Volume 139 Fall 2023 Roundup Issue 4

6201 Winnetka Ave.

Woodland Hills, CA 91371

Room: Pierce College Village 8211

Phone: (818) 710-4115

Phone: (818) 710-4117

Website: www.theroundupnews.com

E-mail: newsroom.roundupnews@gmail.com

Editor-in-Chief.....Benjamin Hanson

Managing Editor.........Rachael Rosenberg

Design Editor.................Fabiola Carrizosa

Photo Editor...................Ashley Shellmire

Photo Editor............................Owen Meza

Copy Editor......................Olivia Espinoza

Opinions Editor........Christian Castellanos

News Editor...........................Sophia Cano

Campus Life Editor............Clemente Pasillas

Sports Editor..............Nusayba Al Mansur

Sports Editor......................Reuben Santos

Social Media...............Daniela Raymundo

Reporters:

Raquel Frohlich

Maxine Chaykovskiy

Dialaysia Whittaker

Gerardo Escobar

John Ormeno

Jacob Macofsky

Tyler Hale

Brian Khoury

Alexis Brown

Isabella Marino

Alexis Martinez

Advisers:

Jill Connelly

Jeff Favre

Tracie Savage

Editorials: From the desk of the Roundup

All religious holidays should be observed

Although the United States has roots in Christianity, it has long been known as a melting pot because of its diversity of ethnicities, cultures and religions.

According to Wikipedia.com and Jewishelectorateinstitute.org, 504,056 Muslims and nearly 900,000 Jews live in California alone.

Furthermore, it is no wild guess to realize that the followers of the Islamic and Jewish faiths also attend Californian schools.

According to a 2022 article by Erudera. com, a study involving “religious student groups at 1,953 colleges and universities in the United States” shows that “there are Muslim student groups at 28 percent of U.S. universities” and “Jewish student groups at 25 percent of institutions.”

Photographers:

Hunter Hammerot

Myraneli Fabian

Linda Zimmerling

Felipe Gamino

Sonya Miller

Luis Quintana

Devon Thompson Jr.

Kareem Andrades

Aidan Nary

Icy Smith

Emil Rizkalla

Daniel Decamp

Ellie James

Dannie Carreon

Diego Cardenas

*For advertising, call: (818) 710-2960

Correction:

Issue 3 - Page 5 -

The Active Shooter event was organized by Administrative Operations Technician Grace Ochoa and COVID-19 Reporting & ADA Accommodations Safety Officer Raquel Matosic and only faculty attended.

But, for many universities, including Pierce College, their religious holidays aren’t celebrated. This needs to change.

Pierce should institute days off school to observe holidays practiced by the religions of Islam and Judaism.

This includes the Islamic holidays

of Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha and the Jewish holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

By instituting the day off school to observe these non-Christian holidays, Pierce can help accommodate its Muslim and Jewish students while embodying the core principles of “enrichment of community” and “friendliness.”

An example of a California university that promotes the inclusivity and appreciation of non-Christian holidays is the University of Southern California (USC). According to the USC Muslim Student Association (MSA), the Islamic holidays of Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha are celebrated yearly on campus, in which a traditional talk is given, a communal prayer is performed and a celebration takes place.

Another example of a California school that promotes the inclusivity and appreciation of non-Christian holidays is the Moorpark Unified School District in Ventura County. According to a Los Angeles Times article, the “Moorpark Unified School District will soon be the

third district in the county to recognize Jewish holidays in its school calendar, board members have decided.”

Currently, Pierce does not observe or give breaks on any religious holidays, except for winter break in which Christmas takes place, according to the Pierce academic calendar.

Ultimately, this can be done by establishing days off of school, similar to Christmas.

If Pierce decides to not issue days off school on Islamic and Jewish holidays, compensations should be offered to students who celebrate these holidays. Teachers should be encouraged to not cover important materials, hold exams, and give coursework on Islamic or Jewish holidays, or provide alternative ways for their Muslim and Jewish students to not fall behind in class.

