SAMPLE Story Pitch

Dear Editor,

            Our area’s numerous  recreational amenities, although beautiful, pose a threat to our young children.  A national aquatic safety program is now available to parents in the Coeur d’Alene area.  An article presented by the Coeur d’Alene Press would reach those in need of such a program. 

            My article will educate our community about aquatic safety and drowning prevention measures.  Although we continue to educate the public, it is not yet enough.  Idaho is among the states leading this country with its child drowning statistics, with more and more infants and children drowning every year.  This article would benefit our community by forewarning all those concerned about the dangers of water and raise awareness levels especially for the spring and summer months.

Press Hit Generated:

• http://www.kxly.com/news/21366764/detail.html

SAMPLE Editorial

Summer’s Silent Killer

As Idaho families get out their umbrellas and sun block to prepare for a season of sun and swimming, an alarming statistic is often forgotten.  Drowning is the number one cause of accidental death in young children.  According to emedicine.com, Idaho ranks among the top states in the country for its drowning rate.  With drowning deaths among children 14 and under increasing by 89 percent in the summer and 64 percent of all children’s drowning deaths occurring in the summer months, it is the most dangerous time of year. 

Not enough is being said about child water safety, and their protection suffers.  Since yesterday, 11 infants and children drowned in the U.S. and 39 fell into the water and will suffer permanent injuries, but that doesn’t have to happen tomorrow.  We can layer our children in protection in the summer as we layer them to keep them warm in the winter months. 

These layers of protection start and finish with active adult supervision.  Taking your eyes off of your child for a split second can end in tragedy.  Drowning is quick and quiet, often occurring without a splash.  Never leave your child alone near water.  If you must answer the phone or the door, take them with you.  Drowning can occur in as little as 1 inch of water. 

At home, make sure all pools and spas are fenced in with self-latching and self-closing doors, and/or install exit alarms.  Turn pool jets toward the shallow end of the pool or steps.  A child in need of help can at least be pushed toward the shallow end of the pool or steps to help in their survival.  Keep all pathways around your pool area free of debris and remember to always remove a pool hose when not in use.  This can be very dangerous even for a skilled swimmer, they can get tied up or tangled in it and make survival almost impossible.

Do not rely on flotation devices, such as water wings, noodles, inflatable mattresses or pool toys.  Be cautious of arm bands as they may provide your child with a false sense of swimming ability and children can get caught underneath the inflatable toys.  It only takes 2  minutes for a child to lose consciousness after submersion and a drowning child can not cry for help. 

Seek training in CPR and keep first aid rescue equipment and a cordless phone with posted emergency numbers within reach.  Irreversible brain damage occurs after only 5-6 minutes.  A drowned child is typically not even found until after 10 minutes.  Teach your children rules of swimming, such as always swimming with a buddy, always jump in feet first and never push or jump on others. 

When visiting a public pool or water park, keep an eye on your kids.  Life guards are not babysitters.  If you are looking at a book or a magazine or engaged in a conversation, you are not providing active supervision.  Make sure your children follow the posted rules for the pool or park your family visits, they are their for your protection.

A final layer is to enroll your children in swimming lessons taught by qualified instructors.  The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under the age of 4 not participate in formal swimming lessons, although developmentally appropriate one-on-one lessons for infants and toddlers are proven successful and available in our area.  Make no mistake though, swim lessons do not make a child drown proof.

These multiple safety precautions provide layers of protection for our children, but the most important precaution a parent can take is active supervision.  The AAP recommends that parents stay within an arm’s length of their child when in or around the water. 

Remember, kids don’t only drown in pools; ponds, lakes, canals, bathtubs, buckets, toilets and hot tubs are drowning dangers as well.  Keep our kids safe this summer by layering them with the three S’s of summer, sun block, safety, and supervision.

SAMPLE Press Release

For immediate release:  November 16, 2008

To:                     Spokane Valley Press

For story info:   Heidi Wendt, ISR Instructor

                            Global Fitness

                             208-777-7415

                            infantswim@heidiwendt.com

                            http://isrinstructors.com/heidiwendt

For Immediate Release:  Photo Op

World Gym-Infant Swimming Resource

Spokane Valley, WA, November 16, 2008

Babies Master Self-Rescue Swim Method

The babies and toddlers of certified instructor, Heidi Wendt’s aquatic survival class will be practicing Infant Swimming Resource’s Self-Rescue Method at Global Fitness in Spokane Valley, WA on November 16, 2008 from 12-2pm to demonstrate the first and only drowning prevention strategy that has earned a 100% safety record. 

At ISR, we integrate skills that are developmentally appropriate for young children, teaching them to save their own lives while building the confidence that can lead to a lifetime of fun in and around the water.  With a forty year history of successfully providing self-rescue skills training to over 160,000 infants and young children, ISR seeks to maintain its perfect safety record and reach out to more communities to provide skills training to more children and water safety education to more parents to prevent future tragedies.

