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Pet adoption day finds homes for animals in need See Page 6
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Guided Pathways
New college program provides GPS for students News, Page 3 ISSUE 6 Spring 2017 Student voice of CRC since 1970
Summer on a Budget
Fun ideas nearby and tips on traveling Features, Page 7
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Spring Sports Recap Baseball and softball look ahead to playoffs Sports, Page 10
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May , 2017
>>News
Career fair offers students insight By Jeannie Cordero jecordero.connect@gmail.com The quad was packed with students for Cosumnes River College’s largest Career and Future Fair on April 27. CRC Career Specialist Courtnee Mack coordinated this event for the second year in a row. “I hope students understand that networking is key,” Mack said. “So even if they’re not in the market looking for employment today,” Mack said, “That they go out there and put their name out there and meet someone from an organization today.” Organizations like the Sacramento Police Department, the United States Postal Office, UC Davis Medical Center and Bank of America had booths that lined the pathways in the fountain quad. The event was packed with students who stopped by during their breaks between classes. Mack said she tried to recruit as many employers as she could. “We invited everyone who attended last year, and in addition, I went to job fairs and recruited employers from there,” Mack said. Students had the opportunity to meet with different employers and find out information about the career path they may be interested in. Martin Rodriguez, a 22-year-old accounting major, said he was happy that CRC gave students the opportunity to find a job. “An event like this shows that CRC cares about their students and tries to help
“When students graduate... they already have their foot in the door by talking to employers.” — Courtnee Mack CRC Career Specialist
“An event like this shows that CRC cares about their students and tries to help them create a better future.” — Martin Rodriguez 22, accounting major them create a better future,” Rodriguez said. “There were some jobs that related to my major, and I found this really helpful.” Companies were handing out fliers, pens and bags to promote their business. Raffle prizes were awarded to students who answered trivia questions related to the employer’s job. A 45-year-old human services major, Roman Tabayoyon, said he liked how there were a lot of employers to talk to. “ I like it because of the variety of different opportunities that it has to offer,” said Tabayoyon. “Although [these] might not be something that someone goes into as a career, it’s something people can do while going to school.” While some students felt the career fair was helpful, Shawn Acres, a 21-year-old business major, said that there were not a lot of employers who were looking to offer jobs immediately. “I feel like there’s a significant amount of things that are directed to one particular audience,” Acres said. “There’s a lot here for child development and not so much blue-collar jobs, things like welding or entry-level jobs.” Students also had the chance to have their resume reviewed and received feedback on how to improve it. “In two years when students graduate or in a semester, they already have their foot in the door by talking to employers,” Mack said. “I just really hope that students make a lot of connections and network.”
Justin Cordero | The Connection
Left to right: Professors Iris Dimond, Trang Abeid and Omari Williams started teaching full time in Fall.
A year in: professors look back By Justin Cordero jcordero.connect@gmail.com With the school year coming to a close, several professors are wrapping up their first year teaching full-time at Cosumnes River College. Professors Iris Dimond, Trang Abeid and Omari Williams began working full time after being adjunct professors at the beginning of the fall 2016 semester and have learned a lot from their first year,about both the campus and its students. “Trying to find a routine is the trickiest part of it,” said Dimond, an early childhood education professor. “And with each semester being a little bit different with classes and rotations, it can be a bit challenging.” Dimond is a graduate from Sacramento City College and California State University Sacramento. Before getting her full-time job, she had 15 years of prior experience. Dimond said she could see the differences between the previous schools she worked at and what it’s like working alongside CRC students. “All of the schools are very, very different in culture and climate due to their location and population and everything else,” Dimond said. “I love the fact that we have the most diverse campus, and I think that’s what keeps things interesting and fresh every semester.” Throughout the school year, she has also been able to get closer with some of her students and take note of their development as she teaches them day after day. “Some are outstanding academically, some are outstanding for their personalities and for their commitments to the field,” Dimond
said. “That’s the uniqueness of working here, or working with anything where you deal with the public; you have to deal with everybody.” Dimond said she isn’t finished learning, and something that she discovered in her first year at CRC also serves as good advice to her students. “The best thing I’ve learned is: if you have a question, seek it out yourself,” she said. “Because I find that not everybody else always knows, so I’ll go and ask the person I think might know the answer, and they don’t know either, so I’ve had few situations where I’m like, ‘let’s go find that out together.’” Abeid, an English professor, was previously an adjunct professor on campus as well, but she said becoming a full-time faculty member meant she had to balance the time she spent in her office and at home. “There’s also a lot of other responsibilities I have to take into account,” Abeid said. “As full-time faculty, we’re expected to attend more meetings, be on committees to help with student success and help with strategic planning.” Because of this, Abeid also said that she’s learning how to balance everything so she won’t burn out, and that setting boundaries was important. Abeid, who also graduated from CSUS, as well as the University of the Pacific, said she finds the work she does at CRC very gratifying. Abeid said faculty members who had been at CRC longer helped her transition into her position and shared knowledge of campus information involving separate departments.
“I usually default to older faculty if I have a question about something like the campus or anything like that,” Abeid said. Williams, a music professor, is excited to help his students polish their vocal skills and expand their musical knowledge. “Things are going very well,” said Williams, a Michigan State University and Moores School of Music graduate. “The settling takes some time, and it will probably take some years to get this program where I want it to be for the school.” Williams said that what he enjoys about the campus is the amount of diversity, especially when he learns about students’ backgrounds and finds out how he can teach them in better ways. Williams plans on continuing to build the music department alongside his colleagues in order to have more of the community join their classes. He also said that even if the classes grow, he stills wants students to “take it seriously, and treat it more like a class rather than a club.” In the upcoming fall 2017 semester, Williams said that he plans on holding more events to help advertise for the music department, especially vocal classes, and wants to cover a wide spectrum of people in order to give them the tools they need to succeed. All three professors find their new roles extremely gratifying and look forward to helping the CRC community grow. “It’s very rewarding,” Abeid said. “Especially when I talk to the students and they accomplish a lot.”
