Dec. 2, 2015

G L E N D A L E C O M M U N I T Y C O L L E G E C A M P U S N E W S PA P E R

EL VAQUERO December 2, 2015

Volume 106 | Number 6

Glendale Lights up the Holidays

NEWS

FEATURES

SPORTS

Getting ready for heavy rains and El Niño conditions in SoCal. Page 2

The Aviation and Space club takes a trip to the Mojave Desert.

Pages 6-7

Women’s Cross Country wins its 11th straight State Championship.

Page 9

VISIT US @ EL VAQ w w w. e l v a q . c o m E l Va q u e r o N e ws p a p e r @ G CC _ E l Va q @ G CC _ E l Va q

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Wednesday, December 2, 2015

EL VAQUERO EDITOR IN CHIEF Anahit Kardzhyan NEWS EDITOR Elie Georges FEATURES EDITOR Irene Abramian ARTS EDITOR Shaira Arias STAFF Monica Astacio Evelina Klchyan Soraya Mattei Jack Morello Ekaterina Nikitina Aidan Rutten Melody Shahsavarani Yu Sugita Nancy Villalobos Steven Workman PRODUCTION MANAGER

Sal Polcino NEWSROOM MANAGER

Eric Bourse BROADCAST DIRECTOR

Anashen Navasartian DESIGN ADVISER Charles Eastman FACUlTy ADVISER Michael Moreau mmoreau@glendale.edu (818) 240-1000 ext. 5214 ADVERTISING Jeff Smith jsmith@glendale.edu (818) 240-1000, ext. 5493 Send Letters to the Editor

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NEWS

El Niño Is Coming Here’s How to Prepare

By Melody Shasavarani

G

lendale, along with Burbank and Pasadena, has partnered to help protect residents against the impending onslaught of El Niño.

El Niño is the changes in the patterns of trade winds across cause unusual warming in ocean temperatures and drastic weather conditions. Locals can expect and property damage.

GCC’s entire foundation is based on a steep slope. As a result, El Niño can bring down mud and debris from the canyon, according to Geology Professor John Leland.

“We are currently in the process of cleaning all our storm drains located throughout our director of facilities and construction facilities. “Clean

maintenance measures” in order to avert or greatly diminish property damages to the building and its contents.

included the replacement of the air handler unit located on the rooftop and renovation of two classrooms located on the third The overall cost of this project was about $990,000 and included for

30

years,

according

to

A roof contractor has been hired to ensure all rooftop drainages are cleaned, including gutters and drains. Tree branches intruding onto rooftops are being cut back to avoid accumulation of debris.

“The college has utilized various funding sources to improve the rooftop conditions of our most vulnerable buildings,”

of water moving from our upper campus to our lower campus.”

It has been noted that the San Fernando Complex buildings have been vulnerable to leaks in the past.

over $200K to improve the conditions of our roofs.”

Scheduled Maintenance & Special Repairs Plan, a one-time fund provided via Chancellor’s

implemented

for this funding.

“preventive

EL NiñO cONDitiONs: As a warm water pool (thermocline) approaches the South American coast, the absence of cold upwelling increases warming.

Tom Lorenz, Glendale’s director of communications and community relations, said that the biggest area to be affected is the hillside communities. recently, and as a result we’ve had an extraordinary dry season,” Lorenz said. “This has led to a lack of vegetation.”

Without bushes, shrubs and groundcover, the rain will bring all the mud and debris with it. drive through them because your vehicle can stall,” Lorenz said. “If the current on the street is going downhill and you are crossing, it could carry you away.”

Property owners need to take responsibility for their drains as well, according to Lorenz.

Gutters need to be cleared out and sandbags should be set it in areas In Glendale, residents may

El Vaquero accepts story ideas in entertainment from the public.

Send an idea or article to the editor at anahit.elvaq@gmail.com or call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5349.

Member of the Journalism Asssociation of Community Colleges

Letters may be reproduced in full or in part and represent only the point of view of the writer, not the opinion of El Vaquero or Glendale Community College and its district. All letters must include the full name, address and phone number of the writer. You will be contacted before publication. El Vaquero is a First Amendment publication.

EL VAQUERO 1500 N. Verdugo Road Glendale, CA 91208 (818) 240-1000, ext. 5349

First copy free Additional copies $.25

locations for residents to pick up the sand: Dunsmore Park, Brand Park, Lower Scholl Canyon Park, Sports Complex and Fire Station 23/Chevy Chase Library parking lot.

