Week 10 Blog

Topic 1--Self-Reflection: Think about the skills you learned this term and the stories you wrote for class and The Commuter.

1. The story I am most proud of is Students of Non-Typical Age. I Feel like anyone that read this story will have a better understanding about the problems all students have. It's not about age, it's about people, and the difference in the way things have changed in the world. It is a eye opener for many.

2. I feel the most important skill I learned in this class was, how to talk to people that you don't know. I learned that you can ask a question and then just stand back and let that person talk. You will get your question answered, but you also will find out way more information if you just let them talk. Great way to find out anything you need to put a story together. I think I did alright at that.

3. I got way more than an introduction to journalism. I feel I learned a lot about news reporting. I never knew just how fast and stressful it is to be a reporter. It would be a great job for anyone that loves the chase, and the pressure of being on a fast tract life.

4. Yes, I feel that the materials provided through Moodle were sufficient. If you used all that was there for you, then you could learn more about good reporting, then just what you were instructed to learn.

5. I loved the book Edna Buchanan, I think this is a great book to teach with. You learn about so many things that it takes to be a great news reporter. I think it's a good learning tool. So yes I think you should keep using this book.

Topic 2- class Wrap-Up: Reflect on your overall experience in JN216 News Reporting. Think about the things that stood out, and things that could be changed for the benefit of future students. Then answer these three questions.

1. Keep: I feel you should keep the class room discussions, keeping people engaged. This is a great way to learn. I had a lot of fun hearing about other peoples adventures in trying to get a story.

2. Stop: I don't think you should drop anything from the class, everything we do in here teaches us something important about news reporting. Everything has great value that you teach in JN216.

3.Start: I think it might be good if the future students has a good back ground in computers. I know I don't type every fast, and I don't know a lot about some of the programs we used in this class. It might be good if they had already used things like Blogger, LinkedIn, and Moodle. This might be something that would be good to have some experience in.        

Willamette Sportsman Show

If you every wondered what you need to experience the great outdoors, all you need to do is attend the Willamette Sportsman Show or go online to http://willamettesportsmanshow.com./ This show is held once a year at the Linn County Expo center in Albany,Oregon. Sponsored by JBC Men's Ministries, run by Johnathon Henderson.

On Feb.28-March 1, 2015 they put on a show with over 100 vendors and 4,000 people attending. The first 300 to 400 people through the door received door prizes; such as hats, knives, fishing and camping gear.

They held a raffle, the tickets were only a dollar to have a chance to win these items; guns, rod and reel combos, a shotgun, Traeger grill, gun safe, bow package and a Honda generator.

At this event you will see everything from popcorn tables to RVs.They have tables with guns, camping gear, lamps, clothing, food, and fishing gear, boats and ATVs.

They even had a table run by The Northwest's Window and Door Replacement Experts. If you are in need of new windows or doors, you can get a hold of them at www.renewalbyandersennw.com. They are part of the variety shown at this show.

Henderson, the organizer of the event, first held the event at their church in Jefferson. Where 15-years ago they only had 250 people attend the show. It had grown so much that they were in need of a larger space.

Henderson said," The cost of putting on this show is 25,000 dollars. The vendors pay $125 a table and $150 for a corner spot.There is a five dollar entry fee for anyone over the age of 12; this helps with the over all cost of the show."

Henderson said,"We wanted to hold our show in Albany to help support our community, it's a way to bring people in the community together with some great vendors, offering a big variety of products and services."

"We also wanted to have activities for the kids, we had a casting pond, bow-test range, and gold panning. All people attending could join in the fun." said Henderson.

They had seminars with keynote speakers; Greg Baker, who spoke on bow hunting elk in Eastern Oregon, KokAnee Kid of KokAnee Fishing 101, Nomad's Fishing out of Portland,Steve Houston form Electronic prospecting and treasure hunting 101 and Hammer Down from Coastal SteelHead Tactics.

Keith Folsom,one of the people attending the event said, "It was well worth the five dollars to see all the cool stuff they have and maybe be lucky enough to win one of the guns they are giving away. I will be back next year to see whats new."


