Cosmic Echoes has not been getting its fair share of my attention the last few months, and it is in a great position to help a LOT of people. I should be doing a better job of keeping this blog updated.

So, in that state of mind, I’ve made a commitment to myself, and to you, the reader, to make this blog a USEFUL, interesting, and cutting edge look at all things preparedness…again.

This year, after 3 years of heavy college student involvement, resulting in two college degrees, many awards (All USA Academic Team, New Century Scholar, Video Telly Award, and others), I am taking what we students like to call “a breather”, and do some half time college work and invest the majority of my time this next 18 months doing a specific set of projects. In no specific order these are…

• 6 to 8 credit hours of college classes towards my bachelors degree in Journalism(instead of 12 to 20 credit hours per semester…as I have been doing for my first two degrees)
• major update of SurvivalRing.org..the ENTIRE website…into a database driven, Web 2.0, easily manageable, and entirely up-to-date system. See the first glimpse here
• the addition of a citizen driven, science backed, and thoroughly complete compendium of BIRD FLU prep..including some deep discussion of the effects a very possible pandemic outbreak might bring to our society
• a greatly enhance fallout shelter compendium, with lots of comments, suggestions, and insight….versus just a ton of free downloads. You’ll have the info in your hands to print out with the downloads. Now, I’ll tell you the things you’ll really need to understand..if you’re considering actually building one. The Build A Fallout Shelter Page, in other words, is due to a massive overhaul.
• Podcasts….yes, long promised, yet, not online. I’ve been doing weekly music radio shows for my college radio station for over a year…now it’s time to make the SurvivalRing Survival Podcast a reality. Everything is ready (computer hardware, software, recording equipment, mics, etc)…but that ACTUAL podcast recordings. That will change, very soon.
• A lot of new articles from yours truly, on a wide range of preparedness topics and genres. These articles will also be making the rounds of magazine editors, to hit the real world between the eyes with what can be done with very little work, when it comes to being preparede.
• New CD Rom projects. I’ve published two multimedia CD projects in the past 4 years…I’m doing at least 3 more in the next YEAR. Watch this space for more news.
• New digital publications. I’ve mentioned here many times that I have hundreds of original government produced, unscanned survival and preparedness documents…some of which you never knew existed. I have at least a dozen ready to finsish and upload in the next month, and new scan projects queued and prioritized. You’ll love what is coming…
• Interactivity for you, the site visitor. I’ve had polls up for several years on the main SurvivalRing website, and had forums up for years as well, until spammers wreaked total chaos and havoc. I’ve got the old archives saved and updated, and will be opening the new SurvivalRing forums this spring, in a much more secure and stable software package. Chat has been working fine, but with little traffic. Comments in the new site design may be posted in ANY page or article, much like commenting is available on THIS blog. Take advantage of it!

That’s just the start. A new year, a new sense of adventure, and a lot of work to do…and a lot of work that has ALREADY been done.

Many things are happening in the background that will change the way we all see our future. SurvivalRing, Cosmic Echoes, and I will be here to help you get through what we fear will be tough times ahead. Consider me your friend, mentor, and guide…we will get through this together.

Rich

Well, it is done. We can rest…at least for a little while.

Another year at college has come to a close. Last night, just a few hours ago, most of my family enjoyed something very special together…my daughter, my wife, and I all walked across the stage of our college, at graduation commencement exercises at Central Wyoming College.

This past year, between all three of us, we earned five degrees. Daughter Laurie earned Associates of Arts degrees in English and Technical Theater. My wife Annie earned Associate of Arts in English and Associates of Arts in Social Science. I finished my Associates of Applied Science in Computer Networking Technology in Web Development with highest honors.

One after another, with Annie in the lead, we strode across the stage, son Kenny pushing Annie in her wheelchair so she could accept her diploma and shake hands…then Laurie…and finally me. Son Robert and daughter in law Candi couldn’t be there, unfortunately. Candi just had our first grandson only 6 days ago, by the name of Hudson James, and a long trip across country after a very long weekend in labor just wouldn’t do. We’ll get them a DVD of the commencement.

MANY of our friends and fellow students here at CWC also earned degrees, awards, certificates and honors, including Ruhiyuh Olsen, Jolyn Zwemer, Jackie Dorothy, my coworkers at the KCWC radio station Lisa Johnson and Justin Dickman, Ryan Jevne, Lydia Dove (the OTHER web development graduate this year), Kim Ogg, several of my fellow student senators, and over 250 other graduates.

