Minnesota preserved

The Center for Lifelong Learning at Central Lakes College has scheduled a program April 10 featuring Park Naturalist-Archaeologist Jim Cummings in a 7 p.m. look at Minnesota’s Preserved Past. “Archaeology Close to Home: Minnesota’s Ancient Past Preserved in our State Parks” by Cummings is scheduled for E203 of the B & I Center at CLC. Cummings will begin with an overview of Minnesota archaeology, including some fascinating recent finds, and what has been learned from the application of new scientific tests and research technology.

Earth science at Onamia

The Central Lakes College Honors Earth Science class taught by Dave Kobilka on March 29 went to Onamia to teach fifth grade pupils some aspects of the hydrologic cycle -- surface water flow, evaporation, cloud formation, cloud types, precipitation, and surface heating. CLC Honors AA student Tatiana Park of Brainerd taught relative humidity as part of the service learning project.Tatiana Park of Brainerd taught relative humidity during one of the outside sessions. Other Honors AA students helped the young pupils prepare hydrologic cycle diagrams, photograph clouds, examine differential heating and albedo (the diffuse reflectivity or reflecting power of a surface), and study the principles of erosion, and create artificial clouds.

Landscape design scholarship

Josh Kiecker(left), who with wife Sarah owns and operates Sculptured Earth Design & Building Landscaping, Delano, hasn’t forgotten where his career began. It started when the Cosmos native graduated from Central Lakes College in 2001, earning a Landscape Technology diploma through the Horticulture program on the Brainerd campus. “It was a great education, giving me the fundamental skills to get started in this business,” he said, giving current CLC students some insight and whatever advice they seek from one who has grown from laborer to foreman to business owner. Josh and Sarah also gave $500 to Tim Drury (right), Akeley, as the 2012 scholarship winner of their landscaping award. Tim had prepared a design for the Kieckers, as well as an essay relating his professional goals and qualities worthy of a successful career in landscaping.

District court judge is guest

Judge Thaddeus V. "Tad" Jude of Minnesota's 10th District Court was on the Brainerd campus recently to make presentations and take questions. He spoke with students in three political science classes taught by Steve Wenzel, a former legislator with Jude. Judge Jude serves the counties of Anoka, Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Pine, Sherburne, Washington, and Wright. Forty-five judges serve the district, which is the second largest of Minnesota's 10 judicial districts. Jude is a 1977 graduate of the William Mitchell College of Law.  He was elected to represent the citizens of the Minnesota 10th Judicial District’s Seat 3 as a Judge in 2010, and was sworn in on January 3, 2011. In November of 1972, Jude became the youngest person elected to the Minnesota State Legislature, turning the constitutionally required age of 21 in December, just prior to being sworn in the following January.  As a member of the legislature he served from 1973 to 1983 in the House of Representatives; and from 1983 to 1989 in the Senate.

Joe Plut's Reading Room

Faculty emeritus Joe Plut, retired English and humanities instructor at CLC, is now an author and host to the new literary series, Speaking of Books, at Prairie Bay Grill & Catering in Baxter. On the third Thursday each month, he presents a variety of authors, publishers, book photographers, and illustrators to talk about their work. The Joe Plut Reading Room venue is from 4:30-6 p.m. from April through October. The author presentation is followed by Q-A time and book signing. First up April 19 will be Chip and Jean Borkenhagen, who will discuss their viewpoint of the world of publishing, marketing, the future of books, and offer tips to aspiring authors. Enjoy complimentary light hors d'oeuvres from the famed kitchen of Matt Annand at Prairie Bay. There will be $5 off dinner coupons for a PB meal that evening will be available. The schedule: May 17, Bil Marchel; June 21: Charmaine Donovan; July 19: Norton Stillman of Nodin Press, publisher of Joe Plut's "Conversations with Jon Hassler"; Aug. 16; Doris Stengel; Sept. 20, Bill and Evelyn Matthies; Oct. 16: Paul Sailer. For information, call 218-824-6444.

