National Court Reporters Foundation Awards 2014 Frank Sarli Memorial Scholarship

SAN FRANCSICO, Aug. 2 -- The National Court Reporters Association issued the following news release:

The National Court Reporters Foundation (NCRF), the charitable arm of the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA), the country's leading organization representing stenographic court reporters, broadcast and CART captioners, and legal videographers, awarded the 2014 Frank Sarli Memorial Scholarship of $2,000 to Jessica D'Agostino, a court reporting student from Lake Worth, Fla., at a special award luncheon during the NCRA Convention & Expo held in San FranciscoJuly 29 - Aug. 3.

"Each year the Foundation is honored to award this scholarship to a deserving student to help them facilitate their education," said B.J. Shorak, the Foundation's deputy executive director. "These ever-important scholarships are made possible by the generous donations the Foundation receives each year from NCRA members during annual fundraising activities.

The donations received are a clear reflection of how committed NCRA members are to their profession."

NCRF's Frank Sarli Memorial Scholarship honors the late Frank Sarli, a court reporter who was committed to supporting students at the highest level of their learning curve. D'Agostino, a student at Atlantic Technical Center in Margate, Fla., is the 18th recipient of the scholarship. Recipients are chosen based on a number of criteria, including enrollment in an NCRA-certified court reporting program, passing at least one of the court reporting program's Q&A tests at a minimum of 200 words per minute, having a grade point average of 3.5 or above, demonstrating the need for financial assistance, and possessing the qualities exemplified by a professional court reporter, including attitude, demeanor, dress, and motivation.

Sarli, who was studying to become a professional pianist, turned to a court reporting career when he could no longer afford the tuition to music school.

During his career, he opened Frank Sarli's Accurate Court Reporters in Orlando, Fla., Orange County's first independent court reporting firm, and was a founding member of the Florida Shorthand Reporters Association. Sarli also served in numerous roles at the national level, including as a director for NCRA. He was also the first Floridian to earn the NCRA's esteemed Distinguished Service Award.

NCRF supports the court reporting and captioning professions through philanthropic programs funded by annual charitable contribution activities, such a phone-a-thon, and the Angels Drive, which recognizes individuals or firms who commit to donate at least $1,000 to the Foundation in a 12-month timeframe.

Among the initiatives the Foundation supports is the Legal Education Program, which facilitates the education of the legal profession about the role of the court reporter through a court reporter-led seminar, "Making the Record." The program focuses on the value of stenographic reporting and technology. Under the Legal Education Program, NCRF has also partnered with NCRA at the biennial Court Technology Conferences, sponsored by the National Center for State Courts, to ensure court reporter technology is before key players in court administration.

<p>NCRF's Oral Histories Program (OHP) raises public awareness about the court reporting profession by focusing on capturing and transcribing poignant oral histories, including those of American wartime veterans through the Library of Congress' Veterans History Project (VHP). NCRF coordinates with NCRA members to complete transcripts of the interviews. In addition to the Library of Congress, NCRF works with the National Equal Justice Library at Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., the Center for Public Policy & Social Research at the Central Connecticut State University, and the Illinois State Library. Through this program, almost 3,300 histories have been transcribed to date. NCRF is also working to transcribe the stories of Holocaust survivors.

NCRF's CART Services Program showcases the work of Communication Access Realtime Translators by providing grants to consumer organizations, such as the Association of Late-Deafened Adults. CART providers offer live-event captioning and personalized service for consumers who are deaf and hard of hearing.

About NCRF

As a charitable organization, the Foundation relies almost solely on tax-deductible donations. They are NCRF's lifeblood, and could not exist without them. The majority of NCRF's support comes from NCRA members and associated businesses. NCRF offers various giving options, including dues check-off, phone-a-thon(s), an annual Angels Drive, and a vacation property auction. NCRF is also supported through individual estate planning by members of its Legacy Society. To donate, or for information on NCRF's programs, visit ncra.org/ncrf, or contact Deputy Executive Director, B. J. Shorak, at [email protected] or at 800-272-6272, ext. 126.

For more information, visit NCRA.org. Career information about the court reporting profession--one of the leading career options that do not require a traditional four-year degree--can be found at CareersInCourtReporting.com. For information about captioning, visit CaptioningMatters.com.

[Category: Government/Public Administration]

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