To work toward a campus that promotes the inclusivity of Muslim and Jewish students, their religious holidays should be observed and given the respect they deserve.

More visibility for campus clubs

When people look back on their college experience, some recall fond memories of the community and the friends they made during their time. Many portrayals of community college in popular media include clubs and community events.

Recently, however, loneliness has become an epidemic that has come to the forefront of conversation among young people in particular, with the surgeon general comparing the risk of premature death due to loneliness with smoking cigarettes daily.

With loneliness being so common, it’s no surprise that there are many Pierce College students who yearn for a sense of community and connection with their peers.

This yearning for connection often leads students to look for clubs where they can meet other students and bond over shared interests.

But, despite Pierce having clubs, the only places to find them is to look through the school’s confusing website where it’s not easily possible to directly contact a president if one wanted to join, or to go to Club Rush, which is only held once in the beginning of every semester.

Another way students may look to connect with others is to attend student and community-held events where they might participate in activities with fellow students.

In this aspect, Pierce does a good job of advertising school-funded events by putting fliers around the campus and in some cases even posting them to its website’s

events page.

Where Pierce fails is when other parties hold events on the campus. Supercar Sunday, the Topanga Vintage Market and the seasonal attractions on the northeast corner of the campus are hardly advertised. The only event of the three listed that is noticeably advertised is the Topanga Vintage Market, with ads on the corners of Oxnard Street and Winnetka Boulevard, and Mason Avenue and Victory Boulevard, and the turnout is typically great every month.

When these kinds of events and clubs aren’t advertised, it takes away from the communal environment that students wish to have, especially in this era of loneliness and detachment. Rather, it makes it feel like a stale place where students simply go to class and leave.

To promote this sense of community, Pierce could place a bulletin board in the library or the ASO building where students can advertise for their club or any other event. If Pierce doesn’t mind students placing fliers without permission, it could even put several bulletin boards throughout the most populated places on campus, which would surely get more eyes on the events and clubs.

Regarding Pierce’s website, it could consider placing clubs in a separate category or even putting a link to its club list on the website’s front page.

Pierce should make fostering a sense of community a priority, and making these changes would be a great way to promote connection among students.

Photo Illustration/Roundup News/ BENJAMIN HANSON

A bulletin board with flyers at Pierce.

Front:

Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel speaks the California Nonprofit Security Grant Program Workshop at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Oct. 3, 2023. Photo by Benjamin Hanson.

Back:

Barrett Mitchell sits in his 1969 Sterling kit car during Supercar Sunday in Parking Lot 7 at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif. on Oct. 1, 2023. Photo by Owen Meza.

Should DACA be legal?

“Immigration issues have been flourishing in America. I feel like programs that give relief to those people could be good for all Americans. Everybody deserves a chance to strive for something in this world or in this country.”

- Ahmaejai Buckner - Psychology major

“Yes, because parents of immigrants come here and they go through a lot of struggles. If their child grows up, studies and provides for them that should be a good thing. And the United States is all about opportunity.”

- Muhammad Khan -Accounting major

Dreaming should be free

By Fabiola Carrizosa Copy/Design Editor

On June 15, 2012, former President Barack Obama issued an executive order for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy. It allowed some people of unlawful presence in the United States who were brought here as children to receive employment authorization documents and avoid being deported.

Since its implementation, different people from either side of the political aisle have tried to expand the DACA rights or deem it outright unconstitutional.

But those who oppose DACA are cruel to a generation of marginalized people who are a part of life in the United States.

It is not inherently unlawful for people who were brought to the United States to work and study freely in this country.

DACA should be an open arms policy that accepts all those brought to this country before they could make their own decisions.

When the courts rule DACA unconstitutional, they stigmatize undocumented people living in the states. They create a narrative that illegal immigrants are

boogeymen that must be pushed out of society and back into the darkness.

DACA should be accessible and extended to any undocumented student who seeks a higher education.

