Foothills Happenings!

Great Falls native part of college team conducting zero-gravity water tests

Great Falls native Dorothy Ackerman, a sophomore at Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, Idaho, is gearing up for a science project that is out of this world. In April, Ackerman and a team of eight other Nazarene undergraduates will travel to Houston and climb aboard NASA's Weightless Wonder plane to conduct experiments that may affect human space exploration some day.

The Weightless Wonder, or Vomit Comet as it sometimes is called, is an airplane that simulates weightlessness by flying a series of parabolic curves over the Gulf of Mexico. Near the crest of each parabola, those in the plane experience about 25 seconds of weightlessness. During the 100-minute flight, they will experience about 13 minutes of weightlessness. Along with a mentor from NASA, the team put together a proposal to test water-repellent material and water filtering in zero gravity. The team will work to separate water vapor from liquid water in a process in which the impurities stay behind while the vapor is cleaned, condensed and reused.

"In space, water is a precious resource, and it is reused as much as possible," Ackerman said. "We are using the super hydrophobic or water-repellent material to try to find a better system to filter the water so that it can be reused." Before the trip, Ackerman and her team will build an experimental box as well as another box to hold the experiment. Since they are using water in their experiment, it must be doubly contained. Once their boxes have been built, they will test the experiment before taking it to Houston. They also will write and submit a Test Equipment Data Package, which explains the experiment in detail so that others can reproduce it.

Ackerman, a 2009 graduate of Foothills Community Christian School, said she always has loved science and attributes her passion for chemistry and physics to her high school science teacher, Dr. Doug Dierking. Members of the team will visit local elementary and high schools students and hope to instill in them a curiosity in science as well. After college, Ackerman plans to pursue a Ph.D. in organic chemistry and hopes to one day develop and improve new medicines. "I hope this experience will give me some knowledge of what it is like to work on a team of people doing research because that is what I will be doing for most of my career," Ackerman said. "This is a great opportunity, and only about 10 teams nationwide are selected every year into the program."

Tebowmania

Tim Tebow's fire has spread to Montana, and perhaps nowhere has he gained more fans more quickly than at Foothills Community Christian School.

"I admire his work ethic, his faith and what he does off the field as well as on," Foothills sophomore Kolter Lund said "He finds a way to win. He's a very energetic player with lots of intensity." The Denver Broncos quarterback will be in Great Falls for the school's annual spring fundraising banquet on March 6.

Tebow started his first game of the season over Kyle Orton only three days before Foothills announced he would be their guest speaker. The barn-burner of a game against Miami in which Tebow rallied Denver from a 15-0 deficit in the last three minutes marked a turning point for the Broncos and made NFL history.

Only when Gov. Mike Huckabee was the featured speaker did the banquet sell out as quickly, said Foothills Development Director Becky Nelson. The fundraiser has been a fixture for 15 years, and Nelson said many tables went to longtime supports. However, there's no denying people are excited for him to come to Montana. He also has appearances scheduled for Kalispell and Billings.

Foothills students are submitting questions Friday, and a committee will pick 10 for Tebow to answer. Students will meet a great role model in the quarterback, who is "young - 23 - and he's not ashamed of his faith," Nelson said. Tebow's autobiography "Through My Eyes" has been passed from student to student, among them Lund. He said he found funny stories in the autobiography and was impressed Tebow has bench pressed 315 pounds.

In Tebow he has someone to whom he can relate and someone to emulate. Lund played middle school football, but he doesn't have that opportunity now as a Foothills high schooler. Tebow, who was homeschooled, has been an advocate of expanding opportunities for all interested students to play public school sports. Sophomore Owen Madsen enjoyed watching the NFL but didn't really have a favorite team until Denver drafted Tebow. "I'm looking forward to hearing whatever he has to say," Madsen said.

Tebow is inspirational for "the way he sticks to his faith through all the criticism of his game and his life," Madsen said. "He finds a way to pull through in the end. It would be great to keep the faith the way he did in a secular college and to have the work ethic he does."

