Viewpoints - May 24

May 24, 2012

Vol. xxxVIVI, No. 14

An Associated Collegiate Press two-time national Pacemaker award-winning newspaper, serving as the voice of the students since 1922.

Riverside, CA | www.viewpointsonline.org

Riverside City College

Poet laureate comes to RCC Juan Felipe Herrera, the state’s poet laureate, visits RCC on May 22 For a

news story

see Page 2

Allison Perez / photo Editor

Going the distance: Juan Felipe Herrera, California’s poet laureate, makes a visit to Riverside City College as a guest for the Stay Classy Creative Writing Club. Herrera shares his personal stories with RCC students and faculty in the one-hour meeting.

A successful career for one RCC athlete page 15

A look into RCC’s cosmetology pages 10-11

RCC men’s track and field wins state title page 17

2 | May 24, 2012

Viewpoints

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News

Reminders from the RCC Bookstore Justino Gomez, assistant store manager of the Riverside City College Bookstore, said students can resale their spring semester textbooks to the Bookstore from June 4 to June 8.

He said students must return rented textbooks by June 8, but students are welcome to return rented textbooks earlier.

Gomez said textbooks for the summer session are going to start being available on June 4.

He said the RCC Bookstore is going to guarantee gradation caps and gowns sizes until May 31, but the Bookstore will continue to sell caps and gowns until graduation on June 8.

RCC students talk about the economy The students of Amber Casolari, an associate professor of economics, are scheduled to present a report on the current state of the United States economy on May 29 from 12:50 p.m. to 1:50 p.m. in Room 122 of the Administration building.

The students are going to be examining trends in unemployment rates, inflation rates, business profits and more.

For more information on the event, contact Casolari at amber.casolari@rcc.edu.

Summer Schedules at RCC The Theatre Department at Riverside City College is scheduled to host “The Cabarets: The Child Within Us,” a musical that is produced by RCC students.

The musical is set to run on May 30, 31 and June 1 in Room 144 of the Quadrangle at 6 p.m.

Tickets are being sold for $10 at the box office of the Landis Performing Arts Center.

For more information on the musical, contact the Landis box office at (951) 222-8100 or www.landispac.com.

An e-waste drive through drop box Associated Students of Riverside City College is scheduled to host a free e-waste recycling event on June 2 and 3 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at RCC. Associated Students of RCC is working with students from other colleges in the region to raise money.

Associated Students of RCC is looking to collect computers, monitors, servers, hard drives, microwave ovens, laptops, televisions and cell phones at its e-waste event.

Items not eligible for the e-waste event are alkaline batteries, washers, dryers, refrigerators and air conditioners.

For more information on the event visit www.asrccenviro.wordpress.com.

RCC students’ animation work displayed The Art Department at Riverside City College is scheduled to host the sixth biannual RCC Animation Showcase on June 6 from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Digital Library auditorium.

The showcase is a celebration of animated short films that were created by RCC students.

The showcase is scheduled to have guests such as animators from CalArts, award winning filmmakers and RCC faulty as judges.

The event is free and open to the public, but the Art Department encourages attendees to arrive 10 minutes early.

For more information on the showcase, contact Will Kim at will.kim@rcc.edu.

RCC’s Veterans Club hosts a marathon Riverside City College and the Veterans Club are scheduled to host the third annual Veterans 5k run, walk and roll event on June 9 at Wheelock Stadium.

The event is to raise money for the RCC Veteran’s Fund.

The race starts at 8 a.m. but registration is from 6 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. All participants must sign a Release and Waiver of Liability form upon check-in.

The cost for general registration is $30 and the cost for high school and college students is $15. Participants are asked to pay for their registration at the day of the event as cash and checks are only expected.

The first 150 people to register for the event will receive a free T-shirt.

For more information contact Garth Schultz at (951) 222-8027 or garth.schultz@ rcc.edu.

Allison Perez / Photo Editor

Celebrity status: Daisy Mendoza, an Riverside City College student, has

her arm signed by Juan Felipe Herrera, California’s poet laureate, following the readings and meet and greet Herrera did at RCC on May 22.

The poet laureate of the state visits RCC

RCC’s Stay Classy Creative Writing Club treats RCC with a special guest Javier cabrera Editor-in-chief Riverside City College received a special treat on May 22 as Juan Felipe Herrera, California’s poet laureate, met with students and faculty as he shared his personal life through his readings.

The Stay Classy Creative Writing Club at RCC hosted the one-hour event in Room 122 at the Administration building as the club welcomed the community to join them to experience the opportunity to have such a guest as Herrera.

“It is a huge deal,” said Jazzy Smith, the club’s president. “He represents all of California, and for him to come here to RCC, it is just amazing.”

The club was able to bring Herrera to RCC because its adviser, Jo Scott-Coe, has known Herrera for quite awhile.

“As a working writer, you meet writers, you go to readings and you study with people,” she said. “I met Juan Felipe when I was a student at UC Riverside, so I got to know him a little bit and read his work; I just thought how great it would be to have him here.”

Scott-Coe said Herrera has incredible generosity, and he believes in the community college system, so she felt it was important to invite him to RCC because it is a real honor for the college.

Smith said she felt great with having other students join the event because the idea is not about the writing aspect.

“It is about gaining a community, just knowing people out there and sharing your stories, that is more important,” she said.

Alex Contreras, elect-president of the club, said the club is having an impact to the community with allowing students and faculty join them for events such as this one.

“It is amazing because we show it is not about the writing, it is so much to that, it is just not a word, paper or pencil; it is motions and it is life,” she said. “We all go through it every day it just depends on how

you express it.”

Herrera said he is using events like the one at RCC as a tool in his project to give Californians the chance at discovering poetry.

He wants to group people, children, poets, galleries, schools, community centers and programs into one form because he wants to include everyone in his plans.

“I make sketches and outlines of the California Poet Laureate Project—I want to have everyone involved,” he said.

“And then people call me, radio stations, television, educators, conference people and associations and they want me to present; and then I think (about how) I am going to recruit them to help me generate poetry for everyone in California.”

Herrera said he describes the thought of being California’s poet laureate as an evolving awareness.

“My first thought was, ‘Really?’ I couldn’t believe it,” he said. “So all of a sudden California became a neon green, ‘Oh now I am apart of California in a very different way,’ and poetry is now what I am going to do here but in a different way.”

Watch a video on Juan Felipe Herrera at Riverside City College now on YouTube by subscribing to ViewpointsofRCC or liking Viewpoints on Facebook by searching for “Riverside City College Viewpoints”

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News

May 24, 2012 | 3

RCC program breaks traditional barriers Jeremy fuerte Staff Writer The honors program is a program at Riverside City College built around a community of scholars who wish to expand their intellectual horizons.

Clayton McEvoy, a student at RCC, has taken four honors classes, which convinced him to stay in college.

“If it wasn’t for the honors program, I may have dropped out,” he said. “I felt as if in the honors classes, they let me ask the hard questions and assumed that I was ready for the tough work. Honors classes assumed we could handle it, which was nicer.”

McEvoy has been accepted to a number of universities, including UC Berkeley with a full ride scholarship. He was inspired by the type of classes the honors program offered and how they were taught.

“The size of the class separates it on the surface,” Thatcher Carter, director of the honors program, said. “We have twenty students instead of thirty or fifty students, which allows us to teach it seminar style, where most classes are taught lecture style. Classes are based on students’ interaction with the text instead of the professor.”

Thatcher Carter is a full time instructor at RCC and director of the honors program.

Under her guidance, the honors program is placing extra emphasis on interacting and learning outside of the classroom.

“Field trips are extra that I believe strongly in,” she said. “I think the things I remember most about college are not things that happen in the classroom, but are things where I stepped out and got involved in a service project or things where I stepped out of the classroom and visited a museum with a group. When we went to the Los Angeles County Museum of Arts, we bonded together and had a fun day, but we also learned some things.”

An important aspect of the

Jarred Jackson / staff writer

ROADS TO SUCCESS: Students have access to amenities and faculty that help with transferring from RCC. honors program is the relationship that students build with the instructors both in the classroom and outside of the classroom.

“I think when you go with a professor to an event, it can really break down that professor-student relationship and you become equals,” Carter said. “We’re going to the Japanese American National Museum on May 12 and it is going to be amazing.”

That aspect of the honors program was extremely important to RCC alumni Andreea Tenase, who still feels like she can talk with the honors program instructors.

