SPECIAL East Los Angeles hosted its 4th annual Dia de los Muertos festival.
ARTS
SPORTS
First Friday Jazz performance payed tribute to Mexican actor.
Mens basketball dominates pre-season with a 3 game streak.
See page 5
Volume 73, Issue 9
See page 6
See page 3
Single copy free - additional copies 50 cents
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
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EARLY START New bill promotes college culture BY IVAN CAZARES Staff Writer California Governor Jerry Brown approved a bill aimed at improving student transfer rates by encouraging high school students to enroll in community college courses. Assembly Bill 288 would allow the governing board of a community college district to establish a College and Career Access Pathways partnership with the governing board of a school district. The purpose of such a partnership would be to develop pathways from high school to community college for technical education or preparation for transfer, to improve high school graduation rates and help high school students achieve college and career readiness. East Los Angeles College is currently a part of a partnership with Garfield High School and California State University, Los Angeles. The Go East LA: A Pathway for College and Career Success initiative was created in 2014. It guarantees admission to CSULA to any Garfield or ELAC student that meets the minimum transfer requirements. Garfield students that meet the minimum enrollment requirements are guaranteed admission at ELAC. The program makes use of ELAC’s resources to prepare students to transfer. Garfield currently offers nine college level classes on its campus. Garfield College Advisor Matilde Lopez said
students are taking advantage of the the classes. Each class consists of about 30 students. ELAC and CSULA representatives reach out to other high schools and Garfield representatives reach out to middle schools. All three institutions work with business, community and school partners to increase college awareness. They also work towards ensuring a guaranteed pathway to college completion. “The goal is to change the culture,” ELAC Public Information Officer Alejandro Guzman said. He explained that a large number of students and their parents assume they cannot afford college. A primary objective of programs like Go East LA is to get students thinking about college at an early age. “We introduce the idea of college starting at the elementary school level,” Lopez said. Existing laws allow high achieving students to attend community college summer sessions with their principal’s recommendation and their parents permission. They could earn up to 11 credits. The bill would allow specified students to enroll in up to 15 units per term. The bill identifies students that are struggling and are in danger of dropping out as potential benefactors. Dual enrollment is usually reserved for academically successful students. However, research conducted by the state legislature finds that it can benefit a broad range of students.
Section one of the bill states that “California should rethink its policies governing dual enrollment, and establish a policy framework under which school districts and community college districts could create dual enrollment partnerships as one strategy to provide critical support for underachieving students.” Students must be passing their daytime classes before applying for dual enrollment. “Eventually students will be able to enroll in classes that help them in their high school classes,” Lopez said. The bill is meant to benefit groups underrepresented in higher education institutions, those seeking advanced studies while in high school and those seeking a technical career, or certificate. “We encourage students to take the classes we offer here,” Bell High School’s College and Career Counselor Frank Marquez said. Bell offers Administration of Justice and Child Development courses to its students every semester. Marquez pointed out that transportation is a factor that affects the number of high school students that enroll in classes at a community college. Lawmakers have proposed similar bills in the past to no avail. Dual enrollment advocates argue that the current laws are too restrictive and could hamper students ability to access laboratory and other rigorous courses, which often count for a higher number of units than other courses.
Bill Goals
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Improve high school graduation rates
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Assist students with college and career readiness
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Guide high school students toward path to community college for career technical education (CTE) or prepare for university transfer
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Designed for high school students to earn units counting toward diploma and an associate degree, cert or CTE
Opportunities to study abroad available for Elans ESA offers chance to experience French culture BY JACQUELYN GONZALEZ Staff Writer East Los Angeles College and the European Studies Association (ESA) is continuing to offer students the opportunity to study abroad in Paris, despite of the tragedy that recently struck the famed city. Participating students will study the French language while residing in the 6th Arrondissement in Paris, located at the heart of the city just seven minutes away from Central Paris. This is one of the areas affected in the recent terrorist attacks. However, according to French P r o f e s s o r D r. Ly n n Vo g e l Zuiderweg of the students can rest assured that their place of residence will be safe and secure. “The neighborhood that we live in for the program is very safe. In
News Briefs
addition, there is, and will continue to be, increased security throughout the city,” Vogel-Zuiderweg said. According to Professor Rebecca Ebin the one month duration of the program will allow students to see the city as Parisians and not just as tourists. The cost of the trip will depend on which program students participate in. Students who choose the Survival French Program (SFP) will pay a total of $3,400, plus airfare. Participating students will be instructed in their dorms by American professors working under the ESA. The Institut Catholique de Paris (ICP) is a more intensive program with instruction given at a private university near the dorms. For this reason, the program is offered at a higher price charging
$4,250, plus airfare. During this program, students will attend French classes throughout the mornings and will have the opportunity to meet students from around the world. In addition, there are several scholarships available. One of them is the Gilman Scholarship. Other scholarship information can be found in the Financial Aid Office. Space is limited, and Valley College will also be participating. For this reason, Elans are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. For further details, the French Department will be hosting meetings on Tuesday, Dec. 1 at 12:20 p.m. in C2-106 and Wednesday, Dec. 2 at 5:45 p.m. in F7-211. Refer to elaccampusnews.com for the full story.
