campus wide transition from Moodle to Canvas
KELLAN BRADLEY Campus Lifestyle Editor kbradley.roundupnews@gmail.comAccording to Distance Education Coordinator Wendy Bass, Canvas will replace Moodle as the new college-supported learning management system (LMS) in the coming weeks after a pilot during spring semester. Everyone will be moved over from moodle by Summer 2016.
For the first time in 60 years, the light rail connected Santa Monica to Downtown Los Angeles when “Phase 2” of the 15.1 mile Metro Expo Line opened Friday, May 20.
The line is named “Expo” after Exposition Boulevard. The extension will continue 6.6 miles west to Colorado Avenue and 4th Street, and provide faster more reliable public transportation.
Rick Jager, Metro
A message of dedication and overcoming obstacles
Commencement speaker and undocumented immigrant turned Goldman Sachs vice president now advocates for others
MAX SULLIVAN News Editor msullivan.roundupnews@gmail.com
Undocumented students cannot apply for federal financial aid or school loans, but that did not prevent one Mexican immigrant from working her way to become vice president in the Structured Products Team at Goldman Sachs.
Julissa Arce, 33, is this year’s guest graduation commencement speaker on June 7 at 6 p.m. in Rocky Young Park. Arce graduated with a degree in Finance from the University of Texas at Austin, where she commuted every weekend by Greyhound to San Antonio and sold funnel cakes to pay for school.
communications manager, said the new extension will shorten commutes and increase capacity.
“Now people can utilize the Orange Line to the Red Line and transfer to the Expo,” Jager said.
“It makes a great connection to downtown.”
This extension will allow passengers to be able to enjoy a ride from downtown Los Angeles to Santa Monica in about 50 minutes and avoid the I-10 freeway.
The estimated cost is $1.5 billion and was funded by the 2008 Measure R. Expenditure Plan, which increased sales a half-cent in Los Angeles Country
for 30 years. That helped finance new transportation projects and programs for the city, according to Jager.
The funds included cost for a modern design, construction, utility relocation, light rail vehicles, and real estate, according to the Metro website.
Phase 2 includes 7 new stations along the westside, Exposition Park, Jefferson Park, West Adams, Culver City, Century City and West L.A.
Dave Sotero, communications manager for Metro media relations, said The first Phase of the Expo Line opened in 2012, and the
second phase took four years and stayed on budget. The extension will give anyone, including students, the ability to go to the beach in just over an hour from the North Hollywood Redline station.
The Redline connects with the Expo Line at the 7th Street Metro Station.
“We expanded the Expo Line from Culver City,” Sotero said. “I think this line is going to be useful and reliable for students to get around.”
Kim Upton, a senior public communications officer, believes college students can save time and money using the Expo Line.
“Not only is it good for the environment, it’s easy to take the Expo Line,” Upton said. “From Pierce College, students would hop on the orange line, to the red line in North Hollywood and then the Expo Line on 7th.”
There was an online petition with nearly 1,400 signatures that asked transportation officials to give metro trains, “signal preemotion,” meaning lights would immediately change to green,
In a review conducted by the California State Community Colleges Chancellor's Office's Online Education Initiative task force, Canvas was considered the most user-v friendly platform by the students and faculty on the task force. The senate voted that all DE/hybrid instructors need to get re-certified to teach in Canvas.
“The statewide committee that was selected specifically for this purpose chose Canvas, and that says a lot,” said Michael Cooperman, member of the Distance Education committee.
According to Bass, all classes will get Canvas shells starting in Summer 2016. Moodle shells will no longer be offered, however, you will have access to your old shells for referencing and student data for one year.
“I use both Moodle and Canvas, and I think Canvas is a little more elegant and welldesigned,” said David Schamus, chair of the Computer Science and Information Technologies department.
was zero resources for undocumented students,” Arce said. “It was a very lonely existence because I never would have even thought of telling anybody that I was undocumented.”
Now Arce is more than open with her story, and wrote a book ‘My (underground) American Dream’ that will be released on Sept 13, 2016. She never expected to author an autobiography, but feels you need to be flexible and take advantage of opportunities when they are presented.
“The book is one of my biggest, proudest accomplishments in my life,” Arce said. “I try to be as raw and as honest as possible about my journey and the emotions that came along with that journey.”
Sandra Delgado, a broadcasting major, is an undocumented student at Pierce who came to the United States from Mexico when she was 4 years old. Delgado believes Arce’s story is encouraging and said she wants to attend graduation to hear her speak.
According to the Distance Learning Department the adoption of Canvas will position Pierce for participation in the Chancellor's Office's Online Course Exchange, which will make key online courses available to students statewide.
Additionally, Wendy Bass states that canvas will be providing tech support nights and weekends when Pierce has no one available. And, because Pierce’s portal will be changing in the coming year, Canvas will become the standard digital front end for all courses, not just the online ones.
According to Schamus, Moodle can continue to be used through the Spring 2017 semester.
As of Fall 2017 all online courses taught in the college-supported course management system will be in Canvas. Pierce College is obligated by accreditation and federal requirements to systematically authenticate the identity of students who take online courses.
In her junior year, Arce received a 10-week summer internship at Goldman Sachs, which resulted in an accepted offer for a full time job. Arce said she gave much thought on how to stand out and hand wrote thank you notes after her internship.
“I was never so conscience of the fact that I’m a woman. I’m a Latina, and therefore this is going to be harder,” Arce said. “I went into it thinking I earned being
here and I’m going to work as hard as I can.”
Arce entered the United States on a tourist visa from Taxco, Guerrero, Mexico when she was 11 years old. Her visa expired three years later. After San Antonio built a museum where her funnel cake stand stood, she acquired a forged green card so she could work.
“I got the fake documents because if I didn’t get a job, then I
wouldn’t be able to stay in school, because I couldn’t even apply for loans,” Arce said. She has since left Wall Street and co-founded in 2012 the ASCEND Educational Fund, which is a college scholarship program for immigrants, regardless of status, in New York City. Arce said it is one of the few scholarship opportunities undocumented students have.