According to insidehighered. com, at least 408,000 undocumented students are enrolled at U.S. colleges and universities, making up 1.9 percent of college students nationwide as of 2021. About 141,000 students in all have DACA status or are eligible to participate in the program.

Statistics such as this one show that the demographic in question is not taking up space from U.S.born students.

If the undocumented seek to attend community colleges and universities to further their careers and to make a living in the United States, the government should make those privileges accessible to them.

Dreamers should attend college and work freely without living each day wondering if their future in this country is in jeopardy. It is inhumane to allow courts and draconian laws to psychologically torture the minds of students who are the future of the U.S.

Not only should DACA be legal, but there should be outright support for the ways that it is currently being expanded. People with DACA status have been denied access to health coverage, and in 2021, nearly half of them reported delaying medical care due to their status.

According to unidosus. org, President Biden issued an executive order to strengthen access to quality, affordable health care.

According to U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, DACA recipients pay about $6.2 billion in federal taxes, and they pay another $3.3 billion in state and local taxes each year.

Based on those numbers, Dreamers are theoretically paying into the programs that should grant them access to health care coverage and public school education. They are working and paying their dues while living precariously.

“We take taxes, we take their employment, they serve in our health care systems, they serve our elderly, they are nursing home workers,” Cortez said. “I do not know a group of people who are often times more patriotic to this country than DACA recipients”

“Yes. My parents are immigrants. So I think getting the opportunity to have all these jobs, citizenship and everything should be fair.”

- Brenda Medina - Construction Management major

“DACA should be legal. If the child has citizenship, then DACA just protects the rights of the parents.”

- Reem Alowadhi - Undecided major

“Yes. Immigrants should be able to go to college. I don’t think that it should be something that is taken away from them just because of where they were born or where their parents were born. Everyone should have an equal right to go to college.”

- Tabitha Stanley - Photography major

Photos by Aidan Nary

Quotes gathered by Christian Castellanos

Photo Illustration /Roundup News/MYRANELI FABIAN Stickers and flyers that show support for DACA elligible students.

Assemblymember discusses grants to enhance safety

By Fabiola Carrizosa Copy/Design Editor

These days, it is not uncommon for a preschool in a synagogue to have metal detectors at the entrance. For North Hollywood Assemblymember, and father of three boys, Jesse Gabriel, that would have been unimaginable to him when he was a kid.

This is now the new normal, and his 3-year-old son walks through metal detectors on a regular basis.

Jesse Gabriel and his office, in partnership with the California Legislative Jewish Caucus, hosted a California Nonprofit Security Grant Program Workshop at Pierce College’s 600 Building on Tuesday. The workshop was aimed at religious communities and nonprofits who seek grant money for protection from hate crimes and extremism.

“As a kid growing up, that never existed, not even in my wildest imagination,” Gabriel said.

Gabriel and California Senator for District 27 Henry Stern attended the workshop and gave the opening speeches.

Gabriel said that they wanted people from Sacramento to come down to the San Fernando Valley to meet with community organizations and walk them through how they can access the resources from the program.

Program Representatives Matthew Brown and David Nguyen from the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CA OES) presented a slideshow where they explained how to fill

out Vulnerability Assessment worksheets and forms. On these forms, applicants may fill in detailed information about possible vulnerabilities that threaten their buildings, communities and people.

Applicants can request money to fund reinforcement that they see fit to protect their facilities, such as security cameras, fences and walls.

The workshop was attended by people representing their respective nonprofits and religious groups who have encountered or who face hate crimes and threats. Many attendees were from the San Fernando Valley, but many came from the Greater Los Angeles area.

Director of Institutional Advancement Erinn Alcabes of

Update: Pool still closed

Both pools at Schofield Aquatic Center are currently closed because of damged coping.

Interim President Ara Aguiar said the Department of Public Health inspected and reccommended both to be shut down.

“I’m working now with Plant Facilities to get the small pool up and running,” Aguiar said. “We’re hoping that those repairs will take place in the next couple of months.”

