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M C K E N Z I E C E N T E R F O R I N N O V A T I O N & T E C H N O L O G Y

KENNETH LONDONComputer Science/Business, Graphic Design, Interactive Media, Advanced Interactive Media, Intro to Computer Science, Computer Science II – Video Game DesignEDUCATION: Baptist Memorial College of Health Sciences, Radiology Science; Indiana Wesleyan University, BS; University of Notre Dame, MBA, Finance and Strategy; University of Indianapolis, MAT, Secondary Education

WORK EXPERIENCE: Over 25 years in healthcare, 4 years in educationWHAT DREW YOU TO MCIT? The reputation. My wife has been serving on an Advisory Board here for a bit and has been telling me to look at position here for a few years. It seemed that when we were truly ready to make the move, a spot opened up.FAMILY: I have a wife, 5 kids, 2 dogs and a cat named George. I enjoy cooking most of the time…eating the other.GOALS: Help my students attain the goals they have set-- some certification, others “just to get a good grade!”BEST MCIT MOMENT: My school year started in January, so meeting all of the students and us getting to know one another warts and all has been amazing!

On January 26, MCIT hosted parents, community leaders, advisory board members, teachers and school board members to help McKenzie Center for Innovation & Technology create the new Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment. (CLNA) Career and technical education funding comes from the Carl Perkins Act. The Carl Perkins V legislation has a new requirement that each career center has to complete a Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment every two years. Seventy invited “guests” met January 26 in the LGI Room where they were presented with the new information and to complete the process for future funding. Guests were divided into groups by their expertise and areas of interest. Comments and recommendations were collected and will be used to complete the assessment. MCIT will be required to present this process every two years to continue to receive funding. •Carletta Sullivan

Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment Meeting held

DYLAN FOLLETTComputer Science, Cyber SecurityEDUCATION: 2016 LN grad, currently enrolled in WGUWORK EXPERIENCE: 3.5 years of IT experience in Lawrence Township. I worked at Crestview Elementary as an IT.WHAT DREW YOU TO MCIT? I had

attended McKenzie classes for all 4 years of my high school experience. The IT certifications I obtained while studying at McKenzie are ultimately what led me to come back here and become a teacher.FAMILY: I live with my fiancé and my Corgi, Franklin. I love to play video games more than anything, but cars and grilling come in a close second.FAVORITE TEACHER: Mr. Kelly, of course.GOALS: To implement an ESports program at MCIT. We are starting our first competitive season in the IHSEN this spring.BEST MCIT MOMENT: The look on my students’ faces when they have their “Ah Ha!” moment when trying to correct errors when coding computer programs.

MCIT welcomes new instructors

Health Science II students begin clinicals Health Science II students started their clinical at the end of January and will continue through March. Students are placed at one of four area nursing homes where they provide care for the residents. Resident care skills include helping people with daily care needs like brushing teeth, dressing, showering and walking. Students work side by side with the facility certified nursing assistant staff and their clinical instructors. When clinical is completed, the students take the state certified nursing assistant exam (CNA). The exam includes a written portion and a skills demonstration. The MCIT Health Science II students have the opportunity to earn their CNA and dual credit with Ivy Tech Community College. •Carolyn Gauen

Health Science II students hosted the annual Health Fair in January. The senior students select a health topic of interest and prepare a presentation with an interactive component for their audience, which is the Health Science I students. Tobacco, Sleep, Healthy Snacks, Human Trafficking and Dental Health were topics presented by the senior class. The juniors participated by taking quizzes, watching short video clips, learning how to read food labels and practicing the correct method for brushing teeth. •Carolyn Gauen

MCIT JAG students participated in the Regional JAG Career Development Conference February 11, 2020. There were 116 High school students representing Region 12. The conference is a yearly competitive event designed to show case student employability skills, including chapter marketing campaigns, providing creative solutions, demonstrating employability and critical thinking skills and entrepreneurship plans. This year the MCIT JAG Program placed 3rd in the Chapter Commercial and Chapter Marketing Brochure. •Jeanine Jordan

