Volume 138 Spring 2023 Roundup Issue 2

Lots of horsing around this spring

The animals return to the Equine Program, putting professors and students at ease

BY NATHALIE MIRANDA Reporter

Imagine going to a classroom without pencils or books. Now imagine trying to learn about horses without any present on campus.

That changed this semester.

The horses have come back to Pierce College after being gone for almost three years. Their return is enthusiastically welcomed by the professors and students part of the Equine program who have been struggling without them.

The horses were removed from campus when the pandemic hit in 2020 and the school closed. They returned in spring of last year but had not been incorporated back into lessons until this spring semester started. Their absence greatly impacted the Equine program as there were many classes that either could not be taught without them or were very difficult to teach.

“It was darn near impossible,” Professor of the horse training class Heidi Paul said. “You really can’t run this type of program without horses.”

When the horses left campus the riding classes were canceled and the others that stayed available were run with great effort to teach the students as much as they could learn without horses. This included trying to teach with donkeys who were not very cooperative and many field trips to private properties off campus that had horses. These trips

relied entirely on separate contacts Paul and other students had.

“Fortunately, we knew enough people between myself and a few students who would allow us on their property to deal with their private horses,” Paul said. “But that’s difficult to pull off.”

Students part of the Equine program also suffered with the loss of the horses. Not being able to take certain classes meant they weren’t able to get the credits they needed and their time at Pierce had to be

extended.

“I didn’t get the outcome for my teaching goals for the classes,” said Paulina Chairez, an Equine student for over a year. “We kind of were just winging everything,and I feel like I kind of just wasted a semester here. It was just definitely not meeting my expectations as far as my career goals and education goals.”

The horses are expected to stay for the rest of the semester, putting both professors and students at ease.

“I feel like I can actually graduate

on time because the horses are here,” Chairez said. “I feel like I’m back on track.”

The future of the program is still not clear, but with the horses back there are hopes that the program will return to the state it was in before the pandemic. It’s already slowly getting there, the return of the animals sparked more students to enroll in the riding, training and lecture classes.

“I would like to see this program start up again to the level it was

Food, fabulous food

previous to the pandemic,” Paul said. “There’s always a waiting list for these classes and people really, really enjoy doing them. It’s for everybody– there’s a lot of people who take them just because it's therapeutic.”

Callen David, who started taking classes in the Equine program this semester, did not have to experience the program when they were missing the horses. He gets to start the program the way it was intended to be run.

“I’ve been looking to work with horses for a very, very long time,” David said. “It’s exciting to be here and learn proper technique and etiquette. Learning this whole new Pierce method with the horses is different than anything I’ve ever done. It’s exciting.”

Brahma Bodega collaborates with Pacific Dining to provide free meals

BY MARJAN SHARIFI Reporter

According to the recently released California Community College

#RealCollege Survey, nearly 50% of students are hungry. The Brahma Bodega is trying to fix that.

The Pierce College Brahma Bodega is giving away free lunches all semester in partnership with Pacific Dining, a contracter used to run the college cafeteria.

While this is not a new program at Pierce, more students are recently finding out about how the Bodega serves the student body. The Basic Needs leaders have come up with a program to assist hungry students.

Director of Lunch with the Bodega Geremy Mason, took over the program in October of 2022, which started a couple of years before the COVID-19 pandemic even hit and seemed to have been ahead of its time. It has been assisting and serving the student population since then.

“As we’ve been seeing, basic needs

is a hot topic at the moment,” said Mason, who said students are giving positive feedback on the program. “A lot of individuals, not just students, are hwaving difficulties with basic necessities, such as food and shelter.”

According to Student Services

Assistant Ozzy Portillo, many students getting lunch or dinner on campus may not be realistic as they may be too busy to grab food or are sometimes too financially stretched.

“Lunch with the Bodega is a good resource for students on campus that are here all day,” Portillo said. “It’s awesome to be able to offer this to students, and students don’t need to leave campus to buy food.”

Lunch with the Bodega started a couple of years back under a different name: Brahma Pantry. The program was managed by Brahma Pantry and Basic Needs lead Darcy Corwin.

