Nicole Timmer was a substitute teacher for Grand Haven Public Schools until the pandemic hit.
To help fill the substitute shortage needs, some districts have turned to staffing services and college students to help fill substitute teaching gaps. (pxhere.com)
“It wasn’t worth it,” she said.
As the need for substitute teachers increased after the pandemic, private placement companies have become more essential to grow school districts’ sub pools.
Timmer, a former stay-at-home mom, was trained by Edustaff, a private staffing service based in Grand Rapids. Its website says the company works with more than 550 K-12 districts nationwide.
However, she and a handful of other Grand Haven subs were “grandfathered” into the substitute teaching system. She used Edustaff’s portal to see her assignments, but there was a special asterisk next to her name meaning she was a district employee.
With the asterisk came the perks of being involved in the school district on an ongoing basis.
Feeling like you are part of a team
She was able to form relationships with other teachers, be involved in her children’s education and choose whom to substitute for.
Before the school year started, she often had a calendar full of dates she was needed in the classrooms.
The full-time teachers “were spending the most time with my children during the day,” Timmer said. “So it was a really cool insider look to see what was going on in the times that I wasn’t around. Being a stay-at-home mom, it was very interesting.”
She said she was lucky to be able to follow her kids as they got older.
Her brother, Joe Nelson, taught at the Grand Haven High School. She once texted him after having a problem with one of his students.
“A kid was being kind of mean to me, and I literally just took a picture of him and sent it to Joe and said, ‘This kid’s being a jerk,’” Timmer said. “Joe emailed him right then and there, (saying) ‘Stop being a jerk.’”
Timmer said she’s still friends with many teachers she subbed for, and having such connections helped solidify her position in the district.
For other outsourced substitutes working for Edustaff, Timmer said it could be difficult to develop and maintain such relationships in an unfamiliar district. But she said these subs should also make an effort to “make a name for themselves.”
Filling the substitute teacher need
Brian Dunn, the Edustaff director for Michigan, said the company has seen a 10% spike in teacher absences this school year.
“We’re also filling in more classrooms, which is exciting because it means more people are working more often,” Dunn said.
He said anyone who meets the 60-semester credit hours and background check requirements can apply to Edustaff.
Stay-at-home parents are the biggest group of Edustaff’s subs, Dunn said. Other large groups include retired educators and college students.
While Edustaff services can fill some gaps left by the teacher shortage, some districts are reaching out to education colleges to ask if their students can fill paid long-term substitute positions.
Reaching into the future educators pool
Marcia Fetters, the director of teaching education at Western Michigan University, said long-term sub positions can be valuable for some students because of the pay.
Most internships for education majors at Western are student teaching positions with a mentor teacher. Fetters said she encourages traditional student teachers to train through Edustaff so they can cover the classroom if the mentor is absent for the day.
Long-term sub positions are different because students don’t have a full-time teacher to coach them in the classroom.
Fetters said Western often works with a district to set up additional mentoring opportunities for students who take on long-term substitute jobs.
“Long-term subbing as an internship has its pros and cons,” Fetters said. “I’ve worked with students who have done it both ways. Some excel at it and some just want a little bit more support.”
“This award is a reflection that people use and place a high value on the services that they get from Kent District Library,” said Katie Zuidema, marketing communications specialist for KDL.
Money saving opportunities
One of the reasons KDL has surpassed previous engagement numbers is due to patrons realizing they can save hundreds of dollars each year by using free KDL resources instead of purchasing those same resources by other means.
KDL offers a number of programs. KDL Outreach and Programming Specialist Susan Erhardt reads to children. (Courtesy, Kent District Library)
“People are increasingly finding that many of the things they pay hard-earned dollars for are already available at the library—magazines such as Consumer Reports, training from LinkedIn Learning, streaming movie services and more,” said Randy Goble, KDL’s director of engagement, in supplied material. “It adds up to a huge savings.”
In 2022, the average KDL user saved $1,348 by checking out physical and digital items, and digital resource checkouts are more popular than ever.
“Technology is so accessible,” Zuidema said, “and some people’s reading habits changed during the pandemic when libraries were closed for a time.”
Reader usage of digital resources has grown every year, in part to a large collection that serves community members of all ages and interests, and also due to 24/7 access to that collection.
“Where the Crawdads Sing” was the most checked out book from KDL in 2022.
“Digital access continues to be the fastest growing segment of public library resources,” stated KDL’s Executive Director Lance Werner in supplied material. “We’re thrilled to be able to meet people wherever they are, to provide them with books, movies, audiobooks and more.”
Finding popular and current books and resources is also an appealing aspect of KDL.
The highest circulating title KDL readers borrowed in 2022 through KDL’s digital collection was Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, topping both ebook and audiobook categories. The book was a 2022 film starring Daisy Edgar-Jones.
Other popular ebook and audiobook titles borrowed were Verity by Colleen Hoover, The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, The Maid by Nita Prose, and The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles.
How can patrons experience these resources?
Readers in Kent County just need a valid KDL library card to access digital books from KDL’s OverDrive-powered digital collection—compatible with any major device—and many other physical and digital resources.
“It’s a great time to sign up for a KDL library card,” Zuidema said. “When someone signs up for a library card, they now select their interests from 14 categories, including music, movies and writing. This information helps staff members share what services might be most exciting or useful to the new patron.”
Zuidema noted that KDL branches offer more than just books and movies. PerkPass program has complimentary guest passes to area attractions. Items such as Nintendo Switch game consoles, GoPro Cameras and Wi-Fi hotspots are available through Beyond Books Collection and KDL offers a variety of free programs for all ages.
Programming continues to be a priority in all 20 KDL branches. In 2022, KDL hosted 4,403 online and in-person programs with 181,265 in attendance.
“Our communities are showing up and expressing appreciation for our free, engaging and impactful programs for all ages,” Zuidema said.
What if you don’t have a KDL library card?
Zuidema was adamant that everyone is welcome in all KDL branches.
Attending KDL programs does not require a library card, and guest passes are available for usage of the library’s computers. The KDL Cruiser bikes are also available for checkout without a library card.
Readers with a card from Grand Rapids Public Library and other libraries part of the Lakeland Library Cooperative can place 15 items on hold through KDL, while KDL cardholders can place up to 70 items on hold.
KDL’s digital collection, databases, PerkPasses, and Beyond Books items like hotspots, Switch consoles, iPads, etc. do require a library card.
“KDL exists to further all people,” said Zuidema. “We truly offer something for everyone. No matter what you are looking for within our walls or on our website, we want you to find it. No matter who you are, you are welcome here.”
Connecting with patrons
A resident recently thanked KDL for saving her money by having a recently-released novel. (Courtesy, Kent District Library)
Zuidema said they love hearing from patrons, whether in-person, via email—or by notes left inside returned books.
One KDL librarian found a note thanking them for saving that reader $29 by having a recent Janet Evanovich book on the shelf.
Some items, however, are left accidentally.
“Once a staff member found a $100 bill inside of a returned book and worked diligently to find the owner,” Zuidema said. “I think they will use cheaper bookmarks from now on!”
How to get started
Visit kdl.org/ecard to apply for a KDL library card. Download the Libby app or visit kdl.overdrive.com to get started borrowing ebooks, audiobooks, and more. Visit KDL’s Spring Kaleidoscope page for new programs and offerings, and kdl.org for more information on all KDL services and resources.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has proposed a new $160 million for school lunches to help close the hunger gap created when federal funding ended. (Pxhere.com)
LANSING – Michigan schoolchildren may be at risk of going hungry due to the federal government eliminating funding for free meals in public schools after the pandemic.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is now pushing a new $160 million proposal to close the hunger gap created when federal funding ended. If passed, Michigan would be the fourth state to offer free meals to all public school students.
“Regardless of the community, there are always hungry kids,” said Daniel Connors, the director of food and nutrition services at Chippewa Valley Schools in Macomb County.
Free meals were part of COVID relief
In July 2022, statewide free meals were no longer federally funded in Michigan. This school year, free and reduced meals programs are limited to families who cannot cover the costs.
The previous funding was provided through COVID-19 relief from the federal government. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says families have to go back to the way things were pre-pandemic.
According to the Michigan League for Public Policy, around 715,000 kids in the K-12 public school system qualified for free and reduced meals in 2021, based on household income.
Access to all
Overall, about 1,443,456 children were enrolled in public schools in the 2021-22 school year, according to Michigan School Data.
Offering free meals for all students “removes the burden of worrying about paying for school meals, both for students and families. It also removes the stigma that may be associated with eating school-provided meals and removes the stress of filling out paperwork from parents,” said Mary Darnton, the food service director for Jenison & Hudsonville Schools in Georgetown Township, between Grand Rapids and Holland.
Connors said children who cannot afford a meal and don’t receive benefits may be given an alternative meal in some districts. When that happens, it may add to the stigma surrounding free and reduced meals.
“It is comforting at every level for teachers, parents, administrators and lunch workers. We just want to be able to feed our students and have that be the focus without worrying about paperwork and signatures,” Darnton said.
Connors said a lot of teachers keep snacks in their classroom cabinets. If children are getting school-provided meals, that weight is lifted off of teachers.
Not everyone meets the qualifications
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s guidelines use household size and gross income to determine eligibility.
Darnton said, “The thing with the guidelines is that they are set at the federal level. If a family is $1 over the income limit, we can’t extend the benefits. On paper, it may look as though the family does not qualify, but in real life the money for school meals may not be in that family’s budget.”
Whitmer has proposed that the state spend $160 million, which will cover free breakfast and lunch for 1.4 million students at K-12 schools, in the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1.
If free meals become available to all public school students again, Darnton said the main challenge will be learning how to work within the new system.
Darnton said that providing free meals during the pandemic helped prepare school districts to do so again.
“Challenges for food service directors, like me, will be knowing participation will rise and making sure we can get supplies, staffing and training. We will have to learn how to feed students for free,” she said.
What is happening across the country
California, Maine and Colorado have moved away from traditional eligibility-based free and reduced meal programs and now offer free meals to all students.
According to the Food Research and Action Center, located in Washington, D.C., California and Maine passed legislation in 2021 to continue providing free meals even after the federal support ended.
In 2022, Colorado voters passed a proposal that raised taxes for incomes over $300,000. The added revenue will fund the Healthy School Meals for All Program to offer free lunch in public schools, said the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Michigan would become the fourth state with free school meals for all students if lawmakers adopt Whitmer’s proposal.
With rising inflation, grocery bills have been adding up, Darnton said, and enabling kids to eat breakfast and lunch at school five days a week will ultimately improve household financial situations.
Darnton said, “This is money that gets to stay at home and in the household.”
That means families can use that money for things like rent, utilities and everyday necessities, Darnton said.
“No matter what socioeconomic background, if it means smoother mornings, kids who are ready to learn and fewer discipline issues, schools are here and ready to feed those kids,” she said.
Sophia Brandt is a journalism major with a concentration in writing, editing and reporting. She expects to graduate from Michigan University in spring 2024. Her goals include publishing impactful stories and working for a newspaper in a big city.
GVSU Board of Trustees approves a new Master Plan. (Courtesy, GVSU)
The Grand Valley State University Board of Trustees approved the university’s Master Plan at its Feb. 24 meeting at the Pew Grand Rapids Campus. Trustees heard the plan is designed to embrace technology and create an environment for diverse learners and advance equity.
The plan envisions a more cohesive footprint at the Pew Grand Rapids Campus, providing more greenspace with a “campus quad” near the Seidman Center, a student center/dining hall and a new Center for Talent, Technology & Transformation known as Blue Dot, among other improvements.
“The approval of the campus Master Plan does not represent a commitment of capital, but does help focus the vision and anticipated capital projects for Grand Valley campuses and aligns them to support Reach Higher 2025,” said Trustee Elizabeth Emmitt. “It is exciting to imagine how the campuses will evolve and think about the impact on our community.”
Blue Dot would serve as a keystone component of a planned renovation and expansion of the Eberhard Center, which is located adjacent to the Grand River in downtown Grand Rapids.
In Allendale, the plan shows a more pedestrian friendly layout with more modern living centers, a renovated and expanded Kirkhof Center and continued improvements of athletics facilities.
One major idea includes converting Campus Drive to focus on pedestrian and bus traffic while diverting most traffic to Laker Drive. The plan also calls for the phased replacement of Kistler, Copeland and Robinson living centers, which are the original living centers from the 1960s, with more modern facilities.
At the Health Campus in Grand Rapids, plans call for adapting and renovating classrooms and other areas for new technologies and to better accommodate nursing and health sciences curriculum.
The board also heard a presentation from Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police Brandon DeHaan about safety measures and planning on campus in the wake of the shootings at Michigan State University.
The presentation followed a February 23 campus safety briefing DeHaan hosted with President Philomena V. Mantella and Sgt. William O’Donnell, Grand Valley’s emergency manager.