Wins national competition

Central Lakes College’s Sigma Delta chapter of the American Criminal Justice Association did well in competition at the 75th national ACJA conference in Cincinnati, Ohio. Kris Brose of Brainerd (shown), a 1998 graduate of Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted High School, won a pair of firsts, claiming top prize in the essay contest worth $150 and publication in the ACJA Journal and finishing first in the Physical Agility competition for ages 26-35. He wrote a paper titled “School Shootings” for a Juvenile Justice class taught by Gae Davis at CLC. Derek Johnson of Pillager finished in first place of the 36-over Physical Agility division. David Davis from the Sigma Delta group, finished second in the same division. Brose, Johnson, and former student Aaron Schiller of Wadena placed third in the professional division of Crime Scene Investigation.

Spa(ahhhhhh) Day

Central Lakes College students enjoyed Spa Day Wednesday on the Brainerd campus from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., where chair massages from the Baxter staff of HealthSource Chiropractic and Progressive Rehab were popular throughout the event. Grant Davenport, Kristina Stangle (shown massaging Katie Klopfleisch between her drives to Mille Lacs and Staples to teach English classes), and Dr. Dillon Remmick of HealthSource provided massages to more than 100 students, many of whom completed a stress survey. Other free services courtesy of the Student Life Office at the college were from area businesses offering pedicures, foot scrubs, hair cuts, herbal tea samples, and product samples. Other CLC Student Life activities in recent or upcoming days are tournaments in softball, dodge ball and table tennis, Curling Night, Minnesota Wild and Minnesota Twins appreciation games, and the April 7 Staples Campus Family Egg Hunt complete with face painting and pictures with the Egg Hunt.

Swedish musicians April 17

Nisswa-stämman Scandinavian Folk Music Festival and The Center for Lifelong Learning are proud to present a “pre-Nisswa-stämman” Swedish folk music concert at 7 p.m. on April 17, in the Music Recital Hall at Central Lakes College in Brainerd. Ellinor Fritz on violin and Leonor Palazzo on cello are guest performers at this event, which includes a free-will offering at the door. All proceeds go to the artists. Coffee and snacks will be served after the performance.

NCRC assessment

Central Lakes College recently hosted an assessment for Lakeland Mold Company of Brainerd as the firm’s employees participated in the National Career Readiness Certificate workplace success initiative. Lakeland Mold is piloting the use of the NCRC as a tool for incumbent employee training needs and screening for qualified applicants for company job openings. The National Career Readiness Certificate, issued by ACT, is an industry-recognized, evidence-based credential that certifies essential skills needed for workplace success across all sectors of the economy. The credential measures cognitive skills such as problem solving, reading and using work-related text, applying mathematical reasoning to work-related problems, and comparing and analyzing information in multiple related graphs.

Host families needed

Eighteen students from Central American and the Caribbean need hosts for the first year (2012-13) of their two-year educational commitment at Central Lakes College, Brainerd. The Business Management students expect to arrive in early August and be enrolled toward Associate in Applied Science degrees before returning to their homes with new leadership and organizational skills. The students will be housed together the second year in apartments near the campus. Nine male and nine female students ages 18-23 were selected through the federal Scholarships for Education and Economic Development (SEED) program. Erich Heppner, director of student life at CLC, asks that families interested in hosting contact him at (218) 855-8260 or email eheppner@clcmn.edu to discuss considerations for language, space, transportation, and a monthly stipend.

CLC Half-Mile

The CLC Half-Mile officially opens on Friday, March 30 with a 3 p.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Information Center on the Brainerd campus. The course offers a choice of Easy and Intense, as marked by signage suspended from ceiling areas to clearly note the preferred path for walkers of all ages -- students, staff, and community alike. This is a CLC Health Committee project spearheaded by Nursing student Steve Sabin, president of the Brainerd campus student senate. It is loosely based on the Mall of America's Mayo Clinic Mile. Steve says the real drive to install the route is to help reduce the obesity rate of this area, which is one of the worst in the state.

State champion

Derek Barnes of Brainerd, a student in the Diesel Technology program at Central Lakes College, captured first place in the state SkillsUSA contest held in Bloomington over the weekend (March 23-25). His honor earns him a berth in the June 25-27 national championship in Kansas City. He received about $2500 worth of tools and training as a result of the win. Cummins Diesel awarded a week of basic electronic troubleshooting as the training prize, a $1,600 value. CLC sent a contingent of 18 students and faculty to the state event to compete in Diesel Equipment Technology  and Welding. They were Diesel: Instructors Dustin Schilling and John Maleski, and students Derek Barnes, Joshua Hahn, Gary Nystrom, and Dakota Putzke. Welding: Instructor Mike Reeser and lab assistant Paul Bremer, and students Dustin Hines, Jordan Hultgren, Jennifer Koering, Brady Loftis, Ruben Martinez, Bradley Pierson, Blake Roth, Matthew Rutske, Jesse St. Marie, and Seth Strassburg.

