PTC hosts 11th Annual Women in Technology event

Photo above: Sixth-grade girls gather around a SimMan (Simulation Manikin) for a hands-on workshop introducing them to healthcare careers.


Photo above: Kathy Wallace, Principal, Cuningham Group Architecture, presents and leads a workshop, "Green Architecture."

Pine Technical College is in the midst of hosting the Eleventh Annual Women in Technology (WIT) two-day event. Over the course of two days, PTC will host more than 260 sixth-grade girls from six area schools. The event began today and wraps tomorrow and is organized by PTC faculty and staff members. It features hands-on demonstrations, a tour of the college and guest presentations such as “Fun with Robotics,” “Making Silver Metal,” “The Energy Industry,” “Virtual Reality,” “What’s in My Lipstick?” and more.

“Research has shown girls at this age begin to formulate ideas regarding what careers they may see themselves pursuing in the future,” says PTC Dean of Student Affairs Nancy Mach. “We’ve designed this event to help young girls see and imagine themselves in roles where they are contributing to advanced, hi-tech industries. Many girls at this impressionable age are forming thoughts about what they want to do when they grow up, and this kind of field trip makes a lasting, positive impression,” Mach adds.

By the time WIT concludes on Mar. 9, nearly every sixth-grade girl from Braham, Grantsburg, Wisc., Mora, Pine City and Rush City will have experienced WIT. Sixth-grade girls from Braham Area Elementary School in Braham, C.E. Jacobson Elementary School in Rush City, Grantsburg Middle School in Grantsburg, Wisc., Pine City Elementary in Pine City, St. Mary’s School in Pine City and Trailview Elementary School in Mora are participating in this year’s WIT event.

“Every year, we look forward to sending our sixth-grade girls to this event,” says Wendy Wall, Counselor at Grantsburg Middle School. “They come back with such enthusiasm for careers in technology and science they may not have considered yet,” Wall adds.


Photo above: Representatives from AVEDA, Inc. present and lead a workshop, "What's in my Lipstick?"

PTC alumni give back, volunteer as literacy tutors

Two Pine Technical College alumni, Echo Yerke and Sarah Kepschull, currently are serving in the Minnesota Reading Corps, a statewide program with an ambitious goal of getting every Minnesota child to become a successful reader by the end of third grade. Yerke and Kepschull are serving for a full year as MRC literacy tutors, providing free in-school literacy tutoring to children ages three through third grade across Minnesota who are struggling to read.

“I love being a literacy tutor with the Minnesota Reading Corps. I’ve been fortunate to go to college and polish my reading, writing and speaking skill set, and now it’s time for me to contribute and give back,” says Yerke. “I’m just proud to be able to provide this service, and it’s so fulfilling to be working with children and families. It’s especially rewarding to see the kids’ excitement when they know they are really making progress,” Yerke adds.

Yerke earned a certificate from PTC’s legal secretary program in 1992 and also was recognized as Legal Secretary Student of the Year that same year. (The legal secretary program is no longer offered at PTC.) Today, Yerke lives in Rock Creek, Minn. and serves as a Minnesota Reading Corps tutor at Jacobson Elementary School in Rush City, Minn. Kepschull is currently working toward completing an A.A.S. degree in early childhood development and plans to transfer to a bachelor-degree-granting institution to earn a teaching degree; Kepschull currently is serving as a Minnesota Reading Corps tutor for preschool-age children at Hinckley Elementary School in Hinckley, Minn.

The Minnesota Reading Corps, one of the largest AmeriCorps programs in the country, places tutors in preschool and elementary schools to implement researched-based, early-literacy instruction efforts to help struggling readers. MRC research shows one of every four Minnesota third-graders does not read at grade level, and in response, the MRC is in the midst of an aggressive recruitment campaign to attract more than 800 tutors for the 2011-2012 school year, up from 670 this year.