“When I went to college there
“They think you are just going to be cleaning houses and that is why it is inspiring, because I never never once thought I would be in college, ever,” Delgado said. “That was not the plan for me. It is really inspiring to have someone talk to us and give us hope.”
Delgado also questions the motivation for Pierce College to choose an undocumented speaker because she does not think the actions of administration match the message.
[For the full story visit theroundupnews.com]
“I think it depends on the student, if you’re a student that is engaged in taking notes then you will only do that. But if you’re a student that plays Minecraft then you will probably miss the notes. When I bring my computer I normally use it to take notes, plus our Wi-Fi sucks here I have on occasion used it to go on Twitter.”
-Marcel Salapa, 19, Political Science major
“I don’t. I recently started to use my laptop more than writing, and for me I can Google stuff, but pertaining to the lecture so I find it convenient.
As far as other people bringing their laptop as long as I can’t see that you’re not doing schoolwork, I don’t care. If you have like a movie playing in front of me I’m probably going to complain.”
-Tene Coleman, 21, Sociology major
or going through their feed, and checking their e-mail. Most of the time it should be used as a tool to take notes more effectively.”
-Elisa Rojas, 18, Business major
“I think it could be potentially [distracting]. But honestly, yeah, because you’re really complied to want to do something else while you’re on your laptop and depending on the subject because if you’re doing Math for example it’ll be hard to copy down notes.”
-Martin Villareal, 19, Mathematics major
“No, I personally use it to take notes. In class, I turn off the Wi-Fi, mainly because the Wi-Fi sucks on campus. All my classes I use it to take notes the entire time.”
-Josh Dominguez, 25, American Sign Language major
Volume 124, Issue 11: Page 1: The deck for “Free college” implies that LAUSD can receive a free year of college. That change has not yet become official.
Opening a recycling center at Pierce will not only put money in our pockets, but encourage students to make environmentally conscious decisions in daily life.
Most people do not bring their recyclables to a center because it is a hassle. Setting up a place to recycle near the farm will make it convenient for students and faculty who are already on campus to be compensated for their aluminum cans, plastic and paper.
The average American throws away 3.5 pounds of trash per day, according to MIT. That is a ton of trash, and a lot of it can recycled. Okay, technically it takes 571 days for you to fill our landfills with 2,000 pounds of trash all by yourself.
The city of Los Angeles is ahead of the curve, and has a plan to eliminate all waste being sent to landfills by 2025. The 2013 Los Angeles City of Zero Waste Progress Report said that 76 percent of our waste was diverted from landfills in 2011, up from 20 percent in 1990.
The majority of that waste is comprised of the compost that we place in the green barrels. It is true that we have the blue barrels, but we are giving money away.
In California a 12 ounce can of soda has a CRV of 5 cents. By California law you can bring up to 50 cans to a recycling center and request to be paid per can instead of by weight. Do that a couple times and you have a falafel from the food truck using money that was rightfully yours.
For L.A. to achieve its ambitious and commendable goal of producing zero waste it requires a group effort from all
of us. Having a recycling center on campus will not only help to produce and save money, but it will raise awareness and make the community more involved in the process. The center can also be combined with a compost pile that is either turned into soil for the farm, or sold to the community.
Science classes can integrate their curriculum with the center and workshops can be organized to inform students on reusable
goods and how to leave no footprint while living sustainable lives. It is one thing to throw your can in a blue barrel, it is another to immerse yourself in a lifestyle and possess the knowledgeable to make environmentally friendly purchases.
A recycling center on campus is a teaching tool and will aid in our planet’s transition to green living. It may seem like a small thing, but being incorporated into the process makes a world
of difference in human behavior and provides the opportunity to educate others as well. Pierce is a stepping stone to the future. It’s a place not only where we dream of a future, but can play a role in achieving a no-waste city here in Los Angeles. Like all great things, it will take effort to make this dream a reality. You have to start somewhere.
DUNN Opinions EditorConserving energy is important for saving money, and also helping our environment. Doing so, should not jeopardize the safety of the Pierce community, but help to reduce costs and our carbon footprint.
Motion sensor lights can help to save energy, but are not the safest alternative for campus lighting, especially at nighttime. Existing bulbs could be replaced by more efficient ones that use less energy, but maintain good lighting for safety. Perhaps the lights could also be replaced by a solar-powered option.
After a class ends, instructors should make sure to turn off all equipment and lights if no other class will be using the room immediately after. The same goes for all faculty in any room. By flipping the switch, we are preventing energy, and therefore money, from being wasted.
The amount of money spent on electricity could be reduced significantly if we begin to conserve energy. Money saved on electricity could go towards funding other campus necessities, like new classroom equipment and supplies, or repairs.
Conserving energy will also benefit the environment because less will be wasted if we start to turn off unnecessary electronics. Putting money and time towards improving our carbon footprint, is a good investment.
According to a PDF file of Pierce’s Climate Action Plan, “the largest increase in emissions comes from electricity use in buildings.”
“Pierce College campus buildings typically use electricity for lighting, motors, fans, heating and cooling
Photographers:
systems, and plug loads, such as computers,” according to the climate action plan.
Air conditioning units are undoubtedly needed during warm weather. However, windows and doors of facilities should be closed while the units are on, so the cool air is only cooling the indoors off.
Under LACCD, Pierce College agreed to the American College and University President’s Climate Commitment, in 2007. Pierce has already committed itself to reducing greenhouse gases and becoming climate neutral by adopting more environmentally-friendly practices.
Solar panel car ports have been incorporated into three of its parking lots. The solar energy collected from those carports is used to power parts of the campus. The campus outdoor pool in the aquatic center is also heated in a responsible manner, through the use of a heat-recovery system which uses captured waste energy from four 30kW microturbines.
That being said, taking the time and effort to conserve energy has proven to be beneficial to our institution.
Pierce has also followed LEED Green Building standards in order to responsibly construct new facilities. By being responsible about how we use energy on our campus, we can help our budget, but most importantly we can reduce our impact on climate change.