It was an amazing night…much more of a wonderful evening than we could have hoped for. I mean, we were all graduating together. That in and of itself was so cool. Before the major work of the evening progressed, we had a musical interlude provided by the CWC Jazz Ensemble, which just happens to feature our son Kenny as the guitar player/stylist/melody guy. Laurie’s best friend Cameron Fehring provided the vocals for the song that played, and it was over all too fast. But then, something even better happened.

I mentioned many weeks ago that I was named to the All-USA Academic Team for community colleges, a couple of weeks after I was named a New Century Scholar for 2006, for the State of Wyoming. Well, as a second team member of the All-USA team, I didn’t make the cut to receive a scholarship. That is reserved for first team members.

Tonight, I found out what second team members receive. After the presentation of the Valedictorians, I was next on stage…by myself with the administration and faculty. President Jo Anne McFarland read a very nice prepared statement about my winning both the New Century Scholar award, and making the 2nd team of the All-USA Academic Team. She then presented me with a beautiful medallian, very heavy and gold plated, on a red, white and blue ribbon. I had to remove my mortarboard hat so she could place it over my head. It was a little snug on my noggin, but she was able to get it on without problems, only knocking my glasses slightly askew, which she very deftly straightened for me. She also presented me with very nice framed parchment certificate from the All-USA Academic Team organization and USA Today.

I found myself with the opportunity to speak to the graduating class, the audience, the faculty, and ALL the rest of the people there watching. Did I mention that Wyoming Public TV was broadcasting the entire commencement on LIVE TV?

I didn’t think I was going to be offered the chance to say something, so I didn’t really prepare. I figured if I did get the chance, I was going to thank my family. S0, I did. I mentioned that without the support of my wife and children, I would not have been able to come back to college to finish the degrees I started over 27 years ago. I also was able to spit out, in the swirling, blinding TV lights, that I wanted to thank the college and faculty for helping make all this possible.

But I didn’t get to the point of getting to mention specific names of those such as Steve Ferwerda and Dale Smith (my two main instructors and advisors while here on campus the last 36 months or so), Terry Svilar (who gave me my first on campus job in the business lab, where Annie has been working for the past two years now), the Student Success Center (where I’ve been tutoring in many subjects almost as soon as I started here), Danielle Hood (one of the first people I saw, when I came to inquire with the college about returning to school after so many years, and How Was I Going To Pay For It…she made it all happen for me and helped me finalize the decision to return)… and on and on for dozens of other folks who have made it all worth while.

Nope, went completely blank after thanking the family and the college..said thank you to Jo Anne, and the administration…and the audience for their support, and turned to head off stage and back to my seat in the front row.

Drats… Maybe Next Time.

After that, the march of students receiving their diplomas, the exit of the students and faculty, and the reception in the Arts Center afterwards, where a couple of thousand folks mingled over cookies and punch….taking pictures and videos, saying farewells, and heading out.

We hung around to the hall was almost empty. Dozens of teachers, fellow students, faculty, friends, and even strangers came over to where we were hugging one of the walls as a family unit, with Terry S. and others hanging out with us, and shook hands, exchanged hugs, said congrats, and spent a few moments just being friends…in other words, it was a wonderful night for the entire family.

Afterwards, Annie and I went out for a burger and shake, drove west of town for a few miles, just past the airport up on the hill, found a nice wide spot off the side of the road overlooking the airport, and the town of Riverton below in the Wind River Basin, and enjoyed some quite time looking at the stars and the full moon, while staving off a bit of hunger.

We both took a lot of deep, satisfying breaths…concerning our completion of this phase of our college careers, talking a little about our summer plans, and a few things we’d like to do together THIS summer, that we have been putting off to get through school.

We’ve going to hit Yellowstone this year, go camping up in the Sinks, and maybe Boysen Resevoir, try do some flyfishing I’ve been wanting to do ever since we moved up here, and finally, put all the work and new skilks I have planned into getting my website ready and working with state of the art technology I just earned a college degree in.

Next fall, a return to the books, with plans for both of us to earn bachelor’s degrees, and then I’ll start on that Masters Degree I want to finish with in Homeland Security soon after.

