Category Archives: Education

OK Silver battle-tested Godwin, Kelloggsville renew boys basketball neighborhood rivalry as district tournament looms

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Kelloggsville high boys basketball team senior Caleb Balsitis during a game Feb. 25 at Kelloggsville. (WKTV)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org


For many local basketball teams not fighting for a conference title in the last week of the season, the OK Conference Silver boys basketball finale between Godwin Heights High School and Kelloggsville high might have meant little as both ended winning regular seasons and readied themselves for their MHSAA district tournament.

But the Friday, Feb. 25, clash between the visiting Wolverines and the host Rockets — a neighborhood rivalry if there every was one — was not a game without meaning.

Godwin Heights entered the game comfortably in third place in the always tough OK Silver (at 8-3, 9-6 overall) but Kelloggsville also entered in the upper half of the conference standings with a very similar record (8-5 in OK, 11-7 overall). But one of those losses was a 73-67 defeat at Godwin on Jan. 28.

Kelloggsville high boys basketball team senior Cameron Mosley Jr. on the defense during a game Feb. 25 at Kelloggsville. (WKTV)

In Friday’s game, the Rockets gained a measure of revenge against the Wolverines, taking a highly competitive, back-and-forth contest that wasn’t settled until the final horn, 76-74. But both coaches agree that their neighborhood rivalry is good for both schools, both teams and really good to prepare each for the coming tournament.

“I think the neighborhood rivalry is an excellent thing,” Kelloggsville head coach Troy Ricketson said. “I graduated from Kelloggsville in 2009, I have played in this rivalry, so I have experienced firsthand the excitement it brings to the communities. The players know each other and have grown up together in some cases. Every time the two schools play in any sport, it brings a big crowd.”

Godwin head coach Tyler Whittemore agreed, and said he knows his team will always get tested when they play the Rockets.

The Godwin Heights high boys basketball team breaks huddle during a game Feb. 25 at Kelloggsville. (WKTV)

“We have always got Kelloggsville’s best games against us and we can tell that the intensity is increased,” Whittemore said. “It’s important that we understand the intensity in the rivalry so that we play as hard as we can each possession — no plays off.”

Whittemore also said that in games like the Feb. 25 visit to Kelloggsville, his team needed to be poised and stay “true to all of the things we’ve taught them throughout the season and move the basketball fast on offense without turning the ball over.”

But, speaking before the game, Whittemore also said he team could not “get out-worked (because) Kelloggsville talent will be able to put up lots of points quick.”

And that may well have been a key factor in last week’s contest — a Rockets offensive explosion to open the game and the fact that the Wolverines had to constantly play from behind.

Kelloggsville jumps out, then holds on

In the Feb. 25 win, the Rockets — and senior Corey Patton-Ivy — came out to make a early statement and jumped to a 28-16 lead after one quarter, with Patton-Ivy scoring 11 points including a three. Demoni Gamble, Brendon Tuinstra and Harry Knowling also hit from long range in the quarter.

But Godwin’s Jakhary Towns and Jabari Crump-Moore answered the call in the second quarter, scoring nine points each, as the Wolverines battled back to make is close at the half, 39-36.

The second half was a back and forth affair as Kelloggsville extended their lead to eight points after three quarters, 58-50.

Kelloggsville high boys basketball team senior Damario Montgomery during a game Feb. 25 at Kelloggsville. (WKTV)

But the Rockets then had to weather a determined Wolverine attack in the fourth quarter, when Godwin’s offense came alive with 28 points. But Kelloggsville made enough free throws in the final period — nine of them — and eventually survived to even the series at one game apiece with a 76-74 win.

For the game, Patton-Ivy led the Rockets with 21 points, while big-man Caleb Balsitis added 14 points, including six in the final period, and Marc Whitfield Jr. and Tuinstra added nine points each.

Godwin received a great game from Towns, who led all scorers with 26 points, followed by Jeremiah Drake’s 16 points and Crump-Moore’s 15. 

Tough schedule needed to be ready for tournament

Irregardless of the outcome of the Friday game, both coaches say their senior-led teams have benefited from their tough OK conference schedule, and their overall non-conference schedule, to prepare them for next week.

The Kelloggsville high boys basketball team huddles during a game Feb. 25 at Kelloggsville. (WKTV)

“When we were trying to create the schedule for this season, we wanted to make sure we were playing competition that was going to challenge us and make us better,” Rockets coach Ricketson said. “We have had some success and have also been humbled throughout. I think that has definitely prepared us for what we will see come district time.”

Throughout the season, the Rockets have been led by senior Demario Montgomery and sophomore Marc Whitfield Jr., both of whom have been averaging more than 10 points-per-game, but also getting great leadership, good rebounding and 7-to-8 ppg. from seniors Patton-Ivy and Balsitis, and junior Tuinstra. Other seniors on the team include Demoni Gamble, Kevin Gaddis Jr., Harry Knowling, Jaevyon Turnbull and Cameron Mosley Jr.

Wolverines coach Whittemore also thinks the tough schedule during a sometimes up-and-down season has helped his team grow.

“This season has been tough and a great learning experience for our players,” Whittemore said. “Most of our games have been very close, on both sides of the winning, and each game has pushed our players to improve and work hard in practice.”

Godwin, too, is a team lead by seniors but with a high-scoring underclassman.

Junior Towns, now in his 3rd year playing varsity, is averaging 20 ppg., and, according to his coach, “is our best offensive player.” But senior Drake — he of the “high-motor and intensity” his coach says, averages about 14 ppg. and 7 rebounds per game. And fellow senior Jordan Norman, a “very good shooter from the outside” who can “guard the opposing teams guards or big guys,” averages 13 ppg. and 5 rebounds.

Other senior leaders include Mark Dolo, Crump-Moore, Kaleil Harris, and Javeon Lyons. While junior Jamarion Collins has been a force on the defensive end.

“Playing Godwin Heights basketball comes with some pressure and the understanding (that) due to the program’s history of success, even before I became the coach, that we will get every team’s best effort. We embrace that and has raised the level of all of the players we have in the program and we are hoping to peak at our performance now that the tournament is approaching.”

District 44 tournament preview

Both Godwin (now 9-7 overall) and Kelloggsville (now 12-7 overall) will play non-conference “stay-sharp” game this week — strangely enough, both against Grand Rapids Covenant Christian (14-3 overall) — with the Rockets at home March 1 at 7 p.m., and the Wolverines at home March 3 at 7:15 p.m.

But things get real in a big way Monday, March 7 as the two look to keep their seasons alive in their Division 2 District 44 tournament, with games scheduled March 7, 9 and 11, and which includes Grand Rapids Christian (15-4 overall), Grand Rapids South Christian (14-5 overall) and Grand Rapids West Michigan Aviation Academy (12-6 overall), as well a Kentwood Grand River Preparatory Academy (6-8 overall).

The good news for both is that the tournament will be in their neighborhood — at Kelloggsville. The bad news is that the Godwin and Kelloggsville will play the 2021-22 series-deciding game on opening night, at 5:30 p.m.

“Our district is a gauntlet, but I am excited to have it on our home floor,” coach Ricketson said before last week’s game. “I feel like we are playing some of our best basketball, and like the confidence these guys are showing.”

Lee High School teachers, athletes, leaders inducted into Hall of Fame during Feb. 18 ceremony 

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A WKTV produced video of the Lee High School 2022 Hall of Fame ceremony.

By WKTV Staff

The Wyoming Lee High School athletic department added four distinguished staff and alumni students to the school’s Hall of Fame Friday, Feb. 18, with a ceremony scheduled between basketball games against Byron Center Zion Christian.

The Hall of Fame includes members of both Rebel, now Legends, athletics as well as Godfrey-Lee Public Schools and high school distinguished persons. David Britten, former Lee principal and GLPS superintendent, led at the event.

Among the 2021 inductees are long-time teacher Thomas Wier, who taught at the school from 1980-2020; and Larry Landstra (Class of 1956), a student leader at Lee who was captain of his football team and selected in 1955 to the First Team of the Grand Valley Conference. Landstra was not able to attend in-person.

Two other distinguished Godfrey Lee persons were inducted posthumously: Miss Agnes Noel, who as a teacher from 1892-1932; and Bernard Raterink, who as a Lee teacher, coach, counselor, athletic director and principal — and also played football at Michigan Site University in the 1950s.

Thomas Wier, teacher, 1980-2020

Thomas Wier served Godfrey-Lee Schools students from 1980-2020 and started at Godfrey Elementary as a teacher in 1980. Here he addresses the crowd at the Lee High School’s 2022 Hall of Fame ceremony. (New district superintendent Dr. Mike Burde is shown behind.) (WKTV)

Having come to Godfrey Elementary as a teacher in 1980, he was a constant force in the lives of his students and a recognized master teacher for 40 years, according to his introduction. He was a regular volunteer in sports programs for more than two decades, was instrumental in developing the science curriculum as he assisted in several county- wide projects to improve elementary science instruction.

In 1992, he was recognized by the Wyoming Jaycees as Teacher of the Year after the selection committee was flooded by letters from parents of former and current fourth grade students — his selection for the prestigious honor was the first time in 12 years the Jaycees had chosen an elementary teacher.

Wier earned his bachelor degree at Grand Valley State University and his masters degree from Michigan State University. 

Bernard Raterink served Lee high and other area students as a teacher, coach, counselor, athletic director and, finally, principal. (Supplied Historic Photo)

Bernard Raterink, teacher and so much more

Raterink served Lee high and other area students in so many ways: teacher, coach, counselor, athletic director and, finally, principal. And he clearly loved the game of football.

Having earned all-state honors as a football running back in high school, he went on to Michigan State University, playing for the Spartans as a member of their 1952 national championship team. He transferred to Central Michigan University where he won additional honors setting the single-season record for touchdowns and selected to the All-America team.

After graduation in 1956, he served as a teacher and coach in Whitehall and Charlotte, then guidance counselor for Grand Rapids Central high before coming to Lee High School in 1967. At Lee, he served as assistant principal and athletic director from 1977-80 before serving as Lee Middle & High School principal until he retired in 1986.

Larry Landstra, Class of 1956

An active student leader at Lee high, he served as a Junior Rotarian, Varsity Club President, and captain of his football team, where he was selected in 1955 to the First Team of the Grand Valley Conference. He was also involved in the school’s Hi-Y Club and on the track and basketball teams.

Larry Landstra (Lee high Class of 1956), a student leader at Lee who was captain of his football team. (Historic photo)

Having received a scholarship to Ferris Institute, he graduated with a degree in the field of pharmacy, and returned to the Godfrey-Lee community, working for and then purchasing the Greenwold Drug Store, and after five years taking over Pfeffer’s Pharmacy and operating it for the next 15 years.

A humble and compassionate individual, according to his introduction, he lived up to the caption next to his senior picture in the Echo yearbook: “Athlete and wit combined, a nicer guy is hard to find.”

Miss Agnes Noel, teacher, 1892-1932

Having earned her teaching credentials at Western Normal College, she began a long teaching career in several other schools before coming to the Godfrey-Lee district, where she first taught in the original one-room Green School in 1892.

When teacher Agnes Noel came to the Godfrey-Lee district she first taught in the original one-room Green School in 1892. (Historic Photo)

Growth in students led to the opening of the two-room Godfrey Avenue school in 1894, where she taught the lower grades — “though the school grew to twelve classrooms, she was the one constant during that time impacting the lives of three generations of area children,” according to her introduction.

Remaining at Godfrey-Lee until 1932, she retired following a 40-year career. Upon her retirement, a community-wide celebration was held and because she was such a popular teacher, reservations and complimentary tickets were required to attend. In 1939, she was memorialized in the Lee High School yearbook and returned to Godfrey as the honored guest speaker at the opening of the new school in 1952.

Special night at Wyoming Wolves den as high school honors Rogers, Wyoming Park past with Hall of Fame ceremony

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Wyoming High School Athletic Department 2022 Hall of Fame Ceremony. (WKTV)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

The Wyoming High School Wolves athletic department honored its heritage Friday, Feb. 18, as it inducted eight distinguished alumni and friends of both Rogers and Wyoming Park high schools, which combined to form Wyoming high.

Among the 2022 inductees are longtime Wyoming Public Schools teacher and Rogers high graduate (Class of 1986) Dino Paganelli, Rogers high (Class of 2002) student-athlete Ashley Heuvelman, Rogers high (Class of 1968) student athlete Jerry Hoag, Wyoming Park high (Class of 1980) student-athlete Rob Baker, Wyoming Park high (Class of 1997) student-athlete Amanda Hartman Schichtel, and Wyoming Park high (Class of 2012) student-athlete Lexi Popma.

Also to be honored are long-time Wyoming Park high athletic supporters Karen and Gary Stockdale, and the late John Wiggers, a huge supporter of athletics both at Wyoming Park and, later, at Wyoming high.

Dino Paganelli

Paganelli has had many titles in his life: student and teacher, athlete and coach, and there is that “part-time” job of being an official for NCAA and National Football League games — including Superbowl 47 and 55.

He attended Rogers High School before going on to Grand Rapids Community College, Aquinas College and gaining his Masters in Education. A three-sport athlete at Rogers, in 1986 he was named Rogers High School Athlete of the Year.

He is now in his 30th year as a teacher and coach in Wyoming Public Schools, and has also served as head varsity baseball coach, and coached varsity softball.

Paganelli joined his late wife, Christy Jaklinski, as members of the Wyoming High School Hall of Fame.

Ashley Heuvelman Smith

Rogers high student athlete Ashley Heuvelman was a three-year varsity player on the basketball and softball teams. She played varsity in both sports for three years, was a key member of the 2001 State Championship softball team, and was her school’s Athlete of the Year in 2002.

She went on to play softball at Aquinas College, was a key member of a 2006 NAIA National Sweet 16 team, and received All American Honors in softball at Aquinas.

Married to high school classmate Chris Smith and with two daughters, she currently teaches at VanGuard Academy and is the assistant girl’s varsity basketball coach at Grandville High School.

Jerry Hoag

Rogers high student athlete Jerry Hoag was a three-sport athlete, playing football, basketball and baseball, and went on to play basketball and baseball at Central Michigan University, where he was a key player of a 1971 National Champion runner up baseball team — but he was an exceptional softball coach.

Now retired, he taught and coached with the Wyoming Public Schools, and then for Jenison High School. His career head varsity softball coaching record is 529 wins and 85 loses, during which he coached 14 league champions and MHSAA state champions six times.

He also served as a basketball referee at the prep and college levels, and was part of the first NCAA Division II Women’s College Basketball National Championship game crew.

Rob Baker

Wyoming Park high student-athlete Rob Baker was an “old school” three-sport athlete —  football, basketball and baseball — but he excelled as a running back for some of the best Wyoming football teams ever. Between the years of 1978-79, the Vikings had a record of 16-3, and in 1978 he earned All State honors.

In basketball he was also a two-year starting point guard for the Vikings. In baseball, he played short stop on the 1979-1980 conference championship teams and was a member of the 1980 state finalist team. He was first team All State as a shortstop and then went on to Hope College, where he continued his baseball career and was awarded All Conference in both 1982 and 1983.

