The Union Vol. 77, No. 8

The Union

Badminton and soccer coach dies at 70

El Camino College Badminton coach and former men and women’s soccer coach John Britton died on Tuesday, April 11 at the age of 70.

Hailing from England, Britton was an avid soccer player growing up. He joined El Camino’s coaching staff for the soccer team in 1995 and has been coaching badminton since 1998. He later became a fulltime faculty member in 1999.

He spent 26 seasons coaching the men and women’s soccer teams—his last season coaching the women’s team was in 2021.

Father, friend, educator

Board of Trustees President Kenneth Brown dies at 54

Coach Mike Jacobson, who succeeded Britton as coach, took over the men’s soccer program in 2018.

Jacobson knew Britton long before he took the head coaching position, recruiting Britton’s players into CSU Los Angeles and later working alongside him on the coaching staff of El Camino’s soccer team.

Funny

and caring, that’s what comes to mind when Kenneth Brown II thinks of his father.

“He was really caring about his family, his friends, his classmates, the people he taught and mentored over the years,” he said. “I think that’s what was the essence of my father’s being.”

President of the Board of Trustees

Kenneth Alan Brown died unexpectedly on March 23, he was 54 years old.

El Camino College President Brenda Thames said Brown’s death was profound and would be felt throughout the state and nation.

Born on Aug. 31, 1968, Brown grew up in the city of Carson.

He attended the historically Black Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, where he obtained a bachelor’s in computer science and physics. Brown stayed close to his Morehouse roots.

Brown later earned his master’s in

applied physics from Clark Atlanta University.

He met Karla Harness after college. The couple married in Holman United Methodist Church, the same church Brown grew up in. They were married for almost 25 years.

The couple had two sons, Kenneth II and Kaleb.

Muslim students to host Eid al-Fitr prayer

Muslim Student Association expects 3,500 people to show up at Murdock Stadium

Nindiya Maheswari @nindiyamaheswa1

Muslim students at El Camino College observe Ramadan by fasting from sunrise to sunset and getting closer to their faith.

To mark the end of Ramadan, the El Camino Muslim Student

Association will host the Eid alFitr prayer on Friday, April 21 from 7 to 9 a.m. at Murdock Stadium.

Muslim Student Association

Public Relations Sabrina Rashiq said Ramadan is a sacred month in Islam and a time for Muslims to reclaim their identity, become

closer to God and be better people.

Before the start of Ramadan, Rashiq tells her professors she is going to fast, but doesn’t expect any special treatment.

“I just want them to consider that I am fasting. And at times of exams where it’s right after

I’m breaking my fast if I’m a little late, they should understand,” Rashiq said. “It’s just Muslims are a minority at El Camino and sometimes it just feels like we’re being treated like that.”

SEE MSA PAGE 4 →

“Salt of the earth. That’s what this man was,” Jacobson said. “He was just the most kindhearted, unbelievably funny, caring person and just a perfect coach, instructor at a junior college level.”

Administrative assistant Linda Olsen knew Britton for 25 years, being the first fulltime faculty member that she touched base with at El Camino.

As a close friend of Britton, Olsen described him as a “very outgoing person” and as someone who “never had a bad thing to say.”

Olsen emphasized: “He just had a colorful background.”

Board of Trustees member Kenneth Brown attends the “soft opening” of the Black Students Success Center in the Communications Building, on Wednesday, Feb. 22. Raphael Richardson | The Union

Delfino Camacho

@itsecohen & @gregfontanilla

Ethan Cohen & Greg Fontanilla

@ delfino cam

Coach John Britton in Nov. 2017. Britton died Tuesday, April 11. Jorge Villa | The Union

EL CAMINO COLLEGE

Campus culture: A call to action

El Camino College is a vibrant and diverse community that hosts a melting pot of cultures.

Over the years, the college has made concerted efforts to foster an inclusive environment where all students feel like they belong and can succeed.

With its diverse student and employee population, El Camino is well-positioned to offer an enriching and empowering educational experience that encourages critical thinking, empathy, and mutual respect.

By embracing cultural diversity and creating opportunities for students to share their unique perspectives, the college is helping shape a generation of learners equipped to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

Although the college provides a welcoming environment for students to express themselves freely, there is still room for students to contribute more of their individuality to the campus community.

An exchange of cultures, religions, backgrounds, and experiences can help break down stereotypes that have been created over time and foster understanding between different groups. It can also have a positive impact on individuals and communities, leading to greater empathy and understanding.

The call to action for El Camino College students is clear: bring more of your culture, religion, background, and experiences to the campus community.

Not only do individual students benefit from showcasing their cultures on campus, but the wider community also reap the rewards.

The importance of cultural diversity cannot be overstated, as it offers students the opportunity to learn from each other, experience new things and improve their critical thinking skills.

