Volume 75, Issue 24
Wednesday, May 23, 2018
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Confidence lost in State Chancellor Oakley learn from a computer rather than up others that are starting to make physically coming to class and being this motion. I think it’s beyond time for the colleges to work together to instructed by a professor. “(The online college is) one more stand up to the powers that are in way to make us all more and more the state to have a voice in this,” isolated from each other. We sit in Secretary Julie Bernard said. “We are so frequently struggling our cars, we don’t communicate, the kids are playing on an xbox and scrambling to try to implement all day and we’re not interacting the changes that are being made from the top. This is with each other,” a crucial time for us Adjunct Faculty to band together and Representative Linda “This is a make sure that we’re Doran said. crucial time being listened to,” Other Academic Senate members for us to band Bernard said. An article from in the ASCCC together EdSource stated that expressed their and make unlike traditional opposition to the c o m m u n i t y sure that chancellor. Santa colleges where Barbara City we’re being students interact College‘s Academic listened to.” with professors Senate opposed the who are preparing 115th Online College JULIE BERNARD them for associate and the medical Secretary or bachelor’s coding program degrees, the online because it interferes college would be a with their current programs. short-term training with industry The Academic Senates of Allan standards. Hancock College and San Diego The proposal made by Governor Mesa College were two campuses Jerry Brown has until June 15 to be that approved a vote of no confidence. approved. They sent their resolutions to the “It’s up to us as individual California Community College campuses to have our voices be Board of Governors, Los Angeles heard in a louder and more effective Community College District Board way than just relying on the state of Trustees and to the Chancellor’s senate leaders to do it for us when office. they’ve proven to be not capable of “I’m glad that colleges are backing doing so,” Wardinski said.
BY NOE ORTEGA Staff Writer The Academic Senate joined other colleges in California with a vote of no confidence in State Chancellor Eloy Oakley yesterday. ELAC’s no-confidence vote echoed the votes of other college academic senates notifying the Chancellor of their disapproval of him. The vote came in response to the Chancellor’s lack of consultation with the Academic Senate of California Community Colleges about recent state initiatives like AB 705 (a bill that requires students to complete Math and English courses within one year) and his decision to launch a state wide online-only community college that will compete with online courses offered at ELAC. “I don’t think the chancellor has left us any choice but to follow through with the other colleges that have done this first and vote no confidence in the chancellor’s leadership,” Steve Wardinski, Chair of the Curriculum Committee, said. The Governor’s proposal for the 115th Fully Online Community College states that the online college is not to compete for students and that it will not impact traditional community college enrollment. But faculty weren’t on board with giving students the liberty to
Cone resigns as Athletic Director BY STEPHANIE GUEVARA Staff Writer
PHOTO BY MARILYN LADD
MEDAL WINNERS— Swim Coach Elias Roach is flanked by ELAC Special Olympics Swim Team members Melissa Rivera (left) who won gold and Ramsey Sanchez (right) who won silver.
ELAC wins gold in Special Olympics BY STEVEN ADAMO Staff Writer Gold and silver medals were awarded to ELAC’s Special Olympics Swim Team Saturday during the 2018 Los Angeles/San Gabriel Valley Special Olympics Spring Regional. Winning gold in the 50 and 100 meter freestyle was Melissa Rivera, who also won a silver medal in the 50 meter backstroke. Athletes can only compete in three events, and Rivera won in all of the events she entered. The silver medal in the 100 meter freestyle went to Ramsey Sanchez, who also won a silver medal for the 50 meter backstroke. For the 25 meter freestyle, Beatriz Uribe won gold.
News Briefs
“This is the first year that ELAC has fielded a Special Olympics Swim Team, and based on results, they did very well for their first meet ever,” said Marilyn Ladd, ELAC’s Adaptive Swimming Instructor and Special Olympics Team Adviser. Saturday’s games, held at Whittier College, were regional competitions for Los Angeles and San Gabriel. The team was practicing weekly since March with the Special Olympics Swim Coach and ELAC Lifeguard Elias Roach. All three winners are ELAC students, but being one was not required to join the swim team. After the application process, practices are scheduled and events are assigned based on several
factors. “It goes by their skill level, their intellectual ability to understand the swim -- some are assisted, some unassisted,” Ladd said. Following Saturday’s big win, two of the three big winners were eager to get back to practice. “That’s the only thing they’re interested in -- ‘Do we have practice today?’” Ladd said. As a new team, they were unable to compete in the championship. However, Rivera, Sanchez and Uribe will return to compete next season with a chance to go to Dubai for the 2019 Special Olympics Summer games. For information on joining the ELAC Special Olympics Swim Team, contact Ladd from the Kinesiology Department.
Jazz Spring Concert tonight Cuicani “CuiCui” Rangel will be the featured guest vocalist along with Jazz Ensemble Director Bobby Chavez during the Jazz Spring Concert. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. tonight at the S2-Recital Hall.
After 18 years as the East Los Angeles College athletic director, Allen Cone resigned to become a full-time instructor. He decided to step down from his position because he lost the passion and enthusiasm the job requires, he said. “I never took myself that serious, but (I) sure (as) hell took what I did very serious… This is a great institution. I don’t care what is happening with the administration today with the budget deficit and the other controversy created,” said Cone in an email. Coaches and athletic department members said that football head coach Bobby Godinez will likely become the new athletic director. Godinez said Cone’s decision wasn’t surprising because of his long history at ELAC. “Whenever you do something for 18 years, it’s never a surprise. When someone decides (to resign), they want some time off,” Godinez said. Cone accepted the athletic director position in 2000 alongside Marilyn Ladd when there were separate men’s and women’s athletic directors. Cone said he wants to return as an instructor to teach and mentor students at ELAC. Cone started his ELAC career in 1989 as the head baseball coach. During his second year as baseball coach, he coached James Hines, the current baseball head coach. Hines played at ELAC under Cone from 1991 to 1992. Hines then was one of Cone’s assistants before
PHOTO COURTESY OF ELACATHLETICS.COM
becoming his only one. “It was my opinion that the athletic director respected [Hines] enough to only interview James and he gave him the job. After that, they (the baseball team) were pretty bad. In his second year, he took the team to the state championship game,” Cone said. At the time, Jerry Heaps was the athletic director. Athletic department members had different reactions about Cone’s resignation. Hines said Cone’s decision was a surprise because the sports teams have performed well. “You want to think that the guy that’s been there guiding the
Dancers: open call audition Let’s Dance Company is calling all dancers to audition tomorrow at S2-106 Dance Studio. Registration begins at 3 p.m.
athletic department is going to be here for longer, but the reality is that situations change. Sometimes individuals have different thoughts on what they want to do with their lives,” Hines said. Cone became the only athletic director under President Ernie Moreno. “I will forever be indebted to former ELAC President Ernie Moreno, who completely entrusted me with the responsibility of hiring and dismissing coaches and staff and making this Athletic Department the best in the LACCD and one of the most respected in the state,” Cone said.
