School security shakeup
See page 4
Music student dies
See page 4
See page 6
Film student goes viral
See page 11
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Policy: Letters and guest columns for or against any position are invited. Letters should be kept as brief as possible (300 words or less) and are subject to editing. Letters must be signed and include a valid mailing address and telephone number. Pseudonyms or initials will not be used, but names may be withheld upon request and approval of the Editorial Board. The Roundup publishes “Letters to the Editor” that are not obscene or libelous and do not contain racial denigration. Writers are given the opportunity to revise unacceptable letters. The Pierce College Roundup will not publish, as letters, literary endeavors, publicity releases, poetry or other such materials as the Editorial Board deems not to be a letter. The deadline is 11:59 p.m. the Sunday prior to the issue date.
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As COVID-19 impacts students, there still is a divide between those who have access to computers and software and those who don’t.
Students need internet access to complete their school work and continue their education, but some can’t afford it.
Pierce offered curbside pickup for Chromebooks and Surface Pros in spring, but the orders were delayed, affecting many students.
Pierce should continue these services for as long as campus is closed.
According to USAFacts, “4.4 million household children don’t have consistent access to computers for online learning during the pandemic.”
The pandemic made it difficult for students to stay motivated, and many have given up on academic success. Combined with missing social activities such as prom, stress and depression are on the rise.
“More than half the students who responded to the survey said they’re
in need of mental health support since the school closures began in mid-March,” according to a story by EdSource. “That includes 22% who said they were receiving some kind of support before the closures but now have limited or no access to those services and an additional 32% who said their mental health needs have arisen since schools closed.”
According to the LA Times, “More than 32,000 students withdrew from
classes in spring 2020, compared with about 27,000 in spring 2019 — a 17% increase.”
Pierce should continue to actively remedy accessibility issues for their students. The results would lead to better academic success and mental health for their student body. As long as students are unable to come to campus, student mental health likely will continue to deteriorate.
BY TALEEN KEUROGHLIANStudents are beginning to grow restless and apathetic toward school.
Online education, although helpful during these odd times, is difficult for many college students to learn through. Like myself, many students feel this past semester was composed of mainly busy work.
Aside from interactive classes, where participation is required, a number of lecture classes simply consist of random assignments and short lectures once a week.
It is important to keep the dialogue open between students and teachers.
Because it is unknown how much longer lockdown will last, it is imperative to create a system for future semesters where professors and students are working together and can help one another.
Illustration by Cathy PiaWith the holidays here, and colleges are vacant due to COVID-19, it is time to consider how Pierce College can aid homeless communities in the area. Pierce has been vacant since March making it the perfect place to host a food drive or simply distribute food to the less fortunate.
It is understandable that some individuals have concerns regarding safety, as we are still in the middle of a pandemic.
While distributing the food, students will be masked and socially distanced and everything would take place outdoors in order to ensure everyone’s safety.
The University of Vermont had similar safety concerns when they began feeding neighboring homeless communities, however, they have been “wearing masks and gloves, [and] the group gives out individually-
packaged meals from a downtown parking garage,” which is overall safe for those involved.
In April, Hampshire College opened their residence hall as a temporary homeless shelter for those recovering from coronavirus.
Various other colleges have managed to lend the less fortunate a helping hand and out their empty campus to great use.
Pierce could potentially host food drives, allowing people to donate food and clothes while getting a chance to help out in their community.
EdSource reveals that “California’s escalating cost of living has led to a 48% surge in the state’s homeless student population,” meaning some of Pierce’s own students may be facing or is homelessness.
Joseph Bishop, the director of UCLA’s Center for the Transformation of Schools, said, “We
knew the numbers would be up, but we were surprised at the scope and severity of the crisis.”
Pierce has the chance to lend a hand to so many individuals in need, as this pandemic has left thousands without jobs, money for rent, or even virus resources.
Organizing events to feed the less fortunate will not only not only motivate Pierce students to want to better their community, but it may very well help out our own struggling students.
According to a Gund Graduate Fellow, from the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, “gathering and contact is normally one of the most important parts of sharing food, so it’s objectively less fun to share food right now … but it’s objectively more important.”
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TheCOVID-19 pandemic has been stressful and isolating for a lot of people, and the holidays can be an opportunity to reconnect with friends and family.
However, the Los Angeles Times reports that there is an alarming pattern of rising COVID-19 cases.
A new record breaks almost every day and Gov. Gavin Newsom said Southern California is projecting to reach intensive care unit capacity by late December if cases continue to grow.
Los Angeles County reported Dec. 6 COVID-19 cases at more than 10,500, and while people in their
50s and older are at higher risk, the disease impacts people of all ages.
This holiday season, instead of traveling and meeting with people outside of their households, people should consider alternative ways to reduce the spread of COVID-19 to keep families, friends and communities safe and healthy.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention create guidelines that people can follow to modify their holiday plans.
One tip is to avoid activities that are at higher risk and find alternatives.
For example, people can limit small gatherings to one household.
Another guideline is that people can still celebrate with their loved ones virtually. There are fun, unique ways, including secret Santa, Christmas costume contests and sharing a Christmas family tradition, as well as holding holiday themed virtual parties that can be a blast for everyone.
In the spirit of kindness and warmth that the holidays bring, everyone should be mindful of the choices they make and the impact they could have on others around them.
Students are also experiencing a wave of anxiety during Zoom classes, whether that is from being indoors so often or feeling like everyone is staring at them when their camera is on.
As education remains online next semester, many students are opting to travel for a few months and bring school with them.
Some students are also choosing to take a semester off, seeing as some fields like sports, medicine and science require hands on learning.
Many students do not have the luxury of good internet service or a quiet place to work from, which has made this past semester a challenge and next semester intimidating. Some simply cannot focus in an environment surrounded by temptation, such as phones and video games.
Quarantine has been a lonely time for college students whose days typically revolve around socializing and being with peers, but maybe this was the exact push they needed to pay their passions some attention.
When students do return to campus, they will have been gone roughly 18 months and will most likely see school in a brand new light.
On the bright side, college students are being given an extra semester to focus on personal hobbies and discover new talents. A number of students have begun producing music in recent months. Artists have also had the time to create paintings, which they may not have gotten to before.
This year, the NagornoKarabakh conflict has cost lives, and action needs to happen now before it can get any worse.
The Nagorno-Karabakh territorial conflict happened in mid-September. NagornoKarabakh, which is a part of Azerbaijan, has been severely targeted by and at least a thousand people have died according to dw.com.
The conflict over territory is something that should be dealt maturely and calmly. It should not be necessary to lose lives over something as simple as land, and I believe that the nations’ leaders should handle the dispute less violently.
It’s important to keep the lives of the people who inhabit the land into consideration. Violence and war should always be a last resort. If there’s any other ways to resolve the problem, I would hope those options would be looked into instead.
In addition to the fact that people are dying, it’s also detrimental to the country itself and its society. Especially with how everything is being handled now, I don't see anything good happening as a result of the situation, and as I read the news I hear nothing but death and war.
I just hope that the conflict resolved soon enough and that it happens in the most positive way possible.
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TheUnited States has hit a devastating milestone in eight months – 250,000 deaths – while a key coronavirus model is estimating nearly 400,000 deaths by February.
It took only six days to see the surge of positive cases increase from 10 to 11 million, and the number of cases keeps rising.
This staggering number of cases and deaths demands the enforcement of a national mask mandate, and possibly a national lockdown or mandatory curfew led by state governors to slow down the spread of the virus.
The question is, what is the country waiting for?
COVID-19 cases are on the steep uptick, and Nov. 19 is on record the deadliest day with 1,912 deaths since the pandemic began in March.
Hundreds of thousands of COVID-19 cases reported almost daily, and hospitalizations throughout the country are through the roof.
There seems to be no relief in near sight for healthcare workers, and the physical and emotional strain is taking a toll on them. Some have even resorted to go on social media to plead the public to take the pandemic more seriously and wear a mask whenever they’re out.