It is, therefore, vital students bring more of themselves to campus life to create a more inclusive and diverse community.

This can take many forms whether it be organizing cultural events, participating in clubs or organizations that celebrate your heritage or simply sharing your unique perspectives with others.

Clubs like “Christians on Campus” or the “Muslim Student Association” are great examples of how students can pool together and bring a part of themselves to the table.

For example, the Muslim Student Association (MSA) will be marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan by hosting an Eid al-Fitr prayer on Friday, April 21, at Murdock Stadium as a beacon for Muslim students in the area.

MSA expects there to be over 3,500 people joining the event which encapsulates the power of shared community here at El Camino.

Cultures that may not always see the spotlight have an opportunity to showcase and help people understand what goes on behind the scenes of someone who is not represented in large numbers.

By showcasing their cultures, students can feel more connected to their roots, develop leadership skills and gain a sense of pride and belonging.

Of course, there may be challenges to showcasing cultural diversity on campus. Some students or administrators may be hesitant to change or there may be a lack of resources available to go around.

However, there are solutions to these challenges.

Students can collaborate with other clubs or organizations to pool resources and fundraise for events. They can also reach out to allies for support or partner with employees to create more inclusive programming.

El Camino has a unique opportunity to create a diverse and inclusive campus community. The Union strongly urges all students to take the initiative and bring more of their culture and religion to campus life.

Together, we can create a more inclusive and diverse community that celebrates the unique perspectives and experiences of all students.

There is space for everyone at El Camino College.

EDITORS

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Khoury Williams eccunion@gmail.com

MANAGING EDITOR Ethan Cohen managing.eccunion@gmail.com

NEWS EDITOR Ethan Cohen news.eccunion@gmail.com

ARTS & FEATURES EDITOR Brittany Parris af.eccunion@gmail.com

SPORTS EDITOR Greg Fontanilla sports.eccunion@gmail.com

COPY EDITOR Anthony Lipari eccunion@gmail.com

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Delfino Camacho SM.eccunion@gmail.com

MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Nindiya Maheswari MM.eccunion@gmail.com

OPINION EDITOR Igor Colonno opinion.eccunion@gmail.com

PHOTO EDITORS Ethan Cohen Greg Fontanilla photo.eccunion@gmail.com

STAFF

Eddy Cermeno

Jesus “Jesse” Chan

Khallid Muhsin

Samantha Quinonez

Kim McGill

Matheus Trefilio

Brianna Vaca

Raphael Richardson

Alexis Ponce

Renzo Arnazzi

Taylor Sharp

Reina Quevedo

Bryan Sanchez

Kai Martinez

Kae Takazawa

Erica Lee

Ari Martinez

Senior Staff Writer Senior Staff Writer Senior Staff Writer Senior Staff Writer

Senior Staff Writer Staff Writer

Staff Writer Staff Writer

Senior Photographer Photographer Photographer Photographer Photographer Photographer Illustrator Intern Intern

ADVISERS

STUDENT MEDIA ADVISER Stefanie Frith sfrith@elcamino.edu

STUDENT MEDIA ADVISOR Kate McLaughlin kmclaughlin@elcamino.edu

PHOTO ADVISER Nguyet Thomas nthomas@elcamino.edu

ADVERTISING MANAGER Jack Mulkey elcounionads000@yahoo.com

CORRECTION POLICY: The Union takes corrections and clarifications very seriously. If a correction is needed, email The Union at eccunion@gmail.com for all corrections and inquiries pertaining to a story.

EDITORIALS: Editorials represent the views of the The Union’s editorial board. Columns represent the views of the writer. Neither are representations of what the newspaper staff, other students, our advisers, faculty or the administration think.

LETTERS AND GUEST COLUMN POLICY: No more than two guest columns from the same person will be considered for publication or online use in the same semester, and 60 days must elapse before a second column is published. Guest columns should generally run 300-450 words. Letters to the editor should generally run no longer than 200 words. All columns and letters are subject to editing for length, grammar and style. They must be free of libel and in good taste. Publication or rejection of any column is at the sole discretion of the editorial board.

The Union is an award-winning, nationally recognized publication that prints on designated Thursdays by Journalism 11 and 14 students at El Camino College, 16007 Crenshaw Blvd., Torrance, CA 90506, and is free to the student body and staff. The Union publishes daily online at eccunion.com.

Zamira Recinos | The Union

Use of police force should not be the solution

El Camino police treated the bees with humanity; why can’t police treat humans right?

Kim McGill @KimMcGillLA

El Camino Police Chief Michael Trevis, Sgt. Ruben Lopez and several other officers responded to a swarm of bees that occupied the hood of a car in parking Lot B last month.

The police department said the bees were potentially “dangerous.” The bees could have been charged with grand theft auto, terrorist threats, attempted assault or trespassing.

