Volume 126 Spring 2017 Roundup Issue 10

Softball team's pitcher dies

Madison Lee Tupper dies om heart a ack at age 19

TANYA CASTANEDA

Bull Magazine Editor-In-Chief

@Tanya_Castaneda

Madison “Madi”

Tupper, the lone pitcher for the last two season’s of the Pierce College softball team, died May 7 from a heart attack. She was 19.

Tupper was an athlete who enjoyed fishing and camping with her family, a devoted Catholic and an aspiring athletic trainer.

She also suffered from epilepsy, which caused her to have seizures for more than a decade, according to her brother Kyle Flores-Tupper.

Tupper took medications to control her seizures, which allowed her to participate in activities, such as softball and school.

Despite physical obstacles, those close to her believed she always found a way to push through them.

“She was just a champion. That's the best word for it,” Flores-Tupper said.

Her sister Sydney Tupper recalled a conversation with her sister before her dying.

“She just texted me out of the blue and she asked me how everything was, what was going on with me, because that's the kind of person she was,” Sydney Tupper said. “She was always doing that because she just selflessly loved people.”

They discussed what it meant to grow up and to become an adult.

Sydney Tupper believes that last conversation was the best one she ever had with her sister.

“It gave me better insight as to

who she was,” Sydney Tupper said.

As Pierce’s starting softball pitcher, her talents went beyond the diamond.

“I would say she was probably a team leader and a catalyst for that team,” Pierce athletic trainer Robert Horowitz said.

During times of distress, Horowitz said Tupper would serve as a motivator and would contact teammates if necessary in order to compete. With a smile on her face, Tupper would take on the responsibility of a captain to help further excel the team.

“If she was having a bad day, there was no one to hand the ball off to. She had to suck it up and play through, which she did,” Pierce softball assistant coach Mark Cooley said.

As an aspiring athletic trainer, Tupper’s goal was to transfer to the sports medicine program at CSUN. As practice, she would spend her free time helping the trainers and other athletes at Pierce.

“She was actually starting to get used to the workings of the athletic training facility. She came in and probably put in as many hours as I did on those days,” Horowitz said.

“She was a great person who always seemed to have a positive light and always brought a nice aura to the training room."

Her jersey number, 14, will be retired from Pierce softball in Tupper’s honor. The coaches hope to display her uniform in the trophy room.

Tupper’s funeral was held on Saturday, May 13, at St. Bernardine Catholic Church in Woodland Hills.

tcastaneda.roundupnews@gmail.com

Out with the old and in with the new. The upgraded Student Information System includes a variety of features not offered through the outdated system. However, the transition so far has not been easy, and faculty and students alike are struggling to access the system.

After years of deliberation, the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) has chosen the company Peoplesoft to host a new Student Information System (SIS) that links all nine campuses to one central website.

The new SIS went live on May 8, and students can now login to access all of its functions which include: registering for classes, viewing transcripts, accessing Canvas,

paying fees, viewing grades, education plans, and logging into the student email.

On May 15, the registration process will begin for fall classes. Registration and payment for summer classes will still have to be completed through the old system. All fees must be paid before the start of the semester.

Because the old SIS was outdated and homegrown, the district decided that it no longer fit the needs of students, according to Director of New Student Programs Joanna Zimring-Towne.

Therefore, the district chose to work with a company called Peoplesoft to create a site that would fit the needs of the nine campuses within LACCD.

“There are a lot of benefits. It looks a lot nicer, and it is more functional,” Zimring-Towne said. “You can do a lot more things through it than you can do through

the current system. For anyone who does any kind of online shopping or any kind of modern Internet function, it’s a lot easier.”

However, faculty and students have been having difficulties accessing the system.

“I have been having trouble,” psychology major Melissa Guardado said. “To log into the system, you need to sign in through your email. But I can’t do that. I have tried reseting my password and everything and I still can’t login.”

The new SIS will be accessible on mobile devices. Additionally, an app is scheduled to be released in September, which will allow the information on the site to be more accessible to students, according to Vice Chancellor of Education Ryan Cornner.

see News pg. 3

Creating solutions one suggestion at a time

The ASO semesterly Awareness Day event is not enough for these leaders to address student concerns regarding their campus.

ASO Sen. Tracy Johnson has used the resources available to him to poll students to find what fixes are most wanted on campus. ASO plans to create senator task forces to help target and combat specific issues that are ailing the school.

Johnson produced a list that has issues such as Wi-Fi, Free Speech Area enhancement and enforcement, and resources for students such as: easier access to scholarship information, the extension of library hours and more embedded tutoring options.

Johnson explained that the idea came to him as he was filling out the application to become a senator. He had to answer an essay question about issues important to students.

“I knew a couple things that

bothered me, but I had no idea what other students thought,” Johnson said. “But as a senator, I am representing the students. I am not just here for what I want.

“I came to the senate and I asked them to poll the student body to see what the issues are. I was told that we have a thing called Awareness Day already, but nobody really had taken the ball on it. I took control of it and allowed the students to express their issues.”

The ASO would like to quickly implement these groups, but given the amount of time that they have left in the semester, they know that they cannot complete everything on their to-do list they said in their meeting on April 11.

ASO President Amir Haghi said that something has to be done before the end of the semester.

“We have to get something started or else the project will definitely die. The senators won't have any idea how or what to implement,” Haghi predicted. “How far we take it depends on how much manpower

we get and how the senators want to go about it. We’re definitely going to leave an impression and start something so the next ASO group can take a part in it.”

President-elect Efren Lopez said that he is going to tackle these task forces by allowing senators to create different groups to tackle the tasks.

“The main way to incorporate these tasks forces for next year would be to create a separate committee that will focus on working on these things,” Lopez said. “They will also take this to the Participatory Committee and ask for their guidance on how to bring about these changes. We want to fix the things that the students want to see changed.”

Haghi said he hopes to see this implemented to help change the school for the better.

“It is taking what the students want and putting it into play,” Haghi said. “We have to build bridges for what we want to accomplish, and this is definitely a bridge that we want to see built.”

See anything interesting on campus? Tag us @Roundupnews on Twitter

Name in lights

Students graduating, transferring and/or earning a college degree can have their name displayed on the Marquee on Victory Blvd.and Winnetka Ave. Students must submit their name and student ID and choose whether they want the college they are transferring to, the name of degree, OR name of certificate earned to news@piercecollege.edu by Thursday, June 1, 2017.

Cap and gowns

Graduation cap and gowns are now available at the Bookstore for purchase. Student must have valid ID.

Commencement

Commencement ceremony is on June 6 at 6 p.m. in Rocky Young Park. Commencement is free.

Fees and holds

Unable to register for summer classes? Call the Business Office on the day of registration appointment and holds will be removed for 24 hours, which will allow students to add classes.

Registration Dates

Registration dates for the fall 2017 semester are now available through the student portal at: mycollege.laccd.edu.

Video contest

Film Club will present the student video submissions on Monday, May 22, in The Great Hall from 7 to 9 p.m.

Speech Tournament

5th Annual Speech Tournament from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Round one will be in the North of Mall and finals will be in The Great Hall.

