Coyote Howler 2015-05 - Cerro Coso Community College

2015
Y
MA
Five from CCCC
Recipients of
National Award
Back l to r: Laura Vasquez (Director of Basic
Skills), Herman Foster (Welding Faculty),
& Paula Suorez (Director of Students
and Counseling). Seated l top r: Annette
Hodgins (Director of Nursing), and Valerie
Karnes (C6 Project Director).
Five Cerro Coso Community College employees received national
recognition for their leadership and contributions to higher
education. Laura Vasquez (Director of Basic Skills), Herman
Foster (Welding Faculty), Paula Suorez (Director of Students and
Counseling), Annette Hodgins (Director of Nursing), and Valerie
Karnes (C6 Project Director) were presented the John and Suanne
Roueche Excellence Awards at a conference in Boston, Mass., in
March that drew community college representatives from across
the nation. The award is from the League for Innovation in the
Community College, an international consortium of community
colleges and their districts, and 160 corporate partners. This
group of dedicated faculty and administrators spent the past
four years focused on increasing access to programs, student
success, completion, and transition into the workforce by working
collaboratively across the Central Valley aligning curriculum in the
disciplines of Allied Health, Welding, and Basic Skills between all
participating colleges in the C6 Consortium. Funded by a grant
from the U.S. Department of Labor, of the 251 students at Cerro
Coso participating in C6 Programs, 71% have completed to date,
with others still enrolled. “The innovation and collaboration
with other colleagues throughout the Central Valley as well
as partnering with local business and industry has benefited
our students greatly,” said President Jill Board. Each recipient
received a certificate and medallion to honor their achievements.
CONGRATULATIONS!
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Students Showcase at
Research Conference
On Saturday, March 28, 2015,
Cerro Coso Community College
was strongly represented at
the Annual HTCC Student
Research Conference held at
the University of California,
Irvine. This multidisciplinary
conference, sponsored by
UCI and the Honors Transfer
Council of California,
showcases outstanding
CCCC students (l to r): Nicolas
faculty-mentored research
Elder, Beverlee Wood, and
by students from California
Hannah Small.
community colleges, with a
focus on honors students.
Three Cerro Coso students presented their research at this year’s
conference. Honors Program student Hannah Small’s presentation
on the non-biological roots of “races” and their elimination in
forensic anthropology suggests the use of ancestry in identifications
as opposed to race would allow forensic anthropologists to more
accurately and scientifically identify human remains. Hannah was
mentored on the project by Anthropology Professor Dr. Sarah King.
Mentored by English Professor Cliff Davis, Beverlee Wood’s literary
presentation entitled “[Less] than Kin and [More] than Kind: Hamlet
and Iago”, proposes the protagonist of Hamlet has essentially
the same intellect and is in effect the same character as Iago, the
antagonist of Othello. Beverlee is also an Honors Program student
(Continued on Page 2)
Inside this Issue
Five from CCCC Recipients of National Award
Students Showcase at Research Conference
Band Concert Dedicated to Mick Rindt
Bubble Mayhem
Students Spring into Action
Jamison Retires After 30 Years
Movie Under the Stars
Road Trip
Literary Awards Ceremony
Latino Family College Night
Jansson Takes Full-Time Position
Phi Theta Kappa Welcomes New Members
Scott New Face on Campus
Bishop Enhances Open House
Gardens: A Living Laboratory
Denim Day
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COYOTE HOWLER
Band Concert Dedicated
to Mick Rindt
The Cerro Coso Community College Band
held its spring concert on Thursday,
April 23, at the Ridgecrest Campus. The
concert was dedicated to Mick Rindt
who played trumpet with the college
band for many years. The event featured
several selections with trumpet solos in
his honor. Amber Ricker and Alex Clark
performed a marimba duet on the song
Fandango for Mallet Percussion and Band.
Amber is a Cerro Coso graduate and Alex
Amber Ricker and Alex Clark
is a current student who will graduate
performed a marimba duet during
next spring. Directed by Debra Veit, in
the concert.
addition to the Spanish dance Fandango,
the concert featured the Norwegian March Valdres, selections from Les Miserables, and
Nessun Dorma by the Italian composer Puccini. The concert rounded out the evening
with marches by Sousa and Reeves, a Pirates of the Caribbean montage, Summertime
by Gershwin, and Military Salute by del Borgo. Fun for the whole family, the public was
invited to attend for FREE. Great musicians happen when talent meets discipline and
the two rise together.
