The Union Vol. 78 No. 8

The Union

SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1946 EL

Enrollment dean to retire this month

By Eddy Cermeno

A former professional baseball player who became an El Camino College dean is approaching the end of a nearly 30year career working to support students.

Family, El Camino administrators, faculty and staff greeted Dean of Enrollment Services Robin Dreizler with cheers and applause as he entered the East Dining Room above the

Bookstore on Wednesday, April 17. Dreizler smiled and took in the baseball-themed celebration while adorned with a retirement sash.

After working at El Camino for 29 years, Dreizler’s last work day will be on Tuesday, April 30. He was a student worker in 1975 before joining the staff full-time in 1995.

More weapons added to ECC banned list

By Jaylen Morgan

Ghost guns and ghost-gun parts are now prohibited at El Camino College according to a recent report presented by the College Council.

The campus weapons policy did not previously include ghost guns in the list of prohibited weapons.

Ghost guns or ghost gun parts are weapons that have no serial number,

Stalking cases rise on campus

Students are back, so are stalkers targeting women

After a brief drop during the pandemic when El Camino College was closed, reports of stalking targeting female students on campus are rising again.

The crime log from the El Camino College Police Department recorded three incidents of stalking on campus so far in 2024.

In 2019, there were 13 on-campus stalking Violence Against Women offenses reported, five in 2020 and three in 2021, according to the 2022 El Camino Clery Crime Statistics Act.

There were 10 documented oncampus stalking Violence Against

By Olivia Sullivent

Women offenses in 2022.

The offenses highlight the crucial role of the Violence Against Women’s Act and the Clery Act on student protection.

These are laws that work to prevent violence and ensure safety on college campuses.

“About [10] years ago, the Clery Act was amended because of VAWA requiring colleges to disclose sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence and stalking statistics as part of their annual security report,” Clery Act Compliance Coordinator Nina Wong said.

Stalking is the crime of repeatedly following or harassing another person and making a credible threat to that person’s safety, or the safety of his or her immediate family, according to California laws.

“If a person is stalking somebody with the intent to place that person in reasonable fear, that now becomes a crime in the state of California and we, campus police, can arrest that person for that crime and charge them for that,” El Camino Police Chief Michael Trevis said.

making them untraceable to law enforcement, and can be manufactured by 3D printing.

“This is a new form of technology when before it was just metal firearms,” El Camino Police Chief Michael Trevis said. “Now you have 3D-printed guns that work like original ones.”

New

social media policy raises concerns

By Nick Geltz

Students will no longer have control and access to their clubs’ social media accounts once the new policy added to the Student Organization Handbook is enforced.

The handbook, which lays down the rules for the creation and maintenance of El Camino College student organizations, gets updated every year.

This year’s update included a lot more club adviser involvement.

“We added new mandatory training for advisers, as well as signing a threeyear contract with Engage, as well as new social media procedures,” Director of the Student Development Office Ricky Gonzalez said.

On-Campus VAWA Stalking Offenses

Clery Act Compliance Coordinator Nina Wong, left, and El Camino Police Chief Michael Trevis talk about reporting crime data on colleges to improve campus safety during an interview at the Campus Police Station on October 31, 2023. Photo by Ma. Gisela Ordenes

The Student Organization Handbook, which lays down the rules for clubs and organizations on campus, has a new social media policy.

The policy says club and student organization social media accounts will be run and managed solely by advisers, not students.

This is wrong.

It is against El Camino College’s board policy that says administrative procedures shall not prohibit the right of students to exercise free expression.

The policy takes away student voices in two ways:

First, by not letting clubs have their say in their social media accounts. Second, by cutting the communication line between campus leaders and students and vice versa.

This, to us, crosses a line.

How are clubs supposed to express their interests, goals and passions on social media when its members are being restricted and monitored under what seems like Big Brother?

The college is denying the clubs, the Associated Students Organization and the InterClub Council the ability to directly speak and connect with students through social media.

Now, instead of a fellow student from ASO, ICC or any other organization on campus, students are speaking to someone who might not understand or relate to their concerns.

