CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION
Twelve students attend State FBLA in Vail
Julesburgadvocate
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Denver’s Emily Griffith to offer video editing program
North Denver News

SPORTS
All-Star basketball games at OJC
La Junta Tribune Democrat
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Volleyball standout TSJC-bound; Gonzales notched 379 assists, 188 digs for THS in 2011
Trinidad Times Independent
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Cook signs with Northeastern JC
Fort Lupton Press
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Albuquerque post player signs with womens team
Trinidad Times Independent  (TSJC related)

HIGHER EDUCATION ARTICLES
Share of Students Receiving Federal Aid Climbs, Especially at For-Profit Colleges
Chronicle of Higher Education (related to affordability of community colleges)

Since the college’s first commencement ceremony in 1970, approximately 31,000 students have graduated from RRCC. This year’s class includes 202 Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) honor society students.

In addition to the graduates, also honored at this year’s ceremony were:

Outstanding Faculty Member of the Year: 

Heather Duncan, Mathematics

Full-Time Instructor of the Year:      

Soomin Chun-Hess, Political Science

Part-Time Instructor of the Year 

Andrew Hicks, Mathematics

Outstanding Graduate:                                   

Corissa Bowman

Rita Erickson

Special guests Dr. Nigel Middleton, RRCC Advisory Council Chair, and Maury Dobbie and Dr. John Trefny, State Board Chair and Vice Chair also delivered remarks to the graduates and guests.

More about Red Rocks Community College:  Established in 1969, Red Rocks Community College delivers high-quality, affordable education programs leading to two-year degrees or professional certificates. The college serves over 15,000 students per year online and at campus locations in Lakewood and Arvada.

The festivities will also include a reception on Tuesday evening, May 22, from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. The ACC String Ensemble ACCORD will provide live music at the reception.

This art exhibition, which will be juried by Rebecca Dolan, will feature artwork by teachers and adult students produced in a variety on non-credit Community Education courses at ACC over the past calendar year. The pieces on exhibit will include paintings, photography, 3-D art and mixed media. Josefina Tuason is the exhibit coordinator.

Admission is free and the event is open to the public. Summer hours of operation at the Colorado Gallery of the Arts are Monday – Friday 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (closed on weekends).

The Colorado Gallery of the Arts is located on the first floor of the ACC Annex building. For more information about the Community Education Art Show, please contact Valorie Snyder at community.ed@arapahoe.edu or 303.797.5722.

 Healthways SilverSneakers Fitness Program is the nation’s leading fitness program designed exclusively for older adults. The comprehensive program addresses the physical, mental and social needs of Medicare-eligible members (usually 65-plus).

 Kurt Long, director of the OJC Fitness Center, said that Medicare-eligible adults should check with their health plan provider to see if they qualify for a free membership.

 “People who have their health plan through a company that is affiliated with Healthways SilverSneakers receive a no-cost basic membership that includes the opportunity to participate in the signature SilverSneakers group exercise classes,” Long explained.

 “We are really happy to be affiliated with the Healthways SilverSneakers Fitness Program and are looking forward to developing a wide range of courses for older adults,” said Long.

 Leading the SilverSneakers exercise classes will be Beverlee Miller, OJC Fitness Center Associate, who has been trained to be a SilverSneakers exercise program instructor. The first class she will lead will be Muscular Strength and Range of Motion. The class will begin on June 5 and be held every Tuesday and Thursday at 11 a.m.

 “Participants in this class can expect to improve muscle strength, range of movement and flexibility,” said Miller. “They will find our new Fitness Center to be a safe and fun environment. The classes will utilize some very specific equipment that will help people gain multiple health benefits,” she said.

 In addition to the SilverSneakers class being offered this summer, community members can also enroll in a special summer program that offers a two-credit class in the Fitness Center for the price of one credit. Participants can enjoy the use of the weight room, cardio equipment, racquetball courts and aerobics room throughout the summer until August 19.

 Other summer classes being offered in the Fitness Center include: Body Bar and Step Class, Aerobics and Zumba. Body Bar and Step Class will be offered on Monday and Wednesday from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Aerobics will be offered on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 12-12:50 p.m. and Zumba will be offered every Tuesday and Thursday from 6-7 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9-10 a.m.

 Summer Semester at OJC begins on Monday, June 4. To register for these and other Summer Semester courses, stop by the OJC Student Services Center on south San Juan Ave. in La Junta or go online to www.ojc.edu/studentservices.aspx  to register online.

 For more information, contact OJC Student Services at 719-384-6831 or Kurt Long, OJC Fitness Center Director at 719-384-6916.

