El Camino College The Union, Vol. 71, Issue 6, June 1

EL CAMINO COLLEGE JUNE 1, 2017 Follow us at /ECCUnion

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TORRANCE, CALIFORNIA

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The future of firefighting

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Student government members resign after failed impeachment Sierra Robles and Alexis Caussey Staff Writers @ECCUnionSierra, @ECCUnionAlexis

Osvaldo Deras/ Union The El Camino Fire Academy during its annual demonstration before the ECFA graduation on May 27. The fire academy puts out a burning house every year to show what the students have learned throughout the course. Photo essay of the ECFA graduation can be found on pages 6-7.

Wanting $8 million

El Caminoʼs proposed 2017-18 budget lists a potential expense for a Fire Tech Department training facility; Dean of Industry and Technology Stephanie Rodriguez says the project has been making headway behind president Dena Maloney The Union Staff @ECCUnion

El Camino is looking for approval to spend $8 million on a joint training facility for the Fire Tech Department, according to the Academic Affairs Area Plan for the 2017-18 school year.

Director of Public Relations Ann Garten said she could not comment on the Academic Affair document because she did not know much about the pricing or listing of said projects.

She added that EC president Dena Maloney wouldn’t be able to know much on it either in terms of the pricing and arrangements.

Maloney was unable to speak to The Union due to being in meetings all day on Tuesday, despite being asked to speak about this subject one week prior, Maloney’s secretary Susan Pickens said.

Dean of Industry and Technology Stephanie Rodriguez said the regional public training center has been in discussion since about 2009 and most recently with Maloney coming on, she got really behind it and has been really supportive in doing this.

“Her (Maloney’s) enthusiasm and just totally recognizing the need for this training center has been really behind that and helped getting the community involved,” Rodriguez said.

Getting the community involved is something that has been necessary for this project, but communication has been questionable, Fire Technology Coordinator in the Industry and Technology Division, Lee MacPherson said.

He added that for reasons beyond his knowledge, he had not been involved in the discussions regarding the new building and that it seemed like the project was focused more on talking to the community rather than staff.

“We’ve all been doing that, working with the different public safety programs, police and fire.

So this regional center will cover all those areas,” Rodriguez said.

The proposed Public Safety Training Facility will benefit Fire Tech Department students according to the area plan, but the description for the unprioritized proposal does not list where the facility will be built or who will be involved in the joint services building.

Multiple calls were made to Torrance Fire Department but reporters were told to talk to the chief, who was in meetings.

Rodriquez said the discussion came up because the program outgrew the fire academy in Inglewood.

“We’re still in talking stages and we just had an advisory meeting, which included all the different

public safety areas,” Rodriguez said. “Some of the local cities would be involved with this training because we would be involving a number of the fire and police offices in this area.”

There’s a major gap here in the South Bay area for training so a lot of fire and police have to go other places outside of the community to do the training, Rodriguez said.

“We are looking at bringing a lot of public safety together (from) lots of different areas,” Rodriguez said.

“It’ll be really neat when it comes together (in) a couple years.”

Reporting by Eric Ramos, Phil Sidavong, Alba Mejia, Jorge Villa, Jimmy Nguyen and Emma DiMaggio.

Seven voted to impeach, eight voted to not, one did not vote and several members were not present.

Following the failed impeachment of the Associated Student Organization’s President, Eman Dalili, several members have resigned from their positions: former-vice president Hannah Chu, former-director of human resources Tiffany Ushijima and former senator of health and sciences Syrah Navid.

Navid and Chu resigned over the weekend, while Ushijima submitted her resignation on Tuesday night.

At the ASO meeting on Thursday, May 18, the directors voted to keep Eman Dalili, 21, as the current ASO president.

This decision caused a conflict of interest between its current members, Ushijima, 20, said.

She added that the reason she and other cabinet members voted against Dalili was because of his failure of holding responsibilities.

From April 12 through May 18, Dalili has had a total of two unexcused absences, according to the Director of Human Resources’ attendance sheet.

“I think this is a statement towards (any future president), if you’re our leader then you should lead,” Hanna Chu, 20, vice president, said.

Greg Toya, director of student development, was unavailable to meet to discuss details regarding the attempted impeachment.

“ASO is a student organization so please follow up with students for the story,” Toya said in an email.

Details regarding disagreements between Dalili and ASO cabinet members remained unmentioned.

“There was a personal vendetta against me and it wasn’t even close to passing,” Dalili said.

ASO has fundraised, passed and purchased five flowater stations in a short amount of time and saved students tens and thousands of dollars. They have left behind a lot of strong ideas for the future ASOs, including charging stations and a new lounge area, Dalili said.

“It was (proven) during the last meeting which is why the senate overwhelmingly voted to keep me as president,” Dalili said. “In the eyes of the senate, and in the eyes of the administration we’ve been one of the best (student governments).”

For more on the story go to eccunion.com.

El Camino tutor, Roger Cannon, writes Baseball team claims third place in state book about L.A. street culture, P. 4 after loss to Santa Rosa Bear Cubs, P. 11

Greg White looks to become the best golfer he can be, P. 12

2 EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION

POLICE BEAT

By Phil Sidavong

According to the logs On May 28 at 4:17 p.m. there was a disturbance call made near Lot D.

NEWS

Graduation rates continue to stay steady

Over the last five years, EC has found consistency with completion percentages

On May 30 at 9:36 a.m. there was a disturbance call about a suspicious person at Cafe Camino.

Sierra Robles

On May 30 at 10 a.m. there was a disturbance call near the Student Services building.

or the average student who is straight out of high school, entering the college scene could be a scary thing.

“Two of my biggest hardships, would probably be my transition from high school to college... my second would be time management,” Jaren Williams, 21 communications major said.

Starting off college could be like entering the twilight zone for some people. Williams is just one of many students who can provide an example on what it’s like to be a college student.

Williams has experienced the college transition first hand. It took him two years to gather enough units to transfer this fall 2017 and plans to attend Morehouse College located in Atlanta, Georgia.

Some students move away to universities, and others have no choice but to join the workforce earlier than expected.

Jaren Williams, found himself in need of a part-time job as he was beginning his college career.

Williams had friends who were school ambassadors. These are students whose jobs are to connect students and visitors to El Camino College staff, faculty, programs and services.

Student ambassadors, are hired as representatives for El Camino College and are always willing to help. In Williams’ case, these friends are who helped him get his first job.

With practically no experience at all, his friends helped create his resume and he was hired as an ambassador by Idania Reyes, director of the Student Equity Program.

The SEP provides programs and services to ensure that all students have the opportunity to succeed academically, Reyes said.

“The fix (improving student graduation rates) is getting the student to use the resources on campus,” Reyes said.

From 2010-2015, 47.8 percent of students who have attended El Camino graduated during those school years, according to the 2017 Student Success Scorecard.

The Student Success Scorecard,

On May 30 at 4:06 p.m. there was a petty theft report made at the Math, Business and Allied Health Building.

Police beat was not created/ given to The Union as Sgt. Dal Toruno was not in town.

Library to incorporate new printing system Victor R. Liptzin

Staff Writer @ECCUnionVictor

The El Camino Library will be modernizing their copying and printing systems with a new state of the art system made by Ricoh the Public Access Librarian said.

Ricoh is a prominent manufacturer of computer peripheral imaging equipment, according to its website.

“It will be easier for students to print both from their personal devices via Wi-Fi as well as being able to print just from our computer stations on campus,” Gary Medina, PAL, said.

But with the change in systems, students will have to use all of their credits on their MyECC accounts.

“As for credit on the old system carrying over to the new system that is something being worked out,” Medina said. “We can’t answer that question now it won’t be available until July.”

Arthur Leible, chief technology officer, said in an email he could not discuss the contract.

“I am not in any postion to discuss the pending contract. As ITS (Information Technology Services), we can only support in the background, but we must wait until everything is completed contractually,” Leible said in an email.

