Spectrum Industries Furniture Blog

American Education Week Wrap-up

2011-11-18T12:12:00.005-06:00

As we wrap up American Education Week, Spectrum Industries would like to recognize all those who contribute to the lives and education of our youth. First and foremost, United States Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and National Education Association (NEA) http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifPresident Dennis Van Roekel have the largest influence of any Americans on our education system. Even though their ideologies differ on how to best route for education to take, they stood united in a Monday morning meet and greet in Alexandria, VA. The kickoff event at T.C. Williams High School recognized the importance of education and what is needed to be successful in the future.

Tuesday saw the unveiling of NEA’s new guide for educators in developing effective partnerships to help improve student performance.

The rest of the week has been largely dedicated to those in education supporting roles that don’t normally get high-profile recognition. Wednesday was a national day of recognition – Education Support Professionals (ESP) Day – to honor everyone from bus drivers to cafeteria workers to administration staff.

Communities across America celebrated Educator for a Day on Thursday, which allowed individuals to serve as educators and get a real feel for the numerous duties that are condensed into a teaching position.

Today is Substitute Educators Day. Many of us are familiar with pinch-hitters and bench players having to come in on a moment’s notice and continue their team’s momentum. Substitute teachers likewise have the very difficult task of ensuring a continuing quality in our children’s’ education – no small task considering the very little time they have to prepare lessons!

School modernization has also been a focus throughout American Education Week. Decades of research has shown that the condition of school facilities affects student achievement. This is not a lost topic to employees at Spectrum. We pride ourselves on improving the student environment with what best suits a school’s needs. When a teacher or administrator reaches out to thank us for helping to improve classrooms, it means a lot.

This week, we would like to return the favor and show our appreciation to the entire team of people who work with our students to improve their well-being.

THANK YOU!!

American Education Week Observed for 9 Decades

2011-11-14T10:36:00.004-06:00

In 1921, the National Education Association adopted a resolution to support a national effort to raise public awareness of the importance of education. The concern arose after finding that 25 percent of the country’s World War I draftees were illiterate.

American Education Week continues with continued support of the NEA. The NEA's mission is "to advocate for education professionals and to unite our members and the nation to fulfill the promise of public education to prepare every student to succeed in a diverse and interdependent world."

In 2010, President Barack Obama signed a proclamation for American Education Week. Through the proclamation, the President reiterated education’s importance to our nation’s core values and to future success. The proclamation reads, in part:

Education has always been central to ensuring opportunity, and to instilling in all our citizens the defining American values of freedom, equality, and respect for one another. Our Nation's schools can give students the tools, skills, and knowledge to participate fully in our democracy, and to succeed in college, career, and life. This week, let us reaffirm the importance of education and recognize that we all share in the responsibility to educate our students.

This year’s celebration runs from November 13-19. How can you get involved

with American Education Week 2011? The NEA website lists five things you can do including nominating a Classroom Superhero and helping fund a teacher’s classroom project.

So celebrate American Education Week and show your support – well-educated children are an investment in the United States’ future.

Come on - help a Mo Bro out...

2011-11-10T15:59:00.005-06:00

It's already Movember 10 … yes, I said Movember.

And what might Movember be? Movember has been described as the male version of the Susan G. Komen effort to raise money and awareness for cancer. Men who participate (Mo Bros) shave on October 31 and then grow mustaches throughout the month of November. Caring friends, family, and coworkers (Mo Bros and Mo Sistas) can give a tax deductible contribution to help find a cure for prostate and testicular cancer and raise awareness to men's health issues.

From the Movember Web site:

The funds raised in the US support prostate cancer and other cancers that affect men. The funds raised are directed to programs run directly by Movember and our men's health partners, the Prostate Cancer Foundation and LIVESTRONG, the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Together, the three channels work together to ensure that Movember funds are supporting a broad range of innovative, world-class programs in line with our strategic goals in the areas of awareness and education, survivorship and research.

Why Men's health and cancers affecting Men?

1 in 2 men will diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. 1 in 3 women will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime.

A man will die from prostate cancer every 15.6 minutes – more than 33,000 men will die of the disease this year.

1 in 6 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer – a new case is diagnosed every 2.2 minutes.

Occurrences of prostate cancer in men is comparable to the rates of breast cancer in women.

Men are less likely to schedule doctor appointments and stay in touch with their doctors, thereby denying them the chance of early detection and effective treatment of common diseases.

Please help Spectrum Industries to put a dent in these horrible statistics and consider contributing to the Spectrum Movember team - Rollie's Boys.

From this year's Movember participants, we at Spectrum thank you!

2011-11-04T08:28:00.004-05:00

Every year, spring and fall, we like to write a blog and say, “Reset your clocks this Sunday.” But with the current technology, setting your clock for Daylight Savings Time observation has nearly become a thing of the past and the whole practice of DST has come to debate.

Many digital timepieces are connected to the internet – computers, cell/smart phones, PDA, tablets – all have clock functions and even the frill-free ones come standard with Daylight Savings Time settings. This has also led to another phenomenon – the decline in sales of watches. I rarely wear a watch and even have an “atomic clock” that sets itself through radio waves.

So why do we have Daylight Savings Time? Why do we continue to observe it? These questions are in debate. This practice was first proposed in 1895, but it took a while to spread. The US adopted DST in March 1918. Thoughts then and now about what Daylight Savings Time does for us include the thought that it gives more sun after work – depending on where you live that may or may not be an advantage. DST may or may not save electricity. But no matter the benefits, DST causes problems by making inconsistent times not only in USA, but across the globe. This video does a great job explaining Daylight Savings Time and problems associated with it.

But for now, just set your clocks back to Standard Time on Sunday, that is if they haven't all done that on their own. You'll get an extra hour of sleep and not have to worry about a loss of sleep until fall when we make another post about Daylight Savings Time.

EDUCAUSE 2011 attendees could win a multimedia lectern!

2011-10-13T14:31:00.006-05:00

The 2011 EDUCAUSE Annual Conference attendees that register at the Spectrum booth are entered for a chance to win their choice of three lecterns. The winner can choose from the new line of sleek presentation lecterns - the Academic Lectern, the Inspiration Lectern, or the Moderator Multimedia Lectern.

Entering is easy. Deciding which lectern you want will be the hard part.

Just stop by booth 1019 and register with Butch, Jerry, Sue, or Louis. Then the hard part, choosing which lectern you’d like to win! Let the Spectrum Team tell you about the new and proven lecterns, desks, and mobile computing solutions that make IT integration in the classroom a breeze.

Let the Spectrum Team connect you with our furniture!

The Spectrum Team will have a variety of products along including the Freedom Lectern XRS, the Media Manager Lectern, and the new Inspiration Lectern. For desks, take a look at the configurable Instructor’s Media Console or the Flex InSight Extreme Monitor System Desks that comes in two models – Dual Monitor and Large Format All-in-One-Computer model. Take care of your mobile computing storage needs with the netLT30 Netbook Cart and the new InTouch40 Tablet Cart that not only charges and stores iPad, tablet and e-readers, it also has SYNCING capabilities!

Get the most out of your EDUCAUSE experience.

EDUCAUSE is a nonprofit association whose mission is to advance higher education by promoting the intelligent use of information technology. The EDUCAUSE Annual Conference is the place to be to network with peers, learn about and discuss new and ongoing ideas, and discover new products to make integrating technology and learning easier. Make Spectrum part of your IT solutions in the classroom – visit the Spectrum Team in booth 1019!

Educational Funding & Grants Support

2011-08-26T11:21:00.011-05:00

Educational Funding & Grants Support

2011-06-29T12:12:00.004-05:00

Deadline - Award Name
July 01 - School Facility Grant Program
July 01 - The Frederick and Florence Bauder Endowment for the Support of Physics Teaching
July 18 - LEGO Children’s Fund Grants
July 28 - Computing Education for the 21st Century
July 31 - DigiGirlz High Tech Camp for Girls
Aug 01 - Science and Mathematics Grants For Grades 6–12

Parent Trigger Laws: Power to the Parents

2011-06-27T12:39:00.004-05:00

Enacted in the State of California in January 2010, the “Parent Trigger” law gave parents of low-performing schools the power to change the landscape of their children’s education. Fast forward 1 ½ years, and similar legislation is appearing across the United States.

What is this law?

Provided that a California school 1) fails to meet federal academic benchmarks for more than three consecutive years, 2) has an Academic Performance Index (the state's benchmark test) of less than 800, and 3) is among the lowest 5 percent of schools in California; a vote by 51% or more of the school’s parents can enact change. These changes include: closing a school, firing all staff and re-hiring new teachers and administrators, or turning the school over to an education management firm or a charter operator.

In the other 49 states, this same action can be taken by a district school board under the No Child Left Behind law, also known as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. But in California, this power has been passed to the school’s parents. And similar versions of California’s law have now been introduced into the legislations of 14 other states.

Can they handle the truth?

Not so surprisingly, administrators and unions alike are very concerned. Such as: are parents familiar enough with the dynamics of a school system, and could less desperate measures have a better effect? There are also concerns about the ulterior motives of organizations that back the parent trigger laws, in particular, Parent Revolution. Namely, is this nothing more than a plan by charter schools to take over education?

With both sides claiming to have only the children’s best interests in mind, guilt and innocence can sometimes be foggy. One thing is for sure: Parental power in education is on the rise nationally.

Do you think parents can/should take this on?

References:
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2077564,00.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ben-austin/trigger-law-education-board_b_877859.html

New products released!

2011-06-15T06:59:00.051-05:00

Spectrum releases six new products in the presentation and mobile computing management lines. Being unveiled today at InfoComm 2011 in Orlando, Florida, Spectrum's new products should fill everyone’s needs.

Spectrum Industries Inc has just released two new mobile computing management carts, three presentation lecterns and an AV cart. With these new products, Spectrum offers one of the most complete lines of educational and presentation furniture. Spectrum’s customers have been asking and we’ve been working hard to design the products you want!

MOBILE COMPUTING MANAGEMENT
Mobile computing management can mean a lot of things, but we are offering solutions that will fit your needs. Whether you have iPads, e-readers, tablets or full-sized laptops, Spectrum has a cart to securely store, charge and manage software on them.

The InTouch40 Tablet Cart is designed for securely storing, charging and syncing tablets like the Apple iPad, Motorola Xoom, HP TouchPad, RIM BlackBerry PlayBook, Samsung Galaxy Tab, Amazon Kindle, B&N Nook, or any USB capable device.

The Impression 30 Imaging Cart can store and charge up to 30 full-size laptops and has Ethernet capabilities for software management or disk imaging.

INTEGRATION/PRESENTATION
With tight budgets and crowded classrooms, storing high-tech presentation equipment can be a real pain. Spectrum introduces a cart and lecterns to meet the presentation needs for tight classrooms and tight budgets.

The Moderator AV Cart is a small-footprint projector cart that can securely store all your equipment needs in 11 rack units of space that can be increased to 22 ru with optional rack rail. The small size allows the cart to be used to go between the tight aisles of a crowded classroom.

The Moderator Multimedia Lectern takes the Moderator AV Cart one step farther by adding a durable laminated worksurface for a laptop or for keeping your notes. It has a pull-out projector shelf for better equipment cooling and the same rack units as in the Moderator AV Cart.

For a lectern you can both stand behind and pull-up a stool and sit behind, look to the Inspiration Lectern. Not only does it have an inviting appearance, it comes in two heights that can accommodate up to 19 rack units!

For the look of a classic lectern, look to the Academic Lectern. It may look like an old fashioned lectern at first glance, but it can store the equipment you need for a high-tech presentation. The Academic lectern gives you both worlds – classic style in touch with technology.

For all your needs furniture needs for classroom, office or the healthcare industry, look to Spectrum. For a quote or more information, call 1-800-235-1262 or visit http://www.spectrumfurniture.com./

Innovative furniture connecting you with technology.

New lecterns, desks and carts unveiled in Orlando!

2011-06-07T10:17:00.020-05:00

What would you think of a line of lecterns and AV carts that can give you a big presentation in a compact package? Or a charging and storage cart that cannot only handle iPads, but a variety of tablets and mobile devices and sync them, too? An imaging cart for 30 laptops? How about a hide-away computer desk that can handle dual monitors or even the largest all-in-one computers on the market?

Don’t miss the unveiling of Spectrum’s latest line of innovative lecterns and AV carts for audiovisual integration for K-12 and Higher Ed. Take a “test drive” of our new and proven products at these shows!

EduComm, June 13-15, Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, Booth 705
InfoComm, June 15-17, Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, Booth 2498
ISTE, June 27-29, Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Booth 503

And don’t forget to visit Spectrum’s Facebook page for information on how you can win an Apple iPad! Giveaway not associated with Apple.

Educational Funding & Grants Support

2011-05-24T12:19:00.016-05:00

Spectrum Industries works closely with educators and school administration and understands that purchasing equipment and material for education is getting harder because of the crunch on budgets and school spending. That is why we have dedicated a Web page dedicated to Funding & Grants Support for educational purposes.

There you find a growing list of possible sources for getting the funds for educational needs from classroom materials, books, AV equipment, software, programs and yes, even for furnishing your classroom. As the page grows, more information will be added to aid in you in your search for funding and information to help you write a grant.

So take a look below for some soon-to-end opportunities and then check out Spectrum’s Funding & Grants Support Web page for some more opportunities to get the funding you need.

Short Deadline

May 27 - AIAA Foundation Classroom Grant: Teacher must be an AIAA Educator Associate (Dues: $0) Can receive $200 per time and up to $1,000 in a year for K-12 teacher who develops or applies science, mathematics, and technology in your curriculum. Ongoing, must be submitted 1 month before evaluation dates of January, March, June and September

May 31 – Captain Planet Foundation Grant: supports environmental projects that give children and young adults 6-18 the opportunity to participate in hands-on activities in their local community, education and ongoing projects. grants are limited to $2,500.

June 01 - NEA Foundation – Nickelodeon Big Help Grants: dedicated to the development and implementation of ideas, techniques, and approaches for addressing four key concerns – environmental awareness, health and wellness, students’ right to a quality public education, and active community involvement for K-8 public school educators

For June

June 15 - Gale/Library Media Connections TEAMS Award: for K-12 public and private schools that recognizes and encourages the critical collaboration between the teacher and media specialist to promote learning, increase student achievement and develop 21st century skills with a $2,500 cash award, approximately $500 in Gale products, a subscription and publications

June 15 – The LLCF Library Gr ant Program: for purchasing books published for PK-8 grades. Public libraries, school libraries, and non-traditional libraries operated by 501(c)(3) agencies are eligible. The Foundation provides grants to libraries or organizations that serve economically or socially at-risk children, have limited book budgets, and demonstrate real need. Grants for 2011 will range from $500 to $3000 and are specifically for book purchases, and cannot be used for administrative or operational uses

June 30 – Charles Lifitte Foundation Grants: recipients must be a certified 501(c)(3) organization that aid students with learning disabilities, target At-risk Populations And Integrate All Learners, provide Equal Access, offer Quality Programming Using Innovative Methods, apply Data-driven Approaches, educate The Whole Child

June 30 – RGK Foundation Grants: programs that focus on formal K-12 education (particularly mathematics, science and reading), teacher development, literacy, and higher education. nonprofit organizations Ongoing, an electronic letter of inquiry must be submitted and accepted inquiries will be invited to submit an application packet which will be reviewed at one of the Grants Committee meetings held in March, June, September and December

The Standardized Testing Advantage: Spectrum's Flex Insight

2011-05-20T13:08:00.007-05:00

Leaders of the nation's largest teachers union, the National Education Association, recently issued a policy statement endorsing standardized testing. While NEA leadership doesn’t want standardized testing to be the sole indicator of a teacher’s ability, this statement represents a significant shift in the NEA’s philosophy of excluding such tests for teacher evaluation.

Education reformers say that the tests help provide accountability, but opposition states that placing high importance on periodic testing creates stressful environments for both students and teachers. Although the NEA union still has to vote the statement into an official platform, it appears the tide is changing for standardized testing. Could the inclusion of standardized testing change the makeup of our classrooms of the future? It very well could be, and Spectrum Industries has experience in working with customers on a solution for effective standardized testing.Many school districts across the country have taken a proactive stance on standardized testing while many others are apprehensive of the possible stressful environment that critics say it creates. Hillsborough County Public Schools in Florida is one such entity to have already invested in a “High Stakes” standardized testing system. In each of the district’s 220 schools, there is at least one classroom that is set up for computer-based testing. Spectrum designed an advanced workstation that seamlessly transitioned from lecture classroom to computer lab for an advantageous environment in computer-based testing. This workstation eventually became the basis for the Flex Insight desk.

