A student-operated publication at Santa Rosa Junior College.

The Oak Leaf

A student-operated publication at Santa Rosa Junior College.

The Oak Leaf

A student-operated publication at Santa Rosa Junior College.

The Oak Leaf

Jay Luis (left) competes in the 100m race after returning from a long time off due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Students struggle with mental health issues resulting from isolation during the pandemic.

Lucas Cadigan-Carranza and Trevor Lee May 31, 2023

Jay Luis was preparing for his first season of track at SRJC, but it was all taken away in an instant.  The COVID-19 pandemic shut everything down and forced Luis into quarantine for months with no...

SRJC’s Shone Farm is a 365-acre outdoor learning laboratory where students can learn crop production, ecological preservation, viticulture, animal and equine science, forestry and wildfire prevention.

SRJC’s Shone Farm: a place where students can grow

Michael Combs, Co-Editor in Chief May 24, 2023

Sun, sweat, smiles and sustainability. Santa Rosa Junior College students toil on the soil at Shone Farm as they learn about sustainable agriculture, ecological restoration, forestry and wildfire prevention...

Firefighters on Mountain Hawk Road fight devastating flames as the Glass Fire moves in on eastern Santa Rosa Sept. 28, 2020.

“That’s what I need to do”: Sonoma County residents feel compelled to join SRJC Firefighting Academy

Nick Vides, Editor December 15, 2022

In early 2017, Daniel Malcher’s niece fell off her scooter. He rushed to her side, scooped her up, cleaned her scrapes, motivated her to try again and sent her on her way.  The feeling of helping...

Long distance relationships requires effort from both partners, but how do these relationships thrive when couples are pulled miles apart?

Are Long Distance Relationships for You?

Fatima Zarco Gomez and Javi Rosas October 26, 2022

Santa Rosa Junior College business major Honey Behrens,18, has been in a long-distance relationship for two years with her partner from Canada, but at times she feels even the longevity can’t make up...

Wine industry fails to protect workers during risky fire seasons

Wine industry fails to protect workers during risky fire seasons

May 8, 2022

Sandra De Leon wakes up every morning at 5 a.m. and begins her everyday routine. She starts by preparing lunch for her two daughters and herself. She then gets ready for work, hopes the day won't be too...

A woman joins dozens of others for an impromptu protest May 3 after a draft of Supreme Court Justice Samual Alitos opinion possibly overturning legalized abortion was leaked to the media.

Abortion rights under attack across America

Ava Domenichelli and Oliviah Shine May 1, 2022

College student Lily, 22, was between four and six weeks along when she discovered she was pregnant. Her IUD birth control had failed. She knew she wanted to get an abortion right away. “I have never...

More than 100 million unique gamers have played Call of Duty Warzone, one of the most popular first-person shooting video games.

Why are video games so addicting ?

Blair McTaggart, Contributing Writer May 1, 2022

The first video game was created in 1958 but started to take off with advances in technology during the 1970s through ‘90s. It wasn’t until the last two decades that video games have become a mainstream...

A group of children playing and socializing on a playground.

Pandemic leaves children behind in social development skills

Christian Vieyra and Tony Moekel, Staff Writers May 1, 2022

The first time that Lyndsay and Ray McClintock saw their daughter struggle socially was at their local park. They noticed that 1-year-old Delilah would see other children playing yet she played alone....

A migrants journey from Honduras to Sonoma County

A migrant’s journey from Honduras to Sonoma County

Cristian Garcia and Francisco Vargas, Oak Leaf Contributors May 1, 2022

Julia* started her journey from Honduras at age 19. The United States to her looked like a dreamland, the same way as it does to millions of immigrants. Her life in Honduras was poor. Her family struggled,...

Michael Hogle, 39, poses in his Santa Rosa Junior College culinary arts jacket and holds a small tote bag

Cooking alone: The challenge in learning culinary arts during a pandemic

Michael Combs, Editor March 16, 2022

Michael Hogle props his phone next to the kitchen sink and starts recording.  “I apply a moderate amount of soap into my palms and rub my hands together for 30 seconds, making sure they are fully...

Jorgen Sarganis making a catch during practice on Bailey Field. His death is the third the colleges football team has experienced in the past 17 months.

Football team reflects on three player deaths in 17 months

Christian Vieyra and Tony Moeckel December 8, 2021

At 5-feet-5-inches tall and 140 pounds, Jorgen Sarganis was never big in stature on the football field. But his competitors, sometimes players twice his size, quickly learned that he gave everything he...

The Haunting of Hype House directed by former Santa Rosa Junior College student Brandon Douglas and Matthew Farren is set to begin filming Jan. 15. It features former SRJC student Mahlon Zach Tracy.

Former SRJC students to star, direct in upcoming feature-length film: “The Haunting of Hype House”

Nick Vides, Photographer December 8, 2021

Two former Santa Rosa Junior College film students will begin producing their first feature-length film Jan. 15, thanks to crowdfunding, their SRJC education and childhoods obsessed with filmmaking.  Mahlon...

SRJC student Francene Ayala poses in front of a blank wall.

SRJC graduates reflect on their time at the JC amidst a pandemic

Emma Molloy, Editor May 28, 2021

Francene Ayala left the Santa Rosa Junior College campus last March, assuming she’d be back in the classroom soon and graduating this year in-person, but on March 11 2020, the World Health Organization...

Santa Rosa Junior College Student Body President Delashay Carmona Benson speaking at a BlackOut walkout May 5.

SRJC Student Body President Delashay Carmona Benson wants you to “turn on your human”

Audrey Fry, Reporter May 19, 2021

The smell of sun-warmed grass permeated the hot May afternoon on Santa Rosa Junior College’s main campus front lawn. More than a hundred people filled the pools of shade under towering oaks in physically...

Sergio Santana-Peralta (pictured left) towering over his mother Alberta Peralta (pictured right).

An old soul in a young body: Remembering SRJC student Sergio Santana-Peralta

Jennifer Sawhney and Emma Molloy May 19, 2021

Sergio Santana-Peralta, who stood tall above his mother, always wore a silver pendant around his neck. The pendant depicted La Virgen de Guadalupe (Our Lady of Guadalupe), a powerful spiritual symbol that...

A photo of a black cat seated in a windowsill.

Adopting a pet in a pandemic

Jessica Johnson, Reporter May 19, 2021

Alexander Nordenso walks to the kitchen to get a snack after his Zoom class and finds his kitten Zuko playing in the spice cabinet. Broken bottles and flakes of seasonings litter the kitchen counter and...

Sydney Gittins, a girl with reddish brown hair and bangs wearing a painted blue jumpsuit, sits in between a few of her art pieces (a cactus woman statue on the left, behind her is a drawn art piece set in a kitchen and on the right is a painted stool).

Pursuing your dreams amid COVID-19

Emily Hewitt, Reporter April 12, 2021

In 2019, Sydney Gittins, an SRJC student, was set on transferring to UCSD in Fall to study marine biology. All her plans changed in March 2020, when the World Health Organization announced that COVID-19...

A collection of snapshots of Paradise High School teachers and students from Last Days at Paradise High.

High school seniors with unwanted wisdom: The takeaway from “Last Days at Paradise High”

Lauren A. Spates, Editor March 31, 2021

The assignments still hang on the board — “Hero’s Journey Essay” in blue marker, “Into the Wild” in purple — scrawled with verve under the date, set off eerily in black, “8 November 2018.”...

“Psychologically, taking the time to do something for yourself is really powerful and not just in a physical aspect. It makes you feel happier, more energetic and you can accomplish more ultimately,” certified personal trainer Myriah Volk says.

Healthy habits in a painful pandemic

Fay Rasmuson, Reporter March 2, 2021

Exercising was the last thing SRJC student Autumn Antonson wanted to do.  “I struggled a lot, especially in the mornings, when I would have to wake up early,” Antonson said. “I would just be...

Joseph Sapp considers fall 2020 to be his most rewarding semester yet despite the move to online education.

The downward spiral of the screen: Online education and motivation quagmire

Michael Combs, Staff Writer December 31, 2020

Open Zoom. Click. Login to Canvas. Click. Find theGoogle doc. Click. Wait, check Facebook. Click. Link to Youtube. Click.  Joseph Sapp spends another day staring at his computer screen. One moment...

Seth Johansen the week he was released in April, 2019.

Prison and drugs: An honest conversation

Willow Ornellas and Mikel Nordstrom December 31, 2020

The morning of Dec. 9, 2018, Seth Johansen woke up thinking it was going to be a good day.  “It was almost like I was invincible like I was superman,” he said. That night, Seth found himself high...

A man wearing a mask behind a cashier desk surrounded by tin-type portraits

Jeremiah’s Photo Corner: Keeping film photography alive in Sonoma County

Aryk Copley, Staff Writer November 19, 2020

Megapixels, HDR, dynamic range and 4K recording; these are the must haves of digital cameras today. Imaging technology has seen leaps and bounds in the past two decades, and modern digital cameras are...

The prefrontal cortex and amygdala may be the two most important decision makers in the brain.

The California stop, explained

Michael Combs, Editor October 7, 2020

What happens when you drive up to a stop sign? You just want to drive right through it. You're human. You’re not unique. Everyone wants to disregard stop signs, because everyone has an amygdala.  The...

The LNU Lightning Complex Fire roared though five counties in 39 days and destroyed 363,220 acres.

Cloth masks on top of N95s: Fire season in Sonoma County

Peyton Krzyzek, Staff Writer October 4, 2020

As if the global pandemic isn’t enough, Sonoma County residents wake up every day to the prospect of rolling blackouts, anxiety-inducing Nixle alerts and apocalyptic smoky orange skies, their well-being...

SRJC student Amy Aguilar Lopez (pictured left) and former SRJC student Julia Dearing (pictured right) ensure customers wear adequate personal protective equipment inside Olivers Market.

Maskholes: Working in grocery stores during coronavirus

Maritza Camacho and Emma Molloy September 21, 2020

It was a normal day at work for Maiya Newsome until she was approached by two customers who were arguing about masks. The man was irritated with the woman for not wearing a mask in the store. “Hey,...

At 2 p.m. nearly every day,  cardiac nurse Maddison Jones* leaves home for the unknown to a Sonoma County hospital. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jones focuses on self-care, so she can continue to take the best care of her patients at work. I am staying healthy so they can stay healthy by extension, she says.

The new normal: Three front-line workers describe their lives during the coronavirus emergency

Luke Morrow, News Editor June 2, 2020

A restaurant worker, class valedictorian and a nurse all come from different worlds, but are brought together by one thing: how the reality of their lives and jobs changed during the COVID-19 health and...

Grocery workers scared, exhausted

Emma Ruderman, Special to The Oak Leaf June 1, 2020

As a Whole Foods Market employee for three years, Jade, 22, has seen the store through many disasters, including the wildfires in 2017 and 2019. Nothing has compared to the pandemic. “I get anxious...

North Bay nonprofit continues to battle domestic violence during quarantine

North Bay nonprofit continues to battle domestic violence during quarantine

Willow Ornellas, Staff Writer May 23, 2020

Every day, Daisy fears her son might kill her. But she stays because she struggles with a lack of support from her family as well as love for him. “He abuses me every day of my life, and it’s torture,”...

What coffee shop workers want you to know

What coffee shop workers want you to know

Maritza Camacho, Special to the Oak Leaf May 23, 2020

Jacky, 19, an SRJC freshman, has been serving coffee for a year now as a barista in a Santa Rosa coffee shop. Working there during a pandemic has completely shifted her experience as a barista, as she...

Kylie Johnson is an SRJC graduate who suffers from severe asthma and is trying to balance the pandemic with plans to study fashion in Milan, Italy.

Taking extra precautions: Immunocompromised during COVID-19

Payton Cords, Special to The Oak Leaf May 21, 2020

On a normal afternoon, you would typically find Carson Pforsich at his adapted PE class at Santa Rosa Junior College or coaching high school football. You would see Kylie Johnson on her way to her sewing...

SRJC student Isabella Natalini opts for a new blue hairstyle during shelter-in-place, as a replacement for her blonde locks.

Taking matters — and scissors — into their own hands

Peyton Krzyzek , Special to The Oak Leaf May 21, 2020

Santa Rosa Junior College student Isabella Natalini, 17, felt the pandemic shelter-in-place time was the perfect opportunity to do something drastic. She decided to dye her blonde hair blue.  “Being...

Because of the initial panic buying, certain items are sold with a cap on the quantity a buyer can purchase, other items have been slow to return to grocery store shelves at all.

Out of stock: Panic buying in a pandemic

Azelia Mazur, Special to The Oak Leaf May 21, 2020

Santa Rosa resident Barbara White was scammed into purchasing a pack of toilet paper online for $70. “As the days wore on, I checked at various stores. The toilet paper shelves were constantly empty....

Alexis Trinei, who loves being at home during the pandemic, and her cat Lucy.

Gratitude within the pandemic

Oliviah Shine, Special to The Oak Leaf May 20, 2020

A self-proclaimed introvert, SRJC student Alexis Trinei loves being at home. “I have the privilege to bake sweet potato brownies at any given hour of the day,” she said. “I get to be with my 15-year-old...

Emma Ruderman mentally prepares herself for Zoom.

Silent Stress: Living with mental illness amidst pandemic

Michael Combs, Staff Writer May 14, 2020

Emma Ruderman sits motionless in front of her computer. Her eyes dart from the screen to the clock like a game of pingpong as she counts down the last few minutes to class. She steadies her hand, grabs...

