Depending on majors, a student’s “transfer schedule” can take longer than expected.  Read the full story

On Tuesday, February 5 and Wednesday, Feb 6. 2013, ASCC hosted Club Rush at Chabot College for the students to know about the opportunities that can be extended to them. Read the full story

Located on downtown B Street, Kokyo Sushi Buffet serves the best sushi in Hayward. I have been there at least five times, and this time, I came for dinner, all you can eat! Lunch is $8.95 and dinner is $14.95 for adults.

Many people have been to the Century Theater in Hayward, but they may not pay attention to the left hand side of the theater where there is a small sign for Kokyo Sushi Buffet.

Entering into the small door, there is an elevator and escalator going up to reach the second floor, and you will find a big restaurant. I noticed this place was very clean and tidy. There’s over a hundred foods in the display to order, all look very delicious.

Near the door, the first thing to come into our mind is the sushi bar. The most popular sushi varieties are the California roll, mango roll, volcano roll, lion king roll, ell roll, dragon roll and tashimi roll. Food choices vary according to the seasons. Takuwan, seaweed, clam salad, Japanese tofu, broccoli salad, and mushroom salad (also all you can eat) are among the choices for side dishes. Besides rolls, there are many fresh sashimis, like salmon, tuna, and octopus.

If you are not interested in sushi, don’t worry – Kokyo serves more than you think. Seafood is one of reasons why it’s famous. Steamed oysters, baked scallops, crab legs, baked shrimp, and steamed salmon are all available. They have many choice Asian cuisines with fried rice, fried noodles, and wonton soup being the most popular here. My favorite is fresh salmon; I like to eat it with wasabi and soy sauce. Fresh salmon is orange in color, and there will be many white lines inside. I heard that the wider the white lines, the fatter the salmon. It means that the salmon is fresh and soft, and it tastes like it is melting in your mouth. The crab legs here are not as good as the shrimp.

At the end, how can we forget to have some desserts? There are cupcakes, cheesecakes, fresh fruits, sweet and sour jellies, and all sorts of colorful desserts on the tables. My favorite is tapioca taro. It is a sweet soup, mixing coconut milk with melted taro; it is good for your health. Every time I come I will definitely eat at least one bowl of it.

I found a table near the window, and enjoyed the beautiful view of busy B Street below. Waiters came immediately to serve the drinks and constantly come and change the dishes for you.

Many people come to celebrate their birthdays here, they can bring balloons, flowers and cakes. It is a good experience to eat, and it is suitable for a couples, for families, especially good for a group of people.

Kokyo Sushi Buffet - 1071 B Street - Hayward, CA 94541 - (510) 881-9868

The Spectator staff will bring home a few more awards from the 2011 State JACC (Journalism Association of Community Colleges) Convention, which takes place April 7 – 9 at the Double Tree in Sacramento. Mail in competition winners include: Sean Jones, Abraham Rodriguez, Michael Lopes and Alexis Daniel.

Former Advisor and late Mr. William B. Johnson was honored during the opening speeches and award presentation at this years conference. Johnson was posthumously given the Distinguished Service to Journalism award and awards were also presented in his honor by Johnson’s wife and Chabot faculty member Michelle Sherry. Also a page was dedicated to him in the conference schedule book, to remind all of his presence and greatness.

Additionally former Editor In Chief, Spencer Holladay won volunteer of the year at the State Conference.

Multimedia editor Sean Jones brings home four awards, one of which is first place, though Jones is no stranger to winning at these events. Former Motoring editor and current intern at the East Bay Express, Abraham Rodriguez brought home one award for front page layout. Former Scene editor, Michael Lopes brings home an award for inside page layout, this is not his first award. Current managing editor Alexis Daniel won her first award this year for front page layout.

At the end of the Fall 2010 semester, Spectator editors selected the best work from Spring 2010 and Fall 2010 to submit for various competitions. Categories ranged from front page layout, photo illustration, feature photo, sports action, critical review, news story, feature story and many more. This competition is between all California Community College newspapers.

Mail in competition results

And the award goes to…

Sean Jones, Honorable Mention, Informational Graphic

Alexis Daniel, Abraham Rodriquez, & Sean Jones, Honorable Mention Front Page Layout -Tabloid

Michael Lopes, Honorable Mention, Inside Page Layout – Tabloid

Sean Jones, First Place, Sports Action Photo

Sean Jones, Fourth Place Online, Photo Essay

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The Conference, what is it?

The conference is an annual event that alternates between So Cal and Nor Cal every year. Community Colleges from around the state join together to attend workshops led by industry professionals and participate in on-the-spot competitions.