How can the Flex Insight increase the effectiveness of computer-based testing?

Moving students to a computer lab for such testing removes them from their typical test-taking environment – out of their comfort zone. Teachers can attempt to properly instruct the students on the best approach to taking the test, but with monitors sitting in front of them, students simply don’t absorb such instruction well. And when test time comes, students are ill-prepared to perform to their highest capabilities. Especially when testing is in the High Stakes category, students and teachers cannot afford to have an environment that lends itself to test anxiety.

The solution? With monitor, keyboard, and mouse tucked inside the desk, the Flex Insight provides a classic classroom environment and even has 19” of available space for taking notes. In this Flex Insight configuration, teachers can instruct students on the test they are about to take without interference from technology. When it is time for testing, a monitor easily rises with a built-in assist system. And when the test is completed, all computer accessories easily descend back into the desk.Regardless of personal stance, standardized computer testing is building momentum and test results will have significant impact on students, teachers, and schools. In this environment, the Flex Insight will be an essential tool for computer testing systems. And since the Flex Insight is designed with value pricing as a priority, its potential to classrooms of the future is huge.

References
• http://www.nea.org/home/44111.htm
• http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/20110512/us_yblog_thelookout/after-endorsing-obama-teachers-union-says-yes-to-test-based-evaluations#mwpphu-container

Teacher Appreciation Week

2011-05-05T08:51:00.007-05:00

If you haven’t shown your appreciation to your local teachers during National Teacher’s Appreciation week, there’s still a little time left! Our teachers face an incredible amount of challenges in their line of work. Certainly the most publicized lately has been school budgets – will they have the funds they need to best prepare our kids? But let’s not forget the other issues that teachers face: defiant students, difficult parents, administrative politics, and the very under-publicized exposure to colds and other ailments in a normal classroom!

This is quite a profession that our teachers have taken on – they deserve some love here and there. Our children have an ever-increasing amount of obstacles to overcome nowadays, and our teachers play such a major part in making them feel special enough that they can overcome future hurdles. So give our teachers the support they need to make all our kids truly feel special – send a card, tell them “Thank You”, or give them a hug. Or maybe even the traditional apple. Anything you do will go a long way!From all of us at Spectrum Industries, you have our enduring and everlasting support.

Earth Day at Spectrum

2011-04-21T15:18:00.005-05:00

Since Spectrum Industries has a holiday on April 22, we celebrated Earth Day in advance. We must admit that we overstepped our bounds this year by picking up refuse on our neighbor’s lands. Maybe it was because it was fun to be outside on a sunny day (did it really snow yesterday?). Or maybe we just didn’t have enough to pick up within our own boundaries. Either way, our crew made fast work and we were done in only a couple of hours.

Because of the long winter this year, pruning and sweeping efforts might just go a little longer into the calendar year than normal. But as for the six acres surrounding both of our manufacturing facilities, Spectrum will be refuse-free when local residents drive by on Earth Day. Employees at Spectrum have a lot to be proud of, and being good environmental stewards to our community is one of our big priorities.Happy Earth Day!

Happy D.E.A.R. Day!

2011-04-12T14:39:00.004-05:00

April 12 is Drop Everything and Read (D.E.A.R) day. By no strange coincidence, April 12 also marks the birthday of children's book author Beverly Cleary. For most everyone else, National D.E.A.R. Day is a special reading celebration to remind and encourage families to make reading together on a daily basis a family priority.
So if you can find a young one to read with, find out what their favorite book is and drop everything else. Flying solo on April 12? Start that book that you've been putting off for so long!

The Freedom Lectern Outdoes Itself

2011-04-07T16:06:00.012-05:00

It’s normally difficult to improve a great product but with the help of our customers, Spectrum Industries has done just that. When we introduced the Freedom Lectern, our focus was to make an ADA-compatible lectern with as small a footprint as possible. As it turned out, customers outside the ADA world liked the ergonomics gained through the electric-adjustable worksurface. Others that were familiar with the easy integration of technology in other Spectrum lecterns said “Why not the Freedom Lectern too?”

Well, you know what we said to them? “Sounds great – coming right up!”

Introducing the Freedom XRS. While the original Freedom offers ergonomic flexibility, the XRS takes it to a new level by delivering technological flexibility. For those that simply want the basic rack-based audio visual equipment, the Freedom XRS comes standard with 11 rack units. But if you want the ultimate in integration, check out the optional rack cube. Talk about Xtreme Rack System, not only does the rack cube increase capacity to 18 units, it can easily be integrated outside the lectern and then simply slid back in.

Easy to integrate, easy to use!

But why stop at that? Instructors have really liked the Overbridge option available in the Spectrum line of lecterns, so we designed one especially for the Freedom Lectern as well. The Overbridge does such a great job at keeping touchscreen technologies an arm’s length away that we had to offer it. It’s very convenient for power and communications modules as well – no more having to look around for an electrical or data outlet!The Freedom Lectern XRS offers the freedom to be comfortable in a presentation, both physically and technologically. And in the end, it’s the audience that benefits, and isn’t that what it’s all about?

Happy New Year, You April Fish!

2011-03-31T06:44:00.040-05:00

Happy New Year … at least that's what I'd be saying if the Gregorian calendar hadn't been implemented in the late 16th century. But because of the calendar change in 1582, we have been able to plan nefarious deeds and shout "APRIL FOOLS!" this time of year.

All Fools Day has been around for a long time and has been celebrated by many different cultures, but its origins remain a mystery. Some historians have linked it to the Roman festival Hilaria that celebrated the vernal equinox, or the coming of spring. But the more common practices of April Fool's Day come around when the calendar was changed shifting the new year back 3 months.

When the calendar change was made, many European countries were slow to adopt the change. Even for the countries that accepted the new system, news traveled slowly to the outreaches of civilization. The people that didn't get the news didn't realize the start of the New Year had moved to January 1. In their ignorance, they continued to celebrate it during the last week of March through April 1. They also became the butt of jokes and hoaxes including having paper fish placed on their backs. They victims were referred to as April fish, said to symbolize a young, easily caught fish and a gullible person.

But being gullible is human nature. When someone promises you on time delivery, you expect to get it and delivering on time is just good business. But what happens when you have to shorten up a lead time? Will your supplier of furniture for education, healthcare and business needs get it to you on time? At what point do you risk getting a fish on your back?

You can count on Spectrum Industries to work with you to meet your delivery date target, even if it is moving! Spectrum has manufactured innovative furniture for education, healthcare and business needs and will step up to get you your product when you need it. So don't let a calendar change make you look the fool. Look to Spectrum Industries to get you product to you when you need it and how you want.

Spectrum Industries Host Optimists

2011-03-30T09:28:00.032-05:00

Bright and early Wednesday morning they rose and came to a meeting. You don’t have to be an optimist to do that, but it’s nice to be an Optimist. The Chippewa Falls club of Optimist International met for a 6:45 am meeting hosted at Spectrum Industries.

Optimist International is an association of more than 2,900 Optimist Clubs around the world dedicated to "Bring out the best in kids." Adult volunteers join Optimist Clubs to conduct positive service projects in their communities aimed at providing a helping hand to youth. With their upbeat attitude, Optimist Club members help empower young people to be the best that they can be.

Approximately 20 members of the club met in the Chippewa River Room in the First Avenue facility with coffee and pastry to start their day. A prayer began the meeting followed by members reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and birthday wishes sung to observe several members births. Some business matters were attended to and then off for a tour of Spectrum’s First Avenue’s facility lead by Dean White, Executive Vice President of Manufacturing and Dennis Barka, Vice President of Process Control. Scott Dorn, Executive Vice President of Sales/Marketing then presented a slideshow overview of Spectrum before the group recited from the Optimist Creed and the meeting was adjourned.

The Chippewa Falls Optimist has been serving the community since it was charted in July of 1969. Chris Cunningham, Chippewa Falls Club President said that on a yearly basis, the club holds quite a few projects and programs to help the community’s youth. Among the list are the Childhood Cancer Campaign, essay contests, dictionary donations and scholarship, as well as a variety of community events.

When asked how many members make up the Chippewa Falls Club Cunningham said there were about 32, but she paused and optimistically said, “We’re always looking for more members.”

Sometimes Higher Seeds are Just Upsets-in-Waiting

2011-03-28T13:48:00.006-05:00

Predictions are down the tubes. Hopes for being known as the local Nostradamus are dashed. You played it safe by choosing the favorites and the favorites have let you down big time!

This is a common refrain heard from hoop enthusiasts during the regionals of this year's NCAA basketball tournament. It is also a very common refrain Spectrum Industries hears from our new customers. Some high-profiled competitors have slick marketing campaigns and very slick sales representatives that make big promises on products that just can’t deliver. Many of our customers have turned to Spectrum when the big guys’ products fall apart or when their customer service is simply no help at all.

Spectrum products are built to last using quality materials and quality, ISO 9001:2008-based manufacturing methods. Our lecterns and carts are not trendy ideas whipped together and hastily distributed just so that we can be first to the market square. We listen to what our customers really need and make sure that all their specifications are met – before and after a sale is made! That way our product sells itself and we don’t have to rely on glitzy schemes to drive sales.

Many famous sports announcers have a tendency to play it safe when it comes to their Final Four picks. In such decision-making, one program’s perceived prowess generally trumps another program’s cohesion and character. Our customers know that cohesion goes a lot farther than empty promises!
Busted Bracket image courtesy of senatorsforum
Teamwork image courtesy of thegoldguys

First Wiki Launched Today

2011-03-25T09:53:00.043-05:00

WikiWikiWeb, the first wiki or user-editable website, was launched on March 25, 1995 and still is a valuable source of information and sharing.

The concept and development of the “Wiki” came from Ward Cunningham in a hope to create a web page that was quickly editable by the users. In Cunningham’s case, it was to establish and promote an exchange of ideas between programmers within his company.

Cunningham originally was going to call his new platform “QuickWeb,” but later he remembered a Honolulu language term for “fast” used by an airport counter employee. The employee told Cunningham to take the Wiki Wiki Shuttle, a shuttle bus line that runs between the airport's terminals. "Wiki Wiki" is a repeating of "wiki", a Hawaiian language word for fast.

From the “Front Page” of the WikiWikiWeb:

The idea of a “Wiki” may seem odd at first, but dive in and explore its links! The “Wiki” is a composition system; it’s a discussion medium; it’s a repository; it’s a mail system; it’s a tool for collaboration. Really, we just don’t know quite what it is, but it’s a fun way of communication asynchronously across the network.”

Today wikis are compiled about a variety of subjects and from all aspects of life including hobbies, professions and games. Some of the interesting wikis include WikiTravel, WikiH ow, Wi kiBooks, CookBookWiki, ProductWiki, Muppet.wikia and of course the expansive Wikipedia.

Software and services are available so anyone can start a wiki on a topic of their choice. Wiki services include PBWiki, WikiSpaces and Wikia among a few and if you really want to get start your own wiki, check out the Wiki Choice Matrix to find that wiki service that fits your needs.

Cunningham‘s innovative thinking brought the WikiWikiWeb that allowed others to model the concept and software after it leading to revolution in how information has been shared on the Internet.

Spectrum Industries innovative thinking has also brought a revolution in how instructors share information with students with the Spectrum Instruction & Presentation Lectern line. The unique line of Audio-Visual and Multi-Media Lecterns can give you just what you need to present the right information in an efficient way.

Much like Cunningham’s innovation has touched so many to share knowledge across the internet; Spectrum’s innovations touch many with the opportunity to share knowledge in the classroom.

Spring Forward - Daylight Savings Time 2011

2011-03-11T13:38:00.006-06:00

It has been said that time stands still for no one. While that may be true, we might feel just a little bit cheated this weekend when we lose an hour. If you have a clock that doesn't set itself automatically and you’re up to the task, you can be official and add another hour to it at 2:00 am Sunday morning. Most of us, however, would probably prefer to wait until we wake up.

Either way, make sure to remember to spring forward, turn those clocks ahead one hour, and try not to feel too bad about the hour that Father Time has taken from us - he'll give it back to us eventually!

A Partnership that Traveled the Distance

2011-03-10T11:39:00.026-06:00

On March 14, 1995 an historic space flight took place bringing many firsts with records broken and a new cooperation between two global giants.

The flight of the Russian Soyuz TM-21 spacecraft and Russian Mir EO-18 mission marked American astronaut Dr. Norman Thagard with a lot honors. Thagard became the first American to train on Russian soil, enter space aboard a non-American craft, and the first American occupant of the Mir. Serving as the cosmonaut researcher, He helped conduct 28 experiments in the course of the 115-day flight. At the missions completion, Dr. Thagard was the U.S. record-holder for longest space flight and, with 140 days in space overall, was the most experienced U.S. astronaut ever.

The flight, although several years after the demise of the Soviet Union, still had some disbelief of the union that the two countries now were joined. Thagard trained and worked side-by-side with his cosmonaut travel mates and despite years of conflict between the U.S. and former government of Soviet Union, the Russian cosmonauts welcomed Thagard with hugs. Thagard greeted the Mir commander, Aleksandr Viktorenko, in Russian, "I'm glad to be on the station and to see my friends."

Between March 1995 and May 1998, NASA and Russian scientists conducted experiments designed to answer vital questions about how humans, animals and plants function in space, how our solar system originated and developed, how we can build better technology in space and how we can build future space stations. Thagard's work was the beginning of that union.

He spent a year in Russia preparing for the three-month mission on the Mir space station working with his Russian counterparts to do experiments and joined forces to create solutions for both countries.

At Spectrum Industries, we form partnerships every day with new customers. It's not just about us – we want the result of our partnerships to add value for our customers and their end-users for many years to come.

When customers look for solutions to their laptop management, presentation or desk and table problems, they can look to Spectrum Industries. Whether it is for the educational, healthcare or in an office setting, Spectrum is proud of our partnerships with customers and working together to create innovative solutions that are out of this world.

Alaska Highway: Connections Made Through Hardships

2011-03-07T09:40:00.034-06:00

This week in 1942, the construction of the Alaska Highway project began after being spurred on by the attack on Pearl Harbor. The U.S. foresaw a need to be able to better protect the most North-Western border of the United States and the highway would tie the contiguous United States to Alaska through Canada to better defend and resupply the “Alaska Skyway,” a series of airfields along the Alaskan coast.

Also known as the Alcan Highway, over 11,000 soldiers with 7,500 civilians were assigned the job of building the 1,600-mile stretch of road and cost over $138,000,000 to complete. The construction was one of America’s greatest engineering feats of the era and completion was not an easy task because of the fluctuating temperatures, weather, and unfriendly terrain.

On September 24, 1942 two regiments, working from both the north and south, finally met at Contact Creek near the British Columbia-Yukon Territory border and the Alaska Highway was formally completed in less than a month later.

In 1943, the road was developed into a standard highway, but use was restricted because of wartime travel restrictions that lasted until 1948 and was not fully paved until 1960. Driving the Alaska Highway today gives the modern adventurers plenty of moments for photographing wildlife and the scenic countryside and has made it much easier to make the connection with Alaska.

Today, connecting people across vast expanses has become much easier with technological advancements in the office and classrooms. Now connecting over thousands of miles is as easy as picking up a phone or connecting with a computer. The Spectrum Industries Inc. line of American made furniture includes distance learning systems and mobile video conferencing furniture that can make the distances seem even closer. But when you get a chance to get away from the office or coursework, traveling the Alcan Highway could be that break you always needed.

Texas Celebrates Independence

2011-03-02T09:13:00.008-06:00

Faced with an impending military dictatorship and lacking public education and freedom of religion, the Republic of Texas formally declared independence from Mexico on this day in 1836. This set in motion what would become the 28th state in the U.S., and remains today the 2nd largest state in both area and population. Today also marks the birthday of a famous signer to the independence document, Sam Houston. Houston was the eventual Texas governor, as well as the first and third President of the Republic of Texas. Sandwiched between those 2 terms was none other than Mirabeau Lamar – the “Father of Texas Education”.

The great Lone Star State has come a long way since the days of unavailable public education. There are now over 1,000 school districts in Texas. To encourage diversity throughout their public university system, Texas House Bill 588 ensures admission to Texas-funded universities for the top 10% graduating high school students. With 6 state university systems and 4 independent public universities, the choices are many for those top 10% students. An impressive array of private universities and community colleges only adds to a wealth of higher education opportunities.

