By Anonymous — Wednesday, October 4th, 2017
Hands-on Assistance with FAFSA and Dream Act applications
The Financial Aid Offices at Moorpark, Oxnard and Ventura Colleges will each host workshops to help students and parents complete the 2018/2019 FAFSA and the California Dream Act applications. Workshops will be held simultaneously on each prospective college campus Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017, 9am to 2pm. Moorpark College (7075 Campus Road, Moorpark, CA); Oxnard College (4000 South Rose Avenue, Oxnard, CA); and Ventura College (4667 Telegraph Road, Ventura, CA) will have financial aid advisors available to assist applicants in applying for money for college. Financial Aid Workshops are also planned at the Ventura College Santa Paula campus (957 Faulkner Road, 106, Santa Paula, CA), Saturday, Oct. 21, 2017, 9am to 12pm. The events are free and open to the public. Financial aid is one of several ways that students may afford college. It is important to apply early to determine your eligibility and receive the maximum amount allowable. High school students, current VCCCD students and their parents should plan to attend one of the Cash for College financial aid workshops at Moorpark, Oxnard or Ventura College. “Working in collaboration, financial aid specialists from each college are looking forward to helping students achieve their educational goals,” stated Ventura College Financial Aid Officer Alma Rodriguez. “Students and parents may attend workshops at any of the three colleges and apply for available funds regardless of which school they plan to attend,” said Rodriguez. Moorpark, Oxnard and Ventura College offer more than two hundred degree and certificate programs and have Transfer Guarantee Agreements with the California State Universities (CSU), the Universities of California (UC) and other private/non-profit institutions. In 2016, the colleges awarded more than 7,000 Associate Degrees and Certificates to students who completed various programs of study. Students and parents who attend the financial aid workshops should bring the following documents and be prepared to complete their application(s): Everyone is welcome. Pre-registration is encouraged. For more information, please visit www.vcccd.edu/Cash4College or contact the Financial Aid Office at Moorpark College 805.378.1462; Oxnard College 805.986.5828; or Ventura College 805.289.6369. The Ventura County Community College District is a member of the 114-campus California Community College system, and serves more than 31,000 students annually. The District’s three colleges- Moorpark, Oxnard, and Ventura- offer programs in general education for degrees and certificates, transfer to four-year colleges and universities, career technical education, and provide opportunities to engage in co-curricular campus activities. For more information, please visit www.vcccd.edu or follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/venturacountyccd. |
By Anonymous — Monday, October 2nd, 2017
Beginning Oct. 1, all 23 California State University (CSU) campuses, including CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) will be accepting applications for fall 2018. This is the first time all prospective students will apply online at the CSU’s new application portal: Cal State Apply. Transfer students used it earlier this year, but this is the first time it is open for all incoming freshman, transfer, graduate and international students wishing to attend a Cal State University, including CSUCI. The new, streamlined, user-friendly portal is open during the two-month priority application period, which closes on Nov. 30, 2017. “Cal State Apply has been designed to improve and simplify the process for the more than 850,000 applications that are submitted online to a CSU campus every year,” said Eric Forbes, CSU's assistant vice chancellor for Student Academic Affairs/Student Academic Support. “Students are encouraged to research and apply to more than one campus, especially if applying to impacted campuses, to increase their likelihood of admission and to apply early during the priority application period.” “CSUCI continues to be a non-impacted campus, so all students who meet the minimum CSU eligibility requirements will qualify for admissions,” said Ginger Reyes, Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs and Director of Admissions & Records. Every year, CSUCI has a record number of students apply for the fall term. This year, CSUCI will receive freshmen applications for its brand new bachelor of science degree in Mechatronics Engineering. “Our campus is strategically