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F.Y.I. Important Dates August is National Immunization Month September 6 Last day to drop full-term classes without a “W” appearing on transcript.

September 13 Last day to request Pass/No Pass (P/ NP) on courses marked SC (Student Choice).

Be involved in LMCAS The student government is a great way to get involved in the bustle of campus life. Come join the weekly meetings that take place ever y Monday from 1 to 3 p.m. The next meeting is September 9. For more information, stop by L105.

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A record-setting day More students walk during graduation than ever before SEAN TONGSON Staff Writer

Los Medanos College held its 39th annual commencement ceremony at the college’s football stadium on May 24. A total of 303 students walked, up from last year’s number of 242 students and 260 in 2011. This year’s increase to 303 students represents the largest student participation to date for Los Medanos College.

“The implementation of State mandated legislation around new limits on repeatability and the changes to LMC’s General Education requirements have combined focused students to work

towards completing degrees and certificates,” said LMC Vice President Kevin Horan.

“We expect the number of students completing degrees and certificates to continue to increase.”

The increase in the number of graduates can be attributed to the hard work the college has been doing in recent years to develop new ways to help support and enhance student success in an effort to help students reach their educational goals of a degree, certificate, or transfer to a four-year university. Some of these programs include the development of the Summer

Bridge Program last year, a four-week academy which focused on career, academic, and social success, as well as the formation of the Transfer Academy in 2011; which helps aide, guide, and accelerate students in their transfers to four-year universities. In addition, new student orientation and accelerated models in the Math and English curriculum were further developed and enhanced.

“I always find commencement exercises extremely gratifying,” said LMC President Bob Kratochvil. “There are many occasions to celebrate students’ successes, but gradu-

Photo by Irvin Trigueros

The passing of the diploma symbolizes the work and achievements of a student coming to fruition. ation is particularly wonderful because the students, faculty, staff, and family members are all present together to acknowledge and extend best wishes to the graduates.”

According to District Director of Communications

A close shave

By BRENDAN CROSS Staff Writer

Study abroad in Florence

Student Life and Blood Centers of the Pacific will be holding a blood drive on Tuesday, September 17 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It will be located in L109.

Donating blood offers an easy way to give back to the community.

Also, people who donate will learn more about themselves by receiving a free wellness screening.

The screening includes blood pressure, blood type, cholesterol and iron level tests. For more information contact the Student Life Office at 439-2181 ext.

3266 or sign up online at www.bloodheroes. com. Click on the link “Donate Blood” and enter the sponsor code losMC.

See GRAD, page 6

All-College Day a success

Having a “W” on your transcript is not appealing. If you receive too many, it could lessen your chances of transferring to a fouryear university. Keep in mind that the last day to drop classes in person is September 6. Also, the last day to drop a class on web advisor is September 8.

Time for a blood drive

Tim Leong, results are not just limited to Los Medanos College.

“We have heard from the colleges that the spring graduation ceremonies were some of the busiest in recent mem-

School year starts right

Don’t get too many W’s

The Contra Costa Community College District invites students to participate in the Study Abroad program.

Courses are taught by college professors and may be UC or CSU transferable.

If you are interested in this opportunity, contact the study abroad office at studyabroad@dvc.edu or visit at the DVC campus Room FO-219.

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Photo by Irvin Trigueros

A St. Baldrick’s Foundation member shaves the head of the joyful former Student Trustee Deborah Van Eckhardt during a cancer fundraiser at the end of last semester. See full story on pg. 3.

Three new deans ready to lead LMC adds to managment structure

CTE dean backed with experience

By RATTANA KIM

Editor’s Note: This is the first in a series of profiles of the new instructional deans.

Staff Writer

The Fall 2013 semester brings new changes, in which Los Medanos College welcomes three new instructional deans: Nancy Ybarra, Dean of Liberal Arts; A’kilah Moore, Dean of Math and Sciences, and Natalie Hannum, Dean of Career Technical Education and Social Sciences.

“I am excited about the individual and collective contributions that these talented educators will make to the LMC family,” said President Bob Kratochvil in an email he sent out to faculty and staff prior the deans’ assumed roles.

Ybarra, Moore, and Hannum joined the administration on July 1.

However, Moore and Ybarra have been a part of the LMC family for many years.

Ybarra came to LMC as a Learning Specialist in 1980.

“I tell my students I always wanted to be a teacher from the time I can remember at five years old,” she said.

She went on to become a par t of the English De-

By RATTANA KIM Staff Writer

Photo by Cathie Lawrence

Natalie Hannum is the new Dean of Career Technical Education and Social Sciences on campus. partment in the 1990’s as an instructor for Basic Skills courses. Ybarra has served in a variety of leadership roles throughout the years, such as Professional/Development/ Nexus Coordinator. She has been the Department Chair for English/ESL for the last three years. Ybarra has also held various statewide leadership positions, such as an instructor in the California Basic Skills Leadership Summer Institute and a member of the California Community Colleges Academic Senate Basic Skills Committee.

Another longtime faculty

member of LMC is A’kilah Moore, who has been a part of the Mathematics Department since 2002. The transition of being an instr uctor to becoming Dean has made it easier with the help of several leadership roles at LMC, such as Department Chair and Umoja Scholars Program Coordinator. During 2012-2013, Moore has served as the Interim Deans of Liberal Arts and Sciences. On a state-level, Moore has held presentations for conferences such as American Educational Research Association.

See DEANS, page 6

Natalie Hannum, Dean of Career Technical Education and Social Sciences, always felt that she had a duty to serve the public. Hannum had been the Captain of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection for 14 year before she moved into working with education.

“It was kind of an accident,” she said about being a firefighter. “I had an EMT card and I thought it was skeet control.”

Hannum, with shor t blonde hair, sat behind her desk in a red blouse and began unfolding her stories of many passions and experience.

Firefighting had fit very well. As a child, Hannum was quite active and used to being physical because See CTE, page 6

The Los Medanos College 2013 fall semester officially kicked off as faculty, teachers, staf fers and students alike joined together in the Recital Hall for Opening Day, Thursday, Aug. 15 to celebrate success.

As attendees signed in, made a plate of some of the delicious spread laid outside the Recital Hall, and made their way into the theater, they were thrust into the new year. LMC President Bob Kratochvil offered a prompt welcoming saying “Ever y single one of you plays a key role in the success of our students, and our institution, and we are connected by that common thread.” Then, a group of staffers, headlined by the ribbon-waving Drama Department Chair Nick Garcia, danced to “Bust a Move” which riled the crowd up and had everyone laughing.

After wards, six students told stories about their success at LMC. Tiffany Patterson is an unemployed single mom, but was “welcomed with open arms” after being out of school for a while. She, thus far, has attained a Liberal Arts degree in Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology, and hopes to transfer in the Spring 2014 semester.

Jason Baker, 48, was at the top of his career at Shell Oil Company, but wanted to come back to school. Los Medanos was actually recommended to him by some of his colleagues at his work. He pointed out his three keys to success: making friends, asking questions, and the staff being very helpful and behind him every step of the way. When talking specifically about his first key, making friends, he jokingly said, “The guy that sits four desks behind you that looks like he should be on ‘America’s Most Wanted,’ he’s the guy that just calculated relativity on a napkin, you want him in your study group.”

