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Chabot College TRUTH, LIBERTY & INTEGRITY
April is National Poetry Month
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Hayward, California
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Thursday, April 10, 2014
Kemba Smith, True Survivor By Arianne Arciaga
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aarciaga@thechabotspectator.com
n Thursday, March 27, 2014, motivational speaker, Kemba Smith, graced the Chabot College community with her presence to share the troubles she had been
through during her past life. Smith discussed her experiences in an abusive relationship with a drug dealer, which caused her to spend about six years in jail where she gave birth to her son. According to Smith, she discusses her past life to show adults and teens
the consequences of peer pressure and getting into drugs, which can have a grave, negative impact on their lives. She comes out to inspire others and shares her SOFIA SCHMAGOLD/CONTRIBUTOR story to different schools across the U.S. Kemba Smith arrived at Chabot College’s Event Center to meet with Smith, page 2
loving fans after her lecture on overcoming her tragic past life in order to attain a new, successful life, on March 27, 2014.
Enrollment Priorities Take Effect Soon By Chris Booker
cbooker@thechabotspectator.com
A
DAVIS DICHOSO/STAFF PHOTO
Dr. Stacy Thompson, vice president of Academic Services, sits at her desk in Room 210, Building 200, while discussing her future plans for Chabot on April 9, 2014.
Introducing Dr. Stacy Thompson By Karissa Lactawen
klactawen@thechabotspectator.com
O
n April 9, 2014, Dr. Stacy Thompson, Chabot College’s new vice president of Academic Services, sat with The Chabot Spectator to fill us in on her plans for our school’s future. Only a full week has passed since Dr. Thompson’s first day on the job, but in this short period of time, she is already making waves with her presence on campus. Dr. Thompson began her career as the proprietor of a childcare center and was inspired to attend graduate school in order to open a larger business. While she didn’t start off wanting to be an educator, she quickly learned the importance of education and says,
Eventually, she landed a position “Once you get more education, your possibilities and opportunities open there as dean of Academic Pathways and Social Success and spearheaded up.” This proved true for Dr. Thompson 18 different programs including who, after realizing she was an those involved with the Learning excellent teacher, applied to several Center, Fitness Center, Library, and the Fruitvale different faculty C e n t e r p o s i t i o n s “Once you get more education, i n c l u d i n g your possibilities and Satellite a teaching program for opportunities open up.” adults. position here at Chabot During - Dr. Stacy Thompson her time as College. After completing her dean, Dr. doctorate degree, she pursued work Thompson has made a real impact in the administrative departments of on students through enrichment and several schools and served as the chair bridge programs such as MathJams, and the Maximum of Human Development at Merritt Adelante, College. Thompson, page 4
regulation called “Item 4.3” passed way back on September 10 to 11, 2012, by the California Community Colleges Board of Governors. The passed item updated the systemlevel enrollment priorities that will take place at the beginning of the summer 2014 semester, and it will affect all California community college students. “This new regulation will help students get guidance and the support they need to complete their goal, certificate, a degree, or transfer in a timely and acquirable fashion,” says Chabot College’s Interim Vice President of Student Services Matthew Kritcher. According to the new regulation, “…new students who have completed college assessment, orientation, and developed education plans, as well as continuing students in good academic standing who have not exceeded 100 units (not including units in basic English, math, or English as a Second Language), will now have enrollment priority over students who do not meet these criteria.” The chart on this page perfectly illustrates how far the priority number of students who either didn’t Priority, page 4
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Hayward, California
Aqua Aerobics Can Benefit You By Leah Daoud
ldaoud@thechabotspectator.com
O
n every Tuesday and Thursday from 12 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. at the Chabot pool, Nancy Hawtrey teaches aqua aerobics to a group of dedicated seasoned students. While open to students of all ages, the class is designed specifically to help those who are above
50 years old. “My goal here is to keep them moving physically. Beyond this, this class is also social. These folks have a group of friends they’ve known forever, and the class gives them a reason to get out of the house,” said Hawtrey. The class, which costs $50 per month, is an excellent idea for those who are looking for a new way to
knees,” said Ann. “My goal is to swim 36 laps every time,” added spice up the weekly routine. Tom. Although all who have Those who are interested can sign up through taken Hawtrey’s class are community education or at visibly aware of the benefits it has procured, the class the pool deck. Aqua aerobics has such a great impact for students’ health needs. Ann and Tom Goodwin have been doing aqua aerobics for the last 25 years. “We do fitness and exercise in deep water, and it does wonders for our
Thursday, April 10, 2014 class through community education because she is so convicted of its necessity. “I am hoping that they’ll reinstate the class. We have such a lovely pool here, and it’s sad to see it go to waste. I want more people
Where fast-tracking career goals meets
“I want to get started right away.”