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Source: CRC Research Office
Guided Pathways program makes it way to CRC Cosumnes River College has been named as one of 20 California community colleges to be accepted into the Guided Pathways program. By Kristi Doan and Shannon Rusche kdoan.connect@gmail.com & srusche.connect@gmail.com Cosumnes River College was one of 20 California community colleges selected to participate in the Guided Pathways Project, an initiative starting in early April. According to the California Guided Pathways website, this project will help selected community colleges cultivate student success by developing structured educational experiences which support students in attaining postsecondary credentials and careers. Faculty on campus who are fa-
miliar with the the Guided Pathways Project, or who are involved with it, have likened the initiative to a GPS that guides students in their academic careers. “Through Guided Pathways, we seek to help the students by providing them with a clear road map or GPS specifying which route or specific courses to take so they don’t have to spend unnecessary time at CRC,” said professor Man Phan, chair of the Business Department. Phan said that the purpose of Guided Pathways is to provide students with a “descriptive and easy-touse” plan that guides them through college in order to complete a certificate or degree. CRC held a Guided Pathways summit on Friday in order to discuss the various issues regarding students’ academic success at CRC. The summit was open to all campus employees and was well attended, with approximately 82 faculty, staff and administration in attendance. “The main thing that I pulled from the planning summit was the sense of the complexity of the issues involved
in Guided Pathways,” said attendee Rick Schubert, a philosophy professor. “And an even more profound sense of the importance that we get Guided Pathways right.” Alexander Casareno, interim dean at the Elk Grove Center, said that once Guided Pathways is in place, counselors will be key in sending students on a path that provides them support. Casareno added that faculty will be able to better inform students on courses that apply to their interests and careers. The Guided Pathways project will cost $15,000 each year for three years and will receive its funding from CRC’s Institutional Effectiveness Partnership Initiative grant, according to the CGP website. The funds will cover expenses for the Guided Pathways Steering Committee, which will be led by CRC College President Edward Bush. The commitee will attend six meetings a school year “where they will receive guidance and structured time to plan for campus work to create clear pathways to high-quality credentials and develop the change management
strategies needed to accomplish this goal,” according to CGP’s website. “I think participation in the Guided Pathways Project would prove advantageous to the college,” Schubert said. “Part of what participation in the Guided Pathways Project does for the college is provide it access to data sets and the expertise of other colleges that are further along than we are in Guided Pathway.” Schubert said he believes the resources provided by participation in the initiative justify the cost. Without this project, CRC would have hired an expert to direct the college and that method would have been much more expensive than the program, Schubert said. After the three years when the program is over, CRC hopes to have implemented and sustained the program outline of Guided Pathways. The college will be focusing on aspects ranging from how well the school spends their funds to where “general educational funds will be spent on guided pathways as the way we deliver instruction and student support services to students,” Casareno said.
May 4, 2017
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Student officers say they are excited to begin By Missy Amaya mamaya.connect@gmail.com Elections for Cosumnes River College student government positions have officially ended, but the battle for amplifying the student voice is an ongoing effort, which is why student officials encourage more participation. Vice President of the student senate Freddy Monde, a 25-year-old computer science major, is in charge of organizing the student elections, as well as making sure students are aware of what is happening on their campus. “Compared to last year this time around the elections weren’t that good,” said Monde. “It’s not that big of a difference, but we still don’t have enough student interest.” Monde’s position as vice president, originally meant to end Thursday, may be extended due to a lack of candidates.
“I am going to ask to stay just for the time being until we find someone to take over for those positions,” said Monde. Current acting President Tony Tran, a 19-year-old film and digital cinema production major, is unsure whether he will stay until his position is filled due to his decision to switch his major. “We understand everyone is busy,” said Tran. “It’s harder to find students who are willing to take out that extra amount of time and step into a position they have never been in.” Student government is in charge of promoting the interests and rights of the students it represents in order to create a learning environment that fits the student’s needs. “It is scary and almost a leap of faith, however we need students to take that leap and learn what
leadership is all about,” said Tran. “If we had more students involved we would have a better collective voice from the student body as a whole instead of the few voices we do have.” Although student participation may be low, the excitement to make a difference drives newly-appointed Trustee of the Los Rios School District, Evan Nguyen. Nguyen, a 22-yearold sociology major, said he is very excited to begin advocating for his fellow schoolmates and to bring awareness to resources available to them. “I know there is a plethora of resources that we have on our campus, but we don’t have awareness,” said Nguyen. “We don’t have students interacting enough to get these resources.” Nguyen will begin his term as trustee during the summer
Jared Lee | The Connection
Student government candidates present their ideas at the Candidates Forum on March 29.
and said he already has a few objectives he would like to focus on while working with the district. “Two things I really want to lobby for is safety awareness and mental health resources,” said Nguyen. With recent accounts of sexual assault cases reported on campus, as well as the 2015
school shooting incident at Sacramento City College, Nguyen says he intends to advocate these issues and others to acquire more funding for informative events to help encourage students participation. “We are giving a voice back to the students and trying to start the dialogue that students can actually
make a difference,” Nguyen said. Newly-appointed student government officials Dario Grajeda and Sofia RiosDominguez will be sworn in as director of legislative affairs and senator, respectively. The ceremony will be held Thursday in the Orchard Room at 1:30 p.m.
Math Integration Bee adds up to lots of nerdy fun By Jared Lee jalee.connect@gmail.com Math professors carrying a sign displaying the message “Go Math Tutors!” and Tom Lehrer’s “New Math” playing in the background kicked off the 13th annual Math Integration Bee. The Math Integration Bee at Cosumnes River College was held for CRC students in order to highlight their
academic achievements, said Mathematics Professor Brandon Muranaka. “These are our best math, science and engineering students,” Muranaka said. “It’s just an opportunity for them to have fun, show folks what they can do and really share their own excitement about math.” Integration is a mathematical concept that becomes prevalent in calculus and above.
