UPWard Update

November 13, 2013

Mission: A collaborative effort of the private and public leaders of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and adjoining Wisconsin counties to align and promote the region's resources, expertise, and creativity in order to sustain and grow the region's economy.

Please take a moment to review these updates from the UPWard Initiative.

Thanks to the many UPWard members along with others that have provided content for these updates. If you have information you would like to share with the group, please email it to me. Holly Peoples

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Education and Workforce Development

Classroom iPads enhance educational experience at Kingsford High School

The Daily News

KINGSFORD - Kingsford High School students equipped with iPads in the classroom have been able to make a connection with a school in Langa, South Africa. They have been sharing English assignments as well as what life is like in both schools.

Kendalyn Sutton, an English teacher at KHS, received the iPads for her classroom as a pilot project made possible through the school bond money. She teaches a variety of classes - English 12, English 10, AP Lit and Comp and Flivver Foundation.

"In each class, students use the iPads to enhance knowledge, practice skills, create projects and work collaboratively with students from around the world," Sutton said.

And this collaboration was made possible with the help of a 2011 graduate of KHS, Julia Fornetti, who is studying to be a teacher at Marquette University. Julia has been on a teaching assignment this semester at the Zimasa Primary School in Langa, South Africa. Her ninth grade students have been able to use computers to make that connection with the KHS students.

Sutton said that her English 10 class has partnered with the school to share experiences about school life. The students have created a shared blog in which students from each school respond to similar assignments from their teachers. continue reading->

Health Care

Health department receives 2 awards

Community Health Assessment recognized by state

The Daily Mining Gazette

HANCOCK - In April, the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department released a document called the Community Health Assessment, which was an overview of the agency's five-county coverage area. Recently the effort was recognized by a state agency and two organizations.

Guy St. Germain, health officer/executive officer for the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department in Hancock, said the Michigan Department of Community Health in Lansing presented him the Director's Award for the work done by the health department staff and their community collaborators to create the CHA.

"I'm particularly pleased with the Director's Award," he said.

The director of MDCH is James Haveman, and St. Germain said the award was given to the WUPHD on Oct. 17 in Lansing during the State Premier Public Health Conference.

The CHA has the three broad themes of: impact of an aging population; effect of income and education on health; and the importance of prevention for health.

The survey, which asks questions about lifestyle, health status, and access to health care, was sent in June 2012 to 8,000 randomly selected households in the WUPHD coverage area of Baraga, Gogebic, Houghton, Keweenaw and Ontonagon counties, and it was very successful with 2,500 responses, St. Germain said.

The Director's Award is intended to recognize specific examples of excellence in the practice of community health, St. Germain said. "That community assessment was the result of a community-wide team effort," he said.

The CHA collaborative partners were Aspirus Grand View, Aspirus Keweenaw, Aspirus Ontonagon, Baraga County Memorial, and Portage Health hospitals, as well as Copper Country Community Mental Health Services, Gogebic County Community Mental Health Authority, and the Western Upper Peninsula Substance Abuse Services Coordinating Agency. continue reading->

Business Growth and Development

Lt. Gov. Calley Meets with U.P. Business Leaders on Improving Michigan's Regulatory Efficiency; Reinventing Performance in Michigan (RPM) will improve customer response times, reduce forms by 50 percent

Contact:

Melanie Brown 517-373-9280

Agency:

Licensing and Regulatory Affairs

November 1, 2013 - Lt. Gov. Brian Calley today met with local business leaders at Marquette General Hospital in Marquette to continue the dialogue on Reinventing Performance in Michigan (RPM) and seek input from businesses on Michigan's regulatory reform. RPM is a metric-driven customer service model for all state government departments to eliminate the burdensome and unnecessary regulation hurting the state's job providers.

"We want to hear from job providers how regulatory reforms can continue to benefit their businesses," said Calley. "We know we've made some great strides in several areas, but we need to determine what further measures are needed to clear the red tape holding back business growth."

The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), in partnership with the Departments of Treasury and Environmental Quality (DEQ), is leading the effort, with the support of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC).

The new customer service model will conduct LEAN processes - similar to other major companies - to eliminate delays, duplicative forms and impractical regulations, while protecting the health and safety benefits in Michigan's regulatory oversight.

RPM has four main goals for collective improvement of customer-facing requirements and processes within state government:

A 25 percent improvement in satisfaction with the regulatory process.
A 50 percent improvement in customer response time.
Ensuring 100 percent of customer-facing regulatory materials are utilized and needed.
An overall 50 percent reduction in forms.

Marquette General Hospital - Duke LifePoint, the regional medical center for Michigan's Upper Peninsula and beyond, is excited about the recent improvements under RPM.

continue reading->

Business Growth and Development

UPWard Initiative Business Plan Competition

The 2nd Annual UPWard Initiative Business Plan Competition has been designed to encourage entrepreneurs to explore new ideas and start new businesses in the Upper Peninsula. Additionally, existing businesses with new ideas are welcome to apply.

The competition is open to all residents in the Upper Peninsula, Marinette and Florence Counties. Competition winner will receive startup seed capital, as well as mentoring services and media exposure.

This region wide contest is an opportunity to compete for cash and in-kind prizes, but it's also a chance to get constructive feedback on your business plan and to help move it from a virtual business to a reality.

Contest submissions due by November 22, 2013.

Click HERE to find out more.

