As Cisco reports…

Dr Michael Johnson believes that one should “never waste a good crisis.” In recent years the provost of Itasca Community College (ICC) has faced more than his share: beginning in 2005, declining enrolments in northeastern Minnesota dealt a serious blow to institutions of higher learning, as well as local elementary and secondary schools. As a result, colleges and schools funded by the state based on student population found their budgets stretched beyond the breaking point.

But Johnson and his colleagues in administration have turned obstacles into triumph: as part of the Itasca Area Schools Collaborative (IASC), the college now works in close partnership with a consortium of seven rural Minnesota K-12 school districts to share resources and provide the highest quality education possible for their students. Supported by a robust networking infrastructure, standardized systems and innovative technology tools, IASC members are ensuring that geography and distance no longer limit academic opportunity.

Blandin is pleased to have played a supporting role in the transformation. We invested $50,000 in MIRC funds through the Lightspeed grant program and $750,000 in regular grant funding to build two “immersive telepresence classrooms” in the IASC districts and related training.  (Subsequent funding includes $1.76 million in federal dollars, $1.76 investment from vendor partners and district investments of approximately $1.5 million.)

While Cisco gets into some of the details of how it happened, Minnesota Public Radio details the fruits of IASC’s labor…

Teachers are using telepresence classrooms for Spanish and Ojibwe, but next year, the district will offer 17 courses in them, ranging from literature and writing, to business, mass marketing and calculus.

School officials say the uses go beyond academic courses. The technology also will allow students to talk to people anywhere in the world, and take virtual field trips to places like NASA and the Smithsonian Museums.

[School Superintendent Matt] Grose said modern distance learning technology levels the playing field for school districts that are remote and sparsely populated. It allows them to hire specialized teachers and share the costs.

“Our kids in Deer River are going to have opportunities to take higher level courses that we can’t offer here, or at least that we don’t have the enrollment to justify a teacher for,” he said. “All of the sudden you can justify running that course and you have kids that are getting access to things that are rigorous and relevant. And we think that’s important.”

It appears that only a very small handful of K-12 schools and college campuses in Minnesota are using the newest generation of interactive technology.

We are pleased to see hard work and investment reap such benefits. We wanted to share an added perspective from IASC Technology Services Director Lora Mathison…

“This golden thread of connectivity allows classroom students to take trigonometry, dislocated workers to be retooled, agencies to offer state-of-the-art trainings for staff and business meetings to be scheduled without drive time.  The expansion to the community is only in infant stages… the expanded opportunities  for students, families, staff, community, businesses, medical institutions, non-profits and others will only be limited by creativity.  The future promises to bring new ways to utilize the telepresence classrooms that have not even been thought of yet.”

“As exciting and successful as this project has been for IASC and the region, it is just a glimpse of what may follow.  Fundamental changes in public education are on the horizon and innovative technology solutions such as telepresence will be able to offer transitional support.”

And while we’re celebrating Grand Rapids Area’s efforts around education, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention today’s Minneapolis Star Tribune on the Strive Partnership…

Known as the Strive Partnership, the program follows this strategy: Identify specific goals, come up with a common way to measure those goals, and do so by using a rigorous set of data that can be shared with everyone. Each community sets its own priorities for improving education for students “from cradle to career.”

The Deer River School District is using the approach for an effort called Itasca Area Student Success Initiative.

The technology is also available for lifelong learners. We learned about seniors are using videoconferencing and Skype to keep in touch with friends and family.

The entire project budget was $54,400. MIRC funding covered half of the cost. The balance came from the City and County – either in cash or in kind.

They know the computers will be used to download Google maps of a location before responding, they will be able to get more info on topics such as hazardous materials when necessary and they’ll be able to do paperwork on the scene rather than taking time later to fill out reports. They expect that more uses will emerge as they start using the laptops.

At the beginning of the year, Kray taught students how to use the camera and sound equipment — setting it up, troubleshooting it and taking it down again afterward. Then students got hands-on training by actually producing finished live broadcasts on television.

The academic component of the class includes writing a journal, learning about advertising techniques and picking out different styles in media. They learn camera technique — wide angles, close-ups, extreme close-ups and tight-angle shots.

Not directly related to broadband – except that they will be broadcasting live from their web site soon – but directly related to bolstering skills that make better broadband users. And a reminder that tomorrow’s generation is going to be even less happy with asymmetrical connectivity. We want to be producers of information – not just consumers.

It’s a great first person account of life in Windom – but not on a farm – and the advantages that broadband brings to the area…

Our young people can work for any company in the world right here at home via telecommuting. We get the economic advantage from their good salaries without more pollution and congestion.

