CPSF Announces Grant for Esports Gaming Rooms at Battle, Rock Bridge High Schools

The Columbia Public Schools Foundation (CPSF) has announced a grant for esports gaming rooms at both Battle High School and Rock Bridge High School.

The Foundation’s board of directors awarded grants of $18,478 to establish esports rooms at both Rock Bridge and Battle high schools. 

In 2019, the Foundation provided a grant to establish an esports room at Hickman High School. The esports team at Hickman continues to grow and build success, including the first CPS student to receive an esports scholarship in 2022. Now, by establishing esports rooms at Battle and Rock Bridge, the Foundation can provide an equitable gaming facility across the three high schools to enhance the student experience.

The grant provides funding for gaming computers, gaming chairs, and any infrastructure needed to upgrade electrical needs and equipment. Each school currently has about 100-150 students participating in esports, with participation continuing to grow. The schools sponsor two official teams for competition — League of Legends and Overwatch.

Around-the-Clock Access to Burrell’s Columbia Behavioral Crisis Center Now Available 

Burrell Behavioral Health has expanded the hours at its Columbia Behavioral Crisis Center Rapid Access Unit to provide walk-in access to care twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week for individuals in need of immediate mental health or substance use care.

The center, located at 1805 E. Walnut St., is on the lower level of Burrell’s Stephens Lake Clinic.

“Providing round-the-clock, 24/7 walk-in access to care saves lives by allowing individuals to receive lifesaving treatment when it is needed most,” said Mat Gass, president of the Central Region of Brightli, Burrell’s parent company. Now, anyone experiencing a crisis can walk into the Columbia Rapid Access Unit any time of day, in addition to calling the new Suicide Lifeline at 988.

New Photograph Exhibit at the State Historical Society of Missouri Documents 75 Years of Small Towns in Missouri 

The State Historical Society of Missouri, in collaboration with the Missouri School of Journalism, invites the public to view a new exhibit, Small Towns, Big Stories, open now through February 10, 2024, at the Center for Missouri Studies, 605 Elm St in Columbia.

The free exhibition documents seventy-five years of the Missouri Photo Workshop, which has captured images of life in rural Missouri towns and the changes to the people, culture, and landscape in America’s heartland. Visitors can explore 121 images taken in fifty-one towns over the last seventy-five years. The exhibit is supported by the Missouri School of Journalism, Miller’s Professional Imaging, and the Missouri Humanities Trust Fund.

Cliff Edom, founder of the workshop and a pioneer in photojournalism education at the Missouri School of Journalism, was inspired by the gritty documentary photography of the Farm Security Administration during the New Deal. Veterans of the FSA photo corps worked with Edom to create a rigorous weeklong workshop in 1949. Each year, a town in Missouri is chosen as the host community. Workshop participants document a story with their cameras under the guidance of faculty who are some of the industry’s most prominent photographers and editors. The body of the work then becomes part of an extensive archive of life in small-town Missouri.

Columbia College named to 2023 Best for Vets list by Military Times 

Military Times recently announced that Columbia College has been named to its 2023 “Best for Vets: Colleges” list. The publication provides a comprehensive annual ranking of higher education institutions in the United States for military service members and veterans.

Columbia College is the highest-ranked private institution in Missouri and the second-highest-ranked school in the state overall. The college ranks third in the country among schools that deliver education primarily online.

“Fifty years ago, Columbia College and the United States military forged a relationship that has developed into a nationwide network of locations and an Online Program offering quality education to those who have served this great nation,” says Columbia College President Dr. David Russell, a retired Army lieutenant colonel. “We are committed to supporting service members, veterans, and their families as they advance their lives.”

Military Times analyzed Columbia College based on the effectiveness of its programs for veterans and metrics related to student success, military-specific resources, and financial aid. The college has adapted to the changing educational landscape by incorporating increased online and virtual options, making it possible for students to take classes from anywhere in the world.

Children’s Grove, Missouri Business Alert Announces 2023 Kindness in Business Awards Honorees 

Children’s Grove and Missouri Business Alert have announced the 2023 honorees of the Kindness in Business Awards, a celebration of Boone County businesses and nonprofits that have shown and promoted kindness in dealings with customers, employees, youth, and the community at large over the past year. The honorees were chosen by a local committee following a public nomination period.

This year’s honorees include:

• Kindness to Youth: Daniel Boone Regional Library, LBO Sports, Powerhouse Community Development
• Kindness to Employees: 850 Wood Fire Pizza, Impact Support Services, Mobility Worldwide
• Kindness to the Community: The Spay Neuter Project, Radio Friends with Paul Pepper, Family Focus Eyecare