Floating the World’s Longest Blackwater River: South Carolina’s Edisto

Watch your paddle blade disappear beneath the tannin-rich waters darkened by countless millions of leaves as you drift down this well-kept low-country secret: the Edisto River.  Enjoy a relaxing experience with nightly camping on white-sand beaches.
Birds and other wildlife abound, as does the famed redbreast sunfish and hundreds of other aquatic species. Ya’ll kick back and stay awhile.

**a Greg Pflug Adventures in Florida - Sierra Club blurb for the Edisto River trip**

A map of the Edisto River

The Rollins Neighborhood and Desiree Traylor

February 2007

Desiree Traylor chose to attend the Hamilton Holt School because of Fred Rogers, Rollins alum and star of the world-famous children’s television program “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood.” In her childhood home in Cleveland, Ohio the familiar words “Would you be my neighbor?” welcomed the young Desiree as she watched television with her brothers.

“I admired his style of teaching and those cardigan sweaters,” Traylor said. “Once I found out he attended Rollins, I wanted to be part of the Rollins community.”

An Organizational Communication major, Traylor believes communication is a vital part of our lives. “I would recommend that everyone enroll in at least two … communication courses… with the “Listening” course being one. Facilitated by Rick Bommelje, “Listening” gives students the necessary tools to increase their ability to listen to others and to become aware of their listening patterns.

“Listening is something we all do 90 percent of our day, therefore we should become more proficient in not just the verbal cues but the non-verbal as well.” Leadership is another area of interest to Traylor. “I have gained the necessary skills through my educational journey at Rollins to lead and educate those I come into contact with through verbal and non-verbal communication skills,” Traylor said. Leadership is “to not only be responsible for the works of those you lead, but to be responsible for your own actions – to mentor, coach, and sometimes lead from behind.”

After receiving her bachelor’s degree in May, she plans to begin graduate study for a Master of Arts degree in Counseling.

“I want to make a difference and be a difference in the lives of everyone I come into contact with, mainly individuals less fortunate than me. I want them to know they are a valuable part of our society and not to let anyone tell them they can’t do something.” If they “ stay focused, dream big and keep God first and foremost in their lives, they can achieve anything,” she said.

In the future, Traylor wants to open a private counseling practice, to counsel middle and high school students, to mentor within the community, and teach parents and guardians how to overcome dysfunctional relationships. She has felt very comfortable at Rollins. “Rollins is a college that embraces diversity, values each student, faculty member, and potential student… don’t let this opportunity pass you by,” Traylor said, hoping to encourage potential students. “Without financial aid and the Florida Resident Access Grant (FRAG), I wouldn’t have been able to successfully complete my BA within my goal of two years.”

Vice-president of Communique, the student chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association at Rollins College, and a fan of the Cleveland Browns, Traylor enjoys modeling, teaching, mentoring, and public speaking, as well as spending time with her family – husband, Sam Gates, and 4-year-old son, Joshua – and her church family at the Church of Christ of West Orange.

The Writers of Hamilton Holt

May 2007

People write for any number of different reasons, and in fact there may be as many inspirations as there are writers, but asking “why” brings out some common themes.

Putting words together on paper allows Geovanna Torres to have a “strong voice, a voice that would otherwise be ignored.” She said, “Writing down my opinions, my thoughts, my desires and aspirations also allows me to have something concrete, something I can look back on and see [my] personal growth.” Since coming to the Holt School, Torres has added the writing minor to her major in psychology. She said, “Writing assignments have forced me to look within myself as well as to think outside-the-box … [and] taught me valuable lessons that I don’t think I would have learned otherwise.”

Shaun Cricks wants to communicate the power of education and ideas to teenagers. He said, “Some of the biggest changes in our world stemmed from precise and poignant writing… and I see some battles that need [to be] fought.” His experiences in Roger Casey’s Critical Approaches to Postmodern Culture led Cricks to realize he no longer wanted to be a journalist. “I want a chance to teach and effect positive change and liberate through knowledge.”

A former music student in Boston, Emily May transferred here at the beginning of the Spring 2007 term, and is a little less certain about her goals. She said “Someone once told me the only thing you can do as an English major is to be a Civil War reenactor… but despite the odds, I plan on writing even if that means writing between battles.” On a more serious note, May also said “Thanks to the Holt School, writing has become the medium for creating and expressing, rather than a stressful paper to squeeze out of an all-nighter.”