Elected

Congratulations to Anne Nelson Fisher, Central Lakes College, who has been elected president of the Minnesota Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges. Following a period as president-elect, Anne will be the official organization president. She is not only a recognized participant of the CLC mathematics learning community. She champions civic progress. Anne is a former Brainerd City Council member who is still involved with community improvement efforts, serving as a member of the Healthy Communities Partnership Housing Task Force. She is also an activist speaking out against poverty -- locally and globally.

Video students produce skate show

The Central Lakes College Videography Production program provided the Vacationland Figure Skating Club with a full-scale video production of its annual Year on Ice skate show at the Brainerd Area Civic Center. A half-dozen second-year students from the Staples campus program spent part of each day last week setting up, capturing footage at rehearsals, establishing camera positions, and perfecting the direction of shots. Students working on the project were Latoya Ross-Sullivan (director), Matt Johnson (technical director), Spencer Thompson (camera), Matt Britton (camera), Chris Hoffman (production manager), Brittany Stansbury (production assistant), Kayla Voss (production assistant), and Nolan Betterman (camera). Other students had minor assignments. Four cameras were employed in the project, supervised by instructor Mark Ambroz. Performances on Saturday and Sunday, as well as the Friday night dress rehearsal, were all treated like a live broadcast with multiple cameras, switchers, and directors.

Register for summer and fall

Registration for summer and fall 2012 classes at Central Lakes College, Brainerd and Staples, has begun.  Returning students are the first ones eligible to register online or in person at CLC, where the fall term runs Aug. 27-Dec. 20. The summer term is June 4-July 27. The order of priority registration for returning students doing so online allows students with disabilities, TRiO affiliation and veterans the first opportunity. Next are students with the most earned credits and all other returning students. Post-secondary enrollment students may register online starting Thursday, March 29.

Children's theatre

The Central Lakes College Children’s Theatre class will present “Alice’s Excellent Adventure in Wonderland” by Dennis Lamberson for the public in the Chalberg Theatre Sunday, April 22 at 1 and 3 p.m. The show, which runs about 45 minutes and doesn’t have an intermission, will also be staged for school groups of elementary-age pupils, with tickets not on sale to the public, at 10 and 11 a.m. on April 17, 19, and 26 and 10 a.m. on April 24.

Celebration of Nations

Central Lakes College will host its third Celebration of Nations on Friday, April 20 from 4 to 9 p.m. in the gymnasium on the Brainerd campus. The event will feature performers: Scandinavian Skal Klubb, Nay Ah Shing Tribal School Drum Group and American Indian Dancers, Tiyumba African dance music, Latin dance workshop, Latin music performed by Pachanga, and Chinese Lion Dance. Fireworks will conclude the event. The gymnasium is transformed into a world experience that includes a Parisian art museum, homes from Africa and Pakistan, and intercultural cuisine provided by Prairie Bay. Guests may enjoy their food sitting by a fire, at a Japanese table, or in a European café. Attendees may take a ride on a gondola, have hands painted with traditional henna designs from India, and enjoy many other delights for all ages. Vendors will present wares from a variety of cultures. Admission is $5. The event is co-hosted by the CLC Diversity Leadership Council and the International Club.

Photo contest

“Everything under the Sun” is the theme for the 45th annual photo contest being held at Central Lakes College on the Brainerd campus beginning April 18, according to contest coordinator Larry Kellerman. The contest, open to the public, has traditional photo entry categories of “landscape,” “portrait,” “action,” “creative,” “birds,” “animals,” “flowers,” and “children.”  And each year there is a special theme category. “The theme ‘Everything under the Sun’ is unique in that it is open to a photographer’s interpretation,” Kellerman said. “I think this theme will be wide open to interpretation by our area photographers.”

