EL VAQUERO G L E N D A L E C O M M U N I T Y C O L L E G E C A M P U S N E W S PA P E R
October 7, 2015
Volume 106 | Number 2
Famous Women Honored at Glendale Art Exhibit VISIT US @ EL VAQ
NEWS
FEATURES
SPORTS
Black Lives Matter march to downtown Glendale.
Learn how to take advantage of available funds for college.
Vaqueros lose four in a row, will use bye week to regroup.
E l Va q u e r o N e ws p a p e r
Page 3
Pages 4
Page 13
@ G CC _ E l Va q
w w w. e l v a q . c o m @ G CC _ E l Va q
2
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
EL VAQUERO EDITOR IN CHIEF Anahit Kardzhyan NEWS EDITOR Elie Georges SPORTS EDITOR Sean Jordan STAFF Irene Abramian Shaira Arias Monica Astacio Evelina Klchyan Soraya Mattei Jack Morello Danielle Nail Ekaterina Nikitina Aidan Rutten Melody Shahsavarani Yu Sugita Nancy Villalobos Steven Workman PRODUCTION MANAGER
Sal Polcino NEWSROOM MANAGER
Eric Bourse BROADCAST DIRECTOR
Anashen Navasartian DESIGN ADVISER Charles Eastman faculty adviserS Michael Moreau mmoreau@glendale.edu (818) 240-1000 ext. 5214 Richard Chang rchang@glendale.edu advertising Jeff Smith jsmith@glendale.edu (818) 240-1000, ext. 5493 Send Letters to the Editor El Vaquero accepts story ideas in news, features, profiles, sports and entertainment from the public. Send an idea or article to the editor at anahit.elvaq@gmail.com or call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5349. Member of the Journalism Asssociation of Community Colleges
Letters may be reproduced in full or in part and represent only the point of view of the writer, not the opinion of El Vaquero or Glendale Community College and its district. All letters must include the full name, address and phone number of the writer. You will be contacted before publication. El Vaquero is a First Amendment publication.
EL VAQUERO
1500 N. Verdugo Road Glendale, CA 91208 (818) 240-1000, ext. 5349
First copy free Additional copies $.25
www.elvaq.com
NEWS
Umpqua Shooting Spurs Gun Control Debates By Melody Shahsavarani and Soraya Mattei
T
ragedy struck the city of Roseburg, Ore., when a gunman opened fire at Umpqua Community College, killing nine and wounding several others Thursday morning. The shooter, Chris Harper Mercer, 26, a student at Umpqua, had a total of six weapons with him at school and seven more at home. Mercer walked into the first of two classrooms where he started his rampage and shot a professor point blank. It was reported the gunman later died of self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Within a few hours after the news broke, President Obama pushed for a change in gun laws when he addressed the nation in a nationally televised press conference. “Somehow this has become routine. The reporting is routine. My response here at this podium ends up being routine, the conversation in the aftermath of it. We’ve become numb to this,”
Obama said. According to everytownforgunsafety.org, this is the 142nd mass shooting since the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012, and the 45th in 2015 alone. Gary Montecuollo, chief of police at GCC, sent out an email blast on Thursday evening, to reassure students and faculty. “While we cannot predict the future actions of individuals who would commit crime, I want to reassure our campus community that the Glendale College Police Dept. takes very seriously the safety and well-being of all our members,” said Montecuollo. “The safety of our faculty, staff, students and those who come onto our campus is our priority. We diligently train our own staff in the areas of public safety and emergency preparedness.” Students and faculty are encouraged to visit the GCC website under the “Police” tab where they can find procedure guidelines for emergency situations, including videos that focus on ac-
Photo by Pete Souza President Barack Obama: President Obama, with Homeland Security Adviser Lisa Monaco glancing at cable TV coverage of the mass shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseberg, Ore., in the Outer Oval Office on Oct. 1, 2015.
tive shooters on campus. Every two years the campus police department meets with the faculty and staff to help provide such information and emphasize the use of the app Nixle. When signing up, it provides notifications during emergency situations, what to do in that matter and live updates.
GCC police collectively work with LA County’s Sheriff department, California Highway Patrol, as well as Pasadena and Burbank police departments. See the full text of Chief Montecuollo’s letter below. Melody Shahsavarani can be reached at melody.shah1@gmail.com
Letter from the Chief of Campus Police Department
L
ast week, as many of you heard, a terrible tragedy occurred at Umpqua Community College in Oregon. News sources reported that an unknown person killed at least ten people with additional persons being injured. I do not know if the person was a student nor do I know the motive for the violence. Our hearts go out to all of those at that campus, to the victims who survived as well as to the families and relatives of the victims that did not. Today is an unfortunate reminder that a campus environment is not immune to violence. While we cannot predict the future actions of individuals who would commit crime, I want to reassure our campus community
that the Glendale College Police Dept. takes very seriously the safety and well-being of all our members. The safety of our faculty, staff, students and those who come onto our campus is our priority. We diligently train our own staff in the areas of public safety and emergency preparedness. We work closely with our regional partners to respond to any emergency. We speak to faculty, staff, and student groups annually to share practical strategies for keeping our campus safe. As always, if you see suspicious behavior which you feel is connected to a possible crime, please contact the College Police Dept. immediately. Please call 818-551-5205 for non-emer-
gencies, and 818-409-5911 for a visual perspective what to do emergencies. If you are using a in an emergency. You can access campus telephone, dial extension the videos by clicking on the fol5205 for a non-emergency, and lowing link and then clicking on extension 4000 for an emergency. the individual video you wish to Additionally, if you have not yet watch: http://www.glendale.edu/ done so, please sign up with our emergencyprocedures . Please feel free to contact me, emergency notification carrier (Nixle) to receive text alerts for a or a member of my staff, for any campus emergency. You may ob- questions you may have regardtain more information by clicking ing public safety or how you may on the following link: http://glen- become involved with our public dale.edu/index.aspx?page=5673 . safety efforts. Recently, we updated our emergency procedures guide. Sincerely, It is available in work areas, in Gary J. Montecuollo each classroom, and on-line. To Chief of Police further assist our stakeholders, Glendale Community College we also completed several eduPolice Dept. cational videos which we posted (818) 240-1000 ext. 3120 on our web page that share from
On the Cover:
IN THIS ISSUE
GCC alumnus, Pete Graziano,
News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4
poses next to his colorful depiction of Hollywood icon Elizabeth Taylor “Violet Eyes,” an acrylic on canvas displayed at the “Leading Ladies” Exhibit at the Glendale Forest Lawn. Photo by Melody Shahsavarani
Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9 Arts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-11 Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-14 Lifestyles.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
www.elvaq.com
NEWS
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
3
‘Black Lives Matter’ Protest Marches to City Hall By Elie Georges
G
lendale College’s Sociology Club organized a nonviolent march for the Black Lives Matter movement on Oct. 1 at noon. The marchers rallied at El Vaquero Plaza where students and faculty gave speeches and said a prayer before the march. Black Lives Matter is an activist movement that started as a Twitter hashtag after George Zimmerman was acquitted of the fatal shooting of teenager Trayvon Martin in July 2013. Since then, the movement has become a chapter-based national organization, campaigning in opposition of police brutality against black people. “Black Lives Matter is a metaphor for us to tackle and attack injustice, discrimination, and prejudice,” sociology professor J.C. Moore said. “Black people are the ones who are the most victimized and marginalized, and they are the ones who are experiencing the bottom life in our society.” Participants marched about 2.3 miles toward Glendale City Hall via Glendale Avenue. No city officials came out to hear the marchers’ demands; however, only a few participants were black. “We are marching today to spread awareness, because in Glendale you never hear about
anything like Black Lives Matter. We want to show support,” student Natalie Shahbazian said. GCC’s black student credit population was 3 percent in 2014, according to the college’s Campus Profile. “Support us and make Glendale more friendly to racial minorities and provide services equally to African-Americans and Latinos,” Moore said. According to the California Community College’s Student Count Report, Santa Monica College’s black student body was 8.21 percent in spring 2015, compared to 4.97 percent at L.A. Valley College, 3.96 percent at Pasadena City College, and 2.03 percent at GCC. “We must take a critical look and be honest with ourselves and look at the institutional racism, the unconscious bias that causes us to have this particular situation in the first place,” sociology professor Richard Kamei said. According to the Glendale City 2010 census, African-Americans make up 1.3 percent of the city’s population. “This is raising consciousness among Glendalians. They do not want blacks in their community,” Moore said.
