Zachary Arthur

Posted on April 17, 2012 by comm5775

MY STORIES:

REFLECTIVE BLOG:

“I want to do that.” “That’s what I was meant to do.” “That will be me someday.” These are all phrases that go through my head when I watch any sports analysts on ESPN. For a guy in Salt Lake City, Utah, that is a bold statement but one that I also fully believe in.

My intermediate reporting class this semester has eliminated most of my fear in going for that goal. It sounds slightly pathetic and timid but my biggest weakness has always been the initial approach. Approaching somebody I have never seen or met and asking them questions goes against what we are all taught as kids, “don’t talk to strangers.” I did not know I would have to dive in so deep with this class, but I learned quickly.

My background is in sports and I would equate the fear I had with approaching random people to the fear I had on the basketball court. I always had a unique confidence in myself when I played basketball but that came with the fear of somebody being better than me and them beating me. I would tell myself, “no fear,” and repeat it to myself all the time. I ended up taking this approach with my stories in intermediate reporting. If I didn’t have fear then I would succeed. This turned out to be the case.

I have a long way to go, and am happy to have another year of school to work on getting better. I know I can improve in a number of areas, talking to people being one, but the improvement I have made in the past four months shows me I can definitely make that happen.

ABOUT ME:

I am a junior majoring in journalism at the University of Utah. I am 20 years old and was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah. However, I lived on Andrews Air Force Base for three years when I was younger. I am hoping to graduate within the next year and want to jump right into a journalism career.

My ultimate goal is to become a sports anchor on ESPN, but I know that will take time. I know if I want to reach that goal then I have to be committed to pushing myself when it comes to my career. I currently host my own sports radio show called “The Redone” at the University of Utah on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. The show can be found on kuteradio.org. I know this experience will help me get a strong understanding of the different steps that I should take in order for me to succeed.

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Julianna Clay

Posted on April 17, 2012 by comm5775

Photo courtesy of Salt Lake Tribune photographer

MY STORIES:

MY BLOG: Reflecting on our time in class

Like everyone else I had a few things that I struggled with in this class. Writing about beats that I’m not very familiar with was a little challenging, but I learned that even if the subject is not especially to your liking you can always find a way to make it interesting and put your spin on it.

I have a problem with authority so when we did our Chief Burbank assignment I was especially worried, but I found a side of it that was personally interesting and was able to get over that fear.

Many of our guest speakers like Kevin Pang, and Ben Winslow emphasized how important it is to not only know how to incorporate and use different mixed and multimedia, but to be willing to write about a broad spectrum of subjects. I found that to be very true and helpful.

Learning about and how to operate the various popular websites like Twitter and LinkedIn was also and still is difficult for me, but I know because of this class have the knowledge and the tools to continue that if I wish to. I think the more time passes the more each generation realizes how important sites like these will become.

ABOUT ME:  My name is Julianna Clay. My dad is a retired officer of the Air Force. I was born three of five daughters to Barrett and Sindy Clay in Ohio, but was raised primarily in Europe.  I spent my elementary days in Ramstein, Germany and Aviano, Italy. I graduated high school at a DODDs school in Vicenza, Italy.

I initially moved to Utah to live with my elder sister, but stayed on after she got married and moved overseas because I wanted to go to school here. I was unsure of what course I wanted to pursue so I attended the community college  first to get my generals out of the way.

One of the general education requirements was a writing class. In that course we were supposed to get a few assignments published in the community college paper. I got multiple stories published. It was exciting and revitalizing to see my name in print. I decided that I had finally found my passion and my niche. I had gotten bitten by the journalism bug and there was no turning back.

I became a staff reporter for Salt Lake Community College’s newspaper and I after I did that for a semester or two I transferred to the University of Utah. During my first semester at the University of Utah I started an internship with City Weekly. After I ended my internship I became a freelancer for City Weekly and SLUG.

I’m two semesters away from graduating with a degree in journalism and I most recently got a weekly freelancing gig with Now in Salt Lake to write about fashion. Although music writing is primarily what I’m used to, I look forward to the challenge of writing about where to go to get the newest trends. Like any girly-girl I am very passionate about shopping and clothing!

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Javan Rivera

Posted on April 17, 2012 by comm5775

MY STORIES:

MY BLOG: Enlightening the law

What is law and justice really?

I’ve written on a variety of subjects in the past, from the opening of new art exhibits, to after-school programs on Salt Lake City’s West side. However, Voices of Utah represents my first foray into the realm of law and justice.