Now…a summer of fun, some peace and quiet, and some planning for how we’ll spend the REST of our lives after college degrees earned at middle age.

Oh yes…and time will be WELL spent…playing grandma and grandpa to two wonderful, beautiful, and incredible grandkids. It’s going to be a great summer.

Til next time,

Rich

First, thanks to everyone for your support and kudoes. It’s very humbling to a) win this national scholarship opportunity, and b) know that what I’ve already spent years doing on my own with SurvivalRing.org, was part of the key to enabling me to get this far, and set my goals as high as I have (I mean, a bachelors degree in emergency management and a masters in homeland security ? There’s no money in that!! )

It’s all about helping the community, and getting _some_ recognition for hard work is the most I can expect. I’m ok with that…a lot deeper meaning for me comes from knowing I’m doing all I can to help my fellow man.

Now, for those parents with “college bound” kids…I *is* one, too.

My wife, son, and daughter are ALSO going to college here at Central Wyoming College full time. Laurie has finished two associate degrees and started her bachelors degree here thru the University of Wyoming distance program.

My wife Annie will finish her Social Science Degree in May, when I finish my web degree. My daughter Laurie finished both her technical theater and english degrees in December (thanks to scholarships from the college in the theater department), and my son Ken won a full music scholarship from CWC for this year, based on his passion and work on his music, which he started on his own YEARS ago ( www.kennyfleetwood.com to listen) when we were HOME SCHOOLING.

In 2 1/2 months, I will get to walk across the stage to get my next A.A.S degree, steps behind my wife AND daughter…three of us together. How cool is that?

The key for us earning these degrees has been EXTREME hard work, extreme frugal living (4 college students in one two bedroom apartment on campus), doing without (no car or mortgage payments, no extra entertainment fun, no vacations, no road trips, no new toys [except where needed for school],) and no wasted time.

We each chose degree paths that we EACH were passionate about, which made the learning process much more interesting. And fortunately for us, we each have skills that for the most part complement each other, which helps one another when we hit a roadblock or snag.

For scholarships, the key is USING that passion for that topic, INVESTING time in extracurricular activities (at school, or in the local community) that mesh or connect in some way with our majors, and PURSUING all scholarship options that come our way, that we in ANY way might have a chance to obtain.

This New Century Scholar award is just one of thousands out there, but if I had not had good grades (3.93 gpa) AND not excelled in classes by being helpful, considerate and thought provoking (even class clownish sometimes), then I would not have been nominated by two faculty members at my college to be inducted into Phi Theta Kappa (must have 3.5, and must have 2 faculty nominations).

Without PTK, I would not have had access to the New Century Scholar award, and millions of dollars of other scholarships offered ONLY to PTK members.

There are a lot of scholarship websites out there. I would like to recommend the FASTWEB service…lots of useful features.

I did win two other CWC college only scholarships last year, and two this year (my third). These were mostly standard program-specific degrees (electronic media student, and non-traditional student) but every penny helped.

Your son or daughter has many funding options for college these days. Paying their own way truly drives home the cost of education, but makes them work that much harder to finish and obtain their goals. Getting scholarships and pell grants, trio grants, student loans, or even multiple part time jobs surely helps, as I can attest to ALL of these.

These three years I have had an average of three part time regular jobs a semester, and multiple one time jobs (video projects, web site design, debugging infected computers, etc) to cover gas and groceries, and we’ve even had funds SOMEHOW available to get hundreds of $$$ in dental repairs done, $1500 to fix the engine last year in our Lincoln Towncar when it blew head gaskets, upgrade computers with new or faster components, replace my wife’s wheelchair, and other tough things…most thru faith and perseverance.

You can apply to all the scholarships in the world, fill out millions of online forms and essays, and visit every college site on the web, but unless you TRULY invest every fiber of your being into a college education through time, sleepless nights doing homework, REAL time in extracurricular college events and activities (BE PART of the college social life…some student organizations, helping in the tutor lab or tv or radio station, ushering at games or plays, etc) and just getting out to meet fellow students EVERY week….well, you might get a degree, but not a fully rounded education.

If you’re going to do it…do it all. You’ll be more successfull than you could ever imagine if you do your best to at least TRY.

