SAN JACINTO TIMES World Represent! Coeds let freak flag fly News Briefs e student publication of the San Jacinto College District
Vol. 23, No. 8
March 25, 2013
Isreal Relations President Obama visited Israel and the West Bank on March 20. He made it clear that we was not going to propose any new peace negations for the two and instead would be going on “listening” tours. However, he did say that the creation of an independent Palestinian state remains a priority for his administration. Two missiles were fired from Gaza into the Israeli border city Sderot on the second day of Obama’s visit to the region..
Amanda Beard San Jacinto Times
Aggies, Red Raiders, and other collegians pack Panama City Beach in Florida for Spring Break 2013. In a quest for sun, sand and sitting around, students from across the country raise their school flags high to proclaim their beach territory.
Central professor, author promotes power of reading Rebeca Valdez Staff Writer
MCT Campus
Classics like Romeo and Juliet will be featured at the English Department’s annual Get-Lit Festival.
Fest showcases Shakespeare to light up students’ lit interest
Christopher Rodriguez Staff Writer
Shakespearian life is coming to San Jacinto College for a day as part of the English's Department annual Get-Lit Festival. Every year the department hosts a literary English festival to get students
engaged in literature classes. This year the theme is going to be Shakespeare, a writer who needs no introduction. English professor Joul Smith is in charge of organizing the event. "This year we're going to have a celebration of Shakespeare's expressive
See English on Page 4.
San Jacinto College Central Campus Professor Kimberly DeLauro was only fifteen when she became a published Author. DeLauro calls it a “goofy little piece,” but it was enough to get her into Seventeen magazine. For the past six and a half years, Professor DeLauro has taught classes like English 1301, Early American Literature, and Creative Writing at San Jacinto. Long before she started teaching, she was writing. “I began writing as soon as I learned how to hold a pencil to paper,” DeLauro said. Her love of writing came after reading her first book “Hop on Pop” as a little kid. She thought it was really neat that people could write from the ideas in their minds. She is currently working on getting her Doctorate in Educational Leadership. As a result, most of her writing includes “churning out academic papers,” but she does like to write for fun as well. She writes short stories in scenes and then fine-tunes them. Ever since her published piece in Sev-
enteen magazine, she has continued to write. She most recently published a short story titled “Press Two.” It was published in the May 2012 issue of the Poydras Review. She also just signed a contract to publish another short story, “Sea Glass,” in Northwind Magazine this summer. “Maybe someday I will write a novel,” DeLauro says, but that isn’t her biggest goal regarding writing. Instead, it is to get other people writing. “I feel that people who say they hate to write are missing out on something wonderful. Being able to clearly express yourself is very rewarding,” DeLauro said. DeLauro finds that reading is very important. She calls herself a “Stephen King junkie.” She also likes Diana Galbaldon’s Outlander series. “Until we can find a way to transmit thoughts into each other’s minds‘ through telepathy or osmosis, we have to be able to convey complex thoughts in a way that just isn’t possible via visual media. This is where reading comes in. People who don’t read put themselves at a great disadvantage. They miss out on these thoughts,” DeLauro said.
San Jac spotlights Houston’s human trafficking problem
Monica Davila
Department Editor
The National Honor Society of Psychology for Community and Junior colleges (PSI BETA) and Baptist of Student Ministry (BSM) joined together to raise awareness at San Jacinto College about human trafficking. PSI BETA President Noemi Sanchez and Vice President Annette Cruz were inspired by a leadership conference they attended at the University of Houston - Clear Lake where they were chosen to have their hands bound and tape put on their mouths. The word SOUL was written across the tape. In the beginning, they didn’t know what the purpose of the exercise was, but by the end, they knew it was about human trafficking. PSI Beta and the Psychology
Club hosted a round table event featuring speakers from the San Jacinto College faculty and staff. According to licensed counselor Maria Aguirre, victims of human trafficking are unwillingly subjected to, “… the recruitment, transportation, (or) transfer by means of threat or use of force.” Psychology professor Lilian Romero kicked off the roundtable introducing two competing perspectives on the subject. “There are two schools of thought about human trafficking. There are people who believe that, particularly women in the commercial sex business that is their prerogative if they want to sell their bodies... On the other hand, we have many more women who are traded and sold and trafficked and what bothers
See Human on Page 4.
New Pope Jorge Mario Bergoglio, from Argentina, now known as Pope Francis, was the first pope to be elected from the new world in 1,200 years on March 13. He will be the first Jesuit member to lead the Catholic Church. On March 20, Pope Francis promised respect to other religious leaders, pledging cooperation with Orthodox churches, describing the bond between Catholics and Jews as “very special”, and expressing gratitude to Muslim leaders.