It’s been an enlightening experience.

Suffice to say that before these stories, I hadn’t taken any time to really look at the American justice system. It was always just there; that big system that’s designed to keep our streets safe and our citizens happy.

But what about the people who make that system run? The people it serves? The people it protects?

The people.

That’s what it all really comes down to when you start digging. It’s much more personal and individually engaging than I think most people realize. Certainly more so than I had ever imagined.

When the words law and justice are mentioned, most people tend to think about silent courtrooms and stone-faced judges.

But what about the homeless man who is huddled in the cold? His mind is lost to a combination of mental illness and self-medication. The crimes he commits usually aren’t of the violent variety, but rather misdemeanors that are a side effect of his mental illness.

What about the passionate men and women who stand up for these people? People like Salt Lake City DA Sim Gill, who helped to pioneer the mental illness court in Salt Lake City. People like him work every day to, not only keep the truly dangerous criminals off the street, but also to help those severely in need of their aid.

What about the police officers who not only choose to put their lives on the line in the name of public safety, but attempt to do so in a manner that always puts the non-violent approach ahead of their own well-being? People like Salt Lake City Police Chief Chris Burbank, whose peaceful approach to the Occupy Salt Lake Movement gained him nods of professional appreciation from around the nation.

Make no mistake. The people who serve in Utah’s justice system are professional to the bone. That being said, Law and justice isn’t some dispassionate, detached part of our society. It is made up of men and women who actively seek to make our city and our nation a better place.

Much of what I’ve discovered as part of my experience with Voices of Utah, revolves around the law and justice writing I’ve done. While I can easily say I’m pretty comfortable branching out to cover whatever catches my interest, law and justice is an area I never imagined I would be covering–outside of the crime reporting it seems most everyone ends up doing when they try and break into the field.

This portion of my experience has been both eye opening and good for me. It’s taught me that, no matter what you’re covering, there are always interesting people to meet, new nuggets of truth to be unearthed, and above all else, new stories to be told.

ABOUT ME:

Writing is more than just a career path to me—it’s my passion. I once had a friend give me some very sage advice.

“If you want to be a writer, then write. And when you think you’re done. When you think you can’t possibly write any more. Then keep on writing. Write until your fingers ache, until your mind has gone numb from the sheer amount of words that pour forth from your well of creativity. Then, and only then, will you be more than a writer. You’ll be a crafter of words.”

That’s advice I’ve taken to heart and genuinely tried to put into practice over the years. As a child, and into my adulthood I’ve always been an active reader and writer. It’s a part of who I am, and more than anything, it’s a part of who I want to be.

Having grown up the son of home missionaries, I traveled across the United States numerous times as a child. By the age of 12 I had likely traveled more miles than the majority of people would in their entire lifetimes. I honestly believe those experiences helped to mold me into the person I am today.

I’m currently in the latter half of my junior year at the University of Utah. Majoring in mass communication with an emphasis in journalism was a no-brainer for me. As someone who has always pursued literature and word crafting as a hobby, I can’t imagine a greater career than being able to convey the stories of others on a daily basis.

My time at the University of Utah has allowed me to pursue numerous journalistic endeavors. From writing for my school paper to getting my first article published in a local paper, it’s been a journey in learning and excitement.

At 20, I look to my future in anticipation. Opportunities such as Voices of Utah are wonderful due to the fact that they give me a chance to not only practice my greatest obsession, but also an opportunity to cultivate that passion into something I can use as a career.

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TODD PATTON

Posted on April 17, 2012 by comm5775

MY STORIES:

MY BLOG: Toughen Up

Our professor slowly paced the front of the classroom and proclaimed “this business isn’t for pansies” (family-friendly version) as we prepared to embark on journeys to find additional sources.  A phrase that I will probably never forget as I aspire to make my career as a journalist.

This statement not only added to what I’ve learned in this classroom, but rather, defined it. No other time in my life would I approach an Eastern European restaurant owner and ask him if I could interview him, only to be rejected three times. I would never find myself talking to complete strangers at a rally at the Capitol Building, trying to find a poignant that I could add to my story. Hell, I even found myself talking to a few complete strangers while picking up food for work.

Who was I becoming? My dad? The man who has been calculated to speak to 90 percent of strangers on an airplane, while myself and older brother have a rate of 20 percent. Maybe. I’d like to think I was just simply becoming a journalist.