Last issue of Spring Semester This is the last issue of the Spring 2018 semester. Campus News will return in the Fall semester. To keep up-to-date, visit www.elaccampusnews.com.
2
OPINION
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2018
Lack of guidance makes graduation feel nonexistant BY CRISTAL GOMEZ Staff Writer
East Los Angeles College students have not received first notice regarding graduation petitions regarding eligibility for graduation. The end of the spring semester is what every student looks forward to especially if it is their last semester at ELAC. For some students, this means it is their turn to transfer and begin a new journey at a four-year university. Zuvanny Macias, who is a communication major, will be graduating this semester. She went to see her counselor in December to petition for graduation. “I am honestly worried. I have worked hard to get all the requirements I need to transfer and to graduate. I should have received an email or a letter in the mail by now about my applications progress. I don’t think it’s fair to all the students here at ELAC who have been waiting for this day to come. It just feels like I am going off a hunch
whether or not I am graduating,” Macias said. There is a flyer that was given to every student once they have petitioned to graduate with a counselor. The flyer is “East Los Angeles College Graduation
Information,” which explains what comes next after students see their counselors. In this flyer, it states the following: “You will be mailed a first evaluation status in approximately four to six weeks.”
The Admissions department wasn’t very helpful in getting answers relating to the evaluations. Instead, I was directed to the Dean of Student Services. I had gone to her office, but she was unavailable to meet, and then I emailed her
without a response. I had also called a number that was left on the ELAC graduation website. They had redirected me to admissions where I didn’t get any answers again. Alejandra Santana will be graduating this spring as well. Santana hasn’t received anything from admissions regarding her first evaluation either. “I understand they cannot give us our associate’s once final grades are in, but they should at least send the evaluations. Notifying us whether we are still eligible makes sense. I would like the admission,s office to continually update the students on the evaluation status within the time frame they had suggested,” Santana said. Making students assume they are on the right track is only giving them false hope. Not only to the students. but to the family and friends who have helped the students through their journey at ELAC. Students who petition for graduation are eligible since they have talked to a counselor, but it would be nice to see how the process is going.
Marvel Studios needs to further diversify its characters BY FRANK PORTILLO Staff Writer
Marvel Studios needs to continue its trend of diversifying its roster of characters and actors. What started off as a handful of traditional white male superhero characters has evolved to include more female and minorities in respectable roles. It began with the casting of Samuel Jackson as Nick Fury, a character who up until that point was traditionally caucasian. Jackson changed the character who was portrayed by David Hasselhoff in the 1998 film “Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.” The next step was the involvement of the Black Widow character in “Iron Man 2.” Played by Scarlett Johansson, the film established her as a force to be reckoned with, but still struggled with over sexualizing her. The shots of her in action focused more on her physical beauty and curvaceous body as opposed
to just treating her like her male counterparts. The trend continued through Joss Whedon’s “Avengers” film, where she is the only female on the team. In some of the artwork and posters, she is posed provocatively while all of the male characters are posed as heroic and strong figures. This prompted an artist to draw the Avengers in reversed roles, with the male characters showing off their bodies while Black Widow was given a normal pose. The artwork, posted on Reddit, makes it clear that the studio was having difficulty portraying the character who has now evolved into somewhat of a maternal figure on the team in the latest “Avengers” film. Writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely seem to have understood the importance of diversity through their portrayal of Agent Peggy Carter, who is played by Hayley Atwell. Aside from being Captain America’s love interest, she was a strong female military leader in World War 2. Despite the snide remarks that
she would get from males, she was established as a respectable female character who didn’t take crap from anyone and wasn’t faced with being portrayed in a sexual manner. Since phase one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which culminated in 2012’s “Avengers,” the entire landscape has changed. Not only are women finding better representation in the biggest film franchises of all-time, but minorities are starting to be represented in respectable fashion as well. “Black Panther” changed the game with a stellar cast consisting of all African-American actors, except for Martin Freeman. Ryan Coogler created a film that transcended being a simple comic book film. “Black Panther” has so much substance to it as a social commentary, showing audiences images that have never been seen before. One of the greatest shots in the film is at the start. The scene takes place in Oakland, California. African American kids are playing basketball, using a makeshift hoop, watching in awe as the Black
Panther’s ship takes off above them. Coogler was given the opportunity to show audiences something that had never been seen before. Marvel Studios needs to keep pushing the envelope. With “Captain Marvel” coming out next year, the studio is finally releasing their first female-driven superhero movie. Behind the DC Extended Universe, Marvel Studios really needs to deliver on “Captain Marvel”, given how amazing “Wonder Woman” was. Aside from delivering on this film, they also need to branch out and integrate even more of a diverse character pool. Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige said that a “Ms. Marvel” movie was in the works after the release of “Captain Marvel.” This is exciting news because Ms. Marvel, also known as Kamala Khan, is a Pakistani-American female who holds the title as first Muslim superhero to ever be the main character in her own book. Her book is so fantastically written by her co-creator G. Willow Wilson,
who stays true to the traditions and culture that comes with such a diverse character. Fans should be excited for this news especially considering the fact that Riz Ahmed and Mindy Kaling have expressed interest in writing for the project. Hopefully this leads Marvel to have an all-female superhero driven franchise. Marvel Studios certainly has enough characters to comprise a worthy team as it is. These new additions would simply be icing on the cake. With the newfounded relationship between Marvel Studios and Sony, one can only hope that they can integrate a character like the Miles Morales’ Spiderman. As a child of an African-American father and Puerto Rican mother, there are so many other cultures to be explored in the MCU. Currently the highest grossing Marvel movie, even above “Avengers,” “Black Panther” is proof that fans want something more than the traditional white male superhero.
