The Union
EL CAMINO COLLEGE
SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1946
@eccunion
May 5, 2022
eccunion.com
A semester of milestones
Forensics team win first place in national tournament
Journalism students win 35 local, state and national awards
Maureen Linzaga @maureenlinzaga
Khallid Muhsin @KM_elcamino23
Numerous awards and framed images adorn the blue walls of the be specific room. Each photograph documents at least 30 years of history, capturing the legacy of the Forensics team’s successes in speech and debate tournaments throughout the years. Applause and cheering flood the room as Torrance City Mayor Patrick Furey hands out a certificate and a gold coin to each member and coach to display their accomplishments. The El Camino College Forensics team made yet another historic accomplishment on April 9 as the team won the Phi Rho Pi National Championship for the first time, accumulating the most points across all categories and divisions in the competitive speech and debate tournament held in St. Charles, Missouri. The team also earned first place in the National Parliamentary Tournament of Excellence for both two and four-year institutions on March 27. “You have really made us very proud as a city, as a community and as a region,” Furey said to the team members and coaches clad in blue team hoodies surrounding him.
El Camino College’s student-run magazine and newspaper publications took home a total of 35 awards for their work over the past year. These awards were distributed over two national college conferences that took place in California and New York, hosted by the Associated Collegiate Press and the College Media Association. The Union and Warrior Life magazine received a combined total of 35 awards that recognized several individual journalists and an adviser for the journalism department. A few notable awards were given to Stefanie Frith for an Educator of the Year award, Mari Inagaki winning first place for Best Magazine Photo and Greg Fontanilla winning first place for winning Best Sports Photo.
SEE FEATURES PAGE 4 →
Women’s Tennis player Madeline Evans poses with the California College College Atheletics Association 2022 Women’s Tennis State Championship trophy. Evans is a South Torrance High School alumni and is a first-year player for the Warriors. Naoki Gima | The Union
Women’s tennis team wins State Championship Warriors 17-0 perfect season makes history
The Union’s editor-in-chief, Khoury Williams attended both ceremonies and enjoyed seeing his peers being honored for their hard work. “Receiving these awards for our journalism department feels great and is a great achievement to have as both editor-in-chief for The Union and a reporter for Warrior Life. It’s an honor.”, Williams said.
Naoki Gima @naokigima
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ARTS
NEWS
Students change their lifestyle in order to cope with inflation.
Theater major Olivia Curry shares acting experience.
The Union’s staff arrive at John F. Kennedy Airport. Pictured (left to right) are Maureen Linzaga, Stefanie Frith, Khoury Williams and Nicholas Broadhead. Delfino Comacho | The Union
Trust the Union
El Camino staff and students should work with The Union.
SCAN ME
Pursuing the arts
Gas on the rise
EDITORIAL
The National Parliamentary Tournament trophy won by El Camino College in 2022. The ECC forensics team has won this award every year since 2017. Greg Fontanilla | The Union
he El Camino College women’s tennis team won the California College College Atheletics Association 2022 State Championship for the first time in the program’s history, defeating the Cañada College Colts with a score of 5-1 overall on Saturday, April 23 at the Bakersfield Racquet Club. This State Championship win capped off a season where the Warriors did not lose a single game in the regular season, finishing with a 12-0 undefeated streak and sweeping through the playoffs. The Warriors won two out of the three doubles matches on Saturday. The number one doubles pair of Julia Jones and Kekoa Vaefa beat the Colts doubles team of Zuzia Dziewięcka and Josie Thompson with a score of 8-3. The number two pair of Kayla Brown and Danay Holman beat the Colts number two pair of Michaela Llewelyn and Lauren Denenberg with a score of 8-2. SEE SPORTS PAGE 8 →
2 The Union
Editorial
May 5, 2022 Something to say? Send letters our way! Students and members of the El Camino community are invited to submit guest columns and letters to the editors for consideration to be published. Columns and letter should be 300-450 words, two per semester, with 60 days inbetween each work. Visit The Union website to learn more. (eccunion.com/about)
Editors' Thoughts: Thumbs up, Thumbs down Maureen Linzaga | The Union
El Camino can trust The Union news
Employees and students can work with Union staff to develop connections Union Editorial Board @eccunion
