Raisbeck Aviation High School touches down at The Museum of Flight

We have liftoff!

Yesterday, Oct. 17, Raisbeck Aviation High School (RAHS) celebrated its Grand Opening in truly impressive fashion.

The morning's festivities commenced when an Alaska Airlines 737-900ER dubbed "Spirit of Education" delivered over 100 students and honored guests to The Museum of Flight.  Among the students on the plane was RAHS junior Alyda Sorm, who, until yesterday, had never flown in an airplane (she's pictured on the right with Alaska Airlines CEO Brad Tilden and the crew from yesterday's flight).

As they exited the plane, passengers were greeted by a crowd of nearly 600 RAHS students, alumni, parents and invited guests,
including Museum of Flight CEO Doug King.

Raisbeck Aviation High School's partnership with The Museum of Flight is part of what makes the school so unique.  The only college preparatory aviation-themed school in the country, RAHS offers students access to both The Museum's archives and exhibits, as well as the opportunity to meet and interact with Museum staff and volunteers.  The high school's new location on campus at The Museum of Flight creates a space in which students need only look out the window for inspiration; imagine watching a plane take off just outside your classroom as you listen to a presentation on aerodynamics - to say it is an incredibly inspiring environment is a gross understatement.

In addition to providing access to The Museum and its resources, RAHS' new location is also in close proximity to over 200 aviation and aerospace businesses that surround Boeing Field.  Students have internships with many of the school's new neighbors, including companies like Boeing, Planetary Resources and the FAA.

Raisbeck Aviation High School is a school unlike any other - its commitment to providing the highest caliber science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education to its students reflects a commitment to both cultivating the next generation of aviation and aerospace leaders and, in turn, ensuring the Puget Sound region remains competitive in STEM-related industry markets.

One of yesterday's speakers referred to RAHS as a "little school with a big engine."  Serving roughly 400 students grades 9-12, RAHS is a truly remarkable place where high schoolers come together to share their passions, study the latest developments in STEM fields and enjoy a high school experience unlike any other.

Each of the speakers in yesterday's Grand Opening program lauded RAHS Principal and CEO Reba Gilman for her vision and leadership in securing Raisbeck Aviation High School's new home.  The program included remarks from Gilman, Museum of Flight President and CEO Doug King, as well as Governor Jay Inslee, Alaska Airlines CEO Brad Tilden and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes Ray Conner - the three of whom graduated from Highline Public Schools, the district of which RAHS is a part.

Yesterday's celebration marked the culmination of years of hard work and dedication on the part of RAHS' board, The Museum of Flight and the numerous donors who made the school's brand new $43.5 million facility possible.

We at The Keller Group are incredibly thankful to have been afforded the opportunity to work with Raisbeck Aviation High School and The Museum of Flight and cannot wait to see what RAHS students achieve in the years to come!

Welcome home, Raisbeck Aviation High School; always remember, the sky is NOT the limit!

Know where Seattle's AEDs are located? You could win $10,000!

This month, Seattleites can join in a life-saving scavenger hunt.

From Oct. 15-Nov. 15, local residents will compete to identify and report the locations of Seattle’s automatic external defibrillators (AEDs).  With cash prizes ranging from $50 to $10,000, this is definitely one scavenger hunt we’re eager to get started!

AEDs are electronic, brief-case size devices designed to allow bystanders to help someone who has collapsed as a result of cardiac arrest.  Often, cardiac arrest is due to ventricular fibrillation (VF); AEDs simplify analysis of heart rhythm so lay persons can recognize and treat VF before the arrival of emergency medical services providers.  Each device has voice and visual prompts that guide bystanders through the steps necessary to help someone with a medical emergency.

AEDs are cost-effective lifesavers that are often located in places where cardiac arrests are most likely to occur, such as airports, sports clubs and shopping malls.  There are now more than 1.2 million AEDs in public places across the United States, and roughly 180,000 more are installed each year.

But what happens if a bystander can’t locate the nearest AED during an emergency? That’s a concern the My HeartMap Seattle Challenge is hoping to address.  According to Dr. Graham Nichol, University of Washington professor of medicine and Medic One Foundation Endowed Chair for Pre-Hospital Emergency Care at UW Medicine’s Harborview Medical Center, “Our list of AED locations may be incomplete.  We are seeking the public’s help to learn where more of these devices are.”