Fresh Eggs

Photo Illustration by Marc Dionne/ Roundup

Photo courtesy of Sydney Tupper

Madison Lee Tupper 10/26/1997 - 5/7/2017

Last week, the Roundup printed an article delving deep into the gritty details of what can be considered the uncaring eviction of the Falafelicious Catering company.

Despite the support of Pierce College administration, Falafelicious’ five-year lease is at risk of early termination, as the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) seeks to install one vendor on each campus that will provide cafeteria, mobile food and vending services. This would strip the school of any autonomy it presently holds.

Ofir Bass, the owner of Falafelicious Catering, fought for years to occupy the empty cafeteria. Before Bass’s company took over the space, the cafeteria sat empty, limiting food options to food trucks and one cafe. If the food court closes, the school risks repeating the same problem that it only recently solved.

Bass has done an exemplary job when it comes to caring about customer satisfaction. He caters to Pierce specifically. If you give feedback, you’ll see results.

Some customers asked for more vegan options. The next day, a vegan burger was on the menu. He talked to some students, asking what vegan snacks are popular, and he purchased those exact food options by the next week. Bass said he is working with a rabbi to figure out what kind of kosher food he can add to his menu to cater to the students who keep kosher.

Bass has made it a point to make himself accessible, and he cares about providing variety. He bargains with clubs for better pricing for catered events.

Exaggerated & Overrated

By Danielle Kimble

That is leaps and bounds above the customer service we would get from a heartless corporation such as KFC or Taco Bell. Fast food wouldn’t do the things Falafelicious has done.

And why would they? Unlike Bass, a big corporation wouldn’t be on campus everyday hearing the demands and needs of the students. To a chain restaurant, Pierce would just be one of its many customers. Alternatively, Pierce is Falafelicious’ main focus. In fact, he said he closed

down his two other restaurants to focus on Pierce.

LACCD wants universal, cookie-cutter type services. From the Brahma Café to the vending machines, Pacific Dining and High Rise Goodies, the top bidding companies, would have a monopoly. This doesn’t encourage any sort of quality assurance.

Los Angeles Mission College, Los Angeles Trade-Technical College and Los Angeles Harbor College are already on the exempt list from the one-vendor plan, so

Pro: Cramming over planning

KARISSA PRECIADO Reporter @karissapreciado

why not add Pierce? Why remove any independence from us? That turns our upper administration into nothing more than middlemanagement who get to now pass the buck when we have legitimate complaints.

Kicking out Falafelicious Catering from campus would be a mistake. Bass employs several people who are at risk of losing their jobs. The decision to terminate the catering company’s contract would affect Bass and his family, his employees, students

“Ithinkthebiggestone is social media. I have so manyresponsibilitiesand homeworkassignments,but thenIgetthatInstagram notificationorasnapfrom friends and thatʼs it. Iʼm done doinghomework.”

-Bottara Khan-Nabaie,18, Business Major

and faculty at Pierce.

The Food Court appears to be thriving. It is always filled with students who are eating, socializing or studying. Why fix something that isn’t broken?

Support a local business that has time and time again been willing to accommodate us. Falafelicious Catering checks all our boxes. Bass is not just the face of a business; he’s a man who continually shows up for Pierce students.

Con: Don't dread study ahead

You’ve busted your tail all semester, turning in 8 page research papers and pulling all nighters to receive an A, plus the four 50 point in class tests your professor decided to assign, not including the final exam, all for what? Just so that your teacher can assign a final that is worth 85 percent of your grade.

Making all the hard work and long study hours worth nothing at all, if you receive a less than satisfactory grade on the final exam. While making it easy for those that slacked off and had the occasional slip up during the semester, to complete the class with a passing grade so long as they study for the exam.

Finals are highly exaggerated and overrated. Students prove their knowledge of course material throughout the entire semester by completing midterm tests, doing homework assignments, and taking pop quizzes. There is no need to base the majority, if not entire course, on one single test at the end of the semester by making the final worth 200 points or more.

In most college courses, professors will give a test after every four or five chapters and, even assign projects or papers in between. All of this is an assessment to decide if the student is properly meeting the student outcomes of the course.

For the full story vist theroundupnews.com

Every minute matters when cramming for a test. As a college student, I know how busy our daily lives can be, and how hard it is to manage our time especially when it comes to studying for a test. Almost every college student crams for tests, so if you think you're the only one, you're not.

According to Hubpages.com, cramming for tests improves a person’s concentration and short term memory. The website states that “Frequent cram sessions will improve a person's ability to absorb information and thinking speed resulting in an overall more intelligent student. In a desperate attempt to learn the material before a big exam, students often uncover methods of studying or thinking that they would not have uncovered if they studied normally. It will certainly benefit a person's overall mental strength which is what school is all about to teach a student how to think efficiently.”

This is why I believe that cramming for a test is helpful and beneficial for students. By incorporating only a couple of hours to study it makes students think faster and helps them develop better studying methods. So when that tough exam day finally arrives, they know every minute matters and do not waste a second while taking it. By cramming for a test it also helps students be more

focused and concentrated on what they are studying.

I know studying can be tedious but many students find different ways to study by making it easier and more enjoyable.When cramming for tests I personally like to study with a friend, use notecards and read my notes out loud. However, it just depends on your personal preference or what works better with you. If necessary, re-read your notes and flashcards many times. It is also important to make sure to take small breaks, you do not want to end up frying your brain. Everybody studies differently and for some cramming is what works better for them.

According to targetstudy.com, your brain remembers information overnight and suggest that getting a good night sleep is key when cramming for a test.

“You may study something just before going to sleep and still your brain works to understand the details, cracking unanswered problems, as well as remembering facts when you go to sleep. The ploy here is getting sufficient night’s sleep with the intention that your brain does have the time to perform the hard work the next morning.”

With final exams being around the corner and if you end up cramming for a test do not worry there is nothing wrong. You will learn faster, and it's an easier way to study and be more than ready for your exam. Breathe in and breathe out, you got this.

kpreciado.roundupnews@gmail.com

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Advisers:

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Advertising Manager:

Preparation not procrastination is the only way to reach a test taking goal. Therefore, students should avoid last minute study habits at all costs.

Cramming, the practice of studying with determination within a short amount of time, has often become a way of life for many students.

However, we should actively work against this method of studying as it causes more harm than good.

Students who decide to pull an all-night study session to prepare for a test the next day are less likely to be able to absorb information due to lack of sleep, according to a 2012 study by the University of California Los Angeles.

Moreover, while one may think that looking over the same pages for six hours straight might give them the advantage on test day, the opposite occurs.

In a BBC article titled Memory: Why Cramming Often Fails, researchers found that the brain remembers more information when there is an organization or structure to the input of that information.

For example, if a student were to grab a text book and flip back and forth between the pages for hours, the brain only retains enough information to recognize the content - not recall it.

So, when you are taking a math test and you happen upon that problem, that you know requires the quadratic formula to solve, but you can't quite

Cartoonist:

“Laziness.SometimesIjust getreallylazyanddonʼtfeel likedoinganythingandthat getsthebestofme.”

-Russell James dimaano, 20, MusicMajor

remember what the formula isconsider studying differently next time.

Researchers with the American Psychology Association recommend that students review class material in increments over the semester. This will allow for the absorption of information long term by making meaningful connections within the brain.

Structuring the information to understand why the information is relevant is also a key factor in studying.