In my case, my entire life experience, many years of work developing a website of global importance, my involvement with the community at the school level ( student senator, tutor, most available geek), city (video PSA projects with High School and Police Department), county ( CERT Volunteer and coordinator), and state ( working with Wyoming First Lady Nancy Freudenthal’s WFLI initiative against teen drinking and substance abuse), ALL played a part in my winning this latest scholarship of national importance.

I set my goals high, learned from failures, kept on trying, and never gave up.

Biggest part of all this?

I started college again, along with my entire family, with ZERO savings.

Having moved to Wyoming in 2000, we found ourselves homeless and living in a motel for a few long weeks in 2001, and started over again completely from scratch.

To have gone this far, from that point, to the place we find ourselves now, is utterly mindblowing.

We picked the college closest to us, filled out every page of every financial aid document we could get, talked to everyone we could on campus in registration and financial aid, administration and faculty, and found the best fit we could for our degree programs.

My selling point for this college, Central Wyoming College, was that they had the ONLY web design degree I’d seen to that point, which was MY first goal. What was more helpful, is that they had the best value (tuition, housing, local cost of living rates) I’ve seen YET at a community college.

Students from around the world (Japan, Germany, Ukraine, and many others) have come here for some standard associate degrees because of the low cost here. CWC also has one of THE leading college equine and rodeo programs in the nation, with several national champions starting here.

Parents…help your kids find and develop their passions in their early years. Help them focus in their high school years. Work hard to give them the basic tools for creativity, whether its a GOOD computer, a quality music instrument, a bookshelf of books, or your TIME to show how a good parent/adult/leader SHOULD act, and be like.

Young adults…START EARLY. Do it all…try new things…accept new challenges…HELP YOUR COMMUNITY. Finish what you start. Accept failure as a path to learning how to do things better. Change the world around you. Learn how to lead…and how and when to follow.

Most importantly….NEVER GIVE UP.

Anything is possible. I guarantee it.

Rich

Well, the news hit the local newspaper today, and the college website Friday, about my winning the New Century Scholar award for Wyoming this last week

And, this week I’ve been thinking of other things that helped guide my path into scholarships and success…and thought I might share a couple of ideas that came to mind.

a) A college degree is a wonderful thing to have, but not easy to get. When the time came that I needed to have one for better employment opportunities after becoming homeless, not having one cost me jobs, and meant a much lower income back in 2001. I had to start at the bottom again..flipping burgers.

b) Small colleges offer better opportunities for advancement into the scholarly ranks. A 1200 student campus is much easier to embed yourself into the daily rigors of student life and extracurricular activities, than a 10,000 or 15,000 student campus. I started in this town with no friends or contacts, and in 18 months I was elected to the student senate … simply because I was helpful, concientious, outgoing, and willing to help anyone with a problem or project.

c) Small campuses allow you to make a bigger difference to your community for the same investment of time and energy. Before I won this particular scholarship, I was already well known to the college faculty, president, most of the deans, and the board of trustees…by my name. Most of these folks recognize my face and say hi to me in the hallways or stop and chat for a few minutes occasionally. All because I’ve taken the time to become part of local student organizations, help in any little way I can, and try to make a difference for my fellow students. I don’t shy away from controversy…I look for it…as an opportunity to open eyes to bigger problems, and find solutions for them. One such thing was taking the college’s current smoking policy and creating a paradigm shift for the entire college, by updating policy from Smoking outdoors only, to no smoking within 20 feet of designated doors. You’d have thought I was going to kill all the smokers by the amount of anti-change people that came out of the woodwork, and verbally accosted me or made very negative comments about the project. The project was picked up by the AP and made it into several regional newspapers, and the college administration passed the new policy update last week. So much for not being able to make a difference.

d) Small towns with colleges are better than big towns with colleges…or small towns with big colleges. When I moved to rural Wyoming, I moved to Lander. In the past, Lander has made it to the list of Best towns to live in, for quality of life, educational opportunity, recreational options, and cost of living. CWC is located in Riverton, the next town over from Lander. Because Riverton is small, yet full service, you’ll find all you need here…120 miles from the nearest interstate. Because of the size of the town, I’ve been able to make a difference in my community volunteering with the high school, police department, emergency management, and city fathers…especially with the video and media tools I bring, including Telly Award winnning public service announcements. Being a part of the community, instead of apart from it, has meant I’ve helped others learn how to be more self reliant and self sufficient, in everything that I do. I don’t hide the fact of what I do with my website, and I share my thoughts with anyone who asks for more info. People have noticed, and no one thinks I’m a wacko of any sort.

