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photos: winds leave campus in disarray .. . . . . . . . . . .
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holiday charity guide.. . . . . .
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men’s basketball shows promise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Volume 98, Number 7
December 7, 2011
New Course Repeatablity Rules to Start By Lillian Wu
EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER
T
he California Community Colleges Board of Governors ratified a new law called Course Repetition and Withdrawals, which will take effect in summer 2012 and affects current Glendale College students who want to repeat a credit course. Rick Perez, vice president of student services, said students need to know that the rules have changed and they must weigh their options. “How can I make myself successful at GCC with the new rules? It’s managing your time, good study habits, [and] not working so many hours. They have to look at their load.” The changes to the Title five regulations occurred in July 2011. It is also known as the “3 + 1” law and deals with course repetition for substandard grades and withdrawals or any combination of them. A substandard grade is considered a D, F and No Pass. This law came about because of budget cuts, not enough classes being offered for students, and increased enrollment in community colleges. Additionally, there was an examination of state policies to allow as many students as possible the chance to attend classes. “Are [students who get substandard grades] better suited in the classroom to take those seats or someone who is more motivated, even new students who are more motivated, to take those seats in the class? [See regulations, page 2]
IN THIS ISSUE News.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3 Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11 Photos. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Arts/Entertainment.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-13 Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Calendar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Photo by Tex Wells
WIND POWER: A tree planted in the Civic Auditorium parking lot was toppled by the strong Santa Ana winds last Thursday. The winds this year were the strongest in 10 years, according to a Los Angeles Times article. The tree had not been moved as of Sunday. See page 9 for more images.
Santa Ana Winds Wreak Havoc on Campus, Community By Angel Silva
EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER
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lendale College was subject to the strongest Santa Ana winds in 10 years, leaving the campus in a state of disarray last week as debris and damages surrounded the campus. The Santa Ana winds are strong, dry winds that hit Southern California every year during late fall into the onset of winter. According to the Los Angeles Times, the winds reached speeds of 80 to 100 mph. The winds blew a canopy off the Human Resources building and banners from
Plaza Vaquero on Thursday. The campus was strewn with debris from fliers and leaves blown around by the winds. No buildings were damaged. The campus experienced lost power at the time of the winds, said maintenance and operations manager Dan Padilla. The Administration, Auditorium, Camino Real and Cimmarusti Science buildings were still without power early Thursday. “For some of us, this is going to be a bad hair day,” said Padilla in an email. Trees were knocked over by the Mountain Street side of campus and by the parking structure.
Some of them remained on Saturday. The sports facilities also experienced light damages, with debris and equipment displaced by the winds. Chairs and trash bins were flung by the winds at the tennis courts, and a few of the tarps on the court’s chain link fences were unhinged. Most of the debris around Plaza Vaquero and the student loading area was cleaned up by Saturday. A few piles remained around the San Gabriel Plaza, and substantial amounts of debris remained in front of the Administration building, along the outskirts of the sports
facilities and the Mountain Street side of the campus. Classes were still in session Thursday, despite the closing of some schools in the Glendale Unified School District. Pasadena City College canceled classes on Thursday as well, having been hit more severely than GCC. Damages outside of campus included a knocked-over fence in the Verdugo Apartments that was still unrepaired on Sunday. The Civic Auditorium had a large tree uprooted by the winds in the parking lot, which still remained on Sunday. Angel Silva can be reached at asilva827@student.glendale.edu
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NEWS
El Vaquero Bookstore Employees Spared the Axe EDITOR IN CHIEF Jessica Bourse COPY EDITOR Agnes Constante STAFF WRITERS Eric Bourse Vanessa Duffy John Ferrara Alex Gonzalez Marlon Miranda Isiah Reyes Verzhine Nikoghosyan Angel Silva Derek Stowe Lillian Wu
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Ian Cervantes Richard Kontas Roger Lai Seneyda Rodriguez Tex Wells
PRODUCTION MANAGER
Jane Pojawa
DESIGN ADVISER Charles Eastman FACULTY ADVISER
Michael Moreau
mmoreau@glendale.edu (818) 551-5214 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. To submit an idea or an article, e-mail the editor at elvaquero.editor@gmail.com or call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5349.
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By John Ferrara
EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER
A
ll Glendale College bookstore employees were rehired by Follett Corp. on Thursday, after months of having their job security threatened. “There are no pay cuts at all; things are looking good, [the employees] are very relieved they are not losing their jobs,” said 19-year bookstore director Anjali Stanislaus. When the Associated Students selected Follett as the company to privatize the GCC bookstore more than a month ago, many of
the bookstore employees feared the possibility of pay cuts or even termination. While all six full-timers were contractually guaranteed to be rehired as Follett employees, no part-time employees, many of whom have been working for the book store more than 10 years, had such assurances in the short term. “It’s very sad; we don’t know if were going to have a job tomorrow,” said an employee, who chose to remain anonymous prior to the rehiring process. But on Thursday, the parttimers were relieved to hear they
would be officially receiving job offers from Follett, all of whom accepted. However, official hours will not be guaranteed. “As we learn more about the campus and bookstore operating requirements we will adjust employee hours to the needs of the store for part-time associates,” said Follett regional manager Susanne Duits. The bookstore was closed all day on Thursday, as Follett began an extensive two-day training program with employees. Among other things, training was given on how to operate the new cash registers put in place, use
Microsoft Excel, and the process of the secret shopper program that will be used to assure consistency in customer service. Although winter session will be practically non-existent this year, Follett will be keeping the bookstore open during a time which it is usually closed, as they restock and prepare for spring semester. According to Stanislaus, all workers will be receiving similar health, dental, and vision benefits that they had as employees of the school, as well as a 401K plan that [See bookstore, page 13]
New Regulations: Course Repeats to Be Limited [Cafeteria, from page 1] The way the board of governors is looking at it is ‘Enough is enough.’ We need to make sure we give a student a chance, but it’s only three times,” Perez said. The new regulation states that students can only take the same credit course three times at the same college. However, students who receive two substandard grades in the same credit course and want to enroll for the third time will have to submit a petition to the department chair. A formal name has yet to be determined for the petition, but for now it is referred to as the Two Substandard Grades petition. Perez gave an example of how this works. If John Doe received a D and an F in a credit class, such as math, he cannot take the class again. He would have to fill out the petition form and take it to the math department chair for consultation and permission to take the class again for a third time. If the student still receives a D, F, NP or W after three attempts in the same class at GCC, the student will have to go to another college to take the class. GCC might allow a student who wants to take the class for the fourth time, but he or she must fill out a different type of petition. There is no formal name for that petition yet, but it is tentatively called the “3 + 1” petition, Perez said. However, the student must
show “documented extenuating circumstances such as flood, fire, or other extraordinary conditions beyond his control.” “It’s not ‘Oh yeah, I couldn’t go [to class] because I got into a car accident.’ Well, show me the police report. Show me pictures of the car. ‘I couldn’t go because I had a medical condition, and I was out for two weeks and that’s why I got a D.’ Well, show me the doctor’s note,” Perez said. He recommends that students meet with their academic counselor to discuss any course repetitions and academic schedule. Counselors are working with students to make sure they reconsider whether to drop a class or work harder to get a C or better in the class. “I think it will make students be more serious about their academic plan,” Perez said. “It will make them, I hope, meet with an academic counselor. The resources are there to support them whether it is counseling, tutoring or financial aid.” Additionally, there is tutoring available to students at the Math Discovery Center and the Learning Center. Jeanette Stirdivant, division chair of student services and a counselor, said she does not see any problem with this new regulation because it is going to affect only some students adversely. “The whole goal is to get people to go through with it,” Stirdivant said. “I really believe this was not meant to be punitive. It is going
to be punitive to a few, but it is meant to help a vast majority.” She believes the state is not willing to pay for students to take a class more than three times because they are taking up the seats of someone else. “I think the state is trying to tell students to get the classes and get in so they can transfer or get to work,” she said. Meng-Io Kuan, an international student thinking about majoring in accounting, said this was his first time hearing about the new law. “This is a good regulation because if the person fails the class for the third time, then obviously the person doesn’t care about the course. He is wasting the state’s and the college’s money. But most importantly, other students’ chances [to enroll] in the class.” He feels that students can avoid repeating classes by attending classes, studying harder and submitting homework on time. Arusik Stepanian, architecture major, added that the new regulations will be beneficial to the students. “I will do my best to pass the classes and learn more,” she said. “It forces students to study more and spend time on their classes. If a student doesn’t want to study, then it won’t change him or her.” Stepanian does not know anyone personally who falls under the categories. From her experience, many students in her anthropology class who dropped
the course in the middle of the semester received a W. She has always heard that the goal for transferring is between two to three years. “I think they are wasting time,” she said. “If the student retakes the class, then it would take longer to transfer.” Stirdivant suggested that students make school a priority and to study and pass the class the first time. “I think the biggest mistake that students make is they take too many units and work and there’s no way you can do it all,” she said. In the spring, Perez will be working with a task force which will include the director of admissions and records, dean of counseling and department chairs including Stirdivant in revising the petition forms so students can begin using them in summer 2012. All community colleges have until April 2012 to inform students about the changes and make the corrections in their publications. The new information has been posted on the GCC homepage along with a link to see more detailed information at http://glendale.edu/index. aspx?page=2109&recordid=1046. The information will be added to the college catalog and to the spring 2012 class schedule online.
