GERMANNA RECEIVES GRANT TO SUPPORT USING NEW GREEN ACADEMIC BUILDING AT FREDERICKSBURG CAMPUS AS A TEACHING TOOL FOR STUDENTS, AREA RESIDENTS

Germanna Community College has been recognized as a recipient of a $3,000 Greenforce Initiative Innovation Mini Grant. With support from this grant, GCC will design a program to train students to be guides for its new academic facility at its Fredericksburg Area Campus, which will be a green building, and provide an opportunity for engineering students to learn from the architects and builders as construction is in progress. The new Academic Services Building, slated for March 2012 completion, will incorporate reduced energy consumption concepts including a vegetated roof, passive solar heating, automatic shades, native plantings, water conservation, and superefficient heating and cooling. In total, four schools in Virginia and more than 15 nationally have been awarded a grant through the Greenforce Initiative.

The National Wildlife Federation and Jobs for the Future have joined forces on the Greenforce Initiative, a two-year project started in 2010, to spur innovation in the role of community colleges in the coming green-jobs revolution.


“We want to thank the Greenforce Initiative for helping us create an opportunity to increase the knowledge and awareness of green building and methods of reducing energy consumption,” said Dr. William Fiege, Germanna Dean of Professional and Technical Studies. “We are developing curricula and teaching modules for GCC’s engineering program that engage the mechanical systems and renewable energy features of the building. Here, the building itself is the laboratory, and students will get hands-on experience monitoring and calibrating a working green building.”

With support from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation and CS Mott Foundation, The Greenforce Initiative is strengthening green career pathways leading to postsecondary credentials and family sustaining careers; increasing access and success for lower-skilled adults; and using campus “greening” or sustainability efforts as “learning laboratories” for education and training. Building on the combined experience of NWF and JFF in environmental sustainability and workforce development, respectively, this commitment provides assistance to community colleges in six regions: Metro Chicago, Michigan, North Carolina, northern Virginia, Seattle, and South Texas. The Initiative has hosted eight summits in six locations, engaging hundreds of community college staff and faculty.

“We face a major challenge to retool and rebuild our workforce and meet the challenges of the coming clean energy economy," said Lisa Madry, Campus Field Director, National Wildlife Federation. "The Greenforce commitment will help accelerate America's ability to tackle the climate crisis while creating economic opportunities and pathways out of poverty."

Community colleges are increasingly called upon to both prepare graduates with the 21st century skills needed in a greener economy while also protecting community health and sustainability. "Post-secondary credentials are increasingly required for careers that pay family-sustaining wages," said Gloria Mwase, Program Director, Jobs for the Future. "While the labor demand in key "green" sectors offer job growth opportunities in many communities, it is critical that we ensure that under-prepared adults can access and succeed in these careers."

In Virginia, there are more than 336,000 jobs in a representative group of job areas that could see job growth or wage increases by putting global warming solutions to work, according to Huey Battle from the Northern Virginia Workforce Investment Board. The Virginia Community College System is committed to supporting the growth of sustainability-skilled jobs in Virginia, “By 2015 the Virginia Community College System hopes to be working with approximately 12,000 Virginia companies and we are starting to see demand for green jobs in Virginia in the weatherization, HVAC, and wind industries” said VCCS Chancellor Glenn DuBois.

Since its formation in 1936, National Wildlife Federation has worked with affiliates across the country to inspire Americans to protect wildlife for future generations. NWF seeks to engage and educate its 4 million members, partners and supporters with a focus on restoring habitat, confronting global warming and connecting people with nature. To learn more about NWF’s environmental higher education programs, visit the Campus Ecology www.campusecology.org and Greenforce Initiative www.greenforceinitiative.org pages.

Jobs for the Future develops, implements, and promotes new education and workforce strategies that help communities, states, and the nation compete in a global economy. In more than 200 communities across 43 states, JFF improves the pathways leading from high school to college to family-sustaining careers.

GCC Prof. Ashley Anglin and her Germanna 'family' play big part in 'The Sound of Music'

Left to right, GCC's Matthew McKinney, Prof. Ashley Anglin and Hannah Martino play key roles in a community production of "The Sound of Music" that runs July 28-31.

