Career and Technical Education at its finest

A newly formed partnership between Missouri Employers Mutual and Columbia Area Career Center is taking career and technical education to a new level. MEM is providing an opportunity for 3 career center students with computer technical experience to apply for  part-time positions at MEM as Night Batch Operators. The students were required to apply and interview for the position and are currently completing their training and are set to begin work next week. Congratulations to Rock Bridge seniors, Jon Antel and Connor Crabtree and Rock Bridge junior CJ Phillips for being hired. The opportunity is a win-win for both sides. MEM gets knowledgeable  students eager to advance their skill set and the students get real world work experience and local community contacts that will benefit them now and in the future. 

Connor Crabtree and CJ Phillips

Jon Antel

Civil Engineering students participate in Benton Elementary Bridge Project

Zach Smith, Zaiver Braden and Tyler Kramer, students from Brad Mann's Civil Engineering class, put their skill and expertise to use by testing the "Popsicle stick" Bridges created by Benton Elementary 3rd grade students. The assignment was to design a bridge using a maximum of 75 popsicle sticks. The bridges were subjected to a strength test to determine how much weight each could support before breaking. The bridges were also weighed and an efficiency ratio was calculated.  Benton Elementary is a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) school and this assignment exemplifies how project-based learning captures the interest of the students as demonstrated by the students cheering and chanting  as each bridge was tested. Bridge designs were as varied as the students who created them. In the end, 11 out of 64 bridges did not break under the weight of 96 pounds of wet sand. 

The bridge did not break

Students added wet sand into a bucket until the bridge broke. In this case, the bridge survived the 96 pounds of wet sand added to the bucket.

This bridge was created by a Kindergartner

This bridge did not break

CACC Students advance to LifeSmarts state competition

Four career center students have qualified to compete at the state level in the LifeSmarts challenge. Rock Bridge seniors Kira Kirk, Chandler Randol and Grant Gould and Hickman senior, Loyal Carpenter are a part of Dr. Janet Bagby's "Mega Money" team  which will compete in Jefferson City on February 26.  

LifeSmarts, sponsored by The National Consumers League, is a competition geared at preparing students to enter the real world as smart adult consumers. Participants focus on five key topical areas: consumer rights and responsibilities, the environment, health and safety, personal finance and technology. 

HOSA Chapter co-hosts Blood Drive with American Red Cross

The Columbia HOSA Chapter along with the American Red Cross co-sponsored a blood drive at Columbia Area Career Center.  51 donors participated in this life saving event, with 27 being first time donors helping to reach the drive goal of 48 units. . This drive came at an opportune time as the severe winter weather cancelled several scheduled events creating a blood shortfall. One pint of blood can save up to 3 lives, and every donation is very much appreciated.

HOSA students promoted the event as well as worked several stations including the registration desk and canteen. HOSA sponsors are Monica Duemmel, Deb Canine, Bobby Horn and Christine Roberson.

International Geospatial Opportunity

Two students from Laura Estabrooks' Geospatial Technology class have applied for an international Geospatial opportunity called Global Connections and Exchange Youth TechCamps: My Community, Our Earth Program. TechCamp is conducted by The Association of American Geographers (AAG) with funding from the US Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Youth Program Division.

Allyssa Johnson, a junior from Southern Boone High School and Michael Harrington, a sophomore from Battle High School are vying for a competitive spot on one of three teams. Students selected for this program will collaborate with students from Bolivia, Panama and South Africa as they study the topic GeoTechnologies for Climate Change and Environment. They will participate in online training, where they will meet and plan before actually travelling to Bolivia, Panama or South Africa where students will work as a group with 10 US students and 30 local students to increase their knowledge of climate change. The project will help improve their online mapping, project collaboration, and problem solving and communication skills. As a bonus, international travel will also increase their understanding and appreciation of cultural differences. The program is set to begin spring 2014 with orientation, progress to a 10 day intensive, content rich excursion to Bolivia, Panama or South Africa in summer 2014 and conclude with a fall 2014 virtual project. Laura Estabrooks is skilled at finding opportunities for students to apply Geospatial classroom instruction. Good luck to Allyssa and Michael.