To register to participate in My HeartMap Seattle Challenge, click here and follow the link to My HeartMap Seattle Registration.  Then, starting Oct. 15, each time you locate an AED in Seattle, report a brief description of the AED and its location on the contest website.  The team or individual that identifies the most unique AEDs will be awarded a $10,000 grand prize.  Additionally, 20 $50 prizes are available; twenty AEDs in the city of Seattle have been pre-selected as “Golden AEDs.”  Be the first to locate and report one of these specially designated devices and win $50!

Just over one week to get your team ready – on your mark, get set, go! 

WGU Washington Enrolls 5,000th Student

WGU Washington reached a significant milestone this week, enrolling its 5,000^th student.  

The largest affiliate of Western Governors University in the country, WGU Washington is a flexible, affordable alternative to traditional higher education options, allowing adults who are balancing family, careers and other responsibilities to go back to school and earn their degrees. 

The fact WGU Washington reached this latest enrollment milestone so shortly after its founding (the school was established by the state legislature in 2011) reflects the increasing demand for non-traditional higher education options in Washington state.

WGU Washington Chancellor Jean Floten explained in a news release yesterday, Washingtonians “understand a degree is important in today’s job market.”  Floten continued to say WGU Washington’s model works particularly well for working adults because it offers busy students the flexibility to study on their own schedule.

WGU Washington’s competency-based curriculum affords students an increased level of flexibility and value.  Because the university awards credits based on learning, as opposed to hours spent in class, students are able to utilize existing knowledge to move through the course material as quickly as they like.  This innovative model has earned Western Governors University recognition from President Obama and, locally, serves as the model for similar programs being adopted by community colleges throughout the Puget Sound region.

Congratulations again to WGU Washington on reaching this impressive milestone – we can’t wait to see what the innovative university achieves next!    

Overlake Medical Center Offers Free Health Screenings

Overlake Medical Center is offering free health screenings in celebration of the second annual Eastside Vitality Health Month.  All September long, Overlake Medical Clinics across the Eastside have been hosting health fairs intended to familiarize Eastside residents with primary care physicians and cardiologists in their communities.

Eastside Vitality Health Month’s final event will take place Saturday, Sept. 28 at Overlake’s main hospital campus in Bellevue from 8 a.m. – 11 a.m.  Attendees will have the opportunity to receive skin cancer spot checks, target heart rate readings and body mass index readings.  Additionally, nutritionists will be available to discuss diabetes and provide tips for healthy eating and the Bellevue Fire Department will conduct CPR and automatic external defibrillator demonstrations.

According to Overlake President and CEO Craig Hendrickson, the goal of this month’s health fairs is to provide the Eastside with the resources and opportunity to prevent serious health conditions before they occur and encourage individuals to manage conditions they may already have. 

Learn more about Eastside Vitality Health Month here, and be sure to check out the community health fair on Saturday, September 28 at Overlake Medical Center’s Main Campus in Bellevue!

Quicker, More Precise Cancer Treatment Offered at Overlake

Overlake Medical Center is now treating cancer patients more quickly and with greater precision than ever before. The new TrueBeam radiotherapy and radiosurgery treatment system from Varian Medical Systems is an innovative, image-guided radiotherapy technology that enables a radically different approach to cancer treatment.  With TrueBeam, doctors are able to identify the optimal treatment approach and decrease treatment time – both great things for patients! 

The first patient to receive treatment with the hospital’s new system recently completed his course of treatment for lung cancer.  William Brent Reece, M.D., began treating the patient on July 2. 

With dose delivery rates that are 40 to 140 percent higher than earlier versions of similar technology, the TrueBeam system completes patients’ treatments more quickly.  This makes it possible to both improve precision and offer greater patient comfort by shortening treatment times.  “Intelligent” automation further speeds treatments by reducing the number of steps needed for image guidance and dose delivery up to fivefold.

According to James Pelton, M.D., who plays an instrumental role in patient care with TrueBeam, “Imaging is an essential part of modern-day, targeted radiotherapy.  This machine allows us to minimize the amount of X-ray needed to generate an image.”

The TrueBeam imager produces three-dimensional images with 25 percent less X-ray dose than was previously required.  These images are in turn used to fine-tune tumor targeting in 60 percent less time than older technologies.  Such efficiencies further increase treatment speed and, accordingly, improve patient comfort. 