Aguiar hopes the smaller pool will be open by spring.

the nonprofit Wilshire Boulevard Temple said she was very interested in applying for grants because they are a major target as one of the oldest and largest Jewish communities in Los Angeles.

“A lot of security infrastructure is needed, and it costs us millions of dollars a year,” Alcabes said. “A program like this is very helpful for ensuring that all of our communities are safe.”

She said that antisemitism and other hate crimes are on the rise.

“I think this is not fixing the problem, but it is helping make it more secure in the face of the problem,” Alcabes said.

Alcabes said that they have had swastikas drawn onto their building as well as break-ins. Facial recognition software has

been implemented throughout their infrastructure, and they have stopped more than 100 people from coming in that should not have been there.

Stern came from Sacramento and said that it was very good to be there on the ground with people from all walks of life.

Stern also addressed the rising hate crimes.

“When I wear a Kippah on a Saturday walking up Burbank Boulevard, it is a very different experience than if I don’t,” Stern said.

Administrator at In His Presence Church Ade Fafowora came to the workshop to get more information about the security grant, which they will need at their church in Woodland Hills.

“We’ve had break-ins, and we’ve had people leave abandoned cars in the parking lot,” Fafowora said. “We have to think of the security of the children on-site, especially being a church and having every kind of person walking in.”

Gabriel said the California security grant has been an issue that has been close to his heart for a long time, and it is something that he has worked on before he was elected to the legislature.

He added that with any program that the government is doing, if people don’t know about it, they can’t take advantage of them.

“I’ve been a big proponent of getting out into the community and connecting with organizations, making sure that they understand that the program exists and how to apply for the funding,” Gabriel said.

Gabriel said that while they are trying to do a lot of things through education and through other ways to address hate crimes, keeping people safe in their houses of worship and community centers is an important thing.

“I’ve always been so proud about this effort,” Gabriel said. “It’s a really beautiful example of different faith communities and a really diverse group of people coming together.”

The forms are available in electronic form only, those who wish to apply must submit the work sheet and the form as a PDF to CSNGP@calOES.ca.gov by Oct. 27, no later than 5 p.m.

Roundup News/ BENJAMIN HANSON

District Representative Jake Ettinger attends the California Nonprofit Security Grant Program Workshop at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Oct. 3, 2023

File photo/Roundup News/ASHLEY SHELLMIRE Schofield Aquatic Center closed due to collapsed coping on Mar. 3, 2023.

Air conditioning woes

By Alexis Brown Reporter

Interim President Ara Aguiar addressed enrollment increasing 11% compared to last year, the budget status and she announced an initiative to enhance curriculum during the Pierce College Council (PCC) meeting on Thursday.

“We are facing a $2 million deficit for the academic year, we have gone through 14 million dollars within the past two years,” Aguair said. “In essence, we are going back to pre-pandemic budgetary issues. Our goal is to break even this year..”

In addition, Aguiar explained she is aware the cross country fields need to be redone to better serve the community. However, before the fields can be

addressed, Aguiar wants to focus on the items they have already committed to and then invest in other projects around campus.

Department chair Alex Villalta raised concerns about air conditioning throughout campus. He explained that he had to cancel his previous class due to the broken air conditioning in his classroom. When he first walked into the class, the thermostat was at 73 degrees, but as students began to pile in the class, the temperature rose to 92 degrees.

Villalta stated that his classroom is right by the mountains, which only intensifies the heat. This has been an ongoing issue for him considering that he has sent multiple emails and submitted a few work orders about the broken air conditioner.

“This issue has affected my students’ performances and my morale,” Villalta said. “It is now the fifth week of school and I’m quite surprised no one has heard of this concern, the whole college should be talking about it. I have seen students clearing sweat from their arms. It’s embarrassing for me, I’ll tell you that much. We are not getting the results we were promised. This is a major safety issue for our students.”

