Reedley College’s Reading and Writing Center (RWC) is relatively young (22 years of service), but many of its tutors left lasting legacies. One such tutor is Stephanie Duarte. Duarte teaches English C1000 here on Reedley College’s campus and shares some wisdom for current and aspiring tutors of all subjects. Reflecting on that time, she recalls some struggles. Some students would book her for “a couple of hours,” which felt draining some days. Not because she didn’t lov

This year, we are celebrating a special event at our tutor expo: the 10th anniversary. Therefore, it is a good time to look back on our Reading/Writing Center’s history to find 10 Years of Legacy, Learning, and Success. This research has not only shown the passage of time but, more importantly, highlighted the lessons that, as a tutoring center, we have learned along the way. This research examined how being a tutor can equip you with the tools to follow your path and succeed

“The only thing scarier than leaving a small town is never leaving it at all” (Mitch Albom). Just about one and a half hours away from Fresno County lie three breathtaking national parks. Yet, how many of us have taken the steps to see them? People travel from all over the world to view these historic landmarks that have been standing for generations. Why don't more people step outside their comfort zone and visit these places? I understand how easy it is to grow complacent a

I would like to start by saying that I am not a baker by any means. The only time I ever enter the kitchen is to eat food that someone else has already made or to throw a microwave meal into the microwave. Yet recently, my life was changed (for good) by the movie Wicked. In the spirit of trying new things and seeing that the movie was free for streaming, I decided to put it on and see what all the hype was about. Turns out, I was missing out on one of my favorite movies to da

Drawing is one of my favorite hobbies. It’s an activity I used to indulge in often, when my creative spark was alive and burning. I remember how free and excited I would feel to be able to color a drawing that I sketched the day before, using the new Copic markers my dad bought for me. There is so much freedom in the realm of art, which is one of the things I like so much about drawing. In elementary school, I was inspired to create books with my own characters and little gra

For the longest time, to me, dancing was just movement. It was the idea that there were steps to follow, counts to learn, and, honestly, just making shapes with my body. Through time, somewhere along the way, it became something more. It was no longer just showing up, following the counts, going home, doing it again the next day. It became something that made me realize what I was feeling on the inside could truly live outside for people, for me, and I could do this through m

It was night when we found you, Sitting on a mound of dirt crying into the night How scared you must have been when our light shone on you You were so tiny and frail I was so scared you would not survive the night I stayed awake listening for any whimper or cry It was my most sleepless night You are almost a year old now, You have brought light back into our home Raising you has been the most exhausting and rewarding experience of my life Wherever I go, you are never far Like

As Springtime arrives, the ground grows weak and can no longer hold back the creatures that flail their many arms or gyrate their limbless bodies to break through the surface to greet the Worm Moon. Consequently, in this sixth issue of Delectable Discourse, where I ask college students a scrumptious new question each month, I asked the following question: In light of the upcoming Worm Moon, which is the full moon in March, when was the last time you picked up a worm or other

The second half of the Academic Year is upon us. For some of us, it can be the second semester trudge, or the final semester before graduation or transfer. Normally, this is a time of year where I look forward to the Blossom Trail that begins here in our valley and the gradual return of sun and blue skies. I CAN DO HARD THINGS- has become our mantra this past week. I would like to pass on what my family and I are being reminded of each day. We are making ourselves stop and no

In my essay in the Paper Jam ’s December issue, I reflected on learning that we only have limited time and what that means for communication and relationships. In the context of relationships, “…It would be easier to imagine anything else than not associating with the other person.” Recent events, however, mean that fully unpacking and elaborating upon its implied depth is both worth doing and necessary. As it stands, the description has an incredible amount of dimension, b

Cows are everywhere these days. They’re eating in fields, drinking from and soaking in water troughs, chewing atop a hill, jaywalking on the dirt road, over here, over there. I’ve seen models sporting perfect cow physiques on billboards and appreciated their skill in acting in milk and cheese commercials. People draw them in cartoons, squeeze them into cartons, sprinkle them as fertilizer under heirloom tomato plants, slap their roasted loins onto white plates. Cows are even

February 14, Valentine's Day, is the day that couples all over the world get together and celebrate love. If you are still enough, you can sense the romance in the atmosphere. Stuffed animals and chocolates flood through the aisles, only for a brief moment. Not many people know the original story of Valentine's Day. Let us visit Rome, 50 A.D at this time, the Romans were fighting multiple wars. The ruler was Claudius the Second, or a.k.a. Claudius Gothicus. There was a need f

“No days off,” they say, or "I'll rest when I'm dead,” are common sayings associated with burnout and hustler culture. Burnout is a state of emotional, mental, or even physical exhaustion due to prolonged and excessive stress. Interestingly, modern society has romanticized and celebrated burnout like it's a badge of honor. Similar to how a soldier shows off their scars from war, it's become a bragging right to show off how you survived studying all night on an energy drink. O

Love. This word, four letters long, is meant to be something raw, something real. It is something that everyone dreams of having and looks forward to in their life. At least it's the version that I learned. This version didn't come from real life for me. It came from movies. It was the kind where two people hated each other in the beginning. They slowly fall madly in love until something is exposed when one person leaves, then the other does whatever it takes to win them back

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, many are scurrying to purchase a gift for their loved ones. Stores are filled with bouquets of roses, chocolate boxes, heart-shaped cookies, and a plethora of teddy bears of all sizes. Little kids are wondering what cards or candies to gift their peers in class, while someone in aisle two cannot decide between red or pink roses. Valentine’s Day is fun for its extravaganza, quirkiness, and anticipation. However, more than a holiday for r

December 28th, 2025, 5:30 AM, we’re up early to catch the northbound Amtrak to San Francisco–the San Joaquin Gold Runner. My sister and I planned this trip impromptu. Only about three days prior did we get our train tickets, as well as our tickets to the de Young Museum. Poorly planned was the commute–mom’s tire was too bald to drive on the 180, so we opted to take my sister’s car, but the rear-view mirror had fallen off. Into my Ford Flex we piled, window ticket and all. Upo