e) Considering that Riverton is in the middle of nowhere, 120 miles off the interstate, and has no industrial base of any kind in town, there are still plenty of job opportunities here. The college is one of the larger employers, followed by the super Walmart, the Honor Farm minimum security prison, and BTI which is a trucking firm that moves Trona from southern Wyoming to Shosone north of town and the railhead there. And, with the big increase in oil production nationwide, this area of Wyoming has tons of job openings that pay very well in the oil field. Unfortunately, a good economy and lots of labor based jobs, means that college enrollment goes down. Still, living in a small town in a good economy is really the best of all worlds.

f) The future. With a quality education, earned degrees, time spent involved in the community, and a record of success personally and collegiately, anyone who puts the time in, can go as far in the world as they wish. The only limits implied are the ones you put on yourself. Just going to college for a piece of paper when you graduate isn’t enough these days. As a college student, you’ve truly got to invest real time and talents in the world outside the classroom. It doesn’t hurt, and helps reveal and and all areas you can improve on, in the entire process.

Take the time in college to do EVERYTHING. Everyone wins when that happens.

Rich

ALLLLRIGHT!!!!

Just got word about an hour ago… A MAGNIFICENT honor for a college student…

I’ll let you read the email announcement below…

I am very elated this afternoon.

Congratulations!

Richard Fleetwood has been named the New Century Scholar for your state. This is an amazing accomplishment and speaks to the quality of education at your school!

Please note the attached memo and document for more information regarding the $2,000 scholarship and award ceremony for New Century Scholars.

THERE IS A VERY TIGHT TIMELINE - Please confirm housing by March 7th and submit photographs and form by March 8.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Again, our sincerest congratulations to you and your school!

Heather Johnson
Director of Scholarship Programs
Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society
Center for Excellence
1625 Eastover Drive
Jackson MS 39211
direct 601.984.3560
fax 601.987.5660
www.ptk.org

I received a couple of great emails this week…both pertaining to my continuing college career.

Email Number One let me know that I me that I’ve been admitted to Upper Iowa University for my Bachelors degree in Emergency and Disaster Management. Even received an invite to join the next term starting March 2nd. A little too early for me…my current semester at Central Wyoming College ends in May, and Graduation ceremonies are May 12th. Plus, still need to work out the financial aid aspects…

Email Number Two was more spectacular… I’ve just been notified that I am a FINALIST in the All-USA Academic Team…a nationwide collegiate scholarship program sponsored by USA Today and Phi Theta Kappa. Read more about it below…

Still waiting on one MORE bit of news for something very important to me. We’ve got SIX more videos submitted to the Telly Awards, and should be hearing something in the next few weeks about how we did…These last videos are technically better than the first one, so I think our chances are good.
Rich

Hi everyone…

Just got some REALLY good news…see the message below.

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Heather Johnson
Date: Feb 8, 2006 3:39 PM
Subject: All-USA Academic Team Finalist
To: rafleet@gmail.com

Richard Fleetwood,

Your application for the All-USA Academic Team has been selected to move on
to the final round of judging in Washington DC on February 17th. As a
result, all finalists are requested to submit official transcripts.

YOU HAVE NOT YET WON AN AWARD OR SCHOLARSHIP. You have been selected to
move on to the next round of judging. Not all finalists will be selected as
winners.

As a result, we need a final official copy of your most recent transcripts
showing your fall term grades. Request a same day or next day transcript,
and please have it sent overnight mail to:

Carol Skalski
USA Today
7950 Jones Branch Dr
McLean, VA 22108-9995

Transcripts need to be received by USA Today by Wednesday, February 15th.
Please have your overnight package “tracked” so that you can confirm it has
been received. Failure to submit transcripts will result in dismissal of
your application from the final round of judging.

If you have further questions, please contact me at 601.984.xxxx or by
replying to this email.

Respectfully,

Heather Johnson
Director of Scholarship Programs
Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society
Center for Excellence
1625 Eastover Drive
Jackson MS 39211
direct 601.984.xxxx
www.ptk.org

==============================

What this means is that I have a chance to win up to $2500 in scholarships, sponsored by Phi Theta Kappa and USAToday. Actually winning depends on a number of things, but making it to finalist, gives me a shot to be one of 60 members of the three 20 member teams. It includes a free trip to Long Beach, California, media coverage, and all kinds of long term awareness for winners continuing their college education.