Senior Administrative Analyst Mofe Doyle admitted that he sensed tensions and frustrations throughout the meeting.

“We are here for the students, we are one team and we are in this together we are not anything but that,” Doyle said. “It saddens me when I see this much frustration and it’s very uncomfortable. We

are all Pierce at the end of the day.”

Representing the Diversity Committee, Mario Macias discussed how more involvement on campus can create a healthier environment for the students. They meet 10 times in the academic year, and host a multicultural day in the spring. The Diversity Committee is looking for a coordinating team that can help launch the event.

“The Chicano and Latino night was a wonderful event,” Macias said. “It was quite engaging and we need to make more of a collective effort to invite students and colleagues. I wish more students would have been there to enjoy the program, this was the type of event that inspires and empowers students.”

“I have seen students clearing sweat from their arms. It’s embarrassing for me, I’ll tell you that much. We are not getting the results we were promised. This is a major safety issue for our students.”

- Alex VillaltaAuto Tech Instructor

Supercar Sunday

For those with a passion for modded cars, this weekend’s Supercar Sunday was the place to be.

Founded by Pierce College alum Dustin Troyan, the event featured muscle cars, restomod cars and pro-touring cars.

Supercar Sunday can be found at Parking Lot 7 on Victory Boulevard and Mason Avenue on Sunday from 7 to 10 a.m. This event is sponsored by Porsche Woodland Hills.

For more information, visit www.supercarsunday. com.

Car owner John Stephenson wipes down the engine of his 1970 Chevy Chevelle during Supercar Sunday in the Victory parking lot.

Attendees Eric Atoian and Hovik Takmazian look at a car’s engine during Supercar Sunday.

A view under the hood of Carl Cassanova’s 1968 Camaro at Supercar Sunday in the Victory parking lot.

Attendees walk along a row of cars during Supercar Sunday in the Victory parking lot.

Car owner Donovan O’Brien sits in his 1974 Opel Manta rally edition during Supercar Sunday in the Victory parking lot..

Copy by Christian Castellanos

Photos by Owen Meza

Wednesday, October 4, 2023

Get brushesyourready

On Wednesday, Sept. 27, the Multicultural Center was filled with students, laughter, smiles and paint — lots of paint — as part of the celebration for Latino Heritage Month. Students that participated in this event were offered selected food and beverages, such as cake. While connecting with other like-minded artists, participants expressed themselves artistically through their paintings. Some students created pieces that resonated with them, such as pet portraits and national flags.

Copy by Ashley Shellmire Photos by Myraneli Fabian & Linda Zimmerling

Dacia Arnaudt paints her pet German Shepherd during the Latino Heritage Paint Party event in the Multicultural Center at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Sept. 27, 2023. Photo by Myraneli Fabian.

Estephanie Paz, a psychology major (Left) and Andrea Damian, an animal science major (Right) smile during the Paint Party for Latino Heritage Month on Sept. 27, 2023, in the Multicultural Center at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif. Photo by Linda Zimmerling.

Paint being put on a plastic pallet at the Paint Party celebrating Latino Heritage Month on Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023, in the Multicultural Center at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif. Photo by Linda Zimmerling.

Sako Ourfalian paints during the Latino Heritage Paint Party event in the Multicultural Center at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Sept 27, 2023. Photo by Myraneli Fabian.

Students participate in the Latino Heritage Paint Party event in the Multicultural Center at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Sept 27, 2023. Photo by Myraneli Fabian.

An afternoon of painting Students share laughter and expression at paint party

By Maxine Chaykovskiy Reporter

Students at Pierce College got creative as a row of canvases and paint bottles littered the Multicultural Center during the first Paint Party on Wednesday, Sept. 27.

The Multicultural Center staff gave a hearty welcome to the event and underlined the value of diversity and unity among the college community. As pupils started to work on their masterpieces, laughter and applause could be heard.

Students set up individual canvases in the center of the Multicultural Center, which was also set up full of paintbrushes, paints, and eager students eager to express their creativity.

