Blog post for 11/18... Don't miss information about Thanksgiving Break and Winter break in this week's blog...

 

THRIVE Director Notes

Posts on this Blog will be directed to help families see what is going on in our THRIVE Program.  Items discussed on the Blog have already occurred.  To keep updated on what’s coming up please refer to the THRIVE activity calendar or UCM activity calendar.  Also, if you are interested in learning more about assistance with your son/daughter learning how to drive please contact Mr. Brunkhorst.  

Director Notes:

Communication Protocol:  I’d like to review our communication protocol in this blog.  I like to ensure that families are getting questions answered and any concerns addressed.  If you have a first-year student then Mrs. Southard or Mrs. Garnier is your students' primary contact.  If you aren’t sure, please contact Mrs. Southard first.  If you have a second-year student, then Dr. Manning is your first contact for any concerns or questions. If you can’t reach your first contact, then please contact me and I’ll help.  

Reminder… Virtual Meetings for Families…this week.   I’ve shared a Zoom invite to discuss the upcoming semester and answer any questions about the upcoming breaks.  Please watch your email for these times.  There will be one for first-year, one for second-year, and one for third-year.  Please accept the invites and we’ll see you next week.

Thanksgiving and Winter Break are coming…

Students should be getting an email this week from housing that explains what they have to have done for Thanksgiving Break…  Students have to be out of the dorms by 6 pm on Friday, November 22nd.  Then they will return on Sunday, December 1st, at noon the dorms will open.. We recommend that any items that aren’t needed for the winter time are taken home at this time.  Students will have to follow the list of items to clean before leaving or may be given a $50 charge.  Also, we suggest that if the students are changing roommates (which they will know the week before break), that they see if there are items that need to be taken home due to having 2 TVs, 2 mini-fridges, etc.  Then Winter Break will follow.  

Winter Break: 

1st-Year: First-Year students leave on Friday, December 6th by 6 pm.  These students will have finals December 2nd-6th.  It’s suggested that families get with their son/daughter during Thanksgiving break to see when they can be picked up.  Typically they will have a final on Friday the 6th.  There is a checkout procedure for this, and the students will have to sign up for a time to get checked out before leaving.  This will need to be followed or a fee can be assessed. The students do not move out completely.  Just take items that they need over the break.  

2nd-Year:  Second-year students have finals the week of December 9th-13th.  Students must have a checkout time before 6 pm on Friday the 13th.   It’s suggested that families get with their son/daughter during Thanksgiving break to see when they can be picked up.  Finals vary, so get with your son/daughter about when they are done with finals and their internship.  There is a checkout procedure for this, and the students will have to sign up for a time to get checked out before leaving.  This will need to be followed or a fee can be assessed. The students do not move out completely.  Just take items that they need over the break.  

3rd-Year:

Third-Year students are different and they will receive instructions on signing out or other procedures by email.  Please have your son/daughter read their emails and then over Thanksgiving break plan when they are coming home.  They have finals the week of December 9th-13th. Finals vary, so get with your son/daughter about when they are done with finals and their internship. 

Spring Roommates:  Hello Families, we will be letting the students know, if they are changing roommates, who their new roommate is, and if they will be changing rooms this week.  We’ll be asking that they talk to their new roommate about what they will have in their room.  We will ask that any doubles of TVs, microwave, and mini-fridge be taken home for Thanksgiving Break.  This will help in the moves that will happen the week they get back from Thanksgiving Break.  The moves will happen on Tuesday and Wednesday.

First-Year Students:

Learning Strategies: Debra Southard  

This week students wrote about an expertise they have and explained it. We worked on finishing Chapter 5 about Taking notes. Talked about fun activities on campus. Test on chapter 5 was Friday.

Individual Relationships and Health:  Joni Shelton

This week we focused on family. We discussed various family types and the Life Stages of a family. Students were assigned a partner and a stage of the family life cycle. Students then read an article about the stages of the family life cycle, then created a poster and presented information about their assigned stage to the class. 

A little group work…

Technology Literacy:  Lisa Garnier

Students are having fun with iMovie in Tech Class. Their final project is to make a movie trailer using the iMovie app on their iPads. They are incorporating still images, video images, and animation into original productions.

Career Exploration: Gary Manning

We continue working on their resumes. The students started to add their work experiences, volunteer experiences, and internship experiences.  The resume will be the student's final project for this class.  

Learning more about resumes…

First-years just hanging out…

Second-Year Students:

Transition Planning I: Gary Manning

We finished our book study of the “7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens”.  The students and I enjoy going through this book and utilizing the habits in our daily lives.  It is interesting that each student has a different habit that they like the best and the one they can relate to the best.  The students did a very good job in writing their reflections on each habit and how the habits relate to them.  The students also received a study guide for their final.  If the student knows their study guide they will do well on their final.  

Internship I: Gary Manning

We have been preparing for the students' mock interview. The students received some interview questions a couple of weeks ago.  This should have helped the students start to formulate answers to questions that they may have to answer during an interview process.  Further, we discuss what type of clothes you should wear to an interview, what time you should show up, and what materials you should have with you or not bring to an interview (No cell phones, or ear pods) The mock interview is the students’ final in internship class.  

Foods & Nutrition II: Mrs. Southard

Monday was a prep day. We measured dry ingredients for a coffee cake recipe. We premeasured the ingredients for the cake in a baggie, the streusel topping in another bag, and powdered sugar for the icing. Wednesday we make the coffee cake recipe. Friday we talked about the final. 

Third-Year Students:

Transition Planning III: Lisa Garnier

Students are completing 3 different 5-year life plans and analyzing the feasibility of each option. This is leading into how to effectively find jobs that could lead them down the path they find most appealing

Internship III: Lisa Garnier

I’m proud of how well the students are doing in their internships. I have had zero negative comments and several positive ones.

Foods and Nutrition III: Mrs. Garnier

3rd-year students have been very busy in Foods class. They practiced how to set a formal table and they made two kinds of soup! Both the Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup and the Ham and Potato cream soup turned out great!

THRIVE/Mentor Activities: 

A little midweek basketball…

The mentor activity this past week was Volleyball with Shannon on Saturday night.

Great Job Everyone!!  For more pictures please join our THRIVE Facebook and/or Instagram pages.

Important upcoming dates: 

Thanksgiving leave by 6 pm… November 22nd

Dorms open back up at noon on December 1st

Next Mentor Activity:  

Next Mentor Activity: The last session will be studying for finals…

UCM Athletics:

Football, Soccer, and Volleyball are in session.  The games are on your son/daughter’s THRIVE Activities Calendar on Google.

"This blog is a programming blog written by the director and staff of the THRIVE Program on the University of Central Missouri campus.  This blog doesn't accept any form of cash advertising, sponsorship, or paid topic insertions. 

The views and ideas expressed on this blog are purely the blog owners.  This blog does not contain any content which might present a conflict of interest.  We are simply telling you what we plan to do in our program and using the blog to help spread what we are doing on a weekly basis."