May 11, 2011

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student arrested with knife, intoxicants. . . . . . . .

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robotics club builds prototype smart car. . .

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music department plans busy season. . . . . . . . . . .

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chris cicuto wins coach of the year. . . . .

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Volume 97, Number 5 May 11, 2011

World’s Foremost Orangutan Expert Lectures on Campus

By Michelle Bowles EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

T

he co-founder of Orangutan Foundation International Birute Galdikas, has devoted her entire life to saving our sibling species, the orangutan.

She has done everything in her power to end the threats to this endangered species.

Galdikas addressed the campus community on Friday to let people know how special these animals are, and what they can do to help them.

“My life goal is to learn more about orangutans than anyone ever has, then teach everything I know to the public,” Galdikas said.

Since she was 25 years old, Galdikas knew her calling was to help these animals.

She began to observe orangutans in the Los Angeles Zoo. She would spend one hour every day for six months inside the orangutan exhibit. She studied their every move and began to understand them more and more with each visit.

In order to make the process go faster, Galdikas, now 65, knew she would need more funding. She approached Louis Leakey, the famous palaeoanthropologist, and convinced him that her project was worthy of investment. He proudly sponsored Galdikas, along with Jane Goodall who studied chimpanzees, and Diane Fossey who studied mountain gorillas.

[See Orangutan, page 3]

IN THIS ISSUE Corrections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 News.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3 Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9 Center Spread.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-11 Entertainment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-14 Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-18 Calendar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Photo by Liza Brozek

KEEP BREATHING: Lilian Khachatorians, the secondary nurse, checks critical care unit “patient” John Smith’s pulse during a simulation exercise on April 26. Students are taught to attend to patients who may be suffering a heart attack with special training mannequins. National Nurse’s week is May 6-12. Anyone interested in applying for the nursing program is encouraged to visit the student center today from 1 to 4 p.m. for a special presentation, snacks, and an open house. Applications for Spring 2012 are due in August. Call ext. 5270 for details.

Vaqueros Clinch Conference Title

By Derek Stowe

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

A

t Glendale’s Stengel Field, men’s baseball went six innings neck-andneck before Sako Chapjian hit a grand slam to help silence the Bakersfield Renegades 8-2 in the final game of the regular season on April 28.

For the first time since 2002, the Glendale Vaqueros locked in the Western State Conference Southern Division title.

“I saw the look in the [Vaqs’] eyes,” said newly awarded coach-of-the-year Chris Cicuto.

“They were going to do their best possible to get a win, and they stayed with it. It was awesome.”

Fans including players’ girlfriends, friends and family looked on from their sundrenched seats with hopeful anticipation until Chapjian took care of business in the long-awaited seventh inning.

With one towering grand slam home run, it was 7-2 Vaqs and the conference title was all but Photo by Mario Camino signed, sealed and delivered.

HE’S OUT!: Vaquero Josh Canales, center, a freshman infielder, played [See Baseball, page 16]

an exceptional game against the Bakersfield Renegades in the last meet of the regular season. Canales and the rest of the Vaqueros earned the Western State Conference Southern Division title for the first time since 2002.

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Wednesday, May 11, 2011

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NEWS

El Vaquero editor in chief Jane Pojawa COPY EDITOR Agnes Constante STAFF WRITERS Michelle Bowles Nik Brkic Alex Campos Ashley Carey Toni Davis Vanessa Duffy Christine Gillette Kate Krantz Vaughn Lawrence Marlon Miranda Adriana Orellana Luis Rodriguez Derek Stowe Shearson Unda Erica White Lillian Wu

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Mario Camino Tex Wells

Shaun Kelly Kenta Yamashita

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. 1427 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 editor@elvaq.com or call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5349.

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Disorderly Smoker Resists Arrest

By Michelle Bowles EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

O

n April 26 a student’s refusal to put out his cigarette led to something far more serious. The suspect was smoking in a nonsmoking section on campus near the San Fernando complex area when he was approached by an officer and asked to put it out.

Officer Narbeh Nazari had recognized the suspect from a previous verbal smoking warning. He remembered that the suspect was informed of the campus smoking policy. When the suspect was asked for identification he refused to provide any.

He began to walk away from the officer and was informed that he was going to be issued a written warning. The suspect continued to walk away and the officer grabbed him by his shirt sleeve.

The suspect then resisted the officer and was told he was being detained and he was put into handcuffs.

As a crowd began to gather around, Officer Rony Aharonian assisted Officer Nazari in detaining the suspect. He was then

placed under arrest by GCC police for obstructing an officer in discharge of his duties and disturbance of the peace for loud and unreasonable noise.

The officers searched the suspects backpack and found a knife with a 3-inch fixed-blade. They also found two bottles containing marijuana labeled, “Korea Town Collective Blue Dream Haze” and “Blue Diesel” along with a smoking pipe filled with residue.

Also discovered during the search was a fifth of Schooner Bay Rum. After the search he was also charged with having a knife on college grounds. This is a violation of Penal Code section 626626.10 which states that fixed blade knifes longer than 2.5 inches are not permitted onto school grounds. The case was forwarded to the district attorney and dean of student activities.

The suspect was taken to the Twin Towers Correctional Facility on Bauchet Street.

Michelle Bowles can be reached at Michelle_Bowles@elvaq.com

Know the law! California Penal Code 626.10. states

(a) (1) Any person, except a duly appointed peace officer who brings or possesses any dirk, dagger, ice pick, knife having a blade longer than 2 1/2 inches, folding knife with a blade that locks into place, razor with an unguarded blade, taser, or stun gun, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 244.5, any instrument that expels a metallic projectile such as a BB or a pellet, through the force of air pressure, CO2 pressure, or spring action, or any spot marker gun, upon the grounds of, or within, any public or private school providing instruction in kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive, is guilty of a public offense, punishable by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by imprisonment in the state prison. (b) Any person, except a duly appointed peace officer, who brings or possesses any dirk, dagger, ice pick, or knife having a fixed blade longer than 2 1/2 inches upon the grounds of, or within, any private university, the University of California, the California State University, or the California Community Colleges is guilty of a public offense, punishable by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by imprisonment in the state prison. (a), and any certificated or classified employee or school peace officer of any private university, state university, or community college may seize any of the weapons described in subdivision (b), from the possession of any person upon the grounds of, or within, the school if he or she knows, or has reasonable cause to know, the person is prohibited from bringing or possessing the weapon upon the grounds of, or within, the school. (h) As used in this section, “dirk” or “dagger” means a knife or other instrument with or without a handguard that is capable of ready use as a stabbing weapon that may inflict great bodily injury or death. (i) Any person who, without the written permission of the college or university president or chancellor or his or her designee, brings or possesses a less lethal weapon, as defined in Section 16780, or a stun gun, as defined in Section 17230, upon the grounds of or within, a public or private college or university campus is guilty of a misdemeanor.

Math professor passes unexpectedly

By Adriana Orellana EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

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celebration of life was held for the passing away of math professor Francoise GrandClement on April 3, at All Saints Church in Pasadena.

Grand-Clement, passed away on March 25 at age 59 of unknown causes.

Grand-Clement had been teaching math at GCC since 2005 and previously taught for more than 12 years at the Lycée Francais of Los Angeles.

Prior to that, she taught at the University of Montesquieu at Bordeaux, in France.

“Francoise had a tremendous level of involvement in the division activities on campus and was very active on pedagogical issues,” said Isabelle Saber, professor at GCC and adjunct coordinator in the math division.

Professor Grand-Clement obtained a degree in math at Oxford University, as well as a degree at the prestigious École Normale Supérieure in France.

Throughout the service, Rev. Zelda Kennedy and those in attendance thanked God for giving Grand-Clement to her family and friends, who knew and loved her as a companion in their earthly pilgrimage.

Grand-Clement is survived by her husband, Dan Harston, and their daughter Mailys, 17, a high school senior.

She was cremated and will be buried in Hossegor, located in the South of France.

Professor Hsiao-Ying Chang took over Grand-Clement’s Math 100 class, and professor Tony McQuilkin took over her Math 136 class as an interim measure for the duration of the semester.

A GCC student scholarship is being set up and named after Grand-Clement. Donations are tax deductible and being accepted in professor Saber’s mailbox, or in her office, located in SG 316.

Corrections: In the April 27 edition, “Armenians Host Remembrance Day,” Davit Isakhanyan’s last name was misspelled, and Levon Marashlian was identified by his last name only. We apologize for the misunderstanding and have corrected the online version of this article.

In the March 16 edition, “Culinary Arts Students Host Wednesday Lunch,” the Titanic luncheon, scheduled for May 18, was not correctly priced. The student price for the last meal served on the Titanic is $8.95, staff and others pay $10.95, and reservations are required. Regular Wednesday Restaurant prices other than Titanic are: students, - $6.95, staff and others, - $8.95. Reservations are required for all Wednesday lunches.

Francoise Grand-Clement

Checks should be made payable to the GCC Foundation.

Adriana Orellana can be reached at adriana_orellana@elvaq.com

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NEWS

Galdikas Lectures on Orangutans, Conservation

[Orangutan, from page 1]

“Louis Leakey opened doors for me,” she said.

Galdikas explained the characteristics that make orangutans so extraordinary, and so close to us as humans. To start off with, the name “orangutan” translates into “person of the forest.” This makes sense, since they share 98 percent of their genetic material with humans.

They are not our closest primate relative - the genetic make-up of the chimpanzee is so close to humans that they can share blood transfusions with us.

Like humans, orangutan males do not reach maturity until 18 years old. The females reach maturity at about 15. They have a lifespan averaging 60 years.

They spend around 95 percent of their lives in trees. And a male will double, sometimes triple a female in size, averaging around

300 pounds.

The most specific characteristic of orangutans compared to other primates is their solitary lifestyle.

They prefer to spend most of their life alone, although youngsters will stay with their mother until they reach the age of 8 or 10.

“I followed a male for 51 days and he only met with a female one time,” Galdikas said. “A male can’t tolerate the sight of another male. And on the other hand, a female doesn’t want a relationship because a male is twice her size and will eat all of her fruit.”

They also have an eight-year birth interval. This is the longest of any mammal on the planet.

Orangutans are primarily fruit eaters. They will resort to eating bark and leafs, if necessary.

“A ripe fruit is a tree’s way of seducing a primate to eat and then spread the seeds across the forest,” Galdikas said.

Ninety percent of orangutans can be found in Indonesia.

They can be found on two islands, Northern Sumatra and Borneo. Although these are both habitats for the animals, they are completely different. Northern Sumatra is considered a paradise for the orangutans. This island offers figs, their choice of fruit if flourishing, lower threats to survival and flowing rivers.

It is known as the “land of abundance.” On the other hand, Borneo is known as the “wildest place on Earth.” The Borneo forests are not productive.

“It is proven that the orangutans of poverty, the ones that live in Borneo, have statistically smaller brains than orangutans of Sumatra. They put more power and concentration into their stomachs, due to the risk of starvation, than they do to their brains,” Galdikas said.

Borneo also holds the biggest threat of deforestation. More lumber has been cut from this island than all tropical countries combined. Even the areas that are protected by law are being cut down, Galdikas said.

