Crown Magazine Spring 2009

Coming soon to www.lavalleystar.com

ChangeBig changes are coming to the school’s news-paper website. Stay tuned in the summer for the new look of lavalleystar.com. Also fea-tured will be Crown Magazine online in full

color.

SPRING 2009 3theCROWNmag

CONTENT

| CAMPUS |

| STYLE |

| FITNESS |

| MUSIC |

| ON THE COVER |

11 Two Brothers Return From Battle The Aguirre brothers talk about their experience in Iraq.

06 60 Years of Change The progress of Valley College throughout the years.

FEATURE

PROFILE

DEPARTMENTS

09 Smart Diet

27 Athletes Online

24 Making Music New School

34 Music Fundamentals

12 Monarchs Hold Court on Campus 14 Form Follows Function

16 The Studious Parent Life

28 The College 411

18 Fashion Budget

30 The Evolution of the Revolution

32 Just For Kicks

34 21

3214

11 12

09

16

| PHOTO ESSAY|

22 The Big Outdoors

26 Local Dive

21 Mixed Martial Arts

24

Photography by Grettel Cortes. Design and layout by Israel Gutierrez. The cover features a wall of past Crown Magazines embedded within the words “Crown Magazine 2009” and “Change”, our theme for this issue.

SPRING 20094 theCROWNmag

Editor in Chief | Elizabeth PalomaresManaging Editor | Padma JonesPhoto Editor | Grettel CortesDesign Editor | Israel Gutierrez

MarilynBachmanTorrieJones

ArrikMcQueenBiancaSantillan

KlaraMillerRubenRivera

WilliamDauberRodLyons

ScottMitchell Photographer

SamuelOksner Photographer

H.Gore Writer

WaynePigford Writer

MariaSamuel Writer

AstridSeipelt Writer

Change is a constant element in our lives. In the recent 2008 election, President Barack Obama’s campaign focused on the changes that we as a nation would need to face. We look to change as a way of freedom from the “norm”. We continuously grow and improve ourselves in differ-ent ways as we, students, travel down our ever chang-ing pathways. In this issue of Crown, we will cover the astound-ing transformation of what was once a farm to what we now call Valley College. Over the years our campus has changed drastically and those changes continue to this day with renovations of older buildings, such as the Foreign Language build-ing, and the opening of the Television Broadcasting building in the fall. We look forward to the day in the not too distant future, when the bungalows that were first built in 1951 will be torn down and construction for new, green buildings, such as a new Media Arts facility will begin. Valley continues to evolve and move forward as technology has become an essential part of the learning process. You will learn about two brothers who both served in Iraq and experi-enced traumatizing events and how they used those experiences as motivation

to come to Valley. They also sought to positively impact other veterans that had been through similar situations. We will look at “hip-hop culture” and expose its truth in a way that is rarely seen today. There is a history that one must understand in order to give proper recog-nition to its leaders and to embrace the depths of its movement. We will also take a look at the options available to parents who take on classes at Valley. These parents may have been eager to finish their degree or were forced to go back to school due to the economic crisis. Whatever the reason, you will find that Valley offers plenty of assistance to those who have mastered the art of multi-tasking. As students, we are at times so caught up with the day-to-day activities of our normal lives that we do not notice how rapidly things change before our eyes. We are a part of a world that is forever changing and we are fortunate enough to be a part of a campus where our goals and dreams are achievable. Change is not an obstacle; it is an opportu-nity to grow.

We hope to inspire you and evoke ideas for a brighter tomorrow.

Elizabeth, Editor in Chief

| EDITORIAL |

CREATORS

| WRITERS |

| PHOTOGRAPHERS |

| ADVISERS |

| CONTRIBUTORS |

EDITOR’S NOTECrown Magazine

The Valley’s Premier Student MagazineLos Angeles Valley College | Spring 2009

| INFO |Publication Info

Crown Magazine is pub-lished each Spring for the students of Los Angeles Valley College and its

community. Crown retains the right to use all material in all forms in perpetuity. All content is copyright

protected.

Magazine Info

To get involved in the next issue of Crown Magazine

or to contribute, email at [email protected] or enroll in Journalism 220

Magazine Editing at Valley College.

WillReyes| COPY EDITOR |

SPRING 2009theCROWNmag6

60 YEARSOF CHANGETHE SHAPING OF THE ‘DREAM CASTLE’

In 2009 Los Angeles Valley College will celebrate its 60th an-niversary. A photograph taken in 1936 shows a 145-acre site in the Los Angeles suburb of Van Nuys, as the future home of Los Angeles Valley Junior College. The DuP-lessis family owned the property, which housed a dairy farm and had a beautiful old barn and farm-house bounded on all sides by stately trees, trees that remain to-

day. The photo showing the DuP-lessis family and dairy farm hangs in the campus museum bungalow, which in its former life served as the first administration building for the college in the fall of 1951. This first crop of students was called Monarchs according to the first articles written in the Valley Star. The Monarchs called this place the “Dream Castle,” and the shaping of this dream continues today.

When the location was cho-sen in 1949, the post-war nation was in the midst of change, much as it is now. California and other states had begun to adopt the ideal that higher education could belong to everyone. Community and junior colleges were springing up to meet the needs of returning GIs, the disadvantaged, and the fe-male wartime workforce. Leaders of education believed community

1840 1860 1880 1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000by Marylin Bachman

Photography by Klara Miller

SPRING 2009 theCROWNmag 7

colleges could function like the public works programs of that era, funded by bonds and taxpayers. The first Director of Valley Col-lege was Vierling Kersey; he served as superintendent of public in-struction for the State of California from 1929-37. During his tenure as superintendent, the first junior col-leges began to appear in Califor-nia. Los Angeles City College and Fresno Community College were established in 1929, and others followed during his term. Kersey became the Superintendent of the Los Angeles Board of Education in 1937, holding that position until he became the Director of Valley College in 1949 On opening day in 1949 at the Van Nuys High School campus Kersey addressed the first class of 439 students: “You are plowing through the dust and making light of limited facilities…. From the difficulties, the strain and stress of pioneering a new college. a big-ger, better stronger institution will emerge. Valley College is on the threshold of a glorious future.” Tuition at Valley in 1949 was a flat fee of $8, according to chemis-try Professor Joe Nordmann, one of the remaining members of Valley’s first faculty. Nordmann captured the image of the barn on canvas and his oil painting hangs in the cam-pus museum today. He recalls a group of students who approached Kersey asking, “Dr. Kersey will Valley College credits transfer to

Oxford?” Kersey replied, “ When Oxford finds out what Valley Col-lege is doing they will raise their standards.” Nordmann describes Kersey as a bloated fellow with a red face and sentences that never ended. In 1951 the campus opened and a small portion of the land was leveled for the 33 bungalows that would serve as temporary class-rooms. The new side of the campus was pristine, and the vast expanse stretching out towards Oxnard St. and Coldwater Cyn., had be-come an overgrown jungle. When it rained water pooled on the low side of the property, the students and faculty called the area Lake Kersey. The entrance to the campus was located on Burbank Boulevard near Fulton Avenue. The campus was covered with thick black asphalt and the bungalows were paint-ed with fresh light green paint, a popular color in the late 40s and early 50s. The bungalows had a camp feeling, simple structures with long rows of ganged windows and high flat ceilings. Young trees were added to the landscape near the bungalows and a palate of pink and red roses filled an area called the patio, adjacent to the gym. The gym was the first building con-structed on campus and the hub for all school activities. Additional bungalows had to be added to ac-commodate the growing student and faculty population.