Lillian Wu can be reached at lwu415@student.glendale.edu
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NEWS
Occupy LA at GCC Holds Rally at Plaza Vaquero By Lillian Wu
EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER
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ccupy LA at GCC marched through Plaza Vaquero in solidarity with the national day of action and national student strike day on Nov. 17. After meeting near the first floor cafeteria at 12:30 p.m., several members carried the long poster they had created for the event which said Occupy LA at GCC Rally. They marched to the front of the San Rafael Building where they chanted “Drop tuition, not bombs” and “Solidarity with Berkeley.” One member, Leah Setaghian, called out “Show me what democracy looks like!” with a megaphone and the other members responded back in unison with “This is what democracy looks like!” Some of the 11 members raised yellow posters with the words “Democracy is not an auction. Reform is our only option!” above their heads, which they also chanted. Setaghian explained that a week before the rally, nonviolent protesters were being attacked by police at UC Berkeley after they joined arms. The Occupy movement called a national strike day where students across the nation can protest in solidarity with Berkeley students, against police brutality and for Occupy goals. “It is basically to honor the Berkeley students who were attacked by police when they were just linking arms,” Setaghian said. “They were told by the chancellor of the school [Robert Birgeneau] that police have the right to break
that up with violent force.” Luke Ponnet, history major, wants students to know that Occupy LA at GCC is a civil rights and civil liberties group that is promoting the Constitution and Constitutional rights to speak out against government when it is overstepping its bounds. It is also a group that is dissatisfied with the way corporate greed has infiltrated the government. “We need to get our voices heard,” he said. “We need to have our cause understood by the student body. If we don’t have a student body, we are nothing. We are the masses. We are the 99 percent.” While the rally went on, the Troy Davis Band performed during the same time. The music boomed from the loudspeakers and across the campus overpowering some of the group’s rally cries. The Occupy group chanted during the band’s intervals and occasionally when they sang. A small crowd gathered in front of them, while others stood at a distance taking photos. The group staked a spot on the sidewalk leading to the plaza for the remainder of the rally. They cheered when an Associated Student representative yelled, “We also have Occupy LA over there!” “We got a shout out by the student body, which is awesome,” Ponnet said. “That was really cool to have the student body actually know that we were there.” Jessica Farrell, the main point of contact for the group, said she was there to march in support of the students of Berkeley. Farrell and Sarah Gould are both the heads of the events committee for Occupy LA at GCC.
Photo by Lillian Wu
UNITED FRONT: Occupy LA at GCC members hold a banner as they march through Plaza Vaquero. “I am here to be a part of an educated group of people who want to be a part of something and although I have defiance inside of me from childhood, I have learned to grow out of that and know the right and wrong way of doing things,” Farrell said. “I feel that I want to be part of a group that will give respect and not be cocky in the sense that we are doing the right thing or the wrong thing.” After the rally ended, the members moved to the San Gabriel Building for an informal meeting where they discussed the protest and future events. “It was not as powerful as I wanted it to be,” Ponnet said. “Mostly because the students at GCC were having a musical rally, which was good. The music was awesome, but we couldn’t overpower the DJ or the PA system. In the future, if
we do a rally, we would want to make sure that we don’t schedule a rally around another event especially one with a PA system.” Ponnet joined Occupy LA at GCC after he heard the college had meetings and has been involved for about a month. He has participated in the Occupy movement in Downtown LA, Occidental College and Pasadena. “I really feel for the movement especially the student’s concerns about the movement and unemployment,” Setaghian, a political science and history major, said. “We are about to enter the workforce, but there is nothing out there for us. That was a big thing for me.” Nov. 17 was declared National Student Strike Day by Occupy Colleges. A large rally was planned at Cal State Dominguez Hills where various colleges planned to meet. Many in the
group had classes in the afternoon and were unable to attend. For Farrell, who is an anthropology and psychology major, school is important. As much as she would have loved to join, she realized she could not miss class since she is trying to transfer from GCC. Farrell first heard about Occupy LA at GCC after Gould approached and asked if she had heard about the movement. She researched about it and attended the meeting. “I felt like this is the movement that could open the doors to all other movements in the sense that it could give people the power instead of the corporations having the power,” she said. “It would be enough to move forth in smaller things.” Lillian Wu can be reached at lwu415@student.glendale.edu
Campus Comments What is your opinion of the Dream Act, the recent California legislation that makes undocumented students eligible for the same financial aid awards that U.S. students get? Arvin Paran 22
Brian Monge 18
Darcy Cotto 18
Melissa Ponce 18
Criminal Justice
Fire Technology
Undecided
Criminal Justice
“No! I don’t think that’s right. That’s cheating the system. Why don’t they go through the process? I was from the Philippines. I had to get my visa, my green card then become a US citizen.”
“Well, um, they’re getting the education and everyone else has to pay for it. But looking at it morally and being kind, I’m not looking for them to lose the same opportunities that we have.”
“Well, what I think is that if they work hard for it and they deserve it, why not? What bad can come from them going to school and learning? It’s bettering the society.”
“I do know that it would help them out because they pay more than students that are citizens. I think it’s really a good thing for them.” —Compiled by Tex Wells
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FEATURES
Evidence in Life of Jesus Explored by Campus Club By Isiah Reyes
EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER
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tudents looking for proof of Jesus’ existence visited the “Evidence for the Existence of Jesus” lecture, presented by the Students of Reason Club. “So many people spend so much time talking about Jesus, that they just don’t care about evidence,” said philosophy professor Steve Bie, who gave the lecture. According to Bie, historians pick stories in the Bible they think are accurate based on three things: independent sources, dissimilarities, and stories that are historically accurate. Independent sources are separate sources that say similar things. For example, Roman, Christian and Jewish sources all mention that Jesus was executed by Pontius Pilate, which Bie says constitutes evidence that Jesus at least existed. However, even though Mathew and Luke’s gospels have similar stories between them, they don’t count as independent sources because they both copy stories word-for-word from Mark’s gospel. What they don’t copy is radically different, such as the birthplace of Jesus. “Is this annoying?” said Bie. “What happens every Christmas is that you just take bits and pieces out of this gospel and bits
and pieces out of that gospel and you cram them together as if there’s one coherent story about Jesus. You just stick the manger in there, stick the shepherds in there, and stick the wise men in there. “There’s no gospel in the New Testament that says both shepherds and wise men were present. I think you’re writing a fifth gospel [when you do that],” said Bie. Bie’s second point to believe whether or not something in the Bible is accurate is dissimilarities. If one source promotes its own theological agenda, then that source is less believable than if a source doesn’t promote any kind of agenda. If a source admits something contrary to its own interest, it is more credible. The third point to decide if a Bible story is accurate is its historical context. The events that occur have to make sense within that time period. If a source states that Jesus was executed for heresy, then that would make sense. After Bie made his points, he concluded that Jesus was an ancient Jewish apocalypticist, which is someone who says the universe is divided by good and evil forces and who thinks we currently live in a present evil age which will be followed by a “good” age. Those who attended the lecture seemed satisfied by Bie’s points.