Tutors work either full-time or part-time in locations around the state, including elementary schools, Head Start programs, community preschools, and Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) classrooms. The program matches trained AmeriCorps tutors and community volunteers with children from age 3 to grade 3 who are at risk for not reading at grade level. Since 2003, the program has worked with more than 25,000 children.

PTC student Angela Filler lands management position; opens gallery

Photo: Angela Filler showcases Rapid Press Printing's newest location, set to open in Pine City on Mar. 15.

PTC student Angela Filler is a real go-getter! Filler, a quadruple-major, is working toward an A.S. in business administration, a certificate and A.A.S. in accounting, and a certificate in entrepreneurship. Already an entrepreneur, Filler exhibits and sells her own original artwork at various locations in and around Pine City. Now, Filler has teamed up with Stev Stegner, owner of Rapid Press Printing and Copy Center, Inc., and is set to open and manage the print shop's newest location in Pine City.

"The new location opens Mar. 15 in downtown Pine City," Filler says. "I am so proud to be the store's manager and represent Rapid Press Printing in Pine City. I'm just so excited and eager to open our doors," Filler adds.

Rapid Press Printing has locations in Forest Lake and North Branch, and some products and services the shop offers are: business printing, envelopes, stamps, black and white printing, color printing, binding, laminating, graphic design, business cards, and more.

"I think Rapid Press will prove to be an asset to the Pine City community," Filler says. "For example, I'm sure PTC students will find us useful for binding papers, reports, and maybe for graphics for displays. Plus, I grew up in the Pine City area -- I'm familiar with the business community here, and I’m glad to be part of the business landscape in the Pine Area," Filler adds.

Filler already holds a degree in graphic design from Brown College and is combining her experience and training in business management and the arts; Filler also is opening her own gallery, MIFGAP Gallery, at the new Rapid Press Printing location. MIFGAP (Mural Art, Illustration, Fine Art, Graphic Design, Advertising, Photography) Gallery will feature Filler's own creative works including sculptures, custom greeting cards, prints, and more. MIFGAP Gallery will operate as a gift shop at the Rapid Press Printing site.

"I love the saying, 'If there's a will, there's a way.' It's my favorite quote, because it's true!" says Filler. "Right now, I am just so excited to be in a position where I can apply my skills and training in business, accounting, management, and the arts, and that I am providing a service in my own community," Filler adds.

Goals + Plans = Success, a.k.a. "GPS!"

Many MnSCU campuses are using a new online resource, known as GPS LifePlan, to provide all kinds of career, personal, and academic services for students. PTC is no exception; GPS LifePlan is available to PTC students straight from the PTC website.

The comprehensive resource helps students set goals and design plans that will lead them to the success they desire. Through a variety of campuswide events such as PTC’s free Student Success workshops and GPS LifePlan workshops, students are encouraged to set personal, professional and career-related goals with the assistance of campus staff and faculty. PTC's Counseling Services keeps up the site with relevant, current information that helps students work toward their goals.

PTC invites you to explore the GPS LifePlan site to learn more about the Five Plans (Career, Education, Finance, Leadership and Personal), and discover how they may help you. Visit PTC’s website, and select the GPS LifePlan link in the toolbar at the top of the page.

"A man's life only has meaning if he is reaching out and striving for his goals."
- Aristotle

PTC wins grant to offer manufacturing day camp this summer

Nine grants of $2,500 each were awarded by Nuts, Bolts and Thingamajigs® to community and technical colleges that offer day camp experiences that introduce young people (ages 12-18) to careers in manufacturing and engineering.

According to Gerald Shankel, President and CEO of the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, Intl., the purpose of the manufacturing camp grants is to provide a positive, hands-on experience so young people will consider manufacturing as a career option.