Foreign Policy Iran is increasing their support to Assad, the Syrian president, in an attempt to help him beat the Syrian opposition. The continued support from Iran, along with support from Russia, Hezbollah, and a Lebanese militant group has influenced Assad’s decisions to remain in power. The Obama Administration has repeatedly said the Assad regime needs to give up power and is sending food and medical supplies to the opposition, the Free Syrian Army. The CIA has also been training rebels in Jordan. Venezuela diplomacy on hold Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Elias Juana on March 20 said that “any type of contact” with American consuls has been “postponed” since President Chavez’s death earlier this month and the country prepares from a presidential election. The Venezuelan government is currently investigating his death as they believe the US may have had involvement in his death; however, it is widely believed that he died from the cancer he had.
North Korean threats One day after the mock drone strike on South Korea, North Korea threatened to attack the American military bases on Japan and the Pacific island of Guam if provoked. North Korea has also held an air raid drill and accused the US of preparing a military strike on the North with South Korea. South Korea is suspicious of the North hacking into the servers of banks and a local broadcaster on March 20. Courtesy of Katherine Swope
A disheveled bed illustrating the harsh conditions suffered by exploited victims, aims to raise awareness within the SJC community.
— Briefs compiled from multiple media sources
San Jacinto Times
March 25, 2013
Opinion/Commentary
Page 2
Analysis: Facebook takes catfishing to a whole new level
Aaron Preston Staff Writer
Hide your kids, hide your wife, and delete your pictures because Facebook is creeping on everybody out there. Facebook’s newest proposed feature Graph Search, which entered beta testing in January, has become a new way to search for your friend’s information, and can be used to find pictures even if they are hidden from public viewing. The goal of Graph Search is for you to be able to access informa-
tion easier, based on your likes, your pictures, your location, your friend’s likes, and, of course, your friend’s pictures. Information your friends post on Facebook will become accessible based on searches, like, “restaurants my friends have been to.” This makes Facebook creeping, or catfishing a person, a lot more accessible. Catfish is a term made popular by Nev Schulman. Nev was in an online relationship with someone who was using a false identity to hide who they really were. With Graph Search, Nev’s entire situation could have been avoided. But, at the same time, this new way of searching could make Nev’s job a ton easier. Catfish: The TV Show airs on MTV, and was made to catch people using a false identity to date online. Graph Search poses dangers in ways that you probably don’t suspect. Pictures you hid from
your timeline, and didn’t completely delete? Searchable. A status you posted about marijuana, but hid from your timeline later? Again, searchable. How about those embarrassing photos you were tagged in by your best friend that could make you lose your scholarship? “Photos that are untagged but not deleted can still be discovered on Facebook,” Facebook Graph Search’s page stated. So, basically, if you want them gone, but your best friend who looked substantially more attractive than you did wants to keep them up, you have no power over people being able to search for the photo. The possible search queries are endless, and not all of them will produce results that contradict themselves. Based on the searches of Tom Scott, one of the first people to be able to try the Graph Search Beta, it will be extremely easy to find “married people who like prostitutes.” On a side bar, there is an ex-
tended search, and you are able to view “these people’s spouses.” Graph Search is basically unlimited, controlled by your own imagination, and most danger that will be faced from this search engine won’t come from online strangers who are trying to make jokes with their searches, but more than likely from people who actually know you. Some searches are going to produce results that make people nervous, and it is unlikely Facebook will retract Graph Search. The best way to assure you don’t fall victim to Graph Search is to check your privacy settings more than once. Go through and delete things you don’t want seen, and unlike pages you don’t want people knowing you like. Until the possibilities of Graph Search are completely discovered, and it’s dangers have been exposed, it is best to hide everything from the public eye, keep-
ing your settings to “friends only.” The search engine is only available to those who are currently Beta testing it, but there is a
waitlist you can register for. Visit www.facebook.com/ about/graphsearch if you’re interested in lurking through the possibilities of Graph Search.
Beta testing for proposed Facebook feature Graph Search is in progress. This new search engine will easily reveal locations friends visit despite security settings.
