An employment gap is an extended period of unemployment on a resume. Employment gaps occur for many reasons: staying home to care for children or an ill family member; a lay off and extended job search; a medical condition.
Whatever the reason, a gap in your employment history can be a red flag to potential employers and can be uncomfortable to discuss. If you have a gap on your resume, you will most likely be asked about it in an interview. Here are a few tips on how to discuss this with a potential employer.
Prepare. Create a compelling answer. Your statement should highlight activities you engaged in during the gap that are relevant to the job you are applying for. Practice answering the question before the interview so you come across as calm and confident.
Don’t hide it. It can be tempting to change your resume format to try to cover up an employment gap. Most hiring managers will see right through that. Instead, explain the gap in your cover letter and offer to answer any questions a potential employer might have.
Be honest. Even if you were serving time in prison, be honest about how you spent your time. It is better to be up front about situations you aren’t proud of than to lie and have an employer learn about it later.
Stay positive. Focus on what you learned and how you grew during that time. How did you spend your time? If you volunteered or participated in training, include that in your resume or cover letter.
Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works! Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or your local Service Center.
From left to right, Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley, Chamber forum moderator Kathy Bates, Chamber President Bob O’Callaghan and mayoral candidate Scott Urbanowski . (Supplied)
While there are actually six City of Kentwood elected positions on the Nov. 7 ballot, only the position of mayor and one of the 1st Ward commissioner seats find incumbents facing challenge.
But the candidates for those seats were face-to-face recently as the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual candidate forum at the Kentwood City Library — and WKTV was there, covering it all, and now those forums are available to the public either on our cable channels or on-demand over the Internet.
During the candidate forum, Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley and challenger Scott Urbanowski answered questions selected by the chamber and the audience, as did incumbent commissioner Jerry DeMaagd and challenger Emily Bridson.
WKTV’s initial rebroadcasts of the Sept. 21 candidate forum will be on Comcast Channel 26 and AT&T Channel 99 Government Friday, Sept. 29, at 7 p.m., with the commissioner forum first, then again on Saturday, Sept. 30, at noon, with the mayoral forum first.
Both programs are available on-demand over the internet at wktv.viebit.com.
Jerry DeMaagd.
At the candidate forum, Commissioner DeMaagd, who is running for a second term, touted his being a longtime Kentwood resident as well as his efforts for long-term city planning — “I have a passion for organization,” he said at one point.
Emily Bridson
Bridson, who said she moved to the city in 2011 and bought a home two years ago because “I have a passion for this city”, stressed her work for the city as a planning commission member, a park and recreation commission member, and on the current 50th anniversary committee.
Scott Urbanowski
During the mayoral forum, Urbanowski introduced himself by saying he has “worked, studied, lived and prayed in this city,” and repeatedly stated that “the city could be better managed.”
Stephen Kepley
Mayor Kepley, as part of his discussion, said that he is proud of his and the city’s accomplishments during his tenure — “We have a great report card.” And he pointed out that in a strong mayor governing system, as Kentwood has, “This is a big job. There is no learning curve.”
The mayor and the 1st Ward positions are each 4-year terms. Also on the ballot for new 4-year terms are Commissioner Member At Large incumbent Betsy A. Artz, Commissioner 2nd Ward incumbent Tom McKelvey, incumbent city clerk Dan Kasunic and incumbent city treasurer Laurie Sheldon.
Also on the ballot in Kentwood will be the renewal of The Rapid’s operating millage which funds the greater Grand Rapids public transportation system.
During ArtPrize Nine the Grand Rapids Public Museum will be open with regular Museum hours and half off general admission fees.
This means that a Kent County adult resident who would normally pay $5 would pay $2.50. Kent County seniors and students go from $3 to $1.50 each.
The Museum will be showcasing “Brain: The World Inside Your Head” traveling exhibit, free with paid admission. This exhibit takes visitors through the human head, learning about neurons firing, how the brain works and much more.
The GRPM will once again host an outdoor exhibition in which the artwork will visually lend itself to the setting of the Museum grounds. Each year the GRPM curates a rewarding experience with approachable art that is intriguing, distinctive and engages the viewer’s capacity for awe and curiosity. Located in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids along the busy river walkway, the GRPM is able to offer a 24-hour experience.
The GRPM will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays through Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays and from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays of ArtPrize. For more information about artists, exhibitions, special programming and tickets visit grpm.org.
The West Michigan Whitecaps released their 2018 season schedule today. The team will celebrate its 25th season beginning with the season-opener at home on Thursday, April 5 at 6:35 p.m. versus the South Bend Cubs.
Fireworks will once again light up the night sky over Fifth Third Ballpark with 21 Family Fare Fireworks Nights, including Opening Night, every summertime Wednesday and Saturday home game and selected additional nights, with a special Independence Day celebration on Tuesday, July 3.
The long-time Tiger Friday series will move to Wednesdays, with five Tiger Wednesday dates starting in June slated to include the popular former Tiger appearances and Tiger-related giveaway items for the first 1,000 fans. Fridays, starting in May, will be rebranded as family- and kid-focused theme nights, including Princess, Dinosaur, Pokemon and others, with entertainers and other special events on the concourse.
Weekly promotions:
Sunday (with a new start time of 2 p.m.): Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Family Days (first 1,000 kids eat free; autographs and play catch on the field pre-game; kids run the bases post-game)
Monday: JQ99 Bulletin Night (half off box or reserved seats with worship or community bulletin)
Tuesday: Select Tuesdays will be Dime Dog Nights presented by Manpower
Wednesday: Senior Night, Tiger Wednesdays and Family Fare Fireworks (beginning in June)
Thursday: Altogas Thrifty Thursdays ($2 hot dogs, Pepsi products and 20 oz. beers); show a college or military ID and get $5 reserved seats.
Friday: Kid-focused theme nights
Saturday: Family Fare Fireworks (beginning in May)
The three 11 a.m. school days, popular as school enrichment field trips, are returning once again, scheduled for Tuesday, May 22,Wednesday, May 23, and Tuesday, June 5. In addition, there are four special weekday 12 p.m. matinee games scheduled for Tuesday, April 10, Thursday, April 12, Wednesday, April 18 and Wednesday, May 9.
Some featured promotions include Armed Forces Night on Saturday, May 19; Star Wars Night, returning on Saturday, June 30 and MSU/U of M Rivalry Night on Thursday, August 16. Many more promotions will be added throughout the off-season and will be added to the Whitecaps website as they are booked.
Fans can purchase season tickets and mini plans beginning Wednesday, October 25, by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131. Tickets for groups of 20 or more, including private party areas, will go on sale November 17. Individual game tickets will go on sale in early 2018.
The full 2018 schedule is attached and is available on the Whitecaps website at whitecapsbaseball.com.
Foster care in Michigan is often difficult to navigate and measuring outcomes is complicated. West Michigan Partnership for Children (WMPC) is the result of direct, intentional change in how child welfare services are delivered throughout Kent County. Representatives from Kent County, Michigan Department of Health & Human Services, Network180, the 17th Circuit Court and local child welfare agencies (including Bethany Christian Services, Catholic Charities West Michigan, D.A. Blodgett/St. John’s, Samaritas, and Wellspring Lutheran Services) are partnering to create WMPC in an effort to drive improved outcomes for children in the foster care system.
Kent County is the only county in Michigan with such a pilot, which officially launches on Oct. 1. Several other counties have expressed interest in the program. WMPC will pilot a performance-based contract, utilizing a case rate that incentivizes permanency while allowing for flexibility and creativity in funds. Staff will use software that allows for predictive analytics to project successful outcomes and flag cases that are at risk.
Kent County Interim Administrator/Controller Wayman Britt believes successful outcomes can be achieved through public/private collaborations between child and family focused agencies, school districts, foundations, business leaders and County staff who put the needs of displaced and vulnerable children first. “These agencies have been working together on improving these systems and outcomes for children for several years though the Kent County Families and Children Coordinating Council (KCFCCC),” said Britt. “Kent County is an innovator and leader in the State of Michigan as it relates to quality, outcome driven programs and services for children in the foster care and child protection systems. Forming West Michigan Partnership for Children is the most logical next step.”
Oversight will include a Child Welfare Advisory Committee made of judiciary members and court administration, community members, and representatives of County Administration. The committee will be tasked to do the following:
Review performance data of the Kent County Department of Health and Human Service (DHHS) Office for child protection investigations outcomes and in-home child welfare services, and WMPC for out-of- home child welfare services.
Provide constructive feedback to the KCFCCC, WMPC, and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services related to performance trends and community support in order to improve outcomes.
When Wyoming resident Lyle Converse received a letter of his pending reappointment to the city’s Officers Compensation Commission, it was then that he realized “I just wasn’t sure I could do another seven years.”
It was then that the 91-year-old decided to retire from public service having served on various city boards and commissions for 45 years.
“Well certainly on behalf of a very grateful city, thank you for your many years of service,” said Mayor Jack Poll during the Sept. 18 Wyoming City Council meeting where Converse was honored for his years of service. “As long as I have been mayor, I have always ended every letter that I sent out and other things to ‘be involved, be informed” and certainly you are the epitome of being involved and being informed.”
