The Blaze - July 2014 by Lafromboise Communications, Inc.

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A Publication of The Chronicle for Centralia College Since 2012 • www.centraliablaze.com

A Celebration in Education

Survey Finds Math, Science Grads Earn Top Dollar

Recent Centralia College graduates hug after the end of the 2014 commencement ceremony on June 13 in Centralia. See Page 4 for additional

photographs from the commencement ceremony.

Success Highlights Centralia College Criminal Justice Program By Luke Kilgore For The Blaze

Centralia College's criminal justice program currently offers academic opportunities that can't be found in a majority of other programs of its kind. With the combined efforts of Associate Professors Greg Gilbertson and Tadd Belden, students have found success in different facets of the program. One of the various success stories highlights the achievements of Winlock High School graduate John Meyers. Meyers began his studies in the criminal justice program during Summer Quarter 2013. After finishing Fall Quarter of the same year, Meyers reached out to Gilbertson with the desire of pursuing a career with the Washington State Patrol.

Due to his hard work and determination at Centralia College, Meyers has jumpstarted his career a full year ahead of most other programs. From there, Gilbertson has taken Meyers under his wing and guided the young man through the application process. While going through this, Meyers has continued to take up to 20 credits per quarter and work as a part-time logger, as well, to help pay for his education. Being the grandson of World War II veteran and former Winlock mayor Cy Meyers, it should come as no surprise that Meyers chose a career path in public service. After nine months of work, Meyers recently completed his application process. As of July 7, Meyers has officially been placed on the payroll

of the Washington State Patrol in Olympia. Meyers' only remaining requirement is to attend the Washington State Patrol Training Academy in Shelton. Throughout his time at Centralia, Meyers has boarded with Ken Cotton, an associate professor in welding at the college. Despite Meyers’ busy schedule, the two are also hunting and fishing partners where they can find time. Cotton praised the work ethic and personality of Meyers. "John's very dedicated and he's a straight shooter," Cotton said. "Very honest. I think John will go very far. We're all happy for him." Upon completion of this

quarter, Meyers will graduate with his associate’s degree in Criminal Justice from Centralia after merely five quarters of study. He has also expressed interest in career paths leading to SWAT or game warden positions. Due to his hard work and determination at Centralia College, Meyers has jump-started his career a full year ahead of most other programs. Centralia currently has nearly 50 students enrolled in its criminal justice program. The Washington State Patrol is currently projecting up to 400 open trooper positions over the course of the next three to four years. They are just one of the many agencies actively seeking employees in the criminal justice or social service field. For more information on the various opportunities available in the program, contact Professor Greg Gilbertson at (360) 736-9391, extension 663 or email him at ggilbertson@ centralia.edu.

Robots Thrill Kids at Child and Family Studies By Edward Riley Centralia College

Simple robotic arms are doing powerful things for children in Centralia College’s Child and Family Studies preschool and pre-kindergarten classes. The robotic arms were rebuilt and repurposed by members of the Centralia College Electronics Club, who volunteered their time and financial resources to transform obsolete pieces into fun, educational toys for children. “It was a big team effort by the club and everyone really got behind the project,” said Clay-

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SummER SWIm LESSOnS!

Edward Riley / Centralia College

Children look at robotic arms rebuilt and repurposed by the Centralia College Electronics Club.

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ton Maines, Centralia College Electronics Club vice president and lead on the project. “The exciting part was seeing the look on the kids’ faces when we delivered them. They were so excited to be able to play with real robots.” The robotic arms allow children as young as three a chance to explore basic robotic technology. By coordinating numbers on the control panels with corresponding arm movements, such as bending and rotating to pick up objects, the children enhance their handeye coordination and counting please see Robots, page 3

