Volume 140 Spring 2024 Issue 10

Updates on Old Trapper’s Lodge

By Brandon Harrell Online Editor

By Brandon Harrell

Online Editor

There’s a California Historical Landmark on the Pierce College campus—but most students don’t know about it, and many of those who do are not happy about it.

Old Trapper’s Lodge is a folk art installation and California Historical Landmark (no. 939). It was completed in 1981 by John Ehn for his family’s motel, the same year in which he died. In 1988, the motel was bought by Burbank Airport to clear space for a longer runway, according to an appraisal commissioned by Pierce in 2021.

The motel was demolished, but an organization called SPACES (Saving Preserving Arts Cultural Environments) worked with the Ehn family to find a new home for the installation.

In the late 1980s, SPACES asked multiple organizations to house the exhibit, including the L.A. Zoo and Knott’s Berry Farm. Both rejected the offer.

In 1988, then-President of Pierce David Wolf signed the agreement to bring the installation to Pierce, which stated, “It is with pleasure that I, on behalf of Los Angeles Pierce College, accept Historical Landmark #939, also known as John Ehn’s Old Trappers Boothill.”

The president and board at the time likely did not know how attitudes of what is and is not acceptable as folk art would evolve in the coming decades.

“These large figurative

sculptures no longer garner sympathy nor admiration; indeed, they are considered offensive because of their stereotypical racial and misogynist message towards Native Americans, people of color and women,” was written on page 18 of the appraisal.

The folk art sculptures depict stereotypes of the Old West, including a Native American person kidnapping a white woman and a knife fight between caricatures of a settler and a Native American man.

In recent years, Old Trapper’s Lodge has received backlash over what is seen as a racist representation of Native Americans.

Pierce history professor Brian Walsh shares this concern.

“It just serves as a reminder of what a racist country this one is because this is from the ’50s,”

Walsh said. “This is not from the late 1800s, this was built in the 1950s to commemorate this sort of John Wayne, cowboys and Indians view that you see in T.V. and movies of the savage Indian.”

Not everyone shares this view. Esotouric is a company that leads tours of Southern California’s more odd and lesser-known attractions and has been leading the charge to preserve the folk art.

Esotouric is owned by husband-and-wife Richard Schave and Kim Cooper, who have documented on their website efforts to keep Old

Trapper’s Lodge open.

According to Cooper, some pieces depict violence, but visitors could be informed beforehand of the content via signage if they do not want to continue into the area to see those pieces.

“The style of the art is primitive Americana themed folk art, and there’s no reason this type of art should not be on a college campus,” Cooper wrote in an email. “The subject matter of two of the large pieces is violence in the Old West, which can be disturbing to some viewers. Nobody should have to look at any artwork they don’t want to look at. However, this location is notoriously hard to find, and a very small part of an enormous campus.”

Cooper believes interpretive signage to explain the context of the sculptures should be added at the entrance to Old Trapper’s Lodge.

When the statues were relocated to Pierce in 1988, the college and the Ehn family had agreed to written conditions under which the installation was to be donated. Included was protocol if moving the statues from campus was necessary.

“Under no circumstances is the ‘Boothill’ to be destroyed or disposed of unless every effort has been made to contact the donors. If they are unavailable a sincere, diligent effort must be made to find a safe new home for the “Boothill”. As a last resort the artifacts can be separated

Story continues on page 4.

An Old Trapper’s Lodge statue is part of a fenced-off art installation between the Earth Sciences building and the farm at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on March 7, 2024.

Raquel G. Frohlich

Smith

Karla Delgado

Owen Meza-Vandermeer / Roundup News

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Volume 140 - Issue 9

In the editorial, “We need to kick bots and take names,” the use of ID.me is optional.

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Editorial: From the desk of the Roundup

Helping the homeless through hygiene kit access

Pierce College should make it a priority to be of service for college students who may be homeless, as well as homeless people in the local community, even with something as straightforward as supplying hygiene kits.

