More Than Kids

Fresno High Senate Stogie Bowl

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Even the name pleases me. Share and receive appreciation, even during difficult years... especially during difficult years. I wish the spirit of Thanksgiving lasted throughout the year. Recently, I have tried to become more obvious in showing my appreciation.

I have also realized that I want to be appreciated.

For the last 26 years, I have spent Thanksgiving morning with high school students and graduates from the Fresno High School Senate. The Senate is the country's oldest high school club of its kind; the Senate is about 120 years old.

During the School year, students spend Monday evenings learning how to disagree civilly, a skill that will help them more than they realize.  After graduation, students can become "Honoraries" if the remaining students deem them worthy. Honoraries are connected to the Senate forever... some more than others.

We also have events during the year. Because I like football and Thanksgiving, I have helped keep this game alive. (The Honoraries play the Actives.) There were some lean years when we weren't sure if the game would continue. There were years when I was "the old guy" and I was only in my mid-twenties. This year, about 40 people attended. I am now in my early forties; there are at least two "old guys." (I am photo 12. My friend Jay Esparza, class of 78 is photo 2 & 21) We play for a couple hours; then there is half-time. During half-time, each person stands and talks, starting with the current Senate President. The Honoraries smoke Stogies. (I do not know what the Actives do any more. I think they look at us and wonder why the old people are still playing football.) The current Active President is also President of the high school club against tobacco. Oh well.

My family is confused about why I keep going. They usually ask me the score and how I played, and for an old guy, I still do OK. I am not as quick or strong, but I am smarter. I let the younger Honoraries run. This year I threw two TD passes to a player who was not born when I first started attending Stogie Bowls.  But, I don't really return for the football, even though I love it.

I return each year, because of Thanksgiving. The Stogie Bowl and the Fresno High School Senate gives me a chance to thank the current students for keeping our club alive. The Stogie Bowl gives me a chance to show that I care for people. It also gives me a chance to honor the "old guys" who came out to the Stogie Bowl or to our weekly meetings or our annual banquet when I could still run fast.

I am an Honorary who honors the Old Guys who cared, even though they didn't know us.

And this year, I took a moment to be appreciated for being one of the old guys who care. Thanksgiving.

Fresno High Senate Stogie Bowl - Images by bryan farley

Melrose Leadership Academy School Photos - Part 3

Here is the third set of photos for the first group of students at Melrose Leadership Academy's spanish immersion school. If you don't see your child in the three photo galleries, please contact me. 

More galleries and posts will follow. (Here is a link for our Pumpkin Patch Trip. ) Feel free to forward the blog and photo galleries, and continue contacting me with any questions.

Thank you everyone for your help and for supporting the school. The children love it.

Melrose Leadership Academy, Pt. 3 - Images by bryan farley

Original Link Before CNAME switch: http://www.morethankids.typepad.com/more_than_kids/2009/11/melrose-leadership-academy-school-photos-part-3.html

Melrose Leadership School Photos, Part 2

Here is the second installment of school photos for Melrose Leadership Academy. Though this post was created for current parents of Oakland Unified's Spanish Immersion program, potential parents might find this page while searching for information.

My daughter attends Melrose Leadership Academy. Our family has enjoyed the experience; our daughter has learned a great deal in her first three months. If you have questions about the school, and you think that I can assist you, feel free to contact me through this site, or through either of my photography sites. (www.bryanfarley.com ) or (http://www.photoshelter.com/c/bryanfarley )

Those of you who also have children at the school, please notice that I have changed the link to the first "school photo" post. Please click this link, so that other people will not be directed to the broken link. 

After Thanksgiving I will send larger photo galleries to Melrose families with purchasing options. Some proceeds will go to the school and classroom.

Currently, I posted a gallery of my daughter's first day at MLA. Feel free to access the link to First Day at Melrose Leadership Academy. I may have photos from your child's first day too. Other galleries from our pumpkin patch field trip and family work days will appear soon.

Melrose Leadership Academy, Pt. 2 - Images by bryan farley

Original Link before CNAME Change: http://www.morethankids.typepad.com/more_than_kids/2009/11/schoolphotos2melroseleadershipacademyspanishimmersionhtml.html

Dave LaBelle - The Great Photographer Hunter

Have you ever heard the expression, "He wrote the book on that?" Have you ever heard someone mean it? I have. Once.  Paul Myers, a visual journalism educator and photographer, said it about Dave LaBelle.