Financial opportunies open in video game streaming BY ANDREW AYALA Staff Writer Video games have become something deeper than a past-time or a hobby. Nowadays, they open new paths to multiple career and life-sustaining possibilities. Some of these top-earning titles include being a streamer, which is someone who plays video games live for those who enjoy watching, being a YouTuber, which is someone who makes videos on new games, tutorials or even unboxing of special editions and being a member or owner of an eSports organization which can play in tournaments for huge cash prizes. Video game competitions have been around since the ’90s, but weren’t popularized until the 2000s. Thanks to organizations like Major League Gaming, competitive gaming has skyrocketed within the past few years thanks to titles like League of Legends, Halo, Call of Duty, Rocket League, CounterStrike and many more titles which have held tournaments that have cash prizes valued over $1 million. Many people do not realize the possibilities and opportunities that playing video games can give a person. It is like anything else in life, if you love it and are passionate about it then you may have what it takes to be a competitor. The largest prize pool tournament that has occurred according to www. esportsearnings.com was titled “The International 2017,” which valued at $24,687,919 and was for a video game called DOTA 2, which was
played between 18 teams and 90 players. The stakes can be very high which is why some of these gamers earn as much as athletes. These teams get sponsorship opportunities just like any other professional athlete in a regular sport which would allow them to earn more and host giveaways to increase their fanbase. Epic Games recently announced on their Twitter that they will be providing $100 million to fund prize pools for Fortnite competitions this year. One example of a team who made it big would be the FaZe Clan who now own a team house in Newport Beach where the older members of the team now upload videos with designer clothing and the latest cars along with intense gameplay and outrageous pranks to keep their subscribers intrigued. Companies like G-Fuel, Scuf, Dx Racer and even turtle wax are just a few examples of sponsorship opportunities that these teams gain once they reach a certain level of skill and publicity. There are even professional sport teams like the Yankees who have acquired eSports teams because they see the amount of money and success that comes with investment. Streaming has become very popular lately and and allows those who do it to build a fanbase or support system where people can subscribe to their channels for a $5 fee or even donate as much money as they want to keep their favorite streamers motivated. One streamer who has boomed as of lately due to the success of the extremely popular game Fortnite is known as Ninja and has said in
past interviews that he makes up to $500,000 a month thanks to his success on the streaming and video platforms Twitch and YouTube. Ninja has even streamed with popular rappers and athletes like Drake, Travis Scott and JuJu SmithSchuster, which have tremendously helped him reach different groups of people who are now subscribed and watch him. There are instances when people donate as little as $2 to get a shoutout live on stream and then those who donate cash values in the hundreds and thousands because of how fascinated and connected they feel to the person they are watching. To be a popular streamer one must be very social and have a character that defines then and makes them stand out from the rest in order to catch the attention of those who are watching. You must also be very skilled and having one of these two characteristics won't allow you to be as successful or compete with someone who has both. Streamers must connect and be active with their fans and the chat box that sits on the side of the screen. YouTube has been churning out internet celebrities and stars since 2005. This is because people can post almost anything on the site within its guidelines. On the video game side of YouTube, people can post gameplay, walkthroughs, hidden items called easter eggs and unboxings of special editions that release for games or something special given to that person by the developers. This allows for YouTubers to stay relevant and in the loop of the hottest games or items out that people want to watch
EDITOR IN CHIEF Gustavo Buenrostro MANAGING EDITOR Rogelio Alvarez ONLINE EDITORS Melody Ortiz Kevin Camargo FRONT EDITOR Steven Adamo
OPINION EDITOR Jorge Vazquez FEATURE EDITOR Frank Portillo NEWS EDITOR Giselle Palomera SPORTS EDITOR Noe Ortega ARTS EDITORS Andrew Ayala Maria Marroquin PHOTO EDITOR Julie Santiago Eddie Mike Garcia COPY EDITORS Stephanie Guevara Joshua Inglada Rogelio Alvarez Dorany Pineda CARTOONISTS Allison Beatty Jorge Vazquez STAFF WRITERS Vicky Nguyen Jerry Flores Cristal Gomez Michael Dominguez Christian Horta STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Noe Ortega Vicky Nguyen ADVERTISING Stefanie Arocha DISTRIBUTION Stephanie Guevara ADVISERS Jean Stapleton Sylvia Rico-Sanchez
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videos about. The highest paid YouTuber to date is a person who goes by the name of PewDiePie. According to www.forbes.com, PewDiePie managed to pocket $12 million between June 1, 2016 and June 1, 2017. The YouTuber currently has over a whopping 60 million subscribers and over 17 billion video views. This seems to be the most reliable of the ways to start an eSports career due to the longevity and the videos always being there, it can also be the most challenging because you must continue to create content and come up with ways to make sure your videos make it out there for the world to see.
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As time goes on and video games become more popular, we should make sure to keep up with the pace and direction the world is moving in. They have already began creating venues and mini coliseums to host big events in places like Las Vegas, Los Angeles or even in other countries like Brazil and different parts of Europe. Video games are here to stay and expand due to the amount of success and growth that has been seen within the past few years. Pretty soon our children will be asking us to get them season tickets to watch their favorite eSports team play a video game they love and enjoy.
The East Los Angeles College Campus News is published as a learning experience, offered under the East Los Angeles College Journalism program. The editorial and advertising materials are free from prior restraint by virtue of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. The opinions expressed are exclusively those of the writer. Accordingly, materials published herein, including any opinions expressed, should not be interpreted as the position of the Los Angeles Community College District, East Los Angeles College, or any officer or employee thereof. PRINTING BY NEWS PUBLISHERS PRESS
News 3 Guided Pathways paves way for students EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2018
BY JOSHUA INGLADA Staff Writer Students deciding what classes they need for their degrees may soon be receiving assistance to greatly streamline the process on choosing what course best suits their academic goals. Assistant professor of Spanish Nora Zepeda and associate professor of psychology Arpi Festekjian hosted a meeting at the South Gate Educational Center for faculty to present the upcoming Guided Pathways Plan for East Los Angeles College. GP is an integrated, institutionwide framework that will provide intentionally designed, clear, coherent and structured educational
experiences to enhance the success of students graduating from their classes.It is a multi-year plan that has been funded by the state Chancellor’s Office and has all 114 California community colleges involved. Data collected by the GP team showed that only a small percentage of students complete their transferlevel Math and English in one year. For every 100 students who entered in fall 2014 after three years at ELAC, only five completed 60 units. “We want there to be more structure. A lot of our students are always in pursuit of some things and there’s flounderings. They’re not exactly sure what half to pursue and what classes they need to reach their
end goal. So it’s all about structure,” Festekjian said. The main goal of GP is to aid students toward selecting an educational path that fits them, helping them stay on the path and completing it.Festekjian explained that although the end result varies from school to school, the data always shows low numbers, especially for Latino students. “Time is really important, everyone, because our funding formula is going to change and at least part of it is going to be about completion. So we do need to make sure our students are completing their goals in a timely manner,” Festekjian said. “And also we want to make sure that our students don’t max
out their financial aid before they complete their academic goals, so time is important.”Senior secretary Jose Rodriguez also brought up the difficulty students face when having to navigate the school system during the meeting’s Q&A. “Student services could tell you to go to admissions, admissions has you go to a department chair, department chair has you go back to student services. “The same information is not stated equally. Someone will say the complete information and someone else will only give you pieces of the information,” Rodriguez said. “So with that incomplete information as a student, we’re setting them up for failure.” Some of the work in progress
concepts introduced to the faculty were meta-majors and academic maps, which would allow students to better select the ideal classes they need from plans that have interconnecting courses. Zepeda said that GP hopes to make counselors more involved in helping students. Most students shy away from seeing a counselor because they believe that they only have to see one when they are in trouble. “They’ll see what they have to do and if they need counseling, academic counseling or career counseling with the path that we suggested if they take a few classes and decide that it isn’t for me, they will be able to fulfill general education requirements, which
won’t be a waste of money or time. “And they’ll just shift over to the next one and start fulfilling the requirements for that other path,” Zepeda said. The team is also planning a change to the GP name in order to better reflect the upcoming focus on ELAC. The new plan’s name will be Redesigning ELAC (Enhancing Learning and Achieving Completion). The priorities of Redesigning ELAC were passed on at yesterday’s Academic Senate meeting. For more information on Guided Pathways, email Festekjian at festeka@elac.edu and Zepeda at zepedans@elac.edu. Additional information can also be found by visiting http://cccgp. cccco.edu/.
