The Collegian — Published Oct. 11, 2019

Spooky movies stand Do college students need off against each other mental health days?

The Collegian OPINION, PAGE 4

ENTERTAINMENT, PAGE 9

Issue 3 • Friday, Oct. 11, 2019 •

Food pantry provides options for students

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FINDING THEIR VOICES

BY ALEXZANDRE SALON Staff Writer

The Delta Student Food Pantry is open to any and all enrolled Delta College students.

However, students are still discouraged to use this free amenity.

Some students feel that the Student Food Pantry is for only students and families that don’t have access to or enough money to buy food.

Jay Turner, a Delta College student, said he doesn’t “use the food pantry because [he] doesn’t think [the pantry] is for [him.]”

However, students should feel welcome to the pantry and are encouraged to take advantage of this free program.

Shayla Walker, Director of Student Activities, says it’s “good that students are [being] considerate” to other students, but the “only criteria [to access the Student Food Pantry] is to be enrolled” at Delta College.

According to Betsy Hooper, who works for the pantry, the pantry has had about 2,400 visits so far.

Another reason students are discouraged to use the pantry is because of the application process.

Hooper says the application can be “frustrating because (students who have applied)w before have to apply again for the year.”

However, the application process is fast and easy. Students can apply online and are required to answers questions based on basic information, finances, and aid.

If students don’t have access to the internet, students can also visit the pantry in Shima 101 where they can apply using a computer in the pantry where they can also receive help while applying.

The Student Food Pantry is working to try to get more students involved, not only with enrollment but also donations.

Walker also said the pantry is “not just (supplied) by student activities. Students have supplied canned goods” and financial donations.

The Student Activities department has talked to professors, asking to spread the message to their classes the pantry is available to everyone, sent emails to student emails, have been active on social media, and have put up fliers around campus.

I Am/Yo Soy club President Erika Reyes, third from left, speaks during a banner drop event on the forum walkway on Oct. 9. Below, a crowd gathers to watch the banner drop. PHOTOS BY JEFF LEIVA

Peer advocates help undocumented students navigate resources

BY JEFF LEIVA Staff Writer

According to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, as of late 2017, when the Trump administration stopped accepting new applicants for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), Stockton and Lodi had 3,100 active DACA recipients. Stockton and Lodi make up 0.5 percent of all DACA applicants in the nation, more than El Paso, Texas.

At Delta College, there are an estimated 800 undocumented Students, many of those students do not have DACA. Applying for financial aid, scholarships and just having access to resources can be especially difficult if one is undocumented.

Erika Reyes, President of the

club I am/Yo Soy, seeks to create a student movement on Delta’s campus to campaign in favor of DACA. Reyes saw the need to create a formal club where students can have a “safe space and be part of a

community,” Reyes said.

She was able to get in contact with professors. Reyes was told at one point, Delta had a club for undocumented students. However “they feared showing up,” Reyes said.

Reyes isn’t an undocumented immigrant herself. However, she understands the struggles students have to undergo when they have to live in the shadows.

Reyes got to work on organizing a formal club on campus. At the beginning of April, Reyes was able to get the I Am/Yo Soy club afloat.

In 2016, Delta College passed a resolution in support of DACA students.

The Office of Student Equity and Diversity began organizing

See ADVOCATE, page 3

Academic Senate discusses a myriad of issues

BY DAVID VICTOR Staff Writer

On Oct. 2 Delta College’s Academic Senate met in the Mustang Room to discuss topics affecting students and staff, initiatives from Senate members and upcoming implementations in general education requirements.

MYDELTA PROBLEMS CONTINUE Academic Senate President Kathleen Bruce addressed the records and financial aid issues impacting students, including when expected fixes will happen.

“There is an issue where transferring students can’t get records for transcripts, and the goal is to have this issue fixed by mid-October. In the meantime the transcripts are being done by hand,” said Bruce. “The

financial aid problem is the priority right now along with the records. There are 18,000 students currently at Delta College in eligible programs and they are not getting financial aid.”

The topics discussed in the meeting include the Senate’s role in improving equity on campus, Guided Pathway maps for degrees and future implementation of ethnic studies as a graduation requirement at California State Universities.

EQUITY ON CAMPUS Although Delta College is known for its diversity, Bruce said equity on campus needs to improve.

“We haven’t had the professional development in understanding our equity data or conversations about closing achievement gaps,” said Bruce about reading

data showing the success of students.

“I think it’s the most important issue because we have an obligation to student success. If we know that there is a group of students failing disproportionately compared to other groups of students, then we know that there are clear implicit or racial biases that we have in our structures and we need to deal with those.

That way those groups of students can have an easier path to be successful.”

While understanding the data is a challenge for faculty, the counseling division has no access to the data at all because of bugs from the new registration system.

“In my division we had a dean who blocked us from seeing the data, so we had no way of making informed

See SENATE, page 3

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2 NEWS 101119

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MyDelta continues chaotic trend with lack of info

BY VIVIENNE AGUILAR Editor in Chief

Issues with MyDelta continue to affect students seven weeks into the fall semester.

The new registration system will have problems into next spring. Problems are still being encountered in areas such as financial aid, official records, and education planning.

Assistant Superintendent/Vice President of Student Services Dr. Lisa Cooper-Wilkins sent out another update on these issues last week.

Recently the campus has found that students’ majors are incorrect in the system for more than 18,000 students.

Delta had 23,892 students according to California Community College’s 2018 Student Success Scorecard. A fix is currently in the works, according to Cooper-Wilkins’ email, but an additional 371 students will need to have their cases handled manually.

There was also an update on problems with students receiving the Cal-

ifornia College Promise Grant (formerly known as the BOG Waiver).

“The Director of Financial Aid is uncertain at this time of the precise number of students who have been impacted by this; however, the Financial Aid Office has received well over 1,000 applications. Determining how many of these are eligible or ineligible will take approximately three weeks to manually process,” said Cooper-Wilkins via Alex Breitler, Delta’s Acting Director of Marketing, Communication and Outreach, in an email.

Problems with providing students with transcripts in the new system were also addressed.

“In the meantime, a service indicator will be placed on student records with data errors to allow A&R to print transcripts from MyDelta until there is a more comprehensive data solution.

Approximately 1 percent of all students were impacted by this issue, and A&R has an estimated date of October 18th to have this data error corrected,” said Wilkins. “Per our Director of Admis-

sions & Records.”

All new admissions and records data beginning from Fall 2019 will go solely through PeopleSoft because System 2020, the previous registration system, is not being updated.

In Cooper-Wilkins’ ERP email update from last week she says, “should a student who has a data error need an official transcript from PeopleSoft we will be able to manually update the record and produce an accurate transcript.”

Counselors are still unable to update education plans. Old plans are available upon request.

The Board of Trustees has taken notice of these problems.

At the Sept. 24 meeting, the board voted to approve a change order with Highstreet IT Solutions, the firm helping the college implement MyDelta.

During discussion, Board President Catherine Mathis questioned whether continuing work on MyDelta was worth it.

“This has been a total disaster. And

it’s been a lot of money and I am not inclined to throw good money after bad,” Mathis said. “And getting the answer, ‘well, if you don’t give us another $2 million, we aren’t going to get payroll out’ is not an acceptable explanation.”

Questions from The Collegian about issues with the new registration system for administrators on campus have been directed to Delta’s marketing department.

