The Inquirer Vol V No. 3 by DVC Inquirer

A graveyard Bash Art Department hosts annual monster draw. See Page 5.

inquirer Thursday, Oct. 13 - Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2016

Volume V, No. 3

DVC top 20 for adults School ranks 12th in government-sponsored survey NAGISA TSUKADA Staff member

Diablo Valley College ranked 12th best two-year college for adult learners, according to an article in Washington Monthly’s September/ October edition. The rank was determined by a government-sponsored survey of college students over the age of 25 from over 7,500 postsecondary schools between 2014 and 2015, according to Washington Monthly. Jennifer Tejada, a director of the Program for Adult College Education, said DVC’s rank is reasonable. Among the criteria of the survey were: ease of transfer/enrollment, flexibility of programs, services available for adult students, the percent of students over age 25, and tuition and fees for in-district students. According to the survey, 35 percent of DVC students were over 25, which ranked 906 out of 1,178 two-year colleges. Earnings of adult students ten years after entering college was $44,300, which ranked 58 out of 1,178. Loan repayment rates of adult students five years after entering repayment was 72 percent, which ranked 125 out of 1,178. Tuition and fees for in-district students was $1248, which ranked 59 out of 1,178. “I think that’s really good. We have a lot of programs that help all types of learners, of all ages,” Ni-

Honor society supports students NIKKI MOYLAN Staff member

MARCEL SCOTT / The Inquirer

Rob Peters, DVC councilor goes over some academic planning with Putri Karania, 19, a computer science major. Services availible to students was one of the judges criteria. cole Siverson, an English tutor at students who take classes and helps DVC, said. them prepare for their transfer Program for plan. Adult College “We offer a “We have a lot of Education suplot of hybrid programs that help all and online classports returning students who types of learners, of all es, which means want to transthat people who ages.” fer. PACE ofhave young chilfers returning dren and need ~NICOLE SIVERSON students classes child care, peoEnglish tutor for transferring ple who work to four-year during the day, universities to earn a bachelor’s can take three or four classes durdegree. PACE saves seats for the ing the semester, and not be com-

ing to campus every single night of a week,” Tejada said. Students taking online classes can take lectures on their own time. Flexibility of online classes help adult students who are busy or live far from DVC. Times for classes on campus are flexible because classes start at 8:00 a.m., and the latest classes start at 8:00 p.m. for the fall semester. Students can choose their classes based on their schedule. Continued on Page 3

Longtime 4CD board member passes away CHELSEY SCHALLIG News editor

John T. Nejedly, a Contra Costa Community College District board member for 22 years, died this past weekend while attending the 47th annual Association of Community College Convention in New Orleans. Nejedly was elected to the board in 1994 and was serving his sixth consecutive term in office. A San Ramon resident, he represented Ward 4, which includes Blackhawk, Byron, Danville, Diablo, Discovery Bay, San Ramon, and parts of Alamo, Antioch, Brentwood, Clayton, and Concord. Nejedly graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a degree in construction management. Nejedly completed his education at John F. Kennedy University School of Law, where he then received his degree in law.

Besides being a member of the California State Bar, Nejedly was a California licensed real estate broker and a licensed general engineering contractor. John T. was the son of John A. Nejedly, who was a state senator who represented Contra Costa County from 1969 to 1980. Mary Piepho, sister of Nejedly, is a member of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors. Their brother, James (Jim) Nejedly, is a board member of the Central Contra Costa Sanitary District. Nejedly is the only Governing Board member to actively participate in the passage of all three district bond campaigns; 2002, 2006, 2014. The bond measures have provided the financial resources to pay for new DVC buildings, such as the Student Services Center, Hospitality Studies and Food Court, and the Book Center.

“His construction background was helpful as the District spent hundreds of millions of dollars implementing the bond-funded construction projects,” wrote Tim Leong, District Director of Communications and Community Relations. “Mr. Nejedly should be remembered for his 22 years of dedication to the community college mission. His institutional knowledge was very important in the decisions the Governing Board made, as was his consistent and rationale approach to addressing the challenges faced by the colleges and the District,” wrote Leong. In addition to his brother and sister, Nejedly is survived by his wife and three children. Contact CHELSEY SCHALLIG at CSchallig@DVCInquirer.com