Pierce is familiar with students facing homelessness, according to the school’s website. Colleges in California are in a similar predicament and should be giving more assistance to students.

“One in five California community college students, one in 10 California State University students and one in 20 University of California students are homeless,” a recent University of California, Los Angeles study found.

Hygiene kits are an effective way to help the homeless

community by giving them to students and local community members and partnering with local shelters. Necessities such as hygiene kits go a long way for them and for the homeless shelters.

“These essential items serve as a great icebreaker during our outreach,” said Director of the UCLA Health Homeless Healthcare Collaborative Brian Zunner-Keating on the UCLA Health Website. “Offering a hygiene kit right off the bat goes a long way to starting a relationship.”

Hygiene kits usually consist of a toothbrush, toothpaste, a bar of soap, shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, shave gel, deodorant, comb, razor, lip balm, facecloth, bandages, hand sanitizer, tissues, nail clippers, hair ties and feminine hygiene

products, according to the Kit For A Cause website.

Pierce should take more action in addition to having a homeless assistant programs resource directory. They should take a more direct approach and help provide the necessities to create hygiene kits.

“We do provide pads and tampons, and also condoms for free. In the front office on a regular basis, anybody can come take them,” according to Student Health Center Director Houry Tanashian, clarifying that the SHC provides these items for Pierce students only.

Pierce can adapt what East Los Angeles College is doing and support not only students, but also community members with hygiene kits.

Students could start a club with the goal of providing for

the homeless with necessities. The club could create hygiene kits and distribute them to those in need.

According to this Whittier College website, The Whittier’s Black Student Association club is dedicated to providing support for the homeless in their community.

“Their goal is to fill 150 backpacks with items that will help meet a homeless person’s basic hygiene and comfort needs,” according to Whittier College.

Providing hygiene kits to students and homeless people in the local community would be a vital step to improving the lives and health of individuals in need.

A look into the archives: 70 years of the Roundup

On this day 32 years ago, Roundup photographer Eric Grigorian photographed the 1992 Los Angeles riots that began after four LAPD officers who had been charged with excessive force in the arrest and beating of Rodney King were acquitted by a jury. Roundup staff writer Tad Summers reported on students raising money for riot victims.

Other news stories in this issue included a rodeo at Shepard Stadium that drew 10,500 spectators, campus police discovering fake parking permits—which other campuses in the area had encountered— Pulitzer Prize-winning Howard Rosenberg who spoke to a class of journalism students and math professor and part-time magician Arthur Benjamin who

performed how he multiplied numbers faster than calculators.

In the art and entertainment section, staff writer Kevin Smith wrote about 52-yearold Mary Smale, who combined Chinese broadswords with heavy metal music for a performance in the Pierce College Dance Theatre Spring Concert.

Advertisements throughout the issue ranged from Lee College at the University of Judaism displaying, “Don’t be just another number. At Lee College, we know you by name. We’re the small school with BIG advantages,” to an unbranded ad calling for sperm donations to earn extra income to a tanning salon asking readers, “Is your tan ready for the sun?”

Copy by Raquel G. Frohlich.

A doll lies in the foreground as a line of police stands on Pico Boulevard near Alvarado Street during the L.A. rioting May 1.

Photo by Eric Grigorian.

Updates on Old Trapper’s Lodge, continued

Continued from page 1.

and given to various Folk Art museums, etc. This should be handled by the SPACES organization if they are still in existence. Priority should be given to organizations in Southern California. All current restrictions and agreements are to remain in effect with the new recipients. If Pierce College cannot find a proper site the Ehn Family retains the right to take back the sculptures,” the Ehn family wrote in a document outlining their conditions.

SPACES is “no longer active,” according to page 17 of the appraisal.

In 2022, Pierce reached out to Tommy Gelinas, founder of Valley Relics Museum, who agreed to take the folk art.

Esotouric opposed the way the deinstallation process was being done by Valley Relics to move it, and they found it “deeply disturbing.”

Gelinas at Valley Relics had initially been contacted by Walsh about the folk art.

