The Express, February 12, 2020

A FIRST AMENDMENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF LAS POSITAS COLLEGE FEBRUARY 12, 2020

VOL. 31 ISSUE NO. 5

FIRST COPY FREE; ADDITIONAL COPIES 50 CENTS EACH

Roanna Bennie says goodbye to LPC Page 5

Alan Lewis/Express

Hawks try to right ship before playoffs Page 8

Mock leads team by example Page 6

2 NEWS

lpcexpress lpc expressnews.com news.com

Student Activity Fees­: Where does the money go?

Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Devin Bradshaw Managing/Features Editor Amy Tilson-Lumetta Sports Editor Nathan Canilao Opinions/Copy Editor Mikala Slotnick News/Campus Life Editor Rebecca Robison A&E/Web Editor Travis Danner Photo Editor Alan Lewis Editorial

and Production Staff

Ana Delgrado Maxwell Lander Taylour Martinez Sparkman Adviser Melissa Korber Business Manager Marcus Thompson II Technology Manager Jeff Bennett Lead Design Mentor Brianna Guillory Design Mentor Jennifer Snook Director of Events/Social Media Mentor Christina Vargas

© 2020 Express.* Reproduction in any form is strictly prohibited.

The Express is a First Amendment publication of the students of Las Positas College. It is published most Fridays during the academic year. The students who staff the Express run an editorially independent newsroom. Unsigned editorials reflect the collective opinion of the editorial board. Other opinions express the views of individual writers and artists are not to be considered the views of the publication’s staff, editorial board, advisors, the associated students, the college administration or the board of trustees. *Students retain copyright ownership of the content they create, including words, photographs, graphics, illustrations, cartoons and other work.

The Express retains copyright ownership to advertisements the Express creates. The Express retains the right to use all material in all forms in perpetuity.

By Alan Lewis @ALOLEWIS1

The student activity fee is used to fund Student Government, campus clubs and activities.

However, Student Government who controls the funds does not spend all the money collected. The representation fee is to be used to represent views of students with government bodies. However, the majority of the fee is used for Student Government to attend a conference in Washington, D.C. Students pay several fees, a mandatory health fee ($20), transportation fee ($8 or $9 depending on number of credits taking) a representation fee ($1) and an optional activity fee ($10).

Students who drive to campus also pay a $40 parking pass fee.

The fees are disproportional to part-time students as with the exception of the Transportation fee, all students pay the same regardless of number of credits taking. Kimber Ingalls, a previous part-time student and single mom expressed, “Paying the fees can be the difference between taking classes and not taking classes.”

The Student Activity fee is to fund student government and activities. Per the Las Positas Website, “An optional student Activities Fee of $10 will be assessed of all students each semester (excluding summer).

Students paying this fee receive an activity sticker that provides discounts on student activities and sports events. The fee helps finance student activities, Las Positas College clubs, scholarships, the Student Center and other student-related services.”

The estimated income for the 2019-2020 academic year is

Infograph by Alan Lewis/Express $140,000. The largest expense, by far, is the Inter Club Council (ICC=), which uses 44% of the amount collected. ICC supports more than 30 clubs on campus, each club receives funding of $500 per semester.

Second is Events, 15%, hosted by Student Government. The third program, 12%, is the textbook loaner program. Student Government purchases textbooks from the LPC Bookstore to lend to students who cannot afford to purchase textbooks.

Student Government Officer scholarships, 8.5%, funds the scholarships that Student Government receives for being part of Student Government.

LPC Program Support, 5.5%, is budgeted for donations, it is unknown what programs were funded by this is 2019.

The student activity fee money is not spent every year, the current budget has almost $30,000 in fees collected but not budgeted to be spent. Maxim Gikharev, Director of Finance, for Student Government says that he inher-

ited this budget from his previous Directors of Finance. Looking at the budget there appears to be a carryover from previous years of over $100,000 from activity fees collected but not spent in previous years.

Another fee is the mandatory student representation Fee of $1.

From the website “A mandatory Student Representation fee of $1 will be assessed of all students each semester or session. This fee is used for any purpose related to representing the views of students with governmental bodies.”

Per Gikharev, this fee is to increase to $2 next year with the addition dollar going to the Student Senate for California Community Colleges (SSCCC).

The mission of the SSCCC is “to pursue policies that will improve student access, promote student success, engage and empower local student leaders, and enrich the collegiate experience for all California community college students.”

This year Student Government has authorized $10,000 ($14,000

FREE TAX FILING AT LPC

Letters to the Editor The Express is a public forum newspaper that seeks to encourage robust discussion among members of the college community. Letters to the editor, editorial and opinion pieces, freelance articles and photographs may be sent via e-mail or U.S. mail.

Pieces must be typed and signed and include contact information, including a daytime phone number. Anonymous submissions will not be printed.

All submissions are edited for space and clarity, and upon publication become the property of the Express.

Student Government Budget breakout

S

tuck on your taxes? The Tri-Valley Career Center has you covered for free! Starting on Feb. 11, students and families with an income of less than $66,000 a year in 2019 can take their tax documents to the LPC library to e-file for free by IRS-certified volunteers. Available dates are Feb. 11, March 10 and April 14. All sessions are 10-1 p.m. in room 2033. Students interested in this program must register beforehand by calling 925-560-9431 or visiting http://www. trivalleyonestop.org/freetaxes.

L

has been budgeted) for four students and an advisor to attend the National Student Advisory Conference in Washington DC in March. Only $1,500 has been allocated for lobbying.

At the 2019 Student Advisory conference in addition to attending seminars, the Las Positas Representatives met with legislative correspondents of multiple California congressional representatives where they advocated and lobbied for issues pertaining to community colleges as well to all citizens of the United States.

The Student Activity fee is optional, but it takes a search on the LPC website to find how to opt out of the fee. There is a form in CLASS-Web under the Student Services Tab. This form must be filled out and sent or taken to the Admissions and Records Office in building 1600.

300 students, less than 4% of the student population, are currently opting out of this fee.

Currently, the Student Activity fees collect more money than student government spends.

NEW SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

as Positas College’s Annual Scholarship Program is open through March 8 for all students interested in applying. Numerous scholarships do not require a high GPA. Students interested in this program must fill out a general application at www.laspositascollege.edu/financialaid/lpc-scholarships.php in order to be matched up with qualifying scholarships. For more information, questions or concerns, contact the Financial Aid Office either in person in Building 1600 or by calling (925) 424-1580.

NEWS 3

february 12 12,, 2020

Distance education success rate reaches an all-time high

By Rebecca Robison @REBECCAROBISO19

Distance education has recently made big waves in Las Positas College’s curriculum. LPC offers two different kinds of distance education: online and hybrid courses.

A lot of the courses that LPC offers online are general education courses.

However, there are some degrees and certificates that can be earned completely online. Christina Lee, an LPC counselor, said that both online and face-to-face classes have benefits. Lee stated, “There are some great online courses with excellent course design where the instructors are very involved in the course and students have active interactions with each other as well as with the instructors. There are also some great in-person classes where students can benefit from attending on campus.”

