Oak Ridge Today

Roane State to host Virtual FAFSA Workshop on March 24

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Roane State Community College’s Financial Aid team is inviting current and potential students to a Virtual FAFSA Completion Workshop on March 24.

During the sessions, students will have the opportunity to work one-on-one with a financial aid expert to get their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) filed accurately and timely, a press release said.

Meetings last approximately one hour, with students able to choose a time slot that works best for their schedule. Session start times are available between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., but they are expected to fill quickly, the press release said. Students must register at least 24 hours before the appointment time in order to reserve a spot.

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Eby elected chair of state school board

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Bob Eby, left, has been elected chair of the Tennessee State Board of Education. Also pictured second from left are former chair Lillian Hartgrove, Vice Chair Darrell Cobbins, and Executive Director Sara Heyburn Morrison. (Photo courtesy Bob Eby/Tennessee State Board of Education)

Bob Eby, a former chair and vice chair of the Oak Ridge school board, has been elected chair of the Tennessee State Board of Education. He will serve a two-year term.

Eby was appointed to the state school board by former Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam in April 2018. He was elected vice chair the following year. Eby represents Tennessee’s Third Congressional District, which includes Oak Ridge.

He will replace Lillian Hartgrove, who represents District 6, as chair of the 11-member board. Hartgrove has served as chair for five years.

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CNC Bootcamp returns to Oak Ridge High School this spring

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Roane State and Oak Ridge High School educators joined specialized instructors over fall break for a CNC Bootcamp at the high school. The session welcomed the youngest-ever ACE training participant, Oak Ridge student Harry Shanafield, who was 13 when the camp took place. (Photo courtesy RSCC)

A popular bootcamp is returning to Oak Ridge High School this spring thanks to a recent partnership between Roane State Community College and the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI).

Roane State announced its workforce training partnership with IACMI last year, making the college just the third location in the State of Tennessee to offer specialized no-cost machine tool training opportunities through America’s Cutting Edge (ACE), a press release said.

ACE is a joint Department of Defense and Department of Energy effort launched in 2020 to re-establish American leadership in the machine tool industry through transformative thinking, technology innovation, and workforce development, the press release said.

Roane State and Oak Ridge High School educators joined specialized instructors during fall break for a CNC Bootcamp at the high school. The session welcomed the youngest-ever ACE training participant, Oak Ridge student Harry Shanafield, who was 13 when the camp took place.

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Roane State Dental Clinic offering free cleanings for kids

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Free dental cleanings for children ages 4 to 12 are being offered through the end of March at the Roane State Dental Hygiene Clinic.

The clinic is located on the first floor of the Coffey/McNally Building on Roane State’s Oak Ridge Branch Campus, located at 701 Briarcliff Avenue.

The free procedures include teeth cleaning, all necessary dental X-rays, and a fluoride treatment, a press release said. The clinic is open Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time, and on Fridays from 8 a.m. until 12 p.m. during the spring semester.

The free cleanings for children are only offered during the months of February and March 2023. Availability is limited due to demand, so parents and caregivers are encouraged to book quickly, the press release said.

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Covenant Health donating land for Roane State health science center

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Covenant Health is donating about 10 acres of land for Roane State Community College’s new $75 million regional health science training center in west Knox County.

The Knox Regional Health Science and Simulation Center will be along Sherill Boulevard, across the street from Parkwest Medical Center. That hospital and medical center is near the intersection of Interstate 40 and Pellissippi Parkway (State Route 162).

Officials from Roane State Community College, the Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) Knoxville, and Covenant Health will celebrate the land transfer on Friday.

The new center was announced in early 2022. Roane State said project construction is expected to begin later this year.

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School board approves aviation career path

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The Oak Ridge school board on Monday unanimously approved an aviation career pathway that could eventually allow students to get a private pilot’s license. The board also approved a contract extension for Superintendent Bruce Borchers and the purchase of a truck for a mobile STEM laboratory.

Regarding the aviation path, school administrators said aviation programs can prepare students for a range of possible careers, including as pilots, aircraft engineers, air traffic control specialists, aircraft mechanics, and airline statisticians.

