GREENFIELD -- Stephen Sullivan started his home-based childcare center in Shutesbury almost by accident. His wife went back to work and they began looking for childcare for their daughter Shannon. He realized he could care for his daughter, and a few more kids, just as well as anyone else could. He started his own daycare center and called it Shannon's House.
Now, six years later, Sullivan has been honored for his work with young children. On Friday, the Franklin County Collaboration for Children and Greenfield Community College will present Sullivan with the Abigail Adams Elliot Award for Outstanding Service to Young Children in Franklin County. The award was presented at the Educational Forum called " The Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Health and Wellbeing Throughout the Lifespan," on Friday morning (April 27) at Bill's Restaurant Banquet Hall in Greenfield.
"When I heard I was nominated, laughing, I thought it was a nice thing, but hoped I didn't win it," Sullivan said.
He said he felt like it was an incredible honor, but he didn't deserve it because he had only been in the early education field for about six years. He didn't think that was long enough. Now, he feels more comfortable with the honor because he feels like it is an honor not just for him, but all the people who have supported him in creating his business.
"It's a group award to me. I have had so much support from all the women in the field that I feel like I won it as a group thing. There have been so many people who have helped me," Sullivan said. "And the support from GCC was awesome."
Sullivan has a degree from the University of Massachusetts Stockbridge in landscape technologies, but when he started his business he decided to pursue an early childhood education degree at GCC. He entered GCC in 2001 through the ACE program, which is short for "Advancing your Career in Education," a grant program supported by the Department of Education. He is now studying in the University of Massachusetts Amherst University Without Walls program.
Kim Audette, the ACE and Building Careers grant manager and academic advisor at GCC and a member of the Franklin County collaborative for Children, said the award was created about three years ago to honor people in the early childhood education field, people who are working day in and day out directly with children and their families.
She said Sullivan was a wonderful student and peer mentor while at GCC, who loved to bring in homemade snacks.
"He has applied what he learned from the instructors and fellow students to create a warm, nurturing and stimulating family childcare program that meets the developmental and care needs of the children and families in his community," Audette said.
Sharon Roth, as the head of the nomination committee and professor of education at GCC, said the people who nominated Sullivan wrote about many examples of his commitment to the field and his advocacy for others. He has quietly helped at least two other people enter into the family childcare business by both caring for their children and mentoring them in their work. Those who wrote on his behalf also talked about his commitment to his community -- after spending hours caring for children, he still has time for other community projects.
"Stephen's nominators demonstrated very clearly his commitment to creative and inclusive teaching and care strategies for all the children in his care as well," Roth said.
Sullivan is also a pioneer in the field as a man working in a mostly female-dominated career choice.
"As one of the few male family childcare providers he definitely brings a fresh perspective on working with children and families," Audette said.
Sullivan joked that people are often surprised when he tells them what he does and when he meets other childcare providers they almost always ask him whose assistant he is. On the other hand, there have been many women childcare providers who have told him they wish more men would enter the industry.
For more information about this award and the ceremony, please contact Kim Audette at 775-1270, or at audettek@gcc.mass.edu.
GREENFIELD -- Greenfield Community College is looking for a few deserving students to apply for the Mary Stuart Rogers Scholarship.
The $1,000 scholarship is available to one student from each of the Franklin County High Schools each year. Students selected for the scholarship, receive the money upon enrolling into GCC and can use it towards tuition, fees, books or other college expenses.
Linda Desjardins co-director of the Financial Aid department, said the scholarship has been around for about six or seven years, but few students take advantage of it each year.
The scholarship was founded by the granddaughter of Mary Stuart Rogers, who lives in Conway. The original Mary Stuart Rogers Foundation is located in California and serves to help the homeless and educational causes. Mary Stuart Rogers was a life-long homemaker and mother of four and the foundation is maintained by her children.