Higher Education

Bay's golden: College marks 50 years

Daily Press

ESCANABA - Bay College has been celebrating its 50 anniversary this year. The celebration concluded with a Golden Gala event Friday at the college.

Guests were treated to a strolling dinner, drinks and dessert bar. The evening included the student musical performance of "Little Shop of Horrors" and an opening of the Robert Addison Legacy art show at the Besse Center.

"We are exhilarated with the community business and individual support for this capstone anniversary event," said Kim Carne, vice president of advancement and the Bay College Foundation.

Bay College has grown from the first class of 133 students in the old Escanaba High School to today's enrollment nearing 2,500 students. Classes are available on two campuses, as well as in Manistique and online.

Over the past 50 years, Bay de Noc Community College has awarded 13,539 certificates and associate degrees to 10,500 students. A total of 8,245 - nearly 80 percent of Bay graduates - live in the Central U.P.

"Bay is educating our community - our neighbors, friends and families," school officials point out.

Studies summarize the economic impact of Bay College on its local service areas to average $100 million per year.

"I am so proud Bay College recently ranked 30th among community colleges in the nation this year," said Dr Laura Coleman, Bay College president. "This is in the top 5 percent and the only Michigan college in the Top 50 Community Colleges based on student success and completion. This is a huge feat. We are committed to keep the momentum our work has just begun. Each and every person is committed to student and community success at Bay College. They are our strategic priorities." continue reading->

Business Growth and Development

U.P. companies compete for $500K business plan

ABC10

Houghton, Michigan (October 31, 2013) - Four local companies are semi-finalists in North America's largest business plan contest, Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition. BridgeGuard, LiteBrake Tech LLC, REL, Inc. and Upland Nanotech are among 50 companies chosen to vie for cash prizes in Detroit on November 14.

Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition is an international business competition that brings together entrepreneurial companies with local and national investment capital. It showcases the best and brightest new businesses to help foster their growth in Michigan. The grand prize is $500,000.

The U.P. contenders are:

BridgeGuard - Hancock, Michigan

BridgeGuard utilizes infrared technology and digital imagery to detect and document defects in our nation's infrastructure, specifically bridge decks and substructures. Bridge scans are completed at highway speeds using a vehicle mounted proprietary sensor suite to gather an array of defect data, eliminating the need for lane closures. Road user costs for commerce delays and safety issues are also eliminated, ultimately saving significant tax payer dollars.

LiteBrake Tech LLC - Hancock, Michigan

LiteBrake Tech LLC is an R&D firm that developed patent-pending steel-clad aluminum (SCA) brake rotors for automotive OEM and aftermarket industry applications. SCA brake rotors are recognized for their improved performance, durability and light weight.

REL, Inc. - Calumet, Michigan

REL, Inc. developed and is producing lightweight composite brake discs for the motorcycle and automotive markets. REL's Matrix Brakes™ are 50 - 80 % lighter and quieter than standard steel/cast iron disks, and carry a lifetime guarantee.

Upland Nanotech - Houghton, Michigan

Upland Nanotech developed a rapid-sensing technology used for food pathogen detection and drug-level concentration that can yield results within 20 minutes. Based on nanowire technology, the sensors are hypersensitive, enabling testing without the 12 to 24 hours of culture enrichment required by others.

According to the MTEC SmartZone, Accelerate Michigan monetary awards will help companies achieve interim milestones such as completing additional prototypes and testing, introductions into new markets, and developing key partnership agreements. continue reading ->

Higher Education

Noyce Scholarships Turn STEM Majors into Science & Math Teachers

Michigan Tech News

Technology is booming, and as a result, the need for better science and math teaching is too. Michigan Technological University students have the opportunity to help meet this need by taking advantage of the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship program.

The Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship is a federally funded, National Science Foundation (NSF) program. It is designed to increase the number of excellent secondary teachers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields and to strengthen academic performance in STEM disciplines of students in high-need schools. High-need schools are defined as districts that have at least twenty percent of their population, ages five to seventeen, living in poverty.

With national attention being drawn to the need for better preparation in STEM fields, teachers who have those skills are desperately needed. Although the need is seen nationwide, high-need schools are lacking the most, and therefore, the demand for strong STEM teachers is greater.

Bradley Baltensperger, chair of the Department of Cognitive and Learning Sciences at Michigan Tech, explains: "If we can identify the best and brightest science, math and engineering students who would make good teachers, then prepare them for their own classrooms, it leads more top-notch students into STEM majors and scientific and technical careers."

The Noyce program offers scholarships for STEM undergraduates and stipends for STEM graduates who are seeking a career change. For each year a student receives aid from the program, he or she is required to teach in a high-needs school for two years. If a Noyce scholar cannot fulfill the commitment to teaching, the recipient must pay the loan back to Michigan Tech.

Larry Hermanson is an engineering graduate who decided he needed a change and came back to become a teacher through a Noyce Scholarship. "The Noyce program definitely made it easier to go back to school," he says. "I considered getting a teaching degree about ten years ago, but it would have been pretty tough to support a family and pay full tuition." Now, he is a STEM teacher for Washington Island, a high-needs school in Wisconsin. Hermanson enjoys the atmosphere and states, "My teaching experience has been nothing but good so far." continue reading->

View pictures from UPWard Tourism Group members visit to Nahma HERE.

Click HERE for more about the UPWard Initiative.