The ISR Lesson Experience is a comprehensive six-week program.  Five days per week (Monday- Friday), for a maximum of 10 minutes per day, a child works one-on-one with a certified ISR instructor to master the aquatic survival techniques.  No child is ever thrown into the water; instead, they are safely guided through the learning process.  Beginning at 6 months old, infants learn to hold their breath under water, roll onto their backs and float unassisted.  Children over one year old learn the following sequence: how to hold their breath underwater, swim with their head down and eyes open, roll onto their back to float, rest, and breathe, and roll back over to resume swimming until they reach the side of the pool and can crawl out.  Once skilled, children practice these techniques fully clothed.

Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional injury and death in the pediatric age group with 4,000 babies drowning every year in the United States alone.  Idaho is among the states leading this country for its child drowning statistics.  The good news is that there is something we can do about it.  ISR is now being offered in Spokane Valley at World Gym.  Visit www.infantswim.com for more information about our one-of-a-kind, self-rescue swimming program and for specific instructor contact information and locations near you.

Heidi Wendt, ISR Instructor

Global Fitness

208-777-7415

infantswim@heidiwendt.com

-END-

Press Hit Generated: http://www.kxly.com/localvideo/index.html?v=15661

SAMPLE White Paper

Not One More Child Drowns

            It’s a familiar story most of us have heard or read about:  A toddler somehow slips away from his parent’s watchful eye.  Nobody notices the child wandering to the edge of the water, and without a splash or cry for help… It only takes a few minutes for a child to drown or sustain serious, life-altering injuries.  A child will lose consciousness approximately 2 minutes after submersion.  Irreversible brain damage occurs after 4-6 minutes.  Everyday at least 5 children in the U.S. reach the water unsupervised and end up in a potential drowning situation.  Of all children who drown, 63% are aged 4 or under.  Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional injury and death in the pediatric age group. 

            Parents can prepare themselves for an emergency by being trained in CPR, and by keeping emergency numbers and a cordless phone within reach.  They can prepare by remembering not to underestimate the power of water, remembering that rivers and lakes have undertows.  Parents need to remind themselves that lifeguards are not babysitters, to always to use approved flotation devices (life jackets), and not to consume alcohol while operating a boat.  They can practice and enforce rules of behavior in or around water to help prevent accidents, but bottom line, there is no substitute for responsible, competent, adult supervision.

            Rules such as no running, don’t dive into unknown bodies of water or shallow water, enter the water feet first, don’t push or jump on others in the water, are valuable in helping to prevent a water related accident.  It is good practice to always follow these rules and the rules posted as safety precautions when visiting water parks, public pools, and beaches. 

            At home, to prevent drowning, it is important to have first aid and rescue equipment available in case of emergency.  Installing barriers around the pool area with self-latching, and self-closing gates, installing door and pool alarms, securing and locking steps and ladders to above ground pools and emptying above ground pools when not in use, are all great precautionary measures to take with home pools.

            Another option for preventing drowning in children is to enroll them in swimming lessons, often developed by organizations such as YMCA and the American Red Cross.  It is essential that the lessons be taught by qualified instructors, keeping in mind that lessons don’t make your child “drown-proof.”  Infant and toddler aquatic programs provide an opportunity to introduce young children to the joy and risks of being in or around the water.  Swimming lessons provide enjoyment for parents and children but were not designed to teach children to become accomplished swimmers or to survive independently in the water.  Although, they have not been shown to decrease the risk of drowning, they are unable to ensure that children will understand water hazards, use appropriate avoidance strategies, or attain safety goals. 

            The last option is infant and toddler aquatic programs that attempt to develop water survival skills.  The AAP states that children are generally not developmentally ready for formal swimming lessons until after their fourth birthday.  They maintain that aquatic programs for infants and toddlers should not be promoted as a way to decrease the risk of drowning and that parents should not feel secure that their child is safe in water or safe from drowning after participation in such programs.  Whenever infants and toddlers are in or around the water, an adult should be within an arm’s length, providing what the AAP calls, “touch supervision.”  They also recommend that all aquatic programs include information on the cognitive and motor limitations of infants and toddlers, the inherent risks of water, the strategies for prevention of drowning, and the role of adults in supervising and monitoring the safety of children in and around the water. 

            Sometimes, everything we do is not enough to keep a child from drowning.  Even with alarms, door locks, pool fences, and supervision, children can escape from protective care and find themselves in trouble, whether it is in a pool, pond, lake, or canal.  This is where Infant Swimming Resource, the ONLY provider of the safest and most effective aquatic survival skills training, steps in and gives children the skills to survive.

            Infant Swimming Resource’s swimming instruction method teaches proven self-rescue skills to young children that enable them to safely enjoy the water.  Backed by proven, medically sound and behaviorally based proprietary training methodology that is supported by medical experts nationwide, ISR delivers customized lessons via highly qualified, certified instructors.  We are the ONLY provider of the safest and most effective aquatic survival skills training with a forty year history of successfully providing self-rescue skills training to over 160,000 infants and young children.

