Popcorn Project

Popcorn Write-up...

Popcorn, the perfect snack for a movie or really anytime. Who knew that this little dried-up corn kernel would pop open into this edible, light, and healthy treat after being put to some heat. Historians have debated for years where exactly popcorn originated but they do know that it was discovered in one of the Americas. Many believe that the Native Americans discovered popcorn first but archaeologists have found fossil traces of popcorn in Mexico. Popcorn was not always used as a snack during the day or a baseball game or the movies because some colonist would actually eat it for breakfast with cream and sugar, like we would do now with our modern day cereal. During the 1890’s popcorn became extremely popular, especially since it was the great depression and so cheap! Vendors would roll their street cart style popping machines and go where ever the crowd was. They would go to parks and fairs and of course the people would buy it because of its low price people could afford it. Pretty much the popcorn business took off. Popcorn rose to fame during World War II when sugar was being sent off to the troops which left little for candy production. During that time Americans ate three times more popcorn. But as the war ended and television started to make a rise the popcorn industry saw a decline. Many people weren’t going to the movies anymore but a partnership between Coca-Cola and Morton Salt and advertising in individual companies made the idea of home popping a success in the 1950s. In the 1980s microwave popcorn became the new sensation and now the average American eats around 68 quarts of pop corn a year. Popcorn is still a huge staple in the country and is sold at the movies, grocery stores, and fairs. And there are still little vendors trying to make some money. Like at Lyndon State College the Society of Professional Journalist have been selling popcorn at the weekly movies at the school for years now. It has been the clubs constant form of fundraising for trips to national journalism conferences. Kevin Lessard who is currently the student government representative for the club makes the popcorn every week. He makes around 3 scoops of popcorn. He adds this buttery flavored liquid to get the yellow color and flavor that people want. The bags of popcorn sell for a dollar and 50 cents for smaller bags and the club is thinking about maybe starting to sell drinks at the movies. All facts about popcorn found on: http://www.nal.usda.gov/speccoll/images1/popcorn.html Jobs- Jenn-Text Jess-Video Ed and Joe-Edit

Future Projects

So for our next video project we will be doing "Packer Paparazzi" and interviewing people entering the bar.

For our final we will be previewing some local area ghettos and seeing if we can talk to some locals.

Thank you!! :)

Jake Rock Climbing Project Description

Even though rock climbing at a rock wall isn’t as scary as scaling the side of a mountain many people over the course of history have done just that.

Rock climbing became more popular when people started to climb and be successful at it which was very publicized around the end of the 1800’s. There were over 200 small climbing clubs by 1930.

That is when rock climbing started to become a recreational sport and gear and equipment started to be made. Over time safer techniques were formed and mastered.

Nowadays “free climbing” is one of the most popular forms of rock climbing. It is when the climber will climb rocks but will only hold on to the rocks natural groves and formations only using gear for protection and not for helping the upward movement.

Rock climbing takes a lot of concentration. A climber tests his or her physical strengths and balance while up many feet in the air.

Here on the Lyndon State College campus there is a rock wall that is open every night from six to nine for people who want to know what the sport is all about.

Some basics that climbers learn first is all about the equipment that needs to be worn and how it needs to be secure.

Once a person gets harnessed up they learn how belay another person.

Belaying is when a person is at the base of the wall and/or mountain and is roped up to the person climbing so if they fall they wont fall very far which results in the climber not getting injured.

At the rock wall once a person has learned how to belay and is comfortable with it the instructor will let them climb on their own.

Rock climbing is a fun sport and a pretty good workout. The climber really works their leg muscles trying to push off to another grove or nub.

Jake Carlton currently works at the rock wall at Lyndon State College and is a sophomore in the mountain recreation major. He has been climbing for a couple of years now and has climbed some pretty steep mountain sides.

The rock wall at Lyndon State College is a way for him to teach people something that he already loves to do and he hopes to continue rock climbing in the future whether he owns his own gym or if he just continues to outdoor rock climb.





Enjoy!

Project Credits:
Jess- filming
Joe and Ed- Editing
Jenn- Essay

Jake Rock Climbing