Elie Georges can be reached at ElieAlexGeorges@gmail.com
Photo by Edward Tovmassian marching to city hall: Sociology professor J.C. Moore holds a sign with a student, while marching to the Glendale City Hall. The sign reads #BlackLivesMatter, which started on Twitter in response to police hostility toward black people. Dozens of students and a few faculty members participated in the march.
DEAFestival Brings Hearing and Deaf Together By Soraya Mattei
T
he 17th annual DEAFestival LA took place Saturday in Grand Park in front of Los Angeles City Hall. The free event attracted a crowd of over 40,000 people, both hearing and deaf alike. Various food trucks and vendors were at the event, along with exhibitors providing information and services to the deaf community. One of the central missions of the DEAFestival was to provide resources and a community to deaf youth, especially deaf children with hearing parents, who might need additional support. Though the deaf attendees were of all ages, many families were also enjoying the event. Alon, whose 5-year-old daughter Ellie is deaf, was in attendance with his family.
“We try to come to nicate better. the festival every year,” “This event is amazAlon said. “My wife and ing, not just for the deaf I have been signing for community, but (everyabout five years, so we’re one),” she said. “I feel like still learning, but this is a a lot of hearing people good opportunity to pracdon’t realize what deaf tice and to get informapeople are really like, but tion and support the cominteracting with them in munity. It’s a really good a normal space like this place for families of deaf opens a lot of eyes.” children or even deaf parThe festival was run ents of hearing children to by volunteers, most of Photo by Alina Khanbabaian connect and it’s really fun whom sign with varying BUT FIRST: ASL 101 students sign “I love you” as they for the kids.” degrees of fluency. Their The DEAFestival pose for a seflie at the DEAFestival on Saturday. passion and enthusiasm also attracted hearing students of who don’t know how to sign, but was tangible and many were veteveryone should at least become erans of the event. American Sign Language. “It was amazing seeing the educated and aware of other com“Our goal is to educate the hearing and deaf communities munities.” public and parents with deaf chilEmily, a deaf studies major dren about deaf culture,” said come together,” Vaneh Hartoonian, a GCC psychology ma- at Cal State Northridge, said she Volunteer Coordinator Joanna jor, said. “I think it would be a learned ASL in high school be- Hinojosa through an interpreter. great experience for hearing peo- cause she had a lot of deaf friends “We’re trying to build a ple. It might be strange for those and wanted to be able to commu- bridge, in essence, between the
deaf and hearing world, so that each is aware of the other,” Hinojosa said. “We would like to invite the hearing world into our deaf world, expose them to our language and culture – things that they wouldn’t know about without experiencing them.” In addition to providing a communal space for the deaf and hearing communities, the event also showcases deaf artists, designers, and musicians, among other talented people. “Hearing people often don’t realize that deaf people can do a lot of things. The only thing we can’t do is hear,” Hinojosa said. Editor’s note: Some sources declined to provide their last names due to privacy concerns.
Soraya Matteican be reached at soramattei@gmail.com
4
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
NEWS
www.elvaq.com
FAFSA Strives to Be More User-Friendly By Irene Abramian
T
he Obama Administration released a statement Sept. 13 announcing the implementation of two major changes to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, also known as FAFSA. Effective for Fall 2017, the FAFSA will become available three months earlier on Oct. 1 and applicants will be able to report tax information filed from an earlier year instead of estimating yearly income or waiting until the end of tax season. The FAFSA is used each year by college students to apply for more than $150 billion of aid available in the form of loans,
work-study and grants. The current FAFSA application opens on the first of January each year for aid to be distributed in the following fall semester. This timeline is not aligned with the deadlines used by many colleges in their application cycles which presents hurdles for college students, said the White House. “Learning about aid eligibility options much earlier in the college application and decision process will allow students and families to determine the true cost of attending college — taking available financial aid into account — and make more informed decisions,” the statement said. The new FAFSA will also feature the option to utilize tax
information filed from two years ago. Currently, applicants are asked to either estimate income and asset information or wait until they have filed their taxes in April. According to the Obama Administration, this results in an inefficient use of resources, as has been seen in past FAFSA cycles. “In recent years, colleges and universities have spent as many as 3 million total hours each year verifying FAFSA information, including income and other tax return data.” By adjusting the FAFSA, “these colleges and universities will be able to avoid much of the burden of verifying tax return information when students apply using data retrieved directly from the IRS,” the White
House said in its statement. With the implementation of these two key changes, the Obama Administration hopes that more students will take advantage of the funding that is available. At Glendale College, the new FAFSA will affect the many students who receive financial aid. “It could help the students of GCC if in fact they haven’t filed their taxes for the year. There wouldn’t be a delay in getting their financial aid,” said Brad Hardison, interim associate dean of student financial aid services. Mayleth Lopez, a first-year student at GCC majoring in business, welcomed the new changes and said it will make for a much less confusing application.
“It gives us more time to get everything done and receive the documents because a lot of people leave things to the last minute. This is a lot more convenient,” Lopez said. The college will take the proper measures to inform students about the changes. To avoid confusion, more information will be released closer to the date of implementation. “We will notify students through articles in the student paper and online portals,” said Hardison. The new FAFSA will become available Oct. 1, 2016 for financial aid to be delivered in fall 2017. Irene Abramian can be reached at ireneabramian@gmail.com
Get Your Share of the Money: A Guide for Students By Nancy Villalobos
T
he cost of community college may not be as high as a four-year school, but getting through it can be a struggle just the same. Hidden money for college is out there; students just have to know where to look. The Coca-Cola Community College Academic Team, the American Association for Women in Community Colleges, Scholarship America Dreamkeepers and the Gene & Marilyn Nuziard Health Care Scholarship are just a few of the places students can apply for financial assistance. Many scholarships are industry specific so it’s helpful to search for scholarships under your desired career to see what is available. According to the Glendale Community College website, the
application deadline for scholarships for Fall 2015 is Oct 15. There is over $300,000 in funds available and scholarships range from $200 to several thousand dollars. The minimum requirements to apply for the GCC Scholarship are completion of 12 units at GCC, a GPA of 2.5 or higher, and enrollment in a minimum of three units. There are more than 500 scholarships available and students may apply for all of them by filling out one simple application. To apply for a scholarship, log into your MyGCC account and click on “Main Menu,” then select “My Scholarship.” Make sure that you apply for the current year. You may update it using the same link. After submitting your application, ask a teacher, counselor, or any staff at Glendale College to write an online recommendation for you.
The recipients of the fall 2015 scholarships will be notified via e-mail in January 2016. The recipients of the spring 2016 scholarships will be notified via e-mail in July 2016. The application deadline for the spring 2016 scholarships is March 23, 2016. Several programs on campus also offer assistance such as the Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS), which helps with textbook vouchers, funds and counseling services; La Comunidad for Latino students; and GCC’s Black Scholars — a black student support program. Visit the scholarship office in room 202 of the J.W. Smith Student Center or call 818-240-1000 ext. 5591 for more information. Nancy Villalobos can be reached at nmv530@gmail.com
www.elvaq.com
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
FEATURES
5
Manufacturing Day at GCC Shapes Future By Nancy Villalobos
N
ational Manufacturing Day was recognized by organizations throughout the nation and Glendale Community College was no exception. On Oct 2, the GCC Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers Club (SHPE) hosted its very own Manufacturing Day celebration in the Advanced Technology building, which included an open house and fundraiser to help get the club to an upcoming SHPE national conference in November located in Baltimore, Md. The manufacturing department on campus includes state-ofthe-art equipment and draws the attention of such companies as Jet Propulsion Laboratory. In attendance at the event was Oscar M. Avalos, deputy supervisor of mechanical prototype and hardware fabrication at JPL. “The students at GCC always impress us and we are happy to work in connection with many of them,” Avalos said. “There are some very bright minds
at this school and they have a very impressive manufacturing department.” The club’s 20 members, an increase of 50 percent from last semester, are immersed in a world all unto their own with heavy machinery and materials at their fingertips. They enjoy the benefits of a new lab, with computers they made themselves, a brand new 3D printer, as well as one they made. Jose Martinez is the SHPE GCC club president and manager of the engineering class. “We are striving for an environment in which the members can come in for hours at a time and be creative,” he said. “Much of what we do is dependent upon teamwork and a cohesiveness that I hope the new lab will lend itself to.” Martinez, who also has an internship at JPL, said he welcomes the opportunity to show prospective new members all of the wonderful tools they have at their disposal. He hopes it will encourage those who may consider dropping
out of the engineering program to stay with it and enjoy the benefits and ultimately realize their dreams. Networking opportunities with industry professionals and building one’s resume through internships are perks of being in the club. Despite the club’s name, it does not discriminate and is open to all nationalities. Currently the club is working on a mobile ground vehicle that will roam around campus picking up trash with its robotic scoop and ramp. Its energy source is being upgraded from a regular battery system to lithium which will decrease the weight and make it more efficient. The improved design will be worked on throughout the semester and the members hope to have it up and running soon. The SHPE club meets every other Monday at 12:30 p.m. in the engineering lab room 229 in the Advanced Technology building. Photos by Nancy Villalobos Nancy Villalobos can be reached at nmv530@gmail.com
A DAY FOR ENGINEERS: Jose Martinez, above, with the club’s mobile ground vehicle. Armen Toorian, engineering clinic director, below, looks at the club’s 3D printer.