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l Camino College’s motto is “Where you belong. Where you succeed.” This is to imply that everyone that attends the college can feel a sense of belonging and a space they can be free to succeed. However, where we at The Union have succeeded we still feel that we do not belong. Serving the El Camino College community since 1946, The Union strives to be a well-rounded publication that reports on not just news but on the aspects of this college that make it a place to be. Nevertheless, that means we will report on information that is newsworthy and important for the community to hear. The publication believes in communication from our critics and encourages those who are critical of our practices to communicate those grievances. The Union would suggest our critics to sit down face-to-face with staff to put a person behind the name of a byline. Throughout this semester, a common issue faced by The Union has been our lack of access to information we feel needs to be published whether it be by the administration, faculty, staff or students. EL CAMINO COLLEGE
The Union
SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1946
Vol. 76, No. 1 May 5, 2022
Contact: eccunion@gmail.com Newsroom: (310) 660-3328 Advertising: (310) 660-3329
Thumbs up to the possible additions like microwaves for students on campus Thumbs up to the new cafe that will open next to the El Camino Bookstore
One such example is the obstacles The Union faced when attempting to cover the El Camino Covid Task Force and the decisions that come from their meetings. Gaining access to the meeting and finding members willing to speak on the record proved difficult for The Union. When it was created, the task force was meant to be a response to the unknown virus at the time that caused a two week shutdown of the college. But two weeks turned into two years and the walls are still blocking the public from commenting on issues that they face daily at El Camino College. This is not the only obstacle The Union has faced, many reporters have experienced a lack of access to sources that have been unwilling to speak unless Kerri Webb, Director of Public Information and Government Relations, is present. While Webb’s expertise is appreciated and helpful to The Union, she is only one person taking on a big job. It is unreasonable to expect Webb to be able to accompany every source our reporters have an interest in speaking with. A good example in which The Union has found success has been scheduling an in-person meeting with the Academic Senate President Darcie
McClelland and Secretary Maria Garcia in creating a more transparent understanding of how The Union operates. Through discussion, McClelland and Gracia explained to The Union how they operate as an entity that serves the faculty of El Camino College in academic and professional matters. The representatives of the Academic Senate worked with The Union to set in place the most mutually beneficial way for reporters to attend meetings and request information that would ultimately help our reporting. Members of the community want to know when specific events are happening around campus before they happen in a meeting. The Union needs the help of our college officials in order to dive in deeper and give a more accurate perspective. In order to allow The Union to better serve the public, we encourage the administration to meet with staff in the newsroom and communicate the best possible ways to go about gaining access and information. It's not just about journalists but about the community having access to elected officials. Editorials are unsigned and are written and voted upon by the editorial board.
–Khoury Williams Editor-in-Chief | The Union
Editor-in-Chief Khoury Williams News Editor Elizabeth Basile Features and Arts Editor Maureen Linzaga Sports and Opinion Editor Nicholas Broadhead Photo Editor Vitor Fernandez Assistant Social Media Editor Ethan Cohen Assistant Social Media Editor Delfino Camacho Senior Staff Writer Safia Ahmed Staff Writer Khallid Muhsin Staff Writer Katie O’Brien Staff Writer Margarita Sipaque Intern Sebastian Lipstein Senior Photographer Greg Fontanilla Photographer Charlie Chen Photographer Naoki Gima Photographer Alexis Ponce Photographer Elsa Rosales Photographer Sharlisa Shabazz Photo Adviser Gerard Burkhart Advertising Manager Jack Mulkey Adviser Stefanie Frith
The Union is published 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. Unsigned editorials and cartoons are the opinion of the editorial board and do not necessarily reflect the views of the student body, staff or administration. Letters to the editor must be signed and must be received one week prior to publication in the Union office, Humanities Building Room 113. Letters are subject to editing for space, libel, obscenity and disruption of the educational process. Single copies of the Union are free; multiple copies can be requested through the Union.
College Media Association Newspaper of the Year Award | 2015, 2016 (2nd) College Media Association Best Newspaper Website Award | 2021 (2nd) College Media Association Website of the Year Award | 2019 Associated Collegiate Press Regional Pacemaker Award | 1988, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2012 Associated Collegiate Press Best of Show Award, Online Edition | 2021 California News Publishers Association General Excellence Award | 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005 California News Publishers Association General Excellence Award, Online Edition | 2019 (2nd) Journalism Association of Community Colleges General Excellence Award | 1991, 1992, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2018 (eccunion.com), 2020 (both newspaper and eccunion.com), 2022 (eccunion.com)
Thumbs down to the new cafe being delayed past March 31 opening Thumbs down to some in person classes going back online in 2022.
