Vol. 87 No. 3 - Sept. 8, 2017

R&B’s rising star

Have a little Faith

Serves up

Daniel Caesar brings soul and gospel to his debut album, “Freudian” — page 4

Umoja Counselor Faith Watkins talks about being a role model — page 4

The LMC volleyball team had its ups and downs during the Mustang Classic Sept. 6 — page 5

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F.Y.I. Important Dates September is National Suicide Prevention Month Sept. 15

Hispanic Heritage Month begins

Sept. 22

Native American Day: College campus is closed in observance of the holiday

‘Know Your Rights’ forum In response to the concern raised by students, LMC Student Life and Student Services have provided resources and a campus event. The “Know Your Rights” Workshop wil be held Friday, Sept.

15, 3:30-5:30 p.m. in CC1-103. In addition, resources are available at www.losmedanos.edu/ equity and www.losmedanos.edu/dreamers.

Conference for undocumented Diablo Valley College is preparing a free conference for undocumented high school and college students, parents, educators, and thier allies to learn about the oportunities and resources avalable. The conference will take place Saturday, Oct. 21. To register and find out more visit: www. dvc.edu/dreamers.

Blood drive on campus The Blood Centers of the Pacific will be hosting another blood drive in their truck outside of the Library Wednesday, Sept.

20 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

To register your donation appointment online, visit www.bloodheroes.com, click “Locate a Blood Drive” and enter sponsor code LosMC.

Transit creates new route TriDelta Transit has a new 30-minute bus route between the Pittsburg Marina and Los Medanos College. The revamped Route 381 will be free to LMC students Sept.

25 through Dec. 31.

Students must have a current/valid college I.D. to recieve a free bus ride.

For more information about where this new route will stop, vist trideltatransit.com.

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District defends DACA LMC stands as one

By PERRY CONTINENTE

pcontinente@lmcexperience.com

President Donald Trump’s decision to remove Obama’s executive order, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) puts hundreds of thousands of people in the Bay Area alone at risk for deportation.

The president’s order will put an end to DACA in 6 months unless congress moves to replace or recreate the widely supported program.

The program allows people who illegally immigrated as children that meet certain criteria to get a Social Security number, and in some states, a driver’s license.

In response to the wildly popular program’s removal, the Contra Costa Community College District Director of Communications and Community Relations Timothy Leong put out a written statement on the matter.

Stacy Miller, the head of LMC’s Puente Program made it clear that DACA’s removal was a travesty.

“If you have never been political, now is the time to get political,” said Miller. She said that many people benefiting from DACA would be wary of showing up to protests for fear of deportation saying, “Everyone who is an ally, it is time to show up to the protests.”

Experience • Adria Watson

LMC student Andrea Zarate walks around campus Wednesday, Sept. 6 with signs supporting Dreamers.

Miller was hopeful for the program however, or another like it, to be reinstated, “the program does have bipartisan support,” she said.

Student and Alpha Gamma Sigma President Victoria Alexander also weighed in on the issue.

“There is financial backing

for undocumented students that could be taken away,” said Alexander. AGS was also passing out fliers in opposition to the removal of DACA. Leong released a statement on the behalf of the district regarding the DACA decision.

“The Contra Costa Community College District denounc-

es today’s Attorney General announcement of the Trump Administration’s action to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, and reaffirms its support of our ‘dreamer’ students,” stated the letter.

It also quoted chancellor Fred Wood, Contra Costa

Faculty Up for grabs piece nabbed

Study abroad to Spain still on

By ROBERT PIERCE

rpierce@lmcexperience.com

See THEFT, page 6

See DACA, page 6

Attack raises caution

Art of the steal

“It went missing Thursday,” said Sabrina Sorbani, galler y assistant at the Los Medanos College Faculty Art Gallery.

“As soon – I’m pretty sure as soon – as I opened up.”

The ‘it’ that went missing was an installation piece displayed in the LMC Faculty Art Gallery, created

by LMC’s own Curtis Corlew, an Art professor here on campus.

Called “The Big Picture,” the piece is described by Corlew as “three little teeny teeny tiny books” each containing dozens of pictures taken by Corlew.

The books were displayed on a table next to a magnifying glass mounted to the same table, to allow gallery viewers to actually physically see the pictures. There was also an equally miniscule ‘guestbook’ that encouraged viewers to sign their names.

The photo books were all gone by the time Sorbani arrived Thursday morning. While preparing the gallery for visitors, she noticed two children enter and exit the gallery, and after they were gone, noticed that Corlew’s art was missing.

“Two little boys were there as soon as I opened the doors and put the signs out,” Sorbani recalled. “I got up to put a label over on [another piece of art in the gallery] and then the next thing I know, I turn around and they were gone… judging by their height [they were] probably six or seven.”

Police services are still investigating

College President Mojdeh Mehdizadeh, Diablo Valley College Interim President Ted Wieden and LMC President Bob Kratochvil.

The statement went on to say, “Equity through diversity is one of the districts most defining values as it strives

By JORDAN NEEL

jneel@lmcexperience.com

Experience • Cathie Lawrence

LMC wide receiver Armon McRaven leaps in the air to catch a pass during the LMC vs. Reedley game Saturday, Sept. 2. For the full story on the Mustangs’ win, see page 5.

CSUs to ease requirements

By BRENNA ENOS

benos@lmcexperience.com

For students who will continue or begin their education at LMC or are planning to attend a CSU in the Fall 2018, a math requirement change may be to your benefit.

CSU Chancellor Timothy White issued an executive order Aug. 2, to change the mandatory intermediate algebra requirements for CSUs. This change will take away that mandatory course requirement for non-math majors and

will instead have other math courses available to fulfill the requirement.

The intermediate algebra requirement for CSUs has been in place for many years and with the new policy going into effect by Fall 2018 many students will be alleviated from the stress of having to complete the course.

This change can provide students with flexibility in their math requirements as they will no longer need to take intermediate algebra but could instead See MATH, page 6

The Study Abroad program takes LMC students to Barcelona this month, but safety precautions will be made due to the recent terrorist attacks.

The country of Spain went through hardships Aug. 16 when a group of terrorists caused an explosion in the city of Alcanar. The next day in Barcelona a van — driven

by Younes Abouyaaqoub — ran over pedestrians, which ended up killing 14 people and injuring 130 others.