Aubry Boehme and OJC Head Women's Basketball Coach Taylor Wagner.

LA JUNTA – Aubry Boehme, a 6’0 post player for the Otero Junior College women’s basketball team the past two seasons, has recently been honored with a special request. The Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Tenn. has asked to ‘borrow’ Beoehme’s # 42 jersey to display in the Hall’s “Ring of Honor” for the next year in recognition of her outstanding play for the 2011-2012 season.

 According to Josh Sullivan, director of Basketball Relations for the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, the “Ring of Honor” is one the Hall’s most popular exhibits. “Not only does the “Ring of Honor” provide a colorful backdrop to the Hall of Fame’s many archives, but it is also our way of recognizing some young basketball players for their achievements in the sport,” said Sullivan. “In doing so, we are fulfilling our mission to honor the past, celebrate the present and promote the future of women’s basketball,” he said.

 Sullivan said that there are currently over 100 jerseys hang in the “Ring of Honor” including high school and college All-Americans from past seasons. “Since the Hall opened in 1999, you can imagine the caliber of players’ jerseys that have once hung in our rafters. Without a doubt, Aubry Boehme is definitely a part of an elite group, and part of history now too,” he said.

 Aubry Boehme was named to the National Junior College Athletic Association’s (NJCAA) All American First Team this past season. Her nomination to the All American First Team places her in the top 10 players in the nation for junior colleges. Boehme’s selection came on the heels of the Lady Rattler’s first appearance in March in the NJCAA National Tournament in Salina, Kan., after winning the Region IX championship.

 Boehme, from Smithfield, Utah, has moved into the #2 all-time scoring-positions for OJC women’s basketball. She scored 1041 points for her two-year career at OJC, being only the second player to reach 1000 points in a career. Boehme also broke the school record for steals in a season (100), for blocks in a career (94) and for field goal percentage in a career (.552).

 At the end of her freshman year in 2011, Boehme led the Lady Ratters to the Region IX championship game where they were named runner-ups. She was selected to the All-Tournament team and the All-Region team and was named to the Academic All-Region team for 2011. In July of 2011, Boehme was selected to play in the NJCAA All Star game at Pensacola State College in Florida.

 This past season as a sophomore, Boehme once again led the Lady Rattlers into the championship game for Region IX, and this year, the Rattlers came out the champions, a first-time award in the team’s history.

 Boehme was named to the Region IX All-Tournament and All-Region Team for 2012. She was pivotal in leading the Lady Rattlers to a 33-3 season (most wins ever) and their first-ever appearance in the NJCAA National Tournament where they captured two wins and finished 8^th in the National Tournament.

 Upon learning that she had been selected to the NJCAA All American First Team and then having the request for her jersey to hang in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, the soft spoken and humble Boehme said she had a hard time wrapping her head around the magnitude of her accomplishments.

 “These are amazing honor and they mean so much to me, but it’s still hard for me to wrap my head around it all. I know I’ve been successful, but I know I still have a lot to improve on. I never would’ve imagined getting anything like this when I decided to come to Otero two years ago,” she said.

 Boehme said she originally came to Otero for the opportunity to play with her two best friends, Taylor Rock and Nicole Hansen; all three were teammates from Sky View High School in Smithfield, Utah.

 “I not only wanted to continue playing with my former teammates, I really wanted to play for Coach Taylor Wagner. I felt like he was a good person and would help me become a better person and player,” said Boehme.

 Over the past two years, Boehme said her experience as a student at OJC has been rewarding and life-changing. “I’ve enjoyed learning at Otero. It’s a great school and I’m so glad I came here to further my education. Because of some of the teachers I’ve had here, they’ve influenced my decision about what I want to do with the rest of my life,” she said.

 Boehme graduated from OJC in April and will now move on to attend the University of Wyoming where she will pursue a bachelor’s degree and play basketball for the UW Cowgirls. Her future academic and career plans are to earn a degree in secondary math education. Upon completing her degree, she plans to become a middle school math teacher.

 The site, www.socolo-edu.org, is intended to show low- and moderate-income students that they can be the first in their families to pursue education after high school. The site was produced by the Southern Colorado Higher Education Consortium (SCHEC), a collaboration of all ten public colleges and universities in southern Colorado. A highlight of the site is a video series that use student voices to demonstrate the importance these colleges place on student success. Phillip Morris, the project coordinator, is particularly proud of the willingness of college students in Southern Colorado to show high school students the process of going to college. “These videos tell the collective story of navigating through college in Southern Colorado. The students in the videos have done a fantastic job of breaking down complexity and addressing fears about going to college”. To watch the videos go to www.socolo-edu.org/videos.html

 Jim Rizzuto, president of Otero Junior College, has been involved with the development of the Southern Colorado Higher Education Consortium for several years and said the group has created some positive projects that will help the 10 southern Colorado colleges work cooperatively and increase the number of students who attend college.

