THE SKYLINE VIEW The Voice of Skyline College, San Bruno, Calif.
October 13, 2021
theskylineview.com
Issue 2
SMCCCD provides debt relief with federal funds HEERF assists students who have been impacted by COVID-19 By Adriana Hernandez Staff Writer
San Mateo Community College District received $76.2 billion under emergency grants authorized by the Coronavirus Response and Relief. Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) was created to provide emergency financial aid grants to students for expenses related to the disruption of campus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Students that enrolled on or after March 13, 2020, are eligible to receive emergency financial aid grants under the HEERF programs, originally under the CARES Act. The emergency funds were given to help students cope with expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Students affected by the pandemic are still able to access funding and continue their education. Students could have been victims of losing their job and aren’t able to continue their studies. These funds are what is keeping them at float. “$2,750 is the highest I have received,” said DonnaRae Lazaro-Alvizo, a third-semester student at Skyline College. Students that qualify receive the money through BankMobile, a partnership SMCCCD had made to distribute financial aid funds. BankMobile sends students emails to sign up for a disbursement card, direct deposit or a check sent by mail.
Andrea Sto. Domingo/The Skyline View
The empty Skyline quad on sunny afternoon.
“I am just curious where I got the money from, I always thought it was from Promise (scholars program),” Lazaro-Alvizo said. “It’s not the first time I have received money, I would get it every couple of months without any explanation.” Students would be receiving emails from BankMobile saying that their funds have been released by their school and are now pending. Money is then received 1-2 business days after depending on your bank policies. “The lowest I have received is $700 to $800,” Lazaro-Alvizo said. “It has been going higher than usual.” Emails have been sent to stu-
dents from multiple financial aid programs saying that they qualify for multiple programs so they are unaware of where the money is coming from. “I’ve received money every semester,” said Abigail Tiongco, a student at Skyline. “I never questioned or asked anyone, assuming that the school is giving me money. I am not going to question that. Money is money.” Students apply for financial aid and automatically apply for the Cal Grant along leading to the relationship with HEERF. The amount students receive is due to the number of classes or varies based on the number of units that they are taking.
“I don’t think it’s ever been over $2,000,” Tiongco said. “But I don’t think it’s ever been below $1,000.” With these large amounts of money ranging from $1,250 $1,625 for non-need-based and $2,000 - $2,750 for need-based students, they have either invested it or saved it for when they plan to transfer schools. Since the cost to attend community college is lower than a four-year college. Others plan to get rid of their debt from classes and materials. It allows students to use it conservatively and register for classes in the future without setbacks and clean records of debt. Relieving the average debt of $182 per
student. “The money has helped me focus on my studies while not having to work to sustain my spending,” said Joseph Abedejos, a student at Skyline in the respiratory care program. “It’s an accelerated 2 years associates program and it was so rough when I had to work nearly full time and engage in my school work.” HEERF was designed to help those with accumulated debt due to the pandemic like Abedejos. For many students, the financial funds are why they continue in college in situations. Financial aid has been doing its job of supporting and creating resources for students between the time frame of summer 2020 and 2021.
Biden Administration’s Proposal for Higher Education Skyline students advocate for more financial support from the government By Andrea Sto. Domingo News editor
The Biden Administration has recently proposed a reconciliation bill that would invest roughly $111 billion of the $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation package in higher education programs and federal student aid. This proposal would make a difference for students pursuing higher education and will reduce the stress of affording college. Plans such as providing two years free of community college at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), and other minority-serving institutions (MSIs), an increase of $500 for the Pell Grant and help colleges improve retention and graduation rates. “The Promise (Scholars) Program has helped me navigate my journey in college by helping me financially,” said Jairil Luis Pangalian, a psychology and marketing major at Skyline College. “Plus, they have helped me by providing me with all the information I need so that I can achieve my goal of transferring into a four-year univer-
The closed student services department on Skyline’s campus
sity as quickly as possible”. Community college students like Pangalian would benefit from the reconciliation bill. Many students are still facing financial difficulties to finish college in the pandemic. Before the pandemic, 36 million students dropped out of college and the pandemic has led to more students, specifically community college students to drop out. “Since I am in PSP (Promise Scholars Program), I have not had to worry about paying for college,” said Caitlin Collantes, a second-year kinesiology major at Skyline. “But, once I leave
Andrea Sto. Domingo/The Skyline View
Skyline, I will be on my own and we all know that four-year universities are significantly more expensive than community colleges.” Doubling the Pell Grant would have a large impact on low-income students. Biden proposed a $1,475 increase to the maximum Pell Grant award as part of working to double the support. Though the reconciliation package presently includes a $500 increase. “If the current administration puts this policy into place, I can continue to pursue my dream of becoming a physical therapist without drowning in student
debt,” said Collantes. “When it comes time for me to transfer next year, I am extremely worried about being able to pay for my schooling.” As of Sept. 2021, 43.2 million student borrowers are in debt by an average of $39,351 each and 42.9 million borrowers owe $1.59 billion in federal student loans. Between the second and third fiscal quarter of 2020, the CARES Act offered student loan debt relief that affected a minimum of 20 million borrowers. “Honestly, I think that the government should give us community college students more funding
since I believe that the amount most of us get is not enough,” said Pangalian. ”I say this (because) I think that some students who are not fortunate enough like me, to get into the promise program, are having to either stop going to school altogether in order to continue to be financially stable enough to support themselves. Or they would have to risk skipping meals or worse just so that they could continue pursuing their dreams.” Biden had proposed a total of $55 billion for HBCUs and MSIs to upgrade research infrastructure and create up to 200 research incubators to bolster STEM education in these colleges. “The government needs to stop promoting the idea that community colleges provide a lower quality of education to their students,” said Collantes. “On the flip side, they also need to start pushing their education system to tell BIPOC students that they can make it in higher education, instead of limiting them to just blue-collar jobs.” With the aid, students would be more likely to pursue higher education, take advantage of reduced and free tuition and change the stigma behind attending community colleges.
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News The Staff Editor-In-Chief Steven Rissotto News Editor Andrea Sto. Domingo
October 13 , 2021
Daly City fights to save community garden Daly City residents create a petition to save local garden from residential construction By Izzy Herrera Staff Writer
Focal Point Editor Anouosh 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
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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.
Jefferson Unified High School District has a plan to tear down the Daly City garden in order to renovate Serramonte Del Rey. The proposed project would include a 14-story apartment building, a recreational trail, public parks, open spaces, and more. This location falls on the property where the Daly City garden resides. Resident Debra Santiago built a strong connection with the Daly City garden as it connects her to her family roots, sharing many memories with her mother and now her son. She was part of the Washoe Tribe that used the garden regularly. After hearing the news of the plan to demolish the garden, it broke Santiago’s heart. Knowing something needed to be done, she created a petition on Change.org spreading awareness about the garden and the personal connection she and others of the community have with it. In Santiago’s petition, she makes multiple claims that the JUHSD has no plan to offer an alternative site for the garden which keeps the garden intact while also benefiting the community. However, the JUHSD’s Director of Communication and Staff Housing Austin Worden says otherwise. “We agree that a community garden has a place and purpose on this site (Serramonte Del Rey), which is why our current plans will provide a garden that will be accessible, centralized, and sustainable,” Worden said. “This project is meant to benefit
Daly City residents create a sign to save the local garden
the entire community. Because our high school district is the lowest funded in San Mateo County, our main priority will be to ensure that our local Daly City students obtain the resources they need to succeed. We also know that our city is in desperate need of affordable housing, open space, a true community garden, pedestrian safety improvements, parks, and retail opportunities. This project will provide all of this.” Santiago mentions in her petition that the best location for the garden is its current location because the coastal ridgeline that resides above the
garden protects the plants such as native plants and fruit orchids from coastal wind and fog. “Yes, it is (the garden) below the 600 feet above sea level ridgeline,” said Shirin Leclere, a Geology professor at Skyline College. “It would be protecting the garden space from the cold Pacific winds and to some extent some fog.” As of Oct. 10, 3,318 people have signed the petition that the garden should reside in its original spot. One of the supporters identifying as Instagram account @4dalycity helps Santiago spread awareness about the planned demolition of the garden. “Since the community gar-
Izzy Herrera/The Skyline View
den is owned by the school district it is kind of their right to change it, the way they see it will benefit people,” said Lisbeth Menjivar, a Daly City resident. “But the district had the community garden open to the public, so it only makes it right and fair to build something for the community residents as some of them have such a personal connection with it, and make it as it was before the construction”. The outcome of the garden nor its replacement has yet been released. The petition for the garden is still up online via Change.org
San Bruno mayor censured after summer-long investigation A private investigator found proof of inappropriate behavior towards city staff By: Steven Rissotto Editor-In-Chief
San Bruno Mayor Rico Medina has been censured and barred from city committee appointments after an investigation uncovered inappropriate conduct directed toward his staff. The investigation was conducted by an external independent group that was hired by the City after concerns rose about recent incidents involving Medina. The process, which began on June 16, found that the mayor spoke in a “harsh and belittling” manner to his staff, called staff while intoxicated, and attended a closed-city council meeting while impaired. Seven witnesses were interviewed within a week, followed by the mayor himself later on in the summer. “I think that the decision to censure ––– and to even consider censuring ––– Mayor Medina was a difficult one for all of us,” said Councilmember Linda Mason, who Medina beat in his reelection bid last November. Credible and detailed accounts concluded that the mayor ––– on multiple occasions ––– would cut off an employee when talking by putting his hand up and walking away before they could respond to his questions. It was also found that Medina would call an employee after hours to accuse them of “not doing anything” on a project and complain about the City’s lack of staffing. At one point, the investigation describes Medina as being defensive when a staff member showed concern when he started coughing in City Hall, accusing the employee of “having a problem” with him.
