LAKEPORT, Calif. – On Saturday, Oct. 4, students in grades seventh through 12th from Lake and Mendocino counties were invited to attend the “My Future, My Way” workshop at the Mendocino College Lake Campus.

The free workshop, geared at college and career exploration, was completely funded by Mendocino College SB70 funds and organized by the Lake County Office of Education Career and College Readiness Dept.

Approximately 80 students participated in a series of fun, hands-on activities including a culinary session where students made their own ice cream, a green business session where students built birdhouses, an automotive technology session in which students used a meter to measure current, voltage and resistance, a sustainable technology session which introduced students to solar energy and included a shed that served as a model of a home with solar panels.

Students were also able to choose a chemistry session where the topic was genetic engineering or criminal justice where students participated in several real life scenarios as a way to convey the importance of ethics in law enforcement.

In music technology students learned how music is itself a language and can be used to express and convey different emotions. 

In addition, students also attended sessions on concurrent enrollment where students learned how they can take college courses while still in high school for free, personal finance where they learned the various options available for paying for college and a college student panel where current first and second year college students from community and four year colleges shared their experiences and offered some words of wisdom to potential future college students.

Students also toured the Mendocino College Lake campus with the current Mendocino College students.

Besides the college topics explored, students participated in a “Healthy Body, Healthy Mind” activity to stress the importance of staying physically active which included a choice of gymnastics and tumbling, Zumba and belly dancing.

At the end of the workshop all of the students in attendance were entered into a drawing for three main prizes, Beats by Dr. Dre headphones, a Nook tablet and a Chromebook. The winners were: Tyler Krul of CLHS (Beats), Connie Flores of CLHS (Nook) and Samantha Stepp of KHS (Chromebook).

The remaining students were able to choose from various spirit items generously donated by Mendocino College and numerous other colleges throughout the country.

The workshop was a success thanks to Mendocino College Interim Dean of Career and Technical Education & Lake Center Instruction Steve Hixenbaugh, Center Assistant Denice Solgat, Gina Dickson of Lower Lake High School, the college instructors and the many presenters who held the sessions for all of the students who participated: Rod Mitchell (criminal justice), Nick Petti (culinary), Jeremy Jernigan (music technology), Dick Jordan (sustainable technology), John Chung (chemistry), Jen Riddell (green business), Doug Boswell (automotive technology), Rhea Hollis (concurrent enrollment). Jamey Gill with MendoLake Credit Union talked to students about personal finance and financial literacy.

Roger Devore, Catch Devore and Jacob Blue with SkyCatch Elite Gymnastics introduced students to gymnastics and tumbling. The Zumba and belly dancing sessions were taught by Kristien Armstrong and Laurel McCarthy of A Touch of Tranquility Day Spa.

The college student panel consisted of Jacob Gill of UC Berkeley, Sarah Graves and Sonia Alvarado from Butte College, Helen Ryan and Stephanie Lesher from CSU Chico and Sarah Bowen, Emma Cardono and Jessica Aguilar of Mendocino College.

Lunch was free for all students and presenters and was provided by Running Creek Casino.

On Saturday, Nov. 15, Mendocino College and the Lake County Office of Education Career and College Readiness Department will be offering the Girls in Careers workshop for seventh through 12th grade girls in Lake and Mendocino counties. 

The workshop will be held at Lower Lake High School from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., is free of charge and fully funded by Mendocino College SB70 funds.

Students will explore traditional and not so traditional careers for women, and attend multiple sessions and will include a hands-on project.

The workshop will feature special guest motivational speaker Quanisha Smith.

Lunch and snacks will be provided free of charge.

Advanced registration is required. To register visit www.lakecoe.org or call 707-994-9001 for more information.