CAMPUSCONNECTION

Profile in Success: Winlock Man Moves on to State Patrol With Degree in Hand

WASHINGTON (AP) — It seems to matter less whether your alma mater is public or private than what you study — math and science in particular — when it comes to finding a highpaying job after college, according to a report released Tuesday by the Education Department. The survey of the class of 2008, by the National Center for Education Statistics, provides an interesting snapshot of the nation's educated elite following a crushing economic recession: Overall, college grads reported lower unemployment rates compared with the national average, although black and Asian college graduates were twice as likely to be out of work than their white classmates. College grads from private four-year schools earned about the same as those from public four-year schools, about $50,000 a year. But while a paltry 16 percent of students took home degrees in science, technology, engineering or math, those who did were paid significantly better — averaging $65,000 a year compared with $49,500 of graduates of other degrees. The findings are based on a survey of 17,110 students conducted in 2012, about four years after the students obtained their bachelor's degrees. The survey found a strong correlation between earning money and highly specialized degrees. More than 95 percent of grads who studied computer and information sciences, for example, were employed full-time at the time of the survey and earned $72,600 on average. Engineering students reported similar job and salary prospects. That's compared with a humanities graduate who was more likely to report working multiple jobs and earn a full-time salary averaging only $43,100. The report also pointed to a correlation between being white or Asian and male and having a higher salary. Asian graduates reported earning more than other ethnicities, averaging $62,500 in fulltime jobs compared with $47,300 earned by Hispanics, $48,800 by blacks and $52,400 by whites. Likewise, male grads reported earning more — $57,800 on average — than their female classmates in fulltime jobs, who averaged $47,400. The study doesn't explain the disparities in pay, which could be attributed to different fields of study.

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CAMPUS NEWS

Your Look at Centralia College Life

CAMPUSCONNECTION B

Centralia College Students Wow Crowd with STEM Capstone Projects By Edward Riley Centralia College

This past May, students throughout Centralia College came together to present projects and research undertaken at the college’s second annual Capstone Project Presentation. With guidance from professors and instructors students presented their work to the college and public, and by every account those in attendance were truly impressed by the level of work performed. One such project from electronics and robotics students provided a local international manufacturing company, Pace Edwards, with a feasibility study for converting part of their manual manufacturing line to robotics manufacturing. Another group of students may have discovered a previously unknown sub-species of fish. And yet another group from the Centralia College Science Club hand-built a helicopter drone and a radio-controlled glider that will be launched 90,000 feet to the edge of space this July. Spearheading the effort to bring Capstone Project Presentations to Centralia College is assistant professor of chemistry Karen Goodwin. She quickly garnered faculty support to allow students to conduct advanced research and work in a litany of fields, including botany, geology, chemistry, electronics and robotics, environmental studies, and more. Goodwin says it gives Cen-

“This is how scientific work is presented at the university level, and having this opportunity early in their academic careers will certainly be a great benefit to our students.’’

Edward Riley / Centralia College

Faculty, students, members of the board of trustees and Dr. James Walton pose in this photograph taken at the college’s annual Capstone Project presentation. For more information about Capstone Projects and STEM education visit: www. centralia.edu/academics/bioscience/CCSTEM.html or contact assistant professor of chemistry Karen Goodwin at kgoodwin@centralia.edu.

Karen Goodwin

professor

tralia College students the chance to begin work at the university level, helps prepare them for work they’ll do later in their academic careers, and allows them to stand out in their fields of study and careers of choice. "The purpose of the Capstone Project Presentation day is to give the students at Centralia College a venue to present their research and projects in a public forum. This is how scientific work is presented at the university level, and having this opportunity early in their academic careers will certainly be a great benefit to our students. I am amazed at how the event has grown in just two years, and the quality of work our students have produced is truly impressive!"

A student’s Capstone project is seen in this photograph provided by Centralia College.

News in Brief

CAMPUSCONNECTION

Centralia College ECEAP Gains 20 New Preschool Slots Centralia College’s Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program, or ECEAP, has been given 20 new preschool slots, the state Department of Early Learning reported Thursday. The department announced 1,350 new open slots for preschoolers in the ECEAP program in 2014-15, of which 20 were granted to the program at Centralia College. Five part-day slots were converted to full day slots as well. The Washington State Legislature increased per-slot funding to $7,579 for the 201415 year. The Department of Early Learning says the state overall can offer preschool to more than 10,000 children this school year. The department said in a news release that it plans to intertwine funding for ECEAP with money from Working Connections Child Care to support the program, and also offer an extended-day option, which is classified as 10 hours or more, for working families. Children are eligible for ECEAP if their family is at or below 110 percent of the federal poverty level — an annual income of $25,905 for a family of four. If their family exceeds in-

come limits, but the child or children are receiving child protective services or family assessment response services, they may qualify. For more information, visit www.del.wa.gov.

