El Camino College Union Issue 12

Stomping ground Cynnamon Baker

Staff Writer @ECCUnionCBaker

EL CAMINO COLLEGE

Although thunder cut the track meet short, many EC runners placed top three in their individual events in the non-scoring Cerritos Invitational held last Saturday, according to coach Dean Lofgren.

Coming out strong in the beginning, the Warriors were neck and neck against leading Riverside College.

They were coming up to the 200 mark, and were near last place, but freshman sprinter Cameron Emmanuel hit his kick and won Antwon Parker’s 400 meter race.

“Rain or shine, we have to run regardless,” Emmanuel said. “The conditions were pretty rough, but you have to make the best of it and win races.”

The Warriors competed against top ranked Southern California track teams, such as Riverside Community

Union T h e

College, Cerritos College, Pasadena City College and Long Beach City College.

“These meets are important to see the growth and performance of our runners,” Lofgren said. “Teams like Riverside and Cerritos are fierce competitors, so if we can beat them in events we will be ready later this season.”

Along with the meet’s success, sophomore throwers Matt Larson and Christopher Street currently hold the first and second place conference titles for SoCal in the Javelin.

With Street being the Shot Put Conferences winner in 2013 as a freshman, he hopes to remain holder of his title as a sophomore.

“I’m doing pretty well in conference and ranked in the state. So it’s going to be crazy this season,” Street said.

[See CERRITOS, Page 8]

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March 6, 2014

Torrance, California

Giving EC the green thumb Celine West

Staff Writer @ECCUnionCeline

NEWS LINE

Intent upon educating students on sustainable horticultural practices, EC students have recently come together to form the EC Horticulture Club.

“Their goal is to educate, to practice sustainable horticultural practices, and to learn more about growing edibles in the landscape,” Ron LaFond, environmental horticulture supervisor, said. “There is a big push for that.”

While demand for a horticulture club is nothing new, it’s only recently that students came together to organize one.

“I had students in the past say, ‘You know, there should be a horticulture club,’ so I say to them, ‘Start one,’” LaFond said. “It’s a student club, so I don’t think it’s up to faculty to start them, but I’m there as a faculty advisor.”

The club’s foremost priority is education. The students want for guest speakers to come in and hope to go on a variety of field trips.

We’re going to have speakers from different backgrounds come in, from chemistry to environmental restoration, Samson Lozano, 21, earth and biological sciences major, said. We want people to see this field as a career option.

Among the most basic lessons the club hopes to teach is the ability to grow plants, regardless of space.

“We find a lot of people who say, ‘We don’t have a lot of space,’” Reginald Fagan, 56, horticulture major, said. “You can grow stuff in containers. You can grow vertical gardens. We want to break that barrier.”

The club’s members also aspire to change peoples’ relationships to their food.

“We can get people reconnected back to growing and having control over their food,” Fagan said. “We want to give people a sense of stewardship.”

“Every citizen on this planet

should, in some way, feel a connection, a responsibility,” he added. “If it’s not growing vegetables then maybe it’s growing flowers.”

Fagan hopes students feel welcome and comfortable approaching the club about horticultural questions.

“This is a campus place where you can come and learn certain things,” Fagan said. “We’re making sure there’s an area where people in wheelchairs can come and work. We want to make sure we integrate other groups, like students with disabilities, and the other clubs.”

Among the events currently planned by the club will be an Earth Day event.

“We’re going to put on an Earth Day program and have short, one-day courses for the students and the community,” Fagan said.

“We’re going to have compost workshops, and a whole array of workshops and vendors. The kick off is going to be on April 22.”

While the club is still growing in its early stages, it hopes that such events and a positive reputation will aid recruitment.

“In forming the club, we are relying heavily on word of mouth,” Lozano said. “We created an email account and a facebook page, and we asked horticulture clubs of past times. We were also at Club Rush and we passed out fliers.”

The efforts seem to be paying off, and Lozano only expects their membership to grow.

“We have around twenty people and within a few months we expect there to be more,” Lozano said. “Some of our groundskeepers are honorary members. They have been a big help to us.

In the end, the club is focused upon spreading very basic, horticultural ideas.

“A lot of my students are backyard gardeners,” LaFond said.

“They try to grow edibles and that’s a lot of what they are trying to push in the club - growing and using sustainable practices.”

Space Science Day 2014 Free and open to serious-minded science students in grades five through 12, Space Science Day will take place March 8 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m in EC’s planetarium and science classrooms. To learn more, contact the Astronaut Ellison Onizuka Memorial Committee at 310-660-3487.

ABOVE: Horticulture club found-

er Reginald Fagan (left) and club member Samson Lozano (right) tend to plants at the environmental horticulture facility. Fagan and Lozano are members of the newlyfounded horticulture club.

LEFT: Located between lot F and the former Murdock Stadium, the environmental horticulture facility provides a place for students and club members to get hands-on experience growing plants.

Photos by: John Fordiani/ Union

Nursing Information Session Considering a career in nursing?

The counseling department will host a nursing information session March 11 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. in the Distance Education Room.

For more information, contact the counseling department at 310660-3595, ext. 3458.

Calling all English majors

UC Strategies Workshop

The Transfer Center has scheduled a workshop for English majors March 11 from 1 to 2 p.m. in the Humanities Building, Room 302. For more information, contact the Transfer Center at 310660-3593, ext. 6137.

Students planning to apply to the University of California system are encouraged to attend the UC Strategy Workshop scheduled on March 13 from 1 to 2 p.m. in the Distance Education Room. To learn more, contact the FYE department at 310-660-6936.

San Diego State University Tour Students planning to transfer to San Diego State University can attend a campus tour March 15.

Reservations are required in order to attend. To sign up, visit the Transfer Center or call them at 310-660-3595, ext. 3408.

news

2 El Camino College Union

March 6, 2014

For ECPD, use T9[11] Thomas Schmit

Staff Writer @ECCUnionThomas

When a shooting at Los Angeles Valley College left one man dead on Jan. 25, where did students turn to for information?

In that moment, how reliable is a stranger’s Facebook or Twitter update?

As part of an effort to keep students on campus informed and safe, the EC Police Department has begun using a new program known as NIXLE in order to bring alerts to students in real time over their phones.

“This program is free, it doesn’t cost anybody anything, so what we’d like is for people to be aware of this system, and sign up for it, which is really, really easy,” Michael Trevis, EC chief of police, said.

NIXLE will provide students at EC with two different services.

The first, known as alerts, will be sent to students in cases of imminent danger, and will inform them of the safest way to respond to the situation, such as through evacuation or taking shelter, Trevis said.

