. “I have a big green hand, I’ll raise it twice,” Reid said. He says he believes the school could be doing more to ensure the best possible future for their students. He says ARC is about five years behind the UC’s when it comes to a climate action plan. Glenn Jaecks, a geology professor at ARC, is active in the campus community in its effort to reduce the effects of climate change. He is working on integrating climate change into all classes. “People have to come to the realization that it’s not going to change by itself,” Jaecks said. Like Reid, he also believes that the campus may not be doing enough to stop the progression of climate change. ARC currently has more than 30,000 students and in a sense, more than 30,000 carbon footprints. Both Reid and Jaecks said that the return on investment isn’t there for bigger programs such as the school switching fully to solar power. Two questions remain, is there still enough time to make a difference? Could ARC be doing more? Adrian K-Bridges, a biology major, said ARC is helping the fight against climate change in the way of solar-powered charging stations but that more could be done specifically regarding issues of transportation. To change things on campus Reid suggests writing letters as a group or an individual to ARC faculty, letting them know what changes students want.“Students being involved is going to do more than the Green New Deal,” Reid said.
Editor-in-Chief Jennah Booth Managing Editor Ariel Caspar Photo Editor Emily Mello Opinion & Social Media Editor Alexis Warren Sports Editor Thomas Cathey Staff Colin Bar tley Marquala Brown Josh Ghiorso Jack Harris Bram Mar tinez Oden Taylor Brandon Zamora Faculty Adviser Rachel Leibrock Photo Advisers Josh Clemens Jill Wagner Student Worker Ashley Hayes-Stone
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POLICY The Current is produced by the students of College Media Production, J410-413. All opinions are signed and not necessarily endorsed by the Current staff. All letters and articles appearing in the Editorial, Opinion or Forum sections are not necessarily representative of the Current staff or American River College policy. All articles are the property of the Current. Letters must be typed and can be submitted by mail, e-mail or in person at the following addresses: The American River Current 4700 College Oak Drive Portable Village 613A Sacramento, CA 95841 Phone: 916-484-8304 Fax: 916-484-8668 E-mail: Current@arc.losrios.edu www.ARCurrent.com
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Sept. 25, 2019
NEWS
ARC among top 150 US community colleges By Ariel Caspar arielcaspar@gmail.com
Photo by Ashley Hayes-Stone | Student Worker
Former art student Miguel Gonzalez-Miranda’s piece “Inner Puzzle” has sat for months in the James Kaneko Gallery’s storage closet at American River College after Gonzales-Miranda was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in June.
ARC Dreamer leaves behind a shaken community Cont. from page 1 According to Hernandez, the UndocuScholar program at ARC offers peer mentoring and immigration consultations, where they help students go over things like scholarships, resumes, transfer applications and DACA renewals, among other services. Hernandez says she attempted to get Gonzalez-Miranda a cancellation of removal letter, which grants an undocumented person a green card as long as the person meets specific requirements, but besides sharing the GoFundMe, there wasn’t much more she could do. After news that Gonzalez-Miranda had an attorney and court hearing scheduled, Hernadez says she hasn’t heard much recently.
