MCSD May Golden Apple Award: Matt Jenkins
Matt Jenkins has been the public information officer for the Montrose County School District for five years. Part of those responsibilities has also been being the liaison between WesternSlopeNow and the school district, helping surprise teachers with a basket every month. At the end of this school year, he is moving on to other fields of education.
'I'm going to be moving back to the classroom,' Jenkins tells WesternSlopeNow. 'I'm really looking forward to getting work back with the kids. I've had a blast working in district administration and communications and messaging, but it'll also be great to be back in the classroom.'
During every single Montrose Golden Apple over the last year, Matt has been there making each educator smile. Matt's positive attitude and optimistic approach to education has left an impact on his coworkers that won't soon be forgotten.
MCSD receptionist Jacey Hopper recalls her time working alongside Jenkins, 'He has a great face on every time he comes in. He's laughing, he's sharing, he always has that very consistent mood and he is a wonderful coworker and colleague for the community.'
Congratulations on being May's Golden Apple Award winner!
To nominate someone for a Golden Apple Award, visit WesternSlopeNow's contest page.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Forbes
3 days ago
- Forbes
Colleges Should Begin Putting Science First
One of my pet peeves is going to the drug store and seeing necessary items locked behind a plastic case. Whether it's razor blades, Advil, or skin cream, drug store shelves have become pharma jail cells as chains like CVS and Walgreens take draconian measures to combat shoplifting. A recent Washington Post column showed I'm not alone in my drug store distress, but rather part of community of curmudgeonly customers. In CVS was so worried about shoplifting that it stole its own soul, Matt Bai makes a convincing case that 'someone has turned the CVS I knew into a Museum of the American Pharmacy.' When we encounter a necessary item locked away, we're instructed to ring the service bell for assistance. So we ring and, after a minute or two, an employee shows up and opens the case. As Matt points out, the problem for infrequent shoppers is that most of the time we don't know exactly what we want. In Matt's case, his son asked for teeth whitening strips. So Matt's in a pickle: In the old CVS, I'd have happily spent five minutes idly breaking down the pros and cons. But now, this poor woman is standing there watching and waiting, and I'm self-conscious. She's the only one working here. She has things to do. It's not like the CVS has assigned me a personal shopper. I ask her for advice, and I can tell she wants to be helpful, but this is the CVS, and we all know that the employees are basically silent observers… 'I think they're pretty much the same,' she says hopefully… The pressure I'm feeling here is more than I can stand. I grab a random box, and the woman quickly locks the case before I can change my mind. Then the same thing happens two aisles over: When my new friend reappears and opens the case, I grab the first three bottles of bodywash I see. I cannot subject her to another round of anguished vacillation. We're not picking out a puppy here. Ring the service bell for assistance. Of course, he buys the wrong things. I've known Matt for 30 years since he worked with my (then future) wife at Newsweek. That's back when Newsweek was a respected weekly magazine owned by the Washington Post's Graham family – one where an old-school beverage cart provided libations to journalists working late Friday nights to 'close the book.' And back when CVS was a needed respite from our under-air-conditioned New York apartment, not a locus of stress and frustration. Matt's not a total crank – at least no more than me. And he's clearly onto something about likely consequences for organizations that close themselves off to the world. That's certainly the case in higher education. Colleges have locked themselves behind a plastic case in the two most important ways imaginable. First, programs of study haven't been responsive to economic needs. Nearly all schools continue to offer the same degree programs they've run for generations. The list of most popular majors – starting with business, nursing, psychology, biology, and engineering – looks like it could be wearing a poodle skirt, love beads, or sideburns. (Or if shopping in a drug store, buying Lustre-Crème Shampoo, Dippity-Do Hair Gel, and a carton of Chesterfields.) Only computer science (#11) would have been out of place when our grandparents were college-age, and we're merely missing classics and agricultural sciences. Unless forced by budgetary exigencies, colleges never discontinue programs in order to redirect teaching resources to more productive uses. In an economy that's experienced radical changes in the last few decades, this level of movement is glacial. Second, the people teaching at colleges and universities aren't responsive to economic needs. Tenured faculty – the highest paid, permanent faculty – are required to have terminal degrees, almost always PhDs. And having a doctorate typically means a straight line from college to graduate school to employment at a postsecondary institution. It's even true at community colleges. When full-time positions open up, competition is fierce and candidates without doctorates stand as little chance as cold symptoms after taking Nyquil, or heartburn post-TUMS. This means the people educating and preparing students for work in the real economy have never worked in the real economy. Just as CVS employees can't help us choose, faculty without real-world experience can't provide helpful career guidance. And because academic departments control