                                                       At A Glance

Who: Willamette Sportsman Show http://willamettesportsmanshow.com/
Where: Linn County Expo Center/ 3700 Knox Butte RD, Albany Oregon E-mail: fairexpo@co.linn.or.us
Why:To broaden your knowledge on a wide variety of things such as, hunting, off-road vehicles to replacing your windows or doors.

  

"Students of Non-typical Age"

(Bobbi Finch working in class)

On any given day at Linn-Benton Community College you will see students of non-typical age, doing their best to make their dreams come true. Bobbi Finch is one of them. She said, one of her biggest challenges she has had in coming back to school is, not knowing where she fits in.

There are a lot of older students here at LBCC that feel like they’re not sure where they socially fit in. After all, the whole school scene is typically geared for the younger generation, not for people in their later years. Bobbi Finch, 50- years old, has had some real challenges in her returning to school, after so many years of being out of school.

Bobbi Finch has travailed all over the world, being married to a U.S. Marine Corps soldier. She and her ex-husband had 5 children. They moved a lot due to being stationed somewhere new every 23 months.

Finch has now lived in Oregon 17-years, where she has finished raising her children as a single mom. She has been trying to earn her degree since 1998. This in itself has been a challenge, due to being a sole provider for her kids. She said that she has had to interrupt her schooling many times over the years to work and take care of the needs of her children.

Now that all of her kids are adults, even her baby, Nick, who is 18-years old, she no longer feels like she has to be responsible for their needs. Finch said, “All I have to worry about is me, it’s my time to finish college and get my English degree, I want to be a travel reporter.”

Nick said, “I’m proud of her, I’m glad she still has the will to go back and finish what she started so many years ago. My mom is a strong woman.”

  She started college again, as of fall term this school year 2014-2015, after checking with LBCC, she knew she only had four classes left to take to earn her English degree. She thought this would be an EASY TRANSITION, knowing she had been here before.

Finch, has encountered some situations that weren’t very comfortable for her. Finch said, “The attitude of the younger generations is so rude. I have been told things like, if you don’t get your homework done, you’re on your own. Their attitude is, if you can’t keep up with us, then why are you here?”

“When it comes to the younger generation, there is a big world of difference between us and them, it’s a sad one, because it’s a ME, ME, ME, from them, instead of we have to help each other.” Finch said.

When talking to Vikki Maurer, a math instructor who has worked at LBCC for 21-years, about the generation problems she has seen, Maurer said, “I have seen it from both sides, the rudeness. What I see more now with all the social media with the younger people so plugged in, they tend to isolate their selves, because they connect with their phones better than anything else. Inner personal communication is hard for them, where just a few years ago it wasn't that way.”

Nick said,” I think what is going on, is that the younger generation thinks that the older generation doesn't want to have anything to do with them, because they think that they couldn't have anything in common with them. So it’s just no one talking to no one, and that’s the problem.”

“We had high school students mixing with the older students, and I never saw the kind of problems I’m seeing now, the rudeness, but from both sides. So from Bobbi’s point of view, she has had some interactions that weren't favorable, but I see it both ways. The younger generation, they just need somebody to reach out, because they are uncomfortable now making those connections in person, we can learn so much from each other.” Maurer said.

Maurer has Finch in her Math 98 class this term; she says Bobbie is a bright student, always thinking and asking questions, always working very hard. She is a very caring person.

When talking to Finch about these opinions, she said, “I really never thought about it that way, maybe that’s what is going on.”

Finch’s dream is to become a travelling reporter. She wants to travel around to places no one has written about, and use her first times eyes, see things that people never knew were there. Like some small town that no one would have ever known hosts a rodeo every year.

No matter what, she is going to make it through her last four classes and get her degree. You will see her walking down that aisle this June and receive her future.