Applicants must demonstrate financial need, have a grade point average of 2.65 or better, and demonstrate good citizenship. The application, which can be obtained from the guidance counselors at each school, asks students if they have volunteered or provided community service in their area and what clubs, teams or school functions they have been involved with. In addition, the students are required to write an essay addressing one of the following topics:
What are your most important extracurricular or community activities? What made you join these activities? What made you continue to contribute to them?
Why do you want to attend Greenfield Community College? What are your education and career goals? Why is pursuing a college education important to you?
Desjardins said she thinks some students may be intimidated by having to write an essay. But she said the people reviewing the applications are not looking at the essay as a writing test, but as a way to see if the student fits the profile of someone deserving of the scholarship -- someone active in their school or community or someone who values education highly. There is no specific length associated with the essay; it can simply be a statement from the student explaining his or her goals or activities.
Applications must go through a students' guidance counselor. The deadline for application is May 25.
For more information about this or other scholarship opportunities from GCC, please contact Desjardins at the Financial Aid office at 775-1105 or desjardins@gcc.mass.edu.
GREENFIELD -- Three students will be honored by the Harold Grinspoon Foundation on April 25 with an Entrepreneurial Spirit Award at the Log Cabin in Easthampton and a fourth student will find out how she did in the Elevator Pitch competition the same night.
Thomas Simmons, economics professor at GCC and advisor to the Business Club, said the competition is meant to inspire students to pursue their own entrepreneurial ideas. He said many students simply need the courage to step up and turn their idea into a successful business.
He said at GCC students are taught not to ask if they can accomplish something, but how.
The students receiving Entrepreneurial Spirit Awards will each get $1,000 for their entries. They are:
Mark Lacourse of Montague, who owns Chestnut Hill Environmental Services, a growing soil-testing and septic site design service. Lacourse is an environmental science major.
Sara Long of Montague, a business student who is transforming her family's riding stables into a successful horse-breeding business.
Charles "Chuck" Putnam pf Whitingham, Vt., who is the founder and owner of PC Assistance. He provides information technology assistance to 36 area customers, including some town offices in Vermont. He is a computer information systems major.
Only students who have already developed a business, are running their own business or are planning to expand their business while studying at a college are eligible. Awards range from $250 to $5,000.
Taylor Gallerani of Sunderland is a finalist in the Elevator Pitch competition and has already won $100 just for being a finalist. The Elevator Pitch competition gives students the chance to give a 90-second pitch to the board of the Grinspoon Foundation. The award is given based on the best idea coupled with the best presentation. First place will get $1,000, second will get $750, and third will get $500. About 15 students, one from each institution represented, will be competing for the prizes.
Gallerani's idea is the "Spacious Shopper," a shelving unit that fits inside a shopping cart to separate fragile products and assist those who cannot reach deep into their cart.
The students receiving the Entrepreneurial Spirit Awards will set up displays describing their businesses during the awards celebration night. If there is more money available, students whose displays impress the board of the Grinspoon Foundation are eligible to receive more money to help their business along.
The ceremony is open to the public, with tickets costing $10 for students and $25 for non-students.
Since the award competition began three years ago, GCC has seen 10 of its students honored with a total of $15,000.
For more information on this, please contact Thomas Simmons at 775-1482 or e-mail him at simmonst@gcc.mass.edu. Visit www.hgcf.org online to find out more about the Grinspoon Foundation.
GREENFIELD -- Long-time Greenfield Community College Board of Trustees member and former Chairman Kevin Parsons was honored Monday morning at the Board's meeting with citations from the state Senate and the House of Representatives.
GCC President Robert Pura said Parsons, who stepped down just a couple of months ago, was always one to speak out for the college over the more than 10 years he served on the board.
"You had the courage to say what needed to be said and at times you paid a price for your advocacy," Pura told Parsons at the meeting. "We appreciate very much what you have done. You have always been a strong and passionate advocate for our students and our college."
