Campus News Spring 2019 Issue 23

VOLUME 76, ISSUE 23 | WWW.ELACCAMPUSNEWS.COM | WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 2019 | SINGLE COPY FREE - ADDITIONAL COPIES 50 CENTS

President Martinez speaks on impact of global education JASMINE NGUYEN Staff Writer East Los Angeles College’s future is global education, President Marvin Martinez said.

He recommended establishing a Center of Global Education and Engagement by fall of this year.

Norma Vega expanded on the idea of domestic an international academic initative.

The purpose of the presentation was for Martinez and the vice presidents to address and suggest future ideas for the campus and community for the upcoming year.

Attendees were also updated on the past achievements and statistical outcomes of the previous year. The theme of the presentation was: “moving forward in our changing context.”

Martinez addressed his plans for global education. They also suggested appoint two faculty members to set up the CGEE by summer and establish an Academic Senate Committee for CGEE by the fall. These recommendations still need to be approved by the Academic Senate.

Lynn Vogel-Zuiderweg and Norma Vega spoke further on recommendations for global education.

The goal of the CGEE office would help students understand the multicultural differences between cultures.

Vega explained that the office would be taking care of all activities regarding student mobility and would be informing students of all of the activities.

Student mobility refers to studying abroad, studying away or educational tours. Vogel-Zuiderweg said there are study abroad programs that take students to France, Japan and Spain.

With the recommendations that

CN/ JASMINE NGUYEN

LEADING THE CHARGE—President Martinez spearheads the presentation on past acheivements and what the future is looking like for East Los Angeles College and education on a global scale.

were made, she hopes to expand on the destinations that are offered and give students more options to choose from.

The idea is that faculty of ELAC and faculty of another school, either across the world or within the country, would collaborate with each other. It would allow students to get involved with programs and projects that take place on digital platforms.

Ve g a a l s o s a i d t h a t t h e s e

partnerships would allow ELAC students to converse and expand their knowledge with other students in different locations of their culture and language and vice versa.

The partnerships would have both options in traveling or digitally.

Armida Ornelas, vice president of Continuing Education and Workforce Development, talked briefly about Guided Pathways and how its meant to help with student success, graduation rates,

transfer rates. Ornelas talked about how they are going to be improving meta-majors.

Meta-majors are a cluster of academic programs that are grouped together by common courses or occupations.

They allow students a guide to choosing what courses to take instead of just providing a sheet of all the classes offered at ELAC. It helps students with deciding what classes to take even though

they are undecided on their major.

Ornelas explained how there are seven new clusters that are being recommended, and that they are redesigning and bettering the infrastructure of the program of meta-majors.

Myeshia Armstrong, vice president of administrative services, talked about resources and showed a graph that presented ELAC’s revenues and expenditures over the years.

The graph showed that the gap between revenues and expenditures has closed this year. That means that ELAC does not have the resources that it did before.

“We have to consider additional resources at this point in time are not available,” Armstrong said. She said the budget is very tight for the campus. The resources are not as plentiful for students like before.

Armstrong talked about all the current projects and planned projects that would improve the campus.

They are retiling the campus pool and she said there is an irrigation project to come.

They plan to beautify the campus by creating more green spaces and shade spots for students to lounge.

They also plan to create more shade structures for students or community members who are waiting for the bus to give them shelter from the sun.

She said there will also be a whole new web design look that they are currently working on.

They want it to be more engaging for anyone in the world who visits the web page.

Martinez added that the layout and design of the new web design would strongly resemble the web design of Long Beach State.

Julie Benavides, vice president of student services, introduced the plans made for student services.

She talked about how they want to increase student financial aid and wellness services. They also plan to expand on their current mental health services and peer mentoring.

Benavides said that student life is very important and they are constantly looking for ways to improve student life on campus.

They are working toward consolidating all of the existing programs on campus.

All the recommendations are still in the process of being approved and are not yet certain.

Governor Newsom budget revision increases education DOLORES CARRILLO Staff Writer

CN/MARK CARREON

JOBS, JOBS EVERYWHERE—ELAC students speak with local businesses and look for employment at the Hire-A-Husky Job Fair, hosted at the ELAC South Gate campus.

Local businesses looking to hire Huskies MARK CARREON Staff Writer The Hire-A-Husky Job Fair on Wednesday offered opportunities for students to find employment and internships while simultaneously pursuing their education. The fair took place at East Los Angeles College’s South Gate campus.

Tori Saruwatari, a graduate career intern for the ELAC Career and Job Services Center, said these events bring opportunities to students who may not be aware of the companies around the area. She also said that these events help build a sense of community on campus.

Saruwatari says,“Preparation is key when applying for employment.” Saruwatari encourages students to do their research prior to the interview.

“Being able to ask questions that are unique to a specific company will make students stand out

News Briefs

more to that potential employer.”

Saruwatari said.

Students can also prepare for future employment by having their resumes proofread and doing mock interviews. Both can be done at the career center on the main and South Gate campuses.

Multiple vendors were asked how important it is to have effective writing and verbal communication skills in the workforce.

All the employers stressed that having effective verbal communications skills is important to have because customer service is a big part of business and being able to communicate to a customer effectively is always great for business.

Organizations and businesses lean heavily on emails as a major resource of communications in order to run a successful operation.

Businesses exist in the digital world. Keeping up with the current technologies and being

Hire-A-Husky Job Fair

able to effectively and efficiently apply skills to the position being appliedfor is what will make for a lengthy employment.

Basic literacy in Microsoft office software, and social media will also increase an applicants chances of being hired.

The ELAC Learning Center, which is located at E-3 280, offers one-on-one peer assistance and Peer Assistance Study Programs (PASS), which helps students with microsoft office programs.

Students can aslo sign up for “Microcomputer Software Survey in the Office,” or “Microcomputer Office Applications: Spreadsheet.”

Both courses will be offered in the fall and will teach students the ins and outs of microsoft software.

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is currently offering internships for engineering and architecture students to work as drafting technicians.

Students in the Engineering

The Career Center will hosts a job fair on the ELAC Main campus tomorrow at 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at F5- 201 MPR.

and architecture majors who have 12 units and have experience in Computer Aided Drafting Design (CADD) software automatically qualified for a drafting tech position.

Once the student can prove they can use the CADD software, they can then qualify for LADWP tuition assistance.

For students who missed out on the South Gate Job Fair, there will be another one on ELAC’s main campus tomorrow.

This can be an opportunity to show off what you have learned and to get some practice in for future job interests.

Nike, Los Angeles Department of Water and power, LA County Sheriff’s Department, The Broad Museum, Mom’s Home Care and more will be looking to hire Huskies to who are a fit for their company.

Hire A Husky job fair will be held Thursday, May 16th from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., F-5 201 Multipurpose room.

Fourteenth Repitoire Dance Concert

The Let’s Dance Company will perform Friday at 7 p.m. at ELAC Recital Hall, S2.

Admission- $15 Presale, $20 at the door

Governor Gavin Newsom released the revised budget proposal on Thursday that would increase the amount of funding going into education.

California community colleges received a significant increase in the budget. The revised budget has the highest investment of funds to education in California history.

This new budget will create more programs for early childhood and higher education.

Forty-five percent of Newsom’s new budget proposal is allocated to education.

This is an increase of investments in funds going into the 115 community colleges statewide. A total of $101.9 billion is going to education.

A special focus in the budget will increase the funding for teacher training. The training will focus on social and emotional training, inclusive practices and training in stem and computer science.

In an effort to encourage teachers to get training and join the workforce this budget allocates money for loan forgiveness to teacher that commit to teaching for four years.

Upwards of $20,000 in contributions to loan forgiveness. “for teachers that commit to investing their time and energy in high needs districts and difficult to teach subject matters.

We estimate this program can help 4,500 teachers in the fiscal year,” Newsom said.

Pup Edition

Some enhancements made to the budget include an $80.8 million increase from the previous budget going to community colleges.

This increase will go to workforce programs for technical education, deferred maintenance and the two years of free community college.

“We are anticipating needing to spend a little bit more money than the January budget on the second year of community college. “ We a r e f u l f i l l i n g t h a t commitment to making sure that the resources are there so it’s not platitudes in words but its resourced,” Newsom said.

An extra $45 million increase from the previous budget is for investing on the two years of community college.

Providing additional funds for the second year of community college will be beneficial for many students.

Additional funds will go to special education, teacher training and all-day kindergarten.

“Well I think it’s amazing that they are expanding budgets to provide for students especially those in community colleges because they are the ones who tend to struggle financially,” ELAC student, Carmen Flores, said.

An additional $8 million is going to CSUs to aid housing deficiency, hunger and homelessness that is not only affecting CSUs but also community colleges and UCs. UCs also received a $32 million dollar enhancement, most of which is a one-time investment to aid some of the current hunger and homeless crisis and help pay down pensions.

This week’s issue of Campus News was written, produced, edited and photographed by the Journalism 101 classes held at East Los Angeles College.

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OPINION

EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 2019

Removal of remedial does more harm than good

BY JOCELINE RODRIGUEZ Staff Writer East Los Angeles College eliminated English and math placement assessments and does not require students to take remedial courses, which could have a negative impact.

The AB705 bill requires all California community colleges to increase the chances that students will enter and complete transferlevel coursework in English and Math within one year. Due to this, many schools eliminated remedial classes completely. Instead of using assessment tests, ELAC implemented Multiple Measures.

Multiple Measures makes students who earned a high school diploma, “passed the General Education Development Test or obtained a high school proficiency certificate,” eligible to take math and English courses.

Students are now placed based on high school coursework, grades or grade point average.

ELAC’s website said, “students who do not meet the criteria will be referred to the Guided SelfPlacement process for English and Math placement.”

In consequence to AB705, ELAC eliminated English as a Native Language and requires students in English as a second language to complete transfer courses in English within three years.

