Show Hope: A movement to care for orphans

Show Hope is an organization that has captured my heart and my attention for the past couple of years. If you know anything about me, you know that my heart beats for adoption. I have a radical passion for children in other countries that are searching for love and I am desperate to make a difference in this arena.

Show hope helps aid families in the adoption process by helping them through the process of applying for grants and financial aid in order to have the ability to complete the process of adoption. Show hope was established in 2003 by Steven Curtis Chapman and his wife, Mary Beth, out of their desire to help more children find their forever family. Show hope does a variety of things from creating the 6 story caring facility in China, assisting churches in setting up their own adoption funds to help individuals finance adoption, and they continue to expand their worldwide impact.

Check out their website here and support this movement of hope and love. One child at a time, we can change our world!

Social Media Monitoring- Ethical or Not?

Twitter, Facebok, LinkedIn, YouTube, Tumblr, delicious, digg, myspace, google+… the list could go on and on and on. Social media has transformed our culture and is growing at a rapid pace. But what is all this talk about social media monitoring? Many believe that social media monitoring is necessary to be aware of certain things that are going on world-wide. Social media monitoring is beneficial to organizations as it helps them to regulate and monitor what conversations are taking place. This helps organizations to have the ability to know specific interests of those that are in the organizations immediate conversations. Social media monitoring can also help search references to specific brands, campaigns, or actions.

There are some tools that can help your organization, but they do have limitations. It is important to remember that not all aspects of social media and the web are accessible, especially a lot of portions of Facebook.

Some forms of social media monitoring are simply recognizing certain key words that are used often. For instance, google uses this approach. This is the most simple form of monitoring and is referred to as counts.

Another form of social media monitoring is referred to as trends. This is something that has been very effective within Twitter with the hashtag feature. This helps brands to recognize and identify trends that could potentially help them with their marketing and campaign launches.

Though social media monitoring is a good idea, it is much more expensive than they initially thought it would be. I think that social media monitoring can be beneficial to organizations, but I believe that you must be very careful in your monitoring in order to ensure that your results are accurate. Most brands have felt the need to monitor what is being said about them, and I believe that it is important to listen to your clientele and make the necessary changes to please them. Your customers are your business, and they need to be a first priority.

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How I use Social Media By: Ryan Shea

Ryan Shae

1/24/12

It is crazy how big twitter has become in the past couple years. I first got a twitter in 2007, but I went through a time that I didn’t use it very often. Now I am an avid twitter user as well. It is a great way to find out what is going on in the world, and quickly! I love pinterest as well, but I wouldn’t recommend it for a guys… its definitely more girly.

12 for 2012 By: Rachel Laflam

Mid Day Coffee Break

1/24/12

Oh the new year. I always sit down and write my new years resolutions as well and some of ours were the same! I also am trying to always have a book that I am reading for pleasure. During the semester I often put aside anything that I am reading for pleasure and wait until summer or spring break to pick it up. But this semester, I am determined for that to not be the case! My personal motto is less facebook, more books!

Why images are important in blog posts By: Adrian Garza

My Thoughts on PR + Social Media

1/24/12

I think that you are right, though videos are impactful, images are quick and shocking. I think it is important to implement pictures within blog posts because it helps break up the writing within your posts. It makes it easier to read and more interesting to look at. I personally enjoy putting pictures within my blog posts because it is fun to pick out pretty ones, but that’s just me!!

The Journey By: Katie Davis

On Earth as it is in Heaven

1/24/12

What a beautiful reminder that God has a plan for each and every one of His children and He is just waiting for us to open up our eyes and finally give Him a moment to speak. We need to be clinging to His feet. This is essential in the faith walk. What an example Katie is to me.

January #PRStudChat Recap: Guest Post By Jim Joseph, President of Lippe Taylor By: Deirdre Breakenridge

PR 2.0 Strategies

1/24/12

I am a PR major that is graduating in May of this year, so I found this post very interesting! I really loved the answer to the first question when you said that we are the lucky ones. I love the fact that in PR we get to talk with people and not at them. There is a huge difference between the two, and I am excited to see what I will end up doing in the PR world!

So you want to quit your job By: Martin Waxman

My Palette

1/24/12

I found this post very interesting and very important. It’s true, we always focus on getting the job and not on the appropriate way to leave the job. No matter who you are, young or old, you probably have had to leave one or more jobs, and it probably has been an awkward situation for you. This post was very beneficial to me and is something that I was not educated on before I read it.