“They made a deal. We got through the bureaucratic thicket of the state landmark designation, got through the obligations the district had. Once that’s clear, then you just need to get a truck,” Walsh said. “Esotouric created such a hassle and such a

headache for Tommy and Valley Relics he said it’s just not worth it. All they had to do was nothing. Why would they force them to be in a place where they are not welcome?”

The appraisal details two options for handling the installation—recontextualization and treatment before deinstallation. One local art lab provided an estimate of $76,150 to prepare the artwork for deinstallation and transportation, according to the appraisal. It would cost an additional estimated $157,390 to deinstall, crate and transport the collection.

Four options for the future of Old Trapper’s Lodge were discussed on page 25 of the same report—storage/ relocation, recontextualization, reconciliation and digital documentation.

In an interview in February, Pierce Interim President Ara Aguiar recognized the conflict surrounding the statues.

“However, they still are the property of the family, and we are the caregivers,” Aguiar said. “So, we are responsible for any damage that comes to those statues. And that could potentially create a financial burden on the campus. Then where do we move it to?”

Brahmas go to the polls

Student government candidates share their campaign platforms at forum

By Marcus Nocerino Reporter

Brahmas can now vote for their 2024-25 Associated Student Organization (ASO) officers and LACCD Student Trustee.

The college has been working for years to find a home for the statues, according to Aguiar. Pierce has worked with the Ehn family and several other entities.

“And that has just not come to fruition,” Aguiar said. “We’ve attempted with many organizations, museums, folk art museums and any kind of museum that has this kind of art, or for a study perspective and historical perspective. We have not been able to find a partner that would take these statues.”

Another challenge is the physical stability of the folk art, explained Aguiar in an April interview.

“The concern of, if the minute that we go into the phase of moving the sculptures, that there may be damage that takes place,” Aguiar said. “Because, no one knows what is underneath the statues, or how deep, what kind of cement, are there rebars, is there stability in the structure itself?”

At the moment, the next steps for Old Trapper’s Lodge have not been decided.

“For the time being, we’re holding steady on just protecting the statues with a cover,” Aguiar said.

confident and put myself out there more,” Bassirat said. “I got a lot of passion for ASO as a senator, so I think what I’m able to do as a senator encouraged me to apply for the position so I can be more involved in ASO.”

the forum included Jasmine Minchez for ASO President, Alexa Romero for Club Council President and both Lorenzo Valdez-Larios and Ambyr Cynthia Baham for LACCD Student Trustee.

News Briefs

8th Annual Speech Tournament

Emma Ortega and Chloe Bassirat are both running for ASO Vice President.

“I had some personal growth and it encouraged me to be more

Students and potential candidates for the positions gathered in the Student Engagement Center on April 22 for an election forum.

Icy Smith / Roundup News

Ortega said she is open to constructive criticism for students to say what needs to be improved at campus events.

“If someone sends me an email about an event, I’ll look at it,” Ortega said. “If I get this position, I’ll be open to the criticism because I think it’s important for the people that are running for the positions, and the students, to be open to the criticism and be transparent so anyone can feel comfortable.”

Bassirat discussed why she chose to run for the ASO Vice President position.

“I’ve seen how everyone is interacting, how ASO is, the vice president and president is doing,” Bassirat said. “I wanted to be a voice for people to be heard on campus, so vice president was the position for me.”

Bassirat also wants to advocate for students and increase engagement on campus.

“Students can come to some events to get food, bring their friends or meet new people,” Bassirat said. “I really want students to meet each other because after COVID, everything became a mess. So I want students to come together to meet each other.”

Other candidates who attended

Minchez voiced some of her goals as ASO President if she gets the position.

“My goal is to let students know what resources are available to them,” Minchez said. “So to meet them where they are, and their classes will let them know that we have a lot of events on campus and that we offer more than just to make new friends and have free food.”

Minchez also said she believes she has the capability and skills for the position of ASO President.

“I would really love to further involve myself with the Pierce College community in my last year as a Pierce student,” Minchez said.

