Sierra Vista Journalism Staff

Monday, August 24, 2015

Youth in Government

Click HERE for more information about the Santa Clarita Valley YMCA

Youth in Government leadership program. The time you put into the program can count toward your journalism hours.

Monday, August 17, 2015

Create a digital story with WeVideo

Our job is kinda like building planes in the air

Thursday, August 13, 2015

Fwd: Student volunteers at the Public Library

Here is an exciting volunteer opportunity for you that was passed along to me by Mrs. Hoffman, if you are interested.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Kathi Lund <KLund@santaclaritalibrary.com>
Date: Wed, Aug 12, 2015 at 7:18 PM
Subject: Student volunteers at the Public Library
To: "choffman@hartdistrict.org" <choffman@hartdistrict.org>

Dear Ms. Hoffman,

As the Volunteer Coordinator at the Canyon Country public library, I love the energy of the first weeks of a new school year, that bring a surge of enthusiastic, prospective teen volunteers.

I have had the pleasure of working with many of your Sierra Vista Honor Society candidates. I enjoy getting to know them and coaching them through possibly their first "real", independent work experience. Since they work directly in conjunction with the Canyon Country library staff—sorting & shelving, helping with programs or events—the students are held to the same standard for completing these tasks. It's very inspiring to see teens go from uncertain and a bit nervous about being in a predominately adult environment, to becoming more self-directed and self-assured while in the process of mastering new skills. I have to say, many of your Sierra Vista students have already had solid training in library procedures by Mrs. Fulleman, your school librarian. As a result, they have been outstanding volunteers at the public library!

Unfortunately, I've also had to turn away numerous junior high students because they do not meet the City Library's minimum age of 14 years old to volunteer independently--without supervision of a parent or group leader. It puts me in the difficult position of contradicting a teacher, in addition to frustrating both students and parents when they show me the school forms clearly stating that community service hours may be completed at the library. (We also do not accept used book donations for credit towards service hours.) I know that there are not many community volunteer opportunities for 7^th and 8^th graders so I especially hate to get their hopes up only to disappoint them.

So that future eager, diligent students won't be turned away and discouraged, please let your teachers and club advisors (Honor Society, Journalism, History, etc.) know about the minimum age requirement of 14 years old for public library volunteers.

However, we do have an exciting, new volunteer opportunity for 7^th to 12^th grade students (no designated age restriction).

In September, Dave Rosenberg, our Teen Services Librarian, will be starting a Teen Advisory Board (TAB) to give input and assist with Teen programming at the Canyon Country Library. Dave is easy to work with, has great ideas, is both tech and book savvy, plus best of all, he hasn't forgotten what it's like to be a teen! This is an excellent way for the students to volunteer while gaining leadership experience. The TAB members won't just talk about programming or materials they would like at the public library--they will strategize and work together to make it happen!

Please share the attached TAB volunteer application with anyone on your faculty requiring students to complete community service hours. Teen Advisory Board meetings will be once a month on Fridays from 4:30 to 5:30 PM at the Canyon Country Library. Students will be asked to make a minimum time commitment for each semester. For more details about participation in TAB, please contact Dave Rosenberg, Teen Services Librarian at drosenberg@santaclaritalibrary.com.

Thanks for promoting teen volunteerism at the Santa Clarita Public Library as well as in our community. You make a difference!

Have a great 2015-2016 school year!

Sincerely,

Kathi Lund

Volunteer Coordinator

City of Santa Clarita Public Library

Canyon Country Jo Anne Darcy Library

(661) 799-6161

klund@santaclaritalibrary.com

A volunteer is like a rare gem. When placed in the right setting and cared for, they will shine and give pleasure to all who see them.

--Unknown

Carolyn Hoffman

Principal

Sierra Vista Junior High School

choffman@hartdistrict.org

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Sierra Vista Life - Reminder about tomorrow, 8/12

The first day of school is fast approaching! As such, I just want to remind all SVLife students and families that anyone interested in being a part of the production of the morning show should meet here in my classroom (Room 301) tomorrow from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.

Keep in mind that most of our jobs will take place "behind the scenes." This means much of our work will be shooting behind the camera, setting up shots and equipment, making people in front of the camera look good, and then editing the whole thing together so it looks awesome! Out there in the real world, most of the important jobs end up happening behind the scenes. That's one of many lessons we will learn as leaders this year.

Nevertheless, we will still need some "on-camera talent." If you feel confident that you could rock it as an anchor on-camera, bring a button-down, kinda dress-up shirt with you tomorrow (no need to wear it right away). Bringing a nice shirt is no guarantee you'll be on camera tomorrow, but it would let me know you're interested and that you are showing that initiative for the future.

If you CANNOT make it tomorrow, there's no need to email me to let me know or apologize or anything. I know the day before school starts is a busy time. If you CAN make it, though, we're going to make some Sierra Vista history tomorrow. It's gonna be awesome.

Peace,

Mr. Ippolito

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Wednesday, 8/12, 9am-12pm, SHOOT and EDIT First Ever "Good Morning Sierra Vista!"

Thursday, 8/13, FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

Thursday, 8/13, 2:15pm-3:15pm, SHOOT Friday's "Good Morning Sierra Vista!"

Friday, 8/16, 2:15pm-3:15pm, SHOOT Monday's "Good Morning Sierra Vista!"

Ron Ippolito

A Google for Education Qualified Teacher

Teacher and Digital Communications Adviser, Sierra Vista Junior High School

Area E Assistant Area Coordinator, California Association of Directors of Activities

work: rippolito@hartdistrict.org personal: rippolito@gmail.com

twitter: @rippolito voice/text: (661) 347-4990

Monday, August 10, 2015

Interested in learning how to edit video?

Sierra Vista just purchased a site license for a product called WeVideo. With WeVideo, you can shoot video on any device (iPod, smartphone, camcorder, DSLR camera, etc.), upload it to the WeVideo server, and edit entire online! You could even edit on one of the Chromebooks here in my classroom!

It's powerful, easy-to-use software that we will use for our Sierra Vista Life morning announcements each day. You could also use it for school projects as well.

We have a limit of 50 licenses that we will share with Mr. De La Cruz' and Mr. Harper's video production classes, so I don't want to send out invitations to everyone. However, if you are interested in learning how to edit video online, and would like an invitation to try WeVideo, please email me back indicating your interest. I will email you back with an invitation code and you could start playing around with it at home, editing home movies of you on your skateboard, your family, your cat, whatever! The more you play with the features at home, the more knowledge you could bring into the classroom.

Just let me know if you're interested, and I will hook you up.

Cheers,