When people think of saving energy, they associate it with a positive change. However, for colleges a change like that can cost a lot of time and money. People don’t realize how hard it is to implement a system that conserves energy. Saving energy at a large campus like Pierce can be complicated. The process would require much attention.
The way to save energy on campus is by reducing power, mainly with lights. The way to go about it is to replace the lights with sensor motion light switches to save power when one walks out of the room.
The installation of these switches however, would be difficult. The initial cost and effort is high, meaning the cost of the switches and the manpower to install them will take at least a month. Knowing Pierce and their pace, it might take two months.
Saving energy would be a good move if it wasn’t a difficult one. It would mean the students and teachers would have to be out of the classrooms while the new lights are being installed. This would cause the teachers and students to fall behind in their curriculum and possibly create lag time for turning in assignments. This can cause a snowball effect, and create more issues for faculty.
We also must take into consideration the amount of time it entails to get any type of project started when dealing with a myriad of special interest groups. The communication it requires between staff and the committees to execute the development would take weeks on end. Saving energy in a college is a complicated matter, and it needs a
broad time range to be discussed then acted upon. The budget would then have to account for the new equipment and repair for said equipment when it breaks down. By the time the subject matter gets deliberated, voted on then executed, there would be a bigger topic at hand. It would be a waste of time to even try and pursue this.
It’s hard to vote to change something when no attention has been drawn to it previously. Also, no one really complains enough about the energy usage and the power for there to be a call to action for it.
The school could be putting this effort and discussion into something else with a more direct swift effect.
I do not think the school should waste time with this process. Energy conservation is not necessarily a main concern compared to the other aspects that need to get taken care of right away such as crime rate, sanitation and enrollment. Attention can’t be taken away from important things and moved to scenarios as simple as water and power maintenance. That’s how significance can get blurred. Pierce has an abundance of things to focuses on. Saving energy should be the last thing the campus worries about.
I don’t know about you, but I’d like to see the money from our budget go to adding more classes for our education, not sparing some light bulbs.
letters, literary endeavors, publicity releases, poetry or other such materials as the Editorial Board deems not to be a letter. The deadline is 11:59 p.m. the Sunday prior to the issue date.
Editorial Policy: The Pierce College Roundup position is presented only in the editorials. Cartoons and photos, unless run under the editorial masthead, and columns are the opinions of the creators and not necessarily that of the Roundup. The college newspaper is
published as a learning experience under the college journalism instructional program. The editorial and advertising materials published herein, including any opinions expressed, are the responsibility of the student newspaper staff. Under appropriate state and federal court decisions, these materials are free from prior restraint by the virtue of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America. Accordingly, materials published herein, including any opinions expressed, should not be interpreted as the position of the L.A. Community College District, the college or any officer or employee thereof.
Paula Barrantes |Photos by
Matthew Garcia
“I think it depends, I’ve seen people on their Facebook sometimes,
Karen Ragazzo, president of the Dreamers, said it is a bright spot that Arce will speak, but only if it will lead to changes.
“How do you bring an undocumented speaker when you don’t have the work that she represents,” Ragazzo said.
“It doesn’t make any sense. It doesn’t fill me up. It’s hypocritical. There is a lot to be done in this school because there are no resources.”
While undocumented students cannot apply for federal financial aid, the 2011 California Dream act allows for AB 540 students to apply for assistance from the state, private scholarships and to pay in state tuition, which is $46 per unit opposed to $268 for out of state and international students.
Pierce College has more than 1,400 AB 540 students, according to the Dean of Student Engagement Juan Carlos Astorga. AB 540 students are not all undocumented. The two main requirements are that AB 540s must have attended high school in California for three years and be in the process of gaining legal status.
The California Pell Grant is only available to recently graduated high school students, which makes undocumented students who are a few years out of high school are ineligible, and they can only receive fee waivers, according to Afafe Robinson, the director of
Picture a world in which the price of hardcover college textbooks was in the tens instead of the hundreds. Now imagine if the textbooks required for general education courses were free.
While many might see the above situation as a distant and unattainable ideal, Clay Gediman, a technology librarian at Pierce, is working to implement a system that would
Around 80 students participated in this year's Speech Tournament
PAULA BARRANTES & SAMANTHA BRAVO Staff pbarrantes.roundupnews@gmail.com sambravo.roundupnews@gmail.comSpeech 101 students competed Friday, May 20, with other contestants in two categories, informative and persuasive speaking , several classrooms around the village and completed the final round of the tournament in the Great Hall. Speakers had five to seven minutes to speak in the tournament and were judged on the overall presentation. Michelle Silver, associate professor in communications department, directed participating students to their assigned classrooms
financial aid. Robinson said more than 50 AB 540 students on campus qualified for pell grants.
“My role is to determine and process financial aid,” Robinson said. “Eligibility for AB 540 students is very restrictive. We go by the requirements.”
Robinson said that there was a financial aid workshop for AB 540 students. She will collaborate with Astorga and student groups on campus to help the information better reach students.
“I will work with Dean Astorga and probably have a Q&A session, because I think maybe it is just some miscommunication or misinformation that they think we don’t do anything,” Robinson said.
Ragazzo wants to create a resource center on campus that will have peer counselors and provide information on financial aid and which transfer school are undocumented friendly.
“It is not the same process for an undocumented student as it is for a person who is documented,” Ragazzo said. “My whole goal with the [Dreamers] club on campus is a free open space where anyone who identifies with undocumented students can use educational resources to expand their education or college career.”
Astorga said California State University Northridge (CSUN) has a Dream Resource Center with staff, mentors and tutors available. He would like to mirror this at Pierce. He also thinks the welcome packet given to AB 540 students at Mt. San Antonio College is something Pierce can replicate and look to improve on.
make it possible to freely use teaching and learning materials known as Open Educational Resources.
“I know textbooks are pretty expensive here, so if there’s an alternative source, a way to make it a little cheaper for students, I thought that would be a great idea,” Gediman said. “It’s not just for students either; it helps the faculty out too.”
