Dec 1, 2006

El Vaquero Glendale College

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Photo Illustration by Sumaya Mehai Undocumented students on campus are often unidentified.

One student talks about what it is like being an undocumented college student. See story, page 5. www.elvaq.com

Volume 90 Number 6 FRIDAY DECEMBER 1, 2006

In This Issue News...................2-5 Feature.............6-10 Entertainment......11 Sports..............12-13 Calendar.............14

Administration

Thanksgiving Meal

Sports

Dawn Lindsay named new Vice President.

Salvation Army feeds homeless and other’s this holiday season.

Vaqueros finalize season as bowl champs.

Page 3

Page 7

Photo by Graig Agop

Pages 8 - 9

Photo by Sumaya Mehai

2

Friday, December 1, 2006

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NEWS

Board of Trustees Announces Lindsay as New VP

By Olga Ramaz

EL VAQUERO EDITOR IN CHIEF

B

y unanimous consent, Dawn Lindsay was named the new Vice President of Instructional Services at a recent Board of Trustees meeting on Nov. 20.

Lindsay’s appointment was consistent with the recommendation from Superintendent/President Audre Levy.

Prior to the meeting, all of the trustees agreed on the decision during a closed session.

Lindsay was ranked by the hiring committee as the number one candidate based on the final interview, as well as her performance and responses at the public forum on Nov. 7.

Additionally, as a part of the interviewing process, several faculty members had the opportunity to visit Riverside College’s Norco Campus, where Lindsay is currently Dean of Instruction.

Board of Trustees President Armine Hacopian expressed the trustees’ delight in offering the position to Lindsay.

“We are looking forward to welcoming Dr. Dawn Lindsay,” said Hacopian.

Shortly following the announcement of the new vice president, two presentations were made: one by the Nursing Department Head Cynthia Dorroh and the other by Glendale College Foundation Head Ann Ransford.

Both presentations aimed to inform the trustees and meeting attendees about their respective programs.

Dorroh’s presentation was intended to give the board information on why the program has grown in numbers, as well as some of the parameters of how students are admitted to the program and the challenges the department faces due to the high demand for nurses in the state.

According to Dorroh, Califor-

El Vaquero Glendale Community College

editor in chief

Olga Ramaz staff members

Graig Agop Susan Aksu Kara Aranas Emmanuel Belviz Michael Coleman Alison Geller Pauline Guiuan Stephen Hotchkiss Vartanoosh Kiourktzian Lenin Lau Sumaya Mehai Rachel Mills Diana Petras Jane Pojawa Jennifer Tinoco faculty adviser

Liane Enkelis lenkelis@glendale.edu (818) 240-1000, ext. 3185

nia has named the critical nursing shortage as a “public health crisis.”

In order to alleviate the shortage, many nurses are being brought in from other states and/ or countries.

Dorroh explained that many of the “migrating” nurses only fulfill the short-term need, but do not fully ease the shortage. Many of these migrating nurses come to work in the state for reasons ranging from Disneyland to the climate.

She went on to stress the relevance of the nursing programs on the collegiate level.

“Community colleges contribute 70 percent of the new graduates into the nursing field,” said Dorroh.

There are currently 800 prenursing students in the pipeline, gearing up to enter the nursing program at GCC. Dorroh believes that the nursing program contributes to a student’s accomplishments in general education courses and prerequisites due to its rigorous course work and discipline.

“We have such an outstanding nursing program,” said Levy, addressing the members of the board. “I’m sure for everyone sit-

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Charles Eastman El Vaquero accepts story ideas in news, features, profiles, sports and entertainment from the public. To submit an idea or an article, e-mail the editor at olga_ramaz@elvaq.com or call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5349.

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ting on the table, we want those taking care of us to be very qualified.”

Steve White reminded the trustees of the feat that was accomplished last year. “The last class of our students that took the entrance tests to become registered nurses in the state, passed at 100 percent,” said White.

However, monetarily meeting the demands of the program is still an issue, in spite of the program’s successes.

Board of Trustees Clerk Vahe Peroomian said that “until the state doesn’t decide to pay us for nursing students [separately], we’ll continue to have these problems.”

Ransford followed Dorroh in a presentation that illustrated the college’s marketing strategy, outlining the college’s organizational goals and needs.

She said that the college is currently advertising in several local newspapers and high school campuses in order to increase interest and enrollment in the college.

Another way of generating interest in the college is through events on campus which are open to the Glendale community, according to the foundation head.

Ransford credits the college Web site with generating some of this interest.

The GCC Web site gets 34,000 hits on a daily basis. Ransford pointed out that the college’s site is the home page on faculty computers; however, she still believes that the college Web site is a great marketing tool that has taken site visitors beyond campus doors.

Dean of Student Affairs Paul Schlossmann and head of the Student Outreach Program Alen Andriassian spoke about the benefits of having an outreach program and how the program contributes to enrollment at GCC. The goal of this program is to facilitate a tran-

sition into the college campus.

The Outreach Program recently put together a “Shadow Day.” The purpose of a “Shadow Day” is to bring students from the local area high schools and have them experience a typical day in college. The students are given a tour of the campus by another GCC student and a basic outline of the various programs and services the campus has to offer.

Andriassian mentioned that the program is currently looking at a variety of ideas to promote the campus to K-12 students. Some of these ideas include increasing the budget for campaigns and advertising.

At the end of the presentation, Hacopian suggested the idea of a campaign consultant which would help in the advertising of the campus. However, Hacopian pointed out that it is currently difficult to sell the campus due to parking shortages.

Interim Vice President of College Services and Dean of Admissions and Records Sharon Combs pointed out that enrollment is down by 17 percent for the Winter 2007 intersession.

King posed a question to the board and those in attendance on how one should approach this enrollment crisis and at the same time promote the campus.

“What am I - faculty, staff, trustee - going to do to get that growth money?” asked King.

King volunteered the services of the trustees “to get out there and really hustle hard” in promoting the college.

“You guys need to keep doing what you’re doing, but we need to open your eyes to where we are and where we’re from and what we can bring to the table,” said King.

Olga Ramaz can be reached at Olga_Ramaz@elvaq.com

Correction The article “Crosses and Roses” in the Nov. 17 issue of El Vaquero mistakenly attributed a statement to Sandra Cuevas. She was not the first to address the gathering.

It was Patrick Derajanian who said, “Thousands of American soldiers have fallen victim to the brutal policies of the Bush Administration.”

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3

NEWS

New Vice President Happy To Be Joining GCC Faculty

By Diana Petras

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

D

awn Lindsay is a name which will soon be recognized by students, faculty and staff. She succeeds Steve White, who is retiring at the end of the year, as the new Vice President of Instructional Services.

A master’s degree, five years of successful managerial experience and five years of teaching experience at a post-secondary institution were the minimum requirements needed for the position.

Kathleen Burke-Kelly, Dawn Lindsay, Tim McGrath and Gary Thomas Scott were all chosen as final contenders for the position.

After an elaborate interview process, Dawn Lindsay, Dean of Instruction at Riverside Community College (RCC) was selected.

“I’m glad that I was chosen,” she said. “When colleges are hiring someone [for a position] they are looking for a fit. Everyone has the qualifications, but everyone has different skill sets. [GCC] is a really good institution to work

for. The qualities of the programs are well known and [the faculty] likes working there so much.”

Lindsay has worked in administration since 1984, starting on the East Coast. She also use to work in the field of medicine until she was recruited into teaching in 1991.

The transition to academics corresponded with her previous experience because “administrators are discipline experts.”

She went to McDaniel College where she received a bachelor’s degree in psychology, a bachelor’sof science degree in social work and her master’s of education in the field of educational training at Western Maryland College. She then went to Pepperdine University, where she earned her doctorate of education in the field of organizational leadership.

Her path towards academics began in Maryland. She started as a part-time faculty member at both Dundalk Community College and Howard Community College during the early ’90s.

“I [was also] lecturing at the

Dawn Lindsay, Dean of Instruction at Riverside Community College, will be taking on the role of Vice President of Instructional Services.

police academy and continued with all three groups until 1994, when I moved to California from Maryland,” said Lindsay.

Once in California, she worked at Saddleback College in Orange County in 1995 as their Re-Entry Coordinator, where she explained

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that she helped returning adult students who were going back to school, usually to get new career skills.

