Issue 6, December 7, 2015

Santa Rosa Junior College’s Newspaper

The

Oak

www.theoakleafnews.com

Leaf

Decemeber 7, 2015

Alcohol scandal disrupts SGA Luke Heslip

County renews bus program Amy Reynolds

Co-Editor-in-Chief Overturning a previous decision, Santa Rosa Junior College’s Student Government Assembly removed three members implicated in an alcohol scandal Nov. 30 before the administration completed its student conduct hearings.

These removals and hearings stem from witness accounts of alcohol use at a Sacramento student government conference in November. Four members of the sevenperson SRJC delegation allegedly drank at least two bottles of Sierra Nevada beer and six bottles of Mike’s Hard Lemonade that other conference attendees gave them.

Three former members removed from the SGA are Vice President of Sustainability Lucas Alvillar, Director of Marketing at the Petaluma campus Jaqueline Herrera and Assembly Member of Student Rights Victoria Sheber.

Herrera and Sheber are under 21.

All delegates signed contracts prohibiting alcohol use for the three-day trip with SRJC and the Student Senate of California Community Colleges.

SRJC was liable for the delegation, which student government advisor Zack Miranda said the suspect students were aware of.

The Student Representation Fee, a $1 per semester student enrollment charge, paid for the delegation to attend the conference.

The vote to remove the three SGA members wasn’t on the agenda before the meeting began.

Executive Vice President Jordan Panana Carbajal motioned to revoke the SGA’s original Nov. 23 decision to suspend the officers until Student Conduct Dean Patie Wegman finalized her hearings, so the SGA could preemptively dismiss them independently, SGA chair Joshua Pinaula said.

Volume CXXXIV, Issue VI

Staff Writer

Daniel Kong/ Oak Leaf

SGA members met on Nov. 23 for a hearing regarding three members’ alleged alcohol consumption.

“We couldn’t disappoint them until that motion was rescinded,” Pinaula said about the administrative leave decision.

Pinaula thought the vote to remove the three officers was premature. “Acting as chair [I] stated that I didn’t want to recognize this vote to disappoint people,” he said.

SGA members banded together to overrule Pinaula, and Carbajal’s motion to reverse the earlier administrative leave decision passed.

The body overwhelmingly voted to dismiss the administration investigated students.

Carbajal’s motion reinstated the suspects’ assembly powers by lifting their administrative leave. This made it possible for two of them to vote on their own removal.

Of the three former representatives, Alvillar voted to dismiss all implicated parties and Herrera and Sheber abstained.

The fourth suspect, SRJC’s Board of Trustees student representative Elijah Egger, is not

subject to SGA authority since he’s not an SGA agent. He acts as a liaison between the board and student government. Students elected him in April 2015.

However, Egger received student representative pay from the SGA’s Public Service Fellowship Program, which SGA officers froze for all suspect parties.

Pinaula said he was not sure if the SGA would freeze their payouts indefinitely, but since the body disappointed its three members, they don’t accrue pay going forward.

Egger is required to attend at least 80 percent of SGA sessions to be eligible for the compensation. He missed more than 60 percent thus far, according to SGA minutes.

The PSFP, which is in its pilot year, is the first student representative compensation system in SRJC history.

and I’d say I’d get to it in two minutes and then forget,” LeGallee said.

Oral contraceptives didn’t work for her, so she sought out a new form of birth control because she isn’t ready to become a mother.

“I’m definitely focusing on studies and trying to improve my life situation rather than have a child and try to deal with that,” LeGallee said.

After talking with her doctor, LeGallee chose to switch to an

arm implant. She found the risks and side effects comparable to those of the pill and shot methods. She said the arm implant is best for her because it allows her not to worry about taking a pill every day.

“I scheduled it and it took less than 15 minutes. It was honestly longer to wait in the waiting room than to get it done,” she said. “They cleaned the area and then did a numbing thing so you couldn’t feel it.”

LeGallee is one of the 62 percent of American women

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The Santa Rosa Junior College Student Government Assembly passed a resolution committing $30,000 to continue the free county-wide college student bus program Nov. 17 and the college matched the student reserve contribution. The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors pledged the remaining ongoing annual funding to allow college students and veterans to ride the Sonoma County Transit for free through December 2016.

“Although it is unfortunate that the school has to be the one to put up this much funding, that more funding is not available at the county level. Overall, it really is an incredible service and a wonderful opportunity for the SGA to really support the students in a way they haven’t really been able to before,” said SGA Chair Joshua Pinaula.

“This program has proven successful in mitigating access barriers to education,” said Robert Ethington, dean of student affairs and engagement programs. “It’s an investment in our students, and the Santa Rosa Junior College is proud to be a partner supporting the 2016 program.”

In 2016, county and transportation experts expect the program to cost $323,792. The estimated fares for veterans total $28,134, with a one-time funding from the Veterans Service Office and a county contribution of $18,134.

The estimated fares for college students are $295,658, with $60,000 from SRJC, $17,500 from Sonoma State University and a county contribution of $218,158.

The service allows free access to Sonoma County Transit for all students attending SRJC or SSU, and for all veterans with an ID card.

Contraception misconceptions: Is your method effective?

Maci Martell and Estefany Gonzalez News/Managing Editor and A&E Editor

Remembering to take a pill every day wasn’t easy for Santa Rosa Junior College biology major Jeannie LeGallee. The 21-yearold tried taking oral contraceptives as a form of birth control but found she would often forget to take them.

“I’m really bad at remembering and procrastinate things. An alarm would go off,

Oak Leaf holiday Matt Black art exhibit Not fade away roundtable Staffers of different creeds and backgrounds share their winter holiday celebrations.

Centerspread, Pages 12-13

Matt Black captures the lives of migrant laborers through photography.

Understand the lack of compassion and disrespect that comes with ghosting.

A&E, Page 17

Opinion, Page 19

age 15 to 44 who currently use some form of contraception, according to Robert Hatcher’s text “Managing Contraception.” In his work, Hatcher said each night 700,000 to one million women in the U.S. have unprotected sex and do not want to become pregnant.

Condoms are available over the counter at drug stores, grocery stores and mass chains like Target. Clinics provide vaginal rings or female condoms. A trip to the doctor’s office can provide an IUD or oral contraceptives.

Continued on page 7...

Former SRJC coach recognized Former SRJC women’s soccer coach and 20-year faculty member makes it into the CCCSCA hall of fame.

Sports, Page 21

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gram

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News SGA removes three members

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December 7, 2015

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www.theoakleafnews.com

body having only appointed her Sept.

12, and she was contract- bound to Editors-in-Chief: In the SGA’s Nov. 23 public not leave her hotel room after 1 a.m.

Faith Gates and Luke Heslip “My only option was to tell Zack hearing, Alvillar and Herrera owned up to the drinking allegations and [Miranda] I made a regrettable Managing Editor: decision not to because I am trying apologized to their colleagues.

Maci Martell “I accept whatever punishment, extremely hard to fit into a group that no matter how harsh. I accept full hardly knows me,” Sheber said. “Being Section Editors: blame,” Alvillar said. “I am terribly the whistleblower from the beginning A&E Editor |Estefany Gonzalez would have angered everyone.” sorry for shaming the body.”

Copy Editor | Carin Huber Sheber stressed she doesn’t drink Sheber initially denied the Copy Editor | Alex Randolph allegations and said she set down alcohol because of family history Features Editor | Haley Bollinger a beer someone handed her and and resents Herrera’s accusations News Editor | Maci Martell Layout Editor | Catherine Ramirez poured another beer over the hotel that she imbibed more than sips Opinion Editor | Carin Huber balcony to imply participation. and encouraged others to drink. She Courtesy of SGA Multimedia Editor | Kyle Schmidt This conflicted with Alvillar and later said no one pressured her to The student government dismissed three of its members after alleged alcohol use.

Photo Editor | Daniel Kong Herrera’s testimonies, which drink. She also contended she doesn’t Sports Editor | Parker Dangers Oncken claimed everyone in the room, categorize what she did as drinking. are not entitled to notice or appeal recommend Egger’s resignation.

Social Media Editor | Austin Burmester “He’s held to a really high standard drank, including Sheber and Egger. “I took a sip from the bottle to get and the SGA can disappoint them Web Editor | Rebecca Dominguez because he holds the highest The Sunday following the out of drinking, I don’t consider that with a simple majority vote. representative seat of any student and Miranda explained the hearing, Herrera sent out an email, drinking,” she said.

Senior Staff Writers he’s just been gone and no one has The SGA deliberated for 40 minutes confidentiality of student conduct recipients of which included Oak Robert Marshall, JoshuOne Barnes been hearing from him,” Pinaula said.

Leaf correspondents. It challenged after hearing statements from the hearings could make it difficult for and Craig Gettman “I felt that the intention of the SGA Sheber’s original account of the accused, at which time Vice President the SGA to learn and respond to Staff Writers was to publically humiliate me and I incident and, in Herrera’s view, of Advocacy Hernan Zaragoza Dean Wegman’s decisions.

Anne-Elisabeth Cavarec,Tommy wasn’t interested in participating in “There is a concern about the clarified the narrative discrepancies. motioned a vote to disappoint all Dennen, Brendan Dorsey, Mitchell public humiliation from a group of “I watched Tori [Sheber] consume three suspects, which passed with amount of information that the Garcia-Buckley, Nikki Goetz, Arthur individuals that do not respect the SGA is going to be able to get from alcohol at least once during the either yay votes or abstentions.

Gonzalez-Martin, Gideon Halpin, Some SGA officials questioned this investigation. Patie [Wegman] rule of law, do not handle public funds night, her bottle also had some liquid Matthew Koch, Taylor Kong, Travis missing by the time she gave it to a whether due process extended to the is obviously very concerned about responsibly and are surprisingly LaBrucherie, Amy Reynolds, Devin everyone’s privacy in a matter like disloyal individuals,” Egger said in different person,” Herrera said. “Tori members the body removed.

Schwarz, Kelsi Sibert, Anthony Sosa, “I understand the body’s feelings for this,” Miranda said. He cited this response to why he did not attend the not only consumed alcohol but she Stephen Wolmarans and Candler as a reason the two hearings. was one of the first to advocate for the second round,” Weinberg Egger did not admit to violating Vice President SGA abandoned the consumption of alcohol.”

Photographers any conduct rules in Sacramento its decision to The misconduct only came to of Student Life “The incident JoshuOne Barnes, Craig Gettman, and did not think the allegations, if Kerr wait for the administrative attention because Virginia Guillaume Jackson, Matthew Koch, substantiated, should warrant PSFP administration Herrera persistently vomited the day said, referring to in Sacramento Catherine Ramirez and Kyle Schmidt suspension, but said it should end for to act. after drinking, though there may be the SGA’s Nov. reflects really other reasons.

Sheber said no correlation since Herrera said she 30 decision to Distribution “I think the money should be there’s no official ate left out shrimp at 5 a.m. that day. reverse the Nov. badly on all of us. ” Travis LaBrucherie and Stephen Wolsuspended because it is being used in investigation Miranda, aware of Herrera’s 23 administrative marans an inappropriate way. We are paying completed and condition, asked Sheber if anyone leave decision and -Virginia Kerr, vice illegal aliens with public funds to try the SGA didn’t had alcohol the night before, which then dismiss the Layout Team president of student life and subvert our democratic process. afford her and the she answered yes out of concern suspect members.

Rebecca Dominguez, Craig Gettman Many of them have very strong other two officers for Herrera’s safety, according to “I am a little and Catherine Ramirez anti-American sentiments and they concerned about the body removed Miranda. are not there to help the average due process. “I Miranda said he relayed what he whether they had knew to Dean of Student Affairs due process. If we are not holding true am being bullied by a student body student, they are there only to help Robert Ethington, who filed a to our constitution then we don’t have that is representing a large body of undocumented students and they Newsroom: 707-527-4401 make it pretty damn clear that that’s students,” she said. report to Wegman. Miranda said a foundation at all,” she said.

Ads Office: 707-527-4254 Kerr motioned in the Nov. 23 “We should take responsibility for what their agenda is all about,” Egger he did not inform the SSCCC Anne Belden, Adviser: 707-527-4867 hearing to address the three suspects what we are doing. We have to take said in reference to SGA officials he General Assembly.

abelden@santarosa.edu Contradicting her earlier individually, partly due to their responsibility for what we did. By declined to name.

Pinaula said he did know account, Sheber said in her email different ranks and Sheber’s denial, disappointing us, or me, I think that EMAIL the immigation status of SGA reply that she had sipped beer and but voted for the collective removal is one way of doing it,” Herrera said. oakleafonline@gmail.com members and rejected the premise “Any money used on the trip should had not merely observed. “Sipping Nov. 30. She said Sheber’s narrative Advertising the body subverts the democratic when the bottle was handed to me contradictions about the incident be reimbursed to SGA because they Keshia Knight procces and only serves was my only way out of drinking and the email disputes influenced misused the funds, but before that I oakleaf-ads@santarosa.edu undocumented students. don’t think it’s fair to take away that for the rest of the night,” she said. her decision.

The student trustee said he was SGA bylaws state the body has to pay,” Vice President of Student Health “I tried convincing everyone in the LETTERS TO THE EDITOR not sure if he would resign, but said room that I drank by sipping once provide its officers with formal email Hannah Cagle said. “Overall I think it he would definitely attend the Dec. and handing the beer back. No one or written notice a minimum of 72 was beneficial to the body to remove We appreciate your feedback. Send 8 board meeting. saw me drink after that because it hours in advance of a session where those officers.” letters to oakleafonline@gmail.com Egger said he and the SGA have they deliberate officer removal. It Cagle thought the affair was a did not happen.” or to the Oak Leaf office. Letters should include first and last name and experienced ideological friction The former assembly member also provides for an appeal process. regrettable distraction from the SGA’s be limited to 300 words. Letter may since he assumed his trustee role, said the situation was difficult However, this only applies to elected greater responsibilities. “We spent be edited for style, length, clarity and having served on the student because she was a newcomer, the representatives. Assembly members two whole meetings on that. That taste. Libelous or obscene letters will legislator last academic year. He could have been used for the million not be printed. believed several administrators other projects we’re working on and and SGA members are trying to that’s my main concern,” she said.

Egger was the only suspect who marginalize him and mitigate his public presence in relation to SRJC. attend the two SGA hearings.

Check out our website: Like us on didn’t facebook Follow us on twitter Follow us on Instagram @theoakleafnews “I’ve been left in the dark,” In addition to suspending his pay, the www.theoakleafnews.com OakleafNews @SROakleaf SRJCOakleaf Egger said.

“For the most part SGA passed a vote of no confidence people have not reached out to me, against him and several members Check out our website: Like us on facebook Follow us on Instagram theoakleafnews probably for fear I would bring up expressed dismay at his absences. www.theoakleafnews.com OakleafNews SRJCOakleaf other things they don’t want me to “He has completely lost our trust,” talk about.

They sort of hope I’ll go Assembly Member of Study Alex Check out our website: Like us on facebook OakleafNews away quietly. ” Gonzalez said Nov. 23. www.theoakleafnews.com OakleafNews Kerr thought the alleged Pinaula said he plans to attend misconduct undermined the SGA’s the next board of trustees meeting Check out our website: progress last year in crafting a more Dec. 8 to brief the college’s policy www.theoakleafnews.com www.theoakleafnews.com serious image.

“The incident in making body that Egger sits on of the Daniel Kong/ Oak Leaf Sacramento reflects really badly on Sacramento incident and the ensuing The SGA commons, where the studet legislators work. all of us, ” she said.

SGA decisions. He also said he would

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Coping with loss Valley Fire impacts victims’ school success Mitchell Garcia-Buckley Staff Writer Santa Rosa Junior College student Cesar Macias worked hard to maintain a 3.7 GPA, but when the Valley Fire became visible from his house, his entire routine changed. Emergency personnel evacuated him to the Napa County Fairgrounds, where his family stayed for almost two weeks.

With his home in danger and his daily routine disrupted, Macias had trouble focusing on his schoolwork.

He lost track of assignments and missed lectures.

“I couldn’t even get some of the things I needed because the roads were closed,” Macias said. “There was no point in going to class.”

Macias failed all of his classes this semester due to his inability to catch up

News

December 7, 2015

In the

Know

Annual Giving Tree Program

Kyle Schmidt/ Oak Leaf

Rubble and ash was all that was left of homes in Middletown after the sweeping flames of the Valley Fire.

with what he missed on account of the fire. “I have to retake all these classes and see if I can do it without all the distractions,” he said. “I need to go in more clear-headed.”

The Valley Fire displaced nearly 400 SRJC students, making it difficult for many of them to get to class and complete coursework. The roads to their homes were blocked off and the need to stay with relatives or at the fairgrounds became a distraction.

“I had no school books or supplies for a week,” said SRJC student Jerry Espinoza. Espinoza was another student that had trouble keeping up with his schoolwork.

Students who lost their home, like Eddie Amante, had the most difficult semester. Amante had to drop all of his classes this fall. He lost his home just outside of Hidden Valley Lake. Now he is living in a

rental near his former home.

“Well for starters I left my backpack, so all my books, pens, paper and flash drives with work on them were all gone,” Amante said. “I really didn’t have a place to study being in and out of hotels and friend’s houses. When I went back to get my books at the bookstore, some were sold out and I had to get them ordered, which took time, and that made me fall further behind. The emotional effect of the fire itself kind of put me in a weird place where I really just wanted to drop everything and start over.”

Although the fire was a setback, Amante has already signed up for his spring classes, preparing for next semester. “I’m ready to go back. I have had a lot of time to think everything over,” he said.