This leads to a disconnect since the flow of content is not from students to students.

But why did the college implement this new policy in the first place?

Vice President of Student Services Jeff Stephenson said it was implemented to “update the manual.”

He said the policy is there because the college is responsible for making sure people don’t put their personal opinions, hate speech and offensive language on accounts that are under the college’s name.

Director of the Student Development Office Ricky Gonzalez and primary ICC adviser Austin Toney said this was put in place so advisers could make sure the social media accounts in question represent the college.

While we understand the college’s point of view, these accounts were created not for the college but for students. These accounts should serve the students and their interests. They should represent the club, not the college.

The college needs to understand that its obsession with its appearance and reputation is hurting the ability of student clubs to flourish, cutting off the voices of students and student leaders and giving more work to advisers who are already busy and overtaxed.

In comparison, Santa Monica College’s social media policy says student club leaders are responsible for their content and conduct on social media and are responsible for their marketing and communications.

At Cerritos College, its policy encourages the use of social media for clubs and organizations. Clubs share usernames and passwords with advisers so future club members can access their respective social media accounts.

Orange Coast College’s policy makes sure club social media accounts adhere to college policies and rules while also allowing students to control their accounts.

Each of these colleges trusts and holds its student organizations responsible for its own social media accounts.

El Camino needs to understand and trust members of ASO, ICC and the clubs to use their own social media. They are not children.

El Camino can fix this by allowing student organizations control of their accounts. Second, by creating rules of conduct for organizations to follow for social media. Third, by creating a social media role for a student in the organization; they have control of the account and are guided by the adviser.

Give the students one of their remaining platforms to express themselves. A student body that enjoys its fundamental rights is the best image for the college.

Eddy Cermeno eddyrcermeno@gmail.com

Johan Van Wier jvanwier22@gmail.com

Angela Osorio angoso1638@gmail.com

Nasai Rivas opinioneccunion@gmail.com

Erica Lee erjalee@gmail.com

Raphael Richardson eccunionphoto@gmail.com

Kae Takazawa kaelealani@gmail.com

Ethan Cohen

Joseph Ramirez

Joshua Flores

Jaylen Morgan

Olivia Sullivent

Osvin Suazo

Tommy Kallman

Caleb Smith

Clarence Davis

Elsa Rosales

Monroe Morrow

Rhiannon Ellis

Kate McLaughlin kmclaughlin@elcamino.edu

Rhiannon Ellis | Special to The

As students walk through the El Camino College doors, clutching their backpacks, it is symbolic of the future that awaits them.

An 11-year-old Palestinian boy clutches onto his backpack that contains the remains of his little brother Ahmed, as told by Al Jazeera English correspondent Youmna El-Sayed to Swedish media.

Nobody can make this image any metaphorical, not when such brutality surpasses even the frameworks of reality. The future was stolen, the time frozen and the memory only reminds us that Ahmed and his older brother did not deserve this.

The Gazan genocide is being documented by firsthand sources and spreading via social media. I asked students around campus how they feel about this.

“Every two to three posts are about Palestine and Israel,” animation major Alexis Acosta, 21, said.

Psychology major Fatima Machorro, 19, said though she wouldn’t consider herself to be quite educated about the topic, she was inclined to call what is happening in the region a genocide based on how many people she has seen killed and bombed as reported by the media.

Watching a genocide

Social media and the horrors of the Gazan massacre

By Abiya Hasan

The oppressed believe liberation is not worthwhile because they cannot see themselves as real human beings who can fight for themselves. Helplessness, pessimism and ambivalence reassert this sentiment.

Arhum Ali, founder and professor at Kitaab Academy, an online platform that teaches Classical Arabic, recently organized an “Aqsa Conference” aimed to help people be educated about everything about Palestine.

“The oppressed believe that liberation is not worthwhile because they cannot see themselves as human beings who can fight for themselves.”

