By Tom Williams

Many people in the North County leave the area to continue their education and develop careers because the areas of education they were interested in were not available. The expansion of Fort Drum has eliminated many of these educational concerns. With Fort Drum’s expansion and the influx of new residents, the demand for higher education became even greater. Hence the development of SUNY North Country Consortium with the State University of New York. This partnership of SUNY institutions serves Jefferson and Lewis Counties, southern St. Lawrence County and northern Oswego County. The consortium brings to the area four-year and higher degree programs to the residents, soldiers and their spouses.

The Consortium of SUNY institutions, currently consisting of Jefferson Community College (JCC), SUNY Canton, SUNY Empire State College, SUNY Institute of Technology at Utica/Rome, SUNY Oswego, SUNY Potsdam and SUNY Upstate Medical University, was formed in 1985 and serves the residents of these communities. Each institution brings different degree programs to the North Country in order to broaden the array of degree choices. In its first year of existence, the consortium offered 26 courses. Fast forward 24 years and we find that in its brief history, the consortium has offered more than 82,000 courses.

The Consortium’s executive director, Miyako Schanely is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point with a BS in Engineering Management, and holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Rochester. She has taught business administration at Jefferson Community College, SUNY Oswego and SUNY Potsdam.

Schanely has also served her country for over 23 years as an active and reserve member of the U.S. Army and currently commands the Third Battle Command Training Group of the 75th Division at Fort Dix, New Jersey.

Two years ago, building on her experience in higher education and in the military, Schanely accepted the executive director position for the Consortium. TheConsortium’s Fort Drum office is located in the Fort Drum Education Center and the McEwen Library building on Fort Drum. A second location will soon be available in Jefferson Community College’s Higher Education Center, which is scheduled to open in January 2010. Approximately one third of the staff members are retired military or spouses of soldiers, and, as such, provide good understanding of military needs, customs and jargon.

The Consortium works with people from a wide range of educational backgrounds from GED to the masters degree level. Individuals can walk into either office to ask questions or gather information, or they may schedule an appointment with an advisor. Advisors will help students with selection of a college and degree program, application for admission, registration for classes, and navigating the financial aid process. JCC and Empire State College have full-time advisors available at the Fort Drum office, and SUNY Oswego and SUNY Potsdam have advisors available at JCC or at Fort Drum by appointment.

Classes are offered at the Education Center on Fort Drum and at the JCC campus. Additionally, many of the classes are offered as “non-traditional” classes. They may be taken online, in eight-week semesters, in three-week intense semesters, as weekend classes, hybrid, and guided independent studies. Many students are also able to earn college credit for work experience and professional training.

Once the advisor and the student meet and determine the student’s areas of interest, the advisor can cross-refer between schools in order to best match the student’s goals. The member colleges offer flexible options to accommodate students’ schedules and other obligations. In addition to working with civilians and their work and family commitments, the consortium also serves soldiers and their spouses, including the special needs each may have when a soldier is deployed.

Most soldiers find they can continue classes wherever they go. Advisors work with the active duty service members, members of the Guard and Reserve components, veterans and former service members utilizing vocational rehabilitation benefits, and family members of these patriots.

As mentioned earlier, the SUNY North Country Consortium is not only for the military. It is for everyone who is interested in continuing their education in the North Country. Many of the courses are offered locally so one does not have to travel great distances to receive an education. Many courses are offered online and many do not require attendance at one of the local colleges. Empire State College, specifically, is a leader in adult and online courses. It offers associate degrees, bachelor degrees and graduate programs. There are 11 undergraduate degree programs: the arts; business, management and economics; community and human services; educational studies; historical studies; human development; interdisciplinary studies; cultural studies; labor studies; science; mathematics and technology; social theory, social structure and change.

Empire State students may complete a master of arts degree in labor and policy studies, social policy, business administration, liberal studies, and teaching.

Empire State College is ranked number one in independent national surveys. Faculty members are experts in their fields and provide students with one-on-one personal attention. Most faculty members hold doctoral degrees in their respective academic fields.

Financial aid is available through grants and scholarships. In fact, 50 percent of SUNY Empire State College students receive financial aid.

JCC plays a major role by providing space for other colleges to conduct courses at the JCC campus. JCC offers certificate programs in accounting, criminal justice, hospitality and tourism, office studies, paramedic, and teaching assistant. associate degrees are offered in many fields: accounting, animal management, business administration, computer science, fire protection technology, liberal arts and sciences, nursing, office technologies, paralegal, and paramedics, to name a few.

JCC also offers online degrees in business administration, criminal justice, individual studies, and liberal arts. These online programs offer adult learners options for continuing their education around their work and many other commitments.

Two of the northern members of the consortium are SUNY Canton and SUNYPotsdam. SUNY Canton offers certificate programs, associate degree and online programs, especially in the technical fields. The college exports its certificates in motorsport performance and repair and electrical construction and maintenance to the Fort Drum area. Local residents may also conveniently access Canton’s associate degrees in automotive technology, air conditioning engineering technology, civil engineering technology, and electrical engineering technology.