Birth control The Student Health Center and Alta Med Health Services will host a workshop on birthcontrol on Nov. 24 at F7-113 from 11 a.m. to noon and at F7-215 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Social Science opens opportunity to visit Cuba BY ELIZABETH TOY Staff Writer The Social Sciences Department is coordinating the Interdisciplinary Cultural Immersion Program in Cuba for spring break from March 31 to April 8, 2016. Dr. Rin Kahla, Professor of Sociology, Dr. Anthony Samad, Professor of African American Studies and Dr. Natalina Monteiro, Professor of Political Science invite both ELAC students and community members to join the program and experience the culture. “We’ve been talking about it for years, especially in light of the fact that Obama was looking into the sanctions,” Samad said, referring to Obama’s announcement in January to increase the categories of authorized travel, now including participating in
Turkey Trot
educational activities. “It’s very exciting. There’s a vibrancy about Cuba that exists and this is a really cool trip because it’s not tied to a class. It’s open to the community too,” Kahla said. “I think a lot of people have never been exposed to the richness of Cuban culture,” Monteiro said. The professors hope to expose students and community members to the successes and advancements of Cuba as a society, especially because “they do not have the advantages of the latest technology and are still able to produce firstclass education and health care systems in the western hemisphere,” Samad said. Wi t h o n e o f t h e h i g h e s t populations of Latinos in ELAC, Monteiro feels the program would be beneficial for students, as it would allow them to study from a
The second annual Turkey Trot Thanksgiving Food Drive, organized by the East Los Angeles College Kinesiology Department, will be held at the Weingart Stadium on Thursday Nov. 24.
different perspective. “They have one of the highest literacy rates and also the third highest number of women in legislature in the world,” Monteiro said. The Cultural Immersion Program will take participants on a tour of Havana, encompassing the various aspects of culture, including art, history, business, sports, cuisine and agriculture. Program details can be viewed at efcst.com. For more information, contact Professors Kahla, Monteiro or Samad of the Social Sciences Department via email found on the ELAC faculty website. For more information, visit efcst. com or call EF Tours at (877) 4854184. Refer to elacampusnews.com for the full story.
No Campus News next week
We will not be publishing an issue next week because of the Thanksgiving holiday. Our next issue will be the Pup Edition. It will be published by J-101 students on Dec. 3.
2
Opinion
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2015
EDITOR IN CHIEF Marcus Camacho MANAGING EDITOR Jade Inglada ONLINE EDITORS Diego Olivares Megan G. Razzetti ART DIRECTORS Jade Inglada Danny Vasquez FRONT EDITOR Ivan Cazares OPINION EDITOR Stephanie Guevara SPORTS EDITORS Rogelio Alvarez Daniel Gudino FEATURE EDITOR Bryce Ronquillo SPECIAL EDITOR Stephanie Garibay ARTS EDITOR Julianne Obregon
Observation helps journalism students BY MEGAN G. RAZZETTI Staff Writer
Jade Inglada
Megan G. Razzetti AWARD WINNERS—Megan G. Razzetti won second place in
the category of On-the-Spot Opinion writing at the Journalism Association of Community College and Jade Inglada, along with rest of the East Los Angeles Campus News, placed fourth in General Excellence. Lindsey Maeda and Justin Quebral won the Meritorious Award for Inside Page Layout (Broadsheet).
