CTE student selected as Technical Education Award recipient

Sines (left) accepts the Technical Education Award from
Carol Santini of Mid Michigan Community College.

Clare-Gladwin Career Center student Alexis Sines has been awarded the Technical Education Award from Mid Michigan Community College valued at $500. Sines participated in both the Education in Training and Graphic Arts career and technical education (CTE) programs during her junior and senior years at Clare High School. She was also an active member in The Officials, the Graphic Arts program’s student leadership group whose mission is to offer their time and talents to the local communities, such as providing free design and printing work for local non-profit organizations.

Sines plans to attend Mid Michigan Community College to earn an associate’s degree, and then go on to obtain a bachelor’s degree in education. Ultimately, she would like to teach art in a public school setting.

The Clare-Gladwin Career Center, a program of Clare-Gladwin RESD, provides career and technical education offerings to local high school juniors and seniors. Students spend half of their school day in their CTE program and the other half at their local high school.   

CTE students learn about post-secondary opportunities at Kendall College

Nearly 50 students from the Graphic Arts and Digital Media programs at the Clare-Gladwin Career Center took a field trip last month to Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids. Following a tour of the campus, a presentation was given about the college, the degrees offered, financial aid opportunities, and what it takes for students to find success.

“This was a good field trip,” said Digital Media student Skyler Berry. “I learned about post-secondary degrees that I didn’t know were out there. I also liked how the college gives its students huge opportunities to showcase their skills and talents all over the school.”

Digital Media and Graphic Arts are two of nine career and technical education (CTE) offerings of the Clare-Gladwin Career Center, a program of Clare-Gladwin RESD. High School juniors and seniors from Clare and Gladwin counties spend half of their school day in their CTE program and the other half at their local high school.

Graphic Arts Students Leadership Group develops skills while giving back to the community

The Graphic Arts program of the Clare-Gladwin Career Center has established a Student Leadership Group, a select group of students who spend time outside of normal class hours to help the community through volunteering their graphic design skills and their time. Inspired by a concept of the Michigan Industrial and Technology Education Society (MITES), the Student Leadership Group consists of six members who meet once weekly online and once monthly in person.

Through the group’s initiative, Coleman student Ethan Davis recently created a new logo for the Clare County Animal Shelter. “For our new logo, I wanted something that was distinctly Clare County and something that conveyed that the shelter was a place of safety for animals,” said Susan Campbell, volunteer coordinator for the Clare County Animal Shelter. “I was just amazed at what the student came up with. It brought tears to my eyes!”

In addition to developing the organization’s logo, the Student Leadership Group also volunteered at a donation event for the Shelter held at Jay’s Sporting Goods in Clare this month. The same day, they assisted the Shelter in decorating their float for the Farwell Holiday Lights Parade, as well as passed out items during the parade.

While the group’s monthly meetings typically take place at a location where they can have fun together, such as Spinning Wheels roller skating arena in Mount Pleasant, the students have elected to use their next meeting’s budget to buy a Christmas present for a family in need.

Digital Media and Graphic Arts are two of nine career and technical education (CTE) offerings of the Clare-Gladwin Career Center, a program of Clare-Gladwin RESD. High School juniors and seniors from Clare and Gladwin counties spend half of their school day in their CTE program and the other half at their local high school.

Graphic Arts Student Leadership Group Board:

Ethan Davis (President)

Alyssa Haag (Vice-President)

Shyla Cassidy (Treasurer)

Graphic Arts Student Leadership Group Members:

Kirsten Head

Alexis Sines

Brad Walsh

Graphic Arts students place at 2014 MITES state competition

Students from the Clare-Gladwin Career Center’s Graphic Arts program recently submitted projects showcasing their skills developed in the classroom to the 2014 Michigan Industrial and Technology Education Society (MITES) State Convention and Student Competition held at Saginaw Valley State University’s Ryder Center last month. In order to qualify for the state competition, projects needed to place fourth or better at the previously held MITES Regional Student Competition. Of the 24 projects entered into the regional competition by Clare-Gladwin students, 12 advanced to the state event.

With a mission to encourage and recognize fine craftsmanship in the field of industrial technology and career technical education, the annual MITES student competition allows kids of all grade levels to compete against hundreds of  their peers in a variety of divisions, including graphic arts, mechanical drawing, machine shop, plastics, and more.

The local high school juniors and seniors from the Clare-Gladwin Career Center who participated in the 2014 MITES State Student Competition with at least one project included Toni Boyd, Laurissa Brushaber, Shyla Cassidy, Kaitlyn Corell, Allyssa Haag, Chasity Haight, Malinda Hershberger, Mercedez Hisey, Katie Loesel, Calie Nixon, Cassie Reid, Jacob Schlaack, and Tristan Shimmons.