Critics argued that “students get discouraged from taking many remedial classes,” but the article “New Evidence on College Remediation” in The Journal of Higher Education said studies suggest most students who take remedial classes, do complete their degrees. ELAC student, Diana Morales, started with English

28 and Math 115 but completed remedial classes last semester.

ELAC student Jeannette Chavez is in her last semester at ELAC, and said she had to start at the second to lowest math course.

Andrea Mendoza-Aguilla, a student who started from Math 110, said “I needed the class to get better.” Judith Scott-Clayton, Associate Professor of Economics and Education, said, “high school GPA alone can predict college-level English and Math course success.”

While a GPA was considered most effective, not enough research

exists to show how reliable it is for all students.

Janette Taracena enrolled at ELAC five years after high school and took remedial classes for both English and Math, because she had forgotten what she learned.

Taracena plans to transfer in Fall 2019 and said remedial classes helped people get to the point they need to be in. “Community college is supposed to be a second chance for many students,” Taracena said.

Relying on high school education to place students like Taracena in English and Math classes will

be problematic and discourage returning students from applying.

The article “New Evidence on College Remediation” by Paul Attewell suggests that “most of the gap in graduation rates has little to do with taking remedial classes in college.Instead, that gap reflects pre existing skill differences carried over from high school.

“Assessments helped students learn all the fundamentals needed in order to move forward, while the new law tells students to move along,” Gabriel Castro, Math Lab Director, said. Castro said passing a class doesn’t mean a student learned what they needed to learn. He said that if he had been a student under the new circumstances, he would have placed into Calculus 1 and failed because his high school did not prepare him well.

Castro said he had a student who took Algebra 2 in high school and was sure to be in the right class, but she failed his first quiz because she had forgotten the material.

Castro also said, “I want students to be successful. I don’t want students to just be moved along.”

Moving along doesn’t mean anything unless the material was learned well.”

Subculture in Japan embraces Chicano lifestyle

BY DELANIE VILLANUEVA Staff Writer There is a Japanese subculture embracing the “Chicano” lifestyle which raises questions of cultural appropriation. The Chicano influence in Japan has been prevalent for a few years now.

In this subculture, men and women dress like men and women dressed in street wear in Los Angeles.

They wear dickies, Dodger shirts, long, white sock with sneakers, bandanas, hoop earrings, tattoos, some even wear crosses around their neck and drive lowriders.

They go beyond the surface level of the Chicano aesthetic and try to embrace every aspect of it.

Culture is something that should be respected and when it is not it can deeply hurt the ones who are in the culture.

One very important thing to remember about the Japanese Chicanos is that they deeply respect the Chicano lifestyle.

Respect is an extremely important

aspect of the Japanese culture, so it is only fitting that they respectfully adapt this lifestyle in their everyday lives. The Japanese Chicanos use this platform to spread and promote the Chicano lifestyle to those around them.

They are well aware of the struggles that Chicanos face and want to give them a better reputation.

Japanese Chicanos want people to see Chicanos in a better light and beyond their stereotypes that they are involved in gangs or are drug dealers. They put a heavy emphasis on family and doing all that they can for the people they love. Since the Japanese have close family ties, they can relate to the strong bond Chicano families have.

When they commit to this lifestyle, they know that they will not be accepted everywhere.

However, they still do this because they love it. Music is another important aspect. Within the subculture, there are popular artists who sing in a mix of Japanese, English and Spanish.

One of the most popular Japanese Chicano artist is MoNa a.k.a Sad Girl. The music video for her song “Azucena” is reminiscent of the sound and aesthetics of a 90s R&B music video.

Mexican-American artists know the importance of promoting their music to the subculture in Japan.

People today are too quick to label actions as cultural appropriation.

Cultural appropriation is defined as “the act if adopting elements of an outside, often minority culture,

including knowledge, practices and symbols, without understanding or respecting the original culture and context” (dictionary.com). Cultural appropriation is when the party is ignorant about the culture and does not respect it.

The Japanese Chicanos are not ignorant and deeply respect the Chicano culture.

When cultural appropriation is discussed, it is usually about Americans inappropriately using parts of other cultures in their

fashion, home décor or lifestyle without knowing the significance of it and respecting it.

This subject has become even more controversial with the increase of social media, especially with people who are in the public eye.

An example of cultural appropriation is a white girl with a tattoo of Buddha because it is disrespectful to the Buddhist community to have a tattoo of Buddha. As a society, we need encourage people to embrace other cultures, not discourage them.

Help others by encouraging them to do research on a culture or subject they are interested it so they are not ignorant about it and can embrace it with respect.

It is a little strange seeing people in Japan dress like cholos/cholas because it is a culture that originated in East Los Angeles, but it takes time to get used to it and look past the fact that they are Japanese.

If humans had to stick to the culture that they were born into all their life, life would be boring. The world is diverse, respect it.

Certificate of achievement helps students aim higher

BY MIGUEL ESCALANTE Staff Writer Current and past students should look into obtaining a certificate of achievement to further their skills and chances of being hired.

A certificate of achievement is a program that prepares students with certain skills and experience in a particular career in a small amount of time.

Most students think if they obtain their associate’s or bachelor’s degree it stops there, it does not.

ELAC, as well as other community colleges, offer a vast array of certificate programs tailored to students budgets, schedules and interests.

Marjori Guerra, 24, a student at Pasadena City College in the child development certificate program, said she thought the idea of a certificate would not only enhance her skills but she would obtain more knowledge.

Guerra graduated from Cal State LA in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in Public Health but felt a year later that she wanted to learn more about child development. In Fall of 2019, she signed up for the child development certificate of achievement.

She said “…getting a certificate at a community college is not only cheaper but the availability of classes is better,” which is a major reason she chose to do so. Guerra hopes to obtain her certificate in child development by next spring and has plans to apply for graduate school in the near future.

In 2012, Inside Higher Ed published an article called, Not Just Degrees, which spoke about certificate programs and collected data of working Americans.

The research stated that one in ten workers have a certificate of achievement as their highest www.ELACCampusNews.com

education and 20 percent are more likely to be employed versus those with just a high school diploma.

Those numbers have since increased but this is a prime example of how even for the average worker, parent, or working professional obatining a certificate actually increased their chances of getting jobs or other opportunities like a fellowship, scholarship, or even help graduate school applications.

Christopher Olivares, 35, is attending ELAC for his associate’s degree after taking a break from school to deal with some life changes.

He decided to go back to finish what he had started and by having the support of friends and family, he was able to transition back.

Olivares said he originally chose Long Beach City College but with further research ELAC offered more of the classes he needed.

Some advice he gives to new students is “to never take time off from school like I did. To keep aiming for the goal of your accomplishments.” Christopher also agrees that certificate programs are very helpful for those older students that cannot dedicate the time it takes to obtain a full degree or younger students who want to add new skills to their resume.

Students like Guerra and Oliveres are not the usual community collegeaged students nor is their situations.

However, now being community college students has made them feel strongly about community colleges’ role in assisting students’ learning new skills.

For some it may take longer to finish at a community college or even at the university level. Some also may finish in a timely manner but still yearn for more and that is where certificate programs comes in.

Certificate programs should be taken advantage by everyone no matter age or degrees obtained.

EDITOR IN CHIEF Melody Ortiz MANAGING EDITOR Andrew Ayala ONLINE EDITORS Emily Torres Karla Ventura Kelsey Cook FRONT EDITOR Mark Carreon Bernice Ochoa OPINION EDITORS Bernardo Calderón Aaron Shiozaki NEWS EDITORS Brenda Vernao Miguel Escalante FEATURE EDITORS Delanie Villanueva Dolores Carrillo ARTS EDITOR Russell Navassette SPORTS EDITOR Jessica Bizarro Daniel Ceja COPY EDITORS Ivan Cazares Diego Lienares CARTOONIST Joceline Rodriguez STAFF WRITERS Eliana Torres Jasmine Nguyen Selena Ortiz PHOTO EDITOR Kimberly Chacon ADVERTISING Stefanie Arocha DISTRIBUTION Steven Adamo Gustavo Buenrostro ADVISERS Jean Stapleton Sylvia Rico-Sanchez

CN/BERNARDO CALDERÓN

Fight urge to use cellphones

BY JOCELINE RODRIGUEZ Staff Writer Spending too much time on social media platforms affects the grades of students at East Los Angeles College. When students are alone, they avoid their surroundings with the use of social media. They put their headphones on and watch videos on YouTube. This all seems harmless until it starts to affect student’s ability to stay focused on their coursework. ELAC students constantly stop working on library computers to browse social media.

While students have the option to use social media for educational purposes, recent studies have shown this is not what they use it for.

The article “Impact of Facebook Usage on Students’ Involvement in Studies” by Garima Mathur found that in 2019, students have used Facebook for entertainment or relaxing but not for knowledge enhancement. Mathur also said that the amount of time students spent on Facebook has negatively impacted their academics.

College students tend to use social media as a distraction. Distractions are the main reason students who use social media have a harder time with homework assignments.

The article by Wang sampled a group of college students and asked them questions on their behavior while doing homework.

Wang said, “Eighty percent of the

sample reported that they posted or responded while completing homework; 8 percent would never use social media while doing homework; and 2 percent were not sure.” 102 students were surveyed and 57 percent said social media has lessened their productivity. Students are aware that social media has become more than a distraction and most have not managed to discipline this area.

ELAC’s full-time student, Leslie Saucedo, said that since finals started to approach, she’s used YouTube an hour a day to de-stress.

Saucedo said she’s used Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat when her homework got boring or difficult.

She said she knows social media distracts her and has a negative impact on her grades. Saucedo also said she needs to learn “to put her phone away” when she does homework. Ravizza studied college students and found that they “were negatively affected in their three examinations carried out in the semester as well as their cumulative final examinations” due to social media.