I’ve come a long way from the kid who could hardly stomach telling a waiter that my order was wrong. Or that calling to set up an appointment for a haircut was almost too intimidating. I never liked talking to strangers before I became a journalism student. And no other class has taught me to put myself out there quite like Holly’s.

Again, I couldn’t believe I was emailing legislators, even talking to them on the phone. As I worked for the Daily Utah Chronicle I wrote columns and sat idly in Real Salt Lake press conferences. Sure, sometimes I would man up, like when I marched onto the swim deck for a last-minute, deadline-saving, interview with the swim coach.  But I always felt uncomfortable.

As I prepare myself for graduation in the first week of May, I can honestly say this lesson may be the one I carry out of this university. Whether it’s finding a job or finding a source, I think the phrase “this business isn’t for pansies” can be used in almost any situation.

It has helped me realize that if you don’t put yourself out there to succeed, you won’t.

ABOUT ME:

Hailing from ever-cultured Utah County, I’ve transitioned myself to Salt Lake City and am slowly attempting to become a journalist while at the University of Utah. Sports is an undying passion of mine and the reasoning behind my endeavor to work with sports in any way possible.  Whether it’s writing or producing, working with sports is not just something I want to do, but have to do.  While it may seem that I’m one-dimensional when it comes to my interests: music, food and social concerns are some other aspects of life that take up my time. And yes, I’m being sarcastic about a cultured Utah County.

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LEWIS WALKER

Posted on April 17, 2012 by comm5775

MY STORIES:

MY BLOG:

Over the past three months I have sat in an intermediate reporting class, listening, observing and accepting plenty of tools that may help me become a much better writer. Some of the things that have been offered from classmates as well as some of the things I had on my mind were made clear by our instructor, Holly Mullen, as we expressed our difficulties we stumble upon when we are writing. Despite all of the sharing and learning that has gone on in this semester, it has seemed to fly by in a blink of an eye. A lot of joking and laughter has been expressed throughout the four walls surrounding us in this enclosed box in the LNCO building here at the University of Utah.

As our class first began, we set out on an expedition to write about Law & Justice. But the process of writing kicked in, our theme being edited and stripped down to its final details to make readers become attached to the stories we wrote is the journey this class went on. Straying away from Law & Justice later in the semester, we were able to seek out things we were interested in, stories we felt attached to as well as something we at least knew a little about. The road wasn’t easy but it sure was a great learning experience along the way. With only a dozen student/classmates the class seemed as if it had begun to mold into an authentic friendship. There has been a great change from the first month of class to now, as we approach our final destination to the semester’s end. We all feel comfortable asking the person to our left for help with a critique on our stories, because as we learned from guest speakers, that intimidation of peer editing is something every writer needs to overcome, because every good writer needs a great editor.

The process of writing can sometimes  intimidate me, due to the fact of having to go seek out strangers, sit them down and talk face to face asking personal questions at times. But like any fear, we cant let them stop us from doing what it is we want to do as well as become great at it. When you take these kinds of risks you find you learn a lot not only about yourself but others around you.  This might be someone you would never have chosen to speak to. You begin to build a relationship with someone in such a short period of time, and it seems real.

An experience I encountered while doing our enterprise stories was something that stands out in my mind till this very day. I went to the Rescue Mission of Salt Lake to visit and chat with some of the homeless people there. I saw a lot of intimidating human beings, (or was it because they didn’t have the same privileges as myself) but I caught my eye on one guy in particular, a 72-year old man by the name of Herbert Smith. A recovering drug addict who has lived in so many places in those years, he doesn’t feel comfortable enough to call anyplace home. As he shared his story with me I felt some sort of connection in an entirely different way. My mind had been made up before I ever walked into the Rescue Mission about what I would find there. This has been the experience I have gained this whole semester, going into things with an open mind. Walking into something blind can be a bit scary, but with the right game plan, everything can turn out the way you wanted it to.

The way we ended this class has been sweet, literally, sweet. We gathered one last time for cups of lemonade and cookies, our sweet tooth’s were calling for something to make us all jump out of our seats. Although everyone was hesitant for a bit, we all made our way up to the front of the class to partake in some last minute refreshments.

ABOUT ME:

My name is Lewis Walker, 22. I am a student at the University of Utah studying journalism as well as a part of the athletics program. Born in a small town in California named Lancaster, then moving to Utah in high school, where I have seen a whole different side of culture. The reasons as to why I aspire to become a journalist are simple: I love to write and share things with others, writing can change many views of people when they see a different angle on a subject, and writing is a medicine to the mind. It allows you to clear your head and just let things out.

