Friday, May 24, 2013

CACC celebrates 25 years of Partnership with The University of Missouri Administrative Services




     The Career Center and the University of Missouri Administrative Services celebrate a 25-year relationship they describe as a "perfect partnership."
     "We view it as an absolutely perfect partnership," said Jackie Jones, vice chancellor of the administrative services department at MU. "We match up so well. We have a lot of departments, many of whom are hiring the skill sets involved at the Career Center."
     Facets of the partnership include job shadowing, resume help and mock interviews involving the IT, trades and culinary arts areas taught at the Career Center.
     One of the biggest areas was the creation of the "I Can" award, Jones said. "It is based on attendance, quality of work and respect for others and yourself. If students continue doing what they have done to receive the award, they will be successful in life."
     The awards are given out at quarterly breakfasts that are well attended by supportive friends and family. Additionally well attended is the awards ceremony held at the end of the year at Jesse Auditorium honoring students completing certificates and individual honors in the Career Center disciplines.
     Overall, Jones sees the partnership as a "great relationship over the years, a good combination of skills and goals."


Junior Culinarian and Junior Pastry Culinarian Certificates piloted at CACC



This was the first year CACC Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry students had the opportunity to complete the requirements to obtain Certified Junior Culinarian (CJC) and Certified Junior Pastry Culinarian (CJPC) certifications through the American Culinary Federation. To receive CJC and CJPC status, students must graduate from an ACFEF Secondary Certified Program, score 70% or higher on a written test and 75% or higher on the performance portion of the test. Students who have taken Culinary Arts 1 as well as either Culinary Arts 2 or Baking and Pastry were eligible to test. Previously, Culinary 2 and Baking and Pastry students, who are considered concentrators, have taken the written portion of the test only. This year, students were given the option to also take the performance portion as well and receive certification.

The performance test requires students to prepare four items to specification within a given time frame. This assesses the students' culinary knowledge and skills as well as their creativity, organization and time management. While students practice drills like this during the school year, testing for certification with professional chef evaluators takes it to a new level. No matter how hard they prepare, this tests their skills and nerves. The evaluators noted that a test of this scale is similar to what post secondary culinary students would be required to perform in an advanced culinary class.

This opportunity wouldn't be possible without the cooperation of community partners who graciously gave their time and expertise to serve as evaluators during the performance exam. A special thanks to Benjamin Hamrah, General Manager and Executive Chef of Peachtree Catering; Scott Gestring, Sous Chef at the University Club; Mike Odette, Owner and Executive Chef of Sycamore Restaurant; Dennis Clay, Executive  Chef at Inside Columbia Magazine; Margaret Hughes, Pastry Chef at the University Club and Katie Frink, Pastry Chef at Sycamore. As an added bonus, some of the chefs met with students after the test to share their critiques, give them pointers, and encouragement, commenting on how our mistakes often teach us the most. Their advice, "Don't get discouraged; take what you learn from this experience and apply it to the next."

The Chef Evaluators were quick to praise the Culinary program at Columbia Area Career Center  saying how fortunate the students are to have state of the art equipment and committed instructors, Chef Rayl, Chef Risner and Chef Harlan, who spend countless hours inside and outside of the classroom helping prepare students for future careers in the culinary industry.


Certified Junior Pastry Culinarians
Cameron Grahl (RBHS)
Brian Jost (RBHS)
Elizabeth Keel (HHS)
Ashley McWilliams (HHS)
Julia Peterson-Southern (HHS)
Lydia Priest-Regan (RBHS)
Mackenzie Ruebling (RBHS)
Jacob Schmidt (RBHS)
Mallory Barnes (RBHS)
Hailey King (RBHS)
Taylor Parker (RBHS)
Heather Pitt (HHS)
Dahnya Rogers (RBHS)

Certified Junior Culinarians
Mallory Barnes (RBHS)
Christopher Bush (RBHS)
Hailey King (RBHS)
Corina McClee (HHS)
Gethsemany Ortega (HHS)
Heather Pitt (HHS)
Dahnya Rogers (RBHS)
Austin Scoles (RBHS)
Cormac Sullivan (RBHS)