Even if they participated in boycotting, protesting and other forms of resistance to the United States sending weapons and money to Israel, they didn’t consider

Generally, there was a trend in the responses that the majority of people found Israel to be in the wrong in the current aggression but lacked the knowledge to be able to make a stance on the broader picture: the over 75-year-old conflict between Palestine and Israel. Additionally, there was an attitude that the world is violent and always has been and is unable to change.

themselves part of the “Ceasefire Now” movement.

They believed it is futile and they would be suppressed by governmental and military power.

Psychology major Aldred Teodoro, 22, felt he couldn’t do anything to help with what’s happening in Gaza.

Fashion merchandising major Yin Oo, 23, said she felt “the world has always been like this.”

These attitudes of helplessness, ambivalence and pessimism are all very understandable; in itself, there is no fault. However, they are also bloody and violent tools of the oppressor and the fault lies in what these tools produce.

Helplessness will plague the mind with the idea that

the masses do not have power. Ambivalence always creates cowardice.

Pessimism lies with the sentiment that resistance is not worth doing.

However, the most dangerous aspect of all of these principles is that they invalidate the possibility of liberation, resulting in the maintenance of all oppressive systems.

Moreover, helplessness, ambivalence and pessimism reflect the dehumanization of oppressed bodies.

Brazilian educator and philosopher Paulo Freire argued in his book “Pedagogy of the Oppressed” that the oppressed lack humanity because they have been reduced to being recipients of oppression.

He said that to tackle these feelings of helplessness, ambivalence and pessimism, one must educate oneself in history and politics, as that will empower resistance struggles. He added that education breeds action and has a long-term effect.

From talking to students, it is clear that Israel is losing the confidence of the public. The public mustn’t lose confidence in themselves.

Amy Tahani Bidmeshki, a Pasadena City College professor emphasizing anticolonialism and resistance literature, said everything happens in increments and any movement is valuable.

As psychology major Zakiah Delery, 21, said, “The Palestinian struggle is vital to collective liberation.”

Eduardo Salas | Special to The Union

Campus sees increase in crimes harassing women

At El Camino, campus police and the Office of Title IX, Diversity and Inclusion handle reports of stalking alongside each other.

“We want to make sure students know their options and rights as they relate to filing a complaint against a person,” El Camino Director of Title IX, Diversity and Inclusion Jaynie Ishikawa said.

The crime must occur on campus, on public property nearby or on non-campus properties to be counted toward the Clery Act.

“At least one instance has to be physically in any of our Clery geography locations,” Wong said.

Ishikawa said stalking can take multiple forms.

“There’s stalking that happens from someone that you don’t know and there’s also stalking that can originate from having had a previous social interaction with someone,” Ishikawa said.

The Union requested

information on specific stalking instances on campus but details were not provided.

“We want to maintain as much privacy as possible,” Ishikawa said. “My office doesn’t disclose any personal or identifiable information, anything that comes through. We want to maintain as much privacy as possible.”

At El Camino, there are reports circulating of men, some potentially posing as El Camino students, following women to their cars and classes.

Bryan Sanchez, 19, a business administration major, noticed multiple stalking incidents occurring around the Humanities Building.

In the fall 2023 semester, Sanchez, who usually hangs out at the blue tables outside the Humanities Building with his friends, began observing a man approaching women sitting by themselves or in duos.

“Sometimes there would be this particular [man] who would get up and walk to other benches that [women] were at,” Sanchez said. “You could

CA Penal Code 646.9

Any person who willfully, maliciously, and repeatedly follows or willfully and maliciously harasses another person and who makes a credible threat with the intent to place that person in reasonable fear for his or her safety, or the safety of his or her immediate family is guilty of the crime of stalking.

Police Beat

By Rhiannon Ellis

The Union publishes police beats online with each newspaper release. Visit eccunion.com to read more.

Wednesday, April 10, 2:18 p.m.

An individual was accused of reckless driving at parking Lot C. The case is closed.

Friday, April 12, 5:33 p.m.

A call was issued regarding weapons at the Music Building. The case is closed.

Monday, April 15, 8:30 p.m.