Zachary Navarra/The Skyline View
Mayor Medina’s censure comes after a summer investigation.
“The majority of the council didn’t feel like we could let staff continue to feel that they were not being heard,” Mason said. While originally claimed in the complaint, Medina wasn’t found to have made threats to any City employees. When confronted with the claims, the mayor originally denied the claim and was “saddened” by the allegation. It was also proven uncontestedly that Medina contacted City staff after drinking alcohol, and the investigation found a “preponderance of evidence” to back it up. Two witnesses acknowledged that Medina might not have been drunk on the phone, but three more contested by reporting that the mayor was slurring his words, giggling, yelling, distracted, incoherent, and experiencing mood swings. According to the report, Medina did admit to calling City staff during evenings and weekends after he had been consuming alcohol at different
social events, like barbecues and sporting events. The mayor also claimed that the alcohol didn’t affect his usual impassioned speaking manner and tendencies to jump from topic-to-topic, but witnesses ––– a few that have worked with him for a while ––– saw a clear change in his communication style. “There’s no witch hunt if the allegations are brought by credible witnesses who have no agenda but to do their jobs and not be pressured to circumvent the systems that are in place for a reason,” said Maria Concha, a San Bruno resident. “For those of you who are so short-sighted and think that this couldn’t have possibly happened the way it did, take your heads out of the sand. This man needs help.” On June 11, just five days before the investigation began, Medina attended a closed session city council meeting and some speculated that he was impaired. The evidence in the investigation showed no proof of impairment. The mayor insisted to investigators that he hadn’t been drinking before the meet-
ing, but instead had taken medicine for a health issue beforehand that may have affected his performance in the meeting. San Bruno city council voted 3-1 to censure and remove the mayor committee appointments. In addition, he’s been asked not to contact staff directly, but instead work through the city manager or city attorney. Unless he’s conducting business as a resident, property owner, or attending a meeting as mayor, Medina was told not to enter City Hall facilities or staff workspaces as a precaution. “I think that Mayor Medina is committed to San Bruno, I don’t even think that’s a question in anybody’s mind,” Mason said. “And hopefully this doesn’t happen again and we can move forward in the city. We have a lot to look forward to. We have a team that’s working together.” Councilmember Micahel Salazar was the only opposing vote against the resolution. “I can say confidently that this decision will have little impact on San Bruno either now or in the long term,” Salazar said. “In discussing the report and the sanctions placed on the mayor, staff advised us that the situation had been addressed and no further action was necessary. While I was satisfied that the investigation had run its course, some members of the Council felt they needed to take further action against the mayor.” Medina was elected as mayor in 2017 to serve a three-year term and was re-elected for a two-year term in 2020. He has served on the City Council for 15 years.
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Opinions
October 13, 2021 Feb. 24, 2021
Editorial
The student government lacks visability The Skyline student government lacks visibility towards the student body
Skyline’s student government, the Associated Students of Skyline College (ASSC), needs to increase its visibility towards the student body. While the ASSC is not closed off from the campus community, many students remain unaware of what is going on. This is unfortunate because the good work of the ASSC goes unappreciated while students remain in the dark when it comes to opportunities provided by their student government. The ways in which information is presented puts the burden on the students, it must be sought out. Public zoom sessions are open every Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., but that requires students to know they exist in the first place. Additionally, ASSC accomplishments and events can be found in the weekly Skyline announcements but are often buried within the email. Many students would not know student government information is held within by just glancing at the headline or reading the first few paragraphs. To the student government’s credit, they do showcase their work on social media sites like Instagram and Facebook. While this does show more visibility than zoom, it falls into the similar problem that many students
ASSC’s Instagram showcases the student government and its accomplishments.
are unaware of its existence. This is a shame since the ASSC provides many programs, like the Skyline College Community Virtual Ofrenda, that can be highly beneficial for the student body. With more visibility, more students will have access to these programs. It should be noted that The Skyline View holds some of the responsibility for increasing the student government’s visibility. As the voice of Skyline College, this publication can and will do
more to highlight the members, achievements, and programs of the ASSC. Going forward, a concerted effort will be made to reach out, work with and provide unbiased coverage of Skyline’s student government. With this understanding, the ASSC must do more going forward. One simple solution would be to feature the ASSC in the headlines of Skyline announcement emails. If not directly in the headline, ASSC achieve-
ments could be placed higher up in the announcement emails. In addition to featured emails, a greater effort could be made to promote their social media accounts and zoom sessions. These resources have the potential to boost the student government’s visibility to a level that reaches most of the student body. Skyline’s student government does good work, but they must do the work of reaching out to the Skyline community.
@skylineassc/Instagram
“As the voice of Skyline College, this publication can and will do more to highlight the members, achievements, and programs of the ASSC.”
Students must end the stigma around community college
Students must tune out the negative noise and embrace an amazing decision By: Adriana Hernandez Staff Writer
When you hear the word community college, what comes to mind: second-class, bad grades, not enough money? Students often feel ashamed to say out loud that they attend community college. Despite the stereotypes, attending a community college is the smartest decision anyone can make. Some may think attending community college is just settling. Despite their beliefs, colleges like Skyline challenge misperceptions and provide a quality and high-value education for their students. Community colleges provide the same quality of general education compared to any other four-year or Ivy League university. They are changing the perspective of higher education and offering students more opportunities in pursuing their degrees. The only difference is that you can save tens of thousands of dollars over your first two years of school. Those that are interested in a host of topics can explore different subject areas. While most colleges make you declare a major before you enter as a freshman, community college allows for the opportunity to branch out and find what truly interests you. Community college is a second opportunity for many that
Community college deserves the spotlight when it comes to advancing educational opportunities.
are looking to make something more out of themselves. Doors are wide open to those with children, without documents, or of older age. They shouldn’t feel ashamed for wanting more for themselves. As a commuter student, you will have a flexible class schedule. You will have ample time to get a job during the week, thus earning disposable income while also learning how to navigate the workplace. Additionally, it allows you to have more life learning experiences.
It’s not about where you start but where you finish. Wherever life takes you, you will look back in pride at your decision to enroll in community college. All students should hold high any education they’ve received because that diploma represents all the days and nights of hard work. The assumption that the degree you receive from transferring from a community college won’t get you as far as just a 4 year or ivy league degree is misleading. There is no real
difference between any bachelor’s degree earned from any college journey and the amount of successful community college graduates is proof. Attending community college makes you a better citizen. Never will you be in a more diverse environment when it comes to thought, race, age, and intellectual ability. It allows you to become more understanding of those who came from different backgrounds. Anaïs Nin once said, “Life shrinks or expands in proportion
Adriana Hernandez/The Skyline View
to one’s courage”. The courage to be different, the courage to do what is best for you and not what satisfies the opinions of others. The courage to take a road less traveled. Whenever we choose to take a road less traveled we subject ourselves to it seems like unrelenting criticism and ridicule. Pushing past all that, we learn that the education and skills we gain during our time at community college speak louder than all the noise.