Michael Harrington and Allyssa Johnson

"I Can" Award Breakfast held at Reynolds Alumni Center

The "I Can" award ceremony  was held January 16 at the Reynolds Alumni Center on the University of Missouri campus. Students receiving this honor exemplify the career center expectations of Attendance, Respect, Safety, Responsibility, Quality and Teamwork as determined by their teacher or peers. Each recipient and their family are invited to attend the breakfast ceremony where the student is honored with a certificate and gift  of recognition by the career center's Partner in Education, MU Administrative Services.

Photos from the event can be viewed on CACC's Facebook page.

Congratulations to the winners:

Hickman High School
Aarika Bock
Alex Fredette
Bailey Peters
Caitlin Price
Cody Bower
Courtney Twenter
Datyn Sexton-Green
Garion Blaisdell
Halee Schermerhorn-Barnhart
Hazel Blaisdell
John Reiss
Kalei Wilson
Kendahl Adams
Kylie Jacks
Levi Slate
Logan Garton
Macaulay Keevins
Megha Verma
Natasha Groshong
Rich Dao
Taylor Morrow
Tony Cheng
Tyler Kramer

Rock Bridge High School
Alexander Legarsky
Alexus Carson
Alyssa Piecko
Andrew Kammerich
Andy Kegley
Ann Stone
Ashley Rippeto
Ashley Shahan
Ben Geyer
Bre Dowling
Catherine Holt
Chase Ford
Claire Simon
Connor Crabtree
Connor McLaren
Darwin Roberson
Dominic Stelzer
Drew Howard
Elizabeth Fenner
Emma Richardson
Emma Solomon
Evann Twitchell
Jacob Blackmore
Jared Richardson
Jenna Bartok
Jessica Kinkade
Jill Geyer
Kaitlin Epperson
Kaszmere Messbarger
Keeley Houghton
Kelley Tackett
Lindsey Grant
Madison McDonnell
Matthew Elliott
Matthew Martin
Michael Rodenbaugh
Molly Klein
Olivia Desmit
Rachel White
Sadiya Braid
Salah Daghlas
Sara Barfknecht
Sara Belzer
Yasmeen El-Jayyousi

Battle High School
Adil Hamadto
Alycia Ouk
Andrew Richardson
Emily Adams
Jenna England
Leslie Ramirez
Meagan Shelby
Nick Voney
Thomas Fenner
Tia Taylor

Hallsville High School
Jacob Crum
Kayla Moore
Steven Hendren

Southern Boone High School
Allyssa Johnson
Eric Millar

Home School
Jacob Knerr

Skill Expo showcases Career Center classes

Columbia Area Career Center's premiere open house, 
Skill Expo, gives prospective students and their families the opportunity to visit classrooms, speak with instructors and interact with current students as they begin to make course selections for next year. 

Check out some of the sights from the evening.

Information Technology students

Electronics/Robotics student working on a robot

Electronic Essentials instructor, Julie Purcell

Principles of Engineering display

PLTW-Introduction to Engineering instructor, Dee Crosby (left)

Trying out survey equipment in Civil Engineering

Geospatial Technology instructor, Laura Estabrooks (left)

Core Essentials of Fire Fighting students

Robotics student demonstrating his robot

Electronic counter

Baking and Pastry offering treats

Floral and Plant Design student making corsages

Lab Foundations student weighing the handwriting on the paper

Micro pipette demo in Lab Foundations classroom

FFA President talking about Ag classes

Construction Technology student  

Digital Media instructor, Anne Hickman (right)

Students trying out CPS 360 set with Broadcast Journalism instructor, Joe Wittman looking on

In the tool room of Automotive Technology

Teaching Professions instructor, Gina Greenplate (center)

PLTW-Principles of Biomedical Science display

EMT students practicing patient transport

Missouri Connections display

Computer Programming instructor, Nat Graham 

Chevy Volt on display in Auto shop