Often times when cramming for a test, students often highlight the passage of relevant information but they don’t stop to think about how it relates to larger concepts.

When crucial information is rewritten in a way that makes sense to the student and the student questions their understanding of the material on a deeper level, they are more likely to remember the content, according to University of Virginia psychology professor Daniel Willingham.

The stress caused by losing sleep, and worrying about whether or not the material is understood should be a good enough reason to not procrastinate a well rounded study session.

Ultimately, to get the grade you want on an exam one must have a plan in place to study more than once throughout the semester.

So, please do yourself a favor and don’t wait until the night before the exam to study. Spare your brain from exhaustion and develop better study habits to earn the grade you deserve.

“Studyingisnotfun.Iknow

MadelieneMagno,19, BiomedicalEngineeringMajor

a letter.

The deadline is 11:59 p.m. the Sunday prior to the issue date. Editorial Policy: The Pierce College Roundup position is presented only in the editorials.

Cartoons and photos, unless run under the editorial masthead, and columns are the opinions of the creators and not necessarily that of the Roundup.

The college newspaper is

published as a learning experience under the college journalism instructional program. The editorial and advertising materials published herein, including any opinions expressed, are the responsibility of the student newspaper staff. Under appropriate state and federal court decisions, these materials are free from prior restraint by the virtue of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America. Accordingly, materials published herein, including any opinions expressed, should not be interpreted as the position of the L.A. Community College District, the college or any officer or employee thereof.

Illustration by Beck Shields / Roundup

Iamgoingtosufferlong term,butasofrightnowIam havingmorefunnotdoing whateverassignmentIhave to do.”

“Whensomeonetalkstome orwhenIreceiveamessageI losemyconcentrationanditʼs difficultformetogobackto whatIwasdoing.”

Arts/HumanityMajor

New SIS

From page 1

A single transcript will now be issued for the entire district, which will eliminate the need to request multiple documents from multiple schools.

According to environmental science major Bjana Jefferson, who has been answering questions for students in the FYE office, she too has been having difficulties.

“I had dropped a class on the old system before getting a W. On the old system it shows that I dropped. However, on the new system, it says that I am currently enrolled in it. So, it is a mystery as to what is happening with that,” Jefferson said.

Additionally, a dynamic 10slot waitlist has been implemented for some classes, which will allow students to be automatically added when someone drops. Professors will also issue digital permission codes that will be used to add classes instead using of a paper slip.

“Hopefully, it will make the process of the first day of classes a little bit easier, and hopefully fewer students will be trying to crash classes,” Zimring-Towne said. “No more standing in a two-hour line at Admission and Records the first week of class.”

Though the wait list exists to ease the burden of the first day of school, counselors are still telling their students to crash classes if they did not make it on the waitlist.

“If you're on the waitlist, you have to be there because if you're not, you would be forfeiting your spot,” Zimring-Towne said. “Not every class will have a waitlist.”

The challenge is notifying the student body that the SIS changed and getting over the learning curve of a new site, according to ZimringTowne.

The First Year Experience (FYE) office has set up workshops to help with questions surrounding the new system. Students can access a frequently asked questions page if they are having trouble navigating the site.

Upcycle recycling plans

students

ROCIO ARENAS Reporter @rarenas_roundup

Members of the Associated Students Organization and faculty want to improve sustainability awareness on campus to transform Pierce into a more eco-friendly school for future generations.

In the past, Pierce has struggled with regulating recycling programs on campus. According to ASO President Amir Haghi, Pierce is working on a new plan for recycling.

“Some problems we were having is that our recycling is being stolen by random looters, so we need to come up with a whole system of making sure the container is secure,” Haghi said. Haghi also said the ASO has a Sustainability Committee, and they have begun planning an efficient recycling program.

“They drove out to Santa Monica City College, and they looked at what they were doing,” Haghi said. “They have a really thorough recycling program.”

Haghi said ASO’s Sustainability Committee will use ideas from local California community colleges to develop an improved recycling program on Pierce’s campus.

The Sustainability Committee reported that Santa Monica City College has implemented a system in which different colored plastic bottles are recycled separately. Haghi said ASO is planning to devise a recycling program similar to SMC’s.

generation’s strong support of sustainability.

a presence, people will want to engage and be a part of it,” Haghi said. “It’s about helping creating more jobs and helping the environment, and giving a message about Pierce and who we are.”

Dean of Student Engagement Juan Carlos Astorga said that facilities on campus will also take part in the development of the new recycling program.

Rundown Brahma Blotter

These incidents were reported between May 6 - May 13

05/08

• Ill Student

Student became sick during class in room 3312 at 11 a.m.

05/09

•Student Injury

Student injured themselves during dance class in the North Gym studio at 10:15 p.m.

05/10

•Student Incident

Astorga also discussed a plan to minimize plastic bottle waste on campus.

“We are advocating for the installation of water refill stations around the campus so that we may encourage students to use reusable water containers, thereby lowering the carbon footprint on campus,” Astorga said.

Female student reported that she was harrassed by a male student after class in Birch at 10 p.m.

05/11

•Petty Theft

Person reported art supplies was stolen from room 3309 at 1:30 p.m.

tarthur.roundupnews@gmail.com

According to Haghi, planning and funding for the recycling program will continue to develop, but it is “definitely not an overnight project.” Haghi said now is the time to promote environmentally friendly programs because of this

“People really like environmentally friendly campuses. Once people see

On the campus scene

VP of Student Services takes steps for communication improvements

DANIELLE KIMBLE Reporter @thereal_joi

Got a question for Pierce administration? Well, you don’t have to shake your Magic 8-Ball to find the answer.

If Earic Dixon-Peters has his way your emails won’t go unresponded and your phone calls won’t go unanswered.

Dixon-Peters, who is the vice president of student services, plans to submit a petition to Pierce College President Kathleen Burke to take to the Mall for an hour each month the entire fall semester to answer questions.

Dixon-Peters said he felt the need to designate time after noticing that he would hear the end result of complaints from students. He decided to take it upon himself to speak with students and listen to any possible concerns or issues they might have.

He also said he hopes this will allow students to become more familiar with him and the matters that he is in charge of so that students feel more welcome to engage with him.

“My hope is that they will put a face to the name of an administrator, and that they know who we are, at least who I am, and to give a time to share whatever they want to share with me directly. Happy, frustrated, sad, disappointed, excited, this will be a time when we can have that conversation. It’s for me to gage what’s happening,” Dixon-Peters said.

He also said he plans to communicate with the ASO to receive feedback about areas of student concern. His plan is to find out what students are saying about the campus and to assess problems that the school can quickly find solutions to and how they can solve issues that may take more time. One such issue is wanting to improve the turnaround time for student petitions that are currently taking months to be processed. Students can benefit from this monthly event because it will help connect more students and faculty members with him, Dixon-Peters said. If students have someone who has experienced similar situations who they can talk to and look up to,

they tend to improve their studies, he said.

“When people are connected to someone, they typically perform better in school and are more successful, whether it’s a faculty member they connect to or a counselor or another student. Oftentimes, people in my position, because of all the work we do, don’t connect with our students,” Dixon-Peters said.

Dixon-Peters worked full-time on a graveyard shift to help support his family while playing basketball for Santa Monica College on a scholarship. He said he wants to share his story with students hoping that it will motivate and encourage them in their studies.