SRJC student Ashley Hart also lost her family home in the fire. Adjusting

to the loss has been hard for her. “It has affected [schoolwork] a lot, I’m sad to say,” Hart said. “I continue to think about my family at home, and I try to go home as much as I can, but I also made a commitment to the JC basketball team.”

The college is offering some relief to students the fire affected. SRJC held a silent auction and donated all proceeds to Valley Fire students. For students who lost books and other school supplies, the Edwin Kent Emergency Relief Fund is providing special grants to replace the lost items.

A scholarship is available to students who have demonstrated loss. Any students the Valley Fire harmed who were enrolled in at least six units can apply for the scholarship. The scholarship is available regardless of whether or not students were able to finish the semester.

SGA remembers past administrator

Student leaders continue resolution after decorated faculty member dies Kelsi Sibert Staff Writer Eugene Canevari was a selfless administrator who put his students first. Prior to his recent death, the Student Government Assembly passed a resolution honoring Canevari and his work at Santa Rosa Junior College.

The resolution promises to repair the rundown fountain outside Pioneer Hall. Canevari dedicated the fountain to students past, present and future, and the SGA honors his dedication by repairing the fountain in his name.

There’s not a set date to repair the fountain, but Adrienne Leihy, co-founder of the SRJC Historical Society Club and staff member at the curriculum office, hopes SRJC will complete the repairs by its 100year anniversary in 2018.

Money is the biggest obstacle to the fountain’s repair. It’s undecided whether the college will use the recently passed Measure H bond to pay for it, or use existing funds. In the meantime, there is a fountain restoration donation fund located between the doors in the bookstore.

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The student government is also interested in donating a “significant amount of money,” according to SGA Chair Josh Pinaula.

The fountain has been a monumental part of the school for decades, dating back to the 1940s.

The original SRJC groundskeeper insisted he and his co-workers build the fountain along with classified staff. The workers labored day and night on their own time to handbuild the fountain.

Along with repairing the pioneer fountain, the SGA is honoring Canevari by naming him the father of Pioneer Hall and Doyle Student Center, which stood where Bertolini Student Center is now.

Canevari was a strong advocate for students with disabilities and also established the women’s crisis hotline. He was at SRJC for about 20 years, always put students first and did anything to help them.

“He was very much involved with student life [and] student government for most of his career,” Leihy said. “It was only after they cut his budget that he took a leave of absence and came back as a counselor for a couple years, then decided it wasn’t for him.”

SRJC is sponsoring a giving tree/Secret Santa for children of students in programs such as CalWORKs, Children’s Center, Foster & Kinship Care, Disability Resources and EOPS. People can donate wrapped gifts no later than Dec. 9 to Sandy Sigala on the Santa Rosa campus, Samantha Dean on the Petaluma campus and Kelly Ransbottom at the Public Safety Training Center.

For more information, contact Kathleen Matthies at 524-1554 or at kmatthies@santarosa.edu.

Study Abroad in England

The last Study Abroad information meetings for the Oxford and London 2016 summer trip will be at 3-4 p.m. Dec. 8 in Doyle Library, room 4244, and 3-4 p.m. Dec. 10 on the Petaluma campus in the Call Building, room 693.

Sonoma County Protection

Climate

Director of the Center for Climate Protection Ann Hancock will talk about what the county has accomplished in terms of greenhouse gas emission reductions and how others can be involved, 9-10:15 a.m. Dec. 9 in 1801 Baker Hall.

Farm Stand

Want fresh tomatoes, sweet and hot peppers and cilantro to make a refreshing salsa? Shone Farm will have fresh produce for sale from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Dec. 9, 10, 16 and 17 on the Bertolini Quad.

The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution

Canevari and the fountain linked up in SRJC history. When looking back on past records and pictures, Pinaula found images of Canevari with a group of 40 or more students surrounding the fountain. Leihy also noticed similar patterns of students surrounding the fountain and noticed how times have changed.

Once the college repairs the fountain, the SGA plans to install a plaque explaining its significance. They will also install a plaque in Pioneer Hall, which will honor Canevari.

“As we mark the ending on his life, I feel special to have known such a fine man. I believe you only run in to such people only very few times,” said Greg Champion, a close friend and former student of Canevari’s. “Can’t help but love that man!”

SRJC’s Black Student Union and M.E.Ch.A will host a screening and Q&A session about a film on the history of the Black Panther Party and community organizing.

The screening will be from 5:30-8 p.m. Dec. 10 at Roxy Stadium 14 in Santa Rosa. General admission tickets are $12 and five percent of the proceeds will be used to purchase solar panels for a tribe in Ghana, Africa.

Warm Clothes Drive

Student clubs are running a warm clothes drive from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. from Dec. 1 to Dec. 9 on the Bertolini quad. Monetary donations as well as blankets, rain gear and tents are accepted.

Digital Media Screening

Top: Kyle Schmidt/ Oak Leaf , Bottom: JoshuOne Barnes/ Oak Leaf

Top: Student body president Joshua Pinaula presents a resolution repairing Pioneer fountain in Canevari’s name.

Bottom: Pioneer fountain, in the middle of Bertolini quad, will be restored.

Digital media instructor Brian Antonson will host a free, second annual digital media screening with content from media, journalism, computer studies, music and applied technology classes, 6-8 p.m. Dec. 17 in Carol L. Ellis Auditorium on the Petaluma campus.

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December 7, 2015

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Commitee revises a student bill of rights

Luke Heslip and Brendan Dorsey Co-Editor-in-Chief and Staff Writer

In an open forum Dec. 2, campus leaders reviewed a student bill of rights draft and debated its scope and particulars in the Bertolini Center for Student Leadership in the hopes that a version will be on the April 2016 student ballot.

“I want this to be an open process; it’s not an SGA [Student Government Assembly] resolution. This is a movement for students. This is a bill of rights for students,” said former assembly member of student rights Victoria Sheber, who coordinated the summit.

Building off of student committee drafts from last spring, Sheber and the Student Bill of Rights Ad Hoc Committee refined the 10-article document that lists fundamental student rights, such as freedom of information and due process.

In her presentation at the summit, Sheber outlined the committee’s goals for the forthcoming final draft.

First, members want the SGA to pass the bill as a resolution and then submit it to the Board of Trustees for that body to incorporate it into college policy. They then want neighboring community colleges and the Student Senate of California Community Colleges to ratify it and for the state legislator to eventually adopt it as law.

Sheber said a student-specified bill of rights would be an essential aid for those the student conduct and grievance process effects. “The problem is when a student goes through the grievance process, they’re alone and they don’t have representation,” Sheber said. The bill would be a resource students could refer to, and Sheber thinks it will legitimize student protections.

Multiple students brought up concerns about administrative treatment of students in conduct hearings. They mentioned a dubious lack of due process and information on their rights.

“If you are accused of something on this campus, you are going to go down for it. There is no representation,” said student Lamont Powell, 32.

After an instructor accused her of cheating this summer, Sheber underwent a student conduct hearing. Not only was the process confusing, she felt she couldn’t state her case without a teacher threatening her. It seemed to her SRJC was ready to hand out a punishment before she could even state her case.

“I want to see a student advocate so they can have a peer advocate, someone that is fighting for them and not also supposed to be fighting for the teacher,” Sheber said, explaining her idea for a special corps of student rights versed student volunteers to act as the equivalent of legal counsel in conduct hearings.

Brendan Dorsey/ Oak Leaf

Tori Sheber, former assembly member of student rights, talks about the bill of rights during a Student Government Assembly summit she coordinated to review and revise the bill.

“I want this to be an open process; it’s not an SGA resolution. This is a movement for students. This is a bill of rights for students,” Sheber said.

Student body president Joshua Pinaula said he also found the college judicial process confusing in his own conduct hearing and felt the college didn’t make his rights known to him.

“It feels like I made the due process, and I would prefer if the college gave me due process,” he said.

The congregation of about 20 students and faculty members discussed the student bill of rights discrimination clause in political affiliation and absence of identification, among other ideas, in great detail. Its current form includes language that would protect most classes of citizens. Attendees suggested expanding the language to include socioeconomic status; making the bill of rights inclusive as possible seemed to be an easy agreement to come to.

“I think it’s imperative for students to recognize they have the

opportunity not to be a marginalized community because students as a whole are the future of our country,” said Melissa Debret, SGA member of special operations.

The student bill of rights would expand and cement upon discrimination protections, sexual assault rights and due process in respect to student conduct hearings.

“We parameterized more so in the discrimination article than the rest of California and the country does, which I think is really important in order to kickstart progression and embody that sort of development,” Debret said.

Many attending were disappointed with the lack of participation from the student body as a whole. Six clubs were represented out of 70 and a handful of faculty and administration were present.

Attending student Ignacio Velazquez said there should be more

meetings. “We definitely need to bring in more people. We need to bring in all kinds of people here from different clubs because if they’re here they can educate their members and this word is going to be spreading,” he said.

“I really think this should be like a 150 to 200 person thing, because this is something serious,” Powell said.

Although turnout disappointed the summit’s organizers, many students still found the meeting productive.

“I think it was mostly productive on how it’s going to shape the movement going forward because now I think we have more clear goals, and now we know what we need to do, not only for the bill of rights itself, but how to go about doing this movement,” said student attendee Henry Tolchard.

Sheber plans to hold another summit in January with a revised draft reflecting ideas the attendees debated in the Dec. 2 forum.

Matthew Koch/ Oak Leaf

New lights illuminate the Barnett Hall area where a rape occurred in the bathroom in August.

Safety stroll presents concerns

SRJC faculty assess lighting, walkways and other maintenance issues on campus Gideon Halpin Staff Writer On four evenings in mid-October, Santa Rosa Junior College faculty walked the campus to identify maintenance issues that require upkeep for a safer campus at night.

The safety strolls’ main concerns were maintenance and addition of lighting, brush trimming and uneven walkways. Several teams walked the Santa Rosa campus, Shone Farm, Petaluma campus, Public Safety Training Center and Southwest Santa Rosa Center. District-wide they identified 232 items, most of which were external lights that had gone out.

Environmental Health & Safety Manager Doug Kuula led the annual expedition across the SRJC campuses, and once his team identified items, they prioritized them.

“I give a list to electricians and workers and

they knock them out,” Kuula said.

Kuula started safety strolls in 2013 and the faculty has continued them annually. The maintenance department invited all SRJC faculty members via email to participate in the stroll, of which 25 joined, in addition to a few student representatives.

These campus walks incorporate the faculty by giving them a voice in campus upkeep, and also save SRJC funds that would otherwise go to outside consulting agencies.

Illuminating dark areas and improving line of sight are primary concerns for students’ sense of security. Veteran night-scholar Lauren Kolman advised, “Follow the lights.”

Proper lighting, trimmed brush and smooth walkways may be the extent of maintenance’s capabilities, but do not guarantee safety.

Student Government Assembly member Senay Debesay said of the campus at night; “It’s pretty safe, but nothing’s perfectly safe.”

www.theoakleafnews.com

News

December 7, 2015

Sleep your way to success

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PEERS connects sleep, stress and student success Kelsi Sibert Staff Writer Free food and therapy dogs; what could be better than that?

How about learning how to relieve stress and get a better night’s sleep?

That’s what students learned in the People Empowering Each other to Realize Success workshop titled “Catchin’ Your Zzz’s: Sleep, Stress, & Students Success” held Dec. 3 in the Bertolini dining commons.

The workshop was designed to help students cope with stress, learn more about sleep and possibly pick up new study habits. It was a timely workshop for students, considering finals are right around the corner and students tend to be stressed.

Upon arriving at the workshop, students signed in, put on a nametag and received an evaluation sheet, each different colors. They then grabbed some chicken noodle soup and a grilled cheese sandwich while they waited for the workshop to begin.

PEERS members began the workshop by introducing themselves and explaining the concept and flow of the workshop.

The event organizers then split the students up in groups, based on

the color of their evaluation sheets.

Each group spent about 15 minutes at each of four stations.

“We chose this topic, sleep, stress and student success and the interactions between those, because we’re students too,” said PEERS member Jackie Barr. “We understand this time of the semester is towards finals and maybe you’re noticing you haven’t kept up with everything, so now you’re getting ready for finals and getting ready for the end of the semester.”

At one of the stations, students could sit down with therapy dogs, pet them and focus on their cuteness and soft ears. These dogs go through intense training to become a service dog, and only the best go on to graduate.

The well-trained dogs created a relaxing atmosphere.

The next station focused on stress. Students sat on black cushions on the ground and learned about meditation. Before the meditation began, PEERS members discussed types of stress, such as good stress and bad stress.

Then an instructor taught the students how to mediate. This was another station for students to relax and not dwell on stress.

The third station was about productive and non-productive

Daniel Kong/ Oak Leaf

PEERS members present study tips along with sleep and relaxation information to help students deal with the stress of finals.

ways to study. The students gathered around two PEERS members and began to talk about the ways they study and what works for them and what doesn’t. Students suggested ways to study, such as in groups, with flashcards, reviewing notes, explaining the studied material to others and more.

That led into study methods that didn’t work for them, such as telling yourself you don’t want to do something before you begin it, and recording yourself reading your notes and listening to them as

a way of studying. These were just a few things students talked about at this station.

The fourth and final station of the night was about sleep. Nurse Mary Wyman, from student health services, first presented true and false statements about the body and mind for students to answer so they could get to know more about themselves and how the body works.

At the sleep station, students learned they should be getting at least eight hours of sleep every

night and if they happen to be cramming for a test, they should still try to get anywhere between three and four hours of sleep.

Good sleep means a good GPA. Also mentioned was the concept that your brain works the same whether it’s sleeping or awake. Sleep is an important part of a person’s health and comprehension.

“We’re here to empower you to have balance in your life and make sure that you can manage all the things that are to manage,” Barr said.

most long-lasting accomplishments will be the foundational structures he created for the Student Government Assembly, which he chairs.

“I think it’s really important to focus on your foundational issues.

That’s why I got the constitution changed and the bylaws created,” Pinaula said.

Last spring, Pinaula simplified the SGA c onst itut i on , making it easier “I want to create for students an atmosphere to amend. He created bylaws and environment that offer more where students feel flexibility in the way the connected to the SGA operates. college and cared for.”

The SGA chair insists - Joshua Pinaula, one of his student body president biggest goals is to “make it and SGA chair easier for great people to get involved.”

He executed Pinaula became chair of the Inter- this vision with the implementation Club Council, serving from 2013 of the Student Center Fee, which to 2014. That year he helped the effectively doubled the SGA’s budget. number of clubs on campus grow This allowed the SGA to hold large from 35 at the beginning of his term, events, create a bike repair station in to 75 by the end. SRJC still boasts a Petaluma and hire another advisor whopping 70 clubs, a high for most to advance student issues.

California community colleges.

“Josh is an excellent leader.

Pinaula assumed the role of Everything he does begins student president in May 2014. with, ‘How will this benefit the Some of his biggest and probably students?’” said Vice President of

Student Life Virginia Kerr.

Pinaula wants to build upon this foundation even more by transforming Pioneer Hall, which is currently occupied by Disability Resources, into a dedicated student center. It would be a place where students from different clubs and communities could congregate. He envisions the center would provide office space, meeting rooms and a student resource center.

“I want to create an atmosphere and environment where students feel connected to the college and cared for,” he said.

Student participation on campus seems to have dramatically increased under Pinaula’s administration.

Ninety percent of the student seats are filled on district-wide committees, reportedly an all time high. The number of clubs—70 on the Santa Rosa campus and 10 on the Petaluma campus—are greater than ever before.

He is also moving forward with plans to restore the fountain in the center of campus as well as make the student finance code more intuitive. He hopes that simplifying the finance code will make it easier for student leaders to understand what money they have access to and how to access it.

“I want people to come out of the JC feeling like they were involved and cared for and to just spread that energy elsewhere so they can be successful,” Pinaula said.

Student body president fights for student rights Brendan Dorsey Staff Writer

Joshua Pinaula didn’t think he would ever be student body president, let alone serve two terms.

“I never looked at myself as a politician, I really don’t still. I don’t do a lot of things politicians like to do,” Pinaula said.

Students elected Pinaula, 27, as student body president in 2014 and re-elected him last spring. Over his year-and-a-half tenure he’s ushered in some large changes.

Pinaula has had an unusual college experience. He enrolled at SRJC in 2007 after graduating high school. Although he started in SRJC’s theater program, Pinaula treated the college like a commuter campus and was not very involved.

While most students breeze through SRJC in a couple of years, Pinaula didn’t have that luxury. Within his first semester, physicians diagnosed Pinaula with lymphoma. He dropped out of school and started a chemotherapy regimen.

Pinaula dismissed his battle with cancer. “I wasn’t scared. I knew I was going to get out of it,” he said.

After his year-and-a half bout with lymphoma, Pinaula decided to pursue work instead of going back to school. He worked for three years, first at My Friend Joe’s, the campus coffee shop many

SRJC students frequent. After a stint as manager there, Pinaula took a job on the assembly line at General Hydroponics.

Pinaula worked the graveyard shift at General Hydroponics. “I would spend eight to 10 hours a day locked in my head doing repetitive actions forever and ever and after months of doing this I felt myself g e t t i n g dumber.”

T h i s unfulfilling experience on the assembly line led to an important revelation in Pinaula’s life.

“I would rather be poor and go back to college than do anything else,” he said.

O n c e back at SRJC, that epiphany also triggered a strong desire to get involved on campus. Pinaula joined the Atheist and Skeptics Club, and eventually became president.