New Student Officers Elected for Spring T
he election committee has counted the ballots and determined the results for the ASGCC spring 2012 election, which occurred on Nov. 29 and 30. Lucy Agazaryan is the new vice president of administration with 316 votes. Bianca Saleebyan, who was only candidate for the position, was elected vice president of campus activities and received 350 votes. Darvill Rodriguez was elected
as the vice president of campus relations with 231 votes. Juliana Kim, the current vice president of campus organizations, was elected again with 338 votes and was the only candidate for this position. All three candidates for senators of administration won the election. Michael Ariavand, Irene Ismailyan and Sevana Zadorian received 186, 223 and 223 votes respectively. [See ASGCC, page 10]
“It’s just cool to hear something that doesn’t have an agenda,” said Richard Salas, IOC representative of the Students of Reasons Club. “[Bie] isn’t trying to sell you anything. He’s not trying to get us to support him in the same sense that a pastor might have his whole congregation support him. He’s just telling us the truth to the best of his knowledge for our own benefit.” Salas said that the Students of Reason is basically an atheist club, but that they also apply reason to other things in life that don’t relate to religion. The club has been around for a year a half. “A lot of the stuff in this lecture is new to me,” said Sara Saavedra, secretary of the club. “I think Jesus probably existed. But savior of man? Maybe not.” Isiah Reyes can be reached at haisikin@gmail.com
Photo by Richard Kontas
REPORTING THE MOVEMENT: LA Weekly reporter Simone
Wilson spoke at Glendale College’s Kreider Hall on Dec. 1 about media involvement in the Occupy movements with an emphasis on Occupy LA. The event, was organized by GCC’s Journalism Club and drew a full crowd. After the lecture Wilson fielded questions from the audience, which included both Occupy LA participants and the mother of a student who was arrested by LAPD at the raid Wednesday morning.
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FEATURES
War Survivor Finds Success in Wake of Loss By Derek Stowe
EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER
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s Iraqi hospital rooms overflowed with wounded soldiers and moaning civilians a hallway in Baghdad became the maternity ward where Reta Youssif, 25, was born. Surviving three major wars, a food embargo and certain death got her to Glendale. In the middle of the Iran-Iraq War, which took place from 1980 to 1988, Youssif’s Armenian mother, Araxi, gave birth to her while her Iraqi father, Yacoub, stood by. Soon, Yacoub, Araxi and his daughters would be dodging bullets at their governmentprovided residence as terror in the form of “smart” bombs and Patriot missiles came raining down on the streets of Bagdad. One couldn’t ask to be born under more volatile circumstances. To be an innocent child born into a war-torn country, and then to grow up amid two separate Persian Gulf wars likely led to her strength and character. “I think Reta can make it through whatever life throws at her,” said fellow chemistry major Anahit Kazaryan, 22. “She’s inspires me.” Youssif saw a neighbor’s house reduced to a smoldering pile of rubble by a stray missile during the first week of the war while she and her family sought refuge in a neighbor’s shelter. “One of the bombs landed right on one of my neighbors’ houses,” said Youssif. That’s when her father moved the whole family to a relative’s house in a safer part of the city. After the move, he had to be away to manage his oil finance department. With a master’s degree in accounting, he worked in the oil industry nationalized by Saddam Hussein in the early 1970s. When the phone lines got disconnected and the roads were cut, the Youssif women worried about their beloved Yacoub day and night. “Until the war was over, we didn’t know if he was alive or dead,” said Youssif. “And then he came back.” She remembers how happy they were to see him alive and well. She also remembers how tough the U.S. military soldiers tried to
look while searching her house In October 2006, the Youssif for weapons. They never found family escaped the war-ravaged any but in the process everything country with their lives. The in the house and basement were U.S. granted them a special visa, so they came to California as left in chaos. As America did, Youssif visitors. They planned to stay and watched the demise of her ruler thus had to start a whole new life. “I was happy on TV. The ominous to get out of Iraq footage of Saddam’s statue being torn I was happy because my family and I could have down, his subsequent to get out of been killed at any capture, and his eventual hanging because time.” But her departure still runs through her my family and I was emotionally mind in flashbacks. The Kuwait War, could have been painful: she gave up the only life also known as Desert at any she knew, leaving Shield-Desert Storm behind schoolmates, (1990 to 1991), time. neighbors, cousins, Operation Hammer —Reta Youssif aunts, uncles and in 1997, and the both grandmothers. Second Persian Once in America, she worked Gulf War, (2003 to present), are very vivid in the nightmares she hard to improve her English by still has to this day. They often taking non-credit classes at GCC torment her in class or in the and by getting a job in customer service at a Ralph’s supermarket. middle of the night. Youssif would train in She was the first in her family to uniform, military marching style, get a job and heroically supported them until her older sister, Noora, at an Armenian athletic club. “The year 2003 was the hard 28, got a job at EDN, an aviation one,” she said. “I realized it was company. Instead of being respected pretty bad, but I had learned to be brave when I was a kid in the for his accounting brilliance, her father found that America 1991 war.” It was her senior year in high distrusted him much like the school, and she was about to take Japanese were distrusted after her final exams when she had to Pearl Harbor. After four years of hunting evacuate the area without a single for work as an accountant, he textbook. As the coalition forces wreaked swallowed his pride and took a havoc on her homeland, Youssif job as cashier at a parking garage. “You have to live,” said had to fight to hold on to her dream of becoming a pharmacist, Youssif. Youssif still pays more than but she was denied entry into her her share of the bills with her school of choice. “Women were accepted part-time grocery job while she into college but needed higher studies chemistry with GCC grades.” she said. “If you were a professor Asmik Oganesyan. When Youssif started out at man, you might get in with a 97, Glendale, she was so impatient but a lady would need a 99.” Her second choice was with school that she would say to computer engineering school, herself, “I just want to finish and which she attended, but without get my bachelor’s degree right away.” Soon, she learned to take enthusiasm. “My dream was to become a her time. Oganesyan, now her role pharmacist. I didn’t want to be a computer engineering major,” model, said, “Focus on what you want and believe in yourself. If said Youssif. The turning point came with you want it, just go after it. And a death threat in the mail, most always have a plan B.” Youssif took this advice likely because her family was and got a pharmacy technician Christian. In Saddam’s time, being certificate at Garfield. “Thanks to [Oganesyan’s] Christian was fairly well accepted, but after 2003, “Terrorists began advice, anything that I want to do, to persecute Christians,” she I just think about it first, and then said. “There were terrorists do it.” Youssif now volunteers at a everywhere. Terrorists can come friend’s pharmacy on Broadway. from Iran or any country.”
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Iraq
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Photos by Derek Stowe
STARTING OVER: Reta Youssif fled Iraq with her sister and parents after receiving terrorist death threats.
GOOD CHEMISTRY: Reta Youssif (left) gets a hug from one of her new friends in organic chemistry class, Anahit Kazaryan.
ROLE MODEL: Chemistry professor Asmik “DMSO” Oganesyan helps Youssif find her way both in class and in life.