If the shoe fits: Don’t vote, don’t complain
Caty Christy
Department Editor
Another Obama Administration is getting under way and already we’re a nation of naggers. Of course, no matter the outcome, there will always be those who are displeased, but when less than half of the voting-age population is actually voting we can’t exactly complain. The right to vote is one of the most important rights U.S. citizens have. It is our Founding Fathers’ way of allowing for a system of checks and balances. In 2008, when President Barack Obama was first elected, the estimated voting population in Texas was 17,538,000. Of that, only 46.1% actually voted. Many people in Texas don’t vote because they are convinced that Texas Representatives will always vote Republican in the long run. Voting becomes
even more essential in this case. We, as citizens, can vote for our State Representatives. The only problem is that even less of the voting population turns out for these elections. In 2010 only 37% of an estimated voting population in Texas of 18,280,000 actually voted. Some might argue that these “off-year elections” are more important than presidential elections, and I’d have to say I agree. In all honesty, the popular vote in the United States really doesn’t matter because we have the Electoral College. Of the voters in Texas in 2012, 64.4% voted Republican. That seems like a large number. But remember, that’s only out of the 37% of people who actually voted. Theoretically, if more people would vote then those percentages would drastically change, possibly even one day causing Texas to become a swing-state. In the 2008 election an estimated 11.7 million eligible voters in the United States were between the ages of 18 and 20, with only 41% casting a vote. Of the estimated 16.6 million in the 21 to 24 age group, only 46.6% voted. Often times it is the younger generations that are ready to embrace changes, but it’s also the younger generations that aren’t doing
their civic duty. Of the voting population in Texas during the 2012 Presidential election, 57% voted for Mitt Romney, 41% voted for Barack Obama, and 2% voted third party. Those numbers are fairly close already and only about half of us are actually voting. People tell me all the time, “I don’t vote because Texas always takes the Republican vote.” The very fact that people believe this is the reason why they should vote. If you think your voice isn’t heard, you’re wrong. The representatives in the Electoral College submit their votes according to the popular vote of their home state. If you don’t like who your representatives are then vote them out the when the time comes. Only about half of the U.S. population votes anyway, we all know that. However, we shouldn’t just sit down and accept it. We should do something about it. Get up and vote the first time you get the chance, and the second, and the third. Vote every chance you get. Texas always votes Republican because not enough Democrats vote. Not enough Democrats vote because Texas always votes Republican. It’s a vicious circle. The simple fix: vote.
Letter to the Editor
Letter to the Editor –
I am writing in response to the article “Physical Education strikes out:…” San Jacinto Times, February 18th edition. Unfortunately no one from the central physical education or athletic departments was contacted before the article ran. While it’s correct that 2 PE credits are no longer required in the core curriculum for an associate’s degree, we want students to know that “We’re Still Here”. Physical Education classes still exist and students can choose to take one or more of them for an elective. Want to get in shape? We offer fitness class like kick boxing, zumba, yoga, martial arts, weight training, jogging, exercise, aerobics classes and fitness walking. Want to learn a new sport (or improve your skills)? We have classes in golf, bowling, tennis, soccer, volleyball, basketball, softball and racquetball. We also have specialty classes like modern dance, jazz, first aid, personal health, officiating sports and foundations of physical education. All 3 campuses have PHED (physical education) classes year round- days, nights, weekends, 1 day a week, 2 days a week, 1 hour and 3 hours credit classes, and DL classes(distance learning) taught by certified physical education specialists with master’s degrees. Reasons taking a PE class is a good idea: it’s cheaper than joining a gym, you’re already on campus, no travel time or gas used, showers and locker rooms available, plenty of classes/activities to choose from. Physical benefits that are both immediate and long term include: increased endurance, strength and flexibility, healthier bones, muscles and joints, increased energy, increased calorie expenditure, reduced body fat, lowered resting heart rate, sleep better, reduce tension, deal with stress more effectively, have fun, learn a sport for life, make new friends with similar interests. And - research indicates that exercise has been proven to improve the brain’s ability to learn, remember, think and reason. And - some of the Texas universities that our students transfer to still require 2 PE credits-be sure and check. Besides classes, the physical education and wellness departments at all 3 campuses have OPEN GYM hours daily for working out in the weight rooms, using racquetball courts, tennis courts, dance studios and gyms. All campuses also have Recreational Sports programs for the more competitive students during the fall and spring. Physical Education-We’re Still Here. Physical Education (PHED) classes can now be taken as an elective. It’s YOUR choice. Thank you, Sandi Morgan Central campus physical education department chair
San Jacinto Times San Jacinto College Student Publications
ADVISER
Hellen Papadacos
PRODUCTION MANAGER Sara Quintana
ADVERTISING Sara Quintana
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Leif Hayman
DEPARTMENT EDITORS Caty Christy
Monica Davila Asher Minx
Chris Villegas
PAGE DESIGNERS Sara Quintana Christopher Shelton
CIRCULATION MANAGER Christian O’Connor
STAFF WRITERS
Flor Barrero Amanda Beard Jonathan Chapa Naama Gouti Keili Harrison Jeannette Jimenez Jason McNeely Alex Moore Annette Moore Joseph Payne Vanessa Piña Aaron Preston Angelica Rodriguez Christopher Rodriguez Rebeca Valdez Elton Wilson
The San Jacinto Times is published five times a semester by the journalism students at San Jacinto College Central, 8060 Spencer Highway, Pasadena, TX 77505. Opinions expressed herein are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the staff, its adviser, the administration or the Board of Regents. The Times encourages letters to the editor. Letters must be in good taste, accurate, free from libel, malice or personal controversy. Letters must be limited to 200 words in length. Letters submitted
without the author’s signature will not be accepted. The staff reserves the right to edit the letters for accuracy without altering the general meaning. Letters can be e-mailed to Hellen.Papadacos@sjcd.edu. Letters must include name and phone number for verification. The digital edition of the Times is available at http://issuu.com/sanjacintotimes. Advertising space is available for $5.00 per column inch. Special rates are available. For news tips and information on advertising, contact the Times at 281478-2752.
