News

Hallmark Instructor Publishes a Book for Web Professionals

Hallmark Instructor and Director of Software Development Paul Bissex is co-author of a new book called "Python Web Development with Django" to be published by Addison-Wesley this month. The 400-page volume is aimed at advanced web developers. Bissex uses the expertise that was required to co-author the book in his daily work at Hallmark, including teaching the Web Site Design curriculum.

Richard Barnes Named Exclusive Photographer for ABC Reality Show Episode

Director of Education and Instructor Richard Barnes has been named the Exclusive Photographer for an upcoming episode of ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" currently being filmed in Maynard, Massachusetts. Richard, a 1986 graduate of Hallmark, along with his wife Kristen, also a 1986 Hallmark graduate, own Barnes Portrait Design in East Brookfield, Massachusetts.

Richard and Kristen, with the assistance of their photographic team, Scott Farmosa and Jenna Hollinger (also Hallmark graduates), began recording the week's events on Friday, February 22 when the Giunta family, of Maynard, received the "door knock" and learned that they would be the recipients of a new home. Since a car accident left him confined to a wheelchair, Paul Giunta has been living in with his parents in a retirement development away from his family because their home is not handicap accessible. Over the next seven days a team of more than 500 builders, contractors, designers, and hundreds of volunteers will race to completely rebuild the Giunta's home to accommodate a wheelchair so that Paul can return home.

March 26, 2006 began as a day of joy for Paul and Renee Giunta, when at two in the morning, their baby girl, Brianna, was born. Nine hours later, tragedy struck. On his way home, with their young sons Dylan and Cameron in the backseat, Paul got into a serious, single car accident. The boys were fine, but Paul was not so lucky. Paul's prognosis was very grim to the point where doctors thought that he wouldn't last through the night. After he survived that first night, the doctors told Renee that Paul would never walk, talk, or eat on his own again. Renee, knowing her husband, a former triathlete, told the doctors that Paul would never accept that diagnosis and that he would pull through this. She was right, but it hasn't been easy.

Paul has had four major brain surgeries since the accident and cannot fully walk on his own, requiring the assistance of a wheelchair and a walker. Although Paul has made great strides with his therapies, he still has a long way to go. Paul spent sixteen months living and rehabilitating in the hospital in Boston. Besides needing the current home to be more accessible, other problems include broken water pipes, bad electricity, unsafe floors and a roof that needs major repair work. Paul desperately wants to come home and be with his family. Because this accident happened the same day his daughter was born, the two of them have never been able to live in the same home together.

Richard Barnes and his team will be photographing the entire seven day creation of the show in a photojournalistic style, from the surprise of the "door knock" to the excitement of the family when they return home to hear Design Team Leader Ty Pennington make his familiar call to "Move That Bus". Additionally, Richard has photographed the family's three children, Dylan, 7, Cameron, 4 and Brianna, almost 2, and he is currently in the process of finishing portraits that will hang in the family's new home.

Richard Barnes summarized his feelings about his involvement on the set by saying, "This process is both crazy and chaotic, as well as satisfying and heartwarming. I am extremely honored to share this opportunity with so many talented artists and craftspeople. This is people helping people! We're all putting forth our best talents to provide this family with a new home that will allow them to live together at last."

You can read more about the project at www.extremehomema2008.com.

Hallmark President Appointed to Massachusetts Department of Education Proprietary School Advisory Council

Hallmark Institute of Photography President George J. Rosa III has been selected as one of twelve members to serve a two-year term on the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Education's Office of Proprietary Schools Advisory Council. Through diverse membership on the council, the Department seeks to draw on the perspectives and experiences of a wide range of constituents in order to strengthen proprietary school education.

Since 1992, Mr. Rosa has served as owner and president of Hallmark Institute of Photography, a proprietary school located in the rural town of Turners Falls in Western Massachusetts. Hallmark is licensed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Education and accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology. He has a solid understanding of, and appreciation for, compliance issues related to the proprietary school sector. In fact, Hallmark has received accreditation without stipulation, along with the "School of Distinction" award, after all three of its reviews during his tenure at Hallmark.

"I set high levels of expectation for our school and would settle for no less. I believe that my proven track record in enhancing the quality of our students' lives through superb career education of the highest standards speaks for itself. My vision for the proprietary school sector offers a formula for success that I'm anxious to share with those who are interested in continuing to strengthen proprietary school education for the betterment of our students", Rosa stated.