Issue 12, March 14

ONLINE EXCLUSIVE:

Video features women in non-traditional fields

NIO U N

FEATURES: The Forgotten History of St. Patrick’s Day

EL CAMINO COLLEGE

March, 14, 2013

Tradition blossoms at annual festival

Sleep deprivation can affect more than just grades Joh’nysha Vercher Staff Writer

Kyle Borden/ Union Honored guest speaker Donald Hata gives a speech at the Nadine Ishitami Hata Memorial Cherry Blossom Festival on March 7.

Torrance, California

College can be a wonderful experience both socially and academically but also a balancing act that leads to lack of sleep for many students.

Academic achievements and social existence are things that students strive to accomplishment through their collegiate journey.

However, those wants and needs do not come without a price. Late night cram sessions accompanied by idle chit-chat on the phone, can cause lack of sleep resulting in the inability to succeed in school.

“People procrastinate and put it off until you end up doing your homework at the last minute and that is why you get deprived of sleep. Then you get into class the next day and you’re not doing as good as you should,” Tony Galvan, 18, business major said.

In an article on thehuffingtonpost.com, it said that in some studies that were done, students who were getting an average amount of sleep were receiving, on average, a full grade higher than those who weren’t.

While students strive for high grades by studying into the wee

hours of the night, not only are they becoming sleep deprived but are costing themselves the grades they wanted in the first place.

“Oh sure, what college student isn’t, I would say I get four hours sleep max,” Jessica Leves, 21, sociology major said. “Studying for multiple classes takes a toll on me, plus work and friends makes it difficult to get a full eight hours.”

On a certain level students realize how lack of sleep can affect their academic performance but old habits are hard to break.

“Yeah I dont think anyone gets the sleep they need, theres always some kind of work to do,” Richard Brown, 23, computer science major.

“I know studying until you crash isn’t a good thing but you just get used to it.”

Not only is lack of sleep bad for students academically but it can also lead to more dangerous health effects. Sleep deprivation in students can cause lower grades and also can be associated with serious health risks.

According to an article on latimes.com, sleep deprivation can lead to health risk to those who lack the proper amount of sleep, work early in the mornings and work late at night. The same article

further stated that the genes from sleep deprived individuals were being damaged while those who slept well were producing new cells.

The article also states that health risks for people who suffer from sleep deprivation include diabetes, stroke, and high blood pressure.

“I wasn’t aware that not sleeping was that serious,” Leves said. “It really makes you think but people are so concerned with getting decent grades and probably wont care about the health risk.”

Students have witnessed first hand what the lack of sleep can do when dealing with the stress of school work.

“There was this guy last year in my class that fell asleep in his book,” Laura Ramone, 19, English major, said. “It was hard waking him up, he basically crashed from studying for his finals.”

While students see sleep deprivation as an overwhelming problem, they do believe that simple remedies can take place.

“I think its a problem that’s talked about but not something people try to deal with,” Ramone said. “If people manage their time more, stick to a schedule, and try not to do everything, it can be avoided.”

Ceremony celebrates the MBA opening Steven Tran Staff Writer

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.

The construction process incorporated the latest in technology, Thomas E. Brown, irector of facilities planning and services, said.

“It’s a lot like the Humanities

Building; it’s set up by the same architect and has a lot of the same features and benefits,” Brown said.

“However, the computer labs are more sophisticated, and it has a Nursing department on the fourth floor,” he added.

The fourth floor of the MBA building is dedicated towards an “Allied Health” program: Nursing, Respiratory Therapy, and Radiology programs are centralized into a single unit.

“Last year we were on the opposite side of the campus. It was a very old building. The difference between that building and this one is night and day. 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.

The building contains ecofriendly features which meet and exceed energy conservation concerns, also known as Title 24, Brown added.

“The roofing has a white coating for refection, and the glazing is high-energy efficient: what we call E-rated. Also, the mechanical devices are economized to minimize the amount of energy we have to use: there are sensors which shut off when students are not in there,” Brown said.

However, the MBA building is not “perfect” and there have been a number of issues that we have

expierienced with the building since the beginning of this semester, Olumba said.

One of our teachers had trouble getting in the building, with her own code over the weekend but she wasn’t able to do so; she contacted the EC Police to try to help and the policemen were not able to get in either,” Olumba added.

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.

Phil Prins/ Union Board of trustees vice president Ken Brown and visitors tour the fourth floor of the MBA building during its grand opening ceremony on March 6.

Rise in breast cancer rates among young women heightens student awareness Philip Prins

Staff Writer

NEWS LINE

Breast-cancer rates in women ages 25 to 39 have almost doubled during the past 34 years, according to a recently released report by The Journal of the American Medical Association.

The increase spans all ethnicities with no “similar increase” in other age groups and no root causes have been identified, according to the same report, which characterized the increase as “small

By Emerson Keenan

but statistically significant.”

Debbie Conover, student health services coordinator, said younger women on campus shouldn’t let the report scare them.

“I think the thing is, you don’t want to get alarmed,” Conover said. “You want to get proactive rather than reactive. Knowledge is power.”

Deborah Herzik, a certified family nurse practitioner at the Student Health Center, said female students should talk to their doctors if they have a family history

of breast cancer, conduct monthly self breast exams and take their health seriously.

“We always encourage any person on campus to eat a healthy low fat diet; lean protein rich in fiber and antioxidants, fresh fruits and vegetables, get plenty of rest,” Herzik said. “Water is really, really important. It’s important to stay well hydrated and exercise.”

Conover said that the Student Health Center offers free physical exams and

that students that have any questions or concerns about breast cancer are always welcome.

One faculty member with first-hand knowledge of the disease is Debra Breckheimer, 53, English professor, who was diagnosed with stage-three breast cancer in February of 2012 and is still in the recovery process.

She said that her diagnosis had taken her completely off guard because there had been no physical symptoms such as lumps, odd sensa-

tions or unusual levels of fatigue.

“I was in utter shock,” Breckheimer said. “I felt like I was the healthiest person in the world when I walked in for my routine mammogram.”

She said another reason she hadn’t expected the diagnoses was due to a shift in her lifestyle 8 years ago that included eating healthy foods and exercising routinely.

She cautioned younger women not to feel invincible

because of their age.

“I didn’t think it could happen to me because I took to good a care of myself, but I think there were to many years where I didn’t,” Breckheimer said. “My message to them (younger women) would be that you have to start very early taking good care of yourself and being mindful of what you put into your body and what it does.”

Although some of the younger female students may not yet be considering the possibility of getting

Financial aid workshop

San Diego State tour

Nursing info workshop

University fair on lawn

On Tuesday from 2 to 4 p.m. there will be a Financial Aid Workshop in SSC 204-G. The workshop will cover information about Financial Aid and provide assistance in completing the online financial aid application. For more information contact the Financial Aid Office 310-660-3493.

March 23, the Transfer Center will be hosting a tour of San Diego State University. A $5 refundable deposit is required upon signing up. For more information or to sign up, contact the Transfer Center at 310-660-3593 ext. 6137.

Interested in becoming a nursing major? On March 26 from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Distance Education Room, there will be a nursing information workshop. For more information about this event call 310-660-3593 ext. 3404 or visit the Counseling Center.

On March 28 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. there will be a University Fair on the Library Lawn featuring dozens of representatives from colleges all over California. For more information call 310-6603593 ext. 6137 or visit the Career and Transfer Center

breast cancer, Mayra Acevedo, 20, nursing major, said the thought had crossed her mind.

“It’s scary and I do try to check myself regularly,” she said.

Acevedo said her peers should be vigilant as well.

“They definitely have to think about it because sometimes when you actually find out about it, it’s too late and you’re regretting it so you do have to keep up with yourself,” she said. “It’s very simple, so just go for it.”

Undecided majors workshop Undecided major workshop from 1 to 3 p.m. on March 28. The workshop will be taking place in SSC room 207. This workshop is designed to help students find a major. For more information call 310-660-3593 ext. 6137 or visit the Career and Transfer Center.