President-elect Joe Biden agreed that certain states must resort to closing down the hardest hit towns to alleviate the pressure on the overrun hospitals, the lack of resources and the shortage of healthcare providers.
Even as several successful vaccines have been announced
in the last few weeks by different American laboratories with 90-95% effectiveness, the access to these vaccines will face genuine logistical challenges for distribution among Americans.
Scientists and doctors have announced “a dark winter” indicating that it will get worse, more cases and more deaths, as the pandemic continues to go on.
Sadly, the politicization of the pandemic as a “hoax” is the reason for the divide between Americans to follow protocols to protect each other. Without full cooperation, the pandemic will continue to spread, and more people will die.
Seemingly, some of the pandemic deniers fail to understand how the virus transmits, and why a mask is so effective in preventing the transmission.
Wearing a mask blocks the inhalation of the infectious aerosols in the air and protects the mask wearer from catching the virus in closed spaces.
According to Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, the safest practice during these holidays is to have virtual gatherings.
By closing states, wearing a mask and following CDC guidelines, we can slow down the spread of the virus, protect each other and save lives.
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"Idon'treallythinkImiss anythingbecausewe're outdoorshereandweget toworkwithpeople.Even thougheverybodyiswearing amask,youstillgettointeract withpeople.Wearearound Christmastrees.Soitfeels alotliketheholidaysright now.Youcan'treallygoout tocertainplaces,liketheway youusedto,likemoviesand otherthings.Idon'tmindittoo much,becauseit'sallforthe sakeofsafety.”
-OscarRodriguez
WHAT IS YOUR NEW YEARS RESOLUTION?
"Mostlyjustseeingmyfriends, Idon'thaveabigfamilyhere. It'salwaysjustbeenme,my siblings,andmymom.ButI domissgoingout,seeingmy friends.It'stoughseeingthem now.Thenumberonething wouldbejustbeingcloseto people.”
- Arturo Gomez BY SAMANTHA NEFFAs the holidays approach, people are starting to plan their family gatherings to celebrate and spend time together.
Many who are concerned for themselves and their loved ones believe that one of the ways to keep everyone safe is by reclosing the states, but this is not a guarantee.
California first placed a Safer at Home order on March 20 earlier this year. Non-essential businesses shut down and the public was ordered to only come in contact with members in their household.
According to Pew Research Center, during this time 15% of adults in America reported that they were laid off or lost their jobs.
The study also showed that lower income adults are more likely to remain unemployed than upper or middle income adults.
Reclosing the states and enforcing another Safer at Home order would lead to more job losses.
This would be difficult for people during the holidays when they are trying to buy gifts for their loved ones.
It's already hard for many to afford to put food on the table and there is no promise that another lock down will even work.
According to an article published by Healthline, the United States didn’t enforce a national Safer at Home order and many states, such as South Dakota, didn’t create any kind of
guidance on quarantines.
Healthline also published in their article that experts said it’s unlikely that there would be a full blown second lockdown in America no matter how high the cases got because the country cannot afford it politically or economically.
Just as the vaccine is not expected to immediately end the pandemic, neither is a Safer at Home order.
Reclosing the states could potentially mean that people are safer by not being allowed to attend unnecessary events, but it doesn’t mean that the virus won’t continue to spread rapidly through this winter.
The most efficient way for people to stay safe is by choosing not to attend large gatherings, wearing proper personal protective equipment and social distancing.
"Iwouldn'tsayI'msettingup any,becauseI'mnotaperson wholikestobeveryconfident inmyresolutions.Ikindoftake itdaybyday.Andsofarithas beengoingverywell.Ijust hopethateverythingstartsto getbetterafterthisyear."
- Adrian Cortes"Ihavefoundthatnewyear's resolutionsdon'talwayswork becauseformostpeoplethey kindofjustgooutthewindow afteramonthorso.So,Iam resolvedtojustmakeeach daythatIlivebetterthanthe last.Mygoals,however,areto finishgradschool.”
-JuliaMayWong
sneff.roundupnews@gmail.com
"Idon'treallydonewyearʼs resolutionsduetohowI neverpayattentiontothem andneverseethemasworth much.Forme,Ineedtobuild uponthesmallthingsfirstas Iworktowardthebiggoal, becauseifIfocustoomuchon themainthing,thenI'llendup gettingoverwhelmedbythe dauntinessofitandquitearly duetohowdifficultitwould seem.”
- Caelan Caukin
"Beingabletogooutand dowhateveryouwanttodo. Yougottothinkaboutthings beforeyoudothem.Youknow, youcanʼtgoouttorestaurants, youcanʼtgoouttomovies, yougottoplanaheadand holidays.Youwanttobewith lotsofpeoplethisway.You gottofigureouthowtohave agoodtimewiththepeople thatarearoundyou.”
"Iamdefinitelymissing companionshipfromother peoplebecausewearenot aroundeverybodyallthetime. Youhavetokeepeverybody atarmʼslength,likewhat youaredoingnow.Sojust companionship,thatwhatIam missingalot."
- Justice Tarver- Gregg Canes
"Tryingtomakethebestof everydayandwaitingfora goodfreshstart.”
- Yvette Perez
"Iusuallygoandhavealarge familygatheringwhichIdon't thinkisgoingtohappenthis year.I'malsogoingtomissjust goingoutinpublicandbeing abletobeclosetopeople.I've beenmissingthatallyear,butI feellikearoundtheholidays,it willbeparticularlydifficult.”
- Julian Rawlinson
Campus will remain closed to most people during spring, but access, services and security remain a concern to faculty and administration.
Academic Senate President Barbara Anderson spoke at the Dec. 7 Academic Senate meeting on Zoom about how Pierce College, along with the other schools in the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD), are working on improving Wi-Fi accessibility for students.
“The hope is that during winter we will pilot the program of having students pull into the parking lot and be able to access the Wi-Fi here on campus,” Anderson said. “Then we could have it available again in the spring, as long as we're in this remote situation.”
According to Anderson, Parking Lot 6 will eventually be open for students who need Wi-Fi.
Director of the Student Health Center
Beth Benne said Parking Lot 7 could also find another use, such as a COVID-19 testing site.
“We have a pending contract that we hope will be coming through with LA City Fire who wants to set up Covid testing in lot 7, flu vaccines in lot 7, with the ultimate hope that we will have Covid vaccines in lot 7,” Benne said.
Anderson also mentioned how the sheriff's contract is ending on Dec. 31 and that the district is looking at other options.
“Now the district is working on a contract with another company, a six month contract,” Anderson said. “They’ll put out a request for the proposal, and it will be a public bidding process. It’s an opportunity for Pierce, with James McKeever as our faculty rep, to re-envision security on campus.”
Associate Professor of Auto Service Tech Alex Villalta teaches automotive/engineering classes on campus and is concerned about the absence of security and what will be put in place.
“Honestly I feel that we just want a little more transparency,” Villalta said. “It’s alarming not knowing or just thinking of the absence of the sheriff. I feel a little scared to be in a campus without the appropriate personnel.”
BY SHEHREEN KARIM
The Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) will terminate its contract with Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) after failure to reach mutually agreeable terms.
According to the Sheriff’s department press release “LACCD does not want armed law enforcement personnel” on its nine college campuses.
LACCD Chancellor Francisco C. Rodriguez wrote in a press release that they were unable to reach agreeable terms for a “short (six-month) or longer-term contract, in light of the current COVID-19 environment.”
The contract is set to end on Dec. 31 but Pierce College President Alexis Montevirgen said that in the meantime on campus deputies will continue to provide the same level of service they have been providing for us until the contract sunsets.
“What I do know is that contingency plans are being made so that's why there is a lack of information being put out there,” Montevirgen said. “I can assure you as a college president that the district is preparing contingency plans to ensure that we can have public safety measures in place as soon as Jan. 1.”
But, some faculty at Pierce disagree on what policing on campus should look like.
Academic Senate President Barbara Anderson explained that the faculty aren’t unified in whether the new law enforcement or security should be armed.
“Sometimes, there are some things where all faculty feel very similarly about an issue, this might be one of those issues where there's mixed feelings about it,” Anderson said.