Nine of the 12 student projects featured at the state competition placed in their categories. Loesel placed sixth, Shimmons was awarded seventh, Boyd and Haag earned eighth place standings, and Brushaber, Corell, Hershberger, and Schlaack each finished in ninth. Additionally, a group project submitted by Loesel, Nixon, and Hisey finished fourth.

“MITES gave me an opportunity to compete against graphic design students from all over the state,” said Harrison High School student Allyssa Haag.

Andrea Boettner, Clare-Gladwin Career Center Graphic Arts instructor, said she was very pleased with the students’ placements at the competition. “To have so many students participate and place at regionals and states is a great accomplishment, especially with this year being just the second time we’ve taken part in the MITES competition."

The MITES convention not only provides students with the chance to better their abilities through competition, but it also affords high school graphic arts students and instructors funding opportunities to better their programs and their futures. Boettner was awarded a $500 grant to invest in screen printing equipment for the high school students in her Clare-Gladwin Career Center program. Student Jacob Schlaack also earned a scholarship valued at $500 as a result of his short essay that illustrated his plan to become a graphic arts instructor. Schlaak intends to receive his associate’s degree at Mid Michigan Community College in graphic design and then transfer to Central Michigan University where he will graduate with a teaching degree in fine arts.

Clare-Gladwin Graphic Arts students work with Mt. Pleasant Area Technical Center to create notebooks

The Graphic Arts students from the Clare-Gladwin Career Center and the Mt. Pleasant Area Technical Center (MPATC) recently shared supplies and worked together to create notebooks as part of their bindery units. 

Each class then donated the books produced to a local group of their choice.  

The Clare-Gladwin Career Center gifted 20 books to Ms. Kemmer’s second grade class at Larson Elementary to be used for the Young Authors program this month. Forty books were given by the MPATC students to Central Michigan Community Mental Health.

“While book binding posed some challenges, like running out of glue, the classes had a great time,” said Clare-Gladwin Career Center Instructor Andrea Boettner.

According to MPATC Instructor Karen Lee, “Collaborating with a neighboring career center was a get experience and opportunity for my students.” 

Graphic Arts purchases cameras with MITES grant funds

The Clare-Gladwin Career Center’s Graphic Arts class recently purchased six Nikon Coolpix L28 cameras with grant funds instructor Andrea Boettner received last spring from the Michigan Industrial and Technology Education Society (MITES).

The high school juniors and seniors have been using the cameras to document their projects and field trips, and later in the semester, the students will learn about lighting, close-up photography, and more during the class’s photography unit.

“First and foremost, we need to thank MITES for the grant that allowed us to get the cameras,” said Boettner. “The students are already enjoying using them on a regular basis and I’m looking forward to seeing their knowledge and creativity grow during our upcoming photography unit.”

Graphic Arts is one of nine career and technical education (CTE) programs offered by the Clare-Gladwin Career Center, a program of Clare-Gladwin RESD. Students spend half of their school day in their CTE program and the other half at their local high school.

Graphic Arts students tour McKay Press in Midland

Graphic Arts students from the Clare-Gladwin Career Center were exposed to the print and production business during a recent tour of McKay Press in Midland. Made possible by grant funds awarded to Graphic Arts instructor Andrea Boettner last spring by the Michigan Industrial and Technology Education Society (MITES), the field trip educated students on the variety of machines used by McKay Press, including a web press, letter press, folders, binders, cutter, stitcher, wide format printers, and more.

“The field trip was great,” said Graphic Arts student Chris Wargo of Farwell. “I liked the different machines they used. I had no idea how complicated it was going to be or how large and dynamic the space was. The people at McKay Press even gave us one of their excellent quality calendars and a huge roll of paper for our printing and crafting projects.”

According to Graphic Arts instructor Andrea Boettner, to be better prepared for a career in graphic arts, students need to have an understanding of the production side of the industry, and the field trip to McKay Press provided students with a useful introduction.

Graphic Arts is one of nine career and technical education (CTE) programs offered to high school juniors and seniors at the Clare-Gladwin Career Center, a program of the Clare-Gladwin RESD. The students spend half of their school day at their CTE program and the other half at their local high school. 

Clare-Gladwin Area School classroom learns basic color theory from CTE students

Students from the Clare-Gladwin Career Center’s Culinary Arts and Graphic Arts programs teamed up this month to teach students from the Clare-Gladwin Area School about basic color theory.

