ONLINE EXCLUSIVE:
Eating on Campus: What’s your take?
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SPORTS, Page 7: Warrior’s Baseball Victory at Santa Barbara
March, 7, 2013
EL CAMINO COLLEGE
Learning about history through taste
The Dream Act aims to help students reach goals Karen Garcia Staff Writer
Kyle Borden/ Union Dayja Turner, 24, undecided major, attends the “Taste of Soul” event in the East Dining Room, after hearing about the event in her history 110 class; while Shalissa Barnett from the Cal Works Office serves food to Dayja.
Torrance, California
With the passing of assembly bills AB130 and AB131, the California Dream Act authored by assembly member Gil Cedillo became a law extending certain grants and college free waivers to students. This law gives students, documented and undocumented, that meet the AB540 criteria eligibility to apply for state funded financial aid. AB540 was created to give students that meet the requirements the ability to pay the same tuition and fees as students who are residents attending California community colleges and universities, according to the California Dream Act website. The site goes on to inform that to be considered as an AB540 applicant, a student is required to have attended a California high school for at least three years. The student must have also graduated from high school or obtained the equivalent, California High School Proficiency Exam or passing the GED.
A student must also be registered as an entering or currently enrolled student in an accredited institution of higher education in California in the fall semester or quarter of 2001 to 2002 of the academic year. If a student does not have legal documentation they must file or will file an application that will legalize their documentation status. According to the Financial Aid Office, a student that meets the AB540 requirements and applies for the Dream Act may also be eligible to qualify for a free waiver that will pay for the student’s classes. Within the same application forms for the Dream Act, a student can also apply for a Cal Grant as well. Now that this opportunity is available to students there are various options in which a student can apply for aid to fund their educational needs that may not have otherwise been avaiable before the Dream Act was instated. There are many students that are taking advantage of the Dream Act aid, and are submitting their applications just as they would
for financial aid “as the deadline, similar for the filing of financial aid, is March 2,” Rene Lozano, EC counselor said. “It’s just like any other grant. A check is sent to the student’s home and that student can use the funds according to his or her needs,” Lozano said. He also comments that many students are unaware of the benefits that this program can provide them with according to their financial education needs. “Depending on their financial need it can be used for books or gas for school; whatever they need. The only difference between this grant and other grants is that it is state funded, it’s not federally funded,” Lozano said. Lozano is also the advisor for the El Camino Dreamers Club, a the group of members that reach out to those in need of assistance or support with the program as well as raising awareness about this option for students. Lozano added that there will be workshops for the Dream Act soon to inform students and others about the aid that is available to them.
Child Development Center closure gets a time-out Johnysha Vercher Staff Writer
Closure of the Child Development Center would be seen as the end of a program that is vital for students and the community. Since 1993, the Child Development Center (CDC) has been a safe haven for students with children at EC, as well as the community, Sandra Parvis, Director of the EC Child Development Center, said. Helping thousands of children and families over the course of its existence, the CDC provides not just a simple daycare service, but a fee-based preschool program for young children, according to the CDC guidelines. Though the CDC has helped many through the years, enroll-
ment for the past year has been low. Because of low enrollment and the cost of maintenance, the CDC may not have much of a future left, Jasmine Hormati, student trustee said. Though enrollment for the CDC has been low, there are still students benefitting from the program “My son started going there 3 semesters ago, so a little over a year,” Jennifer Galardo, 21, business administration major said. “It’s not just a daycare its a preschool and they teach your kids.” Closure of the CDC would be very difficult for those who actually depend on the program. Without the program many parents would not have to ability to attend college.
“I would’ve had to drop out of school, it would be detrimental for parents and single mothers if it closed,”Galardo said. “Before, I had a babysitter but she had gotten sick, she had cancer so she couldnt watch my son, I found out about the Child Development Center and with caregrant they provided help and paid for the program.” For students at EC, the CDC helps them to be able to further their education and coincidentally that of their child or children, Galardo said Despite the costly issue the school faced with the CDC, the Board of Trustees inevitability decided to prolong the lifeline of the CDC, Parvis said. The board of trustees decided to not close the center after a 5-1
vote, she added. “The board decided to keep it open for another year,” Hormati said. “Their current director is going to be retiring so they’re looking for a new director.” Though changes to the CDC are bound to happen, it is for the betterment of the students, community and most of importantly the children to extend the closure. “They have different ideas of how they can not only make it a better program for children but also for our students that are in the Child Development program at EC,” Hormati said. “Sometime next year the board will decided whether or not they will keep it open.” Ultimately the CDC has many benefits to the program and just as much support for it to stay open.
Troy Tieuel/ Union Lead teacher, Angela Wilson from the Child Development Center, gets hugs from her gets hugs from the students in her class as they prepare for choice play. “We need all the support that we can get,”Wilson said, who has been with the CDC since since 2005.
Through the years, the CDC has served countless families of EC
students and will continue to do so with consistent support.
Mixed emotions for new MBA Building
The many responsibilities of President Fallo
Steven Tran
Monique Judge
Staff Writer
NEWS LINE
The doors of EC’s new Math, Business and Allied Health Building have finally opened this semester with high hopes to improve the learning experience for students. “The building is just so functional. There are places to gather, wireless Internet for interaction, and more than enough room; Everything about the building is conducive to learning,” Mike Botello, professor of business said. “It’s a lot like the Humanities Building, it’s set up by the same
By Chance Keenan
architect and has a lot of the same features and benefits,” Thomas E. Brown, Director of Facilities Planning and Services, said. The fourth floor of the MBA Building is dedicated toward an “Allied Health” program. Nursing, Respiratory Therapy, and Radiology programs are centralized into a single unit. “It’s nice that we have new technology; Once upon a time, our newest technology was the door itself,” Nenna Olumba, 26, nursing major, said. “It has the environment of an actual hospital as far as oxygen, headboards and all the things of
that nature, it looks like a regular hospital,” Brown said. Though there have been a few glitches, it’s important to consider that the building is new and there is a continuing effort to fix malfunctions, Brown added. “Everything has its problems, and we are just ironing out the kinks, and trying to get used to a building that we are not really used to,” Olumba said. “We were already in a building that was more-or-less broken in, we are sort of breaking this one in,” she added.
Black college fair today on Library Lawn
Cherry Blossom Festival Today near Planetarium
Undecided Major workshop
Social Justice Fair Tuesday
Daylight Savings begins Sunday
The Black College Fair will be on the Library Lawn today from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m today. Learn about transfer agreements and speak with representatives from numerous historically Black colleges. A workshop is also scheduled to run from 1 to 2 p.m. in the Distance Education Conference room.
The 13th Annual Dr. Nadine Ishitani Hata Memorial Cherry Blossom Festival will be taking place today from 1 to 2 p.m. next to the Planetarium. Light refreshments, presentations and performances will take place near the Cherry Blossom trees on campus.
An Undecided Major Workshop will take place Tuesday from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Social Sciences Building, Room 207. For more information, contact the Career Services Center 310660-3593 ext. 6137.