Although these attacks are alarming, students will still be par taking in the study abroad trip.

LMC Professor Jennifer Saito, one of four professors attending, was saddened for all the people whose lives have been affected in Barcelona.

She was very satisfied how LMC President Bob Kratochvil handled the situation for the staff going to the city and that no major changes have been made for the trip.

“Kratochvil almost immediately found a way to contact me to make sure I, and our students, was safe,” said Saito.

She explained that because the district is partnered with the American Institute for

See ATTACK, page 6

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“We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.”

— J.K. Rowling.

Perry Continente

Jordan Neel

JUST THE WORST

AIR JORDAN

Don’t conflate Antifa, Nazis

Time to talk mental health

The anti-fascist organization Antifa has been a hotly debated topic for a while now, but after the Berkeley protest, they have been dragged further into the spotlight.

Many are calling for them to be labeled a terrorist organization, given the violent tendencies of some members.

I have seen wide-ranging opinions on the subjects of the morality and the efficacy of the group, with some even calling them the moral equivalent of groups like the Ku Klux Klan and Neo-Nazis.

On the subject of morality, I find that equating violent white supremacists who advocate for the genocide or deportation of entire racial, ethnic, or religious groups with the people who occasionally go too far to oppose them to be dangerous.

We are comparing people who are part of an organization responsible for terrorizing, brutalizing and murdering African Americans ever since the Civil War ended to some kids throwing rocks.

We are comparing groups who are trying to continue the work of Adolf Hitler, who applaud the slaughter of millions in the Holocaust, and violently try to turn the United States into a “whites-only” ethno state through coercion and terror, with some young, dumb kids who misrepresent a movement.

Comparing established hate groups with body counts in the thousands and millions with a few idiots who break a few windows is confusing, aggravating and disheartening.

There is this narrative being pushed that conservatives are becoming a targeted group.

Many people claim the white Christian male is the most persecuted group in America. One can only arrive at this conclusion through purposeful ignorance and a complete disregard for any sort of fact based evidence.

Were the conservatives met with open arms in Berkeley? No. Were some of them attacked? Yes. Does any of this even begin to compare with the Klan’s terrorizing of African Americans for well over a century? Not even close.

However, where efficacy is concerned, I am much more divided.

On paper, Antifa sounds like a wonderful idea: oppose fascist and hate groups to prevent their taking hold in America.

However, the implementation of this ethos is occasionally troubling.

Many members of Antifa do good work, uncovering white supremacists and protecting people in dangerous situations.

There is also a much darker side to Antifa.

When I covered the Berkeley protest, there was no one on the left wing that needed protection. The few Trump supporters who did show up had already left by the time Antifa took the park.

Antifa members did physically assault a number of people, including Al Letson, a host at NPR who, fearing for the man’s life, jumped on top of a Trump supporter to protect him from Antifa.

Therein lies the problem for Antifa: they are a loosely organized political movement rather than a cohesive group. Their mission statement is vague and they lack leadership to steer the group in any specific direction.

There is no barrier to enter for Antifa, and many of their members were young, dumb, and looking for a fight at the recent Berkeley protest.

These few violent members are being used as tools by white supremacists and fascists as examples of “left wing terrorism.”

The unfortunate fact of the matter is that it was not the right wing protesters in Berkeley who furthered the goals of white supremacists, of fascists, and of the president, it was the violent members of Antifa who gave those groups an excuse, a counterpoint to their own hateful nature.

Mental health isn’t talked about commonly in mass media. In the past few years, I’ve realized it’s something that should be talked about more.

I’ve wondered why this subject is so taboo to discuss. Maybe it’s because people don’t want to talk about something that will make them feel down. But when it is mentioned, the subject of mental health is treated like a joke.

We live in the age of the Internet where today’s youth make jokes out of many everything including the deaths of celebrities.

One thing people joke about on social media, especially Twitter, is suicide. Ironically, it’s all jokes until somebody actually takes their own life.

According to the World Health Organization, every 40 seconds someone in the world takes their own life. While I can’t name everyone who has committed this act, one person in particular is lead singer of Linkin Park, Chester Bennington. On Thursday, July 20 of this year the singer hung himself. It’s sad for his loved ones, but it appears mass media briefly discussed it and after a couple days no longer discussed the issues of why it happened. Mass media outlets could have done a better job of promoting preventative measures to avoid similar incidents.

It’s concerning since young tend to look up to entertainers. Some teenagers may look up to Bennington so much that if they themselves struggle with depression, may consider the same horrifying path he took.

According to the CDC, suicide is the second leading cause of death between people ages of 15-34.

Suicide and the importance of mental health should be talked about regularly because it may save someone’s life. Entertainers have a public platform that could be used to impact lives in a major way.

Rapper and actor Kid Cudi on The Arsenio Hall Show in 2014 said he wants his music to stop kids from committing suicide. It’s admirable, the fact that someone so influential takes the initiative to have their music be so therapeutic that it makes people battling suicidal thoughts feel there is still a way out of the dark.

At this year’s MTV Video Music Awards rapper Logic performed his song “1-800-2738255,” the number being the contact for the National Suicide Prevention Hotline. This performance included suicide survivors and helped raise awareness on suicide prevention.

The night of Logic’s performance searches for the number rose 940 percent.

This is the start of what can be changed in the mass media. It starts with music, and maybe it can progress into in television and movies to create a lasting dialogue that will in turn save thousands of lives.

A possible solution might be a TV program that brings up discussion and awareness in smaller circles as well. Topics can go from people who have considered suicide to ways to help battle depression, anxiety or unhealthy urges. It would be a show that uplifts viewers and educates us on how to keep our mental state healthy.

At the end of the day life is hard. No matter who you are, at some point in your life you faced a hardship that made you depressed. Some people have chosen the route of killing themselves to take away that feeling. What should be noted is that it’s a permanent solution to a temporary situation.

That’s an important message mass media needs to put out for the whole world to see.

Seeing the media discuss mental health could maybe lower the numbers of death by suicide. I envision a world where discussion is consistent enough to make people understand that suicide should never be an option and for anyone who is hurting remember there is always help.

Editorial

Experience • Sketch Choice

DACA deserves to stay

I

t seems as if it’s becoming a weekly occurrence that the Trump administration does something that scares us and divides us as a nation. Tuesday, Sept. 5 United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the deconstruction of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. This Obama lead program was put in place to protect young people who were brought into this country illegally as minors, deferring the deportation of young immigrants.

