education

The Genesee County Business Education Alliance (BEA) is offering three career-exploration camps this summer Genesee County middle-school students.

Brand-new this year is a camp exploring careers related to math, science and technology. The MST Explorer Camp is July 20 and 21 and it is for students who are currently in 6th, 7th and 8th grades.

The MST camp on July 20 is for boys and the girls camp is July 21.

The camp fee is $25 and will run all day, 7:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. Lunch and snacks are included. It will be held at Batavia Middle School.

Students will learn how math, science and technology can translate to exciting career options. Some of the activities will include: designing and building bridges; testing CO2 cars; exploring aerodynamics through a hot-air balloon, a real race car, and an ultralite aircraft; experiencing energy; and learning about the future of alternative energy sources, and much more.

The MASH (Medical Academy of Science and Health) Camp will be July 27-30 for current sixth- and seventh-graders. The camp fee is $40 and includes lunches and snacks. The camp will be held at a variety of locations. including United Memorial Medical Center and Genesee Community College.

The MASH Camp explores careers related to health and health-care fields, including the new career clusters, life sciences and biotechnology. The camp is hands-on and offers a variety of interactive activities for students to gain a better understanding of what it’s like to be in some of these careers. The activities are led by dedicated professionals who are excited about their jobs and who want to share that with students.

Culinary Camp will be Aug. 2-6, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., for students currently in sixth- and seventh-grades. The camp fee is $25. Students will receive chef hats and aprons.  This camp will be held at a variety of locations including Tops Food Market in Batavia, Genesee Valley Educational Partnership’s Batavia Campus, and restaurants in downtown Batavia.

Culinary Camp is a career-exploration camp for students interested in experiencing and learning about careers related to culinary arts and the hospitality field. Students will have a unique opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look at the daily operations of Tops and how the staff works to meet the local community's needs.

Students will spend three days learning cooking techniques and creating meals under the direction of the culinary arts instructor from Genesee Valley Educational Partnership. The camp will conclude with a tour of restaurants in downtown Batavia.

For more information on these camps or to register, please contact Melinda Chamberlin at <mchamberlin@geneseeny.com> or at 343-7440, ext. 25. Information is also available through the school district counseling offices.

Do you remember participating in the incubation and embryology project, either as a student or as an adult?  Odds are you are familiar with this program, just one part of Cornell Cooperative Extensions’ 4-H Youth Development programming.   Extension educator Barb Sturm is again visiting Genesee County classrooms, delivering this exciting hands-on learning experience.  

One component of Barbs’ job is Ag in the Classroom, an effort to help students, teachers and parents learn about agriculture, why it is important, why we should care, and how important agriculture is not only to Genesee County, but to the entire world!

What you may not know is why this program (incubation and embryology) exists, and why it matters. This interdisciplinary project is designed to provide youth with a “hands on” experience while classroom teachers have the opportunity to satisfy science, math and ELA core requirements.  While watching the fuzzy little chicks find their way out of the eggs, youth are increasing their knowledge and developing personal confidence and leadership ability through related project activities.  They are developing an interest in the science of embryology.  And as they learn about incubation, hatching and brooding, they  have opportunities to demonstrate the skills they have mastered in embryology.

This is one of the more well known programs that Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County offers as part of the 4-H Youth Development Program.  There is so much more that 4-H offers to youth.   Through hands-on, experiential learning, youth develop life skills including

Learning to Learn

•          Developing intellectual curiosity

•          Learning through experience

•          Learning by using the five senses

Leading Self and Others

•          Working on a team

•          Identifying one's own competencies

Relating to Others

•          Trusting one's self and others

•          Accepting diversity

Communicating With Others

•          Disagreeing and refusing

•          Speaking before a group

•          Creative expression

Planning and Organizing

•          Setting short-term goals

Whether you are directly involved in this program or not, over the next few weeks, students in Alexander, Batavia, Bergen, Corfu, East Pembroke, Leroy, Oakfield and Pavilion will be learning all about it. 

