On October 3, 2022, MPTC Fond du Lac Medical Assistant students visited Boys and Girls Club of Fond du Lac kids for a fun, interactive Dream Big event.

The Dream Big project started in 2017 with Fond du Lac, Tri-County Area and Washington County Boys and Girls Club teens learning more about the over 100 careers available through MPTC. Each semester, Moraine Park student volunteers showcase their programs and make a true community impact for area teens to get excited about career choices!

MPTC Medical Assistant Student Kalli Behling said, “Working with The Boys and Girls Club was such an amazing experience. The Dream Big program allowed us to share our college experience with the younger generation. They were super interested in what we were learning and had a blast with the hands-on portion of our day. It was such an incredible feeling to see how excited they were to do blood pressures with us and use stethoscopes. I was once a Boy’s and Girl’s Club member, so coming back as one of the mentors was a very heart-warming experience. We really enjoyed working with all of the kids.”

Boys and Girls Club of Fond du Lac Director of Teen Services Dillon Wiese said, “Our kids love learning from Moraine Park students! We are always looking for opportunities to inspire our youth and encourage learning about future careers. Thank you MPTC!” 

For more info on the Medical Assistant program at Moraine Park, visit morainepark.edu/academics/programs/medical-assistant/.

DID YOU KNOW: Less than 5 percent of the world’s cocoa is Fair Trade?

• An estimated two million children work on cocoa farms
• Farmers suffer from unstable global market prices for cocoa
• Average annual revenue for a cocoa farmer is between $30 and $100

Fair Trade Cocoa
• Fair Trade standards prohibit forced and child labor
• A minimum price provides greater economic stability
• Farmers earn additional income from the Fair Trade community development premium

October is Fair Trade Month.

*Please help raise awareness by buying, eating and sharing only Fair Trade certified chocolate. *Stop in at any of our 3 MPTC campus libraries this October to sample some delicious Fair Trade chocolate and find out more!

Find out more about MPTC Fair Trade College.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Domestic violence occurs when one intimate partner seeks to maintain power and control over the other partner, which may be exhibited as verbal or emotional abuse, intimidation, isolation, economic abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, or other abuses. The trauma from these abusive behaviors can have significant impact on survivors and can, ultimately, result in death.

According to the annual Wisconsin Domestic Violence Homicide Report from End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin, 811 victims were killed in domestic violence homicides from 2000 through 2019 in Wisconsin, excluding homicides involving legal intervention. In 2019, domestic violence claimed 72 lives, including both victims and perpetrators. Tragically, past domestic violence homicides in Wisconsin have claimed the lives not only of victims, but of their family members, friends, co-workers and law enforcement.

from State of Wisconsin Department of Justice

For help in your community:

SSM Agnesian DV and Solutions Center DV are the service providers in Fond du Lac.

PAVE is the service provider for Beaver Dam.

FRIENDS is the service provider in West Bend.

Christine Ann is the service provider for Green Lake.

If there is an Emergency, CALL 911.

MPTC Counseling Services are free and confidential and available to assist you. LEARN MORE HERE

West Bend October event:

Fond du Lac October event:

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.

MPTC wants to help raise awareness, spread hope and share resources.

Did you know?

• On average, 1 person in the U.S. dies by suicide every 11 minutes.
• Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among people aged 10–14 and the 3rd leading cause of death among people aged 15-24 in the U.S.
• Suicide is the 12th leading cause of death overall in the U.S.
• 79% of all people who die by suicide are male.
• In Wisconsin, 888 lives were lost to suicide last year.

If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available!

Call or Text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

If there is an Emergency, CALL 911.

MPTC Counseling Services are free and confidential and available to assist you. LEARN MORE HERE

MPTC Emergency CALL 5555 from any Campus Phone

OR using your cell phone:

BD Campus    920-887-4401
FDL Campus   920-924-3107
WB Campus   262-306-5334

NAMI resources

Safety and security is everyone’s responsibility. If you see suspicious activity at MPTC or in your community, report it to a person of authority using the “5W’s”:

• WHO did you see?
• WHAT did you see?
• WHEN you saw it
• WHERE it occurred
• WHY it’s suspicious

Whether you are at school, on your way to work, walking in your neighborhood, or out and about in your community, remember: We all play a role in keeping our communities safe. Remember to stay vigilant and say something when you see signs of suspicious activity. It’s easy to overlook these routine moments, but as you’re going about your day, if you see something that doesn’t seem quite right, say something. Help protect your school, family, neighbors and community.

The “If You See Something, Say Something®” campaign works year-round to empower and educate the public on suspicious activity and how to report it. The campaign has designated September 25 as “If You See Something, Say Something®” Awareness Day, also known as #SeeSayDay.