Xavier Travis is an art major who initially wanted to go straight to art school, but went to Los Medanos due to cost.

He thoroughly enjoyed his time on campus and hopes to transfer to California College of the Arts in Spring 2014, noting that getting to know See OPEN, page 6

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“Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.”

-Albert Einstein

Alexandra Tagliamonte

Christine Menchaca

AGGRAVATED ALEX

GUEST COLUMNIST

Media distorts women’s image

Take advantage of time at LMC

In today’s culture movie stars, performing artists and celebrities live under a microscope as their every move is a possible topic of media coverage.

And female celebrities get the brunt of the criticism.

From analysis of one tiny wardrobe choice or a simple comment thrown into an interview, the media and the whole world feel free to make comments about popular individuals they may have never even meet.

The clothes female stars wear are criticized to the last stitch of their dress, their hair must be pinned perfectly, their makeup flawless, their shoes stylish and glamorous, their accessories must match their outfit.

If these women show up to a red-carpet event looking less perfect, TV’s “Fashion Police” will mock those who beat to the rhythm of their own drum.

Of course there is also the obvious weight debacle that clings to any performer in the business, as if it is their main goal’s to keep a stable body image rather than hone their craft.

Pregnant celebrities who put on more baby weight than usual are mocked, even called ugly, mean, and rude names.

Kim Kardashian, for instance, has been made the butt of these jokes as of late, as her already voluptuous figure has been growing larger as has the fetus inside her.

You would think those who hold power in the media would be more considerate to someone’s feelings.

But this is not the case as Ms. Kardashian’s unflattering new figure has been made into so many GIFs (or animated slide images) over the internet lately.

This is not her fault, she is creating life, and yet people who do not know her act as if they are allowed to comment on her weight.

Why is this so?

I don’t see criticism of men’s weight on the covers of magazines. I don’t see men in the section of “What Were They Thinking?” a column wondering what whacky outfit stars are wearing yet its all women, all the time, everyday.

If a female star was caught in this, admittedly, less glamorous pairing she would be ridiculed.

She would be deemed a “hot mess” by the press, and the professionals behind the paper would scheme as to whether or not there was something actually wrong with her, she must be going through a divorce, drama on the set, or have body image issues surfacing, all examples to blame her for not looking her absolute best.

Celebrities are people and people make mistakes.

For instance, in 2010, “Twilight” actress Kristen Stewart came under a lot of fire for her comparison of paparazzi and rape.

“It’s so... the photos are so… I feel like I’m looking at someone being raped. A lot of the time I can’t handle it,” she said in the July edition of British Elle magazine.

After this statement was released, hate for Stewart grew like wild fire, the internet lashed out, television talk shows made it into a bigger deal than it actually was, and she became the punch line for many late night comics’ TV programs. Rape Crisis Groups demanded an apology from the then 20-year-old actress.

Even when Stewart did apologize for her questionable comments, the media and fans all over the world still regarded her with less respect, and everyone has an opinion on her even after she admitted she said something wrong.

Women are unnecessarily held to a higher account than men in the showbiz industry, perhaps because so many young girls emulate them.

However they are not perfect, nor do they intend to be, so let’s cut them a break.

From the moment I arrived at LMC in the fall of 2011 I was determined to leave.

I was determined to fulfill my two years at the community college level as quickly as possible and transfer to a four-year university, without ever looking back.

I wasn’t interested in joining clubs or getting involved in the campus community.

I wasn’t really even interested in meeting new people or making new friends. I kept my head down, pushing forward — passing classes and earning credits. All I wanted for most of my time here was simply to transfer and move on.

Now I am headed to UC Berkeley this fall as an incoming transfer, and as I take a look back on my two years at LMC all I can think is that I wish I had done things a bit differently.

Last spring semester was one of my most active and enjoyable, as I became more involved in campus life.

I attended my first Mustang’s sports game, became involved with the campus newspaper , The Experience, attended one of my first school plays, and even took my first steps into the CORE and the Transfer Center, resources I wish I had used from the beginning.

Now I am left wondering: why did I wait until my last semester here to discover all the wonderful programs and activities LMC has to offer?

The answer for me, and I believe may be for some others, is that I had a hard time seeing LMC as anything more than a stepping stone to a “real” university. I knew that there were clubs, fundraisers, events, and student resources, but I never felt the need to get involved. I didn’t understand what LMC had to offer me other than transferable units.

I wish I had, because the fact is that LMC has several programs and institutions that cannot only aid the average student, but also make going to school here a lot more fun.

The staff and faculty are always friendly and actually seem to care how you are doing. Sports games are competitive and exciting to attend.

I once talked to a student working in the Student Life Center, and he described to me how frustrating it was that more students did not take advantage of the many resources it has available.

And according to statistics gathered by the California Community College Task Force, only about half of “degree-seeking students ever achieve a certificate, degree, or transfer preparation” at a California community college, and of those students “seeking to transfer to a four-year institution, only 41% are successful.”

These statistics are shocking, but how many students could have done a lot better if only they would have asked for help from one of the numerous resources available on campus?

How many times have our history and English teachers bombarded us with the familiar, “if you need help with your papers, go to the Reading and Writing Center or the CORE!” I know, personally, that my experience navigating through the muddy waters of transferring would have been a lot simpler, if I had only taken a step into the Transfer Center before my last semester.

Students need to stop “not taking advantage” of all LMC has to offer.

So my recommendation for an incoming LMC student, fresh out of high school and ready to speed through these halls rushing to transfer is to slow down, look up, and get involved.

Not only will you find your community college experience more rewarding with memories you can always look back upon.I wish someone would have told me that two years ago.

Cartoon by Janet Azehko

EDITORIAL

Respond carefully to crisis

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resident Barack Obama, the nominal leader of the free world, and his cabinet are considering an “appropriate” response to Bashar Assad is reported use of chemical weapons against some of Syria’s citizens. Let us hope those urging what Oliver Knox termed, “a shot across the bow,” for Yahoo News remember Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

If this name is not familiar to you he was the heir presumptive of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1914 and was assassinated by Gavrilo Princip. Princip probably never considered when he pulled the trigger that World War 1 would come as a result, but with the complex web of promised mutual support between empires this is exactly what came to be.

It is in World War 1 the horror of chemical weapons was learned. At the closing of the long, grueling war full of atrocities and attrition it was decided by nations these weapons were not to be used again.

It can be argued World War II came about as a direct result of the failed peace process of World War I. If this belief is subscribed to, then the horrors of nuclear bombs and the Holocaust can be traced back to Princip’s bullet as well.

A response should be made to Assad’s attacks because inaction such as that of European leaders to Hitler’s early aggressions can also lead to devastating consequences.

Suggested options include air strikes, ground troops or arming opposition forces. Air strikes and arming the opposition both represent the least danger to American lives, but both can antagonize the situation, and the latter often leads to problems down the road such as supporting the Afghanistan freedom fighters against the then - USSR, which used those skills against America.

