Spring Celebrations from Around the World

Reedley College Reading & Writing Spring, April 2019 Center presents...

Table of Contents Spring Celebrations From Around the World Spring Celebrations 1 By Ronnie Coates By Ronnie Coates March 20th, 2019 is the date that to pay remembrance to the forty days Je- Earth Day 2-3 marks the end of winter and the begin- sus fasted in the wilderness before begin- By Paola Valenciano ning of spring. The weather is becoming ning his ministry. Titanic Remembrance 3 warmer, and flowers are beginning to Jewish individuals celebrate the holi- By Evelyn Felipe bloom. People are embarking upon ad- day of Passover during the spring. This Librarian Day 4-5 ventures with friends and family mem- celebration typically spans seven to eight By Maddie Dominguez bers ranging from road tripping across the days, depending on the branch of Judaism Memoir 6-7 state to hiking to the top of Yosemite that is practiced. Passover is a time where By Iman Alamri Falls. Some are cleaning their homes and Jewish people pay remembrance to the Grammar Corner 7 are getting rid of unused items to honor Hebrew people that were freed from slav- By Elizabeth Kleinkramer the tradition that is spring cleaning. Chil- ery in Egypt, a movement thought to have Comic Con 8 dren are looking forward to decorating been led by the biblical figure Moses. By Stephanie Duarte hard boiled eggs and going on egg hunts Jewish individuals share a meal with their Creative Non-Fiction 9 By Savanna Duncan with their families. While spring cleaning families and recall stories of the struggles and egg decorating are common in the their ancestors faced while being held Memoir 10- By Lucio Rodriguez 11 United States, other cultures and religions captive in Egypt. have their own unique celebrations to In India, people of the Hindu faith CalWORKS 12- By Brandon Cooper 13 mark the beginning of the spring season. have a spring celebration known as Holi. It is common for people of Catholic Participants of this celebration will splash Fiction 14 By Rosa Corocles and Protestant faiths to celebrate Easter each other with water and coat each other during this time. For them, the holiday of with colored powder to signify the idea Crossword 15 Easter represents the day in which Jesus that good supersedes evil. In addition, Poetry 16 By Laura Hand Christ was resurrected. The Catholic participants will consume sweets and Church and some Protestant denomina- dance to folk music. Holi takes place on RC Men’s Golf 17 By Isaiah Tigler tions will reenact Christ’s death and res- the day of the last full moon of the Hindi urrection during the early hours of Easter Lunisolar calendar month, which usually Safari Days 17 By Monse Hernandez day. Some individuals even choose to falls in March.

Clubs, Services, & 18- give up something sentimental to them Many people living in the Middle Calendar 20 for a tradition called Lent. Lent is a way East and parts of Asia celebrate the holi- 1

Spring Celebrations Continued... day Nowruz, or what is sometimes referred to as the Persian New Year. Typically, celebrators of Nowruz will clean and declutter their houses and will proceed to eat a meal with their families. The meal consists of pending on local customs. Thai people also place em- seven foods, all of which start with the letter “s” in the phasis on renewal and cleansing during Songkran cel- Persian language. Each of the seven foods are symbol- ebrations; the cleansing is represented symbolically ic for a specific value, such as rebirth, that Nowruz using water. Water is poured over statues of Buddha, celebrators hold dear. Some families will exchange in the hands of seniors, and may also be used for gifts with one another or attend festivals as a means of house cleaning or water fights. celebrating. These are just a few examples of celebrations that People residing in Thailand ring in the Thai New occur in the spring. Spring celebrations are common Year by celebrating Songkran. Celebrations of across the world, but the customs that are practiced Songkran begin on April 13th and typically span three vary greatly depending on the region. No matter how days, but the length of the celebrations may vary de- you plan to celebrate, we can all look forward to warmer weather and spending time with our families! *********************************************************** of people in relationships treating each other extra ‘special’ for just one day and are less appreciative the rest of the year. Universally, partners should treat each other with respect, care, and love year round and thus, it must be this way with how we treat our earth. We are living in this planet and simultaneously destroying it. It is important for everyone to be aware of how we are By Paola Valenciano destroying it. Did you know that something as simple “Only when the last tree has died, the last river as lighting a candle for whatever purpose causes small has been poisoned, and the last fish been caught will amounts of air pollution? Beyond that, there are also we realize we cannot eat money” -Native American pollutants from vehicles, fires, and even water waste Proverb. that deteriorates the ozone layer. This is why Earth Day Earth Day is held on April 22nd every year. The should actually be every day. We should not do some- purpose of this event is to promote environmental thing just for one day and ignore these problems for the awareness and to advocate for the protection of our rest of the year. planet. One can celebrate this day by being outdoors This day should ultimately remind us that we are and performing acts of service to the earth. Such ac- only here for a short amount of time, and we should be tivities include planting a tree, picking up garbage, the generation that takes control and responsibility over conducting programs to recycle and conserve, and the treatment of our planet. even petitioning our representatives to take action to We need to show political leaders that we care lessen the pace of global warming through regulation. about our earth, what is being done to it, and that we However, people caring about their actions to- want mindful behavior to stop. We need new policies wards the earth’s preservation for just a single day is and legislation to be passed that lessen our footprint on not effective. For example, Valentine’s Day consists the planet that we should be cherishing. 2