 “OJC is happy to participate in the consortium’s projects, all of which help students gain access to higher education. The new website is a valuable tool the consortium has developed to help the two- and four-year colleges and universities in southern Colorado communicate with students to provide information and ease of access to a college education,” said Rizzuto.

 Fueled by a $750,000 Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education grant from the U.S. Department of Education, the SCHEC is working cooperatively to increase the number of southern Colorado residents who attend college. The website will help families in southern Colorado connect with local colleges and understand requirements to enroll in post-secondary education. Unemployment rates are generally lower for people with education after high school and the Bureau of Labor predicts increased demand for employees with higher levels of education.

 By fall, the group hopes to offer ten new college-level courses to students who are enrolled in high school, a feature rare in rural districts that dominate southern Colorado. The challenge of the consortium is to offer courses that are accessible, interesting, and engaging for students who have done well in high school but might not be at the top of the class. The goal of offering the new courses to high school students is to show them that they can succeed at the next level. Along with the new course offerings, each campus will offer a summer campus-based program that aims to introduce students to college expectations, campus life, and academic preparation techniques.

 The graphic identity for the project, SóColo Reach, uses the Spanish concept of the Zócalo, or city plaza, combined with the southern Colorado outreach effort. The colleges represented in the SóColo Reach project include Adams State University, Colorado State University-Pueblo, Fort Lewis College, Lamar Community College, Otero Junior College, Pikes Peak Community College, Pueblo Community College, Trinidad State Junior College, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, and Western State Colorado University.

 For more information about SóColo Reach at Otero Junior College, contact:

Dr. David Cockrell, 719-384-6886 or david.cockrell@ojc.edu

By developing Linear Equations Battleship into a digital animated game format, students will be engaged in an interactive, competitive learning experience. The digital version of Linear Equations Battleship will be easily adaptable for developmental math classes and college algebra and will ultimately be actively and widely shared throughout all the CCCS colleges.

As the role of technology grows within the field of education, new ways of engaging students present themselves. Today’s college students have grown up using video games for fun and learning. The use of digital games may lower their affective barriers to learning what can be difficult concepts.

The CCD project leader is Linda Sue Hoops, Developmental Math Chair. Development of the digital version of Linear Equations Battleship will begin summer 2012 with implementation expected fall 2013.

Community College of Denver (CCD) is a leading point of entry to higher education for the City and County of Denver. CCD provides a cost effective college education, along with access and opportunity for nontraditional students, workforce development and training resources for local organizations, and community partnerships. For more information, visit www.CCD.edu Information

Barb Weiske, Executive Vice President for Administration, CEO, of AHEC reports, “CCD and AHEC were able to finalize a ground lease after CCD and the Auraria Foundation negotiated transfer of ownership of the building at a reasonable price with the building in ‘as is’ condition.”

The St. Francis Center faces Speer Boulevard on St. Francis Way, and is directly across from South Classroom Building, currently the main building for CCD. Current tenants of the St. Francis Center include the Confucius Institute and student support services of Metro State; no tenant or building changes are planned at this time.

“CCD’s ownership of the 15,628 square foot building will help to assure future growth within the CCD neighborhood,” said CCD President Cliff Richardson, “acquiring the building is a commitment to the students and the future of CCD.”

Community College of Denver (CCD) is a leading point of entry to higher education for the City and County of Denver. CCD provides a cost effective college education, along with access and opportunity for nontraditional students, workforce development and training resources for local organizations, and community partnerships. For more information, visit www.CCD.edu Information on occupations, rates for completion and placement, program costs and

AURORA (May 14, 2012) – A World War II film made by the Colorado Film School on the Community College of Aurora’s Lowry campus in conjunction with the office of U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter will be a permanent fixture at the Library of Congress as part of the Veterans History Project.

There will be a ceremony in Washington on Thursday marking the occasion, as well as a screening of “Operation Detachment: Taking Iwo Jima.” The documentary features interviews with Colorado Marines who landed on the Pacific island and recounted their oral history of those events.

Two CCA faculty: the film school’s Scott VanOrdstrand and social sciences chair Geoff Hunt played integral roles in the project. Alumni Jeff Anderson also was a key figure in last year’s production.