According to the Knox article, Obama is looking for a tailored response meant to not lead to a protracted struggle such as what occurred in Iraq.

There are times one shot aimed to accomplish one goal can have drastic ramifications. The danger posed by the use of chemical weapons is a global threat. The response should come from as many global leaders and their people as possible. The United States should not act as the world police, rather the outrage should come from all. Let the people of Syria say we will not accept these atrocities, and let any aid we give be to stand solidly with them to help their voices be heard.

Let us all remember the Archduke, the bullet of Princip and the waste of life, which came from one action and led to so many more.

EDITOR’S NOTE

New school year brings promise A new school year is upon us as students may There will also be online exclusives posted be roaming these halls for the first or last time. periodically throughout the semester. The A new year signifies being one step closer to online edition will also offer things the print the promise and hope of ultimately reaching the edition cannot, such as video and audio clips potential we are all capable of interviews of students of as students. and staff or events such as The promise we hope concerts and sports, as well to keep as the Experience as photo and sound slides. student newspaper is the deWe look forward to prolivery of accurate, important viding everyone with the and relevant information to news they need here at the BUSTLING B all of our readers.

Experience.

We hope to continue to We encourage anyone expand our readership and communication with with any questions, comments or story ideas our readers via the online edition, which you to contact any of our editors or other staff. can find at lmcexperience.com and through a Please send to Brendan Cross, Experience, Los more significant social media presence.

Medanos College 2700 E. Leland Rd., Pittsburg, One specific goal for us this semester is to CA 94565, or bcross@lmcexperience.com. post at least one new news story to our webAlso, feel free to bring your ideas into the site each school day so readers get timelier Journalism lab, located in the College Complex, information.

Room CC3-301.

Brendan Cross

READER OPINION POLICY

The Experience welcomes Letters to the Editor and Guest Columns. All members of the Los Medanos College community — students, faculty and staff — are encouraged to write.

If you are interested in expressing your opinions on campus, national or world issues, bring your submissions to room CC3-301 and put them in the Perspectives Editor’s mailbox or mail them to Experience c/o Los Medanos College, 2700 E Leland Road, Pittsburg, CA 94565. You may also send them electronically through the Experience online newsite lmcexperience.com.

Letters and columns must be typed, signed and include a phone number for verification. They may be edited for clarity, content taste and length at the editor’s discretion.

Voices

LOS MEDANOS COLLEGE

Experience

What bad habits would you like to overcome to be successful?

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“I would like to overcome is procrastination.”

— Ali Cameron

“...The lack of studying. I want to get better at studying what my test is.”

— Felix Rataiya

“The bad habit I would like to overcome this semester in college is the fact that I stress myself out.”

— Erin Lutjens

“The inabillity to respond quickly to questions of a personnel nature.”

— Ken Alexander

“I tend to focus on one class instead of all of them, and I get disorganized with catching up with other classes .”

— Michelle Diaz

“My worst bad habit is my inabillity to go bed, which makes it harder for me to get up in the morning.”

— Martin Guzman

“Were it left for me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.”

— Thomas Jefferson

Editor-in-Chief .................... BRENDAN CROSS Perspectives Editors......... VANESSA FLORES and JAZMINE GORDON Campus Editors .................. JOSEPH DELANO and ALEXANDRA TAGLIAMONTE Features Editors .......................RATTANA KIM and STEPHANIE PATTISON Sports Editors .......................LUKE JOHNSON and DAKOTAH ZABROSKI News Editor ....................... HILLARY HETRICK Photo Editor ....................... IRVIN TRIGUEROS Web Editor ................................. JESUS CHICO The LMC Experience is published Fridays by students in the Journalism Program. The newspaper serves both as a laboratory for journalism classes and as a First Amendment forum for campus communication. Opinions expressed in the Experience are solely those of the students and do not represent the views of the college.

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“Men must live and create. Live to the point of tears.”

— Albert Camus

Coming back to school is tough Reasons not

to be fearful

By ALICIA ALM Staff Writer

Photos by Irvin Trigueros

Student and cancer survivor Karen Hernandez wears a smile as she sheds a joyful tear while getting her head shaved.

Bald tears of courage St. Baldrick’s fundraiser a shear success

By SAMANTHA ACOSTA Staff Writer

For many women, their hair is the defining element that helps them feel beautiful. As for others, including men, it’s an accessory or a part of their personality that helps them feel whole. So what about those who don’t have hair due to hair loss as a result of cancer treatments?

Student Karen Hernandez organized a head-shaving event at Los Medanos College late last spring to raise money for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, a childhood cancer research organization. She helped raise more than $3,000 for St. Baldrick’s, more than her original $1,500 goal, with the help of the 33 men and women who participated and had their heads shaved on May 14.

The event began with a powerful message from Hernandez, who was the first to have her head shaven.

“This event has personal meaning to it because I know what it’s like to lose my hair,” said cancer survivor Hernandez to the crowd. “I didn’t feel pretty.”

As the clippers started to buzz she teared up but smiled through the haircut as the crowd cheered her on. “They’re happy tears” she joked as her family watched from the side.

Her message helped set the mood for others, and even inspired even those who hadn’t planned on cutting their hair, to participate.

Several participating profes-

sors helped gather a crowd.

Each teacher set a different financial goal for him or her to meet in order to shave his or her heads. All the goals were met and each staff member saw their locks fall to the ground.

Astronomy Instructor Scott Cabral, who had his head shaved, even made a donation so that he could see Drama Instructor Nick Garcia shave his head and beard. Garcia had set an extra goal to shed his beard.

“Shaving your head is a sign of solidarity and it’s for a good cause,” said Speech Instructor Kasey Gardner.

A variety of people showed up to support the event from faculty and staff to students and cancer survivors.

Clarissa Ford, a cancer survivor, also went to suppor t the cause. “It was hard going through that as an adult, so it must be hard for the children,” said Ford. “It’s a wonderful cause.”

Student Trustee Deborah van Eckhardt had her head shaved and recalled a time when she was in college helping someone through a difficult treatment.

“You look at life and see the things that are important,” she said as “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” played in the background, a song that reminds van Eckhardt of her experience.

Hair stylists from Latinos Hair Salon cut the participants’ hair.

They also helped raise money with raffle tickets as well as the food and drinks being sold.

Drama Instructor Nick Garcia, above, sports a playful grin while getting his head buzzed in support of the St. Baldrick’s Foundation during an event at the end of Spring semester.

Astronomy Instructor Scott Cabral, left, also sits in to volunteer what little hair he had left.

Can you remember one of the most stressful times of your life? What about the first week of school? Students roam unfamiliar halls in search of their new classes. During the first week of school, students are familiarizing themselves with campus life and their homework.

Some students are not fully prepared to start school and have to wait in long lines to clear things up with admissions or financial aid.

Students are not the only ones on campus who had to prepare for this week; teachers and counselors did, too. Everyone on campus has their own version of the first week of school; each person has their own stressors and objectives.

Los Medanos College student Paul B. expressed that preparing for school as a student can be stressful financially, “What stresses me the most about the first week of school is coming up with the supplies.” Many classes require textbooks that can be purchased or rented from the school bookstore. Some common items that students can purchase before school are paper, writing utensils, calculators, binders, protractors, notebooks (for each class) and more.

