Monitor 2012-12-6 by Ohlone Monitor

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Vol. XLIV No. 10

Fremont, California

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December 6, 2012

All I Want For Christmas Is YOU

See story on page 6 The largest Christmas tree lighting in San Francisco attracts talent of all kind, ranging from American icon Joe Montana to up and coming musician Robin Thicke.

Spring semester evokes registration stress By ASHLEY LAM Editor-in-chief

As the semester comes to an end and Ohlone college plans for another, the stress of class registration looms over students. Now that Proposition 30 has passed, students and faculty are hesitant about the future of their educational structures. This makes getting the right classes a very important task. Mike Bowman, dean of Admissions and Records, said that the way that students are allowed to register is not up to Ohlone College; it is mandated by the new Student Success Act. Ohlone implemented the new requirements from this act for 2013 Spring registration, said Bowman. The state’s Committee on Higher Education has worked to pass SB 1456 (the Student Success Act), according to the Silicon Valley Education Foundation. State Sen. Alan Lowenthal, D-Orange County, who is the bill’s author told the Assembly panel, “SB 1456 is about community college students and

the tremendous fierce urgency of doing something now.” In 2010, the Institute for Higher Education Leadership and Policy, reported an official study from collecting data from California Community Colleges. The study deduced that around 70 percent of degreeseeking students after six years of enrolling fail to complete their goal certificate or degree. Only 15 percent of these non-completers statistically stayed enrolled. Also according to this study, only 40 percent of degreeseeking students acquired 30 college level credits. Are all students getting fair access to all the classes they need? Some students can get priority registration at Ohlone. Students who take notes in their classes and athletes typically get first dibs at the classes that they want. Veterans and foster youth receive first priority in registration at Ohlone, said Bowman. “Following them are those groups either mandated by

state regulation or identified by the college as warranting priority registration, including EOPS and DSPS students as well as athletes and student government leaders,” said Bowman. Next on the list to register are already enrolled students. After them, registration appointments go to declared majors and units that they have completed through Ohlone College, said BowFRANKIE ADDIEGO / MONITOR man. Priority registration rules are changing which students get first dibs at classes. “Those with 60-99.5 units Next, those students who continuing students are those and a declared [major] go are continuing and have a who have not declared a major first, then those who have declared major, but have com- and have less than 100 units,” a declared major and have pleted less than 30 units may said Bowman. Continued on Page 2 completed 30-59.5 units. register. The fourth group of

NEWS News bites Ohlone students get into ohlone college monitor Flu vaccines the Empire State of mind

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Students can still receive their flu vaccine at the health center on the Fremont Main Campus. Please call Sally Bratton to make an appointment at (510) 659-6258 or email her at jquijas@ohlone.edu.

Editor-in-Chief: Ashley Lam

Senior editor: Manika Casterline News editor: Joe Nichols

Final exams

Features editor: Marra-Marie Magsakay

The last day of instruction for Ohlone College before final exams is Friday, Dec. 7. Finals week starts Dec. 8 through Dec. 14. Grades are available on WebAdvisor starting on Dec. 19.

Ohlone choir spreads holiday cheer Ohlone College Chamber Singers will perform on Dec. 15 at 8 p.m. and Dec. 16 at 4 p.m. for their 27th Annual Christmas at the Mission: “Hark How the Bells.” Conductor Michael Morris collaborates with the Celebration Chimes Bell Choir from the First Presbyterian Church of Livermore and harpist Can Levitan. The choirs will perform in the Old Mission San Jose, 43300 Mission Blvd., Fremont. Advance tickets can be ourchased for $10 to $12 and they are sold at the box office and online at www. smithcenter.com.

Sports editor: Louis Laventure Opinions editor: Heather Hegeman COURTESY OF / CLAIRE TSAI

Ohlone students visit the top of Rockerfeller Center in New York City in the of 2012. By FRANKIE ADDIEGO Correspondent

Ohlone College is gearing up for its annual trip to New York City. The theater department will sponsor the summer trip so that students can take in the sights and sounds of the city and also a bit of theater. “I’ve been teaching here for 30-some years and this will be the 11th year we’ve been taking the excursion,” said Mark Nelson of Ohlone’s theater department. “We do go see theater, but there’s so many other things

to see in New York. Think of any fashion show that’s on TV; they’re based in New York City.” In addition to seeing a variety of plays, students will have the chance to explore the city on their own. “It’s not called the ‘City that Never Sleeps’ for nothing,” said Nelson, “I think some of the older kids go clubbing,” he said. “It’s easy to get a piece of pizza at four in the morning.” On the summer trip – for which students receive three units of credit — students will be visiting such landmarks as

Jazz concert The Ohlone Jazz Combos will perform their final concert of the semester Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. in the Jackson Theatre. The singers will set the smooth, cool mood with hits from Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra and many more. Tickets are on sale online or at the box office. General admission is $12 and for students, staff, kids and seniors admission is $10.

Rock combos The Ohlone Rock Combos presents their final concert of the fall semester on Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. in the Jackson Theatre. Performers will rock out with a variety of genres and styles such as loud rock, big pop, smooth jazz and funky hip hop songs. Tickets are on sale from $10 to $12 online and at the box office. – Compiled by Marra Magsakay and Amy Park

COURTESY OF / CLAIRE TSAI

Ohlone’s study abroad program took students to Time Square.

the Statue of Liberty, Central Staff writers: Park and Ground Zero, where Cameron Lopez the Twin Towers fell on Sept. Norihiro Sasaki 11, 2001. Ryan Tiglao More to the point of the Jason Wardoff journey, however, students will also tour Ed Sullivan Graphics: Theater, where the David Amy Hyein Park Letterman Show is taped and Hannah Walrod to NBC Studios. In addition, students have Adviser: been on hand at taping of live Jeanie R. Wakeland shows, including “Saturday Night Live” and performances JACC NorCAl by such artists as Lady Gaga Student President: and Rihanna, which were part Manika A. Casterline of “Good Morning America’s” concert series. Printer: As with many of Ohlone’s FP Press courses, the trip to New York City, which is counted as a three-credit course, was in jeopardy pending the passage of Proposition 30. Students interested in the trip should sign up for TDCalifornia Newspaper 102: Theatre Appreciation in Publishers Association Summer 2013, while room is available. There’s a lab fee of $1,300 with a non-refundable deposit of $250 due on Dec. 11, which students can turn Journalism Association of in at room SC-221. For more Community Colleges information, contact Nelson at mnelson@ohlone.edu.