Lyle Converse when he ran for Wyomig City Council
Poll noted that Converse brought so much knowledge to the several boards he served which included the city’s Officers Compensation Commission, the Economic Development Corporation, the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, and the Planning Commission.
“You have served our city wonderfully well but all good things have to come to an end,” Poll said. “Your years of service will always be remembered fondly and we appreciate everything you’ve done.”
For which Converse than received a standing ovation from the crowd. “I never get standing ovations and you were never mayor for crying out load,” Poll said with a chuckle to Converse.
“Well, I ran for the seat once,” Converse responded. It was through the urging of some friends that Converse ran for the Wyoming City Council in 1969. Converse would not win but he was appointed to the Economic Development Corporation which later became part of the Brownfield Development Authority.
Lyle Converse with his wife
Converse came to Grand Rapids in the 1940s on a GI Bill to attend Davenport College. Earl Robson, who owned Robson Department Store on Division Avenue, was looking for a sales person, so Converse took the job with the intention of getting his feet wet in sales for a year and moving on. Converse stayed, eventually taking over the store and finally closing it in 1993.
“When Lyle recently turn in his resignation from the Officers Compensation Committee, the city clerk looked at his past history with our community and realized that he had served the city faithfully for 45 years,” said Wyoming Assistant City Manager Megan Sall. “He was one of the founding fathers of the commission.”
And while Converse may have founded the Officers Compensation Committee, he is more well known for coming up with the idea of the Wyoming Rodeo which was operated out of Lamar Park for almost 25 years. He also served in the South Kent Chamber of Commerce and the Wyoming Chamber of Commerce, which at the time was a branch of the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce, according Converse.
Poll said the city has a number of openings available on various commissions and boards. For more information contact the Wyoming City Clerk’s Office at 616-530-7296.
Serving the community, according to Converse, is an important part of being in that community.
“It’s rewarding,” he said. “You meet a lot of people. You help promote the city.
“For myself, if I was to do it over again, I think I would probably do the same thing. Overall you get more out of it than what you give and I think we should all give back to our community for what the community does for us.”
The TreeRunner Ninja Relay Race is Grand Rapids Treetop Adventure Park‘s first ever competition designed to challenge teams of four climbers to see who can accomplish the fastest time through a specific course. The goal of the competition is to not only provide a means for climbers to test their physical ability, but to also raise money for charity – this year, we will be donating 25 percent of all proceeds to the West Michigan Environmental Action Coalition.
Each team will have an opportunity to practice on the courses in the morning before getting a chance to compete in their respective time slots in the afternoon. Then, the teams will strategically pick which members will be timed while climbing through the select course. The combined time it takes your team to complete the four courses constitutes your race time. The top three teams will compete to secure their spot at TreeRunner Ninja Team Champion. Cash prizes are available for the winning teams!
First place team will win $500 in cash, 4 TreeRunner T-Shirts, and 4 season passes for the 2018 season.
Second place team will win $200 in cash, 4 TreeRunner T-Shirts, and 8 free adult tickets for the 2018 season.
Third place will win 4 custom TreeRunner T-shirts and 4 free adult tickets for the 2018 season
The entry fee for each team is $200 per team. This includes the practice time at the beginning of the day, and your race time the day of. We are recommending this experience for ages 12 and up.
An Adventure Park is a combination of suspended obstacles above the forest floor like bridges, cargo nets, swinging logs, rings, skateboards and ziplines. Climbers stay securely clipped in with the self-guided, double-clip Clic-it climbing system on the course. The courses range in difficulty from ridiculously easy to very difficult, similar to ski resorts with green, blue, and black runs. For this event, we will be using two of our easier courses (Pink and Green) and two of our medium level courses (Blue and Purple). The finals round will be through our Double Black loop.
GFIA celebrates with a ribbon-cutting event to official open the Gateway Transformation Project. (Supplied photo.)
Construction on the first phase of the Gerald R. Ford International Airport’s (GFIA) Gateway Transformation Project started in December 2015, and concluded today with a ribbon-cutting celebration with sponsors, tenants, airport staff, and dignitaries. The event recognized project sponsors and tenant partners for their support of the project, believed to be the largest of its kind of any airport in the country.
A view of the new concourse. (Supplied photo.)
“The key to this entire project is partnerships, we really could not have done this without the support of our airline partners, TSA, tenants, concessionaires, staff, and our tremendous sponsors,” said GFIA President & CEO Jim Gill. “How many airports in the country can say they asked their community to support a project like this, and that community came through? We have an exceptional, philanthropic spirit here in West Michigan, and that is now showcased through our gateway to the world.”
The first phase of the Gateway Transformation Project included a consolidated passenger security checkpoint which centralized and combined security screening to one main checkpoint in the airport, eliminating separate screening for passengers traveling through either Concourse A or B.
Another concourse view. (Supplied photo.)
New finishes include terrazzo flooring, lighting fixtures, restrooms & nursing rooms, family restrooms, pre-and post-security kids play areas, pre and post security business centers, meet and greet space, and much more.
“For four straight years we have seen record passenger growth, and we are on pace to make it a fifth. We saw a need to make improvements for the passengers, and to continue to deliver top-notch customer service and amenities,” said GFIA Board Chairman Roger Morgan. “We are committed to being West Michigan’s gateway to the world. We want people to step off the plane and know they’re in West Michigan.”
New retail space includes “A Touch of Grand Rapids” store, a partnership with Hudson News, and new food and beverage space include a Starbucks post-security, and Prospect Hill Brewhouse, a collaboration with HMSHost.
“HMSHost is thrilled to be a part of Gerald R. Ford International Airport’s Gateway Transformation Project. With the recent openings of Prospect Hill and Starbucks, HMSHost has brought both local and national favorites to Grand Rapids travelers,” said HMSHost Vice President of Business Development Bryan Loden. “We’re honored to continue our partnership with the airport, and our partner Steve Jenkins of Diversified Installations, to elevate the traveler experience with even more great food and drink options to kick off their journey.”
The lounge area. (Supplied photo)
Of the $45 million project, over $17 million was raised through sponsorships, with the remainder of the support coming from airport funds and passenger facility charges. Sponsorships included an $8 million donation from Amway as the title sponsor of the Gateway Transformation Project. eSpring drinking fountains and other Amway branding is seen throughout the airport space.
Other sponsorships of $1 million and up include Meijer, SpartanNash, Spectrum Health, Steelcase, and Wolverine Worldwide. SpartanNash is scheduled to complete a Military Welcome Center in late October with a ribbon-cutting set for Thursday, November 9th – right before Veterans Day weekend. Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital has redesigned and added new Kids Play Areas, family restrooms and nursing rooms for new mothers; and Steelcase has outfitted four business lounges pre-and-post security with its collection of office furniture.
Sponsorships of $100,000 and up include:
Betz Industries
Bissell Foundation
CDV 5 Foundation
Chemical Bank
Dick & Betsy DeVos
Richard & Helen DeVos
The Frey Foundation
Herman Miller
Hudsonville Ice Cream
Peter & Joan Secchia
Sponsorships of $15,000 and up include:
* Christman Company * Irwin Seating
* Fifth Third Bank
* Old National Bank
* PNC Bank
* RoMan Manufacturing
* Warner, Norcross and Judd
The checkpoint area. (Supplied photo)
“These sponsorships are a reflection of the level of commitment, pride, and passion so many have for our community,” said Bill Payne, Vice Chairman of Amway, Chairman of the Regional Air Alliance, and Gateway Transformation Campaign Cabinet Member. “Having a modern, world-class airport is critical to West Michigan’s economic vitality, and this will be the reason West Michigan continues to attract more business, more jobs, and more people for generations to come.”
A reconstructed indoor observation area on the mezzanine of the Grand Hall where passengers may see friends and loved ones depart for their flight is also a part of the newly designed space.
The airport is working with the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation to incorporate an exhibit dedicated to the 38th President, which will be pre-security as a part of the new Grand Hall design. The exhibit will include photos, an aircraft carrier model, displays, and rotating historical pieces from the Gerald R. Ford Museum, and is slated to open with a celebration and ribbon-cutting on October 17.
Construction spanned 21 months, is estimated to have utilized 223,200 man hours, and expanded the Airport building by over 59,000 square feet.
A second phase, which will include improvements to the airline ticketing, baggage screening, and baggage claim areas, is currently in the design phase. Construction is slated to begin in 2018. The total cost of the entire project will be $45 million.
Each week, WKTV features an adoptable furry friend (or few) from various shelters in the Grand Rapids area. This week, we focus on Humane Society of West Michigan, located at 3077 Wilson Dr. NW in Grand Rapids.
Humane Society of West Michigan’s mission is to rescue hurt, abused and abandoned animals and find them new, forever homes. The 501(c)3 non-profit organization helps over 8,000 animals annually and is 100% donor-funded by caring individuals and businesses in the community. Additional programs help reduce pet overpopulation, provide assistance to low-income pet owners, behaviorally assess animals and reunite lost pets with their owners.