The second service, known

as advisories, will be aimed at keeping students informed of less immediately dangerous circumstances that are still of interest to them.

“A few weeks ago, we had a helicopter circling the school, so we sent out an advisory letting people know hey, you know what, there was a burglar that the Torrance Police Department is looking for over in the residential area off of Crenshaw, across from the 7-11,” Trevis said. “It was in the homes over there, but alot of our students park over there, so we were letting them know there’s an advisory out.”

According to an email distributed by ECPD, signing up for the service is a simple process. Students can join either by texting “ECCPD” from their phones to the number 888777, or online at www.nixle.com.

However, some students like Brandon Willoughby, 29, radiologic technology major, seem reluctant to give the new service a chance.

“I probably wouldn’t sign up for something like that; it sounds like it’d be an overload of texts,” Willoughby said. “Maybe if it was

just for the emergency stuff, but it sounds like they’ll be sending us a bunch of little stuff too, and I don’t need that.”

Instead, Willoughby said he’d be more likely to find out pressing information through word of mouth.

“I really only have a basic cellphone. I try to stay as disconnected as possible,” he added.

Similarly, Freddy Gonzalez, 18, undecided major, currently has no plans to subscribe to the service.

“I probably wouldn’t find out until either someone told me the next day, or I saw a bunch of people screaming and running for their lives,” he said.

Trevis hopes students won’t wait to rely upon screaming to alert them of emergencies and emphasized that the service will only be used to disseminate critical information.

“Campus police does not send text messages via the NIXLE system unless it’s a campus safety matter that our community need to know about,” he said. “This system allows all of our campus community to be informed and stay safe.”

To sign up for the Emergency Text Notification System:

Photo Illustration by Charles Ryder

1. Draft a text message to 888777 2. Text “ECCPD” for alerts about the EC campus Text “CECPD” for alerts about the Compton Center campus 3. You will receive a confirmation text: “Thank you for signing up for El Camino College Police Department Alerts”

Students can opt in to NIXLE, a free alert and advisory system, for real-time text updates.

POLICE BEAT Pipe dreams about registration Feb. 25, 4 p.m.—Officers responded to a call in the area around the Natural Sciences Building. A non-student male was harassing students. The non-student told officers he was on campus because he was interested in registering for classes. A pipe used to smoke methamphetamine was found. He was given a ticket for possession of narcotics paraphernalia and he was escorted off campus.

Alleged bookstore thief returns for more Feb. 25, 9:30 a.m.—Officers responded to a call at the Bookstore. Staff observed a student trying to return three books they had seen him take hours earlier.

The student was arrested for petty theft and booked.

Chest pains prompt medical aid call Feb. 24, 12:20 p.m.—A medical aid call was made at the Student Health Center. Officers discovered a student that was complaining of chest pains. He was treated at the scene and he was released to his family.

Driving while talking leads to citations Feb. 24, 11:14 a.m.—Officers stopped a non-student on Manhattan Beach Boulevard for driving while talking on a cell phone. The non-student also had a suspended license. He was issued tickets for both citations.

Dumpster diver found with $560 warrant Feb. 21, 3 a.m.—Officers observed a male non-student scavenging through a dumpster. The officers discovered the non-student had a $560 warrant.

Social Justice Affair Thomas Schmit

screening afterward, students will Staff Writer have the chance to view a short @ECCUnionThomas film called “Default: the Student Loan Documentary” in the StuHot on the heels of its new So- dent Activities Center from 5 to cial Justice Center opening last 7 p.m, Robert Dewitz, alumni and month, EC will be hosting its student organizer, said.

According to the film’s websecond annual Social Justice Fair today on the Schauerman Library site, “Default” chronicles the stories of student borrowers and the lawn from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

With over 40 local organiza- often dire consequences they face, tions scheduled to attend, each such as financial and emotional focused on issues of social jus- ruin, as well as the growing movetice as varied as health care, en- ment to change the student lendvironmental sustainability, gender ing industry.

Unfortunately, this year’s fair equality and affordable housing, students should have no problem is slated to be smaller than last finding a topic that interests them, year’s.

“We’ve spent quite a bit of time Breanna Von Stein, event organizer and student services specialist, on the opening of the Social Justice Center, so a lot of our energy said. went into its open“The orgaing instead,” Denizations will witz said. give students The trade off i n f o r m a t i o n “As students, I feel isn’t without benand resourc- that a lot of the efits to students, es to use for however. t h e m s e l v e s , time we under“With the Sobut they’ll also estimate our own cial Justice Cengive them a ter, we’ve been way to engage power to have an developing relaand give back effect on our own tionships with a to their comlot of these orgamunity,” Von community and on nizations, so they Stein said. this world.”

“We re—Robert Dewitz, student can let us know ally hope stuorganizer when they need volunteers,” Von dents can find Stein said. “That a subject that way, not only just they’re passionate about, and many of the groups once a year at the fair can students will be offering students volunteer get involved, but during the rest of the year as well.” opportunities,” she added.

Even students who don’t norA new feature to this year’s fair will be a series of “mini-work- mally involve themselves in social shops,” Kayla Arango, student issues are urged to come visit the organizer and business major, 22, Social Justice Fair.

“As students, I feel that a lot said.

“We’re going to have six differ- of the time we underestimate ent organizations giving students our own power to have an effect a series of 20-minute-long work- on our own community and on shops or presentations,” she said. this world,” Dewitz said. “We “One of the groups we’re hoping shouldn’t underestimate the powto have present is a feminist group, er we have, and should try to get which is something I’ve wanted to involved in an organization that makes sense to us.” learn more about.”

Additionally, just as last year’s fair included a documentary

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features

El Camino College Union 3

Wa r r i o r Looking back on the life of a

Photo courtesy of El Camino College Admissions and Records

Dave Snowden, Student Services specialist, seen here at an EC graduation in 2011, died Feb. 10 at his home. Since then, EC faculty have mourned the loss and rallied to find homes for his five pets.

Snowden had a myriad of interests and responsibilities: He roller skated, taught water aerobics at the YMCA, co-advised the veterans club on campus, since he was a veteran himself, and was interested in photography.

He also enjoyed music, which was something he shared with Beley.

“We had similar tastes in music, and when he passed away the one thing that Dave Snowden, Student Services specialist, always had bubbles in his desk. He kept them on hand so that anyone who was stresed out could visit his desk and I thought about was the Beatles’ song called ‘The End’ where they say ‘the love you take is equal to the love you make’ and that’s kind of like Dave to me,” Beley blow bubbles, Kate Beley, Special Resources Center counselor, said.

