Fluoride supplementation

I remember brushing my teeth and swishing with fluoride in the fourth grade, as part of my regular after-lunch school routine. Since the local water was considered less fluoridated than ideal for young teeth, parents were offered the option to supplement their children at school.

Things have changed since that time, and parents are not always sure of whether or not to adjust the levels of fluoride for their young children.

There have been nation-wide scientific studies in the past 20 years, with claims that fluoride supplementation is either beneficial or not. The general consensus between doctors and dentists is that, if the existing level of fluoridation is taken into consideration, supplementation is likely to have more benefits than draw-backs.

In fact, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has even claimed that water fluoridation is “one of the 10 great public health achievements of the 20^th century.”

Fluoride is a naturally-occurring element, already found in water. Seawater averages a level of 1.2 to 1.5 parts per million, where un-altered fresh water usually averages between 0.01 and 0.3 ppm. Some parts of the world have seen results of dangerously high levels of fluoride in ground water, including a large portion of the western United States.

Another cause, outside of naturally-occurring high fluoride levels, is that sulfuryl fluoride and Cryolite are used as pesticides in crops. Two years ago, the United States EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) suggested banning the pesticides, because excessive levels of fluoride are metabolized from consumption of these crops.

Deaths directly related to fluoride overdose have been documented, if it is consumed in high volumes and high speeds. The lethal dose is just 5 to 10 g, on average. Overdosing results in hypocalcemia, a condition in which the nervous system does not have access to calcium, which is necessary for function. 5 to 10 grams is a small amount, but it is also unlikely for the average person to accidentally overdose.

The biggest incentive to fluoridate water is the strengthening of tooth enamel, which is proven effective in decreasing tooth decay. Studies state-wide have shown statistical relationship between cavities and fluoride exposure, and neighboring Benton County has some disappointing results.

The American Dental Association’s publication in November 2006 claim that water fluoridation (in the right amounts) is “safe, effective and healthy.” The publication also claimed that fluorosis may result, but the effects are most often mild, and only dental care professionals can usually recognize the signs. There are rare cases where dental fluorosis occurs, causing brown discoloration or markings, and the enamel may even be pitted, darkening over time.

The ADA recommends consulting a dentist or physician regarding local water fluoride levels, and methods to alter your personal exposure, if desired.

Healthy World: Arsenic in Some Foods

After passing through the red, yellow, and green produce department, choosing carefully only among the organic options, some health-conscious shoppers will also look for the gluten-free, organic, and other health-minded labels on their other food choices. There may be a sense of false security in those labels though.
The biggest two grocery store offenders tested? Baby formula and energy bars. As if avoiding processed foods isn't enough, now you may want to pay even more attention to the labels in your cart.

Whether it be for general health, or for special dietary needs, it is important to pay attention to research findings. After a recent study conducted at Dartmouth University, you may want to think twice about trusting the “organic” and “gluten-free” labels, in place of also reading specific ingredients.

The Trace Element Analysis Core Facility at Dartmouth has found that brown rice syrup (which has been used in organic foods, because it has been considered a healthier replacement for high fructose corn syrup) could potentially pose an entirely new set of concerns.

Brown rice easily absorbs harmful levels of inorganic arsenic (it has one of the highest absorption rates amongst all grains), which was used in pesticides until 2009 when the EPA banned it.

Unfortunately, it also stays in soil for long periods of time, leaching trace amounts into plants until it no longer remains. This inorganic arsenic has long-term impact on brain function and is also a proven carcinogen.

The levels of arsenic found in one brand of tested organic baby formula (using brown rice as the primary sweetener) had as much as “six times the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) safe drinking water limit of 10 parts per billion (ppb) for total arsenic,” according to the Dartmouth program director, professor Brian Jackson. This is based on the highest allowable level for an adult, not to mention levels allowed for an infant, where this is likely their only nutritional source.

Other foods found with alarming levels of arsenic (most specifically, those derived from the brown rice syrup) include cereal and energy bars, and high-energy foods sought out by endurance athletes. The study included nearly 50 samples, but refused to reveal which brands were tested, and which were found with "unsafe" arsenic levels.