Luckily, LMC has a program known as Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) that helps students get school supplies and offers personal counseling if they meet the eligibility requirements.

Some students are more concerned about financial aid while others are concerned about the social aspects of school. Shelby Zobb, a freshman at LMC has experienced stress this week for a different reason. “I don’t really know anyone on campus and there are a lot of crowds,” said Zobb. Being new on campus may seem intimidating for students.

The first week of school may be stressful for students, but how does the staff feel about it? LMC’s theater professor Robert Broadfoot provides some insight into what educators have to deal with during the first week of school. “It is usually hard to get out of vacation mode, there are teachers I know that come back from vacation early to prepare for fall or spring classes,” Broadfoot explained.

Students aren’t the only ones nervous about starting class. “Yes, I’m nervous and I know that it is normal to want to suppress it. As a teacher I want to give the image that I am in command and in control, but sometimes I don’t feel that way. That is my experience; I’m not sure about other teachers.” It is understandable that standing in front of thirty or more students and not knowing what to expect can make a person nervous.

The students for the class change each semester, the instructor has to learn what works for each group of students. Teachers also need to set aside time before school starts to prepare the course syllabus.

As a theatre instructor, there are times in the semester to look forward to. “There are a few plays I’m looking forward to in the syllabus that are exciting to me. I have some See TOUGH, page 6

Orcutt goes above and beyond Model student reaches goal

By STEVEN LUKE Staff Writer

It’s not often that a high school student athlete plays multiple sports and moves on to college to become an academic scholar. That is the case with Chris Orcutt, who went from just getting by in high school to being the only two-term president of the Honors Club.

Orcutt did not pay much attention to academics in high school, he did just enough to get by. To him the wrestling, diving and football teams were more important.

“I kind of did as least as I could just to slide through,” he said, but now he looks back at his sports accomplishments and, “I kind of see that as irrelevant now, because they were so long ago.”

For him college was a new start to his academic career, and thanks to a friend who dragged him along, his college career started with the Honors Club, and now continues at UCLA where he is a new transfer student.

But to understand Orcutt, you have to

understand where he came from.

Orcutt is the eldest of three boys and went through what he called a typical middle-class life, growing up in Antioch.

He had to be strong for his brothers as his parents each have now been married and divorced twice.

His time on the diving, wrestling and football teams gave Orcutt a lot of experience in sports that require leadership skills. That experience, plus being the eldest of three, may have been a factor in making Chris the leader he was in the Honors Club.

In a meeting for the Honors Club last spring, Chris took his spot at the front of the room. He stood there tall, slim surveying the room before he sat atop a desk, high above everyone else. He passed out the agenda and spoke calmly, quietly and confidently as he went over the list, but while he spoke he clicked his pen relentlessly showing a slight nervousness.

The nervous tick is not something that slows him down though. He worked through his nervousness as he ran down the list point by point, and the group decided how they wanted to set up the end-of-the-year party. He led the meeting flawlessly, even asking one member

of the group to turn off the volume on her computer as she took notes. The meeting ended as he called for a vote and the group decided on the spot and the budget for the event unanimously.

This is a small example of the leader he became at LMC. Mitch Schweickert, a recently retired chemistry professor, describes Orcutt as a leader who has a good idea of what he wants done.

“He is a quiet but effective leader,” he said adding that he, “Leads by example.

Does things the way he thinks they should be done.”

But the Honors Club is only a small part of what Orcutt did on campus. He was also a tutor for math, engineering & science achievement, the math lab, helped found the LMC branch of Circle K and was on the winning team in the annual Academic Competition two years in a row.

His life at LMC consisted of spending 12 hours a day on campus because of all of his extracurricular activities. This didn’t leave a lot of time for him to spend with his family and girlfriend, so when he found free time, he spent it lounging and enjoying time with them.

For him, all the extra activities were See CHRIS, page 6

Photo by Steven Luke

Chris Orcutt leads a Honors Club meeting last Spring.

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“Rock is so much fun.

That’s what it’s all about — filling up the chest cavaties and empty kneecaps and elbows.”

— Jimi Hendrix

Chassé the dream

MARQUEE

Teacher balances passions

By RATTANA KIM Staff Writer

Photo by Curtis Corlew

Erin Willis is the subject of Curtis Corlew’s entry for the LMC Staff Art Exhibit.

Catch ‘Roll Call Deux’

The Los Medanos Faculty and Staff Art Exhibition, Roll Call Deux, will open in the LMC Art Gallery Sept. 3. It will showcase the creativity of members of the LMC staff.

The gallery, which is located on the first floor of the Library building, will be open for viewing every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday fom 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. and 4 to 6 p.m. Be sure to catch the show before it ends Oct. 3.

For more information, contact gallery curator Judy Pettite at Jpettite@losmedanos.edu.

‘Most Wanted’ at Pavilion

Looking for some entertainment? “Americas Most Wanted” festival, featuring rap artist, Lil Wayne, rap artist and reality show personality Ti, and artist 2 Chains at the Concord Pavilion Friday, Aug. 30 at 7:30 pm.

It’s not to late to get your tickets. They can be purchased on ticketmaster.com, ranging from $58.00-$112.00. For more information visit ticketmater.com or you can reach the Concord Pavilion at 676-8749.

Save the elephants

March for Elephants is a worldwide event that is taking place Friday, Oct. 4. It will be located on Portsmouth Square at 733 Kearny St. in Chinatown.

The object of the march is to help raise awareness about ivory trade. For the past 35 years, people have been killing elephants for their tusks. The organizers of the event say that if people don’t put an end to the ivory trade, elephants could become an endangered species.

If nothing is done,the elephant could become extinct.

Save an elephant and say. A world without elephants is like a song without a melody. Join the march to end the slaughter of these mighty and majestic animals.

Movies

Coming soon Q “Riddick” Rated R , Genre: Action, Adventure, Sequel, SciFi Q “A Teacher” Not Rated, Genre: Drama Q “Adore” Rated R, Genre: Drama, Foreign, Adaptation Q “Fire in the Blood” Not Rated, Genre: Documentary, Foreign Q “Good Ol’ Freda” Rated PG, Genre: Documentary, Biopic, Music Q “Hell Baby” — compiled by Hillary Hetrick from press releases and staff reports

Margaret Kenrick, Biology professor at Los Medanos College, began dancing ballet at the age of 4. “My parents took me to see the ‘Nutcracker’ and I thought to myself, ‘I can do that,’” she said.

Ever since, ballet has played an important role in her life.

Sitting at her desk, stacked with textbooks and notebooks, was a red-headed woman in glasses and a comfy green cardigan. As she took a trip down memor y lane, there were plenty of laughs, smiles and a few tender moments.

Kenrick’s face lit up every time she delved into her past and present ballet years.

After taking one class at Riverside Ballet Theatre, Kenrick said she “never stopped.” She made it through Creative Dance and was on point by the age of eight. Being able to pick up and perfect ballet so quickly was partly due to her tall stature, she said laughing.