Bubble
Mayhem
They ran, they played, and shouted with joy,
as bubble mayhem broke out in the college
sculpture garden on Thursday, April 16th, in
celebration of the Week of the Young Child
(WOYC). Established in 1971 by the National
Association for the Education of Young
Children (NAEYC), the purpose of WOYC
is to “focus public attention on the needs
of young children and their families and
to recognize the early childhood programs
and services that meet those needs.” For
the CCCC Child Development Center (CDC)
the week kicked off with Color me Monday
– celebrating diversity, followed by Taco
Tuesday, Wacky Wednesday, Bubble Blow
Out Thursday, and a parade and picnic on
Friday, all in celebration of our youngest
learners. The children’s art was on display all
week at the LRC for all to see how they learn
through art and guest readers were invited
to read their favorite childhood book to small
groups of the children throughout the week.
The Cerro Coso CDC shared their expertise
on how to extend literacy into math, art, fine
motor, gross motor, and social activities and
invited all to bring their smiles to the photo
prop booth at the Community Children’s Fair
held on Saturday at Leroy Jackson Park. The
college CDC provides an all-inclusive, safe,
and caring environment for children to learn
and grow. Children are the world’s most
valuable resource and its best hope for the
future. –John F. Kennedy
11TH ANNUAL COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY
ESCC BISHOP CAMPUS
Friday, May 8, 2015 - 5:30 P.m.
Students Spring
into Action
Students l to r: Rebecca McGuire,
Mitchell Metz, and Devanne
Fredette.
Enjoying a little “childhood” fun at Cerro
Coso, students dashed around the Ridgecrest
campus hunting for a hundred scattered eggs
on April 2nd. Lots of little eggs sitting neatly
in a row. Striped eggs and spotted eggs, and
even one with a bow. They were hidden in
the garden, and hidden on the stairs, hunters
kept their eyes open, as they were hidden
everywhere. Sponsored by the SGCC and
chaired by Mitchell Metz and Malina Chavez,
students who found the golden “prize”
eggs received a basket filled with goodies.
Congratulations to the following golden egg
finders: Devanne Fredette, Rebecca McGuire,
Mikayla Bayless, Meritzel Herrera, Marty
Putnam, and Loraine Coggin. The egg hunt
was followed by a coloring contest won by
Kirsten Carroll.
Research
Conference
(Continued from Page 1)
and will be graduating from the college this
May. Nicolas Elder’s literary presentation
explained and analyzed the sources and
inspiration of the multiple cosmological
elements in John Milton’s Christian epic
poem, Paradise Lost. Presenting their work
at the HTCC Student Research Conference
makes these Cerro Coso students eligible
not only for monetary awards but also to
submit their work for publication in the
HTCC anthology Building Bridges, published
through the University of California, Irvine.
All three students received a Cerro Coso
Faculty Honors Research Scholarship.
COYOTE HOWLER
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Jamison Retires After 30 Years
Speech professor Janis Jamison retired
after 30 years of service to Cerro Coso.
As a drama coach and speech instructor,
Jamison has inspired some very talented
students to take the stage and did so herself
for many years. A flair for the dramatic,
Jamison’s story is one of love, loss, passion,
entertainment, and unexpected curves. As
a young woman she lost her first husband
in the Vietnam War. Not sure what to do in
life after her tragic loss, Jamison enrolled in
classes at El Camino Community College and
discovered her love for acting. She earned
both a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree from
California State University, Long Beach,
and took to performing on the road. She’s
landed a number of acting roles over the
years including that of a killer masseuse
in the opening scene of the 1976 version
of Charlie’s Angels. Jamison also played a
masseuse in Dynasty and decided perhaps
this was a calling, so she attended
the Institute of Pscyho-Structural
Balancing, a school of holistic body
therapy, and earned an advanced
degree in therapeutic massage and
bodywork to help pay the bills and
fill the gaps between acting jobs.
“Acting is a hard business to get into,”
said Jamison. How did this actress
end up in Ridgecrest? Well she met
her current husband, James Nichols,
while touring the Himalayas and he
lived in Ridgecrest. Still active in local
theater, Jamison started working at the
college as a student worker in the chemistry
lab. She taught drama for many years as an
adjunct instructor and became a permanent
part-time instructor in 2003, concluding her
career in December teaching speech. She
is a two time recipient of the “Outstanding
Instructor of the Year” award chosen by
Cerro Coso students. In retirement, Jamison
is looking forward to resting up, spending
time with her mother, and reconnecting with
family, friends, and students from her past.