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Opinions
October 13, 2021
We cannot ignore the Native American genocide Celebrating Indegenous People’s day without having the hard conversation about America’s past is simply performative By Zachary Navarra Opinions Editor
It’s time America stops ignoring its past. We must have an honest conversation about the world’s largest and deadliest genocide. A genocide that was carried out at the hands of the U.S. government. The relatively recent change to Indigenous Peoples Day from Columbus Day is a good starting point. However, this is performative without action to follow suit. The education systems in California generally lack in-depth conversations about the true history of America’s treatment and genocide of Native Americans. From middle school to high school to higher education, I have yet to see an in-depth course or unit on the United States’ treatment of Native people after 1776. A paragraph on the Trail of Tears or a discussion on the painting American Progress briefly denoting fleeing indigenous people falls woefully short of the honest conversation our country needs. Native Americans are not a relic of the past, they are still here fighting for their rights and the survival of a rich culture as they have done for centuries. It is time we educate ourselves on everything from low stakes issues like why Buffalo Bill should not be an idolized figure to high stakes issues such as thousands of missing indigenous
Manifest Destiney leaves a path of death and destruction from sea to shining sea.
women across our nation. Take the low-stakes example of Buffalo Bill, most people would see little problem in having an NFL team use the name. This would likely change if most people knew that the U.S. soldier turned western showman is actually a war criminal responsible for the ethnic cleansing of the Plains tribes. Buffalo Bill facilitated the near extinction of the American
Buffalo by killing over 4000 of the creatures. By doing this, he made it near impossible for the Plains Tribes to put up effective resistance to western expansion since the American Buffalo was so integral to their way of life. While the name of a professional football team may be low stakes, we should seriously reconsider if we want to lionize a genocidal war criminal. The high-stakes consequenc-
es of our refusal to talk about Native American issues result in unfair and discriminatory media coverage of missing indigenous women. It’s estimated that only about 30 percent of Native murder victims in Wyoming get media coverage while their white counterparts get covered 51 percent of the time. From high stakes to low stakes every issue matters and deserves our attention. The new
Zachary Navarra/The Skyline View
California ethnic studies course requirement is a good first step; however, it does not go into full effect until 2029. It is far past time America addresses its treatment of indigenous people and has an honest conversation right now. This is not a call to demonize America’s history but to provide the full and accurate portrayal of the Native American genocide.
California’s new housing bills are a positive step in confronting The new changes look to free up affordable housing in suburban communities By Anthony Perez staff writter
In his first order of business after the recall election, Governor Newsom approved senate bills nine and 10 as a means to combat California’s housing crisis. Senate bill nine looks to eliminate single-family housing zones, by allowing for multifamily housing in single-family residential zones. Senate bill 10 would loosen the rules on zoning and housing developments, by allowing housing developments to skip some of the reviewing processes. Multifamily housing is good for California as it helps subdue the housing crisis and will lead to improvements to both cities and suburbs. The housing crisis in the Bay Area has been caused by the high cost of housing, limited housing construction and a new generation of hopeful homeowners. Here in the Peninsula, the majority of our residential zoning is single-family while the nearby cities. Skyline has recently seen a new neighborhood development right in front of the campus, which is majority single-family housing. The neighborhood will incorporate multifamily housing in partnership with Skyline College as they’ll join in on the
Adriana Hernandez/The Skyline View
Single-unit housing may be on the decline after senate bills nine and 10 are signed into law.
SMCCCD District’s Employee Housing Program when the two three-story apartments complex are completed. For the last few decades, we’ve seen historic neighborhoods change to accommodate their potential buyers as a means to bring in younger and richer residents. Long-standing residents of those neighborhoods are subsequently being priced out of their homes. The reason why single-family homes are so present in California can be boiled down to a mix of segregating people of color and to bringing in more
attractive buyers who are willing to spend way over the asking price for houses. With multifamily housing entering new neighborhoods, the towns would look to make it more attractive to everyone with improvements to their public transportation. Senate bill 10 enacts a ruling of “A transit-rich area” and “High-quality bus corridor” within the areas they plan for housing development. With more apartment complexes and duplexes being built, the local and state governments could subsidize additional housing for low-income and senior
residents. Mixed- income housing could also be implemented to allow wealthier buyers to live where they want while allowing lower-income families the opportunity to live there as well. Many of our towns have abandoned buildings, empty lots and dying shopping centers taking up entire blocks for years. With senate bill 10 these areas present the perfect places for new housing and could be done quickly by skipping through the years of paperwork. Multifamily housing is beneficial to the community as suburbs tend to have better
schooling compared to cities. Schooling that wouldn’t be accessible to most people that aren’t able to afford homes in these neighborhoods. One of the biggest benefits of allowing multifamily housing in the areas where they were once banned would be the undoing of the gentrification of inner cities. This could lead to neighborhoods changed by gentrification to return to their former historic roots. Over the last few decades California has been seriously affected by the housing crisis, but senate bills nine and 10 are a major step in the right direction towards easily available affordable housing.
“One of the biggest benefits of allowing multifamily housing in the areas where they were once banned would be the undoing of the gentrification of inner cities. This could lead to neighborhoods changed by gentrification to return to their former historic roots.”
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Features
Oct. 13, 2021
The impact of COVID-19 on teaching Skyline teachers reflect th evolution of teaching over this past year
By Phil Ho Reporter
It’s been over 19 months since COVID-19 engulfed the planet. Like most societal institutions, the school system was thrown into turmoil. Now that the teaching world has gone from roller coaster to a road with periodic speed bumps and a majority of classes have switched to online, instructors evaluate the adjustments that they and their students have made. Invariably, amid the challenges, there remains a sense of optimism. “The pandemic is no joke!” said Dr. Michael Cross, professor of English and literature for Skyline College. “We will never return to ‘business as usual,’ as far as I’m concerned, and I invite you all to embrace the idea that this could be a positive eventuality!” Every teacher has a different teaching style. Some are more tech savvy and creatively develop course material. Others have reached out for collaborative assistance through the Online Peer Mentoring program provided by the Center for Transformational Teaching and Learning (CTTL). Many teachers who have strong in-classroom skills were hesitant to switch to an all online system. Even those who were versed in online teaching found it difficult to translate all of their courses (sometimes embodying over 100 students) into the virtual domain.