PTK is the National Honor Society of two year community colleges, and I just happen to be chapter president of our local chapter here at Central Wyoming College.

Thursday was a GOOD day… the transcripts went out USPS Express mail and were received Friday morning… Wish me luck…

Rich
Current GPA 3.93

http://scholarships.ptk.org/aaat/announce.htm

All-USA Academic Team for Community Colleges

The All-USA Academic Team program annually recognizes 60 outstanding two-year college students. First, Second, and Third Teams, each consisting of 20 members, are selected. The 20 First Team members receive stipends of $2,500 each. All 60 members of the All- USA Academic Team and their colleges receive extensive national recognition through coverage in USA TODAY. Selection is based on nominations submitted by community college presidents or campus CEOs, who receive nomination materials in the fall. Phi Theta Kappa, USA TODAY, and the American Association of Community Colleges sponsor the All-USA Academic Team program annually. To be eligible, a student must post a minimum 3.25 cumulative GPA and be eligible to graduate with an associate degree. Details are below.

NOTE: Nominated students who are also Phi Theta Kappa members can qualify for the Guistwhite Scholarship by completing a one-page Guistwhite supplement application. Nominators, see the application page for more information.

Meet the 2005 All-USA Academic Team Members!

First Team
Second Team
Third Team
http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/allstars/front.htm?Loc=vanity

More info on the process of getting nominated for this award, here…

http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2004-08-12-2005-colllege-team_x.htm

All-USA College Academic Team: About and advice
Each February, USA TODAY honors 20 undergraduate academic all-stars as its All-USA College Academic Team. The students named to the All-USA College Academic First Team have their photos published and accomplishments spotlighted in USA TODAY’s Life section as representatives of all outstanding undergraduates. They each receive a trophy and a $2,500 cash award. Forty more runners-up named to the Second and Third Teams receive certificates; their names are announced in the newspaper.
The All-USA College Academic Team honors full-time undergraduates who not only excel in scholarship but also extend their intellectual abilities beyond the classroom to benefit society. Criteria include grades, academic rigor, leadership, activities and most important, the student’s essay describing his or her most outstanding intellectual endeavor done while in college.

Nominations open in September and are due in late November. The team is named in February. Schools may nominate as many students as they consider appropriate candidates for this award. (This was for the 2004/2005 awards-Rich)

Criteria for the All-USA College Academic Team were developed in consultation with our co-sponsors:

•National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities

•National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges

•American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education

•Council for Advancement and Support of Education

•American Council on Education

Eligibility

•Nominees must be undergraduates of at least sophomore standing at a four-year institution of higher education in the USA or its territories.

•The nominee must be a full-time student as defined by his or her institution, typically carrying at least 12 credits toward a baccalaureate degree, when nominated. Students taking the current school year off are not eligible.

•U.S. citizenship is not required.

•Nominees may not have received a baccalaureate degree prior to the nominating period. Students in five-year or other combined undergraduate/graduate programs who have not yet received a bachelor’s degree are eligible. Those who have one bachelor’s degree and are seeking another are not.

•Former members of the All-USA High School Academic First Team and All-USA Community College Academic First Team are eligible, but those previously named to the All-USA College Academic First Team may not be nominated again. (Second and Third Team members may be renominated.) Students will not be considered for more than one All-USA Academic Team (high school, community college, four-year college) in the same calendar year, even if they are eligible for more than one.

•Nominees must be of upstanding character and willing to be held up publicly as outstanding students in the nation’s No. 1 newspaper. They must be aware that the contents of their nomination form may be released to the public should they win.

For nomination forms, FAQs and coverage of previous All-USA College Academic Teams, check the box of links on the right side of the page. To receive a printed version of the form, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope specifying the All-USA College Academic Team to: Carol Skalski, USA TODAY, 7950 Jones Branch Dr., McLean, VA 22108-9995 (Please use nine-digit ZIP code.) For more information, e-mail allstars@usatoday.com or call 703-854-5890.

