"This is a one-of-a-kind program that will enable educators to become leaders in the field of technology," said Mary Jo Fresch, assistant professor of education and one of the program initiators. "Ohio State Marion is poised to lead the way in the area of technology, and we are proud to offer this innovative graduate degree."

Courses in the two-year program include those already required by Ohio State for an M.A. degree but with modifications to integrate more technology into the curricula. Other courses in the program are specially designed for this program. The program is limited to 25 students, who will move through the program together, taking the prescribed classes on a predetermined schedule. The program is designed so that the degree is completed by June 2002. This allows for the final renewal of a teaching certificate before Ohio changes to a licensure system.

All courses needed to complete the degree will be offered on the Marion or Delaware campuses during late afternoon or evening hours. Acceptance into the graduate school is required. However, students can take up to 10 credit hours in graduate, nondegree status before being accepted into the graduate school.

As part of the program requirement, students will be expected to complete a technology-related master's project which will be presented at a conference for educators. The conference is planned for spring 2002.

A $53,500 grant from GTE will provide the funds for a "literacy packet" of information that will be given to each infant born at Marion General Hosptial. The packets will include the baby's first book, a list of books apprpropriate for young children, a brochure with literacy activities for children and parents, a flier on the importance of lifelong literacy, and information on adult literacy programs in the community. As part of the program, Ohio State will conduct a research study to determine the success of such efforts to encourage more reading and other activities aimed at young children. "GTE has a long-standing commitment to literacy," said Joe Philabaum, Northeast Region President. "We know literacy is a key to success for individuals, communities and companies like GTE."

Ohio State Marion Dean and Director F. Dominic Dottavio said, "Emphasizing the importance of reading to newborns is a creative and exciting extension of Governor Taft's Ohio Reads program. Ohio State deeply appreciates the support of GTE to improving the literacy in our community."

Research has shown that the more experience a child has with books before school age, the more quickly the child grasps what the reading process is all about, therefore, more easily learning to read.

In conjunction with the grant, Ohio State Marion has started the Marion area literacy roundtable - representatives from 20 local agencies and businesses meet regularly to discuss community literacy efforts. Among those agencies involved is Marion Rotary and its I CAN GO TO COLLEGE program, Adult Basic Literacy Education (ABLE), Marion Public Library, KAPOW (Kids and the Power of Work), Thomson Newspapers' Newspapers In Education program, MAPE (Marion Area Partners in Education), Altrusa, Big Brother/Big Sisters, Boys and Girls Club of Marion County, Marion City Schools and Marion County Schools literacy programs, Geroge H. Alber Enterprise Center, Jobs for Ohio Grads (JOG), Marion County Children Services, Marion Technical College, Marion County Extension, Ohio State Marion/ Marion Technical College Library, and TRECA. The group will focus on literacy needs form birth, school age, youth, workforce to senior citizens - Literacy Throught Life!

Representatives from these organizations were on hand at Ohio State Marion today during a formal kickoff in the rotunda of the Marion Campus Library/Classroom Building. Ohio State University President William E. "Brit" Kirwan and Dave Bradford, GTE Director of Public Affairs presented books to audience members to commemorate the partnership.

Tilson holds a doctorate from Vanderbilt University Divinity School, where he later served on the faculty. It was in that position in 1960 when Tilson, representing the school's faculty, supported an African American graduate student, James Morris Lawson, who had been expelled by Vanderbilt's chancellor, B. Harvie Branscomb. Lawson's dismissal from the school occurred as he emerged as a student leader of Nashville sit-ins. Branscomb's decision was denounced in Christian Century editorials and elsewhere. The chancellor demanded the right to defend his expulsion of Lawson in Christian Century, and the editor asked Tilson to pen a response.

In the early 1960s, Tilson moved to Delaware, Ohio, where to served on the faculty of the Methodist Theological School of Ohio. But he continued to visit the south in support of the peaceful civil rights activities in many states. In 1964, Tilson was jailed after he and six other religion professors (three from Delaware) accompanied two African American men who attempted to enter a Jackson, Miss., church on Easter Sunday.