An individual vandalized a cardboard box, resisted arrest and was given a trespass warning at the Industrial Technology Building. The individual has been arrested.

Tuesday, April 16, 7:15 p.m.

An individual made criminal threats, resisted arrest twice, committed battery and battery of a peace officer twice and solicited lewd conduct. The individual has been arrested.

Tuesday, April 16, 8:07 p.m.

A vehicular hit-and-run occurred in parking Lot C. The case is open.

Wednesday, April 17, 2:58 p.m.

An individual was accused of reckless driving in the Construction Technology Building area. The case is closed.

Wednesday, April 17, 6:47 p.m.

A vending machine was found vandalized at Cafe Camino. The case is closed.

A student walks past a

visibly tell [the student] wasn’t showing any signs of trying to have a conversation, but the guy kept being persistent; and when she got up to leave, he followed her.”

After seeing three similar occurrences happen, Sanchez called campus security.

Animal science student Krystal Suarez, 20, has been approached in two separate scenarios by two different men.

In spring 2022, Suarez was sitting at the benches by the Math Business and Allied Health Building when a short man with blonde hair and baggy clothing approached her and complimented her appearance.

“There was always this

guy that would [walk] past me and say, ‘I like your hair.’ It just made me really uncomfortable.”

On Valentine’s Day of this year, Suarez claimed a white male with dyed blue tips of his hair was lingering behind the Bookstore, staring at her while she waited for her boyfriend to pick her up.

Suarez said the man asked if she wanted to be his valentine before he walked away, leaving her “very uncomfortable.”

To read more of the story, visit the website at eccunion.com

“This [man] was just lingering in the corner right here [by the Bookstore] staring at me,” Suarez said. “He sat next to me, trying to talk to me, but I was doing my work.”

Contact details for help at ECC

Student

After-Hours

Dean retiring after supporting students for 29 years

Dreizler said he enjoyed working for the college and telling people about El Camino when he started as a recruiter before working his way up to be the director of outreach and school relations, and then the dean of enrollment services.

“Looking back I think of the tens of thousands of students that I’ve either spoken to or advised,” Dreizler said. “I feel if I could make a difference on a daily basis with one student then that’s a successful career.”

While a student at El Camino, Dreizler played baseball and would later play

professionally for a few seasons in the Major League Baseball minor leagues for the Baltimore Orioles and Philadelphia Phillies.

Current and former El Camino faculty and staff spoke some words of appreciation and gave gifts for Dreizler after he gave a speech.

Recently retired Vice President of Student Services Ross Miyashiro gifted Dreizler a retirement shirt and mug. Miyashiro said his time working with Dreizler was fantastic and hopes he gets peace and relaxation.

“Working with someone who cares about students as [Dreizler] did is rewarding

because he changed students’ lives, that’s what teaching is about,” Miyashiro said.

In his retirement, Dreizler looks forward to spending time

with family and getting back into nature photography.

To read more of the story, visit the website at eccunion.com

List of weapons allowed on campus modified after review

→ GUNS FROM PAGE 1

Knives, ice picks, dirks, daggers or fixed blades longer than two and a half inches can now be allowed on campus, only if it’s been authorized by the police department for a class such as sculpting or an institute technology class.

Students or employees with blades longer than two and a

half inches must check in with the El Camino police to notify them of the weapon.

Some other weapons not allowed on El Camino premises are tasers, stun guns and pepper spray, which Trevis said is a liability to permit to use on campus.

The changes came after a regular review of El Camino

policies during the Monday, April 15 College Council meeting.

“Colleges are required to update their policy on weapons on campus, and it was about time at El Camino College we updated ours,” El Camino President Brenda Thames said. Every three to five years, updates on policies need to

be reviewed and discussed, Thames said.

