Oak Ridge Today

Overall number of health physics degrees drops to lowest level in more than decade

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Despite number of bachelor’s and master’s degrees decreasing, number of doctorate degrees increased significantly

The overall number of students who graduated in 2015 with health physics degrees dropped to the lowest level in more than a decade. This is according to the latest annual study conducted by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, which surveyed 22 health physics programs, representing nearly all such programs at the nation’s universities.

The report, titled “Health Physics Enrollments and Degrees Survey, 2015 Data,” showed that a total of 136 bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees were granted between September 1, 2014, and August 31, 2015.

Table 1. Health Physics Degrees, 2006-2015

[Read more…]

Roane State launches new program in computer information technology

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Roane State Computer Information Technology

George Meghabghab, right, is the program director for Roane State’s new Associate of Applied Science in Computer Information Technology. (Photo by Roane State Community College)

 

Roane State Community College has launched a new program that includes extensive instruction in computer programming and prepares students for valuable tech industry certifications.

Classes for the new Associate of Applied Science in Computer Information Technology begin this fall. Nearly all of the program’s courses can be taken online.

“We are very excited about the computer information technology program,” program director George Meghabghab said. “Our curriculum is closely aligned with the skills tech companies want in their employees.”

Students will learn to develop applications, design and query databases, maintain and secure networks, and more. Course subjects include HTML and CSS, programming, database concepts, JavaScript, and network routing. [Read more…]

Butterfly Festival at UT Arboretum in Oak Ridge on July 30

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Butterfly Festival monarch (Submitted photo)

Butterfly Festival monarch (Submitted photo)

 

Monarch release and UT Insect Zoo are highlights

The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society will present a Butterfly Festival on Saturday, July 30, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the UT Arboretum Auditorium and surrounding grounds at 901 South Illinois Avenue in Oak Ridge.  It is co-sponsored by the UT Forest Resources AgResearch and Education Center. The gate will be open at 8:30 a.m. Coffee and donuts will be sold from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.

The event, designed for children and adults of all ages, will take place rain or shine. This educational and fun activity features four speakers, two local native plant vendor,s and artisans. Speakers will give their presentations in the air-conditioned comfort of the Arboretum’s new Auditorium. The food vendors, plant vendors, and artisans will be stationed near the Program Shelter. The monarch butterfly release will take place on the patio outside the Auditorium.

The day’s highlight will be the release of 100 butterflies at approximately 2 p.m., in honor of the 50th anniversaries of UTAS and the Arboretum. We invite children to help release the monarch butterflies, which will be offered at a cost of $10 per butterfly. [Read more…]

Heat index at 105 on Friday, so ORHS WildBand has preview show tonight at Blankenship

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Oak Ridge High School WildBand July 2016

The Oak Ridge High School WildBand practices at Alvin K. Bissell Park in July 2016, preparing for a preview show at Blankenship Field on Thursday, July 21, 2016. (Photo by Julio Culiat)

 

The heat index for the traditional Friday preview is forecast to be over 100 degrees, so the Oak Ridge High School WildBand is going to have its preview tonight, Thursday, July 21, on Blankenship Field.

Step off time will be 9 p.m. today.

“Since the heat index for our traditional Friday event is going to be 105 degrees plus, the WildBand is going to kick off ‘Beatlemania’ a day early and in the cool of the evening,” a press release said. “Please come and enjoy the free show under the lights at Blankenship.”

The 2016 Oak Ridge High School Band is presenting “Beatles in Blue” for their Fall Marching Show. Tunes include “Magical Mystery Tour,” “Eleanor Rigby,” “Good Day Sunshine,” “Norweigan Wood,” and “Hey Jude.” [Read more…]

School board rescue: Bell saves life of Martin

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Don Bell

Don Bell

Don Bell, an Anderson County School Board member, used his Red Cross training and the Heimlich maneuver to save the life of Gail Martin, a former School Board member, during a recent meal at Applebee’s in Oak Ridge.

Bell was honored by the Anderson County Board of Education on Thursday. He has also been recognized at Anderson County Commission meetings.

On Thursday, Bell said Martin choked on a piece of steak during the meal at Applebee’s about a month-and-a-half ago. She grabbed her throat and started turning blue, Bell said.

Bell had taken Red Cross training near the end of his career at Oak Ridge Schools. He is certified in CPR and the Heimlich maneuver, an emergency technique that uses abdominal thrusts to help clear someone’s airway. [Read more…]

Roane State’s Oak Ridge campus to host fair for adults who want to go back to college

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Roane State Community College’s Oak Ridge campus will host an information fair for adults who want to go back to college.

The Adult Information Fair will be held on Thursday, July 21, from 5-6:30 p.m. at the Oak Ridge campus at 701 Briarcliff Avenue. The fair is free and open to the public. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Schools receives three funding awards from Carl Perkins Reserve Grant

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Oak Ridge Schools Logo

Oak Ridge Schools has received three competitive grant awards from the Carl Perkins Reserve funds. The first award in the amount of $50,000 is designated for the continuation of a large competitive grant that was won to increase the offerings at Oak Ridge High School in advanced manufacturing, a pathway that includes welding, robotics, and new courses in mechatronics engineering and machining technologies.