Father Alvin Villaruel of the St. Francis Solano Catholic Church in Sonoma performs a special mass in the time of a pandemic that was suggested by the Order of the United States Catholic Bishops.

A valley of faith in the pandemic

Nick Vides, Staff Writer May 14, 2020

It’s a quiet church with empty pews. Father Alvin Villaruel sets up his laptop camera and lights with the help of his aide. He logs into Facebook and starts the stream. It is time for Mass to begin....

If you’re tired of changing your virtual background over and over, here are a few games to keep your Zoom calls fresh.

Five free online games to play on Zoom with friends

Alex Fuller, Staff Writer April 24, 2020

Since the shelter-in-place started, most of us are limiting our time outside our homes to hopefully flatten the curve of the COVID-19 virus.  Whether you’re trying to stay connected with friends...

Prolonged isolation and high stress has a lot of people looking for ways to cope, relax and escape the surreal pandemic reality we’re all trapped in. Fortunately, this particular holiday for marijuana connoisseurs allows for a day of complete relaxation, and Santa Rosa Junior College students know how to do it best.

Where’s Waldo?: 4-20 during April 2020

Peyton Krzyzek, Special to The Oak Leaf April 24, 2020

A potent smell wafts through the air, a pang of hunger strikes and the lethargic relaxation slowly kicks in.  These are a few indications that 420 is upon us, and although the day has passed, there's...

Dog owners meet at Prince Park and flout the countys social distancing requirements which mandate people from different households stand at least six feet apart from one another.

Confessions of shelter-in-place rebels

Mike Combs, Staff Writer April 15, 2020

On a weekday at noon, it was harder to find a parking spot in front of the Home Depot off Bicentennial Way than in front of the Lucky’s supermarket next door. Shoppers of all kinds walked through the...

Quarantine + Kids: Three fun activities for toddlers

Sarah Montano, Staff Writer April 9, 2020

Watch this 2:30 second video for three fun, easy and economical ways to entertain your toddler during Sonoma County's shelter-in-place order.

Depriving myself of coffee for 24 hours — while working at Starbucks

Griffin Schouten, Staff Writer March 19, 2020

As someone who is chronically anemic with poor time-management skills and a busy schedule caffeine is my saving grace. Needless to say, I’d never thought of quitting it. But when I woke up one morning...

I challenged myself to go a month without social media to see what itd be like living a disconnected life. As time passed I grew a better understanding of who I am as a person.

Going a month without social media

Jonathan Bigall, Staff Writer March 17, 2020

My experience using social media has never been entirely positive. While I enjoy posting pictures of vacations and personal achievements, I’ve always compared myself to other people and their posts or...

An SRJC student with a sparkling Guayaki relaxes along the fences of the Analy village on Jan 28.

Is caffeine the new water?

Maisie French, Staff Writer February 5, 2020

Tired eyes. Headache. Mental fogginess.  These are only some of the things that students feel daily because of the flurry of homework and exams combined with having a social life, resulting in high...

Fake reality: SRJC students unprepared for a fake news world

Fake reality: SRJC students unprepared for a fake news world

Alex Nunez, Staff Writer December 12, 2019

Only one of the following stories is true. Can you pick which one?   A. Decatur man discovers bride is ‘his own granddaughter’; no plans for divorce A 68-year-old man from Decatur in Northern...

“That’s just how it is”: Trials and tribulations of modern day dating

“That’s just how it is”: Trials and tribulations of modern day dating

Allison Khadoo, Staff Writer December 12, 2019

The dim light from her phone screen highlighted Solangel Rostran’s face as she scrolled through her Tinder feed. Sitting in the comfort of her living room, her face changed as she read messages from...

When we post the past: How social media shapes identity

When we post the past: How social media shapes identity

Téa Lindsey, Staff Writer December 12, 2019

When Isaac Young opens Instagram, he scrolls through the daily feed perfectly tailored for him by his following list and the app’s own algorithm. He views the pages of artists he follows, stays up-to-date...

Double life: Classes by day, jokes by night

Double life: Classes by day, jokes by night

Riley Palmer , Co-Editor-in-Chief December 12, 2019

Winning was the last thing on Gina Stahl-Haven’s mind as she stepped on stage for the finals of the San Francisco Comedy Competition. In her mind, she had already won. “Once I was in, I was like,...

Dr. German Ascani prescribes and administers ketamine for psychotherapy at his West Sonoma County office.

Changing Minds: Psychedelic psychotherapy in Sonoma County

Zane Zinkl, News Editor December 12, 2019

A psychedelic retreat. A 75-milligram dose of ketamine. Intramuscular injections. Eve laid on her mat with her trip-sitter beside her. She felt it coming on. Then, whoosh. “I don’t know if there...

Frank Chong was hired in January 2012 as Santa Rosa Junior College’s fifth president and first Chinese-American president.

Changes on campus: Q & A

Jasmine Benigno-Hall, Staff Writer December 12, 2019

What’s the biggest single change you have seen at the JC? Chong: More students of color, more diversity in the workforce. I’m the first non-white male president in the history of the college. I’m...

On Friday over 2000 students and community members marched to advocate for climate change, and many expressed their motivation to take action resulted from the effects climate change have had on their mental health.

High Temperature, high anxiety: How the declining environment erodes student mental health

Jesse Kapukui and Alex Nunez September 27, 2019

While many students come to college expecting to explore their interests and find a fulfilling way of combining those interests with a career, their world is no longer so simple.  In light of recent...

Anetra McCartney, 24, holds up a photo of her mother Sylvie McCartney and her newborn brother, Braden, radiating joy. McCartney lost contact with her family during Dorian and thought this photo could be their last.

Considering her last words: A Bahamian SRJC student and her family’s survival through Dorian

Riley Palmer, Co-Editor-in-Chief September 14, 2019

The last time Santa Rosa Junior College international student Anetra McCartney visited her family on Great Abaco Island in the Bahamas was May 29. The three precious days she spent with her mother, Hepzibah...

Rhiannon Jones was crowned the 2019 Miss Sonoma County at the 73rd Annual Miss Sonoma County Scholarship competition on March 2, 2019.

Step into the daylight and let it go: Title IX sheds light on the realities for sexual assault survivors

Dakota McGranahan, Managing Editor May 16, 2019

Silence blankets a packed Spreckels Performing Arts Center in Rohnert Park. Backstage, a nervous Rhiannon Jones prepares to recite her platform statement for the Miss Sonoma County competition. She stands,...

After revitalizing the cheer program, coach Dori Elder hosts cheer team tryouts on April 8.

Go! Fight! Win! With Dori Elder

Jose Gonzalez, Multimedia Editor May 15, 2019

Trust, stability and high expectations: Dori Elder plans to bring all three to the Santa Rosa Junior College cheerleading team. Elder is the new Bear Cubs cheer coach. She has 19 years’ coaching experience,...

Resistance: Now and forever

Resistance: Now and forever

Zane Zinkl, Staff Writer May 14, 2019

It’s hard to imagine Laure Reichek, now a little old lady, weaving down the winding roads of Chateaumeillant, through the idyllic French countryside with a bicycle and a revolver. It’s harder to imagine...

SRJC nursing student Jocelyn Zhaori Contreras-Toscano is vice chair of Student Life and co-chair of Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanista de Aztlán (MEChA). She flew into the U.S. at age 2 on the lap of a stranger and talked with the Oak Leaf about the difficulties of being undocumented.

This is my home: Three SRJC students share what it means to be undocumented

Luke W. Morrow, Staff Writer May 14, 2019

A fractured identity. Unable to travel freely. Feeling unwelcome in the place they’ve made home. Such are the circumstances for millions of undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. in search of a...

A 2015 study published in “Kinesiology and Exercise” showed success in improving sleep quality in test subjects that received 6 milligrams of melatonin before bed.

How sleep deprivation impacts SRJC students

Jesse Kapukui and Kyle Jordan April 30, 2019

Life as a Santa Rosa Junior College student lends itself to sleepless nights. Lacking enough time to fulfill daily obligations at school and work can leave you feeling like you have no other option...

Carnival float in Viagreggio that takes place end of January through the beginning of March, a possible field trip opportunity for Florence Study Abroad 2020.

Political science and pizza margherita: SRJC Study Abroad Program

Riley Palmer, Staff Writer April 26, 2019

Cross international waters. Stroll down cobblestone pathways at dusk. Clink wine glasses as your eyes wander onto the Ponte Vecchio while the sun takes its final bow. Many college students see international...

Rafael Vazquez works as the EOPS/CARE/CAFYES Outreach Coordinator for Santa Rosa Junior College.

Financial aid is accessible and available

Leslie M. Levy, Staff Writer April 21, 2019

Santa Rosa Junior College recently overhauled its financial aid website, complete with the new Financial Aid Television (FATV) video library and Rosco the chatbot. From checklists to application preparation...

CBD: A natural remedy for todays ills?

CBD: A natural remedy for today’s ills?

Mark Fernquest and Michaella Peake April 3, 2019

Anxiety. Insomnia. Depression. Headaches. As the pressures of survival in present day Sonoma County mount for local students, so, too, do the health consequences. For some students, the negative effects...

The cover of Santa Rosa Junior College adjunct instructor Mark Wilsons novel South Side Story.

An SRJC art history instructor’s new novel explores 1960s Chicago

Zane Zinkl, Staff Writer March 24, 2019

Mark Wilson, an adjunct art history instructor at Santa Rosa Junior College, recently published the novel “South Side Story,” his sixth work and first foray into fiction. The novel, available...

Not only do adjunct instructors sacrifice much of their personal lives to commute or make time for students, their positions are also largely at risk when schools make budget cuts.

Adjunct instructors make big sacrifices to deliver students an education

Marilyn Santos, Staff Writer March 14, 2019

John Smith, a Santa Rosa Junior College mathematics instructor, is a “Freeway Flyer.” He is an adjunct professor who teaches at not one, but three colleges each semester — SRJC, Diablo Valley College...

Removing old liner, rocks and cardboard used for weed prevention during the wait for a delivery of new topsoil.

Elliott Avenue’s Garden Makeover

Riley Palmer, Staff Writer March 6, 2019

For Santa Rosa Junior College students, walking down Elliott Avenue isn’t exactly a scenic path. Overgrown weeds, invasive shrubbery and brittle blades of yellow grass grimace at students meandering...

Miss Sonoma County 2019 contestants

“Miss Sonoma County: it’s not a pageant, it’s a scholarship program

Grace Evans and Kristina Schmuhl March 2, 2019

The Miss America and Miss Sonoma County competitions are Scholarship Programs first-- and in a decision that has pleased some and disappointed others, they have just gotten rid of their swimsuit contest...

SRJC student, Daniela Rodas, 20, Petaluma

Miss Sonoma County profile: Daniela Rodas

Aria Quinn, Features Editor March 2, 2019

Watching Sonoma County residents come together during the fires inspired Santa Rosa Junior College third-year student Daniela Rodas to run for Miss Sonoma County and advocate for volunteering locally.   Originally...

SRJC student, Lyndsey Burcina, 19, Santa Rosa

Miss Sonoma County profile: Lyndsey Burcina

Aria Quinn, Features Editor March 2, 2019

Lyndsey Burcina celebrated her 19th birthday the day before she competes in this year’s Miss Sonoma County competition. The young politician hopes to bring awareness to creating a safe school climate...

SRJC student, Elita Damron, 19, Santa Rosa

Miss Sonoma County profile: Elita Damron

Aria Quinn, Features Editor March 2, 2019

Santa Rosa Junior College sophomore Elita Damron believes she has what it takes to become Miss Sonoma County. She’s personally invested in her platform and is a successful student despite any adversity...

Mahoney (top) and Doyle (bottom) libraries are two buildings at Santa Rosa Junior College that offer students individual and group work spaces.

5 unknown benefits of the SRJC libraries

Kaila Cotherman-Bohler, Co-Web and Social Media editor February 23, 2019

A student will spend most of their college career studying outside of class, and the best place to study without distraction is the library. Of course Santa Rosa Junior College’s libraries offer...

Ozzy Jimenez (left) and Christian Sullberg (right), co-owners of Moustache Baked Goods, Pastry Annex and two Noble Folk locations, opened the newest Noble Folk in downtown area Santa Rosa.

Noble Folks: Entrepreneurs invest in their community through baked goods and good deeds

Abraham Fuentes, Staff Writer February 12, 2019

Ozzy Jimenez and Christian Sullberg started their first business in 2011 when they were in their early 20s and have since opened three more Sonoma County-based establishments. Their first was Moustache...

SRJC international student Juliane Riegel notices Americans stand further from each other and apologize often.

From Germany to the JC

Edgar Soria Garcia and Abraham Fuentes December 13, 2018

International students come from all over the world to further their education at Santa Rosa Junior College, but the learning curve isn’t limited to the classroom; customs and culture vary greatly between...

Siem Ebus, a natural science major from the Netherlands, plays soccer at midfield for the Bear Cubs.

Open borders, open minds: SRJC welcomes international students

Jose Gonzalez and David Sekiranda December 13, 2018

It was the early ‘80s when Santa Rosa Junior College opened up to the international community, but it wasn’t until 2014 that outreach efforts gained momentum. When SRJC President Dr. Frank Chong took...