“The public works department has been working hard on

checking that all the storm drains are cleared out,” Drew Sugars, Burbank’s public information debris blocking the drains, it can cause a real problem … the water would have no place to go.”

“We have done risk assessments on all city facilities and have been stockpiling emergency supplies,” said William Boyer, public evacuation shelters — places where we believe there would be priority need of evacuations such as churches and senior citizen homes.”

The city of Pasadena asked members to sign up for Pasadena Local Emergency Alert System (PLEAS). PLEAS uses both text and voice messages to keep residents and community members in Pasadena informed in case of citywide or major emergencies, according to the city’s website. Subscribers will receive a message with the latest information and safety instructions.

For information on how to prepare for El Niño, please visit your city’s preparedness website.

Melody Shahsavarani can be reached at melody.shah1@gmail.com

ON THE COVER:

IN THIS ISSUE:

Glendale kicks off the holiday season at the Americana on Brand Boulevard featuring a

News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3

more than 15,000 lights,10,000

Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

show.

Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-10

Photo by Ekaterina Nikitina

Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7

Lifestyle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

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Wednesday, December 2, 2015

NEWS

Rise of Internships

Lack of Pay Is Often Overlooked in the Pursuit of Work Experience

By Irene Abramian

M

ore college students from the class of 2015 participated in internships than in any other year previously recorded by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

Of these internships, 22 percent were unpaid positions in Several hundred students at Glendale College have completed unpaid internships for college credit since 2005, according to Andra Hoffman Verstraete, director of the Job Placement Center.

The Fair Labor Standards Act stipulates that unpaid internships acceptable so long as the positions are designed to be educational and interns are closely trained by a supervisor who receives no immediate advantage from the work of the intern. For these types of positions, the intern must receive college credit.

The regulations for non-

volunteers who do not need to be compensated.

“Before a student enters into any kind of internship, they should and a faculty member separately and come up with objectives,” said Hoffman Verstraete. “What is it that the student wants to get out of the internship? [An internship] should be linked to their academic program or some kind of academic learning.”

Despite these stringent regulations, private companies still engage students in unpaid positions for which they receive no college credit. Glendale College has both current and former students with experiences in such positions.

“It was weird because it felt like I was doing the job of an actual employee, but I wasn’t getting paid for it,” said David Villegas about a three-month unpaid internship he completed at a private company.

Regardless of the lack of compensation, the second-year student majoring in kinesiology felt the internship was an

important resume-builder. “I knew if I wanted to continue in I decided that it was worth my while for three months and then I went back to studying,” Villegas said. balance between experience gained and time spent in an unpaid position. At the time of his internship, he was unaware about the Fair Labor Standards Act. “There are some [unpaid internships] that I feel like can be concerning because it just feels like the employer is gaining more than what they are actually teaching the intern,” Villegas said.

Sara Haakana, a former company where she was not paid and since she was not in college at the time she did not receive any college credit. While her college credit was mandatory, Haakana was quite eager to take on the position regardless of compensation and they both agreed to move forward with the internship.

“It was only twice a week and I generally enjoyed it so I didn’t really mind,” Haakana said. ”Plus I thought it would be good experience or provide access to connections or other job opportunities. At the very least it would look good on my resume.”

Haakana pointed out that competition for jobs after college help students gain an advantage.

“What other choice do we have when we try to get jobs right after college, and yet every potential employer wants to see experience on your resume?” she said.

She hopes colleges would try to offer more courses that teach valuable professional skills that students can enroll in while they are completing their degrees.

Programs like these might ease the burden of balancing school, loan debt and a career, she said.

Solene Manoukian, another former GCC student and current Public Relations Intern for the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association, has participated in of which were for the private,

Like Villegas and Haakana, she felt the experience outweighed the lack of pay.

“All these places are like, ‘In order for you to work here, you Manoukian said. “No one is going to pay you without experience and you cannot land anything without experience.”

She credits her previous internship for fueling her career. “[My current supervisor] teaches me the ropes and I really love what I am doing,” Manoukian said. “Because of my previous experiences with internships, this is where I’ve come and I am happy with that.”

Manoukian acknowledged, however, that an unpaid internship is not an opportunity that every student can afford. “Fortunately, at home I am supported by my family,” she said. “I know some people who might want the experience, but it might be more something that pays.”

Before budget cuts between 2008 and 2013, GCC offered a robust internship program.

Internships are now run mostly through the business division and sporadically with faculty members who are willing to offer that option as an independent study.