“When I first came back, I really wanted to do something. I really wanted to solve problems,” he said.

Pinaula identified the lack of club activity on campus as a problem he could fix. He wanted to foster

an environment where students wanted to be more active in campus life, and clubs were the best way to do that. Although, Pinaula jokes, 10 percent of the reason he got involved was for the free food.

“Clubs are where my heart is. It almost epitomizes student life in my mind; involved students doing the things they care about.”

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Adjusting and adapting

Pakistani student gains insight of American culture to learn more about nonprofits and entrepreneurship, and expand his knowledge about business Contributing Writer administration. He heard about great business opportunities in Ahsan Ali Thaheem has been in the U.S. and dreamed to witness it the United States for four months, for himself. and he has learned a lot in that time.

The education system was harder He learned Americans are in Pakistan, he said. Although friendly, welcoming people open to he’s learned a lot from his classes diversity, especially so far, he’s been in Santa Rosa. s o m e w h a t Thaheem, as surprised and he’s known by d i s a p p o i n t ed.

“Seeing these his American He expected experiences gives him friends, is one of to be more hope that when he 15 international academically students on a returns to Pakistan, he challenged, but scholarship from so far hasn’t felt will be able to start a the Community that. At times he’s non-profit for women College Initiative frustrated that and help them in ‘th Program. At the professors do not program’s end, powers of his religion.’” lecture on the book he will receive a students bought Santa Rosa Junior for the class.

College certificate Thaheem sees in business. He is himself growing one of five students from Pakistan. more outside the classroom In Pakistan, Thaheem earned through observation. He noticed his bachelor’s degree and MBA in that genders intermix more, business administration. from conversations to physical Since he arrived in the U.S. contact. This includes men and during July, Thaheem’s eyes have women making eye contact with opened to discrimination, the each other and giving each other American educational system, friendly hugs. These experiences women’s rights and differences in give him hope that when he culture, religion and ethics. returns to Pakistan, he’ll be able to He wanted to come to America start a non-profit for women and Shellan Saling

‘Tis the season of stress

help them with the powers of his religion, Islam.

Prior to arriving in San Francisco, Thaheem was delayed going through immigration in Washington D.C. Newly arrived in America, he went to an information desk to ask for help on how to get to his connecting flight. “They ignored us and started to re-check three people [other CCIP students] because we were from Pakistan,” he said.

All four of the Pakistani students were sent to the re-check point.

Thaheem was checked three times through immigration. It was his only negative experience since he arrived.

Since landing in Santa Rosa, experiences have been positive.

“The days have been very wonderful,” Thaheem said.

Yet there have been some confusing times. He grew up learning British English, so some words are different. As a result, he struggles at times to get others to understand him, but has slowly been able to learn the differences.

“Speaking is different, accent is different,” he said, in comparing American and British English.

The rest of his transition to living in the U.S. has been smooth. He naturally expected to experience some culture adjustment. At the beginning, when Thaheem entered

Courtesy of Ahsan Ali Thaheem

SRJC student Ahsan Ali Thaheem is an international student studying business.

a grocery store with his other Pakistani friends, they calculated everything in their heads in their home currency instead of U.S. dollars. At first they thought everything was expensive but then they remembered they were living in America. Picking up an item now doesn’t seem so expensive.

With Thaheem’s short time in the U.S., he’s gained a plethora of knowledge, from learning in the classroom to absorbing the surrounding culture, and still has several months left to take in more before he returns to Pakistan and puts it to use.

SRJC students approach finals with different study methods Kelsi Sibert

Staff Writer Bryan Workman, a Santa Rosa Junior College student, prepares for finals by going over his notes and studying weeks in advance.

He even adds classical music to the mix to help him concentrate on his course material.

When studying for finals, Workman said, “[I] lock myself in my room, turn the computer off and listen to music.”

Workman likes to block off a whole day to study and can usually study eight or more hours, but he does take occasional breaks throughout long study sessions.

While on a study break he might play on his computer or phone anything to give his brain a rest and get his mind off studying.

It’s that time of year again; the leaves are falling, the weather is getting colder, days are getting shorter and the semester is coming to an end. This only means one thing: finals season has arrived. It’s the most dreaded time of year for college students across the world.

Finals season is full of stress and anxiety, but by the time students reach college, they have an idea on how to prepare for tests that either make or break them. Some study weeks in advance, others study days in advance and some don’t study at

Photo courtesy of faylib.org

Santa Rosa Junior College students have a variety of study methods. Some study weeks in advance and others pull all nighters.

all. Every student is different and has his or her own way of preparing for the biggest tests of the semester. “[To study,] I just read stuff over and over again and I make flash cards,” said SRJC student Ashley Hart.

Hart also checks in with her teachers two or more weeks before finals so she knows what to expect when the day arrives. She studies multiple weeks in advance and likes to go into finals with a clear mindset.

Kinesiology and dance instructor Corinne Antipa advised students to just breathe when it comes to finals.

Take five minutes by yourself to breathe consciously. Near the end, she stresses breath control as an important way to prevent pre-finals panic. Antipa also advises students

to spend time after each class to rewrite their notes, get reorganized and remember what they learned in past lessons. This will help students retain more of the information they learned in class.

Just as some students like to study weeks in advance, others find it more effective to study for a final days in advance. SRJC student Katie Menzel finds it effective to study in the library or at home a couple days before her finals.

Menzel joked, “[Before I go in to a final] I pretty much just think about how awesome I am.” She also visualizes and remembers how much she studied and prepared for the final.

Then there are students like Sheyla Ayala, who study months in advance.

She gets a head start by talking with her teachers about what to expect on the final, then goes over her notes and makes flashcards.

“I usually just go to the library and study for a few hours and then I go home,” Ayala said. “I like studying with [reggae] music, because I concentrate better and I block everything out.”

SRJC student Ezra Graham named a run and a good breakfast as some of his pre-final rituals. Like many others, studying in his room reciting his notes is an effective way for him to prepare.

“I’m starting to study early for my finals,” Graham said. “[I’m] putting more emphasis on getting my studying time in two weeks before, so

I can be focused during finals week.”

Since finals are a near universal reality for college students, people might wonder how students at other colleges prepare for finals.

University of Missouri Kansas City student Sarah Ragan studies a couple days in advance by doing concept maps and quizzing herself on certain materials. She too studies in the library for several hours a day.

“I’ll do 20-minute [study] intervals with a five to 10-minute break in between, for anywhere between three to eight hours depending on how much availability I have that day,” Ragan said.

She’s not a nervous test taker, but admits she over-analyzes questions. When this happens, she closes her eyes and allows her brain to go blank. To her, this is like a reset button.

Mara Vejby, behavioral sciences adjunct instructor, also had some valuable advice for students when it comes to finals.

“My biggest piece of advice is [to] study hard, but sleep, because if it’s a difference between studying or getting a bit more sleep so you’ll be awake to take the final, [go with the sleep],” Vejby said. “You’d be surprised at what your brain will continue to work on while you sleep.”

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December 7, 2015

Uncovering the truth about contraception

Continued from cover... a contraceptive method describes the With an overabundance of birth effectiveness of that method when used control methods available, reproductive consistently and exactly as intended, health texts and instructor Dr. J. which few couples are able to do Davis Mannino provide insight on flawlessly over a long period of time. the effectiveness and risks of several According to the World Health contraceptives; and in-depth interviews Organization Department of show what students are actually using. Reproductive Health and Research, the The Methods top four most effective contraceptive There are four major methods are implants, the IUD, male contraception approaches with sterilization and female sterilization. various methods in each.

Each of the top most effective products Barrier methods include are in the high 90th percentile. condoms, diaphragms, sponges and Mannino said fertility awarenesscervical caps, which act as physical based methods, the withdrawal method barriers preventing sperm from and condoms rank in the least effective uniting with the egg. contraceptive methods. According to Hormonal methods include “the WHO, 24 out of 100 women who use pill,” Intrauterine Device (IUD), fertility awareness-based methods and vaginal rings, patches, injectables and 18 out of every 100 who use condoms implants, which alter the biochemistry within the first year of typical use of a women’s body to prevent ovulation, experience an unintended pregnancy. making it more difficult for sperm to Twenty-two out of every 100 women reach the egg if ovulation does occur. who use the withdrawal method Emergency contraception, also known with a male partner experience an as the “morning-after pill,” is another unintended pregnancy within the hormonal method of birth control that first year of typical practice. “The keeps a woman’s ovaries from releasing withdrawal method, meaning pulling eggs for longer than usual. out right before ejaculation, is a very The implant is good for three years high [risk] method as pre-cum is filled at a time, and LeGallee plans to renew with sperm,” Mannino said. “There hers when it expires because of its is an old joke that goes: What do you practicality. “No pain, discomfort. I call a man who uses the ‘withdrawal’ mean you can feel it in there, it moves a method? Answer: a father.” little bit, it’s kind of flexible, but it’s just Health Risks there,” she said.

Wondering about the safety of all While LeGallee is content with her these methods? arm implant, she said she wouldn’t According to Robert Hatcher’s recommend others getting it without 2011 text “Contraceptive Technology,” being informed first. “It’s something barrier methods, spermicides and that I would research definitely because fertility awareness-based methods are there are all sorts of options,” she said. the safest with no risk of death. IUDs Surgical methods include male are the next safest form of contraception sterilization, or vasectomy, and female with only one death out of every 10 sterilization - tubal ligation - which million women who use it. permanently Nonsmokers aged prevents sperm or 15-34 have only a one eggs from traveling in 1.6 million chance “There is an old to the site of of death using oral conception. contraceptives (i.e. joke that goes: N a t u r a l “the pill”), but this What do you call a methods include number drops to one man who uses the withdrawal and in 57,800 for those withdrawl method? fertility awarenessaged 15-34 and one in based approaches 5,200 aged 35-44 who Answer: a father.’” and do not require do smoke.

-Dr. J. Davis Mannino, drugs or devices.

Mannino said when human sexuality These methods are “the pill” was created instructor more subject to in the 1960s, millions human error. of women used it with “The best method few immediate side is the one that is effects; however newer medically appropriate and is used research has shown issues with the pill’s every time by someone happy with the long-term hormonal modification, method,” Mannino said. having researchers questioning whether Effectiveness it’s as harmless as first thought.

Mannino noted every contraceptive “I caution my students to consider method has a “typical use” and other contraceptive choices, rather than a “perfect use.” Typical use of a use hormonal manipulation,” Maninno contraceptive method refers to how said. “Though I always caution that it the average couple uses it, which really is a decision between them and could leave room for human error, their health care provider.” resulting in the method not being used Marine biology major Vini Souza, accurately or consistently. Perfect use of 20, said he is concerned for his

Daniel Kong/ Oak Leaf

PEERS members promote safe sex by distributing condoms to students on the Bertolini quad. Condoms are free at Student Health Services.

girlfriend’s health while she uses the pill. “My girlfriend has been throwing up,” he said. “It upsets her stomach.

She’s been wanting to get off of it and find another alternative.”

Tubal ligation, a female sterilization method of contraception, has a one in 66,700 chance of death. The chance of death resulting from pregnancy is nearly 10 times greater than that of tubal ligation, with the risk being one in 6,900.

What’s Next?

A contraceptive method people have debated over and in and out of production is a male contraceptive pill.

“The ‘male pill’ has been a dream for some time. The reason we don’t have it, in my opinion, is the ugly truth called sexism – men come first!”

Mannino said.

Kinesiology major Austin Guidry, 21, said he has never heard of the male contraceptive and is hesitant to take it in the future. His main hesitation is that it would affect his testosterone levels.

“Why would we take something when it’s hormones for women,” he said.

“Statistically, if it were proven to be safe with a large number, probably.”

Not all students are as skeptical about new forms of birth control.

“If there were other options I would totally look into it,” Souza said. “Since I haven’t heard of anything, I’ve just been sticking with the norm.”

One male contraceptive in development is a nonhormonal gel injection called Vasalgel, which experts believe to be the first male contraceptive method FDA approved.

Researchers predict it will be available for purchase between 2018 and 2020, according to Mannino.

“When the male pill transitions into mainstream society it will cause a major

Courtesy of Center for Disease Control

ground shake in life’s playing field of fairness and equity,” Mannino said.

Students like 33-year-old SRJC mathematics major Phoenix Von Esch would consider taking a male birth control contraceptive if it were proven safe. For now, he said his options are limited. “I use condoms, it’s what I know right now,” he said.

Von Esch had his first child when he was 27 years old. Afterwards he and his partner chose to take extra precaution.

“I already have one kid; I don’t need another, she’s a lot of work,” Von Esch said. “[My partner] got an IUD after because we didn’t want any more.”

Education Von Esch attended Santa Rosa Middle School, where he felt sexual education was a comprehensive program. He liked that instructors focused on educating him and his

classmates instead of focusing on abstinence. “It’s not really taught in schools now, it’s more just ‘don’t do it’ and that’s not going to prevent anything in my opinion,” he said.

LeGallee went to Geyserville High School where she said she received a decent sexual education. She liked that her teachers encouraged students to talk to their partners about previous relationships, STI’s and whether they’ve been tested.

LeGallee wished the U.S. would start these classes earlier because she thinks it would open a discussion and break social stigmas. “If you’re upfront about it and you’re upfront with your partner about STI’s, you’re less likely to get them,” she said. “So I think if we normalized that, it would make it a lot easier to bring it up and reduce the stigma around birth control.”

Student on the Street: “How would you feel if a condom fell out of your bag?”

Cory Olson, 26, fine arts major

“I’d probably make a joke about it, like, ‘Another one slipped out.’”

Lexi Evans, 18, undecided

G e o r g e s Monatin, 20, engineering major

“I probably would be embarassed. I feel “Normal, I mean it’s natuaral; like we’re in a sexist society where girls you’re supposed to have a condom are sluts if they’re sleeping with guys.” if you’re trying to get something.”

A n t h o n y Giordano, 18, undecided

“I think it would be pretty funny and I wouldn’t feel judged.”

Vanessa Varro, 19, undecided

“Very awkward, it’s kinda personal.”

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Farm teaches Vegetables, livestock and wine: Shone about agriculture Alex T. Randolph Copy Editor Every Wednesday and Thursday, barring holidays, a small booth can be seen on the grounds of Santa Rosa Junior College. It’s packed high with vegetables, which people stop by to pick up.

The booth is part of the studentrun community supported agriculture program, a class at Shone Farm where students grow vegetables that customers have preordered. The class is one of many that Shone Farm has available for students to teach them how to work and succeed at all aspects of the agriculture industry, from growing to business.

“It’s great that we have a farm program here at the Junior College, where students can learn about agricultural careers,” said Dan Exlby, manager of IT infrastructure at SRJC and part of the CSA program.

Exlby also said he appreciates how the food is more locally grown and cheaper than other CSA programs he was involved in.

Shone Farm grew out of 365 acres of land SRJC purchased in 1972, with the deal that if it was used for education purposes for 25 years, the title would pass for $1. Steve Olson, future dean of the agriculture department spearheaded the purchase, saying he wanted a place where agriculture students could get handson experience in their chosen field of study. “We had an agriculture department, but we didn’t have, you know, really any area for the students to practice what they were learning,” said current Shone Farm

manager Chris Wills.

Beforehand, the site was a military listening post in World War II – or possibly the Cold War, it’s unclear.

Today, Shone Farm classes include viticulture, livestock, horseback riding, gardening and park ranging in Shone Farm’s wildlife preserves. Students grow and sell their own food and wine and learn to care for animals. The farm is working to be self-supporting, selling its own products, recycling its waste and using timber grown from its forests to build their structures.

Alan Hamilton, a sustainable agriculture major, is part of the CSA program and president of Shone Farm’s newest organization, the Tiny House Club. His club is currently working on its first tiny mobile house, so ranchers and farmers have a place they can stay on the farm. They can also potentially buy a small house to take with them when their studies are over, so that “They already have a house, so they don’t have to worry about housing,” he said. “It’s just, you know, worrying about the farming part.”

Shone Farm’s biggest problem is getting the word out. The CSA program has been cancelled on several occasions because not enough students signed up for the class it’s a part of.

“When I was a student in the ‘80s, I didn’t even know we had a farm,” Wills said, and it seems things haven’t improved since then – upon bringing groups to Shone Farm, Wills finds that only about a third knew about it beforehand.

Those interested in the farm can attend the annual Fall Festival, which is every second Saturday in October.

Described by Wills as the farm’s version of Day Under the Oaks, the

CSA members pick up food they ordered from Shone Farm every Wednesday and Thursday at Bertolini quad.

event lets members see what Shone helping to spread the word about Farm does, and had available products Shone Farm, and it’s a good moneymade there. “It’s really a great family maker for us too.” event,” Wills said. “And it’s really There will also be a sale Dec. 12

Daniel Kong/Oak Leaf

at the farm, where they will sell many of their self-made products, including baked goods from the Tiny House Club.

Finding balance as a reentry student with children Sierra Straub Contributing Writer

It is a rare night for 40-yearold Crystal Roy. She has the house to herself.

Her daughter is at a sleepover and her husband, Jerry, is out with their son. Besides the occasional bark of her Chihuahua, Mickey, the house is silent.

It’s an opportune time for Roy to do her homework. A third-year student, Roy is currently taking both online and in-person classes.

She is one of the 4,484 reentry students currently enrolled at Santa Rosa Junior College.

Roy is the first in her family and one of the first amongst her friends to go to college.

Instead of attending college after graduating from high school, she went right to work. “At 18, I was on my own and supporting myself. I didn’t really have time for school,” she said.

