Carlynton High School Christmas Classic Basketball Tournament

Carlynton High School in Carnegie, Pa. held its annual Christmas Classic Basketball Tournament tonight.

Girls teams included Bishop Canevin, Canon-McMillan, Trinity Christian and host Carlynton. Boys teams included Avonworth, South Side, Fort Leboeuf and host Carlynton.

This was definitely a change of pace for me in a darkly lit high school AA gym as opposed to NCAA Division I-level basketball in JQH Arena.

Carlynton captain Shaquille Wilson huddles his team together for their pregame cheer during the Carlynton High School Christmas Classic Basketball Tournament on Wednesday, December 28, 2011 in Carnegie, Pa.

Members of South Side Beaver’s boys basketball team were introduced during the Carlynton High School Christmas Classic Basketball Tournament on Wednesday, December 28, 2011 in Carnegie, Pa.

Carlynton guard Jaylyn Aston shoots the ball against South Side Beaver during the Carlynton High School Christmas Classic Basketball Tournament on Wednesday, December 28, 2011 in Carnegie, Pa.

Carlynton freshman Conor Richardson shoots the ball against Trinity Christian in the second half during the Carlynton High School Christmas Classic Basketball Tournament on Wednesday, December 28, 2011 in Carnegie, Pa.

Carlynton’s head coach yells plays to his team against South Side Beaver during the Carlynton High School Christmas Classic Basketball Tournament on Wednesday, December 28, 2011 in Carnegie, Pa.

Carlynton head coach Rich Griffin encourages his team versus Trinity Christian during the Carlynton High School Christmas Classic Basketball Tournament on Wednesday, December 28, 2011 in Carnegie, Pa.

Carlynton forward Shaquille Wilson shoots the ball against South Side Beaver during the Carlynton High School Christmas Classic Basketball Tournament on Wednesday, December 28, 2011 in Carnegie, Pa.

Fans record the Trinity Christian versus Carlynton girls basketball game on their ipads on Wednesday, December 28, 2011 in Carnegie, Pa.

The Woodlands Foundation

The Woodlands Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of children and young adults with special needs, disabilities or chronic illnesses. Annually, it serves over 8,000 people and partners with more than 20 organizations to host camps, retreats and other programming.

The Fitness Challenge is a dynamic goal-oriented circuit fitness program that hopes to improve health and skill related fitness components: cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength and endurance, body composition, flexibility, speed, power, agility, balance, and coordination, said camp counselor Adam Bostwick.

Julia Kaluzny, 19, laughs while doing leg lifts during the Fitness Challenge at the Woodlands Foundation in Bradford Woods, Pa on Wednesday, December 28, 2011.

Patrick Fitzgerald, 15, left, works with his counselor during the Fitness Challenge at the Woodlands Foundation in Bradford Woods, Pa on Wednesday, December 28, 2011.

Michael Joy, 16, smiles with counselor Deanna Diederich during the Fitness Challenge at the Woodlands Foundation in Bradford Woods, Pa on Wednesday, December 28, 2011.

A Trip to the Newseum

The Newseum in Washington, D.C., is a seven-floor museum displaying news and journalism.

The Berlin Wall gallery is the largest display of sections of the Berlin Wall outside of Germany. The Today’s Front Pages Gallery presents daily front pages from more than 80 international newspapers.

Other gallery topics include news history, the September 11 attacks, the First Amendment, world press freedom and the history of the Internet, TV and radio.

Its mission is “to help the public and the news media understand one another better” and to “raise public awareness of the important role of a free press in a democratic society”.

The Newseum’s operations are funded by the Freedom Forum, a nonpartisan foundation dedicated to “free press, free speech and free spirit for all people”.

Adult admission is currently $22.

As a journalism student, I had been wanting to go for the past year. I spent about three hours in the Pulitzer Prize photo exhibit alone. Despite several turn down letters from potential newspaper internships, visiting the Newseum inspired me and emphasized to me the importance of journalism.