Hoffman Verstraete understands the value of an internship and hopes to see a well-structured internship program return to the college. “It’s really hard to pick what you want to major in because you haven’t experienced it yet, so it’s important for students to do internships,” Hoffman Verstraete said.

If more internships are run directly through GCC, the college will have greater power in ensuring that students are not exploited, she said.

“A student should know that [internships] are not free labor so if they’re being asked to make copies, get coffee, do some of those tasks, that’s not an internship,” Hoffman Verstraete said. “An internship is directly linked to learning.”

Irene Abramian can be reached at ireneabramian@gmail.com

Photo by Anna Olsson

GIVING BACK: Wendy Harworks serves up an assortment of pies at the dessert station during the Thanksgiving Dinner for the needy held in Central Park, Pasadena on Nov. 26.

Volunteers Needed With the holiday season right around the corner, it is always nice to give back to the community. Here is a list of volunteering opportunities in Glendale to make the holidays more merrier:

hospitality, escorting patients, information desk and childcare. Free parking is meals for those who volunteer for more than 4 hours per shift.

Contact: (818) 409-8057 Address: 1509 Wilson Terrace

Alex Theatre

Glendale Memorial Hospital & Health Center

Help usher in ballets, recitals and other dance performances.

Duties include scanning tickets, escorting audience to their seats and passing out show programs.

Contact: (818) 243-7700 ext. 218 Address: 210 N. Brand Blvd.

Ascencia Help bring the joy by serving breakfast and dinner. The 80-bed shelter in preparation for El Niño.

Contact: (818) 246-7900 ext. 114 Address: 1851 Tyburn St.

Catholic Charities The Glendale community center needs help with food distribution and the thrift shop. Catholic Charities offers volunteering opportunities in other locations as well.

Contact: (818) 409-3080 Address: 3422 San Fernando Road

Glendale Adventist Medical Center Help

assist

in

patient

Volunteers have the choice to volunteer either in patient care or non-patient care.

Gain experience in the care opportunities involve constant communication with physicians, nurses and care takers. Parking is free, as well as a meal from the cafeteria.

Contact: (818) 502-2373 Address: 1420 S. Central Ave.

International Rescue Committee The committee is looking for volunteers who speak Arabic, Armenian, Farsi, or Spanish to help in casework and general also help in reception and no experience is required.

Contact: (818) 550-6220 Address: 625 N. Maryland

St. Mary Adult Day Healthcare This center needs volunteers who can assist seniors with their daily functions and keep them in company.

Contact: (818) 246-3540 Address: 1829 S. Brand Blvd.

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FEATURES

Trigger Warnings Cause a Stir on Campus

By Jack Morello

T

real world is messed up, but teachers have to bring these

he millennials are growing

teen social media users, we have been interconnected to each other and and trends that the Internet has to

uptrending issue, it was brought into the limelight by a popular

students to have a realistic and

may be labeled as insensitive or aggressive.

and Jonathan Haidt in the Atlantic magazine.

Columbia University undergrads campus and Haidt has been a

thinking has caused students to think pathologically citing cognitive therapists that relate this and anxiety.

The article cites students as slipping into mental distress

Torres explains.

that cause people to think twice

something

may be labeled as insensitive or aggressive.

These colleges students are

read something that is going to

that the opposing side may have, especially on the Internet.

The power to choose what we want to see has certain

health

When surveying the list, you in

students

and

issue to prevent a student, viewer,

subjects that people may choose not to listen too.

sharing something controversial

topics as anyone can post on the internet.

In an academic setting,

Is it connected to the 5 percent

the content that may literally trigger the victims illness.

Other publications have

this student could theoretically Jarvie.

A problem arises in the role have been applied to topics as diverse as sex, pregnancy, addiction, bullying, suicide, sizeism, ableism, homophobia, transphobia, slut shaming, insects, small holes, and animals rapper Chris Brown to sex columnist Dan Savage, have to have a guest speaker who is too Torres, said that while she has Americans or somehow sends a demeaning signal towards Obama elaborated on the issue and told high school students and

warning, students can get upset during lectures.

Torres talks about how teaching ethics can sometimes

you, when you become students at colleges, have to be coddled ‌ When discussing or learning comes to speak with you and you disagree with (them), then you should have an argument with

may

actually

be

harming

Aaron R. Hanlon rebutted to improve moral standpoints and

had abortions?

In other words, are some college students becoming too sensitive?

President Barack Obama spoke last month at a town hall meeting in Des Moines, Iowa

stymieing our ability to learn.

