Volume 137 Fall 2022 Roundup Issue 1

Soccer scores big on historic night

Forward Heidi Ricketts leads with six goals; Brahmas beat Huskies 15-0

BY CHRISTIAN CASTELLANOS Reporter

The U.S. women's national team scored 13 goals against Thailand in the 2019 Women’s World Cup. The Pierce College women's soccer team can say they scored more than that as they put 15 past East LA College.

Head coach Adolfo Perez was excited about the outcome of the game.

“It’s special,” Perez said. “I knew we had a special team from the beginning.”

The women’s soccer team also made history with this being the biggest result in program history.

In his 21 years of coaching the team, he has never seen this many goals made in a game before.

“It’s an all time record,” Perez said.

Brahmas scored seven of their goals during the first half. The game ended with eight more for Pierce.

Six of those goals came from

freshman forward Heidi Ricketts. Ricketts achieved in one game

what most players do in two years, which was scoring more goals.

Ricketts said the team played to the fullest of their ability, while

adding they played as hard as they can.

“I think we did great,” Ricketts said. “Our team this year is really insane.”

Forward and midfielder Natalie Villafaña expressed joy over the winning streak.

“It's good to be a part of a group that wants to be better everyday,” Villafaña said.

Perez said that the Brahmas’s strategy was to forget who their opponent was and maintain their level.

Perez also stated the biggest challenge to the team was themselves, but it seemed evident that the Brahmas were going for the offensive plan.

Passing the ball between each other to outflank the Huskies during the first half, the Brahmas scored their first two goals within 16 minutes.

They again scored twice eight minutes after.

In the 35th minute, Ricketts scored over the Huskie goalie.

Four minutes later, defender Malinaly De Los Santos scored from a set piece.

Forward and midfielder May Htet Lu scored a goal with two minutes to spare, finishing off the first half with a score of seven. The second half saw the continuation of the Brahma strategy, with Ricketts scoring two goals within the first six minutes. Ricketts continued to score more goals while forward and midfielder Alexandra Meza added her name to the scoresheet.

Forward Britney Jones made the last goal with two minutes to spare, cementing victory for the Brahmas.

Perez said that the team did not try to run up the score, while also stating the Brahmas had to touch the ball 10 times.

As for continuing the recordbreaking winning streak, Perez is looking forward to it.

The Brahmas improved to 6-01 after beating LA Harbor College 3-0 on Tuesday.

Their next game is at Clovis Community College Friday at 4 p.m.

Finding a new home through the beautiful game

finds a lifeline after escaping her home country Myanmar

BY PAMELA KALIDASAN Features Editor

Freshman May Htet Lu came to California from Myanmar with her brother to pursue her goals both in education and in soccer.

And since she got here, Lu found a sense of belonging as a full-time student working at the school bookstore and playing midforward for the Brahmas soccer team.

“Working at the Pierce College Bookstore, we usually have these events, so I really like participating in [them],” Lu said. “In my life, all the road trips or all the dinners, and being with a team– those are all memorable moments.”

Lu mentioned how she took a gap year after finishing school, but her parents decided that it was for the best that she continued to push forward.

“It’s not ideal to take another two or three years off from school because it will be harder for me to continue and get my degree. So the reason I left my country is because the education is [better] than what I have back [home],” Lu said.

Lu spoke on how her parents wanted her to pursue nursing, but first she needed to join a college that could support her and what she's passionate about.

That was when Lu was recommended by her brother to check out what Pierce College had to offer. And she said the first thing

she did was to look at whether Pierce had any soccer programs.

“The first thing I searched was if Pierce had a soccer team,” Lu said.

“So I went to the Pierce College website and went to the athletics, and then found the recruiting application. So I filled that form

and contacted [Head] Coach Adolfo [Perez], [Assistant] Coach [Joandra Ramirez] and [Assistant] Coach Julio [Castillo], and they told me to come to practice.” She said when she went to practice and tried out, she got selected. Soccer head coach Adolfo Perez said that Lu is extraordinary.

“[I think] she’s an A-plus,” Perez said. “Since day one, even before the season started, she’s always helping with the balls, with the cones, goals and she just shows up on time. She shows up everyday and she hasn’t missed a thing— session — she’s just remarkable.”

Captain and Defense Natalia Puccio said that Lu brings a lot to the team and how she is genuine on and off the field.