New semester registration Continued from Page 1

ments are assigned to any student, regardless of having a declared major who has completed 100 or more units, said Bowman. “New and former students register next, without appointments. Two weeks prior to the start of the semester, 10th through 12th grade students are allowed to register and students ninth grade or below cannot register until the first day of the semester,” said Bowman. This system of priority is keeping in line with the new Student Success Act. When students register for classes, Bowman said students need to understand how wait-listing works so they can use it to their advantage. “Wait-listing is a way to

‘ It is imperative that students carefully monitor their enrollments…’ --Mike Bowman

electronically stand in line for a class that is already full,” said Bowman. Being on waitlist does not ensure that a student will get into a class even if there is an opening, said Bowman. If a waitlisted class conflicts with the time and day with a class that a student is registered for, someone behind them in the waitlist will get in over them. Also, if a student is on

Photo editor: Joe Nichols

the waitlist for two or more of the same section, like ENGL101A-01 and ENGL-101A-05 for example, they will not be added from the waitlist, said Bowman. When registering for classes, it is important for students to be informed about the rules playing ground. Students need to pay close attention to the classes that they need to take to graduate in order to maximize their academic success. “It is imperative that students carefully monitor their enrollments, and when they get to the beginning of the waitlist for a class they really want, they drop those that conflict or are the same course as they want to get into. Otherwise they will languish on the waitlist and never get in,” said Bowman.

JACC AWARDS

Mail in winners Enterprise news writing News writing Sports game writing Feature photo Editorial cartoon On the spot winners News writing Opinion writing Copy editing Contact us: Offices: Room 5310 Call: 510.659.6075 E-mail: monitor@ohlone.edu Read: http://www.facebook.com/ Ohlone.Monitor www.ohlonemonitor.wordpress. com

Opinions expressed in the Monitor are those of the respective authors and are not necessarily those of the staff, the college or the Associated Students of Ohlone College.

NEWS

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Helms: Outside and inside the classroom News bites By ASHLEY LAM Editor-in-chief

Prof. Sheldon Helms, an associate professor of psychology, currently teaches general, abnormal, experimental and social psychology at Ohlone. He has been a professor at since 2001 and in that time he has also served at faculty adviser to the Ohlone Psychology Club that hosts the Psychology Club Speaker Series, founded by Helms.

If you weren’t a professor, what would you be doing now? For over 12 years, A before I moved to the Bay Area, I trained to be an

actor. I did local community theater, the Kern Shakespeare Festival and some local commercials. If I weren’t teaching, I would probably be trying to break into television or theater. That’s a much tougher business than education and the market is extremely volatile; you just never know if you’ll be employed next month. Shortly after I fell in love with the science of psychology, I found that I could use my natural talent for entertaining and the skills I learned in theater to teach. That’s when I started trying to find work at a community college. Just like with good acting, a great deal of what I do is character development

and storytelling. To be an effective teacher, you have to create a specific environment in the classroom and make the information come alive. The only way to do that is to reveal to your students the parts of yourself that get excited about the subject you’re teaching. My acting coaches made that process second nature to me and it was only after my first student evaluation (at another college), when I read descriptions like “His passion for the subject is contagious!” and “He’s so funny, I looked forward to coming to class every night!” that I realized that what I was doing wasn’t universal. music genres do you QWhat like and why?

Since 1979, my favorite musician has been Pat Benatar. Not only does she have an amazing voice, but she was also the first real kick-ass woman in rock ‘n roll. Before her, there were female singers, but they mostly sang songs in which the woman was portrayed as a victim or a lovesick person begging her man to stay. Pat Benatar sang songs that basically said, “If you don’t treat me right, I’ll kick your ass!” It was so refreshing to

ing scientists’ and skeptics’ evidence of their ineffectiveness or harm. I hope to develop a “Critical Thinking in Psychology” course in the future to try and address some of these topics in a more formal manner. What is something that Q you like to do in your free time?

A Sheldon Helms

hear that sort of voice in the early 80s. Her songs became anthems for people fighting for gender equality, not to mention being extremely good music. It saddens me that each generation I teach has less and less connection to that period of music.

Q My biggest pet peeve A is people who don’t use rationality in their everyday

What would be your biggest pet peeve?

lives. Unfortunately, this is the majority of people in the world, which lends itself to all sorts of problems. People waste money and risk their health on sham products (e.g., homeopathic “medicine,” reiki massage, Power Balance bracelets, etc.), and nonsensical notions (e.g., astrology, “The Secret,” anti-vaccine messages, etc.), often ignor-

Aside from hanging out with friends and family, I’m also a huge science geek. I attend The Amaz!ng Meeting each summer, a four-day conference on science and skepticism hosted by James “The Amazing” Randi in Las Vegas and his James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF). It has allowed me to meet such science greats at Neil deGrasse Tyson, Bill Nye the Science Guy), Richard Dawkins, Adam and Jamie (The Mythbusters), magicians like Penn & Teller and James Randi and hundreds of others who are interested in science, critical thinking, skepticism and related topics. After his recent visit to Ohlone, James Randi asked me to be part of the JREF’s Educational Initiative. As part of that process I’ll be writing articles for his web site that involve strategies for teaching critical thinking at the college level.

Faculty of the Month

Wayne Yuen received the Faculty of the Month award for December and January. Yuen is a professor and hands-on leader of Ohlone College. The philosophy professor has been invited to give presentations about zombies, vampires, animal rights and creativity. He has served as the United Faculty of Ohlone Treasurer a couple years ago, but is currently serving as the UFO president until Dec. 14. The Prius-driving professor is an outspoken advocate for women’s equality, gay rights and animal welfare.

