Objective 5 – Demonstrate responsible citizenship

When considering the many arenas wherein TSJC (Trinidad State Junior College) students actually demonstrate responsible citizenship, TSJC has a myriad of activities to choose from. TSJC students may experience organized clubs, student leadership, mentoring, and tutoring, as well as volunteer and organized activities. It is within these areas and within the hearts and minds of the students themselves that they have demonstrated responsible and practical citizenship.

Four organizations in particular are amazing outlets for the students to learn and practice their good citizenship: The Office of Student Life (this includes Student Government), SIFE (Students In Free Enterprise), Beta Beta Beta Biology Society, and Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society Association.

The Office of Student Life strives to enhance and enrich the academic experience and provide students with opportunities to participate fully in extra-curricular activities and programs. The goal first and foremost is to provide quality and beneficial services to the student body and college community. This organization affords the opportunities to pursue leadership opportunities, participate in decision-make, and explore personal interests. The Office of Student Life fosters growth and development that is essential to a positive and memorable college experience, and encourages students to become active, involved and responsible members of the college community.

The Student Government Association is an area of the Office of Student Life and its primary purpose is the encouragement of student participation in college affairs; involvement in college and student life sponsored events, plus the building and promotion of a strong college community. Student Government is dedicated to improve students’ academic, social and cultural environments and strive to achieve better interaction among members of the college community. The Trinidad State Jr. College Student Government has provided premier student activities and has led the State Student Advisory Council for the last four years.

SIFE (Student’s In Free Enterprise) has been active on TSJC’s campus since the fall semester of 2001. Membership has fluctuated from the current six active members to as many as fifteen members during the 2001-2002 fiscal year. While the college is an active member of its community, no student organization in its seventy-eight year history has ever impacted the community in such a profound and positive manner.

The SIFE team believes that in order for any individual to succeed, the principles of free enterprise need to be modeled, communicated, and taught. They believe that via education, the promotion and development of leadership, teamwork, and communication skills will further the free enterprise concepts in the community. Members of SIFE are committed to enlightening K-12 students, our college students, and the business community regarding these principles.

The first year (2001-2002) participation in some projects was limited, however, SIFE members were able to gather data for future projects and participant need. Relationships were established between SIFE and the local school districts, business community and community service organizations. Following are the projects SIFE participated in on campus and within the community:

• SIFE worked in cooperation with the local Wal-Mart and visited with over 120 4^th and 5^th grade students. Discussions revolved around how they could make a difference in their community by “random acts of kindness”. Anger management and open communication was the focus.

• SIFE members worked in cooperation with Seniors, Inc. of Trinidad to assist senior citizens in Internet access, emailing, and cyberspace communication. A free workshop was offered to all senior citizens in the Trinidad area.

• SIFE offered a table etiquette and socializing workshop. Participants (mostly TSJC students) were instructed in the art of, mixing and mingling at social/business events, table manners and etiquette, and dance. A dinner/dance was held on the TSJC campus. Basic table etiquette, proper use of flatware, table setting, etc. were presented. A dance workshop was offered to allow participants the opportunity to gain confidence in their social skills.

• SIFE held a Resume Writing Workshop (free to the community), which was conducted by a former student who now works as a banker in the community. Topics included: creating a dynamic and functional resume, job seeking skills, and interviewing techniques.

• In addition to the workshops, SIFE made a number of presentations to various organizations and individuals to promote SIFE to the local community.

• Using the copyrighted BizWorld Kit, the team worked with twenty-seven 7^th graders enrolled in a “Career Opportunity” course. For one and one-half weeks, one hour a day, the SIFE Team taught these students concepts about venture capitalism, revenues, expenses, profit, incorporation, supply and demand, production, marketing, pricing, and selling of a product. Students learned how to measure their company’s success through profit and loss statements, balance sheets, and cash flows statements. Comparisons were made between their companies’ stock value and similar over-the-counter companies (Wal-Mart, Kmart, and Target). The successful company was awarded medals with individual awards to outstanding “employees”.