The first annual Social Justice fair will be taking place on the Library Lawn Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m, sponsored by EC Student Development Office and EC Feminist Alliance Club. Multiple organizations, both local and national, will be in attendance.
Get ready for longer days and shorter nights. Daylight Savings Time will begin at 2 a.m. on Sunday morning. Be sure to remember to set your clocks ahead one hour.
Co-Opinion Editor
There are a number of people on the EC campus that do not understand what it is that Tom Fallo, EC president and district superintendent, does for the campus and community. Ken Brown, vice president of the EC board of trustees does not find this surprising. His explanation of Fallo’s job likens the college president to that of a CEO of
a corporation. “He is the CEO of El Camino. Different campuses call it different things,” Brown said. “He works for the board. He is the tip of the spear of how things get done on the campus,” Brown added. Fallo, who has been at EC since 1991, oversees operations at both the Torrance campus and the Compton center. Fallo himself views his role as one in which he serves the EC com-
munity as a whole. “I’m part of a team. I’m part of a community,” Fallo said. Brown said that Fallo’s job is to “implement the policy set forth by the board.” Fallo agreed with this assessment, and said that he “reports to five people,” referring to the board of trustees. “He’s the person that has to run the campus. He not only does it for the Torrance campus, but he also does it for the
Compton center as well,” Brown added. A common misconception is that Fallo makes all decisions concerning the campus. “He doesn’t make the policy, but he has to enforce the policy that the board sets,” Brown said. As previously reported in the Union, the board of trustees recently voted to give Fallo a raise in order to encourage him to reconsider his [See Fallo, Page 2]
2 El Camino College Union POLICE BEat By Karen Garcia
Two males suspected of a snatch and run
news
Students getting electric buzz
Feb. 26, 3:30 p.m.–Two female students were sitting at a table adjacent to the Manhattan Cafe. One of the females set down her cellphone on the table. Two male suspects walked up to the table, grabbed the cellphone and ran northbound to Manhattan Beach blvd. Both suspects were believed to be around 24 to 25 years old. They escaped in a green vehicle. They were last seen driving eastbound on Manhattan Beach blvd.
Joh’nysha Vercher and Rigo Bonilla Staff Writer, Arts Editor
Possible bump and run Feb. 26, 4 p.m.–A female student parked her car on the third level of the five-story parking lot. When she returned to her car at approximately 10 a.m., she found that persons unknown had damaged her vehicle. There were several light scratches on the rear bumper.
Handicap placard abuse Feb. 28, 1 p.m.–A Cadet was performing a handicap placard check on vehicles located in Lot K. The cadet discovered a vehicle with a handicap placard that the driver was using, but the placard did not belong to him. According to the driver, the placard belonged to someone that was not on campus. The driver was cited and the handicap placard was seized.
Police popped in, he was sweating Feb. 28, 2 p.m.–An Officer responded to a medical aid call at Cafe Camino. The officer located a male employee in the stock room of the facility. The male was heavily sweating and his arms were shaking. The male couldn’t provide a reason for his condition, so the paramedics were called. An ambulance transported the male employee to the hospital for further medical evaluation.
Bike was stolen after having security chain cut Feb. 28, 3 p.m.–A student locked his 24-speed bike, on a bike rack in the south east side of the Chemistry Building. The student came back to the rack at approximately 8 p.m. to find that his bike was missing and the cable, that he locked his bike with, was cut and left on the ground. The student then went to the EC Police Department to file a report.
Car impounded for failure to renew registration March 4, 10 p.m.–A Cadet discovered a vehicle parked in Lot F whose registration was not up to date. The vehicle’s registration was checked through the DMV system and found to be expired in excess of six months. The vehicle was impounded.
Didn’t read the swivel chair warning March 5, noon–Officers received a call for medical aid in the Physics Building. They discovered that a female student was standing on a swivel chair trying to retrieve a balloon from the ceiling. The chair moved causing the female student to fall off the chair. She struck her head and injured her right leg. She tried to get up but her injured leg could not support her weight. She was loaned a pair of crutches and taken to the EC Police Department where her mother came to pick her up.
March 7, 2013
Photo by Philip Prins/Union Daniel Dunseith, 22, computer science major, smokes an electronic cigarette outside of the MBA Building. He said he switched over from real cigarettes six months ago and since then, he has felt more energetic and his lungs seem healthier.
With ongoing health concerns and the social taboo of smoking, the use of vapor cigarettes is becoming an attractive alternative for students. Vapor cigarettes, often called “ECigs,” or “vape cigarettes,” are electronic cigarettes that emit nicotineinfused water vapor instead of smoke. They are quickly becoming more visible on campus. There are different brands of vapor cigarettes and smoke-shops all around the area have been According to latimes.com, vapor cigarettes can be used with cartridges containing various levels of nicotine that can come with different flavors including menthol, tobacco, blueberry and vanilla. Although they have been around for some time, vapor cigarettes have recently been gaining popularity with students on campus. “I have friends that use them and since I don’t smoke at all, I think it’s a
great idea, not just for smokers but for us that don’t,” Melissa Young, 19, undecided major said. “Second-hand smoke is real, so I think electronic cigarettes help a lot.” A big attraction for students may be that the vaporizer devices are now becoming customizable and can show off a little bit of individuality. “You can buy different mouthpieces in all kinds of colors,” Jeremy Mitchell, 22, business major, said. “It definitely makes it more interesting. If you run into someone else that has one, you can distinguish yours from theirs. I’ve seen girls with pink ones.” There has been some concern that these vapor cigarettes can contain marijuana. “There’s no way to be sure (that it contains marijuana) but they do make electronic cigarettes where you have to have something attached to it,” Officer Jan Caldwell said. Though it is possible that students could be using marijuana, it’s more likely they are not. “You wouldn’t be able to just buy it (electronic marijuana cigarette) at 7-11 or something. I doubt anybody really would be using it on campus,” Patricia Lee, 26, music major said. Students share both positive and nega-
tive outlooks on vapor cigarettes. “There are more pros than cons,” Russell Moore, 25, economics major, said. “They are very convenient and you don’t have to constantly buy cigarettes. Plus, it’s not (real) smoke, so second-hand isn’t an issue.” For some students, it’s not just about convenience, but the opportunity to slow down their habit. “For me, it’s like you don’t feel addicted and you don’t buy multiple packs a day,” Eric Powell, 21, communications major, said. “Cons: I guess the price of it, since you do need to replace the parts.” Banning cigarettes in general has been discussed quite often, but whether or not vapor cigarettes should be banned is a completely different issue. “No policy has been made. There wouldn’t be a law against it, so I don’t understand how it would be a problem,” Caldwell said. Although any long-term health complications from electronic cigarettes remains to be seen, it doesn’t seem to be a problem for authorities and many users swear by it. “After smoking (conventionally) for five years, I noticed I can smell and taste better after switching,” Jeremy Mitchell said. “I can play basketball better.”