Kim Saccio is an assistive computer technology specialist who teaches four different computer skills classes for the Educational Access Center (E.A.C.). She mentors many other instructors on putting together online classes, yet when it came to her own classes, she learned that her own native teaching style was more chaotic than she expected. She realized that having to shift to teaching online was a heavier lift than anticipated. This was because without the ability to improvise in a classroom, the online class has to be extremely organized so that content flows clearly within and between modules. “In the classroom, I am constantly responding to student needs,” Saccio said. “I have a punch list of things that need to be covered in every session. How I cover it entirely depends on the students in front of me. It was a bit daunting to go from that completely freeform reactive style of teaching to needing to create structured CANVAS shells.” In Dr. Michael Cross’ class, literary themes are extensively explored through monster tales: fairy tales, poems and plays. It is not uncommon for the class to chant ancient Greek choruses or discuss bogeymen, child-guzzlers, ogres, baba yagas and insatiable wolves. It can be hard to pack so much theater into a Canvas shell, but Cross proved that it can be
COVID-19 has made online learning a reality, opening up opportunities to enhance traditional learning
done without diminished effect. “I was originally hesitant to complete online education training [prior to the pandemic],” Cross said. “I convinced myself that my primary strengths as an educator solely manifested themselves “in-person,” through face-to-face interactions, but I’ve learned that the mediation of the computer screen does not necessarily detract from those engagements; rather, online engagement helps me meet students where they are—literally.” Once the initial structural transition was made to complete online learning, the greater challenge became engaging with students and building a classroom community. It is easy for students to hide behind a computer screen. That’s why teachers encourage students to unmute their video screens and join the classroom conversation. However, as Cross admitted, teachers need to be sensitive to the fact that real-life circumstances might make being on camera truly impossible for some students. They may have to be at work, care for loved ones, or not want to reveal their living circumstances. With community college enrollment dropping nearly 20 percent during the pandemic, retaining a sense of community became more difficult. Saccio expressed regret that some students did not respond at all. Many just fell off the grid. “I knew everybody was suffering, and if they wouldn’t communicate with me, there was nothing I could do to help them,” Saccio said, lamentingly. Keenly aware of the need to foster human connections, Saccio occasionally used her weekly class sessions as simply office hours— sometimes not even touching on the class curriculum itself. This provided an avenue for students to communicate on issues they were having beyond the classroom. When the instructors were asked if there were any initial missteps that they would do differently, Saccio admitted that there are always some mistakes every teacher makes. She said that with every class, you learn and you grow, and in every class, you learn something you could do better. For example, she pointed out that not every student is adept at learning from video demonstrations. Students have different learning modalities, and some require
Adrianna Hernandez/The Skyline View
readable material. Saccio realized that she needed to create “cheat sheets” to provide step-by-step procedures for every major task. Dr. Cross corroborated the trial-and-error nature of converting to online teaching. “Some strategies that often work well in person fall flat online, whereas other strategies that might bomb in person work fantastically on the virtual level,” Cross said. “Like anything, you get better by doing, and I’m starting to feel like I’m really getting a handle on how to make this work: now, the goal is to translate these lessons into better in-person classes when I return to campus in the spring.” Undoubtedly, the online sphere has produced pedagogical methods like HyFlex learning that will be useful for in-classroom teaching as well. [see article, ‘Is HyFlex Learning a Viable Option?’] Cross stated that it was likely that all of his courses will function like hybrid courses in the future because some skills can be learned just as well asynchronously. He believes that shifting content online will allow more engaging, participatory and meaningful in-classroom time. The “cheat sheets” that Saccio now provides will now be used regularly for future face-toface learning. She also thinks that connecting by Zoom is a valuable tool in any teaching environment. “When I go back to teaching face-to-face, I think I’m going to continue the virtual office hours,” Saccio said. “A lot of students don’t necessarily want to come to campus just to ask a question, so I think I will include an option for virtual hours as well as in-person.” Putting the new teaching tools aside, the question still remains as to whether students can come away with the same grasp of class material and overall understanding of course principles in an online environment versus being in the classroom. The answer differs from course to course. The computer skills classes from the E.A.C. typically have a small number of students with various needs. Saccio explained how every person learns differently, and every teacher teaches differently. Even if a course is beautifully designed, a student who just needs human interaction and doesn’t do well working on a computer will not get anything out of the class. Conversely, a student who works
well independently will thrive in a mediocre designed online class. Cross was of the opinion that online courses universally can provide the same course objectives as in-classroom learning, but it requires students to be diligent. “Just like anything, I think it depends on how much effort and attention students put into the experience,” Cross said. “You can get a ton out of online engagement as long as you’re committed to putting in the effort.” As for strategies going forward given the uncertainty of the pandemic, the consensus was that the old paradigm needed to give way. Cross stated that if business as usual wasn’t working prior to the pandemic, we now have an opportunity to reimagine a system that will privilege the mental and physical well-being of ourselves and our loved ones. Saccio expressed hope that the administration would retain a large chunk of classes online. She said that it would be smart to work out a structure to easily pivot back and forth between online and in-classroom instruction. “Where we are with Skyline it’s not just COVID,” Saccio said. “Random blackouts, fires, air quality—the things that happen on our campus—it’s just crazy, so we really need to come up with a way to make it possible for instructors to flip to online instruction when necessary to ensure continuity. That’s a tricky thing to manage, but I’m confident that we can figure it out.” Throughout this COVID crisis, Skyline instructors not only developed strategies and learned about the intricacies of teaching online, they learned about how pliant and determined their students are. “Skyline students are incredible human beings!” Cross said emphatically. “They are juggling and managing incredibly complex social pressures, and I’m constantly awed and humbled by their resilience and their commitment to their dreams! If anyone knows the truly troubling economic, emotional, and psychological consequences of the pandemic, it is our students, without question. However, they refuse to let something as small as a global pandemic get in the way of their goals! They just grind—everyday, all day— and I’m truly overwhelmed by their grit and determination!”
6
Features
Oct. 13, 2021
Surf ’s up: Skyline Alumni catches waves with food industry Robby Bancroft continues to make his mark on Pacifica with enthusiasm By Steven Rissotto Editor-In-Chief
The caller ID on Robby Bancroft’s cell phone blinked ferociously, revealing his father’s urgent request. Without hesitation, Bancroft dropped everything and promptly picked up the call. “I’m doing it, we have to,” his father, Steve, said from the other line. The father-son duo had just finalized plans to open a new restaurant in Pacifica: a cozy breakfast, brunch and lunch spot right on the water in Rockaway Beach. They received help from an angel investor and everything was set according to plan. But this phone call had a different vibe, one that was filled with uncertainty and risk. PG&E had placed a three-day notice on their door and a possible eviction was waiting in the wings. In the ultimate rush, Robby barreled himself in the car and drove down to the restaurant to help open the doors of Pacifica’s newest diner. Seven years later, Breakers Breakfast, Brunch, and Lunch is thriving as the number one ranked restaurant on TripAdvisor and Yelp. The investors are out of the picture and the father-son duo now has full ownership of the joint venture with Robby Bancroft as the mastermind behind getting the word out; promoting the family’s passionate love of food and hospitality the only way he knows how: enthusiastically. “I do more of the backend stuff,” Bancroft said. “I could name like a laundry list of stuff;: communications, marketing, business development, admin and then assisting for my dad if he needs anything done for him so that he can focus on Breakers. I’m more like the man in the chair and he’s like Spider-Man.” After graduating from Terra Nova High School in 2004, Bancroft enrolled in classes at Skyline College, a place he admired because of the intense
Robby Bancroft’s vibrance enhances his restaurant and the surrounding community Courtesy Robby Bancroft
“ ... Steve told his son that customers would come back for good food and bad service, not bad food and bad service” diversity and committed administration. It was at Skyline he first tested out hospitality skills while promoting the school newspaper and participating in several fundraisers around campus. He was relentless, filling people around him with bursts of energy and comfortability. “I feel like (it comes) naturally, or maybe because my dad and my mom were both in business and sales,” Bancroft said. “It was natural to get the word out about stuff, and so now I’m just putting that into practice and it doesn’t come as hard. I don’t have to reach in my bag as deep.” While going through junior college, Bancroft experienced his first taste of the restaurant industry, accepting a job at Chili’s in San Bruno. At the time, the idea of earning a college degree wasn’t a top priority in order to get a job — that generation would soon follow — so in a way, valuable lessons from Chili’s
transformed into an on-the-spot education opportunity. Bancroft looked around the restaurant and saw a crowd that originated from all walks of life. Older people and younger people alike were enjoying the presence of fellow paying customers who loved the food. What’s the point in having a high-profile job when I’m having fun and making money here, he thought to himself. One of the main takeaways from his tenure at Chili’s was an acronym they used while serving their customers: LAST stands for listen, apologize, solve and thank. The more Bancroft involved himself in hospitality and the community, the acronym acted as a key guideline. Steve had once served as the general manager of Stacks in Burlingame, so the idea of being involved with a restaurant wasn’t completely foreign, but there was still much to learn. “I joke around that getting the food out to the table is like the
Breakers Breakfast Brunch and Lunch is open Monday through Sunday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Kassidy Corbin/The Skyline View
easy part,” Robby said. “But it’s the vibe. It’s the welcoming and knowledgeable staff that you put in place. When you’re hosting a party, even at your house, you want to make sure everything’s as perfect as possible. And so food is just an element of that.” When the duo were about to first open their doors, Steve told his son that customers would come back for good food and bad service, not bad food and bad service. “Robby and I are in each other’s heads,” Steve said. “I think he finally just found his niche. He got more confident. He’s in his grove, he loves to market and he loves what the industry is doing. Being that I raised him by myself, it’s a dream come true and hard to put words to.” Co-owner of a breakfast and lunch joint is far from the entire story of Robby Bancroft. He wears multiple hats in Pacifica, almost to the degree that makes residents shake their heads and ask themselves how he could possibly be everywhere at once. He definitely tries to be. For many years, he served as a development coordinator for the Pacifica Resource Center (PRC), a social service agency that focuses on supporting the economic needs of individuals in the community by providing food, housing assistance, coaching, and a plethora of other services. “Robby has a way of making everyone around him excited about even the smallest things,” said Mary Bier, Pacifica city councilmember. “He creates fun and purpose at the same time. Working with Robby has been a learning experience for
me. He has pushed me outside of my comfort zone and helped me to realize that I am able to achieve far more than I realized. He has made me a stronger person.” PRC connected him with numerous members of the community and he’s befriended some of Pacifica’s top faces as a result ––– many of whom he’s featured on his podcast which he records from inside Breakers in a booth. Broadcasting is an up-andcoming venture for the marketing wiz. Bancroft hopes to form his own podcasting network, one that will shed a light on local businesses, generate important conversations, and create a positive and uplifting vibe around his hometown. In September, he was featured on KQED’s “Check, Please! You Gotta Try This,” a show that is themed around food tasting from Bay Area establishments. His appearance blew up his phone. “It’s actually pretty surprising, I knew the show was popular in the Bay Area,” Bancroft said. “But not to the point where my distant aunts, uncles, people actually I went to Skyline with and a few people who I haven’t talked to forever send me messages on Instagram.” Bancroft can be spotted in many locations throughout Pacifica, and it’s not uncommon for someone to hear him before they see him in his usual beanie or backward cap with bleached blonde hair. His visibly colorful personality is amplified by the individuals he surrounds himself with, he says. “He truly cares about the city and he believes in the strength of community,” Bier said reflectively. “He has a way of bringing people in to care about the community, too. Robby understands the struggles of living in the Bay Area as well as the success of starting a business here. His personal experience in life and his compassion for those who need support shows through everything he does.” The 35-year-old is obsessed with helping others and views perfectionism as a non-existent label. Out of all the hats he wears combined with the different people he impacts with his authenticity, Bancroft always finds himself crawling back to his roots. And that’s the locked and strong bond he shares with his father, Steve. “My kids might be running Breakers one day, so I can’t say that opening up a restaurant with my dad wasn’t the thing I was most proud of,” Bancroft said. “This keeps our family whole and this allows us to do the things that we can in the community for anyone that needs it.”