“Incidents happen unfortunately but I think this policy will help our campus,” Vice President of Academic Affairs Carlos Lopez said. “We just want students and staff to feel as safe as possible while here.”

police car next to the Math Business Alliance Building on Wednesday, April 17. In 2019, there were 13 on-campus stalking Violence Against Women offenses reported, five in 2020 and three in 2021, according to the 2022 El Camino Clery Crime Statistics. Photo by Raphael Richardson

Robin Dreizler gives a speech to family, friends and colleagues in celebration of his retirement at the end of the month in the East Dining Room at El Camino College on Wednesday, April 17. Photo by Nick Miller

New rules set for all clubs’ social media

not enforce the policy until after spring break.

Page 13 of the handbook says access to registered social media accounts will be “granted solely” to designated club advisers.

The advisers will be responsible for “overseeing and managing the content” of these social media accounts.

“We understand the policy is a bit of a culture shock and it is not meant to hinder clubs,” Gonzalez said.

“We needed to put in procedures that would allow information to be communicated to best represent their goals as a club and to represent El Camino,” Toney said.

Both Gonzalez and Toney said they wanted to give the clubs a “grace period” and to

“It’s a team effort and it is important for us to work with the clubs and meet them halfway,” Toney said.

The new policies are raising concerns with club advisers and students.

“I feel like the purpose of clubs is to promote student engagement. I worry that if there is too much policing of clubs, that they might disengage and it would not be good for the college,” English professor Shane Ochoa said.

Ochoa is the adviser for the Puente Club and said he heard from other students that these new policies are “a bit much.”

To read more of the story, visit the website at eccunion. com.

From the Official Student Organization Handbook: Access to registered social media accounts will be granted solely to designated club advisors of the respective student organizations. Advisors will be responsible for overseeing and managing the content posted on these accounts. Student organizations must provide their advisor(s) with necessary login credentials, and advisors will be the only individuals authorized to access and modify account settings, including passwords.

Pride Week returns to El Camino in May

By Nick Geltz

“Drag Bingo,” “LGBTQIA+ Prom” and “Lavender Graduation” are just some of the events happening to celebrate El Camino College’s Pride Week starting May 20. LGBTQIA+ Student Success Coordinator Kenny Simkins presented the events at the Board of Trustees meeting on Monday, April 15.

MyECC gets redesign after 20 years

By Joseph Ramirez

Over a month after it launched a new version of MyECC on March 11, the El Camino College Information and Technology Services is still working on a few hiccups for the portal.

The old version, which launched in 2003, was challenging to navigate and had broken links, according to the data and feedback collected by the El Camino College Information and Technology Services from faculty and students.

The ITS began work on the new portal in 2023. The two people who contributed most are Loic Audusseau, the chief technology officer and Linabel Sajo, the applications development supervisor.

When Audusseau came to work for El Camino in 2020, he quickly noticed the old MyECC portal.

“When I arrived here to El Camino College, I was really surprised to see the web portal was still a system from 2003 and began voicing that it needed to be updated and changed,” Audusseau said.

Before making the new portal, Audusseau and Sajo wanted feedback and interaction from faculty and students.

Audusseau worked with the faculty and Sajo collected data from students. When making the current version, everything wrong with the old one had to be considered.

“I spoke with student ambassadors, admissions, and counselors to hear what the biggest concerns and issues students were having with the old version of MyECC and those issues included broken links, difficulty navigating, it was not mobile device friendly, and the layout was outdated,” Sajo said.

Student reactions to the new portal have been mixed.

One student who has had some issues is art major Jessica Villanueva, 25.

“I think the new MyECC could be better because I get error messages when trying to drop classes, yet it is easier to navigate now,” Villanueva said.

To read more of the story, visit the website at eccunion.com.

Simkims said the “LQBTQIA+ Prom” will happen on May 24 at 7 p.m. in Room 204 of the Communications Building.

“Some of the people at the LGBTQIA+ Prom last year were just students who did not have the experience of a real prom because of COVID-19,” Simkins said.

“This prom is not your ‘classic’ prom in which the men

dress up in tuxedos while the girls wear dresses,” Simkins said, “but instead an event where anyone can wear anything of their choosing.”

“This prom is for both the LQBTQIA+ community and allies,” Simkins said.