Snowden, a man who cared deeply about others, died on Feb. 10 as a result of said.

The community came together after Snowden’s death to find loving homes cardiac arrest. for his animals. He had two dogs – Henry and Aggie – and three cats – Cryer, Since then, the campus has mourned the loss.

He “wore his heart on his sleeve,” Bill Mulrooney, director of Admissions and Chicken, and Scruffy.

“He would basically let them roam around the house, and I remember one Records, said. “His death was unexpected, and it shocked everybody. It hurt us time he told me that he didn’t lock his back door. I said, ‘Dave, that is not safe. to the core.”

You need to lock your door.’ He said, ‘If they can get by my Born and raised in New England, Snowden spent four Doberman Pinscher, then they can come in,’” Nieto said. decades at EC. Debbie Turano, senior clerical assistant, along with other “Dave came here in the early ‘70s after he served in members of the community, worked to “spread the need (of [the] army,” Mulrooney said. “He is probably one of the finding homes for his pets) as widely as possible.” She did most invaluable people anybody would want to meet.” so by networking with the EC community.

Several faculty members recounted rib-tickling mem“A lot of people were concerned about his pets, so I sent ories involving Snowden. Mulrooney laughed as he talkout an email asking for people to adopt the animals, and ed about Snowden’s love for April fools jokes. one of the police officers here at El Camino adopted both “He once put out that he was retiring effective June dogs together,” Turano said. “Another faculty member ad31st. Some people caught it. They realized, well, June opted one of the cats and the other two cats are going to ends on June 30th,” Mulrooney said. “We were always be adopted by somebody from another college that was an on our guard on April 1st.” acquaintance of Dave’s.”

That’s why the first of April was the date chosen for Jan Caldwell, the police officer that adopted the dogs, Snowden’s memorial service, Mulrooney said. It will be decided that she could no longer house Henry since he was 1 to 2 p.m. in the East Dining Room April 1. trained as a guard dog but she said, “he is a nice dog, beautiHis love of practical jokes was well known and Beley ful dog.” chuckled as she remembered one of Snowden’s recent “It’s breaking our hearts to get rid of Henry,” she said. antics during a staff meeting.

“We really tried.”

Beley was facing outside, responding to the director She and her husband are currently looking for a new as she saw Snowden outside, voicing and acting out the home for Henry, but she must give him up by tomorrow. dance to “YMCA.” Beley had a difficult time keeping Caldwell knew Snowden for about 35 years. her composure and responding appropriately to her di“I was a police cadet here 100 years ago and he was rector. “I am trying to talk and Dave is doing that,” Beley working here part-time,” Caldwell said. said. “I was trying to make sentences.”

Snowden with his dog Aggie, who was adTurano, and her husband Carl Turano, instigated the projEspe Nieto, assistant director of Admissions and Re- opted by ECPD Officer Jan Caldwell. ect to find homes for the animals, in part due to her knowlcords, recalled a time when she heard a phone conversaedge and connections. tion Snowden had and she told him to lower his voice.

“My husband and I work with feral cats on campus,” she Snowden said to the person on the other end of the line, He had so much (love) said. “I have become known as the cat person or the animal “OK, my boss is telling me I am talking too loud, but I’m person.” not.” that he was giving to Turano is “thankful for people that cared and were will“So he had a big voice,” Nieto said. “He had a bigger people all the time, ing to step up and help, especially for those that were willing heart.” and I’m hoping that he to adopt the animals, which is the most important thing for Repeated by many people, Snowden was warm, bethem.” nevolent, comical, and dilengent in innumerable ways. got as much love back.

Snowden’s love of both people and animals defined him.

His work ethic and problem solving skills were outKate Beley, Special “He had so much (love) that he was giving to people all standing. the time,” Beley said, “and I’m hoping that he got as much “A lot of times the academic division offices would Resources Center love back.” call him with a problem and it was so rare that he couldn’t counselor solve it,” Mulrooney said.

Lorilynn Lomeli

Staff Writer @ECCUnionLorilyn

“

“

March 6, 2014

EDITORIAL

4 El Camino College Union

March 6, 2014

CAMPUS INSIGHT

Learn. Volunteer.

Explore.

Peter Marcoux English Professor @gslearners

Illustration by Eugene Chang

ACTIONS BEFORE REACTIONS

W

hile you sit in class, you hear gunshots go off.

You look around your class and see everyone with a cell phone receive an alert on the incident.

You don't have a cell phone so you are out of the loop until a classmate lets you know that a gunmen is on campus.

This essentially is what El Camino is hoping happens if the time comes where students must be notified of a dire situation through its emergency text alert system.

The question remains, is it enough?

Santa Monica College (SMC) has had an emergency text alert system in place since 2007 according to Sgt. Jerry Romano of the Santa Monica College Police Department.

On June 7 last year SMC had an gunmen come on campus, leaving six dead including the shooter.

In an effort to make the college even more prepared, Santa Monica has implemented a new alert system.

This system involves Singlewire, a third-party vendor, a compa-

ny that has installed new Cisco phones in every building. With this new system the police will be able to make public announcements directly through every single phone on campus, or an individual building if needed.

In April of 2011, when EC implemented this text alert system, it was most likely the best thing out in the market, but it's 2014 and that isn't the case anymore.

New technology is out there and the college needs to take the necessary steps to insure that all students are protected and not just those with the means.

What does the college do to protect students who don't have cell phones?

Based on this information there are plenty of better alternatives to the current text alert system that can accommodate all students.

When it comes to student safety the college should be willing to spend a few bucks to insure its students are safe.

It's time for EC to do what's best and continue to advance in every way and not just improving the architecture of the campus.

U-GAY-L-Y, UGANDA AIN’T GOT NO ALIBI Phone rings.

“Hello Mr. President, there are homosexuals running toward your house with burning torches and machine guns. You need to evacuate.”

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni signed a bill on Feb. 24 stating any homosexual acts will be punishable with life in prison. A day after Museveni signed the bill, a tabloid newspaper exposed hundreds of homosexual Ugandans with huge headlines.

Museveni publicly called homosexuals “disgusting” and believes being gay is a “genetic distortion.”

This bill seems a bit contradicting - imprison homosexuals, fill the cells with people who are attracted to the same sex. What

U N NIO EL CAMINO COLLEGE

Vol. 68, No. 12 March 6, 2014

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

happens if homosexual acts are committed within the cells? Then what? Kill them?