Sociology Professor James McKeever, a former probation officer in a juvenile hall, said that Pierce should implement community policing to create a relationship of trust between students and campus police.
“Community policing is when you walk the campus and introduce yourself to the students and get to know the students' names,” McKeever said. “Make them feel welcomed so that they can trust you because when something does happen, they trust police officers and go to police officers.”
McKeever said that there were moments on campus where the deputies were “too heavy handed in handling certain issues.” He said that there were complaints of sheriff deputies driving their vehicles down Brahma Drive even though they are supposed to be walking unless there is an immediate emergency.
“Whoever gets this next contract, we need community policing. We need a police department that makes the students and faculty feel safe. For me a Black man, I don't feel safe around armed police officers. I have had guns pulled on me twice, never by gangsters but twice by police and I never even received a ticket. We want people who specialize in de-
escalations.”
McKeever explained that community policing can like those videos of police officers playing basketball with the community because it builds a relationship of trust.
Anderson said that whoever becomes in charge of policing the campus also takes an active involvement with the students on campus.
“I would like people that participate in our community that aren’t just there for their shift,” Anderson said. “When we go to a sporting event, it's not just some faculty members, and some parents watching it, but you also see security that aren't on duty. I would love to see those people in the stands rooting for our students and stopping by football practice, and being familiar with what we are about as a community college.”
Anderson said while she does want campus police to create a positive environment, she also wants
to ensure that campus police can deescalate a situation if the time comes.
Computer Applications professor Joseph Perret said that having a small private security has its concerns.
He explained that private security won't be as motivated as LASD because there is a lack of opportunity for promotions. He added that if private security officers on campus get sick, there are concerns if they are able to backfill easily compared to LASD’s large staff on duty.
“With a small force, it’s going to be difficult having unarmed officers that doesn't provide us with the security that we need, especially in today's environment of terrorist threats,” Perret said.
Professor of Administration of Justice Thomas Anderson, married to Barbara Anderson, thought that it's “unfortunate” that the contract will end in December because he said that LASD provides more legal services than a regular security company.
Thomas Anderson added that LASD
has more resources that Pierce College won’t get with a private security company.
“I rather have some law enforcement agency on here with the powers of arrest and the powers of the extra resources in their hands,” Thomas Anderson said.
When Pierce decides what campus policing will look like, Barabara Anderson wants that decision to be collaborative with everyone in the campus community.
“I'm hopeful that when they look at what security will look like in the future, I'm hoping that they'll include a lot of voices including student voices, faculty voices, and members of the campus community, the staff, the administrators, and that they kind of take all of that into consideration when they're designing what should work for Pierce College,” Barbara Anderson said.
Pierce College student Alvin Supattarakorn would try to get his hands on most instruments within reach. He even kept a mini keyboard in his car and would play it until he drained the batteries.
The keyboard is silent now.
Supattarakorn,who majored in music at Pierce College and played tenor in choir, died by cardiac arrest Nov. 3. He was 20.
Alvin could never get enough of music. It “poured out of his veins,” said choral and music professor Garineh Avakian. However, Alvin didn't start off as a trained musician,Avakian said. Instead,his love formed during his many sessions of Guitar Hero.
He’d always play long hours on that game with his brothers. It’s what led him to try a real guitar and borrow his brother Kenny Supattarakorn’s piano in middle school.
But Alvin avidly played the piano so much that Kenny never got the piano back. He eventually started singing, too.
“Every night, like real late at night, when I shouldn't be hearing anything, I just hear him singing at the top of his lungs in his room, not really giving a damn,” Kenny said.
Kat Mena, his friend since high school, said it was tradition for her and Alvin to drive down to Guitar Center afterschool to rent out a booth for hours to jam.
Alvin brought music into everyone’s life, Liz Lopez said. Lopez, Alvin’s friend since high school, said he would make playlists for all of his friends specifically tailored to their music tastes and would play them when they entered his car.
Alvin was not only known for his passion for music but his
selflessness for friends and anyone he came across, his best friend since highschool Bobby Hitt said. He would always make sure all of his friends were okay and happy and keep up with everyone,” Hitt said.
To Hitt, his “bromance” with Alvin was like no other. They became inseparable after the two liked the same girl and their bond only grew stronger after they jokingly ran for cutest couple in highschool and unexpectedly won.
“Guys don't usually say I love you to each other,” Hitt said.”But he would always tell me I love you, bro and I could tell that he meant it.”
When Mena needed a car for her driver’s test at the DMV and was worried she wouldn't be able to get one in time, Alvin stepped up, Mena recalled. He not only let her use his car to take the test but also showed her the DMV route the day before to make sure she had the confidence she needed to pass the test.
“I literally bawled my eyes out because I never had a friend that was so willing to help me in that way when I needed it,” Mena said. “Alvin’s actions speak louder than words and he proved true to that saying.”
Alvin’s empathy also transferred over to choir. In choir, Alvin would clap and snap for anyone who was performing, professor Avakian said.
“He was close with everybody; he didn't have any specific cliques,” Avakian said. “When he saw someone in agony or full of anxiety, he would just go and sit next to them. It's almost like he had been there, and he was just consoling everyone.”
Even though at times Alvin would sing the wrong notes, his singing was effortlessness.
“Every time he sang he would just draw me in,” Avakian said. “And therefore, all of the technical things
that I could have helped him on, as a instructor, would just go out the window because his delivery was so pure.”
Hitt and Lopez spontaneously tattooed Alvin’s initials with the letter “A” and a treble clef that looks like an “S” three days after Alvin passed.To them, the tattoo best defines him and his love for music.
“Every time I look at it it just reminds me of him, and honestly I don't think I'll stop thinking about him,” Hitt said.
The spontaneous act of getting the tattoo resembles the day Alvin got the same treble clef tattoo with Lopez. The friend group feels Alvin is still here, spiritually.
The day after Alvin died, his brothers Max and Kenny received a call at 3 a.m from their distant cousin Sandy,who was receiving messages from him but didn't know he had died, telling them that Alvin was there in spirit with her.
She learned the news from a facebook post and called Kenny.
“He has a message to tell you,”Max and Kenny recalled her telling them.”
She said Alvin told her he was sorry for missing all of Max’s basketball games and wanted Kenny to take care of his car.
“I was able to sleep that night,” Kenny said.“I woke up the next day happy to know he's still around somehow.”
Alvin’s funeral was held on Nov. 30 at Hollywood Forever Cemetery with his immediate family and friends.
Alvin Supattarakorn is survived by his brothers Kenny and Max Supattarakorn, his mother Watcharin “Nokie” Supattarakorn,and his father Supat “Pat” Supattarakorn.
Photo courtesy of Kenny Supattarakorn. Alvin Supattarakorn. File photo by Chelsea Westman. LASD Security officer Pineda stands with two sheriff's cars in the parking lot near the Music Department Building at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on March 27, 2019.Some Pierce College’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs continue in-person instruction on campus despite the COVID-19 pandemic, including veterinary technology, automotive service technology and welding.
Alex Villalta, an automotive technology professor at Pierce, said in a Zoom interview that it was essential for some of the CTE programs to continue in person because of their hands-on requirements.
“The analogy I love to use is having the perfect swimming instructor try to teach someone how to swim over Zoom,” Villalta said. “He could be the perfect instructor and the student could be the best ‘A’ student but without having a pool or the buoyancy, you’re not going to know how to swim right.”
Villalta said that everyone is working hard to enforce proper safety procedures including social distancing, frequently sanitizing and limiting the class capacity. According to Villalta, the automotive classes were split into two smaller groups of around 10 students when normally a class size is around 35 students.
Villalta also said though safety was and continues to be a main concern, the staff and students feel lucky to be able to continue their training in-person.
Engineering Professor Elizabeth Cheung is one of the CTE professors who had to convert her classes online. Cheung said in a phone interview that she’s seen some of the challenges students have had to face since the online transitions.
“Some computer-aided design classes that require software won’t work with the Chromebook,” Cheung said. “A challenge that I’ve seen my students face is just the ability to have access to what they need to complete the class.”
