|  There is still time to sign up for fall classes at Mid-Plains Community College. A variety of on-site, online and distance learning courses will begin on Monday. Students can sign up for any of them the first week they are offered. Payroll Accounting, Bookkeeping for Business, Intro to Ag and Natural Resources, Introduction to Soil Science, Design, Drawing I and II, Intro to Zoology, Intro to Nutrition, Plumbing, Cabinetmaking, Concrete and Forming, Small Engine Repair, Leadership/Team Development, Personal/Professional Development, Principles of Marketing, Astronomy and Intro to Psychology are just some of the classes available. Others include: QuickBooks, Beginning Computer I, Desktop Publishing, Criminal Law, Juvenile Justice, Intro to Professional Education, Intro to Engineering Design, College Prep Reading and Writing, Language Skills, Healthy Lifestyles, Visual Merchandising, Supply Chain Management, 3-D and Animation, Intro to Information Tech, Operating Systems I, Web Design I, Fundamentals of Phlebotomy, Music Appreciation, Jazz Band, Piano Techniques I, Group Guitar, Swimming and Conditioning, History of Motion Picture and Stage Makeup. A complete list can be found at: http://www.mpcc.edu/course-schedules. It is recommended that those interested in registering make an appointment with an advisor first by calling (308) 535-3701 in North Platte or (308) 345-8102 in McCook. MPCC provides numerous scholarships, grants and loans to qualified students. For more information about financial assistance, call (308) 535-3705 in North Platte, or (308) 345-8112 in McCook. |
|  Auditions for "Tuck Everlasting" will begin in September. The production is a joint venture between North Platte Community College and the North Platte Community Playhouse. The auditions are planned for 5-8 p.m. Sept. 5-7. Youth between the ages of 5 and 17 will audition the first night. Those 18 and older can try out on the second night, and the final night will consist of callbacks and tryouts for anyone unable to attend a session earlier in the week. All auditions are open to the public. They will be in the McDonald-Belton Theater on NPCC's South Campus. No experience is necessary to audition. A prepared monologue and song are preferred, but not required. Those who receive a callback may be asked to sing a song and recite monologue from the play. In that case, the materials will be provided. The following actors/actresses are needed for the cast: - A girl between the ages of 10 and 15 to play the lead
- A young boy age 5-7 who is a good dancer
- Four to eight girls and four to eight boys ages 12-17
- Five to seven women ages 18-35
- Five to seven women – ages 35 or older
- Four to eight men ages 18-35
- Four to six men ages 35 and older
Special arrangements for auditions can be made by contacting Ritch Galvan, play director, at 535-3767 or galvanr@mpcc.edu. Additionally, a dozen people will be needed for a technical crew. No experience is necessary to join the crew, and all ages are welcome. Those interested in serving in a technical role should also contact Galvan. The first rehearsal will be from 5-8 p.m. Sept. 12. The rehearsals will continue at that time every Monday and Thursday for two months. They will be at NPCC for the first three weeks then will move to the playhouse for the final five weeks. Performances will also be at the playhouse at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 3-4 and Nov. 10-11. The show will begin at 2 p.m. on Nov. 5 and Nov. 12. |
|  The 2017 Mid-Plains Community College raffle car, a 1965 Chevrolet Impala, will make an appearance at the North Platte Walmart on Friday. The public will have a chance to buy tickets for the car from 2-7 p.m. The Impala is the 13th vehicle restored and modified by students in MPCC's Classic Car Restoration (CCR), Automotive Technology and Auto Body Technology programs. Every year, the students disassemble, modify and reassemble a classic car. They begin by reducing the vehicle to a shell then sandblasting the body and frame down to bare metal. From there, they embark on the long and challenging process of transforming the vehicle into a work of art. The project requires them to study and merge both traditional and modern engineering and technology. "They learn about everything from chassis, electrical systems, drivetrains, engines and the replacement and refinishing of sheet metal to plastic, fiberglass and upholstery," said Don Wilson, Auto Body instructor and supervisor of the CCR Program. "When you have to merge analog systems with digital technology, it can get complicated. There isn't a book or instructions when merging them, and our students must know both before they can make the various systems work properly and look amazing." This year's raffle car is a true SS-meaning a Super