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Summer is winding down and fall is fast-approaching!
The leaves will be turning soon. I challenge you to turn a new leaf with the new fall semester! What is your turning leaf? Perhaps it is a new practice routine. Perhaps it is a new mindset. Perhaps it is a positive attitude towards completing the program. Perhaps it is attending class regularly.
I would like each of you, no matter where you are in the court reporting program, to consider attending the upcoming Missouri Court Reporters Association’s Annual Conference September 23rd through September 25, 2011 at Camden on the Lake Resort, Lake Ozark.
A special student agenda is being planned for you as a student. Patricia Manners, official court reporter in Kansas City, has donated $500.00 to help defray the costs for each of the students in order that they can attend. This is a fabulous opportunity for students to get questions answered; network with working reporters and other students; get motivated; learn something new about your future career. Please make plans to attend.
I hope by now you have contacted Rhonda Laurentius to get a mentor. If you haven’t done so, do yourself a favor and request a mentor. Rhonda will match you up with a working reporter to help you get through the program. Your mentor is someone you can turn to for advice, a good cry on his/her shoulder or maybe someone to celebrate your success when you pass a test! Your mentor will be someone who cares about you and your success in becoming a court reporter. Please contact Rhonda at drlaurentius@aol.com or 314-615-8070.
Court reporting is a life-time learning process, especially in today’s technological environment. It seems as soon as we purchase a new phone or a new computer, there is another one on the horizon that is better, faster and does more for us. It’s hard to keep up with technology in today’s world.
Court reporting is a constant changing career. If you do not keep up with technology, you will soon be miles behind. As a student court reporter you should begin the habit of keeping up with the latest trends in equipment, technology and what’s happening. No, I do not mean that you have to buy new equipment every week, but at least know what is available and what is available in the field.
As a court reporter, the more you know about the subject at hand, whether in a trial or in a deposition, the easier it is to write. Court reporters don’t always have knowledge about what they are writing, that is impossible, but the more you know, the easier it is to take it down.
Some things you can do to become more knowledgeable:
• Work a crossword puzzle daily - I do the one in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch;
• Keep up with current events - read the news in the newspaper or online;
• If you hear or read a word that you are unfamiliar with - look it up;
• Read articles in the newspaper/online about trials;
• Read the JCR (National Court Reporters) magazine every month;
• Read the Missouri Court Reporters Association’s website - www.mocra.org;
• Talk to working reporters;
• Sit in on trials - most are open to the public.
I encourage you to practice every day except Sunday. Sunday is a day of rest, so rest up on Sunday so you are ready to give it your all on Monday through Saturday. If you have trouble getting yourself motivated to practice every day, here are some things that may help you:
• Set your steno writer up where you will see it;
• Set a specified time every day where you HAVE to practice;
• Treat yourself AFTER you practice (ice cream, a walk in the park, whatever makes you practice).
No one gets into this profession without practicing - now that should be motivation in and of itself! You want it; you practice! Set a goal for yourself that is not too high and not too low. Perhaps writing the goal on a piece of paper and putting it where you see it throughout the day will help.
• “Today I will practice 60 minutes”
• “By the end of the week, I will have practiced 6 hours total”
• “If I practice every day this week, I will treat myself to dinner at my favorite restaurant”.
Set a long-term goal for your court reporting program. “When I get my first court reporting job, I am buying a red sports car.” This may seem funny, but it will help you meet your goals.
Please do not forget to reach around and pat yourself on the back every so often as you go through the program. When you started this program, you couldn’t even write a full sentence on the machine! Always congratulate yourself for the progress you’ve made.
I hope you have a successful semester. Positive attitude is everything. Practicing will make it happen.
Best wishes for a great fall and a great turning leaf in your court reporting education!
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The winner of the First Annual MCRA Essay contest is
St. Louis Community College Court Reporting Student Lori David Andreski! |
Nothing Takes the Place of Persistence
An Essay Submitted
By
Laurie David Andreski
For the
MCRA FREE ROOM at the 2011 Conference Award
March 21, 2011 |
Persistence is a constant: a constant drive, a constant will, and a constant presence. It is something done continually, without fail, and without giving up. Persistence is fighting against odds that are stacked against someone and against challenges in their life that they may encounter. Persistence is the key ingredient of success.
To succeed in anything, a person must continually strive to keep the endeavor alive and growing. Even someone who is naturally talented must continue to hone their craft if they want to take it to the next level. Unforeseen events and missteps along the way happen to everyone. It is up to that person to make something positive out of the misfortune.