Cheung said that it would be almost impossible to learn some of the CTE skills without any hands-on training.
“Nobody would consider somebody qualified to weld if
they haven’t actually welded, and people don’t have their own welding equipment at home to be able to do that remotely,” Cheung said. “I feel that it’s very important for these classes to be conducted in person.”
Julia Melero, who studies AC and Heating at Pierce, said in a phone interview that the new safety measures put into place feels bittersweet.
“Mostly everything is online and they had to split the classes into two,” Melero said. “In a way, it’s challenging, but it felt good to have smaller classes. It’s more intimate”
Melero said that she receives half of her lectures online and receives the other half in-person every other week. Because of this gap, Melero said that sometimes it feels a bit overwhelming.
“Going in every other week instead of two times a week, I feel like it’s stripping all of my handson training experience because they cover a lot in one class,” Melero said.
Jennifer Adelini, director of Registered Veterinary Technology, said in a Zoom interview that shifting the vet tech program online has been a struggle for her.
“It’s just been very stressful,” Adelini said. “We obviously have the material that we use, but you know, converting that into an online platform is a lot more work than you think.”
Similar to welding and engineering, vet tech courses require many hands-on labs that can be helpful to a student's understanding of the material taught in class.
The program created a new learning schedule to adapt to the conditions of COVID-19.
“We initially changed our scheduling so that we would offer all of our lectures this semester,” Adelini said. “We were anticipating that we would then be able to move all of our labs to the spring. All the students are online for the lecture portion, and then next semester is the lab portion.”
Adelini said in-person labs are critical for the courses, specifically because students are required to be assessed in person.
Pierce Academic Senate President Barbara Anderson said the
district has been dedicating much work toward making the environment as safe as possible for students by creating four COVID-19 response teams.
Team A is responsible for making sure the campus is safe for students and faculty. This includes designing entrances and exits, setting up PPE and ensuring proper protocol.
Anderson’s team, Team C, also known as academic integrity, aims
to make quality courses available to students.
Anderson said how there has been different approaches toward going back on campus.
“Some departments said we’re going to front load all the lecture aspects of this program,” Anderson said. “And then people are just going to do hands-on and other components of this program later.”
Pierce College President Alexis
It's a couple of minutes before midnight as Pierce College student Khushi Bhasin patiently waits in front of her computer screen. Her heart is beating a bit faster than it does normally. She's hoping to get an appointment with a counselor.
“It’s really hard to get a hold of honors counselors online because there’s basically only one, or at most two counselors,” said Bhasin in a phone interview. “They get pretty full very quickly. If you have any concerns about honors, you have to wait for weeks to make an appointment.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought many obstacles for individuals worldwide in 2020 and Pierce College students interacting with their counselors this fall has been no exception. Bhasin said that she misses being able to have access to the walk-in appointments.
“If you wanted to meet briefly, and if they had time in their schedule maybe because a student cancels, you could talk to them,” Bhasin said. “I think especially during these times of COVID, when everyone is at home or maybe they’re living alone, they just want to talk to somebody.”
According to Bhasin, it was frustrating and off-putting to try talking to counselors online when most of their statuses read either “away” or “offline.”
“I was in need of Pierce counseling, I was doubting my career goals, and you know you don’t have a lot of people to talk to,” Bhasin said.
Montevirgen said spring classes will likely be similar to the fall semester. “We do have the essential infrastructure, the same type of courses that we have been able to offer in a limited capacity in person, we will continue to do so in the spring,” Montevirgen said.
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With new restrictions issued by local and state authorities, the question arises whether there will be sports next semester.
The California Community College Athletic Association Board of Directors decided at its last meeting to go by an opt-in or opt-out system to determine which schools will participate in competition.
On Wednesday, Dec. 2, Santa Barbara City College became one of the first schools to pull the plug for early spring. The sports included football, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's basketball, women's water polo, women's golf, women's volleyball and men's and women's cross country.
"Out of an abundance of caution, Santa Barbara City College will be opting out of competition," Santa Barbara City College Superintendent/ President Utpal K. Goswami wrote in a press release. "We are faced with continuously changing conditions and restrictions that post a significant challenge for our athletic teams."
Other schools that decided to optout include College of the Canyons, Chaffey College, Mendocino College and Citrus College.
Southern California Football Association Commissioner Jim Sartoris wrote in an email that several schools have already made their decision.
“It is very difficult to predict how things will work out,” Sartoris wrote. “We still hope we have enough schools that will opt in and the CCCAA allows those schools to
play in the spring. But as you know things change almost daily as far as restrictions put on our communities and schools.”
Sartoris said they are not in liberty to announce which schools decided to opt-in or opt-out until after the Dec. 18 deadline. Football season is scheduled to potentially start in February.
Los Angeles Community College District schools are set to decide whether to opt-in or opt-out for early spring.
Pierce College President Alexis Montevirgen said he’s doubtful whether Pierce will bring back athletics in early spring.
“Even if for example we get to yellow, there would be limitations,” Montevirgen said. “And again I’m referring to only classes they would only be at 50 percent capacity. So while the state and county may say yes you can resume classes, it may not be feasible for us to do so.”
Montevirgen added, “I know it becomes somewhat contradictory even the CCCAA decision right now for them to go ahead and move forward with the contingency plan assuming all 24 sports including the fall sports that were delayed can continue in the spring. I have to be honest, I’m not as optimistic about that.”
Montevirgen said his main priority is the well-being of the student athletes, coaches, the faculty and staff.
Interim Athletic Director Susan Armenta said in a previous article, they will be fortunate to even be on campus next semester.
“Honestly, it depends on when we will be allowed to practice,” Armenta wrote. “If we have limited practice schedules, then the focus should be off of trying to win titles and more on getting back our fitness safely.
Yes, it will be great to compete, but the way things have been going in LA County, we need to be grateful for the opportunity to play at all.”
Armenta wrote they still have to deal with state and county guidelines, however mentioned that the athletic directors across LACCD with the athletic trainers intend to get creative to find a way to have student-athletes on campus.
“It's our hope that with a collective proposal we present to our respective college and District administrators, we can begin the process of getting student-athletes back on campus. It could be denied, but it's worth a shot,” Armenta wrote.
Armenta said LA County continues to be a COVID-19 hot spot.
“We need to show that we can provide safe face-to-face opportunities using the facilities that we have on campus - providing adequate distancing, using outdoor facilities like the stadium, small groups, and no to minimal equipment to start out,” Armenta wrote. “Lastly, we need to figure out contact tracing in the event there is a COVID-19 case. These are only a fraction of the elements needed to get back on campus safely, but if we can provide a solid plan, at least we can see if the college, District, and county would consider our proposal.”
The CCCAA has set a Feb. 26 deadline for schools to opt in or out of the later seasons which include baseball, softball, men’s volleyball, women’s beach volleyball, men’s golf, women’s swimming and diving, men’s and women’s tennis, and men’s and women’s track and field.
The pandemic has caused an undeniable ripple effect reaching the academic level. Still, other community colleges in the area have been able to avoid this extent of neglect between their counseling centers and student body.
“Getting appointments at SMC is super simple, especially during COVID-19,” Santa Monica College Student Melanie Mesropyan said. “You simply go to their website, log into your personal corsair, connect and make an appointment at least a week before the meeting.”
Yet, throughout this year’s fall semester, Pierce students have struggled to receive the minimum of a thirty-minute meeting with counselors.
During the fall semester and beginning of spring semester, eligible community college students work on their transfer applications.
“My first year’s and honors counseling appointments were all in August, and I pretty much missed out on all the honors classes,” Pierce student Maria Oorloff said in a phone interview. “The appointments come out at midnight every night and I don’t know if that’s a common knowledge thing.”
To assist prospective transfer students in their application process, a number of students who have fulfilled transfer requirements were automatically added to a Canvas course titled, “Applying to Transfer.”
While traditionally students would meet with counselors and receive professional advice and information, students have been hosting discussion threads within the tab to discuss the transfer process.
