The NIACC Ski and Snowboard Club partnered up with Wayne's Ski and Cycle to raise money for its busy winter season.

The group held its third annual Ski Swap meet at Wayne's Ski and Cycle on Saturday, November 22.

Students, as well as the general public, were encouraged to bring in their used equipment and pricemark the items.

Club adviser John Brietzke said that the overall turnout was good.

"There wasn't as much used equipment sold, but Wayne's Ski and Cycle had a lot of new equipment that was bought," Brietzke said.

Brietzke said the Ski and Snowboard Club gets a percent of what Wayne's Ski and Cycle sold, which amounted to a pretty good total in the end.

At the end of the day, if equipment had not been sold, the owners were able to come and pick up the equipment. Some participants even donated their equipment that didn't sell to the Ski and Snowboard Club. It then gets used or goes in next year's swap meet.

There was also another opportunity for buyers to purchase used equipment on Wednesday, December 3.

Ten percent of the marked price goes to the NIACC Ski and Snowboard Club.

Many times the seller will donate the entire profit to the club.

All proceeds get used toward the cost of lift tickets and to provide funds for an upcoming trip to Winter Park, Colorado over spring break.

Brietzke said that the club tends to go to Minnesota and various other places.

"Skiers and snowboarders range from those that have never skied and those that are excellent," Brietzke said. "It's just one of those things you just have to start doing to become good at."

Those interested in NIACC's Ski and Snowboard Club can pick up a brochure in the NIACC Library or contact John Brietzke in BC-222 at 422-4261 or contact Bruce McKee in BC-105 at 422-4348.

Students can also sign up online at http://staff.niacc.edu/skiclub/.

Amy Schrader
Advertising Manager

Around 2,800 years ago the first Olympic games began in Olympia. Between the years of 1508 and 1512 Michelanglo painted some of the world's best pictorial images on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican City.

In 79 A.D, the volcano Mt. Vesuvius erupted leaving Pompeii in complete ruins. Imagine the opportunity to visit these historical places.

For some NIACC students, that opportunity will soon be possible. On May 11, NIACC students, along with chaperones, will leave for a trip to Rome and Greece.

Peggy Bang, a Visual Arts Instructor at NIACC, will be one of the adults chaperoning the trip. In 2000, Bang traveled to Europe as a chaperone for 13 NIACC students.

The trip consisted of a visit to London, Paris and Rome. NIACC students have also taken trips to Chicago and New York City in recent years. Bang enjoys being a chaperone for the trips NIACC students go on.

"I feel it's very important to see art in its original location," Bang said.

Even though these trips are a part of the art department, students don't have to be involved with art to go on the trips.

Students have until December 18 to signup for the trip. The trip this summer, conducted by the Educational Tours, will last nine days.

According to the pamphlet provided by the Educational Tours, the overall cost is $1,965 for students and $2,290 for adults.

The cost includes two meals a day, hotel rooms, all of the tours and a bilingual guide. Bang said the bilingual guide will stay with the students the entire length of their stay.

During the nine days spent on the trip, students will be busy with plenty of sight seeing. Some of those sights students have the chance to see include the Vatican City, the Colosseum (where gladiator battles took place), Olympia, Pompeii and Athens. Bang said the special highlight of the trip is the overnight ferry ride from Italy to Greece.

Along with the sights, students will also experience the artwork of Europe. In the Vatican City, students can see Michel-angelo's artwork on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

Bang said NIACC students should expect to be combined with another group from the United States for the tour because NIACC doesn't have enough students to fill up an entire bus. Bang said this is a good way to get to know people from the United States too. In 2000, NIACC students were paired up with other students from Oklahoma City, Bang said.

Bang also said that the trip is an educational trip, fast paced and a good opportunity for students to get involved in.

"It is exciting that NIACC has a global initiative for students," Bang said. "We're in a global environment and it is important to have this available to students."

A student may receive a scholarship of $500 if he or she is eligible and has a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5. There are 10 scholarships available for funding of the trip. The deadline for the scholarships is December 15.

Any questions contact Peggy Bang at 422-4307 or in her office in the Muse Norris Conference Center office 183.

Carrie Elfers
Staff Reporter

NIACC hosted the fourth annual Career Academy Day on November 18.

21 area schools partic-ipated in the event that started in 1999 with Industrial and Ag workshops, 2000 was Health Career Day, 2001 was Ag, Business, Entrepre-neurial and Industrial.

This year started the rotation all over again with the same workshops as previous years. From those 21 schools, 501 students were registered with 40 adults, including high school teachers, counselors and administrators.

The purpose of having Career Academy Day is "to give students a hands-on taste of what someone in that career does," Fran DeGroote, NIACC Tech Prep coordinator, said. "We hope to provide students with career guidance."

The Tech Prep team has five goals, one being "Develop a Comprehensive Career Guidance System."

With so many job opportunities out there, the Tech Prep team would like to guide students to right career.

"If we can help them find something they like or help them eliminate something they find out they don't like, we think it's worthwhile," DeGroote said.

Students had hands-on exposure to opportunities in the agricultural, business, entre-preneurial and industrial areas.

Twenty-six assorted work-shops were prov-ided this year, ranging from Agri-Food and Horticulture to Office Technology.

For those who were uncertain of their future plans, they had the chance to visit with a NIACC Student Services counselor.

Mrs. Michelle, who owns Garden Gate Flowers in Osage, presented the Horticulture workshop. She was a former Agriculture Ed/FFA instructor at Rudd Rockford Marble Rock High School. The hands-on activity was constructing a flower arrangement with a professional florist.