Open Educational Resources are resources that have been authored or created by an individual or an organization that chooses to retain few, if any, ownership rights. This can be virtually any material that is used for educational purchases, including textbooks, course readings, quizzes, and streaming videos.
In some cases, this means that students and teachers alike would be able to download the resource and share it with colleagues and classmates. In other cases, the resource could be downloaded, edited and reposted as a remixed work.
Gediman said he realized that there are many students that simply can’t afford textbooks. He recalled his time as a college student when he would have to buy books that were more expensive than the actual class he was getting them for.
for the tournament that started four years ago to give students the opportunity to practice their public speaking skills.
“[The purpose of the speech tournament is] to help them build these skills and build their confidence and give them an outside opportunity to practice those skills,” Silver said. “To give them an outside classroom experience and a challenge.”
“I would really like for us to develop our own undocumented student resource center on this campus, and be able to staff it where students have tutors and mentors available to them,” Astorga said. “A few of us on campus are starting to get an ad hok gathering of folks that would like to begin to start the conversation of what can we do as an institution.”
Arce said students must create space for themselves and it is amazing that students will say, “That is great you are bringing in a speaker, but these are the resources we actually need.”
“The biggest thing to realize is that you are going to have to keep doing that for the rest of your life, Arce said. “For the rest of your life you are going to have to be your own biggest advocate. For the rest of your life you are going to have to create spaces and systems that work for you, and challenge systems that don’t work for you.”
Earic Peters, the vice president of student services, said Arce’s message is one of “overcoming many obstacles and keeping to your mission,” and he expects a lot of students to relate to her story. If her speech also brings awareness to faculty and creates conversation on the issues facing undocumented students on campus then Peters says he welcomes it.
“I don’t care what your political beliefs are, as a human being, as a person of this world, everyone should have a path to a better life,” Peters said.
“We have to start creating this pipeline so that the students now can become faculty, be on the staff, could be the president
“I remember spending maybe $100 for my classes, for registering, but then my textbooks were between $200 and $300, and that’s a little frustrating,” Gediman said.
Gediman has been working closely with the bookstore for the past year to see how the implementation of this new system can potentially help increase the profit Pierce makes by selling textbooks. Pierce’s bookstore manager Candy Van and Pierce book buyer Juan Catalan attended a three-day event at UC Davis last month called the Textbook Affordability Conference, which discussed the development of more Open Educational Resources.
According to Gediman, although the practical use of Open Educational Resources started roughly in 2007, the program really took off in the last few years because the technology and creation software improved to enable easier usage of the online resources. Catalan said that various educators at the TAC event he attended explained that the use is very dependent on the course and who is teaching it.
[For the full story visit theroundupnews.com]
Lunch was provided for the students participating and for students in the audience. The tournament was catered by Subway and a DJ was there for entertainment.
Kaila Mullaney was the first place winner for the persuasive category, and was also awarded $200 cash for her speech on addictive prescription drugs and how therapy pets can be used as a healthier alternative to medicine.
“It’s crazy, I didn’t think I was going to win to be honest it feels surreal, I wasn’t even going to enter,” Mullaney said. “I just entered for extra credit points in the beginning then I started to actually like my speech.”
Nickolas Murphy received first place, and a cash prize of $200, for his informative speech on geek culture and how it has evolved into a “cooler” trend with the rise of technology advancement.
May 16 - May 22
Reported by: Samantha Bravo
5/17 - Parked motorcycle hit
A motorcycle was hit and damaged around noon in Lot 7. No note was left.
5/18 - Student Fainted
A student fainted at 9:50 p.m. in the Performing Arts Building Costume Lab and the student denied transport from paramedics, receiving a ride from their mother instead.
The top six speakers were awarded first, second, and third place, along with cash prizes and a trophy in each category of informative and persuasive speaking.
After the first round, the finalist were announced at the Great Hall, where food and drinks were available for those who participated.
of the college and help set that agenda,” Arce said. “You’ve gotta have people at the top who are also advocating for you.” Arce found her path and is thrilled to be voting in her
first election after becoming an American citizen in August of 2014. She hopes to inspire others and make the road easier for them than it was for her.
5/19 - Ill student
Paramedics were called at 11:10 a.m. to Business Education 3216, and a student was taken to the hospital.
5/20 Student suffered a seizure
Paramedics arrived to the Great Hall and took the student to the hospital Friday morning.
5/20 - Traffic Collision. There was a minor collision in lot 1 at 3:30 p.m. Paramedics were dispatched. One driver felt dizziness.
Pierce College
Sheriff’s Station
General Information: Emergency: (818) 710 - 4311
and opportunity to polish their speaking skills.
“We had judges from California State University Northridge (CSUN) to come and judge some of the participants,” Rosenberg said.
The Speech Tournament started about four years ago. Before that, there had not been one beforehand since the seventies, according to Silver.
Evelina Rodriguez, was one of the first informative speakers at the tournament. Her topic was the effects social media has on relationships.
“Rather through text messages, having a conversation in person is so much easier and better,” Rodriguez said. “Talk it out. Instead of having a conversation through closed doors.”
Graduation brunch is June 7 at 9:45 a.m. on the Music Lawn on the Art Hill. Campus wide gala is at 3:30 p.m. in the Great Hall. The graduation ceremony will be at 6 p.m. in Rocky Young Park
“I feel great, I actually enjoy public speaking and my teacher was encouraging me to do it and I decided to go for it and I had so much fun,” Murphy said. “I think it’s good for people to do, especially if it makes you nervous you should just go for it.”
Jennifer Rosenberg, chairperson of Speech department, said their goal was to give students the experience
“ To give them an outside classroom experience and a challenge .”
-Michelle Silver Associate Professor in CommunicationsTaylor Arthur / Roundup Utilizing an open resource program at Pierce College could provide students with a money saving opportunity. Text books are often expensive and such a program could provide students and faculty with a convenient way to obtain materials needed for class. Photo illustration by Taylor Arthur Photo courtesy of Julissa Arce Arce’s book chronicling her journey as an undocumented immigrant will be released on Sept. 13, 2016.