The police could have screamed at the bees over a bullhorn, “MOVE AWAY FROM THE CAR!”

They could’ve blasted the bees with pepper spray, surrounded them with a SWAT unit, surveilled them from above with helicopters and drones, hit them with tasers, put them in a chokehold or drew their guns and opened fire. But they didn’t.

Instead, officers cordoned off the area with yellow caution tape, avoiding the threatening message, “Police line. Do not cross.”

They de-escalated people’s fears by creating a plan, said they were concerned about the safety of the bees, and didn’t assume the bees had malicious intentions.

They slowed down their response and ensured the bees felt less threatened. They didn’t label them as “gang members” even though the bees were in a

group of three or more acting together to commit a crime, the definition of a gang under state law.

The police department recognized they didn’t have the necessary skills to protect the bees or the public. Lopez said they worked with the Facilities Planning and Services division to contact a beekeeper. The beekeeper’s assignment was to relocate the bees without killing them, Lopez said.

Trevis said the officers are here “to keep everyone safe.”

“We’re just waiting for the beekeeper to come and do what he has to do to take care of the bees,” Trevis said.

As a result, there were no

injuries or deaths. The owner of the car, who is allergic to bees, was happy that he wasn’t stung and to get his car back. The bees were taken to a safer place, not a jail cell.

For decades, Los Angeles County has led the U.S. in useof-force homicides. According to the District Attorney’s Office, more than 1,100 people have been killed in LA County by law enforcement since 2000.

The California Department of Justice found more than 50% of use-of-force incidents in 2021 targeted people with a mental health or cognitive disability.

LA County along with other cities and counties to change. New phone numbers have been created to generate nonlaw enforcement responses to emergencies. Officials are expanding public-health programs to deal with calls police cover. But there are few people ready to serve as civilian first responders.

The college should establish a work group that brings together the nursing, emergency medical technicians, fire and public safety programs along with groups on campus that can provide help to communities most impacted by law enforcement use-of-force.

Community concerns and solutions could be represented by Formerly Incarcerated Reentry Students Thriving, the Black Student Success Center and Undocuwarriors, among others.

El Camino has a responsibility to ensure students and employees are safe on- and offcampus in communities where they don’t fear being killed by police.

If only law enforcement protected people of color, unhoused people and people with disabilities the way the officers protected the lives of those bees.

On March 23, El Camino Police proved law enforcement could act responsibly: Slow down, de-escalate tension, reduce police role, call in experts with the necessary skills to respect, protect and serve everyone.

Community action is forcing

People such as Andres Guardado, 18, killed by LA County Sheriff’s Department in Gardena, Christopher De’Andre Mitchell, 23, killed by Torrance PD, Eric Rivera, 20, killed by LAPD in Wilmington and countless others might still be alive if they were treated like the bees in Lot. B.

Rideshare signs need to be improved on campus

Uber, Lyft pickup locations need larger and more exposed signs for drivers and students

Brianna Vaca @eccunionbvaca

Relying on rideshare apps to go to college is the only option I have. I don’t have a driver’s license, and my parents leave for work before I go to campus.

According to Highway Statistics from the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration, 68.3% of 19-year-olds had their driver’s licenses in 2021.

I am a part of the 31.7% of 19-year-olds who do not.

I started to use the Uber app last fall semester. I was terrified because I had never used it before, but I had no other way of getting to campus.

Uber makes the process of getting rides through the app easy, however, one thing I was unsure about was where the driver would drop me off.

El Camino is a big campus

and I knew there would be multiple drop-off locations, but I didn’t know where exactly.

There are two Uber/Lyft dropoff locations: One in parking Lot J on Redondo Beach Boulevard and parking Lot B on Manhattan Beach Boulevard.

When the driver dropped me off for the first time, I noticed there was a small sign at the drop-off that read “Uber/Lyft.”

I thought this was a nice addition to the drop-off areas to make the drop-offs easier, but it didn’t.

The signs are barely visible.

El Camino should implement larger signs and arrows pointing to the designated Uber drop-off spots, in addition to colored areas making it easier for drivers to find locations to drop off students.

When it came to getting dropped off, some of my Uber drivers found it quite difficult to

make a left turn into the Lot B drop-off. The driveway into Lot B on Manhattan Beach Boulevard is hidden which can confuse drivers.

Speaking up and telling the driver to turn left would scare me but if I didn’t, the driver would pass it and would have to make a U-turn, making the entire situation more frustrating.

A bigger and clearer sign could help make for smoother trips for myself and the other students on campus who use rideshare apps to and from El Camino.

It would especially help drivers who suffer most from this location confusion issue, and a big sign could help them indicate where to drop off the student.

According to the Business of Apps, over 131 million people used Uber in 2022, an 11%

increase from 2021. Drivers completed over 7.6 billion trips in the same year.