In order to sign up, students need to be enrolled for one class at Pierce College. They will then have a card made for them and that card can be used for the rest of the semester. After students receive their card, they are eligible to receive other services, as well.

“Once they [students] apply and have a Bodega Card, they get access to all the resources that we have,” Mason said. “So we have the Bodega itself, where they get the Bodega Bites. Those are our two snacks per day that students can come and receive. We also have the take home items. They can also go to Pacific Dining.

Pierce College has a partnership with Pacific Dining to provide access for students to receive meals on a daily basis. Students on campus in the evening can go to the bookstore and receive a meal from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. everyday.”

The program has a rotating schedule in the cafeteria so there is a lot of variation with what students can choose to eat. The menu consists of, but is not limited to, chicken teriyaki, steak and mashed potatoes with gravy, orange chicken, ravioli, as well as vegetarian options. The program is tremendously successful and popular, currently serving approximately 750 students, while still getting more applicants.

Umoja Club President Luna von Dahlern said that she has benefited

from the program in many ways.

“I work full time and go to school full time and I don’t have much time to take care of myself,” von Dahlern said. “The Bodega is there for everyone. Everyone should be aware that it is there, even if they say they don’t need it. It’s still there for them.

Photo by Daniela Raymundo. Pasta boxes served at the cafeteria atPierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif.,on March 6, 2023.

Photo by Owen Meza.

Instructor Heidi Paul teaches her class at the Equestrian Center at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif. on March 3, 2023.

2 Opinions

From the desk of the Roundup STREET

DO YOU FEEL SAFE ON CAMPUS?

''Thepolicepatrolheremakes

prettysafe.Whichmeanstherewill belessassaultsgoingonthroughout thecampus.''

- David Morales

EDITORIAL:

Stay safe, be prepared

“Afterthe

Last month, an unknown assailant assaulted a young woman on campus. Pierce College sent an email detailing the incident.

“I'veneverheardofanycrimes happeninginthisschool.Idon't thinkit'sthatmuchofadangerous environment. I mean, the most interestingthingthathappenedwas acoyoteinschool.''

-Nate Garcia.

The report shared in the email states that, “A male suspect approached a female from behind and groping reportedly occurred. The female victim punched the suspect several times until he left running toward the area of Parking Lot 1 and out of view.”

Pierce, as with most schools, takes threats to students' safety seriously and has dedicated time and resources to making sure students feel safe on campus.

Emergency phones are

Column:

“I feel safe because there's a lot of security,itdependsonwhereyougo, andthere'salotofpeoplearound. youareoncampus.''

-Gloria Gamez

“There'salwayspoliceofficers everywhere.Ifeellikeifsomeone triestodoanythingaroundhere itwillprobablyendquickly.

-Matthew Hernandez

Corrections:

VOLUME 138 - ISSUE 1

FRONT -The softball team doesn't play on Joe Kelly Field, they play on the softball field

Email us at

located throughout campus and in parking lots. The Sheriff's Station on campus is open 24/7, and students are encouraged to call them if they feel they are in danger.

The Pierce website has a page where students are given a list of numbers to call. The same page also details ways to stay safe on campus. Students are told to travel in pairs or groups, how to be a good witness, and where to report a crime if it does happen.

All of these resources are accessible to students whenever they need them, but assaults like the one that took place last month still happen.

So what are we doing wrong?

The answer is nuanced and

does not place blame on Pierce as an institution. The issue at hand is a larger, systemic one that can be addressed through means other than delegating students' safety to themselves.

Schools across the United States are experiencing an increase in violence on campus. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that one in every five women in college report being sexually assaulted.

In November of 2022, the University of Virginia experienced a mass shooting, followed by the Michigan State University shooting just last month.

Pierce and other colleges have put a bandage on the

problem of violence on campus by supplying more deputies and/or security guards on school grounds. Colleges and universities need to institute more proactive and preventative approaches to violence.

Educating students on what violence looks like, both verbally and physically, allows them to identify when violence is occurring around them.

In addition to providing useful information on Canvas, Pierce could hold an event on campus each semester, giving tips to students on how to stay safe and highlight resources.

