KCC closed Monday for Memorial Day

A view of the flags flying over KCC's North Avenue campus.

A view of the flags flying over KCC’s North Avenue campus.

All Kellogg Community College campus locations will be closed Monday in observance of Memorial Day.

However, community members and college students will host a Memorial Day ceremony on KCC’s North Avenue campus in Battle Creek beginning at 11 a.m. that day.

The hour-long ceremony, to be held near the flag pole in the center of campus, will be open to the public and feature a variety of speakers, musical performances and presentations.

Attendees are encouraged to bring their own blankets or chairs for the event; in the event of inclement weather, the event will be held inside the Binda Theatre. A reception with light refreshments will follow the ceremony in KCC’s Student Center.

All campus locations will return to their regular summer schedules on Tuesday.

For more news about Kellogg Community College, view our latest press releases online atwww.kellogg.edu/daily/category/press-releases.

Grahl Center summer courses offer something for everyone

KCC's Grahl Center is located in Coldwater.

KCC’s Grahl Center is located in Coldwater.

COLDWATER – Kellogg Community College is offering a variety of courses at the Grahl Center during the 2013 summer semester, which began this week.

While some classes began May 20, others don’t start until later in the summer for the convenience of students, whether they are working professionals, retirees or university enrollees completing extra course work.

“Even in the summer, our classes offer something for everyone,” said Roberta Gagnon, director of the Grahl Center.

The summer course schedule at the Grahl Center includes an array of classes, from basic math and composition to an introduction to psychology and computer software.

“We have a wellness class in which people can walk or jog twice a week on their lunch hours and we have a United States history class for people who want to learn about the social and political heritage of our country,” Gagnon said.

For more information about classes offered at the Grahl Center, call 517-278-3300 or email Gagnon at gagnonr@kellogg.edu.

For more news about Kellogg Community College, view our latest press releases online atwww.kellogg.edu/daily/category/press-releases.

Watch KCC’s 2013 commencement ceremony online

Battle Creek’s AccessVision was on-site recording Kellogg Community College’s commencement ceremony last week and has posted the video on their website. You can view the video as embedded above or on the AccessVision website at http://accessvision.tv/node/42782.

AccessVision will also be broadcasting the video on television at the following times:

  • 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 22
  • Noon Saturday, May 25
  • 3 p.m. Sunday, June 2
  • 7 p.m. Thursday, June 6

AccessVision is also selling DVD copies of the commencement ceremony for $15 each. Contact them at 269-968-3633 or visit http://accessvision.tv for more information.

KCC to hold Summer Soccer Camp for kids June 17-20

Nearly 50 area youths participated in KCC's latest round of soccer camps for kids.

Nearly 50 area youths participated in KCC’s latest round of soccer camps for kids.

Kellogg Community College women’s soccer players and coaching staff will lead a Summer Soccer Camp for kids ages 5 through 12 from Monday, June 17, through Thursday, June 20, at the soccer field on KCC’s North Avenue campus.

The camp includes a 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. half-day option, which costs $30 for the week, and a 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. full-day option, which costs $50 for the week. Early drop off is available beginning at 9 a.m., and full-day campers must bring a sack lunch.

Camp participants will be grouped according to their ages and skill levels and split accordingly into beginner, intermediate and advanced groups. The coaches will dedicate morning sessions to working on dribbling, trapping, passing and kicking techniques, with the afternoons reserved for various drills and scrimmages designed to allow players to improve on skills in game situations.

At the end of the camp, each participant will receive a certificate of completion along with signed evaluations by all of the coaches.

Barth Beasley, head women’s soccer coach at KCC, said the last soccer camp for kids held over Spring Break at KCC drew nearly 50 participants.

“The kids came to learn and have fun,” Beasley said. “They were eager to learn new things and take on new challenges.”

To register for the camp, email KCCSummerSoccerCamp@yahoo.com for a registration form or call Coach Beasley at 269-565-7950. Checks should be made payable to KCC Women’s Soccer and should be mailed to Kellogg Community College, 450 North Ave., Battle Creek, MI 49017.

For more information about the women’s soccer program at KCC, contact Coach Beasley at 269-565-7950 or soccercoach@kellogg.edu or visit www.kellogg.edu/athletics/soccer/index.html.

For more news about Kellogg Community College, view our latest press releases online at www.kellogg.edu/daily/category/press-releases.

KCC’s Air Rescue Firefighter Trainer to train firefighters in Flint

Firefighters train using KCC's ARFF Trainer. Photo by Connie Dawe.