The members of the Diablo Valley College Honor Society are working hard to improve the community through events and fundraisers chosen and hosted by them. Club president Ravil Kaliyeshev joined the club during his first semester at DVC in 2014 after a teacher’s recommendation. This is his first semester as club president, and he describes the club as something that will help form a better community. “What I like about the club is that we also offer information on transferring, and we regularly get speakers from UC schools to come and inform our members,” said Kaliyeshev. Scholarships are given to members with good grades, which is one of the top benefits for joining. The purpose of the Honor Society, also known as Alpha Gamma Sigma, is to “foster, promote, maintain and recognize scholarships,” according to their official website. The main goal for Kaliyeshev is expanding the club, and he was impressed after seeing more than 20 people join in one semester. The club continues to recruit more members by putting up flyers and being more aggressive when looking for potential new people, according to marketing chair member Tiffany Alice. Officers form committees, which allow for input and fresh, new ideas. It’s something new adviser Chris Capozzo believes will work well for the club, as it drew him into their program. He had been advising for another volunteer style club, which disbanded this semester. “Honors Society is definitely an opportunity to work with students who care about their grades and volunteering. These are amazing students and this club has been strong for 30 years, because Continued on Page 3

news

Thursday, Oct. 13 - Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2016

calendar Oakland Monday, October 10 – 27 Art & Art Digital Media Faculty Show Art Gallery, Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. F riday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, October 13 Piano and Piano Recital Music 101, 2 p.m. Friday, October 14 Women’s Volleyball - Folsom Lake vs DVC DVC Gymnasium 6:30 - 8 p.m. DVC Softball - Solano at DVC Women’s Softball Softball Field, 2 - 6 p.m. DVC Football - San Francisco at DVC Vikings Vikings Stadium, 7 - 10 p.m. Tuesday. October 18 Music Major Recital Music Room M-101, 2 p.m. October 21 - November 6 Hairspray! Musical Performing Arts Center Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m. Sundays Oct. 30 and Nov. 6, 2:30 p.m. Monday, October 24 Transfer Day DVC Commons, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Tuesday, October 25 DVC Women’s Soccer Vs Modesto Soccer Field, 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

School District partners with DVC library tech program JEANNETTE CHIAPPONE Staff member

John Pabst, a student in the Diablo Valley College library tech partnership program, doubles as a teacher and a librarian at an Oakland elementary school. "I have the instruction and curriculum part down," being a credentialed teacher, he said, but needed to learn the best practices of accessing, cataloging and disseminating information. Now, thanks to a DVC library technology program, Pabst is learning the tools to put his students together with the information they need. DVC teamed with the Oakland Unified School District earlier this year to train 17 district employees in the library technology certificate program. While the program is designed specifically for Oakland school district employees, the library tech certificate and degree programs for

Monday, October 3 Library Complex Student had his secured bicycle stolen over the weekend. Reported the following Monday. Lot 7 Student had her iPad stolen from her vehicle after the vehicle was broken into. Thursday, October 6 PE Area Student’s bicycle was stolen from the bike rack. This bicycle was secured. Monday, October 10 Liberal Arts Building Student had her unattended cellphone stolen.

DVC students will return in January 2017. The updated DVC library tech program will include more content on digital tools and new media to keep pace with the fast-changing information environment, Andy Kivel, DVC library faculty member, said. With information being stored in everything from photograph folios to film archives to the Cloud, library users rely on information specialists, such as library techs, to help them navigate a vast range of media. "Libraries still provide a lot of really core and important services and functions for people," Kivel said. For young readers, libraries serve as important springboards for literacy, Ann Gallagher, former district librarian of Oakland public schools wrote with her colleagues in a paper on the state of district libraries. Citing recent research, she wrote that reading scores and literacy levels rise when children can freely choose reading materials that interest them. "We can teach our students to search for

books in the library that are close to their level without limiting their choice," Gallagher and her colleagues wrote. "The whole library experience is meant to be supportive of children's interests and respectful of their right to choose, or we will not see a love for reading develop in our students." With the explosion in information media, the demand for library technologists is expected to increase 12 percent between 2012 and 2022 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Information professionals are trained to help information users find and make sense of information," Pabst said. "Information instruction is critical at all levels and in all neighborhoods." Students interested in the library technology program are invited to meet faculty and former students at an open house Wednesday, Nov. 9th from 4:30-6:30 p.m. in the DVC Library, L-218. Contact JEANNETTE CHIAPPONE at JChiappone@DVCInquirer.com

Club involvement can enhance your career interest ERIN SMITH Staff member

police beat

JEANETTE CHIAPPONE/ The Inquirer

DVC librarian Marva L. DeLoach speaks with pre-nursing students Jasmine Khahera and Janelle Perez, and psychology major Rodilyn Operario.

There's no denying the importance of having extracurricular activities on college applications. Joining a club can show college recruiters that you are not only committed to your craft but that you have taken the initiative to hone it. But what does it take to organize, support, and promote over 47 clubs on a campus of 22,000 students? The newly elected Commissioner of Public Relations, Armon Shirkhani, was brave enough to take on such a task. "My main role is to advertise and communicate all inter club events as well as assist the various clubs in advertising their own club events throughout the campus," said Shirkhani. The Inter Club Council, or ICC, is a branch of Diablo Valley College's main student government.