The Great Hall
Like singers or poets, choreographers have distinct voices. Get the right group of dance creators in the same program and you’ve got a harmonious chorus of movement.
Such is the case with the charming ”Vignettes,” the Spring Dance Concert, provided an array of entertainment through the 16 well choreographed short dances. The choreographers apparent vision was impressively showcased throughout the evening
There were two acts with non continuing narratives. The show started with the cupid themed, tap dance “C’est L’ Amore,” which was the weakest of performances. This was the only dance where some of the dancers spoke. It was suppose to be humorous, but fell a bit flat. The tap dancing seemed out of step and it didn’t match the song choice.
However, the show was quickly redeemed with the next dance “Recovery,” which told an interesting story that began with the female dancers trapped in a white blanket, attempting an escape from menacing male dancers.
The strong music choices set the tone for the enjoyable performances.
“Surge,” performed by the Pierce College Urban Dance Crew, mixed the swagger of hip-hop with the modern electro dance music and dubstep that the younger audiences could appreciate. It was an exhilarating performance that was done in tremendous unison.
Perhaps the most bold performance was Briana Bauer and Amy Hagamans “All that Blonde,” which was they choreographed. The dance flirted with becoming cringeworthy, as it began with the two women in lingerie sitting in a chair snapping to Cy Coleman & Dorothy Fields’ “Big Spender.”
Act One ended with a bang, the Denise Gibson and the Wonderland Team-choreographed “Fiesta de Baile,” a flaring salsa performance that ignited the audience into a roar of cheers.
Occasionally, some dances suffered from poor timing, although in “The Mistake Waltz,” the missteps were on purpose. It’s about dancers who are out of sync. Each one the female dancers worked well with their roles–and it was an entertaining way to begin act two.
Acting is a key component to dancing, and TK and TK stood out bringing more to the roles in TKDANCE.
What made some performance standout ability to intertwine with the role they were playing. Some dancers were able to put on
a believable performance that told a story better than others.
Each choreographer could likely fill an evening of captivating dance, but it’s extra special to have multiple Pierce choreographers showcasing their vision through impressive dancing from the students.
“In the Philippines I had my own television show. We focused on everyday recipes that are easy for parents to do for their kids. Since we are avoiding the fact that the food industry is going towards consumers who would rather buy on-the-go food and we want them to focus on doing it yourself, because we believe if you do it yourself you will not eat as much as you will when you eat fast food. We still do the show but since I am here I won't be able to be on season three.”
Quote gathered by Max Sullivan | Photo by Travis Wesley
Life is a marathon littered with highs and lows. While triumphs are celebrated, failures are often received with dejection and the determination to overcome. For Joe Hernandez, his history of drug addiction and homelessness have become stepping stones on the path to a brighter future.
Hernandez, 29, was raised in Los Angeles by his El Salvadorian mother and stepfather. As far as he can remember, he had an “average Latino lifestyle.” At El Camino Real Charter High School, Hernandez was homecoming king, played safety for varsity football and was a member of the wrestling team. Recruiters from a number of universities sought him out because they had heard of his capabilities.
This fantasy came took a sudden turn when Hernandez’s academics began to drop. Soon after, the all-star was faced with the unthinkable.
Due to the precarious nature of his grades, Hernandez was barred from graduation and had to attend a continuation school to make up the credits he was missing. He then went to study in Illinois his first year of college. Hernandez failed six of the seven classes he had enrolled in because he “did not take it seriously.”
After a rough go in Illinois, Hernandez returned to California where he attempted to juggle community college and work.
“I did what most students do when they [are] caught working a full time job. I figured I would go back to college someday,”
Hernandez said. “I decided that I would be living that rat-raised life, living paycheck to paycheck. In that time I got married young, had a kid and I got stuck.”
The burdens of parenthood mixed with the anxiety of school and pressure from his personal
life led Hernandez to what would become his lowest point. Slowly, the drug addiction and alcohol abuse alienated him from his family and loved ones.
“When you’re involved in drugs that’s not an environment you want for your family around,” Hernandez said. “One Christmas Day, I came home and my wife was gone, my kid was gone, everything was gone.”
Living without his family drove Hernandez to deepen his vice dependency. It was not long before the addiction left him without a home to return to.
Jumping from couch to couch, Hernandez found refuge living with his mother. However, after an altercation with his younger brother over stolen pain medications, Hernandez’s mother kicked him out.
“When you’re involved in drugs that’s not an environment you want your family around. One Christmas Day, I came home and my wife was gone, my kid was gone, everything was gone.”
Joe Hernandezelse,” Hernandez said. “I had no other answer.”
Unable to face the wreckage left in the wake of his current lifestyle anymore, Hernandez sought out the professional help he would need to “get clean.”
At the age of 24, Hernandez was living on Skid Row. He had hit rock bottom and had nowhere and no one to run to.
Despite the aid he received from the government via food stamps and welfare, Hernandez’s desire for alcohol and drugs was bigger than the hunger pains.
“I was that guy outside of the store trading my food stamps for booze. I didn’t know anything
Seven months after his rehabilitation treatment, Hernandez was living rent-free at a center operating under the Plan C initiative. There, he helped teenagers recover from addiction and taught them the tools they would need to live a sober life.
Each step and each young adult Hernandez took under his wing paved the road ahead of him. The confidence and strength he had lost years ago was no longer elusive. Hernandez could feel the weight on his shoulders lessening as his world grew brighter.
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JOSE HERRERA Staff jherrera.roundupnews@gmail.com
Blue eyed and white haired, Gene Putnam, with a pair of sunglasses hanging from his buttoned shirt, sits at his desk working before an afternoon Theater Department meeting with his fellow faculty members. Instead of fully being retired, Putnam spends his days teaching and directing productions with interested students sharing years of experience in the field.