The role of Pierce also is to enforce strict disciplinary and legal action against students or

others who are the perpetrators of that violence.

This isn't to say that the resources provided by Pierce and the district aren't valuable. They allow students who are victims to seek adequate care and support. Still, prevention is the best protection, and by creating an environment on campus that not just supports victims, but condemns those who act violently, Pierce can prevent crimes on campus before they happen.

Resources are available on and off campus to aid. Visit Title IX Homepage (laccd.edu) for resources and support.

Alternatives for campus protection

BY OLIVIA ESPINOZA Copy Editor

The growing mistrust of the police department is a result of the systemic racism and police brutality in our country. Hiring private security would allow Pierce College to be in control when selecting individuals who meet a strict criteria of racial, cultural and gender sensitivity training.

While there exists some campus security in the form of the Sheriff’s Department, Pierce should make an effort in getting private security in the interest of

the diverse student demographic. According to the professor of intercultural communication and chair of the communication arts department at North Park University, Daniel White Hodge, in his essay for the book series Counterparts, systemic racism has been translating into campus life due to hiring campus security who have no training in racial and cultural issues.

Hodge shared his experience teaching in Southern California when his sociological class was predominantly black. He asked everyone to raise their hand if they have ever been stopped,

questioned or detained by campus security. Nearly the entire class raised their hands.

Even though this classroom poll did not take place at Pierce, it is essential that when considering the following steps on how to make the campus a safer environment, we must include people of color in the conversation.

Adding more security on campus as a result of the sexual assault crime could negatively impact people of color who are trying to pursue their higher education.

According to Pierce’s mission statement, They are “committed

to providing caring, equitable services to help the diverse students as well as the local community achieve their goals and thrive in a rapidly changing world.”

In order to do so, they must implement the statement into their search for campus security officials.

The Harvard Law Review foLlowing the fatal police shooting of Samuel DuBose even advised colleges who are seeking police for campus security should find departments that follow the colleges academic mission statement.

After the fatal shooting that occurred near the dorms of UC Berkeley, shortly after the university hired private security to circulate the area. Pierce College students shouldn’t have to experience violent acts in order for change to be implemented.

Pierce College has made efforts in making inclusivity celebrated on campus by opening the MultiCultural Center recently and promoting diversity through ASO planned events. Now it is time to not only spread the message, but embed the mantra into safety regulations.

Quotes gathered by Rachael Rosenberg Photos by Daniela Raymundo

incidenttheotherday wheresomeonewasapparently roped.Ifeelalittlelesssafe.''

-Orion Kindred-Shafron

mefeel

Photo by Rachael Rosenberg

Successful accreditation visit

Faculty members share stories of progress with the Accreditation Commission

BY KYANNA HOJATI Reporter

It takes a village to raise a child, or in Pierce’s case, a college student.

The latest scheduled comprehensive re-accreditation review and open forum panel took place in Building 600 on Monday, Feb. 27.

According to the panel, Pierce College is not your average campus. “I don't think I’ve ever been to a campus that has gone from a chicken coup to an automotive center,” said President of Crafton College and Accreditation Commission Member Kevin Horan.

Accreditation is a school’s way of being vetted, making sure that the processes and procedures that are in place are being followed as planned.

According to English Professor and Faculty Accreditation Coordinator Yvonne Grigg, the concept closely parallels the idea of cause and effect. In the case of Pierce College, the former are the outlines of procedures that have been followed accordingly and the latter is being approved by the Accreditation Committee.

“Accreditation is not about being perfect, we are not perfect, but the point is we have procedures and [Pierce] following them,” Grigg said. Problems that students may

face when not attending an accredited school is transferring. For example, taking courses at a non-accredited college or university would cause schools such as CSUN to deny your ability to transfer.

By sharing the roles that each department plays in a student’s success, and how said success can be viewed numerically in areas such as an increase in enrollment, transfer and graduation

rates, the Accreditation Commission gave the greenlight, marking the continuation of Pierce as an accredited school.

“Accreditation gives students the ability to have federal financial aid and a piece of paper that makes their education valuable to an employer,” Grigg said.