In the
SPOTLIGHT
Gabriel Iglesias show to bring in funds BY ANDREW AYALA Staff Writer Comedian Gabriel Iglesias is returning to East Los Angeles College on June 19 to perform his “One Show Fits All” stand-up in the G3 auditorium. This is the second time Iglesias will be performing at ELAC and will be headlining as well as bringing his opening guests along to perform. Athletic trainer Diane Stankevitz, P.h.D., is coordinating the event and all of the proceeds of the show will be donated to different departments at ELAC. “The show is supposed to be for ELAC. The whole idea is to donate all proceeds,” Stankevitz said. The first time Iglesias performed at ELAC, she was able to donate a whopping $15,000 which went to the athletic scholarships. “This year I will hopefully be able to make a $25,000 donation,” Stankevitz said. The tickets are being sold by a private vendor online which means attendees cannot purchase tickets from Stankevitz or at school. “I’m looking to donate to the ELAC Foundation, the athletics scholarship, and a couple of other departments I am involved with, such as the Dance and Music departments,” Stankevitz said. She has been doing the comedy shows for many years but was finally able to get into contact with Iglesias’s agent after going “through hell and highwater,” to form a good enough relationship to get him back on campus. “I might be able to get him back yearly or every couple of years. He promised he’d come back, and I take my promises seriously,” said Stankevitz. Tickets can only be purchased from www.comedytrain.net and although the event is at ELAC, it is open to the general public since the school isn’t selling the tickets directly. The most expensive ticket is $98, which will get you in the front row and the cheapest would be $12. The Foyer doors will open at 5 p.m. and the theater doors will open at 6:30 P.M.
CN/STEPHANIE GUEVARA
ALLEGRETTO— Music major Beiyu Yi delights the audience with her soothing per-
formance of Franz Schubert’s piece, ‘Impromptu in A-flat Major, Op.90.’ The audience reacted with a loud applause at the end of her performance on Monday at the S2 Recital Hall.
COURTESY OF VIVID SEATS
FLUFFY AT ELAC— Gabriel Iglesias will be launching a new tour, starting at East Los Angeles College, June 19.
FAFSA aids transfer student success through grants and scholarships BY CRISTAL GOMEZ Staff Writer East Los Angeles College financial aid office hosted Financial Aid Transfer Workshop for students planning to transfer or will be this upcoming school year. Twice a year, the financial aid office brings a representative from the California State University of Los Angeles and University of California Los Angeles to explain how financial aid works at both institutions. Daniel Mejia and Jonathan Choy from CSULA gave a presentation regarding the importance of filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is an application students need to fill out to determine their financial aid eligibility for the academic school year. To apply for FAFSA students must be a citizen of the United States, have a valid social security number, high school diploma, be enrolled in an eligible program
seeking a degree or certificate, not have a conviction and maintain a satisfactory academic progress. Students must complete the application by March 2. Students who apply after the March 2 deadline will not be given full aid from their school. Applications for the 2019-2020 academic year open Oct. 1. “Making sure students get their FAFSA application in before the March 2 deadline is crucial. Helping students know what resources they have is important so they can all achieve their dreams. Money should never be a barrier to make you stop attending school,” said Mejia. Apart from FAFSA students can receive grants from the federal government. The Pell Grant is awarded to undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor’s or a professional degree. The typical award for students who are receiving the Pell Grant is $6,095. This award is a federal award and students must be a U.S. citizen to receive the award. The Federal Supplemental
Educational Opportunity Grant is awarded to students with exceptional financial need. Not all schools participate to give the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant. The typical award can range from $100 to $4,000 per year. The state of California offers Financial Aid to students who continue their studies in state. California grants will offer up to $12,630 depending on what fouryear institution students attend. Students who attend a California State University may qualify for the State University Grant. The award can give undergraduates up to $5,742. If students receive the California Grants, they cannot receive the State University Grant.
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4
Feature
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS
WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2018
Professor doubles as cinematographer BY VICKY NGUYEN Staff Writer Photography and broadcasting professor Dylan O’Brien is balancing being a professor while still working as a cinematographer in film and television. Since he shares a name with the “Teen Wolf” actor, O’Brien, he said that he receives text messages every so often from excited young girls who found his phone number online. While he’s no teen heart throb, he has worked on over 500 productions during his career. When he was still in college, O’Brien got his first television job shooting news for Cablevision, a local station in Belmar, NJ. Most of his work is in reality television and documentaries. His work has aired on Discovery, History, A&E, National Geographic, PBS, Lifetime and SpikeTV channels. Last spring, Media Arts Department Chair Aaron Lyle brought O’Brien on as a photography and media arts professor after observing O’Brien on the program advisory committee. Lyle said he has considered O’Brien’s potential as a teacher for a while. He knew O’Brien possessed the
knowledge as he had seen O’Brien’s guest lectures. During a discussion about a new film production program at East Los Angeles College, Lyle solidified his decision. When O’Brien was asked what skills should be taught in the program, Lyle said he was surprised by his answer. “I thought it was going to be a set of technical things that people needed to know. He went straight to things about attitude and things about how you would act,” Lyle said. Lyle, who has been friends with O’Brien for many years, went to him often when he had questions about film technology. O’Brien always explained information that was knowledgeable as well as practical. “It’s weird to find someone who knows that much about their craft and is doing that well and is not an elitist,” Lyle said. Richard Rivera is currently taking Broadcasting 15 with O’Brien. Rivera said it’s difficult to make a connection with O’Brien, because he still actively works in the industry. However, Rivera still believes he’s an incredibly helpful teacher. “He actually cares about what he’s doing and what he teaches,” Rivera said, “He’s a patient and
understanding person who is willing to help you, no matter how small or big the problem may be.” O’Brien’s love of film began when he was 9 years old after, seeing films like “Star Wars” and “Close Encounters.” He was especially captivated by the beautiful cinematography at the end of “Close Encounters.” “It’s very cliché,” O’Brien said. “But I was like, ‘Wow, I want to do that. I want to make movies.’” As a child, he would set up scenes using his Star Wars figures, pretending to direct and shoot with his parent’s broken still photography equipment. O’Brien’s first experience with shooting video was when he was around 16 years old. He shot and edited a presentation for his high school. Mrs. Del Negro, who was a media arts teacher and the video club adviser told O’Brien then that this was what he was meant to do. O’Brien remembers Mrs. Del Negro as well as other teachers and mentors who encouraged him and gave him opportunities. He said that they’re a reminder to him that he should give back to others. “Everything that I’ve learned, I would love to share with people,” O’Brien said.