located on the so-called ‘101 Tech Corridor,’ sharing the neighborhood with companies such as Amgen, Haas, Teledyne Technologies, HRL Laboratories and many others, not to mention Naval Base Ventura County’s Point Mugu and Port Hueneme bases,” said Professor and Chair of the Computer Science program, Michael Soltys, Ph.D. “There is a great need and demand for engineers in the community and local industries.” In addition to allowing one submission to serve the application needs of multiple CSU campuses, Cal State Apply also: Students who apply during the priority application period will receive admission decisions beginning in February, Reyes said. For more information regarding CSUCI’s admission process, visit www.csuci.edu/admissions. About California State University Channel Islands |
By Anonymous — Wednesday, September 27th, 2017
(l-r) FHS Homecoming Grand Marshal Jennie Andrade, along with the FHS 2017 Homecoming Court Freshmen Princess & Prince Jose Scott & Leslie Ceja, 2nd Princess & Prince Abigail Bernabe & Ivan Zepeda, Queen & King Janaey Cadena & Christian Andrade, 1st Princess & Prince Alexsys Covarrubias & Michael Sanchez, Juniors Princess & Prince Julissa Martinez & Nick Villela, Sophomores Princess & Prince Alyssa Ibarra & Nick Herrera. The Fillmore Flashes hosted their 2017 Homecoming game against the Nordoff High School Rangers last week. As Fillmore tradition’s will have it this past week at Fillmore High School was filled with tons of Homecoming activities; the Homecoming Dance which was held on September 16th, Dress up days, float building took place during the week September 17th to September 20th, and the Homecoming Parade was held on Thursday, September 21st at 6:30pm and took place on Central Avenue and downtown Fillmore. This year’s Homecoming theme was Movies. 1st Place went to the Junior class, their float theme was “Jurassic World,” 2nd Place Sophmore class their float theme was “Nacho Libre,” 3rd Place Senior Class their float theme was “Star Wars,” 4th Place Freshman class their float theme was “Ghost Busters.” Photos courtesy Crystal Gurrola. Enlarge Photo |
By Anonymous — Wednesday, September 27th, 2017
Part 2 of 3
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, September 27th, 2017
Part 3 of 3
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By Tricia Gradias — Wednesday, September 20th, 2017
Officer Allen Macias and his K9 partner Ace, from Santa Paula Police Department, visited San Cayetano school on Friday, September 1, 2017. Officer Macias talked about what a K9 officer does, and how his job affects all of us. The students were able to ask questions like, “What language is Ace trained in?” They found out that Ace is trained in German. The students were allowed to touch and hold Ace’s bullet proof vest. At the end Officer Macias let the students explore his police SVU. Submitted by Principal Tricia Gradias. Enlarge Photo |
By Anonymous — Wednesday, September 20th, 2017
On Friday, September 15th, Fillmore High School hosted a rally for the 107th game against long time rival Santa Paula. “Santa Paula Week,” is a whole week of dress up days and afternoon lunch activities where students and staff showcase their Flashes pride. Dress Up Day were: Tuesday – Rivalry Day (Wear Red); Wednesday – Roast the Cards (dress like a chef); Thursday – Black Out The Cards – Wear Black; Friday – Flashes Pride Day. They ended the week with a rally where students and staff participate in games and activities. Photos courtesy Katrionna Furness. Enlarge Photo |
By Anonymous — Wednesday, September 20th, 2017
A national higher education statistics company called CollegeStats.org has named CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) one of the top 10 safest campuses in the nation. The website gathered its data by looking at the crime rates of the top 100 most attended schools in the U.S. CollegeStats.org ranked CSUCI the ninth safest campus in the nation. “We have an amazing public safety staff,” said CSUCI’s Acting Chief of Police Michael Morris. “I think the cause for this outcome is the fact that everyone on this campus —faculty, staff and students —understand that campus safety is a shared responsibility.” Morris pointed out that everybody on campus works to keep the environment safe, comfortable and crime-free, but the department is also proud of the extra steps the officers take on a regular basis. “We do make sure that our officers maintain high visibility at all times with a combination of patrols in marked police cars and as well as foot patrols,” Morris said. The CSUCI Police Department also creates a sense of