“As a player, she’s incredible. The first day I saw her I thought that she was insane,” Puccio said. “She brings a lot to the field, as far as strength, height and her skill. As a person, she’s so genuine, so respectful and she’s always the first one here and the last one to leave and it definitely does not go unnoticed.”

For Lu, soccer is important to her, if not her first priority, as she said soccer was the first sport she grew up playing and how she was also a mid-forward in her national team. She said that she had wanted to make a career with soccer, however, Lu mentioned how in Myanmar soccer isn’t supported as much as it is here and that’s one of the main reasons why she came.

“I always wanted to pursue this sport as a career,” Lu said. “But in my country it’s not that supported, [and] the sport wasn’t supported enough, but when I came here I saw a lot more opportunities.”

Although Lu’s parents want her to continue nursing, she still plans on trying to see if she can integrate soccer into her life.

“With soccer, I want to honestly make a career pathway with it,” Lu said. “There are a lot of opportunities that I’m available to but obviously it requires hard work to achieve it. So I’m really hoping to get into a D-1 school and if possible I want to start a professional career with soccer.”

As of now, Lu lives with her grandmother who she said she

looks after and makes her grandma proud when she shows up to her games. “As a grandmother, she’s always curious about her grandchildren’s lives,” Lu said. “So everyday she asks me questions about ‘how my day was.?’ And I tell her about my day, and it’s really nice to have her by my side, coming to my games and supporting [me]. With her support, that gives me a lot of strength and energy to keep playing my games. I want to make her proud and show her what I’m capable of.”’

pkalidasan.roundupnews@gmail.com

Photo by Raquel Frohlich

Livia Pereira (right) on the field during a game against East Los Angeles College at Shepard Stadium at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022.

Photo by Raquel Frohlich

May Htet Lu holds a flag of Myanmar at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022. Lu brought the flag with her when she moved to the United States.

Photo by Raquel Frohlich May Htet Lu (center) on the field during a game against Southwestern College at Shepard Stadium at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022.

Making a difference in your community EDITORIAL: From the desk of the Roundup STREET BEAT

WHAT IS YOUR SUMMER HOBBY?

Composting is a relatively easy way to introduce greater sustainability. Residents of the San Fernando Valley may be interested in composting but may not know how to get started, are not able to make the extra effort to travel to a compost site or have the resources to maintain a bin at home.

Pierce College could look into partnering with LA Compost to create an official site on campus that is accessible to students and staff as well as the local community. The site could be maintained by a small team of appropriate staff and the volunteer

work of students and community members. Another possible option is a compost club formed by students.

There are two main options for composting on college campuses— vermicomposting and in-vessel composting.

Vermicomposting, which is accomplished using worms, has a fast turnaround time but processes less waste for the time than other methods, according to Compost HQ. The end result is nutrient-rich soil that can be used for gardening. This process could be set up in an isolated green space on campus, of which there is no shortage.

In The Pros and Cons of Composting as a Food Waste Solution, by Cecillia Wong, in-vessel composting involves discarding organic waste into a silo, drum or concrete-lined trench. In these vessels, temperature, moisture levels and aeration can be controlled.

Collection bins could be placed around busy areas on campus and the larger composting vessels would be in a more isolated area.

To design a composting plan unique to the campus and its needs, Pierce could approach a professional compostable waste hauler for assistance.

Overturn it for good

BY BENJAMIN HANSON Managing Editor

Roe v. Wade needed to be overturned to allow the people and the government of the United States to create a better system, a system that understands that abortion is a human right and not a civil right.

In 1973, the Supreme Court accepted that abortion falls under a woman's constitutional right to privacy.

Civil rights are defined as the rights a person gains that allows them to be a member of a governed society, such as a right to free speech and to vote.

Your civil rights are an agreement between you and the country you live in. Your human rights are the basic rights afforded to you simply because you are human.

Abortion shouldn't have been codified as a civil right, when it clearly is a basic human right for a woman to choose what she can do with her body.

When a person needs medical attention, it is not their civil right that allows a doctor to provide care without any prejudice, it is their rights as a human. Why isn't the same said about abortion?

At least 15 states have banned abortion since the overturn while 61% of Americans believe that abortion should be legal.

"Myfavoritethingtodooverthe summerissleepingin.Overthe summer, since I don’t have school, Ihavetimetocatchuponallthat sleep."

-JanetMiguel,nursingmajor

Roe v. Wade provided U.S. citizens a civil right to an abortion for almost 50 years. But it should've been seen as a stopgap only, one that ensured women could

seek a safe abortion as the government worked to define it as a human right.

