NFCC drafting students learn valuable skills in architectural, mechanical, and industrial drafting and design.

"This will be the day that returning and potential students should come by the drafting lab and register," said NFCC Drafting Instructor Lauri Newton.

The orientation is mandatory for all students planning to take Fall Term 2010 drafting courses which begin Aug. 23. Current and new students can drop by anytime between 2-5 p.m. on Aug. 5 at the NFCC Career and Technical Education Center, building 13, room 216. The registration process takes approximately 15 minutes and NFCC Drafting Instructor Lauri Newton will be available to answer questions about the program and the enrollment process. New students should complete an NFCC admission application, with required $20 nonrefundable application fee, through NFCC Enrollment Services before attending the orientation session. More information about applying to NFCC is available at http://www.nfcc.edu/admissions or by contacting NFCC Enrollment Services at (850) 973-1622 or admissions@nfcc.edu.

NFCC's Drafting Program prepares students for careers as drafting and design technicians. Students complete 1900 contact hours in the four-semester program and upon graduation are qualified for employment in mechanical and structural design, surveying, and architectural drafting careers. The program offers tracks in both mechanical and architectural drafting and teaches techniques in computer-aided drafting using state-of-the-art computer software like SolidWorks and AutoCAD.

Contact NFCC Drafting Instructor Lauri Newton for more information at (850) 973-1663 or newtonl@nfcc.edu.

North Florida Community College is constantly evolving and growing to meet the needs and demands of students and the community. So as NFCC's fall term approaches, it's no surprise there's new offerings and programs on the horizon. From fall term additions of Special Topics in Humanities Film and Computer Animation, to upcoming additions of a Hip Hop in American Culture class and an Associate in Science degree in digital media, NFCC is reshaping its academic offerings for the benefit of its students.

"NFCC has been actively working on revitalizing and updating its curriculum," said Dr. Sharon Erle, NFCC Dean of Academic Affairs. "We have some exciting new courses, have some revitalized previously offered courses, and are adding a new degree we are very excited about."

The college is planning to offer a new Digital Media/Multimedia Technology program in January that includes an Associate in Science degree option as well as shorter college credit certificate tracks. The shorter certificate tracks, 15-18 credit hours each, provide quick training in four separate areas – authoring, production, instructional technology, presentation and web production – that build up to the A.S. degree. The program will teach students to integrate graphics, video, sound, animation, text and still images and prepare them for jobs and careers in media-related industries.

But students don't have to wait until spring term to take digital media classes. NFCC's fall schedule already includes Computer Animation and Electronic Imaging courses that will begin Aug. 23. Students enrolling in these courses, as electives or towards a career path, will have access to the latest technology and digital media software. They will also gain knowledge of one of the fastest growing industries around – media production, design and development.

"We've served the educational needs of our district for over 50 years and we are doing everything necessary to make sure that we continue to meet those needs for the next 50 years," said NFCC President John Grosskopf. "The world changes, the economy changes, and we will adapt what we do to make sure our students are ready for those changes."

Other exciting course additions this fall include Humanities Film, Introduction to College composition and an Introduction to Biology class for non biology majors with the spring term featuring Everything Google, Creative Writing and Fundamentals of Web Design courses. Some popular, in-demand courses returning this fall are American Government, Short Story and Beginning Computers. Taught by exceptional instructors, these courses will add to NFCC's already vast course and program offerings.

"These new additions to our curriculum should provide students with interesting new options as well as options that will help them in pursuing their educational goals," said Erle.

For a complete list of all courses and programs being offered at NFCC, visit www.nfcc.edu or contact NFCC Enrollment Services at (850) 973-1622.

Taryn Copeland, has been selected by the Greenville American Legion Auxiliary Post 131 to attend the 2010 session of Girls State.

The American Legion Auxiliary Girls State Program has provided young ladies the opportunity to participate in a hands-on citizenship training program for over 60 years. The delegates learn about government by actually creating a mythical state through the election of public officials on local, county, and state levels and then by carrying out the duties of these respective offices.

Girls State takes place at Florida State University and at the Florida State Capitol. It is staffed by American Legion Auxiliary members and community leaders who volunteer their time and effort to this enterprise. Delegates to Girls State are selected on the basis of potential leadership qualities.

The following are the areas of emphasis this year:

• PATRIOTISM as Girls State citizens gain a better understanding of our American traditions and a greater appreciation of our country and our flag.

• PARTICIPATION in the citizen's communities when she returns home and begins a lifelong commitment to be active in all levels of our government.

• PROGRESS into the future by adding new and innovative enhancements to our program.

Congratulations, Taryn!

How quickly children grow. One day they're toddlers, and the next, it seems, they're garnering honors and getting an invitation to participate in junior leadership conferences in Washington D.C.

Such, at least, is the case with 12-year-old Jasmine Morris, daughter of Erma and Johnnie Morris Jr., of Monticello.

Jasmine recently received a letter from Dr. Marguerite Regan, dean of Academic Affairs with the Junior National Young Leaders Conference, informing her that she had been selected to represent her school and the state of Florida at the Junior National Young Leaders Conference (JrNYLC) in Washington D.C. this fall. The selection, Regan wrote, was based on Jasmine's outstanding academic achievement and demonstrated leadership potential.

"You were nominated by your teacher, Mr. Odis Young, who recognized you as an outstanding individual who has achieved academic excellence and possesses strong leadership potential," Regan wrote in a letter dated June 11.