Jackson — Male Pit Bull Terrier Mix
I’m a 2-year-old dog looking for my forever home! I’m a sweet guy with a lot of love to give! I would do well in a home with people who have the time to commit to working on training commands and manners with me. The staff at the shelter have been working with me on basic commands and I’ve been a quick learner with a desire to please! Come meet me at Humane Society of West Michigan and see if we are the right fit!
More about Jackson:
Animal ID: 36164049
Breed: Terrier, American Pit Bull/Mix
Age: 2 years
Gender: Male
Size: Medium
Color: Black
Neutered
Fluffy Delisa needs a home, too
Delisa — Female Domestic Short Hair
I am a 1-year-old, active cat who LOVES to chase and tackle toys! I’m a very sweet cat who needs a little time to warm up to new people, but once we’ve become friends I love scratches under my chin! I would do best in a quiet home that would let me get used to my new surroundings at my own pace. I currently live in a community cat room at HSWM with other cats and we co-exist well. I love find a high perch to napon or a window sill to sit in and observe.Please come meet me at Humane Society of West Michigan!
More about Delisa:
Animal ID: 36370559
Breed: Domestic Longhair/Mix
Age: 1 year
Gender: Female
Size: Small
Color: White/Black
Spayed
The Humane Society of West Michigan automatically microchips all adoptable animals using 24PetWatch microchips, which include FREE registration into the 24PetWatch pet recovery service. For more information visit www.24petwatch.com or call 1-866-597-2424. This pet is also provided with 30 days of FREE ShelterCare Pet Health Insurance with a valid email address. For more information visit www.sheltercare.com or call 1-866-375-7387 (PETS).
Humane Society of West Michigan is open Tues-Fri 12-7, Sat & Sun 11-4.
New Godfrey-Lee Public School superintendent Kevin Polston visits WKTV Journal’s In Focus set. (WKTV)
WKTV Staff
news@wktv.org
On the latest episode of “WKTV Journal: In Focus”, WKTV’s public affairs show, program host Ken Norris talks with new Godfrey-Lee Public School superintendent Kevin Polston about the opportunities — not challenges — his district offers.
Also on the program, with all the road construction going on, just about everywhere, WKTV hosts a deputy managing director of the Kent County Road Commission as he discusses the public’s role in work zone safety.
The new episode will air twice a week on WKTV channels starting this week and running through Oct. 5. Along with all episodes of WKTV Journal: In Focus, the new interviews are also available on YouTube at WKTVVideos.
In the interview, Superintendent Polston talks, among several topics, about how demographics of his district — which includes a high Hispanic population — is an obstacle to be overcome for some of his students but also could develop in a bilingual asset for future students and graduates.
A bilingual student population “is not one that has been traditionally valued because were get measured on the rate of English acquisition” by Spanish speaking students, Polston said. “Over 50 percent of our students qualify for English language services. … I think bilingual is a tremendous asset, especially with the largest growing demographic in our country right now is our Hispanic population.”
Prior to taking the position in July, Polston served as Lakeshore Middle School’s principal, but he has worked in the classroom as well as in administration. He received his bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University, and his master’s in educational leadership from Grand Valley State University.
“WKTV Journal: In Focus” will started airing on Tuesday, Sept. 26, and will air on Tuesdays and Thursdays, at 6:30 p.m., on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel.
For a video of the In Focus interview with Jerry Byrne, deputy managing director of the Kent County Road Commission, see below.
After its wildly successful premiere in 1902, Finnish composer Jean Sibelius said of his Symphony No. 2, “My second symphony is a confession of the soul.”
Among his confessions, Sibelius declares his love for the Finnish country side by composing one of the most spectacular sunrises in all of classical music.
Grand Rapids Symphony ventures north to the frozen and solemn beauty of Finland and beyond, guided by a Norwegian conductor and assisted by a Grammy-nominated Norwegian mezzo-soprano.
Guest conductor Rune Bergmann will lead Sibelius Symphony No. 2, the second concert of the 2017-18 Richard and Helen DeVos Classical series, at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 6-7, in DeVos Performance Hall. A pre-concert discussion, Inside the Music, begins at 7 p.m.
Marianne Beate Kielland
George and Kerstin Trowbridge is the Concert Sponsor. Guest artist sponsor is the Edith I. Blodgett Guest Artist Fund.
Internationally acclaimed mezzo-soprano, Marianne Beate Kielland makes her DeVos Hall debut to sing Gustav Mahler’s Songs of a Wayfarer.
Marianne Kielland has established herself as one of the foremost singers of Scandinavia as well as one of the few Norwegian singers to have received a Grammy nomination. The versatile mezzo soprano began her international career with the Staatsoper Hannover in Germany and has been working frequently with
In case Sibelius and Mahler aren’t enough, Grand Rapids Symphony opens concerts with Richard Wagner’s Prelude to Die Meistersinger, one of his more popular and frequently played works.
A German music drama about medieval guild of “Master Singers” of the city of Nuremburg in the 16th century, this comic opera by Wagner is especially familiar for its Prelude, which is a staple of the orchestra repertoire.
After a failed pursuit for love, Gustav Mahler composed both lyrics and music for Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen orSongs of a Wayfarer. The lyrics are influenced by Des Knaben Wunderhorn or The Youth’s Magic Horn, a collection of German folk poetry that was one his favorite books. The four songs take the listener on a journey full of grief, beauty and despair, ending with a dark but necessary resolution.
Rune Bergmann, in his third appearance with the Grand Rapids symphony, leads the journey from medieval Germany to the vast forests of birch and pine in Scandinavia.
An energetic and compelling figure on the podium, Bergmann is a dynamic and versatile conductor with an extensive classical, romantic, operatic and contemporary repertoire.
Recently named Music Director of Canada’s Calgary Philharmonic as well as Artistic Director & Chief Conductor of Poland’s Szczecin Philharmonic, Bergmann has been Artistic Director of Norway’s innovative Fjord Cadenza Festival since its inception in 2010.
Inside the Music, a free, pre-concert, multi-media presentation sponsored by BDO USA, will be held before each performance at 7 p.m. in the DeVos Place Recital Hall.
The complete Sibelius No. 2 program will be rebroadcast on Sunday, March 11, 2018, at 1 p.m. on Blue Lake Public Radio 88.9 FM or 90.3 FM.
Tickets
Tickets start at $18 and are available at the GRS box office, weekdays 9 am-5 pm, at 300 Ottawa Ave. NW, Suite 100, (located across from the Calder Plaza), or by calling 616.454.9451 x 4. (Phone orders will be charged a $2 per ticket service fee, with a $12 maximum.)
Tickets are available at the DeVos Place ticket office, weekdays 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. or on the day of the concert beginning two hours prior to the performance. Tickets also may be purchased online at GRSymphony.org.
Full-time students of any age are able to purchase tickets for only $5 on the night of the concert by enrolling in the GRS Student Ticketsprogram. This is a MySymphony360 eligible concert.
A packed house for last year’s South Kent Community Expo has lead to four community organizations hosting the event again this year.
The South Kent Community Expo is set for this Saturday, Sept. 30, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the East Kentwood High School, 6230 Kalamazoo Ave. SE. Hosted by the City of Kentwood, the Wyoming-Kentwood Chamber of Commerce, Cutlerville-Gaines Area Chamber of Commerce and Kentwood Public Schools, the Expo features more than 80 different community business vendors.
Along with those vendors, there will be safety demonstrations by Kentwood Police and Fire Departments, said Kentwood Parks and Recreation Marketing and Events Coordinator Laura Barbrick. The two departments are scheduled to demonstrate cutting a car in half to show how police and fire personnel train for emergency rescues. There also will be family activities and a job fair.
“The job fair includes companies and organizations looking to fill part-time and full-time positions,” said Kentwood Parks and Recreation Department Assistant Director Lorraine Beloncis. “Many businesses are expanding their job force. This event is a great way to connect companies hiring with people looking for jobs.”
According to Bob O’Callagan, president/CEO of the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce, the expo is designed to bring in a representation of businesses and organizations in the Wyoming, Kentwood, Gaines and Cutlerville areas. Products and services that will be highlighted include financial planning, retail, medical, home improvement an entertainment.
The concept for the South Kentwood Community Expo came about last year, according to O’Callagahn.
“The Kentwood Parks and Recreation department hosted a health expo and they were running out of space at the location they were at along with the fact that we at the chamber and Cutlervile-Gaines have hosted similar events in the past,” O’Callaghan said. “Coming together, we felt that we had more options and a better opportunity to reach a broader range of residents.”
By combining efforts, the South Kent Community Expo last year drew residents from all over to the East Kentwood High School and this year’s expo also is expected to be well attended.
“The South Kent Community Expo highlights the best our community has to offer,” Beloncis said. “You’ll have the opportunity to support local businesses, taste different cuisines, see who is hiring and experience fun cultural events throughout the day. There really is a little bit of everything.”
The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) announced the honorees for the 9th Annual Jay & Betty Van Andel Legacy Awards Gala. These awards, given at the GRPM’s annual fundraiser, recognize individuals for positive impact in the community through their dedication and commitment to bettering the quality of life in the region. Recipients are chosen based on criteria of community leadership and character.