curriculum and faculty control departments, the lack of real-world experience produces the museum-like quality of university offerings. With college safely locked away, undergraduate majors rarely offer a straight line to good first jobs. Lightcast has documented the lack of direct pathways: a swirl from the most popular majors to the most popular jobs. The unemployment rate for the last five classes of college graduates is up 40% in the last two years and 12% of grads in their 20s are currently unemployed, particularly men. Meanwhile, underemployment for college grads one year out is at 52%. Between the Scylla of unemployment and the Charybdis of underemployment, two-thirds to three-quarters of the class of 2025 are struggling to launch. Like CVS customers, college graduates need to ring for assistance. In response to these criticisms, colleges and universities have offered bromides – i.e., vague ideas intended to placate, not Bromo-Seltzer which is no longer available at CVS – about building industry or employer partnerships. But partnerships ebb and flow and nothing really changes. Sooner or later, higher education will need to meet the problem head-on by addressing the source of the economic change we've witnessed over the past half-century: scientific progress and digital transformation. Prioritizing science worked for higher ed during the Cold War when, in search of solutions to military challenges, federal funding skyrocketed like CVS sales of Wegovy and other semaglutides. Today's biggest problems are environmental, socioeconomic, and biological. But if and when they are solved, they're more likely to be solved by science/tech than other disciplines. If more colleges and universities led with science, they'd launch more economically relevant programs. According to one study of new programs, only 15% were STEM; 75% were in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. And schools would be more likely to discontinue unproductive programs. Science tends to move on faster than other fields of study. After all, no college still offers programs in phrenology or alchemy. They'd also focus more resources on higher value programs. One of higher education's unsung scandals is enrollment caps for the most remunerative majors, namely the most technical and scientific. While student demand for quantitative programs – computer science, engineering, data science, and now machine learning/AI – doubles and doubles again, colleges and universities have added faculty slower than it now takes to shop at CVS. The result: not nearly enough seats, particularly at public institutions. Many publics play a bait-and-switch game, admitting students as freshmen then rejecting them from higher value technical programs as sophomores and juniors – ostensibly via use of outdated prerequisites, weed-out courses, and GPA requirements, but actually due to lack of capacity. So nearly half of all students who say they want to complete these programs never do. What would it mean to make science primus inter pares in American higher education? Here's a modest proposal: The education and labor market challenges we're facing are not unique to the U.S. As they're a byproduct of digital transformation of the economy and education's failure (so far) to keep up, everyone is in the same boat. A recent OECD survey of high school students across 80 countries found 'high levels of career uncertainty and confusion' because 'job expectations… bear little relationship to actual patterns of labor market demand.' Career-launch confrères in Canada and the UK are struggling like never before to land good first jobs. But all the more reason to build new educational models to keep up with economic change. New STEM programs delivered by faculty with industry experience are likely to provide straighter lines to more good first jobs. As America leads the world in digital transformation, we should lead in our response to digital transformation. A science-first system of higher education would also give us a better shot at preserving our AI lead because universities would attract more research funding. The federal government – at least this Administration – is more likely to provide Cold War-era levels of research support to universities that privilege and prioritize science. Although STEM faculty and researchers are the primary victims of Trump Administration attempts to cut federal research funding by a third, higher education's political and public funding challenges have hardly stemmed from STEM. Prioritizing science anew doesn't mean no room for arts, humanities, and social sciences. We need them not only to graduate well-rounded students, but also to push back when science yields inhumane outcomes (like locking up the pharamaceutical products you need). But that doesn't mean that 70% of students should concentrate in these fields, certainly not without a hybrid-tech component. The recent increase in double majors indicates that many students already intuit as much. And note that our economic rival, China, isn't putting humanities professors in charge of universities. The vast majority of Chinese university presidents are scientists, engineers, or economists. Not surprisingly, China is pulling ahead of us across a panoply of scientific metrics. If this isn't another Sputnik moment, I don't know what is. The alternative is to remain closed off from our changed world. Matt Bai notes one survey showed that 'less than 1 in 3 shoppers are willing to hang around once they realize that the item they want is behind glass.' So let's make CVS stand for Colleges Value Science rather than a Museum of the American University. Unless and until we begin putting science and technology first, colleges and universities will have a problem that neither teeth whitening strips nor body wash will fix.
