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.
Last month, first semester Moraine Park nursing students helped residents get ready for their annual prom at the Fond du Lac St. Francis Home.
The students used their clinical time to provide hair and nail care, and dress the residents for their big event! The students enjoyed the one-on-one time to pamper the residents and give personalized care.
St. Francis Home hosts the resident prom each spring with a live music from a local high school band and invites family members to participate. So much fun!
Moraine Park apprentice, John
Dondlinger, employed by Eagle Construction Co., Inc. in Wisconsin Rapids, was
named as the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) 2019 Apprentice of the
Year at the ABC annual graduation banquet in Wisconsin Dells.
The Apprentice of the Year award
goes to an apprentice who is in good standing, is at least half-way through the
apprenticeship program, demonstrates a high degree of professionalism, and is
highly regarded by other apprentices, instructors, and employers. Dondlinger is
known for his quiet presence in the classroom and is regarded as a lead-by-example
student who is willing to jump in and help others understand how to complete a
task correctly.
Moraine Park Alumni, Jacob
Moody, served as the event keynote speaker. Moody, a 2018 graduate from the
carpentry apprenticeship, is a journeyman carpenter for Kraemer Brothers in
Plain. He joined the Kraemer Brothers team in 2007 as a laborer, and today he
holds two apprenticeship completion cards in the state of Wisconsin for
construction craft laborer and carpentry. Moody also took first place in
carpentry at the ABC of Wisconsin Skills Competition in 2018 and went on to win
first place at ABC’s National Craft Championships.
In his speech, Moody recalled
his journey through apprenticeship and thanked those who helped him along the
way, particularly Moraine Park instructor Gary Roehrig and Darrell Kraemer of
Kraemer Brothers. He highlighted his experiences competing at the National
Craft Championships and encouraged the soon-to-be-graduates to stay involved in
ABC.
“These apprentices are now
journeymen in their trade who will add each and every one of their abilities to
our workforce,” Moody said. “There are going to be many more opportunities for
all of you. Just remember don’t be afraid, don’t put boundaries around you,
never stop learning, and enjoy your lives while you’re at it.”
Moraine Park is also celebrating its solid partnership with ABC. 2019 marks the fourth consecutive year that a Moraine Park student has been selected as the Apprentice of the Year and also the third consecutive year that the keynote speaker is an alumnus from the College.
Moraine Park Technical College’s Toolin’ It Summer Camp has one last-minute spot that opened. This 14th annual manufacturing summer camp is held at the West Bend campus from June 10-14 and is open to middle and high school students ages 13-16.
Participants will have the chance to learn about computer-aided design, computer-controlled manufacturing operations, basic electrical systems, machining, welding and fabrication, and so much more. Students will also experience the start-to-finish satisfaction of designing and manufacturing a product and using high-tech machinery under the close supervision of expert manufacturing trainers.
The registration fee is $100 and includes all materials, lunches, and field trips. The vacancy will be filled at a first come, first served basis.
Moraine Park Technical College’s Electricity and CNC Tool and Die students and staff are celebrating some major achievements at the 2019 Wisconsin SkillsUSA State Leadership and Skills Conference in Madison, WI.
ELECTRICITY
The electricity students participated in two categories;
Electrical Construction Wiring and Industrial Motor Controls. The College
earned a complete sweep of the top three spots in the Industrial Motor Controls
category. Participants were Michael Schaefer of Juneau, first place; Daniel
Sowin of Sheboygan Falls, second place; Anastasia Szczesny of Iron Ridge, third
place. Also, Moraine Park student, Noah Johannes of Fredonia, earned the
College another first place award in the Electrical Construction Wiring
category.
“I’m very proud of their accomplishments,” Mark Wamsley, electricity instructor at Moraine Park said. “I have watched them grown and excel in their field. I look forward to watching them compete at Nationals.”
Schaefer and Johannes will represent Moraine Park Technical College at
the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Louisville, KY this
June.
CNC
The CNC Tool and Die club representatives competed in two separate categories; Automated Manufacturing Technology and CNC Milling Specialist. Earning first place in the team Automated Manufacturing Technology category are William Kraus of Jackson, Zachary Rabideau of Jackson, and Jarred Welnak of Germantown. Isaac Schrage of West Bend competed in the CNC Milling Specialist category and achieved fifth place. Kraus, Rabideau, and Welnake will represent Moraine Park Technical College at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference (NLSC) in Louisville, KY this June.