Earth Day should bring everyone together. Race, gender, age, or economic status does not matter when it comes to giving life back to our planet. One should come in this life with a purpose and leave with it, and this purpose should be to keep our beloved planet habitable for the future generations to come. Whenever you are about to litter, light a candle, or even just go for a drive for fun, you should consider the impact your actions can have on the enviornment. Do you want to live in a planet filled with air, soil, and water pollution? If not, then remember: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. **************************************************************************************** Titanic Remembrance Day By Evelyn Felipe Titanic Remembrance Day is celebrated on April This event was so memorable that there have been 15th. This ship is very memorable because of its size several movies and books created about the Titanic and the unfortunate event that took place. This day is and the unfortunate events that occurred. For exam- dedicated to the 1,500 individuals who lost their lives ple, one popular movie Titanic shares a love story of on the Titanic. a man, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, and a woman, The builders of the Titanic took pride in the interi- played by Kate Winslet, who meet on the ship but are or and exterior look of the ship. It was the largest separated at the end due to him sacrificing himself to ship built at that point of time. It reached almost 900 save his beloved after the ship began to sink. feet in length. In total, it carried 2,240 passengers and There are many ways that you can observe Titanic crew members. To board the Titanic, the price of the Remembrance Day. You can bring attention to this ticket ranged from $2,500 for first class passengers to day by going on social media and using the hashtag $40 dollars for the third class. The Titanic gained a #TitanicRemembranceDay. You can also search for lot of attention, which led a lot of people to buy a stories on the web and artifacts that were recovered ticket to board the ship. The inside of the ship was by survivors. The story of the ship still offers a cau- known to be luxurious for first class passengers be- tionary tale about the real danger that accompanies cause it included a grand staircase, contained the Ritz grand human design. Restaurant, and had many more features. The ship was powered by steam, utilized 600 tons of coal each day and released 100 ton of ash every day it ran. While the Titanic was very lavish for first class passengers, the third-class passengers saw a different environment. There were more than 700 third class passengers who had to share two bathtubs. The ship was on its first voyage from England to New York City, however no one expected the trip to be unsuccessful. Since the ship was deemed unsinka- ble by its creator, those in charge of the ship did little to prepare for sinking possibilities. Late at night on April 11th, the ship hit an iceberg which caused it to sink in the early morning the next day. About 1,500 people died due to a lack of lifeboats on the ship. 3

learning environment for everyone. Interview Questions Librarian-Shivon Hess 1. What has been the most memorable memory you have had while working as a Librarian? My most memorable memory would be from several years ago (at another library) when I helped an important figure in civil rights history. I was new to the area and did- n’t know who this person was until a colleague informed By Maddie Dominquez me afterwards. I was in awe so, of course, I did my re- In the United States, we celebrate School Librarian Day search and learned something new! I will never forget this every year on April 4th as a token of appreciation from stu- experience or this person and how close I was to a living, dents everywhere to their school librarians. Throughout the breathing historical figure. You never know who you’re day, school librarians are recognized for all of the hard going to meet or help in this lifetime. work and passion that they put into their job. A few weeks 2. What do you love most about being a Librarian? ago, I had the privilege of meeting all three of our school It’s a great feeling when I get feedback from students librarians here at Reedley College. They work hard along and faculty who let us know how much our services, tech, with the rest of the staff to keep the library functioning in or collection have helped them achieve their goals. This is an orderly manner. Each librarian is there to help students the fuel that keeps me learning new innovative ways to fit feel welcome as they help students search for resources the needs of our ever-changing, ever-growing community. more efficiently and effectively. Not only do they take the time to give us suggestions of what books can help us on a 3. What would you tell students to encourage them specific topic, but they go out of their way to visit class- to visit the library more often? rooms to talk about the many resources that are available We don’t bite! I’ve said this in several classes, but it’s with just the click of a button. true! Libraries often have the misperception of being life- Reedley College Librarians also create strong bonds less, cold buildings full of dusty old books. Furthermore, with students by showing how much they care for our fu- libraries are staffed with mean librarians who read all day ture. Being able to communicate and get along with our and shush their patrons. We are so far from that! Our main librarians is very important because they are here to help us goal is to support the information needs of the campus and reach our educational goals through the knowledge that curriculum – which is a big job considering how many books provide. Not only should we appreciate them on this classes and departments there are! We collaborate with fac- day, but whenever we see them, we should take a moment ulty to ensure we have relevant resources to support student to get to know them more and thank them for all of the coursework. Students – you’re not bothering us at all! We work they put into their job. So, if you have spare time, want you to ask questions! Or just grab a seat and hang out stop by the library and give our school librarians a big or study! thank you for all that they do to make our college a better