Sport model. The drivetrain consists of a stock 8.1 liter late model fuel injected GM engine. It uses the latest in computerized technology and incorporates a modified computer chip. The power plant is coupled to a 700R4 automatic transmission and a stock GM rear end. "One of our goals is to build a car that the general public can drive," said Bryan Herrick, the Automotive Technology instructor connected to the CCR program. His students were responsible for the drivetrain on the Impala. The Auto Body students were in charge of stripping the body, fixing rust and any sheet metal damage, powder coating the frame and adding a tilt wheel, new American Wheels and GT tires. The car's finish, "Golden Globe," has an added gold flake effect and was chosen from the 2014 General Motors Cadillac base coat/clear coat paint system. Other features include a vintage air conditioning system, a tubular front suspension and front wheel power disc brakes. The Impala received a boost from a number of local businesses who either donated cash, parts or discounts toward its restoration. Those include Dave Smith Signs, JM Parts & Equipment, E.J.'s Outdoor Sports, Cohagen Battery and LKQ Corporation-Keystone Automotive. The car will tour the state over the summer, making appearances at car shows, parades and cruise night events. A total of 10,000 raffle tickets are up for grabs at a price of $10 each. Proceeds will be used for scholarships for students in the Automotive Technology and Auto Body Technology programs and to help offset the cost of producing another raffle car next year. Tickets will be sold everywhere the vehicle is displayed. A schedule is posted on the college's website, mpcc.edu. Tickets can also be purchased at the welcome centers at any of MPCC's campuses in North Platte, McCook, Broken Bow, Imperial, Ogallala and Valentine. Additionally, a number of businesses, organizations and individuals will sell tickets. In North Platte, those include: North Platte Buick GMC, Cohagen Battery Store, Grandma's Memories Antiques and Collectibles, Isabelle's Auction House, A.J. Janas, Pat Smith, Jody's Auto Sales, Larry's Barber Shop, Modern Tire Pros, Twin River Body Shop, Keystone Automotive and E.J.'s Outdoor Sports. Tickets may also be purchased at Rex's Refrigeration in Ogallala and at the Curtis Collision Center in Curtis. The drawing for the Impala will be at 3 p.m. during the Colonel Cody's Cruise Show and Shine in downtown North Platte on Sept. 9. |
| 13 incoming McCook Community College freshmen arrived on campus Aug. 3 to get a head start on the fall semester through the Bridge To Success program. In its second year, the Bridge program allows students to come to MCC early, complete a foundational preparation course, build relationships, and familiarize themselves with the campus and the community. The Bridge program concludes Aug. 17. New student orientation is set for Aug. 18. Fall classes begin Aug. 21. |
|  North Platte Community College student Jon Wardyn performs as part of the Select Choir during a concert at NPCC last spring. Auditions for this year's Select Choir will begin next week. The music department at North Platte Community College will host Select Choir auditions next week. Anyone who would like to try out is welcome to. The auditions will be from noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday in the piano lab in the McDonald-Belton Building on NPCC's South Campus. Angelina Gradel, adjunct vocal instructor, said people can pick the day they want to audition. They don't have to attend both sessions. They can also opt to either take a prepared song with them, or use one provided by the college. Gradel will accompany singers on the piano. The Select Choir performs in concerts at NPCC throughout the year in addition to appearing at local schools and community events. Those chosen for the choir will be asked to commit to a class time of 12:15-1 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday of every week. |
|  The 2017-18 Mid-Plains Community College course catalog and student planner are now online. Everything students need to know about MPCC programs, course descriptions, faculty and staff can be found at https://catalog.mpcc.edu/course-catalog/. It's the first time MPCC hasn't printed a hard copy of the college catalog. From this year forward, the only format will be the online version, which is easily accessible from any computer, tablet or smartphone. "Moving to a truly online version of the catalog has been a goal for Academic Affairs for many years," said Dr. Jody Tomanek, MPCC area vice president of academic affairs. "This move allows the college to keep program and course information as current as possible for current and prospective students. With the online catalog, if we see something that is incorrect, we can change it immediately." It's also the first time the college has offered a student planner online. The document contains MPCC's student code of conduct and other information that is important for students to have as they begin the new school year. The course catalog can be found at: https://catalog.mpcc.edu/course-catalog/, and the student planner can be accessed at https://catalog.mpcc.edu/student-planner/ |
