TESTIMONIALS
We are
justifiably proud of the number of StenoMax graduates, their awards and
certifications, and their successful careers as court reporting
professionals.
Court Reporting and the
Military Wife
by Christine Griffin
Being the wife of a
military officer has its own unique challenges – relocating every two to three
years, enrolling my two sons in new schools, participating in a new church and
making new friends seem to be just the tip of the iceberg, not to mention the
thought of actually having a career. Keeping the family whole and happy has
always been my priority and a full-time job. However, after five years of
marriage and having two sons, I knew that it was time to focus on a career.
I needed a career that would be flexible and amenable to our peripatetic
lifestyle. My interest in court reporting was sparked while working at a law
firm as a teenager. The reporters seemed so confident, important and happy. It
had always been a dream of mine, but I saw little way of ever achieving that
dream since we moved so often and schools were not usually accessible. My
husband encouraged me to find a way to get it done, and so I looked online and
contacted NCRA.
I inquired about
the possibility of enrolling in a distance education training school while in
Japan, as we had just gotten our third assignment and would be moving in the
summer of 1998. They gave me the name and number of the NCRA-approved
Stenotype Institute of Jacksonville, Fla., a school that has offered a home
study program since 1967. I anxiously contacted the school, and my heart was
pounding as they informed me that they have a two-to-five-year self-paced
program through their associate school, StenoMax (www.stenomax.com), which
seemed to meet every one of my needs for independent study. They answered
every question I had – and there were many. So that was that. I was going to
become a court reporter. All I needed was to send a modest deposit and some
high school/college transcripts, and I would be on my way.
We moved to Japan that summer, and I began school as soon as we were settled.
With a one-year-old and a two-year-old, things were never quiet. I vowed to
never miss a second with them, so I studied during their naps and then when
they were in bed at night. I broke down the lesson plans to accomplish two
weeks’ worth of material every seven days. I grouped some of the number drills
with other lessons that did not have to be transcribed. Literary material was
always more difficult for me, so that would be a day of its own. After
completing my theory lessons, my goal was to graduate to a higher speed class
every three months. To accomplish this, I practiced and worked on lessons for
three hours every day. I worked the academics in and usually spent about 30
minutes a day on them. This also served as a change of pace when I seemed to
be burned out on practicing and completing the other speedbuilding lessons. I
was determined to finish school during the three years that we were stationed
in Japan. The instructors at StenoMax, especially Nancy Leonard, were very
instrumental in keeping my hopes up and my fingers moving in the right
direction.
We traveled quite a bit
while overseas, but the machine always came with us. When visiting relatives
back in Texas, the evenings were always spent on my machine or transcribing on
the nearest computer. Everyone was very supportive and helpful. The journey
seemed long, but the months flew by. Before I knew it, I was entering the
200-wpm class and had decided to have the RPR proctored in Japan in May 2001
to gain experience in taking the test. To my surprise, I passed all three legs
of the skills portion and missed the written test by only four points. I
couldn’t believe it. By this time, we had relocated to Honolulu, Hawaii, where
I completed the last of the required academic courses. I received my
beautifully mounted Associate Degree in Court Reporting after just three years
in the program. Early last fall, I contacted a court reporting firm that I had
found in the JCR, and the owner, Lou Carnazzo, agreed to let me do an
internship with some of his reporters. He helped me get from point A to point
B and was very helpful in guiding me in the right direction to actually be
ready to work. This experience was priceless. Watching the other reporters was
sensational, as I had never seen anyone truly write on a machine other than on
television. After this much-needed hands-on experience and diligent studying,
I passed the written portion of the RPR with flying colors in November 2001.
I’m now officially a Registered Professional Reporter, the first of several
certifications I hope to earn in this exciting new career.
Motivation and
self-discipline, coupled with guidance from StenoMax and the support from a
notable reporting firm, contributed to my transformation from a stay-at-home
mom to a professional, who can now enjoy challenging work in the future
wherever my family and I find ourselves next.
-
In 1997,
graduate Catherine H. Hoffman was selected as an Outstanding Graduate by the Distance and Education Council (DETC), the successor to the National Home
Study Council. The following article paid tribute to her accomplishments:
Catherine H. Hoffman
Ft. Meyers, Florida
… embarks on a new career
At age 40, Catherine Hoffman
decided to embark on a new career as a court reporter. She had worked for
more than 15 years as a paralegal and was co-owner of a computer company. The
distance study program at the Stenotype Institute of Jacksonville offered
Catherine the opportunity to work at her own pace and intensity.
Catherine’s ability,
determination and self-discipline led her to complete the program in 24
months. During the program, Catherine received the “Frank Sarli Scholarship”
award given by the Florida Court Reporters Association for the outstanding
student in this field.
Catherine is involved with
the Florida Court Reporters Association and the National Court Reporters
Association. She also “chats” online in CompuServe’s Court Reporters Forum
with practicing court reporters, former graduates and current students. Upon
graduation, Catherine began work with a major court reporting firm in Ft.
