Versailles, Ky. (November 30, 2012) –In an analysis of public two-year colleges across the U.S., five colleges within the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) rank in Community College Week’s top 50 fastest-growing public two-year colleges. The magazine’s annual “Fastest Growing Community Colleges” report was released this week.

Bowling Green Technical College and Somerset Community College ranked in the top 15 of the fastest-growing institutions with 5,000 to 9,999 students. Ashland Community and Technical College, Hopkinsville Community College and Maysville Community and Technical College all ranked in the top 50 fastest-growing two-year colleges with enrollments of 2,500-4,999 students.

The Community College Week analysis was compiled from U.S. Department of Education data comparing college headcount from fall 2010-fall 2011. Here is a list of the rankings for KCTCS colleges:

(Enrollments 5,000 – 9,999)

(Enrollments 2,500 – 4,999)

SOURCE: COMMUNITY COLLEGE WEEK ANALYSIS OF U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION DATA (IPEDS)

To see the full list of rankings visit:

http://www.ccweek.com/News/templates/pdfs/Fastest-Growing/Fastest-Growing2012/Fastest-Growing12-5000-9999.pdf

http://www.ccweek.com/News/templates/pdfs/Fastest-Growing/Fastest-Growing2012/Fastest-Growing12-2500-4999.pdf

Dr. McCall speaks with graduates of Presidents Leadership Academy

During the tour, he met with faculty and staff collecting input regarding ways and means of transforming the system to a loftier

status. KCTCS, which began 15 years ago, is considered to be one of the preeminent systems in the United States.

The tour included informal sessions with faculty, staff, students, and administration to discuss best practices currently implemented by programs and services at the college as-well as suggestions for continuous improvement.

BGTC President Dr. Nathan Hodges introduces Dr. McCall	Dr. McCall speaks with Presidents Leadership Academy graduates

BGTC students welcome Dr. McCall	Observes students in Math Emporium

Dr. McCall speaks with BGTC student leadership group	Dr. McCall looks at new FANUC Robot

IDC Director Mary Helen Hendrix shows Dr. McCall new mobile apps designed by BGTC

CAVE CITY, KY - Bowling Green Technical College honored 60 students at its December Nursing Pinning and Capping Ceremony held Wednesday, December 5, 2012 at the Cave City Convention Center at 1:00 pm.

The ceremony included the Pinning of 20 LPN students of the Main Campus in Bowling Green and the Capping of 40 RN students at the Glasgow Campus.

In addition to receiving their Practical Nursing pins, diploma and degree, awards presented at the ceremony included:

•  The Gold Bandage Scissors Award sponsored by T J Sampson Hospital for the student with the highest GPA - Lora Clark
•  The Molly Carmon award for highest average in OB Nursing sponsored by retired pediatrician Dr. Carolyn McKinley - Sharon King
•  The Clinical Nursing Award sponsored by Magnolia Village Care and Rehab Center of Bowling Green - Anu Fowope 
•  The Perfect Attendance award sponsored by the Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA) student organization - Lora Clark, Anu Fowope, Wilma Hamilton
•  The Pharmacology Award for the highest average in Pharmacology sponsored by the Kentucky State LPN Association. - Lora Clark

"We honor each of our nursing students for the hard work they have put forth to achieve their educational goals. We also pay tribute to the family and friends for their great support to the graduates," stated Dr. Nathan Hodges, President of Bowling Green Technical College.

Student participating in this years ceremony were:

LPN Main Campus Class #3

Cristina Anderson+
Heather Basham
Lora Clark**
Barbara Cox
Sara Decuir+
Anu Fowope+**
Sunni Gregory+
Wilma Hamilton
Jessica Harper
Samantha Hendrick
Jessica Henson+
Sharon King**
Sarah Kirby+
Hannah Pearson
Ashlea Pierce+
Adam Rasdall+
Liceth Rodriguez
Teresa Thomas+**
Katrina Vanover
Destiny Wynn+

+=AAS Degree **=GPA > 3.5

Registered Nursing Receiving Caps
Glasgow Campus—Class #3
Debra J Boone*
Valerie G Burnett*
Brooke L Carter
Amanda M Case*
Ashley Collins
Angela N Comer
Cynthia L Coppersmith
Sheri L Davis
Susan Gornik
Rhonda R Green
Raesha B Hemmersbach
Melissa J Hicks*
Paige Houchen
Jennifer R Hoyt
Roger D Huckaby, Jr
Ashely A James
Monica King-Bewley
Kathy F Lawrence
Amanda M Lile
Lisa Nicewinter
Tracy V Nunley*
Crystal G Parish
Lacey N Phelps
Barbara J Pickett*
Lacey A Roussel
Bradley A Russell
Greg L Slinker*
Alan R Smith
Elizabeth Spicer
Amy E Stafford
Lindsey L Syra
Jerry F Thompson*
Brandy M Torres
Tracy A Trogdon
Tamara S Turner*
Robyn L Underwood
Jami L Wallace
Lori A Witschey
DeVon Yoder
Carol Y Yoder

Bowling Green Technical College is one of the 16 colleges that comprise the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS).

