Within my Advanced News and Feature Writing class at The University of Northern Colorado, I have learned how to become a better journalist by writing different types of stories on a single beat, creating plans on the stories I write and improved on making a story flow well. These tools have helped me in my developments and I believe they will stay with me in my career as a journalist.
I have gained a better insight into the world of journalism through every JMC class I have attended. I feel that I have a better understanding of the history, laws and styles of journalism, making it a well rounded educational experience.
A high point within my education was a photojournalism class. This class taught me a lot about taking photographs and I had a lot of fun assignments. The only low point I had was stressing over my tests for classes.
The Journalism and Mass Communications department has worked very well in helping me with my education and all the professors worked very hard at helping me achieve my goals. I would say that there is nothing I would change within the JMC department at UNC.
I feel I am prepared to work in the journalism field through what I have learned at UNC and within my internship at The Johnstown Breeze. As the last few months have passed, I have written an average of two stories a week, I feel through that experience, I have turned into a better writer and I have seen less editing marks from both my editors at UNC and at The Johnstown Breeze.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Yearly Maintenance Service Agreement
On March 23, 2011 the Re-5J school board signed and approved a yearly maintenance service agreement with Milliken-Johnstown Electric Inc. This agreement will be effective through the 2011-2012 school year. Superintendent Martin Foster said the company has been very successful on past projects within the district and the company as a whole, has done a great job.
Larry and Scott Weber are the owners of Milliken-Johnstown Electric Inc and have worked with the Re-5J school district since 2006. Milliken-Johnstown Electric Inc has recently helped the school district put $42,000 back into the general fund by minimizing their natural gas usage.
The grand total of the overall savings within the district will not be known until June 30, 2011.Milliken-Johnstown Electric Inc maintains all of the Re-5J schools and the administration building, except Knowledge Quest Academy. The money currently saved has helped the school district cope with the recent setbacks of 2.31 percent in budget cuts from the state of Colorado.
Foster will be meeting with the staff of Milliken-Johnstown Electric Inc every month to go over any anticipated costs and repairs that need to happen within the schools.
Larry and Scott Weber are the owners of Milliken-Johnstown Electric Inc and have worked with the Re-5J school district since 2006. Milliken-Johnstown Electric Inc has recently helped the school district put $42,000 back into the general fund by minimizing their natural gas usage.
The grand total of the overall savings within the district will not be known until June 30, 2011.Milliken-Johnstown Electric Inc maintains all of the Re-5J schools and the administration building, except Knowledge Quest Academy. The money currently saved has helped the school district cope with the recent setbacks of 2.31 percent in budget cuts from the state of Colorado.
Foster will be meeting with the staff of Milliken-Johnstown Electric Inc every month to go over any anticipated costs and repairs that need to happen within the schools.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
An education in education
My beat is covering the school board meetings, stories and topics that pertain to or result from the Re-5J school board meetings.
I’ve attended four school board meetings and I traveled with Superintendent Martin Foster to the CASE leadership conference in Westminster. I did a ride along and interviewed a retiring bus driver that is participating in the Early Retirement Incentive proposed by the board.
I have written two stories. First I wrote a day in the life story about Martin Foster when he attended the CASE conference. This story included recent Colorado budget cuts and how K-12 education is looking for answers to survive these budget cuts.
My second was a profile story about David Weich a retiring school bus driver. Weich is 68 and has been employed five years within the school district. The board approved a retirement incentive recently and David took part to help the district.
I learned that school districts are in tough economic times and I enjoyed getting the chance to meet new people. What I disliked about the stories was trying to piece the story together while giving the most information I could.
I did well on completing the stories on time and scheduling interviews early. I could improve on editing my stories. I wish I knew more about the education system before I jumped into this beat.
I’ve attended four school board meetings and I traveled with Superintendent Martin Foster to the CASE leadership conference in Westminster. I did a ride along and interviewed a retiring bus driver that is participating in the Early Retirement Incentive proposed by the board.
I have written two stories. First I wrote a day in the life story about Martin Foster when he attended the CASE conference. This story included recent Colorado budget cuts and how K-12 education is looking for answers to survive these budget cuts.
My second was a profile story about David Weich a retiring school bus driver. Weich is 68 and has been employed five years within the school district. The board approved a retirement incentive recently and David took part to help the district.
I learned that school districts are in tough economic times and I enjoyed getting the chance to meet new people. What I disliked about the stories was trying to piece the story together while giving the most information I could.
I did well on completing the stories on time and scheduling interviews early. I could improve on editing my stories. I wish I knew more about the education system before I jumped into this beat.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Purpose of my blog
I'm writing this blog because in Journalism I worked for The Mirror in 2009 and I am now with The Johnstown Breeze for my internship at the University of Northern Colorado.
The Johnstown/Milliken RE-5J school board is my beat. I hope to learn how decisions are made within a school board. I have already learned that budgeting has been tough for the school board. I have never covered a beat before and I am learning as I go.
As a journalist my strengths are asking good questions and setting the scene for my stories. I feel my weakness in journalism is trying to remember the AP style and grammar.
My blogging experience has only been with a music class I took my first semester in college.
I feel blogging ties people to certain subjects and it let's people give feedback on certain topics where feedback is limited in other media outlets. The only thing that scares me about blogging is people who post negative thoughts that aren’t true. I am confident that some people within the Johnstown/Milliken community may have an interest in my blog and I think I will learn to be a better blogger and reporter throughout the semester.
The Johnstown/Milliken RE-5J school board is my beat. I hope to learn how decisions are made within a school board. I have already learned that budgeting has been tough for the school board. I have never covered a beat before and I am learning as I go.
As a journalist my strengths are asking good questions and setting the scene for my stories. I feel my weakness in journalism is trying to remember the AP style and grammar.
My blogging experience has only been with a music class I took my first semester in college.
I feel blogging ties people to certain subjects and it let's people give feedback on certain topics where feedback is limited in other media outlets. The only thing that scares me about blogging is people who post negative thoughts that aren’t true. I am confident that some people within the Johnstown/Milliken community may have an interest in my blog and I think I will learn to be a better blogger and reporter throughout the semester.
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