Spectrum Industries Inc. has long enjoyed a close relationship with the state of Texas. Our furniture has graced many a Texan classroom, helping integrate technology throughout many K-12 and higher education platforms. It is easy to see Texas’ commitment to keeping students linked with the digital world, and Spectrum is proud to be a partner in the continuing legacy of Texas education.

Spectrum Industries Receives Distinguished Honor

2011-02-11T16:57:00.008-06:00

The Wisconsin Economic Development Association (WEDA) honored Spectrum Industries, Inc. yesterday with the Outstanding Achievement by a Business award. WEDA’s primary objective is to increase the effectiveness of individuals involved in the practice of economic development in Wisconsin by encouraging cooperation, exchange of information and promotion of professional skills. Spectrum, in turn, was honored for its innovation, its positive culture to facilitate employee development, and its dedication to community programs.

“It is an honor to be recognized by WEDA for Outstanding Achievement by a Business. This award is a testimony of Spectrum strengths and values of providing innovative and high value products and services to customers, putting us on top of our industry market!” said Scott Dorn, Executive Vice President, Sales & Marketing at Spectrum Industries.

Spectrum looks forward to continued growth, innovation, and community participation. Thank you to all our stakeholders for you continued support!

Happy Birthday, Tommy!

2011-02-11T16:14:00.005-06:00

If he were alive today, the 164-year- old Thomas A. Edison would have seen a few of his predictions of innovation come true.

Most people when asked the question, “Why is Thomas Edison famous?” would probably come up with this answer; “He invented the light bulb.” Although it is true that Edison was a prolific inventor with nearly 1,100 patents in his name, he did not invent the light bulb … but I’ll get back to that in a moment.

Edison, as a semi-retired inventor, spent many hours speculating on innovations to existing inventions. He had some misses among the predictions, but he was also right on with many of his speculations. Robots doing manual labor, steel replacing wood in furniture, the rise of electric trains over the steam-powered trains and even the smart phone were among his ideas that, in many ways, have now come true.

Now, back to the light bulb. Edison did not invent the light bulb, but he advanced the design of the existing light bulbs until he came to today’s modern incandescent light bulb. Edison also had innovations on the fluoroscope (X-ray machine) and the motion picture camera among the long list.

"While we maybe don't have quite the faith in technological progress that his generation did," said Paul Israel, director and general editor of the Thomas A. Edison Papers Project at Rutgers University in New Jersey. “Edison as a symbol of American innovation still resonates in the culture."

American innovation runs deep at Spectrum Industries, Inc. Founder/president Dave Hancock was an early inventor of plastic manufacturing processes going back to the 1950’s. Spectrum continues to be known for its innovation today, and much like Edison, we know that being able to add value to peoples’ lives requires being familiar with existing technology. As technology changes at a lightning-fast pace, we’ve also discovered that listening to our customers is key to success.

Certainly a big “thank you” goes out to our wonderful customers for their support and their ideas. And especially today, thanks goes out as well to the great American innovator Thomas A. Edison for laying the groundwork for future innovators.

Congratulations Green Bay Packers!

2011-02-07T11:58:00.004-06:00

Quite often success is so sweet that we forget the potential barriers that were hurdled just to get there. Such was not the case for the current Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers. It has been very well documented that Green Bay had 16 players placed on injured reserve this season. Time after time, it seemed that players came out of nowhere to successfully fill the voids left behind from each subsequent injury. This continued even into the ultimate NFL game, with injuries to key players being overcome to win the Super Bowl.

But to achieve the ultimate NFL season goal, there was certainly more to the Green Bay organization than what was seen on the surface. It took continuous adjustments to strategy while preparing the entire team for game-changing obstacles. Equally as important, the Packers had the team chemistry to overcome challenges during the entire season. How often do we see high-profile free agents being brought in attempt to press the “Easy” button and make things right? Sometimes it works, but sometimes it disrupts the locker room to the point where season goals are not met.

Overcoming challenges is a service specialty at Spectrum Industries, Inc. Our customers often have major obstacles to overcome such as budget constraints and special project needs – even when financing is available. We go out of our way to find the best solution for our customers to obtain grants and funding for their projects. When other companies say “Here’s our product – take it or leave it!” Spectrum will find the right solution, even if it is not in our catalog.

Custom orders present their own set of obstacles when drawing upon different resources – be it material or personnel – to get the job done. But we’ve been there before. Spectrum will not push the “Easy” button to get cheap oversees materials. Nor do we feel the need to tap our competitor’s talent base. We take pride in using the best local materials available, while our team chemistry is second to none.

The outcome? Our products are built locally and built to last. Our entire catalog is based on customer needs, and our customer service is legendary. When we hurdle potential barriers, we simply call it “Continuous Improvement”. And when we make sure that our customers’ obstacles are overcome, everyone’s season goals are met.
Way to go Packers!

Mother Nature vs. the Northeast

2011-01-21T14:43:00.014-06:00

It’s no secret that northeastern United States has been receiving more than its share of extreme winter weather this season. It was posted today that day and evening classes have been canceled at UMass Lowell. While we’re sure that the students will enjoy their long weekend no matter what the weather is, it looks like the snow will move on and they will be back Monday.

Moreover, we also know that the odds of them returning for the next semester have increased. The University of Massachusetts Lowell has invested in the latest technologies to increase retention rates and provide students with the best possible tools for success. The latest audio/video equipment enhances the material in class. Clicker (aka audience response) systems help keep students engaged in classroom topics, and measures are now being taken to allow students to revisit material after class. Videos and presentation slides can be accessed after class by outside computers or mobile devices. Which means that students left scratching their heads after the explanation of a complex theory can now hit “rewind” when they get home.

Spectrum Industries got in on the ground floor with UMass Lowell, and has been providing a platform to deliver these technologies since the Fall of 2007. UMass Lowell’s product of choice is consistent with an increasing amount of campuses recently – the Link Lectern. There is hard evidence in UMass Lowell’s case: Since the Fall of 2007, the retention of freshmen has increased from 75% to 81% while the number of 4-year continuing students has increased from 63.7% to 69.1%.

The Link Lectern obviously cannot take all the credit for these numbers, but it has added value with what The University of Massachusetts Lowell is trying to accomplish. Spectrum even takes it a step further by providing a custom overbridge to house UMass Lowell’s specific technology. Moreover, we’re proud to be a partner to a university that obviously cares about its students.

And as for Mother Nature, depending on where and when Spectrum employees left for work this morning, it was between -20°F and -27°F – not including wind chill! But take it from a humble blogger that grew up in Georgia and Arizona: the people of Wisconsin are a hardy lot and it takes more than this to slow them down. Not even record amounts of snowfall keep Spectrum from producing and delivering.

Top photo courtesy of Chris Barrineau: www.locationphoto.com

Article References:
• http://www.uml.edu/media/enews/EchoSmart_Classrooms.html

CVTC’s New Learning Center – A Successful Collaborative Effort!

2011-01-20T13:08:00.024-06:00

When Chippewa Valley Technical College opened their new Learning Center last semester, many longtime hopes and dreams of CVTC students and faculty were realized. Students wanted an open concept with readily available resources, and faculty needed greater interaction to provide the support needed to retain every student possible.

SDS Architects (http://www.sdsarch.com/) helped to make this vision a reality. More computer workstations and a variety of group study spaces are now readily available to students. As are a multitude of CVTC services – the Learning Center is home to the CVTC Library, Academic Services, Disability Services, and Diversity Services. With an open design better reflecting the comforts of home, students feel much more at ease in seeking the help they need.

One amazing achievement behind the Learning Center project is the major contribution of the CVTC students, both financially and in design. Student Government supported construction expenses of $400,000, while CVTC Student Services staff asked students for input on the type of space they wanted. The result: Academic Services alone registered 700 students in its initial 6 weeks of operation, compared to 581 students in the entire 2009 Fall semester. Increased activity was witnessed with the other Services as well, proof that the new concept has worked as planned.

Spectrum Industries was pleased to be a part of this effort. Our ultimate goal was to add value to the project with 42” high Café Tables and custom Computer Workstations. With open communication between the students and SDS Architects & CVTC faculty, this project will not only increase student retention. In the long run, the CVTC Learning Center will guide students to add value to the entire Chippewa Valley community.

Photography by Eric Oxendorf Studio
For more pictures of the CVTC Learning Center, visit the SDS Facebook page gallery.
References:
• http://www.cvtc.edu/pages/112.asp?item=1293
• http://www.cvtc.edu/pages/112.asp?item=1337
• http://www.cvtc.edu/pages/1294.asp

A Salute to Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

2011-01-17T10:15:00.008-06:00

Spectrum Industries, Inc. is extremely grateful for the lifetime efforts of Martin Luther King, Jr. If there is one thing that has been passed down through history, demanding change through violence just doesn’t end in a win-win situation. Tolerance and respect for others was more along the lines of what King stood for.

The “civil” part of civil rights is not always the easiest of paths to take, as changes aren’t brought about easily or immediately, but it was the path that MLK chose - and ultimately laid down his life for. In remembrance of what Martin Luther King, Jr. stood for, we urge everyone to be civil, to do things the right way, and to turn from hatred.

Here are some local events being held to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Take some time to see what events may be happening in your area!

http://www.uwec.edu/newsreleases/11/jan/0111MLKServiceEvents.htm

https://www2.uwstout.edu/news/index.asp?event=news.get&ID=2230

http://edtech.uwlax.edu/blogs/spotlight/2011/01/07/hansen-to-receive-mlk-leadership-award-at-martin-luther-king-jr-holiday-celebration/

Spectrum Industries Continues Success

2011-01-12T11:53:00.005-06:00

After a strong showing in 2010, Spectrum once again outperformed the furniture industry. According to a recent article by CabinetMakerFDM, the Furniture Design & Manufacturing market has continued to slip. The year 2010 was not nearly as negative as 2009, but sales decreased by 6.4% nonetheless. For the full article, click here.

Spectrum Industries has had the honor of being recognized in the FDM 300 for many years now. The FDM 300 is comprised of the 300 largest cabinet, furniture, millwork, store fixture, office/contract and component producers in North America. In the February 2011 edition of CabinetMakerFDM, Spectrum was recognized even further as one of a handful of FDM 300 companies with stronger sales in 2010.

While this is certainly great news to all Spectrum stakeholders, we have only our customers to thank. Customer service continues to be our pride and joy, and our loyal customer base continues to provide us with the ideas and insight needed to weather an adverse economy. We formed some great partnerships in 2010, and for our part, we at Spectrum will continue to listen to you in 2011!

Business as Usual

2010-12-16T08:51:00.011-06:00

The United States Postal Service has an unofficial creed – “Neither rain, nor sleet, nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds." It is actually derived from a quote by an ancient Greek historian named Herodotus, referring to the courier service of the ancient Persian Empire:

“It is said that as many days as there are in the whole journey, so many are the men and horses that stand along the road, each horse and man at the interval of a day’s journey; and these are stayed neither by snow nor rain nor heat nor darkness from accomplishing their appointed course with all speed.”

We at Spectrum Industries pay considerable attention to our ability to deliver our products on time. Nothing stands in the way of our loyalty to our customers. Not even the record 22” of snow we received on December 11! Employees were at the production facilities on the morning of the 12th – their normal day off – to make sure that it would be business as usual come Monday the 13th.

Here’s a nice before/after example of snow drifting over one of our employee entrances:

And here is a somewhat sarcastic video from one of our employees

Shoveling after a 20" storm

A video made in fun, to be sure, but it embodies that never-say-die attitude made famous in Herodotus’ quote, and displays our fierce loyalty to Spectrum customers no matter what the obstacle.

Spectrum Industries Participates in Movemeber Cancer Awareness

2010-12-02T15:51:00.005-06:00

As November has passed us by, so has Movember. And what might Movember be? Movember has been described as the male version of the Susan G. Komen effort to raise money and awareness for cancer. Men who participate shave on October 31st and then grow mustaches throughout the month of November. Caring friends, family, and coworkers can give a tax deductible contribution to help cure prostate and testicular cancer. Organizations that benefit include LIVESTRONG and the Prostate Cancer Foundation.

As of last year, 1 in 6 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime and 1 man died every 18 minutes of prostate cancer. Please help Spectrum Industries to put a dent in this horrible statistic and consider contributing to the Spectrum Movember team at http://us.movember.com/mospace/775946/
From this year’s participants, both in Movember and Relay for Life, we at Spectrum thank you!

Spectrum Industries Salutes Veterans Day

2010-11-11T14:30:00.004-06:00

In the wake of a highly charged election season, Spectrum gladly slows down to honor a non-political holiday: Veterans Day. Started as Armistice Day in 1918 to honor World War I veterans, it was made a legal holiday in 1938, and was changed to Veterans Day in 1954 to honor all United States veterans.

We would like to honor all of our veterans on this day, but especially one of Spectrum’s own. Longtime employee Kris Maloney surprised many of us when he enlisted during the Iraq War. He honorably served our country, and Spectrum Industries gladly took him back into the workforce after his tour. Kris presented us with a flag that was flown in Spectrum’s honor on January 1, 2010 over Compound V Camp Cropper during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Kris continues to be an asset on the production floor, and we are lucky to have him as part of our family! We greatly appreciate Kris and the rest of the 24.9 million United States veterans as well – right down to the sole surviving World War I veteran, Frank Buckles. In the United States, we can count ourselves fortunate to lead the lives we have - due in part to veterans’ selfless efforts toward the defense and freedom of our country.

THANK YOU!

12 Ways you can help the team....

2010-11-08T11:20:00.002-06:00

This is well written, by David Buchanan... It has a sports theme but relates to business teams well. Just replace practice with work, game with projects, and classmates with coworkers.

1. Be the hardest worker at practice today.
Without fail, one of the quickest ways to impact a team is with your own work ethic. Choose to be one of the hardest workers on your team today. Not only does it set the tone for the work ethic of your program, it is also one of the best and quickest ways to enhance your leadership credibility with your teammates and coaches.

2. Be a spark of energy and enthusiasm today.
Let your passion for the sport shine through today. Spread a contagious energy and enthusiasm amongst your teammates. Think about how lucky you are to be able to play and compete. Remember back to when you were a young child and reconnect with the joy you played with back then. Make your sport fun again for yourself and your teammates.

3. Model mental toughness today.
Because your teammates will look to you under pressure, adversity, and stress, be sure to model mental toughness today. Bounce back quickly after errors to show your teammates how to respond to negative situations. Maintain your poise and optimism despite any mistakes you might make so that your teammates can trust and rely on you to get them through the tough times.

4. Connect with a teammate today.
Leadership is all about relationships. Invest the time to build and strengthen the relationships you have with each of your teammates.
Inquire about their day, challenges, and goals. Make a special and ongoing effort to get to know every athlete on your team, not just your friends and classmates. The relationship building you do each day will pay off immeasurably down the road.

5. Compliment a teammate today.
Be on the lookout for teammates who are contributing to your team. Call out a teammate for making a hustle play, pushing through a weight workout, recovering quickly from a mistake, getting an A on an exam, etc. Praise the actions and attitudes you want to see repeated. As Mother Teresa once said, "Kind words are short and easy to speak but their echoes are truly endless."

6. Challenge a teammate today.
Challenge at least one of your teammates today. Positively push them and yourself to make the most of your workout. Make a friendly wager to see if they can be successful at least 4 out of 5 times in a drill. See if you both can improve your times in conditioning. Offer to stay after to help if there is anything they want to work on. Good leaders consistently invite, inspire, and sometimes implore others to greatness.

7. Support a teammate today.
Odds are, at least one of your teammates is struggling with something today - it could be a performance slump, a rocky romantic relationship, a disagreement with a coach, an unglamorous role, struggling with a class, or a sick family member. Good leaders are consistently on the lookout for teammates who might be struggling and are ready to offer an ear to listen, an encouraging word, a pat on the back, or a shoulder to cry on.

8. Constructively confront negativity, pessimism, and laziness today.
As a leader, have the courage to constructively confront the negativity, pessimism, and laziness that will crop up on your team from time to time. Instead of fueling the fire by joining in or silently standing by, be sure to refocus your teammates on solutions rather than dwelling on and complaining about the problems. Left unchecked, these problems can quickly grow to distract, divide, and destroy your team.

9. Build and bond your team today.
Team chemistry naturally ebbs and flows throughout the course of the season. Take the time to monitor and maintain your team's chemistry. Let your reserves and support staff know how much you appreciate them. Stay connected and current with each of the natural sub-groups on your team.
Douse any brush fires that might be occurring and continually remind team members about your common goal and common bond.

