America’s First ‘Green Flag’ Flies Over Sustainable Savannah School

Editor's Note:  Kudos to the Savannah Country Day School for this great accomplishment.  Click here if you want information on how to make your school and Ed-School.

Savannah Country Day School in Georgia was named the nation’s first Green Flag Eco-School in a ceremony yesterday (April 28), signifying exceptional achievement in ‘greening’ school grounds, operations and curricula. The school achieved this honor through a combination of excellence by “green” management of its facilities and grounds, providing opportunities for outdoor education and by integrating environmental learning throughout its curricula.

The Eco-Schools USA program, which is hosted by National Wildlife Federation, counts nearly 500 schools and some 205,000 students among its participants, but none has achieved the program’s highest honor, the Green Flag, until now.

“The Green Flag is special – and only awarded to those schools who have demonstrated a commitment to environmental sustainability and increasing environmental literacy for its students, faculty, and wider school community,” said Laura Hickey, Senior Director of Eco-Schools USA, on hand for the official flag-raising.

Also in attendance for the event were the City of Savannah’s Mayor Pro Tem, Edna Jackson, and Environmental Affairs Officer Laura Walker. Jackson congratulated the school and thanked cheering students and staff for helping to make Savannah a “Green City.”

To win the first Green Flag, Savannah Country Day School, which completed a Silver LEED-certified lower school building in 2008, tackled a variety of sustainability projects, including lunchroom recycling and composting programs, a well-tended vegetable garden, environmental current events coursework and school-supported ‘outdoor classroom time.’ This was in keeping with Eco-Schools USA’s uniquely holistic approach—‘greening’ the school building, the school grounds and the student curriculum and experience.

Hickey’s official certification tour of the school included a visit to the previously-certified NWF Schoolyard Habitat and a demonstration of cistern use and garden upkeep by a student Eco-Action Team, but 'green living isn't limited to a select group---or grade---of students at Savannah Country Day.

In kindergarten, students tend to a natural herb garden, moving on to a fruit orchard in first grade. Second-graders study monarch butterfly eggs, and third-graders take care of a full organic vegetable garden. The entire school supports composting of pre-consumer waste and participates in a "green hour" program allowing children to be outside every week for instruction time (in addition to recess).


Among the more unique elements of sustainable life at Savannah Country Day School is lunchtime, which goes well beyond the usual tater-tots and milk cartons: produce from the school garden is regularly prepared and served to students in the dining hall, with dishes containing it identified with a "From Here" label. The school chef often creates a display of garden vegetables to entice youngsters to try them, and local food vendors are celebrated with "Meet the Farmer" signage. All kitchen scraps and food waste are added to the school's compost pile. The school's dining program is managed by SAGE Dining Services.

Many schools have implemented the Eco-Schools USA program, some earning Bronze- and Silver-level awards for their progress (Georgia alone boasts 14 Eco-Schools). The heretofore unclaimed Green Flag requires a rigorous combination of environmental audits, curriculum reinvention and internal and external monitoring.

The program is designed to help schools in a variety of ways, including saving money, reducing waste and improving student academic performance and environmental awareness (more benefits listed here). Once a school has registered and implemented the Seven Steps of the program, it can apply for an Eco-Schools award. A school is considered to be a permanent Eco-School once it has gained its fourth Green Flag.

The Eco-Schools program is an international network of 38,000 K-12 schools in 51 countries, started in 1994 by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) with support by the European Commission. It was named by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) as a model initiative for Education for Sustainable Development in 2003. NWF was named the stateside host in 2008, thus formally launching Eco-Schools USA.

The award came just days after the U.S. Department of Education announced the creation of the Green Ribbon Schools program, which will similarly recognize schools that have taken great strides in greening their curricula, buildings, school grounds and overall building operations. That program, which is to be modeled on the nearly 30-year-old Blue Ribbon Schools program that recognizes schools whose student bodies have displayed high academic achievement or improvement, will help establish guidelines for overall sustainability in American schools. NWF and other organizations had pushed for the implementation of that program for the past year.

“American schools already led the way on innovation,” said Kevin Coyle, Vice President for Education and Training at NWF. “Now, in addition to revamping their buildings and grounds, they are increasingly setting a high standard for sustainability education and becoming truly green.”