She added, “Now if a student tells me that s/he has poor time management, forgets to check information on Canvas and/or prefers to talk about topics with an instructor, I would never recommend that student take an online class. … I think online learning requires more reading and writing, so if a student is OK with that, very motivated and has excellent organizational and time management skills, I might recommend an online class to that student.”

Since online classes started being offered at LPC, the number of students enrolled in distance education classes has doubled. According to a chart tracking students enrolled in only online classes in fall semesters, there were only 557 students enrolled in 2008. This made up about 5.9% of the school’s overall population.

In the graph for 2017, that number shot up to 1,063 students enrolled, which made up about 11.3% of the school’s population.

Needless to say, online classes are progressively becoming more popular. This begs the question: Are online and hybrid classes an effective source of education?

According to the fall success and retention rates on the LPC website, fall 2018 had a success rate of 66%, the highest success rate for fall semesters to date.Then in the spring of 2019, the success rate rose to 71%. Similar to the fall semester trend, this is the highest success rate to date for spring semesters.

Retention rates for fall 2018 and spring 2019 were 81% and 85% respectively. This is significant because in the beginning there were low success rates. Overall, the college-wide success rate for all programs, online and physical classes included was 74.4% in the 2018-2019 school year. This was, again, the highest success rate to date.

There may be a correlation between online success and overall college-wide success.

In a student survey administered in the fall of 2019, a large percentage of students marked “flexibility/convenience” as a reason why they chose online classes. Only 29% of students stated they could not come to campus, and 3% checked “disability” as a reason for taking classes online.

As far as satisfaction levels, only 44% of students felt “very satisfied” with the student to teacher interaction, and 30% were “satisfied.” The other 26% of students were either “unsatisfied” or “neutral.”

On the other hand, 60% of students noted they learned the same as in regular classes as they did online. 23% of the students even reported learning more content through online courses than they did in a physical classroom setting.

1,200

Students Taking Only Distance Ed. Classes Falls: 2008 to 2017

(11.3%)

1,035 1,000 800 (5.9%) 600

557

685

749

687

825

910

998

1,063

599

400 200 0 2008 2009 2010 Graph provided by LPC

2011

2012

An additional survey measured the sentiment of the faculty. Out of the 31 staff members surveyed, 8 of them felt unsatisfied with student success in their online classes. Only 5 members were very satisfied, and 16 members were just satisfied.

Interestingly, when the survey asked faculty how they verify student’s integrity, 45% of members reported that they do not check.

Julian Betancourt, a current LPC student commented on the issue of online cheating, stating, “I personally do think that, yes, there is a percentage of students that do cheat in online courses. However, I would say it’s just a small percentage.”

He added, “There are quite a lot of blockades that a cheating student would

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

have to go through. It just would not be worth the time or the effort for many to go through.”

Betancourt commented on distance education as a whole, saying, “I have to spend more time for classes on campus but spend more energy into online classes.”

Betancourt noted that there wasn’t a huge difference between online and physical classes, stating, “To be honest, they’re quite the same.”

Since LPC has branched out more towards online and hybrid courses, there has been a rise in success rates not only just for online classes but college-wide as well. With more classes being added each year, there might be a continuous rise in success rates in the future.

Lifelong learner Ke Zhang dies on campus at 86

By Brandon Byrne @BRANDONBYRNE18

The campus community has suffered another loss. Las Positas College student Ke Zhang, a fixture on campus, died on Jan. 22 at the age of 86.

After one of his classes, Zhang collapsed near the back of the 2400 building by the steps facing the quad. Paramedics rushed to campus and attempted to revive him, but to no avail. Zhang’s funeral service was held Feb. 9 at Graham Hitch Mortuary in Pleasanton.

Students who knew Zhang remembered him as a warm and welcome presence on campus.

“Ke was a really beautiful addition to the campus community,” said Florence Hinkle, a classmate of Zhang. “He always brought snacks to share, his stories were fascinating and his love for learning new things made him fun to be around and have in class. I will miss his sense of humor.”

Zhang came to LPC in 2014 after attending classes at Laney College in Oakland.

His focus was to complete all the general education requirements with an eye towards transferring to the University of

Alan Lewis/The Express Zhang’s WWII era bicycle which was left on campus after his death. The Library staff placed the flowers on the bicycle in memory of Zhang.

California, Berkeley. He also took many literature and writing classes.

Zhang was profiled in a 2014 issue of The Express, which noted his WWIIera bike that made the trip with him to America. It also chronicled his love of basketball, which he began playing as a youth in China and even played recreationally at

LPC well into his 80s.

“I loved (basketball) very much when I was a little boy,” Zhang said in the story. “I played basketball, and I was maybe pretty good.”

Zhang was born in Henan Province in 1933 and experienced the Japanese occupation of China during World War II as a

boy. He graduated from university as an engineering major at age 19 and worked as a special machine designer in a Beijing automobile factory. He helped make Jeeps for the American Motors Corporation.

Zhang was a bit of a marvel at LPC. He was known for being friendly and wellliked, for asking good questions and for his incredible life story spanning time and countries. He demonstrated the importance of fellowship and diversity.

“The students as a whole really enjoyed him when he was at school,” said Diana Navarro-Kleinschmidt, the school’s Library Services Specialist. “Ke was a caring person and would bring in food to the library and for his classmates to share.”

This point was echoed by student Helena Ellis Do Amaral.

“Ke was a hard worker when it comes to his studies,” she said. “He was always in the library working on this homework. He was a great person to be around because he would make his friends laugh and when his friends were having a bad day, he was always there to cheer them up.”

Zhang is survived by his wife Huiwen Sun, daughters Connie Lien and Lu Zhang as well as granddaughter Evelyn Zhang.

4 NEWS

lpcexpress lpc expressnews.com news.com

New soccer field places emphasis on player safety

By Max Lander @MAXIMUSLANDER

Over the years, the field at LPC has become worn down, battered and untidy. However, LPC has recently received the pleasure of its very own AstroTurf installation, making the field safe again for players to continue playing on the turf.

AstroTurf, a manufacturer of synthetic turf fields, uses special materials and ingredients to not only prevent the dangerous symptoms of sports play but provide the best field possible to improve athlete’s performance.

AstroTurf was first used in a professional sports venue fifty years ago this year, the Astrodome.

LPC’s previous turf field recently approached its expiration date, ultimately making it time for the historic brand, Astro Turf to be the ones to install a new field for our athletes to benefit from and enjoy.

The turf features Supernatural Hemp EPDM rubber. Hemp fibers are woven throughout the rubber material. The hemp wicks water, cooling the field up to 40 degrees. Zeolite Clinoptilolite, another main ingredient, made up of organic minerals used in the main infill provides a honeycomb molecular shape which allows it to absorb and slowly release water for noticeably cooler field temperatures up to 52 degrees.