Art history resources Throughout the winter break, students can get ready for Prof. Kenney Mencher’s Art History class in the spring semester. Students are welcomed to use his free series or lectures in chronological order to study with over the winter hiatus. Mencher’s lectures are available at http://www.udemy. com/u/kennymencher/. For more information please contact Kenney Mencher at (510) 979-7916 or email him at kmecnher@ ohlone.edu. – Compiled by MarraMagsakay and Amy Park

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OPINIONS

Campus Comment >>>

What are you looking forward to in 2013?

HELEN HARRISON BIOLOGY “I will be working as a volunteer research assistant the Alameda County Public Health Department.”

SYED AHMED PSYCHOLOGY “Road trip to Seattle. Hopefully, I’ll be able to see the first Starbucks.”

MICHAEL KINSON COMMUNICATIONS “Catch up on my sleep. The day after Christmas I’m heading up to the mountains with some friends and ring in the New Year.”

MELODIE ROBINSON NURSING “Try to make some new music. Visit Missouri for my brother birthday, which is on Christmas.”

MATT MOBLEY FILM “No concrete plans, but might visit family.”

Financial aid disperses frustration on schedule By HEATHER HEGEMAN Opinions editor

Education is a right, not a privilege. With constant budget cuts and ever increasing tuition, it is getting harder to afford an education. That is when many students turn to financial aid. The only goal of the financial aid office is to help students get the assistance they need so that the students can focus on their education. In my opinion, the Ohlone Financial Aid Office is inefficient. Students often complain of the mistakes made by the office. The entire filing procedure is convoluted, making the process take much longer than necessary. After Ohlone receives and processes the student’s FAFSA, students are informed by email of the next document missing form their financial aid file. Once that document is turned in, the financial aid office takes anywhere from one to two weeks to process that document. Only then students are informed if another document is missing. This process repeats itself one document at a time until the file is complete. Nowhere on the Ohlone website is the complete list of documents that the school requires. Going to the financial aid window will only provide students with the next document missing. Applicants will be told that the document must

be received and processed, and then they will receive an email requesting the next missing piece of information. According to collegeprowler.com and collegestats.org, 30 percent of the Ohlone student body is receiving financial aid. The financial aid office often holds workshops, but they focus primarily on completing the FAFSA in before the March 15 deadline. Detailed information about the financial aid process is not available to students unless they call their specific advisor. To find out whom their advisor is they must go to the Ohlone financial aid webpage and click contact financial aid. Ohlone student Charlene had problems with the Ohlone Financial aid department, which resulted in her only receiving her aid three weeks before the end of the term. “Once I thought I had everything in, I was sent an email saying that things were still missing.” “It was very difficult to understand how everything was set up. They were pretty bad at explaining things,” said Wilson. Attempts we made to call and email the Office Of Financial Aid, but no one responded to the messages. The hours of the financial aid office is open and available also an inconvenience for students. Students are

only able to talk to a student Bay Area community colleges worker and even then only handle a larger number of between the hours of 10 a.m. students with much greater ease and efficiency. and 2 p.m. Monday Chabot’s financial through Friday. aid opens at 8:30 a.m. This is a problem every weekday and for many students who does not close until 4 work during the day p.m. On Wednesdays, it and are only able to closes at 6 p.m. On attend evening Fridays, it closes classes. Franat noon. At Mission cisco Silva, a College, the finanpart-time Ohlone cial aid office is student who lives open Monday and works through Thursin San Le-

andro and who works Monday through Friday until 1 p.m. Throughout the entire semester, he was not able to make it to campus before the 1:30 p.m. deadline to be seen. On Ohlone’s financial aid website, it is stated that appointments can be made for night students. Despite many attempts by Silva, the financial aid department never responded to his requests. A lower percent of Ohlone students receive financial aid then many other schools in the Bay Area. The problem may lie in the office’s inability to handle a gradually increasing workload. If a change needs to be made, it should be addressed immediately. Other

day from 9 a.m. till 6 p.m. Information regarding an individual’s financial aid status is kept well hidden from the individual. Other local community colleges make the process much easier. Chabot College in Hayward has a constantly updated website that lists all documents needed prior to the FAFSA being processed; documents received have a green dot next to them. Documents still missing show a red dot. With Ohlone’s system, the only method for students to check documents the office has received is by checking the “my documents” section on Web Advisor. Even then, only an abbreviated name

is given and the only other information is that they have received and processed the document. Michael Hunt, a former student of Mission College, described his experience at Mission financial aid department. “They told me everything I needed and were able to check it right at the window. I was missing a paper and I was shown to a side office and given the paper right away so I could get it back to them,” he said. The financial aid department at Ohlone is ranked lowest among all Bay Area community colleges, receiving a D+ from collegeprowler. com, a website that provides public rankings for colleges based solely from student feedback. Students rely on financial aid to pay for books, transportation and other expenses. “I couldn’t have gotten books a laptop or transportation to school without my financial aid” said Hunt. The name of the department should say it all; the Office Of Financial Aid is there to aid students. Yet at Ohlone, it falls short of this description. Ohlone is making many changes to improve and maintain its status as one of the top community colleges in the state. It is time for the Financial Aid Office to update to its services.

derstanding of the course,” Kuo said. Marika Hoshi has the same opinion. “Teachers should focus on what students study everyday. Even if students fail to get good scores, teachers should overlook it as long as their determination is good,” she said. Are final exams bad? “Of course not,” Thu Leminh said. “Final exam is the best way to gauge students’ knowledge. But when it comes to students’ ability, I don’t always say it is the best way.” So how do teachers gauge

students’ ability more effectively? If final exams were not the best way to gauge, what would work better or what would make finals better? The first tip is to have students give presentations in class. If students want to understand something deeply, they should try being teachers, not students. There are little problems if students haven’t finished their review for yesterday’s lesson, as long as they will study it before quiz. On the contrary, if students have to give presentations or teach their class, it would be a big problem without

preparation. Just reading the textbook is not enough. They would be required to not only get the gist of the material, but also provide examples and to answer students and teacher’s questions. Without an in-depth understanding, they wouldn’t be able to do it. Students may become more interested in the subjects as they prepare for their presentation. What is better for teachers would be that students wouldn’t be able to make excuses for their poor classes. The second tip is about making the finals better. How

can teachers do that? Kazuma Kitamura, an instructor of Keio University, argues that teachers give final exams, permitting students to use whatever they need. “While permitting students to bring their notebooks, my finals are very difficult. Students are required to solve problems with all means they have, so I can gauge their practical ability,” said Kitamura. Whether exams should be carried out while allowing textbooks to be used or not depends on the subject, so there is still some room for consideration.

