EagleEye Dec 2023 - The MESA Edition by West Hills Colleges

EagleEye

Student Newspaper

West Hills College Lemoore Dec. 2023

The MESA Edition

Art Contest Winner: Estrella Ramirez

What Is MESA?

Student Writers: Bryce Heath & Gracelyn Chamberlain “No whiteboard or paper is safe in the MESA Lab,” says director of MESA, Gustavo Enriquez Fernandez. MESA is a new program at West Hills College Lemoore and stands for Mathematics, Engineering, and Science Achievement. It is a program for stem-based students that are first generation, need financial aid, and in a calc based major. MESA students get to go on field trips to prospective colleges, get access to resources such as calculators or textbooks, and can get information on internships and scholarships. All this information is available in the new MESA Lab located in the library. The new MESA Lab is available to all STEM students even if they are not a MESA student. The MESA Lab is a place for studying, meeting other STEM majors, and has tutoring available. A goal for the MESA lab includes getting laptops so everyone can have access to what they need. The biggest mission that the MESA Director, Mr. Enriquez, expressed is to provide more outreach to other local high schools and middle schools to spread the word about STEM and its importance.

On November 4th, Mr. Enriquez led a group of MESA students to Porterville College to participate in the Expanding Your Horizons Conference held by the Tulare County Office of Education. The conference was for female students from 4th to 8th grade to inspire them to join a STEM oriented career. The MESA students participated by conducting an egg drop, where the 4th to 8th graders had to engineer a contraption to protect their egg by creating air resistance and preventing the egg from breaking. When asked why he was interested in MESA and what encouraged him to be a part of MESA, Gustavo responded, “I was in MESA in high school. MESA shaped me into who I am and introduced me colleges early on.” Mr. Enriquez also went on to say that STEM is important. It’s everywhere. “STEM gets a bad rap,” he said. “Students think it is too hard or lose interest in it quickly. Geography-wise, STEM isn’t introduced and there are so many important jobs that need the degree. I want a doctor or engineer that knows what they are doing.”

A Letter from the President

December 11th, 2023

Golden Eagles,

I hope you are staying Golden and finishing strong as we wrap up what has been an eventful and engaging Fall 2023 semester. I want to congratulate you all for pushing through this semester and hope that you are registered for your classes in Spring 2024. The holiday season is a time where we stop and reflect and with that comes gratitude. We are grateful that you chose to be a Golden Eagle and please know that our team is here for you to help you as you pursue your educational and career goals… you, our students, are what keep us inspired and focused each and every day! I hope that you have a blessed and joyful holiday season and that you come back in 2024 ready to bring your A+ game in the classroom, on campus, and in the community. Happy Holidays, Stay Golden, and Stay Strong! JAMES L. PRESTON PRESIDENT

EagleEye-December 2023

A Toast to the New VP: Meet Kris Costa! Student Writer: Jordan Marsh

West Hills College Lemoore

(WHCL) is proud to introduce our new Dean of Career and Technical Education (CTE), Kris Costa. A proud mom with one boy in the U.S. Airforce, Kris Costa loves to spend time with her family and values the time she gets with them. She loves that working at WHCL gives her the time to balance her work and personal life efficiently. After working 10 years at College of the Sequoias, three years at the Academic Senate for Community Colleges, and three years at the Tulare County of Education, she has made her way to WHCL and loves her new position despite the challenges that come with it. “It’s so unique and special.” she said, “There’s no college like this one.” Some of the difficulties she expressed with her position were how the expectation for women in the workplace are different than they are for men. She advises all girls and women to provide themselves with flexibility in their personal and professional lives because it is impossible to give 100% to both at the same time. To help her keep this work/life balance healthy, Mrs. Costa likes to make to-do lists and set small goals throughout the day as well as ensuring that all staff members are on the same page so that the college can run efficiently. While she does not have much time for hobbies, as she often spends her free time carting her boys around to their respective sports, she would love to start riding horses and partake in more wine tasting. A piece of advice that she would give to all students would be to network yourself and gain work experience before you graduate so that you can understand what it means to work. “Get connected to other people. Put yourself out there. Get linked in, cultivate your connections. It is the most valuable thing we have, and no AI can replace that.” It is an honor to have such an inspiring person here on campus with us!