LPC is only the second field in the Bay Area to have Supernatural Hemp EPDM installed by Astro turf, right behind De La Salle High School.

Each field built is overseen by an AstroTurf Construction Manager. These managers are experienced professionals with degrees in either engineering or construction management and are ASBA-Certified Field Builders.

Inez Ayyera, the construction manager for the field at LPC supervised the project during its two and half months of construction. Starting on Aug. 15th, the field was made inaccessible until its completion in the middle of October.

In the meantime, according to Andrew Cumbo, the Head Coach for the men’s and women’s soccer team, “The intercollegiate soccer teams moved all training to the grass field and KIN Flag Football moved to the synthetic turf field at Cayetano Park, which is less than one mile away from campus.”

Cumbo was one of the individuals who expressed his concern as the renewal date for a new turf field drew nearer. He stated, “Since we are the ones who use

the facility often, it’s important to let our supervisors know when these things happen so that they can support the campus.”

Joseph Vitale, a Flag Football player at LPC expressed his satisfaction with the new field, saying, “I really like the new field. It’s a lot better than the old one because it feels a lot better when you fall and you don’t get as cut-up.”

When installing the field at LPC, AstroTurf used Brock’s Powerbase YSR. This base is the industry’s first complete base replacement technology for synthetic turf and was used just above the foundation of the field.

It is optimized to enhance player safety and performance while improving field drainage. Before installation takes place, the material is run through a series of tests to optimize player’s safety.

The Head Injury Criterion test, the Gmax test, and the deformation test are all used in making a safer field all while giving athletes the competitive edge they need to perform at a high level.

HIC is the internationally recognized test standard for head injuries. The test is used to prevent concussions and is the same test used in playgrounds, automotive crashes, wall padding, pole vaulting and the WR Reg22 standard for artificial turf.

There is also a Gmax test. It measures the shock attenuation performance of a sports surface.

G-max testing refers to a result in gravities which is the ratio of the maximum acceleration/deceleration that is experienced during an impact. A high result means that a surface has low shock attenuation characteristics.

The last test used is the Vertical deformation test, which is how much a field is deformed when ran upon. This measurement is important because if a surface is too soft an athlete risks ankle, knee and other joint and soft-tissue injuries.

If the surface is too hard, issues like concussions or impact injuries can occur. Brock systems provide stiff panels that spread the running load out over a much greater area to provide a firm platform for a field. At the top of the surface, “pistons” are engineered to allow for the right amount of deformation during running.

AstroTurf ’s systems have taken the necessary steps to ensure the protection of our athletes from injury. For students interested in getting a closer look, the field is located to the right of the 2500 building if you were facing it from parking lot P. Stay tuned for the upcoming soccer season schedule for fall 2020.

Alan Lewis/The Express

LPC new field is sure to make all athletes safer. LPC will implement AstroTurfs latest, safest technology into the field.

When seeking enlightenment, start with your financial health.

Discover one-on-one counseling and on-site seminars on a variety of topics at ChabotFCU.com.

Get Started Today ChabotFCU.com See credit union for details. Federally insured by NCUA.

February 12 12,,2020

Roanna Bennie leaves impactful legacy at Las Positas College Bennie is retiring from her position as Interim President after four years.

Ana Delgadillo @LPCEXPRESSNEWS

Sarah Thompson was looking for a satiny pageant-style sash that read “RETIREMENT” across the front. The party store she rummaged didn’t have one.

She settled for the “BIRTHDAY PRINCESS” one she could find.

It would have to do. Plus, it came with a tiara.

Roanna Bennie wore it proudly — just as she did whenever Las Positas College needed her to assume a title.

“Your heart is in your work,” she said in a sit-down interview in her office. “Take advantage of that. Enjoy that. You can grow from that. And you are in a great environment where people who work here are wanting the success of the students. It’s very much of a warm community.”

After five years at Las Positas College, four as the interim president, Bennie decided to move to the next phase of her life. But first she served the college through the illness of Dr. Barry Russell and then through an elongated search for a new leader of Las Positas College.

On Feb. 10, new president Dyrell Foster started his tenure — “He seems very open and eager to learn,” Bennie said — but first the administrators said thank you to Bennie, who by most accounts expertly filled the leadership void.

On Feb. 5, the administrators

gave her a rousing send off in the Mertes Center for the Arts . She was moved to tears as she gave her speech. Her colleagues shed a few as well.

“There are three things Roanna really cared about: students, employees, and community” said Thomas Orf, Faculty Association leader. “Over my 30 plus years of working in community colleges, I have worked with a total of nine different college Presidents in five different schools across four states. Roanna, by far, was one of the best Presidents I have ever seen.”

Bennie contributed greatly to education across the board.

In addition to teaching at both public and private universities and community colleges, she has also served on boards for the Association of California Community College Administrators (ACCCA) and the Community College League of California (CCLC).

She majored in speech at Montana State University before earning her master’s in speech communication from California State University, Northridge.

More recently, she was the vice president of instruction at Miramar college in San Diego.

Bennie first arrived at Las Positas College in the spring of 2015. She was hired as vice president of academic services.

“Looking at the size of the college, how successful the col-

lege was, having innovative ideas and hearing the reputation of Las Positas is what interested me in coming here,” she said. “What I found when I got here was, ‘Wow. This is really going to work.’ I like the spirit of LPC and the culture we have here.”

During the following school year, 2016-17, President Russell became ill with cancer and took a leave of absence. Bennie and fellow vice president Diane Brady stepped in to fill the duties. When it became clear Russell wouldn’t return, and he retired from the college, Bennie officially took over as interim president.

In her eyes, she explained, becoming president of Las Positas was natural, organic. It was as if the college chose her.

Bennie’s impact on campus was plentiful. She was connected to the student trustees, mentoring them along the way. She also forged relationships with the student government and the veterans, among other campus communities. She said her biggest achievement was aiding in the success of students.

There are a few things she wishes she’d done differently.

Walk around the library more often. Go to more art galleries.

Celebrate students’ successes with them. Wanting to be with and enjoy the people — that defines her the spirit with which she led the college, and why she was worthy of the tiara and sash.

FEATURES 5

6lpc lpcexpress expressnews.com news.com

FEAT

Brennan Mock steers Talk Hawks success

By Nathan Canilao @NATHANCANILAO

ophomore Brennan Mock cracks a smile, one toe S tapping as he waits on stage. In a few minutes, Mock will pluck a random topic from a hat, and emerge 30

minutes later with a fully memorized seven minute speech. His topic today: Why BART should extend to Tracy.

Roars of excitement erupt from the hearty dose of Tracy residents in the crowd. Mock, despite a lukewarm interest in the subject, heads backstage to craft his speech. He cranks out research with practiced efficiency, sculpting his ideas as he designs his speech.