Brent Woods balances his majors 3D design and animation coursework with his welding classes while taking care of his post-fire PTSD.

Finding tranquility in chaos

Lauren A. Spates, Features Editor December 13, 2018

He flips down his welding helmet and focuses on the task at hand. The air around him feels thick, the heat in the classroom oppressive from his latest assignment. He lights his torch and watches a flame...

Jane Saldaña-Talley brings a calm and collaborative leadership style to SRJCs No. 2 leadership position.

Turning over a new leaf

Seamus Reed, News Editor December 13, 2018

Jane Saldaña-Talley begins every morning with meditation. Using a phone app, she dedicates part of her morning routine to collecting her thoughts and finding peace. Meditation allows her to be more...

Lifelong lessons in learning

Lifelong lessons in learning

Jordan , Allums December 13, 2018

Student success is paramount at Santa Rosa Junior College Children’s Center — and not just for the infants toddling around the center’s play area. SRJC students partially staff the center, caring...

Why spend the big bucks? Digital media program delivers for less

Why spend the big bucks? Digital media program delivers for less

La Reva Myles, Reporter December 13, 2018

Tanya Sierra’s day starts much earlier than the beginning of the three digital media classes in which she serves as Peer Assisted Learning Specialist for Santa Rosa Junior College Film and Journalism...

Santa Rosa Junior College student Jacob Beal is all geared up to hike 2,650 miles on the Pacific Crest Trail to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Association and make peace with his mother’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis.

Finding purpose and peace on the Pacific Crest

Adeira Sherpa, Editor in Chief December 13, 2018

Jacob Beal will wake early along the Mexican border and make his way to the Pacific Crest Trail, staring down 2,650 miles of wilderness linking the trailhead with its final destination at the Canadian...

Daisy Garnica: A real life phoenix

Daisy Garnica: A real life phoenix

Dakota McGranahan, Co-Editor-in-Chief December 13, 2018

Dakota McGranahan Daisy Garnica turned on the faucet of her aunt’s glass-doored shower and stepped inside. Adjusting the temperature, she sat under the showerhead, letting the water beat against her...

Tyra Benoit identifies bits of her belongings in the ash heap that was her home.

Book by book: Rebuilding a post-fire identity

Lauren A. Spates and Zena Bounsall December 13, 2018

Photographs captured the fires’ unsparing destruction: suburban homes reduced to dust, cars twisted into metal frames teetering on broken axles, smoke still rising from the ash heaps. Readers from...

Joshua Pinaula foams milk at the Culinary Café & Bakery where SRJC culinary students bake the cafés offering.

Four damn good Santa Rosa campus perks you never knew you had

Mark Fernquest, Staff Writer December 13, 2018

Life in sunny Sonoma County might be golden, but it’s expensive, especially if you’re a student. Nothing beats a really good deal, particularly when it’s a perk you can use as often as you want....

Tension in Tijuana: SRJC student documents the “migrant caravan”

Tension in Tijuana: SRJC student documents the “migrant caravan”

Séamus Reed, News Editor December 13, 2018

Santa Rosa Junior College student Joshua Torres saw a tractor-trailer arrive and start to unload passengers. The container had been modified to hold a second deck of people, and he counted around 75...

Kiet Tran studies digital media at SRJC.

The life of an SRJC digital media major

Zena Bounsall, Writer December 13, 2018

For Kiet Tran, 19, computers and web design were always a subject of interest. Now he finds himself at Santa Rosa Junior College majoring in web and multimedia with a focus on web design. “I enjoy the...

Between papers and parenting

Between papers and parenting

Jasmine Benigno-Hall, Staff Writer December 13, 2018

Jasmine Benigno-Hall Being a single mom in college is like being Wonder Woman: when the odds are stacked against them, they still prevail. College life isn’t easy; it’s a constant balancing act between...

Instructor Paul Mossman in his office.

From teething to teaching

Aria Quinn, Staff Writer December 13, 2018

Like many who have large families, Paul Moosman began taking care of kids at 13, when he became an uncle for the first time. Babysitting started him down a path that led to a career in early childhood...

Siem Ebus, a natural science major from the Netherlands, plays soccer at midfield for the Bear Cubs.

Open borders, open minds: SRJC welcomes international students

Jose Gonzalez and David Sekiranda December 13, 2018

It was the early ‘80s when Santa Rosa Junior College opened up to the international community, but it wasn’t until 2014 that outreach efforts gained momentum. When SRJC President Dr. Frank Chong took...

Espinoza (center) and colleagues celebrate the Press Democrats Pulitzer win.

“All that education for nothing”: One reporter recounts his path to the Pulitzer

Lauren A. Spates, Features Editor October 30, 2018

When your true profession calls, you must go. So says a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and former mechanical engineer who felt the call of the written word so strongly he quit a lucrative, well-defined...

Chelsea Connors lost her childhood home in the Nuns Fire of last October, and the rebuilding process has proven difficult.

After the embers: growth from loss

Zena Bounsall, Staff Writer October 25, 2018

A year ago, Chelsea Connors, 22, escaped the Nuns Fire with little more than her pets and her life.  The Santa Rosa Junior College student, like many Glen Ellen residents, lost her home and her belongings...

Petaluma Games Club offers opportunity for on campus competition and friendship

Petaluma Games Club offers opportunity for on campus competition and friendship

Eileen Rodriguez, Staff Writer October 23, 2018

Four students sit slouched on a pair of reddish-brown leather couches parked to the side of the Petaluma campus cafeteria, their eyes squinted in focus on two flat-panel TVs. The delicate jingles of two...

Kettles Vietnamese Bistro, located on 1202 Steele Ln in Santa Rosa, has been open for five years.

One fire, three stories

Riley Palmer and Miranda McCann October 18, 2018

Santa Rosa Junior College business major Jason Do has worked at his parents’ restaurant since the age of 10. Nine years later he has transformed into a successful manager, well-versed in his parents’...

Behind the yellow tape with Robert Brownlee

Behind the yellow tape with Robert Brownlee

Miranda McCann, Staff Writer October 16, 2018

As a kid, Robert Brownlee used to roam his neighborhood to arrange pick-up basketball and baseball games. Forty years later, Brownlee still roams his neighborhood, but now he's on a mission to help the...

Reflecting on last October’s fires

Eileen Rodriguez, Tom Miller, and Kirk Tiestsort October 11, 2018

  A year after the fires struck Sonoma County, Santa Rosa Junior College students find themselves reflecting on how they have changed due to these tragedies. Kai Suter How has the fire changed...

Waste bin signs for sorting.

Santa Rosa Junior College trash: Where it goes and where it’s headed

Riley Palmer, Staff Writer September 27, 2018

Waste Diversion Technician and self-proclaimed janitor Guy Tillotson spends his whole day thinking about Santa Rosa Junior College’s garbage. In addition to processing all campus waste after it...

“I would go to my friend’s house to play video games, and it would make me forget about all of the negative things going on at home,” Hernandez said.

The virtual world as an escape from the real world

Eileen Rodriguez, Staff Writer September 27, 2018

A childhood marked by abuse and poverty. A lonely teenage passage from Puerto Rico to Northern California. An early adulthood devoid of relationships with blood relatives, marked by the struggle of a stressful...

Bussing tables or hitting the books: The struggle of the working student

Bussing tables or hitting the books: The struggle of the working student

Riley Palmer, Staff Writer September 24, 2018

  Working three jobs at 15. Watching five-hour shifts morph into nine-hours in the blink of an eye. Bussing tables instead of busting out research papers. For 21-year-old Alexis Morgan, this story...

Miles Levin (right), Berkeley Pickell (left) from Super Hero Hotline pose at the 8th Annual Sonoma County Student Film Festival.

SRJC alumnus uses films to change the message about epilepsy

Kaila Cotherman-Bohler, Co-Web and Social Media editor September 20, 2018

Movies, such as recent Academy Award winners “The Shape of Water,” “Get Out,” and “Moonlight,” have the ability to tell stories of the under-represented and marginalized, conveying powerful...

Ally Deal (third from left) brings connection with the county and years of coaching experience to SRJC.

Miss Sonoma County: Volleyball Edition

Zena Bounsall, Staff Writer September 13, 2018

For Ally Deal, volleyball and Sonoma County continue to go hand-in-hand. A local high school standout who crushed records at the college level, Deal is entering her first season as head coach of the...

Season 4 of Fornite is out now.

What’s the fuss about Fortnite?

Kevin Johnson, News Editor May 17, 2018

While running through the grassy knolls of Greasy Grove with my rare pump shotgun, I realized something: Fortnite is a way of life. Yes, technically it’s a video game. But people aren’t playing...

Tyler Avery Mary Mowana Lewis visited the Oak Leaf to talk about winning the 2018 Miss Sonoma County pageant. Photo by Dakota McGranahan.

Ms. Sonoma County Shines at SRJC

Lenita Marie Johnson, Staff Writer May 3, 2018

Santa Rosa Junior College student and Black Student Union Vice President Tyler Avery Mary Mowana Lewis, won the 2018 Miss Sonoma County pageant, and now has her sights on winning the upcoming Miss America...

A small commercial brewing system at Shone Farm.

Centennial Series: SRJC crafts brewing program

Kevin Johnson and David Tamayo, News Editor and Staff Writer May 3, 2018

Brewing beer sounds like a dream job. There’s so much room for creativity, like experimenting with flavors and ingredients, tweaking the fermentation process, tasting your creations and perfecting the...

The years under the oaks

The years under the oaks

Jennifer Do, Staff Writer May 3, 2018

Upward and onward, whether sticking to its roots or chopped like weeds, the valley oaks will form many more rings and take on many new forms. The evergreen backdrop of the campus branches out onto plush,...

Bad weather doesnt deter Yanise Ho in her blading journey across the country.

Bravery and the bladress

Adeira Sherpa, Co-Photo Editor April 30, 2018

Aimless scrolling on social media pages isn’t always a waste of time. Catfishers and cyber stalkers aren’t the only ones lurking on the internet. Sometimes you can find someone truly inspiring or follow...

The speakers end the event with a panel by Matt Cox (2nd left), Nicolette Gottuso (middle) and Lyndsey Burcina (far right).

Route to recovery

Jennifer Do, Staff Writer April 25, 2018

She recovered from drugs. She wanted to recover from being average. She is still recovering from herself. At 24, Nicolette Gottuso, a speaker at Santa Rosa Junior College’s Recovery Night, is nine years...


Cristal Lopez, de 21 años, usa el tiempo de laboratorio que proporciona Connections para completar la tarea.

Puente y Connections: cerrar la brecha con la educación para estudiantes universitarios de primera generación

Jose Gonzalez, Multimedia/Spanish Editor April 24, 2018

Para los estudiantes de primera generación como Cristal López, de 21 años, estudiante de sociología en Santa Rosa Junior College, completar una carrera universitaria es una experiencia desafiante. "Mis...

SRJCs first members of the International Relations Club in 1967.

Centennial Series: International student population soars to all time high

Pedro Braga, Staff Writer April 24, 2018

Historically, financial limitations prevented most people from outside the United States from pursuing an education in the country. The range of international students who attend Santa Rosa Junior College...

Centennial Series: SRJC photography faces a Breth-less future

Centennial Series: SRJC photography faces a ‘Breth-less’ future

Adeira Sherpa, Co-Photo Editor April 24, 2018

For the past 31 years, Renata Breth passed on her passion for photography to Santa Rosa Junior College students. Breth now bids adieu to her position as the only full-time photography instructor at...


Cristal Lopez, de 21 años, usa el tiempo de laboratorio que proporciona Connections para completar la tarea.

Centennial Series: Puente and Connections: bridging the gap to education for first-generation college students

Jose Gonzalez, Multimedia/Spanish Editor April 19, 2018

For first-generation students like Cristal Lopez, 21, a sociology major at Santa Rosa Junior College, completing a college career is a challenging experience. “Both my parents were unable to complete...

SRJC President Dr. Frank Chong announced new safety measures for both the Santa Rosa and Petaluma campuses one week after a report of a suspect with a gun on campus.

An afternoon with Frank Chong

Kevin Johnson , News Editor April 19, 2018

Dr. Frank Chong is the first person of color to become president of Santa Rosa Junior College. He is a proud Chinese-American who broke the mold with his social influence. Chong sat down with The Oak Leaf,...

Kevin McGuires racist and anti-semetic rhetoric left damage wherever he went.

Centennial Series: Neo-Nazi wrote Oak Leaf’s worst column

Dylan Kerzin, Staff Writer April 17, 2018

In journalism, ethical lines can blur when deciding what is suitable to publish under the guise of free speech. In spring of 2003 an extremely controversial article ran in the Santa Rosa Junior College...

Umoja Team founders Regina Mahiri (right) and Byron Reaves (left) pose for a picture before being called to the dance floor for the Cha-Cha-Slide.

Centennial Series: The BSU is alive, but is it growing?

Lenita Marie Johnson, Staff Writer April 17, 2018

The Santa Rosa Junior College Black Student Union (BSU) has been in existence since the late 1960s. Throughout the years its mission has been to unite the African-American student body. According to an...

Brande Roderick was playmate of the year before becoming a successful actress and businesswoman.

Centennial Series: Brande Roderick’s success story

Taylor Seprish, Staff Writer April 17, 2018

Of all Santa Rosa Junior College alumni, Brande Roderick’s story is one of the most extraordinary. But trying to reduce her career into a single title is a lost cause. She is an actress with numerous...