We were all in Nashville for a national Journalism Education Association convention. I worked for Brooks Institute of Photography with Paul, and Paul was presenting on a topic he knew well -- feature photography. Paul is an excellent speaker; he is charismatic and intelligent. People like him. He even writes well, and his Nashville presentations were extremely popular.

Before our presentations, we looked at our speaking schedule. Paul realized Dave LaBelle was presenting at the same conference at the same time. Innocently, I asked, "Who is Dave LaBelle?"

Paul answered, "He wrote the book on feature photography."

I didn't believe Paul. Nobody writes THE book on a subject. I should have known better. The Great Picture Hunt IS the text for feature photography, and Dave is the spokesperson.

Because of my loyalty to Paul, I decided that I would keep my distance from Dave. That lasted about an hour. He and I have been friends since Nashville. (I am still loyal to Paul too.)

Eventually, I read The Great Picture Hunt. The book is impressive, and if you don't have a chance to hear Dave speak, read the book; it is a must read for beginning photo journalists. But if you have a chance to meet Dave, don't miss the opportunity. Sure, "he wrote the book," and seven of his former students have won Pulitzer Prizes, but that isn't what makes him special. Dave is special, because he makes everyone around him feel special. At every book signing, he spends extra time with each person, whether they are professionals or high school students from Omaha like the two students below. He genuinely enjoys people, and people enjoy him.

Just as Dave hunts for photos, Dave hunts for the next great photographer. This is one of our many common bonds. We enjoy watching young people show us something new and exciting. Sometimes, we judge photo contests together, and after we find a special student, we wait for the other person to turn over the photo. "Is this it?" we ask anxiously. Sometimes, we hunt for the student after judging. Occasionally, students find us and our lives are changed.

In Washington D.C., I saw Dave again. As always, it was a special. Each time, I learn more about photography; I learn more about myself. And I always feel lucky to be in the same photo with Dave, even if I took the picture, even more so when a high school student takes the photo. (See photo number four, taken by Jennifer Shehan, from Westside High School in Omaha.)

Until next time Dave: "Winner, winner; chicken dinner."

Dave LaBelle and me (bryan farley) - Images by bryan farley

For more motivation, read Dave's Blog.

JEA Photo Critiques and Students

At the Washington, D.C. Convention, Bradley Wilson and JEA used online judging and critiquing. I missed having students in small groups and talking with fellow judges late Friday night, but I also enjoyed the new process. Bradley deserves a great deal of credit for the change. You can't tell from the first photo, but he also enjoyed that we finally are looking at online photos.

By having the online competition, the judges and educators could talk to hundreds of students about our decisions. Students could see that we disagreed about certain photos. Sometimes, it looks as if we are fighting. I have even changed my mind about some photos. Students can learn more from this discussion than by looking at awards. Awards do not always equate excellence or predict success.

Two of my favorite photographers did not win the top award. One, Suzie Reecer, didn't enter photos, but I saw her portfolio. She came prepared, and we discussed her work. Check out her website at www.suziereecerphotography.com. Remember Zach Hetrick? Suzie learned from Zach; she actually uses the term "sportrait" like it is a real category, and the way she and Zach shoot, maybe it should. I hope that other students learn from Suzie.

I also enjoyed Ina Herlihy. She has covered national politics and concerts; NOTE: FROM FEB 23 (HERE IS INA'S WEBSITE http://inaherlihy.com/) I am still waiting for her website. You can see her work at the Broadview, where she is Editor-in-Chief. When she has her domain, I will add it here. Ina has also presented at JEA national conferences, something rare for a student. She is so good, that I think she people assume she has some special connections. You know, like Anderson Cooper is the son of _____-. Her special connection is that she works hard.

There are a few other high school photographers that I want to mention. One is Leila Farhood. In April, she had a simple site showcasing her work. Now, she has her own domain and website at http://www.leilafarhood.com/. It is important to visit both students sites. First, it will help others learn what high school students can do, but also this increases their web traffic. Please, click on their sites.

And for those other students who have sites, please send my your links, and I will be glad to post them if it works for another blog post.

 

JEA Photo - Images by bryan farley

There are other students who have contacted me who I want to mention. I don't remember Ally Strickland or Kia Peters' photos, but I know that they have vision. Both students are trying to get better. Both are discerning whether this is something they want to do, and they are looking for information in the right place. I hope they keep looking.

I know as an educator that I have an impact on students. Now that I am older and I have stayed in touch with some of my old teachers, I have accepted that students have an impact on teachers. Even when I forget names, I remember the student who showed me his photobook, or many brave students who were examples for me and the other teachers.