Multicultural Center Coordinator Tatevik Melkumyan has been working on many events for Latino Heritage Month with the student engagement team.

“I’m really happy to see the center buzzing with students,” said Melkumyan. “From what I’ve seen, students are really enjoying it and it’s going well.”

Throughout the process, Melkumyan and her team made sure all the students are set up with a canvas and paint as well as providing food and beverage.

“The thing that really fuels me and gets me excited about our event is seeing all the students come and have fun together,” said Melkumyan.

Casandra Sampedro attended the event and was able to meet new people and is planning to come back to the next event.

“I’ve met new people, and they’re really lovely.” said Sampedro, who is ready for the next Latino Heritage Month event. “ “We already gathered our numbers together so we can all hang out too.”

Daniella Brami attended the event and participated in painting as well.

“My favorite part was that I was able to socialize and meet new people,” Brami said.

The event had many students who participated and came together to get to know each other and the Pierce community.

Bryan Perez Bado paints a Hyacinth flower during the Latino Heritage Paint Party event in the Multicultural Center at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Sept. 27, 2023.

Roundup News/MYRANELI FABIAN

Dacia Aenaudt paints from a picture on her phone at the Paint Party celebrating Latino Heritage Month in the Multicultural Center at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Sept. 27, 2023.

Roundup News/LINDA ZIMMERLING

Campus Life 9

It’s OK to talk about it

Student Health Center hosts a workshop on Suicide Awareness and Prevention

By Raquel Frohlich Reporter

When someone falls and hurts their ankle, people in the area tend to go and ask, “Are you OK?” “Is your foot OK?” But when seeing someone down or depressed, people are more hesitant to reach out and ask, “Are you feeling OK?”

And it’s OK to ask.

“Sometimes, that’s all it takes,” Student Health Center Director Houry Tanashian said.

With this comparison during a Suicide Awareness and Prevention Workshop in the Multicultural Center, Tanashian was elaborating

on the example of Kevin Hines, a suicide prevention speaker whose name and story was mentioned during the workshop, that had been brought up during the presentation.

Hines, who jumped off the Golden Gate bridge— and survived—is certain he would not have jumped if another person in the vicinity had reached out to ask if he was OK, according to an article in the U.S. Coast Guard news site.

The September workshop, taking place during National Suicide Prevention Month, was organized by both Tanashian and Student Health Center Clinical Psychologist Amy

Snyder. A few slides in the 30-minute presentation, including “What do we know about suicide?” and “What to do,” came from Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services, which Snyder said created the first suicide prevention crisis line. Snyder covered many topics such as life factors found to contribute to suicides, mental health conditions associated with suicides, knowing what signs to look for and how to help. A five-step safety plan included warning signs of a crisis developing, internal coping strategies, people who can provide distraction, social settings and places that also provide distraction and people that help can be asked of. Toward the end, two scenarios were laid out, and attendees had a chance to contribute their ideas and discuss how they would approach each situation. After listening to one scenario, in which one comes across a student crying on the steps of the library with a bottle of pills in her possession and a handful in her hand, one attendee voiced that they would reach out to speak with her and walk her to the

Student Health Center.

One of the ideas another attendee commented on is that they would sit next to her, talk and listen to her to try to calm things down, letting her know someone is there alongside.

Both Snyder and Tanashian noted that suicide has seemed to increase. After suicide deaths declined in 2019 and 2020, they increased by about 5 percent in 2021 and 2.6 percent in 2022, according to an August 2023 statement published by the Centers for Disease Control.

“It’s very important for all of us to know about it because it’s affecting everybody—the rich, the poor, the student, the old, everybody,” Tanashian said. “And it’s one of those important topics that is very heavy and nobody wants to discuss. In an educational setting, I think all of us need to be involved in awareness and prevention.”

Tanashian aimed for those who attended the workshop to have learned one new thing.

