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More Than a Robot

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Larsen Morehouse, right, watches as her teammates adjust the robot’s shooter at the practice field between matches on Friday, March 25th, 2022, at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Mich. The team would often go to the practice field, which has the scale field elements not the whole field, to check things after they make adjustments.
Teams at the FRC West Michigan District Competition dance to the Cha Cha Slide during a 6-minute timeout during the finals at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Mich., on Saturday, March 26th, 2022. The DJs will often play songs that have specific dances to them like, the Macarena and YMCA, to keep everyone interested during breaks.
After announcing that they needed spare aluminum to fix a part on their robot, ambassadors from multiple different teams, 5980 and 85, came to team 4453’s pit to offer assistance at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Mich., on Thursday, March 24th, 2022. One of the biggest parts of FIRST is gracious professionalism, teams will do everything to help each other out, even when you might go against them in the very next match.
While waiting in the stands Diana Morehouse, left, takes a picture of her son Micah, middle, and fellow 4453 team member Alex Suhocki, right, at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Mich., on Saturday, March 26th, 2022. Many of the parents came to watch as well as some of the team’s alumni.
Team 4453’s robot, nicknamed Al, short for Revival, climbs the rungs during the endgame of a match of Rapid React, FIRST Robotics’ 2022 game, at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Mich., on Friday, March 25th, 2022. The Red Hot Chili Bots had the best climb record of any team at the competition, being able to reach the top rung consistently during matches.
After a long day of competition, team 4453 plays a game, they made up and call “The Circle of Violence” in the pool of the hotel they stayed at in Allendale, Mich., on Friday, March 25th, 2022. During the game, two people would fight to dunk the other person’s head under the water, while being splashed by the rest. Mentors were playing and standing by to make sure no one got hurt, and no one did.
Team 4453’s drive team, Connor Grigg, left, Larsen Morehouse, middle, and Alex Suhocki, right, line up their robot to shoot during a qualification match at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Mich., on Friday, March 25th, 2022. The hangar can block the vision from the drive station so Larsen, as the coach, must learn how to work around that, although it is helpful to have it right there when lining up to climb.
Parents and mentors cheer as 4453’s head mentor, Steve Seifert, middle, goes to meet the team in their pit to congratulate them after a win at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Mich., on Friday, March 25th, 2022. The team and mentors convene in the pit to talk and tune the robot after every match.
Alex Suhocki, left, and Micah Morehouse, right, examine and adjust wiring on their robot’s collector at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Mich., on Saturday, March 26th, 2022. The collector broke after a practice match on the first day of competition and had to be fixed and carefully watched throughout the rest of the weekend.
The fifth Alliance, consisting of FRC teams, 4453, The Red Hot Chili Bots as captain, with 5890, East Grand Rapids Robotics, and 7768, The Iron Hill Automatons, huddle up before the tiebreaker match of the quarterfinals at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Mich., on Saturday, March 26th, 2022. Being ranked 7th, team 4453 had the honor of choosing two teams to accompany them to the finals.
Before heading back home to Marshall, Mich., Team 4435 stops for dinner at New Great Wall Buffet in Grand Rapids Mich., on Saturday, March 26th, 2022. While eating dinner they learned that they most likely had enough points to compete in Michigan’s State competition alongside 160 other teams. This will be the first time ever team 4453, The Red Hot Chili Bots, has qualified for States since being formed in 2013.
FIRST Robotics team 4453, The Red Hot Chili Bots pack up to leave Grand Valley State University after competing in the West Michigan District Competition on Saturday, March 26th, 2022. The team’s bright red trailer has stickers from past games and their logo with the phrase “We bring the heat!” on the side, which makes it easy to find among the other trailers.

My Experience

I was originally going to have my experience before the story, but I wanted it to speak for itself before I talked about how it felt for me. This story has a very special place in my heart as its focus is a program and a team that I love very much. My connections to the story made up most of my struggles but overall, I’m proud of how it turned out.