“He always was very generous with his time and I think that’s a really important indicator of really positive values.” Brad Carps
ARC Art Club Vice President Roderic Agbunag, the Community and Diversity Center Faculty Coordinator for UNITE, says with the climate of the coming election, Gonzalez-Miranda’s situation serves as a very real fear for many ARC students. “It’s troubling when you hear someone like in your now community, that has been picked up by ICE. Like it’s real, right?” Agbunag said. “When it’s close to home like this, I think now students, additionally to just the stresses of being a student … have to worry about ICE agents knocking on (their) door, and not maybe not affecting them directly, but maybe their parents or maybe someone that they’re close to.” On Aug. 26, Los Rios Police De-
partment Chief of Police Lawrence Savidge sent out a district-wide email addressing the concern of US Border Control agents visiting Los Rios Community College District campuses. “I’d like to clearly reiterate that the Los Rios Police Department is deeply focused on the safety and well-being of our students and employees, not their immigration status,” Savidge wrote. Savidge also emphasized that the LRPD “adheres to LRCCD Board Resolution #2017-02, which states: ‘the Los Rios Police Department should not detain, question, or arrest any individual solely on the basis of (suspected or actual) undocumented immigration status.’” Savidge also emphasized that if US Border Control, ICE agents or any other federal law enforcement agency visits any LRCCD campus, students should contact campus police immediately. “Different federal agencies have different jurisdictions and objectives, and LRPD can help to ensure that we understand and communicate their purpose and intent,” he wrote. The LRCCD General Council also lists procedures to follow in the event that ICE agents were to come on campus. Hernandez said understanding your rights, even as a documented person, is a key way to protect yourself and those around you. “There are rights that everyone has,” she said. “And if you give up those rights, sometimes that undocumented immigrant [next to you] is also forced to give up their rights as well.” Agbunag says it’s important to stand up for those around us. “These are our colleagues, our peers, and we need to be protective of each other and for the right causes, even though we’re not directly under scrutiny for now,” Agbunag said. When it comes to situations like Gonzalez-Miranda’s, Wood said that it’s important to recognize
Photo courtesy of Miguel Gonzalez-Miranda’s GoFundMe
Former art major Miguel Gonzalez-Miranda’s was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in June. A GoFundMe in Gonzalez-Miranda’s name has raised almost $12,000 since he was detained.
that a misdemeanor isn’t a severe crime and she believes it doesn’t warrant deportation or labeling someone as a criminal. “These people kind of get labeled as if they had some sort of criminal background,” Wood said. “And it’s really not, there’s no crime. It’s a misdemeanor. It’s [like] an unpaid ticket.” Agbunag reiterated this sentiment. “Sometimes the propaganda is, ‘Oh, we’re going after these killers, these rapists, these criminals.’ … I bet you thousands, if not hun-
dreds of thousands whose immigrant status is in question, they don’t fit that description,” he said. “They’re hard-working people. They are people who give back to society, and for the benefit of our society.” Gonzalez-Miranda’s contribution to his community is at an indefinite standstill until his fate is decided by the US immigration system. Until then, “Inner Puzzle” will stay in the hands of the ARC Art Club, and a dusty closet in the back of the Kaneko Gallery.
A recent analysis done by WalletHub, a personal finance website, of 710 American community colleges, determined that American River College placed 148th overall, and 22nd among California community colleges. Sacramento City College and Cosumnes River College also made the list, ranking slightly lower than ARC. Of the four community colleges in the Los Rios Community College District, Folsom Lake College ranked the highest placing 118th. San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton took the top slot, coming in fourth in the country. According to its website, WalletHub’s ranking system is based on factors like tuition affordability, and overall educational and career outcomes for students. ARC tied for third lowest in-state tuition along with FLC, SCC and SJD colleges. ARC’s Public Information Officer Scott Crow spoke to the Current through email on behalf of ARC. Crow said ARC is pleased to see research studies reinforcing that community college education is a great option for students, since they provide lower tuition costs and high quality outcomes for all students. “ARC is a smart move for students as we offer not only affordability but also excellence in our teaching faculty and partnerships with industry that help place students in good jobs,” Crow said. Film major Jessica Kolb said this is her fourth year at ARC and she was not surprised ARC received the ranking that it did. Kolb said she’s had a great experience at ARC with tuition costs and professor’s teaching quality. Kolb said she did not qualify for financial aid, but was pleased to find ARC’s tuition cost is very affordable. “I think it’s pretty reasonable considering it’s a community college,” Kolb said. “I think it’s the best option if you don’t have a lot of money to start [at] a community college and then transfer.”