2 El Camino College Union POLICE BEat

By Karen Garcia

Law academy student loses consciousness

news

Nursing program resuscitated

March 9, 7:30 a.m.–A 14-year-old male student was participating in the South Bay Regional Law Academy. The male subject was feeling weak and the paramedics were called.

The paramedics arrived on scene and transported the male to an area hospital.

Female spared from getting car impounded March 10, 11 p.m.–An officer did a traffic stop on a vehicle on Redondo Beach Boulevard adjacent to EC. The vehicle had a broken headlight. The driver, female, was unlicensed. The female was given a citation and the officer let the female call someone to come pick up the vehicle.

Note left on hit-and-run victim’s vehicle March 11, 1 p.m.–Officers responded to a call in Lot L regarding a hit-and-run report. A male student returned to his car at approximately 12:50 p.m. to find a note from a unknown witness.

Another car had collided with the male student’s car and a witness wrote down the license plate of the vehicle. The matter is still under investigation.

Photo by Philip Prins/Union Nursing students practice on a dummy as visitors looks on with interest through an observation window during the grand opening ceremony of the MBA building on March 6.

Joh’nysha Vercher Staff Writer

Nursing at EC has been given a new breath of life after moving into the recently finished Math, Business, Allied Health

Sciences Building.

Open for the first day of the spring semester, the long awaited MBA building was welcomed by students and faculty after a long construction process.

“Our goal was to be ready to

educate students at the start of spring and we accomplished that need,” Rory Natividad, division dean of health science and athletics, said.

While all the classes being taught in the new MBA building are important, the health science programs were greatly impacted by the move from their old individual areas on campus.

“All of our health science programs are up there and all of them have great new technologies,” Natividad said.

Integration with the health science buildings will add more of a wide range of perspectives to the students in each given field.

“That only adds to the tools that our students have when they leave here,” Natividad said.

Students are able to see what a respiratory care therapist and a radiologic technologist do as well as what an X-ray machine and nursing simulation lab look like, Natividad added.

With the integration of the

Fog obscures darkly clothed pedestrian March 11, 9 p.m.–Officers responded to a vehicle report in Lot L. A female driving south said that her windows at the time were foggy. As she was driving, she struck a male student who was wearing all black clothing. The male had minor injuries and was transported to Gardena Memorial Hospital.

Suspect arrested for outstanding warrant March 13, 11 a.m.–Officers pulled over a vehicle on Crenshaw Boulevard. The driver made an illegal turn from the school and was simultaneously talking on his cellphone. Officers found that the male had a $50,000 arrest warrant for being an unlicensed driver. The EC Police Department Transported the male subject over to the Hawthorne Police Department.

Driver cited for speeding and marijuana March 13, 12:33 a.m.–A Officer observed a speeding vehicle.

The driver was talking on a cell phone and driving at 60 MPH in a 35-MPH zone. The driver was male and unlicensed. Officers uncovered a small amount of marijuana. The male student was given a citation and his vehicle was impounded for 30 days.

health science programs and the move to a new building, nursing students seem satisfied.

“I think we’ll have better success in the nursing program because everything is new and up to date, we can fit more people, and there’s a lot more equipment,” Elizabeth Dehaan, 22, nursing major, said. “Overall I think it’s more conducive for a better learning environment.”

The view of the nursing program and its new location is evident even among non-nursing majors who see the importance of the new building.

“The new building is amazing,“ Rachel Kegan, 23, philosophy major said. “I think the classes for the nurses are really cool, feels like you’re in a hospital.”

The new building is being held in high regard and the need for change from the old building seems to be not only welcomed, but necessary.

“It’s a new building versus

a building that was built forty years ago,” Natividad said. “It’s not only necessary but essential to us continuing to educate future practitioners.”

Nursing students found the old building to fail in comparison to where they are now. They are now able to do more with what they have.

“Its great,” Dehaan said. “It’s better than the old building. We have a new simulation lab and everything is more spacious. It was really small in the old building.”

The transition from moving the nursing program and the other health science programs has been smooth.

“We’re up and running,” Natividad said. “We have our classes over there. All our faculty are moved. They have great classrooms and great offices. I think it’s a premiere building to be teaching in right now.”

Professor is Mumbai marathon marvel

Unlicensed, uninsured driver crashes car March 11, 2 p.m.–Officers responded to a call regarding a traffic collision in Lot L. A female student was driving north in the parking lot when another vehicle was going south in her direction, cutting into her lane.

The female said that she panicked and when moving away from the oncoming vehicle, struck two parked vehicles. It was discovered that the female was unlicensed and did not have insurance. She was given a citation.

March 14, 2013

Photo by Philip Prins/Union Matt Ebiner, 52, geography professor, stands with a world map in his class. Ebner recently won first place in his age class in the Standard Charter Mumbai Marathon in January.

Eric Hseih

Staff Writer

If Bear Grylls started teaching at EC tomorrow, he might be the second most athletic and well-traveled faculty member on campus.

This past January, six weeks before his 52 birthday, geography professor Matt Ebiner, won his race category at the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon.

“You go through the preparation and when it comes to fruition there’s a deep sense of satisfaction,” Ebiner said. “Something that takes months or even years is especially satisfying.”

Ebiner is no stranger to the world of endurance running, nor the training and dedication it takes to win such an event.

At India’s largest marathon, while pitted against 2,000 other runners, Ebiner came in first with a finishing time of

2:44:45. For reference, if he had run this time back in 1909, he would’ve been the world record holder for the 26-mile race.

Ebiner’s patient but determined attitude has served as a foundation for many of his most impressive athletic feats.

According to his online bio, Ebiner competed in the U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon in 1988 and 1992 and ran 222 miles through the Sierra Nevada over nine days. He has also completed multiple top-five finishes in his age group at the Masters World Mountain Running Championships.

So how did this San Gabriel Valley native learn to build accomplishment out of discomfort?

The answer may lie back in 1980, when at the age of 19, Ebiner embarked, by himself, on a 49-day, 4,000 mile, bicycle trip across the U.S. “It [the trip] was just one sense of accomplishment after another,” Ebiner said. I was

Conference celebrates women in alt careers Juan Lorenzo Guttierrez Staff Writer

To celebrate Women’s History Month, EC will present the Girls and Women Technical Conference March 15 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Women In Non-Traditional Employment Roles (WINTER), a non-profit agency that helps women find jobs in nontraditional occupations, and Women in Industry and Technology (WIT) planned the upcoming conference to encourage women to pursue nontraditional roles in school and workplace settings.

“Basically, this conference is about women in technology,” Victoria Martinez, WIT program coordinator, said.

“We are trying to encourage women to go into technical fields.”

Francisco Arce, vice president of academics affairs, Stephanie Rodriguez, dean of industry and technology, and Alejandra Torres, of WINTER, will be in attendance at the conference, Martinez said.

“We find that women may be intimidated to take technical classes because

they aren’t familiar with those areas; so we find with hands-on activities they could become more familiar with the technology,” Martinez added.

Other activities that the conference will offer include hands-on workshops and a resource and job fair, Martinez said.

The workshops will cover a variety of different areas, including automobiles, welding, computer hardware, and robotics.

“It is a big event because I am going into architecture and also I am interested in construction,” Jenny Ceballos, architecture major and president of WIT, said.

The conference will be open to women of the EC community, neighboring high schools and faculty who will conduct the workshops.

“Our goal here is to encourage women to go into these non-traditional technical fields and take occupations,” Martinez said.

To reserve a seat for the conference and more information, women interested in attending need to register online at www.elcamino.edu/academics/wit.

doing it solo, and it would have been very easy for me to just turn around or hop on a bus and go back. But every day I reached a destination knowing I had to depend on myself to get there.”

Incidentally, the bicycle trip also sparked something else within him: a hardcore passion for traveling.

Ebiner has visited 140 countries, many of them as a faculty member for EC’s past study abroad programs.

“I love seeing new things, and I’ve always enjoyed learning, so traveling is just doing both,” he said.

“You just get exposed to places and people you otherwise wouldn’t meet. It’s so much deeper than just reading about them or seeing them on TV.” Ebiner’s travel bug meshes perfectly with his teaching. Geography is a way for him to understand what he sees on his travels, and his real-world experience heightens the realism of his classroom.