Nance Espinosa Shivon Hess Mai Soua Lee

Adjunct Librarian-Nance Espinosa plore, and hangout; even our four-legged friends found it to 1. What has been the most memorable memory you be a very enjoyable facility too. have had while working as a Librarian? 2. What do you love most about being a librarian? All the student workers, and co-workers, I have had the What I love most about being a librarian is being able to privilege of working with. support and impact students' educational aspiration and 2. What do you love most about being a Librarian? success. I love spreading knowledge and ensuring that stu- Helping people find information and catching up on their dents receive the highest quality of library support, ser- progress. vices, and resources to maximize learning and exploration. 3. How many years have you been working here at 3. What makes Reedley College a good working envi- Reedley College as a Librarian? ronment? March 17, 2007. Twelve years. I love working at Reedley College, because when I set foot on campus every day, I feel a sense of belonging - of Adjunct Librarian-Mai Soua Lee coming home. It is a feeling of being part of a large family 1. What has been the most memorable memory you and learning together as we navigate the academic ship to have had while working as a Librarian? reach the goals, dreams, learning outcomes, and mission of The most memorable memory for me while working as the college. a Librarian here at Reedley College was when a pair of doggie-buddies casually strolled into the library from one end of the circulation room out through the other side of the library. This was memorable for me because at that moment, I realized that not only students, faculty, and staff found the RC library to be a wonderful place to learn, ex-

Life of an By Iman Alamri American-Muslim

Being born in America but being raised in a Mus- other until the day of the wedding. Two days before lim household has granted me the opportunity to expe- the wedding, we have what’s called the “Henna Party” rience life with two different lenses. My parents were where all the girls of the bridal party and the groom’s born in a third-world country and immigrated to family get temporary henna tattoos on their hands and America at different times in their life. After immi- arms. In Yemeni tradition, the bride gets henna on grating to the U.S., they lived on opposite sides of the both her arms and legs with henna on both sides of country, but then, my parents moved from New York their palms and all the way up to their forearms. Hen- to California after being married in the year of 1986. na also covers their feet all the way up to their mid- My parents always kept their Muslim traditions calf. It is also Yemeni tradition for the groom to get while raising their children in America. Every year we henna on his palms because it is viewed as a sign of fasted during the holy month of Ramadan, even good luck before the wedding. though it fell on the hottest month in the summer. Eve- If it was not clearly stated above, family is a huge ry year we attended each Eid-al-fitr and Eid-al-kibr part when it comes to my Yemeni culture. In my inter- with our extended family even though it was chaotic mediate family, with three older siblings and two par- trying to find my huge extended family where every- ents, we never let each other fall behind. We help pick one in our Muslim community was doing the same. each other up when we’re down and dust off our Every year we met at one family member’s house to shoulders. Most Yemeni families like mine give tough celebrate the Eid as we exchanged gifts and sat down love. This meant that we were never pampered and we all together on the floor because the table was too were taught to strengthen our inner-confidence. Let’s small to fit all of us. It was the little things, like my just say it wasn’t easy to explain to our father why we cousins and I playing with the dough my grandma were crying or hurt because he knew that as, a Yemeni used to make a common Middle-Eastern pastry known father, he was the one to constantly remind us that we as “Fidra,” that made me appreciate and love not only are not just American, but we are also Yemeni. Mean- my Muslim culture, but my Yemeni culture as well. ing that he knew that the Yemeni blood coursing It is common for my Yemeni culture to be misper- through our veins overlapped our American blood. ceived as it is not in the best shape right now. The way Our Yemeni blood is thicker than ever, and it courses my culture is perceived on mainstream media is not through our veins every single waking day of our the exact picture I live in every day of my life. I be- lives. But of course, he didn’t want us to take the lives lieve that the way my family celebrates our culture is we are given in America for granted. one of the most euphoric experiences I’ve ever had. Stemming back to my grandparents on my moth- When someone in our family is getting married, it is er’s side, my life would have been so much different if one huge family contribution with one party after an- they hadn’t moved to America in 1965. They took the 6

biggest opportunity to not only change their chil- If I were to explain my pride and admiration for dren’s lives but the future of their grandchildren and my Yemeni culture, I would express it through the great-grandchildren as well. With Yemen being a five senses. I could smell the bakhoor incense sur- third-world country, my life would have been the rounding the room. I could feel another one’s cheeks complete opposite of how I live now. Most girls my on mine as I was greeted with multiple side kisses. I age are already married with at least one child by could hear the sound of the Oud amplifying my ears. now with not much of an education. Everyone in my I could visualize the bright and eye-catching colors family makes sure that our lives here in America are draped on one’s head. I could taste the spices and never taken for granted as we further our education traditional foods that fill the air. more and more to prove that the reason our grandpar- You can live without one or more of the five ents immigrated is still thriving through our bettered senses, but having all five completes the overall lives. package of living a life as an American-Muslim.

