Hello world, I am the new 2011 summer intern for The Center for Hearing and Speech (CHS) development team. One of my first projects will be assisting with the 6th annual Via Colori Street Painting Festival. I am so excited to lend a hand and be a part of this amazing experience. Since I have started my journey with CHS, I have learned about this cool art form that up until now I didn’t even know existed. Can you imagine gigantic art murals painted directly on the streets of Houston using only chalk? How cool is that!
As we get started planning for Via Colori 2011 we are looking for artist, after all what is a street painting festival without some of the most important people-our artist. On November 19-20 these artist will transform the pavement of downtown Houston into an ocean of vibrant colors and images. This festival will give the artist a chance to showcase their art work while at the same time raising funds for a worthy cause benefiting the hearing impaired children of CHS.
Via Colori needs 200 professional and practicing artists from all different genres to submit their applications and be a part of this astonishing event. All artists must be 18 years or older; once your application is submitted the festival’s jury will review all applications accompanied by art submissions to determine the 2011 artist line-up. To sign up as an artist, download the application at http://tiny.cc/k2aib.
With the help of our artist and the Houston area I know that this year’s Via Colori Street Painting Festival will be the biggest one yet. I am looking forward to the lasting memories that will be created. ;-)
UH STUDENTS HELP DEAF CHILDREN DEVELOP COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Houston, July 22, 2011 – The Center for Hearing and Speech is buzzing with excitement. Summer is finally here and that means it is time for the annual camp, Project T.A.L.K. (Talking And Listening for Kids). From July 25 – 29, the Center’s Speech–Language Pathology clinic is teaming up with the University of Houston (UH) audiology students from the school of Communication Sciences and Disorders, to host an interactive program for hearing-impaired children ages 4 – 10. This unique camp will develop their listening and speaking skills all while having a good time.
The Center values the partnership with UH audiology students, they help create activities that develop the children’s relationship skills like teamwork and leadership. Each activity will give these hearing-impaired children the chance to practice the vital communication skills needed in order to succeed and gain independence.
“The UH students help us make Project T.A.L.K possible,” said Dr. Jennifer Wickesberg, the Center’s Director of Audiology. “In addition to work with the children, they also have an opportunity to develop their professional skills.”
Alumni of the Center also take advantage of Project T.A.L.K.; they return to volunteer their time and serve as mentors to the children.
“The kids love working with the alumni; they really look up to them,” expressed Michael Douglas, the Center’s Director of Intervention Services. “There is a comfort in knowing that they are not alone. Having the alumni volunteer provides the children with a boost for their sense of self.”
What:
2011 Project T.A.L.K. summer camp at The Center for Hearing and Speech
Media is invited to take photos or shoot footage of Project T.A.L.K. Contact Managerrie Winston to schedule media interviews during the week with CHS executive director, Speech-Language staff, students or parents.
About The Center for Hearing and Speech (CHS)
The Center for Hearing and Speech is a non-profit organization that identifies and serves children with hearing impairments. In 2010, CHS provided clinical, educational and family support services to more than 2,900 children. CHS is the central resource in Houston for pediatric hearing loss and specializes in oral deaf education.
After the recent “No Phone Zone” bans that are sweeping across the nation, students share their views on texting while driving and the deadly consequences it could lead to.
Technology has created many ways for humans to communicate but texting has turn into a deadly epidemic of distracted driving, and many students seem to agree.
“Texting while driving can be dangerous and is something I would not advise,” freshman Trevor Brandon said. “Because your mind is not worried about your safety and where you’re trying to go but rather what you’re trying to text to the person on the other end of the message.”
Talk show host Oprah Winfrey raised awareness when she teamed up with different organizations and asked people to participate in national “No Phone Zone Day” where people recognized that their car was a “No Phone Zone.”
Winfrey took this issue head on after hearing about the story of a nine year old girl named Erica who was hit and killed on her bike by a motorist texting while driving.
Texting while driving has become an important issue being that in the United States so far, six states have banned text messaging while driving which are Alaska, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Jersey, Washington state, and California.
In such countries as Britain, texting while driving has turned into a crime where a person can receive up to seven years in prison for violating the law.
Britain has also released a disturbing and graphic public service announcement that leaves some U.S. newscasters roaring about this subject.
Some students said that the U.S. should adopt the P.S.A. Britain televised to get the message out on how texting while driving has become a bad habit people need to address.
“I think the U.S. should allow the P.S.A. to be televised it would open a lot of people eyes,” senior Hope Thompson said.
“When you are driving on the highway people drive crazy as is so you’re not driving only for yourself but others, if they showed that video it would make people think.”
A recent study published this past summer by AAA showed that 35 percent of drivers feel less safe in today’s driving world than they did five years ago.
AAA also reported that 95 percent of the nations drivers polled acknowledged texting while driving is dangerous, but 21 percent of them also said that they have done it recently anyway.