Germanna Community College Prof. Ashley Anglin jokes that she's looking forward to adding singing soprano in Latin to her resume when she performs with students Hannah Martino and Matt McKinney Thursday through Sunday in a community theater production of "The Sound of Music" at Spotsylvania High School. Anglin is a professor of Spanish and Italian and the GCC Department of Modern Foreign Languages chair.
"And she sings it beautifully," says Marilyn Scott, who is the director of the show and of the local Christian Community Theater, a branch of the Christian Youth Theater.
This will be the first Fredericksburg CCT show. CCT is all ages. The cutoff age for CYT is 18.
Martino, 20, will play the lead role of Maria, McKinney will play Rolf, and Anglin will play Sister Sophia. Austin Fitzhugh, another former student of Anglin's, plays Max. Anna Godfrey, the show's stage manager, is a GCC student who has applied to the nursing program.
Anglin earns a 4.9 out 5.0 on RateMyProfessors.com for making learning fun. "We have a competition to see who can be rated the meanest teacher," she says with a laugh.
"She is so creative and so funny that she makes learning very easy," Martino says of Anglin.
Anglin, who earned degrees at Catholic University and William & Mary, taught at Northern Virginia Community College before coming to Germanna four years ago.
The 17-year-old McKinney, who has been a Dual Enrollment student at Germanna, won a GCC award for academic excellence in math. Martino, who has a semester to go, has been a member of the student government.
McKinney's character, Rolf, is a teenage boy who becomes a Nazi. The sweet-natured McKinney says playing the role is difficult. "I kind of turn into a jerk," he says with a smile. "It's hard for me to be mean. Hopefully, I can pull it off. I also have to be a flirt, which I really don't know how to do."
For Martino, playing Maria comes naturally. "I love being with the children," she says. She has worked as a full-time, live-in nanny and as a tutor." Singing harmony with so many young children is a bit difficult, though, she said.
"I grew up with Julie Andrews," she says. She says "The Sound of Music" is her parents' favorite movie. "My dad cries when [Andrews] sings 'Edelweiss.' " she says.
Pointing out that Martino's first role was Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz," Anglin says with a laugh, "My first part was 'dancer No. 14.' "
Martino has been involved in CYT Fredericksburg since she was 16 in 2007. With CYT, she's also been in "Seussical the Musical" (Mrs. Mayor), "Les Miserables" (Fantine), "The Music Man" (Marian), and "Guys and Dolls" (Sarah Brown). She hopes to help disadvantaged children through the performing arts.


What: "The Sound of Music"
Where: Spotsylvania High School, 6975 Courthouse Road, Spotsylvania
When: July 28-31, 7 p.m.; 2 p.m. performances also on July 30-31 Cost: $13 online, $15 at the door, $11 group discount (10-ticket minimum)

For more:

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Germanna's Kathryn Denner awarded Teacher Innovation Grant

The Orange County Educational Foundation has honored Germanna Community College's Kathryn Denner with a Teacher Innovation Grant.
Denner (left), who is pictured with GCC Dean of Student Services Pam Frederick, will use her $250 award to purchase materials to support high achievement in mathematics as part of her Math Anxiety Reduction grant.
She's one of six recipients of OCEF's first Teacher Innovation Grants. The six teachers were selected from among 25 Orange County educators who submitted applications.
The grants were designed to assist with the development of projects to increase student achievement, promote tolerance, and exhibit new technology in the classroom.
“The Education Foundation was glad to be able to award grants to strengthen the quality of education for students in Orange County,” said Sam Kessler, chair of the OCEF Teacher Innovative Grant Committee. “We are grateful to all the teachers who submitted grant proposals and look forward to offering additional grants in the 2011-2012 school year.
Winners of this spring’s teacher innovation grants will be honored at their individual schools and as a group at 2011-2012 Convocation Ceremonies. The recipients, representing five different schools and covering students from kindergarten through post secondary education include Denner, Vickie Baker of Orange County High School, Sarah Duffy of Locust Grove Middle School and Gloria Pullen, Sharon Mohrmann and Carolyn Herndon, all of Orange Elementary School.

Gov. McDonnell appoints former Germanna Dean Jane Ingalls to Virginia State Board of Nursing

The three deans who have overseen GCC's nursing program: Dr. Jane Ingalls, (left), the late Dale Featherston (center) and current Dean Mary Gilkey. Dr. Ingalls has been appointed to the State Board of Nursing.