community among officers and the campus they protect with regular events that allow the police to interact with students, staff and faculty. “Coffee with the Cops,” for example, is a popular event co-sponsored by the Police Department and Associated Students Inc. in which members of the campus drop by for a free cup of coffee, snacks and an informal chat. CollegeStats.org also analyzed survey data from more than 179,000 students to find out whether students felt safe overall. According to the CollegeStats.org website, almost 29 percent of students said they didn’t feel like that had anything to worry about at school — other than project deadlines and final exams, of course. Collegestats.org is a nonprofit website that publishes statistics that accredited schools must provide by law. Collegestats.org collects the information and makes it easier to organize so students can make decisions based on a school’s merit, rather than marketing. About California State University Channel Islands |
By Anonymous — Wednesday, September 6th, 2017
The Ventura County Community College District will host an open house Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017, 4-6 p.m., to welcome the community to its new District Administrative Center (DAC), located at 761 East Daily Drive, Suite 200, Camarillo, CA, 93010. The public is invited to join VCCCD Chancellor Greg Gillespie, Board Chair Bernardo Perez, Vice Chair Arturo Hernández, Trustees Stephen Blum, Larry Kennedy and Dianne McKay and special guests, along with VCCCD students, faculty and staff, to celebrate the successful move and transition into the new home of the DAC. Network and learn about programs and future goals planned to serve the community and students more effectively. The following program will include a tour of the 38,893 square feet facility, special acknowledgements, activities and information presented by the colleges, foundations, human resources and economic workforce development. Refreshments will also be served. • Welcome – Board Chair Bernardo Perez “We are excited to be centrally located in Ventura County,” stated Chancellor Gillespie. “Our doors are always open and we look forward to engaging with employers, organizations, residents, and students to provide quality education that meets the specific needs of each stakeholder,” added Gillespie. “We are proud of the hard work that many District employees put into making this dream a reality and plan to recognize their accomplishments,” stated Chair Perez. “The community is encouraged to participate in this celebration and to take advantage of the District resources now more easily accessible to them right here in Camarillo,” said Perez. The Ventura County Community College District is a member of the 114-campus California Community College system, and serves more than 31,000 students annually. The District’s three colleges- Moorpark, Oxnard, and Ventura- offer programs in general education for degrees and certificates, transfer to four-year colleges and universities, career technical education, and provide opportunities to engage in co-curricular campus activities. For more information, please visit www.vcccd.edu. |
By Anonymous — Wednesday, September 6th, 2017
Student veterans get connected with services and benefits
Ventura College and the California Transition Assistance Program (CalTap), Veterans Services Division, CalVet, will present the Ventura County Student Veteran Expo, Friday, September 15, 2017, 9 a.m., at Ventura College (4667 Telegraph Road, Ventura, CA, Applied Science Center, Lecture Hall ASC-150). Sponsored by the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) and the California State University, Channel Islands (CSUCI), Veterans Affairs Program, the expo is free and open to student veterans throughout the Ventura County Community College District (Moorpark, Oxnard and Ventura Colleges) and CSUCI; students are encouraged to register online at the Ventura County Student Veteran Expo website located at https://goo.gl/Fg8q3U. The expo is designed to connect student veterans with services and benefits. Representatives from CalVet, College of the Canyons Small Business Development Center, Support Services Veterans Families (SSVF) Salvation Army, United States Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA), Ventura County Veterans Services Office (VCVSO), Ventura County Veterans Foundation (VCVF), Vocational Rehabilitation and Education (VRE) Chapter 31, and Work for Warriors are scheduled to attend and present valuable information to help student veterans. “We appreciate the opportunity to partner with