Hundreds of people have already committed suicide due to his ignorant values and misplaced morals.

Being president means making the difficult decisions within reason and logic, for the people, for the country. This is not reasonable.

A person’s sex life is nobody’s business other than their own.

Museveni claims that this law’s passage does nothing to set Uganda back in time.

An examination of his track record on human rights, however, shows he cares little for such issues.

Museveni has publicly supported major companies that back groups like Joseph

Kony’s Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) - a militia responsible for child slavery and soldiers, human trafficking, rape, and torture of women.

Museveni has shown that for the sake of reelection and political pull, he’s willing to disregard basic human rights.

All of the country’s growth is being undone by a bigot’s fallacious law that imprisons people for loving people.

Shame on you.

Well Mr. President, don’t be surprised when you have hundreds of Ugandan homosexuals burning your house down because your pea-brain decided to pass a law that is none of your business.

Editor-in-Chief �����������������������������������������������������������������������Matthew Simon News Editor ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ Eric Hsieh Opinion Editor ���������������������������������������������������������������������������Russell Lewis Editorial Editor....................................................................................Angela Yim Features Editor ����������������������������������������������������������������������Jessica Martinez Arts Editor ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Nadia Basich Sports Editor ��������������������������������������������������������������������������� Marquis Parker Photo Editor ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������Amira Petrus Distribution Manager ������������������������������������������������������������� Marquis Parker Advertising Manager �����������������������������������������������������������������Liliana Lopez Adviser ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������Kate McLaughlin Photo Adviser...................................................................................Gary Kohatsu

I believe study abroad is an important experience for college students and because EC is currently not offering study abroad programs, I created Global Service Learners. It is a non-profit that offers service learning study abroad programs to underdeveloped areas throughout the world.

In 2014, Global Service Learners will offer two service learning programs: one to Costa Rica May 24-June 14, and the other to Guatemala July 5-26.

Both programs focus on learning, volunteering, and exploring.

Learning is at the center of our programs. To deepen their learning of the language and the culture by staying with local families, giving them a perspective of these countries from the inside.

The language schools offer additional cultural classes like local cooking, dancing, and touring.

In addition, participants volunteer. Our groups will work with local children, ages 6-12, in an after-school or summer camp type setting, focusing on teaching English.

Although both locations are extremely beautiful, these countries are also very impoverished.

Learning English might help these kids improve their lives.

Participants will play games and use active learning strategies, so the kids have fun while they learn.

Finally, participants will explore these beautiful countries.

On nights and weekends, they will visit historical, environmental, and cultural hotspots.

In Costa Rica they’ll visit vol-

canoes, zip line, and horse rides.

In Guatemala, they’ll visit ancient Mayan ruins, take a boat tour of Mayan towns, and explore Antigua, a World Heritage site.

Study abroad will have a profound effect on students. In three weeks, they will experience life as a traveler, meet new friends, and grow as human beings. Study abroad will also help participants when it comes time to transfer.

Fewer than 8 percent of college students study abroad; a very small number of those are community college students. Therefore, students who study abroad will stand out in the application process. If one is trying to get into a highly impacted school or program, this could be a deciding factor. It will also help with employment.

When I was 20, I studied in Australia for six months. Every job interview I’ve had has asked me about my experience study abroad experience. Studies have shown that community college students who study abroad have better success and retention rates compared to students who do not.

Mark Twain once wrote: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

I couldn’t agree more.

For more information visit: http://www.gslearners. com/ or email gslearners@ gmail.com.

COMMENTARY

Choose a role, not a degree Rachel Oatridge

political science major @RachelOatridge

College is the place where passions are cultivated, trimmed, and primed for success. Where dreams, created through these passions, become goals that are kept alive by one’s dedication to their achievement.

A goal is all that college asks of us, there is no time parameter for graduation, no requirement of perfection, only the expectation that we, as students, will strive to achieve the goal we have set.

Why then do so many of us, initially so inspired, see our passion fade?

During the fall 2013 semester I was a full-time student and also worked 50 hours a week. I thought I would be fine, after all, all I had to do was make it four months and I would have winter break.

I was not prepared, however, for the amount of dedication my endeavor would require and resisted the change required of me to succeed. Soon, refusing to adopt the level of dedication needed, all sight of goals was lost and I simply stopped attending class.

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.

After talking to a number of people on this subject I realized that this was, and remains to be, a common occurrence among my college peers: to halt when confronted with a challenge, to turn when challenged to change.

The organization and pace of a semester urges one to view the college experience as a sprint, running full speed to the finish with blinders on, convinced that only once this race is over will we be able to rest.

But college is not a sprint – it’s not even a race.

College is that mountain trail we get up at sunrise to hike, no matter how steep or rocky. We take it to the top because we know the beauty and peace that awaits us at the summit.

Being able to look down at all we have accomplished, point out those specks of cities on the horizon, and know peace – that is why we climb.

Whether it is a mountain summit or a college degree, we climb toward it until our feet bleed because we know that at the end, peace will be ours.

Associated Collegiate Press Regional Pacemaker Award 1988, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2012 California Newspaper Publishers’ Association General Excellence Award 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005 Journalism Association of Community Colleges General Excellence Award 1991, 1992, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

March 6, 2014

Opinion

El Camino College Union 5

Campus viewpoints By: Rigo Bonilla

Staff Writer @EccUnionRigo

Photos by: John Fordiani

Christopher Lee Union Columnist @ECCUnionChris

Sexual orienation trumped talent

L

ast year, Jason Collins announced his sexual orientation when he was soon to a be free agent, the media seemed to wonder if an NBA team would be willing to take a chance on him.

With his new 10 day contracts, it seems that the Nets took a chance on Collins exactly for that reason.

Collins’ story is a prime example in which a sociopolitical concern has eclipsed and influenced the outcome of the issue itself. We are so focused on the barriers broken that his on court contributions are negligible. The fact that he was signed to an NBA contract seems to validate his value.

For a basketball purist, the issue is not Collin’s sexual orientation. The question is if Collins has the talent to contribute to an NBA team’s success more than any other free agent.

In short, the answer is no.

I can name five free agents at his position better than Collins that are not on a NBA team. In no particular order, they are: Joel Przybilla, Daniel Orton, Trey Thompkins, Ivan Johnson, Chris Wilcox, and Antawn Jamison.

That’s six, upon the many other individuals more deserving of an NBA roster spot as a job for livelihood.

Does Jason Collins improve the Nets?

Certainly not by talent: Collins played garbage time against the Bulls Monday night.