Kisses From Katie: A Story of Relentless Love and Redemption

image credit: google images

This semester one of my goals is to read more throughout the semester. I am trying to spend more time with books, less time with Facebook! On top of my normal class readings, as well as my Bible reading, I want to always be reading a book for  pleasure throughout the semester. With that said, the book that I am working through right now is Kisses from Katie. At 18 years old, Katie Davis graduated from high school after taking the role as senior class president and homecoming queen. While most of her peers were picking out their dorm room decorations and getting pumped up for their new adventure to college, Katie’s heart was lost in a country across the world. She had found herself so moved by the people of Uganda after a short missions trip over Christmas break, she knew that she had to return. Against her parents will, and despite many questioning comments from friends and family, Katie packed up 2 suitcases and left her comfortable Nashville, Tennessee life and moved across the world into a whole new culture. She broke her little brothers heart, she lost many friends, and she broke up with the love of her life, just so she could serve the One who taught her how to love and the One who gave her life.

Image Credit: Google

Katie Davis intended to just spend a year in Uganda, promising her parents that she would move back to the states and go to college like a “normal” young adult. But Kate was not a normal young adult, for her passion to follow Jesus was far from normal. After several months in Uganda working as a teacher with an orphanage, she knew that God was calling her to more. She had a  deep desire to help fund children to go to school. So she took a step of faith, bought a 3 bedroom house, and started her nonprofit, Amazima Ministries. Along the way of funding children to go back to school she has taken in 13 beautiful children that now call her mommy, and is in the process of adopting all of them. Her ministry, Amazima, feeds and sends hundreds more children to school while teaching them about Jesus Christ.

Image Credit: Google Images

This book has changed not only my perspective, but my life. I have learned what it means to have faith. I have learned what it means to step outside of my comfort zone. I have been challenged to do more. I have seen that I am not too young to make a difference. I have learned to stop making excuses for myself, and start to make a difference. I have learned.

Image Credit: Google Images

If you’re not serious about doing something about the millions of starving kids across the world, then don’t pick up this book. If you’re not ready to be challenged, then don’t try to read it. If you’re not ready to fight a battle of spiritual warfare, being woken up throughout the night, then don’t read it. But if you desire to make a difference, pick it up, it will rock your world.

Images Galore!

Why is the human eye attracted to images? Why do children automatically gravitate towards the pictures in books? Why do adults enjoy strolling through art galleries? Images. Images communicate in a way that words cannot. Ever heard the saying a picture says a thousand words? Well, it’s the truth. Pictures allow your mind to experience an idea or belief in a different way. Pictures can even explain ideas in a way that words simply are not able to. Pictures can add a new level of life to writing.

Within blogs it is important that you add images to add color and life to your blog. Images are good because they can spark a new idea in the writer’s mind, and it might help the writer to understand the subject that the post is talking about.

Images are also a good idea because they can break up the writing within a post. Many people enjoy reading blogs because they are often short posts and you are able to read through them quickly. Short paragraphs are often a trait of blogs and placing pictures in between the paragraphs or at the beginning and end of posts helps to break up the writing even more, making it visually attractive to the reader.

Images can also link to another site, so be careful that they are linking to where you want them to go. Make sure you always site the image that you use within your blog. If it is not your picture that you took, you must give credit.

Images can really brighten up a blog if they are used correctly. Be careful to always pick appropriate images and images that are relevant to your blog post. If it is hard to tell how the image might fit into your writing, it might be best just to leave it out! So choose wisely, and enjoy adding a little big of spunk to your blog!

 

 

 

Social Media: What I use most!

Image Credit: Google Images

This is an old post that has been edited:

In the past few years I have seen social media explode into a whole new world primarily focused on social networking. When I was in elementary school if someone would have said, “just shoot me a text,” I would have no idea what he or she were talking about. Even in my junior high years, texting was not very prevalent. However, now it is assumed that you are able to receive and reply to text messages. This is just one small part of social media and social networking that has exploded in the past seven or eight years.

As the time goes on, I find myself getting connected to others through social media. Every day it feels as though I am signing up to join a new website or program that is online for my classes, for networking purposes, or simply for my enjoyment. I have currently found myself participating in blogging the most. Last summer I had the opportunity to go to China as my parents adopted a little girl and throughout our entire time in China I was able to blog about our experiences. (Visit that blog at mikelleliette.wordpress.com). I believe that blogging is a wonderful way to communicate to others over long distance. I also believe that you can bless other people through what is written in your blog. What a great way to change someone’s life, or at least encourage them.