The Second Chance Club’s mission is to provide support and advocacy for formerly incarcerated students trying to turn their lives around through education. The club offers scholarship opportunities, workshops to clear records and a sense of community in a judgement-free zone.

The Educational Impact on Prison Lives

Sarah Ali, Contributing Writer April 6, 2018

We believe that people have the power to transform, an SRJC advisor told the audience after a powerful film screening of the award-winning documentary “The IF Project” at the Bertolini Student Activity...

Centennial Series: SRJC’s continuously changing cannabis culture

Centennial Series: SRJC’s continuously changing cannabis culture

Chelsea Wood, Opinion Editor April 5, 2018

Editor’s note: To receive updates on stories like this, please download the Oak Leaf mobile app for Apple or Android. Pot, dope, weed. Ganja, chronic, herb. All words used to describe a plant that...

The SRJC Southwest Center in Santa Rosa provides a space of higher learning to an often looked-over student population.

Centennial Series: You can’t spell SRJC without ESL

Michael Barnes, Co-Editor-In-Chief April 3, 2018

On the outskirts of Santa Rosa, the Santa Rosa Junior College Southwest Center campus serves a student population that exists on the outskirts of the traditional college experience. Erika Moreno-Pratt,...

Molly McGregor presents a slideshow of images from the first Womens History Week in 1978 to students on Monday March 5. Photo by Rachel Edelstein.

Thank Sonoma County native Molly MacGregor for Women’s History Month

Rachel Edelstein, Managing Editor March 8, 2018

Forty years ago on March 8, Molly MacGregor held the first Women’s History Day in Sonoma County. On Monday morning, MacGregor shared with SRJC students how her idea grew into the presidentially endorsed...

Engin Yesilyemis is a 43-year-old turkish immigrant and jazz student.

SRJC jazz student spotlight

Lauren Knigge, Staff Writer March 6, 2018

Engin Yesilyemis spent most of his time alone in hotel rooms. Rather than waste away with what he referred to as “terrifying garbage in and garbage out” cable television, the 43-year-old turkish immigrant...

The analog revival

The analog revival

Abraham Fuentes, Staff Writer February 28, 2018

In the digital media age, we have access to virtually every song ever published and store thousands of pictures in a phone, yet a small and growing culture is going back in time. With high-profile artists...

The flyer for the 2018 Petaluma Cinema Series.

Petaluma Cinema Series celebrates 10th anniversary

Julia Modell, Features Editor February 13, 2018

The Petaluma campus isn’t the cultural epicenter of the Santa Rosa Junior College experience. The Santa Rosa campus boasts the brick buildings, the sports, the art and theater productions. And while...

Danny Chaparro is Santa Rosas first-ever community advisory board member from the Roseland area.

Roseland’s Street Soldier

Michael Barnes, Co-Editor-In-Chief February 13, 2018

The Roseland Community Village shopping center is a flurry of activity on a Saturday morning. The heart of this culturally diverse yet civically insulated neighborhood awakens with its residents. Eritrean,...

Making a debut appearance at club day, kinesiology major Maxwell Bernadini-Jaurique recruits students for lacrosse club. While originally recruiting men, Bernadini-Jaurique also started a second roster for women.

Club day 2018

Dakota McGranahan, Photo Editor January 31, 2018

3859 Crestview Drive

3859 Crestview Drive

Vince Ferrari, Contributing Writer January 3, 2018

Brittany Barlett stares through her cell phone, almost as if it is invisible. She’s recounting major milestones as her fingers frantically swipe photographs on the screen.  They range from the positive,...

A fire-ravaged neighborhood in Santa Rosa.

Flames still burn evacuees two months later

Michael Barnes, Co-Editor-In-Chief December 24, 2017

Two months. For most of us, our lives remain the same over the course of two months. For victims of the North Bay Wildfires, their lives are forever changed from what they resembled two months ago, prior...

Rose Hammock dances during the 2017 Sunrise Ceremony at the Ya-ka-ama in Forestville, California. Photo provided by Hammock.

The sunrise ceremony

Rachel Edelstein, Web Editor December 12, 2017

Angelica root. Sweet grass. Pepperwood leaves. White mountain sage. Thanksgiving morning smells different for Rose Hammock, 21, a SRJC student studying early childhood education and behavioral sciences. At...

A firefighter watches a controlled burn outside the juvenile correctional facility near Kenwood.

Sonoma county strong

Brandon Pham, Contributing Writer December 12, 2017

As she drove home, she saw the fires of hell rage in the distance. Meliza Bustos, a Santa Rosa Junior College nursing student who works at a health clinic, did not know how to process the whole scene....

Net Neutrality is being  threatened now more than ever before.

Teachers and students fight for Net Neutrality

Robbie Pleasant, Contributing Writer December 12, 2017

Imagine you’re studying for a test and need to find information online. You go to Google, enter the search terms, and suddenly the Internet slows to a crawl. As you wait for the page to load, you see...

The language of cultural change speaks volumes for a generation of multiple ethnicities.

Latinx: Does “X” mark the spot for those of Latin descent?

Bryan Chavez Castro, Contributing Writer December 12, 2017

One of Ellen Valazquez’s maternal ancestors was raped by a Spaniard. The scars have been passed on for generations. “I am Latina,” Velazquez said without hesitating. “But I don’t like...

Fires affect academics

Fires affect academics

Arlo David, Contributing Writer December 12, 2017

After the wildfires that burned through Sonoma County in October, SRJC Communications Studies instructor Karen Cornwell realized she had to make changes to keep students engaged and moving forward. For...

Trader Joes on Cleveland Avenue will be closed for upwards of eight months.

Student job loss due to October fires

Charlotte Maxwell, Staff Writer December 12, 2017

When the Trader Joe’s on Cleveland Avenue was damaged by the Tubbs Fire and consequently closed, a majority of the store’s employees were transferred to the Santa Rosa Avenue location. Santa Rosa...

Antisocial Media: Risk of suicide is tied to increased screen time

Antisocial Media: Risk of suicide is tied to increased screen time

Taylor Marek Seprish, Contributing Writer December 12, 2017

Parents often tell their children that too much screen time will fry their brains, but new research suggests consequences may be more severe than burning eyes and lack of sleep. They could face increased...

Philosophy teacher Sarah Lesson is one of four faculty members featured.

Get your apples ready

Charlotte Maxwell and Grant Wetmore December 12, 2017

Sarah Lesson, Philosophy   Q: What do you hope to accomplish here? A: More than anything, I hope to be a small part of the story my students tell about how they fulfilled their dreams. It's hard...

Student Government Assembly President Evelyn Navarro is spearheading efforts to help SRJC students get their voices heard by SGA and SRJC administration as well.

From low GPA to President of SGA

Julia Modell, Contributing Writer December 12, 2017

There is a common misconception that successful Santa Rosa Junior College students follow a linear academic path straight from high school. Student president Evelyn Navarro, 24, seeks to challenge more...

A real estate sign on Sebastopol Road, touting the recent annexation of Roseland as a selling point.

Annexation’s rose-colored glasses

Michael Barnes, Co-Features Editor December 3, 2017

There’s a neighborhood in Santa Rosa that once existed within a bureaucratic purgatory realm. The neighborhood is part of a 715 acre, concrete chain of five islands, situated inside Sonoma County yet...

Anamaria Morales displaying her SO-CO STRONG hat.

SRJC student cooks up a “SO-CO STRONG” effort

Michael Barnes, Co-Features Editor November 30, 2017

Anamaria Morales is a busy woman. The 19-year-old, full-time SRJC student is a math tutor to seventh and eighth graders and an assistant women's soccer coach for Healdsburg High school. And she somehow...

 Vice President of Student Health Services Ryan Sansome helps a student at the Student Government Assembly and Phi Theta Kappa’s Wednesday food bank outside Bertolini Hall. The student organizations are working to institutionalize a food pantry to combat food insecurity on campus. Photo by Charlotte Maxwell.

Food insecurity: the worst crisis you can’t see

Brandon McCapes, News Editor November 16, 2017

Santa Rosa Junior College running back John Mumphrey’s week isn’t easy. Mumphrey moved to Santa Rosa from Anaheim to play football for the Bear Cubs last summer and he commits at least 30 hours each...

Scissors and Fisakrs: the tools of the trimmer trade.

Trimmigrants: workers return for seasonal jobs

Chelsea Wood, Staff Writer November 14, 2017

As fall continues, you’re bound to see more hitchhikers waiting with outstretched thumbs at freeway entrances headed north in search of harvest work. Many are young adults with a lust for green...

Marijuana plant during its  flowering stage. It will soon be harvested and trimmed.

Millennials normalize marijuana in a changing culture

Chelsea Wood, Staff Writer November 14, 2017

With the expansion of legalized marijuana throughout the nation comes the challenge of making cannabis more acceptable in a society that has long been against drugs. In the 2016 election, seven...

Read a Q and A with nine new SRJC faculty members.

Meet the new SRJC faculty

Charlotte Maxwell, Staff Writer November 14, 2017

John Stover, Sociology:   Q: What do you hope to accomplish here? A: In these early days of my new career here at SRJC Petaluma, I am focused on developing my students' newfound...

Chadwick Tatum, 30, is one of three sign spinners employed at Canevaris Deli in Santa Rosa.

Canevari’s off the menu special

Michael Barnes, Co-Features Editor November 14, 2017

It’s Friday at Canevari’s Deli, which means it’s Italian cheesesteak day. Canevari’s cheesesteak is a construction of gooey cheese, finely sliced beef and fresh peppers. It’s one of the best...

Santa Rosa Junior College student Alex Simms had to flee the Tubbs Fire twice on the night of Oct.
9. Simms’ anxiousness to resume her routine drove her to return to school as soon as possible. PC Rachel Edelstein

Feeling the loss

Charlotte Maxwell and Rachel Edelstein October 31, 2017

A day of celebration turned into a nightmare for a Santa Rosa Junior College communications major. Alex Simms, 21, lived in the Upper Brush Creek neighborhood of Santa Rosa. On Sunday night, Oct....

Kiani Bush is trying to resume classes at the SRJC this semester after losing her
home on Oct. 9. She lost all of her school supplies and textbooks in the blaze. PC Rachel Edelstein

In the knick of time

Rachel Edestein, Web Editor October 31, 2017

Santa Rosa Junior College student Kiani Bush’s next-door neighbor pounded on her aunt’s door at 1 a.m. on Oct. 9. Moments later her aunt burst into her room, telling her to pack a bag; they had to...

Michelle Poggi, Santa Rosa Junior College director of student outreach, lost her home in the devastating
firestorm. Pool water became sludge filled with ash and other debris. PC James Wyatt

Memories: What can never be recovered will never be forgotten

Albert Gregory, Managing Editor October 31, 2017

Metal, ceramic and ash are all that remain at the site of a Coffey Park lot someone once called home. For Michelle Poggi, Santa Rosa Junior College director of student outreach, the memory of times...

Jesus “Chuy” Valencia, SRJC student and chef, cooks for evacuees near Oakville.

Bear Cubs respond when tragedy hits

Chelsea Wood and Jose Gonzalez October 31, 2017

While the community rallied in support of SRJC, its students gave back as well. Numerous volunteers, including SRJC students, set out to work at the 15 local shelters that opened to house thousands of...

Rincon Valley fire investigator shares her story

Rincon Valley fire investigator shares her story

Jett Williams, Deputy A&E Editor October 31, 2017

Fire Prevention Officer Cyndi Foreman woke early Monday morning in her Windsor home to radio calls of structure fires on Mark West Springs Road, and a Sheriff’s Deputy trapped by a wall of flames. Upon...

SRJC student Nathan Lauterbach doesn’t recognize the hill where his family home once stood. The entire landscape was destroyed by the fire, along with his neighborhood. PC Rachel Edelstein

Surrounded by flames

Rachel Edlestein, Web Editor October 31, 2017

Nathan Lauterbach smelled smoke as he was getting ready for bed around 10 p.m. on Oct. 8. He was at his family’s home on Heights Road east of Larkfield. He checked CAL FIRE, but its map showed the fire...

Antes y durante las fotos de la casa de Daisy Garnica en Coffey Park.

Estudiante Pierde Su Casa en Tubbs Fire

Jose Gonzalez, Staff Writer October 31, 2017

Daisy Garnica, de 19 años, estudiante de Santa Rosa Junior College, regresó a su vecindario de Coffey Park a las 10 a.m. el pasado 10 de octubre, después de evacuar un día antes y encontró su casa...

Memories lost

Michael Barnes, Co-Features Editor October 31, 2017

For residents of Coffey Park, the Tubbs Fire reduced lifelong memories to mounds of smouldering ash in a matter of hours. Second-year SRJC student Craig Lowry, 18, was among the residents sifting through...

Students return to normalcy

James Wyatt, Co-Editor-in-Chief October 31, 2017

Under normal circumstances going back to school marks a commitment to education and a sense of purpose for students and staff. Two weeks after the most destructive natural disaster in California’s history...

Warning signs: SRJC baseball coach loses home, recovers coveted State Championship ring

Albert Gregory, Managing Editor October 31, 2017

It took three signs of trouble for Tom Francois, a Santa Rosa Junior College assistant baseball coach, to realize he needed to evacuate his Fountaingrove home of 19 years during the Tubbs Fire. He...

