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GreatSchools Rating
Teacher quality
Principal leadership
Parent involvement
Posted May 21, 2013
Our school was founded in 1983 and is built on the classic principles of engaging minds and spirits with quality learning experiences in well-equipped, beautiful indoor and outdoor space. The focus is encouraging natural talents and developing skills so that each individual is respected and capable to participate effectively. The Director and teachers build community and support for the benefit of the children. There is an emphasis on caring for the environment, promoting well-rounded people to have lifelong, fun learning and contributing to society. The School is placed in a strategic location to build synergy with Carlsbad City Hall, Georgina Cole Library, Arts Office, Fire Department and Carlsbad Village. Connecting to science exhibits and cultural events which inspire students in their courses of study sets Montessori Arts and Sciences School apart from other programs. Mathematics, Language, Geometry, Geography, History, Botany and Zoology are explored with hands-on activities leading to projects, collaborative learning and abstract thinking, Use of technology is enjoyed for discovery and creative presentations. Montessori materials and curriculum along with resources from Educational Publishing Services, Zaner-Bloser. Singapore Math and Junior Great Books are utilized to support each individual developing toward natural potential. Stanford Achievement Tests provide framework for national standards and personal accomplishments. Music, Visual Art, Spanish, PE and Science Projects are provided weekly by specialty teachers and are integrated into curriculum subjects. Building character and work ethic are promoted in developing the whole child intellectually, emotionally, socially and physically. Our parents are supportive and valued for the efforts they make to grow the opportunities for quality experiences of the school's community. They encourage and inspire building positive energy and greatness with kindness and gratitude. Montessori Arts and Sciences School coordinates with the Carlsbad Unified School District and follows its calendar for the convenience of our families. The City of Carlsbad works closely with the Director to ensure the safety and operations of the school.
Credentials do not make a great teacher. I have worked with many teachers who hold credentials but do not have "the gift" needed to convey what is necessary to reach out to each students individual needs. Are all doctors good doctors? Can you say malpractice??? My daughters reading skills continue to improve and she loves school. What more could a parent ask for?
The director hired me with absolutely no Montessori certification what so ever. (& this was okay in her book) I thought at first it was unfair for parents to think I had a Montessori certification even though I didn't and were paying thousands of dollars for their kids to attend here each year. However I needed a job and tried to make it work. The director bullied me and treated me very poorly for teaching in a traditional way. On top of that, there is absolutely no curriculum. Yes, it is beautiful and charming, but the quality that goes into planning engaging and fun lessons for the kids is nothing. I was only there for a short while and all of the staff was constantly 'winging' their lessons because no one knew what her expectations were. On top of that to live in California and work here, the director only paid about $25,000 per year which is pretty much poverty in Southern California. I think that right there explains the high turnover rate. Teachers go there to try and get some experience and then leave as quickly as possible because they are so poorly paid.
It is very important for parents considering this school to do their research in a number of ways. First, ask the Director how long each teacher has been on the job. Second, ask about the negative reviews and why she thinks that they were made. Third, have your child attend the school for at least a week before making a decision about placing them in the environment. Our experience with this school included confusing instructions, high teacher turnover, incorrect math instruction, and an invironment where our child felt bullied.
Not to sound like a broken record, but, please, visit this school and see for yourself. Parents whose children have attended this school for years are unanimous in their praise for the level of education that their children receive(d). The overwhelming majority of students who attend CMAS continue their education at such schools as Pacific Ridge, as well as transitioning and flourishing in their public schools. I am consistently impressed and taken aback by the character, intelligence, and talent of the students at this school. These students excel in academics and art, as well as being good people. They really do teach the whole child at this school and the children thrive. My hope, and belief, is that the Director will bring in stable Montessori teachers who will be able to continue to deliver her vision to the students of CMAS. Again, do yourself and your child a favor and visit this school and form your own opinion. It's a very special school and a wonderful fit for many children.
The previous posts seem to forget that the director was the one who hired the teachers and all of the full-time teachers quit. The leadership of the school, or lack thereof, is directly related to what happened with the teachers. Also, this was not an isolated case just for this year. All the primary teachers were brand new because none of the other teachers returned from the year prior. As a parent who has only educated their child in a Montessori program since he was 2 1/2, I can tell you that this is NOT a Montessori program as I understand it. Just having manipulatives available in the classroom doesn't make it a Montessori program. Bullying children into performing tasks the way you think they should be done is NOT Montessori. In the less than one year our child was enrolled, he actually progressed far less than in years prior because the curriculum was so haphazard and the leadership was encroaching in the daily operations of the classroom. That is a leadership issue. Don't forget, there is NO accreditation nor do they even have a Board or PTO for oversight. There is only one person who decides all things related to the school, its curriculum and its vision.
We've been at MAS for two years, my son is happy, he loves to learn, he's well spoken, confident, inspired and I attribute much of this to his school. Unhappy parents are at every school, be sure and visit the school before you allow another parent's opinion to sway your opinion. We certainly had some teacher drama this year. May the new teachers believe in Montessori vision and have integrity.
Imagine our joy finding a school that had a low teacher/student ratio, a beautiful natural environment and what we thought would be a solid cirriculum. Unfortunately, we very soon discovered that the teaching was inconsistent, assignments were rarely graded and the environment was filled with abusive verbal comments to the children, witnessed by me in person on several occasions. This is not the environment I would ever knowingly place a child into. If considering this school, please ask questions of several parents that have children currently attending the school and parents that have pulled their children from the school.
I am a parent whose child attends this wonderful school. I think you should take a tour of the school and decide for your family. Yes one parent has left negative remarks but the majority of families writing reviews love this school. Not every school is for everyone, judge for yourself. Visit and talk to the other parents, have your child spend some time there, you will see that the five star reviews are true. I wrote "the only choice" because after going to almost every school in the community MAS was our first choice and we have been thrilled with the decision.
I am a staff member at Montessori Arts and Sciences School. A new family touring the school today brought the Great Schools comments to my attention. Now that I have read the reviews, please know we have never asked, nor posted, five-star reviews of our school. The reviews you read are from the Montessori families. They may have seen a comment and responded. Thank you.
My son needed special attention. He does not fit easily into public school, but he thrived at Montessori Arts and Sciences. The teachers and staff were very kind to my boy and his happiness and confindence grew. The school is not perfect, but what place is? That's what makes freedom of choice wonderful. It enables us to customize our lives to suite our needs. I can only speek from my experiences with M.A.S. and they were very positive. The people were kind. The director has a good heart and is very dedicated to the school.
Very Strong on Arts, Language and Science. Llacking in Mathematics instruction. High teacher turnover. Could be a wonderful institution with clear leadership and sticking to curriculum.
My son has attended CMAS for one year. We are very pleased with the level of education he has received. He is exceeding his grade level and is challenged in his work. We love the staff at the school. The teacher to student ratio is wonderful. My son gets so much individual attention that he would never receive at a larger private school or public school. The school understands our goals for our son s education and works with us to achieve them. The academic program is very well rounded- arts, science, math, Spanish, reading, music, language/grammar/poetry, physical education, and more. The students are hands on not just sitting in a class being lectured to. My son enjoys learning and his desire to learn has increased. The parent involvement is very high. I recommend this school very highly- if you want the best for your child s education, this is the only choice.
My third child is now attending Montessori Arts and Sciences and we have been with the school for nine years now. The program is well rounded and creative. The children read a wide variety of books and math is taught from a very understandable level. All of the artwork is amazing and the curriculum is very rich in culture, art and music. The school is not focused on an annual standardized test, although the children do take one, so the instruction time is spent on a variety of arts, languages and academics.
MA&S is by far the best school we've found in North County. The student/teacher ratio is superb, teachers are enthusiastic, interested in each student's personal growth, and extremely capable. Be wary of negative reviews, the ones that I saw were quite surprising and sounded angry, personal, and as if they were written by one person. Note that the vast majority of reviews are 5-star and the only negative reviews are 1-star. Does that make sense to you? This is a wonderful place where our children are thriving (their standardized test scores after 2nd grade averaged at the 5th grade level with two of 11 in 9th grade and only one at 2nd, none below). Outstanding! Wonderful teachers, extremely well-behaved students, and fun parents make this a fantastic place to be.
Excellent school. My daughter is learning things in 5th grade that I did not do until high school. Highly recommended
Amazing school, everyone from the office assistant to the director is fully invested in turning our child into a well rounded little adult! I look forward to this year's up and coming experiences.
Check your gut and listen to your kids. From day one, my child would come home from this school upset. I kept putting it off to an adjustment period. My child was confused and frustrated. The school is in a beautiful setting and offers many field trips but this means nothing when your kid is miserable. Not a safe, comfortable learning environment. I personally found it difficult to communicate with the director/teacher.
Our child attended this school and we highly recommend caution when considering enrolling your child in this school. I personally witnessed the teacher/director yelling at the children and speaking to me about private issues pertaining to other children in the class. This behavior is highly unprofessional. There is a lack of continuity and clear direction with assignments. Assignments are randomly changed which confuses the children. On several occasions our child would return from school and and tell us that another child had left the school. Finally, our child asked us to remove her from this school.