They only published in the study findings “that there is an urgent need for regulatory limits on As [Arsenic] in food,” since the current limits are only placed on drinking water.

Is it just me, or is it beyond unnerving that the specific brands aren't being called out here?

 At-A-Glance:
Baby formula
Cereal/energy bars
Energy shots

Profile - Jim Garaventa

Tall brick walls are separated only by white-framed windows, the random ivy vine, and views obscured by Linfield College’s signature oak trees. No, you’re not taking a stroll through the McMinnville campus- you are able to see all of these breathtaking views in a great photo collage in Jim Garaventa’s office.

He also has the responsible rows of educational guidance counselor books, bobble-head dolls from "The Office," and a few pieces of sports memorabilia. This white-walled and window-less office is anything but boring.

Garaventa is LBCC’s Linfield Adult Degree Program advisor. In his 8 years at Linfield, his biggest inspiration is being able to help students reach their educational and career goals, operating as a mentor.

It is a great satisfaction to him, knowing that he can help “turn student’s dreams into a reality through education,” he said.

He enjoys helping students plan out their academic program and overcome hurdles to completing their goals.

Garaventa’s first career was teaching math and coaching football and track & field at a mid-high school.

He then moved on to teach business courses part-time at Chemeketa Community College, while taking on their educational program specialist position for over 20 years. He provided industry-specific training to a wide range of groups, scouring resources, locating trainers and speakers, to meet the given demand.

He provided this service for schools, government agencies (such as the Department of Transportation), manufacturers, and service industries. Garaventa was responsible for finding and scheduling personnel for opening and safety training for the grand opening of Spirit Mountain Casino in Grand Ronde, Oregon.

He decided that it was time to retire out of the PERS system, but he wanted to continue working with people. He found another niche that fit him perfectly; Linfield was the next natural decision for him.

Garaventa loves seeing the benefits of community college, where students are more able to easily explore their options (especially if they haven’t nailed down a career path quite yet), and to keep expenses down. He likes that the class size at LBCC is smaller than large state institutions, which is a great atmosphere.

The biggest challenge that he experiences, is to make sure students stay on track, and that no one falls through the cracks. He said, “It can be very disappointing when students do not seek out advice, or follow advice they’ve been given.”

 LBCC's Nursing Department Chair Sheryl Caddy said "he gives a lot of nice, personal attention to the students, and that is not available from all schools. He is personable, he meets students one-on-one, and he comes into the classroom for informational presentations."

As a student who has recently started working with Garaventa, I can vouch for his passion to help students meet and exceed their goals, while keeping costs and responsibilities in line.

Aside from his great joy in working with people, he also has plenty to be proud of. His wife Donna, of 28 years, is a retired administrative law judge for the State of Oregon, and she currently runs her own business, providing mediation for worker’s compensation and employment issues.

He also has six children (His eldest attended Linfield College):

Kevin – 27

Karen – 25

Tim – 23

Paul – 21

Ryan – 19

Gina - 17

Going hand-in-hand with his strengths, his career path has helped him be a successful parent, understanding his role, and his children’s needs, as they go through their own educational path.

He says he’s been to plenty of t-ball games and other sports practices over the years, with many family movies. He recently helped rebuild a guitar with his son, although he claims “my music talent is a zero.” He takes his two Shelties on a walk every day (Cody and Cooper), and has a lazy rescue cat (Jack). He also enjoys some small gardening projects, and he runs a small Doug Fir Christmas tree farm in Salem.

Over the years, he has also greatly enjoyed traveling in the western United States, and has taken his family to Washington, D.C. His family has explored all modes of transportation on their many trips, including motor homes, airplane, and standard road trips in the family vehicle.

One highlight of his traveling experiences is when he visited is daughter Karen, while she was teaching English in Spain (after a previous Spain semester abroad.) In essence, he considers himself “the typical, boring family man.” He modestly says there’s nothing exciting about him, but he is also proud that he can leave a lasting impression on the lives of others, encouraging them to meet massive life goals. There is nothing boring about that!