Kalimantan, a forest habitat in Borneo, has had 80 percent of its forests logged. From 1992 to 2002 Kalimantan lost 39 percent

of its orangutan habitat.

“It was a [situation] of need combining with greed and it was explosive,” she said.

OFI has been working hard for 40 years to prevent illegal loggers from cutting down any more forest than they already have.

They have been called, “a small but mighty” foundation, Galdikas said.

“If you live in paradise and it is destroyed they become unable to adapt,” she said. “Most of the national park would have been gone if we [OFI] were not there.”

Other threats to orangutans include the mining of gold and zircon. Galdikas said that by far the biggest danger to the primate is palm oil plantations. Palm oil is the most widely used vegetable oil in the world. Companies are clearing acres and acres of forests in order to plant palm trees.

Not only is palm oil foresting ruining the orangutan’s habitat but it is damaging the ozone layer as well. Since the onset of palm plantations, Indonesia has become the third biggest generator of carbon dioxide in the world.

Galdikas said that other than donating to OFI, the biggest contribution someone could provide is to quit buying products

with palm oil in them. People would be surprised to find out how many products actually contain palm oil.

“When I stopped using palm oil, the first difference I noticed is that I lost about 10 pounds,” Galdikas said as the audience laughed.

She asks people to donate to OFI so they can continue to help the orangutans. She suggests that people organize fundraisers themselves to help the animals.

Shop online at the merchandise store because the proceeds will be donated to OFI. At the end of her talk she reminded the audience that the outcome of this struggle will depend on the decisions of the people and the products they choose to buy as consumers. It is a way of life, she said.

Galdikas best describes the war of conservation with a quote she heard from Al Gore: “The conservation crisis is a spiritual crisis.”

To find out more details on how to get involved to help the orangutans visit OFI’s website at http://www.orangutan.org.

Michelle Bowles can be reached at Michelle_Bowles@elvaq.com

Broken Pipe Causes Massive Flooding

By Nik Brkic

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

T

Photo by Tex Wells

PROMINENT PRIMATOLOGIST:: Dr. Birute Galdikas, foremost expert on Borneo and Sumatran orangutans, drew a standing-room-only crowd on May 6, when she spoke for a hour on the lifestyle and lifespan of the great ape whose species is threatened. There are only about 7,500 left in Sumatra and 45,000 in Borneo. Although Galdikas teaches in Canada, she spends most of the year in Sumatra or Borneo where she is intimately involved in conservation and the protection of the orangutan. Orangutans have approximately 98 percent of the human genome.

he steps in front of the the administration building looked like a 100-foot Slip n’ Slide after a pipe broke sending a stream of water down the steps on April 28.

“The pipe broke because Glendale Water and Power changed the water pressure,” gardener Alberto Kleeman said.

The stream of water caused students to take a different route to their classes. Some decided to brave the 2-inch high miniriver. There were three notable types that the students crossed the torrent.

The first was the tiptoer, who navigated slowly trying to find the shalowest areas. The second was the slow-mover-to-fast.

Like the tiptoer, people of this type moved slowly but when water splashed on them they gave up the tight rope attempt and ran when they were half way accross. The final, and

Photo by Kenta Yamashita

most successful, was the sprinter who tried to take the least amount of steps when crossing.

Executive Vice President Ron Nakasone was walking by the water and a student sarcastically asked him if this was going to have an effect on the budget.

Nakasone laughed and continued on to the administration building.

Kleeman said that there have been many broken pipes recently.

There was a broken pipe by a big oak tree near the auditorium as well as a broken pipe near the street light on the northern side of the school.

The water pipe was shut off after approximately 45 minutes.

Nik Brkic can be reached at nik_brkic@elvaq.com

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Wednesday, May 11, 2011

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FEATURES

Credit Unions Offer Alternative to Banks

By Agnes Constante

Bank of America

EL VAQUERO COPY EDITOR

M

oney just seems to be getting tighter and tighter these days, and for most people, there’s no choice but to live on a strict budget. Whether your money is in a savings account or locked in a time deposit, you’re really not seeing any more than chump change added to what you’ve got in the bank.

Credit unions offer a viable alternative to the for-profit model of banking institutions, and are able to offer a number of benefits to students based on their strucure:

The main difference between banks and credit unions is that banks are for-profit institutions, while credit unions are not-forprofit institutions. This means that they are tax exempt and are there to serve the needs of members of the community.

Unlike banks, where customers don’t have a say in who runs the institution, credit unions are governed by a board of directors elected by their members. Board members are volunteers who don’t get paid.

2.

2.

At a credit union, you’re considered a shareholder “When you open an account, technically you become a shareholder of the credit union,” Stuart Perlitsh, CEO of the Glendale Area Schools Federal Credit Union (GASFCU), said.

“You then own a share of the credit union.”

As a shareholder you have a voice in who sits on the board of directors, and you even have the right to run for a position on board if you’d like.

3 3. . You’ll get better rates

Since the goal of credit unions isn’t to profit, members reap the benefits if there’s any extra income.

“The more members we have, the stronger we become,” Carolynn Lyons, business development director of the Glendale City Federal Credit Union (GCFCU), said.

Benefits may come in the form of higher dividends on savings

0.05% APY (must maintain a minimum $300 balance, set one or more automatic recurring savings options; otherwise there is a $5 monthly service fee)

Chase

GASFCU

GCFCU

Interest rates are variable and not specifically stated on the bank’s website.

Minimum daily balance of $300 or automatic recurring transfer of $25 per month from your Chase checking account required; otherwise, $5 a month.

0.20% APY with a minimum balance of $250

0.10% APY with a minimum balance of $100

Savings

0.05% APY (must maintain a minimum daily balance of $300 or set up an automatic monthly transfer of at least $25; otherwise there is a $5 monthly service fee)

Checking

Bank of America’s new eBanking checking account requires no minimum balance or monthly fee if you opt for paperless statements bank via ATMs without a teller; otherwise, there is an $8.95 monthly service charge

The account holder must have opened as a College Combo (savings and checking) and maintain a $500 daily balance or enroll in direct deposit; otherwise there is a $3 monthly service fee

Student checking requires a minimum $25 opening deposit.

There is no monthly service fee if the student is enrolled in college up to five years or if there is a monthly direct deposit; otherwise, $6 a month

Basic checking = no APY, no minimum balance required

Basic checking = no APY, no minimum balance required

Time Deposit/ Share Certificates (12 months)

0.60% APY with a $10,000 minimum deposit OR 0.35% APY with a minimum $5,000 deposit

0.15% $2,500 deposit)

0.25% $1,000 deposit)

1.01% APY (minimum $1,000 opening deposit)

0.45% APY (minimum $1,000 opening deposit)

11 . Credit unions are not-forprofit institutions

Wells Fargo

(minimum opening

(minimum opening

*Rates are up to date as of May 9, 2011 and based on each financial institution’s website.

accounts and/or time deposits, and reduced interest rates on credit cards.

4. More than 28,000 ATMs

4.

One common myth about credit unions is that there is a lack of accessible ATMs, but there are actually thousands available throughout the United States.

Both the area schools and city federal credit unions are part of an ATM network consisting of more than 28,000 fee-free ATMs. This outnumbers the roughly 18,000 Bank of America ATMs and 12,000 Wells Fargo ATMs throughout the nation. An added convenience, Perlitsh said, is that there is no fee for withdrawing cash at any 7-Eleven.

Credit unions also typically provide locators on their websites so it’s easier to find an ATM close to you.

5. Your money is insured

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Similarly to how money in a bank is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), funds at credit unions

are also secure. Federal agencies like the National Credit Union Administration and the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund typically cover $250,000 per account, just like the FDIC does for banks.

6. It’s easy to join!

6.

If you live in a certain city, chances are you’ll be eligible for membership at a credit union. For instance, Burbank Community Federal Credit Union simply requires that a person lives, works, attends school, volunteers, worships, or belongs to an association in Burbank for membership eligibility. Similarly, the GASFCU only requires that a member is a student, faculty, or staff at GCC to open an account.

Most membership requirements can be found on the websites of the credit unions and by calling the institutions.

Other credit unions, like the GCFCU, have more specific requirements, such as being employed by the City of Glendale.

Even if you fall short of these requirements, the Glendale Area

Schools credit union has partnered up with the city’s parent teacher association, while the Glendale City union has partnered up with and Friends of the Library. The unions will pay the fee for your membership in these city organizations, so that you are eligible to become part of the

credit union.

Money might be getting tighter these days but there are credit unions around to genuinely help you make the most of what you’ve got.

Agnes Constante can be reached at Agnes_Constante@elvaq.com

Glendale Area Schools Federal Credit Union 1800 Broadview Drive Glendale, CA 91208 (818) 248-7425 or (800) 844-5363 http://www.gasfcu.org Glendale City Employees Federal Credit Union 517 E. Wilson Ave., Suite 102 Glendale, CA 91206 818/ 548-3976 http://www.glendalecitycu.org

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FEATURES

Robotics Club Introduces ‘GCCR’

By Christine Gillette EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

H

e may look like a skeleton of welded steel attached to a couple bicycle wheels, but inside that skeleton is a thinking machine. His name is GCCR, a fully autonomous robot created by the hands and minds of the GCC’s Robotics Club.

This 100-pound robot’s time to shine is approaching, and all 15 members of the club are working hard so that he can enter the Intelligent Ground Vehicle Competition in June. This competition will put GCC under a spotlight as well since it will be the only community college team that will be entering the contest, one with prizes up to $25,000.

This is a competition where undergraduate and graduate student teams build fully autonomous robots that have to navigate through obstacle courses where the robot has to be able to detect and avoid the obstacles, such as potholes and barricades.

The robot cannot be remotecontrolled: its on-board software controls it.

Club president Narek Isaghulyan started the club last semester, which is when the computer editing and designs of GCCR began. The actual building of the robot began this semester.

It can now hold twice its weight and also travel up to 10 mph.

Andre Kovich, a member of the club, said that the programming of a fully autonomous robot is no easy task.

“Try to program a computer to think like a human thinks,” Kovich said. “That’s just simply on a whole other level of

complexity.”

Recruiting members for the club wasn’t a difficult task since all of the current 15 members of the club already knew each other from previous classes, mainly physics. They are still actively recruiting new members since many of the current members will be transferring to other colleges after this semester.

Eduardo Aldana, another member of the club, believes the Robotics Club stands out from other GCC clubs because it has something to show for the funding it received.

“And when the student government sees [GCCR], they’ll say ‘Wow!’ we’re funding something that we can physically see,” Aldana said.

Rufus Simon, another Robotics Club member, said that money was definitely an issue at first, but everything started falling into place once people started believing in the club. The next step was trying to figure out how to make the robot autonomous.

“No one teaches you how to make an autonomous robot, you’ve got to learn for yourself,” Simon said.

The Robotics Club also found sponsors to help with the materials to build GCCR. Aldana said that Montrose Bike Shop donated the tires and Industrial Metal Supply Company donated some metal, but they ended up using steel because it is easier to weld. The entire construction of the robot is done at GCC. Pedro Kim, ASGCC’s vice president of finance, said the Robotics Club has been mainly funded through the CPS grant program, and was able to receive

Photo by Jane Pojawa

FIVE IS ALIVE!: Some members of the Robotics Club present GCCR, from left, Narek Isaghulyan, president, Edwardo Aldana, Rufus Simon, Leo Pashayan, and Ashkan Ershadi.

that funding of about $4,700 because it is a new club on campus. “[The Robotics Club] is looking into representing the school in an innovative way, which is the main purpose of this program,” Kim said.

