Clarion 11/21/12

Illustrated by Sydney Presley

Citrus College

Clarion November 21, 2012 Volume LXVII Issue 7

CITRUS CELEBRATES THANKSGIVING

PAGE 8

2

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

QUOTE of the

ISSUE

“Gratitude consists of being more aware of what you have, than what you don’t.”

–Unknown

Managing Editor: Emily Rios erios@ccclarion.com

NEWS

Citrus College Clarion ccclarion.com

LOCAL

STATE

Classes to be added to winter and spring 2013 semesters

Shopping said to surge immensly this holiday season

Geraldine M. Perri, Ph.D superintendent/president announced at the Nov. 20 Board of Trustees meeting, that because of the recent passing of Proposition 30, Citrus will be adding more than 150 additional classes between the upcoming 2013 winter and spring semesters. The college plans to add classes that will help students achieve certificates and transfer in a reasonable time frame.

Holiday sales this year are estimated to increase by a whopping 3.4 percent from 2011, throughout Southern California.

Marketing directors from a number of malls and retailers express their excitement for the spike in sales these coming holidays. Alan Cohen, the executive vice president of marketing for the Westfield Group says “We are very excited to see how it plays out. We’ve been experiencing consecutive months of sales increases and believe that momentum for our properties will continue through the holidays.” However, the economic upturn has been slower in the Inland Empire as opposed to sales in Southern California’s coastal regions.

Source: Citrus College Clarion

Announcements Adopt an Angel CARE/CalWORKs are hosting their 4th annual “Adopt an Angel” holiday program.

The Angels are children of single-parent students who need support to provide an uplifting holiday experience for their children.

Beginning Nov. 19 those interested in participating can go to the EOP&S/CARE Office in SS 236 to complete an “Adopt An Angel” adoption form and receive a tree ornament with a little angel’s information and wish list.

CARE/CalWORKs are asking that participants wrap a gift from the child’s wish list with an age appropriate book and return to the EOP&S/CARE office no later than Dec. 4.

Mental Health Workshop Dealing with Difficult People, a mental health workshop, is scheduled for Dec. 5 from noon to 1 p.m. in LL 113. The workshop, which be conducted by Citrus College licensed therapist Stephen Avalos, will focus on ways to deal with difficult people. For more information call (626) 914-8671.

Poetry Reading The Writing Café will be hosting a poetry reading on Dec. 7 from 6 p.m.–8 p.m. in CI 159. The reading, which is part of the Writing Café’s Poetry in Motion, is intended for mature audiences.

Source: San Gabriel Tribune

NATIONAL

GLOBAL The war in the field makes its way online

Americans donate to assist in reducing national debt Individual Americans pitched in about $8 million to aid in the national deficit. The money that was donated was almost double than last year. The national debt donations are usually $3 billion since 2009 and this year we almost tripled that. However, that sum of the money that was donated this year is only .000007% of the $1.1 trillion that is currently the US deficit.

Currently, the country’s outstanding debt is almost $16 trillion that’s approximately the permitted borrowing limit. The awareness behind getting the debt under control has grown nationwide as organizations have been attempting to focus on eliminating the national deficit all together.

On Nov. 20, the Israeli government claimed to have been attacked with more than 44 million anonymous cyber attacks since the airstrikes on Gaza the week before. The hackers claimed to have been responsible for leaking passwords and taking down sites because of the barbaric treatment of Palestinians. The war is no longer solely on the ground. Now, with the digital age, the war is being fought physically, as well as cyber attacks and social networking. Israeli web sites have been hacked and turned in to anti–Israeli outburst.

Source: CNN

Source: CNN

College Success/Early Alert Workshops Test Taking

Memory Techniques

Memory Techniques

Time Management

Test Taking

Math Anxiety

Nov. 26 2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Nov.. 27 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Dec. 3 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Reduce test anxiety. Learn test prepara- Discover memory techniques that will Discover memory techniques that will tion techniques and how to take a test improve your ability to recall course improve your ability to recall course with confidence. material more easily. material more easily.

Dec. 4 2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Dec. 5 8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.

Dec. 6 8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.

Discover ways to organize your week Reduce test anxiety. Learn test prepara- Apply these valuable note taking, test more effectivel to become a stellar stu- tion techniques and how to take a test taking & relaxation tips to become a dent. with confidence. confident math student.

All workshops are in SS 281

Citrus College Clarion ccclarion.com

CLARIONnews

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

3

Board repeals lifetime benefits

A controversial 15-year old board proposal is repealed while new regulations will be drafted to curb abuse.

David Tate

Clarion Editor-in-Chief

T

wo sweeping changes were made to campus policies by the Citrus Community College Board of Trustees at its Nov. 20 meeting.

During the previous meeting of the board Oct. 16, Citrus College Faculty Association president John Fincher presented the board with two ultimatums regarding lifetime health care and use of campus resources.

Current board members Edward Ortell and Gary Woods voted in favor of an agenda item granting board members and their spouses lifetime medical, dental and optical insurance coverage during an April 23, 1998, special meeting of the board of trustees.

The proposal, which passed with a 3-1 vote, was made by thenboard president Ortell. He was reportedly motivated by the failing health of Donald Montgomery, then the trustee from Monrovia.

Montgomery died of cancer the day prior to the special meeting.

The lifetime health benefit

policy had irked members of the CCFA for some time. In October 1999, a similar benefits proposal for faculty did not make it past the negotiation table.

Now, 13 years later, the CCFA can celebrate a victory after the board moved to repeal the controversial policy with a 3-2 vote.

As a result, Woods and Ortell— who represented the dissenting votes—will only be eligible for lifetime health care if they resign or retire by Nov. 30, 2013.

Ironically, board president Joanne Montgomery voted to repeal the same policy that was established in the memory of her deceased spouse. Board members Sue Keith and Patricia Rasmussen also voted to repeal the benefits.

Ortell made an unsuccessful motion to table the proposal until the next meeting, saying that the effects of Obamacare may cause conflicts with current health care plans for Citrus’ full-time employees.

He then said that the issue may be settled in the courtroom.

“I think you’re going to run into a lot of legal problems,” Ortell said during the board discussion on the proposal. “You have this problem with an earned benefit . . . and in general, those have been held [up] in favor of earned benefits.”

“I think we’re opening ourselves up to litigation by passing

Kolby Rousseve Citrus College Clarion

Citrus College Board of Trustees members Edward Ortell (left) and Gary Woods (right) must retire or resign next year in order to maintain their lifetime health care benefits. this motion.”

Additionally, the board unanimously authorized college superintendent/president Geraldine M. Perri, Ph. D, to draft a board policy and an administrative procedure to regulate the use of district computer resources by the board of trustees.

At the board’s Oct. 16 meeting, Fincher said that an unnamed member of the board, later revealed to be Ortell, was “abusing the computer privilege.”