By Max Greenberg
National Wildlife Federation

Source:  National Wildlife Federation

-----

Community News You Can Use
Click to read MORE news:
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
Twitter: @gafrontpage & @TheGATable @HookedonHistory
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
Twitter: @artsacrossga, @softnblue, @RimbomboAAG @FayetteFP

SCAD Challenge Awards Scholarships to High School Students

/PRNewswire/ -- The Savannah College of Art and Design, the most comprehensive art and design university in the world, is seeking the next generation of talented artists and designers with its scholarship competition. The SCAD Challenge offers high school seniors and juniors an international stage to exhibit their work as well as the opportunity to be eligible for scholarships to attend the university. The competition focuses on creating projects in film, 2-D, 3-D, toy design, room design, poster design, fashion and writing.

The first competition challenged high school students to create a short film to be featured at the 2010 Savannah Film Festival. The film festival, an annual signature event hosted by SCAD, features the best in independent and innovative filmmaking from around the world. Honored guests have included Hugh Dancy, Michael Douglas, Woody Harrelson, James Ivory, Tommy Lee Jones, Sir Ian McKellen, Liam Neeson, Jeremy Renner, Isabella Rossellini and Emmy Rossum.

The SCAD Film Challenge received entries from more than 15 states and six countries. The top three senior winners were awarded artistic scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $3,000 per year while enrolled at SCAD. Students also received passes to attend the 2010 Savannah Film Festival, which presented a full range of cinematic creativity from both award-winning professionals and emerging student filmmakers. This year's senior winners were John Kim from Vancouver, B.C., Canada; Gabe Gilden from Barrington, Illinois; and Seth Boyden from Huntertown, Indiana.

The three junior winners selected by the panel of judges will experience the university this summer with full scholarships to attend SCAD Summer Seminars, workshops designed for high school students to explore a variety of creative disciplines across the SCAD curriculum. The SCAD Film Challenge junior winners were Wes Sherwin from Cartersville, Georgia; Aaron Carter from Hawthorn Woods, Illinois; and Amanda Depperschmidt from Lawrenceville, Georgia.

"The SCAD Film Challenge proved to be an overall success," said Katrine Trantham, senior director of enrollment events and programs. "All the faculty involved were extremely impressed with the level of talent exhibited and look forward to seeing the senior winners at SCAD next year."

SCAD offers the most comprehensive degree programs in film and digital media in the United States. The university offers the only major film program in the United States integrated with an acclaimed art and design institution. Students work with current, industry-standard hardware and software, learn from faculty who are practitioners as well as mentors, and have opportunities for collaboration. SCAD film and television students and alumni produce work that receives prestigious recognition. Some of their work has been showcased at Sundance, Cannes, the Los Angeles Film Festival, the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, South by Southwest, the Palm Springs Film Festival, and many others.

To learn more about the upcoming challenges, visit www.scad.edu/scadchallenge. The SCAD Film Challenge entries can be viewed at http://filmfest.scad.edu/category/scad-challenge/.

-----
Community News You Can Use
Click to read MORE news:
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
Twitter: @gafrontpage & @TheGATable @HookedonHistory
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
Twitter: @artsacrossga, @softnblue, @RimbomboAAG
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
Twitter: @FayetteFP

South Effingham High School to Host International Speaker, Orrin Checkmate Hudson, at Their Back-to-School Pep Rally

August 16, 2010, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
South Effingham High School, 1220 Noel Conaway Rd., Guyton, GA 31312
South Effingham High School Back-to-School Pep Rally


/PRNewswire/ -- International motivational speaker and author of "One Move at a Time" Orrin "Checkmate" Hudson challenges students to make the right moves. His message is, "Think it out, talk it out, work it out, play it out, but don't shoot it out." Orrin is a chess champion and will use the game as a training tool to teach life mastery skills to students, teachers, and parents at South Effingham High School. He has inspired over 20,000 students around the globe and as part of a national tour he will participate in the back-to-school rally to inspire participants to make the right moves.

