6.9 Digital Marketing Overview

The Digital Marketing program explores all marketing efforts that use an electronic device or the internet. Businesses leverage digital channels such as search engines, social media, email, and other websites to connect with current and prospective customers. When you complete the Digital Marketing program you will have a better understanding of critical thinking and use case studies and real-world examples to learn from successes and failures.

As a student in the program, you'll be required to purchase and use a preapproved laptop to complete much of your coursework.

Throughout this program, you will gain digital marketing skills including:

• Mobile Marketing Strategies
• Social Media Campaigns
• Audio/Video Recording and Editing
• Digital Design Concepts
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
• Google Analytics
• Responsive Web Design
• Basic Coding for Marketers
• Policies, Laws, and Ethics
• Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere, Dreamweaver, and Muse

6.6 A State Full Of Unspoiled Land

With national parks bigger than some countries and icebergs taller than skyscrapers, Alaska certainly doesn't do things by half measure. No matter what words one tries to use to describe what Alaska is, or what it has to offer, the old adage that "a picture is worth a thousand words" is the only way to express how special the 49th state really is.

Alaskan bear fishes for their dinner in a small waterfall

What Wildlife Alaska Has To Offer

Alaska is one of the best places for wildlife spotting. There is nothing in the world that can awe you like watching a Kodiak bear catching salmon out of a waterfall. There are few places left where you can see so many animals in their wild habitat, where in Alaska you can see that beauty of life in action. Some other wildlife you can see include:

• Brown Bear
• Grizzly Bear
• Black Bear
• Polar Bear
• Caribou
• Moose
• Mountain Goat
• Bison
• Orca
• Salmon
• Rainbow Trout
• Horned Puffin
• Snowy Owl

The Endless Adventure

Alaska is one of the last unspoiled lands full of mountains, glaciers, scenery, history and culture. In Alaska, nature continues as it always has, mostly untouched by human development. Every spring and summer, the flowers bloom and drape the land in beautiful brilliance. You do not need to go out of your way to see mountains and glaciers. 

When the last ice age ended, the glaciers retreated to the top
of the world as they melted away. 

Alaska is also the least populated state in the USA. It is also one of the least populated regions on earth, sharing that honor with places such as the Gobi Desert, Siberia, and parts of central Asia. The only thing you need to worry about when visiting Alaska is nature itself. You just breath and take it all in and feel the earth in your body and soul. 

If money was not an object and the world wasn't in the state it is, Alaska appears to be any adventurers dream come true with the untouched nature and unlimited outdoor activities. With plenty of television shows capturing Alaskan adventures, I will just have to stick with that until I can truly experience what it has to offer. 

Sources

https://adventuresoflilnicki.com/10-reasons-visit-alaska/

https://www.travelalaska.com/

4.6 One Pan Italian Sausage Tortellini

If you're like me, you're looking to save yourself a few dishes to have to clean after cooking dinner. Fewer dishes means more time to relax. Look no further as this dish is for you. This Italian Sausage Tortellini is bursting with flavor. It is a simple recipe that can take Italian sausage to the next level. If you're looking to spice up your dinner but looking to keep it fairly simple, give this recipe a try.

Ingredients

• 10.6 ounces Italian sausages crumbled
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 (14 fluid ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
• 1/2 cup heavy/whipping cream
• 1 (9 ounces) package refrigerated cheese tortellini
• 2 cups loosely packed fresh baby spinach
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Freshly grated parmesan cheese to taste

Instructions

1. Take the sausage meat out of the casings and crumble it into a skillet. Cook it over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until it's browned. Drain the fat and leave the sausage in the pan.
2. Add the garlic, chicken broth, diced tomatoes, cream, and tortellini. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until the tortellini is cooked and the sauce has reduced to your liking. Cooking the tortellini in the sauce helps thicken it (it releases starch).
3. Stir in the spinach and let it wilt. Season with salt and pepper as needed and serve with fresh parmesan sprinkled over top.

Recipe Notes

• I used 3 sausages from a 5-pack of Johnsonville mild Italian sausages. Anything around 10.6 oz will work, or you can even use more sausage meat if you wish. Try hot Italian sausages if you want some heat.
• I do not recommend substituting the heavy cream because the acidity in the tomatoes will likely curdle milk or half-and-half.

3.6 Where's the Fire?

It is one of the most favorable times out of the school year, it was homecoming week. The week is full of dressing up, activities, and competition between the whole high school. This is what every freshman, including me, looks forward to as it is the first year you actually get to participate in the activities. I was all excited and ready for the first day. My mom took me shopping over the weekend to get some clothes to dress up for the entire week. Little did we know, our life was about to change.

Monday morning, I got all dressed up and ready for the day wearing whatever whacky clothing was supposed to be worn for my class that day. We had our classes at the beginning of the day, and then the fun was to begin. We watched other classes compete, I competed against other classes and the competition was fierce. We completed our activities that were held for that day and we were instructed to go back to our last period classes. For my last period of class, I had science. My friends and I sat at a table and chatted amongst ourselves about what happened that day. Out of our science room window, my house was past our practice football field, but you couldn't physically see the house as there were trees in the way. My classmates and I were looking out the window and could smell and see smoke coming from what looked like the practice football field. I did not question what I was seeing until some of the chatter in the room turned to "I wonder if it's her house." Fear built inside of me, but the others who also couldn't believe it could be my place were in my ear reassuring me I have nothing to worry about. The class chatter stopped as soon our guidance counselor came into the room and called my name and for me to come with her.