“I’m hoping they learned—even if it’s one thing—I hope they learned some courage,” Tanashian

said. “How to ask a person if they’re worried about them, if they’re OK, sometimes that’s all it takes. We don’t want everybody to learn everything, but even if it’s something simple that they can lend a helping hand to another friend or a student, that’s what we hope for.”

Sociology major Marjan Sharifi, who is part of an ASO committee that deals with student health, attended the workshop to show solidarity with both the committee and with student health and found it educational.

“I think as a student body, we have to have this kind of information and this kind of training because if you have a classmate or a close friend that’s going through something, it’s good to be able to be there for them,” Sharifi said.

Moving forward, the Student Health Center would like to organize regular workshops on a range of other topics, including ones on emotional intelligence and coping skills, Snyder said.

If you or anyone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or chat live at 988lifeline.org.

“We don’t want everybody to learn everything, but even if it’s something simple that they can lend a helping hand to another friend or a student, that’s what we hope for.”

- Houry TanashianStudent Health Center Director

Houry Tanashian discusses what to do when dealing with mental health on campus at the Student Health Center Suicide Awareness event in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Sept. 25, 2023.

Roundup News/MADISON CHERAMIE

A lesson on the brass Trumpet player shares history of the instrument

By Gerardo Escobar Reporter

Cameron Wilkins and Abby Wong played classical music at the Performing Arts Building on Thursday at Pierce College as part of the Associated Student Organization free concert series.

Wilkins was on the trumpet and flugelhorn, and Wong was on the piano. They introduced students and members of the public to the potential of brass instruments.

Wilkins opened the set with “Caprice,” by John

Turrin. He chose this song due to its trademark attention grabbers of classical trumpet music while being fast and fun.

Wilkins addressed the importance of playing classical styles of music to become a well-rounded musician.

“I think it is really important because if you are going to play any instrument, you should be able to know your instrument’s history,” Wilkins said. “As a classical trumpet player, we have to pay homage to all our instruments’ lineage.

The trumpet recital resonated with people of all backgrounds. even those who do not have a strong affection for music.

Attendee Frank Betry said this was the second ASO Concert he’s attended and that he enjoyed the song “Oblivion” by Astor Piazolla.

“It sounds like it is from a movie,” Betry said. “It has that quality.”

Wilkins explained that he selected songs like “Oblivion” because he felt those were more accessible to people. He also selected the piece “Concerto for

Trumpet in E-flat Major” by Johann Nepomuk Hummel to give the audience a better idea how far the trumpet has come.

“That selection was fulfilling a need for some basic understanding of where we come from as an instrument, style and character,” Wilkins said.

ASO Concert Series Director Kevin Good believes there are several reasons the performances are important to attend, he feels that the most practical reason is that it gives students the opportunity to see different kinds of

performances.

“Students have a space to discover new types of music and expose themselves to different kinds of art,” said Good, who also wanted to showcase different ways to perform and different challenges performers face. “Part of that can come from the different cultures in the genre, but it can also come from the different types of instruments.”

The next Thursday concert on Oct. 5 will feature pedal steel guitarist Matt Sargent.

Cameron Wilkins plays the trumpet at the Performing Art Building at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Sept. 28, 2023.

Roundup News/DANIEL DECAMP

W Volley (2-11) L @ Ventura 3-0

Brahmas Scoreboard

M Soccer (2-5-1) Football (3-2)

W Soccer (7-2-1) L v Chaffey 3-2

Men’s soccer drops the ball

By John Ormeno Reporter

After coming close, the men’s soccer team fell short in their home game against Chaffey College.

Despite Pedro Perez Jr. scoring two goals, it was not enough, as the Panthers won 3-2.

Men’s soccer captain Santana Saki was dominant on defense.

“I’m the captain, I need to be physical and show them where I stand,” Saki said.

As Captain, Saki contributes a lot of leadership and physicality to the team that can help them do better on the field. Perez explained his history about his captain and how he improved with his defense.

“I’m proud of him, we played in high school,” Perez said. “We went to El Camino, he wasn’t as good as he is now and I feel like defense suits him better.”