• Six SIFE team members conducted a workshop with eleven students from a private school in the community. These students with the assistance of the SIFE team, opened a one-day bakery named “Our Daily Bread” and sold cupcakes. Before baking began, the students were given instructions on health and safety issues. A burned product sparked a discussion on Total Quality Management and ethical dilemmas in delivering substandard product to the customer. Students also learned to market and price their product. Delivery of the orders on campus promoted customer service, as well as how to make and count back change without the use of a calculator. The students learned about income and cash flow statements and how they are used within a business by evaluating their business’ success. As the local Wal-Mart donated all the baking supplies, the students did not have to deduct any expenses from their sales revenue. Their profit for “Our Daily Bread” was almost two hundred dollars. The school used this money for a field trip to the Denver Mint.

• An ethics debate was sponsored between local high school students and college students. The debate focused on ethical issues facing students in our community and nationally and was moderated by a TSJC Speech Professor. Topics included: do the students perceive there is an abuse of drugs and alcohol in this community and if so, how does this abuse ultimately impact employers; drug and alcohol testing in the workforce; should a curfew be enforced; and also what are the implications of requiring a meal plan for dorm residents. Several of these topics sparked discussion on the necessity to invite new businesses to the area.

SIFE’s second year (2002-2003) garnered more participation and the projects were

determined according to the needs of the community. The projects chosen by the members of the team follow:

• Many in this area felt the devastation of the drought, but the farmers and ranchers felt a very distressing impact. In turn, the local business economy was also affected. SIFE organized agricultural and financial experts to advise the farmers and ranchers in our county, as well as in four neighboring counties. In workshops conducted over a three-week period. SIFE hosted experts that could advise farmers and ranchers on foreseeable effects on habitat, agricultural taxation issues, tax relief, the economic impact, workforce training information for displaced farmers and ranchers, and animal genetics and health. The impact of these workshops became far-reaching. The Colorado Cattlemen’s Association took the same format of the Trinidad State Junior College SIFE’s workshops and conducted town hall meetings in four regions of the state to provide educational opportunities statewide.

• SIFE developed an “Entrepreneurial Extravaganza” offered to over 160 elementary students at two area school districts. One hundred twenty-five fifth-graders at a public community school and thirty-five 5^th, 6^th, and 7^th graders at a private school in the community participated. The intention was to teach the students the basic concepts of beginning a business while earning money for their class by making and selling small craft items. The concepts discussed included: revenue, expenses, taxation, assembly, advertising, and pricing strategies and sales. The students were responsible for sales and collection of monies on “sale day” while a SIFE member, called the banker, was nearby to help with any financial questions. Income statements and balance sheets were then generated to show the students how well their businesses thrived. Individual class profits varied, with all proceeds going to the individual classes. The project not only taught the students basic entrepreneurial and financial managerial skills, but also incorporated important concepts such as teamwork and ethics.

• SIFE prepared an “Ethical Survey” in order to ascertain the general ethical beliefs of our service area. The survey, which asked general ethical questions as well as ethical questions pertaining to the business environment, was placed on the TSJC SIFE team’s website, available through the TSJC homepage http://www.trinidadstate.edu/sife/. One hundred seventy-two people took the online survey, several of which were from other counties. Data gathered from this survey was shared with our community and used as a basis for formatting the scripts for the “Right or Wrong” game show. With the help of TSJC’s Multimedia Department, local business leaders and various other members of our community, SIFE was able to produce “Right or Wrong”. This ethical game show miniseries aired on TSJC’s TV channel 63. It is estimated that over 1500 households have access to this channel in our community. Much discussion was solicited by this game show’s format. Questions pertaining to various ethical dilemmas were asked of varying age groups, with their responses being taped. The Multimedia Department then formatted the questions and responses for viewing by studio participants. The participants than attempted to guess how the individual would answer the question.

• “College for Kids” became another project undertaken by the SIFE team. SIFE devoted two hours per day for one week to fourth and fifth graders, and another week to sixth to eighth graders. The objective of the program was to improve the reading, writing and arithmetic skills of the students, while promoting the importance of education in a varying and entertaining manner.

• In conjunction with the Trinidad Small Business Administration, and the President of a community bank, SIFE presented a Small Business Loan Workshop. Attendants were informed of the various aspects of beginning a business, specifically, the advantages and disadvantages offered by different loan types. At the end of the workshop, a survey was given to the fifty-four participants, asking them to rate the seminar and what kind of workshops they would be interested in attending in the future. Approximately 87% of the participants reported that the information they were given was valuable and appropriate, and that they would readily attend another workshop sponsored by SIFE.