“I tell all my students that we live on a magnificent planet and there are so many

beautiful places that most students have never seen photos of or even heard of,” Ebiner said. “Traveling helps me experience those personally, but also improves my classes.”

Nowadays, the only thing he loves more than seeing the world is sharing it with others. In this pursuit, Ebiner created his own travel company, GeoTours.

Already this year, GeoTours has led trips to India and Nepal, with tours to Morocco, Russia, Peru, and Iceland planned in the next nine months.

“I think that when you share something that you love, it multiplies your enjoyment of it,” Ebiner said.

Though Ebiner’s accomplishments seem lofty, even otherworldly, in the end he is motivated by very simple and grounded reasons.

“I want to see what I can do and I want to live a life without regrets so that when I reflect back, I won’t kick myself seeing what I could have done,” Ebiner said. “That’s the sort of mental pain I don’t want to have.”

features

March 14, 2013

El Camino College Union 3

Image courtesy of http://www.instablogs.com/a-history-of-american-prejudice.html

The forgotten history of St. Patrick’s Day Steven Tran and Thomas Schmit Staff Writer and Editor-in-Chief

Chances are, if you think of the Irish, some of the first few thoughts to enter your head will be of alcohol and St. Patrick’s day. While there’s nothing wrong with celebrating a holiday, what was once a celebration of heritage has degenerated into a harmful stereotype.

“People believe that the Irish race gets drunk on a daily basis” Roberto Ledesmo, 18, who is receiving a certificate in powerline industry readiness, said.

The truth is that the Irish have struggled with persecution and prejudices for hundreds of years.

In the 1700s, England colonized Ireland, but because England was a protestant country, and Ireland was a mostly Catholic country, the English viewed the Irish as “Uncivilized savages,” Emily Rader, history professor, said.

Even after moving to a new country, many Irish immigrants continued to face prejudices in their new home.

“The early 1800s was the first major influx of

Irish immigrants into the U.S., and they were coming because of grave and extensive poverty because of the potato famine in Ireland,” Christina Gold, history professor, said. Once in this country, they continued to experience “a remarkable amount of discrimination,” Gold added.

In addition to their status as poor foreigners, the protestant revivals and alcohol prohibitions that characterized the 19th century only contributed toward making the Irish a “target” for discrimination, Gold said.

A series of cartoons by illustrator Thomas Nast are characteristic of the views of the Irish at the time, depicting the Irish in a similar way as African Americans were, Gold said.

“They did not think of the Irish as a nationality, but as a separate and inferior race of people,” Gold added.

Eventually, in areas with a concentrated Irish population, the Irish were able to elect government officials to gain a strong political representation, Rader said. In time, the Irish rose to middle class and became “respectable and accepted as Americans” Rader added.

Photo Illustration by Paula Geerligs

“So in the cities where they were politically strong, St. Patrick’s day celebrations became common,” Rader said.

Originally, St. Patrick’s day was a holiday celebrating the conversion of Ireland into Catholicism, Alex Sanford, 19, undeclared major, said.

However, “St. Patrick’s Day is a cultural event in the U.S. with just about no religious substance,” Rader said. In effect, it became a celebration of a unique and proud heritage.

Unfortunately, as the Irish assimilated in to American culture, the stereotypes that had previously defined the Irish continued to be associated with St. Patrick’s day.

The truth is that drinking obscene amounts of booze is not exclusive to the Irish.

“Because drinking is traditionally a part of celebrating, almost any culture has that element,” Rader said. “In this country, we sort of find any excuse to drink. It’s a part of our culture”.

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EDITORIAL

4 El Camino College Union

March 14, 2013

Being overly reliant on technology has its glitches

Illustration by Eugene Chang

It wasn’t very long ago that our ancestors huddled in caves, hoping the light of a fire would be enough to hold back the primal terrors that stalked us.

Throughout recorded history people have been dependent upon technology in order to survive.

Never before has the disconnect between technology and people’s understanding of it been as great as it is today.

Once upon a time, if you needed to survive, you could walk out into the forest, hack down a tree, fashion yourself a spear, and live like a king.

While it’s great that technology has advanced to its modern day incarnation, there’s something worrisome about complete reliance on technologies your average joe hasn’t the first clue how to fix.

It’s an issue everyone in the modern world faces, and even we here at the Union aren’t immune to to the cruel depredations of gremlins or being left at the mercy of that mysterious priesthood known as the “I.T. Department”.

Last week, the workflow tool/ website the Union uses was overwhelmed with traffic and inaccessible.

Although the site was only down for a few hours, all work in the newsroom ground to a screeching halt, as editors and writers alike panicked; our entire organization had been rendered paralyzed.

In hindsight, any number of

The Issue • As a society, we have become too reliant on technology

Our Stand • We need to take charge and not let machines take over solutions and work arounds could have dealt with the issue, but at the time the majority of us simply got down on our knees and prostrated ourselves to the technology deities.

It seems silly to think about an organization full of bright, intelligent people, the majority of whom have a working grasp of comput-

ers and the full Adobe software suite being completely powerless in the face of a single technical issue.

It’s an issue our school faces as well.

EC recently had a meeting with the state accreditation board that went horribly wrong when thanks to technical difficulties, we were unable to show them even a single Student Learning Outcome (SLO).

Thanks to that little glitch, our school has once again been placed on warning, and it could have been avoided by something as simple as a hard copy backup.

While we don’t blame the school for this incident, this only underscores our culture’s overreliance on technology we barely understand.

Technology is great, when it works, but everyone needs to be prepared for a day when it doesn’t work for whatever reason.

Sure, it might mean just missing the new episode of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills”, but it could also mean having your word processor eat your term paper an hour before class.

See related article on Page 2

Demanding schedules lead to students sleeping on good grades The recipe for getting enough sleep and achieving academic success is effective time management.

There are 168 hours in a week.

A full-time student taking 12 units in a semester spends 12 hours each week in the classroom.

That same student is expected to spend 36 hours outside of class each week studying.

Imagine now that this same student works a part-time job that averages 24 hours per week.

We will assume that this student wants some sort of social life, so we will subtract 10 hours for that as well.

Add in the commute to and from school and two and from work, and that’s another 12 hours on average each week.

We’ve already used up more than half the hours in the week, and we’ve not allowed time for

getting dressed, showering, the demands of family for those who have them or eating.

With all these demands on time, how are students getting any sleep?

Sleep deprivation is a big issue for college students with busy schedule.

The challenge is in carving out a manageable schedule and sticking to it, but as emergencies and last minute situations arise, it becomes increasingly difficult to do so.

So what is a busy student to do?

Start each week with a list of goals that need to be accomplished, and a plan for getting them done.

The EC bookstore sells a handy

planner each year that is custom made for EC and has all school holidays and breaks pre-recorded for your convenience.

Start by blocking out the hours you know you will be in class.

Then look at the syllabus for each class.

Your class syllabus is the roadmap to your success.

Look at the plan for each week ahead of time, and then schedule an appointment for yourself to get the required reading or assignments done.

When assignments require both reading and writing, plan for both by scheduling the reading, a time to review what you’ve read and a time to write the necessary assignment.

Most jobs put out a weekly schedule so that employees know when they are scheduled to come in.

Mark your work schedule in your planner each week, and plan accordingly.

Multitasking is your friend.

While sitting at the receptionist desk, look over your anthropology notes. Handle some of your reading while riding the bus to and from school or work.

Study time can be fun time if you do it correctly. Get together with a group of friends on a Saturday night, pop some popcorn, and drill each other on keywords, phrases and important topics from your weekly classes.

If your boyfriend loves you, he

won’t mind drilling you on that long list of dates you have to memorize for next week’s history class.

Your girlfriend can show her love by proofreading that essay you wrote for English class.

Make flash cards and have your friends drill you while sitting in your favorite restaurant waiting for the food to come.

Remember that naps are not just for kindergarteners anymore.

A quick 30 to 40 minute nap can be just the thing that you need to help refresh you after a busy day of classes and work.

There are going to be times when you may not be able to manage to get it all done, and that is OK. The thing to remember is that

of all the things on your schedule, sleep is one of the most important.

