By Amy Grace
March is Red Cross month! That time of year in which we—along with community leaders, partners and volunteers—recognize how the American Red Cross helps people down the street, across the country and around the world.
As we wrap up the month, I wanted to share how the Red Cross is helping our local community in very practical ways that most people never even hear about.
In 2015, the Red Cross responded to 85 McLennan County families who lost possessions, pets, clothes and, in some cases, their entire home to a fire, flood or tornado. Our incredible team of volunteers and staff deploy to help any family in our community devastated by disaster, no matter the nationality, ethnicity, income level or even citizenship of the victims…we provide relief. Period. And we are on call to respond 24/7, 365 days a year without question, right here in Waco.
Additionally, throughout 2015, 1,861 McLennan county residents were trained to provide life-saving skills such as CPR, First Aid, Water Safety, Babysitting and more. That’s 1,861 more of us who are able to jump in and help save lives when needed, and that need could happen anywhere – restaurants, the grocery store, sports events – you just never know!
And lastly, did you know we have an entire arm of the Red Cross dedicated to serving and assisting our military, active and retired? Not only do we provide volunteer assistance to service members at local VA hospitals, but we also provide mental health services and reconnect military families across the globe who have been separated by war, tragedy or circumstance. In 2015, we provided assistance to military families and service members 262 times in McLennan County.
In other words, the Red Cross is here, supporting and providing relief in many ways to people in our own back yard every day. If you would like to join us in volunteering here in your own community, we would love to have you! Our volunteers are our life-blood, and we are proud of and grateful for every one of them! To register as a Red Cross volunteer, please visit www.redcross.org/volunteer. Enter your zip code and choose volunteer opportunities of interest, or if you don’t see something of interest in the listed opportunities, complete your profile anyway and call our office to talk about other volunteer options.
April 7 – Volunteer Teams of HOT American Red Cross Meeting – Naomi Dews, Volunteer Services Specialist and Trevor Sikes, Disaster Services Specialist will be discussing ways volunteers can provide relief to those affected by disasters and help people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. Prospective volunteers are welcome to attend. Cost: FREE. Time: 6:30 PM. Location: 4224 Cobbs Drive. For more information, please call 254-523-4985 ext 1109 or email [email protected].
Amy Grace is a native Texan and is serving our community as the Executive Director of the Heart of Texas chapter of the American Red Cross. She has an extensive professional background but is most proud of being a mom to her incredible four-year old daughter and paying forward a legacy of courage, resilience, hope and abundance. She currently resides in Temple with her daughter, two canine family members (Ranger and Silver) and her grandmother.
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.
Amy Grace,
Executive Director
By Janet Phelps
It can take years for a student to get a GED and finish college. Take, Patty*, for example, who started studying for her GED® in 2014 after dropping out of the 10th grade many years earlier because of a tough situation at home.
Patty completed her GED® just eight months later but continued to work minimum wage factory jobs to support her kids as a single mom.
Last fall, Patty took a CNA class and got a full-time job. She leveraged her newfound stability to take a FastTrack to College class, and then started classes toward her nursing degree at McLennan Community College this spring.
That should be the happy ending to Patty’s story— but it’s not.
She still has to complete her remedial class requirements at MCC while working full-time and struggling to make ends meet. She’s years away from that salaried job she desperately needs.
The length of time it takes people in Patty’s situation to first attain a GED, then complete remedial classes (which don’t typically count toward a degree), and THEN complete classes for a degree is often just too much. Many students drop out along the way. For many, the path is too long to be practical – too many things can go wrong along the way.
MCC is starting a program this spring through a grant from the Higher Education Coordinating Board to help students like Patty achieve their goals. This new Career Pathway option will allow students who dropped out of high school, or who need academic helps to be successful in college, to begin earning college credit more quickly.
Classes begin in May for the first pathway which will result in a Computer Support Specialist Certificate.
The program is designed for students to finish six courses (18 credit hours) and complete their GEDs® in two semesters (Summer and Fall) —bypassing the remedial courses that most students have to take when they start at MCC. Participating students will also get the chance to work toward achieving a work readiness certificate during the class.
Students will be able to go to work immediately when the courses finish in December, and the 18 hours of college credit they earn will also give them a good start toward earning a one or two-year degree in one of five areas at MCC: Computer Information Systems and Applications, Computer Applications, Paralegal, Administrative Assistant and Medical Office Assistant.
MCC’s Adult Education & Literacy Department also plans to partner with Communities in Schools (CIS) to provide paid work experience for students in this program who meet CIS’s eligibility requirements.
MCC is seeking to enroll 15 students without a GED® or high school diploma into this program. If qualified and accepted, MCC will pay for a student’s credit classes until the student demonstrates the success that’s required to qualify for federal financial aid (See: Ability to Benefit). The program is also open to students who have a high school diploma but who need academic remediation or English language help in college. Students who enroll will get academic and social support plus financial help with textbooks and supplies in addition to free tuition at MCC and free GED education.
