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Adult Education, ELL, EWD

MPTC Training Helps Local ELL Program

specialty

Moraine Park Technical College, in partnership with the Specialty Cheese Co., worked to develop a training to benefit employees. Harley Lemkuil, Training Specialist at Specialty Cheese identified a need for English Language Learning (ELL) classes and began seeking out options in 2019. 

“At Specialty Cheese, we treat language skills like any other skill that an employee may possess,” Lemkuil said. “We know that language can be a barrier to personal growth- and lack of personal growth affects company growth. We want our employees to succeed and helping them to build English speaking skills is one way to do that.” 

Lemkuil worked directly with supervisors to identify employees whose English skills were at a point where they could communicate at work but in a limited fashion. Employees could participate if they wished, but the training was not mandated. Once participants were identified, they assessed everyone by asking a series of questions and ensuring that participants were comfortable through the process. Lemkuil then took the data he gathered from employees and worked with Moraine Park’s Economic and Workforce Development (EWD) department to develop an ELL training plan.  

“Moraine Park helped provide good insight into the different learning styles and were very flexible with the training during the Pandemic,” Lemkuil said. “We initially planned for the training to be in-person, but the COVID-19 pandemic halted that possibility. Moraine Park was able to seamlessly transition the learning material to be done over zoom meetings.” 

As with many industries, the transition to an online platform offered some valuable learning opportunities for the organization as well.  

“The online format made it more difficult than usual to keep the employees engaged with grammar material,” he said. “Jennifer Elliot, the Moraine Park ELL instructor, made some innovative changes such as finding a printed publication that included the employees, to heighten engagement. Through that, we learned that the more personal the material, the more likely the students are to engage and practice their grammar skills.” 

The goal of providing this round of training was to help employees who wanted to grow their language skills. For this reason, Lemkuil relied on anecdotal feedback from the employee participants to access effectiveness, rather than testing each participant. However, he is hoping that future ELL programming will include a more subjective analysis of the program.  

Lemkuil is looking at program growth the same way he approached the start of this training- slow, thoughtful, and taking into consideration the needs of employees.  

“It’s very important to not only have the commitment of your employees but to also create an environment where the employees are free to practice their skills,” Lemkuil said. “This is a crucial step in getting the learning process. If an employee uses new grammar topics and is made to feel embarrassed by native English speakers, that employee isn’t going to want to practice their skills ever again.” 

By creating an atmosphere that fosters growth and inclusivity, Lemkuil is opening the doors of possibility for his employees.  

“In the coming years, Specialty Cheese would like to provide this opportunity to all employees who are interested in learning English,” he said. “The goal is to provide a more convenient class location which helps improve attendance to the program. It’s an ambitious goal, but we are confident that this continued training will be a benefit all around.” 

For more information, visit morainepark.edu/training. 

March 4, 2021by Kristina Haensgen
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Adult Education

Year End Giving- Help Students Earn Their GED!

GED

Did you know that many times, the barrier to education is financial?

A student who wants to earn their GED/HSED diploma can come to Moraine Park for free adult education instruction. However, the testing, required by the state, costs approximately $150.

The instructors in the adult education department wanted to help break this financial barrier. So, they started a scholarship through the Moraine Park Foundation in 2011. This funding helps not only with the testing fees, but students who enroll in a program at Moraine Park can also apply for a $500 scholarship to help with application fees, textbooks, or tuition. To date, 16 of those scholarships have been awarded, and one of the previous recipients recently earned their Master’s Degree!

As you begin to determine your year-end giving, know that a contribution to the Moraine Park Foundations Basic Education Fund could help change the lives of individuals right in your community.

For more information, visit morainepark.edu/foundation.

December 27, 2020by Kristina Haensgen
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Achievement, Adult Education

Congrats GED/HSED Graduates!

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Moraine Park Technical College is celebrating over 100 students who earned their General Education Development (GED) or High School Equivalency Diploma (HSED) certificate during the 2019-20 school year.

Like other celebrates at the College and around the district, this year’s ceremony had to be canceled, and while celebration details are still being finalized, the College’s Basic Education department is planning to celebrate when conditions allow.

“This is a big accomplishment, and for many, it’s a stepping stone to other educational opportunities,” Bonnie Baerwald, Moraine Park president, said. “It’s important that our students feel supported and valued as they work to achieve their educational goals, and that they know we are here every step of the way.”