As the guidance counselor walked me down the hall she stated they still did not know where the smoke was coming from, but that the town cop was just down the road to fill us in on details. We walked to where the cop was where he then informed me that sure enough, my house was on fire. How could my house be on fire? He had asked me where my mom was and I informed him that she was at work. She had no idea what was going on. I gave him the name of her work and he called the company and asked for her on the line. After he got through to my mom being on the line, he had told my mom that our house was on fire and that she needed to come home. He had given her instructions to not be speeding on her way home as she had about a half-hour drive ahead of her. He finished up his conversation with my mom and let me know that he was given the okay for us to walk down the road towards the house a bit. 

We started walking down the road and the closer we got, the more my heart sank. There was so much smoke that I could not even see the house. The firefighters were gathered in front of it trying to put the fire out. After we walked closer to it for just a few moments, we had to leave and I had to wait back at the school for my mom to get there and let the firefighters do their job. Not being able to see the house, I had no clue what damage was done, but in my head, I could only assume the worse.

I got back into the school and school had just ended, my friends and the parents waiting to pick up their kids had all let me know that if there was anything that I needed that they were there for me. I sat at a table in the commons with my head in my arms, crying. My mom finally arrived and we were able to go back to the house as the crews were clearing up what they could. Waiting for us when we got there was my childhood dog sitting on our dog line chained up barking, scared, but excited to see us, and we were excited to see her. The crews pulled out what they could of our belongings after getting the fires controlled. The house was a total loss, but the items were not. The items can be replaced, I was just happy that no one was hurt. 

It was crazy to think that with all the excitement going around, that such a bad thing could happen. But I did not let that stop me. I was to go live with my aunt and cousin for a while, while my mom had to go in a separate direction and live with someone else until we were able to find another house. Though the fire happened, my mom and I were not in the same house, and the clothing and all of our belongings smelled like smoke, I went to school that next day to enjoy homecoming week, and make the most of what I could to keep my mind off of the tragedy that I was going through.

3.4 Where's the Fire?

It is one of the most favorable times out of the school year, it was homecoming week. The week is full of dressing up, activities, and competition between the whole high school. This is what every freshman, including me, looks forward to as it is the first year you actually get to participate in the activities. I was all prepped and ready for the first day. My mom took me shopping over the weekend to get some clothes to dress up for the entire week. Little did we know, things were about to change.

Monday morning, I got all dressed up and ready for the day wearing whatever whacky clothing was supposed to be worn for my class that day. We had our classes at the beginning of the day, and then the fun was to begin. We gathered for an assembly talking about what activities we were to be doing and how to do them. We watched other classes compete, I competed against other classes and the competition was fierce. We completed our activities that were held for that day and we were instructed to go back to our last period classes. For my last period of class, I had science. My friends and I sat at a table and chatted amongst ourselves about what happened that day. Out of our science room window, my house was past our practice football field, but you couldn't physically see the house as there were trees in the way. My classmates were looking out the window and could smell and see smoke coming from what looked like the practice football field. There was chatter amongst the crowds and people saying it was just the field and that I have nothing to worry about. The class chatter stopped as soon our guidance counselor came into the room and called my name and for me to come with her.

As the guidance counselor walked me down the hall she stated they still did not know where the smoke was coming from, but that the town cop was just down the road to fill us in on details. We walked to where the cop was, he then informed me that sure enough, my house was on fire. He had asked me where my mom was and I informed him that she was at work. I gave him the name of her work and he called the company and asked for her on the line. After he got through to my mom being on the line, he had told my mom that our house was on fire and that she needed to come home. He had given her instructions to not be speeding on her way home as she had about a half-hour drive ahead of her. He finished up his conversation with my mom and let me know that he was given the okay for us to walk down the road towards the house a bit. 

We started walking down the road and the closer we got, the more my heart sank. There was so much smoke that I could not even see the house. The firefighters were gathered in front of it trying to put the fire out. After we walked closer to it for just a few moments, we had to leave and I had to wait back at the school for my mom to get there and let the firefighters do their job. 

I got back into the school and school had just ended, my friends and the parents waiting to pick up their kids had all let me know that if there was anything that I needed that they were there for me. My mom finally arrived and we were able to go back to the house as the crews were clearing up what they could. Waiting for us when we got there was my childhood dog sitting on our dog line chained up barking, scared, but excited to see us, and we were excited to see her. The crews pulled out what they could of our belongings after getting the fires controlled. The house was a total loss, but the items were not. The items can be replaced, I was just happy that no one was hurt. 

It was crazy to think that with all the excitement going around, that such a bad thing could happen. But I did not let that stop me. I was to go live with my aunt and cousin for a while, while my mom had to go in a separate direction and live with someone else until we were able to find another house. Though the fire happened, my mom and I were not in the same house, and the clothing and all of our belongings smelled like smoke, I went to school that next day to enjoy homecoming week, and make the most of what I could.