“I tried emails and tried Cranium Cafe but all counselors have been busy. I just gave up honestly,” Pierce Student Maria Galicia wrote under a thread titled, “Meeting with a Counselor Help.”
At Santa Monica Community College, students have shared different accounts of their transfer preparation process with counselors.
“One thing that [SMC’s counseling center] has done is that they have offered workshops for college applications virtually now. Here, students are able to make an appointment through Zoom and just show them your essay, share their documents with them so that they can go over them and make sure you’re all ready to transfer,” Santa Monica College Student Karina Karsanova said.
File photo by Shae Hammond. Students practice welding pieces of metal during class in Automotive Technology 3805 on March 2, 2018.During the pandemic, surfing has become an increasingly popular outlet for people to go outside and be active.
On March 27, the Los Angeles Department of Public Health closed all beaches as a safety measure to avoid group gatherings to help slow the spread of COVID-19, and on May 13 public beaches reopened.
Since the pandemic started, beaches have been open for passive recreational activities such as surfing, swimming and walking, not allowing for group activities or sunbathing.
Many pick up surfing as a way to release anxiety, breathe fresh air and feel the ocean waves.
Social distancing and safety measures have made it hard for people to feel active or connected. A cost-effective and socially distant activity, surfing is bringing some normalcy in a time of uncertainty.
Those struggling with all of the changes the pandemic has brought have found a way to cope, with a surfboard and a wetsuit.
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The COVID-19 pandemic brought with it a massive wave of people - from novices to experts - to the paths and ramps at Venice Skate Park.
Venice Skate Park is located at 1800 Ocean Front Walk and welcomes skate enthusiasts from all over Los Angeles County.
The sound of the waves hitting the sand and the palm trees swaying in the beachy breeze provide a gorgeous backdrop to the ollies and kickflips, giving off a permanent summer vibe.
For those who want to give skating a try without trekking all the way to Venice, skaters can head to Lanark Park in Canoga Park or Pedlow Field State Park in Encino. California State University Northridge also allows skateboarding and roller skating - but no tricks. Check hours and restrictions at your local skate parks.
TOP Leʼandre Sanders, also known as Skategoat, of Hawthorne, Calif., rides his custom skateboard at the Venice Beach Skate Park in Venice, Calif., Sept. 20, 2020. Photo by Stefan Webster.
MIDDLE LEFT Ethan deMoulin, a local resident, grinds the rim of the bowl as his dog Bean chases him during his run at the Venice Beach Skate Park in Venice, Calif., on Sept. 20, 2020.
BOTTOM RIGHT Rollerbladers hold hands while skating along the strand in Venice Beach, Calif., on Sept. 20, 2020. Photo by Stefan Webster.
As people follow social distancing guidelines, they are finding ways to connect with one another.
One example is Ruben Olivares who keeps in touch with his friends by video game voice chats.
“The way I stay in contact is mostly through online gaming where we can chat while playing,” Olivares said. “My friends do help me distract me but at the beginning all we would talk mostly about is going on lockdown and how different life would be.”
Kimberly Urrutia has been very careful as she has been taking as many precautions as possible.
BY TRISHA ANASPre-pandemic, the Pierce College Child Development Center (CDC) was bustling each weekday with children engaged in play and learning while parents work toward completing their education. The campus has been closed all fall, but the children and their parents still can participate in group activities. The CDC has partnered with the Pierce Nursing Department and are providing a variety of virtual sessions for students with children.
CDC Director Melissa Brisbois said in a phone interview that the teachers at the center set up Zoom meetings every week with small groups of about three-to-six children. This depends on the parents and what
the interests of the children are.
“It’s just a little bit different than a regular elementary school, so we have flexibility,” Brisbois said. “A lot of the families have to juggle their own work schedule, their own class schedule, their children’s elementary school’s class schedule, and our Zoom. So, we try to be very flexible and give parents different options.”
Another service the center offers are large group meetings that involve everyone participating in the center’s services. The group meetings, which occur three times a week, feature stories, music and group movement activities.
The center also has a private YouTube channel where parents and their children can view interactive videos.
Talia Penaloza, one of the parents using the CDC’s services, said in a Zoom interview that the online
sessions have been helpful in restoring some normalcy for the families.
“I feel like this whole quarantine lifestyle has, at first, made it very hard to communicate with anybody,” Penaloza said. “I know especially the children had a hard time communicating, but the virtual Zoom meetings we’ve been doing have really helped set some normalcy. To meet and communicate with people really makes us feel less alone.”
Penaloza said that her daughter has been attending both the oneon-one sessions as well as the group sessions with the school. Penaloza also said that although she prefers her daughter be at school in-person and interacting with others under normal circumstances, safety is a priority.
“If there was no COVID and if it wasn’t deadly and hurtful, I recommend her to go to school because it’s not actual interaction and
Many students have had to reevaluate and change their educational plans this year because of the pandemic.
The current experience of a four-year university is not what most transfer students would have pictured with the limitations and guidelines that have been placed at colleges across the country.
Pierce College students who are eligible to transfer are having to make the difficult decision of whether or not it best suits them to stay another year or transfer to a four-year university.
Pierce student Alex Baumgartner has had to weigh his options when it came to applying to universities this semester.
“In my head I was all set to transfer next fall, but with Covid and the uncertainties surrounding it I am not sure if it is worth it,” Baumgartner said in a phone interview. Baumgartner is in his sixth semester at Pierce, and although he talked about enjoying his time on campus, he shared what he was most looking forward to in the idea of transferring.
“I would have liked to have had a change of scenery and experience something new, for example to live in a new city and attend classes in large lecture halls, but with the lockdowns that are taking place, none of that is realistic,” Baumgartner said. Going to a university prepandemic was already a big financial investment for families and students.
With most universities having online classes, students are faced with the dilemma of whether or not to pay for the full university experience without being able to experience it at all.
“I know the clock is ticking to turn in applications but I am just still having an internal debate of whether it is worth it financially to spend a lot of money to just stay home and learn,” Baumgartner said.
As Baumgartner is still deciding what his next step is for his education, his younger brother Kenny Baumgartner, who is also a Pierce student, has decided to transfer in fall 2021.
Kenny is in his fifth semester at Pierce and plays for the school’s baseball team. Athletes gain an extra year of eligibility, so Kenny decided to hold off on transferring to give himself another year to get better on the field and in the classroom.
“I would have transferred by now, but having the extra year for athletics gives me more time to get more classes done and give myself more opportunities for the future,” Kenny said.
Kenny said he had been hoping to receive a college experience.
“I always imagined dorming on campus somewhere as well as being able to play and attend sporting events while representing my school, and I hope I am able to next fall when the coronavirus hopefully slows down,” Kenny said.
One major factor students are having to examine is whether classes will be online or in person. With the daily number of COVID-19 cases rising, it is a reminder of health concerns being a factor involved with making the decision to transfer.
Yulina Gonzalez is a Pierce student who has made the decision not to transfer next fall because of the health concerns brought by the pandemic.
“I do not feel comfortable with the idea of making a major decision like transferring in these times because, as we have seen over the last few months, things in life can change drastically overnight,” Gonzalez said.
the kids can’t play with each other anymore,” Penaloza said. “I could tell that kind of took a toll on my daughter, but overall safety outweighs everything else.”
Kaitlyn Day, another parent from the CDC, also found the center’s services useful.
Day said in a phone interview that she and her daughter have also been attending both the large group meetings and the smaller group meetings, much like Penaloza and her daughter.
“My daughter likes it and there is somewhat of the aspect of socialization with the teachers and the other kids, so it’s still normal,” Day said. “It’s less of the isolation.”
Day, who had been using the CDC’s services since 2017, said that she appreciated the center’s flexibility. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, she said that it’s been nice to have
Pierce College professors are preparing their online coursework for the upcoming semesters as courses are expected to remain online at least through spring.
As a result of COVID-19, the past two semesters professors have adapted their in-person courses to be taught online.
Benny Ng, an assistant professor of chemistry, said in a phone interview that adapting his chemistry classes to an online format has been difficult, but has its upsides.
