Cosmetology students decorate heads for new website

EVIT Cosmetology students decorated seven styrofoam heads for a new website called Bangstyle.com. Each class chose a theme and worked together to decorate using items such as feathers, glitter, paint, sequins and feathers along with the required "Bangstyle" bandana. The heads will soon be traveling to Las Vegas and hopefully around the world while being featured in pictures on the Bangstyle.com website.

Health studies a family affair for Gilbert Family

In today's competitive job market, having the right training, experience and a positive attitude makes all the difference. For one Gilbert family, taking the first step toward a new career in healthcare started with their mother. A short time later, it became a family affair with three members of the Tedesco family attending classes at the East Valley Institute of Technology (EVIT) in Mesa.

Cindy Tedesco, 53, first learned of EVIT when her two sons, Aaron, 20 and Kevin, 21, attended the automotive and construction programs as high school students. At the time, she was working at a hospital as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) but knew she wanted to continue her education and eventually transition to a job in a physician's office.

"In speaking with doctors about jobs that were in demand with opportunity for growth, several suggested I consider getting certified as a medical assistant" said Cindy Tedesco, who started the two-year Medical Assistant program in August.

A medical assistant can perform administrative and clinical tasks such as collect and prepare laboratory specimens, prepare and administer medications, draw blood, prepare patients for x-rays, take electrocardiograms, remove sutures, and change dressings under a doctor's supervision.

"While I had done poorly as a student in elementary and high school, learning as an adult student is completely different. I love learning and acting as a mentor to some of the younger students in my class" she added.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of medical assistants is expected to grow 34 percent from 2008 to 2018, much faster than the average for all occupations. As the healthcare industry expands because of technological advances in medicine and the growth and aging of the population, there will be an increased need for all healthcare workers.

Cindy's two sons, inspired by her dedication to go back to school, followed in her footsteps and registered for the Sterile Processing and Distribution (SPD) program at EVIT. During the 18-week program, Aaron and Kevin are learning how to clean, sterilize and package medical and surgical supplies. The SPD course is taught in a state-of-the-art lab with equipment and training provided through a Veteran's Administration (VA) partnership. They hope to land jobs working in a hospital or surgery center upon completion of the program.

To learn more about EVIT's Adult Education program, visit www.evit.com/adulted or call 480-461-4028.

"Go Green" Fashion Show

On Friday, Aug. 19, second-year Fashion Merchandising students took their creations to the runway. The assignment was simple: create a wearable garmet using something other than fabric without sewing. The result was anything but ordinary!

Balloons, paint swatches, party supplies, electrical tape, books and magazines were just a few of the items included in this "Go Green" collection. Fashion shows were held at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. with students, faculty and parents voting on their favorites.

First place for the morning show was awarded to Madison Culley (Red Mountain High School) for her "Blue Bombshell" dress made of tissue paper and paper plates.

In the afternoon, Hailee Heighton (Apache Junction) took top honors for her "Belle Princess" dress made of tissue paper and plastic liner.

Congratulations to all of the students on their extremely creative designs!

EVIT is Makin' Headlines!

EVIT's Interior Design and Welding programs were recently featured on ABC 15 during their morning show. Watch the clip!

Do you have friends wishing they were attending EVIT this year? It's not too late to register. Invite them to BAFT (Bring a Friend Tuesday) on Aug. 23 or stop by our registration office.

Culinary students impress celebrity judges

Today's the first day of school at EVIT, but that didn't stop second-year culinary students Brandy Rennic (Apache Junction) and Chelsea Hacker (Apache Junction) from showing off their skills!

On Saturday, Aug. 6, Rennick and Hacker were selected by instructor Chef Turcotte to compete in an "Iron chef" type event at the Sanctuary Resort as part of a "Lunch and Learn" event hosted by Tram Mai of Channel 12.

With a 15-minute time limit, the mystery ingredients were revealed and the students went to work creating their own salad for celebrity judges Eddie Matney and Michael DeMaria.