“Robby understands the struggles of living in the Bay Area as well as the success of starting a business here”
7
Features
Oct. 13, 2021
The impact of microgrants on San Bruno’s small businesses Skyline’s Bay Area Entrepreneurship Center funds a microgrant program to alleviate the impact of COVID-19 By Anoush Torounian Features Editor
Small businesses dominate the market in San Mateo County, with 97.4 percent of firms operating with less than 100 employees.
Andrea Sto. Domingo/The Skyline View
Since 1996, Mr. Pickle’s Sandwich Shop has nourished the San Bruno community with fresh ingredients and their signature Boudin bread. But when COVID-19 struck, this staple of the city suffered staggering losses. “[The pandemic] heavily affected us in every aspect, including the catering business. Our daily sales had gone way down … about 60 percent,” said owner Claudia Lopez. [Not only has there been] shortages on the supplies, but everything — the meats, the vegetables — almost doubled or tripled in price. This phenomenon is not unique to Mr. Pickle’s. Hundreds of businesses in the Bay Area have been afflicted by supply shortages, rising costs and an overall loss in net income. According to recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau, small businesses dominate the market in San Mateo County, with 97.4 percent of
firms operating with less than 100 employees. Unfortunately, such businesses have been hit the hardest by COVID-19. “Within three weeks of the business closures in the Bay Area, we were 60 percent down … our numbers dropped dramatically,” said Peter Johnson, the owner of martial arts studio Dojo USA. When you’ve been doing something in person for 27 years, how do you instantly change to 100 percent online?” To address this issue, Skyline’s own Bay Area Entrepreneurship Center (BAEC), with additional support from the San Bruno Community Foundation and the City of San Bruno, issued microgrants to businesses in San Bruno. This initiative is offered as a part of the Small Business Recovery Assistance Program (SBRAP). “First of all, [these businesses] needed a little cash injection. Many businesses were shift-
ing to online, like restaurants that suddenly had to do online ordering, and some of them didn’t have that capability,” said Michael Kane, the acting director of BAEC. “The other thing that we noticed was some of the businesses needed coaching to help them make changes.” Over two consecutive years, the grants have piloted such changes for 47 business owners including Lopez and Johnson. 2020 and 2021 recipients were granted $4,000 to $7,000, respectively. After selection by an independent panel, recipients agreed to attend at least six workshops, a major element of the program. “Some of these workshops include tutorials on creating Canva flyers, [introductions to] different website platforms, how to use Instagram Reels, how to network — all of these basic marketing tools,” said marketing lead Nicole Moreno-Deinzer. “We have guests come on to talk about financial literacy and [ways to apply for] more grants.” These workshops provide recipients the opportunity to change the landscape of their business, as was the case for Monica Suarez, owner of Balance Health Nutrition. “I realized that we didn’t have to wait for things to open up again; I can actually continue to do business via Zoom and offer my services that way,” said Suarez. “Just the other day, I was on the coaching call they provided about social media … They provide a lot of great resources on how to use different types of technology.”
With these tools, she now has the bandwidth to extend her services to a wider net of people across the bay. While implementing these changes presented unique challenges, Johnson’s open-minded approach eased his transition process. “I had to go from being a brick and mortar business to being a click and mortar business,” said Johnson. “Being a business that is all about interpersonal interaction, redefining that over an online platform had its unique challenges … I feel like it’s not the technology that limits us. It’s our psychology. Whether we’re connecting in person or in pixel, connection is connecting.” The result of Johnson’s forward-thinking mindset, which he hopes to extend to his students, is tangible even for casual passer-byers. “[The evolution] of Peter’s business was obvious … Before the pandemic, he had a little whiteboard in the window with inspirational messages. Over time, that changed to ‘here’s my website, here’s my Instagram account.’ You could see that evolution just by walking by the storefront,” Kane said. These improvements have been made possible by the San Bruno Community Foundation, a non-profit funded by the $70 million restitution from the 2010 gas pipeline explosion, $257,000 of which was allocated to the SBRAP.
“At this point, we don’t have plans to continue [the microgrant program], but supporting our small business community, especially as it continues to deal with the economic impact of COVID, is something that we are interested in doing,” said Executive Director of the San Bruno Community Foundation Leslie Hatamiya. We really appreciate the partnership we developed with the BAEC through this program.” The San Bruno Community Foundation and BAEC are not the only entities that have formed a partnership. A distinguishing characteristic of the program is its ability to build connections across the participating businesses. “I’ve noticed that the entrepreneur community is more helpful than competitive. The more I share with other people, the more they show with me as well,” Suarez said. “I’ve really enjoyed growing my business with other entrepreneurs.” This continued growth and service to the community is at the heart of San Bruno’s small businesses and businesses all over the bay. “The main reason we wanted to open a business was the American dream. With COVID, the American Dream has been put on hold, but it can still be done,” said Lopez. There’s a lot of resources, like this grant, that are helping small businesses.”
