New Program Sends Teachers Back to School
There's no form of education quite as absorbing and enlightening as learning on the job, say Debbie Black and Janaki Tschannerl, education department faculty members at Keene State.

Black and Tschannerl have established a new graduate program at the College called World Educational Links: Teaching toward a Global Community, in which students are paired with established teacher mentors for a school year.

The program, which is offered through KSC's Master in Education in Curriculum and Instruction program, comprises a 12-month teacher residency designed to provide practical experience and certification for graduate students. According to David Hill, dean of professional and graduate studies, the World Educational Links (WEL) program is in line with the Bush Administration's "No Child Left Behind" legislation, which encourages educational institutions to find innovative, alternative ways to prepare teachers.

"A critical component of the No Child Left Behind legislation is the requirement that schools have 'highly qualified' teachers," explains Hill. "We believe that there is more than one way to prepare these teachers. The WEL program is an alternative to traditional teacher education programs for typical graduate students and for individuals changing careers."

Emerson Elementary School in Fitzwilliam and Great Brook Middle School in Antrim are serving as field sites for the program. The mentor teachers at these schools serve as partners with Keene State faculty in the preparation of the new teachers.

The program's focus on cultural diversity reflects the increasingly global world children find themselves living in today, Tschannerl explains. "Educators need to be able to frame their teaching methods and curriculum in terms of what is happening in the world," she says. "Children's lives are affected by global events. In order to create optimal learning environments, teachers need to have a world view and an understanding of cultural diversity."

This is the second full-time, internship-based, master's level program to be offered by KSC. In 2001, the College introduced a 12-month residency program for aspiring principals in the area.

Nellie Mae Renews 'Win Win' Funding
"Win Win," a program organized by Keene State College for sixth and seventh grade students at Thayer Middle School in Winchester, has had its funding renewed by the Nellie Mae Foundation. The $127,000 grant, received in December, helps Win Win cover its costs through December 2003.

The grant will enable program coordinator Hannah Hurlburt '00 to continue increasing the range of activities and tutors available to students, including a homework club, a book club, and CPR courses. Programs already in place include academic tutoring, college and career preparation workshops, and recreation and adventure skills development.

Initiative Begins to Organize Local History Resources
Southwest New Hampshire is rich with several centuries of local history, but what's the best source for learning about it? Monadnock region history resides in many collections, but currently there's no single way to access all the information.

That could change soon, according to Irene Herold, director of Keene State's Mason Library. Five organizations, including the Keene Public Library, the Historical Society of Cheshire County, the Horatio Colony House Museum, KSC's Thorne-Sagendorph Art Gallery, and Mason Library, are planning to develop a searchable Internet database of historical materials. These materials include diaries, letters, city records, photographs, maps, artifacts, and artwork pertaining to Keene and the Monadnock region. Only Mason Library, Keene Public Library, and the Historical Society currently have online databases.

Community members interested in the project attended a community-needs assessment forum on Feb. 12 at the Historical Society of Cheshire County. According to Herold, the organizers learned how people currently search for historical information, heard their thoughts about using a web database, and discussed implications for education and tourism in the area if the catalog is established.

The next step is for the organizing group to write grants to several state and regional institutions for funding. If the project goes ahead, the database will be hosted on Keene-Link, the catalog system maintained by Keene Public Library and Mason Library.

Keep Current with KSC
Keene dot edu: It's the best way to stay abreast of the latest events on campus. The spring is rich with activity, including the dedication of the new Mason Library space, the 20th Anniversary of the Cohen Center for Holocaust Studies, the annual New England Storytelling Conference for Children, and other lectures, performances, games, and other events. The College web site is the best place to find the latest calendars and news postings. Go to www.keene.edu. You'll find something new.

Grant Brings Soccer Stadium Project Closer to Goal
The soccer stadium construction project at Keene State College has moved a step nearer to completion, thanks to a $10,000 gift from Savings Bank of Walpole in New Hampshire.

The gift will fund the building of a ticket and information booth for the new stadium, one of the last components of the project. With its new grass field, the soccer stadium is one of the highest quality soccer facilities in New England. It allows KSC to host more collegiate soccer games, professional matches, high school tournament action, youth soccer programs, and championship games than in years before.

"The Savings Bank of Walpole has supported KSC athletics throughout the years," said John Ratliff, KSC athletic director. "This gift to the soccer stadium is just one more indicator of their support not only of KSC intercollegiate athletics, but of the Keene community as a whole. We are very grateful for their continued involvement in our program."

Ratliff says the booth will bear the name of Savings Bank of Walpole. The soccer field construction project is due to be completed this fall.

Men's Basketball Team Reaches ECAC Finals
The Keene State men's basketball team completed another successful season, posting a 22-8 (10-4/3rd LEC) record and reaching the finals of the ECAC Tournament. The Owls won overtime games against Gordon College (89-84) and Wheaton College (95-90) before falling to Babson College (81-71) in the finals. Chris Timson and Derek Swenson earned second-team All-Conference honors.

KSC Women's Basketball Earns ECAC Berth
Having a roster that included 11 freshmen didn't hinder the women's basketball team from earning its second consecutive trip to the ECAC Tournament. Posting a 16-11(7-7/4th LEC) record, the Owls lost to Colby-Sawyer (52-48) in a first-round game. Hayley Alaimo, who became the 14th women's player to join the 1,000-point club, and Julie Tardif were second-team All-LEC selections.

Swimmers Finish Second at New Englands
The KSC men's and women's swim team finished second at the New England Div. II-III Swimming and Diving Championships, held at Bentley College. It was the highest finish ever by a KSC men's team and the second year in a row the Owl women have placed second at the meet. It was a productive weekend for Keene State, which set six school records and qualified swimmers in five events for the ECAC Championships.

Runners Set for NCAA Championships
The Keene State indoor track teams returned home in March with one national champion and 10 All-America honors after competing at the NCAA Championship, held at DePauw University in New Castle, Ind.

Mark Miller claimed his fourth national title by winning the 1,500 meters in a Division III season-best and track-meet record time of 3:50.03. A four-time NCAA Champion, Mary Proulx finished fourth in the 5,000 meters (16:58.63) in a bid for her first indoor title.

Both men's and women's distance medley relay teams also earned All-America honors. The Owl women placed fifth in a school-record time of 11:55.32, while the KSC men were seventh (10:21.34).

Spring Beckons for Owls
It's time for Keene State spring sports fans to come out of hibernation. The baseball team, 23-18 last season, and the Owl softball team, 21-11-2 last spring, should be in the hunt for LEC championships.

Prospects on the lacrosse field are just as promising. The KSC men had a program-best 12-3 mark and were ECAC Tournament semifinalists last year. The women's team (9-7) tied the record for most wins by the program.

Photos by Ann Card and Vaughn Winchell.