GCC mathematics professor Thomas Voden, the club’s adviser and mentor, said that there is a plan in the works to

make a kind of class that would involve making robotics, which involves mathematics, physics, and engineering. This plan is still in the very early stages but they hope, with the help of some funding, that they can turn this plan into a reality.

“We are actively looking for ways to create a more structured robotics experience,” Voden said.

The club is still in the midst of

determining their transportation plans since it will be impossible to fly GCCR to Michigan, where the competition takes place. The 19th Annual Intelligent Ground Vehicle Competition will take place in Rochester, Michigan. from June 3 to June 6.

Christine Gillette can be reached at Christine_Gillette@elvaq.com

Photo by Mario Camino Photo by Jane Pojawa

INTELLIGENT DESIGN: GCCR, the Robotics Club’s work-in-

progress, is well on its way to becoming a “smart car” able to navigate an obstacle course, avoid accidents and even joust.

PIE TOSS: Richard Cortez, left, and Jon Gold, right, take one for the team at the Spring Carnival. Career Pathways specialist Mirna Najera demonstrates perfect form, using her phone as a counterbalance. The $2 toss, sponsored by the Leo Club, benefits AIDS organizations in the L.A. area.

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Wednesday, May 11, 2011

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FEATURES

Tech Fair Highlights Vocational Training

By Luis Rodriguez

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

O

Photo by Mario Camino

PLAYING WITH FIRE: Cadets from the Verdugo Fire Academy demonstrate equipment handling and several aspects of fire technology from engines to respirators to protective clothing. Cadet Goldberg shows students how to prepare for a fire with personal protective gear; it took him less than two minutes.

n May 3, a technology fair took place in Vaquero Plaza to help students choose a career path in technological fields.

One of the tables was the hospitality and tourism management table. “We provide comfort,” said Josh Isaak, the Hospitality club president. “The very first thing we are taught is to network. It is always useful to have a business card handy, especially in this economy.”

The field is for guest services like hotels, spas and other luxuries.

It also applies to dining services, front offices and catering. The hospitality club does staffing and volunteer services.

The Emergency Medical Technical stand was hosted by Rich Philibosian, an EMT at Glendale College.

Students taking the course learn CPR, the human anatomy and physiology, and treatment of all kinds of injuries. Toward the end of the program students ride on a real ambulance with real patients, and make actual emergency calls. It takes two classes to complete the course and take a state exam. The

students are not by themselves they are with hired EMTs. The students are not EMTs yet, they are merely interns. They do not do this until they are well into the course.

At first the students treat fake patients. EMT students must transport five patients and complete their internship before they get their EMT card. “Before the recession when you got your EMT card, you were hired but not anymore,” said Philibosian.

The stand for the Nutrition program was curated by Sona Donayan, nutrition instructor. In the nutrition program, students learn about food, how to cook, health and disease prevention, dietary guidelines, portions, making menus, diets for sick people and vegetarian diets.

“The nutrition class is not really hands on,” said Donayan.

“Most of the cooking is done at

home and the learning is in class.

The lab kitchen, however is hands on. The students try to make food visually appealing and test the aroma in the lab.”

Children’s school nutrition is included in the curriculum. Charts in the Nutrition stand included the consequences of obesity, risk factors and symptoms of diabetes and managing diabetes.

Other booths in the stand were Architecture, CAD/CAM, Culinary Arts, Engineering, Fire Tech/Fire Academy, Machine and Manufacturing Tech, Verdugo Power Academy and Welding/ Metallurgy.

The fair ran from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. It was a hot day, but it’s never too hot to help students choose their future.

Luis Rodriguez can be reached at luis_rodriquez@elvaq.com

SPARK Club Now Offering Support to New Students

By Shearson Unda

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

A

s a first time student to any college, you may feel lost, confused and lack of support that you may need to succeed in your college endeavors. There is a club and future program that plans to help.

The Students Providing Assistance Resources and Knowledge club provides newcomers what they did not receive by simply enrolling in classes as arriving freshmen, that is: some extra aid. The idea that some students need guided assistance paved the way for this new campus club with the intentions of mentoring incoming freshmen.

The big-brother-like program is going to be a year round club and program that will help jumpstart the students involved and assist them with that extrakick to boost their college performance; that is, if students choose to stick with program and use it to their advantage.

Mentor members will receive the satisfaction of helping others while getting to know new people.

Volunteering looks well on a job or transfer application as well.

Co-president Alex Sosa felt that it was important to keep incoming freshman on task. “It’s going to start next year. It’s a program for upcoming freshmen to help them throughout the year.

We want to give them what we didn’t have our first year,” Sosa said.

This program was intended to be an extended version of Shadow Day. Instead of having a one-day guided tour of the school for high schools, Spark Club [members] hopes to keep new students focused by giving advice to those new students who feel lost in the mix of college life throughout the entire academic year.

Albert Galdamez, vice president of the club, is very optimistic about the progress of the spark club and the opportunity it will provide to the individuals who decide to join.

“It’s very tough because we are a brand new club,” said Galdamez. “But I am very happy with the club, I feel like we are picking up a lot of pace. I see this club excelling a lot faster than I expected,” said Galdamez.

This club had a positive effect on members who are involved. Both Galdamez and [See SPARK, page 7]

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Wednesday, May 11, 2011

7

FEATURES

‘Planetary Check Up’ Has Grim Prognosis

By Vaughn Lawrence EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

T

he patient is 4.6 billion years old.

The patient is does not have enough water to sustain itself, has a bad fever and smokes.

The patient is the earth and she is sick.

Associate Geography Professor Michael Reed gave a lecture on April 28 detailing some of the damage humans have done to the environment and outlined possible solutions.

Reed began his lecture with a warning.

“I’m going to tell you a lot of terrible things today,” said Reed.

He then compared the earth to a patient and himself as the doctor who was delivering a diagnosis and prescription.

The beginning of earth’s ailment was 70,000 years ago.

Since then humans have inhabited most of the world and began depleting its resources.

According to Reed areas that have not been affected much are those that do not have resources that humans value.

In 1975 humans began using more resources than the world could replace. Humans are using non-renewable resources at a rapid pace and 15 of 24 services that ecosystems provide are declining.

The planet is entering a sixth mass extinction. In this

Club

[SPARK, from page 6]

relations manager Darvill Rodriguez hope to become student body officers this coming fall.

“I felt like when I started in college, no one really helped me. I want that to change. I want other people to have help. [I want the new students to have] Someone that they can ask or they can go to pertaining to the college itself, especially because I have experience already [as a student at GCC],” said Rodriguez.

Although this club targets college freshmen directly, second-year students are more then welcome to join.

Simply because sophomores are familiar with their

extinction half the world’s forests are gone. Half of all the wetlands have disappeared. In the last 35 years 35 percent of mangroves have been destroyed. Half the planet’s grasslands are gone, and 20 percent of the coral reefs have been lost.

In the last 500 years humans have caused 869 species to go extinct. This rate is between 100 or 1000 times higher than the rate before humans began tampering with the earth. The reason that the rate is not completely accurate is because no one knows how many species there are on earth.

Another aspect of the mass extinction is that 75 percent of all fishing companies are in decline. This is because the fish populations are not given enough time to re-populate before they are fished again.

This over-fishing leads to hypoxic dead zones. Hypoxic dead zones are areas of the ocean that have absolutely no life in them; and the world currently has 415 of them.

These dead zones can be found all around the world including the Gulf of Mexico, and the west coast of the United States. The hypoxic dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico covered enough area to fill all of Minnesota’s 10,000 lakes.

The stress on the earth does not end there. Of the world’s rivers, 99 percent of them have an industrial dam on them. The

surroundings, doesn’t mean they could not use extra help to get through their college experience.

“We are all really excited about Spark starting: actually starting in the fall. That is when the new students are going to come, and we will be mentoring the first year students. My goal is to make sure that the students that come are not confused and that they stay in college,” said Arman Marukyan, co-president of Spark.

For further information on Spark Club, their meetings are held from 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. inside CR 223.

Shearson Unda can be reached at Shearson_Unda@elvaq.com

Photo by Kenta Yamashita

THIS PATIENT IS TERMINAL: Professor Mike Reed calls for “truth serum” to heal the earth.

Colorado River, which once ran into the Pacific Ocean, no longer reaches that point because of the dams that have blocked its path.

Reed said that in America, 40 percent of all rivers and lakes are not fit to swim in. He then brought up the eye-opening statistic that 80 percent of China’s rivers are unfit for human contact.

Pollution is not only in the planet’s rivers but it is also in the air. Reed said that an excess of air pollution kills three million people per year.

This pollution is causing the bad fever that Reed diagnosed the world with.

This fever is causing the polar ice caps to melt faster than ever predicted. Also a heat wave from July to August in 2003 killed 40,000 to 50,000 people in Europe.

In reference to what is happening to the environment, Reed said “How many times do you have to get hit on the head before you say ouch?”

The technology that is available today makes it impossible to deny the impacts humans are having on the earth.

“One of the good things about having satellites are we cannot deny the impact,” said Reed.

The satellite images that anyone can look up on Google show views of the earth from space. The pictures can be used to compare what place looked like from year to year. They make it easy to see the human effects.

The diagnosis for the earth is

HIPPO, which stands for Habitat loss, Invasive species, Population, Pollution, and Over-harvesting.

Along with HIPPO part of the diagnosis is an addiction to fossil fuel.

Reed said that fossil fuel is a cheap high. This is because one gallon of gas has the ability to do 600 hours of human labor.

With that kind of power it seems logical to use fossil fuel to do anything and everything.

Humans use fossil fuel to power cars, to power homes and business, to power planes.

Try to imagine what like would be like without fossil fuel?

It is difficult to do, but those fuels are damaging the planet and need to be severely limited.

The prescription that Reed gave was truth serum.

Reed called for a mission for clean energy now, the elimination of all subsidies and tax breaks for dirty energy production, the requirement of green accounting processes, and to demand clean energy.

People also need to support politicians that are focused on making positive environmental changes.

“If people lead, the leaders will follow,” said Reed.

Students at GCC can join the Environmental Club if they want to see a change on campus. They can also take Geography 106 which is Human Impact on the Environment. The class teaches all about the problems that the earth faces environmentally, and

then poses a positive solution.

Also students can carpool when coming to school, take the bus, recycle, and do other activities to loosen their impact on the environment.

The informative lecture ended on one last note about protecting the planet.

“Protect it, because a good planet is hard to find,” said Reed.

Vaughn Lawrence can be reached at Vaughn_Lawrence@elvaq.com

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8

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

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FEATURES

Writer Recounts Time Spent in Bhutan T

“We

sexy

Napoli said life in Bhutan is changing and faster than the people had imagined. She said monks in the most remote mountains can be found using cell phones or computers. There

is not much left that has been untouched, Napoli said.

There goes the neighborhood.