In other board action:
Jesse Bernal, chief of staff to the president and vice president for Inclusion and Equity, said Grand Valley is leading Michigan in advancing diversity and inclusion. Bernal presented highlights from the Division of Inclusion and Equity’s annual report, stating Grand Valley’s graduation rates for students of color and underrepresented students surpass rates of those cohorts at other Michigan public universities. Bernal said equity gaps on campus are closing due, in part, to the coordinated approach to inclusion and equity adopted in 2015.
Trustees approved the reauthorization of four public charter school academies, Chandler Woods Charter Academy, in Belmont; East Arbor Charter Academy, in Ypsilanti; and two Michigan Mathematics and Science Academy locations in Warren. Trustees also approved appointment or reappointment of charter school board members.
Trustees welcomed the return of Shelley Padnos and the new appointment of Ronald Hall to the board. Padnos, an attorney and the current executive vice president of PADNOS, a company known for its innovative recycling process, previously served on the board from 2007-2014. Hall, a Southeast Michigan business leader and attorney, is new to the board. Both were appointed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to eight-year terms beginning February 2.
Cassandra Lawson (Courtesy, Wyoming Wolf Pack Press)
Cassandra Lawson loves art, but she loves teaching even more. For her, enjoying the job is the most important thing.
“If you want to be an art teacher you have to love teaching even more than you love art because it’s even more important,” Lawson said. “I think there are a lot of people that go into education who do it cause they love the art, they love science or social studies.
“Still, they don’t love teaching as much and you have to love teaching, which I do you have to be a people person. You have to talk to people all day and you’re using your brain all day long.”
Lawson went to Macomb Community College for a year and then finished off her schooling at Grand Valley State University. She majored in art education and minored in ceramics. She student taught at Grand Rapids Public Schools’ Coit Creative Arts Academy and teacher assisted here at Wyoming High School.
Lawson wanted to be a teacher originally but she added art to the title as well. She talked about the WHS’s welcoming student body.
“I love it,” she said. “I really like the student body I feel like everyone here has a sense of community and family. Everyone is really friendly. I’ve worked in other schools where everyone is pretty self-sufficient but I feel like here everyone leans on each other in a good way.”
Regan Mead is a junior at Wyoming High School. Regan is a journalism student and member of the cheer team.
Meet English Teacher Elizabeth Schoof
By Matthew Czurak WKTV Contributor
Elizabeth Schoof (Courtesy, Wyoming Wolf Pack Press/Elizabeth Schoof)
To get to know her students, English teacher Elizabeth Schoof spent the first week of school playing fun games and activities such as the Soup-Salad-Sandwich game, where students not only learned a little about each other but also about Schoof such as her favorite book is the “Twilight”series.
“It was a good week it’s good and it was nice to get to meet and know and learn about each other,” Schoof said..
A graduate of Aquinas College, Schoof strides to be nice to all of her students and is always helpful if they are stuck or confused.
Everyone has role models and Schoof’s was her English teacher. Schoof herself not only was a student teacher, but she was also at one point a student who wanted to be a teacher. I asked her her opinion on the best first steps to becoming one.
“Pay attention to what teachers now are dealing with in the classroom cause you will deal with it too,” she said as advice to those wishing to pursue teaching as a career. “And when you are in the classroom pay attention in college.”
Before entering the field, most teachers start as student teachers, studying under other teachers. From the experience, they understand how students will think and act. I asked Ms. Schoof what her experience was like as a student teacher and if she thinks “it’s better being your own teacher.”
“It has been fun. it’s nice to be able to teach my own way without someone else controlling the classroom I like the freedom” was her reply to the question she also was a student teacher under her English teachers.
I asked Ms.Schoof what she would like people to know about her this was her response.”I like to have fun I like to talk I like to have conversations about what is going on in the world, cultures, movies all sorts of stuff”
Matt Czurak is a freshman journalism student at Wyoming High School. Matt enjoys French class.
During the pandemic, Isabella Diaz-Borrello branched out starting her own jewelry business. (Courtesy, Wyoming Wolf Pack Press)
Over the past couple of years, a Wyoming high school student has worked to develop her own line of alternative jewelry, Dusk Shoppe, that is affordable to all.
In 2020, during the first quarantine, Isabella Diaz-Borrello decided to start up a business as a way to make money and express herself through jewelry. It all started when her father gave her money and told her to “make something out of this, try to double what I gave you and make more.”
While brainstorming ideas, she came across videos on TikTok of other people making handmade jewelry.
She felt inspired.
“I thought, I can do that too,” she said. Dusk Shoppe came to life at this moment. Originally, Dusk Shoppe started off as just an earring business: charms, toys, and other accessories. Eventually, Isabella expanded to wire-wrapped earrings, more intricate designs, polymer clay earrings, and resin earrings as well.
As her business evolved, Isabella started to experiment with other types of accessories. She now makes beaded necklaces with chain details and charms, bracelets, keychains, and stickers (which are her very own design). There may be more additions as well.
“I hope to make and sell ceramic at my shop sometime soon,” she said.
For handmade jewelry, her products are fairly priced. Resin earrings are $10, polymer clay earrings are $15, wire-wrapped earrings are $8, necklaces are $25, bracelets and keychains are $6, and her stickers are $3.
The challenges of having your own business
Although her business has grown, there have been struggles. Advertising has been one. She advertises on Instagram and TikTok through her business accounts.
Earrings created by Isabella Diaz-Borrello (Courtesy, Dusk Shoppe)
“I tried making a TikTok once, but it didn’t work out,” she stated.
Isabella hopes to advertise Dusk Shoppe more in the new year through Instagram and TikTok posts. She is also planning more advertisements about her Depop shop and looking at other art markets.
Advertising has not been a huge hit, but her art markets have. At art markets, her business can run itself.
“I’ve only been doing art markets for a year, I did about six last year,” she said.
She hopes to do way more art markets this year, but her real goal is to partake in a market at the yearly Pride Festival.
“There was a booth that was selling jewelry, but it looked like mass-produced jewelry,” she said. “It had a huge line.”
She believes her business needs to grow in size and get better at advertising, that’s the milestone. “It can be expensive and you need a lot of products,” she said.
Dusk Shoppe has had its ups and downs, but Isabella has succeeded in her past goals. Stay updated on new additions to her shop, and remember, if you’re wanting to start a business, think of the wise words of Isabella: “I can do that too.”
Isabelle Mosher is a senior journalism student at Wyoming High School. She plans to study biochemistry at Michigan State University.
The United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, is the second oldest U.S. service academy. (Courtesy, U.S. Library of Congress)
A Kentwood resident is one of six people who were nominated by Senator Debbie Stabenow for admission into four of the five United States service academies.
Addison Turk is a senior at West Michigan Aviation Academy. She is currently on the school’s girls varsity basketball team. Addison is seeking to entering the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD.
The United States Naval Academy is the second oldest of the five U.S. service academies, established Oct. 10, 1845. The Naval Academy educates midshipmen for service in the office corps of the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps. Notable graduates include 39th President Jimmy Carter, business magnate Henry Ross Perot, former Senator John McCain, and several NASA astronauts including Wendy B. Lawrence and Sunita Lyn Williams.
“Michigan is fortunate to have so many exceptional students who want to serve our country through military service,” Stabenow said in a released statement. “Having demonstrated a strong commitment to excellence in and out of the classroom, I am confident they will represented Michigan and our country well.”
Students seeking appointment to a service academy must first obtain the nomination of their U.S. Senator, their U.S. Representative, or the current U.S. Vice President. Students nominated by Stabenow’s office went though a highly competitive application process that included interviews by veteran, military and community leaders. Now that the students have been nominated, they must wait acceptance for admission by the academy to which they have applied.
All of Stabenow’s nominations came from the West Michigan area. The other nominations are:
Anna Dinsmore, from Kalamazoo, seeking to enter into the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO
William Gryzen, from Hudsonville, seeking to enter the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO
Bradley Lowe, from North Muskegon, seeking to enter the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY
Nathan Onderlinde, from Dorr, seeking to enter the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY
Chase Williams, from Allegan, seeking to enter the United Site Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD
Artificial Intelligence such as ChatGPT are changing the way school assignments can be done. (Pxhere.com)
LANSING – ChatGPT has been around since November 2022 and has taken the internet by storm but is raising questions in Michigan classrooms.
The free Artificial Intelligence software can answer any prompt you can think of – from solving math equations to writing essays.
And that’s led some school districts, most prominently the New York City school system, to ban use of ChatGPT on its networks and school equipment.
Some Michigan education experts say they’re worried, too, about students’ possible misuse of the software to cheat.
Wendy Zdeb, the executive director of the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals, said using ChatGPT would go against districts’ academic dishonesty policies.
“Many school districts have used firewalls and active means of blocking access to the software on school devices,” Zdeb said.
She said that such measures would not require a new policy, just an adaptation of the protocols in place.
Being aware of what ChatGPT can do
Teachers are also aware of the software and its potential for use and misuse.
Crystal VanWalsum, an English teacher at Lansing’s Waverly High School, has used in-class essays to avoid the use of ChatGPT and similar AI software.
“One way to avoid a problem like plagiarizing from the internet is to have students write essays in class,” said VanWalsum.
For example, she assigned an in-class essay on King Arthur and put the essay prompt into ChatGPT ahead of time to see what the software would come up with.
“The response included details that were not part of the story that we read in class. If it had been an outside-of-class essay, then somebody may have turned in something that included details that would not have been relevant to what we had read in class. It wouldn’t have worked anyways,” she said.
She said she can tell if a student has used software like ChatGPT.
“Things that have been AI-generated completely lack any kind of original voice. They’re very flat,” she said. “A lot of the sentence structure is the same throughout the entire thing. There’s not much variation in sentence structure at all. As you read, it doesn’t sound like the student who turned it in.”
Making its way into West Michigan
Blake Mazurek, an eighth-grade U.S. history teacher at Grandville Middle School, said his son introduced him to ChatGPT over the Thanksgiving holiday.
“Somehow we got on the topic of technology and he mentioned (ChatGPT) and was telling me what he knew at the time,” Mazurek said.
That conversation led him to do some research about ChatGPT, and it piqued his interest.
When asked if they knew anything about it, his eighth-grade current events students were silent.
“I talked to my current event kids and nobody knew about it,” he said.
He said that few of his colleagues have heard about the new software.
Mind-blowing’ in what AI can do
John VanWagoner, the superintendent of Traverse City Area Public Schools, was introduced to the software a few months ago during a meeting of the Future of Learning Council, an organization of 40 Michigan school districts and learning organizations.
He said that the council brought up ChatGPT and showed what it could do.
“It was mind-blowing. It’s a game changer as far as the ability to process data and knowledge into writing,” said VanWagoner.
After the initial introduction, VanWagoner showed ChatGPT to his staff, and they came up with various tasks and prompts for the AI software to solve.
“It’s pretty amazing what the AI capability has to be to do that work,” he said.
School officials in Michigan have been aware of ChatGPT and say its use in the classroom has a positive effect.
Teaching students how to use the technology at hand
Phil Jankowski, the superintendent of Anchor Bay Schools in St. Clair County, said he is not concerned about students’ use of the software to plagiarize.
He said that anti-plagiarism software the district uses can detect if ChatGPT was used to create an essay.
“Between work in the classroom and the use of those applications, we believe we can counter much of it,” he said.
He said he tried out the software and found that it’s not that great at writing essays.
ChatGPT “is not especially good yet, but it does open a window into what the future will look like,” Jankowski said.
He said he is optimistic about the future of AI in the classroom.
“Artificial intelligence such as ChatGPT are things students will have to use and will be faced with in the future. There is a strong argument that we need to teach students how best to use the technology as it is on the forefront of the AI horizon,” he said.
By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma WKTV Managing Editor joanne@wktv.org
The East Kentwood team earned its first state championship for We the People since 2010. (Courtesy, Sophie Gemmen, team member and EKHS yearbook member)
This past weekend, East Kentwood High School added another state championship to its list of awards as the school’s We the People team brought home the top honor.
On Jan. 6, the Michigan Center for Civic Education hosted the We the Students: Michigan’s We the Program State Showcase. By a narrow lead, East Kentwood, lead by high school teacher and We the Pepple head coach Justin Robbins, beat out East Grand Rapids, and earned the honor of representing Michigan in the national Center for Civic Education’s We the People competition, which is set for April 22-24 in Washington DC.
We the People is an educational process which aims to enable students to learn about and address a range of governance-related issues, culminating in competitions to present at simulated congressional hearings.
This will be East Kentwood’s third consecutive trip to the national competition and its first as the State Champion from Michigan since 2010.
Along with the overall state championship title, there units in the group also won state championships in their content.
Bianca Bancifra, Maggie Fisher, Keaton Nguyen, and Sara Shapin, who are Unit 1, won for their knowledge of high law, colonial charters, and rights in common law.
Amira Hamilton, Dewaynia English, Connor Shaw, and Sophie Gemmen, who are Unit 2, won for their knowledge on the Articles of Confederation and the impact of slavary on the Constitution.