The college offered a well rounded curriculum with evening classes, community serviced pro-grams, transfer and a variety of vo-cational programs. During the 1950s the “Dream Castle” finally started to emerge, with the first phase of the mas-ter building plan underway. The group of completed buildings were; chemistry, physics, engi-neering, foreign language, ad-ministration and the library. The simple stucco structures were low one story multi-room buildings. The buildings were aligned on a curved covered pathway designed to flow past the administration building out onto the main quad of the campus. Each building was surrounded by landscaping and wide walkways allowing access to the classroom structures. Professor Richard Raskoff, who was a student in 1956 and later became a faculty member, credits the existing forest and landscape on campus to biology professor George Hale. “Hale planted unusual variet-ies of trees, Kapok, Liquid Am-ber, most of the trees on campus,” Raskoff said. Nordmann describes the trees on campus as Hale’s living lega-cy. The mature campus forest has 1837 trees, a rare tree on campus is the China tree, and is said to have healing properties. By 1963, the third phase of the master building plan was complet-

1936

The DuPlessis Family on the original campus property.

1939

Original milk farm building that stayed until 1951.

1920 1925 1930 1935 1940 1945 1950 1955 1960


ed with the addition of eight build-ings. Valley College was striving to meet the need of growing student population. According to histori-ans, the San Fernando Valley was considered the 8th largest urban area in the United States and had more than a million in population by 1967. In the late 1960s students pro-tested the war and civil rights ral-lies filled the campus quad. A huge crowd gathered to mourn the death of Dr. Martin Luther King. Cesar Chavez, President Richard Nixon, Senator Robert Kennedy, Angela Davis, Mayor Sam Yorty, Jane Fon-da, and other notable public fig-ure visited the campus. Professor Nordmann describes Valley, “At the peak of its aroma, the classes were large and filled with stu-dents. Chemistry was required for so many fields of study, medicine dentistry, and even forestry.” The picture of the changing campus was complete in the 1970s with the addition of a new gymna-sium, behavioral science, humani-ties, and campus center buildings. The formation of the college dis-trict removed the junior colleges from the jurisdiction of the high school system. In the late 60s and early 70s the college now offered an exten-sive curriculum, with programs in health, engineering, motion pic-ture arts, electronics, and other ar-eas. The Valley Star was an award winning newspaper.

The 1980s brought a record en-rollment of 28,000 students to the campus, and a $10 per unit tuition hike. Enrollment leveled off dur-ing the 1990s to about 12,000 stu-dents. The college facilities, while adequate, were in need of being updated to meet the challenges of the technological world. The passage of Proposition A and AA in the 2001 and 2003 elec-tions allows Valley to be infused with $286 million for revitaliza-tion. The passage of Proposition J in 2008 and the sale of more bonds added additional funds to the mix. The college district has $5.7 bil-lion in bond funding to modernize and improve the nine campuses of the District. The revitalization of the cam-puses represents one of the na-tion’s largest sustainable construc-tion efforts. The design standard is to make all new buildings meet the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design buildings) certification standards set by the U.S. Green Building Council. The U.S. Green Council is a national non-profit organization whose goal is to set a building standard with buildings designed to reduce energy consumption. Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villarai-gosa passed the Green Building Ordinance in Los Angeles, which provides incentives in both the pri-vate and public building projects with sustainable construction. The business of state funded

education is perplexing. Did Vi-erling Kersey imagine the Los An-geles Community College District would pump $9 billion into the local economy yearly, making it a key economic force in the Los Angeles? Angela Feddock of the LACCD, Board of Trustees says, “In this critical economic time, the District’s abilility to create and sustain jobs is more vital than ever before. With steady employment opportunities for large and small contractors our sustainable build-ing program is a major economic stimulus of L.A. County and we re-main focused on driving the effort to create even more jobs.” Today, Valley is in the middle of the transformation again. The college will evolve through the phasing process of the 2003 mas-ter plan and reveal modern taller structures. The completed build-ings include; Monarch Stadium, Maintance and Operations and/ Sheriff’s Station, Concession Stand and Visitors Restrooms, Swim-ming and Diving pools, Disabled Students Gymnasium, and Allied Health & Sciences Building. All existing buildings on campus will have some form of renovation. The bungalows where the first 1951 students milled about and dreamed of their “Castle” are set for demolition in 2011. The Kersey era will vanish from the campus landscape, and new students will arrive, with dreams of their own.

1956

Gene Mahn and Maryon Vusich help change the LAVC name.

1959

Books that were donated for the new library.

1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 19090


Smart DietsHow Technology Works Outs

The United States is rich with technological advances in medicine, yet we are one of the least healthy countries in the world. America needs to change its diet for the better - we need to shed a couple of pounds, drop a waist size and get fit as a na-tion. So what is holding us back? Could it be a lack of education? Or are we simply lacking

the will power needed to sustain a healthy lifestyle? According to the Centers for Disease Control, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., claim-ing roughly 650,000 lives per year. It is time we Americans take con-trol of our lives. Many of the health problems we encounter can be prevented with exercise and a change in our

diet. Being active is the latest craze in health, and technology is here to help. We often com-plain of our lack of mo-tivation to get moving, but with gadgets like the Apple iPod, we have more motivation than ever. Applications such as Nike + iPod and iP-ump compile workout videos and interactive fitness programs that

you can bring with you while on the go. Simply download them to your iPod and play while at the gym or at home to get personal training and feedback. While advances in technology have sparked our interest for exercise, as residents of Los Angeles, we can not forget about the great outdoors available to us. There are a pletho-

by Arrik McQueen | Photography by Grettel Cortes


ra of hiking and biking trails to keep the out-doors person busy for months. If looking for a stress-free approach to a healthier lifestyle, yoga may be the answer. “With regular prac-tice, one can learn to relax, breathe fully, and let go of stress so that many of the stress-re-lated health problems we encounter can be avoided” said Sri Hari,

yoga instructor for Yoga Upstairs in Agoura. Yoga has been said to help muscle flexibil-ity, stamina, control of stress levels and more importantly, blood pres-sure for those prone to heart disease. As we all know, ex-ercising is not the one-stop-shop for a healthy lifestyle. A key compo-nent is your diet. The simple thing to start with

is to plan your meals and change your eating habits. Eating four to six smaller meals per day helps the body to pro-cess the food easier and boosts your metabo-lism, which in turn aids in weight loss. Switch-ing to whole grains, low fat dairy products, and fibrous foods can help to keep your blood sugar levels down. “Fiber is really good

for the body. It helps keep your cholesterol down... I also cut down my portion sizes, it’s a very healthy choice” said Valley student Oc-tavio Robles. Making these healthy changes to your life-style can add years to your life, so get active. Go swimming, go hik-ing, grab your iPod and enjoy what Mother Na-ture has to offer us.