Returning to print news after two year disappearance When the novel coronavirus disease became widespread in 2020, the world adapted and changed along with it. The Union started delivering biweekly and now weekly online newsletters to keep the El Camino College community informed on local news during the global pandemic. After being away for two years, The Union staff is now back on campus and we are proud to present the first issue in our 76th volume of The Union's physical newspaper.
May 5, 2022
News
The Union 3
Graduation to be hosted in person after 2 years
Broadcast journalist chosen as commencement speaker Delfino Camacho @eccunionDelfino
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ecisions regarding the El Camino College graduation ceremony were approved by the Board of Trustees during their meeting on Monday, April 18. The decisions in question included the commencement speaker, live music and extra staffing which can be found in the Board of Trustees agenda for this meeting. The board members unanimously voted to approve El Camino College alumnus and current Broadcasting Executive Producer Deyja Charles as the commencement speaker for the 75th El Camino College Commencement Ceremony which will be held on June
10 in Murdock Stadium. For both the music and the extra staffing, board member Trisha Murakawa voiced a concern about hiring outside contractors when El Camino has student musicians, police department and more of their own workers who could possibly provide the same services like music and traffic control. Both President Thames and fellow board member Kenneth Brown provided responses to Murakawa. In regards to crowd and traffic control campus police will be handling those services but extra help is needed because they are, “severely understaffed,” including cadets, Thames said. Brown said that he favored having the
professional trumpet players because of their “style and fanfare,” for the commencement event which students have not had an opportunity to see during the pandemic. Following the questions all three items were unanimously approved by the board. Major League Music Inc. will be hired to provide live trumpet music while Contemporary Service Corporation will be providing extra staffing for crowd traffic control. The commencement speaker will be paid $1,000, Major League Music will be paid $1,300 and Contemporary Service Corporation will be paid $13,885 for their services.
The prices of gas in California soar to record highs Students change their lifestyle in order to cope with recent inflation of gas prices Ethan Cohen @itscohen Syed Suhail used to drive around the South Bay area for fun, visiting friends and enjoying extensive road trips to local hot-spot destinations. That was until gas prices saw an increase throughout the state of California. The 19-year-old Computer Science major at El Camino College now spends his time making sure that every last drop in his gas tank counts, commuting only to-and-from essential locations like school, work and home. “I have to be more aware of driving before getting behind the wheel,” Suhail said, “but now I have to be more aware and consider that if I decide to go somewhere that I may not be able to afford gas for the next two weeks.” Suhail said that his commute can take up to 30 minutes in traffic from where he resides in Rancho Palos Verdes to El Camino College. Filling up his gas tank takes up the majority of Suhail’s paycheck from his minimum wage job. “I commute to El Camino three days a week and am working a minimum wage job so having to pay almost six dollars a gallon takes a huge toll on my paycheck,” Suhail said. According to AAA Gas Prices, the current average price of gas in the state of California is $5.808 per gallon for the lowest grade and upwards of $5.940 specifically in Los Angeles County. Compared to the national average of $4.164, the state of California has the highest gas prices on average in all of
Police Beat
Khoury Williams @williamskhoury There have been a total of 76 reported crimes around the El Camino College campus from Jan. 1 to May 2. During the month of March alone, there have
Dayja Charles is currently an executive producer at The E.W. Scripps Company,. Charles is an alumna of El Camino College. She was chosen to be the commencement speaker at El Camino College. This is the college’s first in-person commencement since the campus was closed due to COVID-19 two years ago. Photo courtesy of El Camino College Marketing and Communications.
Microwaves for student access may be coming to campus Delfino Camacho @eccunionDelfino
Tommy Wilks, a resident of El Segundo, checks the gas pump while filling up his car’s tank at a Costco gas station, in Hawthorne California, on March 8. Many drivers like Wilks now have to be more cognizant of their daily commutes due to the recent increase in gas prices. Alexis Ponce | The Union
the United States, reaching record highs of just over $6 per gallon as recently as March 28. El Camino College Professor of Economics, Tanja Carter, said that many factors are generating the inflation of gas prices in the country, one of them being the recent Russian invasion of Ukraine. “The most recent increases are clearly due to the recent invasion of Ukraine which is resulting in a reluctance to rely on Russian oil,” Carter said. Carter said that Russia is one of the largest oil and gas exporters for the globe and that the most recent sanctions on the country have affected the global price which in turn results in higher prices at gas stations. “For the students who don’t live locally, it’s a big deal when you fill up a tank of gas that could be a huge jump well been a total of 30 reported crimes. The following list includes all of the crimes that were reported: • 11 disturbances • 11 reports of vandalism • 10 motor vehicle theft cases • Eight petty theft cases • Six grand theft crimes
over $20 to $30,” Carter said. “Students are going to have less money for food, less money for books and less money for spring vacation.” While the increasing gas prices are negatively affecting students, those who work at local gas stations around El Camino are also feeling the pressure. Jaime Galeas, a 22-year-old gas station attendant at the Chevron on Artesia Boulevard and Prairie Avenue said that he struggles with customer service when people walk into the station in an angry mood. “While working here you need to have a lot of patience and be nice to the people walking in,” Galeas said.