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Chabot College’s aqua aerobics instructor, Nancy Hawtrey, stands on the pool deck and gives instructions to her students amidst the pouring rain on April 3, 2014, at the Chabot swimming pool.
to be able to sign up,” said Hawtrey. For too long, the seasoned folks in our community have been overlooked. By increasing support for this class, community members are
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has, unfortunately, fallen on hard times. Due to severe cuts, the class lost its official funding and had to be dropped from Chabot’s official register of classes. Nevertheless, Hawtrey continues to offer the
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KEMBA SMITH
from page 1
Smith talked about being a rebellious teenager with low self-esteem and hanging out with the wrong crowd when she studied at Hampton University. She then transitioned to sharing her story about meeting her abusive boyfriend. Smith described their four-year relationship as risky while having no freedom. To her, it was scary and hard trying to get out of that relationship. “I stayed because I wanted to change him,” Smith said. After four years of dealing with drugs, Smith finally decided to come clean about what has been going on in her relationship. After confessing to the crime, she was sentenced to 24 years in prison but was released in 2000 by President Bill Clinton through clemency. Having been married since 2009, Smith is now satisfied with her life and continues to share
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the lessons she learned from that ordeal. “Kemba Smith truly inspires people today, and tells people that life will give you more than one chance,” said liberal arts major, Raegeena Termeteet. Smith is grateful to be able to inspire teens and adults with her back story, which is relevant to today’s society. She continues to tell people to “love yourself” before putting themselves in a bad situation with a significant other. The audience was moved by her story and applauded her for her bravery and inspiring life. Chabot student, Giovanni Ranada, shared, “She is a strong woman, and I’m glad I was able to hear her tragic story turn into something amazing.” Her autobiography, “Poster Child: The Kemba Smith Story,” gives more background information on the struggles she went through during her past life. For more information about Smith, go to www.kembasmith.com.
SOFIA SCHMAGOLD/CONTRIBUTOR
Kemba Smith spoke about her struggles through life as a victim of drugs in Building 700 at Chabot College on March 27, 2014.
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Hayward, California
Thursday, April 10, 2014
15th Annual International Night By Maria Paola Bautista
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Contributor
n Thursday, April 3, 2014, the international students of Chabot College celebrated their 15th annual “International Night” event sponsored by the Student Senate of Chabot College (SSCC) as well as the International Club. “International Night” is an annual event of the club that showcases different c u l t u r a l traditions in the form of ethnic performances and popular dishes. The event started with multiethnic fresh dinner such as Japanese sushi, Swedish meatballs, Chinese vegetarian dishes, Filipino pancit, Indian curry chicken and many more. “I loved the Indian chicken curry and Filipino pancit. I left satisfied with some extra pound,” said Ricardo Pinto Filho, SSCC student trustee and also a former vice president of the club. The event continued with performances from different cultures such as Japan, Mexico, Philippines, South Korea and Vietnam among others. The performers included current members of the club as well as
professional dance groups from the community. The two-hour show performance started off with Heiwa Taiko Drummers and Shakuhachi Flutist a n d ended with a
2014
that was satisfied about the event – even the current members of the club were elated. The current president of the International Club, Jolie Luu said, “It was successful. More students from the club participated, and it was well organized.” Luu, who also performed that night, also added that the event this year is more than what she expected.
