I was actually on time to breakfast this morning. The food was delicious!!! They were playing upbeat music in the cafeteria, and I slept like a baby last night – all signs this eventful day is gonna be great!
My group, Asher, Myles, and I, visited Stony Brook University Hospital to interview the pediatric nurses about the construction for the extended pediatric emergency unit. I was in charge of asking questions. It was a great experience to learn a proper interview process with a camera and team. I have curated various interview articles and one video in the past for my school paper. But now I learned improved ways to execute it. For example, ask questions near the camera so they have somewhere to look, make sure the interviewee answers in complete sentences so that when it’s edited (so the audience understands what they are talking about), and asking the interviewee if there’s anything I haven’t asked yet or discussed. The staff at the hospital was very kind and accommodating to our footage requests.
Eventually, we took a trip to Newsday where we got speeches and tours from very important figures in the news media. I appreciated the first speaker, Joye Brown, who discussed her experience of how she was originally pre-med in college, but then switched over to journalism. Throughout youth, I believe that many are pushed into the world of STEM as the only way to be successful. However, as I viewed the countless computers and advanced tech in the rooms, I realized this path is achievable and you can make a career out of journalism with grit.
After our interesting trip, we went into the Seawolves bus to Ducks Stadium in Central Islip. I felt kind of proud since we passed by my hometown and high school, Central Islip on our way. Ducks Stadium was an amazing experience. One of the Greene Team’s reporting teams interviewed and recorded footage of the Ducks Communications Vice President Michael Polak. He elaborated on how he ensures that they try to make baseball as accessible to the community as possible and bring families together. Behind this organization, there is a wide range of funding from large corporations to small, local businesses.
And I was able to feel their togetherness efforts when I was there. The workers gave us a cool Ducks-themed hat as we entered. I hung out with my friend, Yennifer Soriano, the entire time, figuring out how baseball works, having great food, and rooting for the Long Island Ducks!
Today was the best day so far of the Greene Summer Institute. But I still have high hopes for the thrilling adventures ahead!
-Kayci Guardado, Central Islip High School