I am also a Facebook user, and I enjoy using it simply for keeping in touch with friends and family. I do enjoy podcasts, although I do not listen to them as often as I would like to. I am also a member of PRopenmic and I have had the opportunity to be in contact with several PR professionals through that website.

I also love using Twitter. It is a great way to stay connected to others and to be aware of what is happening in the world. I follow a variety of different professionals and I am able to know what is going on in their organizations that I potentially would like to work for. This is a great way to stay informed and so easy!

Another large professional networking site that I have become a part of is Linkedin. This is very important to me as I am a graduating senior this semester and am trying to make as many professional contacts as possible. Linkedin allows you to post somewhat of a resume as your profile and you are able to connect with other professionals, allowing them to view your resume. I would recommend Linkedin to al college students who are looking or will eventually be looking for a job. It is important to build up your resume and contacts as early as possible.

As I grow more educated about different opportunities in social media, I hope to expand my use of different sites. For now I hope to use the media outlets are beneficial to me and to others, creating a network that would not have otherwise happened!

Healthy Eating Starts with a Garden

Food shortage has been a growing concern for many Lakeland families as the economic downturn has left families scraping from the bottom of the barrel just to come up with the funds to purchase enough groceries to feed their family. According to the 2010 US Census, 14.9 % of Lakeland families fall below the poverty line.

Jack Kosik, executive director of Noah’s Ark of Central Florida, has recognized a greater concern for developmentally disabled adults. As many supportive services are being cut, community members with disabilities have been left without enough money to live independently, or to purchase healthy and nutritious foods. Noah’s Ark is a home that daily supports the developmentally disabled and assists them by educating them on important issues of guardianship, special needs trusts, and available services. In addition to the weekly array of social and recreational activities that Noah’s Ark hosts, Kosik has plans to begin a community garden.

“One of our primary goals for The Villages at Noah’s Landing is to be sustainable. In order for that to happen, we will need to develop a variety of ways to generate income and to offset operational expenses,” commented Kosik. He explained that a portion of the Community Garden would be developed as a “co-op” whereby Noah’s Ark will sell annual shares of the harvest to members of the community, another portion will go to the individuals working in the garden, and another portion will be donated to local community food banks or feeding programs. “This co-op portion will generate revenue to allow us to replant and expand in the future,” says Kosik.

The community garden involvement will first be offered to the individuals and families of Noah’s Ark and once their interest in participating is determined, if openings still exist, they will open it up to the those within the community.

“Our focus will be on growing vegetables and herbs, however, we have had preliminary discussions with another not-for-profit that sells poinsettia’s at Christmas about purchasing them from Noah’s Ark,” said Kosik. Another potential buyer might be the landscape nursery for the City of Lakeland where Noah’s Ark could grow certain landscape stock for them.

Kosik hopes for the Noah’s Ark Community Garden to be the first step in the realization of the Noah’s Ark Farm. “The Noah’s Ark Community Garden will provide the developmentally disabled adults with the opportunity to discover, support and enhance their contributions to the community through meaningful community engagement opportunities and productive work,” said Kosik. Programs that are planned to revolve around the garden include a produce stand and in the future, an urban farm.

The Noah’s Ark of Central Florida’s Community Garden project will be an urban farm that provides meaningful daytime activities and employment opportunities for developmentally disabled adults in the Greater Lakeland Area.

The Community Garden in well underway as Kosik is taking the appropriate steps to make it happen. “We have applied for start-up funding grants from the Greater Lakeland Community Foundation and the Lakeland Rotary Club.” Kosik says that the funds will most likely be disbursed mid-2012. “Once funding is in place we will start based upon the planting seasons,” said Kosik.

Kosik had the idea for a community garden years ago. “We learned that everyone had different tastes and preferred different foods,” Kosik said. Noah’s Ark tried offering cooking lessons but they didn’t last for long. “We found that they weren’t interested in cooking.”

Because the residents of Noah’s Ark are not interesting in cooking, they often eat unhealthy foods that are not beneficial to a healthy lifestyle. The Community Garden will help to encourage them to make healthy choices.