The crowd, breath held in anticipation, warms into a round of applause as Mock steps under the bright stage lights. For seven minutes straight, Mock stuns the crowd with a watertight speech, every point delivered with incisive precision. Given the level of research, statistical analysis and pure joy, this speech should have taken at least a week to create, not a handful of minutes.

As his speech comes to a close, Mock offers a humble thanks to the crowd, flashing one last charismatic smile before leaving the stage.

Mock is the Talk Hawks team Captain. He has an impressive list of awards, including bronze in impromptu speeches at the National Speech and Debate Competition.

Though now, Mock radiates a gregarious confidence, he was not always like this.

The 2018 Granada High School graduate grew up as a shy, quiet kid - until he found his real passion: speech and debate. Once he entered this new world, his life turned complete 180.

Mock isn’t your average Gen Z college student.

According to his teammates he acts very mature for his age. Almost too mature.

“He’s very dated. He is a boomer,” said speech and debate teammate Laura Lykins.

“He even drives like a boomer. When he’s on the highway, he literally goes 55” One would never guess that a person who listens to low-fi hip-hop, drives 55 on the freeway and who’s favorite movie is “All the President’s Men” would be a Nationally recognized public speaker. But Mock’s resume speaks for itself. In addition to his bronze at Nationals, he’s led the team to multiple top finishes in the Bay Area.

Mock credits many people for his success, but gives extra thanks to his coaches, teachers and teammates.

“I credit my teachers for inspiring inspiring my love for public speaking. From my 5th grade teacher Mrs. Doberman to my high school English teacher Mrs. Jost, they really inspired me to become better at my craft” In return, his teachers and teammates praised Mock’s ability to lead and his strong work ethic.

Lisa Jost, Mock’s high school English teacher always saw that Mock was going to do great things.

“Brennan was never afraid to ask questions. That’s what made his writing and speech special” Mock’s ability to want to learn more and want to be curious is just one reason why he enjoys public speaking and debate. He always wants to learn more about issues concerning regular people and is not afraid to speak his mind on these issues whether they are popular or not.

It was in high school when Mock’s world flipped. Mock had strong opinions on a variety of subjects, garnering encouragement from teachers and friends to voice his opinions.

He ended up joining the mock trial team, which allowed him to break out of his shell and hone his ability to

speak before crowds.

As his high school years progressed he was able to gain perspective on different issues that affected young people across the country. In addition to shouldering the mock trial team, Mock also wrote for the school newspaper. This helped him explore opinions and thoughts on diverse issues at the local and national level.

During his senior year of high school, Mock gave a lengthy speech about gun control in the wake of the Parkland High School shooting. The issue was divisive and many students did not agree with Mock’s stance, but Mock spoke his mind for minutes in front of the whole student body and didn’t hold back on his stance.

This was one of the first moments where Mock realized that he had the capability to speak in front of a large crowd and share an opinion that not everyone agreed upon. He carried this confidence into college, earning a reputation as someone his teammates can look up to and his coaches can count on.

Several of Mock’s teammates appreciated the fact that his leadership style doesn’t feel intimidating or controlling. Instead, he leads by example, inspiring the rest of the team want to work harder and motivating them to do their best on in the brightest of stages.

This sentiment goes both ways. Mock has always appreciated his teammates and how they constantly help him get better day in and day out.

“I know it’s cliche to say, but I like to think of us as almost like a family. Like sports teams, we go through the same joint experiences together, and through those joint experiences we get closer as a family” All of the students on the Talk Hawks put a tremendous amount of pressure on themselves to succeed. But Mock believes the team culture is what helps them achieve success.

And in the few moments where their performance may falter, the team is always there to pick each other up. Mock thrives in this environment because he is able to get reassurance from his team that no matter what happens, they will always be a family at the end of the day.

Up in room 4211 there are loud noises. One can assume that people are having heated arguments. There’s a lock on the door, and only those with the passcode can get in if the door is locked.

Upon walking in the noises get louder and the conversations get more intense until you walk in and the whole room suddenly bursts into laughter. On the outside it sounds hostile, but when you walk in you hear a warm hearted roast battle along with serious work being discussed.

The Talk Hawks are truly a family. When one wins, they all triumph. When one fails they pick each other back up and become an even tighter family unit. With a wide Mock says “If you have a story to tell, this is the best place to tell it. There will be people in our community who will always want to hear what you have to say, and it is our privilege to hear what you have to say” Mock’s future looks bright He has already committed to transfer to California State University, Monterey Bay. The possibilities are expanding and he is already traveling at light speed.

Well, maybe just 55.

Alan Lewis/Express Brennan Mock, Captian of the Talk Hawks team Captai has led the team to numerous wins. Under his guidance, the team has become a tight-knit family.

TURE

February,12,, February, 12,, 2020

7

Life of a Stage Manager

By Mikala Slotnick @MIKALA_XOXO

here is more to a play than the performers. If you take a step back, the distinctive T hues and textures of light come into focus. Music and subtle sound design sway the mood. Scenery shifts with the swift synchronous movements of a black-clad crew.

But who oversees this symphony of elements, ensuring a show is delivered? The stage manager.

Kevin Simoskevitz, the stage manager for Las Postias’s upcoming production Stage Door, works hand-in-hand with director Dyan McBride. He discusses his role and offers insight for those interested in breaking into the field.

How does the director and stage manager work together during the production process?

“The director is the artistic brain of the show. They bring their image for the stage to the rest of theHow artistic The and stage manager work doesteam. the director Mikala Slotnick/Express director works with costume togetherdesigners, during the production process? lighting technicians, Scenic construction crews, and properties masters. Not to Why did you decide to become a stage manager? What mention the producers, publicity organizshows have you managed for? ers, and other unseen artistic members of the team. It is the job of the stage manag“I was an actor before I got involved in Technical Theater. It wasn’t er to be the informational bridge between until I saw a few of Las Positas’ beautiful productions a few years back the directors and the design team. “My that I wanted to be involved in more. I’ve always loved all aspects of the main job is the organization and distribuarts, the performing arts in particular. Acting was fun but I was always tion of information between the departmore fascinated by the sets, the lights, and the costumes. but I didn’t ments.” know where to put my focus when studying. My professor said they

Mikala Slotnick/Express

The tech theater class (THEA 48) helps the designers bring their creations to life.

The class is the crew for the productions in LPC. There are different jobs that the students can take part of such as: sound design, props or dresser.

Are there any memorable stories that you have as stage manager? What shows have you stage managed for?

“Every day in rehearsal is different. When working in the theater you don’t have any boring or slow days. I have so many stories from rehearsals I’ve been in, but one of my favorite moments from rehearsal is when my director Dyan McBride was talking to her cast during our run of Evita. She was explaining how busy, fun, and exciting her life as an actor has been. She has been doing this since she was a teenager, acting, directing, singing and dancing. Now she teaches, directs, and acts professionally all over the bay area.

In the middle of the story she said “One day I just paused and said...shoot... I forgot to have kids!” which elicited a huge laugh from the cast.”

What advice would you give people who want to pursue stage management?