THE INQUIRER Diablo Valley College 321 Golf Club Road, ATC-103 Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 The Inquirer is published Thursdays during the school year by the Diablo Valley College journalism students. Unsigned articles appearing on the opinions page are editorials and reflect a two-thirds majority opinion of the editorial staff. Signed columns and cartoons are the opinions of the writer or artist and not necessarily those of The Inquirer, Diablo Valley College or Contra Costa Community College District.

It's run by a board of elected students that cater to the wants and needs of the campus's various clubs. "ICC is a division of student government. They deal with everything club related," said Shirkhani. At the council meetings, the club representatives have the opportunity to showcase what their club has accomplished, promote upcoming events, as well as vote on procedures. "There are actually a lot of concrete rules for the clubs and basically each representative gets to vote on those rules and regulations that are then implemented into student government," said Shirkhani. Getting involved in student government is a process in itself. Prospective board members can either be nominated or nominate themselves, as Shirkhani did. Candidates then must familiarize themselves with the ICC code book and give a speech to the ICC

ERIN SMITH / The Inquirer

The newly elected Public Relations Commissioner, Armon Shirkhani. reps, who then vote on who they would like to see run the council. As he entered the race for PR Commissioner Shirkhani focused on bridging the gap between DVC and her sister campus in San Ra-

Contact ERIN SMITH at ESmith@DVCInquirer.com

Staff

Editorial Board EDITOR-IN-CHIEF PRINT EDITOR MANAGING EDITOR FEATURES EDITOR NEWS EDITOR OPINIONS EDITOR COPY EDITOR

mon. After being involved with two Honor Societies at the San Ramon campus, Shirkhani saw an opportunity to bring people together. "I made a big point that I want to help bring more San Ramon students to Pleasant Hill clubs or have Pleasant Hill clubs more active on the San Ramon campus and establish a better link between the two," said Shirkhani. As he eloquently explained, "I want more students to be aware of the clubs we have on campus because we have a lot of great clubs. It's a great way to meet people, it's a great way to work on your own career interests or major interests. It's a great way to show colleges you're planning on transferring to that you're interested in your major and that you have experience in your major."

Marcel Scott Cooper Mead Erin Smith Chelsey Schallig Dominique Smith Jeannette Chiappone

STAFF MEMBERS Nina Cestaro, Mirna Aboukhali, Nagisa Tsukada, Will Nevin, Julia Muskevich, Nikki Moylan, Frank Guitron, Mia Blake, Alberto Chang, Glenna Herbert,Geoffrey Weseman INSTRUCTIONAL LAB COORDINATOR Julius Rea ADVISER Mary Mazzocco

• Phone: 925.969.2543 • Email: inquirer@dvc.edu • Website: www.dvcinquirer.com • Printed five times per semester •

features

Thursday, Otc. 13 - Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2016

Consent is not optional Novel looks inside the harsh realities of campus sexual assault and recovery CHELSEY SCHALLIG News editor

the assault and the aftermath. The dual perspective of outsiders gives readers visuals of the horrific incident that took place. Maria Padian’s “Wrecked” follows different verPadian does a good job of portraying an everyday sions of a sexual assault on a college campus. college life, which is why the college romance wasn’t Padian was born in New York City then moved tasteless alongside the main plot line. It’s easy to forto New Jersey with her family. Her mother is Span- get you’re reading a story about real life. ish and her father is Irish, both immigrated to the The topic of rape is not sugar-coated. We hear the U.S, and Padian didn’t begin to learn English until victim’s story secondhand and that creates an emoshe was about 5. Maria was a bookworm growing tional buffer. There are several clues throughout the up and blames her mother because book that the reader must piece she only allowed her to buy books. together to draw their conclusion. Padian graduated from Middle- “Haley notices some- There is confusion surrounding bury College in Vermont where the investigation of the sexual asthing is off. Jenney is sault. From lying witnesses to unshe learned to become a writer. The story follows a sexual as- more withdrawn than reliable evidence, a conviction isn’t sault from two perspectives: the always realistic. roommate of the victim, Haley, usual and eventually Readers are able to be outand the accused rapist’s friend, siders to the assault and see the the secret is out: Richard. Haley has just received similarities in real life cases: how Jenny was raped.” the victim is accused of drinking her third concussion and her soccer career is just about over. She is too much, how hard it is to punsent back to her dorm to rest and falls into a deep ish a rapist, and how easy it is to doubt a person. sleep. Haley wakes up to find her friend and room- “Wrecked” forces readers to ask questions and think. mate walking into the room. Jenny, the victim, is Victim-blaming is also called out and how people always quiet and shy, but Haley notices something is desensitize the word “rape.” Readers are left with the off. Jenny is more withdrawn than usual and eventu- message that “no means no” is not enough because ally the secret is out: Jenny was raped. people assume that a lack of “no” means “yes.” Jenny makes a formal statement about Jordan, “Wrecked” has one main point that is hard for the alleged rapist, and calls on Haley to act as her some people to understand: consent is important representative. Jordan has his own representative, and necessary. Richard. Haley and Richard meet and become fast friends, not knowing that they share a connection Contact CHELSEY SCHALLIG at CSchallig@DVCInquirer.com with the case. Readers follow the actual incident of