Noe Aguirre said the scene of his combat injury initially played out like a movie in slow mo-tion. Until the shrapnel and blood snapped everything back into real time. Aguirre was con-ducting a perimeter check in the streets of Iraq when he turned to check on his unit. His fellow Marines were taking cover on the ground. A bomb detonated and Aguirre’s body was pierced by hundreds of metal pieces, with his lower left arm and leg taking on most of the damage. “I had just finished looking at my map, when I gave a few steps and all of a sudden I felt a pierce,” Aguirre said. “I noticed my arm and leg had warm liquid running on them, and I knew right there and then,

I got hit.” Upon meeting Aguirre, one could never imagine the astonishing story lying behind this 24-year-old Valley College student. Aguirre is presi-dent of the Veteran’s club on campus and informs his members of veteran benefits at school and helps them cope with everyday life. As a two-tour veteran of the six-year war in Iraq, Aguirre sits down with his younger brother Enrique and admits that his four-year duty with the Marines was a long, but necessary detour from school. When Aguirre turned 18 he decided to fight for his country, enlist-ing in the Marine Corps. It was a decision he made without telling his parents. “My parents didn’t find out until I had already signed the contract and given a date of when I was leaving,” he said. Within a matter of months, Aguirre had to break bad habits, learn to endure hunger pains, take orders, and leave most, if not all, of his freedoms be-hind. But after his two tours

in Iraq and plenty of battle scares, Aguirre said join-ing the Marines was one of the best deci-sions he has made. “I was still a kid when I first went to Iraq,” he said. “I pic-tured it to be easy to tell the bad guys from the good guys. But there wasn’t either. [We were fighting against] fathers doing what they needed to do to feed their families.” Aguirre also dealt with pain from back home. He had gone through sev-eral surgeries in a German

hospital for his wounds and wanted to reach his younger brother to tell him he was alive. However, his brother Enrique was also suffering back home, from the pain of the unknown. “I was going insane trying to find out what hap-pening with him,” Enrique said. “They told me he was on morphine, and I was wondering if the reason was because they were trying to keep him calm for his last minutes alive. I was nothing but a plane flight away, but they would not allow me to go see him.” Despite the many tough times associated with his service as a war veteran, Aguirre ultimately sees it as a positive step in his jour-ney. “If I could go back in time and have the choice to join or not, I would join,” said Aguirre. “It was an eye opening experience. Before joining, I thought school wasn’t for me and the first I did getting out of the service was sign up for school. I wouldn’t be in this classroom right now if it wasn’t for my experience in the war.”

“... I

noticed my arm and leg

had a warm liquid running on them, and I

knew right there and then, I got hit

....”

STUDENT PROFILe

Two brothers return from battle

Noe & Enrique

by Bianca Santillan | Photography by Grettel Cortes

Noe

Agu

irre

Enri

que

Agui

rre

With summer fast approach-ing, the question most parents face is how to keep their chil-dren entertained while school is out. Summer camps are a practi-cal solution, offering games and activities to keep even the most rambunctious child busy. The Valley College Monarch Sum-mer Camp has offered a com-prehensive summer program for community children ages 5 to 15 since 1968. Closed for the last two years due to renova-tions, Monarch Summer Camp will reopen this summer offer-ing on-campus entertainment, a brand new Aquatics Complex with three pools, several gymna-

siums, multiple athletic fields, a stadium, tennis courts, archery range, arts and crafts, and a theater arts facility. The new improvements have generated excitement among the camp’s users. “I get several e-mails a day asking when the camp will re-open. It has a very good repu-tation in the community” said Community Services Manager Michael B. Atkin. Monarch Summer Camps or-ganizers recognize that growth and safety are essential parts of every camper’s summer. Many of the camp’s counselors and coaches are Valley athletes and

staff selected for their skills, en-thusiasm, common sense, and especially their ability to relate to children and adolescents. All staff are interviewed, submit to fingerprint clearance and take a part in an extensive staff train-ing prior to each summer. The dedicated and qualified staff is what makes Monarch Summer camp so special. Parents can appreciate the level of commit-ment shown to their children by the college athletes and coach-ing staff, which are enthusiastic about their jobs. “You can run a camp on a parking lot if you have the right staff!” declares Atkin. Fortunately, Monarch Sum-mer Camp is not on a parking lot, but the full 105 acres of campus. The summer 2009 program will run from June 22 to August 14. For more information call (818) 947-2577 ext. 4172

MONARCHS HOLDCOURT ON CAMPUSStudent Athletes Give Back to the Community

Story & Photography by Grettel Cortes

2009 MONARCH SUMMER CAMPS SCHEDULE & RATESJune 22 - August 14

CAMP WEEKS OFFERED INCLUSIVE DATES PREPAID REGULAR Day Camp by week Weeks 1-8 June 22-Aug 14 $195/wk $210/wk

