Alexis Young

Posted on November 18, 2009 by comm5775

MY STORIES:

MY BLOG:

On the first day of class, we were told we would be covering issues on “aging” in today’s society. Truthfully, I was completely shocked and a little nervous. Before enrolling in Intermediate Reporting, I didn’t know anything about aging issues, healthy aging, nor did I know my life was going to be influenced by talking to numerous senior citizens in Utah. This semester has been an incredible experience to work alongside the elderly, and learn about the different resources and services available to our aging population.

Coming up with interesting story ideas was the biggest challenge I faced. I was having an extremely difficult time in contemplating what topic I wanted to cover for one of my articles. Suddenly out of nowhere, my answer came to me. I was driving home one afternoon, and saw an elderly person around 75-years-old; he was running to the beat of his iPod alongside the road with a gigantic smile on his face. Instantly, I knew I wanted to focus my next story on exercising among the elderly. My first thought was to focus the article on different ways an elderly person could stay active, but I began researching on the internet.

That’s when I came across EnhanceFitness at the Tenth East Senior Center in Downtown Salt Lake City. During my visit, I had the chance to interview Sheila Alford, a 92-year-old woman who participates in EnhanceFitness. She honestly had more energy than anyone could ever imagine. I was deeply inspired as she shared her weekly routine with me, and I enjoyed learning that her life is truly focused on staying active. I didn’t have much time to chat her, because she was on her way to a second exercise class, but I did feel very fortunate to have been able to write about her life and share it with others. I truly hope the article I wrote about Alford and EnhanceFitness inspires others to stay active, and helps a person to realize the benefits of exercising.

The four stories I have written about aging has been a life changing experience. I was exposed to a new generation I knew nothing about, and now have a new appreciation for the elderly. Because I was so moved by the older generation, I am currently volunteering at a Senior Center in Davis County. I hope the articles I have written are helpful to you, and inspire you as they did me.

ABOUT ME:

I am 20 years old  and majoring in mass communication at the University of Utah, with an emphasis in journalism. I first became interested in journalism during my freshman year of college, as I became an avid “news watcher.” I cannot go one day without watching the Today Show or the nightly local news. My number one dream and also my career goal, is to one day become a news anchor. I love communicating and being around people, as well keeping them well-informed of what I learned from watching the news.

An incredible life-learning experience I had during the summer of 2009 was completing an internship with KSL’s Studio 5. I had the opportunity to work alongside very influential people, and I look forward to completing another internship in conjunction with a local news station very soon.

If I am not sitting at my computer doing homework, you will most likely find me enjoying anything that keeps me active. I mostly love to travel (I was fortunate enough to visit Paris, France during the summer of 2008), hike with my family, boat, exercise, snowboard, or go to a movie. Currently, I live in North Salt Lake, and am your typical “poor college student.” Life can be tough, but I never let it bring me down. I know if I continue to work hard and live life to its fullest extent, my future will remain positive.

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Donald James Williams

Posted on November 18, 2009 by comm5775

MY STORIES:

MY BLOG:

Throughout this semester, I have gained a deeper appreciation for senior citizens; I have become more aware of senior citizens in the community, and the issues they face. I enjoyed my time working with them, and hope my stories can make life better for them.
I toughly enjoyed the story I wrote on seniors seeking employment. While I worked on this story, I realized how big of an issue this is. The day of retirement at the age of 65 is almost over in this country, and seniors now need to work to survive. As one senior told me, “I need to work to survive.” Social Security does not seem to cover enough of the expenses of today’s seniors.I hope that this story will provide seniors with the resources they need to obtain employment. There are numerous resources available to them, and as I worked on this story I learned that companies actually want to hire seniors. Frank Sano, of LDS Employment Services told me that “Employers are realizing that old can be good,”
I am grateful that I was able to write this and my other stories, and hope that the aging community in Salt Lake City will read them and find them helpful.
I feel that a journalist’s role is to inform the community, which is something that I have enjoyed doing this semester.