Some TSU students have expressed their views on texting while driving stating that they believe texting is a problem but they also admit to doing so.
“I have a lot of friends who text on the freeway,” junior Cherrelle Smith said. “And they have their head down and at any moment someone can swerve in front of you. I do text while driving but when I am on the freeway I don’t.”
Students have said that on their way to school they have looked at other people driving along side of them and have seen their phones in hand texting and trying to look at the road all at the same time.
When asked if this was an epidemic that should be handled on a state and national level some students expressed the actual importance of this issue.
“If you look at the death rates for accidents and look at the causes,” senior Courtney Dacus said. “You will see that this has become a big issue that should be talked about and awareness should be raised.”
“A lot of that can be changed if the state and the president took this issue head on and enforced tougher laws against it.”
President Obama signed an executive order on January 26, 2011 saying that federal employees will not be allowed to text while driving, that includes both their personal or government provided cars and phones.
Although the president is making requirements for government employees many students believe nationwide there needs to be requirements and laws for all citizens of the United States in order to stop what may be the becoming of a global epidemic.
Hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons discussed his new book Russell Simmons Super Rich and maintaining success with Texas Southern University students.
Russell Simmons Super Rich plunges deep into the spiritual practices that have become very important to Simmons as he continues to mature.
“I wrote the book primarily for people who felt locked out and threatened,” Simmons said.
Most people reading the title Russell Simmons Super Rich would assume that the book is about monetary growth.
Perceptions will change when readers discover that Russell Simmons Super Rich is about his personal transformation through different practices such as yoga and becoming a vegan.
“This book is about transformation, it’s about practices that promote transformation.” Simmons said.
Simmons gives many personal examples of himself when he talks about his own transformation from an out of shape carnivore, drug dealing, and cold hearted hustler to a charitable activist and multi-million dollar tycoon.
Russell Simmons Super Rich unfolds unconscious behaviors that affect people in their everyday lives.
“We have to separate ourselves from the collective,” Simmons said. “Things go on every day; unconscious behaviors by people around you. Sometimes if we can’t separate ourselves and watch our thoughts then we become swept up.”
The most important message throughout Russell Simmons Super Rich is eliminating the feeling of neediness and devoting yourself to service and benevolence instead of success and depletion.
It becomes very noticeable that Russell Simmons Super Rich is not about materialism but rather discovering spiritual riches.
“Eliminating neediness which is the cause of suffering is a very attractive thing,” Simmons said.
Russell Simmons Super Rich brings forth the power of Christ consciousness and becoming awake in order to be vigilant and enlightened.
“This idea of being awake is the goal of each person,” Simmons said. “We all want to be able to drive through the street and see each flower as we see it and not to have the noise in our heads.”
Simmons target audience is not specifically for the businessman and company owners, but more of the less fortunate and under motivated individuals looking for a way to prosper and become more spiritually in tune with one’s self and a higher being.
“I wrote this book for the kids on the corner and the people in the prisons,” Simmons said.
Simmons explained what he hopes people will take from reading Russell Simmons Super Rich.
“That they can have the courage to change their lives; something that they were doing that was hurtful to themselves and others that they will stop doing it.” Simmons said.
Simmons shared with students how he measures and maintains success in his everyday life.
“I keep trying to remind them that there is no success level you just keep your head down and enjoy the process,” Simmons said. “There is no success level that you should feel at ease with and there is no success level that you should feel a suffering from. It’s really about what’s inside of you.”
Russell Simmons Super Rich is a must read, filled with powerful life changing techniques that alter what success or “super rich” really means.
Reporter Ronnie Turner discussed what it truly means to be a backpack journalist and the importance of having everlasting sources.
An alumnus from Jack Yates high school and recent University of Houston graduate, Turner who is a freelance writer for the Houston Chronicle carries a backpack to keep a low profile image as a reporter on college campuses, and also uses it to hold everything he needs when a story breaks.
“I’ve been driving alone and had to pull over doing interviews and taking notes,” Turner said. “I even have a small flashlight because you never what time of the night you have to look at a piece of paper for information.”
His backpack holds vital tools all reporters need a recorder, digital camera, flash drive, extra batteries, pens, stats, and all the things needed when breaking news.
“I also carry that backpack because I have important things that I use every day and that I keep around for emergencies,” Turner said. “My recorder, my cell phone charger, batteries for my recorder, flash drive, pens, notepads, stats, everything I think I’ll need my hands on. You never know when a story is going to break."
Turner described how his backpack helps him blend in when reporting on college campuses.
“For one, I like carrying my backpack and two it’s done strategically,” Turner said. “With that backpack on I blend in with the students just like anybody else. So nobody would expect me to be a reporter unless I pull out a notebook and recorder and started asking questions. Other than that I can slip in pretty much anywhere on campus that I want to and get information.”
