Spread the word about SPC summer camps

SPC instructor and FDLE employee Mary Pacheco demonstrates blood evidence to campers at last week's Camp on Public Safety (COPS).

Spread the word to friends and family about SPC's summer camps.

Art Camps at the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art, Tarpon Springs
The museum’s art camp is back July 6-10 and July 13-17! The hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily with an hour lunch and play break in the Interactive Gallery at noon. Camps are for ages 6 to 9 and 10 to 13 each week, with a reception and exhibition for families and friends each Friday afternoon. Children should bring lunch and snacks and dress for mess. LRMA’s summer art camps are taught by certified art teachers and enhance children’s social and creative skills in a vibrant and safe environment.

College for Kids: Summer Safari - A Very Green Adventure!
Get ready for your child to discover exciting information, explore new areas of interest, make new friends, and have a great time doing all of it! Each College for Kids site will offer a variety of classes in art, computers, languages, science and math, and sports as facilities permit. The credentialed teachers who administer and teach the summer program have carefully written and designed their curriculum with age-appropriate lessons and projects that will maximize your child's summer experience. Sign up for one week or for the whole summer. Check out the new Middle School programs and our growing list of speciality camps.

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President Kuttler receives Russian medals

SPC President Carl M. Kuttler Jr. is awarded two medals by Russian Ambassador Sergey I. Kislyak.

President Carl M. Kuttler Jr. was awarded two medals at the Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C., one “For the Contribution to the Cause of Friendship” and another celebrating the 200th Anniversary of Consular Service of Russia.

The medals were awarded June 11 to Kuttler by Sergey I. Kislyak, Ambassador of Russia to the United States, for Kuttler’s 20-year commitment to fostering relations between sister cities St. Petersburg, Russia and St. Petersburg. He also was cited for solidifying the friendship between Russia and the U.S.

"The medals were given to me but they are really for the college," Kuttler said. "They are a reflection of the wonderful cultural and educational connections we've had over the last 20 years at St. Petersburg College."

Besides Kuttler and Kislyak, also present were ranking embassy officials, Cultural Attache Natalia Batova, General Consul Sergey Ovsiannikov, and Director of the Russian Cultural Centre Evgeny Agoshkov.

Kuttler was named Honorary Consul of the Russian Federation to the state of Florida in 2004, as recommended by President Putin, the Russian Prime Minister, and the Russian Ambassador to the U.S. It was approved by the U.S. State Department. Kuttler manages an active Honorary Consul office in Florida.

Kuttler’s 20-year relationship with the Russian people has resulted in many partnerships. In 1989, Kuttler hosted a delegation from the Soviet Union and began his Russian exchange with a 10-day program in which Vladimir Putin, then an Associate Vice President at St. Petersburg State University (formerly Leningrad State University), was his daily host and traveling companion. Since then, Kuttler has made two additional visits that involved Vladimir Putin, who by that time worked for the Mayor of St. Petersburg.  

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Tennis player ranked No. 1 in country

Freshman Madeline Johnson, who played No. 1 on the college tennis team, finished the season as the nation’s highest ranked American junior college player.

After the national tournament last month in Tucson, Ariz., where the team finished No. 13, Johnson was ranked No. 9 in the country. She was the only American in the Top 10.

She was 12-6 during the regular season. Four of the losses were to players who finished in the top 5 in the country.

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Community colleges get new names

In 2001, St. Petersburg Junior College received permission to start granting four-year degrees. It changed its name to St. Petersburg College to mark its new ability to grant baccalaureate degrees in addition to the two-year degrees it had been offering since 1927.

Now, other Florida community colleges are following SPC’s lead.

During the most recent session of the Florida Legislature, other community colleges received permission to grant four-year degrees. In turn, the Legislature created the Florida College System (FCS) and re-designated Florida Community Colleges as Florida Colleges. The Division of Community Colleges was renamed the Division of Florida Colleges.

St. Petersburg College was the model for the legislation. The SPC Board of Trustees has indicated that it is not interested in changing the college’s name again at this time.

These colleges now have changed their names to reflect their new status:

• Florida Community College at Jacksonville, to Florida State College at Jacksonville
• Manatee Community College, to State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota
• Polk Community College, to Polk State College
• Daytona Beach College, to Daytona State College
• Edison College, to Edison State College
• Indian River College, to Indian River State College
• Okaloosa-Walton College, to Northwest Florida State College

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New Student Services Building is certified LEED® Gold

The college has obtained U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) LEED Gold certification for the new Student Services Building on the St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus. The building is one of the first in Pinellas County to earn the designation.

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Gold is its second highest designation.