Karen Henderson, director of the Golden Years senior center in Bountiful told me: “seniors have lived around here for years and didn’t know this many things went on around here.” I hope that because of my stories seniors will now know what’s going on, where they can go to have fun and how technology can help them. I thoroughly enjoyed this semester, and am grateful I could help members of the community.
Karen Henderson, director of the Golden Years senior center in Bountiful told me: “seniors have lived around here for years and didn’t know this many things went on around here.” I hope that through my stories seniors will now know what’s going on, where they can go to have fun and how technology can help them. I thoroughly enjoyed this semester, and am grateful I could help members of the community.

ABOUT ME:

Having grown up and lived in Utah for all but a few years of my life, I have come to love this state and this university. I remember coming to sporting events here when I was a little kid, and dreaming of the opportunity to one day attend classes here. I now get to live my dream, and am double majoring in two subjects that I love: Political Science and Mass Communications.
During the spring of 2009, I had the privilege to intern at the state capitol with Representatives Carl Wimmer and Don Ipson. This internship provided me with an in-depth look at how the political system in Utah works, and my representatives taught me how to get things done. I enjoyed the feelings I had at the end of every day knowing that what I had helped accomplish that day, made life better for others. This experience changed my opinion of state government, and gave me a deep appreciation for everything state politicians do for the citizens of Utah.
I really got involved in Mass communications through a job shadow I had during ninth grade with Tom Kirkland with KSL Television. This experience left a lasting impression on me, and gave me the desire to become a broadcast journalist myself.
I view journalists as public servants, whose job is to inform the public. I look forward to utilizing both my degrees, and continuing to serve the community through the stories I write.

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Alicia Williams

Posted on November 18, 2009 by comm5775

MY STORIES:

MY BLOG:

Writing about elderly issues inspired me to dig deep; I really wanted to find and report on emotional topics. There’s so much to learn from these treasured individuals. And absolutely everything is important to them and to the people surrounding them.

I was especially challenged with the topic about end of life care. It was scary; I thought I might be imposing upon sick individuals and their families. But, I also knew it was important to try. I wanted to give them an opportunity to share their story.

I met the most interesting and kind people. It was actually life altering, I’m forever changed. It’s such an amazing feeling to know you gave of yourself, even briefly, to someone so preciously close to death. Memories of the time I spent with Tina Chavez will be with me forever. I’ll never forget the beautiful songs she so bravely sang to me, a complete stranger. What a sweet memory.

I was also impressed with the absolute professionalism and pride the people of LifePath Hospice put into the care of their patients. Shannon Thompson is a shining example of compassion, dedication and efficiency. Qualities that became immediately apparent the first time I met her. LifePath is extremely lucky to have such a valuable employee.

I’m so grateful for the experiences I gained during this class. I know I grew as a writer and as a person. I look at my articles, and I’m impressed with what I accomplished. It’s a great feeling, it’s why I love writing.

ABOUT ME:

I’ve always enjoyed reading. I remember the different summers of my youth, by the stories I read. But, I never visualized myself as a writer.

After spending a lifetime crunching numbers and balancing budgets, I decided I needed to go back to school. Creativity may not be naturally inherited, but it can definitely be learned.

I’ve been writing for the University of Utah’s student paper, The Daily Utah Chronicle, for two years.  I took first place in the 2008 Region 9 Mark of Excellence Award for general column writing. Also, third place in the Top of the Rockies for editorials, which was very exciting because I ran against professional journalist at the Salt Lake Tribune and the Deseret News. It’s been the best experience and a truly rewarding opportunity.

Now when I visualize my future, I see a writer, an author and a biographer. I know there’s a great story waiting patiently to be written.  You’ll want to remember me; I’m going to be famous!