After two years, she was hired as Saddleback’s Matriculation Coordinator. She started at RCC in May 2003, as the Dean of Student Services. “[After] we reorganized, I then became the Dean of Academic and Student Affairs,” said Lindsay. “[I am] now the Dean of Instruction [at RCC].”

Current Vice President of Instructional Services, Steve White, said that he has been working at GCC for 23 years. He has been in his current position as vice president for five years. Previously, he was an instructor of economics.

Upon his retirement in December, Lindsay will become a part of the GCC faculty.

White said that one of the challenges that Lindsay might face is boosting GCC’s enrollment.

“GCC has not qualified for full growth funding since 2004,” White said, “We have to increase enrollment for growth funds from the state.”

In response to low enrollment, Lindsay said that increasing enrollment requires taking a look at

many aspects because it requires multiple strategies.

“We need to look at retention and persistence. We lose students when they opt to not continue with Glendale. We need to figure out why we’re losing them,” she said.

At RCC, she said that they lost much of the “human contact” with their students applying and registering online. “[Students] didn’t have someone to come to if they got stuck,” said Lindsay, “[So] we decided to put computer stations in our lobby during registration. This allowed students who struggled with technology to attain assistance and feel successful. Both staff and students have responded to several efforts we put into place to return human exchange [and] the application process is just one example.”

However, for Lindsay, low enrollment is not one of her biggest concerns. She considers her biggest challenge upon arriving at GCC to be attaining trust from the faculty “because people are going to assess me [and] I believe that trust is given not earned.”

“My parents were success driven. They pushed me to do my best and to do better,” said Lindsay. “My dad has been supportive [and] the women in my family are career driven. My mom is 85 years old and she is still [out there] selling real estate.”

“As far as professional goals I would ultimately like to be a college president, but [I] have found much pleasure in every step I have had so far in my professional career,” said Lindsay.

“I come to Glendale with personal and professional integrity believe [that] I am a good ‘fit’ for this position. [I] look forward to joining such a dedicated group of people [and] meeting and interacting with all the campus constituents.”

Diana Petras can be reached at Diana_Petras@elvaq.com

visit us online at www.elvaq.com

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Friday, December 1, 2006

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NEWS

Planetarium Helps Students to Explore Universe

By Vartanoosh Kiourtzian EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

T

he GCC planetarium provides students and individuals with a chance to experience the workings of the solar system up close and personal.

The planetarium, which is located in the CS building, is also set up to be a classroom.

Equipped with dry erase boards and desks attached to each of the 48 chairs, it helps teachers educate students on a broader and more three dimensional scale.

Student Arturo Espinoza who is taking astronomy in the planetarium said, “I really like it in there. I’m a visual learner, so it helps me understand the planets and the solar system a whole lot better.”

The astronomy department is not the only one on campus that utilizes the planetarium.

Foreign language classes such as German, Spanish and French all come in and watch shows in the languages that the students are learning.

The planetarium is not only open students, but to all other schools. Anyone can call ahead of time and schedule a showing whenever the planetarium has an opening.

Kindergarten through 12th

grade students come between Tuesdays through Thursdays, and there is no charge. Currently, people are booking as far ahead as March 2007.

The planetarium also features specialized shows geared toward students of certain ages.

For students in first through third grades there is “Larry Cat in Space.” In this program, students take off on a lunar adventure through a playful and imaginative cartoon presentation about an inquisitive cat who takes a trip to the moon.

For older students and adults the planetarium offers “The Heart of the Sun,” a high-definition, full-dome digital presentation of the sun as it has never been seen.

The planetarium is all digital and full-domed. All shows are presented by a live narrator. “It’s [the planetarium] in the forefront of technology,” said Administrator and Technical Manager Paul Buehler.

Special interest groups such as the Boy Scouts or Brownies can call ahead and schedule shows or give their own visual presentations. Clubs on campus are also free to feature shows in the planetarium. Most recently, the Project Earth Tomorrow club had a twopart showing of Al Gore’s film “An Inconvenient Truth” to raise awareness about global warming.

“I’ve worked at three other

planetaria and this one is the best,” said Jennifer Krestow, Astronomy

department head and Planetarium Education Administrator.

ASGCC Legislature Discuss Programs To Benefit Student Body

By Kara Aranas

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

W

ith California being one of the states that has the highest demand for nurses, it is to no surprise that the state has a shortage of about 800,000 nurses.

This was the main discussion at the ASGCC meeting Tuesday.

“Seventy percent of all nurses are supplied by the community college system,” said President Audre Levy, in a presentation to the group.

Levy explained that she wanted to shed some light on how vigorous the nursing course is. There are about 1,000 applications received each year for the GCC nursing program, and only about 200 are selected each year.

“It initially becomes a lotto,”

said Levy. “We encourage them [students] to apply to various nursing programs at other colleges because this is a competitive program.”

She explained that she is also trying to bring alternative jobs to attention for the students that do not get into the program.

In addition to being difficult to get into, the program is also expensive for the college.

“It costs about $65,000 to $85,000 to educate one student in nursing,” said Levy.

In addition to the nursing program, the student legislature also discussed the Outreach Program, the increase of minimum wage for student workers, the Most Outstanding Club Award (MOCA) award ceremony and upcoming Christmas activities that are taking place on campus.

Photo by Graig Agop

Jennifer Krestow, head of the Astronomy department and Planetarium Education Administrator, and Paul Buehler, Planetarium Technical Manager and mentor for students, praise the technological features of the planetarium.

Dean of Student Affairs Paul Schlossmann heads the Outreach Program, which is addressing solutions for the dilemma of low enrollment at the college,.

One of the activities of the Outreach Program is organizing campus visits to local area high schools. The goal is for students to make GCC their first choice community college.

Effective January, there will be an increase in minimum wage for student workers. President David Arakelyan reminded the students that this benefit is meant to help ease student costs.

The MOCA ceremony is scheduled for Dec. 9. This event is hosted by the Campus Organization Committee, which will give awards to the best existing club and the best new club. The winners will receive money which

will be deposited into their club account. Dinner is provided, followed by a half-hour ceremony and will conclude with a dance.

To celebrate the Christmas spirit, the ASGCC is planning to have hot chocolate with marshmellows and cookies distributed around campus.

As the meeting adjourned, a quote by Ghandi was read by ASGCC adviser Joseph Puglia.

“You’re salting, you’ve reached the point of waning days, you’re becoming experienced and confident members. Finish strong.”

Kara Aranas can be reached at Kara_Aranas@elvaq.com

Vartanoosh Kiourktzian can be reached at Vartanoosh_Kiourktzian@elvaq.com

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5

NEWS

Student Perseveres Despite Uncertain Future Part II of a three-part series

By Pauline Guiuan

EL VAQUERO NEWS EDITOR

A

n anxious 12-year-old boy looks around apprehensively as he walks down the hallway of a Los Angeles middle school, feeling lost as he is jostled around by a busy crowd of students. He listens to the buzz of conversation around him, barely understanding a word of English and almost overcome by the feeling of being the new boy in a new school in a new country.

Twelve years later, 24-year-old “Carlos” confidently walks down the halls of GCC. Now a hotel and restaurant management (HRM) major at the college, the once timid boy has become an optimistic dreamer who is undaunted by the fact that he is a fugitive from the government, an undocumented student who has no legal status in the United States.

“If you want an education, you need to work hard and look for possibilities,” said Carlos. He is in his third year at the college and plans to transfer to either Cal Poly Pomona or the University of Nevada in Las Vegas (UNLV) to earn his bachelor’s degree in HRM. Born and raised in Mexico, Carlos crossed the border into California with his mother in 1994.

He was reunited with his younger brother and father; the latter passed away a few years later.

His mother, who had first come to the state in the mid-1970s, remarried later on, but to this day, she has not attained legal status and remains undocumented.

Regardless of their trials, Carlos’ family has worked hard to earn a living, establishing a homebased business of making tablecloths and selling them wholesale to hotels and restaurants.

“I can’t work [legally], so my parents are helping me now [with educational costs],” said Carlos.

He had been previously employed “under the table” in a number of jobs, meaning that he had to be employed discreetly, paid in cash and was not allowed to fill out any tax forms. None of these jobs paid well.