From May 5, 2010, to Oct. 5,

2012 personnel from Citrus College’s Technology and Computer Services department made 34 visits to Ortell’s residence.

“For the life of me . . . I cannot think of a reason that anyone would require such extensive, inhome service visits for a computer,” Fincher previously stated.

San Dimas resident Gil Aguirre, who is currently involved in a legal battle with the board over transparency issues, was also in attendance at the meeting, and admired Fincher’s initiative.

“I commend Mr. Fincher on what he’s doing,” Aguirre said.

“He’s obviously trying to correct a wrong.”

The next board meeting is Dec. 4 in CI 159.

David Tate can be contacted at clarionEIC@ccclarion.com or (626) 914-8586.

Citrus College Clarion ccclarion.com

Editor: Stephanie Rangel srangel@ccclarion.com

SPOTLIGHT

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

5

ASCC Candiates for Spring 2013

Luis Lopez Valencia, 19 Running For: Senator Major: Business

Larissa Angulo, 19 Running For: Trustee Major: Political Science

Carlos De La Torre, 18 Running For: Senator Major: Accounting

Joe Billeter, 32 Running For: Senator Major: Anthropology

Mariana Vega, 19 Running For: Trustee Major: Public Relations

I can bring an athlete’s perspective and new ideas and solutions to the board.

I will be adding a determined woman who has ambition and passion to represent the whole student body.

I feel like I can add new ideas and different perspectives on most matters. I can also be a very useful helpful hand.

I bring a mixture of charisma, vision, insight, and humor to the board.

I feel that I can bring an outsider’s perspective in the choices the board makes.

Alejandra Morales, 20 Running For: Vice President Major: Biology

Roland Bachoura, 24 Running For: Senator Major: Music

Alex Mohtashem, 18 Running For: Vice President Major: Undeclared

Nayiri Baghdassarian, 19 Running for: Vice President Major: Political Science

Farihah Chowdhury, 18 Running For: Senator Major: Business

I am an achiever and I am responsible, which means I can get anything accomplished no matter how bad the situation looks. My commitment to this board makes me reliable and trustworthy. The board will be adding a leader that has connections to many aspects of this campus by selecting me as the new Vice President.

From my experience of tutoring for Citrus, I know that I can communicate clearly and help ASCC in any way possible. I have great people skills, love to work towards excellence both academically and in my work.

A person who is hell bent on student advocacy. In this last national election, community colleges avoided tremendous cuts but the job is still not done. Many large events including students are taking place in spring. So electing someone with that focus is imperative.

I feel that I can add experience, enthusiasm, motivation, and knowledge to the ASCC Executive Board. The current ASCC Executive Board is doing a phenomenal job and, as a team, it can only get better.

I’m always smiling. By that I mean, I am a very positive person with positive ideas and a fervor to fix what is wrong. I will add a sense of compassion, hardwork, and positive energy to ASCC that will help Citrus College grow like never before.

What do you feel you can add to the ASCC Executive Board?

Local girl takes post as head of Foundation The new foundation director takes the helm with a passion for fundraising obtained early in her career.

Martha Amescua Photo Techician

I

t was this past May that the Citrus College Foundation was placed under the direction of Christina Garcia, director of development and alumni relations.

Originally from Glendora, Garcia was raised in Covina, and earned her bachelor’s degree in liberal studies and a master’s degree in clinical psychology from Azusa Pacific University. She had planned to eventually get her teaching credential from APU, but fate stepped in.

That summer she took a job with World Vision that changed everything. World Vision is a Christian humanitarian non-profit organization that works internationally with needy children and families affected by poverty and injustice.

The plan was to take the temporary summer job then go back to school to get her teaching credential from APU. Then she re-

alized her love for the non-profit world had filled her with such gratitude that the $8.30 an hour she was getting for the work was more than she could believe.

She stayed with World Vision for eight years, learning how to talk to donors and making them feel the impact of their gift. This skill proved transferrable to every fundraising challenge she has done since.

Over the past 15 years, as an advancement professional, she held positions at Fuller Theological Seminary as director of development for the Graduate School of Psychology and director of the Fuller fund. She was played a key role in Fuller’s Leading Change Capital Campaign, which raised $150 million for scholarships, research and faculty endowment.

Prior to coming to Citrus, she was at the Haggai Institute, where she was the director of development and estate planning services for the West Coast region.

Having taken a couple of classes at Citrus, Garcia said “Coming to Citrus had a feel of coming home. I was very excited to get the position here.”

“When donors see the buildings go up around our campus, they are able to see where their

donations are going. It enhances where people give and makes then feel good about giving.”

To magnify the philanthropy of their giving, Garcia keeps donors abreast of students’ achievements.

Also noted to donors are faculty efforts to accommodate students.

Classes are currently operating at 106 percent capacity, making Citrus a valuable asset to the learning community.

Geraldine M. Perri, Ph.D. superintendent/president, said “Ms. Garcia’s educational preparation, professional skills sets, warm and outgoing personality are a winning combination for Citrus College.”

“Ms. Garcia has a definite passion for student success. She is committed to improving the lives of the students of Citrus College by ensuring that they are supported throughout their academic journey,” Perri said.

Citrus College was founded in 1915 and with its 100-year anniversary approaching; the Foundation is looking forward to celebrating in a big way.

“All the improvements achieved by donations enhance the community and make everyone feel good about giving,” Garcia said. “We are a proven partner as we continue to graduate students who go out

Martha Amescua Citrus College Clarion

Christina garcia (left) sits in a meeting with Alumni Association president and Owl Bookshop manager Eric Magallon (right). and do these amazing things. Our faculty is dedicated to the students and their successes.”

“All of these are reasons why it is important for me to do good development work,” Garcia said smiling. “I love it. It’s a joyful job.”

Garcia wants students to know that their future is in their hands.

As they progress in life, they will have many opportunities to stay involved at Citrus College.

Giving back will be something that will help future students flourish.

Martha Amescua can be contacted at mamescua@ccclarion.com.

7 CLARIONspotlight Swim team is finally back in the water Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Citrus College Clarion ccclarion.com

After a two year hold, the women’s swim team has an opportunity to prove themselves worthy of a second chance.

Kolby Rousseve

“I want to build a program that competes in the WSC.” -Andrew Silva

Clarion A&E Editor

A

fter two years of being held under water, the women’s swim team finally has a chance to emerge once again.

With Andrew Silva as the new head coach things are finally starting to look up for this department. He plans to reboot the program for the Fighting Owls starting in spring 2013.

“I’m excited for this opportunity,” Silva said. “To restart the women’s swimming program here at Citrus, and compete against and with other teams in the area and across southern California is a great privilege.”

At the end of the 2010 school year the women’s swim team was eliminated due to budget cuts.