Tilson currently is professor emeritus of Methodist Theological School, where he taught Old Testament for several years. He is author of several books, including Segregation and the Bible, and The Conscience of Culture. He has contributed chapters to many books, and has contributed articles to dozens of periodicals. A prominent figure in the community of Delaware, Tilson and his wife Mary were honored with the Wayne Hilborn Lifetime Achivement Award in 1997 by the Delaware Area Chamber of Commerce. The award recognized the couple's efforts in "working for improved race relations in the community."

The lecture program is named in honor of Marion native Norman Thomas, a tireless advocate of pacifism, civil rights, socialism, anti-Communism, and civil liberties. Thomas, a theologian like Tilson, was United States presidential candidate on the Socialist Party ticket six times between 1928 and 1948. By the time he died in 1968, many of the ideas he suggested in his early career had been adopted by both major political parties in existence.

This year's lecture is sponsored by Ohio State Marion's Honors Program and Marion's Fahey Bank.

The workshops are sponsored by the Alber Enterprise Center, Division of Continuing Education, in cooperation with Ohio State University Extension. Children who have completed second through sixth grades are eligible to enroll. The workshops will be taught on the Marion Campus, 1465 Mt. Vernon Ave., Marion. Dates and times of the sessions to be offered are as follows:

June 19-22

• 9 a.m. to noon
  FULL-CIRCLE FLIGHT. Boomerangs, kites and other flying things will be the focus of attention in this course taught by three-time World Boomerang Champion Chet Snouffer. Learn the art, sport and history of boomerang throwing and figure out why these amazing sticks actually do come back. On windy days, take to the sky with kites of all kinds ... bring your own as well as make one in class. Chet will demonstrate stunt kites and man-lifting kits and share some amazing history on these ancient flying machines. Finally, learn the finer points of Frisbee® throwing ... whether it's disc golf or free style, you'll learn how to "jam" with flying discs.
  Instructor: Chet Snouffer
  Registration deadline: June 10
  
  
• 12:30 to 3:30 p.m.
  DESIGN YOUR OWN WEBPAGE AND MULTIMEDIA PRESENTATIONS. Learn how to design your own special and unique webpage. Also in this class you will learn how to create a multimedia presentation using Microsoft Powerpoint, the wave of the future in presentations! Be the first to know how this is done!!
  Instructor: Jon Beard
  Registration deadline: June 10
  
  

  June 26 - 29

• 9 a.m. to noon
  SWINGING AND DANCING TO THE MUSIC. Come and learn how to move on the dance floor and be the life of the party with some instruction in Swing and Jazz dance. Class begins each day with warm-ups and students of all ages will learn how to dance and choreograph, and be able to perform a routine made up of movements learned in the sessions. (A parent or grandparent can take this class with a student for half-price!)
  Instructor: Marilyn McBride
  Registration deadline: June 19
  
  
• 12:30 to 3:30 p.m.
  A BLAST FROM THE PAST. The Marion County Historical Society invites you to join us for a fun look at history. Travel back in time to learn what it was like to come to America from another country. Explore a real prairie! Learn how Ohio pioneers made their own fabric, soap, butter and more. You'll even make some of these things yourself. Old photographs have stories to tell ... come and find out how to "read" them. This is your chance to become a junior historian. (A parent or grandparent can take this class with a student for half-price!)
  Instructor: Jan Augenstein
  Registration deadline: June 19
  
  

  July 10-13

• 9 a.m. to noon
  SAFE SURFING: THE INTERNET FOR KIDS. Explore the Internet safely in a state-of-the-art computer lab. Do you know what the Internet really is, what it does, and how it was developed? You will learn all of this, plus some new and interesting places to find information through the largest library in the world! Learn how to e-mail, get help with your homework, explore places you would like to visit, learn new experiments, and play computer games. It's an exciting world to explore.
  Instructor: Jon Beard
  Registration deadline: June 30
  
  
• 12:30 to 3:30 p.m.
  SAY IT IN SIGN LANGUAGE. Learn to talk to a deaf person by using visual communication - sign language. Sign language is fun and informative. Students will learn the ABC's, how to count into the millions, animal signs, how to play signing games, and much, much more. Crafts each day pertaining to sign language are included in the program, along with making a sign-language book to take home and refresh your memory all year long.
  Instructor: Carla Onesko
  Registration deadline: June 30