To contact Jim Garaventa:

jgaraventa@linfield.edu

Phone: 541-917-4846

Fax: 541-917-4838

Office location: LBCC, IA-204
6500 Pacific Blvd. SW
Albany, OR 97322

Office hours: M - Tu: 9-6 Call for appointment

Garaventa, at work in his office

ABC's "Revenge" 2011-2012 new series

As Emily confidently walked into the Grayson manor with her signature politely pursed smile, Victoria Grayson was all but comfortable to welcome her to sit down. Just because Emily had caught her son's romantic interest and won his trust, did not mean that she had fooled Victoria.

 Wednesday night at 10pm is the much-coveted time slot that ABC has given to “Revenge," winning out against long-standing contenders, such as "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit."

Released as a new television series in September 2011, it took less than a month for ABC to realize they had a hit, and to give it a full season.

Emily VanCamp stars as Emily Thorne. The viewer quickly learns that Emily is truly Amanda Clarke, a girl with a tragic family history, and a troubled youth.

She returned to her home in the Hamptons with a secret identity, with some serious resources and plans to make things right. She even rented out the house where she grew up, as the young Amanda Clarke.

It was convenient that her beach house had a direct view of the luxury home in which her enemies resided. Emily had learned that the cause of her father’s traumatic death was related to many hidden secrets, and Victoria Grayson (actress Madeleine Stowe) was at the center of it all.

As with "The Count of Monte Cristo" (which has been given credit as inspiration for “Revenge”), Emily's passion to make right violations against her family has shown as one of the strongest motivators a person could have.

The show was nominated at the 2012 People’s Choice Awards for Favorite New TV Drama, and Stowe received a nomination for a Golden Globe, as the primary series antagonist.

Also, in its short time, it has already been given a regular time slot in 25 countries other than the United States. That is impressive, considering most shows require years to achieve such a following.

The two main character actors have an impressive acting history. Stowe had a few small television roles, and after that many movies including, 1987’s" Stakeout," 1992’s "The Last of the Mohicans," 1993’s "Short Cuts," 1995’s "Twelve Monkeys," and 2002’s "We Were Soldiers." These are just a few of her biggest achievements. 

VanCamp, as a younger actress, is only a decade into her acting career, with such experience as her title role on 2000’s "Jackie Bouvier Kennedy Onassis," 2005’s "The Ring Two," and for her main role in "Everwood," from 2002-2006.

Metacritic.com, seems to have a relatively mixed review of the series. Where users score the series 8.1 out of 10, actual critics have rated it 66 out of 100.  The critics don't seem as impressed as those viewers who care to weigh-in, on the site.

It is presumable that viewers will either love or hate the series, based on the review comments on various sites. For some, it's the same old rehashed plot line, but for others, it has become a permanent fixture in their Wednesday night plans.

For other reviews:

Are You Screening? " It's fun, and it pulls you along to the next episode, which is all anyone ought to be after here."

Huff-Post TV "'Revenge' makes the fatal mistakes of wanting to be taken seriously and yet not making its characters worthy of any kind of serious consideration."

NYTimes Television ''Revenge' isn’t a breakthrough, by any means, but it does offer a different take on female rivalry.'"

As far as I am concerned, this is on my weekly must-watch list. For what it's worth, that list is relatively short. I am actually a little surprised at what I consider fairly harsh criticism from some of the reviews, but I was an addict by the middle of the first episode.

At-A-Glance:
Channel- ABC
Time      - 10pm 
Stars      - Emily VanCamp, Madeleine Stowe, Gabriel Mann, Henry Czerny, Connor Paolo, Ashley Madekwe, Nick Wechsler, Joshua Bowman, Christa B. Allen.
Plot         - A young woman (Emily) returns to the Hamptons to avenge her father's murder and restore his reputation amongst the elitist community.
Awards   - 2012 Golden Globe nomination (Madeleine Stowe), and 2012 People's Choice Awards for Favorite New TV Drama

Albany Welcomes Walmart

LED motion-sensor lights flickered on as employees of the new store entered the produce department to fill the bins, working on final preparations for the big day. After many months of construction, training, and shelf stocking, the time has come for the general public to see what all the fuss is about.

Mark your calendar to attend the opening of the new Walmart Supercenter, at 1330 Goldfish Farm S.E., in Albany on Wednesday, Jan. 25.This is right off of Albany's U.S. Highway 20, on the east side of I-5.