Firefighters train using KCC’s ARFF Trainer. Photo by Connie Dawe.

Kellogg Community College’s Air Rescue Firefighter (ARFF) Trainer, an aircraft fire simulator used to train fire departments across the United States to respond to aircraft fires, will be at Bishop International Airport in Flint training firefighters this Thursday and Friday, May 16 and 17.

Observers at the airport should note that the training exercises can produce 20- to 30-foot high-intensity flames and emergency response vehicles will be on scene at the airport. These measures are part of the ARFF training exercises.

Questions about the training may be directed to Chief Christopher Miller, director of public safety at the airport, at cmiller@bishopairport.org.

The ARFF trainer is a Federal Aviation Administration-approved mobile aircraft firefighting trainer designed to be used by fire departments to meet their annual “hot drill” certification requirements by simulating realistic aircraft fire scenarios. The trainer can simulate fires caused by flammable liquid spills, engines, interior cabins, wheel brakes and auxiliary power units.

The ARFF training benefits participating departments by providing:

  • Increased skills performance through team practice with the departments’ own equipment.
  • The elimination of travel costs – which can be up to $90,000 for a large department, depending on how far the department has to travel – for the team by using a mobile trainer at the airport site.
  • The elimination or decrease of overtime pay because personnel can train during duty hours.
  • The ability to invite mutual aid responders to train with the department.
  • A total of eight hours of training, including both classroom and hands-on training.
  • The possibility of customized training based on the airport, the city or the county’s needs.

The ARFF trainer weighs 80,000 pounds, looks like a Beechcraft 1900 passenger aircraft, is built around a 50-foot-long trailer towed by a 2003 Peterbilt semi-tractor, has a 1,300-square-foot spill pan area, has four aircraft engines and can burn 800 gallons of propane during an eight-hour training session.

Despite the heat and intensity of the ARFF trainer, the aircraft is safe because the instructors have complete control of the flames during all training exercises.

For more information about the ARFF program, visit www.kellogg.edu/arff.

For more news about Kellogg Community College, view our latest press releases online at www.kellogg.edu/daily/category/press-releases.

Community to host Memorial Day event at KCC

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The sign at the front of KCC’s North Avenue campus.

In honor of the men and women who have died while serving in the United States armed forces, community members and college students will host a Memorial Day ceremony at Kellogg Community College’s North Avenue campus in Battle Creek at 11 a.m. May 27, 2013.

The hour-long ceremony, to be held near the flag pole in the center of campus, will be open to the public and feature a variety of speakers, musical performances and presentations.

Speakers will include retired U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Robert Secrist of Galesburg and veteran Gig Wagner with the Michigan Patriot Guard, a nonprofit organization that assists military members and veterans and their families.

Musical performers will include the Cereal City Concert Band, Lakeview High School Band, Kalamazoo Pipe Band, Mall City Harmonizers and retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Nicholas Batch.

Also expected to attend are Duane Dewey, a former U.S. Marine who received the Medal of Honor for his actions in the Korean War, members of several “Gold Star” families in the area and some of the estimated 200 military veterans who currently attend KCC.

Attendees are encouraged to park in Lot H, accessed directly from North Avenue and Roosevelt Avenue, and bring their own blankets or chairs for the event. A reception with light refreshments will follow the ceremony in KCC’s Student Center. In the event of inclement weather, the event will be held inside the Binda Theatre.

For more news about Kellogg Community College, view our latest press releases online at www.kellogg.edu/daily/category/press-releases.

View W.K. Kellogg III’s visits to KCC online and on AccessVision

If you missed W.K. Kellogg III’s appearances at Kellogg Community College recently, have no fear. AccessVision was on hand to film the events — a Michigan historical marker dedication ceremony on Sunday, April 28, and a discussion with select students on Monday, April 29 — and has posted the video online, which we have embedded above in this post.

If you’d like to watch the program on television, it will air on channels 17 and 917 as well as AT&T U-verse Channel 99 at the following times:

  • Noon Monday, May 13
  • Noon Saturday, May 18
  • 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 22
  • 6 p.m. Friday, May 31

Thanks to AccessVision for being there to capture these historic events for KCC! For more information about the company, visit them online at http://accessvision.tv.

KCC commencement is May 15 at Kellogg Arena

A photo from KCC's commencement ceremony in 2012.

A photo from KCC’s commencement ceremony in 2012.

Kellogg Community College is celebrating the awarding of nearly 1,500 degrees and certificates over the past year with its annual commencement ceremony at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 15, at Kellogg Arena, 36 W. Hamblin Ave., in Battle Creek.

