OFF PAGE ONE A8 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9, 2022 TV Splice Continued from A1 Continued from A1 by themselves.” He added their achieve- ment was made even bet- ter because of the strength of the competition. ALTV’s contest entry placed second to a larger California school with greater resources. Six students, a mix of sixth through eighth grad- ers, discussed their work, the award and their feel- ings following their recent accomplishment. One of the broadcast- ers present was Aspyn Inners, 12. An anchor on the program, she said she has strong feelings for broadcasting. She fi rst got involved because of a friend who also was in it. She started taking the classes, he said, and then “fell in love” with the program and the fi eld. Now, she said, her work is about more than an oppor- tunity to spend time with friends and is more meaning- ful than winning awards. “I think (journalism) is about telling a story and put- ting it in front of people for them to see,” she said. She added she feels a great responsibility to do this work and make sure she is telling stories truthfully. The friend who intro- duced her to the class was Sofi a Rodriguez, also 12. She anchored the Christmas program with Aspyn. Sofi a said, though, that anchor- ing is not a full-time job for anyone. Students, she said, rotate through several diff er- ent positions, which teaches them about diff erent aspects of creating a show. She did admit to having a favorite position. “I love anchoring,” she said. She stated she would like to be an anchor as a career. It was especially exciting for her that ALTV won an award for a program, she said, because she helped anchor it. “I was super stoked about it,” Sofi a said the victory. Sharing her classmates’ keep their servers cool and local government offi cials willing to trade tax breaks for jobs. Google built a data center in The Dalles while Facebook and Apple tar- geted Prineville for their own facilities. When Amazon Web Ser- vices established a presence in Boardman in 2010 and Umatilla in 2012, it often operated under the name of a subsidiary: Vadata Inc. When Amazon planned its expansion into Hermiston in 2019, the city council and Umatilla County Board of Commissioners agreed to abate 15 years of prop- erty taxes in exchange for a fl at $40 million. In recent years, Ama- zon has shed some of its secrecy and upped its pub- lic investments. In 2021, Amazon announced more than a half-million in donations to community organizations across Umatilla and Mor- row counties. Later that year, AWS cut the ribbon on its Think Big Space, a career technical education space at the SAGE Center in Boardman. Nayeli Contreras, the director of Blue Moun- tain’s Hermiston Cen- ter, said the collaboration between Blue Mountain and Amazon has been in the works for years but the coronavirus pandemic delayed an in-person class. She said the class aligns with BMCC President Mark Browning’s goal of having the college work more with the region’s employers on job training. Contreras said she hopes Blue Mountain will collaborate with Amazon on future classes, even if they are in areas other than fiber optic splicing. She added she’s kept a list of students who registered for the class but weren’t able to attend so she can reach out to them for future opportunities. Erick Peterson/Hermiston Herald Armand Larive Middle School students and their instructor begin a broadcast recording March 1, 2022. The class recently won national recognition for one of its shows. Erick Peterson/Hermiston Herald Erick Peterson/Hermiston Herald Rob Doherty, Armand Larive Middle School teacher, shows off the ALTV website on March 1, 2022. Armand Larive Middle School student Matea Sepulveda positions the camera just ahead of a broadcast March 1, 2022, at Hermiston school. excitement for journalism, Matea Sepulveda, 14, spoke of the stories she has been able to create with ALTV. “I’ve done a ton of sto- ries about important topics, like lockdowns and wearing masks at school and how peo- ple feel about it,” she said. She added that ALTV is a “really fun place to be” and that she is very fond of her teacher and classmates. Juliette Goyer Rondon, 12, also said she is enjoying herself and learning a great deal. “I’ve learned how to take good shots, lighting, volume and stuff like that,” she said. The technical part of the job is gratifying, she said, but her focus remains on telling important stories. She said she likes to fi nd important topics and spread awareness of them to others. Jaideny Orozco, 11, expressed her own feelings about what she has learned. “I’ve learned a lot — like how we should respect other people, but also how to shoot videos and edit on other software apps.” Jaideny, a relative new- comer to the ALTV, said she is enjoying the com- pany of older classmates. Naima Velasco, 14, for instance, has been in the broadcasting program for more than three years. Naima said her work has changed during the past few years. Her school was closed for much of the pandemic, so she had to be more inde- pendent. She fi lmed with a small Chromebook, which she used also for editing. “It was a complex pro- cess,” she said. She added the whole world became more complex during the past few years, and this is one reason she fi nds journalism exciting. “Personally, I like to focus on stories outside of school,” she said. “I get to thinking about what we haven’t heard of yet, what is going on and what peo- ple want to hear about in our community.” SEEKING QUALIFIED PROVIDERS March 26-27 Saturday 9:00 am–5:00 pm Sunday 9:00 am–3:00 pm DESCHUTES COUNT Y FAIR & EXPO CENTER REDMOND • OREGON PRESENTED BY 5 Buck Breakfast SAT. MORNING 8–10 While supplies last Sponsored by McDonalds All proceeds to benefit Perfect Balance KIDS’ ZONE PROJECTS AND FUN ACTIVITIES ALL THINGS AGRICULTURE Clint Johnson Working Dog Demonstrations SAT. 11–NOON • SUN. 10–11 Early Day Gas Engine and Tractor Display with Demonstrations CAPECO is issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for qualified contractor(s) to provide Nutrition Program services, including Home Delivered Meal and Congregate Meal services within Morrow and Umatilla Counties. Home delivered meals are critical to maintaining independence and provide socialization to people who may feel isolated or lonely at home. CAPECO is issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) to identify and select qualified contractor(s) to provide Nutrition Program services, including Home Delivered Meal and Congregate Meal services within Morrow and Umatilla Counties Congregate meals are an opportunity to socialize and gain support through community while CAPECO provides Congregate meals can be offered in a variety of settings, including nutrition sites, senior centers/community centers, churches, schools, adult care facilities, restaurants, or other nutrition education. congregate settings. Gathering for meals offers the opportunity to socialize, gain support by This service is more than just a meal; its coming together, and includes nutrition education provided through CAPECO. The service is more purpose than just a meal; is its purpose is to nourish the whole person. person. to nourish the whole Home delivered meals are critical to maintaining independence and allowing people to Request a copy of the RFP packet by contacting remain living in their own homes. Friendly visiting when meals are delivered one or more days/week also provides vital social connection for people who may feel isolated or lonely. Jody Warnock, CAPECO Program Director, jwarnock@capeco-works.org Interested parties can request 541-278-5668 a copy of the RFP packet by contacting Jody Warnock, CAPECO Program Director, at jwarnock@capeco works.org or 541 5668. The packet includes detailed information about services to be provided, the RFP process, and necessary proposal documents. Proposals are due to CAPECO by March 31, 2022. PROPOSALS DUE MARCH 31, 2022 COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM of EAST CENTRAL OREGON UMATILLA * MORROW * GILLIAM * WHEELER * SHERMAN * WASCO * HOOD RIVER COUNTIES