THE SKYLINE VIEW The Voice of Skyline College, San Bruno, Calif.
December 8, 2021
theskylineview.com
Issue 4
District employee awaits hearing for sex crime Richard Rojo is accused of engaging in sexual activities with two underage girls By Steven Rissotto Editor-In-Chief
Richard Rojo, the former communications employee at the San Mateo County Community College District accused of sex crimes, is set to appear in court for an upcoming plea hearing. After the second plea hearing wasn’t held on Oct. 7, Rojo is again scheduled to appear before a Santa Clara County judge at 1:30 p.m. on Dec. 10 at the Hall of Justice. The first plea hearing was held in September. “It looks like the case has been continued at the request of both sides for further investigation,” said Santa Clara County district attorney’s office spokesperson Cynthia Sumida. “The next court date is set for December 10 and the defendant is facing three years and eight months in prison.” Rojo, 53, is said to have engaged in sexual activities with two underage girls, according to San Jose Police. The first incident took place in November 2020 with a 14-year-old he reportedly met on social media. SJPD was notified of the developments the next month, when a second incident with a 15-year-old was reported. After SJPD issued a warrant for his arrest on May 4, Rojo turned himself into police and posted bail shortly after. At the time he was taken into custody, Rojo was serving as the District’s interim director of public affairs. Directly after the arrest, Rojo
Rojo is accused of having sexual engagements with two different underage girls.
was placed on an unpaid administrative leave by the District, who claimed they had no prior knowledge of any criminal behavior related to any of their employees and that they would be in full cooperation with SJPD regarding the matter. On June 23, the Board of Trustees voted unanimously to terminate Rojo’s employment with the District. The Skyline View learned that Rojo possibly continued working for at least seven days after having turned himself in to
authorities, as he was originally responsible for writing an update on SMCCCD’s website on May 11. The byline has since been adjusted to reflect the entire district. At the time, District employees were reached out to for a comment on the issue, but never responded to the possibility. Rojo has worked in the communications industry for over 20 years, having been employed in many different positions since graduating from Princeton University in 1992 with a bachelor’s degree in architecture. He has
served in communication roles at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and at Turtle Bay Exploration Park in Redding. In 2001, Rojo was hired at UC Davis as the director of marketing and communications at Mondavi Center, a performing arts center on the school’s campus. He had also held positions at California State University, Sacramento, and University of Pacific before joining SMCCCD in 2017 as the director of marketing and community relations. In February, Rojo began work-
richardrojo.com
ing as the interim director of public affairs at the chancellor’s office in a full-time role. San Jose Police are still asking the public for assistance in finding other possible victims that have come in contact with Rojo or any additional information regarding this case.
“It looks like the case
has been continued at the request of both sides for further investigation.”
David Canepa announces run for Congress
David Canepa is among the first to jump into CA-14’s first open primary in over a decade cial emphasis was put on the over $2 million pledged to the county’s community college promise scholars San Mateo County Superprogram. visors President David Canepa The congressional hopeful recannounced on Saturday afternoon ognized the long road ahead and the that he will run for Congress in need to work hard. 2022 to represent California’s “We are going to engage in a 14th congressional district. grassroots campaign that touches The fourth generation San everyone from Redwood City to Mateo County native was preBrisbane to Daly City to everyone viously elected to the Daly City on the coast,” Canepa stated. “This Council, a position he held from is gonna be people-powered and 2008 to 2016, serving as mayor we’re gonna make sure that we in 2014. He has held a seat on represent you.” the San Mateo County Board of Canepa holds the belief that Supervisors since 2016, currently his campaign will have an edge in as president. engaging young voters thanks to his In a press conference at Seton Steven Rissotto/The Skyline View stance on community college. Medical Center, Canepa launched David Canepa announces his candidacy at Seton Medical Center surrounded by supporters. “No one should pay for commuhis campaign to replace retiring to D.C. for northern San Mateo County family in this community and I’m nity college. At Skyline College in congresswoman Jackie Speier, “It’s about the values we hold during the pandemic. gonna stay in this community,” 1985, community college was free. who has held the seat for over a dear in San Mateo County and During the speech Canepa Canepa stated. Why isn’t it free now?” Canepa said. decade. congressional district-14,” Canepa emphasized affordable healthcare, Canepa would go on to praise “How do we make it freer, how do “We are running for Constated. “I know without question, repeatedly claiming that it should the district’s cultural and ethnic we make it so that everyone is able gress,” Canepa stated. “You during this two-year pandemic, that be the nation’s top priority. diversity, tying his family’s story to access education.” notice I said we and not me, we value public health.” The campaign will look to to that of the district. He acknowlCanepa will need every advanbecause that is what this race is The public health theme was heavily feature Canepa’s homeedged the importance of the countage he can get in what could shape about. It’s about amplifying your amplified by the announcement set- grown connections. The congresty’s Filipino community, the largest out to be a crowded primary field. voice, voices in D.C.” ting, Seton Medical Center. Canepa sional hopeful spotlighted his in the nation. State assemblymember Kevin MulCanepa praised San Mateo chose this background in part birthplace at Seton, alma mater While the Supervisor highlin and Burlingame councilwoman County’s COVID-19 response because he helped lead the charge Skyline College and resume in lighted money for small businessEmily Beach are expected to join the while highlighting the constituagainst its closure over a year ago. local office. es, rental assistance, affordable race as well. ents’ role in making it a success. The Supervisor spotlighted how “I have lived in this commuhousing and meal programs for He hopes to use the county’s the center acted as a COVID-19 nity, I have went to school in the elderly as accomplishments model as a framework to bring command center and job provider this community, I’m raising my achieved via local governance, speBy Zachary Navarra Opinion Editor
2 The Staff Editor-In-Chief Steven Rissotto News Editor Andrea Sto. Domingo Focal Point Editor Anoush Torounian Arts and Entertainment Editor daniela Ossa-Lopez Opinions Editor Zachary Navarra Sports Editor Arman Archouniani Chief Copy Editor Steven Rissotto Photo Editor Andrea Sto. Domingo Graphics Editor Zachary Navarra Social Media Editor Daniela Ossa-Lopez Staff Writers Adriana Hernandez Anthony Perez Armando Reynoso Derian Lopez Izzy Herrera Mark David Magat Phil Ho Faculty Adviser Nancy Kaplan-Biegel
Want more news? www.theskylineview.com Or maybe you have news for us? (650)738-4302
December 8, 2021 News ASSC hosts an event celebrating Native American Heritage
The event was hosted by the leaders and officers of the student government By Armando Reynoso Staff Writer
November is Native American Heritage Month and the Associated Students of Skyline College hosted an event on Nov. 17, featuring two guest speakers. In a virtual Zoom meeting that was open to all students of Skyline, about eight students, two ASSC leaders and two senators of the student government participated in the event. The discussion features two guest speakers, Vincent Medina and Louis Trevino, who are indigenous people and both run a cafe called Cafe Ohlone in Berkeley. In the discussion, Medina and Trevino talked about the background of their culture Ohlone. Medina shared a story in the discussion that helps us understand how they view their world and their relationship to it. “During rainy days our elders still tell us stories of creation that we hold close to our hearts,” Medina said. “In this story of creation, we are taught about a time where there was a great flood, everything in the world was covered by water. Except for two peaks of a mountain that is now referred to as Mount Diablo. During the time of creation when everything was flooded with water except for those two peaks they referred to them as two islands. On top of those two islands, our creator began to create the world after those waters moved away. This time was before humans existed.” The event was informative to Skyline students about new things about the Ohlone people. Most of the information that is put out in history
November is Native American Heritage Month at Skyline College
about the Ohlone people is not true. Medina shared when he visited Mission San Jose and the tour guide was saying things that were not historically correct. This hurt Medina because all of the information that he was listening to was not accurate and was dehumanizing to his people. The tour guide also attempted to say that his people were not here anymore. The mission tour guides said that the mission helped the Ohlone people but they never did. “In the fourth grade we all worked on the mission projects and I remember how those missions were discussed and I always knew that wasn’t true the way those missions were presented, by educators and tour guides,” Medina said. “I’m grateful that I had a strong family that was able to teach me the truth.”