Potatoes are prepped

Potatoes are prepared
Broccoli is prepped
Broccoli is prepared

Chicken is prepped
Chicken is prepped
Chicken is browned then baked

Sauce is prepared

Chicken is sliced

Cream puffs are shaped

Cream is whipped
Food is plated
Plates are displayed
The finished product



Thursday, May 23, 2013

Graphic Design Student wins Breaking Traditions Poster Contest

Paige Steuber displays the winning design


Graphic Design student and Hickman senior Paige Steuber won the Breaking Traditions Poster design contest sponsored by  the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Regional Career  Education Coordinators. Breaking Traditions is a program that promotes non-traditional students in career and technical fields. Each year  regional and statewide winners are selected in secondary, post secondary, instructor and employer categories. A poster with the winners names and photos is created and displayed in every Missouri career and technical school.  Paige was honored at the Missouri State Capital on May 3, 2013 in a ceremony along with the  Breaking Traditions Scholarship winners. 

Congratulations to the Class of 2013

The staff of Columbia Area Career Center would like to congratulate the class of 2013 and wish them success in the future. Here are of some of the places you will find them:


University of Missouri-Columbia, Missouri
Moberly Area Community College-Columbia, Missouri
Stephens College-Columbia, Missouri
Columbia College-Columbia, Missouri
Linn State Technical College-Linn, Missouri
Central Methodist University-Fayette, Missouri
Lincoln University-Jefferson City, Missouri
University of Central Missouri-Warrensburg, Missouri
University of Missouri Kansas City-Kansas City, Missouri
Washington University-St Louis, Missouri
Missouri Baptist University-St Louis, Missouri
Missouri State University-Springfield, Missouri
Drury University-Springfield, Missouri
Missouri S & T-Rolla, Missouri
Rockhurst University-Kansas City, Missouri
Lindenwood University-St. Charles, Missouri
Missouri Welding Institute-Nevada, Missouri
College of the Ozarks-Point Lookout, Missouri
Westminster College-Fulton, Missouri
William Woods University-Fulton, Missouri
Culver-Stockton College-Canton, Missouri
Truman State University-Kirksville, Missouri
Northwest Missouri State University-Marysville, Missouri
Sullivan University-Louisville, Kentucky
Indian Hills Community College-Ottumwa, Iowa
University of Arkansas-Fayetteville, Arkansas
University of Maryland-College Park, Maryland
Colorado State University-Fort Collins, Colorado
University of Colorado-Boulder, Colorado
University of South Dakota-Vermillion, South Dakota
Johnson & Wales University-Providence, Rhode Island
Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte, North Carolina
Culinary Institute of America-Hyde Park, New York
University of Illinois-Urbana, Illinois
Northwestern University-Evanston, Illinois
Dominican University-River Forest ,Illinois
Oklahoma State University-Stillwater, Oklahoma
Spokane Community College, Spokane, Washington
Swathmore College-Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Drake University-Des Moines, Iowa
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology-Terre Haute, Indiana
Regis University-Denver, Colorado
Baylor University-Waco, Texas
Texas A & M University-College Station, Texas
Texas State University-Houston, Texas
University of Texas-Austin, Texas
Berklee College of Music-Boston, Massachusetts
The University of Kansas-Lawrence, Kansas
Kansas State University-Manhattan, Kansas
Pace University-New York City, New York
Notre Dame University-South Bend, Indiana
Tulsa Welding School- Tulsa, Oklahoma






Friday, May 17, 2013

39 Receive CNA Certification at Pinning Ceremony



Family and friends joined together to watch 39 students receive their Certified Nursing Assistant certificates at the 2013 CNA Pinning ceremony held in Jesse Hall on the University of Missouri campus. To qualify, students must complete 75 hours of classroom instruction,  100 hours in a  clinical setting and pass the Missouri Certified Nursing Assistant exam. The students completed their clinical hours at The Bluffs and Lenoir nursing facilities.

Assisting with the pinning of the candidates was Kenny Jackson, a Lenoir CNA  who aided students in their integration into nursing care and CACC instructors Monica Duemmel and Janice Barnes.