The event shared numerous examples of how Pierce College has been aiding students in leveraging every department to their

advantage. From career counseling, to financial aid fairs, to the use of the Center for Academic Success. Every part of Pierce College’s campus is made ready to help students meet their goals.

Dean of Academic Affairs

Sharon Dalmage said that gathering together in situations like the open forum panel speaks to the dedication those at Pierce College have to the school and its success.

“What was special about the event was getting an opportunity just to see how all of our collaboration between students, faculty and staff has resulted in so many different programs that are benefiting the community,” Dalmage said.

Dean of Career and Technical Education Mon Khat provided an example of Pierce helping to facilitate career goals by discussing the inner workings of the Au-

tomotive Department. According to Khat, the department applies consistently updated class teachings to parallel real world work settings, detailing how students can also take classes as needed and immediately apply them to jobs, then come back to fulfill degree requirements when ready.

Khat made specific mentions of having partnerships with brands such as Ford, Tesla and Chrysler in order to give students the opportunity to learn with the most updated auto parts and engines.

“If they get hired by Ford or Chrysler, they won't come in as a low level mechanic, they will come in as a Level 2 or Level 3, and get paid more because they have experience and training with those engines,” Khat said. The forum closed after a uniquely short visit, only solidifying the Brahma pride and reaffirming the hard work that students, faculty and staff bring to the campus.

“The Accreditation Commission saw how we like working together, how we really are like a family and how we want to create that sense of family and unity with our students as well,” Grigg said.

Photo by Kyanna Hojati

David Johnson president of Merritt College next to Kevin Horan during the Accreditation site and Open Forum Visit event at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Feb. 27, 2023.

Business 'R' Us A New Generation of Entrepreneurs Make Their Mark

For the Youth Business Academy, a spark of creativity marks the beginning of every great venture.

The Academy seeks to foster the business savvy traits that begin to appear at an early age by nurturing the innovative ideas of children between the ages of 6-16.

These ideas were showcased at the Children's Business Fair, which took place at Pierce College on Saturday.

With 20 booths of young entrepreneurs selling things from pins to slime, the fair highlighted their fledgling ambitions. CEO of Youth Business Academy Marina Goncearenco said the Academy encourages business skills in children because, “It is an important skill to nurture.”

The goal, according to Goncearenco, is to expand the youth business program and help foster real world skills in children that they can begin to develop at a young age.

“We are trying to encourage the young generation to take charge at a young age and do something with their skills to earn money, to try to present their ideas and not be afraid to be creative,” Goncearenco said.

For some, their businesses are simply a hobby, encouraged by siblings and parents to help them grow their skills. For others, it is a means of reaching long term goals.

For sisters Alexa, 11, and Paula Gomez, 15, owners of Jewels, Jewels, Jewels, participating in the Children’s Business Fair is a stepping stone for their newest adventure.

“My sister and I are making necklaces because my dad and I want to start a restaurant and

most of the money we make here, we are going to invest it into the restaurant,” Alexa Gomez said. “I just really like making jewelry. It's fun for me and it entertains me.”

The sisters hope to further their business venture in jewelry with the possibility of establishing their business online.

For Aliyanna Geminiano, 9, Jewelband started after observing the supply and

demand of Rainbow Loom jewelry. Rainbow Loom's popularity began in the early to mid 2000s and is still used to craft jewelry today.

“When I was little I started seeing these everywhere, and I kept wondering why they were so popular,” Geminiano said.

“So one day when I was about six, I began selling and I started liking it. I sell three times a year.”

Geminiano has taken the

well known craft at the age of six and made it her own. With the combination of gems and ornaments added to make a unique bracelet for each individual.

For Mathew Garcia, 8, the internet has been a stepping stone for him to learn the ins and outs of his keychain business, Brothers, Keychains & More.

“I'm selling these keychains because I want to help my school, and so that I can get more

knowledge in business,” Garcia said. “I started when I got the idea from YouTube and my favorite part is creating the designs.”

Garcia hopes to expand his business as he gets older and learn new creative skills along the way.

According to the Children’s Business Fair website, the event gave kids the “opportunity to make something with their own hands, sell it to a stranger safely and experience the

freedom and responsibility of having a little extra spending money as a reward.”