The Computer Support Specialist certificate is part of the goal of MCC’s Adult Education & Literacy Department to boost the academic and career skills that low-income adults need to get ahead.
Please help us get the word out about this opportunity. To learn more, feel free to contact me. My email is [email protected]. Or, you can call 254-299-8760 or come to an informational session on Thursdays at 9:30 a.m. or 5:30 p.m. on MCC campus.
Computer Support Specialist Certificate Career Pathway
May – December 2016
Career Pathway Informational Sessions
Thursdays at 9:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.
Room E224, Community Services Center
McLennan Community College
For more information Contact Janet Phelps: [email protected]
Janet Phelps is the Transition Specialist for Adult Education and Literacy for the Heart of Texas at McLennan Community College. She loves helping students, reading, and running at Cameron Park.
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.
*Patty is not the student’s real name. We used a pseudonym to protect this student’s privacy.
By David Saucedo
My brother, Robert Saucedo, and I have always had a desire to impact today’s culture. Between us, we have been blessed to work on many exciting projects that we believe are having a significant positive influence on the public, private and non-profit sectors in the Waco area. We didn’t know it, but we have been preparing for our newest project our whole lives. It’s called “Hope through Concrete.”
You might not immediately associate the words “Hope” and “Concrete,” but for my brother and I those two words fit together perfectly. Robert and I grew up working in concrete. We come from a family that has been involved in the concrete industry for over 40 years. Eventually we both landed careers in the precast concrete industry. Robert is a certified concrete technician and quality control supervisor; and I am a Safety Coordinator and training developer, also with industry certification. Now we are working to combine the skills and expertise we have developed working in the concrete industry with our desire to be a positive influence in the community.
We have started a concrete company, Saucedo Brothers, and are partnering with Life Church Waco, Pastor Gabriel Dominguez (Pastor Gabe), and the job creation/discipleship efforts of Hope Through Everything, a 501c3 Non-Profit here in Waco. The tagline of Hope Through Everything is “Moving Forward Despite our Struggles.” Here’s a part of the description from the website of what Hope Through Everything is working to do:
Hope Through Everything exists to disciple and provide jobs to those who are committed to God, are going through the systems established at “Life Church Waco,” and who are below the poverty line and/or who once were incarcerated or living the “street life” and are now choosing life change…
Our goal is to create jobs where this population can learn how to show up consistently and on time, handle responsibility, and gain employable skills in a safe and loving environment…
We do not want to provide jobs to just anyone because they need a job, but rather because they truly want one. We have healthy accountability systems already in place to ensure everyone we accept into our program is there because they want to be…
Robert and I agree with Pastor Gabe that people, especially young people, need an opportunity to learn fundamental work ethic and basic work skills. We vow to use our business to finance “Hope Through Concrete,” where young men and women seeking life change can find the guidance, training, spiritual growth and WORK they need to move forward despite their struggles. Our vision for “Hope Through Concrete” is a company that disciples young men and women as they learn the trade.
This approach is not only good for the young people who work for us, we think it makes good business sense. We call this concept “Foundational Employment.” Employers are in a good position to invest in employees in a way that helps employees build a solid foundation for their lives. Employers who are willing to make that investment will reap the benefit of high quality, loyal employees. We intend to run our company on that principle. As Robert says, “We believe companies would benefit by investing in the lives of their employees … sometimes it’s easier to show possibilities rather than preach them. The vision we have for our company is one of transparency and purpose, all employees at Saucedo Brothers will be invested in.”
We are currently constructing a 6500 square foot parking lot and custom design retainer wall for the Masonic Temple at 724 Washington Avenue. Jon S. Spann, President of the board for the York Rite Library and Museum that owns the Masonic Temple, understands our vision, “The York Rite Library and Museum of Texas is dedicated to the preservation of the history of the York Rite, this includes The Masonic Temple building itself. We also seek out the opportunity to support local programs that benefit our community in and around the Waco area. Our faith is our guiding light in all that we do.”
We are also already working with Cory and Kate Duncan. In a December 2015 article, the Waco Tribune said “Cory and Kate Duncan have been praised as the type of young, aggressive business owners that downtown Waco needs.” Cory, a real estate developer and Waco native, recently acquired nearly 14,000 square feet of space in the 700 block of Washington Avenue. Approximately 4,000 square feet of the development has been set-aside for Wildland Supply Co., a business founded and operated by his wife, Kate.
The Duncan’s admire the vision for Hope Through Everything and will be calling upon us for all of their concrete needs, including work on the renovation of their 1926 Cameron Park estate. As Cory says, “When exploring your options of contractors to use, you must look for the perfect balance of skill, experience, and price. The ability to support a good cause is icing on the cake. These guys are very transparent, very professional, and passionate about serving our community, we are excited about working with them on future projects.”