The career and technical education (CTE) students used cupcakes, icing, and food coloring to share their lesson with the kids in Rachel DuMond’s Area School class. The local high school juniors and seniors demonstrated how to make different colors by mixing icing and food coloring. After the cupcakes were decorated with the appropriate color, the treats were formed into two color wheels, offering a visual way for the Area School students to learn the basic color theory. 

"Getting to frost cupcakes with the kids was a rewarding experience,” said Graphic Arts student Kaitlyn Corell. “The best part of the whole day was getting to eat the cupcakes with the kids and seeing the joy on their faces.”

Culinary Arts and Graphic Arts are two of nine career and technical education programs offered to local high school juniors and seniors through the Clare-Gladwin Career Center, a program of Clare-Gladwin RESD. Students spend half of their school day at their CTE class and the other half at their local high school.

Graphic Arts students participate and place at state competition

Students from the Clare-Gladwin Career Center’s Graphic Arts program recently submitted eight projects showcasing their skills acquired in the classroom to the 2013 Michigan Industrial and Technology Education Society (MITES) State Convention and Student Competition, held at Central Michigan University. 

With a mission to encourage and recognize fine craftsmanship in the field of industrial technology and career technical education, the annual MITES student competition allows kids of all grade levels to compete against their peers from other states and Canada in a variety of divisions, including graphic arts, architectural drawing, machine shop, wrought metal, and more.

“MITES is a wonderful organization to be a part of that supports both teachers and students in the areas of industrial and career and technical education,” said Andrea Boettner, instructor for the Clare-Gladwin Career Center’s graphic arts program and MITES member since 2005. “I believe in the power of hands-on, relevant, and real-world learning. This organization gives my students a place to shine and show off their skills.”

In order to qualify for the state competition, projects needed to place fourth or better at the previously held MITES Regional Student Competition.

The local high school juniors and seniors from the Clare-Gladwin Career Center who entered at least one project to the 2013 MITES State Student Competition included Erik Canute of Farwell, Tabatha Chambers of Clare, Steven Clink of Farwell, Dallas Howell of Farwell, Richard June of Clare, Julie Lester of Gladwin, Lacey Martinez of Farwell, Jacob Schlaack of Beaverton, and Samantha Tomaski of Clare.

Of the eight projects submitted, four placed at the state level. For their individual projects, Martinez placed third, Clink placed sixth, and Canute placed fourth. A group project submitted by Schlaack, Clink, and June finished sixth.

“I was very excited to see the results of the state competition,” said Boettner.  “This was my first year as an instructor competing. My goal was to have at least one student place at states. Finding out that three students and one group project placed was a dream come true.”

In addition to the student project competition, the MITES convention featured a Pen Turning for Troops event. Using a lathe, the kids created 50 wooden pens that would be sent to the country’s service men and women overseas. The participants were then entered into a drawing to win a $500 mini-lathe donated by Barn Door Lumber in Hemlock.

Farwell’s Steven Clink was the winner of the equipment. With some past woodshop experience, Clink said he was looking forward to making, “a lot of really cool projects with the lathe. I can make pens, fix my mom’s dining room chair, and maybe make a wooden bowl!”

Boettner said Barn Door Lumber is a faithful contributor to MITES and supporter of industrial education. “Barn Door Lumber’s generous gift provides the financial and moral support needed for MITES to continue their mission,” she said. “There is no way to fully express our gratitude for their loyalty.”

Graphic Arts is one of nine career and technical education (CTE) programs offered to high school juniors and seniors at the Clare-Gladwin Career Center, a program of the Clare-Gladwin RESD. The students spend half of their day at their CTE program and the other half at their local high school. 

$1,500 in grants awarded to Clare-Gladwin Career Center graphic arts instructor

Graphic Arts Instructor Andrea Boettner and
Clare-Gladwin Career Center Director Doug Pummell displaying
the grants Boettner was awarded during the MITES State Convention
last month. 

Graphic Arts Instructor Andrea Boettner of the Clare-Gladwin Career Center has been awarded $1,500 in grants by the Michigan Industrial and Technology Education Society (MITES) to fund classroom activities and professional development opportunities. Specifically, Boettner will receive $650 to purchase class cameras, $250 for educational field trips, and $600 to attend special workshops and trainings.

According to their website, the generosity of the Abrams Foundation allows MITES to offer numerous scholarships and grants to help support career and technical education in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, and Canada.

Graphic Arts is one of nine career and technical education (CTE) programs offered to high school juniors and seniors at the Clare-Gladwin Career Center, a program of the Clare-Gladwin RESD. The students spend half of their day at their CTE program and the other half at their local high school.