<![CDATA[Community Learning Network - CLN Blog]]>Thu, 29 Jan 2026 08:53:53 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[Santa Fe Community College PROTEC Program Launches Certified Fiber Optic Technician Training]]>Tue, 18 Jan 2022 08:00:00 GMThttps://www.communitylearningnetwork.org/cln-blog/santa-fe-community-college-protec-program-launches-certified-fiber-optic-technician-trainingPicture
This FREE five-day, hands-on intensive program gives students the opportunity to earn three certifications from the Fiber Optic Association that are recognized throughout the world and aligned to industry standards. These credentials will remain valid for three years, after which they can be renewed by the student. Students can earn the following certifications: Certified Fiber Optic Technician, Certified Fiber Optic Specialist in Splicing, and Certified Fiber Optic Specialists in Testing and Maintenance.  The PROTEC bootcamp training program is 5 days and FREE for qualifying students. The program is made available through Santa Fe County and Santa Fe Community College. 
 
Participants must be:
  • High School Graduate or Equivalent
  • 18 years old or older
  • Able to attend the entire bootcamp and paid internship
  • Provide proof of COVID vaccination
  • First consideration will be for Santa Fe County residents

To learn more or to apply online, visit www.protecsantafe.com 
]]><![CDATA[2021 Report on Summer Enrichment Internship Program released!]]>Wed, 22 Dec 2021 08:00:00 GMThttps://www.communitylearningnetwork.org/cln-blog/2021-report-on-summer-enrichment-internship-program-releasedCelebrating the success of the Summer Enrichment Internship program with the New Mexico Public Education Department and preparing for the program to launch agin for the summer of 2022. If you are interested in hands-on, real-life learning, check out the website www.nminterns.com and support work-based learning across the state. To read the full report and learn more, visit the website.
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]]><![CDATA[Reflections from Jade!]]>Tue, 31 Aug 2021 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.communitylearningnetwork.org/cln-blog/reflections-from-jade<![CDATA[Summer Enrichment Internship Program Launches Statewide!]]>Fri, 30 Apr 2021 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.communitylearningnetwork.org/cln-blog/summer-enrichment-internship-program-launches-statewideNew Mexico Public Education Department launched the Summer Enrichment Internship program for high school students. More than 26 counties, tribes, and partners are teaming to coordinate paid internship opportunities for students this summer. Work-based learning provides valuable opportunities for students to learn skills while building their experience. To learn more about the program, visit the web portal built by CommUNITY Learning Network online at www.nminterns.com  
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]]><![CDATA[Digital Learning Day]]>Fri, 19 Feb 2021 23:40:22 GMThttps://www.communitylearningnetwork.org/cln-blog/february-19th-2021Picture
Celebrating Digital Learning Day (DLDay) February 25, 2021 with stories of educators who have overcome adversity and are embracing innovation. These stories are guaranteed to inspire and invigorate your vision for the future.  We will reflect on changes from the past twelve months, celebrate ten years of DLDay, and be inspired to be part of the new age of learning by visiting classrooms, schools, and districts around the country (virtually of course) and witnessing the power that comes when educators combine a growth mindset with perseverance, innovation, and collaborative leadership. We know incredible work happens in every classroom. Don’t keep these amazing lessons, activities, events, and resources a secret. We know your time is valuable, but sharing a digital resource takes only five minutes and will be benefit thousands of dynamic educators across the country. 
​Share your digital learning ideas with the network so we can learn, grow, and celebrate together!​
]]><![CDATA[Los Alamos National Laboratory signs lease on Santa Fe office]]>Wed, 10 Feb 2021 08:00:00 GMThttps://www.communitylearningnetwork.org/cln-blog/los-alamos-national-laboratory-signs-lease-on-santa-fe-officeNew downtown facility includes Dorothy McKibbin Conference Center
Longtime Santa Fe resident Dorothy McKibbin (1897–1985) was an unemployed single mother in 1943 when she was offered a secretarial position for an organization known only as “Project Y.” For the next 20 years, McKibbin staffed the now-legendary office, 109 East Palace, the headquarters of the once-secret Manhattan Project, where she became a liaison between Santa Fe and Los Alamos.
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LOS ALAMOS, N.M., Feb. 10, 2021—Connections between Los Alamos National Laboratory and the City of Santa Fe will be strengthened with the Laboratory’s opening of a new downtown office space housing up to 75 employees and including the Dorothy McKibbin Conference Center.