Collins’ only contributions to the Nets are off the court.

Because of the attention about his sexual orientation, Collins has produced positive press and ticket sales for the Nets and the league.

While he is less than mediocre on the floor, Collins creates buzz more than any other free agent and perhaps any other player in the league, and the league seems to be exploiting the situation.

Televised Nets games give Collins a cameo every few minutes.

Revenue from his jersey sales, which is among the league’s top selling is donated to the Matthew Shepard foundation and Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network, two advocate organizations for LGBT awareness.

As feel good as this is, if both aren’t about buzz and a social cause, I don’t know what is.

The NBA should be about showcasing the best basketball talent in the world. Instead, the league and its teams use whatever possible when plausible to improve image (i.e. Allen Iverson), gain viewership, and generate revenue streams. That’s not basketball.

In the history of the sport, Collins will be best remembered for his staunch defensive play. He played a significant role as the starting center for the Nets during the 2003 and 2004 NBA Finals.

Today for NBA standards, Collins is old. He’s been decimated by injury, too. He was mediocre 10 years ago, and now he’s a shell of the player he was.

Sure, he may show some glimpses, but Jason Collins doesn’t belong in the NBA, regardless of his identity.

Join the conversion 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.

Roy Buchanan, 21, psychology “I think the media is helping because the more coverage you have of it, the more people can see it. I think things are in the process of becoming more equal.”

Lauren Davis, 20, English “Let people do what they want to do (LGBT community). They just want to have their rights and be people. The media blows it out of proportion. It’s not a problem for gay people to be who they are.”

Illustration by Eugene Chang/ Union

UP FOR DEBATE Is the media helping or hyping LGBT acceptance?

The media helps spread the message.

The media is all for show and little for support.

Support is always needed to make the person have a sense of belonging in society, and the media giving attention to gay athletes is contributing to the success of LGBT social acceptance.

Homosexuals are the majority, and the LGBT community is the minority, especially in sports.

Sophia Mootoo Heterosexuality would be intimStaff writer idating in athletics to someone of a @ECCUnionSophia different sexuality due to the fear of lack of acceptance.

How is one supposed to feel that it is tolerable to be on a sports team as a homosexual when it is completely unheard of?

By having the media give attention to athletes like Jason Collins and Michael Sam, it gives the LGBT community someone to look up to.

Gay professional athletes being public is amazing for the gay youth. Very few of them have a person to look up to or relate to.

They might feel “different,” because they don’t know of anyone who is like them.

In our society, LGBT youth are taught that their only role models are in broadway or acting.

There is such a heavy stereotype that gays are portrayed in one way, and that is a feminine way.

These professional athletes had the courage to break the status quo of sports being dominated by a straight majority.

Now those who are a part of the LGBT community know that they don’t have to feel like an outsider on the team, because someone just like them became successful in sports.

Although the United States has some controversial issues with gays, we are still known as a place where people can be themselves. By having the media hype these athletes, it displays acceptance unlike other countries.

Countries like Russia and Uganda, who have anti-gay laws such as not being able to adopt or in major cases the death penalty, may feel the pressure of the United States’ gay acceptance.

They might feel the need to change.

Publicity in this case is good. It’s acceptable for these athletes to be get special attention because what they are doing is remarkable. It is such a landmark in LGBT equality.

Society is now finally coming closer to being more accepting and understanding of the LGBT community.

While press is always better than no press, the media is simply spotlighting the LGBT community to benefit certain individuals.

Most recently Jason Collins made history becoming the first openly gay NBA player.

When considering which athletes and celebrities have been Russell Lewis spotlighted as of late, it’s important Staff writer to consider what was going on in @ECCUnionRussell their lives before they came out.

Jason Collins, veteran NBA player nearing the end of his career had basically nothing to lose. He announced his homosexuality to the world, being the first active NBA player (although he wasn’t signed to a team) to do so.

Fast forward to 2014; the Brooklyn Nets signed him to a 10-day contract.

In his first game, he received the attention of a superstar, with his pathetic stat line being front-page news after his first game (two rebounds, five fouls, 11 minutes). It absolutely takes some guts to come out at any point of your life, but in this situation Jason Collins had nothing to lose.

Worst-case scenario, he quietly sinks into retirement like he was planning to. Instead, he likely has the rest of his life to support his community.

Another athlete that came out recently was NFL prospect and hopeful, Michael Sam. Now Sam had more at stake than Collins, but he was still projected to be a late round draft pick (his chances of making a team, let alone playing, were not guaranteed).

Now he has a symbiotic relationship with the media, where a fourth round pick is being advertised with top picks such as Jadeveon Clowney and Johnny Manziel.

But what about all the differences it makes toward acceptance?

We have come such a long way this century, but we have also seen LGBT acceptance live on a pendulum.

In some instances the United States has made strides for same sex marriages while other regions of the world have not. Russia has been stubborn regarding the LGBT community, Arizona tries to deny rights of service, all while Uganda criminalizes homosexuality entirely.

These are the real issues that should be getting the focus, as politics and government ultimately have the say regarding what gays are allowed to do.

Joseph Taylor, 21, automotive technology

“With Jason Collins, the media is trying to help. People should express themselves and not hide it. They’re trying to get people to understand.

He’s not behaving inappropriately.”

Nicole Flores, 20, psychology “A lot of celebrities are helping with support. It’s becoming more common now. I think people feel accepted.”

Michael Thompson, 21, film “I was raised in a strict Christian home, so I didn’t know much about it.

It makes you realize that they’re the same as everyone else, except for who they choose to love. The media attention is helping to stop homophobia.”

arts

6 El Camino College Union

On The Scene

Album Review

Los Angeles native reaches No. 1 on iTunes

Music Grammy award winner comes to EC Eight time Grammy award winner, Alan Paul will be performing at the Marsee Auditorium on March 7 at 8 p.m. He is one of the founding members of the Manhattan Transfer and was in the original cast of “Oliver,” “Grease,” and many more.

Tickets are $26 and can be purchased at the Marsee Auditorium box office or by calling 310-329-5345.

Guitar duo plan to go extreme in next performance Top-notch guitarist and composers, Keith Knight and Don Adler, present a collaboration showcasing their various impressive talents with the guitar. “Extreme Guitar Duo” will take place March 7 and March 8 at 7:30 p.m. at the Nakano Theatre.

To purchase tickets visit www.torrancearts.org.

Art

Sebastian Spencer Staff Writer @ECCUnionSpencer

Charles Ryder/ Union Manuel Dominguez, 24, business major, was awarded honorable mention at the Photographer’s Forum Magazine contest for Best of College Photography 2014.