PHOTO COURTESY OF DYLAN O’BRIEN
DUO LIVES—Photography and broadcasting professor Dylan O’Brien sets up a shot while filming one of his shows as a cinematographer.
Badminton player chooses Berkeley over UCLA BY JULIO SANCHEZ Staff Writer Badminton player Lingxuan Gu is setting her sights on another adventure in the fall semester when she transfers to the University of California, Berkeley. Gu, or her preferred name “Cathy,” was born and raised in Beijing, China where she lived with her family until she moved to the United States at the age of 18. Even though she left her home and family, Gu said that she makes sure to visit and stay with her family in China every opportunity that she gets during breaks between semesters.
Soon after moving, she said that she found out that her expectations of life in America were more fantasy than reality. “It’s a little bit different,” said Gu, “It’s not as crowded. Where I lived, anywhere anytime, there would always be people walking. When I thought of America, I used to think it was going to be like New York and Downtown Los Angeles, but it’s not.” She said that although she was taught English since primary school, she only knew how to read and write. She still felt the language barrier. She found it difficult to actually communicate with people. Throughout her time in America,
she listened attentively to the way became reason why she joined the her professors would speak to the badminton team at East Los Angeles students and also College. listened to the way She said that she her peers would is very close with Aside from being talk to each other. her friends. a full-time student Gu said that she She got accepted did not make the to the University and playing for the move to America of California, badminton team, alone. Los Angeles, but she also works for She said that she prefers to attend and several of her UC Berkeley in the Mathematics friends traveled order to continue Supplemental together and that her educational since then, she Instruction Program goal as a statistics has had much major and also support from her to transfer to the friends in pursuing same school as her her goals and eventually they the friends.
“I got UCLA’s offer first. Then all my best friends got offers to go to Berkeley and I was afraid that I couldn’t go with them,” said Gu, “Berkeley also has a higher major rate for statistics, so when I got the offer, I was really excited. I just decided to go to UC Berkeley and never thought about UCLA again.” Aside from being a full-time student and playing for the badminton team, she also works for the Mathematics Supplemental Instruction Program. Eva, who is a friend of Gu and the program assistant for the Mesa Program, said that Gu is a goodhearted person who has the best intentions for everyone. She did not
provide her last name. “Cathy is a hard worker and hopes that everyone asks her questions so that they can get good grades,” Eva said. “ S h e gets worried when students don’t show up or when they drop their classes. She wishes that she can always do more to help,” Gu said. Gu is one of the individual players that will go to the Badminton State Competition. She said that she is more excited than nervous and hopes for the best. More importantly, she said that she will enjoy and grow from the experience no matter what the results may be.
Geology Club teaches earth’s physical history BY STEVEN ADAMO Staff Writer Learning about the physical history of the earth through field trips, activities and bi-weekly meetings is how the East Los Angeles College Geology Club stays active. Aside from a wide-range of Geological topics in the news, there is plenty to be discussed based on the courses offered at ELAC alone. One of the courses is Physical Geology, which focuses on the origins of the earth and the many shapes it took to form what we see today. A lot of geology courses focus on processes — from the
materials used in the Earth’s infancy, to geological catastrophes and the forces that drive them. Though geological catastrophes get the most attention, geology Club member Denisse Diaz said that learning about geology makes her more comfortable by understanding how it all works. Professor and Geology Club adviser Randy Adsit said during the club meeting last Thursday that California is home to many sites of interest to geologists. One such site, located in the Angeles National Forest, is a 300foot deep canyon called the Devil’s Punchbowl. The club will take a midnight hike
there this summer to examine the Punchbowl’s layers of sedimentary rocks and other relevant topics. During a fundraiser on campus last Tuesday, the Geology Club sold sandwiches and drinks to students in order to raise money for their upcoming trips. Deciding where and when to go on hikes is a club effort. Most of the suggestions given during the meeting focus around natural events like an upcoming low tide at the Pacific Ocean near Malibu. Another upcoming midnight trip the club will be taking this summer is August 12 and 13 during the Perseid meteor shower. According to NASA meteor
expert Bill Cooke, the rate of merge during club activities. meteors during these showers is Geology Club president Erika between 150 and 200 Toscano discussed meteors per hour. a recent trip to Geology is a part of Anza-Borrego Club member the Anthropology, State Park, Denisse Diaz said Desert Geography, Geology located halfway D e p a r t m e n t a t that learning about between Coachella ELAC. Geology makes her Va l l e y a n d S a n The department Diego. more comfortable contains other The trip featured subjects including by understanding s t u d e n t s a n d Earth Science, professors from how it all works. Environmental Anthropology and Science, Geographic Geography as well, Information allowing students S y s t e m s , to learn information Meteorology and Oceanography. across multiple-disciplines during These disciplines sometimes their hikes.
In an article published in the Journal of Geoscience Education, students choose the study of Geology for a number of reasons including an understanding of the the interaction between humans and the environment, learning the history of the earth and others choose Geology as a requirement for a major or minor. When the team returns from their summer activities, the club’s meeting spot and classrooms will be moved from the A Complex by the baseball field to one of the brand new buildings on campus. The Geology Club will resume meetings in the fall.
Philosophy Club promotes critical thinking BY JOSHUA INGLADA Staff Writer The Philosophy Club offers students the opportunity to analyze the inner workings of the mind, while also socializing with one another. The chartered club has been a part of East Los Angeles College for more than five years. The overall goal of the club is to unlock the potential of students through critical thinking and examining the thoughts members have on daily events. Club president Leonardo Escobar said the club strives to unlock everyone’s inner critical thinker. “We give the student body an opportunity to not only present whatever philosophical ideas they have in mind, but to also present it in an environment where they’re not going to be judged,” Escobar said. While the club members hold their meetings to a serious degree, they keep open minds to the opinions presented by whoever wants to act as a speaker.