Donations and assistance have been received from Cargill, Harper Hill Farm, and the Genesee County Fur & Feather 4-H Club.  Thank you one and all for your participation and support of this, and all, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County programming.

If you have questions or are interested in learning more about the Incubation and Embryology project, 4-H, or Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County, please (585)343-3040, or visit our website, www.genesee.shutterfly.com

Here's news from Genesee Community College about its board of trustees meeting earlier this week.

Genesee Community College has been awarded a $457,661 grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) for replacement of campus lighting with new energy-efficient devices.

Through the grant, the college will replace incandescent and fluorescent lighting fixtures and ballasts with more efficient fluorescent lighting and light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs over the next year. LED bulbs are highly energy-efficient and last longer than traditional bulbs, according to Kevin P. Hamilton, vice president for finance and operations.

"These changes create greater light output per unit of electrical power used," Hamilton said. "And will result in savings of at least $48,000 annually at Genesee.

NYSERDA is a state agency created to fund research and infrastructure initiatives that result in greater efficiency throughout the state, and ultimately a reduction in reliance on fossil fuels. NYSERDA grants are highly competitive. The grant proposal was coordinated by longtime Buildings and Grounds Director Timothy M. Landers.

"This is a grant we have never had before," President Stuart Steiner told trustees. "It is very significant."

Hamilton told trustees that the college will continue to seek "green" grants.

"Our hope is that we will receive additional funds to be able to complete other projects such as boiler replacements, upgrades to the energy management system and motor replacements," Hamilton said. "We continue to study the feasibility of solar and wind power."

In other business, the board of trustees:

• Approved a $16,863 athletic facilities upgrade change order for the purchase and installation of new lockers in the men's locker room.
• Heard Board Chair Laurie J. Miller appoint a three-member board subcommittee to review proposed fees for the college's Batavia Campus athletic fields. Named to the ad-hoc committee were Maureen T. Marshall, Chair; Kenneth A. Dodd, and Laura J. Bohm.
• Heard Vice President for Finance and Operations Kevin P. Hamilton report that drywall is being installed in the portion of the new Genesee County Economic Development Center's Med Tech Park designated for the College's nursing program. Staff should be able to move in by July 1. Hamilton also said that only "punch list" items need to be completed on the turf field project. These include landscaping and bleacher work. He also shared preliminary architectural sketches of the planned Art Gallery. Architects recommend a limestone exterior, to match the nearby Batavia Campus entranceways.
• Heard Vice President for Student and Enrollment Services Virginia M. Taylor report that 1,308 individuals applied for admission as full-time students for the Spring 2010 semester, up 32% from the 990 individuals who had applied a year earlier.
• Heard Taylor report that the college is receiving applications from area high school students for Summer 2010 Genesee Promise Plus scholarships. Under this program, seniors enrolled in area high schools receive a scholarship for one or two summer courses at Genesee. Last year, the Promise Plus program had 351 registrations, up 14% from the 217 registrations received in summer 2008, the program's first year.
• Heard Genesee student Lori Mould describe "Bridge Winter Camp," an event that brought 200 SUNY faculty, staff and students to The People's Republic of China over the winter break. The Chinese government invited SUNY to send a delegation as a follow-up to SUNY's gesture a year earlier to bring 150 Chinese students from earthquake-ravaged Sichuan Province. Eight Chinese students completed a year of study at Genesee during the 2008-2009 academic year. Mould shared photographs of Beijing, Olympic Village, Chinese art and architecture, the Panda Research Center, and the Great Wall of China. She was able to meet one of the former Genesee students during the trip. Mould called the visit to China a "life-changing experience." Mould also serves as Genesee Community College student trustee.
• Heard Genesee student Colleen McKay describe her business experience in her native Canada, and how she came to select Genesee as her college choice. McKay, whose family lives in Woodstock, Ontario, started a farm market business with her brothers and sisters as a youngster. The business operates about six months a year, selling produce and baked goods. Called – "Your Farm Market" – it has grown over the years and now earns more than $400,000 annually in gross revenue. McKay, 20, and a longtime softball pitcher, met Genesee Assistant Softball Coach Pat Clark, who was visiting Woodstock and talking to prospective students. "I spent about five minutes with him, and he taught me six new pitches in that short period of time. I was so amazed by him, and after he left, I looked up Genesee Community College on the web. I knew I wanted to come here and play softball." McKay is pursuing a degree in Entrepreneurship and holds a 4.0, or straight A, average. She calls Genesee an "amazingly friendly place.