The introduction of the TrueBeam system is just one example of the exciting and innovative ways Overlake Medial Center is promoting the health of Eastside residents - Overlake is also offering free health screenings at its clinics throughout the month of September.  Stay tuned for more details!

3, 2, 1, Liftoff!

The sun rises on Raisbeck Aviation High School's first day

The countdown is over - it's time for liftoff at Raisbeck Aviation High School!

The high school's new, state-of-the-art facility opened its doors today, welcoming students to the first day of the 2013-14 school year.

While there are many things that make Raisbeck Aviation High School unique - it's the only aviation-themed high school in the Northwest, for starters - the school's new location on campus at the Museum of Flight presents a particularly exciting opportunity for development and engagement. The Museum can function as a source of both information and inspiration for students at RAHS, offering access to archives and artifacts and providing a backdrop unlike any other.  What better place to dive in to a curriculum heavily rooted in science, technology, engineering and math?

We're excited for the students and teachers to get situated in their new home and can't wait to get a tour of the building at the official grand opening on Oct. 17! Here's to a great year!

 

President Obama Recognizes WGU as a Leader in Higher Education

WGU Washington News –For Immediate Release                             

Contact for media inquiries:                                                                           Contact for enrollment information:

Jake Riddell – Public Relations Manager                                                       877.214.7004

(206) 512-0025                                                                                                    washington.wgu.edu

jake.riddell@wgu.edu                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                                               

President Obama Recognizes Online Western Governors University for Innovation and Affordability

The United States’ first competency-based university cited as leader in the President’s Plan to Make College More Affordable

SEATTLE – (August 22, 2013) Western Governors University (WGU) has been recognized by President Obama as an innovator in higher education.Today, the White House released “The President’s Plan to Make College More Affordable: A Better Bargain for the Middle Class”. In it, President Obama recognized WGU as an innovative institution for its online, competency based educational model.

The President also recognized the university for its affordable tuition (~$6,000 a year for most programs) and the accelerated rate at which students are able to progress through degree programs (the average time to a bachelor’s degree is less than three years).

Headquartered in Seattle, WGU Washington is pleased to operate under the accreditation of WGU and proud more students from Washington attend the university than any other state. Since it launched in the spring of 2011, WGU Washington’s enrollment has increased sixfold. Currently, roughly 4,700 of WGU’s 40,000 students call the Evergreen State home.

“WGU Washington is proud to be a leader in the field of higher education,” said WGU Washington Chancellor Jean Floten.  “The rate at which busy Washingtonians are enrolling in – and graduating from – our programs demonstrates the demand in this state for affordable, flexible education options, like those endorsed today by President Obama.”

What is competency-based learning?

·         Competency-based learning allows students to earn their degrees by demonstrating what they know and can do (competency) rather than spending time in class to accumulate credit hours.

·         Competency-based learning is ideal for adult learners, who enroll in college with different levels of knowledge as well as a wide variety of learning styles, because it allows them to move quickly through material they already know so they can focus on what they need to learn.

·         Required competencies for each degree program are defined in collaboration with external program councils. Program councils are representatives from industry and academia, and they help us ensure that our students are learning the competencies they will need to be successful in their fields. In addition, they regularly review curriculum to make sure that it is up to date and relevant.

·         Students demonstrate their mastery of subject matter by successfully completing assessments—objective tests, papers, projects, or presentations.

If you would like more info or would like to speak with Chancellor Jean Floten, please contact Jake Riddell at 206-512-0025, jake.riddell@wgu.edu, or Lee Keller at 206-799-3805, lee@thekellergroup.com.

About WGU Washington

WGU Washington was established by the State Legislature in 2011 in partnership with nationally recognized and regionally accredited Western Governors University to expand access to higher education for Washington residents.

The state-endorsed, online university offers more than 50 bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in business, information technology, teacher education, and health professions, including nursing. WGU Washington’s competency-based learning model is designed to meet the needs of working adults by providing an affordable, flexible option for earning an accredited, respected college degree. It’s a nonprofit and receives no money from the state.

Degrees are granted under the accreditation of Western Governors University, which is regionally accredited through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Teachers College programs are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and Nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE*).

The university has earned the support of more than 20 leading corporations and foundations. They include institutions such as AT&T, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Lilly Endowment, HCA, Hewlett-Packard, Lumina Foundation, Microsoft, Oracle, SunGard Higher Education and Zions Bank.

*Western Governors University offers nursing programs that are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 5380, Washington DC 20036, 202-877-6791).

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