High PACE placement

Acheiving great grades and goals

Continued from Page 1

Also, most on-campus classes for PACE are weekday evenings or Saturday mornings, so working students can attend classes easier. PACE students should take offered classes to finish their program in three terms. When they don’t want to take offered classes, there is a possibility that they may not be able to enroll because those classes are not guaranteed. PACE is not flexible in terms of class choices. Adult learners at DVC have access to the same services as younger students, such as financial aid, counseling, and tutoring. Sarah Guzzaldo, an English tutor at DVC, said many adult students use a tutoring to deal with their classes. “Sometimes they come in and they’re nervous because they have been gone from school for a very long time,” Guzzaldo said. “I think coming in just having somebody tell them that they’re on the right track or just giving them a hand with that kind of stuff can be really useful.” Also, adult students often need time for “making sure they’re getting used to the school environment again.”

of the events all put together by them,” said Capozzo. He also appreciates how volunteering at events can turn the club into a family, because of their connections through planning these events. One of their upcoming fall events is volunteering at the “Light the Night Walk” in Walnut Creek’s Civic Park taking place on November 5. New member Christina Coello, 18, joined after one of the Honors Society booths grabbed her attention outside of the cafeteria. “It’s a good reason to work for a good GPA,” she said. In order to become a member, a fee of $25 and a GPA of 3.0 or higher is required, and applicants need 12 or more units; there is an option of temporary membership. If possible, they must also show membership of the California Scholarship Federation. Capozzo summed up the club perfectly: “There are just so many leadership opportunities, and it’s great to be around so many passionate people.”

Contact NAGISA TSUKADA at NTsukada@DVCInquirer.com

Contact NIKKI MOYLAN at NMoylan@DVCInquirer.com

Courtesy of Algonquin Books

features

Thursday, Oct. 13 - Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2016

Dental clinic acknowledges National Dental Hygiene Month ALBERTO CHANG Staff member

October is here and, as trick-ortreaters contemplate what to wear, Diablo Valley College’s Dental Program will be promoting a less well-known national celebration. One whose goal, in the words of Director of Dental Programs Nikki Moultrie, is to “increase awareness of the importance of maintaining good oral health.” Since 2009, National Dental Hygiene Month has been a nationally celebrated time of year. Established to remind us of the importance of properly looking after our teeth, it humorously contrasts with the bigger presence of Halloween and has been called the Yin to the more popular Yang. So far, though, the cause has been gaining momentum. Ever since its recent inception, numerous educational institutions have shed light on it — seeing it as an opportunity to uniquely promote the ways in which great oral hygiene is maintained. This year, DVC's select dental program has chosen to dedicate its impressive range of services to the occasion. In doing so, said Laboratory Coordinator Dana Colvin, it

will “serve as a reminder to everyone about how important proper dental healthcare is to one's overall health.” Next to flossing, brushing, and rinsing, perhaps the best protective practices against obnoxious dental dilemmas are the biyearly cleanings and x-ray checks. Recognizing this, DVC’s dental clinic will be providing both students and non-students with extremely discounted cleanings and low-cost x-ray inspections. Students, too, will receive their initial evaluations for free. Though these services are always offered throughout the spring and fall semesters, Colvin adds, dedicating them to this year’s National Dental Hygiene Month should really bring attention to the importance of good oral maintenance. By tying the two together, people might take notice of how good habits and a clean mouth go hand in hand. DVC's highly-trained group of student dental hygienists await anyone ready to participate in keeping their pearly whites in top shape this October.

Contact ALBERTO CHANG at AChang@DVCInquirer.com

Above, senior dental hygiene student Mariza Patino performs a cleaning. Left, senior dental hygiene student Rachel Alvernaz conducts an X-Ray on junior dental hygiene student Haley McDonough.

