OREGON CITY – Clackamas Community College was recently awarded a $100,000 grant from the Oregon Business Development Department to develop a statewide Spanish construction contractor certification program. This innovative program will expand access to high-wage careers in construction for Spanish-speaking individuals across Oregon.
Oregon's construction industry is booming, with growth expected to outpace national averages significantly. However, meeting this demand with a qualified workforce is challenging. This grant directly addresses this need by:
- Increasing the number of Spanish-speaking contractors: The program aims to certify an additional 60 Spanish-speaking contractors in the first year, with a long-term goal of 400 annually.
- Fostering a more equitable construction industry: By providing training in Spanish, the program empowers those for whom English is not their first language to participate in and contribute to the construction industry's growth.
Clackamas Community College’s Small Business Development Center has a track record of success in this area. The college currently offers the only state-approved construction contractor certification course that can teach and test in Oregon. Since partnering with the Construction Contractors Board (CCB), they've increased Latino pass rates from 30% to 70%.
The grant will fund the development of a comprehensive Spanish construction contractor certification program, including:
- Video-on-demand training: A high-quality, digitized 16-hour course accessible to students statewide.
- Statewide proctoring system: A robust system ensuring all proctoring meets college and national SBDC standards.
- Outreach and marketing: A targeted campaign to raise awareness of the program within the Spanish-speaking community.
- Faculty support: Hiring a bilingual faculty member to support program delivery.
“CCC is proud to be awarded this grant to develop a program that will create a more inclusive construction industry,” Rob Campbell, SBDC director at Clackamas Community College, said. “This innovative program will address the critical need for skilled workers while empowering Spanish-speaking individuals to pursue rewarding careers in construction.”
The project is designed for long-term sustainability. By the grant's conclusion, a robust, self-sufficient Spanish certification program will be available at SBDC locations across Oregon.
For more information about CCC’s Small Business Development Center, visit www.clackamas.edu/SBDC.
-30-
OREGON CITY – The Haggart Observatory at Clackamas Community College’s Environmental Learning Center announces its public viewing nights scheduled for 2024. Partnering with the Rose City Astronomers, the observatory will offer free stargazing opportunities throughout the year, allowing visitors to explore the wonders of the night sky through the observatory’s powerful telescope.
This year, the Environmental Learning Center will focus on showcasing the moon. While everyone has seen the moon before, viewing it through a high-powered telescope offers a new perspective, revealing craters, mountains and plains in detail.
The Haggart Observatory boasts a 24-inch Newtonian reflector telescope housed within its dome. During viewing nights, Rose City Astronomers volunteers also set up portable telescopes on the observatory deck, providing a variety of viewing options.
The viewings are free, open to the public and operate on a first-come, first-served basis. No pre-registration is required. Attendees are encouraged to arrive early, especially for popular dates, as space may be limited.
Rose City Astronomers volunteers are enthusiasts who are passionate about sharing their knowledge of the night sky. They will be on hand to guide visitors, answer questions and ensure everyone gets a chance to marvel at the wonders of space.
The observatory will be open to the public on the following dates:
- Saturday, April 20 (waxing gibbous moon, 7-9 p.m.)
- Wednesday, May 15 (first quarter moon, 9-11 p.m.)
- Saturday, May 18 (waxing gibbous moon, 7-9 p.m.)
- Thursday, June 13 (first quarter moon, 9-11 p.m.)
- Saturday, Aug. 10 (waxing crescent moon, 6:30-8:30 p.m.)
- Monday, Aug. 12 (first quarter moon, 6-8 p.m.)
- Tuesday, Sept. 17 (full moon, 9-11 p.m.)
- Wednesday, Oct. 16 (full moon, 8-10 p.m.)
If the skies are cloudy on a scheduled viewing night, call Rose City Astronomers at 503-594-6044 for cancellation updates. Dress warmly for the evening weather. Clackamas Community College is located at 19600 Molalla Ave., Oregon City 97045. The Environmental Learning Center, where the observatory is housed, is on the northeast side of campus.
