Range Rider

32 RANGE RIDER | FALL-WINTER 2017 DR. RENEE COLLINS Professor of Educational Studies and Department Head for the Irvin School of Education. Dr. Renee Collins, Professor of Educational Studies and Department Head for the Irvin School of Education, coauthored two new university programs, one undergraduate (new specialization track with the Human Services Administration program – Applied Behavior Analysis) and one graduate program (Special Education). Another continued collaborative effort involves the Houston-Lantrip Center for Literacy and Learning. The College is reviewing the requirements as they consider becoming a SAT or ACT testing site for those students needing modifications. Dr. Collins also organized the annual Dream Catchers Summer Camp 2017 for struggling readers. The two-week long camp involved two AISD campuses, two different content areas, over 100 scholars grades K – 8th, 26 HSU education majors, five HSU alumni, 13 Abilene ISD teachers, five Abilene ISD administrators, and several Abilene community volunteers. Funds for the camp were provided by a grant from the Community Foundation of Abilene, from donations by two businesses, and from a donation from one non-profit organization. Outcomes from the camp include professional development for AISD teachers and alumni, mentoring relationships between scholars and HSU education majors/ alumni, and the development of literacy skills while learning about science and social studies. Ortiz Elementary School teachers received training and certification from the Texas Parks and Wildlife during the two-week camp. With federal guidelines, the Abilene ISD Food Services allowed HSU to be a feeding site during the camp, and more than 100 scholars received meals for the eight days during the summer camp. DR. MARY CHRISTOPHER Professor of Education During the first two weeks of July, Dr. Christopher directed Threshold, a summer enrichment program for gifted children in grades K-10, This program is self-funded through tuition. HSU graciously provides space for the program in Abilene Hall. Three hundred seventy-five students attended the camp this year. The camp received a $2,000 grant from the Mabel Winton Scholarship Fund through the Community Foundation of Abilene. This grant funded 19 scholarships for students with financial needs. The camp also awarded two scholarships from the Threshold Memorial Fund, started in 2012 to honor two Threshold students who died as the result of medical conditions. The program self-funded 16 additional scholarships. These funds allowed students to experience Threshold when they might not have been able to otherwise due to financial limitations. DR. VICTORIA SPANGLER Associate Professor of Theatre Dr. Victoria Spangler participated in Abilene’s 6th Children’s Art and Literacy Festival by coordinating costumed characters and performing as a reader. Dr. Spangler conducted a day-long workshop through Region 14 Education Service Center for teachers who are pursuing certification in counseling. In addition, she led a week long theatre/art camp for teens at The Center for Contemporary Arts and also auditioned for and was cast in the Pulitzer Prize winning play, “August”. This July, HSU hosted 375 children for Threshold, an annual summer enrichment program directed by Dr. Mary Christopher.