As Saucedo Brothers and Hope Through Concrete continue to work with developers and entrepreneurs like The Duncan’s, our vision is that the company’s reach will continue to spread Hope throughout the Waco area.
We need your help to grow! We can handle house foundations, building foundations, parking lots, custom designed retainer walls, sidewalks, patios, we love what we do and no job is too big or too small! Our business model is transparency. We will show you what it takes to get the job done, and explain what our aim is for a reasonable profit. We will provide testimonials about the lives impacted by your project. Visit www.hopethrougheverything.org and let us provide your concrete needs!
This Act Locally Waco blog post was written by David Saucedo. David is a local minister with Life Church Waco and has committed the last 8 years of his life to impacting his community in a positive way. David has a loving wife, Michelle and three beautiful children, Lianna (7), Isaiah (4) and Isaac (10 Months).
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.
by John Fitch
If you were to conduct a survey about great cities for technology innovation it is unlikely that Waco would even make the list.
There actually is a list.
Waco is not on it.
One list to look at is the Streetwise Innovation Index . This index presents the top 50 cities for innovation in America by reviewing a number of factors: technology sectors represented, venture funding available, higher education enrollment, livability, and overall economy. Four cities in Texas were identified as providing the most promising climates for technology startups: San Antonio (8th), Houston (11th), Austin (12th), and Dallas (21st).
Looking at the five areas making up the index, we see that Waco holds the key elements already and is rapidly improving in each area.
Baylor Research and Innovation Collaborative (The BRIC)
Let’s start with an easy one – livability. Waco has clearly hit a critical mass in the past few years that is making a positive difference in livability. If you just compared the number of food trucks in Waco today versus 5 years ago that would be enough to settle the argument. But there is much more. A real resurgence downtown, the completion of the McLane stadium and it’s embracing of the river, Fixer Upper and the Silos, the Baylor Research Innovative Collaborative, Loft living, and so much more. Waco is not an Austin and probably never will be. But interestingly because of that critical mass, new graduates more and more are seeing Austin as a place to visit but Waco as a place to live and embrace community. This is one of the keys to technology startups – keeping young, energetic, bright minds engaged and locally involved.
The overall economy is also a key factor for the list. In general terms, the economy of Waco is not significantly different than the four Texas cities cited above. That is, the Waco economy is both good and sufficient to attract and support a diverse workforce including multiple workers in a family. Waco companies also span many technology sectors such as aerospace, medical products, and logistics providing broad opportunities for varied skills and interests. A very real difference in the Waco economy is the lower overall cost of living. Month to month cash flow is always a problem for new development. A reduced cost of doing business (both overhead and operations) makes a tangible difference between wanting to innovate, expand, or hire and actually doing it.
What about higher education? Successful technology startups must rely equally on technical and business acumen. Waco has always had a strong entrepreneurial culture fostered in large part by graduates from the Baylor School of Business. In the past decade, the Baylor School of Engineering has grown to a significant size adding Ph.D. programs and funded research in Electrical and Mechanical engineering. These are critical steps towards Baylor’s stated goal of becoming a top tier research University. Available interns, graduates and collaborative opportunities provide the personnel needed to design and develop new technology. Often the engineering students have strong ties to the business school or entrepreneurial programs helping to build the culture and tools of successful innovation.
Waco also has another educational jewel that cannot be overlooked for innovation – Texas State Technical College. Having well-trained, locally available technicians for prototyping, troubleshooting, and manufacturing new technology is a unique asset for Waco. The various programs at TSTC provide excellent graduates in all areas of mechanical, electrical, and optical technology. Their workforce development programs can also be critical to rapidly providing a trained workforce for scaling a successful innovation.
What about Venture Capital? Two major points here. First, although there are real opportunities for locally available capital for technology startups, in today’s world this is not a requirement. You could make the argument that it should be at least regional. If so then Austin, Dallas, San Antonio and Houston are all easily accessible. The second point was made succinctly at a recent meeting with a Chicago based venture capital firm at the BRIC – “today’s $500,000 is yesterday’s $5 Million”. Technology itself has made the cost of innovation much less than it used to be. Because that cost has come down dramatically, the opportunity for local financing has improved dramatically. The Waco Chamber of Commerce is actively working to encourage just this type of modest local investment in local innovations and business startups.
Finally, Waco has a host of resources primed and available for technology innovation. More and more there are capable, experienced, tech savvy small businesses in Waco eager to collaborate. These cover the range of expertise from design, manufacturing, prototyping, 3D printing, software development, analytics, cloud services, etc. Waco even has a MakerSpace that enables DIY prototyping without large capital costs.
The McLennan Small Business Development Center provides a host of start up support including experienced technology development coaches like Jane Herndon. They sponsor a variety of events to foster innovation and business startup, and they have the connections to other regional and national resources you may require as innovations mature.