Day Camp by Day Daily June 22-Aug 14 $43/day $48/day

All-Sports Day Camp by Week Weeks 1-8 June 22-Aug 14 $195/wk $210/wk

All-Sports Day Camp by Day Daily June 22-Aug 14 $43/day $48/day

Aquatics Weeks 2-4 June 29-July 17 $195/wk $210/wk

Baseball Weeks 2-8 June 22-Aug 14 $195/wk $210/wk

Basketball Weeks 1-8 June 22-Aug 14 $195/wk $210/wk

Catalina Island Adventure Week 5 call for more info

Cheerleading Weeks 2-4 June 29-July 17 $195/wk $210/wk

Dance Weeks 5-8 July 20-Aug 14 $195/wk $210/wk

Fishing Adventure Week 2 call for more info

Gymnastics Weeks 5-7 July 20-Aug 7 $195/wk $210/wk

Judo Weeks 5-7 Aug 3-Aug 14 $195/wk $210/wk

Sierra Adventure Week 7 call for more info

Soccer Weeks 3-5 July 6-July 24 $195/wk $210/wk

Springboard Diving Weeks 7, 8 Aug 3-Aug 14 $195/wk $210/wk

Tennis Weeks 1-8 June 22-Aug 14 $195/wk $210/wk

Theater Arts Weeks 1-8 June 22-Aug 14 $195/wk $210/wk


In the art world it is said that ‘form follows function,’ nowhere will that be more apparent than with the new two-story 52,000 square foot Media Arts Build-ing soon to be built at Valley College. Today’s fast paced world re-quires students to be well rounded in their various fields. For the media arts department, this means a conversion of journalism, televi-sion broadcasting, cin-ema and photography. This way, students can be exposed to all as-pects of media and ob-tain the skills required by today’s employers. World-renowned architect Steven Ehrlich will design the highly anticipated media arts facility. Ehrlich has been recognized for his previous accomplish-ments, such as design-ing the DreamWorks Studio, Sony Music headquarters, and the UCLA Kinross Staging Building. “I am delighted to be working on this project because it’s for the arts, and the arts stimulate,” said Ehrlich. The architect is look-ing to design a building that is contemporary in regards to advanced technology and sustain-ability. Ehrlich is con-sidering a design that will be pleasing to the eye as well as adhering to the guidance prin-ciples of the building’s users, which require creative aesthetics as well as functionality, his firm’s specialty. Planning for the Me-dia Arts Building began

in May 2002. From the beginning, the build-ing was to be “The crown of Valley Col-lege” said Rod Lyons, journalism department chair. Members of the Building Users Group had a vision of creativ-ity without restrictions for the students, want-ing this building to be an open space where students from differ-ent disciplines could inspire one another and collaborate with-out any boundaries. Within the walls of this building there will be a live recording studio, mixing stage, graph-ic design studio, TV studio, radio station, photography lab and studios, and a jour-nalism newsroom all equipped with current state of the art equip-ment. The BUG also de-sired that students, fac-ulty, and visitors would have access to the lat-est technology as well as smart classrooms designed for teaching in this new era. The smart classrooms are configured to facilitate the use of the latest computers, audiovi-sual equipment, and data projectors. The new facility will allow all professors to take their programs to an-other level by making sure that every class-room is fully equipped with the best available technology for media arts students. Initial funding for the building was to come from the pas-sage of Proposition A and Proposition AA

FORM FOLLOWSFUNCTIONby Elizabeth Palomares

Courtesy of Ehrlich Architects


(2001 and 2003 respective-ly). As time went by, costs of building materials increased considerably and the school needed to prioritize student’s needs. Finding funding for the media arts center was a challenge. With the econo-my going through a reces-sion and all of the budget cuts, some felt the new Me-dia Arts building may never get off the ground. “We were all ready to go into the construction phase for the Media Arts Center when the project dropped in priority and our funding was cut,” said Dennis Reed, the dean of fine, performing, and media arts. Luckily for Valley stu-dents, the Media Arts Build-ing will now be funded by Proposition J, which was passed in the November 2008 election. At the time of publication, there is no set budget, but based on the size of the building and constant changes with tech-nology, the cost is bound to fluctuate. The project is now in the process of getting final approvals. In addition, the BUG will meet again during the summer, and will hire a construction company by the end of this year. “There may be minor changes in regards to where the labs and classrooms will be located, but other than that, not much will change from the original plan,” said Eric Swelstad, department chair of media arts. The BUG now has several difficult decisions to make concerning the best in cur-rent technology and com-puters, wanting flexibility to adapt to new technology over the years. “We are not planning this building for 2009 or 2010, we are planning it for 2020 and beyond,” said Lyons.

An AestheticMasterpieceIn The Making

Photo by Ruben Rivera

“We offer business classes for those who

want to start a new career such as Medi-cal Billing and Cod-

ing. These are the most popular to date...

People are out look-ing for ways to make

money...”

The StudiousParent Life

e often view the greatest jugglers as those who can toss multiple objects in the air con-tinuously without dropping a single one. Masterful skills are required for this type of

juggling, but not as much as the dedicated parents who jug-gle everyday obligations to keep up with their school, job, and families. Many students enrolled at Valley College must do exactly this. If you find yourself going back to school to finish that degree, or if the current job crisis is forcing you to seek training to secure a job, your predicament is a challeng-ing one. It is made even more difficult if you are planning to do this while juggling the needs of children, a demand-ing boss and household chores. Don’t throw that dream of furthering your education down the drain, as Valley is here for you, offering many services that fulfill the needs of the non-traditional student who has limited time and resources in mind. Even attaining film school certification can be achieved in only a weekend, by enrolling in the two-day Film School class offered through the Valley College Com-munity Extension Program. If your goal is to become a Le-gal Secretary, or if Medical Billing is your calling, the pro-gram offers certified and non-certified short term classes, long term academies and one day workshops for these and other career options conveniently held at night and on Sat-urdays. “We offer business classes for those who want to start a new career such as Medical Billing and Coding. These are the most popular to date...People are out looking for ways to make money,” said Michael Atkin, community services manager. The Valley College Accelerated Program offers col-lege-level courses in an accelerated format. Students may take classes towards a degree in five-weeks online, in the evenings and during the weekend, making it easier for stu-dents who work a full time job or have family obligations. For the studious parent, knowing your child is safe and well cared for provides a great comfort to students working hard at earning a degree. The fully licensed Child Development Center on campus offers day care services, where children can stay safe while parents are busy in class. Children are encouraged to learn by playing during floor time and in the yard. Nutritious meals are provided for the children, and there is no shortage of giggles or a loving em-brace when ever a scrape or bruised knee calls for it. “It’s great when we see the parents grow side by side with their children enhancing their education. Each se-mester we look forward to sharing the child’s and the par-

Managing School, Work and a Family.

W ent’s school experience. Attending school is a special time for the child and the parent and it is held in the highest regard. We strive to make their time at the Child Developement Center a positve and memorable experience.” Says Child Development Center Director, Terry Teplin. The Child Development Center is currently undertak-ing a major renovation. The new facility will be called The Family and Child Development Complex, a recognized Lead-ership Energy Environmental Design (LEED), and will feature three nature based playgrounds and an outside classroom. Completion is scheduled for February 2010.