The U.S. could look at different abortion laws across the world and see how their citizens have responded.

41 of 47 European countries legalize abortion "on a woman's request or broad social grounds." The time limit on when abortion is legal varies across each country, but within the first trimester is widely accepted.

Australia decriminilized abortion in 1998 and has a federal system in place that allows abortion across each state. Time limits vary between each jurisdiction, but the federal law is upheld.

The United States is almost deeply divided on every issue, due in part to its political party system and the freedom of expression.

But a new federal law that allows abortion to be legal in every state, while allowing each state to determine the gestation limit and reasons allowed for abortion is the best way to keep every citizen happy.

Roe v. Wade needed to end to ensure the government and the people of the U.S. could work together to create a new federal law.

The Woman's Health Protection Act is one step closer to a better country for women's bodily autonomy.

bhanson.roundupnews@gmail.com

"Over the summer I volunteered atAYFYouthsleepawaycampfor Armenianyouth.Igottomakea lot of new memories with the kids there.Itgivesmeachancetoopen upaboutourexperienceswithour culture. I believe that our culture shouldbespread."

-ArmanBasteghian,psychology andpre-medmajor

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In 2012, the Fremont Wellness Center and Community Garden opened on the John C. Fremont High School campus. As a partner of LA Compost, they are currently composting more than 500 pounds of food waste per month.

In 2020, USC began installing compost bins in the lobbies of their residence halls. Students also have the option of requesting compost pails for their dorm rooms. Multi-stream waste bins that allow for composting were also installed in high-traffic areas on campus.

In California, Senate Bill 1383

came into effect in January 2022, and it requires residents and businesses to follow new regulations on the separation and disposing of organic waste.

Having a site that is easily accessible at Pierce could encourage more students, faculty and administration to compost if they can simply run that errand when coming to campus for class or work.

Hands off my body

BY JAYNA KUKLIN News and Copy Editor

The government should not intervene in a woman’s right to have an abortion.

On June 24, the world stopped when the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) voted 6-3 to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Now, people are confused about where things are going in the wake of the controversy that has come from SCOTUS’s decision. The million-dollar question is proposed to them:

“Should the states intervene in a woman’s right to have an abortion?”

Thirteen states had “trigger laws” that automatically restricted abortion after the overturning of Roe, according to an article written by Sarah Ewall-Wice and Melissa Quinn for CBS News on Aug. 6, 2022.

Now that this has happened, abortion has been illegalized in the states of Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming.

Some of those states also have bans set in place with absolutely zero exceptions for rape or incest. This means that a 16-year-old girl who has been raped by perhaps her own father would be forced to carry her baby to term. A baby that she would be financially unable to care for and would lack the time, responsibility, and maturity to raise.

Illegalizing abortion won’t won’t put an end to it, but will remove the option of safely getting one in a legally sanctioned healthcare facility. Patients will need to seek dangerous,

potentially harmful alternatives instead, according to another article, written by Saima May Sidik for Nature on Aug. 10, 2022

The article also states that abortions are safer in “abortion on request” countries than in places where abortion is only allowed on the basis of financial and mental health status.

The last problem that comes with the overturning of Roe is the number of maternal deaths rising, especially without the proper services needed for a safe and legal abortion.

An article from the City University of New York Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy on May 22, 2022, points out a deadly consequence that would come with Roe v. Wade being overturned.

“Increases in unwanted and unsupported pregnancies, and lack of comprehensive reproductive services for women, will worsen health disparities and exacerbate poverty among vulnerable populations, particularly among women of color who already experience disproportionately poor maternal health outcomes. Consequently, women and girls across this country will die, and one projection estimates a 21% increase in pregnancy-related deaths,” the article says America saw the maternal mortality rate go up by 36.8% in the past two years, according to a CDC report shown in the same article. If a woman decides she cannot carry an unborn baby to term, then that is her right to make that choice, and the states should not be involving themselves in her personal decisions.

Quotes gathered by Fabiola Carrizosa

Photos by Arwen Dominguez

"Iliketoreadnovels.It’saplaceyou cangetawayandforgeteverything andnotcareaboutanythinginthe world.Intherestoftheyear,Ihave somanyassignments-schoolreally burnsmeout.Ijusttendtoread more in the summer."

