Local Musician Partners with National Nonprofit, Music to Life
Kristen Camp, owner of Secret Pasture Sound — the only woman-owned recording studio in mid-Missouri — is one of ten mission-driven artists participating in the newest class of the Musician Changemaker Accelerator (MCA) Academy. Through generating grant proposals, business plans, and artist changemaker statements, artists will build a theoretical and practical roadmap for making their concept a fundable reality. Camp will use her time in the MCA to create “Flip The Script: Change-Makers in Production,” an immersive educational program to teach women and underrepresented members in the music industry how to write, record, and produce their own music. The fall cohort hails from across the country, working in genres such as hip-hop, punk, soul, experimental percussion, and Kristen’s indie-folk-pop sound, heard most often in her band “The January Lanterns” which she performs in with her husband.
Thompson, Lennon Appointed to NACo Positions
Boone County Government has announced the appointment of two Boone County government elected officials to national positions by the National Association of Counties (NACo). Northern District Commissioner Janet Thompson will serve as chair of the Healthy Counties Advisory Board. The Healthy Counties Advisory Board assists NACo in identifying the priorities and activities of the Healthy Counties Initiative and provides input and expertise on program implementation. County Clerk Brianna Lennon will serve as vice chair of the Elections Subcommittee of the Finance, Pensions and Intergovernmental Affairs Steering Committee. The subcommittee assists NACo in identifying and prioritizing federal legislation related to election administration.
Boone Hospital Earns Five-star Rating From CMS
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) designated Boone Hospital Center as a five-star hospital, a distinction awarded to just 8 percent of hospitals nationwide. Boone Hospital Center is the only hospital in the mid-Missouri area to receive five stars. “Organizations like CMS don’t rate hospitals by their size or reputation, but by what matters most to patients – their health,” said Brady Dubois, Boone Health CEO. The 2024 Overall Star Rating encompasses forty-six hospital quality measures publicly reported on Medicare.gov. Only 381 hospitals out of more than 4,650 hospitals were designated with the highest five-star rating.
Emery Sapp & Sons Expands Internship Program
Recruitment and retention remain top-of-mind within the construction workforce. In an industry that is constantly evolving, companies must find ways to bring new talent in to grow and mentor a future workforce. Emery Sapp & Sons (ESS), a local heavy civil construction company, teaches interns through real-world experience with its summer internship program. The Midwest-based infrastructure contractor welcomed thirty-six interns to its workforce this summer. “Our internship program is not your average desk job,” said Sara Snodderley, director of human resource operations. Each intern is paired with an ESS mentor who guides them through various projects, ensuring they gain valuable insights and practical skills.
CPS Foundation Awards Gift Cards to New Teachers
The Columbia Public Schools Foundation (CPSF) announced New Educator Grants for educators new to the Columbia Public Schools (CPS), surprising each with a $100 gift card. The Foundation presented the gift cards at the CPS New Educator Breakfast held at Gentry Middle School. Each new educator received a gift card to use as they need to help establish their classrooms. In total, the Foundation is expected to give out about 300 gift cards to new educators, or about $30,000. “We appreciate our new teachers and want to help them as they’re setting up their classrooms and starting their teaching careers with the best school district in the state,” said Katie Harris, executive director of CPSF. The Foundation was founded in 1996 and has funded projects in every school, allocating more than $1.6 million to enhance education in the Columbia Public Schools.
