FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ............................................................. March 13, 2006
Photo Caption: Kali Mae Mendoza-Werner, physician assistant with Valley Wide Health Systems, will be returning to the Girls in the Middle Conference on April 8 for her fourth year as a presenter. Mendoza-Werner’s workshop will give middle school girls an opportunity to experience many hands-on activities associated with being a physician’s assistant. A total of 21 workshops will be presented throughout the day-long conference that will introduce 6th, 7th, and 8th grade girls to careers that require an educational background in math, science, and technology.
LA JUNTA — The eighth annual Girls in the Middle Conference will be held on April 8 at the Otero Junior College Student Center from 9 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Registrations are currently being accepted from middle school girls throughout southeastern Colorado to attend the one-day conference. Registration forms may be obtained from any area middle school counselor or by calling 719-384-6821.
The goal of the conference is to encourage middle school girls to continue studying math, science, and technology once they enter high school. Last year over 200 girls from 20 schools in southeastern Colorado attended the conference to learn more about careers that require an educational background in math, science, or technology.
According to Julie Sumpter, chairman of the conference, this year’s conference has 20 different career workshops that will be taught by women who are working in those careers. “The conference provides the opportunity for middle school girls to meet women who are working professionals in careers that require an educational background in math, science, or technology, and to experience hands-on activities associated with those careers. The goal of the conference is to give middle school girls a focus for the future with the hope they will start to prepare themselves educationally once they enter high school,” said Sumpter.
“Energy” is the theme of this year’s conference. The conference will open with a keynote address from Dr Delores Knipp, a space weather expert who will talk about energy in space and how it affects our weather. Throughout the day female cadets from the United States Air Force Academy will provide group activities for the girls that involve understanding how energy affects our daily lives. Following the keynote, the girls will attend three different workshops; two in the morning and one in the afternoon. The girls will be divided up into teams, lead by team leaders from the OJC women’s volleyball and basketball teams.
Confirmed workshops for the day include:
Banking, Janet Hill and staff, Colorado Bank and Trust;
Counseling, Dottie Thurner, Southeast Mental Health Services;
Dietetics, Angela McNess, AVRMC; and Jo Jancar, Otero County Health Dept.;
Electronic Media, RuAnn Keith, OJC faculty;
Emergency Medical Technician, Heather Dittburner, La Junta Fire Department;
Engineering, Deb Lasich and Andrea Salazar, Colorado School of Mines;
Forestry, Donna Davis and Shelly Van Landingham, Colorado State Forest Service;
Graphic Design, Lyla Paakkanen, OJC faculty;
Landscape Design, Genia Short, OJC groundskeeper;
Mechanical Engineer, Charity Duran, Pueblo TTCI;
Natural Resources, Fran Pannebaker, National Parks Service;
Nursing - Obstetrics, Kay DeLeon and Tishana Yochum, AVRMC;
Pharmacology, Betty Edwards, retired pharmacist;
Physical Therapy, Tasha Spencer, Prowers County Medical Center;
Physician Assistant, Kali Mae Mendoza-Werner, Valley Wide Health Systems;
Physics, Dr. Heidi Mauk and female cadets from the USAFA;
Sculpting, Brenda Daniher; artist and sculptor;
Speech Therapy, Sue Samaniego, AVRMC;
Sports Medicine, Shawna Yeomans, Heart of an Athlete;
Statistics, Susan Gale, OJC faculty;
Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Dale Davis and staff, TLC Veterinary Clinic.
Cost of the conference for students is $5.00, and includes breakfast, lunch, and a t-shirt. There will also be an adult workshop for parents and teachers on “Preparing Middle School Girls for College”. Cost of the adult workshop is $10.00. This fee includes breakfast and lunch. Registration forms may be obtained from any area middle school counselor or by calling Otero Junior College at 719-384-6821. The conference is open to all middle school girls in southeast Colorado. The deadline for registration is March 31, 2006.
For Further Information Contact:
Almabeth Kaess
Marketing Director/President's Assistant
Otero Junior College, 1802 Colorado Ave.
La Junta, CO 81050
Ph: 719-384-6821 Fax: 719-384-6917
Email: almabeth.kaess@ojc.edu
##