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Yahoo
Driving aid into Ukraine 'to make a difference'
"I work seven days a week when I'm here because I want to get back out there and help make a difference." For the past three years carpenter Matt has been delivering aid to the city of Sumy, which is on the front line of the war in Ukraine. Every six weeks he makes the 2,000-mile (3,219km) trip from his home in Oxfordshire, working extra days so he can afford to regularly drive to the warzone. Matt believes in the importance of standing with the people of Ukraine "where they're experiencing all these problems, and letting them know that you're by their side". In 2022, Matt saw a video online which showed a Russian tank drive over the top of a car driving in the opposite direction, and afterwards he "couldn't stop thinking about it". He resolved to collect medical aid locally, making the arduous trip into Ukraine via the Channel Tunnel and through several countries while "everybody was coming the other way". He says: "We drove in and managed to meet people and share some aid out and help a little bit and it started there." Matt works with a group of local school parents who raise money for medical and surgical equipment. He and his team distribute aid to five hospitals in Sumy, then leave the vehicles at the frontline, to be repurposed as ambulances, troop carriers and assault vehicles, before hitch-hiking home. "When we're dropping off in Sumy, we speak to the doctors and the surgeons in the hospitals," Matt says. "The day I get back, we start again. We're on it and we've got a list. We know what they really, really need." Matt's wife, who we are not naming in this feature, says her husband previously mentioned travelling to Ukraine in passing but one night broke the news over dinner that he was going the next day, which was a "massive shock". She says: "It was really hard because at that time, it was so unknown... it was quite scary because I didn't know what was on the other side. "He was away the first trip, either four or five days, it was really quick. And he literally drove without stopping and drove straight back, he was exhausted." She adds: "I had no communication with him. "Once he'd got across the border, I didn't hear anything else. So it was a waiting game." Anna and Iryna, who have been working with Matt from their Oxfordshire base, say as the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine unfolded they knew they wanted to help. They have accumulated about £1.5m through fundraising and donations since 2022. "There was one morning when nobody heard from Matt," Iryna recalls. "We are sitting and thinking 'Where is he? Where is he?' And then eventually Matt pings a message and you're like, 'phew'. "It's not easy. He is almost like a member of the family... we've adopted Matt." Anna says: "It's really tricky because Matt's a grown man and he's really sensible, and we know that he's going to look after himself and he's not going to do anything stupid... and we know he's got some great, great friends out there. "You've just got to trust and hope that he's not going to be one of the unlucky ones that gets hit. You know, what more can we do? "We're always on slight edge when he is out there. We are always slightly anxious." The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office advises against all travel to Sumy. It also says there is an "ongoing risk of harm to British nationals from Russian attacks across all of Ukraine", including from "missiles and drones that hit unintended targets or from falling debris". "We keep our travel advice under constant review to ensure it reflects the latest updated information for British nationals travelling abroad," a spokeswoman said. Iryna's cousin is a trauma surgeon in Ukraine who was having to use household drills during surgery to "put metal plates in people's bodies". "They had absolutely not been prepared for this," she says about Russia's full-scale invasion. "We send a lot of out of date medication, which otherwise would go to landfill, which absolutely is life-saving in Ukraine." Matt shows the BBC around his 4X4 to show what else is being transported on his latest expedition. It is stacked with crutches, Zimmer frames, wheelchairs, tourniquets, bandages and handheld ultrasound scanners, which can be used to detect internal bleeding and shrapnel. There is paracetamol and some veterinary equipment too, which he says is "dual purpose". "If it's syringes and stuff like that, you can use it on humans as well... if you're desperate, then you make things work." Matt has been known to bring protein shakes in the summer, handwarmers in the winter and even a bit of cake to brighten spirits. Yevgen is Matt's local contact, and sometimes joins him in a convoy on his travels. He owns a garage but since the conflict has been busy fixing military vehicles. "I can say it's life now," he says. "I cannot believe people from a far away country just keep supporting us. They do a big thing." He calls Matt a "friend for life". Matt's wife says he "doesn't talk to me about guns, he doesn't talk to me about warfare or anything like that, because I can't deal with that". "I probably reconcile it in my head with the charitable stuff that he's doing," she continues. "When he's going to the hospitals, or the orphanage, or to see the things that they've set up for the children out there... I think that's what probably helps me to kind of not lose it every time. "But he doesn't talk to me about war. He talks to me about the people, and that's probably what pulls me forward each time." Matt, Anna and Iryna have been awarded medals from the Ukrainian government for services to the country during the war. Matt says their mission is not just about providing the physical aid but about bringing a "bit of hope". "If you can imagine saving someone's life, I mean, that's got to be the ultimate thing for a human being." You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. More on this story 'It's Groundhog Day': Ukraine's sky defenders stuck in relentless battle Ukrainian forces halt Russian advance in Sumy region, says army chief Related Links Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