Montessori Arts and Sciences is a fantastic learning environment for young minds. Students are continually challenged with stimulating and interesting materials. My child has a true thirst for learning, and regularly teaches me a few things. I see many negative reviews about the high turnover rate at this school. I do not feel that this is a fair assessment due to the fact that the school is so small and intimate. Every child or teacher that leaves the school is felt throughout the school, but if this were the same size as a public school, this turnover rate would go unnoticed. If you are looking for a personalized education for your child, this school is for you. There is no other place like it. Take a look and see for yourself, you will not be disappointed!
I am so grateful for the opportunity to send my children to this school. Everyday when I drop them off I know that they are safe, cared for, and receiving a fantastic education. The nurturing environment has provided the perfect setting for my children to learn and love every minute of it. They have formed lasting relationships with their teachers and friends.
Community ratings and reviews do not represent the views of GreatSchools nor does GreatSchools check their accuracy or verify the reviewers' identities. Use your discretion when evaluating these reviews.
The Community Rating is the school's average rating from its community members (e.g., parents, students, and school staff). The highest possible rating is five stars; the lowest is one star.
3016 Highland Drive
Carlsbad, CA 92008
Website: Click here
Phone: (760) 434-6440
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This upcoming offseason is probably the most significant in Andy Reid's tenure as the Eagles' Head Football Coach. Let's hope, that a man (Andy Reid), who often tries to outsmart everyone in the NFL with off-the-wall decisions, this time uses common sense, and takes the obvious steps towards getting us a Super Bowl win. However, before I outline these steps, let's take a look at our current Philadelphia Eagle squad.
First of all, with a few adjustments on the line, this offense is Super Bowl ready right now. Andy sucks at in-game adjustments, but when it comes to preparation, he is a top three NFL coach. I say that to say this, the blitz will not consistently slow down our offense next year. Blitz pickup, hot route options, and getting rid of the football early will be the most stressed points to our offense in the offseason. When perfected, they will work. Did you see when Desean broke off his route in the last minute of the Packers game to beat the blitz? He was a shoe string tackle away from going 85 yards to the house, and sending us to Chicago. If they can perfect it, we can become unblitzable. The second and equally important point of this offseason should be to work at eliminating mental errors. We CANNOT go through another season with so many penalties! These are drive killers. I can't even guess at how many times we followed up a big play with a false start this season (especially in the red-zone). We need to make sure that we sure up this aspect, and not be such a penalized football team. Besides that, just a few minor tweaks will make all the difference. Desean must work at coming back to the ball and running crisper routes. Also, we must make Celek relevant once again in the passing game.
Offensive Objectives:
· Beating the blitz.
· Eliminate dumb penalties.
· Sure up route running.
· Get Celek involved again.
Our defense is an entirely different monster. To say that we need help at right corner back is the understatement of the century, and I'll explain how when I get to my steps at fixing this team. For the sake of outlines, we need help at RCB, defensive tackle, linebacker, d-end, and safety depth. That's a lot of help, but it can be accomplished. The most important thing that needs to get done is the signing of a defensive coordinator. The sooner we get a GOOD coordinator in here, the sooner our current players can start learning and committing to a defensive scheme and philosophy. An often used excuse over the course of last year was that the players we had on the field didn't have the knowledge to execute McDermott's schemes. If this is true, then you have to make sure that's a non-issue this year. At tackle, we need a disruptive force that can get a push up the middle. We need a linebacker that can cover a tightend, and make plays against the pass. Last, we need an animal at defensive end. Trent Cole is a nice player, but we need an elite pass rusher that can relentlessly hunt the quarter back. The wish at defensive end may be a long shot for this year, but the other two can be accomplished. With all this being said, we had rookies get valuable playoff experience on defense. There are a few promising players that can build off this past year.
Defensive Objectives:
· Master new D-Coordinator's concepts.
· Eliminate dumb penalties.
· Build off this year's experience, and make yourself a better player.
Next is the outline of the steps that should be taken to drastically improve this football team. Keep in mind, these moves are what should be done to win NOW, and assuming a CBA is in place. Of coarse you should always think to the future, but the window for this Vick-led team is 2 or 3 years. You need to build to accommodate that window, and get a Super Bowl win. As a fan, I would take one or two sub-par rebuilding seasons as long as they're followed by a SUPERBOWL WIN. Here goes:
· Franchise Tag Vick. Get this done as soon as possible. If a 2/3 year deal can be agreed upon that would not completely break the bank, get that done. Bottom line, get Vick under contract so he can focus on the task at hand: Winning a Super Bowl.
· Extend Desean Jackson. Don't be cheap, but don't be generous. He is a top three playmaker in the NFL, but he is NOT a top three receiver. The quicker he can be signed the better chance at eliminating distractions. Again the entire team's focus should be on Winning a Super Bowl.
· Sign Nnamdi Asomugha. This is a MUST. There is no excuse not to sign him. He's 30 years old, big deal. This one time Andy Reid has to go against his philosophy, and sign this guy to a three year mega-deal.
· Sign Chad Greenway. This is almost as important as signing Nnamdi. Being 28, he has 4+ years at playing at a high level. He is a tackling machine, and he can do something we haven't seen a linebacker do here in a long time: cover in the pass game.
· Trade Kevin Kolb. God bless him, but he doesn't impress me one bit. I've read on multiple occasions, from good sources, that teams in need of a QB would part with their first round pick for him. Those teams are (in drafting order):
§ Arizona Cardinals: Pick #5
§ Cleveland Browns: Pick #6
§ San Francisco 49ers: Pick #7
§ Tennessee Titans: Pick #8
§ Minnesota Vikings: Pick #12
§ Oakland Raiders: Pick #17
With the Cardinals, Browns, 49ers, and Titans, that first rounder alone would be a steal for Kolb. From the rest, that pick accompanied with a third rounder, would be of equal value. There are a number of options we would have with a top ten pick, the 23rd pick, and a second round pick.
· Do not re-sign or release:
§ Eldra Buckley – Do not resign: Must I explain.
§ Leonard Weaver – Release: Injury is significant, probably wont be the same player, Owen Schmidt filled in nicely.
§ Reggie Wells – Do not resign: Must I explain.
§ Winston Justice – Release: If you're benched in an NFL playoff game, you have no room on the Philadelphia Eagles.
§ Victor Abiamiri – Do not resign: This guy can't get on the field.
§ Ernie Sims – Do not resign: Terrible, terrible, terrible excuse of a linebacker. His mistakes are many, and he brought little to this defense.
§ Ellis Hobbs – Do not resign: Same boat, if not worse, as Weaver.
§ Sav Rocca – I'm tired of him booming 60 yard netters in the first quarter, and shanking 25 yard punts when it counts.
· Re-sign:
§ Quintin Mikell: Although he's not the best, we can't afford to have turnover at his position right now. Especially not knowing whether or not Nate Allen will be the same player or if Coleman will regress.
§ David Akers: Everyone hates him right now, but it's extremely rare for him to have a game like he did against the Packers. You need consistency in the kicking game, and he brings it.
· Draft – 1st & 2nd round:
§ The 1st & 2nd rounds of the Eagles' draft should be focused on improving the defensive and offensive lines. We'll assume that we've already signed Asomghua and Greenway, Gotten a top ten or teen pick for Kolb, and cut or not resigned Justice, Wells, and Abiamiri.
§ The following players are top ten talents. If they've not been taken, they should be selected immediately when we pick. In order:
· Nick Fairly – DT, Auburn
· Da'Quan Bowers – DE, Clemson
· Marcell Darius – DT, Alabama
§ These players are not top ten talent, but should be selected by the Eagles with either a teen pick (traded for Kolb), or their own 23rd pick in the draft:
· Gabe Carimi – OT, Wisconsin
· Adrian Clayton – DE, Iowa
· Stephen Paea – DT, Oregon
· Allen Bailey – DE, Miami
§ These players would be good value in the 2nd round, and obviously would be selected according to what we took in the 1st:
· Mike Pouncy – OL, Florida
· John Moffitt – OL, Wisconsin
· Marvin Austin – DT, North Carolina
§ Any of these players would be nice additions to the Eagles. We need to sure up the right side of our offensive line with young talent, and get a disruptive force at the defensive tackle position. Although a long shot, Fairly would look oh so nice in an Eagle uniform. I like Carimi because we could start him off at the right tackle position, and transition him to the left tackle when Peters' contract is up. Pouncy would give us options at either center or right guard. His brother is incredibly solid in Pittsburgh. An offensive line of Peters, Herrimans, Jackson, Pouncy, and Carimi sounds a lot better than what we had this year.
So there we are; an easy to follow blue print on how to make this team an instant Super Bowl contender. Please Andy, don't get fancy or over think. Simply look at this roster and you can see where the needs are. Spend the money, draft the players, and let's win a Super Bowl for this fan base in 2012.