The state citation was signed by state Senate President Therese Murray and authored by Senator Stanley Rosenberg (D-Amherst) and the national citation was signed by Rep. Denis Guyer (D-2nd District).
Parsons joked that he came onto the board as a rebel and is leaving like a lamb, and said he enjoyed his time on the board immensely.
"It's been a joy being on the board for 10 years. I hope I have made an impression," he said.
In addition, the Board elevated Daniel LaRose and T. Budge Hyde to Professor Emeritus status for their years of service. LaRose, a member of the behavioral science department, is the interim associate dean of academic affairs and has been at the school for 29 years. Hyde served as a professor and chairman of the art department and worked at the school for 35 years.
Scott Cote, chairman of the Personnel Committee of the Board, says elevating one retiring professor to this status is rare, and having two elevated is an anomaly. But, the school had two long-time personnel retiring at the same time, and both came with excellent recommendations for the honor.
Dance Professor Sharon Arslanian, Dr. Stewart "Buz" Eisenberg of the criminal justice department, and Sharon Roth of the education department, were all granted tenure.
The Board announced several promotions: Mary Dent, who teaches health occupations, and Curtis Mitchell, of the math department, were promoted from instructors to assistant professors; Jen Burrill, of the math department, Ted Johnson, of the science department, and Linda McCarthy and Sharon Roth, both of the behavioral science department, were promoted from assistant professors to associate professors; Sharon Arslanian and Stewart "Buz" Eisenberg were promoted from associate professors to professors, and Norman Beebe, of the math department and the learning center, was promoted from professional staff II to professional staff III.
The Board welcomed former Sen. Brian Lees as its newest member. Lees of East Longmeadow stepped down from the Senate last fall after serving 18 years, 14 of which as the minority leader, and is now the Clerk of Courts for Hampden County. He graduated from Salem State College in 1975 and said his education at a state college is his motivation for joining the Board of Trustees.
Two other board members announced that this was their last meeting, Jenna Krawczyc, who is the student trustee member and has finished her year-long term, and Michael Skinner, who served for 5 years and was the chairman of the Finance Committee of the Board.
"We are going to miss you, Greenfield is going to miss you, Franklin Medical Center is going to miss you and especially GCC is going to miss you," said Pat Crosson, chairwoman of the Board.
Pura echoed Crosson's comments adding, "Mike's understanding of nonprofit finances has been most helpful to me and to GCC. His leadership will be missed."
Skinner said he hopes he can continue to work with the college and help it in any way he can.
The Board voiced its support for competing for an "Achieving the Dream" grant, a national program aimed at helping colleges promote student success and to bring about institutional change. The five-year grant, which would provide $100,000 annually, encourages higher education institution to develop a student-centered vision and a culture of accountability so that all students, especially those in historically underserved groups, can achieve success.
Massachusetts became an Achieving the Dream state in February, making its colleges eligible for the award. Ten community colleges in the state were identified as eligible, GCC being one of them. Pura said that through the application, the program's directors will learn that a student success-centered program is nothing new at the GCC, it is something that has driven the school for years and this grant would only serve to push that visions further.
"It fits beautifully with what GCC has been doing for years," Crossan agreed.
The Board also announced that Pura signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, which acknowledges higher education's role in influencing society's values on the environment and encourages schools to become responsible stewards of the earth.
The pact agrees to: develop a plan to achieve climate neutrality as soon as possible and to create a structure within two months of signing the pact to guide and develop this plan; and to, within one year of signing the pact, complete an inventory of all greenhouse gas emissions from the school.
"We wanted to step up to the plate to become a more sustainable and greener campus," Pura said.
In financial news, it was announced that several cuts made by former Gov. Mitt Romney were repealed by Gov. Deval Patrick. These cuts included a $95,685 direct appropriation, and a $73,378 cut from the collective bargaining fund.
"This would have been a much more difficult year had the cuts made by Romney not be repealed by the new governor," Skinner said.
For further information, contact the President's Office at 413-775-1410.