Kassidy Corbin/The Skyline View
When Medina was 21-years-old he got a job as a creator and he was working to change the way the history of the missions was presented. The Ohlone people are known to be very knowledgeable people. Their roots came from elders and people of the tribe who worked to be basketweavers, singers and doctors. Both Medina and Trevino run a cafe called Cafe Ohlone in Berkeley. In their cafe, they want to make sure their community can feel represented and seen. “We opened up Cafe Ohlone because we want to be able to provide a physical space for our urban homeland,” Medina said.“We also want to teach the public as well and teach these facts so the community knows what we’ve been through.” Medina and Trevino encouraged Skyline students to visit their cafe and they are opening their cafe at the end of
January. Every meal at the cafe is a celebration of their culture. They welcome every one of Skyline’s students to their cafe.
LL ENRO ! NOW
SPRING 2022
Classes begin JAN. 18
webschedule.smccd.edu
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Left to Right: Jerry Hnin, Chel Myint and Florence Thwe all advocate for more programs for international students.
“Something that has been difficult for international students have been finding a job and scholarship resources,” said Hnin. “We just wish there were more accessable resources for students like us.”
The Skyline View is a First Amendment Publication. The Skyline View is published bi-weekly during the spring and fall semesters by the journalism students at Skyline College. The Skyline View is a member of the Journalism Association of Community Colleges. Opinions expressed in the paper are those of the writers and should not be interpreted as the views of Skyline College, SMCCCD, the faculty, administrators or the newspaper adviser. Additionally, the paper does not endorse any of the products or services advertised. The Skyline View welcomes Letters to the Editors; letters must include full name, address, and phone number for verification. The Skyline View reserves the right to edit letters for length, libel, clarity, and taste.
Andrea Sto. Domingo/The Skyline View
Nayeli Linares calls for TSV to cover more information on campus counseling.
“I want to see information on couseling, topics about finals season and stress coping mechanisms,” said Linares.
Andrea Sto. Domingo/The Skyline View
Former Feature Editor Christian Carlo Ceguerra advocates for more coverage of District board meetings and underserved communities.
“Something that The Skyline View didn’t cover lately has been, the District board meetings, important things within the community,” said Ceguerra. “Also issues from specific communities, for example the Marvel movie Eternals and the impact it has made on the deaf and hard of hearing community.”
Andrea Sto. Domingo/The Skyline View
Jonathan Scott wants local media and campus news to cover more local politics.
“I want to see more coverage on the truth behind local politcs and politicians,” said Scott.
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Opinions
December 8, 2021 Feb. 24, 2021
Editorial
The pandemic cannot go on forever The rise of the COVID-19 variant Omicron should not lead to Skyline’s closure in spring 2022 Skyline College should remain open for spring 2022 despite new fears over the Omicron variant. The desire for student and faculty student-safety is important if not necessary. However, the desire for COVID-19 safety should not lead to an over precautious environment where education and campus life are devalued. A primarily virtual Skyline College was needed to protect the community from the pandemic, but it did not come without sacrifice. Despite many professors’ best attempts, classroom atmospheres were almost never truly replicated over Zoom. Students and professors alike often spent most of the class time looking into faceless nameplates, waiting for someone to engage with a topic that was being presented. This is not an indictment on professors or their students, just an acknowledgment that Zoom classrooms failed to reach the reality of in-person classes. Students were unable to connect with each other and campus life suffered. Many have felt isolated as if they are not a member of Skyline’s community but a foreign object trying to find if it belongs. Students set to graduate this spring are likely to have only stepped foot on campus a few times if they have been to campus at all. These procedures were the price for our safety, but with new vaccination requirements and evidence pointing towards Omicron’s lack of
Omicron looms over the Skyline community as the schools moves towards reopening.
severity, the price does not seem worth paying. Skyline has laid out clear guidelines regarding mask mandates and mandatory vaccination requirements for students planning on attending in-person classes. We cannot expect COVID-19 and its variants to magically disappear; we should trust the CDC-backed science and open into normality. While Omicron presents a new aspect to consider, it does not appear to pose a significant threat to the population. Dr. Angelique Coetzee, who
helped discover the Omicron variant in South Africa, reported that the new cases are generally mild in nature. “..but for now, not more (serious) than Delta, clinical picture (was) that of mild disease in majority of cases,” Coetzee told The Economic Times. “It might be more transmissible than Delta.” While data shows higher transmission rates, hospitalizations and deaths have not shown to significantly increase according to White House chief medical advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci. “Clearly, in South Africa, Omicron
has a transmission advantage,” Fauci told CNN. “Although it’s too early to make any definitive statements about it, thus far it does not look like there’s a great degree of severity to it.” While top scientists like Coetzee and Fauci are falling short of saying Omicron is nothing, it is clear that there are many signs pointing in favor of reopening. Especially when considering the social and academic cost that comes with school closures. The truth is, variants will continue to pop up and we cannot continue lockdowns forever. Armed with facts
Kassidy Corbin/The Skyline View
and science our community leaders have and will continue to impose responsible COVID-19 health and safety measures that will protect us in our everyday lives. The health and safety infrastructure built over the past year provides our community with the ability to tackle this virus while returning to our everyday lives. This is evident in the many universities that opened their doors for the fall semester. We should not let fear crowd out science, Skyline should open up in the spring as previously planned.
Do not close the book on open note tests for spring 2022 Skyline professors should continue the practice of open note exams going forward
only. Online notes have multiple failures, the largest of which is the ability to copy and paste, bypassing learning altogether. Beyond lacking many of the aforementioned educational benefits, they are incredibly easy to plagiarize and spread. The ideal scenario would be an open note exam that is limited to handwritten notes. Students should be allowed to bring any amount of notes to an exam, it’s about the effort they put in. Additionally, all notes should be turned in to the professor at the end of class with a student’s name on them. This will deter plagiarism and give professors a chance to guard against it. As we move towards finals week and the eventual reopening of Skyline, professors should make open-note exams the norm, not the exception.
By Zachary Navarra Opinions editor
Pandora’s box has been opened and there is no reason to close it. Open note tests are one of many silver linings laced over the tumultuous past few years, one that does not need to go away in the coming weeks and as Skyline opens up in the spring. Due to the inherent lack of control a professor has during Zoom compared to that of an in-person classroom, many professors opted to allow their students to review notes while taking exams. The logic being: if you can’t actually stop them, why say they can’t? The upside is clear for students, students that take notes at least. With more resources at one’s disposal, there is a greater likelihood that any given student will perform better on a test. That logic loses value as professors gain the ability to watch over students as they take exams in the classroom. While the deal is good for students, many professors would argue notes inhibit their ability to evaluate how much students have learned. This metric is important, but it is not necessarily what they are testing. The average test is evaluating a student’s memory retention while under stress. This says little about what a student has learned, how much a student has studied or if a student has
Kassidy Corbin/The Skyline View
COVID-19 era open note exam policies should continue going into the spring semester.
gained a broad understanding of course concepts. Notes, however, show a student’s engagement with the course and its content. It is the physical embodiment of their work and preparation. This is far more valuable than simple
memory retention, which is rendered relatively useless due to modern phones. Anything can be searched up in a matter of seconds. For those who are still convinced that memory retention is important, many studies
show handwritten notes improve memory retention. Open note tests would incentivize students to take more notes. The keyword is handwritten. The notes that should be allowed on tests and exams going forward should be handwritten
“The ideal scenario would be an open note exam that is limited to handwritten notes. Students should be allowed to bring any amount of notes to an exam, it’s about the effort they put in.”