14-07-2025
6 months after Eaton Fire, family that lost 9 homes tries to rebuild
Six months after the Eaton Fire tore through Altadena, California, destroying thousands of homes and structures, one family that lost a total of nine homes in the fire remains displaced and separated for the first time. Members of the extended Jenkins family all lived within a 2-mile radius of each other in Altadena for generations. Now, family members are scattered throughout California as they try to rebuild their lives in Altadena. "We're not going anywhere. Everybody in our family is rebuilding," Ed Broussard told ABC News in an interview that aired Monday on " Good Morning America." "This is what we know is home." Four sisters in the Jenkins family each lost their homes. One of the sisters, Paula Kimberling, has made progress as one of the first and few homeowners in the area to be ready to break ground to rebuild, with the permit process complete. "I'm prepared for the new build and I'm ready to come back," Kimberling told ABC News. Another family member, Marcus Betts, has faced additional challenges in trying to rebuild, as the stress of the recovery process, including the insurance and permit processes, has taken a toll on his mental health, he said. "Here we are almost six months later and, you know, sleeping is still a challenge because of all the deadlines," Betts said. "They're now requiring you to submit an itemized list with pricing, which is nearly impossible in a home that's been owned for over 40, 50 years. It's like ... it's almost torturous." Betts said his family has stayed strong by sticking together and has learned "by trial and error" how to move forward, a familiar feeling for many residents of Altadena. The historic area of Altadena, one of the first areas in the U.S. where Black and brown people were allowed to buy real estate, is one of the many communities completely leveled by the devastating Los Angeles area wildfires that began in early January. Over a span of 24 days, the Eaton Fire that destroyed Altadena spread across 14,000 acres, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. More than 9,000 structures were destroyed and 18 people died. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Before the wildfires, Altadena was home to about 42,000 and known for its picturesque landscape in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. Six months since the Eaton Fire struck Altadena, just over seven dozen rebuilding permits have been issued so far, county records show. Like the Jenkins family, members of the Wood family -- who have lived in the Altadena area for over 40 years -- are also choosing to stay in Altadena and rebuild. The Woods told ABC News they are doing so despite the obstacles they face, including a lack of adequate insurance money to rebuild. "Having insurance is a good thing, but it's never enough money to cover actually rebuilding," said Jenine Wood. Another family member, Ken Wood Sr., said he felt assured at first because he had insurance coverage, but he has faced time-consuming challenges along the way. "'Don't worry, it burned down, we got insurance,'" he said of his initial reaction. "But then, when it happened, what it is you have to see this person and that person and that person." With many Altadena residents facing challenges, some nonprofit organizations have stepped into help, including the Rotary Club of Altadena, which has established a fund to "provide support for immediate and long-term relief efforts through disaster response grants," according to its website. The Foothill Catalog Foundation, a California-based nonprofit public benefit corporation that is building pre-approved home plans to help families -- including the Wood family -- move back into homes faster. "As everyone's trying to become an insurance expert, a legal expert, and a building expert, the Foothill Catalog is trying to make that as easy as possible for as many homeowners as we can," said Alex Athenson, the foundation's president and an architect and urban designer, adding, "We can give homeowners a head start and get them as close as possible to rebuilding and construction as we can." Cynthia Sigler, a Pasadena-based licensed architect who also works with the Foothill Catalog Foundation, said the foundation is working to expedite homeowners through the permitting process. "Permitting is typically a very long and arduous process," Sigler said. "So being able to have this pre-approval process, which was created specifically for this disaster recovery effort, really gets people that much further in the process." In Altadena, the Foothill Catalog Foundation is partnering with Habitat for Humanity to build back homes.