To read more, visit The Union website at eccunion.com
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Five drug arrests Three incidents of stalking Two public urination incidents Two battery cases Two attempted motor thefts Two hit and run incidents Two aggravated assault cases Two incidents of suspects driving without a license
Microwaves on campus, or rather a need for them, is currently being worked on by the Associated Students Organization. During the April 18 Board of Trustees meeting, Student Trustee Karina Ramirez brought up concerns that El Camino College has a lack of microwaves available for student use and how that can be an issue. “There’s not necessarily a public place for students to warm up food.” Ramirez said. “Particularly for the warrior pantry since sometimes the pantry gives our students food that requires to be heated. Ramirez told The Union that the Warrior Pantry had reached out to the Associated Students Organization (ASO) and said that microwaves were sorely needed. Ramirez said that the current ASO president is in the process of reaching out to deans in the hopes of securing permanent locations for the microwaves. When asked if the lack of microwaves on campus were a result of COVID-19, Ramirez was clear that she did not know, but says that with classes back in person, they are needed now. “We have to make sure that first of all the microwaves are sanitary,” Ramirez said. “But we also want to make sure that they’re put in locations where students can access them.”
Upcoming Ethan Astaphan, who is accused of killing El Camino College student Juan Carlos Hernandez, was in court on May 3 for a pretrial conference. To
read more, visit The Union website at eccunion.com
4 The Union
Features
May 5, 2022
Salsa Club dances back in-person Members participate in Latin dance again after two-year isolation Delfino Camacho @eccunionDelfino
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pbeat music from a portable speaker echoes across the Student Services Plaza. Not wanting to let the lack of an available indoor location stop the music, the El Camino College Salsa Club organizers had their members grooving and shaking their hips under the sun. That was March 21. On March 22, the club’s second meetup date of the week, members met in Room 233 of the Physical Education South Building. The soft floors, mirrored walls and most importantly shade from the glaring sun were much more suitable for dancing. “Salsa Club has been a pretty big deal for some people, me included,” club president Melissa Cruz said. “It helps establish a social network at school, you get to meet new people who like doing what you do and you build a little bit of a family there.” The Salsa Club is at least 12 years old this year and the long-standing club is celebrating a return after a two-year hiatus. “COVID-19 really affected our club. Significantly. As far as I know, we didn’t have any meetings once everything shut down,” Cruz said. To make up for lost time, Zweli Barton wasted no time in starting the lessons. Barton is a professional dancer
Alahna Alton, 17 (front right), and Edrin Abrigo, 22 (far right), lead Salsa Club members in the correct way to step forward and step back during a Tuesday club meeting on March. 22. Vitor Fernandez | The Union
and is the Salsa Club’s off-campus volunteer instructor. As former member, Barton first joined the Salsa Club back in 2013. “I was a student at Santa Monica College but El Camino had a salsa team, so I took classes at El Camino so I could become a part of it,” Barton said. “When the instructor left, I didn’t want the team to die. So I volunteered my time as instructor.” After being active for so many years, Barton admits that the two-year pause due to COVID-19 was hard on the group. “It basically brought us back to square one, I didn’t know if the club would come back,” Barton said. Members said he works hard to make sure new students aren’t overwhelmed while maintaining the fun for experienced members. Alahna Alton and Edrin Abrigo help out with club instruction, since meetings serve as dance classes where members follow the more experienced
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El Camino College alumni Patrick Furey, now the Mayor for the City of Torrance, presents an award to a student of the El Camino Forensics Team on May 2 at El Camino College’s Music Building. Greg Fontanilla | The Union
As alumna of El Camino himself, Furey said the efforts and diversity of the team as they reach prestigious competitions is one to be proud of. “You’ve come from different
socioeconomic backgrounds, different races, religions, absolutely everything,” Furey said. “But you come together as a team and that’s how you win things, that’s how you are the champions.”