All the competition in the bee was designed to test the competitors’ understanding of these concepts. “The integral is actually this thing that we call an antiderivative,” Muranaka said. “A derivative is an operation that we apply to a function to create a new function, and the integral is the reverse of that process.” Muranaka said that competitors had to apply
Shannon Rusche | The Connection
Mathematics Professor Lora Stewart presents Duy Nguyen with the first-prize award of a $300 check and an iPad. This is Nguyen’s second consecutive win of the Integration Bee.
different techniques that they’ve learned concerning integrals in order to solve the problems. The event consisted of multiple paper rounds, where participants were given sheets of paper, an integral and one minute in which to solve it. After the paper rounds, 10 students moved on to become finalists. In between rounds, raffle drawings and prizes were given out, many due to the donations of sponsors, like Farmers Insurance, the Cosumnes River College Foundation and the Los Rios College Federation of Teachers, among others. Students who had also won events during CRC’s Math Awareness week, like “problem of the day” and a Rubik’s Cube competition, were recognized and received prizes as well. The atmosphere was one of fun and enjoyment. The room where the bee was held - LRC 105 - was full, with only
standing room available. In between rounds of competition, professors from the mathematics department told math jokes, played maththemed music videos and did whatever they could to keep the fun going. Each of the finalists had to solve the integrals at the front of the room on whiteboards. They were allowed to miss one problem each. On their second miss, they would be eliminated from the competition. The last round came down to three students. After the round, all three students were incorrect, but one of the three had not gotten any wrong, while the other two had already earned one strike previously. Lauren Johnston, a 20-year-old biology major, placed second overall in the competition. Johnston said that she felt she could compete because of “practicing a lot and just being good at math.”
The winner, 28-yearold mechanical engineering major Duy Phuc Nguyen, was the returning champion, making this his second consecutive win of the bee. Nguyen also won the grand prize: $300 and a new iPad. Nguyen said that he joined the competition because of how much he enjoyed the opportunity to do math. “When I heard about the integration bee, I just wanted to join to test my skills,” Nguyen said. Muranaka said that the Integration Bee is like the department’s end-ofthe-year party. “It taps that little bit of competitive spirit that everyone has to try to compete doing something they’re good at,” Muranaka said. “It’s like any other thing, right? If you’re pretty good at something, and you have the opportunity to compete at it, there’s potentially human nature to want to do that.”
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>>Features
Music department offers opportunities for students By Jeannie Cordero jecordero.connect@gmail.com The Cosumnes River College music department offers a variety of classes for its students. The department is broken up into three sections: performing, instruction and specialization. In the performance section, classes include the orchestra, concert band, jazz band and gospel choir, which are performing groups that put on concerts. In the instruction section, students learn about the different histories of music and also develop skills for playing instruments, such as guitar and piano. In the specialization section, classes include working with professional music software and integrating music with children. “I like the program because everyone turns into a close-knit group,” said 20-year-old music major Taylor McCauley, who plays the saxophone. “The classes here are great; we perform in front of each other and give each other critiques to improve which helps us as musicians and benefits us for our futures.” Kurt Erickson, a music professor at CRC, said the music department is “going through a Renaissance” with “lots of positive things going on,” such as hiring a new vocal professor, Omari Williams and having a variety of different programs to accommodate students. “One of the best things of the music programs is you have to go to the same classes with the same people which builds the atmosphere that you’re always progressing with,” said Julius Field-Ridley, 18, a music major who plays the guitar. “I think we have some really great teachers that help each and every one of us.” Erickson, who is the director of the Composer’s Ensemble, said that the ensemble is a concert where “students create and perform their own music,” which is a “unique thing be-
cause no other community colleges in California has anything remotely like this.” Gabriel Lopez, a 25-year-old music major who plays the tuba, said the program prepares students for a four-year university. “What got me into the music program was the Composer’s Ensemble because I’m able to write whatever music I want,” Lopez said. “Also, we get to know the musicians and be exposed to all different kinds of music.” Another program the music department has to offer is the Applied Lessons Program. “The Applied Lessons program is where music majors get weekly free lessons from professional musicians,” said Grant Parker, the chair of the music department. “It fulfills the national requirement for music students that have to study one-on-one with someone on their instrument.” To get into the program, there are three requirements: students must declare themselves as a music major, be enrolled in one of the music theory courses and be enrolled in one of the major performing ensembles. There are 20 spots available per semester, and students have to audition for a spot. When students get that spot, “they get one-on-one with the finest instructors in the region,” Parker said. Typically, music lessons can range from $60 to $100 per hour with an instructor, so this opportunity is something students should apply for, Erickson said. “If you are a musician who is getting free lessons from a quality instructor, what more could you want?” Erickson said. The music department invites everyone to attend their concerts in May, such as the Composer’s Ensemble on May 1-2 at 7 p.m. Ticket prices are $5 with a student discount and can be purchased in advance online. The Student Recital is another event that showcases the students’ performances, which is free on May 12, at 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m.
Spring 2017 Concert Schedule all concerts are in the CRC Recital Hall
May 4 - Jazz Band Concert: 7 p.m. May 9 - All Choirs Spring Sing!: 7 p.m. May 10 - Concert Band: 7 p.m. May 11 - All Choirs Spring Sing!: 7 p.m. May 12 - Student Recital: 10:30 a.m. & 7 p.m.* May 15 - Orchestra Concert: 7 p.m. *free admission
Kanye's bad reputation doesn't represent his talent By Ashley Navarro anavarro.connect@gmail.com Was it the outrageous price of beer, the line it took to get inside or the two hour wait for the show to start that struck Golden 1 arena goers with anger and protest on Nov. 19 in 2016? It was actually the devastating realization that Kanye West was leaving the stage after 30 minutes of a few songs and a rant on politics. That realization was like a child noticing their scoop of rainbow sherbet had left the cone. The poor and oblivious child who had spent so much time letting the frozen dessert soften because it was a bit too cold was like fans thinking “Oh, he’ll stop the ranting and go back to the music that’ll get us all hyphy.” But much like the melted sherbet, once he was gone, he was gone. The event caused a complete “I told you so” mentality by some of those who didn’t attend and those who just loathed West. This mentality came from the sheer thought that West was obnoxiously arrogant and a faux paus and like this was to be expected. After thoughts of embarrassment and a complete lack of understanding the events, going as far as questioning existence, I clearly knew what had happened. I witnessed a mental breakdown. The news was everywhere, and whenever it’s been brought up in conversation since then, it feels like I was in a fictional episode of MTV’s “True Life: I witnessed Kanye 2016.” I remember so many people yelling about how they refused to listen to West ever again. I and a few friends of mine contemplated on if it would be possible to respect and love his music again.