Lebanon has been the nearest Walmart for the greater Albany area, until now. The company has chosen our area as an ideal location for a new store, since it reduces the commute time to the nearest Walmart for many of its shoppers. Along with their grocery, garden center, drive-up pharmacy, photo lab, and general merchandise, a new Subway sandwich store will also be opening.

The company got approval to work overnight long-term and even closed nearby I-5 ramps, to complete the project on time, paying over $1 million in building permit fees. They hired Robinson Construction, of Hillsboro, Oregon to build the 186,000 square foot building in a matter of months.

Walmart is working hard to make a good first impression on the Albany community with an energy-efficiency focus, donations to local groups, and offering new jobs to locals.

Aside from employing over 300 local residents, president Janet Steele of the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce, said “Walmart has put over $22 million into community improvements between the store, transportation improvements, and other community contributions.”

Some of the benefits of a new store include its focus on being customer- and eco- friendly. The Albany store was designed with wider aisles and an improved layout, for shopping convenience.

To improve on the speed of one-stop-shopping, departments have been rearranged from traditional Walmart design, based on commonly-purchased items. The color palette has also been improved, not only for more of “an inviting shopping experience,” but also color-coded based on merchandise areas.

New Walmart stores are also being built with a focus on energy-efficient technology, to reduce waste and energy use. The store has been designed with skylights, requiring 75 percent less lighting per day. LED lights are used the rest of the time, which are 70 percent more efficient than their fluorescent counterpart.

The result: Very little lighting costs. The flooring is made from recycled materials. The store will utilize a recycling program. The toilets and sinks are low-flow models, to also reduce the amount of water waste.

Aside from these conscientious building options, the company has also chosen to give $15,000 in grants to area organizations, including The Greater Albany  Public School, The Boys/Girls Club of Albany, Albany Firefighters Community Assist Fund, Albany Area Seniors, Albany Parks and Recreation, American Legion Post #10 Albany, Friends of the Albany Public Library, Linn Benton Food Share, Linn County Child Victim Assessment Center, and the Safehaven Humane Society.

The donations will be given during the ribbon-cutting ceremony, just prior to store opening, on January 25.

The community can only watch for now, to see what kind of impact the store opening will have locally. So far, local residents are generally pleased. Local resident Sara Broadhurst said "It is killing me that our Walmart opens tomorrow and I won't be there.. I wanted to tell future generations I was there opening day!"

Aside from the increased job opportunity, it could also mean more I-5 commuters stopping at other surrounding stores and restaurants. It could also possibly result in decreased business at local stores with similar products, such as Coastal Farm, Target, Fred Meyer, Albertson's, and Safeway. An anonymous downtown store worker said, "we will just have to wait to see what happens. [Walmart opening] could have no impact on us, or it could hurt us."


There has also been speculation on the impact to the Lebanon store, which will likely lose a good percentage of its business, due to store and shopper location.

At-A-Glance

Who : Albany Community
What : Walmart grand opening
When : Wednesday, Jan. 25
Where : 1330 Goldfish Farm S.E., Albany

For additional information, please see Walmart's official press release:  http://walmartstores.com/pressroom/news/10793.aspx

I-84 showcases some of Oregon's most beautiful sights

 Why not take a summer road-trip along the Columbia River Gorge, on Highway 84? Below are several stops literally just minutes from the highway.

 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In Portland, take exit 22 to follow the sharp winding road to Crown Point. For the view from below, use exit 25 for Rooster Rock State Park. It is quite windy on this bluff, which also gives the advantage of being able to see a lot of fun river activities from above, including kite surfing and boating.  http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_150.php

Exit 31 (on the left) will lead you to Multnomah Falls, with a tunnel under the interstate. There is a shallow pool to cool your toes, or head straight up along the path to get to the bridge above the lower falls. There are LOTS of tourists here, so stay close to your group! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multnomah_Falls

Exit 40 will take you to the Bonneville Hatchery, to see the large-scale production of keeping Oregon lakes and rivers stocked with various species of fish. This area shows just how much effort goes into keeping Oregon rivers and lakes stocked with fish. http://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/visitors/bonneville_hatchery.asp