CalTap, CalVet, and CSUCI to present this resource expo for our student veterans,” stated Ventura College President David Keebler. “At Ventura College, we take a holistic approach to providing support services to all students. The resources that will be shared during the Ventura County Student Veteran Expo align with our mission to transform students’ lives and develop human potential,” said Keebler. “This is a great opportunity for student veterans at each of the three colleges in the Ventura County Community College District and CSUCI to meet key representatives from organizations that are committed to serving the special needs of veterans,” stated Ventura College Veterans Program Advisor Bruce McFadden. “I thank CalTap Training Coordinator Leo Oblima, who has worked diligently to help ensure this expo will be a success,” said McFadden. Breakfast and lunch will be provided to attendees. Parking is free in the east parking lot of the campus during the expo. For more information, please contact Bruce McFadden at 805-289-6060 or bmcfadden@vcccd.edu or visit https://goo.gl/Fg8q3U. Ventura College, an accredited two-year institution of higher education, has been a part of the beautiful seaside community of Ventura, California, since 1925. It is conveniently located approximately 60 miles north of Los Angeles and 30 miles south of Santa Barbara. The 112-acre campus, set in the rolling hills of Ventura, has an enrollment of 14,500 students. Ventura College offers Associate of Arts and Associate of Sciences Degrees in 33 majors, and Certificates of Completion and Proficiency Awards in 61 areas of study. Ventura College also has Transfer Guarantee Agreements with CSUCI, CSUN, UC Davis, UC Santa Barbara, and UC Santa Cruz. Class schedules are posted at www.venturacollege.edu. For more information, contact the Ventura College Welcome Center at 805.289.6420. |
By Anonymous — Tuesday, September 5th, 2017
New members bring campus and business experience
Ventura College Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of Mike Orman, Patty Wendt and Leslie Herrera to its board of directors. “We are excited to have Mike, Patty and Leslie join our board,” said Anne King, Ventura College Foundation executive director. “Each brings impressive leadership skills in diverse disciplines, which will be valuable assets to our organization.” Orman embarked on a career in banking following his graduation from the University of Southern California. In 1983, he transitioned to community banking where decisions are made by people live in the community and understand the local needs of the businesses and families they serve. A resident of Ventura County since 2004, Orman is currently EVP and COO of Ojai Community Bank, and will become Market President upon completion of the bank’s acquisition by Bank of the Sierra. Wendt is a counselor at the Ventura College’s Educational Assistance Center where she has worked since 1996. She is an advocate for determining appropriate support services and community resources for students with disabilities, and developed and teaches the class, “Strategies for Success in College and Life.” She will serve on the board as a faculty representative. Herrera, a student at Ventura College, is the 2017/18 President of the Associated Students of Ventura College. She brings an expertise in communications to the foundation board, where she will serve as student representative. The Ventura College Foundation’s board of directors is led by Rob van Nieuwburg, chair; Ruth Hemming, vice-chair; Nicole Kreutz, treasurer; Mike Montoya, secretary; David Keebler, Ventura College president; and Anne King, executive director. Established in 1983, the Ventura College Foundation provides financial support to the students and the programs of Ventura College to facilitate student success and grow the impact and legacy of Ventura College as a vital community asset. The Foundation also hosts the Ventura College Foundation Marketplace, an outdoor shopping experience held every weekend on the Ventura College campus east parking lot. For more information, contact Anne King at (805) 289-6461 or aking@vcccd.edu. Or visit www.venturacollege.edu/foundation. |
By Anonymous — Wednesday, August 30th, 2017
Friday, August 25th, Fillmore High School hosted their Welcome Back Rally. The theme was the Olympic Games. Students are throwing a noodle through the hula hoop rings and students and faculty are playing the balloon bump game. Photos Courtesy Katrionna Furness. Enlarge Photo |
By Anonymous — Wednesday, August 30th, 2017
Triton Academy Must Leave Camarillo Location After 2017-18 School Year