As he began his education in California, Carlos said he went through a “tough transition.”

“I had no knowledge of the educational system here, and I was barely learning the language.”

High school was we want to go.” especially chalFeldman has nolenging for Carticed his student’s los.

“Freshman indomitable spirit. year was the worst “[Carlos’] enthuyear,” he said. He siasm is tempered had attended John by the difficulties Marshall High he faces because School in Los Anof his immigration geles. “My Engstatus,” said the inlish teacher didn’t structor. “Despite even know Engthis, he remains lish that well, so committed to creshe didn’t really ating his own suchelp.” cessful future.”

Carlos reflected Indeed, Carlos that his perforhas big dreams mance improved for his future. “I later on, but the like to be moving pressure of adaround,” he said. justing became “I’d like to go to too much that he Europe. My goal dropped out at the is also to go back age of 16. and forth between He started at Mexico and the GCC in 2003 as U.S. My goal is an AB 540 stunot to stay here dent. AB 540 is [in California] fora law that allows ever.” illegal immigrants His concern for who have comhis fellow Mexipleted three years cans also shines of high school in through. One of his the state to apply goals is to establish for regular fees at his own hotel in colleges.

Mexico and to pur“[GCC] is chase franchises amazing,” Carof American comlos said. “It’s a panies and take friendly campus them to Mexico so that welcomes that he can provide everyone.

I’m jobs for his councomfortable here, trymen. and people have “I want to try to helped me out, adfight illegal immivised me…I can’t gration,” he said. ask for more.”

“My people risk Photo Illustration by Jane Pojawa He particularly their lives for betUndocumented students are “invisible” because they can not fill out paperwork that makes them part of the mentioned his cu- legal system. Despite their uncertain legal status, they are making the grade and graduating. ter pay. If they’re linary arts instrucgiven what they tor, Andrew Feldman. “He’s been [work visa] sponsor from a big not apply for financial aid. need in their own country and Counselor Greg Perkins, who paid fair wages, they don’t have more than a teacher. He’s been an company like a hotel,” Carlos said. “But it’s a really long pro- works closely with AB 540 stu- to come here.” adviser, a mentor and a friend.”

Feldman said that Carlos “is an cess and the employer has to see dents like Carlos, said that “it’s Carlos believes that the situato it that no one else qualifies {to been very challenging for undoc- tion of undocumented students is excellent student.” umented students, because they “hard, but not impossible.”

“He has a strong personal in- fill the position].”

According to Carlos, only a few can’t get financial assistance.” terest in the hospitality field and “There is always a way, but you “We can’t drive or get a well- just have to look for it,” he said. has the requisite academic and companies are willing to sponsor personal skills to be very success- their employees for working vi- paying job,” Carlos added. “We “Keep going until you reach your sas because the process is long can’t just apply to any university, goal.” ful,” Feldman added.

Carlos said that he prefers to and tedious, usually requiring the and if we do, it’s either we can’t study in UNLV, not only because employer to pay a monthly fee of afford it or they won’t accept The name of the student “Carlos” it has an excellent HRM program, $3,000 to the Immigration and us.” has been changed to protect his Despite this, Carlos believes identity. but also because it may give him Naturalization Service (INS).

Aside from the challenge of that obstacles are a matter of the opportunity to work in a Las Vegas hotel after graduating. This obtaining legal status, Carlos cur- perspective. “If you really want could guarantee him a work visa rently has to contend with school- something, you can do it no matand eventually, a legal immigrant related difficulties, such as paying ter what,” he said. “It’s something for books and tuition, because as we have in the Latino culture. We status in this county.

Pauline Guiuan can be reached at Pauline_Guiuan@elvaq.com “It will be a lot easier to get a an undocumented student, he can- do what it takes to get to where

6

Friday, December 1, 2006

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FEATURE

YWCA: A Place for Shelter, Volunteer Opportunities

By Diana Petras el vaquero staff writer

W

hen a person volunteers, he or she has offered to perform charitable acts without receiving any pay for them.

Whether a person does actual volunteer work or donates to those who need it most, the giver often receives the biggest reward of all.

As a result of an ASGCC sponsored canned food drive on campus from Nov. 13 through the 21, students, faculty and staff helped the Glendale chapter of the YWCA (Young Women’s Christian Association) give to needy families in the community.

“Twenty bags of food were handed out,” said YWCA Volunteer Coordinator Eliza Karagezian. “Hundreds of women throughout the year will benefit from [the donations].”

The YWCA is one of many organizations that enables people to help those who need support.

It is a counterpart of the YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association) and is part of the nationwide and international non-profit organization whose motto is “Eliminate Racism/Empowering Women.”

“Each city has its own chapter and each chapter has its own mission or program that they run,” said Karagezian. “Ours happens to be the Domestic Violence Program (DVP) and we help women and children who have been victimized in their lives with domestic violence.” “[People] should come by to shop for some fun things, often interesting vintage products, because [your] shopping will help a good cause,” added Karagezian.

Karagezian explained that the YWCA has an emergency service center for women and children who need to escape abusive relationships. The YWCA also has a two-year traditional housing programs for women and children who have been in a crisis shelter and don’t have any place to return to after the shelter.

At the service center, women can join support groups based on their ethnicity and language preference. There are groups that cater to English, Armenian and Spanish speaking women.

Women can also obtain individual therapy and counseling, case management and childcare.

There is also pet therapy for

kids in a park nearby the center.

Since pets are not allowed in the buildings, this gives the children the ability to connect with animals and relieve some stress.

“There is also an ESL program for women who need to improve their English skills,” said Karagezian. “The crisis shelter and the transitional shelter are in two different areas, as well as the service center. All the support programs we provide are all at the service center.”

The Y also accepts donations at New To You thrift shop located on 735 E. Lexington Dr., where people can shop to benefit a cause. Each thrift shop worker mentioned that fashion designer Karen Kane donates boxes of clothing to the YWCA twice a year. “Anyone can donate,” said Karagezian. “We get people donating all the way from Beverly Hills [because] of our mission.”

To support their services, the Y needs customers and volunteers, explained Linda Knudsen, a four year volunteer worker.

“Volunteers are essential to what we do. It’s hard to imagine [the programs] without them,” said Karagezian.

Photo by Graig Agop

Volunteer Vanessa Bui sorts clothes donated to the Y by designer Karen Kane.

“We have a limited budget. We wouldn’t be able to generate the income [for] the shelter, support groups and administration. ” Anyone can volunteer at the thrift store or for administrative purposes, but community service programs only allow female volunteers. “Women escaping abusive relationships are a little apprehensive about men [being] in the environment,” said Karagezian.

“We hear people who say, ‘I hate my job. I don’t want to go

to work,’” joked seven year Saturday volunteer Amita Baiocco.

“So I say, ‘How would you like to be a volunteer? You get up in the morning, put a smile on your face and work for no pay.”

The rewards have kept Baiocco volunteering since age 15.

She likes the fact that the money they make goes to others in need.

“I like it [and] I look forward to it,” she said. “You do it because you want to, not because you have to.”

There are no current GCC stu-

dent volunteers at the YWCA; however, there are some volunteers from the University of Phoenix and UCLA, according to Karagezian.

The hours are flexible and Karagezian said that she needs volunteers, especially with after school tutoring or homework programs with the children.

During the holidays, the National Charity League (NCL) sponsors an annual party for the women and children. Help is welcome for the party for tasks from decorating and gift wrapping to the cleaning up.

For more information about the YWCA of Glendale, call Karagezian at (818) 242-4155 ext. 227.

“Volunteering is one of the most amazing things that people can do,” said Karagezian. “So if anyone has an interesting idea about support that they would like to offer, we are definitely open to it.”

Diana Petras can be reached at Diana_Petras@elvaq.com

Holiday Shopping Ideas for Those on a Budget

By Rachel Mills

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

F

inding a quick gift for someone can be difficult.

Here are some suggestions for where to go for quick and inexpensive gift ideas.

GCC Ceramics Sale The Ceramics Department will hold an end of the semester ceramics sale on campus on Saturday, Dec. 2 from 1 to 5 p.m. in Student Center 212. Oneof-a-kind treasures like cups, saucers and vases, are available for affordable prices.