According to President/Superintendent Omid Pourzanjani, management has chosen to take this route in order to “not cause further aggravation or increase negative publicity.” In previous semesters, The Collegian has had few issues communicating directly with Delta College’s top-level administrators for other stories.

“By directing you to marketing, admin has diverted the opportunity to set the record straight,” said Jim Ewert, a General Counselor for the California News Publishers Association, of which The Collegian is a member.

Hope for improved communication for students ing about the lack of responses from departments such as the financial aid office,” said student EvonFeature Editor na Guzman. “Students who really need the aid don’t Effective communication is critical for student receive it in time or if any at all because they end up success in a college course, but Delta College as an giving up because of the lack of communication.” institution gets a failing grade from some students Students have also expressed concerns and frustrawhen it comes to getting out information. tion with this issues through the Delta College Face“MyDelta should have never been released in the book group with comments such as: state it's in. It's been causing stress and confusion to “Still haven’t received an email about my pell grant students and faculty alike, unnecessarily changing letting me know when it’ll get disbursed as well as features, extensive load times, and constant crash- the amount. Anyone else?” ing.But the lack of communication from the college “Any updates on financial aid? Anyone still waitwas the most unacceptable. We were essentially left ing on their first disbursement?” in the dark to try to figure out their broken system,” This has caused problems beyond the obvious, exsaid student Cristian Ochoa. “Students weren't able tending to parking permits. to find some of their classes, and I personally was Delta Police Sgt. Jim Bock said that, there is a way dropped from one of my classes with no warning or to waive citations in extenuating circumstances. message. The fact that we only got a written apology “If you happen to get a citation and you can show from the superintendent is pretty disappointing.” that your financial aid hasn’t come through, then on One thing students have recently complained the back of the citation there is an appeal form where about is lack of communication within financial aid you can go to appeal it,” said Bock. “I think this is an services. extraordinary circumstance where from a customer Many students have yet to receive their financial service standpoint, it is very easy for the police deaid disbursements in mid-October and no student partment to accommodate that.” really knows why.

A lot of confusion can be placed in the hands of “I’ve met someone in every class who is complain- the fact that important information in the form of

BY AYAANA WILLIAMS

Stockton partners with state on housing

BY AYAANA WILLIAMS Feature Editor

On Oct. 1, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a state partnership with Stockton and Sacramento to develop affordable housing on state-owned land.

The city of Stockton will be the first city in California to receive state-owned affordable housing as part of Newsom’s Excess Land for Affordable Housing executive order.

“This is incredible news for Stockton as an example of how state and local governments can partner together to address the housing crisis,” said Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs in a news release from Governor Gavin Newsom.

These housing opportunities will be made available to low-income and middle class families and/or individuals that qualify under the state’s approval.

The executive order was signed by Newsom in January and is now beginning the process of being physically implemented on pieces of state-owned land across Stockton.

Soon, more than 100 new apartments will be built in downtown Stockton located at 601 East Miner Avenue and 622 East Lindsay Street by the end of 2020.

Tubbs has been pushing to bring affordable housing to Stockton in light of the homeless epidemic and will potentially help those struggling in the housing crisis.

“When we reached out for assistance, Governor Gavin Newsom moved quickly, aligning state resources to help Stockton, which has seen the second highest rent increases in the nation,” said Tubbs in Newsom’s release.

Another part of Stockton’s initiative to help low-income residents includes the recent and ongoing Stockton Economic Empowerment Demonstration (SEED).

Recent data released on Tubbs’ Facebook page shows how recipients of the universal basic income project have been spending their $500 a month stipend with a significant 40 percent being spent on food, 22 percent on merchandise, and 10 percent on auto care.

With 125 recipients of the SEED project, Tubbs and the city council continue to look for more ways to reinvent Stockton.

emails mainly go out to staff and faculty instead of students. Degree applications have also been repeatedly postponed, most recently being delayed for a third time. Many students were unaware that it had been moved in the first place.

“We are striving to keep students informed, but we can always do better. With that in mind, moving forward we will launch a weekly email to students updating them about important dates, progress resolving some of the technical issues with MyDelta, financial aid and other news,” said Public Information Coordinator Alex Breitler.

As for the police department, Bock said it hopes to replace an ineffective, outdated system in the near future.

“We recently just got approved for a system called RAVE,” said Bock. “We will be able to send out emergency notifications and non-emergency notifications and there will be an app students can download to receive them.”

As of now, students are encouraged to regularly check emails, official Delta College social media pages and hope that information that is being put out is being received.

Financial literacy workshop teaches students to manage budget She used the purchase of lunch college students often make as an examDelta College and ple. Thomas stressed that UNCLE Credit Union while being able to eat hosted a financial liter- was of course important, acy workshop on Oct. 3, it’s equally important to teaching attendees how keep track of how much to balance their budget. you’re spending when UNCLE Credit you’re buying food. Daily, Union’s Financial Center the average cost of lunch Manager Antero Soriano could be $6, depending and Business Develop- on where you buy it from. ment Manager Nicole However, the spending Thomas provided their can spiral; we don’t reown tips on how to bal- alize rampant spending ance budgets in three can lead to over $2,000 ways: avoiding needless spent yearly on meals we spending, using credit bought on a whim. wisely and saving money Thomas and Soriano properly. advised creating a list of “Every time you swipe items you need to buy to a card or spend cash, is avoid spending needlessthat a need or a want?” ly. They also suggested said Thomas. avoiding “hot spots” such To stress the impor- as coffee shops you fretance of making pur- quent and taking timechases based on necessity outs from grand spending rather than desire, Thom- where you are continuas reviewed how a few ously buying extravagant seemingly harmless pur- items, thinking about the chases can add up. purchase before actually

BY JUSTINE CHAHAL Senior Staff Writer

swiping that card.

The two also said it was important to simply track your spending, although the method of tracking differs from person to person. It’s important to discover how to do this effectively by experimenting with different methods, whether it be writing out your funds with simple pen and paper or creating an online spreadsheet.

The workshop noted the importance of using credit wisely. Instead of using a credit card frequently, wait until you know you can properly make a purchase. You should wait until you’re secure with your money and positive you could use credit on something you can easily pay off.

See full story on DELTACOLLEGIAN.NET

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Police host ‘Coffee with a Cop’ people that serve them, they often only talk to them about crimes or On Oct. 2, the Delta College car trouble that go out of the way police held a “Coffee with a Cop” to speak to them about their day meet and greet. “Coffee with a or lives.

Professor Adriana Brogger Cop” is a national activity that pobrought her students to the event lice officers take part in on the first Wednesday in October. The event because she thought it was important to know who our helpers started in 2011.

For the last five years, the Del- are.

“We need to get to know peota College Police Department has ple before something goes wrong,” taken part in this activity.

Delta Police Chief Robert Di she said.

Piero, who is also an alum, said he Student Neely Christofferson enjoys connecting with the stu- agreed. dents during the event.

“It’s important to make face “We want students to know to face contact with law enforcewe’re here for them,” said Di Piero. ment,” said Christofferson The event got its start as a Officers were interested in getway for officers to communicate ting to know who students are, and get to know the community asking common questions such as, around them. Delta police held “What are you majoring in? What this event in Stockton and Moun- jobs are you interested in? What tain House. Students were able to hobbies are you interested in?” enjoy a cup of coffee or tea along Delta College Police departwith donut holes. ment will hold its seventh annual The point of the activity is to connect with men and women in Safety Fair on Oct. 29 from 9 a.m uniform. When citizens see the to 2 p.m in the Plaza.