Erica White can be reached at Erica_White@elvaq.com

o

o

o

o

o

o o

El Vaquero

cool.”

RADIO SHANGRI-LA: Author and media specialist Lisa Napoli speaks about her experiences starting a youth radio station in Bhutan.

wellbeing

new economic opportunities, but not at the expense of the environment, Napoli said.

Throughout the course of the evening Napoli told stories of getting accustomed to life in Bhutan, and the meaning of the painted winged penises on the buildings.

“The Bhutanese believe it’s wrong to envy what someone else has. When you have a phallus painted on the house, people will be too ashamed to look [at the house] and covet what they don’t have. In this way the phallus wards off evil spirits,” Napoli said.

The audience oooed and awed when Napoli presented a slideshow of pictures from Bhutan. Pictures of vast emerald valleys and aurora borealis skies speckled with images of weathered old men on cell phones were among the array.

Napoli said since the emergence of television in Bhutan the National Gross Happiness has gone down.

“Before the people hadn’t realized what they were missing out on. Now they can watch TV and see what other countries are doing and they want that,” Napoli said.

The youth radio station that Napoli help started is still ongoing.

“Now they play crappy pop music” Napoli said.

Napoli said the station is changing peoples lives. She said on days when the radio station was down they would get phone calls from locals crying asking when the music would be back on.

“Imagine never hearing the radio for the first time, and then hearing it. That’s a powerful experience,” Napoli said.

The younger generation is becoming more and more educated and westernized.

“They don’t want to work on the farm any more. They want cars and when they get a car they want a bigger one,” Napoli said.

Napoli told a story of one of the girls coming to Los Angeles to visit her. She warned the girl that she didn’t live a lavish life.

“She wouldn’t believe me. She kept saying, ‘I’ve seen Desperate House Wives. I know how you Americans live’,” Napoli said.

“She was shocked when she came to my one bedroom apartment and saw that I had no servants.”

work every day.”

They exchanged emails. A EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER couple of weeks later Napoli he term “stranger danger” is received an email from the one Lisa Napoli is unfamiliar handsome man asking her if she’d like to come to Bhutan and with.

“I’ll go anywhere with volunteer helping start a youth you,” Napoli said, recalling radio station.

“I thought, ‘wow that’s the her response to a handsome tea best pick-up line ever! Of course importer she met at a cocktail I’ll do it,’” Napoli said. party who asked her to go to Napoli spoke to her boss Bhutan with him. who had just laid-off a couple of Little did she know this people due to budget cuts. He let chance flirtatious encounter Napoli take a brief unpaid leave would change the course of her of absence. life.

“He was eager to let me go Napoli, a former back-up host so he’d at least be able to bring for American Public Media’s some people back as freelancers Marketplace, spoke to a modest during my absence,” Napoli said. audience at the Glendale Public “He asked that I bring my tape Library May 4. Napoli read recorder so I could do stories on excerpts from her new book economics while there.”

“Radio Shangri-La”, a story of With her job secure, Napoli her decision to move to Bhutan was ready to go.

Only one and help start a youth radio problem remained: where was station.

Bhutan?

Disillusioned with her job and Bhutan is a small country in lamenting her missed opportunity Southern Asia nestled between at motherhood, the BrooklynChina and India. It’s about born Napoli was looking for an one-half the size of Indiana escape. with a population a little more than 700,000. It had been sequestered from the deal with Gross outside world for most of Domestic Product, its existence. The country numbers and corporate didn’t have roads or a hard currency until the’70s and earnings reports, things only imported television in . that aren’t 1999. Most Bhutanese are The idea that there was poor, making only $1,300 a year. a government that was One thing Napoli did interested measuring the know about Bhutan is that , the country measures its people’s citizens’ wellbeing with that sounded kind of something it calls Gross National Happiness.

“As a business reporter it was thrilling. We deal –Lisa Napoli with Gross Domestic Product, numbers and corporate “I was working for earnings reports, things that Marketplace. I was 43 at the aren’t sexy.

The idea that there time and had a pretty good life up to that point, but I was feeling was a government that was stuck and couldn’t imagine how interested measuring the people’s I was going to move forward. I wellbeing, that sounded kind of couldn’t see myself doing my job cool,” Napoli said.

Bhutan is a devoutly Buddhist for another 40 years. It was very country.

From birth, Bhutanese treadmill-like,” Napoli said. are taught to tread the middle “How did I get to this point path, live responsibly and not in my life?” Napoli thought, and covet, Napoli said. then she met a handsome man.

In the’70s the Bhutanese He was cheeky and forward. He King saw the way Asia was told Napoli he was going on a tea quickly developing. He didn’t sourcing expedition in Bhutan want that to happen to Bhutan and asked if she’d like to go. and implemented Gross National “Of course I couldn’t go,” Happiness as a reality check. Yes Napoli said. “I had this job, at we want to grow, yes we want least, the responsibility to go to

By Erica White

Arts and Entertainment at your finger tips.

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Wednesday, May 11, 2011

9

COLUMN

Writer Muses: After Love Fades, Then What?

By Kate Krantz

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

T

widdling with my thumbs on a calculator and chewing on the tip of a pencil, I can’t help but ponder... can you be just friends with an ex?

In early algebra class, we learn that x represents the unknown variable in the equation a+b = x.

In life, we learn that after a romantic relationship, the two parties involved cannot be friends.

Now, how do these two statements go together? Well, there is in fact, an equation for becoming friends with a former lover.

In this equation of friendship, one has to discover what plus what is equivalent to friendship with an ex. Perhaps, the solution is unattainable. Or is it possible to transform a once fiery love into something that cools down into a friendship?

This is my transitive property of relationships: It is possible to be friends with an ex after a breakup and I’m living proof. However it’s very difficult, especially at first. You might want to brace

yourself for miscalculations and eraser marks because if you believe that you’re going to be friends with every single ex then you are a fool. The math doesn’t add up.

According to psychology department chair and marriage and family counselor Dr. Jessica Gillooly, the answer is ambiguous and on a much broader spectrum, unrealistic.

Despite either result, there are always outliers. Yet when all is said and done, you are broken up.

So, what’s next?

Time and time again, the person doing the dumping will say the ever popular “We can still be friends” and the other typically disregards it in the heat of the moment, rendering it meaningless.

One might believe that this cliché is a way of letting the dumpee down easily, but you’re wrong. It’s like carrying a huge burden on your shoulders in hopes of easing the sting for the person being dumped.

Nonetheless, it’s better to say it than to not say it at all. Just because there is a lack of romantic interest doesn’t mean that the

whole friendship should end. You in the beginning, [it’s hopeless] to were friends in the beginning for be friends,” said student Sarinea Meserkhani. “And if there wasn’t, a reason, were you not?

“A break-up not only causes why be in the relationship in this awkwardness but conflicts,” said first place? My answer: We can delude ourselves into thinking student Derreck Murray.

“When both people are over that it’s possible, but to remain it, they can be on friendly terms, in contact usually means to have lingering nothing romantic more and feelings.” nothing I n less.”

In other contrast to w o r d s , Merserkhani, it takes a true build a bridge and optimist to re-establish get over a friendship it, but take and that can your time take anywhere doing so. from a few As said months to

by Gillooly, once you’re —Sarinea Meserkhani a couple of years. invested Usually, an extended period of in the relationship such as being on your best behavior time with minimal or no contact at all times, putting the first after the break up is the easiest foot forward, confiding to your way to put the puppy-love to rest. significant other and especially Think of it as playing a game of being sexually active, both lives hide and seek except without the become intertwined and therefore seeking. The length of the game attempting to be friends directly depends on the specific case. after a break up is complicated.

This allows for you to cope “If there was sexual chemistry with the feelings of being freshly broken up on your own, enabling you to avoid any unnecessary drama, fights or those stressful on-again-off-again relationships.

Becoming re-accustomed to the single life is an adjustment all its own. Whether you are the so-called “heart breaker” or have your heart torn into several miniscule pieces, you should dedicate this time to healing the emotional wounds of the break up as well as restoring yourself to a much happier you.

“There’s no such thing as two people being just friends right off the bat,” said student Zac Villagran. “It’s usually best when both find other people and that’s when they can become the closest. Because they have cooled off, each can give one another the best advice, being as they know each other and can share the opinion of their sex.”

After the grace period is over and you’re capable of seeing your ex solely as a friend again, bear in mind that your ex will eventually date someone new.

Considering that this will most likely stimulate a significant amount of emotion within you once more, pull back on the reigns before you do anything vindictive such as slashing the tires of your ex’s car.

“If there was sexual chemistry

in the beginning, [it’s hopeless] to be friends, and if there wasn’t, why be in the relationship in this first place?”

Never assume that you are prepared enough to handle the feelings of jealousy or vulnerability that frequently emerges from these incidents.

According to Gillooly, the friendship is not as threatened if both parties have a significant other in the picture.

On the contrary, in cases where each individual has a new main squeeze to make the other jealous, the chances of being friends is highly unlikely.

Both are potential effects.

“I think that there will always be that ... awkwardness, said student Kymberh Fransisco. “I mean it’s possible ... but deep down inside there’s still that history. It really depends on the mutual understanding.”

I’m not going to lie and tell you I have become friends with every single ex of mine because that would be ludicrous. But for the exes I am still friends with, the hardship is worth it.

I have experienced that successful friendships can form following the end of a relationship. And only hurt feelings like resentment and denial stem from a tango-like dance of negative emotions.

If you want to stay friends with an ex, make sure that you have your best intentions at heart and aspire to make it work. Do not, in spite of this, commit if it’s an effort to keep tabs on your ex.

Whether that be in anticipation of winning them back or out of a sense of guilt from hurting the other person when you broke up with them.

Being a friend requires so much more.

“There is a certain amount of trust in being a friend,” said Gillooly.

A genuine friendship is the outcome of common interests and a mutual respect for one another, not a “shoulda, coulda, woulda” sense of guilt and rejection.

Before we break for the day, remember that deleting an ex is not a simple Facebook click away, that forgetting the time you shared is hardly possible and after devoting so much time to one another, being friends is worth your while. So don’t be wasteful.

No more button mashing on your calculator. Spit out your eraser. And realize the solution is right in front of your eyes so reach out and grab it.

Kate Krantz can be reached at kate_krantz@elvaq.com

10

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Art

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ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Gallery Opens Today

with New Student Show Opening today in the Art Gallery

ART AND SOUL: Art student Christine Menedjian lays down her three pieces of art in the Art Gallery, above; ceramics student Heather Rosenman, upper left, touches up her work before the show; Daniel Caballero and Zach Mendoza, bring their work to Mark Gens, the instructional technician. Standing with one of her paintings, is fine arts/printmaking student Nicole Petrou.

is a faculty-selected student show demonstrating how novice artists must learn the rules before they can break them.

The art faculty selected four students per instructor and each student brought three pieces to the gallery.

The exhibit includes painting, drawing, printmaking, design, sculpture, ceramics and photography.

Awards and scholarships will be presented during today’s 12:30 p.m. reception. Light refreshments will be served.

“All the work is brought here and I, with my partner Deborah Thompson, an art history teacher, made a show out of the gallery,” said Roger Dickes, the gallery director. “She does this because she loves to do it.”

