BOOK LEARNING WITH BRENDA MARTINEZ: Working remotely has it’s challenges, including
helping students with more practical requests. However, Brenda Martinez has worked
hard to do just that. She saw on a local Facebook group that a student needed an English
1B textbook. Brenda commented on the post that the library was still available for
students by appointment and helped to connect him with resources to help him, including
an online textbook rental platform where he could get the textbook.
“Student success is my priority and I’m always looking for ways to help students even if it’s off work hours,” said Martinez.
WEST HILLS COLLEGE LEMOORE BRING THE ART ONLINE: West Hills College Lemoore’s SPLAAT Club (Students Practicing and Learning Art Appreciation and Techniques) has found a creative solution for its annual art show being postponed: go online. The annual Collision of Vision, a major event at West Hills College Lemoore, was postponed due to the closure of the campus. Art submissions to the show will be showcased on an online web page as a way of bringing the community together.
“Throughout history, devastating world eventshave always impacted how art unfolded,” said SPLAAT President Jayden Lozada. “Even with COVID-19’s impact, it inspired me to try someting new, something that I had never thought of doing before these limits were placed on us. I hop this interactive online art gallery makes a lasting impact on the campus and continues to let us create and celebrate artwork wherever we go.”
Students can submit art to:
kristenkennedy@whccd.edu or davidbrooks@whccd.edu
STAYING CONNECTED: MARK GRITTON OPENS THE DOOR FOR CONVERSATION:
Connection is key in education. One way instructor Mark Gritton has been staying connected
with his students is simply by reaching out and being willing to share. Gritton emailed
students letting them know how he’s been coping with the COVID-19 pandemic, by building
a small home gym in his garage.
“I’d like to invite some of you send me an email and share how the COVID-19 Pandemic
has affected your life,” Gritton wrote. “Some of you have children at home now. How
are you managing that? Some of us have parents who are considered “High Risk”; be
it age, underlying illnesses, etc... Tell me about these challenges you are experiencing,
as well, This is not going to be a graded assignment, nor is it mandatory that you
participate. I would just like to provide you an opportunity to share.”
The response was immediate. Gritton heard from a mother of four whose husband was
now out of work and from a single mother whose child has sickle cell anemia. Another
student wrote back to talk about how stressful working at a Dollar Tree during the
early days of the pandemic was.
Connection is key and Gritton is working to maintain that.