Apply by May 2 for Summer Courses
It’s time to apply for summer classes at Ashland Community and Technical College. ACTC offers three choices for summer classes: a full summer term from May 16 to July 24, Summer Session I from May 16 to June 19, and Summer Session II from June 6 to July 24.
Summer Sessions offer advantages to new and continuing students alike. New students can get a head start on fall, continuing students can complete their college program in a shorter time, and working adults can take classes for job advancement.
May 2 is the application deadline for both Summer I and the Full Summer terms, and June 6 is the application deadline for Summer II. Admission forms and class schedules are on the web at: ashland.kctcs.edu. For more information, call the Admissions Office, 606-326-2114.
In-state Kentucky tuition for summer classes is $147 per credit hour, and residents of neighboring Ohio and West Virginia counties qualify for in-state tuition.
Financial Aid is available for summer classes, and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is online at: www.fasfa.gov. For help with the FAFSA or to pre-determine your eligibility for a Federal Pell Grant or other aid, contact the Office of Financial Aid at 1-855-246-2282.
ACTC Students Bring Art to Elementary School
Some Ashland Community and Technical College education students are teaching art at Crabbe Elementary School this semester as part of an ongoing Art Education Project that brings education students into elementary classrooms.
ACTC has been providing these art enrichment classes for so many years that one of the former elementary students, Jamie Campbell, is now the Principal at Crabbe. “I remember the art class from when I was at Oakview Elementary, and I’m glad the college is still providing this opportunity for students,” he said.
“It’s an absolute pleasure to have the ACTC students here,” Campbell said. “The children look forward to having them come, and the teachers have an opportunity to put theories into practice. This is a win-win situation for everyone.”
The project gives education students hands-on teaching experience and provides an art resource for area schools.
“I think it’s important to provide art experiences in elementary schools, and our students can put into practice some of the techniques they’ve learned as artists while practicing their teaching techniques,” said Wendy Fosterwelsh, ACTC Professor of Art.
Five ACTC education majors who have had an art class with Fosterwelsh are involved with the project this semester. In the “Poster Artists of the Month project,” students learn about a famous artist each month and look at prints of the artist’s most famous works. Then they get to experiment using different techniques to create the same style of artistic expression.
“This is a chance to be creative without thinking about grades, and they absolutely enjoy it,” said Katie Bryant, the Crabbe third grade teacher involved in the project this year. “I know my students benefitted last year, so I volunteered to have the ACTC students teach the class again this year.”
Alexandra R. Young, a Paul Blazer 2014 graduate and Catlettsburg resident majoring in Elementary Education, is one of the ACTC ‘teachers.’ “Working at Crabbe has made me realize that this is exactly what I want to do with the rest of my life, and it makes me so excited about the future,”
Young and the other art students are volunteers who want to gain classroom experience. “I tell my students about the opportunity, and they do all the work,” said Fosterwelsh. An anonymous donor provided ACTC with money for the art supplies this year, and included enough to give the students a stipend for teaching the classes.
“It’s nice to be paid, but I’d do it for free,” said Taylor N. Benge, a 2013 Boyd County High School graduate and Ashland resident. “Between this and my observations, I know I want to be an elementary teacher. I volunteered to teach the class even though I don’t have an art class at ACTC this semester, and I thoroughly enjoy it.”
Even though they are not planning to become artists themselves, the ACTC students like working on art projects with their students. “The children love it, and seeing how the students are proud of their final results is one of the things I enjoy most,” said Cassandra L. Creswell, a Flatwoods resident and concurrent student at ACTC and Morehead State University.
The benefits of the program go beyond encouraging children to express themselves and helping education majors prepare for the classroom.
“Art is a way to encourage creativity, and creativity is our #1 human resource for the 21st Century,” said Fosterwelsh. “It forces you to think outside the box to solve problems with new solutions. We need creative people more than ever to ask questions, create new ideas and not be afraid of taking risks to get to the goal.”
For information on ACTC art courses next fall, email: wendy.fosterwelsh@kctcs.edu. For information on ACTC education courses for transfer to four-year universities, email: warren.howard@kctcs.edu.