Sponsored by Acton Academy, Moonabee Media Group and the Acton School of Business, the event was the first of its kind in Woodland Hills.

khojati.roundupnews@gmail.com

Acoustic Folk-Jazz Meets World Music

The Guide Trio Brings Their Music to Campus

LAPC Music welcomed the Guide Trio at the Pierce College’s Performing Arts

Building on Thursday, March 2.

Bassist Jake Leckie, guitarist Nadav Peled and drummer Elizabeth Goodfellow played their new music at a free concert for a test audience consisting of Pierce students and faculty.

The Guide Trio, an acoustic rusty folk-jazz band, came to fruition during the Covid-19 pandemic when they started playing in Leckie’s front yard for their neighbors. The trio soon started to attract local musicians who brought their family and friends to go and listen to them weekly. Later, they started performing in local Los Angeles jazz venues.

The band comfortably plays music genres such as bebop, folk/pop covers, Ethiopian funk, as well as their own

original compositions. Their simple interactive playing and instrumentation style gives their audience an intimate, cohesive vibe that is enjoyed and admired from the beginning note to the last vamp.

The trio was then signed to Ropeadope Records and released their first album, “The Guide,” in April 2022, gaining critical acclaim.

For Pierce, the trio played four sets of new smooth cello and jazz rhythm songs. The mood was relaxed and calm while they played.

The trio welcomed attendees to ask questions about the group and their musical style between intermissions.

Drummer Goodfellow enjoys entertaining herself while playing by dropping her sticks and using her bare hands. She said she had not done it before but did it while performing.

Goodfellow said she’s been drumming for nearly her entire life.

“I've always liked the sound of percussion, like hitting things together and seeing what kind of sound I could get,” Goodfellow said. “And in the fifth grade , the band teacher came into my classroom and she said, who wants to play the drums? We need drummers for the school band.”

Goodfellow raised her hand and has been drumming ever since for 30 years.

Guitarist Peled says he started playing classic rock first and then moved on to other rock styles.

The Trio’s performances were terrific, and the attendees enjoyed the concert.

They announced during intermissions that they will be recording their second album soon.

Pierce College Music Director Wendy Mazon enjoyed the entire performance.

“All three performers are highly skilled musicians who

just really brought everything to the table today,” said Mazon. “They were sensitive in their playing, they had fabulous solos and it was so wonderful. It was the best thing of my day for sure.”

Photo by Kyanna Hojati

Aliyanna Geminiano at her jewerlry booth at Pierce College, in Woodland Hills, Calif., on March 4, 2023.

Photo: Lauren Bulchand

(L to R) Elizabeth Goodfellow, Jake Leckie and Nadav Peled perform their new song “Jade” on March 2, 2023.

BY SOPHIA CANO Reporter

From Germany to America, this young woman has had her fair share of change. Now, she’s looking to make a change to those around her.

Luna von Dahlern, a psychology major and the president of Umoja, has been trying to spread change and a love for culture to those around her. Born in Germany, von Dahlern spent the first part of her life in a predominantly white culture.

It didn’t strike her as anything but normal until she moved.

“America really showed me what it’s like to actually be around people that have the same mentality as you, that look like you, and that want to achieve the same results to be successful and proud of oneself,” von Dahlern said.

This realization sparked von Dahlern’s interest in the Umoja Program - a college program made for Black and other students to help them reach their full potential. von Dahlern expressed love for the program and its opportunities.

“The program basically gives you as a Black person, but also of any other ethnicity, the opportunity to become amazing,” von Dahlern explained.

She restarted the club last semester after it was shut down in 2020, and is putting it in

A call for culture Umoja-Club president has big plans

full force for this upcoming semester. She did this with the help of her Vice President Kekeli Gbewonyo and Emerald Coley.

“It was really Luna’s idea to start the club,” Gbewonyo said.

“She really rallied everybody. And she was able to get a bunch of other like-minded students to support the cause. And now we have a club.”

Although the club was restarted last semester, they weren’t able to build much due to health issues. This week was the club’s first real meeting, which took place this past Wednesday.

“Lat semester we weren’t able to do a whole lot, so I think this is the first time we’ll really get to see her in action,” Coley said. “But I’m very, very confident in Luna.