Meanwhile, event attendees enjoyed a four-course lunch that was prepared with the help of additional EVIT students in the Sanctuary kitchen.

When it was time to judge...the salads created were too delicious to pick a winner, so it was called a tie!

The excitement of a new school year

In just a few days, the EVIT grounds and classrooms will be buzzing with more than 3,000 students. But, before the bell rings on Monday morning marking the official start of school, teachers are back on campus a few days this week.

Yesterday, the entire EVIT staff (teachers, administrators, support staff, maintenance workers, etc) came together for a day of in-service training. It's really a special opportunity to have everyone together at the same place and same time. The morning kicked off with an inspiration speech from Superintendent Dr. Downey, followed by the introduction new staff members and teachers and a sharing of summer adventures and accomplishments.

It's amazing how many cool places EVIT staff traveled over the summer, from Italy to month-long road trips, and the number of amazing accomplishments by our students, such as taking 2nd place in EMT at Skills USA Nationals and 1st place in Fashion Design at FCCLA (see post below).

Following the morning session, the group was divided up by birthdays then matched with a fellow co-worker at random. We then loaded on to a school bus (or van) for a special field trip and lunch at the new East campus near Power and Warner Roads.

While there was still some construction activity and furniture being moved in, it was quite impressive. My favorite rooms were the aviation classrooms, with a spectacular view of ASU Polytechnic and Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport in the distance. From the outside of the building it looks like an aviation tower with windows streching from nearly floor to ceiling. Other cool features include a rooftop garden, courtyard water feature and 150-seat auditorium with stadium seating. In addition to aviation, there will also be some health classes offered on the East campus.

The afternoon wrapped up back on the main campus with short presentations from various departments, such as the business office and public relations. While everyone left a bit exhausted from the amount of information and hot day, it was fun and a great chance to meet new people. There is definitely a vibe of excitement in the air and I have a feeling it's going to be a fantastic year!

Gold medal awarded to fashion design student

Congratulations to Landry Low, a Fashion Merchandising student in Kristen Johnson's class. She was awarded the coveted Gold medal for Fashion Design at this year's FCCLA competition in Anaheim, Calif.

During her time in California, she also met Wesley Nault and Daniel Feld from Season 5 of Project Runway. They were so impressed that she was offered an opportunity to intern with them when she moves to New York for school. Way to go Landry and Kristen!

3D Summer Service Learning

This summer, a group of approximately 12 students participated in a four-week summer service learning program taught by Mr. Perez and sponsored by Kids Who Care, Inc.

High school juniors and seniors learned how to use digital technology such as animation, graphic design and production software techniques. They utilized these skills to create charts, posters and presentations on topics they are passionate about such as teen suicide, drug abuse and game addition.

Students also took a field trip to the Microsoft store in Scottsdale where they learned hands-on about Kodu gaming software and the newest products on the market.

Space is still available for fall classes! Sign up during Registration Days on July 27 and 28 from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more info, call 480-461-4000 or visit http://www.evit.com/.

Photo: Student John Guerrero works on a graphic for his Prescription Drug Abuse presentation.

Student Gets Car for Perfect Attendance

Check out Hector Camacho on Fox 10!
Student Gets Car for Perfect Attendance

And the Winner of the Perfect Attendance Contest is...

Congratulations to Hector Camacho, an Aviation student from Williams Field High School! He is the 2010-11 winner of the Perfect Attendance Contest. Out of 250 students, all of whom had perfect attendance, Hector had the winning key to the Chevy Truck donated by Thorobred Chevrolet of Chandler. Way to go Hector!!

EVIT Room Makeover Completed!