Soon to finish her degree and head for a graduate school on the Pacific coast, Erica McEachern said “I write because I have to, because I love exploring the connection between words and emotions. And I write to be a better writer.” Of her experience at Holt she said, “When I began the writing program, I thought I had a passable talent, but I realized quickly that my inspired words were overshadowed by poor grammar and scattered point of view… I am hoping that my venture into a graduate program will solidify [my self confidence about my writing] for me.” She added “My workshop groups and professors inspired me and kept me focused on technique and tangible details. They have instilled a love (fear) of grammar.”

Charlotte Jarrett writes because “It’s an insatiable urge to pen the ineffable, to give voice to the things that leave me rearranging my breath. Writing is how I experience life most fully. And I’m happiest when I’m translating the world – the things I feel and see and taste and crave – onto the page.” Jarrett said she is considering a career in journalism, but “Ideally, someone (actually a lot of someones) would decide they like my poetry well enough to pay to read it, and I could live on the beach and write all day and love as infinitely as the sea around me…”

“I had forgotten that writing could be fun,” said Carolyn Freligh. “I… had failed to maintain the habit of writing every day. Lezlie Laws’ Writers’ Studio class re-established that practice. My husband, cat, and regular visitors have grown accustomed to finding me at the computer or on the patio with pad and pencil in hand before dawn every day. By sunrise, I have written my dreams, worked on a piece in progress, or noted ideas for future exploration, and am ready to face the world with a smile.” It is no wonder then that this writer is nearly ready to send out a collection of short stories and a children’s storybook for publication. Freligh says of her time here, “Attending Rollins has been the most empowering experience of my life.”

“The purpose of the writing minor is to allow students to specialize in writing and to upgrade their writing skills while involved in work that is art rather than work that is strictly scholastic,” said Philip F. Deaver, associate professor at Rollins College and award-winning author.

Various motivations drive people to persevere at the often thankless task of writing: both the process of writing and the end results can be empowering; being published offers a chance at immortality, of a sort; and poems and stories can delight, captivate, entertain, and instruct. All who succeed at writing seem to agree that, in spite of its challenges, both the process and the act are rewarding.

Students pursue the writing minor in addition to selecting their major. Some are chasing a dream, while others are increasing their marketability in the business world. More than half of these undergraduates major in English, but many come from other fields, like Psychology, Humanities, and Organizational Communications. . Students wishing to complete their degree with a writing minor must complete three core and three elective courses as well as a writing portfolio representing their best work produced at the institution.

Download resume.pdf

Ted Greenberg
(for more contact details, see .pdf)
www.tedgreenberg.wordpress.com
tedgreenberg07(AT)gmail(DOT)com

OBJECTIVE: Writer/Editor

PROFILE
Dedicated professional with diverse writing, editing and general business skills. Able to build rapport easily with senior leaders, customers and peers. Life-learner interested in developing and applying new skills; technical skills include Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Publisher, Adobe Photoshop. Comptia A+ certified.

WRITING - EDITING
• Interviewed subjects and wrote articles and student/alumni profiles for Rollins Hamilton Holt college newsletter and website.
• Edited and published bi-weekly newsletter “The RAFT” for agency intranet and limited hard-copy distribution.
• Developed cohesive group of six reporters to provide effective communication between agency teams. Generated ideas and created enthusiasm for various subjects to spark writers’ imaginations.
• Wrote informative and entertaining articles to keep staff abreast of other teams’ events and to help relieve the stress of a demanding job.
• Expanded newsletter from two to four pages; increased reporters’ responsibilities to provide material for additional space.

CUSTOMER SERVICE - TEACHING – TRAINING
• Tutored college students in academic and creative writing skills in one-on-one setting in campus writing center
• Developed training programs on improving customer service for call center agents.
• Delivered customer service and “how-to” presentations to groups of up to 30 participants.
• Created supporting course material and handouts to increase learning effectiveness.
• Managed class rosters and attendance schedules.
• Trained clients and peers in the administration and programming of telecommunications, Automatic Call Distribution, and computer systems.
• Developed lesson plans and taught adults as adjunct college instructor.
• Served as volunteer classroom teacher and Youth Group assistant for over ten years in church based setting. Developed age-appropriate curriculum for children K-5 and helped guide youth grades 6-12 in morals-building activities.
• Volunteered as assistant with Cub- and Boy Scouts setting for over ten years. Participated in numerous camping trips and fund-raising and service projects.