Recent studies showed that students who use less social media are more likely to earn better grades.

Part-time student, Candac Banales, has used social media platforms as an alternative to go out on the weekends. She enjoys watching funny videos on Instagram and

Twitter and spends an average of three hours a day on each. Banales is a straight B student and she spends eight hours a day studying. She stays focused because she’s learned to separate free time from studying.

Banales is an example of a student having the capability to prevent social media from having a negative effect on them if they stay disciplined. The article “Undergraduate Students’ Perceptions toward Social Media Usage and Academic Performance” by Mahdi M. Alamri studies the effects of social media from student’s perspective. Alamri found that social media allows students to seek academic help.

It can also be used to “maintain a balance between social and academic activities.”

Social media becomes an issue when it stops students from doing their work effectively. The Article on the Qualitative Market Research Journal “Exploring social media addiction among student millennials,” found that “social media may exist in some respondents in a “near addiction” phase or the “social media addiction.”

Social media addiction stops students from focusing during class and it prevents them from doing their coursework at their full potential. ELAC students should recognize if social media has become a problem in their lives and form healthier habits that will improve their education.

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OPINION

EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 2019

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Students can reduce stress on campus

BY AARON SHIOZAKI Staff Writer Students stressed out with schoolwork, issues at home or even their workplace, should seek help at the Student Health Center or counseling office on campus.

Almost every college student experiences stress at one point. It can be caused by things that are related to coursework, home or work.

“When the students pay their $11 health fee, then they get access to the Health Center, and that gives students access to the mental health therapist,” said Chris Garcia, Department Chair for Counseling.

Garcia also said students mostly visit the counseling office because of issues related to transportation and child care, which may cause some stress.

The primary focus is providing students with child-care by connecting them with the child development center on campus or providing them with information on bus passes and what shuttle would be best to take.

“If we were to identify a student that was dealing with a type of stress, then we could make

recommendations. Maybe you need to take advantage of this service,” Garcia said.

“If it sounds like you are dealing with depression from a family member that just passed, we have a really good support group through the Student Health Center.”

The counseling office is able to help students to a certain extent when dealing with certain types of issues, like stress.

If the cause of stress is not due to an academic dilemma and is because of something that happened at home or the workplace, the counseling office will likely recommend students to services provided by the health center.

Regardless of the cause of stress, students are more than welcome to visit the health center.

However, if the cause of stress is focused around academic and career exploration, students are better off visiting the counseling office.

By paying an $11 health center fee per semester, students have access to services such as physical exams, prescriptions for birth control, family planning, tuberculosis screenings, women’s health and mental health.

Students can visit the student center when they feel a panic attack,

anxious, stressed or even just want to talk with someone about their problems. Due to doctor-patient confidentiality, not much more information can be given about how the therapist treats students that go in.

“We don’t personally speak with the students about stress, because that’s between the therapist and the student,” Myrna Palafox, registered nurse at the student center said.

“So, we do get students that come in here and say ‘I’ve been feeling anxious lately,’ but they don’t go into specifics like with stress. That would be for the therapist.”

Students that do show up at the Student Health Center do not always have to enter to begin feeling better.

“Students will be jittery in class and they feel anxious, they have panic attacks, but once they get here, they have a seat for a few minutes, they’re fine,” Lina Ech, medical assistant at the student center said.

“I don’t know how that works but it seems to just always happen.”

Palafox also shared that acknowledgment. “Students that come that are feeling anxious, simply by just sitting out there in the waiting area and taking deep breaths, they reduce their anxiety levels,” Palafox said.

California driving age should be raised to 21

BY JESSICA BIZARRO Staff Writer Raising the legal driving age in California from 16 to 21 has been discussed for a long time, and it’s time to raise it.

Young drivers, from ages 16 to 19 years old, are the ones who get killed most often in fatal accidents.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention article Teen Drivers, “Six teens ages 16 to 19 die every day from motor vehicle injuries.”

Many students at ELAC fall into this age range, 16 to 19 years old, that are at rsik of being involed in an umtimely death.

By age 21, people are more mature and are more responsible for their actions.

Less teens would be getting themselves killed. It would also help address obesity among teens in the U.S. Since there is no more driving for those younger than 21, teens would have to make time going to their universities or colleges on public bus or walking.

CN/BERNARDO CALDERÓN

In fact, young drivers would be able to observe what they have to do while driving by taking the time to learn from those older than them.

It would help families. The reason being it would save them a lot of money.

The older the driver, the less expensive the car insurance is.

Auto insurance is much more expensive for people who are 16 to 19 years old.

The reason the insurance is expensive because during those ages teens are more likely to get into a car accident.

Most students have problems paying their classes.

By raising the age for driving, college students wouldn’t be worried about getting a job in order to pay their car insurance or the monthly car payments.

By 21 the brain is almost completely developed.

There are many reasons why drivers under 21 get into an accident.

Using cellphones is the main cause of accidents.

At East Los Angeles College most students use their phones while going to class, getting lunch or walking to their car, Carl’s Jr, Taco Bell, Panda, crossing the street and Starbucks.

Many drivers under the age of 21 have the mentality that they can use their phone while driving

because they think they’re experts in multitasking.

According to The Zebra, “4,637 people died in car crashes in 2018 due to cell phone use.”

That was back in 2018 but now we’re in 2019 the number of deaths have risen.

Not only is using their phone a distraction but so is putting on makeup or fixing one’s hair.

Most ELAC students have phones and use them while they drive their car to their house.

Also, most ELAC students carpool with their friends but that’s a bad thing.

Drivers with a passenger are four times more likely to get into a fatal car accident than when riding alone.

Another reason the driving age should be raised is that young drivers want to speed and sometimes they do it in bad conditions, like horrible weather.

Another, risk factor teenagers have is wanting to go 100 mph.

Young drivers casually drink and drive. Drinking and driving is the worst thing one could possibly do behind the wheel.

The first time someone is charged with a DUI they’ll get two months in jail, have to pay a fine and their license will be suspended for six months.

The second time getting a DUI, the fine will cost $2,000, five

year jail, and the license will be suspended for a year.

Young drivers tend to get into car fatal accidents at night rather than during the day.

Young drivers casually drink and drive.

Drinking and driving is the worst thing one could possibly do behind the wheel.

The reason young drivers get into car accidents is because they don’t get enough sleep.

Most ELAC students take night classes and when they come out, it’s usually 9:30 or later.

When students head home at that time, they might drive home feeling sleepy.

When you are sleepy you can’t focus on the road. You are not able to see what’s in front of you.

Therefore, we need to raise the age of driving to 21 to prevent this from happening.

In case you didn’t know study have found out that nine innocent people get killed and over 1,000 people get injured every day by drivers who are under 21.

Drivers under the age of 21 have the mentality to go to a party and drive back to their house.

It is not possible for a young driver to drive safely, during a party where teens like to drink and, smoke.

This causes them to not focus on the road.

Students at ELAC go to parties and do things they are not supposed to and results in them not being able to focus.

By them causing not to focus on the road, they constantly pass through red lights, violate traffic signals, make illegal turns and speed where they are not supposed to.

Making these mistake can cause your life and the lives of others to be at risk.

Drivers under the age of 21 make the same common mistake: not wearing their seatbelt.

They don’t want to wear their seatbelt because no one else in the car is wearing theirs.

Another reason they don’t wear their seatbelt is because the destination where they have to go is close by.

It’s always safer to wear a seat belt.

Mental health services need to increase for students

BY BRENDA VERANO Staff Writer A student’s mental health is vital to their well-being and their academic performance.

Therefore, it is critical for students to have additional access to more than six sessions with the school’s therapist.

As of today, ELAC offers each students a maximum of six visits per year to the school’s therapist, sessions that have to be distributed throughout 4 terms (fall, spring summer, winter), a current regulation that is keeping students from reaching mental and emotional stability and well-being.

Six sessions per year is not enough for ELAC’s students.

Students at ELAC are constantly dealing with stress throughout the academic year.

The start of a new semester, deadlines, transferring and financial aid are only some of the many things students have to deal with, that in one way or another cause stress, and limits a student’s time for self-

care, diverging attention from their health.

To this day, students have declared that stress has been a factor in them by either receiving a lower exam or course grade, dropping a class, or causing a significant disruption that resulted in a leave of absence.

All of ELAC’s students must pay a health fee for every semester, $8 for summer/winter semesters and $11 in the Fall and Spring, which amounts to almost $40 every school year.

The student’s health fee covers things like physical exams, first aid care, health education/workshops a n d i n d i v i d u a l t h e r a p y, b u t individual therapy is limited.

This limitation could become something from the past if educational funds were invested in hiring an additional school therapist.

This will not only aid ELACs scholars but it will also create a healthier environment in school by knowing that students are given the right assistance regarding their mental health.

In a survey conducted by The California Mental Health Service

Authority, throughout the LACCD campuses, it was found that 14 percent of students did not know where to go for help with personal problems and 31 percent were unaware at all of where to go on campus if they needed mental health, or other similar services.

This clearly shows that informing students about the resources their health fee covers and therefore are entitled to needs improvements.

The level of awareness needs to increase because students deserve to know there is important services for them.

Most importantly, students should not be limited in any way to counseling, therapy sessions, or anything that helps with their mental and emotional well-being.

Jacki Gallardo, an art student who advocates for mental health and the increase counseling sessions

with the school’s therapist said, “It (mental health) can get very scary not being able to talk about it…

Investing in more therapy would be great, therapist are often the support students need,” Regardless of a student’s financial circumstances, documentation or lack of health coverage, -they should all be provided with assistance and mental health services that are equitable and accessible to all.

As of today, those students who have paid for their health fee can take advantage of short-term counseling, which is available up to six sessions per year.

If further counseling is needed for students, they will be referred to a mental health provider in their community.

It is easy and fast to book an appointment, students can call (323)-265-8651 or stop by the Student Health Center, located in F5-302.