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Artistic License
Opinions
December 8, 2021
The view from here By Steven Rissotto editor-in-chief
Seasonal depression is a serious issue
Seasonal depression deserves to be treated with attention and care By Anthony Perez Staff Writer
As the sun begins to set around 5 p.m. ––– and the cold weather rolls in ––– we start to spend more time inside while we wait for the holidays to roll around. From the start of fall to around this time of year, many of us are feeling the effects of SAD. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), is commonly called seasonal depression as the changing weather and time patterns begin to affect our daily routines all while preparing for the big holiday season to commence. A serious issue is how seasonal depression is often brushed off by many as just a seasonal issue, but recurrent depressive episodes can create a lasting effect. Many different effects come with any form of depression, but with wintertime seasonal depression we tend to feel like the days just fly by without us. When you combine all other external factors with seasonal depression students tend to struggle their way through the end of the semester. Going to class in the morning and leaving as the
As the winter months roll in seasonal depression settles in.
sun is setting or has already gone is dreadful, just ask any student who has previously taken a night class. Seasonal depression isn’t exclusive to fall and winter but seems to be more common than the spring and summer. The correlation between it all seems to stem from the equator and the amount of daylight you get during the seasons. Making yourself knowledgeable about SAD and those around
you is important in overcoming the overwhelming feeling during this time of year. It’s important to understand the effects seasonal changes have on us: lack of motivation, tiredness throughout the day, Insomnia and more. Any of the symptoms that come with depression can come with SAD. SAD can be treated as any other form of depression, but isn’t looked at as often or seriously as clinical depression. Light therapy,
Tis’ the season to shop in-person
Kassidy Corbin/The Skyline View
medication, and vitamin D can be recommended in cases where treatment may be sought. Depression, more importantly SAD, should be managed by those affected as their symptoms may show early enough to feel less overwhelming or even have their symptoms begin to improve as we move on past the winter season. We should all begin to start treating SAD with the care and attention it deserves.
After nearly 20 months of chaos and uncertainty, it’s finally almost time to return to Skyline College’s campus for in-person classes in the spring and my excitement levels can’t be higher. It’s been a long road fighting COVID ––– a battle that will still continue ––– and face-to-face learning is exactly what we need at this moment. And I’m not lying when I say that I’m counting down the days until we go back. When my high school canceled the first few days of classes in the second week of March 2020, my naiveness sprung into action. Only a few days, I thought. Then it’s back to trying to solve for X in Algebra class. I could not have been more wrong. My life has been infested with online schooling since I first started at Skyline in Fall 2020. Although Zoom has simplified some things, it’s also been detrimental to my energy levels. Hiding under a shell, otherwise known as the mute button, brings out the worst in everybody’s social life. I have been present on Skyline’s campus as many times as I could count on my hand. That’s an impressive feat, considering the closeness and familiarity I feel towards the students, classes and personnel. It’s been well-publicized that the lack of social interaction has been damaging to the psyche, and I’m no exception. It’ll be nice to know there’s life beyond four walls. The creativity, collaboration and conversation are just a few reasons I’m absolutely pumped up about returning to campus in January. As I prepare to transfer to a four-year university in Fall 2022, making the most out of my in-person experience at Skyline remains my biggest focus. The atmosphere may feel awkward and I’m expecting to feel out of place for a sliver of a second but all of those feelings will be overshadowed by the presence of others. And I have to say, I generate goosebumps just thinking about how my schedule will be full of activities again. The thought of adapting back into a routine and setting an alarm in the morning is a refreshing feeling of self-worth and accomplishment. I’m looking forward to getting out of the house, a location where way too much of my time has been wasted recently. It’s time to return. Skyline, here we come.
The benefits to in-person shopping outweigh the benefits to online shopping By Armando Reynoso Staff Writer
Christmas is just around the corner and the big question is what should we do: in-person shopping or online shopping? In-person shopping is the way to go. Going physically to the store would give you the chance to try on clothes before buying. Test out the item. You get to look at the shoes you have been wanting to get for a while and try them on, and see how they feel. You can’t do these things online. Going in-person allows you to buy an item on the spot without having to wait days or weeks for it to arrive. Plus, if you want
the item to arrive quickly, you would have to pay extra money for it. Additionally, you choose in-person shopping because you save the hassle of returning items. When you go in the store you can try on all of your items, but when you’re shopping online you can’t do that. If you don’t like the item you ordered online, you would have to start the process of returning it. You would have to contact the store that you would like to return the item to, then go to the post office and ship it out yourself. Another possibility is that you would have to go there physically and return the item.
So what was the point of online shopping in the first place? Online shopping can range from having big discounts to having first dibs on items you’ve been wanting. But why shop online? You can’t try stuff on. You can’t test stuff. Customer advice is also a big reason why people should favor in-person shopping. You get to ask questions to a professional that works there. If you want to buy electronics and are unsure about an item, you can ask in the store. You always want to find the best Christmas gifts for your family and there’s no better way to do it than in-person shopping.
Kassidy Corbin/The Skyline View
The holiday season signifies the perfect reason to shop for in-person for gifts.
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Features
December 8, 2021
Adrianna Hernandez/The Skyline View
Skyline students dance away misconceptions about creative arts majors.
The stigma facing creative majors Skyline community members speaks to the struggles of pursing creative majors By Adrianna Hernandez Staff Writer
“
his flair, fire, and passion of musical theater. I want ed to do it for a living,” said Megan Bueno, a third-year student at the College of San Mateo. “I was doing all this research seeing how competitive musical theater is and I just had these doubts in myself.” Bueno isn’t alone amongst the many students who doubt their passion due to the fear of not making it into a living or getting a stable job. Many students struggle with this fear when transitioning into college and are deciding on a major. Around 80 percent of students starting college change their major at least once, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Many students find themselves under pressure when it comes to deciding a major by family or friends, especially those interested in the creative arts, dance, and social studies division. “I’ve definitely had my doubts, which is why I switched to sociology because that’s also
been my other passion,” Bueno said. “It was stigmatized by my family at least because I’m Filipino. They said that I should’ve gone into the medical field and become a nurse. It was a rough time since I didn’t really know what I was doing.” Bueno’s family was supportive of her decisions but because of the background that they come from as immigrant parents they just wanted to make sure she was able to support herself. “In the end, it’s my decision and it doesn’t affect them because it’s what I want to do,” Bueno said. “I want to get my master’s degree so I need to wonder who’s doing the work, so they have to deal with it.” Besides families and friends being a part of that outside noise when deciding on a major, sometimes students get in their own heads. Canceling out the Noise Kenny Gonzalez, a career counselor at Skyline College, went through a similar stage like Bueno where feelings of doubt rose. “I think the only person that got in the way for me was probably
“We get fixated on what we can see and what we’re comfortable with. It’s not that you can’t make a really good living with a creative career. It’s just that you’re not seeing beyond” - Kenny Gonzalez me,” Gonzalez said. “I had lots of different interests and had a difficult time figuring out what I wanted to do.” He was able to tune out the noise and stereotype that you need to fit into a particular box. Now he teaches students to do the same and guides them to a clear direct path. “Many careers that are heavy on math, science or technology don’t feel like a right fit but forced,” Gonzales said. “We tend to put ourselves in these cookie-cutter approaches. In the creative arts, there are no traditional pathways. You create your own, almost like a freelancer, to be able to do the kinds of things you want to do, not what your parents want you to do. Not what your partner wants. Not what obedient society is telling you is safe.” Many students worry over how
“This flair, fire, and passion of musical theater. I wanted to do it for a living” - Megan Bueno
Adrianna Hernandez/The Skyline View
Creative people are thought to utilize the right side of their brain at a relativley higher rate.