Story & Photography by Grettel Cortes


BU

DG

ET

FASH

ION

BUDGET FASHIONWith a change in season

soon upon us, it is only natu-ral to hunt for new wardrobe additions. But, summer spend-

ing does not have to equal breaking the bank.

by Astrid SeipeltPhotography by Grettel Cortes

& Klara Miller

Summer is soon to be upon us, and as the weather warms and gives us a hint of the heat to come, malls all around are stock-ing up with new seasonal wares. While it isn’t cheap to stock up on sum-mer staples, shop-ping smart can help you pick up some great buys while staying within a student budget. The San Fer-nando Valley is bursting with stores where you can buy

clothes that are pre-worn and still in excellent condition, and some of these trading stores are just a short drive from Valley College. Cross-roads Trading in Studio City and Buffalo Exchange in Sherman Oaks both offer gear for guys and girls, and by sifting through the racks you are bound to find something suiting your taste for dirt cheap. Amy Gacka, an employee at Crossroads, says that a good amount of college students come into the store looking for deals on clothing, with their carried brands ranging from mall favorite Forever 21 to designer Marc Jacobs. “We’re very selective on the merchandise that we bring in…it’s all what is currently in stores,” said Gacka. “Versus going to the mall,

SPRING 2009theCROWNmag

you should just come here first and see if you can find something you like for a lot cheaper.” Thanks to the Internet, finding new additions for your closet can easily be done at home, and there are numerous deals to be found. Many retailers offer Web exclu-sives, such as buy one, get one half off, or free shipping if you spend over a set amount. Cash can also be saved on your order by search-ing for discount codes on sites like Retailmenot.com. However, before you start shopping, make sure you have a good idea of the sizing of merchandise so you can avoid re-ceiving goodies in the mail that you can’t wear. Of course, sales are the best way to save cash on new clothes, though it can be easy to overspend once you feast your eyes on all the red tags. The trick is to go in with a game plan and only buy what you need. Sales are also the best time to stock up on basics that you can wear year round, or save to wear next year. “I look for discounts, like right now I tend to buy dresses when they go on sale and then have it for next season,” said Valley student Daniella Wheeler, 18. “It makes sense, I got [the dress I am wearing] for $5.99 from PacSun, it was $45 [at full price].” After saving a wallet full of cash through thrift stores, the web and sales, you can then invest in more pricey pieces such as jeans, a good coat, and shoes. These items are closet staples, and well worth spending a little extra money on. Though, if you can find these items on sale too, then just keep on sav-ing your hard earned dollars.

20


A punch is thrown. An uppercut sends the fighter into a rage of retaliation, and he furiously sends his opponent to the floor. In Jujitsu style, they grapple inside a cage as fans scream out in jubilation. This is not a typical fight; it is Mixed Martial Arts, the fastest-growing sport in America and soon to be the number one combat sport in the world. The rise of MMA fighting has all but knocked out boxing, using multiple disciplines such as Kickboxing, Muay Thai, Jujitsu, Judo, and various forms of wrestling. Students of all martial art forms now have a realistic outlet for their skills, allowing them to make a living and com-pete at the highest levels. MMA has found a home in South-ern California, with the Total Fighting Al-liance the first fighting organization to be sanctioned by the California Athletic Com-

mission. MMA pioneers Todd Meacham and TFA Vice President Joey Lombardo are leading the way and TFA continues to set the standard for local mixed martial arts. While boxing has a more storied history in America, it is clear how MMA is quickly relieving boxing of its title. While some “big name” boxers generate heavy Internet buzz when they are heading into a fight, MMA fighters appear to generate sustained interest, even in the down time periods between fights. Pay-per-view num-bers suggest the same trend. In 2006, the Ultimate Fighting Championship broke the pay-per-view all-time records for a sin-gle year of business, generating over $222 million in revenue, surpassing boxing. MMA has captured the imagina-tions of dedicated and casual fight fans alike. In short, Boxing may soon be forced to TAP OUT!

MixedMartialArts

A GlobalPhenomenonHits Home

Story & Photography by Ruben Rivera


The Big Outdoors

Los Angeles, CA

Exploring the various localoutdoor retreats.


The new first family is inspiring people of all ages to get fit. Michelle Obama, with her ever present sleeveless shirts and toned arms, has encouraged people all across the nation to make fitness their new motto. As Angelenos, we have the luxury of being surrounded by numerous mountains where our fitness needs can be met. Whether your interest lies in the water, on a bike, or in climbing the highest peak, Los Angeles is here for you. So I challenge you all to get out there and explore these amazing places that are right in your backyard.

Story & Photographyby Klara Miller

Opposite: A woman walks up a path in Wilacre Park in Studio City. Although

it starts off steep, the wide easy trail meanders through chaparral, walnut

woodland, and coastal sage scrub. The park is accessible from Coldwater Can-yon Ave. or Fryman Road just off Laurel

Canyon Blvd.

Middle Left: Amber Noelle, right, and other climbers tackle Boulder 1 at

Stoney Point rock climbing and boul-dering area in Chatsworth. Located off Topanga Canyon Blvd. just south of the

118 freeway, the area contains many bouldering routes of varying levels and

top rope climbs as well. For rock climbing instruction, visit the Rockreation Climbing

Center in West LA. www.rockreation.com

Bottom Left: A man rides his bike up West Mandeville Fire Road in Brent-

wood, CA. This trail winds up through the Santa Monica Mountains and

provides users with ocean views. It can be accessed via Westridge Road in

Brentwood.

Right: Sue Ann Pien is silhouetted against a backdrop of mountains as she climbs

a route on the “Planet of the Apes” wall in Malibu Creek State Park. This park has many activities to take part in, including

hiking, biking, rock-climbing, and camping.

Top: A group of hikers walks along Crags Drive Fire Rd next to Malibu Creek

in Malibu Creek State Park. The park features 15 miles of streamside trails

through oak and sycamore woodlands and chaparral-covered slopes. The main entrance is on Las Virgenes Road near

Mulholland Hwy in Malibu.

t is no secret that we live in an ever changing, techno-logical society. For the average musi-cian, keeping up with advancements in the digital world

can be daunting. But, for those who can understand it, technology can be a wonderful thing. Today, a talented band coupled with a talented sound en-gineer can put out a qual-ity album in a few weeks. Thanks to the compatibil-ity of different recording software, the excellent sound quality with com-puters, the editing capa-bilities of their recording software and the portabil-ity of hard drives, bands

can make great recordings without ever going to a major studio. A band can even make a whole record with none of the members ever having to leave their home or see each other. Take for example, The Bombastic Meatbats. Meet Ed Roth (The Wrench), bassist Kevin Chown (Bub-bles), guitarist Jeff Kollman (Worker Bee) and drum-mer Chad Smith (Galoot), who is also a part of Red Hot Chili Peppers. The Meatbats are a true-to-the-core rock band with a funky instrumental edge. Over the course of four days, the Meatbats created most of their album. “We track every-thing together live, all in a room. Bass and guitar amps in closets, and all hearing one another in headphones,” said Roth. “We’ll go back and make little fixes for big clams,