In his youth, Putnam, who now teaches stagecraft and scenic design at Pierce College, dabbled in the theater arts while attending high school and college. He never would have imagined himself on the stage or creating a production.
Putnam had a young family and with his Masters of Education he spent four years teaching elementary students supporting for his loved ones. It was his desire to introduce to new ideas to his students that began his theatrical journey.
“During that time, I tried to expose students to a lot of extra things, like dancing, singing, photography, science (over and above the regular science doing little science demonstrations),” Putnam said. “But also, exposing them to all kinds of music and literature.”
One of those times, Putnam brought out one of his personal favorites ‘Our Town’ written by Thornton Wildbur to his students, who fell in love with the story. His students enthusiastically wondered if they would be able to put on a production.
“Not remembering a whole
“Anytime you direct a play you have to dig into it with so much information to assimilate and then you need to transfer that to the students. Then you need to create a concept or vision of what you want in the show...”
-Gene Putnam Professor of Performing Artslot about plays, I leaped into it and several weeks before school started every day the students would arrive,” Putnam said. “I did some reading and I directed them in the production. The parents went nuts. They loved it.”
After his elementary students moved to middle school, he also went with them where he taught a variety of classes from literature, woodshop, music appreciation, and returning to theater.
Between 1979 and 1980, Putnam decided to pursue a Masters of Fine Arts. While he was attending California State University Fullerton (CSUF), he taught theater at a Catholic high school for five years.
The school located in Santa Fe Springs, California, was connected with Rio Hondo College because he was parttimer there. This allowed Putnam to provide a real stage for their high school productions instead of having them in a cafeteria or gym.
Putnam took six trips to
Edinburgh, Scotland with the California Repertory theater as their stage manager as part of his job with Rio Hondo. He designed for them and his duties included lines, lights, getting the crews together and primarily technical aspects.
“That was a great experience because we took students abroad for six weeks at a time,” Putnam said.
“From 1978 to 1989 we went on tours.”
He’s designed for United States Organizations (USO), as part opportunities of Rio Hondo College.
Once he obtained his MFA he began searching for a full time college job.
“I started doing what is called ‘freeway flying,’” Putnam said. “I was at Rancho Santiago College for a year then I was at Pasadena City College for a couple of years filling in positions.”
Eventually, while teaching at Pasadena a gentleman, in that time was teaching at Pierce College, had decided to leave his position and encouraged Putnam to apply. In the fall of 1989 he joined the faculty as a technical director.
At one point the Theater Department was producing three shows per semester but had to drop one because of budget cuts and lack of staff.
Putnam has history in the Theater Department and has worked with numerous people throughout his career. Students he’s worked with in the classroom return on the stage or in the classroom setting as an instructor like Depart Chair of Performing Arts Michael Gend.
“Gene’s always kind of been my personal barometer for working with people because
he was one of the first people I ever worked with,” Gend said. “I used to be a student at Pierce and I took Gene’s class. I’ve been working with him since 1997.”
During his 27 years at Pierce, Putnam has been the department chair for 13 years. As the head of the performing arts department, Putnam alongside former and current faculty members, emphasized musicals producing a number of them.
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The process of putting together the Spring Dance Concert, “Vignettes,” encompasses dedication and hard work. Rehearsals, held on Saturdays in the studio on campus, begin months before the opening date at the end of May.
This semester, the Spring Dance Concert presents 16 choreographed pieces that provide the audience with a window into the language of dance. Student dancers also have an opportunity to choreograph their own
pieces to perform on the main stage.
Set to the music of Coldplay’s “Yellow,” Sandy Luque dedicated her piece, “Field of Melodies,” to her late brother. However, Christopher De Piazza, choreographed a solo inspired by his personal experiences.
Before the show begins, dancers prepare in the dressing room of the Performing Arts Building. With makeup applied and hair curled or braided, dancers are on a strict time line to be dressed and ready to go on stage by 8 p.m.
The success of the concert is marked by high energy and emotional connections to the dance pieces.
Technical rehearsals help prepare student dancers for the actual performance. Instructors Bonnie Lavin, Jenny Ghiglia and Concert Director Denise Gibson provide final critiques on the last night of rehearsal.
Everything comes together on opening night where dancers get to showcase their choreographed pieces and share their passion for dance with the community.
Above: Student dancers are silhouetted while rehearsing “Fiesta de Baile,” a Latin dance piece, on the main stage of the Performing Arts Building at Pierce College on Monday, May 16, 2016 in preparation for the Spring Dance Concert. In Woodland Hills, Calif. Photo by Laura Chen
Top Left: Cassandra Godinez, Grace Yturrizaga and Sandra Gutierrez perform “The Mistake Waltz” on May 19, 2016 at a rehearsal for the Spring Dance Concert “Vignettes.” At Los Angeles Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif. Photo by Taylor Arthur
Top Right: A group of student dancers perform the piece “Recovery,” on the main stage of the performing arts building at Pierce College during a rehearsal for the Spring Dance Concert on May 19, 2016. In Woodland Hills, Calif.
Photo by Taylor Arthur
Middle Right: Dancers Cassandra Godinez and Julio Elias rehearse on the main stage of the Performing Arts Building at Los Angeles Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif. on May 19, for the Spring Dance Concert. Photo by Taylor Arthur
Below: Wardrobe, tap shoes and makeup are laid out on the counter top of the dressing room of the performing arts building as dancers prepare for a rehearsal for the Spring Dance Concert “Vignettes,” on May 19, 2016. At Los Angeles Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif. Photo by Taylor Arthur.
Middle Right: Dancers set up their makeup pallets on the counters of the dressing room in the Performing Arts Building on May 19, 2016 before rehearsal of the Spring Dance Concert “Vignettes.” At Los Angeles Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif. Photo by Taylor Arthur.
Being a wide receiver takes discipline, focus, technique and nimble footwork.
Brahmas receiver Ashland Anderson, has spent the majority of his life fine tuning these skills.
The path he walks now was first laid out for him when he was a child studying karate with his father.