Hudson founded Be Someone, a crime prevention educational program, in 2001 after five restaurant employees were killed in a robbery for $2,000.00. His goal is to teach students that real cash is kash with a K. His innovative "KASH is King" philosophy spells success for students by emphasizing K for Knowledge, A for Attitude, S for Skills and H for Habits. His students walk away with increased self-motivation, a greater desire to excel in school and a marked improvement in their GPA. Students also learn teamwork and the importance of community involvement.

The principal of the school, Dr. Mark A. Winters, invited Orrin "Checkmate" Hudson to inspire kids to make the right moves. A recent auto accident that killed two teenagers provoked the South Effingham High School students to seek ways to prevent future accidents. Hudson is a former state trooper who understands that driving an automobile can be a dangerous thing. He says, "You can make one error while driving and never recover."

Orrin Hudson has proven how learning to play chess helps young people to think for themselves and make smarter decisions through improved pattern recognition and concentration. "Chess teaches people to look at problems from different perspectives, and to think before making a move. Every move one makes has consequences, either positive or negative," says Hudson. "In that respect, it's exactly like life. Winning reinforces the good choices one makes, while losing provides an opportunity for one to learn from mistakes. Get in the game and join us. Evil prevails when good people do nothing. You can be a part of changing the world one move at a time."

Founded by Orrin Hudson, Be Someone (http://www.besomeone.org/) is an Atlanta-based nonprofit that works with at-risk kids, helping them to build productive, fulfilling futures. Hudson and his work with Be Someone have been featured nationally in People Magazine and CBS Early Morning Show and recognized with numerous awards. He is a two-time winner of World Open Speed Chess and has coached students to win state-wide and city-wide chess championships.

-----
Community News You Can Use
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter:  @GAFrontPage

Georgia Historical Society Welcomes 66 Educators to Savannah During NEH Summer Programs for College Faculty

This summer, the Georgia Historical Society (GHS) will welcome 66 educators from across the United States to Savannah as they participate in two distinct scholarly programs that promote the study and exploration of American history in the region.

From June 6–July 2, 2010, GHS will host a four-week National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) funded summer seminar entitled, “The American Civil War at 150: New Approaches.” Sixteen participants (14 college faculty and two graduate students) hailing from 14 states will join GHS in the in-depth, scholarly exploration of the reasons behind, the players within, and the consequences of the American Civil War. The rigorous seminar will feature lectures and discussions with leading scholars in the field, readings, directed research in primary source documents, and selected site visits that will span the causes of the war, the choosing of sides, slavery and emancipation, and the war as it is remembered in our collective history and memory.

Following the Summer Seminar, an additional 50 educators will descend upon Savannah from 23 states to participate in the NEH funded workshops for community college faculty entitled, “African-American History and Culture in the Georgia Lowcountry: Savannah and the Coastal Islands, 1750–1950.”  Two week-long workshop sessions have been planned for July 11–17, 2010 and July 18–24, 2010; each session will be attended by 25 community college faculty members currently teaching humanities courses at institutions throughout the country. Workshop participants will explore the broad themes of race and slavery in American history by focusing on site-specific experiences of communities in and around Savannah from the late eighteenth through the early twentieth centuries. The workshop will include lecture sessions by nationally recognized experts on African-American folklife, culture, and religion and slavery in the American South; guided tours of the streets, squares, and structures of Savannah’s Historic Landmark District; and site visits to Ossabaw and Sapelo Islands.

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter:  @GAFrontPage

Linda Bleicken Named President of Armstrong Atlantic State University

The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia today named Dr. Linda Bleicken, provost and vice president for academic affairs at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro since 2005, president of Armstrong Atlantic State University (AASU) in Savannah.

“Dr. Bleicken has the fortitude and compassion a leader needs in these challenging times. She has a depth of experience that allows her to have a well-rounded understanding of the direction and goals of the University System of Georgia,” said Chancellor Erroll Davis. “I have no doubt that she will be a great partner for the board in carrying out its strategic goals and policies while leading AASU into the next successful stage of its existence.”

Regent Wanda Rodwell, chair of the Special Regents’ Committee for the presidential search at AASU, added that Bleicken “comes equipped with all the necessary tools and skills to lead. The committee was extremely impressed with her accomplishments and her readiness for this new position.”

Bleicken will assume her post on July 1, 2009, according to University System of Georgia Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer Susan Herbst. She will replace AASU President Dr. Thomas Z. Jones, who will retire June 30, 2009, after nine years in office.

