education

TEC Center Virtual Open House Set for February 25th

The St. Clair County TEC Center is having a virtual Open House on Thursday, February 25th from 6-8 p.m. this year. The annual event where students get to see examples of hands-on training in various technical fields has been forced to go online.

The virtual event is aimed at tenth-graders and their families, as the program runs throughout eleventh and twelfth grades. TEC programs are available to all students in public schools in St. Clair County. High school counselors will have more information.

TEC programs include automotive technology, cosmetology, culinary arts, engineering & robotics, health careers, and several others.

The virtual open house will allow students and families to take a virtual tour, visit classrooms, explore TEC programs, and talk with teachers. They will also learn how to earn elective credit, academic credit, and college credit, along with learning how to make a TEC education into a fulfilling career.

Opportunities for an in-person “shadow” visit are available to interested students. A link to registration to the TEC Virtual Open House:

Register for the TEC Virtual Open House.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

SC4 Scholarships Available for 2021-22 

Port Huron, MI — St. Clair County Community College has opened up the application period for a multitude of scholarships for the 2021-22 academic year. The links to the scholarships can all be found in one place on the college’s website.

Scholarship eligibility varies, but there are scholarships specifically for first year students or second year students, those in the nursing program, those in engineering, criminal justice and many others. Some require proof of financial hardship; others do not. Some are targeted toward graduates of specific high schools, including Blue Water Middle College. There is even a scholarship offered by the Port Huron Garden Club for students intending to major in horticulture or a similar field.

The cost per credit hour at SC4, including the technology fee, is around $168 for residents of the “college district”, which includes school districts completely within the county, and $289 for those outside of the district, plus additional fees that vary by course, according to the latest data on the college’s website.

A link to the SC4 scholarship page: https://sc4.edu/scholarships-available-for-sc4-students/.

The deadline for application is March 14th, 2021.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

It’s “Farm to School Month”

October is “Farm to School Month” in Michigan. Almost a million meals have been provided to state schoolchildren and families as part of the pandemic response, and effort has been made to use local food as much as possible.  

Farm to School Month is a national program that connects consumers with fresh food through the Center for Regional Food Systems at Michigan State University, the Michigan Department of Education, and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD).

In explaining the connection between the lunch line and the farm, MDARD Director Gary McDowell said, “Michigan’s local farmers, farm workers, and school nutrition professionals are key components of our state’s vibrant food system. The framework in place through Farm to School efforts have been crucial as farmers, school food service workers, and volunteers continue to serve as frontline heroes, expanding their efforts to provide food to our students and families during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Examples of local products used in school lunches include dairy, fruits and vegetables, eggs, honey, meat, and beans. Efforts are also underway to improve nutrition education and increase the number of school gardens.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

$500 Scholarships Given at Blue Water College Access Network Webinars

The Blue Water College Access Network is offering a series of webinars for students interested in career and college planning. In-person meetings are on hold due to social distancing, but the webinars keep local high school students on track with their college planning process.

The next webinar pertains to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, and it is scheduled for September 30 from 7-8 p.m. The FAFSA is a vital part of the financial aid process and students need to know how to fill it out correctly and on time so they can get the aid that they need for college.

The October 21st webinar is about Scholarships and Paying for College and the November 11th webinar is about Career Exploration. Industry experts will be sharing their expertise with students.

Students can register for the webinars at www.bwcan.org. Registration is open to all St. Clair County families and is free. At the end of each webinar, a $500 scholarship is awarded to a high school junior or senior participant.

Reporting for WGRT- Jennie McClelland