Oak Ridge Today

KnoxWorx hosts community job fair Tuesday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

KnoxWorx Logo

KnoxWorx, a workforce development initiative of Knoxville Leadership Foundation, is hosting a community job fair on Tuesday with help from area churches.

The job fair is at Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church in Knoxville from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Tuesday, January 20. The church is at 9132 Kingston Pike.

“Knoxville Leadership Foundation’s KnoxWorx program will host a community job fair and motivational seminar on January 20,” a press release said. “Several motivational speakers who have ‘been there, done that’ on the road to their career will give words of wisdom to attendees and advice on creative ways to land the job of their dreams. More than 30 local employers and HR representatives will be on hand to accept resumes and answer questions.” [Read more…]

Former president of PTO, Superintendent’s Council running for school board

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Laura McLean

Laura McLean

Laura McLean, an Oak Ridger for the last 19 years, is running for the Oak Ridge Board of Education in the November 4 municipal election.

McLean and her husband Fred moved here for his work as a radiologist. Even after his work moved to Knoxville, the family chose to remain in Oak Ridge to educate their kids and be involved in the Oak Ridge community, a press release said. Both of the their children attended Oak Ridge schools their entire careers, including Oak Ridge Schools Preschool, Glenwood Elementary, Jefferson Middle, and Oak Ridge High School. Alex (ORHS Class of 2010) currently lives and works in Oak Ridge, and Emily (ORHS Class of 2012) is in her third year at the University of Virginia.

McLean has bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.

The press release said she was an active member in school organizations during her children’s education in Oak Ridge. McLean was on the Parent Committee in the Preschool, and served in several roles while her kids attended Glenwood, including PTO president, PTO vice president, Fundraising Committee member, and classroom volunteer. At Jefferson Middle, Laura served as PTO president and vice president and fundraising coordinator. At ORHS, Laura was on several parent committees and served as vice president of the PTSO. She continues to support and volunteer at Graduation Celebration. [Read more…]

Lunch with League: tnAchieves paves path to higher education

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Graham Thomas

Graham Thomas

Graham Thomas, tnAchieves director of community partnerships, will be the guest speaker at Lunch with the League at noon Tuesday, September 16, in the Social Hall of the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church, located at 1500 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

tnAchieves, a partnering organization to Governor Bill Haslam’s Tennessee Promise, serves primarily first-generation, low-income students in an effort to increase this population’s likelihood of earning a college credential. While the funding provided by Tennessee Promise is critical to increased post-secondary access, tnAchieves data confirms that working with a mentor further enhances a student’s likelihood of entering the post-secondary pipeline, a press release said. In fact, the University of Tennessee’s Center for Business and Economic Research found that students participating with tnAchieves are nearly 21 percent more likely to enter college. [Read more…]

ORRA hosts Learn to Row class for visually impaired, blind

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge Rowing Association Boathouse

The Oak Ridge Rowing Association boathouse at Melton Lake Park on the Clinch River.

The Oak Ridge Rowing Association will host a special Learn to Row class for the visually impaired and blind on Sunday, September 14.

ORRA is partnering with Visually Impaired/Blind Enhanced Services, or Club VIBES, to offer the class, which starts at 2 p.m. Sunday.

Club VIBES is a nonprofit organization with a mission to assist blind and visually impaired young people in the Knoxville area to live independent and productive lives by identifying their unique capacities and developing their individual strengths, a press release said. Club VIBES provides a free mentoring service for visually impaired or blind youth and their parents/guardians residing in or around the Knoxville area.

Twelve to 13 participants will launch on Sunday afternoon to engage in a new activity for those who have always wanted to try the sport but have not had the opportunity. [Read more…]