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 | | Ken Bowald is honored with his award from Sue Wintering, PLT-Ohio Coordinator. |
Bowald Recognized as 2012 Ohio Outstanding Educator
Ken Bowald was recognized as 2012 Ohio Outstanding Educator at the Project Learning Tree (PLT) International Conference on May 15, 2012
Bowald, and seven others from Texas, South Carolina, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Nevada, Michigan, and Wyoming, were recognized as the 2012 National PLT Outstanding Educator honorees. As Bowald could not be in attendance to accept the award, Sue Wintering, PLT - Ohio Coordinator, presented him with it in front of a group of his colleagues and students on May 29, 2012 at the Hocking Woods Nature Center.
"Ken does what PLT's founder, Rudy Schaffer of California, many years ago coined: He teaches how to think about environmental issues we face, not what to think," Wintering commented.
Bowald's award nomination lists his multiple achievements in the Natural Resources education field, "Ken Bowald brought PLT to the School of Natural Resources at Hocking College, which has the largest two-year forestry program in the nation. He first incorporated PLT into classes in Natural and Historical Interpretation program, but now actively involved in administration, he partners with others to ensure PLT is an integral curriculum component for all Hocking students."
He is a member of the National Association for Interpretation (NAI) as a certified interpretive trainer and life member. Bowald is the recipient of the NAI 2008 Special Interpretive Recognition and the 1995 Outstanding New Interpreter Award, as well as the PLT-Ohio Outstanding Educator Award in 2011. He was recognized in 2006 with the Hocking College Excellence in Teaching award.
PLT is a program of the American Forest Foundation (AFF), a non-profit organization that works for healthy forests, quality environmental education and informed decision making about our communities and our world. PLT was developed by classroom teachers and other educators, as well as by representatives of conservation and forestry groups.
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 Commencement Reminders
Commencement will take place on Sunday, June 10, 2012. Graduates from the School of Natural Resources and Health and Nursing will be at the 10:30 a.m. ceremony. All other schools will graduate at the 2:30 p.m. ceremony.
Important Graduation Information:- Deans will read the graduates' names for the entire school, and faculty and staff are invited to sit in a special VIP enclosure on the Oakley-end of the Multiplex to meet, greet and congratulate grads as soon as they have received their degrees.
- Please submit any good photos from the last two years to Giles Lee for a PowerPoint presentation he is creating for the commencement ceremony.
- Faculty and staff are invited to attend one of the graduation rehearsals, which will be June 4 and 6, 2012, at 12 or 5 p.m. in the Student Center Multiplex.
- All graduates who are members of the Armed Services are invited to wear their military uniform in lieu of the traditional cap and gown. As an institution that strives to honor those who serve our country, we look forward to doing so on this day of celebration.
For more information please contact Giles Lee at 740.753.6539 or visit the Hocking College Commencement webpage.
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 Hocking College STARS Receive Awards
The Student Team and Academic Recognition System (STARS) award ceremony, honoring outstanding student and group achievements from winter quarter, was held Wednesday, May 30, 2012. Presenters Giles Lee, Director of Co-Curricular Activities, Chuck Taylor, Perry Campus Dean, and President Ron Erickson honored the recipients.
Student Victoria Peake, of Carrollton, Ohio, received the "Most Outstanding Contribution to Campus and Community" award for her suicide prevention campaign, "Be a Hero for the One One Zero Zero." This award is given to recognize a project that made a positive impact on campus or community life.
Lee presented the Hocking College Interp Club with the "Green Award" for their work in spearheading the creation of a Hocking College Berry Garden adjacent to the Hocking Woods Nature Center. This award recognizes outstanding efforts in the area of education of sustainable, renewable and environmental issues or the implementation thereof.
The campus Resident Success Mentors received the "We Are One Hocking" award from Taylor for their outstanding cross-cultural programming. The award honors outstanding efforts from last quarter in the area of cross-cultural education and community unification.