The awards will formally be given to the recipients at the GRPM’s 9th Annual Legacy Awards Gala on Thursday, Nov. 9. Tickets may be purchased by calling 616-929-1754 or by visiting www.grpm.org.
David and Judy Frey
The Jay & Betty Van Andel Lifetime Achievement Award will be awarded to David and Judy Frey. This award is presented to individuals who possess a lifetime of dedication to our community. Together Judy and David have had a vast impact through their individual talents and efforts working to improve Grand Rapids. With Judy’s leadership and passion for education she has devoted herself to the community through leadership capacities, by serving on boards and advisory committees, as well as serving as Mayor of East Grand Rapids. David’s involvement working as a civic leader for the Grand Design 2000, and his many years working as the Co-Chair of the Grand Action Committee has vastly improved the Grand Rapids area. David and Judy Frey represent leaders focused on long lasting commitment to Grand Rapids and its people. Their dedication to education and West Michigan is unparalleled.
Birgit Klos
The Dave & Carol Van Andel Leadership Award is awarded to an individual who demonstrates a commitment to the greater West Michigan region supporting philanthropic organizations, and contributing to the cultural, educational and economic health of our community. The 2017 Dave & Carol Van Andel Leadership Award will be awarded to Birgit M. Klohs, president & CEO of The Right Place, Inc., and a leading economic development strategist. Her collaboration with local, state and national organizations on critical issues related to economic development is one of the many things that contributes to her leadership in the community.
Dr. Mira Krishna
“The Casey” Award is named after one of the Museum’s most dynamic volunteers, Casey Wondergem. This award highlights public service and serves to inspire and encourage continued charitable activity. The 2017 “The Casey” Award will be presented to Dr. Mira Krishnan, a clinical neuropsychologist and consultant. She is dedicated to building services for autistic children and their families within the Grand Rapids area. She serves the community while being a member on the boards of Ikus Life Enrichment Services, Equality Michigan, and the Association of Children’s Residential Centers, and she has authored national position papers on serving diverse youth.
The Greater Grand Rapids Area has become a destination for travelers seeking out “Beer City USA” and one of Expedia’s “21 Super Cool US Cities.” With a rise in visitors to the area, what does that mean for locals when it comes to getting around town? If you’ve ever felt frustrated by trying to find parking or other commuting struggles, this is your time to be heard!
The City of Grand Rapids Parking Services and Mobile GR want to know, “What’s Your Commute?” The new parking and mobility census was developed to better understand the community’s values, needs and priorities when commuting. Your feedback will help shape future transportation options. They have set a goal of having 10 percent of trips use alternative modes of transportation, such as bikes or busses and better managing parking demand for the 90 percent who travel via car.
The survey is available online in English — Parking & Mobility Census and Spanish — Censo de Estacionamiento y Movilidad. The census will only take three to seven minutes and participants are eligible for prizes to local businesses! Share your opinion to help shape the future of parking and transportation in our community. To learn more about the Census and its goals, visit the Mobile GR & Parking Services website.
Your Community in Action! is provided by ASCET Community Action Agency. To learn more about how they help meet emergency needs and assist with areas of self-sufficiency, visit www.communityactionkent.org.
Five young apple trees grow outside West Elementary School. They are the beginnings of the Beverly Bryan Community Orchard, which could someday flourish with pear, plum and chestnut trees, blueberry and raspberry bushes, and feature benches and mulch for beautification.
The eventual goal is to feed hungry students and offer fresh produce to neighbors. It also provides the opportunity to teach agriculture to students, who will tend, water and harvest the orchard, said Kent School Services Network coordinator Erika VanDyke, who works to connect West students and families with local resources.
The orchard is being developed through a partnership with the Wyoming Tree Commission, called The Tree Amigos. It is named after the late wife of Tree Commissioner Greg Bryan, who donated $5,000 to the project.
Students recently watered the dwarf heirloom trees, checking out the little apples hanging from the branches. “I find it exciting that we are going to have fresh apples,” said third-grader Lyric McPhee.
Habitat for Humanity donated the trees from a downtown lot it is developing. A crew of volunteers recently planted them at West.
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
The rich really are different, and nothing proves it as much as Empty Mansions, the story of Huguette Clark, heir to the riches of her millionaire father, W.A. Clark, a savvy and ambitious businessman and politician, who made his money in copper mines and founded a town that later became Las Vegas.
Authored by Bill Dedman and Paul Clark Newell Jr., a cousin to Huguette, Empty Mansions tells the story of a woman so wealthy she owned paintings by Renoir and Degas; Stradivarius violins; and several remarkable homes, including an estate in Santa Barbara, California, and three apartments totaling over 40 rooms at a posh Fifth Avenue address.
Despite her vast wealth, however, Huguettte chose to spend a large part of her life as a recluse, collecting dolls and abandoning her many opulent homes to live in a small and rather spartan hospital room even though she was not ill. A complex and mysterious individual, she was extraordinarily generous to people she hardly knew but avoided most of her family.
Upon Huguettte’s death, her secluded life was thrust into the public venue as a legal battle over her $300-million-dollar estate ensued. Meticulously researched and filled with illustrations of her homes and possessions, Empty Mansions is an intimate look at an eccentric life.
Since 2014, more than 880 mayors, governors, and other state and local officials have answered the call of the Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness, pledging to do all they can to ensure their communities succeed.
It’s working.
Current homeless veterans have been connected to resources to secure housing and future vets can be assured a plan to secure them housing after it is known they are homeless.
On September 26, area agencies working to attain this goal — including the Grand Rapids Area Coalition to End Homelessness, housing providers, federal, state, government officials, veterans, and local partners — celebrated their successes for their part in ensuring that homelessness is both rare and brief for Veterans in Kent County at an awards ceremony on the campus of Calvin College.
has identified all Veterans experiencing homelessness;
provides shelter immediately to any Veteran experiencing unsheltered homelessness who wants it;
provides service-intensive transitional housing only in limited instances;
has capacity to assist Veterans to swiftly move into permanent housing; and
has resources, plans, partnerships, and system capacity in place should any Veteran become homeless or be at risk of homelessness in the future.
“It took a team of dedicated, caring community members to rearrange structures and resources so that Kent County can ensure that no Veteran will remain homeless in our community,” Beech shared. “We must honor those who have served our country and use what we have learned in this process to end homelessness for all populations.”
In a letter proclaiming Kent County reached Functional Zero, Matthew Doherty, the Executive Director of USICH, spoke of the remarkable efforts of the agencies involved.
“We are confident that the infrastructure and systems you have built will ensure that any Veteran experiencing homelessness in Kent County will get the support they need to quickly obtain a permanent home,” Doherty wrote.
“In its efforts to end veteran homelessness, Kent County has done something remarkable that will serve as a catalyst for other communities working toward this common goal,” MSHDA Executive Director Earl Poleski said. “The State stands ready to assist with the financial, technical and collaborative resources that can help end veteran homelessness here and across our great state.”
Commissioner Tom Antor accepted an award on behalf of the Kent County Board of Commissioners.
“The County staff has shown a great dedication to helping veterans and ending homelessness,” he said.
According to Antor, more than 170 Veterans Affairs Housing Vouchers have been provided in Kent County in recent years.
David Willer — who prefers to be called “Whitey” when he is behind the camera — is one of the newest WKTV sports coverage volunteers. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
By WKTV Staff
David Willer — who prefers to be called “Whitey” when he is behind the camera — is one of the newest WKTV sports coverage volunteers, occasionally working as part of the video crew for high school football games.
After his first night working with “the truck”, as WKTV’s mobile video unit is nicknamed, the Northeast Grand Rapids resident says his night as quite an adventure.
“I did not expect to do as much as I did (that first night), but it was a blast,” Willer said. “It was a great experience.”
Willer said he found out about sports volunteer opportunities on FaceBook. “I saw the station and responded and decided to do it. It is something I was always interested in, but never really pursued. But I thought ‘Why not now?’”
Part of the reason for Willer, an admitted sports fan, to become involved was his desire to get back into youth sports as well as to learn how to work cameras.
“I used to coach youth sports, back in Minnesota, where I grew up,” he said. “Came here and never had the chance. Fell into cooking, as a chef, and that is what I have been doing for the last 30 years. This (working with WKTV sports coverage) gets me back into sports. It has been a great experience.”
Persons interested in joining Willer and other community volunteers do not need any prior video camera or video production training. (But it helps!) For more information about volunteering at WKTV and becoming part of the stations sports coverage team, email Davin at davin@wktv.org or Bill at bill@wktv.org.
The unseasonable hot weather in Western Michigan has caused some problems for local high school team’s schedules — including postponing today’s (Monday, Sept. 25) boys soccer game between South Christian and East Kentwood which WKTV was going to send its broadcast crew’s coverage crew to. But we have not changed plans for this week’s football game of the week, Friday, Sept. 29, Kelloggsville at Wyoming Godwin Heights — both 5-0 and leading the OK Silver Conference with 2-0 records.
Currently, WKTV sports events will be broadcast the night of the game on Comcast Channel 25, usually at 11 p.m., and repeated on Saturday at 11 a.m. on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T U-verse Channel 99 in Wyoming & Kentwood.