Our rural areas are a wonderful place to live, work and play; it is a relaxed pace of life, surrounded by peaceful wildlife, neighbors, family, friends, and plain good living. I believe a lot of people are seeking just those things in a place to call home or to visit, so here is our chance to find and tell them “we have a place for you!”

Sibley County Commissioners approved, on Tuesday, paying up to $40,000 to help fund a feasibility study for Fiber to the Home (FTTH) project. The funds come from TIF reimbursement from the City of Gaylord.

Up to $40,000 matching grant money will be provided by the Blandin Foundation. The feasibility study is expected to cost $60,000.

Bernadine Joselyn at the Blandin Foudnation spoke to me about the reasons that Blandin is supporting Sibley’s efforts…

This project is a great example of the importance of local leadership in making good things happen in community. People are any community’s most important asset. Blandin Foundation is privileged to be able to help support the forward-leaning thinking and planning in Sibley County. Money follows vision.

Again according to the Gaylord Hub, Sibley County plans to have a consultant in place to perform the feasibility study by mid-July and will have the study completed by October or November.

The LqP Computer Commuter is the result of a grant project that began in early January of 2010. The Lac qui Parle County Economic Development Authority (LqP EDA) has been working on promoting and expanding broadband service within the county for the past two and one-half years. As a result of these broadband efforts Lac qui Parle County came to mind for Congressman Collin Peterson when he was approached by the TDF Foundation in late December 2009. The TDF Foundation was searching for a potential site to install a computer lab in rural Minnesota. This search included finding a community that would be willing to apply for one of their computer lab grants. When the call came into the LqP EDA, Director Pam Lehmann formed a task force (computer lab committee) to brainstorm ideas for a computer lab project in Lac qui Parle County. This task force determined that there was not just one town within our county in need of a computer lab – there were several. And the idea for a mobile computer lab was born!

In February an application was submitted to the TDF Foundation for a handicapped accessible mobile computer lab that would travel to the communities in Lac qui Parle County offering access to computers and to internet service for anyone in the area at no charge. The application included details of a plan to schedule specific days and times to be in each community. The unit would be open to people of all ages and folks with any level of computer experience. To help educate folks with little or no computer experience classes will be offered for small groups or individuals as needed. When available the unit could also be leased by area businesses/organizations wanting to do staff trainings without significant travel expenditures.

Upon receipt of the application the TDF Foundation was very intrigued by the concept of offering this lab in multiple locations within one county. Due to limited funding available, research began on the costs associated with a mobile unit and a secondary plan was established for transporting laptops to be used in each community as a portable lab. Conversations were had with residents regarding interest in this lab, and talks with Farmers Mutual Telephone and Frontier Communications regarding the overall project were very positive.

By the end of March, six of the communities expressed interest in supporting this project and having this service available to their residents and the surrounding rural residents as well. The communities of Bellingham, Boyd, Dawson, Madison, Marietta and Nassau each committed a site for use by the lab whether mobile or portable.
In April we received word that our application was nearing approval, but the cost of a mobile unit was significantly more than the TDF Foundation was able to fund. By the time the final agreements were ready to sign the “computer lab committee” agreed that an application should be submitted to the Blandin Foundation for their LightSpeed Grant Program to help fund the purchase of a mobile unit and the modifications needed. On May 14, 2010 an agreement was signed with the TDF Foundation for the computers and technology for a computer lab in Lac qui Parle County. On June 3, 2010 official notification from the Blandin Foundation was received that our grant request was approved.

Today the “computer lab committee” is working to find a unit to modify for the LqP Computer Commuter. The process to find a coordinator for this lab is also in the works and we hope to hire someone before the end of June.

Watch for more details on when the LqP Computer Commuter will be coming to your area!

The Business to Business Networking & Training Lightspeed Grant from the Blandin Foundation to the Small Business Management Programs of Minnesota West Community & Technical College and South Central College. has enabled participants to see how Business to Business Networking can bring small business owners together for online training, discussion, and the of sharing ideas. These sessions began in September of 2009 and finished in March of 2010. Small business owners were able to obtain additional tools and ideas they could implement immediately in their business.

The semi-monthly presentations, which were also recorded to allow participants to go back and review any session or view a session that they might have missed, covered topics that gave participants tools and ideas to improve the profitability of their business immediately. The first sessions had 25 participants from various communities in Southwest Minnesota. The program used Web-Ex Software which allowed the participants to access the Business to Business Networking and Training from their home, office, or business. Many participants reported they often accessed the training session recordings over and over again. Taking part in the real time discussion seems to be the biggest obstacle for participants. A second session of training topics will be run this fall. The web site for the project is http://www.southcentral.edu/lightspeed.