Gov. Bob McDonnell has appointed a former Dean of Nursing at Germanna Community College to the Virginia State Board of Nursing.
Dr. Jane R. Ingalls of Fredericksburg is a registered nurse and Professor Emeritus at Germanna Community College, where she retired as Dean of Nursing in 2009.
"I have so much respect for the Board of Nursing staff and the members of the Board," Dr. Ingalls said.
She did an internship with the Board of Nursing in 1993, when she was working toward her doctorate.
Dr. Ingalls said the function of the board is "to protect the health, safety and well being of the citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia," through both practices and the education of future nurses. "That's a pretty important task. I'm just really honored to be appointed. It's a real opportunity for me to serve."
GCC Dean of Nursing Mary Gilkey R.N. said the Board's mission of assuring "quality patient care delivery by caring and competent caregivers" is dear to Dr. Ingalls' heart. Gilkey said Dr. Ingalls' experience as a nurse educator and care advocate "will serve all Virginians well ... and, most assuredly, assist us all to best define the future of nursing."
Along with Dr. Ingalls, Gov. McDonnell appointed Evelyn A. Lindsay of Richmond, an LPN at Virginia Commonwealth University Health System, and
Trula E. Minton of Richmond, Chief Nursing Officer at CJW Medical Center.

Germanna preparing rising ninth graders to lead

A group of rising ninth-graders began Germanna Community College's week-long Launch into Leadership summer camp program for rising ninth-graders today.
Launch into Leadership provides an introduction to key leadership skills that are valuable in any situation and relevant tonew high schoolers.
Rising freshmen are exposed to some of the challenges and expectations they can expect in high school. They prepare for participating in and leading student and organizations and also develop improved confidence, communication skills and raising consciousness about the impact we all have on one another.
The curriculum includes:
Importance of teamwork.
Verbal and written communication and body language.
Prepared and extemporaneous speaking.
Etiquetts and protocol.
Assignments including writing a daily journal entry.
The development of a personal mission statement that includes long- and short-term goals and a plan to achieve them.
Creating a PowerPoint presentation that students may show families at the closing session.

For more informaton, contact the GCC Center for Workforce & Community Education at 540/891-3012 or email gccworkforce@germanna.edu or visit us on the Web at www.germanna.edu/workforce

Germanna Dean of Nursing completes mental health first aid training program

Germanna Dean of Nursing Mary Gilkey has graduated from a Mental Health First Aid trainer program offered in Boston. She is now certified to teach Mental Health First Aid.
According to mentalhealthfirstaid.org:
Mental Health First Aid is a groundbreaking public education program that helps the public identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders.
It's offered as an interactive 12-hour course that presents an overview of mental illness and substance use disorders in the U.S. and introduces participants to risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems, builds understanding of their impact, and overviews common treatments.
Upon class completion, participants are certified as Mental Health First Aiders. The claas provides skills, resources and knowledge to help an individual in crisis connect with appropriate professional, peer, social, and self-help care.
The course can benefit a variety of audiences and key professions, including: primary care professionals, employers and business leaders, faith communities, school personnel and educators, state police and corrections officers, nursing home staff, mental health authorities, state policymakers, volunteers, young people, families and the general public.

Changes in G.I. Bill educational benefits to take effect on Aug. 1, 2011

Germanna Community College Veterans Affairs Orientation sessions on July 8 will provide information and answer questions about changes in the G.I. Bill.
12 p.m. to 2 p.m.-- Fredericksburg Campus' Sealy Auditorium
5 p.m. to 7 p.m. -- Fredericksburg Campus' Sealy Auditorium
Handouts from the orientation will also be available in the lobby at the Fredericksburg Campus and the Admissions Office at the Locust Grove Campus.
For more information, contact Germanna Veterans Affairs Education Representative Dianne Frausto at dfrausto@germanna.edu or 540/891-3023.
Changes to take effect on Aug. 1 include:
•For Veterans and their transferees - simplifies the tuition and fee rates for those attending a public school and creates a national maximum for those enrolled in a private or foreign school
◦Pays all public school in-state tuition and fees;
◦Private and foreign school costs are capped at $17,500 annually;
◦The Yellow Ribbon Program still exists for out-of-state fees and costs above the cap.
•For Active Duty Members and their transferees - creates a national rate for those active duty members enrolled in a private or foreign school pursuing a degree
◦Pays all public school in-state tuition and fees;
◦Private and foreign school costs are capped at $17,500 per academic year (an academic year begins August 1)
•Allows VA to pay MGIB (chapter 30) and MGIB-SR (chapter 1606) ‘kickers’, or college fund payments, on a monthly basis instead of a lump sum at the beginning of the term
•Prorates housing allowance by the student’s rate of pursuit (rounded to the nearest tenth)
◦A student training at a rate of pursuit of 75% would receive 80% of the BAH rate.