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Sept. 25, 2019
ARTS & CULTURE
Art professors share personal work
By Colin Bartley
colinbartley99@gmail.com The James Kaneko Art Gallery hosted its annual fall faculty exhibit reception on Sept. 4, showcasing a variety of unique pieces from American River College art professors. Pieces by fine arts professor Laura Parker and art history professor Craig Smith were on display; art professor Valerie Constantino also performed an interactive piece at the reception. The exhibit ran through Sept. 19. The centerpiece for the exhibit is “Tree Shrine” by Parker, which is an interactive sculpture that invites viewers to decorate small plaques and hang them on the shrine. The shrine itself was actually made from a tree that was removed from Parker’s garden, drawing inspiration from Japanese, Shinto and Buddhist culture, according to a sign next to the piece. “Double Trees and Green Arrows with Red and Black Spots” is another piece on display from Smith. Smith cited inspiration from a blend of Japanese and southwest Native American sculptures. “I got ideas about designing surfaces, stole stuff from Japanese artists, from southwest Native American artists, from the Ameri-
Photo by Colin Bartley | Staff Writer
James Kaneko Art Gallery Director Patricia Wood showcases her art at the fall faculty exhibit reception at American River College on Sept. 4, 2019.
can arts and crafts movement,” Smith said. Art history professor Thomas Powell also has a piece in the show, titled “My First Acid Trip,” which blends the mediums of aerosol and sculpture into a surrealist autobiographical piece. “You never start with some preconceived idea; you have to see what comes out of it,” Powell said. ”So that’s what emerged as I was
making the painting; that’s what the message became to me.” On the opposite wall is a series of self portraits by art professor Betty Nelson. The Graphite portraits are divided by her other piece “#18 Process,” which is a booklet of her work. Art major Kaitlyn Berry attended the reception and spent time exploring the exhibit. “I’ve taken classes with at least
four or five of the teachers in there so it was really cool getting to see their work,” Berry said. Kaneko Art Gallery Director Patricia Wood said that the exhibits are well put together by the artists. “What’s really interesting about the show is that people don’t always bring what you think they’re going to bring,” said Wood. “The point of it is to introduce students
in the greater community to what we do because a lot of the time you don’t see what we do, you just see what we teach.” The next Kaneko Art Gallery exhibition will run from Sept. 23 through Oct. 17. The gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Friday, and is closed Saturday and Sunday.
‘IT Chapter Two’ just misses the mark
SEQUEL ENTERTAINS BUT DOESN’T SCARE LIKE THE FIRST By Thomas Cathey tcathey1196@gmail.com 2017’s “It” proved to be a successful standout in a Hollywood industry filled with reboots, spinoffs and remakes. Currently standing at an 86% on Rotten Tomatoes, the first installment of the modern-day “It” franchise delivered with great chemistry between the main cast members, creative scares and a terrifying performance from Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise the Clown. With “It” making $700 million in worldwide box office earnings, a sequel was inevitable this time with an entirely different cast than the original. “It Chapter Two” was released just two years after the original film on Sept. 6, and currently holds a 64% on the Rotten Tomatoes meter, significantly less than the rating for the first film. The mediocre rating may have to do with the film’s runtime, which is two hours and 49 minutes. That
exceeds the length of the first film by 23 minutes. While trying to honor Stephen King’s source material—which is over 1,000 pages long—the sequel overstays its welcome and is slightly drawn out. “Chapter Two” centers around a grown-up “Losers Club” (Beverly, Richie, Eddie, Mike, Bill and Ben) as they reunite in Derry, Maine 27 years after the events of the first film to take on Pennywise once again. Despite the intense fear the main characters feel once they hear about the return of the shape-shifting clown, they return to their former hometown because of the oath they swore by at the conclusion of part one. Just like “Chapter One,” the comedic banter and chemistry between the main characters is one of the most effective elements of this film. Richie (played by Bill Hader) is easily the funniest and most endearing character of the movie. However, the innocent charm of the young cast in “Chap-
CAMPUS PU
SE
“The Justin Beiber song [‘Let Me Love You’] that goes: ‘Never give up nanana,’ so if you have a little issue just never give up.”