About two months later, I was back at it listening to “The Life of Pablo,” shedding a tear and feeling the heartbreak with each song Kanye performed. Dramatics aside, one of my favorite artists ditched me and the rest of his Sacramento fans yet I still couldn’t lose my respect for Yeezus. Regardless of how ridiculous he is, West is an insanely gifted man and has influenced the modern-day rap genre and culture so much. Remember those ridiculous “shutter shades” sunglasses with lines on the lenses? And now the holey tan sweaters and Yeezy shoes every shoe company is starting to replicate? Hip-hop artists have tried numerous times to dare music and impact culture as much as West has. Chance the Rapper gained fame because of the support West gave him and is a self-proclaimed prodigy of West. His music production alone is undeniably the best part. Albeit lyrics aren’t his strong suite because of the absurdity and love of mouth noises but West is more than aware of it. He has openly stated his emphasis on being a great producer rather than a great rapper. His production is ever-evolving. From “College Dropout” to “Graduation” his music was soulful, “808’s & Heartbreak” got electronic, “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” made hiphop reach new heights with a gritty orchestra and so far everything post 2010 has been fused with rock and darker influences. West is among few successful artists who continues to do what he wants with his music, and that bravery needs to be admired. His antics are questionable, but I will not deprive myself from a one-of-a-kind artist.
May 04, 2017
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Students find a new furry friend at CRC’s Pet Adoption By Kristine Yabumoto kyabumoto.connect@gmail.com
Five dogs and five cats were up for adoption last Sunday at the Veterinary Technician hosted pet adoption day. Vet techs were also at the event to help with the adoptions and to answer questions. Head vet tech Professor Buch said that the event was “The culmination of a year of work for the students. Over the nine months, as part of the class activities they got spayed or neutered, they were vaccinated, they were microchipped and they had their blood tested for heartworm disease”. Buch adopts the dogs and cats at the beginning of the year from different shelters. The animals must be in good health and able to be around
other dogs and cats to be in the program. The CRC Veterinary Technician program is really rigorous, according to Buch. “We’re training registered nurses for animals and a lot of people don’t think it’s going to be really difficult, but it’s a very rigorous program”, said Buch. “We were the first program
jor Lamarr Nelson said it’s a learning experience working with the animals. “You have to learn and keep trying and practicing but at the same time these are live beings, it’s not like practicing on your car”, said Nelson. “It’s really important that we take it to heart and actually pay attention when the teachers are teaching us differ-
it’s when you first go into your veterinarian clinic, it’s the people you first meet, it’s the people who ask how your animal’s doing, if you notice ‘my dog’s coughing, my cat is sneezing, what do i do?’”, said Nelson. “We’re the first people you talk to; we’re animal nurses”. Buch said that the pet adoption at the end of the year is a way of giving back to the dogs and cats because of what they’ve given the vet tech trainees all year. She said finding them homes is a way they try to get right with the pets. Although 10 pets were up for adoption, not all of them found homes. “We do our best. We have until the 12th to find them homes”, said Buch. After that date, Buch said the program has an agreement with Stan Smith | The Connection the shelters where they One of the dogs up for adoption plays in the dog run on the Cosumnes River College campus during got the animals from the Pet Adoption put on by the Veterinary Technology Program on Sunday. and that some shelters in California back in the 70s. ent procedures and how to do take them back while others We’re the oldest program and things correctly because we’re direct them to do other things I think we’re the best program. going to need these skills not with them. However, she addWe’re a really strong program only with our animals here, but ed that with the help of the stuand part of what makes our with other people’s animals”. dents pitching all their contacts program strong is the animals The Vet Tech program is a and getting the word out “It’s because of the fact that the stu- two year program offered at rare that we have to send one dents can practice their skills”. CRC. “It’s not just animal han- back, but it’s always a possibilVeterinary technology ma- dling, playing with animals; ity.”
#StreamingNow: Summerflix Edition
Hello, summer vacation. Oh, how I missed you and your sweet, sweet freedom to binge-watch the goods. Here are a few shows to start off your break, or be the topic of all, hopefully sober, converstions. Compiled by Kristi Doan
“Girlboss”
“I Know What You Did Last Summer”
“Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp”
This series is based on a true story of founder and CEO of Nasty Gal, Sophia Amoruso. She was a rebellious teen who sold bargained and stolen goods online, which ignited her passion for the retail fashion empire. Netflix.
Four friends run over a fisherman and dump his body, and this crime came back to haunt them. In turn, they are stalked by a killer with the hook. Amazon. Netflix. YouTube.
This is a series of events that happened before the movie. The satirical comedy follows counselors and campers in the life of camp as they try to complete their “unfinished business” before the day ends. Netflix.
“Benchwarmers” A geeky millionaire seeks out to help three awkward and clumsy nerds compete against the bullies in the Little League with their own Little League team. These nerds become heros to nerds everywhere in the process. Amazon. Netflix. Youtube.
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Road Trip: Northern California Lava Beds National Monument
Eureka
Mount Shasta Lassen National Forest Drive up to I-5 N to US-199 (Oregon) and follow highway 101 down the coast to see the different Redwood parks.
Sacramento
ON A BUDGET Travel Tips: Stock up on snacks like fruit, veggies and even carb loaded food. Driving long distances can be exhausting. Use websites like Furkot and Roadtrippers to plan ahead. They suggest refuel options along the way are available as well as overnight stop locations. Download planned routes onto your phone.
Road Trip: Southern California Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park Sequoia National Park
Fairs/ Attractions: California State Fair Yearly event that celebrates california agriculture and features a ton of rides and food.
Drive along highway 1 to see the infamous southern coast.