dancers’ movements. “I would like to see more people be interested in [Salsa dancing] so I’m volunteering, helping out whenever I can,” Abrigo said. The club teaches both how to lead and how to follow, breaking traditions by having both men and women in both positions, former club president and current club member Erin Portway said. “I have some friends that I’ve made through the club that I’m hopefully going to have for a long time. It almost feels like I can’t get rid of them,” Portway said with a big smile. For members also want to join competitions, there is also a Salsa Team that is separate from the Salsa Club. On Mondays, the club meets in the South Gym and on Tuesdays, they meet in the South Physical Education building. The club’s Instagram page regularly updates its schedule and shares videos of its practices and activities. “If you’re trying to reintegrate Brittany Hubble, communications professor at El Camino and Forensics team coach, was also part of the Forensics team as an El Camino student from 2013 to 2015. “Not only is it special that we haven’t done it before, but it’s also been such a hard couple of years because of COVID and the lack of interaction,” Hubble said. In preparation for the tournaments, the team would meet twice a week to practice and improve their arguments and delivery, bringing the team members closer in the process. “It’s really great just to have supportive teammates, and supportive coaches and just great people in general around you,” Jana Abulaban, Forensics team member said. Forensics Director Francesca Bishop has been a coach for El Camino’s Forensics team for over 20 years, gaining years of experience training students whether experienced debaters or complete beginners. “Take our current member Cody
Alahna Alton and Edrin Abrigo lead the Salsa Club members during a club meeting on March. 22. Vitor Fernandez | The Union
yourself back into social life, if you’re trying to interact with people, what better way to do that than through dance?” Cruz said. To read more, visit The Union website at eccunion.com
[Hagemaier] for example, he came to us, he tried out, he never had any experience whatsoever, and yet he ended up taking a gold medal in nationals,” Bishop said. In the end, the team garnered around 30 total individual awards in parliamentary, extemporaneous, impromptu and more categories, defeating powerhouse schools such as Rice University and the University of California Berkeley. “There’s no better method of teaching people how to act as communicators than the method cultivated by the debate coaches we have in El Camino,” Olivia Penland, another Forensics team member said. The team is eager to reach heights once again and is encouraging more students to join the 2022-2023 team. “Anybody who would like to try Forensics don’t need to have any experience, because as long as you’ve got some adaptability, we can train you in that, and it’s so rewarding,” Bishop said. To read more, visit The Union website at eccunion.com
May 5, 2022
Arts
The Union 5
Arts Calendar
Everybody
Directed by Jayongela Wilder Campus Theatre May 13, 14, 20 and 21 at 8 p.m. May 15 @ 3 p.m. $15 for adults, $10 for students
Chorale, Concert Choir and Women’s Chorus Directed by Joanna Nachef and Soyun Kang Marsee Auditorium May 15 at 7 p.m. $10 for everyone
Concert Band
Directed by David Moyer Marsee Auditorium May 20 at 8 p.m. $10 for everyone
Studio Jazz Band
Directed by David Moyer Marsee Auditorium May 23 at 8 p.m. $10 for everyone
In the women’s dressing room at Campus Theatre on Sunday, March 20, Olivia Curry’s preparation for Spring Awakening started off with her hair wrapped in a bun, applying makeup before she heads onstage to play the character Wendla. Sharlisa Shabazz | The Union
A student’s pursuit in theatrical arts Theater major Olivia Curry shares plans and experience as young actress Safia Ahmed @eccunionSafia
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Golden Angeles University banners are hung outside the HAAG Recital Hall on March 17. Margarita Sipaque | The Union
CW drama show ‘All American’ films on campus Margarita Sipaque @eccunionMS El Camino College campus served as the set for filming production on the CW show ‘All American’ on March 17 to 19. ‘All American’ is a teen drama show based on a true story about a South Crenshaw student named Spencer James, played by actor Daniel Ezra, and his path to becoming a professional football player. El Camino served as Golden Angeles University, a fictional school in the show where the character Wade Waters, played by actor Christian James, plays quarterback for the Condors Football team. El Camino College campus has recently been a favored location for filming during the spring semester.