subset: commoncrawl


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Watch Featured Movies
Community: A smarmy lawyer whose education is deemed void by the bar is forced to attend a local community college with an extremely eclectic staff and student body.
|September 17, 2009
|22 mins
|Chevy Chase Gillian Jacobs Jim Rash Joel McHale Ken Jeong Yvette Nicole Brown
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|Posted by ThorGannicus 1 month ago
Good show, if you like Parks and Recreation or maybe The Office, this show is for you.
|Posted by skippersnacks 3 months ago
Funny and entertaining show. Will miss.
|Posted by XenoVibe 3 months ago
I wonder if the ratings were bad because too many people watch it online instead of the time slot? I can't believe this is going off the air but bob's burgers remains. I know its two different shows and NBC did give this show a bunch of chances but oh well maybe another network will pick it up or netflix like arrested development.
|Posted by gothlite 3 months ago
I have always loved Jonathan Banks as an actor. His wide range is amazing and he always a standout in whatever he does. How I wish they had started Community with him instead of that trouble making hack, Chevy Chase. Now there's an actor who *lowers* whatever he is in. Chase is a buffoon in both is personal and professional life. At least Community is going out with a bang with Banks. FIVE seasons and a movie! 5/5.
|Posted by lagginswag 3 months ago
Troy and Abed in the Morrrrninggg! Gunna miss this show, so so much. Once again NBC epic fails. :-/
|Posted by RachidPardo 4 months ago
one of the best genius shows ever, Dammmm I'm gonna miss this show. It's been a bumpy but good ride !! And f*ck NBC !!
|Posted by flyingkaratemonke 5 months ago
Community and Big Bang Theory just disappeared from the list of "Just Added"
|Posted by tydiesel17 7 months ago
This show is awesome. Highly recommended.
|Posted by bigmonkeyface 7 months ago
someone needs to add donald glover to the actors!
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One of my favorite shows of all time. So funny and clever!
|Posted by Ace_03 1 year ago
i cant beleave i waited so long to watch this show, im waaaaaaaay hooked
|Posted by HiFiYu 1 year, 4 months ago
One of the best comedy shows around, very great multi-cultural school setting as a back drop to very funny characters and plots, and its also amazing to see Chevy Chase acting again!!
|Posted by Fue_Xiong 1 year, 4 months ago
definitely a must watch
|Posted by waysted 1 year, 6 months ago
best show on television, both clever and filled with potty humor. Troy & Abed in the morning!
|Posted by seeingsasha 1 year, 7 months ago
Nothing to say other that, I love that show and keep up the good work. :)
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This show is hilarious! Especially the paintball episodes
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This show is HILARIOUS! Especially the paintball episodes
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F*ck NBC for only giving us 13 eps next season, how can they not recognise the brilliance of this show
|Posted by RonnieIDH 1 year, 8 months ago
Very funny, and deep at times but worth watching :D
|Posted by RonnieIDH 1 year, 8 months ago
Must watch, I am looking forward to season 4 :D
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Candorville by Darrin Bell
- December 11, 2012
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Comments (10) (Please sign in to comment)
Ouch! I'll forgo my usual "What an idiot he is.." But it makes me wonder if I was ever that stupid….Hey, how would I know?
A link between Tolstoy and Candorville. Well played, Richard Russell.
At least he's not stupid enough to say that out loud. That's got to count for something.
Darrin, you gotta get these two together, you're killing us here with all the tension and speculation.
Was she his best friend and college, maybe? I love Candorville but have only read it for a couple of years now so I dont know all of Lemont's history. Like most everyone else, I cant believe Lemont isnt al over her in every sense of the word.
The One that got away story was covered. She is married to an abusive husband that she won't leave. Lemont caught up with her on Facebook but the college years were not covered.
Lamont let Sasha get away, when it comes to women he's dumder than the average nerd.
Once again we see evidence of Lemont's utter dweebness! Whazzzzup, Darrin?
That brings to mind again that Sasha hasn't been heard from in a while. I've been wondering if she would reappear. Maybe this is a prologue?
Endless foreplay, as usual.
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The results, released recently in The Chronicle's seventh annual report on The Academic Workplace, are based on a survey of more than 43,000 employees. Great Colleges to Work For® is one of the largest and most respected workplace-recognition programs in the country. The survey can be viewed in its entirety on The Chronicle's website.
Accounting (AAS),
Brandon Abbink*, Scotland
Michaela Anderson, Yankton
Amelia Foster**, Estelline
Jacob Hacecky, Mission Hill
Angel Hallan*, Iroquois
Brittany Loseke, Scotland
Haley Scholten, Armour
Elizabeth White Hat**, Rosebud
Johnny Wynia, Avon
Administrative Office Specialist (AAS),
Mikki Keeble, Mitchell
Paula Kummer**, Parkston
Brittany Loseke, Scotland
Owen Reitzel*, Alexandria
Agricultural Technology/Production (AAS),
Austin Agler, Stickney
Dustin Baumgartner**, Iona
Dusti Berry*, Milesville
Dylan Donahue*, Winner
Cain Glanzer*, Huron
Levi Goetz*, Selby
Cameron Paul, Mitchell
Kelsey Pravecek, Colome
Royce Rolsma, Badger
Morgan Russell, Rapid City
Levi Sowards, Hosmer
Schyler Swenson**, Woonsocket
Christa Thomas**, Freeman
Austin Weber, Wagner
Dalen Zoss, Letcher
Riley Zoss**, Letcher
Agricultural Technology/Business (AAS),
John Deckert, Marion
Marcia Dvorak**, Lake Andes
Brian Huth, Wakonda
Blake Miller, Wessington Springs
Reid Nutley, Irene
Matthew Semmler*, Parkston
Lisa Sherwood**, Wood
Krina Spaans**, Corsica
Steven Whistler*, Spencer
Architectural Design & Building Construction (AAS) ,
Nickolas Gebel, Mitchell
Corey Haisch*, Alcester
Luke Hanten, White Lake
Dylan Kafka, Yankton
Sterling Kinneberg*, Parkston
Blake Peters, White Lake
Jordan Van Zee**, Corsica
Brandon Van Overschelde*, Cavour
Automation Controls/SCADA (AAS),
Matthew Andersh, Wagner
Ronnie Barnett, Park Rapids, MN
Ty Byrd, Murdo
Cory Fitch, Sioux Falls
Richard Foster III, Mitchell
Chase Geppert**, Mt. Vernon
Layne Hantke*, Pukwana
Aaron Krause, Mitchell
Jordan Olson, Mitchell
Jacquelyn Reeves, Pierre
Kaleb Sly, Stickney
Trent Vander May, Martin
Business Management (AAS),
Jessica Burns, Mitchell
Emily Coolidge, Pierre
Tabitha Hoffmann*, Alexandria
Jesse Killion, Kranzburg
Shelby McBrayer, Ethan
Ashley Miiller, Pierre
Amanda Qualm, Platte
Carolyn Schroeder, Canistota
Dietary Management (Certificate),
Michelle Cole, Rock Rapids, IA
Wendy Larson, Mitchell
Christine Neely, Oconto Falls, WI
Amanda Swearingen, Aberdeen
Electrical Construction & Maintenance (AAS),
Samuel Aman, Eureka
Jordon Bakley, Martin
Chance Boyd, Plankinton
Charles Buus, Lennox
Lucas Carson**, Montrose
Tyler Crawford**, Beaver Creek, MN
Tanner Cross, Mt. Vernon
Darren Daum*, Platte
Beau Deffenbaugh, Lincoln, NE
Kody Doerr, Hills, MN
Ernest Duenwald*, Hoven
Alexander Evans, Lake Andes
Colton Fawcett, Highmore
James Ford, Colton
Spencer Frank, Selby
Devin Heitkamp, Luverne, MN
Kevin Hinton**, Eureka
Casey Jundt, Eureka
Jacob Kribell, Irene
Levi Larsen, Volga
Eric Leibrich, Winner
Jacob Longville*, Kennebec
Nolyn Mikkelsen, Gregory
Jacob Moser, Larchwood, IA
Troy Neuharth*, Eureka
Seth Nuffer, Hills, MN
Alex Pauli**, Twin Brooks
Mitchell Polly, Mitchell
Tanner Radway, Philip
Landon Rasmussen*, Sioux Falls
Robert Ray, Pierre
Bryan Schofield, Kadoka
Jordan Walburg*, Volga
Tucker Whitney, Iona
Aaron Williams, Madison
Justin Wipf*, Parkston
Electrical Construction & Maintenance (Diploma),
