The Singing Christmas Tree

The 38th annual Singing Christmas Tree of Sweet Home, Oregon, is a free Christmas musical concert held in the Sweet Home High School’s auditorium on December 6th, 7th, and 8th of 2019.  The program starts at 7:30pm on Friday and Saturday, and at 3pm on Sunday. The concert consists of forty singers and over twenty Christmas songs, including audience sing along songs such as “Here Comes Santa Claus,” “Away in a Manger,” and other Christmas favorites. Sweet Home Children’s Choir will be performing as well, singing four songs before joining the Singing Christmas Tree Choir for a fifth song. Majority of the singers are from Sweet Home, but some are from Lebanon, Albany, and Brownsville. Singers in the tree range in age from twelve to ninety-four.
Sue Olson, the program chairman and bough coordinator, as well as alto singer, can hardly contain her excitement for another year of Sweet Home’s Singing Christmas Tree. Olson has been involved with the program since it’s fourth year, when her eldest son played in a brass quintet. “I was completely mesmerized by the lights, by the music —just everything. I just knew I wanted to be apart of it,” Olson explains. The Christmas tree itself is handmade by Olson and the support crew. “They’re real boughs. Cascade Timber Consulting trims alongside the roadsides, then members pick them up for us and bring them down. We’re very lucky the fire marshal let’s us use real boughs, we have to spray them all with fire retardant beforehand,” Olson says while demonstrating how the crew weaves the boughs through wire to make the tree.

  Board members meet throughout the year in order to organize the finest program possible for their audience. Rehearsals, the making of the tree, and decorating begins in late November.

Second year music director and conductor for Sweet Home's Singing Christmas tree, John Kluttz, leads the choir through practice in the decorated and lighted Christmas tree for the first time, days before their first performance. 

During rehearsal, singers in the tree practice using candles while singing "Candle in Your Heart."

Judy Stevens, the Singing Christmas Tree's rehearsal accompanist, is assisted by a page turner during practice several days before the first performance of the 38th annual Singing Christmas Tree. Bill Langdon will be the program accompanist with his son, Michael Langdon, as page turner for the performances on December 6th, 7th, and 8th.

Week 10 Forum

The best photo(s), I think, I took for this class were the photos I took of the Poetry Club. They stood out because it was much more difficult than I thought it would be getting good photos in an environment where they're really just sitting and reading poems the majority of the time. I learned that it's possible tot get good photos and stories even with "lack of action."(Poetry Club photos attached below) My photography skills were little to none at the beginning of the term, but I've improved way more than I thought I would. I know how to actually hold a camera now, and I've learned how to approach subjects and actually make people comfortable, even thought I'm there with an intimidating camera and seemingly endless questions. At first, especially with the first HUMANS OF LBCC assignments, I was super nervous and didn't even know how I should properly introduce myself without scaring them away.
Week 1 Forum "Goals":

My goals for this class:

To gain experience and knowledge in photography, and to get some of my photos published in the Commuter.

 I would still like to improve on my photography skills even more, but I have gained much more knowledge and experience in photography and journalism than I had before. I knew almost nothing. I also had a few of my photos and captions featured in the Commuter, so yay! I did achieve my goals for this class . . . eek!

Book Report

“It’s What I Do: A Photographer’s Life of Love and War,” by Lynsey Addario was an educational, and thrilling read for me. I found the “Women Are Casualties of Their Birthplace” chapter to be the most riveting story. Addario’s telling of the African women’s traumatic stories and their strength even through their horrific experiences was heart wrenching and eye opening. The women survived kidnapping, rape, contracting fatal illnesses, and bearing their rapists children only to escape and find their husbands/families unaccepting of them for being taken against their will, and in turn suffered abandonment of the worst kind. I look up to Addario’s passion to show raw, unfiltered stories to the public through her photos. I admire her sense of moral responsibility when pursuing war zones -- she empathizes with the people and their stories, and respects the cultures. If I were in her place, I hope that I would have half the courage, empathy, and righteousness she holds. Although she’s sometimes shy and tentative with subjects, her passion for her photos always came through, she managed to get her shots regardless. I was able to use that this term. Like many others, I’m also sometimes shy when it comes to shooting subjects, and looking at where Lynsey Addario is today is inspiring. She has received international awards for her work, she’s a New York Times bestselling author, she’s considered one of the most influential photographers from the last quarter of a century, and much, much more. I liked her work with transgender prostitutes in New York in the late nineties, before she was a war photographer. She showed them as is in her photos, and they were obviously comfortable with her. I appreciated her open mindedness, and I also loved how they referred to her as “The Camera Lady.” (Pictures shown in Chapter 4: “You, American, Are Not Welcome Here Anymore”) But my favorite photos of her’s were the images that went with the stories that stuck with me: of the African women Bibiane, Vumila, and Mapendo. The photos are of the women in their homes, emotional, straight-faced, and suffering from illness, but resilient and accepting of Addario with her questions and camera. 