Exit 44 puts you onto The Bridge of the Gods, which has great historical importance to local Indians, and many vendors are drawn here to sell their goods to tourists driving through. You’ll find lots of local produce, jerky, and fresh-caught fish. http://www.portofcascadelocks.org/bridge.htm

Exit 104, and following signs North across the Columbia River into Washington, will lead you to the WWI Veteran’s Memorial. This was built in 1930 to resemble Stonehenge as it was originally built. It honors servicemen from the local area, that died during that war. http://www.legendsofamerica.com/wa-stonehenge.html

Exit 109 provides a view of the John Day Dam. Lewis and Clark were fascinated by this location, before the dam existed. At the time of it’s construction, it was the second largest dam in the world. It has a small, and unfortunately poorly-kept, rest stop. The view is great, but definitely pass on the expired porta-potties. http://columbiariverimages.com/Regions/Places/john_day_dam.html

Exit 137 is a scenic pullout with a great view of the Columbia River Gorge, and the Shepherds Flat Wind Farm, which is still under construction. The city of Arlington, Oregon may only have just over 500 inhabitants, but it also maintains a waste management facility for all trash from Seattle, Washington, and some from the Portland area. The wind farm is a fascination for many, and puts the strong Gorge winds to good use. It is also probably because this wind flow, that the landfill doesn’t overpower the atmosphere. That is quite a bit of garbage!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shepherds_Flat_Wind_Farm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arlington,_Oregon

Exit 188 is about 23 miles East of Boardman, Oregon, which is where I-84 begins to turn South from the Columbia River. Following this exit South (take a right from the exit), to the town of Echo (2000 census population 650, and .6 square mile total area). This was one of the main thoroughfares along the Oregon Trail from as early as 1851. Fort Henrietta Park is a National Historical Oregon Trail site, including a covered wagon outdoor exhibit, and antique fire equipment. http://www.echo-oregon.com/

I-84 turns South, heading for the Oregon-Idaho border, and the views turn into  rolling hills, grassland, and mountain passes. Make sure you fill up on snacks and fuel when you have the option, because for much of the remainder of the trip, there isn't much of anything, aside from wide open spaces for miles.

Jeffery Reimer - A Beautiful Challenge

 Jeffery shows a rare sincere and relaxed smile, during a professional photo shoot with his three younger sisters at Albany's Eads Park. He has Tuberous Sclerosis, epilepsy, autism, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and is developmentally delayed.

The girls (Ahnalee, Katelynn, and Samantha) run a collision course with mom on the slide. Nancy Reimer actively ensures that the kids have a wide range of activities and exciting new places to explore.

This is the current set of Jeffery's medications, which he takes morning and evening. Clonazepam, Risperdone, Clonidine, Oxycodone, Sertraline, Seroquel, Trazadone, Concerta, and Diastat. These represent only a small list of medications that 10-year old Jeffery has taken in his life.

Working on a "project" on his bed. He has a Ty Beanie Baby turkey "holding" onto a small piece of metal, which he is trying to force onto a metal pipe. Jeffery has many projects like this one, and tends to enjoy his demolition projects the best.

As evening approaches, Nancy consoles Jeffery because he was upset that he couldn't have Katelynn's doll. Seemingly very small issues can set him off, and bedtime can be a long, arduous challenge.

LBCC Memorial Day Vigil photographs

Soldier's Cross

American flags in the LBCC courtyard lawn

Veterans Club member Jeb Oliver, and his father

Soldier's Cross and Service Flag presentation

POW/MIA flag presentation, along with posted facts

Rob MacLean, Scottish American Military (SAM), and the designated musical talent for the event, with a bagpipe.

As the vigil was winding down, Lewis Franklin (faculty advisor) and Bill Stanley discussed how smoothly it went.

Bill Stanley speaking to the gathered crowd

Vigil attendees lined up, for a turn to honor in their own way

Bill Stanley honored a disabled veteran by asking him to be the first to go through the line. There was a ceremonial feeling, as all attendees were silent while this man remembered those with whom he served.