Turner shared tips on how to stick to an ongoing story by utilizing sources, Turner uses the recent firing of Texas Southern Universities head couch Johnnie Cole to show a sources importance to a developing story.
“I got word from a source; you have to have sources in this business you don’t know everything they know everything, they might not know everything but they know more than you know because they’re usually closer to the program,” Turner said.
In this case Turners sources were affiliated with the TSU athletic program, sources in close connection to athletic programs are necessary for Turner to cover his beat.
These sources serve as extra eyes and ears for Turner, his sources called him whenever tips surfaced about breaking news relating to Cole's firing.
Turner sources eventually led to him breaking the correct news information about Cole's firing the morning it was announced.
In order to keep solid relationships with sources their names must never be withheld, the terms “Texas Southern Athletic Program official” or “University official” should be used so reporters do not burn their sources.
Turners methods are required functions of backpack journalist in this day in age, Turner efforts are endless in getting a story and he keeps all the necessary tools to accurately report it.
Fifty years after the first Freedom Ride Texas Southern University students discussed today’s issues and passions of their generation.
Students were moved by the history of the Freedom Riders and have become inspired to take action in their own communities to bring about needed changes.
“When I was introduced to the Freedom Riders by my father I become succumbed with an awakening," senior Tamiko Bynum said.
"I felt like there were so many things going on in my community that will never change unless we take on a call for action.”
On May 4, 1961 the Freedom Riders went in route through the Deep South to challenge Jim Crow laws and bring about a revolution; the riders were grappled by hatred and brutality, having police often at times not to intervene.
By November 1961 after months of ridicule the Freedom Riders won the battle when the Interstate Commerce Commission put rules in place that prohibited segregation on public transportation facilities.
One main issue for the young adults of this generation is education, many feel that minorities students and the schools they attend are often left behind not receiving proper funding to provide all the tools needed to be successful in this day in age.
“Successfully integrating minorities, primarily African and Latino Americans, into the educational mainstream will be a solid factor in majority of us succeeding in the school system and thus prospering throughout our lives," junior Cassandra Mitchell said.
"With an increase of technical, scientific, and basic literacy of Americans at large, we will not fall behind the nations with which we are increasingly competing for world leadership.”
Some students felt that because of the problems in the education system students have began to lack certain characteristics causing students to become unconcerned entities.
“Because of the low student achievement in U.S. schools," senior Gregory Keyes said. "This causes students to lack the urge to make their learning experience a competition for success, ambition and the motivation to achieve aren't really inspired in our education system anymore and that was the main thing past civil rights figures worked for.”
Students expressed that this nation has came along way since the time of the Freedom Riders but unfortunately has not yet done away with forms of racism.
“Even with the election of our first black President African Americans have not surpassed the race card," junior Taylor Jennings said.
"We see our president get questioned about his methods and get bashed for his decisions, racism is still relevant in this day in age it is just hidden and swept up under the rug.”
On May 6, 2011 forty students from various backgrounds and walks of life will take a ride through the history of the Freedom Riders joined by Stanley Nelson the Director of the new documentary “ American Experience“, these modern day college students will experience the journey the Freedom Riders went on.
Texas Southern University students are thankful for the fight the Freedom Riders put up for them to be able to leave normal lives with no color barriers being in place, but still feel that the fight is not over.
10235 cherry limb Dr Houston, Texas 77099832-493-0283m_awinston@yahoo.com
Objective
Education
Seeking a position in Public Relations that will require me to integrate my writing skills, knowledge, and good communication skills to accomplish the organizations ultimate marketing goals.
Texas Southern University Houston, Texas
January 2008 - August 2011
·B.A. - Communication.
·Major - Journalism (Public Relations and Advertisement).
·Minor - Radio, Film, and Television.
Lamar University Beaumont, Texas
August 2006- December 2007
Experience
The Center for Hearing and Speech ( Internship )
May 2011 - Present, Houston, Texas
·Designed press releases and media kits.
·Built relationships with various media outlets in order to bring positive coverage to the Center.
·Contributing writer for the organizations blog.
·Organized local business and non-profit partnerships for the Center.
·Intensified visibility of Via Colori ( Centers sister organization) as a community cognizant organization.
Regal Magazine ( Internship )
August 2010 – May 2011, Houston, Texas
·Managed company’s social media web pages.
·Created press releases.
·Produced new ideas for advertising.
·Hosted several episodes of the company’s show.
·Contributing writer for the company’s online publication.
Wells Fargo (Teller)
April 2009 – Present, Houston, Texas
·Provide the utmost customer service to customers.
·Maintained strong knowledge of all company products and promotions.
·Processed all consumer payments and transactions.
·Marketed all products and services offered by Wells Fargo.
·Exceeded all required sales quotas by 30% in current quarter.