Torres said she has never coddled someone, but she teaches Maybe that is what millennials

people who have post traumatic

pedagogical

is

throughout their teenage years, trigger warnings, has caused a stir in the educational community.

A trigger warning is a phrase

What happens when a kid

the

college

the

scholastic intentions, students

in

and

Miller described the epic as a which makes the correlation

student

acknowledges

and a story that has been University.

in healthy debates and absorbing

issue involving abortion growing up, has to read a post modernist

also

to ignite curiosity and serious their literature humanities class

that align with their own to avoid

learning because he believes that the issue with a student who has post traumatic stress disorder can Hanlon

Being interconnected has turned us into an age group that is are too sensitive or desensitized.

Bipartisanship is at an all time high.

Animosity toward others who disagree with them have scared

culture that causes people to think

students will tend to generalize —

article, by saying that the issue An Atlantic article mentions that students slip into mental

trigger warnings is rarer than we

Jack Morello can be reached at morellobaseball@gmail.com

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FEATURES

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

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Finals Week Is Almost Here

By Nancy Villalobos

F

inals week is rapidly approaching as the fall semester is nearing its end.

Proper organization and time management may help reduce a student’s stress during what can be a hectic time.

Resources are available to assist students in many subjects.

The campus library is open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Friday and Saturday and is closed Sunday.

In need of help with a thesis or research paper? The Learning Center has tutors available in a number of subjects and languages and is as a quiet place to study.

Tutoring appointments are available in 30-minute time slots with no more than two per week, unless otherwise noted by staff. focused and prepare what is necessary, but remember to allow yourself mental breaks to give the brain a chance to rest,” English

Professor Vita Watkins said.

Watkins also suggests methods to assist in disconnecting. “Take a walk, listen to calming music, or turn on some mundane television.

Find anything that will give a

night or morning before a test and rely on my short term memory,” Yu said.

Professor John William Stinde said he is not alone is the theory that students should embrace

studying. After an hour’s break, you should be ready to hit the books again.” Watkins said.

Student Ana Petrosyan said

can be advantageous in the long run.

“The stress is not the problem, but rather how we channel our response to it,” Stinde said.

“As a society we generally run from stress and try to avoid it. However, could our ancestors have survived without stress?

My better students generally make a friend of stress and use it to develop their study and life plans,” she added.

Students have many different approaches to preparing for their

less study time. In order to stay on top of things, she keeps a schedule in an effort to stay on track.

“I itemize my things in a todo list and prioritize,” Petrosyan said. “I take diligent notes and read my books throughout the semester then I review on Moodle powerpoints.”

Cyrus Yu, an international student from China, said she compares notes with classmates to make sure she hasn’t missed anything and then crams right before her exam.

“My long-term memory isn’t that good so it’s best if I study the

necessarily correct. works for the individual, but the important part is having a plan.

Nancy Villalobos can be reached at nmv530@gmail.com

Photo Illustration by Abdullah al-jowair

Science Lecture Informs Students of Endangered Species behavior. This behavior can be seen in the ways dolphins help each other with foraging and babysitting, Kretzmann said.

Her lecture moved forward with a discussion of the Vaquita dolphin, an endangered species that has less than 100 individuals remaining. It is under threat mostly

By Irene Abramian

J

avier Gago and Maria Kretzmann presented two lectures on biodiversity that attracted more than 90 students, some forced to sit in the aisles, to the Cimmarusti Science Center Nov. 24.

Titled “Sharks and Whales in the Sea of Cortez: Biodiversity and Conservation,” the lectures touched upon some of the problems surrounding the conservation of these two animals.

The two professors also provided an overview of the Baja Program. Headed jointly by the Gago and Kretzmann, this

SHARKS & WHALES: hang from a baleen whale’s upper jaw) during a lecture on Nov. 24 in the Cimmarusti Science Center.

offers students the chance to travel to Baja and study the biodiversity that exists on the peninsula.

“Overall, I am hoping to learn more about how to link animals and their behavior to humans and our culture ... and also understand more about how animals have their own sense of culture,” said Sandy Tran, a student majoring in criminology.

Gago’s lecture depicted the grim reality of shark hunting,

however, he kept the audience engaged with an occasional joke.

“You’re all familiar with sharks, of course,” Gago said.

“Sharks are all bad and they’re trying to eat you up so we should get rid of them.”

As the audience broke into laughter, Gago directed them back to the seriousness of the topic.