Journalism students need to observe others so that they may learn skills that help them tell better stories. On Saturday, during the Journalism Association of Community Colleges 2015 SoCal Conference, Rebecca Kimitch, Rob Kuznia and Frank Suraci spoke about uncovering corruption within the Centinela Valley School District located in south Los Angeles. Their reporting while at The Daily Breeze exposed former superintendent Jose Fernandez, who had been compensated an out-of-the- ordinary amount of $633,000. Ultimately, their reporting led them to win the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Community Reporting. Without the skills they demonstrated throughout their articles, their wrongdoings would not have been exposed and Fernandez would still be taking of advantage of a school district in a predominantly low-income community. Kuznia spoke of how he was able to spot the usual perks that were given to Fernandez. At the time, Kunzia covered the education beat for The Daily Breeze, so his familiarity with local school systems helped him notice changes. Along with his prior knowledge, Kunzia said that he also had an anonymous source tip him off and to this day, he still does not know who it was. The importance of covering a beat such as education not only helps journalists develop strong knowledge in certain areas, but also helps them develop relationships with potential sources. Relationships with people are incredibly important because they help find the missing pieces of a story. If someone doesn’t know the answer to a question, they can refer you to someone else who might. Suraci also suggested that if you can’t find someone to talk to, try talking to the enemies or the opposition of the subject. According to Suraci, everyone has their own agenda and doesn’t mind speaking for it. Another vital aspect of these award winning stories, is the clear example of teamwork. Kimitch and Kunzia used skills they each had and fused them together in an effort to bring the attention of readers to the small, unknown school district of Centinela. Teamwork is important to remember especially as a student in the newsroom. More than likely the people working in the campus newsroom now may be colleagues down the road at an even higher professional level. Also, meeting other student journalists at conferences and competitions expands networks and relationships for the future. The trio all took a risk in jumping on the story once they had what might be a lead. Knowing when to take risks is an important skill because it will challenge student journalists to break away from a comfort zone and go down roads they haven’t gone down before.
CAMPUS
VOICE
“I DON’T CELEBRATE
THANKSGIVING. THE HISTORY BEHIND IT IS SOMETHING I DON’T CELEBRATE.” CECILIA HERNANDEZ
What are you most thankful for?
PHOTO EDITORS Nina Chin Cassandra Isidoro COPY EDITORS Ivan Cazares Jade Inglada Joshua Inglada Elizabeth Toy CARTOONIST Kristen Garcia STAFF WRITERS Guadalupe Barriga, Delia Diaz, Kristen Garcia, Jacquelyn Gonzalez, Cesar Gutierrez, Cuauhtemoc Hernandez, Diego Linares, Javier Lopez, Diego Olivares, Bryce Ronquillo STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Nina Chin, Samantha Diaz, Joshua Inglada, Cassandra Isidoro, Julianne Obregon ADVERTISING Stefanie Arocha DISTRIBUTION Ivan Cazares ADVISERS Jean Stapleton Sylvia Rico-Sanchez Campus News encourages letters to the editor relating to campus issues. Letters must be typed and double spaced. Submitted material becomes the proper ty of Campus News and cannot be returned. Letters should be limited to 250 words or less. Campus News reserves the right to edit letters for grammatical errors or libelous content. A n o ny m o u s l e t te r s w i l l n o t be printed. Writer s must sign submissions and print their names and a phone number where they can be reached. Letters should be addressed to the editor of Campus News. Submissions can be made at the mailroom in building E1 or the Journalism department office in the Technology Center in E7-303. East Los Angeles College Campus News 1301 Avenida Cesar Chavez E7-303 Monterey Park, CA 91754 (323) 265-8819, Ads (323) 265-8821 Fax (323) 415-4910
“I AM THANKFUL FOR
BEING ALIVE AND FOR GOD BECAUSE HE HAS BLESSED ME A LOT.” OMAR ALVARENGA
“I AM THANKFUL FOR MY ACHIEVEMENTS AND ALSO BECAUSE I AM TRANSFERRING NEXT YEAR.”