Craft Stores For those who want to make a gift for that special someone, craft stores such as JoAnn’s and Michael’s have a wealth of fabrics and other arts and crafts materials. Michael’s also offers coupons and deals in the weekly newspaper.

Thrift Shops Thrift shops such as Goodwill

and Salvation Army Stores, Out of the Closet and the YWCA’s New To You, have great finds and one-of-a-kind objects for less and shoppers will be helping others with their purchases.

Swap meets A great place to find unique treasures and odd things is at a swap meet, where a variety of people come together to sell everything from collectibles to junk. The prices at swap meets are often reasonable. Check the Los Angeles Times or other newspapers for listings of local swap meets.

Garage Sales Garage and estate sales are also great places to find unusual gifts.

The plus side to a garage sale is that often the seller will be willing to bargain on the price of an item.

Ceramics student Rose Tharp carves her initials on one of her finished pieces. Tharp’s work along with the works of other ceramics students will be on sale at the semi-annual ceramic sale happening on Saturday Dec. 2.

Eagle Rock’s Westfield Plaza The Eagle Rock Plaza features a variety of shops that offer inexpensive but good quality clothes and accessories. Food is readily

available in the little eateries in this small, but customer friendly shopping mall. For those who dislike crowds, this mall is significantly smaller than either the

Photo by Joel Yardley

Glendale Galleria or the Burbank Media Center.

Rachel Mills can be reached at Rachel_Mills@elvaq.com

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Friday, December 1, 2006

7

FEATURE

Salvation Army FeedsThose in Need During Holiday

By Susan Aksu el vaquero staff writer

F

ifty-five volunteers of all ages helped feed the needy at the Salvation Army’s annual Thanksgiving Day dinner on Nov. 23, in the corps gymnasium located on 320 W. Windsor Road in Glendale.

Every year, the Salvation Army provides a Thanksgiving meal for the less fortunate. The homeless, lonely, and financially needy are welcomed by volunteers and treated to food, drinks and good neighborly hospitality. Over 200 people were expected to have had their Thanksgiving dinner at the Salvation Army.

The event was dependent on volunteers and on donations from the community. The advisory board donated 20 turkeys cooked by the Glendale Hilton.

Turkey was not the only dish served. It would not have been a Thanksgiving feast without pumpkin pie, string beans, cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes, which were all served as well.

Among the many volunteers was Councilman Ara Najarian and his family, who were all serving up hot plates.

Several people volunteered with their family members.

Debbie and Greg Soohoo volunteered this year because their daughter needed to fulfill com-

munity service hours for her high school. They decided the entire family should be involved.

“I think it’s really a blessing to serve others on Thanksgiving,” said Debbie Soohoo “Volunteering again for Thanksgiving is something that we’ll totally be open to. We’re going to be volunteering during Christmas for the Tree Angel event as well.”

The Tree Angels is a Salvation Army event which coordinates with companies or individuals to adopt a family for the holidays and make their Christmas wishes come true by purchasing a Christmas tree and the gifts the children had asked for.

Volunteers are needed to help box presents and organize the event on Dec. 14 through the 16.

On Dec. 16, the gifts are distributed to the children at the Salvation Army.

Angie Garcia, 22, and her sister Charlene, 19, were encouraged by their mother to volunteer, and have been doing so every Thanksgiving at the Salvation Army for the past five years.

“Volunteering here also looks good on our resumes,” said Garcia. “It shows that we do extra work for community. It makes me feel like I’ve done my part in making people feel welcome. They probably won’t have a Thanksgiving dinner at their home, so it gives them an opportunity to have one here.”

Photo by Graig Agop

Alec Stick, 10, volunteers on Thanksgiving Day at the Glendale Salvation Army; it is his second year.

The Garcia sisters plan on volunteering with the Tree Angels program as well, which they do every other year.

The work of the volunteers does not go unappreciated by the diners.

“God bless them for doing this for us,” said Christine Celaya, who enjoyed her Thanksgiving meal at the Salvation Army headquarters. “I thank everyone for participating and giving the homeless something to eat. I really appreciate it. To the people

who help prepare this, I give them thanks.”

Captain James Sloan, who has been in charge of the Glendale Salvation Army for the past five years, emphasizes the fact that most people who come to the Salvation Army for meals are not homeless, but are low-income families who cannot afford to feed their family a decent Thanksgiving meal.

“Even for a person in a family making 15 bucks an hour with two or three kids, it is almost im-

Volunteer Opportunities for Willing Helpers The Salvation Army is not the only organization that offers opportunites for volunteer work.

Here is a brief list of places where one can lend a hand.

Chrysalis Volunteers wanted to help giftwrap toys for upcoming Holiday Parties. Help is needed from Dec. 11 through 13 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., and possibly the morning of Dec. 14. Chrysalis is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping economically disadvantaged and homeless individuals become selfsufficient through employment opportunities. For more information, contact Sehnita Mattison at (213) 895-7777 ext. 700.

Dream Center The Dream Center is wrapping 10,000 toys to hand out this holiday season. Each session of gift wrapping is three hours long.

There will be a brief wrapping class 15 minutes prior to session.

Volunteers are needed through Dec. 14. For more information,

contact Danny Slavens Jr. at (213) 273-7081.

Food on Foot Volunteer registrations are now being accepted for the BIG Christmas Day celebration on Dec. 25. Volunteers are needed to distribute food and sleeping bags to over 500 homeless and poor individuals. The event will start at 2 p.m. and will run for approximately three hours. Volunteer spaces are limited and there is a $70 registration fee per person (including children.) Fee payable in advance by credit card only. For more information, contact Jay Goldinger at (310) 442-0088 or visit www.foodonfoot. org.

Best Buddies International Want to make friends with someone new and make a huge impact on someone else’s life? Best Bud-

dies International is seeking people to participate in their Citizens Program which matches volunteers with people with intellectual disabilities so that they can begin one-to-one friendships. For more information contact Derek Scalia at (800) 89-BUDDY or visit www.bestbuddies.org Covenant House California The Covenant House California is currently seeking volunteers to help with their CHC Vocational program in Gardening and Horticulture. Volunteers are needed to help conduct workshops and absolutely no experience is required. All workshops are conducted through pre-written curriculum. Workshops will be held twice a month on a weekday to be determined based on schedule needs volunteers.

Commitment to entire program is not required; just once a month for about three hours plus brief training will

suffice. Workshops will include an introduction to the garden, composting and landscape design. For more information, contact Rashida Crutchfield at (323) 461-3131 or visit www.covenanthouseca.org.

Hope for the Homeless Volunteer internship opportunity in a drug abuse program. Opportunities include Case Management, Substance Abuse Counseling, Community Organizing, Services, Non-Profit Administration and Employment Services. Basic requirements include a school syllabus, criminal background check, driver’s license and a TB test. For more information, contact Volunteer Coordinator Brandon Miller at (213) 612-0927.

For additional volunteer opportunities visit www.volunteermatch.org

possible to make it in Los Angeles today,” said Sloan. “Somehow they have to make things happen differently for them, and this is one of those alternatives.”

Volunteers start to sign up to help with the meals beginning in August and September.

“Even this morning, I received phone calls from people who want to volunteer with us,” said Sloan. “We just don’t have work for them all to do since we already have so many helping. It’s a good problem though, because it shows that many people want to be involved, and that’s a good feeling to be a part of.”

In his second year as a volunteer, 10-year-old Alec Stick is an example of what is meant by “volunteers of all ages.” He came to volunteer with his family and was more than eager to help with serving lemonade and orange juice.

“Being around people that really don’t have homes or live in homes that are broken down [makes it] nice to help because it shows that people really care about them,” said Stick.

“Volunteering here is a great way to serve Glendale, and it’s our first time as a family doing this,” said Greg Soohoo. “The Salvation Army is very well organized and they’ve been doing this for so long. It keeps getting better and better.”