Eddie Mcleod lives at Noah’s Nest and is excited about the future for the community garden. “I will love to have a garden and it will help us because we spend our money on junk food and we need to be healthy,” he said.

Another resident of Noah’s Nest, De’Shayla Clinton says that she would also like to have a community garden. “It would be fun to learn about a garden and see things grow. Tomato’s, okra, and cucumbers would be good to grow.”

The Villages of Noah’s Landing is the future site for the Noah’s Ark community garden as well as the housing for the Noah’s Ark community. There will be approximately 100 residential units, which will be a blend of one and two-story homes as well as apartments and group homes.

At the back-end of The Villages will be a large recreational area, which will be used for a variety of walking trails and outdoor activities as well as the home for the community garden. Kosik envisions the walking trails to have different plants and flowers labeled. “We want schools to be able to come here and have retreats as well as learn about natural gardening and be able to identify different plants,” Kosik says.
The community garden is going to give The Villages of Noah’s landing the first real initiative to sustainability. “The money will come back in from it and help feed the residence as well as help the co-op,” says Kosik.

As the villages of Noah’s Landing develop with residents and activity the primary focus of the community garden will shift to supplying fresh vegetables (plus chicken and eggs) to the residents.
Some may look at the residents of Noah’s Ark and believe that they have no place and no future, but Kosik has proved that the developmentally disabled have a place and a purpose. The community garden is a way in which they can feel purpose and be able to participate and see the results of their own labor. The greatest part is that it not only benefits themselves, but those in the community as well.

“I have gone from being a dreamer to being a visionary,” Kosik said. “I hated the word dream, because I had a vision.” The vision that Kosik has is becoming a reality… and it is changing people’s life… one by one by one.

Jack Kosik at the entrance of the future site of The Villages of Noah’s Landing

The lake at the back of the property of The Villages of Noah’s Landing. Future water skiing and boating site.

The future site for the community garden.

The Villages of Noah's Landing Ground Plan

Future Bloggers Step On Up!

Image Credit: Robbert van der Steeg

This will be my 3rd year as a consistent blogger so I thought I would end this semester with my top 10 list of things to remember as a blogger:

10. Make sure you make your paragraphs short and sweet, it makes it more appealing to the eye, and more people will be likely to read your posts.

9. Add colors within your post. Pictures and movies are attractive to the eye and will draw readers in.

8. Make sure your tone of voice is attractive to the readers. Make it exciting.

7. Write about things that you are passionate about. Your writing will be better and you will most likely have a more powerful effect on your readers.

6. Comment! Commenting on other people’s blogs will direct them back to your blog. Plus, it is good etiquette in the blogging community to show your appreciation of other people’s posts.

5. Stay up to date on recent news and write about it. Being timely is one of the most important things in journalism

4. Grammar check! Make sure you use spell check and grammar check, and read through your posts more than once before publishing them.

3. Design! Pick a background and design that you love. Make your blog reflect your personality.

2. Pick out a creative name for your blog that will attract people to your blog.

1. Have fun! Take this opportunity to be a blessing to others and be encouraging and uplifting in your words. You could change someones life!

 

Catfish: A documentary

Image Credit: Google Images

I’ve never really been one to enjoy watching documentaries. Although,  when I think about it, the only ones that I have really tried to watch were ones that aired on the history channel, typically with a monotone voice, black and white photos and a boring story. Only recently did I experience a thrilling, upbeat, exciting, and mysterious documentary. Enter the world of Nev Schulman and his Facebook world, which transformed his life. Meet Megan Faccio, the Facebook version of her, at least. This documentary will keep you entertained until the end, anxious to see who the real Megan Faccio. Go on a journey with Nev and his friends and experience the craziest story you’ve heard in a while. Leaving you, very cautious and spectacle of unknown people on Facebook. You will not be disappointed.

Two Suitcases, 25 Dollars, and A Dream

In the year 2006 he packed up his suitcases. His dad handed him $25, and said to go pursue your dreams. He got on a plane in New Delhi, India, traveled across the world and landed in an entirely new culture.

“So I landed in Tampa with 2 suitcases, 25 dollars in my pocket and a dream.” said Godwin Mathew, 25.

Like everyone else, after high school graduation Mathew was looking for different options on where to further his education. He knew he didn’t have the patience for engineering or medicine but he did have a passion for broadcast that he couldn’t ignore.