“I had to go from being a brick and mortar business to being a click and mortar business”
HyFlex Learning: a flexible alternative to traditional education Is HyFlex Learning viable to implement in the district? By Phil Ho
Staff Writer
HyFlex learning—No, these are not yoga classes. HyFlex classes use a hybrid course design that allows students to choose their preferred form of attendance — synchronously or online without physically attending class. This flexibility creates greater options for students who either want person-to-person attention, have circumstances which make being on-campus difficult or would prefer to use a combination of attendance options. Think of it as having the choice to do yoga in your pajamas at home or by joining fellow limber lovers in a mirrored enclosure. Implementing HyFlex courses does take some work. The design of a HyFlex curriculum can be time-consuming and takes some technical know-how. Logistical and computer related issues may arise when delivering classes via an online platform. Teachers have to address both the live classroom and camera locations which can make for discursive, bilateral lectures. Equipment needed to produce HyFlex classes like microphones and video cameras are expensive. When Skyline teachers were asked to give their opinion on HyFlex teaching, they were open to the idea. However, it was apparent to them that a lot of equipment would need to be installed and logistical prob-
lems would need addressing. “The thing we haven’t worked out yet is there’s no way for people who are connecting on Zoom to interact with the people who are physically present on campus,” said Kim Saccio, assistive computer technology specialist for the Educational Access Center (E.A.C.) at Skyline College. Even when impediments like these are worked out, Saccio said that the quality of the education was dependent entirely on the instructor. She thought that the people who were tech savvy would flourish, and those who were not would probably opt not to teach HyFlex courses. Right now, there are not enough classrooms at Skyline College equipped to enable a robust HyFlex learning platform. To this end, Dr. Michael Cross, professor of English and literature for Skyline College, wondered whether HyFlex options could be scaled up for all students if the budget for extremely expensive technology upgrades only covered a handful of classrooms. Cross speculated that if only a dozen HyFlex classes were running at any one time, they would serve only about three percent of the students. “This promises to be a logistical nightmare for administrators, but I don’t think any of these foreseeable difficulties are deal breakers,” Cross said. Tips for conducting a successful
HyFlex class include: Making sure students are engaged in a single-learning community, setting expectations in the syllabus and in class, ensuring that students understand the concept of a blended course, recording sessions for students to review later and using a TA to monitor the online portion of the class. Beyond the matters of classroom implementation, HyFlex classes present some administrative issues. Cross said that having the option to teach in the classroom, online or a mixture of the two was important for faculty and staff, but these options may be harder to negotiate in terms of scheduling and contract. Even with the push to return to in-classroom instruction, HyFlex teaching is not required. Teachers have academic freedom, and the administration cannot force them to work in a HyFlex modality. It simply exists as a viable option for teachers who want to use it, and the administration will support it. Looking to the future, Cross said that he always put students at the center of these conversations about learning options. He believes that it is important to think beyond what currently exists. “The key, I’d argue, is a question of imagination,” said Cross. “Is it possible to imagine a college experience that is less contingent
HyFlex classes can be blended online and in-person
Anoush Torounian/Skyline View
on scheduling and more open to embracing the complex lives of students, faculty and staff?” Saccio, who does a lot of student-teacher support, recognizes that the future of HyFlex teaching will depend on the particular course material and the individual skillsets of the instructors. She has assisted numerous teachers who needed a little help creating successful and dynamic online courses. While HyFlex teaching may be in its infancy, Saccio has taken notice of several Skyline teachers who have taken their own initiative and put their own abilities and ingenuity to work. “I have seen absolutely incredible stuff going on right now,” she said. “There are engineering and auto
shop and cosmetology professors who are essentially doing (HyFlex teaching) themselves. They have figured out a way to have 2 or 3 cameras going on, and they do these incredibly rich online experiences for their students.” HyFlex teaching presents possibilities and flexible options for a learning landscape fraught with uncertainty. There still are numerous equipment and logistic issues that need solving, but instructors who have proficient technical abilities, can use HyFlex classes to their advantage. HyFlex has the potential to revolutionize teaching, but as far as becoming universally implemented in the upcoming semester …like a yoga class, that might be a bit of a stretch.
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Arts and Entertainment
October 13, 2021
Not your average Princess Fairy Tale
SPOILER ALERT AHEAD By Daniela Ossa Lopez
Arts & Entertainment Editor
A little heads up before you read this: there are many spoilers throughout the article. In the new Amazon original movie, the classic tale of Cinderella is reimagined and recreated. The film stars Camila Cabello, Billy Porter and Idina Menzel, and is directed and written by Kay Cannon. This version is a modern movie musical. We know the old tale of how Cinderella was mistreated by her stepmother and her daughers , she was a dreamer, had big hopes and dreams, and was lucky enough to have a fairy Godmother that gave her that little push in life that we all need. However, the ambitions and dreams she has in this modern version are completely different from what we are used to seeing in previous classic tales. This modern Cinderella doesn’t dream of being a wife, marrying Prince charming and “fixing her life”. She is an entrepreneur, creative, crafty, and wants to travel the world to experience “freedom,” not just by leaving her abusive stepmother’s house. Plus, there’s no such a thing as competition between women. There’s no “ugly” stepsister or body shaming, which I found very pleasant and relevant to our current society, which constantly features much dialogue on social media. I also loved how inclusive this film was and the fact that Cinderella wasn’t the traditional concept of “beauty,” using a Latino woman to represent a princess. I admired the way they portraid Camila Cabello for this role without an excess of makeup or changing her hair color and embracing her natural beauty. Cinderella’s queer fairy godmother (Billy Porter) was fabulous and an example of how this film was such a hit with representation, breaking that “mold” of beauty standards and princess fairy tale. However, with all of these
Amazon Studios, “Cinderella” marked Camila Cabello’s first featured film as an actress
great highlights, the movie let me down. I mean, this was such a great narrative: the ideas and the intentions were amazing but they deliver an underwhelming product with great costume design and it’s a shame. To start with, I wasn’t expecting this to be so much of a musical. I felt like I was watching High School Musical and was back to my teenage years all over again. If we are doing a remake, shouldn’t they make it a little bit more realistic? Why do we need them singing every two scenes? In addition, none of the songs were catchy or stood out for me, similar to when I watched Frozen and I couldn’t take “Let It Go” out of my head. They also overdid it with the autotune by trying to pop some classic and familiar music from
great artists like Madonna and Queen. Sadly, I think it played against them. I understand this remake wasn’t made by Disney, but not even the familiar sounds delivered a successful experience for me and that’s the problem. In a way, I had Disney-like expectations. I mentioned that I loved how they picked Camila Cabello for this movie. She is the reason why this movie had great ratings, along with all of the fandom that has been preaching for her on social media. I think that she has a solid image and concept. But as an actress? Well, that’s a different story. When some artists try to explore different artistic ventures, sometimes it shows that they can be great at singing and performing but not at acting. I think that this is the case for Cabello. She
Amazon Studios
is great as a performer, but an inexperienced actress. The story between all the singing was less strong. Even though they had more experienced supporting actors around her to help her shine, she did not deliver. Furthermore, she had zero chemistry with her co-star. I wanted to believe they were “in love” but it was completely plain and dry. I missed that sparkle found in the Princess movies . Amazon delivered a movie with poor song choices that leave an “aftertaste” as if it was put together in seconds. Even though it has great things that work amazing individually, when you put it all together it looks messy and unpaired. We understand this is a modern Cinderella and we love an independent queen, but many things are missing here.