I

MAKING MUSIC NEW SCHOOL


Story & Photographyby Scott Mitchell

but most of what we do is live. We never track with a click, it allows songs to breathe and groove in a way that music today no longer does. It means fixing stuff in the computer and flying things is sometimes impossible, but this band is about playing, not front-ing,” Roth went on to say that the album’s quick timeline was a stark con-trast to the last Chili Pep-pers album, which took 13 months of work. “I’ve made records with John Frusciante, gui-tarist for the Chili Peppers, in five days, because he was prepared and that it was the object of the ses-

sion to record quickly and intentionally,” said Roth. “I’ve also made a record with Blink 182 that took 10 months, mainly because they wanted to write and experiment in the studio as we recorded.” Thanks to tech-nological advancements, the Meatbats had a much faster time making their album. The band record-ed the basic tracks for 11 songs in three days, which is very fast by most band standards. They then could instantly listen to the songs and decide what, if any, parts were substandard, and either edit them to be better or re-play them to achieve the desired result. While many musi-

cians and producers have had home studios for a long time, it’s a popular concept dating back to the 70s, there was a much greater divide between a seri-ous professional studio setup and a home re-cording one. A professional studio can cost over $1 million if one adds all the bells and whistles. A small home studio of that era might have just a small mix-er and tape machine at a cost of $50,000. Today, that same $50,000 can get you a pile of great recording equipment and a computer setup. With the advent of com-puter-based recording, an artist can record at home (or wherever he is at that moment with a laptop) and e-mail parts to an-other band mem-ber. This can all

be at a high qual-ity of recording, meaning that all those parts record-ed at home, or in a hotel, can be used in the final record. Overdubs for the Meatbats were done in Roth’s home studio with the help of Ryan, the band’s sound engineer, and Roth’s piano. The percussion “fixes” were done at Chad’s studio over the course of two days with the entire band present, with the whole process taking ap-proximately one month to complete. If you counted the number of days that the band actually spent in the studio cre-ating the tracks and then cleaning them up, you could do so with the fingers on both hands. Technology has certainly made its mark onmusicians.

“... A band can make a whole record with none of the guys ever having to leave their home, or even see

each other ...”

LOCAL DIVEStory & Photography

by Scott Mitchell

The Los Angeles Valley College swimming pools have officially been opened to the public. After long delays and problems with construction the new facilities could not have come at a bet-ter time. Summer-like weather in spring and a wide array of swimming classes, students and members of the community can be found in the water throughout the day and into the night.

The Monarch swim teams held their one and only swim meet of the season against cross valley rivals Pierce College... and won!

Kids can be seen taking private lessons along side senior citizens.Monday through Friday eveningsyoung adults fill the main pool for formal training and workouts. They seem to swim non stop, tak-ing one lap after another as their parents, coaches, and siblings watch on.

The men’s and women’s swim-ming, diving, and water polo teams have a state of the art heat-ed pool to work out and train in. Lifeguards keep a watchful eye over all. Young girls lap the pool underwater and for a moment in time feel like mermaids.



h e professional athlete has evolved over the years; they are bigger, fast-er, stronger, and much more media savvy. The physical

changes can be explained by advances in training, nutrition, and a dedication to their sport spurred by incredible salaries. Taking control of their image happened due to necessity. Back in the proverbial day, athletes and reporters had a working understanding of one another, leading to more access for the writers and bet-ter exposure for the players. Journalists covering Babe Ruth traveled with the Yankees by train and intentionally ig-nored The Sultan of Swat’s late-night in-discretions while deifying him in print. The days of writers and athletes being partners are long gone. As sports have grown into a bil-lion dollar industry, the two sides have become adversar-ies. It seems that re-sentment of the athletes by the media increased as the player’s wages grew. What before was considered personal or not newsworthy became the stories that reporters were looking for. A popular athlete having marital problems? Better get this in the paper. Star player in a bar? The world needs to know about this. The changes in the mindset of the media made many athletes look for alternative methods of reaching the

masses. Hello, Internet. Serena Williams, Curt Schil-ling, Shaquille O’Neal, and Gilbert Arenas are among the wave of athletes that have embraced the new media movement. Some, like Williams and Kobe Bryant, use personal Web sites. Athletes like Arenas, and Donovan Mc-Nabb blog, while Chris Bosh uses You-Tube. One way or the other, athletes are

reaching the public while cutting out the traditional media middleman. One of the biggest users of the new digital media is the NBA’s Sha-quille O’Neal. Shaq has always under-stood how to handle journalists, but he has added life to the final years of his career by using the Internet. Shaq has shot videos of himself dancing with his kids, romancing a doughnut, and

playing a prank on a teammate. The num-ber of people follow-ing him on Twitter is nearing a million.

Some question the value of having 24/7 ac-

cess to our sports stars. Do we really need or want

to see Dhani Jones touring the planet? Should Charlie Vil-

lanueva be tweeting at halftime or listening to his coach’s second

half strategy? The athlete doesn’t have a problem with either case, because the bottom line is it’s still information that they’re choosing to release. Being able to control the infor-mation that goes to the public doesn’t always work out well for the athlete. Josh Howard of the Dallas Mavericks, Martellus Bennett of the Dallas Cow-boys, and UFC President Dana White have all come under fire for controver-sial videos posted on YouTube.com. Arizona Cardinals backup quarterback

Matt Leinart had his dedica-tion to football questioned when pictures of him party-ing with coeds surfaced on Facebook. The athletes are will-ing to take the occasional bad with the overall good

that comes from accepting and using new forms of media. There’s a major difference between embarrassing your-self and having someone go out of their way to make you look bad. We still need traditional media to report on the games and serve as watchdogs over the leagues, but when it comes to finding out about the players, it’s always best to go directly to the source.

“A popular athlete having marital prob-lems? Better get this in the paper. Star

player in a bar? The world needs to know about this.”

Professional Athletes

AthletesOnline

Working The WebTStory by H.Gore


TheCollege

411Tips on how tosuccesfully get

through college.

Whether you are a brand new college student or are transfer-ring to another university, there is one thing on your mind: How am I going to afford college? The thought is almost overbearing as you contemplate tuition, hous-ing, books and all the other odds and ends required to attend col-lege. In this economy, where ev-eryone is pinching their pockets for every last little bit of change, you may wonder, “How can I possibly afford a college educa-tion when I can barely afford to read this free magazine?” Before sending yourself into a full-blown meltdown, here is some informa-tion that will guide you through college, beginning to end.

Determine Your CollegeChoices

As a California native, you have

many options when it comes to choosing a campus that fits your needs. Learn the differences among the community colleges, Cal State Universities, the UC system, and private college op-tions. Often, the decision rests on the cost of the school. At $20 per unit, the Los Angeles Com-munity College Districts’s fees can’t be beat. In two years you can receive an associate degree and be on your way to a career or transfer to a four-year univer-sity. “I chose to attend a commu-nity college basically because of the money. It’s much cheaper and the quality is the same,” said Valley student Uvaldo Jimenez. If striving for a bachelors or masters degree, the CSU and UC systems offer top-notch pro-

grams at a competitive price. The statewide CSU fee for a full-time student is currently $3048 per academic year, while the cost of attending a UC campus runs around $7000-$8000 per year.