Swim Team Head Coach

Andrew Silva

“It was surprising and sad at the same time,” said former Citrus swimmer Greg Yokomizo.

Aside from eliminating the swim team, Citrus, along with community colleges throughout California, reduced the number

of games that were to be played throughout the regular season, giving each team a shorter game schedule.

Jody Wise, dean of physical education and athletics, estimated that the cuts would save the college between $15,000 and $30,000 with the suspension of the swim team.

Wise ultimately made the decision to suspend the swim team after consulting with assistant athletic directors Cliff Wurst and Mary Brawner.

“It’s not a decision we made lightly,” Wise said.

Amanda Greene

Your writing guru is here The Writing Cafe is a place where students can embrace their inner writer.

Kolby Rousseve

Clarion A&E Editor

M

aybe the best kept secret on campus is The Writing Café and over this past month they hosted a series of workshops called the “Secret Series” presented by English professor Mick Curran to help encourage students to break out of their shells and embrace their inner writer.

This four-part series was designed specifically to help students learn how to think like a writer, in turn write awesome fiction, and how to get the most out of their college experience and maintain better grades.

“Mick came up with the idea,” said Suzanne Martinez, the College Success Grant Project coordinator, “and we just ran with it.”

According to Curran, these are regular workshops designed to inform students about the art, craft and science of script writing.

“I’ve taught this subject on and

off for more than 25 years,” Curran said.

Curran started one of the “Secret Series” sessions with a simple quote: “Life by the yard is hard; life by the inch is a cinch.”

Then, over the course of an hour, he provided students with the inside scoop on how to perfect their writing skills by discussing 10 different “secrets” writers use to take their stories to the end of the line.

These workshops, and others like them, are open to any student who wants to learn how to be a better writer. They typically consist of 15 to 20 students and one professor. The atmosphere is similar to a classroom setting but there is more room for open discussions.

“I came to the workshop just to come,” said 19-year-old Josue Evillegas, “I really enjoyed it and I learned a lot.”

This workshop series is one example of the events the Writing Café hosts for the benefit of stu-

dents on campus.

Located in the College Success Center, ED 224, The Writing Café is a place where students can work on written assignments ranging anywhere from essays, research papers/projects, and lab reports to resumes and personal statements.

Students who make appointments have access to one-on-one time with student writing consultants who can offer help with any writing assignment from any class.

The next event sponsored by The Writing Café is a free poetry reading on Dec. 7 from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. in CI 159 hosted by English professor and published poet Luivette Resto. Both staff and students are welcome to participate in this event or simply just enjoy the show.

Kolby Rousseve can be contacted at krousseve@ccclarion.com.

During the 2010 season, the women’s swim team placed 7th out of the eight teams at the 2010 Western State Conference Championships and two of their swimmers, Sara Valiferdowsi and Brittany Orduno, were both big winners.

Valiferdowsi took 4th in the 100-meter individual medley and 5th in the 1650-meter freestyle, while Orduno finished in 6th place in the 100-meter butterly.

The 2013 season should look forward to similar, if not better results. Silva has spent the past six years as the top assistant for the very successful aquatics program at Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo.

Silva lead both the men’s and women’s swim team to second place at the WSC Championship while he was there. With this im-

pressive background under his belt, Silva is optimistic about the upcoming season.

“I want to build a program that competes in the Western State Conference (WSC) with the powerhouses like Ventura and Cuesta, as well as develop a consistently competitive program at the regional and state levels.”

The first regular season game will be held Feb. 22 against Mt. SAC at Mt. San Antonio College.

Kolby Rousseve can be contacted at krousseve@ccclarion.com.

CLARIONspotlight

UDE AND LOVE KSGIVING Citrus College Clarion ccclarion.com

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

9

Food and toy drive benefits everyone

T

his year the Associated Students of Citrus College is hosting a food and toy drive in order to give students and faculty an opportunity to donate canned goods and children’s toys to local charities for children and homeless men and women who are not blessed with the ability to participate in a Thanksgiving feast like many others.

The Foothill Unity Center will be receiving the food from the drive over the next few weeks.

The food donations not only go to local charities and homeless men and women, but also to students in our own backyard as a portion of the proceeds go to the Citrus College health center.

“Toys for Tots” is partnering with the Veteran’s Center on campus for the proceeds. The Associated Students of Citrus College will have decorated boxes as stations for donations in several locations around campus, including

the Student Services building, cosmetology and the library to name a few. Both of the drives last from Nov. 19 – Dec. 7.

To donate a toy the package must be closed, unwrapped and a minimum of $5.

The donated food item does not necessarily have to be canned; it must be non-perishable and not expired.

Giving to those less fortunate is extremely rewarding as is earning a chance to win a $100 voucher to the Citrus College Owl Bookshop.

Each individual must donate 10 non-perishable food items to enter into the raffle and clubs who donate the most food items will win a pizza party.

The holiday season is a time for giving and a simple toy to play with or food to eat can make someone’s holiday great.

Photo illustration by Melanie Gudino & Sasha Winterer

Thankful for my blessing in disguise Eliana Muñoz Staff Writer

S

tupid “positive” sign. What’s so positive about a positive sign when there wasn’t anything positive about it?

Honestly, I didn’t know what I was going to do.

I was sitting alone in an OB/GYN waiting room. My dad was running errands while waiting for me, oblivious to the reason for my appointment. Finally, the doctor came in and confirmed the news I was dreading to hear.

I’m pregnant. 18 years old, a college student, jobless, single, living at home, and now expecting. At the time, freaking out wasn’t even an option since I had to get back in the car with my dad.

I couldn’t stop hearing the doctor’s voice; her words were just stuck on repeat. Even saying the words out loud to my boyfriend was difficult. What I was saying just didn’t register. It didn’t feel real.

Meanwhile, my sister was caught up in last minute preparations for her wedding that coming weekend. Great timing, I know. She and I are eight and a half years apart, with our two brothers sandwiched in between.

Right away my sister sensed something was going on. Three days after my appointment, she cornered me. I didn’t know if I should tell her—remember, it was also two days before her wedding day—but I did. She tried to hold it together and put on her Big Sister pants and started asking questions, I didn’t have any answers, which made me feel terrible and unprepared. But then she said that no matter what I chose to do, that she would be there for me and support me in any way she could. She kept our conversation quiet and threw herself into her wedding.

Telling my mom was next, so I did, the day after my sister’s wedding. By then I had realized that for this kind of news, there was never going to be a good time. My mom was speechless. Her facial expressions weren’t.

After that, I told my brothers, who, much like my sister, responded with questions followed by offers of support.

My dad’s response was the one that shocked me the most. Though we’ve had our moments, my dad and I have never really been close. I worked out an entire scenario for our talk, and it couldn’t have been more wrong.