Perfect Attendance Awards were given to Amanda Clardy, Meagan Coffey, Taylor Nichols and Amanda Schlater. Awards for the highest score on the CNA exam went to Hailey Ketchum, Erica Kalb, Wyatt Wilkerson, Khadija Mohamed and Christina Bailey. Several  peer selected awards were also given. The "Best Partner Awards" went to Kaity Townsend, Olivia Wilson and Erica Kalb. The "Most Fearless Awards" went to Olivia Wilson, Jamie Allen and Hailey Ketchum.

Students read excerpts about the life of  Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, to prepare them for the symbolism used in the ceremony. Candidates were awarded their CNA pin, a certificate and a candle to signify the "passing of the flame", symbolic of Florence Nightingale who was known to carry a lamp as she checked her patients. At the conclusion, they recited the Florence Nightingale pledge, the equivalent of the Hippocratic oath for physicians.

A power point presentation created by Jeff Cochran's CACC  Leadership Media class was made from photographs of the year in review. A reception followed.

Congratulations to Columbia Area Career Center's Certified Nursing Assistant class of 2013.

Janice Barnes, instructor and AM Professions in Healthcare class

Janice Barnes, instructor  and PM Professions in Healthcare class

Monica Duemmel, Instructor, and Professions in Healthcare-Honors class

Highest CNA exam score students

"The passing of the Flame"

Reciting of the Florence Nightingale Pledge


Automotive Technicians receive ASE Certification


Automotive Technology students were tested in Electrical/Electronic Systems and Engine Performance for which they received Automotive Service Excellence  Student Certification. Three second year students also tested in Brakes, Heating & Air Conditioning and Steering & Suspension.
ASE Student Certification can be thought of as the first step in building a career as a service professional in the automotive industry. It is the first industry recognized certification through the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence.

John Green's AM Automotive Technology class
Second year automotive tech students Homer Cochran, Austin Reno and Kaleb Harmon


John Green's PM Automotive Technology class





Lab 101 students present findings in Poster Session


Christine Roberson's Laboratory Exploration 101 students presented their research  at a poster session at Columbia Area Career Center. A meaningful part of this experience is for students to present to others. In collaboration with University of Missouri researchers, students conducted experiments on Arabidopsis thalianaanalyzed the results and created posters to communicate their findings. 
Stacy Christmas and Sydney Marsden

DeAuna Wolf, Amira Mavrakis, Austin Fernandes and Alexander Komes

Alexander Burke, Carmen Stephens, Kersten Brown and Pierre Chinn

Joshua Frost, Kiley Marshall and John Rentschler

Ayobami Ibitoye, Prarthana Patel and Jessica Klein


Maya Nolin Clark, Rohit Rao and Hannah Hagar

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Outstanding Student held at new venue this year




The restored Missouri Theater was the venue for the 2013 Outstanding Student Ceremony. Columbia Area Career Center along with their partner in education, MU Administrative  Services sponsor the event which recognizes an Outstanding Student from each career center program. The Outstanding Student Award is the highest honor the career center offers, recognizing one student from each course area. Students are nominated by their instructors based on grades, course work, work habits and attendance. Nominated students  submit an application, resume and essay in addition to being interviewed by personnel from the University of Missouri. The process is part of the career center model of college and career readiness. The Outstanding Student Ceremony recognizes the finalists in each category with the winner  being announced while  on stage. Each nominee received a flash drive with the MU Administrative Services logo and the Outstanding Student is awarded a plaque bearing their name and the program they represent by Paul Toler, Director of MU Business Services.

Also announced were winners of the Arden Boyer-Stephens Scholarship, the Big O Tires Scholarship, the Martha A. Rayl Memorial Scholarship and the Sullivan University Hospitality Scholarship.

And the winners are.........

Arden Boyer Stephens Scholarship---Morgan Widhalm
Big O Tires Scholarship---Austin Reno
Martha A. Rayl Memorial Scholaship---Dahyna Rogers
Sullivan University Hospitality Scholarship---Corina McClee

The Outstanding Student Winners are.........