Bleicken’s service to Georgia Southern — an institution with 17,764 students and eight colleges — includes administrative appointments as: a member of the university’s management faculty since 1990; acting provost and vice president for academic affairs from July 2004 to January 2005; vice president for student affairs and enrollment management from 2001 to 2004; associate provost for enrollment management and information technology from 2000 to 2001; acting provost and vice president for academic affairs from 1998 to 2000; associate dean of the College of Business Administration from 1995 to 1998; and acting chair of the Department of Management from 1994 to 1995.

In addition, she has served the University System of Georgia as a member of its Health Professions Task Force (2006), Core Curriculum Committee (2007-2008), Graduation Rate Task Force (2004), Tuition Rate Task Force (2004) and the Task Force to Develop eCore®, the USG’s electronic core curriculum (2000).

Bleicken holds a Ph.D. in management earned in 1990, a master of science degree in management also earned in 1990 and a bachelor of business administration degree in marketing earned magna cum laude in 1984, all conferred by Georgia State University.

“I am honored to be selected to serve as the next president of Armstrong Atlantic State University,” said Bleicken. “As a long-term citizen of coastal Georgia, I have an abiding respect for this region’s legacy of accomplishment and for its potential and aspirations. I look forward to forging even stronger partnerships between the University and the community.”

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow on Twitter @GAFrontPage

Recommendations Received for Armstrong Atlantic Presidency

Regent Wanda Rodwell, chair of the Special Regents’ Committee for the presidential search at Armstrong Atlantic State University (AASU) in Savannah, and University System of Georgia Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer Susan Herbst have announced the names of the two finalists for the AASU presidency.

A national search was launched to replace AASU President Thomas Z. Jones, who will retire June 30, 2009, after nine years in office.

The recommended individuals are:

Dr. Linda M. Bleicken, provost and vice president for academic affairs at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro since 2005 and a member of the university’s management faculty since 1990. Bleicken’s service to Georgia Southern — an institution with 17,764 students and eight colleges — includes administrative appointments as: acting provost and vice president for academic affairs from July 2004 to January 2005; vice president for student affairs and enrollment management from 2001 to 2004; associate provost for enrollment management and information technology from 2000 to 2001; acting provost and vice president for academic affairs from 1998 to 2000; associate dean of the College of Business Administration from 1995 to 1998; and acting chair of the Department of Management from 1994 to 1995.

In addition, she has served the University System of Georgia as a member of its Health Professions Task Force (2006), Core Curriculum Committee (2007-2008), Graduation Rate Task Force (2004), Tuition Rate Task Force (2004) and the Task Force to Develop eCore®, the USG’s electronic core curriculum (2000).

Bleicken holds a Ph.D. in management earned in 1990, a master of science degree in management also earned in 1990 and a bachelor of business administration degree in marketing earned magna cum laude in 1984, all conferred by Georgia State University.

Dr. William J. Lowe, provost and vice president, academic affairs, and professor of history at Metropolitan State University in St. Paul, Minn., since 2003. Lowe also served as interim president of Metropolitan State, which has three principal campuses, five colleges and more than 7,100 students, from November 2007 to June 2008. Prior to his arrival in Minnesota, Lowe served as vice president for academic affairs and professor of history at the College of Saint Rose, an independent, comprehensive college of more than 4,600 students in Albany, N.Y., from 1997 to 2003. Before that, he was dean of the College of Liberal Arts and a professor of history at the University of Detroit Mercy in Detroit, Mich., from 1991 to 1997, and dean of graduate studies and a professor of history at Chicago State University in Chicago from 1984 to 1991.
As interim president, Lowe served on the Leadership Council of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System and, in 2004-2005 was a member of the System’s Salary Competitiveness Task Force. During 2007, he was a member of the Core Educational Outcomes of the national Voluntary System of Accountability project and is a member of the Accreditation Review Council of the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association. Lowe is active internationally in research, writing and presenting in the field of modern Irish history and authored a book, The Irish in Mid-Victorian Lancashire: The Shaping of a Working Class Community, in 1989.