SRJC student narrowly escapes fire

Dakota McGranahan, Photo Editor October 31, 2017

Fire burned everything but passion for Santa Rosa Junior College student Gena Bernabe, 19. Oct. 8 was another typical night at work for Bernabe, who served  food while the fire raged on the little...

Former SRJC Instructor loses home

Michael Barnes, Co-Features Editor October 31, 2017

Former Santa Rosa Junior College dean and adjunct instructor Ty Benoit, 68, returned to her home in the Wikiup area after a night at the Mill Valley Film Festival. She was still buzzing from seeing Sean...

JC students return to rubble after Tubbs Fire destroyed their homes

JC students return to rubble after Tubbs Fire destroyed their homes

October 21, 2017

Two SRJC students and soccer players describe their experience returning to sift through the ashes of their lost homes in Coffey Park after the Tubbs Fire destroyed 1300 homes in the subdivision....

The ROSE-ilience of a devastated community

The ROSE-ilience of a devastated community

Michael Barnes, Co-Features Editor October 15, 2017

Mikayla Butchart was tired of living in New York City. She wanted a quieter life, one where she could have more space and “refill her creative well.” After spending 15 years in the Big Apple, where...

Ethan De Seife and his family

SRJC instructor loses home; gofundme campaign raises over $25,000

Michael Barnes, Deputy Editor October 15, 2017

When Ethan De Seife moved his family from Burlington, Vermont to Santa Rosa in July of last year, he didn’t know anyone. All he knew was that he had a job opportunity teaching Media 4, an introduction...

Sandy McLennon (Left) and Jennifer Jacobs (Right) are vital sources of information for the deaf community.

Smoke Signals: How the deaf stay informed during a crisis

Michael Barnes, Assistant Features Editor October 14, 2017

When you tune into the news coverage of the North Bay Wildfire briefings you are bound to see her. She’s the one in the glasses not wearing a uniform, yet her presence at the briefings is just as important...

The charred remains of SRJC adjunct instructor, Ty Benoits home, in the Wikiup area of Santa Rosa.

SRJC evacuee stories emerge through the smoke

Michael Barnes, Co-Features Editor October 12, 2017

What some Sonoma County locals lovingly refer to as “God’s country” now resembles a Devil’s playground; a hellish wasteland of ash, smoke and persisting flames. The North Bay wildfires’ scope...

DJ Dustin having a blast behind the turntables as he prepares for a show.

SRJC student beats the odds in local music industry

Jose Gonzalez, Staff Writer October 5, 2017

On stage, DJ Dustin Everill is a superstar behind the one’s and two’s, off stage Dustin Engel, 20, is just another Santa Rosa Junior College student. He is one of the most requested DJs at local school...

Claire Ernst, 19, has  diversified style that is intriguing and will excite you to be daring with your style.

SRJC student fashion profile

Oak Leaf Staff, Staff Writer September 23, 2017

If you ever need some fashion tips or someone to shop with, you’ll want Santa Rosa Junior College student and economics major Claire Ernst. Ernst, 19, is a student whose fashion style will impress...

Top 9 Latin hits of Summer 2017

Top 9 Latin hits of Summer 2017

Jose Gonzalez, Staff Writer September 14, 2017

This summer Latin songs landed in the billboard list. While you were dancing or singing to the lyrics did you pay attention to what they were saying? Well, if you didn’t, below are the top nine songs,...

Biology Instructor Abigail Zoger is using a plant called Arabidopsis for CURE in her biology courses. She is bringing course-based undergraduate research into classrooms to give students experience with research.

Biology instructor STEM’s new program

Charlotte Maxwell, Staff Writer September 12, 2017

In a sea of talented and successful professors, one has taken a stand to benefit STEM students. Biology instructor Abigail Zoger is curating a program that she hopes will help students who enter the...

Our House, located in Petaluma, is the sister space to Mi Casa. Counseling services, access to computers and printers ,and access to a quit space are just a few things Our House offers.

Nuestra Casa es Su Casa for all students at ‘Our House’ in Petaluma

Michael Barnes, Staff Writer September 7, 2017

You’ve heard the phrase: “School isn’t for everyone.” Usually this is uttered by someone who is no longer earning an education. However, even students who are in school--especially those who...

Jay Asher explains the story behind his best selling novel, 13 Reasons Why. Asher gave a presentation at the Charles Schulz museum on Sep. 2.

(13) Reasons Why You Matter: Jay Asher Opens the Conversation Surrounding Suicide

Dakota McGranahan, Photo Editor September 5, 2017

Conflict, mystery, love and suicide; all prominent themes in “Romeo and Juliet.” But what once reigned as the greatest love story has been dethroned to a story that has reached the hearts of a generation. No...

SRJC’s student enterprise projects give students the opportunity to learn hands on how to grow, market and distribute an agriculture product of their choosing. Cash crops like lettuce are grown on the farm.

Getting Down and Dirty

Tom Rivas, Feature Editor May 23, 2017

Learning in a dirty environment is an unlikely choice for most students. But when it comes to growing nutritious food, the fields are the best place to learn. Before becoming interested in farming, Donald...

Getting down and dirty

Tom Rivas, Features Editor May 16, 2017

Learning in a dirty environment is an unlikely choice for most students. But when it comes to growing nutritious food, the fields are the best place to learn. Before becoming interested in farming,...

Warrior winning after the match.

Here there be LARPing

Arthur Gonzalez-Martin , Staff Photographer May 14, 2017

If “Dungeons and Dragons” is too slow and predictable, maybe you would like to get out of the basement for a bit and see what this sunlight and socializing thing is all about. Enter LARP, which...

Pedro Avila, SRJCs new vice president of student services.

New Kid in Town: Santa Rosa Junior College names VP of student services

Tom Rivas, Features Editor April 25, 2017

New student services director inspires first generation students Pedro Avila, Santa Rosa Junior College’s newly appointed assistant superintendent and vice president of student services, is proof...

Adam Gockel approaches the mark for pole vault.

Creating a legacy of his own

Ali Benzerara, Sports Editor April 25, 2017

The best 3-point shooter. The best quarterback. The best defender. The fastest sprinter. No matter the sport, most athletes want to be remembered for their raw ability. A great athlete isn’t measured...

The Santa Rosa Junior College forensics team poses for a group picture before heading off to Washington D.C. They are currently ranked 2nd in the nation.

On the offensive: SRJC debate team refutes the competition en route to nationals

Frank Sumrall, Contributing Editor April 11, 2017

The debate team does not perform highlight dunks on a hardwood floor. They do not smack home runs in front of fans blinded by the screaming sun. Nor do they watch blood bounce on the ice in a rink after...

United in the goal of self improvement, Alicia Sealund (left) and Elizabeth Quiroz (right) aim for recovery, while empowering fellow students and community members.

Redemption: You deserve a second chance

Beatriz Verneaux, Co-A&E Editor April 10, 2017

The path that led Elizabeth Quiroz, 32, to prison was paved with abuse and pain. But through her work with the Santa Rosa Junior College Second Chance club,  story has provides others with inspiration...

Donald Laird of SRJCs Computer Studies department testing the new college drone out.

Ready for take off

RJ Grooms, Contributing Writer April 4, 2017

Donald Laird, chair of Santa Rosa Junior College’s computer studies department, specializes in teaching what he likes to call “the fun stuff”—3D printing, social media, photoshop, and soon, a new...

The Santa Rosa Junior College plantetarium uses the Goto model GX-10 Star Projector to reproduce images of the sun, moon, planets and stars onto a 40 foot in diameter dome.

Women of the stars

Tom Rivas , Features Editor March 16, 2017

It’s easy to forget that we live on a planet spinning in outer space. A glance into the evening sky reminds us how small we are, and how much we don’t know about the universe. If you want to learn...

YEMA’s instagram account is filled with gorgeous images of their colorful collection. Color diversity, like the bright blue and yellow active wear on the model, is prioritized in Yema’s collection. The company’s logo, the combination of both male strength and female curves is displayed in bright pink in a Yema active set.

African prints influence new fitness wear

Rachel Genthe, A&E Editor March 15, 2017

Fitness apparel is not just for the gym. Women have been on the yoga pants train for quite some time and the trend continues to grow. Fashion icons Kylie Jenner and Kayne West glamorize sportswear. Shoppers...

Watch your back or else: Helpful online security tips

Watch your back or else: Helpful online security tips

Tom Rivas, Features Editor February 28, 2017

These days, almost everybody owns a device capable of accessing the internet. People are constantly interacting with one another, sharing sensitive information 24/7. Many users download apps and simply...

The origins of SRJC’s BSU

Olivia Wray, Staff Writer February 28, 2017

Current Black Student Union president Bat-el Silimon, an 18-year-old first-year student, is ready to meet people who share the same goal to strive for a better society, starting with black students on...

Spring Break Written in the Sand on a Beach

Amoura Deering, Staff Writer February 28, 2017

Spring break is the glorified week every college student yearns for. Students with a travel budget head to exotic places with white sandy beaches or jet off to some place that still has snow. Other students...

de Los Angeles boldly colored artwork brings awareness to situations many immigrants experience.

Take a second glance

Rachel Genthe, A+E editor February 7, 2017

Take a second glance by The Oak Leaf News on Exposure The year is starting off in a way that’s keeping the people of America on their toes. In our current divisive political climate, Maria de Los...

This vintage media guide features the Arizona Wildcats 1988 Final Four Team.

Legendary: Craig McMillan’s legacy continues with the Bear Cubs

Tom Rivas, Features Editor February 7, 2017

Long lines of spectators crammed inside the small gym. News vans with reporters scattered throughout the high school parking lot. Sports commentators that I had recognized from TV sat beside me and watched...

Humanitarian, doctor and genocide survivor comes to SRJC on Feb. 13

Amoura Deering, Staff Writer February 7, 2017

Deogratias “Deo” Niyizonkiza has lived an intense life few would be able to survive. After fleeing from a genocide attack in his native village in Burundi, Africa, Niyizonkiza found himself living...

Snip, cut and decorate your own paper ornaments.

DIY holidays

Devin Schwarz and Carin McKenna Huber, Editor-in-Chief and Opinion Editor December 15, 2016

In this issues center spread we laid out for you a number of craft projects to make your holidays all the more magical. Check out our digital issue at  https://www.theoakleafnews.com/digital-copy/2016/12/13/issue-6-december-12-2016/ ...

Sam Parilla relaxes on a couch, Parilla is one of 15 students in the exchange program this year.

A whole new world

Angelina Donaldson, Contributing Writer December 15, 2016

  Gleaming eyes, a bright smile and a contagious laugh. Sam Perilla, an international student from Cali, Colombia, sits comfortably on his living room couch. He came to the U.S. five months...

Support dogs open doors to opportunity

Amoura Deering , Staff Writer December 13, 2016

Dogs, who doesn’t love them? They’re friendly and obedient. They bring joy to those around them, and they’re highly intelligent, which is why they’re the top choice for service animals. “The...

Successful student: Surviving finals

Jocelyn Mobley, Features Editor December 13, 2016

Here are five tips to help you ace your finals. Scheduling Set up a schedule. Plan a two to three weeks out in advance and study an hour a day to reduce stress. Print out a free December calendar and...

I know people come together over food in ways they dont otherwise. I think it’s incredibly good for building communities and friendships. You also know what exactly in your food and where comes from, Merrilee Olson (left) said.

Preserving Apples by Canning

Genesis Napel, Writer December 6, 2016

A single farm’s food waste can range from 40 to 60 percent, according to founder of Preserve Farm Kitchens, Merrilee Olson, in her opening statements. Olson facilitated a workshop on applesauce canning...

Successful student: Time management and motivation

Jocelyn Mobley, Features Editor November 17, 2016

We’ve all been there. We sit down, coffee in hand, with our best intentions for productivity. Then “somehow” we manage to get nothing done. Here are five tips to diminish distractions and improve...

Successful student: Fighting the flu

Jocelyn Mobley, Features Editor November 17, 2016

We’ve all heard of the ways to stay healthy during the flu season. Wash your hands frequently, don’t touch your face, and get your flu shot. Here are five other ways to keep your immune system strong...

The Flagship staff, ready to set sail, poses for a photo in front of their restaurant.

Former students open Flagship Taproom in Cotati

Kevin Lipe, Staff Writer November 15, 2016

Starting a business is no small feat, and it’s tough to break into business regardless of your education. Some of the world’s most successful business owners never went to college, including Bill Gates,...

Beyond ghouls and goblins

Celine Gossage, Staff Writer October 25, 2016

Horror films have terrified, entertained and left moviegoers frozen in fear for decades. Many of these films have a long and rich history. With each decade, horror films adapt to changes in technology,...

Successful student: Scary survival

Jocelyn Mobley, Features Editor October 25, 2016

With midterms right around the corner, the last thing students want to think about is having to carry a silver dagger or machete. Here are all the ins and outs of warding off the things that go bump in...

Bill Michell stands in front of a group of his colleagues thanking them for his surprise 90th birthday party on Oct. 7.

SRJC instructor and War Hero Turns 90

Grant Wetmore, Staff Writer October 11, 2016

On Oct. 8, 2016, Bill Mitchell turned 90 years old. In his near century of living, Mitchell has been many things: a soldier, an accountant, a postal worker and an ice delivery man. But for more than half...

Festival goers make a beeline for the U-Pick patch.