SUNY Canton also locally offers several bachelors degree programs in the areas of criminal investigation, emergency management, facilities management, financial services management, health care management, law enforcement leadership, legal studies and veterinary services management.

SUNY Potsdam brings several popular degrees to the North Country. Local students may complete a bachelor of science in business administration after completing the first two years of the degree through JCC. Additionally, residents seeking a masters degree in education may complete their degree, including their teaching practicum, locally. There are four master of science in education degrees offered in the North Country, including literacy and curriculum and instruction. SUNY Potsdam also locally offers the master of science in teaching, which allows students with bachelor degrees in fields other than education to earn the requirements for teaching in New York State.

SUNY Oswego offers a variety of online courses, bachelor degrees and graduate degrees. Local students can complete bachelor degrees in business administration and public justice, as well as graduate degrees in human services/community counseling and business administration. Online degrees offered include a bachelor of arts in broadcasting and mass communications and a bachelor of science in vocational teacher preparation.

SUNY Institute of Technology at Utica/Rome, also known as SUNY-IT, is partnering with the Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization (FDRHPO) to bring degrees in several healthcare careers to the North Country. Many registered nurses who earned their associate degree through JCC or other institutions earn their bachelor of science in nursing locally through SUNY-IT, completing their clinical rotations in local hospitals and healthcare institutions. SUNY-IT also offers bachelors degrees in health information management and health systems management online. Masters degrees available locally from SUNY-IT include accounting, technology management, health systems administration, information design andtechnology, nursing education, nursing administration, and nurse practitioner.

SUNY Upstate Medical University is the final member of the SUNY North Country Consortium, also partnering with FDRHPO to bring degrees in healthcare fields to this area. Degrees currently offered locally include masters of science in family nurse practitioner and family psychiatric/ mental health nurse practitioner. SUNY Upstate Medical University most recent local initiative is bringing a respiratory therapy program to the JCC campus.

The SUNY North Country Consortium offers a wide selection of opportunities in many fields to anyone interested in continuing their education. Scholarships and grants are available and the instructors are highly credentialed. If interested in continuing your education or if you are just looking to take a course or two in a subject in which you have an interest, contact the SUNY North Country Consortium through its website at www.sunynorth.edu or phone for information at 315-773-9007 or 772-5477. If you are interested in contacting any of the other SUNY colleges directly, please note the following websites:

Jefferson Community College: www.sunyjefferson.edu
SUNY Canton: www.canton.edu
SUNY Empire State College: www.esc.edu
SUNY Institute of Technology at Utica/ Rome: www.sunyit.edu
SUNY Oswego: www.oswego.edu
SUNY Potsdam: www.potsdam.edu
SUNY Upstate Medical University: www.upstate.edu

by Andrea C. Pedrick

Whether you are an employer or an employee or even unemployed, you don’t have to look far in Jefferson County to find quality professional growth opportunities to help with keeping a job or finding a new one. The Continuing Education Division at Jefferson Community College offers a wide array of non-credit workshops built with the workforce in mind. They have now taken these workshops and boiled them down to a focused and simple way to obtain one of two non-credit certificates.

The Work NOW certificate is the most recent one to be offered to the public. It starts with a free assessment and conversation with an advisor at The WorkPlace in Watertown. Then the person registers for a mandatory workshop called Work NOW Essentials which reviews topics, such as writing cover letters and resumes, interview skills and job searching online.

Brenda B. Radley, a WorkPlace counselor, and a Work NOW essentials instructor, says the certificate’s focus will better prepare an individual for the workplace. “I think it prepares them to be a better employee,” said Radley. “Employers may want to seriously think about sending people to these workshops because they will see the value in it down the road.”

With the completion of the essentials workshop, the participant then chooses any four additional workshops from categories such as technology, interpersonal, or professional skills.

For the employer this means an opportunity to send employees to training that is specifically designed with their goals in mind and without the need to travel very far for it! For employees, completion of the certificate is a way to show they are familiar with a specific area of technology, like QuickBooks, or versed in conflict management. They will get a certificate of completion to represent these specific skills to use when applying for a promotion or during an interview.

“We have seen interest from recent college grads to job-seekers to companies interested in developing their own workforce,” said Jill M. Bettinger, dean for continuing education at JCC. “This certificate allows individuals to create a customized plan to give themselves that advantage and polish so they are able to stand out from the rest. Many individuals pursuing the Work NOW certificate will even qualify for tuition payment through the WorkPlace or their employer’s own professional development program.”

The Entrepreneurship/Small Business (E/SB) certificate is designed for entrepreneurs. It is offered to the public through a partnership with JCC’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC). The E/SB certificate requires completion of two core workshop offerings and three additional workshops. The choices are specific to the needs of the entrepreneur and focus on such topics as legal issues, finances, marketing and accounting issues.

Participants who complete this certificate are able to draw on the resources of the Entrepreneurship Center (E-Center)at JCC; apply for funding through a micro business loan; gain retail exposure and marketing exposure through the Internet and/ or television; and much more!