Students who earned their GED/HSED certificate for the 2019-20 year are Austing Albright of Pickett, David Almeda of West Bend, Idaliah Appel of Beaver Dam, Dominque Balistreri of Hartford, Steven Barlow of Carlisle, Jennifer Bateman of Jackson, Alexander Baum of Beaver Dam, Steven Beckman of Kewaskum, Nathan Bermudez of West Bend, De’Shawn Bolden-Washington of Manitowoc, Jantzen Bond of Milwaukee, Veronica Borja of Theresa, Kendall Bragg of Fond du Lac, Steven Bulawa of Cedarburg, James Carlisle of Oostburg, Aaryn Carlson of Fond du Lac, Victor Carr of Colgate, Amy Ciborosky of Randolph, Thomas Cooley of Waukesha, Alaura Copeland of Waupun, Zachariah Counsell of Juneau, Caiden Crumer-Barry of West Bend, Charmane Cruz of Beaver Dam, Erin Daley of West Bend, Ronald Dexter of Horicon, Austin Drozok of West Bend, Austin Droz of Columbus, Kristine Ellenbeck of Fond du Lac, Destinee Ellenbecker of North Fond du Lac, Brandon Ellis of Milwaukee, Michelyn Estrada of Beaver Dam, Erica Feuerhammer of Fox Lake, Nathan Gibbs of Reeseville, Jacob Gill of North Fond du Lac, Cameron Guerra of Beaver Dam, Joshua Hagenstein of Jacakson, Diana Haseltine of Milwaukee, John Hennessey of Beaver Dam, Keri Henrickson of Beaver Dam, Eva Herringa of Hartford, McKenzie Holtz of Green Bay, Lori Howe of West Bend, Alexandria Hubred of Columbus, Kylie Hurkmans of Hartford, Josheph Hutchings of Mayville, Clarissa Hynes of Columbus, Joshua Jacobs of Brandon, Kayleigh Javoroski of West Bend, Mason Karoses of Dundee, Dylan Kelsey of Hartford, Tracy Kienzle of Jackson, Justin Koconis of Hartford, Caitlin Krueger of Green Lake, Mariah Lacky of Fond du Lac, Whitley Laird of Campbellsport, Abraham Lange of Fond du Lac, Cassandra Leon of Lowell, Paige Lloyd of Omro, Richard Mantz III of Fond du Lac, Tamerik Marshall of Columbus, Branden Mayer of West Bend, Danairis Melendez of West Bend, Dakota Mickel of West Bend, Scott Mielke of Rosendale, Samantha Mills of Beaver Dam, Edward Mills of West Bend, Katrina Munro of Oakfield, Amber Murphy of Fond du Lac, Adolfo Narez Orozco of Cambria, Emma Navas of Fond du Lac, Kathryn Neibauer of Horicon, Jose Ortegon of Berlin, Miguel Perez of Fond du Lac, Dylan Pocius of Juneau, Daniel Pokrzywinski of Wauwatosa, Jerome Rahn of Mayville, Devin Ramirez of Beaver Dam, Kaleb Reardon of Clyman, Molly Reuter of West Bend, Nathan Rosbeck of West Bend, Seth Rose of West Bend, Fanny Salas of Fond du Lac, Ivan Salazar of Iron Ridge, Gloria Sandberg of Hartford, Danielle Schaeffer of West Bend, Michael Schallock of West Bend, Nicoli Scheuers of Princeton, Michael Scott of West Bend, Nicholas Serrato of Beaver Dam, Kimberly Sheffield of Beaver Dam, Brian Speake of Beaver Dam, Skylar Stamper-DeQuardo of Jackson, Adrianna Stromberg of West Bend, Cody Strong of Fond du Lac, Summer Stuker of Green Lake, Melissa Thiel of West Bend, Alex Tuveson of Fond du Lac, Lorena Vannocker of Fox Lake, Zoila Volkmann of West Bend, Samantha Warren of Theresa, Trent Webster of Kewaskum, Kayla Wetzel of West Bend, Aislynn Wiedmeyer of West Bend, Hunter Winter of Fall River, Nathan York of West Bend, Kaija Yule of Oshkosh, Alejandro Zamora of Fond du Lac, and Melanie Zander of Beaver Dam.