Bobbi Finch

                                                                          (Math 98)

                                                                      At a Glance

            1.    Who: Bobbi Finch

2.    Where:Linn-Benton Community College

3.    What: Generation Gap if you need help Contact: Counseling and Advising at LBCC

4.    Why: To earn her English Major

5.    When: She will graduate June of 2015.

       

  

Carol Raymundo Profile

Carol Raymundo, the head coordinator for the Accessibility Resources, here at Linn-Benton Community College works for the good of students who need any type of assistance with their learning. She also is a wife of 21 years and a mom of two children.

"I always say, my favorite two days of the year at LBCC are,the first day of fall term, because of all the new students coming in, and graduations day. I like to see students that come here from the very beginning. They are extremely unsure of what is going to happen, but by the time they graduate they have grown so much. I'm there for the first day of fall term and the day by day until they graduate. It's pretty cool." Raymundo said with a lot of pride.

Raymundo grew up in a little town on the Southern Oregon coast called Myrtle Point. She is an only child, raised by a single parent.She spent a lot of time with her grandma, who was a photographer that taught her all about taking pictures and how to use a darkroom. By the time she was 12 she could use everything in that darkroom and take pictures just like a professional.

 Raymundo had a hard time in school due to vision problems she was born with.She said,"I wasn't the best student in school, I had a hard time developing some of the skills because of my vision problems. My hand writing is really bad. I don't have any depth perception. Reading is hard for me."

 When she was 15-years old, still in high school, she saw an ad in the  Myrtle Point Herald, a local newspaper . They were looking to hire a sports reporter/ photographer.

 "I interviewed. They hired me, I was responsible for all the sports reporting, photos and darkroom work. I would go to school and right after that go to the newspaper office and work till 5:30 or 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, depending on if there was a game or something going on, I worked 20 to 30 hours a week." Raymundo said.

 She did that until she graduated at the age of 18-years old. By the time she left the paper she could do everything involved in running a paper.

She moved to attend LBCC.  "My first term, I didn't do well at all, I failed all of my classes, I wasn't ready for school, I needed to take a break. I really didn't know what I wanted to do when I started college." Said Raymundo.

 Raymundo didn't return to LBCC until five years later,  She had learned she was pregnant and wanted to be able to provide for her son. She took  administrative courses to get her degree, she didn't quite finish, so she end up with a one-year certificate as an Office Specialist. 

 Being the determined person she is, she looked into the online classes, after taking them,she could see they worked better for her, as she  had her young son to care for.She has received her bachelor's degree and then went on to get her master's.

Raymundo has worked at LBCC for about eight months now in her current position, but has worked in this department for eight years. Raymundo also worked  in other departments at LBCC and has spent the last 15-years in total working with students.

"What we do is work on a case by case base. If a student doesn't have documentation but can clearly identify where their learning is impacted, then we can try some accommodations."  Raymundo said. Her job is very important to them, she works with students and helps them build their accommodation plan. 

  When she first started here they had five full-time staff and approximately 20 part-time employees. Over time there has been many staff reductions in Center for Accessibility Resources. 

 Raymundo said, "I think right now we aren't currently staffed enough with the number of students  we have. I am always concerned that we are not serving students in the way we should be. I think it's fair to say, if we had more staff we would be able to serve students better than what we are currently. We try as hard as we can, but there are only so many of us."

 Julie Hessel the Program Assistant said, "Carol has a lot of experience in many different areas. I'm amazed at how understanding and personable she is. She wants students to succeed, she wants the process to work, barriers to be taken down, so students don't have to jump through to many hoops to have their accommodations."                       

 Hessel said, "I really enjoy working with her, Carol has taught me so much, she has helped me grow professionally. The one word I would use to describe her, would have to be, DRIVEN."

 Jennifer Walker works in the support lab. Walker works directly with students helping not only scheduling appointments, but many other issues that student may need help with, as well as assisting Carol and Julie. 

Walker said, "I see Carol almost every day, she is one of the best bosses I have ever had. This is the second time I have work for her, she was me boss about 12 years ago. The reason I feel that she is one of the best bosses is because our goal is to help students to succeed; with Carol's skills we are meeting those goals. She is very involved with all the students, with their classes and knowing what their needs are."