Activists unite for social justice fair Thomas Schmit Staff Writer
As part of a joint effort between the Student Development Office and the EC Feminist Alliance, the campus will be hosting its first Social Justice Fair on March 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Featuring more than 65 different grassroots, local, and national organizations representing diverse topics ranging from animal rights to gang intervention, the event’s organizers hope to awaken students to the wide spectrum of social justice issues in our society, Breanna Von Stein, Student Services Specialist, said. “We don’t want students to just
leave with some information,” Von Stein said. “We want to empower them to get involved.” As part of that empowerment, many of the organizations attending the fair will provide students with opportunities to volunteer and become directly involved with the issues discussed, Von Stein added. In addition to opportunities to volunteer, some of the groups are even looking to provide some students with full internships, Robert DeWitz, Feminist Alliance member, said. In addition to the tables manned by representatives of each participating group, the fair will also feature several guest
speakers on the Schauerman Library lawn from 1 to 2 p.m., as well as poetry provided by the group Revolutionary Poets,” Von
“We don’t want students to just leave with some information, we want to empower them to get involved.”
—Breanna Von Stein, student services specialist
Stein said. The fair will also provide students with free access to HIV
Getting together for a pint James Bell
Staff Writer
Blood is the reason students are being asked to come together for the first ever Cesar E. Chavez Challenge today and tomorrow, in the Student Activities Center. The Inter-Club Council (ICC), along with the American Red Cross, are hosting the blood drive where students can donate blood, or simply volunteer their time and help out. According to the American Red Cross website, every pint of blood donated saves roughly three lives, and the process typically takes no more than 15 minutes to complete. “The purpose of the challenge is to promote health education, careers in health and science, civic engagement and to save lives,” Helena Manumaleuna, student coordinator and ICC publicity commissioner, said. Incentives are available to donators provided by the American Red Cross, such as tickets to sporting events and food vouchers to be used at various restaurants. With over 250 colleges and universities participating in the challenge this semes-
ter, Manumaleuna said it would be a great time for students to get involved. “Students receive instant gratification because they’re helping save lives,” Manumaleuna said. While some students give blood because of the incentives or peer influence, others donate blood out of genuine concern for others. “I give blood because I’m helping other people,” Kaleialani Mancia, an 18-yearold sign language major said. “At the end of the day, it feels great to know that I may have saved someone’s life.” Because of students and donators like Mancia, up to five million patients receive blood in a year, according to the American Red Cross website. This blood drive has been named after Chavez because of his upcoming birthday on March 31. The American Red Cross tries to incorporate some of Chavez’s values such as service to the community and educational programs. “There are many people in the world who need help, and I am happy to help others in any way I can,” Mancia said.
Fallo
[Continued From Page 1]
”He wanted to retire. He retired. We accepted that, “ Brown said. Fallo was ready to try something new. “I wanted to change environments,” Fallo said. Once the process to look for a new president began, the board realized they were going to be faced with a tough task and a very short time period to do it in. “As we started the process of looking for a replacement CEO, we kind of saw the writing on the wall that this was a really daunting task, especially with the timeframe that we were working under,” Brown said. The reason for keeping Fallo on a few more years had to do with the accomplishments he has made as EC president.
“Measure E is a huge deal,” Brown said. “When you look at the bookstore being repaired, when you look at all the different infrastructure being repaired, that doesn’t come out of thin air. That doesn’t come from campus funds. His being able to go to the community and ask for money to help improve our campus is a big deal.” In Brown’s opinion, the ultimate testament to the value of Tom Fallo is in his longevity with the college. Fallo has been with EC since 1991, and has been the president since 1995. “His job is not an easy job,” Brown said. “If it were, there would be a bunch of people willing and able to do it.”
testing, and free samples of vegan cuisine However, even if students miss the main fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., they needn’t miss out entirely, Dewitz said. “We also designed this fair to be inclusive of night students, since they largely get left out of activities, so we’ll be screening a documentary in the Student Activities Center from 5 to 7 p.m.,” Dewitz said. The documentary, entitled “Sin by Silence,” focuses upon members of the group Convicted Women Against Abuse (CWAA), the first inmate initiated group in the U.S. prison system, consisting of women convicted of killing
their abusive partners, and their personal stories. Brenda Clubine, the founder of CWAA, will also provide an introduction to the film, as well as speaking afterwards, DeWitz said. “A lot of students feel that issues of social justice are way bigger than them, and that they can’t do anything about it,” Brenda Diaz, Feminist Alliance member, said. “I hope the fair will open people’s eyes and show them that they can get involved.”
3 El Camino College Union
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EDITORIAL
4 El Camino College Union
March 7, 2013
Education is part of the American D.R.E.A.M.
Illustration by Eugene Chang
James Garfield, 20th president of the U.S., said, “Next in importance to freedom and justice is popular education, without which neither freedom nor justice can be permanently maintained.” Education in America is an important issue. As a nation, we need to ensure that everyoe has access to education. As a nation built upon the dreams of a small group of immigrants seeking a new way of life and new personal liberties, it would behoove us to make sure that those who come here seeking to build upon that foundation are guaranteed the ability to realize their goals through education. The California DREAM (Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors) Act seeks to do just that. Authored by assemblyman Gil Cedillo, the DREAM Act allows children who were brought into the U.S. undocumented to qualify for state financial aid at the college level if they have attended school continuously. The act also provides for these students to qualify for in state tuition rates. Education in this country
should not be cost prohibitive. This nation was founded on the principle that all men are created equal. This means equal access to education. A person attempting to gain citizenship in this country and
The Issue • Education being provided to non-citizens
Our Stand • These efforts can only improve our country and are consistent with our historical philosophy who was brought here as a child by immigrant parents should not be prevented from gaining access to education simply because they were not born here; that is the complete antithesis of what the birth of our nation was all about. Additionally, a person who has already been pursuing their education in our school systems and
shows a desire to continue that education at the post-secondary level is clearly indicating an intention to being a productive member of our society. Taking these efforts and denying further growth is a slap in the face of what Abraham Lincoln directly addressed in his famous Gettysburg address -- equality. As we move forward in the 21st century and look toward continuing to build our country as the super power it is, we need to remember that a nation is only as strong as its workforce. The strength of the U.S. lies in its working class. If we fail to educate the workers, then we fail to properly prepare ourselves to be competitive in this century and those to come. The DREAM Act will go a long way to further this goal. It cannot be denied that those who choose to come here and contribute to the growth of this nation deserve to have equal footing where educational benefits are concerned. To do less than that is to deny the heritage of this country. See related article on Page 1
EC will continue to benefit from the leadership of Tom Fallo The four-year contract extension means an extension of the president’s experience and know-how for the college. When the board of trustees elected to offer EC president and superintendent Tom Fallo a fouryear contract extension that included a significant pay increase, the question was asked, “Is he worth it?” The short answer to that question is, “Yes, he is.” Many in the campus community were vocal with their disapproval of the board’s decision, and the majority of those dissenting voices cited the money as the main issue. There is no denying that the money given is a large amount. There’s no denying that the campus has experienced recent cutbacks, and that students, staff and faculty have felt the weight of the
cutbacks in different ways. Imagine, however, the weight of operating under these conditions with someone new. When Fallo announced his decision to retire, the board would have only had six months to find his replacement. How would it be possible to replace a president with 22 years of experience at this institution in six short months? Had a replacement been found in that short time, would they have been able to step in and handle the pressures of the position, including the new issues that have arisen with the college’s accreditation? Offering Fallo more money is a small price to pay in the grand scheme of things.
