SAN JACINTO TIMES SJC thinks pink for Breast Cancer events e student publication of the San Jacinto College District
Vol. 24, No. 3
Carolina Rodriguez Staff Writer
Pink is everywhere during October at San Jacinto College Central Campus as part of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month when several campus departments sponsor events in an effort to raise awareness about the disease. The Lady Ravens Volleyball team hosted Paris Junior College Oct. 16 as part of their annual Dig Pink Rally, a nationwide initiative that raises money for the breast cancer community. Student Gisella Hernandez attends the volleyball event to have fun while supporting the cause at the same time. “Breast cancer touches our lives, and it is something that a lot of people have had to experience close to home with either a family member or even their peers at school. It will be a fun event to attend, and it is important to show that here are people out there that care about this,” she said. Educational Planning and Counseling partnered with the physical education department to host a Zumbathon Oct. 17 in honor of the survivors in the fight against breast cancer. The event offered students and faculty a free opportunity to experience the aerobic workout known as Zumba. Student and event participant Jessica Santos said the Zumbathon allowed women to show support for the cause. “It is an honor to participate in events like
October 28, 2013
these. They are fun and creative (ways) to get this important message across to women,” Santos said. Meanwhile, First Year Experience and Campus Recreation came together Oct. 7 for Kick Cancer, a kickball game organized as part of the Kick Cancer campaign. The Never 2 Late (N2L) Center on Central campus will close out the series of awareness events Oct. 31 with the speaker showcase Never 2 Late to Palpate. The event’s keynote speaker, Medical Imaging Instructor Liza Velasquez, will provide information about preventative measures, while breast cancer survivors share their personal experiences. Central campus students were quietly lending support in other ways. Nora Gonzales said she and her friends try to do their part during October by deliberately wearing pink. “The color pink represents the female, and promotes breast cancer (awareness),” Gonzales said. “My friends and I like to support the cause by wearing something pink on Wednesdays… We know how many women are affected with this disease that we like to show our support.” Students like Gonzales and Santos said they are concerned about breast cancer and the events at San Jac highlight an important message. The support is also demonstrated by a color that is in representation of women. “Everyone should have access to that early knowledge…,” Santos said. “Wearing pink is a Jessica Warren San Jacinto Times great way to spread the word.” Zumbathon participants sweat in the student center while supporting awareness.
Former homeless student Smoking policies under review repays her old ‘house’ Christopher Rodriguez Editor-in-chief
Christopher Rodriguez San Jacinto Times
Designated areas like this are now on all three campuses.
New rules apply when picking up a cigarette at San Jacinto College since the Board of Trustees suspended the existing smoking policies of all three campuses in August, and instituted a single temporary policy. According to San Jac’s website, the College will work on the new policy with the Environmental Health and Safety Smoking and Tobacco Use Taskforce; a group made up of faculty and members of the Student Government Association. They will conduct focus groups and surveys to help the college make a decision on their permanent district-wide smoking policy.
Previously, North and Central campuses allowed restricted smoking while South campus prohibited smoking on the entire campus. Amanda Booren, Director of Communications and Publications, said San Jac has three campuses but is one college in need of a unified policy. That was the catalyst for initiating the change. "San Jacinto College, for many years, operated as three separate colleges,” she said, “That has since changed, and we are now one college with three campuses, and our policies need to reflect that. A single policy that is for all three campuses creates efficiencies and makes it consistent across the board."