than last year.” “It was interesting with a lot of music and
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Hayward, California DR. STACY THOMPSON
Achievement program. She was also a major team player in bringing Asian-American studies back to Merritt College after a period of its absence in the curriculum. After years of academic achievement at other community colleges, Dr. Thompson is finally returning to her roots at Chabot. She says of the position, “This is exactly the position I wanted, and this is the place I most wanted to be. Chabot has a wonderful reputation in the community college system and I started here. I am familiar with some of the amazing accelerated learning programs that started here too, like Dejara, so I am very excited.” Dr. Thompson’s appointment into position couldn’t have come at a better time. She states, “What’s got my gears going is that there are so many opportunities here at Chabot College right now. There so many exciting and new things going on. This is the perfect time to be really involved with the school.” In fact, Chabot has just received a $300,000 grant to fund an adult education program. An initiative for high school students interested in using community college as a stepping stone for law school is also in the works. Despite there being so much going on around campus, Dr. Thompson remains unfazed by it all and is taking it one step at a time. She says, “It is important to meet with different folks in
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dance. It was overall worth it,” Filho adds. It wasn’t only the audience
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priority registration over. There were mixed reactions overall from Chabot students who were well informed about the new regulation. “It’s an unfair thing,” said junior Auburn Jordan, “but it is in their best interest to push people who are about to graduate out so the new people can come in, and the school can get money from them.” “It’s a good thing,” said sophomore music major
Ulises Lopez. “As long as you have your stuff down, you know that you’re on top of your stuff, and you’re very responsible, this will be a very good thing.” Students who haven’t completed the three core services should do it ASAP because the longer they wait, the later the student’s registration date will be. It is also to keep in mind that if the students completes the components today, it will still take a week for it to take effect.
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complete the three core services or have exceeded over 100 units will drop. For example, the “second” priority group level contains students who are from college priority groups such as athletes, Trio, and Aspire students. If a student from that group fails to complete either the assessment, orientation, or student education plan then their priority number will drop below students who they would normally have
with communities of color and I am proud of helping those communities to be successful. My big day is always graduation day…It is so exciting to see how many students have gone through so much to finally have their moment. It is an ongoing mission and is difficult with limited resources but this is what I am here for. It has been very rewarding.”
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different areas of the campus and really listen to their vision. I ask them how I can support them and what I can do for them. I feel that I’ve been really well received here.” While there is a great deal of work to be done to build a better future for Chabot, Dr. Thompson views her position as vice president of Academic Services as a means to give back to the community. She says, “I like being involved. I love working
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Dr. Stacy Thompson talks about enrichment at the Chabot College community on April 9, 2014, in Room 210, Building 200.
PRIORITY NUMBERS
SAME USF, performance of a Filipino traditional dance called
Thursday, April 10, 2014
from page 1
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“Pandanggo sa Ilaw (Light Dance)” by the current members of the club. One of the audience members, Cheryl Berganos, who is a current student of Cal State East Bay said, “The event this year is really successful, and I like it better
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1. Go to chabotcollege.edu 2. In the upper right hand corner of the home page, click on “Search/ Register for Classes (Class-Web)” 3. Next sign into Class Web. 4. After signing in, click on “Check Your Priority Registration Status.” 5. Select the correct school and term that you are currently in and click the “submit” button. 6. On the next page under the tab that says “Student Success Services Status,” you will see if you have completed your orientation, assessment, or student education plan. You will see if it has not been completed if there is a yield symbol right next to the word.
How to complete each core service
Orientation- The online orientation is available to all students 24/7, and can be taken at “chabotcollege.edu/counseling/orientation.” Assessment- Room 714A is the Assessment Center in Building 700 and it’s open every day with testing from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Student Education Plan- Individual appointments are available in Building 700 for Student Education Plans, but they do schedule a few weeks out. There are new SEP group workshops that are available to seven to 10 students at a time in the Career and Transfer Center in Room 716 in Building 700.