Susan Reiter, SPC’s Vice President of Facilities Planning and Institutional Services, said the U.S. Green Building Council finalized the LEED review process and issued the certification.

The new building, built by Biltmore Construction Company, was designed to serve as the campus “living room.”

“The main soul of the building is a two-story space that enhances the living/learning experiences of the students, faculty and staff on the St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus,” said Leo Arroyo, Principal and Director of Design at Canerday, Belfsky + Arroyo, Architects, the building’s architect. “The students gravitate to it to play, collaborate on group projects, and study in-between classes.”

In January, the college opened the new building along with the Natural Science and Mathematics Building on the Clearwater campus; both were built to conform to the LEED Green Building Rating System™, a nationally accepted certifier of high performance and environmentally sensitive buildings. The Clearwater building also is awaiting certification.

Both buildings were designed to decrease pollution and negative impacts on the environment; decrease impact on local aquifers; decrease energy consumption; and increase the quality of indoor air and the indoor working environment.

Some of the Student Services Building’s sustainable features include “Energy Star” product specification, and a large, energy-efficient industrial ceiling fan that makes the surrounding area feel between 8-16ºF cooler.

The building utilizes “Green Cleaning” products, and permanent entryway systems capture dirt and particulates.  Reflective roofing and paving materials result in cooler surfaces.

Preferred parking is provided for fuel-efficient vehicles/carpools, and bicycle storage and shower/changing facilities are located within 200 yards of entranceways. Composite wood products contain no added urea formaldehyde, and all adhesives, paints and carpets meet low volatile organic compound (VOC) standards.

There is no smoking within 25 feet of any entry.

“The completion of the new Student Services Building demonstrates environmental sensitivity and works hand-in-hand with the new environmental degree programs recently developed at the college,” said Jon White, SPC’s College Engineer.

“With only a handful of other LEED buildings in Pinellas County, the Student Services Building is an example of the many initiatives SPC is undertaking to become a leader in the sustainability movement,” said Jason Green, SPC’s Sustainability Coordinator.

Additional facts about the building:

• 40 percent water savings achieved through low-flow fixtures, dual-flush toilets and waterless urinals.
• At least 75 percent of all construction waste recycled.
• 30 percent of the total value of construction materials contains recycled content.
• At least 20 percent of materials or products used were extracted, harvested, recovered, and/or manufactured within 500 miles.
• At least 2.5 percent of the total value of building materials and products used are considered rapidly renewable building materials and products.
• 95 percent of wood-based materials and products were certified in accordance with the Forest Stewardship Council’s Principles and Criteria.

For more information, visit www.spcollege.edu/sustainability

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InfoFest 2009 is July 9

Faculty, advisors and staff from Student Services and Financial Assistance will be available to answer students' questions and help them enroll at InfoFest 2009. The annual event, scheduled Thursday, July 9, from 5 - 7 p.m., serves students at five sites. The 2008 event served more than 200 students and resulted in more than 100 new student applications. Direct students to the InfoFest 2009 Web page for details.

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Baccalaureate Expo 2009 is June 25

Baccalaureate Expo 2009, which showcases SPC’s four-year degree programs, will be June 25 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the EpiCenter.

Visitors can talk with advisors, four-year degree specialists, faculty and staff. They can learn how to transfer associate degree credits, learn about upper division certificates, and get advice on admissions and financial assistance.

They also can submit applications, turn in official transcripts, and get help registering for classes.

In addition, information is available on degree programs offered through the University Partnership Center.
             
For more information, call 727-341-4772 or e-mail to 4yeardegrees@spcollege.edu

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Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art committee meeting notice

The Development Committee for the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art Board of Directors has rescheduled the June 10 meeting to Wednesday, June 24, at 3:30 p.m. in the Museum Archives to discuss general museum business.

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SPC Board of Trustees meeting notice

The Board of Trustees of St. Petersburg College will hold a public meeting to which all persons are invited, commencing at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, July 21, 2009 at the EpiCenter Conference Room (1-453), 13805 - 58th St. N., Largo, Florida.  The meeting will be held for the purpose of considering routine business of the college; however, there are no rules being presented for adoption or amendment at this meeting.

In the event the Board continues the foregoing meeting and/or in the event of a serious storm, or threat thereof, resulting in cancellation of the foregoing meeting, the same shall be held on July 28, 2009 at the same time and place and for the same purpose.

A copy of the agenda may be obtained by writing to the Board of Trustees in care of the Board Clerk, P. O. Box 13489, St. Petersburg, Florida, 33733, or calling the Board Clerk at (727) 341-3260.

If any person wishes to appeal a decision made with respect to any matter considered by the Board, he or she will need a record of the proceedings.  It is the obligation of such person to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made.  Section 286.0105, Florida Statutes.