Veterans Memorial Vigil a Success

 Two students leaving campus for the day began sharing details of their family members who had served in the Unites States armed forces. Their reminiscent stories were in stark contrast to the somber feeling earlier, when entering the LBCC Veterans Day Memorial Vigil.

At least one hundred people were gathered at the introduction of the first annual Veterans Day Memorial Vigil on May 25th, and many others trickled in.

The Veterans Club at LBCC planned the event, along with several community members. Hundreds of tiny flags were placed around the grassy areas behind the vigil to honor the American flag, and also many POW/MIA (Prisoner of War/ Missing in Action) flags.

 Lewis Franklin, the club's faculty advisor, commented, "If it wasn't raining, it wouldn't feel like Oregon, with wet flags everywhere." Audience members chuckled, because Memorial Day in Oregon has become synonymous with light rain showers.

Franklin read a section of the Gettysburg Address, reminding Americans to honor the sacrifices made, and to carry out their mission to the best of our ability.

Event organizers repeated that, while important to recognize and thank all veterans on Memorial Day, the most important ones to remember are those who sacrificed their lives or underwent trauma (whether physical or psychological) in time of war.

 Representing those whom have made the ultimate sacrifice, was the authentic Soldier’s Cross . Club member Bill Stanley invited all attendees to honor fallen service members, only after Ronald Naasko, a disabled Vietnam Veteran, had his chance. He tightened his wheelchair gloves and made the somber trip over to the ceremonial focal point. All present allowed Naasko the honor, and a line formed for those remaining to go pay respects.

At a few points in the ceremonial vigil, bagpiper Rob MacLean filled the courtyard with beautiful music. He is a member of SAM (Scottish American Military), with the Oregon State Defense Force, which is also referred to as Northwest ScotsGuard.

Officer Alexander has been serving as a public safety officer at LBCC for around four years. She was honored that her scheduled work day just happened to fall on the day of the event. She has had a few family members serve in combat, including her step-father Joseph (who served in the Korean War, at the 38^th parallel, and her Uncle Buddy served in “The Bloody Bucket.”

Alexander explained that there were several other LBCC public safety officers that would have also loved the opportunity to stand watch at this event, especially those whom are veterans themselves.

Ultimately, Alexander said the event was about honoring the bravery of sacrifice, and “no matter what you think about war, you have to respect that.” She also mentioned “The yoga mat incident,” which happened just over four years ago. A yoga mat was inside of a student's coat and mistaken for a firearm, and the entire campus was on lock-down.

Bruce Thompson (LBCC public safety official) and the rest of the department took that event into heavy consideration, when agreeing to allow a viable firearm on campus.  No ammunition was permitted. LBCC administrative rules detail that firearms are banned from even being in a vehicle in the parking lots on campus, so authorities had to be informed, and given express permission on all levels, to allow the firearm in the Soldier’s Cross.

Thompson stated that “a difference of opinions” on having guns on campus (and the bigger picture of war itself) was an issue to consider, when allowing the Memorial’s focal point. He said it was important to be sensitive and respectful to all, but most important on May 25^th, was to honor brave and faithful service members.

While the weather did not fully cooperate, the vigil was carried out as planned, and only took one fourth of the time scheduled. If you would like to be involved in the planning of next year’s vigil, the LBCC Veteran’s Club invites you to join them at their Thursday meetings at the fireside room on campus, at 4:30 PM. As is evident by the turnout at the vigil, veterans (and their supporters) have a strong presence here, and the club would like to provide whatever is necessary to facilitate that support.

Veterans Club Meetings
Where: LBCC Fireside Room
When: Every Thursday at 4:30PM
Who: Anyone with an interest in the veteran community

 Contact: Lewis Franklin frankll@linnbenton.edu

Free Shoot - SPC. Andrew Lara Memorial Service

Freedom Riders honor fallen soldier Andrew Lara by holding United States flags in the memorial procession on May 14, 2011

Soldiers in full dress blues stand at attention for the memorial service of Andrew Lara. 05/14/2011

A Soldier's Cross display stood next to the casket during the Lara's memorial service. Major General Raymond F Rees announced the Coin Ceremony, where camarades show a special sign of honor by laying down their service coins. 05/14/2011