After several months of paint, fabric samples and organized chaos, Paige Barlett has a brand new bedroom courtesy of the EVIT Interior Design. Paige, a student at Highland High School was the winner of the Extreme Room Makeover contest sponsored by Kim Foulger's morning class. Students purchased bedding, paint, rugs and furniture from local merchants including IKEA, Home Depot and Joann's Fabrics. With the help of the Construction class they assembled furniture and built a headboard for the bed transforming the room into an eclectic and modern refuge. In addition to constructing the headboard, the group assembled the furniture, painted, and created the pillows and window treatments.

Before

After

EVIT Sweeps Student Competitions

It's almost the end of another school year and East Valley Institute of Technology students are taking the "gold" in competitions for career and technical programs.



SkillsUSA Gold medalists are: Landon Boren for Masonry; Colin Adair for Steel Studs; Oscar Lopez and Randy Whitsett for Radio Broadcasting; Amanda Ryberg and Hannah Simon for 3D Animation; Kierra Wilson for Cosmetology; and Alex Gonzalez for Collision Repair.


FCCLA - Family, Career and Community Leaders of America Gold medalists for Fashion are: Landry Low , Erin Gutierrez, Marissa Laduke, Delia Quintana, and Aubry Stitt.


Gold medalist for Interior Design is Sahaar Ahmed.
Gold medalists for Early Childhood Professions are: Juliann Schneider, Manda Hill, Lupita Cazares, Devin Morales, Joi Asia Johnson, Natasha Williams, Grisel Arteago, Ashley Matteson and Asucena Tovar.




HOSA - Health Occupations Students of America 1st Place Winners in the HOSA Knowledge Bowl are Jodi Copeland, Krystal Jovel, Stormy Proffitt and Sherilyn Bowman. 1st Place in Medical Photography is Tyler Johnson.

We always say, "The best kids in the world go to EVIT!" Congratulations to all the exceptional EVIT students who will be traveling to national competitions.

EVIT Automotive Students host Free Car Care Clinic

On Saturday, April 30th EVIT Automotive Technology students will host a car care clinic from 9:00 am - 1:00 pm. Under the guidance of their instructors the students will check and diagnose the cars' vitals. Each car will have its brakes and alignment tested. The electrical system and engine will be scanned. All fluids will be checked on each vehicle as well as the air pressure in the tires.

This gives the students an opportunity to diagnose real problems on real cars and offers an important service to the customer.

Come to EVIT at 1601 W Main Street in Mesa on Saturday, April 30th between 9:00 - 1:00 and take advantage of this service. If you have any questions, call 480 461 4000.

EVIT Firefighting class is subject of Cronkite News story

Lacey Zellmer, a reporter for the Cronkite News at ASU did a news story on the EVIT Fire Fighting Program. The story is the result of a sudden "burst" of hiring by the Phoenix Fire Department. Here is a link to her story.

http://cronkitenewsonline.com/2011/04/valley-cities-see-sudden-burst-of-hiring-for-firefighting-jobs/

EVIT is an A+ School!

EVIT is so excited! This is the second time we have been honored as an A+ School. It is proof that our career and technical classes have the academic rigor high school students need to prepare for college, as well as enter the work force. Did you know that 2 out of 3 EVIT students go on to college? That is twice as many as traditional high schools in Arizona.

We are proud to carry the A+ logo for another three years!! Thanks to the Arizona Education Foundation for making this honor possible.

Aviation students meet Air Force crew

EVIT aviation students met the crew from the U.S. Air Force's 55th Electronic Combat Group, which recently returned from active duty in Afghanistan and is based in Tucson.

The crew's mission is electronic detection and the jamming of enemy locations and radio transmissions. They can locate everything from cell phone traffic to the signal necessary to detonate some roadside bombs.

"It was a real pleasure to hear from the crew about their jobs and their aircraft," aviation instructor Lou Amadee said. "They were very eager and hospitable about showing the students around and answering their questions."

When Construction and Interior Design collide

EVIT Construction and Interior Design students are putting the finishing touches on their miniature houses this week in preparation for the Block of Dreams Open House coming up on April 28th.