“Dancing was my outlet,” she explained. “It’s artistic, a physical endeavor, and beautiful. It takes the stress away in life.”

Kenrick began performing professionally for Pacific Northwest Ballet and Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre in her twenties.

She traveled throughout the United States, especially the East Coast and appeared on stage in major venues such as the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. When Kenrick and her ballet theater company performed Swan Lake in Miami Beach, the dancers were forbidden to go outside. They could not become “sunburned swans,” she recalled.

Due to ballet being precise and a lot of work, Kenrick trained an intense six days a week. Instructors were often domineering and constantly yelled at the dancers, bringing down their self-esteem.

“Thank goodness my mom is a nutritionist,” Kenrick said.

“I grew up around anorexics and bulimics.”

Kenrick’s parents also helped her to keep on track with her education. Because ballet is a tough environment, her parents were skeptical about allowing her to participate. Although

Photo by Valley Dance Theatre

Margaret Kenrick stands on point for a promotional shoot for the Valley Dance Theatre’s seasonal production of Carmen in 2011. they were concerned about her academics, Kenrick made a deal that she would focus on her studies if she could dance.

She kept her promise and earned high grades throughout her school years.

That wasn’t the only challenge. Due to the fact that her hips are tighter than the average person, she had to work significantly harder. Surgery was an option but her parents refused to take that route.

Because Kenrick loved ballet, she learned to work with her condition but always refused pain medication.

Unfortunately, Kenrick’s ballet career ended after touring with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. She was hit by a car and the accident herniated a disc in her lower back just

two weeks before she began her undergraduate studies at University of California, Los Angeles.

Like her father who was an agriculturalist, and her mother who was a nutritionist, she pursued the sciences at the suggestion of the chairs of the Biochemistr y and Biology departments of UCLA. Kenrick went on to earn a B.A. in Biology at UCLA and then a M.A. at University of California, Riverside.

Soon after, Kenrick began working in biotechnology.

She’s currently at Genentech, a biotechnology company that develops medicines to treat patients with serious or life-threatening medical conditions. Due to arthritis, Kenrick stopped working in

the labs and is now managing the research programs.

“That’s why I’m always dropping things in class,” Kenrick said with a laugh.

Even though arthritis makes it difficult to keep dancing, Kenrick continues to keep ballet a part of her life. Whenever she is not instructing students in Biology at LMC or looking over the research studies at Genentech, she is teaching at Benicia Ballet School.

As the director of the dance school, she is highly selective and careful of hiring challenging yet positive instructors.

“Be challenged, not overwhelmed,” she said.

Kenrick wants her students to succeed without the negativity she experienced as a dancer.

See BIO, page 6

Saint’s Row delivers again New edition impresses gamers

By DAKOTAH ZABROSKI Staff Writer

Music festival rocks SoCal audience

By HERBERT MORALES

Staff Writer As the sun went down on the last night of the FYF and the Los Angeles skyline glistened on the backs of attendants from across the country, everyone put their drinks down and hands up for the final acts.

Festival season was drawing to a close on the West Coast after Outside Lands, Coachella and FYF were nearly over and academics were starting for the majority of attendants.

Most attendants walking around were ecstatic to be able to see a lineup as starpacked as FYF’s, and were a bit frustrated at how many great bands were playing at the same time. It led many festival goers to have to decide one band over another.

Amy Perez traveled from Arizona to the festival. She did not mind paying the price of admission and travel fare for the chance to see her favorite bands, MGMT and Devendra Banhart, all in one place

for two days.

The current situation involving festival prices sharply rising due to increased attendance, she said, “It was necessary due to the increased security and medical personnel, which were seen frequently helping attendants with sprained ankles or suffering dehydration because of the heat of the Los Angeles sun or the humidity everyone in the front rows of any band’s set had to endure.”

Mark Felton, a Los Angeles local, noticed the huge rise in attendance numbers and found it great that the festival did everything possible to make it as safe and fun as it could be.

Although he did not like that he had to choose between the bands, Washed Out and Shlomo, he at least had the choice to see them both on the same night. He said it was great seeing West Coast talent playing in festivals more often.

Some of the bands are Joyce Manor from Torrance, The Oh Sees from San

Francisco, and Ty Segall from Orange County played in front of packed crowds.

Many attendants were seeing these bands for the first time. After the sets ended, many in the crowd rushed to the merchandise tent to buy shirts or albums.

Some of the attendees were even in their own bands and hoped to one day to be able to play in front of crowds as big as these. They gave out CD’s with their band’s material on them.

The West Coast’s music scene is getting stronger with the rise of the music festivals and ease of sharing their material through music hotspots, such as shows and the internet.

As My Bloody Valentine took the stage as the final act of the night, the crowd of 20,000 swarmed the stage and swayed like an ocean to the massive drone sound coming from guitars. Everyone got lost in the sea of crowd-surfers and iPhones rose from the massive crowd to remember the night.

Saint’s Row IV is the fourth game in the series and it does not disappoint. It was developed

by Volition, Inc. and published

by Deep Silver. It is available to play for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3.

I played it on the Xbox 360.

After playing the first three games in the series I was unsure how the series would continue but Volition, Inc. delivered and made an outlandish but addicting sequel.

Saint’s Row IV is a third person game with an open world map to explore. You play as the leader of the Third Street Saints who does things his own way and doesn’t take crap from anyone. You start off with the fact that your gang from the previous game became so popular and notorious that the leader of the Saints gains national attention. In fact, it is so much attention that the leader of the Saints eventually becomes the President of the United States.

As if this isn’t unbelievable enough already, an alien em-

peror by the name of Zinyak attacks Earth and takes many people prisoner, including the leader of the Third Street Saints and his cabinet members.

This is the point where the game really takes off and the action gets started. Emperor Zinyak holds everyone in a simulation with their worst fears using alien technology.

The catch being that once you overcome your nightmare, you have the ability to gain superhuman powers such as super speed or telekinesis.

The leader of the Saints is a self-proclaimed badass and overcomes his nightmare, which is not being with his gang members. Early on he overcame it and gained his superhuman powers.

See SAINT, page 6

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“Pressure is something you feel when you don’t know what the hell you’re doing.”

— Peyton Manning

Paintballin’ like it’s nothin’ Torres steps up his game

By CHRISTINE MENCHACA Staff Writer

As balls of paint fly past him like bullets, some traveling at a speed of almost 200-300 feet per second, LMC student Carlos Torres completely forgets the world around him. School, work, relationships fade away in this moment as Torres scrambles on all fours in the middle of a field, ducking behind inflatable bunkers for cover.

All he hears is the call of his teammates; all he sees is his next target or move. Carlos Torres is absorbed in the game of paintball.

Torres, 22, currently majoring in communications at LMC, is an athlete on the brink of professional success in the sport of paintball.

Torres plays and coaches for Oakland Fuzion, a semi-professional paintball team based in Sacramento that plays in tournaments throughout the nation. Torres’ desire to play professionally in the sport has made his life characterized by intense dedication and ongoing personal sacrifice. When not playing paintball and attending classes, Torres dedicates his time to filming and editing videos for his production company, Canadiamedia.

