First place, Feature Picture Story - Abigail S. Fisher / Ohio University
First place, Feature Picture Story - Abigail S. Fisher / Ohio UniversityThis essay strives to explore some of the many issues faced by people living in non-nuclear and blended families in southeast Ohio including an exploration on how a relatively poor socio-economic status in the home dictates living arrangements, division of resources and group interactions (including affection and discipline). The project looks closely at four distinct families living in non-traditional groups: two parents caring for adopted children and half siblings, an aunt raising two children, a single mother raising two daughters and a single mother and her fiancée caring for two children. Akeyna prepares dinner for her family at her mother’s home in Coolville, Ohio. Akeyna and her two children have been living with Akeyna’s mother, Pam, and children for several months. Akeyna acts as a dual caregiver, helping Pam with her multiple health issues and caring for four children under the age of 10. Pam, who has multiple sclerosis and a myriad of other health complications, receives money from the state each month to help her care for her family.
First place, Feature Picture Story - Abigail S. Fisher / Ohio UniversityAkeyna gives Angel a mini-manicure and paints her nails a bright orange. Angel, who has autism, is often overlooked in a household of four young children and wants to be a part of everything her siblings do.
First place, Feature Picture Story - Abigail S. Fisher / Ohio UniversityJherica, Angel and Kaleb play in the living room of their Coolville, Ohio home. The cousins are among seven people who all live in a small three-bedroom ranch home that belongs to Pam Jones. Pam has cared for her niece and nephew since they were infants and allows one of her adult daughters and her family to live with her. By pooling their resources, the family has three caregivers for the children but a limited expendable income.
First place, Feature Picture Story - Abigail S. Fisher / Ohio UniversityAthens County Magistrate Melinda Bradford listens to a child support adjustment hearing in Athens, Ohio. Bradford works with Keith Wiens, far left, of the Athens County Child Support Enforcement Agency, hears cases every Wednesday and is often booked weeks in advance. Bradford estimates at least 4,000 child support hearings take place in the county each year.
First place, Feature Picture Story - Abigail S. Fisher / Ohio UniversityTamara Newton gives her 3-year-old daughter, Mattie, cough medicine in the early morning. Tamara cooks a full, hearty breakfast for each of her daughters every morning before she leaves for college classes at Hocking College. Tamara, a single mom, gets some help raising her two daughters from her boyfriend, Aaron.
First place, Feature Picture Story - Abigail S. Fisher / Ohio UniversityBright carousel horses decorate the closet door of Kayleigh and Mattie’s bedroom. The girls share a small twin-sized mattress every night.
First place, Feature Picture Story - Abigail S. Fisher / Ohio UniversityAaron helps wash Pam's feet one afternoon after Akeyna and her children unexpectedly moved out of the house. Pam's health issues make caring for two young children a challenge.
First place, Feature Picture Story - Abigail S. Fisher / Ohio UniversityAngel, Kayleigh, Aaron and Jerhica, all cousins, play with motorized helicopters at Pam’s house in Coolville on Monday, Feb. 13, 2012. The extended family usually only gets together when one of the parents has errands to run.
First place, Feature Picture Story - Abigail S. Fisher / Ohio UniversityA dying plant adorns the top of Pam’s bedroom dresser. With her multiple health problems and two young children to care for, household chores are no longer a priority.
First place, Feature Picture Story - Abigail S. Fisher / Ohio UniversityAkeyna pulls the door shut to the bedroom where Aaron is violently kicking and screaming to get out. Aaron had started an argument with one of his cousins about watching a video that escalated into a violent tantrum where he was hitting Akeyna. “This is the only thing I can do to calm him down,” Akeyna said. Aaron’s tantrum continued for about five minutes behind the bedroom door.
First place, Feature Picture Story - Abigail S. Fisher / Abigail S. FisherAkeyna Dishong carries some of her belongings into a new two-bedroom apartment she will share with her fiancée, Derrick, and her two children, Kaleb and Jherica in West Virginia. Akeyna has been living with her mother, Pam Jones, for the last few years and was eager to finally get her belongings out of storage and into her own place. The cramped living quarters at Pam’s home in Ohio meant all the children shared one bedroom as Pam and Akeyna pooled their resources to provide for seven people under one roof.