Luke Engbrecht, Bridgewater
Robert Miiller, Ethan
Electrical Utilities & Substation Technology (AAS),
Blake Boysen, Sioux Falls
Aaron Buysse, Minneota, MN
Jacob Hammond, Rapid City
Bernard Rahn, Mission
Sean Schwartz, Redfield
Zachery Van Beek*, Viborg
Farm Power Technology (AAS),
Chase Albers*, Hartford
Cole German**, Canton
Bailey Grotewold**, Canton
Trevor Haas**, Yankton
Brady Jacobsen**, Canova
Brett Martin**, Chester
Jalen Miller*, Chester
Joseph Myers, Onida
Cody Schnackenberg, Hot Springs
Kyle Schulz**, Philip
Cody Sommervold, Vermillion
Jay Wieczorek**, Mt. Vernon
Heating & Cooling Technology (AAS),
Joshua Krier, Hartford
Jared Schmitz*, Burke
Brylee Sommer, Parkston
Cooper Wall, Dupree
Heating & Cooling Technology (Diploma),
Kyle Werner, Britton
Industrial Maintenance Technology (Diploma),
James Hausman**, Yankton
Zane Jensen, Gayville
Diedra Losing**, Yankton
Seth Voorhees**, Yankton
Information Systems Technology/Computer Support Specialist (AAS),
Alexander Kayser*, Alexandria
Jose Montes, Burke
Lisa Musgrave*, Mitchell
Information Systems Technology/Network Administration (AAS),
Austin Brick**, Aberdeen
Tyler Davis**, Hot Springs
Information Systems Technology/Systems Administration (AAS),
Nathan Beauchamp, Mitchell
Information Systems Technology/Network & Systems Administration (AAS),
Samuel Glanzer**, Emery
Bryce Jessen**, Letcher
Cody Weerheim*, Mitchell
Information Systems Technology (Diploma),
Brandy Bambas**, Mt. Vernon
Ryan Chavis, Yankton
Travis Earls, St. Francis
Erik Gislason, Plankinton
Jared Hafner*, Spearfish
Noelle Hanson**, Salem
Ryan Kirscher, Murdo
Heidi Reinholz, Hopkins, MN
Nichole Reitzel, Alexandria
Kurtis Wermers, Rapid City
Jenna Whipple-Riley**, Mission
Keith Whipple-Riley, Mission
Medical Assistant (AAS),
Shayla Allen, Martin
Megan Anderegg*, Sioux Falls
Lindsey Boehmer, Parkston
Lyndsyae Faas, Alexandria
Alanna Fett, Plankinton
Shari Foster, Mitchell
Rebecca Heinen, Sturgis
Angel Medicine Horn, Mitchell
Alison Nesheim, Woonsocket
Noelle Risse, Martin
Megan Swanson, Lake Andes
Jessica Tilberg*, Mitchell
Amanda Tinker*, Pierre
Dawn Winckler*, Mitchell
Medical Office Professional (AAS),
Kyla Beukelman, Mitchell
Krystal Esser, Canova
CorieJo Jackson, Mitchell
Sonora Opp*, Mitchell
Alexandra Risinger**, Emery
Emily Schaefers, Alexandria
Karli Voorhees*, Forestburg
Sarina Young, Mitchell
Office Technology Specialist (Diploma),
Steffi Anderson**, Mitchell
Jill Greenway**, Mitchell
Keely Nelson, Mitchell
Power Line Construction & Maintenance (Diploma),
Mason Alberts, Elkton
Dalton Andera, Chamberlain
Andrew Andersen, Dell Rapids
Derik Bialas*, Parkston
Jacob Bialas**, Parkston
Nicholas Boese, Sioux Falls
Brady Borowski, Spearfish
Jaspper Burckhard, Upton, WY
Blake Burtzlaff, Whitewood
Keenan Caesar, Rapid City
Joshua Carda, Rapid City
Michael Christensen, Upton, WY
Mitchell Christensen**, Montevideo, MN
Theadore Conner, Belle Fourche
Eric Croatt, Canton
Zachary Dickman, Sidney, NE
Samuel Erfman, Sturgis
Daniel Evans, Redfield
Clinton Getzfreid**, Basin, WY
Dylan Hanson, Ames, NE
Dylan Harvey, Huron
Brandon Hauf , Colome
Landon Hazelton, Pipestone, MN
Matthew Hoiland, Baltic
Caden Hutmacher, Oacoma
Kyle Johnson, Ft. Pierre
Tanner Johnson, Wheatland, WY
Zachary Johnson**, Mt. Vernon
Dakota Johnston, Kansas City, MO
Jakob Kopecky, Blaine, MN
Landon Laible*, Howard
Evan Larsen*, DeSmet
Donovin Lindsley*, Rapid City
Derek Locke**, Sioux Falls
Troy Long*, Timber Lake
Joshua Lovre*, Astoria
Lucas Mack, Sturgis
Trent Madsen, New Underwood
Scott McLaughlin, Laurens, IA
Garrett Nash, Isabel
Nicholas Olson, Madison
Trevor Pearson, Chamberlain
Kaleb Puetz, Mitchell
Corey Ramold, O'Neill, NE
Ceara Rodacker, Huron
David Rudebusch**, Summit
James Rudebusch**, Summit
Brandon Sandoz, Valentine, NE
Rick Schiley**, Webster
Haiden Schmidt, Colman
Dominick Schooler, Hill City
Tyler Sedivy*, Valentine, NE
Raymond Shape III**, Tabor
Ty Spencer, Menno
Garrett Stafford, Ipswich
Colter Stout*, Kadoka
Jacob Stromseth**, Watertown
Luke Vankuiken, New Prague, MN
Stetson Wagner, Mobridge
Thomas Walker, Vermillion
Alex Waterman, Hawarden, IA
Derek Wolf**, Parkston
Power Sports Technology (AAS),
Matthew Bankes**, Garretson
Brian Finkral, Elgin, NE
Nicholas Gauthier**, Mitchell
Cody Herrboldt, Menno
Jacob Johnson*, Mitchell
Laken Jorgensen**, Kadoka
Dustin Kilian**, Lebanon
Logan Koepsell**, Canova
William Pieper*, Watertown
Jared Roethler, Cherokee, IA
Evan Stratton**, Rutland
Brady Temple**, Parker
Anthony Vearrier*, Plankinton
Jacob Vittitoe, Mitchell
Power Sports Technology (Diploma),
Brandon Schroeder, Tracy, MN
Precision Technology Specialist (AAS) ,
Cole Braun, Slayton, MN
Colten Hageman, Gettysburg
Seth Horstman*, Dimock
Bradley Jones, Britton
Kole Kopfmann, Wessington Springs
Samuel Millar*, Geddes
Riley Schoenfelder**, Mitchell
Skyler Stahl**, Mitchell
Wade Stein*, Elkton
Propane & Natural Gas Technologies (Diploma),
Seth Carter**, Yankton
Kensey Dodson, Sidney, NE
Grady Fortuna, Gregory
Jonathan Henglefelt, Alexandria
Sean Krebs**, Hawarden, IA
Ryan Kriens**, Chester
Blake Lamfers, Brandon
Adam Major**, Sioux Falls
Colton Martin, Pierre
Chase Monson**, Clark
Brent Neilan**, Watertown
Austin Petersen, Hawarden, IA
Braedon Petersen, Hawarden, IA
Dustin Saarie**, Freeman
Cody Schenk*, Irene
Chase Smith, Flandreau
Aaron Stewart**, Reliance
Brandon Stolz**, Yankton
Nicholas Walter, Huron
Small Business Management (Diploma),
Stanna Olinger**, Wessington Springs
Satellite Communications (AAS),
Trae Bakley, Martin
Tanner Bauer, Mitchell
Seth Dawson, Howard
Jesse Hanssen, Mitchell
Aaron Jordan, Waveland, MS
Raymond Loyko, Jr.**, Pahrump, NV
Austin Podhradsky, Mitchell
Speech-Language Pathology Assistant (AAS),
Jill Antonsen, Platte
Joan Enders**, Kadoka
Shana Green, Springfield
Stacy Hannah*, Newell
Carly Johnke, Madison
Tiffany Lerew**, Groton
Allison Luke*, Marion
Lucinda O'Connell, Aurora
Amanda Swanson*, Langford
Abby Trudeau, Mitchell
Kaci Tuttle, Ethan
Telecommunications (AAS),
Mitchell Brandriet**, Arlington
Dylan Brynjulson**, Hartford
Dillon Coughlin**, DeSmet
Stephen Cournoyer IV*, Lake Andes
Jacob Ellens**, Hartford
Chase Ellis**, Humboldt
Nicholas Heumiller, Salem
Matthew Hubbard*, Mitchell
Riley Johnson, Garretson
Jade Konst, Philip
Andrew Krueger, Woonsocket
Trevor Morgan*, Mitchell
Gaige Odenbach**, Gregory
Chance Parr, Mitchell
Jorden Paulson, Winner
Phoenix Sigmund, Mitchell
Evan Soulek, Kimball
Brandon Stoltz**, Bridgewater
Emily Tordsen**, Lakefield, MN
Blane Zeleny**, Morse Bluff, NE
Utilities Technologies (AAS) ,
Derek Austin**, Sturgis
Keith Berg*, Alcester
Travor Bohle**, Selby
Alex Duprel*, Sturgis
Joshua Felix, Winner
Dustin Henderson, LaCrescent, MN
Jeffery Honner, Tabor
Cody Horse Looking, Rosebud
Cody London, Mt. Vernon
Lucas Nehlich**, Roscoe
Zachary Porter**, Hawarden, IA
Daniel Pridie*, Spearfish
Judd Rosenboom**, Little Rock, IA
Bruce Schweitzer, Timber Lake
Clark Woolston , Sheridan, WY
Welding & Manufacturing Technology (AAS),
Kevin Allerdings, Huron
Kyle Hapney, Harrold
Harvey Herman, Jr.**, Mission
Phillip Hessman, Wakonda
Jacob Osborn, Luverne, MN
Dalton Riedl, Aberdeen
Chase Rovere, Sturgis
Conner Whitley, Redfield
Welding & Manufacturing Technology (Diploma),
Chaney Burns, Philip
Douglas Deurmier, Mitchell
Jared Diede**, Scotland
Larry Knight**, Alpena
Bradley Lovesee*, Scottsbluff, NE
Klay O'Daniel, Kadoka
Wind Turbine Technology (AAS),
Gunnar Barbee, Hartford
Heath Becker**, Yankton
Devon Blaine, Hartford
Matthew Crane*, Aberdeen
Jeremiah Dean**, Fort Collins, CO
Justin Jelinek, Gregory
Kyle Jones**, Wentworth
Christopher Koblank**, Sioux Falls
Alexander Lawrence, Whitehorse
Dalton Nohr*, Rapid City
James O'Leary, Timber Lake
Jared Peterson*, Piedmont
Lyndon Redmann, Wessington Springs
Sean Salisbury*, Sturgis
Cody Suntken, Orange City, IA
Patrick Unruh**, Marion
Clay Wattier**, Conde
Zane Wolf, Rapid City
Reece Yeadon*, Sundance, WY
The list of August 2014 graduates will be released on or about October 1, 2014.