Professors Laugh it Off By Danielle Nail
P
rofessors are human, and humans make mistakes. Sometimes it happens in front of an audience of students leading to uncontrollable laughter. Here are their stories: “One summer morning I was teaching world mythology. We were studying the myths of the Apocalypse. I had just finished giving my opinion that end-ofthe-world scenarios like these were not scientifically possible. In a flip tone, I commented how, at every point in history, people had gone through the terrible portents described in the Book of Revelations and pointed to recent events that they matched. Nothing to worry about. No sooner were the words out of my mouth, then we heard a low rumbling, and the library building began to rock back and forth! It was only a three-pointer (earthquake), but now I keep my opinions to myself.” -Susan Henry, English department.
“In my mass communications classes, I use an activity called: “Tell Me Something I Don’t Know.” It gives the students a chance to keep me abreast of the latest news in music, movies, internet, radio, television, etc., while earning participation credit. Media is continuously changing, so it can be interesting to hear the latest from my students. It also gives them a chance to be smarter than the professor. One day, I was running that activity, and a young woman in the back of the class raised her hand. ‘Natasha!’ I called out confidently, ‘Tell me something I don’t know.’ ‘My name is Nathalie,’ she replied. After a couple seconds of stunned silence, the whole class burst out laughing. (This was after midterms! I’d been calling her, ‘Natasha’ all semester long!)” -Lynn Dickinson, language arts department.
[See OOPS, page 6]
6
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
www.elvaq.com
FEATURES
Creativity Connects a Community at Montrose By Irene Abramian
C
reativity Connects a Community at Montrose Farmers Market A busy vegan mother of two looking for a one-stop shop to purchase produce for her custom diet, buy all-natural soap, listen to live music and sharpen her kitchen knives; all while keeping her kids occupied, might be stumped. That is, until she visits the Montrose Harvest Market and Marketplace. The farmers market in Montrose is a 13-year tradition occurring every Sunday in Glendale’s historic old town. The bazaar uniquely joins farmers with food and retail vendors. Each week, an average of 60 vendors come together on Honolulu Avenue to connect with their community and sell their products. Here, visitors can browse through the various stands of handcrafted jewelry, clothing, jams and jellies, soaps, ceramics and freshly baked breads. To keep customers both old and young satisfied, the market also features children’s recreational activities such as pony rides, bouncy houses and playpens. In the middle of the circa twoblock market, visitors will find a display of soaps neatly stacked on shelves, all in neutral tones and each labeled with creative names like “Dirty Girl,” “Absinthe” and “Woodstock.” The soaps fill the immediate area with scents of lavender, cloves, cinnamon and eucalyptus.
The stand belongs to Goat Rodeo, a company started by John Lake and his wife Janice. After one of their goats delivered kids, the couple was left with excess goat milk and so, the venture began. Instead of water, the soaps are made with raw goat milk combined with various oils like coconut, olive and essentials oils for fragrance. The ingredients are simple and few. “It’s an all-natural soap. There are no perfumes, chemicals or artificial ingredients,” said John Lake. This is Goat Rodeo’s third year as a vendor in Montrose. Farther down the stretch of booths, next to a live band playing “Have You Ever Seen the Rain?” by Creedence Clearwater Revival, stand Doug Meyer and his wife Maxi Mueller. They have been attending the Montrose farmers market as customers for a long time, but this week marks their fourth as vendors. Their company is called Blöde Kuh, which is German for “silly cow,” and they sell dairy-free cheeses and yogurts. After moving to Los Angeles, the couple found that the choices of vegan cheeses were limited and disappointing. Mueller, a vegan, set out to change this by working to create a delicious, but also dairy-free, product using cashews as the base. They now sell their cheeses in different flavors including “Truffle Fluff,” “Sir Racha Cheddar,” and “Herbie Vore.” The company aims to “(celebrate) what veganism is, as opposed to focusing on what it isn’t,” Meyer said.
Photo by Irene Abramian Sunday funday: Farmers at the Montrose Harvest Market and Marketplace showcase their top picks of peaches and apples for visitors on a warm Sunday afternoon.
Past the booth of Blöde Kuh is a lineup of all the food vendors leading to the end of the bazaar, marked by bouncy houses and ponies resounding with childish squeal and laughter. Walking back along the opposite side, visitors pass a colorful assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables taking them to a stand with an intricate array of honey jars. Bill’s Bees had its official beginning in 1994 when Bill Lewis, an aerospace engineer, decided to turn his childhood passion of beekeeping into a career. The company sells a variety of honeys including avocado honey, buckwheat honey and caramelized
honey. They also sell flavored honey, or “HoneyStix” as they call them, in sour strawberry, vanilla chai and banana. Bill’s Bees is passionate about honey bees and the contributions the bees make to global welfare. The company aims to educate the community about the health of the honey bee population while continuously providing the best possible honey. Leroy Steese is part of the Bill’s Bees team and helps sell the product in Montrose. He talks of his love for beekeeping. “I’ve done many jobs but being a beekeeper, I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Going out and
working the bees, sweating gallons and getting stung, there’s something about it that’s fun and exciting,” Steese said. Among these three vendors stand many more. Organizers of the market are continuously looking for new entrepreneurs to add to this group, and listed on their website is application information. The Montrose Harvest Market and Marketplace takes place every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., rain or shine.
Irene Abramian can be reached at ireneabramian@gmail.com
Professors Reveal Most Embarassing Moments o ops! [from page 5]
“I have Siri and my Mexican-American accent to blame I guess. I once dictated an email to a student that should have said, ‘Don’t worry about your missing assignment.’ Siri texted, ‘Don’t worry about your amazing buttocks.’Yikes!! Thank God the student had a sense of humor. Lesson learned: always look back at your screen before you ask Siri to send a message.” -Fabiola Torres, ethnic studies department.