Student life can become very stressful, but with the adequate support it can also be filled with, great memories, adventure, personal growth and healthy life choices. www.ELACCampusNews.com

NEWS Kinesiology club hosts inagural summit for students 4

EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 2019

BY MIGUEL ESCALANTE Staff Writer The Kinesiology Club put together the inaugural Kinesiology Summit on Thursday to promote the kinesiology major and spread awarenesss of its possibilities at East Los Angeles College.

The event was lead by Kinesiology Club president Ana Rubio and kinesiology instructor Ricardo Gamboa.

The opening speaker was softball coach Erika Blanco.

“ELAC is by far the best school that I have been a part of. East LA is my home until retiring,” Blanco said.

The first half of the event was informational on the kinesiology major and what is offered at ELAC. Currently there are two Associate of Arts programs and two certificate of achievement programs and two skills certificate programs.

Skills certificates differ from the achievements as the skills certification is not something that is printed or added to your transcripts, it is merely a skill that students acquire.

A certificate of achievement entails more and takes a bit longer to complete.

The first guests were Danny Hester a professional bodybuilder and his wife Monique Hester.

Danny Hester performed a body show before the crowd as his wife Monique Hester sang live.

After the performance both

spoke about the importance of being healthy, staying active and keeping up a good routine.

“Anytime something is a passion it’s never work,” Danny Hester said.

Danny Hester who has been bodybuilding since 1992 is now 50 and plans to compete again this upcoming season with the “younger guys.”

The students then broke into four groups based on their interests: fitness and wellness, medical and rehabilitation, education and administration and athletics and sports management.

There was a panel of three speakers per section, the fitness and wellness had speakers from ELAC. Ellen Wong, who teaches fitness and health classes, and Lindsay Castello, ELAC kinesiology instructor and former corporate personal trainer.

Avina Del Pizzo, posing coach, a fitness model and athlete who owns a gym.

All three women had very interesting and different stories to tell.

Castello touched more on the corporate fitness side talking about when she had worked for NBC Universal.

She not only lead fitness programs, such as yoga for corporate employees, but also developed rehab programs for employees before delving into teaching at ELAC. Wong spoke more about the

CN/MIGUEL ESCALANTE

FLEXING AT 50— Danny Hestler, a professional body

builder strikes a pose at the Kinesiology Club Summit on Thursday.

schooling aspect and took a more inspirational approach to tell the students to follow their dreams and passions.

Del Pizzo told the group that she failed numerous times to get where she is now and urged the students to never give up and stay consistent in everything.

The next panel of speakers were of the medical and rehabilitation field.

It included faculty from ELAC, both professors and athletic trainers, Diane Stankevitz and Evelyn Benitez-Lopez and public health professor and practitioner Irene Aldana.

These women focused on the rehabilitation of athletes and the patient relations at health centers.

All guest speakers explained what is attainable when pursuing a kinesiology degree.

The summit was to show students that there is more to kinesiology than physical education or physical therapy.

Both Stankevitz and BenitezLopez offered internship opportunities for those interested.

They said that helping an athlete get back in shape to play again or beat their personal record is the best part of the job.

Irene said that helping the public with those who cannot access healthcare or are uneducated and helping those people is what she likes best.

Football coach Bobby Godinez introduced Antoinette “Toni”

Harris, 22, a football player at ELAC. Harris became the first women to play football for ELAC and recieve a full college football scholarship.

Not only did she recieve one offer, but four.

The summit was to show students that there is more to kinesiology than physical education and or physical therapy.

She spoke about the struggles she overcame as a women playing in a male-dominated sport.

Harris was very persistence in persuading coach Godinez to let her play.

Finally, he let her be a part of the team and for two years she played under coach Godinez.

Toyota approached Harris about doing a commercial for the Super Bowl this year.

The commercial shows Harris working out and flipping a tire.

She plans on graduating from ELAC this spring and playing for Central Methodist University in Fayette, Missouri on a full ride scholarship.

For questions regarding academics in kinesiology, students can visit coach Erika Blanco at E9-112 or visit the ELAC website.

Weekend College Experience comes back to ELAC

BY BRENDA VERANO Staff Writer The improved Weekend College Experience returns Fall 2019.

The WCE is an academic program that will provide students with a variety of newly offered weekend courses.

This will ultimately facilitate students goals to be able to get an A.A. degree and/or transfer to a university in two years.

Wi t h t h e W C E , E a s t L o s Angeles College seeks to assist those students that might have time restrictions, packed weekly schedule or precise availability.

Some of these student consist of student workers and student parents, who are often unable to

register to weekly long courses, leaving them with less units, the inability to be a full time student and have to spend additional years spent in community college.

Fall 2019, students will have an opportunity to be full time students by simply taking weekend and online classes.

Saturday classes plus online classes will equal to students getting an A.A. degree in two years.

This program will have a full range of classes, ranging from English 101 to Photo 121, which are necessary to meet IGETC and A.A. requirements.

By taking online and weekend classes consistently throughout each semester students will meet graduation requirements,

finalize their community college experience and head to their further education plans in less time than anticipated.

The WCE is only one of many academic programs installed to help ELAC students excel and prosper in healthy academic environment.

These programs are possible through the Office of Academic Affairs, faculty and administration, who each year have the responsibility for the schools academic implementations, which consist of college bound curriculum, programs for general education and new online services.

High quality and effective programs like WCE, are a clear example of ELAC commitment of assisting all students, regardless of

their time limitations.

In order to be considered a full time students, students must be enrolled into 12 units or more during the Fall and Spring semesters, and at least six units in the summer and winter.

Tw e l v e u n i t s o r m o r e i s equivalent to about four classes, depending on the amounts of units, most IGETC classes are three units.

Being a full time student can not only decrease the amount of time spent in community college but can also increase the amount of financial aid a student can receive.

In Fall of 2019 students will be able to choose from a wide range weekend courses.

There are five individual tracks on offer, each track has four

transferable/ IGETC classes.

Each track has a mixture of Saturday, online and hybrid classes. ELAC students can sign up for all four classes in one of the five tracks or mix and match classes to meet their own unique schedule.

Classes offered include History, Science, English, Art, Communication and Math.

Karen Leon, an ELAC student who is majoring in biology agrees that this program will enhance students experience.

“I had to leave my previous job because they wouldn’t work around my school schedule and I have not been able to get a job because I’m a full-time student taking class Monday through Thursday.

Leon says she is excited about ELAC’s WCE program.

The WCE is something Leon might consider being part of for future semesters.

“This will help students. People just need to organize themselves.

People who are excited to go to school will be on top of their game” Leon added.

T h e We e k e n d C o l l e g e Experience will be available starting Fall 2019 to all ELAC students.Students are advised to look over Fall 2019 classes and schedules with an academic counselor to figure the schedule that best fits their needs.

The enrollment to these classes will be possible through LACCD student portal.

Mentorship offered by Legacy L.A.

BY EMILY TORRES Staff Writer Legacy L.A., a youth organization, now offers East Los Angeles College students the College Persistence Program.

They are working on expanding their programming and support center for youth.

Ruby Rivera, Director of Programs and Policy, shares in detail the benefits of the program and her hope for what the program can bring to ELAC students.

Legacy L.A. has already begun working on building their relationship with ELAC and the Delloro Transfer Program in 2016, as well as different academic programs offered on campus.

They successfully involved ELAC into their own facility.

For example, classes are offered during the fall, which are accessible to current college students involved in the College Persistence Program.

The classes are combined with a few of their current high school students.

These classes are taught by ELAC professors at Legacy L.A. rather than the ELAC campus.

By doing this, Legacy L.A. hopes to serve as a space free of judgment, easy to access and a smaller student count.

Legacy L.A. provides a safe space for the high school students to get a taste of attending a college class while enrolling into ELAC early.

They have also helped ELAC’s Delloro Transfer Program by offering to host and provide one of their first classes with a safe space for some of the leadership program training at their facility.

Legacy L.A. is a nonprofit organization that was originally opened to help prevent high school students in Los Angeles of being dropouts and not attending college. www.ELACCampusNews.com

After they opened they successfully had over twenty high school graduates whom they have helped lead on their paths to college and university.

Legacy L.A. also focuses on expanding facilities for youth and running campaigns to find more funding to build more facilities in order to keep the youth busy and out of gang injunctions or becoming incarcerated.

The College Persistence Program would offer the opportunity for students to be connected to resources, such as programs and internships, and take away from students overall college experience and the importance of excelling in community college.

“You can come here and get tutoring for the work in your class and it just feels like a safer place.”

RUBY RIVERA

Director of Programs

The program would also give students their own mentor who will help guide students throughout their college experience in various ways.

It will also help by reaching parts of a student’s life outside of school where they may be struggling.

This guidance and mentorship would include personal check-ins that can vary from once a month to once a week.

The mentorship they can receive will depend on the student preferences and needs.

“These check-ins are based more off our mentoring model, believing in being more holistic our check-ins are going to ask you about the four corners of your life, like how is work, how is family, how is school, and how are you.

Like, in your socioemotional, spiritual aspect,” Rivera said.

“It would also the include mentors and case managers supporting you all the time,” Rivera said.

“You can come here and get tutoring for the work in your class and it just feels like a safer place.”

In order to become a member, one can simply show up to Legacy L.A. located in their newly remodeled facility on 1350 San Pablo St., Los Angeles, CA 90033, and fill out a membership form which would only be used to obtain details on the students to be able to assist them as best as they can.

“This would really only be needed so that we can keep track of allergies, medications, emergency contact info, etc,” Rivera said.

They also have no limited capacity, which means they allow any students who are interested to join.

The off-campus site offers access to free computer labs with internet, quiet places to study, free tutoring, free printing and free rental of study rooms for groups.