“This certificate is a wonderful leg up for the risk-taking entrepreneur,” said Bettinger. “The two non-credit certificates can take as little as one semester to complete and are an investment in the workforce and the individual. Both certificates have seminars that are extremely affordable, and are distilled into short,practical sessions that can be applied to a work situation that very day. The question is, who wouldn’t benefit from a time management, Excel, or workplace communication course?”

To learn more about the workshops offered through these two certificate programs, go to www.sunyjefferson.edu and look for the link to certificate programs under the workshops and trainings listing or call Continuing Education at 315-786-2233.

By Gordie Little

It has been said that there is no better way to educate our youth than to teach them the history of the area in which they live. The same is true for adults, because life is a process of continuous learning.

That might not be the precise mission statement of the Jefferson County Historical Society Museum in Watertown, but it certainly speaks to what the society and the museum are all about.

The actual mission statement reads as follows: “The Jefferson County Historical Society preserves a documentary record of our county and its people to engage audiences in a dialog about our unique history— what it means to us today and what it should mean for our future.”

Chances are that a large percentage of area residents have never darkened the doors of this old mansion at 228 Washington Street. That is hopefully changing, and if new Executive Director William G. Wood has his way, every man, woman and child in the county will be touched by the museum and its programs in the future.

Wood, born and raised in the Bronx, moved to central New York about 14 years ago. A quarter century of his adult life was spent in the automotive industry, working in customer service and sales. He worked outside Chicago as well as in the downstate New York/New Jersey area and soon realized that Northern New York has what he said was, “a lot more genuineness and friendliness among its people that doesn’tseem to exist as much downstate.” He added, “For me, it was easy to enjoy and want to stay here. The reality is that it’s a great place to live and work with people.”

When the automobile business wanted to transfer him back to Chicago, he put on the brakes. After some soul searching, he and his family decided to remain here. He wanted to keep his children in the schools to which they were accustomed and to maintain the special quality of life offered in New York’s North Country. With that, he opted to search for involvement with non-profit endeavors.

He had tasted the waters before, volunteering on boards of trustees. He became a director with the American Heart Association and worked with them for about five years. After a short stint in New Jersey, Wood sought to satisfy his yearning to return to this area. After he put out the word that he was looking for a not-for-profit here, it was mere days before he got a call saying that the executive director position at the Watertown museum was open. He says he soon learned that it was a good match all the way around and he assumed the duties in June.

Wood hit the ground running and after only a few months on the job, he has fallen in love with the museum and its myriad facets. The new director exudes boundless energy and enthusiasm when he speaks of the educational programs, the tremendous volunteer spirit involved and the entire museum package.

Wood said, “This has been an historical society since 1922. We currently have over 700 members, many of whom have been with us for decades. There is a very strong history (no pun intended) of people that have been part of this community for many years—even generations.”

The museum’s website delves into the history of the museum: “It is housed in the historic Paddock Mansion in downtown Watertown, New York. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, it was formerly the home of local banker, Ed-win L. Paddock and his wife, Olive (Wheeler) Paddock. The home was designed in the Eastlake tradition by architect John Hose and combined Tuscan Villa Elements ‘for him’ and Swiss Chalet ‘for her.’ It was built between 1876 and 1878 by John Griffin. Mrs. Olive Paddock bequeathed the home to the Society in 1922 and it was opened as a museum in 1924.”

Printed publicity goes on to say, “The museum contains both Paddock family and local history exhibits, spread throughout three floors and within three outbuildings The Paddock Parlor, Library and Main Gallery are all located on the first floor of the Paddock Mansion. The sub-floor features the Comparison Kitchen, Parlor Stove, Homespun and Kinne Waterwheel exhibits, believed to be the largest of its kind anywhere. The second floor features the Native American, Military, Victorian Pastimes and Victorian Lifestyle exhibits. The outdoor exhibits, open in summer, feature the Early American Barn, Pioneer Cabin, and One- Room Schoolhouse.” The barn features a comprehensive collection of farm implements, carriages, fire-fighting equipment and even automobiles. One of them, a Babcock, was manufactured in Watertown.

The pioneer log cabin from the Town of Cape Vincent farm of New York State Assemblyman Darrel J. Aubertine, was totally disassembled, rebuilt and restored on the museum grounds. It is now open to the public as a living exhibit of rural pioneer life in the 19th century.

What is referred to as “another endangered historic structure” is the “Pink Schoolhouse.” Several years ago it was moved from the Town of LeRay to the museum property. It has been restored and was dedicated in a special ceremony and open house on September 18. The director says it will be an invaluable education tool far into the future.

The museum claims to have over 100,000 artifacts of all kinds and they are more diverse than you might imagine, including letters, portraits, photographs, textiles, clothing, farm implements, furniture and the automobiles. Notable items include the Emma Flower Taylor Costume Collection, the Tyler Coverlet Collection, the Paddock Estate Furniture Collection, the Heusted Glass Plate Negatives Collection, and the G.A.R. Civil War Collection. A portion of the 4,500-square-foot storage area is in an atmospherically controlled and monitored facility.