“Drag Bingo” will kick off the celebrations on May 20.”

To read more of the story, visit the website at eccunion.com.

Faculty to attend summer class about inclusive teaching skills

By Erica Lee

While students are enjoying their summer break, El Camino College faculty members will be heading back to the classroom.

Polly Parks, an associate professor of biology, announced during the April 16 Academic Senate meeting that sign-ups are now open for a professional development program that will begin in June.

The Teaching Academy for Continuous Learning (TACL) is a two-part, paid professional development program designed to help faculty learn skills they can use to build a more inclusive classroom.

“We get to learn all the cool pedagogy stuff,” Parks said. “Active learning, grading, all that super fun, nerdy teaching stuff.”

Unlike other training courses, which focus on reading about theory-based work and discussion groups about how it can be applied to the classroom, TACL takes a real-world approach where teachers become the students.

“I think it’s, in general, the opportunity to discuss and work through lesson plans with other professors. It’s something we don’t get to do as much. That’s the big thing I got out of it, being able to work things out

with other professors and seeing what other people do,” Stephanie Burnham, associate professor of English, said.

The first part, called the “Learning Institute,” is scheduled to take place June 24 to 28 at the Distance Education Center from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The second part consists of observation sessions that will be conducted this fall.

Attendees, or cohorts will work together in smaller groups to observe and share insights into their teaching methods.

Burnham, who has been teaching at the college since 2018, participated in a TACL training course back when it was called the Equity-Minded Teaching Institute.

“It’s one of the better training programs I’ve done,” Burnham said. “In more traditional or classic training, it’s heavy on the theory. Whereas this program is heavier on the practical. It’s a good thing that it takes out the guesswork of how the theory could work in the classroom by applying practical application.”

“We’re not asking anybody to completely revolutionize the way they teach,” Vice President of Educational Policies Darcie McClelland said.

To read more of the story, visit the website at eccunion.com.

El Camino College student Jahquist Williams looks at the new version of MyECC portal on his laptop in the Schauerman Library on Thursday, April 4. Photo by Joseph Ramirez

Passion for Pottery An El Camino College ceramics student looks down as she prepares her in-process mug for glazing during her class Wednesday, April 17. The ceramics class takes place at the Arts Complex. Photo by Delfino Camacho

BEHIND THE SILVER SCREEN

Writing her story, one line at a time

By Delfino Camacho

The 62-year-old professor likes stories. She should. Academy Award-nominated screenwriter Kim Krizan is also a published author and an actor. On Wednesdays, she lends her talents to El Camino, teaching screenwriting from 6 to 9 p.m.

Krizan grew up in the rolling hills of Tustin, Orange County, where her family lived on the edge of orange groves and strawberry fields. Her childhood “smelled like eucalyptus trees.”

As an only child with lots of alone time, she would lose herself in books, writing, drawing and her imagination, which she believes sparked her creativity.

“I also knew quite early on that I liked the idea of teaching,” she said. “It came naturally to me.”

Krizan’s Acting Roles

1990 - Slacker (film)Actress

1993 - Dazed and Confused (film) - Actress

1996 - The Devil (short film) - Actress

2001 - Waking Life (film) - Actress (as herself)

Krizan wrote her own monologue

2017 - Language is Dead (short film) - Actress

She graduated from Tustin High School in 1979 but was never meant to go to college. Her mother, a strict Jehovah’s Witness, didn’t believe in it, as her church saw higher education as a waste.

Krizan’s haven was

community college.

She remembers sneaking into Saddleback College to take advantage of the professors, many of whom impacted her.

One of them was her humanities professor, who introduced Krizan to a broad understanding of art.

Krizan’s Books

2008 - Zombie Tales: 2061 (comic book)Writer

2010 - CBGB’s OMFUB #3 (comic book) - Writer

2019 - Spy in the House of Anaïs Nin (book)Writer

2013 - Original Sin: Trade Secrets of the Femme Fatal (book) - Writer

After two years she transferred to Cal State Fullerton in the ‘80s.