Amanda Hartman Schichtel

Wyoming Park high student-athlete Amanda Hartman Schichtel is currently a front-line hero as a nurse at Grand Rapids Spectrum Health Hospital after earning her degree from Grand Valley State University.

In high school she played tennis, golf and volleyball, earning a total of 10 varsity letters, and was the 1997 Athlete of the Year at the school. In tennis, she was All Conference, All Area, and All State all four years of high school. She was also exceptional in golf, gaining All Conference and All Area every year and, starting her junior year, she was also All State for two years. And in volleyball? She joined the team for two years, and was named team captain in 1997.

She went on to play tennis for four years at Grand Valley State University, where, in her senior season, she was All Conference.

Lexi Popma

Part of the last graduating class of Wyoming Park high — and always proud of her Park Pride — student-athlete Lexi Popma is currently a math teacher at Kelloggsville high.

At Wyoming Park she was a three-sport athlete, playing basketball, softball, volleyball. Maybe her best sport as softball — in the spring of 2012 she was All Conference, All Region and All State, and also played in the Michigan High School All Star game after batting .546. (No, that is not a typo.) Additionally, she is still the Wyoming all-time leading base stealer, stealing 88 bases in 91 attempts.
 

She graduated in the top 10 of her class at Wyoming Park, and received scholarships from many schools including Aquinas College, where she went on to play four years of softball at Aquinas College, when she batted over .300, and kept stealing those bases.

Karen & Gary Stockdale

Wyoming Park high athletic supporters Karen and Gary Stockdale had two children who graduated from the school, and they were really supportive supporters. Karen and Gary were members of the Wyoming Athletic Boosters for 12 years, with Karen serving as president for eleven years.

Both worked countless hours volunteering for the entire school system, and were instrumental in helping with the transition from two Wyoming Public School high schools to the now Wyoming High School Wolves.
 

As their introduction at the ceremony stated: “Karen and Gary Stockdale will forever be remembered for all their tireless work and the support they provided for all our athletes and Wyoming Public Schools Students. We will be grateful and love Karen and Gary Stockdale forever!”

John Wiggers

The late John Wiggers, a huge supporter of athletics both at Wyoming Park and, later, at Wyoming high, had emotional family members accept the honor.

John, his wife, Tina, and family members all worked to make sure the school’s athletes were provided with all the best equipment, uniforms, and gear possible. John was also a very important part of helping the transition of the two schools athletic departments into the Wyoming Wolves.

“This man and his legacy will forever live on in his family and with the athletes here at Wyoming High School,” his Hall of Fame introduction stated. “We will always, always remember John and his efforts to provide the best Athletic Experience for our students. He has been an awesome member of our Wyoming High School family and we will forever be grateful.”

Lee Legends to induct four into Hall of Fame between basketball games Feb. 18

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By WKTV Staff

Wyoming Lee High School athletic department will add four distinguished alumni to its school’s athletic department Hall of Fame Friday, Feb. 18, with a ceremony scheduled between a 5:30 p.m. girls basketball game and a 7 p.m. boys basketball game, both against Byron Center Zion Christian.

The Hall of Fame includes members of both Rebel and now Legends athletics as well as high school distinguished persons. David Britten, former Lee principal and Godfrey-Lee Public Schools superintendent, will speak at the event.

Among the 2021 inductees are long-time teacher Thomas Wier, who taught at the school from 1980-2020; and Larry Landstra (Class of 1956), a student leader at Lee who was captain of his football team and selected in 1955 to the First Team of the Grand Valley Conference. (Landstra is not expected to attend in-person.)

Two other distinguished Lee high persons will also be inducted posthumously: Miss Agnes Noel, who as a teacher from 1892-1932; and Bernard Raterink, who as a Lee teacher, coach, counselor, athletic director and principal — and also played football at Lee and Michigan Site University in the 1950s.

WKTV to spotlight Lee high basketball feature games, Legends and Wolves Hall of Fame nights 

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By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org



The WKTV Feature Game coverage crew will pay a visit to Lee High School Friday, Feb. 18, as both the boys and girls teams will be in action in an evening which will also be the athletic department’s Hall of Fame night. (See a preview story on the Lee high Hall of Fame night here.)

While the truck crew will be at Lee, we will also have cameras at Wyoming high on Feb. 18, as the Wolves athletic department also holds its Hall of Fame night at the halftime of a girls basketball game and as part of a special community night celebration. (See a preview story on the Wyoming high Hall of Fame night here.)

The Wyoming Lee games, when Byron Center Zion Christian comes to the Legends home court for an Alliance League doubleheader, will feature a girls basketball game at 5:30 p.m., and boys game at 7 p.m.

The WKTV Feature Game coverage crew will wrap up the 2021-22 basketball regular season with planned coverage of East Kenwood boys basketball on Tuesday, Feb. 22, against Caledonia, and then a boys and girls basketball doubleheader Friday, Feb. 25, when Wyoming Tri-unity Christian visits Wyoming Potter’s House Christian.

A look-in at Wyoming/Kentwood area basketball

The Grand Rapids South Christian girls won a big game Wednesday, Feb. 9, 42-39, over visiting Grand Rapids Catholic Central — and then avoided a letdown on Friday, Feb. 11, with a home win over Wayland, 51-38 — to run their record to 13-3 overall and take control in the OK Conference Gold conference race with a 9-1 record. (The Cougars are also 9-1, but are 12-4 overall). (For a game story and a WKTV video, visit here.)

The Wyoming high boys (9-6, 6-4 OK) won an early week contest last week, defeating Holland, 81-36, at home Feb. 8, before falling to state powerhouse and OK Green leader Muskegon on Feb. 11. (For an on-demand recording of the Wyoming-Holland game, visit here.)

The South Christian boys (10-5, 7-3 OK) went 2-1 last week in a stretch of three-straight OK Conference Gold road contests, bouncing back from a Feb. 8 loss at GR Central Catholic to score wins over Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills, 59-45, on Feb. 9, and then defeating Wayland, 71-44, on Feb. 11.

The West Michigan Aviation Academy boys (10-4 overall) saw their six-game win streak come to an end in their only game last week, a 57-50 loss to Wyoming Tri-unity Christian, on Feb. 8. The two teams are still at the top of the Alliance League standings, however, as Wyoming Potter’s House Christian (10-4) leads the league title chase at 5-0, with Tri-unity at 4-0, and the Aviators at 5-1. In addition to the win over WM Aviation Academy, Tri-unity also defeated Byron Center Zion Christian, 72-31, on Feb. 11.

WKTV coverage and schedule/scores 

Complete local basketball schedules as well as up-to-date scores of previous night’s games are also available at wktvjournal.org/sports-schedules-scores. (You can also just just bookmark WKTVjournal.org on your phone or other device and click on the blue banner at the bottom of the screen.)

WKTV featured games will on cable television in Wyoming and Kentwood on Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99 Community Channel, rebroadcast on the night of the game and various days and times the week after. See the programming schedule at wktv.org. For more information on WKTV coverage of basketball and other winter prep sports, follow us at wktvjournal.org/sports.

All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV’s video coverage team, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.com.

Wyoming Wolves to induct eight into Hall of Fame during basketball halftime ceremony Feb. 18

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The Wyoming High School athletic department’s Hall of Fame ceremony from 2020. (Supplied/Wyoming High Athletics)

By WKTV Staff

The Wyoming High School athletic department will add eight distinguished alumni to its Wolves Hall of Fame Friday, Feb. 18, with a ceremony at the halftime of a girls varsity basketball game against Zeeland East scheduled to start at 7 p.m.

The Hall of Fame includes members from both Rogers and Wyoming Park high schools, which combined to form Wyoming high.

Among the 2022 inductees are longtime Wyoming Public Schools teacher and Rogers high graduate (Class of 1986) Dino Paganelli, Rogers high (Class of 2002) student-athlete Ashley Heuvelman, Rogers high (Class of 1968) student athlete Jerry Hoag, Wyoming Park high (Class of 1980) student-athlete Rob Baker, Wyoming Park high (Class of 1997) student-athlete Amanda Hartman Schichtel, and Wyoming Park high (Class of 2012) student-athlete Lexi Popma.

Also to be honored are long-time Wyoming Park high athletic supporters Karen and Gary Stockdale, and the late John Wiggers, a huge supporter of athletics both at Wyoming Park and, later, at Wyoming high.

The game night, which includes a junior varsity game starting at 5:30 p.m., and the Hall of Fame ceremony, will be part of a special Community Night, with performances by the Wyoming high Pep Band, and Wyoming Dance Team led by Coach Meghan Dolata. There will also be a halftime hoop shoot, as well as a raffle, and senior shirts and yard signs available.

The senior all-night party committee will be sponsoring the halftime hoop shoot fundraiser when people will have the opportunity to shoot a half-court or 3-point shot. The 50/50 raffle will also support the senior all-night party.

The senior all-night party committee will be selling auction tickets, senior yard signs, and t-shirts as part of their fundraising efforts.

In basketball tournament-like atmosphere, South Christian girls make a defensive statement with win over Catholic Central

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  • The Grand Rapids South Christian girls basketball team at the start of the Feb. 9 home game against Grand Rapids Catholic Central. (WKTV)
  • Grand Rapids South Christian senior Sydney Vis gains a gain a ceremonial game ball for her passing the 1,000 point mark as a Sailor in a brief pre-game ceremony Feb. 9. With her is head coach Kim Legge and athletic director David Kool. (WKTV)
  • Grand Rapids South Christian senior Sydney Vis in a Feb. 9 game against Grand Rapids Catholic Central. (WKTV)
  • Grand Rapids South Christian’s girls basketball team breaks huddle in a Feb. 9 home game against Grand Rapids Catholic Central. (WKTV)
  • Grand Rapids South Christian junior Ashley Raredon in a Feb. 9 game against Grand Rapids Catholic Central. (WKTV)
  • Grand Rapids South Christian head coach Kim Legge “coaching up” her team in a Feb. 9 game against Grand Rapids Catholic Central. (WKTV)
  • Grand Rapids South Christian’s girls basketball team celebrates a win in a Feb. 9 home game against Grand Rapids Catholic Central. (WKTV)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org



The Grand Rapids South Christian High School girls basketball team had a statement win Feb. 9 at home over OK Conference Gold rival Grand Rapids Catholic Central, 42-39 — several statements were made, in fact.

The Sailors are not only peaking as tournament time approaches, but with the first order of business gaining a least a share of the OK Gold title. The team also has established that they are a defensive force to be reckoned with.

Grand Rapids South Christian senior Sydney Vis in a Feb. 9 game against Grand Rapids Catholic Central. (WKTV)

And, South Christian head coach Kim Legge is quick to say, the team is more than just Sailors super senior Sydney Vis. But her star player is one not afraid to take the ball when her team needs points and the “green light” from her coach to do so.

“You couldn’t ask for more than that,” Legge said to WKTV after Vis and the team secured its biggest win of the year. “When you have someone that everybody looks to, and someone who is as good as she is … she has been here (on varsity) for four years, and I am comfortable with her. She knows me well and I know her well. She knows what she has the green light to do.”

Vis, who will be playing at the college level next year at Hope College, finished the night with 18 points, with eight of them coming from the foul line as she repeatedly challenged the Cougar defense to stop her. That point total adds to Vis’ totals in a Sailors’ uniform, which saw her pass the 1,000-point mark in late January (and gain a ceremonial game ball in a brief pre-game ceremony Feb. 9).

Legge also agreed with the “tournament atmosphere” of the game against Catholic Central, which beat South Christian early in the season. Both teams are now 8-1 in conference but the Sailors are 12-3 overall while the Cougars are 11-4.

“We knew it would be a tough game, two really good teams … and we lost to them the last time,” Legge said. “Even with the crowd tonight, it had a tournament atmosphere.”

Defensive identity, other players contributing

The game against Catholic Central also showed two of South Christian’s strengths — a defensive mindset and the ability to share the scoring more and more as the season goes on. Both of which will help when the tournament starts at the end of the month.

The first quarter found points tough to get, as it ended with the Cougars holding a 13-12 lead, with Vis scoring eight of her team’s 12 points in the quarter.

The low scoring, forced primarily by strong defenses on both sides, continued in the second quarter, which ended with the Cougars still in the lead, at 20-18, but the Sailors staying close thanks in a large part to the work of junior Ashley Raredon.

The scoring picked up in the third quarter as the Sailors finally took the lead late in the period off baskets by Vis and Raredon, and entered the final period up 30-29.

South Christian never lost the lead in the fourth, but Catholic Central stayed close, never trailing by more than 3 points in a back-and-forth contest.

In the end, the Sailors missed some opportunities to put the game away at the foul line, but their defense never faltered to close out a 42-39 win.

Raredon scored 15 points for South Christian, while sophomore Sailor Ashley Thomasma added five. Senior Cougar Ella Mondroski led Catholic Central with 17 points, while junior Sydney Schoenborn added eight.

For the season, Sailors Vis is averaging 19-plus points per game, Thomasma is at about 9 ppg. and Raredon is at 7.5 ppg. — but coming on strong as the season goes on.

“We have had different games with different girls stepping up, it is not always just Sydney,” Legge said. “It makes it difficult for other teams to scout us … and it is getting to a point where we trust each other more. That’s good for us.”

Scoring balance aside — or at least punishing teams which focus too much on Vis, defense has become the “mentality” of the Sailors.

Legge said her teams usually find their personality as the season goes on, in the “second third of the season,” she said. And this season, they decided their personality would be defense.

South Christian will next play Friday, Feb. 11, at home against another tough opponent, Wayland (9-6, 6-3 in OK), which won the OK Gold in the 2020-21 pandemic-altered season, and also knocked the Sailors out of the tournament in second round, in OT.

WKTV’s Feature Game crew this week will spotlight Wyoming boys’ continued run at OK title, tournament 

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Wyoming High School boys basketball in action Jan. 21 against Zeeland East. (WKTV)

By WKTV Staff


The basketball season is winding down for local Kentwood and Wyoming area high school teams, with key conference games and tournament seeding at stake. So the WKTV Featured Game coverage crew will pay a visit to Wyoming High School Tuesday, Feb. 8, as the Wolves boys basketball team continues its push to the postseason with a home game against Holland.

Replays will be available the night of the game (and later as scheduled on our cable channels) on WKTV.org and hit the “Watch Live” button, and later on-demand at WKTVlive.org.

Wyoming enters the game 9-5 overall and 5-3 (and tied for second in the standings) in OK Conference Green. The Wolves won their only game last week, at Muskegon Reeths-Puffer (8-6, 5-3 OK), 58-53, and avenged an early season loss. Holland will enter the contest with a 4-9, 2-6 OK record, but won twice last week in conference action. (For a recent WKTV Sports report on the Wyoming Wolves boys basketball team, visit here.)

A look-in at Wyoming/Kentwood area basketball

The Grand Rapids South Christian girls continue on their roll of now six-straight wins  and enter the week 11-3 overall and 7-1 in OK Gold games after another convincing win last week at Middleville Thornapple-Kellogg, 41-31. The Sailors only conference loss came at OK conference leader Grand Rapids Central Catholic (currently 11-3, 8-0 OK), with the rematch coming this week, Wednesday, Feb. 9, on the Sailors’ home court.