BY KAROLINA A. MOLINA Staff Writer

(Top) Chief of Police Robert M. Di Piero speaks with a student on National Coffee with a Cop day.

(Bottom Left) Officer Valdez places toothpicks on dounghnut holes.

(Bottom Right) RTV students gather around the Coffee with a Cop booth on Oct. 2 at Delta College.

PHOTO BY JEFF LEIVA

ADVOCATE: Events scheduled to support undocumented students dents is foreign born, a DREAM Center would prove especially fitting and beneficial.” annual Dream conferences to give students and families access to different reReyes and student activist, Gloria Alonso-Cruz, organized and rallied for a sources that could help them with opportunities for higher education.

Dream Center earlier this year.

When Reyes brought up the idea of having The Board of Trustees unanimously a resource center for undocumented students approved for the resolution and were able UNDOCUMENTED STUDENT ACTION WEEK on campus, she was told by some staff memto centralize resources and opportunities The California Community Colleges have marked Oct. 14-18 as Undocumented Stubers “it wasn’t the right time,” Reyes said. for undocumented students in one safe She reached out to community leaders and dent Action Week. Colleges in the system, including Delta College, are encouraged to space. was able to get in contact with professors and “engage in a range of activities supporting undocumented students and urging electDelta College now has three centraled officials to take action on federal and state immigration issues.” politicians that supported the movement. ized areas of support for undocumented As part of the week, the Dreamers Success Center in Holt 201 will host student weReyes credits Board of Trustees member binars from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. each day: students.

Janet Rivera and Assistant Superintendent According to Immigrants Rising, the Monday: Financial aid and scholarships Dr. Lisa Cooper-Wilkins for being the most Tuesday: Immigration options/deportation protection organization that has given Delta Colvocal and supportive of having a resource Wednesday: Start your own business lege the Catalyst Grant, released a guide center for undocumented students on camThursday: Strategies for harnessing fear through art, therapy, and resistance earlier this month stating, “three pillars of pus.

Friday: Creativing activism through art and politics a strong undocumented student support Reyes also sought support from the City program are: a undocumented student of Stockton. She reached out to Senior Policy club, a dream center, and a task force to Adviser Max Vargas. support undocumented students.”

Vargas helped Reyes get in contact with different venues of support within the Delta College now has the three pillars, I am/Yo Soy club, the Dreamers SucStockton community. cess Center, and an Undocumented Student Task Force, which Alonso-Cruz and Mayor of Stockton Michael Tubbs, submitted a letter of support to Delta Col- Reyes are a part of. lege’s Board of Trustees in support of a Dream Center.

With Reyes’ community involvement and Alonso-Cruz’s activism Delta’s supTubbs states, “given Stockton’s population, where more than one in four resi- port for undocumented students has strengthened.

continued from PAGE 1

SENATE: Guided Pathways mapping also discussed at latest meeting continued from PAGE 1 decisions about how to improve our programs. Now we don’t even have a dean,” said Counselor and Guidance professor Becky Plaza.

“We’re hoping to get more funding for counselors. The more counselors we have the more student appointments are available. Currently students wait about two to three weeks to see a counselor.”

The Dean of Counseling position at Delta College is currently vacant.

ETHNIC STUDIES AS REQUIREMENT For the 2020-21 academic year AB-1460 will be implemented. This is a bill which will make it a requirement for students at a California State University to take one ethnic studies course with three units to graduate.

“We are recognizing the fact that a lot of K-12 eduaction did a disservice when it comes to talking about the contributions of people of color to art, lit-

erature, history and science.” said History Professor Evan Wade.

“Close to 50 percent of community colleges presently have that requirement,” said Art Professor Mario Moreno.

Professors in favor of this implementation argue it is necessary due to California’s diversity.

“California is a very diverse state and we’re becoming even more diverse. So to go into the workplace you must have some type of competency in addressing issues of race,” said Wade.

Implementation of this requirement will be a topic of discussion in future meetings.

GUIDED PATHWAYS MAPPING UPDATE Guided Pathway maps were the last topic to be discussed by the senate.

“Pathway maps are a recommendation and not a done deal for students,” said counselor Diane Feneck.

According to the California Guided Pathways Project, these maps are meant to help students make

decisions when it comes to taking courses and pursuing degrees in different programs.

Delta College is one of 20 community colleges participating in the project.

During the meeting Feneck said the Pathway Maps need to be revised and if there are any important assist classes students need to take before transferring.

“If a student gets the associates degree for transfer in Business at Delta College they only need four units, which they can complete with Math 12,” said Feneck speaking on Business student transfer as an example.

“I spoke with the Business division at Sacramento State however, if students don’t take Math 13 they will get set back one year to a year and a half when they transfer.”

If the requirements for transfer at Delta College don’t meet the requirements for a program at a higher education institution, counselors are trying to discuss this issue when putting together the maps.

The next Academic Senate meeting is scheduled for Oct. 16.

4 OPINION 101119

The Collegian • deltacollegian.net/opinion

Mental health days can provide respite to help students stay focused

BY KACI KELLEY

D

Staff Writer

o you ever feel overwhelmed, depressed, sunk in your own thoughts or even play the classic “I don’t feel good, can I stay home today” game?

Does school play a major part in those feelings?

Mental health is a person’s condition with consideration of their psychological and emotional well being.

Many people don’t know how difficult it can be in the morning to get up and go sit in classrooms for hours.

School is different than it once was, with the curriculum changing overtime and getting a lot tougher.

Students are also doing more. At Delta, many students have part time to full time jobs or are caretakers for family members.

We don’t have time for ourselves because school takes up all our free time.

Over 80 percent of top university executives say that mental health is more of a priority than it was three years ago. The American Council on Education (ACE), conducted a survey on 400 college and university leaders.

They found that 72 percent of the presidents indicated they had spent more money on mental health initiatives than they did three years ago, according to Insider Higher Ed. If top university executives are aware of the increase of mental health issues of students, we as students should have mental health days.

Mental health days will give

students the opportunity to take a day for themselves and get caught up without being penalized.

A new law in Oregon allows students to take five days over a three month period to take mental health days off, according to CNN. Parents opposed the law stating students could take mental health days by pretending to be sick.

But why should students have to lie to get a day off ?

The truth is that students were likely already doing this, but had to call it a “sick day.” In addition, we are still penalized for the sick day.

I used to pretend I was sick and cut school when school got tough.

During the time it felt relaxing, I got to get a full eight hours of sleep, eat breakfast and catch up on school work.

In school, we are very much overloaded with assignments that are due the next day as if that’s the only class we are taking. Knowing I had to wake up the next morning and get penalized at school and be drowned in the question: “Where were you?”

Then came the anxieties associated with not getting extensions on assignments, or missing tests.

Overall, mental health days are important to students. Students need a day to gather their thoughts instead of being drowned in them.

When students are given mental health days, there could be an increase in positive behavior, grades and — better yet — our well being.

Going alone on adventures can offer an eye-opening experience

BY MAISY MACATO

E

Senior Staff Writer

veryone experiences things differently.

Going out is one of those things that isn’t talked about that much.

Women have to take into consideration the time, place, whether they have protection, etc.

Men don’t necessarily have to think about that but they do have other personal concerns that women might not have.

Some of these worries might not pertain to other men or women, but it does bring up why going out alone isn’t actively encouraged as much as going out with friends is.