“Chemistry is a pretty handson discipline, you have the lab component and observations are better to make in person, so it’s been challenging,” Ng said. “But it also gave us the opportunity to go back and think about the current situation and what we really want our students to understand from the lab. So in terms of analyzing data, thinking about how to do the experiment, coming up with an experimental
her daughter on a schedule that also worked out with her own class schedule.
“It’s been nice to have the support from the Child Development Center,” Day said. “They’ve always been wonderful on campus and online. They’re doing their absolute best, and the fact that my daughter is still able to continue on semi-normal in what we have going on right now is extremely helpful.”
For inquiries about the LAPC’s Child Development Center, parents can either email the center’s senior office assistant Jacqueline Pacheco through the center’s website at http:// www.piercecollege.edu/offices/child_ development_center/.
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design procedure, I think there’s new stuff that a student can do using computer software, for example.”
Howard Schwesky, a professor of mathematics, said during a phone interview how difficult the transition has been for students and faculty.
“Not only is it challenging for us, the faculty, but it's very, very challenging for the students,” Schwesky said. “As far as me being a teacher, it's definitely more challenging because one thing I'd like to build is a rapport with my students. You can sort of do that with Zoom, but I'm used to having actual live people, faces in front of me.”
Schwesky included that he now makes multiple versions of exams for his courses, as one of his classes recently underwent a cheating scandal.
James McKeever, a professor of sociology, also taught all in-person classes before the pandemic. He explained in a phone interview how he had to make major adjustments to convert his classes to fit an online format.
“I made assignments on Canvas for them and videotaped my lectures that I usually do face to face,” McKeever said. “I created quizzes and had a once a week discussion section so they could come in and we could discuss the material further. I wanted to create something that felt a little bit more like a classroom to them so that the students who hate being online and all the extra written work would have an option in my course.”
“I have been staying in contact with friends by messages, facetime, and in person,” Urrutia said. “We get tested for COVID before we hang out to make sure we don’t have it and spread it. When we hang out we tend to watch movies, do homework together, and get something to eat.”
Aileen Salazar has also been taking precautions to prevent catching the virus.
“I have been in contact with friends, mostly through social media,” Salazar said. “But when I do see friends in person we get tested first, unless it’s friends that I’ve been in contact with consistently, which is only about 4 people, and we know we are all being safe.”
Some people, such as Michaela Manacheri, have struggled to stay home. Manacheri said seeing friends physically is better for her mental health.
“In the beginning I didn’t see anyone,” Manacheri said. “I stayed at home and then eventually I got over it and started seeing my friends at their house or going on hikes with them or going to the beach.”
Others, such as Hailey Sanchez, have been seeing friends virtually.
“For hanging out or contact with friends it would be no more than 5 of us with our masks on in an open area,” Sanchez said. “The pandemic really unmotivated me to do stuff since it changed my life somewhat so when I’m with friends we still take precautions.”
Josie Trinidad keeps in touch with her work friends under many rules and regulations and with other friends through FaceTime.
Trinidad said her friends distract her from the pandemic.
“I believe it’s safer to see them virtually under some circumstances,” Trinidad said.
“The only time I see my friends face to face is at work, but at work, we’re constantly washing our hands, but most importantly we always have our masks on, as more should as well.”
Some people can’t see their friends because they have busy schedules, such as Yvette Perez.
“I’ve been texting my friends,” Perez said. “It’s been hard because we all have different schedules. We don’t FaceTime because we can’t find the time to because we all picked up jobs or dedicated more time for school. But when I talk to friends it feels like a sense of relief, like a break from what’s happening and it’s just nice to talk to friends again.”
Every Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m. on the corner of Victory Boulevard and Canoga Avenue near the Orange Line station, a group meets to promote a message of love and unity.
Six months ago, Samson Tupuola and Emily Alvarado decided to start the group Orange Aligned in reaction to the news of George Floyd’s death.
As protests rose around the country, Tupuola and Alvarado decided it was time to take action.
“It was honestly just a conversation that Samson and I were having,” Alvarado said. “We were just seeing the news and everything that was going on with the protests and George Floyd. We were just moved to be a part of it.”
Tupuola said he felt God pushed him further to pursue this idea and that he was being called to start the group.
“I felt that God had put it on our hearts,” Tupuola said. “We knew we had a part to play. We were led by God to do that. We were led by our faith.”
Every week, Tupuola, Alvarado and others display signs with positive and empowering phrases.
In addition to spreading awareness of the Black Lives Matter movement, they also aim to promote the idea of unity and inclusiveness.
Tupuola said that despite feeling like only a little growth has occurred in the movement in the past few months, he remains optimistic.
“If we can’t see that little blessing of the Black Lives Matter movement elevating, even if it’s just a little, then we're never going to see if we want this huge change,” Tupuola said. “We have to understand it takes little pieces.”
Crystal Quesada, a member of Orange Aligned, said the inspiring messages and emphasis on being in touch with faith was what brought her to join the group.
“I found a safe place to kind of have a voice, so I stuck with it,” Quesada said. “We are out there fighting racial injustices and racism alone, but were also a team working on our faith. We believe that our faith is the only thing that is going to get us through this.”
Quesada also says she simply wanted to fight for what was right. She grew up around many people
of color, so she said it was never a matter of color or race. It was about fighting for what people deserved.
“Before, I never really got into activism,” Quesada said. “But when this happened, it was a place and time that I felt was important as a person to get out and do something—to continue that fight, because it still isn’t over.”
Quesada wants others to know that racism is a very present problem and that we all need to dig within ourselves to become more inclusive and welcoming with one another.
“We all at some point have been racist in some way or form, whether it's through microaggression, or even towards our own race,” Quesada said. “It’s so easy to judge, but so hard to reflect. What more you can do to make racism go away is what the key is to all of this.”
Alvarado said she wants others to know that change won’t happen unless people continue to push for further action.
“You’re able to make a change, but it has to happen within,” Alvarado said. “It needs to come from a place of love. Where do you stand, do you have hate?”
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As Pierce College courses have been restricted to meeting online, the Performing Arts department faced several difficulties in adjusting to teaching performance art through computer screens.
Wendy Mazon, a faculty music adviser, said in a phone interview that although some students enjoy the flexibility of the online format, others miss the in-person interaction.
“We’ve had decreasing enrollment in the music area,” Mazon said. “Some of those students have voiced to me that it's because
The Pierce College Journeymen
Club transitioned to virtual theater and club meetings and is anticipating Zoom productions for the 2021 spring semester.
Before the pandemic, the club held regular in-person meetings, typically consisting of acting training and improvisational games. Now on Zoom, those activities are much more difficult, but it has allowed for more time to focus on productions.
Sophomore Michael Kendrick has been a member of the Journeymen Club since he started at Pierce last fall. In a phone interview, he explained how meetings have changed during the club’s transition to online.
“A lot of the focus shifted over to the production instead of our usual type of events and such,” Kendrick said. “So that became the big thing of the semester.”
This semester, the club presented an entirely studentrun production of In Love and Warcraft, by playwright Madhuri Shekar.
Practice for the production was held entirely online and performances were broadcast live through Zoom Webinar.
Journeymen Club President Janel Javier explained during a phone interview some of the difficulties that come with producing an online performance.
“We didn't have the space to be able to walk around or interact with each other so a lot of it had to come from our imagination, pretending that we’re in the same room,” Javier said. “It was also hard to make it look like we were all in the same space. A lot of ideas came from our director, she created backdrops and scenic artwork that gave the feeling we were all together.”
Junior Vincent Macias also has been a Journeymen club member since his first year. In a phone interview he said he enjoys the cooperative environment the club has cultivated.
“I like the collaboration between the teachers and the students,” Macias said. “They support us in our endeavors to try to make big events for other students, so they can come and learn about the club or theatre in general.”
The Journeymen Club is planning to produce performances for the spring 2021 semester, but have yet to choose specific plays.
the online format just doesn't work for them.”
Michael Sande, managing director of the Performing Arts department, said in a phone interview the difficulties that come with producing online performances.