Susan Aksu can be reached at Susan_Aksu@elvaq.com

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Friday, December 1, 2006

FEATURE

Vaqueros Play Tough, Win only 60 yards on the ground. Eliot - Story by Lenin Lau Jones opened the scoring for Glendale with an interception returned he Vaqueros season was for a touchdown, to eventually decapped off with a big win feat Compton 14-6. over No. 10 ranked Santa Ana Against L.A. Southwestern, on College in the Western September 23, GlenState Bowl, Saturday dale dominated on night at Sartoris field, in both sides of the ball. a game that epitomized On the defense both the success the Vaqueros Luddim Montenegro experienced this season. and John Young both GCC opened the seacollected intercepson on September 2, tions. The defense with an exciting come held L.A. Southwestfrom behind victory at ern to only 52 total San Diego Southwestyards, including negaern. The Vaqs found tive yardage on the themselves down 17-7 ground. Quarterback in the fourth quarter; Brendon Doyle threw their only score coming for 154 yards and a in the second quarter, an touchdown, and the 8 yard touchdown pass Vaqs won 30-6. from Frankle Bernard to The following Chris Marshall. The Vaweek, Glendale travqueros responded with eled to San Pedro a pair of touchdowns; High School to battle a Jason McNeil touchthe L.A. Harbor Sedown run, and a Julian ahawks. The defense Dewberry touchdown brought pressure on catch from Navid Sharthe quarterback all batdar, to beat Southnight, accumulating western 21-17. eight sacks, with ValGlendale’s defense entine leading the way Photo by Sumaya Mehai with four. The defense dominated Antelope Valley to post a 20-9 vic- Quarterback Brendon Doyle rejoices after the Vaqs’ victory allowed only 36 rushtory in their home open- against Santa Ana. ing yards and posted a er, on September 9. Leading the defense once again delivered an 17-13 victory. defense were Josh Nesbitt and outstanding performance. The de“We were able to have success Grant Valentine. Nesbitt had fense held Compton to 6 points and because we practiced well,” said

T

two tackles and an interception, and Valentine had two tackles and two sacks to help lift the Vaqueros past Antelope Valley.

Next the Vaqueros ventured to Compton College, where the

Receiver Abraham Venegas catches a pass for the first down against Santa Ana.

Photo by Sumaya Mehai

Big

www.elvaq.com 9

Season Highlights

Photo by Emmanuel Belviz

Tailback Antony Cullors runs for a touchdown against L.A. Pierce in an 28-3 Vaquero victory.

The Vaqueros celebrate on the field after an impressive 23-14 Western State Bowl win against No. 10 ranked Santa Ana College.

sophomore defensive back Michael Esquivel, who earned honorable mention. “When game time came, we were able to play aggressively and execute our responsibilities.”

The Vaqueros returned home on October 14, to face the L.A. Pierce Brahmas. The defense had four interceptions, including a 77yard interception return by Matt Patterson, who was named WSC Defensive Player of the Year. On the offensive side, Brandon Torres rushed the ball for 126 yard and two touchdowns to lead the Vaqueros to a 28-3 win over the Brahmas, and give GCC its first 6-0 start since 1988.

“Every play I would give my hardest, said Patterson. “[During] practice or at the game.”

“We would all work together on the defense like a big family. This is the best defense I’ve ever played on.”

Glendale next ventured to Citrus College on October 21, and the defense again played well allowing only 10 points. Unfortunately, the offense was unable to move the ball. Valentine scored first for the Vaqs as he tackled the Citrus tailback in the end zone for a safety to cut the score to 7-2. In the third

quarter, Jesse Ayers returned a punt 42 yards for a touchdown, but the offense was not able to convert on the two-point conversion and still trailed 10-8. In the final minutes of the game the Vaqueros missed a field goal that would have given them the lead. The Vaqs had suffered their first loss of the season.

The Vaqs regrouped and the offense scored 45 points for their best offensive performance of the season against West Los Angeles College. Doyle passed for 206 and two touchdowns, while Antony Cullors ran for 127 yards and also two touchdowns en route to a 4521 blowout of West L.A. College.

The next week against Santa Monica College, Glendale had a poor offensive performance. The Vaqs were penalized for 110 yards.

This hurt their offense whose only touchdown came on a 22 yard touchdown pass from Doyle to Abraham Venegas. On the final drive of the game, Glendale almost tied the score, but time ran out and the Vaqs fell 17-10.

Glendale bounced back from this loss in their last regular season game against East L.A. College, and posted their best game of the season. The offense controlled

the game, rushing the ball for 217 yards and four rushing touchdowns.

Doyle also threw two touchdown passes to Marshall. The defense allowed no points and gained their first shut out of the season. Alonzo Menifield, who was selected for WSC first-team defense, had five tackles, an interception and two deflections; beating East L.A. 42-0, finishing the regular season 8-2.

Finally, the Vaqueros had the honor of hosting the Western State Bowl against No. 10 ranked Santa Ana College. The Vaqueros defeated Santa Ana 23-14 thanks to their smash mouth ability to run the ball at will against the defense.

Doyle threw a touchdown pass to Juan Magallón, and McNeil ran for a touchdown. Esteban had three key field goals to help lift Glendale past Santa Ana for their first bowl since 2001.

The defense this season was one of the best, ranked first in the Western State Conference and third in the state. Coach John Cicuto had to work with a young defense, consisting mostly of first year freshmen. Cicuto stressed intensity and discipline on defense, which paid off with a defensive squad that allowed an average of only 11 points

Photo by Sumaya Mehai

a game, and allowed only an average of 60 yards on the ground per game.

“We had to make sure we were very basic and fundamental in teaching all our offensive and defensive philosophy,” said Cicuto.

“The most important thing is to gradually build the freshman into [a] situation in which they can compete. The reason we had so much success with this young team was that we were very basic to start the season, and as they started to get more in tune into what we were doing, we were about to add more into the offense and defense.”

Cicuto used his “ten step program” to coach his team and put things into perspective. His ten step program stressed the importance of playing one game at a time, focusing on the task at hand, and executing on offense and defense.

Each game was one more step to success, and one step at a time, the Vaqueros won, starting off the season with six straight wins. Cicuto’s keys for success proved to be a triumph for the Vaqueros as they finished the season 9-2 with an impressive bowl victory.

Photo by Emmanuel Belviz

The Vaquero Offensive line sets up against West L.A. College en route to a 45-21 victory.

Photo by Emmanuel Belviz

Brendon Doyle scrambles for the first down. Doyle passed for 7 touchdowns and ran for 2 more on the season.

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Friday, December 1, 2006

www.elvaq.com

FEATURE

ASGCC’s Decathlon Proves to Be Success, Benefits Clubs

By Jennifer Tinoco

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

T

he first academic decathlon to be held at a California community college was hosted by the Associated Students of GCC (ASGCC) at the Student Center on Nov. 18.

Academic decathlons exist at both the high school and university levels, but there has never been anything similar at the community college level.

ASGCC President David Arakelyan, who was instrumental in putting this event together, said, “I am honored to have the first community college Academic Decathlon held on this very campus.”

An academic decathlon is a fast-paced competition similar to a quiz game show that tests the academic knowledge of participants in rounds of increasingly difficult questions.

The competing teams of five people each, represented clubs on campus. Seated at round tables with a buzzer in the center, teams scrambled to be the first to respond to questions, which appeared on a big screen via Power Point. Arakelyan read each question aloud.

Each correct response earned the teams five points. The questions were composed by the ASGCC and reviewed by Arakelyan.

The competition was organized into four elimination rounds.

Seven teams competed in the first round: Alpha Gamma Sigma, the Cinema Club, The Fantastic Five, the Japanese Club, the Pre-Med Club, the Scholars Program, and the Theatre Guild.

At the end of the round, the four top teams won the right to compete in the third round. These were the Theatre Guild, the Japanese Club, the Scholars, and the Cinema Club.

The Armenian Student Association (ASA), the Honors Biology Club, the Organization of Latinos for Higher Education (OLHE), the Philippine Cultural Organization (PCO), Speech and Debate,

the Student Team, and the United Cultural Council (UCC) competed in round two.

During the entire round, Speech and Debate made it clear that they wanted to win. Club president Robert Cannon said, “I am just excited to be here with my club as a team.”

The four final teams with the most points moved on to compete in round three. This included Speech and Debate, at the lead; PCO; Honors Biology; and the Student Club.

In the third round, the eight winning teams answered 40 questions. The Speech and Debate group took the lead again during this round with 40 points. The other winners, ranked according to score, were the Theatre Guild, Scholars and Student Club teams, and the PCO. Before the final round began, Arakelyan spoke about the community college initiative.