“Its an honor to be a journalist. If I care about something, I can make half a million people care about it.” – Two-time Pulitzer winner Stan Grossfeld of The Boston Globe

Pittsburgh’s Strip District

Pittsburgh’s Strip District, or “The Strip”, is a one-half mile area northeast of downtown Pittsburgh. Among the various food vendors and produce dealers include Wholey’s Fish Market and the original Primanti Brothers Restaurant, a famous Pittsburgh tradition.

People clogged the streets to buy their last-minute Christmas feasts’ fixings today.

Pittsburgh Preschoolers Celebrate Hanukkah

Families enjoyed a potluck dinner at the preschool Hanukkah party on Wednesday, December 21, 2011 at Temple Ohav Shalom in Allison Park Township.

The eight days of Hanukkah started at sundown last night. Tonight, families lit another candle, which totals three including the shamash.

Menorahs are used to commemorate the miracle of the oil, according to the Hanukkah story. Jewish revolutionaries took back their Temple from the Syrians and wanted to rededicate it to God to restore its ritual purity. Eight days worth of oil were needed to complete the ritual purification, but they were only able to find one day’s worth of oil. Miraculously, the oil lasted for eight full days.

Now that I am back in my hometown of Pittsburgh, Pa. for winter break, I am freelancing for the North Journal– a weekly newspaper run by Trib Total Media that covers McCandless, Pine, Richland and Marshall communities. It is a bit nostalgic since the North Journal was the first newspaper I worked for when I was 15.

Lane Trust, 10, of Wexford, lights his menorah with father Brad, right, and brother Kaleb, 8, at the preschool Hanukkah party on Wednesday, December 21, 2011 at Temple Ohav Shalom.

Andrew Roth, 5, of Franklin Township, grabs a potato pancake at the preschool Hanukkah party on Wednesday, December 21, 2011 at Temple Ohav Shalom.

Sawyer Catchen, 2, of Franklin Park, sneaks a cookie at the preschool Hanukkah party on Wednesday, December 21, 2011 at Temple Ohav Shalom.

Garrison’s 29 Points Lifts Lady Bears Past North Texas

The Lady Bears dominated the majority of the game until a late North Texas rally cut the MSU lead to three on Sunday, December 11, 2011 at JQH Arena.

The heroic Casey Garrison was once again the Lady Bears biggest threat. With a pivotal block with 3:13 left in the game that allowed the Lady Bears to preserve the lead and a season-high 29 points, she broke 1,900 career points in the MSU record books.

There is a First Time for Everything

I won my first national photo award with 3rd place in the National Press Photographers Association Student Clip Contest for August – October.

Here is my winning entry:

Steph Anderson / The Standard

Missouri State’s Janke Engelbrecht is in a bubble of water before coming up for the start of her back stroke on Friday,October 28, 2011 at Hammons Student Center.

Judges comments (Loret Steinberg, William Snyder, Meredith Davenport): A shot we’ve see a lot lately, but this image is extremely well done. A stilled moment, enhanced by the smooth water.

Oklahoma State Sneaks by Bears, 72-67

Missouri State’s 22-game non-conference home winning streak was broken by the relentless Oklahoma State Cowboys, who did not allow an MSU score in the remaining four minutes on Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at JQH Arena. The Bears lost 67-72.

Despite a stellar performance by senior Kyle Weems who scored 24 points, the Bears dropped its third game in a row.

Lady Bears Overcome Lady Bucs, 81-70

The now 0-9 East Tennessee State Lady Bucs gave the Lady Bears a scare when they tied the game three separate times, and at about five minutes took the lead by eight points, before MSU took the lead 39-34 into halftime.

The Lady Bucs continued to play catch up for the rest of game. MSU won 81-70.

Co-captain and senior guard Casey Garrison scored 26 points which moved her to fourth place in school history for total points.

Ice Bears Dropped by Lindenwood, 1-4

The Ice Bears drop its first of two weekend match-ups against Lindenwood, 1-4 on Friday, December 2, 2011 at Mediacom Ice Park.

Freshman Eric Aldag scored the Ice Bears’ lone goal in the 2nd period with a wrist shot from near the blue line. The goalkeeper and Lindenwood defenseman juggled it, eventually tipping it in their own net.