It’s the second time CCA faculty and students have worked with the Congressman on films for the Veterans History Project, which collects, preserves and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations can better understand the realities of war.

The archive includes personal narratives, correspondence and visual materials and spans all U.S. conflicts dating back to World War I.

“The stories these veterans have to tell teach us important lessons about the resilience of our people, communities and nation,” said Perlmutter.  “We are a great nation, made up of courageous people willing to sacrifice for our country.  And we can do anything if we set our minds to it. I am so proud of these men, of my country, and the determination of all those who continue to risk their lives and stand strong for us each and every day.”

Perlmutter, CCA staff and students previously worked together on a project with veterans from WWII, Korea and Vietnam. Those interviews were turned into a movie, “The Wars We Fought: Frontline Stories of Colorado Veterans,” and a documentary-short offshoot, “In Times of War.”

The latter production was selected for showing at the GI Film Festival in 2009 in Washington and won a pair of awards: Best Short Documentary at the Estes Park Film Festival, and the Colorado Spotlight Award at the Indie Spirit Film Festival.

The Colorado Film School, a top-25 national pick by the Hollywood Reporter as an industry leader, used students in the history department and film-video programs on both projects. Faculty members oversaw and directed the students recording interviews, gathering background information and completing the films.

“Most amazing was how much information the veterans were willing to share,” VanOrdstrand said. “Some had never spoken of their experience after returning from combat, not even to their spouses. The emotional stories of the veterans can now be shared with the nation.”

For more information, please visit: http://www.ccaurora.edu/news-events/news-releases/iwo-jima-film-CCA-library-of-congress-CCA

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DENVER, CO  – Today, Dr. Nancy McCallin, president of the Colorado Community College System, released a study detailing the economic impact the Colorado Community College System’s 13 colleges have on their local communities and on the state as a whole.

This study documents the vital role community colleges play in the economic future of Colorado and in the lives of the 162,000 students they enroll.  Highlights of the study found that the state-wide, total economic impact of the 13 colleges in the Colorado Community College System is $3.01 billion annually.  This number represents the higher earnings that students earn as a result of the education they receive from a community college and the increased output of businesses because of the highly trained workforce from the Colorado Community College System.  In addition, for every $1 students invest in their education within the Colorado Community College System, on average, they see an increase of $3.10 in their working careers.  On an annual basis, after adjusting for inflation, students receive an 11% rate of return on the money they invested in their community college education.   State and local governments will see, on average in today’s dollars, a rate of return of 5.9% as a result of their investment in the 13 colleges in the Colorado Community College System.

“The results of this study clearly demonstrate the value of community colleges to the students, the taxpayers, and businesses in Colorado.  As our students earn their higher education, they become more employable, they are paid better, and can then afford to invest in the kinds of products and services to improve their lives,” said McCallin.  “Additionally, businesses benefit by having higher skilled employees, thus enabling them to grow, hire more employees, and strengthen the economy.

“We are pleased that the results of the study show that community colleges are a wise investment of taxpayer and student money because the return is substantial,” she added.  “There is the added benefit of community colleges offering educational opportunities for individuals who otherwise might not have them because of our affordability, accessibility, and flexibility.”

At Red Rocks Community College, the total economic impact was $187.41 million.  For students, for every $1 they invest, on average, they see an increase of $2.70 in their working careers.  On an annual basis, after adjusting for inflation, students receive a rate of return of 9.9% on the money they invested in their community college education.  State and local governments see, on average in today’s dollars, a rate of return of 7.3%.

“We’ve always believed that community colleges play an important part in a local healthy economy,” said Michele Haney, President of Red Rocks Community College.  “We see an economic impact in a number of audiences we serve.  Red Rocks provides students with an affordable education option, and fosters partnerships with businesses in healthcare, energy, water districts, manufacturing, finance, and many more.”

The study was done by Economic Modeling Specialists, Inc. (EMSI).  EMSI is a professional service firm that provides economic consulting to colleges. Since 2000, EMSI has produced over 1,100 economic impact studies for many of the community colleges in the U.S.

The Colorado Community College System comprises the state’s largest system of higher education, serving more than 162,000 students annually. CCCS oversees career and academic programs in the 13 state community colleges and career and technical programs in more than 160 school districts and six other post-secondary institutions.    The colleges in the Colorado Community College System are Arapahoe Community College, Colorado Northwestern Community College, Community College of Aurora, Community College of Denver, Front Range Community College, Lamar Community College, Morgan Community College, Northeastern Junior College, Otero Junior College, Pikes Peak Community College, Pueblo Community College, Red Rocks Community College, and Trinidad State Junior College.