By JUSTIN STORY The Daily News jstory@bgdailynews.com

Tyler Oaks has about another year before he regains his freedom, but the current Warren County Regional Jail inmate has a reason to celebrate now.

Oaks and 14 other inmates were honored Tuesday in a graduation ceremony for earning their GED diplomas.

“It was tough, but it was something I wanted to do to better my life,” said Oaks, of Morgantown.

After he is released, Oaks wants to further his education so that he can find a job less strenuous than the construction work he had been doing prior to landing in jail.

That attitude would please Warren County Jailer Jackie Strode, who told the GED graduates that earning this diploma should represent a first step toward further education and improvement.

“It’s something that you worked hard for and you studied for, but let’s let that be a starting point,” Strode said.

Warren County Jailer Jackie Strode speaks to graduates after they received their GED from Bowling Green Technical College during a ceremony at the Warren County Regional Jail Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2012, in Bowling Green, Ky. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Daily News)

Ten inmates took part in Tuesday’s ceremony – the other five graduates have either been released or transferred to other facilities.

Bowling Green Technical College operates the GED program for inmates. Classes are taught by GED instructor Lyndell Graven, who teaches three days a week at the jail.

Classes are held year-round in math, reading, writing, science and social studies. Inmates have homework assignments on days when they are not in class.

Because inmates come and go and are at different stages of the program when Graven encounters them, the classes at the jail are structured differently than the classes on BGTC’s campus, allowing for more individualized instruction, Graven said.

To earn a GED certificate, a student has to pass a comprehensive test in each subject. Students can score up to 800 points per subject, and a score of 410 is considered a passing grade, although a cumulative average

of 450 is required to pass the test.

Gerald Napoles, vice president of student affairs at BGTC, congratulated the graduates on their achievement and exhorted them to take control of their futures, whether it be through continuing education or finding employment after release.

Napoles talked about earning multiple college degrees despite growing up poor in Texas and seeing relatives and friends fall short of their goals due to a lack of education, ultimately telling the graduates that it is not too late to build on the success of a GED.

“A lot of people in the world will knock you down, but what you have done is a great accomplishment,” Napoles said. “When you step out of here, there will be so many challenges, but there will be so many more opportunities

Stevondre Brown, an inmate at the Warren County Regional Jail (center) walks up to get his GED, during a graduation ceremony at the jail, Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2012, in Bowling Green, Ky. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Daily News)	Tyler Oaks, an inmate at the Warren County Regional Jail (center) smiles after receiving his GED from Bowling Green Technical College, during a graduation ceremony at the jail, Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2012, in Bowling Green, Ky. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Daily News)

Representatives from local PNC Banks present a $10,000 check to Bowling Green Technical College (BGTC) for student scholarships. This represents a partnership between the PNC Foundation of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS). Pictured from left: Donna Martin, Director of Institutional Advancement (BGTC), Taylor Herrman, PNC Russellville Road Branch Manager, Candace Elkins, PNC Smiths Grove Branch Manager, Jonathon McElroy, PNC Fairview Branch Manager, and Dr. Nathan Hodges, President BGTC.

“The PNC Skilled Workforce Investment Scholarship Program will help encourage students to consider those high wage, high demand careers in the areas of Healthcare, advanced manufacturing and transportation training,” said BGTC President Dr. Nathan Hodges.

 Students enrolled in high wage, high demand workforce development programs/or who plan to transfer to a Kentucky four- year institution will be considered for the scholarships. Preference will be given to applicants from low-income households.

 “A business cannot succeed if its communities are not well positioned for future growth and success,” said Kevin Carrico, PNC Regional Manager, Kentucky. “Our goal with this scholarship is to further the development of Kentucky’s workforce and ensure the long-term vitality of the communities in which we serve.”

 The scholarship will be awarded during 2013, 2014 and 2015. In addition Bowling Green Technical College, funds will be distributed by the KCTCS Foundation among the following other KCTCS colleges:

• Bluegrass Community and Technical College……………………$30,000
• Elizabethtown Community and Technical College…………….$15,000
• Jefferson Community and Technical College…………………….$35,000
• Owensboro Community and Technical College…………………$15,000
• Somerset Community College (London North Campus)……..$7,500
• Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College……..$7,500
  (Middlesboro Campus)

 Scholarship recipients will receive $1,000 ($500 per semester) to use toward tuition. Recipients will be able to reapply for the scholarship, but will also be considered among new applicants.