Installing clearer and larger signs for Uber drop-off locations is easier said than done, but it would be beneficial for students who rely on

rideshare apps to get them to campus as well as the drivers who make a living off of the apps.

Kim McGill | The Union

Ash Hallas | The Union

“El Camino can train the workforce neeeded for a new public safety vision”

Celebrating the holy month of Ramadan on campus

Rashiq is one of the Muslim Student Association members who is organizing the Eid al-Fitr prayer and she is expecting about 3,500 people to attend this year.

“This is an Eid prayer that we’re dedicating to the whole South Bay and El Camino students,” Rashiq said.

Rashiq added they invite local mosques in the Los Angeles area to push forward the message of the community as Muslims come from different races and ethnicities.

“We use the celebration of the month of Ramadan ending as a reminder to all of these Muslims that we are one,” Rashiq said.

Political science major Hameeda Uloomi wakes up around 3 a.m. to have “suhoor,” a meal before sunrise, then prays and goes back to sleep.

“As a student, it becomes really hard because you have to sleep at a good time, maybe nine, 10 o’clock, so that you’re

able to wake up at three and still be sufficiently have energy,” Uloomi said.

However, Uloomi is excited about Ramadan because, at the end of the day, she sits down and eats together with her family to break her fasting.

“It’s just a really good moment,” Uloomi said. “[A] very warm moment when you come together with your families or go to the mosque.”

Uloomi said she looks forward to attending the Eid prayer the Muslim Student Association will be hosting.

“Since I’ve come to El Camino, I’ve met with such a large community of Muslims.

It’s going to be one of my first Eid with people who are also Muslims that I want to be surrounded with,” Uloomi said.

“El Camino has provided that opportunity for me.”

A week dedicated to Black excellence

The Black Student Success Center will have its grand opening on Wednesday, April 26, as a part of Black Student Success week, an annual event held throughout community colleges across California. The Black Student Success Center provides a safe space in support of El Camino College’s Black students. Featuring daily webinars and discussions, Black Student Success week will take place from April 24 - 28.

Board of Trustees to fill vacant seat

Khoury Williams @williamskhoury

timeline to fill the vacant Trustee Area 1.

Social media addiction

@JJesseChan

As social media use continues to rise annually, increasing integration into the daily lives of Americans raises concerns about addiction and its negative effects on mental health.

With millions of users spending excessive time on platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter, the amount of time spent using the application(s) is so great millions have developed a serious addiction.

The most affected demographic in the U.S. lies in most adolescent individuals having shown habits of logging nearly five or more hours daily. In a study conducted by Cross

Police Beat

River Therapy, 70% of teens and young adults in the U.S. have a social media addiction with an average usage of two hours.

Information systems professor at California State University, Fullerton Ofir Turel believes social media addiction is caused by people feeling rewarded, encouraging them to use the platforms more.

“There are important distinctions between substance addiction and social media addiction,” Turel said. “With nonsubstance addiction, like social media, video games and gambling, it’s not substances that cause addiction; it’s their reward.”

To read more, visit the website at eccunion.com

Although all trustees were present for the April 17 meeting, the sight of the empty middle seat, usually occupied by former President of the Board of Trustees Kenneth Brown, was a physical and symbolic reminder of the loss the El Camino College community experienced.

The Board meeting commenced with a tribute to and a unanimous approval of a

Previously, the Board hosted a special meeting on April 6 to address the vacant seat— the Board approved the decision to appoint a new trustee in Area 1.

With the timeline approval, the application for Trustee Area 1 will be on the District’s website by April 21. The deadline for applicants will be May 1, with a review process scheduled for May 2-5.

Vice President of the Board of Trustees Trisha Murakawa told

The Union the hiring process for Trustee Area 1 is separate from the appointment of a new Board of Trustees president.

“It’s the board’s decision, the board needs to vote on a president to serve out the remainder of Ken’s term and then we’ll see what happens,” Murakawa said.

The Board of Trustees is hosting a special board meeting to interview candidates and appoint a new trustee for the vacant Area 1 seat on May 12, at 3 p.m.

Defendant indicted in murder of student

@KimMcGillLA

On Nov. 10, 2022, a 23-member grand jury at Clara Shortridge Foltz Courthouse in Downtown Los Angeles determined there was enough evidence to indict Weijia Peng for the murder of El Camino College student Juan Carlos Hernandez, 21.

Peng, who was extradited from Turkey where he fled not long after Hernandez’s disappearance, did not appear in court.

Thursday, April 13, at 11:16 a.m. Vending machine items were stolen near the Art and Behavioral Science Building. The case is still undergoing investigation.

Thursday, April 13, at 9:34 a.m. A fight occured near the intersection of 166th Street and Crenshaw Boulevard. The case has been resolved and closed.