Bibiane, 28, South Kivu
lynseyaddario.com

What resonated with me the most in Addario’s memoir was when she wrote, “The women also put my life of privilege, opportunity, independence, and freedom into perspective. As an American woman, I was spoiled: to work, to make decisions, to be independent, to have relationships with men, to feel sexy, to fall in love, to fall out of love, to travel. I was only twenty-six, and I had already enjoyed a lifetime of new experiences.” I think it really puts it into perspective for most of her readers. It’s easy for me to forget how very privileged I truly am as a young American woman. I can receive an education (including higher education), I’m blessed with endless opportunities, I can marry for love -- if I want to, I can travel independently, and just have rights and freedom.

My Hometown

The Hope Center is a women and children's shelter in Sweet Home, Oregon. It's Oregon's longest lasting shelter for the homeless that has never received government funding. It's made up solely of volunteers. They offer Bible studies, mentoring, and aid women in finding employment.

A statue of two loggers in front of the East Linn Museum in Sweet Home, Oregon, honors the rich logging history of the small town. The East Linn Museum pays tribute to the history of primary people of east Linn County. Inside, you can visit a recreated pioneer bedroom, sitting room, and kitchen. The museum holds thousands of records, photos, and artifacts from early loggers, farmers, and families of Linn County. The museum is open to visitors Thursdays through Saturdays from 11am to 4pm.

The Weddle Bridge at Sankey Park in Sweet Home, Oregon, was originally built in 1937. The covered bridge hosts many of the town's events including fundraisers for breast cancer, the "October Fest," and private events such as parties and weddings. 

Keeanna & Penny

Keeanna Selby lunges her green broke five year old Quarab mare, Penny, at Windfall Farms in Lebanon, Oregon. Selby purchased Penny recently, just this last October. Selby has been a horse owner her whole life, Penny being her sixth horse. "The previous owners didn't put a lot of work into her, so she hadn’t really been desensitized to anything. She spooks easily, and I'm still trying to get her comfortable in a saddle. She's young and has a lot of potential though, she's very gentle and an incredibly fast learner," Selby says as she continues lunging her.

Selby successfully runs with Penny over a small jump for the first time. "She must be showing off for the camera, she usually just stops and goes around it!" she exclaims while laughing.

After Penny is comfortable with a saddle pad on her back, Selby introduces a western saddle. Selby places the saddle on and off of Penny while calmly speaking to her until she's relaxed. This is done to build Penny's confidence until she's ready to have a rider.

Week 7

My Hometown / My Neighborhood

Currently, I live in Sweet Home, Oregon. So for the "My Hometown / My neighborhood" assignment, I plan on shooting the most popular places in Sweet Home, I want to make sure to get people in my photos. I'm thinking about shooting the Foster Reservoir, A&W restaurant, Sankey Park and/or bridges -- where town events are usually held. I plan on checking bulletin boards, The New Era, or online for upcoming local events to capture this coming week as well. 

Photo Story Ideas

 

I have no solid plans for the photo story -- yet -- but I've been considering my local middle school, or high school, cheer team, since competition season is coming up. I also know someone who is going to be competing in horse shows, barrel racing and more, through this month and next. I plan on checking the local high school for their school plays, they usually have performances this time on the year. I could shoot their rehearsals leading up to the main performance, and behind the scenes. 