Alan’s daughter died in a car crash last year, and in order to deal with his grief, he turned to strengthening his town’s auto laws. In this way, he can ensure that no By Elizabeth Kleinkramer more children will perish in car accidents. Ethos, pathos, and logos are three strategies that Alan’s situation makes the reader feel that his views many writers can use to influence their readers; here’s are noble and helps strengthen the writer’s argument how you can use them in your own writing. that traffic laws should be more restrictive. Ethos is the use of ethics or credibility to convince Logos is the use of logic to persuade readers. Log- a reader. Ethics can be an extremely influential tool ic can be a powerful tool. If an idea makes sense to a for writers. The credibility of an author, or the ethics reader, they are more likely to trust that the idea is of an idea, person, business, or debate can help sway right or true. Logos often uses facts and evidence. For readers in a writer’s favor. An example of using ethos example: would be to cite a person’s credentials in order to Samuel L. Jackson is the highest grossing prove their reliability. For example: actor of 2019, making 5.867 million dollars George, a small business owner and respect- to-date. ed committee member, writes that business- The use of statistics in this example helps prove to the es should be managed well to avoid failure. reader that Samuel L. Jackson is the most popular ac- Listing George’s credentials helps readers realize that tor of 2019. he has experience, and they should believe him, which Using ethos, pathos, and logos in your writing can strengthens the argument that business should be well- help convince your readers that your thesis is correct. managed. Pathos is the use of emotion to influence readers. Tugging at someone’s heart strings is a great way to convince them that an argument is valid. For example: 7

By Stephanie Duarte 16 and 17. The convention features all things Anime but also includes other fandoms. It is quite the sight to see: you will see professional cosplayers, voice- Do you like anime? Comic books? Manga? The actors, hundreds of vendors, and so much more. A two Marvel universe? Are you more of a DC person? Do -day pass is $19.99, or a one-day pass can be pur- you belong to a fandom (another term for a chased at the door. There are also VIP packages that “fanbase”)? If you do, it is almost a guarantee that include merchandise. More info can found at ani- your fandom can be found at Comic Con in San Die- me.com go. This convention is dedicated to all things fandom If you would like to attend a smaller scale conven- and will be held on July 18-21 at the San Diego Con- tion run by Comic-Con, check out WonderCon in An- vention Center. It was founded in 1970 and has grown aheim, CA. at the Anaheim Convention Center. It was to have up to 130,000 attendees every year, and the held on March 29-31, and badges range from $24-$40 convention continues to draw large crowds of fans for a single day; info is available online at comic- from all ages and backgrounds. It features panels of con.org/wca. famous actors, directors, writers, and artists. It is also What is great about these conventions is that they the go-to place to see some of the best cosplayers in are a place where fans can be themselves and share the world. ‘Cosplay’ is the term for fans dressing up as their love of their favorite movies, tv shows, video their favorite characters in elaborate costumes games, and anime, as well as make new friends, and (Costume+Play). Fans have the opportunity to get an perhaps,even meet their favorite celebrities. If you autograph from their favorite stars, attend screenings, have never attended a fan convention of any kind, you attend art exhibits, take their kids to kid friendly definitely should try one out. It will be quite adven- zones, see special previews of upcoming movies, and turous and memorable. much more. Tickets (which, for Comic Con, are called If you are interested in local shops that sell comics, “badges”) are already sold out, but do not fear, there manga, anime, and fandom merch, check out some of are still local events here in the Central Valley that the following stores: Silkroad Gallery (anime) at Sier- you can attend for a much lower price (badges for ra Vista Mall and Heroes Comics next to Sierra Vista Comic Con are usually $66 for one day). Cinema 16. On Saturday, April 6 at the University Student Un- ion at Fresno State, Fres-Con will be held from 10AM to 6PM. It is free entry, and there will be relaxed park- ing. If you would like to, you can even cosplay as your favorite character. Fres-Con is a family-friendly event and will also include a community fair. Another local fan-event is the yearly Ani-me Con, which was held at the Fresno Fairgrounds on March 8