** indicates High Honors (3.75-4.0)
* indicates Honors (3.50-3.74)
The money comes from the state's Future Fund, which is used for economic or workforce development.
"A lot of times, technical education requires that you be trained on some pretty expensive equipment, and although you can get donated equipment or rely on what you already have, it's certainly better to use something newer, more up-to-date, so that students will be prepared for what they'll be working on after they graduate," said Tony Venhuizen, the governor's senior adviser.
Lake Area Tech in Watertown, Southeast Tech in Sioux Falls, Western Dakota Tech in Rapid City and Mitchell Tech in Mitchell each submitted lists to Daugaard's office last year, detailing what they would like to buy.
Presidents of the technical colleges were told Friday morning which requests would be funded.
Mitchell Tech began offering a farm mechanics program last year but has faced high costs to get equipment, said Greg Von Wald, college president.
"We simply couldn't do it," he said. "You end up not being able to teach as effectively as you could if you had those types of things."
The state grant will buy tractors and other farm equipment.
Mitchell Tech also will update its satellite communications program equipment, Von Wald said. Mitchell has the only such program in the nation, and the satellite communications industry has gone through tremendous changes in technology during the past several years.
Southeast Tech will buy more advanced equipment for its diesel, automotive and civil engineering programs, as well as an ultrasound machine for its diagnostic medical sonography program.
With time, equipment advances in all fields, said Jeff Holcomb, president of Southeast Tech. The grant will allow the tech schools to keep their equipment updated and match what students will see when they graduate.
"This is the governor recognizing that this is a need, recognizing how he can make a difference in the program by helping us fund some equipment," Holcomb said.
Daugaard, who made the announcement of the grant in his column posted Friday on the state government website, said the money will help keep more of South Dakota's students in state to work.
Jeff Nelson represented East River Electric Power Cooperative which was honored with the Foundation's Donor Legacy Award. This award is given each year to a donor who has consistently supported the MTI Foundation since its founding in 1999. East River Electric CEO Nelson was cited as a "valued friend and partner." Nelson is a founding member of MTI's Strategic Advisory Council and a member of the MTI Foundation board. He has been instrumental in working with the energy industry as part of the school's capital campaign and helped secure a $100,000 commitment from East River to the campaign.
East River Electric has been a long-time supporter of the school's energy-related programs donating equipment, scholarship money, and providing internships and jobs for graduates. They donated the first bucket truck with a boom high enough for students to reach the 55-foot level, necessary for teaching and learning about power transmission. This allowed MTI to take the Power Line Construction and Maintenance program into a whole new area previously unavailable. They have donated transmission equipment necessary to the construction of a training substation for the new Electrical Utilities and Substation Technology program. East River has also provided support with an annual scholarship dating back to 1992. To date, they have awarded $13,000 to students in the MTI Power Line program.
After the Donor Legacy award was presented, Nelson was surprised with a presentation by East River board president Jim Ryken. Ryken announced the establishment of the Jeffrey L. and Trudiann Nelson Rural Electric Endowed Scholarship in honor of Nelson's upcoming retirement. A total contribution of $25,000 was made to the fund by six entities: East River Electric; Basin Electric; Co-Bank; the Cooperative Finance Corporation; SDREA; and Rushmore Electric. The fund will provide $1,000 per year in scholarships to MTI students. The Nelsons will be involved with developing and setting the scholarship criteria.
Other awards presented included:
Individual Donor of the Year to George and Violet Kostelecky for their $25,000 donation in memory of their son, Rick, an alumnus of the MTI Electrical Construction and Maintenance program.
Corporate Donor of the Year to Innovative Systems of Mitchell for their contribution of $90,000 toward the establishment of a leadership academy at MTI and their equipment donation of a device manufactured by the company to the MTI Telecommunications program.
Volunteerism and Service Award to Lance Koth, Mitchell. Koth, a 1972 graduate of MTI, and president of First Dakota National Bank of Mitchell, has been a key member of the MTI capital campaign committee and helped secure several donations from members of the Independent Community Bankers' Association of South Dakota.
Industry of the Year Award to the Energy Production and Transmission industry. This award is given each year to an industry which, as a whole, has come together to support an MTI program with donations of cash, equipment, supplies, training, or provided internships or employment opportunities to MTI graduates. Several representatives from a variety of utility companies were present for this recognition including Basin Electric; Black Hills Corporation; East River Electric; Montana Dakota Utilities; Northwestern Energy; Otter Tail Power; SD Rural Electric Association; and Xcel Energy.
"Inclusion on the 2014 list of Military Friendly Schools® shows MTI's commitment to providing a supportive environment for military students," said Sean Collins, Vice President at Victory Media and a nine-year Navy veteran. "The need for education is growing and our mission is to provide the military community with transparent, world-class resources to assist in their search for schools."
MTI president Greg Von Wald said, "MTI has long recognized the value of recruiting and educating veterans for a post-military career. Being nominated to the list of Military Friendly Schools shows veterans around the world that MTI is an excellent place for them to pursue technical training after leaving the armed forces."
The Military Friendly Schools® media and website, found at www.militaryfriendlyschools.com, feature the list, interactive tools and search functionality to help military students find the best school to suit their unique needs and preferences. The 1,868 colleges, universities and trade schools on this year's list exhibit leading practices in the recruitment and retention of students with military experience. These schools have world-class programs and policies for student support on campus, academic accreditation, credit policies, flexibility and other services to those who served.
The 2014 list of Military Friendly Schools® was compiled through extensive research and a data-driven survey of more than 10,000 schools nationwide approved for VA tuition funding. The survey results that comprise the 2014 list were independently tested by Ernst & Young LLP based upon the weightings and methodology established by Victory Media. Each year schools taking the survey are held to a higher standard than the previous year via improved methodology, criteria and weightings developed with the assistance of an Academic Advisory Board (AAB) consisting of educators from schools across the country.
The total number of students enrolled is 1227, up from 1097 in Fall 2012 and 1108 in Spring 2013. That represents a 12% increase in just one year.
The school has also set a record with its largest entering freshman class, 648 first-year students. The freshman class has increased 9% over last year's freshman class of 593. The remaining 579 students are either returning or part-time students.
According to MTI president Greg Von Wald, the enrollment increase is attributable to several factors. "Obviously, our new campus with its highly visible location, and our outstanding placement rate of 98% are appealing to students and families alike. Overall, technical education is seeing a surge in popularity statewide. We offer a high quality education at an affordable cost with numerous employment opportunities available to most graduates."
Several scholarship packages are also playing a part in the school's attractiveness. This year there are 36 Star Scholars (those with an ACT score of 24 or higher and a high school GPA of 3.0 or higher); 11 South Dakota Opportunity scholars; 17 students receiving Critical Workforce Needs scholarships; and 99 Legacy Scholars (those whose parent, grandparent or sibling graduated from MTI).
For the first time, The Chronicle of Higher Education has listed MTI as one of the best colleges to work for. The results, released Monday in The Chronicle's annual report on academic workplaces, are based on a survey of more than 44,000 employees at 300 colleges and universities.
An independent survey of employees was performed this spring, with MTI earning high marks for its commitment in several workplace categories. MTI was among 97 institutions that earned the "Great Colleges to Work For" recognition.
"This recognition is a tribute to the work environment we have worked hard to foster and support," said Greg Von Wald, MTI president. "It also reflects our commitment to sustaining a quality work environment. We ask a lot of our faculty and staff and it's a great validation that they enjoy their work lives with us."
Richard Boyer, principal and managing partner of ModernThink LLC, the firm that administered the survey, says "It's easier to be a great workplace during good times, but it's when times are tough that the commitment to workplace quality really gets tested. And those institutions that measure up during times of economic hardship reinforce their already strong cultures and put even more distance between them and their peer institutions for whom they compete for talent."
MTI's listing from the "Great Colleges" survey is just one of many recognitions it has received recently including an Aspen Institute Top 10% ranking and a 22nd place ranking on the Best Colleges list.
"A substantial crop inventory at the beginning of 2012 coupled with more crop acreage and higher prices associated to the drought across the United States helped bolster the crop sales last year. Plus, crop insurance income related to the drought mainly south of interstate 90 contributed to that increase," said Chris Downs an instructor at the Center.
Corn silage was the most profitable crop raised in 2012 with a return of $379/acre. A higher than normal price for silage along with the farmers also receiving crop insurance for the low grain yields contributed to this profit. Winter Wheat, seemingly unaffected by the drought was second with a return of $309/acre. Corn at $305/acre, Spring Wheat at $145/acre, soybeans at $117/acre and alfalfa at $86/acre were the next in line, respectively.
Winter wheat showed the biggest increase in average yields over 2011. The rest of the crops showed a decrease in average yields from the same year. Winter wheat showed an average yield of 75.9bu./acre compared to 56 bu/acre in 2011. Corn, the biggest loser, decreased from an average of 127bu./acre in 2011 to 87.1bu./acre in 2012. Soybeans yielded 27.3bu./acre and alfalfa yielded 2.4 ton/acre. Corn Silage also dropped to 7.1 ton/acre
It cost South Dakota farmers $65/acre more to raise corn in 2012 with a total cost of $538/acre for cash rented ground. Total input costs for soybeans were $372/acre, an increase of $50 over 2011. Farmers spent an extra $90/acre on winter wheat for a total price of $368/acre. While alfalfa had the biggest cost per acre increase of $127, its total cost to operate an acre of ground was $333.