According to ASO coordinator and advisor Lara Conrady Wong, students can open up their emails to vote for a candidate starting on Monday, April 29 at 8 a.m., until Sunday, May 5, at 11:59 p.m.

The Department of Communications Studies at Pierce College will be hosting its 8th Annual Speech Tournament—and the first one back on campus since the COVID-19 pandemic—on Friday, May 17, 2024, from 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Current public speaking students can contact their communications professors for more information to participate.

The Unique Ball

LACCD presents the 2024 Unique Ball on Saturday, May 18. The free admission ball will take place at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College and starts at 5 p.m., with the doors opening at 2 p.m. The event will be commentated by Enyce Gorgeous Gucci.

The Unique Ball was created to support the LGBTQ+ students, faculty, staff, and administrators of the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) and is an infusion of admirers/spectators of Ballroom and the essence of the Ballroom community/ culture as a whole, according to LATTC.

Copy by Raquel G. Frohlich.

Chloe Bassirat, a business major running for ASO Vice President, speaks during the ASO Candidate Forum at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on April 22, 2024. “I would love to be your voice,” Bassirat said.

Owen Meza-Vandermeer / Roundup News

An Old Trapper’s Lodge statue at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on March 7, 2024.

It’s not yet November, but it’s time to pick a president

Four candidates introduced at a public forum in the Great Hall

By Alfonso Vargas Social Media Editor

Pierce College has had an interim president for about two-and-half years, and come June, the position may be filled permanently.

Four candidates spoke at the Pierce President Public Forum in the Great Hall on April 23, each introducing themselves and answering prepared questions. The four candidates are Ara Aguiar, Wei Zhou, Carlos Cortez and Nathaniel Jones.

Aguiar is the Interim President at Pierce, Zhou is the Interim Vice President at Cerritos College, Cortez recently served as the chancellor of the San Diego Community College District and Jones serves as Interim Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administration with the Peralta Community College District.

“It’s interesting to see the candidates’ past experiences and what they can bring to the college,” said Garineh Avakian, an associate professor of music in voice and choir. Her music class performed during each intermission.

Moderator and search consultant Stan Carrizosa had a set of fixed questions to ask each candidate who went on stage. The questions were derived from a campus-wide survey, according to Carrizosa, and were the same for every candidate.

Aguiar said she has worked in the past to get grants that help ensure the support for students and programs at Pierce.

“In the last two-and-a-half years, we received close to $10 million in this college because of the team and submitting for proposals, and we have received those funds to support the programs and our students,” Aguiar said. “So that is something that I think we’re going to really need to pursue any opportunity that aligns with what we wanted to hear on campus.”

En español

Pierce Interim President Ara Aguiar answers questions from moderator Stan Carrizosa during the public forum in the Great Hall at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on April 23, 2024.

In response to a question about combating systemic racism and promoting racial equality, Zhou said it would be important to implement policies for zero tolerance against any discrimination.

“I do want to emphasize this is not my personal effort, but working with everybody,” Zhou said. “We look at the institution and also we look district-wide and at additional policies and procedures. Making sure we have zero tolerance against any discriminative behaviors and language use. As a first piece, it is important to talk about the equity piece, especially racial equity.”

Cortez said he understands the concerns that students have going to college and explained why he wants to create opportunities for them.

“I can identify firsthand with many of the fears and trepidations that our students have when they walk through these doors,”

Cortez said. “That’s why I’ve committed my life to creating opportunities and pathways for them to be successful.”

Another question presented to the candidates was about the

role of a college president in raising funds to support special student populations, such as veterans, foster youth, Dreamers and formerly incarcerated students. Jones said he believes that the president plays a major role in supporting these student populations.

“I got an opportunity to meet other students and provide them with some economic resources to help make their educational dream a reality,” Jones said. “The difficult part was only having one or two of these scholarships to be able to give out and having to make the top choice of deciding between compelling stories. Stories of great resilience, stories of students having overcome significant challenges to be where they are, and succeeding tremendously.”