Without sleep, your brain cannot function properly, and you will be of no use to anyone at home, school or work if you have not had enough of it.

Lack of sleep can also be directly attributed to not doing as well on quizzes and exams.

Don’t let the lack of sleep impede your academic progress and success.

Succeeding in college is the main reason you are here.

You want to be the best and leave the others behind, but don’t leave your rest behind.

See related article on Page 1

CSU local area policy creates losses for all Our televisions are our life partners campus insight At a Board of Trustees meeting in Fall 2011, Dr. Christina Gold President of the Academic Senate reported that the AS was in the process of looking into an Dillan Horton 19, Political Science admission policy of CSULB. This policy, known as Local Admission & Service Areas, are established by the CSUs and give preference in admissions to students applying from either high schools or colleges in these areas over students outside of the area.

Established by the CSUs to provide a service to their area’s students, it inadvertently creates a number of problems.

EC is one of a number of schools that lie just outside of one of these areas, so our students are put at a disadvantage to other students at all competitive CSUs. All schools aren’t equal in services, programs, and opportunities.

An engineering student may live within the priority admission area for a CSU with the poorest engineering program in the whole system, and they may end up being accepted to their local school but denied by the school that is best set to meet their educational needs.

They aren’t being denied because they aren’t a good student; they are being denied because other

U N NIO EL CAMINO COLLEGE

Vol. 66, No. 12 March 14, 2013

E -mail: eccunion@gmail.com Newsroom: (310) 660-3328 Advertising: (310) 660-3329

students who applied live closer.

The last disadvantage isn’t levied against students but the CSU themselves.

They are denied the opportunity to accept the best students state-wide. They must first accept those that live closest to them, and if there is room left, they may accept students who live farther away.

Not only is this inherently unfair, but it creates a situation in which the CSUs are accepting students who aren’t prepared for the course work.

In a resolution adopted by the ASO Senate the organization finds the policy overall unfair, and therefore could not advocate for becoming a part of the admission area of any CSU. The ASO is looking for the discontinued use of the Local Admission & Service Areas in making admission decisions.

Those looking for more information on this complex issue can contact the ASO. 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

Karen Garcia Staff Writer

Time and not having enough of it is a common complaint that young adults seem to groan about every day.

In the attempt to juggle academic sanity and work professionalism, there is not much time

for anything else.

At the end of the day we are so consumed by the constant ticking away of the minutes spent walking the dog or studying for the math midterm, it’s hard to keep up with family, friends or even relationships.

The one relationship that we do seem to be able to manage with no problem is the one with our televisions.

You can admit that at the end of the night you can’t seem to do much more than drop your bag on the floor and walk to the nearest empty seat, flip on the switch and feel comfortable consuming every bit of what that screen has to show you.

The television never seems to fail you; there’s always something on to amuse you, make you question yourself, or even teach you a valuable lesson.

For instance, you’re just a click away from entering the AMC portal on Sunday night to catch up with “The Walking Dead.” Will this group of people ever find a safe haven and end the constant battle of running from incoherent people?

The Union is published Thursdays by Journalism 11 students at El Camino College, 16007 Crenshaw Blvd., Torrance, CA 90506, and is free to the student body and staff.

Unsigned editorials and cartoons are the opinion of the editorial board and do not reflect the views of the student body, staff or administration. Letters to the editor must be signed and must be received one week prior to publication in the Union office, Humanities Building Room 113.

Letters are subject to editing for space, libel, obscenity and disruption of the educational process. Single copies of the Union are free; multiple copies can be requested through the Union.

It’s Thursday, and you need a little relief, so you walk over to that familiar place in front of your television and the primetime lineup on NBC. It’s time to catch up on the quirky and comedic outbursts of “The Office”, which is still not the same without Steve Carrel’s character Michael Scott, but that’s a totally different subject.

Sometimes it’s just one of those days when you need to stay informed and up to date with current events, so you grab the remote and tune into CNN. If that doesn’t give you enough grief about the recent budget cuts and gas price hike, the next channel you tune into has the “48 Hour Mystery”.

You can’t seem to break away from the television because you have to know if that woman in that segment was murdered by her husband or some unknown man.

Your television will sit and wait for you, day and night until you return from the world of chaos.

It knows you’ve had a hard day. It knows you forgot your astrology quiz was today and you crammed in two hours of studying right before the test. It knows you’ve been stuck in traffic on the 405 freeway for 45 minutes.

It knows that you’ve made the effort to spend quality time with it.

And you know that throughout the rest of your life your television will always be a comforting relationship that you will always be able to maintain.

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Opinion

March 14, 2013

El Camino College Union 5

UP FOR DEBATE

Should we increase social interaction with the Compton campus?

Relationships should come naturally and not be forced to work

Students should join forces in order to maximize resources

Rigo Bonilla Arts Editor

While most colleges are only-children, others, like EC, are fortunate enough to have a sibling.

The Torrance campus finds itself in the unique position of having the Compton campus as a brother.

Although the two campuses share the same name and are a short freeway drive away from each other, they don’t seem to be taking advantage of this situation.

Maybe it’s the taboo of the name Compton; gangster and rappers have been telling us how dangerous Compton can be since the early ‘90s and most students scoff at just the mention of having to go to the Compton campus.

It seems the only time students enrolled in Torrance have any exposure to the Compton student body is when classes are full and they are forced to enroll at Compton to meet requirements.

Why not start creating a more fluid environment where it’s not Torrance and Compton, but just El Camino?

California community college students share a lot of the same problems, concerns and struggles wherever they are.

Both campuses could be uniting to create a support system and community for events, rallies and fundraisers.

With two student bodies in harmony, every program, club, and organization would have a bigger voice.

There aren’t many foreseeable disadvantages to having an open dialogue between the two campuses, but maybe there’s an issue in between that most don’t want to see.

According to ElCamino.edu, as of winter 2007, the Compton campus was comprised of 50.4 percent African-American students, while the Torrance campus had only 17.7 percent.

In a part of the country that is more advanced in tolerance and diversity, is it possible that racial discomfort still exists?

As students, young people are the gatekeepers of tomorrow, and it should be our

responsibility to prove that race really isn’t an issue any more.

We are all students at uncertain turning points in our lives and that is what we have in common; but beyond that, our differences need to be turned into points of strength, not fear.

Most community colleges have enough to worry about for their students, EC on the other hand, has two campuses to oversee; the second being the Compton campus.

While students at the Compton campus and here at the main campus share the EC name, that is where the similarities end.

Kayla Maaytah Staff Writer

When engaged in conversation, the usual joke among Torrance students tends to be on the state of the city of Compton itself; whether it be with crime, gang issues or just its unsettling reputation perpetuated by rap music.

This is not the issue at hand, although it is a crippling stereotype for all involved.

The fact of the matter is that social segregation between the campuses exists and should continue to exist because we are two separate campuses, in two separate cities with two very different student bodies.

This is not to say any student at the Compton campus deserves any less of an education or treatment because of their address, but if the two campuses were meant to socially migrate within one another they would have done so naturally.

The issue would not have to be pushed because no relationship, whether between two people in love or the collective solidarity between related city colleges, is going to work when forced.

Within the three years I have been a student here at EC, I have only heard mention of the Compton center in the context of either administration issues they are having with their campus or the option of someone taking a class there because one at Torrance was completely full.

While the Compton center acts as a beneficial resource to EC students in graduating sooner, those having to venture there to take a class aren’t always excited at the idea.

If the two campuses were to socially integrate successfully, any debate over whether or not students should mix in with the Compton center would never even come up.

Such a debate would be out of the question because their students and our students would all be the Warriors, under the same mascot and logo.

Illustration by Eugene Chang

Hungry students should be trying to get the most bang for their buck Column

Monique Judge Co-Opinion Editor

The other day I was in the newsroom feeling a bit sluggish.

I needed to refuel, and I needed to refuel fast, so I decided to walk over to the bookstore for my usual pick-me-up: two cans of Rockstar and a bottle of Smartwater.

I asked my friend and colleague to take the walk with me.

As we stood in line to pay for my purchases, my friend asked why I came all the way to the bookstore when Cafe Camino was right next to the Humanities Building and just a short walk from the newsroom.