Wood noted that a company has been engaged to duplicate one of the famous Tyler Coverlets and the reproductions will be on sale at the museum in the near future. There are also archives, open for research by appointment only. A museum store with Elaine Bock, business manager has many local interest books, photographic reproductions, costume jewelry, heritage toys and crafts, vintage re-production gifts, as well as the historical society’s twice-yearly publication, Bulletin.

The museum’s collection of manuscripts and documents pertaining to Jefferson County is a wonderful resource, as is the genealogical information on the Paddock family, which once occupied the mansion.

On the grounds of the museum is an impressive Victorian garden that has been beautifully restored. Wood says that it is not uncommon to host one or more weddings in the garden on any given weekend in season. The museum also boasts a meeting room and facilities that can accommodate 50 people and are free to non-profit organizations during normal museum hours. They are also available for public use on a contract basis.

Wood said taking the job was and will be a real education for him, adding, “It’s awesome for me to realize that I could probably spend a dozen years just learning what is all around me here; but it’s a good position for me to be in.”

He continued, “Part of our outreach as well as our commitment to education is for one of our many volunteer committees to organize trips.” He chuckled when he said, “We have only three-and-a-half paid people on staff here and all the rest are volunteers. We try to piece it all together with the ideathat we have a lot of people with a great deal of heart and passion who can accomplish many great things. Our October trip this year will take us to the Hudson River to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s discoveries and exploration in that region.”

The last three trips sponsored by the museum have been completely sold out. Wood said, “People have a great time and learn so much. It’s a perfect way to make even deeper inroads into the community, educating people to the fact that history is fun and is well worth getting involved in.”

He added, “Every phone call, every request for information, every tour of the museum— all of it is education. We have endless opportunities to educate.”

He was particularly enthusiastic in talking about their Museum-to-Schools In- Classroom Presentations. Melissa Widrick, curator of education has been with the museum for a quarter-century. Wood said, “This program introduces students to the science behind archaeology and how archeologists use artifacts to reconstruct ways of life. Students are given age-appropriate activities to accomplish during the session.”

For more than three decades, the historical society has cooperated with the schools to bring what it calls “standards-based local history into the classroom and encourage young people from kindergarten to 12th grade to explore their heritage.” Widrick said, “Our educational philosophy is that a strong awareness and appreciation for local history is a key component in shaping proud citizens and a strong community.”

She and her volunteers offer what is described as “a variety of educational materials and programs to local schools, home school and discussion groups. All programs include teacher information, suggested activities, artifacts, documents, graphics and/or slides. The materials are designed for age-specific instruction.”

Besides archaeology, some of the topics covered include, Age of Homespun, Camp Life in the Civil War, Historic Architecture of Jefferson County, The Iroquois, Paper Mills and Paper Making, School Days, The Thousand Islands, Toys and Pastimes and What if You Couldn’t Flip a Switch, What is a Museum, In-Museum Presentations and Tours, Pioneer Times, Victorian Tea Party, and more.

There is also what is called “a selection of kits that are designed to be used by teachers in the classroom to supplement various units of study. Kits may be borrowed at any time throughout the school year with advance reservations.”

Widrick and her history education expertise is in such demand that she did 322 programs last year and somehow must juggle more than 480 requests for this school year.

Wood related an anecdote that confirms how popular Widrick and the school presentations have become. He said, “One day our museum door opened and this little girl walks in with these big bright eyes and her expression is as if she just entered a candy store. She is literally pulling her mother in with her and her mother is looking as if saying to herself, ‘What am I doing here?’ The girl said, ‘I had to come here because Ms. Widrick spoke in one of my classes and I just had to see for myself just what the museum is like.’”

Wood believes the Pink Schoolhousewill help them to further the message of education. He said, “It has impacted so many children over the years. It was probably built around 1860 and was used through 1959. A woman told us her grandfather taught there. First through sixth grades went to school in that one room, so younger students were always learning from older ones.”

He added a woman recently came in with a complete set of books actually used in that schoolhouse back in the 1940s.

What’s in the future for the museum? The director says one of his main thrusts is to create more partnerships with area businesses. He wants to create traveling exhibits and have more events and programs out in the community, perhaps tailoring them to the themes of the businesses themselves.

He described these business connections as “a win/win situation by having the community get the information and education from historical artifacts and giving the business sponsors good exposure at the same time. It will demonstrate that the businesses care about the community and support our kind of education.”

Wood further explained that he envisions an even closer connection between the museum mission and nearby Fort Drum, perhaps even setting up some kind of remote exhibits there at some point in time.

He added that he hopes to involve the entire community in ways never before dreamed possible. They use volunteers for almost every aspect of the museum’s operation and Wood says they could use a lot more. They also need professional help with getting their entire collection properly indexed.