Awards Days scheduled

Central Lakes College 2012 Awards Days are scheduled, according to Erich Heppner, Director of Student Activities. He said the Brainerd Campus Awards Day will be from noon to 1 p.m. on Monday, April 23, with a free lunch starting at 11:30 a.m. in the cafeteria. The Staples Campus Awards Day is noon-1 p.m., Tuesday, April 24, with a free lunch at 11:30 a.m. in the cafeteria. Awards include Student of the Year, Student Worker of the Year, Administrator of the Year, and Citizenship Awards (Male & Female Freshman & Sophomore of the Year). The deadline for nominations is April 13. Contact Erich for information.

American Indian rights program

Tadd Johnson, head of the American Indian Studies Department at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, will present a free program April 9 at noon in Chalberg Theatre on the Brainerd campus of Central Lakes College. He is an enrolled member of the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa and an attorney. He will discuss the American Indian Civil Rights Act. Johnson served as a tribal attorney for over 20 years and has also served as a tribal court judge, and a tribal administrator. He is a frequent lecturer on American Indian history and federal Indian law. He spent five years with the U.S. House of Representatives, ultimately becoming staff director and counsel to the Subcommittee on Native American Affairs. In 1997, President Bill Clinton appointed Johnson to chair the National Indian Gaming Commission. He earned his B.A. from the University of St. Thomas and his law degree from the University of Minnesota. He has served as faculty member of the National Judicial College, served on the Board of Directors of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, and is co-host and co-producer of the Public Broadcasting Service program "Native Report." For information contact: Mary Sam, Director of Diversity, Equity and Tribal Relations, (218) 855-8159 or email msam@clcmn.edu

CLC honored for community service

Washington, D.C. – The Corporation for National and Community Service and the U.S. Department of Education today honored the nation's leading colleges and universities, students, and faculty members, and staff for their commitment to bettering their communities through community service and service learning. Central Lakes College is among the 14 recognized institutions from Minnesota named to the Community Service Honor Roll that included 513 institutions nationwide. CLC, recognized for the fourth straight year, is one of five two-year colleges from the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system which were awarded recognition for engaging students, faculty and staff in substantial, relevant and meaningful service to communities. “Through service, these institutions are creating the next generation of leaders by challenging students to tackle tough issues and create positive impacts in the community,” said Robert Velasco, Acting CEO of CNCS. “We applaud the Honor Roll schools, their faculty and students for their commitment to make service a priority in and out of the classroom. Together, service and learning increase civic engagement while fostering social innovation among students, empowering them to solve challenges within their communities.” In FY 2011 Central Lakes College students conducted 37,939 hours of service. Faculty and staff contributed 15,256 hours supervising and participating in projects with students.

Figure skating video

The Central Lakes College Videography Production students this week are in Brainerd to set up, rehearse, and produce a recorded broadcast of the weekend's Vacationland Figure Skating Show in the Civic Center. "We are treating it like a live broadcast with multiple cameras, switchers, directors, etcetera," said Mark Ambroz, instructor. "We will produce a DVD from the event that will be available for purchase." Among students assigned on this project are Latoya Ross-Sullivan (director), Matt Johnson (technical director), Spencer Thompson (camera), Matt Britton (camera), Chris Hoffman (production manager), Brittany Stansbury (production assistant), Kayla Voss (production assistant), and Nolan Betterman (camera). Other students are scheduled for additional assignments.

Juried student art show

Open to all Brainerd Campus Central Lakes College students, the 2012 Juried Student Art Show, "The Art of Science," is accepting entries through April 2. An exhibit is scheduled for the CLC Art Gallery across from the Jon Hassler Library, and a reception April 20 from 5 to 8 p.m. will take place in the area around the Gallery, hosted by the CLC Science Club. Artwork registration forms are available outside the Gallery. The art must have been completed within the last three years. Information is available from Martin Nelson, nels8748@go.clcmn.edu

USSR changes, Putin subject of program

Nick Hayes, professor of history at St. John’s University, Collegeville, will present “Russia: From Communism to Putin” at Central Lakes College in Brainerd at 7 p.m., Tuesday, March 27. Hayes appears as a guest in the Speaker Series offered by the Center for Lifelong Learning at CLC. Admission is free to member and $5 to non-members. The program will be held in the Chalberg Theatre. Hayes will examine why the USSR, the Soviet Union, collapsed 20 years ago in December 1991 and provide perspective on the rise to power of Russian President Vladimir Putin, an ex-KGB agent.