INTERACTIVEHEALTH FAIR

JAG participates in Regional Career Development Conference

INTERACTIVE MEDIARobotics teams gear up for seasonMcKenzie is fielding three VEX Robotics teams this season. All three teams are preparing their robots for upcoming competitions. In addition, they are learning a new programming language to utilize updated hardware that arrived recently. This year’s VEX game involves collecting and stacking plastic cubes in the game field floor goals. Extra points can be scored by placing and defending cubes in the elevated goals. A good robot, a great strategy and excellent driving skills are needed to bring home a win! •Thomas Wilson

MCIT students receive Lilly Endowment Scholarships Two MCIT Biomedical Science students, Yahiry Xique and Zaheen Rashed, were awarded Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship. They will each receive up to four years of full tuition to attend any accredited public or private not-for-profit college or university in Indiana. Area high schools submitted two students for consideration by the nominating committees at the Indianapolis Foundation, serving Marion County, and Hamilton County Community Foundation, serving Hamilton County. Fifty-eight and 26 students were interviewed in each county, respectively, and finalists’ names were submitted to Independent Colleges of Indiana Inc. for final selection. Yahiry and Zaheen were two of the just nine recipients.

Students in Aaron Cain’s Building Trades classes got to work quickly this semester, delving into drywall and electricity. They began with a dry wall unit where they learned all of the processes to make a seamless wall. In their electrical unit, students learned the steps in installation of a simple one-way switch. The box would normally would be hidden under drywall, but they have yet to hang any in a house. •Nathan Morrin

Learning newskills in

Building Trades

Cosmetology students complete‘Eyes on Cancer’ certification

M C K E N Z I E C E N T E R F O R I N N O VAT I O N & T E C H N O LO G YMARI A. SWAYNE Director of Career Education • JENN SAHAGUN Assistant Director

7250 EAST 75TH STREET INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46256 PHONE: (317) 964-8000 FAX: (317) 849-2546 WEBSITE: www.mckenzie.ltschools.orgThis project is funded by Carl D. Perkins, Vocational & Technical Education grant.

Cosmetology students attend the Madam Walker exhibit at the Indiana Historical Society.

Students in Claudia Heck’s Cosmetology classes completed a course to help them spot signs of skin cancer. They are challenging other students to finish the course, too. "We incorporated it into the curriculum in the skin chapter," Heck said, and 25 students have been certified so far. In order to get the certification, stylists will have to watch a video and pass a test.

DECA students competed in District competition at Brownsburg High School. •photo by John Schultheis

DECA members compete A team of students from MCIT’s Titan Cadet Squadron of Civil Air Patrol recently concluded an exceptional round of competition in the twelfth season of CyberPatriot – the Air Force Association’s National Youth Cyber Defense Competition. They won second place among the All-Services division in Indiana. Led by Coach Lieutenant Colonel Frank E. Merrill, the team of students from the Titan Squadron excelled in the CyberPatriot XII State Round held in December, demonstrating teamwork, critical thinking, and technical skills needed for a successful career in cybersecurity. The team’s performance earned it Indiana’s 1st Place Award in the Silver Tier of competitors. Established by AFA in 2009, CyberPatriot is designed to educate and motivate students toward careers in cybersecurity and other science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines critical to our nation’s future.

Titan Cadet Squadron CyberPatriot

MCIT to host Indy Achieves (Employ Indy) A representative from Indy Achieves will be at MCIT all day on Tuesday, February 25 and Wednesday, February, 26 to sign up seniors who plan on attending IUPUI and/or Ivy Tech. On the Wednesday, a representative will be available until 5:00 pm to give information to adults in the community who would qualify for the “completion grants” that forgive past educational debt that is keeping people from going back to school to finish a degree.

Families can register online at: https://forms.gle/HgUDNnrEXA2dq5xLA

Families can register online at:https://forms.gle/HgUDNnrEXA2dq5xLA

February 25 & 26at MCIT