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Extreme Classroom Makeover applications due Jan. 31

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The deadline to submit a video application is about one week away (it’s Jan. 31, 2023) in a contest that awards $25,000 to improve STEM education in public schools in the Oak Ridge region. (Photo by ORAU)

The deadline to submit a video application is about one week away in a contest that awards $25,000 to improve STEM education in public schools in the region.

ORAU’s Extreme Classroom Makeover is open to third-grade to 10th-grade math and science teachers in public schools within 50 miles of Oak Ridge. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

The $25,000 can be used for new equipment to update classrooms with new technology, ORAU said.

A runner-up will receive $5,000 in new equipment.

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ORCSGirls resumes in-person classes in Oak Ridge, Maryville

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Oak Ridge Computer Science Girls (ORCSGirls) will resume their free in-person coding classes for girls in grades 5-10. (Submitted photo)

Oak Ridge Computer Science Girls (ORCSGirls) is resuming their free in-person coding classes for girls in grades 5-10, a press release said.

In March 2020, all classes were switched to be virtual events in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In person classes resumed in January and are offered at Roane State Community College in Oak Ridge and at the Blount County Public Library in Maryville, the press release said.

All in-person events follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines to keep everyone safe, the press release said. ORCSGirls also continues to offer virtual sessions. Current classes and signup can be found at www.orcsgirls.org/classes.

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Roane to Tech paves path for transfer students

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Cheyenne McAbee

A relatively new program called Roane to Tech allows students to transfer from Roane State Community College to Tennessee Tech University to complete their last two years of college, and it provides students additional opportunities, a press release said.

The program began in 2021, and it guarantees all Roane State graduates admission to Tech, the press release said. It also provides a smooth transition for those students. The transfer students are known as the Golden Raiders, a combination of Tech’s Golden Eagles and RSCC’s Raiders.

The average savings for those who participate in the program would be close to $6,000 per year for tuition, according to TTU Director of Admissions Frank Tittle.

“There are several benefits to the Roane to Tech program, such as a waived Tennessee Tech application fee, students have access to a university advisor, their degree plans are predefined, dual admission to tech, access to special events, and free Roane to Tech gear,” Tittle said.

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ASAP, TN Highway Safety Office help reduce teen crashes

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ASAP of Anderson partnered with the Tennessee Highway Safety Office to effectively reduce teen crashes and fatalities in 2022, a press release said.

According to Tennessee’s Integrated Traffic Analysis Network, teenagers saw a greater reduction in speed-related crashes than other drivers from 2021 to 2022, the press release said.

“ASAP of Anderson is proud of our work to make the roads in Tennessee safer” said ASAP’s Prevention Coordinator Chantel Harris. “Our efforts like hanging up signs to not drive drowsy at every high school in Anderson County and encouraging our Youth Ambassador Coalition teenagers to post safe driving messages at their school have certainly helped.”

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ETEC announces Muddy Boot, Young Professional winners

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Image by East Tennessee Economic Council

The East Tennessee Economic Council in December announced two winners of its Muddy Boot Award: Chris Whaley, president of Roane State Community College, and Jim Rushton, who is retired from Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Katherine Roberts, deputy director of Y-12 Production Operations for Consolidated Nuclear Security, was named the 25th recipient of the Postma Young Professional Medal.

The Muddy Boot Award pays tribute to people who make East Tennessee better through their work and community activities.

The Postma Young Professional Medal recognizes a young professional making a difference in their workplace and the community.

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Learn about secrecy, spies on Dec. 17

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The Oak Ridge Turnpike Gatehouse is pictured above on the west end of town. (Submitted photo)

You can learn about secrecy, security, and spies during the Manhattan Project in World War II in Oak Ridge on Saturday, December 17.

This National Park Service program is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. December 17 at the Oak Ridge Turnpike gatehouse on the west end of town.

“The program is accessible to all visitors and will give insight to what life was like in Oak Ridge during the Manhattan Project with heightened security, need for secrecy, and worry of spies,” the NPS said in a newsletter.

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