LESLEY MUÑOZ
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“MY FAMILY’S HEALTH AND THE ABILITY I HAVE TO BE ABLE TO COME TO SCHOOL.” BRYANT HERNANDEZ
The East Los Angeles College Campus News is published as a learning experience, of fered 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
Sports
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2015
3
Men’s basketball dominant early in pre-season BY DIEGO LINARES Staff Writer
East Los Angeles College basketball won the 8th Annual Clash at Canyons by defeating Cuyamaca Community College 84-73 on Friday and Oxnard College 90-72 on Saturday. The Huskies went into the Cougar Cage ranked No. 16 by the California Community College Athletics Association in a statewide preseason poll. ELAC was a game away from being state champions last season and Oxnard Head Coach Ron McClurkin was well aware. “We went up against (College of the) Canyons last night, but then you’ve got to come and play East L.A. – state finals – the second game of the year, that’s kind of tough,” said McClurkin. “When I watched them play last night I said, ‘hey, they’re ready to play in the finals again.’” ELAC beat Oxnard by creating second-chance opportunities when pulling down 21 offensive rebounds and were efficient in knocking down 10 three-point shots at a 45.5 percent rate. Sophomore guard Iziahiah Sweeney recorded game-high numbers when scoring 17 points and grabbing seven offensive boards for the Huskies on Saturday. Sophomore and freshman guards Miles Ford and
CN/DIEGO LINARES
CROSSOVER—East Los Angeles College sophomore guard Miles Ford evades Cuyamaca Community College sophomore guard Chase Parsons in the 8th Annual Clash at Canyons tournament at College of the Canyons in a victory Nov. 6. Sequan Walker combined for 24 points, converting 6-10 three pointer shots against Oxnard. The Huskies had five players go into double figure scoring against Cuyamaca, with four of them being
starters. Freshman point guard Chandler Redix ran the offense for ELAC and his ability to get to the rim helped create scoring opportunities. Redix recorded 20 points on 6-8 shooting
from the field and 7-9 from the freethrow line, as well as adding five assists, three rebounds and three steals on Friday afternoon. ELAC held their opponents to a 36.9 shooting percentage throughout
the tournament while shooting at a 49.65 percent rate themselves. The Huskies amassed 20 steals and nine blocks in both games combined . According to ELAC Head Coach John Mosley, jitters were expected
from his athletes, that contributed to the team turning the ball over 20 times against Cuyamaca. In winning the tournament, coach Mosley and his staff were able to evaluate the talent on their roster and gain a better understanding of how to use them in game situations. “I give us a C in terms of playing hard today,” Mosley said after the game on Friday. “We were just fortunate to get the win while figuring our team out.” ELAC Assistant Coach Darren French sees the tournament as a way to give the team an identity as the players on the team congeal and learn to play together. “It’s a grind-it-out style, but that’s how we’ve won,” said coach French. “Coach (Mosley) preaches playing team ball all the time, and he’s done a really great job with getting the guys to just really buy into doing what we need to do.” L a s t We n d e s d a y, E L A C continued their winning streak with a convincing 30-point victory over Rio Hondo, 73-43. The blowout win was led by freshman forward Zeno Lake and off the bench freshman guard Sequan Walker. Both contributed 11 points. The Huskies are 3-0 and have been dominant this season, winning by an average margin of 20 points. The Huskies will travel to Citrus College to participate in the Neil Edwards Classic Tournament against Orange Coast College on Friday at 7 p.m.
ELAC football has a down year Women’s Volleyball aims to finish season strong BY DAN GUDINO Staff Writer
The 2015 season for the football team ended on a seven-game losing streak and with a 2-8 record. Before the season ELAC brought in first year Head Coach Eric Marty to change a struggling program to replace ex-head coach Steven Mojarro, who went 11-19 in three seasons. Marty and the Huskies in 2015 had a down year, not being able to match the three-win season of 2014. The season opener against Glendale City College showed what the season would be in every single loss except for the loss against Victor Valley College. ELAC had the lead into the second half or was within eight points in all losses. The close back-and-forth battle between the Huskies and GCC went late into the fourth quarter, when ELAC lost the lead in the final minute of play. The GCC game displayed a Huskies team that would come up short in all but one loss. “I give this season a C plus grade. The first thing is we’re not scared of anyone. We’ve never been in a game we can’t win. Maybe we’ve been a little short handed or needed a little more firepower on either side of the ball (defense and offense), but we’ve been right there, so that’s the encouraging thing,” said Marty. ELAC on the season lost by a average margin of only 10 points, which is a positive compared to the average margin of loss by 26 points in 2014. “We’ll look at next year and I don't care who we play. We know we can go toe-to-toe with anybody. It’s about improving the group that comes back. It's about adding great players coming in. Hopefully word gets out. As much as we wished
CN/DIEGO LINARES
IT’S ALL OVER —East Los Angeles Head Coach Eric D.