Baylor provides multiple resources and entrepreneurial groups including the Baylor Angel Network and the Launch Group. Baylor University in partnership with Waco, Bellmead, TSTC, and many others, leads the Baylor Research Innovative Collaborative as a state of the art research facility that is putting Baylor research, TSTC, Launch, and large and small businesses under one roof to foster technology development and commercialization in Waco. In less than three years of operations it’s already making an impact with all four of last year’s Waco Business Innovator finalists directly linked to developments taking place in the BRIC.
So why Waco, why now for innovation? With everything Waco has going for it, the better question for your innovative idea is – why haven’t I started?
John Fitch is an Engineer, Space Physicist, and inventor. He has lived with his family in Waco since 1994. John founded Birkeland Current in 2009 as a small business that develops enabling technical concepts into mature prototypes ready for business startup. Birkeland Current’s joint venture with Pruf Energy Solutions recently won the 2015 Business Innovator award from the Waco Chamber of Commerce. Birkeland Current’s offices and labs are in the Baylor BRIC. The website is www.birkelandcurrent.com.
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these Aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.
By Diego Loredo
College isn’t easy, trust me I know. I’ve been in college for two years and will be heading into my junior year this fall. I know the struggles of going to college. However, lately I’ve been hearing about a lot of my friends going back to Waco after spending a semester or two at a university out of town.
They either transfer to MCC or just stop going to college. Now there’s nothing wrong with going to MCC, my sister is going there this fall, but it surprises me that some of my friends decided to leave their university. I know they are all smart people and are perfectly capable of attending a university. When I asked them why, most of them said they just couldn’t handle going to a university away from home. I fully understand this and wrote this blog hoping to help them or anyone else who is struggling to adapt to a college away from home.
From personal experiences, I have gone through my fair share of struggles at UNT. I’ve bombed exams, met people I didn’t get along with, and I even failed a class last semester. I know there are many different reasons for college being tough such as, difficult classes, financial issues, homesickness, etc. But to me college is basically just learning through trial and error, and here are a few things I’ve learned that may help someone who is struggling in college.
Make a group of close friends
It always helps to have some friends you can rely on and this will make going to a college away from home much easier. I already had a few friends going to UNT, plus my roommate was a good high school friend of mine, but I thought I would still struggle to make new friends in college. However, I made friends almost instantly during my first week there and it turned into having my own little group of close friends. We always hang out and I know that I can rely on them to help me out with anything. Every college student needs a group like this and if you can find a few close friends then that’ll make the transition into college a lot smoother.
Don’t go home that often
I know this may be tempting but it’s best to not go home that often if you go to a college out of town. Unless, you have a specific reason that requires you to go home I think you should stay in the city that your college is in. Now this doesn’t mean don’t go home at all, I’m just saying don’t go home every weekend. If you do this, then you’ll never get used to being away from home. I know a few people who go home every weekend and I try to convince them to stay in Denton but they never do. There are so many things to experience in whatever city you’re in. You’ll be missing out on the full college experience if you’re back at home every weekend.
Find a tutor
For those who are struggling in classes, find a tutor! I know there’s some kind of learning center at your college. You’re paying for it so might as well use it right? Finding a tutor will not only help you in class, but it might even help you enjoy the class more. We all have those classes that we absolutely hated, for me it was Elementary Probability and Statistics, but having a tutor will help you get through it and not stress too much.
I’ll admit it, college isn’t for everyone. Some will enjoy it more than others and it can be absolutely nerve-wracking at times. But, you never know until you try. Going to a college away from home has been such a great experience so far and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to go to college. I know it’s harder than staying at home but I promise it’s worth it.
Diego Loredo is a sophomore at the University of North Texas. He is majoring in public relations. He graduated from University High School in 2014. Although he is still not quite sure what exactly he wants to do, he thinks he wants to work somewhere in sports PR (preferably soccer or college football). His hobbies include playing soccer and golf. He is 19 years old.
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these Aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.
By Rachel Toombs
(Note: This piece was originally published on Manyhorizons.com. )
100 years ago, two miles from where my house now stands, seventeen-year-old Jesse Washington was lynched just outside the courthouse in downtown Waco, Texas.[1] What came to be deemed nationally as “The Waco Horror” was caught through gruesome images of Washington’s charred body hanging from a tree with a crowd of thousands in their Sunday-best encircling the scene. One of these images (warning: this image is graphic) captures the face of a young man smiling a benign smile that could just as well be made in a school photograph or at the sight of one’s crush on a first date. The smiling young man beams out from the bottom right corner of the image. Just to the left of him, there is a tree and hanging from it is the barely recognizable remains of a man.
It would be easy to stand apart from the appalling joy of this young man before such a horror. Evil is always easier to swallow when we are able to stand apart. It is a bit harder to stand apart when the evil occurred right down the street, but not all that hard. When I asked a class of undergraduates who also live just a couple miles from the Waco Horror if they knew the name Jesse Washington, not one hand was raised. Not one. It is easy to stand apart from evil, even when it occurred right down the street unless you are on the receiving end of those evil acts.