College Awarded $25,000 for China Creek Enhancement The ongoing effort to enhance China Creek through the Centralia College campus received a boost this month when the college was awarded a $25,000 environmental grant. Centralia College received the $25,000 grant from the Rose Foundation, a California-based advocacy group committed to protecting the environment. The college already improved a section of China Creek, known as the Kiser Natural Outdoor Learning Laboratory, about two years ago. The KNOLL is used by the science faculty and students to study geology, environmental studies and botany, according to the college. Funds from the Rose Foundation grant will enhance the creek downstream from the KNOLL. Invasive species such as blackberries and canary plants will be removed and native species and trees will be planted to restore the banks to a natural habitat. The grant money will be dispersed over two years.

Centralia College is working with the Centralia Stream Team and Friends of China Creek to grow the salmon population throughout the entire creek. Salmon have started to spawn in the urban waterway over the past three years. Kim Ashmore, Centralia street and stormwater manager and Centralia Stream Team founder, said the city and college are working in a joint effort to restore China Creek. “Eventually we will get more and more salmon up the creek,” Ashmore said. “We are going to get it back to a pristine creek running through downtown Centralia.” The college is in the process of purchasing property on both sides of China Creek to build a parking lot and walking corridor. Enhancing the nearly 1,000 feet of China Creek through campus is a larger part of the college’s future plans,. Outgoing Centralia College President James Walton said in a news release he has high expectations that educational opportunities along with salmon habitat will increase around the creek.

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Robots: ‘Huge Success’ Continued from page 1

skills, all while having fun. “The results were a huge success and the children couldn’t have been more excited,” said Cristi Heitschmidt, associate dean of Child and Family Studies. “Some even mastered the somewhat complex movements within a short period of time. We are truly grateful for the Electronics Club students and all of the hard work they put in

to make this happen.” For more information about the Electronics, Robotics, and Automation program, visit www.centralia.edu/academics/ electronics/index.html or contact David Peterson at dpeterson@centralia.edu For more information about Child and Family Studies visit www.centralia.edu/academics/ childfamily/ or contact Cristi Heitschmidt at cheitsschmidt@ centralia.edu

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Blaze 3 • The Blaze, Centralia, Wash., July 2014

COLLEGE NEWS

Your Voice, Your Views

Federal Student Loan Interest Rates Increase WASHINGTON (AP) — Interest rates went up this month for students taking out new federal loans. This hike is relatively minimal but could foreshadow more increases to come. The change stems from a high-profile, bipartisan deal brokered last year by Congress and signed by President Barack Obama that ties the rates to the financial markets.

Interest rates go from 3.86 to 4.66 percent on undergraduate Stafford loans. Graduate student loans go from 5.41 percent to 6.21 percent. Interest rates on Plus loans for parents go from 6.41 percent to 7.21 percent. For every $10,000 borrowed, the average borrower under the hike will pay back about $4 more every month when they begin paying back the money — about

the price of a fancy latte. If the economy continues to improve, however, these kinds of rate hikes could continue. Congress stipulated that the rates for new loans be reset annually, but that borrowers keep the rate they were given for the life of the loan. The compromise in Congress was reached after rates doubled last July.

Students take out new loans each year, so by the time they graduate they could be repaying loans that have different interest rates. Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of edvisors.com, estimates that today's freshman could potentially see rates the same or higher than they were when Congress acted by the time they graduate. When Congress

acted, rates for undergraduate students were at 6.8 percent. "The real concern is that the interest rates have nowhere to go but up," Kantrowitz said. The deal did include some caps. Interest rates will not top 8.25 percent for undergraduates. Graduate students will not pay rates higher than 9.5 percent, and parents' rates top out at 10.5 percent.

Push to Keep Incoming College Students on Track Preventing ‘Melt’: Many Prospective College Students Decide not to Pursue Higher Education During Summer After High School Graduation ST. LOUIS (AP) — The excitement of acceptance into that dream college has passed. The first day of classes is still weeks away. But the resources provided by high school teachers and computer labs are no longer available for recent graduates. Education researchers and academic counselors call it "summer melt," the precarious time when some collegebound students fall through the cracks, at risk of abandoning their higher education plans entirely. Studies show that firstgeneration college students and those from low-income families are particularly vulnerable. In St. Louis, a drop-in counseling center helps such students negotiate financial aid agreements, housing contracts and the other many details of college enrollment. School districts in Chicago, Dallas, Miami, Minnesota and West Virginia are among those using text messages to keep aspiring college students on track. "You get the acceptance letter and start the celebration," said Shauna Cunningham, a high school guidance counselor who's spent the past two summers at the St. Louis Graduates High School to College Center. "They don't realize all the other steps." Recent studies by Harvard University's Center for Education Policy Research found that an estimated 20 percent of graduating seniors from urban school districts in places such as greater Boston, suburban Atlanta, Dallas and Fort Worth,