An essay competition sponsored by the Cornell Club of Buffalo is open to all 11th graders in Western New York and Southern Ontario, Canada. This means all juniors in public or private schools, as well as home-schooled students in their penultimate year of schooling.

The Cornell Club believes that participation in this contest will aid students in the development of their critical thinking and writing skills. Development of these skills is vital to the maturity of a well-rounded lifelong learner and will make one a much more attractive applicant during the college admissions process.

The club says: "One of the most important skills that you will continue to develop during the balance of your high school years and in college is the ability to thoughtfully evaluate opposing viewpoints - in other words, to think critically. This skill is important not only for students and scholars, but also for nearly every occupation you might choose, as well as for your personal mental growth and maturity."

The Grand Prize will consist of $100, a certificate, a letter of award and a limited edition copy of  Cornell University’s Reading Initiative book of the year, “The Grapes of Wrath” by John Steinbeck. Each Second Prize and Honorable Mention prize will consist of: a certificate, a letter of award and a limited edition copy of the “Grapes of Wrath.”

There will be one Grand Prize awarded, and as many second prizes and honorable mentions as the club sees fit. The Cornell Club of Buffalo offers the prize; winning or placing favorably in the essay contest in no way implies a favorable admission decision by any of Cornell's seven undergraduate colleges.

The Rules:

• Answer the PROMPT below as completely as you can in 1,000 words or fewer. There are no limits to the range of your response, but it should give a picture of your personality and beliefs, and should imaginatively include your own life experiences including, but not necessarily limited to: reading, school, travel, work, personal successes, personal failures, sense of humor, current events, family history, etc.
• If you refer to another author’s work in a manner that would require citation, you may include footnotes or end-notes in any commonly accepted format. These citations will not count toward your 1,000-word limit.
• Finally, on the last page of the document include:

1. Your name
2. Your parents’ or guardians’ names
3. Your home address, telephone number, and e-mail address where we may contact you
4. The name of your school
5. The name of your English teacher with his/her school phone number.
6. Please do not include any identifying information (your name, your teacher's name, etc.) on any page other than the last page.
7. All entries must be in Microsoft Word format or text format.
8. Submit your essay as a single e-mail attachment to the following e-mail address:

c.sasiadek@gmail.com with the subject line “Cornell Club Essay Competition.”All entries must be e-marked no later than April 1.

PROMPT:
There are some who argue that the purpose of higher education is to train individuals in immediately practical skills with an eye toward fulfilling the perceived needs of society and the economy -- by training students in fields such as agriculture, medicine and engineering. There are others who argue that the purpose of higher education is to develop general learning skills and to add to human knowledge whether in an immediately practical manner or not. They believe that fields such as art, philosophy and the classics are more important than practical fields of study.
What is your opinion regarding these two educational philosophies?

Genesee Community College will once again offer the Genesee Promise Plus Scholarship program to all 2010 GLOW area high school graduates. Under the Genesee Promise Plus Scholarship program, any 2010 high school graduate is eligible to take up to two free college courses during the July 6 - Aug. 7 summer session if they attended high school in Genesee, Livingston, Orleans or Wyoming Counties (the College's GLOW service area).

The Genesee Promise Plus also includes the following students:

• Students who live in the four-county GLOW service area who earned a GED Diploma in 2010 are eligible for up to two free summer courses, regardless of age.
• 2010 GLOW area graduates from home-school programs.
• 2010 high school graduates who attended high schools outside of the GLOW service area but have accumulated GCC college credits through the College's ACE Program.