After the speeches, members offer their own critiques and viewpoints to build upon what they hear. “It’s just a great environment for young thinkers to be in. It’s an environment where young thinkers really evolve. Backgrounds can be heard, taken seriously and can be critiqued as an academic club,” Escobar said. “The whole idea is to not pat you on the back, but to pick apart your ideas for flaws or inconsistencies. I think that this is the way we develop really concise and clear thought processes and critical thinking.” Philosophy professor Gerardo Villasenor serves as the club adviser. Along with the philosophy department, he has been committed to keeping the club afloat and running. “We discuss many topics during meetings, such as free will and justice,” Villasenor said. “Not too long ago, we discussed the subject of ghosts and just the idea of the paranormal in general. It’s a very open-house club where anyone can come in and join us.” The club meets every second
Tuesday of the month from noon to 1:30 p.m. in F7-117, with snacks and refreshments served. “We just get together to talk and eat, enjoy what we can as a club at a junior college. Some of our members are preparing to transfer, some have been here for some time and some work here,” Escobar said, “So we really have a diverse group of people and I think it’s that kind of diversity that matters.” While the club has 10 to 15 core members, students are encouraged to come in and sit in for meetings anytime. Up to 40 attendees have been present at times for a meeting. The club finished its last major event of the semester on May 8, which was a symposium on the consciousness of the mind. The meeting featured speeches on the mind’s ontological status and workings from ELAC professors Bryant Horowitz and Tim Snead from the psychology and philosophy departments respectively. “We could be discussing a whole lot of things. Sometimes we could get really political. Just because we’re
a philosophy club doesn’t mean we strictly talk about philosophy. Sometimes we talk about politics and history or we could be talking about social phenomenon or the paranormal,” Escobar said.
www.ELACCampusNews.com
”We’d like to get another symposium going for some time in the fall, but that is something we all need to vote on. The fall event hasn’t been planned yet, but we’re planning to work together with the
economics department in the fall,” Villasenor said. For more information on the club, contact Escobar at 856-994-8029 or via email at escobarleonardo.ca@ gmail.com.
ARTS
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2018
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‘Chavez Ravine’ reveals historic construction of Dodger Stadium BY KEVIN CAMARGO Staff Writer The play, “Chavez Ravine” offers a special experience in the history of Dodger Stadium and the communities that came before its construction. Not only does the play educate the audience, but it also offers humorous, satirical and poignant scenes that go well together. The play sold out on opening night on Friday. It had three shows last weekend. “Chavez Ravine” starts off with the opening game for the Dodgers in 1981, narrated by Vin Scully played by Saul Rodriguez. The rookie pitcher Fernando Valenzuela, who is played by Javier Casique Jr., loses his focus on two people he sees on the field: Henry and Maria Ruiz. The siblings begin to share their story with Valenzuela and how the land of Bishop, Palo Verde and La Loma were transformed into Dodger Stadium. Henry and Maria Ruiz are played by Christopher Barajas and Gabriela Maldonado respectively. “Henry comes from a personal heart growing up in the military family, especially in the marines,” said Barajas. “Playing someone who portrays a marine and coming from the same community really touches me deeply.” Barajas said that he lives in Ramona Gardens, which was one of the homes that was mentioned in the script. “It’s not to get people mad. (It’s) just to send the message (and) let them know that these things do
happen,” said Barajas. Throughout the play, there is the conflict between Henry and Maria, and the want versus need. Henry wants to sell the house and leave, while Maria wants to stay in her house with their mother. With the play portraying a serious part of history, there was a stunning balance of humor and entertainment added into it. With that combination, the play’s satire helps get their message across throughout the play. “It’s hard to read and keep up with things that are happening. But with satire, people know and laugh at the situation, but at the same time it sticks to them,” said Ángel Juárez. Juárez mainly plays the watchman, who is the actual gentrifier and is perceived as the evil one in the play. “Since I lived gentrification in Boyle Heights, it’s very prominent right now, and I saw how the families got kicked out. It was very real to me. It was crazy going through the whole play and knowing what was going on,” said Juárez. One of the most astonishing part of the play is the amount of characters played by only nine cast members. There are around 50 characters throughout the entire play. The roles in the play were majority males, so females also have to act as male characters. Beatriz Tasha Magaña, who plays male and female characters, said that it was a challenge to trade off characters based on sex and age. Magaña said that her favorite character she plays is the female cub reporter because she was a female character to use the perky
“Chavez Ravine” is a play that takes its audience into different experiences, stories and social issues. From Henry handing Maria an umbilical cord to bury under their house, to using Frank Wilkinson’s real FBI warrant, the play goes into detail.
that you’re acting and playing a character, you’re actually playing these real humans,” said Magaña. The entire play is narrated by Manazar Gamboa, who is played by Edward Navarrete. Gamboa speaks directly to the
audience, but also takes part in the play directly. As the play goes on, there is a constant change of live music and background images. The musicians had some lines in the play and were incorporated in some way aside from music. There is a perfect mixture of music and visuals to get the audience’s attention. In the background, there are real images that were taken during that time. Also, there was real footage of people getting dragged out of their houses and the houses being destroyed. It was these types of heart wrenching images that grabbed the audience’s attention and see what people went through at the time. “It was very important because people could actually see that it was real, instead of just telling a story that might not impact them that much,” said Magaña. “Chavez Ravine” is written by Culture Clash and is being directed by Ramiro Segovia. “For me, it’s just a blessing to be able to direct and present this,” said Segovia. “This is what I love to do. I love art. I love theater. I love telling stories and I love being in an educational environment.” This is the first play Segovia has directed at East Los Angeles College. He hopes people get the chance to see the play. “We’re so thankful to have someone who understands, and at the end of the day, direct actors because he knows what’s it like to be an actor,” said Barajas. “He guide(s) us, respectfully, to our objective, the message of the script.”
their work, in order to transfer or get jobs. “We invite outside industry people to come look at their work,” Hansen said. The showcase will be held May 30 and 31 from noon to 4 p.m. at ELAC’s Proscenium Theater in the P2 building.
An artist reception will be on May 30 from noon to 1 p.m. Hansen will be teaching a course in the fall titled, Orientation to Technical Careers in Entertainment, which helps students with resumes, portfolios, networking and more. It will also have a few costume construction courses.
Students can follow the d e p a r t m e n t ’s I n s t a g r a m , @elactheatre or the Facebook page, East L.A. College Department of Theater Arts. For any questions on future courses, students can contact Professor Hansen via email at hansenjl@elac.edu.