COURTESY OF/ CREATIVE COMMONS

Are final exams a fair indication of knowledge? By NORIHIRO SASAKI Staff writer

How can teachers gauge students’ ability or knowledge? The easiest way are through final exams. Teachers gauge students based on how much they can do without their notebooks. However, is it the best way? Do finals really gauge your knowledge of your class? According to interviews of students, most students disagree. Jon Kuo is one of them. “Sometimes, students can’t do well because they are under pressure, so one test shouldn’t determine their overall un-

OPINIONS Letter to the Editor

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HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM THE MONITOR

Dear editor: Thank you so much for writing a clear, informative, accurate article about the most recent College Council meeting published in the Nov. 26 edition of the Monitor. Given that College Council is the venue for students, staff and faculty to hear about and weigh in on collegewide concerns, it’s wonderful that the Monitor is keeping the college community informed about College Council meetings. Here’s hoping the Monitor continues its excellent coverage of College Council meetings. The Fall 2012 Monitor staff bids readers a happy holiday season. Staff members are from top left: Jason Wardoff, news editor Alison Kuehner Joe Nichols, Norihiro Sasaki, Frankie Addiego, opinions editor Heather Hegeman, sports editor Louis Laventure, Hannah WalCo-chair, College Council rod. Bottom row from left: Adviser Jeanie Wakeland, Hyein Park, Editor in chief Ashley Lam, senior editor Manika Casterline and features editor Marra-Marie Magsakay.

Facebook pressures student time management By NORIHIRO SASAKI Staff writer

Facebook helps students communicate with their friends. Questionnaires to 20 Ohlone students and to 20 students living in Japan show that 37 of them have Facebook accounts. Students use it 1½ hours per day on average to chat and catch up with their friends, and some are addicted to Facebook. Brian Angeles, Ohlone student, uses Facebook for about five hours a day. “I use Facebook to look for what happened to my friends and I can hang out after chats on Facebook. It’s good,” Angeles said. However, questionnaires also show that 27 of 40 students feel the pressure, to a greater or lesser extent, of Facebook. Yuichirou Kitayama, Waseda University student, is one of them. “Thanks to Facebook, I can communicate with friends.

But sometimes, I feel the pressure. But I don’t know how to kill my time without it,” Kitayama said. How can users make the most out of Facebook without pressure? Here are three tips. The first tip is to stop subscribing to boring comments. Yukina Ohno, Kobe University student, is bored by negative comments. “Some people, especially girls, always are posting negative comments and other girls reply to them like ‘What happened?’ I am disgusted by such annoying communication,” said Ohno. Here is a tip for her. There is a menu at the upper right of every comment. After clicking on it, a “Hide” option appears. In addition, users can choose what kind of comments they don’t want to hide. Of course, their friends never receive notifications. The second tip is to think before being “friends” on Facebook, especially when

co-workers or bosses ask to be friends on Facebook. Erik Camacho is very positive about being friends with his co-workers and his boss. “By knowing each other, we can elevate our relationship and can work in a better environment,” said Camacho. However, most students disagree, especially about being friends with their boss. “I don’t want to risk my job,” Rachel De Guzman said. Both of their statements are reasonable. But if users are negative, they had better tell their co-workers or their boss that they want to keep their privacy. It is not too late to be friends after building up good relationships beforehand. We can learn the third tip from Sahar Oliaie, who surprisingly has never used Facebook. “When I am free, I read books, listen to music and exercise. When I want to talk with my friends, I use Skype. There is no problem

? HANNAH WALROD / MONITOR

without Facebook.” The third tip is to stop using Facebook – maybe not forever – but temporarily. “I had thought I couldn’t kill my time and couldn’t catch up with my friends without Facebook,” said Kengo Fukumoto, Kobe University student. “But after having stopped using it for three weeks, I can make the most of my time much bet-

ter than what I used to. Now, I resumed using Facebook. But I don’t feel the pressure, ‘cause I know I should stop using Facebook when I feel it,”. Facebook is a very useful tool as long as users know how to make the most of it. Users should keep in mind that it is sheer nonsense to feel pressure because of cybertools.

Winter classes offer opportunities to thin the herd By HEATHER HEGEMAN Opinions editor

Every community and state college in California is facing budget cuts and has been since 2008. The impact of these budget cuts are felt most in the reduction of the number of classes offered at each institution. Fewer classes mean longer wait times to get the courses necessary to transfer out or get an associate degree. The addition of an accelerated winter term at Ohlone would relieve the pressure of so many students trying to take a limited number of classes during traditional terms.