San Jacinto Times
March 25, 2013
Page 3
Lifestyle & Entertainment
San Jac’s Fashion Icon Contest: South collaborates with new theatre company Cycle Three Winners
Erika Erickson (top) Major: General Studies South Campus “I wear whatever looks good.”
Mayra Lopez Major: Nursing Central Campus
“The way I dress depends on my mood.”
Photo Credits: Naama Gouti San Jacinto Times
Jeannette Jimenez Staff Writer
Fine and performing art students at San Jacinto College South Campus actively worked for 7 months, on putting together their first collaboration with Tardigrade Theatre Company, to produce the play “Purple”. It opened Thursday March 21 and ran through Sunday March 24. This is the first collaboration South campus has done with an outside theatre company. The play was based mainly on visuals created with masks, and very little dialogue. The masks were made by the students in professor Jeff McGee’s sculpture class. According to a YouTube video, professor McGee, who also served as art director for “Purple”, wanted his students in sculpture class to do something that was going to be bigger than themselves. He wanted them to do something that would be used in a production. The Fine Arts department at San Jac south campus has art, music, dance and theatre all under one roof. Professor McGee didn’t want to waste a
collaboration opportunity. The inspiration to go outside of South campus’s own theatre department to Tardigrade Theatre Company came from artistic director and director of “Purple”, Liz Lacy. Tardigrade Theatre is a company she founded with other former San Jac students. “Instead of just a school collaboration, it became a part of the theatre company and the art department,” Lacy said. The play was based primarily on visuals, therefore there was no script for students to go by in putting together this production. “We wanted to create something, for me, visually stunning which of course constitutes use of the masks and character movement more than dialogue. Also inspired by that, I had a deaf student in one of my classes and it really started to make me think what he was processing from the films we watched, and I wanted to create something that people, through movement, and very little dialogue could have a story,” Lacy said. There was a total of 11 masks in the production, all made by the students. “Each mask has its own scene
Photo Courtesy of Christopher Huynh
Tyler Canada, Stacey Greaber and Andy Powell rehearse for Purple.
it’s based on the actors character study of the mask and what that character symbolizes to a main idea that we created from the beginning being cast into darkness and trying to escape that darkness,” Lacy said. The funding for this production came from the San Jacinto student success Initiative Grant. Jeff McGee wrote out a grant proposal that was then approved for 5,000. According to McGee, the grant provided the art department with the funding they needed to purchase all of the wood used to make the masks. It also helped them purchase the tools to carve
the mask and supplied them with everything they needed to begin the process in making this production happen. This was Tardigrade Theatre Company’s first production, which happened to be a collaboration with the visual and performing arts department at San Jacinto South campus. “I think that the students that have worked on production have had a truly unique experience in creating an original piece of the theatre,” Lacy said. “That does not happen often. It has been a great experience and we hope to collaborate on future productions.”
Art exhibit showcases student sculptures Naama Gouti Staff Writer
The San Jacinto College North campus Art department opened a student art exhibition on Mar. 7 and runs through Mar. 28. It is being held in the North Gallery located in the Grant Fine Arts Center (building N1). Each year the Art department has new artwork in their galleries by the students, for the students, as well as for the public to view them. It is opened as “an opportunity for (SJC) sculpture students to show the work
they’ve made up to this point this year,” said Professor Joe Clark. “I believe the Art department does this to showcase San Jac student's art and to assist them in growing beyond the art process by learning to put a show together behind the scenes in a unique way. (It) also provides the public an opportunity to see Art in their own community,” said Samantha Bryant, an art student. “Splatter” by Samantha Bryant is one of the works being displayed at the Sculpture Show exhibition. She found her inspiration in com-
mon objects and wanted to arouse a feeling of curiosity. “The stuffed animals I chose for the soft sculpture assignment inspired me; I chose a monkey, rabbit, and bear. When I saw the stuffed animals beside one another I envisioned the animals growing out of one another dripping to the floor. I wanted the audience to sense a 'random evolution', how one type of substance or material can grow into another, to evoke a sense of curiosity and wonder.” The exhibition is free and open to the public daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m..
