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- Written by: Editor
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Earlier this year, Jennifer Nauert of Lakeport won two Mendocino College Foundation Scholarships: the Lake County Friends of Mendocino College award and a Mendocino College Foundation Academic Excellence scholarship, for a total of $2,500.
In addition, she received the Academic Excellence Award for Human Services and Highest Honors for her 4.0 grade point average.
Nauert's life has not always been so stellar.
An IV drug user at age 18, she went to prison at age 19, became sober, relapsed, and at age 26 had two massive strokes that left her permanently disabled.
“Three-fourths of my left brain is dead, so I now operate on 5/8ths of my total brain,” she said. “Because I became disabled so early in life, I didn't want that to be the end of my story. I wanted to give back some of the love and compassion that was given to me as I struggled to recover, so I set my sights on a career as a substance use counselor.
“It had always been a dream of mine to attend college, and when I started researching possible programs, I was excited to find out that I could take many of my classes at the Lake Center in Lakeport,” she said. “It was a wonderful choice! I love all my instructors. I love the Human Services Program, and I love how much the instructors and staff really care about students and our achievements. They have helped me get accommodations for my disabilities that made it possible for me to achieve more than I ever expected. I have never felt “less than” anyone because the staff and students are amazing.”
Among the many who have helped her along the way, Nauert mentioned Dan Jenkins, Carrie Vidal, Jim Mockel, Trilby Kerrigan, Christine Price, Cristina Cruz, Helen Falandes and Jeff Brunner, as well as Nancy Heth, Tascha Wetzel, Susan Orozco, Merie Holl, Rhea Hollis, John Griffith and Liz Weiss.
While attending Mendocino College, Nauert's greatest challenges have been juggling her three kids among family members and getting to classes in Ukiah.
“My car was on its last leg, so that made it very stressful for a while. Thanks to MC Foundation scholarships, I have been able to purchase a newer, more reliable car, knowing I have the resources to make the payments,” she said.
“Before I started college, I used to work out like a mad woman, every single day, to become physically stronger. Now that I am working my brain in school, I can see myself growing stronger in other ways. I am excited to put my skills to good use and to keep on learning,” Nauert said.
Nauert started a new club on campus called Students for Recovery. It is dedicated to breaking down stigmas surrounding behavioral health recovery issues and implementing formal and informal recovery support services for the MC student community.
“We intend to demonstrate how higher education, and the support and fellowship it provides, can aid one's path to recovery,” she said.
Nauert's plans for the future include graduating from Mendocino College with an Associate of Science degree in Human Services in 2019, then transferring to Humboldt State University to earn a bachelor's degree, then a master's degree in social work.
“I am thrilled to be starting my human services career with an internship at Hilltop Recovery in Lucerne this Fall,” she said.
When she is not studying, Nauert enjoys spending time with her kids and enjoying the outdoors. She finds painting relaxing and therapeutic as well.
Her advice to other students? “Set a goal and never give up! Be relentless in chasing your dreams!”
Donations can be made to the Mendocino College Foundation and designated for the Lake County Friends of Mendocino College and its scholarship fund directly benefit Lake County students attending the college.
The next scholarship application workshop will be conducted at the Lake Center on Tuesday, Jan. 23, at 4 p.m. The workshop is open to all current and prospective students, including high school seniors.
For more information about the Mendocino College Foundation and the workshop, or to donate towards any of their programs, call Katie Fairbairn at 707-467-1018 or visit http://foundation.mendocino.edu.
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The Matching Grant Program will help families open a college savings account and counter rising tuition costs, one of the most significant obstacles to securing a higher education.
“The wealth gap in our country is the widest it has been in 40 years and the ability to afford higher education is becoming increasingly difficult for low- and moderate-income California families,” said State Treasurer John Chiang, chair of the ScholarShare Investment Board. “To break the back of college unaffordability, we need to both tame out of control tuition increases and student loan debt as well as help families build college nest eggs.”
Research shows that children with savings accounts, however small, are seven times more likely to attend and graduate college.
To give California families an opportunity to pursue higher education and a bright future, ScholarShare529 will encourage families to open 529 accounts as part of the new Matching Grant Program.
The program offers flexibility as the funds can be used at any accredited higher-education program, including community colleges and trade schools, as well as for other approved educational expenses.
And, the savings in a ScholarShare 529 account will not impact eligibility for most state benefits, such as CalWORKS and CalFresh.
ScholarShare 529 is working closely with community based organizations (CBOs) across the state, including California Asset Building Coalition, Closing the Women’s Wealth Gap Initiative, Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs, United Ways of California, EARN, and Glendale Unified School District to ensure that eligible families receive the news about the Matching Grant Program and take advantage of this new incentive to save for college.