they will get a job due to competitive majors. But there isn’t just one option to one’s passions. Many different directions can be taken and lead you to more options. “I think that in sports, not everybody’s going to play in a major league,” said Amber Steele, a dance professor at Skyline. ”But people who are really into sports and who play in college do other sports-related jobs like athletic training or teaching. Maybe [they could] teach university or private leagues. [They could pursue] marketing for a sports team or run the facilities building, management, or any of those supporting parts of the sports business. The same is true for dance.” Steele graduated from UC Berkeley with double majors in Nursing and Dance, for fun. She had an interest in teaching English, but after graduating she decided to teach dance. “Many students come to community college and they’re like ‘I’ve kind of done this as a hobby,’” Steele said. “‘I think I’m going to be ––– insert a generic thing that your parents told you to do when you grow up.’ Because I have personal experience trying things out in community college, I didn’t consider arts as a viable career option.” She is now grateful and well supported. She believes that her career path is very much viable and it would have never occurred to her until she had gone to community college where people encouraged her to try it out. Now, Steel is paying it forward. “It’s just a lack of understanding of what’s out there,” Gonzalez said. “So many people are comfortable in their own environment. They don’t realize if they open up the door, there’s an entire world. We get fixated on what we can see and what we’re comfortable with. It’s not that you can’t make a really good living with a creative career. It’s just that you’re not
seeing beyond.” Students interested in the creative art, dance, or social studies division are possibly stuck or lost. Stuck being in the state of not moving, contemplating, or trying to figure things out. When being lost you are trying things out with no specific direction. “Oftentimes, students that are interested in the creative arts are stuck because they don’t know what’s out there,” Gonzalez said. “There has to be a mind shift where you have to be biased towards curiosity and begin to explore and get lost.” Testaments to success in creative fields There are many testimonies of people being able to make a living out of a passion. The fear of not being able to make it comes from the noise around us. By canceling out the noise and becoming clear-minded only then you can start to look into opportunities that will allow you to live off a job based on your passion and not just for the money. Fiona O’Neill, a Skyline alumni, is a testimony that it is possible to live off a passion. She teaches dance while also using her other hobbies as skills. “I’ve been teaching for six or seven years,” O’Neill said. “I’m also currently in a musical in Foster City, and I’m doing the wigs and makeup for that show.” Consistency was key when O’Neill began her journey in her career. Her hobbies that she worked on to perfect over the years have paid off and have mashed themselves together into her job now. “You need to put in as much time as you can into your craft to perfect it to show people that you are worth their time,” O’Neill said “There’s so much opportunity to do anything that you want, you just need to push for it and know that you’re capable of doing what you know you can do.”
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Features
December 8, 2021
International student’s plight during Myanmar coup
Skyline student Aung Koko Khant gives his account of the conflict By Phil Ho
Staff Writer
By all accounts, taking CHEM 220 is a challenging endeavor, especially when the military cuts off your internet every night, throws rocks at your window and threatens you with large caliber rifles if you want to go outside. This was the circumstance that Aung Koko Khant, a Skyline College international student found himself in after returning to his home country of Myanmar only to be caught up in the February military coup. Khant had decided to go back to his hometown of Yangon (formerly Rangoon) for the 2021 spring semester and take his classes online because COVID 19 cases were virtually nonexistent at that time in Myanmar. Little did he know that the streets would be soon embroiled in a violent turmoil of protests, arrests and indiscriminate killing—conditions which would make any attempt at studying futile. “Every night the soldiers, with guns, patrolled the streets and always shot rocks and stones at people’s apartment windows and cars,” Khant said. “They scared people off: not to look, go outside and just stay inside—kind of like terrorizing people.” What Khant was going through is indicative of any of a number of situations that international students often face, be they war-related, political, socio-economic or due to cultural differences. While the situation in Myanmar is exceptionally interruptive and dangerous, international students have challenges to deal with that most domestic students are unaware of. Back in Myanmar, things looked far from promising. Due to the time difference, his online synchronous classes would start past midnight, but the military junta started cutting off the internet at 1 a.m. This forced Khant to drop his classes. The junta also curfewed the people’s movement at night. The military rampage was not limited to the capital of Nay Pyi Taw. It permeated the whole country, including Khant’s hometown of Yangon. “There was an official curfew,” Khant said. “They wouldn’t let people go out from 8 p.m. to 6 in the morning,” Khant explained. “They were holding guns, not just normal guns—big rifles. People are helpless. Unlike here, where people are legally allowed to hold guns, we can’t have those in my country. So, the people — all of them are just harmless people. [The military] just held guns at people, pointing at them.” The death toll from the Myanmar coup has topped 1,000. Khant was asked whether the killings occurred in his proximity. “Yes, yes, it did, it did,” said Khant assuredly. “There were several people. I don’t know them personally, but I do know
Kassidy Corbin/Skyline View
Mynmar’s tumultous political situation didn’t deter Khant from pursuing his education.
Khant was able to maneuver out of his quagmire in Myanmar and return to Skyline College— barely. “I was able to get the visa and everything done after the coup happened,” Khant said. “I also got lucky somehow. A week before I left my country, there was chaos going on. After the week I left, they closed down all the embassies and everything else, and even the airport too.” During this interlude, Skyline helped Khant to get his documents prepared quickly. This aided in getting him out of the country. The district also conducted a Zoom meeting with all Myanmar students to discuss how to come back to California amid the crisis. The International Students Program worked closely with the district to provide support and resources. Despite this support, Khant stated that things are difficult because he doesn’t have the ability to talk to other Myanmar students on campus. “It has been very challenging for them and the situation is not improving unfortunately,” said Chikako Walker, program manager for the International Students Program at Skyline College. “The students are impacted on so many levels.” A Look to the Future
“Every night the soldiers, with guns, patrolled the streets and always shot rocks and stones at people’s apartment windows and cars” - Aung Koko Khant them. They got shot, and some of them got captured.” Tragedy did strike Khant and his family when he lost his uncle days after the coup began. Power was cut off to the hospital where his uncle was cared for. Consequently, medical treatment was unable to continue. The family had no way to check up on him. This was a big blow to Khant who was particularly close to his uncle. “He was the one who dragged me out from my parents and teached me how to have fun,” Khant said. “Yeah, we used to be pretty close.” Khant’s family was forced to function under the most difficult of circumstances. “COVID is happening, protesting is happening, everything is happening,” Khant said. “My parents had to lay down for a week. Whenever they go out, they always go on one single day, and do everything on a single day. Then, they stay off for a week at home.” The startling and explosive nature of the coup was emotionally affecting for Khant. “To be honest, I feel pretty sad, disappointed and angry towards everything,” Khant said candidly. “Right now, the whole world’s been suffering from COVID. Everything is trying to stabilize after what is going on, and people, including my uncle, have been suffering. The coup just happened out of nowhere. It’s just kind of sad and disappointing I guess.”