-HABIB OMAR Business Major
Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
“It Chapter Two” drags out for nearly three hours but still fails to live up to what made the first movie so terrifying.
ter One” may have been more effective for some viewers. Pennywise’s shape-shifting ability also makes for some fun environmental scares in “Chapter Two,” transforming into what scares his victim the most and feeding off of their fear. He likes to play with his food, and that is what makes him so terrifying as an antagonist. The extra time in “It Chapter Two” can be quite noticeable
throughout the movie. While there are plenty of scares and haunting sequences throughout, these scenes may seem a little repetitive, dragging the film out and making it longer than it really needs to be. The “Losers Club” often split up during the movie, giving Pennywise a chance to haunt them individually. This takes up a good portion of the movie, and while these
scenes are creative and cool, they don’t really feel all that scary. What makes the “It” movies good are the main characters. Both films do a great job at attaching viewers to the characters and making them actually matter. Without this, “It Chapter Two” would just be another standard horror movie. Fortunately though, the character development lifts this film to an above average level.
Which song best describes your college experience? “‘Tempo’ by Lizzo and Missy Elliot ... I love seeing groups that are typically marginalized able to love their music and celebrate their music.”
-JOSHUA JOHNSON Faculty
“We’ll go with
Juice Wrld, ‘Armed and Dangerous.’ That song is pretty fire. He’s just a savage on that song. It gets me pumped.”
“I’ve been into this new artist called Upsahl. It doesn’t distract you when you’re trying to work.”
-JERON JOHNSON -ARI MIGGINS Marketing Major Film & Audio Production Major
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Sept. 25, 2019
FEATURE
Lida Kaphar’s passion for music By Emily Mello emilycastellar97@gmail.com At only 5 years old, Lida Kaphar decided that she wanted to play the violin, even though her mom wanted her to learn the piano first. “Every single immigrant parent wants you to play some kind of instrument and my mom wanted me to start with the piano since she would be able to teach me,” Kaphar said. “I was 5 years old when we had our first major argument and a year later I started to play the violin.” Growing up, Kaphar participated in the Sacramento Youth Symphony where she had various opportunities to develop her talent and passion for music. Throughout her teen years, she was able to compete in different international competitions, which led her path to play at Carnegie Hall in New York. Last year while still in high school, Kaphar took advantage of the Advanced Education program at American River College, which allows high school students to take college-level classes. “The great thing about this program here at ARC is that I was able to take a certain amount of classes in high school and take two or three classes at college and the credits would count towards my college degree and school transcripts,” Kaphar said. “It was like [killing] two birds with one stone.” Now 17, Kaphar studies biochemistry and molecular biology at ARC full time, while continuing to independently study music. She emphasizes that her parents gave her all the support she needed to keep pursuing her talent for music. “For them, it was a time where they spent a lot of energy and effort driving me to rehearsals, getting me on time for the concerts and making sure that I had the right outfit,” Kaphar said. “I’m really grateful for them for doing that.”
Last year, Kaphar played the violin at the Crescendo International Music Competition in Sacramento, where she ended up taking first place and went on to perform at Carnegie Hall, where she ended up placing second place internationally. “It was a unique experience especially because in the middle of my performance one of my strings popped up,” Kaphar said. “I had to adapt very quickly and sort of figure it out what to do, but I got second place overall.” Marilyn Best, a director for the Sacramento Youth Symphony, says she’s seen Lida’s passion for music first-hand. “She is very giving and talented and we are very grateful to have her in our symphony and that’s a very good sign of a diligent worker,” Best said. Even though Kaphar has focused all of her talent into music, she says she doesn’t want to be a professional musician. “It’s not for me. I really love music, but it takes a lot of creativity that goes into making music fresh all the time,” Kaphar said. “I’ve had some burnout episodes and it’s really hard because there is the technical part of it and the emotional part of too. It really makes the music stand out.” Kaphar intends to transfer to UC Davis and continue her studies there. “[I want] to get a major in biochem and molecular biology, and a minor in music,” Kaphar said. Despite this, Kaphar says she doesn’t want to lose her appreciation for music just because of some difficult episodes that she’s dealt with in the past. “If you are in a space where you are exhausted all the time, it feels like you have to do it just to pay bills, it loses that sort of spark,” Kaphar said. “I don’t want to lose that spark and interest in music that I have.”