Bowling Green, Ky. (December 14, 2012)–  Three Bowling Green Technical College employees received the Bowling Green Technical College Award of Excellence at a recognition ceremony December 14, 2012.

Faculty and staff recipients were nominated by their peers in the categories of:

• Outstanding Administrative Staff
• Outstanding Support Staff
• Outstanding Faculty

Each of the 16 KCTCS colleges selects an outstanding staff member and outstanding faculty member for the current year. These 32 recipients along with one staff member chosen from the KCTCS System Office in Versailles will be honored at the New Horizons (an annual conference for KCTCS faculty and staff) awards banquet

Each nominee demonstrated leadership in every aspect of their lives, including community involvement, student outreach, professional development, and support for their college.

This year's Award of Excellence recipients were:

• Administrative Staff – Dr. Gerald Napoles
• Support Staff – Amy Hurt
• Faculty – Diane Wilkins

Dr. Gerald Napoles	Diane Wilkins	Amy Hurt

Administrative Staff Nominees

Dr. James McCaslin	Dr. Gerald Napoles
Mary Ford	Rick Wilson

 Support Staff Nominees

Susan Cassady	Amy Hurt	Kristie Lee
	Not Pictured	Not Pictured
Sam Day	Kalvin Minton	Marilyn Johnson

 Faculty Nominees

Diane Wilkins	Angela Harlan	Janel Doyle

JAIL HOLDS FIRST GRADUATION CEREMONY: (Left to Right) Mary Ford, Director, Barren County Adult Education; Dr. Gerald Napoles, Vice President of Student Affairs, Bowling Green Technical College; Brandy Houchens, Correction’s Instructor, Barren County Adult Education; Larissa Ladd; Krystal Leslie, Correction’s Instructor, Barren County Adult Education; Veronica Samples; Ben Johnson; Barren County Jailer, Matt Mutter; Jerry Francis; Barren County Chief Deputy, Tracy Bellamy; Michael Bryant; Ray Haddix, Correction’s Instructor, Barren County Adult Education; and Carl Dillard, Coordinator, Barren County Adult Education.

The staff of the Barren County Adult Education Center in conjunction with Bowling Green Technical College held its first GED graduation and recognition ceremony at the Barren County Detention Center on Wednesday, December 19, 2012.
As a part of the rehabilitation services offered by the detention center, inmates are allowed and encouraged to attend weekly GED and continuing education classes offered by the Adult Education center. Inmates in the Adult Education classes work toward earning their General Educational Development (GED) Certificates and/or the National Career Readiness Certificates (NCRC).
During the graduation and recognition ceremony Jailer, Matt Mutter in his opening comments, offered words of praise and encouragement to those being recognized for their dedication and perseverance in making these academic and personal achievements. In addition, Dr. Gerald Napoles, Vice Present of Student Affairs for Bowling Green Technical College presented the inmates with Certificates of Completion and a challenge to continue their education in a post-secondary setting upon their release from the detention center. Once certificates were presented, inmates were treated to cake, soft drinks and allowed to spend time with their invited guests.
Those being recognized at the ceremony were: Matthew Bryant, who received both a GED Certificate and a Silver Level NCRC; Jerry Francis and Ben Johnson, who received a Gold Level NCRC; and Larrisa Eden and Veronica Samples, who received a Silver Level NCRC. Those not present for the ceremony were Zack Winfrey with a Gold Level NCRC; and Bobby Goff and Jonathan Irwin with a Silver Level NCRC.
Bowling Green Technical College (BGTC) having provided Adult Education services to Warren County for a number of years, recently expanded its Adult Education services to Barren, Metcalfe and Simpson Counties. Providing educational services to adults is a core part of the College’s mission, and BGTC is proud to continue this great tradition to the residents of these counties and surrounding areas. Adult Education includes instruction in reading, writing, math, English as a Second Language (ESL), COMPASS refresher, GED preparation, and the National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) training.
The staff of the Barren County Adult Education center, along with the staff at the Barren County Detention Center hopes to be able to hold a GED graduation and recognition ceremony on a quarterly basis to help celebrate the academic and personal achievements of the inmates housed at the detention center. For more information on services provided by the Barren County Adult Education Center, call 270-629-2061.