Marty reacts to the over 200 yards of penalty yardage in a 36-27 loss Saturday against San Bernardino Valley College at Weingart Stadium. our record was flipped (2-8 to 8-2), we’re so competitive, but our record did not reflect that,” Marty added. Key injuries to key starting
players on offense held the Huskies back in the run game. Freshman William Tanner Rose from Clark High School in Kentucky played
five games before he broke his clavicle in his left shoulder and was out for the season. Rose served as a great run blocker and was a security blanket in the pass game. Rose caught the winning touchdown pass in the Santa Barbara game with 30 seconds left in the game for the first victory of the season. Another injury was to starting freshman running back out of Crenshaw High School, Shaquille Shelton. He missed three games with a high right ankle sprain. Shelton with the sprained ankle never fully recovered, missing the last game of the season. “We need to come together, be more of a unit. The mental toughness is a major role in football, so if we tighten up those things we’ll be all right,” Shelton said The run game was nonexistent without Shelton, who led the team with only 327 yards rushing. ELAC finished in a three-way tie for last place (1-6), in the American Mountain Conference, tied with San Diego Mesa and El Camino Compton Center College. “I’m going to radically change the way I do things. Now it's year two in East L.A. We had a good plan, but it needs to be revised and tweaked. That's the exciting part. I have so much love for these kids and game. I want to see these guys be successful,” Marty said. ELAC’s last victory was Sept. 26 a win at home against El Camino Comton Center College, 37-12. The playoffs start without ELAC. The Huskies have not appeared in the playoffs since 2011. The Southern California championship game is held Nov. 28 and the State title game Dec. 12. To read previous recaps on this season’s football games, go to elaccampusnews.com.
She has done a great job all season long... tonight she came Staff Writer out showing the basic tendency of what we call leadership. It’s being The East Los Angeles College able to one, lead by example, Women’s volleyball team defeated two model by example, and three Los Angeles Harbor College in perform by example.” three sets, 25-12, 25-13, 25-8, on Trujillo is one of the five Friday Nov. 6. Huskies ranked at the top attack After a rocky start, sophomore percentage of the South Coast outside hitter Breanna Trujillo Conference (SCC). She has (Montebello High School) led the been ranked NO. 1 in the hitting Huskies to victory. category, averaging 15 kills per “Honestly a lot of the times we game. She is also ranked NO.5 in have a rocky start the state. at the beginning, I “ I a m think that’s just how frankly quite “I think it’s we are, it’s a form of disappointed. getting a feel out of It’s probably the one of the the other team. See worst we have best you can what is going on,” played in about have. We work said Trujillo. a month,” Los After regrouping, Angeles Harbor hard on doing they came back College Head things for stronger, taking the Coach Christian win on all three sets. Cammayo said. big games. ” ELAC lost in He believes three sets. that his team has ELAC Head not “fully bought ELLIOT WALKER coach Elliott into the level of ELAC Head Coach Walker expressed effort that they his excitement at the need. They are victory. “I think it’s not coming out one of the best things you can exactly how they need to.” ever have. We work hard on ELAC has won three of the doing things for the big games. last 10 games, falling to South This team is an intermediate level Coast Conference rivals Cerritos team. We performed really well. College in three straight sets, I’m excited about it,” Walker said. 25-19, 28-26, 25-14 on Nov. 11. With a few games left in the ELAC then played Pasadena season, the coach reminded City College on Nov. 13 and lost his team to, “stay focused and in three sets, 25-21, 25-17, and remember our team creed… I am 25-22. a winner. They have to focus on E L A C i s o u t o f p l a y o ff that.” contention with the loss. He also expressed the leadership that Trujillo holds on the team. ELAC sports editors “Today she did an excellent job. contributed to this story.
BY MAYRA S. VENTURA
H U S K I E S
Sports Briefs Men’s and Women’s Cross Country ELAC cross-country runners sophomore Viridiana Hernandez, freshman Rosa Arrellano and sophomore Andrew Perez will compete in the 2015 Cross Country State Championships. All three runners had qualified for state based on their individual performances at the Southern Calfornia Regional Championships. The Cross Country State Championships will be at Woodwork Park in Fresno, hosted by Fresno City College.
Women’s Soccer The Huskies tied Long Beach City College, 0-0, last friday at Weingart Stadium in the last game of the season. East Los Angeles College finished in second place in the Southern Coast Conference behind defending state champions Cerritos College. The Huskies ended conference play with eight wins, two losses and four draws. Although ELAC did not qualify for the post-season, the team recorded it’s best conference record in recent history.