10. Check in with your coach today.
Invest the time to check in with your coach today. Ask what you can do to best help the team this week. Find out what your coach wants to accomplish with today's practice. Also discuss if there is anything your coach is concerned about regarding your team. Discuss your collective insights on your team's chemistry, focus, and mindset. Work together to effectively co-lead your team.

11. Remind your team how today's work leads to tomorrow's dreams.
It's easy to get bogged down during your season with monotonous drills, tiring conditioning, and demanding workouts. Remind your teammates how all the quality work you do today gives you a distinct advantage over your opponents. Help them see and even get excited about how today's hard work is a long-term investment in your team's goals, rather than just a short-term hardship or sacrifice.

12. Represent yourself and team with class and pride today.
Leaders have the awesome privilege and responsibility of representing their teams. Take advantage of this opportunity by representing your team with class and pride today. Hold a door open for someone, sit in the front rows of class and actively engage in the discussion, say please and thank you, dress in respectful attire, etc. These tiny pushes represent you and your team with class and distinction. And they ultimately set you up for a lifetime of respect and success.

Spectrum is enjoying growth through these difficult times because of the relationships we build with our customers and our employees.

Spectrum Industries and UW-Stout Collaborate to Innovate!

2010-10-18T12:19:00.001-05:00

New product could revolutionize design of work stations

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Menomonie, Wis. – A versatile, ergonomically correct work station designed by a University of Wisconsin-Stout specialist and an alumnus could change the way a broad spectrum of people learn, conduct research and perform tests and other tasks.

The prototype tabletop station, 5-feet-6 inches long and 2-feet-7 inches wide, primarily was designed for people with disabilities. Portable and height-adjustable, it fits work station needs for people with a variety of physical limitations.

Because of its versatility, the design also breaks new ground as an ergonomically correct work table for the general population, from children to adults, for use in schools, institutions, industries and businesses.

The inventors are Jeff Annis, a Stout Vocational Rehabilitation Institute designer, and Brad Stafford, a 2005 UW-Stout graduate and product designer for Spectrum Industries of Chippewa Falls.

“With the disabled population as our focus, we came up with a universal design that provided access for all people,” Annis said. “This could be used in school and business science labs, on an assembly line, as a craft table, in assisted living and in commercial kitchens.”

The work station will be unveiled at an open house from 8:30-10:30 a.m. Thursday, June 3, at SVRI, 221 10th Avenue E. The open house will include tours of SVRI’s assistive technology labs.

UW-Stout Chancellor Charles W. Sorensen recently committed funding for prototype testing and refinement, which is ongoing at UW-Stout.

Funding for the design and construction of prototypes also was supplied by UW-Stout, Spectrum and WiSys, or the Wisconsin System Technology Foundation, which handles marketing, licensing and other issues for all UW System schools except UW-Madison.

The public-private project was funded in part by a grant from the National Science Foundation through the Midwest Alliance in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics at UW-Madison. The NSF is concerned about a low percentage of students with disabilities pursuing math and science careers, Annis said.

Sorensen said the work station reflects Annis’ wealth of experience with adaptive technology and the type of innovative applied research being conducted at UW-Stout, Wisconsin’s polytechnic university. “The intuitive design brings work station technology into the modern age and makes science and research more accessible. It’s an exciting leap forward as a tool for many people,” Sorensen said.

“We are proud to support this research, which represents the quality of work being done by students and faculty across our campus and in collaboration with private industry.”

WiSys recently applied for a patent. Spectrum has the first right of refusal as the manufacturer. Royalties from product sales would be split between WiSys, UW-Stout and Spectrum.

Stafford, who majored in industrial design at UW-Stout, is a product designer for Spectrum, which makes technology-based furniture. Spectrum President Dave Hancock also has acted as an adviser on the project.

“We achieved the core goal so that students with special needs can participate in science experiments, but this product also pushes the envelope of what a work station can be,” Stafford said. “It meets the needs of a high percentage of people.”

“Some schools already have expressed interest, so we anticipate selling these in the future,” Stafford added.

Production could begin once field tests, including at school and other science labs, are complete.

Work station features include:

• Adjustable height with the push of a button, from 24.6 inches to 50.6 inches, using a linear actuator and a digital display. Height settings also can be customized.

• Mirror images on both sides, making it accessible for up to four people simultaneously.

• A beveled edge, which contains spills and prevents items from falling off.

• Portability, with castors on wheels that lock with the push of a button. It can be moved around a classroom or work space for easier access or to access other equipment, such as a sink or gas valve. “In a science lab, you could configure them any way you want — in a circle if you prefer,” Annis said.

• A pull-out shelf, which can hold a microscope, laptop or other equipment.

• Two movable gantry arms with LED lights to suspend tools or research items.

Most work stations in labs are stationary and not ergonomically correct, Annis said. “The design looks good, it’s functional and I think there’s a market for it,” he said.

Three UW-Stout students helped during the design phase, Casey Nugent of Fredonia, Jason Burbank of Menomonie and Mark Fladeboe of White Bear Lake, Minn. Annis also credited Mike Gove and Gene Gove of Imperial Counters in Hastings, Minn., and Dan Sembach of the SVRI fabrication lab with design support.

In his 34-year career, Annis has designed hundreds of pieces of equipment, most for the disabled through SVRI. About four years ago, Annis also designed an adjustable cooktop, which recently received a patent. The work station is an offshoot of that design, Annis said.

Annis and Stafford, a former SVRI employee and native of Eden Prairie, Minn., have spent about two years on the design and are working on a third prototype of the work station at Spectrum.

For more information or to schedule an interview and see the prototype, contact Annis at 715-232-1164 or annisj@uwstout.edu. To attend the June 3 open house, contact Jennifer Gundlach Klatt at 715-232-2236 or gundlachj@uwstout.edu.

For details, contact:

UW-Stout

Doug Mell

Executive Director of Communications and External Relations

715-232-1198

melld@uwstout.edu

What's in a name?

2010-10-01T10:45:00.004-05:00

At Spectrum Industries, just like many manufacturers, we address the question "what should we name the new product". The most recent meeting started me thinking, where did names and phrases originate from.
Doing a little research (very little), turned up explanations for a few common phrases:

Early furniture references:
Stone-age furnishings -
When people learned to farm and lived in permanent settlements they began to make furniture. In Europe some of the earliest known furniture comes from a stone age village at Sara Brae in the Orkney Islands in Scotland about 2,000 BC. The stone age farmers lived in stone huts with roofs of whalebone and turf. Inside they made stone furniture such as cupboards and beds.

American style -
Mission furniture is heavily associated with Gustav Stickley -- the "father" of the American Arts and Crafts and Mission movement. These two styles are closely related. The Mission style was originally associated with the Spanish missionary work done long ago in the North American Southwest. The hallmark features of both styles are: straight lines, simplicity of design, and mortise/tenon joinery.

1771 - The first car accident:
Nicolas Cugnot who designed the first car in 1769 made another steam-driven vehicle two years later, also at the Paris Arsenal. The machine reportedly ran quite well, although on one occasion it ran into a wall, thus recording the world's first motor-accident. The vehicle may still be seen today in the Conservatoire Nationale des Arts et Metiers in Paris.

"The good old days" Facts about phrase origins from the 1500s:
Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May, and they still smelled pretty good by June. However, since they were starting to smell . ..... . Brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor.
Hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting
married.

Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children. Last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Hence the saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the Bath water!"

Houses had thatched roofs-thick straw-piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof... Hence the saying "It's raining cats and dogs."

There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings could mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That's how canopy beds came into existence.

The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt. Hence the saying, "Dirt poor." The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they added more thresh until, when you opened the door, it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entrance-way.
Hence: a thresh hold.

Getting quite an education, aren't you?

In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire. Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes stew had food in it that had been there for quite a while. Hence the rhyme: Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old. Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special. When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man could, "bring home the bacon." They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and "chew the fat."

Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous.

Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or the upper crust.

Lead cups were used to drink ale or whiskey. The combination would sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up. Hence the custom of holding a wake.

England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a bone-house, and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive. So they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the graveyard shift.) to listen for the bell; thus, someone could be saved by the bell or was considered a dead ringer.

And that's the truth....Now, whoever said History was boring!!!

Of course none of this will be used in the naming of new products on the web site or in the catalogs but it will make you think.

Spectrum's Flex Insight A Big Hit in Tampa Area Schools

2010-09-23T08:58:00.008-05:00

Hillsborough County School District has begun their first semester using Spectrum's Flex Insight Desk, and the feedback has been outstanding. Check out the latest video from Bay News 9. Teachers love how the desk facilitates online learning, and students are inspired and uplifted when they "get behind the wheel" of a Flex Insight.

This is what Spectrum Industries is all about: we don't just make educational products, we deliver products that add value. Products that maximize learning, teaching, and training. Products that inspire!

Spectrum Industries Achieves Indoor Air Quality Certification

2010-09-16T11:54:00.011-05:00

Spectrum is very proud today to announce that we have achieved the prestigious Indoor Advantage certification from SCS!!!Where our manufacturing facilities are located, in the Northwoods of Wisconsin, people have a close attachment to nature and all the wonders it has to offer. Therefore it comes naturally to us to protect our environment by using clean materials, recycling at every opportunity, and being as energy-efficient as possible. Very few manufacturers can say they have won the highly regarded GSA Evergreen award, yet more and more manufacturers claim to be “green” companies.

So we felt that an independent 3rd party certification would be important. Not that it would be a big reach beyond what we already do for our surroundings, but it would give our actions and our words that much more credibility. Now, instead of just being known as a great steward to the environment, Spectrum Industries has proven that we care about the safety and health of our customers as well. Having our products certified for indoor air quality goes beyond our second-to-none customer service. Indoor Advantage certification says that we care about the people, and most importantly the children, that use our products every day.

When you open our 2011 catalog, we state on the very first page, “Spectrum Industries holds in highest regard our commitment to nature, to community, and to our customers.” With Indoor Advantage certification, that phrase is more than just nicely scripted words. That phrase proves true to what Spectrum is all about.

Special Media Director Sale

2010-09-02T14:23:00.018-05:00

The Media Director is one of Spectrum Industries’ highest all-time selling multimedia lecterns. This lectern is not only capable of handling high powered presentations, it can do so cleanly. The Media Director design is perfectly laid out so that instructors can run presentations in a well-organized manner. Does your lectern always seem to be cluttered, without enough space to even set down your coffee cup? The Media Director has well thought-out space, inside and out, for whatever you can give it: rack rail A/V equipment, document cameras, projectors, books, laptops, and yes, coffee cups.

For our fans of the original Media Director, Spectrum has recently manufactured a limited run and we are offering it at a greatly reduced price. Normally we sell the flip-up shelf and keyboard tray as options to the Media Director, but with this run, we are even adding both as standard. After these are gone, our high-quality lecterns will be sold at regular prices, so don’t miss out!

And a big thank you to all our loyal customers – this sale’s for you!

Spectrum Industries Becomes Top Fundraiser in Relay for Life

2010-08-06T13:04:00.006-05:00

Spectrum Industries’ continued dedication to the American Cancer Society has led to our earning 1st place fundraiser in the 2010 Chippewa County Relay for Life. This year’s theme is “More Birthdays”, and Spectrum is more than proud to help make a world with less cancer and more birthdays! Team leader Teresa Repaal once again put our team in great position with year-round events and sales. Thanks to her tireless efforts, Spectrum Industries has become an even stronger leader within the community.

Spectrum's team members pose with Relay for Life "Spotlight Survivor" Frank Schemberger. Shem, a stage 4 survivor, is not shy about his feelings on cancer!

Like to join us? To become a team member or to make a tax-deductible donation, click here.

Spectrum Industries, Inc. – A manufacturer since 1968; A participant in Relay for Life since 1998; A community leader at all times.

Crowdsourcing - It's All Academic

2010-07-23T13:47:00.005-05:00

Crowdsourcing - originally designed for the business world to outsource tasks. Don’t have the resources to take on a major project? Send that open call through the Net and communicate with the masses!

Not that crowdsourcing is without controversy – opponents will cite that terms and conditions are often tilted in favor of the one doing the sourcing, and that it’s not exactly the best way to build long-term interpersonal relationships. Regardless, there is a long laundry list of successful crowdsourcing campaigns, and it certainly reflects the intense social power of the Internet.

Recently, it looks as if the crowdsourcing buzz is making its way into academia. Which is not too entirely surprising since each tends to use best practices from the other when the situation fits. Kaitlyn cole recently published an article with onlineuniversities.com entitled “10 Awesome Examples of Crowdsourcing in the College Classroom” that cites some interesting ways that academia uses crowdsourcing.

As for Spectrum Industries, we love it when people “discover” us on the Net. We've had a lot of fun communicating on Facebook and letting people know more about us in Wikipedia, for starters. Feel free to write us back with any higher education solution that you’re thinking of – we’d be happy to help!

Mobile Video Conferencing for Professionals

2010-07-15T14:54:00.007-05:00

Are you in a Fortune 500 Firm or perhaps an Ivy League school that has the resources for a multi-million dollar telepresence conference room? Consider yourself lucky if you are – the majority of us don’t have the budget, floor space, or even ROI requirements to pull it off.

On the other hand, the “Have Laptop, Will Travel” Skype version is certainly effective for personal communication, but really lacks the professionalism of a true telepresence.

If you need a professional telepresence environment, but can’t convince the purse-holder to buy 4 flat screens and install a built-in sound system into the ceiling & walls, consider Spectrum’s Flat Screen Cart. The capability is certainly there: rack rail for the latest in audio visual equipment, perforated metal to deliver the best sound from in-cabinet speakers, and the highest-quality balloon wheels for ease of mobility.

If you’re really striving for a professional appearance, would you buy a simple box that happens to hold a monitor on top? Spectrum’s Flat Screen Cart is designed to be a piece of furniture that blends into a telepresence environment. Color, shape, and style are all designed into the corner columns, surface, and even handles.

This is flexibility; telepresence can occur in any room in a given building.

This is affordable telepresence; the ROI is much greater than a little-used conference room.

This is professionalism; as built into every Spectrum product.

Spectrum’s Flat Screen Cart comes in two standard heights and two standard colors. As an ISO 9001:2008 company with over 40 years of experience, we can customize the Flat Screen Cart to your satisfaction. As an Evergreen Award winner, Spectrum Industries can manufacture the Flat Screen Cart while being stewards to our environment.

TWO WOLVES

2010-07-05T10:10:00.003-05:00

In America, this 4th of July weekend was a time for reflection and pride. I believe it is a time to remember all of the selflessness that our forefathers (and Mothers) have given in the name of freedom.
Each of us has the oportunity to be the person we wish to be.
Below is an old Cherokee parable that gets to the root of it all.

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.
He said, "My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all.

"One is Evil - It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

"The other is Good - It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf wins?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

Spectrum Industries wishes everyone a happy and safe Independence Day.

What is your favorite color?

2010-06-21T09:18:00.001-05:00

While attending the NeoCon show this week I was surprised to see many products were displayed in the color of white. Almost all of the desk worksurfaces were white. With so many great laminate colors available I began to think, why would all the worksurfaces be white? One idea that came to mind is that white is neutral. Maybe the designers are trying to not offend someone with a color choice. With white, Interior Designers can imagine the desk in a color that matches the aesthetic of a room’s design.

Personally, I think choosing a color in a design is important. The best example I can think of is how you dream of owning a red sports car. Some people may even find the color of their dream car to be more important than the make or model.

Spectrum designed a neat blue point a care cart for a local hospital. The client, when presented with color options, chose a rich blue color matching their logo color. Now in the multitude of mobile equipment in the hospital whenever someone needs a point of care cart they refer to the, “Blue Cart.” I think matching the company’s logo reinforced the hospitals ownership in the design. Making color a powerful design tool. So ditch the white.

Happy Flag Day!

2010-06-14T15:22:00.005-05:00

Spectrum Industries is a proud American manufacturer of educational furniture. A red, white, and blue sticker is attached to everything we ship. As such, we especially honor the American Flag on this date.

From Betsy Ross being commissioned to make one of the first flags to Francis Scott Key immortalizing our flag in literature. From Old Glory being posted at Iwo Jima to the flag draped over the Pentagon on 9/11, the stars and stripes resemble freedom and liberty, and the united effort of individuals to overcome all odds.

It took such individuals as George Morris and Bernard J. Cigrand to raise awareness for the importance of flag observation, and such organizations as the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the American Flag Day Association to influence the country to officially observe the American Flag.