ALBERTO CHANG /The Inquirer

Alumni honor instructor Steve Sage WILL NEVIN Staff member

Over the past 20 years, Steve Sage was an inspiration and mentor for thousands of students within the Diablo Valley College music department. Previously a professor at the Musicians Institute, Skyline College, the Guitar Institute of London, Guitar Activity Center and San Francisco State University, Sage is a renowned musician who has taught in a broad range of campuses around the world. The Heather Farms Walnut Festival in Walnut Creek, is a yearly event Steve Sage has lined up for his various student groups to have the opportunity to learn firsthand how a live performance operates. Dozens of students from Sage’s class throughout the years have formed their own bands and were lined up to perform early Saturday afternoon, some at the last minute. Casey Conroy, an alumni of DVC and performer at the Walnut Festival, says, “Sage has a reputation for spending countless hours organizing gigs, training students, and forming bands together.” One of Sage’s former student Mitch Polzak, who performed in the band “Royal Deuces” at the Walnut Festival explains,

“Steve Sage assisted with the formation of the band and showed us great work ethic on and off stage. He’s a planner, coach, teacher, a great human being, and a general bad ass.” While the “Royal Deuces” were performing to an early Saturday afternoon crowd, Mitch honored Steve Sage in the middle of their performance. “We’re keeping the spirit of Steve Sage’s class alive. He’s been the Godfather of so many bands and taught us to respect the art.” Another one of Sage’s former student Courtney Dubovsky was performing at the Walnut Festival that Saturday afternoon as well. She says Steve Sage’s class, “Completely changed my taste in music. Broadened my musical horizons. Started enjoying jazz and soul artists.” One year ago, Steve Sage retired from teaching at DVC due to a diagnosis of stage four prostate cancer. Sage has recovered well after six months of chemotherapy. Being seen at the Walnut Festival rocking out with his previous students and enjoying the festivities at the Walnut Festival. Contact WILL NEVIN at WNevin@DVCInquirer.com

WILL NEVIN/ The Inquirer

Mitch Polzak and the Royal Deuces performing early afternoon at the Heather Farms Walnut Festival.

features

Thursday, Oct. 13 - Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2016

FRANK GUITRON / The Inquirer

Students sketch stills of beloved Universal Studios’ monster King Kong at “Going Ape” event.

DVC artists ‘Go Ape’ at monster draw FRANK GUITRON Staff member

The eighth wonder of the world thundered onto a big screen at Diablo Valley College on Friday, Sept. 30th, as Arthur King, DVC art instructor, explained the history of monster movies. Fittingly enough, the theme was "Going Ape." Before the feature began, King discussed the origins and development of traditional monster movies and stories. One tradition that older movies had — similar to live theater — is that they played overture music before the performance to inform the audience that the show was about to begin. King talked about the underlying themes and critiques that monster movies tend to address and the inspirations behind them. King also pointed out the interesting and different ways Hollywood has portrayed the great monsters and apes of years past: from monster suits and prosthetics, to animatronics.

Certain actors were designated to being the gorillas. Charles Gemora, one of such actors from the 1930s, was a constant gorilla suit actor appearing in the Laurel and Hardy movies and "Murders in the Rue Morgue." The medium evolved, however, and the climate changed from animatronics shown in "King Kong," to suits in "Murders in the Rue Morgue" and finally into prosthetics like in "Planet of the Apes." Another typecast was actress Fay Wray, who was coined as the original "Scream Queen," as she was known for her blood curdling scream in monster movies. "King Kong" was the primary example of animatronics and stop motion back in 1933. "If you watch the movie, you would actually notice two versions of the monster," King said, "The scary far away and the closeup comical." King then showed the bust of King Kong in a still from the production of the original 1933 film. Throughout the viewing, King paused the film as requested so students could draw the stilled frame. King advised students to "start out loose, and then get specific."

The still showed the armless head and chest of a giant ape with a goofy grin on his face. Scenes like this were used to help humanize the monster and at times make the audience sympathize with the creature. The students at the event even reacted with a sympathetic "aww," in unison, as Kong got hurt and appeared sad as he stared at his injured hand. When asked why King hosts these monster draw events, he responded, "It's an excuse to create conversation among students." King stated that this is a great way for students to share lore and stories, and to keep these older stories alive and pass them on. They bring awareness to the constant re-imagining of iconic monsters like "Godzilla" and "King Kong," among other Universal Monsters. "This event has been going on for about five or six years now," said King, and he plans to continue it to keep the tradition going. Contact FRANK GUITRON at FGuitron@DVCInquirer.com

Find DVC friends with new app CHELSEY SCHALLIG News editor

Courtesy of BUDDYUP

Buddy Up conncts students for study sessions.