“What helped me most were the professors and knowing that I could rely on them for any help I needed with my academic career at RCC and beyond,” she said. “I feel like I can contact them now for help and they would still be willing to help me out.”

Tenase is now an English major at University of California Los Angeles and is thankful for all of the help that the honors program gave her when transferring.

“The program coordinated many events to help with the application process and to answer questions from students about moving on to a 4 year university,” she said.

The honors program boasts transfer agreements with both public and private universities within California, granting those who have completed the honors program special privileges.

While the honors program boasts a high transfer rate to traditionally selective colleges, its goal is to prepare their students for the rigors of the university rather than focusing solely on transferring.

“The main purpose of the honors program is to provide an intellectual environment for students to succeed academically and what comes out of that is students transfer to great schools,” she said. “Our goal isn’t for students to transfer to great schools, but our goal is to have them intellectually prepared to succeed once they get there.”

World Languages at a loss Ashley Anderson News editor T h e Wo r l d L a n g u a g e s Department at Riverside City College faces reductions this upcoming summer and fall due to the budget deficit at the college.

So far the World Languages Department has reduced 34 units between summer and fall semester course offerings.

Administration has suspended all part-time instructed languages, affecting classes like Chinese.

The change to eliminate the classes will affect students trying to learn a new language.

“Cutting a French 1 from fall this year will affect French 2 enrollment,” said Rosmarie Sarkis, a professor of French.

“This will crowd up classes.

Those who need a foreign language won’t have space to take it. Spanish fills up quick already,” said Oscar Segovia, an RCC student taking

French 1.

Most languages face cuts while some are growing. Languages chosen to grow don’t make sense to faculty.

“On top of these cuts, the Administration decided to add at least five units, perhaps eight (units) to Arabic, which, although a vital part of our course offerings, is already at an enrollment percentage higher than national and state enrollment levels” said Dorothy Gaylor, professor of Spanish and assistant chair of the World Languages Department.

The World Languages faculty said there should not be any adding if the college is cutting.

“We should cut everyone, not some growing and some cutting” said Diana McDougall, professor of American Sign Languages and chair of World Languages. “We know we have to make cuts. World Languages is taking excessive

cuts because (the Administration) believes we have excessive course offerings to begin with.”

American Sign Language is reducing four units from both summer and fall 2012.

“These cuts will eventually affect sign language and negatively affect the interpreter program, which interpreters are so badly needed in this community,” McDougall said.

McDougall said the cuts need to be thought out more.

“When cutting, it needs to be a fair distribution and more focus on the students,” she said.

Miguel Ramirez, an RCC student, said the cuts might work for the better.

“My sociology and geometry classes are three-fourths filled, and the people, who are taking the classes are staying in longer,” he said. “More serious students are (sticking) around now.”

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4 | May 24, 2012

News

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Airfest booms across Moreno Valley

allison perez / photo editor

On the runway: Spectators at March Airforce Base during the 2012 Airfest are able to get an up close look at military aircraft.

Jarred Jackson Staff Writer Thunder Over the Empire was the theme for the 2012 March Field AirFest which was held on May 19 -20 at March Air Reserve Base.

About 500,000 fans attended the biennial air show as military and civilian aircraft buzzed the skies over the Moreno Valley and Riverside area.

The lineup for the air show included: U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, stunt pilots, such as Rob “Tumbling Bear” Harrison, Tim Weber, John M e l b y, M a t t Chapman, John Collver and the Smoke-N-Thunder Jet Car. There were also Russian static aircraft.

The air show, which had free parking and admission was expected to draw some 300,000 spectators.

“This year we definitely had more,” said Lt. Col. Donald Traud, who is one of the five executive committee members of the show.

“This may be one of the best and most unique air shows the base has put together,” Traud said.

“We’re proud to be able to show off America’s airplane, and to be able to show off these aircraft to the public is kind of neat,” said Lt. Col Tim Harris, who flies the C-17 Globemaster III. Besides the C-17, there were demonstrations put on by the Patriots Jet Team, a Marine Corps AV-8 Harrier, F-18, F-6F Hellcat, and a United States Airforce KC135 Stratotanker. The demonstrations included a water drop by a DC10 water tanker brought in by Cal Fire to cool off the crowd in the front.

Robosaurus, a 30-ton, firebreathing contraption that can lift 4,000 pound vehicles, was one of the attractions at the show. `There were also booths set up by the California A i r

allison perez / photo editor

Under the wing: People attending the 2012 March Field AirFest kepts cool by setting up chairs in the shade of the airplanes on display. allison perez / photo editor

left: Staff Sergeant

Forgham takes a break from watching the air show to play with Roxy, a military working dog.

National Guard, Los Angeles Police Department, Los Angeles County Fire Department, Geico, and 99.1 KGGI, a local radio station based in Riverside.

Even with the summer heat the event was packed with visitors who were starting off their summer while watching the performances by current, retired, and civilian pilots.

allison perez / photo editor

Top: A water drop preformed by a DC10 Tanker brought by Cal Fire cools off the crowd in the front row.

Allison Perez / photo editor

A Look ahead: Visitors are able to take a tour of a U.S. Airforce KC 135 Stratotanker.

allison perez / photo editor

Patriots: Patriots Jet Team performs a routine for the crowd to show the stunts the aircraft is capable of.

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Opinions Serving students since 1922

Viewpoints Staff

May 24, 2012 | 5

EDITORIAL

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Javier Cabrera (951) 222-8495 viewpoints@rcc.edu eic@viewpointsonline.org MANAGING EDITOR Destiny Rivera 951-222-8488 managingeditor@viewpointsonline.org ADVERTISING MANAGER Leah Frost 951-222-8488 ads@viewpointsonline.org FACULTY ADVISERS Allan Lovelace Dan Evans NEWS EDITOR Ashley Anderson news@viewpointsonline.org

SPORTS EDITOR James Williams sports@viewpointsonline.org

FEATURES EDITOR OPINIONS EDITOR Sam Finch Amanda Rougeaux opinions@viewpointsonline.org features@viewpointsonline.org PHOTO EDITOR INSCAPE EDITOR Allison Perez Kayleigh Brown inscape@viewpointsonline.org photo@viewpointsonline.org

Alejandra Rodriguez / Staff Photographer

Look, no hands: Californians are increasing their use of the cell phone while driving. A study by the California Office of Traffic Safety said 18 percent of young drivers use their phone this year.

Driving distracted

STAFF Gabriel Alvarado Diego Alvarez Brian Bash Monique Carrasco Amanda Charter Iliana Chavez Courtney Coleman Edward Diaz Sean Egle Itzel Farias Jeremy Fuerte Roberto Gonzalez Oscar Grover Daniel Haskins Norihito Ikeda Jarred Jackson Shawanda Kinsey

Lizbeth Landeros Paul Ledesma Sean Maulding Fred McCarthy Audrey Mosley Susan Parker Alejandra Rodriguez Rafael Rodriguez Laith Salama Selenne Sevilla Luis Solis Na’Ilah Thomas Jonathan Vela Franco Villalobos Veronica Widman Alexis Wiest

As college students, no one is excluded from the question of who uses their phone while driving.

As young adults, everyone has done the act at one time or another. As young people grow into adults, the idea of using the cell phone while driving becomes an act thought of as acceptable.

This generation has always felt it can handle multiple tasks at once, as it has been the first to convince parents it can do homework and watch television or listen to music at the same time.

As a matter of fact, while this editorial was being written, the writer has been watching a movie, texting friends and working on other assignments, evidence to the idea that this generation has developed a way to multi-task.

But the stakes are raised when people decide to use their phone while driving, rather than when they’re sitting comfortably in front of a television or computer. The idea is not so innocent then.

In a recent survey by the California Office of Traffic Safety, drivers using cell phones at any given time during the day is as high as 10.8 percent, which is 7.3 percent more than last year.

The survey says 16 to 25 year old drivers have doubled their use of the cell phone while driving from 9 percent last year to 18 percent this year.

Researchers from UC San Diego surveyed 5,000 college and university students from the ages of 18 through 29, with 21 years old being the average age. They found that in San Diego County, 78 percent reported they text or talk on their cell phone while driving.

The researchers also found that 50 percent of the students use their phone while driving on the freeway, 60 percent in stop and go traffic or city streets and 87 percent at traffic

LETTERS TO THE

EDITOR

Letters to the editor should be kept to 250 words or less. Deliver letters to the Viewpoints office in the room behind the Assessment Building. Viewpoints reserves the right to edit letters for space and to reject libelous or obscene letters. Letters to the editor and columns represent the opinions of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect those of the entire Viewpoints staff, Viewpoints faculty advisers, student government, faculty, administration nor the Board of Trustees.

lights.