Triton Academy, a school that serves students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) from throughout Ventura County, is in search of a new place to call home. For the past ten years, Triton Academy has operated at a campus in Camarillo leased from the Pleasant Valley School District (PVSD). PVSD has shared that, due to expected growth in enrollment, it anticipates needing the site for its own students for the 2018-19 school year. The district has asked Triton Academy to vacate the facility at 700 Temple Avenue at the end of the 2017-18 school year. VCOE is actively exploring several options to locate a new home for Triton Academy. These include finding an unused or underused facility in another school district, using existing VCOE facilities or creating a temporary campus with relocatable buildings on a vacant site. Since Triton Academy’s students come from all parts of the county, the goal is to find a centrally located site. VCOE has reached out to the superintendents of the county’s 20 school districts to request their assistance in identifying potential new locations for the school. “We are confident we will find a new home for Triton Academy in time for the 2018-19 school year,” said Stan Mantooth, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools. “We do not anticipate any interruption in the vital services Triton Academy provides to its students and their families.” Triton Academy was developed in response to the increased need to support students with ASD. It has been recognized as a model school throughout the state due to its highly specialized programming and research-based methodologies. Triton Academy’s programs—supported by the collaboration between parents, students, teachers, specialists, paraprofessionals, and administrators—leads to successful student outcomes and safe learning environments. VCOE has set up a webpage to keep parents, employees and the community up-to-date about efforts to find a new location for Triton Academy. The webpage can be reached at vcoe.org/triton-move. About the Ventura County Office of Education |
By Anonymous — Wednesday, August 23rd, 2017
Shakespeare: A Celebration William Shakespeare-inspired art will be exhibited this summer at California Lutheran University while the annual Kingsmen Shakespeare Festival takes place on the Thousand Oaks campus. “Shakespeare: A Celebration” will be on display through Thursday, Sept. 28, in the Kwan Fong Gallery of Art and Culture. Bankside Gallery in London displayed the first version of this exhibit in 2016 in collaboration with the Globe Theatre to mark the 400th anniversary of the playwright’s death. At the Kwan Fong, a range of paintings and prints by artists from the British Royal Watercolour Society and the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers will relate to Shakespeare’s life and plays including “Hamlet,” “Macbeth,” “Romeo and Juliet,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “The Merchant of Venice,” “Twelfth Night”, “The Tempest,” “Winter’s Tale” and “Antony and Cleopatra.” The featured artists include Corinna Button, who incorporates printmaking techniques into her paintings and ceramic sculptures, which can be found in the permanent collections of the Victoria & Albert Museum and Ashmolean Museum in England and the Jiangsu Art Gallery in China; David Brayne, whose textured paintings of abstracted figures are about open spaces and expanses; and Veta Gorner, a Russian-born printmaker who works from studios in England and Sweden. The exhibit also features works by Hilary Adair, Jim Anderson, Margaret Ashman, Mychael Barratt, Jo Barry, Richard Bawden, June Berry, Dennis Roxby Bott, Liz Butler, John Crossley, Hilary Daltry, Anne Desmet, John Duffin, David Firmstone, Roger Harris, Julie Held, Frank Kiely, Anita Klein, Linda Landers, Sasa Marinkov, Anne Marlow, Mike Middleton, Julia Midgley, Bridget Moore, Sumi Perera, Simon Pierse, Richard Pikesley, Geoffrey Pimlott, Neil Pittaway, Trevor Price, Peter Quinn, Mark Raggett, Denis Ryan, Peter S. Smith, Richard Sorrell, Sandy Sykes, Bren Unwin, Roy Willingham, Judy Willoughby and Joseph Winkelman. All of the works will be for sale and a portion of the proceeds will benefit the gallery. This year, the Kingsmen Shakespeare Festival will run from June 30 through Aug. 6 and feature “Love’s Labour’s Lost” and “Julius Caesar.” The exhibit is free. The gallery is located in Soiland Humanities Center at 120 Memorial Parkway. It is open to the public from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For more information, contact Rachel T. Schmid at 805-493-3697 or visit