“We try to be as inclusive as possible,” the director said.

“We try to exhibit a wide range of works to make a balanced show that works as a show. So it’s not something like a bubble gum pizza with peanuts on top and wheat germ on the side to make it healthy. We want something that works together in a compelling way. That is the most challenging part of organizing a gallery. It needs to flow and tell a story.”

Throughout the year the art gallery usually showcases outside artists, most of whom have master’s degrees in fine art.

“They have moved on from the traditional way of art-making approaches which frustrates people,” said Dickes. “They make projects out of 10,000 pennies for example. The artists do not typically do drawings and paintings.”

About the traditional-style work in the current show, Katelyn Dorroh said, “You have to know the rules before you break them.”

“Jazz musicians have to learn the classical before learning to play jazz,” said Dickes.

For shows during the regular year with established artists, there is usually a theme or multiple themes. “There has to be integrity in the presentation,” said Dickes.

Some of the artists in the gallery have worked with video.

In fact, in a gallery opening, one artist used inflatable mattress cushions to tip over a car. Another art gallery performance featured a body builder wearing handmade jewelry made by the artist. Many of the artists use materials such as steel and aluminum to produce the artwork.

“It is not our purpose to create problems, our purpose is to give artists a venue for doing things that are out of bounds or non-traditional,” said Dickes.

The gallery is planning a faculty show in the summer arranged by the arts faculty. Following that, there are two solo shows in the fall, one by a local L.A. artist and one from San Francisco.

“Both are concept-oriented artists who will do great things with this space,” Dickes said. “Generally, these types of artists do not paint. Students will look at something and say that this reminds them of this and that combined together.”

The art gallery has one student show every year and Dickes also mounts a three-week show with the advanced technology department division. It provides a space for the architecture program in an exhibition environment.

The student show runs through June 3.

Story by Luis Rodriguez Photos by Mario Camino

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Wednesday, May 11, 2011

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ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Dan Harmon Returns to the ‘Community’

By Alex Campos

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

D

an Harmon, creator of the NBC show “Community,” returned for the second time in a year to speak about his love for GCC. “I could not wait to come back” Harmon said. “It was the best experience I had interacting with students. This is the only place I’ve spoken at where no one asked me for a job. When I left, I came out on a super high.”

Harmon, who attended GCC for a semester and a half in 2003, loosely based his TV show on Glendale Community College.

This show is set in Greendale Community College, a fictional college in Colorado.

“I adore this campus,” Harmon said. He was 32 when he attended GCC, and said he wasn’t here worrying about credits. “I was here more for fulfillment.

This campus is very pristine.

Gorgeous, while practical.”

When I came up with the idea of setting a TV show at a community college, everyone immediately assumed I would

be making fun of community colleges,” said Harmon. “I have a tremendous amount of GCC pride. I went to Marquette [a fouryear school in Wisconsin] and I never talk about that.”

The show focuses on a group of students who formed a Spanish study group, led by disbarred lawyer Jeff Winger (played

by Joel McHale). Harmon’s inspiration for the show was set by his own study group.

“When I was in Professor Mauk’s bio class, I had nothing else going on and I was getting like an A+.” said Harmon. “Two guys came up to me and knew I was the guy getting all the A’s.

They asked me to help them study.

These guys just wanted to drain my nights. We were in one of the library study rooms studying and we all just got it at the same time.

We knew everything on the test, and knew that we were going to get A’s. I had never shared that relationship with complete strangers. Because of me, they were going to have a better day the next day.”

Harmon received a plaque for being GCC’s most intriguing

Photo by Kenta Yamashita

DUCK AND COVER: “Community” creator Dan Harmon used the campus as inspiration for his sitcom about community colleges.

alumnus and for “putting the Green in Glendale.” He also showed a then unaired episode of the show entitled “Applied Anthropology and Culinary Arts.”

He fielded questions, a received a large round of applause when he said “maybe I can make

a season three episode about the budget cuts.”

This lecture was put on by Mass Communication teachers Sharyn Obsatz and Mike Eberts.

“After the first time, [Harmon] had such a positive, nostalgic experience and it was nice of him to come back again said Obsatz.

“People pay money to see him speak. School and GCC are very special to him.”

“Television is important because it is as close to common American culture as possible,” said Eberts. “Being here on Hollywood’s doorstep gives us a definite advantage. I offer my students extra credit because I feel it is beneficial to hear tips and inspiration from someone with a successful TV show.”

This lecture was also a positive experience for students.

Armond Ghoorchian started watching “Community” before starting at GCC. “I had been in the music industry, and watching “Community” made me feel comfortable about going to a community college,” said Ghoorchian.

Elizabeth Zuniga, who attended the lecture only for extra credit, found herself in line for roughly an hour after the show to meet him.

“When he showed the episode,

I thought to myself that it was a very funny show,” said Zuniga. “I felt like what he was saying was very sincere. I just really wanted to congratulate him.”

Ghoorchian, Zuniga and many other people got their chance to talk to Harmon after his lecture.

The lecture started at 7:30 p.m and ended at around 9 p.m.

Harmon was there until roughly 11 p.m. answering questions and talking to people who were in the audience.

“I wouldn’t mind staying here until 1 a.m.,” said Harmon.

“I love that GCC students don’t immediately ask me for a job.

Instead they ask things like ‘How can I become a better writer?’”

Student Rose Petrosian told Harmon a story about her own study group. “We were in a study room and out of nowhere we all realized we loved “Community.”

We started assigning each other characters on the show. I was Britta.”

This season of “Community” wraps up on Thursday with part two of what is supposed to be an epic paintball finale. It will air at 8 p.m. on NBC. “Community” has been renewed for a third season.

Alex Campos can be reached at Alex_Campos@elvaq.com

stories • pics • sports at www.elvaq.com

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Wednesday, May 11, 2011

13

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

School Choral Fest Unites Voices in Song

By Erica White

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

W

alking down from the San Rafael Plaza Tuesday night, one might have thought they’d been transported back to–– shudder––high school.

A sea of cackling teens dressed in formal black gowns and suits huddled in groups around the stairs of the GCC auditorium May 3 for the 2011 GCC Choral Fest.

In the traditional style of most choral events, fashion was not the focus. Women always get the short end of the proverbial stick when it comes to dressing as a group, and this time was no different. The women of both GCC and Glendale High School wore drab ankle length black gowns that made even the prettiest look like puritanical Quaker women.

But talent was the saving grace to the fashion faux pas of the night.

GCC’s College Choir, conducted by Jayne Campbell, launched into Franz Schubert’s “Agnus Dei from Mass in Eb,” his closest attempt at opera. This was followed by a rendition of the poems by E.E. cummings “I carry your heart with me,” and “Soon-Ah Will be Done” arranged by David C. Dickau and William L. Dawson.

Bruce Mayhall was the adjudicator for the evening.

Mayhall gave the various

factions of the choir feedback and pointers to make their singing pop for upcoming performances.

There aren’t adequate adjectives to describe the artistry of the human voice in perfect pitch, tone and harmony especially when it’s combined with equally talented voices.

Glendale High School student Sofia Rezvani conducted the A Cappella Choir for its first number, Amor Vittoriso, written

by Giovanni Gastoldi.

Rezvani bounced up and down on the balls of her feet as she sent the choir through dips in crescendo and diminuendo.

She captivated the audience with her boundless energy. At the end of the A Cappella’s set Mayhall said, “Wasn’t Sofia great?” to which the audience replied with a resounding round of applause.

Rezvani graduates this year and will be attending UC Davis in the fall.

Grace Sheldon-Williams, choir director, said Rezvani will be missed, while Mayhall commented that UC Davis conductors will be very happy to see her.

The standout performances were the Glendale High School Concert Glee, an all girl ensemble, and the GCC Concert Singers who courageously belted selections from Carmina Burana

by Carl Orff.

The Concert Glee girls did a soft, soulful rendition of “Spiritual Medley” by Dan

Photo by Erica White

PERFECT HARMONY: The GCC Choral Fest is one of a number of concerts offered by the music department

this month.

Jackson, completed with rounds and rhythmic motion.

“OK that’s perfect,” Mayhall said. “You make it too easy.”

GCC student Kim Lim, 25, thought the music was wonderful.

“I really enjoyed the religious songs, those were the songs I loved the most because they brought my mind back to God,” Lim said.

Upcoming Music Events GCC Community Orchestra with GCC Concert Singers featuring Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana” Beth Pflueger, conductor Sunday, 3 p.m. Auditorium Stage General admission $10, students & seniors $7 GCC College Choir, Chamber Singers and Opera Vignettes Jayne Campbell, director

May 21 7:30 p.m. Auditorium Stage General admission $10, students & seniors $7 Choral works and opera excerpts.

GCC Concert Singers with GCC Community Orchestra featuring Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana” Peter Green, director [See Choir, page 14]

Faculty Instrumental Recital Inspires Musicality

By Christine Gillette EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

G

oosebumps covered the arms of the entire audience as Jungwon Jin’s fingers danced along the piano keys to Chopin when she opened for the Faculty Recital on April 28.

Jin, a piano teacher on campus, opened the recital with “Andante spianato and Grande Polonaise brillante, Opus 22” by classical composer Frederic Chopin, a song that instantly quieted the room and directed all the wandering eyes in the audience to her.

Music instructor Gregory Newton, piano teacher Brian

Hanke, and choir vocal coach Lori Ann Fuller joined Jin to present a recital composed of all music faculty members in the auditorium at 12:20 p.m.

The recital gave faculty an opportunity to showcase their talent to their students. Many students filled the auditorium to watch their instructors show off their skills.

Michelle Martinez, one of Fuller’s choir students, found the Faculty Recital inspiring and motivating for the students who are instructed by these professors.

“The faculty is very caring about their students and I really like how they got to shine for us after all the times they’ve

helped and taught us,” Martinez said. “I really enjoyed their performances.”

Fuller, a soprano who has performed internationally with such companies as Los Angeles Philharmonic and BBC Symphony Orchestra, sang Mauro Giuliani’s emotional “Sei Ariette, Opus 95” alongside Newton, who played classical guitar.

She gave an expressive operatic presentation of three of the six Italian songs of “Sei Ariette, Opus 95,” all songs having the theme of love and the woes of love.

Hanke finished the recital with a moving piano performance

of Chopin’s “Fantasy in F minor.” Like Fuller, Hanke has performed internationally and is an experienced composer, organist, soloist, and chamber musician.

Many students had been eagerly waiting to watch their teachers perform. One of the students, Amanda Rodriguez, is appreciative of the concern and care these instructors give to their students.

“Each one of the music faculty members have a lot of things to offer in their own field,” Rodriguez said. “They are always willing to help their students during their office hours.”

Rodriguez said that GCC

has a good music program that offers a variety of classes that are fundamental for music majors. She said it also provides an opportunity for non-music majors to develop music skills.

Fuller and Jin are also faculty members of Applied Music, a four-semester program that provides private instruction alongside the student’s recital class and performing ensemble.

The Applied Music program will have a recital on May 27 at 7:30 p.m. in the main auditorium.

Admission is free.