“The hope is that when they talk to me, they also get motivated that I once lived in the inner city, South L.A., single mom, working hard graveyard shift, two-job janitor and they can see and say 'Oh, if you can do it, I can do it too,'” Dixon-Peters said.

Corey Wright, business management major, said he thinks Dixon-Peters making himself available will also provide comfort to minority students that have issues.

“I think it’s powerful. I feel like he could give a lot of kids, no matter the race, anybody who feels like they’re a minority, the opportunity to speak about something if they feel like they’re treated unfairly, or if it’s educational purposes that they want

to expand on,” Wright said. “That’s good that Dixon-Peters will be there to help address that issue and try to act upon it.”

Dean of Student Engagement Juan Carlos Astorga said that he thinks that what Dixon-Peters will be doing next semester is a great idea because it will help bring students and faculty closer together and reassure them that their voices are heard.

“I think that is an amazing idea. It really allows for students to know that we’re approachable and that we are interested in being responsive to our students,” Astorga said.

Although most students on campus are unfamiliar with the vice president of student services, Jonathan Bui, civil engineering major, plans on attending the monthly event and thinks that it’s a good way for students to express their ideas and feelings to help improve the campus.

“I think it’s a good idea so other students can share their ideas with him so he can have a plan to do something about the improvements that this campus needs,” Bui said.

Dixon-Peters said that if the turnout of students this fall semester is high, he will continue doing the event for semesters to come.

“If this works out and it’s wonderful, I will do it as long as I’m here,” Dixon-peters said.

“One specific plan is to reach out to the director of facilities and jointly develop a plan of action,” Astorga said. “Purchasing recycling bins that will collect products will, in turn, be able to get these products processed. It's a large commitment of work effort and time, so we must do this carefully and in collaboration with the campus facilities.”

Vice President of Student Services, Earic Dixon-Peters talks about their hope to increase engagement for recycling.

“Our hope is students will learn about recycling learn what it means, what it can do for us...and then hope our students put that into practice on campus and daily life,” Dixon-Peters said.

“We have been trying to make sure that this is rolled out right. There are always challenges with a new system,” Cornner said. rarenas.roundupnews@gmail.com

Pierce College

Sheriff’s Station

General Information:

Emergency:

(818) 710 - 4311

Photo Illustration by Marc Dionne

Reported by: Randi Love, Jose Herrera and Vanessa Arredondo

“People really like environmentally friendly campuses. Once people see a presence, people will want to engage and be a part of it.”

-Amir Haghi ASO President

Jose Herrera/Roundup

Earic Dixon-Peters, vice president of student services, sits outside on the third floor of the Student Services Building at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif. on May 15, 2017. Dixon-Peters is petitioning to have an hour each month to listen to students.

The hands of recovery

Hearing student gives back to the deaf community

KAYLA BERENSON Reporter @kayla_berenson

Akey part of an addict’s recovery process is being of service to their community.

When Meghan Hunt returned to high school after spending two months in an adolescent treatment center at 15, she soon found the passion that fueled her ultimate act of service: creating an accessible recovery program for deaf addicts.

Hunt, 23, decided to get sober after realizing that she didn’t like what her life had become.

“I’m an alcoholic,” Hunt said. “I was not happy with my life and what was going on and something needed to change. At meetings, it wasn’t like being a little kid on the playground and being watched or bullied. No matter what I had or brought to the table, no matter what I felt, I was loved and accepted.”

Hunt said that when she got back from the Cottonwood Treatment Center in Arizona, she had fallen behind in her Spanish class, so she decided to take American Sign Language instead.

“By the second week, I came home from school and told my mom that I was going to be an interpreter,” Hunt said.

Hunt is majoring in Deaf Studies at Cal. State Northridge (CSUN) and takes classes concurrently through Pierce’s interpreting program. She will graduate at the end of the semester.

Hunt said that while she was taking her sign language class and attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, she noticed the lack of resources available for deaf addicts.

“There are deaf alcoholics,” Hunt said. “I noticed that there’s not a lot of interpreters or other services there for them at the meetings.”

When she was first asked to interpret at a meeting, Hunt said she struggled through it, but the man she interpreted for was very appreciative of her service. This sparked her idea to create more accessibility for deaf addicts.

“After that, I started doing a lot of research and looking at different interpreters who do this,” Hunt said.

According to Hunt, there are only eight Alcoholics Anonymous meetings a week that are specifically for deaf people between Ventura County and Santa Monica.

“I think that’s sad because every day, from 5:30 in the morning to 11 at night, in that same location, there are over 500 meetings a day for hearing people,” Hunt said. “It’s really limited for deaf people. They have to rearrange their schedules just to go to those particular meetings.”

Hunt also said that recently, a deaf woman couldn’t get a ride to one of the meetings, so she interpreted the meeting for the woman through FaceTime.

Hunt works at the Lakehouse Recovery Center in Westlake, and she said that all deaf addicts that call Alcoholics Anonymous in Ventura County are linked to her. She is working with the staff at the

Lakehouse Recovery center to create a program that is based around the deaf community.

“There’s so much more in treatment than just meetings,” Hunt said. “There’s the interactions with other clients, there’s the dinners and the meals, and you can’t have an interpreter there 24/7, so we’re trying to restructure the program to have it accessible for deaf people.”

Hunt said her long-term goal is to create an all-deaf program for addicts trying to achieve sobriety because she said deaf people work best when they are with other deaf people. However, she said she doesn’t want to be the person running it all.

“I want to set everything up, but really, it’s the deaf community who should be running this and taking control and taking charge,” Hunt said. “I’m just here getting all of the pieces and putting it together so that they can run with it.”

Fellow student and friend Stephanie Conley met Hunt through the interpreting program at Pierce. Conley said she believes Hunt is the best person for the job.

“In our interpreting class, she’s definitely the most skilled at this stuff,” Conley said. “There needs to be more spotlight on the deaf community, specifically for people who are trying to get sober.”

Conley said that she admires Hunt for merging her skills and talents with her passion for helping those struggling with addiction.

“She’s combining both of her loves: being sober and

The stagelight swing

‘Hairspray’ performer continues dancing traditon

RANDI LOVE News Editor @Randi_Love29

Bryson Wesley is creating a career in the world of dance and discovering new talents in the performing arts which have landed him a role in Pierce College most recent production of “Hairspray.”

Bryson first began dancing at the age of 5, inspired by his mother who was a dancer on the popular television show “Soul Train.” Ultimately, Wesley said hopes to become a professional stage dancer.

“I’m looking forward to either being a backup dancer for, I’m not going to say any artist, maybe like Drake, Beyonce, or one of the top people, of course,” Wesley said. “If that doesn’t work out, hopefully my acting and voice will carry me into radio or movies.”

He plans to take broadcasting in fall to improve his vocal skills. Although dancing is his passion, he has taken a liking to a slew of other activities.

“Besides dancing, I roller blade, draw and write poetry. I’m into instruments, but I don’t have any instruments. I kind of dabble in everything,” Wesley said.

Jenny Ghiglia, adjunct dance instructor and advisor of the Pierce College Dance Crew, saw Wesley dancing with her students on the quad roughly a year ago, she approached him and convinced Wesley to join the dance crew.