Session Topics:

Getting Comfortable with Online Workshops
Coping in a Recession
Business Planning in a Day
Marketing on a Shoestring
Is you Dislike Sales, This is for You!
There’s an Elephant in Your Financial Living Room
What You and Your Banker Need to Know About Financial Analysis
I Made a Profit, So Why Don’t I have Any Cash
How to Develop Winning HR Practices
Five Things Every Employer Should Know
How to Be On the Winning Side of the Marketing Revolution
Using Social Networks to Market Your Business
Business to Business Networking
Mentorship
Case Study: Admiral Byrd Bed & Breakfast

Bonus Series
Marketing Your Retail Store
How to Bring New Customers Back Again
Get You Customers to Shop More Often
Keep Your Customers for Life
Introduction to Quickbooks® Accounting Software
Special Question and Answer Session on Quickbooks® Accounting Software

I’m afraid I missed part of the session on the stimulus applications. I’ve read and heard about the various applications before – so what was interesting to me was to see how the initial drive to get broadband remains despite the mounting obstacles. Danna spoke about the referendum in Cook County. (There was a referendum to allow Cook County to provide phone service; it needed a super majority to pass; it got 56% and didn’t pass.) Yet they forge ahead. John Schultz sort of spoke for Windom and Leech Lake – to hear the need for broadband in Leech Lake, which is un/underserved by pretty much any definition was telling.

To hear about how Blandin worked so early on to get community participation across the state. Signs point to that sort of application being the focus of the next round of ARRA grants. Jack Geller pointed out that place and collaboration will mater in future rounds of funding.

The City of Adrian, MN had uninterrupted pharmaceutical services provided to its residents for nearly all of its 131 years of existence. In March of 2008, everything changed as the door to Adrian’s only pharmacy closed. The closing had an adverse affect on the entire community and left residents scrambling for a way to take care of their prescription drug needs. As the City considered a pharmacy vital to the community’s health and well-being, the City Council directed City staff to quickly find a replacement. That is when the idea of a tele-pharmacy using video and two-way interactive communication entered the picture as a viable option.

At that point, the City’s mission was to restore a vital service to the community by means of broadband technology. The goal was to have a tele-pharmacy operational in Adrian. Although this business model was a rather new approach to the delivery of pharmaceutical services, it seemed one of the few viable options to provide the services to small rural communities.

The State of Minnesota is projected to lose at least fifteen rural pharmacies in 2009 and those communities will most likely face the same situation Adrian faced in 2008. One of the problems is newly graduated pharmacists are in high demand. The opportunities for pharmacists are so great that owning and operating a fully-staffed small-town pharmacy has little or no attraction. And with margins being cut, the risk doesn’t outweigh the rewards. With that in mind, the concept of a tele-pharmacy made sense. Without a doubt, the tele-pharmacy worked into the City of Adrian vision.

A tele-pharmacy serves the public in the same capacity of other pharmacies. The only difference is the Pharmacist resides in a remote location. Customers can still consult with a Pharmacist in a tele-pharmacy. The consult is provided through video and broadband technology.

The City of Adrian decided to search a partner to provide tele-pharmacy services to its residents. Sterling Drug, from Worthington, MN, answered the City of Adrian’s call. A new dilemma soon arose though as Adrian and Sterling Drug started to investigate the process of implementing a tele-pharmacy. The video conferencing and supportive equipment cost in excess of one hundred thousand dollars. Upon that discovery, Sterling Drug requested financial assistance from the City of Adrian.

City staff started the search for assistance. After a few phone calls, staff discovered the Light Speed Grant Program, sponsored by the Blandin Foundation. It seemed to be a perfect fit for the City’s dilemma. City staff attended an application meeting and was soon off to enter their application. It wasn’t too long and the Blandin Foundation notified the City with their willingness to assist. The City of Adrian obtained a grant for $50,000.00. This was exactly the amount of money Sterling Drug felt they needed to get the tele-pharmacy running.

It’s been a few months since the award and Sterling Drug-Adrian is fully operational. Clients are joining the pharmacy on a daily basis. This project could prove to be a new standard for pharmacy services in small communities.

The City of Adrian would like to thank the Blandin Foundation for their willingness to assist with this project. We’d also like to thank Bill Coleman, Community Technology Advisors, for getting us started on this endeavor. The project could have been in peril without the Blandin Foundation and Bill Coleman’s assistance.

The City of Adrian recommends working with the Blandin Foundation and Bill Coleman on projects like this. I, Bruce A. Heitkamp, would offer to assist communities by sharing our story and our path to getting assistance. We at the City of Adrian wishes everyone well. If you’re stopping through Adrian and need pharmacy services, we’re proud to announce that Adrian is again offering these services.

Sincerely,

Bruce A. Heitkamp
Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer
City of Adrian