The South Christian boys also won last week, over Middleville TK, 76-55, to push their record to 8-4 overall and 5-2 in OK Conference Gold. The Sailors play at OK Gold leader Grand Rapids Catholic Central (13-1, 8-0 OK) this week, on Tuesday, Feb. 8.
 

The West Michigan Aviation Academy boys won twice last week, over Saugatuck and Wyoming Lee in non-Alliance League action, and now have won six straight to push their record 10-3 overall and 5-0 to lead the Alliance League. But the Aviators face a league showdown this week with the Wyoming Tri-unity Christian boys team which will enter the Tuesday, Feb. 8, game at 7-4, 2-0 in the Alliance.

WKTV coverage and schedule/scores 

Complete local basketball schedules as well as up-to-date scores of previous night’s games are also available at wktvjournal.org/sports-schedules-scores. (You can also just just bookmark WKTVjournal.org on your phone or other device and click on the blue banner at the bottom of the screen.)

The tentative WKTV Feature Game schedule for February is as follows:

Friday, Feb. 18, boys and girls basketball, Zion Christian at Wyo. Lee (HOF night)

Tuesday, Feb. 22, boys basketball, Caledonia at East Kentwood

Friday, Feb. 25, boys and girls basketball, Tri-unity Christian at Potter’s House

WKTV featured games will on cable television in Wyoming and Kentwood on Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99 Community Channel, rebroadcast on the night of the game and various days and times the week after. See the programming schedule at wktv.org. For more information on WKTV coverage of basketball and other winter prep sports, follow us at wktvjournal.org/sports.

All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV’s video coverage team, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.com.

Wyoming boys basketball team ready for second half of OK Green schedule, playoff stretch drive

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Wyoming High School boys basketball coach Thom Vander Klay and the team at a Jan. 31 practice as the Wolves prepare for the second half of their OK Conference Green schedule … and the state tournament. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org



The Wyoming High School boys basketball team finished their non-conference schedule with three-straight wins and then went 4-3 in the first half of their grueling OK Conference Green schedule, including a road loss to state power Muskegon.

So as the Wolves (7-5 overall, third in OK conference standings) prepared this week for the beginning of the second half of the OK Green schedule with a road game at Muskegon Reeths-Puffer — 8-4, 5-2 in conference including a hard-fought win over Wyoming on Jan. 7 — Wolves head coach Thom Vander Klay might be pretty happy with where his team stands.

And maybe not …

Wyoming High School boys basketball in action Jan. 21 against Zeeland East. (WKTV)

“Sitting in third was not the objective,” Coach Vander Klay said to WKTV. “We are definitely looking to become more consistent to compete in the (state) tournament. … We look to work to be the best team we can be, which may mean more victories in the second round and in the tournament.”

Despite a pandemic-altered 2020-21 season last year, the Wolves were in top form at tournament time, with a home win over Byron Center and then a tough, 54-52, road loss at East Grand Rapids to finish 7-9 overall.

In the 2019-20 season, the team’s last year in the OK Gold, the Wolves finished 11-1 in conference and 20-2 overall including two wins in the playoffs — before the pandemic stopped the season in the middle of what could have been a deep playoff run.

Now in the Wolves second year in the OK Green, Vander Klay does not see the move as giving his team in tougher schedule, it is just those long roadtrips — to Muskegon and Zeeland — that are a challenge.

Wyoming High School boys basketball coach Thom Vander Klay watches over a Jan. 31 practice as the Wolves prepare for an upcoming game. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

“Not sure the Green is better than the Gold,” Vander Klay said. “We switch leagues every few years so it has been difficult to get rivals but we are getting to know these teams and what they try and do.

“The hardest part is the travel. We seem to have many schools we can play but we are going to the Lakeshore Tuesdays and Fridays.”

In the second half of the OK conference schedule, the Wolves will host four of the seven games, including hosting two teams Wyoming lost to on the road in the first round, Muskegon (currently 10-0, 7-0 OK) on Feb. 11 and Grand Rapids Union on Feb. 22.

Junior dominated team, with senior leaders

Coach Vander Klay said while the Wolves’ current team has only four seniors, seven juniors and no underclassmen, he is feels the squad is “doing really well”, especially senior leaders Ramere Draper (19.5 points per game average), Jaleel Holt (13.3 ppg.) and Jordan Love (9.4 ppg.)

Wyoming High School boys basketball player Quintin Williams prepares for the second half of a Jan. 21 against Zeeland East. (WKTV)

Draper was first team all conference last year, and Love was honorable mention.

One of the juniors making a big impact in the stat sheet with double-figure scoring is Qua’dir Hatchett (10.6 ppg.). But Alyjah Chandler, Bernie Varnesdeel, Eugene Atkins and Quintin Williams are also key contributors.

Andrew Tran is the other senior, while other juniors include Jaden LaFleur and Jameson Lamrouex.

WKTV’s Feature Game crew to showcase Falcons hockey Wednesday, then Potter’s House basketball doubleheader Friday 

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By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org



WKTV Featured Game winter coverage of local Kentwood and Wyoming area high school usually focuses on basketball, but each season we pay a visit or two to East Kentwood High School to catch up on the Falcons hockey team — so this week, Wednesday, Feb. 2, will have have our cameras at the Mainstee vs. East Kentwood match.

WKTV will cover high school hockey this week. (WKTV)

The hockey match, set for puck drop at 4 p.m., will find the Falcons playing a non-OK Conference Red foe from up north in the second half a home-and-home series. Manistee defeated East Kentwood on Jan. 28.

Then, on Friday, Feb. 4, WKTV will be at Wyoming Potter’s House Christian for an Alliance League basketball doubleheader as the Pumas host Grand River Prep, with the girls playing at 5:30 p.m., and the boys playing at 7 p.m.

In the girls game, Potter’s House will enter the game 7-5 overall and 1-0 in league, including a win Jan. 28 over Lee and a cancelled game against Grand Rapids Wellspring Prep originally scheduled for Feb. 1. Grand River Prep enters the week at 0-5 and 0-2 in Alliance, but has two early-week games on the schedule before visiting Potter’s House.

In the boys game, Potter’s House enters the week at 6-4, 1-0 in Alliance games, following a win over Lee Jan. 28. The Pumas are scheduled to play Wellspring Prep on Feb. 1. Grand River Prep will enter the week with a 3-6, 2-4 league record.

A look-in at Wyoming/Kentwood area basketball

The Grand Rapids South Christian girls continue on their roll of now five-straight wins  and enter the week 10-3 overall and 6-1 in OK Gold games after convincing wins last week at Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills (63-32) and at home over Cedar Springs (52-22). The Sailors only conference loss coming at OK conference leader Grand Rapids Central Catholic (currently 10-3, 7-0 OK), with the rematch coming Feb. 9 on the Sailors’ home court.

The South Christian boys also won twice last week, over Ottawa Hill (69-51) and Cedar Springs (76-49) to push their record to 7-4 overall and 4-2 in OK Conference Gold. Grand Rapids Catholic Central (12-1, 7-0 OK) and Forest Hills Eastern9-3, 6-1 OK) currently lead the conference and are the two teams to have beaten the Sailors; but rematches with both are looming in February.

The Wyoming boys team (7-5) split OK games last week, with a 73-50 home win over Muskegon Mona Shores on Jan. 28, to stay near the top of the OK Conference Green standings at 4-3. This week, in a rescheduled game Feb. 3, the Wolves get a chance to avenge an early-season OK loss to Muskegon Reeths-Puffer (8-3, 5-2 OK).

The East Kentwood girls (4-7, 4-3 OK Conference Red) won early last week, 55-51 over Caledonia, to push their winning streak to four games and then gave state power Rockford (11-2, 7-0 OK) all it could handle in a 66-63 overtime loss on Jan 28.

The West Michigan Aviation Academy boys won twice last week, and now have won four straight and six of seven, to push their record 8-3 overall and 5-0 to take over the lead in  Alliance League action.

The Wyoming Tri-unity Christian boys team won for the fight time in six games, pushing their overall record to 6-4, with a 78-52 win over Godwin Heights on Saturday, Jan. 29. In the game, it was reported on other media that senior Brady Titus set a school record for the Defenders by scoring 44 points.

WKTV coverage and schedule/scores 

Complete local basketball schedules as well as up-to-date scores of previous night’s games are also available at wktvjournal.org/sports-schedules-scores. (You can also just just bookmark WKTVjournal.org on your phone or other device and click on the blue banner at the bottom of the screen.)

The tentative WKTV Feature Game schedule for February is as follows:

Tuesday, Feb. 8, boys basketball, Holland at Wyoming

Friday, Feb. 11, boys hockey, Petoskey at East Kentwood

Friday, Feb. 18, boys and girls basketball, Zion Christian at Wyo. Lee (HOF night)

Tuesday, Feb. 22, boys basketball, Caledonia at East Kentwood

Friday, Feb. 25, boys and girls basketball, Tri-unity Christian at Potter’s House

WKTV featured games will on cable television in Wyoming and Kentwood on Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99 Community Channel, rebroadcast on the night of the game and various days and times the week after. See the programming schedule at wktv.org. For more information on WKTV coverage of basketball and other winter prep sports, follow us at wktvjournal.org/sports.

All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV’s video coverage team, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.com.

On bench and on court, West Michigan Aviation boys basketball team running with the Riebels

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Michigan Aviation Academy boys basketball team, with head coach Austin Riebel, at practice. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

The West Michigan Aviation Academy boys basketball is not just a one-man — or one family — show, but the first two names on the roster are senior Joey Riebel and sophomore Luke Riebel, and the Aviators are led by first-year head coach (and father) Austin Riebel.

And as the Aviators have jumped out to a 6-3-1 (with the 1 being a cancelation/postponement), and 3-0 in Alliance League play, it is clear that the family and friends plan may well be working to perfection.

“Both of the boys” are starters and key players, Coach Riebel said to WKTV. “Luke is our leading scorer right now, averaging about 15 (points) a game right now. He’s got a gift and the gift is he can really shoot the ball.”

Joey, “my oldest, is our point guard. He plays a ton. He makes us go. … He is our third leading scores … averages six assists a game and only three turnovers a game, which is great for us.”

First-year head coach Austin Riebel and his Michigan Aviation Academy boys basketball at practice. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

But the team is more than just the Riebel boys, and coach Riebel was quick to mention junior 6-foot-6 big man Ethan Dyksterhouse. He is the team’s second leading scorer, averaging about 14 per game with nine rebounds per game. “He has great size inside.”

Coach Riebel also pointed out another big man in the Aviators rotation, 6-7 senior Jonas Bont, as well as senior Zakaria Mohamed, two of the team’s senior captains.

“Zakaria is a great shooter,” he said. “And Jonas does a lot of the intangible things for us … he is a great offensive rebounder.”

The other varsity players on the squad are seniors Eliot McNutt, Gabe Wade and Karsten Kotchenruther; juniors Nolen Sperring Heath Tamlyn and Ian Brown; and sophomore Braeden Mowry.

Michigan Aviation Academy boys basketball team, with head coach Austin Riebel, at practice. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

“They get along really well, we have a great group of guys,” coach Riebel said. “And we actually have a fourth senior captain, Hayden Leenheer. He kind of leads our reserve squad.”

Coach Riebel is assisted by coach Joey Saladino.

But there is not doubt that the Riebels are the heart of this seasons’ Aviators.

And while it is a great experience to coach his sons, coach Riebel says, it might not always be that way for for his sons/players.

“It is pretty special to coach, not one but two of my boys,” coach Riebel said, but “we talked about it ad nauseam even before I decided to do this. … There are definitely hard times, being the dad and the coach, but we worked thorough it.”

Coaching background

While coach Riebel is new to the West Michigan Aviation head coaching job, he is not new to the program or to coaching in West Michigan.

Michigan Aviation Academy boys basketball team, with head coach Austin Riebel, at practice. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

He has 23 years of experience coaching high school basketball in West Michigan, including serving as assistant coach on the Aviators varsity team for the previous three years under Tyler Whitcomb, who left the program for an athletic director position.

The Aviators were 12-6 in the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season, which ended with a playoff lost at Grand Rapids Christian.

“I have three sons playing basketball and, with two of them here, that’s why I came here” as an assistant coach, Riebel said. And now, (taking the Aviation Academy head coaching job) “is what works for me. … it just made sense.”

Before coming to the Ford Airport school, Riebel coached at Godwin Heights high, where he taught for 17 years, and spent 10 years in various coaching positions at Forest Hills Central, where he played prep ball and graduated.

He attended Hope College, played a little basketball there, and earned a degree. Now, he is vice-president of TrueSuccess — which, according to its website,  “provides research-based educational tools that simultaneously equip kids with behavior and literacy skills that are essential to unleash potential” — and is in his second year as director of the West Michigan Lakers, an AAU travel boys basketball team.

WKTV’s Feature Game crew at South Christian Tuesday, then Kelloggsville and Godwin Heights doubleheader on Friday

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Tipoff of a 2019 game at Wyoming high. (Curtis Holt)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

WKTV Featured Game coverage of local Kentwood and Wyoming area high school basketball continues this week with one game Tuesday night, as the South Christian High boys host Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills, and a boys/girls doubleheader of action on Friday as Kelloggsville visits Godwin Heights.

The early week game Jan. 25 will find the Sailors (5-4 overall) looking to go over .500 in OK Conference Gold standings — both teams are 2-2 in early conference action, but the Bengals are 2-6-1 overall. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.

The Friday night featured games are a backyard rivalry as Kelloggsville and Godwin Heights clash with the boys game set to start at 6 p.m. and the girls at 7:30 p.m.

In the boys game, the Rockets will enter the week with a 7-3 record, 4-1 in the OK Conference Silver, while the Wolverines enter 2-3, 1-2 in OK Silver (with the team having several canceled and postponed games shortening their schedule.)

On Tuesday, Godwin will be at Sparta (5-4, 2-3 OK), while Kelloggsville will be at home to face conference leader Grandville Calvin Christian (6-3, 5-0 OK).

In the girls game Friday, the host Wolverines begin the week at 4-5 and 1-4 OK, while the Rockets enter at 3-5 and 0-2 OK. On Tuesday, Godwin will be at home to face OK Silver leader Sparta (7-1, 3-0 OK), while Kelloggsville will be at Calvin Christian (3-6, 2-2).

A look around the Wyoming and Kentwood area courts

The East Kentwood girls team, after starting the season 0-6, have reeled off three straight wins including two last week, to push their OK Conference Red record to 3-1. After an early week game at home to Caledonia (5-6, 0-5) on Jan. 25, the Falcons will face state power Rockford (10-1, 4-1 OK) on Jan. 28.

The Wyoming boys team swept the OK Green Zeeland schools last week to push their record to 6-4, 3-2 in conference games. This week the Wolves will be at Grand Rapids Union (3-6-1 and 2-4 OK) on Jan 25 and then host Muskegon Mona Shores (5-6, 2-3 OK) on Jan. 28. Also, the Wyoming girls (4-7 overall) gained their first OK win last week, over Zeeland East.