The event – in which 386 graduates are expected to participate – is free to attend and open to the public. Tickets are not required.

Commencement events will begin with a breakfast for KCC graduates and staff beginning at 8 a.m. A commencement rehearsal will immediately follow the breakfast at the arena.

The commencement program will include addresses from KCC staff and trustees, with remarks from Associate in General Studies graduate Anna M. Bennison. The 1,473 awards to be presented during the ceremony will include 1,146 degrees and 327 certificates.

Kellogg Arena parking, with a cash-only fee, is available in a ramp off of Hamblin Avenue.

Questions about commencement and graduation may be directed to the KCC registrar’s office at 269-965-3931 ext. 2612.

For more news about Kellogg Community College, view our latest press releases online at www.kellogg.edu/daily/category/press-releases.

KCC to host NJCAA Region XII baseball, softball championships

KCC will again host the NJCAA regional baseball and softball tournaments at Bailey Park in Battle Creek.

KCC will again host the NJCAA district baseball and softball tournaments at Bailey Park in Battle Creek.

Kellogg Community College will host the National Junior College Athletic Association’s (NJCAA) 2013 Region XII Baseball and Softball District Championships beginning Wednesday, May 8, and running through Saturday, May 11, at Bailey Park in Battle Creek.

Twelve softball teams will compete May 8-10 to become district champions to represent District G and District H on the way to the NJCAA Division II Softball National Championships, scheduled for May 15-18 in Clinton, Miss. Six teams, including five from the Michigan Community College Athletic Association and one team from the Ohio Community College Athletic Conference, will compete for each district.

The baseball tournament will see eight teams vying for a single district champion title, including six from the MCCAA and two southern Region XII teams. The Region XII District Baseball Champion will go on to compete in the NJCAA’s Division II Baseball World Series scheduled for May 25 through June 1 in Enid, Okla.

Events on the field will be preceded by coaches meetings that will include nominations and voting for the NJCAA All-Region and All-American teams. The events will conclude with awards ceremonies, including honors for individual and team champions and runners-up, Tournament Most Valuable Player, and Coach of the Year.

Tickets for the events must be purchased onsite and cost $5 per day for adults and $3 per day for senior citizens 65 and older and for children younger than 12. Children under the age of 2 will be admitted free.

Kellogg Community College’s baseball team finished first in its Michigan Community College Athletic Association Conference this year and will enter the tournament as the No. 2 seed. Their first game will begin at 3:30 p.m. May 8.

In 2011, the KCC baseball team won the tournament after entering as the lowest seed and finished fourth out of 10 teams in the following national tournament. In 2012, the Bruins entered as first-seeded MCCAA conference champs but did not advance to World Series play.

KCC’s softball team did not qualify to compete in postseason play this season.

For more information about these events or to request media credentials to cover them, contact MCCAA Information Director Tod Hess at todhess@comcast.net.

For photos of the Kellogg Community College baseball and softball teams in action, visit www.facebook.com/KelloggCommunityCollege/photos_stream.

For more news about Kellogg Community College, view our latest press releases online at www.kellogg.edu/daily/category/press-releases.

Theater students to present first-ever spring Mich Mash May 10

Students rehearse a scene from the fall semester Mich Mash held in December.

Students rehearse a scene from the fall semester Mich Mash held in December.

Kellogg Community College theater students will present more than a dozen theatrical scenes and a handful of short films as part of the college’s first-ever spring semester Mich Mash beginning at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 10, at the Binda Theatre, 450 North Ave. in Battle Creek.

Admission is free and the event is open to the public.

The event is the second of what is planned to be a semiannual showcase highlighting the work done by students in KCC theater classes each semester (the first Mich Mash was held last fall).

Brad Poer, a KCC instructor and director of the college’s theater productions, said the evening will include nearly three dozen students performing 10 to 15 scenes live and presenting two or three short films.

“This semester we are featuring a new, original zombie satire, a send-up of ‘No Country for Old Men,’ fresh new improv, and several scenes from our Acting I students,” Poer said. “You never know what’s around the corner!”

Most of the featured pieces are a few minutes long, Poer said, giving the event a likely runtime of around 90 minutes. All ages are welcome, but Poer said the content of the evening likely would be rated PG-13.

For more information, contact director Brad Poer at poerb@kellogg.edu.

For more news about Kellogg Community College, view our latest press releases online at www.kellogg.edu/daily/category/press-releases.