46 percent also said they are capable of using their phone while driving but felt 8.5 percent of other college students are not capable of doing the act.

Despite the efforts the state is making to crackdown on drivers using mobile devices while driving, California drivers continue to ignore the dangers of the act and don’t care about the consequences.

As this generation takes over the roads, and later the workforce, they must learn to set the example.

This generation is being looked upon to handle serious issues in the future, such as dealing with the outcome to the nation’s bad economy.

Bad habits like using a cell phone while driving are going to turn into a norm which society will begin to view as a good habit.

The roads are going to be more dangerous as drivers will have to fear the dangers of someone behind the wheel with a cell phone as much as those under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

This generation needs to clean up its act and leave the phone alone while driving. No one can prove they can safely look down at their iPhone or Blackberry and send a text message while going 70 miles per hour on the freeway.

Alternatives such as Bluetooths are available and must be utilized because they are going to save lives.

The thought of responding to a text message that reads “wat r u doin?” is unreal if the message is going to cost the person their life.

As the generations before us learned by their experiences with drinking and driving, the concept of having a license to drive is a privilege, not a right.

In other words: txt ppl wen ur not behind a wheel.

Viewpoints’ editorials represent the majority opinion of and are written by the Viewpoints student editorial board.

Member:

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Reach us: PHONE: (951) 222-8488 E-mail: viewpoints@rcc.edu Editor in Chief PHONE: (951) 222-8495

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Viewpoints is a public forum, First Amendment newspaper.

Student editors have authority to make all content decisions without censorship or advance approval. © 2012 by the Viewpoints staff, Riverside City College, 4800 Magnolia Avenue, Riverside, CA. 92506-0528. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission of the Viewpoints Editor-in-Chief.

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Opinions

A change for U.S. taxpayers Amanda Rougeaux Opinions editor

The Buffett Rule is a tax plan proposed in 2011 by President Barack Obama that if passed, would apply a minimum tax rate of 30 percent on individuals making more than $1 million dollars a year.

The tax plan was named after Warren Buffett, an American business tycoon, investor, and philanthropist.

He is widely regarded as one of the most successful investors and one of the wealthiest people in the world.

According to a White House official, the new tax rate would impact 0.3 percent of taxpayers.

Many people agree that wealthy persons do not pay their fair share in taxes.

As true as this may be, with the Buffett Rule we need to remember how many “well-off” people pay their fair share and more.

There is a big difference between a working class person and a well-off person.

Both pay taxes and work, though well-to-do persons are supposed to pay more because of the money they make.

But what happens when you have enough money to give large amounts away each year?

The answer is tax write-offs.

The result: come tax time, wealthy persons pay less than their share

in taxes.

The proposed tax plan is supposed to correct this so that everyone pays their fair amount accordingly, tax write-offs or not.

Though what is considered the fair share of the people that are both well-off and in the working class?

We must take into account the fact that not all well-off people are necessarily rich.

The position of those on the lesser treads of the wealthy is just as fragile as that of most other wage earners.

Wi t h o u t h a v i n g s o c k e d away retirement savings, those individuals are just as susceptible to a downturn in the economy as every other person in the working class.

Whether it is debt, dependents or any other payments, some wealthy people are struggling to stay afloat in the economy.

Deciding that a person is welloff because of how much they make a year is a completely unfair and mindless way of decision making.

Sure, the people who really are not paying their fair share will be affected, but the Buffet Rule will negatively affect more working class and wealthy citizens than is realized.

Although unfinished and unpolished, the Buffet Rule is a good idea and should be passed as long as it is revised and polished

Official White House Photo By Pete Souza

A new tax plan: Billionaire philanthropist Warren Buffett visited President Obama in the oval office to discuss The Buffett Rule. up. and the government each year.

The only two categories of The point is, no person or people are not the “1 percent” and living situation is the same. We the “99 percent.” are all individuals with different By putting people into these obligations and paths. two categories many citizens are That being said, this tax plan put into a group that does not suit should not even have been proposed the situation they are in. until every person was taken into Everyone who pays taxes account instead of lumping people should be looked at as an individual into two categories. with a life of their own.

It would be a more realistic It is safe to assume that every plan if salaries, taxes, debt and all “1 percentage” pays the exact same other contributing factors were amount of money to organizations taken into account.

If the Buffett Rule had been formed with an understanding of every different person and family’s situation it would have most likely been a great triumph.

This plan needs to be revised in a way that affects the well-off in different, more suitable ways.

Guidelines and precautions should be put in place to make the Buffett Rule the best and most effective it can be without imposing large overwhelming taxes on half of the well-off working class.

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‘Halo’ returns with new thrills Rafael rodriguez Staff Writer Later this year, “Halo 4” will be released, a highly anticipated title exclusive to Xbox 360.

This new entry to the series is the start of a brand new trilogy. The new games take place sometime after the first three “Halo” games have ended.

The initial company that produced the first three games will not be taking part in the new series’ creation.

The new company, called 343 Studios, are taking over the franchise.

They are hoping to expand the games in more ways than “Halo’s” original production company, Bungie, ever did.

The “Halo” franchise began with the first entry into the series, “Halo: Combat Evolved,” on the original Xbox. It is often revered as the franchise that kick-started the re-invigoration of the first person shooter genre.

Since then, the games have grown into a multi-billion dollar franchise.

It has spawned many spin-off games, books, and even graphic novels.

However, the franchise’s main draw-in, and quite arguably its most important contribution to the gaming world, would be the multi-player component.

The multi-player component uses the Xbox Live feature to allow players from all over to join in through a matchmaking system.

The system is frequently praised and emulated by other gaming companies.

So far, most of the “Halo” games’ plotlines have revolved around the story of John 117, known simply as the Master Chief.

Master Chief is a super soldier who has been enhanced with cybernetics.

Their main goal is to stop the Covenant, an alliance of alien races that threaten the existence of the human race.

Not much is known about the story of this new game but it does seem to directly continue on this plot line that has been prevalent in all the previous titles.

One thing that is known is the game will take place on an ancient civilized planet and will follow Master Chief as he explores this new terrain. According to the new developers of the game, “Halo 4” is making an effort to differentiate itself from the original trilogy.

It will try to focus on mystery, exploration, and discovery as main components, rather than falling back to the typical first-person shooting that the original series had.

Fans enjoy and have grown quite accustomed to expecting the

games press

‘don’t call it a comeback’: “Halo 4” features Master Chief up to his old tricks of explosions and gunfights. first-person shooter game play they are used to in this series, so making such a drastic change may possibly compromise some support for the new company.

Studio 343 said the reason they are making this change is that they want the game to be more grandiose in scope and scale.

This is partially an effort to differentiate themselves from the previous developing company.

Another reason for the changes is that they are creating more content to transfer over to other aspects of the franchise, like the books and graphic novels.

Since the franchise is also headed in a bit more mysterious direction, the art director, Kenneth Scot, also described the visual style of “Halo 4” as being more ingrained in the expanded universe fiction, and much more mature than before.

According to the developers, these subtle changes to the game will still be able to leave much of original the core mechanics of the series intact, such as the series “sand box” feel the allowance of customizing your player.

The game will also introduce many new vehicles, weapons, characters, and elements that should keep the players intrigued and coming back for more.

Judging from the games’ long and impressive pedigree, one can assume that this new entry into the series will be one that most players will not want to miss out on.

Not much else is known about “Halo 4” besides its stated release of holiday 2012, but fans are sure to look forward to finding out more about the game as the game comes closer to launch.

Film festival salutes international filmmakers Monique Carrasco Staff Writer

This year Riverside celebrated its 10th Annual International Film Festival, a nine day long event which brought imagination, culture, and new perspectives to Riverside through the magic of film.

The festival took place in three theaters across the city: the Riverside Fox Theater, the University of Riverside Center of the Arts, and the Regal Theatres at the Riverside Plaza.

Though the screenings may have only taken place in Riverside, the festival itself was certainly not as restricted.

As the name implies, the event is international, so a good amount of the films featured were selected from all different parts of the world; some were sent in from Poland, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Turkey, and Singapore, along with plenty of other countries. There were even segments dedicated solely to foreign films, such as International Treats and The Middle East.

