Our Practicum course spent several weeks during the semester divided into two teams working on group-wide projects. Each team was required to select the project of their choice, plan their coverage and present their final presentation in an online environment. The two projects can be seen below.
VOICES OF OUR NEIGHBORS
ONE ROAD TO VICTORY
Adam Dobson was becoming part of growing trend seen in the gay and transgender population. He was trying everything from Xanax to hydrocodone, and even a horse tranquilizer called ketamine to find a high. According to www.americanprogress.org, up to 30% of the gay and transgender community abuse substances, compared to only 9% in the general population.
A couple of years ago Dobson began to perform in drag which, he says, helped him get his life on a more positive track. He now performs drag as Mallory in nightclubs throughout Kentucky, Tennessee and Indiana, and his number one fan is his mom, Cathy.
Cathy attends almost every drag performance that she can. “He never disappoints me,” she says, “I’m always amazed by his performance.”
The love and support Cathy gives her son is significant. Not every gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender young adults’ parents are supportive, which experts believe may be a factor that leads many LGBT youth to depression or other risky behavior. A study done by the Official Journal of The American Academy of Pediatrics in 2009 found that, “lesbian, gay, and bisexual young adults who reported higher levels of family rejection during adolescence were 8.4 times more likely to report having attempted suicide, 5.9 times more likely to report high levels of depression, 3.4 times more likely to use illegal drugs, and 3.4 times more likely to report having engaged in unprotected sexual intercourse compared with peers from families that reported no or low levels of family rejection.”
“I’m going to live life the way I want to live it, and I refuse to let anyone bring me down,” Dobson said.
Brenda Smith, 56, used to think that when she reached a certain age, she and her husband Bruce would be celebrating their golden years together, with no one else in the house.
That thought changed about eight years ago, when the Smith household began to take care of Shylar, Bruce’s grandson and Brenda’s step-grandson.
According to AARP, more than 2.5 million grandparents in the United States are taking in their grandchildren and becoming responsible for them.
Brenda takes great pride in raising Shylar as her own son, but Shylar isn’t the only person in the household living under her care.
In Dec. 2011, her father Bill Wilcox was diagnosed with cancer and after being faced with the reality of going to a nursing home, Brenda made the decision to take him into her home and take care of him.
She experiences life’s joys and struggles as she splits her time between raising her 8-year-old grandson, and caring for her 84-year-old dad.
Twenty-five years ago the students who ran the newspaper at Western Kentucky University fought a battle of David and Goliath to preserve their independence and free speech that helped pave a path of self-governance for student publications across the country. The story is told through archival news footage and current interviews with those who were involved at that time.
Below is a sample of some of our Senior Capstone course Projects in Photojournalism. The student’s will take the entire semester to work on one project of their choosing. Enjoy the stories.
Ben Severence – “Leaving a Legacy”
“I have come to believe that a great teacher is a great artist and that there are as few as there are any other great artists. Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit.” -John Steinbeck
The nationally renowned journalism program and award winning student newspaper at Western Kentucky University have not always been so prestigious. From humble beginnings and through controversy they were formed by the work of thousands of friends, colleagues and students.
This is the story of a little newspaper in Kentucky that would stop a nothing to be the considered the best and one man who for over 40 years guided the paper, touching the lives of every student involved.
Zach Conkle – “Wright’s Law”
An amazing educator in the Louisville School System, Jeffrey Wright pours his heart and emotion into the well being of his students. Little do they know that Wright’s life at school is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the love he carries for his own family.
Leslye Davis – “My Blessing, My Boy”
When Andrew Holland was 13, he was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma after a tumor was discovered in his spine. Doctors gave him 50-50 odds of survival.
On March 14, 2012, he underwent his last chemotherapy treatment. Less than three weeks later, his mother Regina received a phone call from the hospital. An MRI revealed four new tumors in Andrew’s spine. He immediately returned to chemotherapy as doctors worked to determine what his treatment options would be.
Andrew and Regina worry that a bone marrow transplant will be a tragic step in his journey to recovery.