A couple of weeks after my sister’s wedding, I figured enough time had passed, and I needed to tell him. My mom suggested that the two of us go shopping—anything to get us out of the house. My dad and I never go shopping, so it was uncomfortable for me. I couldn’t bring myself to be discreet and just say the words so I decided to drop hints.

Bad idea. I would say things like, “That shirt won’t fit in a couple of months, maybe we should look in other sizes.” It didn’t help that I got carsick on the way home and fell asleep. When I sensed the car had stopped I woke up, not in my driveway, but a parking lot of a Pasadena park. He knew. We got out of the car, both fully aware that he knew what I needed to tell him.

It was a perfect day, and we took a quiet stroll around the park first. Then I told him.

He stayed quiet for a bit afterwards, letting it sink in. His face said he was hurt, disappointed, and sad, but most of all, he said he was worried for me and my future.

I thought he would kick me out of the house, or wished that I would get married, or make me pay for college myself. But his response was quite different. His words were reassuring. He said that I could stay

Photo Illustration by Eliana Muñoz

at home and continue going to school. That no matter what, my parents were there for me. That there was a reason this baby was on its way at that time, and who are we to question God’s plans? We just have to now plan and act accordingly.

The first couple of months were the absolute hardest. Everyone, myself included, was trying to get used to the idea of a new addition to the family. It was challenging and stressful for everyone. We all shared feelings of disbelief.

Slowly, with each milestone that passed, excitement and joy started overtaking the fear and stress. Hearing the heartbeat for the first time. Feeling a flutter, then a kick.

It was all something that I shared with my family. Including them from the beginning helped. The day I found out what I was having—a girl—was a day we celebrated.

This is my parents’ first grandchild and they couldn’t be more excited.

I’m now just a short week away from giving birth to my daughter, Mila.

Knowing that my daughter will have an amazing family to support her, no matter how she was brought to the world, will always mean the world to me.

This Thanksgiving, I have so much to be thankful for. A healthy pregnancy and a college education in progress. But most importantly, I have my family. There is absolutely no way I would be where I am today without the unconditional love and support.

Despite my previous decisions, they have stood by me and showed me that I’m not alone—and that I never will be. I will be forever grateful.

Eliana Muñoz can be contacted at emunoz@ccclarion.com.

8

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

CLARIONspotlight

SHOW GRATITU THIS THANK Citrus College Clarion ccclarion.com

Left: Student workers Jason Wills and Lucy Reyes help Philomena O’Shea prepare food for the campus Thanksgiving feast the morning of Nov. 14.

Below: Head cook Philomena O’Shea upwraps one of the 34 turkeys for the campus Thanksgiving feast Nov. 14.

Illustrations courtesy of McClatchy-Tribune Media Services

Editor’s Corner: Making my novel great David Tate

Clarion Editor-in-Chief

T

he phrase “life is short” has been said for so long, I’m surprised people don’t realize how contradictory a statement that is.

Life is long. Life is writing a 30,000 page novel. Once you’re 100 pages away from finishing, you don’t thinking about the blood, sweat, and years you’ve worked on the first 29,900.

All you think about is those last 100 pages.

The initial 29,900 are done. Gone. You could go back and try to rewrite them, but what’s the point? You’d have to start all over, and nobody in their right mind going to write two 30,000 page books in their lifetime. Those 100 pages are all you have left to make a good book great or a terrible book mediocre.

But that’s impossible. Those 100 pages at the end will not significantly affect the quality of that book one way or another. All 30,000 have to still be written, printed and bound, but those first 29,900 pages tell the real story.

I think the first person who said “life is short” only had 100 pages to go before the end.

I realized this a couple of weeks ago, when I attended my step grandmother’s funeral. She was my grandfather’s second wife, and the second wife he had to bury.

She was always kind to me, and I was saddened by her passing, but not nearly as much as I was for my grandfather.

See, my grandfather and I share the same name, but I’ve also noticed we share certain character traits. We’re both military veterans. We’re both book lovers. And while we each can get by in solitude, we’re both in our element when we’re enjoying the companionship of others.

So when I saw my grandfather silently crying during the funeral service of his closest companion, I lost it. In over 23 years of knowing him, I had never seen my grandfather cry. Not once. I, who at 9 years old did not shed a tear during my great-grandmother’s funeral, had my face scrunched up and eyes leaking like 2-year-old throwing a tantrum.

Of course, this was a funeral. It’s the place for people to cry and hug and share memories, then eat afterward. So I found myself stuffing my face and smiling at the reception with the other funeral goers, collectively patting ourselves on the back for dealing with the grieving process in such a timely and civilized manner.

If only the grieving process was as simple as a funeral.

Afterwards, my grandfather came to my family’s house for a visit, where he was supposed to spend the night. Later, when my mother told me David Tate the elder was agitated and wanted me to help calm him down, I was not prepared for my grandfather to show signs of advanced dementia.

David Calvin Tate served in the Korean War. He used to give me a penny for every leaf I collected from his driveway in the fall.

That was not the man I saw in front of me that night, asking me to testify against family

members for imagined abuses.

My usually quick wit failed, but the realization that both my father and I could very likely end up the same broke me down for the second time that day.

After things had calmed down, my father came to talk to me explaining that it hurts him to see his father like that. But fathers are hard-wired to spin adversity into learning experiences.

“That’s why you have to live every day to the fullest,” he said. “Because you never know when it’s all going to end. But it will end someday.”

He was basically telling me to make those first 29,900 pages count. My grandfather is 80 years old, and certainly has fewer days in

front of him than behind. But my 52 yearold father, to a lesser extent, is in the same position. The advice he offered me was just as applicable to him.

The holiday season is upon us, and reminding people that they should be thankful is as traditional as Thanksgiving turkey.

But right now, what I’m most thankful for is that I have another day to make my 30,000 page novel the best of its kind.

David Tate can be contacted at clarionEIC@ccclarion.com or (626) 914-8586.

Eliana Muñoz

10

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Editor: David Tate clarionEIC@ccclarion.com

SPORTS

Citrus College Clarion ccclarion.com

Melanie Gudino Citrus College Clarion

Citrus wide receiver and kicker Isaiah Kepley (#17) comes to a stop as a flag is thrown against the Fullerton Hornets in the Western State Bowl at Fullerton District Stadium on Nov. 17. The Owls lost 24-31.

Owls stung by Hornets in Western State Bowl game The football team’s first bowl game bid in five years ends in disappointment.

David Tate

Clarion Editor-in-Chief

M

any sports fans are familiar with the saying “better lucky than good”— sometimes, no matter how well a team executes its gameplan, it can still come up short thanks to a bad call or an untimely slip and fall.

But what happens when you catch all of the breaks and still come up short?