The Grand Rapids South Christian girls won twice last week and enter the week 8-3 overall record and 4-1 in OK Gold games — with their only conference loss coming at league leader Grand Rapids Central Catholic (8-3, 5-0). The rematch with Central Catholic will be Feb. 9 on the Sailors’ home court.

The West Michigan Aviation Academy boys won twice last week to push their record 6-3 overall and 3-0 in Alliance League action. The Aviators have a huge league game this week for league leadership when Fruitport Calvary Christian (7-1, 1-0 Alliance) comes got the airport on Jan. 25.

WKTV coverage and schedule/scores 

Complete local basketball schedules as well as up-to-date scores of previous night’s games are also available at wktvjournal.org/sports-schedules-scores. (You can also just just bookmark WKTVjournal.org on your phone or other device and click on the blue banner at the bottom of the screen.)

The tentative WKTV Feature Game schedule for February is as follows:

Wednesday, Feb. 2, boys hockey, Manistee at East Kentwood

Friday, Feb. 4, boys and girls basketball, Grand River prep at Potter’s House

Tuesday, Feb. 8, boys basketball, Holland at Wyoming

Friday, Feb. 11, boys hockey, Petoskey at East Kentwood

Friday, Feb. 18, boys and girls basketball, Zion Christian at Wyo. Lee (HOF night)

Tuesday, Feb. 22, boys basketball, Caledonia at East Kentwood

Friday, Feb. 25, boys and girls basketball, Tri-unity Christian at Potter’s House

WKTV featured games will on cable television in Wyoming and Kentwood on Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99 Community Channel, rebroadcast on the night of the game and various days and times the week after. See the programming schedule at wktv.org. For more information on WKTV coverage of basketball and other winter prep sports, follow us at wktvjournal.org/sports.

All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV’s video coverage team, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.com.

Local student named runner-up in Governor Whitmer’s State of the State art contest

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By Cory Olsen
National Heritage Academy

Cross Creek eighth-grader Audrey Wieringa finished as a runner-up in the Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s State of the State art contest. (Photo Courtesy of National Heritage Academy)

Cross Creek eighth-grader Audrey Wieringa finished as a runner-up in Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s State of the State art contest with a painting of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in the Upper Peninsula.

Artistic talent runs strong in the Wieringa family, so when approached about the opportunity to enter a state-wide contest, Audrey was up for the challenge.

“My mom heard of the contest on the news,” Audrey said. “She suggested I should enter. I thought it would be fun to try something different.”

Wieringa’s mother, Nicole, is the K-8 art teacher at Cross Creek, and her father, Eric, is a full-time artist. She draws inspiration from both.

“It’s pretty cool (to have mom as an art teacher) but she can’t take all the credit, my dad is a professional fine artist,” Audrey said. “He teaches me a lot of techniques and advice on how to get better.”

The art contest challenged K-12 students across Michigan to come up with a creative design for the 2022 State of the State program cover following the theme “Why do you believe in Michigan?” Students were encouraged to be as creative as possible and were welcome to use crayons, markers, paint, or any other materials.
 Gov. Whitmer announced the results of the contest by video Jan. 18.

“Michigan is home to some of the most beautiful landscapes on earth, but it’s also home to some incredibly talented students who turned those backdrops into amazing works of art,” Gov. Whitmer said. “I want to thank every student who took the time to create these masterpieces and submit their interpretation of why they believe in Michigan. It’s inspiring to see the passion and potential in all of the gifted and creative students in this state.”

As the governor sorted through the top five selections, she stopped to praise Audrey’s work.

“Oh my gosh, this is so beautiful, it’s got to be in the Upper Peninsula, it’s just gorgeous,” she said. “This is really spectacular.”

Audrey said Pictured Rocks holds a special place in her heart.

“My family visited there for the first time two summers ago,” she said. “I found the landscape to be a spiritual and peaceful experience. It has a lot of different elements in one site and brings together several elements that you can draw.”

Seventh-grader Grace Murtha of Hemlock Middle School was selected as winner by the governor for her piece depicting multiple postcard-like images on a tree trunk-like background. Nearly 800 students submitted their artwork for the contest. The winning art piece will be featured on the 2022 State of the State program cover.

About Cross Creek Charter Academy
Cross Creek Charter Academy, located in Byron Center, Mich., is part of National Heritage Academies (NHA), a charter school management company in Grand Rapids, Mich. with 98 tuition-free, public charter schools across nine states, serving more than 60,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade.

Young, very young, Aviators girls hoops program set to learn to fly with new coach at controls

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West Michigan Aviation Academy 1st-year head coach Jasmine Hall coaches up her team during a timeout of a game Jan. 19. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

The West Michigan Aviation Academy girls basketball team’s Jan. 19 home game against Holland Black River might be seen as a microcosm of the current struggles of a very young team with talent yet to take flight.

The Aviators, now 0-8 overall on the season (0-2 in Alliance League), played scrappy defense and were right in the game well into the second half before a few tough shots were made by the visiting Rats, a few easy shots were missed by the Aviators, and some missed opportunities from the foul line led to a 39-32 loss.

West Michigan Aviation Academy action during a game Jan. 19. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

The good news is that 1st-year head coach Jasmine Hall has a plan for her young team — a combined JV/varsity team this season with only one senior (who was out ill against Black River), five juniors and eight underclassmen in uniform.

“This year we have eight freshman and sophomores, we are pretty young, and my idea here is to keep them together, to let them get the experience,” Hall said. “This way, next year, I hope to put my more developed players onto a varsity team and then get a JV team with a few returning players, more kids coming into the program and the freshmen coming up.”
 

And coach Hall has a reputation and avocation of “developing” young basketball talent.

After starting out on the basketball sidelines at Grand Rapids Central High School as a statistician, she has been an assistant coach at many levels. She coached youth and school teams, spent two years coaching at Davenport College (now University), and mot recently coached both basketball and track in Grand Rapids Public Schools.

She holds degrees from Davenport, including an MBA, and is currently head coach and owner of the West Michigan Elite Stars, a women’s development basketball team which will be playing under the WABA league.

West Michigan Aviation Academy 1st-year head coach Jasmine Hall, with Aviators freshman standout Sofia Vandenhoek (11) and junior leader Caden Schifini (10) during a timeout of a game Jan. 19. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

A few of Hall’s current Aviator players are already making their mark on the Hall’s team, and setting themselves up as players to build a program around.

“Over the next couple, three years, one of them is definitely going to be Sofia (Vandenhoek, a freshman), she’s an all-around athlete — she’s six feet tall, she can shoot the ball, she can play inside and outside,” Hall said. “I have high expectations for her.”

Another freshman coach Hall is looking forward to developing is Lucy Lawrence — “She is a great ball handler.” And coach sees the ability of one or more of her juniors to step up and be team leaders in their senior years; they include Alondra Herrera, Ava Bazuin, Audrey Mileski, Caden Schifini and Addison Turk.

The only senior in the program is Kendal Springborn. The other sophomores and freshmen are Alayna Atkinson, Presley David, Amber Hilbrands, Meredith Jarchow, Abbie Ruis and Abigail Toonder. Coach Hall is assisted by Marco Vogel.

Ford Museum to open in-person show ‘Women in Uniform’ with virtual opening lecture

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  • In World War I women were accepted into the Navy to serve in limited roles, such as the nurses depicted on this poster engaged in the rehabilitation of returnees.(Poster by unknown artist, circa 1925. Supplied)
  • The Naval Reserve Act of 1916 lead to formal permission to begin enlisting women in mid-March 1917, shortly before the United States entered the “Great War.” (Oil painting by Anne Fuller Abbott, 1925. Supplied)
  • One of the most prolific and well-recognized artists to contribute to the Navy’s recruitment campaign, especially the recruitment of WAVES, John Philip Falter created over 300 designs for Naval recruitment posters during WW II.(Oil painting for poster, by John Philip Falter, circa 1943. Supplied)
  • The single stripe on this WAVE’s shoulder signifies that she is an Ensign. To meet wartime needs, some members of the Hospital Corps in the enlisted ratings were appointed to the commissioned ranks of Ensign, Lieutenant (Junior grade), and Lieutenant for temporary service. (Oil painting for poster by John Philip Falter, circa 1944. Supplied)
  • This painting serves to depict the introduction of women to sea duty aboard ships in the US Navy.  Before this only nurses had served on ships at sea. The first women to come aboard USS Sanctuary (AH-17) where line officer Lt. (Junior grade) Ann E Kerr and the first enlisted PN3 Peggy Sue Griffith. (Oil painting by George Gibson, Jr., 1973. Supplied)
  • Upon returning from harrowing service in the Philippines at Bataan and an evacuation from Corregidor on USS Spearfish (SS-190), Lt. (Junior grade) Ann Bernatitus of the Nurse Corps, received a hero’s welcome from her hometown in Pennsylvania, complete with parade and dinner at the local high school. (Oil painting on Canvas by Albert K. Murray, 1942. Supplied)
  • Capt. Joan Bynum, the Navy’s first African-American female captain, achieved that rank in 1979 in the Nurse Corps. (Pencil drawing by (enlisted petty officer) DM1 Erick Marshall Murray, 1997. Supplied)
  • About 37,000 American women took part in the Persian Gulf War, the largest deployment of women in history. Ten percent of these women were Navy personnel. They served on support ships — ammunition, supply, tenders, and oilers — and in Military Sealift and Combat Logistics Force vessels. Others were in helicopter combat support squadrons, construction battalions, and in a cargo-handling and port unit at Bahrain. (Oil painting by John Charles Roach, 1991. Supplied)
  • Seabee Power. (Oil painting by Morgan Ian Wilbur, 2016. Supplied)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

Women have served in a variety of roles, and worn a variety of uniforms, in the U.S. Navy — from sailors to admirals, from Yeomen to aviators; in peacetime and in harm’s way.

And they, too, deserve a salute of honor and gratitude. President Gerald Ford, a Navy man himself, knew that fact.

“For my part, I will do everything I can to see that our service men and women continue to receive the recognition and respect that is their due,” President Ford said in 1975. “They have earned it.”

Working with the Naval History and Heritage Command, and the Naval Art Gallery, the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum will open a new exhibit “Women in Uniform” Jan. 24, and public is able to visit the museum in-person with some pandemic protocols.

The exhibit, which will run through May 6, will open with a Jan. 24, 7 p.m., Zoom event featuring Rear Admiral (retired) Samuel J. Cox, Director of Naval History and Heritage Command, and his colleague, Gale Munro, Curator of the Naval Art Gallery. The two will present a program giving a brief history of the role women played in naval history and also give background on selected works from the exhibition.

(Public registration for the Zoom is available on the Ford Museum’s website  at fordlibrarymuseum.gov.)

In peace and in war

The “Women in Uniform” exhibition showcases rarely displayed art from the Naval History and Heritage Command’s collection.

Women have had a continuous, and growing presence, in uniform throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, as stated in exhibit material. Whenever international or domestic events dictated the need, the Navy expanded its opportunities for women to serve.

These artworks demonstrate the wide-ranging and varied occupations women have held as they continue to push the boundaries of prospects available to them.


From a Yeoman in World War I to an aviator, from a sailor to an admiral, this exhibition features works of art  that depict female Navy military personnel.

The first large-scale employment of women as Naval personnel took place to meet the severe clerical shortages of the World War I era. The Naval Reserve Act of 1916 had conspicuously omitted mention of gender as a condition for service, leading to formal permission to begin enlisting women in mid-March 1917, shortly before the United States entered the “Great War”.  Nearly 600 female Yeomen were on duty by the end of April 1917, a number that had grown to over 11,000 in December 1918, shortly after the Armistice.

In years of peace, and wars — including World War II — women continued to enlist and serve in the Navy, including up to the 2000s.

About 37,000 American women took part in the Persian Gulf War, the largest deployment of women in history. Ten percent of these women were Navy personnel. They served on support ships — ammunition, supply, tenders, and oilers — and in Military Sealift and Combat Logistics Force vessels. Others were in helicopter combat support squadrons, construction battalions, and in a cargo-handling and port unit at Bahrain.

While the exhibit is open to the public, in-person, tickets must be purchased in advance, online. The museum’s COVID pandemic health and safety protocols are listed on the museum’s website.

At the Wolves den: Wyoming boys basketball host OK foe Zeeland East in WKTV’s Feature Game Friday

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The Wyoming High School Wolves boys basketball team, from a 2019/20 season game. (Curtis Holt)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

WKTV Featured Game coverage of local Kentwood and Wyoming area high school basketball continues this week with a key OK Conference Green boys basketball game as Zeeland East visits Wyoming high Friday, Jan. 21, for a 7 p.m. contest.

The Wolves enter the week with a 4-4 overall record, 1-2 in OK action, after a road loss to traditional power Muskegon (6-0, 3-0 OK) on Jan. 14. Prior to that game, Wyoming had won four of five games including a conference road win at Holland and tight loss to Muskegon Reeths-Puffer (5-2, 2-1 OK).

Early this week, on Jan. 18, Wyoming will host Zeeland West (5-2, 2-1) as both teams try to stay near the top of the conference standings. Zeeland East enters the week with a 1-5, 0-3 OK record, and will play an early-week game hosting Grand Rapids Union (1-5-1, 1-3 OK).

A look around the Wyoming and Kentwood area courts

The Grand Rapids South Christian boys (5-3) enter the week in a three-way tie at the top of the OK Gold standings with a 2-1 record, with the other two teams being Forest Hills Eastern and Ottawa Hills. The Sailors will play both of the teams this week, including a home game against Ottawa Hills on Friday.

The South Christian girls enter the week with a 6-3 overall record and are also 2-1 in early season OK games.

The Kelloggsville boys (5-3 overall) enter the week in the middle of the OK Silver race with a 2-1 conference record including two road wins last week at Comstock Park and at Sparta.

The Godwin Heights girls enter the week at 4-3 overall, 1-2 in OK Silver standings, with road games this week against two teams behind them in the conference: Belding and Hopkins.

The West Michigan Aviation Academy boys enter the week 5-3 overall and 1-0 in Alliance League action, tied with the Wyoming Tri-unity Christian boys (4-2 overall) and also 1-0 in Alliance.

WKTV coverage and schedule/scores 

Complete local basketball schedules as well as up-to-date scores of previous night’s games are also available at wktvjournal.org/sports-schedules-scores. (You can also just just bookmark WKTVjournal.org on your phone or other device and click on the blue banner at the bottom of the screen.)

The tentative WKTV Feature Game schedule for the remainder of January and February is as follows:

Tuesday, Jan. 25, boys basketball, Ottawa Hills at South Christian

Friday, Jan. 28, boys and girls basketball, Kelloggsville at Godwin Heights

Wednesday, Feb. 2, boys hockey, Manistee at East Kentwood

Friday, Feb. 4, boys and girls basketball, Grand River prep at Potter’s House

Tuesday, Feb. 8, boys basketball, Holland at Wyoming

Friday, Feb. 11, boys hockey, Petoskey at East Kentwood

Friday, Feb. 18, boys and girls basketball, Zion Christian at Wyo. Lee (HOF night)

Tuesday, Feb. 22, boys basketball, Caledonia at East Kentwood

Friday, Feb. 25, boys and girls basketball, Tri-unity Christian at Potter’s House

WKTV featured games will on cable television in Wyoming and Kentwood on Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99 Community Channel, rebroadcast on the night of the game and various days and times the week after. See the programming schedule at wktv.org. For more information on WKTV coverage of basketball and other winter prep sports, follow us at wktvjournal.org/sports.