“It’s just scary because to do that, they have to take the kids as close to death as they possibly can.” Regina said. “We’ve been coming here for a while and I’ve seen too many kids die from it.”
“I don’t think I’m going to die,” Andrew said. “ I think I can come really, really close to it— just not going to die.”
Even in his hospital bed, he will sing to his mother, his visitors, and even the nurses as they come and go on their routines.
Some day Andrew hopes to be an author. Although he rarely betrays the optimism that defines his character, through his writing a darker side to his struggle is revealed.
Alyssa Orr – “Loving Mallory”
Adam Dobson of Bowling Green, Ky., gets his life on a more positive track after getting involved with drugs. The unconditional love and support coming from Adam’s mom, Cathy, continues to strengthen the bond they share.
Kelly Lafferty – “Young in Heart”
56-year-old Brenda Smith revolves her life around her family. She experiences life’s joys and struggles as she raises her grandson and takes care of her ailing father.
Photo by Austin Koester
Every city is divided into neighborhoods, sometimes for economic reasons, and sometimes for issues relating to race or income. The following photograph shows a neighborhood different from the city it belongs to. There’s no clear line that separates it from it’s better half. Some say it’s divided by a set of railroad tracks. Some say it begins in an alley way between Kentucky and Adams st. Wherever it begins and whatever it may be called, I know it as my backyard. This is one photograph that represents a collection I put together for my capstone photojournalism class. It aims to give viewers a glimpse into the neighborhood and it’s inhabitants.
To 98-year-old Tyrus Cobb Bailey, death is the only sure thing. He has watched as his parents and six siblings passed away one-by-one over the last century. Although he is not afraid of dying, Bailey has used his passion for woodworking to prepare for the inevitable. This project was produced by Zach Conkle over the winter break. Nice job Zach!
Congratulations to Brynn Anderson and Christian Randolph for having the qualifying singles portfolio at WKU PJ to advance to the Hearst judging for Photo 1 competition. Their entries can be seen below.
Onlookers to a one-car crash call 911 and check on the condition of an unconscious Erica Wilson. She was in the passenger seat of a vehicle driven by David Menchinger. The car spun out while traveling at a high speed and slammed into a stone wall in Bowling Green, Ky., on May 11, 2011. Menchinger fled the scene after attempting to restart the car but was later arrested by Bowling Green police for driving under the influence. (Photo by Christian Randolph)
As Waverly High School’s James Doran (12) was attempting to find an open teammate in the second quarter at Pius X High School in Lincoln, Neb., on Dec. 2, 2010, a bleacher full of the opposing team’s fans took advantage of their home court to distract the player. Pius X won the game 72-55. (Photo by Christian Randolph)
Blind in one eye, Roger “Pimp Baby” Grant is unable to work aside from his small business of selling discarded trinkets from around town in his front yard in Bowling Green, Ky., on Nov. 4, 2011. Grant uses the few dollars he is able to gather from his sales to buy cigarettes and beer, a habit which has had him splitting time between the apartment his sister pays the rent for and the local jail where he is frequently incarcerated on charges of public intoxication. Shortly after this photograph was made he sold the jacket he was wearing for $5. (Photo by Christian Randolph) Continue Reading →
Lelia Jones Ruth, 26, has been a mother for ten years. However, it wasn’t until her recent divorce that she became a single parent. In addition to getting herself and her four boys to school on time and planning birthday parties, Ruth quickly realized an added devistating loss in this new chapter of her life can be very trying and often unpredictable.
Chris Jensen, who has been sent to Iraq three times, faces another deployment to Afghanistan on Dec. 27. He and his wife, Holly, have been separated for nearly half of their nine-year marriage. “You’re more scared that when you come back your kids aren’t going to remember who you are,” Chris said.
He tries to stay connected with his children by recording himself reading bedtime stories. They can see his face and hear his voice at the end of each day. Nevertheless, Chris worries that his son, Ryan, may face challenges transitioning from boyhood to manhood without his father at home.