Tebow is a good role model, said freshman Ben Bleskin. He's long been a Broncos fan but follows the team with greater interest now that Tebow is at the helm. As for meeting him, "I think it will be really cool."

Foothills second-grader Alex Fride is among the youngest Tebow fans and he's expecting it will be fun to meet him. He was a Broncos fan pre-Tebow. The quarterback is good at throwing, "and he's a Christian," Fride said

Tim Tebow fans at Foothills Community Christian School in Great Falls include, from left, sophomores Kolter Lund and Owen Madsen, freshman Ben Bleskin and second-grader Alex Fride.

Tebow To Speak at Foothills Banquet (2012)

Tim Tebow's fire has spread to Montana, and perhaps nowhere has he gained more fans more quickly than at Foothills Community Christian School.

"I admire his work ethic, his faith and what he does off the field as well as on," Foothills sophomore Kolter Lund said "He finds a way to win. He's a very energetic player with lots of intensity."

The Denver Broncos quarterback will be in Great Falls for the school's annual spring fundraising banquet on March 6.

Only when Gov. Mike Huckabee was the featured speaker did the banquet sell out as quickly, said Foothills Development Director Becky Nelson.

The fundraiser has been a fixture for 15 years, and Nelson said many tables went to longtime supports. However, there's no denying people are excited for him to come to Montana. He also has appearances scheduled for Kalispell and Billings.

Football legend Bowden speaks in Great Falls (2011)

Foothills Community Christian School has brought some big names to Great Falls in recent years, including one-time Presidential contender Mike Huckabee, sports icon Kurt Warner - and now Bobby Bowden.

The former coach of the Florida State University football team will be speaking about life, faith, and football at the school's 15th annual spring banquet on Tuesday evening.

CBSSports.com noted in a recent article: "The affable Alabama native rolled up 389 victories (though 12 were vacated by the NCAA), second behind Joe Paterno in major college football in a 44-year head coaching career. In 34 seasons at Florida State, Bowden won two national titles and engineered one of the most successful runs in the history of college football."

Last year the dinner brought in $100,000, which went to the school's new science lab, tuition assistance, and the annual budget.

Becky Nelson, the school's development director, noted, "We're excited to give the community an opportunity to come and hear Coach Bobby Bowden tonight, we're expecting over 1,000 people. We are completely sold out. We're going to have a great time tonight!"

The school's worship team, along with nearly 200 students, will be singing at the event.

Tune in to the KRTV 5:30 and 10pm newscasts to hear from Coach Bowden and more about his visit to Great Falls.

Great Falls students learning ag online

Posted: Jan 21, 2011 7:19 PM by Shannon Newth (Great Falls)
Updated: Jan 21, 2011 7:20 PM

Three high school students in Great Falls are taking advantage of technology and taking aim at the ag-related competitions in this weekend's MAGIE expo.

Allie Nelson and Katy Byrd, both freshmen, and Tory Byrd, a junior, are part of a unique school partnership, enrolled at both Foothills Community Christian School and CMR, taking online agriculture classes. Allie and Katy are testing their skills at this weekend's MAGIE.

The online course's first year has come with challenges, but extra effort on both ends makes it work. Allie, Katy and Tory spend 7th period in the computer lab, logged onto modules to find lessons, homework, and some textbook reading. Allie and Katy will compete this weekend in ag sales, livestock, and crop judging.

Great Falls celebrates annual Christmas Stroll, Polar Plunge

Posted: Dec 3, 2010 11:09 PM by Alex Grubb (Great Falls)
Updated: Dec 3, 2010 11:28 PM

The unofficial launch of the holiday season got underway in Great Falls on Friday evening as people flocked to the annual Christmas Stroll.

The event gives folks a chance to check out some of the downtown stores and eateries, sample some street vendor fare, enjoy holiday music, and - no surprise - brave some chilly temperatures.