‘Dear Evan Hansen’ an inspirational flick for those struggling with mental health The musical is set to become one of the best films of 2021, and for good reason By Mark Magat Reporter
So back in high school, I didn’t have many close friends. But my best friend, I felt like I could’ve told her anything. We spent so much time together, we would sneak out at night to hang out, get into weird situations, we even shared a birthday. So when she told me about Dear Evan Hansen, I was really interested. Fast forward to a few months ago and seeing a trailer for a movie adaption, I was ecstatic. But does the movie live up to its stage play counterpart? I’d say most the most part yes, but in some other parts even surpasses it. So the movie follows broadways favorite awkward tree nut, Evan Hansen, as he navigates senior year and after a fellow student commits suicide. The trailer spoils a lot so I would try to stay clear of it. And right off the bat, it’s different from the stage production; there are songs cut and things added. I’ll leave it at that, no need to compare. But overall, for what it is, the story really works as a movie while holding the spirit of the show. The acting is really good. Ben Platt comes back to reprise his role as Evan, and the rest of the cast does great. The real standouts were
through the cutting room floor would’ve helped a bit. But I’m a camera nerd so I look for these kinds of things, for most people I think the edits will be fine. I think stories like Dear Evan Hansen are really important, not just for teens or people living with anxiety and depression, but for everyone who feels alone. My friend had a lot of anxiety and depression, but she made me feel like I wasn’t alone through my struggle. And I feel this movie speaks to everyone who’s felt like us, like Evan, or those who lost a loved one, or anyone who just felt alone. If you need a good emotional time and some feel-good moments, I’d Universal Pictures, Ben Platt reprised his role as Evan Hansen in the 2021 film. Universal Pictures highly recommend it. the Murphy’s. The actors playin a very humorous way. And place tell the messages better and ing the Murphy’s had to portray the whole situation this movie speak to a broader audience. The different stages of grief after losing revolves around, when Evan is songs also feed really well into a family member and just through explaining it, the banter between the dialogue; a lot of the singing their body language, you can tell him and another character pokes done by the actors isn’t studio some are dealing with their grief fun at how weird this situation is. quality, pitch-perfect tone. They differently than the others or not But when it does need to get serifeel organic and live like they are even dealing with it at all. ous, it leaves humor out the door. recording the audio while shooting Dear Evan Hansen has always The movie does a really good job the scene, which is seldom done in been a deceptive beast. From separating humor and emotion. the movie industry. both the broadway and movie The music is also done really I do have a small nitpick, the soundtrack, you’d think it’s all well. Of course, they cut songs editing is a little inconsistent. The emotion. But shockingly the story but most of the songs they cut transitions from scene to scene and does lend itself to humor. Some were more for world-building and beat to beat are fine but the editing scenes call out some habits Evans not really for critical information. in some musical numbers was a tad has that are a bit, let’s say lonely, And the songs they put in their bit jarring. I think another round
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Sports
Sports Opinions
October 13, 2021
Warriors look forward to bounce-back campaign
New additions combined with healthy veterans could be a key success for Dub Nation By Arman Archouniani Sports Writer
After a lackluster 2020-2021 season, the Golden State Warriors look ahead to the new season with some ammunition in their bag. Klay Thompson, who tore his achilles in the offseason, is set to make his return in the 2022 season. A shortened season with 72 games, the Warriors had a positive record of 39-33 but lost both play-in games they were involved in. A season that was filled with many ups and downs had some bright spots that the Warriors could lean on. Stephen Curry took the league by storm as he returned to his best. Curry reminded everyone that he is still one of the most lethal players in the league. He won the scoring title averaging 32 points per game accompanied by six assists per game and five rebounds. One of the bright spots in the season was seeing that he is still able to sustain his MVP season-level performances. The emergence of second-year guard Jordan Poole was a very pleasing watch after a rookie year filled with uncertainty. The 22-yearold progressed very well throughout the season and averaged 12 points per game, but more importantly, it was the efficiency that helped gain the trust of head coach, Steve Kerr. Poole shot 10 percent better from the field in his second year and upped his percentage to 43.2 percent. Heading into year three in the NBA, Poole is a good shout for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award. One of the best two-way guards
in the entirety of the NBA, Thompson, is almost here as he is still being eased into the team. A return in early 2022 is the timetable he has been given which is three months after the season starts. Thompson has been an instrumental piece of the Warriors’ success throughout his tenure with the team and his absence has been felt as they have missed the playoffs in the last two seasons that he has been injured. With Thompson being out, the Warriors acquired Andrew Wiggins in February 2020 and sent D’Angelo Russell to the Timberwolves. Wiggins has averaged 19 points, five rebounds, and three assists in his tenure with the Warriors. He has had his best statistical years shooting the ball in his career with the Warriors and was a great addition after Thompson went down. A position that was in deep need because of the lack of depth was fulfilled when the Warriors traded for Wiggins. Wiggins has chosen to take the vaccine which will make him available for all games this season. He was going to miss the 41 home games at the Chase Center due to the rules applied by the San Francisco Department of Public Health. The vaccine is required for all major indoor events. Wiggins will now receive game checks for the games he was presumed to miss before he decided to get vaccinated which accounts for almost 32 million dollars. Bob Myers, general manager of
the Warriors, has done a great job in free agency over the past years and executed a great plan this offseason in the market and through the draft by getting young players
The home of the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco is ready to bring a full arena.
Steven Rissotto/ The Skyline View
through the draft process and veteran leadership in free agency. In the NBA draft, the Warriors selected Jonathan Kuminga with the seventh pick and also Moses Moody with the 14th pick and these were big additions to the squad now knowing about the situation with Wiggins. These are two young prospects that play the wing position very well and are a big bright spot for the future. Andre Iguodala was a massive part of the success the Warriors had through their championship reigns, he has been brought back to the squad after a small tenure
with the Miami Heat. Veterans such as Nemanja Bjelica, Otto Porter Jr., and Avery Bradley were also brought in to fill the roster spots but also set the standards for the younger players on how to go about their business. The “Big Three” including Draymond Green, Thompson, and Curry have been immense once they put on the blue and gold jerseys. They will not be here forever and the Warriors front office knows this. Teams going out and getting their big signings in the off-season has been a real eye-opener for the Warriors. These
next few seasons are very important to these three individuals and will want to contend for a championship with some of the younger talents that are up and coming. The energy has been rejuvenated in the Bay Area with Thompson set to return and this team will be looking forward to another championship with heavy competition in the Western Conference. This will be a big season for the Warriors and they will be fighting for the trophy they have won three times in the last six years with new blood in the team.
49ers surplus of injuries leads to underwhelming start
San Francisco is 2-3 to start the 2021 campaign. By Arman Archouniani Sports Editor
A 49ers season that has high hopes and expectations from everybody in the organization has had some good and bad times as they are 2-3 through the first five games. There is still good hope for a playoff run as there are 12 games left after the bye week but many injuries have cost the 49ers a few losses. Jason Verrett was one of the best cornerbacks in the league last season who received another contract this year after his stellar play. A torn ACL in the season opener against the Detroit Lions cut his season very short and injuries have been the one downside of Verrett’s career. The signing of Josh Norman was well needed for the loss of Verrett. Norman and Emmanuel Moseley have been doing their part in the secondary and playing well against the top opposition. The cornerback partnership needs to stay healthy for the 49ers to have a serious chance to make it into the playoffs in the tough NFC. Through five games the 49ers have been through it all many injuries which is similar to what was going on last season. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was injured last week against the Seahawks with what was diagnosed as a calf injury. George Kittle was put on the Injured Reserve list for three weeks and will hold him out
The 49ers are winless in their two home games and host the Colts on Sunday Night Arman Archouniani/The Skyline View
for one more game since the 49ers go into Week 6 with a bye. The injuries on offense have resulted in lackluster performances the last several weeks which has been a key reason why the 49ers are on a three-game losing streak. Raheem Mostert suffered a knee injury in the season opener and will keep out for the rest of the season. The running attack has not been up to the standard this season so far which has been the identity of the 49ers the past couple of years. The Super Bowl appearance in the 2019-2020 season was mostly due to the running attack and effective play-action game by the offense. So far this season
the offense has yet to come into its element, but there have been some glimpses in second halves of games even on the losing streak. One of the true bright spots in this team has been through the air as Deebo Samuel has really grown into a true number one wide receiver. Samuel is leading the team with 548 receiving yards and four total touchdowns. He has been everything Shanahan has been asking for from a wide receiver and has two games with over 150 receiving yards. Samuel had a tough 2020 season and only played in seven games. In his third season in the league, he is truly maturing and becoming a better player every
week he steps on the field. With two wins against the Lions and Philadelphia Eagles on the road, the 49ers lost by a combined nine points against the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks at home which were both very winnable games. Garoppolo’s injury led to the number three pick, Trey Lance, to lead the way against a red hot Arizona Cardinals squad. In his first career start, Trey Lance threw 15 completions on 29 attempts with 192 yards and one interception. It was not the best of games through the air but Lance showed his ability to use his legs and had 16 carries for 89 yards averaging over 5.6 yards per attempt.
With one week of preparation, it was not a bad performance against a very good defensive line starring Chandler Jones and J.J. Watt. There are many learning curves in your first career start and Lance knows that. An early interception thrown in the game was one of the rookie mistakes and with more experience, he will learn how to put more touch on the ball instead of throwing the ball hard every play. Overall, we saw some good and bad in Lance’s performance but the future is bright as the 49ers look forward. A bye week next week is crucial for the team to get healthy and this will include Garoppolo, who will try his best to be healthy for the next game against the Indianapolis Colts at home on Sunday night in Week 7. The next four games after the bye week are crucial to the 49ers season and it includes the Indianapolis Colts followed by the Chicago Bears and two divisional games with a rematch against the Cardinals and then the Los Angeles Rams. If the 49ers want to be back to where they were a couple of years ago, this four-game stretch is crucial to the identity of this football team and four wins out of those four games would be a massive uplift to the whole franchise. They will need to be resilient on both offense and defense to become a true contender throughout the rest of the season.