The Laboratory signed a 10-year lease on a 28,000-square-foot building at the junction of N. Guadalupe and W. Alameda. The new location offers space for Laboratory meetings, events, conferences, and teleworking.
“Santa Fe has played an important role in the history of the Laboratory since our inception, and we’re delighted to have a presence in the City Different again,” said Thom Mason, Laboratory director. “This building will act as an additional entrance point for the Laboratory, just as Dorothy McKibbin’s office at 109 East Palace in Santa Fe did decades ago. I extend my gratitude to the National Nuclear Security Administration for partnering with the Laboratory to make this project happen.” The NNSA is a semi-autonomous agency within the U.S. Department of Energy that oversees the Laboratory.
In 1943, longtime Santa Fe resident Dorothy McKibbin (1897–1985) was an unemployed single mother when she was offered a secretarial position for an organization known only as “Project Y.” At $150/month, it was the best pay in town, so she took it. For the next 20 years, McKibbin staffed the now-famed office at 109 East Palace, the headquarters of the secret Manhattan Project. She became known as the Gatekeeper of Los Alamos and a liaison between the two communities. McKibbin is remembered for her optimistic outlook, skill at putting people at ease, and dedication to helping new hires and visiting collaborators get acquainted with the historic culture of Northern New Mexico.
“Even today, a great deal of the groundbreaking work we do at the Laboratory involves collaboration with partners from across the region and around the world—whether it’s on a global scientific challenge such as our COVID-19 research, or a local education program like the Regional Partnership School in Pojoaque,” said Kelly Beierschmitt, deputy director of operations. “A Santa Fe location makes the Laboratory more accessible to our partners and neighbors.”
The Santa Fe office includes the first-floor Dorothy McKibbin Conference Center plus permanent offices and co-working spaces for the Laboratory’s Community Partnerships Office, as well as some communications and government affairs functions. No hazardous work will be carried out there. The up-to-75 employees to be headquartered at the new office space are residents of Santa Fe, Rio Arriba, Bernalillo, Los Alamos, and Sandoval Counties.
At present, roughly 2,900 of the Laboratory’s 12,000 employees reside in the city and county of Santa Fe. Their salaries, much of which are spent where they reside, exceed $300 million annually. In FY 2020, the Laboratory hired more than 1,000 new employees; of those, 70 percent were New Mexico residents. The Laboratory expects to hire more than 1,000 more new employees in 2021.
“Los Alamos National Laboratory is among the largest employers in Northern New Mexico and has a huge impact on the local economy,” said Bridget Dixson, president and CEO of the Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce. “The Chamber is pleased to welcome the Santa Fe office and the Laboratory employees that will become part of our business community.”
The Santa Fe location will be a hub for community and economic development activities. It will facilitate the Laboratory’s educational partnerships, workforce development initiatives, recruiting, and technology transfer. It will also give the Laboratory’s technology transfer division—the Feynman Center—access to additional meeting space in Santa Fe to foster new technology collaborations from both local and national sources.
CONTACT  
  • Tricia Ware
  • (505) 695-3026
  • Email
"Santa Fe has played an important role in the history of the Laboratory since our inception, and we’re delighted to have a presence in the City Different again."
-Thom Mason, Laboratory director
About Los Alamos National Laboratory
​Los Alamos National Laboratory, a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security, is managed by Triad, a public service oriented, national security science organization equally owned by its three founding members: Battelle Memorial Institute (Battelle), the Texas A&M University System (TAMUS), and the Regents of the University of California (UC) for the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration.
Los Alamos enhances national security by ensuring the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile, developing technologies to reduce threats from weapons of mass destruction, and solving problems related to energy, environment, infrastructure, health, and global security concerns.
]]><![CDATA[Perpetual Choir to the Water]]>Wed, 03 Feb 2021 01:21:55 GMThttps://www.communitylearningnetwork.org/cln-blog/perpetual-choir-to-the-water
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Tune in to "Perpetual Choir to the Water" to hear Pat McCabe and others sing!
https://www.facebook.com/pat.mccabe.5454/videos/4145653335465259 
]]><![CDATA[PROTEC 2021 - Now Open for Registration!]]>Thu, 28 Jan 2021 20:11:20 GMThttps://www.communitylearningnetwork.org/cln-blog/protec-2021-now-open-for-registrationSFCC announces PROTEC training for Business Systems Technology and Social Media Basics
Apply now for in-demand skills training combined with internships
 