starting point is for the line you’re going to be cut- ting. When the metal is hot enough, you then hold Personal Narrative: down the handle that releases an even more concen- National Welding trated dose of oxygen that melts the metal and cuts a line through it. Once the main integrity of the metal Month in this line has been melted through, you can simply Written and Performed by take a hammer to it, and the chunk will ‘pop’ off. Savanna Duncan The second tool I used was the main form of welding that people often think of when they hear the Welding: to join together metal parts by heating the sur- word. I was given access to a 220 watt arc welder faces to the point of melting using a blowtorch, electric arc, which ultimately conducts high levels of electricity or other means, and uniting them by pressing, hammering, into a grounded piece of metal that creates a spark etc. While the definition may be new for some, the reality is which melts metal on contact. The goal of this ma- that welding plays a huge role in most people’s lives. With- chine is to combine two pieces of metal by heating out welding, we wouldn’t have long-lasting fences, automo- them with the electric rod and using the end of the biles, buildings, appliances, or even space travel! In fact, rod to swirl their two “puddles” of metal together to 70% of the world’s manufactured products are created fuse them. I chose to weld old horseshoes together through some sort of welding process. However, I recently into a four-leafed clover pattern. It turned out just as had the opportunity to attempt welding myself. It proved to I had wanted it too— just so long as one does not be a very physically demanding activity that required a lot of look on the backside where my welding bonds are. practice to even begin to perform, or let alone, master. On a last and grateful note on my personal expe- Before I was given instructions or even introduced to rience, I did not light myself on fire during my first any of the tools, I was immediately fitted with a leather welding experience. However, there is a much re- apron, gloves, and goggles. Quite honestly, the level of per- spect to be had in regards to the men and women sonal protective equipment I was given made me realize ra- who do this for a living as well as for the training ther quickly that perhaps what I had signed up to learn was they go through beforehand to prepare for a career in potentially dangerous. Being a natural klutz, I began to ques- this field. They, quite literally, build the foundation tion what I had gotten myself into, but none the less, I con- of essential tools we use every single day. tinued. Besides, what’s the worst that can happen? Or at least, that’s what I thought to myself. I was then promptly told stories of professional welders lighting themselves on fire and continuing their work without realizing they were on fire due to the intense UV protection the welder’s shield and goggles give off: these masks essentially blind you to your surroundings. Still, there was no need to fear. There were two fire extinguishers on hand in the perfectly safe wooden shed we were working in as well as a bucket of water on hand. The first tool I was taught to use was an acetylene cut- ting torch. The main purpose of this tool is to cut chunks off Check out RC’s of large pieces of metal or to split a piece of metal to the Welding Technology Program here on shape you need it to be. This was actually the harder of the campus! two tools I used because it requires an extremely steady hand. First, you have to adjust your flame using the gas and Faculty Advisors: Mr. Robert Fransen and the oxygen. Then, you have to heat the metal wherever your Mr. David Tikkanen 9

Memoir care of us, but he was always exhausted from work yet still made time to play with us. I didn’t know how to Don’t Grow Up, It’s a Trap! work, and my brother would annoy me after 5 minutes By Lucio Rodriguez of playing. How was I supposed to do the same job as him and maintain a decent GPA? I always thought my “You find sometimes that a mom did a great job at cleaning the house, but she was thing which seemed very thing- always exhausted after and yet, she still made time to ish inside you is quite different cook for us. How was I supposed to clean the house when it gets out into the open when I could barely reach over the counter to turn on and has other people looking at the sink, and the only thing I knew how to make was a it.” cup of water? This all made me confused and made —Winnie the Pooh my schoolwork seem unnecessary. I thought if the teacher couldn’t teach me in the class and I had to take If I was given a book for every time I heard the work home, they weren’t doing their job and should phrase “grow up,” my house would have contained a be fired. collection much greater than the Library of Alexan- When it was time to move on to middle school, I dria. A grown up is simply defined as an adult; an had already become disenchanted with school itself. adult is simply defined as someone who is fully grown After a bit of math and studying all my syllabi, I dis- and developed. There’s a common belief that the brain covered exactly how much effort was needed to main- isn’t fully developed until one reaches the age of 25, tain a passing C average in order to spend my time on and when discussing life itself, no one is ever done what I thought to be better distractions. Those distrac- evolving and developing themselves as a person. This tions consisted of games, friends, girls, and all things makes it odd to hear any “grown up” telling a student that were common in my small, slightly dysfunctional that it’s time to grow up. The student’s idea of a world. The pattern would continue throughout high grown up is most likely going to be reflective upon school, and the only thing I put any effort in was their world. maintaining a stupid, immature 69 ranking within my At a young age, my parents divorced, and I was graduating class. On paper, I was just an average stu- told by both parents that it was time to grow up. My dent, but in my high school I was just an average rebel father told me that I had to grow up and be “the man that the staff had to deal with for four years. Many stu- of the house” now, making sure I take care of my dents end up realizing this, although they may have mother and younger brother. My mother told me I was got to this point from a different story as mine, they going to have to grow up a bit and take on more re- end up here none the less; stuck, wearing the same cap sponsibilities around the house: help my brother get and gown as everyone else, feeling average. ready for school, wash dishes, vacuum, and other Many of my friends work with children and the common household chores. These all seemed like sim- number one thing they can never stop talking about is ple tasks but growing up and hearing both parents how creative their students can be. It’s that creativity complaining about these responsibilities perplexed my that springs life into the students and their classrooms. younger self because they thought the best solution Unfortunately, by the time students reach college, all was to split up and give me, the nine-year-old with a their creativity will have been squeezed out or sup- stutter problem, the job. pressed by life or those in their life who thought that it I always thought my dad did a great job of taking was time for them to grow up. This causes many stu-