First place, Feature Picture Story - Abigail S. Fisher / Ohio UniversityAngel plays by herself in the backyard while Pam is evaluated for home health care. Pam suffers from multiple sclerosis and other degenerative illnesses that limit the extent of effective care giving for her children, according to Pam’s daughter, Akeyna.
Second place, Feature Picture Story - Gus Chan / The Plain Dealer
Second place, Feature Picture Story - Gus Chan / The Plain DealerEl Sistema is the celebrated music-education program started in Venezuela that takes youths off the streets and teaches them to play in symphony orchestras. El Sistema @ Rainey is Cleveland's version of the program, started by Cleveland Orchestra violinist Isabel Trautwein. Destiny Star White sings the "Rainey" song during El Sistema September 29, 2012. The song describes the Rainey Institute and it's artistic mission.
Second place, Feature Picture Story - Gus Chan / The Plain DealerXavier Haddon dances and plays his paper violin during group time at El Sistema @ Rainey. El Sistema requires students to build a paper violin so they can become acquainted with the instrument. They are then given their permanent violins in a paper violin graduation ceremony and concert.
Second place, Feature Picture Story - Gus Chan / The Plain DealerInstructor Brittany Kubiak demonstrates the bunny bow during class. The grip helps to build dexterity in the young musician's hands.
Second place, Feature Picture Story - Gus Chan / The Plain DealerIsaac Neal tunes his violin before El Sistema @ Rainey while teacher Isabel Trautwein writes the day's lesson on the board. Neal is one of the older students in class and one of it's most talented. He will attend Interlochen this summer to study violin.
Second place, Feature Picture Story - Gus Chan / The Plain DealerSaria Neal plays the Pachelbel Canon in the home of her instructor Isabel Trautwein. Trautwen, a violinist with the Cleveland Orchestra, is the artistic director of El Sistema @ Rainey. Trautwein will bring students to her home if she thinks they will benefit from the special attention.
Second place, Feature Picture Story - Gus Chan / The Plain DealerCourntey Bonifant, a teacher, with El Sistema @ Rainey, pulls MaiLonnie Walton out of the group to talk with her. Walton had been inattentive and disruptive to the other students so Bonifant took her aside to get her to refocus on her music.
Second place, Feature Picture Story - Gus Chan / The Plain DealerMaiLonnie Walton watches as Brendan O'Malley of the folk group Honeybucket plays along with El Sistema @ Rainey. Musical groups from all over the city come to Rainey weekly to perform in front of the orchestra.
Second place, Feature Picture Story - Gus Chan / The Plain DealerSharon Young tries to quiet a giggle as she and Candace Johnson wait for the famed pianist Gabriela Montero to perform for El Sistema @ Rainey. El Sistema @ Rainey has become a destination for musicians performing at Severance Hall to perform for young promising musicians.
Second place, Feature Picture Story - Gus Chan / The Plain DealerA mix of El Sistema @ Rainey kids, Cleveland Orchestra members and orchestra children perform together on stage at Severance Hall as part of the Martin Luther King Day festivities.
Second place, Feature Picture Story - Gus Chan / The Plain DealerMaiLonnie Walton participates in the violin up chant in preparation for positioning the violin during the Paper Violin Graduation Ceremony and Concert. The young musicians received their real violins during the ceremony.
Second place, Feature Picture Story - Gus Chan / The Plain DealerSheila Sudberry videotapes her granddaughter, Jamiyah Dotson, during a Thursday afternoon performance of El Sistema @ Rainey. The youth orchestra performs weekly to give the students confidence to play in front of an audience.
Second place, Feature Picture Story - Gus Chan / The Plain DealerInstructor Darnell Weaver plays his viola while the students of El Sistema @ Rainey dance in the halls. Weaver brought out his viola to show the students the difference between violin and viola and allowed the children the opportunity to play another kind of instrument.