Each of the three theatres held question and answer sessions with certain filmmakers in between screenings, and the organizers of the festival were fortunate enough to have some of the foreign filmmakers not only fly in for the event, but also be a part of these panels.

There was Sarem Yadegari of Iran, director of the film

“Plainclothes Agents,” Igor Aleksov of Macedonia, director of “Epizodist,” as well as the creators of the films “Flashback” and “Solitude,” who came in from Australia and Belgium.

Apart from these filmmakers were dozens of others who could not make it in for the festival, both from the U.S. and other countries, though their films were just as appreciated.

Each one was a part of one of the many different categories; all of which helped to create a diverse and comprehensive festival of films.

There was the American Adventures category, Social Problems, Music and Dance, Humor, Relationships, Science Fiction, Skateboarding, Period Places, Horror Night, and College Film Day. As interesting as it is to see films written and performed by other college students, there is a particular college employee whose film should also draw in some interest.

This employee is none other than RCC’s own Will Kim, an assistant art director at the Riverside Campus, and the creator of the short film “Dream.”

In a previous issue of Viewpoints, “Dream” was given a brief preview based on its trailer, and the preview proved to be quite accurate, as this animated short was just as vibrant and artistic as

it appeared to be in its trailer.

To recap shortly, “Dream” is a film about Kim’s idea of what might go on in the mind of a blind man, and it is inspired by his own blind grandfather, Keun Park.

The story is told through a series of Kim’s paintings, beginning with the image of an eye, as bright, rich colors pass over and around it.

The film also illustrates everyday simplicities such as the grass, trees, rain, and changing seasons, only more colorful and more intense than a seeing eye would imagine.

There is a beautiful juxtaposition between the sky and the sea throughout the film; Kim paints the sky with an assortment of blues, and various birds passing through, then he paints the sea an even deeper blue, with odd looking jellyfish floating around everywhere.

Every image has a sort of foggy, bursting look to it, and as the seasons change in the middle of the film, the world appears to be much simpler than one might see it, and time is portrayed as such a fluid, constant thing.

In fact it almost looks as if all of the seasons and colors begin to blend into one.

The film was extremely eye opening (no pun intended), as was each film featured, and all of the wonderful insight they bring is what makes this festival worth coming back to every year.

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A catalyst for passion Samuel Finch features editor

Scissors snipped about freshly shampooed mannequin heads. Riverside City College students in black uniforms stood by their stations, hard at work, talking softly with their neighbors as they styled.

Their instructor, Marsha Brown, assistant professor of Cosmetology, paused to watch and offer guidance to each.

“I love the fact that students are so excited,” Brown said. “They’re excited, they’re energized, they’re energetic. They haven’t been in the industry, so they don’t know what their expectations are at this point, and so helping them prepare to be successful in the industry I think is probably the most exciting, that I can share in developing that aspect of their career. They really energize me.”

Brown, who went through the Instructor Training Program at RCC and was recently tenured as a full-time instructor, switched to teaching after many years working in a salon.

“I was in the industry for about 35 years, working behind the chair, and I just decided that you reach a certain age where you say, ‘I want to try something else. I want to try something different,’” Brown said. “So, having been in the industry for that many years, I thought I’d try the Instructor Training Program. I went through the program here and you have to complete 600 hours before you can get your credential. It was kind of like a career change, but staying within the same educational area.”

RCC’s Cosmetology Program consists of five nine-week sessions, beginning with A and ending with E. Students work through either the daytime program, finishing in a year, or the evening program, finishing in about a year and half.

“When they start with the first level, they will learn basic sanitation and disinfection, they will learn basic hair cutting, they will learn chemical services, the very basics of them,” Brown said. “Then as they progress through each level, those areas are expanded upon. They still have the same courses that they’re going to be taking, subject wise, but they just learn more and more with each level.”

“When they progress to the upper levels, it’s more about building a portfolio, business practices, how to deal with the public, how to keep books, advanced techniques in hair cutting and hairstyling, hair coloring,” Brown continued. “It just gets progressively more involved as they move through the program, but the ultimate goal is for them to be able to pass the state board examination and get their license. That’s what the program is all about.”

In addition to a wide array of practical courses, students study various theoretical subjects, including chemistry and anatomy.

“But it’s all very relevant to what we do,” Brown said. “We’re working on clients and we need to know everything there is to know about the areas we’re working on.”

Brown primarily teaches the second, or B, level students. One such pupil, Kristine Bulkley, spoke of her reasons for joining the program.

“What actually brought me here was that I wanted to do special effect make-up and I wanted to be able to do all of the horror films,” Bulkley said.

“I’m in love with zombies! Those were my goals, but after being here, I started to fall in love with hair. I would always do my own hair, but I never really felt like doing other people’s hair, and I never really took into consideration how it could actually be a big part of my life.”

Once she receives her license from the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, Bulkley hopes to earn a degree in Marketing and return to school for special effects.

“When I’m older, I’d like to have my own business for special effects, hair, and make-up and all that, just an all around, general thing,” she said.

Across the room, Bulkley’s classmate Scott Tracy discussed his time with the program.

“The whole thing’s been an awesome experience,” Tracy said. “I’ve worked harder on this than I’ve ever worked on anything else. It’s been really eye-opening for me to see that I can put in eight hours a day, five days a week. It’s a full time job and I’ve never done anything else like it.”

With such a high level of hard work, Tracy has begun to find his favorite aspects of a career path that has interested him since childhood.

“It’s been really fun to learn hair cutting, just because I excel in it and it’s something I really enjoy,” he said. “It’s a bigger structural change; you can get a lot more visual changes when you actually cut off length.”

The only male student in his class, Tracy’s hopes for the future are much like those of his peers.

“Initially, I’d like to start assisting right away, maybe get into a high-end salon and learn more techniques, learn different coloring styles and different cutting styles,” Tracy said. “Then I want to get onto a cruise ship or maybe a resort and do evening styling, because they also pay you to have fun.

There’s just so many opportunities. My ultimate goal is to own my own salon.”

A third B-level student, Alyese McKinney, practiced on her mannequin’s hair as she reflected on how the Cosmetology Program has allowed her to pursue her calling.

“It’s basically a catalyst for my passion,” McKinney said. “I’ve been doing this since I was 12, I’m now 24, so it enables me to keep going. It’s an inspiration for my future. Going to school for four years for psychology and just not being happy, I thought, ‘Gosh, I should do what I really want to do.’ It’s not about the money or anything, it’s really about what I want to do in life. That’s why I’m here.”

Having started at such an early age, McKinney is driven forward by her hands-on experience.

“When I was younger, I would always do my hair and people would ask, ‘Are you going to prom? What are you doing?’” she said. “I would always have my hair done and I would always look presentable. Then everyone wanted me to do their hair. All throughout high school and into college I built a little clientele and that basically got me into at least going to get my license, instead of just doing it on the side without having that professional title.”

Alongside her classmates, McKinney hopes to one day own her salon. In the meantime, she has great expectations for the rest of her time with the program. “(I hope) that I will remain teachable,” McKinney said. “That I will never get the mindset that I’ve reached a certain plateau. I’m always going to learn something, even when I get out of here. I’m here to keep learning, learning different styles, colors, whatever it may be, that I will not only have my passion fueled, but I will remain teachable throughout the entire program and when I leave.”

allison perez / Photo Editor

practice: Second-term, or B-level, students practice hairstyling techniques on mannequin heads.

allison perez / Photo Editor

instruction: Marsha Brown makes her way around the classroom helping students like Celina Rives to practice braiding.

allison perez / Photo Editor

energy: Kristine Bulkley shows her enthusiasm for cosmetology as she practices her styling.

allison perez / Photo Editor

concentration: Scott Tracy hopes to work as a stylist on a cruise ship when he is done with the cosmetology program at Riverside City College.

allison perez / Photo Editor

passion: Alyese McKinney started as a psychology major, but made the decision to go back to school and work toward her dream of opening her own hair salon.

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Serving students since 1922

12 | May 24, 2012

Inscape

Hidden blade will strike again

Kayleigh Brown Inscape Editor

“Assassin’s Creed 3” has been eagerly anticipated since its development was announced in Nov. 2011.

In this installment, players get to experience another of Desmond’s assassin ancestors.

The new assassin is Connor Kenway, named Ratonhnhaké:ton at birth.

He was born into 18th century America, right on the brink of the Revolutionary War. Though he grew up with his Native American mother in the Mohawk tribe, his father was a British man, a combination that makes Connor feel like he doesn’t belong in either world.