“He would hang out with some of the first dance crew members that I put together,

and I would see him and I knew he was very talented,”

Ghiglia said. “I said, ‘You know you ought to join the club.’ I guess he would come off campus because he wasn’t a student at the time.”

Ghiglia wanted him to be a part of her dance crew, so she showed him how to register as a Pierce student. Since then, he has performed in three shows and multiple events with the club.

This semester, Wesley started singing to play the role of Seweed’s close friend Duane, in the musical “Hairspray”. Wesley said Ghiglia is the reason he auditioned.

“She was like, ‘You know what, I know this sounds kind of weird, but you’re African American And you’re a good dancer and you have a good voice, you should try ‘Hairspray,’” Wesley said. n

“At first I didn’t know what “Hairspray” was, and then I came up here and I was like, ‘Oh, I’m singing, okay.’”

Wesley said he wasn’t expecting a role, he just wanted to be some part of the production.

“I didn’t really look for a role. I was just like, “I’m here, put me somewhere. I’ll be a tree if you need me to, a dancing tree or something,’” Wesley said. “But they put me as Duane, and I actually very much enjoy being my character.”

Brian Moe, instructor of dance and a choreographer for “Hairspray,” also sees a lot of talent in Wesley. He agreed with Ghiglia that Wesley try out for the musical.

“He’s a good person, a hard worker. He was performing in a dance piece, and he had

a good attitude, very positive, and the boy could move,” Moe said. “I was impressed by the amount of control that he had for his body.”

Ghiglia was also impressed by his body control.

“He can control his long limbs, which is very hard to do when you are tall and lanky. He had his own little groove and style that was impressive,” Ghiglia said. “I like creativity, and I like people to be individuals in dance. I don’t like to be clones. His intentions behind his movements were really cool, and he loved it. You could tell he had a passion for it.”

Ghiglia said although he is very a talented dancer, she sees so much more for him in the future and wants him to start focusing on his academics.

“My mind has been that way for him, because I think he has been taking those steps,” Ghiglia said. “The next step is academics, and that’s to start looking for a degree or a trade. He has so much talent, and I don’t think he really knows that about himself. I’m just going to enjoy watching him bloom because I think he has so much to offer, and I think he’s on the right track.”

Karen Snook, a volunteer worker for Kindred Spirits Care Farm, said that when she first met Wesley she was impressed by more than just his dance moves.

“He was this crazy long, thin, noodle of a person who could move in ways like spaghetti. He was in a classroom and I was brand new there, so I didn’t know anybody from anyone and this guy came in and he

going to AA meetings and wanting to be a part of the deaf community,” Conley said. “I think it’s a great thing for her to do.”

Victor Cavares, a graduate of CSUN’s Deaf Studies program, said that although Hunt can hear, she cares deeply for the deaf community.

“She’s kind of leading from

behind,” Cavares said. “It’s not a selfish motive at all. She’s doing it as a communitybased, deaf-centric thing, but she’s not the center of attention here.”

Though creating the program and interpreting for the deaf community allows Hunt to be of service, she said the best part for her is being

able to learn new things and be a source of support for the deaf community.

“I’m learning. I’m being of service and I’m supporting them,” Hunt said. “All of it, in general, is so rewarding.”

kberenson.roundupnews@gmail.com

Bryson

was wearing music and was dancing and could move his body in ways that would make me drop my mouth open like: What? How is that even possible?”

Snook said that she is impressed with Wesley’s

capacity to entertain himself aswell as his dedication to dance.

“He was wearing a big grin and having a great time,” Snook said. “In our world, it’s really rare to find someone who is just happy with their

own company,

without any kind of input one way or the other. He’s just having a great time.”

grooving

Randi Love / Roundup

Wesley “breaking bones” on the top of the art hill near the Los Angeles Pierce College Theatre on April 27, 2017 in Woodland Hills, Calif. Wesley does dance moves known as bone breaking because of the nature of the way his arms move. Wesley is playing Duane in Pierce’s rendition of Hairspray from May 5-14.

Debbie Donovan / Roundup

Meghan Hunt , pursues her passion of making 12 step programs accessible to the deaf and hard of hearing community by providing sign language services, advocacy, and education. During a break between classes, she demonstrates signing the Serenity Prayer in the library courtyard at Pierce College, Woodland Hills, Calif. on May 2, 2017.

They did it and so can You(Tube)

Media Arts Speaker Series features social media pros

“Everyone wants to be acknowledged, so make your audience feel special,” Belsky said.

YouTube professionals Steph Belsky, Madison Brunoehler and Jennie

Lake sat on a Q&A panel in The Great Hall Wednesday to give career tips and tricks about YouTube and the media.

With nearly every seat taken in the audience, the panelists answered questions for about two hours covering topics such as selfmarketing and the future of the media.

Steph Belsky is the founder of Lucid, a non-profit marketing company. As a professional marketer, she provided advice on how to best create a successful channel.

“You have to know your brand and know your audience,” Belsky said. She said that consistency is the key to keeping an audience. In addition, Belsky also urges novice YouTubers to regularly interact with their subscribers.

She said that by responding to comments, an audience will feel more engaged with someone’s YouTube channel, which is an important part of gaining followers.

Madison Brunoehler, a YouTuber and voice actress, said that the social media platform can act as both a career and a medium to help accomplish other goals.

She creates YouTube videos about film and television shows, reviews, impressions and DIYs.

Brunoehler, who has created YouTube content for more than four years, attributes a lot of her media jobs, such as voice-over work for a new “Star Wars” spinoff, to her online presence.

“Your first stuff is going to suck, but you’ll learn as you go along and find your voice,” Brunoehler said.

If a user’s channel gains enough buzz, YouTube pays its content contributors, making careers possible.

However, Brunoehler said that YouTubers should not rely on a

paycheck from the website, but should instead search for outside sponsors and opportunities to grow their brand.

Jennie Lake, from Thousand Faces Media, produces content for various outlets including YouTube.

She stressed the importance of

My professor, the singer Faculty showcases musical talent in concert

ZACK ROME Reporter @datrome

Those who teach can, in fact, do.

About a half dozen Pierce College faculty members showed their vocal and instrumental skills at the Thursday music concert on the Performing Arts Mainstage on May 11. Students were treated to classical songs performed by their music professors. Attendees listened to different classical pieces from all over the world.

Music instructor Neal Brostoff partnered with ASO to bring the only faculty concert of the year.

“We’re happy to make concerts like this possible to students and give them something that they often have no connection to because of the lack of exposure to classical music,” Brostoff said.

Brostoff collaborated with each of the performers in the concert.

“All I did was light the match, and all of us put our heads together to come up with music ideas,” Brostoff

said. “The result is what you saw today."

Ferhiz Brewer, director of the Applied Music Program, opened the show with a piano sonata from Alberto Ginastera, who composed Argentinian classical music.

Brewer said she had fun playing a piece from a musician she loved, despite finding the piece rather difficult.

“Ginastera was unbelievably talented as far as his rhythms were concerned. I love playing his music because his rhythms are so challenging,” Brewer said. “There's a lot of hand-crossing going on in this piece, and additionally, there was also layering of the hands, so that makes it that much more difficult."