The Situation in Myanmar The crisis in Myanmar began when the army overthrew Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government in February. She headed the National League for Democracy party. The military refused to grant special envoy, Brunei Second Foreign Minister Erywan Yusof, the request to meet with Suu Kyi. She is being tried on several charges that her supporters say are politically motivated. The thousands of persons arrested for protesting are being held at prisons such as Insein in Yangon. Khant said that the protestors consisted of people of all ages, from kids to adults, but the majority were teenagers and people in their 20s and 30s. Even though there is a considerable amount of turmoil going on, his family and friends are reasonably safe. They tend to try to avoid the conflict in the streets and lay low. Khant communicates with Myanmar freely and does not concern himself with being careful about his conversations. ““Even if [the military] hears, I try to be honest about everything when I talk to my family,” Khant said. I usually talk to
them on Facebook or Messenger. They too, they don’t really care anymore.” Khant explained that this sentiment was almost universal among the people of Myanmar. “Right now, everyone in our country hates [the military]. Even if [the people] get captured or something happens to them, they just really don’t care anymore because they got so angry.” As far as the international community putting pressure to stop the violence, Khant personally feels that they have not done enough. He said that people in Myanmar are dissatisfied with the lack of pressure to restore democracy. Recently, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations snubbed Min Aung Hlaing, the current military leader in Myanmar, by declining to invite him to a summit. Shortly after this incident, the Myanmar military released more than 5,600 people from prison. Since the takeover, 7,355 people have been placed in detention. There is substantial evidence, including many photographs, that prisoners taken by the military have been beaten and tortured. Support during the Crisis
Khant does not think he will have the opportunity to go back to Myanmar anytime soon. “Right now, I’m just trying to finish my school and try to get a job,” Khant said. “Pretty much, I don’t have a plan to go back right now because once you go back, there is really a low chance to come back here.” After finishing at Skyline, Khant plans to go to a 4-year institute and study chemical engineering. He was just accepted at both San Jose State University and C.S.U. Long Beach. After college, Khant envisions staying in the U.S. for the long haul. If he can get work, his parents are okay with him staying here. Khant also has a sister who plans on coming over next semester. He believes that the opportunity here will benefit not just him, but his whole family. Khant’s story is one of peril, uncertainty, determination and achievement that spans two continents nearly 8,000 miles apart. Concerning the future of Myanmar, Khant is cautiously optimistic. “Of course, there is always hope for everything,” Khant said. “You can’t just give it up. There were people who died for [Myanmar’s democracy]. Those people, they don’t give up their life for just nothing. Of course, people are going to hope for [change]. There’s always a hope—I believe. I believe.”
“After the week I left, they closed down all the embassies and everything else, and even the airport too” - Aung Koko Khant
Features
December 8, 2021
International students enliven Skyline College
7
International students enhance the classroom culture
International students from across the globe contribute to Skyline College.
By Phil Ho
Staff Writer
Becoming an International Student The process to become an international student is arduous as well as complicated, and making the transition to U.S. schools is daunting. Chikako Walker is the program manager for the International Students Program at Skyline College. According to her, there are just over 131 international students as of the fall 2021 census. Of these, approximately 26% are from Myanmar. Aung Koko Khant, a student from Myanmar, recounted his reasons for becoming an international student. “My mom suggested to me to go abroad to have a better education,” Khant said. “She just wanted me to have a better future. I also wished to learn and get an education from
this country, especially in the States, since there is a really high possibility of getting a job, too.” In the process to become an international student, Khant admitted that he had some troubles when he tried to apply. He said that the paperwork process was super-hard. Making the Transition to U.S. Schools Public schools in Myanmar start teaching English at the 5th grade. Khant had the advantage of a private school which taught English as early as kindergarten. Even so, Khant had to adjust to American culture. “Pretty much everything [is different], even in our daily life,” Khant said. “In our country, people don’t use that much credit cards. Almost 90% of people use cash for everything. That’s a number one example. The second is that
Adriana Hernandez/Skyline View
we don’t have that much tech in our country. Everything here is advanced. In our country, most of the people are poor, and they can’t afford everything like expensive stuff or living expenses.” Khant added, “We don’t have a thing called Amazon.” To make the transition, both culturally and scholastically, the International Students Program at Skyline College is front and center. In addition, individual professors at Skyline have to develop strategies that allow international students to succeed. Program Manager Chikako Walker described her role at the International Students Program. “My role is to observe and listen to the needs of our students,” Walker said. “I provide resources and services that meet their needs, and advocate for the students on and off campus. I also make sure that we are providing the opportunities
for our students to get involved in our campus community so they can establish a sense of community and have a transformative experience at the college.” Jarrod Feiner is an English professor at Skyline, and many international students have been part of his classroom. “As I do with all my students, to better understand my international students, I empathize,” Feiner said. “Imagine being a young person, in a different country, where — beyond differences in culture — a different language may be spoken. Add to this, likely, it might be the first time this person has been away from their family. Often, there are tremendous expectations placed on them by their parents. My thought goes to how isolating this experience must be.” Feiner mentioned a specific problem he encounters. “Many of our international students were raised to treat their professors with tremendous respect,” he said. “While I appreciate the respect, it’s been my experience that this creates a distance that impedes my ability to best teach them the subject matter of the class.” Professor Feiner said that it was important for him to break down the wall a bit, so the international student can look at him as an ally and advocate in his or her education.” Assets that International Students Bring to Campus
International students bring with them a richness of culture, contrasting perspectives, national history and social sincerity that all domestic students can draw from. If the political chaos was erased, Myanmar would be indicative of an idyllic place to visit. “Once everything’s over, I suggest maybe going there,” Khant said. “It is really a beautiful country. The people are really warm and nice there.” Professor Feiner offered his own perspective. “It’s been my experience that our international students are among our campus’ most earnest, hard-working students,” he said. “In a classroom, our international students offer a unique perspective to whatever the subject matter of the coursework is. For example, when looking to explain connotations and symbols in a work of literature, our international students often explain their thinking through the lens of their culture and experience.” International students are not just here to collect the generosity of others. They provide unique cultural perspectives and scholastic acumen that make them assets to the student body and domestic community as a whole. Professor Feiner puts it simply. “Our international students have concretized the concept that, when one gets down to what is really important, we are all the same.”
“ ... Our international students are among our campus’ most earnest, hardworking students” - Jarrod Feiner
Food waste soars during the holiday season Skyline students give their take on reducing food waste for the holidays By Izzy Herrera Staff Writer
Every holiday season, Americans fill their stomachs with delicious turkey, ham, stuffing, sweet potatoes, and more. But when the holidays are over, much of the food goes to waste. According to The United States Department of Agriculture’s website, Americans waste around 30-40% of the food supply, but that amount rises to 25% during the holidays — Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s. The two major factors that contribute to food waste are supermarkets and uneaten leftovers. Food waste in households During the holiday season, Americans cook up a big feast not just for their immediate family, but also for their extended families. That adds up to just enough food for a week of dinners and lunches. Of course, too much of something can get tiring. This leaves families feeling tired of the same old meal, causing them to throw the food out.
This habit of wasting food has caused some families to change what they do with their leftovers. “I have realized that wasting food has become way too common, which has caused me to educate my family on not to waste food and use alternatives,” said Maya Martinez, a student at the College of San Mateo. “I told my mother for Thanksgiving and Christmas we could make sure we cook not too much food and give the left overs to our guests. My mother loves to make sure my extended family is satisfied and full but none of them take leftovers home, leaving my immediate family to eat all of it. Having to eat the same meal for almost two weeks is exhausting.” Another student shared about how her family has been consistently strict on not wasting food during the holidays while also helping the less fortunate. “Every year my mother and I make tamales for the holidays,” said Guadalupe de la Cruz, a student at Skyline College. “We make a bunch for my family, and whatever is leftover, we put it off
to the side. Afterward, we gather them all up and give them out to our local food bank. We also have realized a rise in homelessness on our block and at times give some of the tamales to them … We just want to make sure our food does not go to waste because it is not a good feeling, knowing that food that could have been eaten by someone who was probably starving for days could have eaten it.” Food waste in supermarkets As much as we can try to make sure we do our own part at home to prevent food waste, there is one that is not in our control. According to The Guardian, supermarkets are at fault for 10% of food waste yearly, but during the holidays that percentage rises. When food is close to expiring, the supermarket decides to throw the food out instead of cooking it or giving it out to the homeless. The reason being is due to possible lawsuits in the event of a customer getting food poisoning. While many supermarkets are sticking with the “throw-away”
“I told my mother for Thanksgiving and Christmas we could make sure we cook not too much food and give leftovers to our guests” - Maya Martinez
Izzy Herrera/Skyline View
Certain measures can be taken to prevent holiday waste.
method, some supermarkets are trying to make a change in decreasing food waste. “I am one of the night crew members at Trader Joe’s, and I haven’t seen any food wasted at all especially during the holidays,” said Alex Keinah, a grocery store employee. “The only time food is ever wasted is if there’s mold. We care about our customers and we’re known
for giving back to the community. We have this thing called “shares” and this is where we distribute food to our local communities who aren’t able to afford food for the holidays.” While we can hope that other supermarket chains can follow Trader Joe’s footsteps and help reduce the food waste rate, we can also do our part and start reducing food waste at home.