If, one day, all my dreams were to come true outside of sports, I would love to travel the world and take photographs that force people to look deeper into the images sitting in front of them, allowing the mind to become creative and free.

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Frances Moody

Posted on April 17, 2012 by comm5775

MY STORIES: 

MY BLOG: Less is more

Before, the cliché, less is more, had no real meaning to me. To me, more dessert was better than less dessert, more coffee was was better than less coffee, and, at times, more alcohol was better than less alcohol. But my goal to become a news writer proved the common cliché to be accurate in every way.

When I eat too much dessert, I get too full. When I drink copious amounts of coffee, I can’t fall asleep. When I consume bottles of alcohol, I get very intoxicated. Lastly, when I add too much description into a story, I make the readers and myself confused.

When reflecting on my writing style in the past and present, I have noticed a great change in syntax, organization, and choice of words. All changes are due to the motto, “less is more!”

The example of less being more can be found in my last story, “You’re Born Naked and Everything Else Is Drag.” While researching for this story, I discovered the rich history of drag queen life. Before, I would have become overwhelmed and would have felt the urge to include all my research. But with the idea of less is more in mind, I took a straight angle and included the story of two drag queens’ journeys.

On my quest to become a news writer and journalist, I discovered that clichés, though overused, have the power to teach useful lessons.

ABOUT ME: Bonjour mes amis! I would very much love to introduce myself and offer the credentials I will carry into the world of journalism. My name is Frances Moody and I am a student at the University of Utah studying International Studies and Mass Communication. I love anything and everything French. With that being said, I am also minoring in French. Parlez-vous français? At only 22 years of age, I have the whole world ahead of me. Coming from the small town of Mt. Pleasant, Utah, I am ready to experience more than the local Dairy Queen and drive-in theater. In summary, I want to travel the world and get the most out of my young life. Hopefully, my passion for new experiences and yearning to live among different cultures will allow me to become a phenomenal writer and journalist.


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Tricia Oliphant

Posted on April 8, 2012 by comm5775

Photo by Thomas Oliphant

My Stories:

My Blog:

Six years ago I moved to Salt Lake City to go to school. Every aspect of my life was focused around being a university student and, although I resided in Salt Lake City, I didn’t really live in Salt Lake City. I found myself caught up in day-to-day student life and ignorant of the world around me. Upon enrolling in this class, I decided I wanted to broaden my horizons and discover the city in which I had been living for years.

As I began to plan and report for my first stories, I quickly realized that the only way to discover a city is to talk to its people–to connect on a personal level with those who make up the community. As I have  interacted with the Salt Lake community in reporting for each of my stories, I have realized that Salt Lake City is rich with history, diversity and culture.

For my first story I visited the mental health court in Utah’s Third District Court. I admit I was nervous to go to mental health court for several reasons. I felt very ignorant of and inexperienced with the mentally ill.  Furthermore, prior to that experience, I had never been to any kind of court and therefore did not know what to expect. In spite of these fears, I attended and had an eye-opening experience.

At mental health court, I saw the mentally ill as normal, everyday people seeking help to regain control of themselves and their lives. I witnessed a judge who showed concern and compassion for each individual standing if front of her. What impacted me most was a mother who pleaded for her bipolar son. Attending mental health court helped knock down the “me and them” barrier that existed before when I thought of the mentally ill. I was able to better connect and even relate to those attending as we all have our personal struggles. Furthermore, I was able to witness Salt Lake City caring for its mentally ill.

The next couple of stories I wrote were about the Occupy Salt Lake movement and One World Cafe. Reporting for both of these stories allowed me to interact with several of the poorer, homeless citizens of Salt Lake who are trying to make a difference. I was inspired by their selfless vision of taking care of one another (including the homeless) and changing Salt Lake City. I was humbled by their kindness and enjoyed speaking with them and hearing their side of things. I will never forget the people I spoke with and the lessons they taught me while reporting for these stories.

My last story focused on the opening of the City Creek Center. I was intrigued by the City Creek Center and wanted to write a story on it because I felt that the center would change downtown Salt Lake City forever. I enjoyed talking with people about their opinions and views of the center and enjoyed experiencing it for myself.

Reporting for each of my stories has allowed me to see different sides of Salt Lake City. I am grateful to the people who opened up and allowed me to hear their stories.

