Udall’s offices accepting internship applications
U.S. Sen. Mark Udall’s regional offices throughout Colorado and in Washington, D.C., are accepting internship applications from undergraduate students and recent graduates for the summer. The internship program offers students the opportunity to learn about constituent services and the legislative process.
Interns working in the Colorado offices will assist staff members as they help constituents resolve issues with federal agencies such as the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the U.S. State Department and the Social Security Administration. Interns in Colorado also will meet with local partners and help to represent the senator at community outreach events.
Interns in the Washington, D.C., office will attend committee hearings and briefings, write memos for legislative staff members, answer phones, research legislative issues, help with press outreach, lead Capitol tours and participate in congressional events.
The deadline to apply is March 1 for the Washington, D.C., office and April 15 for Colorado offices. Those who are interested can apply at www.markudall.senate.gov.
Internships are available on either a full-time or part-time basis.
For more information, email COInternships@markudall.senate.gov for the state program and DCInternships@markudall.senate.gov for the D.C. program.
Grace Preparatory to hold WinterPalooza fundraiser
Grace Preparatory Academy will present The Durango Jazz and 7 Sharp 11 at its fundraiser, “WinterPalooza: Swingin’ at the Smiley,” from 4 to 7 p.m. March 8.
The event will feature live jazz, swing music, dance lessons, a silent auction, dinner and desserts at the Smiley Building, 1309 East Third Ave.
Grace is Durango’s only university model high school.
First National Bank offering scholarships
First National Bank of Durango with the IBC Education Foundation will offer at least two $1,000 college or university scholarships for the 2014-15 school year to deserving high school seniors.
Application forms are available at the bank, 259 W. Ninth St., or can be found online at www.ibcbanks.org. Interested students can send or deliver their completed forms to the bank by March 7.
The scholarships are for $1,000 and may be used for costs of attending a Colorado university, college, junior college or vocational/trade school.
For more information, call First National Bank of Durango at 247-3020.
School groups may schedule visits to Animas Museum
Educators can contact the Animas Museum to schedule student visits to the “Journey Stories” exhibit.
Part of the Smithsonian Institution’s “Museum on Main Street” program, the exhibit tells the stories of American mobility. Colorado Humanities has provided support to bring this educational opportunity to La Plata County. Lesson plans and exhibit information may be found at www.museumonmainstreet.org. The exhibit will be in Durango until March 18.
The Animas Museum, 3065 West Second Ave., is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. School groups may schedule Monday visits.
For more information call 259-2402.
Grant money available to train local teachers
The Public Education & Business Coalition has been awarded grants from the Boettcher Foundation and Colorado Department of Education totaling $6.47 million to support its Colorado Boettcher Teacher Residency initiative during the next five years.
The nonprofit coalition works with teachers, schools and districts to cultivate highly effective K-12 educators to elevate student achievement.
The grants will have an immediate impact on the Durango School District 9-R, Ignacio School District 11-JT and Montezuma-Cortez School District RE-1 as the coalition is seeking candidates to fill nine openings for its program that will start this fall.
Applications are due by March 15 and are available at www.boettcherteachers.org.
Fort Lewis College joins Real Food Challenge
Fort Lewis College is the second college in Colorado to sign the Real Food Challenge Commitment.
To mark this commitment, the college will host the Real Food Chow Down on March 18 in the Student Union’s San Juan dining area. “Real food” upholds social welfare, environmental sustainability and physical health.
Community members are invited to both lunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and dinner from 5 to 7 p.m. .
RFC National Campaign Director David Schwartz will lead free community workshops March 16-19, as well as offer a keynote address after the Real Food Chow Down.
The Real Food Challenge is a campaign geared at shifting $1 billion of institutional food service purchasing power toward “real” foods.
For more information, visit www.realfoodchallenge.org.
LPEA college scholarship deadline is March 3
The deadline for high school seniors to apply for scholarships and awards available through La Plata Electric Association is March 3, All high school seniors in La Plata and Archuleta counties, including home-school students, who receive their electricity from LPEA, are eligible to apply for the variety of funding opportunities.
LPEA directly offers the four-year LPEA Scholarship and two-year LPEA/John Voelker Memorial Scholarship, plus provides for additional affiliated rural electric scholarships and awards offered by Tri-State Generation and Transmission and Basin Electric Power Cooperative.