Apply for Financial Aid To alleviate some concerns you may have in regards to pay-ing for college, you may want to apply for financial aid. FAFSA is the free application for federal student aid. Its Web site, www.fafsa.ed.gov, gives you informa-tion and step-by-step instructions on how to apply for financial aid. Best of all, it’s free! According to the FAFSA Web site, the amount of aid you are eligible to receive is based on your expected fam-ily contribution, your year in school, your enrollment status and the cost of attendance at

by Padma Jones | Photography by Klara MIller


your college. Make sure to pay attention to deadlines, as it can make or break you. As Finan-cial Aid Student Lab Assistant Alex Jibaja said, “The number one mistake students make is that they start their applications late. They don’t meet the priority deadlines and this could cause them to not get their financial aid when they need it.” Don’t wait. Check out your financial aid options and apply!

Discover ScholarshipOpportunities

There are many opportunities for students to receive scholar-ships. Check your college’s fi-nancial aid office and Web site for chances to apply. “Students should do more research for scholarships, it doesn’t have to be reported to the IRS!” said Financial Aid Stu-dent Lab Assistant Arthur Asa-

tryan. One option is a Cal Grant, which offers up to $9,700 a year in guaranteed funds, and you don’t have to pay it back. Another is The Foundation and Community Relations Office at Valley, who awards scholar-ships to students. Their Web site, www.lavcfoundation.org, can provide you with information as to the best times to complete an application. Scholarships that are specifically designed for your college or major are also available. Talk to your ad-visor and search the Web. There are plenty of options waiting for you.

Get in to College Here is where you complete the exciting task of applying to college. At this point, you have determined which schools interest you. Check your pro-

spective college’s Web site for important information and ap-plication deadline dates. One trick to getting into college is to apply for the spring semester. There are fewer applicants dur-ing this time and the probabil-ity of getting accepted is much higher than if you were to ap-ply for fall. Do not forget to re-search housing options, as this is a very important aspect of the college experience, especially if you are moving away from home. Finally, be sure to gather all necessary documents and to apply for admission on time!

Graduate on Time Most students attend college with the idea of being able to graduate in two to four years but this does not always happen. To help ensure that your two years does not turn into five, make sure you fully understand your chosen program and talk to an advisor about your educational goals. Check your college cata-log, which outlines requirements for graduating. Certain degrees, such as an associate, require 60 semester units plus several required classes. To graduate on time, you may need to take on a full load (12 units) and at-tend intersessions, especially if you are a working student. With continued communication be-tween you and your advisor, a carefully scheduled curriculum plan can get you in and out of college and on your way to fu-ture career goals in no time. Getting into college and then graduating is an excit-ing and life changing event for you. Simple choices such as re-searching your student loan op-tions, visiting the financial aid office on campus and speaking to advisors can make your col-lege experience less frazzled and ultimately more enjoyable.


It was March 10, 1983. MTV, for the first time, launched a pop-music video made by a black artist: Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean.” It was the event that changed music television as we know it, breaking the barriers of color and bringing pop, R&B and hip-hop to homes across America. Although this sparked the country’s first glimpse into hip-hop, the birth of this culture had been well underway for many years. The 1970s brought about two of what many call the most influential people in hip-hop culture: Afrika Bambaataa and DJ Kool Herc. Bambaataa, re-spectfully known as the God Fa-ther and Grand Father of hip-hop culture, was a DJ from the South

Bronx who coined the term “Hip-Hop” and spread the word about this new style of music and culture. He created a group originally called the Organiza-tion, which was later referred to as the Zulu Nation. Kool Herc, a Jamaican born DJ known as the father of hip-hop, brought it to the Bronx with his two turnta-bles and massive sound system known as the herculoids. His claim to fame was the creation of a break beat, where the vo-cals of a song would stop, but the beat would continue, pro-viding non-stop music for the B-boy enthusiasts. Their goals were similar, to create some-thing positive for the neighbor-hood thugs. This was the begin-ning of hip-hop culture.

the Evolutionof the Revolutionthe truth revealed

HIP HOP

by Padma Jones

SPRING 2009 theCROWNmag

Today, more than ever, we lay witness to a transforma-tion from a past when very little hip-hop was featured on TV, the radio or magazines, to now, when the commercialization of this culture is at its peak. With the sudden outbreak of recent reality TV shows such as “Amer-ica’s Best Dance Crew” and “Su-perstars of Dance,” the face of hip-hop has expanded far across the globe, becoming the latest trend for people of all ages and backgrounds. Phrases such as “that’s tight” and “that’s dope or sic” have become part of every-day language. “As far as hip-hop overall; fashion, slang, dance etc., it’s not just in the hood any-more. The culture has spread and influenced everything,” said Steven Stanton, member of the Groovaloos dance group who represented the USA and won “Superstars of Dance.” In a world where this cul-ture was once scarcely presented to the masses, its current popu-larity provides proof of its now worldwide acceptance. To some, it is a new way of life. For oth-ers, the commercialization of hip-hop has led us astray. True

hip-hop, in all its essence, is not what we are seeing today. It was not originally just about baggy pants, offensive music or cho-reographed dance pieces. It was about the gathering of people from different cultures and races and the celebration of life with the usage of what is now known as the four elements of hip-hop; MC’ing, DJ’ing, B-boying and graffiti. This culture was a way of life for the people who struggled in a world of violence and pover-ty. Hip-hop gave them a purpose and the ability to feel alive when nothing else could. “It’s about a celebration of people and the love of where you come from and the love of this thing mu-sic, this thing dance, this thing rap, this thing graffiti, it is that,” said Popin Pete, member of the world-renowned Electric Booga-loos dance crew. “Hip-hop in the original sense of the word is ruined by corporate America thinking that they can make an almighty dollar and chip away the essence of what it’s really about.” Despite its current large scale acclaim, the core of hip-

hop culture is at an all-time low. We are now at a point when the current hip-hop trend needs to converge with its original pur-pose before it’s lost forever. In order for us to truly live in this culture and to claim it, we must take the time to lift up its roots and to discover what lies be-neath it.

Photo by Klara Miller

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Photo by Padma Jones

31


"Your kicks tell the world who you are," Val-ley College student Marcus Brown says, a pair of black Pumas with neon pink, green and blue designs on his feet. "They can make you stand out from the crowd.” Ever since Run-DMC "Walk(ed) This Way" in "My Adidas" back in 1986, the sneaker culture has been a vibrant part of youth expres-sion. Rocking their trademark white-and-black Adidas Su-perstars, Run-DMC made the shell-toed shoe a must have for young men desiring an air of urban cool. Like many other elements of black youth culture, this phenomenon has gone global. Today, you can find boutiques devoted to sneaker freaks in nearly every major urban metropolis on the planet. In Los Angeles, the fashion trend is hugely popu-lar. Look down long enough—preferably while sitting—and you'll see many of your fel-low students participating in and adding to sneaker culture here at Valley. The rise in popularity of sneaker culture coincides with, and is in large part due, to the rise of hip-hop culture.