|  The 2017 Mid-Plains Community College raffle car, a 1965 Chevrolet Impala, will make an appearance in McCook next week. The public will have a chance to buy tickets for it from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 17 at the High Plains Radio station, 1811 West O St. The Impala is the 13th vehicle restored and modified by students in MPCC's Classic Car Restoration (CCR), Automotive Technology and Auto Body Technology programs. Every year, the students disassemble, modify and reassemble a classic car. They begin by reducing the vehicle to a shell then sandblasting the body and frame down to bare metal. From there, they embark on the long and challenging process of transforming the vehicle into a work of art. The project requires them to study and merge both traditional and modern engineering and technology. "They learn about everything from chassis, electrical systems, drivetrains, engines and the replacement and refinishing of sheet metal to plastic, fiberglass and upholstery," said Don Wilson, Auto Body instructor and supervisor of the CCR Program. "When you have to merge analog systems with digital technology, it can get complicated. There isn't a book or instructions when merging them, and our students must know both before they can make the various systems work properly and look amazing." This year's raffle car is a true SS-meaning a Super Sport model. The drivetrain consists of a stock 8.1 liter late model fuel injected GM engine. It uses the latest in computerized technology and incorporates a modified computer chip. The power plant is coupled to a 700R4 automatic transmission and a stock GM rear end. "One of our goals is to build a car that the general public can drive," said Bryan Herrick, the Automotive Technology instructor connected to the CCR program. His students were responsible for the drivetrain on the Impala. The Auto Body students were in charge of stripping the body, fixing rust and any sheet metal damage, powder coating the frame and adding a tilt wheel, new American Wheels and GT tires. The car's finish, "Golden Globe," has an added gold flake effect and was chosen from the 2014 General Motors Cadillac base coat/clear coat paint system. Other features include a vintage air conditioning system, a tubular front suspension and front wheel power disc brakes. The Impala received a boost from a number of local businesses who either donated cash, parts or discounts toward its restoration. Those include Dave Smith Signs, JM Parts & Equipment, E.J.'s Outdoor Sports, Cohagen Battery and LKQ Corporation-Keystone Automotive. The car will tour the state over the summer, making appearances at car shows, parades and cruise night events. A total of 10,000 raffle tickets are up for grabs at a price of $10 each. Proceeds will be used for scholarships for students in the Automotive Technology and Auto Body Technology programs and to help offset the cost of producing another raffle car next year. Tickets will be sold everywhere the vehicle is displayed. A schedule is posted on the college's website, mpcc.edu. Tickets can also be purchased at the welcome centers at any of MPCC's campuses in North Platte, McCook, Broken Bow, Imperial, Ogallala and Valentine. Additionally, a number of businesses, organizations and individuals will sell tickets. In North Platte, those include: North Platte Buick GMC, Cohagen Battery Store, Grandma's Memories Antiques and Collectibles, Isabelle's Auction House, A.J. Janas, Pat Smith, Jody's Auto Sales, Larry's Barber Shop, Modern Tire Pros, Twin River Body Shop, Keystone Automotive and E.J.'s Outdoor Sports. Tickets may also be purchased at Rex's Refrigeration in Ogallala and at the Curtis Collision Center in Curtis. The drawing for the Impala will be at 3 p.m. during the Colonel Cody's Cruise Show and Shine in downtown North Platte on Sept. 9. |