GREENFIELD -- Former Sen. Brian Lees sat in on his first Greenfield Community College Board of Trustees meeting Monday morning at the GCC downtown campus. "We appreciate your desire to work on behalf of the college, our students and the community we serve" said GCC President Robert Pura.
Lees was appointed by former Gov. Mitt Romney to replace long-time member Kevin Parson, who recently stepped down.
Lees of East Longmeadow stepped down from the Senate last fall after serving 18 years, 14 of which as the minority leader, and is now the Clerk of Courts for Hampden County. He graduated from Salem State College in 1975 and said his education at a state college is his motivation for joining the Board of Trustees.
"I think it's important that community colleges and state colleges and universities remain accessible to all citizens of the Commonwealth," he said.
His wife Nancy also attended at state college -- she is a 1975 graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Lees said did not grow up with a lot of money and did not have high enough grades to get a scholarship, so he knows how important an affordable school is.
He said Romney offered the position to him because he was the only person stepping down from the legislature that term that had gone to a state school
"It was a natural fit," he said.
Lees hopes that his experience in the legislature will help GCC seek more funds from the state. He hopes he can be a good advocate for the school in that way.
Lees said he wants to serve on the board because he believes people should give back to the community. He has also served on other boards including the Springfield YMCA, the Springfield Library and Museums Association, Bright Side and the Willie Ross School for the Deaf.
For further information, contact the President's Office at 413-775-1410.
GREENFIELD -- President Bob Pura has signed onto the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, which acknowledges higher education's role in influencing society's take on the environment and encourages schools to become responsible stewards of the earth.
More than 17 million future architects, engineers, attorneys, business leaders, scientist, journalists, advocates and activists-- in other words students-- are currently attending the more than 4,000 higher learning institutions in the United States, according to the climate agreement. That means that colleges and universities have the collective "influence, the critical mass and the diversity of skills needed to successfully reverse global warming."
The pact agrees to: develop a plan to achieve climate neutrality as soon as possible and to create a structure within two months of signing the pact to guide and develop this plan; and to, within one year of signing the pact, complete an inventory of all greenhouse gas emissions from the school.
Even without the agreement, GCC had already been striving to become a greener campus. Brian Adams, professor of environmental studies and natural resources and chair of the science department, said the school has a three-pronged plan to improve the environment by educating the students and the workforce on how to use new green technologies, educating the public on why the should be concerned about the environment and how to become more environmentally friendly, and by making the campus itself an example of green technology and eco-friendly business.
The campus already installed a 2 kilowatt photovoltaic array and plans to add another one soon. It produces about 240 kilowatt hours of electricity in a month, which is almost half the usage of an average household.
"It's a drop in the bucket for GCC, but it's the first drop," said Teresa Jones, instructor and program developer for renewable energy education courses.
Rice Oil recently donated $100,000 to the school to develop a passive solar energy greenhouse and will give another $10,000 yearly for the next 10 years. Adams said normal greenhouses are incredible energy drains because it takes a lot of resources to keep them warm. The plan is to build this one in a way that capitalizes on absorbing solar radiation and geothermal energy to keep it heated. In this way, the greenhouse will serve not only as a lab for botany students, but students and members of the community interested in renewable energies.
Some people may be surprised to hear that the school wants to use geothermal energy for the greenhouse and possibly to eventually heat and cool the buildings. Many people, Adams included, have traditionally thought that geothermal energy can only be tapped in areas where there are steam or hot water vents spewing from deep under the earth. Adams said he recently learned about a technology that takes advantage of the constant 50 degree temperature the earth is able to maintain. Using a series of pipes, you can run water down into that 50 degree zone and either use it to heat a building in the winter or cool it in the summer.