All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV’s video coverage team, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.com.

Female space pioneer featured guest speaker at this year’s ‘Roger That!’ event

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By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Col. Eileen Collins is the featured speaker at this year’s “Roger That!” two-day program. (Supplied)

The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) and Grand Valley State University (GVSU) have announced the return of “Roger That!,” a multi-day event celebrating space exploration and the life of Grand Rapids native, Roger B. Chaffee.

In its sixth year, “Roger That!” will take place on Feb. 18 and Feb. 19 with various components to the celebration, all themed around women in space — including remarks from pioneering pilot and astronaut Eileen Collins, the first woman to both pilot a spacecraft and command a space shuttle mission.

“After four in-person events and one virtual iteration of ‘Roger That!’ we’re excited to combine the best of both with a hybrid conference in 2022,” said Deana Weibel, event co-organizer and GVSU professor of anthropology.

The two-part event will feature speeches on both days by Eileen Collins, who made history in 1995 as the first woman to pilot a U.S. spacecraft with the Discovery shuttle flight. In 1999, she was the commander for Columbia, making her the first woman to command a space shuttle mission. She ultimately logged 872 hours in space.

GVSU will host a free academy conference on Feb. 18 that is open to educators and the general public. Speeches will be available in person and virtually, over Zoom.

2022 speakers include: Computational Chemist Michelle Franci; Space Historian Catherine Newell; Planetary Scientist Louise Prockter; Space Educator Crzarina Salido; Bioastronautics Researcher and Spacesuit Technician Yvette Gonzalez; Space Media Archivist Megal Prelinger; Electrical Engineer Heidi Jiao and Space Historian and Eileen Collins’ Biographer Jonathan Ward. 

The Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium is named after the Grand Rapids native who perished in 1967 on test of the Apollo 1 mission to the moon. (Supplied)

To attend the “Roger That!” Academic Conference, register at gvsu.edu/RogerThat. The events being held at GVSU this year will be free, as will the virtual talks, but guests must register. A reception with light refreshments will be held ahead of Collins’ talk at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 18 at the Loosemore Auditorium on GVSU’s Pew Grand Rapids Campus. The lecture is free through registration at gvsu.edu/RogerThat; it will also be livestreamed.

The Grand Rapids Public Museum will have activities both days centered around local astronaut Roger B. Chaffee, who died in 1967 during a NASA test flight, and space exploration. Hands-on activites include build stations where attendees can design their own rockets and paper airplanes, astronaut challenges, artifact interactions including meteorite samples, and tektite and more.

Collins will speak at 11 a.m. Feb. 19 at the GRPM. Tickets for this lecture will be available free of charge at grpm.org beginning Jan. 14.

Lee middle & high school building contractor approved; repairs, reimagining set to start

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  • Construction and reconstruction will begin at Lee middle and high school this spring. One of the new projects will replace an area of the building which collapsed in 2019 with a new entrance off Havana Street, as well as a new multipurpose area. (Supplied)
  • Construction and reconstruction will begin at Lee middle and high school this spring, including enclosing the currently unusable interior courtyard to be used as a cafeteria and other purposes. (Supplied)
  • Construction and reconstruction will begin at Lee middle and high school this spring, including a new area which will include a band room. (Supplied)
  • Construction and reconstruction will begin at Lee middle and high school this spring, including a new area which will include a band room. (Supplied)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

The long saga of a much-anticipated makeover of the Wyoming Lee Middle and High School building will move into high gear early this year as, following the final approval of a general contractor late last year, construction will begin as soon as spring weather allows.

In 2020, Godfrey-Lee Public Schools district voters voted to support a bonding proposal which would allow the district to put out bonds for about $18 million for a wide range of building and facility projects.

At the time, the district not only faced the task of modernizing portions of its middle and high school that are nearly 100 years old, it had to make repairs to a portion of the building which collapsed in 2019. But modernization and repairs are only the most obvious part of the historic and still bustling building.

“As far as the new construction, I am most excited for us to begin to make our facilities worthy of the amazing students that we serve,” Eric Mockerman, district Board of Education president, said to WKTV. “I am (also) happy that our building will be more accessible to our community in multiple ways and it will overall be easier to navigate throughout the facility. I am very excited for the addition of our new band room that will better fit the needs of the phenomenal program that will use that space.”

According to information provided by Dirk Weeldreyer, district interim superintendent, the building effort will be a two-year project, expected to be completed in the 2023-24 school year.

Construction and reconstruction will begin at Lee middle and high school this spring. One of the new projects will replace an area of the building which collapsed in 2019, shown at left. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

Among the projects are the reconstructed portion of the building along Havana Street in the space where the building collapsed and was demolished. An existing entrance to the gym will be redone, and the area demolished turned into a new media center on the first floor and new classroom spaces on the second floor.

Also planned is a new cafeteria and multi-purpose space that will be built in the area that is currently the unused courtyard of the building. And there will be a new band room addition on the north side of the building.

“Our current construction timeline calls for activity on our new/rebuilt spaces to commence in early spring 2022,” Weeldreyer wrote in an email. “We will need to work from the ‘inside out’ on these new spaces, so the first thing to happen will be excavation and preparation of the interior site (inside the current courtyard).”

There will also be interior renovation work in the existing classroom spaces starting in the summer of 2022, and renovation will continue over the subsequent 18 months or more.

Potter’s House girls basketball host Ravenna in WKTV’s Feature Game Tuesday, then a doubleheader at Kelloggsville Friday

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By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

WKTV Featured Game coverage of local Kentwood and Wyoming area high school basketball will offer up three games this week, beginning with the Wyoming Potter’s House girls hosting Ravenna on Tuesday, Jan. 4, and a boys and girls basketball doubleheader on Friday, Jan. 7, at Kelloggsville when NorthPointe Christian visits.

WKTV was originally scheduled to cover a game at East Kentwood, with the girls team hosting Muskegon, on Jan. 4. But the non-conference game has been cancelled due to a pandemic safety issue.

The Potter’s House Pumas girls enter the week 2-4 in early season play, including a 43-36 win at Cedar Springs on Dec. 21 in their last game, while Ravenna enters 2-3.

On Friday, and opening the team’s OK Conference Silver schedule, the Kelloggsville boys will begin the doubleheader with a 6 p.m. tip-off. Starting the week, the Rockets are 3-2 and the in early season action, with NorthPointe at 1-4.

The Kelloggsville girls will tip-off their OK Silver schedule at about 7:30 p.m., and enter the week with a 2-3 record before a scheduled Tuesday, Jan. 4 home game against Covenant Christian. The NorthPointe girls come to Kelloggsville with a 5-0 record.
 

Complete local basketball schedules as well as up-to-date scores of previous night’s games are also available at wktvjournal.org/sports-schedules-scores. (You can also just just bookmark WKTVjournal.org on your phone or other device and click on the blue banner at the bottom of the screen.)

The tentative WKTV Feature Game schedule for the remainder of January and February is as follows:

Tuesday, Jan. 11, girls basketball, Holland at Wyoming

Friday, Jan. 14, boys and girls basketball, Calvin Christian at Godwin Heights.

Friday, Jan. 21, boys basketball, Zeeland East at Wyoming

Tuesday, Jan. 25, boys basketball, Ottawa Hills at South Christian

Friday, Jan. 28, boys and girls basketball, Kelloggsville at Godwin Heights

Wednesday, Feb. 2, boys hockey, Manistee at East Kentwood

Friday, Feb. 4, boys and girls basketball, Grand River prep at Potter’s House

Tuesday, Feb. 8, boys basketball, Holland at Wyoming

Friday, Feb. 11, boys hockey, Petoskey at East Kentwood

Friday, Feb. 18, boys and girls basketball, Zion Christian at Wyo. Lee (HOF night)

Tuesday, Feb. 22, boys basketball, Caledonia at East Kentwood

Friday, Feb. 25, boys and girls basketball, Tri-unity Christian at Potter’s House

WKTV featured games will on cable television in Wyoming and Kentwood on Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99 Community Channel, rebroadcast on the night of the game and various days and times the week after. See the programming schedule at wktv.org. For more information on WKTV coverage of basketball and other winter prep sports, follow us at wktvjournal.org/sports.

All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV’s video coverage team, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.com.

For school glory, and scholarship, East Kentwood esports players earn titles in emerging competitive sport

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Video gaming on the big screen — the East Kentwood High School esports team in action. (Supplied)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

It is unclear if letter jackets are still in style at high schools but, if they are, East Kentwood High School’s top esports players earned their letters recently as the Falcons won the Esports State Championship in League of Legends at Eastern Michigan University, beating Northville High School.

The title is the latest success story for the school’s new esports teams and players, who compete in the emerging competitions of electronic sports, also called competitive video gaming. Some of the games they compete in include Super Smash Bros, League of Legends, Valorant, Fortnite, and Rocket League.

State esports title team from East Kentwood High School League of Legends team, from left, are  Kha Di Le, Andrew Hua, Tony Truong, Jacob Le, Anna Ngo and Brandon Le . (Supplied)

The early December League of Legends matches were streamed on Twitch by PlayVS, with professional “shoutcasters” calling out the games.

East Kentwood’s League of Legends team members include Kha Di Le, Andrew Hua, Tony Truong, Jacob Le, Anna Ngo and Brandon Le.

The League of Legends team are the top players in the school, but coach Bill Dixon told WKTV that he and his fellow coaches expect as many as 100 students to compete at some level this school year.

“Only one of these kids is in athletics, so for the rest, Esports gives them an opportunity to connect with their school with something other than academics,” Dixon said.

A history of support and success

“Esports started for East Kentwood High School about 4 years ago,” Dixon said. “A group of four teachers and administrators (Dixon, Justin Michalowski, Chad Songer and Geoff Westman) decided to offer this opportunity to our students. The rationale was there is an underserved student population that needed an outlet to compete for their school outside of the traditional athletic model.

“We wanted to keep the important elements of athletics: eligibility standards, practices, team building and try outs. What separates Esports from traditional sports is that 90 percent of our student population are playing these games and have a chance to participate.”

The East Kentwood High School esports team, at right, in action. (Supplied)

The school’s esports program has produced back-to-back championships in both Valorant and League of Legends  levels, and compete in state leagues such as PlayVS, Michigan High School Esports Federation (MIHSEF) and Michigan High School Esports League (MHSEL).

“We have several Kentwood graduates that are competing at the collegiate level at schools like Michigan State (University), University of Michigan, and Grand Valley (State University),” Dixon said.

And, Dixon said in a previous announcement, at the recent League of Legends event, “I was also approached by three different college Esports coaches (Grand Valley, Oakland University and Davenport) that are trying to recruit our kids, offering scholarships.”

Dixon added that the East Kentwood program was “fortunate early on to get support, funding and vision from our principal, Omar Bakri.”

Since it’s beginning, the team has competed in more than 10 different competitions, “sometimes on a national/online format and sometimes with in person competitions,” he said. And East Kentwood has also hosted five events bringing in over a dozen different local high schools.

Bringing home the hardware — State esports title team from East Kentwood High School League of Legends team show off their medals. (Supplied)

“We’ve been fortunate to have excellent teams of great, committed students who have produced back to back championships in both Valorant and League of Legends,” Dixon said.

The East Kentwood program, in cooperation with the West Michigan Sports Commission, also helped run the “Rift Clash”, a League of Legends tournament, which was held live locally in 2019 and online in 2020.  That tournament had 15 colleges and 1 high school — the host Falcons — competing.  East Kentwood was able to beat several colleges and advanced to the semi-finals in 2020, before falling to MSU, the eventual winner of the tournament.

 

That team roster included Anna Ngo, Terry Pham, Ben Pham, Daniel Nguyen, Tony Truong and Scott Luu.

Wyoming Lee boys basketball program moves into future with young talent, young coaches

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Wyoming Lee High School boys basketball head coach Dominic Shannon, coaching his team at a practice. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

The is no denying Wyoming Lee High School boys basketball team’s first-year head coach Dominic Shannon and his coaching staff have work in front of them to lead the Legends program out of some tough days.

But he has youth and talent on his side, both on and off the court. And he has his thin varsity team and still-building program buying into what he is teaching on and off the court.

“This program has been under construction for the past so many years, and just looking at the banners (on the gym wall) there has not been much activity. … we do have a lot of work to do,” Shannon said to WKTV at a recent practice. “But, at the same time, that is motivating us.”

What is also motivating the team is the communication, the trust, that is developing between a young team and a young coaching staff — Shannon is 35 years old and top assistant Landon Mitchner is 38.

“With us being younger, the relatability is there. The conversation is there. There is trust there,” Shannon said. “That is a buy-in strategy for coaches … they will understand the importance of what we say. I think our ages are a huge factor here.”

Another factor working in the favor of the Legends (or “Leyendas” in Spanish, a dominate second language in the district) is that while the varsity team is thin, with seven or eight players depending on injuries, there is talent on varsity and on the larger JV team.

And there, too, much of it is young. 


Wyoming Lee High School boys basketball head coach Dominic Shannon at a team practice. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

“We have a very low count this year, but instead of discouraging us it has been pushing us,” Shannon said “We have some young talent”, specifically senior captain Dominic Burrell, junior Keontae Taylor and freshman Troy Fox — who was also named captain of the team.

Taylor is “the most athletic kid I have coached so far. … He is our fuel to the engine. … He is offensively gifted … When he goes, the team goes. … Honestly, I think he is an all state caliber talent.”

Burrell is a big man, with a rebounder’s body and a way with words — “His presence on the defensive end has been felt in all three games. He’s been an anchor for us. Communicating, making sure guys are in the right place. And he is a rebounding machine.”

And Fox is “a very young floor general. He’s a freshman but he is also very physical, we love his presence on the defense.”

“When those three guys are firing on all cylinders, we will be competitive.”

And the leadership the three bring is in practice as well as in games.

“We are raw on the edges but at the same time we have been growing with this leadership that has been flowing through the team,” Shannon said. “These young men set the table every single day in practice. They embody everything we are asking of the student athlete in regards to the classroom, being a leader, and they are also carrying it over, using their voice on the court.”

The team is only three games into Shannon’s leadership, but after a 0-4 record last year in a pandemic-ravaged season and a 4-17 record the year before, the Legends (1-2 overall) gained their first win of the young season just before the holiday break — 55-48 at Wellspring Prep.

The Legends will return to action Jan. 4, at home against Holton, and are playing a partial independent and partial Alliance League schedule (the league the school is moving to). Lee will also be the WKTV Featured game Friday, Feb. 18, as part of a girls and boys doubleheader against Byron Center Zion Christian (also Hall of Fame night).