Students who made the Dean's List and Scholar's List were also honored at the ceremony for their achievement. Hocking student Micah Jones, Albany, Ohio, won a drawing of all students participating in the ceremony for a $500 scholarship. Finally, Outstanding Graduates for 2012 were named and members of Phi Theta Kappa honor society were recognized.
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 Moodle Replaces Blackboard
What's Moodle? It's not a poodle or a noodle. It's the new online course software that replaces the current Blackboard. Our pilot groups of students have been using Moodle since fall quarter 2011. Students say, "Assignments and tests are organized and super easy to follow." "I like the grade book feature that allows you to keep track of your progress."
Students registered for a summer course may use Blackboard or Moodle. All autumn semester courses will be in Moodle.
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 International Students Launch "Travel Around the World" Program
Hocking ESL students provided interactive presentations about their country and culture. According to the follow-up evaluations from the students, the most popular activities were dancing the "Venezuelan" way, having their names written in Chinese, and the question and answer session. Nelsonville-York teachers appreciated the academic and social benefits of the experience for the students who otherwise have little opportunity to meet and interact with people from other countries.
Not only did the ESL students share their culture, but they also used this as an opportunity to learn about the American educational system, speak with native speakers of English from the general public, and improve their ESL vocabulary and speaking/listening skills.
After the presentations, the ESL students toured Nelsonville-York school buildings with assistant principal Lindy Douglas. For some ESL students, the school looked very different from the schools in their country. Guan Jian and Xiaodong Song from China were especially surprised about the nice and colorful classrooms and the large playground. "The students were in comfortable conditions!" Song stated. In China, about 50 students are in each classroom.
Domi Adamova, Hocking College ESL Instructor, plans to continue offering these presentations every semester as a service-learning component of the ESL classes. Her hope is to eventually expand into other area elementary schools.
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Searching for a Way to do Good
Search engines have long been a way to scour the Internet for relevant and useful information. However, thanks to goodsearch.com, searches can now raise money for the Hocking College Foundation. Simply select your charity of choice (Hocking College Foundation) and every search will earn money for equipment and supplies.
To start raising money, change your default search engine to goodsearch.com.
For more information, check out this video.
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 National Get Outdoors Day at Wayne National Forest
Forest Supervisor Anne Carey urges local residents to attend National Outdoors Day. "We hope the public will take advantage of these "Fee Free" days as a way to experience the great outdoors, promote healthy living, and create lasting memories with their family and friends," she said.
To learn more, visit the Wayne National Forest website or follow @waynenationalfs on Twitter.
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Summer Wine Express
Looking for a fun, relaxing way to start off your summer? Head over to the Stuart's Opera House Summer Wine Express fundraiser this Friday, June 8. Bring your friends and take a beautiful ride on the Hocking Valley Scenic Railway while enjoying wine, cheese, and good company!
Proceeds of the Summer Wine Express benefit Stuart's Opera House in Nelsonville. Tickets are on sale now, with first class for $35 and coach for $25
Tickets can be purchased on the Stuart's Opera House website.
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Mission
Hocking College provides a unique, innovative, and quality education in a supportive experience- based learning environment, preparing students for employment and transfer education opportunities, while teaching the value of lifelong learning, promoting diversity and developing citizens who are engaged in their local and global communities.
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| Hocking Alum Named New EMA Director
Mark Maxwell, Hocking Alum, received a unanimous vote on May 31 from the Knox County Emergency Management Agency Board to serve as the new EMA director.
Maxwell looks forward to his new role, saying, "I'm excited about the opportunity to serve the residents of the county, the EMA board and the commissioners."
Maxwell earned a degree in Recreation and Wildlife Technology at Hocking before participating in Ohio Peace Officer Basic Training and attending the Ohio State Park Ranger Academy. He has spent the past 29 years working for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Parks and Recreation, first as an officer at both Buck Creek State Park and Mohican State Park, then as the assistant manager of Alum Creek State Park. In 2003, Maxwell transferred to the Division of Parks and Recreation Law Enforcement staff. Last week he retired from his three-year stint as Law Enforcement Administrator for the Division of Parks.
Maxwell assumes the position of EMA director on August 1.
For more information, visit the Mount Vernon News.
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