For the full story, ECCUnion.com/News.

go

to

JUNE 1, 2017

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Staff Writer @ECCUnionSierra

is an overall data converter used to compare rates of colleges over the years and is used as a basis to increase transfer, degree and certificate attainment.

Irene Graff, director of the El Camino Institutional Research Department, specializes in gathering all the college’s information from a data base compiled from admissions and records that provides representation of the data for the public.

“Our goal is to improve trends,” Graff said.

Williams, is aware of the struggles students may face when trying to earn an education. He is involved on campus to help students figure out a solution when they encounter a problem.

Even though Williams has grown a stronger character and represented good work ethic, he had to learn from his mistakes and take advantage of the resources

that were provided on campus in order to finally graduate.

Los Angeles Harbor College has a completion/graduation rate of 38.2 percent and is comparable to that of Long Beach City College, which does not fall off to far of the spectrum at 38.7 percent, according to the California Community College Chancellor’s website as of 2017.

Jennifer Holmgren, planning system analyst at Long Beach City College, collects the data and explained reasons for why completion rates remain at a constant from most local schools.

“There is a long list of reasons that would contribute, a lot of students work full-time and it can take longer to complete,” Holmgren said.

Santa Monica College has a high rate of 50.2 percent completion rate as opposed to East Los Angeles College that is at 40.2 percent,

according to cccco.edu.

Hannah Lawler, a Santa Monica College dean, gets to witness and experience the different types of students who walk across campus.

Some achieve higher goals than others, and complete them at their own pace.

“Most students take six years to get a degree or transfer,” Lawler said. We look at students and track six years forward.”

Although Williams is set to graduate this semester, he has decided not to walk during graduation and has come to the conclusion that he will work it because he is an ambassador.

Reyes contributes to a lot of Williams’ experience as an ambassador. She hired him, and makes sure students receive the best amount of benefits from the resources offered at El Camino.

“The Student Success Act of 2012 really helped colleges around

As soon as she stepped foot into that place, she knew that she didn’t belong there.

She was in a shelter in which there were no children allowed. She was sleeping in a place where men and women were separated and the lights were kept on sometimes all night long.

“It was a horrible experience,” Shantiea Dohran said.

She lived like this for six months without knowing what her fate would be.

Dohran, 32, sign language major, is one of many students who have gone through homelessness or are currently homeless.

There are many students at El Camino who are “home insecure,” meaning they don’t have a set place to live in.

Some students live in their cars, others are jumping from friends’ to relatives’ homes and some have to go to a shelter in order to pull themselves together.

Breeanna Bond, a student

• • • • • •

Santa Monica: 50.2 percent El Camino: 49 percent Cerritos: 41.6 percent East L.A.: 40.2 percent Long Beach: 38.7 percent LA Harbor: 38.2 percent

Boardʼs new resolution of support aims to protect and help immigrant students Emma DiMaggio

Features Editor @ECCUnionAlba

Local college graduation rates

Illustration by Sierra Robles A collection of completion rates at El Camino were collected over the coarse of five years and demonstrated to show the percentage increase.

Homelessness: A rising situation on campus Alba Mejia

the state to really focus on the three core services of getting students through the pipeline [graduation],” Reyes said.

The Student Success Act of 2012 was an act signed by Gov. Jerry Brown which aimed at improving educational outcomes for students at California Community Colleges and better preparing them for the workforce in the changing economy.

“It could be done,” Williams said. “It’s just up to you.”

services adviser for Extended uncertain.

Opportunity Programs and As a result of Senate Bill No. Services (EOPS) and Cooperative 1068, California schools are Agencies Resources for Education required to provide the materials (CARE), started eight months ago necessary for children and youth helping mostly students who are who are homeless. single parents.

Dohran, besides being a There are five students, is now students who a job developer are currently assistant for going through “Don’t give up. Keep CalWorks and h o m e l e s s n e s s going to school work studies, and that Bond helps. she is a proof that even if you are “It is hard homelessness is to measure going through a just temporary. the amount With the right tough situation.” of homeless resources and the —Shantiea Dohran, sign students on our language major, said. willingness to campus,” Bond succeed one can said.

“Some overcome these students don’t obstacles that life even consider themselves to be throws your way, Dohran said. homeless even if they are living in There is also Assembly Bill No. their cars.”

1995 which states that California El Camino is a campus that Community Colleges should provides many resources for provide showers “for student use to students who lack the adequate grant access, as specified, to those help they need. facilities to any homeless student Bond has a few students who go who is enrolled in coursework, see her that have toddlers living has paid enrollment fees, and is in with them in their cars and live good standing with the community in fear because their future is college district, and would

require the community college to determine a plan of action to implement this requirement.”

At EC the shower facilities available are open to anybody and no student identification is required, Jeanie Nishime, vice president of student and community advancement, said.

The showers are located in the physical education are at EC and available from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m, Nishime said.

Both Nishime and Bond said that in terms of security issues with the showers, there is someone who monitors who goes in and out of the shower facilities.

“El Camino is very community oriented,” Bond said. “Sometimes you get the good with the bad.”

Besides EOPS, CARE, and CalWorks there are many programs that help students on campus.

“Don’t give up,” Dohran said.

“Keep going to school even if you are going through a tough situation.”

Dohran advises students to take as many classes as they can, to possibly even take one class, but don’t stop going to school.

Staff Writer @ECCUnionEmma

Student immigrants no longer have to worry about being detained or not receive financial aid because of their status, according to a new board of trustees resolution.

According to the background for the resolution, “The resolution affirms our institutional values in serving all students, our commitment to the requirement to protect student privacy under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, and current practices under law regarding the disclosure of student information.”

The resolution of support came to the attention of the board of trustees on its Monday, May 22 meeting, where it was unanimously adopted into action.

“We’re not going to detain people based on their immigration status or suspected immigration status,” Kristie Daniel-DiGregorio, academic senate president, said on Tuesday, May 16.

A counselor for the Puente Project felt like the resolution was a step towards creating a less stressful learning environment for

student immigrants. “(Students) can feel free to express themselves as humans.

(They’re_ able to absorb and retain whatever (they) learn,” Juan Ramon Guerra, Puente Project counselor, said.

Daniel-DiGregorio said that the resolution received much support from the Academic Senate as well as faculty members.

“I’m quoting one senator, ‘A powerful message of support for our students and our community at a time when our students are expressing a lot of concern and uncertainty,” Daniel-DiGregorio said, in verbatim. “It echoes, the statements that have been made by a number of larger bodies, the board of governors, the cal states, the chancellor’s office, the UC’s.”

EC is following the lead of many other schools that share the same sentiments.

Approximately 35 other districts have issued similar resolutions, Daniel-DiGregorio said.

“It’s extremely important that our campus took a stand and gave our students support like this,” Taylor Young, 22, fine arts major, said.

“In times like these, having your school as an ally is invaluable.”

NEWS

JUNE 1, 2017

2000

EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION 3

TRANSFER RATES FOR EL CAMINO OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS

1500 KEY:

1000

Transfer rates to California State Universities Transfer rates to Universities of California Overall transfer rates for CSUs and UCs

500

0

2012-2013

2013-2014

2014-2015

2015-2016

Ilustration by Alba E. Mejia This data was gathered by looking at documents pertaining to the transfer rates which was used from the Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office website. This data shows transfer rates for CSUs and UCs and the overall transfer rates.

El Camino is a top 10 transfer school

Alba Mejia

Features Editor @ECCUnionAlba

T

ransferring out of a community college, for many students, seems like a long shot, especially for those who have jobs and are struggling to make ends meet.

However, that is not the case for Jose Mendez, 18, psychology major, who plans to transfer this fall to a University of California, preferably UCLA. It is difficult to get in to a UC if you are a student at El Camino, Rene Lozano, transfer center coordinator, said.

Lozano added that getting into some Cal State schools can be as difficult due to impacted majors.

The transfer rates have been increasing over the past few years and El Camino is currently No. 7 out of 115 community colleges in transfers to UC schools and California State Universities. In comparison, this past year Santa Monica College was No. 1 in transfers.