March 25, 2013
More News & From the Cover
San Jacinto Times
Page 4
Cinema event features Bin Laden film,‘Wreck-It Ralph’ Human
Jason McNeely Staff Writer
Students interested in free movies and free refreshments just found a night this month worth remembering. San Jacinto College Central Campus is hosting a movie night Thursday March 28. “Wreck-It Ralph” and “Zero Dark Thirty”: will be shown in the North Courtyard. The movies will start at 7 p.m., depending on the sunset. Student Life Coordinator Amanda Rose will host the event along with the First Year Experience Program. Rose heard from a lot of students that there is not much activity on campus at night. This is going to be the third time she hosts a movie night on Central campus. The school can only have an an event like this once a se-
English
Continued from Page 1
method by which he allows us to experience all the sides of the human existence," Professor Smith said. "We're going to have various departments set up booths and representations from the actual plays and poems that Shakespeare's written. Students will be able to interact with those booths." Professor Smith's booth will be one of Shakespeare's famous plays, “Hamlet”. "That play is largely about the
mester, even though students have asked for this more often. “If you do it every week it is not as popular. The novelty of it wears off,” Rose said. This is the first time Central campus will have a movie night in the spring. A 35 by 35 foot inflatable movie screen will show both films. Students are allowed to bring chairs, blankets, or have the option to sit on the grass if they prefer. “Even if you were sitting on the ground the screen’s large enough that you will still be able to see it,” Rose said. Popcorn, chips, and bottled water are provided free of charge by Student Life. A coupon for free candy is handed out a couple days before the movie night to help promote the event. The coupon is good for one free
candy of the students’ choice that can be redeemed at the candy bar. However, the effort does not turn a profit. “This is not meant to make money. This is not a fundraiser,” Rose said. Students at San Jac can bring a family member or a friend. Anyone attending must be affiliated with the campus. “We really want it for our students, our employees- really our students,” she said. The Drive-In Cinema is a great way for students to come together to watch a free movie on campus with their fellow classmates. Whether it’s the free popcorn, free candy, or two free movies, San Jac Central will treat the students and MCT Campus employees to a night filled Jessica Chastain earned an Oscar nomination for her performwith fun and enjoyment prior ance in “Zero Dark Thirty.” to the Good Friday holiday.
experience of death, my booth will be Hamlet's sepulcher and students will come and experience that. We're taking expressions from Shakespeare and having them realized for students to experience the literature there," professor Smith said. Shakespeare wrote 37 plays, so the department is focusing their attention on plays that they normally teach in their classes. Hamlet, Othello, A Mid Summer Nights Dream are just examples of what plays are going to be presented at the fair. The fair will also have street performers and students who are going to take on
a character from many different plays. English professor, April Poissant is going to focus on Othello. “I chose Othello for the Get-Lit Fair because one of the Spanish professors, Jose Antonio-Robles wanted to also participate in the fair, so we researched works by Shakespeare that include Spanish characters. We researched and found that Othello is referred to as the Spanish Moor. We realized we could do a connection between his class and my class,” Professor Poissant said. “Students in my 1302 classes will be responsible for coming up
with projects and helping with the tent itself,” Professor Possiant said. “Whether it’s gathering food or helping with recipes, I have a student whose family is from Morocco… they’re going to help by giving us simple recipes so students can try to attempt to make authentic dishes, so that students here at the school can have a cultural experience.” "We will have a costume contest, and you can go as anything from the renaissance, or if you want to a character from any Shakespearian play. Many of the faculty will be in costume,” said Professor Smith. “We'll have per-
formances from students and of course the food and the activities that we'll have, from the inflatable bouncy-house to the booths that we set up, are all going to somehow tie-in with Shakespeare and the literary experience he gives us." An agenda with the performance times will be posted for students to see at the fair. The fair will also have costume contest and plays for the public to watch. To join a costume contest, the booth will be set up for the students to register. When it is time for judging, the student will present their costume to the crowd.
Continued from Page 1
bothers me the most, is not the women who are of majority age, but you have 50 percent of these people who are trafficked are children,” Romero said. Sargent Connie Bajula, Training Coordinator and Crime Prevention Specialist at SJC further elaborated on popular misconceptions about human trafficking. “One of the main things I want y’all to understand about HT (human trafficking) is that it’s just not about immigrants coming here,” Bajula said. “It’s about 8, 9, 10, 12, 14 year old girls when they disappear from the United States. Where do you think they are going? They are being trafficked elsewhere.” According to PSI BETA, Houston has more adult entertainment and more massage parlors than Las Vegas.