Music major Jeffery Alvarado said he wants to see in a Pierce president someone who cares about students succeeding.

“I just want them to see us all as students who want to succeed, no matter their backgrounds, just someone who wants to pursue education,” Alvarado said.

Aún no es noviembre, pero es hora de elegir a un presidente

Cuatro candidatos se presentan en un foro público

By Alfonso Vargas Social Media Editor

Pierce College ha tenido un presidente provisional durante unos dos años y medio, y, en junio, la posición puede ser cubierta permanentemente.

Cuatro candidatos hablaron en el Foro Público del Presidente de Pierce en el Gran Salón el 23 de abril, cada uno presentándose y respondiendo a preguntas preparadas. Los cuatro

candidatos son Ara Aguiar, Wei Zhou, Carlos Cortez y Nathaniel Jones.

Aguiar es la Presidenta Provisional de Pierce, Zhou es el Vicepresidente Interino del Colegio Cerritos, Cortez recientemente desempeñó el cargo de canciller del Distrito Comunitario de San Diego y Jones es Vicepresidente Interino de Finanzas y Administración del Distrito Comunitario de Peralta.

“Es interesante ver las experiencias pasadas de los

Brahma Blotter

candidatos y lo que pueden aportar al colegio comunitario [traducido de inglés a español]”, dijo Garineh Avakian, profesor asociado de música vocal y coral. Su clase de música actuó durante cada intermedio.

Para leer más, vaya al www. theroundupnews.com.

Translation by Daniela Raymundo and Delilah Brumer.

Crime Log

No crimes were reported between April 22-28, 2024.

The crime log is made publicly available at the Pierce College Sheriff’s Office.

Registro de delitos

No se reportaron crímenes para la semana del 22 al 28 de abril.

El registro de delitos está disponible públicamente en la Oficina del Sheriff de Pierce College.

Campus Incidents

04/27/2024

A child at the Kindness Carnival in Lot 7 had a heat-related illness and was transported to a hospital for further evaluation.

ADVISORY: Vehicle break-ins have occurred in the surrounding area off-campus on Victory Boulevard and Winnetka Avenue, which is in LAPD jurisdiction.

The Sheriff’s Office encourages students and staff to conceal valuable items in their cars as a precautionary measure.

“Please take your items with you or put backpacks, laptop cases, wallets, airpods, cell phones in your trunk, out of plain sight. Always park in a well-lit area and be aware of your surroundings,” the Sheriff’s Office advised.

LAPC Sheriffs are conducting extra patrols in the area and have been in contact with LAPD in an attempt to deter more break-ins.

Pierce College Sheriff’s Office General Information 818-719-6450

Emergency 818-710-4311

Raquel G. Frohlich / Roundup News

Reporting by Christian Castellanos and Raquel G. Frohlich.

Infographic by Delilah Brumer. Information from LACCD President search update.

Pierce College Council talks crime and class options

By Raiden Vazquez Reporter

The Pierce College Council discussed several issues on and around the campus on Thursday, April 25. One of those topics was the increase in crime that has been taking place in the community surrounding the Pierce campus.

“We have an uptick in crime in the surrounding neighborhoods, especially on the streets like Victory and Winnetka,” Sheriff’s Deputy Isaac Jorge said.

PCC also talked about collaborating with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department to notify students about the vehicle break-ins that have been occurring to cars

parked on the streets around the campus.

“Let’s make sure that we hide our stuff, we hide our laptops, our backpacks, put them in the trunk and out of sight,” Jorge said.

Another topic discussed was the issues on-campus students have in completing the full units for their degrees.

As Pierce’s scheduling moves away from the pandemicstyle planning of online-only class options, the students who attend in-person exclusively are incapable of getting the necessary credits for their goals without taking a virtual class, according to PCC member Margarita Pillado.

“We have heard, for example, from some student veterans

and some international students that they cannot complete their enrollment requirement because we are not offering enough inperson instruction at Pierce College,” Pillado said. “We are turning them away and they are going somewhere else.”

The council is now aiming for more optimized scheduling and use of campus spaces for more in-person classes.