Since then, the case against Peng, 33, and another defendant, Ethan Astaphan, 27, has inched forward, pushing back the possible start of the trial to summer or fall 2023.

Peng remains in custody on $20 million bail and Astaphan is detained on $10 million bail. Both men are being held at North County Correctional Facility, a LA County jail in Castaic.

A third defendant in the case, Sonita Heng, 23, is out of custody on a plea agreement.

Sunday, April 9, between 8 and 11 a.m.

An electric scooter was stolen near the Commincations Building. The case is still undergoing.investigation.

Thursday, April 4, at 9:58 a.m.

A stalking incident occured near the Music Building.The incident was reported to the Clery Act.

Catch

Friday, March 31, at 12:12 p.m.

A trespassing notice was issued to an unspecified individual near the Athletics facilites. The suspect was released the same day.

Thursday, March 30, at 6:22 p.m. Criminal threats were made near Schauerman Library. The case has been resplved and is now closed.

Jesse Chan

Khallid Muhsin | The Union

Photo illustration by Ethan Cohen

Kim McGill

To read more, visit the website at eccunion.com

Kenneth Alan Brown: 1968-2023

→ BROWN FROM PAGE 1

Kenneth II also attended Morehouse and is an accomplished musician. Kaleb studies architecture at Howard University, a point he continually teased his dad about.

Brown held many titles throughout his career, but notably, his main passions in life were science and education.

In the engineering field, Brown worked with many organizations including NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratories. He collaborated with a team that successfully landed the rover Curiosity on Mars. In 2015 he was hired at Northrop Grumman Corporation as an Operations Manager.

In 2019 he won the Black Engineer of the Year Modern Day Technology Leader Award.

Brown was a part-time professor of physics at California State University Dominguez Hills for over 20 years. He belonged to the California Community College Trustees Board as well as the nationwide Association of Community College Trustees.

At El Camino, he was both president and the most senior member of the Board of Trustees. He was appointed in 2010.

His fellow trustees remember Brown as kind, funny and dedicated to students.

“We’re taking it very hard because you know, he was our president, but he was also our leader,” Trustee Nilo Michelin said. “He was also our friend.”

As the most senior trustee, Brown made himself the unofficial welcome wagon; he was always the first to greet new trustees.

Vice President of the Board Trisha Murakawa was close with Brown. She first met him in 2020, when she won her seat.

“Right after I got elected, he called me to congratulate me, welcomed me to the board,” she said. “That’s the kind of person he was.”

Student Trustee Sidney Lee had a unique perspective on Brown. She worked with Brown as a student but also as a board member. She said she never felt anything but support and respect.

Lee first met Brown last June. He was the first trustee to say hi to her.

“He did have that ability to make someone feel accepted and welcomed and it just eased my nerves a little bit,” she said.” Just him coming up to me and reaching a hand out. It meant so much to me.”

Trustees agree Brown was genuinely committed to diversity, equity and inclusion at El Camino and nationwide.

Cliff Numark was the second most senior trustee after Brown. He said Brown really “walked the walk” and was a testament to the good local elected officials can do.

“He wanted to make sure that community colleges were a place where many people could find a home,” Numark said.

Trustee Michelin said Brown was an advocate for student success.

“He just wanted to continue his work with equity, he was very excited about the Black Student Success Center and he was looking forward to the grand opening as well,” Michelin said. “We definitely want to continue his legacy.”

Murakawa said she and the board will continue the work. She will miss her friend and his humor.

“The last time that he and I had a conversation, just me and him, we were talking about what we wanted to do. He said, ‘I like that Trisha, we’re gonna shake and bake,’ and I said, ‘That’s right Ken, we’re gonna shake and bake and then he sent me that little video from [Talladega Nights],’” Murakawa said with a laugh.

Kenneth II said his father set a high standard. Despite his busy schedule he always made sure to put the time in for his family.

“I can’t say this enough, I’m going to deeply miss my father,” Kenneth II said. “But I know for a fact he would want me and my brother to keep moving with our endeavors and to help take care of our mother and our grandmother.”

The family established the Ken Brown Memorial Scholarship which is dedicated to granting Black students the opportunity to attend historically Black colleges.

Kenneth II thinks his father’s message to students would be to always take initiative and to stand your ground when it comes to your dreams.

His father seems to agree, as Ken Brown told The Union in 2011.

“If you can continue to keep yourself busy and stay wise, you can do a lot of things,” Ken said. “You’re in college, so go out there and do things.”

Ken Brown is survived by his wife, Dr. Karla Brown, his mother Dr. Martha Brown and his two sons Kenneth II and

Kaleb.

“If you can continue to keep yourself busy and stay wise, you can do a lot of things. You’re in college, so go out there and do things.”