“The win before break, I think it is good for the program,” Shannon said. “That win, the energy it generated, has carried over to practice.”

Coach Shannon: player, coach, mentor

Coach Shannon’s journey to Lee is really a return to Grand Rapids.

He graduated from East Kentwood High School in the early 2000s, and in 2010 he graduated from Saginaw Valley State University, where he played one year of college basketball.

He was a graduate assistant at Salem University and has coaching experience at the high school level, two years at Saranac and one as a varsity assistant at Forest Hills Central.

In addition to his coaching gig at Lee, Shannon is program director of All-In Sports, a sports training program with travel basketball teams.

And his background, Shannon said, made him understand that leading the Legends program is more than simply what happens on the court.

“The main thing, outside of the Xs and Os, outside the game, we want to make sure we are feeding the young man, preparing them for real life,” Shannon said of his and his assistant’s work. “The basketball, the Xs and Os, competing, that is what we are here for. (But) the main component of this basketball team, for me and my coaches, is making sure that we are challenging these young men to be better young men every single day.”

Kentwood’s Endeavor Elementary one of two state schools to earn national honor

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Video produced and offered courtesy of Kentwood Public Schools.

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

The National Association of ESEA State Program Administrators recently announced that Kentwood Public School’s Endeavor Elementary School has been nationally recognized as a Distinguished School, according to an emailed statement from KPS administration.

The honor is only awarded to two schools within the state of Michigan. Selected schools must show excellence in education as evidenced by student achievement gains.

“The team at Endeavor Elementary demonstrates excellence and tenacity in their work on a daily basis,” KPS Superintendent Kevin Polston said in supplied material. “We are extremely proud of Endeavor’s achievement and commitment to academic achievement for all students.”
 

Endeavor Elementary won the award for excellence in serving English Learners. Schools are recognized for their approaches to teaching and learning, professional development opportunities, individualized programs and strong partnerships between schools, parents and the community.  The selection criteria for this award included the multilingual learners’ achievement on WIDA assessment and school accountability data.

“This is a whole team award. All of our staff have played a crucial role in loving and educating our multilingual learners,” Mark Bea, principal of Endeavor Elementary, said in supplied material. “From our KPS central office who provides clear direction, to our school EL program and EVERY teacher who creates the family environment and targeted instruction to make it happen; from our food service, custodial, and paraprofessionals who provide critical services, to our office and itinerant staff who offer unending support.

“Together with the efforts of students, parents, staff and a supportive community we can achieve true excellence!”
 

Out of the top nine Michigan schools, MDE identified two other Kentwood elementary buildings, Glenwood and Discovery, for their success with English Learners.

The Michigan Department of Education will cover the cost for travel, food and lodging for three staff members to be recognized at the National ESEA Conference. The conference, held in New Orleans, offers opportunities for staff members to learn from nationally recognized leaders and experts in education. Participants can also network with colleagues from all over the United States.

East Kentwood to host Kent County Wrestling Championships Dec. 18

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The East Kentwood Falcon Wrestling logo. (EKwrestling.com)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

The best of Kent County’s wrestlers, many of them state-ranked in their weight classes, will be on the mats at East Kentwood High School as the Falcons wrestling program hosts the Kent County Wrestling Championships Saturday, Dec. 18, with matches starting at 9:30 a.m.

In addition to the East Kentwood wrestlers, other local schools expected to attend are  Wyoming, Godfrey Lee, Kelloggsville and Godwin Heights. In all, as many as 20 schools will have wrestlers on the mats.

The format, according to information supplied by East Kentwood wrestling coaching staff will have the top 16 in each weight class placed in “Championship Division” with double elimination format. The remaining Wrestlers will be placed in a “Beltline Division”. There will also be a bracket for female wrestlers.

The Championship Division will be pre-seeded based on Trackwrestling criteria including state tournament placement/qualification, regional qualification, and records.

The Beltline Division competitors are 1st or 2nd year wrestlers or the wrestlers who had a sub-.500 winning percentage the previous season.

Awards will go to teams, individual wrestlers and Most Outstanding Wrestler.
 

Championship finals, and third and fifth place matches will be wrestled starting at same time, 4:30 p.m.

Award ceremony will be at 5:30 p.m.

Godfrey-Lee Public Schools’ new superintendent eager to get to work on ‘exciting’ district agenda

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Lee Middle and High School. (WKTV)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

Godfrey-Lee Public Schools, after selecting Dr. Mike Burde, currently Assistant Superintendent at Kenowa Hills Public Schools, to be the next GLPS superintendent last month, the school board approved his contract at its meeting Monday, Dec. 13.

Superintendent Burde’s first day on the job will be Jan. 3. And a long list of “exciting “ work awaits him.

Godfrey-Lee Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Mike Burde. (Supplied)

“It’s an honor to be selected as the next superintendent of Godfrey-Lee Public Schools,” Burde said to WKTV. “I am eager to get started in listening, learning, and building relationships in the schools and in the community. With bond construction projects scaling up, new curriculum programs, and forward-thinking continuous improvement efforts, it’s an exciting time to be a Legend!”

Burde will work with Interim Superintendent Dirk Weeldreyer as he transitions out of this role.

The Board, in a previous statement, said it was “especially thankful for Mr. Weeldreyer’s leadership” since the beginning of the school year.

“We have been fortunate to have the time to conduct a thorough search, and it has been time well spent,” GLPS board President Eric Mockerman said in the statement.

Mockerman also told WKTV he and the district is excited to have Burde take over in the new year.
 

“I am excited to get to work with Dr. Burde. He comes to us with a wealth of experience that I believe will lead Godfrey-Lee well into the future,” Mockerman said. “While we were going through the interview process the board was impressed by Dr. Burde’s experience as well as the thoroughness that he had planned for his first 90 days.

“I spoke personally with several of Mike’s references through the hiring process and I also had the opportunity to speak to several of his current board members who backed up 100 percent what was told to me by his references. Mike … is more than ready to hit the ground running with all of the work that needs to be done. I think he is an excellent fit for Godfrey-Lee.”

Superintendent Burde, according to a biography on the Kenowa Hills Public Schools website, become the district’s assistant superintendent in 2012. Since then, “he has supported the district’s implementation of building and district improvement plans that support student-centered education; which the district calls Personal Mastery. Dr. Burde has also been an active advocate for the K-12 instructional technology; assisting in the planning and implementation of district’s ongoing 1:1 technology initiative. In addition, he’s worked to develop strong partnerships with organizations such as KnowledgeWorks, the Michigan Department of Education, and the Michigan Association of State and Federal Program Specialists (MASFPS).”

He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Education from Spring Arbor University, Masters of Arts in Educational Leadership from Western Michigan University, as well as a Doctorate of Philosophy in Educational Leadership from Western Michigan University.

For 15 years, Dr. Burde has been involved in public school administration at the elementary, secondary, and central office levels. He began his professional career at Ionia Public Schools, where he served as a middle school social studies teacher before taking on various leadership responsibilities at Belding Areas Schools.

Burde and his wife, Jacqlyn, have two children: Katherine and Marilyn.

Wyoming girls hosting South Christian is WKTV’s Feature Game Tuesday, then a doubleheader on Sailors home court Friday

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WKTV’s video coverage off last week’s Wyoming Godwin Heights at Wyoming Lee girls basketball game is available on-demand at wktvlive.com. (WKTV)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

WKTV Featured Game coverage of local Kentwood and Wyoming area high school basketball will offer up three games this week, with Wyoming high girls hosting South Christian on Tuesday, Dec. 14, and a boys and girls basketball doubleheader on Friday, Dec. 17, at South Christian when Unity Christian visits.

The South Christian girls enter the week with a 2-1 early-season record, all non-conference, including a 37-34 home win over Holland Christian Dec. 10. The Wolves girls will enter with an identical 2-1 non-conference record, including a 45-43 win over Northview, also on Dec. 10.

After this week’s games, the WKTV crew will then take the holiday season off, as do most local teams, but return in full force in January 2022.

Complete local basketball schedules as well as up-to-date scores of previous night’s games are also available at wktvjournal.org/sports-schedules-scores. (You can also just just bookmark WKTVjournal.org on your phone or other device and click on the blue banner at the bottom of the screen.)

The tentative January and February WKTV Feature Game schedule is as follows:

Friday, Jan. 14, Boys and girls basketball, Calvin Christian at Godwin Heights.

Friday, Jan. 21, Boys basketball, Zeeland East at Wyoming

Tuesday, Jan. 25, Boys basketball, Ottawa Hills at South Christian

Friday, Jan. 28, Boys and girls basketball, Kelloggsville at Godwin Heights

Wednesday, Feb. 2, Boys hockey, Manistee at East Kentwood

Friday, Feb. 4, Boys and girls basketball, Grand River prep at Potter’s House

Tuesday, Feb. 8, Boys basketball, Holland at Wyoming

Friday, Feb. 11, Boys hockey, Petoskey at East Kentwood

Friday, Feb. 18, Boys and girls basketball, Zion Christian at Wyo. Lee (HOF night)

Tuesday, Feb. 22, Boys basketball, Caledonia at East Kentwood

Friday, Feb. 25, Boys and Girls Basketball, Tri-unity Christian at Potter’s House

WKTV featured games will on cable television in Wyoming and Kentwood on Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99 Community Channel, rebroadcast on the night of the game and various days and times the week after. See the programming schedule at wktv.org. For more information on WKTV coverage of basketball and other winter prep sports, follow us at wktvjournal.org/sports.

All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV’s video coverage team, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.com.

A familiar face on East Kentwood courts, Roelofs takes varsity helm of Falcons boys basketball

Area Education, City of Kentwood, Education, Going Local, Kentwood Public Schools, Local Faces, Sports, WKTV Featured sports, ,
  • East Kentwood High School varsity boys basketball head coach Robert Roelofs, left, at a varsity and junior varsity practice Dec. 3. (WKTV)
  • East Kentwood High School varsity and junior varsity boys basketball practice Dec. 3. (WKTV)
  • East Kentwood High School varsity boys basketball head coach Robert Roelofs, left, at a varsity and junior varsity practice Dec. 3. (WKTV)
  • East Kentwood High School varsity and junior varsity boys basketball practice Dec. 3. (WKTV)
  • East Kentwood High School varsity and junior varsity boys basketball practice Dec. 3. (WKTV)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

Robert Roelofs may be new the boys varsity head coaching position at East Kentwood High School, but he is no stranger to the boys program, having served as the junior varsity coach since 2015, and no stranger to Falcons basketball fans having led the girls varsity team in the early 2000s.

So he knows the school, he knows the fan base and, maybe most importantly, he knows  the players on the varsity squad having coached many of them earlier. All of those things, plus a more normal off-season for the program, should help the Falcons rebound from a rough 2020-21 season.

“Obviously you have a pretty good idea of their skill sets, their strengths and weaknesses,” Roelofs said to WKTV as his varsity (and junior varsity) teams practiced recently. “It’s pretty advantageous for me to know the kids … I know them and they know me.”

 

Roelofs takes over the men’s program from Jeff Anama. The Falcons were 3-12 in last year’s pandemic impacted 2020-21 season.

The team opens its season Saturday, Dec. 11 vs. Lansing Sexton at Battle of I-96 at Ottawa Hills High School.

East Kentwood High School varsity boys basketball head coach Robert Roelofs at a varsity and junior varsity practice Dec. 3. (WKTV)

“We lost four starters from last year’s team, the one starter back is Marshaun Flakes,” Roelofs said. “He started for us as a sophomore, he played for me as a freshman on the JV team … very good basketball savvy. Competitor. Long, athletic kid.”

“We have a couple returning kids. Timmy (Leutrim) Sahitolli. Jack Scrimshaw, who played limited minutes last year. Timmy never played for me, but Jack played for me as a sophomore and had a good year. (Scrimshaw is a) good shooter, long kid. Timmy is kind of a workhorse, strong kid.”

“We have some kids from last year’s JV team,” Roelofs added. “Razah Townsend, 6-(foot)-3, about 225 (pounds) and strong, a linebacker type kid. We will look to him for some production in the post. Some guards who are coming through. Feng Logan, he played a little bit on the varsity, athletic, a quick guard.”

New coach has history of success

Roelofs is a graduate of Creston High School, and later Aquinas College. (He also has higher degrees from Central Michigan and Grand Valley State universities.)

He coached at West Catholic and Ravenna high schools in the 1980s, then was at Northview in the 1990s, where he had success with first the varsity girls and then the varsity boys teams.

He has been a social studies teacher and coach at East Kentwood since 1997, where he led the girls varsity team from 1999-2004, when his Falcons went 80-33 and made a trip to the final four one season. He got back onto the Falcons sideline again when he took over the junior varsity team in 2015.

Having run the East Kentwood girls varsity team for five years, and the varsity boys and girls programs at Northview, Roelofs experience in running a “program” and not just running a team will also help his transition to varsity this year.

“There is a lot of administrative things that you are responsible for when you are the head coach. It’s one of the things that has come back into my mind here, the last two weeks,” he said. “Young coaches ask that questions all the time — they are pretty good at the ‘Xs’ and ‘Os’ stuff but they do not understand the administrative stuff. Transportation, schedules, parent communication. All that stuff that goes on in the periphery that you are not really tuned into as a JV coach. It is a huge advantage.”
 

And is there any difference in coaching girls and boys basketball? Maybe just a little.

“The game is the same — it is organically the same game, right?” he said. “But from a standpoint of motivational techniques, there is definitely some changes (to the boys game). Some of them you have pat on the back and some of them you need a little kick in the butt. (But) I don’t really see the need to change anything in terms of the game.”

Bouncing back from an pandemic-altered season 

The varsity program struggled a bit last year, a very unusual year due to the pandemic. But Roelofs thinks a more normal off-season will greatly benefit the Falcons.

“The bad thing about the team last year really goes back into the offseason,” he said. “Most of the kids could not participate in AAU. We were very limited in what we could do relative to offseason workouts. Their individual prep, individual skill level, wasn’t there. There was a very limited preseason, they didn’t scrimmage anybody. It was almost like an AAU season — you jump right into the season and start playing.”

“In terms of the carryover to this year, we had a different preparation process. We had a summer program. We had a fall league we played in. There really wasn’t much of a carryover. … It maybe is impacting our younger players, they missed about a year in their development.”
 

And with only three games on the schedule before the end of the year, and the beginning of OK Conference Red play on Jan. 7, early on Roelofs is looking as much for improvement as wins.
 

“We don’t say we want to win X amount of games, that comes as a byproduct of maturation, of good luck sometimes,” he said. “We are just going to try to put a good group of kids together. Make sure they play hard, to play together. … That’s what we are looking for. If you do all those things, you win your fair share of games.”

WKTV’s Feature Game crew to visit Lee, WM Aviation Academy as local prep basketball season takes flight

Area Education, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Education, Going Local, Kentwood Public Schools, Local Entertainment, Recreation, Sports, Upcoming Events, WKTV Featured sports
Godwin Heights High School’s girls basketball team in action, from previous year. (WKTV)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

WKTV Featured Game coverage of local Kentwood and Wyoming area high school basketball — and an occasional prep hockey game — will kick into a full-court press in January 2022 when conference play starts.