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Leigh Ann Walsh

Posted on November 18, 2009 by comm5775

MY STORIES:

MY BLOG:

When Elaine and Lois came to talk to the class about reporting on aging, my eyes were opened to a whole new side of aging I had never thought of before. To be perfectly honest, when we were told our beat for the year was aging the first thing that came to my mind was how cute old people are – there is no better image than an old married couple walking hand in hand. This visual quickly evaporated when Elaine and Lois warned us not to call old people cute just because they are old. I knew right then that my thinking needed to change if I was going to come up with some interesting topics to cover.

I can honestly say without hesitation that I have learned a tremendous amount over the last four months. One of my biggest concerns at the beginning of this class was the interviewing process. I had that feeling in the pit of my stomach when I made my first call to a potential source. However, these initial fears were quickly dispelled when I realized how willing people were to help me. Everyone I contacted did their best to give me the information I needed and created times in their busy schedules to talk to me. I am grateful to all these people for helping ease me into unknown territory.

With each story I tried to remove myself further from my comfort zone. The fact that I got better with every article is the greatest satisfaction I will take from this class. My best experience was interviewing three older refugees from Bhutan for my last article. They had spent 17 years in a refugee camp in Nepal before being resettled in Utah. I interviewed them through a translator and it was a very humbling experience. Their story inspired me because after interviewing them I realized that I would be the person putting their story into words. I have always wanted to be a journalist but I could never give a specific reason why. Now I know. I want to give people a voice.

ABOUT ME:

‘Live each day as if it is your last.’ That’s my life motto and never have the words had a truer meaning for me. I am an international student from Dublin, Ireland, and I have roughly six months left before my student visa expires.

I arrived here a little over four years ago with my life packed in a suitcase and my mind occupied with a mixture of excitement and anxiety. My years spent playing tennis had finally paid off when I was offered a scholarship to come play for the U. I touched down on American soil for the first time in my life and I did not know what to expect.  Fast forward through four amazing years of college tennis, full of laughs, tears, cherished memories and lifelong friends and I can honestly say I have lived the American Dream.

My love of sports has lead me in the direction of a potential career in the sports media. I played tennis, football (more commonly known here as soccer), and field hockey when I was younger. Growing up in a family with four older brothers was most likely the fuel behind my love of sports. Although my sister did put in a good, albeit unsuccessful, effort at converting me to a childhood of frilly dresses and dolls. `

I will graduate in May 2010 with a double major in mass communication and exercise and sport science. Where will I go from there? Well, your guess is as good as mine. My first 22 years have taken me to some incredible parts of the world but there is still so much more to explore. All I know for sure is I will always be proud to have been a Ute!

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Gillian King

Posted on November 18, 2009 by comm5775

MY STORIES:

MY BLOG:

On the first day of class when I discovered the beat we would be covering was aging, I was unsure what to think. I wondered how I would write four articles all focused around aging issues and the people dealing with these issues. I soon discovered the story options were endless.

When I decided to write an article about the senior-to-senior pet adoptions at the local Humane Society, I thought I would simply write an informative article about the benefits of having a pet, and the opportunity senior citizens have to adopt a pet at a discounted price. Being the sucker for animals that I am, I should have known that the article would end up being much more for me. As I spoke with the adoption specialists and toured the facility looking at the animals, tears began to fill my eyes as I saw so many homeless pets. It was no surprise when a few weeks later I was back in the shelter picking out an animal to take home with me to join our family.

As I delved deeper into aging issues I had the opportunity to meet and speak with a lot of amazing people. My article about seniors planning for their funerals as well as their spouses’ gave me valuable insight as to what people really care about when planning the end of their lives. I saw the love these couples had for each other, as well as the desire they had to remain family oriented even in death.

I also had the opportunity to meet Pam Mayne and speak with her about her desire to live a family oriented life in a society that didn’t recognize her family as a family. Being in a domestic partnership in a heterosexual society has presented many difficulties and astonishing stories as she has raised her family and now as she begins to age within the LGBT community. She is a strong and independent woman with many more experiences to tell about than I could ever fit into just one article.

