Coming up on August 2nd, “Polynesian Power” will be screened at South Seattle Community College, part of a summer film series on Pacific Islander culture hosted by the college.

Narrated by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, the 2005 film documents the rise of Polynesian athletes in American professional football, and the cultural history underlying their success.

The film festival, which kicked off in mid-July, is free to all who wish to attend.  Visiting professor Rochelle Fonoti facilitates discussions after each film, offering White Center residents a great opportunity to learn more about their Pacific Islander neighbors, and for Pacific Islander White Centerites to celebrate their heritage.  Families of Asian Pacific Islander descent make up nearly twenty percent of White Center’s population.  according to a 2006 demographic survey.

“Polynesian Power” is the second-to-last film in the series. “Young, Gifted and Samoan” will be screened on August 30.

WHAT: “Polynesian Power” screening at South Seattle Community College, part of the college’s Pacific Islander Film series.

WHEN: Monday, August 2, 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm.

WHERE: South Seattle Community College, RAH Little Theater Room 125, 6000 16 Avenue SW, Seattle, 98106.

INFO: Check out the Film Series flier below for more information.

On Tuesday (May 11), South Seattle Community College announced that after a nationwide headhunting search, they have named Gary Oertli (pictured, left), widely-known college leader and current interim president at Seattle Central Community College, as its new president.

Oertli, who has worked at community colleges and baccalaureate institutions throughout Western Washington, will begin his responsibilities at South before the start of fall quarter.

He was selected following a national search and recommendations made by a college-wide committee to Jill A. Wakefield, chancellor of the Seattle Community Colleges, which include South, North and Seattle Central Community Colleges.

“Gary Oertli has excellent depth of experience as a college leader,” Wakefield said. “With his skills at inspiring employees and at creating community support for the college, and his strong commitment to student success, he will be an outstanding president for South.”

According to an SSCC press release:

Oertli is currently serving as interim president at Seattle Central Community College. He also was recent interim president and interim vice president for instruction at South Seattle Community College, former dean at Seattle Central, and director of development for International Affairs and Alumni Relations at the University of Washington. He was honored as president emeritus when he retired from Shoreline Community College, Shoreline, Wash., where he served as president and CEO from 1995 to 2000. He also served for 18 years at Edmonds Community College, Lynnwood, Wash., where he was interim president and CEO, executive vice president for instruction and student services, dean of instruction, vocational director, Business Programs director and tenured faculty member. He started his community college career as a part-time faculty member at North Seattle Community College. Mr. Oertli is a graduate of the Executive Management program in the graduate school of Business Administration at the University of Washington, where he also earned master’s and bachelor’s degrees. He received an honorary doctorate of Humane Letters from Schiller International University in London.

In his previous positions, Oertli developed several important partnerships and is well-known for his successful history of obtaining gifts, grants and in working with college foundations. His service also includes membership on the Governor’s 2020 Commission on Higher Education and president of the U of W Alumni Association. He has been recognized with higher education awards for his work in communications, community relations and by the American Association of Women in Community Colleges for enhancing opportunities for women.

South Seattle Community College serves a multicultural population of almost 17,500 credit and non-credit students from an 87-acre, wooded campus in residential West Seattle, and satellite campuses in the nearby neighborhoods of Georgetown and Beacon Hill.

Students of color make up more than half of the student body, making South one of the most culturally and ethnically diverse colleges in the state, and inspiring the college to match its high student diversity with equally high student success. The college is recognized as one of the leaders and originators of the IBEST curriculum (integrated Basic Education and Training), which combines technical training with basic English skills. In 2008, the college received a two-year, $2.4 million federal grant to support student retention and success, with a special focus on Asian-American and Pacific Islander students. South is among only six recipients from across the country, including both two-year and four-year institutions.

South offers one of the state’s first four-year degree programs at a community college. A Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Hospitality Management launched in 2007 is the only one of its kind in Western Washington. A Wine Studies program features an on-campus winery, unique to the Puget Sound region, where students are creating award-winning wines.

The president will direct a workforce of 650 full- and part-time employees; he replaces former president Jill A. Wakefield, who was selected by the board of Trustees to serve as the district chancellor in January 2009.

The Seattle Community Colleges educate 53,000 students every year at North Seattle, Seattle Central and South Seattle Community Colleges, and at the Seattle Vocational Institute. College presidents are part of the district-wide leadership team who report to the district chancellor and also serve as vice chancellors responsible for coordinating specific district-wide areas such as instruction and student services.