While most people may view sharks as harmful or villainous, he said, the reality is that sharks have a little more to worry about

Photo by Irene Abramian

than humans do.

“In fact, there is about one human casualty for every 10 million sharks killed by humans,” Gago said. These high numbers of shark deaths are largely due and cartilage have cancer-curing properties Gago explained.

“The FDA has conducted randomized trials and found there is no evidence proving cartilage from sharks prevents cancer,” Gago said.

He concluded his presentation by encouraging students to independently research facts before they deem them accurate.

“Now we go from the bad guys, the sharks, to the good guys: the whales,” Gago said jokingly as he welcomed Kretzmann to begin her lecture.

Kretzmann discussed some of the characteristics that make dolphins unique, namely the relatively large size of their brains and their human-like cooperative

which traps the dolphins causing them to drown when they cannot reach the surface to breathe. “[The Vaquita dolphins] are probably going to disappear within the next decade unless we are extremely lucky,” Kretzmann said.

In an attempt to save these animals, the Mexican government has passed a law that will ban years while compensating the of the day’s lectures, Kretzmann gave audience members a glimpse into the kinds of hands-on learning students can expect in Baja as she told the story of when she saw a “This was the most exciting day of my life,” Kretzmann said.

[See SCIENCE, page 10]

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Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Wings Over the Mojave T

he Aviation and Space club hit the runway at Whiteman Airport for its 4th Annual Mojave Desert Fly-in on Nov. 21.

The pilots took flight early that morning, some making two trips to pick up more than 35 passengers who experienced the thrill of flight over the San Gabriel Mountains to their destination in the desert.

Flight instructor and club adviser Edwin Sahakian piloted his six-passenger private jet, a Cessna Citation Mustang C510, to the event and eight or nine others flew a variety of small prop planes.

The group met for breakfast at the airport’s restaurant and then toured the grounds at Mojave Air and Space Port, includ-

ing the Masten Space Systems facility, where rocket systems engineer Eric Franks showed off an experimental rocket called Xodiac.

“I’ve been organizing and enjoying these fly-ins for three years now. I’ll never forget the first year when I got to fly in a jet out to Mojave. From then on I was seriously hooked,” said club president Jonny Hyman.

Hyman attended private pilot ground school on campus, and then returned a few years later to study aerodynamics and aircraft structure, navigation and technically advanced aircraft.

“I seriously debated doing my flight training at GCC due to their awesome fleet and wonderful instructors, but I missed the

window to sign up up training at variou Ground training instructor in Glend of the club’s advisers in the aerospace ind “I am the one tha who went with us a tems,” said Futrell. “ space industry who semester, and I’m al will tour Zee Aero, a

for [flight training],” Hyman said. “I ended us flight schools throughout the valley.” g instructor Mel Futrell is the first female dale’s aviation department history. She is one s and brought her connections and networks dustry with her. at brought in Eric Franks as a guest speaker and gave us the tour of Masten Space Sys“I have other speakers in the aerospace and o have spoken or are scheduled to speak next lso organizing a fly-in to Palo Alto, where we another private space Industry upstart.”

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Story by Sal Polcino Photos by Kathy Bakowicz Arturo Coronel, vice president of the club, has been a licensed pilot since 2014 who also took his ground training at GCC. “The aviation department at Glendale is a bit of a well kept secret in town,” said Coronel. “You can get your license for a relatively inexpensive price. The instructors here are very friendly and knowledgeable.”

Coronel summed up the experience of flight as an art form.

“We get to see the greatest piece of art our lives will ever see,” said Coronel. “The planet earth from the air is the only way you can really see the wonder for what it is, I encourage any and every one to fly!”

Sal Polcino can be reached at elvaqed@gmail.com

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THE ARTS

Photos by Ekaterina Nikitina

PERFORMANCES: Mariam Tonakanyan, left, and Michael Garrido, center, show off their vocal skills. Xiaolong Zhang, right, performs a trumpet solo accompanied by pianist Linda Zoolalian at the Applied Music Recital in the auditorium on Nov. 20.

Classical Music Performers Enchant Audience

By Shaira Arias

S

ensual Italian opera shook up Glendale College when the Applied Music Recital took over the Auditorium Nov. 20.

The show consisted of many different singing voices such as baritone, tenor and soprano. It also included solo performances by students playing the violin, cello and trumpet.

One of the recitals’ unique qualities is that students perform individually rather than in a group.