Under the Genesee Promise Plus Scholarship Program, students can take up to two free summer courses at any of the College's seven campus locations including Albion, Arcade, Batavia, Dansville, Lima, Medina and Warsaw. The scholarship pays all tuition and fees and the student is only responsible for purchasing required textbooks. These earned credits can be used to get a head start on college and can be used not only at GCC, but can also be transferred to State University of New York (SUNY) schools and most other colleges and universities.

The deadline for submitting the Genesee Promise Plus Scholarship Application is June 18. The one-page application form is available at all seven Genesee Community College campus locations, as well as on-line at www.genesee.edu/promise <http://www.genesee.edu/promise>. There is no limit to the number of students receiving these scholarships.

For more information, contact Tanya Lane-Martin through email, tmlanemartin@genesee.edu  <http://tmlanemartin@genesee.edu> or call the Admission's Office at 585-345-6800 or 1-866-CALL-GCC. In Batavia, the college is located at 1 College Road.

Here's information provided by a press release from GCC.

More than 600 students were able to begin or continue their education at Genesee Community College during the last five years as a result of the Genesee Community College Foundation's Emergency Assistance Program.

The foundation provides financial grants for students who may have to leave college as a result of sudden personal hardships that occur through no fault of their own. Over the last five years, emergency grants have been provided to students who were victims of house fires, death or desertion of a spouse, or some other personal emergency or tragedy.

Although the foundation raises funds for emergency grants as part of its annual fundraising efforts, a mainstay of emergency-assistance support comes from earnings from the foundation's Challenge Fund. It's a $525,000 endowment fund created between 2000 and 2004 by private donors and the Department of Education. The fund was established after the college received a highly competitive Department of Education challenge grant, offering two dollars for every private dollar raised. The foundation raised the private dollars, created the endowment and dubbed it "The Challenge Fund."

The college is fortunate to recently receive a second endowment challenge; this one is an $80,000 dollar-for-dollar challenge for each of the next five years. As the foundation raises $80,000 in private gifts, the Department of Education will forward an additional $80,000 to expand the endowment, and the earnings will provide more assistance to students in need in the future.

In each case, the emergency grant provided a modest sum that enabled the student to continue their education, according to Alice Weather, director of the Foundation's Annual Fund.

"For example, one student recently lost her school supplies and textbooks in a fire that destroyed her family home," Weather said. "We provided funds to replace these materials. We sometimes see single parents in their 30s or 40s who are working, raising a family and struggling to get an education, then their car breaks down. For most of us this isn't a huge problem, but students depend on their cars to get to class, so we can help with emergency repairs.

"In another case, we provided funds for a week of child care after an adult student's mother, who had been babysitting, was rushed to the hospital with a medical emergency. To many students the grant is literally the lifeline they need to overcome an emergency and stay on track with their education."

"Students are often stretched to the limit," said Tamara Adams, outreach specialist in the Adult Educational Opportunity Center (AOEC) at Genesee. "We want to retain students who are truly dedicated to their education and have genuine needs from emergencies. Every semester I see unexpected expenses turn into a financial crisis that can end up taking a student out of school. We cannot permit strong, capable students to disrupt their education over a few hundred dollars."

Adams noted that students facing an emergency must have a nomination from a faculty or staff member, employer or human services agency who can verify the emergency before a grant will be made. When the emergency assistance money runs out, students have to be turned away. The occasions of students needing emergency or unplanned emergency support are growing and becoming more costly.

Adams said that the college often receives thank-you notes from students who have received emergency support. A victim of a devastating fire wrote: "Thank you so much. You have helped me tremendously when I thought all hope was lost. I had to find another apartment and my text books were completely incinerated. I just want to say thank you to everyone!"