President Trump made many promises during his campaign trail into office. A lot of those promises were fear driven, used to create a reaction from the American people. He spoke on numerous occasions how he intended to deport illegal immigrants if elected.

Once elected many immigrants feared the worse, uneasy about what was looming as far as their resident status went. Roughly 8 months into his presidency Trump seemed to lighten his stance on ending the Obama driven program and eventually sending 800,000 DACA users away from their home. Unfortunately, not to anyone’s surprise, the President once again made the wrong choice on a monumental decision.

Former president Barack Obama was quick to respond to the decision made by Trump regarding the DACA program calling it “cruel” and “self-defeating.” He went on to say it was a cruel decision to target these young people for nothing they themselves did wrong. How can it ever seem appropriate to punish young people who had no input on a decision made by their parent’s wanting a better life for them and their family years earlier?

These current DACA users are students, business owners, military personnel and all around productive members of society. If the government tells these young people to ”go home”, where do we expect them to go? This is the only home most of them know.

We agree with Mr. Obama. Dreamers should not be threatened when they pose no threat to the rest of us.

The Contra Costa Community College District made it clear last year that they stand with their undocumented students when they declared our campus as a sanctuary university.

This was an amazing step in the right direction for students in the district. This year now more than ever we will have to do more and continue to stand with people affected by the current administrations divisive legislation.

Letter to the Editor

Free speech shouldn’t be censored DEAR EDITOR: I never thought I’d see a “journalist” call for a doing away of free speech, but Robbie Pierce’s editorial on “Free Speech vs. Hate Speech” proved me wrong.

Pierce writes, “The thing is, yes, hate speech is legally protected, but it shouldn’t be … I could still, as a journalist, wholeheartedly believe in the criminalization of hate speech and feel no personal conflict.”

He attempts to argue that speech codes wouldn’t pose a threat to American freedom, like it’s no big deal. The problem is that free speech is a big deal. This is a disgusting position for any journalist to take, no matter how unpopular an idea is — and you don’t have to be a Nazi or hate group member to see why.

Pierce wants to censor speech to protect minority groups. He may have the best of intentions, but calling on the U.S. government to regulate speech is not only counterproductive, it is un-American. While acknowledging that the potential for a slippery slope of regulated speech exists, Pierce says that it could never happen here.

Unfortunately, he forgets that it already has. I point to the Espionage & Sedition Acts of 1918 that were used to prosecute World War I opponents for speech that was deemed

unpopular by the government.

Yes, some speech is inherently evil. Yes, some speech should rather be left unsaid. But it’s not up to the government, or any other body, to tell me what to say or what not to say, and it’s certainly not up to Pierce.

Censoring hate speech will not protect the groups he wishes to shelter. It would only serve to drive ideas underground, and make them harder to combat. If he wishes to fight hate, he must do so in the open and prove the values of his case.

Pierce calls on the Supreme Court to regulate speech for the good of the nation. The Court has already done that with its “fighting words” doctrine: only speech meant to directly incite violence can be restricted. It also ruled very plainly in Stormberg v. California that controversial speech (from a communist flag to a Nazi speech to a BLM protest) must be protected. What other precedent can he be asking for?

As a U.S. service member, law enforcement student, and LMCAS senator, I’ve promised to uphold the values of our Constitution. What Pierce calls for is fundamentally unconstitutional, and I doubt that he knows the ramifications of what he is asking for.

— Dale Satre

Reader Opinion Policy

The Experience welcomes Letters to the Editor and Guest Columns. Members of the LMC community are encouraged to write. If you are interested in expressing your opinions send them to the Experience online newsite lmcexperience.com. They must be typed, signed and include a phone number for verification. They may be edited at the editor’s discretion.

Voices

LOS MEDANOS COLLEGE

Experience

If you could be a video game character who would you be?

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California Newspaper Publishers Association

Journalism Association of Community Colleges

“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

“Kitana because she’s a bad-ass.”

— Caprice Avery

“Hanzo because he has good aim with arrows.”

— Obed Carrera

“Peach because she’s a princess and so am I.” — Llaila Garcia

“Scorpion because he has control of fire and demons.”

— Alan Saldana

“A Call of Duty character because I feel I’d be a good soldier, fighting for what I want.”

— Jackie Lopez

“Naruto because I like eating ramen like he does.”

— Jose Villa

Editor-in-Chief ........................ADRIA WATSON Managing Editor.................KIMBERLY STELLY Perspectives Editor..................JESSE GOMEZ Campus Editor ..............PERRY CONTINENTE Features Editor ........................BRENNA ENOS Sports Editors .......................CARLOS RUIZ & ANDREW GONZALEZ Graphics Editor .................LISSETTE URBINA 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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“Going online and asking questions is the best way to learn.”

— Tom Felton

Online degree a goal

Dynamic ceramics

CCC sees an opportunity

By ROBERT PIERCE

rpierce@lmcexperience.com

Experience •Crea Jones

Martin Guzman, the TA in ceramics and sculpture, tried ceramics in 1967 and found he liked it. The piece that he is construting will be a cup consisting of clay legs and a handle. Guzman carefully builds the piece, molding the cup meticulously. The ceramics lab and the art department at LMC provide students with a multitude of opportunities to creatively express themselves and build skill in the arts.

Mentors help transfer to Berkeley Starting Point provides path to UC system

By AZI CARTER

acarter@lmcexperience.com

LMC’s Transfer and Career Services announced recently that Starting Point Mentorship Program (SPMP) is looking for students interested in transferring to U.C. Berkeley. The program connects future prospective Cal students with current Cal students with similar backgrounds or majors to provide information to hopefuls to make the navigation process a bit easier.

The program is specifically designed to encourage California Community College students from backgrounds that are underserved and/or “non-traditional” in higher education — re-entry students, student parents, veteran students,

low income, first generation college students, underrepresented students, disabled students, etc.

— and encourages all students to explore their academic potential and prepare for transfer to U.C. Berkeley.

Mentoring is conducted through email, phone calls, campus visits, workshops and the use of online technologies.

The 2017 requirements for joining the mentorship program are that you will be applying to U.C. Berkeley by Nov. 30, that you have a minimum GPA of 3.20, that you complete a mentee questionnaire and sign a mentee agreement.