One of the guest speakers was Pierce student and STEM major Lorenzo Valdez-Larios, who is one of two candidates running for a position as an LACCD Student Trustee.

“Some of the things I want to work on as Student Trustee is improving student resources, ensuring a vibrant student life

and advocating for the students,” Valdez-Larios said.

An example of this advocacy was when Valdez-Larios went to the LA Metro Transportation Board of Directors to advocate for the continuance of the student service that allows Pierce to issue free bus passes, and said he hopes to advocate to make the service permanent.

Valdez-Larios encouraged PCC members to notify the students they work with that the voting period for the student trustee election takes place from April 29 to May 5. Students can vote through the SIS portal where a tile with the option to vote will be made available.

Academic Senate discusses recent sanctioning of women’s basketball and looming budget deficit

By Delilah Brumer News Editor

Interim President Ara Aguiar spoke about the recent sanctioning of the Pierce College women’s basketball team during Monday’s Academic Senate meeting in Building 600. Due to a sanction by the California Community College Athletic Association, the team cannot compete for two years.

“We need to determine a game plan for the players,” Aguiar said. “The students have to be provided with an opportunity to manage their needs. We want to work with other institutions, so the students can continue to play basketball.”

Aguiar said the reasons behind the sanction are confidential, but she and athletics department

personnel will continue to update the Pierce community about the women’s basketball situation.

Aguiar said she hopes to partner with a nearby college until the sanction period is over, in order for the women’s basketball team to continue playing and to have the opportunity to facilitate potential four-year university transfers.

During the April 22 meeting, the Academic Senate also discussed the looming statewide budget deficit, and Pierce’s efforts to minimize excess spending.

Academic Senate Treasurer Kalynda McLean, who is also an Umoja coordinator and counselor, spoke about Pierce’s Financial Intervention Team (FIT), which was “established as a precautionary measure to

Kindness Carnival inspires children

Boys and Girls Club Chapters gather at Pierce for arts, music and games

By Spencer Fuller Reporter

Hundreds of children in identical teal T-shirts reading “kindness is free” explored, created art and played carnival games on the Pierce College campus on Saturday.

Kindness is Free was established in 2020 by Lori Milgard and JR Dzubak, the CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of West San Gabriel Valley & Eastside.

The 3rd Annual Kindness Carnival began with the staff and children taking the Kindness Pledge, following opening remarks by Milgard.

Guest actor and singer Alexander James Rodriguez performed and took the pledge with the organizers at the opening of the carnival.

According to Jennyfer Molina,

students and staff from the Boys and Girls Club of Malibu attended the carnival to learn how to prevent bullying and spread kindness.

“The main goal is for them to come and know that everything here has been paid for, so they don’t have to worry about the money burden, and also to just come out and have fun with their friends,” Molina said. “And then we want to enforce being kind to everybody, and enforcing to spread it.”

At the event, the staff had booths set up for students in the Boys and Girls Club to make a kindness scrapbook and advocate for kindness.

Milgard said the environment for kids has changed over the decades, and she wants to see people get back to being kind to one another.

“I think we’re all born kind,

evaluate our financial situation.”

“The FIT team will come up with recommendations so that we do not end up having financial challenges,” McLean said. “We are forecasting a challenge and this task force comes into play with that.”

Distance Education and Instructional Technologies Committee Chair Clay Gediman updated the Senate about the ongoing problem of fraudulent bot accounts enrolling in online classes.

“The bots are posing challenges, and some of the problems are AI submissions,” Gediman said. “There are actual students who use AI on their initial discussion posts. It creates a complex problem for faculty to make sure these are students.”

The Academic Senate also

and I think we’ve lost our way a little bit,” Milgard said. “So I’m hoping we can redirect some of this. It’s about having fun and being kind to one another.”

Jay Faccio, a DJ at 104.3 MYFM, was at the event, which had sponsors such as In-N-Out Burger and iHeartRadio. Lisa

unanimously voted to approve seven new courses. These offerings will include four Native American studies classes, one English class and two history classes.