We at Spectrum continue this observance with every product we make and deliver!

Spectrum’s Flex Insight Desk – We Aim to Add Value

2010-06-11T08:31:00.006-05:00

Spectrum Industries has found that the best way to build long-term relationships with our customers is to provide products that add value to their lives. In line with today’s theme of trying to get the most out of what you have, our customers in education are using multi-purpose rooms to be as efficient as possible. So to provide them with the most value we can, we have added the Flex Insight Desk to our line of multi-use furniture.

We have manufactured desks that convert from a computer workstation to a lecture desk for almost 10 years now. Remember when CRT’s ruled the computer world? Spectrum made flat panel monitor products even then! But now that computers are so integral to learning, the traditional computer lab has become quite 1-dimensional. Educators have the need to be more efficient, and we have listened to them.

So when our customers see the Flex Insight, we are expecting that they will say, well, “Wow!” We have designed this desk to be easy enough for a child to use. The Flex Insight is not a computer desk that, with some doing, makes a decent lecture desk. It is an excellent ergonomic computer desk that readily converts into an excellent lecture desk with plenty of writing space. There is really no desk out there that can compare – not only in standard features, but in price.

Take a little time to read more about the Flex Insight on Spectrum’s website. But better yet, test-drive the Flex Insight Desk at a trade show near you. Here’s a schedule of where we’ll be. Come see the value that Spectrum Industries can bring into your life!

Spectrum LT Series Laptop Carts are still at the "Top of the Class!"

2010-06-06T10:59:00.001-05:00

Spectrum Industries is widely recognized as a leader in the innovative development of furnishings for learning environments. Some of the developments have been so accepted that they continue to be at the head of the class years after their introduction.

Spectrum introduced the LT series of laptop/notebook storage and charging carts in the middle of the last decade. However nearly 7 years later these user-friendly and technology friendly design is still un-matched in the market today.

What makes the design superior to others on the market you ask?
First and most importantly we listen. Our customers are instrumental in providing critical market and user feedback. By listening to them we are able to accommodate their needs from the start. Second, we carefully review the technology being incorporated into our products. Third, we include the highest quality material available, ensuring that our products will last as long as our customers need them. Fourth, we run each new product through a series of demanding performance tests. Each new product must meet or exceed ANSI/BIFMA standards before we release it to our customers. Fifth, our features are second to none. The unique pull-out laptop trays, the ease of mobility, the security built into each model and of course the incredible aesthetics make each cart something our customers are proud to display. Finally, we stand behind our products. Our goal is to exceed our customers expectations and we cannot do that without exceptional customer service.

Still not convinced? Well just listen to what our customers are saying about the products and service they receive
"You certainly have a great product and awesome customer satisfaction. Everyone loves the new carts. Thanks again. It's a pleasure doing business." NH customer

"They're great! We really like the Spectrum products. Thanks!" MD customer

"We absolutely love it. It's absolutely beautiful. Our technician saw it for the first time today and remarked as to what a quality piece it is. He has seen several carts and thinks this one far outshines the others." WI customer

"Spectrum Industries; quality, service, value. The best furniture investment we have made." CT Customer

eFPM Multi-Purpose Desk Video by Spectrum Industries

2010-06-06T08:45:00.002-05:00

Freedom Lectern Video by Spectrum Industries

2010-06-06T08:45:00.000-05:00

Model “A” Heaven

2010-06-01T10:59:00.013-05:00

On Wednesday May 26th, Spectrum Industries’ Bob Kensinger presented the Up North Model A Club with a tour of our facilities. While their owners were on tour, 15 beautifully restored Ford Model A’s graced our corporate parking lot. Spectrum employees and First Avenue travelers reveled in the show.

Officially located in Minocqua, WI, the Up North Model A Club consists of a group of 1928-1931 Model A owners from Northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The Up Nother’s enjoy their shared interests over breakfast, Christmas parties, restoring projects, and especially while touring throughout the summer. And since we at Spectrum appreciate a classic sense of style, we were thrilled to have them tour our community!

"Everything is bigger in Texas"

2010-05-28T15:10:00.007-05:00

Do you know if this is true or just a "tall tale?"
Like most truisms, as a native Texan I can tell you it depends on what you are talking (bragging) about.
I can say without hesitation one thing that just got bigger in Texas, Spectrum's sales force.

Statistics tell us that K-12 enrolment has been steadily increasing despite a lagging economy.

Texas’ public school enrollment increased by 20.1 percent over a 10-year period, despite enrollment declines in eight of the state’s 20 regions.
Enrollment in the public schools reached 4,749,571 by the 2008-2009 school year, which is an addition of 795,137 students over the past decade. On average, the state added 1.9 percent more students each year, according to a recently released report called Enrollment in Texas Public Schools 2008-2009, published by the Texas Education Agency’s Division of Accountability Research.

To support this growth Spectrum Industries has recruited two local representatives.

South Central Texas will be represented by:

Travis Rozacky

North Texas will be represented by:

Rob Wellman

Look them up using the rep finder feature on our web site. Or keep an eye out for the mail and email you might receive announcing a local or regional show that Travis or Rob are attending.

Spectrum prides itself in listening to what educators and administrators are looking for. Find out our solutions to the questions we have heard you ask.

Do you have a favorite "Texas jackalope" story? I'm sure Rob and Travis would enjoy listening.

You can also find out what is new at Spectrum by going to www.spectrumfiurniture.com.

Happy 118th Birthday Sierra Club!

2010-05-28T08:49:00.003-05:00

Spectrum Industries, Inc. would like to congratulate the Sierra Club on 118 years of environmental service and education. When famed conservationist and preservationist John Muir successfully campaigned to expand the Yosemite National Park in 1890, he set his sights higher to protect the Sierra Nevada. That progression has continued to this very day, and 1,300,000 members extend sustainability efforts throughout the United States.

One part of the Sierra Club Mission Statement especially rings true for Spectrum: To practice and promote the responsible use of the earth's ecosystems and resources. We have always taken the role of stewards of our environment very seriously. It’s not a fluke that we received the U. S. General Services Administration’s prestigious Evergreen Award. Spectrum prevents waste by recovering and recycling materials instead of releasing them into the environment. Our products are designed and manufactured intelligently with our customers’ health in mind. We take serious conservation efforts when it comes to using as little energy as possible in our manufacturing facilities.

To get our message to the masses, we recently have made major efforts in the area of Social Media. A local college student helped those efforts by making a Wikipedia page for us. It nearly failed, however, because it was so environmentally based that an editor compared it to “a tract for the Sierra Club”. Sorry, we’re not affiliated with the Sierra Club, but thanks for the comparison! And a huge “thank you” to Lindsey for helping us – you are awesome!

We at Spectrum Industries will continue to improve our sustainability efforts – hopefully with the same success the Sierra Club has achieved in their 118 years.

Is “Disability” Just an Ableist Word?

2010-05-26T15:08:00.010-05:00

Most of those that carry on in daily activities without using an aide have a skewed vision of those that use aids to walk, see, hear, eat, etc. We call them “disabled”. And what does that conjure in the mind? Someone who can’t do something.

Could I dunk a basketball like LeBron James? On a 10’ rim, no way. A torn left ACL and a torn right Achilles & the ensuing operations have limited those types of abilities. Give me an 8’ rim, however, and I’ll at least give you a good show. And that’s precisely it. Give those that use aides of whatever type their “8’ rim”, and they can do whatever the pros do, and in many cases, do it better.

We haven’t lost track of that here at Spectrum. We have a respectable history of working with the Stout Vocational Rehabilitation Institute to produce innovations that level the playing field. Our latest collaboration: a workstation for those with physical limitations. It is aimed at those pursuing math and science careers, but is capable of so much more. Please read the official Dunn County article for more information.
As a manufacturer, do we have a perfect plan to change ableist perceptions of the word “disabled’? Tough question. But we continue to use our research and development resources to find that next best 8’ rim.

Many thanks go to Jeff Annis and WHEELIE cATHOLIC for collaboration and inspiration, respectively.

What does that 8’ rim resemble in your world?

The Perfect Laptop Cart for the iPad!

2010-05-21T10:48:00.012-05:00

Everyone knows that the iPad is a hot item, and if you are fortunate enough to secure this technology for your classroom (Some people are having a hard time securing just one of them for their home), you certainly want to protect them and treat them with care!

Technology Director Terry Wynn from the Unified School District #218 in Elkhart, Kansas was kind enough to show us just how well the Spectrum Industries’ LT15 goes with the iPad. Newly reinforced outlets are dedicated for each unit, and each iPad rests horizontally on a tray that smoothly slides in and out, providing a completely user-friendly environment to store and charge iPads. And talking about smooth, the LT15 comes standard with 5” balloon wheels to ensure safe transport – you even have the choice of 4 swivel wheels or 2 rigid/2 swivel wheels at no extra cost. The comparison of balloon wheels to plastic casters is like night and day!

Really - Would you put iPads in a box with cheap casters? Imagine the wear and tear from putting them in and pulling them out of a slot, compounded by the vibration caused when you transport the iPads. Such a cart would not protect your iPad investment very well at all. Spectrum's LT15, on the other hand, is the model of protection, down to the custom double bolt lock as seen embedded in the door above.

If you’re able to get your hands on the best technology available, make a serious effort to use it with the best laptop cart available – Spectrum’s LT15.

Take a look at how Apple is revolutionizing education.

Thanks again for sharing, Terry!

TEAM

2010-05-20T07:44:00.008-05:00

Some goals in life seem as thought they can be reached without help from others. Sometimes this appears to be true, but if you look deeper you will see that all worthwile goals are supported by a team.
Are you a team player?

Excerpt from
Pulling Together....The 10 Rules for High Performance Teams,
by John Murphy

At the center of every high performance team is a common purpose - a mission that rises above and beyond each of the individual team members. To be successful, the team's interests and needs come first. This requires "we-opic" vision ("What's in it for we?"), a challenging step up from the common "me-opic" mind-set.

Effective team players understand that personal issues and personality differences are secondary to team demands. This does not mean abandoning who you are or giving up your individuality. On the contrary, it means sharing your unique strengths and differences to move the team forward. It is this "we-opic" focus and vision - this cooperation of collective capability - that empowers a team and generates synergy.

Cooperation means working together for mutual gain - sharing responsibility for success and failure and covering for one another on a moment's notice. It does not mean competing with one another at the team's expense, withholding important data or information to be "one up" on your peers, or submitting to "groupthink" by going along so as not to make waves. These are "rule breakers," that are direct contradictions to the "team first" mind-set.

High performance teams recognize that it takes a joint effort to synergize, generating power above and beyond the collected individuals. It is with this spirit of cooperation that effective teams learn to capitalize on individual strengths and offset individual weaknesses, using diversity as an advantage.

Effective teams also understand the importance of establishing cooperative systems, structures, incentives and rewards. We get what we inspect, not what we expect. Think about it. Do you have team job descriptions, team performance reviews and team reward systems? Do you recognize people by pitting them against standards of excellence, or one another? What are you doing to cultivate a team-first, cooperative environment in this competitive, "me-opic" world?

To embrace the team-first rule, make sure your team purpose and priorities are clear. What is your overall mission? What is your game plan? What is expected of each team member? How can each member contribute most effectively? What constants will hold the team together? Then stop and ask yourself, are you putting the team first?

Spectrum Industries understand that without team work with our partners, customers, sales people, employees and community we could not reach the goals we aspire to.

Who will you help today?

How Can Wellness Help Your Workplace?

2010-05-18T15:20:00.005-05:00

Did you know that Wednesday May 19th is National Employee Health & Fitness Day? Founded in 1989 by the National Association for Health & Fitness, NEHF is a national health observance, created to promote the benefits of physical activity for individuals through their work site health promotion activities.

For our part, Spectrum Industries employees will have 4 different slots available for “power” walks (degree of power up to the individual…), and Spectrum management will provide water to quench thirsts.
With a great program in place, your organization can experience better overall health and productivity.

Benefits For Employers:
Enhanced employee productivity
Improved health care costs management
Decreased rates of illness and injuries
Reduced employee absenteeism
Develops employee leadership skills

Benefits For Employees:
Lower levels of stress
Increased well-being, self-image and self-esteem
Improved physical fitness
Increased stamina
Potential weight reduction

Taking care of yourself not only improves the quality of your workplace, but also your home life as well. Please visit the National Association for Health & Fitness website to find the best program to suit your workplace needs!

How healthy is your workplace environment?

Spectrum Industries Named 2010 Business of the Year Chippewa County

2010-05-14T13:28:00.006-05:00

“We guarantee complete customer satisfaction.” -David Hancock, Spectrum Industries President/CEO

Complete customer satisfaction, community involvement, and innovation employees are a couple key dynamics that contributed to Spectrum Industries recent achievement. Yesterday, Thursday, May 13, the Chippewa County Economic Development Corporation (CCEDC) announced its 2010 Business' of the Year, and Spectrum Industries was named the 2010 Business of the Year Chippewa County (Quadrant 3 for Chippewa Falls location).

Since April 1968, Spectrum Industries has been providing high-quality furniture and product solutions to businesses and educational institutions; in 2009, over 1,700 different products were manufactured and shipped from the Chippewa Falls-based facility.

As many educational institutions and businesses have downsized during the recent economic downturn, Spectrum sees the current marketplace as recovering. Spectrum strives to strategically plan ahead for future changes and opportunities. One of the ways Spectrum has maintained its longevity and strategic goals is through the quality products it produces. “We guarantee complete customer satisfaction,” said David Hancock, Spectrum Industries president. Customer satisfaction is a top priority for the approximated 200 employees at Spectrum Industries; additionally employee satisfaction is important to management. Spectrum is especially pleased with the hard working, and innovative workforce available in the Chippewa Valley. “These attributes are at the core of our success and will be the reason we continue to expand and succeed moving forward,” said Hancock.

Spectrum gives back to the community in which it operates. It currently supports Junior Achievement events, sponsors a Relay for Life team and supports the United Way to name a few. Community involvement offers a way for Spectrum to impact the Chippewa Valley through volunteerism and other events. To show the company’s commitment to social responsibility, being an ethical and community-minded corporate citizen is one of the tenents of the Spectrum Industries’ mission statement. This mindset has led to the pursuit of environmentally-friendly operations and sustainability endeavors.

Spectrum is proud of the acknowledgements and awards it has received; including the most recent recognition - 2010 Business of the Year Chippewa County. “Receiving recognition affirms that our decisions have been good ones for the company, for our employees and for the community,” said Hancock. “With so much to offer, there is a bright future for all of the existing firms in Chippewa County and a significant draw exists for bringing in new employers and organizations."

Spectrum's vLT - The Ultimate Value in Laptop Carts

2010-05-13T07:47:00.005-05:00

The end of the school year is looming. The cheap laptop cart in your department is falling apart, and you'd like to get another with the meager amount left over in the budget. But do you really want another junky laptop cart?

Please do your faculty and your students a favor and take a look at Spectrum Industries' vLT line of laptop carts. With our latest line of laptop carts, we have focused on the basics that our loyal customers enjoy most: laptop security and superior mobility at value pricing.The panels and doors are made from 16 gauge steel, and the wheels are 5" soft-ride balloon wheels. With double-bolt locks and a manageable footprint, we have designed and delivered the security and mobility that our customers wanted most in a laptop cart.

Of course, we didn't necessarily stop there. Like all of our laptop carts, we added a 1" high pressure laminated worksurface. As such, the vLT doesn't look like just another metal box with wheels that happens to hold laptops. This laptop cart actually looks like custom furniture, and with a riser podium, the vLT could double as a lectern!

Spectrum Industries, Inc. - Manufacturer of quality laptop carts since 1995.

Not Every Box Comes With a Warranty...

2010-05-12T09:15:00.008-05:00

Have you heard a bout the 'suspicious' package left outside a Florida Church?

That's right a couple days ago a cardboard box was left outside the Seminole County Church in Florida; the note on the 40-pound bundle said, simply, "For Pastor Nick."

In the old days, someone would have taken it inside and opened it. However, a church member who found the package on the doorstep thought the corrugated box secured with duct tape might be dangerous.

So he took the 'suspicious' box to a nearby fire station to have it checked out. The Seminole County Sheriff's Office bomb squad couldn't figure out what was inside even after the box was X-rayed.

So, deputies blew it up...

The Result
More than $2,500 in paper money was turned into confetti! That's right this 'suspicious' box was meant to be an anonymous donation to the Seminole County Church.