Tightening the purse strings at every community college is hard to resist. The benefits of a winter term should be considered, however, before dismissing it as a luxury we cannot afford. According to survey results released by the California Community College Chancellor’s Office, only 12 schools will be offering a winter 2012 term. Santa Monica Community College, the first college in California to offer winter courses, was going to completely cut its own program this year, freeing up $2.5 million to count against an $8 million budget cut. However, with the passage

of Prop 30, Santa Monica will now be offering 250 classes freeing up an estimated 5,000 seats in the spring and following semesters. At Ohlone “The classes are always booked before I can get them,” said Tyler Botelho, an Ohlone student. “For example, there is one art class that is a prerequisite for most other classes and it is always full.” With classes at Ohlone filling up so quickly, students often spend additional semesters on campus waiting to get into the one class that they need to either complete their degree or transfer to a four-year university. Alisha Tahir-Kheli, another

student at Ohlone, said that she would take winter classes to get some things out of the way, to transfer faster. Classes offered during winter term would still offer the same quality of education to students, just at a much faster pace, condensing the 14-week semester down to anywhere between two to five weeks. Students would still be required to spend the same amount of hours in class learning as they would in a regular term class. There is a reasonable demand for a winter term here. We have class overcrowding and it is undeniable that Ohlone students would benefit from the situation.

Students would no doubt take advantage of the opportunity. Students Mari Yamazaki, Charlene Wilson and Ilia Johnson all said that they would take winter classes if made available. A format that would fit well into Ohlone’s winter break is four weeks, with class on five days a week for 4½ hours per day, with a week off for Christmas. The need and the desire for a winter term are there. With the recent passage of Prop 30 allowing the school to be a little more financially steady, it is time to consider adding a winter term to the school year.

FEATURES

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NOT YOUR AVERAGE JOES Left: Former 49ers quarterback Joe Montana and wide receiver Dwight “The Catch” Clark plays to the home team spectators at the holiday tree lighting. Above: Current offensive tackle Joe Staley sang “Feliz Navidad” from the bottom of his heart.

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FEATURES

HOLIDAY TREE LIGHTING

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Photo essay | Manika Casterline | Senior editor The holiday season is a powerful force that brings people of all ages and backrounds together. This is the time of year when nostalgia sets in. When the largest holiday tree in San Francisco is lit Nov. 27 at 555 California St. with the help of former 49ers Dwight Clark and Joe Montana, singer Robin Thicke and current 49er Joe Staley, it’s a moment to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. These rare moments are when we as students and faculty have the chance to focus on what is important to

This a time when you go the city because seeing former 49ers reminds you of being little and carefree, which embodies the spirit of the holiday season. A California holiday rarely embodies the idyllic picture of a snowy winter wonderland, but the sentiment remains same wherever you GRAPHIC / HANNAH WALROD are. It’s a time to reflect on sions of traditions play out in grandeur in cities like San where you’ve been, be grateful for what you have Francisco, elsewhere they and to embrace the magic have a quaint small town of love. charm. us and not on the deadlines of 9 to 5. While large-scale ver-

ROCKIN’ AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE Above: Gold Rush cheerleader Christine and audience member Juliette Naud enjoy the festivities. Right: Singer Robin Thicke entertained the crowd with a three-song set of his own music and a holiday classic.

O TANNENBAUM O TANNENBAUM Above: The 80-foot spruce tree from Mt. Shasta stands as the tallest in San Francisco. It is lit with LED lights in front the former global headquarters of Bank America in the heart of the city’s Financial District.

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FEATURES

HOLIDAY TREE LIGHTING

us and not on the deadlines of 9 to 5. While large-scale ver-

This a time when you go the city because seeing former 49ers reminds you of being little and carefree, which embodies the spirit of the holiday season. A California holiday rarely embodies the idyllic picture of a snowy winter wonderland, but the sentiment remains same wherever you GRAPHIC / HANNAH WALROD are. sions of traditions play out in It’s a time to reflect on grandeur in cities like San where you’ve been, be Francisco, elsewhere they grateful for what you have have a quaint small town and to embrace the magic charm. of love.

FEATURES

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FEATURES

Dance is more than jazz hands

Top: Student Marikar Castilo choreographed the piecce “It’s About to Go Down” with the song “Skin” by Rihanna. The intoxicating performance and sensual moves stirred up the audiencse’s attention. The bright pink stage lights added some attutide to the piece. Right: Janel Tomblin-Brown’s piece “Dut-Duh-DuhDrumline Riddim” integrated stepping and tap dance. The piece had more of a modern flare and deep south feel. The students were all in rhythm and on point.

By MARRA-MARIE MAGSAKAY Features editor

Students performed different kinds of dance at the Annual Winter Dance Showcase on Nov. 29 and Dec. 1 at the Nummi Theatre. The theater darkened, dancers found their places on the stage and the speakers blasted the music. The first piece “Back In Time” pumped up the audience with Ohlone Director of Dance Janel TomblinBrown’s choreography and

MARRA-MARIE MAGSAKAY/ MONITOR

Above: Students reach up to the sky for the lyrical for the lyrical piece “My Dearest Daughter.” The piece is accomplanied by the song “True Colors” which set the serious, vulnerabke tone. Right: Ashley Diamond exhibits her dance skills with a pirouette.

Pitbulll’s “Men In Black III” soundtrack. The fourth piece, “My Dearest Daughter,” set a more serious and somber mood across the audience. With modern dance choreography, the dancers in white moved like a memory with the song “TrueColor” by George Skaroulis and Cyndi Lauper. Before the lights dim, dancers stood still yet powerful and vulnerable, confessing their flaws like “ordinary,” “fat” and “gay.” “Some students are experienced while other students Continued on Page 9

FEATURES

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Tips and hints for a trip to South Korea By AMY HYEIN PARK Staff writer

Amanda Corso, an Ohlone College student, went to South Korea for travel for 3-1/2 week right after the spring semester 2012. She looked forward to going to South Korea and thoroughly prepared in advance. Due to her preparation, she successfully completed her travel in South Korea. “On the first day of the travel, I was so scared and tired of being alone in another country, but surprised by the big subway. It’s not like BART in Bay area,” she said. “I went to many places. Especially, I liked kind of the traditional palaces such as Gyeongbok Palace. And I met various people. I met some middle-age guys and women who welcomed and came to talk to me.” She said. “I tried Haemulpajeon, which is Korean seafood pancake. It’s my first time, and it was really good. Also, I loved Korean banana milk so much!” If this is interesting, here’s a subway-theme trip in Seoul, which is the capital of South Korea, with an itinerary to get a perfect trip. But, remember to prepare comprehensively. Make a list of what to bring to Seoul. 1. Find a place to stay using the websites for guesthouse in Seoul. Google guesthouses in Seoul. If the place is located near any subway station, book that one. It’s ok with any station because the subway is good all over Seoul. 2. Bring the warmest clothes in the closet. The temperature drops to below freezing and it sometimes snows in winter. 3. Bring a passport. No visa

