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On the cover:
Pierce College Left Fielder #39 catches a fly ball by Cuesta College during their games at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on March 26, 2026. Photo by Jake Gregory.
Editorial: From the desk of the Roundup Paws on campus can calm stress one tail at a time
Toallow students to de-stress, Pierce College should hold more pawsitivity events throughout the semester so students aren’t overwhelmed with classes or burnt out.
According to Crown Counseling, more than 55% of college students experience academic burnout, and 20.5% of those students had severe symptoms.
But there is a way to fight this—dogs.Dogs have been proven to reduce stress. A study done by the American Psychological Association found that interacting with dogs led to increases in positive affect and lower levels of anxiety.
In some colleges, dogs are used during therapy sessions, and students have seen a significant decrease in physiological stress, according to the National Library of Medicine.
The University of Rhode Island recently added a new member to its counseling faculty, a dog named Winnie. She is a 2 year old labrador who helps students
to de-stress by cuddling or using more advanced techniques, such as deep pressure therapy, in what is now a part of a recurring event known as “Wellness with Winnie.”
If dogs were to be brought onto campus more often, the students who are stressed would be given a chance to relax and pet a furry friend, similar to Winnie.
The last pawsitivity event ASO held was on Oct. 16, 2025.But these events should be more frequent, maybe once every two or three months.
There are multiple animal shelters near Pierce. Every two or three months, the different shelters could alternate bringing in a couple of dogs as a way to not only allow the students to destress, but also to allow the dogs to be given a chance to be adopted.
Shelters are overcapacitated with animals. According to ASPCA, 5.8 million dogs and cats entered an animal shelter in 2024, and the length of dogs staying at a
shelter has increased in the last five years. This not only causes strain on the shelters but also leads to multiple animals having to be euthanized, such as 2024, when 607,000 animals were euthanized. But it doesn’t have to be this way.
The National Library of Medicine states that when dogs are brought out of their kennels more often, they have a higher chance of being adopted five to 14 times.
More pawsitivity events allow for the dogs and students to interact, which is a win-win situation. The students get a chance to de-stress from classes and tests, and the dogs are able to get out of their kennels and have a higher chance of getting adopted. Once the dogs start to leave the shelter, this will then lower the strain animals shelters carry.
And maybe in the future, Pierce should also consider having a permanent therapy dog, just like Winnie.
In Volume 22, Issue 5, April 1. 2015, The Roundup reported that former NFL wide receiver Matthew Hatchette joined Pierce College’s football program as offensive coordinator, bringing professional experience from the Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets and Jacksonville Jaguars. After retiring from the NFL in 2003, Hatchette moved to Los Angeles and coached at youth football camps and local high schools before transitioning to the college level. At Pierce, he worked with athletes to develop offensive strategies and sharpen their skills, drawing from his professional experience. Hatchette emphasized mentorship and growth, aiming to elevate players on and off the field. His addition reflected the program’s efforts to strengthen its coaching staff and provide studentathletes with high-level guidance and leadership.
Copy by Daisy Aguinada
File photo by Melanie Jurado / Roundup News Deeks therapy dog is named after an actor from a T.V show NCIS L.A., Deeks was at the pawsitivity event at rock young park at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Oct 16, 2025.
Should we continue celebrating Cesar Chavez Day?
PRO: Recognizes Chavez’s impact on labor and civil rights
By Brianna Fuerte Online Editor
Despite the recent finding by the New York Times, Cesar Chavez still holds great importance to the civil rights movement and toward farm workers’ rights.
According to the Library of Congress Research Guides, “The United Farm Workers became the first recognized farm workers union accepted into the AFL-CIO in August 1972,” a union that Cesar Chavez helped create.
have made and the challenges they have faced shouldn’t be ignored or overlooked.
As Cesar Chavez Day is now being renamed to Farmworkers Day in California, according to PBS News, it’s also important to see the other federal holidays the country celebrates, even though the face/faces of that holiday is problematic.
CON: Claims against Chavez complicate celebrating his legacy
By Valeria Estevez Reporter
FromWho’s your favorite superhero?