Environmental Portrait

Barbi Riggs is the principal of Hawthorne Elementary School in Sweet Home, Oregon. This is her third year as principal. Before becoming principal, she started her career in education as a classified teacher's assistant at Foster Elementary school in 1997. After she acquired her BS degree, she was hired as a certified teacher at Hawthorne. She was a 1st and 2nd grade teacher at Hawthorne for seventeen years. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Education from Western Oregon University, her Masters Degree in Education from Northwest Christian University, and eventually received her Administration Degree from the University of Oregon. She's extremely passionate about education and children. Her favorites parts of being an elementary school principal are mentoring teachers, and making sure children are getting the education they deserve in a safe, welcoming environment.

Humans of LBCC

Isaac Savage is a psychology major, and he’s currently dual enrolled with Oregon State University. This is his second year at LBCC. He's most passionate about helping people whenever he’s able, and in any way he can. Willingness to help others is the quality that holds the most value to him. “Helping people has always kind of been my thing. Especially when they’re in stressful situations, whether it’s academic, family, or relationship problems. Psychology fits in that area, so that’s why I chose it,” he explains. Once he receives his degree, Isaac wants to work as a counselor with youth, mostly middle school or high school students. He considers getting accepted into college his greatest accomplishment so far. He applied to OSU twice, getting accepted the second time. Isaac was born in Oregon, growing up in Philomath and Sherwood. His family comes from Jonesville, Louisiana. In his free time, Isaac enjoys socializing with all kinds of people, playing basketball, and working out at the Dixon Recreation Center at OSU.

Pete Souza

Pete Souza is an award winning American photojournalist, speaker, bestselling author, assistant photojournalism professor, former official White House photographer, and currently a freelancer. He was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts on December 31st, 1954. Graduating cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in public communications from Boston University, he later went on to receive his masters in journalism and mass communication from Kansas State. His career started in Kansas with the Hutchinson News and the Chanute Tribune in the seventies, he then was a photographer for the Chicago Sun Times in the early eighties. Souza covered photo stories for National Geographic, Life magazine, and other notable newspapers and magazines worldwide as a freelancer.

From 1983 to 1989, Souza was an official White House photographer for former U.S. president Ronald Reagan’s second term. He was behind the lense during many well known events, such as when president Reagan invited Michael Jackson to the White House in 1984 to present him with the Presidential Public Safety Communication Award. Souza also took one of the iconic images of Princess Diana dancing in the White House wearing the “Travolta Gown,” with John Travolta in 1985. After photographing Reagan’s second term in office, Souza stayed in Washington D.C., working for the Chicago Tribune Washington D.C., bureau. In 2001, just a few weeks after 9/11, Souza was on of the first photojournalists to cover the Fall of Kabul in Afghanistan. Souza, along with other staff with the Chicago Tribune, received a Pulitzer Prize in 2001 for their reporting on the airline industry. In 2004, he was the official photographer for Reagan’s funeral services.

It was around 2004 when Souza was asked to take photos of Barack Obama’s first year as a U.S. Senator. Souza actually met Obama on his first day in the Senate. He accompanied Obama on trips to Russia, Kenya, and South Africa. I think Souza’s “claim to fame” was in photographing the rise of Barack Obama’s presidency. His 2008 book, “The Rise of President Obama,” was a New York Times bestseller. Souza was an assistant photojournalism professor at Ohio University’s School of Visual Communication for a short period of time, before being requested to become the official White House photographer for the newly elected president Barack Obama. Obama’s presidential portrait, taken in 2009 by Souza, was the first presidential portrait taken on a digital camera. Souza’s photo-book ‘Obama: An Intimate Portrait,” was #1 on the New York Times bestsellers list in 2016, and is one of the best selling photography books of all time. Pete Souza is known for his humanizing, candid, and intimate photos of Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama during their presidencies. His most recent photo-book “Shade: A Tale of Two Presidents,” was also #1 on the New York Times bestsellers list. 

Check out Pete Souza’s website for his image galleries, bio, upcoming events, and more at:

https://www.petesouza.com/content.html?page=3

Follow Souza’s personal account on Instagram @petesouza

For photos taken during his time in the White House with former president Barack Obama, follow @petesouza44

Poetry Club

Poetry Club members (left to right) Rebecca Winnett (front), Alex Baer, and Ari Smith play a game of “Rock-paper-scissors" to decide who gets to read their poem aloud to the group first. Poet laureate, Kel O’Callaghan (top left), keeps tabs on the score. The club assembles on Thursday's from 12-2pm.

Poetry Club members (left to right) Alex Baer and Ari Smith go over a poem Smith wrote in a creative writing class.