Photo by Emily Mello | Photo Editor
Lida Kaphar, biochem and molecular biology major at American River College, has been playing the violin since she was 6 years old and in the last year she has competed in the Crescendo International Music Competition at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
Photo by Marquala Brown | Staff Writer
Student tutor Mozett Coleman and instructional assistant Lyudmila Moraru work at the Science Success Center, which is geared towards helping students be successful in their classes at American River College.
Science and success at ARC
By Marquala Brown Marqualab@gmail.com In an effort to help students reach their full potential, the Science Success Center offers many opportunities for students enrolled in science classes at American River College, including: one-on-one tutoring, personal
guidance, support, reading strategies and study skills. Lyudmila Moraru, an instructional assistant for the Science Success Center, has been with the program since December 2018. At the center, Moraru helps students with registering, enrollment and program related questions. “The Science Success Center is
an individual tutoring program that is really focused on study skills and learning strategies,” Moraru said. “Tutors get to know students and identify which strategies might be helpful in specific science class and match the strategies with the students.” According to Moraru, the Science Success Center begins ac-
cepting enrollment into the program Aug. 26 and continues through the end of October. In order to enroll, students take about 5 to 10 minutes on the computer to enroll. The Science Success Center also allows pre-enrollment before the semester starts. This allows for students to add General Science 90 or 91 when enrolling into the other classes for the semester at the same time. “The research that was conducted for the center consistently shows that students who are enrolled into the program, along with a science class, on average scored a letter grade higher,” Moraru said. According to Moraru, the center has many tutors who are also science majors and faculty members who are willing to work around student’s schedules and needs. One of the tutors is ARC student Mozett Coleman. Last semester she was apart of the Science Success Center as a student and now has returned this semester as a tutor. Coleman says the best part of the program when she was a student was the support and positive reinforcement she received through the program. Now that she has returned to the program as tutor she says feels like being a
former student is an advantage for her as a tutor “I understand the struggle that comes with being a student also most of the time a full-time student and the weight that is carries,” she said. “So it helps me to
“Tutors get to know students and identify which strategies might be helpful in specific science classes.” Lyudmila Moraru
Instructional assistant for the Science Success Center
better understand students that come in and try to get help from me.” The center also offers free academic planners, calendars and candy for any students coming to check out the program. For more information, students can visit the Science Success Center in the science and engineering building, room 491, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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September 25, 2019
SPORTS
Photo by Emily Mello | Photo Editor
American River College running back Bryan Sarente celebrates a 15-10 victory against Laney College with his teammates on Sept. 14, 2019.
ARC football team wins home opener against Laney By Thomas Cathey & Emily Mello tcathey1196@gmail.com emilycastellar97@gmail.com The football team at American River College emerged victorious against the defending state champion Laney College in its home opener for the season at Beaver Stadium on Sept. 14. The final score was 15-10 in favor of ARC. ARC’s head coach Jon Osterhout said he was pleased with the performance of his team and the start they have gotten off to in this season. “It was a heck of a win for our football program,” Osterhout said. “It was good to see [the team go] 2-0 [this season] and accomplish some of our outcome goals and to get a winning record in our conference.” Within the first five minutes of the first quarter, kicker Isaiah Gomez put the Beavers on the board with a field goal, making the score 3-0 in favor of ARC. ARC’s defense excelled in the first quarter, holding Laney’s offense to just
33-yards total and zero points in the first quarter. In the second quarter, Laney College’s offense started to pick up steam. Laney running back Tyrell Smith marched his team down field, running for 46 yards out of the 63 total earned by Laney during that drive. At the 9:07 mark of
“We’re gonna build on this momentum and continue to go, so we’re fired up.” Jon Osterhout
Head Coach, ARC Football the quarter, quarterback KJ Gardner threw a three-yard pass to RJ Stern for the first and only touchdown of the game, making the score 7-3 after the extra point. Capitalizing on the success of the previous drive, Laney cornerback LJ Anderson intercepted a pass from ARC quarterback Grant
Football
Patterson, giving the ball back to Laney’s offense. While not scoring a touchdown, Laney was able to score a field goal by the end of its drive, making the score 10-3 for Laney. When ARC got the ball back, their offense marched downfield, all the way to Laney’s goal line. However, they were not able to get into the end zone and had to settle for another field goal. At the conclusion of the half, Laney led ARC, 10-6. In the third quarter, ARC’s defense was able to hold Laney’s offense to zero points. At 2:51 of the fourth quarter, kicker Gomez completed another successful field goal, making the score 10-9 with Laney still ahead. With the game on the line heading into the fourth quarter, the Beavers managed to overcome their one-point deficit with another field goal by Gomez. ARC was now leading Laney, 12-9. With less than five minutes left in the game, ARC scored another field goal, giving themselves some breathing room on the scoreboard. ARC’s defense was able to
Photo by Emily Mello | Photo Editor
American River College wide receiver Eric Davis Jr. attempts to maneuver around a Laney College defensive back to gain more yards.