Los Angeles
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Free Movie Nights on Wednesdays @9pm (https://beachboardwalk.com/ Movies) Santa Monica Pier Twilight Concerts Free on Thursdays @7-10pm (http://tcs.santamonicapier.org)
San Diego
Joshua Tree National Park Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
May 4, 2017
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>>Opinion
HAWK TALK Compiled by Kristi Doan
What motivates you to attend school?
Casey Crummy 39, early childhood education
Lydia Veasna 18, sociology
“To further and better myself in the pathway to my career, and I’m using everything the school has to offer to be successful.”
“Definitely for my siblings because they are all younger than me, and I have to set a standard. And I’m the first in my family to attend college “
Mary Lou Alcantara 18, theater arts
Brayan Mejia 22, mechanical engineering
“I want to give back to the community that helped me so much. It’s difficult sometimes when you’re a minority, but having the chance and people believing in you really motivates you.”
“Graduating and getting a good career. Community college is a good way of starting out without having to spend a lot of money.”
EDITORIAL
America’s education is falling behind It starts with kindergarten and ends with a degree, thousands of dollars in debt, a lack of an understanding of the “real world” and an unsolicited quarter-life crisis. This might seem like an exaggeration, but to the younger generations, the United States education system is severely flawed. We could benefit from learning a thing or two from other countries that have already greatly surpassed the U.S. in national test scores. According to the 2016 Social Progress Index, the U.S. ranked second in having access to an advanced education, coming right behind Canada. Despite being one of the most advanced nations, we are far from being substantial enough to provide any preparation for a career or simply living in this country. That is not to say that our country doesn’t provide great opportunities for people to work and live. To many, the U.S. is seen as “the land of opportunities” with the renown “American Dream” bringing people from all over the world to this land. That “better future” starts to become a blur when the path of a higher education (that is said to kick-start a career) doesn’t guarantee one. This doesn’t just stop with the first generation students; anyone pursuing the ingrained ideal of a career and stable life after schooling in the U.S. finds difficulty doing so. If history is taken into consideration, the U.S. has established its dominance over and over again by spending a lot of time at different periods, influencing countries. The constitution has played a part many times in regards to how foreign countries have chosen to shape their politics. According to the Center on International Education Benchmarking, Japan currently has one of the top education systems in the world along with South Korea, Finland and Canada. These countries are able to rank so high because of the support and focus students and teachers are given to accomplish school by the government and their society. It even goes as far as some countries requiring teachers to be the highest-paid civil servants. The main flaw with the U.S. educational system is how much focus and enforcement on a ‘what is right and what is wrong’ grading system. Whenever there is something wrong, then there is a punishment in the form of a bad grade, failing a class and possibly getting held back. The U.S. needs to look towards a system of education importance, having priority on student success, and providing services and funds to the schools and administration that run them. If countries with western civilization influence can succeed with even higher ratings, then why can’t it be reciprocated?
RE: “Despite emergency, retreat a success” in Issue 4 Dear Editor, I believe the article was written without all the facts, which I call, “pull out pieces,” to make the news fit. Some people call it “half-truths.” What I felt was missing from your story was the positive impact the retreat had on all our lives. The retreat accomplished something that I have never seen before at such a large planned event. I learned that many of my classmates were foster children, and at school, they felt like they had amazing support, but outside of school that was completely different; they had very little. The retreat was so well planned that the support to deal with her feelings was given immediately.
Additionally, they build relationships with the other women to have support outside of school. Without the retreat, these connections would have never taken place. The event was so powerful that when we came back, we’re able to help a young lady move out of an abusive situation. Because of the retreat, she had many individuals stepping forth and reaching out to help her. I was one of the 150 women on the retreat, and I can only say the retreat helped me and many others get support and clarity on a few issues in our life that we felt stuck on. Ms. Jackie Mathis, Counselor in Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) and her associates had one goal in mind, to inspire women, bring them together, so we can support each other. Additionally, by seeing other hardworking,
confident women sharing their stories, it helped us foster new connections, which inspire those around us to keep moving forward. The “FOCUS 4 WOMEN “ is a great program for the Los Rios District to show women that they really care about their students’ well-being and safety and became the college women choose to go to. I’m truly grateful to Jackie and all her staff for all the hard work and love they put into putting on this event. I honestly believe that I will never be the same after this experience. It’s truly incredible what women can do when they come together and “FOCUS,” incredible change can happen. Sincerely, Theresa Maldonado
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Health products should be equally available By Justin Cordero jcordero.connect@gmail.com What kind of health does America truly value? Is it the overall physical health of a human being? A person’s psychological well being? The health of their environment? Healthcare is something that America promotes, but it only goes as far as physical injuries, ailments and a little bit into mental health. The one area that America fails to properly protect is sexual health. When Americans say that citizens are free to do whatever they want, most people would say they are wrong; even the choice of having sex isn’t entirely free. If you want to have a good time without worrying about endangering your future with a premature pregnancy, then condoms and birth control are relatively the only things that can help you, but those items are definitely not free. Why do corporations put a price on safe sex at all? Why should intimacy be ruined when someone has to go out and buy condoms? More importantly, why should women have to pay such a high price for birth control when they might not have that kind of money? When the University of California at Davis installed a vending machine, aptly named the Wellness to Go machine, it contained condoms, tampons, pregnancy tests, Advil and morning-after pills. This machine, despite it’s stock of condoms, received backlash because it also had birth control pills in it.
