6:30 p.m. Refreshments & Socializing • 7 to 8:15 p.m. program. Space is limited. Reserve your seat by calling (530) 550-2290. There is no cost attend.

SierraCollege.edu | 11001 College Trail in Truckee | facebook.com/SierraCollegeTahoeTruckee

Truckee High School Drama Club presents “Best of Broadway!”

WHEN: May 10 to 12 and May 16 to 18, 2013
WHERE: THS at 11725 Donner Pass Road in Truckee, CA
TICKETS: $15 adults, $10 students and seniors. Available the Truckee Community Rec Center and THS Library

Incredibly talented cast expected to wow audience each night with favorites from Chicago, A Chorus Line, Hair, Mama Mia, Rent, Spring Awakening!

Individuals and businesses can support the high caliber drama program though cash and in-kind donations. For more information, contact this year’s producer at (530) 386-1929.

Take time to paddle, read, bike, relax with friends or your sweetheart while the kids have more fun than ever with Custom Learning Academy for one week or as many as eight weeks this summer.

No, this is not a sleep away camp, but a great day option for residents or anyone enjoying Tahoe vacation time. CLA offers 10 to 1 child to counselor ratio during each weekly themed camp! And the counselor? Not your typical high school or college student on break but one of CLA's teachers, an expert in outdoor fun infused with interesting topics. The camps combine traditional outdoor camp activities with educational adventures. Children can sign up for all eight weeks or just one session. Every summer Custom Learning Academy presents new and exciting camp themes.

K-2 - Options for children entering Kindergarten, first grade or second grade include Messy Art from June 24 to 28, Pirates from July 8 to 12, Story Time for young readers from July 15 to 19, Greek Myths from July 22 to 26, Rocks and Fossils from July 29 to Aug. 2, The Great Outdoors from Aug. 5 to 9, Creepy and Crawly from Aug. 12 to 16 and To the Moon and Stars from Aug. 19 to 23.

3-5 - The Young Artist from June 24 to 28, Hidden Treasures from July 8 to 12, Book Club and Creative Writing from July 15 to 19, Ancient Greece from July 22 to 26, Geologists from July 29 to Aug. 2, Outdoor Survival from Aug. 5 to 9, Bugs and Insects from Aug. 12 to 16 and The Solar System and Outer Space from Aug. 19 to 23.

Camps take place in Truckee from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and include a 3 to 5 p.m. add–on option (frequently used by local working parents). All of the camps are led by credentialed teachers. The cost has not increased since last summer –  just $160 per child per week. Children do not have to be enrolled as full time 2013-'14 students but after a couple weeks with CLA's dynamic and educated teachers, your kids might want to enroll! Download the summer camp registration form at customlearning.org. Call (530) 587-5470 for more information.

Incredible Lake Tahoe vistas, fabulous day hikes, waterfalls and magnificent rock formations await.
Official, in-person launch of the inaugural Trail Challenge is June 1.
Unofficially the adventure begins when online registration opens on May 15! Don't miss the fun with your friends this summer - Get in on the inaugural Challenge!

WHAT:  The Evaluators' Institute
WHEN:  April 10 to 20, 2013
WHERE: 1300 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco, CA
INFO:      http://tei.gwu.edu or (202) 994-5232

The Evaluators' Institute will take place in San Francisco next month. Experts from around the country will convene at the Holiday Inn Fisherman’s Wharf to facilitate fourteen engaging and in-depth classes that professionals can take as standalone training sessions or as a full week or 10-day professional development series. TEI, the first entity of its kind in the world, provides a balanced curriculum that emphasizes practical information for practicing evaluators in a wide variety of fields including education, health, social services, the arts and academics.

“The Evaluator’s Institute offers an unmatched opportunity for both veteran and novice professionals to network and gain insights on the effectiveness of their programming and evaluation work. It is truly an interactive and engaging learning experience and we believe the high caliber faculty is the primary reason attendees return year after year,” shares Dr. Ann Doucette, director of The Evaluators’ Institute and professor at The George Washington University.

TEI in San Francisco includes one, two and three day courses. Professionals who register before March 27 can take advantage of discount pricing: $500 for a one day course, $900 for two day courses and $1,265 for three day courses. All prices will increase on March 28. Visit tei.gwu.edu for more information and to register.

About TEI
The Evaluators' Institute (TEI) provides the highest quality instruction through a balanced curriculum that emphasizes practical relevance for practicing evaluators. Dr. M. F. "Midge" Smith founded TEI, the first entity of its kind in the world. Dr. Smith's vision was to bring together the most highly regarded experts in the field to identify the most useful evaluation content areas and provide learning activities that enhance the role, practice and impact of evaluation. TEI continues Dr. Smith's vision at George Washington University. For more information visit http://tei.gwu.edu.

Executive chef Jacob Burton nominated by Food & Wine for The People’s Best New Chef® award!