“We can use volunteers at every level,” he said. “If they can wield a paintbrush, work on the grounds or assist with reception, we’ll welcome them with open arms. The individual volunteers and committees are what make it all work here. Our volunteer board is invaluable. That’s what makes this whole operation successful.”

No grass is growing under the new director’s feet. He promises, “We’re working hard to organize our collections better and will work tirelessly to promote it more and better. We must also work hard to fund necessary improvements.”

Wood expressed his gratitude for those who have remained with the society and museum for many years. He singled out Business Manager Elaine Bocki who has been there 28 years. And he has high praise for society members, board members and committee members who have worked unfailingly for a very long time.

To sum up his philosophy, Wood said, “I’ve traveled around the country and the world and have seen that once a building or an artifact is lost, it’s gone forever. When that happens, our education is gone with it. If you can’t see it, listen to it or touch it, it’s harder and harder to imagine it. When it’s right there in front of you, there is so much more benefit.”

He hopes to combine his business background with his personal passion for the history mission in maintaining and enhancing the popularity of the museum. From what we learned from the interview with Executive Director Bill Wood, the future of the Jefferson County Historical Society Museum is in very good hands.

Museum hours are Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m. till 5 and Saturday 10 till 4 May through December. See you there

By Tom Williams

Education can be a lot of fun, especially if it involves the entire family. So where do you go to include the entire family? The Sci- Tech Center of Northern New York. The Sci-Tech Center is located at 154 Stone Street in downtown Watertown. It is the only science center of its kind in Northern New York, offering many educational and fun opportunities.

What is so special about the Sci-Tech Center? It is a learning experience for everyone from elementary school students to senior citizens.

Steve Karon is the center’s executive director and it’s easy to see why he was chosen for this position a year and a half ago. Karon is full of enthusiasm and has a love for museums and the education they provide to all. He is especially proud of the Sci-Tech museum because, he says, as he watches a child participate in a scientific activity, he so often sees the child ‘get it.’ without assistance. He loves to see the sparkle in their eyes and the smile on their face when this happens.

Karon started out as a museum volunteer at the Museum of Science in Boston when he was very young and eventually joined the staff. After serving his country with a stint in the U.S. Army, he went back to his first love and eventually ended up in Watertown, after managing several museums prior to moving here.

The Sci-Tech Museum started out with one room in the Dulles State OfficeBuilding in 1983. It eventually moved to a location on Arsenal Street and 14 years ago, moved to its present Stone Street location. It is open year-round and offers hands-on science and technology applications.

The Sci-Tech Center is a private not-for-profit corporation. Last year, the center had 4,678 visitors, and more than 2,200 people were involved with its many outreach programs. The center serves children and adults from the tri-county region of Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence Counties and often hosts families and organizations from the wider region.

The three-story, 3,600 square foot building is full of viewing and hands-on exhibits for adults and children, ranging from a simple collection of sea shells to holograms. Some of the most popular displays are the dinosaurs, the sand pattern pendulum, and the ‘duck under kaleidoscope’ where one becomes the object and is one of hundreds of views. One of the newest additions to the museum is the optical illusion display, which can play games with your mind.

The center is open year–round, (except on Thanksgiving and Christmas), Tuesdays through Thursdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Seniors can enjoy the technology for $2, and a family with two adults can enter for $14. A yearly family membership is $45 and an individual membership is $30. There is a $5.00 discount for military families.

What are the benefits of becoming a member? A Sci-Tech membership entitles the family/individual to free admission to the Sci-Tech Center and over 300 other museums across the country. For a complete list visit: www.astc.org/passport. The center provides its members with discounts for birthday parties, workshops, and classes. In addition, there is a ten percent discount at the Sci-Tech gift shop for members. Presently the center has 150 members.

Most of the center’s programs and activities are planned, prepared, and presented by a vibrant group of 25 dedicated volunteers. The volunteers come from all walks of life and backgrounds that range from business and science to biology and chemistry. Many are still working and some are retired, but they all love the sciencessciences and being involved with education. The busiest time for the center is during the school breaks at Christmas and Thanksgiving. Besides being loaded with displays and hands on scientific experiments, the center offers several clubs which meet weekly. The clubs are strategy clubs and include two chess clubs. The center hosts the North Country Chess Center, with a children’s chess club which meets every Saturday morning at and an adult chess club, known as “Chess Knights,” which meets on Thursday evenings. Anyone can also challenge the computer to a chess game.

One of the most popular strategy club games besides chess is “Axis and Allies.” Many of these games last well beyond the normal Saturday 2:00 p.m. closing time. Other popular strategy games are Settlers of Catan and Pillars of the Earth. The Sci-Tech Center hosts birthday and pizza parties, which may include a private hands-on science workshop, assists scout troops with their merit badge requirements, and serves as a resource for classroom teachers and youth groups.

Elementary schools also use the center as a resource to bring scientific knowledge to the schools. According to Karon, the dinosaur and chemistry programs are probably the most popular with the schools although they do conduct programs on magnets and polymers.