Student Artist: Kristen Zamora

Meet our New VP of Student Services: “All Around the World Aguilar” Student Writer: Bethany Zavala Student Editor: Jordan Marsh

Meet Elmer Aquilar, the

recently promoted Vice President of Student Services at West Hills College Lemoore (WHCL). He oversees the counseling and advising of students, educational plans, enrollment services, student life, and financial aid. Aguilar came to his position by working with many other student aimed occupations, such as upward bound at University of Southern California, program coordinator by California Student Aid Commission, Fresno State Fresno State University Outreach Coordinator, Porterville College Student Equity Program, and in 2018 he became the Dean of Student Services at WHCL, a Golden Eagle! Aguilar’s favorite thing at WHCL is the interconnected culture. He says it is different from other institutions and values that the college is not afraid to try new things. Words of wisdom from Aguilar, “Be resilient. You will face challenges, but do not give up and always pursue your dreams.” Hearing this from our VP of Student Services was truly enlightening. We are all on our own distinct journey. Aguilar also said that “Community college is a beacon of opportunities.” When he is not on campus, he loves spending time with his family by hiking and going to Disneyland various times throughout the year. Aguilar also values his “me time” when he rides motorcycles. He enjoys Italian food such as pizza and pasta, just as almost any college student. The best vacation he has ever been on was a trip to Rome. He and his family spent a week there, enjoying the historical views and exploring the city. Apart of his family is his pomchi Athena, a Pomeranian and Chihuahua. Elmer Aguilar is a wonderful contributor to the college, and we are lucky to have him!

Student Artist: William Burgos

EagleEye- December 2023

Survey Says: Student Writer: Heidi Raymond

Students and staff of West Hills College Lemoore were asked three questions pertaining to

the technology in the classrooms. Most people said the tech doesn’t work well. Some who said it does work well got confused and talked about times when it didn’t. When asked how to make it better, lots of ideas came up. Most people talked about making the sound and connection better, having screens and projectors that work all the time, and improving the Wi-Fi, especially for students’ devices. Images: Classroom 235 in the middle of a lecture Some students shared specific experiences. One said, “I was in my communications class, and none of the speakers would work for a video, so we had to listen with the computer speakers which didn’t work well.” Another student mentioned, “In both my English and math classes, there have been issues that have led to a change of plans in the schedule for what we are learning.” Another student highlighted, “There have been multiple times where the screens are not working in class. Also, the audio hardly works.” This shows that many people want the technology in classrooms to be more reliable and work better. The survey can help the people dealing with the technology to make improvements. The comments about sound and connection issues show that people care about having good audio and visual for their in-class learning. This gives a roadmap for making the technology at WHCL match what students and staff need for their classes.

> 78 individuals participated.

The Results

> 22 stated better audio.

>51 stated no the tech does not work. (65%)

> 25 stated better screens & audio.

> 27 stated yes it works but proceeded to tell a time it did not. (35%)

> 22 stated better internet connection.

Catch Up with the SIs Student Writer: Lillian Atilano

SIs, or Supplemental Instructors, are tutors who aid students in various subjects they may struggle with. They are also fellow students who were recommended by teachers and hired for their skills. Here’s a glimpse into a departing SI and her experiences as an instructor.