That’s the question that will plague the Fighting Owl football team (7-4, 4-4 SCFA Central Conference) all of next year after losing 31-24 in a hotly contested Western State Bowl game on a rainy Nov. 17 night against the Fullerton College Hornets (7-4, 5-1 SCFA Southern Conference).

Citrus ran 95 plays to Fullerton’s 65 and gained an extra 200plus yards in Hornet penalties.

Owl quarterback Bernard Porter completed 32 passes for more than 300 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions, and was later named offensive player of the game.

So how did the Owls let this one—their first bowl game in five years—slip away?

“We made a couple of errors,” said Citrus head coach Ron Ponciano. “You can’t do that in a big game.”

The mistakes weren’t apparent until the waning moments of the first half. Citrus looked to snap a 7-7 tie on Isaiah Kepley’s 32-yard field goal try, but the kick was blocked by Hornet defensive lineman Cody Clay as time expired.

The block gave the Hornets

some badly needed momentum.

Their previous three drives had resulted in two three-and-outs and a goal-line fumble.

Fullerton would go on to capitalize on another Citrus mistake after the half, as a missed tackle in the flat by defensive back Stace Woodward allowed Hornet wide receiver Ryan Longoria to score on a 34-yard screen pass from Conor Bednarski.

“We knew [Citrus] was going to come out and play hard,” said Hornets head coach Tim Byrnes.

“We just needed to stop making mistakes . . . Luckily, we cleaned that up in the second half.”

Instead, it was the Owls who looked like they needed a team talk. Ponciano said he did just that after a rugby-style punt by Citrus punter Chris Laros on the first possession of the third quarter was blocked by Hornet defensive lineman Andre Mckinnon. Najee James scooped the loose ball up for a 52-yard TD that gave Fullerton a 21-7 lead before five minutes had elapsed in the half.

“What do you tell [your team] there?” Ponciano said. “It was early in the third quarter, so you just have to forget it.”

The team took their coach’s words to heart. On the next possession, Porter found sophomore wide receiver Michael Ball on a post route over the middle for a 15-yard touchdown.

Field goals from both teams made it 24-17 Fullerton, but Citrus running back Phillip Sainz tied it up at the 13-minute-mark of the fourth quarter on a 27-yard run.

The teams would trade score-

less possessions until Fullerton running back Jamison Sterns broke the deadlock on a goal-line carry to give the Hornets a 31-24 lead with only 2:35 remaining.

Porter managed to drive the Owls down to the Fullerton 11-yard-line, but Hornet linebacker Jake Houts stuffed Donovan Holmes on a pitch play for a 5-yard loss.

With all three of their timeouts remaining, Citrus had a slim chance to get the ball back and tie it up. Sterns extinguished all comeback hopes with a 17-yard scamper on the first play of the possession to lock up the bowl title for the Hornets. He would later be named Most Valuable Player.

Ponciano put a positive spin on things following the loss, choosing instead to focus on one of the best seasons for Citrus football in recent years.

“I told [my players] I was really proud of them,” Ponciano said. “Hardly anyone in the world thought we were going to win seven games against good opponents, and I thought we could’ve won a couple more.”

Owls playoff update: Women’s soccer fell to Ventura 3-1 in the first round of CCCAA playoffs. It was the first ever postseason appearance for the Lady Owls.

Volleyball faced off against Orange Coast Nov. 20. Results were unavailable as of press time.

David Tate can be contacted at clarionEIC@ccclarion.com or (626) 914-8586.

Citrus College Clarion ccclarion.com

Editor: Kolby Rousseve krousseve@ccclarion.com

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

arts & entertainment

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‘Christmas Is...’ coming The Citrus Singers will make their annual trip to a winter wonderland.

Javier Galavíz

Staff Writer

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n case you have never been to Freezonia, don’t worry; there is still time to reserve your seat. Starting on Dec. 1 and running intermittently thru Dec. 16, the Citrus Fine and Performing Arts Department will conduct their annual holiday classic “Christmas Is…” The show that some consider to be the holiday event of the season, will once again entertain the childhood imagination in each of us, with a combination of classic holiday songs as well as a musical adventure to the land of Freezonia in search of ice and snow for Christmas.

“Christmas Is…” director Douglas Austin, says that this year’s show is made up of one of the most talented groups he has worked with.

“Look forward to a clever, funny script, written specifically for Citrus, full of spectacular visuals & surprises,” Austin said.

The show will be split into two

acts, the first of which will be a departmental choral concert that includes performances by the Citrus Singers, the Woman’s Ensemble and the full Concert Choir. First year student and Concert Choir member Victory Coffman says that she is excited for her first “Christmas Is…” “I can’t wait to see the [crowds] reaction to the music… I hope they get goose bumps listening to us sing,” Coffman said.

The second act, a dazzling fullscale musical production, merges the talents of the singers, dancers, actors, and designers alike. The audience journeys with a college sorority member on her quest to make it a “white Christmas.”

Along her way to Freezonia, she confronts characters like the Ice Queen, Frost Giants, and no Christmas show is complete without Mr. and Mrs. Claus.

The show could not be accomplished without the talent of the remarkable technical, rigging, and set building crews who are responsible for transforming the

stage into a magical winter wonderland.

When asked what to expect from the sets without giving too much away, shop coordinator John Patrick said, “Expect a great, big, spectacular as usual!”

Complete with four new sets, an added flight sequence, and the larger than life polar bear puppet. The show will surely satisfy your ears as well as your eyes.

Tickets for this holiday classic are available at the Haugh Performing Arts Center box office and at www.haughpac.com.

Tickets start at $22 for adults, $20 for students/seniors, and kids 16 and under are just $15.

So gather your loved ones and enjoy a night of live entertainment that Austin said is “Guaranteed to get people in the Christmas spirit!”

Javier Galavíz be contacted at jgalavíz@ccclarion.com.

Play addresses veterans inner struggles post-war Martha Amescua Photo Technician

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he Bronze Star,” a play co-authored by Citrus professors Bruce Olav Solheim and Neil H. Weiss, is a rare look at the inner struggles of a Vietnam veteran who is gay.

The playwrights have created a split narrative that seesaws between the protagonists military service in Vietnam to his return home to southern California.

He eventually seeks out help at a Veterans Center in East Los Angeles after his experiences with post-traumatic stress disorder become too much for him to handle alone.

Weiss casts a talented mix of professional and student actors.

Nicholas Murphy, 19, a Citrus College theatre arts major, plays the youthful version of soldier Carl Eliason. Jon Maher, a member of SAG-AFTRA, plays same man as the older veteran.

Each delivers interpretations of their characters with honesty and fervor. Weiss does a fabulous job directing so that the audience emphasizes with Eliason’s emotional journey.

At one point, the play focuses on Eliason’s struggle to become the leader he believes his country and family want him to be while trying to suppress his individuality as a gay man.