SkillsUSA is the showcase for the best career and technical
students in the nation. The philosophy of the event is to reward students for
excellence, involve industry in directly evaluating student performance and
keep training relevant to employers’ needs. More than 16,000 people are
expected to participate in the NLSC weeklong event.
For more information about Moraine Park Technical College programs, like Electricity and CNC, visit morainepark.edu.
The hard work and academic
achievement of Moraine Park Technical College students was recognized during
the College’s annual Student Awards Banquet held at The Golf Club at Camelot in
Lomira on May 10.
Moraine Park presented the 2019
Student of the Year Award to Ashley Martin of Fond du Lac. The Student of the
Year Award is designed to recognize a student who excelled in and outside of
the classroom and has taken full advantage of the opportunities that Moraine
Park has made available for them.
The 2019-20 District Student
Ambassador Award was presented to Barbara Turner of Beaver Dam. The Moraine
Park District Student Ambassador Award identifies outstanding students in the
technical college system, with nominations solicited from faculty and staff in
the spring semester of each year.
Technical Achievement Awards were
presented to 33 students. To receive this award, recipients must be enrolled in
a technical diploma program and have maintained a 3.25 GPA. They are judged on
classroom participation and other contributions and characteristics that exemplify
an outstanding student. The 2019 recipients were August Baumgartner of West
Bend, Alex Canfield of Jackson, Calin Eigner of Iron Ridge, Zach Fahrenkrug of
Campbellsport, Zach Franck of Prairie du Sac, Ben Henriksen of Beaver Dam,
Aaron Hess of Richfield, Genevieve Hicks of Beaver Dam, Keisha Krezman of Fond du Lac, Mitch Lochen
of West Bend, Nicholas Martinez of Fond du Lac, Nic Nielsen of West Bend,
Nicole Nowicki of Beaver Dam, Hunter Scannell of West Bend, Isaac Schrage of
West Bend, Zachary Wilson of Adell, Pete Cruckson of Fond du Lac, Brady Detert
of Beaver Dam, Troy Essmann of Oconomowoc, Thomas Freiberg of Campbellsport,
Nick Giudice of Waupun, Alexander Hoepfner of Fond du Lac, Zac Hoogeveen of
Randolph, Joe Jasinski of Adell, Michael Moon of Beaver Dam, Derek Mueller of Port Washington, Melanie
Pitr of Slinger, Mitchell Regan of Hartford, Andrew Robinson of Cedarburg,
Michael Schaefer of Juneau, Alex Sippel of Saint Cloud, Daniel Sowin of
Sheboygan Falls, and Anastasia Szczesny of Iron Ridge.
The Campus Impact
Award recognizes students who have served the College by participating in a
college focus group, a college-related function, or a club/student government
activity or project. Other considerations include GPA, reliability and
follow-through. In total, 18 awards were presented, recipients were Trina
Anderson of Fox Lake, Alizabeth Barnes of Waupun, Noah Bille of Brandon, Isabel
Clark of Chilton, Kevin Fritsch of Fond du Lac, Christine Gil of Randolph,
Thomas Holman of Hartford, Joe Jasinski of Adell, Sheri Laidler of
Campbellsport, Bekah McCardell of West Bend, Ashton Mislivecek of Hillsboro,
Abby Muenchow of Horicon, Peggy Rider of West Bend, Isaac Schrage of West Bend,
Jerod Splan of Iron Ridge, Anastasia Szczesny of Iron Ridge, Queenie Weesen of
Mequon, and Janine Williams of Fond du Lac.
