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Wednesday, May 8, 2019 NEWS

Glendale’s Special Olympics Program helps society’s most overlooked to feel supported and empowered By Samantha Decker Features Editor It was a day of astonishing athleticism as well as a celebration differences at the Special Olympic Games held at the Hoover High School stadium Friday, April 19, 2019. Stands filled with fans erupted in cheers as the eager athletes took their starting positions. Events were completed with celebratory high-fives and hugs shared between coaches, teammates, and volunteers. Throughout the entire event, beaming smiles of pride and accomplishment could be seen from wide and far. This year, Glendale, Calif. had the privilege of hosting the games for the third time for the Southern California Division. The games featured track & field events ranging from foot-races to long jump and even javelin throwing. Hundreds of student athletes with various special needs from the Southern California area, came out to showcase their skills and compete. In preparation, the well-deserved athletes have put in countless hours of training for their performance on this local stage. Fans and friends of competitors from Crescenta Valley High School showed their support by waiving larger-than-life poster board headshots of athletes par-

ticipating in the games. The Southern California Special Olympics division allows all differently abled athletes who sign up, to compete at no out of pocket cost. This helps eliminate any type of barrier that may stand in an athlete’s way and therefore makes it truly inclusive to all in an effort to give everyone a chance to thrive. This is made possible by generous donors, dedicated volunteers and of course, the fans who attend. Beyond sports, the games teach a valuable lesson of finding strength in our differences through unity and cooperation. While scores and times were not officially recorded, achievement was measured in effort, good sportsmanship and most importantly, fun. In this way, it keeps the special Olympics about the celebration of all abilities as well as reinforces the importance of every athlete. Participating athletes were commemorated for their hard work and dedication with ribbons of recognition. The most valuable prize the athletes took home were the memories they made and friendships they forged that will last a lifetime. They will go on to compete again at California State Long Beach on June 8 and 9.

The event brought the campus together in an effort to appreciate the City of Angels By Tobias Graves-Morris Graphic Designer In a valiant effort to bring together the student body, Glendale College’s System Impacted Intellectuals club hosted an event which allowed the student body to experience, celebrate and participate in the Los Angeles urban culture. Led by club president David Callejas and organized by club founder Travis Leach, and made possible by Dr. Robert Hill, the dean of student services, they even gained the interest of many students around campus. Among the bustle that afternoon, there were three classic lowriders, which are iconic staples within the L.A. urban car scene. These concourse examples of automotive Americana attracted the attention of both students and faculty alike. As the event unfolded, more and more people chose to stick around to see what else was to offer. There was even live painting; a performance of street art and the opportunity for anyone attending to get involved and paint

SENIOR PRODUCTION MANAGER Hayk Rostomyan PRODUCTION MANAGER James Ojano-Simonsson

FEATURES EDITOR Samantha Decker OPINION EDITOR Hayk Martirosyan

STAFF REPORTER Paul Kim

SPORTS EDITOR Michael Dumansky

FACULTY ADVISER Rory Cohen rcohen@glendale.edu (818) 240-1000 ext. 5214

COPY EDITOR Yesenia Thomson Elena Jacobson

SPORTS REPORTERS Jonathan Vargas Elone Safaryan

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Tobias Graves-Morris

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Selena Reyes

PHOTO EDITOR Dylan A. Bryant

ENTERTAINMENT REPORTERS Saryana Nazarian Eduardo Carreno

BROADCAST REPORTER Tyler Greene

their own graffiti, as well. The interactive nature of the event, made it much more interesting for those in attendance, as well as the guests. Meanwhile, GCC alumni exhibited original poetry, which provided the entertainment for the large crowd who were patiently in line for the authentic street-style tacos, which perfectly complemented the atmosphere. By the end of the event, the turnout was larger than expected, to the point that they even ran out of tacos to give to guests. Organizers were deservedly proud of the occasion and satisfied with how the day turned out.

STAFF WRITERS Allazhar Duisenbek Jake Denne Gabby Duga Afroditi Kontos Tatiana Pak Lilit Sedrakyan Eisho Shiroma Martha Topete

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Samuel Reynolds

WEB EDITOR Alin Pasokhian

Tobias Graves-Morris Photo Credit

David Callejas: President of System Impacted Interlectuals

LIFESTYLE EDITOR Kylie Shannon ILLUSTRATOR Matthew Spencer

Everyone involved, did an outstanding job to successfully bring support and awareness to all organization associated, as well as showcasing that the urban or street lifestyle isn’t all the same violent and intimidating entity that it is portrayed to be. The event proved the community-oriented and forward-thinking nature of the members of System Impacted Intellectuals and their supporters. Their attitudes and outlook on life show that regardless of where one starts, there is an abundance of ambition, compassion, and talent every corner they look.

In this special broadcast episode, Tobias GravesMorris filmed the event. Visit this link to watch: http://bit.ly/2H5i7QN Or Scan this QR Code:

BROADCAST ASSISTANT Jordan Henry

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Marian Sahakyan

www.elvaq.com

System Impacted Intellectuals Bring Urban Culture To Campus

Samantha Decker can be reached at sdecker458@student.glendale.edu.

STAFF

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