Lucy Fornetti, Mary Johnakech, and Owen Lawrence, who are Unit 6, won for their knowledge of privileges and immunities of citizens, immigration, and civic responsibilities in a republic.
The team also includes Dependra Bhattarai, Mollie Croskey, Rishta Tamang, Collin Terry, Drew Dame, Rebecca Moore, Mike Nguyen, Elleana Strehl, Ebise Tarekegn, and McKenna VanOveren.
Volunteer coaches are Ahjah Bailey-O’Conner, Tyler Buck, Ava Chatlosh, Eric Dubois, Branden Graf, Ken Orzanich, Justin Robbins, Mike Traywick, and Avalon Wieczorek.
Caledonia Community Schools(CCS) announce today that the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) has recognized seven of the eight eligible CCS schools in its district to receive the designation as a Reward School.
Annually MDE ranks schools academically; those that are in the top 5 percent of the state are categorized as “Reward.” Reward schools are determined based on the Top-to-Bottom ranking methodology, which includes data from achievement, improvement, and achievement gaps in standardized scores.
“Caledonia Community Schools is so proud of all our faculty and staff who work so hard to provide excellent learning environments for ALL students,” said Dr. Dedrick Martin, Superintendent of Caledonia Community Schools. “These accomplishments are the result of a focus on instructional quality and the strong partnership CCS has created between our families, students, staff, and community. Our staff works tirelessly to support and prepare ALL students to achieve their best while empowering them with 21st century skills to compete in a global environment.
“CCS is constantly reevaluating to improve district processes. Newly focused team organizational goals enable our building leaders to better support one another and have ongoing critical conversations,” said Dr. Camela Diaz, CCS Director of Secondary Education. “We still have areas to improve on, but our school leadership teams are focused on working with their attendance, behavior, and course proficiency data, to develop plans for growth that effectively close the achievement gap for all students.”
At a time when most schools around the state and the country are reporting a decline in student performance due to disruptions caused by the pandemic, the data in Caledonia tells a different story. Our district has also made it a priority to reinvest in curriculum materials, resources, and supports over the past 5 years and the academic performance proficiency results show we are stronger today than ever before.
As a district, we are pleased with this recognition, but even more excited that our students are growing as learners. We look forward to seeing how much more our students will excel in the coming years as our staff continues to collaborate with one another to Cultivate Agile Learners.
Potter’s House senior Isabelle Baez moves with the ball as Wyoming sophomore Menelia McGee defends. (WKTV)
In a finish that is frequently seen in the movies, Wyoming senior Aaliyah Ratliff hit a three-pointer in the last 18 seconds of overtime to give the Wolves a 54-51 win over host Potter’s House Christian in the championship of the ‘Battle of Wyoming.’
“It was back and forth, but we never gave up,” said Wyoming Coach Jesse Vasquez. “We didn’t play our best basketball, but the girls never gave up. We fought defensively. We fought on the glass. Aaliyah Ratliff didn’t have her best game, but she came up when it mattered.
“It was just the fight in the girls. We were down 10 with like five to go and they never gave up. They kept going and this is just who we are. You’re going to knock us down and we are going to keep getting back up and keep going after you. I am very, very proud of this team.”
A nail-biter to the end
It was a slow start to the championship game with the Potter’s House Pumas getting on the board at the 5:26 mark. With 2:45 left in the first quarter, Wyoming followed with a bucket. The first quarter ended 5-3 in favor of the Wolves.
From start to finish, The ‘Battle of Wyoming’ championship was an intense game with two local rivals. (WKTV)
In the second quarter, Wyoming turned on the heat, but Potter’s House matched suit and took the edge 18-16.
In the third, it was Potter’s House junior Anyieth Nhial that kept the Pumas on the winning edge with a 35-28 lead.
But Wyoming was not going down without a fight and when the dust settled at the end of the fourth, it was tied 46-46 with fans on both sides going wild and the teams heading into overtime.
Turnovers, fouls and finally Ratliff making the three-pointer would secure Wyoming’s win.
Shooting from the free thrown line. (WKTV)Potter’s House sophomore Anyieth Nhial makes her move with the ball. (WKTV)
Just a great game
“Man, what a fun atmosphere,” said Potter’s House Coach Jake Hoogstrate. “When we dreamed of this tournament 10 months ago, we never thought it would end like this: A great game.
“Both teams had a lot of chances to win and they made a shot and we didn’t get ours to fall. Props to them. Props to (Ratliff) for knocking them down. (Potter’s House) did everything they could to try and take her out of the game and she made the biggest shot of the game.”
Hoogstrate gave credit to the team’s two seniors, Isabelle Baez, whose calmness helped to stabilize the team and keep them focused, and Joy McClendon, who made several rebounds during the game.
“After that, it was a team effort,” he said. “A steal here, a steal there. A rebound here.”
For Wyoming, Vasquez said it was junior La’Anna Griffin and sophomore Shakya Anderson that kept the team going along with the bench, who were “phenomenal. When things weren’t going our way, they kept positive.”
It was all about Wyoming
Potter’s House Athletic Director Kara Haskill said the reason the school decided to host the event was because their girls basketball team’s schedule was bumped up from 20 games to 22 for the 2022-23 season.
Wyoming sophomore Aaliyah Ratliff with the ‘Battle of Wyoming’ trophy. (WKTV)
“We thought that a fun way to add in those two games was to have a holiday tournament,” Haskill said. “We wanted to include the teams in our area because they are teams we normally don’t play.”
Potter’s House is in the Alliance League. Godwin Heights and Kelloggsville, which are both in the OK Silver Conference, and Wyoming, the OK Green, signed up to participate.
Teams played an elimination round on Wednesday. From there, Wyoming and Potter’s House advanced to Thursday’s final.
“I never thought a team like Wyoming would come to play here,” Hoogstrate said. “It was a great atmosphere tonight. A big shout out to Kelloggsville, Godwin and Wyoming for helping to make this happen.”
“For me, it has been a lot of fun to be able to play against some of our local teams,” Vasquez said, adding, the turnout was “awesome.”
Honors and other scores
In the varsity consolation game, Godwin defeated Kelloggsville 55-28. The tournament all-star team was Godwin senior KaShari Babb, Kelloggsville sophomore Zariah Hatchet, Potter’s House senior Isabelle Baez and Wyoming junior La’Anna Griffin. Tournament MVP was Wyoming sophomore Shakya Anderson.
The tournament all-star team was (from left) Kelloggsville sophomore Zariah Hatchet, Potter House’s senior Isabelle Baez, Wyoming junior La’Anna Griffin, and tournament MVP was Wyoming’s sophomore Shakya Anderson. (WKTV)
The tournament also hosted a JV round that included JV teams from Wyoming, Potter’s House, Godwin Heights and Ottawa Hills, which substituted for Kelloggsville as the school did not have a JV girls basketball team. The winner of the JV tournament was Wyoming, which beat Ottawa Hills 59-29.
According to those at the Grand Rapids Community Foundation, students have until March 1 to apply for scholarships available through its organization. (Courtesy, Grand Rapids Community Foundation)
If you are a high school graduate interested in pursuing welding as a career, there is a scholarship for that. Perhaps you are interested in nursing or education or maybe you are interested in a post-graduate degree in business or law. There are scholarships for that.
The Grand Rapids Community Foundation is currently accepting applications for more than $1 million in scholarships to support students pursuing post-secondary education and training. By completing one application, students will be considered for hundreds of scholarship opportunities from more than 80 scholarship funds. Students pursuing bachelor and graduate degrees or technical training certificates are eligible to apply.
Some of the scholarships are specific to studies, high schools or colleges. For example, the Pullen/Lambers Memorial Scholarship is available to graduating seniors from Wyoming High School who attend a credited U.S. college/university with a preference given to education or entrepreneurial studies.
If you are senior or graduate from Godfrey Lee, Godwin Heights, Wyoming, Kelloggsville, Kentwood, Grandville or Grand Rapids, you could apply for the Hackett Family Scholarship. Students at Grand Rapids University Prep Academy can apply for the Founders’ Scholarship and South Christian students planing to major in healthcare, education or business may apply for the Roger and Jacquelyn Vander Laan Family Scholarship.
There is also scholarships like the Llewellyn L. Cayvan String Instrument Scholarship for undergraduate or graduate students studying violin, viola, violoncello, or the bass viol. There is not financial or residency requirements.
Grand Rapids Community Foundation noted in a press release that it is committed to providing opportunities for first generation students with financial need to further their education. Scholarships are available for students with a wide variety of backgrounds, GPA’s and levels of education from public and private institutions. Last year, the Community Foundation awarded $1.45 million in scholarships to 630 students.
Contributions from community members make the scholarship funds possible. Many donors have chosen to set up a fund to honor a family member or to provide opportunities for students to attend college or pursue a specific profession. Award decisions are made by more than 100 volunteer community members with applicable experience who serve on scholarship advisory committees.
The general scholarship application for the 2023-2024 academic year opened Dec. 1 and will remain open until March 1, 2023. Interested students can find more information and apply at GRFoundation.org/Scholarships.
The fall 2022 Alpha Wolf recipients. From left, sophomore Berlinda Pablo-Pablo, junior Gage Behrenbrinker, freshman Zander Creamer, junior Dominik (Buster) Cross, sophomore Tarren Calvert, senior Bryce Bosovich, and freshman Omar Resendiz-Parra. Not pictured is Jesus Valadez Cano. (Courtesy, John Doyle)
Along with the addition of the freshman and sophomore classes, the school welcomed 170 students from other schools, of which 47 students were from different countries, and 28 new staff members.
To represent the high school body, 1,300 paper chains were strung together across the gym’s ceiling.
“Every paper chain represents you. It represents our staff,” said teacher John Doyle, who helps to organize the Alpha Wolf program. “There are over 1,300 chains and they are all connected because that is what we are about.”
A11 Moment Ahead
Guess speaker Mark Kuiper, from the Wyoming High School staff, focused on the second part of the Alpha Wolf theme, “What is your A11 Moment Ahead?”
“An Alpha Wolf Moment Ahead is when you chose not to judge someone based on the color of their skin or that they talk different than you and they may share a different view of the world.” Kuiper said. “Instead you get to know them, know their story…An AW Moment Ahead of kindness, compassion, and graciousness usually appear in the usual, in the mundane, ordinary day-to-day, hour-by-hour routine of our lives. We need to look past our own face. We need to look up.
“Because the moment you look up, you begin to see the signs and when you decide to chose kindness over indifference, when you decide to chose compassion over apathy, when you chose grace over holding a grudge…you are seeing AW 11 Moments ahead become a lifetime and it will change a life.”
Zander Creamer walks up to receive his award. (WKTV)Zander Creamer is congratulated by his family. (WKTV)
Freshmen
Zander Creamer
According to many, the best word that encompasses freshman Zander Creamer is leader.
“This young man is getting it done at Wyoming High School,” according to staff. “Whether in the classroom, in the hallway, in the cafeteria or participating in extra-curricular activities he radiates Alpha Wolf 11 to all who cross his path.”
It did not take long for Creamer to settle in at the high school and as he did, he helped others make the transition to their new chapter in life.
“He is really a sweet kid who constantly has a smile on his face to try and to make people feel welcome and to lift them up when they are feeling down,” students and staff said.
No matter the setting, Creamer makes the effort to get to know the people around him and let them know they feel valued and appreciated through his contagious smile and kind words.
He figures out math problems on his own time. He enjoys robotics, riding his bike, and eating Mexican food as well as spicy, sweet and sour. He has a love for soccer and enjoys watching the Olympics, especially baseball.
Freshman Omar Resendiz-Parra sits in the audience. (WKTV)Omar Resendiz-Parra accepts his award with his family. (WKTV)
Omar Resendiz-Parra
From that description, it did not take long for students to recognize that freshman Omar Resendiz-Parra was the next Alpha Wolf.
“I have never heard him say an unkind word or be remotely critical about anyone,” said one of his teachers. “He has never said anything out of frustration or irritation. In fact, he has challenged himself to be a better version of a kind and gracious person that he already is.”
During parent teacher conferences, Resendiz-Parra helped his father understand by translating everything. He does everything with a kind heart, according to another staff member, and he is willing to help anyone on a daily basis.
Students and staff all agreed that Resendiz-Parra leads by example.
Sophomores
Tarren Calvert
Sophomore Tarren Calvert shakes hands with family members. (WKTV)
Unusually the first thing sophomore Tarren Calvert will ask someone when he sees them is how his/her day is going.
Calvert simply does good deeds whether anyone is looking or not and people are looking. They have noticed how he goes out of his way to help others, especially helping classmates with homework and other tasks.
“It does not take long for everyone who meets this Alpha Wolf to feel the positive energy he gives with everyone he meets,” according to students and staff, adding that this junior varsity basketball star is positive, respectful and selfless.
Sophomore Berlinda Pablo-Pablo walks up to accept her award. (WKTV)Berlinda Pablo-Pablo stands with her family for a photo. (WKTV)
Berlinda Pablo-Pablo
All it took was the statement “She is a flute player and participates in the Grand Rapids Symphony’s Mosaic Scholarship program” for many to quickly guess that sophomore Berlinda Pablo-Pablo was the next sophomore Alpha Wolf.