It’s helping her learn the trade. Oganesyan said Youssif listens very carefully and never shows that victimized part of her life. “She is a person who doesn’t give up,” she said. According to Oganesyan, Youssif is mostly quiet but still manages to make friends. “I try to figure it out on my own,” said Youssif. “I go home and study the material and then ask questions in office hours. It teaches me more when I depend on myself.” At long last, Youssif seems to be in the right place at the right time to nurture her dream to become a pharmacist. She plans to transfer to UCLA in the fall.
“She’s a mature student with dignity,” said Oganesyan. “With the dedication she has, she will do well. She is one of the students with the most dignity and decency as a scholar. I have a lot of respect for her.” Although Youssif has lived through a lifetime of war, and narrowly escaped death, she yearns to return to her homeland to see her long-lost friends and family members, with whom she has fond memories of time spent together. “I survived all kinds of wars,” she said. “But I still love Iraq.” Derek Stowe can be reached at derekgem@yahoo.com
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FEATURES
Survivor: Role Model Helps Student Find Her Way [War surviver, from page 6] After four years of hunting for work as an accountant, he swallowed his pride and took a job as cashier at a parking garage. “You have to live,” said Youssif. Youssif still pays more than her share of the bills with her part-time grocery job while she studies chemistry with GCC professor Asmik Oganesyan.
When Youssif started out at Glendale, she was so impatient with school that she would say to herself, “I just want to finish and get my bachelor’s degree right away.” Soon, she learned to take her time. Oganesyan, now her role model, said, “Focus on what you want and believe in yourself. If you want it, just go after it. And always have a plan B.” Youssif took this advice
and got a pharmacy technician certificate at Garfield. “Thanks to [Oganesyan’s] advice, anything that I want to do, I just think about it first, and then do it.” Youssif now volunteers at a friend’s pharmacy on Broadway. It’s helping her learn the trade. Oganesyan said Youssif listens very carefully and never shows that victimized part of her life. “She is a person who doesn’t
give up,” she said. According to Oganesyan, Youssif is mostly quiet but still manages to make friends. “I try to figure it out on my own,” said Youssif. “I go home and study the material and then ask questions in office hours. It teaches me more when I depend on myself.” At long last, Youssif seems to be in the right place at the right time to safely nurture her dream
FALL 2011 FINAL EXAM SCHEDULE WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 7 – WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 14
of becoming a pharmacist. She plans to transfer to UCLA in the fall. “She’s a mature student with dignity,” said Oganesyan. “With the dedication she has, she will do well. She is one of the students with the most dignity and decency as a scholar. I have a lot of respect for her.” Although Youssif has lived through a lifetime of war, and narrowly escaped death, she yearns to return to her homeland to see her long-lost friends and family members, with whom she has fond memories of time spent together. “I survived all kinds of wars,” she said. “But I still love Iraq.” Derek Stowe can be reached at derekgem@yahoo.com
Classifieds Free Pregnancy Tests
Are Available
• V isit or call the Asian Pacific Health Care Venture – a community health center. • F amily Planning Services (STD Testing, Birth Control Methods, etc.), • E mergency Contraception Pill (ECP), and • F ree Pregnancy Tests (walk-ins available) APHCV 1530 Hillhurst Ave., Suite 200, Los Angeles, CA 90027 (323) 644-3888 www.aphcv.org CHANCE MEETING: To the female GCC student I met at St. Vincent de Paul thrift shop on 10/4/11. I have really exciting news! Please Call Me: (213) 999-0571 To place an ad in the El Vaquero, contact Jeff Smith, the advertising manager, at jsmith@glendale.edu
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Wednesday, December 7, 2011
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FEATURES
The Eve of Destruction
Raging Santa Ana winds ripped through the Glendale Community College campus at gale forces in the wee hours of last Thursday morning, laying waste that will still take days to clear away and clean up. Trees were snapped like toothpicks by the mighty, howling winds (above), outdoor furniture was tossed around like doll house furnishings (left) and leaves were piled up in cubic yards on three tennis courts and in multiple areas around the campus. At least one metal sign was ripped from its steel stanchion and almost a dozen “How Do You GCC?� banners were snatched from their moonrings and left lying on the ground (top right).
All images in this group captured by Tex Wells.
The El Vaquero Staff Wishes Our Readers Happy Holidays And A Prosperous New Year!
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FEATURES
‘Little Rock Nine’ Member to Speak At GCC By Verzhine Nikoghosyan EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER
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n 1957 Arkansas, nine black students were to step into a white school for the first time in history, to break through the barriers of segregation. Fiftyseven years have passed since that day and Americans are still fighting prejudice and racism. On Feb. 29 one of these students, Terrence Roberts, will give a talk for Glendale College’s diverse student population. “Having Dr. Terrence Roberts here is important because it gives our students an opportunity to go back in history that they might not be aware of,” said Valerie J. Rhaney, counselor with the Center for Students with Disabilities. “A lot of our students in their history class, humanity or political science or sociology classes learn about the events that happened before they were born and this is an opportunity to talk to someone who is a living history.” Back in 1957, nine black students, who were enrolled in a racially segregated white school in Little Rock, Ark., decided to claim their rights for equal education and challenge the law. The results were controversial. “I remember most being scared, frightened, honored, helpless, powerless — all of those,” said Roberts. “I had a lot of feelings. People varied, we had different responses. We got total and absolute opposition to our presence on one end and a feeling of excitement about pressing towards to change from the segregation to integrational interact.” The Arkansas governor, Orval Faubus, sent the state’s National Guard to prevent these students from entering the school. Irrespective of the federal court order, the students were sent back several times. President Dwight D. Eisenhower responded by federalizing the National Guard and sending units from the U.S. Army to escort the nine to school. The military was there during the whole school year. “It was how the life was being lived back then. There was segregation by law and by
custom life that’s been lived up to that point,” said Roberts. This event challenged the issue on state level. Nine teenagers helped change the course of history. “Having a historical figure raise conscience that we cannot have segregation any more is important. We cannot have problems that are associated with race, we should go beyond it, we have a president who is half black,” said J.C. Moore, instructor of sociology. Recent studies showed that the students who have exposure to diverse cultures and make friends with students from other cultural backgrounds are more successful in their studies and more likely to gain critical thinking skills. The study has been held by two researchers, Patrick T. Terenzini, a professor of higher education at Pennsylvania State University, and Ernest T. Pascarella, a codirector of the Center for Research on Undergraduate Education at the University of Iowa. “Students do better when they have friends from different races or ethnicities, and when they are more exposed and open, they have a better understanding,” said Moore. “We are in a shortage of ideas. The diversity has to be the foundation of ideas in helping each other, supporting each other. We need to see them not as a black person, not as a woman, not as a homosexual, not as an Asian but we need to see them as a person who has something to offer. That’s what we should be looking into.” Even today this society has problems with racial discrimination, said Roberts. “The fact is we do have problems in our society based on race and that has little to do with who those people are. It’s a belief system and anybody can believe it. There is a racial hierarchy where white on top, black on the bottom and everything else is in between. That is in fact the reality now. The question is how do we deal with this reality and my thought is that in this country we have chosen not to confront it. We allow it to exist,” said Roberts. This event is a chance for students not only to listen to a
person who saw history unravel in front of his eyes but also reevaluate the values and examine the present state of society. “Today we have many rights and liberties, and it is easy to think that we always had them,” said Marguerite Renner, history department chair. “But we haven’t and Terence Roberts, one of nine young people, spent a year fighting for the right to attend a decent high school. We all need to know that it took time and was a painful struggle to get us rights we assume we have.” Students also notice the problems and speak up. “I am a student and I have my own opinions on segregation,” said Karen KoocharianPekacheky. “You can’t really change people because inside everybody is a little prejudiced. This event is a good idea because it’ll show that us as a whole together is much better then us being separated. You can’t change people but it’ll shine some light, Glendale College needs it.” Rhaney thinks that this is a great chance for students to ask important questions about discrimination versus integration. “Today students are more sophisticated then we were when I was coming up. I think they are more tolerant and example of that would be how diverse the students are these days. I’ve seen students with pink hair, green hair, blue hair, I’ve seen students with all kinds of odd clothing and they seem to feel fine on campus. I think people feel fine about the differences today,” said Rhaney. Although the students are more open today, there is still polarization said KoocharianPekacheky. “When you walk on campus there is these groups of people, all groups of cultures so this will definitely bring people to understand that you don’t have to stay in your culture or your own people, you can go find other friends in different cultures,” he said. One of the solutions of the issue is to first acknowledge that there is a problem and this ideology is spread around the country, said Roberts. Only after that there will be options available for us to make changes,
More stories online at www.elvaq.com
Photo courtesy of Terrence Roberts
LIVING HISTORY: Terrence Roberts is a member of the “Little Rock
Nine,” a group of nine African-American students that were the first to attend a previously all-white school in Arkansas in a move to desegregate public schools. He will be speaking at GCC on Feb. 29.