She’s very hardworking and very determined. She just has a good head on her shoulders, so I’m sure she’ll do great.”

von Dahlern is held in a positive light by her peers and fellow club members. Some words used to describe her are fun, charismatic, energetic, determined, and inclusive. Being the determined person that she is described to be, she has worked hard to organize her club and even collaborate with other clubs, one of those being the film club.

“We’re in the works of talking to each other about the clubs coming together and watching a movie, discussing the movie afterward, providing

On such a winter's day

snacks for everybody and just having a big family potluck or something like that.”

von Dahlern also wants everybody to join the Umoja Club, as she wants everybody to have a community that they can feel a part of.

“I would like to encourage everyone to just come to the club.” von Dahlern said, “I would recommend to anybody that’s interested in learning a little bit more about themselves, but also want to share about their own culture.”

In addition to being president of the Umoja Club, von Dahlern also tutors for Umoja English classes with Professor Chris Corning, as well as working another job outside of school. With this extra workload, she’s also learned the importance of taking time for herself and not setting impossible standards.

After graduating from Pierce College, von Dahlern plans to transfer to UCLA or a historically Black college or University, such as Howard University, to pursue her education in the therapy field. Once she recieves her bachelor’s degree in psychology, she might move back to Europe for a graduate’s program.

“I’m going to tell myself that it’s okay to take time for yourself and that it’s okay to sit back and watch a movie and that it’s okay to not focus on school 24/7,’’ von Dahlern said. “Instead of graduating this year, I will be graduating next year, and I’m okay with that.”

PHOTO BY WYATT SANCHEZ

Luna von Dahlern, a psychology major and president of UMOJA poses by the art of the newly opened Pierce College Multicultural Center, Woodland Hills Calif., on March 2, 2023

PHOTO BY WYATT SANCHEZ

capped San Gabriel mountains with the Pierce College South Gym in the background. Taken at the Art Center gravel parking lot, on March 1, 2023.

Caution: swimming not allowed

Pools are closed for needed repairs

BY LINDSEY WHITTAKER Reporter

The Pierce pools have been out of commission since October leaving the students and faculty in a lurch. Concrete along the borders of both pools is deteriorating making them unsafe to use and the area is outlined with yellow caution tape.

Computer graphics major Nathan Zilberman is on the swim team and said it would be much more convenient to have the pools up and running again.

“I really wish we had our pool back so we can swim at our own school,” Zilberman said.

Thanks to an existing partnership with Crespi Carmelite High School, the swim team has been able to practice during afternoons a couple times a week. However, it has not been without its challenges.

Swimmig Pool Coordinator

Debra Hefter said that since both schools are competing for pool time, it is difficult to keep a predictable schedule.

Hefter said that sometimes both teams need the pool at

the same time which means students have to shift their schedules around and that is not always possible.

“It's very hard to not have a home pool,” Hefter said. “I feel immense gratitude towards the students because they've all committed to taking classes at very odd times so that they can also get to their practice and come back to campus if they have to take classes at a later time. It's not easy to do.”

Director of Athletics Susan Armenta said it is tough to have to compete not just for the pool access but also for transportation.

Armenta said that other programs at Pierce need the school buses and vans and when this happens they need to arrange for alternate transportation.

“It's more of an expense to get transportation to go over to Crespi,” Armenta said.. “It's a time restriction for athletes and students to have to come to campus for one class and then go off campus to practice. It's just not convenient. It's not the best thing for our student athletes.”

Armenta said that the team has missed much needed practice time as a result of all

the additional coordination that is needed.

“It's just hard because it has to coordinate with their academic courses as well here on campus,” Armenta said. “It's always a balancing act for them to make sure that they get their practice time and then get back in time for their classes.”

According to Head Coach Judi Tehar, the instability has not been without its losses. Tehar said the team lost about five swimmers due to the changes which makes it difficult to enter the team into certain events and races.

Zilberman said the relays are the area where they struggled the most.

“We lost some team members, especially in our relays,” Zilberman said. “We only have maybe four members in our A team, which is our fastest team for relays. It's not very easy to switch out different teammates, it is very strict and concise. But we're trying really hard.”

