The 2017 Edition of the Trinidad State Magazine
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TRINIDAD STATE Magazine Fall 2017 pg. 8 Gunsmithing at 70 The Long Road pg. 14 A student’s perspective from inside prison walls Year of Firsts Trojan Athletics pg. 12 In This President's Column Issue... As always, our students continue to inspire us. On the Cover We think you’ll feel the same as you read these 70 years of Gunsmithing ��������������������������� 8 pages. Trinidad State has a colorful heritage that continues to grow in many innovative The Long Road: Prison Education ������������ 14 ways. After 92 years we’re still reinventing Main Stories ourselves. Fun & Friendraiser ������������������������������������� 4 Our Robotics Team (which includes several Aquaculture students brave the elements high school students) took a big step in May with a trip to NASA’s “Mars Yard” at the to learn about salmon ������������������������������� 5 Johnson Space Center in Houston. They’re Old West Hatmaking Class ������������������������� 6 practicing for a future competition against some of the most prestigious Eclipse in Southern Colorado ��������������������� 7 four-year schools around. The robot they built, named CLOEE, held her Gunsmithing students gain own in the face of every challenge she faced. national attention ������������������������������������� 9 Our Gunsmithing Program still draws national attention for the Track & Field �������������������������������������������� 10 quality of education we provide and the skill of our graduates. We commemorated its 70th year with a reunion in June. We complemented Cross Country teams �������������������������������� 11 that with our second Art of the Gun at the A.R. Mitchell Museum in Men's Soccer ������������������������������������������� 11 downtown Trinidad. Also, one of our students, Ainsley Ridgeway, was Baseball �������������������������������������������������� 11 featured on the cover of Women and Guns Magazine in their November/ December 2016 edition. NJCAA All-Academic teams ��������������������� 12 Softball ��������������������������������������������������� 12 Our sports teams continue their strong tradition of competitiveness balanced with integrity and academic achievement. We’ve quickly put Women's Basketball �������������������������������� 12 Trinidad State on the map when it comes to competitive running. Our From Troublemaker to B+ student ���������� 13 Cross Country team had a respectable inaugural season, then two of our Recent graduate receives high praise runners went to the Indoor Track and Field Nationals and took 12th from City of Trinidad �������������������������������� 15 place. This past May our Baseball Team won the Region IX Title for the fourth year in a row. Our Softball Team had their best season ever and VP chosen for national award ������������������ 17 one of our players was named Offensive Player of the Year. Our Women’s Azar Endowment for Excellence �������������� 18 Basketball Team made it into the playoffs and our Men’s Soccer Team Elizabeth and William Eckhart went to the national tournament. Memorial Scholarship ����������������������������� 19 As I reflect on Trinidad State, I am so humbled by where we’ve been and Regular Features so excited about where we’re going. Thank you for taking the time to see what’s been happening in our corner of the world. Campus News�������������������������������������������� 3 Class Notes ���������������������������������������������� 15 Memorials ����������������������������������������������� 16 Carmen M. Simone Donor Report ������������������������������������������ 18 President, Trinidad State Trinidad State Magazine Please contact Trinidad State's President ....................Dr. Carmen Simone Fall 2017 Alumni Office with any additions Editor ........................................Greg Boyce Trinidad State Magazine is published or corrections: Writers........ Greg Boyce, Toni DeAngelis, by the Communications Department Mike Salbato, and Margaret Sanderson, Trinidad State at Trinidad State with support from the unless otherwise noted Alumni Office Trinidad State Educational Foundation. Graphic Designer .................. Elise Russell (719) 846-5569 Contributors .....................Toni DeAngelis, [email protected] Linda Perry Campus News CLOEE vs. the Mars Yard Our Robotics Team took an off-world turn over the last year, deciding to build a robot Bus becomes rolling billboard capable of competing with top tier four-year schools at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in In September, just in time for the Trinidad Houston. The event is called Robo-Ops and Labor Day Parade, we had one of our buses is designed to mimic an unmanned Mars “wrapped” with vinyl images to promote the mission. While Robo-Ops was canceled college. This