ehind the curtain of her dressing room, Olivia Curry sits in front of a mirror applying makeup before heading out to a rehearsal. Curry, 18, is a student at El Camino College who has been involved in theater for 12 years and had lead roles in two El Camino shows “Psycho Beach Party” and “Spring Awakening”. Curry’s parents are also immersed in theater as she has followed in their footsteps, in addition to her older sister, who is also an actress. Curry’s family enjoys singing, dancing and acting. “Both of my parents are in the realm of theater so it was just something that I fell in love with from a very young age and haven’t left,” Curry said. Curry is a Screen Actors Guild member and works with the CESD talent agency, who spends her free time auditioning for professional jobs. Curry has played lead roles in two shows at El Camino College, “Psycho Beach Party” and “Spring Awakening”. El Camino College’s rehearsal and theatrical production processes are relatively close to those of an equity or professional theater company, and they “teach the students professionalism, and how the whole process is very collaborative,” Curry said. Upon taking theater and acting
classes at El Camino, Curry has slowly learned to step out of her comfort zone. “There’s something about this theater group in particular that I feel very comfortable with challenging myself, which I think is very cool,” Curry said. “The greatest challenge I’ve faced as an actor is allowing myself to go to certain places that are really scary and hard to express. Being willing to go there and to also be watched as you, you challenge yourself in a way that is very scary but rewarding.” Thomas Evans, a theater student who has known Curry through the past two shows says Curry is a “hardworking” and “passionate” person. Curry is grateful she was able to experience a cast of actors she can be genuine and close friends with. “It has never felt like this and it is the most amazing group of people that I’ve ever met and I will be friends with them for probably the rest of my life,” Curry said. Curry also studies music at El Camino, where she plays guitar and piano, but preserves her interest in theater as she cherishes the sensation and thrill she feels on stage before performances. “It can’t be fulfilled by anything else that I’ve ever experienced in my life yet. I can’t live without it. It’s just so important to me so I will probably never stop for as long as I can,” Curry said. Matthew Singletary, 44, is a part-
time Fine Arts instructor at the college. Singletary met Curry through “Psycho Beach Party” and describes her as a positive influence on the cast. “She is one of those humans who naturally draws people to her, she is very diligent, always on time, she always exceeded my expectations,” Singletary said. “Every experience I had with these students taught me more about who I am as a human being.” Curry plans to transfer from El Camino to a four-year university after the spring 2022 semester, and as a token of appreciation, Singletary wrote a letter of recommendation for her admission to Yale’s acting school. For future plans, Curry plans to perform Shakespeare shows, which she said she is most passionate about performing. “I want to do everything whether it’s theater, voiceover on camera. I love it all and I think it’s all fun in its own special way,” Curry said. The fact that theater is live and in the present is what Curry considers the essence of performances. Curry encourages people who have a passion for auditioning to take on theater, she said theater would be the perfect job. “The process is very spontaneous and you don’t quite know what will happen,” Curry said. “So as long as you’re having fun, you’re exactly where you need to be.”
Spanish Professor teaches Folklorico
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Woodworking class sparks creativity Art Gallery printmaking workshop
6 The Union
Photo Essay
Cherry Blossoms on display in their final days on Wednesday, March 23, at El Camino College. The flowers, also known as sakura, are normally in season between March and April. The Cherry Blossom Festival returned to campus the following week on March 31. Elsa Rosales | The Union
May 5, 2022
The Send Silence Packing event at El Camino College showcased backpacks spread across the library lawn. The backpacks brought awareness on the impact of suicide. Charlie Chen | The Union
Syed Suhail (19) sits in front of Cafe Camino on Wednesday, Feb. 16. Suhail believes that the current system for individuals getting onto campus is not strong, as anyone could be dishonest about symptoms. Ethan Cohen/The Union.
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El Camino College campus life reignited
his semester, the El Camino College campus officially reopened its doors following two years of remote learning due to the novel coronavirus disease. As new and returning students leave the comfort of their homes to step foot onto school grounds, they face unforeseen challenges but also long awaited college experiences. The El Camino community had a variety of new campus elements to get used to, thanks in part to the pandemic. The El Camino community had to adapt to mask mandates, smaller class sizes and a collective confusion about classes that were in-person and what classes went back online. Along with the confusion, the return to campus also exposed students to positive experiences that only a campus life can provide. Campus celebrations such as the cherry blossom festival and special events like the Send Silence Packing suicide awareness display along with the “CommUnity” walk allowed students to engage in their community in ways virtual learning can not. Exciting class opportunities and activities such as woodworking and hanggliding can only be enjoyed in person. As The Union celebrates its own in-person milestone with the triumphant return of our print newspaper we look forward to what else the return to campus.