“Simple,” I said. “Pricing.”

Everything in the bookstore has a lower price than comparable items sold at Cafe Camino.

From mini donuts to candy bars to chips, the difference in price can range anywhere from a few cents to nearly a dollar.

Those price differences add up.

As we continued our discussion, the nice woman ringing up my purchases informed us that the reason for this is that the bookstore is owned by EC; the rest of the eateries on campus are privately owned businesses that have concession contracts with EC. Now imagine my shock at this news.

There is such a pricing disparity at these campus eateries that I often find myself opting to go across the street and eat at Subway, Chicken Maison or worse yet, McDonalds.

Why spend the money on campus for something I don’t deem to be as good when I can spend my

money off campus and get more bang and taste for my buck?

All of my classes are in the Humanities Building, so Cafe Camino would be the logical choice when it’s time to eat, but it is never my first choice.

The food there is only so-so in my opinion, and as I previously stated, I can find cheaper eats across the street.

Add to this the fact that some of the employees in Cafe Camino are less than polite when dealing with customers, and that is even more incentive to spend my money elsewhere.

The cute guy with the ponytail in Chicken Maison is always happy to see me, and I will gladly give him my $5.95 each day I’m on campus if it means I get to see that Colgate smile and hear him call my name when my food is ready.

I don’t mean to make Cafe Camino my target though; their outdoor seating area seems to be

the preferred gathering spot on campus.

This makes them the popular spot on campus and they should appreciate this fact and take into consideration that they are serving students who are on a budget.

The pricing vs. the servings do not match.

The Manhattan is an often overlooked eatery on campus; their prices are lower than those at Cafe Camino, and their menu is a lot more varied.

Of course, when considering that long trek across campus, again, I may just choose to go across the street.

When I had a math class in the MBM, I would often run into Munchy for a last minute snack or drink.

They, too, have reasonable prices, and the staff is nice as well.

If you want a great breakfast burrito, you will want to go to Common Grounds; for less than $4 you can get a hearty meal, but

get there early, because they sell out fast, and they don’t make more.

Also, keep in mind that they are cash only and your plastic credit or debit cards will do you no good there.

Students are busy, hungry and we want to eat somewhere with good food and good prices.

Campus eateries should take that into consideration or risk watching their customers walk across the street.

Please connect with me by email at eccunionmonique@gmail.com Follow me on Twitter @ECCUnionMonique

campus corner

By Karen Garcia

Michael Le Political Science Club President

Michael Le is the president of the Political Science Club. The club meets every first and third Tuesday of each month in the Social Sciences Building Room 212.

What is the Political Science Club about?

The Political Science Club is a non-partisan organization in which we as students learn more about the issues that not only affect us but issues that are going on worldwide. We as a group try to keep an open mind about these issues and have both sides, democratic and republican, voice their opinion.

How have you made improvements to the club?

After starting up the club again this semester, I redrafted the constitution so that everything that is debated in the club is decided by a majority vote. This club is run by its student members.

How can one join the club?

Are there any specific requirements?

Membership is free and anyone can join.

Basically membership is based on the person’s interest in politics and the drive to learn more.

What makes the Political Science Club stand out from the rest of the clubs offered here at EC? We are a collective group of students that are interested in politics. The great thing about this club is that students who join have different majors such as anthropology or economics but political science coincides with those majors one way or another.

Why would you encourage students to join your club?

This is a no-pressure environment in which students can come together to speak about a vast amount of issues. We have had many topics that range from the issues in Islam, abortion or voting rights in Third World countries.

Do you have any plans for events this semester or any plans merging with other clubs?

This semester we are planning to work with the Feminist Club, Anthropology Club and the Young Americans for Liberty Club. Last year we worked on advocating Prop. 30 with the Associated Student Organization (ASO). We also worked with ASO on the voter registration drive.

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 we increase social interaction with the Compton campus?

By Karen Garcia

Milan Suki, 19, Psychology

Michael Sico, 18, Chemistry

Emma Trejo, 19, Biology

Ben Sarno, 22, Electrical Engineer

Asia Baker, 19, Political Science

Yuri De Paz, 20, Psychology

“Yes. I think we should be more communicative between the the two campuses. We’re considered the same school and yet we have different teams.”

“Yes. I think we should be all one school. Each school should promote each other’s events so students from both campuses can be more social.”

“No. I know we have the same name but it may be hard to do an event when certain students aren’t able to commute from one campus to the other.”

“No. I don’t think that many people care whether we (Torrance) are connected with the Compton center or not.”

“(No) I think it’s totally irrelevant; it’s two different schools, two different environments. I think that the Compton center isn’t as diverse as EC.”

“(No) I don’t think it’s necessary unless it benefits students in some way. There doesn’t really need to be interaction.”

arts

6 El Camino College Union

March 14, 2013

On the scene

By Kayla Maaytah

Event Annual Craftsmen’s Spring Arts The Torrance Cultural Arts Center presents the 14th Annual Craftsmen’s Spring Arts and Crafts Fair, March 16 in the Ken Miller Recreation Center, 3341 Torrance Blvd from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free and open admission to all. For more information please call 310-376-7488.

Fighting Jamesons at James Armstrong Theatre

Stephen D. West’s photographs, including these, are on display at Madrona Marsh Nature Preserve in Torrance until April 5 in the “Moments ro Reflect” exhibit that displays pictures of the marsh.

The Fighting Jamesons provide a traditional style of music and have performed with well-known Irish performers. Showtime is at 7 p.m. on March 23.

‘Moments to Reflect’ showcases the Madrona Marsh

Performance Production of Grease The ECC Center for the Arts presents their rendition the classic musical, “Grease.” Show times include Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 3 p.m. in the Campus Theatre. Tickets are $10 prior to the day of show, $25 day of show. For more information call the Box Office at 310-329-5349.

Beach Cities Symphony Orchestra The Beach Cities Symphony Orchestra presents a performance of classical compositions Friday March 22 at 8:15 p.m. in Marsee Auditorium.

Music The Great American Folk Song EC and the South Bay Children’s Choir are proud to present, “The Great American Folk Song: A Celebration of American Diversity,” Sunday, March 24 at 4 p.m. in the Marsee Auditorium.

Advance tickets are $10, $20, $30; and at the door they are $12, $25, $35. For more information call 800-832-2787.

Film Film explores American Paradise The ECC Center for the Arts and Discovery Films present, “Hawaii, America’s Paradise,” a film exploring the natural beauty and resources of Hawaii. The showing will be Monday March 25 in the Marsee Auditorium at 3 and 7:30 p.m.. Admission is $7, for more information call the Box Office at 310-329-5349.

Art Anatomy exhibit in Art Gallery

Tracy Kumono/ Union

Student Stephen D. West’s photographs are on display at Madrona Marsh Nature Preserve until April 5.

Kayla Maaytah Staff Writer

On two white walls within the Madrona Marsh Nature Preserve hangs a collection of photographs reflecting the true beauty of nature, from native birds flying behind a fading sunset to richly colored flowers in bloom found right in our own backyard.

“Moments to Reflect” is a series of photographs of the Madrona Marsh taken by EC’s own advanced photography student, Stephen D. West as an ode to a lost and local wilderness. The exhibit portrays some of the last untouched and undeveloped land in Torrance, as well as the wildlife residing within its boundaries.

In cooperation with Friends of Madrona Marsh, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and restoring Madrona Marsh, West’s exhibit is currently on display in the Madrona Marsh Nature Preserve, directly across the street from the marsh itself.

Of the several photos on display, three show the wildlife variety of birds found at the marsh in stills of them in their natural states and habitats. Photos like “Marsh Monarch” bring forth the realization of what kind of wildlife is actually native to Torrance outside the barrage of pestering pigeons, crows and seagulls we are so used to.

For over thirty years, West has been teaching, volunteering his time, and articulating his love for art in multiple forms. For years, he taught Graphic Design Digital PrePress to assist artists in building their own companies and served as a board member of the Torrance Art Council and Torrance Fine Arts Commission for three years.