Shone Farm fun

Erin George, Staff Writer October 10, 2016

With the smell of BBQ wafting through the air, Shone Farm’s Fall Festival kicked off Saturday, Oct 8.     Shone Farm, Santa Rosa Junior College’s 365-acre agricultural laboratory, sits in the heart...

Today’s 3D printers are capable of producing complex shapes that are both stylized and functional, such as simple machines.

3D printing: SRJC propels into the future with new tech equipment

Celine Gossage, Staff Writer October 10, 2016

One of the most exciting technologies being developed today is 3D printing. This fall, SRJC introduced a new computer studies class titled CS 78.1 for students interested in exploring this new field....

Despite enumerable parking areas, finding a spot could prove a challenge.

Successful student: Parking pandemonium

Jocelyn Mobley , Features Editor October 3, 2016

You get to school an hour before your class starts, circle around for what seems like decades, manage to piss a couple people off only to give up and park off-campus. It’s a month into the semester;...

‘Leaving Home’ director Downing-Lee reveals basic truths

‘Leaving Home’ director Downing-Lee reveals basic truths

Jocelyn Mobley, Features Editor October 3, 2016

We all start life by leaving home. Whether that is physically leaving our home country, ending a long-term abusive relationship or taking ownership of our own ideas and philosophies, leaving home is a...

SRJC student-parent Alondra Mendoza, here with her husband Marcos and their four childen, attends classes while her youngest son  goes to SRJC’s childcare classes.

College with kids

Beatriz Verneaux, Staff Writer October 3, 2016

Students face many challenges: expensive books, long commutes, balancing a healthy diet on a tight budget, and keeping grades up. For parents who attend school there’s another layer of concern to add...

Sculptors Christy Lucas and Greer Upton won a design competition to place their work, “Umbrella Tree,” in the play yard at SRJC’s Call Child Development Center.  It’s painted with dichroic paint, which shimmers and shifts colors in natural light.

Art among the oaks: Public installations on campus

Kevin Lipe, Staff Writer September 29, 2016

Santa Rosa Junior College is home not only to an exuberant student body but a surprisingly vast art collection.  Roaming the campus, you may have already spotted a cleverly placed art piece here or a...

Students can rent textbooks and receive free tutoring at the Frank P. Doyle Library.

Successful student: Respectable resources

Jocelyn Mobley, Features Editor September 13, 2016

Here at Santa Rosa Junior College, home of the Bear Cubs, we’re a community. When a student is hurt, sad or just needs help, fellow students, faculty and alumni rise to the occasion to help a fellow...

Top 7 SRJC treasures

Top 7 SRJC treasures

Juliet Freyermuth, Staff Writer September 13, 2016

The parking lots are full. The coffee bars have long lines of tired patrons. The quad is  bustling with students. Yup, school is in session. This year doesn’t have to be just about passing a class...

Coupon craze: Discounts help students

Coupon craze: Discounts help students

Amoura Deering, Staff Writer September 13, 2016

Being a college student is expensive whether you’re fresh out of high school or a re-entry student. Just buying books is enough to make your wallet cry. While community college is cheaper than a university,...

Dr. Brenda Flyswithhawks has been everything from a war nurse in Vietnam to an advocate for indigenous peoples rights. She has been described as a hands-on teacher who never hesitates to help a student thats struggling.

Doctor Flyswithhawks helps others by teaching tolerance

Arthur Gonzalez-Martin, Staff Writer May 17, 2016

Dr. Brenda Flyswithhawks identifies as Tsalagi – an eastern band of the Cherokee nation – of the bird clan. She’s driven by lessons her mother and grandmother taught her about always helping others. She...

Promoters for EDM festivals encourage meeting new people.There are no strangers at Beyond Wonderland 2016, only friends.

EDM festivals: Human connection through music

Jessica Carter and Laura Buel May 17, 2016

Some may call it a music festival, an event, or even a rave, but Santa Rosa Junior College alumnus Nate Danos refers to it in a more personal sense. “It may be strange to you, but it’s home to us.”...

Shifu Justin Eggert instructs his students in breathing and balance techniques to deepen their understanding of how to move freely and maintain their center of gravity.

Mastery of movement: Finding balance and serenity through Tai Chi

Genesis Napel, Staff Writer May 17, 2016

In a neighborhood of predominately Asian immigrants in the 1980s, he found himself mesmerized by classic Kung Fu films. Justin Eggert, 33, Santa Rosa Junior College’s Tai Chi instructor and founder...

“I need to be who I am so I can be happy before I worry about what other people think,” said Spencer, who wished to remain visually anonymous. “Its not my responsibility to make other people comfortable.”

Transitioning through life: An SRJC student’s gender identity journey

Kami M. Funk, Contributing Writer May 17, 2016

On April 22, 2015, Spencer’s life changed forever. “You know what? If you're going to do your own thing, you can do it by yourself,” his mother told him. Spencer never thought his mother would...

Bring up your grades; put down the phone

Bring up your grades; put down the phone

Eloy Delgado, Contributing Writer May 17, 2016

Headphones on, cell phone by her side. As she works on her essay, she has several tabs open, including Facebook. Not a minute goes by after she starts writing before she picks up her cell phone. It beeps...

Finals week survival guide

Finals week survival guide

Laura Buel, Staff Writer May 17, 2016

Her eyes slowly open. She realizes her alarm hasn’t gone off. She flies out of bed with her study guides sliding off her. No time to brush her teeth or eat breakfast as she trips down the stairs and...

One love, two love, find your true loves

One love, two love, find your true loves

Chelsea Wood, Contributing Writer May 17, 2016

A new relationship form has emerged quite prevalently. While monogamy is a lifestyle choice, so is polyamory. Healthy relationships aren’t only monogamous relationships. “I’ve been with my partner...

SRJC students lead the movement for Bernie

SRJC students lead the movement for Bernie

Celine Gossage, Contributing Writer May 17, 2016

After quitting his part-time job at a kitchen retail store, Santa Rosa Junior College student Mark Malouf, 20, made the decision to take part in Bernie Sanders’ campaign. “My boss had accused me...

Firm but fair: A retired communications instructors views on classroom ethics

Firm but fair: A retired communications instructor’s views on classroom ethics

Zoey Roundy, Contributing Writer May 17, 2016

Retired Santa Rosa Junior College mass communications instructor Ed LaFrance reflected on 34 years of teaching and dished out dirt on SRJC’s administration. LaFrance retired in 2010. Mass communications...

Philosophy instructor Carla Grady is passionate about her teachings in and outside of the classroom.

Analyzing philosophy: Her rapid progression

Chelsea Wood, Contributing Writer May 17, 2016

Balancing a career as a philosophy instructor and maintaining her sanity in a world that’s caught up in rapid progression is what Carla Grady handles gracefully throughout her life. Born and raised...

RJC English instructor Jean Hegland writes books in her spare time and shares her passion for witing with her students.

Instructor finds success with apocalyptic drama

Rico Pinola, Staff Writer April 26, 2016

It took five years for Santa Rosa Junior College English instructor Jean Hegland to write her novel “Into the Forest,” several more years for the novel to be published and 19 years for it to make it...

Mannequins in SRJC fashion department classroom shows off the artwork of students both past and present.

Stitching with style

Nikki Goetz and Jessica Carter, Features Editor and Staff Writer April 25, 2016

Buttons, bustles and bustier. Clothing construction can seem impossible when looking at something off the rack. Instructors at Santa Rosa Junior College show that making clothes isn’t as hard as it “seams.” The...

Devon Delzell models clothes by Apoteca. She loves working with the designers on shoots  because she adores being a part of their creative vision.

Model student, student model

Estefany Chavez, Contributing Writer April 25, 2016

Devon Delzell walks toward the cafe wearing nothing but black; her long black hair trails behind her and her cat eye sunglasses brings the look together. Delzell, 20, is attending her second year at...

Meet the Candidates

Meet the Candidates

Maci Martell, Co-Editor-in-Chief April 12, 2016

As the momentous 2016 presidential elections rapidly approach, Santa Rosa Junior College students can start exercising their constitutional rights to vote in the college’s spring student elections April...

Sarah Magnani (left) and Ryan Sansome (right) are clean and sober after years of struggling with addiction. Their goal is to help students who still battle with substance abuse. The Recovery Club will allow students to open up in a supportive, non-judgmental environment.

In between addiction and recovery

Jynessa Lazzaroni and James Wyatt April 12, 2016

Wake up sick. Find money. Find drugs. Use until you vomit or pass out. Sarah Magnani, 27, shared dark memories of days consisting of nothing more than the chase to find her next fix. She recalled years...

Tom Beland displays an issue of Fantastic Four he wrote. A veteran of the industry, Beland has written for Marvel and DC.

Comic books saved my life: Comic fan turned writer draws from his past

Alex T. Randolph, Copy Editor, Co-Opinion Editor April 12, 2016

At his lowest point, Tom Beland was saved by the Amazing Spider-Man. “Spider-Man books got me out of depression as a child,” he said. “I lost my parents – they died when I was young – and...

Bailey Farren’s most recognizable piece is her “Choco-Lisa,” fingerpainted entirely with frosting

Art from the heart: SRJC student uses art to change the world

Jocelyn Mobley, Staff Writer April 12, 2016

A chocolate frosting painting of the Mona Lisa? A marshmallow lightbulb? Bailey Farren, a sophomore fine arts major at Santa Rosa Junior College, is well-known for painting with unorthodox mediums. She’s...

An SRJC student checks the Credit Karma app to view her credit score. Many students are struggling with accumulating debt.

Debt and credit scores: A real look at where students’ hard earned money goes

Jessica Carter, Staff Writer March 7, 2016

Working hard to save money for a home while supporting her husband and two children, Santa Rosa Junior College student Stephanie Elrod, 27, saw a possibility of climbing her way out of debt. Then, like...

Spring weather makes friends and SRJC students Chris Hernandez and Sayra Gomez more inclined to mingle in the quad.

Spring Fever: birds, bees and blossoming trees

Genesis Napel, Co-News Editor March 7, 2016

Temperatures are heating up, and to accommodate the warm weather, Santa Rosa Junior College students have spring fever. Students are starting to shed those winter layers and expose more skin. This clothes...

Santa Rosa Junior College student Damion Square helped revive the Black Student Union and brought life to the club, which had been inactive for a decade .

Unity in the SRJC community

James Wyatt, Staff Writer March 7, 2016

Santa Rosa Junior College student activism inspires equity that blooms through the college’s learning communities and spurs change. When Damion Square came to SRJC in 2013 from Albany Technical College...

Brian Antonson works and instructs students during an onsite shoot for his introduction to filmmaking class.

Brian Antonson: media instructor’s life behind the camera

Nikki Goetz, Social Media Editor March 7, 2016

Nudists walking around in broad daylight, Jersey Shore cast members getting their spray tan on and spirits lurking in the distance. What do they all have in common? They were all filmed by cinematographer...

Hannah Cagle (center) leads one of the Feminists United club meetings, held every Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Bertolini Center for Student Leadership.

Feminism and healthy habits: Student tackles social and health issues at SRJC

Catherine Ramirez, Multimedia Editor February 25, 2016

Even before 19-year-old Hannah Cagle became active in social issues, her underlying basis in life was to help others. “My philosophy is do things that are going to ultimately help people, not harm...

On Sept. 5, 2015 Al Maggini celebrated 100 years of life; 36 of which were spent serving on the Santa Rosa Junior College board of trustees.

Al Maggini: A century of success

Rita S. Losch, Staff Writer February 25, 2016

Al Maggini roars up in his shiny ink-black Porsche, 15 minutes early. He’s got places to go and he wants the journey to be fun.  Stick-to-it-ive-ness is his middle name. Sixty-five years as an industrious...

Grant Howell and Taylor Brandt compete at the West Coast 101 Competition in Sacramento, California.

Capital swings into Sacramento

Jocelyn Mobley, Staff Writer February 23, 2016

 Full of social dancing, workshops and competitions, Capital Swing, the annual West Coast Swing convention in Sacramento, drew many smiling faces on President’s Day weekend 2016. For pro dancers it’s...

I love feeling and being strong,” says Gigi Disidoro as she flexes on campus in between classes at SRJC.

Witness Fitness

Jessica Carter, Staff Writer February 23, 2016

The alarm went off at 5 a.m. Tired, Gigi “Muscles” Disidoro got up and grabbed her bag to head to the gym for her early morning workout before sunrise. Waking up in the morning to go to the gym may...

SRJC alumnus Faith Gates works the fryer at In-N-Out Burger. Gates balanced a near full time schedule at In-N-Out with 20 units.

Units and shifts: SRJC students and alumnus successfully balance work and school schedules

Nikki Goetz, Social Media Editor February 23, 2016

Santa Rosa Junior College student Lena Ballard wakes up between 4 and 6 a.m. She starts her day with yoga or art before heading to her 7:30 a.m. class. She leaves the campus at noon and heads straight...

SRJC students pose with “I am Malala” for the cover of their book, “Letters to Malala.”

Letters to Malala: SRJC students write intimate letters to young activist Malala Yousafzai

Haley Bollinger, Features Editor February 23, 2016

Dear Malala, Your book made me ask myself how big is my world? Do I live in a small town where I see everybody at the local church and grocery store and ask about how they are doing? Or do I live in...

Taylor Fatherree, president of the Model Arab League, describes her trip to Qatar as a whirlwind, as she had the opportunity to absorb the country’s culture and customs.