Connor becomes angry when his village is attacked and completely destroyed by European colonists.

This drives Connor to leave his tribe and join the Assassins Order in to avenge his tribe and battle tyranny wherever he encounters it.

The developers have made an admirable effort to stay true to Connor’s Native American heritage.

Alongside the typical hidden blade, two of Connor’s primary weapons are a tomahawk and bow, and conversations between members of the Mohawks were recorded in their actual language

by real members of the tribe.

The game developers have also promised impressive new interfaces in “Assassin’s Creed 3” that will set it apart from the series’ previous installments.

Some of the most prominent and large-scale changes are in the game’s terrain.

Up until now, the games took place in intricate cities with streets full of people, tall buildings, and tons of tight alleyways to sneak around in.

Since “Assassin’s Creed 3” takes place in colonial America, these trends could not be continued if the game wanted to remain historically accurate.

Therefore, short houses with sloping roofs, wide open town squares, and small groups of people now characterize the towns.

As people familiar with these games can imagine, this kind of area would be hard to traverse without detection, and the typical free-running capabilities in all the games would be difficult to execute without the tall buildings in close proximity of one another.

In order to supplement this, Connor can climb and jump from tree to tree, as well as easily enter and run through buildings, both new features to the games.

The game runs on a new Anvil Engine, which greatly improves environmental effects. This has allowed the implementation of

games press

No mercy: Connor will do whatever it takes to establish justice in his quest for revenge. seasonal changes during game play. The terrain will be warm and green during summer and then covered in snow for the winter, where soldiers will be seen struggling and stumbling around in the snow.

To take advantage of this new engine’s capabilities, emphasize Conner’s Native American roots, and stay accurate to the American terrain, the majority of “Assassin’s Creed 3” takes place in long expanses of wilderness.

It has also allowed the development of more intense

battle sequences.

The new technology can handle as many as 1000 enemies to be part of a battle at one time, as opposed to the previous limitations that capped at 100.

The combat system has also been greatly improved.

The fighting style has been given new features like doublecombos, chain kills, and multiple take-downs.

Players will also have the ability to use their foes as human shields. However, the enemy lock-on system has now been

removed.

The battle animations have also been completely redone for the new game.

Defense and counter-attacks have also been made more difficult and attacks are based on both speed and momentum in order to force the player to be more offensive than before.

These new features suggest an exciting and revolutionary new title in the “Assassin’s Creed” series, and fans across the United States are waiting with high hopes for the Oct. 30 release date.

Viewpoints

May 24, 2012 | 13

Serving students since 1922

Inscape

‘Bioshock’ is new revolution Rafael Rodriguez Staff Writer

Coming late October from Irrational Games is a first-person survival horror game called “Bioshock Infinite.” Set in the early 1900’s, it takes place aboard Columbia, a floating civil war-torn dystopia in the sky, which is run by the American Government.

Columbia was built to help spread the idea of “American Exceptionalism,” or rather, the idea of spreading American ideologies to the rest of the world.

Aboard this dystopia, the player will take control of the game’s main character Booker DeWitt, an ex-American agent of Pinkerton National Detective Agency. His main mission is to retrieve and rescue a woman named Elizabeth, who has been captured for 12 years aboard the flying city. Upon arrival and rescue of Elizabeth, the player finds out that she is the center of two clashing forces who believe the girl will help turn the tide of war in their favor. This is due to Elizabeth’s power to alter spacetime that she acquired during her capture.

These two forces make up the main opposition of the player and consist of “The Founders” and “Vox Populi,” which is Latin for “voice of the people.” The Founders, as their name suggests, are individuals fighting to keep the city up and running in the

Games press

columbia: “Bioshock’s” newest game takes place on an apocalyptic, war-torn floating city where players are attacked by an evil George Washington robot. manner it was built for and believe that the use of Elizabeth’s newly acquired gift of altering space-time will give them the upper hand in defeating their foes. On the other hand, the Vox Populi factions wish to eliminate Elizabeth altogether, hoping that doing so will also lead to the downfall of their foes.

As if things weren’t bad enough for Booker and Elizabeth, they also appear to be chased by a towering, mechanical, bird-like creature called Songbird. This creature’s sole purpose was to tend to and watch over Elizabeth during her

capture. Once it figures out that Elizabeth has escaped, it does anything in its power to retrieve her, whether it be destroying buildings or trampling helpless citizens.

Joining Songbird are HeavyHitters who serve as the game’s mini-bosses, meant to disrupt the player’s progress. So far, these Heavy Hitters come in four distinguished forms that vary greatly. One that stands out is a wood-carved, mechanical robot in the shape of George Washington that comes at the player with guns

blazing and spouting out quotes from the dead president.

In the mini-bosses, the player will have the choice of whether they want to attack their foe head on or simply sneak by the monstrosity, conserving both munitions and resources to use later. The player will have plenty of weapons at their disposal if they wish to gun down their foes.

The game also features vigors, which empower the player with a sort of telekinetic power, granting them the ability to manipulate the elements, as well as nostrums that

empower the player with more passive effects, such as greater health regeneration or an increase in movement speed.

The game’s big star, however, would be the locales the player has to traverse. Columbia is an enormous city floating in the sky held up by giant balloons. The city looks great but while traversing it, the player can easily tell that there is a civil war happening. This is exemplified by the old broken down structures, as well as all the famine and violent uprisings that are occurring.

Unlike the setting of Irrational Game’s last “Bioshock” title, an underwater city called Rapture, which felt crowded and had limited space and movement, Columbia was made to feel like a more open-ended area that the player can roam around in and explore at their own will.

This will more than likely be fun thanks to a roller coaster-type system entangling the city that the player can latch onto and ride in order to reach different locales, as well as getting beautiful views of the airborne city during the journey.

There is a lot more to talk about in this game such as the game’s use in anachronistic elements of altering the world and the deep backstory for the game, but these will be covered more indepth when the game releases on October 16.

14 | May 24, 2012

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Serving students since 1922

May 24, 2012 | 15

Aquatics star ends RCC career james williams Sports editor The aquatics career for Andrea Antonissen at Riverside City College comes to a close after competing in two different sports for the Tigers.

In the final semester of her sports eligibility at RCC, Antonissen finished her career reaching the highest accomplishment she could reach by going undefeated at the state meet in the maximum limit of three events she competed in.

Antonissen was named the as the 2012 women’s Co-Swimmer of the Year at the end of the state meet.

“These are the top girls in the state. Of course I felt pressure from them. They are all great athletes, but I just know my better is better than their better,” Antonissen said.

“I know that when I am in that pool, I am going to do my best to win.”

“Andrea won all three of her individual championships,” said Dave Almquist, Antonissen’s coach at RCC for both swimming and water polo.

“She won three individual events, the first time in the history of RCC, and has been voted as the swimmer of the meet at the 2012 California Community College Athletic Association swimming and diving championships.”

“She has been named player of the year in water polo and swimmer of the meet for the state of California in swimming; that is big time. I am very proud of her.”

In her first semester at RCC,

allison perez / Photo editor

Swimmer of the year: Andrea Antonissen was named the Women’s Co-Swimmer of the Year at the CCCAA state championship meet.

she joined the water polo team, and faced the highs and lows as she adjusted to a new program after playing four years at King High School.

“I never expected to be as good as I was talked up to be, I just knew I was going to work for it, especially water polo,” Antonissen said.

She also spoke about her first performance as a member of RCC’s water polo team. “ M y f i r s t g a m e w a s a t American River College. I was so pumped to play for the RCC team. Obviously I did not do that great. It was not my best. I think I got scored on seven to nine times,” Antonissen said.

“If you look back at my records,

allison perez / photo editor

Blocked: Andrea Antonissen was named MVP in fall 2011

because of her performance as the Riverside City College women’s water polo team’s goalie.

I do not really get scored on more than four or five times, so being scoring on that high was kind of a shocker, but there is always time for improvement.”

Despite the low points in her career, she has always counted on her family and coaches for support.

“I have a lot of family and people who mean so much to me.

My dad supports me the most, he is like my number one fan. So are my sister and little brother,” Antonissen said.

“My little brother will go to every event and he will sit at my practices when he has to and he will not complain. He will just sit there and watch me.”

Antonissen was able to adjust to the next level right after college after having her sister, Ashley Antonissen, who was a sophomore at the time, as one of her teammates. “(Ashley) always pushes me harder. I am never good enough, which makes me want to work harder,” Antonissen said.