I struggled to balance the photojournalistic assignment aspect and the mentoring aspect of my role at the competition. I was the mentor in charge of scouting for the competition, which is something that takes a lot of time and critical thinking as it was my job to research the teams and figure out who would be best to work with us and in an alliance during the playoffs. I mention in one of the captions that the collector on our robot broke, what I didn’t mention was that the spare part we needed was back home in Marshall, an hour and a half away, and another mentor, Andrew, and I had to drive back home to get it at 9:30 pm. Because of things like this, my full attention couldn’t be on photography, but I honestly don’t think it would have made much of a difference for the photos. Only needed to focus on doing one thing would have been better before my mindset throughout the event, as there was a moment, I needed to remove myself and take a bit of a mental break.

I’ve been photographing at FIRST Robotics events for about 7 years now since I was a freshman in high school, and it’s what got me into photography. So, looking at my own photos during the competition, I felt like none of them were new and they were boring. It wasn’t until afterward when I was editing that I was able to see how much I’ve grown as a photographer, and I ended up having to cut pictures that I really liked because they didn’t contribute to the story the way I needed (which always hurts). Editing this time around was a lot harder than it normally is for me, after a couple rounds I had about 17 pictures that I really liked but managed to get it down to 12. Toning wasn’t any more difficult than normal, the event was dark, but it was fairly easy to lighten it up. I did end up having to take pictures on my phone which I wasn’t used to. Pictures at the hotel and in the restaurant were taken on my phone rather than my camera for convenience.

As I said earlier, I’m really proud of how this story turned out despite all that happened while I was doing it. I am extremely excited to accompany the team to States and capture all the moments there too. I am so proud of the kiddos.

YC #1

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Central Michigan University’s girl’s hockey team gets ready to start their match against the University of Notre Dame at Martin Ice Arena on February 5th, 2022.

My second assignment was CMU’s film school and I couldn’t choose between two pictures. I had planned on asking the class but didn’t have the chance.

High School students from multiple different schools work on a stop motion project during Steve Leeper’s Animation Workshop- Animated Human Tricks in Central Michigan university’s Moore Hall TV studio on February 18th, 2022.
Central Michigan University Professor, Ann Dasen helps a high school student pour latex into a nose mold during her “FX Make-up for the Camera” workshop in CMU’s Moore Hall on February 18th, 2022.

Behind the Scenes

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Put on by Central Michigan, Summit Sessions Live is a fully student-run live television show that airs every other Friday. The show features local Michigan artists, who perform songs and answer interview questions live. It is a collaborative effort between, four different broadcast and cinematic arts organizations. Moore Hall TV (MHTV) runs video, Moore Media Records (MMR) runs the audio, and the show plays on the radio stations after it airs. The show’s season seven finale took place on Friday, December 10th, 2021, and featured, band Post Eden and solo artist, Maddy Olivia.

A senior at Central Michigan University, Oswin Wernette, who has been working on the show since they were a freshman, works alongside Kait Helmholtz as the executive producers of the show. As executive producer, Oswin is responsible for organizing things and people and making sure everything goes smoothly with the help of Kait of course. The season finale was a little bit short on staff, so Oswin also ended up directing the episode from inside the control room, Using the headset to communicate with people out on the floor and call out camera shots. It was a hectic episode but Oswin expressed how proud they were of everyone involved and they can’t wait to work with everyone again next season.