"We'll have a special kind of vote. It's a secret how we're going to vote for the winner here right now, so you'll have to wait on that for the festival," Professor Smith says. "There's a reason for that, it's going to be a way of paying homage to the monarch of the time, Queen Elizabeth, so that's going to tie in with the selection of the winner." Normally the English Department does all the funding for the event, but this year the department received the Innovative Initiatives Grant that the San Jacinto College Foundation provides.
San Jacinto Times
March 25, 2013
8 DAYS A WEEK North
Monday, March 25 • No Scheduled Activities
Tuesday, March 26 • Men of Honor Meeting, 12 p.m., N6.108 • WEBB Historical Society Meeting, 1:15 p.m., N7.108
Wednesday, March 27 • Psych Fair, 10 a.m., N12.200
Thursday, March 28 • Psych Fair, 10 a.m., N12.200 • Anime Club Meeting, 2 p.m., N9.133 • LEX Induction Ceremony, 6 p.m., N1.103
Friday, March 29 • Easter Holiday - No Classes Held
Saturday, March 30 • Easter Holiday - No Classes Held
Sunday, March 31
Central
• Easter Holiday - No Classes Held
Monday, March 25 • Logos Meeting, 11:30 a.m., C14.212 A/B
Tuesday, March 26 • Martial Arts Open House, 8 a.m., Anders Gym • National Society of Collegiate Scholars Meeting, 3 p.m., C1.233
Wednesday, March 27 • Anime Society Meeting, 1 p.m., C15.215 • Robotics Club Meeting, 3 p.m., C20.320
Thursday, March 28 • WEBB Historical Society Meeting, 7:30 a.m., C2.224 • Phi Theta Kappa Meeting, 11 a.m., C1.230 • College Republicans Meeting, 12:30 p.m., C14.212 A/B • Cinema on the Lawn, 7 p.m., North Courtyard
Friday, March 29 • Easter Holiday - No Classes Held
Saturday, March 30 • Easter Holiday - No Classes Held
Page 5
Office of Student Life to honor ‘Phenomenal Women’
Flor Barrero Staff Writer
The office of Student Life at San Jacinto College is honoring phenomenal women at Central Campus as part of Women’s History Month in March. The Phenomenal Woman Award is a Central Campus specific award that has been in existence for only two years. It honors faculty members, and students as well. Amanda Rose, Coordinator of Student Life, created the award last year to give recognition to wonderful women on campus. “There are a lot of women on campus that do good things,” Rose said. This year different women have been nominated based on their achievements, professional leadership, student leadership, and participation in community activities. The Phenomenal Woman Award 2013 nominees list include faculty members and staff: Geneva Fort, Tina Mougouris, Pamela Maack, Amanda Rose, Tonia Garret, Letonya Brown, Tanya Madrigal, Tammi Rice, Jennifer May, Kaye Moon-Winters, Dr. Deborah Myles, Jeanie Wright, Deborah Anderson, Regina Julian, Dr. Sarah
Spencer, and Patricia Steinke. The nominees list also include students: Shauna Rayls, Noemi Sanchez, Lacee Padron, Vania Mireles, and Amy Gonzales. All nominees will be honored at a reception Wed March 27 at
noon in the Student Center Ballroom. During the reception, the two 2013 Phenomenal Award winners will be announced awarding one faculty staff member, and one student. The reception is open to the public.
Staff Writer
Friday March 8th, the San Jacinto Robotics club hosted an event called the FIRST Tech Challenge. At the FTC event there were 18 High school teams from all over Texas. The event was called "Ring It Up". The high school teams had to design a program and build a robot that could strategically move rings from one peg to another. Out of the 18 teams, two teams rose above the rest, one of the teams that won was the Cyber Sharks from Palacios
8 DAYS A WEEK North
Monday, April 1
• Robotics Club Meeting, 3 p.m., N7.261
Tuesday, April 2 • No Scheduled Activities
Wednesday, April 3 • Gator Day, 10 a.m., Student Center Lawn
Thursday, April 4 • Anime Club Meeting, 2 p.m., N9.133 • Phi Theta Kappa Meeting, 4:30 p.m., N13.208
Friday, April 5 • Math & Engineering Club Meeting, 10 a.m., N8.251 • Science Club Meeting, 12 p.m., N8.201 • Robotics Club Meeting, 1 p.m., N2.219
Saturday, April 6 • No Scheduled Activities
Sunday, April 7
Central
• No Scheduled Activities
Monday, April 1 Flor Barrero San Jacinto Times
Amanda Rose, Student Life Coordinator and nominee, created the award to recognize wonderful women on campus.