“One of the field locations for our Bali programs is the sacred ‘Monkey Forest’ in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia. The forest has never been cleared because it remains home to several troops of monkeys (actually macaques), and all monkeys are held in high regard in Bali. The Balinese tend to let monkeys be monkeys, which includes letting them roam free to cause mischief. Before visiting the Monkey Forest, we provide a brief lecture for our students on ‘monkey etiquette,’ making sure everyone removes sunglasses, jewelry and hats, zipping them away in their backpacks. Though vendors sell
overpriced bananas at the entrance to the forest, we instruct everyone to not take food into the forest. If you were to enter the forest with food, the monkeys will see or smell the goodies and steal them. They will also steal and run off with your jewelry, hats and sunglasses, and then a local forest guide will try to coax the monkeys into trading your stolen items for food (at a cost to you.) With this in mind, our GCC group entered the Monkey Forest, and a few decided to buy bananas and packs of nuts. Monkeys are quite smart (and quick). As these students held out a single banana,
the recipient monkey would forgo the banana and swiftly steal the entire bunch of bananas held behind the student’s back. Hold out a peanut, and the entire bag would be stolen. Within a minute all the food was gone. A couple of students went back for more peanuts. One placed peanuts in her pocket, handing out a few before the monkeys caught on. A minute later, monkey hands were in her pocket and the peanuts were quickly taken away. Seeing this, the second student had placed a bag of peanuts inside her pants before she re-entered the monkey-filled forest. I wasn’t aware of this, but I became aware
soon thereafter as I heard a deafening shriek coming from this student as two monkeys, hands competing for peanuts, were forcing this student’s pants lower and lower, slowly overpowering her ability to pull them back up. It only lasted a few seconds, and soon the monkeys’ interest shifted to the peanuts which were now spread all over the floor, and the pants were back in place. The forest was filled with laughter, which lasted for the rest of the trip. This includes the student herself, who took it all in good stride.” -Darren Leaver, geography. Danielle Nail can be reached at daniellecnail@yahoo.com
www.elvaq.com
FEATURES
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
7
Transfer Students Weigh Out Their Options By Yu Sugita
I
n anticipation of upcoming college applications, the Transfer Center held its semiannual College Fair on Oct. 1 in Plaza Vaquero from 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., and again at 5-7 p.m. for evening students. The Transfer Center must coordinate with the representatives from different institutions and Glendale Community College in order to host the event every semester. This fall, there were approximately 50 schools in attendance. The lineup included all of the UCs, Cal State universities, private schools and several out-of-state institutions. “Many Glendale College departments are involved in putting this together such as facilities, campus police, food services and counseling,” Transfer Center Coordinator Kevin Meza said. “We also rely on the support of both classified staff and faculty to get the word out to our students about the event.” The fair helps students who want to transfer to a four-year college by providing them with the opportunity to learn about admission requirements for transfer students, scholarships and campus life all at once. Moreover, talking with
representatives from the colleges or universities faceto-face can be helpful when trying to get a better understanding of each of the schools. Students lined up, pamphlets in hand, to speak with representatives of their aspiring colleges. Psychology major Garooneh Avanessian hopes to transfer next semester and said she thinks the college fair is helpful. “All these articles and handouts they give are informative. I just went to bunch of them and they answered all of my questions,” Avanessian said. In addition, many schools were handing out goodies, like pens and keychains with their logo or mascot. “It is a great opportunity for students planning to transfer to a four-year college to learn about options. It was especially successful for me to show them one of many schools they could consider transferring to,” said the representative of Western Oregon University. The College Fair is held twice a year, once in the fall and again in the spring. For more information, visit the Transfer Center on the second floor of the San Rafael building. Yu Sugita be reached at yuxx502@hotmail.co.jp
Illustration by Anahit Kardzhyan
Student Employment Services Lend a Helping Hand By Steven Workman
L
ooking for a part-time job on or around campus? The Job Placement Center, located on the second floor of the San Rafael building, is here to help. “The mission of Student Employment Services is to provide comprehensive assistance to students and alumni in their search for employment and to assist employers in finding capable, qualified applicants,” as posted in its mission statement. The center offers employment services and internships for current students, alumni and faculty. Director of Student Employment Services (SES) Andra Hoffman-Verstraete is confident that they do good work and succeed the majority of the time.
She says that the weekly average for 800 students is now 10 hours for part-time jobs and there are still 300 active jobs available. Hoffman-Verstraete pointed out that the new online job board, www.collegecentral.com/glendale, will make it easier for students to find work. “We used to have hard copies in the hallway and we’re not doing that any more,” she said. The site allows the creation and uploading of resumes, quick searching for job opportunities and access to work information. Student worker Anna Hartounian, receptionist for the Job Placement Center, said it is rewarding to work there and be able to help students of all ages. “Don’t give up. Keep looking for a job,” she advises students who come to the job center for
help. She also recommends visiting the annual job orientation in the fall to learn about work and what job is right for you. There will be significant changes as far as employment services, but Hoffman-Verstraete could not give any details, stating that such information is currently classified. Students, alumni and faculty are encouraged to visit the Job Placement Center, as it is a free service that could help in exploring job opportunities and internships. The Student Employment Services department is very proud of the work they do for students seeking jobs and employers seeking employees. SES also hosts an annual Job Fair in Plaza Vaquero to make finding work more fun. This past
March, businesses looked for students interested in full-time, parttime or internship positions. The fair hosted employers such as the Los Angeles County Fire Department, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Hurricane Harbor and much more. This semester, SES is hosting a Seasonal Hiring Spree for the first time. Interviewees should bring their resumes and dress professionally on Oct. 21 if they are looking for a temporary job to get through the holidays. The employers are determined to interview and hire on-the-spot for retail and/or hospitality positions. Call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5194 or email jobplace@glendale.edu for more information. Steven Workman be reached at stevenworkman626@gmail.com
DOWNLOAD THE EL VAQ APP AVAILABLE IN THE APP STORE NOW
Get the latest news, photos & El Vaq News broadcasts in your pocket!
8
Wednesday, Ocober 7, 2015
The GEM Sisters Hit YouTube! Cute Just Got Funny: By Shaira Arias
GCC By Evelina Klchyan and Yu Sugita
a
aw Je r yd Po j
Hidden behind the parking structure with a sweeping view of downtown Glendale, the campus garden offers a variety of plots for students to grow tomatoes, strawberries, flowers and herbs. The plants are healthy and natural, grown using nematodes and biodegradable waste. The GCCGarden Club, which consists of about a dozen gardeners, are each assigned their own plot. Jane Pojawa tends plot nine. “This year I had a bumper crop of tomatillos, and last year I grew Cherokee Glass Gem corn,” said Pojawa. “ Our heirloom vegetables are probably the most unusual - there were oxheart, green zebra, black krim and indigo rose tomatoes, fava beans, scarlet runner beans, and lots of different types of basil.” Pojawa’s husband Jeryd is also a Garden Club member. ‘’You put a little stone in the ground and pretty soon you have something yummy for dinner,” he said. “I find it therapeutic.” Edward Tovmassian (Center) Anna Olsson (Top Right) Evelina Klchyan (Left)
Photos by:
Tina Fernestam (Right), (Center Left), (Top Left), (Center Right).
Ja ne P o j awa
media arts professor Ryun Hovind and wife, director/ writer MèLisa Lomelino, are film enthusiasts who have always shared a passion in creating friendly, fun TV entertainment. Little did they know their three daughters: Gissella, 12; Mercedes, 8; and Evangeline, 7; would someday follow in their footsteps. “They specifically said, ‘Mom and Dad, we want to be on the Disney channel, can you do that?’ I will never forget that,” Lomelino said. While most parents would take their kids to auditions for talent representation and entertainment work, Hovind and Lomelino opted for a different path. Initially, they used Vine, a social media app where users are able to like, revine and share six-second videos, as a platform to see how serious the girls would be about acting and modeling. “We’ve had people suggest to get the girls agents but we like the normalcy of what we are doing,” Hovind said. The girls proved to be passionate and eventually started their own YouTube channel. This allowed for some more freedom and creative control in their “So Chatty” segments. [See GEMS, page 14]
Photo courtesy of Ryun Hovind
www.elvaq.com
9
10
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
THE ARTS
www.elvaq.com
Photos by Melody Shahsavarani
PAINTED ICONS: David Willardson’s painting of Marilyn Monroe, “I Will Be Loved,” left, and Drew Struzan’s drawing of Princess Diana, “Princess of Style,” middle, can be seen at the Forest Lawn exhibit “Leading Ladies.” George Rodriguez poses next to his photograph, “Poder Chicana,” right, which features Dolores Clara Fernández Huerta, a political activist.