“We need 500,000 signatures [on] the ballot for spring 2007.

The initiative will lower our class unit [fees] to $15 each. All signatures must be signed by those 18 years or over, California residents only, and they must be registered to vote,” said Arekelyan.

“Also, every signature provided by a club will get one dollar per signature. I think that this can be a great opportunity to fund-raise for your club,” he added.

Going into the final round, the Theatre Guild and the Speech and Debate Club were tied in the lead.

The Scholars, the PCO and the Student team were tied at 10 points each at the end of the final round. One elimination question broke the tie.

PCO won third place, and the team members received medals and a plaque. Theatre Guild won second place, and also receiving a plaque and medals.

The first place award went home with the Speech and Debate Club, who scored a total of 60 points. Team members Sarah Black, Cannon (president), Alex Kang, Dianna Platero and Tracy Reed all won one hundred dollars

each. They also received medals, a plaque, and a giant trophy.

The Speech and Debate Club also will get $500 deposited into their campus club account. A total of $1,000 was awarded to the club.

“Our club has a very competitive team. I guess that is why we have been pounding the buzzer in the previous rounds. A lot of these clubs have never been in a competition, [while] we are used to it,” said Cannon.

“The ASGCC academic decathlon was such a success. I enjoyed it very much and the students and people who helped organize it had a lot of fun as well,” said Arekelyan.

“The clubs enjoyed being a part of this. We plan to have a bigger decathlon and more clubs competing in it for Spring 2007.”

For more information regard-

Photo by Ismael Reyes

ASGCC members Arach Orujyan and Paolo Banaag, center with laptop computer, keep track of clubs’ points and determine which team buzzed in first at the inaugural academic decathlon on Nov. 18.

ing this event or future academic decathlons, contact Arakelyan at (818) 240-1000, ext. 5602.

Jennifer Tinoco can be reached at Jennifer_Tinoco@elvaq.com

www.elvaq.com

Friday, December 1, 2006

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ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

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‘Bobby’ is No Shutout, Results in Major Dissapointment

By Alison Geller

EL VAQUERO FEATURES EDITOR

S

adly, many people of this generation do not know much about Robert “Bobby” F. Kennedy or the great things he achieved and tried to achieve in his short life.

Unfortunately, the film “Bobby” will not enlighten any who sees it.

“Bobby” was written and directed by Emilio Estevez and has a large and famous ensemble cast that includes such notables as Anthony Hopkins, Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher, Sharon Stone, Heather Graham, William H. Macy, Helen Hunt, Harry Belafonte, Martin Sheen, Lindsay Lohan, Joshua Jackson, Elijah Wood, Estevez and numerous others.

With such a hard-hitting cast and names that can fill up theater seats, Estevez let a perfect oppor-

tunity to tell a tale about an important figure in American history slip by.

In the film, people learn more about the history of L.A. Dodgers’ pitcher Don Drysdale and his sixth game in a row shutout than of Bobby.

Estevez could have told the tale of a New York senator who was trying to win the Democratic primaries for presidency. As Attorney General under his brother, John F. Kennedy, the younger Kennedy cracked down on organized crime.

He was a man who bridged the gap between minorities; helped fill the void of the disenchanted after Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated; acted as the voice of those who had no voice in politics because they had not reached the voting age (which was 21 at that time) yet were being drafted (at

Holiday Concert ‘Tis the season for music. Vocal, instrumental, from Jazz to Classical. Here is a brief listing of performances meant to satisfy any musical palate.

•Holiday Choral Concert Director Jayne Campbell invites everyone to attend the Holiday Choral Concert on Saturday beginning at 7:30 p.m. at the auditorium stage. General admission tickets are $7; students and seniors pay $5.

•Glendale College Community Orchestra Dr. Theodore Stern will be conducting the Glendale College Community Orchestra on Dec. 3 at the auditorium stage. The orchestra will be performing Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 5” in C minor, Mozart’s overture to “The Impresario” and Barber’s “Violin Concerto.” The performance starts at 4 p.m. Tickets are $7 for the general public and $5 for students and seniors.

•Applied Music Recital Beth Pflugger will be coordinating the Applied Music Recital which will feature both instrumentalists and vocalists from the Applied Music Program. The recital will take place at the au-

ditorium stage on Dec. 8 at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free.

•GCC Jazz Band in ConcertDirector Craig Kupka invites all to the GCC Jazz Band concert on Dec. 10. The concert will take place at the auditorium stage, starting at 4 p.m. General admission tickets are $7; student and senior tickets are $5.

•Student Piano Recital Peter Green will be coordinating a student piano recital on Dec. 11 starting at 7:30 p.m. The recital will feature performers from the advanced piano classes and Green’s private studio. The recital will take place in Auditorium 211. Admission is free.

•Chamber Music Recital Beth Pflugger will coordinate the Chamber Music Recital on Dec. 12 in Auditorium 211. The performance starts at 4 p.m. and admission is free. The recital will feature ensembles form the Chamber Music class.

age 18 men became eligible for the draft) to fight a war no one could win; most notably, he opposed the Vietnam War and wanted to bring the troops home.

Bobby Kennedy helped a nation stand up and say enough.

He was a hero to teenagers and young adults; he was the voice of the little man.

He was a man who was shot down in cold blood (presumably

by Sirhan Sirhan) in the early hours of June 5, 1968, shortly after winning the crucial votes necessary in California. He died the following day, and with his death came the death of the hopes and dreams’ of a tired nation.

Instead of telling that story, Estevez chose to tell several fictional stories about people who either just happened to be at the Ambassador Hotel on June 4, 1968 and went to the Democratic Convention, or who worked at the hotel or at the convention.

While the acting was decent - it

was nice to see Lohan as something more than a sex symbol with no IQ - and the stories were moving, causing people to care about the fictional characters by the end of the film, they had nothing to with Bobby Kennedy.

Most were regarding marital/relationship problems; an 18-yearold girl (Lohan) agrees to marry her friend (Wood), who is also 18, so that he won’t be sent to Iraq when he’s drafted; a drunk lounge singer (Moore) and her husband (Estevez) have problems due to the former’s drinking problem; the Ambassador Hotel manager (Macy) and his beautician wife (Stone) deal with infidelity; and a rich man (Sheen) and his wife (Hunt) try and overcome their superficial fixation on money and possessions.

Then there is the ex-doorman (Hopkins) and his friend (Belafonte) who reminisce about the old days, two teenage Kennedy campaign workers who trip out

on LSD for the first time, a Hippie drug dealer (Kutcher), a couple of telephone board operators (Graham), two higher-up Kennedy campaign workers (Jackson and Nick Cannon), and the Mexican/ Black kitchen staff.

The only thing most of them had in common with Kennedy is that several of the fictional characters got shot by Sirhan Sirhan when people were wrestling the gun away from him.

The only redeeming part of this film was the actual footage of Kennedy, and hearing his inspirational speeches.

Going with extremely low expectations, and no desire to be educated, is key to not being disappointed in this overly frivolous film, but with a title like “Bobby,” it should have been anything but frivolous. * out of 4 stars Alison Geller can be reached at Alison_Geller@elvaq.com

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Friday, December 1, 2006

www.elvaq.com

SPORTS

Lady Vaqueros Fare Well Against Imperial Valley, 72-69

By Susan Aksu

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

R

anked 11 in Southern California, the Lady Vaqueros basketball team beat 2004 Pacific Coast Conference champions Imperial Valley College 72-69 on Wednesday at the college gymnasium.

During the first half, the Vaqueros had complete control over the game. The defense from Imperial Valley was very weak.

At one point, the Vaqueros were up by 11 points (21-11).

Freshman Deanna Barajas scored the first two baskets two minutes into the game.

Sophomore Helen Suarez scored 7 points, five free throws and one 2-pointer field goal. Paola Gupilan scored three 3-pointers and a 2-pointer.

IVC began to catch up near the end of the first half. Rachel Zajdel from IVC made the last three shots before the end of the half for her team, bringing them up from 30 to 34, with the final score of the first half 39-34.

In the second half, IVC proved to be somewhat of a threat for the Vaqueros. They managed to take the lead by 5 points (41-46) and maintain the lead until Blanca Collazo tied them 64-64, scoring

a 2-pointer with five minutes to go.