See Smoking on Page 4
TACHE-SJC Student Chapter strives to improve opportunities, promote culture
Efren Diosdado Staff Writer
Movement, known in Spanish as “El Movimiento,” and highlights the efforts of Latino activists who pushed for better educational opportunities, labor leaders that The Texas Association of Chicanos in organized farm workers in California, and Higher Education Student Chapter at San the empowerment of Latinos in the politJacinto College (TACHE-SJC), along ical process. with the Behavioral and Social Sciences Dina Castillo, a government professor Department, sponsored a film screening of and the group’s advisor on Central cam“Prejudice and Pride: The Chicano Move- pus, said TACHE is a statewide profesment” Oct. 9 at Central campus, followed sional association committed to improving by a Question and Answer session with educational and employment opportunithe film’s director John J. Valadez. ties for Hispanics in higher education. AcThe film details the Chicano Civil Rights cording to Castillo, San Jac’s chapter has a more specific focus. “The TACHE-SJC Student Chapter is a student group designed to promote education of our culture concerning Hispanics, and to bring awareness of the Hispanic culture to students and faculty,” Castillo said. Saul Zarco, an educational planner on Central campus and the Gulf Coast regional representative for Photo courtesy of TACHE-SCJ Student Chapter TACHE said TACHE-SJC Dina Castillo and Saul Zarco (standing) are pictured has an added goal of foswith Club members on a field trip to the state Capitol. tering student success. In
support of that objective, the group provides advisors, mentors, and tutors to assist students with college life. “Research shows,” Zarco said, “that students involved with campus activities do better academically”. Castillo said the TACHE-SJC Student Chapter was founded during the Fall 2012 semester. According to Zarco, students involved in TACHE-SJC were previously involved with the Latin-American Student Organization. Last year, a faction of the organization decided to start TACHE and approached the professional organization to approve their charter. Although the TACHE-SJC Student Chapter is a registered Student Life organization at Central campus, Castillo said membership is open to students at all three campuses. TACHE-SJC’s next meeting is scheduled for Nov. 22 at 12:30 p.m. in C3.209 and is open to all students enrolled in the College. Zarco said students should expect to get to know everyone during the first meeting they attend. The group participates in campus events, fundraisers, and social activities aimed at team building as an initiative to further support student success.
Shawna Russell Staff Writer
A San Jacinto College student, who was once a resident of a local homeless shelter, is organizing a clothing drive to benefit the place that helped her when she was in need. Sommer Shaw is two semesters away from completing the Registered Nursing (RN) program at Central campus, but she said she wasn’t always as lucky as she is now. In 2003, Shaw said she underwent major surgery to remove six inches of her brain in response to injuries sustained from child neglect. Five years later, the now mother of three said she found herself at Sarah’s House, a homeless shelter for battered and abused women in Pasadena. Pregnant with her first child, broke and trying to get away from an abusive relationship, Shaw said she turned to Sarah’s House for help. “I lost my parents, had no money, and I was five months pregnant with my first child at the time. I had nowhere to go, and no one to turn to,” Shaw said. She is not sure where she would be today without the help of Sarah’s House, Shaw said. “Living at a women’s shelter allowed me the chance to get back on my feet. Just having a clean pair of clothes to put on was a great feeling,” she said. Overcoming adversity and grateful for
the help she received, Shaw said she decided to hold a clothing drive to aid Sarah’s House. “These women and children come into the shelter with little to nothing in their possession,” Shaw said. “These women are down on their luck, they have no other options.” She said she developed a strong passion to help abused women and children after going through the same struggles herself. Shaw is encouraging students and faculty members to get involved in helping Sarah’s House by volunteering to help with the clothing drive, or by making donations. “If you have women and/or children’s clothing, toys - no stuffed animals, household items, shoes, etc., anything that can be donated to this cause, please do so. These women and children have nothing to their name,” Shaw said. The drive will continue through Thanksgiving and is seeing a lot of success up until now Shaw said. “San Jac students have really come together to help out a shelter in need. So far, 25 bags have been donated. I am very excited at the amount of stuff I have received, and really look forward to reactions from the women at the shelter,” Shaw said. Clothing donations can be made at the Student Success Center on Central campus, or by contacting Sommer Shaw at sommer_shaw281@yahoo.com.
Photo courtesy of Sommer Shaw
Donations pile up for Sommer Shaw’s clothing drive.