Leading Ladies Shine at Forest Lawn in Glendale By Melody Shahsavarani
M
any prominent women figures like Lucille Ball and Elsa from Frozen, to name a couple, are being celebrated for their impact on the world from past to present in “Leading Ladies: From Fantasy to Reality” at the Forest Lawn Museum in Glendale. “The underlying theme here is the importance of the different things these women have accomplished in their life or given to our society,” said Joan Adan, director of Forest Lawn Museum and curator of the exhibition. The exhibit beautifully illustrated the meaning of liberty and freedom for women to choose what they want to do and to strive
for great accomplishments. Artist David Willardson painted multiple female heroines, including Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe and Amelia Earhart. “He (referring to Willardson) makes the women come alive in front of you, there’s life in their eyes,” exhibit visitor Claudia Lechner said. Pete Graziano, a GCC alumnus, has his 1995 Elizabeth Taylor portrait “Violet Eyes” on display. He used acrylic on canvas to perfectly capture her piercing violet eyes that pop in his colorful depiction of the Hollywood icon. Graziano was inspired to create this piece during his time as Art Director at Fox News. “When they did a story on Elizabeth Taylor, I drew this spe-
cific photo for a news graphic,” Graziano recalled. As time went on he eventually enlarged and painted it. Adan saw the painting hanging in his studio and requested to showcase it in the show. “I miss it, but it’s in a nice place now,” Graziano said. “It’s nice to share this with others.” The oil on canvas painting of Nefertiti, “Queen” by Dennis Lewis, shows his version of how he would imagine the face of the Egyptian queen. Finished just two weeks prior to the exhibit, Lewis felt he had to do something different since many would jump to draw Monroe or Taylor. “Her name means beautiful woman coming and I tried to capture the beauty and regalness,” Lewis said. “I have always seen
Nefertiti’s bust from a profile and I wondered what would she look like if we turned her around.” Among the many paintings and busts, photographer George Rodriguez showcased his talent in a simple yet effective medium. His photo titled “Poder Chicana,” which translates to “Chicano power,” features Dolores Clara Fernández Huerta, a labor leader, civil rights activist and early member of the National Farmworkers Association -- which later became the United Farm Workers. The photo also captures Hilda Lucia Solis, an American politician and Eva Longoria, actress, producer, director, activist and businesswoman. The image was taken at the L.A. Plaza de Cultura
y Artes as the women were awaiting the unveiling of a new statue. “They were dedicating a monument for the day Mexican Americans were expatriated to Mexico even if they were born here,” Rodriguez said. “Leading Ladies: From Fantasy to Reality” opens your eyes to what and how much women in time have accomplished for the future. The exhibit is open to the public Tuesdays through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and it will run through March 27, 2016. Admission is free.
Melody Shahsavarani can be reached at melody.shah1@gmail.com
Review: A Musical Journey through South America with Vento Sur By Aidan Rutten
O
n Saturday, the Latin American band Vento Sur played a show in the college auditorium as part of the continuation of the GCC Concert series. These concerts continue to shine as they are well-done and entertaining. Vento Sur, meaning “south wind,” took the audience on a journey through South America, exploring the various musical cultures along the way. They played a variety of instruments including the marimba and even a box. The band consists of João Junqueira, Julissa Bozman, Alex Bozman and Jay Gravatt, all of whom are Cal Arts alumni. They like to blend traditional and folk
music, and even put their own spin on things. Several unique instruments were featured, including “South American ukulele,” which originally utilized armadillo shells as a base to create its sound. To complement the music, dancers came on stage at several points throughout the performance to express the music physically. The dancers sported brightly colored attire and were always on beat. One of the band members stepped onto the stage with a pan flute to solo, as well as mimic the sounds of a vulture — which is what the song was about. The entire show was lively, both on stage and in the audience, evidenced by clapping and sing-
Photo by Sean Jordan SAMBA TIME: Julissa Bozman and João Junqueira perform music from Latin America in a concert in the Auditorium on Saturday. The show was part of a continuing series throughout the year.
ing. The players’ musicality and rhythm were superb, but no less should be expected from Cal Arts alumni who have been playing together for years. Their “togetherness” was both casual and professional all at the same time.
The Saturday concerts at GCC have been unexpected pleasures. There are many more concerts throughout the year to look forward to, and perhaps the greatest part of these concerts, is that they are all totally free.
The concert series will continue throughout the year and will feature many different styles of music. Aidan Rutten can be reached at aidanrutten@gmail.com
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
THE ARTS
www.elvaq.com
11
Review: Damon Strives to Survive in ‘The Martian’ By Sean Jordan
R
idley Scott has done it again with his film “The Martian,” starring Matt Damon. Scott has effectively blended science fiction and reality to create this masterpiece in cinema. By using NASA’s actual footage of Mars, Scott takes us on a journey that captivates the audience in ways never seen before. Damon, alongside a huge cast of all-star actors such as: Jeff Daniels, Sean Bean, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jessica Chastain, Michael Pena and Kristen Wiig, draws the audience in as he tries to survive the vast Mars wasteland alone. Using his botanical skills and will to survive, he manages to circumnavigate through every problem he faces. To quote Damon, “I’m going to have to science the s--- out of this,” and he does. “The Martian” is a combination of “Cast Away” (2000) meets “Apollo 13” (1995), when it comes to being stranded in a desolate area, where everything that can go wrong will go wrong, especially in space. Yet Damon
Photo courtesy of 20th Century Fox CHARGING UP: Matt Damon (above) rests against his Mars rover as he waits for the solar panels to charge in order to traverse the Mars wasteland.
and his survival skills prevail. Damon is able to show how the will to survive is the only thing that keeps us going. With a blend of humor while struggling with survival, he delivers a performance unlike anything he’s ever done. Being the critically acclaimed actor that Damon already is with such films as, “Good Will Hunting” (1997), “The Bourne” series (2002-2007) and many others, he really outdoes himself with this one. Scott in his brilliance, whose work includes the “Alien” series (1979-1997), “Blade Runner”
(1982), “Gladiator” (2000), and “Prometheus” (2012), has also brought real science to life in this film. Using that knowledge, he took procedures that NASA uses, creating legitimacy. “The Martian” reminds the audience that the events taking place are not just movie magic, but authentic scientific solutions. Jeff Daniels and Sean Bean also deliver performances that showcase the power struggle between politics and humanity. Daniels’ character always pushes for what’s best for NASA while Bean is an advocate for the lives
at stake on the Mars mission. Giving you the real life balancing act between what is right for the lives of few and what seems right for the lives of many. Viewers might forget that it’s just a movie. The storytelling, cinematography and star-studded cast brings Andy Weir’s book, “The Martian,” to life. Who knows if Scott planned the movie to come out shortly after NASA announced that there is water on Mars, but it just breathes more life into the film. Bringing us closer to the thought that we could visit Mars in the future.
Scott encapsulates the power of the human spirit and the will to survive. Not only does Scott capitalize on scientific practice, he delivers with excellent cinematography and outstanding storytelling. Through the performance of Damon we see that all it really takes to survive is “just getting to work.” “The Martian,” rated PG-13, was in theaters starting Oct. 2. Five out of five stars.
Sean Jordan can be reached at sjordan2012@gmail.com
Review: ‘Happy Armenians’ By Monica Astacio
“H
appy Armenians” had its world premiere Oct. 2 at the NoHo Arts Center. Aram Kouyoumdjian both wrote and directed the play, produced in collaboration with Vista Players. Kouyoumdjian’s production brings awareness to the oppression and persecution that the Armenians experienced in 19151917. “I knew I wanted to write a theater piece that somehow responded to the genocide without being a ‘genocide play,’” Kouyoumdjian said. The play takes place in an alternate version of history, where Armenia is the most powerful reigning empire. In this parallel universe, Europe is one of the poorest continents, Africa is wealthy, Native Americans inhabit North America and the Aztecs still exist. The story revolves around the king of Armenia, who only has 30 days to live. To take over the
reign, he brings his successor Levon through time travel. With the help of his advisers, Levon uses his knowledge of current history to help him resolve the problems in the parallel version. Although the cast consists of only five performers, they did a brilliant job. The actors have great chemistry on stage, which makes for a cohesive and satisfying performance. They are all talented and articulate. The cast flawlessly transports audiences to their world. Some actors worth noting are Daniel Hubbard, as Levon, and Travis Baker, as Patrick, who have great comedic timing, keeping the play fresh and exciting. In addition to the small cast, the lighting and sets were also clean and straightforward. The play takes place in one room with two thrones for the king and queen and a couch in the center.