Trisha Nguyen of Huntington Beach glues pieces of beech wood together in order to make a table in her woodworking class on March 26. “I heard about this class from other people. It’s a good wood program,” Nguyen said. Kim McGill | The Union
May 5, 2022
Sports Photo Essay
The Union 7
Warriors Women’s Tennis player Kayla Brown is embraced by teammates Stefanie Liebich and Madeline Evans following her game clinching win against College of the Desert Roadrunners’ Antonella Mazzotti at El Camino College on Tuesday, April 19. Brown’s win over Mazzotti would give the Warriors their first State Championship attendance in the program’s history. Naoki Gima | The Union
Warriors athletics having a Warriors softball pitcher Liz Cortez (#3) prepares to throw a pitch to an opposing batter during the El Camino College vs. Cypress College game at the El Camino softball field on Saturday, March 19. The Warriors would ultiumately lose to the Cypress Chargers 2-4. Charlie Chen | The Union
El Camino College Warriors pitcher James Kobylt (#17) throws a pitch in the final inning of the game against the Santa Barbara City College Vaqueros on Tuesday, March 1, 2022 at Warrior Field. Kobylt would seal the victory for the Warriors with a scoreless final inning, giving the Warriors the 8-2 victory over the Vaqueros. Naoki Gima | Union Photo
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he Spring 2022 playoffs season has reached El Camino College for the first time since the pandemic, bringing with it a slew of Warriors hot streak victories and notable accomplishments. Some striking examples include women’s tennis, women’s beach volleyball, softball and baseball. The Warriors Women’s Tennis team finished their perfect season 17-0, capping off their stellar regular season with a state championship title victory. The triumph marks the first crown in tennis program history. No.1 pair Julia Jones and Kekoa Vaefa also won the 2022 South Coast Conference Doubles Championships defeating College of the Desert back in April. Women’s Beach Volleyball started their season off with a string of defeats,
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but soon lit up winning 20 straight matches earning them the No. 3 seed in the playoffs. They recently secured a spot in the state championship match that will be played tournament style against two other teams for the title on Thursday, May 12. This is the program’s second ever trip to the state championship match and will look to make history by winning it all for the first time. Baseball finished the season with an overall record of 29-11 adding a few hot streaks into the season mix and are heading to the regional playoffs as the No. 10 seed. Softball is also heading to the regional playoffs as the No. 10 seed finishing with an overall record of 20-19. – Naoki Gima and Ethan Cohen
El Camino College Warriors No. 4 pair Emily Uhrinak (#9) jumps to block opponent MiraCosta College Spartan Summer Hoslett (#1) on Tuesday, May 3 at the El Camino College Sand Courts. Uhrinak would ultimately get the point and win the set for the Warriors playing to their 4-1 match win. (Ethan Cohen | The Union) Ethan Cohen | The Union
8 The Union
Sports
May 5, 2022
cont. from page 1 The Warriors won three singles matches to cap off the overall win against the Colts. No. 4 player Kayla Brown beat the Colts Lauren Denenberg 6-1 and 6-4. No. 5 player Stefanie Liebich beat the Colts Corinne Mehring with two consecutive 6-0 sets. Brown expressed the importance this win was for her and the impact that her team has had on her life. “I’m just so blessed and honored to have just an amazing team, amazing coach, coach Darin the assistant coach, our girls are just so amazing and talented,” Brown said. “Growing up, you have teams and everything, but to have a team that turned into not just a team but it’s also a sisterhood, it’s really an amazing thing.” No. 2 player Kekoa Vaefa sealed the win for the Warriors, beating the Colts Michaela Llewelyn 6-4 and 6-2. Vaefa told The Union how her mother’s death in January impacted her approach to the season and her growing appreciation for her team. “...Playing throughout the season was really tough because she is usually there in the stands, so today was something I would hope that would make her proud,” Vaefa said. “It meant a lot [to win]. My teammates have been absolutely amazing, from being really great players to being really supportive friends, this was a season, definitely, that was meant for us.” The Warriors 2022 CCCAA Women’s Tennis State Championship roster includes Julia Jones, Kekoa Vaefa, Danay Holman, Kayla Brown, Stefanie Liebich and Madeline Evans, with Coach Steven Van Kanegan and Assistant Coach Darin Dunn. Assistant Coach Dunn praised his team’s dedication and camaraderie throughout the season. “…For me, all the credit goes to [The Warriors] and what they’ve been able to do this year is something remarkable that we haven’t been able to do before. I’m very excited and very happy for them,” Dunn said.