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Women’s Basketball Last season’s semi-finalists, East Los Angeles College women’s basketball, hosted Rio Hondo Community College and lost, 65-55. The game was a fundraising event for “Toys 4 Tots.” People were given free admission if he or she brought a toy to the game. Sophomore forward Jessica Sanchez recorded 25 points, 14 rebounds and eight steals in the lost to RHCC. ELAC travels to Mission Viejo on Nov. 19 to participate in the Gaucho Classic Tournament hosted by Saddleback College.
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Feature
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2015
Chancellor set to retire to have an easier time registering for classes needed. Staff Writer Harris made available educational plans for students After more than three years to complete college orientation as Chancellor of California programs as well as earn degrees Community Colleges, Brice W. and transfer to four-year institutions. This guarantees students’ Harris; 68, will retire on April 2016. a c cess to California State CCC is the nation’s largest Universities with about 2,000 system of public higher education. associate degrees. Harris devoted 45 years “He has been an excellent of his career to expanding partner with the University educational opportunities for o f C a l i f ornia in expanding students. access and improving services As a recognized leader on for California transfer students,” national educational issues, Harris University of California President became 15th chancellor of the Janet Napolitano said. 113-college system in 2012, after In January, serving 16 years H a r r i s as head of the Los i n t roduced Rios Community b a c h e l o r ’s College District. d e g r ees for He will close the the first time college system’s 1 5 c o l l e ges initiatives this offering careers year with marked in fields, such improvement in as respiratory students’ access therapy, dental to vocational hygiene, t e c h n i c a l automotive programs. technology The initiative and aerospace of vocational manufacturing technical programs technology. will provide His ongoing funding for i n itiative is Career Technical BRICE W. HARRIS t o expand Education, which the reach and provides students quality of online course offerings. access to acquire technical skills in He introduced online tools that community colleges. “The initiative will improve the make the 113-college system the access of people to teach in those most transparent of higher education areas to deal with the expensive in the nation. Harris also pushed for equipment needs that those legislation that will expand high programs have and will ensure that school students’ access to college students have the information they instruction, providing them with need to get into the right career tech early opportunities to help them programs,” Harris said. succeed in college. The CCC Board of Governors will “The last three years have decide to approve the CTE initiative d r amatically improved the this month. o p portunity for students in During Harris’ tenure, he California,” Harris said. implemented the Student Success His motivation has always Initiative that improved the capacity
BY CASSANDRA ISIDORO
been to change the future of students to making a greater impact in community colleges. After earning his doctorate in education from Nova Southeastern University, Harris said he had interest in community colleges. “I really couldn’t believe it was the sector of higher education that gave people who have their greatest challenges an opportunity to better their lives,” Harris said. “There is just no other segment of education that provides more promise for people, regardless of what their history is, than America’s community colleges,” Harris said. Harris said that people would be the judge to see whether he made the right decisions for the future of the 113-college system. He plans to continue working with community college CEOs and Board of Trustees in leading the college system into the future. He said that the next chancellor o f t h e 11 3 - c o l l e g e s y s t e m will need to have worked directly with students. His desire has always beento work and serve California students to improve their higher education. “I just never cease to be amazed at our students in our colleges, they will get over any hole that it is front of them. They will work hard. They are eminently successful and makes us all proud on a daily day basis,” Harris said. "Brice Harris has been, and continues to be, a transformational leader for California Community Colleges," President of the community colleges Board of Governors Geoffrey L. Baum said. “His integrity and passion for students and the advancement of our college system is unparalleled,” Baum said. The CCC Board of Governors will select the next chancellor to be Harris’s successor this month.
CN/DIEGO LINARES
QUARTERBACKS OBSERVE—Head coach Eric Marty (left), sophomore quarterback Michael Ladino and freshman quarterback Brian Marty watch the offense drive down the field during the team’s last home game Saturday against San Bernardino Valley College.
