Agenda

STCC Virtual Open House

Oct. 14-15: Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) will hold its annual fall open house on two dates: Wednesday, Oct. 14 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and Thursday, Oct. 15 from 1 to 3:30 p.m., in a virtual format. High-school students, adult learners, and their family members can log into Zoom and meet virtually with representatives from the college’s degree and certificate programs and departments. For information about registering to attend the virtual event, visit stcc.edu/apply/open-house. Open to the public, STCC’s open house is an opportunity for anyone thinking about becoming a student to learn more about what the college has to offer, including associate-degree and certificate programs, transfer opportunities, financial aid, athletics and student life, online learning, workforce-training options, high-school equivalency exam (HiSET), and classes for English language learners. Representatives from specific programs and departments will hold breakout sessions to speak with anyone who joins. For more information, contact the STCC Admissions Office at (413) 755-3333 or [email protected]. To apply to STCC, visit stcc.edu/apply. STCC is accepting applications for Fall Flex Term 2, which starts Oct. 28, and for the spring term, which begins in January.

 

Cannabis Career Training

Oct. 17-18: Holyoke Community College (HCC) and its new community partner, Elevate Northeast, are launching a revitalized cannabis career training program in October for those who want to work in the industry. The program, offered through the Cannabis Education Center, begins the weekend of Oct. 17-18 with two days of required core curriculum training over Zoom. The cost of the two-day core training session is $595. To register, visit hcc.edu/cannabis-core. Each day will be broken down into two sessions: 9 a.m. to noon, and 1 to 4 p.m. Each session will include presentations from cannabis-industry experts followed by a question-and-answer period. Students who complete the core training will then be eligible to register for spring 2021 classes in one of four cannabis-industry career tracks: cultivation assistant, extraction technician, patient-services associate, or culinary assistant. Dates for the spring career-track training sessions have not yet been announced.

 

Westfield State University Virtual Information Session

Oct. 19: The College of Graduate and Continuing Education (CGCE) at Westfield State University (WSU) will host a virtual information session for its master of education and master of arts in English programs at 6 p.m. on Zoom. These graduate programs are designed to accommodate both working teachers seeking professional licensure and new educators seeking initial licensure. The master of education programs include early childhood education, elementary education, biology, mathematics, history, moderate disabilities, and reading specialist. The non-licensure master of education has concentrations in history and vocational-technical. WSU also offers graduate English programs with initial or professional licensure, as well as a non-licensure track. WSU offers afternoon and evening courses during the fall, spring, and summer sessions as well as full-time or part-time matriculation options. Information session attendees will have an opportunity to speak with Outreach Team members and faculty about the program and its application process. The $50 application fee will be waived for information-session attendees. To RSVP, visit www.gobacknow.com. For more information, call (413) 572-8020 or e-mail [email protected].

 

Forest Park Zoo Virtual Trivia Night

Oct. 21: The Zoo in Forest Park will host its second Virtual Trivia Night at 7 p.m. The event will take place on Zoom. The game will consist of four Halloween-inspired categories, each containing 15 multiple-choice questions. Players can either use a smartphone or a second browser to submit answers during the game. To play, the zoo is recommending a $25 donation per player, but the event is pay-what-you-can. Proceeds will help mitigate the increased costs of animal care during the winter. Donations can be made at www.forestparkzoo.org/events-1/trivia-night. Pre-registration is required. E-mail Tyson at [email protected] to register a team. Players can opt to play as an individual or on a team of up to six people. Registration is capped at 50 teams. The zoo will award prizes to the top teams.

 

Unify Against Bullying Annual Fashion Show

Oct. 26: High-school students of all shapes, sizes, styles, ethnicity, and physical abilities from schools in Western Mass. and Northern Conn. will strut their stuff at a fashion show celebrating true diversity. In this unprecedented time, the Unify Against Bullying team has decided to stream the event free on Facebook Live for all to enjoy. One addition this year is an online auction where individuals can bid on prizes from the comfort of their home. The organization will also accept donations during the event to support their mission and the youth they serve. Delaney’s Market is offering a Unify meal package to order, pay for, and pick up curbside at one of four locations to make the event a party with family and friends. For information on streaming, sponsorship, and program advertising, visit www.unifyagainstbullying.org or call (413) 304-0668.

 

Bright Nights at Forest Park

bBright Nights at Forest Park will take place this year. Spirit of Springfield and the city of Springfield have developed protocols to provide a safe and festive event that has been a holiday tradition since 1995. They will be instituted during setup, breakdown, and during the event, and include masks, regular cleaning, online ticketing, and more. Restrooms will be for emergency use only, and the usual bustling gift shop, amusement rides, horse-drawn wagon and carriage rides, and visits and supper with Santa will not be available. This will help keep all visitors safe and socially distanced in their vehicles during the experience. Bright Nights at Forest Park is three miles of a unique holiday experience featuring more than 675,000 lights and iconic displays like Seuss Land, Everett Barney Mansion, Toy Land, Happy Holidays, Springfield, and so many more. It generates $15 million in economic impact annually and has created a lifetime of family memories in its 25-year history. It also promises to be one of the safest events, with families contained in their cars. Admission will be $23 per car weeknights, weekdays, and holidays. Discounted tickets will be available at participating Big Y World Class Markets for $16.50. Due to bus-capacity limitations in Massachusetts, admission for buses has been reduced to $100 for buses with capacity of more than 30 people. Vehicles with seating from 17 to 30 people will be charged $50 for admission.