Some workshops include newspaper design by former Spectator editor, current Art Director of Vegas Inc, Spencer Holladay; Multimedia on the Cheap by Kim Komenich from San Jose State; additionally professionals from SF Weekly, Patch, Fox-40, San Francisco State, The Sacramento Bee, The Los Angles Times, and many more.

If interested in sponsoring the Spectator for future conferences you can make a tax-deductible donation through the Chabot College Foundation. For more information on donations click here.

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On the spot

In addition to mail in competitions, newspaper students from around the state are given an opportunity to compete in on the spot competitions that simulate the tight deadlines to produce quality material like in the real world. Some of these competitions include: feature writing, team feature, news design and layout, critical review and more.

The staff that are attending this year’s conference are Editor in Chief, Ian Williams; News Editor, Antone Tucker; Focus Editor, Lamyra Hal; Managing Editor, Alexis Daniel and Staff Writer, DaSean Smith.

News editor, Antone Tucker and staff writer, DaSean Smith participated in the Team Feature. The Team Feature has a pair go out to a specified event and take photos, video, audio and notes, then go back to the hotel and compile them in to a slide show.

Editor In Chief, Ian Williams and Focus editor Lamyra Hal participated in the feature writing competition. This competition gives you only the use of an alpha-smart, AP style book and dictionary to make an amazing story.

This year the Spectator staff did not win an award for on the spot competitions, but next year we hope to do so.

 

Students are halfway through the semester, having overcome parking lot woes, established routines and found their places in classes. Plenty have grunted their teeth at the lack of funding and fallen prisoner to the rising gas prices and a host of other impacts – unemployment, budget cuts, and natural disasters – inflicting students and the community.

As the restraint of success and survival tightens, candidates of opportunities must diversify their self-being. Chabot’s service learning class is the elective that weeds the front row, high score, trending industry knowledge and late-to-lecture students and places them in a higher category of learning.

Over the course of the spring semester service learning, SERV 85, students embrace the idea and history of community service. While the requirements of community service have become just as much a controversial issue as the next, the idea and efforts continue to serve student character and community.

Service learning students are required to complete a minimum of 54 hours for two units or 105 hours for three units. Each student selects a community service site of their interest. The class meets once a week to address community service matters and allow students to reflect on their experiences as individuals and active community volunteers.

This semester students have become a part of animal shelters, convalescent homes, YMCAs, food drives, the George Marks Foundation, Reading Partners and a host of other community impacting volunteering.

These students have found the value and reward in being a part of an act that is beyond their personal interest, daily routine and goals. The class also reviews articles and philosopher quotes that influence the community and introduce new concepts.

One example is Rabbi Hillel, who said, “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? And if I am only for myself, what am I?” Students breakdown statements like that of the rabbi’s and apply them to their life.

SERV 85 student Julia Brusaca understood the rabbi in the sense that one must believe in oneself first. Brusaca also expressed that it didn’t mean to be stuck on the self or have a big ego that prevents people from considering the concerns of others.

“Who am I if I don’t want to step outside of my comfort zone?” Brusaca said. Brusaca’s comfort zone is being a part of three different volunteering experiences that involve the education of young children.

In conclusion of a reflection hour students agreed there is a need to do for the self but also evolve beyond oneself. It takes a certain individual to break routine to involve themselves in someone else’s life. SERV 85 embraces the volunteering need and the folds of experience.

“I feel rewarded … (to) make them laugh and smile at my site,” shared SERV 85 student Kim Endres, who works with the sometimes forgotten elderly.

In a study rating levels of happiness it was found that there is a baseline to happiness. Life events will either put an individual under or over his baseline. A good experience will cause one’s happiness to rise while a bad experience will obviously cause one’s happiness to decline.

However in both scenarios individuals return to their baselines. In conclusion of the study the purposeful experience of volunteering raised the happiness baseline itself.

SERV 85 experience redefines inabilities, abilities to succeed and the gesture to be a part of the success of another. These are the qualities that separate one bachelor from another. Universities and employers are looking for differentiated factors in selecting a worthy candidate.

As the semester comes to a close, consider an experience that will impact you, your community and your future.

Thousands gathered at the steps of the state capitol today in Sacramento. As if arriving at Chabot College at 6:30 a.m. for a free bus ride to the state capital wasn’t enough of a challenge, rain clouds filled the sky early morning, making the commitment to march even more impressive.

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March in March 2011 from Alexis Daniel on Vimeo.

Photos By: Alexis Daniel, Brendan Posell, and Ian Williams.

To read about the March 14 rally, click here.