The public praises others when they post about activities with friends, but it’s uncommon to see any posts of solo experiences.

I don’t get the same enthusiasm from others when I say “I went to see ‘Joker’ by myself.”

It’s like it’s “sad” and seen as you have no friends — but it’s just that sometimes you don’t want to have to wait to do things with someone because you’re

“I take someone with me all the time because I have worries that include anxiety, scared someone will talk to me, homophobia, racism.”

- Ken Dela Cruz, University of the Pacific student

afraid of being alone.

In actuality, going out alone is a new thing for me because I’m always paranoid that something might happen to me due to being a woman.

The Collegian The Collegian is the student newspaper of San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton, Calif. The paper is published six times a semester.

As a First Amendment newspaper we pride ourselves on a commitment to the students of Delta College while maintaining independence.

We reinvigorate the credo that the newspaper speaks for the students, checks abuses of power and stands vigilant in the protection of democracy and free speech.

The Collegian is a member of the California Newspaper Publisher’s Association and the Journalism Association of Community Colleges.

EDITORS VIVIENNE AGUILAR Editor in Chief/News

AYAANA WILLIAMS Feature

MARIA ABUGARADE RAYO Opinion

AMIRAH AMENHOTEP

Entertainment/Social Media

PAUL MUYSKENS Sports

SENIOR STAFF YGRAINE MONTGOMERY JUSTINE CHAHAL MAISY MACATO

CONTACT US:

Leslie Alvarado, previously a Delta student, said “it depends on where I am going but usually I take someone with me but it is enjoyable to go out alone.”

I understand Alvarado’s statement because I can’t get gas at night or have to be vigilant when walking by myself in case someone wishes to harm me, but I like to be independent so taking someone with me can be a hassle.

There are some perks to going out alone that you may not have given much thought to.

You only have to pay for yourself so you’re saving money, or you can make new friends with similar interests.

I believe that if nobody had to worry about situations where they can come to harm, then going solo would be viewed more positively.

No more having to be cautious of people and instead the ability to focus on personal experiences would be profound.

Solitude may seem lonely but it doesn’t hurt to push past the hang ups.

Try flying solo for once.

STAFF ZOEY CAMPBELL KACI KELLEY JEFF LEIVA ALEXZANDRE SALON MATTHEW MILLSAP KAROLINA A. MOLINA JASON ORTEGA JORGE ROA SR. HARPREET SINGH DAVID VICTOR TYLER WILLIS MATISSE WOODWARD HANNAH WORKMAN

ADVISER TARA CUSLIDGE-STAIANO

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MULTIMEDIA TECH MATTHEW WILSON

8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Shima 203/204, (209) 954-5156 or deltacollegian@gmail.com For information about advertising, letters to the editor and editorial standards visit deltacollegian.net

5 OPINION 101119

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Lodi skydiving center faces backlash after death

BY HANNAH WORKMAN

T

Staff Writer

he Lodi Parachute Center is no stranger to fatalities.

Since 1981, the controversial skydiving location has been connected to approximately 21 deaths, according to The Sacramento Bee. Five of these deaths have come after 2016.

While skydiving is commonly seen as a risky activity, statistics show it isn’t as dangerous as some may think. In 2018, the United States Parachute Association recorded only 13 fatal skydiving accidents in the U.S. out of an estimated 3.3 million jumps.

If skydiving deaths are so rare, then why is there so much tragedy tied to this one establishment?

Aside from the Lodi Parachute Center, local skydiving locations include Skydive California in Tracy and Bay Area Skydiving in Byron. Neither of those businesses have a mounting death toll, despite both having been in operation for years.

On Sept. 26, Maria Robledo Vallejo, a 28-year-old Colombian woman, became the latest skydiver to lose their life at the Lodi Parachute Center.

Vallejo, an experienced skydiver, had completed

more than 150 successful jumps prior to her death.

When Bill Dause, owner of the Lodi Parachute Center, was questioned by reporters about the incident, he said Vallejo going “that far downwind” was “a decision she made” and the weather shouldn’t have had an effect on someone with her level of experience.

Dause should have been more sympathetic.

In 2016, 20 instructors were suspended and 140 others were told they needed to undergo more training after an investigation by the United States Parachute Association.

In addition, the association decided to revoke Dause’s membership.

In 2018, the Federal Bureau of Investigation raided the facility. While no arrests were made, agents were seen leaving with boxes of evidence, such as waivers and receipts.

With all of the controversy surrounding the Lodi Parachute Center in recent years, it’s shocking it has managed to stay in business.

It’s even more shocking that there are people who opt to go skydiving at a place with such a checkered past.

There are plenty of other skydiving locations in Northern California one can go to, locations where there haven’t been multiple deaths, instructors without proper training or FBI raids.

Knowing this information, skydivers should steer clear of the facility.

Republicans rebuke President Donald Trump

BY JASON ORTEGA

T

Staff Writer

he rock of support for the Trump Presidency is slowly being chipped away by none other than Republican office holders and conservative Fox News political pundits.

On Oct. 3, Kurt Volker, a former U.S. special envoy to Ukraine, revealed his group text messages with the U.S. Ambassador to the European Union, Gordon Sondland and the U.S Chief of Missions for Ukraine, Bill Taylor, a diplomat who heads an embassy in the absence of the ambassador during congressional testimony.

The texts provided potentially damning evidence supporting the accusation that Trump dangled congressionally-approved military aid over the head of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in return for an investigation of one of Trump’s potential opponents in the 2020 Election.

Ukraine is currently defending against a Russian invasion. As of 2014, Russia had forcibly occupied approximately 27,000 square miles of Ukrainian property (roughly the size of Massachusetts).

Conservative Fox News Host, Tucker Carlson, rebuked Trump’s actions.

“Trump should not have been on the phone with a foreign head of

state encouraging another country to investigate his political opponent, Joe Biden…once those in control of our government use it to advance their political goals, we become just another of the world’s many corrupt countries,” Tucker co-wrote in an op-ed to The Daily Caller.

Republicans for The Rule of Law plan to spend $1 million dollars on television and digital ads urging Republican politicians to condemn Trump for his Ukrainian activity.

Being caught red handed for what many argue to be an impeachable offense, Trump tried to normalize his actions by doubling down on his behavior by publicly requesting the Chinese government also investigate Democratic candidate Joe Biden and his son.

The call for China to investigate angered Republican Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska.

“Hold up: Americans don’t look to Chinese commies for the truth. If the Biden kid broke laws by selling his name to Beijing, that’s a matter for American courts, not communist tyrants running torture camps,” Republican Sasse said to the Omaha-World Herald.

The Ukrainian quid pro quo incident has finally sparked the U.S. House of Representatives to begin formal

MUSTANG VOICE

“I think it’s something that’s possible… however, I don’t think it will happen just how no one saw him getting elected. Everyone was surprised by that. He won’t get impeached since he got elected in the first place.”

Jorge Berrelleza, Law Enforcement

investigations on the call for impeachment of Trump.

Since Trump became President, a watchdog group has counted a total of 103 impeachable acts. The Ukrainian incident appears to be the one act that seems to have riled Republicans the most.

Trump’s call for China to get involved only adds to the argument: quid pro quo is a presidential abuse of power, an impeachable offense.

Former U.S. National Security Advisor and Obama appointee Susan Rice warned of the implication of Trump’s call for Chinese foreign interference for personal gain.