The recital showcased a variety of talents from a group of 10 students. Music professor conductor for the evening. She has worked at the college for over a decade and says this is a chance for the students to hone their performing skills. The students practice every day and

work individually with her once a week.

“I work on their stage presences and give them musical their musical performance coach, and their individual teachers instrument or voice.”

The opening act was performed by Israel Segura who sang “O Cessate di Piagarmi.”

While wearing an elegant black tuxedo, Segura made a strong impression on the audience with his powerful voice as he sung the Italian airs.

Music major, Ji Young Park shed a different kind of light on stage with her angelic voice after singing the soprano, “Lo son L’umile Ancella.” attending high school in South Korea. She began to pursue a career in music after moving to

America. She now specializes in performing voice.

“GCC has many wonderful instructors, I have learned many things from them,” Park said. “I can still improve in many levels here.”

After a small intermission, the stage was welcomed by Carlos Tejada who played the drums, Christ Rios and Mario Lopez who played the bass.

The trio played “I Wish You Love,” which brought an undeniable energy to the stage.

Tejada performed a few solos throughout their piece bringing the audience to applauses.

“This semester I was very lucky to perform,” Tejada said.

“I feel so good after a whole semester of practicing in front of so many different people and then for them to see all the work you’ve done … I feel it’s a progress.”

It Don’t Mean a Thing...

By Aidan Rutten

A

cool, Sunday breeze carried the sound of jazz throughout campus on Nov. 22 as the Thursday Jazz Quintet played outside of the auditorium, welcoming concert goers inside for the main event, a performance by the Big Bad Jazz Band.

Some might say that jazz is underappreciated, while others argue that it is dying or dead entirely, but if more people were to listen to the great songs of the big band era, many music fans might change their tune.

There is no denying the excitement and power a jazz big band brings to the stage. If this energy

were to be compared to modern hits, just imagine the feeling of a climactic crescendo, but felt over the course of the entire song. Every moment is the exciting part.

Director Craig Kupka and The Big Bad Jazz Band proved this with a stellar performance.

Some of the more recognizable tunes included Leonard Bernstein’s “West Side Story,” George and Ira Gerswhin’s “Fascinatin’ Rhythm,” and Dave Brubeck’s “Blue Rondo A La Turk.” Several pieces were even arranged by Michael Whetherwax, the Big Bad Jazz Band’s pianist.

The “swing” in swing music is ligence — people know it when

“It’s wonderful to see them go through their four semesters because they grow in all ways,” handle their instruments, either if it’s an instruments or their voice, they grow musically.”

Tejada, who moved to America from Salvador, discovered his passion for music after attending church choir as a young boy.

He plans to major in music with a concentration in percussion at Cal State Northridge next year.

“One of the exciting things about being a musician is that you get to explore all these different areas,” Tejada said.

“Sometimes I really feel sad if I play a classical piece to someone and they just say it’s boring. But there is something behind it, I think that is one of the joys of being a musician because you get to understand all this.”

The music department offers

more than 30 music classes during the fall and spring semesters.

It has nine recital rooms used for students to practice and conduct private rehearsal sessions.

“We need more practice room in the music department,” Park said. “I think it is not enough for all of us … the music department should have more recital rooms for the students.”

“I hope that everyone that is just starting the class will keep returning and getting better and always happy to welcome new people to come in and join the class.”

The Music Department will offer free admission to The Chamber Music Recital in the auditorium at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Shaira Arias can be reached at sarias131@student.glendale.edu

if it Ain’t Got That Swing

“Music will be there when money is gone.”

–Duke Ellington they see it but they can’t put it fully into words. Big bands and swing music were at their most popular in the 1940s, but were around before then and continue today. Big band music is generally upbeat, bluesy and could even make Jabba the Hutt want to get up and dance.

“Basically Basie” by Jess Bunnell, included solos from almost

all of the musicians. One of the trombone players’ solos sounded like the notes were going back and forth like a wave, and the player even panned back and forth across the audience as if to shower them with the music.

The band captured the swing feel perfectly through their music, with dynamic solos and a vibrance that shows only when musicians are passionate about their art. The vocalists, Tricia Henry, Dave Berges and Lea Frechette, were quite good, albeit occasionally over the top. Perhaps this stems from the fact that most jazz singing sounds like it should be in the backdrop of any black and white movie.

The witty back and forth between Kupka and Berges not only livened the show in between pieces, it also made the audience feel relaxed and at home. Everyone in the audience clapped along at various points throughout the concert, and there were even a few laugh out loud moments.