-ShreyaRavi,businessmajor

"I worked and traveled around the state to gotodifferentmuseumsandconcerts.I do that whenever I can. I like the solitude andlevelofcreativityandtheinspiration forbothwritingandmusic."

- MadisonCarieri,EnglishClubPresident

File photo by Benjamin Hanson High school students walk the streets of Downtown L.A. to protest the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in Los Angeles, Calif., on May 19, 2022.

Ready to serve others

New Health Center director starts her role

BY JAYNA KUKLIN News and Copy Editor

When Houry Tanashian grew up during the Lebanese Civil War, she saw scarce medical care and attention as people got hurt. There also was no transportation to hospitals.

Tanashian knew that this could not go on any longer, and if things didn’t change, then people were going to die, or more people would be hurt.

Tanashian was announced as the new director of Pierce’s Student Health Center during an Academic Senate meeting on Aug. 29, 2022. She is bringing her passion for helping people and making sure they’re okay to the community.

“Growing up during the civil war in Lebanon, I witnessed firsthand a lack of quick medical care and attention to those who were injured as emergency transportation to hospitals was nearly impossible,” Tanashian said as she recalled her experiences before she came to Providence CedarsSinai Tarzana.

Tanashian was a registered nurse in the Emergency Department for more than 10 years before she came to Pierce.

Tanashian said a close friend of hers advised her to come to Pierce.

“Being a Pierce and community college district student myself, I have a special place in my heart for our colleges,” Tanashian said. “The past two years working

in the emergency department I witnessed a sharp rise in mental health issues, patients with suicidal ideations and thoughts, and drug and alcohol addiction. Unfortunately, most of these patients are young adults. Some of them came frequently asking for guidance about where to get basic needs of shelter, food and medications.”

Tanashian also said that her decision to come to Pierce was based on her being influenced by the opportunity the job offered her on providing medical care while also teaching students and collaborating with other faculty members.

Student Health Center Assistant Loralyn Frederick said that although she was not part of the hiring process that

“Service in healthcare gives you the power to care for a stranger, build trust, and bring change to one person at a time. It is not easy. However, remind yourself every day why you wanted to come into health care and focus on completing your degree, for the result is very rewarding on so many levels.”

-Houry Tanashian Health Center Director

she liked having Tanashian around.

“Having Houry as our new

director has been a pleasure,” Frederick said. “She maintains a culture of transparency with her team and encourages knowledge-sharing across all staff in the department.”

Frederick stated she was pleased with Tanashian’s direction and detail as a supervisor, and appreciated her ability to resolve problems quickly.

Student Health Center Assistant Bonnie Zahavi also had a positive reaction to Tanashian, and welcomed her as a coworker.

“I am absolutely thrilled she was hired,” Zahavi said. “Her compassion for students and expertise as an ER nurse has already benefited the Health Center.”

Zahavi stated that although Tanashian has only been around since Aug. 15, she feels that she has been there since day one.

Tanashian is also an adjunct faculty member at Mount Saint Mary’s University and California State University, Northridge.

She also gave some words of advice for aspiring nurses and doctors.

“Service in healthcare gives you the power to care for a stranger, build trust, and bring change to one person at a time,” Tanashian said. “It is not easy. However, remind yourself every day why you wanted to come into healthcare and focus on completing your degree, for the result is very rewarding on so many levels.”

jkuklin.roundupnews@gmail.com

Facilities being repaired

Athletics look to host more games

BY OLIVIA ESPINOZA Reporter

After a season where athletic facilities, couldn’t have home games, work is underway to make sure next year is different.

Athletic Director Susan Armenta said they haven't had great fields in the past years.

“I think the issue was we weren’t able to play at the fields the last couple of seasons. We wanted to make sure we were compliant with our conference, to make sure we had safe facilities for our studentathletes,” Armenta said.

Another factor for the reparations besides the lack of home games was a safety issue that was inspected by members of the Western State Conference Committee.

Armenta said that the committee thought there were many issues that should be dealt with in the near future.

Now, this season's athletes are happy to see that Pierce has put money into repairing the fields. A firstyear football player at Pierce, Chris Miranda, was excited to hear about

the repairs. “Hell yeah, we want them to be better. We want them updated. It’s great they are putting money into that,” Miranda said. Coaches are also very excited about these repairs. Head Coach Charles White said the morale of players and coaches is high, and he expressed gratitude for the repairs.