8
Arts and Entertainment
December 8, 2021
Live entretainment makes its comeback
Concerts and other events are starting to ramp up again By Daniela Ossa Lopez.
Arts & Entertainment Editor.
Many artists have announced their tour dates and events that got postponed due to the pandemic are rescheduled for the upcoming months. Awards and red carpet events are being held, games and sporting events are opening their doors and now we can be in the audience. Even some companies are considering bringing back their employees together for a Christmas celebration to bond after almost two years of zoom meetings. It looks like the world is opening up again and we are having a little bit of “life before COVID” back. People are eager to see performers on stage once again and performers are thrilled to be able to go back on stage after this long break. In a concert held in Mountain View in October, Adam Levine, singer of Maroon 5, said, “thank you for being here, you make me feel alive, after all the tours we’ve done this is the one we were looking forward to the most.” In March 2020, live events like concerts, musicals, festivals, and plays all closed their doors in the wake of COVID-19. Companies like AEG Presents and Live Nation Entertainment, which owns promotion entity Live Nation and ticketing giant Ticketmaster, were some of the hardest hit by the pandemic. According to Ticketmaster’s page, live events may look a little different than what we’re used to but we truly believe that the
Daniela Ossa/The Skyline View
Gatherers hold their phones up as the enjoy a live concert for the first time since COVID begun.
electric feeling of excitement and connection will always remain. The page says, “We put this page together to let you know what to expect as we work closely with venues everywhere to help make it a safer experience for all,” which means that according to the venue and the type of event you are attending, the guidelines might vary. “We’re encouraging venues everywhere to adopt social distancing and sanitization measures
to help keep fans and staff as safe as possible,” the website says. “As venues start opening up again, an event’s status may change due to developing safety policies, but we’ll keep you posted if that’s the case.” It’s recommended to check the event’s page before the due date and be prepared to bring your vaccination card, ID and mask. Some events ––– if they are in an open space ––– might allow the visitors to take off their masks,
but let’s be realistic: some of them they don’t have “mask police” telling you to pull up your mask and there’s no “regulation” with it when there are hundreds of people at the same establishment, singing their hearts out loud to their favorite artist. At the events I’ve been to this year there might be social distancing at the entrance. People respect lines and they move fast. However, once you are inside and you don’t have a chair or designated space, unfortunate things like Astroworld could happen because social distancing gets very hard to control at these events. But the maximum capacity at the events must be regulated, and that’s a no-brainer. On a survey made by Statista back in August 2020, only 6% of people felt comfortable going to live events over a year later. With vaccines and boosters, more people seem to feel comfortable and have been enjoying attending concerts and such. Many of the upcoming events have sold out their tickets and even though vaccines aren’t protecting you from getting the virus ––– and they are positive cases still going on ––– they are giving us a sense of protection and people feel more comfortable knowing that our immune system might be stronger if we get it. From socially-distanced games to drive-in concerts, event organizers are finding creative ways to bring people backtogether again safely. Find the live events you missed the most, happening near you soon.
Genie+ is the friend you wish you never had The service adds an inconvenient expense to the already costly Disney Parks experience By Anoush Torounian Features editor Can your friends prioritize profits at your expense? Can your friends nickel-and-dime you until your pockets drop out of your pants in an exhausting attempt to escape endless gouging? Genie+ sure can. Disneyland’s FastPass and Disney World’s FastPass+ were completely free of charge and allowed visitors to experience the magic of Disney without trudging through grueling lines. MaxPass, which cost $20 per day, had the added convenience of mobile booking as opposed to the alternative of a kiosk. But this sensible system came to a grinding halt in August 2021, when Disney Parks announced that they would do away with their FastPass, FastPass+ and MaxPass reservation systems in favor of a new system, the oppressive Genie+. While the system was supposed to be released in the fall, it has yet to be rolled out at Disneyland. Genie+ seeks to monetize an existing park offering under the guise of helping visitors plan their stay. The free service of Genie allows guests to join virtual queues but does not include the option of reduced wait times, which used to be roped into the admission price. On the other hand, Genie+ markets itself as “an evolution of the fan-favorite Disney MaxPass
Disneyland before its heinous change to Gene+, eliminating FastPass.
service,” according to the Disney Website. This nuisance, which costs $20 at Disneyland and $15 at Disney World, graciously allows visitors to reserve their spots at one ride at a time and utilize the lightning lane to bypass the weary commoners. Genie+ makes it apparent to average families that they are second-in-command at Disney Parks. The system prioritizes wealthy visitors who can easily throw some extra benjamin franklins at the notorious mouse. For most families, however, the service is just another way Disney pigeonholes them into drawing the last cent from their pockets. While Genie claims to direct people to rides with shorter wait
times, this might be counterproductive. Imagine this: hundreds of people dart over to Jungle Cruise because the wait time is low, inciting congestion. What happens when the 20% of people who opted into Genie+ board each ride ahead of large crowds? The majority suffer longer wait times while a select few enjoy the magical Disney experience that everyone paid for with their tickets. To make matters worse, not all rides are included in the cost of Genie+. The lines of popular rides like Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Radiator Springs Racers can only be expedited if visitors are willing to pay extra. This makes it clear that Disney is
Anoush Torounian/ The Skyline View
attempting to offer less for more money. This may be a small qualm in the grand scheme of things, but the name of the so-called service is incongruous with its eponym. I’m sure Genie’s character, whose entire story arc revolved around being exploited by entitled leeches, would loathe being shackled to corporate consumerist culture. Despite my frustration at this shameless system, my family still planned a trip to Disneyland in the coming weeks, and we will likely have to purchase Genie+ if available. Our participation in their greedy corporate ventures affirms that people will disregard shameless cash grabs for the sake of nostalgia.
Sony
Sony headphone’s make waves.
Sony’s newest earphones make waves Mark David Magat Guest writer
Sony has recently been knocking it out of the park in terms of tech. Their cameras lead the industry into the mirrorless realm, they produce movies with high quality and their audio is now a staple for most techheads. Today we’re not going to look into a new piece of tech, but had a lot of praise when it came out a couple of months ago; Sony’s WH-1000xm4 headphones. We’re gonna be taking a deep dive into their long-term usage and see if they’re worth the $350 Sony is asking for. First, the most important,, let’s talk about the sound. Their warmer sounding, with a slight emphasis on the bass. The mid-range sound does get lost in the mix and the highs aren’t really as clear as audiophiles would like. But the sound that does come out of these sounds really good, despite these things. If you like music with a tad more bass, like hip hop or pop, then these are great. Anything else other than that still sounds pretty crisp too. Just don’t expect a flat sound. Now the active noise canceling; these knock most, if not all, in its class out the park. Most constant noise, such as the humming of car engines, is blocked out and background music or noise from coffee shops or street work or just people talking is drastically downplayed. The ambient sound is serviceable but nothing to ride home about. You can have convos with people or quickly listen in if you need to hear real quick but it does sound robotic and is clear that you’re wearing headphones. Now what a lot of people don’t talk about in reviews, especially for long-term listening, is that the build quality is done really well. Yes, it’s made of plastic, but still feels high quality and feels durable enough to last. And the use of plastic really helps with comfort for long listening sessions. They don’t feel heavy. Now the things I don’t really like. A majority of the faults of the 1000x’s come from the gimmicks Sony’s trying to sell. The touch controls are ok but vary when it comes to accuracy. And these touch controls also lead to quick ambient sound controls which sound fine. Put your right hand over the right earcup to temporarily turn on ambient sound, but you can just take the headphones off. And something I liked at the start ––– but don’t like now ––– is the carrying case it comes with; it’s a bit too big and bulky to carry in my bag. I like organization in my bag and having the headphones just folded up and in there works as well. And the headphones also support higher file types for audio with certain settings, so if you use LDAC then go for it. And the 30-hour battery is really nice, I charge mine once a week and I would still have a bit left.. Overall, I’m really happy I bought these and have been using or the past couple of months. The sound fits the music I like, the noise canceling is done really well and the build is nice and light but durable. At the end of the day, if you spend $350 on these, you won’t be disappointed. A great investment for long-term listening.