“For someone who wants to pursue stage management I would tell them they need to be extremely organized.

They need to know their show very well, and be the #1 source of information for anyone who asks. Knowing how to create a spreadsheet, and organize a group of people is extremely helpful, and If you have good people skills, this job could be great for you!”

What does a stage manager do during auditions, rehearsals and shows?

“During rehearsal the director works with the actors

trying to bring her story to life through their words and actions. New ideas come up, props that are added, costumes that need modification, and the stage manager takes all of her notes and tells it to the design team through the rehearsal report. This is a document that is sent out daily to the designers and crew so they can stay up to date with the constant changes and updates.”

During a show, the stage manager is up in the tech booth calling cues. Therefore the stage manager has an assistant stage manager to help them run backstage. In Stage Door’s case, there are two ASM’s who are Holly Simoskevitz and Jonathan Weiss.

Stage Door runs from March 6th through March 15th!

needed a stage manager for a show they were doing that semester and I said I was interested! It turns out the stage manager is heavily involved in all of the things I had been interested in! I fell in love with the role instantly and my favorite part of this job is calling the show when everything has fallen into place. I’ve been a stage manager at Las Positas for the last 3 years, and I hope to be one for the near future.”

Mikala Slotnick/Express

How do you manage your time between rehearsal and (academics, job, etc)?

I try to separate my personal life from rehearsal and the show as much as possible. At first I tried to combine the two, and always be available to be working on the show in my free time, but it ended up being way too much and would lower the quality of my work on both sides.

8 SPORTS

lpcexpress lpc expressnews.com news.com

Hawks’ consistent play will be crucial to deep playoff run

By Nathan Canilao @NATHANCANILAO

The Hawks came into the season ranked the 3rd best community college in the state of California. The team started out very strong going 10-4 in the preseason and 3-0 through the first three games of conference play.

Since then, the team has reached a rough patch going 4-3 in their last seven games.

Inconsistency has plagued them throughout the middle half of the season as the team has lost key games and escaped some big upsets. With the amount of talent on the team, the Hawks should be in the conversation for competing for the state championship, not fighting with the middle of the pack teams for playoff contention. To reach their full potential for this season, playing with more consistency and fire will be the deciding factor for the Hawks.

The Hawks had high expectations for the season, but have dropped off since the start of the season. According to CCCMBCA’s preseason poll they came into the season ranked third, but haven’t been back in the top ten since Nov. 18.

A trend throughout the Hawks’ losses are that teams are willing to go to a zone defense to limit the Hawks’ inside attack.

The Hawks have size and athleticism and attack the basket very well. Sophomores Michael Hayes and Wesley Burse get a lot of their points in by attacking the basket and posting up on the block.

As of late, teams have dared the Hawks to shoot from the outside and to a certain extent it has worked. The team has shot 34.5% from behind the arc in the last six games, compared to 38.6% through their first three conference games.

Mid-game adjustments have also been a problem for the team.

In games against Ohlone and Chabot, the Hawks were leading at the half, but lost those leads when the second half started.

The Hawks would have momentum or a sizable lead, but would let the opposing team stick around and come back in the game instead of putting the game away. One reason for this has been the lack of discipline in sticking to the game plan, a sentiment echoed by Hayes throughout the season.

“We went away from every-

Hawk Squawk Hawks February Basketball Schedule vs. Chabot February 12

@ Skyline February 14

Women – 5:00 p.m. Women- 5:00 p.m.

Men – 7:00 p.m.

Men- 7:00 p.m.

vs. San Mateo vs. San Francisco February 19 February 21 Women – 5:00 p.m. Women – 5:00 p.m.

Men – 7:00 p.m.

Men – 7:00 p.m.

thing we practiced on,” Hayes said after a loss to Chabot on January 17. “The other team played harder tonight.”

Hayes has also said that the team’s biggest problems are keeping consistent throughout games and going away from what is working. Through the last six games, the Hawks have come out of the halftime break going away from the game plan which has cost them. The team would then either have to play from behind or work extra hard to keep a lead.

“It’s almost like we need to get punched in the mouth for us to be ready to play,” said associate head coach Jordan Whittenburg.

In the game against Foothill College, the team led by as much as 11 in the second half. The Hawks seemed to have a lot of momentum until mental mistakes doomed them on both ends of the floor leading to Foothill stealing the game in the final minutes.

Through the turbulence, there is a lot to be learned from each game. Coach James Giacomazzi has been going deeper into his rotation to find players who can contribute on any given night.

That will be important come playoff time as the bench play

will be an x-factor in big games.

Giacomazzi has found contributions from every player thus far this season. Players like freshman point guard Nikko Echalas and sophomore shooting guard Tyler Langowski have provided an offensive spark for the team when needed. Sophomore guard Isaiah Abdul and sophomore forward Michael Moore provide defensive intensity off the bench.

Through their struggles, Giacomazzi said he doesn’t give much thought to rankings at this point in the season.

“We’re not too concerned about the ranking right now.

There’s still four games left and a lot to play for. At this point we’re more concerned about who we’re going to play and if we’re playing our best basketball.”

The team has high expectations this year that they’re striving to accomplish. The Hawks have the talent and coaching to compete with anybody in the state, but consistent play will be the key to winning a state championship. The Hawks will be a tough team to beat come playoff time if they can figure out how to elevate their play going into the postseason.

Photo by Alan Lewis

Coach James Giacomazzi coaching the team from the sidelines against Canada College.

9 SPORTS

lpcexpress lpc expressnews.com news.com

Follow us @LPC LPCExPRESS ExPRESSNEWS NEWS

Kobe Bryant- An enemy I never thought I’d love

Photo by Bleacherreport.com

Kobe Bryant and Warriors point guard Stephen Curry sharing a moment during a regular season game in 2011. The death of Kobe Bryant shocked the entire NBA community and tributes to him have been presented at Chase Center and other arenas across the country.

By Devin Bradshaw @DEVINBRADSHAW_

As a kid from Oakland, naturally, I’m a Warriors fan.

Kobe Bryant was drafted the year I was born: 1996. So from the time I could comprehend basketball, Kobe was the best in the league. I grew up hating him.

I wished he would miss shots. Wished he would choke under pressure. Wished he would lose to Golden State.

But he never missed, or choked, or lost. At least it seemed that way. Feels like I died a thousand deaths at the hands of Kobe. He flaunted in my face, and that of Warriors fans, how good we weren’t, and how far we were from his level.

But that hate morphed into love over the years. It began with a profound respect for his ability. It grew into sincere appreciation for the privilege of watching him.

Before long, I harbored a profound affinity for Kobe. It felt treasonous and righteous. I was stanning for a hated rival yet also admiring an all-time great and the attributes that made him legendary.

His tragic passing brought to the surface how I felt.

The way the news hurt told me how much he meant to me. Even writing this feels more like torture than a tip of the cap. It is difficult for my fingers to move across the 109 keys on my MacBook Pro. They tremble from the reality that made them move.

