A Foundation for my Cornerstone
Writing my first blog can be a bit intimidating. There are some fantastic blogs out there so well written you would think you are reading an article from someone at TIME magazine, or National Geographic. Those blogs are not the random mishmash of conscious thought spewing out onto the internet as people sputter and spout whatever first comes from their brains to their fingers like a journal or diary entry. And I do not consider myself a trained writer in the field of journalism. My experience comes from my classes at Purdue University writing reflection papers, research articles, literature reviews, program evaluations, strategic plans, and a minor bit of business technical writings. How can I compare to these fantastic blogs written by gifted lyrical individuals? Practice, patience (did I mention practice), and a little humility putting my works out there for the internet masses to clutch onto. Given time, remembering what I have learned, and being own personal heartfelt self the future blogs will hopefully be enjoyable to read, and I will write some good stuff. And hey, I’m into social media!
So what is it that I am doing during my internship? One of my major roles at the Cornerstone Autism Center and working on the Cornerstone Autism Foundation is to build and establish their presences on the World Wide Web. I love tech stuff! I get immersed into searching and scouring the net for cool facts and tidbits. And I love the newest devices and software that is continuously being updated (can’t wait for the new iPhone 5)! Even the type of music I am into, and might be obsessed with and addicted to, is produced almost solely on laptops with real instruments never being used. I think it was a no brainer for my superior that I do the social media and content for the Center and the Foundation when I kept coming up to him day after day with innovative ideas to make Cornerstone’s internet existence known better to this larger audience.
The whole point of the upcoming website blogs, Facebook Posts, tweets, and Pinterest pins is to not only inform the world of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), but to connect and interact with the families, parents, friends and communities that are impacted by ASDs. I want to “Explore together, Build together, Share together, & Spread the Word”. Over the last couple of weeks working here this has been my personal motto. I want people to know about Cornerstone Autism Center and the Cornerstone Autism Foundation and have the two be very important part of their lives. My upcoming blogs will showcase new activities that the Center will be doing, like special trainings, tours, and events that will be initiated, hosted and/or sponsored. And I want to inform people of events the Foundation is putting on to raise money so that it may pass those resources on to other non-profits that are struggling to help children with autism the aid they deserve. Along with that I will give you news about the wide world of autism. Two blogs currently in the works is how exactly iPads and app software truly help children with autism. The other blog deals with our recent Memorial Day and about the evolving developments with HR 2288 and how Tricare might be changing. Finally I will write stories about other interns, what their experiences were like at Cornerstone, the amazing faculty that work tirelessly to give the children here the best services available, and staff that skyrocket this establishment to the stars.
I will post my continuing developments building “A Foundation for my Cornerstone” on both the Conerstone Center and Foundation websites.
I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I will enjoy writing them, and I hope you enjoy watching my progression throughout all this!
Contact Jarrad Shaw. E-mail: jshaw@cornerstoneautismcenter.com