“Those who have interacted with this student have said this Alpha Wolf 11 left them with a lasting impression,” according to staff. “She is hardworking, strives for excellence and is the embodiment of joy.”
According to her peers, Pablo-Pablo is “a great friend with a sweet and tender heart, a kind shoulder with a big smile, constantly friendly, and never rude to anyone, and she is supportive and ready and able to cheer up a person and make them laugh.”
Juniors
Gage Behrenbrinker
Junior Gage Behrenbrinker walks up to accept his award as his family watches. (WKTV)
A member of the variety football and basketball, junior Gage Behrenbrinker is definitely a servant leader.
Just some of the words/sayings staff and students said about Behrenbrinker were:
Very cool
Always happy
Likes helping classmates and is always helping at school
Works to improves everyone they are around
Always a positive attitude
Makes everyone’s day better
Polite
Respectful
Inspiring
A great role model
A great leader
Someone we all look up to
Because of these many attributes, Behrenbrinker, according to many, is the perfect example of an Alpha Wolf.
Junior Dominkik (Buster) Cross is congratulated by family members. (WKTV)Dominik (Buster) Cross poses with his family for a picture. (WKTV)
Domink (Buster) Cross
Always there for his friends and family, junior Dominik (Buster) Cross uses his voice to encourage the absolute best out of everyone.
According to staff, Cross is bold, honest, and optimistic and there is never a day that he does not put his best foot forward.
He leads by example, has a smile that lights up the room, and always shows grace especially in the face of challenges, which is why the students and staff chose him to as an Alpha Wolf.
Senior Bryce Bosovich is congratulated by family members and staff. (WKTV)Bryce Bosovich stands with his family. (WKTV)
Seniors
Bryce Bosovich
“I have never had the opportunity to have this scholar in class at the junior or high school, but every time I have had conversations with him it has been super respectful, polite, and mature and sometimes sports related,” said teacher Shawn Veenstra who was one of several Alpha Wolf presenters.
For Bryce Bosovich, it was noted it was difficult to compact all the Alpha Wolf characteristics that he has in a short narrative, but the presenters were certainly willing to try.
Comments from students included:
“He is my best friend and has always helped me when I am going through something.”
“He never fails to put a smile on my face.”
“He is always super nice to everyone in class and is always kind to people he sees. He has just an awesome personality and if I say so myself this guy has a bright future on his shoulders as well.”
According to staff, Bosovich’s laugh is instantly familiar. He is thoughtful, respectful, selfless, and always positive.
Jesus Valadez Cano
Jesus Valadez Cano moved to the United States from Mexico a few years ago and in that short time has established himself as a person of integrity, humility and someone who cares about others and their successes.
“When others in class may not understand something or have different ideas Jesus (Valadez Cano) is considerate and works with them in a positive way,” according to staff. “There is no pretense and no arrogance from this student. He simply lifts others up. He has only one mode: positive.”
Known for working with Spanish students to make sure they understand their school, about every student in the school loves working with Valadez Cano because he is such a great listener, values the opinions of others and openly shares his own ideas.
By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma WKTV Managing Editor joanne@wktv.org
Kentwood’s Challenger Elementary School (Courtesy, Kentwood Public Schools)
Kentwood’s Challenger Elementary School was one out of five schools in the state of Michigan to receive the 2022 Building the Hope Schools award from the Education Trust-Midwest.
Challenger received the award for consistently demonstrating exceptional progress for traditionally underserved students.
Schools receiving this award are in the top 25 percent for academic proficiency or above average student growth, according to analyses by researchers from the nonpartisan Education Trust-Midwest. The Education Trust-Midwest is a data-driven education policy, research and advocacy organization, works for the high academic achievement of all Michigan students in pre-kindergarten through college.
To determine recipients of this award, researchers from The Education Trust-Midwest examined data for the 2016-17, 2017-18, and 2018-19 school years. Analysts and team members also visiting schools and conducted interviews to get a firsthand look of schools’ learning environments as part of the process to select the award winners. Challenger impressed the team by showing excellence in, not just one, but in three areas that included excellence in learning for students of color, English Learners, and students who come from low income backgrounds.
“I want to recognize our students and their efforts in helping our school receive this honor,” said Challenger Principal Teressa Gatza in a letter to families. “We set high expectations for each of our students in many areas, and year after year, our students strive to meet those expectations.”
Gatza also thanks parents and families for their support and Challenger’s staff for their hard work, dedication and genuine care for the students.
LANSING – Michigan will offer a $10,000 annual fellowship to 2,500 students as an incentive to teach in the state.
Michigan will offer a $10,000 annual fellowship to 2,500 students as an incentive to teach in the state. (pxhere.com)
The awards, included in the state’s budget that began Oct. 1, are for college students on track to become educators and will be given to students once they are admitted into the college of education at their university.
Some universities have a two-year program, while other programs run three years, beyond prerequisites. Students who participate are required to teach in the state for two years for every year that they receive the fellowship. They cannot receive more than $30,000 in total.
Another incentive to address the state’s teacher shortfall in the 2023 budget is a $9,600 stipend for every semester a student teaches.Previously, student teachers were unpaid, although they are required to carry out some of the same classroom responsibilities as teachers.
Student teachers can apply for this stipend each semester that they teach. At Michigan State University, students are required to student teach for one year, but at other institutions students are only required for one semester, said Gail Richmond, the director of the teacher preparation program at MSU.
Nearly three-quarters of the state’s schools are short of teachers, according to a survey by the Michigan Education Association (MEA), the largest union representing teachers and other school staff.
Among the reasons for the shortage is that the joy of education has been taken away, said Paula Herbart, the president of the union. But the pay is a big reason.
Nearly three-quarters of the state’s schools are short of teachers, according to a survey by the Michigan Education Association (MEA). (pxhere.com)
“The lack of financial stability as an educator has caused the educator shortage,” Herbart said. “Three out of four educators will tell their children not to go into teaching, and that’s a real problem. We’re telling kids not to go into education because they can’t make a living at it, and because of the things that impact your ability to provide for your family.”
For minority students, it can be even harder, said Doug Pratt, the MEA’s director of public affairs.
“We know from student loan data entry, as well as practice, that there’s this double jeopardy of having to pay to be a student teacher and not getting paid which is especially hard for minority aspiring educators,” he said.
All student teachers should be compensated just like in any other apprenticeship program, but people might see it take away the barrier that exists, especially for minority students, he said.
The Michigan Department of Education reports that in 2017, Black teachers made up 5.9% of the state’s teachers. Hispanic or Latino teachers accounted for 1.2 and Asian-Americans made up only 0.2%. About 91% of teachers were white.
“I know most of my (classmates) that are doing the teacher preparation program have dropped out of it,” said Trinity Belcher, a fifth-year student in the MSU College of Education . “They don’t want to do their 5th year because the cost of it.”
Students in the college of education at MSU are required to pay for their internship as a student teacher, which can be a financial burden, Belcher said.
Belcher will finish the program and become a teacher because she says it would be better to have the experience of teaching for a year with a mentor before she starts teaching by herself.
Another incentive is the $175 million Grow-Your-Own program which assists school employees who already work with children, like bus drivers, crossing guards and lunch aides to get their degree to become educators.
Richmond said, “Teachers often feel isolated and unsupported, so I think the things that have to be combined with some kind of financial system is support from the time they step into the classroom, across their entire careers.”
Janelle James is a senior at Michigan State University. She is pursing a double major in journalism and political science with a minor in Spanish. Janelle aspires to one day secure a position as an investigative journalist, White House correspondent or politician.
At age 9, East Kentwood golf standout Elise Fennell figured out she was talented.
“I was playing Jr. PGA with boys four years older than me and beating them,” said Fennell, a junior at EK and All-State golfer two years straight.
As a freshman, Fennell finished tied for fourth place at the Division 1 state finals with a score of 74, followed by a seventh-place finish last year with a two-round score of 148 (74-74).
Her determination shined through early on as well.
“My first few words as a baby were ‘no help,’ when I was around 6 months old,” said Fennell, whose favorite food is chicken quesadillas. “I also would always play different sports with my neighbors and would always try my absolute best to beat them.”
Watching golf with dad as a youngster
Fennell said her interest grew while watching golf on TV with her dad, Josh.
“I wanted to try it, so my dad bought me a three-club set,” explained Fennell, whose favorite movie is Shrek. “I was 6 when he bought the set and I got hooked a few months after that. I would hit, and if I didn’t pass my dad’s shot I would pick up and go to his ball.
“I learned how to swing the club just by watching on TV for the most part. I watched and learned from Tiger (Woods) the most.”
Her best golf accomplishment?
Winning the GAM (Golf Association of Michigan) 15 and Under Stroke Play in 2019.
EK golf standout Elise Fennell. (Courtesy, Josh Fennell)
“It was my first GAM win and my first big tournament win.”
EK Coach Mike Ketelaar said though her demeanor is “extremely calm, relaxed and sort of laissez-faire, Elise is the fiercest and most prepared competitor I have ever coached.
“She is truly a complete player,” continued Ketelaar, who’s coached the EK boys and girls golf teams for five years. “This season, she shot 69 twice and 70 twice, and in my opinion, she did not play her “A-game” on those occasions. I am excited to watch her continue striving towards her full potential.”
Her state finals expectations?
“To put up two very solid rounds at the state finals,” Fennell said. “Ideally, I would like to shoot somewhere around 69 or 70 for both rounds and see what happens.
East Kentwood golfer Elise Fennell was OK Red All Conference for a third-straight year. (Courtesy, Mike Ketelaar)
“I think I am very capable of winning this year, but I know there are some amazing players that’ll be there as well.”
Ketelaar said she is no different from most elite players.
“She wants to compete at the highest level, perform her best, and win the state finals as an individual.”
This year’s MHSAA State Finals are Friday and Saturday, Oct. 14 and 15 at the Bedford Valley Golf Course in Battle Creek.
Fennell, who has a GPA of 3.99, would like to play college golf and major in engineering, but is undecided where.
Fennell was OK Red All Conference for a third-straight year, and teammate Camryn Kolzow was honorable mention.
“Elise is undoubtedly the leader of EK’s team,” Ketelaar said. “Elise would probably not refer to herself as a leader, nor desire the role, as most elite high school athletes typically do. Elise leads by her example.
“Players on the team are very aware Elise is one of the best players in Michigan, and they pay attention to Elise and her game.”
The Kentwood Public Schools recently received two awards recognizing its commitment to its community.
Heart of West Michigan United Way 2021-2022 Top Campaign trophy. (Courtesy, Kentwood Public Schools)
In September, the district was presented with the Heart of West Michigan United Way 2021-2022 Top Campaign trophy. According to Superintendent Kevin Polston, the impact the staff has made in the community this past year through the district’s campaign was significant.
“You (KPS) have gone the extra mile to advocate for our mission and for those struggling in our community,” according to The United Way. “On behalf of the United Way team, we are incredibly grateful for all support and efforts to create a thriving community for all.
“Thank you for being someone our community can count on!”
Challenger Elementary was the recipient of the MI Heart Safe School award. Challenger was recognized for its efforts to help prevent sudden cardiac death by creating a safer learning environment for students and staff.
Polston noted that with help from its partnerships with Spectrum Health, the students and staff demonstrated knowledge of our cardiac emergency response plan, ability to identify symptoms of cardiac arrest, CPR, and the use of defibrillators.
The award is given on behalf of the Michigan Department too Health and Human Services, Michigan Department of Education, American Heart Association, Michigan High School Athletic Association, and Michigan Alliance for Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death of the Young.
East Kentwood High School art teacher Olivia Miller works with students in class. (Courtesy, Kentwood Public Schols)
East Kentwood High School art teacher, Olivia Miller, is a lifelong learner and self-described explorer. She has a passion to experience other parts of the world, other cultures, and that passion spills over into her classroom. It is also taking her places.
Recently, Miller was named a 2023 National Education Association (NEA) Global Learning Fellow. She is the only teacher in Michigan to receive this honor. According to the NEA Foundation, Miller will join colleagues from states across the country to immerse themselves in a year-long study that involves online coursework, webinars, readings, and reflections. Eventually, the group will travel to South Africa this summer as part of this experience.
The goal, Miller says, is to return to the classroom, enriched from the learning, to create a global learning experience for her students. This work, she feels, also helps her to connect with her students.
Recently, East Kentwood art teacher Olivia Miller was named a 2023 National Education Association Global Learning Fellow. (Courtesy, Kentwood Public Schools)
“For me, the biggest way that I can learn is experiential, through traveling,” Miller explained. “It’s so different walking into a school in a different country and seeing how things are done there….It’s a different level of experience that I can connect with and then maybe better understand my students who come from different countries.”
This is not the first time Miller has been part of this type of opportunity. Prior to the pandemic, she was accepted as part of the Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms Program. This enabled her to work with teachers from across the nation and to travel to Morocco as part of this learning experience.