Before this union, farm workers were subjected to being paid below the minimum wage, the elderly suffered from having their social security stolen and there was a lot of unionbusting when workers asked for better treatment, according to Gale.
The most recent example being Indigenous People’s Day, also known as Columbus Day. While California and other states celebrate Indigenous People’s Day rather than Columbus Day, there are still 17 states that still celebrate Columbus Day, according to Newsweek.
Another example would be Presidents’ Day. Most states celebrate Presidents’ Day, however multiple presidents aren’t good people to be celebrated.
But as the union was created and the protests and strikes continued, eventually farm workers received better pay, benefits and protections, with the help of Cesar Chavez.
Without the start of this union, there is no telling how long it could have been for someone else to speak up or whether they would have had at all.
The UFW wasn’t only for farm workers’ rights. The UFW showcased Chicano pride, a fight for immigrant rights and a fight for other social justice issues, according to the University of Washington. Though the UFW has fewer numbers, the sacrifices they
According to the White House Historical Association, at least 13 former presidents were slave owners, including George
coaches to coworkers, men who take advantage of and assault young girls should never be celebrated. There has been a long history of men in higher positions allegedly taking advantage of young girls and minors. Cesar Chavez is not an exception to this observation.
The New York Times published an article with allegations from over a dozen women who alleged that Chavez had raped, abused, groomed and sexually harassed them. Some of these women were as young as 12 and 13 years old.
One of the allegations came from Dolores Huerta, cofounder of the United Farm Workers Foundation. Huerta said Chavez raped her in a vehicle in a secluded area. Six years before this rape, Huerta recalls that Chavez had pressured her to have sex with him, according to The New York Times. .
The inability to condemn men who take advantage of their position and abuse women has been recently showcased in the United States over the last five years.
The even more shocking reveal of rewarding these abusive men, by giving them promotions, awards and recognition that showcases how society protects and gives grace to abusers and none to the victim.
When victims come forward, they are often met with scrutiny and disbelief. The history of women who have been told to keep their abuse quiet for the sake of either their family, relationship or, in the case of Huerta, for a political movement, has been longer than 5 years. Besides the
“I’d have to say Gambit. It’s crazy to see how someone can go through so much, but still have a good heart and mind. He’s a little selfish, but he always looks out after the people he cares about.”
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Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Ulysses S. Grant.
Andrew Jackson played a huge role in erasing Native Americans and their culture during the Trail of Tears. Lyndon B. Johnson escalated the Vietnam War, and Richard Nixon only continued it.
If Cesar Chavez Day is going to be renamed, then all states should rename Columbus Day, and Presidents’ Day should be renamed or removed entirely as well.
It’s understandable why people are upset and unwilling to celebrate Cesar Chavez anymore. But it’s also important to understand the good he did in protecting the rights of the minorities in the fields, and the impact it had on the state as a whole.
According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, 1 in 3 women experiences sexual violence between the ages of 11 and 17 years old. The NSVRC also cites that 40.8% of women who experience sexual violence go through it at the hands of someone they know.
Often these men are never held accountable for their actions. The state of California, were quick to take down statues, street signs and paint over murals, but this does not take away the disarray left by Chavez’s allegations.
The Mexican American community has a long way to go before completely holding Chavez accountable and reprehending his actions. Machismo -misogyny is an unfortunate pillar in the Mexican American community that has been ingrained and instilled through generations.
recent sexual allegations brought by Huerta, Chavez had many allegations of taking credit for the United Farm Workers Foundation, when credit was due to Larry Itliong, a Filipino farmworker activist. Who led the Delano Grape Strike in 1965, uniting Mexican and Filipino farm workers. There have been many cases of individuals being forgotten by history and overshadowed by their peers. From Claudette Colvin, who refused to give up her bus seat before Rosa Parks. To Sal Castro, a teacher who led The East LA student walkouts in 1968.
When starting a movement for the people by the people, no single individual should be the face of a movement, especially if that movement is covering up assault.
A movement built on the silence of others is not revolutionary.
