Where would we be without the continual support of our Copy Room? And whether you are doing the job yourself or filling out the request form to have it done for you, you will most likely have the attention and assistance of Janet Kawamura, our January 2010 Employee of the Month. She just can’t help herself – she takes such ownership in making sure everything is done well in her world.
Janet’s official title is Offset Press Operator 2 (aka Copy Machine Genius), and she has been at GWC almost 28 years. Beginning on press machines for 12 years, she then moved to copy machines and is actually a one-woman show in the Copy Room. Dale Slagle and Don Nguyen will fill in as needed, but Janet IS our major resource for all the copying on campus! She prints tests and handouts off of email orders, then boxes and shelves them for pickup. If you go in to run your own job, she senses any uneasiness and jumps in to help you. She really enjoys working on the computer and copy machines and staying as busy as she can, and loves the camaraderie of the workplace, chatting and sharing jokes.
Janet was born in Florida, but her family moved to San Diego to be near a special school when they discovered she was deaf. Her dad is a Navy man and her mom is Japanese; and she has a sister who was actually born in Japan. Janet was mainstreamed in high school in San Diego and then moved to Orange County on her own, where she met her husband (now an ASE Master Mechanic) who was also deaf, through friends. They have a hearing son at CSU Northridge who is pursuing a degree in Deaf Culture/Deaf Studies and awaiting approval to serve in the Peace Corps.
As a GWC student, Janet participated in the Work Experience Program. When she graduated in ’82, the college hired her shortly thereafter. Her service has been exemplary and she has been recognized not only as the Employee of the Month in 1996, but also as Employee of the Year. She commented that there was no monetary reward that year, but was excited to ride in Huntington Beach’s 4th of July Parade and will be happy to show you the picture in her office. On campus, you will see her helping with the BBQ’s and Preview Day activities for the deaf from University High School and HBHS. In her free time, she enjoys time on her computer, reading, deaf social events and eating out!
So, how does Janet ‘talk’ to people on the phone at home? Remember TTY? You used to be able to call a TTY agent and they would type your message to your deaf friend, much like email. Janet is really enthusiastic about the current method of communicating which is VRS – Sorenson video relay service, where a hearing person takes the message and signs it in American Sign Language to the deaf or hard of hearing recipient – over a small monitor like a TV, making it a lot faster and better than TTY. Check it out at http://www.sorensonvrs.com/. When a call is coming in, there is a ring (that her son can hear) and a light flashes, to announce the incoming call.
Our hats go off to you, Janet, and many thanks for your superior service to the college for so many years. Enjoy the cash reward this time!