Linguistics student Helene Hirsch said that it was hard to see so many of their swimmers go.

“There were some really good swimmers who were excited about being on a team,” Hirsch said. “Not having the pool at Pierce has been a very big deal. It makes it harder to be able to transfer back and forth all the time.”

Zilberman said that even though transportation has been more inconvenient, swimming at Crespi has been a privilege.

Tehar said that she feels that Pierce College is doing all they can to support the students through this time of uncertainty. Tehar also said that she feels confident in the

Digging for success

Men’s volleyball team starts the new season on a bright note

BY JENNIFER TANZIL Reporter

The men's volleyball team is set to begin the 2022-23 season under new leadership as the team seeks a coveted playoff spot.

New Head Coach Joseph Arechiga has been tasked with a team rebuilding effort in his first year.

Called “Coach Joe” by the players, he looks to help the team rebound after the 2022 team recorded no wins, as they finished with an overall record of 0-13.

Arechiga said not to count out the Brahmas just yet.

“I feel like we’re coming into this season with a chip on our shoulders,” Arechiga said. “After last year, people might think, ‘Oh, we’re playing Pierce, no big deal.’ No, no, no– we’re a big deal. We’re back, and we’re going to show you that we’re back.”

Already, the loss of months worth of conditioning and practice in the summer and fall preseason threatens to slow their road to success.

While many schools have been running practices since last summer, the Brahmas had no choice but to jump into things only in January. This was due in part to the latest coach change and the paperwork involved with it.

Freshman and outside hitter Vinny Harris is using the late start to the season as fuel for winning.

“[Having] two months of practice while everyone else has had half the year really sucks but it makes me want to beat them even more,” he said. “I want to prove that no matter how much more time you have than me, it doesn’t matter– I'm still gonna beat you.”

Freshman, libero and defensive specialist Ethan Ortiz also admits that not having those extra months of team building puts them at a slight disadvantage, but he won’t

let the odds beat the team down.

“As unfortunate as it is, our team has used these last few months we’ve spent together training our hardest in order to be able to compete with other teams,” Ortiz said. “We refuse to let the lack of a preseason negatively impact us.”

Despite the team still getting to know each other, team chemistry doesn’t seem to be an issue. In a group of 16, strong bonds have already been formed that will help in the long run. This is something Ortiz is proud of.

“I’ve been on teams where there’s always that one player that causes the vibes to go down,” Ortiz said. “But with this team, we are always uplifting each other, being positive and trying to make each other better each day. This is definitely a special group of guys.”

Meanwhile, Arechiga looks to start on a clean slate by stressing how this is a new year and a new team. He wasn’t on the coaching staff last year, so he can’t speak for what happened that resulted in a winless season. He chooses not to let the past affect team morale.

Arechiga already has high hopes for this season.

“I have a feeling we could be one of the top four teams in our conference and we can make the playoffs,” Arechiga said. “That’s a very realistic goal and something I could definitely see happening.”

Arechiga played volleyball at Pierce in 2015-2016 as a middle hitter and eventually, an opposite hitter. He then served as assistant coach in 2019 before going to finish his studies at UC Santa Barbara and USC.

Being a former player and already having assistant coaching duties under his belt, Arechiga is familiar with the trials and tribulations of leading a volleyball team. Now, as head coach, he says

team this season.

“The way you tell how the athletes are doing is you take the circumstances they're given and they do the best they can with them,” Tehar said. “We can't change the fact that the pool is broken. Our job is to show up every day, work as hard as we can. We're given two hours at that pool and train as hard as we can and the athletes will do the best they can with the circumstances.”

Hefter said that since the pool was built in the 1970s it has needed rehabilitation multiple times but it’s been about 15 years since the last repair.

Heftersaid that the extent of the damage remains unknown but in December, the district sent a contractor to take samples of the deck. Once they get the samples back, a plan of action will be established.

“We are just really interested to find out what the solution is going to be,” Hefter said. “Is it going to be something that's going to last us a lot longer or are we going to go for something a little bit bigger like rehabbing the whole athletics area? So those are all conversations that I know are being had.”

