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WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5) announced $1 million in funding from Department of Transportation (DOT) for the California Maritime Academy based in Vallejo, California.
The funding will help ensure well-educated and highly skilled U.S. Merchant Marine officers are available to meet our nation’s national security and economic needs.
“This important funding will help Cal Maritime prepare brave Merchant Marines for the challenges they will face,” said Thompson. “This is exactly the kind of investment our government should be making. We’re recycling obsolete ships and using the funding to prepare our next generation of maritime professionals.”
The funding came from the sale of obsolete vessels from the Maritime Administration’s National Defense Reserve Fleet, which were purchased for recycling.
As required by the National Maritime Heritage Act, 25 percent of the profit from sales is distributed to maritime academies for facility and training ship maintenance, repair, and modernization, and for the purchase of simulators and fuel; 25 percent is provided to the National Park Service, which provides grants for maritime heritage activities through the National Maritime Heritage Grants Program; and 50 percent funds the acquisition, maintenance, and repair of vessels in the National Defense Reserve Fleet.
The nation’s maritime academies train young men and women for service in the American merchant marine, the U.S. Armed Forces, and the Nation’s intermodal transportation system.
Since 2009, the Maritime Administration has provided more than $8.9 million in funding generated from vessel sales to the state academies and the United States Merchant Marine Academy.
The Maritime Administration promotes a strong U.S. commercial maritime industry through effective training and education of the men and women who will join its ranks upon graduation.
The agency supports maritime academies through direct funding and also provides scholarships through a student incentive payment program to a select number of state maritime academy students who commit to a post-graduation service obligation.
The Maritime Administration also provides training vessels to all six state maritime academies for use in at-sea training and as shore side maritime skills and proficiency laboratories.
Thompson represents California’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties.
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This week is School Choice Week in California and across the country.
More than 440 events are planned across the Golden State, in addition to 5,500 events nationwide.
The week, which is the nation’s largest-ever celebration of educational opportunity, gives students, parents and teachers in California a chance to raise awareness of the different types of educational options available to families in advance of the 2014-2015 school year.
Events across the state will include rallies, school fairs, roundtable discussions, open houses and parent information sessions.
National School Choice Week spotlights all types of education options for families – including traditional public schools, public magnet schools, charter schools, private schools, online learning and homeschooling.
In addition to raising awareness of school choice options in California, the week also provides students, parents and teachers with an opportunity to call on leaders in Sacramento to expand access to high-quality education environments for children.
“California families know that when parents have the freedom to choose the best schools for their children, great things happen,” said Andrew Campanella, president of National School Choice Week. “Student achievement increases, graduation rates rise, and children are better prepared for real life.”
Said Campanella: “We hope families across the state will use National School Choice Week as an opportunity to learn more about the educational options available to their children, and to begin researching schools for the 2014-2015 school year. If families want to switch schools, January is the time to start the search process.”
For more information, visit www.schoolchoiceweek.com .
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UKIAH, Calif. – Mendocino College is currently accepting scholarship applications for the 2014-2015 fall and spring semesters.
The deadline to apply is 4 p.m. on Friday, Feb, 28.
“Last year Mendocino College students were awarded over 160 scholarships, totaling more than $183,000,” said Lana Eberhard, Mendocino College Foundation scholarship coordinator.
While 65 percent of the applicants received an award, over 87 percent of them received $1,000 or more in scholarship dollars. Awards range in value from $100 to $2,000.
“One application is all you have to fill out to be considered for a wide variety of scholarships,” said Eberhard. Students can qualify for and receive more than one award. Some career specific awards include nursing, sciences, culinary arts, performing arts and public service. High school students, current college students and anyone planning to enroll in the fall 2014 semester are encouraged to apply.
The application must be typed or keyed from the electronic form available on the Mendocino College Web site.
Essays telling why you need financial assistance as well as two letters of recommendation are required.
Graduating high school seniors also must include a copy of their current high school transcripts.
“The essay is evaluated on things such as career and educational goals and how a scholarship will help a student attend and stay in college,” says Eberhard. “Tell a compelling story, and write about what is important to you.”
She is available in the Mendocino College Foundation office to assist with questions and the application.
In addition, she has posted an extensive list of tips on how to write an award-winning essay and how to ask for letters of recommendation on the college’s Web site.
Eberhard encourages anyone applying for the first time to attend one of her upcoming application workshops: Lake Center, Jan. 30 at 4 p.m.; Ukiah Campus, Feb. 5 at 12:15 p.m.; and North County Center in Willits, February 6 at 5:30 p.m. No reservation is required.
“I advise anyone who is thinking about applying to start right now. Applicants need to give themselves time to draft the essay, and also give anyone who is writing a letter of recommendation time to get it done before the Feb. 28 deadline,” says Eberhard.
Scholarships are often awarded to students based on career or educational goals, grade point average, financial need, service to community groups, participation in clubs, volunteerism and hardships that have been overcome.
To apply for a scholarship, visit the Mendocino College Web site at www.mendocino.edu then click “students” and then “scholarships.”
Other scholarship opportunities offered outside of the college are also listed on the Mendocino College Web site.
For more information, contact Lana Eberhard at 707-467-1018 or
The college invites individuals or organizations interested in contributing to the college’s scholarship fund, the book awards program or sponsoring a scholarship to contact the Mendocino College Foundation at 707-467-1018.
The Mendocino College scholarship awards ceremonies take place in May and the scholarship money is available in August for the fall semester.
For more information about contributing to the Mendocino College Foundation, call the foundation office at 707-467-1018 or email Katie Fairbairn at
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SPOKANE, Wash. – Eric Schenck, a resident of Middletown, Calif., has earned placement on the Gonzaga University President's List for fall semester 2013.
Students must earn a 3.7 to 4.0 grade-point average to be listed.
Gonzaga University is a humanistic, private Catholic University providing a Jesuit education to more than 7,500 students.
Situated along the Spokane River near downtown Spokane, Wash., Gonzaga is routinely recognized among the West's best comprehensive regional universities.
Gonzaga offers 75 fields of study, 25 master's degrees, a doctorate in leadership studies, and a Juris Doctor degree through its School of Law.