Her job as a legal secretary helped her realize the importance of education. She earned a legal secretary certificate from Empire College 21 years ago, but her work with lawyers who attended Ivy League universities made her

want more.

Her driving force? Her kids.

“History repeats itself in families, and the odds of my children going to college is based off whether or not I went to college. I wanted to be a role model,” she said.

Her children, Hannah, 10, and Jared, 9, echo that statement.

They are proud of her for going back to school and setting a good example.

“It makes her smarter and a good person,” Jared said, when asked about his mother’s return to college.

Her children always come first, which is why Roy does not start her homework until 9 p.m., sometimes later. She says it’s hard to find a balance because she wants to excel in college, but also wants to spend quality time with her kids.

“The only hard part was missing her at night,” Hannah said. “But a good education is important.”

Roy registered for classes at SRJC when she graduated high school, but with no one to guide her through the stressful process, she became too scared and left. This time, she did things differently.

She prepared by finding her

classes before the semester started so she would not get lost. She learned all the buildings, even the ones she did not have classes in, and she brought along her kids, so they could be introduced to college at an early age.

Roy knows she is accomplishing a lot, but she does not expect praise. While she sometimes wishes teachers would ask if there are any parents in the room, she does not expect them to make it any easier. “You just have to find a balance,” she said.

Attending in-person classes has made her realize that she is not the only person struggling with the homework and the workload.

Classmates who are 20 years younger and childless receive similar grades to hers.

Roy said college has enhanced her multitasking abilities and helped her take on more in life. It has also given her a confidence boost. “Never underestimate your strength and your knowledge,” she said.

When asked what advice she would give to anyone considering going back to college, she paused, and said, “Jump in and start.

Jump in with two feet and start and go from there.”

Courtesy of Crystal Roy

Crystal Roy’s commitment to education sets a good example for her young children.

Roy will soon transfer to Sonoma State University to pursue a bachelor’s in liberal studies. Her husband and children are proud of her. Her friends are proud of her. But most importantly, she is

proud of herself.

Her kids are also grateful for her newfound knowledge.

“Now she’s smart enough to help me with my homework,” Jared said with a smile.

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Woman thrives after drug abuse Daniel Medina

Contributing Writer

Merry Christmas... Um, I mean Happy Holidays

Courtesy of revleedyck.wordpress.com

Ashlynn Lilly

Contributing Writer Merry Christmas! I mean, merry X-Mas? OK, happy holidays! Er… I noticed it’s cold outside?

Since when did sharing ‘Season’s Greetings’ require a diplomat’s public speaking skills? When did ‘Christmas’ become a four-letter word? And when did a red coffee cup become a “declaration of war” against Christmas?

Many Americans are switching to ‘politically correct’ holiday greetings and forms of advertising to avoid offending peoples of different beliefs; however, this often involves renouncing Christmas traditions entirely, which offends other groups of people.

Take the recent revamping of Starbucks’ holiday cups; in an effort to be more inclusive of customers’ large variety of beliefs, the company

exchanged traditional Christmas designs for a simple red cup. Some Americans took the lack of the most secular Christmas icons (e.g., ornaments and reindeer) on the cups as a slight and the country went berserk.

“An innocent design decision that exchanged snowflakes for a festive red cup this year turned out to be a PR home run for Starbucks,” said Santa Rosa Junior College marketing instructor Roy Gattinella.

“The amount of media coverage for Starbucks that surrounded this unintended publicity event would’ve cost the coffee giant about $50 million in advertising. Instead, they got worldwide attention for free.”

The red cups offend Christians, saying “Merry Christmas” offends non-Christians. If using one specific holiday greeting offends people and saying a non-specific holiday greeting offends others, then what can we say? What’s considered an

Estefany Gonzalez/Oak Leaf

The Internet broke when Starbucks released its holiday neutral red cup.

“appropriate” greeting?

“It varies according to whom I’m with,” said political science instructor Robert Proctor. “If I have a Jewish student, I should wish them a Happy Hanukkah.” Whereas if Proctor addressed a classroom full of students, he would say “Happy Holidays” because of the diversity of his students’ beliefs.

Mary Churchill, an SRJC religious studies instuctor, expressed a similar opinion.

“For me, this practice is not about being ‘politically correct,’” she said. “I detest this term. Being aware of differences and not assuming my way is the ‘right way’ are about being sensitive and courteous. I try to treat others the way I would like to be treated.”

At what point does attempting to appease everyone violate our right to free speech? Both Gattinella and Proctor said “never.”

Proctor explained how along with free speech people must remember to have good manners as well as empathy for those who have different views than our own.

“For every person interviewed on Fox News about being offended, there are millions waiting in line to see the new, enormously irreverent Seth Rogan film, ‘The Night Before,’” Gattinella said. “The world changes, our culture evolves, but free speech is here to stay.”

So, what about using specific phrases like “Merry Christmas” to share your joy and beliefs with others? Has “Merry Christmas” really become taboo?

“I think there is nothing wrong with the words ‘Merry Christmas,’” said Credo High School’s social studies teacher Robert Harrington. “When I lived in the Islamic world from 1995

to 1997, people often greeted each other with Arabic blessings. Being a non-Muslim visitor in their country, should I have been offended? Well, I wasn’t. On the contrary, I learned how to greet people in Arabic and was happy to do so; it was, after all, a gesture of respect on my part towards both their religion and their culture.”

He explained how Christmas is a worthy component of European and North American culture that connects us with a shared heritage.

“There’s nothing wrong with referring to Christmas, or to Jesus Christ in public settings for that matter,” Harrington said.

To investigate further, a group of 40 people ages 17-70 from around the country were asked if they were personally offended when someone wished them a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Joyous Kwanza or any benediction from a holiday they don’t celebrate. One-hundred percent of the people surveyed answered no. Many of them added that they appreciated people sharing their beliefs with them through holiday wishes. Others said they don’t appreciate how businesses cater mainly toward Christmas and disregard other winter holidays.

Exchanging seasons greetings is one way to share our culture and heritage, not only with our local community, but with our world community.

Keep in mind the next time someone wishes you a “Happy Holidays,” “Merry Christmas,” “Joyous Kwanza,” or a “Happy Hanukkah” they are most likely showing you kindness. And remember that your coffee cup doesn’t have to agree with you spiritually.

“I will give this interview on two conditions; you can’t use my name and you have to write it in a way that will help someone out there.

You know, someone on meth.”

This is how my interview began with “Rosie Lockwood,” a mid-thirties Bay Area native who attends Santa Rosa Junior College.

Lockwood is in the Federal Witness Protection Program. She is a single mother, a sober member of Alcoholics Anonymous and a full time student who proudly brags about her 4.0 grade point average.

“The last semester I got a ‘B’ on my philosophy paper and I started crying,” Lockwood said, holding back her laughter. “After the hell I’ve been through, I’m crying about a ‘B.’” Drug abuse tormented Lockwood since she was a child. “I remember my speed-freak mom used to tell me that it was OK to date older men and even sleep with them if they sold dope and had money,” she said. “My mom was supposed to keep me away from that kind of sh*t, instead she turned me on to it.”

Lockwood began using meth at age 13. At 21 she met her husband who was 20 years her senior and a narcotics underboss for one of the largest cartels in North America. She refused to provide any specific details on her husband for anonymity.

“In the beginning, it was like that ‘Goodfellas’ movie; he knew everyone and everyone knew him, I was treated like a queen. I had whatever I wanted,” Lockwood said.

The royal treatment didn’t last long though; in less than two months Lockwood was using meth every day, smoking it at first and ultimately becoming an IV user of both meth and heroin.

Lockwood went on to describe horrific accounts of domestic violence including being stabbed, beaten, raped and sodomized by her husband and his friends.

“Yeah, dope dealers don’t like it when you do up all the dope that they’re supposed to sell, but even after that, I wasn’t able to stop using,” Lockwood said.

Lockwood’s husband had “f**ked up a pretty big deal in Mexico” in 2012 that eventually led to his incarceration and subsequent entry into the Federal Witness Protection Plan along with Lockwood and their three children.

“You know, today… I have a quiet mind and a loving heart. Those are the gifts I got by working my program,” Lockwood said with her smile lighting up the cafeteria.

She continued, “Lots of my friends tried to get clean and sober but were tripping hard on the spiritual part of the program. I told them it’s OK; if God scares you out of AA, drugs and alcohol will scare you right back in.”

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December 7, 2015

Features

www.theoakleafnews.com

Community vs. four-year colleges

Realities and impressions of college life Michael Tran Contributing Writer The music is so loud you can’t hear yourself think. Not that it matters because the room is a blur and the sounds aren’t arranged in chronological order. Dozens of people surround you, constantly bumping into you and sweat is flying everywhere. You’re drunk and having the time of your life.

This is a typical college scene from nearly every movie you’ve seen. People doing the wildest things they’ll ever attempt, making life long friends and experiencing the best four years of their lives.

But these are movies and we all know they aren’t realistic. Do people still believe this is what college is actually like?

Out of 10 Santa Rosa Junior College interviewees, most agreed the typical college experience consists of getting drunk, partying and having as much fun as they can while they’re in school.

“It’s a must,” said SRJC student Jon Karlo. “Partying, alcohol, meeting people, sports and stress.”

This is the typical college experience most people want.

Spending all of your money on booze, partying every night and just having the time of your life.

Or is it?

A common fallacy is that most college students want this experience, but the other half of the SRJC interviewees said the movie college experience wasn’t important to them. Careers and other forms of fun were more appealing.

“Doesn’t matter at all,” said student Anthony Matteri.

He said he knows a lot of people who prioritize the college experience, but it’s not his thing.

He’s hyper-focused on his career.

“Don’t want to stay steady in one place,” Matteri said. “I want to move up the ranks.”

The only problem is the typical college experience is associated with four-year universities. While SRJC is a great institution, there’s a reasonable argument to be made whether it provides the typical college experience.

Student Michael Woldeslassie said, “The JC doesn’t feel like a four-year university because you’re not living on your own and most people live with their parents.”

Living on your own enables you to essentially do whatever you want, and if you live in dorms, you’re constantly surrounded by other college students in and out of class.

“College has dorms, and you’re constantly interacting with students,” Matteri said.

The only time you’re surrounded by other college students at SRJC

Courtesy of diffuser.fm

Half of the Santa Rosa Junior College interviewees said experiencing were not an important part of the college experience.

is essentially in class. Matteri said a lot of SRJC students focus on getting out and solely put their effort into that.

Psychology major Nick Wickenburg talked about the difference between the two.

“JC is a lot less money and a place to find out what you want to do,” Wickenburg said. “Not really a party school. Kinda close to home, so there’s boundaries.”

At four-year colleges he said, “[There’s a] chance to meet a ton of people, but also, four years require a lot more commitment.”

SRJC student Jasmine Sanchez talked about what she’s heard about four-year universities.

“From what I’ve heard it’s harder here than at universities,” she said. “At universities you’ll get a typical college experience, dorms and all that.”

Most interviewees believe SRJC doesn’t provide a typical college experience mainly because most people live with their parents and are familiar with the area, but nearly all believe SRJC is a great school.

“Very impressed by it,”

Wickenburg said. “They maintain a high standard of excellence.”

Most students complimented SRJC’s staff, who make class enjoyable.

Community colleges are usually perceived as stepping stones to four-year universities. It’s a money-saving alternative with tuition rarely topping $1,000 a semester, while four-years have tuition costing tens of thousands of dollars, but the downside is for some people it doesn’t provide the typical college experience. For others they couldn’t care less.

major. For starters, there was his His mother was released from electric personality. the hospital and returned home for “Sean is very lively,” said Gianna hospice care. Cornell helped care for Pochini, Cornell’s 17-year-old cousin her during her final weeks. He set up and best friend. “Every emotion IVs for her chemotherapy, changed for him is acted out in a way that her liquid bag and prepared special makes it easy to tell. He’s vivacious meals so she could digest easier. and almost always laughing and Cornell remembered how his mother smiling.” would make him There’s also the eat some of her fact that he is a food every time he “It makes me feel proud gay man. brought it to her.

Cornell wasn’t “She was like, ‘If pretty bad that I always as open or I have to eat this, so didn’t physically tell do you!’” Cornell as certain about his sexual orientation her that I was gay.” said with a slight as he is today. It was hint of a chuckle in -Sean Cornell, only with the death his voice. Cornell of his mother that called it a lifehospitality major he was able to figure changing time. out who he was.

“I switched from Beginning in being a kid the seventh grade, he week before to an “dated” girls in a series of playful adult,” he said. relationships.

For Cornell’s last three days “But when my mom died during with his mother, she was in a coma my sophomore year, I stopped as cancer shut down her body. dating people. I needed time to From the moment his mother was reflect on myself and I started to diagnosed, Cornell believed she come to terms with who I was,” would pull through.

Cornell said.

“Even at that point, I didn’t think Cornell was 15 when his mother my mother was going to die,” Cornell discovered she’d had colon cancer for said with pride for his mother. “I the past 10 years. By the time doctors thought she was going to make a full diagnosed her, the disease was well recovery. She was the strongest person into stage four. When Cornell visited I knew. Still to this day, I haven’t met her at the hospital, his mother told anyone stronger than her.” him she had cancer. “I nearly passed Cornell described her demise as out,” he said. “I got tunnel vision and extremely tough. For four days after started to feel lightheaded.” her death, he couldn’t sleep. It was

only when discussing the aftermath of his mother’s death did Cornell have difficulty in choosing his words. It seemed no matter what he said, Cornell could only scratch the surface of what he was feeling in the surreal wake of his mother’s passing.

“It’s hard to lose someone who was seriously your world,” Pochini said. “[Cornell] was a mama’s boy through and through. But he never stopped loving those around him and making them laugh.”

Immediately after his mother died, Cornell became withdrawn.

He was less social at school and less interactive with his friends. It was during this seclusion that Cornell came to accept his sexual identity.

“It wasn’t like, ‘Oh, I have to think about my life now,’” Cornell explained. “It’s just that’s what I had the opportunity to do.”

Despite how sensitive and painful the topic was, Cornell remained steadfast when talking about his mother’s death. In fact, his smile never fully left his face as he talked about one of the most difficult times of his life.

Because it took the death of his mother for him to embrace his sexual identity, Cornell never had the chance to come out to her.

“It makes me feel pretty bad that I didn’t physically tell her that I was gay,” Cornell admitted. “But I’m sure that she already knew. And I know that she would be absolutely fine with the fact that I am gay.”

Tragic loss inspires student to be his true self Grant Wetmore Contributing Writer Sean Cornell’s mother’s death caused her to miss many precious stepping stones in her son’s life. She wouldn’t witness her son graduate

from high school, nor would she see him attend Santa Rosa Junior College or one day fulfill his dream of becoming a hotel manager. Worst of all, she would never see her son reveal his true self.

Something was different about Cornell, a 19-year-old hospitality

Courtesy of Sean Cornell

Sean Cornell’s mother’s passing gave him courage to address his sexuality.

www.theoakleafnews.com

Features

December 7, 2015

11

interactive Instagram account #FreeArtFridaySR: An that hosts weekly scavenger hunts Haley Bollinger Features Editor A glass pendant with an intricate flower design sits beside the highway. A piece of “upcyled” art made out of used mason jar lids hangs in an alleyway. A brightly colored graffiti painting waits in the branches of a tree. #FreeArtFridaySR includes a group of 30 to 50 local artists who put on a weekly scavenger hunt by hiding original art via Instagram for followers to find around Sonoma County.

The participants come from various disciplines of art. There are painters, graffiti writers, glassblowers, mixed media art, photography and knitters, to name a few. Some artists are quite successful and community icons; others are starting out and want to make a name for themselves.

Zack Rhodes, a Santa Rosa painter, started the #FreeArtFridaySR movement in Sonoma County. “I wanted to tie art together with the community,” he said. “Then also to open up a lane for up-and-coming artists or artists who aren’t quite comfortable with being artists, but have a place to share their work if they decide to, and at the same time it’s exposure for everybody.”

Rhodes borrowed the idea from a FreeArtFriday Instagram account in Austin, Texas. He created an Instagram account and named it #FreeArtFridaySR. From that point he connected with local artists. The concept behind #FreeArtFridaySR is artists can hide their art around Santa Rosa, Petaluma and other local towns.

They take a picture of where it’s hidden and post it with #FreeArtFridaySR to their personal accounts. Rhodes sees

FreeArtFriday artists Instagram accounts @mirrored_mind_design @lolo707 @clockwork_octupus @bolognasanwich @kostudioart @tallawalla @domchidesigns @randomartstudio @harmony_arte @sonomanailart @lostandfoundantique @garypaintin @venkaworkshop @chelsea_1183 @ragdollow @lovemusicandtravel @inspiredmamaj @zr_art @liziamelia @littlenaenae @yolimphoto @eddiefukngee

the hashtag and promotes the photo on the @freeartfridaysr Instagram account. The photo directs followers to the artist’s account where more clues are available for followers to figure out where to find the art.

Rachel Hernandez, an SRJC alumus, is an artist who frequently participates and hides her art. “It uses technology in a way that is productive.

It’s people going out and finding art.

Artists going out and hiding art and communicating in more positive way through the internet,” Hernadez said.

Hernandez studied photography at Sacramento State University. She specializes in surreal photography, but also creates mixed media art out of upcycled materials.

“The art is driven by the immense amount of waste and garbage just tossed out that can be turned into something beautiful or functional,” Hernandez said. “I like to inspire people to use those items artistically to help ease Earth a little bit.”