ADVICE TO NOMINATORS

USA TODAY’s All-USA College Academic Team honors 20 full-time undergraduates as representatives of all outstanding college students. Their accomplishments will be noted and their photographs published in USA TODAY in February, and they each will receive a trophy and $2,500 cash. Forty more students will be named to the Second and Third Teams. Their names will be announced in the paper, and they will receive certificates.

The program honors students who have not only challenged themselves and excelled in their course work, but extend their academic and broader intellectual abilities beyond the classroom to benefit their schools, their communities and society. A key element given most weight by the judges will be the student’s essay describing his or her most outstanding original academic or intellectual product. The nominator (or one of the people writing a letter of recommendation) must describe the merits of the endeavor in detail and how it may benefit society. If the endeavor is a group project, the letter should describe in specific terms what the student did and any results from the student’s actions.

Unlike scholarships, fellowships or grants, the All-USA Academic Team is a recognition honoring students for what they have done in college, as opposed to what they plan or hope to do upon graduation. Aside from tax liability, there are no strings attached to the cash award, and how students would use it is not part of the selection process. Nor is financial need a criterion. But judges will consider a nominee’s achievements in the context of his or her life situation as it may be described in the nominator’s statement and letters of recommendation.

The program is modeled after an all-star sports team, and judges try to build a team of students who are universally outstanding and who excel in different ways. Former First Team members have excelled in the sciences, the humanities, the arts, in public service, journalism and education. Nominators are encouraged to consider students of all different majors who’ve done substantial, original work beyond the classroom.

The program is open to full-time undergraduates of at least sophomore standing. The vast majority of the students named to the First Team have been seniors, as judges focus on the totality of a student’s college record.

There is no limit to the number of students a college may nominate. It is recommended, however, that professors or deans not nominate more students than they can write different, persuasive letters of nomination for. If two nominees write essays about the same endeavor in which they participated, they and the nominators must be specific about the individual contributions of each nominee.

ADVICE FOR NOMINEES

USA TODAY is seeking 20 students who can be held up as representatives of all outstanding undergraduates in the country. Judges consider not only grades, honors and leadership, but also how nominees apply their intellectual skills outside the classroom and how that may benefit society.

The nomination should give judges a succinct picture of the student’s undergraduate record, including academics, leadership, activities and intellectual endeavors. Because the forms are used in news coverage of the winners, nominees must realize that any information in the form could be released to the public. Contents are subject to rigorous fact-checking at all points of the judging process.

Nominees are advised to:

•Read all directions and follow them closely. The form has been written to match the judging criteria.

•Answer the essay question (Part 7) completely. The essay carries the most weight in the judging process, and the criteria for judging are listed on the form. The endeavor must be a collegiate endeavor; if you’re writing about something you started before college, please make it clear what you have achieved as an undergraduate.

•Use Parts 2-5 to show the breadth and depth of your activities and leadership, and do not list a single endeavor more than once in Parts 2-5. An internship resulting in a published work that won an award, for example, will be credited only once.

•Carefully consider that any information included in the nomination form could become public should they win.

•Be concise. Pay attention to length limits and do not shrink type size to make answers look shorter than they are. The form should be completed in easy-to-read type no smaller than 10-point.

•Estimate time spent on activities as accurately as possible. Make sure the time spent on activities during a given time period does not exceed the total number of hours in the time period.

•Allow enough time after completing the form to have it signed by your nominating professor and dean. The form can be reproduced on a computer, but the waivers must be signed.

•Ask people whom you know well and who are in the position to personally describe your work for letters of recommendation. Request the letters early enough so that the letters may be included with the form. E-mailed letters of recommendation are not accepted.

•Make sure either the nominating letter or one of the letters of recommendation goes into detail describing the merits of the endeavor you’re writing about in your essay. It is highly recommended that the letter come from a mentor or adviser directly involved in the work.

•Proofread all your materials after you’ve printed them out. Many people catch mistakes on the printed page that they’ve missed on the computer.

This article was NOT written by me….really! But, it was written about me, and was printed in an official college publication (the first issue of the Central Wyoming College quarterly magazine CONNECTIONS). Two weeks later it was added to the front page of the CWC website.

I didn’t get a chance to read it BEFORE publication, and there are a couple of errors in it…notibly my website address, SurvivalRing.org, which was printed in the paper as Survival.org, a defunct and dead website designed 10 years ago for the recovery of the huge Kobe, Japan earthquake. Yes, the site splash page is in Japanese. It says…

Activity of the survival * network which is born in the Kobe Earthquake opportunity ceased, the disaster revival support activity which is purpose of beginning. Next this home page we go to bed for a while making provision for activity. We appreciate in support of for a long time everyone.