“One of the biggest things in karate is learning and practicing technique 24/7, and that relates to football because if you don’t work on technique, such as footwork, your hands and everything else, you’re not going to succeed,” Anderson said.
Since the age of 8, Anderson’s father, Antonio Anderson, watched his first Bruce Lee film where his love for martial arts began. At the age of 11, he began his first martial art lessons, and has been perfecting his craft ever since.
Since 2000, Antonio has owned his own martial arts studio, “Anderson Pro Karate” in West Hills, California, and currently has 34 years of experience.
Anderson has been training for as long as he can remember. He was taught to kick and punch when he learned how to walk.
When Anderson was 7-yearsold, he began his formal training at Rifkin Professional Karate Center in Canoga Park. There, he trained in Taekwondo and Aikido, where he eventually received a red belt after six years of experience.
Anderson’s father began his training by instructing Anderson to fight with him when he was just a child.
“Even though I was four-feet shorter than him, it didn’t matter
what size I was. We would always put on gear and he would always fight me,” Anderson said. “It taught me that the size doesn’t matter. It taught me to get to that level.”
However, at 13-years-old, Anderson quit martial arts when he made the football team at El Camino Real Charter High School. His practice schedule conflicted with karate—football took front seat.
As he continued to play, Anderson noticed he was utilizing his martial arts skills on the field.
“A lot of people think it’s just about kicks and punches but it’s not,” Antonio Anderson said. “It is more about not fighting than it is about fighting.”
Playing as a receiver in football comes with physical punishment. They have to endure vicious hits from 200-300 pound defenders.
For Anderson, standing at 6’6”, he is confident he can withstand the hits because of his training at a young age and small size, which helped him to never feel intimidated.
The life lessons Anderson learned from his father are traits that he has displayed from his adolescence and to adulthood. Those attributes have helped him believe he can succeed at Pierce.
Antonio has taught him respect. Anderson believes he should not talk back to his coaches and respond with courtesy titles such as “sir” or “ma’am.”
“He’s a hard worker, he doesn’t give up. No matter the situation, he’s going to do what he needs to do and get stuff done. I have nothing negative to say about him. He’s out there doing what he needs to do,”
teammate Jamere Austin said.
Anderson’s main goal is to take advantage of the opportunity he has with Pierce football and continue to improve to get to a four-year university.
shares the team's success not only at conference level but state.
Women’s Volleyball has been preparing for their upcoming season, and plans to keep moving forward. The team brought plenty of excitement last season, and this year they plan to continue where they left off.
“Next season to me, ever since we established the program, has always been putting a team together on the court that is going to win the whole thing. It’s either a championship or bust,” coach Nabil Mardini said.
The ultimate goal is to win the State Championship, according to Mardini. The team has won the State Championship three years in a row from 2010-2012, and came close last season.
“I’m honestly just looking forward to getting a second chance to win the whole thing. We just need everyone to buy into the program. We all have to be willing to put in the work that it takes to get there,” outside hitter Shari Volpis said.
Pierce will be hosting the finals for women's volleyball this upcoming season for the first time. Mardini believes that his team has the talent to make it.
“Hopefully we go back to the finals like we did last year, and win the whole thing on our own floor,” Mardini said.
During the Spring, the team had the chance to play beach volleyball. According to Mardini, playing on the beach has helped the women improve their skills for indoor volleyball.
“I’ve always looked at beach volleyball as nothing more than helping out indoor players become better players. We have a good group of girls, and we have good leadership,” Mardini said.
Athletic Director Bob Lofrano
“They’re always at the top of the state, not just top of the area,” Lofrano said. “It’s a very successful program. They get the top girls in, and then they blend together as a team.”
According to Volpis, the team has been spending a lot of time on the beach and in the weight room for improvement.
Mardini would like to start off the upcoming season by winning matches, in preparation not only for playoffs, but for the state championship in December.
“To win state is the only goal. For some colleges it’s to win conference, but that’s not the goal for us, it's just a standard,” Volpis said.
Mardini has recruited several incoming freshmen and hopes they will bring more value to the team.
“We’re deep in every position. They don’t only talk the talk, they walk the walk.” Mardini said.
“Next season to me, ever since we established the program, has always been putting a team together on the court that is going to win the whole thing. It’s either a championship or bust,”
-Nabil Mardini
Women's volleyball coachMatt Reyes/ Roundup Ashland Anderson holds the ball out on John Shepard Stadium on May 19 in Woodland Hills, Calif. Anderson has been practicing martial arts since the age of 11 and it has helped his foot work on the gridiron.
After a near perfect season, there is only one way to improve for women's volleyball
DANIELA TORRES Staff dtorres.roundupnews@gmail.comFile photo / Luis Ayala The women's volleyball team in a circle as they get ready for the championship game on Dec. 6, 2015 at L.A. Mission College.
All that stood between Alex James and Pierce football were 1,300 miles. In a leap of faith, he drove from Oklahoma to California on his own, in an effort to better his football opportunities.
James, 19, has been playing football since he was in seventh grade. He continued to play as a wide receiver at Southmoore High School in Oklahoma City. However, once he came to Pierce College in the summer of 2015, he transitioned to playing the tight end position.
James, who is a finance major, said he made the decision to play football for Pierce roughly two months before he graduated high school. Though his parents were sad to see him leave, James said they supported what he wanted to do.
This was his first time leaving his hometown.
“I was a little nervous, but not in a bad way,” James said. “I mean, it was going to be my first time coming to California, my first time living on my own, and my first time leaving Oklahoma City.”
Apart from the sunny California weather that he has grown to love,
James said he chose to come to Pierce because he knew there were good football opportunities for him at this campus. James hoped the drastic change in his environment would ignite a series of new athletic possibilities. Since playing for the Pierce football team, he has been able to improve his abilities on the field, making himself more marketable for four-year universities with good football programs.
James is attracted to football because of the game’s competitive nature.
“I remember my first day. I got trampled over,” James said. “I got the Nike print logo on my arm from it. It was tough, but I loved it.”
Jason Sabolic, football head coach, has taken notice of James’s work ethic and strong commitment to the sport.