Music professor Garineh AvakianAkkus, along with Elizabeth Wilson on violin and Frank Garvey on piano, performed two pieces from German composer Johannes Brahms.

Adjunct Professor James Bergman performed with Frank Garvey and Stephen Piazza.

The trio performed a piece by Mikel Rouse, who specialized in a

style called minimalism, according to Bergman.

“In minimalism music, you change notes subtly throughout a song. It is very difficult, and the amount of focus is very different," Bergman said. “This kind of music, you have to mentally relax while being mentally focused. It is something I never learned in school.”

The concert ended with Liana Stepanyan singing three songs from Alexander Krein, as well as another piano performance from Brewer, Brostoff and Garvey.

Sophomore Sarah Beasley attended the concert with her friends.

“It was very intriguing because we see the teachers teach, but we don’t really get to see them perform," Beasley said. “It was really inspiring for me because in my head, I’m thinking how long it will take for me to reach that level."

The final concert will be on May 18 at the Performing Arts Mainstage, featuring the students in the applied music program.

YouTubers pinpointing their audience before releasing content.

“Who your audience is dictates where your content goes,” Lake said, explaining that depending on someone’s audience, content producers should consider different platforms. These could include

YouTube, Instagram and other sharing outlets.

She said that because the expansion of YouTube demands more quality content, those looking to become successful on the platform should “view digital producing the same as producing any other project.”

She thinks it is important for new YouTubers to know what their end goal is before producing new content.

“To be successful on YouTube,” Lake said. “You’re not just creating content, you’re marketing it.”

ZOE PARKER Reporter @zparker3594

MET Test-Taking Strategies workshop in the Library / Learning Crossroads

Marc Dionne / Roundup

Steph Belsky, Madison Brunoehler and Jenny Lake at the Media Arts Speaker Series in The Great Hall at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif. on May 10, 2017.

The art of makeup

Makeup is not only used as beautification tool, it can be used to express emotions and feelings. Pierce College gives students an opportunity to get creative with a beginning stage makeup class. With only two hours a session, two times a week, students have to use their time wisely to complete a look. There are different topics in every class session. Students have to pick an animal and paint it on themselves or another student in the class. The class is taught by adjunct theater professor Eileen Gizieschi, who teaches costume and makeup design at Pierce College, and who also designs costumes for the Theatre Department. According to Gizieschi, students have to purchase a special kit to complete certain looks. Students can keep up with their progress by taking photos of their creation every week. This class teaches the basic principles of makeup application, experimenting with different colors and skin tones, as well as sharpening their art skills.

Photos and copy by Samantha Bravo

Above: Engelbert Pereza takes a selfie after having her face painted by Alicia Stout at the Pierce College Performing Arts Center, LAB 3202 in Woodland Hills, Calif. on April 27, 2017.

Top right: Students use Ben Nye makeup cosmetics to complete a look.

Above: Viola Leclere uses watercolor to create a bird on Eric Dion Kenbal’s face.

Bottom left: Students pair up to learn how to apply makeup on another person.

Bottom right: Isabel Gonzalez adds lines to Kevin Barcinas’ face to create a turtle look in Pierce College Performing Arts Center, LAB 3202 in Woodland Hills, Calif. on April 27, 2017.

Guiding the way to a clearer path

Event helps undocumented people learn about immigration rights and discuss resources available to them

KAYLA BERENSON Reporter @kayla_berenson

Members of the undocumented immigrant community are worried that their right to an education and ability to stay in the United States will be in jeopardy due to recent executive orders by the Trump Administration.

To alleviate these fears, undocumented students, families and their allies had the opportunity to learn about their rights as members of the undocumented immigrant community in the “Know Your Rights” event in The Great Hall on May 10.

The event was organized by the Improving Dreams, Equality, Access and Success (IDEAS) club. President and founder of the club Xochitl Medina said that the club hoped to create a safe place for undocumented Pierce students and their families to have their questions answered and to learn about the rights they have under the Trump Administration.

“I want to help the undocumented community,” Medina said. “After the election and everything that’s happening, I felt like we needed to do something on this campus to show that we support undocumented students here.”

Medina said the club started planning the event in January after she attended a similar event at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Speakers from the Miguel Contreras Foundation and the National Immigration Law Center gave presentations covering relevant subjects to the undocumented community and

their allies, including information about special programs and advice on what to do during an encounter with Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Director of Strategic Communications at the Miguel Contreras Foundation Mariana Villafaña informed the audience that they should take advantage of the resources they have available while they still can.

“We don’t know what the administration plans to do just yet,” Villafaña said. “But in the meantime, some things you can do are apply for Medi-Cal, attend legal fairs for free legal consultations, gather evidence, keep good records and stay involved.”

Villafaña also said that the foundation has a network of nonprofit attorneys who are able to help undocumented families.

Immigration attorney for the National Immigration Law Center Shiu-Ming Cheer said that every resident in the United States has rights, according to the Constitution.

“No matter who is president, everyone living in the U.S. has certain basic rights,” Cheer said. “It is important for everyone to

protect our basic rights.”

The event was followed by an audience discussion in which participants were able to have their questions answered by Cheer and Villafaña. Audience members described hypothetical scenarios and asked what to do in those situations.

Cheer passed out “Know Your Rights” cards to the audience that she said can be given to police or ICE officers. The card states that whoever is holding it is exercising

their right to remain silent and their right to refuse to answer anything before speaking to a lawyer.

“The problem is that these officials often act like they are above the law,” Cheer said. “And a lot of higher-ups are acting that way too, so ICE thinks it’s okay.”

Cheer also recommended to the audience that they do not sign any documents before discussing them with a lawyer. Both Cheer and Villafaña said

that staying involved with the community and informed on current events are both necessary for the law to move forward.

Villafaña said that events like these are not only helpful to undocumented students, but to the community as a whole.

“It’s important for folks of all races to get involved,” Villafaña said. “You have to know your rights collectively so you can assert the rights of others.”

Natalie Gutierrez, a sociology

student at Pierce, went to the event to learn about how she can help those affected by immigration laws.

“I know some members of my family who these laws would impact,” Gutierrez said. “I think they provided really necessary and important information that can help a lot of people.”

kberenson.roundupnews@gmail.com

“No ma er who is president, everyone living in the U.S. has certain basic rights.”

- Shiu-Ming Cheer immigration attorney

Marc Dionne / Roundup

Shiu-Ming Cheer speaking at the "Know Your Rights," event in the Great Hall at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif, on May 10, 2017. Cheer was among a small panel of guest speakers informing students about their basic rights.

Speech Tournament

Verbal skills put to the test in competition

KAYLA BERENSON Reporter @kayla_berenson

Without the comfort of a keyboard and the convenience of nonverbal interactions, the thought of public speaking can be intimidating for many.

However, the Communication Studies Department expects to have more than 50 of its students competing for cash prizes in Pierce’s annual speech tournament on May 19.

Communication Studies professor and organizer of the event Michelle Silver said that there are going to be two first, second and third place winners because the competition is split into two categories: informative speeches and persuasive speeches.

She said that the first place winners will each receive $200, the second place winners will receive $100 and third place winners will receive $75.

According to Communication Studies Department Chair Barbara Anderson, any student enrolled in the department’s public speaking class is eligible to participate in the tournament.

She said this event differs from some of the events hosted by other departments.