10 dents to lose themselves or even worse, to lose all in- hopefully help them resolve a few personal things via terest in school. Many students are intimidated into their writing. thinking that creativity has no place in the “real For the freshmen out there who are crushing mid- world,” and they are cursed into mediocracy if they terms, keep up the great work! For those who feel like don’t act like the top students. This leaves many stu- they weren’t prepared enough, don’t worry. There are dents wishing that people just took the time to see many of us who have been in the same predicament where their genius truly lies instead of rushing to pull and are willing to take the time to help you shine. them out like a weed. A class is an educator’s garden, Here at Reedley College, there are many professors each student following their instructors’ guidance until who are waiting for students to show up to there office it’s time to blossom. Some students will blossom be- hours. They want to help you, so don’t be afraid to ask fore others, that’s expected, but what about the stu- for it. If professors scare you, there are many tutors at dents who are struggling to blossom? Should they be the Reading and Writing Center who are more than labeled as a weed because they don’t respond to the eager to help you with any school work you are strug- same conditions as the rest? Winnie the Pooh once gling with. For the students who feel like you’ve been said, "Weeds are flowers, too, once you get to know here a while and never leaving, remember that in them." 2016, 5.8 million students were in enrolled in a com- I now understand that many students just need to munity college. All of them taking their own pace and be reminded that they are different, and different is discovering their own path. The next time someone normal. Everyone is one of a kind. I try to talk to as tells you to just grow up, to suck it up and get your many student’s as possible; I tell them not to be dis- work done, don’t worry about not doing anything right couraged if they feel stuck or feel like they don’t have away. what it takes to advance to the next step in their educa- “Doing nothing of- tion. I also try to occasionally have writing workshops ten leads to the very with high school students that consist of poetry and best of something.” short stories. I try to get their creativity flowing and – Winnie the Pooh

2nd Annual Tiger Pageant (Sponsored by RC Safe Space Club) Friday May 3rd, 2019 at 6 pm in the Reedley College Cafeteria

Meet this years contestants… Osvaldo Copado Si Gonzales BreAnna Trejo Savanna Duncan Laura Hand Katie Walker Omar Estrada Alexiz Molina Preston Ward Carlos Fuentes Marie Lopez Brit Witton

Come support your fellow Reedley College students!

By Brandon Cooper

What is CalWORKS? CalWORKS (The California Work Opportunities and Responsibility to Kids Program) is just one of many services that Reedley College students have access to. CalWORKS aims to help parents that accept cash aid (Fresno, Madera, and Tulare counties) with achieving vocational skills, educational goals, and access to jobs that lead to financial stability.

How Does CalWORKS Do This? CalWORKS offers a wide variety of services that help student parents succeed while attending college. Cal- WORKS does this by providing services such as:

 Childcare Assistance and Transportation Services  Financial Aid and Assistance with Textbooks & Supplies  Priority Registration  Job Placement and Job Training Programs  Life Skill Courses (Courses in Life Strategies, Financial Literacy, Healthy Parenting/Family Relationships)  Academic, Career and Personal Counseling  And Many More Services!

Anything Else? CalWORKS has also helped to organize many important events that benefit all students, such as job fairs, dis- cussion & support groups, and healthy relationship forums. You can do your part to help these events succeed by donating your time! To find out how you can attend future events and/or donate your time, please utilize the contact information below.

How Do I Get More Information?  Phone: (559) 637-2504  Website: www.reedleycollege.edu/student-services/calworks.html  Visit Us: The Center for Student Success Building 2 (CSSS2), Mon – Fri, 8am - 5pm. (559) 638-2504

Additional Services You Should Know About Who: EOPS (Extended Opportunity Programs & Services) What: Services offering educational support to historically disadvantaged students. How: CSS-1 Room 3, Mon – Fri, 8am - 5pm. (559) 638-0340

Who: EOPS/CARE (Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education) What: Further help with educational goals for students that are the single head of household & receiving TANF/CalWORKS benefits. How: CSS-1 Room 3. Mon – Fri, 8am - 5pm. (559) 638-0340

Who: NextUp (a component of EOPS) What: Offering a case-management approach for extended support services to former and current foster youth that are community college students. How: Second floor of Student Services Building. Mon – Fri, 8am - 5pm. (559) 638- 0340

Who: TRiO/SSSP What: Helps to give first generation, ESL, low income, and disabled students academic guidance and support in accomplishing certificates, a degree, and a transfer to a four-year college. How: Located in CSS 1. Mon – Fri, 8am - 5pm. (559) 638-0300 x3526

