If it's true that students learn more when they're having fun, then the students at the Milwaukee Graphic Arts Institute (MGAI) must be Einsteins.

MGAI's 1999 Open House and Recognition Night treated some 500 students and guests to good music, food, prizes, tours of the school, and demonstrations of printing industry equipment, reported Lauren Baker, director of the Milwaukee 577M school.

"It was a lot of fun and a great event," Baker said. It was a way for the institute to "thank our friends in the industry for supporting us and helped our graduates and members celebrate."

Photos courtesy of MGAI

At the Milwaukee Graphic Arts Institute's open house, from left, are: Milwaukee 577M Vice Pres. Gene Holt; Local 577M Executive Board member Mike Sippy; GCIU Secy.-Treas. Gerald H. Deneau; and Local 577M Pres. and GCIU General Board member Christopher Yatchak.

Featured speakers included Mark Rodda, development executive with Apple Computers, who addressed news in digital prepress. Also addressing the group was a representative of the Milwaukee Jobs Initiative, in which MGAI participates. The jobs initiative linked unemployed workers with jobs in high wage industries.

A ceremony during the open house featured the presentation of achievement awards to graduates of MGAI's press, prepress, desktop publishing and many other courses – including entry-level programs for unemployed new entrants to the printing industry. Service awards were presented to instructors and staff.

The awards ceremony also highlighted the innovative school-to-work program that MGAI operates in partnership with the Golda Meir elementary school, which serves gifted and talented students in the third through fifth grades. MGAI presented a 5 feet by 7 feet poster of the historic school. The poster was printed by one of the institute's contributing employers.

Richard Blomquist of Associates for Health Care (AHC), left, presents Donna M. Johnson Memorial Scholarships for $500 each to Robert Sanchez, center, and Jim Krenz, Local 577M members and MGAI students.

Scholarships of $500 were awarded to MGAI students and Local 577M members Robert Sanchez and Jim Krenz. Associates for Health Care (AHC), a preferred provider organization associated with the Milwaukee Graphic Arts Health and Welfare Fund, presents the two scholarships every year. The scholarships are named in the memory of Donna M. Johnson, a long-time Local 577M secretary who died in 1997 after a battle with breast cancer.

Vendors that work with MGAI, including Screen, Agfa, Xerox, and Creo, brought in new equipment or literature to share at the event.

In addition, Baker said, web and sheetfed simulators were in operation for guests to practice running a press. Party-goers also got the opportunity to have their photo taken with a digital camera and received a color proof of the result. Other demonstrations were staged in color management, direct-to-plate technology, and Internet and related training issues.

In addition to 425 free T-shirts, guests had chances for raffle prizes donated by vendors, including Apple, Fuji, Boethcher Roller, Imation, and AHC.

The donated raffle prizes included 35 mm cameras, a television, Harley-Davidson collectibles, and the grand prize of an iMac computer. A GCIU member donated frequent flyer miles for a round-trip airline ticket to anywhere within the continental United States.

Party goers danced the night away in a tent set up in the parking lot to the tunes of the top local dance band Hot Sauce, featuring Local 577M member and singer Tom Schlueter.