As part of the experience, Regan said, Jasmine would get to visit numerous museums and monuments in the nation's capital; travel to historic Harpers Ferry in West Virginia, site of John Brown's 1859 raid and a much-contested town during the American Civil War; and attend a sleepover at the Maryland Science Center.

At the JrNYLC, meanwhile, she would get to hear speakers of national prominence; learn about character, communications, goal setting, problem solving and other leadership qualities; and mingle with high achieving students from around the country, Regan said.

She added that upon completion of the conference, Jasmine would be presented with an official Junior National Young Leader Conference Certificate of Merit.

The letter encouraged Jasmine to secure her enrollment at the conference by the July 23 deadline, as the number of students enrolling might exceed the available space.

"Once again, I congratulate you on your achievement," Regan wrote. "And I look forward to meeting you in Washington D.C. this fall."

Jasmine is a student at the Innovation School of Excellence in Tallahassee, where she will soon be entering the seventh grade. She is a member of the Young Reaper MBC Church in Greenville.

The host of the JrNYLC is the Congressional Youth Leadership Council (CYLC). The CYLC describes itself as an independent, educational organization whose honorary bipartisan advisory board includes members of the United States Senate and House of Representatives.

The conference's purpose, per the CYLC, is to honor and inspire the nation's most exceptional middle-school students, as defined by their academic excellence, leadership potential and maturity. Its aim, the CYLC states, is to reinforce the virtues of leadership, citizenship and democracy, using Washington D.C. as its classroom.

The North Florida Community College English Department recently announced the winners of its Flash Fiction Contest held spring term 2010. All entries were based on one of the following titles: "Grit"; "The Braggart"; or "Sunday Morning". First, second and third place winners received gift cards to Borders Bookstore.

First place was awarded to NFCC alumnus Erin Nicole Smith of Lloyd. Smith is NFCC's 2006-2007 Outstanding Literature Student of the Year. Recently, she graduated Cum Laude from Flagler College in St. Augustine, FL, where she majored in English and was published in both the Flagler Review and the Flagler College Literary Journal. Her submission, "Sunday Morning", weaves an intricate story of a Catholic couple's yearning for a child, while remaining barren.

"Sunday Morning was an experiment to see how much emotion I could evoke with as few words as possible," said Smith. "It was inspired by T.S. Eliot's, "The Wasteland" and Michael Ondaatje's, "The Cinnamon Peeler".

NFCC alumnus Jennifer Robinson, of Perry, Fla., received second place. She was a 2007-2008 NFCC Dual Enrollment student. Robinson is currently working toward a degree in history, with aspirations of becoming a historical fiction writer. Her entry, "Grit", is about a newly married woman who is faced with early separation from her husband after he is called up to serve overseas during wartime.

"The story actually started out with the title "Sunday Morning," said Robinson. "However, as the main character Sandra began to develop I changed the title to incorporate the theme of courage and grit."

NFCC student Teresa Wren, of Madison, Fla., took third place honors with her short story "Grit". Wren, an NFCC Associate in Arts alumnus, has returned to NFCC for additional courses before continuing on to a four-year college to major in astrobiology. Her fictional work, "Grit", focuses on the emotional battle of a ballerina who is struggling with the memory of a gang rape.

"The inspiration for my short story came from one of my worst fears," said Wren. "I asked myself what I would do if that happened to me."

Law Enforcement and Corrections Basic Recruit programs accepting new students; Classes begin July 19

The Public Safety Academy at North Florida Community College is now accepting students for its Law Enforcement and Corrections Basic Recruit programs, as well as its Cross Over Corrections to Law Enforcement program. New Law Enforcement and Corrections classes begin July 19, with Cross Over classes beginning July 26. All programs are open entry with classes beginning every few weeks after this point. Classes are held Monday through Thursday from 6-11 p.m. at the NFCC Public Safety Academy complex.

Students can complete training in one year or less and be ready to begin a career in public safety, corrections or law enforcement. NFCC has also added a NEW Combined Corrections and Law Enforcement Dual Certification program that is 1019 hours and can be completed in just over a year (approximately 14 months). The new combination class begins July 19 and allows students to seek both a certificate in Basic Corrections and in Law Enforcement simultaneously. Financial aid is available for the Law Enforcement and the Combination Corrections and Law Enforcement course through the PELL Grant for qualifying students.

NFCC students train in one of the newest facilities in the state of Florida. The NFCC Public Safety Academy offers a state-of-the-art driver training facility, an indoor firearms training area and the college works with public safety agencies and personnel from across NFCC's six-county service area. NFCC is one of the 42 approved Public Safety Training Centers certified by the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission (CJSTC) to teach Law Enforcement and Corrections Basic Recruit programs which prepare students for the certification exams required for all Florida officers.

Those interested in training at NFCC are encouraged to begin the enrollment process now. Students must be at least 18-years-old to enter NFCC's Public Safety Academy. Admission requirements include completing an NFCC admission application, passing the Florida Criminal Justice Basic Abilities Test, submitting official high school or GED diploma and transcripts, and passing background checks. Financial assistance may be available for qualified students.

For more information or to enroll in the NFCC Public Safety Academy, contact Gail Hackle, at (850) 973-1617 or hackleg@nfcc.edu. Information is also available at http://www.nfcc.edu/public-safety.