Meyers covering trials, depositions, hearings and several types of community
and government meetings, all of which require verbatim transcripts of their
proceedings.
“The distance
study program is an exceptional training platform for becoming a professional
and competent court reporter. The Institute has helped me to define my goals
and to be a self-motivated and highly accomplished court reporter with the
ability to handle any circumstance in a court reporting environment.”
I do overflow work in
court. I am on my machine everyday for at least six
hours. I'm sure you've heard more than once, "PRACTICE, PRACTICE,
PRACTICE."
I will say this: StenoMax
(Stenotype Institute of Florida) is a great program. I have been to
five different schools. My husband was military and we traveled. Out of those
schools, StenoMax was, and I'm sure still is, the most encouraging. It is
also the least expensive. Three out of the five are private business colleges
charging ridiculous amounts of tuition. StenoMax, I feel, offered more.
StenoMax has high standards
as far as the work they expect. Even if you were to go to a local college in
person, you must follow those same standards in order to graduate in a
timely manner.
They follow your progress
very closely. As a home study program, that is what you need. It will take a
lot of self-discipline in order to finish a home study program. Believe me,
if you work towards the goals they set, you will be more than ready when you
graduate.
Once again, it is up to you
how far you go with any home study. You will need that habit of hard work when
you start reporting. StenoMax will be behind you 110 percent. They are quick
with answers and encouragement. I hope I have been some help. If I can be
of any more help, let me know. Sometimes you need someone to just say,
"Hang in there. It will get better!"
After three years of being a
stay-at-home mom, and after extensive research, I decided that court reporting
was the ideal career for me. I already had experience in legal transcription,
so this fit into my career path perfectly. The problem I had was that we live
in rural Kentucky, and the nearest NCRA-approved court reporting school was
over three hours away. This tidbit of information sent me in the direction of
a home study program. I stumbled upon the StenoMax Web site and was
immediately impressed with the school. I sent off for more information and
spoke with Dr. Archer at length about their program and court reporting in
general. It didn't take me long to determine that this was the program for
me, and I immediately signed up and began my studies.
This has been a
fantastic experience for me, and I would highly recommend this program to
anyone considering a career in court reporting. The instructors are very
supportive, the materials are excellent, and there is plenty of practice
dictation. It is a completely self-paced program, and the Phoenix Theory that
they use for the home study program is great. I have been able to
successfully balance school with my home life, and I am now halfway through
theory. Although I know it will be quite some time before I graduate and
enter the "real world" of court reporting, I know that I will graduate with a
solid education and will be ready for that day when it finally comes.
I have been enrolled in
StenoMax since February of 2000. StenoMax is helping me to make my dream of
becoming a court reporter come true. I have always been interested in court
reporting and the flexible and rewarding career it offers. Unfortunately, I
live in a state that does not have any court reporting schools. Having lived
in Jacksonville, Florida, in the past, I knew of The Stenotype Institute and
the great reputation it had. I also knew that they offered a home study
program. I decided to give them a call and ended up enrolling that same day
in StenoMax. Not only did they have a tuition program that was affordable,
but a program that was going to allow me to move at my own pace --- to juggle
my busy work schedule and family life. Since enrolling, I have been committed
to practicing almost every day. The practice tapes and study material have
provided me with the knowledge to complete all of my academics plus pass the
140 wpm speed test. The school has been supportive in answering my questions
and giving advice whenever I have asked. I would like to say that Nancy
Leonard is the true meaning of the word “mentor.” Nancy has given me the
encouragement that I have needed to get this far. StenoMax offers an
excellent court reporting program, and I have all the confidence in the world
that StenoMax is giving me an education that will make me successful.
If you are interested in
becoming a court reporter and are researching your educational options, let me
tell you about StenoMax, Inc.
My name is Laura Pahlke, a working mom and a
student with StenoMax, and I am currently at 200 wpm. Before I tell you
anymore, I need to go back in time. When I was thinking about becoming a
court reporter, I was looking at all my options. Traditional schools required
that I would have to quit my job, but I could not afford to do that. I could
not afford the time to travel the distance to attend school, spend all day in
school, and do homework assignments in the evening, which would take many
hours away from my husband and daughter. In comparing tuition, I liked the
same amount every month (StenoMax offers this and you work at your own pace)
versus paying a higher amount every quarter, and if you don't pass the speed,
you repay (I learned this from being a student at a traditional school many
years ago. I had failed test after test to the point I gave up and started to
believe I was not cut out for court reporting, and at that time I was in the
180 wpm class).
At that time I did not even
own a computer, but a friend searched for home study programs for me. That is
how I found out about StenoMax. So, I immediately called Dr. Archer and
bombarded him with all my questions. He had the patience of a saint and
answered all my questions and eased my concerns. I couldn't wait to get
started and applied immediately. That was two years ago.