“We’d like to give big thanks to our AD, Dean of Athletics, VP, and our current president for supporting this push for excellent,” White said. In addition to the women’s softball, baseball field, north gym, south gym, the tennis courts, stadium, and pool will be added to the reparations. The tennis courts and the deck area of the pool are in the works of being resurfaced.

“We are actually just working with a contractor to get the maintenance done [for the stadium]. Every few months we will get the turf lifted so it's not as compact. We are hoping to get new facilities to be able to do the laundry for the football team, for their uniforms,” Armenta said.

oespinoza.roundupnews@gmail.com

School landmark being demolished soon Old Library will make way for new media arts building

BY TRISH ALASKEY Reporter

The former library will be demolished at the end of September to make room for the new Academic West building, which is forecasted to open during the 2026-27 academic year.

According to College Project Director Marco Tarantino, the BuildLACCD team will begin deconstructing the building by the end of this month. The demolition is expected to last for about three to four months.

“It is expected that the project will create the typical loud noise, ground vibrations, dust and potential utility shutdowns associated with a normal demolition project,” Tarantino said. “However, we will closely monitor the daily activity and are prepared to mitigate any negative impacts to the campus throughout the project period.”

According to Tarantino, the demolition site, with the exception of authorized personnel, will remain blocked off to everyone on campus, until its expected completion in late spring of 2023. The mall and surrounding

buildings will remain open while that area of campus is under construction.

Originally built in 1960, the soon-to-be demolished building

was a staple on the Pierce College campus until the current library opened in 2014.

Librarian Lauren Saslow, who began her tenure at Pierce College

in 2000, said that although the current library is much more user-friendly, she will miss the building.

“It was an interesting building,

with lots of nooks and crannies and places to hide, which could be problematic at times," Saslow said. "There was a whole lower level, which felt like a basement because there were no windows or light coming in at all. I had a great big office with lots of windows that opened. The office space was bigger, and we had a full kitchen with a stove. But it wasn’t ADA compliant so that's why they haven't been able to use it, it's not accessible.”

Director of the Center for Academic Success Crystal Kiekel, a Pierce College alum, also spent many hours in that building.

“It was a really magical place for me as a student,“ Kiekel said. “I remember it had this fun 70’s old school vibe about it. You ascended the staircase, and it would just become sort of cool and dark and quiet. It would just open up into this sea of information and helpful people”.

The upgrades to the buildings around the Pierce College campus are being made to ensure all safety and accessibility requirements are met. According to Kiekel, the inconvenience of construction around campus is a quality problem to have.

“It means that we are getting

better, more updated, and more modern facilities. We're responding to the needs of our communities and our students,” Kiekel said. “So I don't mind skittering around fences temporarily, when I know that at the end of the tunnel, we're going to have new facilities to better support and serve our students.”

According to Tarantino, LACCDBuild just started the predesign phase for the new building, so any rendering provided at this point is not necessarily what the building will look like at completion.

“The new Academic West building will be the spectacular new home of the following educational programs: Art and Architecture (including a beautiful, new Art Gallery), Multimedia, Philosophy/ Sociology, and Media Arts,” Tarantino said. “At this time we are forecasting that the new building will open to students during the 2026-27 academic year.”

Academic senate discuss student turnout

Topics included Club Rush and supporting the athletic programs

BY TRISH ALASKEY Reporter

The Academic Senate discussed Monday the Club Rush event, along with supporting school athletics and guided pathways. Associated Student Organization (ASO) President Qais Azizi

reported that they are pleased with the turnout during the two-day Club Rush event held on Wednesday and Thursday.

According to Azizi, it was a huge success. “We have more than a dozen great new clubs coming in,” Azizi said. “It was a great

turnout with a lot of great student engagement from the student population.”

According to Azizi, any students that would like to charter a club must submit the required forms to the ASO team by Friday. Azizi also reported that a couple of clubs are still in

need of an advisor.

“The majority of clubs do have advisers,” Azizi said. “However, a small portion of clubs do still need advisors. If there are any faculty members that want to get involved, that would be great.”

Another topic discussed, brought up by Academic Senate

president Barbara Anderson in collaboration with Academic Senate California Community Colleges (ASCCC) Guided Pathways Liaison Angela Belden, was an initiative she referred to as “Brahma Backers." This is a joint celebration of the campus’s

student athletes.

“Our next event is on Sept. 28 at 6 p.m. to support our women’s volleyball team,” Anderson said.

Photo by Arwen Dominguez

Tanashian Houry, the new Student Health director, sits on the examination bed in the Student Health Office at Pierce College, Woodland Hills, Calif., on Sept. 8, 2022.