But way before Nelly got to stomping in his Air Force 1’s — back when Philip Knight was still making Nikes by hand with a waffle iron — tennis shoes served a mostly utilitar-ian function. Shocking as it seems, people actually played tennis or some other sport in them. Keds and the Converse Chuck Taylors gained popu-larity with young people start-ing in the 50s, but both were simple shoes featuring a basic rubber sole with a solid col-ored canvas top. Sneakers were slow to evolve; it was not until the late 70s that Converse released its "Dr. J" basketball shoes, named after the afro-donning, high-flying Julius Erving, and technology took steps towards modernizing the sneaker. Then in 1984, Michael Jordan revo-lutionized the game of basket-ball with his stellar ability and general lack of respect for Sir Isaac Newton’s laws of grav-ity. His signature shoe, the Air Jordan—much like himself on the court— fused high per-formance with breathtaking style. The Air Jordan design ushered in a new era of shoe sophistication. This turned the comfy symbols of casualness JUST

FOR KICKS

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into miniature marvels of modern architecture over-night. For Valley student Cody Williams, Air Jordans hold a rarefied place in his sneaker collection. “My favorite pair of shoes in the world are my grape colored Air Jordan V’s,” Williams said. “My sec-ond favorite pair are the ones I got on, the Jordan II’s.” Since the Air Jordans were released in 1985, the culture has matured consid-erably. As the hip-hop gen-eration gets older, jobs and money, exclusivity has be-come a way for Flight Club LA-shopping, eBay-bidding sneaker geeks to separate themselves from the fair-weather Shoe Pavilion crowd. As a result, sneakers have turned into an expensive obsession for many connois-seurs. The aforementioned Air Force 1’s, with their sim-ple yet classic design, regu-larly fetch over $1,000 per pair, depending on the de-signer and how many shoes were released to the public. "Nowadays, whatev-er is limited is the in thing," said Chris Lozano, an em-ployee of Undefeated Silver-lake, a L.A. based shoe bou-tique chain catering to the most discerning of collectors. "That's why when we do a collaboration with Converse or Puma or Nike, those shoes sell out the same day. We're

the only place that carries our collaborative shoes, and people want to be the only one in their circle that has a certain pair of sneakers." Outside of New York City, nowhere else rivals L.A. in terms of places to buy ex-clusive kicks. "Collectors in L.A. aren't that unique compared to any other collectors in the country, or even in the world for that matter, but we are fortunate," Lozano said. "Next to New York, which is the Mecca of sneaker cul-ture, we're like the next big-gest thing." Many students make the pilgrimage over the hill and into the city to high-profile sneaker shops such as the charter Undefeated store on La Brea and First in L.A., Sportie LA on Mel-rose, and RIF in Little Tokyo. At these shops, shoe prices range from the hundreds to the thousands. No one ever said exclusivity was cheap, but just having a nice pair of shoes from Foot Locker isn’t enough to be labeled a bona fide sneakerhead. “Kicks is like music,” said Valley student Michael Payton. “Just like a great song, a great pair of shoes can get played out if they’re overexposed. A unique pair of shoes that nobody’s seen before says a lot about a per-son without them having to say anything.”


The music industry is undergoing a major transfor-mation, caused primarily by the development of technolo-gies that have changed how music is created and consumed. In the pre-digital 1970s and 80s, music engineers spent countless hours editing the bad notes out of takes by splicing huge reels of tape with a razorblade. Today’s engineers, on the other hand, make the same edits in seconds working “in the box,” using music software such as Pro Tools or Reason. Likewise, the ritualistic trek music fans used to make to their nearest Sam Goody or local mom and pop record store has been replaced by songs downloaded from iTunes in a matter of clicks. Yet for all this technology, a mastery of the lessons from our analog past is vital in order to keep music pro-gressing into the future. Here at Valley College, the Music Department offers a curriculum that blends traditional mu-sic instruction with contemporary recording techniques in a communal environment, preparing students with different goals and backgrounds for success in the rapidly evolving music field. “The Department gives you a strong foundation in the basics to expand upon later,” said music major Anna Avetisyan. As with Avetisyan, many music students come to Valley to complete lower division coursework with the goal of transferring to a four-year such as UCLA, USC or Cal Arts. Although Valley does not compete with the aforementioned universities in terms of prestige, when it comes to quality of education there are plenty of advantages to studying at Val-ley beyond the financial. “It can be kind of intimidating going out of high school right into a four-year university,” Valley music teacher Chauncey Madden said. “We’re very open and very friendly here. We have smaller classes, so there’s a better chance to learn the material more effectively.” There are two distinctive degree paths offered in the Music Department: an associate degree in music and an as-sociate degree in commercial music. The former prepares students to be a star in the classroom as a teacher, the lat-ter primes students to be stars in the recording studio or on stage. Upon completion of an A.A in music, students will be equipped with the fundamentals of traditional music. A

strong base in classical music theory and instrumental per-formance is provided for those wanting to teach, compose or perform Western art music for a living. Conversely, the A.A. in commercial music preps its participants for careers in the music industry. Students learn how to craft pop songs, produce beats, and mix music on industry-standard equipment. Classes falling under the com-mercial music umbrella, such as introduction to electronic music, commercial music techniques and recording arts workshop, focus on the way contemporary music is trend-ing. Both degrees set students up to be competitive transfer applicants for the top university music programs. “Most of the students who transfer to four-year uni-versities come back and tell us that they felt very prepared, in fact, I would say over-prepared in some cases, but hey that’s a good thing,” Madden said. The low-key department, housed in a nondescript building on the far west edge of campus, is also an inviting place for nontraditional students looking for a musical outlet. At age 63, Mary Piser has come back to Valley to take music classes after 40 years in the nursing industry. She’s returning to the school after obtaining her Registered Nurse license from Valley in the mid 1970s. Despite the comfortable living that being a nurse executive provided, Piser always yearned to follow her true obsession, teaching music. “I was wrapped up in climbing the corporate ladder and supporting my family,” Piser said while walking out of her college choir class. “For years I wanted to work in music. It wasn’t the most financially viable option when I was rais-ing my kids, but now that they are grown and I’m retired, I finally have the time to do what I wanted to do all along.” Piser is working towards her associate degree in Music. Mu-sic theory, musicianship, and choir are among the classes she is taking. Piser is well aware that she’s one of the older students in her classes. But in her eyes, that makes the ex-perience richer. “I’m in my 60s, and we have people studying in the department older than that. There’s also high school kids here getting AP music theory credit. All ages are well repre-sented. It’s really wonderful.” There are plenty of schools in the Los Angeles area that focus on training the next generation of music profes-sionals. But the combination of affordability, student diver-sity, faculty expertise and smaller class sizes make the Los Angeles Valley Music Department a hidden gem among a crowded field.

Music FundamentalsHow Valley gets its students in tune.

by Torrie JonesPhotography by Ruben Rivera

Crown Magazine Spring 2009

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Transcript of Crown Magazine Spring 2009