Scott Hall takes a break from painting to speak with Dr. McCaslin about the timeline of the kitchen project. Both men are members of the Leadership F-S class who committed to finishing the project prior to Jan 2 when the LOPC kids return to school. ~Marsha Herndon/Franklin Favorite

Each year, Leadership F-S works with a dozen or so community leaders and future leaders who apply through the Chamber of Commerce and the Extension Service. It is an educational program designed to familiarize participants with the leadership opportunities, needs, problems and resources in the local community. Leadership F-S involves an orientation, seven sessions throughout the year and concludes with a graduation banquet usually held in May.

Dr. James McCaslin, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Director of the BGTC Franklin-Simpson Center, was among those in this year's class. He says as part of the class, they take time to tour businesses that serve different segments of the community. There is a justice day, farm day and an education day. It was during education day that the participants toured the old gym at FSHS that now houses the students who attend the LOPC.

Their visit with students that day made a huge impression on all the members of the Leadership class, says McCaslin. During the day they learned about the students and why they are in LOpe, it's not the reason most of us think. McCaslin says that it is sometimes because of behavioral issues, but that's not the only reason. Some have home life issues, lack structure and just struggle with their living situation in general. Others might have emotional issues that need to be overcome.

"In talking with Crystal (Bayles) we learned that many of these kids just come from a very unstable home

New kitchen cabinets were stained and sit waiting to dry so they could be installed in the new kitchen, which is a renovated concession stand area in the old gym. The kitchen will be used by students in the Learning Opportunities Center for meal preparation as well as instruction. ~Marsha Herndon/Franklin Favorite

Some are ordered to: attend LOPC, however for others it is a decision. The decision is made, he says, usually between the principal and Bayles when there are issues at school that require more structure for the student. Sometimes they just need more individualized instruction, sometimes they need discipline, and sometimes just the structure provided by the school.

Once they show improvement, some students are given the option to return to FSHS, but McCaslin says that many of them stay in the LO PC by choice.

'They just get something here that they need, a lot of them stay here because they are doing well and they like it here," he said.

That is in no small part due to Crystal Bayles, who was made principal of LOPC two years ago. McCaslin says Bayles brings something special to the program. A firm but loving hand to guide the kids through a rough time in their life. It is where she is meant to be, McCaslin believes.

So when the Leadership group toured the new LOPC home in the old gym at FSHS, they were touched by
the students, The students are completely separated from the outside world during their hours in school. They have little interaction with anyone who is not a student or teacher at the LO PC campus. They don't eat in the cafeteria with other students, their meals are brought to them at the center.

The group saw how they spent their days, and the classes that they were taking to help prepare them for adult life. Their classes are practical, things to assist them in daily living. When they saw the kids using an old concession area as a makeshift kitchen, a plan came together.

Each year, the Leadership participants are required to choose a project to complete as a community service. That very day they began talking about how to help the students. They wanted to build a kitchen right away so that students could learn practical life lessons on food preparation, nutrition, budgeting, and how to make food that can be stretched out into more than one meal.

So that is how it came to be that during the students' winter break, some elves of a different kind were busy working. Leadership F-S members pulled out old equipment, solicited donations, painted, made curtains and installed cabinets for the new kitchen. The kitchen was unveiled to students this week when they returned to school.

McCaslin says he hopes to continue work with the center, hoping to establish a council that will maintain advocacy for these students. He also has plans for a mentoring program which will be seeking volunteers for a "J.A in a day" program next spring.

In the meantime, they have established an account for donations to help cover costs of the kitchen and other special projects in conjunction with the LOPC. Donations may be made out to dropped off in drop box FSEEF Leadership Fund and sent to : P.O. Box 94 Franklin, Ky 42135 or dropped off in a drop box at the FSEEF  office 910B South Main Street.

Local educator’s textbook used around the globe
By GINA KINSLOW Glasgow Daily Times

GLASGOW — Brian Janes had never written anything until he was invited to cowrite a textbook for National Institute of Metalworking Skills [NIMS] Level I Machinist for Cengage Learning.

Janes, of Glasgow, is an assistant professor for Bowling Green Technical College, teaching advanced manufacturing and computer and numerical controlled machining. He accepted the challenge to write the textbook, which was released in the United States in 2011.

This summer, the textbook was released to several countries in Europe and Asia, as well as Canada, Australia, India and Africa.

“Many of our technical publications have strong international appeal, and we routinely export them through our own channels,” said Lindsay Stanley, senior director of public and media relations for Cengage Learning. “We anticipate an opportunity to serve countries looking to help train a skilled workforce. South Africa is adopting NIMS [National Institute for Metalworking Skills] credentials and curriculum into a program designed to increase training for a skilled workforce.”

The international release of the textbook was something Janes didn’t expect.

“It’s hard to believe there is some dude in England reading my stuff,” he said.