“What he [Trump] is saying to China is look we are in a hot trade war… if you manufacture some dirt…maybe some of our problems can go away on the trade front, on the security front,” Rice said in a televised interview. “If you’re China…you’re thinking that this man is not predictable, he is not stable…and if they (the Chinese) were being smart…they’d think that maybe this is an opportunity to steal second base.”

The list of Republican and pundit discontent and disagreement with Trump’s latest actions have been publicly called out by the likes of Senator Mitt Romney of Utah, Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska, senators Chuck

Grassley and Joni Ernst of Iowa, Senator Susan Collins of Maine, House Representatives Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, and Justin Amash of Michigan (Amash recently departed the Republican Party and is a self-described independent), Fox news analyst Judge Andrew Napolitano, and Fox News hosts Shepard Smith, Chris Wallace, and Tucker Carlson.

Despite public rebuke by conservatives, the majority of Republicans continue to stay silent on Trump’s behavior. The silence doesn’t necessarily mean they neither support his actions nor mean that they are scared to fight against Trump. Instead, Republican silence may mean these silent Republicans will simply no longer defend him.

Delta College students must continue to stay informed of the latest events that occur in Washington D.C., such as the impeachment proceedings.

The persistent scrutiny of those that represent us is important to making competent decisions on the vote for the next presidential candidate in the 2020 elections.

Perhaps 18 year old Delta student Don, a psychology major, who is looking forward to his first time voting on a presidential election, said it best.

“People shouldn’t vote if they don’t know,” said Don. Let’s not stay silent.

‘What do you think of Trump’s possible impeachment?’

“Possible impeachment was likely to happen. His involvement in getting information from other countries to benefit his political favor, votes, makes us, the people, concerned about what his next move to ‘better our country.’”

Marissa Gamboa, Psychology

“By this point, I believe it’s a little too late since the 2020 election is coming up. If they wanted to impeach him, they should’ve done it before the election. In case of his reelection, [impeachment] should be considered especially if he gets reelected.”

Daniel Orozco, Fashion

“I felt nothing but happiness and relief. I wish they took action a little bit earlier but at least they’re trying... he has done nothing but make horrible and unreasonable decisions. He for sure has caused a lot of pain to many in this country. “

Diana Villalobos, Health Science

“I think it’s about time that Trump’s impeachment process has begun. He has shown us time after time that he is not qualified to be president by constantly demonstrating his ignorance.”

Jesús Araujo, Psychology

6 FEATURE 101119 Public goes wild for style at Stockton Hair Jam The Collegian • deltacollegian.net/feature

BY MARIA ABUGARADE RAYO Opinion Editor

People waiting outside to grab a seat, crowding around the barber chairs while artists trimmed and faded the clients hair. The atmosphere was jamming inside. The special guest DJ kept the good vibes going.

On Oct. 6, Sharp and Dapper Barbering, with the help of Diego Elizarraras and Ulysses Benitez, put together a community event to showcase local talent for barbers and hair stylists.

Diego Elizarraras, a wellknown hair artist and Ulysses Benitez, CEO of Sharp and Dapper, created Stockton Hair Jam to provide a welcoming space for artists in and around Stockton.

The art of grooming, for example fading and creating patterns, is what barbers and hair stylists consider hair culture.

The main goal is being able to help hair artists show their talent and push the hair culture forward.

Hair Jams “originally originated in Los Angeles” where one can go get inspired to do what they love as well as “elevate the [hair] culture” said Diego.

(Top): Barber Christian Inductivo enjoying what he does at Sharp & Dapper Barbering’s “Hair Jam.” (Bottom): Crowds of people watch barbers cut and style at Sharp & Dapper Barbering’s “Hair Jam” while waiting for a spot in the chair. PHOTOS BY BONES PETHOUD

In the hair culture, one is accustomed to seeing so much competition against one another. Diego loves the concept of Hair Jams due to bringing communities together and “jams are opposed to competition.”

So instead of competing to see who can give the best hair-

cut, it gives artists the opportunity to learn from one another and share tips and tricks.

“We have artists that even come from out of state,” said Diego. The show, featuring artists like Erik Ruiz from Washington and several local artists like Cristian Hernandez from Stockton and Jonathan Erik

from Los Angeles, provided a variety of different cultural backgrounds.

Stockton Hair Jam gave hair-related artists the chance to share their talent with the Stockton community and network with other artists, while also providing free haircuts to the public.

Not only do you get a free haircut, but you get to interact with other people who are interested in the hair culture.

For future Hair Jams follow @diego_djdgaf or check out @sndbarbering for upcoming events.

submissions, the Guild is asking for more editors to join the team.

“Historically, the magazine has been managed by the officers of the SJDC Writers’ Guild Club. However, since 2019, the board of officers voted for creating an editing team that exclusively dedicates to improve the quality of Artifact Nouveau in matters of communications, editing, distribution, and advertising processes,” said Writers’ Guild chief editor Ronald Godoy.

The tasks of editors can be separated under certain categories. Tasks related to tracking and response includes informing contributors if their work was accepted or rejected as well as

tentative changes made to their work, responding to questions, overseeing formatting issues, keeping track of permission releases, noting pseudonyms and organizing databases.

There are also tasks under the actual editing and selection process which include proof reading material for grammatical/syntax/translation errors, making artwork cover proposals and organizing the literary works properly.

So far, the club has brought on two new editors already according to Godoy and would be happy to take on one more.

For more information, email the Writers’ Guild at artifactsjdc@gmail.com or advisor Gabrielle Myers at gabrielle.myers@deltacollege.edu.

The Writer’s Guild meets every Monday at 2:30 p.m. in Locke 301.

Writers’ Guild in search of creative magazine editors

BY JUSTINE CHAHAL Senior Staff Writer

The Writers’ Guild is looking for editors for the club’s literary magazine, Artifact Nouveau.

The club, established in 2007, publishes an issue every fall and spring semesters.

Each issue features poems, short stories, photography and art created by Delta students, faculty and alumni. Works from those unaffiliated with Delta are also welcome, but 60 percent of the magazine is made up of content from the Delta community, according to Delta’s website.

Many people submit their work to the magazine — just this semester alone, the Writers’ Guild received 103 submissions for its fall issue.

Due to the high number of

7 FEATURE 101119

The Collegian • deltacollegian.net/feature

STUDENT’S STORY DEMYSTIFIES SEX WORK As states look into decriminalization of prostitution, one woman provides a first-hand narrative to her experience she said. “Having one person after another, after another.”

Staff Writer In the media and in our so“We all have sex. Why not ciety, sex workers are commonly portrayed as being uneduget paid for it?”

This is a question that cated or lazy. Doe said this is Jane Doe, a second-year Del- simply not true.

“Sex work literally takes evta College student and sex erything out of you,” she said. worker, once asked herself.

Doe first considered the “There would be days when I’d possibility of working in the see six people and at the end sex industry after seeing nu- of the day, I’d feel physicalmerous women promote pre- ly exhausted and mentally mium Snapchat accounts on drained.”

Doe said in order to be a social media.

A premium Snapchat ac- sex worker, you need to have count is an account in which a certain amount of strength.

“You’re letting this person a user shares adult content with subscribers in exchange do what they want with your body. You don’t know them,” for money.

Doe decided to begin sell- she said. “You’re basically just ing nude photos and videos there to please them. Having a on the platform. She took stranger come onto your body several steps to protect her is a weird experience and you identity, such as blurring out have to be mentally pretattoos and creating a stage pared.”

