A FIRST AMENDMENT PUBLICATION Woodland Hills, California
Volume 141 - Issue 13
@roundupnews on Instagram
@Roundup News on Facebook
Wednesday, December 4, 2024
Free Copy
A winter wonderland of donated gifts Pierce hosts a faculty toy drive to support CalWorks students this holiday season By Nathalie Herrera Reporter
A
table filled with an array of treats accompanied by tables with stamps, stickers and scrapbooking paper to make Christmas cards welcomed Pierce College faculty members as they entered Building 600. on Dec 3. Pierce held its annual Winter Wonderland for faculty members to participate in the holiday festivities, while also spreading the holiday cheer to others in need. The Winter Wonderland has been held every year since 2020 on campus by the Events and Recognition Committee. Events
and Recognition Committee chair Brian Moe explained that this year’s wonderland is different, because the committee added a toy drive for CalWorks students. “We’re doing a toy drive that is going to help the students who are in our CalWorks program and these students who need assistance to help their kids,” Moe states. “These toys are donated to these students, or parents for them to give their kids a good Christmas.” According to the County of Los Angeles, the CalWorks program is a 4-year time-limited cash program for families in need, who have children or are expecting children. The program
is a way for student-parents to fund housing, food, utilities and any other necessities. To get in contact with the CalWork students, the committee worked closely with Pierce counselors. The students were able to provide a wishlist that was shared with Pierce faculty. The list varies for different age ranges in hopes of providing for all CalWork students. “They did provide a list of sorts, they gave their lists to the counselors and surveyed different age ranges,” Moe said. “We serve such a diverse population so we have toys ranging from zero to teenager.” While the goal was to provide gifts for students in need during
the holiday season, Student Health Center Director Houry Tanashian shared that these events are also very important in creating a bond for faculty. Tanashian adds that events like the Winter Wonderland are also very important in showing students that the faculty cares for them. “Events like this that are held for faculty are very important, it is important because since I don’t teach courses specifically I don’t get to see a lot of the faculty,” Tanashian said. “Students will feel supported that we care for them by getting toys for their children, some of them might be having some tough times, but it brings us and the students
together.” Communication Studies Professor Michelle Brownlee currently serves on the Events and Recognition Committee as well. Brownlee said that a big part of the toy drive is to relieve the financial burden that the CalWorks students experience around the holiday season. “The financial burden is always an issue for students. We knew we couldn’t necessarily provide something for everyone on campus,” Brownlee said. “We were able to figure out at least a certain group of students that we were able to work with and try and put together something to at least make holidays easier on them.”
Victor Montiel / Roundup News Winter wonderland event cupcakes at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Dec. 3, 2024.
INSIDE THE ISSUE A look into the archives, pg. 2 Football safety precautions pro/con, pg. 3 “Stop the Bleed” event, pg. 4 Karla Delgado / Roundup News Professor Jennifer Moses cuts Christmas cardstock paper in half to decorate her card at the winter wonderland and toy drive event at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Dec. 3, 2024.
Academic Senate financial discussion, pg. 4