|  New technology is allowing Mid-Plains Community College students to tap into distance learning classes from their personal computers. It's the perfect solution for students who live in rural areas. New technology is allowing Mid-Plains Community College to reach students in even the most remote corners of its service area. So far, 27 students are signed up to use Zoom during the 2017 fall term. Zoom is a cloud-based video conferencing solution that enables a computer or tablet to connect to the traditional video conferencing systems MPCC uses for distance learning. The option makes a postsecondary education through Mid-Plains accessible to any student with a Wi-Fi connection. That's huge for residents in isolated locations such as the Sandhills, where travel to anywhere can be time consuming. The 18-county area MPCC serves stretches from the South Dakota border to the Kansas state line. The topography consists of over 20,500-square-miles of farmland, canyons, rivers, lakes and Sandhills, and, according to the American Community Survey, half of the counties have population densities of less than two people per square mile. "In the fall of 2015, we had rural students who needed classes to graduate, but they couldn't find a video conferencing system, such as a MPCC outreach campus, close to them," said Farra Morgan, the college's area network and distance learning specialist. "Their only other option would have been to drive over three hours per day, five days a week to take a 50-minute class. To alleviate the issue, the college acquired two Zoom Pro accounts and four room connector licenses." Zoom requires a small download that does not trigger the need for administrative privileges, so anyone can access it in a short amount of time from any computer. "Zoom also supports all the major video conferencing codecs and connection types with in-cloud video quality control," said Morgan. "Students receive the same video and content they would with a traditional distance learning system." In addition to serving the needs of rural populations, MPCC has used Zoom to connect students to classes when they were unable to attend an on-campus session due to weather or illness. Students aren't the only ones reaping the benefits of the new technology, however. MPCC instructors are enjoying it as well. "Our instructors can use Zoom to conduct classes for traditional distance learning systems and can also work directly with students who are using Zoom," said Morgan. "While this technology is not a replacement for traditional distance learning delivery, it has quickly become a powerful tool to help us better serve the educational needs in our area." More information about the programs and services MPCC offers can be found online at mpcc.edu. |
| The 2017 Mid-Plains Community College raffle car, a 1965 Chevrolet Impala, will make an appearance in Indianola on Saturday. It will be at the Old Settlers Day Car and Truck Show on Fourth Street from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Impala is the 13th vehicle restored and modified by students in MPCC's Classic Car Restoration (CCR), Automotive Technology and Auto Body Technology programs. Every year, the students disassemble, modify and reassemble a classic car. They begin by reducing the vehicle to a shell then sandblasting the body and frame down to bare metal. From there, they embark on the long and challenging process of transforming the vehicle into a work of art. The project requires them to study and merge both traditional and modern engineering and technology. "They learn about everything from chassis, electrical systems, drivetrains, engines and the replacement and refinishing of sheet metal to plastic, fiberglass and upholstery," said Don Wilson, Auto Body instructor and supervisor of the CCR Program. "When you have to merge analog systems with digital technology, it can get complicated. There isn't a book or instructions when merging them, and our students must know both before they can make the various systems work properly and look amazing." This year's raffle car is a true SS-meaning a Super Sport model. The drivetrain consists of a stock 8.1 liter late model fuel injected GM engine. It uses the latest in computerized technology and incorporates a modified computer chip. The power plant is coupled to a 700R4 automatic transmission and a stock GM rear end. "One of our goals is to build a car that the general public can drive," said Bryan Herrick, the Automotive Technology instructor connected to the CCR program. His students were responsible for the drivetrain on the Impala. The Auto Body students were in charge of stripping the body, fixing rust and any sheet metal damage, powder coating the frame and adding a tilt wheel, new American Wheels and GT tires. The car's finish, "Golden Globe," has an added gold flake effect and was chosen from the 2014 General Motors Cadillac base coat/clear coat paint system. Other features include a vintage air conditioning system, a tubular front suspension and front wheel power disc brakes. The Impala received a boost from a number of local businesses who either donated cash, parts or discounts toward its restoration. Those include Dave Smith Signs, JM Parts & Equipment, E.J.'s Outdoor Sports, Cohagen Battery and LKQ Corporation-Keystone Automotive. The car will tour the state