Conference presenter

Jeff Johnson, an English instructor at Central Lakes College in Brainerd, will be a featured presenter at “Connecting in the Cloud,” the Minnesota Council of Teachers of English annual spring conference April 26 and 27 in St. Cloud. This is the second straight year he has presented at the event. The presentation is entitled “The Rhetoric of the Machine: Perils, pleasures and pedagogy of teaching online with a YouTube channel.” Jeff, who tends an orchard and a vineyard, collects guitars, and says he can out-cook anyone at CLC, is in his second year as a member of the CLC English faculty. He commutes from Collegeville Township in Stearns County, where he said, “I live in a peat bog with my wife and magical teenage sons.” He also teaches in the First Year Seminar program at the College of St. Benedict. He has been teaching English 25 years, mostly in high schools.

Aldo Leopold documentary

The Central Lakes College Natural Resources Club, Brainerd Lakes Area Audubon Society, and Brainerd Area Environmental Learning Network present "Green Fire," the first full-length, high-definition documentary film about legendary conservationist Aldo Leopold at 6 p.m. April 10 in E354 on the Brainerd campus. "Green Fire" shares highlights from Leopold's extraordinary career, explaining how he shaped conservation and the modern environmental movement. It also illustrates how Leopold's vision of a community that cares about both people and land continues to inform and inspire people across the country and around the world. Leopold's ideas remain relevant today, continuing to inspire projects nationwide that connect people and land. The showing will be preceded by short presentations about Leopold and "A Sand County Almanac"  by Janine Kohn, national coordinator of the Leopold Education Project for Pheasants Forever/Quail Forever, and Dr. William E. Faber, natural resources instructor at CLC and MN State LEP coordinator.  Cookies and refreshments will be provided. The event is free and open to the public.For more information see http://www.greenfiremovie.com

New board members

The Central Lakes College Foundation has welcomed four new members to its Board of Directors. Tracie McFarlin (shown) and J. Bradley Person of Brainerd, Ryan Luft of Staples, and Ronda Hopkins of Crosslake and will serve terms on the non-profit organization responsible for providing scholarships and other student financial support at the community and technical college in Brainerd and Staples. McFarlin is a University of North Dakota graduate who earned an accounting degree. Employed as the finance director of the Brainerd Family YMCA, McFarlin has 11 years of public accounting experience. Most recently a specialty was non-profit organizations while employed by Kummet, Larson, and Bluth. She is a member of the Minnesota Society of Certified Public Accountants.

National honor for Coach Holmes

Former Central Lakes College (Brainerd Community College) coach Al Holmes will receive a Lifetime Service Award from the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum at its Minnesota Chapter Banquet May 5 in Austin. He was a wrestling and football coach for 36 years at Minnesota State University Moorhead, Mayville State College, N.D., Michigan Tech University and Brainerd Community College. Al was CLC's head football coach from 1986-1993 and posted a 40-28 record. The Raiders were state runners-up in 1991 and advanced to the R.C. Cola Bowl in Cedar Falls, Iowa, in 1988, losing to Iowa Central 28-7. He was an assistant coach at CLC from 1994 to 1997. He began his coaching career at Frazee in 1959 and also coached at Fergus Falls. He was a member of Moorhead High School’s and Moorhead State’s first wrestling teams. Holmes is a member of the MSUM, BCC and Minnesota Community College Conference halls of fame. Holmes will have his name placed in the John T. Vaughan Hall of Honors at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Museum in Stillwater, Okla. Tickets may be obtained from Spencer Yohe, chapter president, at syohe@acegroup.cc or (507) 495-3213, or use credit card at http://mn-nwhof.ticketleap.com. Social hour is from 4-5 p.m. Dinner and program follow at 5 p.m.

Eloise Thorson recognized

Central Lakes College Customized Training Representative Eloise Thorson was cited by the Minnesota Rural Electric Association through its publication, Minnesota Co-Op Power, for training co-op employees in a leadership program. Since its inception in 1997, the MREA Leadership Training program has enabled more than 200 employees of cooperatives across the state to graduate and continue to demonstrate leadership and responsibility. Eloise, based at the Staples campus, "is uniquely qualified to address the needs of the adult learner and tailors each presentation to maximize retention," wrote Alison Deelstra, director of education and communication for MREA. "Participants must complete four modules to become certified." The recognition came in the January 2012 publication produced by the Maple Grove-based organization. Norm Krause, former CLC Ag Center director, is a member of the 14-person MREA board of directors.