Since he has been with the college since 1991, he understands the struggles EC has faced in the past. He has played a major role in planning for the future of EC. It is important that the college continue on with someone who has a clear understanding of what lies ahead. To be clear, the money given to Fallo does not come from funds that pay for classes. The funds do not come out of anyone’s pocket. No one is being short-changed in order to keep the existing president in place. The board also placed a penalty clause in the new contract which states that Fallo will have to pay
back the extra money he received should he decide to leave before the contract is up. Fallo himself has asserted that he is here to stay, and he is ready to work on the next 5 to 6 year plan for the college. With reassurances such as those in place, now is the time to focus on what Fallo can do to help EC move forward as an institution. With the newly received bond, the college will need his expertise in planning how the funds will be used to improve the college’s physical plant. The board, faculty, staff and students will benefit from a CEO being in place that knows the institution; he can be asked to do more instead of being trained to
figure out what happened before. A veteran with 40 years of experience in the collegiate world, and one who has learned how to run a district from the ground up is a lot more beneficial to EC than someone who may not have those same qualifications, the same desire to help the community and the same passion for the job. It continues the stability that EC has had for a nice long time. Fallo understands the laws of supply and demand. He has proven that he can handle that very well. The college is fortunate to have someone of his caliber at the helm of the ship. The college is in a trust with the community and the board. Fallo has been charged with
taking care of that trust, and thus far, he’s proven time and again that he is up for the task. Fallo is a strong fiscal leader. He has protected jobs. The campus community should feel reassured that he is staying. Other colleges have seen the value in Fallo; he’s been heavily recruited over the last ten years by several different community college districts. The ultimate benefit to Fallo staying is that the college now has more time to find a suitable replacement, and that is what is best for the college and the community. That, more than the money, should be the main focus. See related article on Page 1
Nursing is a challenge with its own reward Goals have no minimum age requirement campus insight I am a 100 percent certified nerd. Books could be considered my Kryptonite. The Culver City Julian Dixon Library is my secNenna Olumba 27, Nursing ond home. I am a lover of all things science and math. Really, I just love to learn, and oerhaps I am overenthusiastic about it. I regret nothing. An intellectual enthusiast should find nursing school to be a perfect fit. Right? Among nursing students exists a unique blend of stress that keeps our sympathetic nervous systems in the “ON” position. There is much preparation in this short span of two years, however, some balance between school and not-school must be achieved because we are not robots. There is more to me than textbooks and highlighters. I am also an avid runner and practitioner of yoga. I enjoy video games when time permits. Some days I ride the bus to squeeze in knitting. One of the major subjects in nursing is effective communication. All patients are biopsychosocial beings deserving of dignity and respect and should be spoken to accordingly. I often shy away from people, but I always remember that.
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Clinical rotations are another thing. We are sent to our assigned hospital and put to work. It is the polar opposite of theory, since we apply our studies to the field. I can read, color-code my notes, and supplement with more reading, but books will only bring me to a certain point. Spring 2013 marks my second semester in the nursing program. I don’t know how I survived the first semester. So far, I am enjoying nursing school. Despite the stress, the hard work, and the never going to bed at a reasonable hour, I know I made the right choice in choosing my next adventure. I’ve spent years observing and studying people; perhaps it is time to start helping them. I expect to work hard. I expect very little sleep. Any semblance of a social life does not exist for the next two years. And that’s okay. The views expressed in Campus Insight are those of the authors. They do not represent the views or opinions of the Union, its staff, editorial board or advisers. This column is available to students and faculty. All articles may be submitted to eccunion@gmail.com.
Please note that articles may be edited for content and length
Editor-in-Chief ����������������������������������������������������������������������� Thomas Schmit Co-News Editor ������������������������������������������������������������������������ Karly Daquila Co-News Editor ���������������������������������������������������������������������������Rigo Bonilla Co-Opinion Editor �������������������������������������������������������������������Monique Judge Co-Opinion Editor ������������������������������������������������������������������ Brian Camacho Features Editor ����������������������������������������������������������������������� Thomas Schmit Arts Editor �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������Rigo Bonilla Co-Sports Editor �������������������������������������������������������������������Emerson Keenan Co-Sports Editor ��������������������������������������������������������������������Jessica Martinez Photo Editor ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Kyle Borden Advertising Manager ����������������������������������������������������������������JJ Maldonaldo Adviser ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Lori Medigovich Adviser ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������Kate McLaughlin Technical Support ���������������������������������������������������������������������������� Don Treat
Commentary
Understanding that age isn’t anything more than the number of candles on a cake is something that many college students have not mastered. Karly Daquila Co-News Editor Most teens anticipate milestone birthdays, thinking that with each new year, a new set of privileges and possibilities await. The increasing expectations of universities and career paths have college students pushing the boundaries of ageism and representing an entirely new generation of “go-getters.” In the recent Redondo Beach Municipal Election, a candidate stood out and made the community question what experience and age mean when compared to each other. Julian Stern, an EC student who recently turned 18, ran for Redondo Beach City Council District 4 in the election this past week. Though many have scrutinized his experience in making decisions for the community, Stern did not let remarks about his age shake his confidence in pursuing his dreams. His passion for politics overrode the comments made by those who did not support the progressive stand taken by Stern to begin the process of pursuing his goals.
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No matter what the goal or dream is, age should not be a factor in whether one does or does not pursue it. Following his example, students can take note of the boldness that Stern exemplified and not be deterred when it comes to chasing a goal or idea. Students at EC are being given multiple opportunities to step out of their comfort zones and create positive change for people near and far. The EC Feminist Alliance and the Student Development office are organizing the first annual Social Justice Fair on campus, hoping to encourage students to take note of social justice issues that are happening both locally and globally. As American author William Faulkner said, “Never be afraid to raise your voice for honesty and truth and compassion against injustice and lying and greed. If people all over the world...would do this, it would change the earth.” Passion should not be stifled by anything, but fired by challenge. Focusing on changing the world, student leaders are breathing a new meaning into the late Aaliyah’s statement, “Age ain’t nothing but a number.” For those of us who may have have doubted our abilities because of age, stories such as Stern’s can be seen as a reminder that age really doesn’t mean anything when it comes to pursuing goals.