“I’ve always loved Batman because I’ve always loved DC, I’ve never read the comics and I want to, but I’ve always loved the lore behind him.”
SydellHernandez-Architecture
“Spider-man. I like the hustle, and I love his whole persona. He’s really into school, very passionate about what he does, I like that he’s busy.”
SimiyaJoneiran-Architecture
Interviews by Mia Greer
Photos by Jake Gregory
Voices of the Valley rise during the ‘No Kings’ protest
By Emily Garcia Newsletter Editor
Communitymembers of the San Fernando Valley marched on every corner of Victory and Topanga Canyon Boulevards for the “No Kings” protest on March 28. Protesters voiced their concerns about the Trump administration, conflict in Iran, immigration enforcement, funding cuts and the increased cost of living.
Organizations such as Woodland Hills Indivisible, Singing Resistance San Fernando Valley and Rush Hour Resistance Rally attended the event to sing songs about resistance and hang messages about pro-democracy above the overpasses on the freeways.
Organizer for the Indivisible Sarah Banks advocates for the community in attempts to bring back democracy.
“No Kings means no authoritarianism. No ICE brutalizing the people in the streets andtaking our neighbors,” Banks said. “No people like Stephen Miller and Donald Trump trying to destroy our democracy. No war. We’re just all here to hope that we can join together, change the way things are going in this country and bring our democracy back.”
SEIU United Healthcare Workers West, a labor union, collected signatures from protestors for the Tax the Billionaires Act. The petition proposes a 5% tax on billionaires in California to fund healthcare and education for five years. According to the SEIU website, the onetime tax income would benefit
hospitals and clinics decrease in federal funding cuts and expand healthcare access for lower cost.
Musician and music professor Satchel Schwartz lost his teaching job at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia after it shut down due to a decrease in enrollment. Schwartz said people are afraid to bring their children to school and lose their families.
“They’re hiding in fear, and that’s not okay. Education is one of the most important things in this country, and the weaponization of miseducation and disenfranchising others is abhorrent,” Schwartz said.
“It’s hard to find teaching opportunities. They [Trump administration] don’t want people to be educated and to learn.”
Purdue University in Indianapolis mechanical engineering major Jordan Brookenthal attended the protest in California because she felt she couldn’t mobilize the same in Indiana.
Brookenthal said she does not agree with the actions of immigration enforcements.
“People are dying every day. People are being taken from their homes for trying to be part of this country that he [Trump] himself says is so great,” Brookenthal said.
“You’re killing them for wanting to be here. You’re killing them for trying to find opportunity.”
Brookenthal weighed into the importance of research funding and how the decrease has affected her and others.
“There’s been a lot of money being taken away from research right now that’s impacted me,” Brookenthal
said. “Purdue’s a very research heavy University and I’ve seen a lot of people who have been working their lives getting this degree for things [jobs] that they no longer can do anymore. Research is something that furthers a nation and having that taken away has been a significant impact.”
Cal Lutheran University exercise science major Eva Van Lokeren showed up in support as a member of the younger generation and the queer community. Van Lokeren said Trump’s negative comments about the LGBTQ+ community has been discouraging to her.
“To have that constant discrimination towards the LGBTQ community is hard to see, it is hard to listen to, especially from a high leader of our country,” Van Lokeren said. “It is hard to live out a life where he is promoting so much hate towards a group that I’m a part of. It’s a minority, it’s very sad to see.”
Professor for Mount Saint Mary’s University Darlene Kawulok protested in 1955 against the Vietnam war and again for “No Kings.” Kawulok said the community should address racism and homophobias to unite people rather than let it divide them.
“Have conversations with people who think differently than you do and respect people’s integrity. We’re all fighting for the same thing, all fighting for our country, all fighting for democracy, all fighting for people who are not marginalized by white body supremacy and we need to turn that around. – Let’s start putting this country back together again.”
Lesa Greenfield / Roundup News
Lesa Greenfield / Roundup News
Jake Gregory / Roundup News
Protestors hold signs and cheer during the “No Kings” rally in Woodland Hills, Calif. on March 28, 2026.