 Walker said, "On top of being a great boss, she is an AWESOME, caring, understanding, helpful, a great friend that is fun,easy going and likes to just chat."       

 Raymundo gets to relive her 10 minutes of fame every June, when someone she has helped succeed in reaching their goals, walks down that aisle and accepts their future.

 At A Glance     

 1.Carol Raymundo Head of The Accessibility resources   

 2.Raymundo knows how to provide you with accommodations to help you succeed.

 3.Here at LBCC located at Red Ceder Hall room 105 or online at LBCC

 4.Raymundo's hours are Monday- Friday 9:00AM-3:00PM

 5.Raymundo is the one to help you over the barriers. 

                                                               Julie Hessel

                                                              Jennifer Walker

    

Equal Access for Education at LBCC

Everyone needs help at some point in their lives. At LBCC you can get that help. Check out the Center for Accessibility Resources if you feel that you may need  accommodations for a disability.

                                       

The Center for Accessibility Resources (CFAR), formerly known as the Disability Services Office, is a program run by Carol Raymundo at Linn-Benton Community College. It's located at Red Cedar Hall, room 105. 

As soon as you know you are going to attend college and feel you may need some help in being successful, you can contact CFAR. There you will meet with Raymundo, and work together to see if you qualify for accommodations, with or without documented proof. This is an individualized program in which they consider all your needs.

What they do is work on a case-by-case base. If a student doesn't have documentation but can clearly identify where their learning is impacted, they then can try some accommodations. That's according to the National Disability of Higher Education guidelines. 

They also have a Support Lab, where you can test in a quiet atmosphere. 

CFAR has so far this year (2014-2015)  accommodated over 682 students with over 1,103 accommodations, and that was only four weeks into the Winter Term. This number grows thoughout the year.

Students who may need some accommodations, first need to plan ahead, making sure they know how they are going to attend college, and how they are going to pay for it. Students should have already taken their placement tests.

Students then can either go in person or apply online at www.linnbenton.edu/cfar, to get started with requesting accommodations. Then they meet with Raymundo and see what accommodations are available.

CFAR has many accommodations, such as accessible formats, classroom/lab accommodations, curriculum accommodations, testing accommodations and for the deaf/hard of hearing.

Raymundo works with  students to see what accommodations are needed, then they put the plan together and try different things for  students. 

CFAR also provides accommodations to students who may not be able to keep up. It could be that you just need a chair because your back hurts, or it could be you need someone to read for you because you can't read. They accommodate from the smallest things, to the biggest things.

Raymundo said, “Center for Accessibility Resources isn't a scary place. We hope students feel comfortable coming here. We want to make sure that if they have questions, they are able to ask them, and feel like they can.”

Changing the name to CFAR was a consideration, not a requirement, she said. This was done so students would feel more comfortable in asking for accommodations.

CFAR has the Support Lab located at RCH, room 114. Once students receive their accommodations, they can get started with scheduling their tests. Jennifer Walker will be there to set appointments for them.

Students will get their syllabus on their first day, which is where they can find all their test dates. This is what you will use to schedule your tests.

Walker said, “It is very important that you start scheduling your test the first week of school, especially finals, because the testing area fills up fast.”

The Support Lab has quiet with no distractions cubicles. There are two types of cubicles, one that has desks facing the door with a window, and one without a window so that there are no distractions.

Students must first be registered with CFAR for quiet testing, and then students must fill out the form that states what accommodations they intend to use.

Once the appointment has been set, students will give the form to their instructor. The instructor will fill their part out and take the test to the lab before the date set to test.

Walker said, “Anyone can use the Support Lab. You don’t have to have accommodations. If you just want a place to get away from the stressful college atmosphere, come here, use the computers, go on Facebook, play a game, just take a break. Just not during finals week, because they are full.” 

