This past weekend in West Bend, Moraine Park participated in Fiesta Latina hosted by Casa Guadalupe Education Center.  Fiesta Latina is an event to experience the Hispanic culture through music, food, and activities.  I was able to represent Diversity Relations at Fiesta Latina and enjoyed conversing with many community members, as well as other vendors offering information about community services.  I also had the opportunity to meet and talk with US Senator Tammy Baldwin.

There were many fun kids’ activities such as face painting, games, balloon animals, piñatas, and our own Cosmetology students doing mini manicures.  Many other great activities as well such Latin Zumba, salsa line dancing, and jalapeño eating contest.  Maximus even made an appearance! Special shout out to the Cosmetology students, they did a wonderful job!

I along with everyone else were able to taste authentic Hispanic food, which by the way was delicious!  From tacos and tamales to horchata and jarritos, everything that I was able to taste was phenomenal.  Casa Tequila and the Norbert cooked the delicious food. 

We were also able to listen to mariachi music, see a live performance from Ballet Folklórico Sones Mexicanos, as well as listen to live music from Grupo Masivo Show band and Gigantes de la Música band.

Experiencing these cultural events is essential to bridging our communities and preparing for a diverse and globally connected world.

I’ve been working in Culinary Arts at MPTC since 2014 as an Instructional Aide. In my position I order food and supplies for the students and the department, in general. From the very beginning I have been considering our ‘single use’ containers; so many were going out the door as we sold our Culinary Creations or when Community Classes took their food home!

I kept thinking:

• Are the containers safe to microwave? We know people are going home and reheating the food in that plastic container.
• Are the containers being disposed of properly?  We actually had complaints that our labeled containers were blowing around someone’s yard! 
• Are the containers reusable, compostable, recyclable?

Since 2006, MPTC has been composting food scraps; first in the MPTC Garden and currently, an area chicken farmer picks up the scraps to feed his brood.

In 2015 MPTC earned the designation (and distinction) of becoming the first Fair Trade Technical College in America thanks, in large part, to the work and determination of Anne Lemke, MPTC Experiential Learning Coordinator.

I was inspired to work toward a Diversity Certificate by Anne’s commitment and all of the Fair Trade Principles, in particular the 10^th Fair Trade Principle of Respecting the Environment, incorporating our disposable containers.

All of these thoughts churned in my brain so finally I made the move! I said to the instructors, “We’re going to make a change in our packaging.” I started ordering paper (recyclable and compostable) take-out containers instead of the plastic, hinged containers.  I ordered paper bags to carry items home versus the plastic “Thank You” bags that are not compostable. I verified that the plastic containers that we use are microwave oven safe.

Along the way I’ve realized a willingness by staff and the public to get on board with the changes. In addition, there’s been a cost savings to the department. We have seen a 15% drop in the money spent on these items. The money saved goes toward needed supplies for our students and instructors and all because of the Fair Trade Principle of Respecting the Environment!

This past March Anne attended a Fair Trade Conference in Chicago and shared her favorite quote from the Conference. It’s important to share and the quote imparts how I feel about the changes in the Culinary Department: “…at the heart of Fair Trade is the dignity of all people. How are we living our values? How are we showing up? …Be curious. Find out. Do something.”

I hope that we all consider, share, and show up when it comes to choices as they affect our environment. We don’t have to start a movement but we can all take and learn little bits of information to participate in respecting each other and our world.

Please take a look at the websites that provide area recycling programs and Fair Trade information.

World Fair Trade Organization
One Plastic Bag, Earth Day Facts
Fond du Lac Extension Area Recycling
Waste Management Recycling Services

Come to our displays at each campus cafeteria between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Beaver Dam – April 8, West Bend – April 15 and Fond du Lac – April 22nd – EARTH DAY! Be Inspired!

morainepark.edu

Join us on Friday, March 29, 2019 at 11:30 am in the Moraine Park Technical College cafeteria as we hear firsthand from several Fond du Lac Hmong community members as they talk about their service during the Vietnam War and, the struggles they face to be accepted as veterans, as well as the effects it has had on their families.

America hasn’t always been thankful for Hmong veterans who risked their lives in secrecy in Laos during the Vietnam War. These veterans, trained by the CIA, played a critical role during the Vietnam War, and Wisconsin is home to the third largest concentration of Hmong in the U.S. after California and Minnesota and almost 50,000 Hmong were living in Wisconsin during the 2010 Census.

March 29th is also significant because it is Vietnam Veterans Day. A national day of recognition when we honor the nine million American men and women who served on active duty from November 1st, 1955, to May 7th, 1975 during the Vietnam war and solemnly remember the more than 58,000 whose names are etched into the Vietnam Memorial’s polished black granite—constant reminders of the price of freedom.

For additional information contact Steve Pepper, Moraine Park Technical College’s Student Veteran Specialist at spepper1@morainepark.edu or 920-924-3489.

This past weekend Moraine Park celebrated Hispanic and Latino Heritage at Fiesta Beaver Dam and Fiesta de Independencia in Fond du Lac. Both of the events were wonderful, and the families enjoyed food, entertainment, and activities.

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Moraine Park is celebrating Hispanic/Latino Heritage with multiple events throughout the months of September and October on all three campuses.  We wish to invite all staff, students, and the public to celebrate diversity and enjoy cultural food and activities.  The celebration begins on September 15^th with Fiesta Beaver Dam and ends on October 15^th.

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This my third and final installment of a blog series introducing military service and veterans to educators and administrators in higher education. In Part One, I discussed the demographics and composition of the veteran community, addressing who veterans are and what they ‘look like’ upon transitioning out.

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Zhong Yi Kung Fu Lion Dancers

The 3rd Annual Global Fair was held Sunday, February 11^th at Wayland Academy with over 400 students, staff, and community members in attendance! There were student cultural booths as well as community booths, which gave cultural information and food samples. Moraine Park’s booth included Korean candy, Puerto Rican Coquito and a snack, as well as Fair Trade information and free samples of chocolates.
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Moraine Park is very proud to announce our 2018-19 Newman Civic Fellow, Queenie Weesen!

Queenie says, “Becoming a Nurse, I want to give elderly and hospice patients, quality care, kindness and compassion. I teach my children, education and helping your community is essential for success. As a child, I sometimes escaped to the roof of my grandma’s house, watching the airport planes flying overheard and told myself, ‘One day I will fly! In America you can fly!’”
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