over the summer, making appearances at car shows, parades and cruise night events. A total of 10,000 raffle tickets are up for grabs at a price of $10 each. Proceeds will be used for scholarships for students in the Automotive Technology and Auto Body Technology programs and to help offset the cost of producing another raffle car next year. Tickets will be sold everywhere the vehicle is displayed. A schedule is posted on the college's website, mpcc.edu. Tickets can also be purchased at the welcome centers at any of MPCC's campuses in North Platte, McCook, Broken Bow, Imperial, Ogallala and Valentine. Additionally, a number of businesses, organizations and individuals will sell tickets. In North Platte, those include: North Platte Buick GMC, Cohagen Battery Store, Grandma's Memories Antiques and Collectibles, Isabelle's Auction House, A.J. Janas, Pat Smith, Jody's Auto Sales, Larry's Barber Shop, Modern Tire Pros, Twin River Body Shop, Keystone Automotive and E.J.'s Outdoor Sports. Tickets may also be purchased at Rex's Refrigeration in Ogallala and at the Curtis Collision Center in Curtis. The drawing for the Impala will be at 3 p.m. during the Colonel Cody's Cruise Show and Shine in downtown North Platte on Sept. 9. |
|  Joe Reyes, of Hershey, stains a table during a Furniture Refinishing class offered through Mid-Plains Community College. A variety of similar classes will be available this fall to anyone looking for a new hobby. Senior discounts may apply. Affordable, accessible and convenient – those three words sum up the course offerings at Mid-Plains Community College. MPCC will begin a new fall term the week of Aug. 20. Students can sign up for a class through the first week that it is offered. On-site, online and distance learning options are available. Classes are also offered weekends via the Sunday College program and at night to accommodate those unable to take a class during the day. Night Classes Night classes typically last two to three hours each session, and sessions are one to two days per week. Payroll Accounting, Intro to Ag and Natural Resources, Fundamentals of Phlebotomy, Nursing Assistant, Medication Aide, Introduction to Graphic Design, Beginning Computer, Fundamentals of Computer Hardware, QuickBooks, PowerPoint, Intro to Professional Education, Intro to Psychology, Intro to Sociology, College Prep Reading and Writing, Beginning Spanish, Fundamentals of Human Communication, Public Schools Music I and Intro to Theater are just some of the many night classes offered. Business Others pertain specifically to the business sector. Those include: Leadership and Team Development, Personal and Professional Development, Introduction to Business, Job Search Strategies, Non-profit Management and Leadership, Business Law, Input Keyboard Technology, Records Management and Coding I. Health and Physical Education MPCC also offers a variety of health and fitness classes in the evenings. Some of those are: American Red Cross Community First Aid and Safety, Weight Training, Aerobics, Beginning Yoga, Intermediate Yoga, Sports Officiating, rYde (Spinning) and Power Sculpting. Hobby Classes Many of the night classes at MPCC may appeal to those simply interested in enjoying a hobby. Basic Ground Training, Advanced Ground Training, Auto Mechanics, Auto Body Repair, Auto Body Component Repairs, Auto Body Paint and Refinishing, Arc and Oxyacetylene Welding, TIG Welding, MIG Welding, Cabinetmaking, Ceramics I, Furniture Upholstering, Furniture Repair, Furniture Refinishing and Auto Interior Recovering could all fall into that category. Affordability There is a special discount for students 62 and older. Qualifying senior citizens only have to pay 35 percent of the current tuition rate. Applicable fees still apply. MPCC provides numerous scholarships, grants and loans to all other qualified students. More information about financial assistance is available by calling (308) 535-3705 in North Platte, or (308) 345-8112 in McCook. It is recommended that those interested in registering make an appointment with an advisor first by calling (308) 535-3701 in North Platte or (308) 345-8102 in McCook. A complete list of courses can be found at: http://www.mpcc.edu/course-schedules. |
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Heather Johnson
Area Communications Specialist
Heather produces and distributes press releases for the college. She began work at MPCC in 2014. Prior to that, she spent five years as the news director/web manager for Eagle Radio in North Platte. From 2009-2014 she worked as a reporter/photographer for The North Platte Telegraph. Heather has a bachelor's degree in journalism from Chadron State College.
Brent L. Cobb
McCook Community College News Bureau Coordinator
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