Currently, he aims his artistic force and passion in traveling and painting the wildlife and landscapes across California in an effort toward the conservation of the steadily decreasing areas of undeveloped land by man. With his

artwork, he strives to bring awareness to the environment and wildlife around people who see his art.

As someone who has lived and worked in Torrance for years, West strives to send such a message to Torrance and its locals.

“Moments to Reflect” hits hard for those who have lived here their whole lives as it comes from a relatable perspective.

“I remember when I was a kid the marsh had no boundaries. It wasn’t gated in like it is now and it stretched far past its current limits,” Renee Leigh, 54, a life-long Torrance native said. “Its reaches used to stretch past Madrona Ave., covering all the land now occupied by Target, Ralphs and much of the land the Del Amo Mall sits on. Over time though, it kept shrinking and shrinking until it eventually became what it is today: a gated and tiny piece of land reminding us all what Torrance would actually look like without concrete.”

In West’s collection of photos,

he includes photographs of the marsh, its wildlife and its landscape without the distractions of modern life in sight. He captures the marsh’s true beauty and potential in the pursuit of conserving this last bit of nature within Torrance’s boundaries.

“These photos, while beautiful and warm to look at, remind me of something lost to this land.

Sure, they capture the loveliness that still stands within the marsh, but I can’t help but be saddened by them, by what could have been,” Leigh said.

According to West’s website along with the Madrona Marsh, his paintings and photography have been used to further the efforts and goals of conservation groups such as the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and the Eastern Sierra Mountain Foundation. The money from his work has helped make his dream of spreading the importance and significance of natural preservation a reality.

“It’s just really sad to think

about,” Ann Douglass, 45, an exhibit goer, said. “That all this could still be here but in a greater area of land with more to offer.”

Other photos reflect the serenity accompanied with nature and the land itself with pieces such as “The Marsh in its Beauty” a colored photo of a twisting tree with the marsh’s landscape behind it and “Tree Reflections” a sepia shot of the marsh’s trees shadowed by the sun.

“Marsh Abstraction” is a gorgeously realized and sepia colored capture of the marsh’s water as a backdrop for a twist and entanglement of tree branches decorated with blossoms.

“Moments to Reflect” is currently on display at the Madrona Marsh Nature Preserve at 3201 Plaza Del Amo Blvd. in Torrance from Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.. It is open to everyone and free of charge. West’s photos are also up for sale in accordance with Friends of Madrona Marsh and runs until April 5.

Devendra Banhart’s album is full of unpredictable tunes Rigo Bonilla

Arts Editor

You can cut the eclectic hippie’s hair and beard, but you’ll never be able to predict what hat he’s going to put out next.

Devendra Banhart quietly released his seventh studio album, “Mala” on Tuesday.

“Mala” reinforces Banhart’s habits of being inconsistent. The weird song titles, multiple languages and abrupt changes of pace are all there in a way that only he can pull off.

There really is no genre to Banhart’s music. Some might feel comfortable by dropping it into the folk music bucket, but that

label rarely holds water.

“If we ever make sweet love again, I’m sure more understated.

One song, puzzlingly titled “Your Fine that it will be quite disgusting.”

Some will feel like Banhart has lost his Petting Duck” starts off sounding like a One thing is for sure: Banhart has per- spark, but this album is just another pit stop good old ‘60s style surf ballad, but instead fected the art of zigging when he is expect- on a journey with no destination. of trying to get the girl back, he’s remind- ed to zag and vice versa.

Unlike Banhart’s previous album there ing her why she left in the first place. After “Mala” as an album is a testament to isn’t an obvious choice as to which song a while, the song flips suddenly to replace Banhart’s refusal to be predictable. will be the catchy single. Instead, he has the retro feel with futuristic synthesizers Many may have thought he was going constructed a solid 14-track album that will and lyrics sung in what sounds like German. to go bigger and crazier after releasing a play well from start to finish.

But it all works seamlessly. The music shocking music video that juxtaposed the In an age of 99-cent singles, a solid alsmoothly pulls the listener through peaks upbeat and positive ska-like single, “Foo- bum isn’t always what music consumers are and valleys, even if the lyrics, as usual with lin’” with images of leather whips and looking for, but one doesn’t look for artists Banhart, might make a listener stop and say, chains. Instead, Banhart toned it down. like Devendra Banhart, they pop up unex“Wait. What did he say?”

Banhart chopped off his hair and chose pectedly and stick around.

The song “Never Seen Such Good a soft earth-toned minimalist painting as Things” sets up a nice mood only to say, his album art. The songs on his new CD are

Sculptor repurposes the natural world into original artworks Rigo Bonilla Arts Editor

EC’s latest exhibit, “An Anatomical Poem: From cellular to visceral” begins March 25 and runs through April 25 in the EC Art Gallery.

Artlife Gallery celebrates expression Take a look at the Artlife Gallery exhibit in El Segundo and even meet the artists themselves.

There will be dancing as well.

This exhibit is from 6 to 10 p.m. on March 22 at 720 Allied Way Plaza El Segundo. For more information call 310-938-2511.

Phil Prins/ Union Sculpting major, Jad Reyes, 26, focuses his work on environmental awareness in his lastest project involving sea anemones.

As the sculptor meticulously shapes his ceramic creation, the art form shapes his life.

Jad Reyes, 26, started his education as a failing nursing student and is now transferring to the Otis School of Art and Design as a sculpting major after a bit of serendipity.

“I was studying nursing for a long time, but I couldn’t cut it with the grades,” Reyes said. “I was really stressed out, so I used art as a stress relief. It never occurred to me that it could be a major. Ultimately, I failed out of the nursing program. I was lost and I took one art class because I needed to fill units. I got a lot of positive feedback and it was the first time I felt I was doing something good. It just clicked and lit a fire in me.”

Reyes’ ceramic sculptures have been featured in campus galleries and at the American Museum of Ceramic Art (AMOCA). His creations are inspired by the nature around him and by his hopes of protecting that nature.

“A lot of my sculptures are about environmental awareness,

so I like to mix human and animal characteristics,” Reyes said. “I’m currently creating crying babies morphed with sea anemones. My inspiration was the pollution of the coral reefs; it’s like the ocean is crying out.”

Inspiration isn’t a problem for Reyes who draws from his surroundings. He frequents beach tide pools and hiking trails on Mt. Baldy.

“Nature is always around me; I’m always by the ocean,” Reyes said. “The hardest part of being an artist is just getting exposure. I’m pretty shy so networking is an issue.”

But it’s the work of another artist that has given Reyes the strength to stand tall.

“My strongest inspiration is Salvador Dali,” Reyes said. “I always think, ‘Why am I so weird?

Why can’t I do normal art?’ But Dali helped to boost my confidence. If he can be weird and cool, you can be too.”

Just like Dali helped Reyes, Reyes hopes to help others while

climbing high.

“I want to open a gallery space to not only display my art, but other artists’ as well,” Reyes said.

“I’d like to open a school for other artists. It would be nice to have my own gallery to help and teach others.”

Reyes is on track to reach his goals.

“I definitely want this to be my career,” he said. “I just got accepted to Otis.

I want to get my bachelor’s and eventually my master’s there.”

As for his fellow artists, Reyes said, “A lot of times you might think you’re not good enough. I struggle with my confidence too, but if you keep at it, other people will see and notice. Keep positive.”

Reyes’ philosophy for overcoming the fear of leaving the safe path stays true to the life of a man who loves the ocean: “just jump in.”

To see some of Jad Reyes’ artwork, visit facebook.com/JackTopusArt.

sports

March 14, 2013

On deck

By Jessica Martinez

Men’s basketball coach shines for the team Steven Tran

Staff Writer

BADMINTON Tomorrow at 2 p.m. vs. Compton College Wednesday at 3 p.m. vs. East L.A. College

BASEBALL Today at 2:30 p.m. vs.

Pasadena City College Sunday at noon vs. Pasadena City College

MEN’S TENNIS Today at 2 p.m. at Fullerton College Thursday at 2 p.m. at Riverside College

MEN’S VOLLEYBALL Tomorrow at 6 p.m. vs.

Los Angeles Pierce College Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Long Beach College

SOFTBALL Today at 3 p.m. at Mt. SAC Tuesday at 3 p.m. vs.