Downs said, "2012 was a challenging year for farmers in South Dakota, especially south of I-90 where the drought was the worst. Maintaining their profitability with assorted risk management practices will be the key to their future in agriculture."
Lentsch, appointed by Gov. Dennis Daugaard earlier this month, will officially become state agriculture secretary on Monday.
He replaces outgoing secretary Walt Bones who he called "a phenomenal representative for South Dakota."
His time in Mitchell was a "meet and greet" opportunity to touch base with constituents at the MTI Student Center building.
MTI Foundation Director Heather Lentz said MTI organized the event to showcase the school's ag programs, to welcome Lentsch as the new agriculture secretary "and to let him tell us where he thinks the future of agriculture is going in South Dakota."
Lentsch's remarks followed comments by MTI President Greg Von Wald, emcee Nate Franzen, president of the ag finance division of the Yankton-based First Dakota National Bank, and Rosie Nold, South Dakota State University Extension director.
In comments to MTI farm program students assembled in the Student Center Commons, Lentsch stressed the importance of education.
His father, he said, had an eighthgrade education, but earning his GED opened the door to learning a skilled trade and a 20-year career with John Deere.
"He wanted to be in agriculture; it just wasn't in the cards in the mid'60s to come back to the family farm," he said.
His dad, he said, counted himself lucky. Working at John Deere, his father eventually saved enough to purchase his own farm property in Marshall County.
"Everything good in my life, I can trace back to agriculture," Lentsch said.
His work with the Department of Agriculture has enabled him to move beyond a local view of agriculture to consider regional and international impacts.
"We're looking at a global economy and we're in a great spot — the breadbasket of our country is here." Production agriculture has enabled the region's workforce to buck national unemployment trends, Lentsch said.
Lentsch, 39, said time serving with the military in Iraq taught him the importance of seizing opportunities when they arise.
"When everything you think you know and cherish may be over," he said. "That's when you start living."
He told students, "Don't ever underestimate the power that you have to make a difference. I believe in you and I want you to have the opportunities for a diverse and viable agricultural industry."
When China's population increases monthly by the size of South Dakota's population, said Lentsch, "the demand for food isn't going to stop any time soon."
Lentsch said he plans to carefully study his department's seven divisions, but stopped short of announcing any changes. He said the office will explore ways to add even more value to commodities before they are shipped out of state.
Lentsch was unable to coax any questions from MTI's ag students, but Salem farmer Bedeane Kurth, 82, pulled him aside after the meeting and put in a word for livestock producers.
"I talked to the young fella about all the shelterbelts being torn up," Kurth said. "Some are old and need to be, but we've got to get them replaced. We've got to get this grass back and growing because the backbone of South Dakota is livestock, and livestock's got to have grass."
Kurth said the state's farmers must continue doing what they do best.
"When you think of the economic impact we have in rural agriculture, we can do it, we can make a future for our communities, but we have to keep investing in what we do, and do well, and that's agriculture."
Lentsch is a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious service. He is a member of the VFW, the American Legion and he also volunteers with the Boy Scouts of America.
According to state reports, he served for two years as executive director of the South Dakota Republican Party and spent 10 years in business development prior to moving to Pierre.
He was a founding member and chairman of Glacial Lakes Area Development, a community development nonprofit organization in northeastern South Dakota.
Lentsch and his wife Laura, have four children.
The average hog finishing enterprise showed a slight profit of $1.71/cwt. of pork produced in 2012 compared to $9.27/cwt. profit in 2011. The reflection of higher feed prices is evident here, as prices received between the years were similar: $63.21 in 2012, $62.87 in 2011.
The average dairy herd in the program showed a loss of $398/cow in 2012 as the average price of milk sold declined to $17.73/cwt. from $20.16 in 2011. The total expense per cow in 2012 was $3288, whereas 2011's total expense/cow was $3059. The cost to produce 100 pounds of milk in 2012 was $19.35 compared to $15.30 in 2011. A decrease in production was reflected in the total cost/cwt.
The major factors that affect the profitability in the livestock enterprises are death loss, feed costs and purchase/selling price. Good management of your livestock enterprises will increase your chances of profitability.
Average net farm profit of enrolled farmers was $228,908 in 2011 and increased to $236,437 in 2012. "Net farm profit represents dollars earned from the farm before business expansion, loan principal payments and family living expenses are paid," says Roger DeRouchey, Farm Management Instructor at Mitchell Technical Institute. The average enrolled family farm spent $62,940 for living but also earned $20,886 from non-farm sources. "Non-farm income helps for covering family expenses in today's farming," says DeRouchey.
A number of factors contributed to the increase. The farming 2011 year was very good in both the livestock and crop enterprises. In the 2012 year the livestock enterprises just broke even with the higher feed input prices, and the higher harvest time grain and feed prices helped the crop enterprises as most farmers had bought up on their crop insurance coverage levels.
Good progress was made towards increasing net worth or owner's equity. A change in equity of $218,062 was realized by the average farm, a 14% increase in 2012. In 2011 the change in equity was an increase of $234,570 or 16%. Gains can occur as a result of investing farm income into capital assets or repaying debt. Further evidence of the range of profitability can be seen in the equity change between the high and low profit farms.
by Ross Dolan, The Daily Republic
To the untrained eye, the student is simply standing in the corner of his classroom wearing a welding mask.
Inside that mask, however, Conner Whitley, of Redfield, a first-year student in Mitchell Technical Institute's new welding and advanced manufacturing technology program, is "welding" in a virtual world he views through a special headset built into his mask. With a few adjustments, he has his choice of welding on a military base in a desert environment, in a car shop, or on a skyscraper job site.
The high-tech simulator doesn't replace hands-on welding, says instructor Travis Peterson, but it's a compelling and attractive introduction to various welding processes that meets students where they live.
"For someone who has never welded before, it's a great tool, but when you get out there with sparks landing on your shoulders, it's a whole different world," Peterson said.
The simulator makes learning the basics fun, and students regularly hold informal competitions to determine who can produce the best virtual weld.
Simulators, robotics, lasers and computer programming hold no terrors for students weaned on computers and video games, Peterson said.
"This is fun to them, and they're getting better at it than I am," he said.
While the two-year program covers all forms of gas and electric arc welding, this program is about far more than just welding.
The real "fun" stuff, Peterson said, will come in the program's second year, when students delve into robotics, laser-cutting equipment and the programming of lathe and milling equipment capable of fabricating any machine part.
MTI's welding program was launched this fall with the help of a $600,000 grant from the Governor's Office of Economic Development.
Facilities at MTI's north, or Capital Street, campus, had lain dormant since the 1996 shutdown of MTI's original welding program. The new program is temporarily at the north campus until moving to the south campus next fall.
Julie Brookbank, MTI vice president for marketing, said welding was one of MTI's first programs when the school opened in 1968. The program slowed in the mid-1990s as student numbers dwindled. It was discontinued in 1996 as part of statewide cuts during the Janklow administration.
"At the time, there was not a great demand for trained welders," said Brookbank. Many companies decided they could provide the training on-the-job in a short amount of time. Prior to the program's demise, it had been reduced to a six-month diploma program.
Students can still leave the program early if they wish, but Peterson believes that's unlikely because they know the real meat of the program will be in its second year. Yet the program will offer students the option of leaving with a one-year diploma, or sticking with the program and earning a two-year, AAS (associate in applied science) degree.
All of Peterson's first year students have committed to coming back next year and he hopes to sign a minimum of 24 new first-year students next year.
"We don't want to turn down anyone. There's such a demand for our students," he said.
Peterson, who has 23 years of welding experience, graduated from MTI in 1991. He was one of the last students to graduate from the original program.
He is also excited that MTI will soon become an accredited testing facility. Peterson already holds hold American Welding Society certifications as a welding educator and welding inspector.
The demand for advanced welding and manufacturing skills is stronger than ever, with Trail King Industries and Twin City Fan being two supportive local employers.
Some students, with the help of Pell grants and other programs, will complete their first year at little to no cost.
Several received $1,000 Critical Needs grants from the state, and more than half Peterson's students participated in the Workforce Recruitment Program.
Under that program, students get $2,000 each year toward tuition if they commit to working for two years for a local employer after graduation.
Trail King, Twin City Fan and Horizontal Machining Inc., of Huron, are all participants in the recruitment program.
The program has been beneficial to MTI, his students and the companies involved, said Peterson, who added, "We feed each other."
Students get more than core curriculum classes and hands-on experience as part of their education. They also receive a firsthand education in the economics of production and how using manufacturing best practices can save a company thousands of dollars a year.
Because of a late first-year start-up, the MTI program began with just 10 students. At the minimum, Peterson hopes to double that first-year number next year.
Student ages range from 17 to 58, which makes for some interesting class dynamics.
"When you put a 17 year-old and a 58-year-old together, you get some definite opinions on how things should be done," Peterson said.
MTI's new program caught the eye of Chase Rovere, who was welding cattle pens in western South Dakota when he heard of the revamped welding program.
"The job wasn't going anywhere," he said, "and then a buddy told me about MTI. I met with the instructor and he seemed like he knew what he was talking about." The comment brought a chuckle from Peterson.
Rovere said the companies he's spoken with don't just want a guy who can stick two pieces of metal together — they want someone who knows how to program and operate complex computerized manufacturing equipment.