“If You See Something, Say Something®” is more than a slogan. It’s how we protect ourselves, our loved ones, and our communities. You play a key role by recognizing and reporting suspicious activity. This September, we encourage you to build awareness at MPTC and in your community about what suspicious activity is and how to report it.

If there is an Emergency, CALL 911.

MPTC Emergency CALL 5555 from any Campus Phone

OR using your cell phone:

BD Campus    920-887-4401
FDL Campus   920-924-3107
WB Campus   262-306-5334

Pictured above: Moraine Park President Bonnie Baerwald (right) presents the 2022 Community Partnership Award to Rebecca Rapp (left) of Ascendium Lawyers for Learners.

Moraine Park Technical College has presented Ascendium Education Group and Legal Action of Wisconsin with its 2022 Community Partnership Award for their work on Lawyers for Learners. This award recognizes a community partner organization who has gone above and beyond in the role of working with Moraine Park students in student community impact opportunities.

Lawyers for Learners helps students and community members overcome legal obstacles, empowering them to move forward with their lives and achieve educational and career goals. Legal Action of WI and other legal-aid partners provide free legal services to students and low-income community members who would otherwise be unable to secure legal help.  Since 2020, MPTC has partnered with Lawyers for Learners to offer free legal clinics for our students and community members, service learning opportunities for paralegal and criminal justice students, and student internships.

MPTC Dean of Technology & Trades Bobbi Fields expressed gratitude for this 2022 community partnership: 

“While there were many, many wonderful student reflections and contributions from community partners this past school year, Legal Action and Ascendium did an amazing job providing opportunities for students across multiple programs to engage in a positive service-learning experience. More so, these students worked with the community partner to provide a very impactful legal service to our extended MPTC community! They truly were, and continue to be, excellent partners. I am happy that we are acknowledging them and hope that our collaborations continue to grow.”

Rebecca Rapp, General Counsel for Ascendium noted, “This is such an incredible honor!  Thank you! The Lawyers for Learners and Moraine Park partnership have been so gratifying.  Moraine Park’s tremendous team is fabulous to work with and such an important reason for Lawyers for Learners’ success at Moraine Park.  This award really means a lot.” 

Megan Sprecher, Attorney at Law for Legal Action of WI said, Wow, what an honor! Thank you so much. We truly appreciate your partnership and welcoming us into the MPTC fold!”  Megan also shared, “Recently, through our Legal Action/Lawyers for Learners work, an MPTC student obtained expungements for their two felony convictions, making it easier for them to find work in their field of study upon graduation. Another Moraine Park student’s driver’s license was reinstated, allowing them to drive to and from work and school lawfully and stop racking up expensive tickets.”  

Some student words of reflection include:

“Before logging any service learning hours for this project, I recall being very nervous and doubtful. I did not know what to expect, and I felt that I was not capable of working side by side with a real attorney, and I remember that intimidated me a little bit! Then, I volunteered for the first time. I volunteered for the Urban Expungement Clinic, and worked with many of my peers, which put me at ease. Some of these clients were convicted of a crime they did not deserve in my opinion, and they were now facing some life barriers because of it. Overall, after my first clinic, I felt 100% more at ease and confident, and I really learned a lot more than just law. I learned the importance of empathy when working with these clients, and the importance of being a good listener to the troubles they have faced, because those barricades will help the case.”

“I found this clinic to be very interesting and eye-opening. I enjoyed it so much. I worked with Jim’s team. He had so much insight and knowledge on different laws and how certain options could be more beneficial to the clients. It was amazing to see someone with so much passion for what they do.  I didn’t realize all the different ways certain situations could put different resources at play for individuals. It was refreshing to see how people can come together and use their skill set to help another person. I think the experience was very enlightening and gave me a good glimpse at what I could possibly be doing in a future career. I am excited to go forth in the community and put my knowledge to use helping people.”

“I feel like the work I did actually does help the client I did the records request for. Rather than spending hours doing in class work which has a very limited impact on the real world. Of course, they’re preparing us for the real world but the work I do for class has no impact on anyone. Volunteering my time in the legal clinics actually does help someone. It fills me with a certain pride knowing that I’m applying the skills I’ve learned in class to real-life scenarios.  For me, it’s hard to gauge whether I’ve actually taken something away from classes or if I just memorized information to pass the class. But I feel like through this simple exercise I’ve actually learned a lot from my classes and applied that knowledge.  I’m excited to continue to volunteer at the clinics.”

“I also really appreciated the attorney’s advice about looking for jobs after graduation. It was also really inspirational to see someone successful in the legal field who still took the time to volunteer their free time to help others.”

Pictured above: MPTC Cosmetology Student Abby Prim

On Thursday, Aug. 25, Moraine Park Cosmetology students and their instructor traveled to the Washington County West Bend Boys and Girls Club’s Back to School Event. In total, 12 kids got a new hairdo to help them get ready to head off to elementary or middle school this fall.