To begin the process, apply at http:/goo.gl/wewGAw. The deadline for applications is Wednesday, Sept. 13, or when the number of applicants reaches capacity.

The program is designed to match students with others who share common goals. Having someone to guide you through

Newswatch Get MS Office for less

Microsoft offers two exclusive discounts for California Community College students.

For Mac users, Office Home and Student 2016 for Mac includes Word, Excel, Outlook, OneNote and PowerPoint, and for Windows users, Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2016 includes all those programs as well as Access, InfoPath, Publisher and Lync.

Both bundles are available for $39.99 digital download at www.CollegeBuys.org.

Daily cancellations online

Save yourself from making an unnecessary trip to campus for a class that has been canceled.

Professors sometimes cancel classes unexpectedly and often can’t tell their students in person.

The LMC website offers a daily class cancellation page for students to see if their class has been canceled.

For the list of daily cancellations, visit www.losmedanos. edu/classcancel.

The LMC Experience Facebook page also posts class cancellations as well as other campus updates. Visit www. facebook.com/lmcexperience.

LMC recruits ambassadors

Los Medanos College is recruiting outreach ambassadors to represent LMC through campus tours and outreach.

The job boasts a starting salary of $10.50 an hour and a flexible schedule in addition to providing experience for jobs and college admissions. Students can apply at the office of student life.

— compiled from press releases and staff reports

the process helps eliminate some of the stress associated with the transition.

According to Gisela Solis, a Student Ambassador in the Transfer and Career Services department at LMC and a Biological Sciences major, participated in the mentorship program last spring and will be transferring spring 2018.

“Mentors are resourceful and have already figured out the maze so they can dedicate themselves to see that you too become successful,” Solis said. “My mentor answered many of the questions that once overwhelmed me.”

Although Solis’s mentor did not share her same major, Solis liked his perspective of being better able to advise and guide her from outside her career path.

“Email was the easiest for me, with such a busy schedule,” Solis said. “I could always anticipate a prompt reply and trusted the information because of the commitment

and bond we formed early on.”

Solis guarantees that if she were to email her mentor today, he would reply would reply within a day, even though her participation in the program has ended.

“Our connection is for a lifetime, the friends I’ve made on the academic journey are friends for life,” she said. “I too want to be a part of that community that gives back to other students.”

School administrators match students and the program runs between 3 -4 months, long enough to get the students acclimated to the application process, community and campus resources.

Feeling confident and ready for graduation, Solis is an encouragement to other students coming to the Career and Transfer Desk because of her first-hand experiences.

She carries a strong message as she answers students’ questions and is happy to share with those seeking career and transfer information.

Following a request by California Governor Jerry Brown himself, students at Los Medanos College — or any of the now 114 California Community Colleges — may soon be able to earn a full degree without setting foot on campus.

In a speech given by CCC Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley at an annual Online Teaching Conference in June, he revealed that the Governor sent him a letter asking him to begin work towards such a possibility. “[He asked me to] seriously consider, or in other words, take whatever steps are necessary,” Chancellor Oakley laughed, “to establish a new community college that exclusively offers fully online degree programs.”

If fully realized, such a charge could have profound effects not only for college students, but for college faculty as well. The move stirred some opposition, or at least anxiety, amongst the various college boards.

“The first reaction is, ‘Well, what’s that gonna mean to my college? … To my enrollment? …To my money?’” he began.

“Folks, that’s the wrong question … the first question should be, ‘How is this gonna help us better serve California?’ The governor of this great state has the confidence in us that we can find a way to serve more students “The program and serve them better through the efforts was born out you all have made,” of a push he continued to thun- for greater derous applause.

While Chancellor accessibility Oakley did not men- for students.” tion any specific plans — Laurie Huffman for building an online community college, he showed through his remarks that he wholeheartedly supported the idea of an online community college program, built on the framework of existing programs.

“It’s not a point in time when we’re just going to abandon all your work,” he said. “As a matter of fact, we’re going to take all your work and figure out how to best leverage it.”

One such body of work that could be of use to the Chancellor is the preexistent California Community Colleges Online Education Initiative. The program is over 6 years in the making and aims to create a large pool of standardized online classes from California schools and beyond – referred to by staff as ‘the exchange’ — available for any CCC student to take for full credit, no matter which school they are enrolled in.

Currently, the initiative is only accessible at five pilot colleges — Butte College, Coastline Community College, Foothill College, Fresno City College, Lake Tahoe Community College See ONLINE, page 6

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Bringing Faith to students

— Victor

Hugo

Quake drill is slated at LMC ShakeOut on Oct. 19

Counselor aims to make a mark

By JORDAN NEEL

jneel@lmcexperience.com

By JORDAN NEEL

jneel@lmcexperience.com

Los Medanos College counselors want nothing less than the best for LMC students – counselor Faith Watkins is no different. A counselor for the LMC Umoja scholars program for three years and formerly a social worker for 10, Watkins loves her job at LMC and being able to use her expertise in social work to support her students.

“I enjoy helping students to see the best in themselves,” said Watkins, “I encourage them to always present their best self even when they’re having a hard time.”

If there is a goal that Watkins wants her students to achieve, it is for them to thrive in academics, regardless of their outside circumstances.

“What people don’t see is behind the scenes where students need support in other things to attain success in academics,” said Watkins. “A student could face potential homelessness, or abusive relationships or living in a house with no running water. My social worker skills have helped me to have a nonjudgmental approach when a student has a problem.”

Watkins always knew she wanted to help people, but even after she finished college at Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana she didn’t know how to make it a career.

“I really had to think about what I wanted to get my master’s degree in,” said Watkins.

“After finishing Southern University I took two years off, then went to Holy Names University where I got my degree in counseling. My first year at grad school I felt a purpose there. I also worked at a continuation school in West Oakland. I blended the two together and loved it,” she said.

“It wasn’t always easy since two students I knew were unfortunately murdered, but that actually bonded [the rest of the class] closer. It was a job I knew I wanted to help students.”

The best part of her job, Watkins said, is working with students and encountering something new everyday.

“In a day I meet with 11-13 students. Everyone has a different major and goal so my day is never the same,” she said. “I’m an emotional wreck as I cry seeing students that started here graduate.

They’re not tears of sadness, they’re tears of joy.”

“Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.”

Experience • Adria Watson

Faith Watkins has been the LMC Umoja scholars program counselor for three years.