It is worth taking a moment to state the obvious: those in positions of societal privilege are much less likely to recognize the evil in our midst and in ourselves. This is a kind privileged ignorance. When we find ourselves among the lynching crowd and not the lynched, the horror can be lost on us. And often is, as can be seen in the indelicacy of the proclamation that “all lives matter,” when it is the black body that is treated as though it matters less than a white one.
Now, our ability to stand apart is, of course, unsurprising. For “the heart really is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?”[2] When I look at that picture of the young man in a crisp white shirt, I cannot understand it. When I allow myself to consider for that terrifying moment how I ignorantly and willfully participate in my own forms of perpetuating even delighting in evil, I cannot understand it. But I know it is true.
We like to see ourselves as part of the crowd that welcomed the God-Man into Jerusalem with palm branches signaling his triumphal entry into the holy city. We do not like to identify ourselves as the same crowd later that week who cried “Crucify him.” It is entirely fitting that often the ashes that streak our foreheads and initiate us into the Lenten season of the bruised heart are made from the ashes of the palms from Palm Sunday: behold your wickedness.
In his Summa Theologica, Thomas Aquinas notes what was accomplished in Christ’s Passion: “As Christ’s slayers were men, so also was the Christ slain. Now the charity of the suffering Christ surpassed the wickedness of His slayers. Accordingly Christ’s Passion prevailed more in reconciling God to the whole human race than in provoking Him to wrath.”[3] We are Christ’s slayers. Our wickedness is not minimized in the Passion event. Instead, Thomas emphasizes that Christ’s charity, his love, surpasses our wickedness. Our wickedness, seen not only in the mob that cried out “Crucify him” two thousand years ago but throughout the centuries and in my case down the street, must not be forgotten if we want to do justice to the Christ event. We can only grasp the profundity that Love came down, becoming one of us, being crucified by us, and raising both himself and us from the curse of death if we behold our wickedness that God’s love surpassed.
March 19 – REMEMBERING JESSE WASHINGTON: Memorial Walk and Service – On March 19, we come together as the communities and churches of Waco to mourn our history and pray for a better future. Join us as we walk in visible remembrance from Washington’s birthplace to downtown Waco and gather in a service of lament and prayer on Baylor’s campus. For more information, contact [email protected]. Read the history at www.wacohistory.org/items/show/55 or view the walk route (subject to revision) at www.plotaroute.com/route/175094. FLYER.
Rachel Toombs is a third-year theology doctoral student in the Religion Department at Baylor University. She moved to Waco from Vancouver, BC, where she completed her MA in Old Testament. Before she started her graduate studies, she worked with at-risk youth in Minneapolis. Her academic interest is in the theological style of narrative, specifically in the Old Testament and contemporary literature. She lives in Waco with her husband and two pit-mix puppies. She is a diehard Twins fans, and remembers when the Dallas Stars were called the North Stars.
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.
[1] For a more detailed accounts (warning: contain graphic images): http://www.wacohistory.org/items/show/55, http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5401868, https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/jcj01
[2] Jeremiah 17:9
[3] Sum IIIa. 49.4.ad.3
By Brandon Chappell
In recent days, I have been trying to find out what the perception of Texas State Technical College is from the students in the community, and I have been totally surprised at what I’ve heard. One student told me that he was under the impression that TSTC was strictly a place you go to when you want to work on cars. Another student told me that she wasn’t aware that females could even attend TSTC. Neither of these statements is true. TSTC offers a wide variety of associate degrees and certificates for both men and women and is considered by many as one of Waco’s best kept secrets.
TSTC, formerly known as TSTI has been a part of educating and preparing students for the workforce in Waco for over 50 years. With an array of programs such as Gaming, Programming, Welding, Laser Optics, Building Construction, Culinary Arts, Web Design and many others TSTC, offers hands on education and experience locally at a very affordable price. All of the instructors at TSTC have experience working in their particular fields, so the knowledge and wisdom they offer the students is invaluable.
A lecture-style class is not for everyone and at TSTC, we appreciate and value a hands-on teaching environment. Aside from the instructors themselves, there are many services TSTC offers that help our students successfully graduate and find a job in their field. There are scholarships and grants that students can apply for to help pay for tuition and books. The students have access to Success Coaches, who are the academic advisors available 5 days a week to help students navigate any obstacles that comes between them and graduation.
Another service TSTC offers to students is the Project Link Program. Project Link is a program administered by Prosper Waco at TSTC and MCC that allows the students who are members of the program at La Vega High School and University High School to have their own personal Success Coach. My name is Brandon Chappell and I am the Project Link Liaison at TSTC. I help prospective Project Link students who are interested in enrolling in TSTC in the future with information about testing, admissions and other requirements dealing with pursuing a degree or completing a certificate program. If the Project Link students have any problems or concerns dealing with being successful at TSTC, I am their “go-to guy.” I offer a one-on-one mentoring environment, and access to the same support services that the other Success Coaches have, but I am given the opportunity to concentrate on a much smaller number of students and build on a level of familiarity with the students from the high school level.