For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and features on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/
Local high school sports events this week are as follows:
Monday, Sept. 25
Boys Tennis
Coopersville @ Kelloggsville
East Kentwood @ Grand Haven
Grand Rapids Christian @ Wyoming
Boys Soccer
Coopersville@ Kelloggsville
Postponed — South Christian @ East Kentwood (Special WKTV broadcast)
Girls Golf
South Christian @ FH Northern – Ernie Popiel Invite
Boys Water Polo
Grand Haven @ East Kentwood
Tuesday, Sept. 26
Boys/girls Cross Country
Wyoming Lee @ Godwin Heights
Boys Soccer
Belding @ Wyoming Lee
West Michigan Heat/Homeschool @ Godwin Heights
Tri-Unity Christian @ Zion Christian
Calvin Christian @ Kelloggsville
South Christian @ Wayland
Grand Haven @ East Kentwood
EGR @ Wyoming
Girls Volleyball
Godwin Heights @ NorthPointe Christian – Alliance Double Quad
This month, beekeepers across the region began harvesting honey created during the summer. Grand Valley State University students and faculty members are part of this group and recently gathered honey produced at the apiaries on campus.
In early September, members of the student organization GVSU Beekeepers harvested, extracted and bottled more than 360 pounds of honey. The honey came from apiaries at the Sustainable Agriculture Project on the Allendale Campus and Meijer Campus in Holland. An apiary is a collection of hives.
“Honeybees pollinate one-third of crops grown in the U.S.,” said Megan Damico, a senior biomedical sciences major and president of the GVSU Beekeepers. “They pollinate all kinds of produce, from citrus fruits in the South, up to apples and berries in the North, over to almonds in the West. They’re key to our healthy diets.”
The honey is for sale for $8 per bottle in room 324 of Lake Ontario Hall on the Allendale Campus and at the front desk at the Meijer Campus in Holland, Monday-Friday.
GVSU honey is $8 a bottle and available at Lake Ontario Hall the Allendale campus and at the front desk at the Meijer Campus in Holland.
Researching honeybee health
Honeybees are disappearing and researchers around the world, including Grand Valley faculty members and students, are studying the reasons why. The group is taking a close look at honeybee habitats and health, and organizing community outreach activities to educate people about the species’ importance.
Anne Marie Fauvel, affiliate faculty of liberal studies, hopes a mobile app developed at Grand Valley will shed light on honeybee health in Michigan and beyond.
The app is part of Michigan PollenCheck, a project led by Fauvel to study bee pollen to project the health of hives in Michigan. The app was developed by two Grand Valley students and computing professor Jonathan Engelsma. More than 20 beekeepers across the state have been trained to collect pollen and submit hive data via the app.
After data has been collected, Fauvel will connect with Bee Informed Partnership (BIP), a national organization that researches the mortality of honeybees.
“The app will eventually be used by beekeepers and researchers nationally,” said Fauvel, president of the Holland Area Beekeepers Association.
Michigan PollenCheck stems from another research project led by Engelsma and funded by a portion of a $2.3 million USDA grant awarded to BIP. The project focuses on collecting data from honeybee colonies using a variety of techniques and tools, including a website developed by a team of students. The website (hivescales.beeinformed.org) houses information captured by electronic scales that are installed underneath more than 150 live honeybee colonies across the country. The scales capture weight, humidity and temperature every 15 minutes. Read more.
“Every morning when the sun warms a hive, we’ll see the weight drop about four pounds as bees leave to find nectar and pollen,” Engelsma said. “Around mid-day, we see the weight increase as bees bring nectar and pollen loads back to the hive. Observing weight increases and decreases can reveal a lot about a hive; it’s healthy for a colony to gain weight, not lose it.”
The Grand Valley Shakespeare Festival will explore and celebrate the life and works of William Shakespeare for the 24th consecutive year, with multiple events September 29-November 4.
Grand Valley State University’s annual festival is the oldest and largest Shakespeare festival in Michigan and attracts more than 6,000 guests each year.
To kick off this year’s festival, students will bring to life what is believed to be one of the Bard’s final solo-written plays. Shakespeare wraps themes of love, betrayal, vengeance, forgiveness, redemption and magic into “The Tempest.”
In “The Tempest,” Prospero, the exiled Duke of Milan and a powerful sorcerer, has survived 12 years marooned on a remote island with his daughter, Miranda, when the men who cheated him sail within reach of his fearful magic. He conjures a tempest that shipwrecks his enemies and leaves them at his mercy, but the story becomes more complex when Miranda falls in love with a castaway prince, and the island’s native inhabitants, Caliban and Ariel, frighten and amaze the mariners. Will Prospero exact his revenge or learn that “the rare action is in virtue than in vengeance?”
Performances of “The Tempest” will take place Sept. 29 and 30, and Oct. 5, 6 and 7, at 7:30 p.m., and Oct. 1 and 8, at 2 p.m. All performances will take place in Louis Armstrong Theatre, in the Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts. Sign language interpretation will be available during the October 5 performance.
Tickets are $14 for adults, $12 for seniors and GVSU alumni, faculty and staff members, and $6 for students and groups. Five percent of total ticket sales for performances of “The Tempest” will be donated to the American Red Cross to contribute to hurricane relief efforts.
“We feel we could not perform a play called ‘The Tempest’ that begins with a devastating storm that shipwrecks sailors without acknowledging the catastrophic storms of this year and the devastation caused to so many areas,” said Jim Bell, Shakespeare Festival director.
“The Tempest” will be directed by guest artist Curt Tofteland, founder and producing director of Shakespeare Behind Bars Inc., the oldest North American Shakespeare program that takes place in medium-security prisons.
The award-winning documentary, “Shakespeare Behind Bars,” traces the success of the program while demonstrating the transformational power of performing Shakespeare’s works. A public screening of the documentary and a discussion with Tofteland will take place Oct. 4, at 7 p.m., in Louis Armstrong Theatre.
This year’s Shakespeare Festival will welcome guest scholar-in-residence, John Andrews, founder and president of the renowned Shakespeare Guild. Andrews also served as the resident scholar during Grand Valley’s first Shakespeare Festival in 1994.
Andrews will give a public lecture in conjunction with performances of “The Tempest,” entitled “Why Shakespeare’s ‘Brave New World’ Continues to Resonate: Reflections on ‘The Tempest.'” His presentation will take place Sept. 29, at 4 p.m., in the Kirkhof Center’s Pere Marquette Room. The lecture will be preceded by a reception at 3 p.m. and include a performance of this year’s festival Greenshow: “The Devil is an Ass.”
Grand Valley’s traveling Shakespeare troupe, Bard to Go, also returns this year with a new, 50-minute production, “The Wonder of Will: This Is Your Afterlife!”
Bard to Go performs Sept. 30 and Oct. 1.
This year’s production asks what would happen if the Bard was brought back to life and taken on an adventure through his most famous plays. The production includes scenes from “Hamlet,” “Richard III,” “The Comedy of Errors,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “Romeo and Juliet,” “Macbeth,” and “The Merchant of Venice.”
Bard to Go will perform for students at various secondary schools throughout Michigan in October and November, and offer multiple public performances as well. The troupe will perform as an ArtPrize entry from noon-5 p.m. on September 30 and October 1 at the Gerald R. Ford Museum in Grand Rapids.
Bard to Go will also perform at 1 p.m. on November 4 in Loosemore Auditorium, located in the DeVos Center on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus. The performance will follow the Campus Student Competition Awards Ceremony.
For more information about this year’s Grand Valley Shakespeare Festival, contact Bell at bellja@gvsu.edu, or visit gvsu.edu/shakes. To purchase tickets for “The Tempest,” call the Louis Armstrong Theatre Box Office at 616-331-2300.
From left, Oriole Park Elementary School social worker Heidi Workman, left, and Principal Jennifer Slanger talk about parenting strategies during Superhero Literacy Night
Plenty of books in the house. Nightly story time. Exposure to words, words and more words.
Those are three components that help a child develop reading skills from birth on, and the more a child reads the better in correlates with achievement. Research shows the more a child reads and is read to at home the better they do in school. A student who reads 20 minutes each day clocks in 3,600 minutes per school year and reads 1.8 million words per year.
So if you’re worried about your child passing third grade beginning in 2019-2020, you can help him or her acquire the required reading skills.
“I think parents feel a little bit like they are left out of this particular equation,” said Lowell Area Schools Superintendent Greg Pratt of the third-grade reading legislation. “The reality is just the opposite. Parents can impact this age group’s reading progress probably more than any other age group. Reading to your child every day can be done very early and can be put in place every day.”
Pratt said the district has and will continue to support parents in helping their children to become better readers. He noted Lowell’s decade-old summer Arrow Readers on the Move program, and that the district sent books home this summer with students who have been needing help with reading.
“We’re surprised how many students don’t have a collection of books to access,” he added. “All those things make a big impact.”
Parents listen to tops during Literacy Night
Parents Offer Insight
Parents attending Superhero Reading Night recently at Oriole Park Elementary School, in Wyoming Public Schools, learned at-home reading strategies and were connected with resources available at Kent District Library.