Barajas’ 3-pointer at 12 minutes moved the Vaqueros to 67-66 and Gupilan 3-pointer put the Vaqueros at 70-69. The winning points came from Collazo as she made two free throws.

“We came into this game knowing they beat someone we had lost to,” said Gupilan. “We struggled through the defense.

I’m the tallest player on our team and I’m 5’10. They’re all my size and height and we already knew that they were bigger and stronger. We had to work extra hard to get rebounds. We were down by 11 at one point with three minutes left.”

The next 50 seconds were intense and stressful as the Vaqueros tried to kill time and IVC tried to go against it. The clock stopped when a Gatorade bottle rolled onto the court during the last 20 seconds. Nevertheless, it did not make a difference, and the Vaqueros won 72-69.

“We started off good,” Barajas said. “We had the lead and then we gave it away. Our defense was kind of lacking, but then it came back. We played hard and we won.”

“We just take it one game at a time, keep improving as a team, keep getting better. [We don’t]

Photo by Emmanuel Belviz

Freshman MacKenna Karasawa gets posession of the ball during the game against Imperial Valley on Wednesday.

look too far ahead. [We] get stronger, and better at offense and defense,” said Vaquero coach Monica Hang.

Currently, they are a 6-2 in the season as they won Moorpark

College (90-52) and San Diego (74-65) at the Desert Thanksgiving Classic in Palm Springs, despite losing to Arizona’s Cochise College (93-65.)

The Lady Vaqueros have their

next game at Salinas for the Hartnell Classics which will be held from Friday to Sunday.

Susan Aksu can be reached at Susan_Aksu@elvaq.com

Vaquero Sports Summaries Updates • Scores • Highlights

CROSS COUNTRY Freshman Tove Berg was named the Western State Conference athlete of the year last week at a meeting of conference coaches and head coach Eddie Lopez was named the WSC women’s coach of the year. Lopez guided the Lady Vaqueros to the WSC and Southern California Regional titles this year and a second place finish in state.

Berg won seven straight races this season including the WSC championship and Southern California Regional title and was named a first team All-American after finishing second in state in the individual race.

MEN’S BASKETBALL Glendale improved to 5-0 this season

with a 78-69 win over Los Angeles Harbor College last Wednesday. The Vaqueros are ranked No. 9 in Southern California and No. 19 in the state.

In the win over Harbor, Ramall Goodrich hit seven of nine three-pointers and let Glendale with 26 points. Owen Duckworth added 23 and Jamar Eubanks, the WSC Player of the Week last week, had 11 points and 11 rebounds.

The Vaqueros compete in the Antelope Valley Tournament Friday through Sunday.

They face host Antelope Valley, the No. 3 ranked team in state at 8-1, at 7 p.m. Frday.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL The Vaqueros won the consolation title

in the Desert Thanksgiving Classic Sunday with a 90-52 win over Moorpark College to improve to 5-2 this season. Glendale fell to Cochise College from Arizona 93-65 in an opening round game Friday and beat San Diego City College 74-65 Saturday.

Glendale is ranked No. 11 in southern California and hosts Imperial Valley College at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. They play in the Hartnell Classic Friday through Sunday in Salinas. The Vaqs play Cabrillo College at 6:00 p.m. Friday.

Alex Leon Sports Information Directorcan be reached at (818) 240-1000, ext. 5764aleon@glendale.edu

www.elvaq.com

Friday, December 1, 2006

SPORTS

Helen Suarez prepares to shoot.

Vaqueros Beat Imperial Valley 72-69 Photos by Emmanuel Belviz

Blanca Collazo scores one of the winning free throws.

MacKenna Kawasawa gets fouled as she aims to score.

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Friday, December 1, 2006

www.elvaq.com

Calendar On Campus music Holiday Choral Concert — Director Jayne Campbell invites everyone to attend the Holiday Choral Concert on Saturday beginning at 7:30 p.m. at the Auditorium Stage. General admission tickets are $7, students and seniors pay $5.

Glendale College Community Orchestra — Dr. Theodore Stren will be conducting the Glendale College Community Orchestra on Dec. 3 at the auditorium stage. The orchestra will be performing Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 5” in C minor, Mozart’s overture to “The Impresario” and Barber’s “Violin Concerto. The performance starts at 4 p.m. and tickets are $7 for the general public and $5 for students and seniors.

Applied Music Recital — Beth Pflugger will be coordinating the Applied Music Recital which will feature both instru-

mentalists and vocalists from the Applied Music Program.

The recital will take place at the auditorium stage on Dec. 8 at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free.

performance starts at 4 p.m. and admission is free. The recital will feature ensembles form the Chamber Music class performing their last recitals.

GCC Jazz Band in Concert — Director Craig Kupka invites all to the GCC Jazz Band concert on Dec. 10. The concert will take place at the auditorium stage, starting at 4 p.m. General admission tickets are $7, student and senior tickets are $5.

other

Student Piano Recital — Peter Green will be coordinating a student piano recital on Dec. 11 starting at 7:30 p.m. The recital will feature performers from the advance piano classes and Green’s private studio. The recital will take place in Auditorium 211. Admission is free.

Chamber Music Recital — Beth Pflugger will coordinate the Chamber Music Recital on Dec. 12 in Auditorium 211. The

CSU Representatives— Representatives from CSUN, CSULA and Cal Poly Pomona will be on campus at CR 234 from 1:15 to 2:30 p.m. to talk to students interested in becoming teachers.

Representatives will also talk about transfering to their campuses. The event will be sponsored by Tutors Today, Teachers Tomorrow. Everyone is welcomed.

Ceramics Sale — The Holiday Ceramics Sale, an annual fundraising event for the Glendale Communiy College Ceramics Department, will be held on Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m. in Student Center 212. There will be a large selection of handmade functional and decorative items

made by students in porcelain, stoneware, raku and majolica will be available for purchase at reasonable prices. Additional information may be obtained by calling (818) 240-1000, ext.

5543.

Peña— The Association of Latin American Students (ALAS) invite everyone to an evening of Latin American Music, Cuisine, friendship and solidarity to raise funds for book scholarships for GCC’s undocumented students who are determined to continue their educational dream no matter the obstacles.

Peña takes place on Dec. 3 in Student Center 212 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. General admission is $7, kids under 12 get in for free.

For more information call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5470.

performance Dance Performance 2006 — A performance featuring dance faculty and alumni takes center

stage on Dec. 15 at 8 p.m. in Auditorium Mainstage. Under the direction of Lynn McMurrey, Dance Performance 2006 wil continue through Dec. 17.

There will be two performances on Dec. 16, the first at 2 p.m. on and the second at 8 p.m. On Dec. 17 there will only be a showing at 2 p.m. Admission is free but guests must arrive early, as seating is limited and on a first come first served basis. Children under five will not be admitted.

reminders Winter 2007 Registration — Open registration for the Winter session continues through Dec. 21.

Baja Field Studies — Applications for the summer 2007 classes in Baja are now available in AA1B, the counseling office and from class instructors.

Classes fill early so apply now.

For more information visit www. glendale.edu/baja

Around Town theatre ‘A Christmas Carol’ — The Glendale Centre Theatre invites everyone to spend an uplifting evening with them this holiday season as they present their 43rd annual showing of Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” All of Dickens’ timeless characters will fill the air with the spirit of giving as Scrooge learns the true meaning of Christmas from three ghostly visitors. This year’s production features new music, special effects and an infectious spirit of joy and love to lift the spirits at this special time of year. The play runs through Dec. 23, Monday through Saturday evenings at 8 p.m. with selected Saturday matinees at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Select Sunday matinees will also be showing at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Tickets range from $14.50 to $23. For more information call the ticket box office at (818) 244-8481.

‘As You Like It’ — William Shakespeare’s “As You Like It” takes center stage at A Noise Within through Dec. 2. The story of love struck refugees pack Arden’s forest like ripe apples in this glorious comic tribute to the transformative triumph of love.

For more information visit www. anoisewithin.org

film ‘Terrorstorm: A History of Government Sponsored Terrorism’— The Glendale Public Awareness About 9/11/01 Questions invites everyone to attend a free film screening of “Terrorstorm: A History of Government Sponsored Terrorism” at the Montrose Library located at 2465 Honolulu Ave., Montrose on Dec. 9. The film provides details on puzzling facts about America’s 9/11 attack and London’s 7/7 bombings, plus the post 9/11 laws restricting civil

liberties in America and Britain.