The GED/HSED students had to pass all four subject portions of the nationally recognized GED tests to receive their diploma. They also had to meet requirements in employability, digital literacy, health, and civics. Moraine Park’s GED/HSED instruction is available year-round and is one of the many services at the College that is offered for free to the community. For more information about Moraine Park’s GED/HSED classes, visit morainepark.edu/GED.

September 1, 2020by Kristina Haensgen
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Achievement, Adult Education

Moraine Park Celebrates GED/HSED Graduation

GED

Moraine Park Technical College held its 27th annual GED/HSED graduation ceremony on May 30. For the 2018-19 school year, 126 students received their General Education Development (GED) or High School Equivalency Diploma (HSED) certificates.

Rebecca Carreon of Fond du Lac, Natasha Peters of Ripon, Sandra Pfund of Slinger, and Betty Zimdars of West Bend served as student speakers.

Carreon and Peters, sisters and twins, spoke together on the struggles of life and how important it was to both of them to complete the journey together.

“I tried multiple times to finish my HSED on my own but never followed through with it because I never thought I could do it,” Peters said. “The support of family, friends, the teachers at the Student Success Center, and my sister gave me the courage and push I needed to finish.”

Both Carreon and Peters plan to continue their education at Moraine Park this fall, with an overall goal to earn their college degree.

“I have always wanted to be a labor and delivery nurse, and I finally feel like that isn’t just a dream anymore,” Carreon said. “Now I can make it a reality! We plan on starting school here at Moraine Park Technical College in the upcoming year.  After all the support we had to finish our HSED here, we can only imagine the support we will get once in our programs!”

Pfund shared her story of deciding to complete her high school diploma with the support of her friend and fellow GED student, Zimdars.

“We have maintained our friendship and motivated each other along the way,” Pfund said. “My success has been helped with a special friendship and someone to hold me accountable. Nothing is impossible, no matter what age you are. Our journey was not an easy one, but our friendship helped immensely.”

Pfund and Zimdars have decided to continue their educational journey together as Moraine Park college students.

Abby McGeehen of Berlin and Zimdars were each the recipients of $500 student scholarships.  These scholarships are awarded to GED/HSED graduates who are continuing their education at Moraine Park.

The GED/HSED students had to pass all four subject portions of the nationally recognized GED tests to receive their diploma. They also had to meet requirements in employability, digital literacy, health, and civics. Moraine Park’s GED/HSED instruction is available year-round and is one of the many services at the College that is offered for free to the community.

For more information about Moraine Park’s GED/HSED classes, visit morainepark.edu/GED.

View all of the photos from the GED/HSED graduation at https://www.flickr.com/gp/148240170@N03/Y00FC2.

June 24, 2019by Kristina Haensgen
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Adult Education

Moraine Park holds GED/HSED graduation ceremony

Nick Martinez Speaks to Graduating Class.Moraine Park Technical College held its 26th annual GED/HSED graduation ceremony on June 7. For the 2017-18 school year, 141 students received their General Education Development (GED) and High School Equivalency Diploma (HSED) certificates.


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June 19, 2018by Kristina Haensgen
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Achievement, Adult Education

Moraine Park hosts 2017 GED/HSED completion ceremony

Moraine Park Technical College held its 25th Annual GED/HSED Graduation Ceremony on June 1. For the 2016-17 school year, 109 students received their General Education Development (GED) and High School Equivalency Diploma (HSED) certificates.

Two of these individuals served as student speakers at the graduation event -– Danielle Patzan of North Fond du Lac and Lisa Stoffel of West Bend -– and each reflected on vastly different journeys that led them to this point.
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June 7, 2017by Andrew Pantzlaff
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Achievement, Adult Education

PHOTOS: 2017 GED / HSED Graduation Ceremony

We hosted our 2017 GED / HSED graduation ceremony on June 1 at Moraine Park Technical College.

We’re so proud of all the hard work each of these individuals has put in to accomplish this goal! 

Here’s a look back at this year’s ceremony … and if you’d like to be next, we’d love to help! For more information about our GED program, click here.
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June 7, 2017by Andrew Pantzlaff
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Achievement, Adult Education

PHOTOS: 2016 GED / HSED Graduation Ceremony

Female gradaute smiles at Moraine Park GED-HSED graduation ceremony

We hosted our GED / HSED graduation ceremony on June 16 at Moraine Park Technical College. On this special night filled with emotion, 21 men and women were honored.

We’re so proud of all the hard work each of these individuals has put in to accomplish this goal! 
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June 23, 2016by Andrew Pantzlaff
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