Lowe holds a Ph.D. in modern history conferred in 1974 by Trinity College at the University of Dublin in Ireland, where he was a Fulbright Scholar; and a bachelor’s degree in history earned in 1971 from Michigan State University in East Lansing.

The Board of Regents expects to name the next president of Armstrong Atlantic State University at a future meeting.

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook

Fayette County Musical Groups Receive Highest State Honor

Fayette County will dominate performances at the 2009 Georgia Music Educators Association Conference this month in Savannah. A total of three chorals, one symphonic band and two wind ensembles will perform for conference attendees.

Performances will be given by the Fayette Middle Symphonic Band, Fayette County High Wind Ensemble, Rising Starr Middle 7th and 8th Grade Boys Choral, Sandy Creek High Men’s Choral, Whitewater High Choral and Whitewater High Wind Ensemble.

Each spring, schools across the state submit audio recordings in the hopes of getting an invitation to perform at the annual conference. The event not only gives students statewide exposure of their musical talents but also provides additional learning opportunities.

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
Community News You Can Use
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
Community News You Can Use
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page

Georgia Southern University Featured in Princeton Review’s ‘Best Business Schools’

Georgia Southern University’s College of Business Administration (http://coba.georgiasouthern.edu) has been named one of the most outstanding business schools in the country by the Princeton Review. Georgia Southern, with an enrollment of nearly 18,000 students, is featured in the just-published 2009 edition of the Princeton Review’s “Best 296 Business Schools.”

“This is an outstanding honor and it represents the type of program and faculty we have at Georgia Southern University,” said Ron Shiffler, dean of the College of Business Administration. “We are very pleased to be named among the top business schools in the country.”

According to Robert Franek, Princeton Review vice president of publishing, "We select schools for this book based on our high regard for their academic programs and offerings, institutional data we collect from the schools, and the candid opinions of students attending them who rate and report on their campus experiences at the schools. We are pleased to recommend Georgia Southern University to readers of our book and users of our website as one of the best institutions they could attend to earn an MBA."

The Princeton Review does not rank the schools in the book on a single hierarchical list from 1 to 296, or name one business school best overall. Instead, the book has 11 ranking lists of the top 10 business schools in various categories. Ten lists are based on The Princeton Review's surveys of 19,000 students attending the 296 business schools profiled in the book. The lists are posted at www.PrincetonReview.com.

Georgia Southern University’s MBA program has become the program of choice for both full- and part-time professionals wanting to take the next step in their business career.

“We offer a traditional MBA at our main campus, a program in Savannah, Ga., and also an online MBA,” Shiffler said. “In an increasingly competitive global business environment and in challenging economic markets, an MBA will differentiate you and prepare you to take the next step in your career.”

For more information about Georgia Southern University’s MBA program, visit www.georgiasouthern.edu or e-mail mba@georgiasouthern.edu. Prospective students may also contact the Office of Graduate Admissions at (912) 478-7240.

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page

Tift College of Education Programs Expand Throughout State

Tift College of Education is expanding several programs, including the graduate program. The College’s Master of Education degree with a concentration in early childhood education, which is currently offered on the Atlanta campus, also will be available at the Douglas County and Henry County Regional Academic Centers beginning this fall.

The M.Ed. program for teachers consists of 10 classes designed to enhance the knowledge and skills of certified teachers while also providing teachers with the opportunity to upgrade their teaching certificate to a master’s level (T-5). Classes are arranged in cohort groups that will start each fall.

As a twist, the master’s level early childhood education program in Douglas and Henry Counties will be a hybrid program, with learning occurring in the classroom and in an online environment. Each program will have the same objectives and offer the same courses, though the Atlanta program will continue to meet all classes face to face.

The College also offers M.Ed. degrees in middle grades education, reading, secondary education and educational leadership, as well as a Collaborative Educator program.

In addition to the Master of Education degree program, other Tift College of Education programs are expanding their borders. The College introduced the Early Care and Education program at the Henry County Regional Academic Center in McDonough in fall 2006 with an inaugural class of 21 students. Although only a year and a half old, the program—which currently enrolls 85 students — is opening its doors to new communities. In addition to the Henry County Center, students interested in the program can now enroll at the Douglas County Regional Academic Center in Lithia Springs and at the Atlanta campus.