Applications due Feb. 15 for Professional Readiness for Technical Career Program. Participants can earn digital badges verifying achievement in fully online training beginning Feb. 22.
 
SANTA FE, NM – Santa Fe Community College in partnership with Santa Fe County and New Mexico Workforce Connection announces a training program for Santa Fe County residents to gain in-demand skills that prepare people to work online with businesses and local nonprofit organizations. The instructor-led training and accompanying internship will be delivered fully online from Feb. 22 through June 30. Applications are due Feb. 15. Apply at sfcc.edu/protec/.
 
Professional Readiness for Technical Career Program (PROTEC) offers preparatory training for entry-level employment in a variety of industries and is designed for individuals who are currently unemployed, under-employed, re-entering the workforce or looking to increase their hire-ability in Santa Fe County. Accepted participants will prepare for industry badges in Business Technology Systems and Social Media Basics through hands-on training and online workshops to gain key job-readiness skills through more than 30 hours of accelerated training online followed by up to 80 hours of paid online internships.
 
Accepted participants will develop job search skills to help them seek employment after completion of the program. CORE Score soft skills assessment and training will also be available to students. CORE Score includes skills such as critical thinking, communication, customer service, adaptability and drive for results. Apply online and get more information at sfcc.edu/protec/. Training scholarships and stipends are available to qualifying participants.
 
For more information about the PROTEC program contact SFCC Continuing Education program at 505-428-1676 or ce@sfcc.edu.
]]><![CDATA[Meet Melanie Lenci and Kick-Ass Entrepreneurs]]>Fri, 15 Jan 2021 08:00:00 GMThttps://www.communitylearningnetwork.org/cln-blog/meet-melanie-lenci-and-kick-ass-entrepreneursPicture
Emily Cole from CommUNITY Learning Network and the New Mexico TechWorks team had the opportunity to ask Melanie Lenci a few questions about her work and involvement in entrepreneurship in the community. Melanie launched Kick-Ass Entrepreneurs of Santa Fe (KAESF) to combine her love for storytelling and connecting people to highlight the amazing entrepreneur community in Santa Fe. Melanie shares how entrepreneurship and technology allows her to create the job she loves.How did your personal and professional background influence where you are today?
I grew up pretty poor in a blue-collar household. My home life was a little less than ideal growing up, which led to me spending months in treatment facilities and “celebrating” my 16th birthday while living in a residential home. Still, schoolwork was always a great escape for me and I had some of the most amazing teachers and a guidance counselor who gave me the encouragement I needed to rise above. Educator and activist, Nicholas Ferroni, nailed it when he said, “Students who are loved at home come to school to learn, and students who aren’t come to school to be loved.” I was insanely fortunate to have positive influences at school and that’s why I believe so strongly in the power of the people within school walls to really make a difference and that education is a powerful tool in changing lives for the better. It did mine. 