Aspiring

fashion designer wins honorable mention

Art gallery exhibit to reflect Charles Darwin evolution “(R)evolution, Reflecting Charles Darwin,” by James Griffith has just opened at the EC Art Gallery. There will be a gallery walk through with Griffith on March 11 at 1 p.m. The exhibit will be at EC from March 3-Apr. 3. For more information call 310-660-3010.

Film Discover “Sudan” at Marsee Auditorium The film “Sudan,” by Karin Muller will be shown on Monday March 10 at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. This film is apart of the Discovery World Travel Series. Tickets are $7 and can be purchased at the Marsee Auditorium box office or by calling 310-329-5345.

Dance Los Angeles Ballet plans to show its moves “Quartet” presented by Los Angeles Ballet is directed by artistic directors, Thordal Christensen and Coleen Neary. The performance will take place on March 8 at 7:30 p.m. at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center. For tickets visit www. losangelesballet.org.

March 6, 2014

Rigo Bonilla Staff Writer @ECCUnionRigo

Focus, lighting, depth, angles, and pattern. There are a lot of delicate elements that have to line up just right for a great photograph to be captured. The journey of one EC photographer is similar.

Manuel Dominguez, 24, business major, said he wasn't going to enter the Photographer's Forum contest.

He only did so with the encouragement of his classmates.

Dominguez ended up winning honorable mention. Darilyn Rowan, photography instructor, puts the accomplishment in perspective. "(Photographer's Forum) gets approximately between 15,000-20,000 entries, depending on the year," Rowan said. "They pick the top five percent as finalists. In addition to the finalists, the jurors select 100 honorable mentions. This year, Manuel was selected as one of the honorable mentions, which is an incredible achievement."

The competition is open to all college students nationwide.

"When I was in graduate school myself, I won one of the 100 honorable mentions, but that's when I was a graduate student," Rowan added.

Rowan said "absolutely not" when asked if she thought she would have won as an undergraduate.

Dominguez almost didn't enter the competition, a lot

of things had to line up for the picture to even get taken.

"I didn’t know what I wanted to do, like a lot of people when they get out of high school," Dominguez said. "I changed my major a couple times. I failed some classes. I was doing bad. So, I decided to do something I always wanted to do, which was make clothes."

During a break from a fashion design course, Dominguez remembered that he had an assignment due for his photography class.

He had a flash of inspiration, set up three dress forms, and instructed a friend to pose with her arms around one while obscuring her face.

"After high school I started getting interested in photography, but I didn’t show anyone my photos because I wasn’t confident that they were good," Dominguez said. "It wasn’t until the first photo class where you have to show them.

People I didn’t know started giving me compliments, critiques and constructive criticism."

More than a year after taking the photo, it would again be his classmates to encourage him to enter it into the competition. Maria Andrade-Reyes, 32, photography major, a classmate who was also a finalist but not an honorable mention, worked in groups with Dominguez.

"He’s very smart, creative, talented and helpful," Andrade-Reyes said. "When he’s working he takes his time. It shows the quality of his work. A lot of my classmates submitted some photographs but didn’t get to the finals. Manny getting the honorable mention is a huge thing."

”Gangsta! Gangsta! Gangsta!” yells Schoolboy Q on the opening track of his highly anticipated debut album “Oxymoron.”

A good friend of Schoolboy Q, Kendrick Lamar, can put a lot of pressure with the success that Lamar had in the last year, but the label mates of Top Dawg Entertainment remain successful on the charts.

According to iTunes, “Oxymoron” had big numbers when the album was released on Feb. 25. Schoolboy Q tweeted that same day, “Number 1 in da country #OXYMORON !!!!!!!! Let’s keep it tHere!!!!!”

The wide fan base that he holds is largely due to the city where he comes from.

His style is like no other artist right now. Hardcore rhymes mixed with gritty sound, but also shows versatility where at times he can be smooth and gangster at the same time.

Schoolboy Q takes you on a ride through the rigorous, hardcore, and depressing streets of South Central Los Angeles. The opening track “Gangsta” definitely sets the tone for the album because it defines who Schoolboy Q is.

Even though the album shows the darkness of the L.A. streets and his past, it sheds a little light on Schoolboy Q’s life as an artist.

The groovy track “Collard Greens” was the debut single for “Oxymoron.”

Not only did it light up the dance floor scene in local clubs, but it did very well and holds the 28th spot in Complex Magazine top fifty songs in 2013.

The track “Hoover Street” lets fans in on who Schoolboy Q really is. Titled after a street that runs through Los Angeles, is better known for its gang activity and a tough area for a kid to grow up in.

In the song “Break The Bank,” he talks about his struggles and how he came to becoming a recording artist, “Got off my behind, write me some sweet lines, cause one day my story gon pay.”

The No. 1 album has an impressive line up of features including some legends in the hip-hop game such as Raekwon, Kurupt, Suga Free, Kendrick Lamar, and more.

“Oxymoron” brings gangster rap back to the mainstream.

Greek tragedy meets East L.A. Sam Telda Staff Writer @ECCUnionSam

As the East Los Angeles chola mourned by her father’s grave, she pondered whether or not she should avenge her father’s death — by killing her mother.

Based on a Greek tragedy “Electra,” “Electricidad,” written by Luis Alfaro, takes place in Pico Union of downtown L.A., where a 13-year-old girl poisons her mother because she murdered her father.

“It was interesting in the changes he (Alfaro) made, because the Greek version is so dense and he made it conversational,” Carolyn Almos, director said.

Generational gangs and peer pressure are just some of the inner-city issues that Alfaro’s play tackled. The Latino influence in this play served as a perfect demographic to have performed at EC. “I chose this play because it’s visceral. I’m the type of person who thinks you can talk about anything and this play promotes that. I thought it would be a great fit for this school and I knew of Luis’ work and I was a fan,” Almos said.

This play had a lot of Spanglish, but it didn’t stop Almos from selecting a diverse cast.

“I didn’t necessarily look for just latinos when choosing people during auditions but I asked everybody if they spoke Spanish, and how well because they had to be able to han-

dle the Spanish,” Almos said.

One performer spoke about how he got help from other cast members on speaking Spanish in the play.

“It wasn’t too hard because a lot of cast members speak Spanish so they helped me out with correct pronunciation,” Lorne Stevenson, 24, theatre major said.

Although this play was made on the basis of a Greek tragedy, Alfaro used different cultural aspects of being a Latino-American in downtown L.A. as a comedic relief.