Although EC is No. 7 overall, for CSUs they rank No.3 and for UCs they rank No. 10.

As showed in the data, the percentages of the colleges mentioned are very similar and it all has to do with the amount of students enrolled versus the amount who transfer.

In order to transfer into a UC most students have to work hard to ensure that they are admitted into the school of their choice.

For Mendez working hard is not something that is foreign to him.

“I’ve always worked hard,” Mendez said. “It is a privilege to go to college here in the U.S. versus in Mexico.”

Mendez came to the U.S. as a toddler and has always excelled in school. At such a young age Mendez skipped kindergarten to go into the first grade.

As he was growing up, the hardest thing for him was trying to catch up with the other students who were always one year older.

Mendez is currently a student ambassador and a tutor for the Knowledgeable, Engaged, and Aspiring Students program.

Mendez said he has been working on starting a club for undocumented AB-540 students called Achieving Higher Education for All Dreamers (AHEAD).

This is a club designed for students to empower one another because of the institutional barriers that exist, Mendez said.

EC recently got priority registration with Cal State Northridge because it is now considered a local area college.

Comparitively Cerritos College is not considered a local area college to any of the local universities, Brittany Lundeen, transfer center co-coordinator, said.

Being considered a local area college to CSU’s means getting priority admission and registration.

This means that transfer applicants

from non-local area colleges still have a chance of being admitted but the chances are slimmer.

One reason that factors into SMC having higher transfer rates is the amount of student population versus other campus.

As of last spring there were roughly 30,000 students at SMC while EC only had about 24,000.

This is a 20 percent difference in amount of students enrolled.

Santa Monica had a total of 2,264 transfers and EC had 1,653.

This means that nearly 7 percent of students transferred from EC versus SMC who had nearly 7.5

percent of their students transfer.

The rates of student enrollment to transfer rate are fairly similar at both colleges. This is for both Cal States and UC’s combined.

Long Beach City College (LBCC) had 24,739 students enrolled last year. Cerritos College had 23,805 students enrolled.

This is a 3.78 percent difference in students enrolled.

Long Beach had a total of 1,194 students transfer to both UC’s and Cal States equaling to a total of 4.83 percent transfer rates.

Cerritos college had total of 1,105 transfers which means

that 4.65 percent of their student population transferred.

Cerritos College and LBCC have similar transfer rates although they rank differently according to the data from the Chancellor’s Office.

LBCC ranked No. 13 and Cerritos College ranked No. 21 out of 115 community colleges according to data from the Chancellor’s office website.

“You shouldn’t look at the ranking of a community college,” Lundeen said. “Most of Cerritos’ student population is part-time students who happen to be firstgeneration students.”

Transfer rates of community colleges local to El Camino Year: 2015-2016 Number of students transferred Santa Monica College No. 1 2,264 Mt. San Antonio College No. 6 1,676 EL CAMINO COLLEGE No. 7 1,653 Los Angeles Pierce College No. 9 1,367 Long Beach City College No. 13 1,194 East Los Angeles College No. 16 1,178 Cerritos College No. 21 1,105 Illustration by Alba E. Mejia This data compares different schools near El Camino and their transfer numbers for the 2015-2016 school year.

Despite similarities, twins find their own identity Oshari Arnett

Special to The Union @ECCUnionOshari

People often spend their entire lives searching for a companion, best friend, someone who will always be there for them.

Someone who they can compete with, confide in, and motivate to be their very best. Luckily for twins Stephanie and Stacey Macias, 20, nursing majors, they were born with “a built in best friend.”

“She means a lot to me because without her I wouldn’t be who I am,” Stacey said.

As similar as they may be, both studious, disciplined, sweet, caring and having a mutual love

for children, Stephanie pursuing a career as a Pediatric travel nurse, while Stacey wishes to tend to premature babies as a Neonatal nurse.

“They have a special bond,” Amber Alvarez, best friend, 19, said. “They’ve shown me what true friendship is.”

The Macias twins grew up doing everything together, from dressing alike as kids and helping each other get out of trouble to studying together in college and even volunteering at the same hospital.

All their time together molded them into family driven young ladies, with fearless attitudes, which compliment their naturally good spirits.

Genuine people can be hard to come by, but when around, they always have a positive impact.

“They make me a better person,” Lauren Patterson, 19, friend, said.

“They don’t hate anyone, they love everyone and they’re not judgmental at all.”

They have an unique ability to remain independent even with many of the same interest; they have separate identities.

Stephanie is a vegan who is described as being “more hippielike,” Stacey could never be vegan because she loves cheese, and she is described as being “more girly.”

Their sister Gilda said that the only thing that they’ve ever done by themselves is get a job.

“I felt obligated, because we’re twins, since (Stephanie applied for a job),” Stacey said.

Stephanie added that she never got the job that she applied for.

They influence everyone around them in a positive way. Their passion for helping others brings joy to the hearts of many, their vibrant spirits brings life to and illuminates others; their dedication to family and school resonates, never going unnoticed.

At the end of the day the sister’s are still together at the hip and continue to be push each other to be their best.

“I like to think we have an inseparable bond,” Stephanie said.

Oshari Arnett Stacey and Stephanie Macias, 20, nursing majors, are twins who have always been similar and close, but have found differences to separate themselves as individuals.

FEATURES

4 EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION

JUNE 1, 2017

Tutor depicts Los Angeles gang culture Roger Cannonʼs book details experiences with continuation high school students in Montebello Eric Ramos

The grey-haired English tutor who grew up in Downey playing baseball said he got the inspiration A young Latino with baggy jeans for his book from his 14 years of and a white t-shirt stands in front teaching U.S. History, Economics a brick wall and begins to shake a and English at Vail Continuation High School in Montebello.

Krylon spray can.

Cannon said there were 450 As he begins to tag his crew’s name on the wall, a white 1987 students from Bell Gardens, Oldsmobile Cutless Supreme with East L.A. and Montebello at Vail and one year, they had 38 gangs 20-inch chromed rims creeps by. represented on campus including a Bang.

The passenger extends his arm to couple tagging crews.

“The book is modeled after my reveal a .45 caliber semiautomatic experiences at Vail,” Cannon said. handgun and fires five shots. The tagger begins to run away but “I had rare access to the world of two bullets pierce his back and he graffiti and Latino street gangs. It’s an invisible world that people see collapses to the ground.

Los Angeles street life has but don’t understand.”

Cannon said his subcultures that can lead students were wide to fame or fatality. open with their stories The world of graffiti “I love a good about things that were is portrayed on walls happening in their with artistic words or story that lives. Everyone had a paintings in vibrant pulls the different story to why colors. they were at Vail.

However, the other readers into Writing in the first side of the graffiti world a different person, Cannon represents gang life. world.” d i s t i n g u ishes Walls filled with gang —Roger himself with some writing, sometimes filled Cannon, El truly exceptional from top to bottom, lets Camino tutor, dialogue that creates the neighborhood know said. a truly immersive which gang resides experience, according there. to the best thrillers El Camino English website. tutor Roger Cannon’s self Cannon played baseball at Cerritos published book Cross Out gives the College before transferring to LB readers a glimpse into L.A. street life with the story of high school State University where he was senior Jaime ‘Kimo’ Flores and his named to the All-Conference team during his senior year. struggle with living a straight life.

Cannon said he had an offer “It’s a coming of age story,” Cannon said. “It’s about kids who from the St.Louis Cardinals after are on the brink and are dealing college but the choice was to go with difficulties of growing up in back to college and get a teaching credential or play half a season tough, urban areas.”

Sports Editor @ECCUnionEricR

and go to the military because the Vietnam War was going on.

“My dad pushed me to get my studies behind me,” Cannon said.

“If I get called to go, then I go.”

The next best thing to playing baseball is coaching so Cannon said he took an offer to coach junior varsity baseball at Peninsula High School in Palos Verdes.

“I really enjoyed coaching,” Cannon said. “I moved to varsity and coached four years there.