Robotics Club hosts FIRST Tech Challenge
Alex Moore
Around Campus
High School in Palacios, TX. They won the "Field Award". Their robot performed best in the arena and was able to move rings onto the poles set up in the middle of the field very well. The other team was the Gear Heads from Huntington High School in Huntington, Texas. They won the "Inspire Award". This is the award that goes to the team that performed well in a variety of categories. They had the best engineering notebook, the best community outreach, and they had a good robot design that performed well in the arena. These two teams have ad-
vanced to the World Championship Competition in April that is held in St. Louis, Missouri. At this competition there will be 300 teams from all over the world. The San Jacinto Robotics Club was in charge of the set up and take down of the event. They went in the day before, put the event together and made sure everything was ready to go. Then, when the competition was over, they broke everything down and put the equipment away. The Robotics club meets every Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. in room C20-320.
Sunday, March 31
• Logos Meeting, 11:30 a.m., C14.212 A/B
Tuesday, April 2 • TSEA Meeting, 1 p.m., C20.261 • English Club Meeting, 2 p.m., C14.212 A/B • National Society of Collegiate Scholars Meeting, 3 p.m., C1.233
Wednesday, April 3 • Anime Society Meeting, 1 p.m., C15.215 • Robotics Club Meeting, 3 p.m., C20.320 • Raven Fest, 10 a.m., North Courtyard
Thursday, April 4 • WEBB Historical Society Meeting, 7:30 a.m., C2.224 • Phi Theta Kappa Meeting, 11 a.m., C1.230 • College Republicans Meeting, 12:30 p.m., C14.212 A/B
Friday, April 5 • SGA Meeting, 11:30 a.m., C1.155
Saturday, April 6 • Martial Arts Club Meeting, 10 a.m., C18.117
Sunday, April 7
South
• Easter Holiday - No Classes Held
South
• No Scheduled Activities
Monday, March 25
Monday, April 1
• Philosophy Club Meeting, 3 p.m., S7.102 • SOS Brigade Anime Club Meeting, 3 p.m., S10.112 • Mixed Martial Arts Meeting, 8:30 p.m., S21.120
• Mystery Ink Tour, 10 a.m., Student Center Atrium • Anime Club Meeting, 3 p.m., S10.112 • Mixed Martial Arts Meeting, 8:30 p.m., S21.120
Tuesday, March 26
Tuesday, April 2
• Student Bible Fellowship, 12 p.m., S6.196 • Game Enterprises Guild Meeting, 3 p.m., S8.1062
• Student Bible Fellowship, 12 p.m., S6.196 • SGA Meeting, 2:30 p.m., S11.228 • Game Enterprises Guild Meeting, 3 p.m., S8.1062
Wednesday, March 27 • Coyote Day, 10 a.m., Student Center Lawn • GSA Meeting, 2:30 p.m., S9.250 • Coyote Future Teacher’s Club Meeting, 3 p.m., S7.102 • EDG Club Meeting, 3 p.m., S13.274 • SOS Brigade Anime Club Meeting, 3 p.m., S10.112 • Writer’s Block Meeting, 3 p.m., S9.214 • ESOL Club Meeting, 4 p.m., S8.1014 • Geo Jac’s Meeting, 5:30 p.m., S7.148
Thursday, March 28 • Game Enterprises Guild Meeting, 3 p.m., S8.1062 • Class Act, 6 p.m., S15 Green Room
Wednesday, April 3 Alex Moore San Jacinto Times
FTC competitors remotely guide their robots during a ring toss style competition.