CN/MICHAEL DOMINGUEZ
FLYING HIGH—Manazar Gamboa (Edward Navarette), O’Malley (Luis Velez), the pilot (Jasia Topete), and Kenneth Hanh (Christopher Barajas) all look down at the Chavez Ravine community which they are planning to transform into Dodger Stadium. and seductive side of acting to get her story for the newspaper. “When you research, and when you start to look for the truth and the honesty in the characters, that’s when it starts to flesh out and it becomes more natural. So it’s not
“That way when were done with the play, the message gets across to each person in their own particular way.” HENRY BARAJAS Actor
“We’re eliminating all possibilities of people not understanding what the message is. That way when we’re done with the play, the message gets across to each person in their own particular way,” said Barajas. “Chavez Ravine” will have its final showings this weekend in the Proscenium Theatre. Last shows are tomorrow at 8 p.m., Friday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., Saturday at 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m.. Tickets are sold in the P2 building. $10 general admission, $8 for students with ASU card, and $12 at the door.
Showcase to exhibit theater students work at ELAC BY MELODY ORTIZ Staff Writer The East Los Angeles College Theater Arts department will be showcasing a collection of students’ stage work. The showcase will present the work of student designers and technicians. Work will include costumes, set models, sound, lighting and everything else found on stage during a performance, other than actors. “When you see theater, you can’t always get up close to things,” said Professor Jessica Hansen, who directs the showcase. “And so this is a cool opportunity for people to be able to [get a close up of the work].”
Hansen wants to let the students show off the projects they put so much work into. “ We ’ l l s o m e t i m e s b u i l d something super elaborate and it’s on stage for two seconds and we’re like, ‘great,’” Hansen said. Some work will be from previous and current plays while others will be class projects. ELAC student David Sanchez said he is putting in a couple of costume pieces because he wants to show off something he made for the play “Blood Wedding,” as well as a piece he made for class. The showcase is also an opportunity for student work to be seen by potential employers. Hansen said students need to put together portfolios that show off
The Regenerating Degenerate returns to big screen BY FRANK PORTILLO Staff Writer “Deadpool 2” does away with the one-note villain and opens up the universe that it takes place in by introducing the X-Force to mainstream audiences. The sequel replaces the lackluster villain for a cast of morally complicated characters, which makes for a much more compelling second outing for Wade Wilson. Newcomers Domino (Zazie Beetz) and Cable (Josh Brolin) are welcome additions to the Deadpool universe. Brolin, coming off his fantastic portrayal of Thanos in “Avengers: Infinity War,” plays the straight-man to Ryan Reynolds’ comedic Deadpool. His inclusion in the film doesn’t feel forced as writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, who return from the first film, craft an engaging story for him that drives the plot of the film. Even his story, however, was not safe from Deadpool’s wisecracks as he comments on the lazy writing when the time-travel rules are set up. Domino, whose superpower is luck, shows why it is such an awesome power to have. At one
point in the film, she and Deadpool argue whether or not luck is a legitimate power and she definitely proves her point. Beetz does a fantastic job playing the worry-free Domino. The “Atlanta” actress was a great choice for the role and fans will certainly fall in love with her. With the integration of both Cable and Domino, fans will be eagerly anticipating the upcoming “X-Force” film, which is currently in production. The jokes about sustaining a film franchise with these characters is feasible. Julian Dennison plays Firefist, the prey of Cable’s hunt. The character makes great points when he says that overweight people usually aren’t set out to be superheroes. His rage is understandable, but so is Cable’s cause to murder him, which brings about an intriguing narrative. Without having to worry about introducing the titular character to the audience, the writers expand the universe that he lives in while also muddling the timeline of the current X-Men films. Jokes from the first movie return with different angles. This becomes clear as Deadpool explores the
COURTESY OF IMDB.COM
SWORD PLAY—Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) and Cable (Josh Brolin) reenact the infamous scene from “X-men Origins: Wolverine,” in which his character uses a sword to destroy bullets before reaching him.
X-mansion commenting on the fact that only Colossus and Negasonic Teenage Warhead seem to be there. The filmmakers, however, include a surprising cameo that delivers a great punchline to the joke. Viewers and fans will realize how much love goes into this film. While Deadpool is working alongside the X-Force, his suit adopts the same color scheme as it did in the comics, which is grey and black as opposed to the traditional red and black suit. The inclusion of Essex as an institution makes fans wonder whether or not Mr. Sinister will play a role as a future antagonist to the new team. Cable’s daughter Summer was also name-dropped, leaving the possibility to visiting the character open. The funniest scene in the entire movie shows the X-Force finally jumping into action off of a plane as they attempt to intercept Cable from killing Firefist. Without spoiling the scene, what transpires is surely unexpected and is so in tune with the tone of the character. It also includes a cameo from a certain A-list celebrity. Peter (Rob Delaney), who doesn’t have any powers, joins the team after seeing it in an ad. Before jumping off the plane, he applies sunscreen on his face and discredits the danger that Cable presents compared to that of melanoma. “Deadpool 2” features the best mid-credits scene of any superhero movie. Fans of comic book movies will love every second of it while casual movie goes probably won’t understand the references until further exploration. There is one moment, however, that feels like it undermines the emotional tone of the rest of the movie. “Deadpool 2” is rated R for strong violence and language throughout, sexual references and brief drug material.
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SPORTS
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2018
Men’s soccer to return with a fresh squad BY NOE ORTEGA Staff Writer Husky men’s soccer looks to return strong for the upcoming 2018-2019 season with a roster full of newcomers. East Los Angeles College men’s soccer ended its last season with an overall record of nine wins, eight losses and five draws. It was the first time in the last three seasons that the Huskies made it to the playoffs. With only five player’s returning from last years roster, head coach Eddie Flores wants the returning players to be team leaders for the new players. Flores said he believes that the recruiting done by assistant coach Ricardo Raygoza and himself, can lead ELAC to be a competitive team for the fall season. He also said that he is confident with his team from his goalkeepers to his midfielders, but lacks a striker that can score and keep the opponents defense busy. “Defensively we’re going to be good, I need people to put the ball in the back of the net. For the first time in a while, there’s a big question mark because we don’t know who’s going to take that role,” Flores said. Flores found a striker that he
thinks can be a key player for ELAC, but he is 19 years old with a work visa who is at Huntington Park High School trying to get a high school diploma. They also found two goalkeepers from Maywood Academy High School and Baldwin Park High School. Two out of the five international players from last season received scholarships. Center back Agustin Barros and defender Andres Martinez both got scholarships. The only international player that is returning is midfielder Edson Jimenez. The Huskies recruited two players from Chile, one player from Brazil and are looking to recruit a player from England as well. Flores said that there may be more international players coming but he isn’t sure. They also recruited a defender from Pasadena City College who played against ELAC last season. “I think it’s going to be something different. It’s always good when you create and start from scratch,” Flores said. Men’s soccer training camps begin on the fifth of July. Depending on how many players go to the trainings, last year 80 players showed up, the coaches will decide which players come back the next day for the second day of
training camp. The coaches will then finalize a team of 40 players to take to what they call a regular camp. From the 40 players, the final roster will get cut to 30 players. The only players that are automatically in the team without having to win a spot are the international players. Flores said that since the international players come from playing soccer since they were kids, they should also be leaders for the players coming directly from high school teams. “We have a lot of inexperienced players because they’re coming out from high school teams. So for this season, we need the second year players to be leaders,” Flores said. Flores said he is mostly excited about a defender that is coming from Theodore Roosevelt High School and a Brazilian center midfielder that’s here from Sao Paulo. One of Flores’ worries is that the 30 players that make it to the final team will miss out on playing due to grade cuts or injuries. In the 2016 fall season, men’s soccer finished the season with just 15 players compared to the 30 they started with due to injuries and grade cuts.
