GC St. Johnsbury Spring Update

Global Campus St. Johnsbury kicked off their Spring Term with a Snow Day event, held at Lyndon Outing Club. The event was lucky to coincide with a blizzard, one of the few snowy days of the year, and the group had a great time building snowmen, sledding, snow shoeing and playing games inside the lodge.

New this term, the campus designed the Intensive Study Unit. The group wanted the opportunity to offer extended classes during the Wednesday meetings. These units met for two weeks at the end of the term and allowed four faculty members to offer intensive studies on a topic of their choice. The Intensive Study Units offered were Living On Our Own, Bag Making, Greek Mythology and Wonderful Weaving.

Cristy and Levi’s Chorus Club continued throughout the semester. The club met weekly at the Unitarian Church and performed America the Beautiful at the Global Campus Hardwick talent show. The group plans to continue their singing throughout the summer and combine with a few other groups – the Harmonica Club and Dancing with the Stars Class.

This term, the Global Campus St. Johnsbury Staff spent their time designing a community service project. The initial plan was to build picnic tables for a raffle, which would sponsor a local charitable organization. The Staff wrote a proposal and solicited support from local businesses. In the end, the group opted to change the structure of the project and offer their services to Springfield College for picnic table varnishing. This project will take place on July 7.

Congratulations to Global Campus St. Johnsbury students for completing their seventh academic term!

GC St. Johnsbury: Farm Visit

Early in the Spring Term, Marshall suggested it would be fun to visit Second Chance Farm and went about setting up the logistics of the visit. He works at the farm and wanted to show people around. We arrived and met his boss, Penny. Penny let Marshall lead the tour. We started with the freezers and storage and Marshall showed everyone where the meat and eggs are stored. Marshall brought out his egg scale, egg-collecting bin and egg cartons. He told the class that he is in charge of collecting the eggs, weighing them, cleaning them, and then putting them in cartons. He explained that some eggs are jumbo and some are small – this depends on the chicken, he explained. The scale had markers ranging from “too small” to “ouch!”

Next, Marshall led us down to the barnyard. Penny explained that she keeps her animals like they do in the movie Babe. Everyone lives together. We saw chickens, ducks, pigs, sheep, geese and a lamb all in the same big barnyard. The pigs, Lucy and Ethel, were very popular. Lucy showed off rolling in the mud and splattering everyone’s pants with muddy water. Inside the barn, Marshall showed us the baby chicks.

Next, Marshall took us to the fields. He explained that Penny’s plan is to bring the chickens into the field in a moveable pen so they can fertilize the grass. As of now, cows, sheep, a goat and a llama live in the fields. Penny brought us out compost to feed the animals. Rosie loved feeding the cows and sheep and had fun throwing in loaves and loaves of old bread. Cristy made friends with the goat, Stars. Sharilyn said she was having a great time, which she never expected she would! Marshall hopped the fence and picked up a baby lamb for us to pat. Lastly, we went out to look at the beef cows. Penny moves them around to different parts of the pasture so they can graze at different levels of grass and clover. Regina showed interest in the cows and knew that cows without horns are called “polled.” We have a lot of farming knowledge in our group!

GC Springfield: Video Project

This spring term Global Campus Springfield participants were involved in a video project sponsored by Lincoln Street, Inc., our partnering agency, to highlight the Global Campus experience. During the filming, a number of participants were interviewed about their involvement with Global Campus and how the Global Campus experience has enhanced their lives by increasing their confidence and teaching them skills that they can use not only as Global Campus Faculty and Student Learners but in other areas of their lives as well.

GC Newport: Ice Cream Making Class

Homemade Ice Cream class is fun for all! To begin, Kasey setup milk, sugar, vanilla, mixing bowls, blueberries, ice and rock salt in the front of the room and then walked the class through the process of making ice cream. She invited people up one-by-one to help mix the ingredients, and explained the process as she went. People contributed their knowledge – some recipes use eggs, some don't. Some people use electric ice-cream makers, some don't. After the batter was mixed, Kasey poured the milk into small zip-lock bags and placed the bags inside coffee cans. Next, she filled the coffee can with ice and rock salt and taped the lid closed. She demonstrated how to roll the can on the floor, back and forth, to help the ice cream freeze. Bernie volunteered to roll the can, and she got down on the floor, putting all her effort into the can rolling. Kasey also showed how the zip lock bag could be placed inside a larger bag, also filled with ice and rock salt, and the bags could be shaken to freeze the ice cream. We had two methods going at once.