The lighting creates contrasts with bright lighting that focuses directly on each veteran in scenes at center stage, helping the cast translate how dark the inner

Stephanie Rangel Citrus College Clarion

Performances of “The Bronze Star” were so popular, more showings had to be added. struggles of the human psyche erans Center, but Eliason cancan be. not seem to let go of his demons.

As the story progresses, the Max, a young gay man, tries to play addresses the obvious pains lovingly bring Eliason to underof PTSD. Eilason is trying to stand that gays in the military no fit into 1960s military, which is longer have to be afraid. intolerant of homosexuals. The Despite the young veteran’s efself-destructive behaviors of al- forts, Eliason continues to drink coholism and sexual encounters and spiral out of control. act as covers for the psychological The sadness of each cast conflicts Eliason experiences. member is expertly played out The varying personalities of as they watch Eliason’s sinking the soldiers themselves commu- further into despair. nicate the sense of having known If the script has one weakness, such men, in the military or not. it is the ending. The audience The boisterous, egotistical needs more detail to understand jargon the soldiers exchange as the adjustments of post-military their time in Vietnam passes, and life.

Eliason’s verbal efforts to blend However, the play succeeded in, can be heard on any street or in communicating on several levin any bar where men gather and els the damage wrought by socihorse around. ety’s intolerance against gays and The scene in which Eliason’s the long-term consequences of mother discovers that her son is war on military veterans. gay is intense. She reacts with anger and disgust, disowning him with shame that is painfully delivMartha Amescua can be ered as she slaps his face. contacted at mamescua@ The wounded warriors from ccclarion.com. various conflicts struggle to help one another at the East LA Vet-

Javier Galavíz Citrus College Clarion

Patrons of the theater arts can expect to see this cuddly polar bear puppet featured in “Christmas Is...” The concert will be held in the Haugh Performing Arts Center starting Dec. 1.

Citrus College Clarion ccclarion.com

Editor: Melanie Gudino mgudino@ccclarion.com

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Wednesday, November 21, 2012

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Sex Myths By: David Tate & Melanie Gudino (@WWBenefits) Everybody has heard that story of a friend of a friend. “Marissa’s cousin got pregnant once from sitting on a toilet seat.” or “George’s brother’s best friend said you can’t get pregnant the first time.” Some of these myths are so outrageous, there’s no way they can be true—but where did they come from? Writers With Benefits David Tate and Melanie Gudino are here to try and solve some of the sex myths you may (or may not) have heard, while adding a few facts along the way. Don’t worry though—you’re DEFINITELY the best they’ve ever had.

Fact: Penile Fracture.

MG: After I watched a viral video of Jamaicans getting down with a dance called “daggering” that seems to be nothing but a mixed-gender pelvic pounding contest, I was curious to find out exactly how durable the penis can be.

Fact is, chair of the urology department at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, Hunter Wessells, said has seen the University of Seattle sees about two cases of penile fracture a month. “[Penile fracture] is a severe form of bending injury to the erect penis that occurs when a membrane called the tunica albuginea tears,” Wessells said in scientificamerican..

“The tunica albuginea surrounds the corpora cavernosa, [a] specialized spongy tissue in the core of the penis that fills up with blood during an erection. When the tunica albuginea tears, the blood that is normally confined to this space leaks out into other nearby tissues. You get bruising and swelling.”

Doctors in Jamaica have been alarmed—but only after cases of penile fracture have tripled on the island.

“The sexuality in cultures throughout the world ebb and flow. You had a Roman period, a Greek period, where people were more open. Then you have Christianity. When you get to the Victorian era, you get this prudish kind of idea about sex and you get rumors. How do you spread rumors fast? The Internet and all the research start to tell these stories to scare people to try to get the culture to understand something.”

-Human sexuality professor Jim Skalicky, Ph.D

Myth: Birth control causes women to gain weight.

Myth: Men think about sex every 7 seconds.

MG: Women take birth control to prevent pregnancy but is gaining weight a side affect or a myth? Fluid retention can cause some women to gain weight but according to an article posted on webMD.com, “Birth control pills and weight gain,” “A review of 44 studies showed no evidence that birth control pills caused weight gain in most users. And, as with other possible side effects of the pill, the minimal weight gain is generally temporary, going away within two to three months.”

So how did this myth even come into play? Early contraceptives in the 1960s had side effects of nausea, blurred vision, bloating, weight gain, depression, blood clots, and strokes because the doses had 10 times the amount of estrogen that modern-day birth control pills have. If only women had noticed that breasts are one of the two main targets for estrogen, you could save so much money on plastic surgery.

DT: You’ve heard this one, right? Most men have heard this one so often they usually shrug it off. Personally, I’ve got three go-to jokes I can use when when somebody drops the stat.

But has anybody ever done the math on that? I don’t like to think any guy’s mind wanders more than mine, so I sat down and put my community college education to work and found out that my brain works a little slower than Mike D’Antoni’s “Seven Seconds or Less” offense.

In order to maintain that average, men would have to think about sex more than 12,000 times a day. In reality, men think about sex around 19 times a day, according to a 2011 study done at Ohio State University.

Next most frequent topic? Sleeping. At least nobody will make the mistake of considering us overly complicated.

Myth: Masturbation causes you to go blind.

DT: Ok, ok. We know nobody believes this one.

What we were more concerned about was where this myth came from. Who was the first person to say it?

And who was the first person to actually believe them?

One of the earliest records of masturbation being linked to blindness came in 1716, when Dutch theologian Balthazar Bekker wrote a pamphlet describing the ills of “Onania, or the Heinous Sin of Self-Pollution.”

According to Bekker, the list of maladies from masturbation included “attacks of rage, madness, idiocy,” “disorders of the eye and ear,” and finally, “suicide.” Makes you wonder how the human race has survived almost 300 years of suicidal blind idiots.

Myth? Fact?: Size matters.

WWB: Should the size of a man’s package really matter in sex? The question if size matters has probably been around as long as sex itself, but even today it’s still a popular debate. Most data shows that size isn’t that big of a factor and when it is, it’s often a matter of personal preference. According a study reported in the journal Psychology of Men and Masculinity, the erect penis size of most men — 68 percent — is between 4.6 and 6 inches long. About 16 percent of men have an erect penis size longer than 6.1 inches, and of those only 2.5 percent are over 6.9 inches. So how did this particular issue became so… well, big?

“It’s something that men are concerned about; it’s sort of self-perpetuating based on fear,” said human sexuality professor Rick Brown. “I’m not sure how it came or how it started but I can see where it would perpetuate.”

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Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Editor: Melanie Gudino mgudino@ccclarion.com

If driving, choose juice not booze Drinking and driving is always dangerous, so make sure you stay safe these holidays.