—

Kenneth Alan Brown

The first tribute speech during the April 11 Celebration of Life funeral service for Kenneth Brown hosted at Holman United Methodist Church ended with over 25 Morehouse College alumni taking the stage, including his son Kenneth Brown II who is standing third from the left. The Morehouse men linked arms and sang a somber rendition of “Dear Old Morehouse,” the college’s official hymn in honor of their fallen brother. Brown himself was a proud Morehouse graduate. Khoury Williams | The Union

Kenneth Brown at the Black Student Success Center soft opneing on Feb. 22. Khoury Williams | The Union

‘It takes a vill ge’

Child Development Club was founded in 2017 and has worked to make an impact on campus

time with their children.

The morning is crisp, and the sun is bright.

The first Saturday of every month brings screams and laughter in front of the Schauerman Library lawn at El Camino.

Children aged 0-5 play with their parents along the shaded grass on blue-and-red foldable resting mats.

Children play with blocks, balls, and magnets for fun to help with their cognitive skills like learning, reading, and paying attention.

After an hour of free time, the parents and children gather for music, embracing their motto: “It takes a village to raise a child.”

The Child Development Club hosts a free event called ‘You & Me’ Playgroup every first Saturday of every month. This event is for students who are parents to enjoy quality

The Child Development Club is known for its “You & Me” Playgroup and its dedication to providing resources and a safe space for parents and educators.

The Child Development Club has also collaborated with other programs on campus like The Formerly Incarcerated ReEntry Student Thriving (FIRST) program, Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education (CARE), and the Extended Opportunity Program & Services (EOPS).

“We talk about disability, caring for children, parenting, all of that super awesome stuff that people get a lot of information out of,” Rafters said. “It's really cool.”

The club collaborates with these programs to offer workshops to students during club meetings every Thursday from 6 to 7 p.m. via Zoom or in person in the Art and Behavioral Science Building, room 305.

“We also like the table at a lot

of events. We want to get the word out about our club because we don't really just focus on students here, we also focus on like the general larger community,” Alison Rafters, a 20-year-old interclub council representative for the Child Development Club, said.

Club and cabinet members volunteer during tabling events and the ‘You & Me’ Playgroup to gain hands-on experiences.

“The reason I volunteer is [because] I like working with kids,” 45-year-old child development major and club member Marco Vasquez, said. “I joined the Child Development Club to learn and to teach others what I have learned.”

Vasquez said he wanted to provide general information about being a kid and how to interact and socialize with kids.

“I want people to know that the club exists,” 26-year-old club president, Nicholas Nilam-Hall, said. “I couldn't be prouder of our club members and our cabinet.”

Nilam-Hall said one thing the club is currently trying to bring back is the Child Development Center, located across the street on the other side of lot L. The center has been closed for a couple of years since COVID-19 hit.

“It used to actually offer childcare for students on campus,” Rafters said. “Our practicum students would work there and get paid.”

Practicum students must observe and gain hands-on experience with children in a supervised childcare setting.

“It provided resources for parents on campus,” Rafters

said. “They [El Camino] are requiring a lot of money to bring it back.”

Nilam-Hall said the amount to bring back the Child Development Center is around $1 million.

“We're supposed to be moving to the new building next semester, all of the childhood education classes,” Rafters said.

Nilam-Hall said if the Child Development Center gets demolished, he hopes they can bring the program back into the new building.

“The Child Development Club is absolutely phenomenal and amazing,” Cynthia Cervantes, full-time faculty member of the Childhood Education Department at El Camino and club advisor, said.

Cervantes said her family had been involved with the club since the pandemic.

“Everything we do is very relevant for me as a parent,” Cervantes said.

Cervantes loves the Child Development Club and hopes it continues growing.

“Our students are amazing, and I admire our students very much, and I respect everything they do for us because they volunteer so much,” Cervantes said. “I have never seen a club that gives so much to the campus.”

The next “You & Me” Playgroup will be on Saturday, May 6, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in front of the Schauerman Library lawn.

Samantha Quinonez @eccunionSamQ

Founder of the Child Development Club, Morgan Weber. plays with her 7-year-old during the ‘You & Me‘ Playgroup, on Saturday, April 1. The event gives student parents the opportunity to enjoy quality time with their children. Samantha Quinonez | The Union

Alison Rafters, a 20-year-old interclub council representative for the Child Development Club, draws on the floor with chalk that says, "Welcome to the ‘You & Me Play Group!‘ on Saturday, April 1. Samantha Quinonez | The Union

Sweet as Honey

The buzzworthy tale of a beekeeping extraordinaire

Khoury Williams

Donning a white-andyellow protection suit like a knight in shining bee armor, he arrived on the scene to remove the swarm with no harm to the bees themselves.

