May 2009: Senate Trip (Ottawa Bound!)

On May 26, CCVS students will be heading to Ottawa for an exciting overnight trip the the Senate of Canada. The Senate of Canada / Le Sénat du Canada is a component of the Parliament and consists of 105 members or seats. It's also an employer of court reporters who are tasked with the difficult job of creating impeccable transcripts of senate meetings and sittings. Organized by the newly formed Student Council, this trip will include a tour of the Supreme Court Building and a visit with Senate Reporter Darcy McPherson (who currently sits on the CCVS Board). Students will be riding to Ottawa together on a chartered bus and will be staying overnight at Ottawa University.

April 2009: Student Council Elections

On March 25th, 2009, the Canadian Centre for Verbatim Studies voted in our first ever Student Council. The Council serves as the students' representative body and will initiate and direct student activities like trips, socials, etc. The Council will also act as liaison between all students and CCVS staff. Members of the newly formed Council are as follows: President: Calypso, Vice President: Cynthia, Treasurer: Megan, Secretary: Eugene, Social Chair: Palma, and Online/Part-time Rep: Miriam. Thanks to everyone who ran! And best of luck to the Council. We're sure good things are to come.

March 2009: CCVS Open House a Big Success!

On March 26th, 2009 CCVS hosted an exclusive Open House event that allowed prospective students to tour our facility, meet current students, instructors and reporters, try machines and learn about the rewarding and lucrative world of Court Reporting. We offered guided tours, refreshments, interesting demos and fun! If you missed it, don't fret. You're welcome to book a one-on-one consultation at any time. Just click through to our book a consultation page, and our Registrar Lisa Marie Picken will tell you everything you need to know. Thanks in particular to our volunteer students: Calypso, Elisa, Kimberly, Cynthia, Christal, Michael, Megan and Eugene. We couldn't have done it without you!

January 2008: Fastest Writer in the World Visits CCVS!

Great things are always happening at CCVS and January was no exception. We're were pleased to welcome the inspiring (Guiness recognized) Mark Kislingbury to the classroom for a seminar on January 24th, 2009. Kislingbury is a National Speed Champion and holds the world record for speed writing. (He can steno over 360 words per minute at more than 97% accuracy!) This was his inaugural visit to our college and he gave both staff and students a demo as well as tips on speedbuilding and staying motivated. This Saturday seminar was an unqualified success, and our students tell us they're now more determined than ever to reach their speed goals.

December 2008: Happy Holidays, Parties Abound!

The holidays are fast approaching and CCVS is ready to party. Faculty, board members and associates will be painting the town red on Saturday, December 6th, while in-class and online students will be marking the break and the launch of our new teaching space on December 18th. Our office will be closed from December 24th to January 5th, 2009 while the students enjoy some well-deserved rest and relaxation. Stay tuned for information about the great events we have planned for the new year, including inspiring guest speakers and our annual Open House. You're invited!

                              HAPPY HOLIDAYS from everyone at CCVS!

November 2008: Court Reporting in Action - Murder Trial Field Trip

On November 27th, 2008 staff and students attended a hearing of the First Degree Murder trial of Sujan Abeyewardene. We were lucky enough to witness Abeyewardene testifying in his own defence, as well as his cross-examination. In addition, the students were witness to the Court Reporter on duty stenoing upwards of 240 words per minute! This trip was part of the Court Reporting Procedures course and was exciting and illuminating for everyone involved. Thanks especially to our host, realtime reporter Michael Cornwall.

September 2008: Toronto Harbour Cruise

On September 12, 2008 CCVS staff met up with the team from ASAP Reporting Services Inc. for a beautiful twilight dinner and dance cruise around Toronto's Harbour. Despite overcast skies, everyone was in high spirits thanks to a delicious dinner, great dancing, and personalized readings from a local tarot card expert (just for fun, of course). Maintaining a good relationship with industry professionals like those at ASAP is essential for the success of CCVS students, who will be interning with those individuals when they come to the work-study portion of their program. Thanks to organizer Jen Baldwin and host Kimberley Stewart, especially.

July 2008: Staff/Student Scavenger Hunt

On July 16, 2008 CCVS staff and students left the classroom a little early to participate in an afternoon hour scavenger hunt on the streets of downtown Toronto. This great team-building exercise saw all of us making friends with local merchants, raising awareness about verbatim studies, and having a great time doing it! The day was topped off with an evening party, featuring delicious catering and prizes for the winning team – they all received ipod shuffles for their hard work! Thanks to everyone who participated.

April 2008: Hot Docs Film Festival Field Trip

In April, staff and students took part in a fieldtrip to Toronto’s Hot Docs Film Festival, where we were lucky enough to see one of the fests features on Turkmenistan. In addition to raising awareness about global issues and current events (a must for any Court Reporter) this event facilitated student social interaction and helped galvanize the current class into a group of students who have become friends as much as classmates.