Despite all of name.

It wasn’t long until ex- this, Doe said she empowered changing photos and videos felt turned into arranging “dates” after working in with clients who were inter- the sex industry.

“I’ve become ested. with Before meeting, the cli- comfortable ent would tell her what they my body and my sexwanted, ranging from oral sex uality,” she said. “I’m to sexual intercourse. Then, not as insecure as I was before because she set a price.

Decriminalizing prosti- there’s people who tution has been discussed by have paid to have sex lawmakers across the country. with me. I shouldn’t In 2019, former California base my self-esteem Attorney General and pres- off of that and I don’t, idential candidate Kamala but part of it does make Harris came out as being in me feel more secure favor of decriminalizing sex with myself.”

Doe takes work, so long as it’s between pride in knowtwo consenting adults.

Back in June, a bill that ing she has would decriminalize sex work helped many was introduced by the city clients fulfill council in Washington D.C. their desires.

“Every time I The bill, known as the Community Safety and Health was with a cusAmendment Act of 2019, tomer, I would would “remove certain crim- ask them what inal penalties for engaging in made them want sex work in order to promote to hire a prostitute,” she said. public health and safety.”

Decriminalization bills “Some would say have also been introduced in they just wanted Maine, Massachusetts and sex. They didn’t New York. Despite Harris’ want to have to do the connection work to CaliforEditor’s Note: The o f nia, the state hasn’t yet Collegian historically has g o i n g c on s i d e re d a policy against using out on making sex pseudonyms or anony- d a t e s . mous sources in report- O t h e r s work legal.

Doe no ing. We felt, however, that would say longer en- there was an importance they wantgages in in letting Jane Doe tell ed to gain p r o s t i t u - her story, specifically to more expewith tion. When demystify the sex worker rience women and she did, she industry. learn about their would typbodies.” ically meet According to Doe, sex work clients in hotel rooms. She often carried pepper spray with should not be seen in a negaher and had a friend hide in tive light because sex workers the bathroom in case she was are “providing a good service to people who actually need it or put in any danger.

She was 19 when she start- want it.”

She doesn’t understand peoed meeting clients. This conple who scrutinize sex tinued for six months.

“During that whole time, workers for making it was like back-to-back a profit off of endates, it felt like clockwork,” gaging in acts they

BY HANNAH WORKMAN

(Top): Jack’s Bao: Adobo braised jackfruit, steamed buns, and spicy adobo. (Bottom right): Smart Dawg: Plant-based corn dog drizzled with vegan chipotle aioli. (Bottom): Olivier’s Vegan Bakery display of fancy cupcakes. PHOTOS BY MARIA ABUGARADE RAYO

First ever vegan pop up emerges in Stockton

BY MARIA ABUGARADE RAYO

V

Opinion Editor

eganism is a way of living by eliminating animal products in food, clothing or for any other purpose.

But being vegan doesn’t have to be boring, and Bibi Garcia-Binder’s goal is to bring awareness to the Stockton community that vegan food can be just as good as regular food.

Bibi decided to “bring something to Stockton that is not available right now.”

Vegan food pop ups.

For the first ever vegan food pop up in Stockton, Bibi collaborated with four food vendors who either specialize or provide vegan food options to let the Stockton community try: • Petunia’s Vegan Kitchen — Mexican Inspired • Rice Queen Social Club — Filipino-American Fusion • Olivier’s Vegan Bakery — Fancy Vegan Cupcakes • Sister’s Delectable Creations — Vegan Comfort Pastries With a variety of foods to choose from, you can find Al Pastor tacos from Petunia’s Vegan Kitchen to “Smart Dawgs” (vegan corn dogs) from Rice Queen Social Club.

The “Smart Dawgs” not only looked exactly like a corn dog, but it was mind-blowing how it tasted exactly like one.

Olivier’s Vegan Bakery, located in Tracy, is well-known for their fancy cupcakes that are very Instagram worthy.

Sister’s Delectable Creations brought one of their specialties, the vegan “Slut

On the menu with Maria Brownies.” Slut brownies are basically a little bit of everything, being part chocolate chip cookie and part brownie.

Be ready for a sugar rush right after enjoying one of these delicious creations.

Bringing such an event to Stockton helps people be “aware that cruelty-free food tastes good,” said Bibi.

Vegans don’t just eat lettuce and tomatoes. There are many substitutions like tofu for chicken or almond milk for milk products. With such substitutions, you can make almost any meal you please.

After a successful night, Bibi hopes to collaborate with more local restaurants who can provide vegan food options to be able to pop up monthly.

Keep up with @vegansoulstice on Instagram for upcoming vegan pop ups.

take part in themselves.

“It’s normal to have sex, it’s normal to take pictures of yourself,” she said. “This is considered taboo, but why is it if we all do it?”

8 FEATURE 101119

The Collegian • deltacollegian.net/feature

Marijuana users can’t keep up with high taxes

BY YGRAINE MONTGOMERY Senior Staff Writer

Marijuana, the plant with a hundred nicknames, is experiencing a rocky legalization effort in California with profit falling short of expectations thanks to a complicated mix of regulations, taxes and other factors.

The problems are not caused by any lack of demand for the product.

“Americans have a prodigious appetite for cannabis,” said John Kagia with New Frontier Data, a cannabis research firm, in USA Today.

“This is definitely not an issue of constrained demand or demand falling short.”

The problem: too many people find it difficult to find a dispensary, and the dispensaries that do exist are over-taxed and over-regulated.

Dispensaries must deal with a 15 percent excise tax, a 7.5 percent state tax, plus any local taxes. Unlike Colorado, where business is booming, California also places a “cultivation fee” of $9.25 per dried ounce on growers.

All of these costs are passed on to the consumer and make the cannabis in your local dispensary too expensive for many potential customers and contributes to a thriving black market.

“It’s not that hard to find your own dealer,” said Daniel

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY BONES PETHOUD

Green, a cannabis connoisseur in Lodi. I’ve been to dispensaries, but everyone I know prefers dealers because dispensaries are too expensive.”

Even long before legalization, marijuana had a long and complicated history in the state.

The article Marijuana Mavericks: The History of Marijuana in California on MarijuanaBreaks.com, a marijuana information and resource website, traces the history of weed in the Golden State.

Student entrepreneur creates holiday baskets and opportunities

BY HANNAH WORKMAN Staff Writer

Since she was a child, firstyear Delta College student Daja Cotton has had a mind constantly churning with ideas.

Cotton can recall displaying signs she was destined to be an entrepreneur as early as elementary school. She remembers coming home one day with enough money to buy ice cream for her and her siblings. Her mother initially questioned where the money came from.

“She thought I stole the money,” Cotton said. “But I was selling Silly Bandz she bought me, priced at four for a dollar.”

She attempted to capitalize off of the product’s popularity amongst her peers.

“I was thinking, ‘If you bought some of these bracelets, how many would you want that would be worth your money?’”

Cotton paid close attention to trends in school to ensure she would sell items her classmates were interested in.

“There was a time when people would duct tape roses to the ends of pens,” she said.

“Once I saw everybody liked that, I figured out how to make them myself and sold them.”

Cotton’s ability to analyze trends and profit from them

came from within, like a natural instinct.

“Nobody taught me how to do it,” she said.

As Cotton got older, she started branching out into different fields. She once organized a bake sale in middle school, crafting cupcakes inspired by popular characters like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to entice classmates.