Pasadena City College

SWIMMING Tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. vs. Pasadena City College and East L.A. College

TRACK AND FIELD Saturday at CSU Northridge

WOMEN’S TENNIS Thursday at 2 p.m. at Long Beach City College

El Camino College Union 7

Cary Majano/ Union Robert Uphoff, EC’s men’s basketball coach, guides his team during practice drills.

Gymnasium lights illuminated the El Camino basketball court as sneakers squeaked and mixed with the roar of a home crowd.

The spotlight was shining on coach Robert Uphoff during the first game of the season.

His first challenge, he said, was to overcome the well-known Citrus College with EC’s unknown team. EC was not expected to win, nor even be in the game.

The first half of the game left EC behind by three points; the second half wasn’t much better as the Warriors fell behind seven more points soon after it started.

With one minute remaining, EC tied the game. The team won its first home game against a powerhouse opponent.

Staff, family, and parents flooded the floor to exchange handshakes, high-fives, and hugs.

Uphoff let out a sigh of relief; the players believed in his program.

With nearly a full year completed at EC as the men’s basketball coach, Robert Uphoff looks toward next season with a familiar group of student-athletes.

“When we all come together and strive for the same goal, that’s

ing method.

“It’s more a family feeling with this coach,” Julian Dakdouk, 19, said. With his previous coaches, Dakdouk added, “It was never a family.”

Uphoff strived for a family environment when he offered dinners, optional bible studies, and charity work which improved camaraderie, Dakdouk said.

In addition, Uphoff said he would “do everything in my capabilities” to obtain a scholarship for

his players. But, “the student-athlete must succeed academically.”

“A lot of coaches in my past have not been fond of being a student-athlete,” Seifer Scott, 22, said. “He explains and tries to get that into our head, so that once we move on in life, we will be able to be better people.”

Uphoff’s approach to coaching is similar to his approach as an educator which involves what he considers accountability: punctuality, preparedness, responsibility, and self-discipline.

“If you are not accountable, then I am not preparing you for life,” Uphoff said. “I want to see you move on and finish your education. If you complete that and we win only half of our games, then it is still mission accomplished in my book.”

In addition, Shawn Ray, 19, said Uphoff has shown him that there are more things than basketball and school; like the importance of community service and self-improvement.

“He is not a coach; he is more of a role model,” Dakdouk said.

“He is someone you can look up to that you can respect and know that he will always be there for you. In all aspects of life, he will help you.”

run by Fordiani set off a domino effect to her teammates, allowing the Warriors to build a strong lead on their opponents.

Pitcher Tiffany Cockrell worked hard as she continued the powerful momentum of the game with giving out four strikes and not allowing any walks on her watch.

During the bottom half of the inning the Warriors did an excellent job as they maintained their dominance with Rhea Benavente hitting a two-out single allowing

Erika Pliska to come in from third base.

In the fifth inning, a single hit

by Gonzalez allowed Aisha Salami to score a run which insured the Warriors a successful game.

The game ended with the Warriors winning with a 3-2 lead over the Vikings.

Players on the team all have much to look forward to for the rest of the season.

“It was very interesting to see how our team worked together,” Zariah Marquez said.

when we have something special,” Uphoff said. “We did not mold together this year, but next year’s group has the opportunity to do that.”

The Warriors will lose four key players next season, but there will be eleven returning players who have experienced Uphoff’s coach-

“He is someone you can look up to that you can respect and know that he will always be there for you.”

— Julian Dakdouk basketball player

Softball team comes out victorious over Vikings Joh’nysha Vercher Staff Writer

After losing to Rio Hondo 9-6 on March 1 in a non-conference game, the Warriors were in need of a feel good comeback game.

The team found a solid victory in their game against the Long Beach City College Vikings on March 7.

“Everything finally fell into place,” coach Elaine Martinez said. “Offensively, we had timely hits. Everything came through.”

During their last practice before the big game, the players seemed to have confidence this time around.

“It was a very competitive game. Long Beach didn’t see it coming,” Vanessa Shealy said.

With confidence on their side, the Warriors went into Thursday’s game ready to execute their gamewinning plan. The game started out slow but soon picked up with two walks given by Gabriella Fordiani.

“From the start, I thought it

was different from the first time playing them. I knew it would be a good game,” Jacqueline Gonzalez said.

By the second inning the score was tied 1-1 with the Warriors trying to remain steady. Fordiani went to bat and gained a strike by the Vikings pitcher on the first pitch. With the swing of the bat, Fordiani sent the ball flying to left center field for a clear home run sending the Warriors to a 2-1 lead.

Energy seemed to soar through the team as the outstanding home

Women’s tennis team sweeps Mt. SAC in singles Steven Tran Staff Writer

Rain dotted the El Camino tennis courts while the Warriors rallied to maintain their undefeated status against Mt. San Antonio College on March 7.

Previously, EC tied 4-4 against Mt. SAC but did not finish the game. This game would not be any different; Coach Steven Van Kanegan raised his hand to postpone the match.

Because of weather conditions, EC ended up postponing three doubles matches against Mt. SAC. “I am very pleased with the overall performance, maturity level, and improvement that our team is making,” Van Kanegan said. “I’m proud of what they are doing.”

Chung Young Shin, 26, film major, won her first set, 6-1, and second set, 6-2, with an aggressive attitude.

“I used all of my energy to win

for the team,” Shin said.

Using a patient approach, Kia Choi, 20, astrophysics major, won her first set, 6-3, and second set, 6-4.

“I’ve been working on being patient, and today it showed in my game,” Choi said. “Usually, I’m not when I play my matches.”

Displaying her “mental toughness,” Karin Endo, 21, business major, won her first set, 6-3, and second set, 7-5.

Endo said “mental toughness” was the balancing of positive and negative emotions during matches.

“We lost a couple of matches, but that is to be expected,” Van Kanegan said. “Those that lost immediately moved on and got themselves prepared for doubles.”

Heather Shambrey, 18, kinesiology major, lost 5-10 in a tiebreaker, but the rematch showed strides of improvement in her game.

“I played this girl last week and played horrible, but this week

I played much better,” Shambrey said. “I didn’t beat myself up as much, but I need to stay confident and I can’t be nervous.”

Despite losing, Ashley Guerrero, 26, economics major, is motivated to work harder for the upcoming matches.

“It was an eye opener and quite humbling,” Guerrero said. “Tennis is such a mental game that if you have a mental lapse for just two seconds, then you’ve just lost a set; I need to stay in the moment.”

Because of previous injuries, Shenae Shampine, 21, psychology major, seeks to improve after losing two tiebreakers.

“My backhand was awful ever since I broke my wrist a while ago; I had to move from a twohanded backhand to a one-handed backhand,” Shampine said. “A lot of practice needs to be done.”

“Overall, their performance was amazing because of their energy, enthusiasm, and never-giveup mentality,” Van Kanegan said.

Swim team falls behind at Cuesta Invitational Brian Camacho

Co-Opinon Editor

The El Camino swim team struggled against bad weather and stiff competition in an outdoor meet at the Cuesta Invitational March 8 and 9.

The two-day meet included a night spent in a hotel, which allowed a “bonding moment for all,” Andrew Salgado said.

“It was a learning experience for beginner swimmers and everyone really bonded,” Genesis Popoca said.

The team had the chance to see how it shaped up against some of the top colleges in the state, including some from Northern California they had never competed against.

No doubt the team will surely see some of the same opponents again when it comes time for the state championships later this year.

“This meet doesn’t mean too

much. I think we have strong enough swimmers where we’re going to place pretty well, but the things that are really important to us are the conference and state championships,” Stanbury said.

Stanbury has been trying his best to tire his team out so that they will be in top physical condition when it comes time for finals.

“They’re not going to be at their most amazing best for this meet,” Stanbury said.

Fatigue did play a factor in the meet since the team overall did not do well compared to other colleges.

The women’s team fought hard but could not pull through against the tough competition and the weather certainly played a factor in the divers’ performances.

There were some exceptions for the men’s team as the star swimmers shone brightly in a couple of races during the meet.