About Me:

 My name is Tricia Oliphant and I am a senior at the University of Utah. I am studying Atmospheric Sciences with aspirations of becoming a broadcast meteorologist. I graduated from George Washington High School in Charleston, W. Va., in 2006.  Since high school, I have lived in Utah except for an 18-month period when I lived in Spain as a full-time missionary.

I am fascinated by planes and weather.  I interned at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center in Edwards, Calif., during the summers of 2007 and 2008 where my fascination was amplified.

I am currently enrolled in a journalism class at the U in order to help me as a broadcast meteorologist.  I have been told by other broadcast meteorologists that it is important to have good reporting skills when working in any position in the broadcast industry.  I hope that the stories I write for this journalism class will help the residents of Salt Lake City become more aware of their community.

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Jason Nowa

Posted on February 23, 2012 by comm5775

MY STORIES: Sim Gill Story, Chris Burbank Story, Utes Basketball, Utes Baseball

My Blog: Living Words

I enjoyed this class I just took at University of Utah, Communication 3660 with Holly Mullen, a lot because it taught me a variety of things that I need to know for my major and for an eventual career in journalism. communication. We have created multiplemedia presentations that help further a career in this field. I have made a Twitter account and understand how it works now, as before I didn’t have one.

The LinkedIn portfolio helps provide myself  to connect with others in a business format. Multimedia is necessary nowadays to communicate with other people. The picture-taking is important, as well, to show you are well-rounded in this field as we have done in some assignments this semester.  I liked the X-ray readings analysis because it gives me a chance to read and really think and analyze an article instead of just reading to read. The analysis helps you to point out grammar issues, along with format and ideas.

The writing projects we did with Sim Gill and Chris Burbank were an eye opener as to how to write. I struggled to start with ideas on where to go with the law and justice portion of the assignment at first. Once I figured out which direction I could go with each article I did OK. I felt like I did a lot better with the enterprise stories, about Utah Ute baseball and Ute basketball, because it was something I was interested in and felt like I could really write about the stories I did. Ideas were a lot more free- flowing in my mind as to what to write about, after I figured out the topics I would write on. The interviewing in this class for the articles we did continued to remind me of the field I’m going into and how it will be in real life. The interview process is all about positive communication, even when denied. Persistence is necessary to be a good journalist. The Study Abroad Fair was the first real interviews for the class to get us ready for other interviews we did in the semester.

I learned a lot this semester by working on my writing. I know that I can write if I have a topic I’m interested in. New ideas might always be a struggle, but it keep me always thinking. I think positioning or formatting an article is something I can work on by brainstorming beforehand  to get my articles to be more cohesive. I need to read more AP Style to be able to remember how to write certain things before I write instead of looking it all up afterwards. Overall, this class has really helped me to be more confident in my writing, my interviewing and the fact that I can succeed in this field for a career. The only thing that got hard was having multiple articles being written at once. I will have to get used to that though. I really liked the suggestions that you, Holly, gave us as our teacher after I wrote because it helped me to see how I can write in an active voice and make things simple to read. Learning how to write is always a process of continuing to become better. I think writing these articles has helped me and practice will make perfect.

Writing about sports is what I enjoy because my entire life I have played them and to still have it in my life is important to me. Only a few people are lucky enough to make professional sports a career, but to write on games, or teams is something that keeps me young and competitive. Emotion is something that people enjoy in life and sports provides such thrills for people to entertain that.

Though I have written before in my life in high school and at a previous university, it had been a while for myself and I had forgotten for a while how to write. This class I took really helped me to get back on track with my writing style with help from my teacher. I hope to continue in the journalism world and make a career for myself some day.

ABOUT ME: My name is Jason Nowa. I’m a student at University of Utah. I love sports and music. I am 25 years old. My major is communication. My hometown is in Southern California. I want to be a journalist because writing about my hobby of sports is interesting to me. My stories will have a great impact on myself and those who read them.

Photo by Jason Nowa

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Unity Computer Center and Clubhouse — a decade of technological literacy

Posted on November 22, 2011 by comm5775

Story and slideshow by DEREK SIDDOWAY

Take an engaging visual tour of the many services available at the Computer Center and Clubhouse.

The Unity Computer Center and Carole Costa have come a long way helping people in the past 10 years.

“This place had a tiny computer lab in a trailer and they were looking for people to help with the youth program,” the 41-year-old computer center manager said. “One thing led to another and 10 years later I manage the whole place.”