Fortunately, the church won't be out any money, though, because the U.S. Treasury will replaced damaged paper money.

Although we do not expect any of our products to be blown up upon arrival, we have 10 year product warranty just in case.

Spectrum's Guarantee

We guarantee all Spectrum products to be free of all defects in materials and workmanship, for the original owner, for a period of ten years. Any item deemed defective by Spectrum or the original manufacturer, under normal use conditions, will be repaired or replaced at Spectrum’s discretion. For more information on our product warranty visit our website.

And, as an added bonus all of our products are American Made!

For more information on Spectrum's products visit our website.

Food for thought: Have we become too suspicious in the post 9/11 world? What would you have done if it was you that found the box?

Solving School Challenges In a More Collaborative Way - 'Crowdsourcing'

2010-05-10T09:08:00.009-05:00

Feds turn to ‘crowdsourcing’ for educational innovation

Education technology advocates hope that a new national online community will inspire entrepreneurs and educators to team up in developing and funding innovative solutions to some of education’s most persistent challenges.

The Open Innovation Portal, launched by the U.S. Education Department (ED) with help from IBM’s cloud-computing solutions and Spencer Trask Collaborative Innovations (STCI), aims to address educational challenges ranging from high school dropout rates to low reading, math, and science scores.

The initiative is part of a new White House effort to encourage innovative collaboration across all industry sectors. To do this, federal officials are turning to a process known as “crowdsourcing,” in which officials tap the collective wisdom of a large group of people through the power of the Internet, to inspire new practices and creative solutions to systemic problems.

President Obama recently challenged cabinet officers to have every federal department be able to openly discuss innovative solutions with the public in the next 18 months.

“The national, state, and local governments are basically at a point where old ways of fixing problems are not working,” explained Mike Turillo, chief operating officer and vice chairman for STCI, an organization that helps bridge the private sector with local communities. “They’re saying, ‘I give up,’ and are now willing to embrace change and innovation, because that’s all that’s left. They’re embracing a paradigm shift to innovation and collaboration, because without collaboration across all sectors, nothing will get solved—and everyone’s starting to realize this.”

Learn more about what inspired the collaborative ideas, as well as, how cloud-computing works at eSchool News.

Additionally, organizations and businesses can post “challenges” to the portal. For example, IBM is providing $500,000 in technical service grants through the Open Innovati on Portal to support educational innovations that can bring measurable and sustainable improvements in K-12 student and school performance and teacher effectiveness. During 2010, IBM will offer five separate challenges on the portal to identify the best ideas for integrating advanced IBM education technologies within local education agencies (LEAs) to drive higher student achievement.

Visit the Open Innovation Portal at https://innovation.ed.gov/index/

To learn more about Spectrum's advanced solutions for integrating educational technologies into the classroom visit our website.

References
eSchoolNews
Open Innovation Portal
U.S. Education Department (ED)
Spencer Trask Collaborative Innovations (STCI)

National Nurses Week: "Caring Today for a Healthier Tomorrow"

2010-05-07T12:55:00.007-05:00

Here at Spectrum Industries we are committed to "making a difference to the circle-of-care" by manufacturing product that support stationary and mobile technology used within the health care industry.

Since we are embarking on National Nurses Week (May 6 through 12), it only makes sense to thank our nurses, and all health care professional, for their dedication to medicine.

Often described as an art and a science, nursing is a profession that embraces dedicated people with varied interests, strengths and passions because of the many opportunities the profession offers. Nurses work in emergency rooms, school based clinics, and homeless shelters, to name a few; and they have many roles – from staff nurse to educator to nurse practitioner and nurse researcher – and serve all of them with passion for the profession and with a strong commitment to patient safety.
This year’s theme for National Nurses Week is “Caring Today for a Healthier Tomorrow.”

For more information on Spectrum's health care products visit our website to contact your local sales representative or view Spectrum Industries Custom Solutions PowerPoint on SlideShare.

Also visit Spectrum Industries at the American Teleme dicine Association 2 0 10 (ATA) Booth #1527. Spectrum Territory Sales Manager, Sue Emerson, will be featuring a Telemedicine Cart.

ATA is next weekend, May 16th - 18th, at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, TX.

Be sure to visit Sue at Booth #1527 to see what’s new at Spectrum Industries.

Thank you to all the nurses—retired and practicing—caring today for a healthier tomorrow!

Magical Mushrooms (It's Not What You're Thinking)

2010-05-06T09:42:00.009-05:00

Ingenuity and environment are two things Spectrum Industries takes very seriously.
Environmental Sustainability directs our every-day activities, and ingenuity keeps us connected to our customers.

The story below is from the Eco Salon website. It is American ingenuity at its best.

As a cook and someone fairly knowledgeable about nutrition, I know mushrooms are delicious and that they may have amazing healing powers.

But mushrooms have other powers – perhaps even magical enough to heal our environment. They can turn the gunky, thick, toxic oil from an environmental disaster into perfectly good soil.

In the aftermath of the Cosco Busan oil spill in San Francisco Bay last November, woven mats of human hair were used to absorb the oil from the beaches. Oyster mushrooms were layered between the oil-soaked mats and allowed to work their magic.

In just 12 weeks, the mushrooms consumed the oil and the hair, turning the whole mess into soil. When you think about the fact that the hair waste from salons usually goes into landfill and that oil from oil spills is generally incinerated after it’s cleaned up, this is an improvement on a massive scale.

The story is almost as much an example of the power of human ingenuity as it is proof of the mighty mushroom’s magic. In 1998, San Franciscan, Lisa Gautier, founded a non-profit called Matter of Trust that matches up man-made and natural surplus materials to give to needy non-profits.

As one of the many projects she’s working on, she collects human hair from salons all over the country to make mats for the San Francisco Department of the Environment to use to clean up motor oil.

After the spill, she donated the mats and hundreds of volunteers fanned out to absorb the oil from the beaches with hair mats. To me, this magical mushroom story proves that the natural world has a lot to teach us, if only we’ll listen.

Do you have the desire to be a part of the solution? If you are so inclined there are numerous ways to help. One site for information is the Mother Nature Network.

To see the lates steps Spectrum Industries has taken to continouosly reduce our ecological footprint go to our Environmental Impact statement.

It's Teacher Appreciation Week!

2010-05-05T09:38:00.005-05:00

Did you know that every year the National PTA sets aside the first week in May to celebrate the amazing contributions of teachers around the country?

That's right, this year Teacher Appreciation Week is this week, May 3rd-7th. This is the perfect time for Administrators, Academic Advisors, students, parents and community members to show their teachers just how important they are to the success of the school.

Here are 8 tips for celebrating teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week or anytime throughout the year.

1. Hold a Teacher Appreciation breakfast or luncheon. During the event, hand out teacher awards. "Most likely to..." awards are an excellent addition because it is easy to include everyone in the celebration. Find free certificates at Certificate Street.

2. Organize student's sports team to play against teacher volunteer teams in front of the whole school. Bands, choirs, and cheerleaders can perform special routines celebrating teachers.

3. Display teacher appreciation bulletin boards throughout the school. One idea is to place a baby picture of every teacher, organized by grade level, and allow grade levels to attempt to guess the teachers in each photo.

4. Hold a raffle for teachers in which administrators and/or advisors switch roles with teachers. Vow to cover their class for a few hours while they observe other teachers, plan a unit, or relax in the teacher's lounge.

5. Hand out a small stack of personalized notepads to each teacher. Design and print the notepads yourself or organize a team of student volunteers to create the notepads at notepads or sticky notes for teachers.

6. Read or email a teacher poem a day. Here are 10 ready made teacher poems.

7. Place small, thoughtful treats in teachers' mailboxes daily to remind them how important they are. Items can include candy bar minis, pens, pencils, mugs, tote bags, hand written notes, stationary, stickers, teacher supplies such as whiteboard markers, etc.

8. Say "Thank You" and give your teacher a hug to recognize their hard work and dedication to enhancing the knowledge of our future generations.

How will you recognize your teachers?

Look for more ideas at:

Learning Today

National PTA

Education World

Securing Your School from the Inside Out

2010-05-03T09:00:00.006-05:00

Let’s face it: The threats to your schools’ security—both physical and electronic—are getting more and more sophisticated. And the best tool for protecting your schools against these threats, according to experts, might surprise you: a robust, IP-based network.

It goes without saying that a well-designed and well-secured network can help keep data thieves from targeting your schools. But a robust network also is an advantage as video surveillance cameras, alarm systems, emergency-alert systems, and other security tools become converged on a single IP-based network.

Using a single communications infrastructure, you can remotely manage and control all the security tools you have at your disposal, quickly and easily. That means you can be more proactive in preventing an attack—and more effective in responding if one should occur.

Although a robust IP-based network may be the most efficient way to protect your school, there are additional ways to be proactive about protecting your electronic products. That is why Spectrum Industries has created a line of laptop and notebook carts and cabinets.

Spectrum has been manufacturing laptop storage and charging carts since 1995. Recently, our customers’ needs have focused on laptop security and the increased mobility of laptop carts. In turn, we have designed robust laptop carts – using the same quality that Spectrum has always been known for – to suit the needs of today’s learning environment.

Spectrum laptop carts combine vault-like laptop security with ease in mobility to provide resourceful laptop carts for the classroom environment. Although the our carts are undeniably heavy-duty laptop carts, they feature a lightweight footprint with high-quality balloon casters to provide easy laptop access within a classroom or between separate classrooms.

Our custom made double-bolt lock provides the utmost in laptop security, whereas our competition often uses padlocks on their laptop carts that any bolt cutters can quickly bypass. We use 16 gauge steel as a frame for our laptop carts, carefully ventilated to offset heat buildup from the laptops charging inside. Our 1” thick high-pressure laminated bases and tops add a touch of class without sacrificing laptop security – as opposed to carting around a simple steel box offered by other manufacturers.

In addition to our laptop carts, Spectrum has designed a laptop locker that provides ventilated laptop security for up to 8 laptops per module. It is designed to be bolted to the floor and/or wall to provide the ultimate in laptop anti-theft security. The Secure Laptop Locker is constructed of 16-gauge steel and laptops within are protected by a double-bolt lock to provide vault-like laptop security. The Secure Laptop Locker is modular so that units can be bolted together for expansion needs.

Whether you are looking to store 8 or 30 laptops Spectrum's laptop and notebook carts and cabinets are easy solutions for your laptop management needs; providing easy-access storage, re-charging, security and mobility for laptops one classroom at a time.

For more information on choosing the right security solutions for your students and schools visit the eSchool News archives, and for more information of Spectrum Industries line of laptop carts visit Spectrum Industries website.

Spectrum Industries - manufacturer of laptop security systems for over 15 years.

Parents, Alumni, and other Stakeholders Did You Know That You Can Get Interactive With Your School?

2010-04-30T15:22:00.013-05:00

The days of using the Internet as merely a one-way supplier of news are over. With social media tools encouraging a back- and-forth exchange of information, parents, alumni, and other stakeholders can participate directly in the life of their school.

School districts have figured out the great lesson of the web 2.0 takeover of the last decade: The Internet works much more powerfully as a two-way street than it does when information flows in only one direction.

"Today's web is much more than an electronic bulletin board,” says Peggi Munkittrick, senior director of product strategy at State College, PA-based Schoolwires. Peggi's company has developed a website and community management system that integrates a district’s online communication effort via a single, unified platform, using surveys, forms, blogs, and other features to bring a district in closer touch with its constituents. “As web 2.0 technology evolves,” Munkittrick says, “and as social media gets incorporated into more and more websites, a growing number of districts are taking the interactive route.”

By taking the interactive route schools are now extending out to a full slate of social media hotspots—pages on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn—therefore as school districts move forward with amendments, referendums, and similar plans they can use online tools to engage the community and alumni.

Although school districts used to simply distribute school news over the Internet, this is a new type of community involvement, and it’s now a standard way of doing business among K-12 districts that want to stay current.

What are your thoughts on using social media and online tools to engage community and alumni?

Reference:

2010 April Issue of The Journal

Find Spectrum Industries on Wikipedia

2010-04-27T14:39:00.006-05:00

That's right we are spreading our e-marketing wings so you can keep up with what's new at Spectrum.

Recently, an article about Spectrum Industries was added to Wikipedia! Seeing as Spectrum is a SBA-certified small business based in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, this article was added as a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of the U.S. state of Wisconsin on Wikipedia; within the scope of WikiProject Wisconsin.

What's on the Wikipedia Page?

Everything from a company overview and history to our environmental responsibility and community involvement.

Visit our Wikipedia Page for more information!

How Else Can You Keep Up With Spectrum?

Like what we are doing on Facebook

Watch our videos on YouTube

Connect with us on LinkedIn

Visit our Website
Or Blog with us here

What additional networking outlets would you like to see Spectrum using?

Why Buy American Made Products?

2010-04-23T13:07:00.010-05:00

When this question is asked, most Americans may not really be that concerned as to why they should purchase American made products. Americans, specifically middle class Americans, should definitely be concerned with the buy American issue.

Why? Because they are the ones being most affected, whether they know it or not. For example, on the way to work one might complain about how his or her salary is decreasing while at the same time wearing an imported outfit and driving a foreign car. Yet, as the economy shifts into a recession and globalization increases, more and more Americans are becoming educated as to why this is happening and the importance of buying American.

Why the push to buy American now?
The reason being that drastic numbers of Americans are losing their jobs or taking pay cuts due to the negative effects of deindustrialization.

One solution, Americans should buy American made products. This is true because once Americans start buying more American goods the demand for them will increase. As a result of the rising demand, more factories or plants will be developed. Many good job opportunities will then be available. Not only will the manufacturers benefit, openings in higher paying fields will increase. Hence, when all this is put into action many Americans will be on better economic standing. That means they will once again have high buying power. Rising profits for American base business and their employees will take place. All of this combined will keep the U.S economy and its citizens financially healthy. Sounds good right?

But in order to achieve this, all Americans must be properly informed by the government, as to why they should buy American.

So what's the government doing?
One example of government support of the 'Buy American' phenomenon plays into the recently developed American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, abbreviated ARRA and commonly referred to as the Stimulus or The Recovery Act. The ARRA is an economic stimulus package enacted by the 111th United States Congress in February 2009.

The stimulus was intended to create jobs and promote investment and consumer spending during the recession. The rationale for the stimulus comes out of the Keynesian economic tradition that argues that government spending should be used to cover the output gap created by the drop in consumer spending during a recession.

Additionally, the ARRA provides billions of dollars to strengthen education through the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund (SFSF); Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA); Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA); Pell Grants; Federal Work-Study; and other programs. It also provides support for adults with disabilities through the Vocational Rehabilitation State Grants program and the Independent Living programs authorized under the Rehabilitation Act.

Included in the ARRA is the Buy American provision (Section 1605), which is intended to encourage the ARRA funds be spent on American products.

More from the experts:
Some additional information from the Florida Department of Education concerning the Buy American (Section 1605) Provision...

“If an LEA (Local Education Agency) uses Education Stabilization funds for modernization, renovation, or repair of public school facilities or for construction of new school facilities, the LEA must comply with specific requirements relating to the use of American iron, steel, and manufactured goods used in the project. (See Section 1605 of the ARRA.)” www.fldoe.org/arra/word/rfa.doc

“Additionally, if a state uses VR (Vocational Rehabilitation) ARRA funds for construction, it must comply with specific requirements relating to the use of American iron, steel and manufactured goods used in the project (ARRA section 1605), …” www.fldoe.org/arra/word/vrfFG.doc

“For any project funded through the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund, the Local Educational Agency will comply with Section 1605 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (requiring the use of American iron, steel, and manufactured goods)…” www.fldoe.org/ARRA/word/Assurances.doc

“Additionally, if a state or LEA uses IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) Part B ARRA funds for construction, it must comply with specific requirements relating to the use of American iron, steel and manufactured goods used in the project (ARRA section 1605), …” www.fldoe.org/arra/word/IDEAGuidance.doc

Click here to view downloadable documents outlining available ARRA funding for each state.

*Spectrum Industries Inc., is a manufacturer of products made in the USA.

Additional References:
http://ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/factsheet/stabilization-fund.html

http://www.betterhighschools.org/ARRA.asp
http://uscode.house.gov/uscode-cgi/fastweb.exe?getdoc+uscview+t41t42+22+1++(41)%20%20AND%2

http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/state-fact-sheets/index.html

Remebering the plea, 18 years later

2010-04-22T08:38:00.002-05:00

Severn Cullis-Suzuki, Environmental Activist

It’s hard to cover the amazing things kids and teens are doing to help the environment without mentioning Severn Cullis-Suzuki. Severn made a giant splash on the international scene when she presented at the first international Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1992 at the age of 12.