October 13, 2021
Sports Features
10
Sports
Former Trojan MVPs reflect on their experience as a Skyline athlete Both alumni are now making differences at the high school level By Armando Reynoso Staff Writer
In the 1990s, Skyline basketball teams were eager to win championships, eventually winning four of them in seven years. One of those years was in 1998, with freshman Anthony Haggins leading the charge and winning the team’s annual MVP award. Growing up, basketball was everything for Haggins' family. “I come from a basketball family,” Haggins said. “My grandfather started an organization years ago in East Palo Alto. He coached basketball, baseball and little football; I also had uncles who are in the high school Hall of Fame for basketball and a couple of them went on to play college basketball. I had a choice but I also didn’t have a choice. I didn’t have to play but why wouldn’t I?” While playing for Skyline, Haggins was a freshman and his brother was a sophomore at Cañada College where he was the basketball team’s starting point guard. At first, college wasn’t in Haggins’ long-term plans and he contemplated not enrolling in favor of becoming an auto mechanic. He later changed his mind and followed suit with his brother to play basketball for the Cañada Colts. “I talked to Michael Garza, who was once coach at Cañada, and he pretty much told me all the players who were returning to play,” Haggins recalls. “And he pretty much told me that I was a scrub and I said ‘heck nah.’ In frustration, Haggins asked Garza who the rival school was for the Colts. After hearing Garza’s answer, Haggins took his talents north to become a Skyline Trojan.
Both alumni are now making differences at the high school level
The team had a strong bond and winning a championship motivated him and his teammates to go and win another one. There were arguments along the way but they still worked together when it was game time. “We had problems but it was more like we were competitive and some matches we had near fights, and arguments but that brought us some much closer,” Haggins said. After Skyline, Haggins continued to play basketball. He received a Division I scholarship to play with his brother at Western Illinois University, but he stayed just one semester. The following semester, he played at Azusa Pacific University in Southern California. To this day, Haggins still keeps in contact with his former teammates and coaches, some even as frequent as three times a week. “Even till this day I still check in with Coach (Pete) Pontacq,” Haggins said. “He is always trying to hustle me on the golf course.” If Skyline was a four-year university, Haggins says he probably would have stayed for all four seasons because he had the best time of his life playing for the Trojans, especially with all the memories
that have stuck with him since the championship-winning season in 1998. “Playing at (San Francisco) City College, the whole city was there at the gym,” Haggins said. “The playing conditions were tough and it had a hostile environment, but also shutting the crowds up was the best part.” At the moment Haggins is a high school counselor at Corona High School in Corona, California. Baseball is not just a sport, it’s a sport that can help you bond with people. In 2004, Skyline’s baseball team won its first championship in over 20 years. This couldn’t have been done without the leadership of head coach Dino Nomicos and his club, including right fielder Brandon Ramsey. “It was great,” Ramsey said. “We had a really good group of guys. Everybody worked hard. Everyone cared about each other. We also went out to eat with each other, going out to parties with each other.” That bond that everyone had continued throughout the championship game against College of San Mateo on May 6, 2004. The
Armando Reynoso/The Skyline View
Trojans defeated the Bulldogs 1011 to improve to a 28-6 overall record, clinching a Coast Conference North Division title. The win was significant, as CSM entered into the season as two-time defending champions. Freshman Steve Dorst recorded two homers, including a grand slam. He finished the day with six runs driven in. Ramsey chipped in with a two-run double in the fourth. Starter Alvaro Orozco went 6 ⅔ innings and allowed just four hits and two earned runs. Up a run in the ninth, Dan Rosaia represented the last hope for the Bulldogs. “Rosaia was up to bat, a big lefty and they had to cut down a few runs,” Ramsey remembered. “I played with him (Rosaia) at Serra and he ended up hitting a fly ball to me and I just remember catching the ball. Then hands went up, everyone ran to center field. That was a pretty special memory.” Many players had a few leaders that helped guide them through the season and for Ramsey that was assistant coach John Quintell, a former New York Yankees minor leaguer. “He really took me in (during) a
time of my life that needed a good role model and he really helped me,” Ramsey said. “He was super motivating and taught us so much, and he was a good person. He was really impactful in my life and he still has that impact on me until this day.” Ramsey started playing baseball at a young age in South San Francisco and his dad helped coach his youth teams. “I also had a lot of friends also playing so it was a good time being out there with everybody,” Ramsey said. “South City is a great city to start playing baseball because there are many teams that you can join at a young age and the coaches there will help you develop to the potential you wanna be at.” After leaving Skyline, Ramsey went on to play for Lewis-Clark State in Idaho and then transferred the following year to Lee University in Tennessee. Baseball remains with Ramsey to this day, as he’s currently in his eighth year as the head coach at Archbishop Riordan High School in San Francisco. He also teaches an auto shop class and serves as the director of facilities. Advice for freshmen looking to start playing baseball at Skyline? Ramsey hopes for the next wave to win another championship. “It’s been a long history of a lot of hardworking taught kids that really came together to try and accomplish something special, which was to win a championship,” Ramsey said. “Dino Nomicos is still there and he is a good man and cares about the kids. Go out there and win another one for him. You can do it if you guys buy-in and give it everything you got, and just put your focus into that one goal.”
Skyline womens’ basketball is hungry for another strong season The long wait is finally over as they hit the court on October 15th
By Derian Lopez Staff Writer
Skyline College women’s basketball team is set to return to the court for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the season last year. Their first game back is a 5 p.m. game against Santa Rosa on Oct. 15. Christopher Watters, head coach of the women’s basketball team, is set to enter his 8th season. Before that, Watters was the assistant head coach of Skyline for five years. Since being a head coach, he has taken the team to four out of five California State playoff appearances in the last five seasons. After seeing many players transfer to four-year universities to continue their careers, Watters is excited to help the program academically and athletically as his club kicks off the new season. He’s also looking forward to seeing the sophomores act in leadership roles by teaching the freshman players. “Our sophomores, Nicole Brunicardi and Jalene Parangan have been great so far,” Watters said. “They have a good understanding of the game and they're doing their best to help the freshmen understand concepts.” In terms of which game to mark on the calendar this season, Sky-
line College has always anticipated the matchup against their district rivals, College of San Mateo. As they embark on a season that lasts about 30 games, the contests against CSM Bulldogs are set toward the end of the season on Jan. 26 and Feb. 18. The Trojans tend to view those games as fun and intense, Watters says. In addition, Watters is hoping to keep on moving forward to create more opportunities for each one of his players throughout the campaign. “As a coach, I always want the players to achieve their individual goals,” Watters said. “I feel that we have done that consistently over the last seven or eight seasons. I want us to be able to repeat that every year.” Watters is always pumped up at the end of the two years because it shows how much work he has put into the season for the women. At the community college level, the coaching staff is always putting a focus on advancing student-athletes to four-year colleges and universities to help them continue their playing careers. My two proudest moments of every season are sophomore night to celebrate the students
Skyline Basketball preparing for a successful season
completing two seasons with us and signing day to celebrate the student-athletes signing their scholarships to move on as a student-athlete,” Watters said. Yazmeen Goo, a former UAA player that won the Bill McKay Athlete of the Year award in 2020, is going to be the assistant head coach this season. She has been impressed with the players wanting to get back on the court and grind out their dedication as they look forward to game days. The team has been anxious to finally play their first couple of games this season ever since the
Arman Archouniani/The Skyline View
pandemic started last spring. “I will say, the girls are that much more excited to finally get back on the court again,” Goo said. “Our ladies are counting down the days till they get to play against another team instead of each other every day.” Goo is going to take in Coach Watters’ patience and dedication to the heart so she can learn the ropes of becoming an assistant coach. Since she is a former player that makes it helpful because it allows her to figure out what challenges can be expected of the team. “We are a young team, so I
believe one challenge we may face is getting used to the speed of the game,” Goo said. “There is a difference in pace and tempo between high school and college basketball so our players who have not played in a college game before are going to have to adjust. This is a challenge that many players will face so I believe our players will be just fine.” The Trojans girl’s basketball team will play two scrimmages on the road in Santa Rosa and San Joaquin on Oct. 15 and Oct. 28 before they begin the regular season on Nov. 5.