Christine Gillette can be reached at Christine_Gillette@elvaq.com

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Wednesday, May 11, 2011

www.elvaq.com

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT/REVIEWS

Wrap Express Is a Solid Option for Lunch

By Vaughn Lawrence EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

I

f you are not too wrapped up in your studies, take a break because there is a newly opened eatery located right across the street from campus.

Do not be afraid to walk past the Quiznos and Flame Broiler and try something new and different.

Wrap Express, which recently opened on North Verdugo Road, features crêpes and wraps.

This fast-food restaurant also offers curly and sweet potato fries, different combinations, gyros, burgers, kebab, soups, salads, and various sides such as baba ganoush.

The first and most obvious benefit that Wrap Express has is its close location GCC. Students

do not need to drive somewhere to get lunch, dinner or a snack in between classes.

From anywhere on campus, Wrap Express is no more than a 10-minute walk.

After arriving, one will see the squeaky clean decor. The cleanliness most likely stems from its recent opening, but it is nice to go somewhere that is well-kept.

The seating arrangement is not bad. There are a few black swiveling bar seats in the dining area and the rest of the seats are outside.

The outside seating includes tables that can seat two, four or eight. During the day outside seating can be an issue because of the weather.

Since the weather has been heating up there is a constant

need for shade. At Wrap Express shade is a precious commodity because not all of the tables are shielded from the elements.

Aside from the seating situation, Wrap Express has great service. The employees are friendly and eager to help.

The wait time for an order is not very long. After receiving a number, customers can take a seat and be greeted with their food within five or six minutes.

Since this is a wrap and crêpe restaurant, it seemed natural to order both.

A chicken wrap, sweet potato fries, fountain drink, and a huge crêpe cost around $15. Since most customers are not trying to get a taste of everything, one can expect to spend less than $10 easily.

The minimum price for a wrap

à la carte is $3.95, and the lowest price for a crêpe is slightly more expensive at $6.95.

The wrap, fries and drink all came in a combination, which helps to lower the cost.

The wrap itself was a chicken wrap. Inside of the pita bread was shredded chicken, chopped onions and tomatoes, lettuce and cucumbers. It was messy, but it was a nice change from a Quiznos sub.

This wrap is stock at best, and could be compared to vanilla ice cream. It can stand alone but a little more flavor or toppings would be necessary to have a euphoric eating experience.

A wrap from Zankou Chicken would blow this one off of its spinning rotisserie. The wrap from Zankou focuses on exactly what it should: the meat. The meat is decent and savory. The ingredients on the inside of the wrap work better together with the meat, making it higher quality.

The next item on the agenda is the crêpe. This crêpe is a Nutellaand-banana crêpe.

The crêpe is giant, warm and delicious. Something about warm nutella, bananas and whipped cream just worked.

Everything about this crêpe is fresh. The whipped cream was

nothing like what comes out of the average store-bought aerosol can. It is so much better.

This item is also so large that it could be shared between two people.

Eating this crêpe is like discovering candy. The discovery will lead to further crêpe eating investigations and occasional cravings.

Finally, the sweet potato fries were excellent. These fries are a nice change of pace from regular white potato french fries.

After also trying the Wrap Express curly fries, it is apparent that this restaurant has two strong fry choices available.

Wrap Express makes a seamless transition into the system of restaurants that surround GCC. This eatery has its strengths and weakness, but some of the gems like the Nutella-andbanana crêpe make it to being a good place to eat.

Overall, Wrap Express is just another good choice for the hungry college student.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

 Vaughn Lawrence can be reached at Vaughn_Lawrence@elvaq.com

Upcoming Music Events [“Choir,” from page 13] May 22, 4 p.m.

First Lutheran Church 1300 E. Colorado, Glendale General admission $10, students and seniors $7 Student Piano Recital Peter Green, coordinator May 22, 7:30 p.m.

Auditorium 211 Free admission Performers from the advanced piano classes and Green’s private studio.

Applied Music Recital Beth Pflueger, coordinator May 27, 7:30 p.m.

Auditorium Stage Free Admission Instrumentalist and vocalist from the Applies Music program perform.

Chamber Music Recital Theodora Primes, coordinator

May 31, 4 p.m.

Auditorium 211 Free admission Ensembles from the Chamber Music class perform.

Saturday Jazz Band and Vocal Jazz Ensemble Concert Craig Kupka and Clare Delto, directors June 4, 7:30 p.m.

Auditorium Stage General admission $10, students and seniors $7 GCC Jazz Big Band Concert Craig Kupka, director June 5, 4 p.m. Auditorium Stage General admission $10, students and seniors $7 Tickets for all events may be purchased at the GCC box office a half-hour before the performance.

Erica White can be reached at Erica_White@elvaq.com

www.elvaq.com

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

15

SPORTS

Finding Nemo on the Cheerleading Team

By Ashley Carey

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

A

mid the cornucopia of team sports offered at Glendale College, its award-winning cheer team is a hidden gem.

The Beach Boys once wrote, “be true to your school.” This spirited sentiment resounds in the creed of the Vaquero cheerleading squad.

“Being a cheerleader, you’re not just out there to go and do a routine,” said squad member Kevin-Anthony “Nemo” Zelaya.

“You’re out there to go and promote your school. The most important thing is school spirit.”

Zelaya is one of several males on the squad. With experience in sports like football and baseball, he says that cheerleading is the most physically demanding sport he has ever been a part of.

“This is unlike any other sport,” he said, wiping his sweatcovered brow. “It’s one team, one cohesive routine, and that’s it.”

Donning practice attire, the girls look like several variations of a workout Barbie. But their range of movement and physical abilities are something with which no Barbie doll could compete.

Smiling proudly with one hand on his hip, Zelaya suspends both feet of a girl in the palm of his outstretched hand. When the girl jumps to descend, so does Zelaya to catch her. Like most of his teammates, Zelaya majors in kinesiology, which is the science of human movement.

“I can’t say I know a cheerleader that isn’t majoring in kinesiology,” he said.

Zelaya’s plan is to graduate from GCC and go on to the University of Alabama, the school with the nation’s top cheerleading team.

“I actually just wanna be a sports physical therapist,” he said.

It’s not uncommon for an outsider to underestimate the challenge of cheerleading. Some stigma still exists in the way people perceive the sport, but things are looking up.

“Whenever I have someone tell me, ‘Hey, I see cheerleaders, and they’re just skirts and cheers on the sideline,’ I show them a little bit of the stuff I can do, and a little bit of the stuff my buddies can do,” Zelaya said.

Organizations like the Universal Cheerleader’s Association and the National Cheerleader’s

Photo by Kenta Yamashita

SCHOOL SPIRIT: Kevin-Anthony “Nemo” Zelaya is the anchor of the cheerleading team.

Association, together with ESPN, broadcaster of the national competition, are doing their part to represent the plight of cheerleaders as hard-working athletes.

The Glendale cheer squad has been featured in movies such as Bring It On, and in several nationally-broadcast television commercials.

The team returned in March from the Universal Cheerleader’s Association championship in Orlando, Fla., where they placed 8th in Small Coed Division II. “We will be back this year, and we’ll be bringing back a national championship banner for the gym here,” he said.

Zelaya’s advice those who might be interested in the sport?

Just try it.

“If you wanna be a part of Glendale College cheer, just come out. I have respect and complete admiration for anyone who tries to do what we do,” he said.

“If you can put on some shoes, and you have that want to go out there, then you’re a cheerleader in my book.”

Ashley Carey can be reached at Ashley_Carey@elvaq.com

Sarkissian and Campbell Sweep Ojai

By Nik Brkic

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

A

lex Sarkissian and Trevor Campbell dominated the Ojai Valley Tournament and made history by bringing home both the singles and doubles tournament titles.

“The Ojai”is an extremely prestigious tournament that has been going on for 111 years.

Sarkissian battled and won six straight matches to take the singles title. He joined Campbell to again win six straight matches to take the doubles crown. This was only the third time ever that one school has swept both singles and doubles.

“It was pretty physically demanding because I was playing 3 matches a day and on one of the days, I played 4 matches,” said Sarkissian.

Sarkissian said the tournament was physically and mentally brutal. “It was good to pull it through with a victory!”

said Sarkissian.

The singles competition was handled easily by Sarkissian.

He dominated every first set of his matches., winning them by a score of 6-2 or better. This is to be expected from someone who has faced players ranked as high as No.26 in the world.

Sarkissian and Campbell, the doubles team, were impressive in all rounds of the tournament but showed their dominance in the first two rounds. Their first round match was against Fisher/ Miyawaki of El Camino College.

They were dealt with easily with a score of 6-0, 6-1. In the second round, they beat the team of Bertram/Leo from Fresno City College 6-0, 6-1.

“Coach Bob (McKay) has a really solid program,” said Sports Information Director Alex Leon.

“This speaks to his ability to recruit.”

Campbell/Sarkissian were pressured in the third round.

They won the first set by only one break of serve 6-4. The next

set they trampled the team of Bragg/Valadares of Mt. SAC, taking the set 6-0.

Their fourth round match was a flip of the third. They beat Dias/Withana of Cypress 6-0 6-4.

The next two rounds involved first set tiebreaks, testing their grittiness and resolve. The first set tiebreak against Fischer/Sandry of College of the Desert was tight.

Campbell and Sarkissian pulled through and took the tiebreak 9-7. After that set, the spirits of the desert-walkers were broken.

The Vaquero team took the set 6-2.

The final match against Andrzejczuk/Keil-Long was the tightest of the tournament.

Campbell and Sarkissian played this team twice during the season, losing both matches.

This time, the Glendale duo was able to come through during critical points to win 7-6, 6-4.

Nik Brkic can be reached at nik_brkic@elvaq.com

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Wednesday, May 11, 2011

www.elvaq.com

SPORTS

Vaqueros Win WSC Conference Title [Baseball, from page 1]

The crowd went wild jumping up and down, laughing and applauding.

Glendale had blasted Bakersfield right out of the state conference.

“We were all focused in from the first pitch to the very last,” said third baseman Chapjian, who hit one grand slam last year.

“I just kept pushing myself to be better,” said Chapjian. “I practice as much as I can on the field, in the batting cages and in the weight room.”

But no player can win a ballgame alone. “It’s a full team effort getting runners in position and staying poised to do some damage,” said Cicuto.

The game’s action began when Bakersfield scored a run in the first inning by spraying two hits to right field. But starting pitcher Nick Woodward put a cap on the Renegades’ rally with two significant strikeouts followed by four routine innings.

Vaquero Josh Canales led off swinging in the third and sent Renegade pitcher Bryan Maxwell’s first pitch over the 330-foot left-field fence to tie it up, 1 all.

“I knew what he was going to throw me,” said Canales.

“He came with a slider down the middle, a little bit high. I was looking for a base hit, so it felt good when it went over [the fence].”

In the Glendale sixth, Erik Suarez was hit by a pitch.

Chapjian, who reached on a fielder’s choice, stole second before Spear drove him home with an RBI triple to the warning

“Team

track in right-center field.

“It [sure] boosted our momentum,” said Spear.

That’s when third-base coach, Alex Kocol, called for a squeeze play.

John Schwer laid down a picture-perfect, 10-foot bunt up the first base side; Spear, already on the move, scored easily.

The fans went wild.

