CONVENTION IN GREENVILLE A BIG SUCCESS!
SEPTEMBER 2016
Official Publication of the National Verbatim Reporters Association
CONNECTING THE VOICE WRITING,
CART AND CAPTIONING
COMMUNITIES With the highest attendance in recent history, NVRAs convention had something for everyone! Delegates enjoyed a wide variety of sessions on everything from
home safety to Sports Captioning. Delegates were treated to a session titled, Race to the White House Word Usage
Never Before Heard on the Campaign Trail. The session ended up with teams running for the White House. A huge
home run by Annette Myers and Kay McGovern (with a little help from their political party friends)!
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Official Publication of the NVRA
CONVENTION IN GREENVILLE A BIG SUCCESS! (CONTINUED)
We extend a thank you to several first time NVRA presenters: Julia Emerson and Rhoda McDuffie! Thank you for your awesome contributions to the convention and to the association as members. Wed also be remiss without thanking Maranda Murphy who not only provided a CART session, but also held NVRAs first ever (and very successful) CART Bootcamp.
We were fortunate to have several vendors offer sessions: Betsy Ertle gave a SpeedType refresher; first time attendee, Christine Woods with 1CapApp, offered training to CART and Captioners; Stephanie Veverka with the National Captioning Institute held a session on sports captioning; and our very own Chris Crosgrove prepared attendees for a Captioning Career.
Whats an NVRA convention without Dessa Van Schuyver and Don Scott? Don and Dessa wrapped up the educational portion of the convention with an afternoon of Realtime Reality.
The convention concluded with a trip down the Yellow Brick Road with our auctioneer and Good Witch of the West, Annette Myers. We had a great time and lots of laughs. Thanks, Annette!
Many thanks also to NVRAs on-site testing team (Mike Ashcraft, Maranda Murphy, Maryann Nevers and Stacy Harlow) and our Convention Chair and Immediate Past-President, Jessie Coburn! Wed also like to thank Michelle Guilbeau, convention photographer, and Patti Scott who monitored NVRAs written test.
Please plan to join NVRA next year as we celebrate our 50th Anniversary. The convention will be held in Kansas City, Missouri, on the Plaza at the Intercontinental Hotel. Dates are August 2-5th, 2017.
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Official Publication of the NVRA
Aaron Spikes, Closed Mic Don Scott, Open Mic
Previous champions: Don Scott (2015)
Jennifer Witaszek (2014)
Creel Court ReportingSteven Ray Green Court Reporting, LLCInternational Realtime Court Reporting Institute
Flying Monkey Sponsors:Anita Glover & AssociatesBecky Bazzle & AssociatesBishop Reporting ServicesBrenda SchmelzDon & Patti ScottGCCRA Georgia Certified Court Reporters AssociationSpeedType
Dorothys Entourage Sponsors:Jessie CoburnCaptionColorado
Munchin Sponsors:Cape Fear Court ReportingTeam Kelloni (Kelly and Toni)Linda Winfrey
Special Thanks to Our 2016 Vendors and SponsorsGreat and Powerful Oz Sponsors:
Congratulations to Our 2016 National Realtime Champions:
Vendors: 1 Cap AppAdvantage SoftwareAudioScribeNational Captioning Institute
Pengad ProCAT VocEditHand-Taylored
Mary KayMiche BagsStyle DotsYoung Living
SpeedTypeInternational Realtime Court Reporting InstituteYoung Living
So, another NVRA convention is over. Sessions were attended, meals were shared with new and old friends, laughter was heard from every room we occupied and learning was happening while ideas and insights were being shared.
It always amazes me just how many people, from all over the US, share the same challenges I do with technology and just how differently we solve those same issues. Its great to hear solutions and fixes that I never would have thought of. Everyone is more than willing to share what they know and learn something new. How great is that?! This year we walked down the yellow
brick road, and I think we made it well into the Emerald City, we stayed in a beautiful hotel and city (Greenville is a beautiful and fun city to visit). Good pick, board.
The staff, Kelly and Toni, kept the flow going and were willing to assist all of us with questions or problems all while wearing a smile on their faces... arent they just the best? Our volunteer board keeps busy working for us, holding the course true for a firm and steady future.... THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!