Come check out the TSTC Waco campus. Take a tour of some of the different departments and find out what program works for you. TSTC isn’t just for recent high school graduates; many of our students have been in the working world for several years before enrolling at TSTC. Most of our programs take 5 semesters or less to complete. If you’re not interested in earning a college degree, TSTC also offers certificate programs that can teach you the basic skills in many different trades so that you can broaden your horizons or make yourself more marketable in the workforce.
At TSTC our goal is to prepare our students for gainful employment, and we have an amazing placement rate. Ultimately the goal is to get our students out into the real world with the necessary job training and skills that it takes to work in many different industries.
The job market has been getting increasingly more competitive and TSTC can help even the playing for field or place you at the front of the hiring race. To find out more information about TSTC, visit www.tstc.edu or head over to the campus between 8-5 and one of our recruiters will be happy to give you a tour or answer any questions you may have.
Brandon Chappell was raised in Houston, TX, but his roots are here in Waco. Most of his family were born here in Waco and graduated from local high schools. He attended Prairie View A&M University as a first generation college student. He graduated from PVAMU in 2012 with a Bachelor’s in Communication, and became the first male in his family to be awarded a college degree. He has been employed with Texas State Technical College since 2012 in several different positions and enjoys using his experiences to assist the students with being successful during their time in college.
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.
by Amy Grace
March is Red Cross month! That time of year in which we—along with community leaders, partners and volunteers—recognize how the American Red Cross helps people down the street, across the country and around the world. In celebration of that, I will be sharing some personal experiences and thoughts about the Red Cross each week.
When I was in my teens and early 20’s, I was a lifeguard, lifeguard instructor and swimming instructor, and as such, I had all the requisite certifications including Red Cross CPR, First Aid, etc. While I won’t be sharing my exact age today, let’s just say those lifeguarding days were quite a while ago!
But last ye
ar, my 4-year old daughter and I were eating dinner in our living room on Valentine’s Day, sharing a beef and broccoli dish from a local restaurant, when my little one choked on a piece of meat. Her airway was completely blocked, and if I had called 9-1-1, there would have been very little chance of the EMTs getting to our house in time to save her life. Instantly, all those years of Red Cross CPR and First Aid training kicked in and I jumped into action, performing the Heimlich maneuver and literally saving my daughter’s life. This Valentine’s Day was a very precious and poignant one, remembering how close I came to losing my little Valentine a year ago. But thanks to the Red Cross, she is still with me and thriving.
Those classes were and are provided to the public through our Preparedness and Health & 
Safety Services teams, including babysitting classes, instructor certification classes, and so, so much more. Are you equipped to save a life in your own back yard, your pool, around your dinner table? You could be! Get into a class and learn how to be an everyday hero to the loved ones around you!
To find available classes, locations, costs, etc., visit us online at redcross.org/takeaclass.
Amy Grace is a native Texan and is serving our community as the Executive Director of the Heart of Texas chapter of the American Red Cross. She has an extensive professional background but is most proud of being a mom to her incredible four-year old daughter and paying forward a legacy of courage, resilience, hope and abundance. She currently resides in Temple with her daughter, two canine family members (Ranger and Silver) and her grandmother.
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.
by Rebecca Edwards
In Waco for Spring Break? You are in luck! There are some wonderful ways you can have some creative fun with your family – no matter what age they are! Here is my personal top 10 list. What would be on yours?
#10 The Dr. Pepper Museum with its Wild West Exhibit – Aside from all the history of Dr. Pepper, there is a great homage to the cowboys and cowgirls that have helped market the soda. Sweet treats in the oldfashioned soda fountain, too. On March 7th, the DPM begins its “summer” hours, meaning it’s open on Monday to Saturday 10am to 5pm and Sunday 12pm to 5pm. Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for students, Seniors & Military $7
#9 Cameron Park Zoo – (Be sure to take advantage of the zoo shuttle – the parking lot fills up quickly.) On Sunday, March 13th, 11am to 2pm, the zoo will host “Spring Forward for Amphibians” with special activities. But the rest of the week will be wonderful to walk the grounds and gaze at our animals living right here in the city! Playgrounds and the gift shop offer the weary some rest. The Zoo is open Monday through Saturday 9 am to 5 pm and Sunday 11 am to 5 pm. Admission is $10 for Adults, $7 for children 412 years old, $9 for Seniors (Children 3 and under are free and Military discounts are offered).