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Opinion
March 7, 2013
El Camino College Union 5
UP FOR DEBATE
Should the Child Development Center be shut down? Cutting programs is not the answer to solving our budget problems
One demographic should not negatively affect everyone else
Eric Hsieh Staff Writer
The potential closure of the Child Development Center next year comes down to one thing; the money. Everyone can agree that the Child Development Center is essential to the success of some of our students. Where we can’t agree, however, is how much all of these great things should cost. According to the board of trustees’ meeting agenda from Feb. 19, in the last three fiscal years combined, the total district contribution to keep the center fiscally sound was $875,000. If that figure wasn’t enough, the program serves only 10 students. They are students who are working long, tiring hours to make a better future for their children. The problem is that the size of this group doesn’t dictate its importance. The question becomes then, how can EC support this group without simultaniously racking up huge amounts of debt? The rest of the student body is just as important to the college, and it severely hurts their opportunities when one entity siphons funds away from them in its inefficiency. If you weren’t too busy to look at the news in the past couple of years, you know many of the world’s governments, including our own, are broke and can’t agree on how to fix it. Most will concede, however, that the most moderate and balanced solution involves raising taxes as well as cutting government spending. EC has done both by cutting class offerings and laying workers off, but voters have responded to these cuts by passing Proposition 30; effectively taxing themselves more heavily because they value what education does for our society. Everyone has sacrificed to keep places like EC running, and it would be a waste if we kept pouring our meager funds into an inefficient program that has run up increasingly higher and higher deficits.
How many professor’s salaries or discontinued classes does that amount to? The goal here is not to leave anyone high and dry. We should close it, not because we have stopped caring, but because we have cared enough.
The number of single mothers seems like it has been rising at an alarming rate. The same goes for the amount of single mothers in college who are simply trying to further their education and provide a better life for them and their children. The Child Development Center not only
Illustration by Eugene Chang
Brian Camacho Co-Opinion Editor
provides single parents with a safe environment for them to leave their children, but also an opportunity for their children to learn through activities that foster intellectual growth as well as social, emotional, and physical development. This is far better than any ordinary day care center which only supervises children until their parents arrive. It simplifies and helps their lives in so many ways while giving them the peace of mind that their children are learning as well. The only problem with this program is the fact that EC is currently spending too much money on the program, $250,000 a year to be exact, and not enough people are using its services. While this is a very large amount of money that could be used for other services on campus, closing down the Child Development Center all together is not the answer. The decision to close down the program will take place next year unless the Child Development Center finds a way to improve and become more capable. The college should be trying to fix the program and make it more efficient rather than simply cutting it down. I understand that budget cuts have been effecting our campus as of late, and extra money would sure help but this does not mean we should put the hard working mothers who rely on this program at a huge disadvantage. One step that could also be taken would be to raise the awareness of the program. Advocacy should be raised to higher levels across campus to provide these women with the help they need. EC shouldn’t be taking the easy way out by cutting and slashing to save money. It should be spending its money more wisely and efficiently in order to help out those that are trying to juggle a hectic life full of classes, jobs, and parenthood.
Get out of your backyard and enjoy all the South Bay has to offer Column
Monique Judge Co-Opinion Editor
I’m taking a math class on the Compton campus this semester. Instead of driving over there two days a week, I’ve been using our wonderful public transit system and riding the Metro Blue Line to Compton every Tuesday and Thursday. The first day I rode the Blue Line, I was amazed at everything I saw along the way. The different people, places, and things made me realize one thing; my life is very westside, and I don’t tend to stray very far from my neighborhood when it’s time
to hang out and get some rest and relaxation. I would say this is true for most people in the L.A. area. We live in our enclaves, and we tend to stick to them. We are blessed to live in a city that offers so much in the way of recreation that often times it’s not very necessary to travel more than a few miles from our homes to enjoy ourselves. I will readily admit that coming to the Torrance campus two days a week is my only venture into the south bay area, and when I’m done with class, I’m done with the south bay. When I’m on campus and I hear people refer to going to the beach, I have to remind myself that they are referring to Redondo, and not Santa Monica or Venice, which is what people on my side of town mean when they reference the sand, water and sun. The mall usually means South Bay Galleria or Del Amo Fashion
Center, and not Westfield Culver City, the Beverly Center or Westside Pavilion as referenced in my part of the city. It occurred to me while riding to Compton last week, that segregating ourselves into our separate parts of town really is not the way to live. A fun weekend “staycation” can be had just by making plans to explore other parts of the county we live in. Those in the south bay can come up to Hollywood, do the Walk of Fame, take in a movie at the Arclight, and experience one of the many eateries that Hollywood has to offer. Everyone should take the Blue Line into Long Beach at least once in their L.A. life and walk around the Pike area; take in the sounds, eat some good food, and spend a couple of hours shopping and enjoying the sun in a part of town that is not your own. I am admittedly a north of
the 105, west of the 110 kind of girl, but riding on the train down Long Beach Boulevard and Willowbrook Avenue showed me just how much of the city I am missing out on. The first argument most people will make against venturing too far away from where they live is traffic. Admittedly, L.A. traffic is a beast, but as previously mentioned, there are other ways of getting around. The Metro rail system is an excellent means of traveling across town without having to worry about the high cost of gas or the parking lot that is some of our local freeways. A day pass runs just $5, and for that money you can see so much, how can you justify staying home? Take the Green Line to Redondo Beach, or take the Expo Line downtown and visit the L.A. Central Library; one of our city’s greatest treasures.
Along the way, you can stop in Exposition Park and take in the beautiful Rose Garden, the California Science Center, the California African-American Museum and the Natural History Museum; all located on the same block. There is really no excuse for not leaving your cul-de-sac to enjoy what L.A. has to offer. This is the one place where you can choose your own adventure over and over again.
Please connect with me by email at eccunionmonique@gmail.com
campus corner By Karen Garcia
Bennie Barber Hands of Friendship Club President
Bennie Barber is the president of the Hands of Friendship Club. Students are welcome to join the club this spring semester. Meetings, dispersed on different days of the week each month, are in the Communications Building room 305.
What is the Hands of Friendship Club about? The Hands of Friendship Club is about sign language interpretation and ultimately learning that it’s not just about moving your hands, it’s a form of communication and a culture.
Are there only specific students that can join the club? No, anyone can join the club. We have students who are deaf, students who are not but would like to learn sign language and students that are seeking a profession in sign interpretation.
What makes this club stand out from the other clubs offered here at EC? What makes this club unique and important to our campus is that we are the support bridge for those pursuing to be sign language interpreters. Not a lot of people know of the Sign Language Interpreting Program that is offered on this campus, so our club helps spread the awareness.
Why would you encourage students to join Hands of Friendship? I would encourage students to join Hands of Friendship to get a taste of deaf culture and improve your skills if you know sign language. If you don’t you totally will learn.
Are there any important workshops that your club puts together? Yes, we have workshops for our members, either working or training interpreters that vary in subjects from learning basic ASL Classifiers to recovery, sex and drugs signs.
Are there any events being planned for the spring semester? Yes, we have a big workshop planned for April. This one is for the intermediate to advanced sign language interpreters and professional interpreters. This workshop will cover recovery signs used in AA meetings.
Follow me on Twitter @ECCUnionMonique Join the conversation online at www.eccunion.com The views expressed in this column are those of the author. They do not represent the views or opinions of the Union, its staff, editorial board or advisers.
Campus viewpoints
Should the Child Development Center be shut down? By Rigo Bonilla
Ada Dziwill, 24, Psychology
Amira Elswify, 21, Cosmetology
Danny Patron, 29, Business
Anthony Rhone, 18, Undecided
Ian Chaffey, 19, Physics
Tahlia Thompson, 19, Administration of Justice
“I think we should keep it going. Psychology majors do research there. It’s changing the lives of the families and students using it.”