Action shots - Albany Skatepark

Young friends look on, as Josh Foss prepares for his next move. He has been working on his skills for fourteen years, starting at the age of 16. Considering he is twice the age of most skaters here, he feels a sense of ownership. 05/13/2011

Jimmy Powers practicing cool moves on his bike at the Albany Skatepark. He is one of the more active guys, doing the most tricks in a short amount of time. 05/13/2011

Jimmy Powers takes off for his next move, while Noah Lochner watches. For the most part, unspoken skatepark etiquette dictates that one person is allowed space for their tricks. 05/13/2011

The bowl is a section of the skatepark. The majority of the activity here was a group huddled in a corner smoking "cigarettes." 05/13/2011

Jennifer Madsen - Albany Ballet Instructor

Ten little girls romped into a class at the Albany Parks and Recreation Center. They ran, twirled, and when reminded, they switched from street shoes to ballet slippers.

Ballet instructor Jennifer Madsen turned on the class music, and the blossoming ballerinas floated into position, on rosy clouds of tulle. They were thrilled to learn. Even more, it seemed, they wanted to just play and feel like princesses. Like clockwork, they followed her to the center of the mirrored practice hall like goslings.

Madsen has lived in the Albany area for about seven years, and has previously lived in six other states (AZ, CA, ID, IL, TX, and UT), with her husband Bruce. The reason for these relocations was so that he could reach his goal of becoming a successful ophthalmologist. He currently has a thriving business in Albany and surrounding areas. Upon each move, she found her niche locally; being able to continue teaching dance lessons.

 This is on top of being a wife, a mother of six, a member of the Albany LDS congregation, and she leads other dance projects that she has at any given time. Even just a few of these activities might overwhelm some, but Madsen seems to gracefully accomplish all. She makes it look easy, which likely comes from a life-time of experience.

Her first involvement with dance was when she began studying at the Jackie Hearn School of Dance, at the age of eight. Madsen has essentially grown up in the dance studio. She has studied all types of dance, including jazz, tap, hip hop, and ballet, all the way through her college years, with the Arizona State University dance team.

Among her accomplishments, she has been a returning judge for many high school state dance team competitions. She sees hundreds of performances and dancers a year, and her skill and opinion are highly respected in the dance world. Madsen has also choreographed extensively for the Albany Civic Theater.

  

 Madsen has taught dance consistently since college, which has contributed household income, and has also been a chance for her to do something outside of the home. She intends to teach dance for at least a few more years, and is happy to continue along, as she has since her college years.

 When asked the biggest challenge in her current career, she states that it can be a lot easier to choreograph than to teach, because the student’s technical skill and experience are already present. She still loves teaching even beginners, just to see their progression and to see them fall in love with dance. To keep the attention of students as young as three years old, she focuses on making sure the lessons are interesting, and that they keep moving. In a recent lesson, with ten students between the ages of three and five, she quickly noticed that the children's attention span required a fast pace. Madsen proactively kept individual parts of the lesson short, to keep their interest, without wasting valuable time.

Madsen says her favorite part of teaching, especially with young children and beginners, is to see the “creativity and joy that happens in the class,” and to see skills rapidly advance. It is obvious that she does not expect perfection of her new students, as ballet teachers are often portrayed, but a definite balance of gentle correction, and creative teaching technique.

At-A-Glance

Madsen's children:   Rachel – 14

                             Ethan – 12

                             Tanner – 10

                             Spencer – 6

                             Andrew – 5

                             Bennett – 1

Q&A:

Do you have any claim to fame?
           I have worked on a lot of choreography with the Albany Civic Theater, and I have also been a judge for high school dance teams, in the state-wide competitions.

When was your first interest in dance?
          I started taking dance classes at the Jackie Hearn School of Dance when I was eight, and continued through college.

What types of dance have you studied?
          Really all types, including ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, and more.

What have been your biggest challenges teaching, and what are your favorite things about it?
          The biggest challenge is going from choreographing, to teaching beginners. It is technically easier to choreograph, because those learning from me already know what they are doing. My favorite thing would be seeing the creativity and joy that comes from them. I also like seeing their advancement.

Do you have plans to continue teaching for a while?
          I'll be teaching for at least a few more years, but no definite plans for anything specific.