Juancarlos Farias, a communication major at Pierce College holds a sign at the “No Kings” rally on March 28, 2026 in Woodland Hills, Calif.
Joseph Evans, a Pierce College alumni, holds a sign at the “No Kings” rally on Saturday, March 28, 2026 in Woodland Hills, Calif.
Heath Kline holds a sign and demonstrates at the No Kings rally on the corner of Victory Boulevard and Topanga Canyon Boulevard on Saturday, March 28, 2026 in Woodland Hills, Calif. Photo by Lesa Greenfield.
and cheer during the
on March 28,
TOP: Protestors hold signs and cheer during the “No Kings” rally in Woodland Hills, Calif. on March 28, 2026. Photo by Jake Gregory.
RIGHT:
LEFT: Protestors holds signs
“No Kings” rally in Woodland Hills, Calif.
2026. Photo by Jake Gregory.
Pierce College Council focuses on policy, safety and finances
Council discusses website compliance, faculty liability, safety and budget issues.
By Anthony Adams Reporter
PierceCollege Council members discussed on Zoom, Thursday, March 26, campus operations, campus safety matters and budget issues.
The meeting at first focused heavily on the website accessibility compliance responsibilities and faculty liability protections and its April 25 deadline. It was an urgent topic of discussion during Pierce President Ara Aguiar’s report, whether faculty can be sued for personal liability for noncompliant content.
Aguiar assured the council members during the meeting that the district is doing their part to help facilitate meeting the deadline.
“I want to announce that the district has deployed some website designers that they had at the district,” Aguiar said. “And they have assigned one to each campus. The goal there is to have a resource available to do some sessions with page owners. To kind of support the process of what
would be the best thing to do, like broken links, how to handle PDF, what’s most ideal.”
Council member Margarita Pillado expressed her sentiments on personal liability for faculty.
“What is the liability that faculty and individual page owners are exposed to? Those things, we just need answers,” Pillado said. “We hope you as president can put pressure on the district to give us very specific guidelines as to what will happen in the next 20 days in terms of getting us prepared and ready to go.”
Council member Mary Jo Apigo shared how this accessibility capability is a long term project although its deadline is approaching.
“ACMN, the accessibility capability mature model is a long term project to improve our accessibility across all levels of the college,” Apigo said “Whether that’s website, documents, construction, all the things accessibility is we’re working through longer term for ACMN model.
The more immediate item we’re talking about is making sure we are compliant with Title II requirements that
go into effect April 24. Any public facing documents are accessible.”
Pillado again shared her thoughts on faculty being personally liable to possible litigation.
“You can send the message and that could put people at ease a little bit,” Pillado said. “But the chancellor told us that yes, that the law has changed and we can be personally liable.That’s why we requested very explicitly the opinion of the office of General Counsel in terms of what it means in the district, the ownership of a page and the liability of the instructor.”
Deputy Issac Jorge from the Sheriff department addressed campus driving traffic speed during the meeting.
“We’re getting a lot of complaints of people speeding,” Jorge said. “And when we make contact with the person driving, it’s our faculty and people that work here, so just slow down. We do have a lot of accidents on campus and little fender benders.”
Council member Rolf Schleicher gave his budget report during the meeting.
“We need to make
A Zoom screenshot of Dr. Alma Cortes, Associate Professor of Child Development at Los Angeles Pierce College, speaking during the Pierce College Council Meeting on March 26, 2026.
sure we have full transparency and disclosure because we are up against a revenue challenge across the district and particularly Pierce College,” Schleicher said.
“We have one of the largest deficits in the district. It’s very
hard to generate revenue and we have a big campus with a lot of expenses. Our revenue is not supporting the amount of labor that we have.”
Academic West building tops off ahead of 2027 opening
By Valeria Estevez Reporter
PierceCollege faculty and students gathered around for the ‘Topping Off’ ceremony at the new Academic West Building on Wednesday at Pierce College in Woodland Hills Calif., the new building is set for occupation in Spring 2027.
The ceremony celebrated the Academic West Building being framed, a big milestone in construction. The faculty who will be teaching in this building was asked to sign a beam that will be placed at the entrance of the building. Equipped with modern technology to help students succeed, project managers like Juan Santana, hope this new building helps students succeed.
