Daily Archives: March 28, 2013

President Ender hosts ‘Coffee & Conversation’

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In a “Coffee & Conversation” session on March 28, 2013, President Dr. Steven C. Ender discussed pay-for-performance changes for Meet and Confer employees, the faculty contract, construction — College Park Plaza is on time and under budget — enrollment, and the possible effects of universal health care.

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WELLNESS DEPARTMENT SERVICE LEARNING PROJECT A SUCCESS

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As a teacher have you ever wondered “do my students get what I am saying”?  Are they going to use this material?  The Wellness Department Principles of Physical Education Class has been teaching at East Leonard and Kent Hills Elementary an Organ Wise Guys Program.  The goal of the program, an Armen Awards finalist, is to teach the GRCC students and Elementary students the importance of a healthy diet, proper exercise, and how the body works.   The PE 184 students are all assigned an elementary classroom for the whole semester and are in charge of teaching the Organ Wise Guys Program.

GRCC students Nolan Brower and Ralph Peterson need to be recognized as doing a great job teaching because one of their 3rd graders at East Leonard, Ethan, just won an award for his essay that he wrote in regards to eating a good breakfast.  Ethan entered into a Grand Rapids Public School District wide essay contest.  The essay was for 1st through 8th graders and the essay had to explain the “importance of eating a good healthy breakfast”.  Ethan won a bike, helmet and lock for his essay.

Congratulations to GRCC students Nolan and Ralph and East Leonard 3rd grader Ethan for their amazing job on transferring the material learned in the classroom and making a difference.

Garbage Tour scheduled for April 24, 2013

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Find out where your garbage goes! GRCC’s popular Garbage Tour takes you on a five and a half hour educational journey of the main facilities in Kent County that deal with post-consumer waste, i.e., garbage.

Whether you are looking for ways to reduce waste for your business or home, this expedition will take you where most are forbidden to go!

We will start with a visit to the Covanta Energy plant, also known as the waste to energy facility incinerator. WTE experts will describe the inputs (garbage) and outputs (electricity) for this facility and what it provides for Greater Grand Rapids. Our second stop is the materials recovery facility. Here we will be guided on a walking tour and educational discussion of Kent County’s state of the art recycling efforts. There will also be an opportunity to eat your sack lunch here. We’ll see the mountains of yard waste diverted for composting, and learn how and where this is done.

Our final stop is an up-close and personal bus tour of the local landfill. Enjoy the view while professional landfill personnel describe the engineering features and local statistics for use of the South Kent Landfill.

The bus boards at 10:30 a.m. April 24, 2013, at Tassell M-TEC. It returns to Tassell M-TEC by 4 p.m. Casual dress, with closed-toe shoes, is recommended. Please bring your own sack lunch.

To register, click here.

GRCC In the News, 3-28-13

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Grand Rapids’ new multi-million-dollar economic boon? The Silver Line BRT construction begins

March 28, 2013; rapidgrowthmedia.com

The long-anticipated construction of what could be Grand Rapids’ biggest economic generator yet begins in two weeks as Michigan’s first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line breaks ground on the first three of 33 high-tech bus stations.

… As buses get close to downtown, they’ll have stations at or near new apartments along S. Division and at Tapestry Square, the new University Preparatory High School, Saint Mary’s Health Care, Grand Rapids Community College, Van Andel Institute, the Medical Mile, the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, DeVos Place Convention Center, and in downtown Grand Rapids near restaurants, shops, and banks. Some stations are just a few blocks from Cooley Law School, Kendall College of Art & Design, and Grand Valley State University. And the buses will also pass miles and miles of vacant land, underused buildings, abandoned buildings, and decaying urban properties.

Wyoming Public Schools board approves teacher contract ahead of right-to-work implementation

March 27, 2013; MLive

WYOMING, MI — Teachers at Wyoming Public Schools will see annual pay increases based on longevity reduced under a new three-year contract approved Monday, just days before Michigan’s right-to-work law goes into effect.

… Other districts where new contracts were recently negotiated at include Grandville, Grand Rapids Public Schools, and Grand Rapids Community College.

Rockford seminar on hydraulic fracturing heats up

March 27, 2013; Greenville Daily News

ROCKFORD — The conversation threatened to spiral out of control during the question-and-answer period of a contentious seminar on hydraulic fracturing Monday evening at Rockford High School.

More than 100 area residents turned out to hear from author Maryann Lesert, who extensively studied the topic while doing research for an upcoming novel.
Lesert, who teaches at Grand Rapids Community College, was in town at the behest of three area conservation groups; Citizens for Responsible Resource Management (CRRM), Kent County Water Conservation (KCWC), and Mutual Aid of Grand Rapids (MAGR).

Psychology Department Speakers Series looks at ‘Mental Toughness’

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The Psychology Department Speakers Series will hold its final session from 1-2:30 p.m. April 3, 2013, in the ATC. Dr. Edmund O’Conner will present “Mental Toughness: The X-Factor in Sport and Life.”

In this applied and practical session, attendees will develop the psychological edge to be better and more consistent than their opponents in remaining determined, focused, confident and in-control under pressure. While sport is emphasized, the skills covered — focus, centering and rebounding from mistakes — apply in all areas of performance. Attendees will leave the session with techniques they can apply immediately to maximize their potential and excel.

Dr. O’Connor is a Fellow and Certified Consultant through the Association for Applied Sport Psychology, practicing at the Performance Excellence Center at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital.

Keith St. Clair to present talk, slide show on Cuba

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Keith St. Clair will give a presentation and slide show on his IIPD grant to Cuba last Summer. Cuba is a fascinating country that is witnessing a historic changing of the guard away from the Castro regime. Keith had a unique opportunity to witness one of the last communist regimes from the Cold War era before this page of history had fully turned. He learned a lot about the politics, culture, and history of this island and its relationship with the United States. Come and share in some of his insights on all things Cuban.

Wednesday April 3rd 9:30-10:30am in the ATC Auditorium Rm 168.

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Wellness Department students help with Preschool Health Expo

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Wellness students from Jocelyn Bunce’s WE 157- Elementary Games and Rhythms Class provided a variety of fun activities and rhythms for preschool children and their parents during the Preschool Health Expo on Tuesday March 26. Games and rhythms including; Mouse Trap, The Penguin March and Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes showed children and parents how to be active, have fun and learn different motor skills. The students used this opportunity to share all they have learned this semester to lead fun activities and to get kids moving while teaching new skills at the same time.

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