The Chabot College chapter of Delta Epsilon Chi will hold its club conference 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday March 11, 2011 and 10a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday March 12 at Chabot.
According to the Delta Epsilon Chi national website, DECA was founded in 1946 and prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high school and colleges around the globe.
“I have been in DECA since junior year at Castro Valley High,” said DECA member Alex Decuseara, who won third place for Internet Marketing his first year in DECA, “It has taught me presentation and speaking skills you can’t find anywhere else.”
The conference will give DECA the opportunity to showcase its business development strategy for a local business.
On conference day DECA students will come in and meet the person who is running the company and teams of five will present a sales pitch to the company about what they think the company should do to further its organization.
“The goal for students here is to really enhance their learning and network within the business community,” said DECA advisor Catherine Pinkas.
Presentations will be judged on Saturday and prizes will be awarded to the top presenters as well as certificates of achievement for everyone involved.
For those who do well, the National Collegiate conference is held in New York City. Students meet with high level business people, often recruiters, and perform similar tasks..
“My first year we went to New York for the Collegiate National Conference and Chabot DECA placed top five in an international business role play,” said Decuseara.
Chabot College is the only community college in Northern California offering DECA.
DECA meetings focus on networking and presentation skill building.
“I’m using the club as an incubator for students to get real life resume building experience,” said Pinkas.
DECA meets 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays in room 1613.

As if the daily lives of students aren’t hard enough, the impact of sky-rocketing gas prices adds to the burden. This month alone U.S. gas prices have risen 1.8 to 2.1 cents per gallon.

Sophomore Malyssa Perez of Berkeley City College said, “With gas prices fluctuating roughly five cents a month it’s too much, and it’s an expense that’s added to being a single parent.”

The high price of gas in California is something most people notice, yet many seem resigned to frequent increases.

Chabot student Brandi Potts said, “It seems as if we are in fuel apocalypse – the flow of money and corruption of the government and high oil prices takes a staggering toll on us.”

Nationwide gas prices are around $3.05, while here in the Bay Area a gallon of gas currently averages a whopping $3.48.

Along with the high price of tuition, students must pay for parking on campus by means of either a semester or daily pass. Many students feel that using public transportation works out better for them.

Letoya Levine, a senior at Cal State East Bay, has started taking the bus to school, but she said, “Just to save a little money each month I have to get up very early each morning just to make it to school on time and it tends to take a toll on me, causing me to fight myself from falling asleep in my classes.”

There are over 400 gas stations in and around Hayward and yet many students choose to frequent a station miles out of their way.

“I travel 10 miles just to get cheaper gas at Arco,” said one student.

It can be a difficult choice for students on a limited budget when contemplating whether saving perhaps a dime a gallon is worth wasting gas by driving to a more distant location.

Despite the negative toll high gas prices take on students there are some positive effects as well.

High prices increase carpooling, reduce pollution and promote a healthier life style – though it is unlikely many give those things much thought as they stand at the pump, watching the amount on the price gauge spinning higher and higher.

 

 

“[For] the cost of a latte a week…. [you can] ride the bus basically free for a year” Clarence Johnson, AC Transit Public Information Officer.

There appears to be a break on the horizon for Chabot students in the future that may provide one less reason to stress about public transportation. Mrs. Nkechi Okpara (AKA Pat), ASCC I.C. Council Chair, informed this reporter there are plans in the works to introduce Chabot students to the AC Transits EASYPASS program. At least two of the Chabot College student body programs have voted to initiate the program and more are poised to vote for the referendum.

On February 11, 2011, Chabot College Don Bosco-Hu, ASCC president and Nkechi Okpara, ASCC I.C. Council Chair, invited Mr. Clarence Johnson Public Information officer, AC Transit to discuss a proposed referendum for the EASYPASS , AC Transit’s discount program for colleges that provides low cost public transportation for students and faculty. The program has already been initiated on several campuses; UC Berkeley, Mills College and some Peralta City colleges.

Some of key issues that the panel, which included ASCC President Don Bosco, ASCC I.C. M. Okpara, and Mr. Johnson, P.I.O. AC Transit, discussed during the meeting specifically in regard to cost. Other topics were expanse of ridership, trans-link connections and user assistance and support.

Panel: Is there a selection process for who is eligible for this program?

Johnson: “There is no real selection process. We look for a pool of a critical mass of about a hundred students so any campus that has a hundred students would be eligible. Right now we [AC Transit] have about 4500 students … again it’s quite an extensive program, again it doesn’t take a great deal of students in order for us to engage the program at any particular school.”

Panel: What would be the cost to our target audience, which would be primary financial aid students?

Johnson: “Cost depends…on the size of your student body. For example, you were to include the whole study body that being full and part-time students the cost be probably be about $58.00 annually or $29.00 a semester. If it were just for the full-time it [the cost] would be about $89.00 a year or $44.50 a semester. Now what do you get for that amount of money …. If you did not have the EP you would have to pay about 132.50 for the service you get, and the service is unlimited I mean you can ride any AC Transit bus any time in any direction including trans bay buses for free once you have your EASYPASS and you can do that all year long for about $58.00 you can ride endlessly.”