She says she will remember those students
and staff whose lives she has touched and
who have touched hers. “They are always a
part of you, even if those encounters were
less than you would have wished,” she said.
Thank you Janis! It is now time for you to
look back with pride and satisfaction…And
look forward to all the things you’ve yet to
enjoy!
Movie Under
the Stars
The Student
Government
of Cerro Coso
(SGCC) invited
the public
to enjoy
a unique
viewing
experience of
the popular,
PG-rated
movie Big
Hero 6
against the beautiful backdrop of the city.
Drive-in movies virtually a thing of the
past, movie goers were encouraged to
bring family, friends, blankets, and lawn
chairs to the Luis Miro Sculpture Garden on
Friday, April 24. Unfortunately, the weather
did not cooperate and cold harsh winds
necessitated moving the event into the
gymnasium. More than 100 people enjoyed
the family friendly film Big Hero 6 on a 21
foot inflatable screen. With all the heart and
humor audiences expect from Walt Disney
Animation Studios, Big Hero 6 is an actionpacked comedy adventure that features
comic-book-style action and hilarious,
unforgettable characters, and is fun for the
whole family! Funded by the Student Club,
the event was FREE and popcorn and soft
drinks were available for purchase.
Road Trip
The Owens Valley Career Development Center (OVCDC) took a
road-trip to the Ridgecrest campus for a day of meetings and
a campus tour on Monday, March 30th. Since 2007, OVCDC
has been a strong partner of Cerro Coso Community College,
supporting nearly 100 students each semester enrolling in
Cerro Coso courses. OVCDC provides financial support–covering
tuition, fees, books, materials and supply costs–academic and
career planning and guidance, and academic and social support
for Native American students in Inyo, Mono, and Kern counties.
Many of OVCDC’s students are pursuing CTE certificates and
degrees. Gina Jones, Director of Career Education, Kathy
Anderson, Career Counsellor, DeAnne Chiatovich, Academic
Counsellor, and Stefanie Jackson, Office Manager, spent the
day at the Ridgecrest campus meeting with student services
staff, CTE faculty, and administration. Thank you to: Jill Board,
Jarrod Bowen, Lynn Charlon, Herman Foster, Lisa Fuller, Pamela
Godfrey, Annette Hodgins, Valerie Karnes, Mike McNair, Mike
Metcalf, April Naill, Debra Rundell, Paula Suorez, Matt Wanta,
and especially Jennifer Curtis for spending time meeting with
and hosting our OVCDC partners!
L to R: Gina Jones, Director of Career Education; Deanna
Campbell, Director of ESCC; Kathy Anderson, Job Placement
Coordinator; Stefanie Jackson, Administrative Assistant; and
DeAnne Chiatovich, Career Counselor.
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COYOTE HOWLER
Literary Awards Ceremony
Metamorphoses, in cooperation with the English Department
at Cerro Coso Community College, hosted the 2015 Met
Awards for Creative Writing on Friday, April 24, in the College
Student Center. Family and friends were invited to attend the
celebration and readings in honor of this year’s fiction and
poetry award recipients. 2015 Met awardees honored included:
College Fiction: First Place - Jennifer Jones for “We Are Gathered
Here Today”; Second Place - Rey David Morales for “Donald”;
and Honorable Mention - Shari Allison for “Father Nickolas”,
Meritzel Herrera for “Ignorance is Bliss”, Korinza Elaine Shlanta
for “January 17, 2438”, and Austin Ream for “Sweet Mary Jane”.
High School Fiction: First Place - Grace Kameyo Griego for
“Control”; Second Place – Sydney Marler for “Ambition”, and
Honorable Mention – Emma Gilmartin for “The Real Coward”.
Contest recipients left to right: Kelsey Saxton Hire, Sophie
College Poetry: First Place - Jennifer Jones for “Undecided”;
Walker, Emma Gilmartin, Alas Tarin, Korinza Elaine Shlanta,
Second Place - Sophie R. Walker for “Hummingbird”, and
Steffeni Moreno, Alex Tellez, Rey David Morales, Meritzel
Herrera, and English Professor Melanie Jeffrey.