The Marginalization of Women in the Media

             I had never before, up until just now, searched through newspapers online for the presence of women, but I was compelled to do so after reading a 2010 article by Liza Gross, called "Invisible in the media."  I was deeply disappointed in what I found and, unfortunately, not at all surprised.  I am very familiar with the image society demands of women.  The only sections of newspapers where I found women were in health sections, fashion and style.  This wasn’t a surprise because these are the stereotypical subjects that women take an interest in, but I was not aware that the media was quite as male dominated as it now appears to be.  I know that when you live in a society that displays a particular image of a particular gender, race or such that it does influence the way people see themselves and the people depicted in those images.   Women, just like any other group, should be equally represented in the media; our contributions, our lives and our true images should be a part of what the world considers news.  I think when a peoples contribution is absent from dominant forms of media in their country it is diminishing.  It lessens their identity which is why women often times seek out other forms of media whether it be female authors, magazines geared toward women or other such forms of media that focus deeper on women’s issues and images.    

If we truly value equal rights then we should value the equal representation of all people of our country in our news media.  Seeing female contributions and successes are empowering not only to women, but humankind.  If all people in society were presented with the image of powerful women making a difference in the world rather than given the spotlight for their bikini bodies, then maybe, generally speaking, our society would learn to value a woman for more than her “T” and “A.”  If media stations policies enforced a more balanced approach to the material they deliver than maybe we as a society would have a more well-rounded view on how this world really works, who contributes to its success and who is being done an injustice to, whether it be women or otherwise.  

References

Gross, Liza. (2010). Invisible in the media. The UN Chronicle, Retrieved from

http://www.un.org/wcm/content/site/chronicle/

Applying Martin Hahn's (2006) Ten Commandments of Intercultural Communication

My current company owns stores in Mexico and as most of you probably know, Mexico’s social values differ from our own, and, in addition, Mexico is also very diverse in its local cultures providing that extra challenge depending on the region you visit or conduct business.  I am a former Spanish studies major and Chicano Studies minor so most of my knowledge comes from my higher education studies in this area; however I have also been aided by experiences during my two mission trips to Juarez, Mexico, years ago, and my volunteer work at La Escuelita (an after-school program for Spanish speaking Middle and High School students in Minneapolis, MN). 

If I ever made an appearance at a CRC (Community Relations Coordinator) conference in Mexico for my company I would, first, need to remember to dress formally because this is the standard in Mexico.  I would also have to adapt to a little different time concept.  Although it is common for the U.S. and Mexico to share the traditional 9am-5pm work day, it would not be surprising to take a two hour break for lunch and work as late as 7pm.  There is also the possibility the meeting or conference would take place over a two hour breakfast rather than the usual afternoon meeting time. 

If I were working as a CRC in Mexico and wanted to place a media piece I might also have to negotiate between my ethical standard and the idea of paying to place my story.  In some countries they do not have laws against bribery with regard to the media; it is more like buying advertising space.  This can create challenges for U.S. businesses that have to maintain the standards and laws their company adheres to in the U.S. even when conducting business in other countries.

Other differences I am aware of that are relevant to the Hahn’s “Ten Commandments of Intercultural Communication” are decision making customs, such as the meaning of a “yes” and a “no.”  It is impolite to turn down an invitation in Mexico so you can’t count on all attendees who replied “yes” to an invite which my church learned while holding an event in Mexico.  This can make planning an event a bit challenging.  When doing business, a “no” can also mean “maybe.”  This means you should consider cultural context and study your potential business associate’s nonverbal behavior to get a better idea of what that “no” really means.  Should you continue to pursue business after receiving the “no” or should you walk away?

Commandment II of Hahn’s (2006) “Ten Commandments of Intercultural Communication” says “Be aware of differing status symbols and how to demonstrate them.”  This can be applied to doing business in Mexico as well.  Status is very important in Mexico so knowing the appropriate title a business associate should be referred by is another difference to remember.  Even a bachelor’s degree can warrant a title which I can’t help but agree with.  We all deserve respect for the hard work we are doing. 

The final Commandment I am aware of that applies to doing business in Mexico is Commandment V, “Be aware of personal space” (Hahn, 2006).  In Mexico it is impolite to stand back from people, especially when greeting them.  If you do what you would normally do in the U.S. you might find that your business associates distrust you or are hesitant with you for such behavior.  Handshakes, hugs, and even kisses on the cheek with women are common, not just in social gatherings, but in business practice as well.

         

Reference

Hahn, M. (2006, January 02). Ten commandments of intercultural communication. EzineArticles.com, Retrieved from http://ezinearticles.com/?Ten-Commandments-of-Intercultural-Communication&id=120247