File photo by Laura Chen Pierce College's old library in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Monday, Feb. 29. 2016.

Photo by Benjamin Hanson

The crowd at Ken Stanley Court during a game against Cal Lutheran University JV in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Sept. 8, 2022.

What a rush!

ASO Club event returns to campus for the first time since the pandemic began

For the first time since the pandemic, the Associated Student Organization at Pierce College hosted their in-person Club Rush on the Mall. The theme for this event was the '80s, and students were encouraged to dress up for a chance to win prizes.

Featured on the Mall were booths for clubs ranging from Climate Change Awareness to the Queer Straight Alliance.

Music major Alberto Colmenares-Pena plays his Epiphone SG during Club Rush on the Mall at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Sept. 14, 2022.

Photo by Benjamin Hanson.

Geremy Mason, also known as the artist Prince, tries to make students smile at Club Rush on the Mall at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Sept. 14, 2022.

Photo by Rachael Rosenberg.

Equine Science major Sarah Mahony practices roping at the Boots and Saddles booth during Club Rush on the Mall at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Sept. 14, 2022. Photo by Benjamin Hanson.

Copy by Raquel G. Frohlich

Photos by Benjamin Hanson and Rachael Rosenberg

Jordan Stivers (left) helps Mushka Kluwgant and her 1-year-old son, Leib, pet Gorda the goat during Club Rush on the Mall at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Sept. 14, 2022. Photo by Benjamin Hanson.

Shining under the lights Music Chair performs with orchestra

BY RAQUEL FROHLICH Social Media Editor

After a period of performing in Zoom concerts during the COVID-19 pandemic, Pierce College music professor

Wendy Mazon was able to walk onto the stage at The Music Center’s Walt Disney Concert Hall in Downtown Los Angeles and take her place among the Filipino American Symphony Orchestra (FASO) for their first in-person production since 2019, titled Celebration!

Mazon, who was also recently appointed department chair of Music at Pierce College, has been playing with FASO for more than eight years, first as second clarinet then as principal clarinet.

Once the pandemic began, it took a lot of discipline to practice and stay performance-ready, she explained.

“What was nice about FASO is that they understood how difficult it was during this time for musicians,” Mazon said. “The board worked diligently to create opportunities for us through the orchestra—they did several Zoom concerts, and they were all paid concerts for the musicians. That way we could continue to reach out

to the community and share the gift of music.”

Mazon said that FASO gets a little bit of music from both worlds—classical music and Filipino music.

“There’s this other side of the group that shares the Filipino culture and music through performing pieces that you normally wouldn’t hear when you go to another orchestra,” Mazon said. “I think that is very special and unique.”

Two concert attendees, Eric and Naty Panuncialman, spoke about what they were looking forward to for the evening and said they love listening to Filipino music.

“We’re hoping to see a nice concert of Filipino music,” said Eric Panuncialman, who graduated from the University of the Philippines and will be the president of the Alumni Association in Greater Los Angeles. “The composer, the music, will be coming from very famous Filipino artists. That’s what we’re looking forward to.”

Naty Panuncialman added, “The music that they will be playing is from an artist that we grew up with.”

The song “Christmas in Our Hearts” by Jose Mari Chan, a Filipino singer and songwriter, was played toward the end of the concert and was greatly enjoyed by

musicians and guests alike.

“He [Chan] essentially is a musical treasure of the Philippines,” Mazon said. “For people that celebrate Christmas, it’s kind of like he was the voice of all of the Christmas songs.”

Guests come to experience the symphony for many reasons, including if they have personal connections to the music or to the artists and performers.

Daniel and Regelyn Checo, who were first-time attendees, are friends with one of the singers of the Philippine Mesistersingers and one of the artists in the orchestra.

“This is great—we totally enjoyed it,” Daniel Checo said, speaking during intermission.

Another one of Mazon’s favorite pieces they played that evening was “Big Beautiful Country/Love at Thirty Thousand Feet.” The jingle, which was composed by Jose Mari Chan in the 1970s and used by the Philippines Airlines, is a familiar tune for many Filipinos, explained Mazon.

“What’s interesting is that I didn’t grow up watching that commercial. But, I understand the power of it,” Mazon said. “We played it several times with the orchestra, so now for me, it reminds me of the experience and how much fun it is to play with the group.”

As the musicians performed the piece, a screen above the stage displayed a slideshow of different cities in the Philippines.