Born in Canada, Torres grew up in British Columbia and moved to California with his mother at the age of 10. It was in Canada that Torres’ two passions in life, paintball and film, began to develop.

Torres explained that when he was 14 years old he spent a vacation back in Canada and was first introduced to the sport of paintball by his brother-in-law.

“We played paintball in the woods every Sunday for a month and a half,” said Torres, “And at the end of the vacation, we decided to enter a local tournament.”

Torres and his team of fellow beginners, playing with “cheap guns from Wal-Mart,” not knowing the tournament was actually designed for professional or experienced paintballs.

“We came in dead last and didn’t win one point,” remembered Torres, laughing at the memory, “We had no idea what we were doing and people were actually trying to tell us what to do so we could win a match.”

Torres was hardly discouraged at the initial failure and retells the experience with a grin on his face.

The tournament was Torres’ first

Photo courtesy of Sheldon Carless Photography

Carlos Torres in the thick of a paintball match as he both runs for cover (top) and hides behind a bunker for protection (bottom). introduction into competitive paintball and a popular variation of paintball called speedball.

Speedball is a fast-paced version of the game played on small fields with inflatable man-made bunkers where players attempt to eliminate the opposing team and capture a flag.

While returning back home to Millbrae after his dismal first tournament, Torres described how he became hooked on the sport and spent his time “watching paintball videos and learning as much as I could.”

Paintball became Torres’ biggest focus throughout high school and he began playing for a variety of lower level paintball teams.

The sport demanded a level of dedication and sacrifice that was hard on the young student and even made his parents skeptical of the sport in the beginning.

“I missed every single dance in high school, except for my Senior Prom,” said Torres. “I missed friends’ birthday parties, and would literally be gone from Thursday to Monday playing tournaments.”

Torres had to work extremely hard throughout his high school career to maintain his grades, often completing homework on the road and working closely with his teacher to make up late work.

The sacrifices paid off when Torres was given the chance to play with a semi-professional team based out of San Diego in his senior year of high school in 2009.

It was at this time that Torres began to develop his signature quick style of play. Torres plays the position of a front man or snake player, meaning that he goes farther down to the opposing side of the field than almost any other player.

Torres’ position calls for him to be quick and agile, and Torres developed a style of play built on his speed.

“He never stops moving,” explained Dylan Boyum, a friend and fellow teammate of Torres. “It makes him more fun to watch as a spectator, because he’s always making moves.”

Despite his success and getting more notice from the professional paintball community, Torres experienced a tough hurdle in the sport that he loved when at the end of 2009 he decided to take a break from the sport and quit the semi-professional team.

“I was burned out from paintball,” said Torres. “I was flying down to San Diego almost every other weekend for practice and I felt like I was missing out on the normal things people do my age.”

Torres ended up taking a few months hiatus from the sport and

spent his time working and catching up with friends.

Soon, however, Torres found himself itching to get back into the game.

“I felt like I was missing a purpose,” said Torres.

The following paintball season in 2010, Torres was of fered a chance that would change his paintball career forever-the opportunity to play for Oakland Fuzion, an up-and-coming paintball team that was local and a much better fit for Torres.

Owned and operated

by Feddy and Nita Cummins, the couple instilled a core set of values and morals for their organization based on principles of family and mutual respect.

“It was a completely different experience. The Fuzion organization is like a family,” said Torres. “Suddenly I didn’t want to win just to win; I didn’t want to let my family down.”

Three years later, Torres has become so much a part of the Fuzion organization that he now acts as cocoach, assisting the Cummins and taking on the role of marketing the

Photo courtesy of Gary Baum

team with his production company, Canadiamedia.

Canadiamedia, which Tor res started in 2007, now releases videos on YouTube of Fuzion playing in tournaments and practices throughout the country.

Torres’ second passion after paintball is media and film.

“I love media and I want to transSee PAINT, page 6

From field to clinic Cleats left to care for animals

By STEVEN LUKE Staff Writer

Photo by Dakotah Zabroski

Head Coach Lou Panzella instructs his players how to properly run team drills.

Skipping to my Lou

Panzella rallies volleyball for success

By DAKOTAH ZABROSKI Staff Writer

The Mustangs volleyball team is fired up to get back on the court and begin the season on the right foot.

The team is lead by veteran head coach Lou Panzella who has plenty of years of experience on his belt and knows how to win. In his 24 years of coaching, he has recorded a nearly 500 wins with both Antioch and Deer Valley High School. On top of that he has coached 12 years for the United States Volley Ball Association.

Panzella most recently came off a 42-2 season and a CIF Championship with the Deer Valley boys’ team.

Panzella is respected by his players for his skills and leadership that translate to success on the court. Outside

hitter Taylor Scriven has played for Panzella before, for club volleyball, and looks forward to playing under someone familiar.

Middle blocker Aleigha Williams added, “he’s the best coach I’ve ever had.” Outside Hitter Anastasia Qwa added.

“He’ll make the program a lot better, he’s passionate about volleyball.”

Panzella will be aided by assistant coach Tyler Trolson who was a three-year varsity starter at Deer Valley High School.

The team is excited to get out on the court and have a competitive season.

“I’m excited to get back to playing it again,” said Qwa. While the team has goals as a whole, players have individual goals such as Williams who

plans to finish her last year as a Mustang strongly.

The season has not begun, but despite this, the team is already building good chemistry.

The team already shows strong qualities that could potentially be a winning team. “We are able to finish strong no matter what, even if we’re winning or losing,” said Scriven.

This team shows strengths that will help the team compete in the Bay Valley Athletic Conference. Panzella highlights that he has multiple girls who have played competitively at the high school level. Another strength, according to Panzella, is the ball control of the team.

He also added, “the starting lineup will be competitive.”

The team has some minor kinks to work out but nothing See LOU, page 6

Every student at LMC hopes to move on in their lives after LMC and do something they love. In the case of Michelle Lopez, she is doing just that.

Michelle came to LMC after one semester at UC Berkley where she realized she wasn’t quite sure what she wanted to do with her life yet.

What she did know was that LMC was much closer to home, and that she knew the campus after having taken acting courses during her high school career. The other draw to LMC was the ability to do what she has loved since she was four years old, play soccer, despite her petite stature.

“I really didn’t think she would be able to help the team much because she was very small and frail in stature,” said Soccer Head Coach Mark Bryant who explained how she changed his first impression.

“She always surprised me by how tough and resilient she could be for such a small girl.”

What Bryant may not have known was that Lopez started playing soccer year round in middle school, and made varsity at Antioch High School in her sophomore year. He did not realize he had come across one of the hardest workers he would ever coach.

Photo courtesy of Dana Goodard

Lopez smiles for her love for veterinary care.

He also couldn’t have known she would end up being, what he called “a silent leader that lets her actions and attitude inspire others.” He did not know any of that when she walked on his field, but he sure was happy to find all of that out first hand.

While soccer was Lopez’ first love, it’s only part of what made her a successful LMC student.

“Michelle was a bit of a nerd,” said Lopez’ sister, Jennifer. “School came easy for her, and she did a lot of after-school activities, and still had time to

hang out with friends.”