The Meritorious Service Award is
granted to students who have served the College through their leadership and
participation in co-curricular activities such as student clubs, student
government or other volunteer opportunities. This year’s 45 recipients include Alyssa
Ahlstrom of Van Dyne, Austin Barber of Fond du Lac, Danielle Barron of Berlin,
Maurice Beck of Campbellsport, Jacob Berger of North Fond du Lac, Taylor
Branski of West Bend, Kerwana Clayborn of Fond du Lac, Deborah Davis of
Oshkosh, Derek DeChant of Randolph, Brady Detert of Beaver Dam, Calin Eigner of
Iron Ridge, Tamara Freeman of Beaver Dam, Nick Giudice of Waupun, Eileen
Grammas of Beaver Dam, Connor Gray of Cottage Grove, Mollea Greylord of Fond du
Lac, Derek Jackson of Rubicon, Mitch Jacobs of Slinger, Shayenne A. Jaffke of
Hartford, Ty Kaage of Oshkosh, Corina Kanwischer of Hartford, Brittany Kjell of
Rubicon, Kelsey Kliefoth of Menasha, Jay Kroncke of West Bend, Kaleb Krueger of
Mayville, Jessica Leibham of West Bend, Heidi Lucas of West Bend, Jesse Mack of
Beaver Dam, Christian McCreary of West Bend, Jodie Meyer of Oshkosh, Rebecca Moreno
of West Bend, Kellie Murray of West Bend, Nicole Peterson of Eldorado, Zack Petit
of Watertown, Melanie Pitrof of Slinger, Zack Rabideau of Jackson, Gretchen Rauls
of Fond du Lac, Susan Rodencal of Fond du Lac, Patrick Rupprecht of Randolph, Lauryn
Slade of Hartford, Amy Spiekerman of West Bend, Alex Tischedndorf of Kewaskum, Nicole
Toombs of Ripon, Alyssa Wescott of Theresa, and Christina Whitehouse of Waupun.
The Leadership & Service Award is reserved for
members of Moraine Park’s Student Government. A student’s comprehensive
level of commitment to the College and their representation of the student body
through their attendance and engagement in Student Government and its related
opportunities are taken into consideration during award selection. The 12
award recipients include Alden Broome of Beaver Dam, Dominic DeLaura of
Slinger, Zach Fahrenkrug of Campbellsport, Thomas Freiberg of Campbellsport,
Brad Hetzel of Lowell, Ashley Martin of North Fond du Lac, Michael Moon of
Beaver Dam, Leah Pietrangelo of West Bend, Joshua Strnad of Rio, Jonathan
Szczesny of Iron Ridge, Sam Turner of Baraboo, and Elizabeth Wustrack of Fond
du Lac.
Student government leadership
recognition included Jonathan Szczesny of Iron Ridge, Beaver Dam Student Senate
president; Elizabeth Wustrack of Fond du Lac, Fond du Lac Student Senate
president; Leah Pietrangelo of West Bend, West Bend Student Senate president; Kevin
Fritsch of Fond du Lac, District Student Government president; Queenie Weesen
of Mequon, Wisconsin Student Government lt. governor; Joshua Strnad of Rio, Wisconsin
Student Government governor.
Maria Niederwerfer shares her education journey at MPTC and her recent experience in the Think Critically & Creatively course for her career success.
“My name is Maria Niederwerfer, and I began my education at Moraine Park Technical College in the Fall of 2017. I completed the Medical Assistant program in May, 2018. After graduating from the Medical Assistant program, I decided to continue my education. I returned to Moraine Park Technical College because of the small size classes, which allow for more interaction with students, staff, and faculty.
I currently am enrolled in the Nursing program and recently completed the Think Critically and Creatively course with Dr. Rebecca Leichtfuss. Taking this course was the best decision I have made because I learned to make better decisions in critical situations. In the medical field, these decision-making skills, along with communication and collaboration skills, will be very helpful. For example in the doctor’s office, you work as a team and all members have different ideas or approaches to situations. Your coworkers also have their own opinions, and you need to consider everyone’s opinions to provide excellent care to patients.
Again, I’m so glad I chose to take the Think Critically and Creatively course. Dr. Rebecca Leichtfuss makes you feel confident about yourself. There are no wrong answers in her classroom; there are only different ideas. She challenges students to think of different solutions to problems, which leads to better outcomes and decisions.”
Written by Maria Niederwerfer, student at Moraine Park.
For more information at Moraine Park, visit morainepark.edu.
Congratulations Spring 2019 Service Learning Award Winners! In the 2018-19 school year 112 students logged over 2,8… https://t.co/NaCIGG4Szx10 hours ago
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