There was so much ice cream batter that almost everyone in the class of thirty was given a bag or tin can to shake. The room came alive, people got down on the floor and walked around shaking bags and laughing – everyone had a lot of energy. We had a few adventures of leaking bags and salty clothes and soon learned that condensation forms quickly on the cold ice cream makers. After about twenty minutes our first batch was ready to taste. People commented that the consistency was similar to a creamy or a milk shake. The ice cream tasted great – there’s nothing like homemade ice cream!

GC Moretown: Green Up Walk

The day starts outside Middlesex on River Road with a lively crew from Global Campus Moretown. This is a class on Greening Up taught by Matthew Hersey. We go out on this project as a belated Green Up Day to collect litter left behind by our neighbors and to improve the environment. We go up and down the sides of the road finding recyclables, mailboxes, cardboard, and metal. Finding a way to dispose of these items and write for it is what brings us here on this beautiful day. The turnout of people for this project is fabulous…at least twenty people have joined to help the environment. As we walk down the dirt road I’m at the back of the pack but the effects of this effort are still clear on the faces of the adults. Clear joy, not only for the beautiful day, but for the chance to clean up their environment and make a difference. The day ends with a gathering of twenty to thirty bags of garbage to be collected and several piles of tires and metal on the side of the road.

By Lee Willsey Potter, GC Moretown Participant

GC Hardwick: We've Got Talent!

On May 4^th, James hosted a talent show! He brought tablecloths, star confetti, star mobiles, and a karaoke machine to transform the Greensboro Bend Church into a place where stars are born. We pushed the tables back, set up rows of chairs facing a stage surrounded by stars and arranged a judges’ table to the side of the main stage. James prepared grading rubric and nametags for the judges.

As people arrived, a few people came in costume and others brought instruments. Cristy and Levi came from Global Campus St. J, dressed in red white and blue and carrying an American Flag. Debbie wore a Hawaiian dress and shirt and Kei brought his drum. Amy brought her fiddle. Melissa wore a leather coat and pants.

Almost everyone in the group performed for the talent show. Annie and Amanda performed a sign-song, where they signed the words and sang while Kei kept the beat on his drum. Lots of people performed Karaoke songs – some good country twang came through. Connor (and back-up dancers) performed YMCA. Melissa broke out her Flashdance skills. I played the fiddle. Cristy and Levi asked for audience participation for their A cappella song, This land is Your Land.

The judges had a hard time picking winners and ended up throwing the ribbons over their shoulders and announcing that everyone received first place. All participants and audience members received Achievement Awards for their performances.

Global Campus Chiang Mai Key Administrators Promoted

Global Campuses Foundation is pleased to announce that the two key administrators of Global Campus Chiang Mai, Kachakorn Thaveesri (Ka) and Yutthaphon Damrongchuensakun (Non), have advanced to new positions. 
Sheryl Tewksbury, Director of GCF stated that she and other GCF colleagues are impressed with the professional advancement of Ka and Non since they first started their roles at Global Campus Chiang Mai.  In a brief time period, they have not only administered many accomplishments of the campus, developed personally and professionally, but also have advanced the mission of GCF in Thailand markedly.  We congratulate them on their success.

Ka who served as the Campus Director of GCC since it started in 2002, will now take on the position of GCF Regional Director: S.E. Asia.  Her new responsibilities will be directed toward expansion of Global Campuses within Thailand as well as to other regions such as Viet Nam, Cambodia, and Burma.  Over the past 2 years, Ka has had the opportunity to train as a facilitator with a Japanese sponsored organization called the Asia-Pacific Development Center on Disability, APCD www.apcdproject.org.  In May, she was invited to become an APCD international facilitator.  As a facilitator, Ka leads Disability Equality Workshops at international conferences held in Bangkok.  In the future, Ka will travel to S. E. Asian countries on behalf of GCF and APCD. 

Non, has served since 2002 as the Campus Administrator of GCC.  In January 2009, he was the first Global Campus participant to receive a Bachelor’s degree.  Non majored in Public Administration at Sukhothai Thammathiraj University.  Non now moves into the position of Campus Director of GCC and will also work with the directors of Global Campus San Sai and Global Campus Nan sharing his expertise.

Global Campuses Foundation Fall Invitational Conference The Global Campus Experience: A Paradigm Shift in Adult Education

Global Campuses Foundation Fall Invitational Conference
The Global Campus Experience: A Paradigm Shift in Adult Education

Global Campuses Foundation and the Vermont Global Campuses participants are hosting an all day conference highlighting their innovative educational experiences. The conference will be held on Tuesday, November 3, 2009 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at the Davis Center, on the University of Vermont campus in Burlington.