An audience discussion will follow the screening. The film will begin promptly at 2:05 p.m. The duration of the film is approximately two hours.

exhibitions ‘Picasso’s Greatest Print’— The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) presents the exhibition “Picasso’s Greatest Print” which runs through Dec. 21. LACMA is located at 5905 Wilshire Blvd., L.A. For more information call (323) 857-6000.

‘The Collectible Moment: Photographs in the Norton Simon Museum’ — The Norton Simon Museum presents a survey of the museum’s photography collection titled “The Collectible Moment: Photographs in the Norton Simon Museum.” The exhibition runs through Feb. 26 and features

approximately 160 works by 100 historical and modern photographers. These photos will be on view with special emphasis on the contemporary artists involved with the development of the museum’s photography program in the early 1970s. The instillation includes portfolios and a selection of ephemera from the museum’s archives. Featured artists include Ansel Adams, Diane Arbus, Manuel Alvarez Bravo, Judy Dater, Leland Rice and Frederick Sommer, among others. For more information on this exhibit and others, visit www. nortonsimon.org

music Concert Singers in Performance— Director Peter Green invites everyone to attend Concert Singers in Performance on Dec. 3. This concert will feature the striking choral music of the 20th and 21st centuries as well as Renaissance double-chorus

music and holiday favorites.

The concert will take place at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Glendale starting at 4 p.m. General admission tickets are $10, students and seniors pay $7. St. Mark’s is located at 1020 North Brand Blvd. For additional information call (818) 240-3860.

The Drips — Local punk outfit, The Drips, play a gig with GSL recording artist 400 Blows at The Scene, located at 806 E. Colorado St., Glendale. Cover fee at the door, 21 and over only. For more information call (818) 241-7029.

The Living End — Australian punk rockers The Living End play The House of Blues Sunset Strip Dec. 13. The House of Blues is located at 8430 Sunset Blvd., W. Hollywood. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts 8 p.m. Tickets are $14 and can be purchased through www.ticketmaster.com For more information call (323) 848- 5100.

El Vaquero, always ahead of what’s happening. www.elvaq.com

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Friday, December 1, 2006

15

OPINION

Volunteering Should Be Year Round, Not Just Seasonal

By Michael Coleman EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

T

hanksgiving has passed and Christmas is just around the corner, putting many in the mood for sharing their time with others.

But once the holidays are over and life returns to normal, people tend to forget about those in need.

It is important to remember that volunteering should be a yearround activity; it should not be thought of as something to do only during the holidays.

There are so many individuals, groups and organizations in our communities that are in need of help and attention. It is imperative that those with spare time and resources want to lend a helping hand all year long.

Oftentimes when people talk about volunteering, the assumption is that it makes them feel sentimental, warm and fuzzy inside, but when asked to participate in community activities or in nonprofit work, they seem to have no time to spare or have other plans.

The idea is appealing, but doing the actual work is sometimes more an idea than a reality.

There are benefits to being a volunteer. Medical and sociological studies have drawn attention to the physical health benefits of social integration and social support. By helping others, individuals can develop stronger networks that buffer stress, reduce disease risks, and also reduce unpleasant levels of self-absorption.

People have an innate desire to feel needed or wanted. By becoming a volunteer, one can meet those desires.

When someone volunteers, they feel that they are making a difference, and this enhances personal efficacy.

Volunteering provides a sense of control over one’s life and one’s environment and alleviating negativity in one’s life.

By volunteering, a person is not just helping others, but gaining personal benefit. In the long run, the volunteer enhances his or her own sense of social and mental

Photo by Graig Agop

Linda Knudsen is one of the volunteers at the YWCA’s New To You thrift shop which benefits women affected by domestic violence.

well-being.

It is easy to find places to volunteer. There are many resources and listings online that offer suggestions.

There are many of organizations through which one can volunteer their services, such as the Salvation Army. Although this or-

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ganization does a great service to the community when it comes to feeding and sheltering the homeless during the holidays, nonmembers can also help them by donating old clothes and canned food during the year.

Big containers in which one can drop off donated items, can be found in the parking lots of several local grocery stores, making it easy and convenient for those who want to help.

The Red Cross is another organization that offers the opportunity to contribute to the community. Blood drives are not the only activities the Red Cross sponsors.

Their community volunteers visit and help the elderly and work

with children.

Volunteering does not have to be a time-consuming commitment. One can give as little as 30 minutes or an hour out of a day, week or month. It is a wonderful feeling to know that one has helped just by spending a little time reading to someone or listening to their life stories.

It is very important to keep in mind that volunteering does not have to come in the form of helping a human being; it can be helping animals, picking up trash to keep the community clean or doing administrative/office work for a volunter program.

GCC students can volunteer on campus by helping tutor other students at the Learning Center.

Students can also be mentors at local high schools: The possibilities are endless.

There are many people in the community who are in need, and those who offer their time, energy and resources to help out the needy are not only helping others; they also gain the benefits of building relationships and expressing kindness, something the world can always use a little more of.

Imagine how America might be improved, one life at a time, if more people were able to donate their time to help one another.

Michael Coleman can be reached at Michael_Coleman@elvaq.com

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Friday, December 1, 2006

www.elvaq.com

VAQUERO VIEWS

Vaqueros Snag Bowl Victory, Conference Championship -Story by Olga Ramaz

T

he Vaqueros polished their offense and snagged a Western State Bowl victory against the Santa Ana Dons with a score of 23-14 Saturday, Nov. 19 at Sartoris Field, ending the season with a 9-2 record.

The Vaquero squad went into the game ranked number one in the Western State Conference.

The Vaqs came on strong from the beginning. Going into the half, the Vaqueros led 16-3, thanks in part to a pair of field goals by kicker Esteban Moreno and a 15yard touchdown pass by quarterback Brendon Doyle to wide receiver Juan Magallon.

Offensive line Albert Vicero went in at the second half to replace Zack Williams, who was taken down early in the half. “[Although] we lost a valuable player at half time,

we get a guy that steps in and picks up the slack,” said Coach John Cicuto. “That’s how Glendale wins.”

By the half, Doyle had completed six passes, giving way to tailback Jason McNeil and the rest of the Vaquero running backs.

Doyle finished with 11 of 20 for 165 yards while McNeil ended the night with 19 rushes for 119 yards and a touchdown.

According to McNeil, Cicuto stressed the importance of running the ball for the entire second half.

However, in spite of the Vaqueros’ efforts, the Dons scored in the second half with a 12-yard pass from quarterback Kasey Peters to receiver David Richmond.

With 4:11 minutes remaining in the game, the Vaquero defensive squad took advantage of the Dons’ third turnover when Vaquero linebacker Josh Nesbitt picked off Peters’ pass.

“We were having a lot of success running it [the

ball],” said Cicuto. “Then our defense came up with some stops [and] got some turnovers. You need that in a big game like tonight’s.”

This was the first time since 1966 that both teams played against each other and saw Glendale come away with a victory, defeating Santa Ana 8-7.

“We don’t have a lot of Division 1 guys,” said Cicuto. “If we don’t play together as a team, then we don’t have a chance to win.

Our guys believe in that and I think that’s what showed tonight.”

Sophomore linebacker Alonzo Menifield was named Defensive Player of the Game.

“It feels real good [to be named Defensive Player of the Game],” said Menfield.

“I didn’t think they were going to pick me. I got MVP at the Quarterback Club, so I didn’t think I was going to get another one.”

Menifield kicked it into high gear on the second, improving his game and cementing himself for recognition as a standout player by blocking a field goal and “playing hard.”

“I noticed that in the first half I wasn’t hustling as hard as I can,” he said.

“When I came out in the second, I started hustling and when we hustled, we got interceptions.”

“We ended this how it was supposed to be ended,” said Cicuto. “We were [running] on all eight cylinders tonight…and no one thought little ol’ Glendale College would become bowl champs.”

Photo by Sumaya Mehai

Tailback Brandon Torres runs for a first down during the Vaqueros’ 23-14 Western State Bowl victory over No. 10 ranked Santa Ana College.