For more information about available scholarships and awards, or to download applications, visit www.lpea.coop.
For more information, call Jeannie Bennett at 382-3505 or email jbennett@lpea.coop.
Continuing-education classes available at FLC
The Fort Lewis College Continuing Education Program will offer these classes:
“Argentine Tango Basics” will be taught by Leslie Carlson on Monday evenings from Feb. 24 to April 21. This course is designed to give the new tango dancer a solid foundation or to give a “brush up” to the more experienced dancer. Basic movements will be covered in a light, upbeat and nonthreatening environment. The cost is $129 per person or $229 per couple for eight classes.
“Old World/New World Wines” with Alan Cuenca will be offered Feb. 26. He will discuss the stylistic differences between Old and New World wines. Students will taste four varietals in both styles, and will have a firm understanding of how the styles are better suited for different occasions. The $39 fee per person for one class includes wines and light snacks.
Advance registration is required. Call 247-7385 or visit www.fortlewis.edu/ContinuingEd.
Durango board meeting scheduled for March 18
The next Durango School District 9-R Board of Education meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. March 18 in the board room at the administration building, 201 E. 12th St.
Park Elementary School will be the school highlight.
DHS spring sports meeting to be held March 3
Spring sports – which include baseball, boys swimming, girls golf, girls soccer, girls tennis, boys lacrosse, girls lacrosse, boys and girls track – officially begin Monday.
The Activities Office is accepting paperwork and participation fees for these sports now.
To receive a red card for clearance to participate, students must bring in the participation fee along with the completed athletic packet and medical consent form, which can all be found under the “Extracurricular” tab at dhs.durangoschools.org.
The meeting for parents, athletes and coaches will be held at 7 p.m. March 3 in the main gym.
Sunnyside school to host St. Patrick’s Day fundraiser
Sunnyside Elementary School will host its annual St. Patrick’s Day Extravaganza from 5 to 8 p.m. March 15.
The event is sponsored by Sunnyside Independent Parent/Teacher Association to raise funds to help pay for tablets for Sunnyside.
There will be home-cooked corned beef or smoked brisket (donated by Sunnyside Farms) with all of the sides, dance music, “green games” for kids and a cake and pie auction.
Tickets will be available at the door at Sunnyside, 75 County Road 218. Dinner tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for kids 6 to 12 and free for kids 5 and younger.
Dinner will be served from 5 to 6:30 p.m. One $5 stamp gives kids a chance to play green games from 6:15 to 8 p.m.
For more information, call Sunnyside at 259-5249 or Janet McCoy at 247-0711.
Florida Mesa Elemenatry PTO to meet Thursday
Florida Mesa Elementary School’s next parent-teacher organization meeting will be held at 8 a.m. Thursday at the school, 216 Colorado Highway 172.
DHS to host SkillsUSA Region 8 Championships
Durango High School will host the 2014 SkillsUSA Region 8 Championships at 4 p.m. Feb. 28.
Students will compete in contests involving skilled trades taught in high school.
If students place among the top two or three (depending on the particular contest), they qualify to continue on to The Colorado State SkillsUSA Conference Championships in Colorado Springs in April. Nationals will be held in Kansas City, Mo., in June.
Animas High School announces events
Animas High School announces these events:
Enrollment for the 2014-15 school year is open. Spots are available for ninth, 10th and 11th grades. Students interested in enrolling at AHS can find an online enrollment form at www.animashighschool.com.
Prospective students can shadow AHS students by making a reservation. To schedule a tour or a shadow experience, call 247-2474 or email mainoffice@animashighschool.com.
Information nights will be held at 5:30 p.m. March 5 and 12. There will not be an information night Feb. 26.
The juniors’ honors humanities and chemistry exhibition will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday at Fort Lewis College in Jones Hall 144 and 146. In humanities, students have been working on independent study projects and will present their responses to their chosen research question. In chemistry, students have been exploring various lines of inquiry including the creation of ferrofluid, the qualitative extraction of caffeine from a variety of beverages and the exploration of the effects of gender and exercise intensity on lactic acid in the blood.
Herald Staff