It is that nerdiness that helped lead her to one of the highest honors a community college student athlete can receive, the California Community College Athletic Association’s Women’s Scholar Athlete Award for 2010, an award Lopez still feels honored to have received.

“I was picked over all the women in community college sports at that time,” she said.

“I was told by one admissions officer that an award like that, See LOPEZ, page 6

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or any team recognition, shows the reviewers that you are able to be dedicated to something, work hard at it and work as a team.”

That award and her time at LMC got Lopez into Cal State Long Beach where she earned her B.S. in Physiology. She also attributes her time at LMC to helping her get into Michigan State University where she’s currently studying to become a doctor of Veterinary Medicine.

Her little sister Jennifer Lopez is not at all surprised she is studying medicine.

“I never thought Michelle would become a vet but I knew she would want to do something medical,” she said of her sister. “When one of us would get hurt she always knew what to do. With four kids in the house it happened a lot.”

With two younger brothers and two younger sisters, Lopez had a lot of people she could help take care of. A big family like that could be hard on the eldest sibling, but Lopez loved growing up with such a big family in Antioch.

“Holidays get crazy, but I love my kooky family,” she said.

To most, that many people could drive them crazy, but it drove Lopez to work harder.

She ran track, performed in plays, and of course, played soccer in high school, and no matter what he was doing she could always being found with a book nearby. And that is where you can still find her now.

Lopez is now nearly 2,000 miles away from her family as she studies in Michigan, but she still keeps in touch with her family. And she still plays soccer on an MSU intramural team. Now that she’s in a colder climate, she judges the weather based on if it’s a good day to play soccer.

She is still the same “small and fragile” young woman that Bryant remembers from when she first stepped in front of him at LMC. The only difference is that now she wears a lab coat as a student representative for a pharmaceutical company, and works booths at local fairs where she educates children on how cool veterinary medicine is.

She credits the college for putting her on her current career path. “I think my time with LMC soccer helped me get into Michigan State’s Veterinary College.”

She has not changed much since her early years at LMC, but she said if it wasn’t for LMC, she wouldn’t be where she is today, doing something with her life that makes her happy.

OPEN From page 1

the student ambassadors on campus was a large piece of his success.

Each of the six students, at the ends of their stories, said, “student success lives here.”

The next event on the docket was the honoring of milestone years of service at LMC for several employees.

They ranged from Police Of ficer Ryan Huddleston celebrating five years, to Philosophy professor Daniel Ramirez celebrating 20, to Behavioral Science professor Estelle Davi celebrating an amazing 40 years at LMC. Chancellor Helen Benjamin then took the microphone and spoke about some of the issues at hand. She said that the district is updating a plan to increase enrollment, as it is down due to various factors such as the economy getting better and repeatability issues.

She added, “District wide, of all the students who take our assessment, 80 percent tested below college level in English or math,” which was quite the staggering stat. She went on to address the fact that it is the obligation of every employee to do as much as they can to make all students successful.

As the events in the Recital Hall concluded, separate Habits of Mind activities groups broke out in different parts of the school. Habits of Mind essentially helps build the understanding of how intelligent behaviors supports all the faculties own work and their students’ thinking in the fields of areas such as decision making, problem solving, and goal setting.

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she was the only girl of three children. She grew up in a small town called Red Love in northern California. Since there was no television or cable in her environment, she enjoyed spending time outdoors.

“Hiking is my absolute passion obsession,” said Hannum.

In and out of high school, Hannum would hike the Lassen National Park. As a teenager, she would hike for fun. Now, Hannum takes hiking much more seriously and tries to go hiking every chance she gets. She does it for goals and to relieve stress.

Hannum has a group of friends that she can go hiking with and is currently training to hike Mt. Whitney. Over the past summer before she joined the LMC administration family, she hiked Mt. Baldee, Mt. San Jaciento, Lassen, and Round Valley.

Hannum’s love for the outdoors, tenacity in hiking, and experience as a firefighter prepared her for the paths to education and administration.

She became Depar tment Chair for the Public Safety Education and Training Programs at Moreno Valley Photo by Irvin Trigueros College. Then, moved on to teaching fire technology A small collection of free-to-take college textbooks are found outside the college courses and holding a variety complex toward the music department in a ragged Disney-themed diaper box, of leadership positions, such Wednesday evening. as a member of the Academic Senate Committee.

Another passion of Hanwill bring new view points num’s is curriculum. She From page 1 and experiences to LMC and From page 1 loves to take obstacles out of continue to improve on the ory,” said Leong. “When our “As an instructor, it helped people’s way and is particularly interested in the government. prepare me and learn to be a work and accomplishments. summer 2013 completions “Each of our new Deans are confirmed, we expect “What I like about the leader. I also had experience bring different strengths and to reach over 4,800 student from being the Faculty State government is trying to solve sets of experiences to their completions, or students who tough problems with limited Senate,” said Moore.

Natalie Hannum is a brand new position,” Horan said, received a certificate or a resources for a big group of new addition to the LMC “they are not only exceptional degree during 2012-13. From people,” she said.

Cur rently, Hannum is family but is no stranger to leaders in their fields, they a district wide perspective, working on her dissertation education. Hannum came are each strong collaborators, we are seeing our focus on for political science and ad- from Moreno Valley Col- which was a priority for us student completion beginning ministration, a Doctorate of lege, where she served as during the interview process.” to pay off.”

Hannum, who had lived in This is also the second Public Administration from the Department Chair for Southern California for the year in a row that LMC has the Public Safety Education University of LaVerne.

Hannum also remains ac- and Training programs. She past 15 years, was attracted awarded Associate Degrees tively involved within the held several other leadership to LMC due to the similarity of Transfers (ADT), which are community of students, staff, roles, such as the Chair of demographics with More- specifically designed degrees of the District Curriculum no Valley College and the that provide students with a and faculty.

Hannum’s experience in Committee for the Riverside location of having the best clearer and easier pathway or emergency management Community. Hannum has of both worlds, being close transfer from a community especially helped with being a recently served as Director to the city and suburbs. In college to a California State leader. Making decisions isn’t of the Fire Technology and her spare time, she loves to University (CSU) campus. hard for her and knowing what Fire Academy Programs for hike, travel, and spend time In addition, students with an ADT are guaranteed admisan emergency is, is a good RCCCD. Prior to her roles in with her family.

Moore is also an active in- sion with junior standing to a education, she was Captain of idea according to Hannum.

“It’s a real key for me. I the California Department of dividual who loves to squeeze college located within the CSU know what an emergency is Forestry and Fire protection in time for the gym and travel system, as well as priority adwith her family when she is mission consideration to their - like the sky is falling; that’s for 14 years.

With the experience the not bringing her three young respective local CSU campus. not an emergency,” she said deans hold, Vice President children to practices for a While LMC currently offers with a laugh. eight ADTs, (in addition to Now that Hannum is part Kevin Horan hopes they variety of sports.

32 Associate Degrees) the of the LMC administration current plan for the school team, she is committed to is to offer a total of 18 ADTs, learning the system, roles, and which will be submitted to the From page 4 programs. She is particularly From page 3 interested in the vocational worth it. His favorite times at She stresses the importance state for approval in June 2014.