Part of Miller’s motivation is rooted in her own heritage. Her mother’s family immigrated to the United States from Ukraine. Growing up in West Michigan, she says she did not see much of her own family’s history and culture represented in the school curriculum. This made her wonder about representation for the students she serves today.
This is Miller’s third year teaching in the Kentwood Public Schools and her tenth year of teaching overall. Kentwood is where she wants to be. “This has been my dream school to come to,” Miller says of East Kentwood High School. “There are so many layers and good things to our EK community and environment. This place is such a cultural hub that many people may not even know about. You can learn about so many different ways of life, different cultures, different people here in Kentwood.”
East Kentwood is definitely glad to have Miller on its team. “Ms. Miller is one of the most culturally sensitive and equity-minded teachers that I’ve had the pleasure to work with,” says EK Assistant Principal Lindsay Kimbrough. “She brings a perspective that goes much deeper than the beautiful art she elicits from her students. She promotes social emotional development, and through her whole-child approach, helps to mold true global citizens.”
East Kentwood art teacher Olivia Miller helps a student on an art project. (Courtesy, Kentwood Public Schools)
Kimbrough adds that the relationships Miller builds with her students are so important. “Her innate ability to build relationships with students is the bridge that leads students to taking academic and artistic risks, reaching heights they may have never dreamed of.”
The trip to South Africa this summer will be a rewarding culminating activity for Miller as part of her role as an NEA Global Fellow; however, there is work to be done between now and then. This work includes a trip next month to Washington, D.C. where she will collaborate with the other NEA Global Fellows from around the nation at a conference in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Education.
While Miller is focused on her current students and how the NEA Global Learning Fellowship will positively impact them, she is also looking ahead, and dreaming about possibilities to benefit KPS students and staff in the future.
“I want to someday have funding to take KPS teachers to the countries that our students are primarily from,” Miller explains, “to do a teacher tour. To go into the countries and learn.” She adds, “I think that would really make a big impact. It would close a gap in the relationships between teachers and students because students would be like, ‘Oh my gosh. You cared enough that you went and traveled to where I’m from.”
The band plays in unison as it marks its way through a staccato, ascending theme while their director guides them down a path, all the while envisioning the pinnacle of auto racing: Formula 1.
The piece titled “F-1” may not move as fast as the race cars, but the feel of the music portrays the sense of anticipation when played by the Cross Creek Charter Academy symphonic band, directed by David Steketee.
Check out the Cross Creek symphonic band performing “F-1” by clicking here.
Commissioned by Steketee for the school’s 25th anniversary, the song begins with the entire band building anticipation for the coming percussion breaks. Trumpets and woodwinds then pair for climbing runs, preparing for the song’s melody. It’s a noble and celebratory piece of music that promotes feelings of pride and security – themes held strongly by the school.
David Steketee directs the Cross Creek symphonic band. (Courtesy, Cross Creek Academy/National Heritage Academies)
“It’s the 25th anniversary, so I wanted to do something that’s unique,” Steketee said. “Commissions are done a lot but they’re expensive, so it’s not done often by any one school, so this is our one and only for a while.”
Composer Randall Standridge was hired to write the piece to fit the instrumentation and ability levels of the seventh/eighth grade symphonic band. The band debuted the piece during a performance in May. The $3,000 cost for the composition was quickly covered with a fundraising effort by school supporters.
“I was excited, our whole administration was excited, the Cross Creek family was excited, it was great,” Steketee said.
Band students experienced challenges because of COVID-19, not being able to play as freely due to most instruments requiring breath to make sounds. Steketee said the song provides a lot of room for his students to play together, which helps with their comfort levels.
“Anytime where they’re playing by themselves, the kids don’t like it so much,” he said. “COVID has really brought our ability level down, so when the music is fast and full instrumentation, it’s much better for their confidence.”
Being able to direct students through the song proved to be a joy for Steketee and being part of something that will live on into Cross Creek’s future adds to the director’s sense of pride.
“I just wanted to do something cool and having our name on the masthead of that piece is pretty rad,” he said. “It’ll be there forever.”
Cross Creek Charter Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school in Byron Center, serving students in Young 5s through eighth grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies network, which includes 98 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through 12thgrade across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.
Left to right: AP Coordinator Yara Barbosa, Ebise Tarekegn, Kyle Sanders, Luisa Orozco, and Principal Omar Bakri. (Courtesy, Kentwood Public Schools)
Kentwood Public Schools recently announced that four of our East Kentwood High School students earned honors from College Board’s National Recognition Program, helping them stand out in college admissions. Congrats to the following students: Chisom Okogbue, Ebise Tarekegn, Kyle Sanders, and Luisa Orozco. The students were recognized as national awardees in two of the four recognition categories – the National African-American Recognition Program and National Hispanic Recognition Program.
The students earned this recognition by excelling on AP exams and in the classroom. Students who may be eligible: have a GPA of 3.5 or higher, have excelled on the PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10 or earned a score of 3 or higher on two or more AP Exams.
Annually the College Board announces recipients of its National Recognition Programs for achievements in school and on College Board assessments. Students are invited to apply during their sophomore or junior years, and are awarded at the beginning of the following school year.
Michigan school officials are concerned about children going hungry or accumulating lunch debt after Congress recently ended federal funding for free meals for all students.
With the federal pandemic lunch program discontinued, parents must now fill out paperwork for their student to get a free lunch. (pxhere.com)
“Families are still struggling with the economic downturn during the pandemic,” said Thomas Morgan, a communications consultant for the Michigan Education Association (MEA). “It’s not over, and we need to make sure children are taken care of.”
During the pandemic, Congress passed funding to ensure all students got free meals. That ended in August, although children who would have previously qualified for free or reduced lunches will still be able to get them if their parents fill out paperwork.
Parents must fill out paperwork for free lunches
There have been instances where a parent did not fill out the paperwork, meaning a child could not get the food they need or goes into lunch debt, Morgan said.
Parents have to shift from automatically having access to free meals to having to fill out paperwork to ensure their children get what they need.
“Since paperwork was not needed for the past couple of years, some parents weren’t aware they had to fill it out for their children to qualify, ” said Tom Freitas, the director of food and nutrition services for Traverse City Public Schools. “There have been issues with not having paperwork in on time, which affects the amount of pre-ordering for meals.”
Trying to keep costs reasonable
Traverse City Public Schools are trying to make sure all children who need free or reduced lunches are able to get them, he said.
“We’re doing our best to serve all our children. Right now, our superintendent is focused on getting donations,” Freitas said.
“We’d never take away food from a child, but we do have policies in place to make sure we get the payment required. After a child is $10 in school lunch debt, the parents are contacted,” he said.
This could be a problem for parents who thought that their child was getting free meals and are suddenly confronted with lunch debt.
Other issues impacting the lunch line
Funding isn’t the only issue affecting free school lunches this fall. A shortage of administrators means delays in processing time for paperwork.
Morgan said, “There’s a lot of paperwork that goes into providing free breakfast and lunch. The federal waivers made sure every kid had a meal automatically, meaning the paperwork wasn’t necessary and so this burden was removed for administration.”
Others say the shift might not be too troublesome for schools.
“I don’t believe schools will necessarily have any real difficulty going back to the way free lunches were processed a few years ago,” said Jennifer Smith, the director of government relations for the Michigan School Board Association. “The waivers did make it easier for school administration, but it’s not as if the infrastructure wasn’t already in place.”
Schools could take it upon themselves to continue to provide free meals for all students, as several districts across the state do.
Grand Rapids Public Schools free breakfast and lunch program
Grand Rapids Public Schools have been providing free breakfast and lunches for all students for seven years.
“I think this has been extremely beneficial for our students,” said Jennifer Laninga, the nutrition services supervisor at Grand Rapids Public Schools. “All of the stigma with free or reduced lunches is eliminated. Students who would otherwise avoid using these services for fear of being judged are now on an equal footing with other students.”
According to Laninga, schools with over 60% of students using free lunch services can apply for Community Eligibility Provision, federally funded through the Department of Agriculture.
However, schools are not guaranteed funding unless over 80% of their students are a part of the free lunch program. A more universal approach would streamline the process and make sure all students have access to free and healthy lunches, Laninga said.
Working to get federal funding for free school meals
Congress is reviewing the Child Nutrition Reauthorization, said Alex Rossman, the external affairs director at the Michigan League for Public Policy, and there is a possibility that universal access for free lunches could come back.
However, that isn’t likely in an election year, he said. Additional funding would be hard to achieve.
The MEA’s Morgan agreed.
“I don’t believe it’ll go anywhere. It’s not a big priority, even though it should be,” Morgan said.
“It’s incredibly frustrating, especially when you realize that they’re literally taking food away from the kids who need it most.”
Sarah Atwood is a junior at Michigan State University double majoring in Social Relations & Policy and Journalism. She is interested in writing about how politics affects local communities and making information accessible for everyone. In her free time, she likes boxing, yoga, and spending time with friends, family, and her dog.
Members of the Davenport University esports team, from left, Austin Mikkelsen, Coach Colin Graham, Jessie Barger, Benjamin Pringle and Abraham Hernandez. (WKTV)
By D.A. Reed, WKTV Contributing Writer
Esports isn’t just exploding in high schools across the country, it also has found a foothold in many colleges as well.
Short for electronic sports, esports can offer students a sense of belonging, college scholarships, and for some, a new path in life.
Davenport University freshman Abraham Hernandez and League of Legends esports player said video games changed his life.
“Kept me off the streets”
“I didn’t grow up in the best neighborhood,” Hernandez said. “It kept me off the streets.”
On a personal level, Hernandez said playing video games with his friends as a teen was “some of the best memories I’ve ever had in my life. The relationships I’ve built off of it, the memories I have — I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”
Hernandez also sees the value in long-term benefits of esports.
“I enjoy the competitiveness, the drive, the want to get better, knowing how to get better at something — that skill goes way beyond esports. Esports changed my life for the better and I don’t know where I would be without it.”
Like traditional sports, esports teaches soft skills: teamwork, accountability and communication being just a few. Character building, developing discipline, self-esteem and sportsmanship also are advantages of being on an esports team.
Organized competitions in the video game culture experienced a surge in popularity in the late 2000s, with esports becoming a significant factor in the video game industry by 2010.
Michigan experienced their own surge in esports popularity in 2019 — and has seen it gain considerable traction over the last few years in both public and private educational facilities.
Colin Graham, head coach of esports at Davenport University, told WKTV that the college esports program began in 2019 with an arena in the Student Activity Center.
“We started with eight (game) titles. I was tasked with bringing in 20 students my first year. I had five recruited and signed prior to becoming head coach.”
South Christian High School in Byron Center also is new to the esports scene, beginning in the 2020-2021 school year with nine participants. They are not yet competitive, but are willing to continue the program for grades 9-12.
South Christian High School jumped into the esports scene in the 2020-21 school year. (Courtesy)
“We strive to give kids the most opportunities we can as an athletic department within the scope of our school motto which is equipping students to live Christ-centered lives in order to serve God to their greatest potential,” said David Kool, athletic director at South Christian High School. “The main goal is to give our students another platform to have fun and do what they love to do.”
Participants in esports are considered athletes, the same as in traditional sports.
“We have practices, we have scrimmages, we have film review, we have expectations,” explained Graham, who said the inception of esports at Davenport was well-received by traditional athletes at the college, and that the other athletes seem to understand what the esports community is trying to do and accomplish.
Davenport esports athletes Benjamin Pringle and Austin Mikkelsen both enjoy the competitive aspect of esports.
Back-to-back national championships
“I’m a really competitive person,” said Pringle, Davenport sophomore and part of the Counter Strike: Global Offensive team. That competitive spirit won Pringle two back-to-back national championships, but there also is a more personal reason for Pringle’s dedication to the sport.
Davenport University Esports lab. (WKTV)
“I don’t have my parents’ support and I wanted to get away to support myself. So, I was like, I might as well do what makes me happy.”
Austin Mikkelsen, also a Davenport sophomore esports athlete, said, “I enjoyed the part of winning your lane and just beating somebody. You can see you’re better than somebody at it. It gave me a drive for it.”
Like traditional athletes, esports is not for the faint of heart.
“We are a year-round sport,” Graham said. “We compete from September through April. Summers are where they are offered down-time if they would like to take a break, but some of our teams don’t.”
Graham makes it clear that if participants decide to continue through summer, all of the obligations that come with in-season practices and scrimmages carry over to the summer.
Nationally-ranked
Those expectations have produced results. Last year, Davenport University finished in the top eight teams nationally in the game Call of Duty. Their Rainbow Six team is currently ranked on the fringe of the top 10 national teams, and their Counter Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) is currently the best in the nation.
Benjamin Pringle (left) and Jessie Barger in the Davenport University Esports Lab. (WKTV)
And esports offers more than championship rings and prizes.
Graham previously worked at schools where sports were the kids’ way of getting to the next level and out of unfavorable circumstances in life.