Transfer Center Director Sunday Salter spoke about the support available to students as they receive transfer admission decisions. The Transfer Center is planning to host a Transfer Celebration on May 15 on the Mall from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“Students are hearing from their campuses and it’s a stressful time,” Salter said. “If they need support, send them over to the Transfer Center. We have a giant bell for them to ring if they got accepted, but we also have several resources for them if they got denied.”

Foxx was the emcee.

“And we’re out here giving some stickers, some sunglasses, on this nice sunny day,” said Faccio, who also mentioned they were giving away tickets to Six Flags. “You know, it’s just kind of being here for the kids.”

Earth

Each year, Earth Day takes place on April 22, and Pierce College students were among those who took part in the day’s education and celebration throughout campus this year.

At the Earth Day Bash, booths from various clubs and organizations, vegan food from Follow Your Heart and electric vehicles from Automotive Technology were set up along the Mall. Groups of students took part in a campus clean

RIGHT: A Seed Bomb is carefully decorated during the Earth Day Bash at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on April 22, 2024.

Karla Delgado / Roundup News

Carnival worker Jackie Lemus (right) helps kids prepare to play a ring toss game at the 3rd Annual Kindness Carnival in Lot 7 at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on April 27, 2024.

Raquel G. Frohlich / Roundup News

Day Bash

up, clearing the area of trash including paper, napkins, old flyers and cardboard. Marine Biology Professor Crystal Ng displayed and discussed marine items such as a sea urchin, sea star and coral.

Life Sciences and Biology Professor Wyndee Guzman led a Bird Walk, and—equipped with binoculars—the group spotted birds including a robin, eagle and dove.

“I teach bird watching classes, and I often find students, after

they take the class, are more observant and they say it’s amazing,” Guzman said. “After a few minutes, or 30 or 45 minutes of doing a little bird walk and identifying those different characteristics—the different shape and size of the birds, I think that helps them become more observant in life, too.”

RIGHT: (L to R) Child development majors Elizabeth Sanchez and Samantha Elias, Club President and nursing and child development major Alanna Davis, and Club Vice President and psychology major Lexi Costa gather to help two students with choosing bracelets from the Child Development Club booth during the Earth Day Bash at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on April 22, 2024.

LEFT: (L-R) Subha Tabassum, a biology major, and Maegan Panes, a psychology major, pick up pieces of trash left behind next to the North Gym at the campus clean-up event during the Earth Day Bash at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on April 22, 2024.

Karla Delgado / Roundup News

Professor Wyndee Guzman (R), along with students, looks up toward the sky as they spot an eagle in the distance at the Bird Walk event during the Earth Day Bash at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on April 22, 2024.

Karla Delgado / Roundup News

Copy by Raquel G. Frohlich. Karla Delgado contributed to this story.

Karla Delgado / Roundup News

A blossoming escape

Spending time in nature can provide benefits toward cognitive function, an overall improved mood and a decrease in stress, according to the American Psychological Association.

On the Pierce College campus, students have the S. Mark Taper Botanical Garden. This garden not only acts as a living classroom, but also as an escape from daily life. What started as an “outdoor botanical laboratory” for Pierce’s life science department has transformed into an oasis for those who need it.

Copy by Sophie Lotterstein.

ABOVE: A monarch butterfly flies away from a Milkweed plant in the S. Mark Taper Botanical Garden at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on April 22, 2024.

Sophie Lotterstein / Roundup News

Wyatt Waters, an anthropology and Japanese major, studies on a bench in the S. Mark Taper Botanical Garden at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on April 22, 2024.

Sophie Lotterstein / Roundup News

A hummingbird gathers nectar from a flowering plant (emu bush) in the S. Mark Taper Botanical Garden at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on April 22, 2024.

Sophie Lotterstein / Roundup News

Hospitality management major Catleya Freeman reads poetry on a bench in the S. Mark Taper Botanical Garden at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on April 22, 2024.

Sophie Lotterstein / Roundup News

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