Oswin Wernette and Kait Helmholtz give closing words to the Summit Sessions Live cast and crew after their Thursday night rehearsal at Central Michigan University’s Moore Hall Studio on Thursday, December 10th, 2021.
Oswin Wernette, left, talks with Summit Sessions Live guest host, Brody Britton, right, and fellow producer Kait Helmholtz at Central Michigan University Moore Hall Studio on Thursday, December 10th, 2021.
Summit Sessions Live producers Oswin Wernette, right, and Kait Helmholtz, left, get set up for Summit Sessions Live’s season seven finale from MHTV’s control room in Moore Hall at Central Michigan University on Friday, December 10, 2021.
Jack Labounty runs camera three for Summit Sessions Live at MHTV’s studio in Moore Hall at Central Michigan University on Friday, December 10, 2021.
Kylie Sczepanski, Summit Session Live’s floor director, watches Post Eden and listens for the countdown that will tell her when to cue the host in MHTV’s studio in Moore Hall at Central Michigan University on Friday, December 10, 2021.
Summit Sessions Live producers Oswin Wernette, left, and Kait Helmholtz, right, watch the run-through of the season seven finale from MHTV’s control room in Moore Hall at Central Michigan University on Friday, December 10, 2021.
Oswin Wernette fixes a light while Post Eden plays during a run-through before Summit Sessions live’s finale in MHTV’s studio in Moore Hall at Central Michigan University on Friday, December 10, 2021.
Kylie Sczepanski and the rest of the Summit Sessions Live crew break down the set and reset the studio for News Central to use the next day at MHTV’s studio in Moore Hall at Central Michigan University on Friday, December 10, 2021.
A look into the studio from the hallway in Central Michigan University’s Moore Hall on Thursday, December 10th, 2021.

In Their Eyes (final)

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LouAnn Brennan has been working at Stone Lodge Memory Care for four years. She found the job after she had retired from working retail and had gotten bored, passing the help wanted sign she called later that day and got the job. LouAnn works as a caregiver when she isn’t at stone Lodge as well, her husband has kidney and problems as well as issues with his eyesight. She is only able to work at Stone Lodge three to four days a week.

LouAnn Brenna’s first experience with dementia was with her father, so she understands that it’s hard to watch someone you love slowly forget you. When she visited her father although he didn’t know her name, she could tell he remembered her by his eyes. Her favorite part of working at Stone Lodge is the people, she says, “Working with them always brightens her day” and her goal is to do something positive every day.

LouAnn Brennan hugs and comforts Stone Lodge, Memory Resident, Loren Eldred in the lobby on Tuesday, November 30th, 2021. They had recently received news that his wife was sick, and he wasn’t able to leave to visit her.
Residents spending time in the main room of Stone Lodge, Memory Care on Monday, November 22nd, 2021. Residents either have a room to themselves or share with another person, but those who can enjoy spending time in the main room.
LouAnn Brennan laughs as she guides Norma, with her shower stuff to the bathroom at Stone Lodge, Memory Care on Monday, November 22nd, 2021. Most of the residents can shower by themselves, they may just forget that they have to.
LouAnn Brennan talks and laughs with resident, Ed Filhart at Stone Lodge, Memory Care on Tuesday, November 16th, 2021. Ed’s son, Ryan, and daughter-in-law, Chelsea visited on Chelsea’s birthday and all the residents and staff sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to her before they left.
Martha Jane Eldred, sits and laughs with her husband, Loren, middle, and LouAnn Brennan, left, at Stone Lodge, Memory Care on Tuesday, November 16th, 2021. Martha Jane said that she feels Stone Lodge is more of a home than other nursing homes.
LouAnn Brennan holds the hand of resident, Joan, at Stone Lodge, Memory Care on Tuesday, November 16th, 2021. LouAnn talks about interacting with the resident, “Working with them always brightens my day”.
Charlotte Willard-Schmidtke, left, helps, LouAnn Brennan, right, fold sheets at Stone Lodge, Memory Care on Tuesday, November 16th, 2021. Charlotte often helps LouAnn fold the laundry.
LouAnn Brennan, middle, serves dinner to two residents at Stone Lodge, Memory Care on Sunday, November 14th, 2021. They were having a pizza night and had three different pizza options.
LouAnn Brennan, left, sits with resident Frank, at Stone Lodge, Memory Care on Sunday, November 14th, 2021. Having the doll gives residents something to talk care of, most will care for it like it is a real baby.
LouAnn Brennan helps a resident, Frank, walk to the kitchen in the main room of Stone Lodge, Memory Care on Sunday, November 14, 2021. The staff are some of the most recognizable people to the residents who all suffer from memory issues.

In Their Eyes

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LouAnn Brennan has been working at Stone Lodge Memory Care for four years. She found the job after she had retired from working retail and had gotten bored, passing the help wanted sign she called later that day and got the job. LouAnn works as a caregiver when she isn’t at stone Lodge as well, her husband has kidney and problems as well as issues with his eyesight. She is only able to work at Stone Lodge three to four days a week.