“As my mind grew, my ideas did, too,” Cotton said. “I realized I was an entrepreneur because I came up with so many ideas for things to sell.”

Her mother, Stephanie Cotton, can attest to this.

“Daja’s good at a lot of things so it can be hard for her to stay focused on one idea because one idea triggers another, which triggers another,” she said. “It just keeps going.”

Cotton’s current venture and most lucrative idea to date wasn’t initially thought of as a way to make money, but as a gift for her mother.

“I had made a gift basket for her,” she said. “I went to a bunch of different places to get random things that fit her personality.”

Cotton found enjoyment in putting the basket together.

She thinks back to when she first presented her mother with the basket and how surprised she was, as well as the interest

Cannabis plants (mainly in the form of hemp) were grown for rope and fiber in Mission San Jose back in 1795. More and more farms added it to their crops over time and by 1810 the state produced more than 220,000 pounds of it.

The ensuing years saw a Mexican rebellion against the Spanish, a cut in the subsidies for cannabis farmers, and finally, a general abandonment of the crop.

By 1913 marijuana became available by prescription only,

along with opium, morphine, and cocaine.

Anti-marijuana hysteria began to flourish around the country, leading to cautionary tales in the form of films like “Reefer Madness,” which were produced to warn others about the “evils” of marijuana.

That still didn’t stop people from smoking weed privately; by 1932, 60 percent of all narcotics arrests in California involved marijuana.

The 1960s saw a public resurgence in open smoking of

weed when the grass-loving hippies hooked up with the pot-loving beatniks and collectively gave birth to the “legalize marijuana” (LEMAR) movement in the 1970s.

LEMAR came of age in 1996, when it helped California become the first state to legalize cannabis for medicinal use.

LEMAR celebrated middle age by passing a state law legalizing recreational use in 2018 — six years after Colorado.

There was much rejoicing when recreational cannabis became legal in California, but the agony of bureaucratic red tape has stubbed out some of the joy since then.

The state of California raised $74.2 million in excise taxes in the second quarter of 2019.

While that was higher than the previous quarter, the amount falls far short of projections. Meanwhile, cannabis markets in Colorado, Washington and Oregon have thrived since legalization of cannabis, California has seen the second-least amount of revenue.

In May, California Governor Gavin Newsom’s budget lowered the expectations for the tax income from $355 million to $288 million in 2019, and from $514 million to $359 million in 2020.

“It is, I think, a pragmatic confession that the state still has a lot of work ahead,” said Kagia.

Daja Cotton displays her arrangement of self-made holiday baskets. PHOTOS BY HANNAH WORKMAN

from her other family members.

“Everybody just fell in love with it and then started saying, ‘I want one of those for my birthday,’” she said.

Cotton started gifting family members baskets for every holiday, but didn’t think of selling them until her father suggested she do so.

This past year, she started posting pictures of her gift baskets on social media and began to receive business inquiries.

When new customers contact her, she asks them a series of questions to get to know their interests and then tailor-makes a basket based on their answers. She wants each

basket to feel personal.

“The baskets are based off of the individual’s personality so they’re never the same,” she said. “They’re always different and I always have some fresh, new idea.”

Cotton envisions this as a business she can grow over time. She has hopes of opening a store called Dae’s Basket Buildings, where customers can pick the items they want to go into their baskets and then watch her arrange the basket in front of them.

“I never had to worry about where she’s going to go,” Stephanie Cotton said. She believes her daughter’s creativity will take her far.

9 ENTERTAINMENT 101119

The Collegian • deltacollegian.net/entertainment

KING OF HALLOWEEN

Collegian staff embarks on quest to crown the best Halloween movie, unscientifically of course

BY AMIRAH AMENHOTEP Entertainment Editor

A

s the spooky season begins, a question filled the newsroom. What is the superior Halloween movie?

After 30-minutes of subjective deliberation and argument, the Tim Burton cult classic “The Nightmare Before Christmas” won by majority because it’s THE movie that many watch once October begins — and they don’t stop watching until December.

Thanks to Burton, the holiday season never has to end as fans of the 1993 classic, where Jack Skellington takes it upon himself to move Halloweentown away from what he considered a repetitive celebration of the holiday. Instead, hoping to claim Christmas as his own.

“This is Halloween,” is an on-repeat song to lovers of the film.

Members of the Collegian staff cited iconic nature and visually pleasing aesthetics among reasons for its win. It’s the tale of Halloween taking back its rightful place in the holiday order, too.

Viewers can’t go wrong watching this one.

The runner up by popular vote was “Hocus

Pocus, ” which had a great run in the bracket. The 90s comedic horror movie knocked out every film that it went against, including another Tim Burton flick, “Edward Scissorhands.”

The Johnny Depp breakthrough had everyone on staff questioning whether it was even a Halloween film. The answer is yes.

The last runner up was iconic slasher film “Halloween,” a movie that radiates horror from the first seven minutes, with a young Michael Myers killing his older sister who at the time was babysitting him on Halloween night.

All movies put up a great fight but Skelligton has gained the true title of King of Halloween movies.

The voting process was done only among staff and movie lovers made a great argument.

One movie that didn’t make this list was Sandra Bullock’s “Practical Magic,” a witch film and a family comedy that anyone can have a laugh with.

EDWARD SCISSORHANDS

HALLOWEEN

SWEENEY TODD

FRIDAY THE 13TH

CASPER

ADDAMS FAMILY

HALLOWEENTOWN

BEETLEJUICE

HOCUS POCUS

GHOSTBUSTERS

THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS

TWITCHES

HAUNTED MANSION

CORALINE

TOWER OF TERROR

CORPSE BRIDE

THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS BRACKET BY AMIRAH AMENHOTEP

10 SPORTS 101119

The Collegian • deltacollegian.net/sports

Whitney Lee tackles multiple challenges B. Jones and failing classes,” she said.

Her dealings with disabilities have in In the middle of a game, Whitney turn made her more able. She learned at Lee is constantly testing herself, athlet- a young age not to limit herself.

She was even born on Leap Day, Feb. ically and personally.

29, in just another attempt by the uniLee, a Type 1 diabetic, wears her insulin patch under her swimsuit in hopes verse to confuse her.

“It would be easy for me to say ‘I it doesn’t get ripped off by opponents. can’t do sports, I can’t be smart, instead She tests her blood sugar by poking I push myself harder. Now I’m the nerd herself with needles in between quarthat picks up a book when others are ters.

Lee’s barriers extend beyond the chatting,” she said.

Lee was raised on a farm in Oakdale pool, she was born with severe dyslexia. surrounded by dogs, cats, rabbits, horses Between her medical diagnosis and her dyslexia, she is familiar with chal- and ducks. She recently found that her duck was on the wrong side of the food lenge.

“I have had this my whole life so it is chain.

“It was killed by either a hawk or a normal to me,” she said of the back and forth dealing with all of her challenges. coyote,” Lee laughed.

Being somewhat secluded on a farm Lee, an Oakdale High graduate, now with her loud family of 10 is crucial in plays water polo for the Mustangs. teaching Lee to distinguish herself and In school, she found herself in an Advanced Placement class by accident, keep a light heart.

“It’s nice to have distance between which drove a teacher to rant about her us and our neighbors,” she said. “You inability to locate nouns. have your own identity because there Her mother had to write a letter to the teacher informing her of Lee’s dys- are no people around that you have to lexia, which turned the rant into tears. (accommodate).”