I, however, just don’t understand the anger over the concept of making safe sex and birth control more accessible. When a man and woman decide to be intimate with each other and forgo using a condom, that is a choice. When a woman decides to instead rely on birth control pills, that is also a choice. Isn’t that the freedom of choice something America is supposed be about? Not only are women the main targets for this sort of thing, their lives are made even harder when considering how much typical health items cost for them. A simple search for shaving razors on the Walmart website shows a huge discrepancy in hygiene items designated for men and women. One particular men’s razor contains six replaceable heads for $6, whilst for women, they can buy a pack of three pink-colored razors for $7. Men can get three extra razor blades, and the price is still cheaper than a women’s pack. Why is that allowed to be a system in our current society? Birth control, tampons and razors for women, along with condoms for men, shouldn’t be as unequally priced, especially since they are necessary to maintain good health. Something as natural as sex shouldn’t have a price on it. People should feel free to express their love without the fear of not affording condoms or suffering from stigma for buying birth control pills. The government should allow the people to make these intimate choices for free, not for a dollar.
of sexually active heterosexual women reported using condoms during sex
Source: Birthcontrol.com
new cases of sexually transmitted diseases each year Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Sacramento rebrands city with fresh new slogan
Courtesy photo
Sacramento’s historic water tower used to sport the city slogan “City of Trees”, but was repainted on March 9 to say “America’s Farm to Fork Capital” and still remains controversial today
By Jeannie Cordero jecordero.connect@gmail.com Sacramento replaced the water tower’s name on the Interstate 5 freeway near the Cosumnes River Exit. The city was previously known as “City of Trees,” but Visit Sacramento, the city’s Convention and Visitors Bureau, changed the city’s slogan to “America’s Farm-to-Fork Capital.” The name “city of trees” was nothing special. It’s a generic name used by multiple cities in the United States. Even a close-by city such as Woodland, California uses it. At first, I was taken aback. I didn’t fully understand what was the meaning behind farm-to-fork. According to farmtofork.com, “Farm to Fork isn’t a passing fad or a marketing slogan in the Sac-
ramento region, it’s the way we live life.” Sacramento is known as a cowtown, and agriculture is a huge part of Sacramento’s economy, according to the Sacramento Bee. The Sacramento region has an abundance of fresh produce, including the largest Certified Farmers’ Market in the state and more than 40 farmers markets, according to farmtofork.com Farm-to-fork means the produce sold in our groceries and restaurants that we eat daily are grown from the local area. Some Sacramento locals disliked the new name and wanted to change it back to the old slogan, the “City of Trees.” According to change.org, there was a petition to bring back the original logo with about 4,000 signatures. I doubt that Sacramento officials are going to
spend extra money just to repaint the water tower back to the original slogan I don’t love the name, I don’t hate the name, but I have to say, it is unique. It is unique because no other cities in the U.S. have this name. If I had to pick between both names, I would pick America’s Farm to Fork Capital because I think change is good that Sacramento is trying to rebrand itself. After all, we are an underrated city, so it’s nice that Sacramento officials are revamping the city and it’s brand. “City of Trees” will always hold a sentimental value, but I applaud Sacramento for modifying the water tower’s name and reinventing the city to bring in more tourists and money for the economy. The question is, will Sacramento keep this name or will they eventually change the logo again?
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MAY
4, 2017
>>Sports
Hawks sports fly towards playoffs, end on a high note By Steven Bryla and Jannah Khalil sbryla.connect@gmail.com & jkhalil.connect@gmail.com Men’s baseball is returning to the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season under the helm of Head Coach Tony Bloomfield and his staff. Baseball posted a winning record, 24 wins and 15 defeats. The Hawks finished fourth in the competitive Big 8 Conference with a 15-9 league record with winning their final four conference games. “We’ve been playing pretty good, so I think we have a really good chance to get in and move further in the playoffs,” Tony Bloomfield said. Tony Bloomfield stated at the beginning of the season that keeping the pitchers healthy was a key point. Fourteen players took the mound for the Hawks this season. The pitching staff averaged a 3.75 earned run average, which was about one run better than their opponents’ average this season. “We’ve got a lot of young pitching that come in after the main guy, so if they get the job done, then we’ll be good,” said sophomore shortstop Brett Bloomfield. The staff was led by sophomore pitcher Thomas Galart, who had a record of 5-4 and recorded the team leading five saves. Galart posted an ERA of 1.93 in 56 innings. While pitching was strong, Bloomfield said that his team needs to improve on bringing guys around to score. “I think we need to do a better job hitting with guys in the scoring position,” said Tony Bloomfield. Baseball starts the first round of of the California Community College Athletic Association playoffs this weekend at Ohlone College in a bestof-three series on Friday at 2 p.m. The
second game starts at 11a.m. with the third game following right after if necessary. The CRC women’s softball team is heading back to the CCCAA playoffs for the third year in a row.
“We’ve got to perform, but I’m looking forward to postseason.” — Kristy Schroeder
Softball Head Coach
Hawks softball also posted their third consecutive 30-win season and ended the conference schedule on an eight-game win streak. “I really think we’ve been doing a nice job up to now,” said Head Coach Kristy Schroeder. Schroeder’s team outscored their opponents by 163 runs and posted a .362 batting average as a team. Softball’s leading hitter was sophomore pitcher and first baseman Chelsea Martinez, who posted a team lead of a .424 batting average shared with freshman second baseman and shortstop Miranda Rodriguez. Martinez led the team with 62 runs batted in and 11 home runs. “I feel really confident. A lot of things are coming together,” Rodriguez said. “Things are coming together smoothly, so knowing that we get to continue to play is a good feeling.” The pitching staff of the softball team is a short list, using only three pitchers for the entire season. The leader of the pitching staff was freshman pitcher and first baseman Brittany Baroni. Baroni pitched 119.1 innings and led the team with 16 wins, 67 strikeouts and a 2.82 era. Softball grabbed the number three
seed in the CCCAA Northern California playoffs and will host Butte College at home in a best-of-three series. “We’ve got to perform, but I’m looking forward to postseason, and I’m really proud of the team for finishing the season the way that they did,” Schroeder said. The first game starts Friday at 2 p.m. and the second game is Saturday at 12 p.m. The Hawks previously beat Butte in a two-game series sweep in early March. Most of the players on the men’s and women’s tennis team qualified to compete in last weekend’s state tournament at Ojai Country Club in Ventura, California. Tennis Head Coach Brandon Ellis said this season had the most athletes he has had qualify for the state tournament in the last 10 years. Many professional tennis players previously played in the Ojai tournament and it’s a great experience to expose the players to, Ellis said. The state tournament went well for the CRC tennis team as they had a few doubles teams and single players qualify. Sophomore Taylor Galya made it
“The thing I enjoy the most as a coach is the development of the players.”