As the starting goalie for the Tigers, Antonissen won her first in what would be two back to back state women’s water polo championships.

“That was the most exciting year of my life,” Antonissen said.

After the championship season ended, Antonissen stayed in the pool for the following semester in the spring of 2011, as a member of the Tigers’ swimming and diving team.

“I wanted to be a diver and just stay in shape for water polo, but it just so happen I became a swimmer, and I was good at it,” Antonissen said.

Antonissen played water polo all four years of high school, but only competed as a member of her high school’s swim and dive team during her freshman and sophomore years.

“I quit swimming my junior and senior year of high school,” she said. “I (got back) into the pool and I decided one swim meet, that I was going to try my best, and after I found out I had the lowest splits of all our swimmers, I officially became a swimmer (for the Tigers.)”

allison perez / Photo editor

congratulating: Dave Almquist, the Riverside City College women’s swim coach shakes hands with Andrea Antonissen after coming in first in the race.

allison perez / Photo editor

Celebration: Andrea Antonissen and her team mates celebrate their wins after a race CCCAA state championship meet.

Viewpoints

16 | May 24, 2012

Features

Serving students since 1922

Professor consults for TV Ashley Anderson news Editor

“NCIS,” one of CBS’s most highly rated shows, features a character named Abby, who is rumored to be based upon a forensic anthropologist employed by the Riverside Community College District.

“The character of Abby has done me a great deal of good,” said Dr. Alexis Gray, associate professor of Anthropology at Norco College. “I was always a punker at heart. When I got tenured here, I started to dye my hair pretty wild colors and no one was freaked out. Essentially, Abby cleared the pathway for me. By (the writers of “NCIS”) writing this character, I got to be who I actually am.”

Due to lawsuit precautions, however, Gray can neither confirm nor deny these rumors of being the basis for Abby.

Gray has also consulted for the television show “Bones.”

“I received $100 and a box of cupcakes and a pen and two posters as payment,” Gray said.

“I got to her (titular character from “Bones”) office and her hominid fossil skulls are in the wrong order.

There was no logical order they were in. So I started moving them around. I told them stories and they (producers of the show) sort of followed me around.”

Gray is the forensic anthropologist for all of San Bernardino County and besides teaching full time at RCC, she is one of about 70 active forensic anthropologists in the country.

“I’ve got the largest county,” Gray said. “I’m the only one because there’s only enough work for one. We (forensic anthropologists) do this for very little money. We are all pretty much nuts.”

The path to get to where she is at in life for Gray wasn’t an easy one.

She spent a total of 18 years in school, and with loans amounting to $120,000, her education came to a total of $170,000.

During graduate school, Gray found herself as a single mom struggling to make it through on wages of $8,000 a year with her son. How she got through school was help from friends.

“There was a time when I really needed a babysitter for my son,” Gray said. “There was a plane crash I needed to go to, but it was 3 a.m. during finals week. Where am I going to get a babysitter at 3 a.m. during finals week? So I took him with me.”

Though examining the remains of humans and investigating the cause of death may not appeal to all, Gray does her work for the families of the deceased.

Fox publicity

consultation: The producers of shows such as “Bones” have asked Alexis Gray to help maintain scientific accuracy in the show’s details and set design.

“There’s nothing worse than not knowing what happened,” Gray said. “I had a case a while ago, we decided to work a case, a dead body found in the 80s, he had a wrong I.D., so the county just buried him, he was a john Doe.” “So in 2005 we had some more information and we found him, so we were able to call his

family and excavate him, recover all his bones, call his family and tell them what happened,” Gray continued.

“His mother’s response was to laugh, which to me is like, ‘what, why are you laughing?’” Gray said.

After I had stopped judging, she was so relieved after 20 years she did not know what had happened

to him, the last conversation she had was on Mother’s day with him saying he’d call tomorrow.

He died the next day, so she knows he did not just wander off, he was murdered.”

“You would be surprised by how many families will smile afterwards receiving the answers that they needed.”

Program encourages children ‘Your Poem Here:’ this week’s winner

onie rahman special to viewpoints

Academics and all the different aspects in school can be a tough situation for any child, and in the time we live, without a little help school gets even harder to succeed.

T h e S t u d e n t s Te a c h e r s Achieving Reading Successes Program is a place where children can get the type of help that they need academically to help them excel in their high school and college years. The program consists of spending a couple hours a day after school getting as much help as they want on any one of the many subjects that’s a student will face throughout the day.

The program provides the student with five to seven helping hands to help the students with any problems that they are facing when it comes to homework, finishing projects or even studying for a test.

The program is free and won’t cost the family a single penny.

This program is a “place where kids come to get support” (after school Q&A) and where “parents can have peace of mind” knowing that their kids are being taken care of.

Even though the main focus of the after school program is to help students with all of the classes, there is another side to it. The after school program also promotes physical well-being along with the metal aspect.

Students are taken out every day to participate in physical activities that will help stimulate the body after a long day of using the mind. The students go out and play different kinds of sports or participate in a group activity.

By keeping students both mentally and physically sound, it helps the students keep a healthy balance in life.

Emmybeth Garcia, a longtime employee of the after school program, knows just how important the program is to kids out there.

“While working for the afterschool program I’ve seen these kids grow,” she said. “The environment that the program provides gives the kids a calm and relaxing place to try new things and make mistakes without any consequences only opportunities to master those new obstacles.”

After focusing on the mental and the physical aspect in a student’s everyday life, the after school program also provides nutritious snacks as a fresh

substitute from the fatty and greasy food that students get exposed to everyday at school and at home.

Even through the food may not be much the kids seem to enjoy and appreciate every last piece to the snack.

After a long day at school the food provided at the program serves as an “energy boast that keeps them going,” said Darryl Heath another employee of the program.

Though it might just only be a snack it also serves as goodwill towards the students.

“By giving them something every day they start to feel like we really care about them as people and just students,” he said.

The program is a place created just for the students to come and be in a safe nurturing place where they came just be themselves.

A place where they can get help with homework, get some moral support for people who care and stay active and healthy.

The three to four hours a day that these kids are at the program may not seem like much too many people but the program is a big support base to provide any child with the tools and skills that the child will need to succeed in any other aspect in their lives.

Keep connected with Viewpoints this summer by liking Viewpoints Facebook fan page, search “Riverside City College Viewpoints”

My Little Brony by Jonathan Flike The forums are alive with the rants and raves from the latest fan fic— thread headline reading: “Ponyville Rocked by a Lesbian Kiss.”

Rainbow Dash with Fluttershy?

The polls don’t approve— bunch of hay-munching hoof-bumping know-knowing noobs.

Pinkie Pie, if they made tush-tatted fun-loving girls like you I’d cut the treats, dust the Bowflex, and be your stud, but meh— even all alone self-friendship is magic surrounded by Mountain Dew can pyramids and plastic Chinese equines.

Viewpoints

May, 24 2012 | 17

Serving students since 1922

RCC track and field wins State Track and field adds another title to the Tigers den Fred McCarthy Staff Writer R i v e r s i d e C i t y m e n ’s and women’s track and field teams were impressive at state championships in Norwalk on May 19-20. The men’s team won its eighth California Community Colleges Athletic Association state championship and its fourth in the last five years. The women’s team put up a strong performance and finished tied for second place overall.

The men’s team scored points in 16 of the 18 events they competed in out of the possible 21 events at the meet. It likely would have been 17 events with points for the Tigers; however, the 1,600-meter relay team was disqualified for a lane violation.

Riverside was the only school to record over 100 points at the event, finishing with 122 total points to beat out second place Mt. San Antonio with 91.20. Only the 400 relay team won the state title, as the Tigers finished with a time of 39.83 barely beating out Sacramento City by .06 seconds.

The team was able to manage six second-place finishes. Austin Woods finished in a tie for first place in the pole vaulting event, but was awarded second place based on a tiebreaker.

Jerrell Moore finished second in the high jump with his jump of 6 feet, 8 inches.

Jonte Turner finished second in the 110 hurdles with a time of 14.46, just .05 seconds behind first place.

“I felt I had my best races all year. I was supposed to get fifth place in the hurdles but I got second,” Turner said.

Turner also crossed the line in second place of the 400 hurdles with a time of 51.49, for a personal record.

Kenny Jackson came up just short in the 100 with a time of 10.46, just getting edged out by American River’s Diondre Batson who finished at 10.36.

Yusef Merriweather, who just received a scholarship to UCLA, finished third in the 100 behind Jackson and Batson, and Merriweather also finished second in the 200 meter race behind Batson once again.