[See Happy, page 14]
12
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
www.elvaq.com
F O OT B A L L Week 3 Vaqueros - 14 San Bernadino - 31
Week 4 Vaqueros - 16 L.A. Pierce - 27
Week 5
Saturday
Vaqueros - 17 Santa Monica - 32
Bye week No Game
Vaqueros Lose Four Games in a Row By Sean Jordan
T
he Vaqueros faced their toughest opponent, the Santa Monica College Corsairs, on home soil at Sartoris Field; despite their valiant effort they lost on Oct 3. The Vaqs, now 1-4, have a bye week next week and have the time they need to get prepared to face Antelope Valley College in Lancaster on Oct 17. It was a hard game to lose, especially after the losing streak the Vaqs have suffered the last three weeks. However, Coach John Rome was pleased that the Vaqs played like they did against the Corsairs in comparison to the past few games. “The one thing I wanted to see from our football team was improvement and we improved,” Rome said. “This team has won 30 straight conference games (the
Corsairs) and I thought we played well. We just didn’t play well enough to win.” The game started on a rocky road when starting quarterback Grant Kraemer (No.15) was escorted off the field only 4 minutes into the first quarter. Kraemer suffered an injured arm which was speculated to be broken, he was shuttled to the hospital immediately. David Arriaga (No. 6) replaced Kraemer and led the Vaqs to two touchdowns; bringing the Vaqs within striking distance midway through the second quarter with a score of 17-20. One touchdown Arriaga rushed in himself and handed off the other to Travis Custis (No. 8). Along with the rushing TD, Arriaga threw 17-33 passes including two interceptions, which ended up giving the Corsairs great field position.
“I could of made better passes and made better reads,” Arriaga said, “but we have a bye week now so we’re gonna work through it and get better.” Arriaga will also be the starting QB for the away game against Antelope on Oct 17. Despite the two interceptions, Coach Rome was pleased with Arriaga’s performance. “That’s a tough situation, to have to jump in and have to play. I’m certainly not discouraged,” Rome said. The offensive effort wasn’t enough to keep the Corsairs at bay. QB Troy Williams threw a near perfect game completing 2022 passes for 264 yards which included two TDs. Not only was he flawless through the air, but Williams also rushed for 11 yards and scored another TD. Defensively, the Vaqs were able to sack the untouchable QB Wil-
Photos by Sean Jordan
STUFFED: Santa Monica Corsair, Martaveous Holliday RB, left, (No.6), gets wrapped up by Mohamed Inoussa DL, right, (No.50), for a two-yard loss.
liams twice midway through third quarter back to back downs. Once by Jackson Nolan (No.5) and the other by Matt Erickson (No. 99), but it wasn’t enough to keep the game on an even keel. The fourth quarter was the last chance the Vaqs had to get back from the 17-32 deficit. Arriaga threw one pass to Jordan LoBianco for a 40-yard gain which was exactly what the Vaqs needed to get back into rhythm. Shortly after the long gain, Arriaga threw his second interception which took the wind right out of the Vaqs sails. Midway through the fourth and up until the end, the Vaqs were trying to push the ball any way they could to get a win. Coach Rome even tried to include some trick plays to throw the Corsairs defence off balance but nothing seemed to stump them. Overall, they completed three out of seven tries on fourth down,
but it just wasn’t enough to get the win. The final score for the Vaqs was 17-32 Corsairs. The Vaqs have a bye week Oct. 10 so they have two weeks before they face their next opponent, Antelope Valley College, which is an away game in Lancaster on Oct. 17. Plenty of time to watch film of the other team and practice so they can end this current losing streak and bring one back into the win column. “Once this team learns to win football games, we’re gonna win games for a while,” Coach Rome said of the Vaqs’ future. Hopefully the next two weeks will be enough to start that trend.
Sean Jordan can be reached at sjordan2012@gmail.com
TAKEN OUT: Coach John Rome,left, rushes over to check on QB Grant Kraemer (No.15) after taking a brutal tackle that took him out of the game in the first quarter.
www.elvaq.com
SPORTS
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
13
Santa Monica Corsairs Sink the Vaqueros By Soraya Mattei
T
he Vaqueros were defeated by the Santa Monica Corsairs 5-1 Friday, Oct. 2 at Sartoris Field following a 2-0 win against Santa Barbara on Tuesday, Sept. 29. Glendale’s Ivan De La Torre scored the first goal, driving Santa Monica to ramp up their offense. The Vaqueros battled hard for the ball, but the Corsairs scored next. They also scored the third goal of the game, which frustrated the Vaqs and their fans. Both teams played a very physical game, with two yellow cards handed out. Claodio Maaloof of Santa Monica received one in the first half, and De La Torre received one in the second half, both for persistent fouling. The momentum of the game shifted in favor of Santa Monica when they scored two goals within a minute near the end of the first half. The Vaqs were unable to respond before the
game went into halftime. The second half was scoreless for the Vaqs, though Santa Monica’s Gabriel Torres managed to get a final goal. Following the postgame handshake line, players from both teams returned to the field to applaud the fans in the stands, who shouted encouragements to the Vaqs. The players and the coaching staff all seemed to think that the big win against Santa Barbara affected their play on Friday. “We suffered from ‘earlygoal-itis.’ We got one, we got too confident, and we forgot that we had to finish out the rest of the 85 minutes left in the game,” Coach Matsumoto said. “As soon as that mentality sunk in, things started to fall apart and we just couldn’t crawl out of the hole.” The Corsairs held the Vaqueros at bay with a total of 10 shots on goal keeping the defense on their toes. “Today we just didn’t come
out to win. We came off a really good win against Santa Barbara and I felt like that momentum enough was gonna get us this win, and it just wasn’t enough,” De La Torre said. “We didn’t play badly, we just lost our heads after they got the PK (penalty kick) and the second goal right after,” second-year forward Max Trautmann said. Despite the disappointing loss, Trautmann remained confident in the team’s abilities. “This team is way better than last year. As a team, as a whole, we are coming together,” Trautmann said. “Even though we lost today, we bounce back really well. If we are able to get our game focused, we can beat any of the teams in this league,” Glendale’s current season record is 4-4-2. The Vaqueros face the Moorpark College Raiders in an away game on Oct. 6. Photo by Soraya Mattei Soraya Mattei can be reached at soramattei@gmail.com
VAQUERO SOCCER : Santa Monica and Glendale battle for possession of the ball after Santa Monica’s corner kick.
Los Angeles Clippers Bring Optimism on Media Day By Melody Shahsavarani
T
he Los Angeles Clippers held their official media day on Sept. 25 which consisted of player photoshoots, press conferences and an insight into the upcoming season. The first press conference began with head coach Doc Rivers, who shared what fans can expect in the upcoming season. “This is clearly the most talent that we’ve had since I’ve been here,” Rivers said. “We’re deep, multi-positional, and that was the goal going into the summer.” Gaining prominent players during free agency season can have a great impact on the Clippers bench. Some names include Pablo Prigioni and Josh Smith from the Houston Rockets, Cole Aldrich from the New York Knicks, Wesley Johnson from the Lakers, and also Lance Stephenson from the Charlotte Hornets. Another player signed during free agency was former Celtics and Wizards player, Paul Pierce. Pierce was a key player the Celtics during the coaching years of Rivers. “This year is getting over that hump,” Pierce said. “If I didn’t
think this team had a chance, I wouldn’t be here.” The conference also involved a major focus on the infamous free agent signing of DeAndre Jordan, center player. Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, and Jordan all discussed the “hostage situation.” The three agreed that the whole thing was blown out of proportion and that they are moving forward. “I want to be an all-around player and improve every year,” Jordan said. He announced that he plans to be with the Clippers for a long time and that his top motivation is to win the NBA Finals. Blake Griffin also had a few words to say about Jordan’s decision to opt out of the deal with the Mavericks. “Hopefully we can put that to rest because I think we’re all tired about talking about it, and we’re ready to get back to talking about basketball, and not our travel this summer,” Griffin said. This season the Clippers are determined to come back with a bang after the tough loss in the playoffs against the Rockets. “Any loss, especially a loss that ends the season with a chance, lingers. The last two sum-
Photo by Melody Shahsavarani SMILING FOR THE CAMERA: Guard CJ Wilcox talks to reporters on the Clippers Media Day.