On Thursday (Feb. 25), former South Seattle Community College teacher and King County webmaster Sabra Schneider threw her hat into the 2010 election ring, announcing that she’ll be seeking the 34th District House Seat (Pos. #2) being vacated by current Rep. Sharon Nelson.

So far, Schneider will be facing Geoffrey “Mac” McElroy, owner of the Triangle Pub in White Center. The filing deadline is June 11th, and the primary is Aug. 17th.

Schneider has most recently worked as Webmaster for kingcounty.gov, and according to an interview with The Seattle P-I, where she was named “Geek of the Week“:

…my job involves everything to do with the front end. I write, design, edit, lightly code, manage projects, give advice (sometimes good) and coordinate social media. It’s a surprisingly awesome job, bringing government information to citizens using technology. I’ve always been passionate about intersection of public work and technology and feel lucky to work in a place that encourages innovation.

I also teach communications at South Seattle Community College and have been faculty there for more than 10 years.

Here’s Schneider’s press release in all its glory:

SABRA SCHNEIDER TO SEEK 34th DISTRICT HOUSE SEAT

Today, former South Seattle Community College teacher Sabra Schneider announced her intention to seek the 34th District House Seat being vacated by current Representative Sharon Nelson. Schneider, a resident of Arbor Heights in West Seattle, currently manages online communications for King County.

“Now more than ever, we need legislators who will make education and family wage jobs  a priority in Olympia” said Sabra, 36. “My background in government communications coupled with a decade of teaching the work force of the future makes me uniquely qualified to take on the challenges facing citizens across the 34th District and across our state.”

Sabra Schneider has been a leader in King County’s efforts to increase efficiency and transparency through the innovative use of technology and community partnerships. Sabra has been instrumental in emergency communications, working closely with other local governments to ensure citizens have the most up-to-date information, during the most critical times. A strong proponent of transparency and accountability in government, Sabra is currently helping to organize the Open Government Northwest conference at the end of March.

Prior to serving in King County government, Sabra worked for 10 years as a teacher at South Seattle Community College (SSCC) in West Seattle where she developed a two year degree program in computing technologies. The program has helped graduates go on to family-wage jobs in technology careers. While at SSCC, Sabra also worked with the Seattle Jobs Initiative to build and deliver a fast-track technology program for low-income job seekers.

As a 15-year union member, fighting on behalf of working class families in the 34th District will be a top priority for Sabra in the legislature. Sabra helped bargain the current contract enjoyed by members of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE) Local 17. While working at South Seattle Community College, Sabra was a member of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Local 1789.

According to a press release, nearby school South Seattle Community College is partnering with the U.S. Census Bureau to “help achieve a complete and accurate count of the nation’s growing population.”

The release says:

By supporting the 2010 Census, the college hopes to raise awareness of this important initiative and work to increase the overall response rate of historically hard-to-count college and university students.

The partnership will involve sharing information about the census on the college website, www.southseattle.edu, and encouraging students to complete and return their 2010 Census forms. Off-campus sites NewHolly and Georgetown will also participate in outreach activities.

In addition, a Question Assistance Center (QAC) will be established on the main campus in Cascade Court room 123 (former site of Bernie’s Bakery), where staff will answer questions from students and members of the community.  The QAC will be staffed from 11 am to 7 pm on the following dates:

• Tuesday, March 16
• Wednesday, March 17
• Tuesday, April 6
• Wednesday, April 7
• Tuesday, April 13

South Seattle Community College is located at 6000-16th Ave. SW, in West Seattle. Driving directions: www.southseattle.edu/campus/map.htm#sscc.

For more information about the 2010 Census, visit 2010census.gov.

Wednesday, April 14

South Seattle Community College (located nearby at 6000 16 Ave S.W.) will be offering a number of very ‘green” non-credit Electric Vehicle classes, beginning with a safety course this Saturday, Feb. 27th.

The classes, part of a partnership with the Seattle Electric Vehicle Association, will be taught by a group of experienced instructors who have converted over two dozen vehicles.

Here are the details:

WHAT: A series of non-credit Electric Vehicle classes

WHERE: South Seattle Community College, located at 6000 16 Ave S.W.