It was a fun, lively concert that harkened back to a time when musicians improvised on the spot and people could call out to the performers. Overall, the performance was superb, and hopefully it enlightened people about all that jazz has to offer. family.

Aidan Rutten can be reached at aidanrutten@gmail.com

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Wednesday, December 2, 2015

9

S P O R TS Women’s Basketball

Men’s Basketball

Dec. 3-6 College of the Seqouias Tournament

Dec. 4-6 Antelope Valley Tournament against San Bernardino Valley College, 3 pm

Women’s Cross Country Team Is Best in State

By Jack Morello

T

he Lady Vaqueros Cross Country team took its 11th straight state title on the 21st beating Hartnell College by 80 points.

The win for the Lady Vaqs marks their seventh meet win this year and their sixth win in a row.

The men took sixth place overall.

Leana Setian, star freshman runner for the Lady Vaqs credited team chemistry for its success.

“Having the girls there with me, especially during the races, makes it so much easier,” said Setian. “I’ve been running since the age of 6, so I have some experience, but it’s all hard work and love for what I do.”

The hard work has been something that Coach Eddie Lopez has embraced. His two teams had wildly successful seasons, espe-

cially the Lady Vaqueros who won the triple crown, winning the WSC and Southern California Championships before winning state. The men’s team made second place in conference before placing sixth in state.

It’s nothing new that the Vaqueros dominated the cross country circuit this year. Lopez says the routine and preparation have not changed much since he was a runner for the Vaqueros in the 1980s.

The routine is working, as the Glendale College women’s cross country program has been ranked in top three in the state for the past 11 years, along with continued success from the men’s program.

“It’s the toughness, but also the willingness to do the work and get after it every day,” Lopez said.

“We don’t necessarily get the fastest runners, we get the people who

really want to do the work. They don’t want to be treated like babies.”

One of the top sophomore runners, Shane Thompson, says Lopez “is a really good coach, who is good at motivating us, and is a very good guy overall.”

Lopez said he tends to recruit a mix of city section runners and California Interscholastic Federation section runners (the two different governing bodies of high school sports in California), CIF usually yield runners with faster times, but city section athletes tend to have lots of untapped potential.

“It is also a balance of sophomores and freshmen that have a good team captain,” Lopez said.

That allow his teams get the most out of each other.

Every day the men ran at least 4 miles and the women run 3

miles through the streets wrapped around the hills of Glendale. Sundays are for recovery. The squads practice a marathon-like progression that spans up to the Hollywood sign. Lopez said it can range from 14 to 16 miles.

In a sport of endurance and attrition, Lopez had to credit luck with the hard work of the GCC athletic training staff.

“The athletic training staff here with Claudia Alvarez and Jose Gomez is amazing,” said Lopez.

“They always make sure our runners are taking care of themselves and communicating to me any issues that arise.”

“Claudia and I treat all of the athletes to the best of our abilities,” Gomez said.

This is certainly true if you spend time in the training room.

However, there seem to always be cross country runners getting treatment, which is a testament to how serious this team is to taking care of their bodies.

It takes serious work and dedication to be successful at this level of long distance running, Coach Lopez instills that in all of his kids.

For a team to be successful like the two teams he has this year, there is an element of luck that has to go his way.

“As for the luck,” Lopez smiled, “that is big, you know what I have to say about luck... is that you have to be lucky and good. Luck is a huge factor and sometimes you gotta thank Him.” Coach Lopez pointed to the sky with a smile of success.

Jack Morello can be reached at morellobaseball@gmail.com

Photo by Sean Jordan

LEADING THE PACK: Women’s Cross Country team captain Crystal Morales, front left, keeps up with Leana Setian while training with the team at Verdugo Park before the state championships where the Lady Vaqs took their 11th straight title. Setian is ranked #1 in Southern California.

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Wednesday, December 2, 2015

www.elvaq.com

SPORTS

Basketball Is Back Glendale Vaqs Lose a Close One to Pasadena Lancers

By Nancy Villalobos

J

ust three games into the season, the Vaqueros basketball team held its own against the Pasadena City College Lancers Nov. 24 until the last minute, falling 54-50.

Vaqueros’ guard Cesar Reyes put up 12 points and one assist, while teammate forward Kenneth Daniel scored 11 points and took down 14 rebounds to lead the defense. Guard and forward Cole Currie was the third highest scorer on the Vaqs team with 10 points and six rebounds.