I don’t have the words to describe my emotions. It still feels surreal. But through the tears from watching his peers breaking down as they talk about him, through the tearing of my heart at every video tribute and photo of him and his daughter, I am compelled to say this: Thank you, Kobe.

Thank you, Kobe, for being the enemy, a villain worthy of love usually reserved for friends.

Thank you, Kobe, for giving me a chance to witness greatness when it felt like I missed it as Michael Jordan retired in my youth.

I got an opportunity to see Kobe live in the 2005-06

season. Just after he took down my favorite player, LeBron James, Kobe rolled into Oakland and put 38 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists on my Dubs. It angered me as, near the end of the game in which he torched us, chants of “M-V-P” roared through Oracle Arena as he shot his free throws.

Thank you, Kobe, for showing me how to be a killer on the court.

I was also so attracted to his tenacity. I used to lowkey love it when he’d turn up the defense in the fourth quarter of close game and shut down the opposing star. His aura burned like a fire as competition consumed him. I tried to pattern my pick-up exploits after his assassin ways. I even sought the difficult shots he made look easy. When I made them, I felt akin to him, that unbridled confidence that comes with belittling your foe.

I learned how to never give up from Kobe, to never accept defeat. When I lost, I wanted more. At one point I would have hated to admit he inspired that in me. But he did. Watching the man put on the greatest scoring display I’ve ever seen — with 81 points against Toronto — changed my life.

Thank you, Kobe, for giving me incredible friends.

Back in the 10th grade I failed a Spanish class because I argued with one of my best friends for the entire year. He disrespected LeBron by saying Kobe was better and all my focus was on proving he was wrong. But we became tight from our debates. I argued with my older cousin about the same thing. He was so beloved his supporters defended him to death. I respect a man who inspires that kind of fervor.

Thank you, Kobe, for inspiring my go-to motivational song.

In 2013, Lil Wayne put out a song called “Kobe Bryant.”

All of 8th grade year, practically every day, I listened to it.

It didn’t matter the mood, the circumstance or the agenda.

Wayne rapped about Kobe’s dominance on the court.

His greatness and work ethic to be the best and maintain

that level. Being a big hooper and having a song like that, especially about someone as great as him always hyped me up.

Thank you, Kobe, for ending your career in the most epic fashion it deserved.

His final game was on at the same time the Warriors were making history with their 73rd win of the season, breaking the NBA record. My favorite team was doing the unthinkable. But guess what I was watching? Kobe.

I watched every bucket as he put up 60 on Utah, willing a terrible Lakers team to a win and himself to one last dramatic performance. In his final quarter of basketball, without much left in the tank, he outscored the Jazz by himself, 23-21, to punctuate his career. Brought me to tears.

Thank you, Kobe, for being a superhero. You were so tough you played through numerous injuries— like that time you tore your Achilles and still shot the free throws and tried to go back in. So determined you dared to put the whole league on your back. So committed you flew to Germany for experimental knee surgeries, pioneering procedures that have become common place because you still had to give your peers that work.

Thank you, Kobe, for showing us how to be a present father. You were a psycho maniac player and you took that same approach to maniacally love and support your daughters.

Kobe wasn’t just a basketball player. He was basketball’s Superman for so many boys and girls around the world.

He will be missed so much by everyone in the sports world. Earth lost an icon, one that transcended sports. It won’t be the same. Not just because he is gone, but also because he was so impactful while he was here, Thank you, Kobe “Bean” Bryant.

They say keep your friends close and keep your enemies closer. I’m so glad I employed that mindset with Kobe, because it feels like I gained a friend. Which is why it hurt so much that I lost him.

10 Arts and Entertainment

lpcexpress lpc expressnews.com news.com

The Sounds of LPC

Changing student perceptions, one song at a time

By Taylour Sparkman @T_SPARKMAN_330

hey say to never judge a book by its cover in hopes T that people become more open to books despite first impressions. Often times this same

saying is applied to humans, to incite friendliness amongst strangers and to judge others based on character, rather than looks.

Just as everyone’s personality differs, so does their taste in music.

Some people get competitive when discussing which type of music, they consider best, bashing the genres that they don’t listen to, and sometimes going as far as generalizing and stereotyping the fans of those genres, or in a sense, judging a book by its cover.

Everyone has different opinions about music, just as everyone comes from different backgrounds in life.

However, we shouldn’t let these differences separate us, instead we can celebrate them and challenge ourselves to become more open to other things we previously may have not given a chance.

The student body at Las Positas College is very diverse, so one can assume that the types of music they listen to is also diverse.

Howard Wu, a self-proclaimed 52-year-old with the heart of a 25-year-old and student at LPC, is new to America and loves music. Coming from China one year ago, his English is fairly broken and understandably, he doesn’t understand the entirety of the language yet.

However, with patience, a mutual desire to continue the conversation and a little help from Google Translate, Wu was able to share his music interests.

Ever since his early 20’s, he had a fascination with American music, finding it creative and inspiring. Mr. Wu has two cell phones, one purchased in China and one in America.

On his American phone, he uses Apple Photo by Alan Lewis Music to enjoy songs such as “Take Me Home, Country Roads” by John Denver, and also likes listening to U2.

On his Chinese phone, he enjoys songs like “This Song” by 2AM, on apps like KuGou and NetEase, a Chinese equivalent to Spotify.

Regardless of language barriers, Wu is able to enjoy many different types of music, just like many others worldwide.

Even if one can’t understand the lyrics to a song, the song still evokes a feeling to the listener and how the music itself sounds, can be appreciated.

This makes music universal and it can be a driving force to unite us all, despite any differing lifestyles and opinions we may have.

Wu was excited when told there’d be a student made playlist for the school so that others can discover new music, “Yes! Different is good, people need change, and need to find new music. It’s necessary to understand each other’s differences.” Wu is living proof that we shouldn’t judge books by their cover.

The Sounds of LPC collaborative playlist

Through the “Collaborative Playlist” feature on Spotify, you can check out and edit the “Sounds of LPC” playlist. This playlist challenges you to broaden your horizons and listen to a variety of songs that your peers enjoy and listen to themselves.

Artists include the likes of Elton John, Harry Styles, Post Malone, Mac Miller, and the Rolling Stones, as well as many others.

Not everyone may enjoy or recognize every song on this playlist, but if you feel like adding a song to represent your own personal taste in music, you can.

If you have Spotify Premium, you are able to edit the playlist from your mobile phone and from a computer, but if you have the free version of Spotify, your are limited to the computer version of the app.

If you do in fact decide to edit the playlist, we ask you politely to not ‘add songs anyways’ if prompted that the song is already in the playlist, in order to avoid hearing the same song more than once in a shuffle. We also ask that you don’t remove any songs from the playlist because you don’t like it or just because you can. This is meant to be a fun learning experience for all.