Panel: What are some of the benefits to this program can we convince people to sign up for his program?

Johnson: ”[The] benefits are just tremendous….it would free up parking spaces…Help to clean the air and I know this is pretty much a green campus… it would be a great way of helping the environment.”

Panel: What is the rider ship Limitations? Would students have access to trans-link?

Johnson: “AC Transit travels from west Contra Costa county to Fremont [and] provides service to San Francisco… without paying extra….the way the card works is it would be tagged on to The Clipper card which has trans-bay access.’

Panel: What happens if a student loses their card?

Johnson: “[The card] comes with name and picture id just like the Clipper Card … it can be cancelled…It is programmed for you… You report it lost and you get another with the exact amount of value that you lost.”

Panel: How is the card loaded and reloaded?

Johnson: “It would be loaded on to The Clipper Card…once you get on [the bus] you just tag it and grab a seat. The beauty of The Clipper is its works… on Bart it works on MUNI… You can ride it twenty time and day and not pay.”

Panel: Will the student have access to buses with WYFY connections?

Johnson: “The WYFY is primarily on crosslink buses…If you get on one of the trans-bay locally you can certainly use them.

Panel: Can AC Transit assist with the EASYPASS campaign on our campus?

Johnson: “Absolutely….We have an ep team who would like to come out and demonstrate and highlight the benefits… a saving of about $1200.00 [for students]for drivers about $1600.00 a year. Again I can’t stress the benefits… You can ride day and night.”

A video tape of this meeting may be available upon request through Pat Okpara, I.C. ASCC.

According to an AC Transit Easy Pass Proposal (AC Transit, September 30,2010) “The EASYPASS program would be valid for all part-time and full-time students enrolled in fall, or spring semesters at Chabot College. Students enrolled in the spring semester will also have a valid pass all summer. Students enrolled in summer courses only would not be eligible. About 14,000 Chabot students would be eligible for the program’.

The referendum would be on a three year term, and the Easy Pass fee would be assessed according to a graduated pricing structure: 2011-2012 (Fall 2011, Spring/Summer 2012) Chabot Students would pay a “pilot program” price of approximately $23.20 per semester (two semesters total) per student ($46.40 annual price). Summer Semester only students will not be assessed an Easy Pass fee. For the remaining two years (Fall 2012, Spring/Summer 2013, Fall 2013, Spring/Summer 2014), Students would pay approximately $29 per semester per student ($58 annual Price). Summer Semester only students will not be assessed an Easy Pass Fee. (AC Transit, September 30,2010)

The average financial aid student would spend about .15 cents a day. The pass is good for the entire local area. In addition to this students will receive a discount on BART fares, amount to be determined.

Danielle Preciado has been accepted as the new director of student life at Chabot College by the Board of Trustees.
As the director of student life, Preciado will guide all entities which encompass student life with planning, counsel and implementation, just to list a few.

The Associated Students of Chabot College, the flea market, the Inter-Club Council and the Student Health Center are some of the programs included under student life.

Preciado served as the executive assistant to the vice president of student services from 2006-11 which prepared her for her new position.

“Having been the executive assistant … I was very familiar with the operating procedures of all student service areas and programs,” said Preciado.

Preciado’s responsibility as VPSS executive assistant was to advise executives and managers about the Chabot – Las Positas Community College District codes and regulations, as well as federal and state laws that are pertinent to student behavior and activities.

Preciado’s work as a Daraja program assistant from 2001-06 introduced her to Chabot’s large and diverse student population.

“My experience of nearly a decade of employment at Chabot allowed me to move into the position as DOSL with pre-established positive and solid working relationships with administration, faculty, staff, ASCC and other students at Chabot,” Preciado said.

The professional relationships Preciado has established at Chabot have quite an impact.

“Even when she [Preciado] was not yet director her impressive work ethics displayed her potential to be one,” said ASCC Marketing Director Isabel Macasieb.

One goal Preciado wishes to accomplish as director of student life is to increase campus morale.

According to the Chabot College Department of Institutional Research, the current transfer rate is 37.8 percent which means that for 62 percent of students Chabot is the only college experience they will have.

“Part of my job is to promote school spirit,” said Preciado, “There is no reason we cannot enjoy a healthy and active student life here at Chabot.”

Preciado’s love for working with Chabot students is a motivation as well.

“The Chabot campus feels like a second home,” Preciado said, “I absolutely love working with Chabot students.”

Preciado’s new office is located in Building 700, Room 706.