Getting it all started was the Parade of Lights; Park Place Health Center was voted best out of the more than 20 entries.

Other winners included Foothills Community Christian School for the musical float, and Carnahan's Towing had the best use of lights.

One of the favorite events is the Polar Bear Plunge; this year, a record 180 plungers took part in the event, jumping into an icy pool in order to raise money via pledges for Special Olympics Montana.

The KRTV Super Plungers - Heath Heggem, Ashley Korslien, Greg Smith, and Erika Epple - braved the chilly dip and gathered nearly $1,600 in pledges.

A hearty "thank you" to everyone who donated on behalf of Team KRTV!

Foothills Community Christian School Donates Gifts to Rescue Mission

By Charlie Keegan

Story Created: Dec 15, 2010 at 11:34 PM MDT

Story Updated: Dec 15, 2010 at 11:34 PM MDT

For the ninth year, students at Foothills Community Christian School donated gifts to the Rescue Mission this Holiday Season. Each of the classrooms at Foothills School had two bins to collect donations and Student Council Members emptied the bins daily. The school, of almost two hundred students, started collecting about a month ago and came up with a record number of shoe boxes for the mission. StuCo Members delivered the record 110 shoeboxes to the Rescue Mission this afternoon. The boxes contain anything from essentials, like toothbrushes and shoes, to toys and school supplies. They will be passed out to children ages two to 14 next week at a Christmas party.

Students say they collected donations from all over the community, even as far as Geraldine, showing how much the community supports the Rescue Mission. "I care a lot about Great Falls. I just want the people to be well taken care of. I think the Rescue Mission is a great thing because it helps people when they might have got off on the wrong foot. It gives them the opportunity to start anew" Foothills Community Christian Junior, Natalie McKay says.

"Its work for them, but it's really a labor of love. They really enjoy doing it, you can tell buy the kids coming out. They're really having a good time, they're smiling, they're laughing, they're excited for Christmas," Executive Director of the Rescue Mission Jim Kizer says.

Kizer also says a lot of the same students volunteer regularly at the Mission serving meals. The Mission is still accepting donations of gifts, clothes and other items. You can drop them off at the Rescue Mission at 326 2nd Avenue South.

Workshop teaches students core leadership values

By KRISTEN CATES • Tribune Staff Writer • October 20, 2010

For two days this week, Great Falls' hotels and houses were filled with more than 600 students and teachers from around the state working to advance their leadership skills.

The annual Montana Association of Student Councils wrapped up its two-day workshop with a guest speaker at the University of Great Falls on Tuesday morning, but not without an opportunity to do some community service first. "I think it's a really good way to encourage fellow leaders and share ideas," said Aubrey Ryffel, MASC president and a senior in Highwood.

The two-day workshop featured guest speakers, opportunities to share good ideas with other student leaders, and participate in community service activities.

Jane Suberg, student council adviser at Highwood and one of the advisers leading the conference, said students fanned out Tuesday morning to 15 different assisted living and retirement facilities in Great Falls to deliver placemats and drawings that the students had made the previous day. "I think it's the best project they've done," said Terry Annalora, assistant principal at Custer County High School in Miles City.

Annalora said students he was with sat and talked a long time with residents at the Highgate Assisted Living facility. "Some of (the students) I think should go into that line of work," he said.

Ryffel said she enjoyed the workshop called "ultimate packet" where student council representatives swapped ideas about how to do fundraisers, how to boost school support, and more. She learned about a potential project that she could bring back to Highwood: A race while a person's arms and legs are stuffed inside a sweatshirt.

Connor Nelson, vice president of MASC and a senior at Foothills Community Christian School in Great Falls, said he liked learning about a pie-in-the-face contest that could be used as a fundraiser. "It shows us we can do more," he said.

Reach Tribune Staff Writer Kristen Cates at 791-1463 or kcates@greatfallstribune.com.