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Hayward, California
Festival Review
Thursday, April 10, 2014
By Arianne Arciaga
aarciaga@thechabotspectator.com
The 20th annual Ukulele Festival was held on April 6, 2014, at the grounds of Chabot College, wherein various ukulele players and vendors of different items came to celebrate the culture of Hawaii with food, dancing and a musical concert. The Ukulele Festival of Northern California was held to give local people around the Bay Area a taste of Hawaii with its unique music style, delicious
ARIANNE ARCIAGA/STAFF PHOTO
A pair of hula dancers from the “Kaleponi Strings With Halau Hula O Pu’uwai” danced in front of the Chabot College stage as the backup singers sang various Hawaiian songs during the Ukulele Festival held on April 6, 2014.
Hawaiian barbeques and cool shaved ice. Everyone was having a great time, coming together and celebrating a unique instrument such as the ukulele, as they celebrated Hawaiian customs. In the Chabot College Theater, various ukulele artists and groups came out to perform different songs to the audience. Hosts Ronnie Kaho’ali’i and Derrick DeMotta gave the audience great laughs. They had corny jokes to tell and
witty sarcasm shared with the audience. They also gave additional background information about the different performers who came up on stage. There were different groups, clubs and solo artist
Movie Review
By Suliman Babakarkhail sbabakarkhail@thechabotspectator.com
The rising trend in bigbudget superhero films has raised the bar for future movies. This movie succeeds in delivering all that you would expect. The story picks up after the events of the Avengers. Captain America (Chris Evans) runs around working for S.H.E.I.L.D., busting heads and taking names. The spectacular cast executes their parts perfectly and keeps it true to their character’s respective backgrounds. The action sequences were engaging and choreographed well. The story progressed at a great pace and kept the audience guessing what was going to happen next. Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) keeps the movie leveled as he doles out snappy comebacks and witty remarks. The banter between Captain America and Nick Fury is perfectly timed while it alludes to current events. Now for the action! It was amazing. The visual effects seemed almost overwhelming.
that came out to entertain the Chabot audience. Schools such as Alvarado Middle School, Arroyo High Amele (AHAmele), and Faith Ringgold School of Arts and Science Alula, came out to represent their school and community. There were also amazing solo performances by James Murray, who gave different renditions to “What A Wonderful World” and “Somewhere over the Rainbow,” and Amy Wigton, who sang a Hawaiian local song. All performers sang at least two songs, and these songs included the word “ukulele” in it. Overall the performances were absolutely amazing, which really gave that Hawaiian feel to it. The Ukulele Festival
w a s fun and enjoyable for all ages. If you want to join the Hawaiian fun, grab floral shirts, flowers and pineapples because on May 10 and 11, the 30th annual May Day Festival will be held. Don’t put your floral shirts and pineapples away yet, because on Aug. 2 and 3, San Mateo will be hosting the 19th annual “Aloha Festival.” I highly recommend these events. The 21st annual Ukulele Festival will be coming back in April of 2015.
Food Review
Sensory overload can only be used to describe the spectacular scenes depicting people getting smacked and mashed up. This is a violent movie. Every few minutes someone gets riddled by bullets or punched in the face with super strength. Random henchmen and people are flung left and right as the movie gets more and more intense. The action culminates in an epic final battle as Captain America takes on S.H.E.I.L.D. and everyone involved in a nefarious plot against the world. The set and costumes were very sleek and well-designed. Captain America’s uniform gets a redesign based on a newer version of the character from the source material. Nick Fury, whose character was remodeled for Jackson, looks badass as always. The Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) reprises her leather/latex bodysuit. Go watch this movie. If you follow the Marvel cinematic universe, you will be surprised in the changes it makes.
By Amyra Soriano Contributor
Tired of the same ol’ food? Want to give your taste buds brand-spankin’ new salivary arousal? Take a trip to downtown Berkeley and try Pedro’s Brazil Cafe!
including savory marinated meats. To the naive mouth, Brazilian food tastes a tad like a hybrid of Mexican and Greek food. Those wanting to stay on the safe side should order Pedro’s Famous Tri-tip,
Captain America: Winter Soldier
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Rating: Rated PG-13 Cast: Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Anthony Mackie Running time:1hr 36mins Directors: Anthony Russo and Joe Russo
The post credit scene drops a huge bomb, which we will definitely see reverberate throughout the next generation of movies. Disney’s acquisition of Marvel characters, “The Avengers,” is proven to be a very profitable purchase with this movie. Just don’t pay full price for a seat because you will only need the edge!