Brothers work side-by-side on football field BY STEPHANIE GUEVARA Staff Writer Going to school with a sibling might not be so unusual, but if that sibling happens to be your football coach, that is rare. Since Brian Marty was in high school, his brother Eric Marty has coached him in football. He coached Brian Marty during his sophomore and junior high school seasons. According to Brian Marty, Eric Marty inspired him to play football. “Seeing him (Eric Marty) play football made me want to play football,” Brian Marty said. Football head coach Eric Marty, 29, was born in Seattle. Growing up, Eric Marty played soccer and football, but in high school he decided to stick with football. After high school, Eric Marty moved to Orange, California where he attended Chapman University. At Chapman Eric Marty played football, but was also majoring in journalism. After playing football in Chapman, Eric Marty left for Italy and played in the Italian football league. In Italy, Eric Marty found his passion for coaching. In his offseason, Eric Marty came to the U.S. to coach high school football. Before coaching at East Los Angeles College, Eric Marty also coached a few other colleges, such as Moorpark College in Ventura County.
It was during Eric Marty’s offseason in Europe where he coached Brian Marty in high school football. At five-years-old, Brian Marty began playing baseball. It was until he was in middle school that he began playing football. Although Brian Marty loved playing football, he had to decide whether to play football or baseball for university. When Brian Marty got accepted to Azusa Pacific University, he decided to play baseball. At the time, Brian chose baseball because it was convenient for him. After two year at APU, Brian Marty decided to leave and pursue an opportunity in football at ELAC. However, playing for ELAC meant being coached by Eric Marty a second time. Since it’s the second time the Marty brothers worked beside one another, Brian Marty acknowledges the expectations Eric Marty has of him. “He (Eric Marty) has higher expectations of me. He is a little harder on me,” said Brian Marty. Other football coaches also acknowledge the expectations Eric Marty has for Brian Marty. According to ELAC’s football wide receivers coach, Daniel McDonald, on the field Eric Marty is harder on Brian Marty. “It’s tough sometimes. Eric Marty sometimes yells at him (Brian Marty) more than the other players,” McDonald said. McDonald is a close friend of the Marty brothers and has known them
from Washington. According to the Marty brothers, their faith is an important factor in their life. The Marty brothers grew up in Edmond, Washington, which is 10 miles north of Seattle, and were raised within a christian family. Freshman quarterback Brian Marty, 20, is the youngest of five siblings. Brian Marty’s interest in sports started at a young age. In Brian Marty’s senior year of high school he broke his leg, which left him out for the season. Brian Marty says the experience was difficult for him, but because of his Christian faith, he was able to overcome the difficult experience. “Being helpless and not being able to help my team out was very hard for me. I felt kind of lost for a bit and my faith helped me get out of that,” Brian Marty said. According to Eric, the principles and values he was taught by his parents have formed his persona. “My parents taught me compassion but also discipline. It is the path I went and it impacts me by the way I coach. I’m always trying to model those characteristics and values,” Eric Marty said. Back in Seattle, the Marty brothers have one older sister and two adopted brothers from Bulgaria. The Marty brothers believe their brothers are a huge blessing to the family. Although there is a great age difference between them, the Marty brothers look up to one another and see each other as role models.
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Special
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2015
5
CN/JULIANNE OBREGON
SKELETAL ART—Dia de los Muertos art created by Jacqueline Ortiz and Hannibal Garcia on display Nov. 4 at the
Dia de los Muertos Festival in the courtyard between S1 and S2.
Dia de los Muertos festival helps ELAC community honor dead loved ones BY MEGAN G RAZZETTI Staff Writer East Los Angeles College’s 4th annual Dia de los Muertos festival was filled with food, music and culture with the help of numerous vendors and clubs. The community gathered to celebrate the lives of dead loved ones in honor of Dia de los Muertos on Nov. 4 in the courtyard between S1 and S2. Sponsored by ELAC’s Chicano Studies Department, the event provided a cultural experience for students and the surrounding community. Clubs such as the Nontraditional Student Union sold pupusas during the event to raise funds for scholarships and upcoming events in the spring semester. According to club member Josh Ibarra, the festival was a great way to show respect and honor the memory of ancestors who are gone, but not forgotten. The club focuses on helping students who are not students that have just graduated high school. “Non-traditional students, for example, are over the age of 25, in night school or are foster youth,” said Ibarra. The Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano
de Aztlan or MeCHA also had a booth set up selling tamales. “I hold Dia de los Muertos very close, it acknowledges our ancestors for helping us become who we are today,” MeCHA club member Perla Madera said. Madera said MeCHA was there to raise awareness of the club’s return to ELAC and to raise money to support future club events. The group aims to build a strong school community by emphasizing the importance of accepting all walks of life. Along with clubs selling food, there was a selection of performers that provided entertainment for the festival. Conjunto Los Pochos were on the line up with their final performance as a band along with Mariachi Estrella de Jalisco, Domingo Siete and Viento Gallejero. Dance group Circulo Ajolote also performed traditional dance routines. As done in the past festivals, the Wish Upon an Angel foundation was there for a toy drive. Festival goers were asked to bring an unwrapped new toy to donate to terminally ill children. The non-profit organization was founded by Chicano Studies Professor Angelita Rovero-Herrera. Rovero-Herrera started the foundation in honor of 5-year old Mario Molina, who died of leukemia, and 15-year old Kyle Rodas, who died from brain cancer.