— Brandon Ellis Tennis Head Coach
to the round of 16 and competed as one of the top 16 community college women’s singles in the state, Ellis said. Galya said that it was a “really great honor to play there” and said the tournament was a place of “really
For more behind the scenes photos, go to www.thecrcconnection.com
great tennis and competition.” Despite dealing with an injury, Galya said it was great to be able to compete. “I was playing injured in the tournament, so I’m glad I made it that far and played my game.” Ellis noted the greatest improvement for the team this season has been in doubles. “The team focused alot on doubles this season,” Ellis said. “Doubles requires a lot of strategy and chemistry.” The end of the season also marks the end of Ellis’s time as tennis coach, as this will be his last semester coaching the men and women’s CRC tennis teams. “The thing I enjoy the most as a coach is the development of the players,” Ellis said. The CRC Swim team concluded its third season of competition on April 22 at the San Joaquin Delta College meet. The team started out with nine swimmers on the roster, but only had three eligible swimmers to compete in the last meet. Although they had a small roster, Abrams mentioned the support system the girls had for one another. “There was a lot of focus on teamwork,” Abrams said. “The team culture this year is what I would like to carry on to next year.” She said that the support of the girls for one another was outstanding by always cheering each other on and always being at the end of the pool,waiting for each other to finish. Abrams is looking for people to join the swim team next year and expand the swim roster. Abrams stated that if you are interested about joining the swim team for next season, to contact her via email at abramse@crc.losrios.edu.
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Baseball’s experience holds off ARC in close home finale By Jared Lee jalee.connect@gmail.com In a walk-heavy game, the Cosumnes River College baseball team pulled out a close win against the American River College Beavers on April 27. The final score was 4-3, with both teams fighting hard right up to the ninth inning. In the low-scoring game, much of the outcome was decided by defense. CRC Head Coach Tony Bloomfield said he felt good about his team’s ability to win the game, especially after their earlier win against the Beavers at ARC on April 25. “We don’t worry about the opponent,” Bloomfield said. “We’re just trying to play the game.” The Hawks’ pitching was integral to their victory. Sophomore pitcher Steven Talbert pitched strong for seven innings, followed by sophomore pitcher Thomas Galart for the last two. Talbert, in tandem with the rest of the Hawks’ defense, kept the game a shutout until the top of the eighth inning.
“Our guy Talbert struggled early, then pitched really well,” Bloomfield said. “He kept them from scoring for seven innings, battled through it and pitched really well.” Talbert’s pitch count for the game was 102. Talbert said that he was worn out by the seventh inning, but he pushed through it for his team. “It felt good. I got a little tired there at the end,” Talbert said. “My command was a little off, but I managed my off speed; it kind of saved me.” The Beavers’ handed the Hawks plenty of opportunities with walks, but the Hawks couldn’t capitalize on the free passes, leaving 10 runners on base overall for the game. The Hawks’ scoring for the game was stretched out across the innings. Sophomore infielder Trevor Ray scored one run early for the Hawks in the first inning. They didn’t score again until the bottom of the fifth, when freshman catcher John Treat advanced home from third base off a wild pitch. The Hawks scored again in the bottom of the seventh
when sophomore shortstop Brett Bloomfield scored on an error by the Beavers’ second baseman. The Beavers doubled in the top of the eighth, which led to their first run of the game. This brought the score to 3-1. Sophomore center fielder Peyton Wheatley scored the last run for the Hawks in the bottom of the eighth off another wild pitch. In the top of the ninth, the Beavers singled and later stole second base, putting them in a position to score. Then, a two-run home run was hit, bringing the score to 4-3. The Hawks responded to this close call by getting the next two batters out to end the game. Moving on to the playoffs, Brett Bloomfield said that he believes the team’s experience will prove useful. “I know this team can hit,” Brett Bloomfield said. “We have a lot of sophomores and a lot of guys experienced with playoffs, so I’m not really too worried on that side.” The Hawks first playoff game is Friday at 2 p.m.
Shannon Rusche | The Connection
Sophomore pitcher Steven Talbert allowed only two hits and pitched seven shutout innings on April 27 vs ARC.
Editor in Chief: Courtney Fong News Editor: Julieanna Wallinger Features Editor: Ashley Navarro Opinion Editor: Kaelyn Blizzard Sports Editor: Steven Bryla Copy Editor: Jared Lee Photo Editor: Stan Smith Faculty Adviser: Rubina Gulati Staff: Missy Amaya, Jeannie Cordero, Justin Cordero, Kristi Doan, Shawn Feuerstein, Alicia Ilaga, Jannah Khalil, Andrew Maestas, Angela Ramos, Shannon Rusche, Kristine Yabumoto
The Connection is an award-winning newspaper published bi-weekly by the Journalism 410 & 411 media production class. Editorials and opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the students, staff or faculty of CRC or Los Rios Community College District.
Letters to the Editor must be typed, signed and include the first and last name of the author and a phone number. They must be 200 words or less and may be edited for length, clarity or taste.