With Saki and Perez going to the same high school together, the chemistry is already there, and will build up over time with situations for future comebacks.

Coach Julio Castillo praised Saki for his emotional intelligence.

“It’s mental toughness,”

Castillo said. “The previous games he was playing hard but looking to find his presence. He showed a lot of presence in this

game. He showed leadership”

Castillo said that they review past games to improve.

“We do film every Wednesday

and we always dissect players individually, and I challenged Santana the last couple of games,” Castillo said.

The team may have lost, but they played with a lot of intensity. Their practices are mainly a lot of leg exercises, but Castillo explained that he does his best to keep the team from wearing down.

“We have to do a little bit of everything, but not to the extreme where we are going to kill their legs,” Castillo said. Castillo expressed that Perez’s consistent motivation makes a difference.

“He’s got a nose for the goal, and a nose for the ball,” Castillo said. “The ball finds him and he always finds the net. He’s gonna miss some, he’s gonna make some, but it’s all about him being aggressive.”

With the loss against Chaffee the Brahmas fall to 2-5.

The following game on Oct. 3 is at Victor Valley College scheduled at 2 p.m., and the next home games are on Tuesday, Oct. 10, at 2 p.m., and Friday, Oct. 13, at 6 p.m.

Brahmas get caught in the Cougars’ den

By Isabella Marino Reporter

Following a recent loss against Glendale College, the women’s volleyball team continued their losing streak when taking on the Cuesta College Cougars on Wednesday.

The Brahmas could not overtake the Cuesta Cougars as they lost in the three sets (25-10, 25-20, 25-20), but they kept a close game.

The Brahmas struggled in the first set but were trying to get their heads in the game to come out strong, although the Cuesta Cougars beat them 25-10.

Middle blocker Lamiya Sorhaindo, who scored the most total attempts during this match, mentioned how the team needs to communicate better during the game.

“We do not communicate as well as I thought,” Sorhaindo said. “Next game, we must scream at each other just to hustle.” Sorhaindo added how they needed clarification on the court. She also shared that they had an excellent pregame warm-up session, and the energy was there. The momentum, however, disappeared during the game. Along with what needs to be worked on for the next game, Assistant Coach Carrie Wright noted that the team is performing better on ball control, and serving is improving significantly. The kill percentages in this game have improved more than in the last round. She said that the team’s overall level of play has improved a lot since last week’s match.

“I think we’re solid and ready,” Wright said. “We have prepared, done our homework, watched our film and were ready.”

In the second set, things got better. The Brahmas almost took the lead from Cuesta. But Cuesta caught up to Pierce, returning the score to the Cougar’s den.

The Brahma’s followed behind, and Cuesta beat them with a score of 25-20. By the third set, it seemed like the Brahma’s time to shine, but Cuesta defeated them in the last set with a final score of 25-20.

Despite the loss, the players had expressed what they needed to work on for the next game. Outside hitter Brooke Romano hustled her team onto the court and said they needed to pass the ball more and read the plays better so

they could understand the set.

She also mentioned how they played much better at this game than last week’s, showing how they are improving in every way possible.

“We were playing much better than last week,” Romano said. “But we weren’t putting our all on the court.”

Romano said she was nervous facing Cuesta, but felt that the Brahma would have a chance at winning.

The team made four serving errors against Cuesta College.

The Lady Brahma’s are on a five-game losing streak, making them 2-10 overall.

Women’s volleyball is on the road this week on Friday, where they will face Ventura College.

Their next home game is against LA Mission College on Oct. 11. Both games start at 6 p.m.

W @ Oxnard 1-0

Roundup News/ELLIE JAMES

Leo Cardenas goes in for the kick at Shepard Stadium at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Sept. 28, 2023.

Roundup News/LUIS QUINTANA

Lamyia Sorhaindo spikes the ball against Cuesta College’s Julia Olson at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Sep. 22, 2023.