DECA students participate in low ropes course

Students from Battle, Rock Bridge and Hickman High Schools took part in a low ropes course at the District 2 DECA Meeting held in Mexico, Missouri on September 18. Low ropes courses are designed to give groups experience working together by providing them with a challenge they must work collectively  to solve. 25 DECA members participated in this event, many of them first year students. DECA Advisors Pete Eichholz and Scott Fuenfhausen accompanied them on this trip. 

Rachel White is chosen as the first person on her team to be sent through the “time portal.” 

The team must figure out how to get the whole team through the portal

Taylor Roberts navigates a portion of the low ropes course

Drue Horton  attempts to bridge the gap via rope swing

Kalei Wilson waits to help Drue Horton arrive to safety after bridging the gap via rope swing.

Getting to know Geospatial Technology

Columbia Area Career Center is proud to be on the cutting edge of technology by offering students coursework in Geospatial Technology and Geospatial Analysis. What exactly will students learn in a Geospatial class? GIS, or Geographic Information Systems is a system for analyzing data using digital maps and database information in order to solve problems or facilitate decision making. Students use ArcGIS software made by Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc (ESRI) to map and analyze data.

This fall, second year geospatial students taking Geospatial Analysis have  been commissioned to create a base map of Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri. Laura Estabrooks' class will use handheld GPS units to collect data about the physical elements on campus;  the buildings, sidewalks, trees, landscaping, sign posts, etc. and create a sample area of about half a city block before continuing on to complete the entire campus. Back in the classroom, they will plot points and lines and use triangulation to make it as accurate as possible. Next, the computer imagery is brought in to verify that everything is correct. How might Stephens use this information? It gives them specific data useful for making decisions like, how much would it cost to replace all the sidewalks? Or how much area of the campus needs mowing? Or other questions that arise that need accurate physical measurements.

How do students benefit from this experience? It gives them real field experience in GIS, and opens doors for future internships. A 2013 graduate of Laura Estabrooks' program is now working with an MU professor using ArcGIS  to model the spread of infectious disease on cruise ships. The freshman is quick to credit Estabrooks and her teaching for this type of opportunity so early in his college career.

While not every graduate of Geospatial will have the same experience, it is certain that time spent in Geospatial Technology is well spent and  will give students a leg up on their peers in whatever field they pursue after graduation.

Geospatial Technology students are eligible to earn 4 hours of dual credit through UMKC. Columbia Area Career Center is the only secondary career and technical school in the State of Missouri to offer this coursework.

For more information on Geospatial Technology click here.

Using the handheld GPS unit to log data

"Bella Chats" debuts

Isabelle Bouchard interviews
Dr. Chris Belcher on "Bella Chats" 

Columbia Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Chris Belcher was the first guest of video talk show host, Isabelle Bouchard in her new CPS 360 series "Bella Chats." Bouchard, a Rock Bridge senior and CACC Broadcast Journalism Intern, will be interviewing guests every two weeks this fall. The show was a brainchild of Broadcast Journalism instructor Joe Wittman as a way to give Isabelle industry related experience. The hope is to build the audience and continue this venue for future interns. As host, Bouchard invites guests from the community and develops questions for each interview. Assisted by Madison May, teleprompter and  Joe Wittman, director  the show went off without a hitch.

Extending the industry related experience to the Digital Media department allowed Leadership Media Tech, Elena Franck  to design a fitting logo for the show.

The program will air on cable channel 81 or Digital TV channel 23.2.
To view the video on YouTube, click below. See all the "Bella Chats" shows by subscribing to CPS 360.

HOSA members volunteer at Walk to End Alzheimer's event

HOSA-Future Health Professionals members volunteered at the 2013 Walk to End Alzheimer’s event held at Stephens Lake Park on October 6.  15 students  and advisors, braved the cold and rain to assist with set up, take down,registration,  flower distribution, food table, t-shirt table and cookbook sales. The walk not only raises funds for Alzheimer research, but serves as a way to raise awareness and  support  families who  currently have family members suffering from or have lost a family member to the disease. The flower promise garden is a visual reminder of individuals affected by Alzheimer's as signified by the color of the flower: blue for those with Alzheimer's, yellow for care givers, purple for those who have lost someone to Alzheimers and orange for supporters of the Alzheimer's Association.

Janavi Patel, Prarthana Patel, Amy Gu, Lisa Zhuang, Jenny Zulovich, JoDee Lester, and Kayla Moore

Flower distribution table

Registration table

Flower promise garden

Food table

Cookbook table

Hong Kong Association of Careers Masters visits CACC

A delegation of representatives from  Hong Kong Association of Careers Masters and Guidance Masters visited Columbia Area Career Center on October 2, 2013. DESE Guidance and Counseling Services supervisor,  Tom Schlimpert served as the liaison for the group.  Dr. Julie Lyman conducted the tour of CACC, taking the guests through the various program areas taught at the career center. A delicious lunch was prepared and served by Culinary Arts students. Delegates were most impressed with the rigor involved in the coursework. The group is touring schools in Missouri to view different school models which also included  stops at Benton Elementary School (a STEM school), Battle High School and several St Louis Area schools.  

Dr. Julie Lyman, Brian Lee, Li Wai Yi, Lee Chi Ming, Sin Nga Lam (Caroline), Tom Schlimpert and NG Man Ching

An engraved crystal was given as a token of their appreciation 

Lynda.com available to CACC students

Columbia Area Career Center makes every effort to equip students with resources to help them succeed. This fall, CACC has subscribed to Lynda.com, an online training service with a vast library of high quality video tutorials. Students have unlimited access to view these online courses free of charge. Lynda.com has over 2000 courses that students take at their own pace to enhance their knowledge base or to just improve their current skills. Several program area instructors have begun to embed this instruction into their course content.

Video instructions, printed transcripts, and  exercise files, add to the learning experience. Topics in business, web, photography, design, CAD, video, 3D animation and various software applications, allow students to view short videos and access data files to help them practice what they just learned. 

Interested in finding out more? Talk to you CACC instructor to get your log in information and get started today.

FFA Trapshooting team attends District Meet

The 2013-14 FFA Trapshooting team, coached by Ag Instructor Chuck Miller, participated in the District Trapshoot, on Saturday, October 5 in Macon, Missouri, placing 12th out of 21 teams. The team consists of Rock Bridge seniors, Jamie Vaughn, Carson Banks, and Skip Miller and Hickman senior Tye Wilson and Hickman sophomore, Austin Robinson. The team practices on Tuesdays after school at Prairie Grove Shotgun Sports. Thanks to a generous grant from the Midway USA Foundation, the shooting program is completely funded. 

Austin Robinson, Carson Banks, Tye Wilson, Jaime Vaughn and Skip Miller