Many have also expressed technology program because LMC involved participating of nutrition to her students belief that the trend of students her father is a welder. Hannum in activities like the three and makes sure they are is determined to assume her honors retreats he attended, taking care of themselves and receiving certificates and derole as Dean of Career Tech- which were the highlight for creating a positive self-image. grees will continue to increase nical Education and Social him each year at LMC. The Kenrick carries that positive in the upcoming years.

“We believe we can take Sciences to her best ability Honors Club philosophy group approach into her own life as and knowledge. has been a favorite of his in she juggles LMC, Genentech, advantage of the opportunity his years at LMC. Benicia Ballet, and being a to grow steadily over the “Each semester it has pro- mom. Although she admits next few years,” said Leong. gressed into something a having a hard time balancing “After four years of workload From page 5 little different. That’s been a so many roles, she tries her reductions, there are still students in our community fer from LMC and go to St. fun experience that I enjoyed best by compartmentalizing who do not realize that after doing,” he said of the group. her work.

Mary’s to major in communithe passage of Proposition All of his hard work paid “I do try to keep track of evcations,” said Torres. “When 30, we have begun restoring off.

Orcutt applied to five erything day by day, find help I was little my parents bought course sections and student me my first camera and I would UC’s, Los Angeles, Berkley, when I need it, and focus on services. Our welcome sign Davis, San Diego and Irvine how to continue doing things just go around taking pictures is out and we look forward and was eventually accepted better, rather than focus on of the woods in Canada.” to helping students complete into UCLA, which is where what I did wrong,” she said.

Torres recently even used their educational goals.” he wanted to be.

He recently It’s important for Kenrick his filming talents to aid the Mr. Kratochvil, while sharattended and participated in to relax and unwind from all local LMC community, as he ing the same hope that the a six week summer session. the stresses of being a Biology worked on a project with the “The pace is much faster Professor, Scientific Manager, upward trend will continue LMC library to create introthan that of LMC,” Orcutt said. Dance Director, and a mom. in the coming years, briefly ductory videos featured on He continues to live off of She allows herself complete touched on the significance the college’s library website. about 7 hours of sleep a day, relaxation when needed, such and importance of students “Next semester, I’m hoping but the only reason he gets as keeping the computer away graduating and reaching their to create some more videos educational goals. with the library for new stu- that much is because he uses where she sleeps.

“Graduation is also a time his free time to sleep.

“The Despite her busy schedule, dents coming to LMC,” said to be thankful to all the people pace is fast.

Period.” family bonding is crucial.

Torres.

Now that he’s moved on, he Even when Kenrick returns who helped along the way, and As Tor res continues to hopes to get his engineering home late from teaching at recognizing family members, excel in both paintball and degree.

Whether he ends up LMC, she makes time to talk partners, friends, and faculty, film, he looks forward to the running his own engineering to her son about his day before staff, and administrators at experiences ahead of him.

LMC for that support is very While Fuzion is still currently firm, leading his own engineer- going to bed. heartwarming.” ing team or even teaching, To make up for her absence playing at the semi-professional Additional information can you can bet that Orcutt will during the day, she and her level in paintball, the team is be found at www.losmedanos. be working hard to be the son always have “mom time” only about a season away from edu/news/grad2013.asp. on Sundays. making the jump to a profes- best at it. sional team. Torres recently even played as a guest player in his first-ever professional of the team are confident going takes on Contra Costa College.

From page 5 tour nament, guesting for into the season saying, “We The reason being is the the San Francisco Explicit, serious enough to impede their have no weaknesses.”“We plan meaning behind that night, it a paintball team based out of season. Since the season has to get better throughout the is Dig Pink night in support San Francisco. just started the team will learn year, we will try our hardest,” of breast cancer awareness.

“I am very grateful for being to better their communication said Scriven.

While this team is excited able to get into a sport where skills according to Panzella.

While some of the players do to get back out on the court, I have a chance to become “We need more commu- not have any particular games the players expect big things. a professional athlete,” said nication and time to get to they look forward to most.

“We’ll go far, we have Torres. “Not a lot of people know each other better,” said Panzella looks forward to heart,” said Freshman Taylor ever get that chance.”

Scriven.Williams and the rest October 11 when Los Medanos Morgan.

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material I’m excited to get to,” Broadfoot said. It is good to have something in the semester to look forward to; it makes all of the effort worth it to reach a goal. Even though this is the beginning of this semester, keeping your eye on the prize can help you stay motivated to achieve your goals.

The counselors at LMC are at their busiest around the first week of school. Counselor Marco Godinez has been working at LMC since 2001 and has experience assisting students with the stress associated with starting school. “In the years I have been here I noticed that the students who are the most stressed are the ones who are the most unprepared,” explained Godinez. “They feel stressed out because they can’t get into classes since they didn’t plan sooner. The students that come to us early in the middle of the semester do great. Students that prepare and take a college orientation are usually successful.”

Doing things last minute will not guarantee the same results as doing things in a timely manner, it will cause more stress, and as a result, a person may not have as many options for classes.

The counseling department, which can be reached at (925) 439-2181x3334, is here to help you work with your schedule and preach that time management is crucial to academic success. The counselors are fully prepared for the first few weeks of school and are focused on assisting those students in need of guidance.

There are many opportunities on campus to take advantage of. For students looking to meet new people, Godinez recommended to join a student club. According to Godinez, “We have a good blend of students here and many clubs to join that range from the Anime club to the Black Student Union club. If you feel like your group is not being represented, you can create a club with Student Life.”

Everyone experiences the first week of school in different ways. Taking advantage of student resources can help decrease stress. The counselors are here to help and they want the students to succeed. LMC is a school of opportunity; students should not let stress stop them from achieving their goals.

SAINT From page 4

If you’ve ever seen the movie “The Matrix,” then I’m positive you’d like this game.

Many aspects of this game share similar characteristics.

If you’re a sci-fi junkie, then this game was meant for you.

Once you obtain superpowers, the players feels as if they are invincible, which in a way could be both a good and a bad thing. A good thing for the obvious reason that it makes eliminating Zinyak’s henchmen and other enemies loads of fun, but also a bad thing because at points it can make the gameplay a little too easy.

That being said the game does have an element of difficulty when it comes to boss battles.

The length of the gameplay is on the longer side, which is good news for games, because it provides hours of fun.

The weapons in the game will make you say, “are you kidding me?” at first, but once you actually use them it makes the game interesting. Guns such as the “Dubstep Gun” which fires every time the bass drops makes for interesting firefights.

There is even a weapon called “The Penetrator” but I think I’ll let you figure that one out on your own.

The graphics aren’t great but they’re not bad either, but let’s face it, the outrageous but fun gameplay outweighs the graphics. It isn’t necessar y that you play the first three games in the series in order to play Saints Row IV, but it does help to understand inside jokes throughout the game.

Saints Row IV is an exciting game that will keep you entertained. If you’re looking for a realistic game, then this isn’t the game for you. Otherwise I would highly recommend this game as the gameplay and action is very addicting.