prevent Laney from scoring any more points, making the final score 15-10 in favor of ARC. Despite not getting much done offensively, Osterhout said he was still proud of the way the defense and special teams performed. “There’s a lot of things we gotta get cleaned up but I was proud of our football team for the grit that they displayed throughout the course of the game,” said Osterhout. “We hit five field goals and won the football game so credit to the defense and special teams.” ARC running back Jeremiah Johnson said he was also satisfied with the team’s performance and
Sports Schedule: Fall 2019
Volleyball
September 27 vs. Diablo Valley, 6:30 p.m.
September 28 vs. Modesto, 1 p.m. October 5 @ Fresno, 5 p.m. October 19 @ Siskiyous, 2:30 p.m.
October 4 @ Sacramento City, 6:30 p.m. October 9 vs. Santa Rosa, 6:30 p.m. October 11 vs. San Joaquin Delta, 3 p.m. October 12 @ Cabrillo, 12 p.m.
October 26 vs. Sierra, 1 p.m. November 2 vs. Butte, 1 p.m. November 9 @ Santa Rosa, 6 p.m.
October 16 @ Sierra, 6:30 p.m.
Men’s Water Polo
Women’s Soccer September 27 vs. Diablo Valley, 3:30 p.m.
September 26 vs. LA Valley @ Cuesta, 3 p.m. September 27 vs Cuesta @ Cuesta, 1p.m.
October 1 @ Consumnes River, 4 p.m. October 4 vs. Folsom Lake, 4 p.m.
October 2 vs. Sierra, 3:30 p.m. October 5 @ San Jose State , TBA October 9 vs. San Joaquin Delta, 3:30 p.m. October 17 @ Cuesta, TBA
is looking forward to the rest of the season. “I feel like we gave a good run and we focused on our tasks and accomplished what we had to do,” said Johnson. “I was just happy to play and help my team and get this objective done. It’s just another game for us, we just gotta keep going.” With the Beavers football team starting at 2-0, Osterhout said he expects his team to keep the streak going. “We’re gonna build on this momentum and continue to go, so we’re fired up.” Osterhout said.
October 8 @ San Joaquin Delta, 4:30 p.m. Photo by Colin Bartley | Staff Writer
ARC sophomore Sevanna Lopez drives the ball downfield in a loss versus Fresno City College on Sept. 6, 2019 at American River College.
October 11 vs. Santa Rosa, 3:30 p.m. October 15 vs. Modesto, 6 p.m.