Diablo Valley College students have the opportunity to find study partners and meet new people on campus. Brian Forrester, chief executive officer of BuddyUp, was inspired by his own personal experience when he was failing a statistics class. He pitched the idea of the app to his university, but they did not fund the project. Forrester then recruited the computer science department and ended up creating a team of computer science majors to build a prototype over summer break, and the app was launched in 2014. “When you’re in college it isn’t always obvious how to make friends or how to approach someone to be a study buddy,” wrote Forrester. This is a simple private messaging app that connects students nationwide and is currently only available in the United States and

Australia. As of Sept. 26, BuddyUp is available for all students at all major U.S. colleges in partnership with Chegg, an industry leader known for textbook rentals and homework help.“It’s about taking the kinds of technology that we as millennials and post-millennials use in our everyday lives and applying it to the academic environment in ways that help us accomplish our goals and support each other,” wrote Forrester. Since 2014 students were able to send buddy requests to each other, and if accepted, you’d be able to chat with each other. Developers soon realized that the whole system made it difficult for students to message each other. As of this Fall, you can now send a message to anyone from your school through the app. “It’s fun to browse through profiles and start chatting with people when you see they share your major, are looking for study partners or are just as obsessed

with Game of Thrones as you are,” wrote Forrester. Another new feature that came out this Fall allows students to create “groups” which are like classes but based on majors or which dorm you live in. The “group” feature is still an experiment for the app right now. Forrester added, “In fact, a lack of adequate peer support is one of the leading causes of student dropout in the country, especially for first generation students, freshman students, and students of color.” Students can benefit from this app and can feel more connected to their classmates. Freshman students are more likely to use this app twice as much as anyone else. “It’s also been shown that if you have study partners and friends, you’re more likely to get the help you need and therefore get better grades,” wrote Forrester.

Contact CHELSEY SCHALLIG at CSchallig@DVCInquirer.com

opinions

Thursday, Oct. 13 - Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2016

Finland’s education system does not require students to take standardized tests — unlike the US.

DOMINIQUE SMITH / The Inquirer

Why is Finland’s education system successful?

inland's superior education system has always been an for International Student Assessment (PISA). Compared to enigma to me — what are they doing right, and why U.S. students who scored, "30th, 23rd and 17th (respecis it putting the U.S.'s system to shame? tively)", there seems to be large differential success between The PSAT, SAT, ACT, STAR, and a number of others, are us and Finland. all standardized tests students in California have been haFinland's success story is also due in part to their very perbituated to, however, I don't believe these sonal teaching techniques which moves tests are helping students in any way. in the opposite direction of standardized They simply measure students like data testing. points to ensure they will fit into a cookieAccording to Sahlberg, “students are cutter, assembly line position. In Finland, regularly asked to show their ability to however, all but one standardized test has cope with issues related to evolution, been eradicated. I believe it is one of the losing a job, dieting, political issues, vimost beneficial steps a country can take olence, war, ethics in sports, junk food, towards improving their education. sex, drugs, and popular music.” Finland is doing it right: standardized Finland's educators teach students to testing creates a hurricane of unnecessary be successful critical thinkers and wellstress for high school students. rounded adults, ready to enter post-gradPasi Sahlberg, a Finnish education exuation life, without the use of standardpert and director of the Ministry of Eduized tests. Students are learning how to cation believes that our biggest problem is learn and how to be not the best, but the GLENNA HERBERT the role standardized testing plays in our best version of themselves. Staff member education system. He said, “No high-perThere are no standardized tests in the forming nation in the world has been sucworld outside of schooling. cessful using the policies that the United Being a unique thinker from day one States is using." becomes a vital quirk which can enrich future generations Their decision to eradicate standardized testing has paid of life. The only standardized test in Finland is the national off, according to an article in Stanford News on the Finn- Matriculation Examination. Quirk means "a peculiar charish school system. In 2009 Finland scored “sixth in math, acteristic." Did you mean to say this? Perhaps just "characsecond in science and third in reading” on the Programme teristic" or "quality?"

Their one exam is essentially all of the U.S.'s standardized tests combined into an open-ended, multidisciplinary examination students are required to pass in order to graduate. Having a single standardized test at the end of a high school career seems much more fitting. I believe that Finland has reformulated the purpose of exams, to fit more to the individual student and less to the state's standard. Although the Matriculation Exam is high stakes, the questions are much more personal and require a type of holistic intelligence rarely found in the U.S. Some example questions from this test, according to the Washington Post's article on the national Matriculation Examination are: “In what sense are happiness, good life and well-being ethical concepts?” “Some politicians, athletes and other celebrities have publicly regretted and apologized for what they have said or done. Discuss the meaning of the apology and accepting it as a social and personal act.” “Media is competing for audiences — what are the consequences?” From my schooling in the United States, I would have an extremely hard time answering these questions. I truly wish I knew how to answer these, and had my high school focused more on preparing me for life after graduation, I might have been able to. Contact GLENNA HERBERT at GHerbert@DVCInquirer.com