The state GOED grant enabled Peterson to pack his classroom with state-of-the-art equipment, including a dozen Haas control simulation modules. The modules are a combination simulator-controller that allows students to write and test operating programs prior to using them on actual CNC (computer numerically controlled) lathes and milling machines.
The MTI program will move to its new south campus location next year. The current welding facilities will then be used by the welding program in the new Mitchell Area Career and Technical Education Academy. The academy program will give students advanced standing if they decide to transition to the MTI welding program.
Michaela Anderson Yankton
Amelia Foster Estelline
Angel Hallan Iroquois
Tabitha Hoffmann Alexandria
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Paula Kummer Parkston
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Cody Bassett Emery
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Megan Anderegg Sioux Falls
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Joseph Barnes Rapid City
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Frederick Leader Charge Sioux Falls
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Jared Peterson Sturgis
Jonathan Reichel Mitchell
Sean Salisbury Sturgis
Nicholas Schneider Alton, IA
Patrick Unruh Marion
Clay Wattier Groton
Zane Wolf Rapid City
In presenting the awards to educators, Koth said the impact is indirect, though just as vital, to economic development through their work with the future generations.
"These individuals are impacting the lives of our children and youth through education," he said.
Though Koth noted each person's resume extended beyond his remarks, Von Wald and Paustian were named for their involvement with Mitchell Technical Institute, Graves for the Mitchell School District and Duffett for Dakota Wesleyan University.
Paustian was nominated to speak on behalf of all four award recipients, which he joked was a "triple, double cross," but thanked the chamber for the recognition.
"Thank you for recognizing education in this community," he said.
(Excerpted from an article by Candy DenOueden in the Mitchell Daily Republic, January 26, 2013)


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New in my shop the Candy & wood bracelets. Mix of bubblegum beads with wood and a tiny white button. Nice to mix and match with the normal Bubblegum bracelets. Lots of different color combinations in my shop available.
On one of the pictures I show you my new knitted vest made by my sweet mother.
New in my shop as well the Bingo Bubble hair elastic. One Pink or purple elastic with two bubblegum beads on a vintage bingo-card. Different colors available.


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WICB Media Release.
Basseterre, St Kitts – Under the chairmanship of President Whycliffe 'Dave' Cameron, the Board of Directors of the West Indies Cricket Board convened its final meeting for 2013 at the Marriott Hotel in St Kitts on Saturday December 7th.
St John's, Antigua – The West Indies Cricket Board is conducting a search to fill the position of Director of Commercial, Marketing and Communications.
Georgetown, Guyana – The Board of Directors of the West Indies Cricket Board held a meeting at the Pegasus Hotel in Georgetown, Guyana on Saturday, July 13.
Port of Spain, Trinidad – The Board of Directors of the West Indies Cricket Board met at the Hyatt Regency in Port of Spain, Trinidad today and following is a summary of the major decisions taken:
ST JOHN'S, Antigua – Coach of the Leeward Islands cricket team and former West Indies player, Eldine Baptiste, responding to reports that some players have complained about unusual coaching methods he utilised during two regional tournaments, questioned the legitimacy of those reports, adding that all players knew what to expect once he assumed the leading role.
West Indies Cricket Board Inc.
P.O. Box 616 W, St. John's, Antigua
Tel : 268-481-2450
Fax : 268-481-2498
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
First off there isn't a single openly gay character in cartoons. It's the popular opinion that gay issues are never addressed in children's media thanks to network censors, but I believe that gay issues are addressed. But it must be done in a very subtle way for fear of being dropped by the network. Here I discovered wonderful examples from 2012 to 1996 with important messages to the child audience.
Gravity Falls created by Alex Hirsch
Episode: Dipper vs Manliness 2012
The young character Dipper is insecure about his masculinity when his uncle calls him unmanly. Distraught, Dipper seeks help from the Manotaurs (pun off minotaurs) to teach him how to be a man. After a montage of beef jerky, punching, and chest hair Dipper is nearly ready to be a man; his final test is to slay a beast called the Multi-Bear. Anxious at first Dipper agrees to the quest for fear of being called weak. Dipper defeats the Multi-Bear, but right before he kills it he learns the only reason why the Manotaurs want Multi-Bear gone is because he doesn't fit their masculine ideal with his love of Icelandic pop group BABBA (reference to ABBA.) Dipper refuses to bring down the Multi-Bear and questions the Manotaur definition of masculinity. In the end being a man is about standing up for what you believe in.
Dipper: I'm saying the Multi-Bear is a really nice guy, and you're a bunch of jerks if you want me to cut off his head.
Manotaur: Kill the Multi-Bear or never be a man!
Dipper: Then I guess I'll never be a man.
While many cartoons have addressed the masculinity crisis, this one artfully shows how it can turn into bullying. Bullying against gay or simply non-hypermasculine boys is very common in schools. This normally happens because the bullies want to prove themselves (much like Dipper wanted to prove himself) and they show anger or rage towards other boys that don't fit the ideal (like how the Manotaurs hated the Multi-Bear). This turned into violence. Dipper understood that this was wrong. The message to the Gravity Falls young audience was that you shouldn't hurt or ridicule someone for not fitting in with the masculine ideal.
Adventure Time created by Pendelton Ward
Episode: What Was Missing? 2011
Through out this episode there are subtle hints that the female characters, Marceline and Princess Bubblegum had a relationship. Even the possibility of a gay relationship was so shocking that it lead to this episode being temporarily banned. The creators argued that an episode shouldn't be banned based on fan speculation. After watching the episode, I would say Princess Bubblegum and Marceline definitely had a relationship even though there's no solid evidence. It's nice to see a non-traditional relationship being recognized in children's media. This episode also helps us appreciate what these creators do. A banned episode generates no profit even though time, effort, and money has been used to create it. It's inspiring to know artists would risk a banned episode just to teach an important lesson to children.
The Misadventures of Flapjack created by Thurop Van Orman
Episodes: Beard Buddies, Revenge, Something A Miss, Cuddle Trouble, Willy (or Won't He), Bam!, and N is for Navy 2007-2010
Like I said earlier, other shows have addressed the masculinity crisis, but The Misadventures of Flapjack goes beyond a single episode of insecurity. There are so many episodes about it that I'm not even going to attempt to summarize all of them. The characters are constantly having their manliness, self worth, challenged. In the end the message is always just be who you are. Once again, the masculinity crisis at its core is pure homophobia.
Courage the Cowardly Dog created by John R. Dilworth
Episode: The Mask 2002
This example is not as subtle as Adventure Time. This episode is a about a stranger hiding behind a mask, Kitty, who hates dogs. She hates dogs because her best friend, Bunny, is in an abusive relationship with Mad Dog. Kitty tried to get Bunny to run away with her but Mad Dog finds out and tries to kill Kitty. Kitty takes out her rage on Courage (the main character, who is also a dog). Courage ends up rescuing Bunny from Mad Dog and reuniting her with an unmasked Kitty. Kitty's last line is: "I was wrong, Bunny. Not all dogs are bad. Now we can be best friends forever."
I really recommend this episode. Replace the word "Dog" with "Man" and the main message is clear. This episode is about more than the implied lesbian relationship between Kitty and Bunny. It's about hiding from reality, about domestic violence, it's about acceptance, and it's about hate crimes. Despite all these serious lessons the episode was as entertaining as any other episode in the series. It taught us that when you grow up don't be Mad Dog, be Courage. This show has always had a heartwarming side.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Disney
Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise 1996
I understand there's a book but this critique is about the film. The main villain of this movie, Judge Claude Frollo, hates gypsies. Frollo despises gypsies so much that he declares an all out war against them. But he is only interested in capturing one gypsy, Esmeralda. Frollo claims she is a witch but in reality he is attracted to her. He is ashamed of his attraction and takes out his frustration on Esmeralda, blaming her for his own desires and believing her death will remove his sinful thoughts. In the end it destroyed him.
I believe we're all aware of the study that claimed people with the strongest homophobia are more likely to have homosexual desires. This homophobic person is ashamed of this desire and takes it out his/her frustrations on the gay community. In an extreme situation the repressed homophobe will treat an actual person as symbol of their frustration. Violence too often follows. The message is you should never take out your personal (or sexual) frustrations on another person. I don't think any children wanted to be like Frollo. Perhaps the creator wasn't thinking of homophobia when he created this character but there are clear relations. If you don't want to watch the whole movie (even though I recommend it) Frollo's thoughts are summed up in his song Hellfire.
Even though children's media still can't openly address gay issues for fear of being banned, there are loopholes and subtle hints. I found even more shows and movies aimed towards children that ridiculed gay culture, but just the fact that there are a few artists that address these issues makes me thankful that Hirsch, Ward, Van Orman, Dilworth, Trousdale, and Wise had an interest in animation. All of these shows/movies are still cartoony, colorful, silly, and entertaining even with their important messages. If you have children I suggest you introduce then to these programs.


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Cooperstown Crier
---- — We are most happy to announce the arrival on Wednesday, Oct. 30 of our second granddaughter, Marin Chase Ellsworth.
She weighed in at seven pounds, nine ounces and measured 19.75 inches in length. She is now home in Mt. Vernon, Ohio with her older sister Abby, a.k.a. The Widge, her parents, Christopher and Annie, and her maternal grandparents, Judy and Hal Higby, who are visiting Ohio for the birth of their second granddaughter, but third grandchild.