LouAnn Brenna’s first experience with dementia was with her father, so she understands that it’s hard to watch someone you love slowly forget you. When she visited her father although he didn’t know her name, she could tell he remembered her by his eyes. Her favorite part of working at Stone Lodge is the people, she says, “Working with them always brightens her day” and her goal is to do something positive every day.

LouAnn Brennan talks with resident, Loren Eldred at Stone Lodge, Memory Care on Sunday, November 14th, 2021. LouAnn loves working with everyone at Stone Lodge and says there a genuinely no downfalls to working there.
Martha Jane Eldred, sits and laughs with her husband, Loren, middle, and LouAnn Brennan, left, at Stone Lodge, Memory Care on Tuesday, November 16th, 2021. Martha Jane said that she feels Stone Lodge is more of a home than other nursing homes.
LouAnn Brennan holds the hand of resident, Joan, at Stone Lodge, Memory Care on Tuesday, November 16th, 2021. LouAnn talks about interacting with the resident, “Working with them always brightens my day”.
LouAnn Brennan talks and laughs with resident, Ed Filhart at Stone Lodge, Memory Care on Tuesday, November 16th, 2021. Ed’s son, Ryan and daughter-in-law, Chelsea visited on Chelsea’s birthday and all the residents and staff sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to her before they left.
Charlotte Willard-Schmidtke, left, helps, LouAnn Brennan, right, fold sheets at Stone Lodge, Memory Care on Tuesday, November 16th, 2021. Charlotte often helps LouAnn fold the laundry.
LouAnn Brennan, middle, serves dinner to two residents at Stone Lodge, Memory Care on Sunday, November 14th, 2021. They were having a pizza night and had three different pizza options.
LouAnn Brennan, left, sits with resident Frank, at Stone Lodge, Memory Care on Sunday, November 14th, 2021. Having the doll gives residents something to talk care of, most will care for it like it is a real baby.

LouAnn Brennan helps a resident, Frank, walk to the kitchen in the main room of Stone Lodge, Memory Care on Sunday, November 14th, 2021. The staff are some of the most recognizable people to the residents who all suffer from memory issues.

Summit Sessions Live Singles

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Oswin Wernette talks with Summit Sessions Live guest host, Brody Britton and fellow producer Kate Helmholtz at Central Michigan University Moore Hall Studio on Thursday, December 10th, 2021.
Summit Sessions Live Producer, Oswin Wernette sets up for the season seven finale in MHTV’s Studio at Central Michigan University Moore Hall Studio on Thursday, December 10th, 2021.
Oswin Wernette and Kate Helmholtz give closing words to the Summit Sessions Live cast and crew after their Thursday night rehearsal at Central Michigan University Moore Hall Studio on Thursday, December 10th, 2021.

I feel like I was able to get a decent amount of good shots at the rehearsal, I hope to get more of Oswin interacting with people at the live show tomorrow. Everyone was super nice and the acts they had for the show were really good.

Caregiver singles

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This has been a great experience so fair. I have plans to go back a couple more times to make this my long-term story. It’s really easy to caption moments when working on this kind of story. Everyone was really nice and LouAnn sat down with me and we chatted for a bit, even visiting family members opened up and talked with me about their experiences.

LouAnn Brennan helps a resident, Frank, walk to the kitchen in the main room of Stone Lodge, Memory Care on Sunday, November 14, 2021. The staff is some of the most recognizable people to the residents who all suffer from memory issues.
LouAnn Brennan talks and laughs with resident, Ed at Stone Lodge, Memory Care on Tuesday, November 16, 2021. Ed’s son, Ryan, and daughter-in-law, Chelsea visited on Chelsea’s birthday and all the residents and staff sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to her before they left.
LouAnn Brennan holds the hand of resident, Joan, at Stone Lodge, Memory Care on Tuesday, November 16, 2021. LouAnn talks about interacting with the resident, “Working with them always brightens my day”.