It seems as though this semester has gone by so quickly, and at some points the deadlines seemed too near to accomplish. Now as I look back I am grateful for the opportunity I had to participate in this class and for the people I was able to meet. I have gained a new perspective on aging issues and have learned more than I ever thought I would.

ABOUT ME:

I am a double major at the University of Utah in English Literature and Journalism. I grew up in Salt Lake and I have always loved writing and reading. When I was in junior high I decided I would like to develop that love into a career someday. I went on to be part of the writing staff and later the head editor of both my junior and senior high school newspapers, sparking my interest in journalism.

While working on my journalism major I discovered that my real point of interest was in fiction writing, so with graduation in sight I decided to add on a second major, putting off my graduation by several semesters. Without the love and support of my husband I don’t think I would have been able to add this extra load and still keep my sanity. I am grateful to him for putting up with me.

As I near graduation, like many I am unsure of what I will end up doing with the rest of my life. My passion for writing continues, and whatever I end up doing I hope to be able to incorporate that passion, whether in fiction or news format.

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Lee Horton

Posted on November 18, 2009 by comm5775

MY STORIES:

MY BLOG:

While I worked on my latest story about violent crimes committed against older adults, I learned something: persistence can be kind of fun.

My plan was to talk to people in law enforcement, obtain statistics pertaining to the subject and interview some older adults to find if they feared being a victim of violence.  Finding the older adults was a breeze.  But finding someone in law enforcement ended up being almost impossible.

I called many police departments and left message after message.  On a few occasions I would seem to get lucky and get a police detective on the phone.  My luck turned sour, though, as they were never the detectives who dealt with crimes against senior citizens.

The messages I left did not get returned.  With a deadline looming, I got a little worried.  After complaining to a few people who didn’t quite care about my problems as much as I hoped they would, I decided to call those same people with whom I had earlier left messages, as well as find some additional people to contact.

I once again was forced to only leave messages.  With one exception, these messages were not returned until after the first draft of the story had been written.

In the end, my story didn’t quite turn out how I planned it would.  In a way, the rejection was painful.  I have never really been a no-means-yes type of fellow.  However, a lot of satisfaction came from altering my strategy to attempt to improve my situation with hopes of making my story better.  Even when the new plans also fell short, I felt pride for digging in and trying to make the story work out.

The hard work and resilience paid off, in a way.  The story had been something I focused so much attention on and put so much effort into, that I asked better questions when interviewing the people I did get a hold of.  These better questions led to better answers, leading to a better story.

ABOUT ME:

I am a senior majoring in mass communication at the University of Utah.  I took pride in paying for my own education in my early years of college.  For almost four years, I worked two jobs to have the funds to pay tuition.  This didn’t give me enough time to take more than one or two classes per semester.  Completing school was taking way too long, so I eventually started taking just as much pride in borrowing money from the government.

I enjoy writing and discussing different writing processes.  I believe in always using capital letters at the appropriate times, even in text messages and e-mails.  I might one day be the greatest ever at putting words and phrases together.

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Jessica Gonzales

Posted on November 18, 2009 by comm5775

MY STORIES:

MY BLOG:
Working on the aging beat has been a remarkable experience for me and I’ve enjoyed writing the stories I’ve done this semester. I was unsure at first as to the many resources that are available to the aging community but the Salt Lake County Aging services has provided me with help and guidance through the stories I’ve worked on and have been very generous to my needs.

My stories on the aging population have led me to meet remarkable people with engaging stories. I’ve learned of the many programs Aging Services provides for senior citizens and their dedication to making the “golden years” really golden.

Some of the people I interviewed for my feature stories I felt like I could talk with for hours if I had the time. They were all very humble of their life history and achievements and were some of the nicest and friendliest people I had ever met. I interviewed Fred Buchanan for my third story and I was fascinated with his previous life as a Scottish immigrant, accomplished University professor, and Parkinson’s disease patient. In my final story, I interviewed Ann Mayne who has been a senior volunteer for 18 years and showed no signs of slowing down. Her many stories of how she has contributed to the community over the years and dedication were inspiring. I can only imagine how many more people like Fred and Ann are out there whose stories are just waiting to be told.