“My coaching mantra is: Using the esports platform to offer opportunities to students who wouldn’t have them through traditional sports.”
Jessie Barger, a junior at Davenport University and esports athlete, is one of the students who found his home in esports.
Fitting in, building relationships
“When I was younger, I felt like I didn’t fit in to most traditional sports,” Barger said. “I felt like I was more comfortable playing video games.”
Esports offers a level of social interaction some students may not otherwise achieve.
“It’s their way of having social interaction,” Graham said. “They have friends that they know online that they’ve known for years.”
Graham said Davenport’s Call of Duty team owes its success to the fact that the players have all played the game together since the age of 12.
But that’s not all.
College scholarships?
High school esports participants can take advantage of college scholarships as well.
“All students on our roster, aside from maybe one or two, are scholarshipped,” Graham said. “I am very aware of the cost of attending a university. I also believe that you shouldn’t leave college with a mountain of debt if you don’t have to.”
Kool says scholarship opportunities “definitely gives esports more credibility” in the eyes of students and parents since the concept of esports is still new to many of them.
Graham actively recruits for his esports teams, admitting that he is “old-school” in his recruiting, traveling and speaking at schools and meeting with both teachers and students.
“I think it’s really beneficial to the program to make those connections.”
He also feels it is important that each participant fits the overall personality of the group they will be joining.
“We want to make sure that they feel this is a place they can call home, and they can find their people and they have an experience here that is beneficial to them long term.”
Kool also has seen advantages to esports programs, the main benefit being opportunities it gives students to be successful and have fun.
“Their confidence can grow in themselves as a person, and it gives them a sense of belonging,” Kool explained. “Esports is a great program where kids can experience playing these games in a safe and friendly way while building confidence and morale within a school setting.”
Graham believes esports has definite longevity.
“If you look at the history of video games, there has been interest in it since they hit the market. It really caters to a specific kind of person … so it gives participants an opportunity to find people like them and socialize.”
Proof also is in the continued interest among high school and college students.
“This year, we should be pushing about 70 students across nine different titles,” Graham said. And that includes domestic and international students.
Esports “here to stay”
“I don’t think it’s going to go anywhere,” Graham continued. “I think the games that are competed in may come and go, but esports as a whole, I think, is here to stay.”
“Esports in high school isn’t the future. It’s the present,” claims the website of popular esports platform PlayVS.
D. A. (Deborah) Reed is an award-winning author of young adult novels and a creative writing instructor from the Grand Rapids area. To find out more about D.A. Reed, visit her website: D.A. Reed
Crosswalk at 34th Street and Buchanan Avenue in the Godwin Public Schools district. (Supplied)
Crosswalk at Lee Street and Cleveland Avenue in Godfrey-Lee Public Schools district. (Supplied)
Crosswalk at Mangolia Avenue and Farnham Street in Kelloggsville Public Schools district. (Supplied)
Crosswalk located near the Wyoming High School. (WKTV)
By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma WKTV Managing Editor joanne@wktv.org
Last week the City of Wyoming wrapped up a project designed to help improve public safety while promoting local school pride.
On Jun 7, 2022 the Wyoming City Council awarded a contract to Gallagher Asphalt Corporation for $100,500 to install four art-based crosswalks that were placed in the Kelloggsville, Godwin Heights, Godfrey-Lee and Wyoming Public School districts. The total project was $110,550 which included a 10 percent construction contingency of $10,050.
The project was funded by $90,000 in grants from the Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) and a $10,000 grant from the General Motors Corporation.
Creating a safer community
“Using art to transform our city into a safer, more desirable community is part of what we do here in Wyoming,” said Major Jack Poll. “We hope this project will be another opportunity to enhance recognition that residents are part of one community, one City of Wyoming, regardless of where they live and which school district they attend.”
In her recommendation of the project, city’s Director of Community Services Rebecca Rynbrandt said “innovative painting of crosswalks is shown to be effective in increasing public awareness of the crosswalk for drivers and encourages increased use by pedestrians with an impact of reducing car and pedestrian accidents.
“This project is designed to increase community awareness of the number of school districts located in the city, increase school district pride, and to enhance resident recognition of being a part of one community, one Wyoming.”
Identifying the locations
The city has seven school districts within its city boundaries. Originally, five school districts, the four mentioned plus Grandville, where selected.
The COVID pandemic delayed the project and then it was delayed again when new estimate exceeded $100,000 and additional funding had to be secured. Grandville was removed from the list as funding came through the CDBG program, which restricts investment to low and moderate income areas of the city.
Wyoming’s Community Services Department staff worked with Public Safety to discuss emergency response needs and identify a location within each school district that would benefit from a new crosswalk. Information also was gathered from the city’s traffic engineers.
The designs were created by staff in consultation with each school district. The design features a white and turquoise stripped pattern with the school’s logo.
The final locations of the sidewalks are:
Godfrey-Lee Public Schools: Lee Street and Cleveland Avenue
Wyoming Public Schools: Near the Wyoming High School on Prairie Parkway between Michael and Burlingame avenues
Godwin Heights Public Schools: 34th Street and Buchanan Avenue
Kelloggsville Public School: Magnolia Avenue and Farnham Street
The Grandville Public Schools location, which is to be 52nd and Wilson Avenue, is scheduled to be constructed in 2023 when additional funds become available. The Grandville school district services most of the city’s panhandle population.
“He’s always wanted to give back to the community,” said Bobbie McLaughlin, brother of the area’s biggest basketball star who set records in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s at Creston High School and Central Michigan University.
Nothing but net
Considered the best high school basketball player in Grand Rapids history, Melvin “Sugar” McLaughlin averaged 33 points a game his junior and senior seasons at Creston High School in the late 1970s and then went on to score more than 2,000 career points at Central Michigan University. He is a member of the Central Michigan Athletics Hall of Fame and in 2005 was inducted into the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame.
The camp has been shut down since 2019 because of Covid, and, with “all the crazy things going on for kids in the inner city,” organizers wanted to offer a chance to offer something at no cost.
“Everywhere he goes, the kids are asking about the camp,” said Bobbie, who attended Grand Rapids South High School back in the day. “They’re really thirsty. So we put our heads together and said, ‘Let’s give them a free camp.’ Let’s show them some love.”
Campers practice their skills at the Melvin “Sugar” McLaughlin Basketball All-Star Camp at East Kentwood. (Courtesy)
A fundraising campaign is going on right now to help the McLaughlins raise money to make it happen. The goal through the social media platform Vertical Raise is $10,000. They are more than halfway there, he said, as local businesses such as Brann’s Restaurants have contributed, as well as individuals.
The three-day camp is for boys and girls grades 5-12.
Hours are 8-11:30 a.m. for grades 5-8, and from 1-4 p.m. for grades 9-12 from Aug. 2-4.
“All the area kids, inner city kids, just come out and have a good time… We’re just looking for people to help make this happen,” Bobbie McLaughlin said.
Guest speakers
Along with learning basketball skills with drills and instruction, Bobbie McLaughlin said camp organizers are arranging guest speakers to help educate and motivate the kids to learn more than just basketball.
“(Mel) said we need to show some positive love for the kids. Everything’s been a little crazy, not just in Grand Rapids, but all over. We just said, ‘What can we do to help these kids out?’”
The camp has been a staple of summers in Grand Rapids for about 25 years. It originally took place at Ottawa Hills High School, but moved to East Kentwood in 2018 when attendance swelled to more than 200 campers, said Bobbie McLaughlin, who lives in California but looks forward to returning to see old friends and relatives. (He was a pretty good baseball player back in the day.)
Some notable campers
The camp has produced some notable players over the years, including Kobe Bufkin (Michigan), Marcus Bingham (Michigan State University) and Xavier Tillman (Michigan State, Memphis Grizzlies), just to name a few.
“We know it’s working, we know these kids are learning and having fun,” McLaughlin said.
“We’re so proud of them. A lot of the parents come up to us after the last day of camp and say, ‘Where are you gonna be next week? This is such a good thing for these kids.’”
McLaughlin said he is in the middle of finalizing a gift bag each player will receive during the camp, which includes a T-shirt, wristband, hat and hopefully a book, which was written about his brother’s life.
Check out “Sweet Shot”
“Sweet Shot: The Basketball Life and Legacy of Melvin ‘Sugar’ McLaughlin,” which was released in 2021, looks at the player’s life on and off the court, from his early childhood in Ann Arbor to today.
“Sweet Shot,” a book about local basketball star Melvin “Sugar” McLaughlin, was released in 2021. (Courtesy)
Author Vernon E. Wendt — a theology professor at Concordia University-Chicago, ordained pastor in the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod and East Grand Rapids native, is expected to be in attendance at the camp, Bobbie McLaughlin said.
“It’s a really cool book,” McLaughlin said. “We want to make an impact.”
In addition, players can compete in contests for trophies, he said. And camp organizers will present sportsmanship and MVP awards.
It’s all about spreading joy, and a message, he said.
“We teach them, sports is like life…you have to learn to play together, to work together, to be a team. Take that home. Spread it. That’s our concept.”
And don’t be surprised to see Sugar put his skills on display.
He still “balls,” his brother said. “He’s always doing something for kids.”
“Come and join us for this very beautiful and positive experience,” Sugar McLaughlin said. “This is something that is true to my heart and very special to me.”
Learn more about the camp by calling 616-222-6126.
John D. Gonzalez is a digital journalist with 30-plus years of experience as a food, travel, craft beer and arts & entertainment reporter based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also co-hosts the radio show and Podcast “Behind the Mitten,” which airs at 6 p.m. Sundays on WOOD-AM and FM. Follow him on his journey to discover what’s next. You can find him on Twitter as @MichiganGonzo, on Instagram @MichiganGonzo and Facebook at @GRGonzo. He also relaunched his YouTube Channel. Email him story ideas and tips at michigangonzo@gmail.com.
Wyoming Potter’s House Christian’s Lezawe Osterink (left) was a state champion in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs at last spring’s Division 4 track and field finals, and was a member of the winning 3,200-meter relay with teammates Ian Palacios, Jackson Rodriguez and Logan Swiney. Osterink also won the D-4 boys cross country individual title last fall. The boys team placed third at the track and field finals and 12th in cross country. (Courtesy of MHSAA)
Participation in Michigan High School Athletic Association sports rebounded tremendously during the 2021-22 school year, despite a slight decline in enrollment among the MHSAA’s 750-member high schools.
Big decline during COVID-19
The onset of COVID-19 during the spring of 2020 was followed by a significant decline in participation in sports during 2020-21. However, participation for the most recent school year concluding last spring saw an increase of 6.6 percent from 2020-21 to a total of 260,542 participants across the 28 sports for which the MHSAA sponsors postseason tournaments – even as statewide enrollment fell nearly 1 percent to 440,728 students this past school year.
Girls participation increased 6.8 percent to 109,128 athletes, while boys participation was up 6.5 percent at 151,414. The overall MHSAA participation totals count students once for each sport in which they participate, meaning students who are multiple-sport athletes are counted more than once.
“We’re excited to see participation beginning to rebound, and in a big way in a number of sports,” said Geoff Kimmerly, MHSAA communications director. “Something reaffirmed during the months of COVID-19 shutdowns and delays was the value of sports in our school communities, and we expect those participation numbers to continue to rise as more families feel comfortable and we continue to learn more and more about best practices for living and competing while the coronavirus remains with us.
“Something else to consider is how our participation has begun to bounce back even as enrollment in our member schools has continued to decline slightly. Michigan generally ranks higher in participation nationally than for student-aged population, and while we may not be at our pre-COVID levels yet, we do anticipate our numbers to keep growing during 2022-23.”
The Forest Hills Northern girls tennis team won the Division 2 state championship last spring. (Courtesy of MHSAA)
Track and field, boys skiing lead way
A total of 23 sports saw increases in participation during 2021-22 compared to 2020-21. Ten sports saw double-digit percentage increases, led by boys track & field (27.2 percent to 22,120 participants), girls track and field (22.4 percent to 15,594 participants), and boys skiing (22.4 percent to 1,001 participants).
Wrestling (17.1 percent) and boys bowling (16.2 percent) also saw double-digit increases, along with girls tennis (11.4 tennis), girls bowling (11.2 percent), girls competitive cheer (10.6 percent), boys golf (10.5 percent) and girls lacrosse (10 percent).
Girls boost wrestling numbers
Wrestling’s major boost came in part because of a nearly 300-percent increase in girls participants with 620 taking the mat for the first season of the MHSAA offering a girls championship division at its Individual Wrestling Finals.
Also enjoying increases in participation during 2021-22 from the previous year were girls golf (8.1 percent), girls skiing (7.6 percent), boys basketball (6.4 percent), girls soccer (6.3 percent), boys swimming and diving (6.1 percent), boys lacrosse (5.8 percent), softball (3.6 percent), girls basketball (3.1 percent), baseball (3 percent), boys tennis (2.8 percent), football (2.4 percent), girls volleyball (2 percent) and girls swimming and diving (1.2 percent).