Every year we got to the playoffs.”

Cannon is a kind an empathetic tutor, Kim Krizan, English professor, said.

“I love the fact that his book, Cross-Out, tells a story that many EC students can relate to because the characters grapple with issues some of my students have faced in their lives,” Krizan said. “Mr. Cannon was able to paint a vivid world because he knows and cares about people just like the characters he’s created for his book.”

While Cannon enjoys researching his next book idea by traveling around the world, he decided to join El Camino as a tutor.

“I don’t have to work here but I like getting students ready,” Cannon said.

Roger said writers have to write what they know. He plans to write a series which follows the life of Kimo. The follow up to Cross Out will be Roll Out, which Cannon has begun doing research for.

“I love a good story that pulls the readers into a different world,” Cannon said. “Especially one they are not normally familiar with and it can make them comfortable or interested. That’s the beauty of fiction.”

Ryan Guitare / Union Roger Cannon, English tutor, publishes book about the Los Angeles street life that deals with struggles and all. His inspiration to write this book came when he taught at a high school in Montebello, Califonia.

Throwback moments of El Camino

Q & A segment with two of El Caminoʼs faculty and former alumni

Matt Cheung: English professor

Carina Cardenas Staff Writer

Q: What years did you attend El Camino?

A: (From) 1998 to 2000.

Q: Why did you decide to come back to El Camino to teach?

A: I decided to come back because I needed a job. I was working at other places and I knew that I want to teach at a community college. I worked at West LA College, Cerritos College, and El Camino was always my favorite (because) I went here and it feels like home.

Q: Are there any particular professors who are still here from

when you were a student?

A: I had Tom Cody (from the English department). Steve Waterworth who just retired last semester, and Angela Mannen (anthropology professor) I was like her student worker. Matt Ebiner he’s still at Geology and Vice President (Jean) Shankwiler I knew before she was Vice President and before she was the Dean, when she was faculty and coordinator of the Honors Program.

Q: What are some differences at EC from when you attended?

A: The campus looks very different cause we are building so many things like this building (Humani-

ties Building) didn’t exist , and I think the Natural Science building was just redone when I was there.

Also where Cafe Camino was there used to be a row of classrooms but that’s all gone and destroyed. Even the football stadium is gone. So many things have changed, we did have the business building but it was only one floor and it was one long hall way. i remember I always wanted to figure out if I opened a door on one end and if i could run to the other end and get to that door before it shut. i always wanted to do it, I remember just thinking if i could run fast enough before the door slammed. The units were also different because only $11 a unit

and i think that they raised it to $18 when I was leaving so it was less than $20.

Q: Are there any similarities?

A:The Library, the Marsee Auditorium, the Parking lot, and I loved the computer lab that was there; which is the lab you guys have now.

With the bookstore it’s still expensive, it was a bigger deal back then because there’s a lot of online text now and we didn’t have Amazon.

There used to be a used textbook place that put up shop the was right across the street from us. That was still there when I was here and then they closed.

Emma DiMaggio/ Union Matt Cheung talks about his experience at El Camino when he was a student. He explains the differences and similarities on campus from when he attended EC.

Debra Breckheimer: Humanities faculty coordinator Emma DiMaggio

Staff Writer @ECCUnionEmma

Question: What years did you attend El Camino?

Answer: Roughly 1987 to 1989, I believe. It may have been a little shorter than that because I did it in three semesters.

Emma DiMaggio/ Union Debra Breckheimer is currently the humanities division faculty coordinator, but she previously was an English instructor at EC. She talks about her experiennces at EC dating from the time she was a student on campus.

Q: When did you decide to come back and participate at El Camino again after learning here?

A: As soon as I graduated with my masters degree I knew I wanted to teach, and I wanted to teach English. I actually kept in contact with a few professors that I reached out

to as I was finishing up my masters degree and asked if I could student teach, essentially which meant I taught a class for free so that I could get some experience and get my foot in the door and so that started it all.

Q: Where did you get your masters from?

A: Cal State Dominguez Hills.

Q: Are there any professors that are here still that you knew when you were a student?

A: Yes. Carmen Sotolongo, she’s a Spanish professor. She had a different last name at the time.

Steve Waterworth but he just retired. Bill James. There are probably others definitely, particularly

across campus. Deans for certain, like Gloria Miranda.

Q: Are there any similarities or differences on campus that you’ve seen since you’ve been on campus here?

A: A lot of differences, yeah.

The population of students has changed, more colorful for sure.

I think the age of professors has changed. I think we have (professors who are a lot younger). I was 28, so I didn’t go to school in the traditional pattern. I don’t remember any of my instructors appearing to be my age and now (there are) a few of them, so that’s nice.

Certainly our cabinet has changed, it’s much more female than it ever

was before, so I think it shows the progress of El Camino. I was in a hurry and I worked so I didn’t get a perfect view but I think we do a lot more work for students who are in the basic skills courses, the courses below freshman level or transfer level courses, and I think that’s a really positive piece to the change in the campus. I think we do a much better job of catering to students who arrive here under prepared. We help them get prepared so that when they make the transfer, they’re competitive.

That’s what we want. If they’re just getting a certificate, or going back into the workforce, they’re doing so in a competitive way.

Theatrical

Denzel Roseboro is an upcoming actor whose passion for his craft stems from a tragic experience in his personal life

Tanner Ostensen Special to ‘The Union’ As the limelight sets on the theater, an actor looks out at the stage to belt out a truly passionate song about life, liberty, and the dream where a person can one day achieve their goals.

Denzel Roseboro, a 21-year-old theatre major, who hopes to be the next legend that comes to the stage to share the knowledge and motivation of the theatre.

“Theatre really broke me out of my confidence in high school. I transferred to a religious Catholic school in my sophomore year, then I went to another Christian school and they had a theatre program there. Once I joined the classes there, it really inspired me to break out of my comfort zone,” Roseboro said.

Denzel has had many theatrical awakenings in his student career here at El Camino College.

He has been in plays such as ‘Rumors,’ the 10-minute plays, the One-Act plays, and the newest to complete the list, ‘Hairspray.’ He has been working on some side projects with the Scene One Film Club at EC, in hopes to become like his role model, Denzel Washington.

“I was named after the guy when I was a kid, but even still today he’s left a heavy impact in the acting realm and every time I watch him on the big screen or whether he’s doing something, he always leaves an impact on people,” he said. “For everybody that he’s worked with, there’s always something they can take from him.”

In Hairspray, Roseboro plays the character Seaweed J. Stubbs, a talented young dancer who is discriminated because of his race.

“The cast is wonderful,” he said.

“They have been truly supportive and high-energy,” Recently, Roseboro’s brother died two weeks ago. He was shot and killed in their driveway.

“I took a day off from school just

AWAKENING ARTS

JUNE 1, 2017

EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION 5

to make sure my family situation was alright. When I came back to rehearsal, I felt nothing but love and support and encouragement,” Roseboro said. “People being inspired, it just does something to my heart, a feeling that cannot be replaced by any other cast.”

The death of his brother was on a tragedy that Roseboro had to endure, but found true inspiration and passion through him.

“It was him and our cousin was killed as well unfortunately, but we were all masters of the craft. To continue on without them is a remembrance of him and my cousin and to continue the legacy of the artistry,” Roseboro said.

This will not stop Roseboro in performing. It won’t stop him from achieving his dream, whenever it may come.

“He is one of the better actors in this department and he puts in the work for everyone of the craft. He is very diligent of what he does and if he’s not in class, he’s practicing for the upcoming show,” Mario Sosa, 23, theatre and communications major, said.

EC student Cheyenne Rose, 20, theatre and sports broadcasting major says he makes cast members feel better about themselves.

“One of the most sweetest, hardworking person I have ever met,” she said. “He makes others feel better about themselves, no matter what is happening in his life, he’ll always make someone else feel bet The life of Roseboro has just started, the band is playing him on and the crowds are cheering his name. This is his calling, a true inspiration in theater. This is his place and he knows where to look in part of his upcoming accomplishments Jorge Villa/ Union and awards.