9
Sports
December 8, 2021
sports Features
Dino Nomicos takes over as Skyline’s athletic director Tony Brunicardi is slated to take over the baseball program as head coach By Steven Rissotto Editor-in-Chief
In a flurry of promotions, longtime head baseball coach Dino Nomicos has been named Skyline College’s new athletic director and interim dean of kinesiology, athletics, and dance, the school announced on Thursday. As a result, Nomicos will hang up his spikes and walk away from coaching after 21 seasons leading the Trojans baseball program. Tony Brunicardi, a member of the coaching staff for nine seasons, will take over at the helm this spring. “I’ve been with Skyline for 25 years so I’ve seen the department grow and all the coaches and faculty that have been hired,” Nomicos said. “And it’s special to me to be able to lead the department that I helped build –– and that I’m still here and I can be a mentor –– and get us through these tough times with COVID, doing whatever I can to help the student-athletes and the faculty and staff.” Nomicos, 59, is taking over the athletic department from Joe Morello, who was stationed in the position for 15 years before recently being promoted to vice president of administrative services. This won’t be the first time Nomicos has entered the administrative field; he briefly held the same position of athletic director and dean during the 2005-06 school year but declined to reapply to focus on coaching. As dean, Nomicos will be in charge of all the faculty, the class loads, and everything that has to do with the educational part of the position. As athletic director, he will be responsible for all the teams, their eligibility, COVID protocols safety and other day-
Nomicos (left) and Brunicardi (right) have worked together as coaches for nine seasons.
to-day operations. As an administrator on duty, he’ll be present at all sporting events to make sure everything runs smoothly. Before Nomicos took over in 2000, Skyline’s baseball program was ranked near the bottom percentile among all community colleges in California. At the time of his departure as head coach, the program transformed, going 419358, making him the winningest head baseball coach in the school’s history. While winning on the field, the program has produced over 30 professional players under his guidance and leadership. The program still keeps tabs on many of them, an aspect the coaching
staff has cherished. “I think just building the program, graduating and getting the kids scholarships ––– I think that’s the most important thing for me,” Nomicos said. “We’ve had hundreds of kids that have graduated, that have gone through the program, that received scholarships, that have played professional baseball that are just great citizens now.” Brunicardi, 36, is a 2003 graduate of Burlingame High School where he still holds the school’s record for career wins on the mound with 24. As a standout three-sport athlete, Brunicardi was an All-County athlete in base-
ball, basketball and football. He pitched for the Trojans in 2005 and 2006, notching a 3.91 ERA, four wins, and four saves. After a career-ending injury while pitching for Sacramento State, he accepted a role as the team’s bullpen catcher from 2008-10. After stints at Yuba College and Cosumnes River College, Brunicardi ended up at Skyline in 2011 as the pitching coach but later moved into a more hands-on role as an assistant. “I definitely have big shoes to fill with my new position,” Brunicardi said. “There is no replacing a legendary coach like Dino Nomicos but I am humbled, honored
Steven Rissotto/The Skyline View
and excited about the opportunity to carry on the amazing tradition of the Skyline College baseball program.” For now, Nomicos and Brunicardi still hold the interim title but both plan to permanently re-apply for the respective positions. “I always say it keeps you young, being around the young student-athletes,” Nomicos said. “I think that’s what I’m going to miss but on the other hand, I still get to be involved by being at all the contests. Instead of concentrating on the baseball program, now I have the whole department to be able to help.”
Brunicardi ready to take over Trojans baseball program The assistant coach since 2012 is ready to step into the spotlight
By Steven Rissotto Editor-iin-chief
Tony Brunicardi was always in possession of a ball. Ever since he could remember, the thrill of baseball could do wonders for him. At the age of five, he was already in the early stages of falling in love with the game, challenging himself to hit the ball back and forth by himself. At 36, the thrill hasn’t worn off for Brunicardi. In fact, the love of the game has only amplified. After nearly a decade as the assistant coach of Skyline College’s baseball team and a few promotions for others in the athletic department, he’ll have a unique opportunity to now lead the program as head coach. The position opened when legendary coach Dino Nomicos ––– the winningest manager in the history of the Trojans ––– announced he would hang up his spikes and take a promotion as athletic director. For the first time in over two decades, Nomicos wouldn’t be leading the charge. Instead, he phoned a friend and dialed a familiar friend. On the other line, Brunicardi answered. “He said, ‘Hey, this is what’s gonna happen and you’ll be the interim head coach,’” Brunicardi recalled. “I was just extremely grateful and
appreciative with him. He’s been a mentor of mine and I played for the man and then coached with him. So he’s been a friend, a mentor, everything you could ask for.” Brunicardi rose to notoriety as a three-sport athlete at Burlingame High School, excelling with All-County honors in baseball, basketball and football. After he graduated in 2003, he took the community college route and played for Nomicos at Skyline for two seasons before transferring to pitch at Sacramento State. Two weeks before his senior year, he suffered a broken wrist in two different areas, an injury that prematurely ended his career and still a talking point that he’s quick to brush off. Disgruntled, Brunicardi picked up the phone and made a call to his mentor. Dino Nomicos picked up. “I called him when everything happened and that I was going to be done playing and he said, ‘well, you know, why don’t you stay on there and coach,’” Brunicardi said. “And I did.” Brunicardi leaped into a role as the bullpen coach for Sacramento State and two years later found himself with a full-time pitching coach gig at Yuba College. In 2012, with some experience under his belt, Brunicardi
Skyline Athletics
Tony Brunicardi will take over for baseball coach Dino Nomicos in the Spring.
was finally settling into his second career as a coach when Nomicos called him. Naturally, like he had done so many times before, Brunicardi picked up without hesitation. “The opportunity for me to come back to my roots and be the pitching coach at Skyline opened up and I couldn’t say no,” Brunicardi said. “It was where I played, this is my home, this is where my roots are. I want to be able to come back and serve the same community that served me.” Over time, Brunicardi outgrew the pitching coach label and grew to become a reliable number two for
Nomicos. He helped with the hitters and worked with the defense, all while developing quality arms on the mound. In addition, he was instrumental as the recruiting coordinator and worked endlessly to track down local ballplayers from high schools in the Bay Area. Now, more prepared than ever, Brunicardi’s challenge as a first-year head coach shouldn’t have much of an overall impact on the quality of the program. “He’s been a big fixture in the program,” Nomicos said. “He’s full-time at the college so that’s great that he can move right into that role. For me leaving at this point doesn’t really disrupt the program since we’re opening up in January. So with him already being there and the rest of the coaches, it becomes a very smooth transition for the athletes.” With Brunicardi at the helm, he views the upcoming season as being important as ever with high expectations due to the team’s blend of veterans and youth. In fact, he thinks it’s the most talented group of players he’s coached during his tenure at Skyline. “There’s a lot of talent out here and I’m really excited about what this team can be,” Brunicardi said. “Especially if we can grow and come
together as a group, and kind of grow with that experience ––– with that youth ––– and still try to get our experienced guys playing as well.” Coming from a different generation than Nomicos, Brunicardi understands that the adjustment in leadership could take some time for the players to adapt to. However, he expects very little in the program to change completely. What’s there to change when the foundation has been successful for over 20 years, Brunicardi notes. Brunicardi’s loyalty has always brought him back to baseball. Out of the three sports he played in high school, it was always baseball. Even after recovering from a career-ending wrist injury he suffered in college, it was right back to baseball. Baseball, baseball, baseball. The same thrill he adopted as a youngster, the same knowledge that was fed to him constantly, the mentorship he was gifted throughout will continue to be passed down to Skyline baseball players. “I love watching these young athletes reach goals that they didn’t even know they had in them,” Brunicardi said. “That’s one of the most fun things for me, to watch as these young men grow up in the two years that we have them.”