Cheryl: Math

Who are you and what’s your major? “My name is Cheryl Salazar and I’m an RN major…you might want to spice that up a bit *laughs*” “I’m new to Lemoore—I moved here from San Deigo in 2022.” Why did you decide to become an SI? “I decided to become an SI because when I took statistics, I utilized the ACE lab and my SI. I thought that with my knowledge and what I learned from my SI, I could help others. I actually realized I knew the material.” “I also really enjoy helping people. It makes me feel fulfilled when I see the light bulb turn on in a student’s head.” Does being an SI help you reach your future career or life goals? “I think it can help in many ways throughout our lives because we learn to teach, adapt, process information, grow our patience, and it solidifies the material.” Do you have any hobbies? “Yes! I surf—being from San Diego—I surf. I love to hike. I’ve always loved gardening and, being in Lemoore now, I grow a lot of vegetables. I really love taking care of my plants!” “I also dusted off my sewing machine and made some outfits.” Are there any final thoughts you want to add? “I want to tell students to believe in themselves even when times get tough, and to take a deep breath and know that you can do it.”

Enroll into the NC-100-L01 course to receive help from our tutors! SI assistance is in the ACE lab, located in the library. Fly high, Eagles!

EagleEye-December 2023

8th Annual Dia de los Muertos Celebration Student Writers: Jordan Marsh, Lynette Hipolito, Yasmin Dominguez

On Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, West Hills College Lemoore (WHCL) held their 7th annual Dia de los Muertos celebration on campus from 5pm-8pm.

What started as a small classroom activity put together by WHCL professor Anna Moreno 16 years ago has now turned into a campus-wide celebration that honors the cultural holiday with performances, arts and crafts, and food prepared for all attendees. The traditional food served is one of Professor Moreno’s favorite parts of putting this celebration together. This year, Gottis Kitchen served pozole, a type of soup originating from Mexico, for those who attended. Traditional dancers showed up to perform and the numerous ofrendas (altars built to honor past loved ones) on display gave guests a true sense of the beauty that this holiday holds. Not only does it warm Professor Moreno’s heart to see her hard work come to fruition each year, but it also brings the WHCL community together by instilling cultural awareness and inclusivity into students. While the celebration relies on volunteers and campus-based support, it is always highly received by members of the community, with many looking forward to its growth each year. There are plans for an 8th annual Dia de los Muertos celebration to be held next year with more special guests arriving, so be sure to look out for that announcement next October!

Team Teach: AI and Teaching Student Writer: Bryce Heath

Team Teach held their annual Teach Conference at West Hills Col-

lege Lemoore. This year’s theme was STEM (Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). The team teach conferences are for high school students who are thinking about being future educators. The conference was attended by Corcoran High School, Caruthers High School, and Lemoore High School. The goal was to get students engaged and prepared with a demo lesson plan for building a functional catapult and making it a competition. Guest speaker, Cori Araza PhD, came from Arizona’s Grand Canyon University to talk about tools available for teachers to help build lesson plans as well as using and detecting AI in the classroom and integrating technology into the classroom. Team Teach offers the exposure needed to go on to become future educators and offers job fairs. Team Teach students even graduate with full time jobs. To all those thinking about becoming the future of education, “find a program that offers full-service reports, as well as friends and peers to rely on. Get as much exposure in the k-12 system as possible,” says Team Teach Faculty Lead Coordinator, Shannon Turmon.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes: A Movie Review Student Writer: Yasmin Dominguez

The new Hunger Games movie, The Ballad of Songbirds and

Snakes, was released in theaters on November 17, 2023. The movie lasted a total of two hours and thirty-seven minutes. Fans of the 2013-2014 sequel had a chance to learn about President Snow’s villain origin. The film went back in time and showed Coriolanus as a young boy conflicted between his love for Lucy Gray and his commitment towards the games. He is in a constant internal battle with himself and this is greatly captivated throughout different scenes. Furthermore, fans also get a glimpse of Lucy Gray’s character. Her singing throughout the movie symbolizes her faith and love for humanity, something Snow lacked. Overall, I would give the movie a solid A. The acting and attention to detail were really on point. The only complaint I have is that the movie tried to resemble Katniss and Lucy similarly, but it did not work.

EagleEye-December 2023

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