Decreased participation
Five sports saw decreased participation in 2021-22, including boys soccer (0.21 percent with 28 fewer participants), girls cross country (1.4 percent), boys ice hockey (1.2 percent), boys cross country (3.9 percent) and girls gymnastics (4.6 percent).
Football highest participation
Football, with a combined 33,284 participants over the 11- and 8-player formats, remained the most-played sport during the 2021-22 school year. Boys track and field (22,120) and boys basketball (20,017) were next for total participants, followed by girls volleyball (18,798), the most popular girls sport, baseball (16,528) and girls track and field (15,594).
Golf and skiing enjoy high participation
While the majority of sports are still building back to their pre-COVID participation totals, golf and skiing posted some of their highest totals in some time. Boys golf (6,829) had its most participants since 2012-13, and girls golf (3,875) its highest total since 2003-04. The boys skiing total (1,001) was its highest since 2002-03, and the girls skiing total this past season (837) was the highest for that sport since 1998-99.
The participation figures are gathered annually from MHSAA member schools to submit to the National Federation of State High School Associations for compiling of its national participation survey. Results of Michigan surveys from the 2000-01 school year to present may be viewed on the MHSAA Website
The Boucher family welcomes Janne from Germany to West Michigan. (Supplied/iE-USA)
Leaving home for an extended period of time is never easy. Yet a growing number of students from around the world are making West Michigan their home away from home.
More than 100 families across the Greater Grand Rapids area have welcomed an exchange student through International Experience (ie-USA), an organization dedicated to fostering cross-cultural interactions.
From iE-USA coordinator Sarah Boucher’s perspective, the chance to introduce someone from another country to their home can be an eye-opening opportunity. It often nudges people outside of their comfort zone and encourages them to check out their own backyard with a renewed sense of appreciation.
“Seeing the world through another lens and being a ‘hometown tourist’ can be amazing,” Boucher says.
A little bit about the process
Participants, who range between 14 to 18 years of age, take an English proficiency exam before entering the iE-USA program. Once accepted, they travel to the U.S. for five or 10 months.
Although participants undergo the same rigorous application process, they come from highly diverse cultural backgrounds. Countries of origin span Asia, Europe, and South America.
What participants share is a distinct sense of curiosity, adventure, and a desire to try something new. Visiting the U.S. brings the chance to learn about a different way of doing homelife, school, and community.
A year of “firsts”
“What’s amazing is experiencing so many ‘firsts’ with exchange students,” Boucher says. “It’s the first time having a bonfire, eating s’mores, owning clothing that has the logo of the school on it, attending a formal dance at school, going fishing, and so many more!”
Many events create fun selfie opportunities. (Supplied/iE-USA)
Exchange students are not the only ones to encounter “firsts.” Hosts often experience wanderlust and end up traveling themselves.
The Boucher family was no exception. After hosting a student named Arturo in 2017, they visited Arturo’s family in Spain the following year.
Many hosts establish ties with students and their families that last long after the end of formal requirements. During the summer of 2022, the Bouchers invited their former exchange students Janne and Johanna from Germany back for a visit. Their house is now filled with gifts from former students, a favorite being a handcrafted and painted clay globe.
The learning curve
The adjustment for both exchange students and host families involves a learning curve. In many cases, the first night after the student’s arrival at the airport can be filled with nervous energy, according to longtime host Chris Ford.
“Usually, there’s culture shock involved and a lot of jet lag,” Ford says. “Students are so excited to come that they stay up all night.”
Seeing this transition still delights Ford, who has been a host for the last eight years. Her fourteen students traveled from locations ranging from Finland to South Korea.
Mundane aspects of American life can become fodder for selfies and videos on homemade YouTube channels. Streets filled with yellow school buses, trucks, and motorcycles burst with thunderous noise, and local grocery stores look massive.
“Many students shop at markets everyday, and they are floored by the size of Meijer,” Ford says. “There’s a whole aisle dedicated to cereal. That is shocking.”
Experiencing American schools
Participating in school activities is a big part of the exchange year experience. (Supplied/iE-USA)
The educational aspect of the exchange visit brings its own surprises. Completing homework assignments and attending five or six classes instead of a single subject in a school day challenges some European students.
“Our education system is definitely different than the traditional European system,” Ford says. “Americans want to see students succeed. In the European system, there is a lot more pressure on the students, and European kids are expected to be smart, dedicated, and focused.”
Many students use the trip to practice their English skills, often with humorous results. One of Ford’s students mixed up the word “vibe” with “wipes.”
Exploring the Great Lakes state
One of Ford’s favorite parts of being a host comes from visiting the Great Lakes with her students. Beyond the fun evenings spent playing board games and cooking delicious meals, Ford loves sharing a natural beauty that will become a lifelong memory.
“I always take them to see Lake Michigan,” Ford says. “It’s like a large ocean. They see it in geography, but it’s a whole different thing for them to see it and put their feet in it. It’s so fun to see them check out a lighthouse and climb up a dune.”
The process to host an exchange student begins with filling out an online form, completing a background check, and waiting to be matched up. The application process is simple and straightforward, and Ford’s advice to new hosts is to simply dive in and not be afraid to help learn along the way.
“How could you not want them to be here?” Ford says. “It’s life changing.”
About 100 students are currently available through iE-USA. More information can be found at ie-usa.org.
A whole food diet is important for runners as they gear up for the summer running season. (pxhere.com)
Running is back in season! Spring means warmer weather, and warmer weather means more running. Whether preparing for that early morning run, or for a marathon such as the Amway River Run or the Grand Rapids Marathon, proper nutrition is the key to success. YMCA dietitian Nicole Holmes and Dr. Elizabeth Albright of University of Michigan Health offer advice and tips for getting the most out of your sprint.
“Include protein in all meals,” Holmes said is her first recommendation. “Protein is an essential building block for muscles, helping them recover from training.” She goes on to include such foods as meat, eggs, fish, milk, yogurt, cheese, nuts, tofu, seeds and legumes as great sources of protein.
Albright notes that “there isn’t necessarily one specific eating plan” she would recommend for all athletes. In general she encourages following a whole food diet, a plan which includes decreasing the amount of processed foods eaten. Carbohydrates are highly regarded in particular, such as “whole fruit, sweet potatoes, oatmeal, brown rice, whole grain bread, cereal, and pasta.”
Nicole Holmes
“Carbohydrates provide the major source of energy when training,” Holmes agreed. Fruits and vegetables are key as well. “Fruits and vegetables are important components of every training plan because they are packed full of vitamins and minerals essential for proper recovery of trained muscles, prevention of illness, and overall health and wellbeing.”
Fluids, especially water, are also extremely important. Holmes recommends drinking five to 10 ounces of fluids every 15 to 20 minutes. When it comes to healthy, electrolyte-laden energy drinks, such as Gatorade or Powerade, she says the longer the run, the more important they are. Albright recommends these drinks when running for over an hour.
Stretching before runs is an essential practice. Rather than classic “static” stretches that are often practiced in school, such as holding a stretch for a period of time, Albright recommends “dynamic” stretching, or stretching with movement. “Essentially you perform gentle repetitive movements that increase range of motion, provides muscle lengthening, and gets blood flow circulating through the area.” She recommends Runner’s World’s article on the topic: https://www.runnersworld.com/training/a32616143/standing-prerun-stretches/
Dr. Elizabeth Albright
In the end, everyone needs to find their own pace and rhythm when it comes to exercise. Holmes notes that “it may take multiple training runs to figure out what nutrition combination works best.” Similarly, Albright explains that there isn’t really a best time of day for running, whether training or in a marathon: “The most important thing is to plan for what you are likely to stick to.”
Perhaps most important, Albright concludes, is to HAVE FUN! “You are running a marathon, something 99% of the world will never do. Congratulate yourself, be proud of yourself, and enjoy it!”
A memory board in the middle school’s orchestra room celebrates the contributions and impact former orchestra teacher David Sowerby had on the staff and students. (Supplied)
Caledonia Community Schoolsis honoring the district’s beloved former orchestra teacher by dedicating the middle school’s final orchestra concert, set for Tuesday, May 10, to him.
David Sowerby died on Nov. 13, 2021 after a long battle with Crohn’s Disease. Since Sowerby’s passing, students and staff at Caledonia Community Schools have rallied together to honor his memory. Sowerby is remembered as an amazing, inspirational teacher who made people laugh, and a loving husband and father.
The final Caledonia Middle School orchestra concert for this year will be at 7 p.m., Tuesday, May 10 at Duncan Lake Middle School, 9757 Duncan Lake Ave., and the theme for the concert is “Inspired by Mr. Sowerby.” The concert will include several special performances such as “Fantasia on an Original Theme,” which Caledonia High School students have been invited to perform along with the middle school orchestra.
“When David passed, I knew we needed to do something to honor his memory and contributions to our music program,” said Megan Anderson, interim Intermediate and Middle School orchestra director. “I wanted to let the students grieve his passing but also remember all the wonderful things about him. We discussed as a class what we should do and determined a musical tribute to David would be most fitting.”
“When we heard about Mr. Sowerby’s passing, we decided to do something that will keep his memory alive in our school,” said Landry Hammondand Hannah Bennet,eighth-grade orchestra students. “We were sad together, and I think we were able to manage our grief by using music as an outlet.”
A portrait of David Sowerby by Caledonia art teacher Christine Cosgrove. (Supplied)
In addition to the concert, students and staff have installed memory boards in Sowerby’s former orchestra classroom, complete with photos, memories from students, and a drawing of Sowerby by a Caledonia Community Schools art teacher Christine Cosgrove.
“At that time the students approached me about creating a portrait of Mr. Sowerby to add to their collection,” Cosgrove said. “I felt very honored to be able to offer something that I love to do to remember Mr. Sowerby and it was such a great way to honor him while also unifying the arts.“
Voters turned down an income tax for the City of Wyoming.
Wyoming voters voted down a proposed income tax for the city while renewing a $24.9 million bond proposal for Wyoming Public Schools.
About 16 percent of the city’s 55,999 registered voters came out for the special election that was yesterday. The city had two proposals on the ballot. The first was an income tax that would be up to 1 percent for city residents and up to .5 percent for non-residents such as commuters who work in the city. In the second proposal, the city was seeking to reduce the city property tax by about 58 percent, from around 12 mills to 5. Both proposals had to pass to take effect.
The first proposal of an income tax was defeated by 6,055 no votes to 2,824 yes votes. The second proposal to reduce city property tax received 5,381 yes votes to 3,474 no votes. Because the two proposals were tied together, if one failed the other automatically failed as well.
The city estimated that the proposals would have generated about $6 million in revenue for the city. City Council said it planned to put $3.3 million toward its fire department to added 27 firefighters, doubling the current staffing from 27 to 54. About $2.1 million would have been used to add 13 police officers and a crime analyst to the city’s police department with the remaining $600,000 for capital improvement needs for the city’s parks.
The approved $24.9 million bond renewal will go toward renovations at Wyoming Junior High School.
Wyoming Public Schools
A purple and white message in both English and Spanish on the Wyoming Public Schools Facebook page thanked the district’s voters for renewing a $24.9 million bond. The money is earmarked for renovations at the Wyoming Junior High School, which is the oldest building in the district. Formerly Wyoming Park High School, the oldest portion of the building dates back to 1926. There were additions in 1957, 1959, and 1979.
About 16 percent of the district’s 27,188 votes came out with 2,066 voting yes and 1,930 voting no.
The approved bond will be added to about $11 million in renovations already planned for the school, including more than $3 million in major upgrades to Dan Heintzelman Fine Arts Center. The $11 million comes from a 2017 bond issue.
Renovations and improvements to the junior high to be funded by the bond renewal include: modern learning environments; new furnitures; an integrated technology; adequate lab spaces and equipment; improved air quality replacement of failing building systems (such as roofing, plumbing, and electrical) to become energy efficient and meet modern building codes; and site improvements to traffic flow, aging parking lots, and athletic facilities.
Work on the junior high, which is locate dat 2125 Wrenwood St. SW, is scheduled to start in the summer of 2023.
The Kentwood Police Department is inviting high school students to apply for its youth academy, set to take place July 25-28.
The academy is open to all graduating seniors and students who will be a sophomore, junior or senior in the 2022-23 school year. It is geared toward young people who are interested in a career in law enforcement and who want to experience what it’s like to be a police officer. Participants do not need to live or attend school in Kentwood.
The free program will run 10 a.m.-4 p.m. each day at the Kentwood Police Department, 4742 Walma Ave. SE. It will provide students with hands-on experience in police training and operations. Participants will receive instruction in various aspects of policing and participate in training scenarios, including:
Building searches
Drunken driving enforcement
Handcuffing
Special Response Team
And more!
Eligible participants must possess good moral character and pass a background check. They will be interviewed before being accepted into the program and be required to attend a pre-academy informational meeting with a parent or guardian. Each participant will be provided a uniform and daily lunch.