Legacy L.A. also serves as a reliable outlet in connecting their students with people outside of the organization for internships or speaking with others in the students desired field or interests to help learn more about their majors and ask questions about what their lives could possibly look like after college.

For any questions regarding Legacy L.A. call (323) 9878367 or e-mail Rivera at Ruby@ legacyla.org and for additonal media and updates of current events follow @Legacy_LA.

CN/KARLA VENTURA

ADVISERS ASSEMBLE— Vanessa Jorge Perry (left), Angel Mendoza, Mariana Migliore, Janet Lopez, Leticia Alvarez and Kristina Benson. Music advisers talk to students about pursuing possible music careers.

Music advisers talk about their experience

BY KARLA VENTURA Staff Writer The Guild of Music Supervisors, a non-profit organization collaborated with East Los Angeles College to bring opportunities to students.

ELAC Music Department has provided opportunities year-round to students that are taking music courses for a general requirement, students that are majoring in music and for the Applied Music students.

Guild of Music Supervisor Education Event Q and A took place on May 8, 2019 in S2 Recital Hall.

Six special guest were featured in this event; including Vanessa Jorge Perry, GMS award winning Music Supervisor, Angel Mendoza music Supervisor, Mariana Migliore Senior Coordinator of creative synch at BMG, Janet Lopez music supervisor, Leticia Alvarez Director of Copyright Administration at Music Sales Creation and Kristina Benson, owner of Sweet on Top and publisher of LA. Records.

Perry, Lopez, and Mendoza had worked in major known projects.

Perry has worked on trailers for “Wonder Woman,” “The Lord of the

Rings,” “Harry Potter,” and “Star Trek” films.

Lopez has worked on The “Twilight Zone,” “Set It Up,” “My Dinner With Herve.” Mendoza as a Music Supervisor worked on trailers for “John Wick” films, “Inglourious Basterds,” and “Fast and Furious” 7-8.

Benson, who lead the Q & A discussion, talked about the importance of music supervision, and how it is vital to all media forms, such as video games, television, films and trailers.

Alvarez shared the importance of her job as the Director of Copyright Administration where her role is to get the music licensed.

Music licensing allows artist who compose music to be protected and allows other artist to have permission to use the music in other projects within certain guidelines.

Music supervisors combine music and visuals together to create films, trailers and other forms of media.

“What’s really exciting with the panel we are going to bring out in a moment, is that this is in my mind, one of the most dynamic representation of our community and many are from L.A. Some of

them are Latina, Latino,” Thomas Golubić, president of Guild of Music Supervisor said.

“Our community has been really dynamic because the different people we had in there” Golubić said.

Being bilingual plays a role in the music industry.

“100% always think it’s great to be bilingual … I recently got a lot of work through a company in Downtown L.A. that is pretty much working in Latino projects,” Perry said.

Throughout the Q & A, each member of the panel shared their career experience and how it has impacted their lives.

“My father told me to knock in every door until they say yes, and so I did,” Lopez said.

Lopez says that being a music supervisor was something she didn’t think about as being a career.

Lopez says that when seeking advice about success in the industry her professor gave her stern advice. “‘You shouldn’t pursue it unless you’re going to be successful at it.’”

Lopez shared her experience with the audience and how it helped her get into the music industry.

Features 5 Professor unites students to create change

EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 2019

BY DOLORES CARRILLO Staff Writer Uniting the community and becoming an ally to black and brown students, Kashif Powell i s a n i n s t r u c t o r, a r t i s t a n d community leader seeking to make a change. Powell has been teaching communication studies at East Los Angeles College since 2016.

Inspired by his students’ work ethic and drive to be better, he organized the Black and Brown Unity Conference in hopes of starting a conversation to breach the gap between these two communities.

Powell said he can relate to many of his students at ELAC because he sees himself in them. Some of his students have the same economic experience as he did. “Teaching almost myself was a cultural shock,” Powell said.

He said that oppression in the brown community is different than oppression in the black community, but it is oppression nonetheless.

He shared an anecdote of the police pulling him over while he was driving home from work.

“They weren’t pulling over Kashif Powell. They were pulling over a random black man,” he said.

“If I said the wrong thing they could’ve taken my life and I

would’ve just been another black guy that was shot by the police.”

The goal of this conference is to create a foundation for social support.

The sense of not being alone and that there are others going through the same struggles. The first conference was last year and featured all black women panelist.

“There is a power in the spoken word and it’s a power that all of us have and it’s a power that can never be taken away from you.”

KASHIF POWELL

communications professor

Powell said that the majority of his students are women and it’s important they have that representation on a larger scale.

In the years to comes he hopes the panelist become more diverse.

“I realized the urgent need for us to share more about the issues affecting us and our families. The impactful dialogue among my

fellow panelists and the audience was a true testament of the need for community healing,” Kertia Duga, a panelist at the conference, said.

She was inspired with the potential for greatness at the conference.

Duga has known Powell for many years.

“I think the most valuable of his character is his kind spirit,” she said.

“He cares about his students in a way that illustrates that he has their best interests at heart.”

Powell is the founder of the Art Garden LA, a community garden where plants meet art.His art is created from recycled pieces of furniture. Powell said that his art is inspired by his pain, experiences, based on his academic research of “black death” and the imagination that comes from those feelings.

Art, to him, is an important form of expression that is sometimes easier to depict than to articulate.

Powell grew up in Florida, then moved around while going to school. He attended Morehouse College, an all-black university.

Afterward, Powell went to Cal State Long Beach to pursue a masters in communications and his Ph.D in North Carolina also in communications He then taught at Northwestern University in Chicago for two

years and at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where the students were predominately white and privileged. “At Northwestern those privileged students, they were a lot and they did not work as hard the students here at ELAC,” he said.

As an instructor he encourages any student struggling with public speaking to take a communications class. Voicing an opinion and thought is very important you are essentially giving a voice to the voiceless.

“There is a power in the spoken word and it’s a power that all of us have and it’s a power that can never ever be taken away from you. It’s really important that you exercise that power,” Powell said.

Powell is currently working on a book, although he can’t say too much about it yet, he did share that it’s a science fiction novel.

Powell is trying to form a club called “The Black and Brown Student Alliance.” Any student interested can email him at powellkj2@elac.edu.

This club’s main focus will be to help create resources and avenues for students to be connected and to build networks to help them succeed in the future. Also, in the works is a study abroad program to Greece for the summer of 2020.

CN/DOLORES CARRILLO

POWELL FOR THE PEOPLE—Kashif Powell,

communications professor, teaches his pubic speaking class. He encourages students to express themsleves and participate in class.

Delloro Transfer Program promotes support system for students

BY BRENDA VERANO Staff Writer The John Delloro Transfer Program in Social Justice is a twoyear transfer program intended to provide students academic guidance through their community college experiences.

The Delloro program was first founded by Eileen Le, a sociology professor, and Michael Colling, a history professor at ELAC. Professor Raeanna Gleason, director of Delloro, witnessed the founding of this program first hand.

“The vision they first had, and that I have carried on, is that we wanted a program that would allow students to grow academically, while also thinking deeply about how to empower their communities and address social justice issues,” Gleason said. This directly ties into the social justice component of the

Delloro program, a fundamental priority that emphasizes, not only in student academic greatness, but students personal achievement in the outside world, specifically in their communities.

Program, students begin with a cohort of socially-conscious individuals and complete the preplanned program together.

Although students join a cohort community and are expected to

“Being first generation (college student), I didn’t know what I was doing in college.”

CITLALLI LOPEZ ELAC student

The program is designed to have students transfer out of ELAC in only two years, terminating students’ fears of staying in community college for too long.

In previous years, 88 percent of their students have transferred to a four-year university in two years.

Once accepted into the Delloro

finish the program together, each student is granted a personalized educational plan from a Delloro counselor each semester.

This helps them keep a comprehensive, tangible plan throughout their two years.

“I believe that a cohort learning community, where students take

all their general education courses together, allows for the creation of strong bonds and support networks that help encourage students toward successful transfer,” Gleason said.

Delloro provides students with guaranteed enrollment in their particular general education courses.

General Ed Courses that, unlike many other, are relatively tied to social justice based curriculum, that not only helps students think critically but that also highlight a students personal identities.

Delloro’s mission for students to transfer to a four-year university is shown in various ways.

Additional resources the program provides consist of academic tutoring, close faculty-student relationships, transfer workshops and universities campus tours.

The guidance that Delloro provides goes beyond campus, extending to other part of students life. Citlalli Lopez, a current Delloro

Program student, who is only one year away from transferring, said that the Delloro Program has been beneficial to her in various ways.

She described her academic experience before and after joining the Delloro Program.

“Being first generation (college student), I didn’t know what I was doing in college. (I) didn’t know what classes I had to take… our families want to support us, but they don’t really know how, and for me that’s where Delloro stepped in,” Lopez said.

Lopez is getting ready to transfer and said that Delloro has mentored her in various parts of her life.

“Thanks to Delloro, I was able to get a job on campus… coming from South Central and having barely graduated high school with a 1.9 GPA, I felt like I didn’t belong in college,” Lopez said. “...Having Delloro’s support has really helped me keep pushing

forward, and empowered me to create a space for myself in these institutions, and realize I belong here and have every right to be here.” The Delloro transfer program is now accepting applications for Fall 2019.

“We are looking for folks who are interested in being part of a twoyear learning community cohort, who are interested in social justice and community empowerment,” Gleason said.

To qualify, students must be majoring in Sociology, English, Social Work, Ethnic Studies, Communications, History, Political Science, Art, Anthropology or Philosophy. They must also have completed English 28, be ready to enroll in English 101 in the fall and must currently have cumulative 3.0 GPA. If interested, students can apply at https:/www.elac.edu/ academics/programs/JohnDelloro. htm, no later than June 19.