Ryan Borella started painting stencil art a year ago. #FreeArtFridaySR inspires him to create on a regular basis. “It’s being able to spread art together for free. It gets the community involved. They repost what they found or you get a bunch of people that normally aren’t doing anything and now they are out finding art,” Borella said.

Dominic Padua experiences an adrenaline rush when he hides his

Courtesy of Rachel Hernandez

Artists’ work is on sale and display at Brew’s gallery in December.

graffiti art. The idea that a person will have a cool story about finding his art entertains him. “Usually, I leave a note on my art that says this is part of #FreeArtFridaySR, congratulations and to look on Instagram and repost that you found it,” Padua said.

Chris Hanson is a glassblower who specializes in glass pendants and marbles. He sometimes hides his art in random places like the produce section of Whole Foods. He knows it will probably be taken before the followers find it, but leaves a tag on the glass art so the person who finds it knows it’s

OK to take. “I like the fact that you can make a total strangers’ day by gifting them a piece of art,” Hanson said.

Rhodes collaborated with #FreeArtFridaySR artists who regularly hide art, and was able to open up a gallery to sell and display their work. The gallery is at Brew, a local hangout that serves coffee and beer, located in Santa Rosa at 555 Healdsburg Ave. Their art will be on display through December. The artists enjoy giving away their art but have art for sale for those who aren’t lucky enough to find it.

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any people think Hanukkah is the celebration of lights.

In some ways it is, but it’s really about celebrating the joy that light brings into our lives. Hanukkah is a wonderful way to bring family together. Family is that light.

My family’s Hanukkah tradition is to have my aunt or uncle host the celebration. We come together in the afternoon to chat and be together. At sunset, we light the candles on the menorah, per Jewish tradition. Instead of the adults lighting the candles, the grandchildren do it.

After we light the candles and say the prayers, we typically chat for another hour before sitting down for dinner. After dinner, we start handing out all the presents. A tradition in my family’s Hanukkah celebration is giving secret gifts to each other. We all have to guess who gave the gift. If we don’t guess correctly, we’ll go home with the gift, but have to wonder who gave it. It’s the one part of my family’s Hanukkah tradition I look forward to the most. It’s always fun to guess. Plus, many of the gifts are thoughtful or imaginative.

Once we have finished unwrapping the presents, we have dessert and talk even more. When we finish dessert, we help my aunt and uncle clean up before we all go home. ~ Candler Weinberg

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hristmas is an important time of the year for Christians as we take this time to celebrate Jesus’ birth. Now, Christians don’t actually believe Jesus was born Dec. 25 and they made . a holiday because of it, but rather it’s a symbolic time to celebrate an important event in our religion.

Christian Christmas relates a lot to secular Christmas, as we will buy Christmas trees, decorate the houses, sing carols, watch Christmas movies and give presents. We do the same things, but with a religious twist. The house decorations often include a nativity scene: a recreation of Jesus’ birth, the carols include religious melodies and our movies include stories of the birth of Christ.

Each Sunday we will go to church and be reminded of “the real reason for the season.” Each Sunday in December someone will read a passage from the Bible and light an advent candle, with the fifth candle being lit on our Christmas Eve service. This service takes place the night before Christmas with a sermon about Jesus and lots of hymn singing. A personal tradition is to watch the movie “The Nativity Scene” on Christmas Eve with my family.

At the end of the day, we Christians know Christmas is a secular holiday, but we choose this time to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. ~ Faith Gates

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andles shining in the menorah. A decorated log burning in the fireplace. Stockings hanging from the mantle. Attending midnight mass. Living daily life, comfortably observing the mad rush of one’s neighbors in their holiday frenzy.

In the U.S., Christmas has become synonymous with winter. But nearly 30 percent of Americans are not Christian, and their number is rising, according to a 2014 Pew Research Center survey.

Many cultures celebrate winter. The common thread of religious winter observances is the birth or rebirth of a prophet or deity. For some, the season has little to do with their celebrations, which follow a different calendar. Most people, religious or not, gather with family and friends to reinforce their sense of community. And most people wish for peace between cultures.

We are more similar than we are different, but our differences are what make us interesting. In an effort to spread understanding between people of different beliefs, and thereby foster peace, five members of the Oak Leaf staff share how they celebrate (or don’t) winter holidays. ~ Carin Huber

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c e l e br at e the American secular Christmas, spending the day with family, eating traditional foods,trading presents around a decorated tree and stuffing stockings.

As a neopagan—Wiccan more or less—I also celebrate Yule, which falls at winter solstice, around Dec. 21.

My coven is eclectic and egalitarian. Each ritual is a little different than the ones we’ve done before as we take turns planning the festivities and leading the group. In this way we teach each other about our specific beliefs and ideas, and show that all are welcome, whatever deity or spirit guides them to us.

At Yule we always have the decorated tree that was a pagan symbol of hope in the darkest time of year long before it was incorporated into Christian revelry. We bring our favorite dishes to the dinner table and exchange gifts. The outer trappings will look much like the secular Christmas we’re familiar with.

The differences lie in our religious practices, what at their core they are not so different either.

We gather around an altar, whatever table fits the space available. The centerpiece will be a greenery-decorated log with with three candles set on top. Threes in neopaganism hold a number of associations, especially the Three-Fold Goddess, seen as Maiden, Mother and Crone.

We ask Spirits of the classical elements — Air, Fire, Water and Earth — to attend our ritual and lend their energies to our work. We will invite Goddess and God by several of their various names to join us in celebration. We will acknowledge the longest night of the year and celebrate the height of the Holly King’s reign before His power wanes and His brother, the Oak King, takes over.

Finally we will pray for peace and prosperity for ourselves, those we love and the world in general. ~ Carin Huber

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hailed from a household of secular California liberals. In my youth, the only tepid links to my Protestant European heritage I knew were Lutheran preschool and rare appearances at my grandparents’ church functions.

My family celebrated Christmas, but the festivities featured a distinct absence of Christ. They were conventional American Christmases; stockings hanging from the mantle, lights coiling around the house and my kin telling dreamy legends of Santa Claus with eggnog and candy canes abound.

For me, yuletide was about lighting luminarias with my cousins on Christmas Eve and enjoying pastries and sausages with my father’s side of the family on lazy Christmas mornings.

Christmas was my culture’s historic mourning of the recent harvest and our observance of the solstice and enveloping winter.

The consumer element was also active. I, like many, associated Christmas with the toys people gave me when I was a child. It was a gift giving holiday and a statement of commercialism.

It was my clan’s principal feast day, an occasion where we gathered by a warm hearth and reveled in family.

As I age, Christmas’ significance wanes. I don’t see it as a magical day anymore, but I savor it still because it gathers many of my loved ones to one table.

~ Luke Heslip

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ou say “Merry Christmas,” I say “To you.” You say “Happy Hanukkah,” I say “to you.”

Many people would not notice the subtle difference between ‘you too’ and ‘to you,’ but a wise Muslim once pointed out this way in which I can share in your joy without actually sharing in your celebration.

Peace, joy and goodwill towards others are values most of us have in common. This is no different if we do not share the same holidays or beliefs.

For Muslims, it’s forbidden to participate in polytheistic and non-Muslim celebrations, and Christmas and Hanukkah certainly qualify.

Muslims celebrate two Eids in winter. One, Eid al-Fitr, at the end of the month of Ramadan, and another, Eid al-Adha, in celebration of Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael on Allah’s command. Muslims celebrate these holidays on the same day in the lunar calendar each year, and as such, the dates on the Gregorian calendar change each year, so technically they could be winter holidays, just not this year.

Winter is a wonderful season to enjoy family and food and the relaxation that comes with 14-hour long nights. Sometimes I think Allah made the winter months cold so that we all had a reason to share close quarters, originally as a necessity to stay warm.

This necessity to be close to each other to avoid freezing to death may be behind us, but the comfort of being near our loved ones is an eternal need.

So, this winter holiday season, I will be joining you in hoping and praying for a just, peaceful and sustainable world—I just won’t be sitting on Santa’s lap with you. ~ JoshuOne Barnes

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A&E

December 7, 2015

www.theoakleafnews.com

SRJC band of the week: The Illumignarly Estefany Gonzalez A&E Editor Conspiracy theories say The Illuminati are mysterious hidden members of society pulling the puppet strings to control world affairs. The band The Illumignarly took on the persona of being a faceless powerhouse when members decided to become a surf-inspired instrumental group.

Their goal was to make fun rhythms that would make fans feel as though a big wave crashed upon them. They chose to let their music speak louder than any words a singer could provide.

Guitar players Scott Manwell and Derek Nielsen have jammed together for more than 13 years. The two decided to start a band with drummer Dylan Stice three years ago as an experiment. Their idea was to be as fun and cheesy as they could be. “We didn’t really think we would be an actual band,” Nielsen said.

Two years ago, bass player Mikey Bellonio joined the Illumignarly, completing the band’s line-up. “We’re stuck now; you know like when you marry someone and you’re too old to leave them and go find someone better,” Nielsen said.

The Santa Rosa natives play mostly local shows but have performed throughout the Bay Area as well.

The members listen to punk, metal, indie, bluegrass and hardcore and said each genre tends to find itself into their sound.

The band members prefer recording EPs over full length albums. Nelson said their goal is to create “all killer, no filler songs.” They’ll often work on songs for weeks at a time and then scrap them because they sound like they could be used as a filler track on an album.

What sets this band apart from others is their go-with-the-flow attitude. “There’s no calculation behind it. I like that everything is hands off. We show up and we play,” Stice said.

Nielson said everything the band has done has been because the opportunity presented itself, not because members went out looking. “We got together because it was fun to jam out some surf songs,” Nielsen said. “The shows all started coming to us.”

Illumignarly members play because they love to, not because they’re trying to get their name out there. “If it gets any bigger, we’ll gladly be there when it happens, but we’re not actively trying to make it happen,” Bellonio said. “We’re never trying to strive to be more than what we are.”

Before playing a set at the Arlene Francis Center, the band members shared about late nights after shows,

why they’re instrumental, and what keeps them playing together.

Why did the band choose to be instrumental?

Stice: “For me, personally, I like not having a vocalist. I like the ambiguity of it. You don’t have a stance on anything, you don’t have a message; there’s no concept to pull from so it’s just kinda like colors mixing together.

It’s a little more abstract.”

Nielsen: “It goes along with the personality we’ve set up with the Illumignarly. We want to be kinda faceless. We’ve all been in bands where we’ve been like ‘Hey this is us, this is what we’re saying’, but with the Illumignarly we’re not trying to say anything.”

Manwell: “We’ve experimented with lyrics, and I thought it was awesome.”

Bellonio: “It’s one of those things that when it works, it works. Music is the most important thing to all of us. I think that when any one of us listens to a record, the last thing we listen to is the lyrics.”

Manwell: “Most of the time you can’t hear the singers anyway. Almost every single band I listen to live or on CD, I can’t pick out the lyrics anyway, Elton John included.”

Bellonio: “I don’t want to say this like it’s a thing, but a lot of people are selfish with their music and they do it for themselves. And I think that all of

Estefany Gonzalez / Oak Leaf

Top left: Members of The Illumignarly perform the song “Dude, I Like your Shredder” off the album Apocalypse Gnar at the Arlene Francis center in Santa Rosa’s Railroad Square.

Top right: (Left to right) Dylin Stice, Scott Manwell, Mikey Bollonio and Derek Nielsen relax backstage at the Arlene Francis Center and drink beer before their band’s set.

Bottom: Fans enjoy tunes the band wrote to make them feel a wave crash upon them.

us when we write music together, it is very selfless and it is for fun.”

How often do you guys play?

Bellonio: “We’re lucky if we can get together once a week.”

Neilsen: “We just put out our CD three weeks ago, and we just didn’t do anything for three weeks, which was awesome. That’s part of the freedom of being in the Illumignarly; we work hard when we need to work hard. We have periods when we’re very hardworking, and we have periods when we’re not.

It never feels like we need to make that decision. It just happens.”

Stice: “We’re riding the coattail of inspiration. I feel like nothing’s forced.”

Manwell: “The best shows we’ve played, we’ve wanted to just go see a movie instead, but then we get off the stage and we’re like, ‘Wait a minute, no.

This is actually f***ing rad.’”

Nielsen: “We’re also kind of old;

we’ve all been in bands for a little too long at this point. We’re all at the point where we’ve been inspired for a little too long now, and we’re kind of burnt out, but we get that second wave of middle age inspiration.”

Why EPs over full-length ablums?

Neilson: “EPs are fun. You get in, you say what you need to say and you get out while you have the energy. ” Manwell: “No filler, all killer.”

Bellonio: “I think the way things are going with music, full albums aren’t a necessity anymore.”

Neilson: “I love full records, but those are with bands that tour all the time, and those are with bands that will make money because they’re on the road nine months out of the year and right now in our lives, we’re not trying to do that.”

For the full Q&A go to theoakleafnews.com.

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A&E

December 7, 2015

15

Bargain reading on rainy days On Cue Alex T. Randolph Copy Editor As the semester winds to a close, students wonder what to do with themselves over the break. The more obvious solutions would be “play more video games” or “get drunk” or maybe even “start planning responsibly for the future.” But for those of you who prefer indoor activites and not spending all your free time staring at computer screens, you’re probably looking forward to sitting down with a good book.

Since you’re on a student budget, that entertaining book will hopefully also be a good, cheap book. For those struggling to find the latter, here are some local places to find reading material at reasonable prices.

Treehorn Books: For any bookworm, there’s nothing like the slightly musty smell of old books – it calls back fond memories of a youth spent with “Redwall” or “Animorphs” or “Hardy Boys” in hand in your dad’s recliner. Nowhere is that feeling more prevalent than in Treehorn Books, at 256 4th St. Crammed in a small building next to La Vera Pizza. Literature of all kinds fill this used bookstore head to toe, from atlases to comic books, both old and current. Here you can find rare books such as an original Tom Swift story from 1910 or if you’re into comics and lucky,

Calendar of Events Dec. 8

Estefany Gonzalez / Oak Leaf

Treehorn Books, located in downtown Santa Rosa, smells of vintage books guaranteed to warm the heart of any bookworm.

a graphic novel collection of Alan Moore’s “Miracleman.” If you would like something more modern, don’t worry – Treehorn regularly stocks the latest books too, for all your “Hunger Games” needs.

Thrift stores: The best thing about thrift stores is also the worst thing about them; you have no idea what you’re going to find. Depending on place and time, your local Goodwill or Salvation Army can have anything from a rare edition of “Frankenstein” kept in mint condition by its original owner, to a dog-eared cheaply made novel that swears up and down that the author

has undeniable proof the world is going to end in 1986. Thrift stores are much like used bookstores, except they have a much smaller selection and usually a much smaller price. It’s worth your time to go “thrifting” and try to uncover some diamonds in the rough.

Copperfield’s Books: The Bay Area’s local book chain, whose closest site is in Montgomery Village. It won’t have as many used books, but it sometimes has novels and graphic novels larger bookstores have already sold out of. Of course Copperfield’s allows to you to order upcoming books

online, having them ready for you at the store on release day.

Library: And finally, perhaps the most obvious place to find what you want to read for cheap; your local library. With a simple library card, you can check out as many books as you can carry. I have fond memories of coming home with a backpack full of reading material when I was younger. The public library system has suffered recently, so be sure to stop by your local library, such as the nearby Central Library on 211 E St., and support them with your patronage.

Just watch out for late fees.

Records over digital media

Dec. 9

“Fast Times at Ridgemont High” – The Petaluma Cinema Series screens the iconic 1982 classic film portraying the lives of teens and their relationships within high school. The characters in this comedy dwell on topics like drugs and sex. Will be shown 6 p.m. in the Carole Ellis Building on the Petaluma campus.

Dec. 12

Matthew Koch

Matthew Koch/ Oak Leaf

Top: The Thrifty Hippy has vintage records for music aficionados with a taste for retro.

Bottom: One of the several record players The Thrifty Hippy uses, allowing customers to test records before they buy to get an idea of the sound they’re investing in.

Staff Writer door, all who enter are greeted immediately with rows upon rows of new and used records. A medley of colors splatter the concrete floors, and posters and records are pinned to the walls as you marvel around the plethora of musical options.

This is why you need an idea of what you’re looking for, unless you are the browsing type.

If that scares you, immediately off to the left is a treasure trove of records all offered for $1. It’s got everything from Joe Cocker to Quincy Jones to five-piece collections of swing music.

It’s not only music for retro junkies either; there’s a wide variety of modern music to choose from, ranging from $20-40.

It’s been called The Last Record Store since 1983 when there were plenty of record stores to frequent,

Plant Sale – Students may purchase a variety of plants to benefit Horticulture Scholarships for students from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Lark Hall Greenhouse Courtyard.

SRJC Holiday on the Farm (Shone Grown) – Shone Farm hosts a holiday-themed food and craft show. Parents are able to drink the “Shone Grown” wine, and kids are able to play in the many festive activities.

This event will last from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Shone Farm.

Places to get vinyl near SRJC

Vinyl records have been the primary medium of music concentration for what made up most of the 20th century.

By the 1980s, digital media has gained popularity and vinyl left the mainstream market in 1991, making vinyl records harder to find.

Though slow at first, records have been making a comeback, growing by more than 50 percent to sell more than a million records in 2014 alone.

Students looking for vinyl can find great deals at two record stores located in close vicinity to both the Petaluma and Santa Rosa Junior College campuses.

The first record store was the last—The Last Record Store, that is, located right on Mendocino Avenue, next to the Santa Rosa campus.