Poetry Club member Rebecca Winnett reads aloud to the group a comic poem she wrote called "Socks." The poem follows her experiences trying to get homework done while her fifteen year old cat constantly demands her attention.

Week 4

PORTRAIT SUBJECTS 

For my first choice for my portrait subject, I think I'll contact my younger sibling's elementary school principal. Her name is Barbi Riggs. She was my younger brother's 2nd grade teacher, and she became the principal of that school the next year. I would want to get a picture of her sitting in her office desk with her "Principal Riggs" name tag on the desk. I have her number and email, so I wouldn't have a problem contacting her.

For my second choice I would probably contact my old soccer coach named Ramiro Santana. Ideally I'd get pictures of him with his soccer coach sweater, maybe holding a soccer ball in the soccer field with the soccer nets in the background. I'm friends with him on Facebook, so I could contact him through that. 

Tips from the "Shooting Stars" video I could apply to this assignment:

- Figure out a place for the portrait subject beforehand, test the lighting, background, etc. 

-Make the subject comfortable. Have conversation, form a sort of personal relationship in the time you're taking their pictures. They will be more cooperative, and their face won't just "sit there."

Week 3

Topic 1

Shooting an event / activity

For my event/activity assignment, I went to the "Global Connections Hangouts" club on Wednesday, Oct. 16th. I was interested in the club because the day was convenient and I was interested in meeting new students. It was difficult for me to get a good overall shot of the club. I had a really fun time at the hangout. I stayed the whole time to finish a game of UNO, even after I was finished taking pictures. Ultimately if I had an opportunity to shoot this assignment again, I would try and get a better overall picture, and more information about the club members.

Topic 2

Self-critique

The best photo I've taken so far in this class was my picture of Jamie Alvarez for the first HUMANS OF LBCC assignment.

The worst photo I've taken for a class assignment was for the second HUMANS OF LBCC assignment. I was way too close to the subject and the lighting was awful. 

The skill I need to improve the most is to definitely get better with my camera. I need to learn more about the settings/lenses etc.

Global Connections Hangouts

When: Wednesdays 12:00-12:50pm

Where: LBCC T-119 & ELCI (on West Way near the tennis courts) 

Location varies

The first meeting of this year’s Global Connections Hangouts club was held in Takena 119 on Wednesday, October 16th. The students join in groups to chat and play games after enjoying lunch together.

In the Global Connections Hangouts club, you have the opportunity to meet LBCC students from around the world with unique cultural backgrounds, learn about other cultures, play games, and make new friends in a fun and welcoming environment! Lunch is provided, usually different ethnic cuisines each week. The club has had Vietnamese sandwiches, Indian food, and more. For their next meeting they plan on having Middle Eastern food. The club proves that LBCC is truly enriched by cultural diversity.

On November 20th at noon in Forum 104, the hangout will be having a big performance. “We didn’t have a good turn out the last two years. This year we’re actually trying to do events where we go to the campus community. We paid a lot of money for this performance. It’s called They Call Me Q. It’s a one person comedy skit about identity, and it has really great reviews. It’s going to be performed on a Wednesday instead of our hangouts. Hopefully we’ll have teachers that will encourage their students to come,” says Kim Sullivan, the International Student Advisor who organizes the club.

Students Keisuke Murasawa (Right) and Richard Ongosari (Left) laugh as Murasawa pulls more cards during his turn in a game of UNO.

Club member Tiare Tiana Tuimavave hesitantly goes in to draw a block playing the classic hardwood game Jenga. 

Week 2 Forum

Topic 1

Photographer of the Week

Pete Souza

Facts -

- Former Official Chief White House Photographer for U.S. Presidents Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama
- Several of his photography books are New York Times bestsellers
- He photographed a couple stories on assignment for National Geographic


I think what stands out the most is how authentic his photos are. He captured the most intimate moments of Reagan's and Obama's presidencies. For example: when he captured former President Obama's reaction to the news of the Sandy Hook shooting. You can see Obama is severely effected by the news, it showed that Obama genuinely cared as a president and as a father. I think his "Claim to Fame," was covering former President Barack Obama's rise and presidency. His book "Obama: An Intimate Portrait," is one of the best selling photography books of all time.