Grant for biofuels research

The Central Lakes College Agricultural and Energy Center at Staples will receive a $193,000 grant from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture to continue biofuels research. The Center is one of nine bioenergy grant recipients announced by Dave Frederickson, state commissioner of agriculture. The $2.4 million award is based on recommendations from the Next Generation Energy Board. The new grant to Central Lakes College will support the continuation of a previously funded project in which various oilseed crops, such as canola, camelina (shown), or sunflowers, are being grown and converted to biodiesel using small-scale processing technology. Feed trials will be conducted using the meal products created from oil extraction. 

Writing awards

The English Department is pleased to announce the fifth annual Central Lakes College Writing Awards.  Awards will be made in three categories: Essay (personal and technical/research essays will be eligible); Fiction/Drama; Poetry. First, second, and third place awards will be made in each category, with funding for the prizes contributed by the CLC English Department. Award amounts: First place, $100; Second place, $75; Third place, $50. Students may submit in all three categories—up to ten pages in each category. Entries must be typed (prose entries, double-spaced; poetry, single-spaced). The author’s name should not appear on the work but on a cover sheet that will be removed prior to judging (a separate cover sheet should be prepared for each category entered).  The cover sheet is available from any English Department faculty member. Entries should be submitted to Leane Flynn, Office # E453, by Friday, March 30.

Career Day held

Career Exploration Day 2012 provided 2,300 area high school students with an extraordinary opportunity to sample professional endeavors that may be in their future. The March 9 showcase of 150 careers was held on the Brainerd campus, and it included hands-on, interactive demonstrations, prizes, and lunch. Cody Nordmann, a junior at Pierz Healy High School, checked out the information sheet as the day began in the CLC gym. For a visual revue of the day, go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/58518185@N04/

Diving into History

With over 50 years of diving experience, Bill Matthies has tidal waves of information just waiting to be shared. Matthies will be the featured presenter for The Center for Lifelong Learning’s “Spotlight on History: Diving into Local History” at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 20 in Room E208 the Brainerd campus of Central Lakes College. Matthies, owner and operator of the Minnesota School of Diving in Brainerd, will provide participants of this session a brief introduction to diving equipment over the past 50 years, and how it’s changed with time. He will also include a slideshow and discussion of the various dives he has taken over the past 53 years, including exploration of logging tools that were lost underwater, aftermath of a devastating tornado in Outing, and underwater exploration in the Crosby mine pits, among other fascinating opportunities.

Record sales

As the Energizer Bunny keeps going and going, Central Lakes College keeps giving and giving. Instructor Pat Swarthout announced that his CLC students established a new record in sales for the 2012 American Cancer Society Daffodil Days campaign. The previous record was set in 2011 with $1,798.  This year the Professional Sales students generated $945 in sales to Brainerd area businesses which had not participated in the past. In addition, CLC students and employees contributed $1,070, which brought the total to $2,015.

Career Exploration Day

Friday, March 9 is Career Exploration Day at Central Lakes College. The Brainerd campus expects about 2,300 area high school students from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., with lunch included from the partnership of organizations working in support of the Bridges Career Academies and Workplace Connection. There are no Friday classes scheduled for CLC students, who also have next week off as spring break. Dozens of businesses and college programs will be showcased for the high school students. Many interactive demonstrations, simulations, illustrations,and experiments are scheduled across both levels of the campus. Career clusters: 1. Business, Management, & Administration; 2. Human Services; 3. Arts, Communication & Information Systems; 4. Engineering, Manufacturing & Technology; 5. Health Science Technology; 6. Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources. Liberal Arts activities in the east wing include chemistry experiments with the "mad scientists," how things are made in biology, expressing yourself on paper (composition), why it's important to ask why (philosophy), interacting with earth and sky (earth science), what it takes to be an author, fun talking (speech), and how we're made (health). Prizes include an I Pad ($500), Kindle Fire ($200), and $10 gift cards, plus giveaways at booths. A Money Machine Cash Grab will award Grad Blast funds to the winning school.