‘‘What our work shows is that in fact, students encounter a pretty complicated array of financial and procedural tasks to complete over the summer.’’ Ben Castleman

Harvard researcher

Got Skills? The Blaze is always accepting submissions from Centralia College students for the opinion page, photos of events, or even comics. Think you’ve got what it takes to write for The Blaze? Email Editor-in-Chief Luke Kilgore at lkilgore@ chronline.com, or call The Blaze World Headquarters at (360) 807-8250.

B THE BLAZE STAFF Editor-in-Chief: Luke Kilgore

In this photo taken June 10, Erika Malone, of St. Louis Community College, center, talks with a prospective student and her mother at the St. Louis High School to College Center in St. Louis. A drop-in counseling center akin to a pop-up retail store, the center helps low-income students make the transition to college by negotiating financial aid agreements, housing contracts and the other myriad details of college enrollment.

Texas, abandon their plans to attend college over the summer. Among prospective community college students, the summer melt rate increases to about 40 percent, said former Harvard researcher Ben Castleman, now an assistant professor of education and public policy at the University of Virginia. A lack of financial aid is to blame in about half of those cases, Castleman said. But students also wind up getting derailed by much less significant hurdles, from failing to meet course enrollment deadlines to registering for summer orientation programs. "The idea was that if you could get a kid to graduate from high school, they'd been accepted and chosen where to go, that student was going to show up," he said. "What our work shows is that in fact, students encounter a pretty complicated array of

financial and procedural tasks to complete over the summer." Daisha Tankins, 19, had planned to attend Spelman College in Atlanta after graduating from a St. Louis high school last summer. But unable to afford the private college and unwilling to go into more than $100,000 in debt after four years, she enrolled at HarrisStowe State University in her hometown. Like Spelman, it is a historically black school, but with far more modest costs. Tankins now works as a peer mentor at the St. Louis counseling center, offering guidance to students who find themselves at a similar crossroads. "A lot of students are bewildered and can't understand the magnitude of what's going on," she said. School districts and colleges are beginning to find that reducing summer melt doesn't

require dramatic intervention. For just $7 per student, school districts in Lawrence and Springfield, Massachusetts, were able to boost their number of college-bound graduates, according to research by Castleman and Harvard colleague Lindsay Page, a research assistant professor of education at the University of Pittsburgh. Students received introductory text messages such as "We want to help you w/ college! Stay tuned for key summer to dos. Save this #, you can txt us for help!." Their parents received similarly tailored messages with reminders about financial aid, orientation enrollment, tuition bill deadlines, campus health insurance and college placement exams. A subsequent text message campaign was aimed at lowincome college students who received federal Pell Grants as

freshmen but were in danger of dropping out due to not reapplying for financial aid. On a recent weekday afternoon, St. Louis high school graduate Kelcee Burton stopped by the drop-in counseling center just blocks from Washington University, which donated the storefront to the nonprofit group St. Louis Graduates. The Sumner High School valedictorian has been accepted at the University of Missouri and expects to receive roughly $18,000 in grants for the coming year. But gaining admission was only the start for Burton, who was four when her mother died and has spent the past year living with a friend after her father remarried. There are immunization records to track down and a housing waiting list to maneuver at the flagship state campus. She stopped by the counseling center at a friend's suggestion and left with the confidence about starting college come August. "I really didn't even think about all these details. I had no idea," she said. "I thought I was good to go."

States Encourage Bilingualism With Diploma Seals

MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP

ELK HUNT

One weekend of hunting for a single bull elk, three-point minimum, on TransAlta Centralia Mine Lands during the 2014 WDFW modern rifle general hunting season. Winner will be drawn at the Hanke House, Monday, August 4, 4 p.m.

Tickets

DAVE SHERWOOD

$25each

All proceeds will benefit Centralia College scholarships.

MAXIMUM OF 500 TICKETS AVAILABLE

Winner responsible for purchasing Washington state hunting license and tag. The hunt must be coordinated and approved with a TransAlta representative.

TICKETS AVAILABLE AT JOE’S SPORTING GOODS, SUNBIRDS AND BOOK ‘N’ BRUSH

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