A little farm in the big city

Paving over our school’s roots will kill its tree of knowledge

Agricultural students at Pierce College have witnessed the dwindling of the school’s resources, from farm animals to the civil war reenactment.

Could the Farm Center be next?

Since the establishment of Pierce College in 1947, the school has stood out from the rest of the colleges in the San Fernando Valley.

Year round activities such as the Harvest Fest, Christmas tree sales, agricultural-based education programs, and the produce center take advantage of the continuously growing Farm Center.

Although Pierce College is constantly beautifying itself, over the years Pierce has lost hundreds of cattle and various other animals as well as the civil war reenactment.

It’s a sad thought that future generations might never have the opportunity to experience the haunted maze or purchase Halloween pumpkins at the produce center.

Pierce would never be the same without its yearly hayrides, petting zoos, birthday parties and carnival attractions, but with the evergrowing urban landscape being built around the school, the center will soon look outdated.

If the farm center is the next on the list of terminated programs, not only will the annual events and produce sales disappear but the yearround jobs the center offers Pierce students will be gone as well.

The school made an agreement with the manager of the farm, Robert McBroom, at the opening of the center to hire a significant amount of students for their year-round positions to help as many students as possible find decent work close to school.

McBroom takes pride in the family-run atmosphere the center has and refers to his dedicated employees as “lifers,“ because most of the employees have been at the center for four or more years, and hope to be employed for many more to come.

Some of the most recent improvements the lifers have done are the wooden canopies pavilion in the back section of the center as well as the grass fields.

These new fields have added to the scenery of the center and attracted some of the Warner Center businesses requesting to have their corporate picnics at the center.

These updates have already boosted the popularity of the center and are only a few of the additions McBroom hopes to have the time and chance to put into action.

“We’re hopeful for many more seasons to come,” said McBroom.

* out of 70 responses

Silent construction sites deafen school morale

Opinion

Roundup reporter

Manuel Rios mrios.roundupnews@gmail.com

Half-finished construction over numerous parts of the Pierce College campus is affecting school morale, making it time that Pierce College officials do something about it.

Pierce College has undergone many changes since its founding more than 65 years ago. Buildings have been built, renovated and taken down, making the Pierce

Does the half finished construction affect school morale?

College campus what it is today. There are currently 24 projects that have been completed — 12 projects are currently under construction, eight are in moratorium, three are in planning and one is in the design stage, according to a Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) Building Program Monthly Progress Report from July 2013.

Construction projects that students say should have been finished are now an unattractive sight. Students must now avoid all construction zones by maneuvering around just to get to classes.

Business major Brandon De Jesus, 20, says he thinks the halffinished construction definitely affects school morale.

“My first class is here at the Performing Arts Center and my other class is towards the North Gym,” De Jesus said. “I have to go all the way down towards the Student Center just to get through that little pathway instead of being able to cut through.”

Due to all the construction that is currently underway it doesn’t make sense for Pierce College to take on more construction. Motives seem to be in the right place but taking on too many projects at once can prove costly.

A total of $648 million in funding has been used for many projects such as the construction of the Child Development Center, Physics Building renovation and Physical Education Facilities, according to the LACCD. Buildings put on

-COMIC STRIP-

hold include the Digital Arts and Media Building and Agricultural Education Center.

The construction not only presents students with a tougher challenge to get to class but to some students, it ruins the school’s appearance.

Radiology major Michelle Guzman, 20, says she feels like the construction plays a part in what the school looks like.

“It looks horrible,” Guzman said. “It makes our school look ugly.”

With the Pierce College campus full of unfinished construction projects and their plans for more, it’s time for school officials to finish what they started and make the projects that are on hold a top priority.

* out of 100 responses