mers have lingered longer,” J.J. Redick said. The team’s new additions had
some thoughts on being an official member of the Clippers: Josh Smith: “I can bring de-
fense and offense, [the Clippers] will be the deepest I play for.” “I’m still a sponge, just learning every day and trying to get better.” Lance Stephenson: “There are great experiences on this team, Doc [Rivers] is going to help me a lot.” “I look forward to bringing a lot of defensive energy and getting the team riled up.” Cole Aldrich: “To get to where we want to go, we got to take those baby steps.” Wesley Johnson: “ The amount of talent in the locker room, the guys on the roster, this the best team I’ve been on.” To kick off the preseason games, the Clippers faced the Denver Nuggets on Oct. 2 at the Staples Center and won 103-96. Jordan had 15 points and 12 rebounds, alongside Smith who got 13 points and eight rebounds. Their second game on Oct. 4 Clippers fell to the Toronto Raptors 93-73 The Clippers officially start the regular season on Oct. 28 in Sacramento against the Kings. Melody Shahsavarani can be reached at melody.shah1@gmail.com
14
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
www.elvaq.com
SPORTS
Concussions Leave Players with Brain Damage By Jack Morello
O
ver the past few years, there has been increasing awareness of the dangers of head injuries in sports. The uptrend has been highlighted by wide reports of head trauma suffered by ex-NFL football players and a concussion lawsuit that yielded $765 million dollars to 4,500 players suffering from dementia, depression and Alzheimer’s disease. Hollywood is even jumping on the issue to bring even more awareness to concussions. Will Smith, (Men In Black (1997), The Pursuit of Happyness (2006), will even star in a new movie aptly named, “Concussion” this holiday season. He plays Dr. Bennet Omalu, a forensic neuropathologist, who actually made the first discovery of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). A concussion is defined as a mild traumatic brain injury caused by a blow to the head or violent shaking of the head or body. The head trainer of the Glendale College athletics department, Jose Gomez, said
[GEMS, from page 9] “So Chatty” is a mini series in which the girls discuss fun topics and even give movie reviews. The segments have a wide variety of themes highlighting the many talents the girls share. What makes the talk show unique is that it was created by girls for girls. From its colorful frames displaying black and white pictures to a fun couch, the set showcases the creativity these future TV stars have. “A room in the house created into a talk show set for them was a family effort,” Lomelina said. Even though Giselle loves acting, modeling and creating segments with her sisters, she also expressed her desire in becoming a coder after attending last year’s “Latinas in STEM” event. She currently partakes in different coding and video editing classes. “I enjoy school very much, my favorite subject is math. I want to grow up and become a coder,” Giselle said. Unlike Giselle, Mercedes and Evangeline maintain a stronger desire to stay in the business for
the measure taken for athletes who suffer from concussions has grown to be much more conscientious and regimented in hopes of avoiding long-term brain damage. Gomez is entering his 19th year at Glendale College and has experience working with the Los Angeles Rams, Pittsburgh Steelers and Miami Dolphins, as well as athletes competing in the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. Gomez gave a rundown of the standard procedure that takes place now. “After suffering a concussion, or other serious head injury, the athlete is taken out of the game right away and referred to medical care. That is pretty standard in the state of California,” Gomez said. “The protocol is always being developed,” Gomez said. “The California Athletic Trainers Association along with training staffs of local community colleges are always working to improve guidelines following a concussion or another serious head injury.” Gomez and the GCC training staff, as well as other colleges, have implemented special rules in order to seek out the best health
the long run. The girls sing and dance and aren’t afraid of being funny. “We want women or girls to know you can be a girl and still be a comedian,” Giselle said. Evangeline is happy to work alongside her parents. “It’s a great way to start before a different person starts to direct you in films,” she said. Mercedes is the fashionista out of the three and is less into sports and more into singing and modeling. She truly enjoys working with her sisters. “I love that they are there for me. They say ‘you got a little bit of a mistake’ so I fix what I did wrong,” Mercedes said. Currently the GEM Sisters are working on music video parodies and skits where they play a wide range of characters such as grandmothers and boys. To check out episodes of the “GEM Sisters,” visit tinyurl.com/gemsisters and vine.co/gemsisters.
Shaira Arias can be reached at sarias131@student.glendale.edu
interests of the athletes. Claudia Alvarez, assistant athletic trainer, also had a few things to say about concussions and the new ‘helmet coming off’ rule. “Football-wise, if a helmet comes off a player on the field that player has to come off the field for one play,” Alvarez said. “It’s more to make sure the helmet is still functional and secure; then after one play they are cleared to enter back onto the field.” There are rules in place that protect the player like the ‘5-day rule;’ meaning the athlete must sit out for five days of athletic activity while being monitored and then cleared to be fit to play or not. “If we feel that there are signs or symptoms of a concussion, they would be discontinued from play. Then we would do further evaluation,” Alvarez said. “On the field we check cognitive skills, we check for balance, and reaction of the pupils. Then we ask what they feel; headache, dizziness, nausea, overall we check them being coherent and their level of alertness.” It wasn’t always this way. The attitude surrounding concussions used to be a lot different.
“Back in my time, the term for concussion was ‘getting your bell rung,’ ” Gomez said. The information surrounding the longterm effects of concussions was not around at the time. The guidelines for the training staffs — before the uptrend in concussion awareness — were not as specific. Since concussions often have to be diagnosed by talking to the athlete, the athlete could find his or her way into the game based on their will to play. There used to be three grades of
severity when trying to diagnose a concussion, now Gomez says this doesn’t exist. Every concussion is treated with the same amount of diligence. Required rest time and the gradual guidance into physical activity has been the name of the game for the Glendale athletic staff, because no one wants to forget the name or the game.
Jack Morello can be reached at morellobaseball@gmail.com
Photo by Sean Jordan
STENGEL FIELD MAKEOVER: The historic clubhouse and stadium have been replaced with metal bleachers and open space.
Armenian Play Review [Happy, from page 11]
Visit
www.elvaq.com to access -Breaking news -Photos -Slideshows -Videos -Polls -Forums -Broadcasts & much, much more.
Because the setting is in an alternate universe, the simplicity fits the play well. The lights would change to differentiate the transition between scenes and there is pre-recorded music playing throughout the transitions. The costumes and makeup mimic the simplicity of the rest of the production. In the play, the king’s advisers, Siran and Patrick, seem to have more futuristic clothing; whereas the king and queen have a more traditional costumes. This slight clash does not take away from the overall essence of the play. Overall “Happy Armenians” is captivating and sympathizes with the Armenian genocide in a way that hasn’t been done before. The final scene is an emotional moment, where Levon is recalling his past and his participation in Armenian genocide marches. Levon states that by participating in the march, he urges Armenians to continue surviving.
The play closes with a traditional Armenian folk song; paying homage to the genocide. This touching moment brought the audience to a standing ovation. Kouyoumdjian’s production touched on a variety of global issues and the actors were able to bring Kouyoumdjian’s world to life effortlessly. “Happy Armenians” is a must-see and will be showing through the entire month of October at the NoHo Arts Center 11136 Magnolia Blvd. North Hollywood. The 90-minute show does not have an intermission and there is no late seating. Make sure you arrive early and allow time for parking. Tickets can be purchased online at www.itsmyseat.com/ happy/.
Monica Astacio can be reached at m.astacio55@gmail.com
www.elvaq.com
calendar
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
15
on campus events Plaza Event — ASGCC presents Hispanic Heritage Celebration on Thursday from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. in Plaza Vaquero. Festivities will include food, music, and dancing. Kinesiology— The Kinesiology Department presents “Kinfo Day” on Friday. The event features fitness industry experts and kinesiologists who will discuss careers in the field and how to get a degree or certificate in the major. The event will take place from 12:30 to 1:50 p.m. in Kreider Hall. Hall of Fame— The 2015 GCC Athletic Hall of Fame will be held on Sunday at the Verdugo Gym. Reception begins at 4 p.m. Dinner and awards ceremony begins at 5:30 p.m. Guests include commercial and local leaders, civic officials, educators, athletes, alumni and friends of GCC. Individual tickets are $95. Register online at www.glendale.edu in the Athletic Hall of Fame section. Shakeout— GCC will join other colleges, businesses and orga-
nizations by participating in the Great California ShakeOut on Oct. 15 at 10:15 a.m. A test of the “Nixle” emergency notification system will also be done to coincide with the start of the drill. To sign-up for Nixle, text “GO GCCALERT” to 888777. Free to subscribe however standard messaging rates apply. Engineering Careers— The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers will be holding a Engineering Careers Conference on Oct. 17 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. in SR 138. Swap Meet — The next swap meet is on Oct. 18 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the upper campus parking lot. Free and open to the public. Parking costs $2. For more information, call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5805. Hiring Spree — The Student Employment Services is having its first “Seasonal Hiring Spree” on Oct. 21 in Plaza Vaquero. Time and participants haven’t been confirmed yet. Hiring reps will be ready to interview and hire onthe-spot mostly for jobs that are available during the holidays.