“There was a moment where a student was talking to me about their mother being terminally ill. They were so happy that their mother was going to see them walk at graduation,” she continued, “and if it weren’t for my guidance they wouldn’t have been encouraged to finish school. Seeing a student go from self doubt to grow to love themselves makes me happy.”

Watkins’ specific assignment is through the Umoja scholars program, which is another thing she is passionate about at LMC. “I really love Umoja,” said Watkins, adding that it is a “great support system.”

Students have the opportunity to complete their English and Math sequences together so they can

Marquee

benos@lmcexperience.com

For those who are familiarized with 23-year-old English musician Jake Bugg, his popular folk-rock tunes “Lightning Bolt” and “Two Fingers” may come to mind. But with his fourth album “Hearts That Strain,” Bugg captures a brand-new country tang that no other album has encompassed yet.

Starting off his musical career at age 17, Bugg was signed to Mercury Records after they discovered his performance at an English music festival in 2011. His record signing kick-started his career and soon after, Bugg produced his first self-titled album in 2012. This album was shortly followed by “Shangri La” and both albums had an undeniable folk-rock sound to them. After a threeyear hiatus, Bugg dropped his record label and cowriters and released his third album “On My One.” This album was largely self-produced and it received mixed reviews due to the content and

REVIEW

Experience • Azi Carter

Staff art showing until Sept. 14

The Roll Call: Faculty & Staff Art Show opened Aug. 24 and will continue to run through Sept. 14. The gallery features faculty and staff artworks that can be viewed for free on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 12:30 - 2:30 p.m. and 4 – 6 p.m.

LMC to stage two plays

n “Lonestar and Laundry and Bourbon” will be playing at the LMC Little Theatre Oct. 12 through the 23.

Tickets will be $15 for general admission, $12 for military and college students with ID and $10 for students with middle school or high school ID. n Student writen play “Reality Check” will be playing Dec. 6 through Dec. 9 at the California theatre. This play will tackle important issues such as the BLM movement, racism and LGBTQ persecution.

Upcoming at El Campanil

The El Campanil Theatre is located at 602 W Second St. in Antioch. For ticket sales and additional information visit elcampaniltheatre.com or call 757-9500. n “American Grafiti” is coming to the theatre Sunday, Sept. 10 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $8 for adults, $7 for seniors and $7 for students. n El Campanil’s children’s theatre presents “Fantastic Mr. Fox” which will run Friday, Sept. 22 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 24 at 2 p.m. Tickets are priced at $12 for adults, $10 or seniors and $8 for youth.

— compiled from press releases and staff reports

See QUAKE, page 6

Bugg discovers country roots

By BRENNA ENOS

Sculpture at Roll Call: Faculty & Staff Art Show.

bond and help each other succeed.

“What students look forward to,” she said, are “the college tours and to their graduation from the program. Watching them learn and grow is amazing.

Those who don’t get support from their own family, we become a family.”

Watkins personal goal is to be a role model for students by growing as a counselor.

“If I don’t grow, the students won’t,” said Watkins adding that her development inspires theirs.

“I want to serve students in the best way possible. I don’t want to stay stagnant. I want to make sure I grow so that students can grow academically and to make it my business to make a positive difference in a student’s life.”

It’s not everyday that students and staff at Los Medanos College are asked to “Drop, cover and hold on” in the middle of class, but next month, LMC will participate in a worldwide earthquake drill.

Practiced in many regions across the globe by over 17 million people, The Great ShakeOut will be coming to LMC Oct. 19 at 10:19 a.m.

The Great ShakeOut is designed to bring awareness on ways to prepare, survive and recover in the case of an earthquake or other unforeseen disasters. TGSO originated in Southern California in 2008 as a means to educate the public on earthquake safety, and today more than 20 regions worldwide participate every year.

Starting last year, all colleges within the East Contra Costa Community College District have been asked to participate in TGSO. The ShakeOut will include the conducting of drills, the identification of evacuation routes and the updating of emergency plans. Many safety committees and police services will be present during the ShakeOut to help people become involved and have fun while learning about earthquake preparedness.

Director of Risk Management, Herb Lester believes that TGSO will provide a good teaching moment for many people who are not knowledgeable with earth quake safety.

“This provides a great opportunity for many businesses

quality of his work.

In Bugg’s album “Hearts That Strain,” his sound is very different from his previously recorded studio albums and it may be his most cohesive album to date.

This album was recorded in Nashville, Tennessee alongside a promising list of artists such as Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys, Noah Cyrus and various backing musicians that worked with Elvis.

The album opens with a dreamy guitar and drum combination “How Soon the Dawn” which creates a chilled vibe.

However this relaxed pace is quickly picked up with the next song “Southern Rain” with its upbeat tempo and dusty old folk sound.

“In the Event of My Demise” has a similar country sound yet contains a few points of interest with Bugg’s echoing chorus, that almost has the effect of a psychedelic Beatles song in certain moments.

The tempo increases in his rock infused country song “Burn Alone” with Auerbach’s catchy guitar solo that brings

Photo courtesy of Spotify

the song into a satisfying fade.

Perhaps the most favorable song on the album, “Waiting” features the vocals of young Cyrus in a seemingly perfect country harmony. A saxophone is also featured on the track, which is a rarity of Bugg, as the majority of his music revolves around guitar and drum tracks.

The rest of the album has both high and See BUGG, page 6

Caesar’s ‘Fruedian’ introspection

By KIMBERLY STELLY

kstelly@lmcexperience.com

Daniel Caesar is riding the alternative R&B wave with his debut album “Freudian.” The 21-year-old Canadian singer finds inspiration with a mix of smooth R&B vibes and classic gospel goodness.

The album’s strengths are contained in its features. Former Odd Future member Syd provides her light, ethereal vocals to the song “Take Me Away,” a sensual track about the appreciation one has for their lover.

Canadian songstress Charlotte Day Wilson and Colombian artist Kali Uchis contribute the same sensuality on songs like “Get You” and “Transform.” Each singer has their own unique vocal style, but contribute the same kind of gentle harmonies to each song. Caesar and Uchis sing about past and new relationships on “Get You.” On the song “Transform” featuring Wilson, both singers talk about change, human nature and willpower. The dreamy track isn’t the standout on the album, but Wilson’s deep and slightly husky voice

REVIEW

gives the song its edge. The best feature on the album however, is the opening track “Best Part,” a duet with singer H.E.R. It’s clear Caesar didn’t spring for singers who had the most powerful voices for his album, but instead picked people whose voices would compliment his and “Best Part” is a prime example of this. This song makes a case for falling in love. It’s full of metaphors and similes comparing a significant other to the best parts of life.