Carli Luevano Staff Writer

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ith the holiday season around the corner, many opportunities arise for drinking and celebrating. But drinking has consequences.

Underage drivers are repeatedly told, “don’t drink and drive” and of-age drivers sometimes get told, “please drink responsibly.”

No matter how you interpret the message, the bottom line is that one should not drive after consuming alcohol; use your better judgment.

Not only is it illegal to drink and drive, but cops are more

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Citrus College Clarion ccclarion.com

Neil Kitzler

Driving a car under the influence is not the only way to receive a DUI. You can receive a DUI from riding a bicycle as well.

No matter how much a person drinks, or how well they can “hold their liquor,” no one should drive after drinking because they don’t only put themselves at risk, but everyone on the streets around them.

If you don’t drink and drive you might just save a life.

strict about it during this time of the year. A cop will see you driving before you see them.

While many people will take this lightly or laugh at the idea of drinking and driving, according to the National Highway Safety Administration, someone is killed in an alcohol related crash every 30 minutes.

No matter what state you’re in, it’s against the law to drive while intoxicated. Although the legal limit of alcohol content in the bloodstream is 0.08 percent, a person’s vision begins to become impaired at 0.02 percent, along with their concentration and reaction time, which are key components to driving.

It was estimated that 34 percent of all traffic deaths occurred in crashes in which at least one driver or non-occupant had a blood alcohol level of 0.08 per-

cent or more. Alcohol was present in almost 40 percent of all fatal crashes and traffic fatalities.

Drinking and driving is no joke. Not only is it important not to drink and drive but also to not get in a car with someone who is under the influence of alcohol.

If know that you or someone that you’re with will be drinking, it is always best to have a plan.

The cost of a life compared to a cab ride is beyond comparison.

While the penalties vary state by state, all 50 states have adopted 0.08 as the standard to impose charges for driving while intoxicated (DWI), driving under the influence (DUI), or operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated (OUI).

One will generally always get their license suspended, and is assigned to a mandated alcoholic treatment program such as Alcoholics Anonymous.

Drunk driving can be easily avoided. Some believe the myth that drinking coffee sobers them up, or they can wait for it to wear off but the truth is that alcohol only leaves your system at a rate of .015 percent per hour.

Reliable ways that you can use to prevent drinking and driving are calling a cab, walking, or allowing a designated driver to hold your keys.

would help them succeed.

Luevano started off by moving to the U.S. alone. He worked as a field laborer and eventually saved up enough money to get a house in East Los Angeles for him and his family. Luevano bought a small two bedroom house and then the rest of his family, including his wife and seven children, moved and began attending school. All seven kids then graduated high school and went on to study in college.

Now after living in Pico Rivera for 43 years, Luevano says he feels that it was the right decision.

Asked if he would do it again, he instantly replied “Yes. It was sad leaving Mexico. I had lived my whole life there, but I knew that my kids would be able to better succeed here.”

Luevano has proven to me that you truly could do anything you put your mind to.

He grew up in a small beautiful city in a relatively safe neighborhood, but he knew that moving here opened the door to many more opportunities. From the first time he voted after becoming a citizen, he knew he made a difference, and quickly learned that

his vote counted.

After voting for the first time he felt it was such an honor to actually have the opportunity to voice his freedom of speech.

Sometimes people lose focus on the fact that they have so much to be thankful for. We live in the United States where our ancestors had to fight for our freedom, but these days we have many opportunities handed to us that we don’t appreciate nearly as much as we should.

We need to take advantage of the freedom that we have and the doors that are opened to us.

Juan-Carlos is my grandfather, and through him I learned that it doesn’t matter where you’re from or what your background is.

What matters is what you make of the opportunities given to you, and in the United States of America, you should be thankful that you’ll have many.

Jayson Allmond, 20 Fontana Advertising “Most of my family were slaves when they came to the U.S., they came from Africa.

They came to California to find new work and be free.”

Sabrina Summers, 18 Temple City Undecided “My grandfather came from Italy.

He came to New York when he was 17 where he joined the Navy and became a cook for the Navy.

He has been here ever since.”

Jeri Santos, 20 Hacienda Heights Communication “My family originally came from the Philippines. I believe it was my grandfather who came first to the U.S. because of poverty reasons.”

Iana Gustaferro, 20 Glendora Criminiology “My grandmother on my mother’s side came from Poland when she was 14. She was escaping the Nazis during the Holocaust.”

The bottom line is that one should not drive after consuming alcohol; use your better judgment.

Carli Luevano can be contacted at cluevano@ccclarion.com.

Why my family came to America

Immigrating to America provided one family many more opportunities than from back home.

Carli Luevano Staff Writer

J

uan-Carlos Luevano grew up in Zecatecas Mexico, where the job opportunities were scarce and the schools weren’t the best. A married man with seven children, Luevano had hoped for a brighter future for his family. That’s when he decided that moving to the United States

Why did your family come to America?

Field Reporter:

Tiffany Drew Field Photographer:

Ryan Salwak

Carli Luevano can be contacted at cluevano@ccclarion.com.

CLARIONforum editorials

Citrus College Clarion ccclarion.com

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

citruscollege

Giving thanks for the little things As the holidays approach students are encouraged to contribute to the campuswide food drive.

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here are many things to be thankful for every day of your life. Even the smallest blessing should be counted as something extraordinary and not be taken for granted. Hence the reason for the Thanksgiving holiday we celebrate tomorrow.

While we are at home grubbing on turkey and stuffing enjoying our families company there are some people who don’t get that same experience.

For some families it is hard trying to afford the basic necessities, plus adding gifts on top of that with this economy, is rough. It is essential for Citrus College to find a way to give back to the community during the holidays.

The Associated Students of Citrus College is currently holding their annual food and toy drive this year until Dec. 10.

Faculty, students, and staff are welcome to contribute nonperishable food and unwrapped toys, which can be dropped off at any decorated food and toy drive boxes located throughout campus.

The boxes can be found in the

Amanda Greene

Administration Building’s lobby, the cosmetology salon, Learning Resources Center, math lab, and in the Hayden Memorial Library.

The donations will be put to good use. The money will be going to agencies such as YWCA-WINGS(Women in Need Growing Strong) that provides services to domestic violence victims and Foothill Unity Center, a nonprofit organization that delivers food to families in need.

The goal is to collect 5,000 cans of food or toys. In southern California, food and toy drives can have an amazing impact and

add a little more happiness to the families. One of the biggest things we should be grateful for is family. Whether they are related to us biologically or choice, these people are here to help us.

The fact that we have made it this far is because we have pushed ourselves to be where we are now, but we have not done it alone. No matter if there are no gifts under the tree; we will always have family, friends, or both—no matter how cheesy that sounds.

We should never take the things we have for granted. There are people out there who can’t

afford necessities that other families have.