CalLutheran.edu/kwanfong. Center for Nonprofit Leadership The Center for Nonprofit Leadership presents a lighthearted evening in celebration of the first anniversary of its re-launching, with a keynote address by author and fundraising trainer Kim Klein. The fun includes networking, music, refreshments and hors d’oeuvres. The mission of this Cal Lutheran center is to build the leadership and management capacity of regional nonprofits while serving the sector as a thought leader. Admission is free; RSVP is required. For information and to RSVP, contact Leanne Blackwell at (805) 493-3740 or blackwell@CalLutheran.edu. Lunchtime Organ Recital Series Adjunct faculty member Joseph Peeples showcases the 2,109-pipe Borg Petersen Memorial Organ in 30-minute recitals on the second Friday of each month. Varied works for all audiences. Attendees are encouraged to bring lunch. Admission is free. For information, call Campus Ministry at (805) 493-3228 or visit CalLutheran.edu/music. The Love & Loss Project The Love & Loss Project is a documentary theater project based on the true stories of people who have lost a life partner. Playwright/director Claytie Mason of Nebunele Theatre has worked closely with Hospice of the Conejo and their grief support community to create a moving production about partnership and resilience. In collaboration with concert musicians Rebecca Jackson, Lisa Weinstein and Tiffany Richardson of Sound Impact, singer-songwriter Melissa Thatcher, physical theater creator Brynna Jourden, and visual artist Molly Millar. General admission is $25, seniors $15, students $10. Sponsored by the Theatre Arts Department. For information and reservations, call (805) 493-3542. Film Screening: Rick Steves’ “Luther and the Reformation” Oct. 31, 2017, marks the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, launched in Wittenberg with 95 theses by a German Augustinian monk named Martin Luther. A public broadcasting special by travel host Rick Steves explains the whats, hows and whys of it all: the economic and social context of the tumultuous period in which Europe left the Middle Ages. The one-hour documentary was filmed in Erfurt, where Luther was ordained, Wittenberg and Rome. A discussion will follow the screening. Admission is free. Sponsored by the Division of Mission and Identity in recognition of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. For information, contact Marisa Post at (805) 493-3589 or mpost@CalLutheran.edu. Fall Sacred Dance Celebration Join Alleluia Dance Theater for a participatory sacred dance workshop. Alleluia is a nonprofit corporation whose mission for more than 35 years has been to inspire and encourage people in their spiritual journeys through movement. The one-day workshop includes non-Western sacred drumming as well as contemporary Christian liturgical dance. Dance and drumming of Ghana is taught in the morning and traditional western liturgical dance in the afternoon. All levels of dance experience are welcome. Pack your own lunch or purchase one on campus during the break from noon to 1 p.m. Donations to Alleluia accepted. Sponsored by the Theatre Arts Department and supported by a grant from the Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship. For information, contact Barbara Wegher-Thompson at (805) 241-8515 or wegher@CalLutheran.edu. |
By Anonymous — Wednesday, August 16th, 2017
Who better to welcome and barbeque for you than Fillmore’s finest, the Fillmore Fire Foundation, Fillmore Fire, and Fillmore Police Sheriff’s department, on Wednesday, August 9th gathered help host the Annual Freshman Incoming Barbeque at Fillmore High School. Photo Courtesy Sebastian Ramirez. Enlarge Photo |
By Anonymous — Wednesday, August 9th, 2017
Tuesday and Wednesday were very busy days at Fillmore High School. Students lined up outside the FHS library, cafeteria, and student store to register, get student IDs, year books, and more for the 2017/2018 school year. Tuesday, Seniors, Juniors, and Sophomores registered for their classes. Wednesday, they hosted Freshmen orientation to welcome and show the incoming Freshmen the ropes at Fillmore High School. Enlarge Photo |
By Anonymous — Wednesday, August 2nd, 2017
The Fillmore High School weight room had improvements made over the summer, and is ready for our FHS athletes for the upcoming 2017/18 school year. The goal for the new set up is to allow athletes the space for full range of motion, functional lifts that are sports specific. Our athletes will be able to generate more power over an extended range of motion. This translates to more force and speed—a deadly combination. Enlarge Photo |