that most people are unwilling to confront. “Historically, discrimination has always been present and there is nothing presently to suggest that there might be some changes. We don’t have much dialogue that’s going on, we all have what I call mutual monologue where people talk or other people don’t listen,” said Roberts. Renner said the event will be both informative and challenging. “Roberts is a very exciting speaker and I know he will leave his audience with lots of very serious things to think about, including the rights which we
so easily take for granted,” said Renner. The event is being organized by Moore, Renner and Rhaney, as well as: Jessica Gillooly, psychology department chair; Sandi Sheffey, instructor of business office technologies; Deborah Kinley, career resource program director; and Troy J. Davis, academic counselor and adjunct instructor of psychology. The event will take place on Feb. 29 at 12:30 p.m. in the auditorium. Virginia Nikoghosyan can be reached at VNIKOGH308@student.glendale.edu
ASGCC: Votes Announced [ASGCC, from page 4] Gor Sargsyan, Hasmik Simidyan and Andranik Dertsakyan are the senators of finance. Each received 190, 219 and 185 votes respectively. The three senators of campus activities are Kevin Felix Paramio Dematulac, 204; Arootin Ghazarian, 242; and Victoria Hagopian, 289.
Margaret Andriassian, 255, Tatiana Ratavosian, 240, and Raquelle Ross, 293, were elected as senators of campus relations. The three senators of campus organizations are Cameron Ronnel McGee, 222; Hovsep Ouzounian, 205; and Armen Ter-Oganesyan, 223. Compiled by Lillian Wu
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Wednesday, December 7, 2011
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FEATURES
For Some, A Dinner To Be Thankful For By Vanessa Duffy
EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER
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n a single afternoon, people who have called clammy, sewage-ridden bridges their homes, had their lives threatened with drug addictions, and have fallen through limbo to lunacy came together for dinner. Thanksgiving morning at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Downtown Los Angeles set off with a group of selfless volunteers from Brothers’ Helpers, an independent, nonprofit organization. The day started as early as 6 a.m.. Tables were dressed in white cloth and sprinkled with crimson rose petals, and chairs were accompanied by festive orange and brown balloons. The auditorium beneath the decorated surface was comparable to an elf’s workshop. Tempting aromas of turkey and buttery potatoes flooded from the kitchen, which was crammed with at least 10 volunteers. Endless rows of tables were outlined by nearly 50 volunteers who sliced and arranged cakes, pies and other desserts. The crew was colorfully
diverse in age, gender and race but they all radiated the same uplifting energy. The contagious smiles they walked around with as if there was some sort of special moring coffee. Willie Olson may have had something to do with their spirits. He was wandering around cracking jokes and waking people up like a cheerleader. His father, John Olson, founded Brothers’ Helpers with a few people in 2003. Willie Olson now runs operations while John administers schools in Africa. Willie is one of eight siblings and began helping his dad after losing his job. “I had an ‘aha’ moment when I saw the desperation and hunger and people making decisions they shouldn’t,” said Olson. “Slowly but surely, this became something I needed to do.” Olson knows many of the regulars by name and says he has been brought to tears several times by their stories. He pointed out a man named Terry who has been there since day one. His hair was unruly, he wore ragged clothes and guarded large trash bags full of rubbish like they contained his worldly
possessions. Avenue was my home for many “He was a sketch artist at years,” said Jose Lopez of Pico Walt Disney,” said Olson. “His Rivera, who helped at the event. wife and daughter were killed... “I used to steal from my it was an unfortunate death and mother to support my habit,” said it devastated him. It pushed him Lopez. His mother later died of over the edge and his mind is not cancer. Lopez admits that at the what it used to be.” time he didn’t care, even at her Outside, a line of a hundred funeral, because he was loaded people wrapped the block nearly on drugs. to Olvera Street across the way. Now Lopez is four years sober At the front of line, there and has feed the homeless at this was an unexpected group church for over two years. distributing clothes. “When I see people The biker groups who are going what I Right now went through, I tell them Asylum Ryders and Redline, who were I don’t have ‘Look, I’ve been there, appropriately dressed let me guide you’.” a so I in leather jackets. Another regular at “We all gathered the program travels to decided to the clothes from our the downtown cathedral my from Long Beach every families,” said Jingle Rapiz, 36, president night. of the LA Asylum “The program is not —Veronica Bautista Ryders. “It took just for the homeless; three days for us to it’s for those who seek gather at least a truck bed full of support,” said Jose Gonzalez, a clothes.” retired special education teacher. Both biker groups donated 60 “I met a 65-year-old woman who pies to the event. works 10 hours a day and still Others partake in this event can’t afford food. So she comes with a much deeper intent. here to get food and takes some “I was an addict for 37 years. home to her son.” I’ve been to prison 10 times and Gonzalez comes to talk and the bridge under Cesar Chavez listen to people and says it’s like
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job,
donate time”
therapy. “Right now I don’t have a job, so I decided to donate my time,” said Veronica Bautista, 29, a volunteer at the event. “It’s sad to hear kids complain about not having a phone or popular clothes when they don’t realize how lucky they really are.” For some, it may take a blocklength line of unfortunate people waiting for a simple meal to realize that their iPad-less office, 25-inch TV, and Ferrari-free garage may not be as life shattering as they once rationalized. Donating money is hard with the economic downturn, but donating time is free and much more rewarding. There are plenty of opportunities to volunteer with organizations like Brothers’ Helpers who feed the homeless Monday through Friday. It is located at 215 Foothill Blvd. in La Canada, and can be reached through its website, http://www.brothershelpers.org. Other local organizations that feed the homeless are: Union Rescue, L.A. Mission, Midnight Mission, Food on Foot, and many others. Vanessa Duffy can be reached at vduffy399@student.glendale.edu
A Guide To Holiday Joy: How to Help the Less Fortunate By Eric Bourse
EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER
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t’s that special time of year, the long lines at the mall, the clanging of cash registers and the loud clamoring of shoppers looking for the best deals on those last minute gifts. In the consumer rush that is known as holiday season, it can be easy to forget that it’s also the season for giving to the less fortunate and the needy. Thankfully there are plenty of ways to give back to different parts of the community. Here is a list for different charities, volunteer opportunities and events in the Los Angeles, Glendale and Pasadena areas. The “Put the Fork In Hunger” toy drive event in Pasadena takes place on Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Fork Plaza at 200 Bellefontaine St. Donate unwrapped toys for kids ages 5 to 17 to volunteers dressed
as elves. This event is sponsored by the Union Station Homeless Services, Five Acres and the AIDS Service Center. For more information go to http://www. puttheforkinhunger.com. The “Sparks of Love” toy drive, created by ABC7 and the fire departments in Los Angeles counties, has been collecting toys for children for nearly two decades. Those interested in donating can drop off unwrapped toys at their nearest fire station. An event will be held on Sunday at the train station at 400 W. Cerritos Ave. The Metrolink Holiday Express will stop by at 5:45 p.m. and collect toys, as well as have musical performances. Toys can also be dropped off at Toys R Us stores, such as the one at 2905 Los Feliz Blvd. in Los Angeles for “Toys for Tots,” a charity created by the Marines that donates toys to children in poverty. Go to http://www.toysfortots.org for
more information. The Help a Mother Out charity focuses on providing financially stressed families with a supply of diapers. Money donations can be donated online at http://www. helpamotherout.org and packages of diapers can be dropped off at The Treehouse Social Club at 426 S. Robertson Blvd. in Los Angeles. On Saturday, more than 50 bloggers will have a charity bake sale called “Eat My Blog” at the Pita Jungle on 43 E. Colorado Blvd., in Pasadena from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Proceeds from the sale of the sweet baked treats will go to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank. For more information go to http://www.eatmyblogla. wordpress.com. The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, located 1734 E. 41st St., is involved in providing thousands of families with food every week and is in need for volunteers. The food bank is
also looking for interns. For more information, go to http:// www.lafoodbank.org/volunteer/ information.aspx or call (323) 234-3030, extension 144. The Union Rescue Mission at 545 S. San Pedro St. in Los Angeles has been helping the homeless with a wide variety of services such as food, clothing, shelter, legal assistance and much more. To volunteer, go to http:// urm.org/get-involved/volunteercenter/ or call (213)347-6300, extension 1143. Volunteers interested in the medical field can volunteer at the Glendale Memorial Hospital and Health Center at 1420 S. Central Ave. Applications can be picked up at the main lobby from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. A volunteer representative can be contacted at (818) 502-2373. Animal lovers can volunteer at the Pasadena Humane Society and SPCA at 361 S. Raymond Ave. To apply, go to http://www.