#8 Art Center Waco: GS DeFoore Exhibit, Cookies & Coloring, sculpture trail AND Spring Break Pottery Class – Okay, the Art Center is one of my favorite gems of Waco. Above Cameron Park and the river, the views are spectacular, the grounds (with walkable sculpture trail) are inspiring, and the gallery space is inviting and peaceful. Aside from the permanent structure of the Art Center itself, the goingson inside are also enticing. The GS DeFoore Exhibit just opened and will be up through May 27th. On Wednesday, March 9th, Doreen Plott of Mammoth Creek Pottery will be hosting a pottery class from 9am to noon. (Limited to 10, Registration $50). And on Friday, March 11th, free Cookies & Coloring will be back from 3pm to 5pm to explore the work of Jackson Pollock and eat cookies! What’s not to love??? The Art Center is open Tuesday through Saturday 10am to 5pm. Admission is FREE!!
#7 Magnolia Silos and Food Trucks – In case you didn’t know, there’s a little HGTV show that has made Waco a destination city. And Magnolia Market at the Silos is its base camp! I like the store and all, but the “park” like feel of the grounds and the beauty of community are what have drawn me to the silos. The food trucks (looking at you, Luna Juice Bar and Club Sandwich) are a great excuse to drop by and have lunch while the kids run and tumble on the astroturf lawn with its old fashioned games. The store and grounds are open Monday to Thursday 10am to 6pm and Friday & Saturday 9am to 6pm. Closed Sunday. Admission is FREE!!
#6 Armstrong Browning Library at Baylor University – This grand library may be an odd suggestion for children on Spring Break, but the current exhibition of the library’s collection of children’s literature is worth checking out. The building itself is a masterpiece of architecture, and the grounds around Baylor are perfect for strolling, biking, or scootering. The library is open Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm, and on Saturday 10am to 2pm. Admission is FREE!!
#5 THE Waco Hippodrome – If you haven’t checked out the beautiful renovations done to our Grand Old Dame, the Hippodrome is worth a visit. Offering firstrun movies, delightful old favorites, and a delicious menu (you can eat WHILE watching a movie), it should be pretty high on your list. Especially with the free concert coming up on March 7th at 7pm: The Air Force Celtic Band! Advanced tickets are available on the website—for FREE. (Did I mention this concert is free?) The Hippodrome offers lunch Monday through Friday 11am to 2pm, and the kitchen & bar are open Monday through Friday beginning at 5pm and Saturday and Sunday, beginning at 11am (for awesome brunch!). Admission for most movies and showtimes is $5, First run movies in the evening are $8.
#4 Mayborn Museum at Baylor University – Every. Single. Day. The Mayborn has special Spring Break activities planned in the Bill & Vera Daniel Historical Village every single day of the week. Monday is Chore Day, Tuesday is Grinding Day, Wednesday is Planting Day, Thursday is Candle Making, and Friday is Game Day! These activities are only from 1pm to 3pm in the village, with some days featuring a horsedrawn carriage or animals in the village. But if you miss that, don’t worry. The Mr. Potato Head & Tinker Toy exhibit are also worth the visit! Not to mention the chance to see DisneyPixar’s Toy Story in the museum theater at 11am and 3pm every day. AND Mr. Potato Head himself will make an appearance every day at 10:30 and 2:30. Aside from the traveling exhibits and special events, the regular exhibits are what keep our family members to this treasure of a museum. We like to feel small next to the mammoth skull and giant turtle skeleton in the Strecker wing. We like to explore the wonders of light and water and magnetism in the discovery rooms. And the museum store is a favorite spot to spend allowance money! The Mayborn is open from 10am to 5pm Monday through Saturday, with extended hours on Thursdays until 8pm. Open Sunday from 1pm to 5pm. Admission to the traveling exhibit includes regular admission Adults: $10.00, Children(18 months to 12 years of age): $5.00 Seniors (65 years and older): $9.00.
#3 The WacoMcLennan Public Library’s Spring Break Programming – From the time my oldest was a toddler, we have been taking advantage of the FREE programming at the Waco Library. Toddler time, Preschool Storytime, Summer showcases, special interest clubs. There is something for every age child. In fact, there are just too many to list here. Check out the library website for details about the Zooniversity visiting the South Waco Library or the Board Game club at the West Waco Library or the Family Kite Worksop at Central Library (preregister for that one!). And the regular programming isn’t letting up just because it is Spring Break! Toddler Time and Story Time are still happening! Plus, Books! Movies! Audiobooks! Free Wifi and computer use! Get a library card because it will take you places without having to actually travel. I am a HUGE fan. The Libraries are open most days from 10am to 6pm, with each branch having extended hours on certain days. Admission AND Library Cards are FREE!!!