Denzel Roseboro is an upcoming actor who has had many roles in plays at El Camino. He’s been in many plays such as ‘Hair“Denzel is a very kinda-hearted spray’ where he plays the character Seaweed, a talented young man who is discriminated due to his race. guy,” Sosa said. “I think he generally cares about his friends, family, ded to negotiating the best wages, thorized use of their work, accord- well as scholarship funds to help each performance. and his work in theatre.” working conditions, and health ing to their website. those who need it.”

He also sees himself being In the future Roseboro plans on and pension benefits; preserving “I have visited New York several Theatre is Roseboro’s calling, as graduated from a four-year univergraduating from a four-year uniand expanding members’ work op- times and have traveled the world,” his passion grows with each perfor- sity. He hopes to one day “make it versity, as well as become a Screen portunities, enforcing contacts and he said. “In the future, I want to set mance he takes place in. The light into the entertainment industry and Actors Guild Member (SAG). protecting members against unau- up a college fund for students as sets on him and his castmates after pave a path for others.”

SAG is an organization dedicat-

Get a free copy of The Union and Warrior Life at any of the following locations Northeast side of campus

- First floor of the Humanities Building - Humanities division office - Cafe Camino - Crenshaw door of the Humanities Building - Natural Sciences Courtyard - Library Reading Room - Natural Sciences division office - Switchboard Desk - Outside the front and back doors of the library

South side of campus

- Social Sciences division office - Campus Deli - Music division office - Music library - Art and Behavioral Science division office - El Camino Police Department - Marsee Auditorium - Student Health Center

Center and northwest side of campus - Student Activities Center - P.E. Courtyard - Student Services Center - Outside the front doors of the Bookstore

Follow us on Twitter: @ECCUnion and check out our website: ECCUnion.com to stay up to date with everything sports, news, arts and more.

6 EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION

Preparing to fight the fire

PHOTO ESSAY

JUNE 1, 2017

Photos by Osvaldo Deras and John Lopez Jorge Villa

Photo editor @ECCUnionJorge

El Camino’s Fire Academy hosted its annual graduation and fire demonstration on Saturday at the training facility located in Inglewood, Calif.

The South bay aspiring fire fighters demonstrated their strength and team work to effectively extinguish the car that was set on fire as a demo.

The audience in awe gazed upon the fire cheering the aspiring fire fighters.

Following the extinguished blaze, the newly graduates round up in a line as the director hoses down the graduates as the final initiation.

All 30 students successfully complete their training, thus proving the Fire Academy’s proficiency rate in over the last 50 years.

EC is looking to create a new training facility that would brin in a large number of projected students, proving incredibly up-to-date training, Dean of Industry and Technology Stephanie Rodriguez said.

Osvaldo Deras/ Union El Camino Fire Academy 148 member Andrew Korste watches as his battalion puts out a fire in Inglewood, CA on Saturday, May 27.

Gustavo Castro and Joseph Delmaro slowly approaching the the blazing car fire demonstrating how to figh

Gustavo Castro and Joseph Delmaro take on the fire-covered car prop with the fire hose in Inglewood, CA.

Osvaldo Deras/ Union

JUNE 1, 2017

PHOTO ESSAY

ht a car fire during El Camino Fire Academy’s annual graduation and demonstration.

EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION 7

Osvaldo Deras/ Union

John Lopez/ Union El Camino Fire Academy #148 celebrating after a successful fire demonstration by getting doused in front of family and friends in Inglewood, CA on Saturday, May 27.

EDITORIAL

8 EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION

JUNE 1, 2017

Letter to the editor: In reference to the story ‘Searching to pray in peace’ and the editorial ‘Prayer rooms will benefit EC students,’ on issue Vol 71, No. 5 which was originally published on Thursday, May 18.

Illustration by Mason Hardison/ Union El Camino’s proposed 2017-18 Academic Affair Plan lists a hopeful expenditure on an $8 million joint training facility that would be used by EC Fire Tech Department students and the Torrance Fire Department.

Funds should be used cautiously

Eight million dollars.

Let us repeat that, $8 million.

El Camino’s current proposed Academic Affair Plan for the 201718 school year lists several expenditures that the school definitely needs to improve campus life.

But on that list is a proposal that we find questionable.

It aims to “build a joint services Public Safety Training Center” for the Fire Tech Department, amounting to an $8 million request, according to the unprioritized area plan.

Stephanie Rodriguez, dean of industry and technology said that this has been in the works since about 2009, but it wasn’t until newly elected president Dena Maloney came on board when the project took off.

Despite Director of Community Relations Ann Garten saying that Maloney didn’t know about the $8 million project.

Stephanie Rodriguez, dean of industry and technology, said that Maloney was one of the biggest contributors to the project moving

forward.

Rodriguez added that this is projected to bring in a massive amount of students that would ultimately return for yearly training.

We believe that this proposal is too large an amount of money that is going toward a smaller section of programs (Fire Tech, EMT, Police Academy, etc.).

This $8 million is not an expense the school should be spending while we’re in stabilization.

We do agree that expenditures of money to help students learn, train and get better is the correct way to teach them, but $8 million is a ridiculous amount of money for not even a tenth of a percent of students.

Even if you include the students it would help over the next two semesters, that’s approximately 1,113 students that this joint training facility would help.

Almost 2,000 students were able to graduate in 2016, which means that just one graduation at Murdock Stadium benefits more students on one day than this $8 million facil-

ity will over three semesters of students.

We understand that graduation is just a one-day event and the Fire Tech Department will most likely use the facility for its own graduation and the students will be able to use the facility whenever they want, but this expenditure isn’t helping other students.

For reference the newly-rebuilt Murdock Stadium was listed at $40 million and has a fully-built track, a state of the art design and artificial turf for the field, as reported on The Union.

Who uses Murdock: EC football players, men’s and women soccer players, P.E. classes in the fall.

All athletes including the badminton, basketball, tennis, swim and dive, water polo and volleyball (men’s, women’s and beach) teams all use it for the training facility.

Other student athletes from other schools get to play on it.

Graduating students get walk on the field during commencement.

Just recently, the L.A. City Track

and Field Champions were hosted at Murdock and one of the biggest T&F events in the country the Mt. SAC Relays were hosted there as well.

Murdock Stadium has much more use and potential for its $40 million cost, especially if you begin to add up the numbers.

Whereas this new proposed joint training facility will benefit just students in the Fire Tech Department.

Students from everywhere and even community members who live near EC can use Murdock, whether it’s for training purposes or just walking the track, which can be seen on a daily basis.

We think that trying to provide for students a better education and quality of training is the correct choice moving forward.

However, we don’t believe that some facility that could potentially be used more by TFD and is based on the prospect of incoming students is necessary for an expense of $8 million.

I see in your May 18 edition of The Union, you have included two articles (“Searching to Pray in Peace” and “Prayer Rooms Will Benefit Muslim Students”) and one campus insight (“Do Students Agree with a Prayer on Campus?”) about the need for a Muslim prayer room. I see that your stand is that there should be a prayer room on campus. I commend you on your mission to have equality for all on our college campus! This shows that your truly care about our diverse population at El Camino College.

Since there are some problems attaining a prayer room, and the students and ASO board members and the Student Equity Advisory Council are still figuring out how to have one, I have a few questions for you. What about the separation of church (or mosque) and state?

The first amendment forbids the government from favoring one religion over another, and since El Camino is a government school, the first amendment is relevant.

If that is true, and that we cannot favor one religion over another, there are a few things we need to add to campus if we are going to have a Muslim prayer room: To begin with, I am a Jew and Jews pray three times a day, so we will also require a prayer room.

And we cannot forget the laws of Kashrut! Jews have special dietary restrictions (quite like those of Muslims), so there will need to be changes to the menus at the restaurants on campus.