Program offers students study abroad opportunities European Studies Associate seeks to enrich education through cultural experience

BY DELANIE VILLANUEVA Staff Writer European Studies Associate is a program that offers ELAC students an opportunity to study abroad.

The program is offered in Paris, France. In this program, students will take language classes to learn French and get exposed to the Parisian lifestyle.

In addition to the language classes, the students experience an assortment of activities, exclusive to the country such as museum tours and lectures.

Professor Lynn Vogel-Zuiderweg is the ESA group leader for ELAC. Every year, Vogel-Zuiderweg accompanies the students on their trip as a chaperone and a leader to Paris.

She said that this program is beneficial because it exposes students to life outside of Los Angeles and lets them know that there is more to life.

Vogel-Zuiderweg enjoys seeing how the students begin to become accustomed to the Parisian culture and how their confidence in the French language grows.

A typical day for students studying abroad is language class in the morning, an afternoon activity, and an evening activity. Afternoon activities range from a variety of things.

They can be from culture walks, museum tours and monument visits.

Evening activities include watching performances, professional chef classes, presentations and lectures.

The programs even includes weekend or day trips to other cities.

The program in Paris includes a two-day trip to Fontainebleau and Reims and Champagne country.

A weekend trip to Normandy is also included. There are a few days when there are no activities planned so students can explore the city on their own.

There are many reasons students want to study abroad. Students may want to have a break from life in Los Angeles and see what else the world might have to offer.

“I had always been interested in French culture and it had been my childhood dream to visit Paris,” Mercedes Romero, who studied for a month in Paris, said.

“The moment I found out about the ESA program, I set my mind to save enough to go. It also helped a lot that the class I took abroad counted towards my transfer prerequisites.”

There have also been some students who have enjoyed the program so much that they decided to go more than once. Christian Jimenez has studied abroad three times in Paris.

He went back because he missed the city and how the experience abroad helped him grow.

“My advice to people is to seek out as much information as they need.There is financial help available in a lot of places people never check, and many resources for people to get what they need.

Talking to people always helps,” he said.

Jimenez’s love for the ESA program motivated him to start a side business/blog called “The Paris

Connenxion” to help students study in Paris.

The website sells clothing, bags, phone cases and home decor with Paris themes.

Jimenez also uses it as a blog to share tips and experiences for studying abroad.

Professor Vogel-Zuiderweg enjoys seeing how much the students grow during the program.

“At first they might experience culture shock because of the new customs, but towards the end of the program I love seeing how they improve in the language and customs. They don’t even need my help at the end of the trip,” she said.

There are also similar programs being held in Salamanca, Spain and Kyoto, Japan this year through different programs.

Study abroad in Salamanca, Spain is being offered through International Education Study Abroad. The program to study in Kyoto, Japan is offered through IACE Travel.

Students who are interested in studying abroad should look out for signs around campus promoting the program or look up ‘study abroad’ on the ELAC website google custom search.

On the website you will find links to the different program and emails to the professors in charge.

Students can explore the different options and reach out to the professors.

The Financial Aid office has information about how to use your finical aid to finance the trip.

Although the applications for this summer’s trip are closed, students can make it a goal to go next year.

CN/STEVEN ADAMO

www.ELACCampusNews.com

6

Features

EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 2019

Students have access to mental health therapist

BY AARON SHIOZAKI Staff Writer

Students stressed out with schoolwork, issues at home or even their workplace, can seek help at the Student Health Center or counseling office on campus.

Almost every college student undergoes stress at one point in time that can be caused by things that are related to coursework, home or work itself.

“When the students pay their $11 health fee, then they get access to the health center and that gives students access to the mental health therapist,” said Chris Garcia, department chair for counseling.

Garcia also mentioned that students mostly tend to visit the counseling office because of issues due to transportation and child care, which may cause some stress.

The primary focus is to then provide students with child care by connecting them with the child development center on campus or providing them with information on

bus passes and what shuttle would be best to take.

“If we were to identify a student that was dealing with a type of stress, then we could make recommendations.

“Maybe you need to take advantage of this service. If it sounds like you are dealing with depression from a family member that just passed, we have a really good support group through the Student Health Center,” said Garcia.

The counseling office is able to help students to a certain extent when dealing with certain types of issues, like stress.

If the cause of stress is not due to an academic dilemma and is because of something that happened at home or the workplace, the counseling office will likely recommend students to services provided by the health center.

Regardless of the cause of stress, students are more than welcome to visit the health center.

However, if the cause of stress is focused around academic and career exploration, students are better suited to visit the counseling office.

By paying the health fee , students

“When the students pay their $11 health fee, then they get access to the health center and that gives the students acess to the mental health therapist.”

CHRIS GARCIA

Department Chair of Counseling

will have access to services such as physical exams, prescriptions for birth control, family planning, tuberculosis screenings, women’s health and mental health.

Students can visit the student center when they feel a panic attack, anxious, stressed or even just want to talk with someone about their problems.

Due to doctor-patient confidentiality, not much more information can be given about

how the therapist treats students that go in.

“We don’t personally speak with the students about stress because that’s between the therapist and the student, so we do get students that come in here and say ‘I’ve been feeling anxious lately,’ but they don’t go into specifics like with stress.

“That would be for the therapist,” said Myrna Palafox, registered nurse at the student center.

Students that do show up at the Student Health Center do not always have to enter to begin feeling better.

“Students will be jittery in class and feel anxious. They have panic attacks, but once they get here, they and have a seat for a few minutes, they’re fine.

“I don’t know how that works but it seems to just always happen,” said Lina Ech, medical assistant at the student center.

Palafox also shared that acknowledgment. “Students that come that are feeling anxious, simply by just sitting out there in the waiting area and taking deep breaths, they reduce their anxiety levels,” Palafox said.

CN/IVANA AMARAL

AIDs foundation gains ELAC’s support

BY MIGUEL ESCALANTE Staff Writer

AIDs Healthcare Foundation visits ELAC once a month to test students and inform them on HIV/ AIDS and prevention.

Almost 40 years ago AIDS was an epidemic no one knew anything about and many have lost their battles with the disease since then.

The AIDS Healthcare Foundation was created in 1987 to help inform and assist the public of AIDS and HIV. AHF is Los Angeles-based and a global non-profit organization.

The organization has helped over one million people in 43 countries

around the world according to their website.

As of right now, AHF only has support from the Student Health Center on campus.

They would like to get support from multiple departments to help reach the masses. Saucedo said that on average, they test about 30-40 people in four hours and would like to increase those numbers.

The goal of AHF when they come to college campuses, like ELAC, is to educate as many people as possible and try to correct the stigma that comes along with HIV. AHF’s mission is to rid the world of AIDS. They try to accomplish this through a network of pharmacies, thrift stores, healthcare contracts and other partnerships, like the one with ELAC.

“AHF wants to create and implement new programs in communities in the U.S. and across the world to save more lives.”

CN/ELIANA TORRES

DOUBLE WHAMMY— This is Raul Anguiano’s last and largest mural.This historic mural is loacted in the foyer of the Ingalls Auditorium in the G-3 building at East Los Angeles College.

Final mural of famous artist in Ingalls Auditorium

BY BERNARDO CALDERON Staff Writer There is an underappreciated mural at the center of the East Los Angeles College campus.

The mural is located in the foyer of the Ingalls Auditorium (G3 building).

This mural was created by the late Raúl Anguiano. He was a part of the second wave of Mexican muralists.

It was also the last mural he created because the finish piece was presented to the public on his 87th birthday.

Seventeen years later the mural is still in the G3 building and catalogs Mexican history with a heavy emphasis on art.

The mural shows many different aspects of Mexican history.

One of the most prominent aspects of the mural is the representation of “Los Tres Grandes” (The Three www.ELACCampusNews.com

Great Ones), which are the three most influential muralists before Anguiano.

Those that were before Anguiano were Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco and David Alfaro Siqueiros.

To the right of Rivera is Frida Kahlo, his wife and an artist of her own right.

Behind Siqueiros is the hanged person of his controversial mural “America Tropical.”

In front of Orozco, a sketch sits on a table. The sketch is of “Prometheus,” A mural at the Pomona College in the Frary Dining hall.

All of these details make a call back to the artists most prominent works contributing to the representation of Mexico in the field of art.

The very intentional choice to include the three artists was to respect the value of art as a factor in the documentation of history.

Chicano Studies professor, Mary Romo, said the muralist

put Mexico on the map for a U.S. audience and later globally.

There was a new voice that challenged the ideals of European art and this validation contributed to the Mexican national identity.

Now that feeling of being underappreciated applies to a greater portion of the population at ELAC by those who are not introduced to the mural in a chicano studies or art class.

The mural is very significant because of the Mexican history from indigenous roots of the civilization to modern day artists.

It encapsulates only a small portion of history due the restrictions of the building’s dimensions.

Murals, by definition, are meant to be available to the public as a way to remove the financial barrier that has been entwined into art culture.

Deprivatizing art has always been important to move society forward by having everyone be exposed to the abstract thinking needed when encountering art.

There are about 25 million people who are unaware they are infected and AHF wants to provide those individuals with assistance, healthcare and information.

Saucedo urges students to use condoms, as they are highly effective in preventing HIV transmission, discuss sexual histories with partners and have sober sex, because one is less likely to use protection when under the influence.

The test itself is a free confidential, but not anonymous, one-minute HIV test.

The test includes a small finger prick on either the ring or middle finger of the non-dominant hand.

The test looks for antibodies and it normally takes about two weeks before antibodies can be detected from the time you were infected.

The window period for the HIV antibodies to be detected is anywhere from two weeks to three months.

Regardless of the time frame, AHF recommends getting tested every three months if you are sexually active.

AHF wants to create and implement new programs in communities in the U.S. and across the world with the aim to save more lives.

Not only do they offer free HIV testing, but they also test for sexually transmitted diseases (STD) as well.