About Haggart Observatory
The Haggart Observatory is located at Clackamas Community College's Environmental Learning Center in Oregon City. Originally constructed in 1989 with the community's help, the observatory offers a unique opportunity for stargazers to explore the cosmos.
About the Environmental Learning Center
The Environmental Learning Center has a rich history as an educational resource for Clackamas Community College, regional schools, industry and the community. Located on the former site of a Smucker's processing plant, the center was created to demonstrate what people could do to reclaim industrial sites, address stormwater issues and restore wildlife habitats in urban areas. Each year, thousands of people visit to explore the 5-acre site and learn about watershed health. The site serves as an important stormwater facility for the college campus and provides critical wetland habitat for resident and migratory birds, such as the great blue heron, wood duck and merganser. For more information about the Environmental Learning Center, visit CCC's Environmental Learning Center webpage at www.clackamas.edu/ELC.
-30-
OREGON CITY – Students attending high school in 2024 can get a jumpstart on their college degrees through Clackamas Community College’s career technical education (CTE) summer camps – tuition-free.
CTE camps run Aug. 12-16, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. An information session will be held May 13, 6-7:30 p.m., in the Wacheno Welcome Center on the Oregon City campus.
CTE summer camps are open to Clackamas County students who will be entering ninth through 12th grade in fall 2024. Lunch will be provided, and transportation assistance is available from area high schools to the college. The deadline to register is June 9. The free CTE camps include:
- Criminal justice investigation: Apply investigative techniques in areas like fingerprinting, evidence collection and crime scene photography and reconstruction.
- Green building construction: Explore green building materials and construction through carpentry tools and techniques like measurement, layout and safe use of tools.
- Intro to CNC machining: Learn basic CNC skills, including how to set up and operate CNC milling and turning centers.
- Music and film: Learn how to design, shoot, record audio and post-production of movies.
- Horticulture – gardening and farming: Develop and learn the principles and best practices of organic fruit and vegetable gardening.
- Medical assisting: Learn about the skills and attributes of a successful medical assistant while exploring patient-centered health care careers.
- Makerspace: Discover the art of invention through hands-on activities using laser cutters and 3D printers.
“Students who enroll in the summer camp programs will accelerate their college education while saving both time and money,” Ni'Cole Sims, CCC director of education partnerships, said.
Space is limited at all camps, and a weighted lottery will provide priority placement for underserved students (students of color, students with disabilities, students with low socio-economic status and students with limited access to accelerated learning programs).
CTE camps will be held on the Oregon City campus, 19600 Molalla Ave. For more information about summer programs and how to register, visit www.clackamas.edu/cte-summer-camps. For questions about CTE camps, email hsconnections@clackamas.edu.
-30-
A total of 464 students made the Clackamas Community College honor roll and 1,085 students made the president's list for winter term 2024.
To be named to the honor roll, students must earn a grade-point average of 3.5 or better. To be named to the president's list, students must earn a 3.75 grade-point average or better.
-30-
Note: Attached are the honor roll and president’s list and cities of residence.
OREGON CITY - Writers and aspiring writers across the region gather each May at Clackamas Community College for a day of creativity and community. This year’s Compose Creative Writing Conference is May 18 and the keynote speaker is award-winning journalist Casey Parks.
Parks' debut book, “Diary of a Misfit: A Memoir and a Mystery,” is the story of her life-changing journey to unravel the mystery of Roy Hudgins. When Parks came out as a lesbian in college in 2002, she faced rejection from her family and pastor and assumed her life in the South was over. But Parks' grandmother, a stern conservative who grew up picking cotton, pulled her aside and revealed a startling secret: "I grew up across the street from a woman who lived as a man," and implored Parks to find out what happened to him.
For 10 years, Parks traveled to her grandmother's hometown in rural Louisiana, knocking on strangers' doors, digging through nursing home records and studying microfiche in small-town libraries trying to uncover the mysteries of Roy Hudgins’ life.
After the welcome address from Parks at 10 a.m., conference attendees can participate in workshops with sessions on various writing topics, from cozy mysteries to graphic novels and speculative fiction.