The map of the subway in South Korea is different from the Bay Area Rapid Transit. Travelors might have a difficulty in getting used to the system, but it is quite a trip.

is required for a stay of up to 90 days. For details, go to http:// www.traveldocs.com/index. php?page=korea-south. 4. Bring a language book. Memorize some expressions for ordering foods or getting tickets. Here are some useful ones: ‘Bibimbob’ Ju Se Yo (Can I get a ‘Bibimbob’?). Ticket Han Jang Ju Se Yo (Can I get a ticket?). Hwa Jang Sil Yi Eu Di E It Na Yo? (Where is the restroom?) Seoul Tower E Ga Go Sip Au Yo (I want to go ‘Seoul Tower.’). For more details, go to (http:// www.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/CU/ CU_EN_8_6_1_1_1.jsp). Here is a schedule of a South Korea trip for two weeks. If passengers arrive at night, the first destination in South Korea is Incheon International airport, located near by Seoul.

Use a shuttle bus to go find the guesthouse booked. Take a break and sleep enough time at the first day of the trip. Let’s get started on the trip in Seoul! LINE 1: Go to Sungnyemun Gate, Korea’s FIRST national treasure and the largest castle gate, exit 4 of Seoul station; admission is free. Visit Cheonggyecheon Stream, the natural beautiful stream for city life, at exit 4 of City Hall station then go to Insa-dong, a place with antiques, art, and traditional clothing stores at exit 3, Jonggak station. Go to Dongdaemun shopping complex, the largest markets for shopping, at exit 8, Dongdaemun station. LINE 2: Go to The Seoul Forest, a place like the Central Park in New York City, at exit 8 of Dduksum station. Go to the Lotte World, an

amusement park like Disneyland, at exit 4 of Jamsil station. The cost is $40 for one-day pass. Or, go to Hangang Park, a public park in Seoul, exit 6 of Sincheon station and then to Gyodae broiled beef/pork intestines Street – kind of a College Avenue with restaurants –at exit 14 Gyodae station or visit COEX, the convention and exhibition, using exit 2, Cheongdam station. LINE 3: Go to Seodaemun Prison History Hall at exit 5, Dongnimmun station, then take the line to Gyeongbokgung Palace – $3 per adult – at exit 6 of Gyeongbokgung station. Then go to Rodeo Street, a large shopping district, at exit 2, Apgujeong station. Visitors also like to see Garosu-gil, a fresh tree-lined street, off exit 8, Sinsa station. LINE 4: Go to the Seoul Grand Park, exit 4 of Seoul

Grand Park station. The fee depends on what kind of theme. Others like to see MyeongDong, a shopping mecca, at exit 6 of Myeong-dong station. Namsangol, a traditional Korean village of Korean houses, is at exit 3 of Chungmuro station. The Daehangno, the University Street of Seoul, is at exit 1 of Hyehwa station. LINE 5: Go to Pungnaptoseong Mud Rampart, an old heritage site, at exit 10 of Chenho station. Also on the line is the Changdeok Palace, exit 6 of Jongno 3ga station. Hongmyo Shrine, one of places registered as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage, is on exit 8 of Jongno 3ga station. LINE 6: Itaewon is an area with lots of foreigners. Visitors can take exit of Itaewon station. The War Memorial of Korea, a museum of Korea’s war history, is at exit 12 of Samgakji station. Korean Mung-bean Pancake Street is worth getting off at exit 5 of Gongdeok station. The Peace and Sky Park, a natural park in Seoul, is at exit 1 of World Cup Stadium station. LINE 7: Go see the village of Seorae, a small French town in Seoul, at exit 5 of Express Bus Terminal station. The Children’s Grand Park is at exit 1 of Children’s Grand Park station. Nonhyun Food Street, where visitors can sample various kinds of Korean street food, is at exit 1 of Nonhyun station. Use one day or two days for each line. For more details, go to: http://www.smrt.co.kr/program/cyberStation/main2. jsp?lang=e and for a subway line map in English go to http://english.visitkorea. or.kr/enu/inde.

Ohlone dancers give it their all on stage

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have never performed before,” said Tomblin-Brown. The students, no matter what skill level, had an important part in the dance production. “I was nervous before but once I started dancing it all went away,” said first semester hip-hop student Nicole Sanchez. Her favorite part of performing is the crowd. After every performance piece, the audience followed it up with a loud, supportive applause. “I love working together on a common piece,” said second semester Beginning Jazz student Michelle Lau. She said she was not really

nervous because she didn’t know anyone in the audience. Hayley Wise performed for her third semester in the tap dance piece, “Dut-Duh-DuhDrumline Riddim.” “Janel did more of a percussive approach,” said Wise. “We integrated stepping because a student in the class stepped in high school.” Wise said that they have been practicing since September, almost the entire semester. Student Wesley Rou said dancing is really fun. With his third time taking Intro to Jazz class, he still doesn’t consider himself a dancer. “I enjoy it and it gives me a little exercise,” said Rou.

MARRA-MARIE MAGSAKAY/ MONITOR

Dancers leap and turn across the stage with elegance and skill.

“But I don’t consider myself a dancer.” “I enjoyed this [performance] more than the past,” said Rou. “It took me three semesters to let loose in the choreography.” Student Aivy David performed in three dances.

“The only hard part was that mine [dances] were back to back,” said David. “It was really hard to change in the dark.” Other than that minor challenge, she said she loves performing and loves dancing. Adrian Rios has been danc-

ing for eight years but said if he was not nervous then something was wrong. “Every time the lights go on, I become a different person,” said Rios. Rios performed in five dances and said the hardest part was committing and being at rehearsal. Being nervous is normal before a performance. Nonetheless, each class practiced, performed and demonstrated different sets of difficult moves, turns and techniques. Students interested have an opportunity to be in involved the spring dance showcase 2013. For more information, contact Janel Tomblin-Brown at jtomblin-brown@ohlone. edu.