• In response to area contractors expressing the need for trained workers, the SIFE team has worked in conjunction with Trinidad High School, Trinidad State Junior College, the Trinidad-Las Animas County Economic Development Center and area contractors. Letters were sent out to 160 licensed contractors in Las Animas and Huerfano counties in Colorado and Colfax county in New Mexico to invite them to a building trades dinner in order that all parties could discuss implementing a training program for high school and college students. SIFE assisted with follow-up phone calls to the contractors as well as hosting an invitation dinner for those contractors interested in the program.

• To better serve our community, SIFE randomly selected local businesses and invited them to participate in a Needs Assessment Survey. As a result of this survey, partnerships were developed between SIFE and the following: Trinidad Economic Development Center, TSJC Small Business Development Center, Career and Business Partnerships, Trinidad Chamber of Commerce, and Trinidad High School.

Beta Beta Beta Biology Society (or TriBeta) has also been actively working

in the community. TriBeta is TSJC’s Biology Honors Society. Students must sustain a 3.0 GPA to maintain membership in TriBeta, however, there is far more than academics involved, as you will see below:

• DeBeque Canyon, northeast of Grand Junction, recently received 18 bighorn sheep, restoring a population in native bighorn habitat. The sheep released there were captured from the Rampart Range herd west of Colorado Springs. Trinidad State Jr. College biology professor Ron Rankin and Wildlife Biology students Melanie Bernal, Desi Maxwell, Robert Santistevan and Robbie Eales joined Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW) staff members and assisted with the capture and relocation project. A large drop net was released over about 40 of the bighorns as they ate alfalfa hay and apple mash used to bait them to the site. Once the net dropped, the TSJC volunteers helped DOW staff restrain, untangle, blindfold, hobble, medicate and load the animals. The animals were ear-tagged and three were outfitted with radio collars before they were loaded into a covered horse trailer for the trip to DeBeque Canyon.
• The relocation of the 18 sheep continues a 50-year-old DOW program to re-establish populations of Colorado’s state animal. Lungworm and related lung bacterial infections leading to pneumonia are a common cause of death. Several bighorn sheep lungworm research investigations have been conducted at TSJC in the last several years. Professor Rankin presented some of this research last fall at the San Luis Valley Biological Symposium.
• Professor Rankin’s biology department had received about $70,000 worth of new lab equipment through a National Institutes of Health grant. Rankin is coordinating a bighorn sheep DNA research project with Dr. Laurie Baeten, Bob Davies, Lisa Wolfe of the DOW, and Dr. Dan Capriologio of the University of Southern Colorado (soon to be known as Colorado State University at Pueblo). The TSJC biologists obtained a blood sample from each of the 18 bighorns relocated. The plan is to extract the DNA from the white blood cells, amplify it, and then determine the genetic diversity of the animals. It is hoped that this procedure will help take some of the guesswork out of management decisions.

• Trinidad State Junior College biology students recently returned from the Regional TriBeta Biology Conference held at Westminster College in Salt Lake City. TSJC was the first two-year college in the nation to be granted membership and is the only two-year college in this region.
• Nine TSJC biology students and Biology Professor Ron Rankin attended the collegiate conference. TSJC presented results of five original research projects completed at Trinidad. Robbie Eales received a third place award for his research presentation titled, “Efficacy of Fenbendazole in Apple Pulp Against Lungworms in Bighorn Sheep”. Eales used a Power Point presentation to explain his research that compared lungworm infestation rates between the bighorn herd on Mt. Mestas that have been treated for lungworm since 1995 and an untreated herd on the Huerfano Wildlife Management Area.
• Virgil Miller won the Biology Photography contest with an Ansel Adams-style photo called “Frosty Willows,” Miller also won the contest at the last conference.
• Other oral research presentations included Ben Roberts, “Effects of Easy and Interval Warm-Up Methods on Wingate Anaerobic Power Production”; and Desi Maxwell, “Population Density and Microhabitat of the Rare Canadian River Spiny Aster on Raton Pass”.
• Tracy Daily and Jonathan Kelly did a poster presentation on: Bosque del Oso Wildlife Management Area: Management Recommendations Prioritized for Habitat Types and Non-native Species”, and Virgil Miller did his poster presentation on “Assessing and Predicting the Impact of Discharges of Coal Bed Methane Produced Water on the Terrestrial Biota of Ephemeral Streams in the Raton Basin”.
• Some of the photos entered in the photography contest were taken with the new TSJC Nikon phase-contrast fluorescent microscope that was acquired through a National Institute of Health Grant. Jennifer Barela’s photo was of lymphocytes cultured from a mouse spleen, proliferated with lipo-polysaccharide mitogen, and tagged with fluorescent antibodies. The National Institute of Health and the Colorado Alliance financed the trip for Minority Participation Grants and by the student participants.

Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society is the largest international honor society for students at two-year colleges and is dedicated to improving individual scholarship opportunities. Sophomores must maintain at least a 3.5 out of a possible 4.0 GPA (Grade point average) in order to become a member of this exclusive society. Trinidad State Junior College inducted 30 students into Phi Theta Kappa in 2002, and 22 students in 2003.

Who’s Who Among Students in American Junior Colleges is an organization that honors deserving sophomore leaders that have maintained a 3.0 GPA in academics, and that participate in extracurricular activities and community service. These distinguished college students must be nominated by a faculty member and have proven they stand out from the crowd. Trinidad State Junior College faculty nominated and honored 29 students in 2002 and 51 students in 2003.

Supplemental Instruction Leaders. Supplemental Instruction is an academic support program that uses peer assisted study sessions to help students process course content. Participation is voluntary and open to all students in the course. The SI session integrates how to learn with what to learn by helping students develop essential study skills using the content and materials from the course being facilitated.

The SI sessions are directed by SI Leaders who attend class and SI sessions. Leaders are trained in a supplemental instruction approach pioneered at the University of Missouri, Kansas City. SI Leaders are:

· Model students of the subject

· Have passed the course with an “A”

· Chosen with the help of the course instructor

SI training makes each leader a functional expert in study skills, learning processes and group dynamics. An SI Leader acts as a mentor and a peer tutor for student groups who attend weekly content review sessions. In their roles as SI Leaders, these students are required to conduct regular 50-minute study sessions with student groups of varying ability, and to design activities for the effective processing of course content. SI Leaders consistently maintain positive relationships with course instructors, SI supervisors, and the students they work with.

TSJC offered our students the opportunity to take advantage of Supplemental Instruction in six subject areas in the Fall of 2003: Psychology, College English Composition, Algebra-based Physics I, Calculus-based Physics, College Biology and Anatomy and Physiology. Four of our students were trained to do Supplemental Instruction in those areas. In the Spring semester of 2003, TSJC offered Supplemental Instruction in four specialties: Psychology 235 (Human Growth and Development), College English, Algebra-based Physics II, and Calculus II.

Twenty-seven tutors were provided to the students in at least that many subjects during the 2002-2003 school year. Any student needing help in any area is provided a tutor at no charge. Trinidad State Junior College is committed to helping all of our students that express a need, to be successful.

Students that stand out! Several students that have attended TSJC during the 2002-2003 school year really stand out as quality individuals whose citizenship and integrity are exemplary. Just some stories about these individuals may be found below.

Supplemental Instruction Leaders and peer-tutors are fine examples of how student leaders positively impact academic success among students they assist. SI Leaders work with at-risk student groups, modeling sensible and effective study behaviors as they review challenging course content. This year SI grade points averaged a full letter higher than the averages of non-participating students. Tutors work with students in one-to-one content processing sessions, usually for an entire semester. They are paid a pittance, but they continue to amaze us with the level of dedication and commitment they show.

· Carol Martin is a student whose wit, humor and leadership have had a strong positive effect on students she works with. Her Psychology SI group prepares PowerPoint slides containing course content, as they get ready for midterms and finals. They learn how to anticipate test questions and how to use the PowerPoint program at the same time. The group’s laughter and lively talk is proof that they are enjoying test review!

· In the Learning Center, students request one-to-one academic support. Rena Freed came in two years ago as a struggling student and single mom. She has blossomed into one of our finest tutors in Psychology and mathematics. Rena says, “I never felt like I belonged to a group before I came here, and now I feel like I am with the coolest on campus!”

