WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES FEBRUARY 20, 2020 25
Addabbo honors Plaza College for court reporting program
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
CMOHAMED@SCHNEPSMEDIA.COM
@QNS
Every February, National Court Reporting and
Captioning Week honors court stenographers
and recognizes their invaluable contributions
to the law.
Plaza College, located at 118-33 Queens Blvd.,
Forest Hills, is the only school in New York City
that offers a degree program in Court Reporting.
In celebration of the institution’s program, Senator
Joseph P. Addabbo Jr. presented the school with a
proclamation to commend its dedication to preparing
students for careers in the rapidly growing
industry.
“This is a proud moment for Plaza College. We
are endlessly dedicated to preparing our Court
Reporting students to be skilled professionals,”
said Plaza College President, Charles Callahan
III. “Being recognized by Senator Addabbo is a
great honor and we look forward to continuing
to help the Court Reporting industry flourish in
the future.”
A serious nationwide shortage of court reporters
already exists, a problem that will only become
worse with impending retirements, as court reporters
are on average 53 years old.
During his visit to Plaza College, Addabbo discussed
his appreciation for the industry and the
individuals who create an accurate record of the
official spoken word.
“Court reporting and captioning is a vital skill
that helps keep an accurate account of what takes
place in courtrooms, and even in the state Legislature,
as well as informing the deaf and hardof
hearing with the necessary information they
need,” Addabbo said. “It was a privilege to honor
Plaza College with a proclamation recognizing
their wonderful Court Reporting and Captioning
program during National Court Reporting and
Captioning Week, and the hardworking students
who help make that program a success. I truly appreciate
Plaza College’s commitment to the quality,
Senator Joseph P. Addabbo Jr. (l) presents a proclamation to Plaza College President Charles Callahan III.
Photo courtesy of Plaza College
diverse educational programs it offers.”
Plaza College, the only school in New York City
that offers a degree program in Court Reporting,
has successfully introduced stenography to the
next generation by educating high school students
and others interested in the career field about the
many opportunities available.
In partnership with the National Court Reporters
Association, Plaza College offers students a
free four week introductory program to Steno
Machine Shorthand called A to Z.
“Imagine a career with a ringside seat to all
the action. From capturing the official record in
high-profile criminal trials, speeches on the floor
of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate,
to major sporting events or breaking news, a
career in court reporting or captioning can lead
to unlimited opportunities,” said Cynthia Bruce
Andrews, the NCRA senior director, Education and
Certifications.
Forest Hills musician releases new
album featuring unusual instruments
BY MADDISON FARRIS
EDITORIAL@QNS.COM
@QNS
Sunny Knable, a Forest Hills
resident and adjunct professor
at both the Queens College and
LaGuardia Community College, has
always had a passion for music. That
passion has grown into a life driven
by the production of music and the joy
that accompanies the work.
Knable’s latest album “Song of
the Redwood-Tree” features the
robust and beautiful sound of the
bassoon. The musician has directed
and conducted many symphonies
and orchestras, but is becoming
well-known for his reach into instruments
that are scarcely heard from.
“I didn’t know that this decade
would define me as the composer
of multiple successful pieces for
bassoon,” Knable said. “I had written
for the often underused bass
instrument in woodwind quintets
and large ensembles but had never
fully explored its soloistic capabilities
until I had the good fortune of
meeting the rollicking performer
that is Scott Pool.”
Pool, a moosman artist and bassoon
professor at Texas A&M Corpus
Christi, is heavily featured on “Song
of the Redwood-Tree.” Knable said
he was inspired to write the album
after hearing Pool play.
The composer brings Pool’s bassoon
into contact with the wondrous
notes of a piano and the melodious
tune of soprano to take you into the
heart of the redwood forest.
Pool will play the bassoon during
a live performance of “Song of the
Redwood-Tree” at Carnegie Hall on
March 31, 2020. Courtesy of Sunny Knable
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