Drumming Inspires a Community Cultural Event

On Tuesday, April 18, 2006, the Associated Student Body groups from the Community Colleges of Spokane-Colville Center and the WSU Distance Degree Programs invited the public to a free concert held in the Colville CCS-Rendezvous Theater.

True to the advertisement in the Statesman Examiner, Drum Brothers of Missoula, Montana, entertained a delighted audience while simultaneously teaching the beauties of cultural diversity through music. The theater was filled to capacity and overflowing with people sitting the foyer.

Listeners were engaged with the musicians and all were invited to participate through movement and dance. It was truly a delightful and educational evening listening to a mix of ethnic and contemporary world sounds.

As a former student and graduate of CCS and WSU Distance Degree Program, I would like to thank those in administration for approving the expenditure of ASB funds for this event.

The quality of this presentation is the sort of thing that builds bridges between the taxpayer and the colleges/universities. I observed that families of college students were able to attend this family friendly event because there was no charge.

I encourage the administration to continue to approve expenditures of ASB funds for these educational programs that engage and educate the community in such a positive manner.

Sally DeSpain, M.A.
WSU Distance Degree Programs Graduate, 2001

Taiwan Education Delegation Tours WSU Learning Center- North Olympic Peninsula

Bill Gillis, Director, WSU Center to Bridge the Digital Divide hosts one of the delegates from the Taiwan Ministry of Education in the computer room of the WSU Learning Center in Port Hadlock. Pam Roberts, Jefferson County 4H Coordinator, demonstrates how she uses blogs to empower youth in rural communities to be effective communicators using modern technologies. In the foreground, LC instructor, Jack Olmsted, creates a blog to post videos documenting the visit which could be seen the next day on the world wide web. In the background is the vivid greenscreen used to overlay digital images in the video production classes taught at the LC. More of the story can be viewed in the Port Townsend Leader.

National Recognition for 4-H News Blog of Red Cross Exercise at WSU Learning Center- NOP

WSU Learning Center--North Olympic Peninsula recently hosted a Red Cross emergency training workshop at the Center in Port Hadlock, WA. Now in our third year of partnering with 4H to teach filming and editing at the LC, a Jefferson County 4H News Club has been formed. The club's blog of the Red Cross workshop received national attention when it was picked up and featured at the National 4H Website.

Renewable Enegy - Creating partnerships to create energy in Klickitat County.

Klickitat County has expressed a high level of public interest in Renewable Energy. The WSU Learning Center Klickitat Co. recognized this and has been offering a variety of classes/workshops and is hosting a renewable energy exploratory group. Since the beginning of the renewable energy movement Klickitat County has fostered adoption of alternatives to traditional energy sources. There are countless homes, ranches and businesses that are using the sun, wind and water to generate electricity and have incorporated passive techniques to conserve the energy they have worked so hard to produce.

In August 2005, The WSU Learning Center partnered with the City of Goldendale, Klickitat Co., Klickitat Public Utility District (PUD), USDA Rural Development and the NRCS to present a renewable energy seminar. The community’s response was overwhelming. Guest speakers represented Seraphim Electric, USDA Rural Development, Klickitat PUD, Northwest Seed, and WSU small wind volunteers.

Topics included: What is Renewable Energy?, Wind Power in Klickitat County, Financing Options and Payback, and Washington’s New Renewable Energy Legislation. Chris Cassidy, Director if the USDA Rural development in Washington State, said “I have never seen a turnout like this even in the big towns. To have 83 people show up on a Saturday says something.”

The Learning Center collected $1,514 in advertising donations and registration fees. A follow-up solar installation class was attended by nine community members. The Klickitat Renewable Energy Exploratory Group (KREEG) was formed, with 15-20 regular participants with an additional 37 people who requested to be included on the mailing list. Most are Klickitat Co. landowners who are either using renewable energy, or plan to in the future. KREEG is launching an economic development effort called “The 500 Letters Campaign” to encourage Ovonics, a solar PV manufacturing company to consider locating in Klickitat County. KREEG is also starting a community outreach program involving local middle school, high school, home school and 4-H students to help with home energy audits. During Goldendale’s Earth Day Celebration, KREEG plans to offer free energy audits and conservation ideas to local residents.

Educational Opportunities A Key Factor In Economic Development

House Values Inc., a company that assists real estate professionals succeed by providing them with leads and training on using the Internet, is opening a satellite facility in Yakima. House Values President Clayton Lewis said Yakima was chosen not only because of the available work force and friendly business community but because of its educational opportunities. New Vision, the Yakima Development Association, and Yakima political and business leaders worked very hard to entice the company to Yakima over locations in New York and Arkansas that the company was considering. House Values was such an attractive new business because it offers above- market wages and benefits to its employees. The company will employ 350 workers to begin with but plans to expand to the 650 employees that the facility will hold. Chances are very good that expansion will come sooner rather than later since House Values, which is traded on NASDAQ, was named the fastest growing technology company in North America by Deloitte and Touche, a financial advisory service firm.

A group of House Values’ management team had met with the community college, CWU and WSU to see if they could meet the educational needs of their business before deciding to locate in Yakima. The company was interested in employees with four-year degrees in business or liberal arts and also MBA graduates. We discussed at length what skills their employees needed and what degrees would best give them those skills. House Values went away secure in the knowledge that the key educational programs they required for their workforce were available in Yakima.

Yakima Mayor Paul George, said, "Employers like House Values enhance the quality of life in the Yakima Valley by offering above-market compensation and benefits
that supports families, as well as the potential of significant upside for top performers. This investment is a huge victory for the entire region."