7
Sept. 25, 2019
OPINION
CURRENT EDITORIAL
ARC must do more to fight climate change By Current Editorial Board current@arc.losrios.edu During last year’s Paradise Camp Fire, ash rained on Sacramento making it impossible to ignore the effects of the deadliest, most destructive fire in California history. Eighty-six people lost their lives, thousands more lost their homes and the damage spanned far beyond the original sites of the fires. American River College and many other schools across California shut down their campuses due to poor air quality. Disasters such as this one are becoming more of a threat every day. When people ask what are the firsthand effects of climate change, the Camp Fire and other wildfires across California are just some of them. California also faced its worst Photo by Oden Taylor | Staff Writer drought in history between 2012 and Demonstrators hold signs protesting climate change at the California State Capitol during the 2016, which served as another glaring Climate Strike, inspired by climate change activist Greta Thunberg on Sept. 20, 2019. example of how our climate is shifting The company responsible for much of It is then sent off to landfills or dumped before us. the school’s waste is Aramark, ARC’s food in our oceans. Not only is this process fillThe world is changing and one can’t service provider. ing landfills to capacity but black plastic simply choose to ignore it. As the ice Aramark has made some positive is also toxic. caps melt and natural disasters ravage We do not have the power, time or the Earth, young people across the world changes to the materials they use for toare begging for climate change reform go containers at ARC, by turning away resources to create an entirely new recyand climate action plans but more could from styrofoam in 2018. However, all of cling system. What we can do is ask ARC be done at local levels, including college the utensils in the cafeteria are made of to ban black plastic and other forms of campuses. Here at ARC the issue includes black plastic and they have yet to find an nonrecyclable materials from our campus. one of the college’s biggest vendors, Ara- alternative solution. One time use plastic containers are bad Biodegradable materials to replace mark. ARC has done a lot to fight the effects for the environment as a whole, but black outdated black plastic already exists and of climate change: the campus has recy- plastic poses a particular threat, accord- are just as effective without the cost to cling, composting and even solar-pow- ing to Alice Hunter of the Greenpeace the environment. ARC should also consider a program in ered charging stations. But as ARC Presi- organization. Black plastic is specifically problematic which we can eliminate single-use condent Thomas Greene is stepping down in a year, and because California’s com- because, while it is in theory recyclable, tainers and utensils altogether. Most stumunity colleges are not held to any legal most black plastic ends up in our landfills. dents who are eating food from school mandate when it comes to our carbon This is because the method used to color are going to do so on campus, and most footprint, the progress and plans that the plastic can not be recognized by op- likely within the walls of the cafeteria. There is absolutely no reason that real ARC has made up to this point could be tical sorting systems and commonly gets wiped out completely with his departure. labeled as “residue.” dishes and silverware could not be used
and returned to be washed and used again. This will effectively eliminate the need for plastics in our cafeteria and greatly reduce the waste ARC produces from food products. The food served should be fresh, locally sourced and include more vegan and vegetarian options. Fresh food is not only better for the environment but also for every student eating on campus. The waste from fresh food could go directly into the school’s compost system helping the Horticulture Department. Climate change should be taught and integrated into all classes as a fact not just a theory. The school has a responsibility to educate its students on the truth of the future of this planet. This will have a trickle-down effect by making students more environmentally conscious in their home lives as well. ARC also needs to consider converting the school to being 100 % solar-powered, including the new STEM building. The need for this change is going to come whether we like it or not and implementing solar programs now will save us a lot of hassle in the long run. Combatting the climate crisis is the responsibility of every living person. Students and teachers wishing to change practices on campus should unite and rise up against the powers that be. We need to make it clear to LRCCD and the incoming president that this something that we, as students and faculty, care about. Coming together is the best way to guarantee change. When a patient is taken to the emergency room, doctors don’t sit around asking questions; they act, quickly. We have to think of it like our planet has been rushed to the ER and everyone living on earth, are doctors. We need to act now and nurse our planet back to health before it’s too late.
Don’t buy into the vaping industry By Ariel Caspar arielcaspar@gmail.com An alarming trend has caught my attention on and off campus recently: e-cigarettes and vaping. I have observed many friends take on the habit over the years and my observations have led to a strong yet unprofessional opinion that vaping is addictive and damaging no matter how old or mature you think you are; recent evidence has proven that my unprofessional opinion may be right. Originally designed as a way to help long term smokers transition into using a less adverse substance, the use of e-cigarettes and vaping has risen in popularity over the years. What seemed harmless, is now evolving into a massive epidemic across the country, according to the New York Times. Teenagers and young adults in several states are experiencing severe shortness of breath, vomiting, diarrhea, fever and fatigue, and according to health officials, these cases have been linked to vaping and e-cigarette use. According to NBC News, as of Sept. 10, there have been at least 478 confirmed cases of breathing related illnesses linked to vaping in 25 states, including California. The death count has risen to six, and that number may continue to climb.