Upon stepping through the

Santa Rosa Junior College Music Delivers to the Community – SRJC’s orchestra aims to deliver sounds and creative musical compositions for all ages. The SRJC Orchestra will partner with Santa Rosa High School’s Orchestra to perform Sibelius’s “Symphony No. 2.” The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. in Burbank Auditorium.

but one by one they have started to dwindle.

“Ironically, this has become the last record store,” said Josh Staples, The Last Record Store employee for nine years.

The second store, located just under a mile away from the Petaluma campus, had a very different feel.

The Thrifty Hippy, located in downtown Petaluma, contrasts The Last Record Store’s punk vibe with its warm, inviting atmosphere.

There’s music from classical to rock to pop, all very affordable.

More popular music is displayed on the walls and are usually pricier, but if the mainstream isn’t what you’re looking for, shift your eyes to the crates containing the affordable ABBA and Liberace vinyl bestowed before you.

While browsing for your vinyl, you can also find equally affordable new apparel to dance in while you listen to your classic tunes.

In terms of more variety for your buck, The Thrifty Hippy trumps the Last Record Store for the record sampler accompanied by the unique display of vintage records.

Dec. 16

GALEAF Pizza Dinner – GALEAF (Gay and Lesbian Employees and Friends) will host a celebratory dinner for the end of the semester at 6 p.m. in Joey’s Pizza on Mendocino Avenue.

Anytime

Students Buy Personalized Bricks – Students are able to purchase bricks for the 100th Anniversary Celebration of 2018. These bricks will be installed in the new quad.

Construction will begin in Spring 2016 – Prices range from $100-250.

-Kyle Schmidt, Multimedia Editor

16

December 7, 2015

A&E

www.theoakleafnews.com

SRJC students weigh the practicality Style vs. comfort: and tastefulness of their wardrobe Nikki Goetz Staff Writer When Santa Rosa Junior College student Katie Menzel wakes up, the first thing on her mind is: “What am I going to wear?” She takes an hour and a half to get ready.

In contrast, when student Adrien Inda gets ready he grabs the first thing he sees and calls it good.

It doesn’t matter if students take their time in the morning or if they grab a shirt and go. They can rock yoga pants as much as they can rock boots and a leather jacket. All SRJC students have their reasons for their own style and what makes them comfortable.

Alumnus Jose Gomez starts his day wondering what he’ll wear. He goes with what makes him look and feel good, like a black and white silk shirt with a British flag print and black dress pants.

“I am a very energetic person and I want my style to reflect that,” Gomez said. “I am not going to start my day wearing baggy pants and a wrinkled, oversized shirt. That’s not the statement I want to make when I walk out the door.”

Gomez loves shopping at Macy’s for his makeup and clothes. He wears a liquid foundation, black mascara and a little bit of black eyeliner to bring out his eyes. He

Nikki Goetz / Oak Leaf

Top: SRJC student Adrien Inda takes a study break in his comfy but stylish clothes; his closet mostly consists of jeans and flannels.

Bottom: Katie Manzel takes an hour and a half to get ready for school and shows personal style betweeen classes at SRJC.

often wears a suit and dress pants for work and makes sure he is always presentable no matter where he goes. The only time he wears sweatpants and a T-shirt is at the end of the night when he comes home to relax.

Menzel’s morning routine is to shower and straighten her hair, apply her makeup and pick out an outfit.

“I have several different styles,” Menzel said. “I have a very laidback style. I also have the style that’s classic, modern and very simplistic.”

When applying her makeup, Menzel uses a powder foundation, mascara and eyeliner. She enjoys experimenting with different makeup and clothes, like leather jackets or anything bright and bold. Friends have complimented her unique style. Her favorite places to shop are American Eagle and Forever 21.

Conversely, Inda likes to stay comfortable throughout the day.

His closet consists of mostly flannel and jeans.

“My signature colors are black, red and dark gray. Sometimes I will try wearing something yellow or green, but you will mainly see me in my flannel,” Inda said.

He doesn’t try to impress anyone with what he wears except when going out on a date with his girlfriend; then he’ll take his time to be selective.

He hasn’t received any compliments, but doesn’t care what people think if they don’t like what they see. He says he will never go to

school wearing shorts and a T-shirt.

“I do take my time a bit but I am not going to spend so much of it on figuring out what I am going to wear when I need to get out the door for class,” Inda said.

Alumnus Jolene Aplin is all about being comfortable with what she wears.

“I work seven days a week. For four days I’ll be wearing my work shirt, but the other three days sometimes I just pick out a pair of yoga pants and a tank top,” she said.

Aplin does find time in the morning to pick out clothes for her and her boyfriend to wear. She also takes the time to put on some makeup and brush her hair.

After that, she is off to work. She takes more time when it comes to special occasions like her birthday or her brother’s wedding. It’s hard for Aplin to find clothes in her size so she doesn’t bother with trying to shop for the latest trends.

“I really don’t know what my comfort zone is with clothes, but because of my body type it’s sometimes hard to look further,” Aplin said.

Students know how to rock their own wardrobe, whether they take the time to plan or grab the first thing they see and call it good. They know how fabulous they want to look and what makes them feel great.

Art good enough to eat

Holiday foods from around the world to spice up your table Devin Schwarz Assistant A&E Editor

Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and casserole.

This American holiday meal is one of tradition and minimal variation. We all love a good tryptophan-coma-inducing meal, but variety is the spice of life and you’ll find no lack of spice on the holiday dinner tables of cultures throughout the world.

All over the planet people celebrate winter in their own unique ways. One thing binds them all together: food. Make your meal a multicultural menagerie with these simple recipes that break the American holiday norm.

Ancient civilizations in Latin America enjoyed the combination of spice and cacao for over 5,000 years, and Peruvians enjoy it even today on their holiday tables, and you can too.

Mix cocoa and honey into a paste in a mug of your choice, then add spices of your choosing such as ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon or even chili powder. Slowly add heated milk or water, mixing constantly until you get frothy chocolaty deliciousness.

Courtesy of blackbookkitchendiaries.wordpress.com

Often referred to as Christmas pie, mincemeat pie is a popular holiday tradition.

Keep in mind this is not your grandmother’s hot chocolate— this is hot cacao, as enjoyed by Mayan god-kings, and can pack a serious punch if you spice liberally.

Across the pond in England we find a whole host of foods that scare the bejesus out of Americans. Among these we have mincemeat pies; powdered sugarcovered pie crusts that hide a delicious secret.

It’s unclear when exactly mincemeat arose as an English treat, but it’s reported as early as the 15th century.

The mixture consists of dried nuts, fruits and spices mixed with meat that has literally been minced. Today this pre-made mixture can be found jarred in most grocery stores. Combine

this with your choice of fruits, such as apples or oranges, add additional goodies like hazelnuts, brandy or zest, and pop these into mini-pie shells to make a delicious holiday treat.

Move over hashbrowns, there’s an old potato pancake back in town; latkes are the go-to dish for any Hebrew celebration since their invention a millennia ago.

Latkes came about long before the potato arrived in the Middle East from the new world.

Originally, the crispy cake was made with various other root vegetables, cheeses, legumes and starches, depending on local ingredients available to the chef.

Today, latkes are typically made by mixing one pound of shredded potatoes, drained of all liquid, with a chopped onion and

Courtesy of toriavey.com and www.foodnetwork.com

Top: Latkes are made both salty and sweet and served with apple sauce or sour cream.

Bottom: Spice up your mug of hot chocolate like the drink of kings, but go easy on the spice if you have a sensitive palate.

an egg. This base mixture allows for hundreds of augmentations such as the addition of cheese, garlic, apple and various other spices or produce. The cakes are then fried and served with the classic toppings of sour cream and/or applesauce.

Take arms against the monotony of your holiday feast and transform it into something that will dazzle all without scaring off your relatives.

Experiment, explore, effervesce; the kitchen is your canvas, flavor is your brush.

17 A&E b-only Dirty, gritty and eye-catching W e stories December 7, 2015

www.theoakleafnews.com

California artists capture the lives of migrant laborers through photography Rebecca Dominguez Web Editor Stark. Dramatic. Startling. The struggles that plague migrant workers today and throughout history are captured on film in “Framing Migrant Labor,” an exhibit in the Robert F. Agrella art gallery.

Upon entering the gallery, observers are confronted by the harsh reality agricultural workers face every day, displayed in black and white.

Photos line the walls depicting the lives of laborers against a white and gray background, matching the aesthetic of the images. The audio from documentaries highlighting migrant labor echoes from the back of the gallery.

In a riveting display the gallery exhibit showcases a significant issue faced with quiet dignity by many.

The exhibit features photographer Matt Black’s works. The New Yorker,

Mother Jones and Vice magazines have featured Black’s photos and he won Time magazine’s Instagram photographer of the year in 2014.

He also produced multimedia pieces for msnbc.com, The New Yorker and Orion Magazine.

Museum Curator Renata Breth said, “I saw Black’s photos in the New Yorker and his images are so powerful, direct and compelling that I really wanted his work to be seen by our students and community.”

Accompanying Black’s photographs are works by local photographers Morrie Camhi, Otto Hagel, Ernest Lowe and Hansel Mieth showing migrant laborers from the ’30s through the ’70s.

“I wanted to show students that the topic is not new, though Black has a contemporary vision,” Breth said.

Along with the stills, Ernest Lowe’s work is shown in a narrated slideshow, showcasing his past images of farm workers and recent photos when Lowe revisited some of the subjects.

For more A&E stories visit the Oak Leaf news online. A full assortment of activities to do during winter break and online-exclusive content are only a click away.

Check out : A continuation of the Q&A with band of the week The Illumignarly and more pictures of the band’s set at the Arlene Francis Center.

- Written by A&E Editor Estefany Gonzalez Estefany Gonzalez/ Oak Leaf

Matt Black and other local artists worked together to capture the raw spirit of migrant labor. A number of documentaries and a narrated slideshow accompany the photos.

In the slideshow, viewers learn that none of Lowe’s subjects still work as agricultural laborers.

There are a number of documentary shorts playing in the back of the gallery highlighting the issues these workers face, as well as some of the problems arising in relation to the drought.

“The topic is of extreme importance. A lot of our food grows in the central valley and migrant labor is a relevant topic,” Breth said.

One of the goals of the exhibit is to spark change in the business of agriculture. “We have a lot of agriculture in our county as well

Astrology -Haley Bollinger, Features Editor

Aries: Haunt your former self. Remind him/her of childhood dreams that don’t want to be left in solitude. Reach for reality – not reality TV.

Libra: Sports are misleading, life has no true timeouts. Because replays are not linear. Don’t fool yourself, keep moving.

Taurus: Life circles around repeating the Scorpio: Tis’ the season for capitalism. same lessons. Do yourself a favor and don’t forget why you’ve failed. In learning from mistakes, humans create brilliance.

don’t respect a pushover. Take a stand and have an opinion. Or you risk being disappointed and taken advantage of repetitively.

Cancer: Blocking emotions and burying Capricorn: Doorknobs are your enemy. them in the sand serves no purpose. Love is profound; swallow a gulp of it.

Keep hand sanitizers handy. The flu is out to punish you. Take care of your body and up your vitamin intake.

Leo: Yeah, you’re important. So, now that Aquarius: Intentions and thoughts create your ego is stroked, find a meaningful way to give back. Your insecurities are actually a strength.

reality, or at least they create energy that flows into the world. It’s cliche but keep it positive and you’ll manifest a brighter life.

Virgo: Oh you’re silly. Try to save the Pisces: Talents are hidden in your favorite world, but don’t believe political post on Facebook will really make a solid difference.

Stop trying to win the Internet.

hobbies. If possible find a way to incorporate your passions into your work life.

A feature on Outer Planes Comic and Games shop.

- Written by Assistant A&E Editor Devin Schwarz An inside look at swing dance nights at Ellington Hall.

-Written by Co-Editor-in-Chief Faith Gates A list of shows to binge watch during winter break.

-Written by Staff Writer Nikki Goetz http://www.theoakleafnews.com

‘Krampus’

Keep watching the trailer; that’s as good as it gets Kyle Schmidt Multimedia Editor

Don’t give into the consumer hoopla. Make gifts; people appreciate originality.

Gemini: Drunk texting friends may seem Sagittarius: The sad truth is that people funny and probably is half the time. But if you’re struggling, speak and confide your worries in person. True human contact provokes solutions.

and one small improvement is HEP, where workers can get a high school education through our college,” Breth said.

Another goal is to bring awareness that the problems faced in the past are still being seen today. “In the gallery students from different disciplines other than art come to discuss the issues, if not the images themselves,” Breth said.

The gallery is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 1-4 p.m. on Saturday and Sundays.

It will be showing the exhibit “Framing Migrant Labor” through Dec. 10 in the Doyle Library.

A profile on SRJC student acapella club The Oaktones.

- Written by Staff Writer Taylor Kong

With a blend of corny Christmas values and bad casting, “Krampus” (2015) can be related to expiring eggnog. Though appealing at first, it is hard to finish.

This movie isn’t exceptionally bad; it’s trying to be three different genres at once.

This makes the film a poorly executed scary, goofy drama. Plus, if you throw in David Koechner, known for idiotic roles in “Anchorman,” “Paul” and “The Comebacks,” the movie is destined to be lacking.

We begin with a scene of Black Friday shoppers in slow motion whilst traditional holiday jingles play. Director Michael Dougherty uses this juxtaposition to display an ideology that consumerist Christmas is not ideal. We block out the intangible world of family holiday values and are glued to the confines of our cellphone screens. This establishing shot holds more meaning than the rest of the movie. After that, it snowballs into a undeniably bad plot.

We first meet a modern dysfunctional family who dreads hosting Christmas every year. Amongst the mess, the youngest boy in the family loses his faith in Christmas.

He crumples his letter to Santa Claus and

throws it out his window. The paper then floats to the heavens in a very cheesy fashion.

Boom! The movie’s tone turns quicker than Costco transitions to its holiday decorations.

No buildups. No motifs. No foreshadowing.

It’s now a cheesy horror movie.

The sound design wails at the sequences when Krampus, the dark side of Saint Nick, starts to terrorize the family. The movie may have some good pop-ups, but none help support the unmotivated plot. It then turns into a montage of annoying holiday-themed horror events.

Gingerbread cookies, elves and toys attack the family and yet, it still seems like a joke.

Was I supposed to be laughing?

What was humorous was the beginning of the third act where an animated scene played to represent the grandmother’s past.

But this just did not work. The animation art and style come fundamentally out of nowhere and are never seen again.

The movie does have its polished parts. If you want to see them, watch the trailer and be on your jolly way.

Coming from the director who gave us “Trick ‘r Treat,” a movie full of horror tales and mystical wonder, people had hope for this movie. “Krampus” will never fulfill those expectations. It merely is the concoction of an unsuccessful Christmas comedy-horror, and will never have a place in the Film Hall of Fame.

18

December 7, 2015

Opinion

From one to many

Generalizing religions

Faith Gates Co-Editor-in-Chief No two humans are the same, yet we continue to treat them like they are. Recently, people treated members of certain religious groups based on the actions of a few. I am Christian, and because of this I’m constantly looked down upon and am sometimes afraid to express my religious views. A current topic I see on social media is a backlash on Christians saying Starbucks’ red Christmas cups are a “war on Christmas.” The controversy started when a few radical Christians publicly complained about these non-Christmas cups saying it’s because Starbucks hates Jesus.

Here comes the big news: most Christians don’t care. In the midst of media coverage on this “controversial cup,” 95 percent of the information I saw was hate toward the Christian community for being so offended by this cup, while I saw few to no Christians who have a problem with it. The backlash far outweighed the actual “problem.”

This problem expands larger than a cup. Bigger news is the Paris attack killing 130 people and left hundreds wounded.

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant took credit for this attack, and Muslims across the globe felt the effects of something they had no involvement in.

People vandalized mosques and threatened Muslims in multiple countries. Many do not feel safe, and do not deserve to feel hated.

Director of Operations of the Council on American-Islamic Relations Sadyia Khalique said in an interview with The New York Times the Muslim community hasn’t seen this much backlash since the Sept.

11 attack.

While I’m not ashamed of my religion, I consistently keep my religious views to myself for fear of someone making assumptions about me, and thus, treating me differently. Once someone knows me better, I feel freer to express my opinions and not have someone discriminate against me. When people don’t know someone they tend to fill in the gaps of what they don’t know with their opinion.

Seeing people as their own person and not making assumptions based on religion, ethnicity or gender is the answer to less violence, maintaining freedom of speech and equality.

www.theoakleafnews.com

EDITORIAL Surprise!

Sometimes college students drink alcohol when they’re not supposed to.

In what amounts to predictable circumstances, an inappropriate use of alcohol embroiled four student representatives in misconduct hearings, which have already justly resulted in removal from office and pay suspension.

Such scandals routinely garner eye rolls and exasperated sighs of ‘who cares?’ And in truth, they can be harmless, but they can also be ruinous, both for the students and the institutions liable for them.

These situations are serious, and therefore, college communities should hold culpable students proportionately accountable.

This specific controversy is straightforward: seven Santa Rosa Junior College delegates attended a three-day student government assembly in Sacramento this November, and one evening, representatives from other California colleges gifted them some light alcohol, which they took back to a hotel room and four of them allegedly consumed.

Two of the four suspect students publically confessed and apologized for their part in the misconduct Nov. 23 in the Student G o v e r n m e nt Assemblies’ public hearing, while one suspect denied consumption, but admitted a week later to at least having a sip of beer, and another was absent from the proceedings and declined to comment if he drank.