The Sci-Tech Center has more than 40 interactive exhibits designed to spark the interest and imagination of childrenand adults alike spread out over the two floors. The new hands- on illusion display is located on the first floor. This really gets the imagination going! If a child ever wondered how a piano worked, he or she could sit down at the center’s piano, strike the keys, and watch what happens inside the piano. If someone was really interested in chess, they could go to the second floor and get involved in a chess game where the chess pieces are three feet high, but very light. Did you know that your body produces an electrical current? Anyone can be part of a display measuringthe voltage they are producing.

Probably the most popular display is the dinosaur area. There is a large Tyrannosaurus Rex behind a glass display, as well as actual fossils the children can pick up and examine. There is even an area where children can make believe they are archeologists and can dig for fossils.

Another popular exhibit is the pattern pendulum: Wipe the board clean, fill the container with sand and release the container. The pendulum forces working with each other make a design on the board.

The Sci-Tech Center strives to accomplish several goals:

1. to develop participatory exhibits, demonstrations, and programs in the basic sciences;

2. to enable the general public to gain first- hand experience with natural phenomena and man-made devices;

3. to serve as a resource for formal educational groups;

4. to foster interest in scientific, engineering, and industrial careers; and

5. to communicate to the public a better understanding and appreciation of science programs and activities.

What are the center’s future plans? Science Fair 2010 is on the horizon for May of next year for students from fourth to eighth grades in Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence Counties. Prizes will be awarded. The Sci-Tech Center will be kicking off their Ten by Ten Campaign to raise money for the Center. There are many ways tri-county residents can help the Science Center. First, the center is always looking for volunteers, 16 years and older.

Most of the displays are hand- built from donations and might be interested in items such as the following: oscilloscopes, electronic keyboards, scrap Plexiglas sheets, electronic control timers, volt-ohm meters, slide projectors, a telescope (4” or larger), low pressure sodium lights, a document scanner, hand tools, a small kiosk/ display unit, small electrical parts (IC’s, resistors, capacitors, LED’s, etc), micro-amp meters, a high intensity unit, a drill press, a small safe, lockable file cabinets, a fax machine, film reel rewinds, etc.—in short, almost anything you can think of.

The Tri-County area is very fortunate to have the Sci-Tech Center right in its back yard. It is an educational wonder and a tremendous resource for all ages. As its motto says, it truly is “A Playground for Your Mind.”

By Diane Rutherford

The sun is setting and the men are making the most of the dwindling light. They ignite their torches and the sparks fly. They’re taking part in the welding class on the Jefferson- Lewis BOCES campus on Route 3 just west of Watertown.

The men are a reflection of the types of students, male and female, who take part in the Adult and Continuing Education program at BOCES. There’s a Fort Drum soldier who’s considering changing careers once he gets out of the Army. There are a couple of guys who are taking the class for fun.

Then there’s Bruce Moore, a selfemployed auto mechanic with 30 years of experience. He’s beefing up on his welding skills to receive certification to stay competitive in the workplace. “A piece of paper makes a big difference,” Moore said. “It’s a good class and I get to learn aspects of safety I may have overlooked over the last several years.”

While many people view BOCES as a vocational-technical facility for high school students, enrollment is rising for adult and continuing education classes. Not only are students like Moore working to sharpen their job skills, they’re also changing careers and taking inexpensive BOCES classes to find jobs in a difficult economy.

“We definitely have people that have lost their jobs and are at the point where they have to make a decision whether they want to change their career or go back tocollege,” said Tina Frederick, supervisor of Adult and Continuing Education at BOCES. “With BOCES, there’s an opportunity to try different things. It’s not expensive. It’s a good place to consider changing your career path. We may just sit down with individuals, ask them about their interests and try to help them that way.”

Margaret Morgia is 56 years old and unemployed, having been laid off from her job in February. She says the rug was pulled out from under her, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise—having no job meant she had time to help friends care for their elderly parents. “I realized how good I was at it and how much I enjoyed it,” she said.

After spending 20 years in retail management, Morgia is changing careers. She’s now taking classes at BOCES so she can become a licensed practical nurse. “I like working with people. I like helping people and I wanted to do something that I could feel really good about,” said Morgia. “This is my way of getting my foot in the health care door.”

BOCES, which stands for Board of Cooperative Educational Services, has helped thousands of people get their foot in the door at many workplaces over the years. The Career and Technical Education division offers a wide variety of training programs so students can find jobs ranging from security guards and commercial drivers to certified nursing assistants and electricians.

There are classes in a wide range of subjects, including computer technology, architectural drafting, culinary arts, heavy equipment operation and criminal justice. All career and technical education programs offer nationally recognized industry certifications, as well as college credit.

“We definitely make a difference. People take what they learn here into the real world and are successful with gaining employment,” said Frederick. “That makes us feel really good.”

One of the most popular programs is cosmetology. Over a ten-month period, students learn how to style hair and do manicures, pedicures and facials. On this particular day, the women in the class were trimming hair on mannequins.