Honorable Mention - Michelle A. Lundberg for “Mom”, Alas
Tarin for “The Last Supper”, and Steffeni M. Moreno for
“Repeat”. High School Poetry: First Place - Kelsey Saxton Hire for “Seventeen”; Second Place - Emma K. Heflin for “Paper Skin”; and Honorable
Mention - Emma Gilmartin for “The Steppe Girl”. Creative Non-Fiction: First Place - Regan Wolfe for “San Jose City College”; and Second Place
- Alex Tellez for “The Greatest Story”. All 1st and 2nd place authors received a $50 or $25 gift card. And all recipients, including honorable
mentions, received award certificates. Published annually by Cerro Coso Community College, Met features both established and emerging
twenty-first century voices and visions from a variety of perspectives. View the latest short stories, poems, essays, and artwork in the current
issue at http://metamorphosesonline.blospot.com/.
Latino Family College Night
The Inyo County Superintendent of Schools (ICSOS) and Eastern Sierra College Center (ESCC)
hosted an informational dinner, Latino Family College Night, on Wednesday, April 8th, in the
newly renovated Bishop Campus Community Room. The idea for the dinner emerged out of an
Inyo County Supervisor’s meeting where the topic of discussion was the low matriculation rates
of Latino students graduating from Inyo county high schools as compared to Mono County high
schools. The presentation covered the economic benefits of college education compared to
the costs, the difference between community college and four-year colleges and universities,
the programs available at Cerro Coso Community College and how to pay for and enroll in
community college classes. Hector Gonzalez, ESCC instructor of political science and CEO of
Mono County Superior Court, shared his personal story of making the difficult decision to
pursue higher education rather than help support his family during his early years. Angie Flores,
a local high school student concurrently enrolled in Cerro Coso classes, shared her reasons for
taking college classes while in high school and the challenges she faced. The entire program
was presented in Spanish with Spanish/English translation performed by Margarita Cuellar, a
Mammoth Unified School District educator. Dinner was provided by a local caterer courtesy of
ICSOS. Fifteen Latino families attended the event.
42ND ANNUAL COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY
RIDGECREST CAMPUS
Friday, May 16, 2014 - 6:00 P.m.
Jansson
Takes
Full-Time
Position
Formerly a part-time Custodian at the KRV
campus, Christy Jansson has moved to a
full-time position at the Ridgecrest campus.
Jansson currently lives in Wofford Heights
and will assist with the custodial needs of
the KRV campus one day a week until the
vacant position is filled. Assigned to the
Child Development Center and Gymnasium,
Jansson is looking forward to getting to
know the staff and students in Ridgecrest.
Congratulations Christy!
COYOTE HOWLER
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Phi Theta Kappa Welcomes New Members
Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for two year
colleges, welcomed 62 new members into Cerro Coso’s Beta
Kappa Chi Chapter. More than 25 inductees participated in
the formal ceremony in the Student Center at the Ridgecrest
campus on Friday, April 24. Phi Theta Kappa serves to recognize
and encourage the academic achievement of two-year college
students and provides opportunities for individual growth and
development through honors, leadership, and service programs.
To be invited to join Phi Theta Kappa, students must have
completed at least 12 hours of course work and have earned a
GPA of at least 3.50. Cerro Coso students inducted into the Beta
Kappa Chi Chapter include: Shari Allison, Heather Bopp, Andrea
Bordenave, Megan Budlong, Deborah Castro, Pui Chan, Jennifer
Colangelo, Kyme Coursey, Shealan Cruise, Mark Daniels, Wendy Delaney, Heather Dobbs, Patricia Douds, Aubrey Elliott, Lauren Ells, Rachel
Evans, Aubrey Farrar, Chelsea Foulke, Trenton Francis, Moriah Garrison, Alyssa Gaska, Brian Grevenkamp, Abigail Hartman, Jenna Havig,
Michael Hunsaker, Chelsea Hunt, Wael Ivie, Jennifer Jones, Brenda Kanatsky, Krista Kenny, Candace Kizer, Tina Koivu, Natalie Kuttor, Connie
Leyva, Raychel Limnios, Shelli McKenzie-Rogers, Brian McKnight, Mitchell Metz, Gloria Middleton, Jared Mondragon, Kristiana Ogilvie,
Gage Ramlose, Ryan Richard, Alexandra Roberts, Brandy Sailers-Dow, John Santiago, Hannah Small, Nathan Smith, Blake Stewart, Matthew
Taylor, Alejandro Tellez Cruz, Megan Varney, Michael Walecke, Justin Weich, Ruthanne Welling, Joel Whitcomb, Stephanee Whiteley, Andrea
Whittemore, Keith Williams, Beverlee Wood, and Christopher Young.