Two of the suspect delegates are under 21, including the one denying complete involvement.

Like any judicial process, particulars are king. Before the conference, the

entire delegation contractually agreed to not drink alcohol while in Sacramento.

They were also aware the college was liable for them for that period. To exacerbate matters, the delegation used student representation money to finance the trip. These funds originate from a student enrollment charge. This information alone mean the delegates’ alleged actions constitute wrongdoing.

The guilty parties disrespected the students they represent and exploited the administrators who were legally responsible for their safety.

Their actions breached principle more than they endangered physical well-being. According to witness testimony, the suspect students collectively drank around eight bottles of Mike’s Hard Lemonade and Sierra Nevada beer. If the three to four individuals split this over the course of several hours, it would not likely have rendered serious intoxication, due to low alcohol content. They also claimed not to have left the hotel while drinking, meaning no one drove or wandered on foot into public.

One of the defendants said the group did not finish all of the alcohol and another, who disputed fully drinking, testified to have poured a beer over a hotel balcony.

The quantity of alcohol and the environment the students consumed it in was relatively safe, but their behavior was inherently inappropriate and violated contract.

The incident only came under administrative attention because a member of the delegation was ill the day after the drinking. Ironically, bad shrimp and not alcohol was the likely cause.

So far, only the SGA is known to have issued disciplinary action, while

the administration proceeds with its own investigation and hearings. Three of the four suspects are SGA members and all four suspects receive financial compensation from the SGA’s Public Service Fellowship Program. The student government swiftly tried the four students and after deliberation, voted on Nov. 23 to defer their pay and relegate its three members to probation status. They unanimously voted a week later to remove them from the SGA definitively.

The SGA’s response was timely and commendable. A small group of its members undermined the integrity of the body and the collective held them to account. To their credit, two of the defendants publicly confessed to the misconduct and offered resignation.

The SGA removals were fair outcomes. This incident risked serious SRJC liability and the college’s public standing. It also stained the SGA’s overall reputation. These delegates represented the student body and SRJC brand on a statewide platform and students literally paid for it.

This student government is the first in SRJC’s almost century long existence to have financial compensation. They also steward a more than $400,000 annual budget on behalf of students.

For these representatives to observe sobriety for three days would have been a minor effort, and for their constituents, a minimal expectation.

Student Board of Trustee representative Elijah Egger is the only suspect representative who students actually choose. The other three are SGA appointees. This made it more justifiable for the SGA to remove them independently, since their constituents didn’t put them in office.

Egger has greater legitimacy because his peers elected him. The SGA cannot disappoint him regardless, since he belongs to board and not their body. If the administration or board does seek his removal, SRJC students deserve a voice, in the form of a recall election or some other democratic recourse.

Nothing about this scandal is uncommon or alarming. A few students exhibited irresponsible judgment and betrayed their colleagues and constituents confidence, but everyone is fine. Their actions did not cause irreversible harm or define them as people. Whatever final penalties, if any, college authorities decree; they should not follow the defendants beyond student government.

Tommy Dennen

to bolster the immune system.

When you get a flu shot, the viral ingredients in the vaccine alert the immune system to create antibodies, the chemical cues blood cells create to identify pathogens, and the white blood cells (WBC) that “eat” the foreign invaders.

Flu shots contain the killed version of flu. Its structure is broken up so it can’t do its usual job, but the ingredients are still red flags to the immune system. It produces WBC “soldiers” to fight the virus, but then they don’t have to fight it, because it’s dead. So the soldiers wait around.

If you come in contact with the live virus, the white blood cells are queued for battle and vastly increase the speed at which you contain and eliminate the invasion. Thus vaccines induce immunity.

People aren’t used to seeing the devastating effects of these until—recently —extinct diseases first hand. Some individuals have become complacent and think that in the half-century absence of these diseases, some change

in their virulence occurred that granted these people the intellectual authority to ignore the science that eliminated nearly a dozen lifethreatening pathogens for decades.

The controversial Dr. Oz claimed that flu shots contain a preservative derived from mercury. For certain vaccines in the past, this was true.

But the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine does not, and they are a vital defense for school-aged children.

Playboy model Jenny McCarthy used her notoriety to claim flu shots cause autism. Multiple studies performed since her unforgivable slander of science prove her irrefutably wrong.

Don’t believe everything you read on the internet. Trust the educated caregivers that dedicate their life to finding the most cost-effective health investments, with proven strategies that make them accessible to the greatest number of individuals.

Last January the CDC announced over 100 measles occurrences across 14 states, and President Obama proposed a $50 million cut to the federal government’s “317

Immunization Program” which funds vaccines to uninsured families.

There is a flagrant attack on public health in the name of elected ignorance. Sadly, the issue may be already out of our control. Because it has been decades since the presence of something like polio, you can ask 10 people if they know someone who lost the function of a limb due to atrophy from polio and 10 of them will tell you no. Seeing a person affected by that disease first hand might make people think differently.

With the freedom to abstain from vaccination, we may be forced to endure a number of pandemic outbreaks that sicken and even kill thousands of people before the appropriate media attention implores the national population to take advised precautions in order to keep said pandemics in the history books.

“Their actions breached principle more than they endangered physical wellbeing.”

Anti-vaxxers ignore the science Staff Writer

“Yeah, but I still wouldn’t get a flu shot,” my friend said at the end of a conversation we had about her access to healthcare.

“What? Why?? You’re joking right?” I asked incredulously.

“No, I’m dead serious, I just hate shots” she said matter-of-factly.

“You can’t be serious,” I said.

“You’re saying...you wouldn’t get a flu shot just because you don’t like the split-second prick in your arm?”

“Well, that, and every time I’ve gotten one in the past, I’ve gotten really sick afterwards.”

Her first valid point. Flu shots have been known to start an immune response similar to a bad cold.

Nothing, however, to the extent of contracting the live version of the flu shot that was administered. People have known this for a while, and the reason is your body will take energy from other healthy systems, leaving them depleted, and use this energy

To read the full length version of this abridged article, visit the Opinion section of the Oak Leaf website at theoakleafnews.com.

www.theoakleafnews.com

Opinion

December 7, 2015

Not without reason

French racism sparks aggression

Courtesy of Ian Langsdon/European Pressphoto Agency

Passers-by pause at one of the sites of the Paris attacks. Many of the terrorists involved in the explosions were French nationals, perhaps reacting to anti-Arab sentiment in France.

Guillaume Jackson Staff Photographer The Nov. 13 Paris attacks had a greater effect on French society than most outsiders realize. To fully comprehend what fomented these attacks, it’s necessary to understand how Arabs and their varying sub-cultures were introduced to France, and how they evolved in French society.

During World War II, France had colonial interests in the Maghreb, which inevitably meant the German Wehrmacht and Italian Armed Forces were called to oversee these regions, either with the direct complicity of French collaborators, or under the Axis’ absolute control.

In the case of Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia, all French colonies at the time, resistance grew out of the French colonialists, but also with the aid of native Maghrebins. These were Arabs who chose to fight under the French Tri-color to repel the German invaders, as well as to fight for their own freedom.

By fighting for the French Resistance and exiled government under General Charles de Gaulle, these

Arab fighters and their descendants were promised immigration to France without restrictions, in the hopes they could have a better life irrespective of the independence movements on their native soil.

At the conclusion of the war, many Arabs from North Africa immigrated to France and began a different kind of struggle; one only too familiar to African Americans, Native Americans and AsianAmericans. Basically, the “non-white” Arabs began their struggle to fit in to a French society that rejected them, bullied them and constantly reminded them that, regardless of whether they fought for France or were born in France, they were still Arabs, and therefore would never be French.

It’s a bold statement, but I can write it with clarity and conviction because my grandfather was one of those French people. He was in the French Navy, served in many countries across Africa, and was racist. When I

I think many people understand their position.

So Arabs have been cast aside in France for 50 years. Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco have been independent states for decades. But where does that leave French citizens of Arab descent? Angry. Resentful. Isolated in their own culture.

I moved to Paris in the summer of 2008, and learned French society, even with its strong foundation of social programs, still struggles to accept and integrate Arab culture, a struggle which resonates in every school and professional environment.

Is it really a surprise to learn disgruntled youth, under the auspices of fundamentalist beliefs, choose to lash out by committing acts of violence against a society that rejects them because they are Arabic?

I will never condone their violent, aggressive behavior, but to understand how young men and women can kill others, I have to understand what led them to believe their behavior would change things for the better, no matter where they came from or what culture they belong to.

the financial aid offices. I lost count how many times I went back and forth, back and forth, being told one thing by one person, then sent to the other department where they told me something completely different and “have a nice day.” Only once did someone pick up a phone and call the other department to get some facts straight.

I finally got to a Responsible Borrower workshop, but it didn’t tell me anything about getting off of academic suspension; just what to do not to get into trouble in the first place.

Between the vague workshop

and the lack of communication between the counseling and financial aid departments, I still don’t know how this will affect my education long term.

The counseling and financial aid departments need to agree on what is required to get out of trouble once you’re already in it, and they need to make it easier to find the necessary information, like where to get forms and when workshops will be.

To read the whole story of my journey back from academic suspension, visit the Opinion section of the Oak Leaf website at theoakleafnews.com.

“Arabs struggled to fit into a French society that rejected them, regardless of whether they fought for France.”

Stuck on the JC merry-go-round

Running in circles for financial aid Arthur Martin-Gonzalez Staff Writer For two semesters, life was rough for me, and I wound up on academic suspension.

Getting help fixing the problem was a nightmare.

The Santa Rosa Junior College website has almost no useful information about

was a child, I remember him ranting about Arabs, blacks, basically anyone not white and Catholic.

Thankfully, my parents are decent human beings and I grew up with many different kinds of people speaking different languages.

Un f o r t u n a t e l y, my grandfather’s views were reflective of a large majority of French people at the time, so the Arab immigrants, their children and their grandchildren still feel the reverberations to this day. Because of the high number of immigrants moving to France, the country began building whole neighborhoods surrounding large cities, today commonly known as “cités,” or in English parlance, “ghettos.”

Even today, these cités are mostly inhabited by low-income Arab families, who are still cast aside and have fewer opportunities because of their Arab names. Even in America,

academic suspension. What little information there is tells you what you need to do, but not where to find forms, who to talk to or when the department holds workshops.

To get any answers I had to go between the counseling and

19

Just the tip Not fade away Carin Huber Opinion Editor Casual sex has lost the taboo it once held. Two people can have some sweaty fun, then may not see each other ever again. This is fine, but it doesn’t mean that we should abandon all courtesy.

It has become common to simply ignore further attempts at contact when one has decided not to see someone again. This is called ghosting, and it’s terribly inconsiderate.

It’s bad enough to be ghosted after one date. The smallest courtesy would be saying, “I had fun, but I’m not interested in a relationship.” To ignore someone’s attempt to connect is the height of rudeness. It’s more hurtful than saying “thanks, but no thanks,” and shows a complete lack of compassion.

Ghosting sometimes happens after a relationship, however casual, has gone on for weeks or months. There is no excuse for this. The other partner in the relationship probably cares for you at least as much as any other person he or she encounters regularly. If you suddenly stop communicating, what is the other person supposed to think?

The first thing likely to come to mind is that something terrible has happened to you.

Casual relationships often mean it’s unlikely the two of you have friends in common. You certainly haven’t met each other’s family.

Your unwitting ex-partner worries about you, and there is no one who can tell him or her you’re OK. If there were, would you want to put your friend in the awkward position of breaking off the relationship for you?

When the silence has gone on long enough, the jilted party starts to wise up, but this is where the pain really kicks in.

Questions and self-doubt bubble up like swamp gas, poisoning his or her self-confidence. They think “What happened? Did I do something wrong? I didn’t think it was serious, but don’t I at least deserve some notice?” Wanting to give you the benefit of the doubt, concern for your wellbeing still niggles.

I know it can be hard to hurt someone’s feelings. But just disappearing doesn’t make the hurt less; if anything it makes it last longer.

Or maybe you fear a confrontation with an unstable partner. I have news for you; ghosting doesn’t make the crazy ones less crazy, and it can drive a stable person to track you down, in person, for closure. I’ve never caused a scene, but I won’t accept ghosting from someone I’ve known for more than a couple weeks. No one should have to.

At the very least, send a text.

People say it’s tacky to break up by text, and perhaps it is. But it’s far worse to just fade away.

20

December 7, 2015

Sports

www.theoakleafnews.com

Right down to the wire

Questionable calls and physical play ruin Bear Cubs’ comeback Stephen Wolmarans Staff Writer After two strong tournament performances and a tight road win at Mendocino to start off the season, the Santa Rosa Junior College men’s basketball team played host to the College of Marin Mariners in their first home game of the season.

The freewheeling first half saw both teams shoot well from the outside, with Santa Rosa getting off to an especially hot start. Sophomore Josh Douglas and Freshman Kiel Long both drained outside shots for the Bear Cubs, while George Johnson kept the Mariners in it after Ty Davis sat most of the half after accumulating three fouls in the first several minutes.

A buzzer beating 3-pointer for Santa Rosa left the score knotted at 38 going into the break.

The second frame saw both teams play much more sound defense, with most of the 3 point plays coming the old fashioned way as the long range jumpers dried up. Gone too were the offensive rebounds surrendered by the Bear Cubs, as Coach Craig McMillan reflects, “We did a better job keeping the ball out of the paint and making them shoot tougher shots.” Santa Rosa’s gritty defense kept the game within reach despite a lackluster field-goal percentage for much of the half.

With five minutes remaining and the Bear Cubs down seven, Kiel Long converted on a slashing drive to the basket despite a hard foul from a Marin player. His bid for the 3-point play failed, but Sophomore Siaan Rojas was there, mop in hand, to clean up and bring Santa Rosa within 3. As the clock ticked down, the fouls mounted and the pressure rose, with Marin shooting especially poorly from the stripe, allowing the Bear Cubs to stay within 4 leading into the final minute of play.

As the shot clock wound down,

Sophomore Jacob Wilson launched a contested 3-pointer hoping to narrow Marin’s lead to one, but what he ended up getting was much more surprising. Wilson’s initial shot missed, but a clutch rebound on the offensive glass by Rojas found it’s way back out to the top of the key where Wilson launched his second attempt. The basket dropped. The whistle blew. Wilson was fouled in the act and had the opportunity to finish the 4-point play and tie the score at 69. Both teams gathered around their coaches to discuss possible scenarios, and after a clutch free throw from Wilson, Marin had the ball with 12 seconds remaining.

A hurried possession culminated in a contested shot for the Mariners, and with overtime all but ensured, a

foul was called on Santa Rosa during the final shot’s rebounding after they brought it down. The Marin player kept us on the edge of our seats until the last; making the second of his two shots to lift the Mariners to a 7069 win over the Bear Cubs.

After the game, Coach McMillan emphasized missed opportunities, stating, “We lost the game in the first half in my opnion; the way we were shooting we should have had a bit of a cushion.” He continued, “The referees didn’t lose the game for us, we had our chances.”

The Bear Cubs look to right the ship next weekend when they travel to the South Bay for the Foothill Tournament, before ending the semester hosting the Daniel Kong/Oak Leaf Kris Kringle Invitational Tournament Top: A College of Marin player calls time while laying on the hardwood during a game Dec. 3.

Bottom: College of Marin point guard George Johnson looks to pass inside.

December 17-19.

Blind and inconsistent: NFL officiating hits new low Austin Burmester

Social Media Editor

Opinion In the NFL, blaming the referees after losing a game has always been a cheap excuse for fans and players.

Referees will miss calls now and again – they’re human – but this season has been the worst officiated season through 11 weeks since the replacement referees in 2012.

These refs have called penalties that didn’t exist and not called penalties that were blatantly obvious. From calling phantom pass interference, invisible holding

calls, inadvertent whistles, roughing the passer penalties on clean hits, problems with clock management… the list continues.

Throughout the past couple weeks there were countless missed calls. Some major ones were 49ers Quinton Dial’s roughing the passer penalty on a textbook sack against Cardinal’s quarterback Carson Palmer, as well as an inadvertent whistle during a Patriots play on Monday Night Football that could’ve arguably ended in a touchdown for Danny Amendola.

“We’ve had some mistakes that have happened in high-profile games and it’s drawn a lot of attention,” said Dean Blandino, NFL’s vice president of officiating.

Not only are coaches, players and fans angry about missed calls, they are also not pleased with the miniscule amount of consistency from game to game. It is apparent that NFL referees often do not agree on what is a penalty and what is not. Some referees will call PI with a little amount of touch and others won’t call PI with an excessive amount of touch. With that type of inconsistency how are the players supposed to play the game?

The NFL has started to discipline referees that make mistakes consistently. The referee crew that officiated the Cardinals vs. 49ers game has been pulled from their week 13 prime-time Sunday Night Football game.

Courtesy of Bleacher Report

Penalty flags have been flying early and often in this NFL season, sometimes unwarranted.

As fans of football we want calls to be correct and consistent.

If the referees cannot call games consistently or are unable to enforce

the NFL rules correctly, they should continue to be punished and publicly ridiculed because the coaches, players and fans deserve better.

www.theoakleafnews.com

Sports

December 7, 2015

Honoring Karen Stanley Former soccer coach and current SRJC instructor receives place in CCCSCA Hall of Fame Faith Gates

Scoreboard

Bear Cubs

Athletics

Co-Editor-in-Chief Santa Rosa Junior College instructor and former women’s soccer coach Karen Stanley added another award to her trophy case when the California Community College Soccer Coaches Association named her to its Hall of Fame.