SPORTS Showcase bound for pair Fall season over for baseball team of Ohlone sophomores 10 monitor December 6, 2012

By LOUIS LAVENTURE

Sports editor

The Lady Renegades soccer team suffered a first round playoff loss to American River College Nov. 17 but Ohlone still has two reasons to be happy. Ohlone standouts Melissa Grey and Presley Strother were both invited to the annual Sophomore Showcase at Mount San Antonio College in Southern California. The showcase is the last chance for sophomores looking to impress college coaches from all over in hopes of earning an athletic scholarship to a four-year college. Grey has already made a name for herself this season. The Ohlone College goalkeeper was named the Coast Conference North Division goalkeeper of the year a very prestigious honor. Grey was a vocal leader as well as a team captain on the 2012 Lady Renegades soccer team. “It’s bittersweet to know that my time at Ohlone is coming to an end, but at the same time it’s exciting to know another door is just opening up

for me to a four-year school,” Grey said. Grey logged 1,035 minutes as goalkeeper for Ohlone in 2012, only allowing 10 goals for an average of less than one goal per contest. That statistic is very impressive for any goalkeeper who played that many minutes. Strother suffered an injury during the season that slowed her down, but she was still able to put together an impressive sophomore campaign and nab a coveted showcase roster spot. Strother was strong on the field for Ohlone and coach Larry Heslin as she amassed four goals and two assists on the year. “They are really hard workers who would rather be playing but are still proud of what they accomplished,” Heslin said. “These past two seasons are the most successful I have ever had.” All of the top soccer players from community colleges throughout the state will deLOUIS LAVENTURE/ MONITOR scend on the Mt. San Antonio Top: Goalkeeper Melissa grey. campus during the weekend of the soccer final four. Bottom: Presley Strother.

By LOUIS LAVENTURE Sports editor

The 2012 fall scrimmage season has come to an end for the Ohlone College baseball team. Fall is a time to work on fundamentals and get the incoming freshman acclimated to the system and style of play at Ohlone. Coach Julian Russell knows all too well how the fall season goes. “Every fall starts off slow before we build up our chemistry and learn our system,” Russell said. “Sophomores really stepped up a lot for us this fall and things went well.” The Renegades will be looking to build on the success of finishing the 2011 season as runner-up to state champ Delta College. A key contributor will be sophomore and returning outfielder LJ Kalawaia. Kalawaia was impressive in the fall for Ohlone as well as last season when he finished with a .330 batting average. “LJ did great for us last year and he will probably play center or left field this year,” Russell said. “He can hit the

ball and field it which makes him a D1 type of guy.” Russell was referring to Division 1 college athletics and thinks that Kalawaia has a great chance of transferring if he puts together another impressive season. Russell will have a handful of position battles on this year’s team with a core group of returners and an impressive group of incoming freshman looking to challenge the veterans for playing time. Sophomore Sean Goodall is one of the players that will be battling for playing time this season. The outfielder did well in fall scrimmage and should be a factor for the Renegades in right defensively. Russell is fully aware of the potential and capabilities of his Renegades this season. “We have great team speed and athleticism this year so we are going to have to take advantage of that,” Russell said. “We will definitely be trying to put pressure on teams this year with our athletic ability.” The Renegades should have a strong pitching staff this year, including Eric Gleese, Jackson Zarubin, Chris Harper and Gregory Spallas.

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SPORTS Basketball season tips off for Renegades

December 6, 2012 monitor 11

By LOUIS LAVENTURE Sports editor

The sounds of screeching shoes, blowing whistles and balls bouncing on the hardwood all add up to one thing. Basketball season is here for Ohlone College. Men’s Basketball Being ranked in the top 20 of the Coaches Poll is nothing new to the Renegades and head coach John Peterson. For the tenth consecutive Renegade Chris Read rises over defenders to get a clean shot. year Ohlone College is ranked in the poll this year landing at No. 19. Ohlone finished 15-12 last year but is already off to a great start, putting that record in jeopardy. The Renegades opened up the season with a triumph in the Jonathan Wallace Tournament with victories over Solano College, San Joaquin Delta College and Sacramento City College. Then they travelled to Redding to take part in the Shasta Tournament. The Renegades opened up well, defeating American River College 8280 before losing its next two games in the tournament to Cabrillo College and host Shasta College respectively. Ohlone was able to pick things back up in its next game when it easily defeated West Valley College 64-44. The Renegades then came back home on Nov. 30 to take on the College of the Sequoias. It was a closely contested battle throughout but Ohlone was able to use its home court advantage to secure the win 61-56 making them 6-2 overall. “We want to get the best shot that we can on each possession,” assistant coach Justin Carter said. “We like to run, get up and down the court and encourage shooters to shoot if they have a good look.” Women’s Basketball The Ohlone College women’s basketball team will have a tough time living up to last year’s successful season. The Lady Renegades won the Coast Conference North Division in impressive fashion going undefeated in conference play finishing the season 24-6. Ohlone has five returning sophomores from that team and the experience has showed early on. The Lady Renegades have gotten off to a great start this season, only losing once to rival Chabot College. Ohlone finds itself 6-1 after dominant performances in both the Contra Costa and Sierra College tournaments in November. Next up for the Lady Renegades will be the Caren Franci Tournament in Mendocino from Dec. 6 to 8. The first home game is Jan. 12 at 1 p.m.

LOUIS LAVENTURE / MONITOR

Casey Norris uses a screen from Karl Ohrner to make a move.

