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Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Guitton School

Exciting news!!

The school in Guitton is beginning their fourth week of school!!  When visiting Haiti in October, my team and I began to ask questions to find out what needed to be done for school to begin.  We discovered that students needed uniforms (mandated my the Haitian government), school supplies, chalk boards, desks, teachers, and curriculum.  We sat down and discussed this with the pastor of the church and he was very excited about the prospect of beginning the school.  We asked him to find some estimates of how much money we would cost to obtain supplies, who could teach the classes, and how to register the children, and we all agreed to meet back in two days.  Well, if you aren't aware, Haitian's speak Creole.  We had been communicating with the pastor through a translator, and there happened to be some mistranslation.  Two days later, rather than discussing registration, the student were being registered!!  All of the plans had been set in motion, and teachers, material for uniforms, and building supplies were prepared.  We were starting a school!! Rather than waiting until the beginning of the year, three weeks later, 76 haitian students between the ages of 2 and 17 arrived for their first day of school!  These students are receiving an opportunity to go to school, free of charge, something that is very uncommon in Haiti where there is no public school system.  If you would like to sponsor a child, to ensure that they will be able to receive a free education, you may visit www.mfillmore.com/haiti or www.smihaiti.org/guittonschool to find more information and pictures of the students, school, and payment options if you would like to support financially.  It only costs 200 dollars for a student in Haiti to receive an education for an entire year!!  Only 200 dollars can dramatically transform a life and a future for each one of these children!  What a better way to share our blessings?!


Loveline, affectionately nicknamed Nashley by her family, in her uniform
on her first day of school

Haiti

I recently took a trip to the country of Haiti.  This in my second time to visit this impoverished country.  I went one time before the devastating earthquake, and this recent trip occurred after the quake.  I had an amazing trip, and thoroughly enjoyed visiting my Hatian friends.  The point of my trip was to help rebuild a school that had been destroyed by the earthquake, spread the gospel of Jesus Christ, and to lay the groundwork for a school to be started in the village of Guitton.  Guitton has never had a school in its history, and the children in the village are vastly uneducated.  We hoped to be able to raise money to operate a school out of an existing church building, employ 6 Haitian teachers and 1 principal, and to teach the students about Jesus.  I worked with an organization called SMI Haiti who have have been doing work in Haiti for the past 15 years.

Millie and I

Monday, October 11, 2010

Homecoming



This past week kicked off the USM centennial homecoming.  There were exciting activities on campus all week long.  Different campus organizations participated in competitions throughout the week.  Some competed in decorating in the most creative lawn decoration consisting of a wooden frame covered in chicken wire.  Students went on to stuff tissue paper in the holes of the wire forming a picture or words supporting USM's homecoming.  Other organizations joined forces to participate in the fountain sit.  For this competition, each group selected one representative to spend their day sitting in the fountain in Shoemaker Square.  Whoever remained in the fountain the longest and was the "last man standing" was deemed the winner.  This is a greatly looked forward to campus tradition.  The biggest campus activity was the homecoming football game.  Thousands of Southern Miss fans gathered to tailgate, go to the eagle walk parade, and attend the football game.  I particularly enjoyed watching the former dixie darlings return to campus and participate in the eagle walk and half-time show.  Some former members returned from as far back as 1953.  I also enjoyed seeing the Homecoming Court.  The girls elected as their class and school representatives were dressed in beautiful formal gowns.  Despite the unfortunate loss of a very close football game, I would say the centennial homecoming was a great success.

Friday, September 10, 2010

Resume


Amy Artmann
Up and coming Communications Professional
Education
v    University of Southern Mississippi            May 2011
§       Bachelor of Arts, Communication Studies

Work Experience

Fellowship of Christian Cheerleaders         Summer 2008, 2009, 2010
v    Summer Staff Member
§       Taught elementary through high school-aged cheerleading squads new material, stunts, jumps, and tumbling
§       Led small groups in spiritual discussions and camp wide Bible study during evening sessions.

University of Southern Mississippi       January 2010-May 2010
v    Tele-counselor                         
§       Called college seniors considering attending the University of Southern Mississippi
§        Discussed the college selection process, answered any questions about the University
§       Preformed basic computer work and note-taking.

University of Southern Mississippi      January 2009-January 2010
v    Southern Style           
§       Selected by extensive tryout and application process to be Southern Miss ambassadors
§       Trained in professionalism, university knowledge, and communications
§       Worked with a team of 24 other students on freshman and transfer college orientations
§       Led small group presentations at each orientation.

Presbyterian Christian High School      March 2009-August 2009
v    Junior Varsity Cheerleading Coach           
§       Organized, led cheerleading practices
§       Choreographed routines
§       Prepared the squad for camp and competition.

Honors and Involvement

v    Participated in a promotional video for USM’s website           May 2010
§      Selected to participate in a photo shoot and video interview for the University website
v    Golden Eagle Welcome Week (GEWW) Executive team member          Spring 2010
§       Helped plan the freshman and transfer students’ Welcome Week at USM
v    Mission trip to Haiti          August 2009
§      Volunteered to help start a youth sports camp, worked on various construction projects, and distributed food to the small village of Guitton
v    Southern Miss varsity co-ed cheerleader         2007-2008
§       Cheered for football, basketball, and volleyball games; competed in a national competition in spring of 2008, and represented the University at Alumni events.
v    Leadership Scholarship Executive team member          Spring and Fall  2009
§       Planned and executed leadership retreat for scholars
v    Leadership Scholarship Ambassador          Fall and Spring 2008
§       Taught a leadership class for new scholars
v    GEWW Crew small group leader          Fall 2008
§       Helped freshmen and transfers adjust to campus life by leading a small group during their orientation to campus life.

References

v    Available upon request.




Wednesday, August 25, 2010

USM's Centennial Exhibit






Amy Artmann
LIS 201
August 23, 2010

A Personal Reflection on USM’s Centennial Exhibit
            Being an involved student at Southern Miss, I found the University’s Centennial Exhibit to be very interesting.  I walked in with the impression that I would already know much of information presented in the exhibit, but was pleasantly surprised to be enlightened with many of the displays.  I think my favorite piece of trivia was of the former school tradition that the band used to be accompanied by bag pipes and wore red coats in recognition of a former university president’s Scottish heritage.
            I also had a particular interest in the former cheerleading uniform displayed in the exhibit.  Being a former co-ed cheerleader here at USM, it was very interesting to see the contrast between the current and former cheerleading uniform.  The older version of the uniform looked to be one piece that displayed a collar and a knit sort of fabric.  This is a stark contrast to the two-piece, half-top, polyester that I wore on USM’s football field.  I also found myself chuckling at the canning equipment that was displayed, used by a club on campus that canned tomatoes.  This is not a club I expected to read about in the history of a college campus.  Overall I found the exhibit to be interesting and enlightening.  It is an excellent look into the history of our school.