Monserrat Archbald, staff assistant in the Peer Tutoring Program, is the chair of the Green Campus Committee, which was created four years ago to organize a recycling program on campus. She said GCC is a campus that is open to environmental activism. As she collects recycling from classrooms, people often stop her and thank her. They say they are so happy that the campus is doing something to be environmentally responsible. Archbald said the new pact among colleges is a good gesture and she looks forward to seeing what practical improvements are born from it.
GREENFIELD -- The problems of global warming seem to require solutions that are, well, global. That belief can be overwhelming, causing people to throw up their hands and ask, "What on earth can I do about it?"
The faculty at Greenfield Community College have a different take on saving the world, one that is more in line with the idea of "Think globally, act locally."
This summer and fall the school is premiering new courses that will teach practical ways to become more environmentally friendly. The courses include "introduction to photovoltaic technology" (panels that convert solar energy into electricity), "photovoltaic installation" , "solar domestic hot water" , "passive solar technology" and " energy conservation and efficiency," and more classes are being planned for spring.
"One of the exciting things I've seen with the global warming debate is that there has been a complete change in the debate from 'Is it happening?' to 'What can we do about it.'" said Brian Adams, professor of environmental studies and natural resources and chair of the Science Department. "One of the major ways we can be responsible in the community is to train the workforce."
Adams said these courses will provide community members and students the skills to install and maintain new green technology that can help cut back on carbon emissions. There is a growing demand for this technology, but the supply of people who know how it works has not caught up.
"It is the role of community colleges not just to provide a liberal arts education, but to be the primary player for Franklin County to go into the fray in terms of training the technical workforce in new technology," Adams said.
GCC received a grant four years ago from Northeast Utilities to teach a course called " sustainable energy: theory and practice" . It was the first time the college offered this kind of course, and it offered it as an option for students to fill their science core curriculum requirement. It's been a popular course and it has served the regular student population well.
Then, last fall, Adams and Teresa Jones, who is an instructor and the program developer for renewable energy education courses, went to a community college conference about green technology courses. They said it was a like a light bulb (maybe an energy efficient one) going on over their heads. They learned about the importance of training people in the community, not just regular students, about these technologies.
Jones said they learned that beyond teaching the future workforce, in other words full-time students at GCC, there are people already in the workforce who need to learn skills associated with renewable energy and energy efficient technologies.
They created hybrid courses, which can be taken for credit or not, depending on the needs of the student taking the class. Also, both photovoltaic courses will be taught as intensive, 45-hour week courses this summer. This makes then accessible to people with full-time jobs, who can more easily take a week off to receive training than to attend regular classes. The course will be offered again in the fall over the full semester, with classes offered at night some Saturdays to accommodate full-time students, students with full-time jobs and working community members.
Adams and Jones said there is a lot of demand from people who want to make their homes and businesses more eco-friendly and local businesses are cropping up to meet their demands. Unfortunately those businesses are having trouble finding employees
to meet their needs.
Adams said one business owner he knows, who wants to expand, told him he has a stack of applications from people eager to work in the renewable energy business, but who don't have the necessary skills.
"They are people who want to save the world and stop global warming," Adams said. "But, they've never been on a roof before or used a voltage meter."
Jones said GCC is lucky be located in an area with so many entrepreneurs working in the renewable energy industry because the college does not have enough in-house expertise to teach these courses. For example, Richard Gottlieb, who owns Sunnyside Solar in Guilford, Vt., will be teaching the photovoltaic installation classes.
Jones and Adams hope that GCC will eventually have a certification program and then even an associate's degree program focused on renewable energy technology. Jones said GCC is also working with other colleges to try to create a unified statewide program.
Jones said excited students have already approached her about taking the courses, sometimes in a panic, worrying that the classes will fill up before they get a chance to sign up.
"Students have a lot of interest in (practical environmentalism). They want to work in the world and feel good about it while paying the bills," Jones said.
