WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES FEBRUARY 21, 2019 21
Queens steno students type way to success
Enjoy international fl avors in Flushing at World’s Fare in May
BY QNS STAFF Welcome, all people, all
ages, all backgrounds, all
New Yorkers and beyond!
Celebrate NYC’s diversity through
cuisine at the Second Annual World’s
Fare at Citi Field on May 18-19.
The festival aims to honor the
legacy of the 1964 World’s Fair by
bringing everyone together around
what makes New York City unique…
advocating equality and diversity in
the food industry, and promoting the
incredible male and female culinary
talent throughout the fi ve boroughs.
Come celebrate Ethiopian/Eritrean
cuisine and food from around
the world. Chef Alexandra of AD
Catering & Events is bringing her
Eri-tacos to the Fare. Delicious shiro
& pickled jalapeños on top of injera
make for a fun and delicious food to
eat, plus if you’ve never experienced
an arepa from the Arepa Lady, then
you’ve been missing out on this
Colombian masterpiece.
Plaza College in Forest Hills. File photo
When you’re thirsty from all the
delicious cuisine, you’ll be able
to have international brews and
cocktails at the World’s Fare Bars
and Beer Garden.
Grab your tickets now while they
are at the LOWEST price of the
season! Prices go up in a few weeks
so now is the time to rally your crew.
Citi Field is accessible by the nearby 7
train at the Mets-Willets Point station.
There is also paid parking available.
For more information or to
purchase tickets, visit www.
worldsfare.nyc.
BUZZ
BY EMILY DAVENPORT
EDAVENPORT@RIDGEWOODTIMES.COM
@RIDGEWOODTIMES
Two Queens court reporting
students at Plaza College were
among the fastest transcribers
during a recent speed competition.
As a part of their Court Reporting
& Captioning week, Plaza College
hosted the 2019 National Court
Reporters Association (NCRA) Student
Speed Contest on Feb. 13. During the
competition, over 100 students that
are training to be court stenographers
showcased their court reporting skills
by rapidly and accurately transcribing
dictation.
In order to win, participants had
to qualify with the fastest times and
a minimum 96 percent accuracy.
Two of this year’s twelve winners
included Paula Mullen of Maspeth
and Alexandra Bourekas of Oakland
Gardens.
“We are the guardians of the record.
Our role is crucial because we record
and preserve the accurate accounts
of trials, depositions, grand juries
and other crucial aspects of the legal
system which are essential to ensuring
the fair administration of justice,” said
Plaza College Court Reporting Program
Chair and Vice President of the NYS
Court Reporters Association, Karen
Santucci. “We are extremely proud of
the professionals who graduate this
program and go on to not only work
in the courts but also perform closed
captioning and provide services for
the hearing impaired. Our students
are well prepared for these crucially
important well-paying jobs in which
they can build their careers.”
Plaza College is currently the only
college in New York City to off er a court
reporting program with 200 students
enrolled. According to the Bureau of
Labor Statistics, court reporting jobs
will grow 3 percent nationwide by the
year 2026.
While automation and Artificial
Intelligence technologies are taking
over more workplace functions
in the American legal system, the
human record keepers outperform
the machines in important ways,
beating them in accuracy, speed, and
reliability.
“Keeping a record is extremely
important because if something goes
wrong in the trial you need to have a
record of that. An accurate record is
important to life and society as we know
it and it is benefi cial for the future,”
said Bianna Lewiss, Plaza College
NCRA Student Speed Competition
Winners and Court Reporting Student.
“In big ways it changes lives and in little
ways it changes lives.”
To learn more about Plaza College’s
court reporting program, visit
plazacollege.edu.
Photo courtesy of Festival Media Group
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