The Construction students have spent the entire school year constructing the two-room homes, and now the Interior Design students are adding their own special flair with paint and decor.


To get an idea of the final result, check out last year's houses here. Hope to see you all on the 28th!

Welding Student Begins Career in High School

Garrett Berns, a senior at Mountain View High School, has already started his career and he hasn't even graduated yet!

Garrett, a second year welding student is employed part time at Quality Vans in Tempe working 25 hours a week while attending EVIT and his home high school. He was recommended to apply for the position by Mr. Leon Zamora, his instructor. According to Jim Nossett, Production Supervisor at Quality Vans, "Garrett was considered and hired after I was disappointed with the quality of the many applicants I had considered." They are so pleased with his work that they hope to hire Garrett full time after graduation.

In addition to his great work at Quality Vans, Garrett has been selected to receive an outstanding student award from Mesa Public Schools to be honored later next month. Way to go Garrett!!

Cosmo students give kids the royal treatment

About 40 EVIT cosmetology students helped create a magical experience for 80 children from Hope Kids and March of Dimes last week.

The EVIT students partnered with the nonprofits and Disney on Ice to give the children "prince and princess" makeovers, complete with hairstyles, glitter and costumes.


Once the children were looking great, they were taken by limo for a special lunch before attending the Disney on Ice show.


"This experience changed some of the EVIT students forever," cosmetology instructor Pam Devine said. "Seeing the children's excitement and appreciation; our students were so inspired by them."

EVIT collision repair students turn car into airplane

EVIT Aviation Director Capt. Al Mittelstaedt went to the collision repair students earlier this year with an interesting request: "Can you make my car look like an airplane?"

Their answer? "Sure!"

Five weeks later, Capt. Mittelstaedt has a very unique mode of transportation:


The students opted for a WW2-style plane, complete with rivets, machine gun, dirt and rust.

Now he's sure to make an impression when he's out recruiting new aviation students.

Biotech students soak up info at symposium

EVIT biotechnology students learned all about nanotechnology and early cancer detection at the recent Mesa Community College Biotechnology Symposium.


High school and college biotechnology students from across the state attended the symposium at Mesa Community College. They participated in round table discussions with scientists and professionals in the biotechnology industry.

The EVIT biotechnology class had almost 100 percent participation: That's pretty great for a Saturday!

The final countdown

About 350 EVIT students still have perfect attendance with just 7 weeks to go in the school year. That means they are still in the running to win a 1998 Chevrolet pickup truck. Or maybe a 2011 Chevy Cruze!

Perfect attendance students gathered today for their quarterly assembly, where there were the usual shenanigans.


Now, it's crunch time. How many will be left standing at the end of the year? Who will win the vehicles?

EVIT students act like "victims"

Four EVIT EMT students worked as "victims" in a mock casualty drill earlier this month aimed at preparing local public service agencies for mass emergencies.


The students acted as victims of a mass shooter loose on the Arizona State University campus. They were found, "treated" and transported by EMS crews to area hospitals.

The kids had a great time and each earned a letter of recognition from PMT Ambulance.

Where creativity and science collide

EVIT Health Occupations students beefed up their science and creativity skills in the Second Annual Neuron Challenge last week. Students were challenged to create an illustration of a neuron, using all sorts of materials, from Twizzlers and Twinkies to pipe cleaners and brooms (yes, brooms).

Students had to label their neuron's muscle, dendrites, cell body, nucleus, node, myelin, and axon branch.
It was difficult to narrow down the 30-40 projects to just a handful of winner. They all looked so good (some even smelled good). Several were worthy of honorable mentions:

But a few stood out as being the most well-executed and creative:

And the Grand Prize Winner....

If you can't tell in the picture, the cell body is a plate of spaghetti, the nucleus is a meatball, the dendrites are forks ... and the guy with the chef's hat? That's the muscle. Ha!

More photos are here. Well done, students!