Mom Dawn Parm said she makes it a priority to support her children’s learning.
“It’s important to support learning, reading and education in general for the kids,” Parm said. “And it’s important for parents to be involved with the kids, so they see their parents are interested in what they are learning.”
Dad Jim Bos said he’s already seen at-home reading pay off with his second-grader, sixth-grader and seventh-grader, who are all reading well above grade level.
“It’s important to be consistent about it,” Bos said. “When my kids were younger, we were always reading one to two books a night with them. Have them try. Not always read to them; give them a shot. Have a variety of books so things stay fresh for them.
He said reading well has helped his children overall.
“When you have good readers, that gives them an advancement terms of all the other academic stuff too,” he said. “Don’t just send them to bed, take a seat with them. Read with them.”
Along with record highs for the month of September comes another first for the month: school closings due to the heat.
Several area schools announced half days due to the high temperatures that were expected to reach 92 degrees today, according to the National Weather Service. Among those schools closing early today were Godfrey Lee Public Schools, Kentwood Public Schools, and Wyoming Public Schools. Godfrey Lee Public Schools also cancelled its TEAM 21 program for today. Kentwood Public Schools cancelled Arch and after school day care todayalong with tonight’s soccer game at East Kentwood High School.
From Kentwood Public Schools’ Facebook the district stated “The temperatures for this evening are again supposed to get down into the mid to low 60s which does cool off our buildings without air conditioning until around noon. We know this will provide some challenges for our parents but we needed to make a decision based on the safety of our students and staff.
From the National Weather Service
“We will again monitor the temperatures on Monday afternoon as the forecast for Tuesday is beginning to cool. We will try to make a decision for Tuesday by the same time tomorrow evening.”
According to the National Weather Service, temperatures for Tuesday are expected to reach 91 degrees with the weather starting to cool down on Wednesday.
School officials recommend residents and participants check with the school or district for delays or cancellations before heading out to attend any school-related function or event.
Love him or hate him — people aren’t usually lukewarm about Michael Moore.This is an “almost memoir” that leaves out all of the dull stuff and serves up anecdotal bites of Moore’s life.
Growing up in Flint in the post-war 1950s, Moore was a good Catholic boy who had planned to become a priest. Moore’s life trajectory is fascinating to follow, prompting one reviewer to comment that “Michael Moore is Michigan’s own Forrest Gump.”
Moore can be a tad self-serving (who isn’t), but he makes up for that by also being self-effacing, thoughtful, and funny.The portraits of his parents are poignant and especially well done. It’s also a great memoir from the ’50s, when things were a lot different for the average kid.This is a quieter, more thoughtful book than some of his previous works, and I totally enjoyed the audio version, which is read by the author.
Entrepreneur Luzmita Mendez de Leon shared a heartfelt story during Migrant Legal Aid’s(MLA)7th Annual Harvest of Justice Luncheon at Versluis Orchards on Sept. 13.
Several years ago, Mendez de Leon, an undocumented migrant and a victim of domestic violence, found her pleas for help ignored by several West Michigan agencies. Then she turned to MLA for help.
Now, years later, Mendez de Leon is a successful entrepreneur and owner of La Cosinita restaurant and catering company. In fact, she catered this year’s Harvest of Justice Luncheon.
“In addition to catering, she delivers 200 lunches every day to migrant camps,” said MLA executive director and lead attorney, Teresa Hendricks.
Migrant Legal Aid provides legal services to migrant farmworkers who face substantial barriers to justice. These willing, hardworking, and economical workers are vital to Michigan’s economy, but a migrant family’s life is far from easy. Many work 15-hour days in the hot sun with little or no access to bathrooms or fresh water for drinking and washing. A delay in starting work, a missed hour of work, or one missed paycheck can upset their fragile existence. Worse, the confusion and uncertainty surrounding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals(DACA)andcurrent attitudes toward immigrants in America make a migrant’s life even more fragile.
Hendricks and her team advocate on behalf of migrant and seasonal farmworkers in Michigan for basic human dignity, on-the-job and environmental safety, safe housing, health care access, and myriad other needs.
And each year, MLA celebrates and honors businesses in the community who treat their workers humanely. Awards are given for Responsible Retailer and Good Grower.
As part of the Fair Food Project (FFP), MLA partners with area grocery stores who sign a pledge to buy from growers who treat their workers humanely. FFP is a partnership among farmers, farmworkers, and retail food companies that ensures humane wages and working conditions for the workers who pick fruits and vegetables on participating farms. It harnesses the power of consumer demand to give farmworkers a voice in the workplace, and to eliminate the longstanding abuses that have plagued agriculture for generations.
Spartan Nash received the ‘Responsible Retailer Award’ this year — 200 Spartan Nash stories pledged, and 80 independent stores supplied by Spartan Nash also signed pledges.
Other awards were given to MLA staff and board members.
ArtPrize has barely been open a week and Ti-Rock Moore’s piece has already been called “moving” and “powerful.”
The piece, titled “Flint” is brown water constantly flowing from a bright white water fountain. The purpose of the piece, signals the ongoing situation in the majority black town, as well as, the extreme limitations placed on communities of color due to flawed infrastructures that privilege the needs of affluent and of the predominantly white communities, according to Moore’s ArtPrize artist statement. In 2014, lead was discovered in the Flint water system after cost-cutting measures. The city still does not have safe water to drink for all of its citizens.
Moore’s piece, which is on display as part of the Fountain Street Church ArtPrize Nine exhibition, recently receive the American Civil Liberties Union Award during a special reception at the church for ArtPrize artists and friends.
“Our Constitution provides for equal protect of the law,” said the jurors’ statement. “Civil rights laws protect against discrimination based on age, race, religion, gender, disability, and national origin. Ti-Rock Moore’s art reveals a stunning example of injustice against people of color based on the condition of municipal finances in the City of Flint, Michigan. People were poisoned because of money.”
Born and raised in New Orleans’ French Quarter, Moore followed disparate career paths before emerging in 2014 with protest works created, in part, in response to the devastating, lingering effects of Hurricane Katrina. At that time, Moore renamed herself in homage to colorful and controversial twentieth-century painter Noel Rockmore, a New Yorker turned New Orleanian who, like Moore, had been the child of artists. Moore’s self-identification (petit or ‘tit in local parlance) with the mercurial Rockmore as a kind of spiritual protégé positions her within both local history and artistic traditions, while her work focuses on dismantling the structures that support racism.
Artist Ti-Rock Moore
In “Flint,” the public water fountain has long been a passive symbol of separatism in the United States, one of the more visible manifestations of the Jim Crow era. Although the legal dismantling of the Jim Crow system of apartheid took place more than half a century ago, The Unites States remains deeply divided by race and class, according to a press release from Fountain Street Church. In such a volatile historical moment, the role of the artist is paramount, even essential, as a voice that both incites and instructs all of us to not remain complacent and to act upon our beliefs and stand up for what is moral and just, the press release states. If not now, we might ask ourselves, when? We are in just such a moment that requires—no, demands our attention and our action: to either squelch the flames of hatred and intolerance once and for all, or to stand by and watch as we reduce everything to embers.
Fountain Street Church is one of a few ArtPrize venues that award cash prizes to its participating artists. Along with the ACLU Award, which is a $1,000, the church also award a Social Action Committee Award, which was presented to Patrick Foran, Bufafalo, New York, for “State of Exception.” “We were fascinated by how Patrick Foran took iconic media imagery and, with an economy of means, presented a triptych full of foreboding. He reminds us of the power of imagery to form our understanding of the news we are bombarded by each day. The scale of the images and the mastery of craft help crystallize his powerful statement.”
The jurors were Kendall College of Art and Design Professor Emeritus and artist Darlene Kaczmarczyk and artist, social activist, and dedicated ACLU supporter Max Matteson. The jurors also presented two $250 Special Recognition Awards to Rebekah Modrak, of Ann Arbor, for “TheImplicit Jacques Panis on Shinola’s Quest to Revive American Manufacturing,” and Nick Reszet, of Reno, Nevada, for “Transitus.”
Twenty-six artists are featured at Fountain Street Church, 24 Fountain Ave. NE, all who have works that represent the venue’s theme “Art to Change the World: Inspiring Social Justice.” The exhibit is open during regular ArtPrize hours, noon to 8 p.m. Monday – Saturday and noon – 6 p.m. Sunday. For more information about Fountain Street Church and its ArtPrize exhibition, visit http://www.artprize.org/fountain-street-church
Editor’s Note:Student Leaders is a series dedicated to students that go above and beyond to serve their school, peers and community
Playing piano moves Becca Hanson’s soul. That’s why she makes it about something bigger than herself. She likes to share that feeling – indulgent, she calls it – with others.
She’s that kind of leader: a poised, soft-spoken doer who realizes the impact that masterpieces by classical composers like Beethoven, Chopin and Liszt can have on people.
“It’s a way to make the audience feel alive with me,” said the Wyoming High School junior. “A lot of times we are so busy that we forget we are alive.”
So after her school and volunteer work is done, she turns to the instrument she’s been playing since age 9 and gets lost in the blissfulness of her craft.