“I think they should keep funding it. People need support with their kids while they take classes. They need a place they know is safe for their kids.”
“They can’t cut it. People are dependent on the program. Single parents are dependent on programs like these in order to come to school.”
“I think we should cut the money. The priority should be on the other students. Focus on the general students first. Anyone can find a day care.”
“This is a college not a day care. I don’t think they should cut the program. It’s important, but some students can’t even get into regular classes.”
“I think they could cut some of the funding from that program. That money could be going to other regular classes that need it for actual students.”
arts
6 El Camino College Union
March 7, 2013
Guitarist is all original
On the scene
Lorenzo Guttierrez Staff Writer
By Kayla Maaytah
Art “Washed up” exhibit on campus Today is the last day to visit “Washed Up: Oceans in Peril,” in the EC Art Gallery. The gallery hours are from noon to 8 p.m. and is located on the first floor of the Arts and Behavioral Science Building. For more information call 310-660-3010.
RISING
STAR
Event Guest speaker on the art of finding love Discover the secrets of finding love with a speech by Ava Baldwin Sunday at 7 p.m. in the Marsee Auditorium for $15. Tickets can be purchased online at www. centerforthearts.org. For more information call the box office at 800-832-ARTS or 310-329-5345.
Performance Metropolitan Educational Theatre Networks presentation of “Peter Pan” The Torrance Cultural Arts Center is hosting the Metropolitan Educational Theatre Network’s presentation of, “Peter Pan,” in the James Armstrong Theatre this weekend at 3330 Civic Center Drive. Showtimes for Friday and Saturday are 7:30 p.m. Sunday showtime is at 2 p.m. For more information call the Theatre Box Office at 310-781-7171 or visit www.met2.org.
Wearing a light brown shirt and black sunglasses, as a professional as well as passionate guitarist, Matthew Cruz, undeclared major, carries his guitar around campus. Having his guitar with him as his best friend, Cruz, 19, didn’t discover his passion for music until he saw his dad play and sing at a party at the age of 12. C r u z also learned about music from a Led Zeppelin music video his father had showed him. There was a lot of energy in the video that he admired, Cruz said. “My dad is definitely my number one influence in music. He is a great guitarist and a great singer.” The work and dedication of many famous bands like The Beatles, Aerosmith, Guns N’ Roses, and Pearl Jam helped him search for a band to join and he found it
in an ad on Craigslist. Cruz plays several instruments but his favorite is the electric guitar. He has been a member of a band, Real Fiction, for the last six months, where he plays the guitar and is a baritone singer. In their live performances that they did last year from August until the end of November, one of their performances was at the Whisky a GoGo in West Hollywood, Cruz said. “We are an original rock band, writing completely original rock ‘n’ roll songs, very blues-based, very classic rock base,” Cruz said. “Currently we are working with Danny B, the producer of 3 Doors Down.” Occasionally, Cruz writes songs for his band. He doesn’t record them because he is very busy with his band, but when he does, he writes more acoustic and blues songs then decides with his band what music they want for their songs, Cruz said.
Tracy Kumono/ Union Matthew Cruz, 19, undecided major, plays guitar in a band and is working with 3 Doors Down producer, Danny B.
3D giants barely manage to turn ho-hum into Fee-Fi-Fo-Fun Thomas Schmit Editor-in-Chief
While “Jack the Giant Slayer” is by no means a completely terrible movie, it’s not a great one either. The movie has several strong points; its beautiful visuals, talented acting from a stellar cast, and thrilling action sequences are all things to be proud of. Unfortunately, a laundry list of faults turn what could have been a great film into a merely OK one.
While the actors themselves put on a good show, their performance can’t help the fact that their characters are static and completely depthless. Bad guys (both human and giant) are evil simply for the sake of being evil, and the protagonists never really develop into more than they started as. Meanwhile, the plot is uninspired and predictable, despite attempts to reinvent the story of Jack and the Giant Beanstalk, which comes as a real disappointment considering the works of
director Bryan Singer and screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie, who previously collaborated together on “The Usual Suspects” and “X-Men”. However, if anything manages to save the movie, it’s the 3D visuals and special effects. The twisting vines of the beanstalk winding their way through the clouds is a beautiful sight, and one scene featuring armies of humans and giants engaged in a life or death game of tug-of-war over a burning moat while arrows and flam-
ing trees sail overhead can be described as nothing less than awesome. While the film’s pacing dragged at certain points, the movie features some truly heartpounding action sequences that help you to forget those less interesting scenes. However, something to note about these scenes is that, despite being clearly aimed at younger audiences (something older viewers will no doubt quickly notice from the cut aways before implied
gruesome deaths), the action sequences may in fact be too scary for younger children. Another note needs to be made of the giants themselves, who provide almost all of the movie’s tension, along with a good chunk of the film’s humor. If you have the money and a group of bored 12-year-olds, “Jack the Giant Slayer” can make for a fun night out. However, those hoping for anything more than eye candy and action should probably just save their money.
Sudoku The “It’s Only Another Beer” Black and Tan
8 oz. pilsner lager 8 oz. stout lager 1 frosty mug 1 icy road 1 pick-up truck 1 10-hour day 1 tired worker A few rounds with the guys Mix ingredients. Add 1 totalled vehicle.
Never underestimate ‘just a few.’ Buzzed driving is drunk driving.
Fill every row across, every row down and every 3x3 box with the digits 1 through 9. Each digit must appear only oncein each rowacross, each column down and each 3x3 box. For the solution to the puzzle, visit the Union website, www.eccunion.com
sports
March 7, 2013
On deck
El Camino College Union 7
Men’s and women’s tennis teams serve it up in close matches
By Jessica Martinez
Steven Tran Staff Writer
BADMINTON
Chung Young Shin’s opponent calls for a time-out to see a trainer; Shin zips up her warm-up jacket to seal a default victory for El Camino. Anthony Ya’s opponent returns a ball which stalls in the air until Ya slams it to the ground; the ball speeds to the right while the opponent sprints left. The women’s tennis team won 8-1 against Cerritos College on Feb. 28, but the men’s team lost 3-6 against Mt. San Antonio College two days prior. “Everyone is good skill-and teammate-wise. They act mature and professional; we get along very well. I feel like we are a team and a family,” Karin Endo, 21, said. For both teams, Mt. SAC may be more of a challenge than other schools. “I think Mt. SAC was tougher than Cerritos. We have to put our energy into everyone, but more on Mt. SAC,” Endo said. The women’s tennis team is undefeated with the exception of a 4-4 tie against Mt. SAC on Feb. 26, Kia Choi, 20, said. “We tied 4-4 with Mt. SAC, so
Wednesday at 3 p.m. vs Pasadena City College
BASEBALL Today at 2 p.m. at Long Beach City College Saturday at 12 p.m vs. Long Beach City College Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. at Pasadena City College
MEN’S TENNIS Today at 2 p.m. at Mt. San Antonio College Tuesday at 2 p.m. vs. Cerritos College
SOFTBALL Today at 3 p.m. vs. Long Beach City College Tuesday at 3 p.m. vs. Harbor College
WOMEN’S TENNIS
Cary Majano/ Union Chung Young Shin, 26, hits the ball back to Cerritos at a home game on Feb. 28.
we still have to go back and finish that,” Ashley Guerrero, 26, said. Coach Steven Van Kanegan said the women’s performance against Cerritos on Feb. 28 was “sloppy.” “Several players were nervous and never got into a groove. It wasn’t our finest performance,” Van Kanegan added.