WHEN: Class times vary – see details below:

• Electric Vehicle Conversion Workshop
  Instructor:  Ed Stegall
  An intensive six days hands-on learning class that teaches the basics in converting a gasoline engine to electric power.
  8 am – 5 pm     M T W Th F Sat  March 22-27     $899
• Electric Vehicle Safety Systems
  Instructor:  Roger Wright
  Learn how to keep your electric vehicle safe; how a DC system works, what parts go into it, and why you should have these parts.
  9 – 11:30 am            Sat     February 27     $35
  ** Enrollment is still open for the February 27 class. **
  6:30 – 9 pm             T       May 25  $35
• Introduction to AC Drives for Electric Vehicles
  Instructors:  Dan Bentler and Frank Jump
  Learn the advantages and disadvantages of DC and AC motors. Gain valuable insight and knowledge of how AC drives work and how to apply them to vehicles. Class will provide hands-on operating demonstrations of motors and variable-frequency drives and other motors using bench-top equipment VFDs.
  9 am – 4 pm             Sat     April 24        $65
• Electric Vehicle Component Technology for Conversion
  Instructor:  Cory Cross
  Learn about what parts go into a conversion and how they connect to each other. Strong emphasis placed on learning to read schematics and understanding why the parts are connected that way.
  6 – 9 pm                Th      May 13  $45
• Electric Vehicles – Batteries
  Instructor:  Stephen Johnsen
  Topics include: general overview of popular suitable batteries for EVs; comparison of costs and specs on various batteries available; calculating the kWhr rating of my pack; how to extend battery life; charging and recycling of batteries.
  6:30 – 9 pm             T       May 18  $45
• Electric Bicycles
  Instructor:  Ed Stegall
  Go through the process of actually converting a normal bike to electric. Class also covers bike safety, bike laws and basic maintenance and tips for doing your own conversion on your own or with a kit.
  Class fee of $99 includes two sessions.
  6 – 9 pm                Th      June 3
  9 am – 4 pm             Sat     June 5

INFO: From a press release:

The six-day workshop guides students through the complete process of converting a vehicle from a gasoline engine to electric power.  By the end of the workshop, the group will have completed one running electric car conversion capable of highway speeds, with a 30-60 mile range on one charge.

Electric Vehicle classes fill quickly and interested students are encouraged to sign up early.

REGISTER: Register online at www.LearnAtSouth.org, or call (260) 764-5339 for more information.

South Seattle Community College’s Continuing Education division offers 150 classes each quarter, ranging from computer skills to cooking to home repair. Designed to fit into busy schedules, these classes offer the lifelong learner variety and flexibility, with online and classroom instruction.

The Seattle Electric Vehicle Association was founded in 1979, with a mission to educate, demonstrate, and proliferate electric vehicles. The interests of SEVA members represent a wide spectrum of Electric Vehicle interests range from fast dragsters to NEVs, from home conversions to Teslas.  For more information, visit the website at www.seattleeva.org.

Over 40 local youth and young adults will be celebrating their graduation Friday (Aug. 15) from a King County-sponsored summer program that focused on “green jobs” that was conducted through South Seattle Community College.

King County Executive Ron Sims will join students, their families and program instructors at a special celebration at SSCC’s Georgetown campus (just down the hill – see map below) marking the end of the six-week “Opportunity Greenway” program:

DETAILS:

• Fri., Aug. 15, 2008
  Noon to 2 p.m.
• South Seattle Community College – Georgetown Campus
  6737 Corson Avenue South, Seattle 98108
• Keynote speaker: King County Executive Ron Sims

From the King County website:

The pilot program reached out to youth ages 16 to 21, many of them previously involved in the courts and the justice system, offering an opportunity to learn about and experience career opportunities in various “green” fields such as energy efficient construction, weatherization, energy auditing, hybrid bus maintenance, power utility work, cement masonry, and heating and cooling installation.

Created as a “learn and earn” program, Opportunity Greenway provided paid internships aimed at increasing basic skills, work habits and attitudes for success. Coordinated by the King County Work Training Program, Opportunity Greenway involved private employers, King County Wastewater Treatment Division, King County Metro Transit, King County International Airport, Highline School District and Kent Schools and Parks, and local community and technical colleges.

Participants from the program will be available at the graduation to talk about their experiences and future plans. For more information about this program and other green work underway in King County, visit http://www.kingcounty.gov/exec/globalwarming/greenwork.

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