The album ends with a self-titled track “Freudian” but unless you’ve taken a break from the album, this song doesn’t contribute much in the way of excitement mostly because it’s a slow-paced, ten-minute song.

Still if you do take the time to listen, the song is part love song, part silent interlude and after the six-minutes mark, the song becomes an introspective, gospel infused journey in which Caesar waxes poetic about the infinite nature of the universe to an organ-heavy instrumental.

The same mid to slow tempo paces throughout the album. So unless you’re in for a night of studying, daydreaming or spending time with a lover, I’d advise you

Photo courtesy of Spotify

to cleanse your palette with something upbeat every couple of songs.

With this album, Caesar joins the ranks of other upcoming R&B artists like Khalid and SZA. In fact, he cemented his place in the world of contemporary R&B with his 2015 seven-song EP Pilgrim’s Paradise with songs like “Violet” and “Japanese Denim.” “Freudian” may not have songs you can dance to but it’s the perfect album dedicated to self-reflection and being in love.

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— Muhammad Ali

Jonathan Little A LITTLE LOVE

Trade creates rivalry

Experience • Cathie Lawrence

Los Medanos College running back Namontte Grisby tries to avoid the Reedley defense en route to the win.

LMC defeats Reedley Tigers 35-20

By JESUS CANO

jcano@lmcexperience.com

Los Medanos College’s Mustang football season opener on Sept. 2 started off with a bang, as on the third play of the game team captain Charlie Ramirez Jr. returned an interception to the house helping to defeat the Reedley College Tigers 35-20.

“This game puts us on the right pace to let us know where we’re going in the future,” Ramirez said. “That [interception] set the tone early for us.”

The sophomore linebacker ended the night with seven tackles Saturday at Mustang Stadium.

Wide receiver Jelani Davis got in on the action also and was a playmaker for the Mustangs. The sophomore had two touchdown receptions from quarterback Sohail Mohsini. The second one got the crowd cheering as Davis completed a one handed catch.

“I ran a bad route,” Davis said. “But then I saw the ball and reached my hand out and just

grabbed it.”

Freshman defensive back Antoine Tanner returned a fumble recovery for 60 yards, landing on the 15-yard line. That help set up Carijon Menefee for a six-yard touchdown run and sent the Mustangs into halftime with a comfortable 32-0 lead.

In addition to the offense’s 28 unanswered points, LMC’s defense was able to produce three turnovers in the first half.

The Tigers gained momentum, as they were finally able to get on the scoreboard in the second half.

Quarterback Randall Johnson led the way with an 18-yard touchdown pass to Will McKinnis in the third quarter. This play initiated 20 consecutive points by Reedley’s offense.

Carl White followed with Reedley’s second touchdown on a one-yard trot, while Johnson scrambled into the end zone off a five-yard scramble. Ultimately, it was not enough.

“Everyone knows that in college football you have start fast and well on the road,” Reedley head coach Eric Marty said. “We didn’t do that and the score reflected that.”

After that, the Tigers went silent as LMC started off the season 1-0.

“The first game is always important,” LMC head coach Chris Shipe said. “Our defense put points on the board and our offense was able to gain confidence by seeing that.”

LMC’s lonesome scoring play in the second half came on a 25-yard field goal by Sam DeRenobe in the fourth quarter The Mustangs look to stay undefeated as they hit the road and travel 171 miles on the road to take on West Hills Coalinga Saturday, Sept. 9 at 7 p.m.

For more information on the LMC Football team, please visit http://www.losmedanos.edu/ football/

Los Medanos College volleyball player Nuru Boone spikes the ball past the San Jose Jaguars’ defense.

One win, one loss in Mustang Classic

By ADRIA WATSON and CARLOS RUIZ Staff writers

The Los Medanos College gymnasium has hosted the Volleyball team’s Mustang Classic twice in the last six years.

The one-day tournament held Wednesday Sept. 6, allowed four teams — Merced College, San Jose City College, Contra Costa Community College and LMC — to play against one another before the start of the new season.

“With our new facility we want to have teams not in our conference come in and see our gym as well as give students a non traditional time to stop by and watch their friends play,” said Head Coach Lou Panzella.

The Mustangs played in two games during the tournament, the first against San Jose and the second versus Merced.

LMC dominated in their game against the San Jose Jaguars Wednesday afternoon, ending it in a 3-0 sweep.

With an unstoppable offense the Jaguars had no answer to, the game came easily in favor for the Stangs with not much problems facing them.

The Mustangs success in the first game failed to follow in the second as they endured a 3-0 loss against the Merced Blue Devils that evening.

Lack of communication on the court and errors made by LMC — passing Experience photos • Cathie Lawrence the ball out of bounds or not moving their feet to get a good pass — gave Los Medanos College volleyball player Ashley Dixon blocks the See VBALL, page 6

Merced College player’s offensive attempt.

The Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics finalized a deal Aug. 31 completing one of the most blockbuster trades in National Basketball Association history.

The trade sent All-NBA point guard and all-star Kyrie Irving to the Boston Celtics for rising star point guard Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, a 2018 first-round draft pick from the Brooklyn Nets, and a 2020 second round pick.

It’s still hard to digest how a player of Kyrie Irving’s caliber requested a trade from the Cavs after appearing in three straight NBA finals.

Many fans believe he asked for it because, in addition to Irving, the Cavs have probably the best player in the NBA since Michael Jordan—Lebron James. Rumors spread in the sports world when Irving requested the trade, one of which came from ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith: “Kyrie was tired of playing under the shadow Smith has a flair for the dramatic in sports commentary, and it comes off hard to believe that Irving would request a trade over one teammate.

Looking deeper it is more likely that Irving wanted to move on and extend his career through new opportunities.

But many fans couldn’t take that as a legit reason. Some just did what fans have done in the past—burn their old jerseys of players who left the teams they love. A trade that was supposed to look good for Irving and the Celtics took a big turn and favored the Cavaliers.

The Cavs are one of the most hated teams in the NBA and it was weird to feel good for them once they completed this trade because of who they got in return: point guard Isaiah Thomas, one of the top stories to come out in the playoff this past season.