And let us not forget the Chris-

tian denominations! Catholics can attend mass daily, and they may want a priest on campus for confession. And we cannot forget the Protestants, Baptists, Episcopalians, Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, etc. etc. And don’t forget the Buddhists and Hindus! They have every much of a right to a prayer room as the rest of us. We are after all, a diverse community, and we do not want anyone to feel excluded!

And while we’re at it, if there are going to be prayer rooms for these religions, we should also have a room where the Atheists feel safe.

Why should they be surrounded by so much religion when they do not believe in a deity? In a time when our country is so divided, we cannot and should not single out students.

I hope you take my suggestions into consideration! Again, well done on fighting for the rights of the Muslim students, but do not forget about the rest of us. You wouldn’t want people to think badly of your paper.

-Hannah Shafiroff, 18, history major and Student Ambassador for PragerU PragerU is a social media platform that takes the best ideas and recreates them into five-minute videos focusing on the topic. The topics are the concepts of freedom of speech, free press, free markets, and a strong military project those values, accoring to the PragerU website.

Do you want to submit a letter to the editors at the student-run newspaper, ‘The Union?’

Send us an email at eccunion@ gmail.com with the subject “Letter to the editor.”

Student journalists shouldn’t be avoided or berated for wanting to learn

Phil Sidavong

Editor-in-chief @ECCUnionPhil

THE UNION Vol. 71, No. 6 June 1, 2017

Email: eccunion@gmail.com Newsroom: (310) 660-3328 Advertising: (310) 660-3329

People hate student journalists.

It’s a given that throughout a journalist’s career, they’re going to get stonewalled trying to cover an event, a person or a story.

Why are we, as student journalists, cast in a light that makes people avoid us like we aren’t worth anyone’s time?

It’s simple, they’re scared. Scared of a student journalist making a mistake, scared of someone getting a fact wrong or even scared that the story itself will be poorly written.

They’re not wrong, and there’s no reason for them to give a student journalist their time if they don’t want to. It’s entirely their decision.

It’s their right to decline to speak to us.

But understand that by declining to speak to us, you’ve given us a comment that we will use in our story.

That’s all truth and fact.

It can’t be denied, no matter how much people dislike it that is their choice to not want to be quoted on a story that may very well affect the entire campus.

We are a student-run publication.

That means there are no advisers telling us what to do and no professionals copyediting our stories.

That’s against the College Media Association’s Code of Ethics, we do everything as students, so why do people continue to hinder us from learning to get better?

Editor-in-Chief �������������������������������������������������������������������������� Phil Sidavong News Editor ������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Phil Sidavong Opinion/Editorial Editor ��������������������������������������������������������� Jimmy Nguyen Arts Editor......................................................................................Jimmy Nguyen Sports Editor ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������Eric Ramos Photo Editor ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������Jorge Villa Features Editor ������������������������������������������������������������������������������ Alba Mejia Social Media Manager............................................................................Eric Ramos Multimedia Manager.........................................................................Phil Sidavong Advertising Manager ������������������������������������������������������������������� Jack Mulkey Adviser ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Stefanie Frith Photo Adviser.......................................................................................Gary Kohatsu

I’ve had people diss my stories, call my work “trash” or even just avoid me. It comes with the job and I’ve fully embraced it.

Yet, when we as student journalists try to do our job and we make a mistake, we get harassed and sent sarcastic emails about our “shoddy stories.”

According to the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics, “journalism should be accurate and fair. Journalists should be honest and courageous in gathering, reporting and interpreting information.”

We’re here to report the news, as truthfully as we can, so if that’s the story and it affects the history of the college, we’ll do our job.

If no one wants to help us get better and not make mistakes, that’s a failure in the system that was designed to teach us to become more accurate in our writing and reporting.

I hope people would rethink their decisions regarding not speaking to student journalists when all we want to do is learn and get better.

In the past and in the future, mistakes were and will be made.

That’s what makes us human.

So please don’t hold the entire student newspaper organization liable for something that happened five years ago, don’t push away someone who’s only trying to learn and remember that most professors and administrators are here to teach

The Union is published 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 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.

and help students progress.

I don’t get a kick out of rummaging through someone’s personal life, I don’t like walking up to someone who’s in fear about a horrific incident and asking “how they feel” and I sure as hell don’t enjoy watching people cry as I speak to them.

But that’s my job, and I have a dream of one day being a reporter that I can be proud of.

So if you want to stop me, avoid me or decline to comment on my story, that’s fine. I’ll make do with whatever information I have and so will other student reporters who, like me, want to do our jobs as accurately and professionally as possible.

College Media Association Newspaper of the Year Award 2015 Associated Collegiate Press Regional Pacemaker Award 1988, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2012 California Newspaper Publishers Association General Excellence Award 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005 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

OPINION

JUNE 1, 2017

EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION 8

UP FOR DEBATE

Should students transfer to a four year university or go to a community college?

Selvin Rodas

Alex Torres

Staff Writer @ECCUnionSelvin

Staff Writer @ECCUnionAlex

A four-year university is expensive but it will Community college is a cheaper alternative for pave a better path for incoming students incoming students who want to save money

Transferring to a fouryear university after high school gives a student a better college experience than attending a community college and sets you up for success.

After graduating from Narbonne High school in 2013, I am finally done at El Camino this semester.

California State University Northridge (CSUN) is where I will continue my educational career this upcoming fall.

While I’m barely receiving my associates degree, many people whom are Narbonne alumni like myself are getting ready to walk the stage with their bachelors degree.

Watching their posts on social media makes me feel like I’m not trying hard enough in school despite my hard work. I feel like even though we are the same age, attending a four-year school pushes generally pushes students to do better.

A former classmate of mine who I went to high school will be walking the stage at University of California Santa Barbara in less than two weeks. This is a good

example of a student who had to move out of her parents house and dorm with people she did not know.

This is one of many reasons, why going to a fouryear university is better than going to a two-year than transferring.

We both started at the same time, but my former classmate is now receiving their bachelors degree while I’m barely receiving my associates degree.

To me, this is a good accomplishment because the chances of landing a dream job is higher than anyone like myself who is barely transferring.

Before attending EC, I got accepted to three out of the four Cal States Universities that I applied to.

I chose to attend a two-year school because I was not to sure what I wanted to major in or wanted to do for the rest of my life.

If I went straight to CSUN after college, I would have been finishing my undergrad career and possibly landing a job in the media business.

The cost to attend a four

year university in California starts at $16,000 when you commute to and from campus and $24,000 to dorm on campus, according to the CSU Mentor webpage.

Many campuses offer Extended Opportunity Programs and Services and different types of scholarships. Students may qualify only if they have the GPA to suffice for it.

Alumni who graduated from a university often give back to students by setting up their own private scholarships.

For example, Omar Velasco, a radio personality from the morning show, “Omar y Argelia,” who used to attended CSUN. He now offers Latino students with the opportunity to receive money for their education every semester.

Overall it is cheaper to attend a two-year school since the cost at EC per unit is $46 but you won’t get the opportunity to grow as a person by living on your own, experience the party life while at the same time earning your bachelors degree.

It’s that time of the year where high school seniors are excited for prom and graduation day however, many of them haven’t figured out what their next steps are.

I know this because I was one of those students.

I didn’t know what exactly I wanted to study, so the best solution was to attend a community college instead of a four-year university.

The cost for a four-year is too great.

When I saw the cost it discouraged me from going to college because I didn’t know how to pay for it.

There was financial aid like the Free Application For Student Aid (FAFSA), but it didn’t cover the entire cost, but when I did a little bit more research, I saw that a community college is a lot cheaper.

So I chose to go to a community college.

Annually, a full-time community college student will generally pay $1,104, a Cal State University student pays $5,472, and a University of California student pays $12,240, according to the

California College website.

The cost of attending a CSU and a UC is a lot, but attending a community college can lower the cost.

Before transferring, there are requirements from each university, indicating what is needed to transfer.

These classes are generally general education or core classes that are required for your inteded major.

These classes wouldn’t be required once you transfer to a four-year, because by that time it’ll be done and you’ll have an associates to prove it.