The second award is for $10,000, and it will continue the schools system’s efforts in assisting students by paying for industry certification vouchers in nursing, Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Cloud, and AutoCAD concept-to-production toolsets, a press release said. [Read more…]

New principal named at Oak Ridge Preschool, administrative assistants at Linden, Glenwood

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Lisa Downard

Lisa Downard

Oak Ridge Schools have announced a new principal at the Preschool and new administrative assistants at Linden and Glenwood elementary schools.

Lisa Downard will be the new principal of Oak Ridge Schools Preschool. Downard has a bachelor’s degree in special education and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Kent State University in Kent, Ohio. She earned her Ed.S. in instructional leadership from Lincoln Memorial University in 2014, a press release said. Downard was the assistant principal at Linden Elementary School for six years.

Heather Jenkins has been selected to become the new administrative assistant at Linden Elementary School. Jenkins has a bachelor’s degree from Tennessee Tech in elementary education and an master’s degree from Tennessee Tech in instructional leadership. Jenkins has taught at Linden for 11 years. [Read more…]

Tee Higgins commits to Clemson

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Wildcats Tee Higgins Catch at Ooltewah Nov. 13, 2015

Oak Ridge junior Tee Higgins (5), shown making a playoff catch against Ooltewah on Friday, Nov. 13, 2015, announced Monday, July 4, 2016, that he has committed to Clemson. (File photo by Julio Culiat)

 

Oak Ridge Wildcats wide receiver Tee Higgins has committed to Clemson. Higgins, who will be a senior this fall, announced his decision in a Bleacher Report video posted on Twitter on Monday.

The video shows Higgins, a five-star receiver who had once been committed to Tennessee, at a barbecue cookout with friends and family. It ends with orange and purple fireworks in the sky.

The 247Sports Composite lists the 6-foot-5, 188-pound Higgins as the nation’s third-ranked wide receiver in the 2017 class. Prep Xtra at the Knoxville News Sentinel reported that he is considered the number one overall player in Tennessee.

Higgins, who won a Mr. Football award in November and was also a Mr. Basketball finalist, chose the Tigers over finalists Ohio State, Florida State, Tennessee, and Ole Miss. [Read more…]

Thompson named vice principal at ORHS after Scott becomes administrator at Secret City Academy

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Stephanie Thompson

Stephanie Thompson

A new administrator, Stephanie Thompson, has been announced at Oak Ridge High School. Thompson will be an assistant principal, filling the position previously held by Christopher Scott, who is the new administrator at Secret City Academy (the alternative school).

In other recent changes, Lisa Downard is now principal of Oak Ridge Schools Preschool. The position she vacated at Linden Elementary School (assistant principal) is being filled by Heather Jenkins.

Thompson began her career as a substitute teacher in Marion County, Florida, at Lake Weir High School. She served in that position for 18 months until she was hired as a College and Career Lab coach in 1998.

In 2000, Thompson moved to Ocala Christian Academy with her children to serve as a full-time business teacher. There, she was charged with rebuilding the program, aligning the curriculum to the current Sunshine Standards of the public schools, and implementing and supervising a work-based learning program, a press release said. [Read more…]

Roane State art students earn honors

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Several Roane State students earned honors in the college’s annual Student Art Show. From left are associate professor Stacy Jacobs; students Marsha Scarbrough, Kaitlan Paine, Erica Ostrander, Ceara Wallus, and Celine Gobert; associate professor Bryan Wilkerson; and student Steven Young. (Photo by RSCC)

Several Roane State students earned honors in the college’s annual Student Art Show. From left are associate professor Stacy Jacobs; students Marsha Scarbrough, Kaitlan Paine, Erica Ostrander, Ceara Wallus, and Celine Gobert; associate professor Bryan Wilkerson; and student Steven Young. (Photo by RSCC)

 

The following Roane State Community College students earned awards for their work in the college’s Student Art Show, held at the end of the spring semester.

Students and their honors were:

  • Celine Gobert of Oak Ridge, first place, third place, Outstanding Achievement in Art, honorable mention;
  • Erica Ostrander of Lenoir City, second place, honorable mention;
  • Steven Young of Rockwood, Anne Powers Promise Award;
  • Ceara Wallus of Oak Ridge, Art Spirit Award for Experimentation in Media, honorable mention;
  • Marsha Scarbrough of Harriman, honorable mention;
  • Gabrielle Morgan of Oliver Springs, honorable mention;
  • Archie Clark of Spring City, honorable mention; and
  • Kaitlan Paine of Oak Ridge, honorable mention.

For more information about Roane State’s art program, visit www.roanestate.edu/art.

This press release was submitted by Owen Driskill of Roane State Community College.

Roane State offering software development course

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Roane State Community College Workforce Development will offer a class for those interested in software development or Web application development.

The course, “Front End, Back End Development Foundations,” will be on Fridays from July 29-August 26 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. at the college’s Oak Ridge campus at 701 Briarcliff Avenue.

Topics will include HTML5, JavaScript, testing and debugging, object-oriented programming, SQL databases, and more. The cost is $799. [Read more…]