The classes are part of a three-pronged plan to make Greenfield and the surrounding community greener. The first step was to make GCC's campus more eco-friendly, an ongoing project that includes installing photovoltaic panels and will eventually include using geothermal energy to heat and cool buildings. The next step is educating the workforce and future workforce to be able to provide these earth-friendly resources. The third step will be to teach the community about why we need to become more environmentally aware and take advantage of renewable resources.
"This effort is a great fit for GCC and our community. The development of courses and programs at GCC that help to support the growth and development of a sustainable energy industrial base in Franklin County has roots in our collective history and the clarity of a shared vision for our future. Those involved in this collaborative effort have worked hard and with great passion and their efforts are most appreciated," said GCC President Bob Pura.
Adams said he often lays awake at night thinking about the enormous problems our world industries are creating in the environment. He is sure many others have this same fear and feel sick with fear whenever they hear some new news about the environment, because it's never good news.
"Now we have good news," he said. "It may be a little step, but we are forging ahead."
For a complete listing of these and other GCC course, please pick up a free copy of the summer course guide at the GCC main campus or downtown campus or go online to www.gcc.mass.edu.
Late English Professor was well loved in the Community
Gretchen Watson was the kind of teacher who could spot potential in students miles before those students were able to see it in themselves. She had a way of attracting students who may not have the best grade point average, but whose interests went beyond the classroom. Once she got their attention, she could get them to see the wonderful things she saw in them and inspire them to go into the world and make it better.
"Gretchen believed her job was to teach students about our world. When she taught writing or literature, she always taught it in the context of what is going on in the world," said Jim Gardner, her husband of 32 years. "Students liked that. Why wouldn't they? It just helped them make sense of things."
Watson passed away from a sudden heart attack this fall and to celebrate this well-loved teacher's memory, her friends and colleagues decided to create a GCC Foundation scholarship in her name. So many people wanted to remember Watson that the fundraising went beyond anyone's expectations-- it is now at $13,000 and growing. The scholarship is now endowed and the plan is to give out at least one $500 scholarship a year to the kind of student Watson would have clicked with.
"You know it was really interesting how everyone on this committee all ended up feeling, each of us by ourselves, that this scholarship should not be just for a certain subject matter -- it wouldn't represent Gretchen," Gardner said. "It wouldn't represent her if it was just awarded because someone had a four-point grade average. She always attracted students who didn't necessarily fit the mold of a good student; many of the students Gretchen attracted were more alternative in the way they did things."
The scholarship will not be awarded based on grade point average, age, sex, or even major or educational interests. "Every college has a group of faculty or staff whose values, heart, intelligence and courage are really at the core of the development of that college. Gretchen Watson was one of those individuals for Greenfield Community College. The very best of who we are is a reflection of Gretchen. I'm certain that the Gretchen Watson Scholarship recipient will embody all that Professor Watson represents to GCC," said GCC President Robert Pura. David Ram, Dean of Academic Affairs and friend of Watson's, said the student worthy of this scholarship will be one who embodies the spirit of Watson. She was a scholar and her interests ran the gamut from history and literature to technology and current events. He said she had the ability, imagination and optimism to see potential in students who hadn't yet seen it in themselves.
"One of her strengths was that she made quick and deep connections with all kinds of students," Ram said.
Sophie Gardner,Watson's 21-year-old daughter, said her mother always totally believed in her students' potential. She always thought the best of people and encouraged her children to do the same. "She always thought anyone could do anything if they put their mind to it. She was very much like that, she was very much an activist and a doer and a believer," Sophie Gardner said.
In order to qualify for the scholarship, students must write a one-page double-spaced statement on why they think they deserve the scholarship and also a letter to the editor they have either submitted to a newspaper or plan to. Mary Ellen Kelly, Co-Chair of the English department, Co-Coordinator of the Peer Tutoring Program and long-time friend of Watson's, said the scholarship committee chose to make the letter to the editor a requirement to encourage students to be active in their community and speak on an issue they have a passion for. That's something Watson was known for herself.