She is known as “the girl who silenced the world for five minutes.”

After single-handedly raising the money to travel to Brazil, Severn represented the Environmental Children’s Organization (ECO), the environmental nonprofit she founded with some friends at the age of 10, and spoke on behalf of concerned youth to an international audience.

She brought delegates to a standing ovation, and some to tears, after calling out world leaders for failing to protect younger generations from environmental issues.

Severn continues to speak, write and campaign on behalf of the environment today.

Spectrum Industries, Inc. is committed to its pursuit of environmental sustainability through proactive waste prevention, material recovery and recycling, environmentally conscious product design and procurement and being a model facility for our community and industry.

Thinking Green for Earth Day Week: What's Green at Spectrum?

2010-04-21T10:01:00.012-05:00

Going green has always been a good idea. Conspicuous consumption of resource and profligate production of waste might make sense if energy, raw materials, and landfill space were unlimited, but those conditions have never really existed on this planet. Despite the fact that environmental awareness - "green" thinking - is a relatively recent phenomenon, Spectrum Industries stepped up to the plate several years ago.

In fact, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) awarded Spectrum Industries the GSA Evergreen Awards (under the furniture category) in 2007.

Spectrum strives to be a model facility in both the furniture industry and the community; implementing environmental sustainability initiatives which include waste prevention, material recovery and recycling, and environmentally conscious product design.

What exactly is Spectrum doing to reduce their environmental footprint?

Since 1998, Spectrum has used powder-coating technology as a replacement for solvent- based finishes, reducing the combined air emissions of Volatile Organix Compounds (VOCs) by 60%. Spectrum has also teamed up with another firm, Comprehensive Recycling, to collect and recover plastic material resulting from the manufacturing process for recycling and reuse.

Additionally, when Spectrum acquired a new manufacturing facility and corporate headquarters in 2005, we purchased several acres of wetland which we will continue to preserve in all future expansions and facility improvements.

Then in 2007, Spectrum installed a new environmentally conscious paint line and wash system in our new facility, which saves energy by operating at room temperature, eliminating the need to heat the wash solution. During the wash any excess cleaning solution is captured, filtered and recycled.

What's green in 2010?

This marks the third year that Spectrum Industries’ employees have cleaned the company grounds for Earth Day. The big difference in 2010, however, is that there is not as much to do. Due in part to the successes of prior years, keeping the facilities at 925 1st Avenue and 1600 Johnson Street has become more proactive. As early as Mother Nature allows, all parking lots are swept of sand and salt to prevent undesirable runoff into the adjacent streets and wetlands. Overgrown shrubs and trees are now pruned well in advance of Earth Day. Spectrum’s approximately 6 acres, and neighboring properties, are consistently kept clean by employees.
That’s not to say that Spectrum employees won’t be outside again tomorrow for Earth Day. It’s just that it won’t take all day this year to accomplish the entire cleanup!

Spectrum Industries is committed to positively impacting the world’s environment; thus, we will continue to pursue improvements through proactive waste prevention material recovery and recycling, environmentally conscious product design and procurement and by being a model facility.

Click here for more information on Spectrum's Environmental Impact

What would you like to see Spectrum do to make the world a little greener?

Spectrum's Classic Products: Media Manager & Media Director

2010-04-19T10:05:00.001-05:00

Classic lecterns become the benchmark in the industry; the Media Manager and Media Director are staple products in our lectern line, and they are flexible enough to accommodate the needs of virtually any classroom.

Spectrum Industries has been designing audio-visual instruction and presentation lecterns for several decades now. In that period of time, we have modeled ourselves as champions of continuous improvement. Our lecterns are certainly no exception – each model we release reflects the most recent customer input combined with diligent and conscientious product design.

Over the years instruction and presentation requirements have changed to adapt the audio-visual technology of today. Some customers want multi-media rich classrooms. Others want accessible, maneuverable lecterns. Most everyone wants equipment that allows for instructional and presentation adaptability. As needs change and technologies advance, the Media Manager and Media Director lecterns have consistently kept our customers satisfied for decades.

Media Manager
Occasionally a product comes along that does so much, for so many that it becomes the benchmark in the industry. The Media Manager is one of those products. It comes standard with all the features customers have asked for. At the top of the list is accessibility, maneuverability, and ease of integration. Besides the standard features, accessories can be added onto the Media Manager for classroom customization, such as the flip-up document camera/task shelf.

Media Director
Spectrum’s Media Director Lectern is designed to simplify the integration and functionality of audio-visual rich, multi-media classrooms.

We've designed the Media Director so that integrating one couldn't be easier. As with all of our lecterns front and rear rack-rail equipment mounting simplifies installation for any equipment configuration with enough space for an internal CPU. Standard rack rail brackets allow the front and rear rack rails to be moved further inside the unit, if necessary, to accommodate larger knobs and plugs.

The Media Director is the perfect tool to professionally control your larger training environments with ease. Ideal applications include college and university learning environments, corporate and government training rooms and any other A/V instructional environment.

Both the Media Manager and the Media Director are staple products in our lectern line, and they are flexible enough to accommodate the needs of virtually any classroom. Contact your local sales representative to learn more about our special offer on the Media Manager and Media Director or visit Spectrum’s website!

Does the iPad have Potential for Education?

2010-04-16T09:06:00.008-05:00

Teaching students...one app at a time. iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad apps are transforming the way teachers teach and students learn.

That's right, move over Millennials, you are not the younger generation anymore. Today all eyes are on the 'iGeneration'. Teens, ages 12-17, have been coined the 'iGeneration' for their use of technology products like the iPhone and Wii gaming system; additionally, they have an 'I' or individualized, customizable attitude.

The iGeneration has the world at their fingertips when it comes to technology, and they are only limited by budget when it comes to getting their hands on items like Apple's new iPad.

Just how hardwired is the iGeneration for digital connections?

Change is happening fast, and as you can see by this graph technology devices are not only in the hands of today's students but they are one of the main instruments used to access information. Thus, one may inference that the education field needs to embrace this technology and use it, to close the student-teacher information-gap.

Researchers and educators have agreed that the iPad definitely has a place in the classroom, but they could be cost-prohibitive. Currently, some schools are using Notebooks which cost about $150 each compared to the iPad ranging from $499 to $899.

Nonetheless, some educators have gone so far as to say they would consider purchasing their own iPad to bring into the classroom. Teachers agree that the device's touch screen would be very useful, especially if they could hook the iPad up to the projector; it would make classroom presentations much easier.

What makes the iPad different, and perhaps more useful within the educational field, from other handheld devices?

The iPad has its own software development kit; the iPad runs on the core iPhone operating system, but it is a new platform with more screen real estate and more memory and storage space. As a result, this may allow a whole new class of gaming and educational apps to come to market.

Textbooks, for example, may look and feel very different in a just a few years, thanks in part to the introduction of the iPad. Educators will no longer be thinking in terms of static publications, instead they will be using dynamic content with animation, movies, video, and other multimedia built into it. Ultimately, the iPad could lead to building interactive, dynamic applications that students can carry around with them.

From math games to vocabulary flash cards to anatomy visualizers, there is an app for every subject and every level of instruction — from preschool to higher education. Read more about how schools are integrating apps into the classroom here.

What do you think, Notebook or iPad? Or should we ask those in charge of funding, what is more realistic Notebook or iPad?

References

http://thejournal.com/Articles/2010/01/27/Measuring-the-iPads-Potential-for-Education.aspx?Page=2
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2010-02-10-igeneration10_CV_N.htm

http://www.apple.com/education/why-apple/

"A PARENT'S NOTE TO A TEACHER"

2010-04-15T08:25:00.007-05:00

Spectrum Industries Inc. has chosen to take a business path that follows in the steps of teachers and educators. Our success, we feel, is directly related to our desire to support educators in managing the latest educational tools.

Whether it is the first year of your child’s education, or you are about to start a career of your own remember; as the end of the school year rushes closer, don't forget to thank the teachers in your life for all of their hard work!

"I'm the voice of a grateful parent whose child was in your class...
the one who needed help to find his way.

You've been a special blessing as you helped my child succeed
and I'm thankful for the part you had to play.

You gave him so much more than just the lessons in the books
you gave him wings...so he could learn to fly.

You ignited a flame within his soul a passion to learn and grow...
to never give up and always be willing to try.

Your encouragement inspired him and your kindness was so real
but the thing that thrills my heart the most is this... by building
his self-confidence you changed his life this year.

He believes in himself...and a brighter future is his!"

by Anonymous

This heartfelt letter was published on http://www.simpletruths.com/

Six Technologies That Will Shape Education

2010-04-14T09:13:00.008-05:00

Researchers suggest gaming and mobile devices are among the six technologies that will have a major positive impact on K-12 education in the next few years.

"The 2010 Horizon Report: K-12 Edition" released this week by the New Media Cons ortium (NMC) in collaboration with the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN), discusses six technologies that will shape education in the next 5 years. The report also highlights critical educational challenges in that time frame, including challenges that may require fundamental changes to the way we educate in the United States.

The annual Horizon Report focuses on the key technology areas that researchers identify as likely to have a major impact on educational institutions and other learning-focused organizations within the next five years, broken down into the technologies that will have an impact in the near term, those that are in the early stages of adoption, and those that are a bit further out.

Top Six Technologies for the Next Five Years

One Year or Less: Cloud Computing and Collaborative Environments

Cloud computing refers to surplus computing resources available from specialized data centers, each often hosting thousands of servers, that power the world’s largest websites and web services. Growing out of research in grid computing, cloud computing transforms once-expensive resources like disk storage and processing cycles into a readily available, cheap commodity. Development platforms layered onto the cloud infrastructure enable thin-client, web-based applications for image editing, word processing, social networking, and media creation. Cloud computing can offer significant cost savings in terms of IT support, software, and hardware expenses. It has become common for schools to use cloud-based applications to manage calendars, rosters, grade books, and communication between school and home. The report's researchers said cloud computing has seen dramatic uptake by schools over the past twelve months including uses such as work on peer review and editing of writing projects using Google Docs.

Collaborative environments are online spaces where the focus is on making it easy to collaborate and work in groups, no matter where the participants may be.

Two to Three Years: Game-Based Learning and Mobile Devices

Game-based learning and mobile technologies (particularly the blurring of cellular networks and other types of networks) will play a key role in education, according to the report. Gaming, the authors wrote, has several advantages for education, "but the greatest potential of games for learning lies in their ability to foster collaboration and engage students deeply in the process of learning."

Four to Five Years: Augmented Reality and Flexible Displays

Augmented reality refers to the convergence of various media tools and mobile applications to create "a portable tool for discovery-based learning, enhancing the information available to students when visiting historical locations, doing field work, interacting with real-world objects, and even paging through books."

Flexible screens that can wrap around curved surfaces are in prototype, as are small, very thin interactive screens. Flexible screen technology allows displays to be literally printed onto plastic, along with the batteries that power them, enabling the sorts of live motion displays previously only hinted about in the world of Harry Potter; believed to be the new paper or electronic paper.

The report's authors cited several examples of schools using these technologies successfully and included links for further reading on each topic point. Access full report here (pdf version).

K-12 Technology Challenges

Beyond the six technologies identified as significant for the next five years, the report also looked at the challenges facing education institutions. This year's report cited five challenges that the authors identified as "critical." They include:

1. Inadequate digital media literacy training for teachers;
2. Out of date learning materials and teaching practices;
3. Lack of agreement on how education should evolve, despite widespread agreement that change is needed;
4. A failure of education institutions to adapt to informal education, online education, and home-based learning; and
5. Lack of support for or acknowledgement of forms of learning that usually occur outside the classroom.

References
http://www.nmc.org/pdf/2010-Horizon-Report-K12.pdf
http://thejournal.com/articles/2010/04/13/6-technologies-that-will-shape-education.aspx
http://www.nmc.org/
http://www.cosn.org/

School budget cuts will be noticeably more significant for 2010-11

2010-04-12T10:31:00.000-05:00

57 percent of school leaders say they’ll have to delay tech purchases in 2010-11...

Although the economy has begun to rebound, K-12 education leaders say they are still facing serious budget shortfalls for the coming school year that threaten their ability to implement new technologies, raise the quality of instruction in their classrooms, and close achievement gaps among students.

Released April 8, Cliff Hanger: How America’s Public Schools Continue to Feel the Impact of the Economic Downturn,” the latest in a series of national surveys from the American Association of School Administrators (AASA), identifies a number of key challenges that are compounding an already tough situation.

Continued budget strains at the state and local levels will be exacerbated next year when the federal stimulus funding ends, the survey suggests—a phenomenon referred to as the “funding cliff.”

And though President Obama’s federal budget plan for fiscal year 2011 requests $4 billion more for education than the previous year, the administration is proposing to shift a greater percentage of federal dollars from formula-based grants to competitive grants—a move that school leaders fear will further squeeze their limited resources.

The results are likely to include more budget cuts, more job cuts, and fewer resources for programs and personnel, AASA warns—a scenario that does not look promising for education technology or other school-reform initiatives.

The survey, which polled 453 school administrators in March, found that the economic climate of school systems does not reflect the recovery beginning to take hold in other sectors. In fact, school budget cuts will be noticeably more significant for 2010-11 than they were in the previous two years, the survey suggests.

Survey Results

Fifty-seven percent of respondents said they plan to delay technology purchases in 2010-11, up from 29 percent in 2009-10.
Half of respondents said they plan to delay or eliminate instructional improvement strategies next year, up from 22 percent in 2009‐10.
Despite an influx of stimulus money, two-thirds of school leaders (68 percent) said they were forced to cut personnel in 2009-10—and 90 percent anticipate having to do so in 2010-11.
Class sizes also are expected to balloon this fall: While only 9 percent of respondents said they increased class sizes in the 2008‐09 school year, that number grew to 26 percent in 2009‐10 and is expected to reach 62 percent for 2010‐11.
After holding steady at two percent for both 2008-09 and 2009-10, the percentage of respondents who are considering reducing operations to a four-day school week rose to 13 percent for the coming year.

Share your thoughts on depriving the tech-savvy generation of the newest technology in the classroom and moving to four-day school weeks?

See What the Experts Have to Say...

"If we teach today as we taught yesterday, we rob our children of tomorrow." -John Dewey

"Do not confine your children to your own learning, for they were born in another time."
-Chinese Proverb

On the contrary...

"It is important to remember that educational software, like textbooks, is only one tool in the learning process. Neither can be a substitute for well-trained teachers, leadership, and parental involvement." -Keith Krueger, CEO of CoSN.

"Any teacher that can be replaced by computer, deserves to be." -David Thronburg

References:
eSchool News
American Association of School Administrators (AASA)
AASA Survey "Cliff Hanger: How America's Public Schools Continue to Feel the Impact of the Economic Downturn"

Read more at eSchool News

Spectrum Industries to Exhibit at InfoComm 2010 - June 5th - 11th at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada

2010-04-09T10:05:00.006-05:00

VEGAS, VEGAS, VEGAS! Exactly two short months from today we will be in Las Vegas for InfoComm 2010!

InfoComm is the leading trade show for industry professionals in the audiovisual, information communications and systems integration industries. At this most forward-looking pro-AV event in the world, over 900 exhibitors bring the show floor to life, showcasing the latest technologies and hottest products on the market.

Spectrum Industries will showcasing its latest innovative designs with technology and communications equipment, from Laptop Carts to Integrated Audio-Visual Lecterns.

Stay tuned into our blog and InfoComm IQ website for updates of Spectrum's new 2010 leading-edge products to be featured at InfoComm 2010.

Attendees of InfoComm 2010 conference and exhibition may visit Spectrum Industries at booth #C4463.

2010 Census: Make Education Count

2010-04-07T10:15:00.005-05:00

The accuracy of the 2010 census has significant implications for the education of our nation’s school children.

2010 census data will directly affect how more than $400 billion annually is allocated to local, state and tribal governments over the next 10 years. For this funding to be allocated fairly and accurately, the goal of the decennial census is to count everybody, count them only once and count them in the right place.

Additionally, every month of every year, the American Community Survey (ACS) is sent to a rolling sample of addresses throughout the nation to produce updated estimates annually of important socio‐economic indicators about the nation’s population. The ACS provides the U.S. Department of Education with the most comprehensive data on school enrollment and educational attainment.