With one book published, Janes is already contemplating writing others.

Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College supports MLK day and would encourage everyone who would like to participate to join in the activities listed below.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Events
Sponsored by the MLK Committee in Bowling Green

SUNDAY, January 20, 2013 at 4:00PM
Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Calendar Program
State Street Baptist Church
340 State Street
Bowling Green
Guest Speaker: Dr. Joelle Carter,
Assistant Vice President of Retention & Student Services, WKU
MLK Legacy Calendar 2013 on sale - $5.00

MONDAY, January 21, 2013 at 7:30AM
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Breakfast - Ticket Price - $10.00
Parker Bennett- Curry Elementary
617 Graham Avenue
Guest Speaker: Mrs. Martha Sales, Director of TRIO Program, WKU
MLK Legacy Calendars will be available for purchase

MONDAY, January 21, 2013 at 10:00AM
MLK Symbolic March from: Warren County Justice Center
To: State Street Baptist Church
Vans will begin transporting "marchers" from State Street Baptist to the Justice Center at the 9:30AM

MONDAY, January 21, 2013 at 11:00AM
Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday - Main Program
State Street Baptist Church
Keynote Speaker: Dorothy Parker Jarrett, Principal *
Summerour Middle School
Gwinnett County - Norcross, Georgia

Glasgow kentucky event
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Service
Wednesday, Jan 23 7:00p
Campbellsville University Ransdell Chapel, Campbellsville

Campbellsville University is sponsoring Dr. C.B. Akins, senior pastor at First Baptist Church Bracktown in Lexington, Ky., as the speaker for the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr... Somerset Community College's Martin Luther King, Jr. Unity Day
Sunday, Jan 20 2:00p

First Baptist Church, Somerset

Sunday, Jan. 20 at 2 p.m. - Lexington tenor soloist Whit Whitaker performs "A Dream Deferred: Celebrating the Life of a Martyr" (excerpts) at Somerset Community College's Martin Luther King, Jr...

Pictured above from left: • Coy Gibson, Director of Technical Education and Standards (HVAC Excellence), Tom Tebbe, National Programs Director (HVAC Excellence), SKYCTC Provost Dr. Phil Neal, SKYCTC Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Maggie Shelton, SKYCTC President Dr. Nathan Hodges, Associate Professor HVAC Terrell Murphy, Instructor HVAC Chris Jeter, and Dean of Applied Technology, Ron Baldwin.

Bowling Green Technical College Granted HVAC Excellence Accreditation

HVAC Excellence is pleased to announce that the Bowling Green Technical College (now Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College) in Bowling Green, KY has been granted accreditation of its Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) program.

The HVAC industry is one of the fastest growing industries in the United States according to the United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).  The BLS has stated that 65.6% of the service persons in the HVAC industry in 2020 will be people who were not in the HVAC industry in 2010.

With technology changing so rapidly, how can prospective students identify which program will put their career on the fast track to success?

They do this by looking for a Nationally accredited HVAC program.

Programmatic accreditation is where an independent third party HVAC Excellence reviews a program against set educational and industry standards in:

• curriculum
• faculty
• student facilities
• placement services
• financial aid
• advisory committee involvement
• training facilities
• equipment & safety

In seeking accreditation the staff at Bowling Green Technical College had to complete and submit a self study evaluation of their program that demonstrates how they meet each required standard.

The self study once completed was sent to HVAC Excellence for their executive team to thoroughly assess for compliance against each standard.

HVAC Excellence having approved the self study sent an onsite team to conduct an intense onsite review of the program.

Having reviewed all of the documentation from the self study and on site team visitation report. The HVAC Excellence accreditation review committee decided to grant a six year accreditation of the program, the highest attainable.

Now that the program has been granted accreditation it can:

•  provide employers with confidence in the quality of the program
•  assist students in selecting a program
•  assist students with transfer credits
•  help the students with advanced placement in the United Association apprenticeship program

The Bowling Green Technical College joins an elite list of schools nationally that have validated their programs through programmatic accreditation.

Learn more about the Nationally accredited Bowling Green Technical College HVAC program at http://www.bowlinggreen.kctcs.edu/

High-tech application designed for training in manufacturing sector
By CHUCK MASON, The Daily News, cmason@bgdailynews.com/783-3262

There’s now an app – Precision Measurement Training – that bears a Bowling Green stamp.

Mary Helen Hendrix, of Franklin, Ky., Director of the Interactive Digital Center (left) demonstrates how to use the microscope iPad app for Addi Hinojoza, of Bowling Green, Ky., at the The Kentucky Advanced Technology Institute Campus of BGTC Monday, Oct. 1, 2012, in Bowling Green, Ky. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Daily News)

Janel Doyle, Associate Professor at Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College, was named Honorary Member of the Marine Corps League, Franklin R. Sousley, Detachment #1095, by league members on Wednesday, January 16, 2013, at the American Legion located in Bowling Green, KY.