Just a couple days after his sister died in a car accident in early April, Thomas pulled off one of the most memorable playoff performances in NBA history.

The Celtics didn’t end up winning the game, but Thomas scored 33 points with his family in the crowd, and the team rallied around him to eventually go all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals to face the Cleveland Cavaliers.

However, Thomas’s season was cut short due to a labral tear, and the Cavs ended up defeating the Celtics in the seven-game series and a trip to the NBA finals for a third year in a row. Even though the Boston Celtics’ season was over, the fans had reason to hope that the best was yet to come. In the end for both Irving and Thomas, their futures were bright, and both of their teams were destined to meet in next year’s Eastern Conference Finals.

Then it happened. The Cavaliers and Celtics announced on Aug. 22 they were in talks to trade Irving for Thomas.

For Thomas it came at a big shock that a team in a city that rallied around him when he was at his lowest, and believed in his ability to help bring the Celts back to glory, was willing to let him go so easily.

Many players in the league came together in suppor t of Thomas, believing he shouldn’t have been treated so cavalierly in his final days with the club. And fans soon followed suit turning the Celtics into the villains of league, and the Cavs into the new favorite to defeat them in the coming year.

It’ll be interesting to see how Irving handles being the center of a team pushing for its first finals appearance since 2008.

As for Thomas, he fits in with the Cavaliers smoothly. With a team headed by Lebron James, and a scoring machine like Isaiah Thomas, the league better be ready to see what Cleveland has in store once again.

From a personal point of view, Cleveland got the better end of the trade, because Thomas has a WAR (wins above replacement) 20 points higher than Irving’s. Not to say Irving is not a good player, but the presence of Isiah Thomas on the court has a greater impact.

It’ll be fun to watch Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics go at it this year, as it looks to be one of the most electric rivalries in the NBA this season.

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and Ventura College. If fully realized, the initiative would be accessible to every community college in California.

Department Chair of World Languages and Academic Senate Vice President Laurie Huffman of LMC is a Lead Reviewer for the OEI, and she is the final say on whether a course meets the standardizes requirements to be a part of the exchange. She is currently conducting classes – for teachers – on how to create classes worthy of being part of the exchange, and hopes that the OEI program will be integrated into the online community college plans.

The program was born out a push for greater accessibility for students, since some majors might require a capstone class not offered at Campus A, but available online at Campus B. “This was born out of a need for students to access classes they could not access at their home site due to budget cuts,” said Dr. Huffman, who has worked on the OEI program for a bit over four years. It’s been a very long, slow, tedious process getting it to where it is now, and it’s still not anywhere near its intended status, but it’s worth the wait, in her eyes.

“We want to do it right from the beginning… The product of this is a very high quality course.”

It’s not just physical accessibility that motivated the formation of OEI. Beyond making more classes available to more students, Huffman’s work also involves making sure that those classes are of a higher, uniform standard quality-wise and meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

“People are offering online courses haphazardly,” she explains.

“They’re not looking at ADA, or how students learn best.”

Simple things like the color of the website and the imagery used on class documents, as well as the different kinds of multimedia they employ, can make a world of difference for students with conditions such as colorblindness, deafness, or a learning disorder. Standards and regulations like the ones OEI employs are “the only way to make things clean,” according to Huffman.

Presumably, the work Huffman and others have done on the OEI could be built upon or combined with other projects to create a fully online degree program.

This program would satisfy Governor Brown’s request in addition to or as an extension of the online class exchange, though Chancellor Oakley did not mention the OEI in his speech at the Online Teaching Conference.

A more immediate goal for Huffman, however, is to extend the OEI par ticipant list to include LMC, as well as other colleges in the Contra Costa Community College District.

“It’s the best deal in town to take an online course that has a very high level of design, that has been vetted and peer reviewed,” she remarked.

There are no immediate plans to bring the program here, but Huffman believes that Governor Brown’s letter will expedite the expansion of the OEI, to CCCCD and beyond.

“We could do it, we have the capacity,” she stated. “I think the district is moving in that direction… I think [Governor Brown] wanted this to happen faster.”

the crime, but Sorbani and Corlew both believe the two children to be the ones who stole the art piece.

“I did not expect two kids to take that,” Sorbani said. “That was so shocking.”

Corlew described the incident as being more disappointing than anything else, but has been trying to put a silver lining on it.

“Is that a compliment that someone stole my stuff? Or did someone really hate me enough to steal all my stuff?” he pondered jokingly. “I sure would like to get it back, though…I am hoping to make

replacements in time for the opening. I don’t know if I’ll be able to.”

In the end, the incident might just end up being a blessing in disguise for Corlew, however, due to him exercising a bit of humor when submitting the piece.

“I did put on the information form… I valued them at $1 million,” Corlew revealed. “I’m hoping the college insurance will be able to cover it.” “…Without bankrupting the school,” he added.

now something ever yone lives with, no matter where we live or study.”

Students who are about to learn in Barcelona shared their side on how they feel on going in spite of the attacks.

LMC student Vanessa Flores was hear tbroken by what happened in Barcelona since she’s always wanted to study abroad.

“I immediately became concerned about my upcoming trip to Barcelona.” said Flores.

“I am more aware about the dangers that can take place while studying abroad and I’ve been able to inform myself of ways to keep myself safe from tragic events. With the recent attacks, I believe or I hope that there will be more security around Barcelona.”

LMC Student Genaro Mau-

ricio will be going to the city as well and remembers thinking how awful it was that something like that happened to innocent people.

“It really threw me of f because I never expected something like that to happen in Spain,” said Mauricio adding that although the attacks are worisome, his feelings toward the trip have not changed.

“I feel that it was the goal of the individuals who attacked Barcelona to make people afraid,” said Mauricio. “I think that if I decided to change how I felt than they would have got what they set out to do.”

No students have changed their mind about going to Barcelona. LMC students and staff going will be departing for the three-month trip Monday, Sept. 11.

Between the winter of 2017 and the fall of 2018, LMC along with other community colleges across California, will be submitting courses that will fulfill the math requirement.

While this change may seem to only benefit nonmath majors, Ryan Pedersen, LMC Interim Dean of Math and Sciences, believes that it also has a positive effect on students who are math focused.