The Genesee Community College Foundation seeks financial support to meet the new endowment challenge grant to support students in need as well as to provide for a wide range of other scholarships, including academically oriented scholarships and scholarships for students preparing for careers critical to the region's growth. Pledges and gifts for the foundation scholarship and grant programs are payable to: The Genesee Community College Foundation, One College Road, Batavia, NY 14020.

For more information on foundation programs call (585) 345-6809 or write to the address above or foundation@genesee.edu

The Genesee Community College Foundation was founded in 1986 by civic and business leaders to provide philanthropic and volunteer support to the College. The foundation has provided several thousand scholarships since that time, assisted in the financing of two new buildings on the Batavia Campus, and it was instrumental in the acquisition of student housing.

After almost two years of planning, the Genesee Community College Board of Trustees this week approved a new Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree program in Veterinary Technology. It will now be submitted for final approval by the State University of New York and the New York State Education Department.

The program prepares students to work in partnerships with veterinarians as licensed veterinary technicians. Most veterinary technicians work in animal hospitals and clinics, shelters, research labs and zoos.

In recent years, many prospective Genesee students have asked about veterinary technology programs, said Eunice Bellinger, Ph.D, executive vice president for Academic Affairs. The demand for veterinary technologists is expected to grow by 20 percent in New York State over the next six years, and 41percent nationwide.

"This is a very high-demand profession," she told trustees. "The high concentration of farms in our region is one factor in local demand for the veterinary technology profession, and the overall popularity of pets is another."

The college anticipates beginning the program this fall and at least 15 students will be admitted to the first class. That number will more than double during the second year, Bellinger said. It's likely that Genesee will receive many more applications than it can accept.

"We anticipate that this will be a highly competitive program, much like other health care programs at Genesee," she said.

Genesee Community College Veterinary Technology students will complete courses in Anatomy and Physiology, Veterinary Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Veterinary Nutrition, Techniques in Laboratory Animals and Exotics, Small Animal Pathology and Nursing, Large Animal Pathology and Nursing, Surgical Nursing and Anesthesiology, Veterinary Radiology and Dentistry, Parasitology, as well as general education courses that include communications and mathematics. Students also complete three "externships" – supervised experience working with animals in a clinical setting.

The entire program consists of 72-credit hours, and can be completed by students pursuing full-time study in two years. Nine of the program's courses include extensive lab work, and the college will develop a veterinary lab at the Batavia Campus, Bellinger said.

The program will prepare students to complete the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE), which is required for veterinary technician licensure in New York State. Genesee will apply to have the program accredited by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards.

Genesee graduates with an A.A.S. degree in veterinary technology will also have the opportunity to deepen their education in the veterinary management field or even become veterinarians, Bellinger told trustees. The college plans to develop transfer agreements with colleges and universities offering baccalaureate and other advanced veterinary programs.

SUNY Canton, which offers a degree in Veterinary Management Services, and SUNY Delhi, which offers a Bachelor of Business Administration in Veterinary Technology, have both expressed interest in developing a transfer program for Genesee graduates. Cornell University and Ross University School of Veterinary Science have also both expressed interest in developing transfer programs for students wishing to become veterinarians.

The new Veterinary Technology Program will be a deep source of pride to Genesee, Bellinger said.

"Our health care programs have long been regarded as among the very best in the northeastern United States," she said. "In our heavily agricultural region, an academic program focusing on animal health is a natural outgrowth of our mission and expertise. We look forward to developing a veterinary technology program that will be held in high esteem by students, the entire veterinary profession and the community."

Genesee Community College's Board of Trustees on Monday evening approved a new Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree program in Polysomnographic Technology -- the evaluation and diagnosis of more than 100 sleep disorders.

The degree is the first of its kind in any college or university in New York State.

With the Board's approval, the program will now be submitted to the State University of New York for approval, and later, to the New York State Education Department. The college expects the program to begin this fall and anticipates 35 students to be enrolled, according to Eunice Bellinger, Ph.D, executive vice president for Academic Affairs.