"Gretchen believed in the importance of the voices of individuals, and she acted on her beliefs " whether the issue that she felt passionate about was a local, national, or international issue, she used her voice and spoke up about it," Kelly said.
Gardner said he thinks his wife would have been surprised that so many people cared about her enough to raise this kind of money. She would be surprised at first, and then humbled " kind of like she was last year when she was nominated, without her knowing, for a state teaching award for one of her online courses.
"She was just baffled by someone paying so much interest in her course," Gardner said. "That was just sort of the way she was."
Sophie Gardner also thinks her mother would have been humbled by this attention.
"I think that she would have just been honored and totally blown away that something this big could be for her," Sophie Gardner said. "She's very unassuming and very humble about all the things she did."
Gardner said his wife was always interested in politics and was always encouraging her students to question the story put out there by mainstream media. He said the door to her office was decorated quite distinctively with cartoons and articles that clearly showed her political views. She was also well known for being outspoken against President George W. Bush.
"I think students got a kick out of her. People didn't always agree with her, but they respected her," Gardner said. "At the same time, she was down to earth, compassionate, earthy -- an easy-to-talk to kind of person."
Watson taught a range of courses including college reading strategies, Latin American literature, film and literature, and media and popular culture. Her travels in Latin America and Europe and her teaching experiences in Belarus and Beijing enriched her global awareness and strengthened her commitment to her own community.
Kelly called Watson an outstanding professor. She was one of the pioneers at the college in online course work.
She embraced the melding of education and technology and encouraged her colleagues to do the same. Gardner said his wife spent a sabbatical studying technology and incorporated that into courses. She was always updating her courses and wasn't one to just review last year's notes for the next semester. She always wanted her material to be fresh and relevant to current events.
"I know that Gretchen held a set of values very close to her heart and she fought for them; she lived for them day in and day out," Gardner said.
The new scholarship joins more than 40 scholarships already available from the Foundation. Allen Davis, Executive Director of the GCC Foundation, said scholarships are an important piece of the Foundation's work, especially these days when education costs are rising and state and federal funds for education are dwindling. Davis said the amount of money raised for the scholarship, and the speed at which it was raised, speaks volumes to how much Watson meant to the school and the community.
"It was a fabulous response," Davis said. "It definitely shows the impact Gretchen had both in the college and in the community."
Kelly said it isn't surprising that so many people took an interest in donating to the scholarship fund.
"Gretchen was widely loved and respected," Kelly said. "Donating to the scholarship was something concrete that people could do with their own shock and grief and at the same time honor Gretchen."
Gardner is happy about the scholarship. He was proud of his wife and he is proud to find such an honorable way to keep her memory.
"I think it's fabulous I'm really thrilled. It's been kind of a neat way to keep her memory and things that she stood for alive," Gardner said.
Aside from her husband and Sophie, who is a senior at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Watson leaves behind a son, Andrew, 17, who is a junior at the Greenfield High School.
Fore more information on the scholarship, please contact Kelly at (413) 775-1335 or kelly@gcc.mass.edu or Ram at (413) 775-1206 or ram@gcc.mass.edu. For more information on other GCC Foundation Scholarships, please contact the financial aid office at (413) 775-1109.
GREENFIELD -- The public is invited to the Greenfield Community College downtown campus to learn more about how to stay healthy.
Graduating students from the associate nursing program are putting on a health fair on April 20 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Leslie Kelly, a member of the nursing faculty, said the purpose of the fair is to inform the public on health issues and to get the students working with the people in the community.
These nursing students, who will be graduating in June, have mostly done work with the older adult populations, so this project will focus on educating adolescents instead. There will be information booths set up to discuss various health issues. Topics will include eating disorders, skin cancer risks, safe sex, alcohol and driving, oral health, breast cancer and osteoporosis prevention.
Kelly said osteoporosis and breast cancer may sound like problems for older people, but teens are at an important time in their lives as far as making decisions that can help prevent illnesses and problems later in life.