The Connection Cosumnes River College 8401 Center Parkway Sacramento, CA 95823 Telephone: (916) 691-7471 Fax: (916) 691-7181 www.thecrcconnection.com connection.crc@gmail.com
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College athletes should be paid their fair share By Steven Bryla sbryla.connect@gmail.com The dream of playing sports professionally is the goal that many young athletes strive towards. Last weekend, 253 hopeful college football athletes got the dream of a lifetime by receiving a call from an NFL general manager telling the athlete they were a draft pick of an NFL team. In June, the NBA makes the dream possible for 60 college athletes and international players when they have their draft and potentially lure athletes from finishing their degrees. The MLB draft also happens in June where high school athletes have the option to find a career instead of furthering their education while in college. In comparison, college athletes could be one of the possible 1300 players selected to go into an MLB farm system and have the opportunity to make a big league roster. Athletes want to be paid and they want their money now. With the one and done motto in NCAA basketball, the sights are set high on betraying a college for one year of academics to sign that big check in the pros. College athletes should be paid and given the glory for their hard work on the gridiron and the hard court. The NCAA generates money and revenue from ticket sales, merchandise and video games for gaming consoles. Why is it fair for the NCAA to use these athletes as guinea pigs to generate massive profits while completely cutting the athletes out of the deal? It’s not right for the NCAA to use the images of athletes and showcase them all over the US and not give them a piece of the action. One of the best ESPN 30 for 30’s that displayed these features was in “The Fab
Five.” It told the story of the University of Michigan from the early 1990’s where five freshmen basketball players permanently changed the culture of college athletics. After some of the star players left that program and joined the NBA, allegations came out about players that received improper benefits such as money and automobiles. This was a big dispute because it violated NCAA rules. As a result of the investigation by the NCAA, Michigan had to vacate all of the wins that occurred when those athletes were on the men’s basketball team and took away the Final Four banners that were also earned in that time. Although other college programs have been caught giving out improper benefits to athletes, that had one of the biggest impacts in college basketball. Instead of taking accomplishments away from athletic programs, the NCAA needs to man up and just pay the players already. The NCAA has the right mentality of trying to keep their athletic programs clean, but this still goes on in almost every top athletic program that appeals to top recruits. Coaches and athletes have always denied improper benefits, but we don’t see any of the allegations until the players are long gone. If college athletes were able to get paid, it could possibly make the athletes want to stay in college in order to finish their education. It would teach them life lessons and how to become an adult in our society and they would have an education field to fall back on if their professional sports career doesn’t work out. Overall, college athletes should be rewarded for their accomplishments on the field and finishing their academics in entirety. Let them become adults!
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May 4, 2017
Softball ends season with eight straight wins By Jared Lee jalee.connect@gmail.com In a blowout game that ended in the sixth inning on April 25, the Cosumnes River College softball team achieved a dominating victory over Santa Rosa Junior College 10-0. This was the Hawks’ eighth consecutive win, capping off the regular season with their 30th win. Head Coach Kristy Schroeder said that she felt confident about the team’s performance coming into the game. “We’ve been playing really well,” Schroeder said. “I think we’ve been coming together, and just coming out staying focused throughout the game. I felt real positive coming in.” The Hawks started scoring in the bottom of the first. After two walks and two outs, freshman third baseman Taelor Ford singled and drove in two runs. Freshman pitcher Brittany Baroni made quick work of Santa Rosa in the early innings, allowing no runs and only one hit through four innings. “I thought Brittany did an excellent job on the mound,” Schroeder said. Schroeder likewise complimented the team’s defensive performance. In the bottom of the fourth, with one out and a runner on second base, Ford hit a double and drove in the runner from second, bringing the score to 3-0. However, the inning ended with a strikeout and a force out at third base leaving three runners on base. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Ford once again came up to home plate. After she hit a foul ball to right field, sophomore center fielder Alexus Acosta bolted from third base and dodged a tag in a headfirst dive for home plate, securing the fourth run for the Hawks. “We were up three runs, 3-0. I know every run counts in those situations,” Acosta said. “I saw the oppor-
Shannon Rusche | The Connection
Sophomore right fielder Alex Scardina gets called out in a close play versus Santa Rosa Junior College during the bottom of the fifth inning.
tunity, and I knew I had it, so I just went.” The sixth inning proved to be the most pivotal inning in the game. In the top of the sixth, the Bear Cubs had the bases loaded with two outs. However, a line drive toward third base was caught by Ford, ending the inning for Santa Rosa. The bottom of the sixth started off with freshman shortstop Miranda Rodriguez hitting a leadoff triple to deep center field. “I saw the ball; I had two strikes on me,” Rodriguez said. “Being able to see the ball and put a good bat on it was a good feeling.”
A sacrifice bunt by Acosta drove in Rodriguez for another run, bringing the score to 5-0. Two walks and a single to left field by Ford loaded the bases. A walk by sophomore left fielder Lindsay Lambert brought in sophomore catcher Courtney Beatty from third base for another run, making the score 6-0. Freshman second baseman Veronica Smith, who had previously singled twice and gotten out on a fly ball in her previous three at bats, hit a homerun on the first pitch and ended the game with a grand slam. “It felt really great,” Smith said. “I
knew that if it was down the middle, I was going to swing at it. I just put a good swing on a good ball, and it happened at a good time.” The Hawks are now looking towards the playoffs. Schroeder said she feels confident in her team’s ability to perform well in the postseason. “I really think we’ve been doing a nice job up to now,” Schroeder said. “We have to just continue to perform. I think if we stay within ourselves and continue to have good at bats, play solid defense and the pitchers come out and pitch the way they’ve been pitching, we have as good a shot as anybody.”
Athletic summer camps Summer swim lessons The Hawks women’s swim is offering private or group lessons for all ages and abilities. Thirty minute lessons are available from 10 a.m.-7:30 p.m. See the online swim schedule, based on skill and age, for lesson times.
Basketball camp Meet coaching staff and other campers for an enjoyable and rewarding experience to learn fundamentals of the game, as well as apply skills in game format. Bring reguired liability waiver on first day of camp.
Volleyball skills camp Learn skills for serving, serve-receive, passing, setting, hitting, blocking, team defense and transition to offense. Open registration. Contact: Coach Kari Post, (916) 6917608. postk@crc.losrios.edu
Register by April 3. Contact Coach Liz Abrams, (916) 691- The camp has open registration for all ages. Contact Coach Coral Sage at (916) 691-7667 or sagel@crc.losrios. Session 1: July 10-14, Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Ages 7512 AbramsE@crc.losrios.edu edu 10-14. Session 2: July 10-14, Monday-Friday 1-4 p.m. Ages 14-17. Session 1: June 12-23, Monday-Friday. Session dates: July 3-7, Monday-Friday. Session 2: June 26-July 7, Monday-Friday except July 4. Compiled by Courtney Fong Session 3: July 10-21, Monday-Friday. Session 4: July 24-August 4, Monday-Friday. Online liability waivers must be brought to the first day of camp. The waivers and and Kristine Yabumoto detailed schedules along with additional information can be found at cofong.connect@gmail.com & www.crchawks.com/information/camp_information. kyabumoto.connect@gmail.com