“Number 1 reason we do this is for the students,” said Santana “To make sure they have the learning tools to enhance their education.”
TOP: Los Angeles Pierce College faculty and staff stand in front of the construction site for the new Media Arts Department building during the Topping Off Ceremony in Woodland HIlls, Calif., on March 24, 2026.
BOTTOM: Los Angeles Pierce College faculty sign a metal frame for the new Media Arts Department building during the Topping Off Ceremony in Woodland HIlls, Calif., on March 24, 2026.
Anthony Adams / Roundup News
Calvin Henry / Roundup News
Pierce students use AI to tackle medical research projects
By Gisele Donan Reporter
Pierce College students partnered with AI Campus to showcase how the partnership between AI programs and humans can help aid life science research and real-world careers in Building 600 on Friday.
Four groups, varying in degrees from biology to computer science were expected to do thorough research that fit their project topic. This research was then tested through different AI programs, algorithms and models that would produce results that could be beneficiary to real world studies such as genetics and breast cancer.
Dennis Hazelett, professor of computational biomedicine at Cedar Sinai applauded the students for their presentations and expanded on the idea of AI in medical research and what it means for the field.
“What AI allows us to do is ask very complicated questions that are even
outside the realm of classical statistics, to make connections between different types of data.” Hazelett said. “The students were so polished and prepared, and they did a great job explaining the concepts from biology through machine learning.”
The Los Angeles Pierce College AI Program gave students the opportunity to work with these complex AI models and take three free noncredit vocational classes in sequence to help with their studies.
At the end of the sixteen week phase, students were given a Certificate of Achievement for completing their project.
George Savales, an electrical engineering major and a member of the Breast Cancer Prognosis research team, said he was proud of his group and detailed the journey
of working with his members to find a way AI could help save time during prognosis for both doctors and patients.
“I worked a lot over the last week to put this all together and make sure the model not
only ran well, but it was accurate and it matched clinical data, and from what we observed, all those boxes were checked.” Savales said. “Radiologists spend a lot of time dissecting these mammographs and deciding whether it’s cancer or not, if a lot of that time could be expedited through the use of AI it can be used as a supplemental tool to get all of that strenuous work out of the way.”
The students were to present their project through slides that had datasets, critical analysis and explanations of their findings working with the AI programs in under ten minutes. Afterwards, audience members were allowed to ask questions and engage with the topic.
Pierce is the first U.S. community school to launch an AI biomedical research program that aims to further AI studies. The mission to expand and gather more funding, students, and professors is important to the program and its growth.
Benny Ng, Co-director of the LAPC AI Campus and
chemistry faculty member explained the complexity of the AI and how impressive it can be for a student to have on their portfolio.
“Some are using AI to ask questions or to solve a chemistry problem but this is more like, let’s use machine learning and an algorithm to analyze data and gain insight.” Ng said. “It’s something that they can use towards a job and it’s a lot more meaningful than an A in computer science. It’s concrete, you can show it to employers that this is the work I’ve done.”
Ng also emphasized the importance of the faculty and how open the program is to include other parts of STEM. Ng believes that it ultimately starts with people who are willing to give their time.
“In terms of the data, we are not limited to bio data. If we go to other places, they do have different physical sciences.” Ng said. “I just need to find that physics faculty member or astronomy faculty member who’s going to take on the student, because our project is not limited.”
STEM week brings sea life up close with touch tank event
Jake Gregory/ Roundup News
Pierce College Student Alexander Shinkeyev presenting his findings during the Stem Week AI presentations at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif on March 27, 2026.
Lesa Greenfield / Roundup News
Lesa Greenfield / Roundup News
Pre-veterinary student Hen Yoon feeds hermit crabs during the STEM week ocean touch tank event at Pierce College Center for the Sciences on Thursday, March 26, 2026 in Woodland Hills, Calif.
A student touches a starfish during the STEM week ocean touch tank event at Pierce College Center for the Sciences on Thursday, March 26, 2026 in Woodland Hills, Calif.