CN/JULIANNE OBREGON
CN/JULIANNE OBREGON
UNIQUE ART—Artwork created by Gabriel Frias were CN/ELIZABETH CUNAG
FACE PAINT—ELAC student Lily Chan Garcia attends the Dia de los Muertos Festival on Nov. 4 and had her face painted as
a cat.
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available at the Dia de los Muertos Festival. Frias has been creating art since he was eight-years-old and immediately realized that he wanted to make a career off of his gift.
6
ARTS Musicians pay tribute to Mexican actor
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2015
BY ELIZABETH TOY Staff Writer Jazz musicians Justo Almario and Abraham Laboriel drew in a modest, but devoted crowd of jazz enthusiasts Nov. 6 at the First Friday Jazz performance. The duo opened the evening with a song which they dedicated to all who helped them in their lives. Almario switched between playing the flute, clarinet and saxophone, while Laboriel played the bass. “We are doing the songs that my father wrote,” Laboriel said. Juan José Laboriel, Abraham’s father, was an esteemed Mexican actor who also influenced many of the songs played. Abraham Laboriel’s soft voice filled the theater, leaving the audience hushed as they listened intently, until erupting into applause. Almario and Abraham Laboriel displayed their talent with a variety of jazz styles. The connection between them was made apparent by their improvisation and musical banter. The audience was focused on the duo as they shared stories about Abraham Laboriel’s father. “He was always so elegant and well-dressed. I never saw him wearing jeans,” Almario said. “At that time, nobody who was anybody wore jeans,”
Laboriel said, laughing, “including me.” The highlight of the evening was Laboriel’s story about his parents’ courtship. The audience listened intently as Laboriel retold the story of his strict maternal grandfather, who would only bless his parents’ marriage if his father would first endure three years of separation. Laboriel’s father faithfully fulfilled the request and proved his patience and true intentions and ultimately married Laboriel’s mother. The wistful look on Laboriel’s face spoke volumes about the wonderful relationship he shared with his father and emanated warmth and openness in the theater. Almario ended a medley of jazz standards with the sultry sounds of his sax. Listeners were enthralled, tapping their feet, smiling and laughing at Abraham Laboriel’s and Almario’s musical jokes. “These are world premieres,” Abraham Laboriel said as they began to play a slow and dynamic version of “Cumbia.” The duo paid homage to Almario’s Caribbean roots in Colombia as he led the audience in a calland-response interlude, surprising the audience with improvised beat-boxing as they clapped and sang along. Audience members seemed impressed and enjoyed
the diversity of the set. Abraham Laboriel expressed his gratitude for the freedom music allows. “I’m going to make a controversial statement,” Abraham Laboriel said. “The greatest classical musicians are jazz musicians. They remember their improvisations and play them again and again. We improvised songs that define and infuse our personal points of view. Because of the freedom afforded to us by the jazz language, we can go in many directions and many styles.” Almario said, “I think that jazz invites the player to be creative, to be a composer right at the moment and then it’s gone. If we play tomorrow again, it’s going to be different. That’s the beautiful thing about jazz and music. Every moment is special and very unique.” “The imagination is limitless. You hear things that are happening that you want to play and one of the things that I, as a musician, do is study my instrument to get the best technique I can have and try to play what I imagine in my head,” he said. First Friday Jazz Series will have their third and final performance of the season on Dec. 4 at 8 p.m. The concert will feature ELAC Jazz band playing a variety of Christmas music, from hymns to children’s songs, to standards, funk and Latin Jazz. The concert is free to everyone. For more information, call the Music Department at (323) 265-8894.
CENTER STAGE—A crowd gathers waiting for Justo Almario and Abraham
Laboriel to perform at the First Friday Jazz Concert Nov. 6 in the S2 Recital Hall. CN/ELIZABETH TOY
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