Most patients experience flulike symptoms, but more severe cases have put individuals in the intensive care unit or on ventilators for weeks on end. Experts and health officials are still investigating the specific cause of these widespread, similar cases, according to the Times. Health officials suggest that these illnesses may be related to inhaling leftover droplets of oil when the liquid cools down, which can result in breathing problems, lung inflammation and even death in excess. In addition, users are now substituting their own ingredients, making it more difficult for regulators and scientists to zero in on one specific product that may be responsible for these mysterious illnesses, according to the Times. Federal health officials are now warning the public to not buy ecigarette or vaping products off the streets and to refrain from modifying any products they already own. This information not only makes me sad, but frustrated with how accessible vaping products are. Since vaping has become a DIY recreational activity, it is now easier for users to buy illegal products. Users are also adding THC to vaping liquids. It’s so easy, a 15-yearold can do it! My cousin had not even graduated from high school when he started vaping. Now he’s 20 years old, complaining of breathing is-
Photo illustration by Ariel Caspar | Managing Editor
As of Sept. 10, there have been at least 478 confirmed cases of breathing related illnesses linked to vaping in 25 states, including California, and the death count has risen to six, according to NBC News.
sues and constant soreness in his throat that prevents him from singing well. He had never even considered that it could be the vaping that was causing him so much trouble. Once he did the math, he started to organize a plan to quit — easier said than done. Vaping companies appeal to young people so strongly with the fun, enticing flavors, the small, very easy-to-hide sizes (thanks, Juul) and the mature, grown-up vibe it gives off to young teens and young adults. According to CBS News, the FDA said Juul Labs lied about their products being a safer alternative
to smoking. Last week, Michigan became the first state to ban the sales of flavored e-cigarette products, and San Francisco recently followed suit, banning vaping products that have not been approved by the FDA, CBS reported. As of Sept. 11, Bloomberg reported that the Trump Administration is making plans to ban flavored vaping products from the market. E-cigarette and vaping companies need to be held responsible for how their products are being distributed, legally and illegally. There has to be a way to regulate products and make it more difficult for minors to get their hands
on it. Almost every young adult that I know who engages in vaping or e-cigarette use tends to be very defensive about their behavior. They refuse to admit that their brain is developing an addiction to nicotine or THC. They refuse to consider that vaping has not been completely verified as a harmless activity. Is it really worth potentially harming your body just so you can relieve stress and anxiety for one small fraction of the day? Vaping is still a relatively new activity and even experts still don’t know all of its effects or how it could do damage in the long run.
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Sept. 25, 2019
BACKPAGE
Eric Davis Jr. No. 3 Position: Wide Receiver High School: Folsom “I think I’m good as far as I am picking up with my teammates, making sure we are on the same page and playing as a unit.”
Coach’s
Isaiah Gomez No. 36 Position: Kicker High School: Antelope
Picks
“I’m a Raiders fan so I used look up to Sebastian Janikowski [because he has power in his kick]. I want to be like that one day.”
By Emily Mello emilycastellar97@gmail.com
George Spithorst No. 55 Position: Linebacker High School: Elk Grove
The football season at American River College is upon us. The Beavers’ started strong with a 2-1 record. Before the next game, check out these thoughts from some of coach Jon Osterhout’s top players.
“You have to be able to wake up at 6 a.m. and then kill your body every day, and we gotta love the sport and get crazy about it too.”
James Ghiladi
James Ghilardi No. 74 Position: Offensive Line High School: Christian Brothers
“My biggest influential player is my dad, he coached me almost my whole life. He wasn’t [one of those ]‘ball dad’ coaches and he always pushed me to my greatest potential.”