pasadenahumane.org. On Christmas day, the Union Station Homeless Services will be hosting the “Dinners-in-thePark” event at Central Park in Pasadena. Last year, the event served meals for 7,500 members of the community including the homeless and the elderly. About 3,600 toys were collected at the park last year. For those interested in volunteering, go to http://www. unionstationhs.org/get_involved or show up at the park with holiday meals such as turkey, ham or side dishes as well as toys. At the American Red Cross, donating blood will give the gift of life for those in dire need. The Glendale chapter is located at 1501 S. Brand Blvd. The hours are Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Eric Bourse can be reached at ebourse741@student.glendale.edu
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Happy Feet II Receives Cold Shoulder By Verzhine Nikoghosyan EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER
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he singing colony of emperor penguins is back as “Happy Feet Two” in 3-D. Although it has an ineffectively developing plot, the animated film is full of music and dance to entertain the viewers. “Happy Feet Two” is directed by George Miller, co-director of the original “Happy Feet,” who received an Oscar for the first film. This animated film features a number of famous and loved voices of actors such as Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Elijah Wood, and Robin Williams, to name a few. One of the features that makes this film special is the music and the dance numbers. The songs feature a variety of musical styles, and those with pop singer
Alecia “Pink” Moore, as Gloria, make the film entertaining. The action takes place in the freezing Antarctic where there is only ice and water. While the environment is not so colorful, it is full of vivid characters. The characters — sea animals, birds, and people (Russian sailors, who surprisingly are not the bad guys) — fill the screen with visual variety, as opposed to an overwhelming number of penguins. Although the number of penguins is overwhelming, the different characters, accents and behaviors turn some of them into heroes, lovers and leaders. It’s incredible what a penguin can do in this film to win a female or overcome a natural calamity. Ramon, voiced by Robin Williams, a little penguin with a romantic Spanish accent, is eager
to find the love of his life. With a sneaky little face and punk style haircut, Ramon finds Carmen, voiced by Sofia Vergara. The moment he sees her, he is dazzled by her beauty and screams the words, “You, me, right now, beautiful egg.” The film mostly revolves around the little, adorable Erik, voiced by Ava Akres, and his father, Mumble, voiced by Elijah Wood, who try to save their colony from being trapped in the icy hole, which has been blocked by a huge iceberg. This apparently happens as a result of the global warming. On their journey, the two try to work out their father and son problems. “Happy Feet Two” also includes a side story about krill, who are also on a rather bazaar quest. The krill, who are trying to fight their hopeless position in
the food chain are on their own quest of finding the meaning of life. Bill and Will, the tiny krill protagonists, are voiced by Damon and Pitt. The role of the krill is very much like that of the squirrels in “Ice Age,” although this time they have deep ideological conversations that are not related to the content of the film. Although colorful, it is somehow destructive and irrelevant. The film is entertaining and full of music, pop and even opera, which is a definite plus. On the other hand, the disaster that hangs
as a dark cloud over the penguins’ colony does not seem to come to a solution for a long time. This stretch makes the movie a bit longer than it should be. The movie overall is for viewers who like to have long hours of tense action and “no light at the the end of the tunnel” for a while. The movie is rated PG for some rude humor and mild peril and runs 100 minutes.
Verzhine Nikoghosyan can be reached at VNIKOGH308@student.glendale.edu
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Film History Comes To Life In ‘Hugo’ By Angel Silva
EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER
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artin Scorsese is known for gritty, hard-hitting movies that leave moviegoers reeling in their seats, asking for more. However, Scorsese’s “Hugo” is anything but gritty. It’s his first attempt to make a family movie, as well as a nod to the history of film. Adapted from Brian Selznik’s book, “The Invention of Hugo Cabret,” the movie stars Asa Butterfield (“Nanny McPhee Returns,” 2010) as Hugo, an orphan living in 1930s Paris who lives in a train station with an unusual roommate: a broken “automaton,” or mechanical human, that belonged to his late father, a museum caretaker. Hugo spends his days fixing the station clocks and pilfering toy parts from a nearby toy shop owned by Papa Georges (Ben Kingsley, “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time,” 2010) to repair the automaton. One day Georges catches Hugo in the middle of a robbery and confiscates stolen toy parts, along with a notebook of mechanical drawings of the automaton that belonged to Hugo’s father. Georges flips out when he sees the notebook and wants to burn it, much to Hugo’s dismay. Hugo goes on a mission to retrieve the notebook with the help of Georges’ goddaughter, Isabelle (Chloë Moretz, “KickAss,” 2010), setting off a chain of events unearthing the history of the automaton and Papa Georges,
who is later revealed to be Georges Méliès, one of the first movie innovators. Ultimately, “Hugo” is a tribute to film history, capturing the life and work of Georges Méliès. The second half of the movie chronicles the rise and fall of Georges Méliès, from his beginnings as a magician and film producer to the fall of his film company and his disillusionment as a toy shop owner. “Hugo” is sprinkled with humorous and charming moments here and there, not something one wouldn’t expect from a Scorsese movie. The station inspector’s bumbling attempts at romance with the station flower girl and the scene introducing film scholar Rene Tabard (Michael Stuhlbarg, “Boardwalk Empire,” 2010) are two examples of such moments. Although “Hugo” was directed as a family movie, bits of Scorsese’s trademark gritty film style remain. There are moments that wrench at the audience’s heartstrings, particularly those with the station inspector’s treatment of orphans. Butterfield’s portrayal of Hugo portrays Scorsese’s traditional ‘outsider’ protagonist role well . Moviegoers experience Hugo’s pain as an orphan with no one to accept him, until he meets Isabelle. Scorsese’s gritty bits add to the whole experience of “Hugo” and make the film much more satisfying in the end. “Hugo” has several historical references throughout the movie that add a feeling of authenticity to it. For example, Georges tells
Bookstore: Business as Usual [Bookstore, from page 2] will absorb the money accumulated from their previous CalPERS benefits. Dollar-fordollar, Follett will be matching the amount employees put into
their 401K up to 4 percent. “I am not disappointed at all, in fact I am quite pleased; the offers that have been made are very good,” said Stanislaus. John Ferrara can be reached at jferrar977@student.glendale.edu
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IT’S ALIVE : Hugo Cabret (Asa Butterfield, “Nanny McPhee Returns, 2010) and Isabelle (Chloë Moretz, “Kick-Ass,”
2010) witness an automaton that belonged to Hugo’s late father scrawl out a message in “Hugo,” Martin Scorsese’s first family film. “Hugo” runs for 130 minutes and is rated PG.