As with the welding class, the students are there for different reasons. Alicia Buckley is a 20-year-old former college student who was studying dental hygiene. She decided it wasn’t for her and is giving cosmetology a try.

“In dental hygiene, it’s the same thing every day, cleaning teeth all day long. I like change and a fast pace. With hair, it’s a different thing every day, different people,” said Buckley. “I think my favorite part about it is that it’s all hands-on. It’s fun. I’m not great with books so it’s more technical. You’re working with people and it’s fun. I enjoy it.”

Rachel Shaver, who was laid off from her job in January, commutes from Ogdensburg to take the class. “I’d really like to do some in-office work where I go to them. It can be difficult for people in Ogdensburg to get away from their jobs at the hospital and the prison and I’d like to be able to go to them with all my portable stuff so they don’t have to worry about leaving,” said Shaver.

Then there’s 49-year-old Sue Beattie, who voluntarily left a good-paying manufacturing job after more than two decades. Now that her children are older, she decided to pursue her dream job. “I just didn’t like factory work so I decided to find a job that would give me the opportunity to meet new people and keep busy physically. I decided to learn cosmetology,” said Beattie. “After I get established, I’m hoping to open up my own shop. That’s my dream, to be my own boss.”

Just down the hall from the cosmetology program is the General Education Development, or GED class. This is where students work to receive the equivalent of a high school diploma. There’s a big demand for this class and Adult Education Specialist Linda Best teaches students ranging from teenage high school dropouts to older adults who never finished high school.

Best said, “I had a city employee last year who came to me and said he had worked for the city for years, probably 20 years, and now they required that GED. He worked very hard, went in and took the test and passed it. So he was able to keep his job.”

In addition to the GED class offered on campus, BOCES is working to provide GED services at Fort Drum. It currently offers the course at the Victims Assistance Center of Jefferson County, the Credo Community Center for the Treatment ofAddictions and the Jefferson County Jail. “It makes you feel really good because it does make a difference,” said Best.

It’s evident that Best made a difference in the life of 18-year-old Chris Houghmaster. He dropped out of Watertown High School when he was 16 and got in trouble. While spending four months in jail, Houghmaster was required to work with Best on getting his GED. It changed his life.

Now that he’s free, he says he’s committed to turning his life around and Best is still there to help. Houghmaster is voluntarily attending class at BOCES and wants to earn his GED so he can enlist in the Army. “It feels good. I just want to get this done and get off probation, start my life over and hopefully settle down one day with a family and have a good career,” said Houghmaster.

In addition to the GED course, BOCES is also reaching out to the Fort Drum and civilian community with its English Speakers of Other Languages, or ESOL class. Frederick explained, “We have people that come here from other countries and they are very intelligent, but may not be fluent in English. They may have a doctoral degree, they may have all kinds of certification in their native language, but the challenge when they come to a new country is to transfer the knowledge that they have and learn the language before they can actually practice their profession in this area. We can help with that.”

The ESOL and GED classes are free and are taken by about 300 students each year.BOCES is beginning to work with local employers to produce a pool of candidates for jobs. The nursing department has a relationship with Samaritan Medical Center so students can do internships and other work at the hospital.

“We hope that some of our students will be able to gain experience at Samaritan and eventually be hired there,” said Frederick.

BOCES is also working with another Watertown employer, an in-bound customer service call center. “Stream is a company that has come to us and asked for specifics about how the community could help with their customer service training,” said Frederick. “BOCES tries to keep up with new companies in the area, look at what they do and say, ‘What will they need educationally?’”

BOCES is attractive to regional businesses and students because it’s an authorized American College Testing Center. People can go to the campus to take online exams to earn licenses and certificates necessary for some professions.

Campus officials are constantly looking to the future growth of BOCES. “Right now,” Frederick said, “we’re thinking about green technology—how can we make sure that we’re up and running and we’re offering those types of classes and workshops. BOCES is an opportunity for people to broaden their horizons and think outside the box.

For more information about Adult and Continuing Education at Jefferson-Lewis BOCES, call (315) 779-7220 or (800) 356-4356. You may also visit the BOCES website at www.boces.com.

By Andrea C. Pedrick

Something new is happening— something that’s been talked about for a long time. Soon you’ll see a whole new building to house a set of programs that will give the people of the North Country more chances for growth than ever before. Beginning early next year when you walk into the Higher Education Center at Jefferson Community College (JCC), you’ll see persons of all ages and backgrounds moving about the building with the same goal in mind—to improve their lives through education—and the choices are plentiful! A person could be working toward completion of a four-year college degree, a graduate degree, or just taking a non-credit workshop that focuses on specific goals such as communication in the workplace or specialized computer software.

 JCC will still offer its traditional programs on campus, online and at Fort Drum, but this winter they will unveil the Higher Education Center on campus, which will change the way higher education needs for this area are met. “The Higher Education Center will be a centralized place for people to develop themselves, which in turn develops the workforce and supports the businesses in the area,” said Dr. Craig D. Johnson, the college’s vice president for community engagement. “There will be definitely lots of action and traffic. During the day, the activity will center on JCC students enrolled in JCC classes, prospective entrepreneurs visiting with the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), prospective and current students from our partner institutions meeting with advisors and members of the community taking non-credit and workforce development classes,” Johnson added.