Men’s innocent intentions can be insults to women

presumption is that women are being overly sensitive while defining one’s own masculinity. turns the heads of all spectators. by characterizing almost any form Men do not realize that their innocent Men may find themselves in a similar but real life situof communication with a stranger intentions translate into disrespectful ac- ation; their heads turned as a sexy, attractive, dolled up as street harassment. tions and commentary towards women. woman strolls down the side of the street. So they call out, Catcalling, a form of incitement, is deSo why don’t womto “show their appreciation.” fined as an undesirable whistle, shout, or en feel flattered and Men may feel they can't approach “Be aware of sexual suggestion toward a person that is take it as a complia woman without being perceived as personal boundaries. creepy, whether it is to pay a compliment passing by another pedestrian. ment? There is an underlying assumption There is no feeling or ask a question—the frustration is unDo it respectfully. women who willingly paint up their faces of flattery because derstandable. Don’t follow her, and intentionally flaunt their curves are we live in an age If you want to let a woman know she is trying to get a man’s attention, even their where sexual assault beautiful, go ahead. and absolutely approval. happens to one in But don’t be surprised if you don’t get a do not whistle at her.” thank you, or any appreciation in return. In other words, when a woman mereevery five women in ly steps out in public dressed up by any America, according Be aware of personal boundaries. means, she is clearly asking for it. to Linda C. Degutis, Do it respectfully. Why do men choose to catcall women director of the National Center for InDon’t follow her, and absolutely do not whistle at her. She JULIA MUSKEVICH at all? What is their motivation? jury Prevention and Control. is not an animal, and she is not yours. Staff member For one thing, it is what men have been This is in part due to how society has doing since the dawn of time—it is almost sexualized women. second-nature. Explicitly, the media has shown women walking down the Contact JULIA MUSKEVICH at JMuskevich@DVCInquirer.com It is also often about mindless competition among friends street with gleaming hair and a striking dress, which in effect

opinions

Thursday, Oct. 13 - Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2016

editorial

Graphic illustration by Steven Staton

The lesser of two evils is a necessity

he presidential debates between, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, would be really funny and enjoyable to watch if one of the two weren't actually going to be the next president of the United States come Nov. 8. This is a scary election and too many young people seem to not care. Voting in this election shouldn't be a choice, because it's a necessity. There is absolutely no reason why only 28 percent of eligible voters voted in the primaries. That's ridiculous and those of you who are not registered or don't plan to vote are failing yourselves and the people around you. Deciding not to vote is selfish, irresponsible

and you're playing a dangerous game. Young people argue their vote doesn't matter or they doubt Trump will win the election. For those of you thinking this way, what is wrong with you? Assuming you don't want our next president to be Donald Trump,it's not the smartest tactic to decide not to vote, assume the other voters will vote in your favor and see what happens. That's idiotic and, unfortunately, there are many Diablo Valley College students who will do just that. For those of you who are registered to vote and refuse to vote for Hillary Clinton because you were a Bernie Sanders supporter, let it go. Bernie is out. Even he's endorsed Hillary. You're not doing anyone a favor, except Donald Trump, by

deciding to not vote or by voting for a third party candidate. Keep this in mind, 17 percent of the 28 percent of eligible voters who voted in the primaries voted for Trump and guess what? He became the Republican presidential candidate. We at the Inquirer are not necessarily thrilled to have Hillary Clinton as the Democratic candidate, but she's definitely getting our vote. It's easy to compare Clinton to Sanders and ignore all of her credentials, but Clinton is actually very qualified and is 100 percent a much better candidate than Trump. ~ Fall 2016 Editorial Board

letter to the editor

The stressful truth about student life

tudents are stressed, depressed, and on the verge of mental breakdowns after deciding to pursue higher education. This can be the result of taking on strenuous classes and work loads. On top of that, some students are working full or part-time jobs. Most schools offer counseling so that help and advice is readily available to those who need it, but most of the time it's actually very difficult to get an appointment with a counselor. The American College Health Association does a survey every year on the health of college students. Among under-

graduates in 2015, 20.2 percent were diagnosed with depression and 45.4 % felt that academics were traumatic and too difficult to handle. Diablo Valley College alone has 22,000 students and when applying those statistics 4,500 students are experiencing depression between both campuses. When trying to schedule a counseling appointment online, there was only one available counselor for both campuses, meaning that if a student needed to see a counselor, there is a possibility that our one counselor might not even be on the campus. Because of this, a good number of stu-

dents experiencing mental disorders cannot receive immediate treatment on campus. Yes, we as students want to succeed in college and our institution wants us to succeed as well, but our mental and physical health should always be a top priority. We should spread more awareness of mental health in college and give students a safe place to go to in their time of need. It’s the least we can do.

~ Jamie Ann Bautista DVC Student

The

Buzz

What is your favorite scary movie to rewatch? Interviewed by: Geoffrey Weseman Photographed by: Mia Blake

ANDREW WEINSTEIN, 22 Art

PARMIS ABABAF, 19 Undeclared

“‘Psycho,’ beause it’s a classic. I read the book and the story and character arcs were good.”

