To 3 awesome years

3 years ago on mothers day I first stepped into the Fox 11 Studios in West Los Angeles. For me it was a new experience, after watching the coverage on September 11th,2001 I had developed a passion for journalism. My story might sound weird, but what really grabbed my attention on September 11th was the coverage the media had. From reporters on the ground to reporters on the helicopters and correspondents everywhere I knew this was what I wanted to know. I first called the station and talked to them, I told them I was a student who attended Wilson High School in East Los Angeles and I wanted to know if the station would mentor me. I wanted to be mentored by Gina Silva, who at the time was the traffic reporter in the helicopter.

A few weeks after I called them,  I recieved an email from Gina. She was happy to be able to mentor me, but it would take a few months to meet each other. As the months went by Gina and myself communicated via email. We finally got to talk on the phone and she invited me to sit and watch how she anchored the morning news. I was really excited that I was going to be able to sit and watch my idol anchor the Sunday Morning News. Gina who started working on Channel 13 known as UPN 13 then changed to My Network tv  talked to her producer friend Tim and asked him to see if he was available to pick me up from my house. Gina and Tim agreed to the date and the pick up time and notified me.

At that point  I started to google search who Tim Harrell was, but nothing came up. I didn’t know who he was or how he looked. When the day finally came, Tim was an older man who looked like a undercover officer. He was waiting for me outside of my house. At this point I was on a car with a total stranger going to the station. We started talking on the way to West Los Angeles, and he told me stories about him and Gina. Stories of when they would go out and cover the news and stories of when they would go to Baja California to do their investigations.

When we arrived to the station, it was Huge. It was my first time ever being at a news station. I was happy when we entered the studios around 6:30am. We walked threw the hallways and I was able to meet producers, news editors and people who answered the phones at the assignment desk. I went to the make up room and saw Gina getting her make up done. Her Co- Anchor Rob Weller was also getting his hair and make up done. She was really happy to meet me after months talking on the phone and talking via emails. Tim who was my ” tour guide” was showing me the offices and the desks of the reporters. I sat on the Control Room for the first half  hour of the show, then at 7:30am we went and sat on the studio chairs.

As soon as the news ended at 7:57am we took pictures I was able to get scripts of the show and walked around the studio. After meeting and talking to the staff at the newsroom, Tim took me outside to where they had their news vans and news trucks. It was fun sitting on the vans and seeing what was inside of them. Then we took a microphone from the truck and we took pictures. Gina and Tim decided to take me out for breakfast after the who tour. We went to a restaurant and ate pancakes, talked more and they asked me a few questions. The Day ended after breakfast and we went home. Tim on the way home started telling me more stories of Gina’s and his Adventures in Miami. I got home and was able to share my experience with my brother and sister. We kept in touch after that first meet and now 3 years later im part of Fox 11 news street team. I sometimes get calls from the station asking for my help or to investigate on a problem going on. The part I like most about all this is the people you meet. Even though you are with one station, I like meeting other reporters and talking to them.

Is it a Good One?

Throughout our lives we are always thinking about what career we want to get into. Once we enter the 12th grade, we start making serious and wise decisions because the choices we make now we will either regret or be happy about them. We all think about careers that we enjoy and dont really pay attention to what benefits we will be receiving from them and the salary and amount of money that is being paid.

We have to start noticing the wages and benefits we will receive with these careers because they might change from one day to another. For example, a few years ago a law degree got you a decent job and one would make enough money. But now, everything is different. There are more challenges out there money wise and school wise, as well as competition from other people.

Thinking about the benefits of the career you choose is important.

The Top Ten Worst Paying College Major

1. Social Work

2. Elementary Education

3. Theology

4. Music

5. Spanish

6. Horticulture

7. Education

8. Hospitality and Tourism

9. Fine Arts

10. Drama

New Home

On February 7th, 2010 I visited my new home, that being UC Riverside. For the next fours years or more I will be living there. Taking that first step on campus truly was the first step in my life.

When I arrived at the Student Services Center at UCR a current student greeted me. I scanned my soroundings and I was  overwhelmed to see other students walk by me in pursuit of the same goal. The goal of being happy in career in which we could wake up to every morning and be satisfied with, financially and emotionally. I knew my campus tour was truly a treat. We looked at all the different schools in UCR.

As 30 minutes went by, I saw my school, the Bourns College of Engineering! The Bourns College of Engineering (BCOE) at the University of California, Riverside is the top-ranked public engineering school of its size in the country! Knowing that I’m attending this prestigious school truly makes me proud and has embedded a great feeling of accomplishment in me. My hard work has truly paid off and I don’t only see it in the fullride that I’m getting at UCR but I see it in my parents eyes and words of wisdom on my future. I did it!