“I looked to the west from the east, because that’s where all broadcast came from” said Mathew. After applying to schools in Canada, Europe, and the United States, he met a family that encouraged him to come to the US and suggested that he participate in a missions program called Masters Commission (MC).

“I didn’t know what Masters Commission was, but they explained that it would be a great thing for me to get adjusted to the states so I went ahead and applied and interviewed over the phone” said Mathew. Once accepted into MC, he knew where he was going. He wasn’t sure what would come after this season, but he knew he would be in the United States for at least 9 months.

During his time at MC, Mathew had the opportunity to travel the east coast, giving him a taste of the different cultures and people in America.

“I was under the impression that I would see one America” Mathew explained that he was surprised to see a different America than he had ever envisioned, as he traveled to northern New York and over to Midwest Ohio. “I didn’t expect to see different variations of America,” he said.

While Masters Commission was a great learning experience for Mathew, he still had a passion to pursue a career in the industry of broadcast, so he continued to look for Universities, now in the US.

“I began looking at other schools including Clearwater Christian, when my friend invited me to visit Southeastern University,” explained Godwin. He fell in love with the campus and after making certain that they could offer a broadcast degree, began the process of applying.

“I knew that they had what I wanted, but I didn’t have the money. Remember, I came with 2 suitcases and 25 dollars,” Mathew recalls. He was able to get a descent amount of scholarship money his first year and help from a family friend who gave him some financial assistance to get him started.

“In May of 2007 I officially began my degree in broadcast without knowing how I would pay for the next 4 years.”

Mathew began to learn all that he could about broadcast by spending hours in Southeastern Universities Bolin Studio. “It helped me to understand what I needed to know so that I could talk to people about broadcast.” As he learned, he began to have more of a passion for broadcast.

After successfully completing his first internship at a local radio station, he knew that his heart was with television. His junior year of college his degree required him to have an internship so he began applying all across the nation. “Some of my friends told me to start small, start in Florida. To which I said, no, I have the requirements to be a part of a bigger thing, in the national circuit, and I’m going to try.”

Mathew spent six months creating a resume and cover letter that would appeal to a national audience. He said, “I read all kinds of books that had to do with media, and reached out to local media trying to understand how things work and what things I could highlight.”

So finally after six months Mathew had something close to what he wanted and he began applying. “I applied to CNN, ABC, CBS and FOX,” explained Mathew.

3 weeks passed and finally he got a call while he was in class. He missed the call, but while listening to the message, his heart began beating fast as the lady on the recording explained that she was the internship coordinator for the CBS nightly news.

“It was a priceless feeling that someone in Manhattan had taken the time to look at my resume and call me,” Mathew said.

He had a successful interview with CBS and a week passed without Mathew telling anyone anything about it. Then it happened.

“I got a big piece of mail with the CBS logo on it and I knew it meant something good.” Mathew described the moment that he opened the envelope to a piece of paper that said congratulations Godwin Mathew you have been included in our internship program.

Mathew spent three months with CBS in New York City during the summer of 2010 and came back to Southeastern University for his senior year with many stories and experiences. In May of 2011 he successfully graduated with a degree in broadcast and then began applying for jobs, once again, nationwide.

During the summer of 2011 Mathew lived with one of his college buddies while looking for jobs. He was one week away from beginning a job search in New York City when one of his contacts mentioned an opening at the Weather Channel.

“I immediately applied and within 24 hours I got a phone call,” Mathew said. He drove from Florida to Atlanta Georgia for an interview and when he finished they told him that he could join their team as soon as he finished his background check.

“At the end of August I moved to Atlanta Georgia and now I am officially working for the weather channel that is owned by NBC” Mathew said. His role right now is part of broadcast operations and is a job of many responsibilities.

Shoot for the stars, is what Mathew says he has learned through all of his experiences. “Do not compromise and work hard.”

Mathew’s dad gave him the typical ‘work hard’ speech when he was young, but he says it came alive when he landed in the US with 2 suitcases and 25 dollars. “It came alive when I got to New York City. It came alive when I graduated from college. And it finally came alive when I got my job in Atlanta.”

Mathew inspires young people who are anxious about their future to be where you are, but be the best where you are. “Sooner or later, your destiny will come and knock on your door. It’s God’s favor,” Mathew says.

Mathew was just a young man with 2 suitcases and 25 dollars in his pocket, but he had something much more than that. Something that would take him far in life. Something called a dream.