WORK HISTORY
International Academy of Design Technology, Orlando, Florida
Adjunct Instructor January 2008 - present

Kelly Educational Staffing, Orlando, Florida
Substitute Teacher October 2007 - present

Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida January 2007 – May 2007
Writing Consultant (Spring Semester 2007)
Hamilton Holt School Assistant (Spring Semester 2007)

Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation, Orlando, Florida 2001 - 2006
Telecommunications Systems Consultant

Inter-Tel Technologies, Inc., Longwood, Florida 1989 - 2001
Sr. Telecommunications Technician

Don Asher & Associates; Coldwell-Banker, Orlando, Florida 1988 - 1989
Realtor-Associate

RELATED VOLUNTEER WORK
Orlando Community Church, Orlando, Florida 1993 - 2006
Youth Group Assistant (2000 – 2006)
Sunday School Teacher (1993 – 1999)

Cub Scouts, BSA Troops 48 & 24, Orlando, Florida 1995 - 2005
Scout Parent

EDUCATION
Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida
Bachelor of Arts: English major, Writing minor May 2007

Belhaven College, Maitland, Florida
Associate of Arts December 2004

Winter 101: A Florida Primer

Leave winter’s blasts behind and dive into the waters of southern springs; watch manatees perform underwater ballet a short ways from your paddle; then enjoy nature’s symphony from the screen porch of your cabin while the aroma of low-country boil awakens your appetite. Explore different waters daily, creating enough memories to spark conversation until your next trip into the Florida wilds.

**just a blurb for one of Greg Pflug’s Florida trips that should appear soon in Sierra Club magazine**
****see also www.adventuresinflorida.com****

Jeseñia Colondres Brown

February 2007

Jeseñia Brown’s positive attitude will serve her well as she moves forward into the future.

“Any hardship that comes your way, the Rollins community will support you,” she said.  “I’ve found my professors here are completely understanding and supportive.” In fact, she credits the encouragement and support from the faculty with allowing her to be the first of over 50 people in her extended family–including brothers, sisters, and cousins–to graduate from college.  She hopes to receive her Bachelor of Arts in anthropology in May.

Like many Holt students, Brown chose the Holt School for the flexibility of evening classes which allows her to combine college with a full-time job.  And like many new college students, she explored several disciplines before deciding on a major.

“After taking some anthropology courses I found that I loved them and wanted to study that more than anything,” she said.  The knowledge she gained from studying the physical, social, and cultural development of humans helped her discover her personal and professional goals and map out a plan to achieve them.

“I plan on finishing my graduate studies and pursuing a career in the nonprofit sector, focusing on child welfare reform,” she said.  She also can better appreciate the differences and similarities between people.

“Almost all facets of everyday human life can be related to a study or field in anthropology,” she said. An ability to recognize and accept an individual’s uniqueness is critically important to help make our world a better place, she said, and the best place to start making needed changes in the world is with children and the social systems affecting them.

She also has learned a few things about leadership at Rollins as it relates to the College mission. “A responsible leader is one who takes a holistic approach to leading.”   Such leaders “realize that regardless of the size of the task or the role they hold it’s important to look at it from every angle and address all parties equally.”

To anyone contemplating returning to college, Brown had some significant advice. The most important thing after actually getting started is to “take it easy,” she said.  “It’s not when you finish, rather [it’s] that you finish,” because hurrying through the learning process reduces the benefits and lessens the experience.  “Do this for yourself and your future.”

Florida Fund for Minority Teachers

March 2007

More than 800 students came together at the 11th Annual Recruitment and Retention Conference of the Florida Fund for Minority Teachers (FFMT) that took place March 17-18 at the Rosen Plaza Hotel.

Recipients of the FFMT scholarship must attend this event each year, where they practice interviewing and networking skills and attend many informative workshops aimed at producing effective teachers.  Examples of this year’s topics included “Reading, Rappin’, and Having Fun,” “Children Who Hurt Can’t Learn,” and “Keep it Fine with the Arts.”

Holt student and FFMT scholar William Tillman attended this year’s gathering of future educators. “There were lots of workshops; I went to one about teaching students of different cultures that explained that you have to get to know students’ backgrounds and let them know yours to be a good teacher,” said Tillman.  “Vincent Taylor [the keynote speaker] talked about using rap music and rhythm to help improve reading comprehension, and using different songs to help students remember.  Since I’m a music major, I’m thinking about looking into that more; I may want to teach reading now.”

The scholarship is designed to draw members of minority groups into the teaching profession, and provides $2000 per semester during the students’ junior and senior undergraduate years.  The award must be paid back if the student does not teach in the Florida school system for two years after graduation.

Other sources of financial assistance for Holt students include the Florida Resident Access Grant (FRAG), the Holt Tuition Scholarship, EXCEL Transfer Scholarships, and the Florida Public Relations Association scholarship.  More information is available through Terrie Cole at the Holt School office: email tcole@rollins.edu or call (407) 646-2232.