Hugo that he had to sell his films to a company that melted them down for women’s shoe heels. This occured in real life except that the films were melted down for army boots and other materials during World War I. There was a bit of an “Inception” moment in the movie referencing the 1895 “Gare Montparnasse” train station wreck in Paris, when Hugo had a dream of a train crash within a dream of him transforming into an automaton. There are plenty of old-school movie references as well. “Hugo” is essentially the story of the beginnings of cinema, and several of Méliès’ films, such as “A Trip
To The Moon” and “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea,” are shown throughout the film. The clock tower scene with Hugo and the station inspector is a reference to the 1923 silent movie “Safety Last!” in which the protagonist dangles from a clock tower. “Hugo” is Scorsese’s first 3-D movie, and although the effects are good (there’s actually some cool effects with clockwork and snow), they don’t really add much to the movie. The movie can be seen without the 3-D effects and the story would remain the same. In the end, “Hugo” is Scorsese’s attempt to make a film that isn’t as heavy as his previous works, and a successful attempt at that.
There are no onscreen deaths, and the movie’s ending is a happy one. Although different from his other works, Scorsese’s latest film is worth watching, not for his notoriety as a film producer, but for his fresh take on the genre of family movies, a genre that is often overly saccharine. “Hugo” is rated PG for mild thematic material, some action and peril, and smoking and runs for 130 minutes. Five out of five stars.
Angel Silva can be reached at asilva827@student.glendale.edu
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Take JOURN 107 this spring! visit us online at: www.glendalecollegeinsider.com
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SPORTS
Vaqs Up to Challenge of Preseason Test small guards. Most of all, he wants his team to display effort while on reseason wins and losses defense. shouldn’t be overanalyzed, “We’d rather have a guy make but opening with a lackluster an error of commission than 2-2 record is a sign that a team omission; if you’re going hard is still trying to find its rhythm. in the wrong spot, at least you’re Fortunately for the GCC men‘s going,” said Beauchemin. basketball team, that’s what the Beauchemin is in his 33rd preseason is all about. season as Glendale’s head coach “It usually takes anywhere from and has great command over his six to eight games to find yourself team. Before practice, he can be a bit, and from all smiles, goofing that point you around with try to have his players and a consistent taking jabs at their identity,” said shooting form. Coach Brian H o w e v e r, Beauchemin. during practice “We’re still in he is very intense the growing and isn’t afraid process.” to chew someone On Friday — Nikolas Rhodes, out if they run a the Vaqs will team captain drill improperly. face their When he speaks biggest test of the entire gym the preseason when they play falls silent. Even the hardwood one of the top teams in Southern is squeakless out of respect as California: Antelope Valley the players hang on to his every College in the Antelope Valley word. His leadership should play Tournament. a large role in the success of this “We know their plays. We’ve seasons team. just got to work hard and Returning big man Sooren practice,” said team captain and Derboghosian’s play is also starting point guard Nikolas likely to have a large impact on Rhodes. the team’s success. He has an Rhodes has shot well in the impressive resume, formerly preseason, leading the team in playing in the 2009 under-19 scoring, with 54 points on 18 of basketball world cup in New 41 attempts over the four game Zealand as well as the under-18 stretch. West Asian Championship in Iran. He considers himself a pass This 6-foot-9-inch 245-pound first point guard, however if he tree trunk of a man is going to wants to establish himself as be responsible for pulling down such, Rhodes will need to widen a majority of this small teams the gap between his 22 assists boards. He’s off to a good start and 18 turnovers. averaging almost 10 rebounds a The Vaqs have been practicing game, and if Derboghosian can hard for the upcoming tournament, get a few more looks, he could placing a lot of emphasis on easily be on his way to averaging playing good defense. a double-double in the regular “Our philosophy here is to season. defend it, rebound it, and then The Vaqs’ first regular season offense comes third,” said game is an exciting home Beauchemin. opener on Jan. 4 at 7 p.m. against His team plays almost solely conference rival and No.1 ranked man-to-man defense, which Southern California team, Citrus makes it easy for him to identify College. who is responsible for defensive breakdowns, and is also the better John Ferrara can be reached at defensive option for a team with jferrar977@student.glendale.edu
By John Ferrera
EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER
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“We know their
plays. We’ve just
NO “I” IN TEAM: The Vaqueros stand ready for this season’s challenges.
Photo by John Ferrera
got to work hard
Vaquero Sports Summaries
and practice”
Scores
Brandon Hensley can be reached at There’s more online:@elvaq.com brandon_hensley
www.elvaq.com
Men’s Soccer: Nov. 8 — lost to Allan Hancock 4-0 Nov. 11 — lost to Oxnard 3-2 Women’s Basketball: Nov. 11 — lost to Cerritos 88-53 Nov. 12 — beat San Diego 62-42 Nov. 13 — beat Butte 55-42 Nov. 18 — lost to L.A. Southwest 75-61 Nov. 19 — lost to Antelope Valley 79-55 Nov. 25 — lost to Barstow 59-48 Nov. 26 — lost to L.A. Southwest 68-61 Football: Nov. 12 — lost to L. A. Southwest 56-50 (OT)
Men’s and Women’s Cross Country: Nov. 19 — State Championships at Fresno women — finished first men — finished seventh Men’s Basketball: Nov. 12-13 — Tip Off Tourney at GCC beat Santa Barbara 78-62 beat Compton 90-82 Nov. 15 — lost to Pierce 82-77 Nov. 21 — lost to San Diego Mesa 72-67 Women’s Golf: Nov. 14-15 — State Championships at Visalia finished second
Upcoming Events Women’s Basketball: Thursday-Saturday — Fresno City Tourney at Fresno Dec. 15-17 — Antelope Valley College Tourney at Antelope Valley Dec. 21-22 — Christmas Crossover Tourney at Verdugo Gym Jan. 4 vs. Citrus 5 p.m. Jan. 7 at Bakersfield 5 p.m. Jan. 11 vs. West Los Angeles 5 p.m. Jan. 14 at Santa Monica City 5 p.m. Jan. 21 vs. College of the Canyons 5 p.m. Jan. 25 vs. Los Angeles Valley 5 p.m. Jan. 28 at Citrus College 5 p.m. Feb. 1 vs Bakersfield College 5 p.m. Feb. 4 at West L.A. 5 p.m. Feb. 8 vs. Santa Monica City 5 p.m.
Men’s Basketball: Wednesday-Friday — Rio Hondo Tourney at Rio Hondo Dec. 14-17 — Vaquero Classic Tourney at Verdugo Gym Dec. 28-30 — San Diego Mesa Tourney at San Diego Jan. 4 vs. Citrus 7 p.m. Jan. 7 at Bakersfield 7 p.m. Jan. 11 vs. West Los Angeles 7 p.m Jan. 14 at Santa Monica 7 p.m. Jan. 21 vs. College of the Canyons 7 p.m. Jan. 25 at Los Angeles Valley 7 p.m. Jan. 28 at Citrus 7 p.m. Feb. 1 vs. Bakersfield 7 p.m. Feb. 4 at West Los Angeles 7 p.m. Feb. 8 vs. Santa Monica 7 p.m.
Men’s Tennis: Jan 31 at Cypress 2 p.m. Feb 2 at Fullerton 2 p.m. Feb 7 vs. Irvine Valley 2 p.m. Feb 9 at Saddleback 2 p.m. Feb 10 vs. Occidental 3 p.m.