bus regularly makes trips to this year because of a shortage of funds, New Mexico, Texas, Kansas, Nebraska and NASA agreed to host our team anyway, Wyoming. We hope this new look will turn as a warm-up to the next event planned some heads along the way. for 2018. Our robotics team came up with The bus features runner Elias Gedyon, himself CLOEE (Computer-controlled Land-based a national champion (page 10), as well as Optical Electronic Explorer). Using a cell Isabella Navarro (page 12), softball offensive phone connection, operators see video from player of the year in 2016-2017. We’ll feature robot-mounted cameras and then respond a new design on another bus in the next few with movement commands. Her task was to navigate difficult terrain at NASA’s months. “Mars Yard” and pick up specially colored rocks. While the trip in May was a test run, the scores were comparable to those earned by top tier four-year schools in the 2016 Robo-Ops event. The team plans to compete in Houston next year. College for Kids comes to the Valley For the first time Trinidad State brought the popular College for Kids program to Upward Bound Alamosa on three Thursdays $1.86 grant renewed in July. This is a fun and educational “day camp” for about 20, seven to 11 year olds patterned after a MILLION for five years successful program that has operated on the Trinidad Campus for many years. In September we learned our Upward Programs included archeology, dinosaurs, rockets and health care. As part of Bound Math-Science summer program the health care program the children got to see an air ambulance up close after it has been funded for another five years! The landed in the Valley Campus parking lot! federal grant provides $379,000 a year for an immersive six-week college experience for The program was free, with a suggested donation of $5 and included lunch. This high school students. It's aimed at low income was a collaborative effort of the University of Colorado Natural History Museum, and 1st generation college students. They stay the San Luis Valley Area Health Education Center and Trinidad State. in our residence halls and eat in the cafeteria to get a feel for what college is like. Courses in New signs send welcoming message math and science give them a taste of the skills needed in a technology career. We're upgrading our signs at both our campuses to give them A special thanks to Judy MacLaren, who is a more modern look. We hope stepping down as director after more than this modern sign at the corner two decades! We are fortunate Judy plans to of Main and Bell Avenue in continue teaching full-time for Alamosa catches your eye as you Trinidad State after the current head down the street. A sign grant ends. marking the entrance to our L-R Jason Lozano Valley Campus parking lot on from Madre, NM Alamosa Avenue is also on the and Eric Morales way. Two more signs will soon be installed on the Trinidad Campus at Park and from Anthony, NM Prospect and at the corner of Pine and State streets. with a pig ready for dissection 3 TSJC Educational Foundation’s Fun & Friendraiser features interview with OtterBox Founder and honors Hall of Fame inductees The Trinidad State Educational Foundation's annual Fun & Friendraiser event attracted more than 150 supporters, despite a spring snow storm. With a reception, dinner and silent auction, the event featured an interview with Curt Richardson, founder of OtterBox, and the return of the Educational Foundation’s Hall of Fame induction. DeAngelis (left) and Hall of Fame Inductee Zappanti n addition to proceeds from the event helping them understand their gifts that both her volunteer work and donations to benefitting the Trinidad State Student God has given them and giving them the Foundation. Emergency Fund, a $20,000 donation the opportunity and tools to be able to Upon accepting her nomination to the Iwas presented to the Foundation and succeed with those gifts.” Hall of Fame, Zappanti proudly spoke of plans for a $30,000 vocational scholarship Another highlight of the evening was the her three sons who each graduated from were announced. Trinidad State Educational Foundation’s Trinidad State, and thanked her family Richardson, the featured speaker at the Hall of Fame induction, honoring and friends for their support throughout event, is the Founder and Chairman of those who have contributed to the her career. OtterBox, a Fort Collins, Colo.-based betterment of Trinidad State through A life-long educator, Smith-Bacus joined innovator of protective cases for handheld service, commitment and dedication. the Trinidad State faculty in 1965. After and wireless devices. Miriam Zappanti was inducted into a total of 51 years of teaching, she retired the Hall of Fame and from Trinidad State in 1985. Upon her Anna Smith-Bacus and retirement, she said, “My students’