10
sports features
The three-headed monster in the Bay Area is rich in success.
Sports
December 8, 2021
Skyline’s captains love the holidays
Kassidy Corbin/The Skyline View
There’s no shortage of franchise stars in the Bay Area The Giants, Warriors, and 49ers all have longtime fan favorites still producing By Arman Archouniani Sports Editor
The importance of sports to the people in the Bay Area is second to none. There have been many successful teams throughout the past several decades in Northern California. The 49ers made it to the Super Bowl twice in the past 10 years, the Giants won the World Series three times in five years between 2010 and 2014 and most recently, the Golden State Warriors won three NBA championships out of four years from 2015 to 2018. All these teams have had many faces of the franchise and some have been there for many years, continuing their high-level production. In today’s sports world, it is very rare to see players stay over 10 years with a team. Loyalty and competitiveness are engraved in these types of players and these are two characteristics of the hometown kid from Mountain View, Brandon Crawford. As the shortstop for the San Francisco Giants, Crawford has been instrumental for the organization and has played a key role for the 11 years he has played for the team. He was drafted by his boyhood team in 2008 and debuted for the Giants in 2011. In his 11 years with the team, he has 130 home runs and 654 runs batted in, also serving as a fan favorite for many. He won two World Series championships in 2012 and 2014 and came up with huge moments to contribute to those efforts. His defensive ability at the shortstop position has been one of the best we have seen in baseball. At the age of 34, he is still showing his supreme talents, recording four firstplace votes in the 2021 National League MVP race. Crawford set a franchise record this season by playing the most games at shortstop in Giants franchise history. He has shined when the lights have been the brightest and have produced many clutch moments in the orange and black. Giants fans will always remember the grand slam Crawford hit in the 2014 Wild Card Game in Pittsburgh against the Pirates, a moment that ultimately led the Giants to the World Series. His double play with Joe Panik in Game 7 of the 2014 World Series in Kansas City will always be
special, too. He also earned his fourth Gold Glove this season at shortstop and agreed to a 2-year contract with the Giants to stay in San Francisco through 2023. His stellar play throughout his career has done wonders for the Giants and will continue to do so. The Golden State Warriors found their gem through the draft in 2009 with the 7th pick. Stephen Curry has become one of the best players the NBA has ever seen and there were many doubters at the beginning of his career. It was not an easy ride to the top as he dealt with many ankle injuries in the early stages of his career. As he started to build up his body, he started to become a household name after the 2013 Playoffs. After the season, the franchise knew they had a star in the making. After a heartbreaking Game 7 loss to the Clippers in the first round of the playoffs, things needed to change. The Warriors fired Mark Jackson and brought in Steve Kerr to be the new head coach. Curry’s resume has become very impressive and has been everything the Warriors have asked for. He has three NBA Championships, two NBA MVPs, seven All-Star appearances, and four All-First NBA appearances. Most recently, he was announced in the top 75 players of all time in the NBA. He is also very close to breaking Ray Allen’s record for most three-pointers of all time and will soon be the only player to have over 3,000 three-pointers in their career. Curry has revolutionized the game forever and his impact on the game of basketball will be one of the greatest things that have ever happened. He has brought the three-point shot to a whole different level. Everywhere you go, you see kids throwing up threes like Curry, or turning around before the shot goes in. The college, high school, and AAU levels of basketball have been forever impacted by the way Curry plays. The threepoint shot in today’s day and age is needed. In 2010, the Warriors were worth $450 million. They are now worth $5.6 billion in 2021. A huge part of that is the success Curry has brought to the table. He will forever be cherished in the Bay Area for bringing the franchise to
the glory days and building a dynasty. The “people’s tight end,” known as George Kittle, was a diamond in the rough the 49ers drafted in 2017 with the 146th pick in the 5th round and he has been worth every penny. A franchise very rarely has the face of their franchise being a tight end, but Kittle is one of the exceptions. Everybody that has seen him play the game, adores him unless they are on the other side of the football. One of the cornerstones and most exciting players in the NFL has already put a stamp in the record books as he broke the mark for the most receiving yards by a tight end in a single season with 1,377 yards. This record was broken two years later but Kittle displayed a historic season and showed his potential in only his second year in the league. Moments he has produced like his one-handed touchdown grab against the Raiders or his 4th down catch to win the game against the Saints are two plays that all 49ers fans will remember when they think of Kittle. The two-time pro bowler and All-Pro have dealt with several injuries in the last couple of seasons, but that comes with his hard nose running mentality from his days at Iowa. He has been a huge part of the way Shanahan runs his offense and can trust Kittle with anything. Kittle has also become one of the best run-blocking tight ends in the league and has been noticed pancake blocking several people. The highlight reel has been very fun to watch for George Kittle and the only thing that can stop him is his health. The fans love him and could not have asked for a better player at the position. Kittle also extended his stay in the Bay Area last season with a 5-year, $75 million contract. The Bay Area faithful are in great hands for many years to come as the teams are firing on all cylinders right now. The Giants look ahead to another season after breaking their franchise record for wins, the Warriors look to get Klay Thompson back to accompany the franchise man, Steph Curry, and the 49ers look to continue their impressive performances in the later stages of the season.
Anthony Perez/ The Skyline View
Skyline Trojans womens basketball team captain Jalene Parangan.
Jalene Parangan
“My favorite tradition about the holidays is white elephant. It’s always exciting to see what gift you choose and it’s fun to try to find the money gifts. Its just something that allows everyone to be apart of and is lots fun. Sometimes we do themes or funny gifts”
Nicole Brunicardi
Skyline Trojans womens basketball team captain Nicole Brunicardi.
Nicole Brunicardi “My favorite tradition about the holidays is getting a tree and decorating it the day after thanksgiving. We have done this for years ever since my parents have done it with their parents. This also includes having one person hide a pickle ornament in the tree so the next person (when they find it) can hide it for someone else to find. I always love this time of year!”
Upcoming Games Men’s Basketball
vs Siskiyous 12/11 2:00 p.m. vs Gavilan 12/18 3:00 p.m. vs De Anza 12/23 7:00 p.m. vs Butte 11/24 3:30 p.m. at West Valley 12/31 5:00 p.m.
Women’s Basketball
at Marin 12/10 5:30 p.m. at San Jose 12/22 5:00 p.m. vs Cabrillo 12/29 1:00 p.m. vs Allan Hancock 12/30 2:00p.m vs Chabot 5:00 p.m. at Cuesta 1/7 4:00 p.m.
Previous Game Scores Men’s Basketball
vs Modesto 11/13 92-62 W at Solano 11/17 65-63 L at Alameda 11/19 85-47 W vs Napa Valley 11/24 85-80 W at San Jose 12/3 80-73 L
Women’s Basketball
vs Merritt 11/11 100-54 W vs Solano 11/18 76-54 W vs American River 11/19 61-49 W