This is something I learned all too well this past fall. On October 1st my apartment burned down. I knew I had lost just about everything I owned. The damage was so severe that for the first week the only people allowed inside were the restoration crew. I had no idea what, if any, of my possessions had made it through intact. Two of the things I worried about most were my steno writer and my computer. I was into my third semester of school and knew that if I had to take a significant amount of time off in order to save enough money to purchase another writer, I would set myself back. To know that all of those precious hours could possibly have been wasted sickened me.
A week later my beloved grandmother passed away. I had only just begun the cleanout of the storage space the restoration workers had thrown all of my possessions into – whether burned, water damaged, or unharmed. This family tragedy not only devastated me, but also set me back another week on my clean-out.
While dealing with these life-altering events that had been so suddenly thrust upon me, I knew that I could not give up on my dream of becoming a court reporter. I knew how proud my grandmother was of me taking this step in my life, and I certainly did not want to let her down. I began contacting court reporters and other people in the judicial system that I knew to see if they had anything I could borrow if my writer would not work.
About four weeks after the fire, I was finally able to unearth both my computer and my writer out of the pile of what was now mostly moldy junk. Wrapped up in a tarp was a mass of cables and equipment. I rushed to my new home, plugged everything in, and held my breath. As soon as I saw the first lights come on, I was able to exhale. The equipment had made it through undamaged. I was now more determined than ever finish my schooling.
After not being able to practice for almost a month, I had a lot of catching up to do. In fact, I still feel like I am catching up. However, my instructor and people like the ladies I met while participating in the MCRA legislative cookie drop keep me motivated. Knowing my daughter is watching me and learning from my actions also inspires me to succeed.
I know that with persistence, one day I will achieve my goal. I will be able to live my dream. I will make my grandmother, my family, and – most importantly – myself proud. With persistence, I will become a court reporter.
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Welcome Students to the Student Corner of the Missouri Court Reporters Association's Website!
My name is Deborah (Deb/Debbie) McLaughlin. I currently serve as the Chair of the MCRA Student Affairs Committee. Within this committee are various sub-committees that have been organized to help each of you in your studies to become court reporters.
The committee anticipates an exciting line-up for you in the upcoming year, including a possible field trip, student mentorship, sponsorship at the MCRA Annual Conference to be held at the Lake of the Ozarks, and other various learning adventures. Let me introduce myself to you. I began court reporting in 1982 as a swing court reporter in the 22nd Judicial Circuit - St. Louis City. As a swing, I rotated through the circuit relieving court reporters who had a backlog of transcripts. This allowed me, new to St. Louis, to meet many of the judges, court reporters and other court personnel. After nearly two years of serving in that capacity, one of the judges asked me to be his official court reporter. I worked for that Judge for 8 years until his retirement. The newly appointed Judge hired me, and I worked for her for 11 years. In 2004 I opened my own freelance business, McLaughlin Court Reporting Services, Inc. I work out of my house. It's a great gig!
The certifications I hold are MO-CCR, IL-CSR, KS-CCR and RPR, with part of my RMR under my belt (I really need to finish that up!)
I also taught at St. Louis Community College - Meramec for a number of years teaching dictation classes and Court Principles at night.
Over the years I have served on the Missouri Court Reporters Association's Board of Directors, including President and Past President. I have served on various MCRA committees over the years.
So, as you can tell, court reporting has been very good to me. After 28 years, I still LOVE IT! I thrive on it. It is a burst of adrenaline for me every day. It is an awesome career.
I highly recommend that each of you, if you are not already, become a member of the Missouri Court Reporters Association. It is the backbone of your future profession. I also hope you become a member of the National Court Reporters Association, if you are a stenowriter, or the National Verbatim Reporters Association, if you are a voicewriter.
My goal is to have monthly updates in the Student Section of the MCRA website. Please let all of your fellow students know about the MCRA website, and also try to encourage them to join their state association.
Practice, practice, practice, practice....and don't forget to read back what you take down.
Regards, Deb.
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Students Join MCRA Now!
Our association offers mentoring to court reporting students. One of the most exciting reasons to join the association is that there is a voluntary mentoring program currently being offered to student members. Also, scholarships are available to students through the National Court Reporters Foundation (NCRF). Click here for more information.
Click here for more application and information about Membership and Membership benefits. |
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