The 2011 grant winners (listed alphabetically by state) are:
o Rock Valley College, Rockford, Ill.
o Triton College, River Forest, Ill.
o Anoka Technical College, Anoka, Minn.
o Pine Technical College, Pine City, Minn.
o Itawamba Community College, Tupelo, Miss.
o Ogden-Weber Applied Technology College, Ogden, Utah
o Thomas Nelson Community College, Hampton, Va.
o Fox Valley Technical College, Appleton, Wis.
o Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, Green Bay, Wis.

"There is an ever-increasing demand for highly skilled professionals who can design, program and operate technology," said Traci Tapani, NBT board member and co-owner of Wyoming Machine Inc., a metal fabrication services company in Stacy, Minn. "Thousands of manufacturing companies like mine, located across North America, already see the impact of a manufacturing skilled labor shortage despite the recent recession and high unemployment statistics. Creating a skilled workforce in the trades is vital to the future of America, and it all starts with introducing young people to the career potential in this sector and providing an engaging hands-on experience," Tapani adds.

The camps target youth at the critical level of middle school and secondary education, exposing them to math, science and engineering principles, while providing them with an opportunity to see and work with technology being used in industry and learn about the high level of skills that will be required from the workforce.

"The purpose of the manufacturing camp grants is to provide a positive, hands-on experience so young people will consider manufacturing as a career option," said Gerald Shankel, president & CEO of FMA and NBT. "We need to increase the pool of available, highly skilled workers to avoid an otherwise inevitable skilled labor crisis as Baby Boomers retire. This will definitely improve future prospects for our economy," Shankel adds.

Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs: The Foundation of the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, Intl., also issues scholarships to students attending community colleges and trade schools pursuing careers in manufacturing. More information on NBT is available by visiting www.NutsAndBoltsFoundation.org.

Based in Rockford, Ill., the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International, is a professional organization with more than 2,100 members working together to improve the metal forming and fabricating industry.

Blood drive draws students, staff and faculty to give

Photo above: President Musgrove signs in to give blood.

The American Red Cross was on campus today collecting blood from PTC students, staff and faculty from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. With an excellent turnout, from open to close, the event consistently had at least three people in line waiting to give. That's good news for the Red Cross, since last week, the organization issued a nationwide appeal for blood donors to boost a dwindling supply. Severe winter weather across the country has caused more blood drive cancellations this winter season than any previous winter season since 2001. Because of blood drive cancellations, the Red Cross estimates they have lost the opportunity to collect about 16,400 blood and platelet donations over the last several weeks. The Red Cross has not seen its blood supply drop this dramatically at this time of year over the past ten years.

"People who are able to give blood and who live in unaffected areas need to step up to the plate and give," says PTC President Robert Musgrove. "It's a way to help others and save lives," adds Musgrove.

To find out how to donate, visit the Red Cross website, and click "Giving and Getting Involved."


Photo above: Gunsmithing student Mat Peters gets ready for the needle.

Secrets of the aces: Test-taking tips from the pros

You've read the text, you've taken notes, you've attended class regularly, but you're still suffering from test anxiety -- so, now what? Dr. Frank Lawlis, American Mensa's Supervisory Psychologist, best-selling author and two-discipline American Psychological Association Fellow, offers these testing tips:

• Breathing patterns are critical for higher achievement because of the need for oxygen fuel to the brain. Increase your brain's fuel by breathing in long breaths.

• Research has shown that a high-protein breakfast is essential to high performance; the best specific research used boiled eggs, but other high-protein foods are cheese, peanut butter and fish.

• The research is clear the act of chewing actually improves your memory and lowers your anxiety, so chew sugarless gum during the test or study session — if it's allowed, of course.

Lawlis says the biggest foe to smart thinking is anxiety; people tend to worry too much about the results of performance, and doubts and fears simply cut thinking power in half. Instead, focus on the process of problem-solving and not on the outcome. Also, according to Lawlis, intellectual performance is based on allowing your brain to do what it does best — solve problems; remember you are truly capable of doing anything you set out to do, if you enjoy the act of participating.