“This event is a wonderful service learning experience for our students,” Eileen Bouchard, Moraine Park Cosmetology Instructor, said. “Our students set up a mini salon in the BGC Computer Lab, where they are able to connect with parents and kids, help each child decide on a hairstyle, and practice their hands-on skills.”

Max Roy, Director of Operations for Boys and Girls Club of Washington County, said, “It was great to see you all today! Thank you for the haircuts and being another valuable back to school community resource for our families.”

Pictured above: President Bonnie Baerwald and Student Community Impact Coordinator Anne Lemke present Mina Vang-Xiong with her President’s Award.

Moraine Park Technical College is committed to community engagement and student success. The College supports these commitments through the opportunity for students to participate in student community impact and apply their classroom knowledge to an applicable, real-world environment. We encourage students to participate in our community impact awards program where students can track their service-learning or volunteer hours, submit their reflections, and earn a Bronze Award for 25 hours, Silver Award for 50 hours, Gold Award for 100 hours, and President’s Award for 200 hours!

In the Spring, 2022 semester, 29 students earned awards and logged over 1,600 hours of service!  Congratulations to our Spring, 2022 award winners!

Presidents Award

Two graduating students earned the President’s Award for over 200 hours of service each in their time at MPTC!  The students are Alaska Burroughs – Marketing and Social Media; and Mina Vang-Xiong – IT Technical Support and Network Specialist. MPTC President Bonnie Baerwald celebrated with and congratulated each student, stating: “I’m extremely proud of the accomplishments of Mina and Alaska. Each has their own unique story and came to Moraine Park Technical College to explore and create new career opportunities. In addition to their work and college obligations, their volunteer efforts exemplify the college values of continuous improvement, collaboration, and impactful learning. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for them!”

Gold Award

Completing 100-199 hours of service-learning or volunteering.

Burroughs, Alaska – Marketing and Social Media

Dziuba, Austin – Marketing and Social Media

Vang-Xiong, Mina – IT Technical Support and Network Specialist

Silver Award

Completing 50-99 hours of service-learning or volunteering.

Burroughs, Alaska – Marketing and Social Media

Dziuba, Austin – Marketing and Social Media

Hackett, Richard – Leadership Development

Rogers, Dorothy – Paralegal

Smith, Brooke – Medical Assistant

Vang-Xiong, Mina – IT Technical Support and Network Specialist

Bronze Award

Completing 25-49 hours of service-learning or volunteering.

Bille, Ellen – Medical Assistant

Brantmeier, Samantha – Medical Assistant

Burroughs, Alaska – Marketing and Social Media

Carbajal, Yaneli – Medical Assistant

Corona, Ruby – Medical Assistant

Davis, Jada – Medical Assistant

Detert, Jozee – Medical Assistant

Devries, Kelly, Medical Assistant

Dziuba, Austin – Marketing and Social Media

Goldbach, Courtney – Medical Assistant

Hackett, Richard – Leadership Development

Jetzer, Jennifer – Medical Assistant

Krause, Michael – Leadership Development

Lear, Jamie – Medical Assistant

May, Chantel – Medical Assistant

Neitzel, Amanda – Medical Assistant

Nieman, Emily – Medical Assistant

Nieman, Olivia – Medical Assistant

Olson, Kara – Leadership Development

Peplinski, Samantha – Medical Assistant

Race, Miranda – Medical Assistant

Roecker, Kayla – Medical Assistant

Schick, Hailey – Medical Assistant

Smith, Brooke – Medical Assistant

Swedowski, Stephanie – Medical Assistant

Ward, Sydney – Medical Assistant

Wendt, Madelynn – Medical Assistant

40+ Nursing students in Julie Lepianka and Ashley Gilson’s Mental Health and Community Concepts courses recently completed their community advocacy projects as part of our Spring, 2022 service-learning opportunities.

Julie said, “Everyone has their own story. Each of us has a bigger purpose on this earth to share our story. Thank you for being vulnerable in your sharing! It was a privilege to teach all of you in this important community mental health learning. Best of luck in your final semester!”

Students spent over 200 hours researching and collaborating with community partners in Fond du Lac, Washington, and Dodge Counties to learn more about substance abuse, foster families, gun violence, elderly depression, bullying, human trafficking, poverty, domestic violence, sexual assault, and more. Students formulated detailed plans to address how a nurse can help a community identify and address these issues, providing education, awareness, advocacy and resources. Students gathered data to help determine strengths and weaknesses in their own communities. Project presentations were held in May. Ashley said, “My students did a phenomenal job assessing their surrounding communities for health concerns and building advocacy plans that we, as nurses, have the power to implement within their communities. These students were drawn to nursing because of a desire to care, to serve, and to help…..and they did just that!“

Congratulations on all of this great work on important mental health issues in our MPTC community!