Scott New Face on Campus
Cerro Coso welcomes new Custodian
Everett Scott to the team that works
tirelessly to ensure the facilities support
the mission of the college. Scott, a native of
Ridgecrest, is a 2002 graduate of Burroughs
High School and a former explosives
technician. He most recently worked out of
Mojave as a blaster for numerous mines,
quarries, and construction sites. His current
assignment is the Child Development
Center and gymnasium, and Scott says he
feels very fortunate to have been selected
to serve in such an essential capacity.
Scott knows how important the working
environment is to the health and wellbeing of our students and staff because his
son Christien is a full-time student at
the college and his granddaughter Aleah (3)
attends the Child Development Center. Scott
and his wife Shawna have two children:
Christie and Alissa and two granddaughters
Marlee (4 months) and Aleah (3). He
enjoys a good movie including romantic
comedies and his favorite film is Rocky.
There is just something about Rocky’s
unbreakable human spirit, determination,
and willingness to do whatever it takes to
make his dream a reality that makes this
movie one of Scott’s favorites. From the
ocean to the mountains, Scott and his family
genuinely love the outdoor and nature.
WELCOME Everett!
Bishop Enhances Open House
This year, ESCC art faculty and educational partners from the Owens
Valley Career Development Center (OVCDC) joined ESCC Counseling,
Student Services Staff, and Financial Aid to enhance its Summer/
Fall 2015 Open House. Deborah Lurie, ESCC Adjunct Faculty in Art,
coordinated a Student Art Show in the Bishop Community Room.
The show featured paintings from Deborah Lurie’s students, ceramics
from Theresa Otto’s students, information about the Studio Arts
Degree Program and individual art courses, including Lori Michelon’s
upcoming Two Dimensional Art course, refreshments, a slide/video
show, and music. In addition, Deborah Lurie opened up the newly
renovated Bishop Art Room and Art Yard for public tours. OVCDC
invited Bishop Paiute Tribal Chairman to present Historical Trauma and
the “Columbus” of Owens Valley during OVCDC’s normal office hours
on campus. Greg
Kost, Counselor,
and Lynn Charlon,
Financial Aid
Technician, had a
constant stream
of students all
day. Families
and friends of
registering students
appreciated the Student Art Show and OVCDC Lecture to keep them
entertained while waiting! ESCC hopes to continue to expand program
and partner participation during upcoming Open House events.
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COYOTE HOWLER
Gardens: A Living Laboratory
Students in Professor Claudia Sellers General Biology 112 class
harvested plants from a garden they created to investigate and
compare the effects that organic and inorganic fertilizers have
on plant growth and production. The students built a basic PVC
home garden drip irrigation system based on designs presented
by Utah State University Extension which yields a 70% savings
on water usage over the more commonly used drip line systems
for watering gardens. The class planted radishes, chard, mustard
greens, cucumbers, arugula, and other vegetables, cared for
them throughout the semester, explored what helps and hinders
plant growth and their response to stimuli and environmental
conditions, and learned environmental stewardship. Biology 112 is
an introductory course for students majoring in biological sciences
and related subjects. The course covers Evolutionary Biology,
Phylogenetics and Biodiversity, Anatomy and Physiology of Plants,
and Ecology. Students Getting to the Root of it!
L to R: Professor Claudia Sellers, Kristiana Ogilvie, Graham
Schonhoff, and Kristen Blotcky.
Denim Day
April is Sexual Assault Awareness
Month and Cerro Coso did its
part to raise awareness and
honor survivors by participating
in the Denim Day 2015 Sexual
Violence Prevention and
Education Campaign hosted
by the Women’s Center of
the High Desert. With faculty,
classified, and management
support, all staff and students
were encouraged to dress in logo wear and denim on Wednesday,
April 29th, at the Ridgecrest Campus. Why denim? The Denim Day
campaign began in 1999 as part
of an international protest of
an Italian Supreme Court ruling
that dismissed charges against
a 45-year old rape suspect
because his 18-year old victim
was wearing jeans at the time
of the attack. Wearing jeans
as a symbol of protest against
destructive attitudes about
sexual assault, Cerro Coso made
a social statement with its fashion statement . . . Wear Jeans with a
Purpose.
About this Publication
The Coyote Howler is a publication of Cerro Coso Community College. For more information about
the stories in this publication, or to include information in this publication, contact Natalie Dorrell,
Public Information Manager, at 760-384-6260 or
email ndorrell@cerrocoso.edu.
BAKERSFIELD COLLEGE
CERRO COSO COLLEGE
PORTERVILLE COLLEGE