How are census data used to help improve education and provide for our school children?

Census data are also used to help policymakers address specific functions, needs and challenges students might face in their communities, including drawing school district boundaries, determining new school construction, providing direct aid to schools that serve children with limited English proficiency, determining illiteracy levels and the socio‐economic conditions of school‐age children, measuring changes in education levels across communities so employers can determine where to locate new jobs, and job training. Furthermore, census data are used to help allocate approximately $26 billion annually in education funding (data from fiscal year 2007).

What education programs directly benefit from census data?

Data from the census provide federal, state and district governments with benchmarks for determining education program eligibility and for applying financial aid allocation formulas. Census information is also used for funding allocations for the following programs: Safe and Drug Free Schools programs; special education preschool programs; reforming elementary and secondary school programs that serve Native American students; Title I grants to local education agencies; Title III grants to local education agencies to supplement services for English language learners; Improving Teacher Quality State Grants; educational technology grants; rural education programs; Impact Aid; Even Start; and Comprehensive School Reform Program.

What can you do to help ensure an accurate census?

• Devote time to building a greater understanding of the purpose and benefits of the census. Share the message that participation in the census is both important and safe.
• Work with schools and community centers to spark conversations about the importance of the census.
• Talk with local educators about how information on the census can be used in schools. The census is a great opportunity to learn about our country’s history.

For more information about the 2010 Census, visit 2010census.gov.

For more information on educational funding and grant support visit Spectrum's Website.

Way to go Wisconsin! Wisconsin Leads Nation in Census Response!

Family Tradition

2010-04-01T13:38:00.004-05:00

The Easter Bunny as an Easter symbol bringing Easter eggs seems to have its origins in Alsace and the Upper Rhineland, both then in the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, and southwestern Germany, where it was first recorded in a German publication in the early 1600s. The first edible Easter Bunnies were made in Germany during the early 1800s and were made of pastry and sugar.

The Easter Bunny was introduced to America by the German settlers who arrived in the Pennsylvania Dutch country during the 1700s.[4] The arrival of the "O_ster Haws_e" (a phonetic transcription of a dialectal pronunciation of the German Osterhase) was considered one of "childhood's greatest pleasures," similar to the arrival of Kriist Kindle (from the German Christkindl) on Christmas Eve.

According to the tradition, children would build brightly colored nests, often out of caps and bonnets, in secluded areas of their homes. The "O_ster Haws_e" would, if the children had been good, lay brightly colored eggs in the nest. As the tradition spread, the nest has become the manufactured, modern Easter basket, and the placing of the nest in a secluded area has become the tradition of hiding baskets.

Spectrum Industries Inc. wants to wish everyone a happy and healthy family weekend.

Head Start for All: Educational Emphasis in Earlier Stages

2010-03-30T15:10:00.004-05:00

An interesting report was officially unveiled today by the New America Foundation entitled “A Next Social Contract for the Primary Years of Education.” It states that too much energy and focus is given to children too late. That is, once they have tuned out and become disinterested in learning, it is difficult to get the children back up to par. By 4th grade, when children begin to read to learn, progress is difficult if they haven’t properly learned to read. By setting high-quality standards in educating from age 3 through 3rd grade, the report states, students are better prepared to learn.

That’s right – the educational system they envision starts at age 3! Head Start, meanwhile, is widely recognized as a pre-school program, but it is generally available to those below the federal poverty level. “Social Contract” may be onto something in building a better foundation in children’s’ education, but it will take a lot to change what we know as K-12.

Antimicrobial Paint and Laminate on Furniture

2010-03-26T07:27:00.002-05:00

Blogging note! Do not hit return until done with blog entries.
This article is a bit scary about situations out east where instances of "superbugs" contaminated schools and infected some students. They talk about locker rooms and such as potential hot spots for bugs. Spectrum Industries has researched anti-microbial paint and laminates and could supply a solution where needed in a classroom.

What do small business, made in USA, and bread have in common?

2010-03-25T08:41:00.004-05:00

Spectrum Industries Inc. is proud to produce products that are made locally and distributed internationally. Finding innovative ways to grow, produce, and prosper in today's business climate is universal. Follow the link to discover an innovative American company that has found a way to prosper by looking at how they do business in a new way.

The Lesters opened their business in 2005 and quickly established themselves as a neighborhood fixture. But in early 2008, everything changed. Commodity crop prices went haywire, sending the cost of flour soaring. “It was catastrophic,” Ben said. The Lesters decided that basing their products on an ingredient produced thousands of miles away in the Midwest no longer made good business sense, and they began to ask what it would take to source grain from local growers.

To read more go to the Cornucopia Institute web site.

Billion Acts of Green

2010-03-24T08:55:00.006-05:00

Our planet needs help, and your actions matter!

The Billion Acts of Green campaign, developed by the Earth Day Network, is the core of Earth Day's 40th Anniversary program. This effort is focused on the facilitation and cultivation of service on behalf of the planet. The goal of the campaign is to aggregate the millions of environmental service commitments that individuals and organizations around the world make each year - thereby sending a powerful message that people from all walks of life are committed to solving climate change.

The Billion Acts of Green web site serves as the repository for these commitments. Through the web site, individuals and organizations can make their own commitments to the environment. These commitments will be automatically counted toward Earth Day Network's ultimate goal of a billion acts. Currently the website has raked in 5,062,593 acts of green.

Become an environmental leader by adding your green act today, and read more about Earth Day Network's large and small-scale environmental projects around the world at Billion Acts of Green.

Today I pledged to unplug all of my electronics when they are not in use!

See how Spectrum is minimizing their environmental impact, or calculate your own environmental footprint.

Earth day is April 22, 2010...only 29 short days away!

Virtual Field Trips: The Green Way to Teach and Be Taught

2010-03-23T15:50:00.006-05:00

Teachers naturally want to do the most for their students, but do not necessarily have the resources to accomplish items on the wish list. In the world of Distance Learning, the wish list need not be a bucket list. With a small amount of A/V equipment and some technical knowhow, a whole classroom can take a field trip to almost anywhere without needing a permission slip, much less hopping on a bus.

A number of websites have been participating in Virtual Field Trips (VFT’s) for many years. Tramline started with science-based VFT’s, but has since expanded to social studies, math, and literature. K-12 educators have used and added to this site since 1997.

Want to learn more about New Zealand? LEARNZ (Linking Education and Antarctic Research in New Zealand) has been in operation since 1995. Initially, LEARNZ wanted to bring students to the Antarctic, and has since expanded VFT’s throughout New Zealand.

The Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC) originally started in Indiana in 1994. Today, www.cilc.org is an established global videoconferencing content hub accessed by thousands, including all 50 states and 166 countries/territories.

Somewhat more recently, WikiFieldTrip has been established for students to visit the world and scroll through area-specific content.

Considering the vast resources for Virtual Field Trips, a class assignment to contribute video and content can be an exciting way to share local culture to the rest of the world. As seen the March 4 issue of T.H.E. Journal, Stamford High School in Stamford, TX made a videoconference session that included a wide array of activities about the local cotton-growing region in which they live.

VFT’s can range from interactive to observant, from real-time to recordings, and generally cover the K-12 age group. When weather has rendered the local zoo inhabitable and the school bus has a history of mechanical mishaps, look into a Virtual Field Trip as a possible alternative.
Information for this blog was gathered from THE Journal and Wikipedia, and contributed by Spectrum Industries, Inc. – manufacturer of fine distance learning systems furniture for over a decade.

What If Education Programs Received the Same Attention Sports Receive?

2010-03-22T09:30:00.014-05:00

Basketball fans across the nation are returning to work with lots to talk about after the first weekend of March Madness. Although many are wishing they would have rethought their bracket choices, I am not sure what is more upsetting, the shocking loss of Kansas to Northern Iowa on Saturday, or the thousands and millions of dollars poured into sports entertainment while or educational systems make budget cut after budget cut?

Now don't get me wrong, as a recently retired college athlete I am a huge sports fan myself; currently mourning the losses of hometown favorites, the Minnesota Gophers and Wisconsin Badgers, as well as sulking with the hundreds of people falling in bracket rankings because I too had Kansas taking it all. Nonetheless, my recent interest in following the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the National Education Technology Plan (NETP)and several other blueprints that plan to increase innovative technologies in the classroom, makes me wonder what it would truly be like if education programs received the same attention and funding that professional and collegiate sports receive?

My curiosity was spurred by ESPN SportsCenter's coverage of March Madness. While tuning in to see who would be picked as the next favorite following the fall of Kansas (which is now believed to be Kentucky), the broadcasters briefly described the lengths to which technology vendors were going to ensure that all systems were working smoothly; so the millions of fans can be connected to the games in any form they choose, from regular old TV watching to mobile updates and much more.

After doing a little research, I discovered that while college players are shooting around, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has already made its game-winning shot: a $6.1 billion, 11-year deal with network CBS to air the men's basketball tournament, signed in 1999. Additionally, this year alone, the NCAA expects to rake in $638.9 million from media rights, virtually all of it from men's basketball.

Meanwhile, the media rooms where these games are being played host several very expensive computer stations equipped with video cameras for reporters to file video or audio clips, 40 plus Ethernet connections, tech-support specialists, and a supply of loaner laptops for emergencies.

In addition cell phone companies are bringing in extra equipment to increase service capacity to keep up with the volume of data, from mobile updates to increases in messages from fans who text all their friends while at the games. Apparently, beefing up capacity is a normal thing wireless providers do for sporting events and other vital cultural events. They also bring out extra cell sites on wheels, called COWs, to the parking lot.

Initially, I thought this is pretty cool. However, after further consideration I thought what if we made these kind of investments (or even half of these investments) in our school systems. Imagine you are a school district, population 100,000, including students, faculty, and parents, and you implement a 1-to-1 program. Now imagine if the telecom providers said: You school district customers are so important to us that we are going to bring in a couple of COWs to make sure you have sufficient capacity to provide unlimited streaming video to students in all your classrooms. And, because we know how important it is to link home and school, we are going to install a system that allows perfect connection between home and school and ensures students are connected no matter where they live.

Although I realize this is very far fetched, is the thought of additional funding to obtain broadband for all school districts or mini-laptops for every student really that unrealistic?

As a former student-athlete I am torn as to whether more focus and funding should be directed to our educational institutions. The sports-loving side of me says no way, yesterday was the best day of my life because Joe Mauer signed an 8-year, $184 million contract extension with the Minnesota Twins (my favorite team). Yet, the student part of me, which incidentally is always listed first in the student-athlete title, believes that the ridiculous amount of money being spent in the sports industry could be better directed, starting with the improvement of education programs for future generations.

Information for this blog was gathered from THE Journal and MinnPost.com.

Spectrum Industries, Inc. Promotes Denise Parkhurst

2010-03-20T08:53:00.001-05:00

Chippewa Falls, WI—Spectrum Industries Inc. has promoted Denise Parkhurst to Integration & Reseller Channel Customer Support Manager. Denise Parkhurst will assume responsibility for the strategic support of Spectrum’s reseller channel partners and the supervision of the channels sales support team. Based out of Spectrum Industries headquarters in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, Parkhurst and her team will focus their efforts on delivering exceptional customer experiences by supporting the customer before, during and after each sale.

Spectrum Industries is widely viewed as an industry leader and innovator in the manufacturing of furnishings to support audio-visual, presentation and technology-rich environments. With the increase in demand and popularity of Spectrum’s products it also brings an additional level of support for the channel partners who sell the products, incorporate the audio-visual and technology equipment and install them in colleges, universities, schools, government agencies and corporations across the United States.

Prior to the promotion, Parkhurst served as Spectrum Industries Customer Order Manager and was responsible for developing and supporting Spectrum’s on-time delivery initiatives. She also brings years of supervisory, contracting, and support experience to the position.

Loyal Spectrum Employees Accumulate 355 Years of Work

2010-03-19T12:34:00.020-05:00

From 25 years at Spectrum to 10 years at Spectrum; employee loyalty is what keeps the innovative wheels turning.

Several employees were recognized at yesterday's company-wide meeting for their years of service at Spectrum Industries.

Employed for 25 years (from left to right), Kevin Sobotta, Greg Gadke and Leonard Woodman started their careers with Spectrum in 1985.

Employed for 20 years (from left to right), Teresa Repaal, Dave See, Martin Klomstad and Jim Lloyd began their careers with Spectrum in 1990.

Employed for 15 years, John Ketterhagen, Scott Dorn, Mary Matuszak, Brian Shufelt, Laurie Johnson, Karl Dinger and Scott Drake started their careers with Spectrum in 1995.

Finally, employed for 10 years, C.W. King, Butch Dachel, Barb Frazer, Kyle Hansen, Ben Williams, Tyler Hanson, Dave Naiberg and Lonnie Kroeplin began their careers with Spectrum in 2000.

Spectrum would like to thanks all of these employees for their hard work and dedicated years of service.

Together these employees have accumulated an overwhelming 355 years of work experience at Spectrum; and together they have largely contributed to Spectrum's success.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2010-03-17T08:38:00.006-05:00

A Little St. Patrick's Day History

The First Parade
The first St. Patrick's Day parade took place not in Ireland but in the United States. Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched through New York City on March 17, 1762. Along with their music, the parade helped the soldiers reconnect with their Irish roots, as well as fellow Irishmen serving in the English army.

Over the next 35 years, Irish patriotism among American immigrants flourished, prompting the rise of so-called "Irish Aid" societies like the Friendly Sons of Saint Patrick and the Hibernian Society. Each group would hold annual parades featuring bagpipes (which actually first became popular in the Scottish and British armies) and drums.

In 1848, several New York Irish Aid societies decided to unite their parades to form one New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade. Today, that parade is the world 's oldest civilian parade and the largest in the United States, with over 150,000 participants.

Each year, nearly three million people line the 1.5-mile parade route to watch the procession, which takes more than five hours. Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia and Savannah also celebrate the day with parades involving between 10,000 and 20,000 participants.

Wearing of the Green Goes Global
Today, St. Patrick's Day is celebrated by people of all backgrounds in the United States, Canada and Australia. Although North America is home to the largest productions, St. Patrick's Day has been celebrated in other locations far from Ireland, including Japan, Singapore and Russia.

In modern-day Ireland, St. Patrick's Day has traditionally been a religious occasion. In fact, up until the 1970s, Irish laws mandated that pubs be closed on March 17. Beginning in 1995, however, the Irish government began a national campaign to use St. Patrick's Day as an opportunity to drive tourism and showcase Ireland to the rest of the world. Last year, close to one million people took part in Ireland 's St. Patrick's Festival in Dublin, a multi-day celebration featuring parades, concerts, outdoor theater productions and fireworks shows.

The Chicago River
Chicago is famous for a somewhat peculiar annual event: dyeing the Chicago River green. The tradition started in 1962, when city pollution-control workers used dyes to trace illegal sewage discharges and realized that the green dye might provide a unique way to celebrate the holiday. That year, they released 100 pounds of green vegetable dye into the river—enough to keep it green for a week!

Today, in order to minimize environmental damage, only 40 pounds of dye are used, making the river green for only several hours.

Did You Know?
Many of us know that each year, thousands of Irish Americans gather with their loved ones on St. Patrick's Day to share a "traditional" meal of corned beef and cabbage. Yet, did you know that in 2007, roughly 41.5 billion pounds of U.S. beef and 2.6 billion pounds of U.S. cabbage were sold?

Information for this blog was gathered from History.com .

Irish or not, what a great day to celebrate. Happy St. Patrick's Day to all!

Furniture in Architectural Laminate Colors? Of Course We Do That!

2010-03-16T16:13:00.006-05:00

As furniture manufacturers, we at Spectrum Industries are well known for our durable yet stylish desks, lecterns, and laptop carts. Flip through our catalog and you will see plenty of reasons why we can add value to educational and training facilities for many years to come. But what is not shown in our mainstream literature is our knack for customization. As any successful company would, we’re happy that all of our fine efforts appeal to the masses, but we love to show off every once in a while, too! Our Product Development staff certainly has all the talent and tools to do so.

For years now we’ve put together some interesting color schemes in our products. Recently we’ve had architects who have always admired our furniture, but only recently discovered that custom laminates and powder coatings are fair game as well. Our message: Be our guest. By all means, flip through the Wilsonart laminate of your choice and complement it with a powder coating from our partner Spraylat.

Even though industrial color combinations are often the name of the game, our employees honestly stand out and admire the custom-colored media consoles and laptop storage carts waiting to be packaged.

Furniture Made in the USA by Spectrum Industries, Inc.