The mouse can talk!

Mickey Mouse

Since its opening back in july 17 of 1955, Disneyland has not had a talking Mickey Mouse.  To my surprise as well as many others, the talk is on about adding a twist to the disney characters, they will be make a meet-and-greet appearance. Recently the Mickey has been making unannounced visits to his house in Toontown while visitors wait to take pictures. It is safe to say that the costume doesn’t look so bad, actually changers are hardly noticeable besides the fact that Mickey’s mouth moves and his eyes blink.  According to Imagineering officials if the meet-and-greet test are successful,the new talking meet-and-greet characters will probably not show up in Disney parks for another few years.

Click HERE to watch the meet-and-greet yourself  :]

Car Bomb in New York City, What does this mean for LA?

Courtesy of WNYW Fox 5 news, myfoxny.com New York Police working on the Car Bombing near 44th Street.

On Sunday, officials in New York  were called to the scene in Times Square after what officials say was determined to be a car bomb. The sports car which contained three propane tanks, fireworks, two 5 gallon gasoline containers and two battery operated clocks along with some electric wires was set to explode in front of the crowded area. Times Square was evacuated for atleast 10 hours. All toursists and vendors fled the streets after seeing smoke coming out of the sports car.

” We avoided what could have been a very deadly event,” Mayor Michael Bloomberg said. “It certainly could have exploded and had a pretty big fire and a decent amount of explosive impact.” Although New York City was lucky, officials think that this had to do with an islamic group, or  Al Qaeda. Officials think that a episode of South Park which was aired on comedy central might have started this.

The creators and writers of South Park are both located in Santa Monica and New York. Viacom which is the parent company of MTV and has coporate offices here in Santa Monica and New York City, stepped up security and stopped every truck that tried to enter the building.

Grey’s Anatomy and Why I love it

That's them..Arizona Robbins

My all time favorite show is Grey’s Anatomy, I don’t know how that happened but I watch it everyday. Other people may say that the show is pointless, but it’s enjoyable for others and there’s nothing wrong with that. The main people are: Meredith Grey, Derek Shepard, Christina Yang, Izzie Stevens, George O’ Maley, Alex Karev, Mirand Bailey, Richard Weber, Addison Shepard, Caliope Torres, Arizona Robbins, and Preston Burke. I guess I just really like how people are in the show and what they say to each other that makes it funny and sometimes sad.

Meredith Grey and Derek Shepard had a confusing, hurtful, intense relationship. Christina Yang and Preston Burke were an odd couple because she was pretty much a slob and he was a top surgeon and a clean freak. Izzie Stevens and Alex Karev, first off they hated each other then liked each other, then she liked a patient but he still liked her, then they got married after. George, well he’s all alone cause he’s just weird and I don’t like him because he gets butthurt about everything. Mirand Bailey is all business when she’s at work and Richard Weber is the Chief, so that means he’s important. Caliope Torres and Arizona Robbins are a couple. Yes, they are both girls but it’s life and it happens.

I would say my favorite person on the show is Arizona Robbins because she’s so hopeful and she has a good personality and a nice smile. Well, I enjoy watching the show and yes a lot of things happen between all of them which is sometimes weird but I guess that’s what makes it interesting.

Shrek:The Final Chapter

On May 21,2010 Disney brings the movie Shrek; The Final Chapter to movie theatres and 3D.

Shrek: The final Chapter is the last installment in the movie series.

The movie Shrek was released a few years ago. It was about an ogre who went in search of princess Fiona in order to get his swamp back. The adventure he went through with her and all the time they spend together made him realize that he was falling in love with the princess Fiona. When she was about to get married, he suddenly inturrupted the wedding to stop his true love from marrying another man.

The movie Shrek 2 is about Shrek and Fiona getting an invitation to go visit Fiona’s parents in Far Far Away. When they get there, everyone is suprised to see both of them turned into ogres because they expected the beautiful princess with a charming prince. When Fiona’s father and Shrek don’t get along, her dad tries to make Shrek’s life impossible by teaming up with Fiona’s fairy godmother. He later realizes that what he is doing is wrong because no matter how Shrek is or what he looks like, Fiona is in love with him.

In Shrek 3, Fiona’s dad passes away leaving Shrek in charge of Far Far Away. They move in to the palace, but not liking the life, Shrek goes in search of Fiona’s relative to stay in charge of the place. He encounters many difficulties along the way, but he finally gets back safe and with the relative. When he gets back, to his suprise, Shrek finds Fiona pregnant. At the end, everything works out good, the baby ogres are born, and Shrek, Fiona, and the babies go back to the swamp to live.