“For students majoring in disciplines that are not algebraically intensive, it allows us to offer them mathematically rigorous experiences that are more relevant to their current and future courses and jobs,” explained Pedersen. “For students in more algebraically intensive programs, such as Math or Science, we can further tailor their math curriculum to meet their specific needs. Because of this, I believe that this change is a win for both student success and mathematical literacy at the same time.”

While this change benefits many students, it will definitely

affect the math departments across all CSU and California community colleges.

Due to the change, teachers will have to adapt and adjust their curriculum.

Aware of this effect, White stated that he “supports faculty innovation in curriculum and facilitates equitable opportunity for first-year students to succeed through existing and redesigned education models” in his Executive Order.

Some math teachers at LMC are excited for this new change in the math curriculum and have already began to implement changes into their curriculum.

For those who have already completed the math requirement, this Executive Order will have no effect.

However for future students who have not taken intermediate algebra, this change could drastically affect their academic success.

“I think this is a great move

by CSU that will benefit our LMC students in a wide variety of courses of study,” said Pedersen.

From page 3

DACA

Experience • Chris Ruiz

ATTACK From page 1

Foreign Study, no changes were made because the institute has “excellent protocols in place to track students’ whereabouts and keep them as safe as possible in the event of an emergency”.

A statement was sent to Saito from AIFS Senior Vice President, Alisa Brookes about the precautions that will be made for participants of the trip.

The statement discussed that safety is not guaranteed anywhere but it’s their top priority students are safe.

They will continue to take every precaution possible to ensure the wellbeing of the participants and will not cancel any of the programs in Spain.

“Although incidents like

BUGG From page 4

this are frightening, they are fortunately still rare and the people in Spain continue to go about their daily business,” said Brookes.

LMC staf f and students will be given extensive security advice at the on-site orientation when they arrive in Barcelona, as is standard on all AIFS programs.

Saito is still excited about going to Barcelona as she will teach the Humanities and Philosophy class and will accompany the students on educational activities and field trips. While she is upset about the carnage that happened in Barcelona, it doesn’t change her belief that Study Abroad is an amazing opportunity.

“It’s a beautiful, historically significant city,” said Saito.

“Sadly, terrorist threats are

MATH From page 1

low points yet it seems to be- focus their studies in a course come repetitive in sound and that will benefit them. context after a while.

However this alternative math pathway does not enSince Bugg no longer uses the original co-writers from tirely change which majors do his self-titled and “Shangri and do not have to complete La” albums, he has had the math requirements.

All students who are transfreedom to control his sound and lyrics and in this album, ferring their major to a CSU which seems to have both must still complete a math positive and negative effects. requirement to fulfill their category.

His freedom has allowed him However, due to the change, to heavily explore a country they no longer must take the sound — a sound very different specific intermediate algebra from his folk-rock few albums. course.

CSU Executive Vice ChanAnd while this may seem promising, Bugg lacks lyrically. cellor for Academic and Student Affairs Loren Blanchard, The context of this album believes that this change, mainly involves love, loss while making the process and well, the South. But as a easier for students, will continlong-time listener of Bugg, I ue to uphold the high caliber have to say that I was hoping of CSU. for more.

“This suite of changes mainWhile the country sound tains the quality and rigor of works well for Bugg, I cant the CSU while enabling tens help but wish that he had told of thousands of students to a meaningful story or given get needed academic support a deeper insight into himself while progressing toward their through this album. degree,” said Blanchard.

His earlier songs, while co-written, ironically seemed be more authentic. Songs like “Slumville Sunrise” and “Messed Up Kids” told stories of his early childhood growing up in Nottingham England and the struggles that he felt and witnessed.

In contrast, his newer music such as “Southern Rain” and “Livin’ Up Countr y,” while undeniably catchy, seem to portray more of an image and less of a true look into Bugg.

Overall, the album has a cohesive country sound and context, yet it lacks the excitement of the first few albums.

Bugg is no longer new to the music scene and the Bob Dylan vibe that brought him much attention at the beginning, can no longer carry him now.

While his writing may be more “authentic” now, I must to provide for every student, say that I find myself reminiscregardless of race, gender, ing to his early days. economic status, birthplace, Nevertheless, “Hearts That or style of learning.

Strain” is definitely worth a The inclusion of such big listen to, if not for the album names in the school district itself, to see Bugg’s interesting makes it clear that the com- transition from neo-folk to munity college system in the full-blown country.

East Bay opposes the removal of DACA. With over 800,000 people benefiting from the opportunities that DACA provides and with around 25 percent of them being located in California, the removal of the bill could have profound and devastating effects for California and its community colleges.

From page 1

From page 5

From page 1

The tiny books in the upper right corner were stolen.

Follow the LMC Experience online at lmcexperience.com

-— Haylee Stevens contributed to the report

the Blue Devils that domination over the Stangs.

“The first game I feel we were on our top,” said Dixon.

“With some of the sloppier teams we’re more focused on finding our spots and seeing where they have open spots but with this game, the team was just really good.”

Even with that consistency in the first game Coach Panzella expressed that is something the team would have to continue to work on.

“Consistency of effort is something we are struggling with. We play really well but then at times seem to lose focus,” said Panzella.

But the Mustang Classic being a way to help the team get in competition mode adds to their preparation for the season kick-off.

“The more tournaments we play, the more playtime we get and the more playtime we get, the better we get,” said Dixon.

Returner and Co-Captain Samantha Rhodes echoed similar sentiments explaining that playing in tournaments like the Mustang Classic further benefits their preparation.

“The more experience we have the better it is when we go into the season because the more touches the better,” said Rhodes.

She added that this tournament is a way to get a sense of competition that they don’t necessarily receive when practicing against one another.

“When you play at practice you don’t get as much experience because we’re not working together against another team that is competitive but when you play against a real team in a real match, you have dif ferent experiences and that’s really important,” said Rhodes. “I think something that we need to take away to learn from this is to work as a team better.”

QUAKE From page 4

and organizations to assess their levels of readiness in the event of an earthquake or other unforeseen disaster,” said Lester, adding that his “hope is that TGSO 2017 participants come away with a better understanding of how important it is to be prepared for an unforeseen disaster.”

Lester has a goal is to create a culture of safety throughout the district and to increase participation in the event in order to provide a great opportunity for public safety.

“I believe it will serve as a great resource that informs the public on what to do in order to survive and recover from the devastating effects of an earthquake.”