Another reason why attending a community college is better than a fouryear university is because they offer small classes and it’s perfect for those students who need more help individually.

In my case, I wasn’t ready to move from a high school to a big university because I didn’t have any idea on how the system worked.

During my first semester at EC, I didn’t know how MyECC worked nor did I know how to get classes,

but thanks to First Year Experience (FYE) program I learned how to. They helped get the classes I needed to be on track to transfer.

The reason why high school seniors should attend a community college rather than going straight into a four-year university is because community colleges offer a lot of help and there are a lot of programs that they can join.

For example, I joined Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) in my second semester and I made a family with the staff and other students because their job is to be there to help you with anything.

Tutoring, computers, printing, and a place to do your work are some of the services that EOPS provides to its students.

Community college are changing many students their life by showing them the many different options, like pursuing their dreams and get a higher education with its cheap costs.

Editor’s thoughts: Thumbs up, Thumbs down We dislike how some administrators and school officials refuse to talk to our reporters. We’re all just students who are still learning.

We like how many students are graduating and transferring. It shows how hard they have worked to reach where they are.

Do students agree with administration spending $8 million on a facility that will only benefit a programs on campus By: Jorge Villa and Selvin Rodas @ECCUnionJorge @ECCUnionSelvin

Annas Sultan, 20, computer science major “The campus itself already has issues the deal with apart from a the parking structures. Money that should go to other departments, that will help a great amount of students.”

Cathy Tran, 19, bio-chem major “I’m in support of anything that betters our community by creating more jobs for people. It seems like something that creates a safer environment is a good investment.”

Matthew Eldon, 27, computer science major “In general, community colleges has always been great with opportunities in vocational programs and it’s state funded which I like but at the same time I would like to see how much was spent and whether they or not they cut other programs for this to happen.”

Alyssa Lagunas, 19, liberal studies major “I think it’s for a good cause but I also think they should use the money for something else, like maybe making the books cheaper for us and helping ( those students) who can’t get financial aid.”

Francisco Valdez, 18, administration of justice major “I don’t see there being a use for it (a new training facility) right now (because) there is one facility already in Inglewood and maybe that $8 million goes to something more beneficial for everyone else.”

SPORTS

JUNE 1, 2017

EL CAMINO COLLEGE 10

Swimmer shows young generation anything is possible Sam Beattie is on the El Camino swim team and is a high school swim coach Courtney Howe

Special to The Union

B

lood begins to rush as the adrenaline pumps harder throughout her body. Her feet step on the cold hard block one at a time.

Teammates cheer behind her as her coach screams at her to breathe.

She loosens up her muscles to ease some of the pressure in her knee while her heart begins to pound harder.

“Swimmers, take your mark” the referee says. BEEP. She bolts into the water while tuning out all the noise around her.

She focuses on breathing and on her goal: to beat her best time and show her students that anything is possible.

Sam Beattie, 19, kinesiology major, is a dedicated full-time student and swimmer at El Camino who also coaches the North Torrance High School swim team and a club swim team called Swim Torrance.

While most students her age are hanging out with friends and going out, Beattie spends all her time training and practicing on the swim team, pushing the kids she coaches to be the best they can be, and going to class.

“It’s a lot to do all in one day and I don’t really have time to go out with friends or family because I am either at practice, class or coaching,” Beattie said. “I feel like it’s good to stay busy and to focus on working towards what you want

to be in the future.”

Beattie stands with purpose and doesn’t take no for an answer, using her volume to assert herself and make her point across to her swimmers: that she is not their friend, she is their coach.

Some of her swimmers complain that the sets are too difficult, but she refuses to let them make excuses.

She takes these excuses and fires back at her swimmers.

“Stop complaining or else I will cut your interval time from 2 minutes to 1 minute,” Beattie said.

“If you don’t want to be here and put in the work then get out, no one is forcing you stay.”

Beattie’s love for swimming started when her parents put her in swimming lessons when she was 7-years-old at the Torrance Plunge, where she learned how to do all four strokes in a few months.

After years of swimming in City of Torrance run swimming programs, Beattie joined North High School swim team and made the varsity team her freshman year.

After swimming for North High School, Beattie joined the El Camino swim team and was hired to be a coach for the North High School swim team and for a club team called Swim Torrance.

“I was really stressed out going into all of this, but once I laid out a schedule for the entire year, I felt relieved and knew I could do this,” Beattie said.

Beattie’s day starts at 5 a.m. so she has enough time to skateboard to swim practice and eat. She then would go to class and then to afternoon swim practice.

From there, Beattie skateboard’s to the Torrance Plunge, where she would coach’s North High School and the Swim Torrance.

“Everyday was long and I rarely had time to eat,” Beattie said. “I was tired but found myself feeling more confident in myself for getting it all done.”

After swim season was over for

El Camino and the swimmers she coached, Beattie felt relieved and a sense of accomplishment.

With the help of Corey Stanbury, coach for the EC swim team, Beattie reached her swim goal and beat her best personal time in the 200-meter butterfly on April 19.

“Words can’t describe how I felt when I saw my time and that I placed,” Beattie said. “I thank coach Corey every day for motivating me and believing in me.”

Josh Kim, 14, North High School swimmer, started swimming for Beattie the summer of 2016. Kim explained that he could barely swim when he first joined the team, but because of Beattie’s hard intervals and strict sets, Kim was able to perfect each stroke and drop all his times.

“Coach Sam is an amazing swimmer and when she gets in the water with us, it really pushes us to try harder so we can be as good as her one day,” Kim said.

Beattie’s voice and strict discipline toward the swimmers she coaches paid off when all her girls dropped their times in half and her Boys JV team qualified for CIF Finals for the first time in North High School history.

“Coach Sam made this team stronger and faster just by being here,” Phil Trujillo, North High Swim team head coach, said. “I thank her every day for making this team great.”

Beattie plans to continue swimming for El Camino College and to work her way up in the coaching world so that she can become a professional swim coach.

“I plan to get my degree in kinesiology and get my name out there in hopes of becoming a swim coach for a university in the future and to get my personal swim times down so that I can qualify for state next year,” Beattie said.

To read more sports profiles go to eccunion.com

Courtney Howe

El Camino swimmer Sam Beattie placed fourth in the 200-meter butterfly at the South Coast Conference Championships on Friday, April 21.

Eric Ramos/ Union Athletic specialist Carolyn Biedler will retire after 32 years of helping student athletes at El Camino.

Retiring after 32 years in the athletic department Eric Ramos

Sports Editor @ECCUnionEricR

Congratulations TO THE GRADUATES

H-113

Carolyn Biedler, 73, began working at El Camino in 1985 and has helped in the athletic department as an athletic specialist. Q&A with Biedler: Question: What does the job of athletic specialist entail?

Answer: We have 22 teams at El Camino and I help them with their eligibility. They turn in their paperwork and physicals to us. I work on the teams budgets, campus-wide transportation, schedules and everything else they need.

Q: How many teams were at EC when you started?

A: I started off with 19 sports. We would be at 23 if we kept wrestling. Tom Hazell was our wrestling coach.

I’M GOING ON THE RECORD TO WISH YOU THE BEST SEEK WISDOM!

-JACK

Q: What are your plans after you retire?

A: I’m going to do some traveling. I just became a new grandmother so I’m going to visit my son and daughterin-law in Texas.

Q: Will you return and take in a game at EC during your retirement?

A: I’m not going away. I’m going to come to games. I enjoyed myself for 32 years and I still love my job but it’s time to hang up my hat and let somebody else come in here. This is the only job I had in my entire life.

SPORTS

June 1, 2017

EL CAMINO COLLEGE 11

Baseball season ends at state championships Warriors fail to advance to State Championship match following loss to Santa Rosa Junior College Eric Ramos

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Sports Editor @ECCUnionEricR

he El Camino baseball team led Santa Rosa Junior College 5-3 in the top of the eighth inning. SRJCs Josh Lenney doubled to right field, scoring Matt Kimura to cut the Warriors lead.