Culinary Arts---Bailey Lawson
Advanced Culinary Arts, Baking & Pastry---Mallory Barnes
Landscaping & Greenhouse Production---Tommy Fieser
Floral and lant Design---Jett Ballou-Crawford
Advanced Animal Science---Kaitlin Epperson
Animal and Veterinary Science---Emily Bruhn
Exploring Agricultural Science---Rory James
Advanced Welding and Project Fabrication---Jordan Craig
Small Engine Technology---Amanda Hendren
Wildlife, Conservation and Forestry---Isabelle Mitchell
Urban Conservation---Kira Kirk
Welding Technology and Agriculture Mechanics---Austin Wallace
Construction Technology---Chris Kalogeris
Entrepreneurship---Nick Godas
Advanced Marketing---Connor McCarty
Marketing---Emma Pliska
Introduction to Professions in Healthcare---Anna Leotta
Professions in Healthcare---Nicole O'Bryan
Professions in Healthcare-Honors---Hailey Ketchum
Information Technology---Jacob Rice
Geospatial Analysis---Austin Renwick
Geospatial Technology---Jon Antel
A+IT Essentials---Jon Antel
Advanced Civil Engineering and Architecture---John Daylor
Civil Engineering and Architecture---Jose Lopez
Electronic Essentials and Electronics 1---David Mellitt
Advanced Electronics---Evan Schulte
Robotics---Owen Van de Riet
Teaching Professions---Kate Hulen
Advanced Teaching Professions---Lacey Reller
Computer Aided Design---Jacob Crum
Advanced Computer Aided Design---Joseph Gu
Automotive Technology---Alex Fredette
Certified Welding---John Rohmiller
Core Essentials of Fire Fighting and Public Safety---Loyal Carpenter
Emergency Medical Technician---Ryan Wood
Photonics---Monica Greenlief
Laser Technology---Mark Kammerich
Web Design and Web Scripting---Kristen Buster
Digital Video and Motion Graphics---Chandler Bramstedt
Graphic Design and Desktop Publishing---Elena Franck
Digital Media---Maddy Roland
Broadcast Journalism---Karina Kitchen
Advanced Broadcast Journalism---Ashton Day
Laboratory Technology---Prarthana Patel
Advanced laboratory Technology---Jenny Zulovich
PLTW Principles of Biomedical Science---Kristi Daugherty
C++ Programming---Michelle Zhuang
Advanced Computer Programming---Brandon Erbschloe


Bailey Lawson-Culinary Arts

















Mallory Barnes-Advanced Culinary Arts, Baking & Pastry

Tommy Fieser-Landscaping & Greenhouse Production

















Jett Ballou-Crawford-Floral and Plant Design


Kaitlin Epperson-Advanced Animal Science
















Rory James-Exploring Ag Science

Jordan Craig-Advanced Welding and Project Fabrication
















Amanda Hendren-Small Engine Technology

Isabelle Mitchell-Wildlife, Conservation and Forestry

















Kira Kirk-Urban Conservation

Nick Godas-Entrepreneurship















Connor McCarty-Advanced Marketing
Emma Pliska-Marketing














Anna Leotta-Intro to Professions in Healthcare

Nicole O'Bryan-Professions in Healthcare














Hailey Ketchum-Professions in Healthcare-Honors
Jacob Rice-Information Technology















Austin Renwick-Geospatial Analysis
Jon Antel-Geospatial Technology















Jon Antel-A+ IT Essentials
John Daylor-Advanced Civil Engineering and Architecture















Jose Lopez-Civil Engineering and Architecture
David Mellitt-Electronic Essentials and Electronics 1














Evan Schulte-Advanced Electronics
Owen Van de Riet-Robotics











Lacey Reller-Advanced Teaching Professions

Justin Crum-Computer Aided Design















Joseph Gu-Advanced Computer Aided Design
Alex Fredette-Automotive Technology
John Rohmiller-Certified Welding
Loyal Carpenter-Core Essentials of Firefighting and Public Safety
Ryan Wood-Emergency Medical Technician

Monica Greenlief-Photonics






Kristin Buster-Web Design and Web Scripting

Chandler Branstedt-Digital Video and Motion Graphics

Elena Franck-Graphic Design and Desktop Publishing
Maddy Roland-Digital Media
Ashton Day-Advanced Broadcast Journalism
Prarthana Patel-Laboratory Technology



Michelle Zhuang-C++ Programming

Jenny Zulovich-Advanced Laboratory Technology
Kristi Daughery-PLTW Principles of Biomedical Science
Brandon Erbschloe-Advanced Computer Programming
















Chris Kalogeris-Construction Technology