“I had to get [the bunt] down to help the team,” said Schwer, who extended the Vaqs’ lead to 3-1. “I wanted to get it to the first baseman, and it was a fastball outside, which helped me out.”

When Nick Bozeman smashed a line-drive base hit to rightcenter, the excited fans cheered for more sixth-inning Vaq magic.

Pinch-runner Adam Ochart stole second, but Josh Canales’ long fly ball was caught to end the inning.

Cicuto put relief pitcher John La on the mound for the sixth and seventh.

C a r e f u l pitching, a strikeout and errorless Vaq fielding held the Renegades to only one run, a solo homer —Sako Chapjian by Renegade Elijah Trail in the top of the seventh. That made it 3-2 Vaqs.

In the Glendale seventh, Ryan Daniels reached on an error when Bakersfield shortstop David Pennington made a bad throw.

Vaq first baseman Ellis Whitman walked, and catcher Suarez singled to third to load the bases.

Chapjian then stepped up to the plate and waited for the right pitch.

It was a high fast ball straight up the middle. Chapjian cranked it deep to left; the outfielder headed

chemistry

is huge to winning games, and there’s a lot

love

on of this team.”

Photo by Mario Camino

GO TEAM!: Sako Chapjian grins ear-to-ear as Vaqs applaud his spectacular grand slam home run 330 feet over

the left-field fence. The four long-awaited runs sealed the win and capped off the regular season giving GCC the Southern division baseball title for the first time since 2002. back but stopped short. That ball was gone.

Immediately, the fans erupted with cheers and whistles as the whole team gathered around home plate to greet the runners as they cleared the bases. The final one to round third was Chapjian smiling from ear to ear. It was now 7-2 Vaqs.

“Sako [came] through for us again,” said Cicuto.

To make sure the Renegades’ final two at-bats were scoreless, Cicuto put Michael Noteware on the mound. His clear focus and three strikeouts won him his sixth save of the year.

Ochart and Daniels both doubled in the Glendale eighth adding one more run to the final tally, 8-2 Vaqs.

After the game, Bakersfield head coach Tim Painton congratulated Cicuto with a firm hand shake, a big hug and several minutes of praise for the coachof-the-year and his team.

Vaq pitcher La’s two innings were enough to credit him with the win, which made Glendale 2313 overall and 13-8 in conference games. Bakersfield fell to 20-16 and 11-10 respectively.

“It’s no real secret,” said La. “I’m just trying to throw strikes and be ahead in the count. In the last two games I only gave up two hits; they were both homeruns, but I mean… it feels amazing. I’ve never been on a championship team [before].

Holding his baby daughter, Samantha, Cicuto said, “The best part of the game was the flawless defense—no errors in the field,” said Cicuto. “We spend a lot of time on our defense and the

fundamentals of the game. That work comes through for you in the end.”

As a team, the Vaqs went through a lot of adjustments this year due to losing players from injuries that contributed to their mid-season losing streak.

“The whole team knew we had the talent to do better,” said Chapjian. “Team chemistry is huge to winning games, and there’s a lot of love on this team.

I’m blessed to be a part of it.”

Beating Bakersfield on April 28 qualified GCC for the Southern California Regional playoffs.

“We just have to keep on winning,” said Chapjian. “Just practice and think positive.

Baseball is a mental thing.”

The Southern California Regional playoffs against Cypress College were held at home on May 6 and 7. Glendale won 2-1 in games (1-7, 9-4, 9-8).

Winning this round of playoffs means this year’s Vaqs have made school history. No GCC baseball team has ever advanced this far in the regionals.

The super regionals begin Friday at Rio Honda College in Whittier. Glendale is now No. 5 in the southern conference and will face No. 4-ranked Palomar College.

For more information, readers can visit the Glendale College website, keyword: athletics. For complete play-by-play game and season stats, go to cccaasports.org.

Derek Stowe can be reached at derek_stowe@elvaq.com

Photo by Mario Camino

HOME RUN: Sophomore Sean Spear sails over home plate in April 28’s

historic game against the Bakersfield Renegades.

www.elvaq.com

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

17

SPORTS

Baseball Coach Chris Cicuto Honored title, which Glendale earned April 28 after beating Bakersfield.

The division coaches vote lendale was behind 8-6 in for someone who shows the bottom of the ninth in commendable leadership along the second game of Saturday’s with high ethical values as a role double-header playoff game model for student-athletes and against Cypress College at future professionals.

Coming from behind is Stengel Field when coach-of-theyear Chris Cicuto assessed his nothing new for a team that faced Vaqueros’ last chance to close the a roller-coaster season due to a string of injuries. But overcoming gap. It would take some doing.

Sako Chapjian homered to adversity is what it’s all about, left-center to make it 8-7, but and that’s what kept fans on the soon there were two outs. What edge of their seats throughout the could have easily been a Cypress day that started out with Glendale victory all boiled down to one one game behind in the best-outroutine throw for the Cypress of-three series. “Anything can shortstop, who up until that happen in baseball,” said Cicuto.

“Winning that [coach-ofmoment had fielded a perfect game.

But the ball just grazed the first the-year] honor is a testament baseman’s glove. It was too high, to the quality of our coaching allowing Glendale’s Sean Spear staff,” said Cicuto. “Without my to score from second and Josh assisting coaches, we wouldn’t Canales to safely reach second be in that [No. 1] position. It’s base. It was now tied up, 8-8. a shared award for sure. I’m grateful that the coaches of the Cheers boomed from the stands.

That’s when Chris Stroh league voted for me.”

Cicuto’s doubled up six-man the rightcoaching field line to s t a f f win it, 9-8, comprises and for the A l e x first time in Kocol, the Glendale infielders’ history, the coach who Va q u e r o s co-directs clinched the offensive first round of g a m e the regional strategy as playoffs. third base In the –Chris Cicuto coach, Brady midst of the uproar of cheers and ensuing Anderson (hitters), Ivan “Woody” flow of players and coaches onto Lopez (pitchers), Matt Stone the field was the proudest head (bull-pen and first base coach), baseball coach in the world, Chris Chris Casey (outfielders), and Jason Plourde (catchers).

“Coach C” Cicuto.

“He’s one of the most selfless “That’s why you play all 27 outs,” said Cicuto. “It’s like a guys that you’ll ever meet and chess match. As long as you cash it’s genuine,” said Kocol. “Other would monopolize in on certain opportunities, you coaches can win. Josh went hard on that control and grandstand to take all last ground ball and forced a wild the credit for what the team does throw, and Stroh came up with a offensively…. It’s a convergence of a lot of things. We have great big hit.”

Cicuto, 34, who was voted players this year and Coach C 2011’s coach-of-the-year by his has done a great job evolving as fellow WSC southern division a coach.”

Part of Cicuto’s job description baseball coaches, is the first Glendale coach to receive the is to help Vaqueros mature socially and academically so that they can honor since 2002.

Every year, the California attain an athletic scholarship to Community College Athletic a four-year college. He said, “A Association recognizes the top student-athlete should become a coach in each division. Typically, gentleman first, a good student the coach with the best record second, and a fine athlete third.”

The athletic program’s threeafter the regular season captures coach-of-the-year honors along fold mission was designed 30 with the WSC Southern Division years ago by former GCC football

By Derek Stowe

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

G

“A student-athlete

should become a gentleman first, a good student second, and a fine third.”

athlete

Photo by Mario Camino

WSC COACH OF THE YEAR: Chris Cicuto, with daughter Samantha, upholds the family’s coaching tradition.

coach, John Cicuto, along with former Men’s Athletic Director and PE Division Chair, Jim Sartoris.

John Cicuto is Chris’s father and the current director of the athletic department. He said, “It’s a joy to come to work every day and be able to spend time with your own son.” Chris is an onlychild and has learned a lot about coaching from his dad.

“Coach Cicuto has been extremely supportive on the field and off,” said third baseman Chapjian.

“Athletics give students a motive to stay in school and keep their grades up,” said Coach C. “Some kids need a kick in the butt; others really need a pat on the shoulder.”

Cicuto has had a positive impact on each and every player.

“I think Sako is a lot more disciplined [now],” said Geoge Chapjian, Sako’s father.

“We’ve been tough on Sako for the last two years,” said Cicuto. “And this year we didn’t have to be because he grew up.

He matured. He understands the value of academics and exemplary conduct on the field.

And athletically, his effort has always been strong.”

Cicuto was hired as an assistant baseball coach in 2000. He was the hitting and position coach.

In 2001, the Vaqueros won the WSC title while setting a school record in wins. In 2002, the team broke that with a record of

34-13, ranked fourth in Southern California.

Cicuto spent the summer of 2003 coaching for the Cape Cod League, the nation’s top Division I hitters for the Chatham A’s. So he had to fly back for his GCC interview. He was hired on the spot and has been the head baseball coach since 2004.

“Chris redesigned the entire athletic website,” said John Cicuto. “He has his roots here, and he really does the best he can for the college.”

“That’s just our whole life: baseball-football,” said Cicuto’s mother, Sally.

Cicuto grew up playing little league, high school and college baseball mostly because his father coached football in the fall but was free to take his son to baseball games in the spring.

Cicuto suffered a shoulder injury, however, that made him face a hard fact: he probably wouldn’t be signed by a pro ball club. That’s when he decided to get his bachelor’s degree in education from UC Riverside and his master’s from Azusa Pacific.

“When I was a teenager, I realized the allure of coaching when my father received a poem with the line, ‘A coach is like the father I never had’,” said Cicuto.

Since then his students have performed with more and more gusto giving Glendale improved season results and Cicuto more and more positive feedback.

“Coach C is one of the nicest

coaches I’ve ever had,” said second baseman Ryan Daniels, who is now in his third season with Cicuto. “He really cares about us. I’ve seen people 10 years after they’ve been here come back and act like they’re one of his closest friends.”

Thanks to its persevering, talented ball players and one of the best coaching teams in the state of California, Glendale is now fifth in the southern conference and will face fourth-ranked Palomar College in the super regionals Friday at Whittier’s Rio Honda.

“He deserves [to be coachof-the-year],” said Cicuto’s wife, Kelly, who accompanies him to every game. “I’m amazed and overjoyed at the same time. He and his team work really, really hard, and Chris loves his job.”

Together now eight years, Kelly and Coach C were married three years ago, have an 18-monthold daughter, Samantha, and are now officially expecting a second addition to the Cicuto family.

The best days are still to come.

For more information about Cicuto and his historic baseball team of 2011, readers can go the Glendale College website, keyword search: athletics.

To see the play-by-play game stats for all three playoff games versus Cypress, visit: http://www. gvcstats.com/cccaa/.

Derek Stowe can be reached at derek_stowe@elvaq.com

18

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

www.elvaq.com

SPORTS

Former Vaq Drafted by Panthers

By Alex Campos

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

A

lthough there may not be an NFL season due to the lockout, former GCC lineman Zach Williams’ NFL career has started.

Williams, who was an AllAmerican at GCC in 2008, heard his named called at the NFL draft on April 30.

Williams was the 203rd pick in the draft, the seventh choice by the Carolina Panthers.

Williams, the 6 foot 3 inch 309-pound center who played at Washington State, has been seen as a nice pick by the Panthers.