PHOTO COURTESY OF AMYRA SORIANO
The famous Moreno Tri-tip platter dressed with sizzling grilled onions, fresh pico de gallo and guacamole is served at Pedro’s Brazil Cafe located at 1960 University Ave., Berkeley, Calif., on April 1, 2014.
Pedro’s menu selection ranges from taste budtinglin’ sandwiches to fulfilling rice platters, all
whereas those much bolder and adventurous should try Feijoada, a traditional black bean stew only available on
ONLINE EXTRAS >> EXPANDED FEATURES ON THE WEB Pedros Brazil Cafe
Scan the QR code to read the rest of the article. www.thechabotspectator.com/amyrasfoodfilez-pedros-brazil-cafe/
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Hayward, California
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Drink Local, Drink Drake’s By Tammy Lee & Maria Maniego
tlee@thechabotspectator.com mmaniego@thechabotspectator.com
Among the industrial wilds of San Leandro and tucked behind a Wal-Mart lies a spot hidden from view as you drive along a busy Davis Street intersection. In the back corner of the lot is Drake’s Barrel House. Drake’s Barrel House sits beside Drake’s Brewery, which also conducts tours for its fans to have a behind-the-scenes look at the place. Once a barreling house, which has been converted to a brewery serving up craft beer and barrel-aged beer, is situated in an open warehouse space with an outdoor patio. The Barrel House has wooden tables and chairs of different shapes and sizes, an added cozy feel to the space.
TAMMY LEE/STAFF PHOTO
The Mind Trick, a sour Belgian amber ale, is one of Drake’s barrel-aged beers that is served in a non-traditional way at Drake’s Barrel House on April 2, 2014. For the non-beer drinkers,what sets this beer apart is that it doesn’t have the hoppy aftertaste as one expects in a beer. Instead, it has a sour aftertaste due to the aging process.
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Save Our Water Scan the QR code for more information about the campaign. http://www.saveourh2o.org.
TAMMY LEE/STAFF PHOTO
Beer enthusiasts enjoy the variety of beers that Drake’s Barrel House offers as they mingle about the openness of the warehouse on April 2, 2014, in San Leandro, Calif. Ninety percent of the barrels that line the walls contain barrel-aged beers that become smoother as it ages.
For a first-timer, walking into a place as such might take a lot of getting used to and depending on the time you show up - either late afternoon, or early evening to late evening - the clientele also changes but the ambiance and the friendly staff remain constant. Regular customers seem to know their whereabouts to this place. Once the initial shock has subdued, newbies will be welcomed with pleasantries by the accommodating staff of Drake’s Barrel House. The bartenders are beer experts, happily answering any and all beer questions. Antonio Sarinana, assistant manager and beer aficionado, provided us with adequate knowledge about the many offerings of Drake’s. For starters, he offered a unique taste in Mind Trick, a sour, Belgian
amber ale that surely leaves a tangy aftertaste. What contributes to the sour taste is a yeast strain called Brettanomyces. He then enticed us with a sample of Drake’s Hefeweizen that is on the smoother side. For those looking for stronger beer, the Black Robusto Porter is no easy feat. As a testament to his beer knowledge, Sarinana shared, “One of the great things about Drake’s is that, in our year-round lineup, we cover our bases with every kind of typical, American style [beer]. We have the red, an amber, a porter, hefeweizen, a pale ale, an IPA, a stout [and] a blonde ale.” Aside from their barrelaged beers such as the Mind Trick, Drake’s also offers experimental, seasonal IPAs and imperial beers.
Sarinana’s personal favorite is the 1500 Pale Ale. He also shared his fondness of barrel-aged beers. According to Sarinana, the beer becomes smoother as it ages. “For instance, I like bourbon barrel-aged beers because...it gives you a little caramel, vanilla flavor - something you’re not really expecting in a beer,” he said. “That’s one of the draws of finding the place...trying these barrel-aged beers that you’re not going to be able to try anywhere else,” he adds. Customer Brendan Gresley recently conducted a sociology research on Triple Rock, a Berkeley brewery that bought Drake’s Brewery a few years ago. Thus, it was inevitable that he paid the Barrel House a visit.