With bees crawling around his suit, a honeybee preservationist used a wideand soft-bristled brush to remove small sections of the swarm and gently pushed them inside a plain, cardboard box.

Enter Steve Downs.

Swarming in El Camino College’s parking Lot B, an army of bees massed a car and a handicap sign, prompting campus police to block off the area and begin the search for the car’s owner.

“We don’t want anybody stung,” Police Chief Michael Trevis said. “We’re just waiting for the beekeeper to come and do what he has to do to take care of the bees.”

After frantically searching for the owner of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, The Union tracked down Senior Telecom Technician Chris Medina.

Medina said he was “astonished” and took the opportunity to poke fun at the irony of the situation because he was allergic to

“Lucky me, huh, I may play the lotto on the way home,”

Medina said. “Like my sister said, well you do have a sweet ride.”

Using nothing more than his brush and a cardboard box, Downs found the queen and the swarm followed into the box where he sealed it up for relocation to a safer habitat.

Growing up, Downs had a passionate hatred for bees stemming from a misconception that the winged insects are aggressive in nature and seek out people to attack and sting.

His hatred of bees grew so strong he wished they could all magically drop dead.

Simon Sharf, who was Downs’ mentor, helped him overcome his fears and inspired him to become a honeybee preservationist.

“I was terrified of bees and terrified of heights. The job was bees and heights, and I thought to myself ‘What am I doing here?’” Downs said. “Because of [Sharf], I wanted to do those things and show him that I could do it.”

Through Sharf, Downs said he was able to learn about the important role bees play in supporting plants in the ecosystem.

Downs and Sharf worked together to remove bees, sometimes using ladders with no protective gear, and the experience helped Downs defeat his two biggest fears.

The pair would work together for seven years before Downs branched off on his own.

Today, Downs is the CEO of his own bee removal company called Beecasso located in Redondo Beach.

The inspiration for the name came from the combination of Downs’ two passions: bees and painting.

Downs credits Pablo Picasso as an inspiration for his own artwork.

No longer dominated by his fears, Downs is willing to ascend great heights to safely remove and relocate colonies of bees as he has done for the past 22 years.

In 2020, Downs wrote and illustrated a children’s book called “Beecasso And His Magical Brush,” and is working on a sequel book: “Beecasso: A Bee And His Brush,” he is planning to finish and release this fall.

“The next book is about how Beecasso became an artist,” Downs said. “I’m still writing it, [ideas] are still coming to me.”

Recently, Downs has been doing a series of 40-foot-high live bee removals behind the famous blue screen located in the backlot at Universal Studios Hollywood.

Downs has been working on

noticed in the many years since I’ve been doing that it touches people and I’m very excited about that.”

Downs ended another successful relocation by using the opportunity to teach the small crowd that had gathered about honey bees and his joy and passion for rescuing them.

“I feel very humbled and blessed just to see people’s excited faces,” Downs said "I love the job, and when all this fun stuff happens, it’s fun for yourself.”

Editors Ethan Cohen, Delfino Camacho, Nindiya Maheswari and staff writers Eddy Cermeno, Kim McGill, Ash Hallas, Raphael Richardson and Brianna Vaca

Hitting A High Note. El Camino Students Share Favorite 4/20 Songs:

contributed to this story.

Honeybee Preservationist Steve Downs shows the collection of bees from a swarm previously engulfing parking Lot B on Thursday, March 23 Ethan Cohen | The Union

Honeybee Preservationist Steve Downs dawning full bee protection gear as he saves the bees engulfing Lot B on Thursday, March 23. Downs grew up with a hatred for bees but now he owns a bee preservation company. Ethan Cohen | The Union

@williamskhoury

To read more stories from The Union, visit the website at eccunion.com

Warriors take first place at Mt. SAC Relays

Personal best set in hurdles, relay team; Matsuzaki, Taylor, Marschall blast way to first place finishes

Nindiya A Maheswari Putri @nindiyamaheswa1

Several El Camino College track and field sprinters brought home medals and achieved individual personal bests at the annual Mt. SAC Relays on April 8 at Hilmer Lodge Stadium in Walnut.

Showing no signs of slowing down in the 400-meter hurdles, Alyssa Matsuzaki recorded a first-place finish in her heat, running a time of one-minute and seven-seconds.

Matsuzaki placed second in her heat in the 100-meter hurdles at 15.19 seconds. Her personal best for the event is 14.99 seconds, set at the Saddleback College Invitational.

On the men’s side, freshman Lincoln Marschall was undefeatable from the start. He took an overall first-place finish in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 52.69 seconds running out of lane five.

“Overall, the team is very good and keeps moving forward and getting better each week,” Marschall said.

In heat three of the men’s 110-meter hurdles, freshman Anthony Taylor took second place and set a personal best of 14.54 seconds.

Taylor also placed fifth in men’s 400-meter hurdles with a time of 55.85 seconds.