“I would say that was my favorite and I actually got emotional, just because it was so nice to see different places all over the Philippines,” Mazon said. “It reminded me of just how beautiful it is there and everything that they have to offer. That’s the power of this type of music, or just music in general.”

Mazon stays busy as an educator and a performer, and looks forward to continuing both jobs.

“I enjoy my job and enjoy working with the students and it's the same case with FASO,” Mazon said. “I enjoy the work that we do and the community outreach that happens with it. It’s wonderful because it's a way for me to express and be a part of my roots because I’m half Filipino and half American.”

Mazon added, “I still have a lot to learn and I get to learn through that group, because we play music that maybe I wasn’t exposed to because I didn’t grow up in the Philippines. I get to learn more about my culture and so it’s a nice connection.”

rfrohlich.roundupnews@gmail.com

Photo by Raquel Frohlich

Robert Shroder (center), the conductor, leads the Filipino American Symphony Orchestra through a performance at the Disney Concert Hall in Downtown Los Angeles on Saturday, Aug. 20, 2022.

Photo by Raquel Frohlich

Wendy Mazon , professor and department chair of Music, holds her clarinet at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022.

Photo by Raquel Frohlich

Filipino American Symphony Orchestra at the Disney Concert Hall in Downtown Los Angeles on Saturday, Aug. 20, 2022.

Soccer Football Women's volleyball Women's basketball Men's Basketball

A new dawn for women's basketball

BY TRISH ALASKEY Reporter

It has been 17 years since Thara Innocent shot a ball for the Pierce College Brahmas’ women’s basketball team.

With a new gym floor, a new team and a new head coach, the future is looking bright for the Pierce College women’s basketball team. The school’s athletic department, led by Athletic Director Susan Armenta, officially reinstituted the women’s basketball program last season after a two-year hiatus that’s when Thara Innocent joined the staff as an assistant coach.

As a former player, Innocent brings many fond memories of playing for the program. According to Innocent, one of her longterm goals is to eventually win a championship for the school.

“Before I leave here, my goal is to get one of those banners up with the names on there, and for everybody to walk through this gym with a story to talk about,” Innocent said. “I remember when I used to come here. Now look at me. Everybody is going to build their own story.”

For the 2022-23 season, Innocent interviewed and was the first-choice pick to take on the position of head coach, according to athletic director Susan Armenta.

Considering the two years of lost momentum that the women’s basketball program suffered, that responsibility might seem rather daunting, but Innocent welcomes the challenge.

Innocent inevitably brings a fresh new perspective to the

program, but that long-standing, built-in respect for the history of the Pierce College women’s basketball program remains strong as this new chapter begins.

“There's always history behind every campus, and one thing is I don't want to take the history away from the school,” Innocent said.

“When Jim Couch was a head coach here, he did an excellent job of keeping the program going. He was always recruiting. He worked hard.”

Since signing on, Innocent has hit the ground running and can often be spotted around campus talking with people and recruiting new players with the hopes of building the women’s basketball team back up to a competitive level in the coming months. A decision that Armenta said she is very excited about.

“We’re looking forward to the season. She is very engaged on campus,” Armenta said. “She is doing a great job recruiting new

players for the team.”

Innocent is not only concentrated on the game of basketball and building a strong team atmosphere, but she is devoting a great deal of energy toward guiding the team’s players off the court when it comes to their health and education as well.

Team member Tijera Henry noticed that unique approach immediately.

“Playing for coach is different because I think she actually cares

about our bodies and how we hold up throughout this whole process,” Henry said. “I know a lot of us are getting older and our bodies don't carry on the same, so she's very caring about us and is looking out for us unlike any coach that I've had.”

Back to the education aspect of Innocent’s leadership philosophy, Innocent said she is a true believer in the law of attraction. Her lifetime motto is “hard work plus sweat equals success”.

According to Innocent, that saying can be applied to any goal in life.

“I'm an advocate for working hard and putting the work in,” Innocent said. “If you put good out, good will come back to you. Your gifts and blessings will come back to you.”

According to team member Rana Al-Amin, this coaching style is rare.

“Playing for coach is different from all my other coaches because she's very patient and she's not all about basketball,” Al-Amin said. “She's also very strong on our academics. She makes us send transcripts and makes sure our grades are good so that we can play ball and so we're getting a degree out of what we're doing.”