“We had to completely rethink how we were going to do this,” Sande said. “It's different in all three disciplines of music, dance and theater. As far as performances, it's difficult to do that in a way that works. Especially for band, it's almost impossible to coordinate when you've got 40 squares of people performing.”
The department produced four
online plays this semester, not including the student-run show presented by the Journeymen club.
“We're going back to only doing two performances in the spring,” Sande said. “As much as it seems difficult to pull off an actual live performance, the amount of work in the rehearsal is enormously difficult when you can't get everyone in the same room and you're trying to direct a play.”
Michael Gend, the Performing Arts department chair, said in a phone interview how the productions were broadcast live to an audience.
“We use a feature called Zoom Webinar,” Gend said. “The way we
use it for theater is our panelists are our performers, actors, designers, technicians and our audience is the attendees. That means attendees don't have the ability to turn on their camera or microphone, so there's no situation where they can Zoom bomb a performance like they can Zoom bomb a class.”
Live audiences are still not expected for spring 2021 and Zoom performances are likely to remain the main platform for department productions.
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TheJourneymen production of “Barbecue,” a satirical comedy by Black playwright Robert O’Hara, has been shelved—at least for the season. Having experimented substantially in the fall semester, delivering live theater performances to remote audiences in the Zoom universe, a production of O’Hara’s play, featuring a satirical look at family stereotypes within a novel racial construct, was put on hold.
According to the play’s director, Shaheen Vaaz, the provocative and challenging material contained in the play was better suited to a live theater performance rather than the internet, sometime in the future.
“The things that were so funny about it a year ago, were not as funny during this semester,” Vaaz said. “When we were in the midst of political upheaval, and the protests, it did not feel like it was right for the time.”
Chair of the Performing Arts department Michael Gend said that while the season had been overwhelming with the sheer number and complexity of productions, other factors concerning “Barbecue” had been considered as well.
“It draws attention to racial
inequity between Blacks and whites, and that was actually a reason that we selected it,” Gend said. “But upon working on the show and then Shaheen had some communication with some Black faculty members that work at Pierce, there are some depictions of characters that we felt would not be the way we want to go in 2020, given everything that's going on.”
Presley Jacobs, who would have acted in the production, described her character Marie as a “redneck and alcoholic.” In a Zoom interview, the speech pathology student said she wasn’t upset about the play’s postponement.
“I felt that myself–and all of the cast–felt like it wasn’t an opportunity that was taken away from us,” Jacobs said.
Because she was performing as an antagonist, Jacobs said the delay has given her more time to understand the script, its purpose and the privileges she has as a white person.
“I wanted to do this play so that my thoughts could be challenged, to hear what other people have to say, to be a better ally and have a more open way of thinking,” Jacobs said. “I can’t sit here and just be comfortable, I don't think it could aid me in understanding the problems that’ve been problems for decades.”
When she was 13, Monique Jones handpainted a rainbow on her face, took selfies and posted them on social media–proud of the finished product.
The next day, students from her middle school bullied her for the post.
Seven years later, Jones has become a viral TikTok creator with about 540,000 followers and 11 million overall likes. Her content features behind-the-scenes footage of her self-portraits, from creating her set to adjusting the lighting.
Her most popular videos include a Halloween photoshoot inside a bloody bathtub with 13 million views and an HBO “Euphoria” inspired photoshoot soaked in neon lighting with a million views.
Jones said her process starts with coming up with a concept, an outfit and then shooting.
“The days that I shoot, I definitely do not sleep, but I’ll stay up the entire night and I’ll have it all set up,” said Jones in a Zoom interview.
Jones moved to Los Angeles to pursue her dreams as a film director. She believed moving to LA would be the best place to study as a film director.
“I moved to LA the day after my high school graduation leaving my ex-boyfriend, best friends, family, hometown and it was scary,” Jones said. “I knew that my dreams and priorities would mean so much more in the future, especially because I did it all by myself.”
Jones is a film major, and in 2019 she was the vice president of the film club alongside president Jordon Hunter.
In a phone interview, Hunter spoke about Jones’ passion for her dreams.
“Monique is a go getter, when she wants to get something done, she does it,” Hunter said.
Jones started taking more professional self-portraits as a healthy coping mechanism after moving away from home and living on her own.
She also wanted photos to get noticed by modeling agencies. When she was unsuccessful in finding a photographer, she decided to do it herself with her newfound hobby.
“I just started taking my own pictures and posting them to get recognized by an agency,” Jones said.
“Then my agency did through Tik Tok and they’re a really good agency in New York.”
She models for One Management, alongside popular drag queens Gigi Goode and Naomi Smalls.
In the spring semester, Jones enrolled in Tracie Savage’s video production class at Pierce, which introduces students into proper shooting skills, framing correctly and how to tell a story with video. Savage recalled Jones’ documentary assignment.
“She has an eye, she has the ability to compose beautiful shots and tell stories with pictures,” Savage said. “It was already a gift that she had before I started teaching her.”
For aspiring students who are deciding to move or contemplating stepping out of their comfort zone, Jones advises to just go for it and live life to its full potential.
“Don’t let fear of leaving a comfortable situation keep you from taking risks and following your dreams,” Jones said. “This is your life and everyone else is just living in it so do everything with no regrets just be happy.”
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WhenDavid Gomez attended his first Communication Association Club meeting last year as a chemistry major, he felt a strong sense of interconnectedness that led him to change his major.
“The second I stepped in I felt like I was welcomed, just as much as everyone that had been there for months or even a year or two beforehand,” Gomez said.
Now Gomez is the acting president of the club despite beginning the semester as the elected vice president.
Gomez hopes to foster a sense of community through the club, as the pandemic continues to keep students separated.
“With moving forward, especially within this new virtual world, we look to provide more tips and advice and connect everyone together so they can excel,” Gomez said.
Club advisor and instructor of communications Robert Loy acknowledged how Gomez’s leadership has impacted the club following former club president Alana-Jane Gardette-Dupre stepping down.
“Our [former] club president encountered a family emergency,” Loy said. “So one of the most important and crucial things that David has done is step up and fulfill the duties as president, he’s really been holding up the entire club.”
Jasmine Ashoori, club adviser and Pierce College professor, also shared how she has seen Gomez positively influence the club.
“He is constantly suggesting ideas for the class and fostering lines of communication with other offices,” Ashoori said. “He looks for opportunities that can be helpful to all students, and when we have meetings he keeps others involved and participating.”
Photo by Aubrie Andrade. David Gomez, the new vice president for the Pierce College Communication Association in Woodland Hills, Calif., poses on Nov. 4, 2020. David states, “One thing that I look forward to achieving in my position as VP is discipline, a higher sense of connectedness and more effective ways to communicate across cultures.” Photo by Bala Subramaniyan. Monique Jones, a Pierce College student and TikTok star, poses for photos in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Nov. 20, 2020."With moving forward, especially within this new virtual world, we look to provide more tips and advice and connect everyone together so they can excel.”
David Gomez President of Communication Assocition Club
“The days that I shoot, I definitely do not sleep, but I’ll stay up the entire night and I’ll have it all set up.”
Monique Jones Pierce College student
“Everyone is going to have their opinion. If those opinions are negative toward me I just put it to the side. They are making themselves look bad and I see myself as the bigger person.”
BY FELIPE GAMINOMany people consider football to be a man’s game. But for Secilia Rosales, that statement doesn’t apply.
Rosales, who identifies as transgender, wants to break stereotypes and cement a spot on the final roster for the upcoming season if athletics resume on campus.
“Everyone is going to have their opinion,” Rosales said in a Zoom interview. “If those opinions are negative toward me I just put it to the side. They are making themselves look bad and I see myself as the bigger person.”
Rosales is not bothered by other people misgendering them because they lack knowledge.
Rosales said the passion for the sport goes way back.
“The first time that I watched football, I was so invested in it,” Rosales said. “I wondered if I was able to get into a team for males. It was hard since I was in middle school and LAUSD works in their own ways.”
After talking to a Pierce counselor, Rosales learned both men and women can try out for football.