“I really like the fact that they’re experimental, and they’re using a lot of standard, American craft focus. They use experimental hops, which is a new thing. They have barrel-aged [beers], which is also a new thing, but it’s still very American-made,” Gresley shared, whose favorite is the Imperial IPA Denogginizer. Be warned, though, that they do not sell food at the bar except for a few snack items that range from goldfish crackers to nuts and for the most part, you have to rely on the presence of food trucks which are generally there on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The upside is that customers may also bring their own food and just hang out, eat, drink beer and enjoy the ambiance that Drake’s offers. “I really like the ambiance. I wish they had more snacks, though,” said Sherry Wilcove, who, along with her husband, Scott, frequents the place. The couple’s favorite is the Blonde Ale. The trick to finding your go-to beer is to “vocalize” what flavor you’re trying to look for. If you have a beerhater friend that you would like to convert, Drake’s is the place to go.
Drake’s Barrel House 1933 Davis St., San Leandro, Calif. http://drinkdrakes.com
2014 Cherry Blossom Event Preview By Tammy Lee
tlee@thechabotspectator.com
On the weekends of April 12 to 13 and April 19 to 20, the 47th annual Cherry Blossom Festival will be held in San Francisco’s Japantown. The Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival is one of California’s most prominent celebrations showcasing the diversity of the Japanese community in the Bay Area, the grace of Japanese culture as well as Japanese heritage and its traditions. The festival, which celebrates the blooming of cherry blossoms, takes place in one of the three remaining Japantowns in the U.S. It is the second largest festival held outside of Washington, D.C. The 2014 Queen’s Court, which will be selected on Saturday, April 12, 2014, during the Queen’s program, will take on the role of cultural ambassadors representing the Northern California
Japanese community. The Queen’s Court will volunteer at various local community events and will conduct goodwill tours in Japan and in places across the U.S. such as Los Angeles, Washington and Hawaii. As she reflects back on her reign as the 2013 Northern California Cherry Blossom Queen, Kelly Yuka Walton explains, “This year has been an incredible time of personal and professional growth for me. I definitely improved my public speaking skills, my interviewing skills and my overall leadership skills. So I can’t wait to take those skills and apply them to further work in the community.” The 2014 Cherry Blossom Queen Program Coronation Night will be held on April 12, 2014, at the Sundance Kabuki Cinema in San Francisco, Calif. Doors open at 5 p.m., and the program will start at 6 p.m. Tickets cost $25.
TAMMY LEE/STAFF PHOTO
The candidates for the 2014 Cherry Blossom Queen’s Court, who posed with the 2013 Cherry Blossom Queen’s Court, was introduced to the press at the Cherry Blossom Festival Preview Day at San Francisco’s Japantown on Saturday, March 15, 2014. TAMMY LEE/STAFF PHOTO
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Opinion Hayward, California
Thursday, April 10, 2014
www.thechabotspectator.com
thechabotspectator The Female P.O.V By Karissa Lactawen
klactawen@thechabotspectator.com
Anyone who owns a smartphone, tablet, or device with an installed camera is guilty of taking, editing, and posting a “selfie” onto Instagram or Facebook. But is the selfie a sign of a declining and narcissistic Western society? Many selfie critics would say “yes,” but I believe that they are wrong. The selfie is actually an incredibly powerful marketing tool, and anyone who hasn’t realized this yet is missing out. Selfies are an innovative medium for personal or commercial branding. It is a simple and inexpensive way to reach and connect with billions of users all over the world. The ease of posting and sharing selfies makes it a consistent trend on the Internet, so it is something that everyone is interested in and can therefore relate to. The success of Ellen DeGeneres’ famous Oscar selfie, which generated over 37 million tweets, 43
#SELFIE
KARISSA LACTAWEN/STAFF PHOTO
The Spectator staff takes a group selfie at the JACC in Burbank, Calif., on Saturday, April 5, 2014.