But the crew will be out and about for a few pre-holiday-wbreak games beginning this week with girls basketball when Godwin Heights High School visits Wyoming Lee on Tuesday, Dec. 7, at 7 p.m., then boys basketball when West Michigan Aviation Academy hosts Grand River Prep on Friday, Dec. 10, at 7 p.m.

Two other December games are on the WKTV Feature Game schedule, including the Wyoming high girls hosting South Christian on Tuesday, Dec. 14, and a boys and girls basketball doubleheader on Friday, Dec. 17, at South Christian when Unity Christian visits.

Complete local basketball schedules as well as up-to-date scores of previous night’s games are also available at wktvjournal.org/sports-schedules-scores. (You can also just just bookmark WKTVjournal.org on your phone or other device and click on the blue banner at the bottom of the screen.)

The tentative January and February WKTV Feature Game schedule is as follows:

Always looking for volunteers in front of and behind the cameras, WKTV Featured Game sports crew includes volunteer announcers, from a 2020 game at East Kentwood, Ron Schultz and Mark Bergsma. (WKTV)

Friday, Jan. 7 , Boys and girls basketball, NorthPointe Christian at Kelloggsville

Tuesday, Jan. 11, Girls basketball, Holland at Wyoming

Friday, Jan. 14, Boys and girls basketball, Calvin Christian at Godwin Heights.

Friday, Jan. 21, Boys basketball, Zeeland East at Wyoming

Tuesday, Jan. 25, Boys basketball, Ottawa Hills at South Christian

Friday, Jan. 28, Boys and girls basketball, Kelloggsville at Godwin Heights

Wednesday, Feb. 2, Boys hockey, Manistee at East Kentwood

Friday, Feb. 4, Boys and girls basketball, Grand River prep at Potter’s House

Tuesday, Feb. 8, Boys basketball, Holland at Wyoming

Friday, Feb. 11, Boys hockey, Petoskey at East Kentwood

Friday, Feb. 18, Boys and girls basketball, Zion Christian at Wyo. Lee (HOF night)

Tuesday, Feb. 22, Boys basketball, Caledonia at East Kentwood

Friday, Feb. 25, Boys and Girls Basketball, Tri-unity Christian at Potter’s House

WKTV featured games will on cable television in Wyoming and Kentwood on Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99 Community Channel, rebroadcast on the night of the game and various days and times the week after. See the programming schedule at wktv.org. For more information on WKTV coverage of basketball and other winter prep sports, follow us at wktvjournal.org/sports.

All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV’s video coverage team, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.com.

Wyoming girls basketball program — and family — welcomes new head coach, his family

3-bottom, Area Education, City of Wyoming, Education, Local Faces, Sports, WKTV Journal Sports Connection
  • Wyoming High School girls basketball head coach Davary Anthony, at a recent practice with his team. (WKTV)
  • Wyoming High School girls basketball head coach Davary Anthony, with his team, at a recent practice. (WKTV)
  • Wyoming High School girls basketball head coach Davary Anthony, with his daughters, at a recent practice with his team. (WKTV)
  • Wyoming High School girls basketball head coach Davary Anthony, with his team, at a recent practice. (WKTV)
  • Wyoming High School girls basketball head coach Davary Anthony, with his daughters, at a recent practice with his team. (WKTV)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

Davary Anthony, the first-year varsity head coach of the Wyoming High School girls basketball team, knew the time and place was right for him to leave behind his longtime ties to Comstock Park basketball and take over the Wolves program.

First, it just seemed like the time for the challenge. Then there was the fact that he knew several players on the Wolves team from coaching them at the local AAU level.

But the biggest thing, maybe, was that from the moment he took the job he felt he and his family were welcomed into the Wyoming girls basketball “family.”

Wyoming High School girls basketball head coach Davary Anthony. (WKTV).

“Once I started here, I started to go to a lot of the youth games during the summertime. It is amazing how big Wyoming travels for basketball for their youth, especially for their girls,” Anthony said to WKTV at a recent practice. “The parents are loud. It is a family atmosphere. Everybody is hanging out, everybody is doing things together. They have even brought in my family as if it were their own.”

And it certainly seemed like a family affair at practice as Anthony’s Wolves prepared for their season opener — Nov. 30, at home versus Benton Harbor — as Coach’s daughters stood with their father and Wyoming assistant coach Taylor Johnson during drills.

Coach’s history includes AAU ties

While the “family feel” was one of many reasons, coach Anthony said, Wyoming high was the right place and early this year to be the right time for a career change.

Anthony graduated from Comstock Park high in 2009, and started coaching Comstock Park middle school boys the next year as part of varsity boys basketball head coach Scott Berry’s program.

Anthony was also head varsity coach of the boys team for one season at West Michigan Academy of Environment Science, before returning to Comstock Park. But maybe more importantly, he also coached girls basketball at the AAU level (16-under) with the West Michigan Drive.

It was at the AAU level that he got to know several players from Wyoming high — and that relationship worked well for him when then Wolves girls head coach Troy Mast stepped away after six seasons at the helm ending with a pandemic-impacted 2020-21 season when Wyoming finished 10-7 overall.

“I just felt like it was fate, that everything happens for reason,” Anthony said about the opening. “I as coaching a young girl on the (Wyoming) varsity team, Aaliyah Ratliff, she’s on my AAU team. I saw a post and was thinking ‘I should apply’ and she said the same thing. … I ended up getting the job and I felt like it is a prefect fit for me.”

And that familiarity with some of the players through AAU — junior Ratliff, sophomore Isabelle Castro, and especially seniors Michelle McGee, Mikayla Marzean and Avery Jirous — will also pay off on the court, Anthony said.

“Anytime you can have instant chemistry, everything kind of works out better,” Anthony said. “I’ve watched these girls. They’ve watched me. … Everything just connected. It made the move over here pretty much easy.”

Coaching style comes from mentors

When it comes to the kind of team he wants to put on the court, the way his team and program will be thought of, coach Anthony said “We are very aggressive … I like to push the tempo … I like to challenge my players to learn more than just the simple things of the game.”

He learned coaching basketball, and running a basketball program, from several mentors he has played for, coached with, or worked with.

“First off, Coach Scott Berry (when was at Comstock Park but is now at Sparta) … he got me into this thing,” Anthony said. “At the end of high school, I didn’t think this was something I was going to do … but he did.”

He also worked with coach Colleen Lamoreaux-Tate, who was successful at Catholic Central before moving to the college ranks — “She was an awesome person. She taught me a lot of Xs and Os. She showed me that practice is where you get better and not just the games.”

Anthony also credits Larry Copeland, the director of West Michigan Drive, for giving him “a lot of the insights into the administrative part of the business and the industry of basketball … making me a better coach that way.”

WKTV’s Turkey Bowl cable/on-demand football fest returns Thanksgiving Day

3-bottom, Area Education, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Education, Going Local, Holidays, Kentwood Public Schools, Local Entertainment, Recreation, Sports, WKTV Featured sports, ,
The Wyoming high Wolves responded to an emotional final home game of the season with a 33-17 win over Union. (WKTV)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

WKTV’s sports coverage crew was back at work big-time this fall, following a shortened season in 2020 due to the pandemic, as our high school football Featured Game coverage was all over Wyoming and Kentwood — and even make a road trip to Hastings for a playoff game.

And as they can every year, high school sports fans can get their Turkey Day football fix this year as we broadcast 15 hours of football on our cable Channel 25.

The special day of games start at 9 a.m., and highlights the best of our high school football games from the season. The schedule of games (with link to the games on WKTV’s On-Demand video internet channel, at WKTVLive.org ) is as follows:

9 a.m. — Forest Hills Northern at Wyoming High. On-demand

11:15 a.m. — Middleville at South Christian. On-demand

1:25 p.m. — West Ottawa at East Kentwood. On-demand

4:10 p.m. — Kelloggsville at Godwin Heights. On-demand

6:20 p.m. — Union at Wyoming High. On-demand

8:50 p.m. — Cedar Springs at South Christian. On-demand

10:50 p.m. — MHSAA District final: South Christian at Hastings. On-demand

WKTV broadcasts on Wyoming and Kentwood cable channels. On Comcast cable, Channel 25 is the Community Channel, where sports events and other community events are shown; Channel 26 is the Government cChannel, where local government meetings and events are shown. On AT&T cable throughout the Grand Rapids area, viewers go to Channel 99, and then are give the choice to watch Wyoming (or Kentwood) Community (Channel 25) or Government (Channel 26).

For complete schedules of programs on WKTV channels, see our Weekly On-air Schedule.

Kentwood schools’ Red Storm Robotics middle school teams shine at FIRST Tech Challenge

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  • FIRST Tech Challenge Kentwood qualifier middle school robotics competition was hosted by Kentwood Public Schools’ Red Storm Robotics program on Nov. 6. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
  • The Red Storm Robotics middle school program’s Green team, getting some coaching. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
  • The Red Storm Robotics middle school program included the Green team, awaiting the beginning of competition. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
  • The Red Storm Robotics middle school program’s Green team, awaiting the start of competition. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
  • The Red Storm Robotics middle school program’s Green team’s robot, in action. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

The Kentwood Public Schools Red Storm Robotics program has long been known as  having a model high school program at East Kentwood High School, both its students and the robots they build.

The Gunter family are Red Storm Robotics from head to toe: Timothy Gunter III with parents Tim and Cui. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

And after a 2020 of virtual events due the pandemic, the East Kentwood team will be back before crowds this school year as it hosts the Kentwood FIRST Robotics competition, scheduled for April 1-2, 2022, with a many as 40 teams expected to compete in a “Rapid React” game challenge that will be announced in January.

But the success of the high school program begins with the steady stream of talent moving up from the its middle school ranks, talent already on display before a large crowd as Kentwood Public School’s middle school robotics program sent five teams against others schools at the FIRST Tech Challenge Kentwood qualifier, hosted by Red Storm Robotics, on Nov. 6.

Getting back to live competition “means everything to these kids, we haven’t been able to do this for two years … we are just so excited for this event today,” Trista VanderVoord, who works with the Kentwood Public Schools Red Storm Robotics program, said to WKTV at the event.

And for the students, the event was not only a chance to see and be seen by their family and friends, it was a chance to match up their robotic creations up against others schools and other robots inventions.

Kentwood middle schooler Giselle Triggs is part of the Red Storm Robotics middle school program’s Green team. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

“It is really exciting to be able to see a bunch of these other robots,” said Giselle Triggs, a member of Kentwood’s Green Team and who is in her first year of being part of the Red Storm Robotics program.

“Everybody is really cool, and everybody is giving complements,” Christian Posthumus, a member if the Grey team, said. “The only problem is that there are so many people watching you … It’s just scary. If you mess up, everybody will see you mess up.”

The Kentwood teams did not “mess up” much at the FIRST Tech Challenge, however, as two of the five teams qualified for a state competition in December.

Two teams move on to state competition

In results of the competition, as detailed on the Red Storm Robotics Facebook page after the challenge, Red Storm Red team qualified for the state competition and earned the 2nd place Control Award, the 3rd place Think Award, and the 3rd place Inspire Award (Inspire is the highest award in FIRST Tech Challenge). Red Storm White team will be joining the Red Team, as the “Bot Tart” crew won the 2nd place Motivate Award and the Connect Award.

Kentwood student Christian Posthumus is part of the Red Storm Robotics middle school program. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

Additionally, the Red Storm Green team “had a fun first competition” as the all-rookie 6th and 7th grade team were decked out in magician capes, top hats and magic wands.

 

Red Storm Gray was another all-rookie 6th and 7th grade team, members of which shared their team spirit by distributing a dozen handmade shark awards to other teams throughout our competition.

The Red Storm Blue placed 12th in the qualifier and also received the Promote Award for their video submission on “If I could tell my younger self one thing about FIRST Robotics, it would be…” as well as winning the Motivate Award.

Goals of FIRST Tech Challenge

The FIRST Tech Challenge is a national program of FIRST Inspires where “students learn to think like engineers,” according to program material. Teams design, build, and code robots to compete in an alliance format against other teams. Robots are built from a reusable platform, powered by Android technology, and can be coded using a variety of levels of Java-based programming.

This year’s tech challenge, Freight Frenzy, is presented by Raytheon Technologies and had students race against time to transport “essential goods and explore the future of transportation,” according to supplied material.

For more informant on the First Inspires program visit firstinspires.org/robotics.

For more information on the Read Storm Robotics program visit redstormrobotics.com.

Kent County leads the way in adopting new management strategies on waste

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Education, Environment, Local Business, Our Cities, Recycling, ,

By Kyle Davidson
Capital News Service

LANSING — Michigan is encouraging counties to consider giving their trash a new life, offering up to $12,000 in grants to those interested in treating it as a resource.

The Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy recently announced the  grants for counties interested in converting outdated solid waste management plans into materials management plans that treat waste as a resource.

Solid waste management plans make sure you have a place to throw your trash. But the future materials management plans look at how you manage materials as a whole, said Christina Miller, a solid waste planning specialist for the department’s Materials Management Division.

Darwin Baas, who has been on the WKTV Journal, said there is value left in materials that are currently put in the ground. (WKTV)

“Can you recycle that material? Can you maybe send it through an anaerobic digester or a compost facility? What’s the best way to utilize that material at its highest, best use?” Miller said.

State policy over the last three decades was directed toward ensuring landfills had the disposal capacity for waste, said Darwin Baas, the director of the Kent County Department of Public Works.

Materials management is a community decision that says everything you place in a dumpster or trash cart has value, Baas said.

There’s value left in materials from a variety of viewpoints, including land use and economic development, Baas said. We can do better than discarding those materials and burying them in the ground where we lose all value, he said.

Michigan’s county waste standards have not been updated since the late 1990s. Because these plans haven’t been updated in so long, counties throughout the state have lost staff with the institutional knowledge to understand solid waste planning, Miller said.

 

In the past, counties had to have solid waste management committees to prepare and implement waste management plans. While some counties still have active committees, there are many that lack those officials, Miller said.

This grant requires counties to consider collaborating, she said. Those that do will receive $12,000 each. Counties that work alone receive $10,000.

The state wants counties to look at challenges and opportunities to grow materials management, Miller said. They can also consider creating programs to feed into existing or new infrastructure. 

“Hopefully it will help engage those discussions and make them start thinking about ‘Well, I have yard clippings in my township but nowhere to really send it. Where do we send that material?’ Is that an issue that we have regionally and maybe it makes sense to create a compost facility that (counties) can utilize together,” Miller said.

Even communities without the infrastructure for materials management can provide a jumping off point. (sphere.com)

Even communities without the infrastructure for materials management can provide a jumping off point, Miller said.

The department hopes to prepare for the transition if a pending package of waste management standards is enacted by the Legislature, Miller said.

Some counties have already begun adopting materials management strategies. The Kent County Department of Public Works resolved to divert 90% of its landfill waste by 2030. The county and  neighboring Allegan County say they hope to build a sustainable business park on land that was purchased for use as a landfill.

When you build a landfill you have lost the opportunity to use that land for agriculture, manufacturing or other types of developments, Baas said.