Jonathan Diaz had a successful day as he placed first in the 400-

yard individual medley as well as the 500-yard freestyle.

Another swimmer that finished in the top 10 for his events was Hogan Inscore who placed fifth in the 100 and 200 yard breaststroke.

Ivan Urueta also had a strong performance placing sixth in the 200 breaststroke and seventh in the 200 IM, as well as fourth in the 400 IM. Overall, the men’s team held their own and finished with a respectable fifth place in the 400 medley relay.

“It was a lot of fun and we worked really hard,” Devin Sanchez said.

The team still has a long way to go this season but is working hard by practicing long hours and is perfecting every aspect of its game for its upcoming meets.

“There’s still some techniques to be learned about how we race, change the tempo and work our turns so that we can execute at the right time,” Stanbury said.

sports

March, 14, 2013

El Camino College Union 7

Warriors sweep Santa Monica for win Jessica Martinez Co-Sports Editor

Adrian Agudelo/ Union Trevor Butler (Outside Hitter) and Karl Acres (Middle Blocker) spring up for a block during a game vs. Santa Monica College held last Friday, March 8, in El Camino’s South Gym. The Warriors went on to win the match in three games, which brought their record to 5-4.

Santa Monica College proved to be no match for the men’s volleyball team after the Warriors finished with a 3-0 victory March 8.

Trevor Butler, sophomore, outside hitter, led the team Friday night with nine kills on 19 attempts. Matt Pimblett, sophomore, outside hitter, contributed eight kills on 16 attempts and Errol Basconcillo, freshman, libero, led the defense with 15 digs.

“We had a fabulous week of practice and it showed tonight,” coach Dick Blount said. “At one point, we scored 14 straight points.”

The visiting Corsairs scored the first point of the night even as players Karl Acres, freshman, middle blocker, Frank Flanagan, sophomore, setter, and Butler continued to provide block after block and eventually led the Warriors to rack up several points.

“We played really well defensively,” Flanagan said. “We played the best we’ve played all year.”

Flanagan, said it wasn’t one

of his best games, but “my hitters made me look good.”

The Warriors were down by three points during the first set but that didn’t prevent the crowd from hollering and whistling after every successful rally. The energy seemed to resonate as the Warriors finished their first set 25-18 over Santa Monica.

“If we play like this all the time, we can go far with the rest of the season and maybe we can take the state championship.”

—Errol Basconcillo , freshman, libero

“I think we were high energy and we just kept pushing. We had fun out there playing volleyball,” Basconcillo said.

Basconcillo’s efforts were praised by several teammates because of his ability to constantly go after balls that often went wayward.

“Errol was amazing. That makes my job super easy,” Flanagan said.

The team came out strong dur-

ing the second set as they scored the first seven points. The Corsairs’ energy appeared to diminish as the score was 12-3 nearly halfway through the set and the Warriors were pleased with their performance.

“We played more like a team than we ever have,” Pimblett said.

“More consistent and more together.”

The Warriors won the second set 25-12 as Santa Monica’s efforts appeared to be fading quickly.

EC again scored the first point of the third, and what would be the final set of the game. They continued to score points till the very end.

“We preach practice like you play and we did,” Blount said.

Ryan Olson, sophomore, outside hitter, provided a quick block after a lengthy rally that knocked an opponent to the floor.

Butler had an especially strong showing in the third set as he continued to make many blocks.

Again, the Warriors dominated the and finished the set 25-11.

The team is optimistic for the remaining season.

“If we play like this all the time, we can go far with the rest of the season and maybe we can take the state championship,” Basconcillo said.

40 mph winds hinder Warriors play in difficult golf tournament Emerson Keenan

Co-Sports Editor

The Warrior golf team had a tough outing at Crystalair Country Club in a match that involved five other schools.

James Harpur, 20, sophomore, business administration major, expressed a lot of frustration.

“We didn’t have a great performance at Crystalair, but I feel that this performance was bloated by the 40 mph winds that affected everyone in the whole tour-

nament,” Harpur said.

He even said that if this tournament were a PGA tour event, it would have probably been canceled due to the conditions.

He also said that he thought that this upcoming week’s match on Monday at Antelope Valley should be a better indication of the team’s potential.

The Warriors played on a par 72 course and Harpur said that the greens were difficult and was an overall tough course.

The team finished with a score of 434

for the day. This score was represented by the five players who participated in the match.

“It was definitely a course you need to be conditioned for,” Erwyn Lam, sophomore, business major, said.

The five other schools that attended the tournament were College of the Desert, Antelope Valley College, Mt. San Jacinto College, Victor Valley College and Long Beach City College.

For this tournament it was a neutral match, which meant that no team had

home advantage.

Considering the conditions, Lam said that a score that was in the low-80s would be a good one.

Looking forward, Riley Evans, freshman, business major, said that this week’s match on Monday with Antelope Valley College should give a better indication of the team’s true skill set.

The team is moving forward with confidence with Harpur at the captain’s position. Finding some positive words were hard for Harpur, due to the frustrating day

but he admitted that he is happy to be a leader on the team.

“I feel lucky to be on this team,” Harpur said. “It’s a great group of guys who have fun and we’re just trying to find our game and trying to get better.”

Lam said you needed to have a lot of faith to play on this specific course.

“To play well on this course, you really have to trust your game, not hold back on your shots, and hit confidently,” Lam said.

“As amateurs, it was a tough day, but we learned a lot.”

Charles Ryder /Union Johnny Palmer, Sophomore, outfielder, hits the ball making it to first base. The Warriors won the game 4-1 and won the series with LBCC, 2-1.

Warriors win series with LBCC, improving record to an even 8-8 Brian Camacho

Co-Opinion Editor

The Warriors started conference play off on the right foot after defeating Long Beach City College 4-1 Saturday.

After losing the first game of the series, the Warriors stayed strong and won two in a row to even up their record to 8-8 and win the first series of conference play.

“First game they smacked us in the mouth pretty good but getting two of three is really important for us to open up conference,” Justin McCullough, sophomore catcher, said.

With a couple of timely hits, the Warriors were able to load up the bases in the bottom of the second which set the stage for Tony Poncia, freshman infielder, to score.

Poncia hit a line drive single up the middle to give EC the first lead of the game but the Warriors would only be able to come up with one run as they left three men stranded.

LBCC’s only run of the game came in the top of the third after a couple of doubles to tie up the game, but after that it was all EC. “It was real important that after some battle our guys picked their heads up and got right back

to it instead of getting down on themselves,” McCullough said.

The Warriors would respond in the bottom of the fourth thanks to a couple of wild pitches and another line drive by Poncia; followed by a bunt single and a throwing error by LBCC’s pitcher which gave EC a 3-1 lead.

“First game, they smacked us in the mouth pretty good, but getting two of three is really important for us to open up conference.”

—Justin McCullough, sophomore catcher

EC came close to scoring again that inning after a collision at home plate which the umpire ruled Poncia out.

The EC bench cleared but order was quickly restored by the umpires who yelled at everyone to get back.

The Warriors would score again in the bottom of the seventh thanks to another LBCC error which sent Sean Isaac, utility player, home.

This would prove to be the nail in the coffin for LBCC.

“Best offensive day we’ve had in a while,” Rex Calkins, redshirt sophomore infielder, said.

Starting pitcher freshman Alex Navarrete had a solid outing pitching through seven innings and only allowing one run.

“He (Alex) did everything we asked him to do around the plate. We couldn’t of asked for more,” coach Nate Fernley said.

Errors continued to be an issue for the Warriors but despite that they still managed to have a great defensive performance; getting a couple of double plays throughout the game which kept LBCC from scoring.

“We made some really good plays. We’ll take some errors on tough ones as long as we make the ones we should and we did,” Fernley said.

The team has been working hard to fix its defensive woes and it has paid off with great defensive plays.

Which was backed up by great pitching which gave LBCC fits all day.

The Warriors won their latest game on Tuesday against Pasadena City College. In a close game that came down to the last inning, the Warriors went on to win, 6-5. They look to take the series with a home game today at 2:30 p.m. and also a home game on Saturday at noon.

The Warriors continue play after that with 3 games against Mt. San Antonio College next week.