Sessions this year include:
Creating Compelling Characters for the Stage — Sara Jean Accuardi
At the heart of every interesting play is an interesting character — but what makes a character interesting? Accuardi will guide participants through the process of forming a character and discovering their voice.
Helling It Slant — Eric Tran
In this generative workshop, writers will read, discuss and write poetry based on misheard bits of gossip, English as a Second Language, double entendres and other methods of transforming and transgressing language.
Making the Invisible Visible — Lauren Kessler
Buried backstories, the wounds no one sees, the hidden worlds — as writers in all genres, this rich territory should be explored. Join this workshop, both generative and instructive, to jumpstart work.
Pitching Your Graphic Novel, Selling Your Story — Terry Blas
Blas will guide participants through the process of creating a pitch for a graphic novel idea and share how knowing what a story is really about will help the idea be understood and make a pitch more powerful.
Avoiding Infodump in Speculative Fiction — Joe Pitkin
Infodump is a major occupational hazard in fiction — especially for fantasy and science fiction writers. Pitkin will share tips dealing with this challenge — including examples from his most recent novel, “Exit Black.”
Crafting a Cozy Mystery — Paula Charles
In this workshop, Charles will guide participants through creating characters and settings, as well as choosing a weapon and victim. Expect idea sparks and some writing time.
Writing the Magical, Writing the Real: On Making Magical Stories Believable — Emme Lund
For thousands of years, humans have told stories about magical creatures and occurrences existing among the mundane. In this workshop, participants will discuss techniques for seeing the magic in the world, as well as the craft elements that make magical stories more believable.
Writing: Aggregating the Raw Material — Emmett Wheatfall
To write skillfully, writers must have the essentials necessary to write. For the writer, raw material can come in the form of diction, dictum, metaphor, analogy, etc. Aggregating such raw material will contribute when drafting a written composition. This workshop is an opportunity for group learning.
The Things Themselves — Daniela Molnar
This workshop will focus attention on the world of the senses and how poems can sharpen and heighten sensorium, offering a shared subjectivity beyond one’s perceptual confines, a way to, together, engage with a larger aliveness. Participants will use poems as a lens to consider the ways the current cultural moment is an invitation to widen wonder.
How Description Builds Story — Lydia Kiesling
In this workshop, participants will look at examples of atmospheric, descriptive writing and identify the ways that description can be a propulsive force in a story, carrying many messages about the text. This talk will show how word choices can drive the plot in a work of fiction far more than the simple mechanics.
This year, the Compose conference will be held in a hybrid format, with some workshops in person and some online. Parks’ keynote will be in person and streamed live for those participating via Zoom. Clackamas Community College is located at 19600 Molalla Ave., Oregon City. Parking is free. Tickets are $25 for the general public and $10 for CCC students.
To learn more and register for the conference, visit www.clackamas.edu/compose.
-30-
OREGON CITY – The Alexander Gallery presents “Modern Artifacts: Ceramics and Other Obsessions,” a solo exhibition of work by Vancouver-based artist Kim Murton. This exhibition runs April 1-May 3. An artist reception will be held Wednesday, April 10, noon-1 p.m. and Murton will speak about her work at 1 p.m.
In “Modern Artifacts: Ceramics and Other Obsessions,” Murton shares hand-built ceramic sculptures, animation and illustrations inspired by her interest in pre-Columbian art, contemporary illustration and comics.
Murton studied ceramics and animation at The School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and printmaking and film at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York City. Her work has been recognized nationally.
The Alexander Gallery is located in the Niemeyer Center on the Oregon City campus, 19600 Molalla Ave., and is open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., with the exception of college holidays.
This exhibition is free and open to the public. For questions, contact Kate Simmons at 503-594-3032 or kates@clackamas.edu. For more information on Clackamas Community College’s art exhibits and performances, visit www.clackamas.edu/art.
-30-
OREGON CITY - Longtime Clackamas Community College Foundation Board Member Jo Crenshaw was appointed to the CCC Board of Education, representing Zone 1, Oregon City, and took her oath of office during the March 20 Board of Education meeting. She is filling the position vacated by the resignation of Chris Groener.