Powerful soprano performance draws applauds and emotions
By Josue Aguilar Photo Editor
Ahighand powerful soprano voice rang throughout the auditorium at the Pierce College Performing Arts Building singing arias and songs of varying styles and languages.
The Associated Student Organization Concert held a Voice Recital on Tuesday, March 24, featuring Pierce Applied Music Program voice instructor April Amante, a soprano who sang classical and contemporary musical pieces with Michelle Do as her piano accompanist.
Amante’s performance moved the audience, drew laughs, applause and even received a bouquet of flowers.
Music major Sophia Reyes was one the guests touched by the performance.
“Personally, I cried within the first two songs of the performance, very touching and seeing her just get into character so easily in between the song was really incredible,” Reyes said.
“As a performer who’s also studying voice here appears, it’s very inspiring and moving for me to see and just kind of see where I can be in the future and how I can grow my skills.”
The performance featured eight musical numbers sung
in English, French, Italian and German, alternating between foreign language and English.
Amante began the recital with “Io son l’umile ancella” from Francesco Cilea’s opera Adriana Lecouvreur, which allowed Amante to showcase her powerful soprano voice. The character of Adriana sings about her creative spirit being a gift from god.
Some of the stand out pieces were Heart Riddle #2 and #3 from Grasping Waters by Maria Thompson Corley. It featured humorous songs about relationships and expectations, drawing laughs from the audience.
The other standout piece was “Vilia (Vilja’s Lied)” from The Merry Widow, which had audience participation by having them sing along with the chorus.
Amante, who has been teaching at Pierce College since 2023, spoke about putting together the recital and how spacing out the songs keeps her in the character she’s expressing through the music.
“Doing a recital is very much being in the moment of each piece and each moment and you can’t think about what has just passed. You can’t be thinking about that or else you’re going to take it out of the moment,”Amante said. “And it’s going to take you out of the character, the
current character that you are portraying.
Amante said that she sometimes chooses her songs based on how she relates to them.
“Different actors and singers have different methods. But for me, I make sure to choose pieces that have a point of view that I can really strongly relate to so that it feels like it’s a part of me,” Amante said. “And I’m just expressing myself rather than, oh, I’m putting on some sort of character. So that’s the way I often choose my repertoire.”
The other musical pieces performed were “I Want to Die While You Love Me” from Miss Wheatley’s Garden, “C’est l’extase langoureuse” from Ariettes Oubliees, “Vilia (Vilja’s Lied)” from The Merry Widow, “Stars and the Moon” from Songs for a New World, “An die Nacht” from Sechs Lieder and “No One is Alone” from Into the Woods. Music major Harmony Arevalo was impressed by the versatility of Amantes voices, noting how she was able to express herself through the performance.
“I was able to see each change and like each stylistic direction she chose to do within each piece and it was really beautiful. I personally love watching her perform,” Arevalo said. “I find her to be a very like expressive vocalist which sometimes could be hard as a vocalist myself. It’s
Vocalist Dr. April Amante performed at the
for their AS0 concert series at Pierce College in
Calif. on March 23, 2026.
hard sometimes to get the emotion out of each piece and she had no issue it seemed like.”
Arevalos pointed out that these types of performances are needed at Pierce College.
“I think exposing people to this kind of art and even any art is important for our
Play Review: “The Wolves” captures the chaos
community at Pierce and it shows people that there are possibilities that are here other than just like other majors,” Arevalo said. “And there’s appreciation we put in any community here, especially the art department with how much work we put into the stuff we do here.”
and heart of girlhood
An authentic portrayal of teenage athletes navigating friendship and challenges in “The Wolves.
By Elizabeth SantanaZavala Reporter
Aburstof chaotic chatter filled the Dow Arena Theatre, instantly immersing the audience in what it might feel like to eavesdrop on an all-girls soccer team.
The opening set the tone of the story and created an energetic, overwhelming atmosphere that mirrors the emotional turbulence of adolescence.