JCC’s master facility plan calls for a stand alone permanent building, but for now, the Higher Education Center will be temporarily located in what is commonly referred to on campus as the modular building. The modular building currently houses the Small Business Development Center and The WorkPlace. The SBDC will stay at the location while The WorkPlace is already moving its offices to the former Redwood Bank building on Coffeen Street. Later this fall the modular building will undergo renovation and, by early winter, will have a new look that will represent the new opportunities being presented to the residents of the surrounding counties.

The education partner institutions have yet to be confirmed, but plans are underway to move the Continuing Education Division from the Jules Center on campus to the Higher Education Center this winter. The division coordinates non-credit workshop offerings; workforce development offerings, and contract training, as well as JCC Individual Studies Degree advisement, Jefferson EDGE administration, JCC summer and winter session credit course offerings. It is also the home base for JCC advising staff at Fort Drum.

A non-credit workshop is a way for adults to brush up on a computer skill or management style without committing to a degree program. The workshops are held on campus and will soon be centrally located in the Higher Education Center. Workshop examples can be found online at www.sunyjefferson.edu by clicking on “workshops and training” at the bottom of the college’s home page.

Whether you are looking for self improvement or to improve your business skills, the Higher Education Center will have the answers you need housed under one roof. “I see the Higher Education Center as a way for North Country residents to earn bachelor’s and master’s degree and fulfill higher education goals in person right here in Watertown,” said Jill M. Bettinger, JCC’s dean of continuing education. “The community is used to coming here for their education needs. I envision the new center as a melding of real-world business trainingand consultations at the SBDC and noncredit training rooms, with JCC students and partner students studying and learning in a professional environment. We are very excited to bring this opportunity and to be a broker of extended education opportunities in the North Country.”

by Andrea Pedricks

Jefferson Community College in Watertown is many things to many people. For some it is a way to improve their lives through higher education and this goal culminates with a college degree. For others the college is the site of an athletic event or the Mayor’s Ball.

The Continuing Education Division at Jefferson offers the public opportunities through its non-credit workshop schedule that are not only educational but fun too. Are you looking for ways to turn your house into an energy-efficient peaceful retreat or run your business more efficiently? The Continuing Education offers a wide variety of non-credit workshops that focus on sustainability.

You’ll find descriptions of these workshop offerings at www.sunyjefferson.edu under heading Home & Energy Series. Find out what true sustainability means to you and how to implement these strategies in your work life or personal life to cut energy costs and save money.

Our instructors range from a New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) educator to a person who is living totally off the grid. James S. Juczak resides at Woodhenge, a sustainable community and self-reliance educational center that he established in Adams Center, NY in 1997. He has been a public school technology teacher for 26 years. He has published numerous articles and been a contributing author for several books.

Juczak lectures and presents workshops on a wide variety of topics, including: mortgage free/alternative construction, building on and off grid home energy systems, self-reliance, cordwood construction techniques, wind turbine construction and food growing and preservation techniques.

His workshop offerings at Jefferson have proven to be successful and leave participants wanting more! He teaches True Sustainability, Solar Powered Electrical Systems, and Wind Power for Homeowners.

Gerald Loch is also a NYSERDA educator and will hold two workshops this fall at Jefferson that focus on Energy Efficiency for Small Businesses and Building Efficiency for Maintenance Personnel.
Also on the workshop schedule in 2009 are Residential Site Design for Energy Efficiency, Green Building - a common sense approach, and Affordable Solar Strategies for Northern New York.

Registration with payment is required for all workshops. For more information please call the Continuing Education Division at 315-786- 2233 or go to www.sunyjefferson.edu.

Once her children were in school, Sarah was finally able to pursue her dream to earn an associate degree. She had worked slowly but consistently, fitting her classes in between her job, her children’s school vacations, and community projects. But as she proudly prepared for her graduation ceremony, Sarah worried about her next step toward a higher degree. She didn’t have time to drive an hour and a half to attend classes, and she didn’t think that strictly online classes would work well for her - she wanted to work with her teachers face-to-face. Read more

The future of the North Country is directly linked to the quality of its leadership. Dedicated, trained and inspired community leaders will shape and determine the future of our region for years to come. This belief was the motivation behind the creation of the Jefferson Leadership Institute (JLI), a program of the Greater Watertown-North Country Chamber of Commerce. Established in 1991, an average class size of 20 each year has led to over 330 graduates who are now part of the leadership core of Jefferson County. Read more

In 1985, the North Country began an economic transformation with the activation of the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum. Area business would never be the same. For more than 20 years, the school districts of the North Country have partnered with the soldiers and families of our storied division to provide a high quality educational experience for every student. The North Country has been greatly enriched by Fort Drum’s presence and impact, and the school districts recognize the continuing dynamic benefits derived from this on-going relationship. Read more