                                                   At a Glance

What: Center for Accessibility Resources at LBCC 
When: As soon as you know you are going to attend college 
Who: Carol Raymundo, Coordinator for CFAR  

Where: Red Cedar Hall, room105, or online at www.linnbenton.edu/cfar 
Why: To have equal access for education. So if you need any help in learning, contact  Raymundo at CFAR or go online.

Jennifer Walker

Carol Raymundo

Support Lab

Media Blog, Forum Post # 3

         Topic 1: SPJ Code Of Ethics

1. The aspect of the code I feel is the most important is to Minimize Harm. "Ethical journalism treats sources, subjects, colleagues and members of the public as human beings deserving of respect."
2. I chose Minimizing Harm as the most important because I believe that showing compassion for the story and its subjects is very important.  I agree that being a journalist does not give you a license for arrogance or undue intrusiveness. I think weighing the consequences of what you are reporting against the public's right to know is an extremely important balancing act that a journalist must constantly walk. I also have witnessed trial by the public, before any jury trial has taken place, due to biased reporting, and I don't think that is fair or ethical, even if unintentional.  Another vital piece of reporting is to update any previously reported information as it comes in.  This keeps the public aware of any breaking situations, as well as long term information. 

                  An example of why Minimizing Harm is so very important is the case of Officer Darren Wilson shooting suspect Michael Brown in the town of Ferguson, Missouri.  This case was heavily covered by reporters across the nation.  Some reported without bias, while others seemed to have forgotten the journalism code of ethics.  There was public outrage pouring in from all sides of this case.  There were reporters who stayed true to only facts while others reported from opinion based facts.
                 One case of reporting without considering harm to the subject was The New York Times reporter, Julie Bosman, publicized the home address of Officer Darren Wilson.  This could have caused that man harm to the point of loosing his life, or that of his family.  Thankfully, that did not happen.  However, he did resign from the police force and moved his family else where.
               
                  This type of reporting is what makes Minimizing Harm the most important aspect of the code to me.  The previously mentioned story could have had a much more tragic consequence.



    Topic 2: Story #2  UPDATE

1. The topic I am reporting on is  The Center for Accessibility Resources.

     2.  I am writing about who qualifies for these services, where you go to apply for services, and how you know if you qualify; also, who makes the decision, what services are offered, and when you should apply for services. I am going to include why using these services can help you succeed at Linn-Benton Community College.

     3. My three sources are :

                          1.  Carol Raymundo - Head of Center for Accessibility Resources (CAR)

                          2.  Jennifer Walker - Support Lab for CAR

                          3. www.linnbenton.edu/cfar

     4.  My five questions are:

                          1. Why would someone need to use the CAR?

                          2. What is the purpose of applying for accommodations?

                          3. When should someone apply for services so that accommodations are in place before they attend the first term of school.

                          4. Where would someone go to apply for services?

                          5. Who is in charge of making the decisions on who is eligible for accommodations through CAR?

Media Blog Forum #2

Topic #1:Biggest Challenge-Working on my First New Story.

1.  My biggest challenge doing my first news story was the interviewing.
2. What I will do different on my next story is not wait as long to write it. I will put all the facts together faster and start a rough draft right away.
3. My experience with interviewing was nerve racking.  I learned that if you let the person interviewing just talk chances are, they'll answer all your questions before you ask them. Next time I will try to get the interview at least a week before the deadline.

Topic #2: Edna--Reading the 1st and second chapters in The Corpse Had a Familiar Face.

1. The thing I found most interesting is that the cops love her, even though she was a pain in their ass, they respected her relentless pursuit of the truth.  She never gave up. My favorite phrase of the beginning of the book was; "The face of Miami changes so quickly, but the dead stayed that way.I feel haunted by the restless souls of those whose killers walk free.  Somebody owes them." This strikes me so, because I think this is probably her driving force. The reason she never stopped.
2. The tip I picked up from Edna was to ask questions.  She asked so many questions from who they were to what their cat's name was.  She wanted to know everything about them, what really made them who they were in life.  That way she could give them a proper send off.  By asking endless questions you're bound to find the information you're looking for, this enables you to gather the facts that you need to write a well informed piece.