ABOUT ME:

I was born and raised in Taylorsville for most of my life and transferred to the University of Utah in Fall of 2008 as a Mass Communication major with an emphasis in Journalism. I didn’t discover journalism until my sophomore year of college and realized it was a perfect fit to my aspirations as a writer. Writing has been one of my biggest passions and is something that I’ve loved to do ever since I was a little girl. Journalism gives me the opportunity to learn of new development, keep up with the community, and most of all, hear people’s stories. I find it to be a privilege to do so and know that my work has the potential of commemorating and being beneficial to people’s lives.

My other interests include environmental issues, Latino culture, and reading. In the future, I’d like to continue writing and using my talents to become involved in my local community and give a voice to the public.

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Evan Frank

Posted on November 18, 2009 by comm5775

MY STORIES:

MY BLOG:

I wasn’t sure how I felt about covering the aging beat when the class first started. Having grandparents who are in their late 70s and early 80s has made me appreciate the fact that aging is a serious issue in our society. Not only has the class become better writers overall, but we have also learned a great deal on the aging process in general.

When I first came into this class, I knew my writing was decent, but my interview skills needed work. Having done only a handful of interviews, I wasn’t sure what to expect from this semester. With having a class focused on aging, the majority of the interviews I did were with elderly people. Being able to adjust my interviewing technique was an important part. Not only was I not experienced in interviewing, I wasn’t experienced in interviewing senior citizens. I have to admit I was worried the people I was interviewing would be less inclined to talk to a young reporter. I soon found out how wrong I was. Everyone I talked to was helpful. Not only were they talkative with plenty of information, I also had a difficult time trying to end the interview on occasion.

Getting lucky is sometimes part of the game. My next door neighbor, John Pease, happens to be the assistant head football coach at the University of Utah. Coach Pease played at Utah during the 60s, which made the decision of writing about football players in their elder years an easy choice. Lately, the debate on keeping professional football players healthy after their playing days has gotten more publicity. I wasn’t sure exactly who I would talk to about this topic, but I knew John Pease would be a good place to start. The coach is one of the nicest guys I have talked to. Being one of my first face-to-face interviews made me a little nervous. After fumbling over my questions the first couple minutes, I suddenly felt comfortable about what I was asking. I asked coach Pease after the interview if he knew any former players I could talk to. I didn’t expect coach Pease to recommend me to his former teammate and Super Bowl champion. Roy Jefferson wasn’t anything like I expected. When I first called the former wide receiver, I only expected to talk for a couple minutes, maybe ten if I was lucky. The interview went close to 30 minutes, and I hardly said a word. I never had an interview like it before. It felt as if we were having a genuine conversation about how injuries have affected him over the years. The conversation didn’t feel forced. It just felt natural.

Another article I worked on focused on elderly gamblers. This was a difficult subject to talk to others about. I believe I called dozens of programs on addictive gamblers. At first I was worried no one would return my calls. A few days went by before I finally heard from a person who gambled a good amount. I guess I am lucky with all the people I talked to this semester. This was another interview that went by smoothly. With the deadline approaching, I still hadn’t spoken to an expert on gambling addiction. The day before the article was due, Keith Whyte, executive director of the National Council on Problem Gambling returned my message. He was another example of someone who was willing to talk to a college journalist.

Coming into the class, I was more concerned about becoming a better writer. I didn’t realize the class would be about so much more. I believe my interview techniques have improved, along with my confidence as a journalist. Gaining confidence as I go along in this career is crucial. Taking this class helped me improve and become more aware of what it takes to succeed as a professional journalist.

ABOUT ME:

Writing has always been my first love. When I began college, I wasn’t sure what my major would be, until I took a journalism class. There’s not a better feeling than having someone compliment a story I wrote.