During September and October, the campus members are preparing for this invitational conference which will feature teaching presentations, panel discussions, and
virtual tours of their campuses. In addition to these activities, conference participants will have the opportunity to experience a live Campus to Campus connection via video conference with Global Campus participants in Thailand. Opening and closing ceremonies and keynote speeches by Vermont campus participants are also a part of the conference program.

Global Campuses Foundation is very pleased with the UVM Davis Center as the venue for the conference. As a learner-focused student union and event center, its cutting edge 5 star green design sets the stage to showcase the dynamic adult education programs and curriculum developed and operated by Vermont Global Campuses participants. This Fall Conference promises to truly live up to its title The Global Campus Experience: A Paradigm Shift in Adult Education. For more information contact info@globalcampuses.org

Lake Champlain Campus-to-Campus Connections Conference

The Vermont campuses gathered at Champlain College in Burlington on August 14th to continue building inter-campus relationships, share experiences from an exciting summer term, and begin preparations for a large Global Campus conference in Burlington on November 3rd. The conference was held in response to the participants voice and request for a fun and social event involving all the Vermont campuses.

The day of the conference was a beautiful, hot Friday morning and the excitement was incredible as participants arrived from all corners of the state. Old friends greeted one another and new connections were quickly initiated as folks registered and mingled as they found their seats.

A high point of the morning was a conversation with Ka and Non from Global Campus Thailand using Skype, an free internet tele-conferencing program. Ka and Non shared about their campuses in Thailand, halfway around the world and 12 hours earlier in time, and then the conference participants flooded them with questions. Does is snow in Thailand? What is the weather like now? What classes are participants teaching? How many participants are at each campus?

The conference continued with each campus presenting their Time Capsules. Representatives from each campus stood up and read a list of items that their campus was collecting for the time capsule. There were a few artifacts that folks brought to share as well. Afterwards, each table enjoyed a small group discussion regarding the events and adventures of the summer term. A spokesperson from each small group then presented what had been shared with the larger audience.

Folks were motivated to get down to the lakefront for lunch and an afternoon of fun! Most people walked down to the water from the college, despite the heat! We ate our lunch in a nice shady spot outside of the ECHO museum. After lunch we split into groups depending on what folks wanted to experience. The different groups went to ECHO, took a tour of some old boats, and enjoyed old-fashioned games and crafts. The activities were a perfect culmination to a summer term exploring history and culture in our respective communities.

Everyone departed with hugs, smiles, and a natural high from a day filled with friends, fun, and a great sense of pride in sharing their campuses with one another.

Summer Term Time Travel

Time Travel: Exploring and Celebrating our Community Heritage. This is the summer term curriculum theme for the Vermont Global Campuses that everyone has been raving about! Participants have enjoyed field trips, special events, and presentations, discovering what life was like for folks in their communities during the 1700's and 1800's.

Global Campus St. Johnsbury decided to meet every other week for the Summer Term 2009 and hold Self Advocates events on the opposite weeks. The group had a few projects in mind for the summer, which fit nicely with the theme of cultural heritage and exploration. We kicked-off the term with a tour of Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, led by the Fairbanks Museum staff. We listened to stories of many St. Johnsbury families, and learned about crime, deception, love and good humor in the community. A scavenger hunt in historic downtown St. Johnsbury showed us the houses of many of the families we had learned about in the cemetery. We saw the architectural style of Lambert Packard, St. Johnsbury's most famous architect, and viewed the intricacies of the “painted lady” house. Global Campus St. Johnsbury also planted their first garden this summer. Tomatoes, peppers, lettuce and potatoes are in pots in front of the agency, tended and eaten by anyone in our Global Campus community.

Global Campus Newport spent an afternoon brainstorming activities that they wanted to complete for summer term 2009. We tailored the brainstorm session around ideas of community, history and culture and came up with lots of good ideas. Activities included a tour of the Old Stone House heritage site, ropes courses and canoeing at Northwoods Stewardship Center, a beach BBQ, a tour of Memphremagog Artist Cooperative, a tour of Butterworks Farm and more. Some of the experiences we gained during summer term have already begun to shape fall term classes. A few participants have chosen topics on history and Northeast Kingdom culture to study in the fall.

Global Campus Hardwick and the surrounding communities are full of culture and tradition, which made summer term full and exciting. There are so many small farms and projects going on in Hardwick, that GC participants had no problem brainstorming activities for the summer. We visited a number of unique farms and communities, including Jasper Hill Farm, where we visited underground cheese caves, Vermont Glass, where Diane Tanguay tried her skills at glass blowing, Agape Hill farm for llama training, and more. We also spent a few days at Caspian Lake, playing wiffle ball and enjoying the sun.