The Pierce College Theatre Department opened “The Wolves” on March 27 under the direction of Shaheen Vaaz, staging Sarah DeLappe’s 2016 one-
act play about nine teenage players warming up before their indoor soccer games.
The 90-minute production doesn’t waste time introducing the characters and their personalities.
Establishing the strong team captain, the insecure midfielder, the awkward newcomer who is just trying to make friends and several others who each brought their own quirks and challenges to the field.
Each scene featured conversations that jumped from global politics, friendships, boys, expectations and dreams.
Comedy played a major role throughout the show.
Several characters delivered jokes while stretching or doing drills, ranging from crude remarks to sharp comments
about each other.
Many landed with a playful, harsh edge that revealed the girls’ closeness as friends. At other moments, girls broke into spontaneous singing or goofing off.
The humor helped the dialogue-heavy story maintain its pace and kept the energy lively.
Conflicts erupted throughout the play, including a tense argument between Player 14 played by Lalo Blasco and Player 07 portrayed by Eliot Laizure, over feelings of abandonment.
As chaos unfolded, the team captain, Player 25 played by Olivia Espinoza, worked to keep the group focused and united.
The production also confronted heavier themes. Player 00, portrayed by
Michi Arroyo, embodied the pressure of perfectionism and the weight of anxiety as a young athlete.
The character would repeatedly run offstage before the games began because of her queasy stomach.
Arroyo’s portrayal of a panic attack near the end of the show offers a strikingly vulnerable moment that showcased the actress’s skill.
Overall, the cast delivered authentic performances that balanced humor and conflict throughout the show.
The set design featured green artificial turf draped across the walls and floor, with only a few props such as soccer balls and water bottles.
While simple at first glance, the design created a close and immersive environment that allowed the girls’ personalities and conflicts to take center
stage.
The intimacy of the Dow Arena Theatre further enhanced the atmosphere.
As the story neared its end, the team faced loss and grief right before the final game that forced them to unite not just as players but as a pack.
The bittersweet conclusion reinforced the idea that individuality and teamwork can coexist.
“The Wolves” runs from March 27 to April 5 in the Dow Arena Theatre. Friday and Saturday performances begin at 7:30 p.m., with Saturday matinees at 2:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at LAPCTheatre.org.
Javier Ramirez / Roundup News
Voice Faculty Spotlight
Woodland Hills,
Brahmas Baseball continues domination following Cuesta College
Pierce College continues a nine-game winning streak following game against Cuesta
By James Mondares Reporter
Greatexecution and fast base runs brought the Pierce College Brahmas to an 8-5 victory over Cuesta College on Thursday, March 26. This win puts the Brahmas at a nine-game winning streak.
Head baseball coach Bill Picketts said that these streaks are common, and that his focus with the team lies elsewhere.
“Obviously, we don’t focus on the winning streaks,” Picketts said. “What I’ve talked to them about over the whole year is striving to play a perfect game, which we know is impossible. But if we focus on that and not the outcome of the game, then I think we actually go about our business a little bit better.”
Starting pitcher Hunter Zanki played the first five innings where he then got hit trying to catch a barehanded ball and was taken out at the top of the sixth inning.
When recalling the experience, Zanki said “That shit hurt. Did not feel good.”
Zanki ended his time on the mound with five innings
Zanki named determination as the following step.
“Just go day by day,” Zanki said. “I don’t really keep track of wins and losses, just as long as we learn from it. As long as we just keep putting our best forward, good things will happen.”
Zanki hopes to keep this momentum moving.
“Don’t get complacent with everything you’ve done,” Zanki said. “Just make sure that we’re grinding every single day, that we’re doing everything we can. Not taking it easy, because once we take it easy, that’s when it stops.”
Picketts said that it was nice to see the team come along together.
pitched, five hits, three runs and five strikeouts.
The Brahmas started the first inning strong with two runs, having Christian Santiago and JJ Fagfoomsintu both score.
Cuesta ended the top of the first inning with zero runs.
By the fourth inning, the score was at 3-1 favoring the Brahmas. But by the fifth inning, Cuesta closed the gap and tied the score 3-3.
Upon noticing this, left
fielder Carlos Macias knew what he needed to be doing.
