Northwestern High School’s Arden Brittain took top honors recently in the Junior/Senior Division at Ivy Tech Community College Kokomo’s 2022 high school science fair. His project, “The Potential of Combating Oceanic Pollution with Pleurotus Ostreatus,” earned him a new tablet and a free class at Ivy Tech, courtesy of fair sponsor NIPSCO.
Winners of the 2022 Ivy Tech Science Fair with fair organizers.
In the Freshmen/Sophomore Division, first place and a $200 gift card to Barnes & Noble went to Addison Sparling. Second place and a $100 gift card went to Taylor Schmitt, and third place and a $50 gift card went to Morgan Kistler, all of Northwestern High School.
Tammy Greene, Ph.D., chair of Ivy Tech Kokomo’s Life and Physical Sciences programs, organized the science fair as a way to expand awareness of Ivy Tech Kokomo’s new science education facilities and the College’s associate transfer degree in biology. Eighteen students from Northwestern High School participated in the fair, which included a keynote speech by Ivy Tech Kokomo Professor Alexander Bobbs, Ph.D., who spoke on what inspired him to become a scientist. Greene extended her thanks to Northwestern science teacher Linda Wilson for organizing her class’s participation.
First-prize winner Arden Brittain
Judges for the competition included Ivy Tech Kokomo science professors Greene and Bobbs; Nicholas Bianco, Ph.D.; and Andrew Glasscock, D.C.
With bachelor and master degrees in human biology from the University of Indianapolis and a doctorate in biological anthropology from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, Greene teaches many of the life science courses for Ivy Tech Kokomo. For more information on science programs at Ivy Tech Kokomo, she can be reached at 765-252-5532 or tgreene30@ivytech.edu .
CDL course readies students in as little as three weeks
Ivy Tech Community College Kokomo is offering CDL-A training to prepare people to fill high-demand jobs in the trucking industry. New classes are starting monthly and financial assistance may be available through WorkOne or a Workforce Ready Grant for those who qualify.
“This class is for anyone thinking about getting a new job – a job that puts you in demand in the workforce with job security and good pay,” said Katie Loman, Ivy Tech’s employer consultant for the Kokomo Service Area. According to the American Trucking Association, the truck driver shortage was expected to hit a historic high of just over 80,000 drivers by the end of last year with the possibility of a shortage of 160,000 by 2030, the result of growth in the industry and retirements and resignations of existing drivers.
Ivy Tech’s CDL-A training program, provided in conjunction with Summit Commercial Driver Training LLC, is designed to prepare students to successfully pass both the written and practical portions of Indiana CDL examination in as little as three weeks. It includes 120 hours of training to become a Class-A Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) holder. This course provides a fundamental working knowledge of the varied aspects of the trucking industry and prepares students for an entry-level position as a tractor-trailer driver with a trucking company.
Before starting the program, prospective students must have a valid motor vehicle driver’s license and must pass a Department of Transportation physical, the CDL Permit examination (covering the General Knowledge, Air Brakes and Combination Vehicle sections) and a drug screen.
For registration and additional information on the program, contact Bonnie Devers at bdevers3@ivytech.edu or (765) 252-5497.