Women’s Softball: Jan. 27-29 at Glendale Tournament Feb. 3 at Mt. SAC/Santa Barbara 2/4 p.m. Feb. 4 vs. Pierce College 11a.m./1 p.m. Feb. 9 vs. Pasadena City College 3 p.m. Feb. 12 at College of the Desert noon
For more information see: http://www.glendale.edu/athletics/
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Calendar On Campus FOOD DRIVE Holiday Canned Food Drive — The ASGCC Campus Relations Committee is seeking donations for local shelter pantries. Donations of canned food accepted until Monday. Drop off at SC 201.
MUSIC Guitar Recital — Program features classical and jazz guitar students performing along with the GCC Jazz Guitar Ensemble. Auditorium Room 211. Thursday at 7:30 p.m. Free. For information call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5622. Piano Recital — Concert showcases students from the advanced
piano classes. Auditorium Room 211. Friday at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free. For more information call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5622.
DANCE Faculty/Alumni Dance Concert — Dancers are GCC students with choreography by faculty, alumni, students and guests. No children under 5 admitted. Auditorium. Free and open to the public. Friday at 8 p.m. Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m and the last show is Sunday at 2 p.m.
DATES Final Exams — Runs though Dec. 14. For the complete schedule see page 7.
Winter Break — Dec. 22 through Jan. 2. No classes. Campus closed.
EVENTS
Started Dec. 6 for Noncredit Business Education (OBT); GED, High School Diploma, Adult Basic Ed, (DSL); Parent Ed (PARED); Lifelong Learning (LLS); and Home Arts (HOMA). For more information visit admissions at AD 143 or call (818) 2401000, ext. 5910.
Swap Meet — Upper campus parking lot. Dec. 18 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Free and open to the public. For more information call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5805.
Spring 2012 Deadline — Friday is the deadline to apply for admission for Spring 2012 semester and be eligible for priority registration.
REGISTRATION
MOVIES
Noncredit Spring 2012 Registration — Noncredit Business and Life Skills: Spring 2012 Registration. Open Registration:
Friday Flix: — A screening of “Mr. Hulot’s Holiday,” Friday. A 1953 comedy directed by Jacques Tati. and starring Nathalie Pas-
Winter Intersession — A limited number of classes start on Jan. 3 and run through Feb. 9.
caudand. Mike Petros will facilitate a discussion after the film. Free. SG 334 at 12:30 p.m.
HEALTH Flu Shots — Are available in the Health Center while supplies last. Students $15, employees $20; cash only. Mental Health Counseling — Available for students through Dec. 14. Free. For information visit the Health Center.
MEETINGS Board of Trustees Meeting — Monday in Kreider Hall. 5 p.m. Compiled by Richard Kontas
Around Town HOLIDAYS Metrolink Holiday Toy Express — Glendale Metrolink Station. During this 15th annual visit a 450-ton train decorated with holiday displays, a musical performance and 50,000 twinkling lights and Santa will stop in Glendale on Sunday at 5:45 p.m. Bring new unwrapped toys if possible for the ABC7/Spark of Love Toy Drive. 400 W. Cerritos Ave. For more information visit www.metrolinktrains.com/ news/?id=7144 or call (800) 3715465.
THEATER “A Snow White Christmas” — El Portal Theatre. A Lythgoe Family Production starring Neil Patrick Harris and Marina Sirtis as The Evil Queen. Runs through Dec. 18. Tickets $34-54 or the family four pack for $99. For information visit www.elportaltheatre.com or call (866) 811-4111. “A Voice of Our Own” — Knightsbridge Theatre. A unique theater event where teens share how they feel about the holidays
— the joy, the stress, the childhood dreams and the adult realities. Runs through Dec. 18. Tickets $10 for all. 1944 Riverside Drive, Los Angeles. For more information and reservations visit www.knightsbridgetheatre.com or call (323) 667-0955. “Twelfth Night, Or What You Will” — A Noise Within. Shakespeare’s classic comedy directed by Julia Rodriguez-Elliott. Runs through Dec. 16. Ticket $34-46. Showtimes vary. 3352 E Foothill Blvd, Pasadena. For more information visit www.anoisewithin. org or call (818) 240- 0910. “Hekiatne Kanchum Dream Planet ” — Alex Theatre. An Armenian musical about a little girl born into a strict family that doesn’t give her any attention. Performance is in Armenian. Dec. 21 at 7 p.m. Tickets $25 - 50. 216 N. Brand Blvd. For more information, visit www.alextheatre.org or call (818) 243-2539.
MUSIC GCC Concert Singers WinterShowcase — Performance features holiday favorites and other
music led by Peter Green, director. First Lutheran Church, 1300 E. Colorado St. Sunday at 4 p.m. Admission is $10 general and $7 for students and seniors. For more information call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5622.
EXHIBITIONS “Hedi Slimane’s California Song” — Pacific Design Center. The first West Coast solo museum exhibition of the photographers work. Free. Runs through Jan. 22. 8687 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood. For more information, visit www.moca.org or call (310) 289-5223. Under the Big Black Sun: California Art 1974-81 — The Geffen Contemporary. This constitutes the most comprehensive survey exhibition to date to examine the exceptional fertility and diversity of art practice in California. General admission $10, students and seniors $5. Free on Thursday nights. Runs through Feb. 13. For more information, visit www.moca.org or call (213) 626-6222. “California Design, 1930– 1965: “Living in a Modern
Way” — LACMA. This exhibition is the first major study of California midcentury modern design. With more than 300 objects, it examines the state’s role in shaping the material culture of the entire country. Runs through Jan. 22. General admission $15, students and seniors $10. 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. For more information visit www.lacma.org. or call (323) 857-6000. “Glenn Ligon: AMERICA” — LACMA. This is the first midcareer retrospective of Ligon’s work in the United States. The exhibition includes unknown early material and the reconstruction of seminal bodies of work. Runs through Jan. 22. Admission is free and parking is $10 per vehicle. “Pacific Standard Time: Crosscurrents in L.A. Painting and Sculpture, 1950-1970” — The Getty Center. This exhibition charts the abundant artistic innovation in post-World War II Los Angeles. Runs through Feb. 5. Admission is free and parking is $10. 1200 Getty Center Drive, Los Angeles. For more information, visit www.getty.edu or call (310) 440-7300.
“Roland Reiss Personal Politics: Sculpture from the 1970s and 1980s” — Pasadena Museum of California Art. The exhibition features close to thirty of his miniature sculptured scenes. General admission adults $7, students and seniors $5. 490 E. Union St., Pasadena. For information, visit www.pmcaonline. org or call (626) 568-3665.
COMEDY “Eagle Rock Comedy Festival: Best of the Fest” — The Ice House Comedy Club. Stand-up comedy feestival. Free, with a two drink minimum.Wednesday and Thursday from 8 until 10 p.m., Sunday at 9 p.m. 54 N. Mentor Ave., Pasadena. For more information, visit www. icehousecomedy.com or call (626) 577-1894.
WELLNESS Free Health Clinic — Open Tuesdays 5:30 to 8 p.m. and admission is on a first come, first served basis. 134 N. Kenwood St., third floor, room 330. For more information visit www. glendaleclinic.org or call (818) 245-8109.
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Wednesday, December 7, 2011
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VAQUERO VIEWS
Karen Rosas Leads Lady Vaqs to State Championship Gold
Photo by Bryan Ramos
ROSAS LEADS THE WAY: The women’s cross country team won first place on Nov.
19 at the State Championships in Woodward Park in Fresno. Lady Vaquero Karen Rosas edged out Devon Kelsey by 0.4 seconds to become the 2011 state champion. For the Lady Vaqs, Karen Rosas finished first in 17:59 and Alyssa Selve took third place in 18:19. Angela Martinez finished sixth place in 18:38 and Laura Pluemer took seventh in 18:41.The men’s team finished in seventh place overall. Mizrael Mendez was the top runner for the men’s team and came in 14th place in 20:32.