“It’s a way to be a little bit selfish and indulge in how the music feels to play, but it also allows other people to indulge in something that brings up memories for them and happy moments,” she said.
Selfish may be the last adjective one would use to describe Becca, who recently helped better the lives of others in another way. She hosted “Awakened,” a benefit concert to collect food for Feeding America West Michigan food bank at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Grand Rapids. With admission set at one non-perishable food item, she gathered three 27-gallon containers full of food to donate.
“I decided to have the recital for a less selfish cause,” Becca said. “I didn’t feel it was right to go up there and be celebrated myself. There are a lot of things that helped me get to that point. Part of that is seeing how important it is to help the community through my church.”
Becca, the daughter of Teresa and Jeffery Hanson, said she visited Iquitos, Peru, where her mother comes from, at age 9, and that’s when she became interested in helping eliminate hunger.
“Iquitos is a particularly impoverished part of the country,” she said. “I realized food is really hard to come by. I grew up always being aware that some people just can’t eat and I realized I’ve been taking that for granted.
“I wanted to make a difference because do I even deserve to live if I have the advantage of having so much wealth and extra to give to other people? Do I even deserve to live if I don’t give?”
One of the Best
Teachers said Becca’s leadership stands out in many areas. At Wyoming, she serves as vice president of Key Club and is in National Honor Society. She played the oboe last year in the St. Cecilia Philharmonic Orchestra, is in choir and Science Olympiad and plans to join the debate team.
“Becca looks for opportunities to use her strengths to make those around her better,” said math teacher Eric Retan. “Through years of hard work and an incredible ability, she is one of the best piano players I’ve ever witnessed … Becca consistently demonstrates kindness, compassion and generosity in my class. She shows genuine concern for others in class. She also has a very strong work ethic.”
“She regularly puts hours of work into her piano playing, and she approaches other areas of school and her life with that same fervor,” added English teacher Dan Lorenz.
Becca plans to host more concerts for Feeding America. She continues to study piano under the tutelage of Hope College Music Professor Andrew Le and is considering plans for college, flirting with the idea of Ivy League schools. But she isn’t sure she wants to major in music. “I’d really like to major in aerospace engineering,” she said.
That might not be a big surprise to science teacher Stephanie Rathsack.
“I have found her to be very creative not just in music, but in science,” Rathsack said. “In Honors Chemistry she was always willing to work hard to make a new lab idea come to completion. She is an excellent classmate and student.”
Still, however Becca spends her days, one can bet she will continue to find her place at the piano, filling the room with music and helping change the world, one masterpiece and one can of food at a time.
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
Your job search is more than browsing job postings daily. Learning how to present yourself to employers and building a network are also important job search activities.
Have a free hour? These four small tasks will make a big impact on your job search. Here’s your agenda for Job Search Power Hour:
Update your LinkedIn profile (20 minutes) Recruiters use LinkedIn to search for candidates. Look over your profile for errors. Update job descriptions with action verbs. Upload a professional-looking photo. Send connection requests to people you know (make sure to include a personal note).
Send an email to someone new (10 minutes) Is there someone in a job you’re interested in? What about someone you recently met at a networking event? Send them an email asking to discuss their job or company. Let them know how long you’d like to meet. Pick a location most convenient for them.
Look for a networking event (15 minutes) The event might be part of an industry-specific group, like Home Builders Association of Greater Grand Rapids, or part of an industry-general group like Economic Club of Grand Rapids. Before you attend, decide your goal for the event. Is it to meet three new people, or is it to meet someone specific?
Register for a workshop (15 minutes) Attend a free workshop to learn more about a specific computer program, practice interviewing or discover why LinkedIn is essential to your job search. Free workshops are provided at several organizations including West Michigan Works!, Career Transitions Center of West Michigan and Women’s Resource Center.
Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works! Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or your local Service Center.
If you head down to ArtPrize this year, chances are you won’t be able to miss the large group of fish swimming across the Holiday Inn Grand Rapids Downtown.
The piece, which faces Pearl Street across from the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum and near the U.S. 131 entrance/exit ramps, is the ArtPrize entry of artist and Kentwood Public School teacher Jerry Berta.
Berta worked with students from the Kentwood Public Schools. Students glued laser cut scraps together for the fish which were arranged to create a giant wave of fish, just like a school of fish swimming together. According to Berta’s artist statement on the ArtPrize website, the piece – titled “We Are All Different Fish But We All Swim Together!” – is about diversity and how people may be different but they can work together to create a better world.
“This is one of the biggest pieces at ArtPRize created by the most diverse student body in the state,” Berta said in his statement. Kentwood Public Schools has more than 70 different languages spoken at its buildings with the City of Kentwood know of its diverse population with residents from such countries as Vietnam, Korea, and Bosnia.
Students, staff, and parents from Kentwood’s Discovery, Meadowlawn, Explorer and Bowen elementary schools helped bring this piece together. Students from Valleywood Middle School, under the guidance of Alicia Fuller, and East Kentwood High School, under the guidance of Jon Bouck, and students from Charlevoix’s St. Mary’s School, also contributed to the project.
Berta, who lives in Rockford and is the man behind Dinerland and Rosie’s Diner, is just one of several artists representing the Wyoming and Kentwood areas at this year’s ArtPrize taking place in downtown Grand Raids through Oct. 8.
Marking its ninth year, ArtPrize is an open, independently organized international art competition that takes place 19 days in the fall. More than $500,000 in prizes are awarded each year which includes a $200,000 prize awarded by a public vote and another $200,000 prize awarded by a jury of art experts. Round 1 voting is currently underway until Sept. 30. On Oct. 1, the Final 20 are announced with Round 2 voting for just those in the Final 20 opening. Round 2 voting closes Oct. 5 with winners announced at the ArtPrize Awards.
Also having an entry in this year’s event is Godfrey Lee Public Schools kindergarten teacher Susan Sheets Odo, whose piece ,“A Colorful Michigan,” is at Grand Woods Lounge, 77 Grandville Ave. SW. Odo, who is also a Wyoming Public Schools board member, said in her artist statement that “A Colorful Michigan” is an interactive coloring piece. Featuring landmarks of Michigan mixed with designs, mandalas, floral patterns, and patterns found in the different cultures of the people who live in West Michigan, visitors are invited to leave their mark by helping to color the piece.
Wyoming Public Schools mentor Khalilah Yvonne hopes to encourage youth all over the world to stand up and let their voices be heard through her piece “Silence Broken.” Located at Grand Rapids City Hall, 300 Monroe Ave. NW, Apt. 4, the piece is based on Yvonne’s own personal experience of being a victim of sexual assault, according to her artist statement.
If you head over to Grand Valley Artists, Inc., at 1345 Monroe Ave. NW, 140, you will be able to see Wyoming resident Nona (Voss) Bushman’s unique jewelry pieces. A graduate of Wyoming Park High School and Western Michigan University, Bushman’s piece is “Lost in Your Beauty.” Also showing at Grand valley Artists, Inc. is Wyoming resident Katherine Kreutziger’s painting “Autumn Hunt of a Lone Wolf.”
Other local artists are: Wyoming resident Nicole Bluekamp’s “Intoxication of Passion” is at Rockwell Republic, 45 S. Division Ave., and Wyoming resident Karin Nelson’s piece “Trees in the Park” is at the Women’s City Club, 254 E. Fulton St.
There are more than 170 venues for this year’s ArtPrize and one of them is not that far from Wyoming and Kentwood. For the first time, the Gerald R. Ford International Airport is a venue featuring seven artists with works in the upstairs observation deck, east end of the terminal building, and outdoors under the trademark GFIA canopy and welcome wall.
The pieces featured at the airport are “TOTEM of a Michigan Woman” by Sharron Ansell, of Kalamazoo; “Sanutario de la Monarch,” by Dalice Ceballos, of Mexico; “We are Fruitport Building on a Legacy,” by Fruitport High School Visual Arts Team; “Our Love Connects All Happiness,” by Haruko Furukawa, of New Zealand; “Fly Away With Me,” by Mariia Rykhlovska, of Los Angeles; “Elements of a Japanese Garden,” by Judy A. Steiner, of Grand Rapids; and “Kitty Hawk,” by Brett Walker, of East Tawas, Mich.
Just further up on the East Beltline, the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, 1000 E. Beltline NE, is also a venue again this year. For more on what is featured at the Gardens, click here.
To learn more about the artists, venues, voting or to register to vote in this year’s ArtPrize competition, go to artprize.org.
Each week, WKTV features an adoptable furry friend (or few) from various shelters in the Grand Rapids area. This week, we focus on Humane Society of West Michigan, located at 3077 Wilson Dr. NW in Grand Rapids.
Humane Society of West Michigan’s mission is to rescue hurt, abused and abandoned animals and find them new, forever homes. The 501(c)3 non-profit organization helps over 8,000 animals annually and is 100% donor-funded by caring individuals and businesses in the community. Additional programs help reduce pet overpopulation, provide assistance to low-income pet owners, behaviorally assess animals and reunite lost pets with their owners.
Meet Bates!