Where Las Positas Listens to Music

Spotify 2 2 YouTube 8 Pandora 7 Other 19 Soundcloud 5 57 Apple

Based on a survey of 96 Las Positas students.

Infograph by Jennifer Snook and Taylour Sparkman

Arts and Entertainment 11

February,12 February, 12,, 2020 REVIEW

‘Birds of Prey’: Harley Quinn movie long on title, short on impact

By Travis Danner @TRAVDANNER

T

he newest offering of the DC Comics extended movie universe is kinda like when you were a kid and one of the other kids poured ketchup and candy and soda and salt and crunched up chips on their plate of leftover school cafeteria french bread pizza, mixed it all up and dared you to try it — there’s just way too much on this plate.

The lengthily-titled “Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)” is a sequel to 2016’s “The Suicide Squad” centered solely around the character of Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) and does little to improve upon the quality of that already not-terribly-good film. Much of the pre-release hype around this sequel centered on the female-oriented plot and the fact that it was made by a woman filmmaker, Cathy Yan. These aspects of the production are to be commended — we need more female perspectives in cinema.

But unfortunately “Birds” is just way too loud, way too incoherent and not a good enough movie to warrant the sort of political relevance bestowed upon it by social media.

The film follows Quinn after a breakup with her longtime boyfriend and partner-in-terrorizing-Gotham-City, the Joker. In this instance, it’s not the Joaquin Phoenix one, but the Jared Leto

one that looked like a Hot Topic ad circa 2004 threw up. Quinn teams up with a team of other women to stop the Gotham crime boss Black Mask (Ewan MacGregor) from stealing a diamond, or something.

To be honest, the plot seemed to be an excuse for just a bunch of loud noises, and “badass” shaky cam action sequences with an abundance of music video slowmotion effects.

To be fair, Robbie is great here, just as she was in “Suicide Squad,” and MacGregor seems to very obviously be having the time of his life chewing every inch of the scenery whenever he’s on-screen.

But those two things are the beginning and end of any praise I have for this film. I have a litany of other problems.

For starters, I have no idea why Black Mask was doing anything he was doing. To call this villain one-dimensional would be an insult to the first dimension. In fact there is a parade of poorly defined characters. There are plot holes you could drive a truck through and numerous structural problems — one flashback sequence is so long I got a serious case of whiplash once the narrative rounded back to its present time.

When the movie downshifts out of its numerous action sequences, it becomes so boring I found myself committing the unforgivable sin of looking at my iPhone in the theater.

But the most egregious of all crimes against cinema this movie

Photo Courtesy of Warner Brothers (From left to right) Rosie Perez, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Margot Robbie, Ella Jay Basco, and Jurnee Smollett-Bell star in Warner Brothers’ “Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn).” Robbie plays Harley Quinn, the sidekick and ex-girlfriend of super villain the Joker who joins forces with a team of women to take on a Gotham City crime lord following her breakup with the Joker.

commits is its utter wasting of the talents of Mary Elizabeth Winstead, who is only around for something like 15 minutes of actual screen-time with the most eye-rollingly cliched revenge backstory imaginable.

But what bothered me most in this brutally relentless cacophony was the too loud background music, frenetic, headache-inducing editing and barely-plotted nonsense. It seemed like a bunch of things were happening, and I had no idea why.

Once Quinn strapped on roller skates for the big climactic chase

in the third act, I couldn’t help but be terrified someone I knew would see me leaving the theater.

Much was made on social media prior to this film’s release about how it would counteract the nihilism and “white male rage” of Todd Phillips’ “Joker.”

After seeing both films, I seriously question the sincerity of anyone who tries to say this endless, ear-splitting, eye-straining slog is a better movie than “Joker” (as derivative of Martin Scorsese as it was) in any conceivable fashion. It’s not.

Whatever one thinks of that

movie’s politics (or lack thereof ), at least it was made with a serious degree of visual flair, craft and didn’t throw 8,000 edits in your face every second.

There is a reason why January through March are considered to be “dump months” for new releases. It’s the time when Hollywood dumps the movies it knows are stinkers into theaters — movies that, for whatever reason, are just too messy for the months when people actually go to the movies.

This movie fits neatly into that space, which is about the only thing neat about it.

On the brink of irrelevance, the Oscars achieve some semblance of redemption

By Travis Danner @TRAVDANNER

C

olor me shocked — the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences actually chose to award their Best Picture award to a movie that really deserved it, Bong Joon-Ho’s “Parasite.”

For an awards ceremony on the brink of complete irrelevancy that celebrates an artform slowly bleeding out its cultural cachet, the Feb. 9 Academy Awards telecast from the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles was a refreshing reinvigoration of both. In yet another year where the Oscars were marred by accusations of racism, sexism and exclusionary selection practices, the show managed to sidestep all that talk by flipping the script in the movies and individuals it actually gave awards to.

For those unaware of how much of a tectonic shift “Parasite” winning Best Picture represents, it is the first ever foreign language film to win that award. One may ask why that matters — the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was created in the 1920’s to serve two purposes: one, to screw over the union labor

of the film industry (this purpose was short lived), and two, to promote and create a positive image for the film industry centered in Los Angeles at a time when the industry was beset by numerous scandals (sound familiar?).

The entire purpose of the organization and its awards ceremony was to act as good publicity — to show Hollywood at its best to the rest of the world.

That paradigm has now shifted as the rest of the world’s cinema is now fair game.

That is not to say that the Oscars are now free from the accusations of unfairness (aren’t awards shows unfair by their very nature?) and biased selections — as long as Twitter still exists.

We live in a time where anything and everything is politicized, problematized and parroted out by the hive mind known as Twitter dot com.

But this is the year that the Academy finally remembered that its number one job is to project an image of success and prosperity for its industry — an industry that increasingly relies on box office business not just in North America but on a global scale. And the 92nd Academy

Awards saw wins in multiple categories for South Koreans, a Jewish New Zealander of indigenous Polynesian descent for Best Adapted screenplay, an Icelandic woman for Best Original Score and a gay man for Best Original Song.

It’s important to remember that these nominations are not decided by some room full of old white men sitting around smoking cigars and figuring out ways to keep minorities from being recognized.

The Academy is comprised of five branches: producers, actors, directors, writers and technicians. Each branch nominates and votes on the categories from their specific branch.

Meaning the actors pick the actors, the directors pick the directors, and the writers pick the writers. According to Reuters, in just the last two years alone, the Academy has added over 928 new members from a total of 59 countries and has pledged to double the amount of minority and female Academy members by the end of this year.

And there will always be snubs. Jennifer Lopez for “Hustlers,” Eddie Murphy for “Dolemite is My Name” and Greta Gerwig for directing “Little Women” are the names

most commonly mentioned as women and people of color unfairly left out of contention this year. A case can be made for all of them, as well as Adam Sandler’s performance in “Uncut Gems,” but no matter what, deserving people will be left out, year after year after year. It is the nature of awards shows.