“Just the balance between the comedic elements and the more serious subject matters, so making sure the comedy was funny but not too over the top, and making sure tragedy was tragic but it doesn’t overshadow the comedy,” Stevenson said.

An illness to the main character in the play made Almos select a new performer to fill in as the abuela.

“We had an abuela that stepped in last week and did an amazing job, and our original actress Jenny Magnani got vertigo so that was a challenge, but everybody rallied together,” Almos said.

Building off-stage relationships and getting the chemistry on stage helped make their transitions easier during the play.

“The camaraderie between the cast, especially the vecinos (neighbors) were very close tight knit. A lot of our lines were a big sentence that was split between all of us, so we had to become like one person,” Stevenson said.

Charles Ryder/ Union Juliana Mendez stars in “Electricidad” as an East Los Angeles chola whose father was murdered by her mother.

Sports

7 El Camino College Union

March 6, 2014

Baseball team wins fourth in a row Brian Camacho Staff Writer @ECCUnionBrian

Freshman relief pitcher Josh Norwood remained calmly on the mound, with 2 outs and a man on third, needing just one strike to protect a one-run lead over Santa Barbara City College which gave the Warriors it's fourth-consecutive victory.

Norwood shut the door for the Warriors (8-5) by getting the batter to ground out securing a 4-3 win over the Vaqueros (11-3), pushing their win streak to four games.

"I don't go for the strikeout," Norwood said. "I go for the ground ball or the pop-up because they can get anything in the outfield and double plays all day long.

I have complete confidence in them."

Norwood has settled into a close role after sealing his secondconsecutive save and now boasts a 2.12 ERA in 17 innings pitched.

"I don't think I've ever had a pitcher as gritty as him. He thrives and gets better in those moments," coach Nate Fernley said. "To have him at the end of games is really a luxury for us."

After a sluggish start, the Warriors began to gel and find an identity as a team, defeating four quality opponents and pulling their record back over .500, including an incredible 15-11 come from behind victory over L.A. Pierce Col-

Freshman pitcher, Ulices Moreno, was solid in his start against Santa Barbara City College. The Warriors won 4-3 against the Vaqueros last Thursday. lege after trailing by eight runs.

"Before the win streak, we didn't really know ourselves. We thought our chemistry needed to get better," freshman catcher Joey Notch said. "After the Pierce game everything went uphill."

The Vaqueros got on the scoreboard first in bottom of the third inning after a batter reached on a fielder's choice, giving him an RBI and 1-0 lead for his team.

The Warriors responded with a

huge fifth inning, scoring 4 runs and knocking the Vaqueros starting pitcher out of the game.

With two outs, the Warriors were able to load the bases, thanks to a pair of walks and a single to third base by freshman center fielder Keyon Allen. Freshman third baseman Tony Poncia was hit by a pitch to tie the game 1-1 which set the stage for sophomore first baseman Dylan Hatch coming up to the plate.

Hatch would hit his second double of the game, one into center field, and another just shy of being a home run to drive in three runs and give the Warriors a 4-1 lead.

"I was late on all those pitches in the first at bat," Hatch said. "I knew he was going to try and blow me away with the fastball so I got in front of it and hit it good."

The Vaqueros would close the gap by scoring a run in the bottom

of the sixth and seventh innings, cutting into the lead 4-3.

The Warriors stopped the Vaqueros from tying the game twice as Notch made a pair of outstanding plays at the plate that would end both innings and killed whatever momentum the Vaqueros had on their side.

"Those end up being the turning point of the game," Fernley said. "That's just a great play all around."

Charles Ryder / Union

The real season now begins for the Warriors, as conference play begins with a three-game series against Cypress College, which will conclude this Saturday, at home, set for noon.

"We're playing for each other.

We're not playing for ourselves or our own stats," Poncia said. "Everyone is committing to the team."

Tennis teams split vs Cerritos Overcoming errors to win Sam Tedla Staff Writer @ECCUnionSam

With just a sidewalk separating a tale of two end’s, the women’s came out victorious, 5-4, while the men’s lost in 8-1 against Cerritos College Thursday.

The men and women tennis team played in a doubleheader that had both team playing on all courts at the same time.

As some matches finished sooner than others, players would go to another court and root their fellow Warriors on.

“We’ll it’s more exciting, the whole family is together and you get to cheer each other on. When we’re all together we’re a family and we get root each other on,” Fulton said.

Freshman Shayla Fulton and Rose Sgolsutyator, doubles partners, dominated, 8-2, to score EC’c first point for the women.

“We did a lot of movement, and worked together which are important in doubles, so that’s what we did to win today,” Fulton said.

Fulton who is undefeated in her singles matches this year spoke on how her strengths in doubles translate to singles.

“My strength is my back hand, so when I put that towards my singles that makes my forehand even stronger,” Fulton said.

Freshman Apurva Sharma overcame a wrist injury as she and partner Sheila James bounced back in there doubles match after a shaky start to win, 8-6, to score a point for the Warriors.

Winning two of the three doubles matches the Lady Warriors put the pressure on Cerritos College to win four of the six singles matches.

The mens team felt they gave it a great effort today but Cerritos was just more aggressive and competitive.

“They had a lot more aggro when they played there doubles. They were very tough opponents but we tried our best,” sophomore tennis player, Anthony Ya said.

“They just finished better than us at the net today,” sophomore tennis player, Britton Henriksen said.

With both tennis teams playing at the same time, assistant coach Jaymie Baquero helped head coach Steve Van Kanegan rotate back-and-forth to support the Warriors in their matches.

“Pump ourselves up, always dismiss each others mistakes, and just keep playing our best,” Ya said.

“Communicate also during point like know who’s going after which ball,” Henriksen said.”

Tennis is sport that requires silence out of it’s spectators, so coaches are present more for moral support.

“In tennis you can’t have a coach talk to in between points, but just having him looking over watch us really helps a lot,” Henriksen said.

Most matches have either than men at home while the women are away, but this doubleheader served as time for comradery between teammates.

“I enjoy this types of matches we have, it’s a little bonding between the guys and girls,” Ya said.

Warriors Schedule Men’s Baseball: Today at Cerritos College 2p.m.

Women’s Softball: Today at Los Angeles Harbor College 3p.m.

men’s Volleyball:

Tomorrow vs. Moorpark College 6p.m.

men’s & Women’s Swim & Dive: Friday-Saturday at Chaffey College Invitational

Men’s & Women’s Track & Field: Saturday at California State University Los Angeles Invitational

Joel Leon Staff Writer @ECCUnionJoel

Fearing an imminent loss, upset fans argued about the Warrior’s performance at the end of the first set.