Host families needed

Eighteen students from Central American and the Caribbean will need hosts for the first year of their two-year educational commitment at Central Lakes College, Brainerd. The business management students expect to arrive in early August and be enrolled toward Associate in Applied Science degrees before returning to their homes with new leadership and organizational skills. Nine male and nine female students ages 18-23 were selected through the federal Scholarships for Education and Economic Development (SEED) program. Central Lakes College is the only Minnesota school in 2012 to be funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The college received a $604,737 grant. The students will come from Mexico (four), El Salvador (three), Nicaragua (three), Guatemala (two), Haiti (two), Dominican Republic (two), and Honduras (two). Sixteen are from rural areas and two reside in urban communities.

New Admissions and Advising Director

Nick Heisserer of Pillager has been named Director of Admissions and Advising at Central Lakes College, Brainerd and Staples. He had been the college’s registrar since 2010. Heisserer has been employed at CLC since 2004. Until 2008 he served as assistant director and senior academic adviser in the Upward Bound program. He served as interim director of TRIO/Upward Bound for one year before joining the Business Management faculty as instructor in 2009. A former Bemidji High School social studies teacher and track coach, Heisserer earned his bachelor’s degree from Bemidji State University, majoring in social studies with a minor in history. In 2008 he earned his master’s in management from the College of St. Scholastica. He has participated in numerous initiatives at CLC, from student learning assessment to self-study relating to the Higher Learning Commission accreditation process. He is an active community volunteer in support of crisis assistance, poverty reduction, and family empowerment.

Social networking seminar

If social networking, to you, means getting together with friends over coffee, this class may be just what you need. The Center for Lifelong Learning at Central Lakes College presents “Spotlight on Technology: Social Networking Simplified” at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, March 8 in Room E208 at Central Lakes College – Brainerd Campus. Social networking has become one of the most popular communication services, allowing users to share information, messages, photos, videos, and more. It is also used in business, organizations, education, employment and science research, as well as almost every other aspect of our lives. Presented by Erich Heppner, this session will showcase and give the how-to for the most widely used social networking platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube. Safety and privacy issues, dos and don’ts of social networking, and tips on protection from viruses, scams, and more will also be discussed. Cost to attend this event is $5 for non-members or free for those with a Center for Lifelong Learning membership. Pre-registration is recommended and can be made by calling Bev at 218-855-8118. For information on The Center for Lifelong Learning, visit www.clcmn.edu/lifelonglearning.

Volunteer tax preparers

Central Lakes College accounting students are volunteering their service for income tax preparation in the region as part of their tax updates course. Fifteen are working with clients at sites on the Brainerd campus of CLC as well as in Pequot Lakes, Pine River, and Walker. They are supervised by personnel in the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program facilitated by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). The VITA Program generally offers free tax help to people who make $50,000 or less and need assistance in preparing their own tax returns. IRS-certified volunteers provide free basic income tax return preparation to qualified individuals in local communities. VITA sites are generally located at community and neighborhood centers, libraries, schools, shopping malls, and other convenient locations. Students are required to complete classroom training that includes numerous simulations and obtain certification before tackling real tax preparation, said instructor Salle’ Crutaire. PHOTO: Central Lakes College accounting student Joni Warzecha of Hillman (left) worked on the income tax return of CLC dental assisting student Kari Johnson of Fargo in the VITA site on the Brainerd campus. The free service is provided for individuals within income guidelines.

Spotlight on Health

A nationally-renowned doctor and professor of rheumatology and internal medicine will be a featured speaker as part of the Spotlight on Health series presented by the Center for Lifelong Learning at Central Lakes College. “Spotlight on Health: Arthritis – Most Common Types and Treatment” will be presented at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 13 in Room E203 at Central Lakes College – Brainerd Campus. Arthur L. Weaver, MD, MS, clinical professor of medicine emeritus in the Division of Rheumatology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, will discuss the symptoms, signs and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and gout. Dr. Weaver will also make time for general questions from the audience but will not address questions regarding a specific individual’s health problems, as these are best answered by the individual’s personal physician. Cost: $5 for non-members or free for those with a Center for Lifelong Learning membership. To register for this event, call Bev at 218-855-8118. For information on The Center for Lifelong Learning, visit www.clcmn.edu/lifelonglearning.