Hollywood has traditionally been run by old, white male power structures, and change in the other direction has been slow, to say the least. So it is natural to view these awards with a degree of educated skepticism, even if that discourse goes, like clockwork, way overboard during each awards season.

But that change seems to have indeed finally arrived, though not in the way some observers expected.

And if it means more movies with the depth, aesthetic beauty and craftsmanship of “Parasite” are nominated and awarded at the Oscars, despite their country of origin, then it seems the entire endeavor has taken a massive leap forward into an era of renewed relevance for both the Oscars telecast, and for the cinematic artform as a whole.

12 OPINIONS

@ LPCEXPRESS LPCEXPRESSNEWS NEWS

Film festival inspires audiences to look up

YOURSELF

By Amy Tilson-Lumetta @AMYTLUMETTA

It’s not often you find yourself sipping a freshly poured glass from a local vineyard while studying a microorganism capable of withstanding the vacuum of space and cosmic radiation. First of all, it’s a blatant violation of every lab safety manual ever recorded. But we’re not in the lab.

On Friday, Jan. 24th, the Bankhead Theater in Livermore pulled together the community for a night of inspiring film, local wines, and microscopic tardigrades at the 2020 Wild & Scenic Film Festival. And as the viewers trickled out of the dim theater into the crisp night air, their footsteps tread a little closer, their heads tilted a little higher, their eyes opened a little wider.

The lineup featured 15 short films charged with inspiring activism.

The pieces intercepted from widespread angles, illuminating a diverse array of topics from environmental preservation to biomimicry to the sheer, breathtaking awe of beholding the vast night sky.

Before the main event, attendees bustled through a lively “eco-fair” lined with booths from local organizations, interspersed with tastings from local vineyards. In an alcove, a virtual reality trip to Arctic beckoned energetic children and offered brief respite to their parents.

I might have taken a whirl if the line wasn’t out the door and the tardigrades were calling my name upstairs. Yes, tardigrades.

An lcd screen-microscope contraption revealed the quivering outlines of a small handful of tardigrades, microorganisms armed with powerful genes that may just unlock secrets of survival for humanity in the stars. Despite their unassuming appearance and affectionate nicknames (“water bears” or “moss piglets”), these creatures can withstand the vacuum of space and ravaging effects of microgravity, not to mention the G-force to get there in the first place - oh, and shrug off a massive unfiltered dose of raw cosmic radiation. Well, some weren’t so happy upon the return voyage, but at least they survived - which is more than we could say if our human crew tried to pull that act.

Back on Earth, local vineyards of Livermore poured flights of award-winning wines, but the hands-down winner of the night has to be Fenestra Winery, who was sampling their “True White.” I stifled a giggle at the clever clean bottle design, which is modeled on the chemical symbol, a “Tw” for True White centered in a square outline, complete with atomic mass and element number in a not-so-subtle nod to the Periodic Table. It seems that despite tending to new fields, the former chemistry professor who owns the winery couldn’t quite leave his former field behind.

Soft bell tones ushered the crowds into the high ceilinged, dimly lit, crimson-upholstered auditorium. The Livermore Poet Laureate, Cynthia J. Patton set the mood with a debut poem. Her voice was both smooth and textured, like dry leaves drifting softly on a breeze.

Her words coaxed gentle cascading imagery of the natural world upon upturned ears. Her writing was woven with vivid phrases like “ice groans and splits”, and clever slices at current society when she mentioned “technology, the new almighty” and “counting apps two by two.”

Then, the first film, “Moonline” faded in, bathing 400 faces in a soft blue glow. I was utterly hooked by the lone paraglider sweeping through the snow-peaked night, his luminous parachute like a floating star that had somehow drifted down from the sky. But the moment I considered releasing the tear swelling behind my eye, the parachute shifted in powerful gust. Suddenly, a giant Red Bull Logo raced across the snow, chased from above by the aerial cameras. World-renowned speed rider, Valentin Delluc, skids to a stop and breaks open fresh Red Bull. Nothing like tossing back a can of commercialism amidst the majestic alpine beauty.

But other films managed to impart their message in a gentle footprint without kicking you in the face. “Girls and Glaciers”, stripped of lush sound design or polished cinematography, left its mark with the pure unedited smiles of aspiring teen girl scientists girls traversing the glacial terrain of Mt. Baker in Washington. This program, Girls on Ice, affords high school girls from all walks of life to come learn environmental science tuition-free. In ten short minutes, we witnessed the young women roughing it in the wilderness, discovering strength they didn’t realize they had and building bonds that would hold beyond their tearful airport goodbyes.

“Biomimicry” was an awe-inspiring bombardment of one idea after another. The basic concept of biomimicry is drawing inspiration from nature, because as the film stated, “the best ideas might not be ours” and perhaps the “natural world has solved what [we’re] trying to solve.”

The fascinating concepts included: using structure and light to create color instead of chemical pigment, abalone-inspired self-healing

Which celebrity death most impacted

– Paulo Diaz, Buisness

I was saddened by Robin Williams suicide. I felt like he always brought humor and comedy and was such a light in the world. When he passed away it was pretty sad because that light went out, but he had a great legacy with all the films he was in.

– Colton Watson, Psychology photo illustration by Amy Tilson-Lumetta/Express ceramics, harnessing more wind turbine energy by arranging them like a school of fish, utilizing fungal mycelium helpers to increase rice yields five-fold while slashing water usage in half, and self-filling water bottles.

Then, there was the pure simplicity of Lost in Light, a cinematic silent countdown sweeping the skies from the haziest, light-polluted cities to the breathtaking depth and luminescence of areas untouched by the glare of electric modernity.

And finally, the reaction video I didn’t know I needed - “A New View of the Moon.” A man with a telescope saunters the streets of LA inviting passersby to witness an ultra high-res view of this celestial body.

Though little more than raw footage sliced together, this was by far the most human film of the lineup. It showed that when we look up, we all see the same thing. There is that same core of exploration coursing through all of us. For some, it may be suffocating beneath the weight of everyday life, work, school, family, and other responsibilities - but if you take a moment to look up - you can feel it humming.

Throughout all the films, I was reminded once again of the power of art to move and motivate us. To show us how far we’ve come and how far we have to go, but also how what is in store for humanity when we come together. Powerfully woven music and imagery transcends borders, language, and tugs at our tightly-coiled concepts of separate identities. And the simple, silent act of looking up begins to loosen the binds we burden upon ourselves. So tonight, as one human to another, I invite you...

Look up. Just for a moment.

I’ll be looking too.

Alan Rickman. He made me the saddest. He was in a lot of movies I enjoyed watching so it’s sad I can’t see him in anymore movies

– Zaki Farid, Computer Science “My dad didn’t watch a lot of American sports... the only time I ever saw him watch basketball was when Kobe played. I remember from him, I started watching Kobe Bryant play. Him suddenly dying like that with his daughter was sad.

My brain doesn’t comprehend that he passed away. I’m still expecting him to post something like “thanks for the tribute guys.”