The latest from EXCEL Alaska

EXCEL Alaska has been BUSY! Catch up with the latest!

EXCEL Alaska November/December 2016 Newsletter

EXCEL Alaska's Fantastic 2016 Close!

Thanksgiving has come and gone and we are more than thankful for so many things. We appreciate the support we get from all of you, we love our staff, and we are grateful for the students with which we are privileged to serve. Christmas, too, is behind us and we realize daily we are so blessed with the gift of helping to guide students to informed decisions about their futures. The new year will bring new and exciting opportunities for a great deal of young people and we celebrate being able to help deliver pathways to success.

We know you're interested in what is going on with EXCEL Alaska. We've compiled the past two months of student activities, listed below, along with what is coming up on the EXCEL calendar. Other things are happening as well, please check our Facebook page for more.

EXCEL NCCER/Heavy Equipment Operations - November 6-17, 2016

EXCEL Alaska NCCER Heavy Equipment Operations (HEO) Level 1 camp ended Thursday, November 17th in Aniak and it was a huge success. Eleven students from 6 different villages completed 6 of the 7 training modules to HEO level one and received a ton of hands on experience with heavy equipment. A huge thank you goes out to the City of Aniak (Excavator and Loader Backhoe), Kuspuk School District (Bobcat Skid Steer) and Crowley Petroleum (Bobcat Rough Terrain Forklift) for allowing use of their equipment. Additionally, students received several hours of training on the HEO (haul truck,excavator and front end loader) simulators provided by Alaska Construction Academies.

Each morning, students spent 3 hours studying the NCCER HEO classroom module coursework provided by Zac Forsyth of Hybrid Construction Alaska and Tony Wilson of EXCEL Alaska. To pass each module, students are required to score 80% or better on each written test. In the afternoon form 1 PM to 4 PM students were engaged in hands-on training either on simulators of the equipment. Dyllon Mills of EXCEL Alaska provided instruction for the Skid Steer and Forklift, while Zac led students with the Excavator and Tony oversaw the Loader Backhoe.

Evenings were set aside for students to participate in a variety of activities enhancing their employability/soft skills. Students worked in teams to complete different activities, which pushed them to motivate others and themselves, show integrity and resilience, and practice effective communication. In addition to the soft skills, students also went through AKCIS career training to find careers that fit their interests. Several students also worked on filling out college applications and scholarships.

Overall, EXCEL Alaska and the students that participated made this session a huge success. We would also like to thank the cook, Carla Brooks, for all of her wonderful meals. Thanks again, to the City of Aniak, Kuspuk School District and Crowley Petroleum. We look forward to working with you all again next year to provide more students with the same opportunity.

EXCEL 11 - November 2-11, 2016

Fourteen students in the EXCEL 11 Session completed a fantastic 10 days, with the students accomplishing a great deal. Designed to give students a taste of different post-secondary options, EXCEL 11 gives them an opportunity to think about their future career paths. The students are set up in a simulated corporation and run the session as if it is a business. Each student completes a job application, resume, and cover letter and subsequently interviews for a position within the corporation. The students also learn independent living skills through budgeting their money for meals and leisure. The students buy all their own food for the session and cook for themselves.

Some of the other activities included in EXCEL 11 pushed students to step outside of their comfort zones and taught them to effectively communicate with adults and peers in business environments. Students visited Job Corps, AVTEC, Kenai Peninsula College, and Providence Hospital. Below are some highlights of what your students completed.

AVTEC visitors - took the TABE entrance exam
Kenai Peninsula College (KPC) visitors - took the ACCUPLACER entrance exam
Completed Drug and Alcohol Prevention Training
Completed a job application, resume, cover letter, and mock interview
Job tours at KPC, AVTEC, Job Corps, and Providence Hospital
Practiced handshakes, eye contact when speaking, and active listening
Learned real life budgeting skills and independent living skills
Created and updated a Personal Learning Career Plan (PLCP) on AKCIS
Navigated public transportation in Anchorage
Learned to craft a formal thank you letter and properly address envelopes
Driving instruction - 7 permits, 1 license
Students earned .5 high school credit in: Career Development Life Work Planning ( This introductory course offered diagnostic assessments, direct instruction in targeted areas, and ample practice of required skills. Students learned test formats, directions and scoring, and various test-taking strategies. Content included critical reading, writing, and math instruction and featured 80 hours of instructional lessons, proven strategies, and interactive course work including hundreds of practice questions.)

Please direct questions to Christa Jones.

Thanks again for sending us such amazing students!

Drivers Education Training – Provided by The Driver’s Seat

Instruction included:
8 hours of drive time
8-hour defensive driving instructional class
2 attempts at drivers test

EXCEL Credit Recovery, December 2-15, 2016

We are excited to announce the completion of the December 2016 EXCEL Credit Recovery/College Placement Session! This two-week intensive closed with fifteen students accomplishing a tremendous amount of work. The session is designed for students who need high school credits in either Math or English, and also to prepare for post-secondary placement tests including the TABE, ACCUPLACER, ACT, and WorkKeys. Students attended class for 6 hours per day for a total of 70 hours of instructional seat time. Additionally, students had drivers' education opportunities, 3 receiving licenses, and 6 more earning a permit. We were very pleased with the success of the majority of students placing into 100 level courses in both English and Math in the University of Alaska system.

Thank you again for sending dedicated students!

EXCEL Upcoming Events

January and February 2017 will find the EXCEL Alaska staff hard at work with the following:

Curriculum Redesign
Quality Apprentice Program Design
Grant Writing
Staff Training
Board Training
Moving to a New EXCEL House
EXCEL Policy and Procedure Development

Student Sessions pick up again in March 2017, in Seward! Look for recaps in the March/April Newsletter or follow along on Facebook - Mark your calendars for March 23-30, 2017. If your 11th to 12th grade students are interested, please contact EXCEL and fill out the application. This session is limited to 22 students.

EXCEL Alaska's mini-bridging session at AVTEC, is an exciting post-secondary introduction to welding, construction, diesel/heavy equipment maintenance, and for the first time for EXCEL, maritime! Included will be more drivers' permit opportunities.