Innocent believes that building a strong foundation both on and off the court will secure the future of the program for many years to come. A future that Innocent is excited to be a part of.

Innocent said she feels like she is supposed to be here. Almost as if the path led her back to Pierce College for a reason.

“I got other offers, but this,

I feel, is where I need to be right now,” Innocent said.

With this team, Innocent is determined to guide these players on a path that leads to a very bright future ahead, one where they can take the skills learned from this newly formed program and apply them to whatever they choose to do after graduating or transferring on from Pierce College.

According to team member Celeste Miller, this new style approach creates a family-like atmosphere.

“She's very personable and likes to make sure that everybody is on the same page, that we're all comfortable,” Miller said. “I think that's important, especially in sports and as a coach. I haven't had a lot of coaches like that, so I really like playing for her.”

Innocent said the team is still on the hunt for more hungry players to join the roster. Anyone interested in playing is welcome to contact Coach Innocent to find out what the requirements are to join the team.

Looking to the future, Innocent said the team is ready and it’s going to be an exciting year, so it would be wonderful to have the support of the Brahma student population as they launch into this new journey.

“We just want the support,” Innocent said. “If we could have people here to watch us working hard while we're playing against other teams, that would be beautiful. We need that energy in here.”

Sports programs on hold

BY MADELEINE CHRISTIAN Reporter

Pierce College has postponed several sports until next year due to coaching shortages and facility upgrades.

The recent influx of on-campus learners has coincided with the restarting of competitive sports.

Football returned to the gridiron on Sept. 3, while women's volleyball and soccer started last month. But water polo is taking a hiatus while cross country will not be starting until next year.

The postponement comes as coaches and students adjust to the renewed interest in joining teams on campus. Finding coaches that can fill the time requirements of their teams has been a challenge.

Swim coach and former water polo coach Judi Terhar was forced to pass on teaching water polo this year to commit full time to swimming.

“It was getting to be a bit much for me to be on the deck that long from early in the morning until late afternoon,” Terhar said. “I wanted to focus on swimming because you lose people (for water polo) if you don't have a really strong fall semester of swim.”

Terhar wasn't expecting this much student engagement even after COVID restrictions have been heavily lifted. Typically, her students take both swim and water polo to stay in shape for the competition season.

Terhar said that only having a swim team in the spring has taken the pressure off her two-sport athletes.

“It was too much for some of them to do all of the water polo and all of the swimming,” Terhar said. “It's very hard to go to school full

time, work, and participate as an athlete for the whole semester.”

Former player takes over the program after being an assistant coach last year Brahmas Scoreboard

Athletic Director Susan Armenta and Dean of Student Services Claudia Velasco have been working diligently on hiring coaches for all the in-demand sports.

Velasco stressed the importance of bringing sports back to campus the right way.

“We’re taking things a step at a time to do things correctly,” Velasco said. “Hiring the right coach, taking our time. We’re working together more closely, and that's a benefit all our sports will have.”

A lack of available coaches has interfered with the sports schedule this year, but it made room for some long overdue improvements to the athletic department. Several facility upgrades to fields and gyms are underway on the Pierce campus.

“We are fixing the north and the south gym and we are fixing the baseball as well as the softball

field,” Velasco said. “Also the tennis courts, they just started working on the tennis courts today.”

If students were hoping to join some sports this year or cheer from the sidelines, they are not out of luck. Velasco assured that Pierce will see more athletics next year, including men's soccer, cross country, and water polo.

“I think it's important to support our student-athletes,” Velasco said. “We’re doing very positive things. Athletics is rebuilding, and it's rebuilding for good.”

Interim President Ara Aguiar said she is hopeful that water polo returns and that cross country makes its season debut.

“We have to get our pool ready," Aguiar said. "I know that water polo was put on a hiatus due to low numbers and I do think as we fix all of these facilities we will be better positioned to have the team return."

Photo by Valeria Estevez

Coach Thara Innocent in the South Gym at Pierce College in Woodland Hills Calif., on Sept. 9. Innocent is the new coach for the women's basketball team this season.

Photo by David Pashaee Pierce College athlete Joanna Gonzalez hits the ball over the net during a game against Cal Lutheran JV at Ken Stanley Court at Pierce

in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Sep. 8, 2022.

File photo by Cecilia Parada

(Center) Ginger Garrett attempts to block a shot on goal from Maria Sandoghdar during a game against Santa Monica College at Steven E. Schofield Aquatic Center at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Oct. 20, 2021.