“In many other departments, students are learning from professionals in the field,” Anderson said. “But for this event, students are learning from other students’ work.”

Silver said that the first round of the competition starts at 12:30 p.m. Students competing will present their speeches to professors from the department, but none of the students will present to their current professor.

She said that the judges of the competition look for students who demonstrate understanding of the elements of speech that they learned in class.

“It provides an excellent opportunity for students to showcase the oratory skills they learned in the public speaking course,” Silver

Surf the internet waves on these Surface Pros

Library offers tech program that rents out academic tools for student success

said. “They will be judged on their delivery, organization, content and speaking style.”

According to Silver, after students have gone through the first round, the top five from each category will move on to the final round in The Great Hall, where they will present their speeches to three judges, their family, friends and other students.

Silver said that the judges for the final round are CSUN’s executive director of speech and debate John Kephart, former Pierce student and speech and debate coach Michelle Brownlee and Pierce College communication studies professor Jennifer Rosenberg.

Silver also said that in the past, many guests have attended the tournament.

“Hundreds of people come to watch,” Silver said. “We’ve had around 300 people attend in the past.”

One of Anderson’s public speaking students Ben Braunstein is competing in the persuasive category at the tournament with a speech about the importance of shop skills. He said in a phone interview that this is his first speech competition.

“I decided to compete because I’m a teacher by profession, and I enjoy the subject that I’m speaking about,” Braunstein said.

He also said that he looks forward to explaining his passion to the judges and to other students, but he’s nervous because contestants aren’t allowed to use technology in their presentations as visual aides.

“I use PowerPoint a lot, so it makes me a little nervous that we’re not allowed to use it in our speeches,” Braunstein said. “It’s a great resource for speeches, but I have to come up with something else.”

According to Anderson, the no-tech rule was established to encourage students to get creative with their presentations.

“Speeches are the vehicle of social change,” Anderson said. “It’s much more than just a field of study.”

ZACK ROME Reporter @datzackrome

The Library / Learning Crossroads is open Monday through Thursday until 7:30 p.m., but for students, schoolwork does not always end at the close of campus.

The library has instituted a program that will allow all currently enrolled students the opportunity to check out a Surface Pro personal tablet for their school work.

The tablets were originally offered to students in need of financial support, in Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOP&S), and veterans who didn’t have the access or means to obtain personal devices for school, according to Librarian Clay Gediman.

“Now, we are expanding the program to anybody at this point in the semester, especially with finals coming up,” Gediman said. “We

Umoja, unity in practice

KARISSA PRECIADO Reporter @karissapreciado

Umoja is the name of a new program that will be offered on campus beginning this summer and will focus on black students’ development.

Adjunct counselor Melody Smith said that the Umoja community is a statewide initiative that has been around for 10 years and is based similarly to other 30-year-old programs. According to Smith, El Camino College has had Project Success, an older program, on their campus.

feel like this would be a good time to open it up to all students.”

The library is offering Surface Pro 3s and 4s, tablets made by Microsoft with a removable keyboard and the capability of a normal laptop.

“It’s more portable than a full laptop, which tends to be bigger, bulkier and harder to configure,” Gediman said.

To check out a Surface Pro from the library, students need to have a school ID and fill out a contract saying they will replace the device if it is damaged.

“If a Pro is damaged it’s about $1500 to replace it. There is a responsibility to checking these things out,” Gediman said. “But what they can do is check these out for a month at a time, at the end of the month bring it in, and we can renew it for another month. This way it helps students keep track.”

Gediman said that the school decided to offer the program to all students so that they would be able to do homework after library and campus hours.

“We noticed that students come

The whole state initiative is based on programs similar to these that have been successful.

Dean of Student Success Kalynda Mclean said that the process of bringing this program to Pierce was challenging, but very rewarding.

According to Mclean, the lead for this effort, began the process with the Student Equity Task Force, who identified a few different equity efforts that they wanted to pursue as a college.

“It is a bit of challenge just because it is a statewide program, and we are adopting it to a statewide network of programs, in addition to launching a brand new program here at the college,” Mclean said.

When Smith obtained her degree from graduate school, she did not know about these programs, but she said she was immediately amazed.

“When I learned about that, I became so excited about it,” Smith

to the library to do their homework, and that is fine, but a lot of the other students have no other place to do their homework,” Gediman said. “This program creates a little bit more flexibility for the student, and they are just not limited to what our library hours are.”

Library Department Chair Paula Paggi said she is excited to offer this program to all students because it demonstrates how useful libraries continue to be the digital age. “We are really excited about this program. We are not just a building. The library’s focus is to help you succeed and support you in your studies and classes,” Paggi said.

According to Paggi, the idea for this program didn’t happen all of the sudden.

“The whole idea of getting tablets in general has been floating as conversation for a number a years. We were just worried about funding,” Paggi said. “Distance Education and EOP&S had purchased 30 Surface Pros for veterans and low income students,

said. “In your normal history class you do study a little about African American history, but not too much. With this program, you can really go into it, and students will be able to learn more about their history and really get a sense of pride.”

Smith said she loves being a counselor for Umoja and is ready to help black students realize their dreams.

“I’m really excited to have the students build the different skill sets that are necessary to be successful in college, but they are also learning about themselves and making those connections,” Smith said. “Sometimes, it is really about creating a sense of community for not just the students, but the faculty involved, the counselors involved and for everyone involved.”

According to Smith, the goal for the program is to help students transfer, obtain an associate’s degree

but they were having a hard time trying to manage that. They turned to the library. We catalog and check things out.”

Chia Lee, a pre-veterinary student at Pierce, visits the library to do homework or study with classmates.

“I think this program is very good because some students have financial difficulties, but some students also don’t have the convenience of their own devices,” Lee said. “I know some people that go to the computer lab here because they just don’t have access to a computer.”

According to Gediman, the library will release the Surface Pros in increments because they are unsure of the demand for the tablets.

“We are going to see how popular these turn out and scale it up from that point. Hopefully, this makes college a little bit easier for students. We are trying to take out the stress of not knowing where to do your homework," Gediman said.

zrome.roundupnews@gmail.com

by providing the necessary support whether it’s financial, social or educational.

“The end goal is to really give them the tools to be educationally successful to accomplish whatever their goal is,” Smith said.

Chairman of the History, Philosophy and Sociology (HiPS) Department James McKeever, who will be teaching Sociology 11 as one of the learning community courses, said that Umoja is a great program. McKeever was involved with the pre-Umoja program when he as was an adjunct at Los Angeles Valley College.

“I think we do need to address the graduation rates of African American and Latino students because they are the lowest graduation rates,” McKeever said. “I think this is the program that will really help do that.” kpreciado.roundupnews@gmail.com

Brahmas of the Semester

TommyWilson RHP 44

Name: Tommy Wilson Baseball

Conference - South in ERA and strikeouts.

A bounce back from St. Mary’s College, he moves on to Cal Sate Fullerton next season.

Name: Brandon White Men’s Basketball

Thesophomorewingmanreceived all-conferenceaccoladesforthe whileWesternStateConference-South, scoringleadingtheBrahmasin fortheseason.