According to Head Coach Vigen Jilizian, this year’s team is young, with only one returning player. “The team is going to as the players get used to the program,” he said.

Jilizian said the players are

putting in a good team effort and they’re holding the opposing team’s scoring percentage down, allowing them to score only an average of 61 points per game.

“It’s hard to walk away with a win when you have 21 turnovers,” Jilizian said. “We’re guarding the ball well, but we’re struggling to According to Jilizian, in his team has a pretty good defense and has been keeping the games walk away with a win.

The Vaqs will compete in the Antelope Valley Tournament against San Bernardino Valley College starting 3 p.m. Friday.

The competition continues through Sunday.

Nancy Villalobos can be reached at nmv530@gmail.com

Photos by Nancy Villalobos

EYES ON THE PRIZE: Ange-Michel Kuo takes it to the rim uncontested at Pasadena City College.

FEATURES

Enlightenment from the Buddhist Club the practice.

“SGI Buddhism is based on the belief of Nichiren Daishonin,” explained Brenda Vaughn, club president. “Nichiren believed that every human being is born with the ability to become happy and reach Buddhahood. He discovered the key to happiness when

Photo by Steven Workman

time to chant: Soka Gakkai International Buddhist Club members Karina Cabrera, left, Brenda Vaughn, below and Jesus Cruz chant “nam-myohorenge-kyo” during a meeting at the Administration Building.

By Steven Workman “The essence of Buddhism is compassion,” Josei Toda, second president of Soka Gakkai, said.

“We, too, need to have compassion but, being ordinary mortals, the reality is that it is quite dif-

follows SGI, a Japanese sect of Buddhism whose name translates to “the origin of values academic society.” An offshoot of the Nichiren sect, SGI is concerned with bringing about world peace and believes that by chanting, followunlock their true potential.

Soka Gakkai International (SGI) Buddhist Club wants its members to keep this message close to their hearts.

Founded in 2001, the club

topics like compassion and peace, and members are eager to meet new participants, including some that are still on the fence about

‘Lotus Sutra’.”

That key to happiness is the chant “nam-myoho-renge-kyo.”

It means “praise the Buddhist law of the Lotus Sutra” in Japanese from the original Sanskrit the “Lotus Sutra” was written in.

“Nam-myoho-renge-kyo means devoting one’s life to the law of cause and effect through the Buddha’s teachings,” said Vaughn. “Nichiren revealed that by chanting these words we can reach our highest potential, challenge our problems, and become absolutely happy.” It is chanted at the end of every meeting.

“I became involved in SGI Buddhism by attending a meeting at Glendale College SGI Buddhist Club,” said Vaughn. “I was

interested in Buddhism and was practicing by myself by researching Buddhism on the Internet before I found the club. When I arrived to the club I expected to see yoga and meditation like how I read on the Internet. I was surprised to see people chanting and wanted to know more.”

Vaughn has been a member of the club for two years now, having taken over as president after being selected for the job by previous president Colleen Pathe. the president and I will say that Colleen made it look easy, but it is very challenging!” said Vaughn.

Member Jesus Cruz got into SGI after his mother converted, joining the club after seeing a banner for it on campus.

“I thought it was great that there was someone here at school trying to spread this philosophy and decided to attend the meetings,” said Cruz.

The SGI Buddhist Club meets 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. on Mondays.

Steven Workman can be reached at stevenworkman626@gmail.com

[SCIENCE, from page 5]

“We followed a blue whale for an entire morning thought I would see one. This is the largest animal that has ever lived on earth.”

Gago joined Kretzmann on the stage to discuss the details of the Baja program and how students can sign up to participate.

“I was pleased to see that they were excited about the subject,” said Melineh Hairapetian, a third-year student majoring in environmental science.

“I have been to a lot of lectures and there are a lot of people who are knowledgeable but are not very good at conveying their passion. Professor Gago and Professor Kretzmann did a wonderful job engaging the audience,” Hairapetian said.

“I wish (the lecture was longer,” said Nelli Astvatsatrian, art major. “I think it’s great that GCC has stuff like this.

Irene Abramian can be reached at ireneabramian@gmail.com

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Wednesday, December 2, 2015

LIFESTYLE

www.elvaq.com

Parade of Eccentrics

Photos by Kathy Bakowicz NO ROSES: The 38th Occasional Doo Dah Parade rolled down Colorado Boulevard on Nov. 22 with its usual cast of crazy characters and colorful costumes. The event featured Count Smokula, Moribund the Mystic, above, and the Carpool DeVille, below.