· Two incidents that stand out for Terre Compton (English Instructor and Learning Center Assistant) this year prove to her that life is indeed a circle. The first is the compassion that Sylvia Oxenrider showed. Sylvia came to the Learning Center in January, looking for a tutor. She came bent, broken, and wounded. Within months her grades began to rise, she gained self-confidence, got to know other tutees, and was introduced to Ramon Vigil. Earlier in the year, Ramon passed the written CNA (Nurse Aid), but failed the ‘practical’ part of the test. He told Sylvia about his problems, and Sylvia offered to help him, on her own time, in her home. She has children that have the same eye/hand coordination problems, and is able to work with Ramon on his level. When he cannot get to her house, she packs up her supplies and brings them into the Learning Center to work with him.

· Leslie Peterson is a tutee in the Learning Center who has demonstrated camaraderie and community spirit. A fellow student and one of our tutor’s, Clarissa Trujillo, was in need of medical help, but too sick to get herself to the hospital. Leslie found a way to get into Clarissa’s room, get her into a car, and take her to the hospital.

· Minh Tran is one of Trinidad State’s international students. Minh is a 16-year-old Vietnamese national that has contributed an amazing amount of his time and effort to this campus. Minh helped Web Master, Doug Holdread to design parts of the Trinidad State Junior College website, he designed the SIFE website and Minh also designed the SIFE “Ethical Survey”.

· Sandy Veltri (Business Program Director and SIFE Program Sponsor) volunteered that it was because of Lynette Bates that SIFE offered the Farm/Ranch Workshops last semester. It was because of Lynette’s tireless efforts that farmers in Las Animas and Huerfano counties were offered information about tax relief, environmental issues, and retraining. These counties and many others in the state of Colorado have suffered with drought conditions for the last few years and farmers and ranchers in this area are really hurting. Lynette did such a wonderful job pulling off the three-series workshops that the Cattleman’s Association copied almost identically the format we offered. Through her efforts, SIFE impacted over 100 participants that attended the workshops, but the reach was far wider than that – it went beyond our service area.

· Another testimony to Lynette Bates compassion and great integrity came from Sherry Pacino (assistant to the NRA Director). Sherry states “Lynette Bates is a full-time student and an employee that stands out in my mind. She works very hard in SIFE, she tutors at the writing center and works for Clyde Nash (Director of Career and Business Partners). I always see her name on the President’s list. Her office is right next to mine and she is always offering to help in some way. If she is going to the Berg Building, she always asks if I have mail to take. If she is going to make copies, she asks if I need any made. When we mail out brochures, she offers to help. Her husband works for the Department of Wildlife, so she always brings our brochures and flyers out there to promote our NRA Programs. I always hear her talk about other students and how much she likes her tutoring job. She says she loves to work with the kids. She even cleans around our office. One day she brought in a new plastic tablecloth, a new mug tree for our cups, and little holders for our sugar packets, so everything would look nice. Lynette definitely deserves to be mentioned for her good citizenship and her great big heart”.

· Lynette Bates has her own “unsung heroes” to recommend, “Jina Mangino and Greg Farrburden. Jina will take notes during class for absent students (athletes gone for games) and make sure they keep up with assignments. Greg, in all of his humor, not only adds his unique perspective and flair to everything in class, but also when SIFE has taken projects off campus to the local schools, the kids gravitate to Greg”.

· Nellie Barros (assistant to the Vice-president of Fiscal Services) offers this endorsement about her student assistant, Jennifer Barela. “Jennifer is very active in TriBeta and I know she was involved in some type of non-smoking campaign with Francis Cuckow (advisor) and has done some research internship with Ron Rankin last year. She is an all around good student and has been an excellent workstudy employee”.

Assessing the development of good citizenship among TSJC students posed perhaps the most difficult task because this objective is quite subjective in nature. The best of many proposed solutions was to consider the many areas that our students actually demonstrate responsible citizenship. While this does not necessarily imply that the level of citizenship has “increased” while at TSJC, no one, no test, really could make that kind of judgment.

Trinidad State Junior College has many “unsung heroes”; the people that stay in the background yet impact us in so many positive ways every day. We wish that we could recognize each and every one of them for their compassion and heart; however, we will allow the above short collection of stories to represent the student body at large and recognize those not mentioned through their acknowledged counterparts.