Those planning to attend who have a disability and are in need of an auxiliary aid or other accommodation are requested to telephone 727-341-3260 at least seven days before the meeting date so that their needs can be accommodated.

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This article and other health information are available on our Wellness blog.

Summer Smoothies

Smoothies are a great way to get nutritional goodness on the run. When made with low fat milk or yogurt as the main ingredient, a smoothie is rich in vitamin D and calcium and makes a great substitute for the traditional breakfast. Now here comes the fun. Just add your favorite fruits and some ice (optional) and blend.

Be creative, the smoothie is a great way to get in the recommended five servings of fruit a day.  Using ¾ cup of 100% fruit juice as the smoothie base is equal to a serving of fruit.  One medium banana added to a smoothie counts as a serving of fruit, and also is a good source of potassium. Mangos and peaches, loaded with cancer-fighting compounds, are refreshing and easy to blend. One half cup of cut fruit is equal to a serving of fruit.

According to Dr. Steven Masley, author of Ten Years Younger, adding any type of berry to your smoothie gives you a huge nutritional advantage. He considers berries one of the top 16 vitality foods. He notes that “the colorful pigments found in berries, (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, cranberries and bilberries) are some of the most powerful anti-aging compounds known to science.”  Berries are also rich in fiber.

Try this delicious smoothie recipe from his book.

Blueberry –Soy Milk Smoothie
Serves 2

2 cups of soy milk or low fat milk
2 cups of frozen blueberries (any type of berry will do, fresh or frozen.)
Juice of ½ lime

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

Per serving:
Calories: 172, Fiber: 5g , Saturated fat: 0.5g, Sodium:145mg, Protein: 7g, Total fat: 4g, Carbs: 30g, Calories from fat: 20%

 If you have questions regarding wellness, contact Cathleen Shears, Wellness Coordinator.

To explore additional wellness updates, visit the SPC Wellness blog.

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Tour Pinellas County's Solid Waste Plant

Have you ever wanted to find out where your garbage goes after you throw it away? Now’s your chance to find out and take a tour of the Pinellas County Utilities Solid Waste Operations plant!

The tour is scheduled immediately following the Phi Theta Kappa and Friends of Florida Environmental Club-sponsored “Three R’s” (reuse, reduce, recycle) Quad Event June 25, noon to 2 p.m. at the St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus.

What you will see:

» Waste-to-Energy (WTE) facility
» Sanitary landfill
» Yard waste-to-mulch facility
» Household electronics and chemical collection center

What you will learn:

» Where garbage goes, and the importance of minimizing waste.
» How use of the “3 Rs”—reduce, reuse and recycle—helps the environment.

No need to sign up, just meet on the quad by 2 p.m. and we will board the SPC bus to be shuttled to the solid waste facility at 3095 114th Avenue North for a two-hour tour. Faculty, staff and students are all invited, but the bus only carries 45 passengers, so only that number of participants can be accommodated.

To participate in the sustainable | SPC initiative, visit www.spcollege.edu/sustainability or call Jason Green at 341-3283.

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Thank you

Dear SPC Friends and Colleagues,

My family deeply appreciates your kind expressions of sympathy after the loss of my father. It is the thoughtfulness of good friends like you that brings us through difficult times.

Denise Kerwin

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On SPC-TV
Here is the broadcast schedule for the original cultural programs recorded by SPC for broadcast on the college station. SPC-TV can be seen on Bright House 620, Knology 19 and Verizon 47 in Pinellas County.

NEW – The Music Center Presents: Rebecca Penneys - WATCH THE VIDEO: (1 Hour)

Or watch it on SPC TV: Monday at 9 p.m.; Friday at 9 p.m. and Saturday at 8 p.m.
For details on other Department of Music events, visit the Department of Music Web site

» Stories from the Campfire: Living Life Without Limits
Sunday at noon and 9 p.m.; Wednesday at 9 p.m.

» CoMotion Dance Theatre - Spring 2009 Dance Concert
Sunday at 11 a.m. and 8 p.m.; Thursday at 8 p.m.
Watch the video on the CoMotion Web site.

» Frontline: Behind the Lines
Tuesday at 9 p.m. For details on other Palladium events, visit the Palladium Web site.

» The Music Center Presents: Percussion Ensemble
Sunday at 11:30 a.m. and 8 p.m.; Thursday at 8:30 p.m.; Saturday at 8:30 p.m.
For details on other Department of Music events, visit the Department of Music Web site.

» A Night at the Palladium: Divertissement Ensemble
Saturday at 11 a.m. and 9 p.m. For details on other Palladium events, visit the Palladium Web site.

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