Mrs. Doyle served as the 2012 Toys for Tots Coordinator for the Marine Corp League where 7,625 toys were collected and 4,753 children received toys. The counties served are Warren, Barren, Allen, Simpson, Monroe, Edmonson, Hart, and Butler.

In February 2002, the Franklin R. Sousley, Marine Corps League Detachment was formed. Since that time, only members, who were in the Marine Corps, have served as the Toys for Tots Coordinator.

Mrs. Doyle is the first civilian Toys for Tots Coordinator and the only Honorary Member of this detachment of the Marine Corps League.

Faculty, Staff and Students:

Please Join us and Wear Red Tomorrow, February 1, 2013 In Honor of The American Heart Associations Awareness Campaign of Cardiovascular Disease

In 2003, the American Heart Association faced a challenge; Cardiovascular disease claimed the lives of nearly 500,000 American women each year, yet women were not paying attention. In fact, many even dismissed it as an “older man's disease.” To dispel these myths of heart disease as the No. 1 killer of women, the American Heart Association, along with the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute created National Wear Red Day® to raise awareness of this critical issue. Each year, on the first Friday in February, millions of women and men come together to wear red, take action and commit to fighting this deadly disease.

One year later, in 2004, the AHA also created Go Red For Women - a passionate, emotional, social initiative designed to empower women to take charge of their heart health as well as band together and collectively wipe out heart disease. It challenges women to know their risk for heart disease and use the tools that that Go Red For Women provides to take action to reduce their personal risk.

Funds raised by Go Red For Women allow the American Heart Association to help women by offering educational programs, increase women's understanding about their risk for heart disease and support research to discover scientific knowledge about heart health. We turn science into materials and tools that healthcare providers and decision-makers can use to help women. Scientific guidelines on women and healthcare providers receive the most up-to-date strategies and treatments tailored to a woman's individual risk.

Since the first National Wear Red Day 10 years ago, tremendous strides have been made in the fight against heart disease in women, including:

• 21% fewer women dying from heart disease
• 23% more women aware that it's their No. 1 health threat
• Publishing of gender-specific results, established differences in symptoms and responses to medications and women-specific guidelines for prevention and treatment
• Legislation to help end gender disparities

But the fight is far from over as still hundreds of thousands of women still die each year. It's time to stand stronger, speak louder and join us in the fight this National Wear Red Day.

It's time to Go Red. Join us.

Super Sunday

Super Sunday Set for February 24, 2013.

Yes, you can get a college degree.

Yes, you can have a high-paying career.

On February 24, Bowling Green Technical College will host its Third Annual Super Sunday event. This unique college fair promotes the many educational opportunities available to African Americans and individuals of color at the various colleges within the Kentucky Community and Technical College System.

Come learn how at the Super Sunday event. Join us Sunday, February 24, 2013 as we partner with African-American churches to host a college information fair for you and your family. College representatives will be on hand to share information about the college planning process, admissions, degree programs, financial aid and more. If you or someone in your family is thinking about higher education, join us at this informative event.

Learn more about Super Sunday and other events happening across the state. Visit supersunday.kctcs.edu

Featured Hall of Fame Member

Addi Hernandez

Addi Hernandez is the first person in her family to graduate from high school and attend college. She was born in Michoacan, Mexico the youngest of 10 children. She moved to the United States at the age of two.

Ms. Hernandez completed an associate of applied science degree at Bowling Green Technical College (BGTC). She did not have to look far to find a good career fit. She became employed by BGTC as an administrative assistant at the college’s Kentucky Advanced Technology Institute campus. She is currently pursuing an interdisciplinary studies degree at Western Kentucky University.

In addition to her academic and career accomplishments, Ms. Hernandez became a United States citizen in 2012. She also continues to provide encouragement and outreach to Latino students.Interested in learning more about the other Hall of Fame members? Read more about Hall of Fame members.

Featured Hall of Fame Member

Cedric Burnam

For Cedric Burnam attending Bowling Green Technical College was a stepping stone to a successful career niche.

Following electronics training, Mr. Burnam continued his education at the Kentucky School of Mortuary Science. He now serves as the President, Owner, Funeral Director/Embalmer and Restorative Art Expert at Burnam and Sons Mortuary & Cremation Services. He has assisted those who have experienced the loss of a loved one since 1974.