To Qatar and back: An SRJC student’s enlightening experience in the Middle East

Albert Gregory, Staff Writer February 7, 2016

Qatar isn’t typically on most students’ top vacation destination lists, but for Santa Rosa Junior College student Taylor Fatherree, who stayed in the country from Nov. 27 to Dec. 5, it was an exciting...

Catherine Atkinson creates curvy organic copper wire sculptures.

94-year-old SRJC student creates art

Rita S. Losch, Staff Writer February 7, 2016

What do protozoa, copper pot scrubbers and gnarled tree roots have in common? They are all inspirations for the sculpture of 94-year-old Catherine Atkinson, a Santa Rosa Junior College student. Two afternoons...

Mother Alejandra Garcia and her daughter participate in arts and crafts in The Mother and Child Program at The Living Room.

The Living Room: a safe haven for homeless women in Santa Rosa

Nikki Goetz, Social Media Editor February 7, 2016

Alejandra Garcia sleeps at an overnight shelter in Santa Rosa. When she’s not there, she’ll take her daughter to a long brown and white building on Cherry Street to an organization called The Living...

An SRJC student takes a break from  taking notes  to look  for  potential love matches during a classroom lecture.

Love in the millennial age

Estefany Gonzalez, Co-Editor-in-Chief February 7, 2016

Love at first swipe. Meeting in plain sight. With an abundance of phone applications, dating websites and social stigma about commitment, Santa Rosa Junior College students are swiping away during class...

Sean Cornells mothers passing gave him courage to address his sexuality.

Tragic loss inspires student to be his true self

Grant Wetmore, Contributing Writer December 8, 2015

Sean Cornell’s mother’s death caused her to miss many precious stepping stones in her son’s life when she died. She wouldn’t witness her son graduate from high school, nor would she see him attend...

Half of the Santa Rosa Junior College interviewees said experiencing were not an important part of the college experience.

Community vs. four-year colleges: Realities and impressions of college life

Michael Tran, Contributing Writer December 8, 2015

The music is so loud you can’t hear yourself think. Not that it matters because the room is a blur and the sounds aren’t arranged in chronological order. Dozens of people surround you, constantly bumping...

The Internet broke when Starbucks released its holiday neutral red cup.

Merry Christmas…Um, I mean Happy Holidays

Ashlynn Lilly, Contributing Writer December 8, 2015

Merry Christmas! I mean, merry X-Mas? OK, happy holidays! Er… I noticed it’s cold outside? Since when did sharing ‘Season’s Greetings’ require a diplomat’s public speaking skills? When...

Crystal Roys commitment to educations sets a good example for her young children.

Finding balance as a reentry student with children

Sierra Straub, Contributing Writer December 8, 2015

It is a rare night for 40-year-old Crystal Roy. She has the house to herself. Her daughter is at a sleepover and her husband, Jerry, is out with their son. Besides the occasional bark of her Chihuahua,...

CSA members pick up food they ordered from Shone Farm every Wednesday and Thursday at Bertolini quad.

Vegetables, livestock and wine: Shone Farm teaches about agriculture

Alex T. Randolph, Copy Editor December 8, 2015

Every Wednesday and Thursday, barring holidays, a small booth can be seen on the grounds of Santa Rosa Junior College. It’s packed high with vegetables, which people stop by to pick up. The booth...

SRJC students have a variety of study methods. Some study weeks in advance and others pull all nighters.

‘Tis the season of stress, SRJC students approach finals with different study methods

Kelsi Sibert, Staff Writer December 8, 2015

Bryan Workman, a Santa Rosa Junior College student, prepares for finals by going over his notes and studying weeks in advance. He even adds classical music to the mix, to help him concentrate on his course...

SRJC student Ahsan Ali Thaheem is an international student studying business.

Adjusting and Adapting: Pakistani student gains insight of American culture

Shellan Saling, Contributing Writer December 8, 2015

Ahsan Ali Thaheem has only been in the United States for four months, but has learned a lot in that time. He learned Americans are friendly, welcoming people who are open to diversity, especially in...

Artists work is on sale and display at Brews gallery in December.

#FreeArtFridaySR: An interactive Instagram account that hosts weekly scavenger hunts

Haley Elizabeth Bollinger, Features Editor December 8, 2015

A glass pendant with an intricate flower design sits beside the highway. A piece of upcyled art made out of used mason jar lids hangs out in an alleyway. A brightly colored graffiti painting waits in the...

(Left to right) Dylin Stice, Scott Manwell, Mikey Bollonio and Derek Nielsen relax backstage at the Arlene Francis Center and drink beer before their band’s set.

SRJC band of the week: The Illumignarly

Estefany Gonzalez , A&E Editor December 7, 2015

Conspiracy theories say The Illuminati are mysterious hidden members of society pulling the puppet strings to control world affairs. The band The Illumignarly took on the persona of being a faceless powerhouse...

PEERS members promote safe sex by distributing condoms to students on the Bertolini quad. Condoms are free at Student Health Services.

Contraception misconceptions: Is your method effective?

Maci Martell and Estefany Gonzalez December 7, 2015

Remembering to take a pill every day wasn’t easy for Santa Rosa Junior College biology major Jeannie LeGallee. The 21-year-old tried taking oral contraceptives as a form of birth control but found she...

Grace Ingland pursues her passion every day. Ingland is an actress with big dreams and has starred in the independent film, “Living in the Grave.”

From psych to screen: Former SRJC student lives her passion as an actress

Sergio Gocobachi, Contributing Writer November 16, 2015

Grace Ingland made a career out of a pipe dream. She receives income from a job that also happens to be her passion, and no, it’s not something she just does on the side. So what does Ingland do?...

Adam Gockel coasts around SRJC campus by scooter. “It gets me places a lot faster than walking; cuts down [travel] time by over a half,” he said.

Be cool and maneuver the school

Matthew Koch, Staff Writer November 16, 2015

A cloud comforts you as you float blissfully with your beloved companion, Chuck Norris, through a candy-coated landscape, indulging in the sugary commodities materializing around you. “This has to...

Sonoma Hillel members frequently gather for group events over the semester, including this Muir Beach bonfire.

Sonoma Hillel: International Jewish program returns to SRJC

Alex T. Randolph, Copy Editor November 16, 2015

Named after Hillel the Elder, the scholar whose teachings founded much of Modern Judaism, Hillel International establishes Jewish communities in college campuses across the globe. Reaching out to Jewish...

Different Countries, Same Compassion

Alex T. Randolph, Copy editor November 3, 2015

  They had come from across the world to learn here in the United States. Part of that learning was caring for their fellow-man. At the beginning of this semester, Santa Rosa Junior College...

Lumafest

Lumafest

Maci Martell and Matthew Koch October 27, 2015

Lumafest came to life as a colorful celebration, which for many, stirred the unquenchable thirst of curiosity. Students, faculty and the surrounding community ventured to the grounds of Santa Rosa Junior...

 Students acclimate to college life with pieces of their childhood looming around their new adult lives. It is up to them to decide how to deal with the baggage.

Breaking up with your parents: Discarding the excess baggage you grew up with

Matthew Koch, Staff Writer October 26, 2015

On a Sunday morning in his kitchen, Jack Alhambra strenuously cleaned the floors. His father walked in with a disapproving look. “Work faster, you twit.” Alhambra, now 27, still remembers unfortunate...

Radio Dano also has a passion for sports, specifically hockey, and co-hosts a sports broadcast at 4 p.m. Saturdays on KSRO 1350.

SRJC alumnus leaps into Froggy 92.9 success

Faith Gates, Co-Editor-in-Chief October 26, 2015

Daniel Weir stood in the hall of Burbank Auditorium in 2003 staring at a note on the door which said administration canceled the radio class he was taking at Santa Rosa Junior College. “I was thinking,...

The Naked Pig serves all local farm to table food.

South of A street

Devin Schwarz, Assistant A&E Editor October 13, 2015

Artists began occupying A Street in 1997 and spurred its much-needed transformation from what  peope could only describe as “a ghetto” into an artist’s utopia with small gardens dotting front yards...

Driven for student rights

Driven for student rights

Alex T. Randolph, Copy Editor October 13, 2015

Victoria Sheber accomplished more in her freshman year at Santa Rosa Junior College than most students by their graduation. An English/history double major, Sheber is already a member of the speech and...

Students are able to purchase and benefit from the fresh fruits and vegetables at the Community Market near SRJC.

Nutrition tips for students

Gideon Halpin, Staff Writer October 13, 2015

Santa Rosa Junior College student Nick Sterba’s attitude toward food reflects many college student’s nutritional prerogatives. “I just eat whatever’s around me or cheapest,” Sterba said. Nothing...

SRJC is home to beautiful oak trees that are sprawled all over Santa Rosa campus.

SRJC hopes to become a tree-accredited campus

Matthew Koch, Staff Writer September 29, 2015

Take a casual stroll around  campus and one thing becomes abundantly clear: Santa Rosa Junior College is saturated with trees. So if there were some hypothetical way for us to benefit from having so...

Gustavo Sanchez,  certified enrollment counselor for Covered California, working for the dental program. He came to the U.S. at age 12 with his family.

Undocumented students: A story of an undaunted SRJC alumnus

Anne-Elizabeth Cavarec, Staff Writer September 29, 2015

After a 24-hour bus ride from Mexico City, the 12-year-old boy climbed a hill with his mother, two cousins and his aunt for three hours avoiding Border Patrol agents. Down the hill, another landscape,...

Actors Danny Medina, Christine Vondralee and Peyton Victoria apply makeup before rehearsal on Sept 22 in a backroom of Newman Auditorium.

De-mystifying the rehearsal process

Haley Elizabeth Bollinger, Features Editor September 29, 2015

Dealing with life and love is complicated enough; recreating it on stage is a whole other feat. Santa Rosa Junior College’s rehearsals for the first fall theater production, “Almost Maine,” had...

SRJC student and basketball player Ashley Hart and her family stand in front of the remains of their burned house.

Valley Fire hits close to home

Catherine Ramirez and Brendan Dorsey September 29, 2015

by Catherine Ramirez Her heart raced and her breaths cut short as she heard her sister’s screams over the phone: “Fire, fire!” Ashley Hart panicked. The Valley Fire drew closer to her family...

Writer Rita Losch examines the convolution of the Santa Rosa Junior College campus from above.

An a-maze-ing place: getting lost on SRJC campus

Rita S. Losch, Contributing Writer September 17, 2015

  You’ve heard of college orientation. What about college disorientation? It’s easy to get lost on the Santa Rosa Junior College campus. Classically beautiful, it is also serpentine, byzantine,...

Students who ride motorcycles have designated parking spots on campus where parking is readily available.

Good vibrations provide a rush of adventure from A to B

Matthew Koch , Staff Writer September 15, 2015

Enticement all over, you pull the throttle in harder, knowingly feeding your unquenchable urge. Looking ahead, the path falls clear before you; to your side, a cosmic blur of visual intangibleness. The...

An SRJC student waits to meet with a counselor at the Bertollini Center in the Counseling Department.

Assessments, orientations and education plans: Three important steps to unlock future success

Haley Elizabeth Bollinger , Features Editor September 15, 2015

Kenneth Chase, 26, loves SRJC and believes it is a great school to transfer from and attend if you're just looking for a vocational degree or certificate. He says that students should go and see a counselor...

Bridging the gap between interest and the desire to learn

Bridging the gap between interest and the desire to learn

Matthew Koch , Staff Writer August 28, 2015

Humans are peculiar creatures of habit, often boxing themselves into the idea that ultimately, they are alone in their chosen skills and fascinations. But more often than not your isolated love is not...

Jordan Panana Carbajal stands with fellow DREAMers during the opening event of the Dream Center.

[Podcast] SRJC Dream Center and Immigration

May 14, 2015

https://soundcloud.com/the-oak-leaf-news/srjc-dream-center-and-immigration

Fix Everything Generation

Fix Everything Generation

Benton Walters, Contributing Writer May 12, 2015

SRJC student Theresa Kremer works in the Doyle Library and has an artistic side to her most can only dream of. She’s bright and witty, but she’s facing a problem a lot of people her age are facing....

Students checking one of the solar panels on the roof of an SRJC building.

Solar PV Professor, Kevin Byrne

Nora Milton, Contributing Writer May 12, 2015

Gizmos, gadgets, conductors, circuit boards, and a flux capacitor for all is known are bolted against the interior walls of Professor Byrne’s SRJC’s Solar PV bungalow at its Southwest Center location...

The Davis Connection

The Davis Connection

Domingo Cornejo, Contributing Writer May 12, 2015

Sarai Acosta, a third year student at SRJC, prepares for a new chapter in her life when she transfers to UC Davis next fall. Acosta is one of several SRJC students who continuing their education by...

Farmers set up for the first Wednesday Night Market of the year, where students can  buy fresh produce, local honey and hand-crafted treats on Fourth Street.

Hope for hungry students

Ashleigh Hess, Contributing Writer May 12, 2015

Hunger is not simply discomfort in the bellies of students. The effects of hunger ripple through many aspects of a student’s life. Jora Methvin is a humanities student at Santa Rosa Junior College. ...

Frank P. Doyle

Frank P. Doyle pays for classes, books and housing

Gideon Halpin, Contributing Writer May 12, 2015

No living descendants. Over 120,000 heirs.  A Sonoma County legend.  Frank P. Doyle is more than a library’s namesake.  He was the most generous man to ever be associated with Santa Rosa Junior College. Why...