This Bachelor of Science in Education degree, with a major in early care and education, is designed for individuals who wish to be certified to teach children from birth to five years of age. Graduates of the early care and education program are qualified for administrative, certified teaching, or social service positions with child care centers, Head Start programs, pre-kindergarten programs, social services agencies, and other facilities designed for the care and development of young children.

Plans are also underway to expand the educational leadership program to the Savannah campus beginning fall 2008, making Tift College of Education the third of Mercer’s schools and colleges to offer programs in Savannah. The program will join the four-year doctor of medicine program offered by the School of Medicine and the Professional Master of Business Administration degree offered by the Stetson School of Business and Economics.

Information about all Tift College of Education programs can be found at http://www.mercer.edu/education.

Troops, Families Rack Up College Credits During Deployment

While 3rd Infantry Division was serving its third deployment to Iraq within five years, its soldiers set records amassing college credits during precious downtime between missions.

"Rock of the Marne" soldiers took more than 15,000 college classes during fiscal 2007 while deployed to Iraq as part of the surge force, reported Pam King, post education officer. That trend continued as the soldiers began returning to Fort Stewart in March. They've racked up an additional 11,000 college classes during the first two quarters of this fiscal year, King said.

Robin Ellert, chief of the post's online education program, pointed to the unmistakable trend in college enrollments, from 4,600 in fiscal 2003 to more than three times that level today.

"Our numbers have consistently jumped. There's a clear upward trend in the number of enrollments we're seeing," she said.

"There's a clear recognition that college is a way to get promoted -- both in the military and outside the military," she said.

And contrary to what some may expect, King said, many soldiers are finding deployments, when they're away from their families and home, to be the best opportunity to take classes.

"Education is a wonderful distraction, in a positive sense," she said. "Soldiers are able to -- for a minute -- escape where they are while doing something very positive for themselves, both mentally and for their career."

Thanks to the GoArmyEd.com portal that went online in April 2006, educational services are just a few mouse clicks away. Soldiers at even the most remote outposts can log into the system, tap into the $4,500 in tuition assistance the Army offers every soldier every year, and work toward a degree at one of about 180 colleges, universities and technical schools represented.

Army Sgt. Anthony Wilfong, a platoon sergeant with 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, spent much of his downtime during his past deploying taking Army correspondence courses. All but four of his soldiers were signed up for some kind of classes during their 15 months in Iraq. "It beats the time you waste seeing the same movies over and over," he said.

Wilfong and his soldiers have been back at Fort Stewart for about three months and still are awaiting their vehicles' return. Meanwhile, they're squeezing in all the classes they can.

"I've got 12 years to go to retirement, and each credit course is worth one and a half promotion points," Wilfong said as he reviewed the offerings at Central Texas College. "I figure everything I take will help me in the long run."

Meanwhile, many military families pass time during their loved ones' deployments enrolled in college programs, too. Officials estimate close to 4,000 family members at Fort Stewart and nearby Hunter Army Airfield took classes through Army Continuing Education Services during fiscal 2007.

Many attend one of the five colleges represented at Fort Stewart: Savannah Technical College, Central Texas College, Columbia College, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Webster University.

"It gives them a great mental diversion," King said. "Whether you're talking about soldiers or their families, you know when you're taking courses that you're bettering yourself and bettering your career opportunities."

The $10 million Sgt. 1st Class Paul R. Smith Education Center, which opened its doors in December 2004 just outside the post's front gate, sends an unmistakable message that Fort Stewart values education, King said.

Army Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, the 3rd Infantry Division commander and a big fan of educational services, promoted the new center based on the "Field of Dreams" concept, King explained. "The way he saw it, 'If you build it, they will come.'"

And to ensure soldiers do come, the Army Continuing Education Services staff distributes oversized paper checks at the start of every fiscal year for $4,500 to ensure soldiers don't forget about their annual tuition assistance benefit. "If you don't use it, you lose it," King said. "We want to make sure soldiers know it's available to them and encourage them to take advantage of it."

As they build their credentials, King said, soldiers enrolled in educational programs also are building their combat readiness and adaptability for unpredictable environments like Iraq.

"You train for certainty, but you educate for uncertainty," she said. "And regardless of what capabilities you have, the fact is, the brain is ultimately the most important battlefield weapon."

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service