“Alex was grey-shirted to us from Oklahoma. He basically took last year to get bigger, stronger, faster and he did just that,” Sabolic said. “He’s a great individual with great character. He loves football and I’m excited to see him play next season.”
Moving four states away from home has not always been easy on James. He misses his parents, whom he calls his greatest sources of inspiration. He has been home twice since moving to Los Angeles nearly a year ago.
James has been able to take what he does on the field and apply it to other facets of his life.
“Football has helped me with most of my life lessons,” James
said. “It’s a sport that doesn’t give any handouts. I know I have to work hard.”
“He’s a great teammate and works hard,” teammate Brandon
Perdue said. “He shows up in the weight room and he’s a dedicated player.”
James is hoping to play in the NFL one day, so he continues to
push himself at every practice in order to make a name for himself.
“I’m happy,” James said. “I feel like I’m on the right path, doing what I’m supposed to be doing.”
“I remember my first day. I got trampled over,” James said. “I got the Nike print logo on my arm from it. It was tough, but I loved it.”
-Alex James Football player
Jordan Abushahla had 38 hits and 13 runs this season. In addition to, he stole bases on two occasions and scored a home run.
How does it feel to receive the MVP award?
“It feels good. I appreciate that my coaches acknowledged that I played well and I’m happy that they thought that I was the MVP.”
Why do you think you were chosen?
“I felt like I was a leader on the team and [coach] could put me wherever he wanted to and, if they needed to, they could depend on me for anything.”
What do you do to maintain motivation?
“I don’t really do anything. I just feel like every game is a new game, and you can win any game. The difference between teams isn’t that huge, it’s just execution at the right times.”
What’s your favorite post-game meal?
“Barbecue is my favorite food, and I can have that any time.”
Do you have any superstitions?
“Just general ones that most people know about like don’t step on the foul line, but there aren’t really any that I feel are specific to me. Most are general.”
Kailey Bennett has been awarded the MVP for a second straight semester. She believes that this year she could lead the team better.
How does it feel to be selected as MVP of swim and dive two years in a row?
“It makes me feel really grateful because I don’t think of myself as being one of the better swimmers.”
Why do you think your coach selected you?
“Probably cause I’m a team player. I feel like I take leadership roles. ”
What do you think you improved on coming off your first MVP until now?
“Second year, I definitely felt like I had the ability to lead the team a little more because I knew what to expect compared to first and to show the new swimmers what they need to do, how to improve and how to improve strokes.”
What was the most memorable part of the season for you?
“Definitely conference, because we all got together and became a true team. We had the best team bonding we possibly could’ve being in the hotel room and racing everyday.
What are your plans now that you’ve finished at Pierce?
“My plan is to go to Cal Poly, either Pomona or San Luis Obispo, then go to [UC] Davis for Veterinary school.
Nick Kerhulas completed his second year being on the team. He has big aspirations in the future which includes becoming a coach.
How do you think you performed over the semester?
“In the beginning I was getting angry to fast. So mentally I wasn’t doing good, but near the end of the season I started doing better.”
What would you tell an aspiring tennis player?
“Work on your mental game. Work on mental toughness more than anything.”
What’s your pregame ritual?
“I warm up in the morning with a run, stretch, eat a good breakfast then just hit a little depending on the day.”
Is there anything you think a player should always do?
“They should always find a routine for themselves, like a daily routine or even in their sport when they serve. They’ve got to come up with some kind of routine.”
What are your career goals?
“I want to major in film and cinematography and become a tennis coach.”
Why did you decide to nominate the whole team?
“In the five years I have coached at Pierce, we have had great individuals to come through the program. We were a great team and there is no “I” in team. On and off the court they were brothers, friends. Supported each other mentally and it was an incredible thing to see happen and as a coach I hope to see it happen more. I have to say that the values and the ethics from the program have been passed down. They have done the best they could do through every situation. It was truly a team effort this year from the starters to the bench to the staff and to the administration.”
What was the biggest obstacle this season?
I think it was the talent in the league. This year the talent in the league was incredible. If we this team last year we would be talking a different story. In other years this team might out a banner on the wall. A lot of games this season came down to one or two plays. The guys that we had, the hours they put into volleyball in their lifetime doesn’t compare to some of the other guys in the league.
What are the academic expectations for your team?
Academic expectations will always be the same. We are representing our college and our program. We are playing volleyball because we love it and it opens up opportunities for them. We have room for one knucklehead on our team and that knucklehead better be the best player in the state.
Judi TerharJudi Terhar has been coaching the swim and dive team for 40 years. She has been proud of the team’s success this year especially since they were short in numbers. With only eight swimmers and one diver, she still managed to have a strong team. She is also proud of the improvement on the times of all her swimmers.
What will you attribute most to your team’s success?
“Our athletes this year were extremely hard working. All of them bought into the plan we had as coaches, and they worked really hard. They were doing about 6,000 yards everyday, as well as weight training in the gym. It was amazing because we only had eight swimmers and one diver. The few that we had were really strong.”
What were your expectations at the beginning of the season?
“Our goal as coaches is always swimming is both a team and individual sport. So what you’re trying to do is to get your athletes to do the best that they are capable of doing. The most amazing thing to see was the amount of dropping in times that we had from our athletes.”
What was the biggest obstacle this season?
“The obstacle this season was our pool. Our swimmers didn’t have the benefit of this 10 lane swimming pool. We ended up in the wellness pool, which is for our elderly athletes. It’s 86 degrees. It’s hot and so we didn’t get to use our pool for most of the season. We need a new boiler, heater and our pipes burst.”
As a coach how do you prepare for a match?
“Everyday you show up at the pool you do the exact same thing. You get them mentally, physically and emotionally ready to race. It doesn’t matter if your at a swim meet or at practice you approach your workout the same way you approach your swim meet. You have to be tough. You just show up, shut up and do your job.”
How long have you been coaching, and for how long do you plan to continue?
“I have been coaching for 40 years. As long as I’m physically capable.”