“We get along very well. I feel like we are a team and a family.” —Karin Endo tennis player
Choi struggled in her first set, 7-5, but overcame her nervousness in the second set for a 6-1 win. “Mentally, it was a stepping stone for me,” Choi said. In addition, Shin, 26, film major, said she was nervous throughout her match; Shin won the second set by default after winning 6-2 in the first set. “I want each player to continue to perform and improve,” Van Kanegan said. Injuries have caused the men’s team to struggle and adapt to shifts in their line-up, Sergio
Guerra, 26, said. “I think we still haven’t settled,” Guerra said. “We were just getting used to the line-up we already had.” Eric Sanders, 21, said the team is very young, and will keep trying to improve as the season progresses. “I know it’s going to be tough, but I feel if everyone gives 100 percent, then we will be able to pull it off,” Chris Fisher, 18, said. To contrast the men’s team, because of their current success, the women have their goals set toward a state title. “I want our team to go to state championships, but no pressure on our team,” Endo said. Shin said her dream would be for the team to win at state. “They are capable of a state title; we have the potential and it’s in our reach, but it’s much too early to say,” Van Kanegan said. Van Kanegan added that the team must focus on a conference title first. “We always have another match and another opponent,” Choi said. The women’s tennis team will play Mt. SAC at 2 p.m. at home today and the men’s tennis team will play Cerritos at 2 p.m. at home on Tuesday.
Today at 2 p.m. vs. Mt. San Antonio College
Men’s team swims past Long Beach and Cerritos to the finish line
Tuesday at 2 p.m. at Cerritos College
Brian Camacho
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
There was no shortage of drama Friday as the El Camino men’s and women’s swim teams squared off against arguably their toughest rivals this season, Long Beach and Cerritos. The men’s team defeated Long Beach by 40 points but beating Cerritos proved to be a much harder task.
Tomorrow at 6 p.m. vs. Santa Monica City College Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Moorpark College
MEN’S GOLF Monday at 10 a.m. at Antelope Valley
Co-Opinion Editor
The Warriors did not take the lead until the final event but managed to close it out against Cerritos with an eight point margin of victory. “Cerritos was a huge challenge for us and a big win,” Coach Corey Stanbury said. Jonathan Diaz won the 1,500 meter race and Hogan Inscore won the 200 individual medley as well as the 100 meter breaststroke. “They’re swimming extraordi-
narily well despite my best efforts to make them as tired as I possibly can,” Stanbury said jokingly. The two star swimmers also combined their efforts to win the 400 freestyle relay and put the finishing touches on their successful day. “That was the thing that put us over the top,” Stanbury said. The men’s team made an emphatic statement and is ready to for the state championships.
“They’re performing beyond expectations. This is probably the best men’s team we’ve ever had here. I expect some school records to fall,” Stanbury said. As for the women’s team, they have been having a rough season so far after their performance in the last meet. “They’re swimming pretty well, we just don’t have a lot of big, fast people. We have some good swimmers but the rest of the
conference has people that can swim a lot faster,” Stanbury said regarding the women’s team. The diving team also had a strong outing as Amy Tran won the women’s diving and Shane Guerrero won the men’s diving. “I’m hoping there is a couple of schools that show up that we haven’t seen before. This will be good practice for us before the state finals if we make it that far,” Stanbury said.
Women’s basketball season ends strong Emerson Keenan
Co-Sports Editor
Despite the difficult season for the women’s basketball team, Coach Steve Shaw feels confident going into the next season. The Warriors finished the season with a win against EC Compton Center, but with a record of 6-18. Highlights from the past few months were hard to find, but Shaw managed to recall some bright spots for his Warriors. “Everyone looks at wins and losses as highlights to a season. Unfortunately, we didn’t get many wins,” Shaw said. “And with that said, I felt we got better as the season went on.” Shaw said the way the players, as well as the team, can improve from this season is to recruit, get better and work hard in preparation for next year. The team also had a challenging season due to the difficulty of their conference schedule, Shaw said. But he added that they were competitive in every game. The Warriors have 10 players eligible for next season and look to
build on the team’s ambition they already have this year. A personal highlight for a few players would be that they made the all-conference first and second teams. Samone Davis made it to first team all-conference, while averaging 10.3 points per game and 6.7 rebounds. Kaitlyn Kung, sophomore, was the top 3-point shooter in the South Coast Conference and made it to second team all-conference. “One of the highlights for me was in one game I made seven 3-pointers in a game with Los Angeles Trade Tech College,” Kung said. The Warriors started with 15 women on the team and finished with the same group, regardless of the rough season. Shaw and Kung each said that the team kept up great encouragement throughout the season, which helped keep the team in tact. Kaela Yonemoto, freshman, is planning on returning next season to help get more wins for the Warriors. “We can always get better,” said Yonemoto. “Also, I would like to to be more of a leader on the team.”
EC Players on the All South Coast Conference Team Samone Davis, - Sophomore, first team - Average of 10.3 points per game - Average of 6.7 rebounds per game - Shot 42.3 percent from the field - Shot 44 percent from the 3-foot range - Scored 29 points in her last game Kaitlyn Kung
- Sophomore, second team - Average of 9.4 points a game - Scored 61 3-pointers this season - Shot 73.3 percent from the free throw line - Scored 21 points in a game against L.A. Trade Tech - Made 70 3-pointers during her time as a Warrior
Track and field team prepares for season Lorenzo Guttierrez Staff Writer
Fresh into the new season, the men’s and women’s track and field players are prepared to race their opponents to the finish line. The season began Feb. 9 and the team has already received high scores in a number of events at a meet at Pasadena City College, according to a Track and Field EC report. “Our training started back in September, offseason,” coach Dean Lofgren said. This season, the men’s and women’s track and field teams are training at Compton because the facility at EC is under construction, Lofgren said. “We can use that facility for free because it is part of EC and is under EC authority; also, we have an
agreement with North High School that we are working on,” Lofgren added.
“I want to run faster than I did in high school. I want to break my scores from high school.”
—Tomas Snur runner
The track and field team competes in 17 different events during their meets which includes jumpers, distance runners, sprints, and relays. The coach is working on developing the runners’ skills as well as preparing them to transfer to a uni-
versity. Half of the players from last season have transferred, allowing several newcomers to join the team and contribute to its success, Lofgren said. The primary goal is to help the freshmen and sophomores. Lofgren wants them to become better track and field athletes as well as do extremely well academically. Tomas Snur is a new runner for the team this season with goals in mind. “I want to run faster than I did in high school,” Snur said. “I want to break my scores from high school.” With 30 years of coaching experience, Lofgren is learning new things every season. “We learned to adjust with the changing of the times without sacrificing our academic and athletic standards,” Lofgren said.