Global Campus Springfield began our Summer Term by creating our own Quests at the Spring weather Nature Area near the North Springfield Lake. This gave us a chance to learn about the history of this area and also enjoy the beautiful fields and woods.

The Springfield area is rich with history! Our time travel continued with learning about some utensils and artifacts from the 1800's and how to make Journey (or Johnny) cakes. The following week we were visited by living historians Amanda Page and Jon Soule who shared about life in the 1800's in and around the area of Fort No. 4. Our next stop was the Eureka schoolhouse and then a visit to Billings Farm in Woodstock. At Billings Farm we learned about farm life in the 1890's and were able to see the animals and many farm tools. Several hard-working participants were able to help with doing laundry and churning butter by hand! St. Gaudens Historic site was the next stop on our time travel tour. Despite the cool weather, we enjoyed the beautiful gardens and art and had a history lesson about the Civil War! Our time travel will soon take us into some local berry fields and will end with a visit to the Calvin Coolidge homestead.

Global Campus Bradford celebrated our cultural heritage by hosting the Old Fashioned Craft and Game Day on July 21st. Many members of our community came to participate and share their favorite crafts, hobbies, food, and games from yesteryear. Folks set up little booths in our large Outback Room with crafts like stencil printing, candle making, wood burning, needlepoint, crocheting, knitting, weaving, card making and more! Everyone floated around to the different tables, trying their hand at the various crafts. There was also an old-fashioned lemonade stand and a butter making activity! We experienced what people dressed like in the late 1700's as our campus coordinator dressed up as and reenacted Aaron Hutchinson, a famous preacher who lived in Woodstock and spoke at the constitutional convention.

This summer we have also enjoyed a few Upper Valley Quests, including the Fairlee Glenn Falls Quest and the Magnificent Tree Quest. The Fairlee Glenn Falls were a spectacular sight to see and we really enjoyed our time in the forest by the cool stream. The Magnificent Tree Quest was also fabulous. We had the opportunity to measure the diameter of several very old and large trees including a white oak, hemlock, birch, ash, and even a very large and rare American chestnut! We are looking forward to continuing our summer term by building a time capsule and attending the Campus-to-Campus Connections Conference at Champlain College.

Global Campus Randolph has enjoyed a busy and exciting travel schedule this summer term! Our first adventure took us to the Roxbury Fish Hatchery where we learned all about how fish are raised and then released into Vermont's rivers, streams, and lakes. On a very rainy Thursday afternoon we settled in at Pleasant Street House to enjoy a time travel video called “Time Bandits”. The sun came out in full force for our trip to Quechee gorge where we explored the walking paths overlooking the gorge, the dam, and the river far below. Another afternoon we took a guided tour of the Randolph Historical Society Museum where we had the opportunity to see a replica kitchen, dining room, bedroom, apothecary, barber shop, and more from 17 and 1800's in Randolph. Most of the items were made right here in town! A trip to Hubbard Park in Montpelier led us to the large stone tower at the top of the hill and all through the beautiful forest paths. Unfortunately the tower was under renovation, so we couldn't go up and see the view. Next, we'll be spending an afternoon at the old schoolhouse in Brookfield where Dorcas, one of our resource persons, lives for a potluck and series of mini lessons on turkey calling, bird sounds, native American style drumming, fishing, and a little history of the floating bridge that crosses the pond right behind the schoolhouse!

Global Campus Moretown has been celebrating summer and history by getting our hands dirty in our garden! We spent a few weeks planting seeds, building self-watering containers, setting up a barrel of potatoes, and tending to the plants as they grew. One week our campus coordinator dressed as a preacher named Aaron Hutchinson, who lived in the late 1700's. He showed us artifacts from his home and we tried to guess what the different objects were used for. Traveling back in time like that helped us to brainstorm what we might like to put in our own little time capsule to capture the essence of our campus in 2009. We also went on a few trips. Our first outing took us to the Mad River Glass Gallery, where artisan glass blowers David and Melanie showed us the tricks of their trade. We all marveled at their skills and talent and tried not to break any of the exquisite pieces in their gallery!! Another trip led us to the old Bobbin Mill in Warren. We checked out the crumbling mill and some of the old water powered machines before hiking up the path next to the river for a few miles. There were many beautiful swimming holes along the way, but no one took a dip! We'll be continuing our summer by assembling our time capsule and harvesting our vegetables!