Originally from France, Costa relocated in 2000 to Utah where she began volunteer work at the Unity Computer Center. Dissatisfied with educational systems she believed placed too much emphasis on testing rather than teaching, Costa left her educational background and began chasing her technological passions.

“I used to be a language arts teacher,” Costa said. “Robotics and computers were a hobby. You never know what your hobbies will lead to.” A year of volunteering later, she hired on part-time and eventually became a full-time employee at the Unity Computer Center.

Looking at the center now, it’s hard to believe it once resided in a trailer. Located at 900 W. 1383 South within the Sorenson Unity Center, today there are two computer labs: the Unity Computer Center for adults and the Unity Computer Clubhouse designed for children and teens. According to the Sorenson Center’s annual report, the Unity Computer Center served 955 adults and 304 youth throughout the 2010-2011 fiscal year and averaged more than 1,100 visits each month.

Keeping with the Unity Computer Center’s mission for computer literacy, a variety of services are available to patrons. In addition to open-access hours, users can attend computer literacy classes, specialized workshops and multimedia activities designed to expand their technological know-how. There are 14 computers available for adult use and 20 for the youth in the Computer Clubhouse.

Intel sponsors 100 Computer Clubhouses across the world. Costa describes the setup as a combination of public and corporation funding from Salt Lake City, the Eccles School of Business and Intel. Like other clubhouses, there is a vast array of multimedia technology for children to explore including graphic design, digital music production, video game design and Lego robotics.

Although the technology is certainly enjoyable for youth, the hope is that they will carry the skills they have learned into college and the job field. Costa, other Computer Clubhouse employees and volunteers place an emphasis on multimedia application in the real world.

“With children the agenda is always to graduate high school and get a better job. Most kids will be the first generation in their family to go to college,” Costa said.

One example is the music room. Inside, children can record, produce and mix to create their own songs in the same fashion the music industry does. As well as gaining valuable technical skills, the youth also learn important social skills such as teamwork. After the children have recorded enough songs to fill a CD they work in Photoshop to create an album cover. They also have the option of creating music videos for their music.

On the adult side, the Unity Computer Center emphasizes a more fundamental approach to computer literacy.  Many patrons have little or no computer background, so starting with foundational skills such as Internet use, email, word processing and other essentials is necessary. Another area of focus is job readiness — updating résumés and online job searching. Classes are held mostly in the morning or evening and are available in English and Spanish.

“The people here are easy to work with and friendly,” Steven Jensen said.

Jensen is a computer center patron and volunteer. He has been coming to the Unity Computer Center on an almost daily basis since 2004. Jensen uses the center to polish and expand his computer skills. By means of Excel, he has created a variety of formula-controlled databases to display in a portfolio for potential employers.

“Right now I’m going through Excel and amortization skills. I use Microsoft Office Suite a lot,” Jensen said. “I create databases of names, addresses and attendance and then I create queries to see how many people have attended within a certain range.”

Jensen also stressed the importance of the Unity Computer Center for locals. He wants to get the word out that the center is a valuable community asset and deserves recognition for its services.

“People can come here who have not gone to college but want a computer background,” he said. “It’s a great place for people who want to use computers.”

Heather Fuller, 50, a staff member since December 2010, has seen firsthand how the Unity Computer Center changes lives. Fuller came to the center after discovering the job on the University of Utah job board.

“I thought it was such an interesting idea of how to help people,” Fuller said. “I loved the concept of what they do here, helping underprivileged children and adults, teaching workshops.”

One of the workshops that Fuller had a hand in was a Mexican cooking blog. Each week for two years, women without any computer background met for classes.

Classes changed every six months. Fuller said students began with “breaking down computers and putting them back together, learning how to type, email and use Facebook, From there they went to film editing and blogging.”

The highlight was the blog, designed by the women, complete with how-to cooking videos they filmed and edited themselves. Carole Costa, who manages the adult side of the computer center in addition to the clubhouse, said it was quite the achievement for women who had started out with little-to-no computer knowledge.

Fuller was likewise proud of the group. “(Patrons) learn everything from simple tasks on the computer to finding a job, to being able to communicate with family and friends — something that would have never been possible because they don’t have a computer at home,” Fuller said. “(The center) provides an amazing experience for every walk of life, every age group.”

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Laura Schmitz

Posted on November 22, 2011 by comm5775

MY STORIES:

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