Thursday March, 7, 2013
sports
El Camino College Union 8
Defense saves day for Warriors in win Brian Camacho Co-Opinion Editor
Phil Prins/ Union Warriors’ infielder Tony Poncia connects with the baseball during his first up at bat in the bottom of the first inning of the Warriors’ Feb. 28 game against the Santa Barbra City College Vaqueros. The game was a close scoring one but the Warriors held on to a one run lead to end the game with a win, 3-2.
Volleyball team gets redemption with away victory at Santa Barbara Brian Camacho
Co-Opinion Editor
The men’s volleyball team won a grueling match in Santa Barbara Friday night by a total of three sets to one. Players from the team were hinting this could be a turning point on their season. “This was a big road win for us,” Frank Flanagan, sophomore, setter, said. “When we played them last year, at Santa Barbara, and lost, it was a rough ride back.” Flanagan described that this game was a bit of redemption for the game that they lost last year. The Warriors were able to even up their record to 4-4 heading into conference play. Despite winning the match 3-1, nothing came easy for the warriors as each set was closely contested to the very end, with SBCC refusing to give up. “The way we played in the second set (of 5), was like we were in preseason,” Matt Pimblett, sophomore outside hitter, said. The first set was won by a score of 25-21, second set was lost 19-25, third set was won 25-22 and finally the warriors closed out the game with a deciding 25-16 set. Flagan felt that the team limited the unforced errors. This helped the team finish the match in 4 sets and not 5. After seven non-conference games, the Warriors started the real season ready to make a statement and get started off on the right foot. Sophomore, Danny Welch, middle blocker said that a lot of weight was on this game against Santa
Barbara. He was happy they got what they wanted accomplished done. “Everybody we play is good,” coach Dick Blount said. “If we go out there and guys aren’t initially ready to play then you lose. It’s a challenge for the kids coming out of high school.” After a shaky start, the team has been building some positive momentum going forward, finding the proper balance needed to win. “I’ve been changing lineups and changing up things. When the season starts, sometimes you go in another direction,” Coach Dick Blount said. The Warriors will need to keep this consistency if they are to go far in conference play and make it to the state finals but the team knows they have a good chance accomplishing this. “We’re better than we were last year,” Blount said “Every year the goal is to win state.” The Warriors will have a chance to rest with a bye week before resuming play March 8 against Santa Monica. Pimblett were pointing toward Long Beach as being the rival of the Warriors. He said consistency is the key to moving forward with the season. This is because Long Beach City College which has won the last three conference titles as well as last year’s state championship. But before the Warriors play Long Beach City College on Wednesday, March 20 they will play Santa Monica on Friday at 6 p.m. in the South Gym. “If we play like we did in those last two games of the 5 game set, we can compete with the best teams in the state,” said Pimblett.
Golf team gives good effort but ends up second at Saboba Springs Tourny Steven Tran Staff Writer
On a par-5 hole, Erwyn Lam’s shot strayed out of bounds; Lam recovered it onto the fairway, places it on the green, and putts for par in what could have been an eagle. Meanwhile, James Harpur waits on a partner from an opposing college and this threw off Harpur’s rhythm On Feb. 25, the El Camino Men’s golf team placed second in the Saboba Springs tournament. “It shows we are making progress. We are not all there, as a team,” James Harpur, 20, business administration major said. “It’s difficult to get all the guys to shoot what they are capable of shooting on the same day. We still haven’t shown that this season.” The Warriors will familiarize themselves in a practice round at Crystalaire Country Club in preparation to compete on March 6, Lam, 24, business major said. “Crystalaire is a funky course; the greens are
difficult,” Harpur said. “It seems physically impossible how the ball moves on the green, so we will play practice rounds to gain course knowledge.” The Warriors will make a phone call to speak with the Crystalaire course designer, and receive tips from local golfers on their practice round, Harpur said. After losing to College of the Desert by five strokes on Feb. 25, Stacy Komai, coach, said the long waits during the tournament made it difficult to maintain a “rhythm.” “The people that you play with have a huge impact on your performance,” Lam said, “and as much as you don’t want to take it into consideration, they will eventually affect your game.” Lam added that it’s tough to maintain mental focus because of many factors, but he believes that it is possible. “Golf is a weird sport where some days you have it and some days you don’t,” Harpur added. “It’s tough to get five different guys with their own swings, their own game, and try to get them all to perform well on the same day.”
Defense was the name of the game Thursday as the Warriors managed to pull out a 3-2 win over Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) that came down to the last inning. Coming off another close game in Santa Barbara two nights before, which went into extra innings, the Warriors were able to come back home and stay focused as they improved their record to 6-7. “It’s a good team and they played well so it feels good to beat them,” coach Nate Fernley said. The Warriors jumped out to an early lead, scoring two runs in the first two innings on a couple of line-drive singles by first basemen Dylan Hatch and outfielder Johnny Palmer. Although the Warriors were able to get seven hits off of SBCC pitching, they just could not find any consistency at the plate, only scoring one more run in the fifth inning, but in a game of inches and close calls, that one run would prove to be all they need. Despite the shaky performance from their offense, it was actually the defense that came through for them in the end and solidified the victory. “We still made a couple of errors, which we have to correct, but we react better to our errors. I like the way we played today,” Fernley said. The Warriors defense got off to a slow start this year, but has slowly been improving each and every game, with the team committing fewer errors each time. “We had two errors, I’d like to have zero. That’s our standard.” Fernley said. The team has been trying hard to meet those standards by focusing a lot more on defensive drills during practices. “It’s been intense; we’ve been doing a lot more diving drills during practice; I like it a lot though,” Rex Calkins, infeilder, and a redshirt sophomore said. The dividends payed off as the Warriors defense backed up star pitcher sophomore Rafael Ramirez throughout
the game. This was Ramirez’s third win of the season as he has quickly established himself as the ace of the team. “We work hard in practice to minimize the number of errors we have every game. I’m happy my defense is coming through and making plays for us,” Ramirez said. Ramirez had another strong outing, holding SBCC to only three hits and kept them scoreless throughout the five innings. Although once the sixth inning came around, SBCC finally broke through to him scoring 2 runs which cut the Warriors lead to one. “The sixth inning is always the shakiest for me. Once I get there they always end up having big innings but I battled through it, my defense backed me up, and we got the win so that’s all that matters,” Ramirez said. SBCC threatened to score in the top
“We got a little swagger, a little pep in our step.”
—Coach Fernley
of the ninth inning, but could not break through against the solid pitching of reliever Josh Mingura, as he closed out the game thanks to some key defensive plays. “They’re a really good team. Great competition and it was a good win for us,” Sean Isaac said. The real season now begins as conference play starts March 5 with a three game series against Long Beach City College. The Warriors lost the first game 10-3. The Warriors will head into conference play with an emerging sense of confidence as well as a two game win streak which puts them just one game below .500. “What I like is that we’re actually playing better. We got a little swagger, a little pep in our step. We’re going to go in and try to keep this momentum,” Fernley said.