This is my last semester in college. A regret I have is not joining The Daily Utah Chronicle sooner. Most of my articles are on film events occurring on campus. One of my favorite things to do is write film reviews. Watching films has always been a favorite activity of mine, so expressing how I feel about it came natural to me. Becoming a better writer is always a goal I keep in mind. Listening to the professors criticism, along with what my classmates have to say, has been an important factor in my development as a writer.

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Paige Fieldsted

Posted on November 18, 2009 by comm5775

MY STORIES:

MY BLOG:

On the first day of class when it was announced that our focus for the semester would be aging I almost groaned out loud. On a regular basis I write about athletes and the great things they accomplish and was not looking forward to writing about the aging and elderly. As the class progressed, however, I gained a new appreciation for our subject matter and the issues that face the aging population. I was able to interview several amazing individuals and came to realize that most seniors have lived extraordinary lives, they only need someone to tell their stories.

Many of my classmates focused on issues like fraud, medicare, finances and many other issues that face seniors today. I, however, wanted to focus more on the people and chose two profile-like stories for my larger in-depth articles. I wanted to be able to bring to life the stories of the people I interviewed while still being able to talk about issues facing seniors. This was harder than I had imagined and took more research and work than I was prepared for. I learned that it sometimes takes out-of-the box thinking to overcome challenges and setbacks. The work was rewarding and in the end I was pleased with what I had accomplished.

This was definitely a new type of writing for me. I was writing about a subject I was unfamiliar with, to a target audience I wasn’t used too. I definitely grew as a writer and expanded my skills for both writing and interviewing. The experience taught me so much about my writing and the endless possibilities for stories there are in the world. I learned so much that will benefit me and my writing in the future.

ABOUT ME:

I am a 22-year-old senior studying Mass Communication and Psychology. I have loved writing since I was a little girl when I would write short stories about anything and everything. I didn’t consider making writing a career until I was a senior in high school and became the Editor-in-chief of my high school’s newspaper. I fell in love with the job of writing and putting together the paper for publication. When I began writing news for the Daily Utah Chronicle my freshman year I knew I had found my dream job. Three years later I have moved from news into the sports section and am currently working as the sports editor. Sports have always been a passion of mine and being able to write about them everyday is a dream come true.

I was born and raised in a little tiny town in Eastern Utah. Growing up with three sisters and parents that loved sports I got the best of both worlds; playing with Barbie dolls and watching football on TV. I have played a variety of sports my whole life, starting with basketball and volleyball when I was in fourth grade. Sports have taught me so many lessons about life. It’s those lessons that I hope to illuminate through writing about other athletes. I would love to write for Sports Illustrated or ESPN The Magazine someday but would be just as content covering high school sports for a small newspaper.

I moved to Salt Lake shortly after I graduated from high school to attend the U. I have loved living in Salt Lake but am looking forward to new experiences and places outside of Utah.

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Kelli Coomes

Posted on November 18, 2009 by comm5775

MY STORIES:

I love camping, especially in Vernal.

MY BLOG:

When we were told we would be focusing on the elderly in Utah, I was excited. Though I am more by nature an editor than a journalist, I was interested in the stories available.

I love video games and the fact that many senior centers and seniors now have the Wii was very interesting to me. There are so many myths about the elderly that I wanted to delve into.

The story about Dell Walker was my favorite to write. To have gone through that much and still be independent at his age was encouraging to me. It changed the myth that I held about how weak old people are at his age. I don’t think I could do all the things he does in a day.

ABOUT ME:

I am a student at the University of Utah, studying News Editorial Mass Communication and animation. I will graduate with a B.A. in May 2010.

I love computers, games and consoles. I am fascinated by the gaming world and hope to one day bring a little more editing to the in-game text. I think it’s important for games to use correct grammar. So many children are playing games and reading the scrolling text. It needs to be accurate for their developing minds.

I graduated from Utah Valley University with an A.S. in technical writing and I was an editor for NetXNews for two years.

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