Krizan left L.A. to attend graduate school at Southwest Texas State University as an English and psychology major.

While working on her master’s degree, Krizan was talked into auditioning for a student film despite having no acting experience.

“But it turned out it wasn’t a student movie, it was like a little art film and I got a part in it,” she said. “It was ‘Slacker.’”

The audition process for the soon-to-be cult film consisted of the director, Richard Linklater, asking Krizan about herself and her thesis.

The two would talk about writing and stay friendly.

After Krizan received her master’s, Linklater reached out and asked to read her thesis. He read it in a day, then asked her to write a movie with him.

It took them 16 days to write “Before Sunrise,” Krizan’s first script. The movie was released in 1995 and received positive

reviews, seen today as a romantic classic.

In 2000 Krizan moved back to L.A. and continued to work with Linklater through phone calls and faxes. They worked on the sequel to “Before Sunset,” which earned her and other writers an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Krizan began teaching at universities and colleges while pursuing writing jobs, wanting to give back to the community.

Krizan’s Films

1995 - Before Sunrise (film) - Writer (with Richard Linklater) 2001 - Waking Life (film) - wrote her own monologue

2004 - Before Sunset (film) - Writer (story, with Richard Linklater) 2023 - A Cinematic Story (Chanel Ad) - Dialogue (adapted from A Man and a Woman by French director Claude Lelouch

In 2006, former El Camino Humanities Dean Thomas Lew hired Krizan as an English teacher and asked Krizan to develop her screenwriting class Current Humanities Dean Scott Kushigemachi says Krizan is courteous, kind and easy to work with.

“I think people want authentic learning experiences, regardless of the class, students don’t want to feel like

something is theoretical,” Kushigemachi said. “She’s had that first-hand experience which means she can speak on concrete questions.”

Film major and fan of the “Before” movies Finn Disharoon is taking Krizan’s screenwriting class.

“You don’t always expect an Oscar-nominated professor, it’s a very happy surprise because maybe [it’s common at] a top film school like UCLA or USC, but to get it at community college, that’s nice,” he said.

In 2014, Krizan decided to only teach at El Camino after teaching at UCLA.

There were two things about El Camino–students and employees were always kind and here she contributed more to her community.

“I just needed a couple of decent teachers to show me another way,” Krizan said. “I do what was done for me.”

Rhiannon Ellis contributed to this story’s illustrations.

To read more of the story, visit the website at eccunion.com.

El Camino College professor Kim Krizan praises and points out a student’s response while teaching her screenwriting class the difference between story and plot on Wednesday, April 4. Photo by Delfino Camacho

Screenwriting professor Kim Krizan, seen here on the second floor of the Humanities Building at El Camino College on March 20, is an Academy Award-nominated screenwriter, comic book author and actor who has written for several films, including the “Before” series with Richard Linklater. Photo by Delfino Camacho

Warriors softball catches fire

El Camino beats Compton to earn 12th win in the last 13 games

By Johan Van Wier

The Warriors defeated the Tartars 6-4 at the ECC Softball Field on Tuesday, April 23, making it their fifth consecutive win and third win against Compton this season.

“We needed to keep our energy high coming off a big win against Fullerton... We didn’t want to get lax because we just beat the No. 1 team, so we needed to make sure we came out with the same intensity,” outfielder Malia Martin said.

As it was the last scheduled home game of the season, Warrior sophomores received introductions and flowers honoring their last game.

The game started hot with both teams scoring in the first inning. The Tartars opened it up in the top of the fifth inning when infielder Serena Velez singled to score infielder Venezia Uribe.

The Warriors responded in the bottom of the first inning with a Martin double, which scored infielder Cheyenne

Navarro from first inning to tie the game. Catcher Julianna Vasquez singled to score Martin, taking the lead after one.

With two outs in the top of the second inning, the Tartars reached on balls two times to bring up Uribe. Although Uribe ripped a single down the middle to score infielder Evelyn Martin del Campo, the Tartars ended the inning with two runners left on base after a flyout from outfielder Danielle Varela.