The nfl.com pick analysis labeled Williams as a “guy with a mean streak who could develop into something in the NFL.” Williams greatly benefitted from an impressive workout

at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Every February, the NFL invites draft prospects to Indianapolis to partake in drills and tests.

Williams was in the top 10 of all linemen in the 20-yard shuttle, 3-cone drill and bench press. He ran a 5.29 40-yard sprint, which was tied for 13th among linemen.

His former coach, John Cicuto, is now the head athletic director at GCC. He was more than happy about Williams’ selection.

“I was really excited about Williams being drafted,” said Cicuto. “He is probably one of the best linemen we’ve had at GCC in the last 20 or so years.

I watched a couple of his games on TV, against USC and UCLA. I felt back then, in October, that he had a good chance to make it to the NFL.” Cicuto also praised Williams off the field.

“He was a young man that came to us and did a great job academically, allowing him to get his associates degree and transfer to Washington State. In his two years here, he progressed greatly from freshman year to sophomore year. I had him projected to be an All-American, which is not easy to do. And he was unanimously voted an All-American.”

As for the draft, Cicuto said “I was not surprised at all that he was drafted. In fact, I would have been disappointed if he wasn’t.”

Current football players are also inspired by Williams’ story.

“I am so proud to be at the

school where an NFL offensive lineman went,” said freshman lineman Sam Campbell. “I am inspired because since this has happened I have so much hope that I will hear my name called at the Draft just like Zach did. I think he is an awesome man of character and so much talent. He is one of the many reasons that I am proud to be at GCC. Because of him, I have so much more confidence that I am going to achieve my goal.”

Williams is the first Washington State player drafted since 2008, and the first former Vaquero drafted since 1992. He

is the only current NFL player from GCC, although Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid and Oakland Raiders coach Hue Jackson are also former GCC football players.

Williams, did not return requests for an interview, played both center and guard at Washington State. He is expected to compete for the starting right guard position when football season resumes.

Alex Campos can be reached at Alex_Campos@elvaq.com

Vaquero Sports Summaries Scores Women’s Tennis:

Men’s Tennis:

April 28 — Doubles team of Samantha Sismundo and Sevana Zargarian made it to the round of 16 in Ojai Valley tournament.

Sismundo, Zargarian and Sindi Concebida all competed in singles and lost in the round of 32.

April 28-May 1 — Alex Sarkissian won the community college singles at the 111th annual Ojai Valley Tennis Tournament. Sarkissian and doubles partner Trevor Campbell also captured the doubles title.

Baseball:

For more information see: http://www.glendale.edu/athletics/

April 28 — beat Bakersfield 8-2 May 6 — Lost to Cypress 7-1

Upcoming Events

Credit: File / Washington State

ZACH PANTHER: Former Vaquero lineman Zach Williams who went on to play for Washington State is a draft pick for the Carolina Panthers. Coach Cicuto considers him to be “one of the best linemen we’ve had at GCC in the last 20 or so years.”

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Women’s Tennis:

Men’s Tennis:

Thursday-Saturday — State Championship TBA

tate Tournament at Thursday-Saturday — S College of the Desert

Men’s Track and Field: Friday — SoCal Prelims at Mt. Sac 10 a.m.

May 20-21 — State Championships at American River 10 a.m Men’s Golf: May 16 — State Championships TBA

Women’s Track and Field: Friday — Southern California Prelims at Mt. Sac, 10 a.m.

May 20-21 — S tate Championships at American River 10 a.m.

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Wednesday, May 11, 2011

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Calendar On Campus RALLY Glendale Community College — Help bring awareness to the local community about GCC. Rallies will be at the corner of Mountain Street and Verdugo Road. Banners and posters will be provided. Meet today and Thursday at 5 p.m. in front of SM267 (next to the upstairs cafe). For more information, call (818) 2401000, ext. 3033.

IOC Festival — Fundraising activities and more for GCC clubs.

May 24 in Plaza Vaquero from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.

Swap Meet — Upper campus parking lot. Sunday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5805.

MEETINGS Board of Trustees Meeting — Monday at 5 p.m. in Kreider Hall.

EVENTS

LECTURES

US Armenian WWII Veterans Commemoration — Guest speakers, food, drinks and music.

Thursday in Plaza Vaquero from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.

State of the College and Business Lecture Series — Superintendent/President Dawn Lindsay will give a state of the college address, followed by the business lecture: “Doing What You Love - A Formula for Success.”

The speaker is Betty Porto, vice president, Porto’s Bakery. Thursday in the Auditorium from noon to 1:30 p.m.

ASGCC Health and Safety Fair — Earthquake and smoking awareness presentations and a rock climbing machine. Tuesday in Plaza Vaquero from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Advanced Chess Spring Open — Swiss-style format, 5 rounds, 30 minutes per game. May 20 in the Faculty Dining Room from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Science Lecture Series — “The Science of Making Chocolate.”

Speaker is Scott Ionson, technical support specialist, Nestle Confections and Snacks. Tuesday in SB243 at 12:20 p.m.

THEATER Spring Student Showcase — Featuring original plays with student actors and directors, presented by the Theatre Arts Dept. Free in the Auditorium Studio Theatre.

May 18, 19 and 20 at 7 p.m. Limited seating.

Dance Performance 2011 — Directed by Lynn McMurrey and featuring GCC student dancers and choreographers. Dance Theatre, Sierra Nevada Gym. May 24 at 8 p.m. May 25 at 12:20 and 8 p.m. Free. Early arrival is advised. No children under 5.

MUSIC Glendale College Community Orchestra Concert — Conducted by Beth Pflueger with the GCC Concert Singers performing Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana.”

Auditorium. Sunday at 3 p.m.

General admission is $10 and $7 for students and seniors. For more information call (818) 2401000, ext. 5621.

College Choir, Chamber Singers and Opera Vignettes — The

performance will be directed by Jayne Campbell featuring choral works and opera excerpts. Auditorium Mainstage. May 21 at 7:30 p.m. General admission is $7 and $5 for students and seniors. For more information call (818) 2401000, ext. 5660.

Student Piano Recital — Students from advanced piano classes and Peter Green’s private studio will be performing. May 23 at 7:30 p.m. Auditorium room 211.

CAREERS National Nurses Week — Join the Nursing Department for “Research Across the Curriculum.” today from 1 to 4 p.m. in the Student Center. Snacks will be served. For more information call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5270.

SERVICES Evening Child Care — Services are available for 2 to 5 year olds.

Free or low cost. Monday through Thursday from 6 to 10 p.m. Offered by the Child Development Center. For more information call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5665.

MOVIES Friday Flix: — A screening of director David Lean’s 1957 film “The Bridge on the River Kwai” on Friday. Then on May 20: Director James Cameron’s 1997 film “Titanic (part 1).” Films are free at 12:30 p.m. in SG 334. Discussions led by instructor Mike Petros after the screenings.

PLANETARIUM “Evening with the Stars” — This planetarium show will introduce the stars, constellations and planets May 20 at 7 and 8:30 p.m. and May 21 at 6:30 p.m. No late arrivals. For information, visit www.glendale.edu/planetarium.

ART GALLERY Annual Student Art Exhibition — Features the best in student work painting, drawing, printmaking, ceramics, 2D and 3D design, jewelry and photography.

Artists reception is today from noon to 2 p.m. Gallery hours are noon to 6 p.m., Wednesday through Friday.

Around Town EXHIBITIONS “Stories to Watch: Narrative in Medieval Manuscripts” — The Getty Center. The manuscripts in this exhibition feature some of the ingenious methods that medieval illuminators used to depict the crucial factors of narrative.

Runs through Saturday. Museum hours vary. 1200 Getty Center Drive, Los Angeles. Admission is free and parking is $10 per vehicle. For more information visit www.getty.edu.

“Vija Celmins: Television and Disaster 1964–1966” — LACMA. This is the first exhibition to concentrate on Celmins’s early paintings and sculptures. Runs through June 5. Ticket prices and hours vary. 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. For more informa-

tion call (323) 857-6000 or visit www.lacma.org.

“Urban Asia: Photographs

by Kirk Pedersen” — Pacific Asia Museum. Featuring urban cityscapes throughout Asia including Japan, China, Taiwan and Malaysia. Runs through June 26.

Ticket prices and hours vary. 46 N. Robles Ave., Pasadena. For more information visit www. pacificasiamuseum.org.

MUSIC Molly’s Revenge — Caltech’s Beckman Institute Auditorium (Little Beckman). Playing bagpipes, alternating with whistles, furious fiddling, and intense guitar and Bouzouki. Saturday at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for children. For informa-

tion call (626) 395-4652.

GCC Concert Singers Spring Performance — First Lutheran Church. Led by Peter Green with the GCC Orchestra performing Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana.”

1300 E. Colorado St. May 22 at 4 p.m. Admission is $10 general and $7 for students and seniors.

For more information call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5621.

“Glendale Youth Orchestra Season Finale” — Alex Theatre. Dedicated young musicians (grades 6-12) perform Classical music in a formal setting under the leadership of Brad Keimach, a Juilliard-trained conductor who studied with Leonard Bernstein.

16 N. Brand Blvd. May 22 at 7 p.m. Tickets prices vary. For information call (818) 243-2539 or visit www.alextheatre.org.

Calabria Foti — Glendale Noon Concerts presents jazz vocalist/ violinist Calabria Foti and her husband, jazz trombone virtuoso Bob McChesney. They will perform material from the Great American Songbook and Broadway show tunes. Free in the Sanctuary of the First Baptist Church of Glendale, 209 N. Louise St. Runs from 12:10 until 12:40 p.m.

May 4. For more information call (818) 242-2113 or visit www.fbcglendale.net.

THEATER “First Annual High School Theatre Festival” — Pasadena Playhouse. Featuring eight local high schools, each performing a musical number from their school’s theater programs repertoire. Tickets $1. Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to

12:45 p.m. . 39 S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena For more information call 626-356-7529 or visit www. pasadenaplayhouse.org.

“The Eccentricities of a Nightingale” — A Noise Within. This Tennessee Williams original is directed by Damaso Rodriguez.

234 S. Brand Blvd. Runs through May 28. Ticket prices and times vary. For more information call (818) 240-0910.

WELLNESS Free Health Clinic — Open Tuesdays 5:30 to 8 p.m. or until full. 134 N. Kenwood St., third floor, room 330. No job or sports related physicals. For information call (818) 243-2105, ext. 202 or visit www.glendaleclinic.org.

Compiled by Richard Kontas

20

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

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VAQUERO VIEWS

Technology Fair Highlights Career Training Programs

Photo by Tex Wells

LIFESAVER: Kyle Morrell, Verdugo Fire Academy cadet, explains the function and operation of one of the most critical and sophisticated pieces of high tech equipment in the firefighter’s arsenal, the self-contained breathing apparatus. It carries the IDLH designation because it is turned to in instances of immediate danger to life and health. The tank, called “the bottle” by firefighters, has both visual and audio warnings that alert the firefighter to life-threatening situations and it is employed in atmospheric conditions that are too hot or smoke-filled for the firefighter to breathe on his or her own. It holds 21 percent oxygen and undergoes hydrostatic testing at fixed intervals. See related story, page 6.

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