People of all ages are welcome to the health fair. There will be no screenings at the fair, but some informative flyers will be available as well as other handouts.
Kelly said the timing of this event will be great for parents looking for ways to entertain teens who have been in the house too long during spring break.
"It will be the end of school vacation and the adolescents will be looking for something to do on Friday," Kelly said. "Wouldn't it be great to hang out in downtown Greenfield?"
For more information about the health fair, please call Leslie Kelly at 775-1625.
GREENFIELD -- Greenfield Community College is inviting the public to come and see the advantages a community college education can give. "We want to connect with as many potential new students as we can," said Herb Hentz, director of admission for the college. "We don't want to turn anyone away."
GCC is having an open house on April 26 that will feature tours of the college, including the student art show, information on financial aid, disability services and admission as well as career counseling and the chance to sit in on an actual GCC class.
"We figure we want people to experience GCC from the perspective of students," Hentz said in a telephone interview.
Most events will have a morning and a late afternoon and evening session to encourage adult learners who may have day jobs, as well as high school students interested in continuing their education after graduation. Other events will run throughout the day.
There will be an information session at 8:30 a.m. and at 4:30 p.m. on admission requirements and the benefits of attending GCC.
At 9:30 a.m., there will be a presentation by Ted Johnson, professor of engineering, about career possibilities in engineering and the different engineering tracks that one might pursue, for example; computer, chemical, civil, electrical, environmental, industrial and mechanical engineering.
At 11 a.m. and at 5:30 p.m. there will be a panel discussion on student support services --including students who will share their experiences with; financial aid, evening and weekend services, disability services and peer tutoring.
Visitors interested in sitting in on a class or attending a tour of the library, climbing wall or other facilities should meet at the Sloan Theater. Visitors can choose from among classes that include; environmental science, psychology, photography, accounting, chemistry, theater and English as a second language.
The discussions and information sessions will be held in the Sloan Theater at the main campus. A free lunch will be offered at noon in the North 358 classroom.
Information is also available at the downtown campus, and visitors there can get free chair massages performed by graduates of the GCC massage therapy program from 9:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. Additionally, an evening class for those particularly interested in emergency medical services and fire science will be offered. Please note, some classes have limited seating. For more detailed information please call Herb Hentz at 775-1809.
GREENFIELD -- Hundreds of pieces of student art work, from drawings and paintings to photography and digital images, will be showcased at Greenfield Community College's South Gallery this month.
The annual student art show will showcase the best of the best of what GCC's students have produced throughout the year. The show will open on April 18 with a reception from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and runs through May 9.
Tom Boisvert, Chair of the Art Department, said that in part the show is a way for students to learn how to become professional artists. He said an artist must be able to show his or her work to the public, and this event gives them an opportunity to do that.
But, the main purpose of the show is a celebration of the talent that GCC art students posses.
"We are quite proud of what they do," Boisvert said. "They work hard and it's an opportunity to share that with the community."
Helen Miller, a second-year art student at GCC who will soon transfer to the Museum School of Fine Arts in Boston, was excited about the show and was working on the finishing touches of her non-representative, abstract landscape series this week.
"It's a good opportunity to show work and let the community see what we've been doing all year, and it's also just a good way of learning how to get work ready for display," Miller said.
Boisvert said all students have the opportunity to submit artwork to the show, but because there is only a finite amount of wall space to display work, only the best of what is submitted will be shown. That doesn't mean there won't be plenty of works to admire. Every bit of wall space available will display a piece of art and free-standing displays will also be brought in.
In addition to the displays, which will continue to hang until the show closes in May, there will also be televisions set up on the night of the opening to showcase video and animation projects.
The show will also consist of work from Massachusetts College of Art students taking courses at GCC.
For more information please call Tom Boisvert at 775-1224.
Greenfield Community College | One College Drive | Greenfield, MA 01301-5129 | (413) 775-1000 (tel) | (413) 775-5129 (fax)