Mr. Burnam proudly served his country as a United States Navy Hospital Corpsman and continues to give back to his community. He is a member of New Bethel Baptist Church, Ancient Landmark Lodge # 28 F.& A.M.— P.H.A. and Western Kentucky University President’s Circle. He was elected magistrate/Justice of Peace in Warren County (2nd District— 2003-2006). Mr. Burnam and his wife, Judy have three children. With hard work and determination, Mr. Burnam developed the skills to become a successful business owner/entrepreneur and is an inspiration to anyone who strives to do the same.

Interested in learning more about the other Hall of Fame members? Read more about Hall of Fame members.

BOWLING GREEN, KY (February 1, 2013) – Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College (SKYCTC), formerly Bowling Green Technical College, is proud to honor Ms. Addi Hernandez as the newest member of the Super Sunday Hall of Fame and one of our Alumni of the Month.

Super Sunday is an annual Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) statewide initiative intended to increase the college-going rate of students of color. As part of this initiative, a Super Sunday Hall of Fame has been established, highlighting outstanding diverse alumni.

Addi Hernandez was born in Michoacan, Mexico and is the youngest of 10 children. She moved to the United States at the age of two. She was the first person in her family to graduate from high school and attend college.

Addi finished an Associates of Applied Science degree at Bowling Green Technical College with an Administrative Assistant Major. After graduation, she was employed by the College as an Administrative Assistant at the College’s Kentucky Advanced Technology Institute Campus. She is currently pursuing an Interdisciplinary Studies degree at Western Kentucky University.

Addi became a US Citizen last year and has been married for over a year now. She has been instrumental in outreach to Latino students.

“Going to college has meant new opportunities and more options for a better future,” said Addi.

"We are extremely proud of Ms. Hernandez  and what she has accomplished in life,” says SKYCTC President, Dr. Nathan Hodges. “We want students to know, yes, you can go to college. Yes, you can get a college degree. And yes, you can have a high paying job. Many potential students are aware of their educational opportunities; they simply have questions about what to do," says Hodges. "We're here to answer those questions and get people started on the right path."

Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College will sponsor Super Sunday at State Street Baptist Church, 304 State Street in Bowling Green at 10:00 a.m. and at Saint Joseph Catholic Church, 434 Church Street in Bowling Green at 12:30 p.m. on February 24. On this day, SKYCTC and each of the other 15 KCTCS colleges and System Office will partner with churches in their communities to host information fairs for prospective college students and their families.

Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College honors Rosa Parks as part the College's Black History Month celebration.

Rosa Parks

Civil-rights activist Rosa Louise McCauley was born on February 4, 1913, in Tuskegee, Alabama. Her refusal to surrender her seat to a white passenger on a Montgomery, Alabama, bus spurred on a city-wide boycott and helped launch nation-wide efforts to end segregation of public facilities.

Rosa Parks' childhood brought her early experiences with racial discrimination and activism for racial equality. After her parents separated, Rosa's mother moved the family to Pine Level, Alabama to live with her parents, Rose and Sylvester Edwards, on their farm. Both her grandparents were former slaves and strong advocates for racial equality. In one experience, Rosa's grandfather stood in front of their house with a shotgun while Ku Klux Klan members marched down the street. The city of Pine Level, Alabama had a new school building and bus transportation for white students while African-American students walked to the one-room schoolhouse, often lacking desks and adequate school supplies.

On December 1, 1955, after a long day at work at the Montgomery Fair department store, Rosa Parks boarded the Cleveland Avenue bus for home. She took a seat in the first of several rows designated for "colored" passengers. Though the city's bus ordinance did give drivers the authority to assign seats, it didn't specifically give them the authority to demand a passenger to give up a seat to anyone (regardless of color). However, Montgomery bus drivers had adopted the custom of requiring black passengers to give up their seats to white passengers, when no other seats were available. If the black passenger protested, the bus driver had the authority to refuse service and could call the police to have them removed. As the bus Rosa was riding continued on its route, it began to fill with white passengers. Eventually, the bus was full and the driver noticed that several white passengers were standing in the aisle. He stopped the bus and moved the sign separating the two sections back one row and asked four black passengers to give up their seats. Three complied, but Rosa refused and remained seated. The driver demanded, "Why don't you stand up?" to which Rosa replied, "I don't think I should have to stand up." The driver called the police and had her arrested. Later, she recalled that her refusal wasn't because she was physically tired, but that she was tired of giving in.

