The South Coast College tradition is for the students to be transported to the President’s Luncheon in a limousine. From right to left:
Missing: Aharon Moallem. From left to right: Katee Dzwonkowski, Peggy Nicolaou, Priscilla Morley Miranda, Cassandra Lopez, Nicole Willis, Malory Owens, Anna Valdez
Court reporting students who qualified for the February 2010 CSR examination celebrated today with faculty, staff, and other students at South Coast College before attending a limousine/luncheon with faculty and staff.
February 2010 CSR Candidates
Top Row: Left to right: Aharon Moallem, Katee Dzwonkowski, Priscilla Morley Miranda, Peggy Nicolaou
Bottom Row: Cassandra Lopez, Anna Valdez, Nicole Willis, Mallory Owens
Thanks to Todd Olivas, CSR, graduate of South Coast College for taking the time to provide us with a second guest blog.
The Secret of Life (and Court Reporting) is Only One Thing
Tip #2 – Make School Your “One Thing”
In the movie “City Slickers”, Billy Crystal’s character Mitch has this profound conversation with Jack Palance, a curmudgeonly old cowboy:Curly:
You know what the secret of life is?
Mitch: No, what?
Curly: This. (holds his finger up)
Mitch: Your finger?
Curly: One thing. Just one thing. You stick to that and everything else don’t mean [anything].
Mitch: That’s great, but what’s the one thing?
Curly: That’s what you’ve got to figure out.Curly never explains what his “one thing” is.
But that’s not the point of the conversation, or the movie in general. I believe the “one thing” he is talking about is not any specific, actual thing like – “be kind to others” or “go green” or “wash behind your ears” — but rather that there is only room for one “one thing” in your life. Applying that theory to the microcosm of your court reporting school career, there is only enough space for school to be your one thing.
Let me back up just a sec. When I attended South Coast College I crowded lots of things into my life. These were all good things, I might add, like starting a business, being in a rock band, writing a screenplay, writing for a newspaper column, selling custom T-shirts, wearing Spandex. And while those activities were important to me, they competed for my time. I hate to admit it but practicing on my steno machine or even coming to class suffered due to my diverse interests.
It wasn’t until I really buckled down, started setting aside my hobbies and distractions and proactively deciding – on a day-by-day basis – to make school my “one thing,” that I completed the program.
Questions to ask yourself:· What distractions do you have?
· What hobbies and pet pursuits are encroaching on your main goal of becoming a court reporter?
· What some ways you can intentionally make school your “one thing?
”Todd Olivas is a court reporter and agency owner. He can be reached through http://www.toddolivas.com or San Bernardino Court Reporters.
Thanks to law instructor, Joe Klein, for hosting a visit from South Coast College and to Grant Henke, an Esperanza student, for inviting us to speak on the topic of court reporting. Grant is a junior at Esperanza who intends to follow in the footsteps of his mother, Michelle, who attends the court reporting program at South Coast College. It was also discovered that court reporting students, Lisa Collins and Donna Bowles, have children attending Esperanza High School and that Kyle Miller, CSR, a graduate of South Coast College is a 2003 graduate of Esperanza High School.
The presentation was well received. Mr. Klein is a dynamic instructor who has an outstanding, highly motivated law class. Students got to participate in a mock court presentation with Kaitlan Lancaster acting as court reporter. Kaitlan is a 19-year-old South Coast College student who has reached 200 wpm in 17 months. Thanks to Kaitlan for preparing handouts for the students and for her lively presentation and to the students who participated in the mock court presentation.
Court reporter, Lupe Hernandez, CSR, took time from her busy schedule to visit one of the theory classes last evening. Lupe is a deposition reporter who said that she was extremely busy doing depositions during the holidays. Thank you, Lupe, for thinking about the night students. Lupe had been a night student and said that she wanted to be sure that night students would have a speaker.
Court reporter, Linda Hernandez, CSR, was in contact with President Jean Gonzalez recently. She indicated that she is now working in a court in Norwalk. Linda was a nurse while she was attending South Coast College. She indicated that she loves working in court. It was great hearing from you, Linda.
Court reporting students, Nikki Willis and Katee Dzwonkowski. are the latest to qualify from South Coast College to take the February CSR examination. The following students have qualified to date: Aharon Moallem, Cassandra Lopez, Anna Valdez, Mallory Owen, Priscilla Corley, Katee Dzwonkowski., and Nikki Willis. Congratulations to Nikki and Katee and to all who have previously qualified to date!
Court reporter, Laurie Held-Biehl, CSR, RPR, CRR, CLR, CLSP, was a guest speaker today at South Coast College. Laurie is the owner of Biehl, et al., a court reporting agency in Orange County.
Ms. Biehl is not only an experienced reporter with outstanding technological skills, but she is one of the most entertaining speakers. Students enjoyed her lively presentation of the litigation support software, LiveNote.
Thank you, Laurie, for bringing all your equipment and hurrying from the airport to entertain and educate our students today. www.biehletal.com
Court Reporter, Lois Abate, CSR, is a graduate of South Coast College who has an interesting employment arrangement. Four days a week, Lois works in Inglewood Court as a court reporter. On Fridays, she accompanies a district attorney and a judge to Catalina to hold court in Avalon. Lois has been working in this capacity for the past six years.
Lois was a great student who completed the court reporting program in two years.
If anyone knows the whereabouts of reporters who have interesting working arrangements, please continue to let us know.
How to Avoid the Mistakes I Made in Court Reporting School
It’s been ten years since I’ve been licensed as a CSR. Yes, a whole decade has elapsed since my time in court reporting school. So I thought it might be appropriate to look back at some of my experiences (and mistakes) and share those with you over the course of some guest blogs here on South Coast College’s website.
Tip #1 - Be Consistent I don’t know about you, but many times during my court reporting school experience, I thought I had it all figured out. It would happen right after completing a speed or passing a test. I would get complacent and, the truth be told, a little lazy. Okay, a lot lazy. My entire path through school was subsequently a series of quick bursts followed by coasting. Pass a test or two, then slack off for a few weeks… then hit the gas for another burst, then relax for a spell. I enjoyed 170s so much, in fact, that I spent one full year “visiting” that speed. And the crazy cycle would continue.
Things don’t have to be that way. And I’ve learned it is a rather inefficent distribution of energy. When driving a car, for example, don’t you get better gas mileage if you apply consistent and even pressure on the gas pedal rather than “gunning” it and then slamming on the brakes in the nick of time? It’s the same thing with court reporting school. The best way to survive court reporting school, and my #1 tip on the subject, is to be consistent in your efforts throughout.
If you come to school every day in the beginning, keep it up even (or especially) as you begin to advance through the speeds. If you can practice a couple hours per night during theory, then don’t slack off when you’re in speed building. Be consistent and you’ll not only finish the program on time but maybe even before time and feel less “burned out” by the experience. Todd Olivas is a court reporter and agency owner. He can be reached through http://www.toddolivas.com or Riverside Court Reporting.