“Recent studies indicate that California will fall short about 1.1 million college graduates by 2030 if current trends persist. Making college more accessible to all Californians, regardless of income, is a necessity if we want to improve the overall fiscal health of our state and close the workforce skills gap,” Chiang said.
The Matching Grant Program, which opens on Jan. 1, 2018, offers a dollar-for-dollar match contribution of up to $200 on new accounts. Families that establish a monthly automatic contribution plan of $25 or more are eligible for a $25 bonus.
Eligible parents/guardians must be California residents at enrollment, have a valid social security number or a federal tax ID number, and have an adjusted gross annual income of $75,000 or less.
For additional information about eligibility, please visit www.mgp.scholarshare529.com.
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"It's very easy for leaders in higher ed to focus on only their own campuses or systems and not speak up on a national level around issues that really matter. Not only has Chancellor Oakley been a huge advocate for first-generation students and low-income students, he's used his platform to challenge his peers to do the same,” Autumn A. Arnett, editor for Education Dive.
The 2017 Dive Awards recognize the industry’s top disruptors and innovators. These executives, companies, trends and breakthroughs are transforming the industry and shaping the future. Education Dive solicited suggestions for title nominees from its more than 55,000 readers.
“This award is a great honor and a recognition that faculty and staff in our 114 colleges are deeply committed to the proposition that community colleges are the most important forces for social and economic progress for students of all backgrounds,” said Chancellor Oakley.
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- Written by: Nicholas Phipps
LOWER LAKE, Calif. – In two weeks time we will mark the end of the third grading period and the halfway point of the school year.
Carlé’s Student of the Week was Nicholas Costillas and he was nominated by teacher Lance Christensen.
Lance said, “The reason I nominated Nico is because he’s always on task and makes sure to get all of his work done. He is a great student, keep it up.”
Cheri Johnson started the all-volunteer Totes for Teens when she was talking to a teenager and they asked why nobody does special things for teens at Christmas.
This moved her 15 years ago to start Totes for Teens, a volunteer organization in which she and a group of wonderful volunteers put together bags filled with amazing things to assist the students, such as jackets, sleeping bags, blankets and school supplies.
The volunteers are led by a committee that includes Gayle Albo, Lydia Pogue, Lynnette and Greg Bertelli, Diana Wiley-Bowers, Nancy Fahs, Barbara Harris, Teri Ballard, Jon Ryan, Terry Kalata, Frieda Camotta, Donna Sage, Peggy Foster and Denise McCracken.
Cheri and her committee together have helped more than 1,800 teenagers in the past 14 years. Some of these incredible volunteers put in over 100 hours of volunteer work this year alone! All students received handsized and handmade things like scarves, jewelry and clothing.
We can’t show our appreciation enough for what you do, not only for Carlé but also for students of the many different schools and school districts.
To show our appreciation we had some of our lead designers make every single one of the volunteers in Totes for Teens a coffee mug.
Cece Brown designed the mugs for Totes and Taylor Churchill and Vanessa Bigelow produced all of them. From all the students and staff at Carlé we are truly grateful to have you in and leading our community helping the youth of today, the future of tomorrow.
Ultimate Peace is an organization that visits the Middle East and unites kids of many countries and religions through the playing of ultimate frisbee.
Our designers, led by head designer Vanessa Bigelow, made more than 100 key chains for this organization and in addition held a contest to redesign their logo.
All the designs were sent to the Middle East where they were judged by the students taking part in the Ultimate Peace program. Ultimate Peace then sent our school photos with the players holding up the top designs that had been chosen.
Winners will get a free tshirt with their designs on them. Taylor Churchill won first, Stacie Clemons won second.
On Nov. 28 Bruno Sabatier of Woodland College visited Carlé. During this visit Sabatier went to each classroom and spoke to the students about the opportunities not only Woodland College offers but just the opportunities of education in general.
Sabatier also gave students information of upcoming classes during the afternoon(after Carlé gets out each day) for student’s convenience. As always we students and staff really appreciate the effort you put into spreading education in the community.
Alan Siegel, Carlé’s history, civics and economics teacher who was awarded State Teacher of the Year in 2005, was selected to work as one of this year’s Teacher of the Year site visit team by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson.
Site visit team member is one of the most prestigious titles a teacher can be awarded with, and in that capacity Siegel would be on the visiting team going to each and every one of the top 15 teachers who were selected by the other state selection committee on which he already serves.
However, Siegel – being committed to providing his students with a steady education – decided he would not be accepting the offer due to the extended time he would have to spend away from teaching.
This process would have pulled him away from us for two to three weeks of education and he felt that if the state was so kind to offer it again he could do it after he retires without affecting the education of his students. He was truly honored by the selection and opportunity.
Nicholas Phipps is a student at Carlé Continuation High School.