Santa Rosa’s Trevor Mallett grounded out to score Blake Berry and even the game at 5.

Lenny’s two-out bases loaded double in the 10th inning gave Santa Rosa a comeback 8-5 win over El Camino in the elimination game at the California Community College Athletic Association state championship on Sunday evening at Fresno City College.

“They fought the whole way but a couple things were taken out of their hands,” EC coach Nate Fenley said. “They (Santa Rosa) finished it with a hit in the gap. We have nothing to hang our heads about.”

Santa Rosa’s Jared Noonan threw five innings to pick up the win after allowing one run on three hits while striking out five.

Noonan started Saturday’s game against the Warriors and tossed three innings. Santa Rosa coach Damon Niedlinger took him out after three to preserve the right-hander for the rest of the tournament.

“He’s a gutsy young guy,” Niedlinger said. “Of all the guys, he’s the guy that could come back.

He’s done it all season.”

With the game tied at one in the sixth inning, sophomore outfielder Ty Conrad walked and sophomore

Alex Torres/ Union

Sophomore pitcher Taylor Rashi got the start against Santa Rosa Junior College in the opener of the California Community College Athletic Association State Championships on Saturday, May 27 at John Euless Ballpark at Fresno City College. infielder Brady Dorn tripled down the right field line to score Dorn.

EC took a 4-1 lead on freshman outfielder Cody Wissler’s RBI ground out. The Warriors bullpen could not hold the lead while Santa Rosa got hits when they needed it.

The Warriors fell victim to some questionable calls towards the end of the game. Santa Rosa had runners on first and third base with two outs.

Ryder Kuhn had a 3-2 count when a check-swing call made by the umpire at second base gave Kuhn the walk.

“We played our hardest but they capitalized on our mistakes,” catcher Trevor Casanova said. “A lot of things went their way and they came out on top.”

The Warriors finished the year 40-11, a South Coast ConferenceSouth Division title and their

first win in a CCCAA State Championship final four in two trips under Fernley.

After a 40-win season, Fernley was named the 2017 Victory Custom Athletic Coach of the Year on Friday, May 27 at the California Community College Baseball State Championship Banquet.

“It was a really good season,” Fernley said. “I can’t say enough about how this group.”

Eric Ramos/ Union The Warriors lost to Santa Rosa on Saturday, May 27 then defeated Ohlone College on Sunday before losing to Santa Rosa later that day.

Softball player earns back-to-back All-State honors Raelani Camez led with El Camino with 58 runs scored Emma DiMaggio

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Staff Writer @ECCUnionEmma

n eight-year-old girl grapples with her mit, struggling to catch a ball and failing.

Her coach watches as she fumbles, reconsidering her choice to assign the fourth grader as catcher.

Little does she know, that’s exactly what this budding softball player had hoped for.

It’s hard to imagine that this young girl, pretending to be bad at softball to avoid certain positions, would grow into one of El Camino’s star softball players.

Raelani Camez, 19, psychology major, has been named by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association California as a 2017

Emma DiMaggio/ Union

Raelani Camez finished the 2017 season batting .426 with 27 RBIs and 35 stolen bases.

Junior College All-American South Region player, for the secondstraight year.

“I wasn’t expecting it. It was really surprising,” Camez said.

“I don’t really like having the spotlight on me. My family is always like ‘That’s a big deal,’ and I’m all shy like, ‘Yeah, I know.’”

Camez is batting .432 on the season, which ranks her sixth in the California Community College Athletic Association. She leads the Warriors with 54 runs scored, which ranked 11th in the CCCAA. Her 10 triples led the Warriors and are tied for the most in the CCCAA. “She’s obviously been a great lead-off person,” Kattya Calderon, 20, psychology major, outfield player, said. “She’s definitely the fastest, if not one of the fastest girls on our team. She has power behind her. She can hit the ball for hours.”

Calderon is one of many players that will be transferring along with Camez to California State University San Marcos. “(San Marcos has) had a rough year, but I’ve talked to the girls

about it and we definitely plan on (not repeating the year it had),” Calderon said. “We feel like we’ll hopefully make an impact on the team. I know Raelani herself will be part of that.”

Sophomore first baseman Kamryn Fisher will be joining Camez at CSUM. “She brings speed to the field,” Fisher said. “She is a strong, positive presence in the outfield.”

As for her plans for her future college softball career, Camez hopes to beat her already notable record.

“I actually wanted to break my batting average, which didn’t happen from last year,” Camez said. “I want to hit .500, that’s my goal.”

Although she’s majoring in psychology, Camez hopes to return to school after she graduates to pursue her teaching credential.

“I either want to be a teacher or, during that, I actually want to coach,” Camez said. “I want to be an assistant coach and help the outfield.”

Osvaldo Deras/ Union

Sophomore center fielder Raelani Camez helped the Warriors beat Riverside City College, 9-4, in game one of the opening round playoffs on Friday.

SPORTS

12 EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION

JUNE 1, 2017

Jorge Villa/ Union

Sophomore golfer Greg White plans to transfer to California State University Dominguez Hills and hopes to continue playing golf. White is a communications major at EC.

Teeing off is a passion for golfer

Greg White started playing golf at a young age and wants to pursue it further after El Camino Sydney Fajardo

Staff Writer @ECCUnionSydney

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he crowd is silent as he focuses on the hole, his eyes fixate on the ball as he takes a deep breath and tightens his grip on the club.

He winds up and exhales as his club strikes the ball 250 yards away, perfectly setting him up for his second shot.

Gregory White is a 20-yearold communications major that plays for the El Camino golf team.

White started playing golf when he was eight years old but also grew up playing soccer, baseball, and wrestling.

White’s passion for golf runs in his family, he began to golf after visiting country clubs as family outings.

“They would always talk about the rounds and how they were swinging the club,” White said. “I had no clue what they were talking about so I thought, might as well

try it out. And I’ve been hooked on it ever since.”

White currently averages an 80 par, the term par is used to describe the expected number of shots that it takes to play each hole. Therefore, the lower the average; the better the player.

White said he wanted to pursue golf in college to advance his technique and represent his school.

His father is his biggest inspiration and wrestled throughout college at California Polytechnic State University (San Luis Obispo).

White hopes to follow in his fathers footsteps and play at a collegiate level. He plans on transferring to California State University Dominguez Hills to play for the golf team and earn a bachelor’s degree.

“I want to be able to say I was a really good athlete, really dedicated, busy throughout my college years and had all these fun times,” White said.

Christopher Chin is a 34-yearold assistant coach for the EC golf team and has known White for two years now.

“On the course, he’s serious,”

Chin said. “But he’ll talk about anything, he can ramble about movies and Disneyland for 18 holes straight.”

On Wednesdays, White often hangs out with friends to practice at Alondra or Victoria Golf Course and sometimes they make funny videos on Instagram.

Ryan Omoto is a 19-year-old fire and emergency technology major at EC and is a good friend and teammate of White.

“There have been times when I’ve been having a bad day and just his simple words of encouragement has really helped me get through the rounds,” Omoto said. “It’s a blessing to have him on the team.”

Despite the quiet audience, golf is actually a very social sport. White is often talking to teammates and competitors while on the course.

“One thing I like about golf is that I get to play people and I get to talk to them about their life,” White said. “There’s no other sport where you can talk to people and learn about them one on one in the middle of a game.”

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Looking ahead FOOTBALL 2016 record 4-6 MEN’S SOCCER 2016 record 1-17-2

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL 2016 record 24-4 MEN’S WATER POLO 2016 record 4-21

Jorge Villa/ Union

Greg White and the golf team finished fifth place at the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference finals at the El Camino Country Club on Monday, April 24.

WARRIORS SCOREBOARD WOMEN’S SOCCER 2016 record 11-6-4 WOMEN’S WATER POLO 2016 record 6-16

BASEBALL: State Championships Warriors 6, Ohlone College 1 BASEBALL: Game two Warriors 5, Santa Rosa Junior College 8

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