SRJC student Nathan Johnson spends his free time in nature rock climbing.

Brothers who rock climb together stay together

Ryan Hughes, Contributing Writer May 12, 2015

Brothers who rock climb together stay together Santa Rosa Junior College student Nathan Johnson who has found himself in risky situations. Johnson recently took a trip to the coast where he decided to...

A baking student brushes eggwash onto blueberry gallettes.

Satisfy Your Cravings

Devin Schwarz, Staff Writer May 12, 2015

Just across the street from campus and convenient for your morning stroll to class, the Santa Rosa Junior College bakery offers blended coffee drinks and fresh, student-baked pastries, all organic. Many...

SRJC professor Eric Thompson poses for a picture in his eccentric office.

A journey into understanding an expert on myths and the devil

Oshanna Kealoha, Contributing Writer May 12, 2015

You can see professor Eric Thompson around campus riding his bike to or from school every day, or find him in his Emeritus Hall office, but make sure not to come in without knocking as he might be changing...

SRJC alumnus Armando Garcia speaks at “Light the Torch,” an SRJC student-organized rally downtown to inspire students to push for an immigration reform and allow DREAMers to share their stories.

Deferred Action Renewals: What it means for undocumented students to apply and what DACA doesn’t cover

Estefany Gonzalez, Features Editor May 12, 2015

Santa Rosa Junior College alumni Jesus Guzman, lead organizer at the Graton Day Labor Center, has spent his whole life in the United States. He speaks English, works full time and goes to school at Sonoma...

The second annual Spring Wellness Fair, sponsored by Student Health Services and run by the PEERS coalition interns.

Battling the Stigma of mental illness through education

Haley Elizabeth Bollinger, A&E Editor April 28, 2015

Santa Rosa Junior College student Josie Leonard, 18, was diagnosed with bipolar disorder a month after graduating from Analy High School. “My mom actually doesn’t even know I have a mental illness....

Nora Ekberg performs in her brother Aronchupas video Im an Albatraoz.
The video has over 160 million views on YouTube.

Nora Ekberg: Swedish YouTube star hits SRJC

Jarrett Rodriguez, Co-Editor-in-Chief April 28, 2015

For Nora Ekberg, fame was not something she was aiming for when her brother asked her to sing vocals for his new song “I’m an Albatraoz.” Ekberg currently attends the Santa Rosa Junior College...

SRJC student Huy Pham participates in an informal soccer practice with friends, all members of the International Club

International student makes journey of lifetime

Domingo Cornejo, Contributing Writer April 28, 2015

His manner is calm. He tightly pulls over his North Face fleece jacket that helps him withstand a chilly Tuesday morning, ready to discuss how much he has changed since attending school in America. Huy...

Discover new friends and new worlds with Anime

Sean Curzon, Staff Writer April 28, 2015

Anime, or Japanese animation, has a strong fan base around the world including here at Santa Rosa Junior College. The anime club meets every Thursday 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Anyone can walk in or leave at any...

SRJC Bear Cub clubs: the lifeblood of campus community

SRJC Bear Cub clubs: the lifeblood of campus community

Luke Heslip, Assistant Opinion Editor April 28, 2015

Eric Iverson considers himself a Gue’vesa, what the Tau Empire from the tabletop game “Warhammer 40,000” call a human helper. Iverson, 22, is a Santa Rosa Junior College engineering major with a...

The Oak Leaf Letterboxing Contest

Carin Huber, Copy Editor April 5, 2015

Curious about letterboxing? Try it out at SRJC! There are six letterboxes planted around Santa Rosa Junior College campuses.  Follow the clues below to find them.  Be one of the first students to...

An SRJC student picks up a letterbox outside Emeritus while on her way to class.

Well-hidden treasures provide adventure in a box

Carin Huber , Staff Writer April 5, 2015

I crossed the rickety boardwalk to its end, then counted back the planks on the walk until I found the specified board. I knelt down, but hesitated to reach blindly into the dead weeds that tufted out...

Adapted Physical Education student Jessie Morgan practices boxing with instructional assistant John Adams.

Life goes on through Adapted Physical Education

Anne-Elisabeth Cavarec March 9, 2015

To be able to tell their stories, students June Rader, Luigi Fabiano, Jessie Morgan and Patrick Loughlin have been working many years in the Adapted Physical Education classes (APE) at Santa Rosa Junior...

Specialist Anthony Tate asks Jill Kelly-Moore’s humanities class if they want his story sugar coated or if he should “Drop it like its hot,” at SRJC.

Reflections on Vietnam: Learning through the eyes of veterans

Joseph Barkoff, Sports Photo Editor February 24, 2015

Private First Class Bruce Thompson, 10 Cavalry Buffalo Soldiers, proudly received a letter around Thanksgiving 1967 from President Lyndon B. Johnson. The letter said “greetings” and informed Thompson...

A student studies his textbook outside of class at SRJC at Analy Village.

Bookstore blues: The expense students can’t escape

Luke Heslip, Staff Writer February 24, 2015

Forty-six dollars a unit, $60 for a parking pass, $19 for health services; these are the regular semester costs of a Santa Rosa Junior College student. Then of course there are textbooks.  “Book prices...

From Left to Right: Darika Ramsey, Damion Square and Elias Hinit standing proud in the Doyle quad at SRJC.

Two leaders, two messages: a portrait of BSU co-chairs

Craig Gettman, Staff Writer February 24, 2015

February is Black History Month, an opportunity for all people to learn about the contributions black Americans have made throughout history. At Santa Rosa Junior College, the Black Student Union hopes...

Dominic Chambrone, The Shoe Suregon, at his Santa Rosa studio where he designs unique footwear for celebrities like Will.i.am and Justin Bieber. Chambrone is a former SRJC student.

The Shoe Surgeon: A man with a sewing machine and a dream

Estefany Gonzalez, Features Editor February 24, 2015

It’s hard to find shoes with studs, leather fringe or stylish zippers that go in different directions at a normal store. These custom-made shoes are worn by top celebrities. The hand-made, one-of-a-kind...

A journey through independent study

Luke Heslip, Staff Writer February 10, 2015

In the classroom five days a week, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. One instructor per 30 students and a 35-minute lunch break. Public education is largely uniform for American students. This format may work for...

Abigail Zoger, Life Science instructor, teaches her class with different learning patterns.

Learning to learn: recognizing different learning patterns

Mason Smith, Contributing Writer February 10, 2015

A new semester may bring students high ambitions, hopes for straight A’s and the opportunity to turn past mistakes around. One week later reality can strike disguised in the form of used textbooks,...

Kelsey Matzan swipes through Tinder, an app that lets you search through other nearby Tinder users, on her phone in search of a date.

Tinder: to use or not to use?

Craig Gettman, Staff Writer February 10, 2015

Have you been looking for love in all the wrong places? Maybe you should try Tinder. Tinder is a free app you can download to your smart phone. It allows you to search for fellow Tinder users in the area,...

8 Worst Date Stories

Elizabeth Garcia, 23, met her worst date when she and her girlfriends made the trip from Sonoma to Santa Rosa. He and Garcia planned a dinner date at Shiso, a sushi resturant. Garcia who had never been...

Judy Leroy

Judy Leroy

Estefany Gonzalez, Features Editor January 26, 2015

Santa Rosa Junior College art history major, Judy Leroy, is taking a sex and gender class in support of anyone who has, or is in the process of sharing that they are members of the LBGT community. “It’s...

Mason Weaver

Mason Weaver

Madison Anuskewicz, Staff Writer January 26, 2015

Thoughts of not being accepted at school, home or in society were worries that current Santa Rosa Junior College student Mason Weaver, 20, had running through his head when he decided to come out to his...

R-e-s-p-e-c-t: Find out what it means to L-G-B-T

R-e-s-p-e-c-t: Find out what it means to L-G-B-T

Estefany Gonzalez , Features Editor January 26, 2015

With the recent mention of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights by President Obama at the 2015 State of the Union address, he became the first president to acknowledge the lesbian, bisexual and...

Taylor Bradford

Taylor Bradford

Luke Heslip, Staff Writer January 26, 2015

Shortly after telling her coworkers she was gay, Taylor Bradford, 19, a fifth semester Santa Rosa Junior College student started hearing rumors being circulated about her sexuality. One rumor was that...

Robert Bailey

Robert Bailey

Carin Huber, Copy Editor January 26, 2015

Robert Bailey, 45, attended Santa Rosa Junior College as a student and employee between 1992 and 2002 at the Petaluma campus. Coming out as gay to SRJC co-workers and fellow students in 1997, Bailey recalls...

Trisha Seeyle

Trisha Seeyle

Eden Anuskewicz, Staff Writer January 26, 2015

Trisha Seeyle, 24, is a Santa Rosa Junior College alumnus who grew up in Sonoma Valley, and knew she was different because of who she was attracted to. “I have always been attracted to boys and girls....

Katie Suoja

Katie Suoja

Estefany Gonzalez, Features Editor January 26, 2015

Santa Rosa Junior College English major Katie Suoja, 25, would not consider herself gay, straight, lesbian or bisexual. Instead, she prefers to say she doesn’t consider sex when choosing a partner. When...

The use of public transit systems by college students is growing, according to the Transportation Research Board of the National Academics. Sonoma County Transit is free to ride for students and veterans.

Bus Bizarre: SRJC Students share stories of bus experiences and encounters

Luke Heslip, Staff Writer January 26, 2015

On a Thursday morning, Chris Beebout waits at a Santa Rosa Transit stop for a bus in route to Santa Rosa Junior College. A stranger walks up to him and promptly says, “The world does not fully understand...

The ’70s climbers dubbed the “Stone Masters” climbed without aides and only a rope for protection, a style known as “free climbing.”

Gripping, artistic ‘Valley Uprising’ is now available

Nate Voge, Features Editor December 9, 2014

Sonoma State University featured the Reel Rock 9 Film Tour showing of Sender Films’ “Valley Uprising” on Nov. 6. The documentary will not be screened at any big-screen theaters but the Blu-Ray, DVD...

Local artist and former SRJC student Dan Katra opens the doors of his Santa Rosa studio to show samples of his artwork, including album covers and restaurant menus.

Katra: drawn to digital

Hannah Kooistra, Staff Writer December 9, 2014

Former Santa Rosa Junior College student Dan Katra creates art that is difficult to categorize as he has carved out a niche easily overlooked by a generation raised in the digital age. He is both designer...

Dune author Frank Herbert channeling his muse in Santa Rosa, photographed by sci-fi writer Jack Vance around 1952.

‘The Spice’ Flows From Santa Rosa

Erik Jorgensen, Contributing Wiriter December 8, 2014

Santa Rosa is world-famous for its plant wizards and beer alchemists, but few people know its place in science-fiction history. Long before Frank Herbert published his masterpiece "Dune" in 1965, he lived...

Beyond stereotypes: Homeless yet hopeful in Sonoma County

Beyond stereotypes: Homeless yet hopeful in Sonoma County

Photo by: Jeanine-Flaton Buckley On a rooftop near downtown Santa Rosa, Benjamin “Brutus” Gruey, a former Santa Rosa Junior College student and co-editor-in-chief of The Oak Leaf, pulled a queen-sized...

A proud coach, Hal Sanford leads the debate team to several victories since 2012.

Hal Sanford brings energy to SRJC debate team

Maci Martell, Contributing Writer December 4, 2014

A civil-litigator-turned-public-speech-instructor and forensics debate coach may sound like a daunting authority figure, yet Santa Rosa Junior College communications studies instructor Hal Sanford deviates...

Monty Monty working on “Big Boy” in his studio at Graton. Monty Monty’s vintage collectable sculpture is on display until Dec. 7 at the Christopher Hill Gallery, 326 Healdsburg Avenue, Healdsurg.

Monty Monty, sculptor of time

Anne-Elisabeth Cavarec, Staff Writer November 20, 2014

A curious sea monster silently scrutinizes students who meditate on their next assignments at Santa Rosa Junior College Doyle Library. Moored to a wall on the fourth floor, “The Whale” is an impressive...

Four weeks to go, all ready to blow

Nate Voge, Hannah Kooistra, and Estefany Gonzalez November 17, 2014

The holidays are right around the corner —but with finals, it’s not the most wonderful time of the year. Santa Rosa Junior College instructors say this is the time of year when a lot of students...

Santa Rosa Junior College stuent Samuel Adams (center) and two friends pose while cosplaying as characters from the popular anime series “Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann.”

Costumes aren’t only for Halloween

Estefany Gonzalez, Staff Writer October 30, 2014

The first time Santa Rosa Junior College student Bridget Wyckoff dressed up as the character Poison Ivy at a convention the experience gave her a much needed self-esteem boost and helped her break out...

“Soldaderas” revealed

October 30, 2014

History has largely forgotten the contributions of women in Mexican Revolution, a Santa Rosa Junior College professor told a Mahoney Library audience. Behind the revolutionary icons of Zapata and Poncho...

32% of SRJC students consumed five or more drinks in the last two weeks.

One day at a time: dealing with substance abuse from a student perspective

October 8, 2014

After shuffling between school expulsions, arrests and a five-year prison sentence, former Santa Rosa Junior College student Phil Parfitt’s path of self-destruction is now a 17-year-long path of self-construction. “I...

Load More Stories

Comments (0)

All The Oak Leaf Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest