Category Archives: Education

WKTV has your complete local high school sports schedule

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Education, Kentwood Public Schools, Sports
Plenty of high school football is available this week, but there is a whole week of action. (WKTV)

By Mike Moll/Volunteer Sports Director

sports@wktv.org

 

WKTV’s broadcast crew’s coverage of high school sports will continue this week with football taking center stage again with a game on Friday, Sept. 15, as we cover Grand Rapids Christian vs. South Christian at East Kentwood High School’s field.

 

But we will also be back at East Kentwood for the Falcon Water Polo Tournament on Saturday, Sept. 16.

 

Currently, WKTV sports events will be broadcast the night of the game on Comcast Channel 25, usually at 11 p.m., and repeated on Saturday at 11 a.m. on  WKTV Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T U-verse Channel 99 in Wyoming & Kentwood.

 

For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and features on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/

 

Local high school sports events this week are as follows:

 

Monday, Sept. 11

Boys/girls Cross Country 

Godwin Heights @ Middleville T-K

Grand River Prep @ Middleville T-K

West Michigan Aviation @ Middleville T-K

South Christian @ Middleville T-K

Wyoming @ Middleville T-K

Boys Soccer 

Tri-Unity Christian @ Grand River Prep

WMAES @ Zion Christian

East Kentwood @ Portage Central

Girls Golf 

South Christian @ Middleville T-K

Wyoming @ Middleville T-K

Boys Tennis 

Wayland @ South Christian

East Kentwood @ West Ottawa

Wyoming @ EGR

Boys Water Polo 

East Kentwood @ Portage Central

Girls Volleyball 

West Michigan Lutheran @ Holland Calvary

 

Tuesday, Sept. 12

Boys Soccer

Hopkins @ Wyoming Lee

West Michigan Aviation @ Grand River Prep

Wellsprings Prep @ Zion Christian

Kelloggsville @ Belding

South Christian @ Middleville T-K

West Ottawa @ East Kentwood

Holland Calvary @ Tri-Unity Christian

Girls Volleyball 

Wyoming Lee @ WMAES

Tri-Unity Christian @ Grand River Prep

West Michigan Aviation @ Kelloggsville

South Christian @ Wyoming

West Michigan Lutheran @ Zion Christian

Girls Golf 

East Kentwood – The Meadows – Mid Season Tournament

Girls Swimming 

East Kentwood @ Holland

 

Wednesday, Sept. 13

Boys Tennis 

Kelloggsville @ Sparta

South Christian @ Grand Rapids Christian

East Kentwood @ Rockford

FH Eastern @ Wyoming

Girls Golf

South Christian @ Wayland

Wyoming @ Wayland

Boys Water Polo 

East Kentwood @ Rockford

 

Thursday, Sept. 14

Boys Soccer 

Godwin Heights @ Wyoming Lee

Potter’s House @ Fruitport Calvary

Zion Christian @ Holland Calvary

West Michigan Aviation @ Heritage Christian

Kelloggsville @ Hopkins

East Kentwood @ Hudsonville

Algoma Christian @ Tri-Unity Christian

Grand Rapids Christian @ Wyoming

Girls Volleyball 

Belding @ Wyoming Lee

Zion Christian @ Holland Calvary

West Michigan Aviation @ Heritage Christian

Calvin Christian @ Kelloggsville

Wayland @ South Christian

East Kentwood @ West Ottawa

Algoma Christian @ Tri-Unity Christian

Wyoming @ EGR

Boys/girls Cross Country 

Kelloggsville @ Delton-Kellogg

Wyoming @ Delton-Kellogg

Girls Swimming 

South Christian @ Union

FH Northern @ East Kentwood

Girls Golf 

East Kentwood @ Grandville

Boys Tennis 

East Kentwood @ Wayland

Union @ Wyoming

 

Friday, Sept. 15

Boys Football

Kelloggsville @ Wyoming Lee

Godwin Heights @ Hopkins

NorthPointe Christian @ Calvin Christian / Potter’s House

Grand Rapids Christian vs South Christian @ East Kentwood

East Kentwood @ FH Northern

Tri-Unity Christian @ Onekama – 8 Man

Wayland @ Wyoming – Community Night

Boys Soccer 

Wayland @ Potter’s House

Girls Golf 

East Kentwood @ Kenowa Hills

Boys/girls Cross Country 

East Kentwood – Spartan Invitational

 

Saturday, Sept. 16

Boys/girls Cross Country 

Wyoming Lee @ Sparta – Sparta Invitational

Godwin Heights @ Sparta – Sparta Invitational

Grand River Prep @ Sparta – Sparta Invitational

West Michigan Aviation @ Sparta – Sparta Invitational

Kelloggsville @ Sparta – Sparta Invitational

South Christian @ Sparta – Sparta Invitational

Wyoming @ Sparta – Sparta Invitational

Girls Volleyball 

Wyoming Lee @ Big Rapids Crossroads – CCA Invitational

Godwin Heights @ Muskegon Oakridge

West Michigan Aviation @ Holland Black River

Kelloggsville @ Ottawa Hills

East Kentwood @ Caledonia – Caledonia Elite Classic

Wyoming @ Ottawa Hills

West Michigan Lutheran @ Holland Black River

Boys Soccer

Godwin Heights @ NorthPointe Christian

West Michigan Aviation @ Muskegon Oakridge

Wyoming @ Muskegon Reeths-Puffer

Girls Swimming 

South Christian @ Spring Lake

Boys Tennis 

Byron Center @ South Christian

East Kentwood @ Holt

Boys Water Polo

EGR @ East Kentwood

 

Monday, Sept. 18

Girls Volleyball 

Potter’s House @ West Michigan Lutheran

Boys Soccer 

Kelloggsville @ West Michigan Aviation

Caledonia @ South Christian

Boys Tennis 

Kelloggsville @ Spring Lake

EGR @ South Christian

East Kentwood @ Hudsonville

Wayland @ Wyoming

Girls Golf 

South Christian @ Wyoming

Boys Water Polo

East Kentwood @ West Ottawa

 

Godwin Heights, off to fast start, opens conference action with home game, tailgate event

Area Education, City of Wyoming, Education, Sports,
The Wyoming Godwin Heights offense, shown here Aug. 31 at Hesperia, is off and running this season. (Courtesy John Mathews/Action Plus Photography)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

 

The Wyoming Godwin Heights football team has jumped off to a 2-0 start in non-conference action — and has piled up 88 points on offense against Hamilton and Hesperia. But both games were on the road.

 

This week, the Wolverines will treat their home fans to a little of that offensive prowess, and a special “Community Tailgate” event, in the team’s OK Silver Conference opener as WKTV video crew will be at Godwin for a home game against Calvin Christian, on Friday, Sept. 8, at 7 p.m.

 

So far this year, the Wolverine scoring machine has been keyed by senior quarterback Suriya Davenport, who has scored eight touchdowns in the two games; junior running back De’Amontae Clark, who is averaging nearly 13 yards a carry; and junior tight end Marshawn Kneeland, who leads the team with nine catches for 144 yards.

 

Kneeland, one of several players who play both ways, is also a standout on the defense, where senior linebacker James Bennett leads with 24 tackles and senior lineman Sixto Cruz is also in double-figures in tackles.

 

But second-year Godwin Head Coach Carlton Brewster says the reason for the good start goes back further than two weeks.

 

“It is all about the seniors on this football team, these guys spent so much time in the off-season getting bigger, stronger and faster,” Brewster said to WKTV this week. “These guys carry chip on their shoulder on the feeling of being 5-5 last season.”

 

Last year, the Wolverines finished 3-3 in conference, 5-4 overall and in the state playoffs, but that “chip on their shoulder” was that the team lost in the first round of the playoffs at Grand Rapids Catholic Central, 43-0.

 

And that “chip” will not go away however well the team has started, Brewster said.

 

“We must continue to push each other every day of the week, don’t get complacent and continue to hold each other accountable,” he said. “I will not let them get complacent because I am constantly challenging them each and everyday.”

 

WKTV will broadcast the Calvin Christian at Godwin Heights game Friday at about 11 p.m. on WKTV Comcast Channel 25, repeating it on Saturday at 11 a.m. on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T U-verse Channel 99 in Wyoming & Kentwood.

 

‘Community Tailgate’ event planned prior to the game

 

In what started as a collaboration with police officers of the City of Wyoming Department of Public Safety and Godwin Heights Public Schools, the athletic department will continue to offer its Community Tailgate event prior to the game.

 

“Twice a year, once during football season and once during basketball season, the district hosts a Community Tailgate that allows free entry to the game and food to families of Godwin Heights students,” Godwin Heights Athletic Director Rob Hisey said to WKTV.  “Anyone who lives in the Godwin Heights Public School District, School of Choice students and their families, previous graduates, and anyone employed by Godwin Heights.”

 

The event runs from 6-7 p.m. (after that the normal $5 entry fee will be charged).

 

“The goal of holding the Community Tailgate is to provide a friendly and safe environment where our community members can enjoy the companionship of the entire Godwin Heights educational community,” Hisey said. “This community consist of community members, students, parents, Godwin Heights employees, friends and relatives of our students.”

 

Fall prep sports seasons in full stride — and WKTV has added sports

Area Education, Citizen Journalism, Education, Kentwood Public Schools, Sports
WKTV wil continue it broadcast coverage of high school football this month, but we will be branching out too. (WKTV)

By Mike Moll

sports@wktv.org

 

WKTV will not only continue featuring a football Game of the Week, but this month will be branching out to some new high school athletic venues as well.  Starting with the Saturday, Sept. 9, youth equestrian meet at the Barry County Fairgrounds and followed the next week by the boys water polo tournament at East Kentwood, then a Friesian horse show as well as a boys soccer game.

 

The full month schedule of broadcasts is tentatively set as the following:

 

Friday, Sept. 8, football – Calvin Christian at Godwin Heights

Saturday, Sept. 9, youth equestrian at Barry County Fairgrounds

Friday, Sept. 15, football – Grand Rapids Christian vs South Christian at East Kentwood

Saturday, Sept. 16, boys water polo – East Kentwood Falcon Tourney

Friday, Sept. 22, football – Grandville at East Kentwood

Saturday, Sept. 23, Friesian Horse Show

Monday, Sept. 25, boys soccer – South Christian at East Kentwood

Friday, Sept. 29, football – Kelloggsville @ Godwin Heights

 

WKTV sports events will be broadcast the night of the game on Live Wire Comcast Channel 24 throughout the Grand Rapids Metro Area and repeated on Saturday at 11 a.m. on  WKTV Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T U-verse Channel 99 in Wyoming & Kentwood.

 

For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and features on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/

 

Local high school sports events this week (through the holiday weekend break) are as follows:

 

Tuesday, Sept. 5

Boys Soccer

Calvin Christian @ Wyoming Lee

Godwin Heights @ Kelloggsville

Calvary Christian @ Zion Christian

Grand Rapids Christian @ South Christian

Caledonia @ East Kentwood

FH Eastern @ Wyoming

Girls Volleyball 

Wellsprings Prep @ Godwin Heights – Quad

Calvary Christian @ Zion Christian

Muskegon Catholic Central @ Tri-Unity Christian

Wyoming @ Allegan

West Michigan Aviation @ West Michigan Lutheran

Boys Tennis

Union @ Kelloggsville

Girls Golf 

South Christian @ Calvin Christian

Wyoming @ Zeeland West

 

Wednesday, Sept. 6

Girls Volleyball 

Fennville @ Wyoming Lee

South Christian @ Muskegon Mona Shores

Boys Tennis 

Comstock Park @ Kelloggsville

South Christian @ Wyoming

Girls Golf 

South Christian @ FH Eastern

East Kentwood @ West Ottawa

Wyoming @ FH Eastern

Boys Soccer 

East Kentwood @ Catholic Central

 

Thursday, Sept. 7

Boys Soccer 

Wyoming Lee @ Tri-County

Belding @ Godwin Heights

Holland Calvary @ Grand River Prep

West Michigan Aviation @ Potter’s House

NorthPointe Christian @ Kelloggsville

EGR @ South Christian

Wyoming @ Wayland

Girls Volleyball 

Kelloggsville @ Wyoming Lee

Godwin Heights @ Hopkins

Holland Calvary @ Grand River Prep

West Michigan Aviation @ Potter’s House

Girls Swimming 

South Christian @ Ottawa Hills

Northview @ East Kentwood

Boys Tennis 

Lowell @ Wyoming

 

Friday, Sept. 8

Football

Wyoming Lee vs NorthPointe Christian @ EGR

Calvin Christian/Potter’s House @ Godwin Heights

Buchanan @ Kelloggsville

South Christian @ FH Eastern

East Kentwood @ Hudsonville

Wyoming @ Grand Rapids Christian

Girls Swimming 

East Kentwood @ Rockford

Boys Soccer 

Tri-Unity Christian @ Hope Academy of West Michigan

 

Saturday, Sept. 9

Boys/girls Cross Country 

Wyoming Lee @ Fremont – Hill & Bale Invitational

Godwin Heights @ Fremont – Hill & Bale Invitational

Kelloggsville @ Fennville – Fennville Invite

Grand Rapids Christian @ South Christian – Christian School Invite

East Kentwood @ West Ottawa – Bredeweg Invite

Wyoming @ West Ottawa – Bredeweg Invite

Girls Volleyball 

Godwin Heights @ Zion Christian

Kelloggsville @ Zion Christian

FH Central @ East Kentwood – EK Classic

Boys Soccer 

Comstock Park @ Godwin Heights

Grand River Prep @ Portland

West Michigan Aviation @ South Haven – Shoreline Tournament

Boys/girls Equestrian

South Christian @ Barry County Expo Center

Girls Swimming 

South Christian @ Rockford

East Kentwood @ Zeeland

Football 

Atlanta @ Tri-Unity Christian – 8 Man

 

Monday, Sept. 11

Boys/girls Cross Country 

Godwin Heights @ Middleville T-K

Grand River Prep @ Middleville T-K

West Michigan Aviation @ Middleville T-K

South Christian @ Middleville T-K

Wyoming @ Middleville T-K

Boys Soccer 

Tri-Unity Christian @ Grand River Prep

WMAES @ Zion Christian

East Kentwood @ Portage Central

Girls Golf 

South Christian @ Middleville T-K

Wyoming @ Middleville T-K

Boys Tennis 

Wayland @ South Christian

East Kentwood @ West Ottawa

Wyoming @ EGR

Boys Water Polo 

East Kentwood @ Portage Central

Girls Volleyball 

West Michigan Lutheran @ Holland Calvary

 

Shop with all your senses this season

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Education, Food, Health, Senior Living, , ,

Eating a variety of colors will benefit your health and add color to your plate.

By Denise Aungst, Michigan State University Extension

 

Michigan produce is in season, and there is no better time to shop with all of your senses. The smells, colors, textures, sounds and tastes of the markets will aliven and inspire you.

 

Michigan is second only to California in the variety of fruits and vegetables grown, so each week farmers markets have new items. Eating a variety of colors will benefit your health and add color to your plate. A diet rich in bright colors helps ensure your intake of daily vitamins and minerals.

Red – heart strong

Found in tomatoes and peppers

Orange – eye health

Found in carrots, peppers, tomatoes and sweet potatoes

Yellow – immune system

Found in squash, beans and tomatoes

Green – strong teeth and bones

Found in kale, spinach, peppers, peas, broccoli, lettuces and green beans

Blue and purple – memory

Found in blueberries, eggplant, beets, carrots (look for the purple variety) and lettuces

 

All fruits and vegetables are full of the things we need and low in the things we need less of, such as fat, sodium and cholesterol making them helpful in reducing risk for diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

 

To promote our robust Michigan agriculture, economy and the health of seniors, Michigan has entered a partnership with agencies including local Commission on Aging distribute thousands of dollars in MarketFresh coupons. These dollars are used to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables across the state. In three counties of northern Michigan (Charlevoix, Cheboygan and Presque Isle) alone, $24,000 in coupons have been distributed to income eligible seniors.

 

Check out Michigan Farm Market Association’s website mifma.org for market locations and details.

 

Double Up Food Bucks program allows recipients Michigan Bridge Card / Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) to swipe their card for tokens that can be redeemed at the market and double the value up to $20. Double Up Food Bucks helps you double the amount of dollars you can spend on Michigan produce.

 

Ideas to incorporate the recommended 2-3 cups of produce (based on age, gender) include eating some at every meal and snack. Suggestions I’ve heard from seniors across northern Michigan at MarketFresh presentations include:

  • Breakfast — smoothies, omelettes, and cereal/oatmeal topped with fruit
  • Lunch — salads, lettuce/tomatoes on sandwiches, grapes added to chicken salad, and tacos
  • Dinners — steamed vegetables, stir fry with rice, and grilled
  • Snacks — celery and peanut butter, raw cucumber spears, and sliced fruits

Enjoy the bountiful benefits of farm market shopping. Your health and local economy will thank you.

 

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit http://expert.msue.msu.edu, or call 888.MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

Bishop Walkowiak announces new strategic plan for Catholic schools

3-bottom, Education, , ,
Bishop David J. Walkowiak

Most Reverend David J. Walkowiak, bishop of the Diocese of Grand Rapids, is pleased to announce the promulgation of a new strategic plan for Catholic schools in the diocese entitled “Catholic Schools: Bridging Faith and Future.” This plan will shape the direction of Catholic schools over the next five years.

 

“Catholic schools nurture students’ relationship with Christ. This relationship helps young people discover that their potential is much greater with Jesus than without him. Catholic schools are thus a mighty bridge between our faith and the future,” said Bishop Walkowiak.

 

“Catholic Schools: Bridging Faith and Future” focuses on four strategic areas: Catholic Culture and Mission, Programmatic Excellence, Affordability and Accessibility, and Stewardship and Sustainability. It includes promoting students’ and families’ active engagement in parish life, enhancing academic excellence and cocurricular opportunities, studying the feasibility of new schools and maximizing efficiency through shared services. The plan was developed through multiple rounds of public forums and consultation with decision makers at the diocesan, parish and school levels. The resulting five-year plan, available at http://bit.ly/BridgingFaithandFuture, is in the beginning stages of implementation and is helping us realize our vision of an alliance of Catholic schools expanding outstanding educational ministry.

 

“Catholic schools form young people who will lead their communities, our country and the world,” said David Faber, superintendent of Catholic schools in the diocese. “Our students today will lead the future Church and continue to build Christ’s kingdom on Earth. We are confident that ‘Catholic Schools: Bridging Faith and Future’ will enhance our Catholic schools by providing more opportunities for students to grow in faith and grace, achieve more in school and life, develop creativity and character, and feel welcomed and cherished.”

 

This comprehensive plan expands on the Bishop’s Catholic Schools Initiative, a three-year endeavor launched in the 2015-16 school year by Bishop Walkowiak to improve affordability of Catholic school education by increasing scholarships, growing professional capacity and developing a plan for future vitality. In its first two years, the initiative has awarded more than $1.5 million in scholarships and has helped grow enrollment by 199 students.

 

Learn more about Catholic schools in the Diocese of Grand Rapids at CatholicSchools4U.org.

Wyoming Lee beefs up, leaves losing streaks behind in Coach DeGennaro’s 2nd season

Area Education, City of Wyoming, Education, Sports, ,
Football coach and educator Thomas DeGennaro. (WKTV)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

 

When Wyoming Lee High School head football coach Tom DeGennaro returned to the Rebels sideline last season, he inherited a team on a 21-game losing streak which had been outscored 474-56 the previous season.

 

He knew his team needed to get bigger, stronger and smarter on both sides of the ball — the school already had some speed in several track standouts. One thing the long-time district educator and coach already knew, however, was the heart and grit of the kids he would be working with.

 

At the Godfrey-Lee Public Schools Hall of Fame ceremony in January, as part of his induction into the hall, DeGennaro made his feelings clear about what it takes to be a Lee Rebel.

 

“I have been grateful to work with some of the toughest kids in the United States,” DeGennaro said in January. “To be a Rebel means you are willing to stand up against the establishment. You have to be willing to put yourself on the line when you stand up. Our kids here do this every day.”

 

His players willingness to put themselves “on the line” — and in the weight room —  has been a big part in a new attitude for the football team, which won an opening-night game for the first time in nine years, an impressive 26-8 road win at New Buffalo last week.

 

The Rebels will now look to start a winning streak and go for two in a row this week as the WKTV video crew will be at Lee for a home game against White Cloud, on Thursday, Aug. 31, for a 7 p.m. game.

 

“Our offensive line opened up holes and our backs’ speed took over” against New Buffalo, DeGennaro said to WKTV this week. “Really, this started in the weight room back in October. The kids have bought in, and have committed to being better this year. Defensively we kept New Buffalo contained and had big time turnovers at crucial times.”

 

At New Buffalo, Lee jumped to a 14-0 first quarter lead on a 5-yard-run from senior running back Aridel Torres — one of those speedy track runners, and a 2016 OK Silver all-conference player — followed by a fumble return by senior linebacker JJ Williams.

 

After New Buffalo scored to make it 14-8 in the third quarter, Lee put the game away in in the fourth quarter with a 42-yard pass from senior quarterback Giovanny Santiago to Thomas Robinson and then a 2-yard-run from Santiago.

 

Not involved in the scoring, but a huge part of the Rebels’ ball control offense, senior quarterback Valentino Savala racked up 117 yards on 14 carries. Torres ended up with 51 yards on the ground, and both Santiago and senior running back Alex Deleon had 30 or more yards running.

 

Last season Lee lost to first New Buffalo and then to White Cloud to start this season, and DeGennaro deflected any talk of revenge or winning streaks.

 

“We expected to compete everyday in practice and that carries over into the game Friday night,” he said. “White Cloud will come out and hit us. We have to respond and be disciplined and execute the game plan. We are not looking ahead, White Cloud is the best team we play this week. We have to take care of this Thursday and look forward to getting better on Monday.”

 

WKTV broadcast the Lee vs. White Cloud game at about 10:30 p.m. on WKTV Comcast Channel 25, repeating on Saturday at 11 a.m. on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T U-verse Channel 99 in Wyoming & Kentwood.

 

Both showings of the game will be preceded by a special 30-minute OK Silver football conference preview show produced at WKTV studios by WKTV sports volunteer Rob Gee and featuring two special guests. The video is also available on YouTube.

 

Wyoming Lee’s season-opening win highlight’s prep opening week of local games

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Education, Kentwood Public Schools, Sports,
Wyoming high and Holland high were featured on WKTV’s first televised game of the fall season. (WKTV)

By Rob Gee

WKTV sports volunteer/news@wktv.org 

 

The year was 2008.

 

President George W. Bush was finishing his second term in office, Barack Obama was running for a first term. The war in Afghanistan was only six years old, OJ Simpson was convicted of a crime that would send him to prison and Lehman Brothers was still in business.

 

2008 was the last time that Wyoming Lee High School football would start the season with a win. After eight consecutive years of opening the season with a loss, Lee started its 2017 football campaign with a win by defeating New Buffalo, 26-8, on Thursday, Aug. 24.

 

As part of WKTV’s 2017-18 high school sports game coverage schedule, the video crew will be at Lee this Thursday, Aug. 31, for a 7 p.m. game. For a complete list of local high school sports scheduled visit here.

 

To find an opening day with Lee winning by more than 18 points, one must go all the way back to 1998, when Lee opened the season with a 64-0 win over Bloomingdale.

 

By no means does this set Lee up for a winning season but sure does set a tone for a different season than what Lee students have become accustom to having been 1-32 in their last 33 games.

 

A big catch and touchdown by speedster Thomas Robinson, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. and a defensive touchdown by JJ Williams, secured the win for the Rebels.

 

In other Wyoming-Kentwood area opening-night action:

 

Wyoming Kelloggsville was a winner in their game against White Hall by a score of 26-23, as ultra-Back Thomas Griggs scored once on the ground and once as a receiver to lead his team to the win as the Rockets try to repeat as OK Silver conference champs.

 

Godwin Heights defeat Hamilton, 45-35, as Susu Davenport started right where he left off last season in being an exciting playmaker.

 

South Christian defeated Holland Christian, 40-12, as quarterback Andrew Haan threw for a couple touchdowns and their dynamic cornerback/wide receiver Jared Gordon intercepted a pass and then scored on a reception in the next series for South Christian. Gordon went on to have a second interception later in the game.

 

East Kentwood got in on the winning night for area teams by crushing Macomb L’anse Creuse North, 45-6.

 

Wyoming High School lost its opener to Holland, 28-6, in a game that was close right up until the fourth quarter.

 

Tri-Unity also lost its opener to St. Philip Catholic Central (Battle Creek) by a score of 14-8.

 

Interested in being a WKTV sports volunteer, working game production or writing for WKTV Journal? Visit here for a story.

 

Ready for high school sports? WKTV and its volunteers hit the road starting this week

3-bottom, Area Education, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Education, Kentwood Public Schools, Sports, WKTV Projects,
WKTV will not only cover new Wyoming High School football coach Irvin Sigler first game, we will offer an exclusive interview with him. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

 

You want local high school sports in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas? Community television WKTV, and its high school sports crew and volunteers, have you covered this fall season and throughout the year.

 

Starting this week — Thursday, Aug. 24, when the Holland “Dutch” visit Wyoming High School for a football open season clash with the Wolves — WKTV will travel around the area for  football and other fall sports coverage — including soccer, swimming, water polo and even youth equestrian.

 

“High school sports, youth sports, are a big part of our community,” said Tom Norton, general manager of WKTV community television. “And we not only get viewership for our sports programing, we also get many volunteers to help us provide this programming.”

 

Football game coverage will include WKTV volunteers Mark Bergsma on play-by-play and Ron Schultz on color commentary. (By the way, it is easy to volunteer for sports and other programs at WKTV. See related story here.)

 

The first part of WKTV’s fall football schedule, after this week, includes White Cloud at Wyoming Lee on Aug. 31, Calvin Christian at Godwin Heights on Sept. 8, Grand Rapids Christian at South Christian (at E. Kentwood) on Sept. 15, Grandville at East Kentwood on Sept. 22, and Kelloggsville at Godwin Heights on Sept. 29. Coverage games throughout October and into the state playoffs will be determined later so we can cover the most important games to the local area.

 

Football games will be cable rebroadcast the night of the game at 10:30 p.m. on WKTV LiveWire 24 (GRTV, Grand Rapids; BCTV, Byron Center; WCET, Jenison, Hudsonville and Grandville; and RCTV, Rockford). They will also be rebroadcast on WKTV Channel 25 on Saturdays at 10:30 a.m.

 

Above and beyond our coverage of football games, WKTV also has two special shows available on YouTube: an interview with new Wyoming head football coach Irvin Sigler is available at the end of this story,  and an extensive OK Silver football conference preview co-produced and hosted by volunteer Rob Gee will be presented next week prior to coverage of the Wyoming Lee game.

 

In addition to football coverage, WKTV’s sports crews are tentatively scheduled cover youth equestrian on Sept. 9 at the Barry County Expo Center in Hastings; girls swimming on Oct. 5 at East Kentwood; boys water polo on Sept. 16 at the Falcon Tourney at East Kentwood, and on Oct. 14 at East Kentwood; and boys soccer on Sept. 25 when local rivals South Christian and East Kentwood take the field at East Kentwood.

 

For a complete schedule of local high school sports action each week, WKTV volunteer sports director Mike Moll writes a weekly listing, usually posted on WKTVjournal.org/sports each Monday. See the latest one here.

 

WKTV has your list of high school live action available Aug. 21-28

3-bottom, Area Education, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Education, Kentwood Public Schools, Sports

 

By Mike Moll

sports@wktv.org

 

WKTV’s broadcast crew’s coverage of high school sports will begin this week with the Holland at Wyoming football game on Thursday, but local high school teams are in action for all fall sports.

 

(Football fans: WKTV’s August schedule includes the Thursday, Aug. 31, game with White Cloud at Wyoming Lee.

 

WKTV sports events will be broadcast the night of the game on Live Wire Comcast Channel 24 throughout the Grand Rapids Metro Area and repeated on Saturday at 11 a.m. on  WKTV Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T U-verse Channel 99 in Wyoming & Kentwood.

 

For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and features on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/

 

Local high school sports events this week (through next Monday) are as follows:

 

Monday, Aug. 21

Boys tennis 

East Kentwood @ FH Central – Elliott Pearce Invite

@ Wyoming – David Bentley Tournament

Western Michigan Christian @ Kelloggsville

Boys/girls cross country 

East Kentwood @ Muskegon Orchard View

Boys soccer 

Wyoming @ West Michigan Heat / Homeschool

Holland Christian @ South Christian

 

Tuesday, Aug. 22

Girls volleyball

East Kentwood @ FH Northern

Rivertown Christian @ Wyoming Lee (Scrimmage)

Grand River Prep @ NorthPointe Christian

West Michigan Aviation @ WMAES

Boys tennis

@ East Kentwood – Quad

Wyoming @ Union

Boys/girls cross country

Godwin Heights @ Kent City

South Christian @ St. Joseph

Boys soccer

Union @ Godwin Heights

Wyoming Lee @ Otsego

Kenowa Hills @ Potter’s House

Ottawa Hills@ Kelloggsville

Zion Christian @ Kalamazoo Christian

 

Wednesday, Aug. 23

Girls golf

East Kentwood @ South Christian

Boys soccer

Portage Northern @ East Kentwood

Wyoming@ Zeeland West

South Christian @ Calvin Christian

Boys/girls cross country

Wyoming @ Hesperia – Baker Woods Invitational

Girls volleyball

Potter’s House @ Wyoming Lee

Boys tennis

Kelloggsville @ Cedar Springs

Unity Christian @ South Christian

 

Thursday, Aug. 24

Girls golf

East Kentwood @ Grand Haven

South Christian @ Muskegon Mona Shores

Girls volleyball

@ East Kentwood – Lady Falcon Invite

Tri-Unity Christian @ Lansing Christian

Boys soccer

Holland @ East Kentwood

Godwin Heights @ Wyoming

Potter’s House @ Northview

Zion Christian @ Kelloggsville

WMAES @ Tri-Unity Christian

Boys football

Godwin Heights @ Hamilton

Holland @ Wyoming- WKTV Game of The Week

St.  Philip Catholic Central @ Tri-Unity Christian – 8 man

Boys tennis

Wyoming @ Hamilton

Boys/girls cross country

Grand River Prep @ Kelloggsville

 

Friday, Aug. 25

Boys water polo 

East Kentwood @ Jenison

Boys tennis

East Kentwood @ Jenison

Boys soccer

Godwin Heights @ Wyoming

Grand River Prep @West Michigan Aviation

Boys football

Wyoming Lee @ New Buffalo

Kelloggsville @ Whitehall

Holland Christian @ South Christian

 

Saturday, Aug. 26

Boys water polo

East Kentwood @ Jenison

Girls volleyball

East Kentwood @ Rockford

South Christian – WMVOA Scholarship Invite

Boys tennis

East Kentwood @ Holland

Kalamazoo Christian @ South Christian

Boys football

East Kentwood vs Macomb L’Anse Creuse North @ GVSU

Boys/girls cross country

Wyoming Lee @ Muskegon

South Christian @ East Kentwood

Boys soccer

Potter’s House @ NorthPointe Christian

Northern Michigan @ Zion Christian

Coed Equestrian

South Christian @ Barry County Expo

 

Monday, Aug. 28

Girls golf

East Kentwood @ Hudsonville

Boys soccer

Grandville @ East Kentwood

South Christian @ Wyoming

Muskegon Orchard View @ Wyoming Lee

Lakewood @ Grand River Prep

West Michigan Aviation @ Stevensville Lakeshore

Boys tennis

Calvin Christian @ Kelloggsville

Girls volleyball

Potter’s House @ Kelloggsville

Holland Calvary @ West Michigan Lutheran

 

Kent County health official visits WKTV, talks vaccinations for youth, college kids

3-bottom, Area Education, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Education, Health, , ,
Mary Wisinski, Immunization Program Supervisor for the Kent County Health Department, on the set of “WKTV Journal: In Focus” with host Ken Norris. (WKTV)

WKTV Staff

news@wktv.org

 

On the latest episode of “WKTV Journal: In Focus”, WKTV’s public affairs show, we bring to the public a discussion with a Kent County Department of Health official detailing why vaccinations are important — and required by law — for young children, but also important for teenagers and even college-age youth.

 

Also on this week’s show is a discussion with Wyoming City Councilor Marissa Postler, who at the age of 23 was elected to represent the city’s 2nd Ward in last fall’s election.

 

The timeliness of the discussion on vaccinations is not only that August is National Immunizations Month, with this week specifically prompting awareness of vaccinations for preteens and teens to “ensure a healthy future with vaccines”, but also because local public and private schools are in the process of opening the school year.

 

“Every state has different requirements, ours are written into our public health code,” Mary Wisinski, a registered nurse and Immunization Program Supervisor for the Kent County Health Department, said in a discussion with WKTV’s Ken Norris. “The importance is, if we don’t keep vaccinating, we call it ‘herd immunity’, we will see a resurgence of these vaccine-preventable diseases.”

 

Wisinski not only stresses the importance of vaccinations for kids but also for high school and college-age youth.

 

“Also recommended is a booster shot for meningitis at age 16,” she said. “We want those kids to be protected the last two years of high school and when they go off to college.”

 

“WKTV Journal: In Focus” newest program will start airing on Tuesday, Aug. 22. The program will air on Tuesdays and Thursdays, at 6:30 p.m., through Aug. 31, on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel.

 

The YouTube segment with Mary Wisinski is shown here.

WKTV has your list of high school live action available this week

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Education, Kentwood Public Schools, Sports,

 

By Mike Moll

sports@wktv.org

 

WKTV’s broadcast crew’s coverage of high school sports will begin in a couple weeks, but local high school sports has already begun.

 

WKTV will once again be bringing a game of the week to the viewers starting with two weeks of Thursday night games before Labor Day weekend, after which the Friday night games will return.

 

The August schedule is Thursday, Aug. 24, with Holland at Wyoming; and Thursday, Aug. 31, with White Cloud at Wyoming Lee.

 

WKTV sports events will be broadcast the night of the game on Live Wire Comcast Channel 24 throughout the Grand Rapids Metro Area and repeated on Saturday at 11 a.m. on  WKTV Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T U-verse Channel 99 in Wyoming & Kentwood.

 

For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and features on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/

 

Local high school sports events this week (through next Monday) are as follows:

 

Wednesday, Aug. 16

Boys Tennis 

East Kentwood @ FH Northern

Kelloggsville @ Wyoming – Quad

Calvin Christian @ South Christian

Girls Golf

East Kentwood @ Kent County Classic

Calvin Christian @ Wyoming

South Christian @ Lansing Central

 

Thursday, Aug. 17

Girls Golf 

East Kentwood @ Portland

Wyoming @ Sparta

South Christian @Lansing Central

Boys Football 

@ East Kentwood (Scrimmage)

Wyoming @ Plainwell (Scrimmage)

Union @ Wyoming Lee (Scrimmage)

Kelloggsville @ Schoolcraft (Scrimmage)

Tri-unity Christian @ Camden Fortier

Boys Tennis 

NorthPointe Christian @ South Christian

 

Friday, Aug. 18

Boys Water Polo 

East Kentwood @ Ann Arbor Pioneer

Girls Golf 

East Kentwood vs Jenison @ The Meadows GVSU

Boys Tennis 

East Kentwood @ Ludington

Western Michigan Christian @ Wyoming

Boys Soccer 

FH Central @ East Kentwood

West Michigan Aviation @ Union

Girls Volleyball 

@ Wyoming – WMVOA Meet

Boys/ Girls Cross Country

Wyoming @ Wayland

Kelloggsville @ Wayland

Tri-unity Christian @ Unity Christian

 

Saturday, Aug. 19

Boys Water Polo 

East Kentwood @ Ann Arbor Pioneer

Boys Tennis 

South Christian @ East Kentwood – Tennis Invite

Girls Volleyball 

East Kentwood @ Grand Haven Lakeshore Classic

Wyoming Lee @ Grand River Prep – WMVOA Tournament

Kelloggsville @ Grand RiverPrep – WMVOA Tournament

Zion Christian @ Grand River Prep – WMVOA Tournament

Tri-unity Christian @ Grand River Prep – WMVOA Tournament

West Michigan Aviation @ Grand River Prep – WMVOA Tournament

South Christian @ Grand Haven – Lakeshore Classic

Boys Soccer 

Godwin Heights@ Grand River Prep

Tri-unity Christian @ Wyoming Lee – Copa Rebelde

Potter’s House @ Kalamazoo Hackett

Kelloggsville @ Muskegon Oakridge

West Michigan Aviation @ Muskegon Oakridge

Catholic Central @ South Christian -Mark Hasper Invite

 

Monday, Aug. 21

Boys Tennis 

East Kentwood @ FH Central – Elliott Pearce Invite

@ Wyoming – David Bentley Tournament

Western Michigan Christian @ Kelloggsville

Boys / Girls Cross Country 

East Kentwood @ Muskegon Orchard View

Boys Soccer 

Wyoming @ West Michigan Heat / Homeschool

Holland Christian @ South Christian

 

New Wyoming Wolves coach talks football, student mentorship on WKTV’s ‘In Focus’ 

City of Wyoming, Education, Sports, ,
New Wyoming High School football coach Irvin Sigler, at his introductory press conference in June. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

WKTV Staff

news@wktv.org

 

On the latest episode of “WKTV Journal: In Focus”, WKTV’s public affairs show, we bring to the public a discussion with Irvin Sigler III, Wyoming High School’s new head football coach and dean of students.

 

In the discussion with on “In Focus”, which will air twice a week on WKTV channels starting this week and running through Aug. 27, WKTV’s Ken Norris talks to “Coach Sig” about his on-the-field work with the Wolves but also the “opportunity” of his off-the-field work for all the students at the school.

 

“I don’t know that I see challenge (with his dean of students position), what I see is tremendous opportunity,” Sigler told WKTV. “The ability to interact and work with a wide variety of students. The ability to spend time one-on-one with them. To be able to help them, and advocate for them.”

 

Taking the dual job at Wyoming, he said, “was a slam dunk once we talked about the teaching position in the building, because I feel like I have tremendous passion for helping people to succeed.”

 

As part of WKTV’s season-long football coverage schedule, the station’s cameras and announcers will be at Sigler’s first game leading the Wolves, Thursday, Aug. 24, a home game against Holland.

 

“WKTV Journal: In Focus” will start airing on Tuesday, Aug. 15, the program will air on Tuesdays and Thursdays, at 6:30 p.m., on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel.

 

Visit here for a YouTube video of the Coach Irvin Sigler segment.

 

School News Network: Are we caring for our children? Not well enough

3-bottom, Education, , ,
New statistics on children in poverty highlight schools’ continuing challenge to meet all students’ needs.

By Charles Honey

School News Network

 

When Carol Paine-McGovern sees child poverty continuing to rise in Kent County, she takes some comfort in the work local schools and their communities are doing to relieve its burden on students. She’s intimately involved in that work as executive director of the Kent School Services Network, a social-services support system serving 39 schools in eight school districts.

 

Yet when she saw the latest local and statewide numbers on poverty and child well-being released today, Paine-McGovern again was reminded how very far we still have to go.

 

“It tells a profound story of a shift that has happened,” Paine-McGovern said of 2017 Kids Count in Michigan, an annual report on child and family health, education and economic security. “When you observe it in your own community, it really hits hard.”

 

She spoke of the continuing rise of children ages 0-17 living in poverty and its attendant challenges. The grim trends were to be discussed this morning in a press conference in Grand Rapids.

 

More than one in five Michigan children, just over 22 percent, lived in poverty in 2015 — a 15 percent rate increase since 2008, according to the report by the Michigan League for Public Policy. The rates were substantially worse for African-American children (47 percent) and Latinos (30 percent) than for whites (15 percent).

 

Although Kent County was slightly below the statewide figures, its 19.1 percent child poverty rate was up by nearly 5 percent from 2008, when the rate was 18.2 percent. Further, the 47 percent of Kent students receiving free or reduced lunches was a 21 percent rate jump since 2008, and exceeded the statewide rate of 46 percent.

 

Such sobering statistics represent nearly 30,000 students walking into Kent County classrooms, trying to learn the things that could help lift them out of poverty.

 

“When you go in schools and see the bright shiny faces and realize everything else that is going on in their lives, we have to figure out how to make things better for a large number of children,” Paine-McGovern said.

 

Mirroring Statewide Trends

 

The magnitude of the challenges is heightened by disparity. In an overall ranking of child well-being in 82 of Michigan’s 83 counties, the report places Kent County 27th. Neighboring Ottawa County is first, with 9 percent of its children living in poverty — less than half Kent’s rate.

 

Yet the report also shows Kent County’s children are far from alone in their struggles: 72 state counties saw child poverty increase, 79 an increase in free and reduced lunch, and 58 an increase in confirmed cases of child abuse and neglect. Kent saw a sharp increase in the latter, along with more low-birthweight babies and inadequate prenatal care.

 

Other local trends were more encouraging, including a drop in teen births and the percentage of students not graduating on time.

 

But poverty continues to permeate thousands of children’s lives, and challenges schools’ efforts to “level the playing field” for them, Paine-McGovern said. She noted that in more than half of Kent County’s 230 school buildings, the free and reduced-lunch rate exceeds the state average.

 

“A lot of schools out there are trying to educate children, when poverty is a consistent theme in their lives,” she said. “How do we as a community pull together to figure out how we can help children learn and be successful and work out of poverty? On the flipside, what are we doing for those families consistently, generation after generation, living in poverty? Those are the hard questions.”

 

Help for Struggling Families

 

Kent School Services Network works to answer some of those questions, not just in the urban districts but suburban and rural communities. Here, as statewide, poverty knows no boundaries.

 

At Kenowa Hills’ Alpine Elementary School, set amid the rolling fruit orchards of Northwest Kent County, KSSN came on board in 2014-15. Since then students and families have gotten help with everything from food, clothing and eyeglasses to housing and state assistance programs.

 

A school-community coordinator, mental-health clinician and Department of Health and Human Services worker help meet the needs of Alpine’s 375 students. About 75 percent of them receive free or reduced lunch, and in the fall many Latino children come from migrant families who work in the orchards.

 

Principal Jason Snyder said KSSN has helped students with chronic attendance problems get to school, increased communication with parents, and made school a better experience for students from struggling families.

 

“That they don’t have to worry about what to eat for dinner or where to stay for the night is definitely to going to help in the classroom,” Snyder said.

 

From the farm fields of Kenowa, Sparta and Cedar Springs to the city streets of Grand Rapids, Kentwood and Wyoming, poverty remains a perennial challenge to schools, Paine-McGovern said.

 

“When Kids Count comes out every year it’s always a rude awakening — that we don’t rest, there’s more work to be done.”

School News Network: ACA repeal threatens student academic achievement

3-bottom, Education, , ,
Michigan’s recent ranking in the national Kids Count assessment of children’s wellbeing was 32nd among the states.

By Ron Koehler

School News Network

Lost in the debate surrounding the repeal of the Affordable Care Act is the potentially disastrous effect dramatic reductions in Medicaid funding will have on health care for children, one of the few universally recognized success stories in health care coverage over the last 20 years.

Congress in 1997, after rejecting the universal health care reform proposed by then President Bill Clinton, coalesced behind the Children’s Health Insurance Program in agreement that early health care is critical to children’s future success. Since then, the uninsured rate among children has fallen from 14 percent to less than 4.5 percent.

Combined with increased Medicaid coverage and the extension of health care to millions of uninsured through the Affordable Care Act, the percentage of children who are uninsured has fallen dramatically. Georgetown University’s Health Policy Institute reports the impact of extending insurance to parents is so great that “a child was eight times more likely to have public insurance if their parent had public insurance, when compared to a child whose parent was uninsured.”

While the impact of poverty on educational performance remains a subject of debate, the effect of health care on student performance is not.  A Seattle study conducted last year concluded “fewer than 15 percent of students with zero health risks were at academic risk, (but) more than half of students with 11 or more health risks were at risk of failing.”

The Georgetown University Health Policy Institute concludes “The most profound impact of the cuts to health coverage could be a decline in student achievement. Research shows us that students eligible for Medicaid are more likely to graduate from high school and complete college than students without access to health care.”

Children with chronic pain, dental neglect and other health concerns cannot focus on their education.  In this community, philanthropic organizations led by the Grand Rapids Community Foundation more than a decade ago came together with the county, schools, health and human service agencies to create the the Kent School Services Network. KSSN provides an array of health and human services for students and their families directly in the school building, using community school coordinators to identify issues impeding student. Medicaid funds are used in these settings to provide health and human services to qualifying students.

KSSN, a model for Governor Snyder’s Pathways to Potential program, and other programs like it have been so successful that policy makers now consider these strategies as evidence-based interventions for school improvement planning and reducing achievement gaps for ethnic and economically disadvantaged student populations.

Deep cuts in Medicaid funding contemplated in the repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act could result in the loss of health care for tens of thousands of children in Michigan, and it could also force legislators to scale back the Children’s Health Insurance Program, especially if funding is reduced or curtailed by Congress when the program comes up for renewal in September of this year.

Our children deserve better. Children who are in pain, without treatment, or children who suffer the strain of family members with untreated disease or illness, do not have the same opportunity to succeed as those who are free of  those burdens.

Michigan’s recent ranking in the national Kids Count assessment of children’s wellbeing was 32nd among the states. Access to health care was one of the few bright spots, with a state ranking of 17th. Our educational performance was 41st.

We cannot afford to fall backward. We must improve educational performance if we are to restore any portion of Michigan’s past prominence as the engine that drove the nation’s economy. Accessible and affordable health care is essential to the success of our children, to our employers, and to our economy.

Only 3 days left to register for ‘Beautiful Batik’ class at WMCAT

Citizen Journalism, Education, Entertainment, How-To's, , , ,

By C. Davis

 

Learn how to create batik designs at West Michigan Center for Arts + Technology, July 24–27, 2017, from 9:30 am-12:00 pm.

 

Batik is a traditional Indonesian fabric dyeing technique that allows artists to create beautiful patterns using a wax “resist”. You will also experiment with other dyeing techniques and design a hand-dyed pattern of your own.

 

Workshop leader John Cox specializes in color, design and textiles. He has taught fiber arts at WMCAT since 2008. John earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design from Kendall College of Art and Design with additional studies in textiles, industrial design and art history. He owned an arts retail business in Grand Rapids for 12 years and worked as an artist in Japan. John has displayed his work at galleries throughout West Michigan.

 

Go here to register. Fee is $125. Call 616.454.7004 for more information.

 

West Michigan Center for Arts + Technology is located at 98 E. Fulton St. Ste 202, Grand Rapids, MI 49503.

Music’s part in life’s harmony

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Education, Local Faces, , ,
Fuentes is a professor of music at Calvin College and he also enjoys composing music for theater, television and the concert hall. (Photo courtesy Calvin College.)

By Hannah Ebeling, Calvin College

David Fuentes believes it is impossible to find a piece of music that is not about who we are and what we care about. “In fact, I even offer $500 to any student that can find one,” said the music professor. “I’m not out any money yet.”

Fuentes addresses this in his writing for, Vocation across the Academy, a book collaboration with NetVUE, a nationwide network of colleges and universities. NetVUE is working to create resources that empower students in vocational exploration, said Fuentes. Fuentes contributed chapter five, “To whom do I sing, and why,” addressing the place of music in human flourishing.

Fuentes began his musical journey when his mother picked up his first instrument, an accordion, at a garage sale. From then on, said Fuentes, he had a knack for music and liked making up his own songs. Since then, Fuentes has enjoyed composing music for theater, television and the concert hall as well as teaching a number of Calvin’s music courses.

Music as vocation

The topic of vocation is particularly important to Fuentes because part of his job is to help students uncover their personal calling and understand how much of their lives will be directly related to music. “For some this will be 100 percent, for others it will be a smaller part,” he said.

Fuentes believes the way students approach education has changed over the years. In the past, it was about learning reasoning and critical thinking, he said. Then, in whatever field you pursue, you would be pulling from a pool of knowledge. “Students today are trying to be practical about what they are going to go into. If they don’t have a job right out of college, they feel like a failure.”

Fuentes said students are often so focused on finding a career that they forget to ask: What are my gifts and loves? How can I contribute to God’s Kingdom? Educating students about vocation helps them fine-tune and understand all of their giftings, he said. It also gives students permission or a calling to help people.

“I have been nervous about pursuing music as a major for the longest time, but I definitely felt more comfortable after taking his class,” said Alexia White, a student of Fuentes.

Why music matters

Each semester Fuentes asks his students: Why does music matter in human lives? Are people just listening because they like it or is there something deeper?

“I assumed that when I took this class it would be about how music is only meant to bring glory and honor to God,” said White. “But Professor Fuentes helped us understand how that can be one purpose for music, but music can help us explain our biblical worldview. Music can teach us about God, others and ourselves.”

In the chapter he wrote in Vocation across the Academy, Fuentes tackles the issues of artists creating only for self-expression and audiences expecting a profound emotional experience with every artistic encounter. According to Fuentes, this is only a small part of what music can do.

“Sometimes people use music to escape; music is good at that. We go into a different state of mind and can experience great emotion there. On the other hand, music can help us delve into issues,” said Fuentes. “The deepest and most profound emotions come when we realize something. Rather than escaping from reality, music can bring us deeper into reality,” said Fuentes.

“There are two basic ways human beings make sense of the world: rationality and intuition,” said Fuentes. “Music brings those two together beautifully.”

Copyright Calvin College, reprinted by permission.

Baby animals are adorable — but leave ’em alone, OK?

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Education, Non-Profits, Pets/Animals, , , ,
A possum family

By Blandford Nature Center and Victoria Mullen

 

Aw, isn’t that baby animal just adorable? Maybe you’re tempted to scoop him up and turn him into a pet — after all, he must be starving, because mom isn’t around, right?

 

Not necessarily. In fact, if you intervene, you could make things a lot worse.

Baby mammals

Mammal babies are usually born naked with their eyes shut and require a lot of care from their parents. People are often tempted to take in mammal babies and try to raise the babies themselves. This is a bad idea. Not only is it illegal to do so without the proper permits, but it is dangerous for the animal and yourself for multiple reasons:

 

Misfeeding or Dietary troubles

People will try to feed mammal babies, and they will often end up having the babies choke to death on the food. Many people are under the misguided impression that since it is a baby animal, they should get milk from the store and feed that to it; however, only humans and cows can digest cows’ milk! Baby animals are lactose intolerant, which means that drinking milk will cause diarrhea, which may result in death (due to dehydration and lack of nutrition).

 

Mammals can carry a variety of diseases.

For example, raccoons can carry distemper, rabies, and a roundworm parasite that can be transmitted to other mammals, including humans. The parasite finds its way into the body and can burrow into the brain.

 

Squirrel siblings

Another problem is that of imprinting.

People who don’t know how to properly rehabilitate animals will end up with imprinted babies — even skilled rehabbers can have problems with imprinting babies. So, when the cute baby mammal turns into a mean adult mammal, and you try to release it, it can come right back and not be afraid of you, other humans, or people’s dogs and cats. Imprinting makes it easier for these animals to be hunted or injured, and there have been attacks on people by imprinted animals, particularly children.

About bunnies

Baby rabbits are often found in backyards. Rabbits will make nests in shallow depressions in the ground, in grassy areas. These areas are often near edges of forest, by fences, and under shrubs. Before you mow the lawn or rototill your garden, you should check the area for rabbit nests, and if you find one, just work around it and wait a few weeks; the babies will be ready to leave and get out of your way.

 

Bunnies are born with their eyes closed and no fur. Their ears are close to their head. Bunnies are on their own when they are around 5 inches long and furry, with their eyes open and ears up. They may still hang out with each other near the nest for awhile before going their separate ways. You don’t want to bring these older bunnies to a wildlife rehabber, since they don’t need help, and bunnies tend to become stressed out very easily and could die from just the transport to a rehab center. It’s a good idea to make sure they need help before trying to help them, or you could do more harm than good.

 

Baby bunnies

If you find a nest with bunnies inside that are too young to be on their own, unless they look injured, leave them alone. The mother will come back, but not until dusk and dawn. So, you won’t see her coming back to the nest. If you’re worried that the mother isn’t coming back to the nest, put flour around the nest and place some twigs in an X formation over the nest, and check back the next morning. If the flour and/or twigs have been disturbed, the mother hasn’t abandoned her babies. If you happen to touch one of the babies, just put it back and gently touch the others so they all smell the same. The mother will still accept them, just make sure you don’t handle them much.

 

It is not a good idea to move a rabbit nest, but if you can’t wait a week or two for them to leave, or if you have already disturbed the nest, you can try to move it. You should move it to an area as close as possible to the original location, in an area that has some longish grass, possibly under a shrub. Put the fur that was in the old nest in the new one, and cover the bunnies with dry grass. Again wait till the morning to see if the nest was visited by the mother, using flour and twigs.

 

For info on other baby animals, go here.

 

 

Empowering communities through women’s health

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Education, Health,
In July 2017, Adejoke Ayoola will collaborate with faculty at Bowen University in addressing issues of reproductive health in Iwo, Nigeria. (Photo courtesy Calvin College.)

By Hannah Ebeling, Calvin College

“The world is a global village. When the Lord equips you with skills or knowledge, you can easily transfer those gifts to bless other people around the world,” said Adejoke Ayoola, professor of nursing.

This year, Ayoola was selected for the Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship Program. In July she will travel to Iwo, Nigeria, and begin a project in collaboration with faculty at Bowen University.

Equipping women, promoting health

Over a period of 33 days, Ayoola will address issues of reproductive health in the community. She will visit both the homes of local women as well as Bowen classrooms in order to equip women with reproductive knowledge and pregnancy planning skills. In addition, Ayoola will act as an adviser in the design of a women’s health center.

She also plans to work with Bowen faculty and staff in community research efforts and in the development of nursing curriculum. “I am passionate about the next generation of nurses, here at Calvin and across the world,” said Ayoola. Since Bowen’s nursing program is less than four years old, she looks forward to seeing it grow and expand in future years.

Ayoola is excited about the work she will be doing in her home country, Nigeria. “I see it as my vocation, as my God calling. This will be an opportunity to use what I’ve learned to care for women and share my knowledge with another institution,” said Ayoola.

Ayoola believes the previous experience she gained at Calvin College facilitating both the Preconception Reproductive Knowledge Promotion Program and the H.E.A.L.T.H Camp (Health, Education, and Leadership Training for a Hopeful future) equipped her with the tools needed to design reproductive health programs at Bowen University.

Collaboration with community

After sharing how she has been promoting women’s health in her own community, Ayoola inquired about the needs of Bowen University and the local community. She hopes to be able to utilize her own skillset in the creation of an entirely unique program for the women of Iwo, Nigeria.

“We will not be truly addressing the issue if we go in with our own preconceived ideas,” said Ayoola.

Ayoola is going to great lengths to understand the needs of the community she will be serving before initiating a project, and she says it is vital that the people who will be using the center are involved in its establishment. “The community has to own it, design it and implement it for the project to be relevant, effective and sustained,” said Ayoola.

Ayoola and her team will be using a variety of community-based research methods in order to ensure the project will be as effective as possible. One way they hope to gain insight is through surveys. “We need to use those as a way of listening to the communities needs and involving them in the process,” said Ayoola.

Opportunity for growth

Ayoola says at the heart of this project is the promotion of scholarship, research, community collaboration and cultural exchange. She believes this project will expand into a long-term partnership and sees the possibility of collaborations with another faith-based institution in the future.

Although she is not working with Calvin students on this project, Ayoola predicts in the coming years there will be opportunities for students to visit the center. “This is the beginning of so many great things that fit with what we are called to here, at Calvin.”

Copyright Calvin College, reprinted by permission.

Wyoming High names Hope College’s Sigler as new football coach

City of Wyoming, Education, Sports, ,
New Wyoming High School football coach Irvin Sigler, at his introductory press conference Tuesday, June 20. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

 

Wyoming High School’s new head football coach will be Irvin Sigler III, a Michigan Man who comes to the school after most recently serving as the offensive coordinator at Division III Hope College, Wyoming Public Schools announced today at a mid-day press conference.

 

Sigler was a graduate assistant at University of Michigan in the early 1990s while earning his master’s degree.

 

Sigler will succeed as Sam Becker, who left Wyoming after two years to take the head coaching position at Kenowa Hills High School. Becker took over a Wolves program that had a combined 1-17 record in the two years prior and led them to records of 3-6 in 2015 and 5-4 in 2016.

 

From left to right, Nate Robrahn, Wyoming high principal; Ted Hollern, Wyoming Public Schools athletic director; Irvin Sigler, new Wolves head football coach; and Dr. Thomas Reeder, WPS superintendent. (Supplied.)

“Coach Sigler provides us the opportunity to build upon work already started rather than to start over,” Wyoming Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Thomas Reeder said in supplied material. “He will take the program to an even higher level.”

 

Sigler will be the high school’s dean of students as well as leading the Wolves football program.

 

“As I told the kids this morning,” Sigler said at the press conference. “There are three things I strive to do, when I work with young people: Number 1 to be a great roll model, two to be a great teacher, and three to be the kind of coach that gets the best out of every player. That’s my goal, here, and I intend to do it for a long time. I intend to make a home here at Wyoming.”

 

Sigler has coached at both the high school and collegiate levels.

 

Prior to Hope College, he was an assistant head football coach and assistant track coach at Grand Rapids Christian schools, from 2013-15.  He served as head football coach at Jenison High School from 2008-12. His prior coaching experiences include Kell High School in Marietta, Ga., Grandville High School from 1998-2004, and Cadillac High School from 1993-97.

 

In addition to his head coaching duties, Sigler has experience teaching both physical education and Social Studies.

 

“Outside of getting an excellent football coach, one of the things that is most exciting is the additional things that Coach Sigler brings to the table,” Wyoming Public Schools Athletic Director Ted Hollern said in supplied material.

 

“It is a tremendous opportunity for our community and all our kids,” Hollern said at the press conference. “Some of the initiatives that he has done in the past that he will bring to Wyoming, will be absolutely terrific, especially in regards to his leadership programs … academic programs he plans on bringing, that he has brought to other schools, that he plans on bringing to Wyoming high school. … And one of his biggest goals is for the opportunity to teach young people to become great citizens.”

 

Sigler’s coaching accomplishments, in addition to his time at U-M, include MHSAA Regional Coach of the Year in 2001 and 2003 while at Grandville, the MHSFCA Community Service Award in 2009. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences from Adrian College in 1990 and his Master of Science in Kinesiology from the University of Michigan in 1992.

 

Sigler’s wife Erin is a sixth-grade teacher at Bauerwood Elementary in Jenison. They have four children: Tyler, Caden, Sydney and Riley.

 

Get ’em outside: Godfrey-Lee Early Childhood Center opens outdoor learning lab

3-bottom, Area Education, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Education, Health, Kids Activities, ,
Godfrey-Lee Early Childhood Center math coach Debbie Schuitema, right, and David Britton, retiring superintendent of Godfrey-Lee Public Schools, could not keep the students at the from jumping the gun on the ribbon cutting of a new outdoor classroom. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

 

There was a classroom full of kids playing outdoors of the Godfrey-Lee Early Childhood Center building Thursday, June 8, as the school district held the grand opening of its new Outdoor Learning Lab.

 

The adults present — including the incoming superintendents of Godfrey-Lee Public Schools — spoke about the “educational” advantages of the facility. The kids? They just liked being able to climb on things and roll down a hill and dig in the sand.

 

And that is just the way the two teachers who spearheaded the project — Debbie Schuitema and Julie Swanson — wants it: an outdoor education opportunity that looks a lot like play.

 

Debbie Schuitema, left, and Julie Swanson. (WKTV)

“Students are naturally curious, and when you bring them out here, without books, when you take a way some of the parameters, and rules and procedures, you allow them to be creative, curious and intuitive,” Schuitema, who teaches math at the center, said to WKTV. “The things they come up with is just amazing, and that leads to more learning. You can take that back inside and build on that.”

 

The facility, located to the east side of the Early Childhood Center (ECC) building at 961 Joosten SW in Wyoming, includes mostly natural objects which kids can explore and play with: a tree stump, a stone and sand structure, a grassy hill.

 

And Swanson, a physical education instructor at the center, knows the value of outdoor exercise as part of a student’s educational process.

 

“Discover yourself through play,” Swanson said. “Just something as simple as which way to you hold a big branch, little side up or big side up? They are learning engineering skills, math skills. … They learn gravity by rolling down a hill. … Really just discovering a new way to learn, but they don’t know they are learning. … (We are just) removing the walls.”

 

The grand opening event featured permanent and temporary activities such as a mud kitchen, rock grotto, climbing hill, landscape berm, covered gathering space/stage, dead tree stands, Congo drums, weaving loom and log steps.

 

David Britton, left, and incoming new superintendent Kevin Polston. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

But the most important things the facility brings is the ability just to be outdoors, according to soon-to-retire district superintendent David Britten, who was present at the event along with the incoming new superintendent Kevin Polston.

 

“Kids today are spending far too much time indoors — it is a criticism of education in general. We are far too focused on content learning and memorization and test taking,” said Britten, who was a big supporter of the project. “We have lost some of these outdoor areas, places for kids to play in.

 

“So, as I walked along here a few years back, looking for historical artifacts, I thought: What a great place to have kids come out on a regular basis, and learn,” he said. “Find what native plant species that are here, what are invasive; what kind of birds and animals live in this environment. How can we make it better for them? How can we keep plaster creek clean? How can we protect the environment itself, so we can all enjoy it.”

 

Aside from the support of the superintendent, other supporters thanked at the facility opening include Women Who Care Grand Rapids, City of Wyoming Public Works, Dykema Excavators, DeWitt Landscape and Design, TonTin Lumber and The Stone Zone.

 

Special thanks were also given to East Lee students, Lee Middle School students, the Plaster Creek Watershed, Groundswell and — especially — the Godfrey Lee Board of Education.

 

“So many different people donated their time and energy to this,” said Swanson. “The Godfrey-Lee board of education, allowing us to do this without strings attached — that allowed us to be so creative. We really want to thank our board and our superintendent.”

 

WKTV’s high school coverage takes week off, but live action available

3-bottom, Area Education, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Education, Kentwood Public Schools, Sports, , ,
Softball is just one of several high school sports nearing the end of their season. Catch a game today!

By Mike Moll

WKTV Sports

 

There are plenty of local high school sports events to check out this week — including the beginnings of state playoffs for tennis and track — but the WKTV truck and crews will not be back covering games until next week.

 

The final spring game coverage will be:

Wednesday, May 24 – Boys Baseball, Hopkins @ Godwin Heights

 

Each game will be broadcast that night on Live Wire Comcast Channel 24 at 10:30 p.m. throughout the Grand Rapids Metro Area and repeat later in the week — Wednesday games will be rebroadcast Saturdays at 11 a.m. — on  WKTV Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T U-verse Channel 99 in Wyoming & Kentwood.

 

For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week in April, and any changes to the WKTV feature game schedule, see now.wktv.org/sports/

 

The complete list of local high school sports events this week due to spring break is as follows:

 

Monday, May 15

Boys baseball

Godwin Heights @ NorthPointe Christian

Kelloggsville @ Belding

South Christian @ Covenant Christian – DH

Tri-Unity Christian @ Potter’sHouse – DH

Calvin Christian @ Wyoming Lee

Girls softball

Godwin Heights @ NorthPointe Cristian – DH

Kelloggsville @ Belding – DH

South Christian @ Covenant Christian – DH

Calvin Christian @ Wyoming Lee – DH

Girls soccer

Godwin Heights @ Covenant Christian

Calvin Christian @ Kelloggsville

Wyoming @ FH Eastern

West Michigan Aviation @ Fruitport Calvary

South Christian @ Christian

Belding @ Wyoming Lee

Boys golf

Comstock Park @ Wyoming

East Kentwood @ Muskegon Mona Shores

Girls tennis

South Christian @ Zeeland East

 

Tuesday, May 16

Girls Tennis

Western Michigan Christian @ Kelloggsville

North Muskegon @ South Christian

Boys baseball

Wyoming @ Kenowa Hills

Middleville T-K @ South Christian – DH

East Kentwood @ Hudsonville – DH

Girls softball

Wyoming @ Kenowa Hills – DH

Middleville T-K @ South Christian – DH

East Kentwood @ Hudsonville – DH

Girls soccer

Hudsonville Hornets @ West Michigan Aviation

Tri-Unity Christian @ Holland Calvary

Hudsonville @ East Kentwood

Boys golf

Caledonia @ East Kentwood – OK Red Jamboree @ Stone Water

 

Wednesday, May 17

Girls soccer

Kelloggsville @ Godwin Heights

Wyoming @ Wayland

Wyoming Lee @ Calvin Christian

Boys golf

Kelloggsville – OK Silver Conference Tournament at The Meadows

Wyoming @ FH Eastern – OK Gold Jamboree @ Egypt Valley

South Christian @ FH Eastern – OK Gold Jamboree @ Egypt Valley

Boys baseball

Kelloggsville @ Calvin Christian

Tri-Unity Christian vs Holland Black River @ Fifth Third Ballpark – DH

Belding @ Wyoming Lee

Girls softball 

Kelloggsville @ Calvin Christian

Belding @ Wyoming Lee

 

Thursday, May 18

Boys baseball

Tri-Unity Christian @ Godwin Heights

West Michigan Aviation @ Potter’s House

South Christian @ Middleville T-K

Hudsonville @ East Kentwood

Boys lacrosse

Catholic Central @ South Christian

Girls soccer

East Grand Rapids @ South Christian

Tri-Unity Christian @ Holland Black River

Rockford @ East Kentwood

Girls tennis

East Kentwood vs TBD @ Holland – MHSAA State Regionals

Girls softball

Rockford @ East Kentwood

 

Friday, May 19

Boys and girls track

Division 1 MHSAA State Regionals @ Kalamazoo-Loy Norrix

Division 2 MHSAA State Regionals @ Houseman Field

Division 3 MHSAA State regionals @ Saugatuck

Division 4 MHSAA State Regionals @ Holton

Girls softball

Godwin Heights @ Comstock Park

Ottawa Hills @ Kelloggsville – DH

Wyoming @ West Ottawa – DH

South Christian @ Zeeland East – DH

Girls soccer

Godwin Heights @ Belding

Kelloggsville @ NorthPointe Christian

South Christian @ Holland Christian

Boys baseball

Godwin Heights @ Union

West Michigan Aviation @ Kelloggsville – DH

Wyoming @ West Ottawa – DH

Girls tennis

Godwin Heights @ Comstock Park

Kelloggsville @ Christian – MHSAA State Regionals

Girls water polo

@ TBA – MHSAA State Regionals

 

Saturday, May 20

Boys baseball

West Michigan Aviation @ Bloomingdale – DH

Auburn Hills Oakland Christian @ Potter’s House – DH

East Kentwood @ Lakeview – DH

Zion Christian @ Mason County Eastern

Zion Christian @ Western Michigan Christian

Wyoming Lee @ Saranac

Girls soccer

Zion Christian @ West Michigan Aviation

Boys and girls track

Division 1 MHSAA State Regionals @ Kalamazoo-Loy Norrix

Division 2 MHSAA State Regionals @ Houseman Field

Division 4 MHSAA State Regionals @ Holton

Girls water polo

@ TBA – MHSAA State Regionals

Girls softball

Muskegon Reeths-Puffer @ East Kentwood – DH

Wyoming Lee @ Saranac

Boys golf

East Kentwood vs TBA @ The Mines

 

Monday, May 22

Boys baseball

Kelloggsville @ Godwin Heights

South Christian @ Unity Christian

Kenowa Hills @ East Kentwood

Hopkins @ Wyoming Lee – DH

Girls softball

Kelloggsville @ Godwin Heights – DH

FH Central @ South Christian – DH

East Kentwood @ Kenowa Hills

Hopkins @ Wyoming Lee – DH

Girls soccer

NorthPointe Christian @ Godwin Heights

Belding @ Kelloggsville

West Michigan Aviation @ Barry County Christian

Wyoming Lee @ Hopkins

Boys golf

Wyoming @ Christian – OK Gold Conference Meet @ Thornapple Pointe

South Christian @ Christian – OK Gold Conference Meet @ Thornapple Pointe

Girls soccer

South Christian @ Middleville T-K

 

WKTV’s featured high school coverage hits local baseball diamonds

Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Education, Kentwood Public Schools, Recreation, Sports, ,
High school baseball and softball seasons are in full swing. Check out a ball game. (WKTV)

By Mike Moll

WKTV Sports

 

There are plenty of local high school sports events to check out this week, and the weather is supposed to take a turn for the better.

 

The WKTV truck and crews continue this week its May schedule of high school sporting event coverage, with the rest of the tentative schedule being:

 

Monday, May 8 – Boys Baseball, Belding @ Kelloggsville

Tuesday May 9 – Boys Baseball, Caledonia @ East Kentwood

Wednesday, May 24 – Boys Baseball, Hopkins @ Godwin Heights

 

Each game will be broadcast that night on Live Wire Comcast Channel 24 at 10:30 p.m. throughout the Grand Rapids Metro Area and repeat on later in the week — the Tuesday games will be rebroadcast Wednesdays at 5 p.m., and the Wednesday and Thursday games will be rebroadcast Saturdays at 11 a.m. — on  WKTV Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T U-verse Channel 99 in Wyoming & Kentwood.

 

For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week in April, and any changes to the WKTV feature game schedule, see now.wktv.org/sports/

 

The complete list of local high school sports events this week due to spring break is as follows:

 

Monday, May 8

Boys Baseball

Belding @ Godwin Heights

NorthPointe Christian @ Kelloggsville

Zion Christian @ West Michigan Aviation

Girls softball

Belding @ Godwin Heights – DH

NorthPointe Christian @ Kelloggsville

Girls soccer

Calvin Christian @ Godwin Heights

Byron Center @ Kelloggsville

South Christian @ Wyoming

West Michigan Aviation @ Algoma Christian

Tri-Unity Christian @ Hudsonville Hornets

FH Central @ East Kentwood

Ravenna @ Zion Christian

Wyoming Lee @ NorthPointe Christian

Boys golf

Kelloggsville @ Belding

Girls tennis

Kelloggsville @ Catholic Central

East Kentwood @ Grandville

Boys Lacrosse

South Christian @ Jenison

Boys/girls track

@ Wyoming Lee – Cornerstone University Showcase

 

Tuesday, May 9

Boys baseball

Wayland @ Wyoming – DH

South Christian @ East Grand Rapids – DH

GR Crusaders @ Tri-Unity Christian

Caledonia @ East Kentwood – DH

Holland Calvary @ Zion Christian – DH

Girls Softball 

Wayland @ Wyoming – DH

South Christian @ East Grand Rapids – DH

Caledonia @ East Kentwood – DH

Girls soccer

Grand River Prep @ Calvary Christian

Potter’s House @ Algoma Christian

Hope Academy @ Tri-Unity Christian

Holland Calvary @ Zion Christian

East Kentwood @ Muskegon Mona Shores

Boys golf

East Kentwood @ Hudsonville – OK Red Jamboree

Girls water polo

East Kentwood @ Grand Ledge

 

Wednesday, May 10

Boys baseball

Calvin Christian@ Godwin Heights

Rockford @ South Christian – DH

Wyoming Lee @ NorthPointe Christian

Girls softball

Calvin Christian @ Godwin Heights

Rockford @ South Christian – DH

Hudsonville @ East Kentwood

Wyoming Lee @ NorthPointe Christian

Girls soccer

Godwin Heights @ Hopkins

Wyoming Lee @ Kelloggsville

Wyoming @ East Grand Rapids

Wayland @ South Christian

Girls tennis

Kelloggsville @ Coopersville

NorthPointe Christian @ South Christian

Boys golf

Wyoming @ South Christian – OK Gold Jamboree @ Railside

Boys/girls track

Wyoming @ Wayland

South Christian @ Wayland

 

Thursday, May 11

Girls softball

Godwin Heights @ Plainwell – DH

Tri-County @ Kelloggsville

Hamilton @ Wyoming

West Ottawa @ East Kentwood

Boys baseball

Tri-County @ Kelloggsville

Wyoming @ Wayland

Grand River Prep @ Potter’s House

East Grand Rapids @ South Christian

Kalamazoo Cougars @ Tri-Unity Christian

East Kentwood @ Caledonia

Boys golf

Hamilton @ Wyoming

Boys/girls track

West Michigan Aviation @ Ravenna

Girls soccer

West Michigan Aviation @ Grand River Prep

East Kentwood @ West Ottawa

Girls tennis

Wayland @ East Kentwood

 

Friday, May 12

Boys/girls track

Godwin Heights @ Belding – OK Silver Conference Tournament

Kelloggsville @ Belding – O Silver Conference Tournament

Wyoming Lee @ Belding – OK Silver Conference Tournament

East Kentwood @ Rockford – OK Red Conference Tournament

Boys baseball

Godwin Heights @ Comstock Park

West Michigan Aviation @ Kalamazoo Cougars – DH

Girls soccer

Zion Christian @ Godwin Heights

Wyoming @ Hudsonville Hornets

South Christian @ Zeeland East

Potter’s House @ Fruitport Calvary Christian

Algoma Christian @ Tri-Unity Christian

Boys golf

Kelloggsville @ Calvin Christian – OK Silver Jamboree @ The Pines

Northview @ Wyoming

Boys lacrosse

South Christian @ Kenowa Hills

Girls water polo

East Kentwood @ TBA – Districts

 

Saturday, May 13

Boys golf

Kelloggsville @ Hamilton

East Kentwood @ East Lansing

Girls tennis

Kelloggsville @ Spring Lake – OK Silver Conference Tournament

Wyoming @ FH Eastern – OK Gold Conference Meet

South Christian @ FH Eastern – OK Gold Conference Meet

East Kentwood @ Rockford – OK Red Conference Meet

Boys baseball

West Michigan Aviation @ Kelloggsville – Liz Jensen Memorial Tournament

South Christian @ Zeeland East

Tri-Unity Christian @ Zion Christian – DH

East Kentwood @ Jenison – DH

Girls softball

Hastings @ Kelloggsville – Liz Jensen Memorial Tournament

Wyoming Lee @ Kelloggsville – Liz Jensen Memorial Tournament

South Christian @ Hudsonville

Boys/girls track

Wyoming @ Houseman Field – OK Gold Conference Meet

South Christian @ Houseman Field – OK Gold Conference Meet

 

Monday, May 15

Boys baseball

Godwin Heights @ NorthPointe Christian

Kelloggsville @ Belding

South Christian @ Covenant Christian – DH

Tri-Unity Christian @ Potter’sHouse – DH

Calvin Christian @ Wyoming Lee

Girls softball

Godwin Heights @ NorthPointe Cristian – DH

Kelloggsville @ Belding – DH

South Christian @ Covenant Christian – DH

Calvin Christian @ Wyoming Lee – DH

Girls soccer

Godwin Heights @ Covenant Christian

Calvin Christian @ Kelloggsville

Wyoming @ FH Eastern

West Michigan Aviation @ Fruitport Calvary

South Christian @ Christian

Belding @ Wyoming Lee

Boys golf

Comstock Park @ Wyoming

East Kentwood @ Muskegon Mona Shores

Girls tennis

South Christian @ Zeeland East

 

Summer fun activities abound in Grand Rapids

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Education, Kids Activities, Upcoming Events, , , , , , ,

By Jeremy Witt

 

There is absolutely no excuse to be bored this summer, not with the variety of offerings from local schools and organizations.

Compass College in Grand Rapids offers interested participants help in making a movie this summer. Learn from professionals how to act on camera and make films in their Summer Film and Acting camps. Running from June 19th to 23rd, these camps are designed for teens ages 13 to 18. Each camp offers a completely different experience: as a Film Camp student, you’ll write, shoot, and edit your own short film with guidance from seasoned filmmakers; in Acting Camp, you’ll work on perfecting on-camera acting techniques with a film actor as your coach, and then star in a film produced by Film Camp. At the end of the week, walk the red carpet as the films premiere for family and friends on the big screen.

The Downtown Market in Grand Rapids has three- and four-day summer camps for the young foodie in your life. Camps are offered starting in late June and run through the beginning of August. Each camp has a distinct theme, ranging from Michigan’s fruits and vegetables to creating and utilizing a backyard farm. Sign up today for what Downtown Market cleverly calls their “Simmer Camps”.

Grand Rapids Treetop Adventure Park is hosting its first ever Treetop Climbing Camp, a climbing day camp for the curious, adventurous, and outdoor-lovers in your house. At the Treetop Climbing Camp, you will get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at what is involved in adventure climbing, including one-on-one training from their skilled park guides. Two sessions are now available, with session one from June 19th to 21st and session two from June 26th to 28th. The camp is best suited for kids ages 10 to 15, but more importantly, campers need to be able to reach six feet with their arms straight up.

The Grand Rapids Ballet has a variety of camps that are all centered around dance. Their Ballet School has programs for ballet, young dancers, boys ballet, and summer intensive training. They also have two Adaptive Dance programs, Explorer Dance (for children with Down syndrome) and Dancing with Parkinson’s (for adults with Parkinson’s disease). These Adaptive Dance classes allow students to experience the joy of dancing who may otherwise not have the opportunity to do so. Summer camps at the Grand Rapids Ballet are both fun and accessible for everyone.

The Grand Rapids Civic Theatre has summer camps that give students the chance to spend an entire week learning about theatre while having a blast making new friends. There are some fantastic additions to the extremely popular summer camp program this year, so you’ll want to take a look at their new offerings for the season. Camps range from age 4 all the way through high school.

Summer fun happens at the Grand Rapids Public Museum. Join in and explore the wonders of science, history, culture, art and fun. For nine weeks this summer, kids ages 4 to 14 can use the museum as a learning lab, experimenting and growing, all while having a great time in one of the area’s most history-rich and “cool” environments.

 

Water polo scheduled for WKTV’s featured high school coverage

Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Education, Kentwood Public Schools, Sports, , ,
Girls water polo is on tap for WKTV featured coverage this week.

By Mike Moll

WKTV Sports

 

The WKTV truck and the crews will continue to bring various events to the airwaves this spring and this week we will be at East Kentwood covering girls water polo — twice!

 

The tentative April schedule for WKTV coverage concludes with:

Tuesday, April 25 Water polo, Grand Haven @ East Kentwood

Thursday, April 27 Water Polo West Ottawa @ East Kentwood

 

Each game will be broadcast that night on Live Wire Comcast Channel 24 at 10:30 p.m. throughout the Grand Rapids Metro Area and repeat on later in the week — the Tuesday games will be rebroadcast Wednesdays at 5 p.m., and the Wednesday and Thursday games will be rebroadcast Saturdays at 11 a.m. — on  WKTV Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T U-verse Channel 99 in Wyoming & Kentwood.

 

For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week in April, and any changes to the WKTV feature game schedule, see now.wktv.org/sports/

 

The complete list of local high school sports events this week due to spring break is as follows:

 

Monday, April 24

Boys Golf

South Christian @ Middleville T-K – OK Gold Jamboree @ Yankee Springs

Wyoming @ Middleville T-K – OK Gold Jamboree @ Yankee Springs

Wellsprings Prep @ Kelloggsville

East Kentwood @ Rockford

Girls Tennis

Christian @ South Christian

Kelloggsville @ Comstock Park

Wyoming @ FH Eastern

East Kentwood @ Rockford

Girls Softball

South Christian @ Holland Christian

Calvin Christian @ Kelloggsville – DH

Godwin Heights @ Western Michigan Christian – DH

Wyoming Lee @ Belding – DH

Boys Baseball

South Christian @ Holland Christian

Calvin Christian @ Kelloggsville

West Michigan Aviation @ Holland Calvary – DH

Wyoming Lee @ Belding

Boys Lacrosse

South Christian @ Catholic Central

Girls Soccer

South Christian @ East Grand Rapids

Godwin Heights @ Kelloggsville

Wayland @ Wyoming

South Haven @ West Michigan Aviation

Crossroads Charter @ Zion Christian

Calvin Christian @ Wyoming Lee

 

Tuesday, April 25

Girls Softball

South Christian @ Wayland – DH

East Grand Rapids @ Wyoming – DH

East Kentwood @ Rockford – DH

Boys Baseball

South Christian @ Wayland – DH

East Grand Rapids @ Wyoming – DH

Tri-Unity Christian @ Heritage Christian – DH

Grand River Prep @ Potter’s House – DH

Holland Black River @ Zion Christian – DH

East Kentwood @ Rockford – DH

Boys/Girls Track 

NorthPointe Christian @ Kelloggsville

Belding @ Godwin Heights

Hudsonville @ East Kentwood

Girls Soccer

Fruitport Calvary @ Tri-Unity Christian

Holland Black River @ Zion Christian

East Kentwood @ Rockford

Girls Water Polo

Grand Haven @ East Kentwood

 

Wednesday, April 26

Boys Golf

South Christian @ Wayland – OK Gold Jamboree @ Orchard Hills

Wyoming @ Wayland – OK Gold Jamboree @ Orchard Hills

Kelloggsville @ Hastings

East Kentwood @ West Ottawa – OK Red Jamboree

Girls Tennis

South Christian @ East Grand Rapids

NorthPointe Christian @ Kelloggsville

Wayland @ Wyoming

Hudsonville @ East Kentwood

Boys/Girls Track 

South Christian @ East Grand Rapids

Christian @ Wyoming

Boys Lacrosse

Kenowa Hills @ South Christian

Girls Soccer

Middleville T-K @ South Christian

NorthPointe Christian @ Kelloggsville

Belding @ Godwin Heights

Wyoming Lee @ Potter’s House

Boys Baseball 

Godwin Heights @ Kelloggsville

Wyoming @ Zeeland East

Hopkins @ Wyoming Lee

Girls Softball 

Godwin Heights @ Kelloggsville

Wyoming @ Zeeland East

East Kentwood @ Jenison

Hopkins @ Wyoing Lee

 

Thursday, April 27

Boys Baseball

Wayland @ South Christian

Wyoming @ East Grand Rapids

West Michigan Aviation @ Kalamazoo Heritage – DH

Rockford @ East Kentwood

Boys/Girls Track

Kelloggsville @ Belding

NorthPointe Christian @ Godwin Heights

East Kentwood @ Grand Haven

Hopkins @ Wyoming Lee

Boys Golf 

Wyoming @ Zeeland West

Girls Soccer

Hudsonville Hornets @ Wyoming

East Kentwood @ Grandville

Girls Water Polo

West Ottawa @ East Kentwood

 

Friday, April 28

Boys Golf

South Christian @ TC Central – TCC Tee Off Invite

Kelloggsville @ Hopkins – OK Silver Jamboree

East Kentwood @ Jackson

Boys Lacrosse

St. Francis @ South Christian

Girls Tennis 

Kelloggsville @ Wyoming

Boys Baseball 

Tri-Unity Christian @ Kelloggsville

Potter’s House @ Godwin Heights – DH

Allendale @ Wyoming – DH

West Michigan Aviation @ Belding – DH

Girls Softball 

East Grand Rapids @ Kelloggsville – DH

Allendale @ Wyoming – DH

Grandville @ East Kentwood – DH

Boys/Girls Track

Potter’s House @ Loy Norrix

Girls Soccer

Zion Christian @ NorthPointe Christian

East Kentwood @ Portage Central

Girls Water Polo

East Kentwood @ Hudsonville/Zeeland Tournament

 

Saturday, April 29

Boys Golf

South Christian @ TC Central – TCC Tee Off Invite

Boys/Girls Track

South Christian @ Wyoming – Frank Grimm Relays

Kelloggsville @ Wyoming – Frank Grimm Relays

Potter’s House @ Wyoming – Frank Grimm Relays

Godwin Heights @ Grand Rapids Public – Elite Challenge

Girls Tennis

South Christian @ Muskegon Mona Shores

Boys Baseball

South Christian @ Hudsonville – Hudsonville Invite

Godwin Heights @ Zion Christian – DH

Holland Calvary @ Tri-Unity Christian – DH

Wyoming Lee @ Ravenna

Girls Softball 

Godwin Heights @ Otsego

Girls Soccer

Tri-Unity Christian @ West Michigan Aviation

Girls Water Polo

East Kentwood @ Hudsonville/Zeeland Tournament

School News Network: Settling conflict by settling minds with connective art

3-bottom, Area Education, Citizen Journalism, Education, Non-Profits, , , ,

Student-made mandala supports Restorative Justice

By Erin Albanese School News Network

 

With colorful petals radiating from a bright orange center, the mandala Circle of Art rug represents the universe and all its connectivity.

 

For members of Wyoming High School’s National Art Honor Society, it’s also a way of connecting with a program right in their school that helps reduce conflict and unite people.

 

Sinai Salvador, Cecilia Medina and Bekah Luce created the mandala Circle of Art to symbolize restorative justice

NAHS members and juniors Sinai Salvador, Cecilia Medina and Bekah Luce created the rug at the request of Marilyn Booker, who facilitates restorative justice circles at the high school. Booker wanted a symbol that complemented her practice, and students came up with the design. They showcased the rug at the district’s recent Fine Arts Festival.

 

Restorative justice, an outreach of the Grand Rapids-based nonprofit Dispute Resolution Center of West Michigan that started at the high school last school year, is a non-punitive, conflict-resolution program that helps students solve differences using trained mediators.

 

Connecting, Uniting, Restoring

In restorative circles, students who are having conflicts tell each other through guided conversation with Booker what’s on their minds. They hold something, like a squishy ball, to indicate their turn to speak. The goal is to reduce suspensions and address harmful behaviors in a therapeutic way. It has been successful and was expanded to the junior high this school year.

 

Booker lays the rug on the floor in the middle of the circles to give students a focal point if they aren’t quite ready to meet eye-to-eye.

 

“We made the rug to help relieve anxiety with these groups,” said Bekah. “A lot of times the kids don’t feel comfortable and don’t know where to look.”

 

The circle is a universal and eternal symbol seen in many aspects of life: the sun, the moon, the earth and the universe. Conflict is also a universal and eternal issue in society, Booker said: “In a circle, there is no disconnect. We are all connected in some way, shape, or form. … Part of doing circles is every voice is important.

 

“We are restoring kids instead of pushing them out,” she said.

 

Wyoming is a very diverse district, the fourth most diverse in the state, according to the website, Niche. In that context, Sinai explained the depth she sees in the piece.

 

“You can think of all the colors we connected in the mandala rug as all the races that are connected in our school society,” Sinai said. “That’s why it’s used in the restorative program. It gets everyone together.”

 

She sees the school’s diversity as a plus for understanding, noting “we all get along. It doesn’t matter where you come from, we all understand that we have different customs, but we all come together because we are all equal.

 

Restorative justice facilitator Marilyn Booker (far left) hosts a Restorative Circle, with the mandala rug in the center, with, from left, students Kiara Kornoelje, Ashley Elliott, Makenna Vanderstolp and Shay Sees

“It’s a way for the school environment to flourish. That’s also why we picked the flower.”

 

Art and Its Many Connections

Wyoming High’s National Art Honor Society, which includes 21 students, focuses on creating art that connects with the greater community, school community and with themselves, said adviser and art teacher Robin Gransow-Higley.

 

In 1978, the National Art Education Association began the NAHS program to inspire and recognize students who have shown an outstanding ability and interest in art, though it’s open to all students.

 

Wyoming NAHS students organized the district’s recent Fine Arts Festival, which included works from those in grades K-12, plus choir and theater performances, demonstrations by various clubs, face-painting and other activities. Students are also creating a mural representing student athletics and activities.

 

The club aims to encircle the community it its own way, through art, Higley said.

 

“They connect with the greater community, school community and with themselves,” she said.

World Affairs Council offers ‘Peace’ talks at KDL’s Cascade branch

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The April 19, discussion, “The New Peacebuilding: Challenges and Opportunities”, will be led by Dr. George Lopez, Hesburgh.

WKTV Contributor

 

The World Affairs Council of Western Michigan and the Kent District Library is holding a series of discussions titled “Give Peace a Chance” at the KDL Cascade Township Branch with the second of three discussions being Wednesday, April 19.

 

The Cascade library is located at 2870 Jack Smith Ave SE, Grand Rapids. The lectures, scheduled from 6:30-7:30 p.m. each day, are free, open to the public and free parking is provided.

 

The April 19, discussion, “The New Peacebuilding: Challenges and Opportunities”, will be led by Dr. George Lopez, Hesburgh Professor of Peace Studies, Emeritus, Kroc Institute, University of Notre Dame. Description: “Many pundits and professional politicians suggest that our era of global violence, and especially terrorism, makes peace a fantasy.  This presentation will challenge that claim and will illustrate the new pathways to building peace, particularly on ways in which individual citizens and larger civil society groups can play important roles in building peace in their local communities and especially in outreach to the wider world.”

 

The Thursday, April 27, discussion, “Perspectives on Peace in the New Administration”, will be led by Dr. Frederic Pearson, Center for Peace and Conflict Studies, Wayne State University. Description: “With the presidential elections so recent, it is unclear what direction the new administration will take. Dr. Pearson will outline President Trump’s first 100 days in office. Given the trends in his presidential policy thus far, he’ll assess what that means for the prospects of peace worldwide.”

 

For more information visit worldmichigan.org/peace-series .

Baseball, softball scheduled for WKTV’s featured high school coverage

Area Education, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Education, Kentwood Public Schools, Recreation, Sports, , , ,
The high school baseball and softball seasons are starting up on Wyoming and Kentwood area. (WKTV)

By Mike Moll

WKTV Sports

 

The WKTV truck and the crews will continue to bring various events to the airwaves this spring and this week we will be at South Christian for a baseball game and at Godwin Heights for a softball — and check out next week’s schedule of water polo coverage!

 

The tentative April schedule for WKTV coverage is:

Tuesday, April 18 Baseball, Wyoming @ South Christian

Thursday, April 20 Softball Union @ Godwin Heights

Tuesday, April 25 Water polo, Grand Haven @ East Kentwood

Thursday, April 27 Water Polo West Ottawa @ East Kentwood

 

Each game will be broadcast that night on Live Wire Comcast Channel 24 at 10:30 p.m. throughout the Grand Rapids Metro Area and repeat on later in the week — the Tuesday games will be rebroadcast Wednesdays at 5 p.m., and the Wednesday and Thursday games will be rebroadcast Saturdays at 11 a.m. — on  WKTV Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T U-verse Channel 99 in Wyoming & Kentwood.

 

For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week in April, and any changes to the WKTV feature game schedule, see now.wktv.org/sports/

 

The complete list of local high school sports events this week due to spring break is as follows:

 

Monday, April 17

Boys Golf

South Christian @ Forest Hills Invite – Egypt Valley

East Kentwood @ Forest Hills Invite – Egypt Valley

Girls Tennis

Wyoming @ South Christian

Kelloggsville @ Calvin Christian

East Kentwood @ Byron Center

Boys Lacrosse

Comstock Park @ South Christian

Girls Soccer

South Christian @ Wayland

Kelloggsville @ Wyoming Lee

Hopkins @ Godwin Heights

East Grand Rapids @ Wyoming

Boys Baseball 

Godwin Heights @ Calvin Christian

West Michigan Aviation @ Tri-Unity Christian – DH

Potter’s House @ Kelloggsville – DH

NorthPointe Christian @ Wyoming Lee

Girls Softball 

Godwin Heights @ Calvin Christian

NorthPointe Christian @ Wyoming Lee – DH

 

Tuesday April 18

Boys Baseball

Wyoming @ South Christian – DH

Holland Black River @ Potter’s House – DH

Zion Christian @ Saranac – DH

East Kentwood @ West Ottawa – DH

West Michigan Lutheran @ Three Oaks River Valley

Girls Softball

Wyoming @ South Christian – DH

East Kentwood @ West Ottawa – DH

Girls Soccer 

Godwin Heights @ Potter’s House

Wellsprings Prep @ Tri-Unity Christian

Union @ West Michigan Aviation

Zion Christian @ Calvary Christian

West Ottawa @ East Kentwood

Boys Golf

East Kentwood @ Grand Haven – OK Red Jamboree

Boys/Girls Track

East Kentwood @ Grandville

Wyoming Lee @ Belding

Girls Water Polo

East Kentwood @ Hudsonville

 

Wednesday April 19

Boys Golf

South Christian @ Christian – OK Gold Jamboree @ Quail Ridge

Wyoming @ Christian – OK Gold Jamboree @ Quail Ridge

Girls Tennis

Wayland @ South Christian

West Catholic @ Kelloggsville

East Grand Rapids @ Wyoming

West Ottawa @ East Kentwood

Boys/Girls Track

South Christian @ FH Eastern

Wyoming @ Middleville T-K

Girls Soccer

Christian @ South Christian

Kelloggsville @ Calvin Christian

FH Eastern @ Wyoming

Wyoming Lee @ Belding

Boys Baseball 

Belding @ Kelloggsville

NorthPointe Christian @ Godwin Heights

West Michigan Aviation @ Hopkins

Wyoming Lee @ Calvin Christian

Girls Softball 

Belding @ Kelloggsville

NorthPointe Christian @ Godwin Heights

Wyoming Lee @ Calvin Christian

 

Thursday April 20

Boys Golf

South Christian @ Unity Christian

Kelloggsville @ Delton-Kellogg – Delton-Kellogg Invitational

Wyoming @ Holland

East Kentwood @ Caledonia – OK Red Jamboree

Boys Baseball

South Christian @ Wyoming

Wellsprings Prep @ Tri-Unity Christian – DH

Barry County Christian @ Zion Christian

West Ottawa @ East Kentwood

Girls Softball

Unity Christian @ South Christian – DH

Union @ Godwin Heights – DH

Wyoming @ Byron Center

Hudsonville @ East Kentwood

Boys/Girls Track 

Kelloggsville @ Godwin Heights

Caledonia @ East Kentwood

Calvin Christian @ Wyoming Lee

Girls Soccer

Tri-Unity Christian @ Zion Christian

East Kentwood @ Hudsonville

Girls Tennis

Kenowa Hills @ East Kentwood

Girls Water Polo

East Kentwood @ Zeeland East

 

Friday April 21

Girls Softball

Byron Center @ South Christian – DH

Hastings @ Kelloggsville – DH

Ottawa Hills @ Godwin Heights

Boys Baseball

Byron Center @ South Christian – DH

Potter’s House @ Kelloggsville – DH

West Michigan Aviation @ Godwin Heights – DH

Tri-Unity Christian @ NorthPointe Christian

Boys Lacrosse

Jenison @ South Christian

Girls Soccer

South Christian @ Caledonia

Hudsonville Hornets @ Godwin Heights

Allendale @ Wyoming

Potter’s House @ Delton Kellogg

Middleville T-K @ East Kentwood

Kent City @ Wyoming Lee

Boys/Girls Track 

Wyoming @ Hastings

Girls Tennis 

Northview @ Wyoming

Girls Water Polo

@ East Kentwood – EK Invite

 

Saturday April 22

Girls Tennis

South Christian @ AA Greenhills – Gryphon Invite

Hastings @ Kelloggsville – Rocket Invitational

Wyoming @ Hamilton

East Kentwood @ Holt

@ Wyoming Lee – Soils Invitational

Boys/Girls Track 

Kelloggsville @ Wyoming Lee – Lee Invite

West Michigan Aviation @ Wyoming Lee – Lee Invite

Boys Baseball 

Godwin Heights @ Wyoming Lee – Rebel Invitational

Heritage Christian @ Zion Christian – DH

East Kentwood @ Catholic Central

Girls Softball 

Wyoming @ Muskegon Reeths-Puffer

East Kentwood @ Muskegon Mona Shores – DH

@ Wyoming Lee – Rebel Invitational

Girls Water Polo

@ East Kentwood – EK Invite

 

Monday April 24

Boys Golf

South Christian @ Middleville T-K – OK Gold Jamboree @ Yankee Springs

Wyoming @ Middleville T-K – OK Gold Jamboree @ Yankee Springs

Wellsprings Prep @ Kelloggsville

East Kentwood @ Rockford

Girls Tennis

Christian @ South Christian

Kelloggsville @ Comstock Park

Wyoming @ FH Eastern

East Kentwood @ Rockford

Girls Softball

South Christian @ Holland Christian

Calvin Christian @ Kelloggsville – DH

Godwin Heights @ Western Michigan Christian – DH

Wyoming Lee @ Belding – DH

Boys Baseball

South Christian @ Holland Christian

Calvin Christian @ Kelloggsville

West Michigan Aviation @ Holland Calvary – DH

Wyoming Lee @ Belding

Boys Lacrosse

South Christian @ Catholic Central

Girls Soccer

South Christian @ East Grand Rapids

Godwin Heights @ Kelloggsville

Wayland @ Wyoming

South Haven @ West Michigan Aviation

Crossroads Charter @ Zion Christian

Calvin Christian @ Wyoming Lee

 

Go Saints: WKTV to air Ellington Academy basketball special 

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Education, Sports

WKTV Contributor

 

Ellington Academy of Arts and Technology not only had a great boys basketball season, finishing with a 12-6 record and making it to the Class D District 111 finals, but they also had students at the school produce a video record of the season.

 

WKTV will air the Ellington Academy Saints Basketball Special on Monday, April 17, at 4 p.m.; and Friday, April 21 at 5 p.m., on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T U-verse Channel 99 in Wyoming & Kentwood.

 

Ellington Academy of Arts and Technology has been in existence for only seven years and their boys varsity basketball team has been playing for even less. But for the last two years they’ve made it to the District 111 finals for Class D.

 

They have yet to win a district final but Coach Ardrace Morris will tell you that’s fine — for now.

 

The real goal of the mens basketball team is to prepare young men to compete in the real world. Lessons learned on the court and in practice are lessons that stay with you for life. This year, the team learned to face adversity. Watch and see what they’ve learned from dealing with resistance. With only two seniors graduating this year, the team looks poised to finally win a district final for the 2017-18 season.

 

Local high school sports schedule: April 10-17

Area Education, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Education, Kentwood Public Schools, Sports, ,
High school baseball and softball seasons are in full swing. Check out a ball game. (WKTV)

By Mike Moll

sports@wktv.org

 

Spring weather, and spring high school, sports are now in full swing —  “Play Ball! So, if you are looking for a Wyoming and Kentwood area high school varsity sports event to get out to, here is your weekly list.

 

Monday, April 10

Boys baseball

Hopkins @ Kelloggsville

Wyoming Lee @ Godwin Heights

Girls softball

Hopkins @ Kelloggsville – DH

Wyoming Lee @ Godwin Heights – DH

 

Tuesday, April 11

Girls Tennis 

Cookie Invite @ South Christian

Jenison @ Wyoming

Boys Baseball

South Christian @ FH Eastern – DH

Middleville T-K @ Wyoming – DH

Tri-Unity Christian @ Potter’s House – DH

West Michigan Aviation @ Bloomingdale – DH

Grand River Prep @ Zion Christian

Grandville @ East Kentwood – DH

Girls Softball

South Christian @ FH Eastern – DH

Coopersville @ Godwin Heights

Middleville T-K @ Wyoming – DH

Girls Soccer

South Christian @ FH Eastern

Kelloggsville @ Tri-Unity Christian

Middleville T-K @ Wyoming

Hope Academy @ West Michigan Aviation

Potter’s House @ Zion Christian

Caledonia @ East Kentwood

Boys Golf 

Kelloggsville @ Hastings – Scrimmage

Boys/Girls Track 

Godwin Heights @ Calvin Christian

West Michigan Aviation @ Wyoming Lee

Girls Water Polo

Portage Central @ East Kentwood

 

Wednesday, April 12

Boys Golf

South Christian @ Calvin Christian

East Kentwood @ Grandville – OK Red Jamboree

Girls Tennis

South Christian @ FH Eastern

Union @ Kelloggsville

Middleville T-K @ Wyoming

Boys/Girls Track

South Christian @ Christian

Boys Lacrosse

South Christian @ Zeeland

Boys Baseball 

Kelloggsville @ NorthPointe Christian

Godwin Heights @ Belding

FH Central @ Wyoming

Girls Softball 

Kelloggsville @ NorthPointe Christian

Godwin Heights @ Belding

FH Central @ Wyoming – DH

Girls Soccer 

Godwin Heights @ Calvin Christian

NorthPointe Christian @ Wyoming Lee

Girls Water Polo

Grandville @ East Kentwood

 

Thursday, April 13

Boys Golf

South Christian – Kent County Classic @ Thornapple Pointe

East Kentwood – Kent County Classic @ Thornapple Pointe

Boys Baseball  

FH Eastern @ South Christian

Wyoming @ Middleville T-K

Covenant Christian @ Tri-Unity Christian

Grand Rapids Crusaders @ Zion Christian

East Kentwood @ Grandville

Holland Calvary @ Wyoming Lee – DH

Girls Softball

Caledonia @ South Christian – DH

Wyoming @ Grandville

Unity Christian @ East Kentwood

Boys Lacrosse

Muskegon Reeths-Puffer @ South Christian

Girls Soccer

Wyoming @ South Christian

Kelloggsville @ Union

Potter’s House @ Tri-Unity Christian

Grand River Prep @ Zion Christian

Boys/Girls Track 

Wyoming Lee @ Kelloggsville

Hopkins @ Godwin Heights

East Grand Rapids @ Wyoming

Rockford @ East Kentwood

Girls Tennis

@ East Kentwood – EK Quad

 

Friday, April 14

Boys Golf 

Wyoming @ Kelloggsville

Girls Softball 

Western Michigan Christian @ Kelloggsville

Girls Soccer 

West Ottawa @ Wyoming

West Michigan Aviation @ Wyoming Lee

Northview @ East Kentwood

Girls Water Polo

East Kentwood @ Jenison

 

Saturday, April 15

Boys/Girls Track

South Christian @ Unity Christian

Kelloggsville @ Coopersville – Bronco Classic

Wyoming @ Comstock Park

West Michigan Aviation @ Lakewood – Lakewood Invitational

East Kentwood @ Mansfield/Mehock Relays

Boys Baseball

South Christian @ East Kentwood – EK Invite

Kelloggsville @ Wyoming – Wyoming Tournament

Godwin Heights @ Wyoming – Wyoming Tournament-

Wyoming Lee @ Union – DH

Girls Softball

South Christian @ East Kentwood – EK Invite

Girls Tennis

South Christian @ East Kentwood

Kelloggsville @ Wyoming – Wyoming Invitational

Girls Water Polo

East Kentwood @ Jenison

 

Sunday, April 16

EASTER SUNDAY

 

Monday, April 17

Boys Golf

South Christian @ Forest Hills Invite – Egypt Valley

East Kentwood @ Forest Hills Invite – Egypt Valley

Girls Tennis

Wyoming @ South Christian

Kelloggsville @ Calvin Christian

East Kentwood @ Byron Center

Boys Lacrosse

Comstock Park @ South Christian

Girls Soccer

South Christian @ Wayland

Kelloggsville @ Wyoming Lee

Hopkins @ Godwin Heights

East Grand Rapids @ Wyoming

Boys Baseball 

Godwin Heights @ Calvin Christian

West Michigan Aviation @ Tri-Unity Christian – DH

Potter’s House @ Kelloggsville – DH

NorthPointe Christian @ Wyoming Lee

Girls Softball 

Godwin Heights @ Calvin Christian

NorthPointe Christian @ Wyoming Lee – DH

 

After exciting winter of high school sports, WKTV’s spring coverage starts

Area Education, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Education, Kentwood Public Schools, Sports
High School girls water polo is on the schedule for WKTV coverage this spring.

By Mike Moll

WKTV Sports

 

The winter schedules wrapped up in March with a couple of our local teams showing very well in the state tournament. In the boys Class D tournament, Tri-Unity Christian made it to the state quarterfinals before falling to eventual state runner-up Buckley by 11 points. The girls side had the East Kentwood Lady Falcons getting into the championship game in Class A before losing for just the second time all season, to Flushing, also by 11.

 

The WKTV truck and the crews will continue to bring various events to the airwaves this spring and including, for the first time, in addition to baseball and softball, we will be covering girls water polo.

 

The tentative April schedule for WKTV coverage is:

Tuesday, April 11: Baseball, Grandville @ East Kentwood

Wednesday, April 12: Water polo, Grandville @ East Kentwood

Tuesday, April 18: Baseball, Wyoming @ South Christian

Thursday, April 20: Softball Union @ Godwin Heights

Tuesday, April 25: Water polo, Grand Haven @ East Kentwood

Thursday, April 27: Water Polo West Ottawa @ East Kentwood

 

Each game will be broadcast that night on Live Wire Comcast Channel 24 at 10:30 p.m. throughout the Grand Rapids Metro Area and repeat on later in the week — the Tuesday games will be rebroadcast Wednesdays at 5 p.m., and the Wednesday and Thursday games will be rebroadcast Saturdays at 11 a.m. — on  WKTV Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T U-verse Channel 99 in Wyoming & Kentwood.

 

Local high school sports events are limited this week due to spring break. They are as follows:

 

Saturday, April 8

Girls softball

Godwin Heights @ Comstock Park

 

Monday, April 10

Boys baseball

Hopkins @ Kelloggsville

Wyoming Lee @ Godwin Heights

Girls softball

Hopkins @ Kelloggsville – DH

Wyoming Lee @ Godwin Heights – DH

 

For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week in April, and any changes to the WKTV feature game schedule, see now.wktv.org/sports/

 

Creating a community that cares

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Education, Non-Profits, Volunteers, , ,

 

By ACSET Community Action Agency

 

Each year, ACSET Community Action holds it Walk for Warmth to raise funds for emergency heating assistance for low-income families in Kent County. And each year, students at Sibley Elementary participate in activities to support the walk and help their neighbors in need.

 

For more than 10 years, second graders engaged in the social studies unit Learning About Communities, have worked together to make positive changes in their community. The students, known as the “Sibley Warmth Force,” write letters to local businesses to ask for donations for the annual Walk for Warmth.

 

“Our studies focus on citizenship and building community,” explained Bernice Wisnieski, a second grade teacher at Sibley. “This service project is an awesome way to bring the lesson to life.”

 

This year the second grade students wanted a way to get the entire school involved. They worked with the principal and scheduled the first Sibley Walk-a-thon for Warmth. Along with the Walk for Warmth on February 11th, all students at Sibley Elementary took turns walking on March 14, holding signs with the names of businesses that helped support the cause. Many of the older students remembered this project from past years and were excited to participate again.

 

In addition to the walk-a-thon, the students made and sold fleece blankets and brought in pennies for a total of almost $2,000 in donations. ACSET Community Action is grateful to the students for their hard work and warm hearts; to the businesses for their generous donations; and to the Sibley teachers for creating a community that cares for those less fortunate.

 

Your Community in Action! is provided by ASCET Community Action Agency. To learn more about how they help meet emergency needs and assist with areas of self-sufficiency, visit www.communityactionkent.org

Meijer Gardens expansion includes expanded learning center, local community education opportunities

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Architectural drawings for Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park’s new Covenant Learning Center, which will be topped by the new Padnos Families Rooftop Sculpture Garden.

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

 

The multi-phased building expansion plans of the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park announced last week will include an expansion the institution’s learning center, already a favorite of several Wyoming and Kentwood community organizations including Kentwood Public Schools A.R.C.H. after school program.

 

The expansion plans include a new 60,000 square foot welcome center, a new transportation center, expansion and upgrades to the concert amphitheater, a new sculpture garden entry plaza and a “reimagined” scenic indoor corridor, and expanded parking and urban garden areas. Overall, project construction is scheduled to begin this fall and continue for approximately four years.

 

After the new welcome center, however, and most important expansion may be the 20,000 square foot Covenant Learning Center, which will be topped by the new Padnos Families Rooftop Sculpture Garden.

 

Architectural drawings for Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park’s new Covenant Learning Center, which will be topped by the new Padnos Families Rooftop Sculpture Garden.

“Today we have two approximately 1,100 square foot classrooms devoted to education,” Meijer Gardens President and CEO David Hooker said when asked by WKTV about the Covenant Learning Center. “Since 1999, our educational programming has grown 305 percent. While our education programming has grown … our space dedicated to education has remained the same. The new Covenant Learning Center will have four approximately 1,200 square foot classrooms, two 1,600 square foot classrooms and one 2,200 square foot Interactive Education Area. The opportunity for additional educational programming is nearly unlimited.”

 

Wyoming and Kentwood programs at the gardens

 

Kentwood’s A.R.C.H. after school program is just one of the many programs currently using the Garden’s educational programing.

 

“The after-school programs from both Kentwood (A.R.C.H.) and Wyoming (T.E.A.M. 21), in particular, have made frequent visits to Meijer Gardens in the past,” said Jessica Hart, Meijer Gardens indoor education manager. “We’re delighted that these groups have been able to enjoy our seasonal exhibitions, Sculpture Park, and Children’s Garden. I expect that the new Covenant Learning Center will allow us additional opportunities to offer educational programs school groups and after-school groups alike in the future.”

 

A.R.C.H. is a collaboration between Kentwood Public Schools and the Kentwood Parks and Recreation Department. Program activities focus on academics, health, wellness, and recreation/leisure education.  These activities will be offered to children, family, and community members throughout the year.

 

But the Kentwood program is just one of many groups availing themselves of local cultural educational opportunities. And that is just the way Meijer Garden’s wants it.

 

Following recent educational additions to other Grand Rapids area institutions, including The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, Meijer Garden’s Covenant Learning Center “will engage learners in new ways and reinforce our commitment as the go-to place for cultural education,” according to supplied information.

 

Part of Meijer Garden’s mission

 

“Since our beginning, education has been a hallmark of the Meijer Gardens mission — reaching more than 89,000 guests last year alone. In fact, the action word in our mission statement is ‘promote.’ Education is the primary method by which we put life into the word ‘promote.’ The dramatic growth of participation in our educational programming not only underscores the quality and diversity of our classes, camps and events, but also demonstrates a need for more classroom space.”

 

A key aspect of the new classrooms will be that they will provide outdoor learning areas, with five of the six having direct access from within the classroom. The outdoor learning area will be located east of the building and will include seating areas for students, teaching areas for instructors, and partial shade/cover from the elements.

 

The expansion plans are the result of a nearly complete $115 million capital campaign titled “Welcoming the World: Honoring a Legacy of Love”. The campaign currently has raised about $102 million of its goal, according to supplied information.

 

“If we are successful in our ‘Welcoming the World: Honoring a Legacy of Love’ fundraising efforts, we will begin construction in September of this year,” Hooker said. “We do not have a precise date at this time for the completion of the Covenant Learning Center or the Padnos Families Rooftop Sculpture Garden.”

 

The New York firm Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects Partners has been chosen “to re-envision and expand” the Meijer Gardens facilities, according to supplied information. The firm is known for their design of the iconic Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia and, most recently, chosen to design the Barack Obama Presidential Center in Chicago.

 

For more information about Meijer Gardens visit meijergardens.org. For more information about the “Welcoming the World: Honoring a Legacy of Love” fundraising efforts visit meijergardens.org/legacyoflove .

 

Employment Expertise: Ace the phone interview!

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Education, , , ,

 

By West Michigan Works!

 

Employers offer short phone interviews now more than ever before. These interviews help hiring managers decide which candidates to invite to a longer, in-person interview.

 

More than half of what a person says is communicated through body language and non-verbal cues. During a phone interview, the hiring manager can only hear your words. So, extra prep is required.

 

Here are some ways to help make sure you’re offered a second interview:

 

Pick the right place
Find a quiet room for your interview. Arrange for a babysitter. Put your dog where you can’t hear the bark.

 

Put your questions on a table and have a pen ready to take notes. Use these notes to help personalize your thank you note, or to write down questions to ask at the end of the interview.

 

Don’t forget to charge your cell phone the night before. And make sure the room gets good service. Keep your phone connected to your phone charger, if needed.

 

Your introduction is important
Answer their call professionally and identify yourself: “Hi, this is _________.”

 

Smile
Even though the interviewer can’t see you, a smile will change the tone of your voice. It adds energy to your words and helps you sound friendly.

 

Keep answers short and direct
Answer questions in three sentences or less. Short answers don’t allow the employer to get distracted on the phone and hear what you’re saying.

 

Don’t forget to thank them after the interview is over, and send a note in the mail.

 

Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works! Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or your local Service Center.

School News Network: Kelloggsville students urged to ‘Find What You Love’

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, Education, , , , ,
City of Kentwood Mayo rStephen Kepley talks about his engineering background led him into city services. (Photo courtesy of School News Network.)

By Erin Albanese

School News Network

 

If someone had told Greggory Hampshire how clinical psychologists spend their days (with lots of paperwork), he might not have pursued it as a career. That’s one reason he likes bringing community professionals into classrooms and giving students real exposure to real careers.

 

“I want you to get an idea of what exists out there, of what you want to do with your life,” said Hampshire, director of education for Junior Achievement of the Michigan Great Lakes.

 

Middle school students got a glimpse of different careers during Reverse Job Shadow Day, when entrepreneurs and professionals stopped by to share their journeys in pursuing their dreams.

 

Professional boxer and entrepreneur Parnell Gates shows his belt to sixth-grader Quijuan Madion-Lewis. (Photo courtesy of School News Network.)

Eighteen speakers — six per grade level — visited sixth- through eighth-graders for the event. It was made possible through a partnership with JA, which teaches young people about work-readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy skills.

 

The goal was to get students thinking about career fields they may not have considered, said school counselor Laura Kuperus. Professions included manufacturing, health care, law enforcement, finance, cosmetology and education. Several visitors, including a professional boxer, were small business owners and some had pursued skilled trades instead of college.

 

Speakers described ups and downs they had faced through school and in their careers. “That’s inspiring for our kids,” Kuperus said. Karyn Hocking, owner of Salus Massage in Grandville, told eighth-graders that she struggled in school because of a learning disability.

“If you struggle in an area, no matter what subject that may be, that doesn’t mean anything,” Hocking said. “You can still get out and do what you want to do.”

 

Josephine White, owner of JoJo’s House of Business in Grand Rapids, said running a business is hard work, but passion makes it worth it. “Find what you love,” she urged students. “If you find what you love, it’s not that hard.”

 

Seventh-graders Samatha Benitez and Camiyah Blackman try to figure out how to balance six nails atop one nailhead, a challenge from Mayor Stephen Kepley.

A World of Options Awaits

Middle school is a great time to start exploring careers, Kuperus said.

 

“It’s so important for our students to see the variety of careers available to them. Often they think of traditional things they’ve heard of, but they become aware that there are careers they haven’t thought of before.”

 

City of Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley was an engineer for the city for 11 years before being elected mayor in 2013. He said he loves meeting the city’s young people.

 

“My favorite part of the job is investing in the next generation,” Kepley said. “I love networking and solving problems.”

 

Regardless of career choice, people need to know how to work well with others, he said. He illustrated that by challenging students to work in groups to balance six nails on one upright nailhead. “How you solve problems is going to be a big key in how successful you are.”

 

Students said they enjoyed peeking into the lives of business owners.
“It shows you that there are a bunch of different opportunities to choose from,” said eighth-grader Brooklyn Kelly.

 

Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.

Poverty simulation at Metro Health asks, “What could we do differently?”

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Education, Health, Non-Profits, Senior Living, Volunteers, , ,
Health professionals gather in “families” in preparation to experience a “month” in poverty. Photo by Ellie Walburg

By Ellie Walburg, Access of West Michigan

 

Reading a news article about someone living in poverty is one thing.

 

Actually experiencing it is another.

 

Metro Health Hospital Services recently hosted a poverty simulation workshop with Access of West Michigan. The goal of the poverty education program is to create awareness of the realities of poverty and bring inspiration for change in an experiential way.

 

Participants in the ‘Living on the Edge’ poverty simulation at Metro Health were assigned profiles detailing their name, age, family, income level and other related details. Each “family” then completed four weeks, made up of 15-minute increments, in providing groceries, paying bills, attending doctor’s appointments and other requirements as outlined on their profiles.

 

Afterwards, participants engaged in small group discussions to debrief and learn from one another’s insights.

 

Linda Bos is a registered nurse with Metro Health and attended the workshop. She, along with Heather Rayman, were given the roles of a 75- and 72-year-old couple struggling to make ends meet. Bos, playing the role of Anthony Xanthos, and Rayman playing his wife, Zelda, spent each “week” trying to keep up on their mortgage payments, provide $50 for food and make it to expensive doctor appointments.

 

At one point during the four weeks, they couldn’t buy groceries. Towards the end of the month, they were evicted from their home as they couldn’t provide proof of their mortgage payment.

 

Mobility was also a major issue for them.

 

‘We were struck that we were always concerned about traveling places,” Bos said. “We were never together — it split us up. We never did things together.”

 

Conversations about how they were doing or if they wanted to plan a vacation never arose during their time of balancing their meager budget and keep all their bills afloat “We sure didn’t talk about anything fun,” Bos added.

 

To accompany the small social assistance check they received for the month, Bos sought out other options.

 

“I also tried to get a job, but there was age discrimination,” she said. “There were forms to fill out that were difficult.”

 

Access of West Michigan Staffers share their own story of poverty during group discussions. Photo by Ellie Walburg

Not having an opportunity for additional income made balancing finances even more troublesome.

 

“There was no way out for us,” Bos said. “Neither one of us could get a job.”

 

Rayman was reminded, “Don’t forget we have to eat at some point in our life,” as she recalled the struggle of purchasing weekly groceries.

 

For both Bos and Rayman, living life as an elderly couple with little money was an eye-opening experience.

 

“Everything was tension-producing rather than pleasurable,” Bos noted.

 

That tension is something Bos knows first-hand. While currently employed and doing well, she has felt that same stress.

 

“There was a time when I didn’t have money to buy diapers, when we didn’t have money to pay the mortgage,” she said

 

Bos and Rayman agreed that this simulation could change the way they work with their patients and others they encounter.

 

“I think for me, I’ll be much more cognizant of transportation needs,” Bos said. “I’ll think, ‘What can I do to relieve some of those transportation issues.’”

 

Bos’s work as a nurse involves serving moms and newborns.

 

“I try to be very intentional with younger moms,” she said. “I’ll ask, ‘Do you need anything else for your child?’ ‘Do you have diapers?’ ‘Do you have formula?’”

 

She said she anticipates building upon that intention with those she sees.

 

“I think so often we don’t want to offend people,” she added. “But it’s really just about asking, ‘I want to help, what is it that you need?’” That intention, she said, can come through her following up with her clients through phone calls or other additional conversations.

 

Staffers Candice and Cindy are ready at their “health clinic” table to help participants. Photo by Ellie Walburg

Rayman added, “I feel like this makes me much more aware of things like transportation, medication, samples, getting them to a care manager or something like that — things I didn’t really think of before.”

 

As the simulation event drew to a close, attendees were reminded that while they stopped playing a role in a fictitious family, there are so many in the community who must continue with that difficult reality everyday. And now that the participants had experienced the frustration and stress of living in poverty, they, and all, are left with the question Bos wondered, “What might you do differently?”

 

To learn more about poverty education and the Living On The Edge poverty simulation workshops, please visit http://accessofwestmichigan.org/about-us/poverty-education/.