The Male P.O.V
million views, and is worth between $800 million and $1 billion, is a landmark of just how important the selfie can be in marketing (Hollywood Reporter). The selfie is also a form of self-expression that leaves the doors open for just about anything. Make up artists all over Instagram post selfies of their work in hopes of inspiring other artists to recreate themselves. The selfie has established itself as a part of popular culture and is here to stay.
By Nick Thompson
nthompson@thechabotspectator.com
Other than a great song by The Chainsmokers and a few iconic selfies like Ellen DeGeneres’ Oscar selfie, selfies and their popularity have went past just being a silly trend to being completely obnoxious. Selfies started out as innocent fun on Instagram. Taking pictures of yourself and posting them for everyone to see seemed fun
1d and it gave people a way to express themselves. However, now it seems to be taking a much darker turn in which people are consumed by what others think of their selfies and reports of people attempting suicide because they “couldn’t take a good selfie” are starting to pop up. Selfie culture went from a fad to playing a serious part in some people’s self confidence. Not getting enough likes on a selfie can actually ruin some people’s day and that is incredibly depressing from an outside point of view. Selfies have made people more concerned about what others think than ever before and it is at the point of ridiculousness. So much effort is put into getting people to like a picture you took of yourself on a poor quality camera but at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what they think. People need to get back into the idea of being happy with yourself and not being absorbed in what others think. I will be happy when the selfie fad dies out.
420 likes thechabotspectator #selfie #staffphoto #JACC #davisaurus #TheSpectator The Working Student: A Balancing Act Forced Upon Us By Karissa Lactawen
klactawen@thechabotspectator.com
It is the catch 22 of the middle class: hiring managers require a degree for employment but schools charge tuition rates of Jurassic proportions that students need to pay so that they can graduate with said degree. Students are forced to balance attending school and going to work, but the responsibility of having to do both takes away from most student’s ability to focus on their studies. Many students take on the
necessary part-time or fulltime jobs not only to pay their never ending piles of personal bills, but also to fund the cost of tuition, textbooks, room and board, and meals. The work-study lifestyle is time consuming and leaves students feeling so drained at the end of the day that it is difficult to gather enough energy to do anything – let alone read over a homework assignment. After a long day spent working on my feet at a cash register or at a desk
receiving incoming phone calls from difficult clients, the exhaustion is sometimes so overwhelming that it is almost impossible to absorb or memorize information. While I certainly want to be able to dedicate myself completely to my studies, sometimes, I am just not able to because I have a work deadline to meet or am knocked out cold in bed trying to recover from the day. When I can sit down to do schoolwork, I am not focused and it is a challenge to get on track after having
to deal with everything else. Also, it is difficult to even meet up for school projects and study groups when other students have varying work schedules. As a result, academic performance becomes mediocre instead of excellent. Surely, this goes for many other working students out there. At the same time, working students don’t have the option of quitting their jobs for the purpose of focusing in school and doing better. Without these jobs, there would be no way to cover
the costs of living on top of paying off school fees. Yes, there are many government funded programs to help students pay their way through school but sometimes even this is not enough. So, why does society pressure us into killing ourselves in the present to benefit a future that is not guaranteed? It is unfair for employers to ask so much of potential employees without realizing what student workers have to put themselves through.
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Sports www.thechabotspectator.com
Hayward, California
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Chabot Women’s Tennis Don’t Give A Dam; Beats Beavers to Advance to Next Round
DAVID SORIANO/STAFF PHOTOS
The Next Round. The Chabot women’s tennis team had strong performances in the singles matches with wins by Elaine Son (left), Liz Galli (middle), and Julia Golub (right) on Tuesday, April 8, 2014, at the Chabot tennis court in Hayward, Calif. The Gladiators beat American River College 5-4 and will advance to the next round of the playoffs where they will face the undefeated Sierra College Wolverines. By Chris Booker
cbooker@thechabotspectator.com
On a very warm afternoon on Tuesday, April 8, 2014, the Chabot Gladiators’ women’s tennis team defeated the American River College Beavers 5-4. The victory helped the Gladiators advance to the next round of the 2014 CCCAA Dual Team Tennis Regional Championship Tournament. The unusually warm April weather played a huge factor in this tournament matchup. It was 80 degrees, and it definitely affected the player’s performances, but not to a point where it would stop Chabot’s drive
to win. “Stay in shade, lots of water, and probably a bag of ice on the court to cool off in between games,” said Dora Do, following her group victory alongside Gurwant Khabra in the first set of matches. With high heat brought high action because after Chabot took an early 2-1 team lead in the group matchups, they had to battle back in a few of their singles matches. Of the five matches, three of them needed a third set to decide a winner; all three of those matches had Chabot forcing the third set after each player had to come back
after losing their first set. Some key matchups in the singles set featured the fifth best tennis player in Northern California, Julia Golub from Chabot, the most dominating match of the day by Chabot’s Liz Galli, and this round’s clinching match by a great performance by Elaine Son. Golub got the victory over a really tough opponent in Claudia Plascencia Astudillo in her match that seemed to go on for a while until she ultimately won it in the second set, 6-4, 6-2. “We had some really long points. She was good for herself, too,” said Golub after her victory.
Galli from Chabot was absolutely on her “A” game in her matchup against Jessica Grokholsky as she won it with ease, 6-2, 6-1. Galli felt that “confidence” helped her pull of her dominating victory today because she believes that “confidence is key.” The most perfectly timed performance came from Son when she came back from losing her first set 5-7, to winning her second set 6-2, and finally winning the team’s fifth and deciding game 6-4 in the third set to move them onto the next round of the tournament. What made her comeback so remarkable
was that she seemed to be absolutely fatigued from the overbearing heat after the second set. “I think the heat was affecting me a lot,” said an exhausted but victorious Son following her match victory. To describe how she felt winning the matchdeciding game for her team, Son responded with a very brief, “It feels good.” Chabot will face the first-seeded Sierra College Wolverines in the Sweet Sixteen round of the next Tuesday on April 15, but before that, they must compete in the Coast Conference Tournament from April 10 to 12 at Chabot.
By Tyler Ely
Blake Guardino started the inning with a single, the Chabot lineup went all the way around before Guardino hit a towering two-run home run over the left-field fence. Two batters later, third baseman Robert Smith followed suit and put another ball over the fence for a home run, capping the scoring at 10 runs in the second and putting Chabot up 14-0 early. As Carter remained flawless through the third, Chabot added another seven runs, getting a little help from the De Anza pitching staff. After the bases were loaded, Chabot scored on a wild pitch and then proceeded to score the rest of the runs in the inning on
walks and hit batters. As the inning concluded, Chabot found themselves up with a convincing lead at 21-0. “You only get so many innings in your life, boys. Hold on to them and grind them,” said coach Steve Friend as he urged his team to keep playing hard despite the big lead. An underlying story in the game, Carter had a nohit bid that lasted until the fifth inning when De Anza got their only hit of the day. Despite not completing the no-hitter, Carter was masterful in his five innings of work, only giving up the one hit, no runs, and striking out nine. You can read the rest of the article online!
Chabot baseball dominates De Anza, extends win streak to 14 tely@thechabotspectator.com
BRENDA BROWN/STAFF PHOTO
Chabot’s Michael Johnson (9) had a big game going 2 for 5 with 4 RBIs following his team’s 25-0 thrashing over De Anza College on April 3, 2014.
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Chabot Baseball Dominates De Anza
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On Thursday, April 3, 2014, Chabot’s baseball team lit up the scoreboard in a dominating 25-0 win over De Anza College, moving their winning streak up to 14 games. A hot start from the get go, pitcher James Carter put the top of the De Anza order away quickly in the first inning. In the bottom half of the inning, Chabot took a quick lead, scoring three runs on two big doubles by Ryan Howell and Michael Johnson as well as a single from Travis Hull that added another run. After Carter stuck out the side in the second, the Chabot offense didn’t slow down one bit. After