My mentor, Nancy Leonard, is
wonderful. She is responsible for grading all my assignments and is my
"sounding board" when the going gets tough. Nancy doesn't know this yet, but
a friend told me to be careful with home study programs because he had had a
bad experience. So I put StenoMax and Nancy to the test. I submitted a
homework assignment that was grammatically incorrect and filled with
misspelled words just to see if she would let me slide. SHE DIDN'T!! I did
get a polite but no-nonsense note and had to redo the assignment, but never
had the courage to tell her it was a test. Shortly after that, Nancy sent me
English books to study. That is what I get for testing, but on the bright
side, it was a great refresher in English because I learned some things I had
forgotten over the years. I went back to my friend, told him that he had
picked a terrible school, told him what I did, and how glad I am to know that
the StenoMax staff will not tolerate sloppy work.
During the past two years,
Nancy has been very helpful. She has assisted in pointing out "briefs" that I
could have used in my notes, gave me "briefs" that I never knew existed, and
has given me notes of encouragement on graded assignments. The list doesn't
stop, but if I can sum it up: She is my guardian angel who guides me to be the
guardian of the record.
Being a home study student,
I work at my own pace. Most of the time, I can allow two hours a day, but
sometimes it's less than that. I have learned to discipline myself and have
learned time management, but StenoMax and the staff allows me the flexibility
to work at a pace comfortable for me without jeopardizing time with my family,
while permitting me to keep my present employment. It does not get any better
than that!! As I say, it has been about two years that I have been a student
at StenoMax, and I am at 200 wpm. Life is stressful enough, but if you are
considering becoming a court reporter, I recommend StenoMax, Inc. This has
been the best two years I have invested, and I can honestly say I have never
felt "stressed out" by being a student with StenoMax.
- Another California student, Maya
Smith says:
Learning through the
StenoMax Court Reporting Home Study Course has been an
incredibly enjoyable experience for me. It offers me the flexibility that I
need while still
providing me, the student, with wonderful support and guidance through mail,
phone, and
e-mails. The StenoMax instructors return my exercises and tests promptly, and
they often give me helpful pointers and corrections.
There is a lot to learn in
Theory, but the lessons in the workbooks are well-organized and
easy to follow. When you reach the speed portion of the workbooks, they
really kept it
fun with features like, "Did You Know?" and amusing, real-life stories for
dictation
practices. I like the fact that the speed practice tapes give me exposure to
a variety of
dictations, including Q&A (two-voice testimony), jury charge (as would be
spoken by an attorney or judge), and straight-forward literary dictations.
The dictionary is indispensable and very complete (I have yet to NOT find a
word I need!). There may be some days when you simply don’t have the time or
don’t feel like practicing, but even if you give yourself just 30 minutes at
the steno machine, or even just read through your notes and learn a few
briefs, you will be glad that you did. The key is to stick with it. It’s
certainly not a skill to be attained overnight, but sure enough, your speed
does begin to pick up after a while. Even if you were frustrated during the
70-80 wpm phase, for example, when you get to the 100 wpm lessons and go back
to doing some 70-80 wpm dictations, you’d be amazed how much smoother you can
do them. It helps you to build confidence that way! I remember that at the
beginning of the course, I was to stenotype the word "cat" and felt it was
absolutely impossible to simultaneously stroke several keys at once to create
a word!
The people of StenoMax have
been truly wonderful, and they really care about their
students’ educational goals and success. I look forward to working in the
court reporting
and/or captioning profession, and StenoMax is certainly the school that is
going to help
me get there!
My name is Lanette
Swope and I am a single mother of six children living in the state of
Colorado. Because of the number of children I have, my schedule is quite
hectic. Trying to balance different activities and events, handle everyday
problems and chores, etc., leaves me very little “spare” time. Also, as sole
provider, it is important to maintain my present full-time employment
position.
My present employment is not
something I enjoy or would choose to do. Contemplating my future life, I
quickly realized the years I would spend doing something I do not enjoy. What
a difference it would make in my everyday life if I could actually work at an
occupation I had chosen. However, because of my circumstances, that seemed
impossible.
I have always been impressed
with court reporting. It appeared challenging, versatile, and interesting.
It would be a dream fulfilled to have the opportunity to school for it. After
learning about home-schooling court reporting and checking into it, I realized
it could be a possibility for me. It was so exciting to be able to purchase
the machine and begin my schooling. As I began the program, there were many
obstacles that interfered with my progressing quickly, but the leadership at
the Institute has been very supportive, cooperative and kind. As I dream of
my future and the vision I have, along with the Institute’s help, it keeps me
focused.
I have thoroughly enjoyed
learning the machine and the court reporting concept. It has been rewarding
and exciting. I’m working on improving my skills, and I’m opening many doors
of opportunity for the future!
Click here to read the Times-Union
newspaper article
from April 11, 2005 about one of our graduates
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