By Anonymous — Wednesday, July 19th, 2017
(above) FHS Teachers working out an agreement with Ventura College to offer several dual enrollment courses at Fillmore High School. Dual enrollment is a new concept where students can take courses during the school day and receive both high school and college credits for the same course. The hope is to expose as many students as possible to a college academic experience while in high school. If and when they come to an agreement to offer the courses, Fillmore High School will be the first high school in Ventura County to offer dual enrollment course. This pilot program will be well worth the effort and our students will benefit immensely from the experience in more ways than one. Enlarge Photo |
By Anonymous — Wednesday, July 19th, 2017
The Early Academic Outreach Program, College Readiness Academy, was a big success. FHS had about 20 students (rising Seniors) attend the program during the summer. Students had the opportunity to get a head start on their college application process such as their Personal Insight Questions for the UC application, create accounts for the CSU/UC, College Board , ACT, and work on scholarships. Enlarge Photo |
By Anonymous — Tuesday, July 18th, 2017
CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) graduate and undergraduate students who would like to teach high school math will soon be able to apply for $10,000 scholarships, thanks to a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The NSF recently awarded CSUCI with $1,176,577 for a joint project entitled “California Coast Noyce Mathematics Partnership.” The program is intended to increase the number of high school teachers with strong science, technology, engineering, math (STEM) content knowledge to teach in high-need school districts. CSUCI’s Professor of Mathematics Ivona Grzegorczyk, Ph.D. applied for the grant in collaboration with CSU Monterey Bay (CSUMB), which also serves high-need school districts in the area. “What is happening right now in the United States is a shortage of mathematics teachers,” Grzegorczyk said. “It’s the most acute need that we have. We’re importing teachers now, mainly from India because they speak English already, but from other countries as well.” Each Noyce scholar may receive $10,000 annually for up to two years to fund their education. In return, scholars agree to teach for two years in a “high needs” school district, one year for each year of funding. Seven CSUCI students were chosen to receive Noyce scholarships this year: juniors Natalie Huerta; Jerome Manion; Kyle McHugh; Jessica Silva and Dale Perizzolo will receive two years of funding for a total of $20,000 each. The other two, seniors Michael Ruiz and Ana Rodriguez, will receive a year of funding as they pursue their teaching credential for a total of $10,000 each. Grzegorczyk said the idea is to attract those who want to teach and do research in mathematics, and she wants to see graduates highly qualified to do both. The collaboration with CSUMB allows scholars from both institutions to share research and build networks. California Coast Noyce scholars are chosen based on a number of criteria including a minimum 3.0 GPA in the last 60 semester units of coursework and a 2.75 GPA overall in the most recent 30 units of college classes. Applicants must be majoring in one of the sciences. Chair of Liberal Studies and Professor of Education Robert Bleicher, Ph.D., is assisting Grzegorczyk with selecting applicants and other aspects of the grant. Both Bleicher and Grzegorczyk said diversity is always welcome, especially when it comes to Spanish speakers and women. “Women actually are doing as well as men in high school mathematics,” Grzegorczyk said. “It’s college when they fall behind. This may be some sort of social pressure. Even if they finish with a mathematics degree, they do not go on to graduate schools.” "Our graduates did as well or better than average on the teachers' tests," said Grzegorczyk. Recipients must be U.S. Citizens or have U.S. National or Permanent Resident Alien status. Scholars must also have a commitment to teach mathematics. This is the second time CSUCI has received the grant, the first being for 2009-2014. CSU Humboldt was a partner with CSUCI and CSUMB for the earlier grant, but the grant seemed to have the most impact at Channel Islands and Monterey Bay. The Robert Noyce Teaching Scholarship program is designed for higher education institutions across the country that have a successful record in preparing math and science teachers. About California State University Channel Islands |