Rosales said the practices have been different and mentioned the obstacles in doing the workouts because the team can’t use their facilities.
“It’s been hard since I don’t have much equipment at my house,” Rosales said. “I have to use what I have and improvise.”
Rosales said that taking classes online during this semester has been challenging and prefers to be in-person since there are fewer distractions.
Los Angeles County is still in purple, which is the most restrictive tier. That, however, doesn’t stop Rosales’ optimism from growing.
“We just have to follow the regulations that the county has put on us and until then we have to wait,” Rosales said. “I heard there may be a chance that we play and I hope we get a chance to do so.”
Rosales had conversations with interim head coach Anthony Harris via email and said there has been nothing but support from the program.
“I was expecting for him to
be a little skeptical because I’m a female,” Rosales said. “But when I told him, I was trying out for the team I wasn’t expecting all the kindness I received not only from him, but the other coaches.”
Harris in a phone interview said he’s all in for Rosales trying out for the team.
“I don’t see a problem at all,” Harris said. “The other players have been very welcoming. If any player can put in the work, I wouldn’t hesitate giving them a chance.”
Harris recalls in his playing days that he had a female teammate who was a kicker. Harris said that there are huge differences in being a kicker and trying out for defense.
Interim Director of Athletics Susan Armenta in an email wrote
she welcomes the opportunity for any athlete to pursue their dreams. She said this will open more doors for diversity.
She recommends Rosales not listen to the naysayers.
“A core value of Pierce College is to provide enrichment through cultural diversity and our goal is to engage students in opportunities that lead to equitable, inclusive experiences,” Armenta wrote. “Our coaches at Pierce are supportive and I know they would welcome any student-athlete that has the drive, the talent, and the dedication to play their sport.”
Defensive Tackle David Tucker said in a phone interview he is happy that football is both racial and gender inclusive.
“It is great to have Secilia as a
teammate and see history unfold before our eyes,” Tucker said. “Hopefully all of us can show our talents when we step on the field hopefully in February.”
After playing for Pierce, Rosales wants to go to the Marines and has no plans of attending a four-year university.
Rosales gave a message to those who want to tryout for a male sport but can’t because they might fear discrimination.
“Don’t give up,” Rosales said. “Keep trying. At the end of the day, they don’t know how good you are until they give you an opportunity. If you really want to play that sport, fight for that spot and prove people wrong.”
Player, coach and administrator.
Jim Fenwick did almost everything in the sports world. And on Dec. 31, he’ll call it a day as he’s set to retire as Valley College’s athletic director.
In a Zoom interview, Fenwick, who was head coach of the Pierce football program from 1981 to 1986, mentioned the reasoning behind his decision to step down.
“A lot of things come to mind.
Many years of teaching and coaching and you build up all those years and you look around you and see what was accomplished,” Fenwick said. A lot of factors go into this, for example how many years you have left. That you have the opportunity to look at other things to do while you still can. Family also plays a role in the decision.”
Fenwick mentioned that he wants to spend more time with his loved ones, especially with his grandchildren.
His 1984 team had the perfect season finishing 10-0, which had former NFL player Erik Kramer as the quarterback.
“I wouldn’t be where I was without the people who made it possible,” Fenwick said. “We had a great combination of assistant coaches that are still good friends of mine. Everything came together and Kramer sat out his first year and became a good quarterback. We had some talented players on defense and we were very physical on offense and defense.”
The program made it to the Potato Bowl, however costly mistakes
prevented them from beating Taft College.
That team went into the Pierce Hall of Fame in 2012 with Fenwick being inducted as a coach. Two years later, he went in individually.
“It is nice to be recognized for your success and nobody would be able to take away what you accomplished including the relationships you develop over time. It was nice to go in as a team,” Fenwick said. “I always felt uncomfortable going in as an individual. Because there is no way you can accomplish things without help from all of the players and coaches.”
As a player, he played running back with fellow Pierce Hall of Famers Mark Harmon and Jimmy Allen. He transferred to Wichita State University where he got his degree in Education.
Fenwick described his experience playing for the program and playing for head coach Jim Pendleton.
“When I was a junior our team [Cleveland High] played against coach Pendleton in the City Section Playoffs, so I knew many of the LA High kids. When I attended Pierce and he was head coach, many of those players on the roster were from schools that we played against so we were like an all-star team,” Fenwick said.
After playing at Wichita, Fenwick realized that he wouldn’t have the speed or size to play in the pros and he stayed to be an assistant coach in the program.
Fenwick said Pendleton brought him back to Pierce to be one of the assistant coaches and is grateful because he recruited him. Fenwick coached other schools
such as CSUN, University of New Mexico, Eastern Oregon University, Miami University (Ohio) and the University of Pacific.
In 1986, Fenwick had an unpleasant surprise. He was involuntarily transferred to LA Valley College due to Prop 13 shuffling teachers around.
“The district had to layoff a bunch of employees and I was one of the five or six to be transferred out of my department and we were sent to other schools in the district in order to continue being employed,” Fenwick said.
Fenwick mentioned it was hard to go to Valley because of the rivalry they had with Pierce, but he said they welcomed him pretty well.
He coached the football program and then became athletic director for the Monarchs. Fenwick was thankful for the support received which allowed Valley to play in four consecutive postseason games.
“We had tremendous support from the people above. I was fortunate to have a vice president and dean of athletics who were former athletes. They supported the program and allowed me to hire the right coaches which allowed us to recruit well,” Fenwick said.
Fenwick said that being athletic director is a humbling experience and is confident whoever gets named will do a great job.
He said most likely an interim athletic director will be named with the search starting in the spring.
In 2004, he was diagnosed with leukemia. Chemotherapy and other treatments weren’t working until he enrolled in a clinical trial using a partial bone marrow match from his son Casey.
Fenwick was shocked when he first heard of the diagnosis and mentioned it was a rollercoaster of emotions for the family.
“I was always active and healthy. I’m not considered to be a smoker or drinker. You have to drop everything and focus on your health,” Fenwick said. “Went through battles at different hospitals and the treatments weren’t working.
Fenwick said they were denied and turned away by many hospitals. However when they came up with the clinic trail, it was an experiment and his last resort before being sent home.
“So they took the bone marrow from my youngest son and another round of heavy chemo and radiation to prepare your body and then you have the transplant and that’s day zero. It was rewarding at the end of the day because it worked,” Fenwick said.
Fenwick said he is thankful for all the messages and prayers that were sent during that time.
Former Pierce athletic director Bob Lofrano said Fenwick was a great colleague to work with.
“We were athletic directors around the same time. I retired three years ago and he is about to this year,” Lofrano said. I wish him all the best in his retirement.”
Lofrano said Fenwick’s resume as a coach was hall of fame material. He mentioned there are several members of the Pierce Hall of Fame that have been inducted more than once.
He said even though Fenwick was at Valley College, his roots are from Pierce.
Interim Athletic Director Susan Armenta in an email wrote that Fenwick will have a long legacy at
Pierce.
“He developed a successful program at Pierce. It’s awesome to have alumni come back to their stomping ground to teach and coach.
Aside from that, he’s been a respected educator, coach, and administrator in the community,” Armenta wrote. Armenta mentioned Fenwick was a huge help especially when she stepped in into a major role.
“He was one of the first in the district to lend a hand and offered to help in my transition to interim athletic director. We’ve worked well together along with the other AD’s in
the district towards getting support for our coaches and staff this year,” Armenta wrote.
Fenwick sent a message to the coaches, players and fellow colleagues and wished them the best.
“It was a good ride. A heartfelt thank you to past alumni, administrators, students and teachers. They have been so helpful more than they realized. At the end of the day I feel great and I know the program is in good hands,” Fenwick said.
Secilia Rosales poses at Winnetka Park in Winnetka, Calif., on Dec. 6, 2020. Photo by Bala Subramaniyan. File photo by Erick Ceron Jim Fenwick poses at the Pierce College Sports Hall of Fame event at Los Angeles Valley College in Valley Glen, Calif., on April 17, 2014. He is retiring as Los Angeles Valley College’s athletic director at the end of the fall semester.