The women’s team finished tied for second place at 50 points with Cerritos. Laney College

Diego Alvarez / Staff Photographer

Distance: RCC freshman John Guzman finished third in the 10000-meter race with a time of 30:56.33 at the state meet. won the state title with 78 points overall.

“We came in second-place.

This is the best finish since 1994 for the RCC women’s team,” said Damien Smith, RCC women’s track and field coach.

The women’s 1,600 relay team barely edged Mt. San Antonio to take the state title. Riverside finished with a time of 3:48.84 to Mt. San Antonio’s 3:48.94.

Jessika Byrd won the hammer throwing event with a throw of 179 feet, 7 inches to become the first athlete to win that event in Riverside City College history.

The women also produced two strong second place finishes. Amy Hop took second place in the pole vault, and Jessica Giacoletti came in second in the high jump.

“We were looking to get seventh. I figured with some hard work maybe get on the podium in third or fourth place, and (the coaching staff) just talked to the girls and motivated them and they really stepped up and ended up getting second place,” Smith said.

Smith talks about what the state tournament results for the women’s team means going into next season and the future of the program.

“It is really a kick start to next season; we will have a lot of returners. We did lose a couple of key girls but we will have a lot of key (athletes) coming here last year,” Smith said. “With this being my second year, we are just really trying to build a team and I think it is happening.”

Before the state tournament, the men’s track and field team had 18 athletes qualify for all 21 events at the Southern California regionals for the first time in school history.

The team managed to win four individual events, and both of the relays to finish with a total of 200.33 points, the school’s best point total ever at the regionals.

Mt. San Antonio finished a distant second with 116 points.

Merriweather and Orange Empire Conference track athlete of the year Kenny Jackson finished first and second in the 100 and in the 200 events. Merriweather won the 100 with a time of 10.29, while Jackson got his revenge winning the 200 with a time of 20.75.

Hurdler Chris Navarro won the 110 hurdles in a time of 14.60, and pole vaulter Austin Woods won with a leap of 15 feet, 9 inches.

“I feel like I could have done a little better. I’m trying to hit a personal mark here that I’m not yet reaching,” said sophomore Robert Thomas, after the regionals meet.

Thomas qualified for the 400 hurdles and as a member of the 1,600 relay at the state championships.

He believes that through the hard work and dedication the team can reach any goal that they set for themselves.

The women’s team did not fare as well at the regional championships, but came in fourth place with 50 points, while Cerritos finished in first with 75 points.

The Tigers had two individual event winners at the regionals.

Amy Hop won the pole vaulting event with a jump of 12 feet and 4 ½ inches. Jessika Byrd won the hammer throwing event with a toss of 174 feet 9 inches.

Both Riverside men’s and women’s head coaches, Jim McCarron and Damien Smith,

won Orange Empire Conference coaches of the year awards.

“When I get that award it makes me proud of my staff, and how hard they’ve worked and how well they represent this team because I can never do this on my own,” McCarron said.

Diego Alvarez / Staff Photographer

Jumping: Jennifer Dixon hurles over the wall and into the water during the steeple chase event during Regionals.

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Serving students since 1922

18 | May 24, 2012

Sports

Tigers finish third in the state Jeremy Fuerte Staff Writer Despite their strong performance in the first round of the playoffs, RCC baseball’s season came to an end after El Camino College handed them their second straight loss.

“The bottom line is we didn’t execute,” Rudy Arguelles, associate coach said. “We got outplayed. We lost our games and had our opportunity and now we’re home.”

After three innings, the Tigers fell behind 5-0 after allowing five unearned runs based on errors.

The Tigers cut into the lead with two runs in the fifth after left fielder Jackson Jones scored off of a wild pitch and a sacrifice hit allowed third basemen Ricardo Rodriguez to race for home plate making the score 5-2.

The Tigers attempted to mount a comeback in the top of the eighth.

The bases were loaded after a batter hit a fielding error by ECC, a double play pushed across two runs to make the score 6-4.

In all, the Tigers loaded the bases three times throughout the game but were unable to capitalize off of their 11 combined hits in order to make a comeback and lost 6-4.

“Key mistakes on the defense allowed their offense to get in,”

allison perez / Photo Editor

strong arm: Tigers pitcher Matt Chabot, seen in an early season game, finished the season 5-4 with a team high nine strikeouts in a single game.

Andy Rojo, associate head coach said. “We left a number of our runners on base and for the offense, you end up scraping for runs and we didn’t even scrap.”

The one bright spot of the Super Regionals was the Tigers’ ability to stay in the game due to their pitching.

“Our pitchers played well enough to allow us to stay in the game while our defense and

offense failed to make plays,” Rojo said.

After the Tigers won two of their three games in the first round of the playoffs, the team was hopeful that they could advance further into the playoffs, but failed.

“We were hoping the team would take on a little bit of a different personality,” Rojo said.

“We fooled ourselves during the

first week of the playoffs and we ended up going back to who we were. Our old demons came back again.”

The coaches talk about what are some basic things to they need adjust before heading into next season.

“First off we need to get back to the right type of player,” he said. “We prided ourselves on having the best talented group of

players, but we need to get tougher mentally and get the kinds of players that put the team before themselves. Our team got away from that.”

The Tigers hope their team’s turnaround will be swift next season based on the program they have built.

“We’re a two-year institution,” Arguelles said. “We’re used to this format. That’s why we created our environment the way it is created; in order to excel our progress and development in those two years at a rate of speed that is accelerated beyond the four years. We don’t have the luxury of waiting.”

The team never played good, consistent baseball throughout the entire season and that is something the Tigers hope to fix next season.

“We never clicked completely as a team,” Rojo said. “Now we’re back home and getting ready for another year.”

Check out www. viewpointsonline. org throughout the summer for information on the fall 2012 season.

Viewpoints

Sports

May 24, 2012 | 19

Serving students since 1922

Fastpitch fights until the end Sean Egle Staff Writer The fastpitch team at Riverside City College had its best finish in the program’s history, coming in third place at the double elimination California Community College Athletic Association state championship tournament in Bakersfield.

The Tigers of RCC, who entered the tournament as the No. 2 team in the South, were knocked out of the tournament by the No. 1 team in Southern California, Cypress College 7-0 in Game 5 on May 19.

The Cypress Chargers, an Orange Empire Conference rival of the Tigers, eventually went on to win the CCCAA state championship, after having to go to a Game 7 with College of the Siskiyous.

Michelle Daddona, RCC’s fastpitch coach said, “I think it shows how strong our conference is with only two teams representing Southern California, both teams came out of the same conference.”

The Tigers team opened the tournament against Siskiyous in Game 1, but it fell short losing 5-4 on May 18.

The following day, the Tigers played the No. 2 team in the North, Sierra College, in Game 3 on May 19; with the winner advancing and the loser being completely eliminated from the tournament.

Daddona mentioned some of the adjustments the team made in between their first two games.

“One adjustment we made was just going back to our mentality, we are going to be aggressive, we are going to swing, and we are not just going to feel for it. We are going to take aggressive swings,” Daddona said.

She also mentions the team’s defensive adjustments between the first two games.

“When we are playing on defense, we are going to be

aggressive and go for the ball, we are not going to doubt ourselves,” She said. “When we are on the bases, we are going to take aggressive leads.”

The Tigers defeated Sierra 12-0 in Game 3 of the tournament. The victory eliminated Sierra, putting the team in fourth place.

The Tigers advanced to keep their title run alive against the loser of the Game 4, between Siskiyous and Cypress.

Cypress, who had its first loss of the tournament, became the Tigers next opponent for Game 5.

It was the Tigers’ second opponent of the day, with the loser being eliminated.

The Chargers and Tigers met during the regular season for three games. Cypress won the season series two games to one.

“I really didn’t feel like they were different; I think until it was the fourth inning it was a zero to zero battle,” Daddona said. “We had some things happen to where (Cypress) put up some runs; I think that inning was a momentum changer.”

The loss to the defending champion Chargers in Game 5, gave the RCC team its second loss of the tournament and ending their state title run.

“Sometimes when you want it so much or there is an opponent you want to beat so bad that it does take you out of your element, so you do not do the things you normally do,” Daddona added. “I like being here and knowing you are playing the best teams, day in and day out, it does prepare you better than some of those other conferences.”

The RCC fastpitch team moved on to the 2012 state championship after defeating Saddleback College and College of the Canyons.