Full-time students can complete the intensive 66-credit program in four semesters. Graduates will be eligible to sit for the national Registered Polysomnographic Technologist (RPSGT) examination. New York State is expected to soon require licensing of polysomnographic technologists, and Genesee graduates will be eligible for licensure.

Polysomnographic technology is one of the fastest growing fields in medicine. Its technicians work closely with physicians to diagnose sleep-related problems and provide support services to patients. They usually work in "sleep laboratories," where patients with sleep problems spend one or more nights under intensive clinical observation. Technologists monitor patients' breathing, blood oxygen levels, brain waves, eye movements, muscle tone and other clinical variables. They use a variety of highly specialized clinical equipment, such as electroencephalograph, electrooculograph, electromyograph and electrocardiograph machines to assist in diagnosis. Technologists also counsel patients in the use of respiratory and sleep devices that aid in sleep hygiene.

Courses include Anatomy and Physiology, Physiology of Sleep Medicine, Sleep Study Instrumentation, Sleep Disorders, Environmental Chemistry, General Psychology, as well as four courses in Polysomnography and general education courses. The academic program also includes two clinical practice courses giving students the opportunity practice their skills in a sleep lab.

Sleep disorders are getting increased attention throughout the medical community. Bellinger told trustees that "sleep disorders are often associated with other medical conditions, such as obesity. Medical technology has given us a variety of ways to assess and diagnose neurological, cardiac and muscular problems during sleep and, ultimately, help patients lead healthier lives. We are looking forward to adding this Polysomnographic Technology program to our academic offerings, and making valuable new contributions to the health of people in our local communities."

Genesee Community College will host a Bio-Tech Science Fair from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Friday in the Forum at the Batavia Campus.

The Science Fair will involve four schools from throughout the GLOW region, including 225 elementary and 85 high school students.

The third- and fourth-graders will collectively come from Robert Morris Elementary (Batavia), Medina, Perry and York schools.

The participating teens will be from Batavia High School. They will mentor and lead the elementary students through a series of lab experiments and hands-on science activities that will expose them to interesting, challenging and current science topics with an emphasis on biotechnology.

The student teachers will have the opportunity to explore the area of teaching sciences and the rapidly growing field of biotechnology. They will also be encouraged to explore the many opportunities available to them in the world of science as well teaching and education, including the Biotechnology, AS degree offered at Genesee Community College.

All participants will have the opportunity to learn how to use scientific equipment, new technologies and computer software.

"I hope that the Bio-tech Science Fair exposes both our high school students and our elementary students to the exciting world of biotechnology," said Deborah Dunlevy, College Tech Prep coordinator at Genesee. "There is a great need for talented professionals in math, science, and technology. This is a unique opportunity for the students to become familiar with a cutting edge and exciting career field."

The fair is funded in part by the College's Tech Prep program and the President's Innovation Award grant.

For further information please contact Dunlevy, at 343-0055 x 6316 or dkdunlevy@genesee.edu . <http://dkdunlevy@genesee.edu .>

Genesee Community College is accepting nominations for Honorary Associate degrees that are conferred at the annual commencement ceremony each May. Any person is welcome to make nominations. Nominations are due by Feb. 1.

Genesee seeks individuals associated with the college who have achieved business, professional, civic and scholarly accomplishments, as well as made notable contributions to the college or to academic disciplines taught at the college.

Recipients of honorary degrees are individuals whose accomplishments, contributions or leadership are well beyond ordinary standards, and serve as an inspiration to members of the college community and as role models for students and citizens of the region.

Nomination forms can be retrieved online at the following Internet address: http://marketing.genesee.edu/images/HonoraryForm.pdf

For Honorary Degree guidelines, please go to:http://marketing.genesee.edu/images/HonoraryGuidelines.pdf

The completed forms should be submitted to: Cathy Costello, executive assistant to the president and secretary to the board of tustees, Genesee Community College, One College Road, Batavia, NY 14020. For further information, please call Cathy at 585-345-6812 or email: cecostello@genesee.edu. <http://cecostello@genesee.edu.>