Post by title1parent on Oct 11, 2009 8:09:58 GMT -5
www.suburbanchicagonews.com/napervillesun/news/1818100,Neuqua-student-interviews-White_na101009.article
Neuqua student interviews Jesse White
October 11, 2009
By KATHY CICHON kcichon@scn1.com
"Scott, I'm looking at you, right? You're the man," Secretary of State Jesse White said while sitting on the small stage.
White, the invited guest of sophomore Scott Simpson, was waiting Wednesday for taping to begin of Neuqua Connection, the talk show produced by John Gelsomino's Media Communication and Production I class at Neuqua Valley High School.
"We're just looking at each other," Simpson said.
After given the cue that taping had begun, they spent the next 15 minutes chatting about such topics as politics, driving habits and the famed Jesse White Tumblers.
"You changed many things that lowered the risk of driving. Did you change laws or put more in place?" Simpson asked.
White said students are required to spend 50 hours behind the wheel with their parents, and changed the driving hours for teens because night-time driving causes problems for young drivers.
"We also made sure we changed the numbers of people that can ride in the automobile with the young driver," he said.
Simpson asked White if he believes the biggest problem was distractions to teens.
"I believe that inexperience is one of the problems, and being distracted is another," White said.
He then told Simpson about a ban on texting while driving that goes into effect Jan. 1.
"Talking about 2010, you've already announced (you are running) for your fourth term?" Simpson asked.
White told him he has more work to do. Simpson wondered if White will run for a fifth term.
"No. No. No. I'm going to continue to be a volunteer with the Jesse White Tumbling Team, an organization called Share Your Soles.... and at Christmas time I spend a lot of time buying hams and turkeys and distributing them to senior citizens and needy families, and I'm deeply involved with the Boy Scouts ... Those things and more I just want to do."
Simpson's interview with White, along with other episodes of Neuqua Connection, can be viewed at neuquatv.org. Each student in the class takes a turn as host, along with a variety of production roles.
"Not only are they practicing their interview skills, they're practicing their technical skills," said Lisa Traut, department chair for Media Communications/Technology & Engineering/Family and Consumer Science.
A wide variety of guests have visited Neuqua Connection, including bands, former students and the mayor. The talk show is shown online at neuquatv.org. At the site visitors can watch episodes of Wildcat Weekly, which is produced by broadcast journalism students along with other student-produced videos. Occasionally, episodes of Neuqua Connection air on NCTV, she said.
When Simpson was given the assignment a few weeks ago, he began brainstorming possible guests. His father suggested a few people, then mentioned White.
"I said 'that's the one,'" Simpson said. "He came to some of our basketball games, and I'm friends with his grandson."
That night, he called his friend's mom — White's daughter — to see if an interview would be possible.
"Whenever a student says to me, I want you to come to my school, I'm going to come," White said after the interview.
Simpson said he felt confident interviewing the secretary of state, having researched White before the show. He prepared some of his questions in advance, while others were based on White's answers to earlier questions. With plans to major in broadcast communications at the University of Missouri, Simpson said he wants to be a news anchor.
"I really want to take Matt Lauer's job," Simpson said. "That's going to be my job."
His dream interview?
"It could be Matt Lauer himself," Simpson said. "And (I can) learn all the ropes."
Neuqua student interviews Jesse White
October 11, 2009
By KATHY CICHON kcichon@scn1.com
"Scott, I'm looking at you, right? You're the man," Secretary of State Jesse White said while sitting on the small stage.
White, the invited guest of sophomore Scott Simpson, was waiting Wednesday for taping to begin of Neuqua Connection, the talk show produced by John Gelsomino's Media Communication and Production I class at Neuqua Valley High School.
"We're just looking at each other," Simpson said.
After given the cue that taping had begun, they spent the next 15 minutes chatting about such topics as politics, driving habits and the famed Jesse White Tumblers.
"You changed many things that lowered the risk of driving. Did you change laws or put more in place?" Simpson asked.
White said students are required to spend 50 hours behind the wheel with their parents, and changed the driving hours for teens because night-time driving causes problems for young drivers.
"We also made sure we changed the numbers of people that can ride in the automobile with the young driver," he said.
Simpson asked White if he believes the biggest problem was distractions to teens.
"I believe that inexperience is one of the problems, and being distracted is another," White said.
He then told Simpson about a ban on texting while driving that goes into effect Jan. 1.
"Talking about 2010, you've already announced (you are running) for your fourth term?" Simpson asked.
White told him he has more work to do. Simpson wondered if White will run for a fifth term.
"No. No. No. I'm going to continue to be a volunteer with the Jesse White Tumbling Team, an organization called Share Your Soles.... and at Christmas time I spend a lot of time buying hams and turkeys and distributing them to senior citizens and needy families, and I'm deeply involved with the Boy Scouts ... Those things and more I just want to do."
Simpson's interview with White, along with other episodes of Neuqua Connection, can be viewed at neuquatv.org. Each student in the class takes a turn as host, along with a variety of production roles.
"Not only are they practicing their interview skills, they're practicing their technical skills," said Lisa Traut, department chair for Media Communications/Technology & Engineering/Family and Consumer Science.
A wide variety of guests have visited Neuqua Connection, including bands, former students and the mayor. The talk show is shown online at neuquatv.org. At the site visitors can watch episodes of Wildcat Weekly, which is produced by broadcast journalism students along with other student-produced videos. Occasionally, episodes of Neuqua Connection air on NCTV, she said.
When Simpson was given the assignment a few weeks ago, he began brainstorming possible guests. His father suggested a few people, then mentioned White.
"I said 'that's the one,'" Simpson said. "He came to some of our basketball games, and I'm friends with his grandson."
That night, he called his friend's mom — White's daughter — to see if an interview would be possible.
"Whenever a student says to me, I want you to come to my school, I'm going to come," White said after the interview.
Simpson said he felt confident interviewing the secretary of state, having researched White before the show. He prepared some of his questions in advance, while others were based on White's answers to earlier questions. With plans to major in broadcast communications at the University of Missouri, Simpson said he wants to be a news anchor.
"I really want to take Matt Lauer's job," Simpson said. "That's going to be my job."
His dream interview?
"It could be Matt Lauer himself," Simpson said. "And (I can) learn all the ropes."