In the last five years, gonorrhea has gone up 67% and syphilis (both primary and secondary) has increased to 76%, according to the AHF website.

AHF is closely associated with www.freestdcheck.org, a website that shows different locations for people to have free STD testing.

AHF’s current goal is to have 20 million on treatment by 2020 and currently 15 million are on treatment worldwide.

There is two locations in the vicinity of ELAC, both in the East LA area AHF Healthcare Center at 5301 E. Beverly Blvd, which is a free medical clinic, diagnosis center, birth control center and blood testing center.

The other AHF Pharmacy is located at 5356 Whittier Blvd in which is also a free clinic, birth control center and pharmacy.

For more information visit their website at www.aidshealth.org or call 323-860-5200.

Other

EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 2019

7

Professors enlighten students on impeachment process

BY AARON SHIOZAKI Staff Writer East Los Angeles College professors hosted a panel on impeachment and its process on Thursday.

The panel, which was part of the Social Science Lecture Series, included U.S. history professors Steve Wardinski and Carlos Ramirez and political science professors, Kenneth Chaiprasert and Rogelio Garcia.

President Donald Trump was being impeached, but not convicted.

Trump was impeached when the House of Representatives was given information presented by committees of the United States.

“There are different committees within the House that oversee different aspects of the American government,” said Wardinski.

The committees are the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, the House Committee on Ways and Means and the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Impeachment is an accusation, not a conviction. Therefore, the accused will not be removed from office until proven guilty or innocent. However, the impeached official remains in

office until a trial is held.

The Committee on Foreign Relations looks into a person of interest by monitoring if they have been doing anything questionable with a foreign power and should be looked into. The Committee on Ways and Means checks if any taxes seem out of the ordinary and if the accused is paying their taxes or bribing people. Oversight and Reform, searches for things the other committees have not found and try to find something in a specialized area.

When a committee finds a criminal act within their field, they notify the House Judiciary Committee to determine whether they will proceed with an impeachment or not. A simple majority vote of 41 members of the committee is required to proceed. After that, they will draft a resolution to outline the possible crimes committed by the perpetrator, which in some cases may be the president.

The committee will then present the appropriate charges of misconduct.

The process will be passed onto the House of Representatives and a majority of 435 members must be reached to proceed with an impeachment trial. Managers will

CN/STEVEN ADAMO

then be selected from the House Judiciary Committee to serve as the prosecution. They will then approach the trial and provide the evidence to the Senate to determine guilt or innocence.

“That is generally the way things work. Some modifications here and there. The reason why it’s so different is because this thing was deliberately vague. For example, once the trial happens, there are no

rules to how this thing goes. They are literally written at that time and place,” Garcia said.

The case will be brought forth, evidence will be presented and the impeached official will have their lawyers present. The Senate will be a jury of 100 and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court will be invited. A majority of 67 senators is needed to convict and remove the impeached official from office.

Article I, Section 2, Clause 5 and Article II, Section 4 grant the House of Representatives the sole power of impeachment. Article I, Section 3, Clause 6 grants the sole power to try all impeachments. Therefore, it is within the authority of the Supreme Court and the courts to pursue the possibility of the obstruction of justice.

The president may use executive privilege to withhold information

in the public interest to avoid an impeachment or panic across the nation. However, the Senate can use their power of impeachment and conviction to overrule the normal constitutional procedure in the case that the president may have committed a serious crime.

“This is not a Democrat or Republican issue, this is a rule of law issue. The basic principles set forth in our Constitution is that no person is above the law,” Garcia said.

In the case of Richard Nixon, he used executive privilege to withhold information on the tape recordings in his office, but the Senate overturned his privilege and he was forced to present the tapes.

“When those charges were filed for the full House to consider, Republican leaders in Nixon’s favor said, ‘You will be charged. You will be convicted, we have counted the votes. The Senate will convict you 91 to 9. Please quit before that happens,’ and he quit two days later,” Wardinski said.

Nixon was pardoned by Gerald R. Ford, who had just been made President of the United State when Nixon resigned. He was then able to keep the title of president and was granted a pension along with Secret Service protection for life.

ELAC particpates in CCCAA Badminton Tournament

BY DANIEL CEJA Staff Writer Badmnton ended their participation in the California Community College Atlethic Association badminton tournamentearly within a loss against City College of San Francisco on Saturday at Pasadena City College.

ELAC lost it’s match with a score of 21-3, 21-4.

On the other side of the bracket Grossmont College’s Huyen Lam and Drew Mendoza dominating against Pasadena City College’s Emilee Kintanar and Annjie Li 21-6, 21-4.

The final round ended a good matchup that ended in a controversial call. The line judge called the shuttlecock inside where it appeared to be out. That caused the momentum to swing toward Situ and Chiu, who beat Liam and Mendoza 21-13, 18-21, 21-17

and won the doubles consolation tournament.

The consolation bracket for singles started with Fresno City College’s Soua Kong winning against San Diego City College’s Xaya Somloth with the final score being 10-21, 21-9, 22-20.

The other semifinal match included De Anza College’s Cindy Ha who swept San Diego Mesa College’s Jolli Panal 21-10, 21-16.

In their final round Kong beat out Ha in a set where they went backand-forth to finish 14-21, 21-12, 21-17. Kong won the consolation tournament.

The doubles players state semifinals started with Irvine Valley College’s Chien Tu and Lulu Yan defeated PCC Xiaoming Yao and Jessica Lee 21-15, 21-19.

Opposite of them were Skyline College’s Katie Tan and Paola Candolada who barely beat out San Diego City College’s Ngai and Xayasomloth 21-17, 10-21, 21-11.

The final round for the state doubles was won by Tan and Candolada after beating Tu and Yan with a score of 21-18, 21-12.

The morning started with the singles state semifinals where San Diego City College’s Sum Yin Ngai beat out Fresno City College’s Uyen Napier 23-21, 14-21, 25-23.

The final set was an exciting exchange with both players determined not to lose when the score was tied 23 all. Ngai stayed focus and ended up taking the match and moving on.

The other side of the bracket had PCC Yao who faced Skyline College’s Candolada. Yao won 21-15, 19-21, 21-11. Most of the points were back and forward with Yao coming back from behind to take the lead in the first and final sets.

In the final round for the singles ,Ngai continued her excience to win the singles tournament with a clean set against Yao 21-11, 21-10.

CN/DANIEL CEJA

PRE-GAME SETUP—ELAC players Jasmine Dela Cruz and Gabriela Narnjo gets ready to defend against City College of San Fransico

Sports News Briefs Cheerleading Applications Due

Men’s Soccer Tryouts

Cheerleading applications are due May 28 before 4 p.m., with tryouts from 3:45 p.m - 5:30 p.m. that same day

Men’s Soccer tryouts will be July 5 at 1 p.m. and July 8 at 11 a.m. on the stadium field.

Students need for more benches around campus

BY SELENA ORTIZ Staff Writer One thought that always runs through my mind when I walk to class or when I’m walking to the parking structure, I constantly wish there were more seats to relax in for a second before I run off to my next deed. If you look around the busiest part East Los Angeles College has had many construction projects that directly advanced the main campus over the past few years.

The students were fortunate enough to earn a new student center, a new exterior design in the middle of campus and new advanced hightech classrooms.

As construction continues to improve the school campus life, with the goal of trying to encourage students to take pride in their school and stay on campus for longer hours, I can’t help but feel like some small details were missed.

Being at ELAC for the past 3 three years, I feel pretty familiar

with the layout of the campus. of campus, the only seating options are in the crowded student cafeteria or the crowded library.

Along with the new buildings on campus, one student lounge was added on the second floor of the new student center.

In the study lounge students can find that it is full of small groups of students just hanging out after class hours discussing non academic topics and taking up the whole space in the study lounge.

Students’ only other option is the study rooms, they have a few tables for group meetings, a line of lounging chairs and even a whiteboard, if you’re doing some serious planning.

If you have ever had the chance to visit the student lounge, it’s not full of students trying to complete their studies Rather the library is availble through online appointments or the loud cafeteria full of students passing time.

ELAC could benefit from more outdoor seating.

It’s as simple as a plastic table, or more benches scattered on campus.

If students have a second to sit down and relax in between classes or jobs, they will spend that extra time on campus focusing on their duties as a student.

In a busy day on campus, students walk to building to building in the student center and in the library because their classes are in the center of campus.

For students who can’t focus with so much distraction or students who desire a place to take a breather from the stresses of life, need a seating area off to the side where they can focus on what tasks they have for that day or week.

It is inevitable to spark the desire in someone else’s life to motivate them to complete their list of goals.

Having a seat for them on campus offers a welcoming message.

Its okay to stay on campus for long hours. Its okay to not want to be surrounded by other peers or professors, and that its ok to study and learn in a comfortable working environment. www.ELACCampusNews.com

8

Arts

EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 2019

Vampire Weekend returns after six-year hiatus

BY DELANIE VILLANUEVA Staff Writer Vampire Weekend returned with “Father of the Bride,” an 18-song album, six years after their last album release.

“Father of the Bride” is unlike any of Vampire Weekend’s previous albums. This album has a vintage sound reminding listeners of late 60s/early 70s classic rock and has a more mature sound than any of their previous work.

The song lyrics are well-written with catchy melodies. Even though the band achieved a different sound with this album, it still sounds like the quirky indie band that debuted in 2007.

There is not one song in the album that does not belong, they all pair together well. “Sympathy” is by far the most unique tract in the album. It is a multi-layer song featuring a fast Spanish guitar, clapping, techno noises and a big bass line.

At first, it may seem out of place and overwhelming to listen to, but it takes time to understand and appreciate the artistry.

Overall, “Father of the Bride” is an excellent album. It shows how the band has grown and matured as artists. The songs are diverse

and intricate, showing how much effort goes into every second of the album. The more that this album is listened to, the better it gets.

“Father of the Bride” also features other artists, which is something that the band has never done before on an album.