Next year the Conference will be in Kansas City, MO. Can you believe
its going to be the NVRAs 50th anniversary?! The Conference will be later in the summer, first week of August, and I hope that if you missed this year youll be sure to help celebrate our 50th. Remember, NVRA is there for YOU, so YOU need to be there for NVRA!!!
Join us on Facebook,https://www.facebook.com/ Friends of the national verbatim reporters Association (NVRA)
And soon we may be on Instagram...
C U there, Xileen
Im told I have experience. Lots of experience. What do they mean? http://www.businessdictionary.com/ tells me the following: Familiarity with a skill or field of knowledge acquired over months or years of actual practice and which, presumably, has resulted in superior understanding or mastery. If thats true, then even I would be impressed with myself. I prefer this definition by www.dictionary.com: knowledge or practical wisdom gained from what one has observed, encountered, or undergone. What is experience if not that which youve learned from mistakes during your many years of life and/or business activities? -- many years being the operative phrase there. If Ive learned from my mistakes over these many years, why do I continue to encounter familiar situations and make even more mistakes?
Case in point: I have always encouraged those in our reporting and related fields of captioning and CART to make use of all available tools in our toolboxes, whether they be computers, software applications, recording machines, portable scanners, handheld devices, tablets, and the like. We have tough jobs, and we should use all tools available to us. I like tools. Its part of our heritage. America was founded with tools. Tools built America. We use tools in our everyday lives. If you have a
problem, if you can imagine a tool that will help you, chances are that tool exists. You just have to find it. My father-in-law taught me that many years ago. My toolbox runneth over. I have so many tools on my Desktop and in my shed, I cant find them when I need them. I like tools.
Ladies and gentlemen, when you stand at the podium, before 125 of your closest friends in Convention, and you decide to take that opportunity to praise your spouse or significant other and tell the world how much you love her and how she spends so much of her time helping you with your daily work and association responsibilities, how you could not do your work without her, do not refer to her as one of the tools in your toolbag. Put simply, do not call her a tool. I know what youre thinking. Oh, yes, I did. I did, and I knew the moment the words left my mouth the sentiment didnt sound right. I reached for them. Couldnt draw them back in. I smiled. There were a few giggles from the floor. I knew that wasnt the last I would hear of them.
Experience: that awkward situation you created, and from which youve learned a valuable life lesson...
In the Rear-View Mirror
EXPERIENCE
Official Publication of the NVRA
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Rhoda McDuffie BA, MA, CVR-MCART worker in Arizona
Don Scott, CVR-CM-M, RVR
Meet Our New President Brenda Schmelz, CCR, CVR-M
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Official Publication of the NVRA
President: Brenda Schmelz, CCR, CVR-M
President-Elect: Maranda Murphy, RCP
Secretary: Teresa Johnson, CVR-M-CM
Treasurer: Caryn Broome, CVR-M-CM, RCP
Vice President: Janis McLeod, CVR
Director: Jill Bishop Edwards, CVR-CM
Director: Barbara H. Hartwig, RBC, RCP
Director: G. Michael Ashcraft, CVR-M
Past President: Jessie Coburn, CSR, CVR-M
Membership Services: Kelly Evans & Toni Lee
2016 - 2017Board of Directors Elected
Brenda is currently an Official Court Reporter with the State of Missouri, 20th Judicial Circuit covering Franklin, Gasconade and Osage Counties in central Missouri.
She graduated with honors from St. Louis Community College at Meramec with an AAS in Court Reporting in 2003. She worked as a freelance court reporter until 2004, when she became an official court reporter. She received her court reporting certificate in voice writing from The Court Reporting Academy in 2008. She passed the Missouri CCR exam in 2008 and the CVR in 2010.
Prior to becoming a court reporter, Brenda worked as a legal secretary for many years, having started working in a law office on Saturdays at the age of 16.
Brenda is a member of NVRA and the Missouri Court Reporters Association. She has held numerous board positions with the National Association of Legal Secretaries, including two years as chairman of that organizations certifying board. She was very active in the Missouri Association of Legal Secretaries and the Franklin County Association of Legal Support Professionals, having served both of those associations as president. Both of those associations recognized her as Outstanding Legal Secretary of the Year.
She has served as an Adjunct Professor at East Central College in Union, Missouri, teaching Legal Office Procedures and Legal Document Production. She has served on the Legal Secr