SPORTS Fall season comes to an end for Renegades 12 monitor December 6, 2012

Leading a playoff team in scoring is no easy task. Lady Renegade Jessica Hernandez was able to do that as she amassed a team-high eight goals on the season. The aggressive forward was responsible for 18 points on the year en route to a 9-4-6 overall record and 5-2-3 in conference. h i t “Jessica can feet shots off both with a lot of pace,” coach Larry Heslin said. “She hits rockets and we are lucky to have her here at Ohlone.”

Jessica Hernandez

Volleyball The Ohlone College women’s volleyball team had one of its best seasons ever in 2012. The Lady Renegades were able to dominate the North division of the Coast conference finishing 19-5 overall and 8-2 in conference play. Lindsey Calabrese, Brittany Creel, Jennifer Covey, Elise Menicou, Jackie Class and Olivia Downing played major roles on this years team. Covey has been struggling all season with tendonitis but fought through the pain and became one of the most relaiable hitters on the team. “She is always the one who comes through in the clutch for us,” Menicou said of her teammate Covey. Creel is a hard-hitting freshman who along with Class will be returning next year to provide some upper class leadership. The standout sophomore Selina Samorano was a huge factor in the greatly successful season for Ohlone and coach Jeremy Penaflor as well. “Selina is very outspoken, a leader and always works hard on and off the court,” Penaflor said. “Selina is an unsung hero type of player for us that doesn’t always get the big kill but does the dirty things we need done to win.” Last year Samorano suffered an ankle injury that caused sever ligament damage

player and a huge asset to our team,” Grey said. It is a lifetime Hernandez had an im- of hard work pressive season for the Lady that is finally Renegades and would like to paying off for continue playing the sport that Hernandez. she loves. “Coach really pushes us to “Even if I don’t play soccer, make us do more than we I would still like to transfer think we are capable of,” and finish my education,” Hernandez said. “It just Hernandez said. feels really good to have all Even standout sophomore of the hard work that i have goalkeeper Melissa grey took put in to this sport finally pay notice of Hernandez. off.” Hernandez hopes to be playing “Jessica is an amazing at a four-year school next year but is prepared to move on after Ohlone.

Women’s Soccer

Greivin Pacheco Quesada

in her ankle forcing her to miss most of the season last year. “Last year Selina was hurt right before conference play and we lost a whole lot especially defensively,” Penaflor said. “Things just weren’t the same once Selina went down with the injury, we really missed her presence and it truly showed as we struggled on defense some without her.” Samorano came from a very simple system at Arroyo High School in San Lorenzo. The injury slowed down her progress and set back her progression as a collegiate level volleyball player. “The speed of the game at Ohlone was faster, which she struggled with but was progressing very well before the injury happened to her,” Penaflor said. All of the work in the training and rehabilitation rooms gave her the foundation and strenght to return to the team at the end of last season. Samorano played a little cautious on the ankle but just getting back out there was a victory in itself for the sophomore hitter. Making it back before the end of last season gave Samorano a ton of confidence coming in to this season and it paid off tremendously for Ohlone College. Samorano has been solid at the net for the Ohlone all year combinig with former high school rival Menicou. The two played against each other while battling it out in the tough Hayward Area Athletic League while Menicou was Selina Samorano at Moreau Catholic High School and Samorano at Arroyo. Samorano would love to transfer and continue her college volleyball playing career ideally in Southern California. Both the men and women water polo teams had tough endings to their seasons. The men finished 6-2 in conference, which was good enough for second place in the North division but not good enough to make the playoffs. They missed the post-season by just one spot.

Taylor Leidlheisl

Water Polo

Vicki Bantz, Alyssa Stringer and Rachel Whitaker were all impressive for the Lady Renegades and coach Don French. “We do like to control the ball and that is something we work on in practice,” French said. Angela Longarina was the other goalkeeper who spelled the outstanding Whitaker when she needed rest. Both goalkeepers were great

Men’s Soccer Sometimes things just do not go your way. Coach Jan Eric Nordmo was able to put together an extremely talented team with a lot of youth that bodes well for the future of Renegade soccer. Jorge Alcaraz and Chris Lopez were two key contributors as freshman this year and will look for a better sophomore campaign when they return next season. Ohlone College finished the season 4-11-4 overall and 3-9-2 in conference. Michael Beigarten had an impressive season at goalkeeper for the Renegades recording 121 saves in 1,490 minutes played. Beigarten also played in the field some for Ohlone and Nordmo as he was able to score three goals in limited time in the field of play. Team captain Greivin Pacheco Quesada was able to live up to the expectations that he set for himself last year and lead the team in scoring and points. The sophomore collected an amazing 11 goals and five assists with lightning quick speed and quick feet dominating the pitch. The Costa Rican native has been playing soccer since he was 5-years-old in his native country that has been hit by tragedy in the past year. A 7.9 earthquake on the Richter scale devastated his homeland in Septemfor the Lady Renegades and only allowed more than ten goals in a contest five times all season. Strong keeper play and powerful shots by Bantz helped lead Ohlone to a 13-14 overall record and a 4-3 record in conference play. “I played softball so I have strong legs, which is where most of my power comes from,” Bantz said. “I just use my legs to propel myself up and shoot.”

ber but fortunately, none of his family was affected. “Some of my family’s homes were damaged but nobody got hurt or anything else,” Pacheco Quesada said. With all of that going on back home it was probably hard to focus on soccer and his studies but somehow the sophomore managed to put together an outstanding sophomore season as he amassed 27 total points in 2012. Pacheco Quesada is married with a 3-year-old son and that sense of home and normalcy helped keep the quick footed forward grounded. “My family is everything and I want to make a better life for them,” Pacheco Quesada said. Pacheco Quesada had several schools interested in him before the season began so after his dynamic season he is sure to have some transfer possibilities. Taylor Leidlheisl is also a departing sophomore who has been a rock for the past two seasons at Ohlone. Leidheisl is very noticeable on the field because of his long hair making him very easy to spot. The sophomore is also hoping to transfer and continue playing collegiate soccer. Like Pacheco Quesada Leidlheisl also found the back of the net for Ohlone scoring once this year. Leidlheisl also had one assist for the Renegades this season.

Rachel Whitaker