“I am honored and humbled by the awards I have received. What is really, truly important to me is the ‘rewards’ of coaching, not the ‘awards,’” Stanley said.

“Those rewards are working with young student-athletes, teaching them life skills through athletics, and hopefully making a tiny contribution to their growth and lives as citizens in this world.”

Stanley played soccer her entire life, but she didn’t know it would lead to coaching. After years of playing and five knee surgeries later, it was time to do something else.

“I got into coaching and loved it because it replaced the passion I had for playing so that was unexpectedly awesome,” she said.

Coaching became her full-time profession, working part-time jobs at all levels from high school, to camps to international tours.

At one point she had 12 part-time coaching jobs.

Her first full-time position came along at the University of Notre Dame. She lived in Indiana for two years as the assistant coach, but longed for a head coach position.

When the University of Southern California opened a new soccer program, she quickly applied.

“I found that position and that school had a lot of what we read about in the paper about ‘win at all cost’ attitudes regardless of what’s at stake. I started being forced to make decisions I didn’t agree with anymore philosophically.

That’s not why I started coaching,” Stanley said. “I was basically told you win or you’re fired. You win at all cost regardless of what that means, and so I resigned and I didn’t have a job. That’s how adamant I was about that.”

While that door closed, little did she know a better opportunity called. Her friend Liz Belyea called to tell her SRJC had an opening for head coach, so she applied.

“I think she’s a wonderful person,” Belyea said. “She puts 150 percent in everything she does.”

SRJC called Stanley for an interview, and it didn’t take long for her to fall in love with the college.

“The first thing my athletic director said to me, was whoever gets this position, winning is important yes, but your studentathletes have to have a good experience and they have to matriculate. That’s what we want.

I’m like ‘That is so what I want

21

Scoreboard Men’s Basketball Dec.1 at Mendocino W, 81-76 Dec. 3 vs. Marin L, 70-69 Women’s Basketball Dec. 3 vs. Riverside W, 66-55 Dec. 4 vs. Ventura W 68-65 Men’s Cross Country Nov. 21 CCCAA State Championships 19th place Women’s Cross Country Nov. 21 CCCAA Championships 20th place Football Daniel Kong/Oak Leaf

Karen Stanley, coach of the Santa Rosa Junior College women’s soccer team, brings a lifetime career in the sport to lead her team to victory.

too,’” Stanley said. walking/jogging for fitness.

“When I came here for the “I’m so delighted, I love it as much interview, I walked out of here as I did coaching,” she said. “It’s my thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, this is the passion to be sharing information greatest place on earth.’ Plus the about health and wellness, just beautiful area; everything about it because I know it helps every spoke to me.” student. It’s extremely rewarding Stanley was SRJC’s women’s and satisfying.” soccer coach for 12 years following During her sabbatical, Stanley that interview. She loved every still had much work to do. SRJC minute and describes it as the best selected Stanley to give the 2015 experience of her career. Eventually Tauzer lecture, a speech given she wanted more, to every SRJC and in 2007 stepped staff and faculty down and began member.

“I feel so blessed teaching different “You basically types of fitness spend 10 months to have such a classes, sometimes preparing for purposeful job.” teaching up to 11 at an hour lecture, one time. because you’re “I got my in front of - Karen Stanley, SRJC master’s degree your peers and kineseology and in wellness, and I everyone sets wasn’t really using the bar so high. athletics instructor it the way I wanted I spent all of last and I just kind of year preparing knew it was time to for this lecture,” move in a new direction,” Stanley Stanley said. “I was very nervous said. “I love wellness because it about it and also excited to spread affects everyone; everyone wants awareness for staff wellness. My to be well. Physically, emotionally, whole thing is I want to make spiritually, mentally. We all want wellness simple, accessible and that, and we all struggle with that. affordable. I had so much fun; it That’s what I want to do.” was awesome.”

A year-and-a-half ago she In Burbank Auditorium before decided to pursue wellness beyond more than 700 people, Stanley her classes. After 20 years at SRJC, gave an interactive lecture. She got she took a sabbatical last semester. everyone doing stretches, gave out In Fall 2015 she returned, green drinks and even had SRJC teaching two classes on health President Dr. Frank Chong up on and wellness, as well as yoga and stage to do squats and lunges.

“I’ll tell you that guy has a mean squat,” she said. “His squat is perfect.

He goes 90 degrees and straight back.

He’s got award-winning squats.”

Despite the business of Stanley’s career, she still finds time to pursue her passion for taking care of animals. She volunteered at over eight shelters in Sonoma County since she’s lived here.

“My avocation, what I love to do, what I’ll do until I die, is working with animals. I do a lot of volunteer work in our community with animals,” Stanley said.

She remains interested in SRJC women’s soccer team.

Stanley shares an office with new women’s soccer coach, Crystal Howard, and loves getting updates on the team.

Stanley’s recent Hall of Fame award honored and humbled her.

The CCCSCA Hall of Fame is for all community college coaches, men and women, honoring someone’s past contributions to soccer as a coach who’s not currently coaching. In the past she has been added to the Chico State University Hall of Fame and was the National Coach of the Year, among many other honors.

“I’m pretty happy now. I really feel like I’m doing the work I wanted to do professionally. I’m very attached to my profession personally too,” Stanley said. “I feel so blessed to have such a purposeful job. Every day I think, ‘Man I’m so lucky to be here.’”

Nov. 21 North State Bowl vs.

Modesto W, 38-18 Hockey Nov. 20 vs. San Jose State University (D2) W, 6-3 Nov. 21 vs. UC Davis W, 10-5 Men’s Soccer Nov. 21 NorCal Playoffs Round I vs. Mendocino W, 5-1 Nov. 24 NorCal Playoffs Round II vs. Lake Tahoe L, 3-2 Women’s Soccer Nov. 21 NorCal Playoffs Round I vs. Ohlone W, 1-0 Nov. 24 NorCal Playoffs Round II vs. Evergreen Valley W, 3-2 (2OT) Nov. 28 NorCal Playoffs Round III vs. Modesto L, 2-1 Volleyball Nov. 24 NorCal Regional 1st Round vs. Sacramento City L, 3-0 Wrestling Nov. 21 Coast Conference Tournament 1st place Dec. 5 North Regional

22

December 7, 2015

Sports

www.theoakleafnews.com

Small running back dreams big Catherine Ramirez & Parker Dangers Oncken

Layout Editor and Sports Editor With a fractured knee, adrenline was the only thing that kept Ja’Narrick James going. It was the fourth quarter and his team was losing. Barely able to walk, let alone run, James went back in.

He was 9 years old at the time.

Santa Rosa Junior College’s star running back James has played football for the past 11 years, since age 8. He began his football career playing for the West County Tigers in a Pop Warner League, before joining the Analy Tigers in high school.

Now James stars as the focal point of the Bear Cubs’ offensive attack, his 5-foot-6, 165 lb. frame averages 62 yards per game.

In other words, he’s fast.

His determination has been a key part of his overall success on the field and through all walks of life.

“Motivation and determination.

That’s all it is right there. I’m just determined not to be stopped. There’s no questioning whether I’m gonna come back into the game if physically possible,” James said.

James displayed the same determination during a high school football game in 2013 when he experienced severe muscle cramping in both legs.

“Once the game starts for me in

Courtesy of SRJC Sports Photography

Ja’Narrick James (No. 21) stars for the Bear Cubs as a freshman this season, averaging 62 yards per game while rushing for four touchdowns.

football, I don’t see or hear anything but what’s on the field. The only thing that really kept me going was not wanting to let my teammates down.”

Raised in a competitive family in the South, he was taught to never give up while always remaining polite and positive. It shaped James into the man he is today. Those young-taught qualities were reinforced in James when his father was diagnosed with

Goodbye, Kobe Anthony Sosa Assistant Sports Editor

cancer in January 2014.

“When things got as tough as it did in certain situations, he never gave up. Never showed any type of weakness. He always kept a smile on his face and was always positive,” James said about his father.

“If you ask any of my teammates, no matter what the situation in the game is, I’m always positive. That’s something that I really got from my

dad’s fight was not giving up and knowing there’s always some way to get over every obstacle. It’s really showed me that there’s obstacles that you’re going to have to climb through. You just gotta keep fighting, keep looking forward.”

While James believes his family has primarily shaped who he is, there have been numerous other people that have helped guide him

in his evolution as a football player.

He cites Analy High School head football coach Daniel Bourdon, and Analy teammate Kerr Johnson Jr. as important figures pushing him to be the best he can possibly be.

James may be small in size, but his statistics and successful track record enable him to dream big.

“I hope by the time I’m 35, I can be retired and hopefully have played in the NFL. Possibly be in the NFL Hall of Fame. That’s any football players dream right there,” James said. “That’s where I hope to see myself. That’s where I do see myself, ‘cause I’m always positive. That’s where I will be one day.”

James said he owes a lot of his motivation to keep going and to pursue his football career from his family.

“I just have so many key elements, so many key people for certain things. They all kind of work together to keep pushing me, keep motivating me. It’s mostly my family. I’ve had plenty of cousins that went on to play Division I football and Division I basketball and just a bunch of family that’s done what you can possibly think of professionally as athletes,” James said.

“It’s really kind of showed me it’s possible to make it professional and it’s always been a goal of mine. That’s my motivation. Looking at my family and saying, ‘Oh I can do it because they did it.’”

Keeping athletes balanced in life

Community Matters Austin Burmester

Opinion

Social Media Editor

he sports world received some saddening news Nov. 29, when one of the greatest basketball stars of all time, Kobe Bryant, announced his retirement following the 2015/2016 NBA season.

Growing up as an athletic kid and a big fan of basketball, I use to idolize Bryant’s hard work.

Throughout his career he’s had the perfect combination of humbleness and cockiness, deservingly so. Bryant is arguably one of the greatest players in NBA history.

Bryant announced his retirement to the world in a poem he wrote titled, “Dear Basketball.” He showed his soft side to the game he’s played since childhood.

Bryant knows that his talent and his body are deteriorating, and that’s why he’s decided to call it quits after 20 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers.

So far this season has clearly

A school’s athletic department is at the head of all student-athletes’ success.

Without a well-run athletic department, a student-athlete’s life would be a lot more difficult; and at the head of the athletic department is its director.

New athletic director Matthew Markovich, hired on June 22, is looking to keep our athletic department running smoothly. Malkovich’s philosophy is not only focused on sports success but academic success as well.

“My job is to continue to support our coaches and instructors in achieving success for our student-athletes, both in the classroom and on the playing field.

“We will continue to strive for better course success, course retention, and academic persistence so our student-athletes have the ability and confidence to transfer to a four-year university and earn their academic degree while also competing at the next level,” Markovich said.

Markovich says he wants to keep providing SRJC’s premiere athletic department’s staff, faculty and studentathletes with as many tools as he can to help them succeed.

“I want to help our faculty and

T

Courtesy of NBA Wire

shown that Bryant is no longer able to compete at the NBA level.

The difference between Bryant, and other NBA greats is his demeanor about the game.

He played through countless injuries, and never wanted to let his team down.

There will never be another Kobe Bryant in the NBA. He left an impact on every basketball fan. Whether it be for fans who want to play in the NBA one day or someone like me who just shoots rolled up balls of paper into a trash can while shouting ‘Kobe!, he transformed the way I saw the NBA, and I am honored to say I got to see Bryant play.

Courtesy of SRJC Public Relations

New Santa Rosa Junior College athetics director Matthew Markovich encourages student athletes to become involved in the community in positive ways.

staff provide our student-athletes with the opportunity to compete in an intercollegiate athletic program, provide an environment that encourages personal growth, discipline, assertiveness, persistence, honesty, sensitivity to others and emotional control,” Markovich said.

SRJC’s athletic department has fostered successful men and women through its intercollegiate program but is also focused on forming ties with the community.

The athletic department has been very close with the community. The faculty, as well as student-athletes, have are very active in community service.

SRJC football players coached second graders at Proctor Terrace School in Santa Rosa in early October. The men’s soccer team volunteered at the Calistoga fairgrounds in late September to help Valley Fire victims. The softball team volunteered at the Fort Bragg Food Bank in early September.

Virtually every sports team under the helm has done something for the community at large.

Markovich says that he plans to continue serving the community because he believes having a healthy relationship with the community around you is beneficial to everyone.

www.theoakleafnews.com

The end of perfection

Sports

23

December 7, 2015

Women’s soccer team ends historic season with playoff loss Anthony Sosa Assistant Sports Editor Both Santa Rosa Junior College soccer teams experienced major success in the regular season, but lost in the California Community College Athletic Associations Northern California playoffs.

While both the men’s and women’s teams were ultimately eliminated early on in the playoffs, the women’s soccer team provided fans with ample reasons for excitement during the second round of the NorCal playoffs.

The team won in epic fashion, using its determined performance to match Evergreen Valley College, before ultimately winning 3-2 in penalty kicks.

In a game that played out as a tight defensive fight, both teams found the back of the net within the first 15 minutes of the match, while failing to score the rest of regulation.

Within the first three minutes of overtime, Evergreen Valley took a 2-1 lead. Then in the final seconds of overtime, on a corner

kick, Nikki Elliot found Holle Depina who headed the ball into the net to tie the game and send it into penalty kicks.

With a strong defensive hold by goalkeeper Ali Miller during penalty kicks, the Bear Cubs outscored Evergreen Valley to victory.

But the women’s soccer team’s undefeated season came to an end in the third round of the NorCal playoffs, when Modesto Junior College defeated the Bear Cubs 2-1 Nov. 28.

The Bear Cubs were one win away from playing in the CCCAA state championship.

As for the men’s soccer team, in the first round of the NorCal playoffs the Bear Cubs cruised to victory against Mendocino College 5-1.

In what began as an even game, the two teams entered the second half tied at one.

The Bear Cubs erupted for four goals in the second half to

Benjamin Farren/ Oak Leaf

Bear Cubs defensive star Megan Flynn fights for the ball against American River College. The women’s soccer team lost in the Northern California Community College semifinals, finishing the season with a record of 19-1-4, the best record in SRJC history.

run away with the game. Five different Bear Cubs scored in a victory that was a team effort in every sense of the word.

In the second round of the NorCal playoffs, the Bear Cubs were unable to achieve similar offensive success as they had during the previous round.

Jenna Dunbar Basketball

Evan Hastings Hockey

Santa Rosa suffered a crushing 3-2 defeat to Lake Tahoe Community College in the second round of the NorCal playoffs.

Despite both teams losing tough battles in the playoffs, both men and women’s soccer had incredible regular seasons and

Larry Hansen Hockey

look set up to experience success during the next one.

Both teams were loaded with freshmen players, so it would be no surprise if both of next season’s teams reach the same level of success as in the 2015 season. Or possibly win the NorCal playoff championship.

Tim Buchter Hockey

Favorite part of the holiday season?

Buying gifts for friends and family

Making gingerbread houses with family

Snowboarding with the family

Basketball with the famiy

Opinion on man buns?

I think they’re gross

If you play hockey you can rock it

Man buns are an inspiration

Man buns, love them

Skiing or snowboarding?

Snowboarding

Snowboarding

Obviously, Snowboarding

Snowboarding

Favorite band you’ve seen live?

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis

Pepper

Machine Gun Kelly

I’ve never seen a live show

24

December 7, 2015

Crossword *Answers online at www.theoakleafnews.com

By Travis LaBrucherie

www.theoakleafnews.com Across 1 Dallas forward Patrick 6 White Flag singer 10 Carly _ Jepsen 13 Louisiana swamp 14 Genus of trees and shrubs 15 Skyrim huntress 17 1991 Swayze film 19 Humanitarian news org.

20 1987 Swayze film 22 Burst of electro. energy 25 Japanese theater 26 “_ a dream” 27 Drinks, as a cat 29 _ manslaughter 33 Periodical sandwich at McDonalds 35 Mexican beverage 36 4th yr. students 37 1989 Swayze film 40 NBC news program 43 4 yr. orientation time 44 _ Campbell who voiced Powerline in “A Goofy Movie” 48 Catcher legend 50 Street 51 Video game dragon 52 Curry’s league 55 SSE opposite 56 1983 Swayze film 61 Lonely Island acronym 62 1986 Swayze film 66 They provide voice and visual comm. solutions 67 Saber 68 Rowed 69 NY minutes 70 The Amish, e.g.

71 Actress Winona Down 1 SLO airport 2 Tenth of a dong 3 Dating app 4 DC comics character Vidar

5 Russian president 6 Luke’s dad 7 DJ _ founder of the Funky Breaks 8 The Walking _ 9 Marvel Comics killer whale 10 Evolves from Pikachu 11 System of a Down single 12 Alloy 16 Ires 18 “Don’t tase me _!”

21 Sweetest 22 Shade tree 23 Not PC 24 Fantasy football stat.

28 Knight’s title 30 Liquid that burns easily 31 Fisherman gearperhaps 32 Text from bae 34 African garment 38 Blow away 39 Aquatic shocker 40 Word before pizza or river, in films 41 First-rate (Brit.)

42 Extra high sch. time 45 What Matt Foley lives in down by the river 46 Tavern 47 Fresh 49 2004 Will Smith sci-fi 53 Press for change?

54 Ann _, Michigan 57 Sailors’ ropes 58 Mexican dish 59 Labor group whobuilds lifts and escalators (abbr.)

60 Kill, as a dragon 63 Chicago airport code 64 Metrics used to evaluate how effectively a manufacturing operation is utilized (abbr.)

65 Game you groove to (abbr.)