“They’re a great team, hard team to beat, it comes down to executing and one inning, every time we have faced them [El Camino] it’s always been that one inning that goes their way. If we can overcome that, then we can beat them,” Tartars coach Victoria Castillo said.

The Warriors rallied with two outs when outfielder Madilyn Radeke stole second and third base, which led to her scoring off a double from infielder Emma Garcia. El Camino also ended the inning with two runners left of base.

With the Warriors’ fourth inning explosion, the team

El Camino infielder Cheyenne Navarro readies herself for a pitch during the final innings of a softball game against Compton College on Tuesday, April 23 Photo by Monroe Morrow

added all the insurance runs it needed with help from Martin. to close the game out against the Tartars

“The key is we need everyone to be locked in all the time and there’s a new person every day that gets to [kind of] help us win, everyone’s stepped up and really helped us,” Warriors coach Jessica Rapoza said.

Warrior Kat Gutierrez

finished off the Tartars’ offense when she came in to end the fifth inning. Gutierrez earned the save and allowed no runs and hits in 2.1 innings of work.

The Warriors have won the past 12 out of 13 games, just in time for playoffs, improving to a 27-11 record.

To read more of the story, visit the website at eccunion.com

Volleyball coach makes Hall of Fame

By Ethan Cohen

El Camino College’s beach volleyball and former women’s volleyball coach was inducted into the California Community College Athletic Association’s Hall of Fame during the organization’s annual convention held in Sacramento in late March.

South Bay native LeValley Pattison, who coached the El

Camino women’s volleyball program for 26 years and founded the beach volleyball program in 2016, was also a former student who helped take the Warriors go on a undefeated state championship run in 1983.

Pattison led the women’s volleyball program to 16 conference championships. The 2014 Warriors season put her over the top in the 400-win club.

Overall, she has a career record

of 404-125, and has been named South Coast Conference Coach of the Year 14 times.

“When I saw the names and bios of other inductees, I’m not sure if I belonged in that group... They’re fairly fantastic people and have accomplished some great things. But I was happy to be there,” Pattison said.

To read more of the story, visit the website at eccunion.com

Spring Sports Calendar Baseball

April 25, 2 p.m., @ Mt. SAC

April 26, 2 p.m., vs. Mt. SAC

May 3, 3C2A Southern California Regionals, TBA

May 4, 3C2A Southern California Regionals, TBA

May 9, 3C2A Southern California Regionals, TBA

Softball

April 25, 2 p.m., vs Long Beach

April 30, 3C2A Southern California Playoffs - Play-In Round, TBA

May 3, 3C2A Southern California Playoffs - Play-In Round, TBA

May 4, 3C2A Southern California Playoffs - Play-In Round, TBA

Track and Field

April 27, South Coast Conference Finals @ El Camino College

May 3, 3C2A Southern California Prelims @ Cerritos College

Beach Volleyball

April 30, 3C2A Southern California Team Regionals

May 3, 3C2A Southern California Pairs - Regionals, TBA, 9 a.m. @ El Camino

May 3, 3C2A Southern California Pairs - Regionals, TBA, 9 a.m. @ El Camino

Swimming, Diving

May 2, all day, 3C2A State Championships, @ Orange Coast College

May 3, all day, 3C2A State Championships, @ Orange Coast College

May 4, all day, 3C2A State Championships, @ Orange Coast College

Standings

Baseball

20-18 Overall 11-11 Conference Softball

27-11 Overall

Beach

Ethan Cohen

LeValley Pattison, current

Volleyball coach, makes the 3C2A Hall of Fame Photo by

Leaps and Bounds: Anthony Taylor, center, jumps over a hurdle during the men’s 110-meter hurdles at the South Coast Conference Prelims at Murdock Stadium on Tuesday, April 23. Taylor won his heat out of lane five in 14.35 seconds, the top qualifying time heading into the SCC Finals, which will take place on Saturday, April 27 at Murdock Stadium Photo by Greg Fontanilla