She has lived in Oregon City for more than 35 years and is a longtime local business owner. Prior to settling in Oregon City, she lived all over the United States working for United Airlines in Chicago, Washington D.C., San Francisco and Portland.
She has served on the Foundation Board since 2001. Along with her dedication to the CCC Foundation, she has served on the McDonalds Operators West Division Region board for three years as well as having served on the LaSalle High School Board and a division leader in Rotary.
“I believe I have a unique perspective that will assist the college in achieving its goals - knowledge, business experience, working with young people and the community,” Crenshaw said. “As a business owner, I am connected with the community. I enjoy people and have been working toward involving all.”
Crenshaw attended the historically black junior college Lemoyne Owen College in Memphis on scholarship and graduated with a bachelor of science in business management and international business from California State University, East Bay.
“Jo has a long-running dedication and passion for Clackamas Community College and the community. We are privileged to have her serve our college and our students,” CCC President Tim Cook said.
Crenshaw enjoys hiking and walking in her free time, including completing two marathons and hiking the Grand Canyon.
Crenshaw will hold office until June 30, 2025, and will be eligible to run to fill the remaining two years of the term in the May 2025 election.
-30-
OREGON CITY - Thanks to an Inclusive Career Advancement Program grant, Clackamas Community College is celebrating the diversity of the disability community at its inaugural Accessible All-Stars, Nothing But Net(working) event on April 5.
This free event will showcase the local professional adult wheelchair basketball team, the Portland Wheelblazers, where they will demonstrate their skills on the court and share the sport with the community. After the basketball scrimmage, there will be the Nothing But Net(working) resource fair to connect with disability-related affinity groups, support systems, clubs and businesses found across the area.
The Inclusive Career Advancement Program grant includes funding to benefit the disability community, and CCC Grant Coordinator and Career Coach Shanna Schacher wanted to do something engaging for the community as a whole. She came up with the event after seeing the Wheelblazers play a scrimmage before a Trail Blazers game.
“I’m looking forward to the opportunity to connect over a really cool sport and introduce people to wheelchair basketball if they’ve never seen it before,” she said.
The networking resource fair idea came next as a way to connect students and community members with resources. Schacher said the college has heard students reporting feeling lonely, isolated and disconnected, and she wanted a way to introduce individuals to the various resources available in the Portland metro area.
“I thought, ‘What if we make the draw be the game, but also have a networking event and invite groups that have support services so community members can know what’s going on in the community’,” Schacher said.
Accessible All-Stars, Nothing But (Net)working will start with the Wheelblazers scrimmage at 6 p.m. in the Randall Hall gym and the resource fair will run from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Gregory Forum. ASL interpreters will be at the event.
Participating organizations include:
- Adaptive Sports NW
- Autism Society of Oregon
- Oregon Commission for the Blind
- Ride Connection
- Adaptive and Inclusive Recreation
- Community Vision AT Lab
- Hoop Camp
- TOP Soccer
- United Access
- Vocational Rehabilitation
- Clackamas County Disability services
- Relay Resources
- CCC Multicultural Center
- CCC Admissions
- CCC Career Center
- Club EMU
- Office of WorkForce Investments Oregon Youth Works Dep
- Higher Education Coordinating Commission
- CCC Disability Resource Center
The college plans to make the Accessible All-Stars an annual event. “There is a need in our community and we are seeing lots of good response and excitement,” Schacher said. “I’m excited there’s been such a positive response from people in the community. They have been very grateful that Clackamas has been willing to host this event. It will highlight that Clackamas is an inclusive college and that we want students of all backgrounds to attend school here, and that Clackamas is really putting in an effort to reach out to a community that isn’t always thought of.”
The Clackamas Community College Oregon City campus is located at 19600 Molalla Ave. Parking is free, and no registration is required to attend the event. To learn more about the Portland Wheelblazers, visit https://wheelblazers.com. To learn more about Clackamas Community College, visit www.clackamas.edu.
For questions, contact Schacher at shanna.schacher@clackamas.edu.
-30-