MEETINGS Board of Trustees Meeting — The second meeting of the fall semester is on October 20 at 5 p.m. in Kreider Hall. For more information visit: www.glendale.edu/ boardoftrustees.
PERFORMANCE Dance Audition — Auditions for the Dance Phanatiks take place on Friday from 5 to 9 p.m. in SN 104. The Dance Phanatiks will perform on October 17 at 8 p.m. in SN 104. The performance is free and open to all.
Friday. The film is directed by Jacques Tourneur and stars Robert Mitchum, Jane Greer and Kirk Douglas. “Out of the Past” follows a gas-station attendant who is forced back to his old profession of being a private detective. The 1935 comedy “A Night at the Opera” will be screened on Oct. 16. The Sam Wood directedfilm stars The Marx Brothers in a opera-themed comedy. . Mike Petros will facilitate a discussion after the film. Snacks and drinks are encouraged. Free and open to all at 12:30 p.m. in SG 334.
FILM
Film Festival — The GCC Film Collective presents the Glendale Student Film Festival from Oct. 15 to Oct. 17. Christopher Chambers, director of award-winning film “Aram, Aram” and actor Sevak Hakoyan will be answering questions from the audience on October 15 at 6:30 p.m. in SR 138. Submitted films will be screened on October 16 at 6:30 p.m. in SG 334. The awards ceremony will be held on October 17 at 7 p.m. in the GCC auditorium.
Friday Flix — A screening of the 1947 acclaimed film-noir “Out of the Past” will be shown
Auditions — The GCC Film Collective is holding auditions today for a music video from 12:20 to
HEALTH CENTER Flu Shots— Flu shots are available from Monday to Friday in the GCC Health Center. Supplies are limited. Prices are $15 for students and $20 for GCC employees. Cash is only accepted.
1:30 p.m. and Friday from 10 a.m. to noon in SG 336. Roles being auditioned for are for leading female and male (with an athletic build), bartendar, and male. Ages for roles are 21-30. All roles are unpaid. Contact Anashen Navasartian at anashnavasart@gmail. com for more information.
PLANETARIUM Afternoon with the Stars — Students and staff can attend a free lunchtime program highlighting the planetarium’s features. “Pluto: News from New Horizons” will be presented Thursday and “Constellations” will be presented on Oct. 15 from 12:30 to 1 p.m. in CS 257. For more information visit www.glendale.edu/ planetarium or call (818) 2401000, ext. 5275. Astronomy — Astronomy Hour is held every Monday from 12:301:30 p.m. in the Planetarium. Astronomy instructors and students will be on hand to answer questions, engage in discussions, and help with astronomy assignments. Free and open to all.
around town THEATER Glendale Centre Theatre — An adaptation of Frank Loesser’s musical “Guys and Dolls,” runs through Saturday. Showings are Fridays at 8 p.m. with matinees at 3 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. 324 N. Orange St. General admission tickets are $32. For more information visit www.glendalecentretheatre.com or call (818) 244-TKTS.
MUSIC Glendale Noon Concerts — The First Baptist Church of Glendale features classical concerts on the first and third Wednesday of each month. Calico Winds is featured
today at 12:10 p.m. The group will play compositions from Malcolm Arnold, Willson Osborne and Carl Nielson. Maksim Velichkin will perform a solo cello recital on Oct. 21. Velichkin will perform works by J.S. Bach and George N. Gianopoulos Free and open to the public. Located on 209 N. Louise St. in Glendale. For more information call (818) 242-2113.
EXHIBITIONS Photographic Exhibit — “Magna Carta: Law and Legend, 12152015” runs through Wednesday. “Funny Business: Humor in British Drawings from Hogarth to Rowlandson” runs through November 30. “American Made:
Selections from The Huntington’s Early American Art Collections” is also on display. “A World of Strangers: Crowds in American Art” opens on October 17. Admission is $20 for adults and $12 for students. Prices higher on weekends. Visit the library at 1151 Oxford Road in San Marino. Pasadena Art Exhibitions — “Someday is Now: The Art of Corita Kent” continues through November 1 at the Pasadena Museum of California Art. “Alexandra Grant and Steve Roden: “These Carnations Defy Language” is also on display through November 1. Tickets are $5 for students and seniors. For more information visit www.pmcaon-
line.org or call (626) 568-3665.
EVENTS
Community Labyrinth — “Water Finds a Way” is a labyrinth made from recycled and organgic materials. The installation runs through November 18 and is located at the Glendale Civic Center courtyard.
Montrose Harvest Market — The Farmer’s Market takes place every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the 2300 block of Honolulu Avenue. For information visit www.shopmontrose.com.
Forest Lawn — “Leading Ladies: From Fantasy to Reality” begins Friday at the Forest Lawn Museum. ‘Leading Ladies’ is an exhibit that explores the world of female heroines. The event is free admission and is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10am to 5 p.m. Forest Lawn is located on 1712 S. Glendale Avenue. For information visit www.forestlawn.com.
Terry Gilliam — Live Talks Los Angeles presents “An Evening with Terry Gilliam” on Oct. 19 at 8 p.m. at The Alex Theatre. Gilliam is most known as screenwriter, director, and a member of the Monty Python comedy troupe. Ticket prices start at $25.50. Located at 216 North Brand Boulevard. For more information visit www. alextheatre.org. Compiled by Eric Bourse
GET YOUR EVENT LISTED • Email details to Elvaqed@gmail.com. We’ll get back to you as soon as possible. on the calendar page • For details call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5349. Deadline is Oct. 16 for the Oct. 21 issue.
16
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
LIFESTYLE
www.elvaq.com
The Film Festival is Coming
Photo Courtesy of GCC Film Collecve CAMERA CREW: Film Collective president Julio Espino, left, poses with his club members on the red carpet at last year’s Film Festival. Espino said there are more films this year and he hopes for a bigger turn-out.
By Shaira Arias The Film Collective has done it again by producing the second annual Glendale Student Film Festival Oct. 15-17. The award ceremony will be held Oct. 17 at 6:30 p.m. in the GCC auditorium. “This year what I want people to get out of it is that it isn’t your typical award show. I put on a show,” President of the Film Collective Julio Espino said. Comedians Kevin Alderman and Joe Dunn will host the ceremony. Guests, with the use of their ticket, will be entered into a raffle where they’ll have the chance to win one out of two $250 photo shoot. The screening will be held at the San Gabriel building room 334 on Oct. 16, where everyone will have the opportunity to watch all of the submitted films. Guests will be provided with complimentary food, and drinks will be available for purchase. Last year’s winner for Best Female Director, Tracey Aivaz, will be showing a 1950’s inspired drama “Indomitable.” I put a lot more work into this film than I did in last year’s ‘109,’ ” Aivaz said. “I really want the judges and everyone else watching to really understand that this film is very special to me.” The festival comes with a variety of submissions from music videos to web series and more. GCC film student Ericka S. Cabrera has worked on a Spanish film, “Time to Heal,” which focuses on the difficulty of
coping with personal guilt after a family tragedy. “I love the idea that the college offers a film festival, because it is something that doesn’t happen in most universities in Mexico,” Cabrera said. “I gained experience that is very important and makes me happy if one person relates to my story.” To kick off the festival, the Film Collective has invited one of the stars of the award-winning film, “Aram, Aram,” Christopher Chambers and actor Sevak Hakoyan to meet with attendees. “Aram, Aram” is the first American independent film that takes viewers behind the scenes of the Armenian community in Los Angeles. “My hope is that this will inspire other filmmakers in Armenian communities, Lebanese communities, Thai communities and whatever other communities there are to say ‘wait a minute, there are film festivals and press interested in me telling my story’ and not to imitate Hollywood, but to tell their own story,” Chambers said. The meet and greet will be held on Oct. 15 at 6:30 p.m. in the San Rafael building, room 138. Espino hopes to relay his message to young filmmakers today. This year I know a little bit more, but it’s still stressful,” Espino said. With the added perks, however, he hopes toattract more people.
Shaira Arias can be reached at sarias131@student.glendale.edu