Baseball and softball teams head to So Cal regionals
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l Camino Colleges’ baseball and softball teams are heading to their California Community College Athletic Association regionals. The announcements were made on the El Camino Athletics website May 2, with both teams seeding at No. 10. The teams will have their first games May 6 and partake in a best of three game series. Baseball will face No. 7 seed Cuesta College at Cuesta Field for the first time since 2007. As for El Camino softball, this is their sixth regional in a row since their 2015 season and will face No. 8 seeded team Bakersfield College at their field. –Nicholas Broadhead Sports and Managing Editor
El Camino Beach Volleyball pair Diana Enriquez (#24) and Emily Uhrinak (#9) celebrate scoring a point in their match against the Long Beach City College Vikings at the El Camino beach volleyball courts on Tuesday, May 3. The duo went on to win the go-ahead match that sent the team to the state championships. Ethan Cohen | The Union
Beach Volleyball team hits the mark
Warriors punches ticket to state championship, extending 22-game win streak Ethan Cohen & Delfino Camacho @itsecohen @eccunionDelfino
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s El Camino Beach Volleyball duo Diana Enriquez and Emily Uhrinak stared down their rivals from across the net, they could not help but glance at the red numbers on the scoreboard screaming their two point deficit. The No. 4 pair were four points away from clinching a spot to the CCCAA Beach Volleyball Team State Championships after a 21 match long hot streak spanning the entirety of their conference season. For coach Liz Hazell and the Warriors team, this deciding match means a chance at the state title. “Long Beach is a big rival for us because they’re in our conference,” Hazell said, “they’re always tough and scrappy and bring a lot of energy.” After the Warriors sailed through the No. 6 seeded MiraCosta Spartans 4-1, next came the No. 11 seeded Long Beach Vikings. Although they struck first blood against Warrior duo Ginia Goods and Kaila Siu, they were ultimately beat out by tough plays from the Warriors, earning El Camino a 3-2 match victory in tournament style play on Tuesday, May 3. “It’s always good to be confident in the team,” Hazell said. “You want to be confident but not cocky, believe in our skills and take the ball on our side, and then make adjustments, so it was exciting to see us come out on top on that and now get to move on to the state championship.” Enriquez expressed the nerves that took over going into playoff matches against MiraCosta and Long Beach but found comfort and rhythm within her partner’s dominance on the sand. “Emily’s blocking and offense really carried [the match],” Enriquez said, “it puts a lot of ease on the defensive side of things.” Enriquez said that the Warriors tend
El Camino Beach Volleyball players Fayth Rascon (left) and Lauren McCarthy (right) both dive for the ball before it hits the sand during a game against Long Beach City College at El Camino beach volleyball courts on Tuesday, May 3, 2022. Rascon and McCarthy won two sets en route to the 3-2 overall victory for the Warriors. Naoki Gima | Union Photo
to go neck and neck with the Vikings, so she kept the mentality of playing to have fun and holding errors to a minimum, which ultimately pushed her duo over the top to win the goahead match. While some of the Warriors players experienced struggle in the match, No. 1 pair Fayth Rascon and Lauren McCarthy got through their matchup with little trouble. Recently winning the 2022 South Coast Conference Pairs Championship title at Long Beach City College, Rascon and McCarthy played against the Vikings Jennifer Lias and Celestial Ropati, routing them in a two set match win of 21-16 and 21-15. Screaming out calls and signs during the match, McCarthy explained how her communication with her partner is what sets them apart from other teams when playing as pairs. “We never shut up, it lets you know where the other person is, kind of like echolocation,” McCarthy said. “You know what you want, you know where you want your set, you know where to put the ball because you’re giving a good call.” Rascon said that chemistry and communication are vital skills between partners, explaining how it helps slow
down the game which makes the play flow a little bit easier when up against big opponents. “We have great communication as a partnership,” Rascon said. “We set each other really well, we’re all over defense balls and we’re both making moves.” After finding out that the Warriors would move onto the state championship, Rascon said that she believes that this is a huge opportunity for a volleyball player’s career and something that she would remember for a long time. While the Warriors were celebrating their ticket to the state championship, Vikings’ No. 1 pair Ropati reflected on her team’s close match loss and end of their season. “We knew we were gonna have to work for it,” Ropati said. “We could have done better reading [calls] and made better decisions, on defense but we learned a lot.” For Long Beach City College, their beach volleyball season comes to an end with an overall standing of 11-6. El Camino College, whose overall standing is 22-3, advances to the CCCAA Beach Volleyball Team State Championships for the second time in the young program’s history at Irvine Valley College on Thursday, May 12.