“Not losing focus and for the whole team to be competing every pitch,” Macias said.
The field grew tense as the scoreboard remained even until the bottom of the seventh inning when the Brahmas scored three runs. Matteo Rodriguez singled to center, allowing Ethan Granillo to score. Dylan Simon followed with a run batted in (RBI)
single to score Jeremy Jones, then stole second base which led to Rodriguez scoring on an error made by the catcher.
The Brahmas then continued to score in the eighth inning, with Christian Santiago and Braden Sellz scoring: now leveraging their lead to 8-3.
With Cuesta only scoring two runs at the top of the ninth inning, the Brahmas won with an 8-5 score.
Looking ahead, pitcher
“They’ve come a long way,” Picketts said. “They’re starting to trust each other and trust me as a coach and trust the coaching staff so it’s kind of nice to see when all of that comes to fruition.”
The next home game for the Brahmas will be against the Oxnard College Condors on Tuesday, March 31, 2.p.m at the Joe Kelly Field.
Long Beach Vikings overpower men’s volleyball team
By Mia Greer Reporter
ThePierce Men’s Volleyball team loses against the Long Beach Vikings 3-0 on March 25 for the second time this season.
The Brahmas kept the crowd on the edge of their seats with a score of 25-23 for the first set. The energy in the gym remained high as both teams traded points back and forth, refusing to give each other any breathing room.
Opposite hitter Sam Henry expressed his thought process during the tense first set. He noted that the close score reflected both teams’ competitiveness and unwillingness to back down early in the match.
“You always remember that in the first set everyone’s a fighter, so you come out and swing hard and just say, who wants to win more?” Henry said. “That’s why it’s so close in the first set.”
Henry went into the second set with the same mindset, making a kill that made the crowd erupt. He believed the team still had a strong
chance to turn the match around despite the Vikings’ momentum.
“I think they’re definitely a beatable team, scores may not represent it, but I think every team in our section is a team we can handle,” Henry said.
Despite the neck-and-neck race in the first set, the second set was an instant downhill race for the Brahmas, quickly going from 17-11 to 2514. The Vikings capitalized on their rhythm and began to dominate offensively, making it difficult for Pierce to recover. Errors and missed opportunities started to pile up, allowing the gap to widen rapidly.
Assistant Coach C.J. Suarez recognized the work the team is up against. He acknowledged the Vikings’ consistency and ability to execute plays efficiently throughout the match.
“It’s always been tough to play against them,” Suarez said. “They run a really efficient offence, spiking, ball patrol, all that stuff. Nothing but respect to them.”
Suarez also noticed the effort being put in by one
particular player.
“Lorenzo Gonzalez did very well, he scored a lot, his efficiency and passing was very good,” Suarez said. “Sometimes one guy can’t do it all, but I feel like he did a good job controlling his presence, he’s the guy that stood out to me the most.”
Despite their efforts to come back from a difficult second set, the Vikings maintained control and closed out the set 25-17.
Outside hitter Lorenzo Gonzalez recalled the thought process the team was going through when the Brahmas seemed to be catching up with the Vikings. Gonzalez emphasized the importance of confidence and communication during those moments.
“When one of their best servers was up my coach called timeout just to get him cold, he said play with confidence, we’re still in the game,” Gonzalez said. “We were trying to grind through to get a fourth set, but when we came out our hitters just couldn’t execute.”
The Brahmas losing streak
continues on, having lost their previous three games. Their next game will take place on Wednesday, April 1 against the El
Jake Gregory / Roundup News
Pierce College Left Fielder #39 Carlos Macias thrown out at home in their game versus Cuesta College at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif. on March 26, 2026.
Camino Warriors.
Lorenzo Gonzalez hits over the Long Beach Vikings defense at Pierce College South Gym in Woodland Hills, Calif. on March 25, 2026.
Javier Ramirez / Roundup News
the back:
On
Pierce College Center Fielder #38 Matteo Rodriguez rounds third to head home during their game versus Cuesta College at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif. on March 26, 2026. Photo by Jake Gregory.