Topic 2

 Lynsey Addario

"It's What I Do"

I thought the book was exciting. What impressed me most was how badass Lynsey Addario is. She was afraid but still went through with her work. She had me a worried for her life at times, and it was just the prelude and first chapter of the book. I think at one point in the prelude she mentions how she was "in the line of fire," and I was incredibly impressed at just how truly dedicated she is to her work. She was willing to risk her life for the photo's and stories. I really, really admire her passion. I think the lessons you can apply to photojournalism based on her book are to: find your stories and take your photo's even when you're scared, and to capture all the photo's you can because they show the real story.

Humans of LBCC

Emily Thompson 

“I come from Eugene, Oregon. I chose LBCC because I was originally interested in animal sciences, and I knew Linn Benton had a really good animal science program. I plan on transferring to the University of Oregon. My major is currently biology. I’m hoping to stick with it . . . it’s like my third major. I love logic puzzles, reading science fiction, and baking. In my free time I lead a young adult Catholic group in Eugene. After I get my degree I want to work mostly in microbiotics, microbiology, and genetics. I really, really want to work with the gene editing tool CRISPR. They’re working on all sorts of different things right now. They’re working on making mosquitoes that are incapable of passing on malaria. Well they’ve actually made those but they’re still trying to work out the kinks. Ideally I’d like to work with mosquitoes or pigs. They’re trying to get pig organs that can be used in human transplants, but there’s some different parts of the pig genome that would need to be removed because there’s actually ancient viruses encoded in the pig’s genome now that would cause problems in humans, so I’d like to work on that.”

Levi Hernandez

“I’m from Sweet Home, Oregon, but my parents come from Oaxaca, Mexico. My major is political science. I chose it because I like politics and want to know more about our government. I like politics a lot. They’re fascinating and I want to learn more about where we’re headed in the future. My favorite classes are government and introduction to politics. I’d say we need to make it so not one person can hold so much power and abuse it. We need to make the world a better place. My hobbies are researching what’s going on in the world right now, and I really enjoy playing soccer. I was captain of my high school’s varsity soccer team. I work at my sister’s restaurant, Casa de Reyes, in Sweet Home right now. The most influential person in my life is my dad, because he traveled across the world to start a new life. What drives me to be successful is the thought of being unsuccessful. In ten years I want to be traveling and making a positive impact on the world, something political.”

Week 1

About Me

My name is Jacquelyn, and this is my first year in college. I’m a journalism major, that’s why I was placed in this class. I have very little experience in photography, but I’m really looking forward to this class.


Goals

My goals for this class:

To gain experience and knowledge in photography, and to get some of my photos published in the Commuter.

Humans of LBCC Photos

I was pretty nervous to approach people for the questions. I found out that it was much easier than I thought it would be, I was fine as soon as I started asking the questions I had written down. The people I interviewed were easy going and friendly. I honestly think my final project could’ve turned out better, but I’m okay with it for now. Next time I’ll get more photos, with different angles and poses. My favorite part of this assignment was learning about other students at LBCC and their stories.

Humans of LBCC 2

Johnny Lynn

“My major is applied computer science, I chose it because I’ve been interested in it and that’s a good way to exploit it. I rebuild computers in my free time. I’ve been at LBCC for two terms. I loved my sand volleyball class, it was good exercise and the people in it were really friendly. My hero is Mark Wahlberg because he sold drugs, went to prison, started his own band — Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch — and became an actor. The hardest part of college is paying for it; being middle class sucks. The most embarrassing moment I’ve had at LBCC was walking into a random class in the middle of a lecture, the doors I walked into had everyone facing me. College isn’t turning out how I thought it would, I have to pay for more than I thought and not a single hot girl has hit on me. In ten years I see myself on a yacht, hanging out with Mark Wahlberg.”

Humans of LBCC 1

Jamie Alvarez

“This is my first term at LBCC, I’ve been here for about a week. I would say the best part about LBCC is all the resources they offer to help you succeed in college. My favorite place to study would probably be the Math Cafe because there’s teachers there to offer help, and there’s coffee. I guess you could say my greatest accomplishment was graduating high school on time when all odds were against me, and also continuing to pursue my education by going to college. I always strive to reach my own expectations and not fail. I’ve been working in the Courtyard Cafe for about two weeks now. I like it a lot because their main priority is school, and they genuinely care about whether or not you’re doing well in school.”