COURTESY OF ALEJANDRO DE LA TORRE
Volume 74, Issue 9
Single copy free - additional copies 50 cents
Wednesday, November 9, 2016
Football wins championship in conference’s inaugural season BY DAN GUDINO Staff Writer Football head coach Bobby Godinez was showered with the ceremonial Gatorade bucket after his team won the American Metro Conference championship, defeating Pasadena City College 63-17 , Saturday night at Weingart Stadium. “It feels awesome. It’s a tribute to the players, (coaching) staff, to (athletic director) Al Cone, to everybody who was a part of this. It's an awesome feeling,” East Los Angeles College Head Coach Godinez said. Husky players hugged, high-fived, shook hands and jumped with joy on the field after the game. Shouts and chants of the phrase, “East Side” were repeated in the stands and by players. The game was practically sealed into the half as ELAC went into the locker room, up 42-0 at halftime. In the first game of the season, ELAC sophomore starting quarterback Jonathan Santos showed a lot of emotion when the Huskies lost to Orange Coast College. A sense of another poor season ahead was felt by fans who said “not again.” From a 2-8 season last year to a possible 8-2 turnaround, Santos took it upon himself to turn the negative emotion into a
bowl game season. “It’s the losses in the season that push us over the edge and make us come together to play as a unit. We buy into what we preach. From the beginning we came in a saw that this was a championship team,” Godinez said. Santos threw five touchdowns in the first half and was given the rest of the night off in the second half. “I feel so good now. I never thought I could get to this situation and come here to ELAC with all these great coaches. We all believe in these coaches and the process it takes. I put the blame on me for the first loss and here we are now in the first year of this conference,” Santos said. Santos is now in the ELAC history books as he has the third most passing touchdowns in a season with 26. He is sevenpassing touchdowns shy of surpassing the leader Aaron Cantu of the 2012 season who passed for 32 TD in that season. Santos has two games to surpass Cantu. For the third straight game, ELAC had over 500 yards of total offense as it showed a no nonsense approach and continued to pile it on PCC through the game. The 63 points mark the second most points scored in a game in school history and now ELAC has 370 total points making
it the highest scoring offense in school history. The previous total was 357, scored by the 2011 team, which was the last time ELAC won a conference title. Last week, ELAC scored the most points in school history with a 70-26 win over West Los Angeles College. Special teams did its part on kick return, kick off, punt return and when it punted. The tackling was precise as it pinned PCC deep in its own territory throughout the game. Husky sophomore kicker Vicente Luis Juan, in the season has surpassed the 48-year-record for kicking the most points after the touchdown. He’s kicked 39 point-of-defenses this season, the previous record was 35, in 1968, by Gene Valencia. The special teams’ effort aided the defense and the PCC offense never got past the 50-yard line in the first half. All year long ELAC sophomore defensive end Christopher Blanton went up against 300 lbs. offensive lineman even though he is undersized for defensive lineman. His high motor approach to the game did not allow him to stop.
CHAMPIONS Continued on page 6
ELAC community welcomes new STEM facilities BY IVAN CAZARES Staff Writer Student speaker Robert Wideman thanked the East Los Angeles College community for providing students with new facilities during a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Math and Science Building Thursday. He also said an improvement in student’s motivation is visible since classes started in the new building. Wideman said the proximity of labs to classrooms helps him and other students focus on their studies. The building replaced several bungalows and opened its doors to students at the beginning of the semester. It houses most science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) departments with the exceptions of archeology, astronomy, physics and nursing. The building also houses new labs, including a larger math tutoring lab. ELAC President Marvin Martinez said the building
News Briefs
replacing the G8 and H8 bungalows will complete what will be called the Math and Science Complex. It will house the STEM departments that are still in bungalows. “It's a sign of respect to the students. It says ‘We, the community, are investing in you,’” Congresswoman Judy Chu said. Chu, who taught at ELAC for 13 years, said she was in awe at how much the college’s facilities have improved since she left in 2001. Prior to the completion of the Math and Science Building, most of ELAC’s STEM programs where in bungalows, some of which were built in the 1950s. Chu said the bungalows were run down and weren't equipped with air conditioning. “I know the value community colleges have for students in this area. It is a low cost way to further their education,” Chu said. She also said the state-of-the-art buildings will better prepare students for the workforce. Martinez credited Proposition 30 passed in 2012 and Measure J passed in 2008 with making it
possible to build the Math and Science Building, the E3 building and the Student Center. During an American Federation of Teachers meeting on October 6. Prop.30 increased the sales tax in California as well as the income tax on Californians whose income exceeds $250,000 a year. Measure J is a bond measure approved in 2012 that allowed the Los Angeles Community College District to borrow $3.5 billion to improve its 9 schools’ facilities. He also encouraged faculty at the AFT meeting to vote yes on Prop.55 and Affordable Education, Job Training and Classroom Safety Measure (Measure CC). Prop.55 would maintain the tax rates established by Prop.30 and Measure CC is a new bond measure put in the ballot by LACCD to fund its colleges’ projects. Martinez said Prop.30 is essential to continue the progress California’s education system has made after facing devastating budget cuts. He also said the measure is crucial to fund the Los Angeles Community College District’s construction projects.
Post- election mixer The Political Science discipline and ELAC Students for Political Awareness will host a postelection mixer tomorrow at noon to 1:30 p.m. in F7-217. Students can meet with Political Science professors to discuss election results.
CN/IVAN CAZARES
NEW ADDITION — Congresswoman Judy Chu (left), ELAC President Marvin Martinez, LACCD Board of Trustees,Vice President Sydney K. Kamlager and second Vice President Mike Fong cut the ribbon at the Math and Science Building Thursday.
“Board the Internship” Career and Job Services will hold a “Board the Internship” workshop on Nov. 30 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in E7- 313. To sign up, visit Career and Job Services in E7-176 or call (323) 4154126.
Internship opportunity The Supervisor Hilda Solis Washington D.C internship application deadline is Dec 7. The internship will have students participate in the legislative proces. For more information call Janet Huang at (323) 415-4126.