Her family plays water balloon base“My mom made the teacher cry,” she ball, throws tomahawks and screams said.

“I was embarrassed at times, I re- loud songs unbothered.

These are part of a number of things member reading scripts with my family that helped Lee become self-aware. and I needed my mom to read aloud In a couple of months Lee is going for me while my five-year old sister was to put her sport, which she has known reading fine,” she explained.

Until the fourth grade Lee couldn’t since she was eight, to the side to go on Whitney Lee looks to pass the ball to a teammate. PHOTO BY PAUL MUYSKENS really read, her mother pulled her out a mission.

She will be making a missionary trip She still plans on keeping active in 15 month mission is complete. As well of school for a year to try and get her comprehension on level with her peers. to Fort Worth, Texas to serve any in her sport by being in contact with four as to continue her studies to become a “In the 6th grade I was reading Junie need and to solidify her Mormon faith. year schools to play water polo after her history professor.

BY HARPREET SINGH Staff Writer

Soccer continues to impress, water polo set to make a run towards postseason

Alexis Jimenez goes up for a save.

MEN’S SOCCER

Alexis Acosta takes a shot during a game. PHOTOS BY PAUL MUYSKENS

Alexis Jimenez has allowed an average of less than one goal per game while in net for the Mustangs who have started the season 8-2-1.

Undefeated at home, the offense has been led by Toby Pena as he has scored six goals while Martin Torres Jr. has scored five goals.

WOMEN’S SOCCER

Cooper Pyeatt makes a save.

WOMEN’S WATER POLO

After a difficult non-league start to the season the women’s water polo team is currently 6-11 overall and 3-1 in Big 8 play.

MEN’S WATER POLO

Three freshmen have led the scoring for the men’s water polo team as Max Beutel and Adam Thomas have both scored 22 goals while Benton Peterson has led the way with 34 goals. Currently on a three-game winning streak they are now 10-6 overall on the season.

Jaylin Meza has led an impressive Mustangs attack with nine goals during their 10-0-2 start to the season as they have scored 46 goals as a team while allowing just four goals.

A perfect 7-0 at home they have not allowed a goal in those seven wins while scoring a total of 33 goals.

Freshman Dayana Hernandez at one point this season scored a goal in five straight games and currently has a second-best seven goals.

Sophomore Jay Her has scored six goals.

In the most recent California Community College Sports Information Association Poll the Mustangs are ranked as the No. 5 team Jaylin Meza takes a shot on goal. in the state.

11 SPORTS 101119

The Collegian • deltacollegian.net/sports

ATHLETES COME FROM LONG DISTANCES Florida wide receiver Alvin Howard leads the Mustangs with 19 receptions and four touchdowns

BY PAUL MUYSKENS Sports Editor

Traveling across the country to play for a school that did not win a game the season before may not seem like an attractive option, but that has not stopped Alvin Howard from helping the Delta football turn things around this season.

“It has been a crazy adjustment coming all the way across the country and being away from my family,” said Howard. “It has been kind of hard not having my family being able to see me play, but I am adjusting and I’m a grown man.”

After graduating from Key West High School in Florida, Howard went to Florida Tech, a Division II school, where he redshirted as a defensive back — but it is on the offensive side of the ball that he is making his mark with the Mustangs.

“I’m just reaching for the stars. I made the bet on myself to come out here so now is the time to perform. I put in the work over the summer, I worked two jobs so I could be able to come out here and be able to live how I would like to. It’s just all grind.”

Coming into the season with a personal goal of scoring 10 touchdowns he leads the team with 19 receptions for 427 yards and four touchdowns while also contributing on special teams returning kickoffs and punts.

“Personally, I think that those first two games the score doesn’t reflect what really took place,” said Howard as they opened the season being outscored by a combined 89-13 score against Butte and San Mateo. “We really killed ourselves in both of those games. We have come a long way.”

Above: Alvin Howard lines up for a play against Diablo Valley. Right: Howard attempts to make a catch against Diablo Valley. PHOTO BY PAUL MUYSKENS

After the 0-2 start to the season the Mustangs won back-to-back games to snap a 14game losing streak before recently losing 28-22 in overtime against Diablo Valley.

“Everything is better after a win but we still have to stay humble and grind away,” said Howard after the loss against the Vikings. “No one likes losing. This is a tough loss that we took today but we will be back on Monday and work hard again to get another victory.”

With their bye week this week the Mustang’s next chance for another victory will be on Saturday Oct. 19 when they host Fresno for a 1 p.m. kickoff.

Swedish shortstop Max Hill gets set for his second season with Delta baseball

BY MATTHEW MILLSAP Staff Writer

Max Hill bats during practice. PHOTO BY MATTHEW MILSAP

Max Hill is a Delta College sophomore and has his eyes set on sports medicine. He’s planning to transfer to get his degree in kinesiology. Though he is working hard for his major, his passion is baseball.

What makes Hill different from the typical Delta College student, though, is that he hails from Stockholm, Sweden.

Hill plays shortstop for the Mustangs baseball team. He is one of a small number of athletes who have left their home state, or even country to join the nationally renowned team.

Hill was visiting California on a school trip of the Stockholm Baseball Academy when he was spotted for his talent and invited to join.

He grew up in Delarna, Sweden, a small rural town four hours north of the capital,

Stockholm. Hill says growing up, he enjoyed hockey but always had an interest in baseball. “I was introduced to it through my dad, who actually grew up in Florida. He’s the one who got me interested,” said Hill.

Baseball has always been the quintessential American pastime and is sparsely played outside of the U.S. “It’s an obscure sport in Sweden,” said Hill. “I went to a sports academy. We visited America as a senior class trip.

We toured American colleges to try out for their teams. Some of my friends have joined American colleges, too.” Three of his classmates have been accepted for Californian college teams, including College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita.

When asked how his transition to American life has gone, Hill says it has been a little

challenging at times, and he does miss his family, though he had gone back to Sweden to visit over the summer. “Traveling outside the world you know is very challenging, but I would recommend it to anyone. I have grown a lot because of this experience,” he said.” I think traveling grows character.”

Hill said he would love the opportunity to play professionally, though “of course I would love to play professionally. We all do. But baseball actually comes second to my major, which is kinesiology.”

Last season he played 12 games for the Mustangs, who won 39 games last season and made the state final four for the second year in a row.

When asked if he had any advice for those considering travel or try-outs of any kind, Hill says: “Take the shot!”

Delta volleyball’s Angel Lambert named as State Player of the Week

BY PAUL MUYSKENS Sports Editor

With back-to-back career-best performances sophomore Angel Lambert was recently named as the California Community College Women’s Volleyball Coaches Association state player of the week.

Earlier this season she had a career-high ten kills against De Anza but she surpassed that in both of their games last week as she finished with 13 kills in a straight set win at Folsom Lake and then two days later had 15 kills in a four set win at home against Santa Rosa.

As a team the Mustangs are now 13-4 and a perfect 5-0 in Big 8 Conference play. In the most recent California Community College Women’s Volleyball Coaches Association Rankings the Mustangs are ranked as the No. 5 team in the state.

With just four home games remaining in the regular season they will next be at home on Friday, Oct. 18 for a 6:30 p.m. match against Sierra.

Left: Angel Lambert waits for the ball to be served. Top: Angelique Stepanoff tips the ball over the net. PHOTOS BY PAUL MUYSKENS

12 NEWS 101119

The Collegian • deltacollegian.net/news

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