Who: Love is Respect What: A support resource for individuals that may be in an abusive relationship. This resource provides information as well as live support through chat, text, and phone. How: Chat and find info at: www.loveisrespect.org, text “loveis” to 22522, or call 1- 866-332-9474

Who: Marjaree Mason Center What: Marjaree Mason Center supports and empowers adults and their children af- fected by domestic violence, while striving to prevent and end the cycle of abuse through education and advocacy. How: www.mmcenter.org, 24 Hour Confidential Hotline: 559-233-HELP (4357), Address: 1600 M Street, Fresno, CA 93721

Fiction Nightwalker By Rosa Coroles

sion and concern as he shared his findings. “I want to call you crazy but that seems kind of rude. So instead I’ll go with, Dan that sounds crazy. What’re you talking about?” Marcus, Dan’s coworker and closest friend, was the first to speak up. Lately they hadn’t spent much time together, so he was una- At first, there were small inconsistencies here and ware of the weirdness going on during the late hours there that tipped him off to the fact that something was in his friend’s home. Any other day, Dan would appre- wrong. Every morning, he would wake up to find ciate his brutal honesty, but now, those words struck things and furniture were moved from their usual too close to home. With how things were going lately, spots. Other days he’d wake up sore or with unex- the mystery of what was going on in the late hours of plained bruises. Later, he found receipts and ticket his home was eating at his already frayed nerves. Go- stubs to places he didn’t remember going to and ing crazy was seemed to be a more and more probable weirdest of all, a shirt that isn’t his with “Limbo King” explanation. written on a name tag in large blocky letters. Dan gave them a quick rundown of what’s gone Dan didn’t think much of it at first. He was much down in the past few weeks. more focused on keeping up with the increasing work- “—which leads me back to my previous conclu- load he’d been giving since his promotion. Years of sion: someone’s living in my house. Or it’s haunted.” arduous work was finally paying off and he was mov- He added as an afterthought. ing up the chain of command at work. However, this “So, this is why you’ve been so twitchy lately? I also led to more responsibilities and longer hours. thought it was all just stress from your new job.” Con- These days Dan barely had time to sleep and keep nor, their other lunch companion admitted. “Man, I himself functional. He didn’t have the time or energy have to say this sounds pretty crazy. It's like the begin- to do much of anything outside of work anymore, ning to a horror movie.” which is why it didn’t make sense to find anything “Well I’m more than open to a recasting because indicative of a social life in his home (a sad fact he’d I’m tired of all this crap.” Dan sighed. rather not dwell on too much on). “Go to the police,” Offered Marcus, in between “I think someone is living in my house,” Dan con- bites of his sandwich. cluded on the drive to work. By now, lunch had rolled “I’m pretty sure that if I go to the police with all of around, and Dan was taking his lunch with a couple of this, they’d think I’m crazy too.” his friends. A rare and much needed break from the The three friends sat in silence, pondering what to stress from both at home and at work. Said friends do with the situation. stared at the tired man with varying levels of confu- “How about we stay the night with you. Either we

14 catch whoever’s doing this, scare them off, or we get heard the creaking of a door break through the solemn enough evidence to get help.” Connor nodded in silence of the sleeping house. As quietly as they could, agreement, also offering his help. they got up and slowly creeped out of the living room. Dan accepted the offer and immediately felt more Marcus armed himself with a baseball bat while Con- at ease knowing he had his friend’s support in the mat- ner lifted a golf club, ready to swing. The muffled ter. He was willing to try anything to put a stop to the thumps of footsteps were the only sounds in the house strangeness in his home. other than their own hushed breathing. The two friends had set up camp in Dan’s living ‘Dan?’ Conner mouthed the question to Marcus, un- room that night while Dan slept in his own bedroom. willing to make a noise. They planned on taking turns staying up and having “I don’t know…” the other whispered back, his the element of surprise should anything happen. Con- voice barely audible. They snuck towards the kitchen ner said to Marcus, “I hope this doesn’t end up being a where the sounds were now coming from. After they horror movie. Everyone knows the two side-character took a moment to gather their courage, the two rushed best friends are always the first to go.” He joked, ges- into the kitchen, ready take on the intruder, only to turing between themselves. stop in their tracks at the sight of their friend…. It was past midnight when Marcus and Connor Sleepwalking.

**************************************************************************************** Created By Alexiz Molina

Across 1. The winner has the most of this 4. Mosher Butts Creator of Scrabble 6. Richards Best Scrabble player in the world 7. It has the letter and points you earn 8. Rack Holds the the letters for you

Down 2. Keeps track of how fast or slow you go 3. Board What the game is played on 5. Helps you discover new words

Rejoice Poetry by Laura Hand

Dawn breaks softly on a silent spring morning. The sun’s warm rays glisten in dew drops like precious gems; Pure, joyous light dazzles and awakens the world. A multitude of blooms lift their heads towards the sun; They delight in the promise of life that the radiance brings. Palms raise their fronds to the sky in proud exaltation of the sun’s majesty. Birds begin to sing, and the drone of bees humming accompanies their hymn; The breeze carries their harmonious chorus throughout the world.