In the upcoming movie Shrek: The Last Chapter Rumplestiltskin creates a spell that takes everyone  back in time when Fiona and Shrek never met. It is up to Shrek to undo the spell to live happily ever after again with Fiona.

LAUSD officer hurt in Multi accident in El Sereno

an Aerial Shot from Air 7 can describe the scene of a terrible car accident in El Sereno. Courtesy of KABC, abc7.com

On Friday April 16th  just around 1pm a Los Angeles School Police Officer was involved in a 3 car accident near Valley Boulevard and Vineburn Avenue. The officer who was involved was identified as 35 year old Alex Camarillo. He was traveling Westbound with his lights and sirens on when witnesses say he was T Boned.

Camarillo was responding to a big disturbance call at Roosevelt High School when the accident occured. Camarillo who responded to the call left Wilson High School traveling south on Soto and then Westbound on Valley. Fire officials arrived to the scene and saw a mangled police cruiser, minutes after the accident Camarillo was pinned inside his vehicle. LAFD had to use the jaws of  life to free the trapped officer, he was taken to County USC  where he was listed in critical condition.

He was kept in the hospital for observation and was later released. Community members in El Sereno and Wilson High School  are still in shock to hear that this awful accident happened, but luckly no one died. Camarillo was covering for Wilson’s school police officers which were on a special assignment.  These accidents are reminders to drivers and passengers on vehicles to always wear your seat belts at ALL times and to pull over when you hear or see police or fire officials with there sirens and lights on. These things can prevent accidents like this one for example and can save lives.

Scholarships…ugh!!!

So for all the seniors now that you’ve been accepted into a college the only thing left to see is how much money you’re getting. For  most students money is

Learn how to put some money in your pocket...

the most important factor for deciding the school they are going to attend. I will be using the Mount St. Mary’s College site so that it will give you a brief explanation of these awards.By now you should have received your financial aid award, your award should be a variety of free money such as scholarships,  grants, institutional awards, merit awards, student employment and then you have loans like the Stafford loans and parent loans. Remember with loans that less is better and that subsidized Stafford loans have a lower interest rate so try to get a higher subsidized loan then the unsubsidized. But overall when you get loans think about whether they are really necessary and then think about how those loans are an investment in your education and that once you have a good career it will take a little bit of time to pay back. OK then now that you have an estimation of the money your going to get, now you can start finding ways  to get more money so those loans can get minimized. So the first most important step and maybe the easiest is to go to your school college counselor or better known as the COLLEGE CORNER. There you will be able to ask a peer counselor for help. This is the list of all the steps to take once your  are there

1. The Scholarship board with all the deadlines

2. A green sheet to order a copy of those scholarships

3. Come back the next day and pick them up!!

that’s all you need to do….

Ok if that doesnt work well then there’s a number of different websites that can help you find those scholarships…

like fastweb.com and finaid.org and there’s so many more you just have to look.

I know it’s a pain in the butt, I should know since I am still in the process of applying to scholarships, but sometimes there are scholarships that are so easy all you have to do is answer a couple of questions. Just remember this when you’re applying for scholarships and your tired of it “I need this money, who else would give me free money?!!”

P.S. You might just get lucky and find one of those scholarships where someone dies and they just want to give you money. Oh, and usually the local scholarships are harder to find but the easiest to get.

The exhaustion of looking for the perfect crown

Choosing a crown for the next prom queen is harder than it seems.

OMG!!!! I never knew tha finding the perfect crown for this year prom queen was going to be so exhausting and annoying. In leadership class, I am in charge of searching for a crown that doesn’t go beyond our budget. I’m still not sure what is my budget for it, but I’ve been meaning to ask Mr.Giron for that. At least the order for the king’s crown is well taken care of. Now all I have to do is pray for it to arrive before the day of prom. As for the princesses tiaras, they are also taken care of.

The reason why its been so hard to find the queens crown is because I have to search for a crown that stands out from the tiaras of the princesses.

Of what my comites has asked is for a crown that is higher than the tiaras but not too paisa either. Sadly, I am very picky when it comes to crowns. So that’s going to be a problem. I’ve looked into some stores in Huntington Park, but some are too expensive. The cheapest that I have found was like 75 dollars. Thats still expensive. I hope that I find one in time before next week.

In the mean time, my worries are about the people who are running for that position. I have recently passed on the girls applications to three teachers; each one reading over three applications. The end result would be based on point scoring and whoever is in the top five will be part of the prom court.

As for the guys, they are set. Only four guys had turned in their application. Now, all that I have to do is look for the nicest flowers to make them bouquets and give the names to Mrs. Tong-lee so she can order the medals for the princes. Though my job requires a lot of work, I love it because I like keeping myself busy in leadership.