What kind of work do you do?
Other than my property care-taking gig, I do a variety of marketing and event-related work, mostly involving the entrepreneur community here in Santa Fe – and I love it! I also launched the Kick-Ass Entrepreneurs of Santa Fe (KAESF). For KAESF I coordinate monthly-ish events at local venues to allow audiences of up to 30+ to connect with the stories of Santa Fe entrepreneurs.

Why did you decide to work in tech, or this kind of work?
After moving to Santa Fe 2+ years ago and deciding to dissolve the business I’d built over 12+ years, I become familiar with Santa Fe’s amazing entrepreneur community and resources while working with Sean O’Shea at the Santa Fe Business Incubator (SFBI) through their fabulous business vetting program, Runway. The more familiar I became with the entrepreneur community, the more I knew I wanted to shape my career around strengthening it and bringing people who support it together whenever I can. 


Describe your perspective on technology and its capabilities for the future.
Funny enough, I have a Masters in Technology Management (MOTM) degree, but chose not to work directly in tech. Still, I believe that the possibilities for technology are endless. Technology provides opportunities for people to earn a living while living in remote locations – which I took advantage of for years and see as a huge advantage in a state like New Mexico.

What advice would you give to younger people that are interested in entrepreneurship and technology or living and working in Santa Fe?
I feel like I didn’t even know what an entrepreneur was until I took a few courses on entrepreneurism in grad school. Fun fact, I applied for full-time jobs at universities until I landed one so that I could take advantage of the benefit of free tuition and didn’t have to take out any grad school student loans. I also went to a State school and worked all through undergrad to keep my debt to a minimum, because to me minimum debt meant maximum freedom. So, even though I’d taken some courses on entrepreneurism, it wasn’t until I started dating an entrepreneur and was able to see him creating this business and life that he loved (rather than feeling beaten down by the corporate daily grind like I was already feeling at the ripe old age of 30), that I decided to take the leap. That year I quit my job and started my first business with pretty much nothing more than damn ass determination and faith that I wouldn’t let myself fail. My not being introduced to entrepreneurism until later in life is part of the reason I’m so passionate about trying to find partners to help me bring KAESF and entrepreneur story time to K-12 students here in Santa Fe – to help young people see entrepreneurism as another possible path to creating a future they might not even know is possible.

How has using technology helped you move forward?
Besides using technology to live the life I want – enabling me to earn a living while working remotely – having taught myself how to create and maintain my own websites over the years and to shoot and edit video, technology continues to help me market myself and others, save money, and open up additional income streams for me.

​Interview by New Mexico TechWorks, Emily Cole ​
​To learn more, visit Kick-Ass Entrepreneurs of Santa Fe (KAESF) 
]]><![CDATA["Digital Equity: Mapping a Path Forward"]]>Fri, 13 Nov 2020 20:43:41 GMThttps://www.communitylearningnetwork.org/cln-blog/digital-equity-mapping-a-path-forwardCLN is presenting with state agencies at the SEDTA conference on November 16 on "Digital Equity: Mapping a Path Forward."
This session will address the intersection of Digital Equity, eLearning, and state strategic plans. The state of New Mexico Department of Information Technology has recently published their broadband strategic plan and identified underserved addresses. The Public Education Department has shared student addresses under an MOU and a non-disclosure agreement to match underserved students with service providers. The mapping program in New Mexico is very robust and now includes WiFi hotspots offered by schools, libraries, and service providers and underserved addresses are also mapped. The governor has offered money from GEER funds to connect underserved students.
Presenter: John Chadwick, E-Rate and Ed Tech Coordinator – New Mexico Public Education Department
Co-Presenter: Ferdi Serim, New Mexico Public Education Department and Gar Clarke, State Geospatial Officer – New Mexico Department of Information Technology
Co-Presenter: Jennifer Case Nevarez, Founder – Community Learning Network
To attend, register online at : https://hopin.com/events/setda-2020-leadership-summit 
​​For more on SEDTA contact Christine Fox, Deputy Executive DirectorSETDA// Leadership: Technology: Innovation: Learning
202-715-6636 ext.702 @SETDA @cafox cfox@setda.org
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