The county plans a mixed waste processing facility with a system to turn organic waste into natural gas and fertilizer.

“You are now creating a renewable natural gas, putting that into the grid, generating a fertilizer. Why wouldn’t you?” Baas said. 

Another plan is to make roofing boards from plastic film and waste paper that otherwise has virtually no value, Baas said.

“This is going to be a new way of thinking where people go ‘Really, you can manufacture a product from this material?’ 

“Yeah, you can.” 

“Every 1,000 square feet of roof cover board that’s manufactured, 2,000 pounds of material is diverted from the landfill,” he said. 

Information on grant applications and requirements can be found at Michigan.gov/EGLEM3.

Advocates want to push ban of PFAS, other chemicals in food packaging

3-bottom, Community Health, Education, Health, Local Business, Local Food, Non-Profits, Our Cities, Restaurants, , ,
Panera is one national chain that is working to eliminate food wrappers with “forever chemicals” such as PFAS. (Wikipedia)

By Vladislava Sukhanovskaya
Capital News Service

LANSING — Some lawmakers and environmental advocates want to ban chemicals in food packaging that they say threatens the health of Michiganders.

PFAS, bisphenols and phthalates can be found in almost every food package — from burger wrappers to bottles for drinks.

The chemicals include per- and polyfluorinated substances or PFAS, a large group of chemicals that has been used globally since the 1940s to manufacture “products that resist heat, oil, stains, grease, and water,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. PFAS chemicals are so effective that they’re used in many industries, including food packaging.

A bill that would ban these chemicals from food packaging has been introduced in the Michigan Senate.

Other troublesome chemicals identified in the proposed ban are bisphenols and phthalates. Bisphenols are used to line cans and phthalates are commonly used in plastic food packaging to add flexibility, Courtney Carignan, an assistant professor in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition of Michigan State University, wrote in an email.

 

It’s not easy to tell which food package contains these chemicals because there are no labeling requirements for them, Carignan said.

PFAS, bisphenols and phthalates can be found in burger wrappers, french fry bags, canned food, and packages for drinks, according to the Ecology Center, a nonprofit environmental group located in Ann Arbor and Detroit.

Whether these chemicals are released into food depends on the temperature, time of storage and the acidity of food, said Rebecca Meuninck, the deputy director of the Ecology Center.

“Many of these chemicals have been linked to concerning health effects such as infertility, hormone and immune disruption,” Carignan said.

They accumulate in peoples’ bodies, said Sen. Jeff Irwin, D-Ann Arbor, who sponsored the legislation to ban them. “The more we are exposed to them the worse it’s for our health. People have PFAS in their blood. PFAS lasts for an extremely long period of time, they don’t break down.”

PFAS can cause high cholesterol, decreased immune system response to vaccines and development of certain types of cancer, according to the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy.

It’s important to avoid PFAS in packaging not only because it can be released into food, but also because manufacturing this type of packaging and disposing of it pollutes the environment, Meuninck said.

There are alternatives to PFAS, such as bamboo, palm leaf, bio-wax, clay and compostable plastic polylactic acid that usually is made from corn, according to Toxic-Free Future and nonprofit Clean Production Action. Both organizations advocate for safer products and chemicals.

 

PFAS is a long-standing controversial problem in Michigan.

State officials say that at least 1.9 million people are affected by PFAS and more than 11,000 sites are contaminated by this family of chemicals, according to news accounts. In 2018 and 2019, the state spent $69 million to clean up and address PFAS, according to Bridge Michigan.

One of the state’s largest contamination areas is that in Rockford, where Wolverine, a shoe company founded in the community, was found to have left a 25-mile square wide trail of PFAS contamination from a former tannery factory. Wolverine’s PFAS supplier was the chemical corporation 3M.

People can ask companies like McDonald’s and Burger King to phase PFAS out of packaging, said Rebecca Meuninck, the deputy director of the Ecology Center.

In 2021, 3M sued Michigan to oppose state new limits for PFAS in drinking water, saying that those limits are flawed because they were made in a “rushed and invalid regulatory process,” according to Bridge Michigan.

People can ask companies like McDonald’s and Burger King to phase PFAS out of packaging, Meunick said. Panera and Whole Foods are working to do that now.

It’s absolutely possible for companies to eliminate PFAS and other chemicals from food packaging, Irwin said. “There are many food packaging systems out there that don’t use these chemicals. And Michigan is a major center for packaging innovation and food products.”

This is Irwin’s second attempt to ban the chemicals in packaging. He said, “Legislation hasn’t gotten much traction in the past, but every year we learn more about PFAS.”

This time around, he has the support of the governor who on Oct. 27 issued an executive directive to limit the state’s purchase of products with PFAS.

And the Biden Administration recently announced a plan to “prevent PFAS from being released into the air, drinking systems and food supply.”

 

Similar bans have taken place in California, Connecticut, Minnesota, Maine, New York, Vermont and Washington.

Joanne Bailey-Boorsma contributed to this story.

Familiar foe, another road challenge faces South Christian football after district championship

3-bottom, Area Education, Education, Local Entertainment, Recreation, Sports, Upcoming Events, WKTV Featured sports,
The Grand Rapids South Christian High School football team’s rushing attack was in stride Nov. 5 at Hastings as the Sailors totaled 386 total yards in a 38-14 road win. (WKTV)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

The Grand Rapids South Christian High School football team rolled back into the state Division 4 Regional title game this week after running past host Hastings, 38-14, in a District championship game last week.

The Nov. 5 win, which is available in replay on WKTV video platforms, was the second playoff win for the Sailors (now 8-3 overall) after an equally impressive 52-7 road win at Plainfield in Week 1.

Awaiting for South Christian this week is familiar foe Edwardsburg, on the road of course, which has been equally impressive in the playoffs with a 58-0 win over Paw Paw followed by 50-0 win over Three Rivers as the Eddies remained unbeaten at 11-0.

And while the game at Edwardsburg is an encore of last year’s Regional final, when the Sailors’ season ended with a 47-7 road loss, South Christian head coach Danny Brown said he knows the importance of the game but does not see it as having any extra meaning.

Grand Rapids South Christian High School football team gained its second straight District championship trophy with a 38-14 road win at Hastings Nov. 5. (WKTV)

“I think it adds another level of excitement to play the team that ended your season the year before but it shouldn’t be our driving force,” Brown said to WKTV. “We need to prepare for Edwardsburg no different than we do any other team we play. We are just excited to get another opportunity to compete.”

And compete the Sailors have in the three seasons after Brown took over for Mark Tamminga following the 2018-19 season. In Brown’s first season, South Christian went 6-5 overall and lost in the district final; last year — in a pandemic-impacted, start-and-stop season — the Sailors went 8-1 before their loss at Edwardsburg.

“I think the big difference between the two years is the fact we get to play the game right away,” Brown said of his team’s rematch with the Eddies. “We had a lot of momentum last year and then the season was suspended. We had a month off before we played them. They did a better job of keeping their kids engaged during the down time and it showed when we played them.”

But, Brown also said, this year’s Sailors are not the same team as last year’s Sailors.

“Defensively we are bigger and stronger upfront which is something we will need against their high powered rushing attack,” he said. “We are more balanced from an offensive perspective.”

And while Brown has said he wants his team to be balanced when it comes to offense, the South Christian rushing attack was in full glory last week against Hastings.

Sailors break open a 14-14 game in 2nd quarter

Coming into South Christian’s game at Hastings, coach Brown told WKTV of his affinity for a balanced attack being borrowed from Urban Meyer, one-time Ohio State University and current NFL head coach, and how this Sailors team has that balance.

 “Urban Meyer used to say, when he was coaching a game, … he wanted 200 and 200 hundred. 200 passing and 200 rushing yards, and we are pretty close to that,” Brown said.

His team did not play to script against Hastings, however, as the Sailors had 43 rushing attempts, gained 18 first downs and scored five touchdown on the ground en route to 302 total rushing yards. Junior quarterback Jake DeHaan led the rushing attack with 116 years on 13 carries with one touchdown, while junior Nate Brinks totaled 102 yards on 11 carries with two touchdowns and senior Chandler VanSolkema added 78 yards and one touchdown on 16 carries.

The passing attack was effective when used, however, with DeHaan going 8-of-12 for 87 passing yards and one touchdown, that one going to senior Ashton Fennema on a 26-yard strike. Senior Jace DeMann led the team in receptions with four for 33 yards.

Sailors kicker Brinks scored eight points on one field gold and five points after touchdown.

On defense, DeMann and junior Cameron Post each had 6.5 tackles, while senior Clayton DeKam had six and senior Colton Schreur had five, as Hastings was held to 14 points, all in the first half, and 204 total yards on offense.

WKTV game replays available

WKTV featured games are on cable television in Wyoming and Kentwood on Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99 Community Channel. See the programming schedule at wktv.org. For more information on WKTV coverage of football and other fall prep sports, follow us at wktvjournal.org/sports.

All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV’s video coverage team, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.com.

Godfrey-Lee schools superintendent search moves into initial interviews this week

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Lee Middle and High School. (WKTV)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

After reviewing 14 applications for its Superintendent of Schools position, the Godfrey-Lee Public Schools Board of Education is moving forward this week with its selection process by scheduling interviews with three West Michigan educators.

The interviews will be held Tuesday, Nov. 9, and Wednesday, Nov. 10, with the interviews open to the public and the public “encouraged to attend.”  Interviews will be held at the Godfrey-Lee Early Childhood Center, 961 Joosten St. SW, Wyoming.

The interview schedule for Nov. 9 will have Dr. Michael Burde, current Deputy Superintendent at Kenowa Hills Public Schools, scheduled for 6:45 p.m.; and Brevet Bartels, current Middle School Principal at West Ottawa Public Schools, scheduled for 8 p.m.

On Nov. 10, at 6:45 p.m., Ana Aleman-Putman, current Principal at Grandville East Elementary School, is scheduled to be interviewed.

“We were pleased with the applicant pool and interest demonstrated in the Godfrey-Lee Public Schools, especially with the large number of superintendents retiring in Michigan over the last two years and all the difficulty facing school districts during the pandemic,” Board President Eric Mockerman said in supplied material. “We believe these quality candidates may meet our needs and expectations.
 

“We look forward to finding out more about the candidates’ leadership abilities and what each candidate has to offer our students, staff, and community. The Board continues to appreciate the input from the public and encourages people to attend the interviews.”

According to a statement from the district, 19 educators responded to the posting with preliminary applications for the position. Five candidates eventually withdrew or did not complete the application fully.  Applicants consisted of current superintendents, central office administrators, principals, intermediate school district employees, and a teacher.  The position attracted interest from California, Illinois, Michigan, and Canada.
 

The superintendent search became necessary as Kevin Polston accepted the position of Kentwood Public Schools superintendent after serving the district for four years.  Interim Superintendent Dirk Weeldreyer has served the Godfrey-Lee Schools for the last several months.  The process has been facilitated by the Michigan Leadership Institute.

“It is our hope to have a new superintendent in place by January 3 (2022), realizing we may have to be somewhat flexible regarding that date,” Mockerman said.

A district description made as part of the initial search process states that total enrollment is about 1,761 students with Hispanic/Latino students at about 1,398 of that total. Staff includes 123 instructional staff, 61 support staff and 13 administrators. Its most recent budget expenditures were $27,605,217.

Also, district voters approved a Godfrey-Lee Public Schools bond request in 2020 to fund a wide-ranging building, reconstruction and technology effort. The project went out to bid in October with construction slated to begin in late winter/early spring of 2022. The current construction/renovation timeline calls for all projects to be completed by early 2024.

For more information visit godfrey-lee.org.

GVSU, Ford Foundation’s Veterans Day event hosts veteran/author who inspired ‘Black Hawk Down’

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Image taken from promotional material for the Veterans Day Celebration, with U.S. Army Rangers First Sgt. Matt Eversmann (Ret.) speaking. (GVSU)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

U.S. Army Rangers First Sgt. Matt Eversmann (Ret.), whose battlefield experiences in the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu in Somalia led him to become an author, is also an advocate for “teaching the next generation of leaders through his experience with the atrocities of war.”

In that and many other ways, Eversmann is the perfect person to be the featured guest at a Veterans Day Celebration hosted by the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation, Grand Valley State University’s Peter Secchia Military and Veterans Resource Center and GVSU’s Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies — a center named for Col. Ralph W. Hauenstein.

Hauenstein — a journalist, war hero, entrepreneur, philanthropist and so  much more — was also a strong advocate for educating leaders on the impact and aftereffects of military conflict.

The Veterans Day Celebration, with Eversmann speaking, will take place Thursday, Nov. 11, at 7 p.m., in GVSU’s Charles W. Loosemore Auditorium, 401 West Fulton St., Suite 134 E, DeVos Center, Grand Rapids. For more information and to register, visit this gvsu.edu page. Free parking is available at the nearby Seward Ramp.

U.S. Army Rangers First Sgt. Matt Eversmann (Ret.), now an author and speaker. (Supplied)

“In October of 1993, First Sergeant  Matt Eversmann led a group of Army Rangers in a UN peacekeeping operation in Somalia,” it states in event promotional material. “Having been trapped, outnumbered, and marked for death, Eversmann’s survival and heroism earned him a Bronze Star Medal with valor device. He’s since been immortalized in the film Black Hawk Down.

“Upon returning from Somalia, Eversmann committed to teaching the next generation of leaders through his experience with the atrocities of war – not unlike our namesake, Colonel Ralph W. Hauenstein. His story highlights the importance of leadership, followership, and responsibility in our age of tribalism.”

While the Veterans Day Celebration will be a live event, the Hauenstein Center continues to offer a digital alternative for all of their events “as we consider the health and safety of our members, students, and the community.” The program is available virtually by visiting  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87222394732 or call 929-205-6099 to gain access to the webinar ID: 872 2239 4732  to view the live broadcast.

In addition to members of the Hauenstein Center, all community members who are veterans or military-connected are invited to an hors d’oeuvres and drinks event at 5:30 p.m.

Eversmann — soldier and author

Eversmann is the co-author of two military-related books, The Battle of Mogadishu and Walk in My Combat Boots, and he knows what he writes about. But he is also a strong advocate for veterans rights and post-military employment and other services.

In Eversmann’s supplied biography, it states that: On October 3, 1993, Matt was placed in charge of a group of Army Rangers to lead a daytime raid against an eager enemy militia. His inspiring story of survival was immortalized in the epic film, Black Hawk Down, which recounts the harrowing experience. For his actions on the battlefield he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with valor device.

During his remaining time in uniform, he worked at the Army War College, taught at The Johns Hopkins University and was finally deployed to Iraq where he lived with the Iraqi Army for 15 months during The Surge. He remained on active duty until May of 2008, when he retired after 20 years of service.

His frustration with the typical hiring process for veterans fueled his desire to help others avoid the “veterans predicament,” where servicemen and women are overlooked because of a broken hiring system. Since his retirement from active duty, he has worked in several industries in mid-level to senior-level positions. He was an operations officer in healthcare, an executive director in a non-profit and a VP of leadership development for a data management company.