BernardoRoese SETTER 14

Name: Bernardo Roese Volleyball

Women’s Basketball

One-meterdivingcompetiton3rd136.90

Women’s200-yardbutterfly3rd2:49.74

400-yardfreestylerelay2nd4:21.57

400-yardmedleyrelay2nd4:45.62

WSCSoCalDivingChampionships4/14and4/15

DayDay1One-meter3rd153.65

2Three-meter4th119.15

200-yardfreerelay1:50.53

WSCSwimmingChampionships4/20-4/22

400-yardfreerelay4:36.40

CCCAAStateChampionships5/4and5/5

Women’s200-yardfly2:46.23

Softball

For the second season in a row Tupper threw every pitch for the Brahmas.

Shorly

Volleyball

Position: Head Coach Season: 7

Conf. Record: 5-1

Overall Record: 13-6

Final Ranking: 7th (Ca) WSC-North Champions

Western State Conference - North Coach of the Year, his second time receiving the award in the past four seasons.

StephanieRodriguez

Lance Walker HC

follwing the end of the season, Tupper passed away due to a heart attack.

Madison Tupper RHP

Brandon White SG/SF

HENI ABASSI Reporter @henisirichi

The Brahmas’ swim and dive season ended with three divers moving on to compete at the state championships at East LA in a year that saw huge improvement from both swimmers and divers.

Swim coach Judi Terhar reflects on the season and mentions the hard work and dedication that each athlete gave this season.

“Swimming is a rigorous sport. It is not for the lazy or the person who wants to dabble in sports,” Terhar said. “The swimmers this year were not the fastest we have ever coached, but they were hardworking, enjoyed each other’s company, and showed up daily.”

The goal for the team this year was to place swimmers in events in which they could score at conference by being in the top 16. The big finals are for the teams that finish in positions one through eight.

The consolation finals are for those that place nine through 16

Swim & Dive

in the standings. Then, for the very elite, the top 16 in California go to the state championships.

This year, the team had three male divers and two female divers. Three of the five divers made it to the state championships.

Stephanie Rodriguez’s stats for this season include finishing third in the one-meter diving competition, fourth in the three-meter, and ninth in the 200-meter butterfly.

Gerryleo Sarmiento’s finishes include placing 10th in the 200-yard butterfly, 12th in the 1650-yard freestyle and 15th in the 500-yard event.

“I felt that we had a really great season. Even though the swimmers did not make it to state championships, we all beat our personal records. We have all improved, and that is all what we want to keep growing as athletes,” Sarmiento said.

Freshman Lily Pang’s performances include finishing 13th in the 200-yard butterfly, 14th in the 100yard, and second alternate in

Season Preview:

Football season is approaching which means new faces both on the field and on the sideline. This year, the Brahmas think they have the right mix of staff and players to make an improvement from last year’s 1-9 season.

“We’re still in a rebuilding phase because of our ability to usher players out to the next level,” Head Coach Jason Sabolic said. “It's always interesting to see how next year's group plays, and with

the 200 individual medley.

Shaina Casey’s best finishes this season include placing seventh in the 100-yard breaststrokes and ninth in the 200-yard event. In the men’s team, Jose Lamas originally started out at Valley College. He decided to come to Pierce because his mom died in his first year of college.

Season Review:

200-yard fly, but was disqualified.

Ahmedjibreel Zavhar, who competed at state, enjoyed being with his teammates, and said it was an honor for him to make it to the big stage with two of his fellow divers.

“Try something new if you’d like. I always enjoyed watching the divers at Pierce, and all it took was one question, couple months of practice, and having fun, until I eventually made it to state with my awesome teammates,”

Zavhar said. “As cheesy as it is, I guess you will never know unless you try. Now I couldn’t be happier with this decision of just trying something new.”

Tennis

DANIELLE KIMBLE Reporter @thereal_joi

The tennis team saw improvement from one year ago when they finished 0-11. This season, they finished with an overall record of 3-8.

Long Dao, head coach, said that every year he looks to improve the team’s wins.

“This year, the team did better than last year. That’s something that I always look for, that we progress a little bit more and become a little bit more successful each year,” Dao said.

to week without any rest so that’s always a difficult thing,” Dao said.

Although the team didn’t have an excess amount of players playing this season, Giovane Octaviano and Johnny Barcohana managed to make it to the state tournaments in Ojai California, bringing the team’s conference win record to 2-6.

Bob Lofrano, athletic director, said that the team had a rather productive year by making it to the championship.

Lamas’s season includes placing eighth in the 1650yard freestyle, ninth in the 400 individual medley, and 13th in the 500 free. He smashed his times and reached all his goals.

Thaddeus Adams’ performance this year includes finishing eighth in the 100-yard butterfly and 10th in the 500-yard freestyle. He would have placed ninth in the

The team is going to lose a few of their players because most of the team was there last year and are moving on.

“This was my last season on the swim team, and I want to just to say that I am very proud of our team for not giving up and staying positive throughout it all. Remember, that pain is temporary, but pride is forever,” Sarmiento said.

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The tennis team had a total of eight players this season. Although this is slightly above the six player minimum required for the tennis team, this left little time for the players to rest.

“I would like to see around 10 to 12 players so that we have extra guys so some of our top guys can rest during the season. It’s always rough if the same six to seven people play, because it’s no way for me to rest them throughout the season. They keep having to grind from week

Football: gridiron goals

our recruiting efforts this year, we feel that we should be in a pretty good situation. We’re pretty excited, looking forward to it.”

Assistant Coach Blake Word sees improvement in the team’s makeup already, despite it being so early in preseason preparation.

“I see us making bigger strides than we did last year,” Word said. “I feel like we have a better coaching staff and a better nucleus of players.”

In preparation, the players have been in the weight room everyday stretching and getting stronger, as well as doing a lot of individual drills on the field with position coaches.

“I’m on the field everyday working with the receivers and getting bigger in the weight room,” quarterback Jonathan Saavedra said. “One thing I’d like to focus on more is reading defenses. Understanding coverages and knowing where the weaknesses are, so that's one thing I've been trying to fine tune in my game.”

Although they don’t have fulltime staff this year, Sabolic thinks the players will do well this season.

“We’re really trying to be in a good position this year to win some football games, and we're really excited to see where our

efforts lie and the hard work that we put in,” Sabolic said. “We’re doing well by kids and making sure these players move on from this school onto the next level.”

Los Angeles Valley College is the school the Brahmas look forward to playing every season. “Valley College is our big rival, so that one game is always circled on our schedule,” Sabolic said. Some other schools on the Brahmas’ schedule are Allan Hancock College, Antelope Valley College, Moorpark College, Southwestern College and San Diego Mesa College.

The Brahmas will open fall camp on August 11, which will give a better indication of how many players they’ll have and how well they’ll perform.

“Everybody's been down on us because we were 1 and 9, and not a lot of people think we’ll be any good this season,” Saavedra said. “I’d just like to say watch out for us because 1 and 9 is for sure not happening this year.”

The first game of the season will be on Friday, September 2, at Moorpark College.

“They had a successful year; they were good. They went out and competed every time. A couple of them advanced to the state championship last weekend in Ojai, so when you get that, that’s good. The players are playing well,” Lofrano said.

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MONICA GARCIA Reporter @monicagcalde

“Remember, that pain is temporary, but pride is forever,”

- Gerryleo Sarmiento Swimmer