Being able to have an education and go to a community college or a university is a great thing. So when you do drop off your canned goods and toys, know that you are bringing joy to a family that needs it. But don’t forget all the things that you have in your life as well.

Thanksgiving reminds us to be grateful. On this national holiday and every day, we give thanks, especially for the little things.

Amanda Greene

A season for the record books Although the women’s soccer season has come to an end, their 15-2-3 season will live on.

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t’s not a surprise that women’s community college soccer doesn’t attract the biggest fanbase, so many of the accomplishments of the Owls’ women’s soccer team go unnoticed by their peers and classmates. But at the Clarion, we’re huge fans of what Owls head coach Tim Tracey and his team have done as they recently completed the best season in program history.

The Owls recently fell to the #7 seeded Ventura College Pirates 3-1 in the first round of the California Community College Athletic Association playoffs.

However, sports fans as a whole tend to put too much stock in the finality of things, instead of the long journey it takes to get there.

What’s important is a 15-2-3 regular season record, which tied the 2007 Citrus record for wins in a season. Goalkeepers Alyssa Lozano and Domonique Oro combined for a stout 0.45 goalsallowed-per-game average in those 20 contests.

Sophomore forward Jasmine Williams returned from a yearlong hiatus as her 18-goal, 46-point 2012 campaign shattered her own program records of 16 goals and 37 points scored in the 2010 season.

Williams is a lock for 1st-Team All-Western State Conference and is the early favorite for Citrus’ Female Athlete of the Year award, while head coach Tracey is a possible Coach of the Year candidate.

But we seriously doubt that even 150 of Citrus’ 15,000-plus students even know what Williams looks like, and that’s a problem.

Anybody who’s ever been an athlete will tell you that fans can

make a huge impact on games.

Several sports studies have shown that a team playing at home has a large advantage over road teams—a 2006 study done by British newspaper, The Times, showed that on average, home soccer clubs of the Premier League scored 37 percent more often than visiting squads.

However, nobody is going to be confusing the Citrus field with the Millennium Stadium anytime soon, when fan attendance usually ranges from the high 20s to the low 30s on a good day. What’s more, most of those fans are friends and family members of the players, and it’s free for students to attend all regular season games.

It’s not just women’s soccer that’s hurting. The men’s team just suffered through a terrible season and might have appreciated the lack of witnesses, but it’s entirely possible that the voices of a few more supporters could have helped swing a game or two in

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their favor.

As a result, the Owls’ soccer team had an outstanding season this year that made Citrus College history, but went unseen by the vast majority of the Citrus community. Thankfully, there’s still time to support the college’s rapidly rising athletics program.

The Owls’ basketball team needs all the fan support it can get following an 0-2 start to their season, a shock after being ranked #2 in the state during the preseason.

And women’s basketball head coach Tamara McDonald certainly wouldn’t mind seeing a few more blue and white in the Owls’ Nest stands as well.

So again, congratulations to Tim Tracey and the women’s soccer team for making Citrus College history. Next time it happens, we hope that there are a few more people watching.

clarion Editor-in-Chief David Tate Managing Editor Emily Rios Design Editor Sasha Winterer Art Director Sydney Presley Photo Technician Martha Amescua Forum Editor Melanie Gudino Sports Editor David Tate A&E Editor Kolby Rousseve Features Editor Stephanie Rangel Staff Writers Carli Luevano Eliana Muñoz Javier Galaviz Kirsten Ashmore Napoleon Jelks Tiffany Drew Page Designers Eliana Muñoz Hwanchull Park Leina Najjar Michael Guerra Moises Sanchez Rosalind Buchwald Stephanie Perez Artists Amanda Greene Eliana Muñoz Neil Kitzler Instructional Assistants Stacy K. Long Emily Rios Adviser Margaret O’Neil The Clarion is produced by journalism students and is distributed every other Wednesday during the semester. Ads are not endorsed by the Clarion. Editorials are the opinion of at least 75 percent of the Editorial Board.

All other opinion is that of the writer. Views expressed do not represent those of the adviser, faculty, administration, Associated Students of Citrus College and/or CCCBOT. Libel will not be published. The Clarion welcomes feedback from our readers. If you have any gripes, questions, or comments ... we want to hear from you! Send your letters in at ccclarion.com/lettersAll correspondence must include your student ID#, major and signature. Letters may be edited for content.

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Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Photo Tech: Martha Amescua mamescua@ccclarion.com

CLARION

Citrus College Clarion ccclarion.com

Martha Amescua Citrus College Clarion

John Avila, a professional teacher at the event, gives tips on how to put real feeling into a performance while others enjoy the show.

Martha Amescua

Staff Writer/Photo Tech

Citrus College’s 7th annual Kenshu project welcomed 250 students to rock and roll.

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itrus College welcomed Japanese students from Jikei schools of music and arts in Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, Nagoya and Sendei for the Seventh Annual Kenshu event.

Students arrived on Friday, Nov. 2 and participated in events through Sunday. All were majors in either guitar (47), bass (32), drums (26), keyboards (7), brass (3)or vocals (48).

They were divided into three block groups to attend seminars on the music business, instruction based on their major, band clinics and jam sessions.

Over the three-day weekend, students attended band clinics and jammed with fellow bandmates while being coached by some of the best music instructors in the business. Despite the language barrier, all songs were

KENSHU WELCOMES JAPAN

performed in English and they performed music from various genres.

Citrus instructor Waleed Rashidi and guest instructors Marko Desantis, Scott Shifflett , John Avila and Dan Silva encouraged band members to up the ante on their performances to put a knock-out performance into their act with the help of translators.

Joey Carbone, advisor at Avex Music Publishing, Inc. in Japan, lent his expertise to the business classes that took place in the Performing Arts Center. Carbone is a multi-award-winning music producer, composer, arranger and keyboardist and has taught music business classes and given lectures at various music academies and colleges in America and Japan.

On Saturday, a mini concert was held in the Campus Center after lunch where the Citrus College band Nightshift provided the

entertainment.

One of the main purposes the students attended the event was to be given the chance to perform in front of Barry Squire, who was judging the talent audition on Sunday.

Squire has 15 years experience at Columbia, Geffen, and Warner Bros. Records.

He is currently a staff instructor at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood and scouts musical talent for the entertainment industry.

Each band performed in the hopes of being “discovered” by Squire at either one of the mini concerts or at the final talent audition.

Martha Amescua can be contacted at mamescua@ccclarion.com.

Martha Amescua Citrus College Clarion

A Kenshu drummer rocks out during a jam session.

Martha Amescua Citrus College Clarion

Professor Waleed Rashidi High fives the guitar player for the Hello Kitty band during a workshop.

Martha Amescua Citrus College Clarion

Joey Carbone, a music advisor, holds a business seminar.