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• Blood Drive, 10 a.m., Student Center Atrium • GSA Meeting, 2:30 p.m., S9.250 • EDG Club Meeting, 3 p.m., S13.274 • Anime Club Meeting, 3 p.m., S10.112 • Writer’s Block Meeting, 3 p.m., S9.214 • ESOL Club Meeting, 4 p.m., S8.1014 • Geo Jac’s Meeting, 5:30 p.m., S7.148
Thursday, April 4 • Blood Drive, 10 a.m., Student Center Atrium • SVA Meeting, 2:30 p.m., S8.2066 • Game Enterprises Guild Meeting, 3:30 p.m., S8.1062
Friday, April 5 Friday, March 29 • Easter Holiday - No Classes Held
• Mixed Martial Arts Meeting, 9 a.m., S21.105 • Phi Theta Kappa Meeting, 1 p.m., S6.152
Saturday, March 30
Saturday, April 6
• Easter Holiday - No Classes Held
• No Scheduled Activities
Sunday, March 31 • Easter Holiday - No Classes Held
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Sunday, April 7 • No Scheduled Activities
March 25, 2013
San Jacinto Times
Sports & Fitness
Ravens Men’s Basketball in retrospect: A chaotic end to a commanding season
Keili Harrison Staff Writer
top scoring team in the region kept their losses to a minimum. “We hate to make excuses, but like any team we have reasons for our bad games,” said The San Jacinto College Ravens men’s basketball Coach Gernander. team scored a season of countless ups, occasional The Ravens continued to make their way through downs, and one awe-inspiring game that should conference, hopeful to prolong their season. After leave a lesson learning impression on all athletes. the Christmas break, the Ravens fell into a three The San Jac Ravens, making their season debut game skid and were in jeopardy of finding themagainst Lone Star College-CyFair, began the 2012- selves in the bottom half of the conference. They 2013 season with a seven game winning streak, faced the possibility of watching another team take sweeping those initial teams by an average of 35 their desired path to the Regional Tournament. points. With five members of the team averaging However, on Jan. 19 while on the road to compete in double figures, it is no question the team imme- against Lamar State-Port Arthur, things began to diately illustrated great potential for a successful look up for the Ravens as the freshman guard, Zach season. Interim Head Coach Scott R. Gernander, a Lofton, hit a game winning buzzer beater. Ending former San Jac Raven that led his team to the 2002- the Raven’s downward spiral, that victory sent 2003 National Junior College Athletic Association them into another substantial winning streak, nat(NJCAA) Men’s Basketball National Champi- urally putting them back on top in conference play. onship, says one of the team’s strengths is a, “good Victorious the remainder of their regular season, scoring balance.” with the exception of an overtime loss to Jack“We are a quick team,” he says, “We play well sonville College, the San Jac Ravens earned the when we run and beat teams in transition.” title South Zone Champs, as well as a ticket to the Opening day of the regular season, San Jac took Regional Tournament. a two-point loss to Trinity Valley Community ColThey entered the tournament seeded third, which lege. But with their fast and aggressive offense, the allowed the team to bypass the first playoff round. The Ravens faced the sixth ranked Tyler Junior college, whom they defeated 62-52. That victory sent them to the Regional Semi-Finals, with Navarro College as their opponent. This determining semifinal game can be summed up in one word: chaotic. Entering the tournament with only nine players on the roster, the Ravens were left with very little room for spurof-the-moment troubles. Due to a concussion from Jeannie Peng-Armao San Jacinto College Marketing Department the previous game, Uzonna Akazi, the 6’7” San Jac freshman, drives in for a layup against Teris Bourgeois did Lamar State-Port Arthur during the Feb. 9 home game.
not dress out for the game against Navarro, bringing the team to the unusually low number of eight. Having beaten Navarro College with that same number earlier in the season, Coach Gernander said he, “still felt good about the game.” With just three ready players for substitutions, the Ravens began to fight for a spot in the National Tournament. Misfortune occurred ten minutes into the game, when a leading Raven scorer and 2nd Team AllRegion member, Zach Lofton, came down with a game ending ankle injury. Disaster continued as Mohammed Lee, top Raven scorer and Region MVP, contracted serious full body cramps, forcing him to leave the game as well. The six remaining players continued to exchange baskets with Navarro College, keeping the scores close. In the last six minutes of the game, Chris Rios and Brandon Chatman each received their fifth fouls, reducing the team to four. “I looked down our bench to make sure a miracle player did not appear,” Coach Gernander said, “I’ve heard of teams being in a situation like that, but never actually witnessed it or been a part of it.” Coach Gernander preached confidence in his team, saying, “I honestly still thought we were going to win.” With the game continuing to go back and forth, the remaining four players fought feverishly against their unfortunate odds. Despite their remarkable efforts, the Ravens respectively suffered their final loss 79-75, completing their 2012-2013 season. “At the time you don’t want to hear it,” Coach Gernander said, “but everyone that witnessed the game was in awe of the ‘bad luck’ we had.” Admirably, the team left everything on the court, earning compliments from those who witnessed their hard fought battle. Although the story of the outcome was a bit of a heartbreaker, Coach Gernander said, “I was more proud of the way they played in that game than I was all year.” The hard working efforts of the Raven basketball team illustrated on the court in their final game are some to take note of. That group of young men were dealt a tough deal, but bravely handled their situation with will and determination. Coach Gernander added one final thought, “You never feel successful after a loss but I’m sure looking back and seeing our record and the adversity we handled all year, it was still a great season.”
Page 6
Rockets fueling up for playoffs
Jeremy Lin addresses the media about the Rockets’ defense and how they can be consistent. Overall, the Rockets are above .500 but their gameplay is up and down. “Feeling the game out against their opponents sometimes leads to dog fights with teams,” Lin said. The Rockets are the youngest team in the NBA and are looking to make a push for the playoffs for the first time since 2009. -Chris Villegas