“‘Don’t Breathe’, because it was more suspenseful and action packed than scary.”

RICHARD ATTHOWE, 18 Mechanical engineering

SCARLETT FELIP, 18 Undeclared

“Probably ‘Annabelle’ because “The ‘Candyman’ because it of the story and it’s actually showed a lot of obscure things scary; unlike the others that are I haven’t seen before.” predictable.”

sports

Thursday, Oct. 13 - Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2016

Defender Sabrina Debardeleben fends off Wolverine player during a home game.

MIA BLAKE / The Inquirer

Vikings shut out soccer rivals MIA BLAKE Staff member

The Diablo Valley College women's soccer team remains undefeated after a 2-0 win on Oct. 4 against the Sierra College Wolverines at home and a 3-0 win against the American River College Beavers on Oct. 7. “I feel happy,” said freshman Vanessa Ruvalcaba. Ruvalcaba scored both of the game

winning goals against the Wolverines. DVC is currently 10-0-3 and leading the Big 8 conference along with Folsom Lake. After coming home from a tie game against San Joaquin Delta on Sep. 30, which Coach Cailin Mullins said was a “hard fought game,” the team was eager to get a win. “We got the results we were expecting,” freshman Sabrina Debardeleben said. The Vikings scored in every half of

their last 4 games, an impressive feat. Maya Hymel and Noelle Lemos both scored in DVC's latest game against American River College, giving the team a two game winning streak. DVC's next game will be away at Santa Rosa then they will be back home to face Cosumnes River Oct. 18 at 3:30 p.m.

Contact MIA BLAKE at MBlake@DVCInquirer.com

Setter Jamie Chow sets up a shot in a game against the Sierra College Wolverines.

MIA BLAKE/ The Inquirer

Vikings break winning streak at home streak DVC started the game off strong and won their first set 25-21. The second set started with DVC trailing 4-0. The Diablo Valley College women's Sierra had triple DVC’s score at one volleyball team lost 3-1 at home against point and remained ahead the entire set. the Sierra College DVC lost 25-19. “We have to work on Wolverines. The Vikings were Coach Jackie Ponthe first to score in set keeping energy up ciano-Babb said the three and stayed on when we are down.” top until Sierra tied team needs to, “Play well, be very competithe set, 20-20, then tive and fight to the took the lead and won ~CAILEY ROCQUEMORE Outside hitter end.” 25-21. She said not fightBoth teams were ing to the end is the neck and neck to start main reason behind the loss. off the fourth set until Sierra took the Coming off of a two game winning lead. MIA BLAKE Staff member

DVC almost caught up to Sierra later in the set, but ultimately lost 25-20. “We have to work on keeping energy up when we are down,” sophomore Cailey Rocquemore said. The team will also “work on covering and blocking,” said sophomore Jade Lee. There were several lengthy rallies during the game. The team plans to work on conditioning before their next game against San Joaquin Delta Oct. 12. The Vikings next home game will be against Folsom Lake Oct. 14 at 6:30 p.m.

Contact MIA BLAKE at MBlake@DVCInquirer.com

Mixed bag for Bay Area teams The Bay Area has been a tale of two cities this Fall. In San Francisco, this fall has had its ups and downs. The San Francisco Giants had a final month of baseball which was not the prettiest to get the job done on the road to the Major League Baseball Playoffs. But wins are wins which contribute to the World Series run by the Giants. An exciting three-run (home run) by Conor Gillaspie late in the National League Wild Card game against the New York Mets on October 5th. This propelled the Giants into the National League Division Series against the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs look to end their Wolrd Series woes by eliminating the Giants from postseason contention with one win away from advancing to the National League Division Series. From the MLB to the NFL, the San Francisco 49ers continue to struggle with a record of 1-4 after a fourth consecutive GEOFFREY WESEMAN loss Thursday Staff member night against the Arizona Cardinals. Colin Kaepernick is set to start next week's game against the Buffalo Bills to try and jump start the offense. The running ability of Kaepernick will add another dimension to the offense and keep the Bills defense on their toes.

“Derek Carr and the Oakland Raiders are rolling with a record which is their best since their 2002 Super Bowl appearance.” With a loss this week more than just the quarterback will be in the discussion moving forward. Across the bay, the Oakland Raiders keep moving forward with a record of 4-1. Derek Carr and the Oakland Raiders are rolling with a record which is their best since their 2002 Super Bowl appearance. The Raiders offensive line continues to give quarterback Derek Carr the protection and time he needs to find the receiving duo of Michael Crabtree and Amari Cooper. They continue to be a threat for defensive coordinators and defensive backs of the NFL. Add in the multiple running backs and an improved defense led by Khalil Mack the Oakland Raiders look to have the makings of a playoff team.

Contact GEOFFREY WESEMAN at GWeseman@DVCInquirer.com