Burton, executive chef of Stella and The Cedar House Sport Hotel in Truckee, CA was nominated for The People’s Best New Chef® on March 11, 2013. Burton graduated from the California Culinary Academy and worked in San Francisco and North Tahoe before joining Stella in March 2010. He is passionate about creating memorable dishes and sharing his knowledge through an in-depth online culinary school that is offered at no cost to culinary enthusiasts worldwide (check out https://www.stellaculinary.com/chef-jacob-burton). Visit www.foodandwine.com/peoples-best-new-chef/california.

The media took note!
Before Food & Wine eliminated access to the live standings, Inside Scoop SF reported "In a huge upset over the city folk so far, the guy from Truckee is winning the vote in the early going."

Were the Founding Fathers liberal or conservative, Christian or non-Christian?
What was the driving force leading to the Civil War?
What were the economic results of the New Deal, Reaganomics and changes in income tax rates?

Residents and visitors will discuss these questions and more with history instructor Taylor Tiraterra on Friday, March 8 on the Sierra College, Tahoe-Truckee campus. “The Use of Icons of American History in Modern America” is designed for community members eager to connect with others in an intellectual setting that fosters conversation and respects diverse opinions. Tiraterra, a well-liked educator on the Tahoe-Truckee campus, has a Masters degree with an emphasis in American History.

IF YOU GO
What:     Sierra College Insights  - The Use of Icons of American History in Modern America
When:    Friday, March 8, 6:30 p.m. refreshments, 7 to 8:45 p.m. program
Where:   Sierra College, 11001 College Trail in Truckee
Cost:      None / Free
RSVP:     (530) 550-2290 (seating is limited).

Sierra College Insights is an interactive educational event series designed for inquisitive community members including teens to seniors. Each month an academic expert will facilitate an out of the ordinary presentation on the Sierra College, Tahoe-Truckee campus located at 11001 College Trail in Truckee. Students, residents and visitors are welcome to attend. Complimentary refreshments and time for socializing precede each event

Sierra College, Tahoe –Truckee invites community members and visitors from near and far to a variety of interesting and interactive events on campus next month. Save the dates – and join the fun! All events are free and open to the public.

Thursday, Feb. 7
Attend the opening reception for an incredible art show featuring work by Sheri Howe and Alison Lee. Wildish, soulful, nature inspired 2-D and 3-D works of art will be highlighted on campus this winter. Attend the special opening reception from 5 to 7 p.m. Details.

Friday, Feb. 9
Sierra College Insights presents “The other kind of smart: Emotional Intelligence” with therapist and educator Christopher Old. This is a great event for teens, parents, grandparents and anyone seeking to better themselves and their relationships in 2013. For more information, read the recent Sierra Sun article.

Tuesday, Feb. 12
Community Cocoa Social
All ages are invited to socialize with current students and faculty and find out about programs, degrees and transfer options at the second annual cocoa social presented by student clubs and Career and Technical Education. Social will be held from 5 to 6:15 p.m.

Sierra College is located at 11001 College Trail Truckee.  For more information, visit in person, call (530) 550-2225 or go to sierracollege.edu online. For the most up to date information, like Sierra College, Tahoe-Truckee on Facebook.

Working with two schools in the Truckee Tahoe area - Sierra College, Truckee Tahoe and Custom Learning Academy (CLA) - offers insights about the high caliber educators that call Truckee home and the breadth of formal learning opportunities in a region that has traditionally been most well known for outdoor adventure and recreation.

Just last month I visited CLA, the private, WASC-accredited, K-12 school nestled between The Lodge and Trout Creek Recreation Center in Tahoe Donner. I was eager to learn about how teachers leverage iPads to enhance learning, and was most impressed by the extraordinary level of student engagement in the elementary and secondary classes observed.

First and second grade students concentrate as they practice reading as well as tracing and grouping letters using the touch screen. The elementary teachers guide students in sounding out words and practicing challenging language arts lessons. Teens told me about how they use different apps to reinforce vocabulary they are studying in their German and Spanish classes. A middle / high school teacher empowered students to explore different web sites and experiment with key words during a research project. In short - "21st century skills" are seamlessly woven into the classroom to emphasize and reinforce traditional content.

Based on research compiled in “Knowledge for Generations,” a Wiley publication, the iGeneration, like its predecessor, has a strong need to be connected – this means being separated from digital devices is stressful but, here's the kicker, so is using the devices all of the time!

At CLA high school students have regular technology breaks and middle school students can go online for mid-day tech breaks. Teachers and staff have found that it is more effective to allow tech breaks with a structure than to forbid it. "This allows students to focus on the task at hand since they know they’ll be allowed to spend time connecting online," explains CLA's director Lisa Crosby, who has been studying brain research as it applies to learning and school culture since earning a master’s degree in the late 1990s.

CLA is a haven for families seeking a nurturing and academically rigorous environment for their children including winter student athletes and others who frequently travel. True to its name, education is tailored to each and every student whether the student is enrolled full time or taking advantage of supplementary services such as tutoring, courses for credit or homework club.

Custom Learning Academy is located at 12710 Northwoods Boulevard in Truckee. For more information visit customlearning.org or call (530) 587-5470.