On Monday, December 5, 1955, a group of African-American community leaders gathered at Mt. Zion Church to discuss strategies. They determined that the effort required a new organization and strong leadership. They formed the "Montgomery Improvement Association" (MIA) and elected Montgomery newcomer Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the minister of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church. The MIA believed that Rosa Parks' case provided an excellent opportunity to take further action to create real change.
Rosa Parks received many accolades during her lifetime including the Spingarn Medal, the NAACP's highest award. She also received the Martin Luther King, Jr. Award. On September 9, 1996 President Bill Clinton awarded Rosa Parks the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor given by the U.S. executive branch. The next year, she was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest award given by the U.S. legislative branch. In 1999, Time magazine named Rosa Parks one of the 20 most influential people of the 20th century. 

In October 24, 2005, at the age of 92, Rosa Parks quietly died in her apartment. She had been diagnosed the previous year with progressive dementia. Her death was marked by several memorial services, among them lying in state at the Capitol Rotunda in Washington D.C. where an estimated 50, 000 people viewed her casket. Rosa was interred between her husband and mother at Detroit's Woodlawn Cemetery in the chapel's mausoleum. Shortly after her death the chapel was renamed the Rosa L. Parks Freedom Chapel.

By CHUCK MASON, cmason@bgdailynews.combgdailynews.com

Dale Summers (left) and Dennis Wyatt, both of Bowling Green, practice  controlling a robotic arm during a robotics class at the Bowling Green  Technical College's Transpark Center on Friday Feb. 1, 2013. (Photo by Miranda Pederson/Daily News)

At the transpark campus of SKYCTC – formerly known as Bowling Green Technical College – Gene Basil, dean of the Engineering, Machining and Manufacturing Technologies Department, is putting together robotic program opportunities for the college’s service area. The college will celebrate the new effort this month, and the new course catalogue will be rolled out.

Last year, it was announced that the technical college is a certified training center for FANUC Robotics America. FANUC Robotics are found in robot settings in manufacturing.

Two courses have been added to the SKYCTC’s Transpark Center: Robotic Operation, which costs $850 for 16 hours of instruction; and Handling Tool Application Programs, which costs $1,550 for 32 hours of instruction, Basil said. The 16-hour class is offered from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday mornings.

There are 24 companies in southcentral Kentucky that use FANUC robots, said Mark Brooks, SKYCTC spokesman, in an email last week.

“This was what our thinking was when we started the program in 2008,” said FANUC spokeswoman Cathy Powell, whose office is in Rochester, Mich. “This is just doing more and more to enhance student learning. We saw a big need as companies started to incorporate robots in manufacturing.”

A control pad is used to move a robotic arm during a robotics class at the Bowling Green Technical College's Transpark Center on Friday Feb. 1, 2013. (Photo by Miranda Pederson/Daily News)

Before the technical college became a FANUC Robotics training site, the instruction was available in Cincinnati or Rochester, Mich., outside Detroit, Basil said. Basil, Brian Sparks and Jeff Phelps are all qualified FANUC Robotics instructors. The training here is the only such site in Kentucky.

The instructors are currently training employees from the General Motors Bowling Green Assembly Plant on the FANUC robots. Two FANUC robots have joined several Mitsubishi robots in one of the classrooms at the transpark campus. Students declined to talk to the paper about their training and GM did not respond to requests for comment. The seven students end their training Feb. 15, Basil said.

Basil said by the time a student gets to a robotics class, the most challenging task is learning how the robot sees itself in space.

“We feel fortunate at this school,” Basil said. “We have been in the business a long time training students.”

Now, the approach is to try and “narrow the gap” between the educational experience and the workplace experience, he explained, so that the students are familiar with the workplace challenges once they step into their new jobs.

SKYCTC instructors hope companies in the 10-county Barren River Economic Development District will want their employees to take the courses, Basil said. The course times are designed to offer availability to shift workers to attend Friday and evening classes. Theoretically, 500 workers could be trained on the FANUC robots within five years, training 100 students a year – the program’s current capacity, he said.

“This is not going to be a flash in the pan. It’s basically the beginning,” Basil said.

A key to learning how to program robots is that the programming skill is not tied to size.

“If you can program a small robot, you can program a large robot,” Basil said. Whether the machine is room-sized or table-top, the concepts are the same. The technical college also will have miniature assembly line set up for students to use as they prepare for full-size factory floors.

In other coursework at SKYCTC, students build actual platforms, connecting the wires and formatting the switches.

Basil, who has worked with robots for several years, is fascinated with them.

“What person is not fascinated with robots? You can program a machine that can do a repetitive task over and over again with extreme accuracy – in the dark – and with extreme precision,” he said.

The transpark campus is a good example of leading-edge technology, along with course offerings at the other SKYCTC campuses, Basil said. “We offer the best education in a realistic environment.”

According to the American Youth Policy Forum, 1.3 million engineering technology jobs are available in the United States without trained people to fill them, a FANUC release said.