Hefter said that the schedule has been hard on both students and faculty because they are working at a facility where they are not familiar and they might not have all the things they need. However, Hefter remains positive and grateful.

“Everybody has been really wonderful, flexible, and adaptable,” Hefter said. “We've been making it work and it's gotten a lot better.”

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Brahma’s refuse to lose

The Pierce College baseball team turns a new corner with a big win on Saturday.

a complete game.”

today, so this was a good game for us to build off of,” Briscoe said.

things are much different and there is “definitely” pressure on himself to produce a win for the team.

At the same time, his role as a coach goes beyond just volleyball and winning.

“Of course, I want to be the best that I can possibly be as a coach and I want that to show in my record,” Arechiga said. “But also, I want to make sure my players are transferring and they’re taking care of grades. That, for me, will ultimately be my success.”

He seeks to instill a positive, forward way of thinking in his team as they get through little hurdles at a time, off the court and on the court.

“The final goal is we all want to win (the state championships),” Arechiga said. “The reality is, we need to win our first set. From there on, ‘how do we continue to improve ourselves and each other as a team?’As long as you’re progressing upwards as a team, that’s what’s really going to matter.”

One step at a time has proved to be the right mindset so far.

Although the team’s season opener on Mar. 1 resulted in a 3-1 loss to El Camino College, the single set they won will serve as motivation and a confidence booster as they look forward to the games ahead.

“I think our season will definitely be better than the season prior to the current one–we already won a set which is something that didn’t happen last year,” Ortiz said. “I'm hoping we are able to string together some wins and make a playoff push since no one in our conference is expecting us to do so.”

Brahmas Baseball proved that slow and steady can indeed win the race. The team faced off against West Los Angeles College on Saturday at Joe Kelly Field. Coming off of a three-game losing streak, the Brahma’s brought home a win against the Wildcats with a final score of 11-1.

Assistant Coach Alex FaGalde said that the team made strides to improve their game day performance by focusing on no walks, clean pitches and batting at a level that reflects their true skill as players.

“We didn't walk anyone for the first time, so maybe that was the highlight, because we've been pretty bad about that, but everyone picked each other up,” FaGalde said. “We were great on the mound and a lot of guys got hits– it was just

Outfielder Tyler Haruta said that it’s nice to see more of a range of players participating on the field, and that it is important to apply Saturday’s progress in future games.

“I was pretty happy about seeing the team playing cleaner baseball,” Haruta said.

Haruta also mentioned the nerves that came while watching teammate Dante Zamudio hurt his knee when pitching at today’s game.

“Our ace getting his knee hurt was a little worrisome, but I think he should be okay,” Haruta said.

Zamudio, who was Saturday’s star-pitcher, injured himself 4-innings in and was made to sit out for the rest of the game.

Pitching Coach Jackson Briscoe said the players asserted the goals from practice into the game.

“The goal everyday is to throw strikes and give our offense a chance to win the ball game, and they did an excellent job of that

Head Coach Bill Picketts said that the major shift that happened during Saturday’s game, allowing the team to bring home a win after experiencing a losing streak.

“It's always nice to win– we hope that we just move on from those losses and learn from them, which is what we've done,” Picketts said. “Our record is not as good as I think we are as a team, and today showed that.”

Picketts said that Saturday’s growth will hopefully carry onto the game against Moorpark College.

“We are going back to conference,” Picketts said. “We go against Moorepark on Tuesday, and so it's important because we lost our first three conference games so we've got to get back on track,”.

The Brahmas will be back to face off against the Moorpark Raiders on Tuesday, March 7 at 2 p.m.

The Brahmas’ home opener against the Antelope Valley Marauders is on Mar. 8 at 6 p.m.

PHOTO BY ASHLEY SHELLMIRE Aquatic Center competeitive pool is closed due to broken sides at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on March 3, 2023.

PHOTO BY ASHLEY SHELLMIRE Aquatic Center competeitive pool is closed due to broken sides at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on March 3, 2023.

Photo by: Kyanna Hojati.

Colin Mitchell stands at bat during a home game against West LA College at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on March 4, 2023.

KYANNA HOJATI Reporter