Danielle Haim of sister trio Haim is featured on “Hold You Now,” “Married in a Gold Rush” and “We Belong Together.”

Even though Haim and the band’s front man, Ezra Koenig, have different voices, their tones complement each other well.

Alternative R&B artist Steve Lacy is featured on “Sunflower” and “Flower Moon.”

Both Haim and Lacy did more than provide their vocals to the song, they helped with the production of the music and brought their own unique styles to it. The songs that Haim is featured on have more of a classic rock sound with acoustic guitar riffs, similar to her band’s music.

The songs featuring Lacy are unique with quirky lyrics, funky melodies and catchy beats.

The album begins with “Hold You Now,” an emotional duet between Koenig and Haim. Like the album title, the song is about a father speaking to his daughter, the

bride, on her wedding day.

The father shares his concerns with the daughter accompanied by an acoustic guitar, and twice in the song there is a choir singing, creating the illusion of a bride walking down the aisle.

The bride gives her response to her father by telling him that she understands why he is concerned, but to cheer up and that everything is going to be okay.

They both reassure each other by singing, “I can’t carry you forever, but I can hold you now,” meaning that they cannot be with each other for the rest of their lives, but will do all they can now.

Va m p i r e We e k e n d b e g a n releasing songs for this album on January 24 of this year. The first two tracts that were released were “Harmony Hall” and “2021.”

After that initial release, the band released two songs each month until the album released.

Koenig said that they did this in order to not overwhelm the fans by giving them 18 songs at once.

He also said, in a Twitter post, that it might be best to listen to the album backwards because he feels like some of the best songs he has ever written are in the latter portion of the album.

COURTESY OF NBC

LATE NIGHT MUSIC—Ezra Koenig (right) performing the song “This Life” with featured group HAIM (from right) Danielle Haim, Alana Haim and Este Haim on the set of Jimmy Fallon premiering Vampire Weekend’s new album ‘Father of the Bride.’

‘Detective Pikachu’ delivers action-packed thriller

BY BERENICE OCHOA Staff Writer The action of a Pokemon battle in a video game or anime isn’t as epic as watching it realistically on screen.

Besides from all the action, a strong bond based on friendship, loyalty and respect among a trainer and their pokemon develops when experiencing an adventure.

“Pokemon Detective Pikachu” starring Justice Smith and Ryan Reynolds released on May 10 in

3D and Standard definition is a film of mystery and fantasy rated PG. The movie is about the adventure of Pikachu and Tim Goodman, played by Justice Smith, teaming up to find Tim’s father who has gone missing.Pikachu is later discovered to be Tim’s father, Harry Goodman, played by Ryan Reynolds.

Where Tim comes from, pokemon are owned for battles, entertainment purposes and as pets, but there is only one place that allows pokemon to roam

around freely.

In Ryme City pokemon are allowed to peacefully live with humans in the futuristic city.

They are also able to team up and cooperate with humans and be helpful around the city.

For example, a Squirtle can be a firefighter’s assistant due to Squirtles abilities as a water type Pokemon.

A Machamp that helps navigate traffic with his four arms. This shows how much humans value the existence of the Pokemon.

Not all (currently) 800

Anne Hathaway, Rebel Wilson play con artists in ‘The Hustle’

BY KELSEY COOK Staff Writer When the Hustler gets hustled.

The Hustle is a perfect combination of humor, fashion, sex, money and power.

The movie, directed by Chris Addison, is about two women, both hustlers, who parnter to land the ultimate con.

Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson are exciting, adorable, unpredictable and unforgettable.

Josephine, played by Anne Hathaway, a very seasoned, intelligent, affluent, beautiful and well-spoken con woman meets Penny, played by Rebel Wilson, a brash, unpredictable, rough around the edges, comical yet adorable con woman, on a train. Penny gets in trouble with the law and remembers the opulent Josephine that she met.

Josephine was able to get her out of jail and they became “frenemies”.

Both women find out they are con

artists, with Josephine being the more successful one, having almost 30 million dollars and various assets.

The movie took many twists and turns and the ending was not predictable at all.

Anne Hathaway’s character Josephine was very glamorous and sophisticated. She had a very enjoyable british accent that was absolutely adorable.

A major emphasis of her role was her wardrobe. Her looks and pieces were spectacular. Hathaway was dripped in the latest high fashion brands.

Designers like Gucci, Balenciaga, Hermes, and Louboutin draped her body. The fashion was sensational.

Emma Fryer, costume designer, chose very complimentary looks and pieces to accentuate Anne Hathaway’s regal beauty and persona which tied directly to Josephine the character.

Sarah Brock and Stacey Butterworth both on the hair and

makeup team made Josephine (Anne Hathaway) look stunning.

The hair and makeup was very on trend and went well with all of the costume designs. All of the looks were very complete from both wardrobe and hair and make up.

Anne Hathaway was memorizing.

Rebel Wilson as Penny played a very childlike, friendly yet mean, comedic, complex character.

Penny was very conniving and mean spirited yet you could not help but to love her. If you like dry humor, you will love and appreciate the performance Rebel Wilson portrayed. Rebels physical comedy was hilarious.

“The Hustle” is a perfect movie to watch with the girls. The movie flowed great and I was left wanting more .

The movie had major plot twists and you will not see them coming.

The humor relies on their physical and temperamental contrasts. This comedy is worth the twenty five dollar movie ticket.

COURTESY OF MGM

GETTING HUSTLED—Penny, played by Rebel Wilson, looking for a chance to show Josephine, played by Anne Hathaway, she has what it takes to be a great con artist in “The Hustle.” www.ELACCampusNews.com

Pokemon made appearances in the movie, but the most popular were presented in a realistic version.

Some of the few Pokemon who were presented on screen are: Aipoms, Bulbasaurs, Charmanders, Charizards, Cubones, Flareons, Gengars, Greninjas, Loudreds, a Lickitung, a Jigglypuff, a Mewtwo.

In the beginning of the film a car going at high speed driving away from an explosion after Mewtwo escaped to chase the car.

Mewtwo flipped the car off a bridge and the scene gets cut off to where the audience sees Tim with a friend, Jack, played

by Karan Soni, who encouraged Tim to catch a lonely Cubone and become partners.

The Cubone refused to be caught and it was Tim’s final attempt to become a trainer.

When Tim returned to the city, his phone’s signal came back, he received voicemails and found out that his father had died while he was investigating the case.

Tim decides to visit his father’s residence to collect his belongings and finds out everything that happened during his absence.

Throughout the rest of the movie Pikachu and Tim both discover from Mewtwo that Harry’s mind has been transferred in the body of Pikachu to survive.

The fight scene where Pikachu has forgotten how to use his powers against Charizard could have lasted longer with more signature moves and attacks that Charizard and Pikachu are capable of doing.

COURTESY OF WARNER BROS

PIKACHU SHOCKS THEATERS—Pikachu looks through magnifying glass as movie reveals plot twist.

On the other hand, the techniques and physical power that Mewtwo has were spot on, when it was able to revive and heal Pikachu after being hit by a rock at the Garden of Torterras.

The attacks that some of the Pokemon used were impressive, in the graphics also made the Pokemon look more realistic.

For example, the texture of the scales on Charmander and Charizard made them look like real reptiles.In addition to the details and the blend of colors in

Bulbasaur’s eyes were amazing.

The opening scene and first Pokemon presented is one of the most popular and powerful Pokemon in the Pokemon species, Mewtwo chasing a car.

The choice of choosing a Pokemon like Mewtwo was a good decision because of the thrill and suspense when a powerful Pokemon sends a car flying off a bridge making you want to stay to watch what other disaster Mewtwo will cause or what will happen.

Diane Keaton plays heart-felt role

BY ELIANA TORRES Staff Writer The movie “Poms” had a few good jokes here and there. The story line is predictable and is not very good. However the message of the movie is inspiring.

Throughout the movie there are a number of crowd-pleasing feminist moments where the women stand up for themselves and each other, which is the best part of the movie, along with Sheryl’s carefree personality.

While there were sentimental moments, lessons about friendships and death, it went along with the empowering message it portrayed which was that age should not be a barrier and that it is never too late to pursue your dreams.

Although the film’s storyline is predictable, the directors and writers had their heart in the right place, “Poms” has potential with its talented cast, unmatched enthusiasm, and liveliness.

The film, follows a group of women in a retirement home who

decide to start a cheerleading club.

The movie mainly focuses on Martha, played by Diane Keaton.

Martha an introverted woman moves into a retirement community hoping to be left alone after she finds out she has cancer and decides not to do chemotherapy.

Once Martha moves into the community she comes across Sheryl.

Sheryl, is a fun-loving person who insists they become best friends.

Martha, on the other hand, wants nothing to do with anyone as she would rather spend what little time she has left alone.

As Sheryl pushes for a friendship Martha slowly starts coming out of her shell and they soon become best friends.

During their teen years they both wanted to be cheerleaders but never got the opportunity to do so.

Martha and her new friend decide to create a cheerleading club with their fellow residents. Martha and sheryl then go on a mission to get the cheerleading club approved facing one of the many obstacles of having to gather enough teammates

to form the club.

Not only do they struggle in getting the club approved and forming it but later on they face the challenge of finding a place to practice, Sheryl then suggests the idea of practicing in the high school’s gym she teaches at.

Martha agrees and Sheryl sneakily signs up their club to the pep rally.

Martha finds out minutes before the pep rally and once she does she disagrees but Sheryl pressures her into going through with it, things go bad and they are ridiculed in front of the entire school.

Martha and her club then use this as motivation to get better and participate in a dancing competition.

In the beginning scenes of the movie Martha comes across as a bitter old woman who has cancer and wants to isolate herself from the world.

As the movie progresses we see how her personality blossoms with new friendships and support. She goes from a bitter old lady to a lovable and supportive friend.