CN/JULIE SANTIAGO
SIDE STEP—Sophomore midfielder Valentine Mercado (23) dribbles past a Pasadena City College player in a 3-2 South Coast Conference loss at home.
Former ELAC quarterback to return for fall semester BY MARIA MARROQUIN Staff Writer
CN/NOE ORTEGA
BRING IT IN—Sophomore pitcher Zech Jarrad (Left) swings at the ball to bring home
sophomore third baseman Matthew Sosa in a 7-4 win against Mount San Antonio College at home.
Husky baseball’s season ends despite positive record roster, 21 of those players played their last season for the Huskies. Staff Writer Sophomore third baseman Matthew Sosa ended his season East Los Angeles College with the highest batting average for baseball had its best season with the Huskies with an average of .353, an overall record of 23-19, its best 40 runs, 54 hits and 19 runs batted since 2013-14 season that ended in. Sosa placed fourth in the SCCwith an overall record of 25-15. North in batting average and placed The Huskies were eliminated by first with the most bases stolen. Saddleback College after a best out Freshman infielder Bryan Duenas of three game series where ELAC finished his season with 22 runs, 46 lost the first two matches 16-5 and hits, 31 RBI’s and a batting average 7-5. of .319. Duenas placed fourth in the Although the Huskies had an early SCC-North for RBI’s. exit from the California Community Sophomore pitcher Zech Jarrad College Athletics is another player Association who played S o u t h e r n his last season C a l i f o r n i a “For us as coaches, it’s for ELAC and Regionals, important for us to get who was also ELAC finished in the them back on track at ranked second in the SCC-North. South Coast Jarrad got seven some point.” Conferencepitching wins North behind that placed him Mount San in second place JAMES HINES Antonio College. in the SCCELAC baseball head coach “Even though North with most we did some pitching wins. things that were Although uncharacteristic of what we work the Huskies season ended with a on in practice. In the middle of the positive record, there were times games it cost us some games but the when ELAC struggled to win result of our guys and their ability to games. move on from having disappointing ELAC started off with six straight losses was something that kept us wins, but then collapsed with a 10-3 going,” head coach James Hines loss to Citrus College and went on said. a three-game losing streak. Out of the 37 players on the The Huskies seemed to recover
BY NOE ORTEGA
after a short losing streak, but then went on a five game losing streak between February and March. Three of which were conference games. “We lost our first two conference games to Cerritos. We almost felt like we dug a hole but the hole isn’t necessarily that deep when you look at the fact that you’re 0-2 in the conference but we just had to move on to the next series to play and we did a good job,” Hines said. Husky baseball started off 0-3 in the SCC-North, but turned their record around with six conference wins. And then had their best run last month, winning seven conference game out of 11 played. Including a three-game-series win over Rio Hondo College and a win against SCC-North champions Mt. SAC. “We ended up in one of those situations where your team just doesn’t play very well. They get away from the principles early in the season that guides them to be successful and having a good record. For us as coaches, it’s important for us to get them back on track at some point,” Hines said. Hines said that the most challenging experience that his coaching staff and himself have done is motivating their players to get back into games when they’re down or when they’ve lost a difficult game.
Quarterback Phillip Tran is set to return to East Los Angeles College for the Fall semester to play for Husky Football again after things didn’t work out at Humboldt State University, where he currently attends. Tran, a native of San Jose, California, came to ELAC because his high school coach knew ELAC’s coach, Bobby Godinez who recruited him to play for the Huskies. He played for ELAC in the Fall 2016-17 semester and during that season he was offered scholarships to different schools. Some were located in New York, Missouri and Oklahoma but Tran said the schools were too far away so he chose Humboldt. Tran said he chose this school because his cousin attends there too. He thought the familiarity of family would help him adapt to his new school and also because it is close to his hometown. Although his intentions were to stay at Humboldt for the rest of his college career, things didn’t work out the way he thought they would. “There were a lot of coaching changes. The school itself didn’t really fit me. I didn’t feel like I fit
in overthere. It’s a different culture over there and I just didn’t feel like it was the right place for me,” Tran said. Because of that reason he decided to come back to ELAC for a second term. He said that he is looking forward to reconnecting with his teammates from last Fall, playing together and seeing what’s in store for him. Tran said he developed a passion for football when he was 8 years old. At this age, he spent a lot of time at home, due to his father’s cancer diagnosis. During the time of his father’s battle with cancer, Tran said that one of the hardest things to deal with was moving a lot. “At one point, we jumped back and forth and we moved about four times in about a year and a half,” said Tran. Due to his father’s sickness, he was unemployed for about four years and his mother was the main provider of the house. He said that he admires his mom for working and taking care of his dad at the same time. Now, at 19, he said it was a difficult time in his family’s life. His father is a two-time cancer survivor and Tran says he tried helping his mother as much as possible when he was younger. He finds inspiration from his parents and looks up to them.
Tran said that despite all the difficulties during his teen years, he found his passion for football and it eventually led him to play during all of his time in high school. “If you do really well in football, you can get scholarships for schools and you know that eventually, it will help you out in life as well,” said Tran, “There are a lot of kids out there that play football because they can’t afford school and it’s just a gateway.” Tran is a kinesiology major and he said he finds studying the body and physical therapy interesting. Tran spends most of his time training. He trains every day, 7-8 hours a day and relaxes on the weekend. And when he is not training his favorite things to do for fun are hanging out with family and friends or even going bowling. Since family life is very important for Tran, he said being away is hard for him since he is the oldest brother. He said he feels like he’s missing his younger brothers and little cousin’s growth. Tran said he is focused on his career and looks forward to transferring out to a university after this upcoming fall semester. “Football, I think, is more than just a game. It helps you in life too, so that’s how I got a passion for it,” Tran said.
CN/STEPHANIE GUEVARA
FAMILY TIME—Former East Los Angeles College quarterback Phillip Tran meets with his family and friends after a 35-17 win against West Los Angeles College last October.