RCC went into the competition as the No. 4 seed and was drawn with the No. 5 seed Saddleback College for the first game of the competition on Friday, May 11.

RCC had won two of the

2012 Fastpitch Achivements Team Record Overall record: 34-15

Conference Record: 17-4 Second in the Orange Empire Conference Third in the State Finals tournament

All-OEC Team Honors: First Team: Nichole Zink Courtney Brown Second Team:

Allison Perez / Photo Editor

Fighting chance: Natalie Barrios throws a ball toward Courtney Brown during a practice prior to the tournament. previous three meetings with Saddleback this year.

Coach Jose Ortega was pleased with the progress the team had made and reflected on the recent achievements.

“Right now we’re playing well. This is our sixth consecutive year of reaching this goal and now we’re looking to move on to state” he said.

C h e l s e a C r a w l e y, R C C freshman first baseman, was one of many standout players on the day scoring two runs and getting four runs-batted-in.

RCC defeated Saddleback 12-4; the game was ended by the

run rule after five and one-half innings.

T h e Ti g e r s t h e n f a c e d Southwestern the following day, and a win would put them just one win away from reaching the state finals; something that has only been done on one previous occasion.

RCC advanced to the next round by eliminating Southwestern 5-2.

RCC’s short stop Natalie Barrios brought in a RBI and scored two runs, one of which she stole home.

RCC pitcher Nichole Zink allowed just 10 hits from

Chelsea Rosario Chelsea Crawley Natalie Barrios

Individual Honors: Orange Empire Conference Pitcher of the Year – Nichole Zink Southern California Pitcher of the Year Nichole Zink All CCCAA State Team - Nichole Zink Saddleback’s 30 at-bats.

Zink leading the conference with 124 strikeouts and 14 wins. “As I go on, I get stronger throughout. I feel like I do well under pressure,” she said.

RCC No. 1 tennis player will return for 2013 season

Norihito Ikeda Staff Writer

Riverside City College men’s tennis ended the 2012 season, with the good records for their plays.

The Tigers finished their regular season, with overall record 14-6.

“It was a good season overall,” Jim Elton, coach of the Tigers, said. “Our goals are usually to win conference.”

They finished the Orange Empire Conference in second place and advanced into the Southern California Regionals.

“We made it six out of my seven years (as coach). It was nice to get back to the playoffs, the year before was the only time we did not make it to the playoffs,” Elton said. “Sophomores played well, the freshmen played well. We have got good core group of freshmen coming back next year.”

The Tigers won eight games and

lost two games in OEC, and both of two losses were to Saddleback which got championship. “ We h a v e t w o t r u l y disappointing losses, those are both 5-4 matches to Saddleback,” he said. “If we won both of those matches, we would have been 16-4, and we would have been conference champs. We were 8-2 in conference; we lost (both of our conference) matches to Saddleback.”

Elton picked the Tigers No. 1 player, Jordan Gobatie, as the team’s most valuable player for the season.

“Jordan played No. 1 all year.

He played the best player on the other team every time, and he had pretty good records, I think he was seeded seventh going into Southern Cal Regionals,” Elton said. “As a freshman, that is pretty good.”

Elton expects Gobatie to return to the team next season and thinks there are still some areas he can

improve on to get better. “(Gobatie) has played full year at No. 1. He knows what to expect, he knows what he needs to improve on; the mental aspect of his game, his serving and his ground strokes,” Elton said.

“It is not going to be a new experience for him next year. He is going to have some experiences that help him, especially in a mental game.”

Some of the other players returning to the Tigers’ team next season are Josh Stevenson, Aliaksandr Pesniak, and Colten Douglass.

“They all got their first taste of what it means to play community college tennis,” Elton said. “They all bring their own strengths, and they know what they need to work on.”

Some of the players who completed their two years of careers at RCC will not return to the team next season, like Ramazan Nureev, Theo Arruda

and Tavyn Libao. “(Nureev, Arruda, and Libao) were really solid players for us,” Elton said.

Nureev, who is originally from Russia, joined the RCC tennis team as a sophomore; after playing his freshman season at Northwood University.

“Overall, (Nureev is) a pretty good year playing No. 2; with (Nureev and Gobatie), we had two players, either one could play No. 1,” Elton said. “That is nice to have on your team.”

Arruda mostly played either No. 2 or No. 3 singles game for the Tigers. “(Arruda) is a really good consistent player. He is responsible and took care of his work,” Elton said.

“He is always practicing. He is a good player for my team.”

Libao, who played No. 4 or No. 5 singles game, also completed his career at RCC. He joined the Tigers this year as a sophomore.

“Tavyn came to us this year as a sophomore. He played somewhere else as a freshman, and was a good local player for Redlands,” Elton said. “He was another solid player.”

Elton said that good tennis players can play consistently.

“To be successful in tennis, you have got to have consistent play from the top of your ladder to the bottom of your ladder,” he said.

Elton works on recruiting new players out of local high schools.

“There are some good local players coming in from local high schools,” he said.

“We are still working on out of state, and the international players that may be interested in coming here.”

Jordan Gobatie, Ramazan N u r e e v, T h e o A r r u d a , a n d Aliaksandr Pesniak earned AllOrange Empire Conference Honors for making it to the Regional to the tournament.

Viewpoints

20 | May 24, 2012

Serving students since 1922

Features

A living example of RCC’s tradition Javier Cabrera Editor-in-Chief In Room 105 of the Quadrangle at Riverside City College, an assistant coach of the college’s men’s track and field team reflects on the journey he has taken thus far in life.

The classroom is dedicated to Bill Wiley, a professor of English, who served at RCC from 1956 to 1992. In the classroom sat Duverick Wiley, son of Bill, as he remembers how his relationship with his father has strong ties to RCC. Duverick is the hurdles coach for the college’s men’s track and field team, which won its fourth state championship in five years on May 19. He is also a Spanish instructor at Riverside Poly High School and teaches part-time at RCC. Duverick recalls his childhood being at RCC. He said he was one of several children of RCC professors that were known as the RCC brats.

Duverick said he and the other children were allowed to go to class with their parents and hangout at school. Duverick said he enjoyed being at Wheelock Stadium to watch the RCC football team practice.

“This place was a heaven for my friends and me,” he said as he remembers the times he

and his friends were riding their bikes throughout the campus after school.

Later, Duverick enrolled at RCC as a student in 1977. He said this is where his life began to move into the right direction with the tough demands his father and other RCC instructors expected from him.

He said his instructors were great models to him because they led by example.

“They set their standard bar very high,” Duverick said. “If you didn’t achieve it then you didn’t pass.”

Duverick said students, who wanted to learn and be prepared for life, took the classes of these instructors because they knew the instructors were great at what they taught.

He said the instructors who taught at RCC fit the description of the college because they knew how to teach undergrad students.

“When I was going to school here, we had teachers who were tough,” he said. “If you were a (serious) student, you took the people that were difficult teachers, because you knew you were going to learn and you knew they were going to prepare you for the next level.”

Duverick said his father has taught him more than the value of education, which Duverick has

used to offer his students.

“Everything he did was student focus,” Duverick said. “When I step into the classroom or step on the field, that is where I come from, ‘What can I do to help them to get better and grow to deal with this complex society we live in?’”

Duverick said his dad was always working to make RCC a better place for students, as his father would help each student individually with writing.

“His biggest contribution was that he taught students how to write; he taught students how to express themselves,” he said. “My dad helped thousands of people to write and I was one of them; he brought a sense of family and teamwork.”

Duverick said when his father died, his family was stunned with the outcome of how many former students attended his father’s funeral.

“The place was packed, 400 people easily,” he said.

Duverick shares more than the memories and experiences he and his father had at RCC. They share the opportunity to teach the same class.

His father started a physical education class, hiking and backpacking. “(It is an honor) to be carrying on a family legacy and a college legacy,” he said. “For me, there

Diego Alvarz / Staff Photographer

‘This is my house’: Duverick Wiley, an assistant coach of

the men’s track and field team, has grown up at RCC since a child, then as a student, and now as a coach. is not a moment or trip that I don’t stop and take a moment to be grateful for the opportunity to represent the college, help students and continue on what my father started.”

Duverick said RCC is about tradition as it still holds itself to the academic excellence and integrity

since it first opened its doors.

He said he wants to carry on and give students the tradition of excellence, and be the same instructor that his father and the other instructors have been.

“If I can do that than I feel that I am doing a good job,” Duverick said.