#2 Sightseeing WacoTown’s Public Art – Waco is changing! It is becoming a place of vibrant art and culture—if it hasn’t always been, the cocoon is cracking. I want to encourage anyone to walk or bike along the Suspension Bridge and marvel at the Branding the Brazos sculptures that capture the scenes of the first crossings of our famous bridge. Find the Freedom Fountain at the Waco Convention Center and try to read the word “FREEDOM” in all the languages that surround it. Find our “You look Nice today, WacoTown” mural at 7th & Washington. Seek out our art. Support our artists at galleries like the Art Center of Waco, Anthem Studios, Art Forum, Martin Museum of Art, and Studio Gallery. See what artists have been doing in our city and celebrate! Go to the public art outside ANYTIME. For the art galleries, check their hours. Admission is FREE!!!
And the NUMBER ONE event in Waco during Spring Break is….
#1 FIRST FRIDAY!!! – Okay, so it doesn’t last all week, but it does start on the very first evening of Spring Break: Friday, March 4th! And the event is all over and really all afternoon and into the evening. Something for everyone and a chance (excuse?) to check out new places in town, like the Findery. Or maybe not even new ones—what about spots that have been around but there’s never been a chance to see what they are all about? Use this First Friday as a ticket to explore what downtown has to offer! Different venues have different hours. Admission is FREE!!!
Rebecca Edwards grew up in West Texas and has lived in Waco for the better part of 24 years. After graduating from Baylor, she married Joel and they have three children. After careers in banking and travel, her titles now include Wife, Mother, Substitute Teacher, Photographer, Arts Enthusiast, and Craft Dabbler.
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.
by Kayla Zollinger
Many people think of Communities In Schools of the Heart of Texas as a school based program where our staff are positioned at campuses throughout the Heart of Texas serving K-12. What many people do not realize is that CIS-HOT also serves youth and young adults who are often referred to as “opportunity youth.” Opportunity youth are typically defined as individuals 16-24 year-olds that are not working or in school. In partnership with Workforce Solutions for the Heart of Texas, CIS-HOT aims to connect with opportunity youth and work with them to achieve their education and employment goals.
One of the opportunities offered to our 16-24 year olds participants is a Subsidized Work Experience. Through this experience, CIS-HOT hires youth, provides them with new-hire training, and places them in the community at a host-worksite. These host-worksites provide the youth with a job description, daily tasks, and supervise them for 15-20 hours per week for about ten weeks, or up to 300 hours. Youth participating in the Paid Work Experience Program receive an hourly wage paid by CIS-HOT as well as support from an individual Career Coach. Each Career Coach meets with the host employer and participant weekly to discuss the participant’s performance in order to highlight strengths and identify areas of growth to prepare them for future employment success.
At CIS-HOT we find that so many of the youth entering our program have a strong desire to work, and want to learn to be reliable employees, but they often need the support of a caring adult to encourage and guide the learning of soft-skills. These youth and young adults are often juggling multiple responsibilities like working toward a GED, attending credit recovery classes, parenting, searching for employment, and even probation. This program offers them the opportunity to attend class, gain job skills, and earn a wage while being surrounded with the CIS-HOT community of support.
Through this program, we have seen numerous changes in our participants including higher self-esteem, more confidence, greater communication, increased punctuality, and improved initiative. Our team has found that this opportunity to learn, work, and earn a wage has kick-started the participants’ intrinsic drive to be successful. Many participants have now moved on to new permanent employment opportunities, using the work experience as an important resume item, and several have enrolled in post-secondary education. We have seen the work experience ignite confidence in youth and young adults and awaken the realization that their goals are within reach.
One of the most integral components of the Paid Work Experience Program at CIS-HOT is the support and investment in the lives of the youth participants by our host employers. Our host employers act as the main supervisors for the youth participants throughout their Work Experience. On a daily basis, these host employers offer professional advice to our participants, and thus doing, contribute to the successful future of these participants. Host employers can be from the public, private, or non-profit business sectors and have the opportunity to hire participants for any open positions following the completion of the Work Experience. Recently, we asked some of our host employers what they would say to other employers in the community about participating as a worksite and here is what they said:
“It is a great experience not only for the student, but also for the employer!”
“I’d say, ‘Do it!’ This program is fantastic for both the student and the employer. To be the first example and somewhat shape and improve a child’s future is an awesome feeling! Both participants walk away feeling accomplished. It’s a Win-Win situation!”
“The CIS Staff is great to work with, and very knowledgeable in what they are doing. The applicants they send us are wanting to change their circumstances.”
CIS-HOT is so thankful for the numerous employers who are currently hosting participants and who have acted as hosts in the past! You are truly valued and your investment in our youth and young adults will impact them for years to come!
If you are interested in serving as a host employer for the Communities In Schools of the Heart of Texas Work Experience Program or if you would like to recommend a young adult to the program, please contact Kayla Zollinger.
Kayla Zollinger is the Field Coordinator for the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Program at Communities In Schools of the Heart of Texas. A resident of Waco since 2008, she has earned both a BBA, and an MSW from Baylor University. She is an avid Baylor Football fan with a passion for working with youth and young adults in her community. You can contact Kayla at 254-640-7299 or [email protected].
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these Aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.