El Camino swept victories in team relays as well as individual races. The men’s 4x100-meter relay team took a third-place finish with a time of 41.67 seconds.

Freshman Izak Giacchetto placed fourth in the men’s 110-meter hurdles in 14.97 seconds.

Running out of lane four, the mile relay squad recorded a victory for the team with a time of 3 minutes and 15 seconds, with Mt. San Antonio’s ‘A’ squad trailing just a second behind. The Riverside squad, which included no. 1 ranked hurdler

Baseball coach, instructor named Health Educator of the Year

Greg Fontanilla

@gregfontanilla

El Camino College Warriors baseball coach and physical education instructor received the Health Educator of the Year Award from the California Community College Physical Education, Kinesiology, Dance Association.

Nate Fernley, now in his 16th season as the Warriors baseball coach, expressed gratitude for the award.

“It was an honor, and I am grateful that somebody thought that I added value to students in the college,” Fernley said. “Obviously, the award is nice, but just having this job seems like the reward.”

The selection process boiled down to a nomination period by an executive board member of the association and then a selection committee.

Fernley’s nomination came from Colin Preston, El Camino’s director of athletics and kinesiology from 2016 to 2021. He was not a part of the selection committee.

Preston is now the dean of kinesiology, athletics and health science at Cypress College and is an executive board member.

“Nate is a phenomenal health instructor, and a phenomenal baseball coach,” Preston said. “Always goes above and beyond in the classroom. Every student

that I’ve ever spoken to has always enjoyed his health class, so that was the reason that I felt would be a solid nomination.”

An award ceremony took place in Sacramento at the CCCAA Spring Convention on March 30.

Fernley did not attend due to coaching duties for an El Camino baseball game against Victor Valley College who lost 18-0.

El Camino’s current athletic director Jeffrey Miera, who succeeded Preston, was coached by Fernley during his time playing baseball for ECC and served as an assistant on his coaching staff.

“It speaks volumes to the kind of person and educator that he is,” Miera said.

in the state, Joshua Hornsby, finished third.

“The anchor leg was tremendous. I mean, to come from third to first…is just truly amazing,” El Camino coach John Hall said. “We have tremendous talent on our anchor leg. He’s our state leader in the form of hurdles.”

Hall said his team is very talented and excited to be able to compete with the best teams in the state.

“We come away today with a lot of personal bests,” Hall said.

“The most the coach can ask from an athlete is to deliver their absolute best performance and we did that consistently

across all events today.”

El Camino will be competing at the South Coast Conference prelims on at Cerritos College on Tuesday, April 25.

To read more, visit The Union website at eccunion.com

Golf team on par for conference finals

Khoury

Williams

@williamskhoury

Update: The El Camino College golf team came in last place with a score of 420 during the coastal Orange Empire Conference match at the Cottonwood Golf Club in San Diego on April 17. The Warriors will be returning to Chino Hills for conference finals on Monday, April 24.

Featuring ten California community colleges from both coastal and inland areas, the El Camino College golf team hosted the April 12 Orange Empire Conference Neutral Match at the Los Serranos Country Club in Chino Hills.

El Camino came in at ninth place with a total score of 436 from six golfers representing the Warriors. Saddleback College took first place overall with a score of 384.

Although El Camino placed ninth, their placement for the neutral match will not affect its standing going into conference finals, coach Stacy Komai said.

Komai added the Warriors have been improving, but are struggling overall to keep their scores below 90 as a team.

For individual scores, Chan Suk would lock in El Camino’s best score with 79, followed

by his teammate Bradley Yamamoto with a score of 85.

Suk and Yamamoto were the only players for the Warriors to score below 90.

Suk struck the golf ball nearly halfway on the opening 560-yard, par-five hole.

After 18 holes, five hours and 74 total pars stretching across 7,628 yards of land, Suk and his pair of golfers embraced each other with congratulatory handshakes, smiles and hugs as they

cheered on the rest of their teammates to finish.

“Putting was a little rough. The greens were punched last week, so the ball wasn’t rolling its line. It was kind of bouncing a little bit,” Yamamoto said. “I [could] hit the ball okay, just putting was off.”

To read more, visit The Union website at eccunion.com

Sophomore Xerxes Reamer (left) sprints the men’s 100-meter dash. Reamer also competed on the 4x400-meter relay team that took first place on April 8 at Hilmer Lodge Stadium in Walnut. Nindiya Maheswari | The Union

Braden Guerrero (middle) points at Chan Suk in recognition of his golfing skill at the beginning of hole 3 in the Orange Empire Conference Neutral match in Chino Hills on April 12. Suk was El Camino’s best scorer, at 79. Khoury Williams | The Union

Nate Fernley at Warrior Field on Tuesday, March 4. Greg Fontanilla | The Union