Applications are due by May 13 and can be submitted online, by email to wierengat@kentwood.us, in person at the Police Department or by mail to Sgt. Tim Wierenga at 4742 Walma Ave. SE, Kentwood, MI 49512. For any questions, contact Sgt. Wierenga at wierengat@kentwood.us or 616-656-6561.
Tomorrow, May 3, the residents of the City of Wyoming will be heading to the polls for two city proposals, an income tax and a reduction in city property taxes, while those in Wyoming Public Schools also are being asked to renew a $24.9 million bond proposal to renovate the Wyoming Junior High building.
The first of the two city proposals on the ballot is for an income tax that would be aup to 1 percent for city residents and up to .5 percent for non-residents such as commuters who work in the city. In the second proposal, the city is seeking to reduce the city property tax by about 58 percent, from around 12 mills to 5. Both proposals must pass to take effect.
According to city officials, the goal of the proposals is to build a more sustainable funding for the city and create equitably in sharing city expenses with those who use city services but do not live in the city while helping to reduce the cost to residents with the reduction in city property taxes.
If the two proposals pass, it would raise about an additional $6 million in funding from the city. The Wyoming City Council has said it would put $3.3 million toward its fire department, doubling the department’s current staffing from 27 to 54.
This would add about nine firefighters per shift and the city would be able to fully staff all four of its fire stations. Currently only two of the stations, Gezon and 36th Street, are fully staffed; however emergency calls are evenly distributed throughout the city, according to Fire Chief Brian Bennett. The city is broken into four fire districts with the busiest being the Division station, which is currently unmanned.
The department has the highest calls per firefighter in the area. Wyoming averages about 265 calls per firefighter with the City of Kentwood averaging around 121 while the City of Grand Rapids averages 123 calls per firefighter.
Koster said the city also has seen an increase in violent crime with calls requiring more than one officer to respond and resulting in less officers being available for traffic enforcement and neighborhood patrols.
“In 2020, when we received all the income from the parks and recreation millage, fees, and grants and then subtracted out all the expenses, we had about $30,000 left to roll into the fund balance for capital improvements,” Rebecca Rynbrandt, the city’s director of community services, said in a previous WKTV story.
According to school officials, the debt millage rate would remain the same at 5.65 mills, which is what it has been since 2016. Bond approval would not raise taxes, according to school officials.
Monies from the proposed bond millage will be combined with money set aside from the 2017 bond, which is about $11 million and includes $3 million for the Dan Heintzelman auditorium. If approved, renovations would include construction of a large two-story addition. The fine arts center would become a stand-alone building.
Voting
To check on your voting status and to see a sample ballot, visit mi.gov/vote. To vote in a city or school election, you must be a U.S. citizen, a resident of the city or school district for at least 30 days, are 18 years or old, and are not serving a sentence in jail or prison. Following voter-approved election changes in 2018, Michigan residents now have the option to register in-person with the local clerk on election day. Once registered, each voter will have the choice to vote absentee or drive to the polling location to vote in person.
Those voting absentee must return the absentee ballot by 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 3. Ballots may be mailed or dropped off at the ballot drop box behind city hall or in-person at city hall until 8 p.m.
The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voters should double check their precinct location, have photo ID, and should not wear or bring any political material to the precinct.
For more information on voice, visit the City of Wyoming website.
While the big news of the day is that Grand Rapids City High Middle School ranked No. 1 in Michigan on the U.S. News & World Report’s annual high school rankings, a school in the Kentwood area landed in the top one percent of those same rankings.
West Michigan Aviation Academy, located the Gerald R. Ford International Airport at 5363 44th St. SE, was ranked 26th in Michigan. According to the U.S. News & World Report, schools are ranked on performance on state required tests, graduation and how well the schools prepare students for college. For West Michigan Aviation Academy, it was noted the school offers Advanced Placement course work and participation in AP courses was about 68 percent.
Also landing in the top one percent were East Grand Rapids High School, which was ranked No. 13; Forest Hills Northern High School, which was ranked No. 21; Byron Center High School, which was ranked No. 24; and Forest Hills Central High School, which was ranked No. 28.
Of course, the big news from the report was that City High Middle School took the top spot for Michigan schools along with ranking No. 18 in the nation. According to the U.S. News & World Report, students have the opportunity to take International Baccalaureate coursework and exams. The IB participation rate at City High Middle School is 100%. City High Middle School was the first school in the area to offer the International Baccalaureate Middle Years and Diploma Programme.
“We could not be prouder of our scholars, staff, district, and community for this achievement,” said City High Middle School Principal Ryan Huppert. “The inspiration that this accomplishment provides is worth so much to our community right now.
“These rankings reflect all the hard work that scholars and staff put forth to succeed here
. Seeing those efforts translate into such a high level of success and recognition means the world to our school.”
There is around 1,700 high schools in Michigan. Of those schools, 660 Michigan schools made the U.S. News & World Report rankings. For a Michigan high school to be ranked it much complete the three-part Michigan Merit Exam in 11th grade. It includes the SAT college entrance exam, the ACT WorkKeys assessment, as well as online assessments via the Michigan Student Test of Education Progress in science and social studies, accord to the Michigan Department of Education. For a school to receive a state ranking, it must have earned a national silver or gold award.
From the left” Caledonia Community Schools Student Support Coordinator
Katie Dorband, Duncan Lake Middle School Assistant Principal Angie Stauffer, Caledonia Superintendent Dedrick Martin, Bari Kane, Kevin Kane, Duncan Lake Principal Jaym Abraham, and Paris Ridge Principal Kris Vydareny (Supplied)
A counselor for Caledonia Community Schools has been named West Michigan Counselor of the Year by the WestMichigan Counseling Association.
Bari Kane has worked for Caledonia Community Schools for 18 years. She currently serves as a counselor at Duncan Lake Middle School and was previously a fourth-grade classroom teacher at Paris Ridge Elementary.
“I’m honored to receive this award from the West Michigan Counseling Association,” Kane said. “The mental health and wellness of our students at CCS is a top priority and incorporating evidence-based mental health practices into everything we do leads to better outcomes for our students at school and into the future.”
Katie Dorband, a student support coordinator at Caledonia Community Schools and who nominated Kane for the award, described Kane as someone who brings people with different perspectives together. She is always willing to try new ideas and adapt to the ever-changing educational environment, removing barriers to student achievement and health. Kane is also a champion for integrating mental health and behavior into the Multi-Tiered System of Supports, which is a research-based strategy designed to meet the individual needs of the whole child in schools.
“Bari Kane is a compassionate professional who works hard to make sure that students and families receive the right support at the right time,” Dorband said in Kane’s nomination submission. “She is an incredible asset to the counseling community.”
Bari and Kevin Kane. Bari was recently named West Michigan Counselor of the Year. (Supplied)
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 1 in 3 high school students had experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness in 2019, a 40 percent increase since 2009. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated mental health issues affecting students. As the number of school-age children reporting poor mental health increases, having effective and passionate counselors in school has grown more important.
“We couldn’t be more proud of Bari for achieving this honor and serving all of our students so well,” said Dr. Dedrick Martin, superintendent of Caledonia Community Schools. “As mental health issues have become so prevalent in school-age children and technology and social media have presented new challenges, we’re lucky to have such a dedicated and caring counselor at CCS.”
The West Michigan Counseling Association is a nonprofit dedicated to the growth and enhancement of the counseling profession.
Finally it feels like Spring, and just in time for Earth Day.
This weekend’s Top 5 includes theater, rock ‘n’ roll, a book sale and a special Earth Day Party with Quillbur?
Want to learn more? Check out my Top 5, which you can find exclusively on WKTV Journal.
Gonzo’s Top 5
Jesse Ray & The Carolina Catfish (Courtesy Photo/Paul Jensen)
Jesse Ray & The Carolina Catfish
Grand Rapids rock, blues and rockabilly duo Jesse Ray & The Carolina Catfish, celebrates the release of a new album with a show Saturday at Pyramid Scheme in Grand Rapids. The new, self-titled album “is quite different from other releases as it has more instruments and attitude,” Jesse Ray said in an interview on John Sinkevics’ localspins.com. “Where (2016’s) ‘Angry’ was just angry for the sake of a young man’s anger, the new record is more complicated and emotional with the occasional outburst.” The bill also includes Patty PerShayla & The Mayhaps and The Local Commuters. Tickets are $15 and available online. Doors open at 7 p.m. More info on the Facebook event page.
Van Andel Arena
Downtown Grand Rapids is going to be busy this weekend with a couple big shows at Van Andel Arena. Comedian Katt Williams ( “The House Next Door; Meet the Blacks 2,” “Meet the Blacks”) performs at 8 p.m. Saturday (April 23) and rock band Shinedown performs at 7 p.m. Sunday (April 24). More details at vanandelarena.com.
Both KDL Kenwood and Wyoming libraries are hosting book sales this Saturday.
Friends of the Library Used Book Sale
TheKent District Library Kentwood Branch and Wyoming Branch both feature book sales from 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday (April 23) where book enthusiasts will find bargains galore. The Kentwood Branch is located at 4950 Breton SE. The Wyoming Branch is located at 3350 Michael Ave. SW. More details at kdl.org.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Master Arts Theatre in Grand Rapids is presenting “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” with shows April 21-23, April 28-30 and May 5-7. Based on the Victor Hugo novel and songs from the Disney animated feature, The Hunchback of Notre Dame showcases the film’s Academy Award-nominated score, as well as new songs by Menken and Schwartz. According to Master Arts, “Peter Parnell’s new book embraces story theatre and features verbatim passages from Hugo’s gothic novel.” Learn more at www.masterarts.org.
Blandford Nature Center hosts a birthday party for Quillber, a North American Porcupine. (Supplied)
Blandford Nature Center – Earth Day
As part of Earth Day Week, Blandford Nature Center in Grand Rapids is having a Birthday Party for two of its wildlife ambassadors – Archimedes, who is a long-eared owl, and Quillber, a North American Porcupine. In a program from 1-2 p.m. Saturday, you’ll hear their stories and learn about what makes each of them special. Organizers said you can “snap a close-up of silly Archimedes before heading out on the trails to take Quillber for a birthday stroll through the woods.” Admission is free this month to Blandford, but admission to the party is $7 for members, $10 for non-members and free to those ages 2 and younger. You can register at https://www.blandfordnaturecenter.org/events/earth-day-birthdays/?occurrence=2022-04-23.
Blandford Nature Center is located at 1715 Hillburn Ave NW. Learn more about Blandford nature trails an http://blandfordnaturecenter.org/
That’s it for now.
As always, I welcome your input and recommendations for events to include in my Top 5 list. If you have something for me to consider, just send me an email at michigangonzo@gmail.com.
Have a great, safe Easter weekend.
John D. Gonzalez is a digital journalist with 30-plus years of experience as a food, travel, craft beer and arts & entertainment reporter based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also co-hosts the radio show and Podcast “Behind the Mitten,” which airs at 6 p.m. Sundays on WOOD-AM and FM. Follow him on his journey to discover what’s next. You can find him on Twitter as @MichiganGonzo, on Instagram @MichiganGonzo and Facebook at @GRGonzo. He also relaunched his YouTube Channel. Email him story ideas and tips at michigangonzo@gmail.com.
The Women of the Aerospace Industry Association of Michigan (WAIAM) will be offering a free and virtual event for girls grades 4-8th to promote STEM education and the aerospace industry as these students plan their future studies.
The event, “Michigan Girls Future Flight Challenge” consists of a four-week long project, where student groups will be assigned to professional women in the aerospace industry as mentors throughout the program. Girls grades 4-8th are invited to participate by creating a team of 2-5 students then registering at https://aiamnow.com/events/.
The assignment is to design a sustainable, unique way of flight to solve a problem. The students will be given guidance and inspiration at the kickoff event on April 23 and immediately begin working with their teams and mentors until final presentations take place May 21.
A team of judges will determine the top teams. Prizes will be awarded, and each participant will receive a free t-shirt for taking part in the competition.
“The WAIAM is a committee within AIAM,” said Tony Vernaci, AIAM Founder and President. “Their mission is to actively work to create advocacy, education, and visibility for women and girls in aerospace across Michigan.
Michigan’s aerospace industry is full of opportunities. The event will reveal the potential this industry has to offer for young girls.”
Michigan has one of the most extensive aerospace clusters in the nation with nearly 1,000 companies supporting the global industry. A number of Michigan companies are sponsoring this event including Eaton, Woodward, Jackson Flexible Products, Array of Engineers, Genuen, Barron Industries, PALM Industries, and Calumet Electronics. Additional sponsors are needed to help make this competition possible and free for the students.
“We are excited to offer this opportunity,” said Stacy Paul, CEO of Array of Engineers. “The WAIAM look forward to inspiring these young girls and demonstrating through this experience how truly rewarding a career in the aerospace industry can be and the importance of STEM.”
The WAIAM virtual kickoff event will take place on Saturday, April 23, at 10 a.m. EST. The event is free and all girls grades 4-8th are invited and welcome to participate. Those wishing to learn more or to register for the event can do so at https://aiamnow.com/events/.