Needless to say, I was a little frustrated. But, the public info office here at CWC DID correct it for website publication.

Here is the article.

CWC student recognized for PSA work

With very little money, borrowed equipment and local talent, a Central Wyoming College student has created a series of public service announcements that has landed him a Telly, the premier award honoring outstanding local and regional video and film productions.

The PSA series, directed at issues facing teens, particularly on drug, alcohol and tobacco abuse, were created by Richard Fleetwood with writing assistance from Riverton Police Sgt. Bart Ringer. One of the spots was selected as a finalist for the coveted award and was chosen from among more than 10,000 entries.

Fleetwood joins fellow CWC graduates Jim McGilvary and Jackie Dorothy, who won Tellys for projects they worked on as students for Wyoming Public Television.

Ringer, the resource officer for School District 25, came up with the idea of doing PSAs that would deal with the problems and challenges teens face today while making personal decisions on the use of alcohol and controlled substances. He had no video experience and went to the college for assistance.

He was directed to Fleetwood, who studies both web design and development and broadcasting at CWC. He took on the first three productions as projects for Professor Dale Smith’s broadcasting class, but to date, the assignment has mushroomed into seven completed video spots and plans for five more.

“I’ve always had an inclination to do volunteer work and this was an opportunity to make a difference,” said Richard.

Using his own camera, Fleetwood has done the shooting and directing. With the college’s editing bay, he also edited hours of footage down to the 30-second or one-minute spots. It’s his goal to send the spots to every television station in the state.

Fleetwood and Ringer also plan to develop radio PSAs with similar messages.

Besides the international recognition from the Telly Awards, the project has also caught the eye of Wyoming First Lady Nancy Freudenthal, who has a statewide initiative on curbing underage drinking. The spots now appear on the state of Wyoming’s homepage in addition to several websites developed by Fleetwood.

Ringer, himself a regular of CWC theater productions, recruited Riverton High School and Middle School students for roles in the video productions. The students are having so much fun; Fleetwood said more classmates want to help out.

One particularly moving spot is entitled: “How do you want to be remembered?”

It hit home for Jared Harford, the actor who volunteered to be in the short spot. The young man was filmed one warm afternoon along the windy and desolate Sand Draw highway. From a distance, Fleetwood zooms in on Jared, who is sitting by a nameless marker alongside the road. All that you hear is the howling Wyoming wind. The young man’s image is faded; leaving only a cross and the impression the teen has been killed by a drunk driver or died as a result of driving drunk.

A few weeks after the filming of the PSA, Harford’s good friend, Kyle Hawker, was killed in an alcohol-related accident, giving true meaning to the project and its participants.
“It really sort of stopped our collective hears for a moment,” Fleetwood said. “We realized how fate had brought us all together.”

While he’s spent countless hours in a small, crowded editing room, the project has been a great experience for Fleetwood. “It’s a great learning tool for me,” he said, admitting each and every spot gives him the opportunity to learn new tricks. Now he looks forward to doing a full-length feature documentary because he feels this type of work is his calling.

Fleetwood, a former mail carrier, began building websites in 1998 and combined his interests in emergency preparedness and survival in creating the site: survivalring.org. Since the events of 9-11, this civil defense website which provides resources for natural and manmade disasters has had 6 million hits.

Richard is someone who’ll talk your ears off, give you free books, and will quickly remind you about being prepared.
He’s a self-styled “content expert” in the areas of personal preparedness and civil defense. He’s been interviewed on the subjects by The Wall Street Journal and Time magazine. A portion of his income comes from selling plans to emergency shelters.

“I have talked with people the world over about individual, everyday preparedness,” he said. “I deal with fact, not fallacy. I back up my words with over 100,000 pages of cold, hard facts, in government produced and printed documents covering over six decades of government preparedness for absolutely anything.”

He shares his penchant for research with others who have like interests. “To me, nothing is more important than taking care of my family,” he said. “I gather and share these documents to help every other family I can touch via the web.”

His goal of earning an emergency management degree is particularly poignant in light of the recent mass death and destruction that happened as a r