EC’s Men’s Volleyball team took their first victory of the season after defeating Santa Monica College (3-1) this past Friday night.

However, at the end of game, it was a happy audience that congratulated the Warriors for their victory.

In his 8th season, Coach Richard Blount described the game as a “nail-biter.”

The first set EC fell short 23-25, largely due to several mistakes the team committed, but also because both teams wanted to win.

“We made 20 errors in our first game,” freshmen Casey Wood said. Wood, who was previously injured and did not play previous preseason games, helped EC by contributing with nine kills in the game.

“When we limit our errors we’re probably the best team in this conference,” Wood said.

In the second set, the Warriors demonstrated what the team is capable of doing, and cruised to an easy 25-16 win.

“We came together well,” Sophomore Roy Powell said. “The guys helped me keep my head in the game.”

Powell and Sophomore Brandon Hiehle contributed with 11 kills (Powell) and 9 kills (Hiehle).

The third set displayed two teams that did not

want to lose.

Both teams scored one after the other, and both teams came together excellently; however, at the end of the set EC fought harder and made less mistakes, which gave them the victory, 25-21.

The final set was more reliving than the third, with both teams going head to head against each other, but at the end, EC fought for every point and was able to clinch another victory by the same score of 25-21.

“We fought for every point,” Wood said. “We battled until the end.”

Despite Santa Monica having a great game, EC and players such as Roy Powell, Casey Wood and Errol Basconillo, seem to have wanted the win a bit more.

Sophomore Errol Basconcillo, who contributed with 15 digs, said he was glorified to see the team’s resilience after the first set’s loss, and was also happy they were able to find good chemistry which helped them to win.

“One step at a time,” Basconcillo said. “If we keep that consistency, we will be good for the rest of the season.”

The Warriors will look to limit errors and prepare for more “nail-biting” games.

EC’s next game will be this Wednesday, as they face Long Beach City College.

Warriors Scoreboard Men’s Volleyball:

Warriors 3 (6-3), Santa Monica 1

Men’s baseball: Warriors 4 (9-5), Santa Barbara College 3, Warriors 2, Cerritos College 0

Women’s Softball: Warriors 1 (9-8), Cerritos College 11

Men’s & Women’s Tennis: Men; Loss 8-1

Women; Loss 6-3

FOR MORE SPORTS ACTION GO TO OUR WEBSITE, ECCUNION.com

8 El Camino College Union

Sports

March 6, 2014

Gilberto Castro / Union

Freshman Aqeelah Muhammad lands her 1st attempt in the women’s long jump at last Saturday’s meet in Cerritos College. Muhammad finished in 13th place overall in a field of 16 jumpers with a distance of 4.47 meters.

Cerritos Continued from page 1

While rain filled the throwers ring, sophomore Pole Vaulter Tarou Seki was back on the field after a injury in his heel.

“I couldn’t jump for a good two weeks, because of a bruised heel on my jumping leg,” Seki said.

“The coaches told me to not jump.

I just focused on taking good care of my heel while running and lifting.”

While avoiding putting pressure to his heel, Seki used a shorter approach, using 10 steps instead of a long approach with 16 steps. He made it over on his first attempts on two heights, later scratching on the height of 14 feet.

“The cold weather didn’t help my injury, but I wasn’t in pain,” Seki said. “Im not 100 percent yet but I can still jump for points.”

The Warriors came home with individual wins this meet, preparing them for Conference meets later on in the season. Lofgren believes that his team has what it takes to bring conferences titles home.

“The women have a chance at dominating Southern California by winning a team title.” Lofgren said. “Individually, after these few meets, we can see who is capable of winning these titles.”

On Friday, EC will return to Cerritos for another multi-team competition.

Gilberto Castro / Union

Freshman William Ingram takes his first attempt in men’s high jump in last Saturday’s meet at Cerritos College. Ingram finished in 6th place with a height of 1.78 meters.

Powell leads by example for teammates Joel Leon Staff Writer @ECCUnionJoel

John Fordiani / Union

Sophomore Middle Blocker Roy Powell. Originally from Hollister, CA, Powell has been playing for the Warriors for the past two years.finished in 6th place with a height of 1.78 meters.

With emotions running high, the Warriors are looking at the other side of the court as they stare at their opponents, players who seem much bigger than them; but then, they are motivated, and captain Roy Powell helps his team grow courage in order to strive for the win.

What Powell does is what other captains, coaches, and family have done for him.

Powell, who was born and raised in Hollister, northern California initially played baseball before beginning his career in volleyball.

With the motivation of old coaches however, he fell in love with volleyball in his freshmen year of High School, and has not stopped playing since.

Volleyball has shaped Powell to become not only a prankster, but also a positive and gregarious person.

“We would always pull pranks on people,” Powell said. “Like one

time it was my senior year in High School, and we took my coaches phone, and we changed it (Language) to Chinese. She was not able to access her phone for days.”

Whether it was pulling pranks or singing, “Teardrops On My Guitar” by Taylor Swift, line by line with his whole team on road trip games, Powell has learned how to always remain with a positive attitude.

Powell’s facetious way of being is not a detriment, but on the contrary, a helpful characteristic that helps him to evade obstacles.

Despite having a great attitude, Powell, like anyone else, faces obstacles.

According to Powell, money along with not having his family by his side, is what makes it sometimes difficult for him.

With a “simple phone call” from home however, his day always seems to get better.

Powell’s mother’s love and encouragement drive him to want to obtain a brighter future.

“The most important thing for me is to show my mom that I will eventually become something,” Powell said. “I’m doing everything I possibly can to become

successful and help her out in the long run.”

Powell admits that his ultimate goal is to obtain his masters degree and head back home with his mother and the rest of his family where he hopes to one day coach his old high school team and take them to play against Mira Costa High School.

Powell’s qualities is recognized by everyone who knows him, including his coach, Richard Blount.

“Roy has a good head on his shoulders, whatever he chooses in life he will be a success,” coach Blount said. “I wish I had more players like Roy!” Several of Roy’s teammates also value his presence.

“Roy is a great person on and off the court,” freshmen Tyler Sompa said. “One of the best captains I’ve ever had.”

Powell’s long time friend and teammate, Samusu Semo (Sam), also contributed by saying that throughout the years he has known Powell, and has been there to challenge him to be better, and that he “is a very easy guy that likes to make people laugh.”

Powell admits that he intends to make a difference in other peoples