Upon Marin's arrival at home, The Widge spent some time showing Marin all the toys. We are not clear as to whether this was done to show Marin what she could play with or what she should keep her hands off of. We prefer to think it was the first. And come Christmas, we suspect Marin will be introduced to the toys in Cooperstown as she will be here for her first Christmas.
We note that the next meeting of the Literary Discussion Group, sponsored by the Women's Club of Cooperstown, will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 21 at the Village of Cooperstown Library. The meeting is being held on the third, instead of the usual fourth, Thursday as no one ever seems to want to meet on Thanksgiving. The program for this meeting will be the group's book selection for 2014. Once again this year, those members volunteering to lead a book discussion will choose the book for selection. Those who did not lead a discussion, and hence choose a book, in 2013 will be given preference for leading a discussion in 2014.
For more information about this meeting, please contact us at 547-8124.
We have been asked to announce that at 6:30 p.m. tonight, Woodside Hall is presenting a program, entitled "Our Winter Birds."
Patricia Szarpa, Executive Director of the Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce, will talk about which birds live in our area over the winter months. What do they sound like? How do they survive winter? And what are the effects of climate change on our migratory and resident birds?
Patricia is an experienced birder, Buffalo Audubon Society program leader and former Executive Director of the Western NY Land Conservancy. This event is free, but seating is limited. Please call Debbie Ziegler at 373-7817 for reservations and information.
As luck would have it, about two hours after we filed last week's column with the newspaper, we received from the village a very detailed accounting of the expenses for the concert held at Doubleday Field last July. As a result of having received that information, we now feel that we are able to sort out, to the best of our ability, the finances for that concert.
According to the contract for the concert, which we had received earlier, the village received a $10,000 rental fee for the field and $1,000 for the the Emergency Squad coverage at the concert. The $1,000 was passed on to the Emergency Squad. An additional $1,200 was received as a result of local ticket sales. The contract also called for a donation to the village, the amount of which we do not know, from the sale of food and beverage at the concert. This donation was earmarked for the fire department which has in the past sold food and beverage at the concert. Thus we conclude that the village coffers received $11,200 in revenue from the concert.
And from that money, according to our reading of the expense spread sheet, the village paid salary and benefits for Police, Street Department and Doubleday Field employees as well as the superintendent of DPW the amount of $7,195.47. Additionally there was an expense of $247.81 for trash disposal. Thus, the gain realized by the village from the concert was $3,756.52.
Additionally, the revenue for the trolley system received from trolley passes on the day of the concert was $944. The salary and benefits for running the trolleys that day were $458.94. Thus the trolleys realized $485.06 minus, we suppose, the cost of fuel, for the concert.
All in all, we are tempted to say that the concert made more money for the village and its attendant departments than many people thought and less money than most people would have liked. But, it would seem to us that one must conclude that the village was ahead of game in terms of finances although we suppose the debate will continue as to whether or not the concert was worth it.
However, that aspect to the concert is not what we were looking to answer when we filed our FOIL request. And for all of their help with our request, we would like to thank the village treasurer and the village clerk, as well as the mayor. We greatly appreciate their help.
PLEASE NOTE: Comments regarding this column may be made by mail at 105 Pioneer Street, Cooperstown, NY 13326, by telephone at 607-547-8124 or by e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com


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Why the Moto X is the First iPhone Competitor
Many have been complaining that the Moto X is essentially a mid range device. How could it compete with the Galaxy and iPhone? Well, there's more to the story than specs. Until now, Android competed with iPhone through sheer specs not optimization. But the Moto X is the first Android device that follows the "good artists copy, great artists steal" mantra. It has stolen the essence of what made the iPhone great.
1. Optimization (The specs are not really mid range)
A dual core 1.7 GHz device may not sound exciting at first but the iPhone performs well with a 1.2 GHz dual core. The MSM8960T in the Moto X has an Antutu score of 18753. For comparison, that's more than the quad core Nexus 4.
And when we see 3D Mark Ice Storm Extreme the optimization is even more amazing. It has an Adreno 320 GPU just like all the Snapdragon 600 devices but whereas other devices top out at ~6500. The Moto X gets 7100 on the same test. That's optimization and should make for a great gaming experience.
2. A Great Camera, not just more megapixels
The iPhone brought great optics, stabilization, and shutter time to 8MP. HTC had the right idea to not join the 13MP war but 4MP was a little too low. The Moto X has a 10 MP clear pixel camera. That means it subtracts less lighting from the picture and takes better pictures in low light and gets more color vibrancy in daylight.
via cdn03.androidauthority.net
3. A Great Screen
A 1280 x 720 screen at 4.7" is 315 ppi, above the 300 ppi threshold for most people. And the fact that it's an OLED display does give it useful features like on screen notifications without battery drain.
4. Battery Life
The iPhone actually only has a 1440 mah battery but gets good battery life. The Moto X has a 2200 mah battery (bigger than the One X+ which had a 720p 4.7" screen) and Larry Page, Woodside, and the Google folks have been harping on battery life. The CPU settings allow it to go as low as 13.5 MHz and combined with optimization and low power sensors, this could actually deliver outstanding battery life.
5. Design and Build Quality
That is one area where Apple excels at. And the iPhone looks even better because it has no logos in the front. Motorola picked up on that. It has a great minimalist design and a sturdy Kevlar backing. Google and Motorola have said phones should be able to withstand some abuse. So we can expect great build quality.
6. Philosophy
Apple believes that a company should make the right decisions for its customers. Google believes that a company should let its customers make the decisions right for them. That's why Android OS is so customizable. It's natural for this philosophy to extend to hardware. With an iPhone there are 6 possible versions, 3 storage options 2 colors. Motorola seems poised to go with at least 14 colors (its color wheel + black and white) for the back, 2 storage options, different colors for the trim, and even an engraving. Some of the more outlandish rumors say even the back material (plastic, wood, kevlar, and ceramic) will be custom. It competes with the iPhone in its philosophy. It's entire being is the flagship for what a customizable device + OS can be.
via phandroid.s3.amazonaws.com
The Moto X challenges everything the iPhone is good at and embodies the idea of choice. It has all the marks of a flagship even if our spec jaded eyes don't see it at first. And that's why it is the first true competitor to the iPhone.


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ODU Student Dresses Up Her Resume as Writer for College Fashion Blog
As an Old Dominion University fashion merchandising major, Amber Bennafield loves to get dressed up, to accessorize, to mix and match outfits.
But surprisingly, she's just as comfortable in a pair of jeans and an ODU sweatshirt.
Instead of pursuing fashion merchandising with an English minor, the 20-year-old rising junior from Newport News almost decided to go for a degree in sport management so that she could become a sports agent.
"I love, love football, but I also love fashion," Bennafield says of her decision to major in fashion. "It came down to the shoes, the clothes, the cute outfits versus tackling and sweaty guys. I made the right choice, I think," she laughs.
Her dad, William Reid, a contractor in Newport News, wasn't so sure she should make fashion her major. But she's hoping that her recent opportunity to write for the website College Fashion (http://www.collegefashion.net/) will help change her father's mind.
Bennafield was one of 15 student writers from across North America selected to write for the website's blog, which will no doubt look good on her resume once she graduates and begins her career in fashion.
The College Fashion blog, which is targeted to female college students, features fashion tips, the latest fashion trends, beauty tips, online sale updates, ruminations on college life and style advice for 20-somethings.
The site aims to deliver content and foster discussion around fashion, relationships, lifestyle, trends, shopping, beauty products and other facets of college life.
Founded in 2007 by 22-year-old Zephyr Basine from her college dorm room, College Fashion now features fashion tips from Bennafield and other student writers, representing such schools as Ohio State University, the University of Southern California and the University of Missouri.
Bennafield has written profiles of designers Betsey Johnson and Alexander McQueen among her blog entries.
For Bennafield, it fits into her dream of doing the two things she loves - paying attention to fashion-related trends and writing about them.
Someday, she would love to be the editor of a fashion magazine in New York City, knowing full well she would face the same difficult environment as the beleaguered junior staffers in the movie "The Devil Wears Prada."
"I'm ready for it. I love that movie," Bennafield says.
Being a student at Old Dominion makes her perfectly positioned to write about fashion, Bennafield believes. "This school is so diverse. There literally are students from all over the world, and they bring their taste and traditions with them."
Describing her fashion style as "somewhere between comfortable and chic," Bennafield says students can have a great sense of fashion without spending a pile of money. "A lot of the same good-quality items are available in secondhand stores or thrift stores. You don't have to pay for expensive labels."
But Bennafield adds a caution - the quality of the material is important. "Generally, something in a clothing store is cheap for a reason. You don't want to buy something only to have it fall apart on you."
This article was posted on: June 4, 2010
Old Dominion University
Office of University Relations
Room 100 Koch Hall Norfolk, Virginia 23529-0018
Telephone: 757-683-3114
Old Dominion University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution.


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Uh oh! I am officially worried now. I was expecting Fozzy to be THE MAN for us a RB, and now he is injured. I am excited that Texas pretty much has no choice but to go back to the power backs with V. Mcgee, C. Johnson, and Chris O. I think Texas is a better team when using the power RB's. Hopefully this will be the launching pad for Cody Johnson and V. Mcgee.
I have no idea how severe the injury is, but I hope he will be able to play this year at 100%. If anybody knows any information on the injury, please update us.