Yet darkness gathers in the distance. Clouds, once pure and white, turn black as their anger grows; Their fury begins to destroy the light, and the heavens turn cold. Thunder crashes through the sky; Lightning rends the peace that the sun brought. Wrath pours down from above. Petals fall like tears as delicate blossoms are ripped to pieces; The palms bow in forced reverence to the storms mighty power.

The earth quakes as the storm rages; Tremors shake the rock until it crumbles. Broken and battered boughs are ripped from their roots; Destruction and desolation reign. The torrent is unrelenting; It drowns the joyful birdsong in waves of despair. The earth howls in torment; With a final thunderous shudder, darkness settles over the land.

Dawn breaks solemnly over a sorrowful spring morning; Dark clouds linger in the sky, reluctant to depart from the destruction they wrought. Forlorn flowers hang their heads in grief as they lament the loss of the light; Palms stoop under the weight of their sadness. The gloom begins to fade as glimmers of hope pierce the clouds; Brilliant beams of light break the darks hold on the world. Elation spreads through the landscape, and once more, a joyous song resounds; Rejoice! —for the sun is risen, and blessed are all that the light touches.

Reedley College Men’s Golf By Isaiah Tigler

The Reedley College Men’s Golf team has been hav- team as well as himself, are high. When speaking with ing incredible success this season. After coming up him, he emphasized how well the team has been play- short of winning the State Championship last season, ing, He also made a point to highlight that the team Coach Stark has the Golf team on route to reaching can not become complacent. He stated, “There’s al- their goal of winning the State Championship this sea- ways more work to be done. We need to focus on our son. The team hopes to relive the same success that weaknesses and not get comfortable with how we are helped the team win their most recent State Champi- all playing.” Freshman Tom O’ Rourke and Beau Wil- onship back in 2016. The individual efforts by some lett have been following in the footsteps of their fel- of our Tiger’s have been exceptional as the team nears low Australian teammates such as Adam Nelson. On postseason play. Returning sophomore and central val- the other hand, the team also has good local represen- ley native Dylan Otto has helped lead the team along- tation as well. Freshman Jarred Hernandez and Soph- side fellow sophomore Adam Nelson. Adam has been more Xavier Coreno are two Central Valley natives exceptional in his two years leading the Tigers. As a from Visalia and Fresno who are carrying on the tradi- defending first team all-conference player and individ- tion of excellence. ual state champion, he knows the expectations for the

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the Library and Art Department for students to dress up It be can hard to keep up with the multiple events as their favorite characters. happening at Reedley College. They all represent im- Safari Days to offers the utmost variation of events, portant topics to attend and learn from, but if there is one services, and activities imaginable packed into the three- particular event that you should keep an eye open for, it day event. This year, Safari Days will take place from should be Safari Days. It represents Reedley College as a April 2nd through the 4th, 10 A.M. to 2 P.M. Certain whole, showcasing to the community what the college is days will offer opportunities for Job Fair, clubs showcas- always trying to exemplify: “Cultivating the student ing themselves, and vendors in the local areas promoting life.” Hosted every year in the Springtime, Safari Days their businesses. As mentioned before, this is one of was established in 2014 by Jim Mulligan after being in- those events that is not just for our campus, but for the spired by Vintage Days at Fresno State. When it was whole community of Reedley (and beyond) to get in- first created, it was known as Kaleidoscope Days, which volved in. It’s hard to pinpoint what Safari Days will be involved a weekend-long event that featured local musi- offering every year since it’s constantly improving and cians and provided face painting for children. Through expanding. But one thing we can count on is community the years, the event morphed from the weekends to a involvement, student engagement in multiple events, and three-day event on the weekdays at Reedley College’s encouragement for everyone to visit Reedley College. main lawn. Last year, not only did they feature a Car Finally, don’t forget all the delicious local cuisine Show and coordinate with local high schools and ven- that will be there. If nothing else, come for the food! dors, but they also introduced a Comic Con hosted by

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 1st April Fool’s day  13th Scrabble Day  26th National Pretzel Day  3rd Tweed Day  14th Palm Sunday  30th National Honesty Day  4th School Librarian Day  15th Titanic Remembrance Day Month Events  5th National Dandelion Day  16th Save the Elephant Day  International Guitar Month  7th Caramel Popcorn Day  20th Husband Appreciation Day  National Welding Month  10th Golfer’s Day  22nd National Jelly Bean Day  12th Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day  24th Pig in a Blanker Day

The next Wednesday at One reading will be April 3rd in the staff dining room, when RC Fiction Writer/Instructor David Borofka will read from his work. Mr. Borofka will be retiring at the end of this semester.

Present this coupon for One free Print At the Reading & Writing Center in Hum 58

*Limit Two prints per person*