Bates – Male Shepherd Mix
I’m a happy 3-year-old dog looking to find my forever family! I have a happy face and a lot of love to give. I am currently sharing a kennel with a female dog and we get along very well. Homes with children would be required to bring their children in to meet with me prior to adoption. Please come meet me at Humane Society of West Michigan and see if we are the right fit!
More about Bates:
Animal ID: 36471588
Breed: Shepherd/Mix
Age: 3 years
Gender: Male
Size: Large
Color: Black/Tan
Neutered
Olivia – Female Domestic Short Hair
I am an 8-year-old cat looking for my forever home! I’m a shy cat, but I warm up to people quickly when they come visit me and sit quietly and let me approach for some pets and love. I have been waiting to find my forever home for over two months! I would do best in a relaxed home where I could have my own space and approach new people on my own terms. Please come meet me at Humane Society of West Michigan!
Olivia is a very sweet kitty
More about Olivia:
Animal ID: 35744314
Breed: Domestic Shorthair/Mix
Age: 8 years
Gender: Female
Size: Small
Color: Brown/White
Spayed
Herrin — Male Boxer/Bulldog Mix
I’m a happy and active one-year-old dog looking for my forever home! I would do best in a home with no cats. I enjoying playing, running around, and having a good time! I would do well in a home that has the time to provide me with daily exercise, and my activity level should be considered for homes with small children. I’m a happy go-lucky dog with a lot of love to give, who always has a smile on my face. Please come meet me at Humane Society of West Michigan and see if we are the right fit!
Heeeere’s Herrin!
More about Herrin:
Animal ID: 36092394
Breed: Boxer/Bulldog
Age: 1 year
Gender: Male
Size: Small
Color: White
Neutered
Nim — Female Domestic Short Hair
I am an 8-year-old cat looking for my forever home! I’m quiet cat who would do best in a relaxed home where I would have my own space for when I need some “me time.” I do have a lot of love to give, I just need a patient home to help me blossom! I have been waiting to find my right fit since May. Please come meet me at Humane Society of West Michigan!
Cute and quiet, little Nim
More about Nim:
Animal ID: 35368586
Breed: Domestic Shorthair/Mix
Age: 8 years
Gender: Female
Size: Small
Color: Black
Spayed
Declawed
The Humane Society of West Michigan automatically microchips all adoptable animals using 24PetWatch microchips, which include FREE registration into the 24PetWatch pet recovery service. For more information visit www.24petwatch.com or call 1-866-597-2424. This pet is also provided with 30 days of FREE ShelterCare Pet Health Insurance with a valid email address. For more information visit www.sheltercare.com or call 1-866-375-7387 (PETS).
Humane Society of West Michigan is open Tues-Fri 12-7, Sat & Sun 11-4.
Landslide performs the music of Fleetwood Mac with the Grand Rapids Symphony
Fleetwood Mac was one of the biggest, best-known pop/rock acts of the 1970s and 1980s with two albums, “Rumors” and “Fleetwood Mac,” among Billboard’s Top 200 Albums of All Time. Additionally, “Rumors” spent 31 weeks at the top of the album charts in 1977-78. Only Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” and the soundtrack for “West Side Story” spent more weeks at No. 1.
Music made famous by Americans Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham, and Brits Mick Fleetwood, John McVie and Christie McVie come to DeVos Hall on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 22-24 to open the Grand Rapids Symphony’s 2017-18 Fox Motors Pops series. The program “Landslide: A Tribute to the Music of Fleetwood Mach” is at DeVos Performance Hall, 303 Monroe Ave. NW. Shows are at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Sept. 22 and 23 and 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 24.
Landslide, a sextet of Los Angeles-based musicians, joins the Grand Rapids Pops for the concerts that recall the band’s glory days of the 1970s and 1980s.
Principal Pops Conductor Bob Bernhardt, who conducted the Grand Rapids Pops in tributes to The Beatles, ABBA and Chicago earlier this year, will be on the podium for songs including Go Your Own Way, Dreams, Don’t Stop Believing and You Make Loving Fun.
The Grand Rapids Symphony’s six-concert 2017-18 Fox Motors Pops Series includes a full-length screening of the 1951film “An American in Paris” with live music in November; the perennially popular Wolverine World Wide Holiday Pops in December; a night of the Best of Broadway in January; a visit by comedy troupe Second City during LaughFest in March; and a salute to “Star Wars” and the Music of John Williams in May.
For more about the Grand Rapids Symphony’s season, visit grsymphony.org.
Fall is in the air and that means the Coopersville and Marne Railway is getting ready to depart its annual Famous Pumpkin Train. Adults: $19.75, Seniors (60+): $18.75, Children (2-12): $17.75. Children under two years old get a free ticket. All children’s tickets include a pumpkin that they can pick from the track-side pumpkin patch. The train will depart Saturdays: Sept. 30, Oct. 7, and 14 at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Saturdays: Oct., 21 and 28 at 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m. & 3:30 p.m. Sundays: Oct 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29 at 1 and 3 p.m. For tickets or more information visit mitrain.net or call 616-997-7000. The friendly Conductor will call “All Aboard” at 20 minutes before each departure.
The Famous Pumpkin and her cast of delightful musical characters will “enterTRAIN” you and your guests during the 90-minute ride through family owned farms and fields. During the journey the costumed characters will sing, dance, and entertain the kiddos. All of the vintage train cars are decorated for the season. Some cars are almost 100 years old. Each railcar is heated and has a restroom. The locomotive is a 1950’s era diesel/electric engine. Kids 12 and under are encouraged to come in costume for some holiday fun, and yes, adults may dress up too.
About the Coopersville and Marne Railway:
An all-volunteer historic railway operating vintage locomotives and circa-1920’s cars from Coopersville, Mich. to Marne, Mich. (about 20 miles northwest of Grand Rapids, Mich.). We run passenger trains from spring to winter, rain or shine, to preserve a little chunk of railroad history and educate our passengers along the way. We train volunteers in operating and repairing railroad equipment, many of whom end up getting hired away by large commercial railroads once they’ve completed training with us.
While clutching a class picture from school year 1955-1956, Jeanne Wendt leaned over to speak to a preschooler who was stretched out on her nap-time cot. A handmade blanket covered the little girl.
“That’s me in kindergarten,” she told preschooler Kiersten Groth, who responded with a giggle.
After sewing and donating 160 blankets to the school, Wendt came to see them put to use. She visited students in teacher Kristen Seabert’s Great Start Readiness Preschool (GSRP) all-day program in the Kelloggsville Early Childhood Center. (GSRP is a state-funded free preschool program for students who qualify.)
Wendt, a 1968 Kelloggsville graduate, walked the halls of the ECC as a youngster when it was an elementary school. She said she’s been sewing for 30 years, and made the blankets from squares of material, then adding flannel backs and filling.
Each of the school’s 144 preschoolers in nine GSRP programs received their own blanket. “Now they have a nice comfortable quilt to snuggle with,” said Kim Stevens, preschool director.
Wendt, a retired legal secretary, once made 650 blankets for students at Cesar Chavez Elementary School, in Grand Rapids Public Schools. She makes 50 each month for patients at Forest View Psychiatric Hospital, in Grand Rapids. “It just warms my heart,” Wendt said about making blankets to donate to people. “Everybody asks, ‘Why do you do it?’ I say, ‘Why not?”
“It’s about giving back,” she said.
She sews in a room in her house that’s packed with materials, most of which is donated for blanket-making. A friend donated the fabric for the ECC blankets. She gets together weekly with friends who tie the quilts.
Seabert said the blankets are a great gift for her students. “It’s so nice that the kids don’t have to bring a blanket back and forth with them, and it’s nice because some of the kids don’t have them.
The Purdue Varsity Glee Club will perform Oct. 27 as part of the Sunset Manor’s Fall Gala 2017.
The event is a fundraiser for the resident benevolence at Sunset Retirement Communities and Services. It is anticipated that $340,000 in resident benevolence will be needed to help residents this year. Benevolence is a life-line to residents who can no longer the cost of their care.
The Purdue Varsity Glee Club is one of the principal vocal groups of Purdue University established in 1893. They sing a wide variety of songs including novelty, patriotic, classical, inspirational, jazz, and barbershop songs.
The Fall Gala is at The Pinnacle Center, 3330 Highland Drive, Hudsonville. There is punch and welcome starting at 6 p.m. with the dinner and program following at 6:30 p.m.
RSVPs must be made by . For more information, contact Margie Brenner at 616-254-8090 or email mbrenner@sunsetmanor.org.
Chris Pulliams, at his induction into the Ferris State University Hall of Fame this month. (Supplied)
By WKTV Staff
news@wktv.org
Chris Pulliams
“Student. Athlete. Intern. Coach. Athletic Director. Teacher. Mentor.” — Those were the words used to describe long-time Wyoming Godwin Heights teacher, administrator and coach Chris Pulliams prior to the school’s Sept. 1 home football game.
Joining him at center field during a ceremony honoring Pulliams impending induction into the Ferris State University’s Hall of Fame were Principal Chad Conklin, Athletic Director Rob Hisey, and head varsity football coach Carlton Brewster, as the stadium announcer told the crowd: “We say congratulations and thanks by honoring Chris Pulliams for his dedication to his work, whether that be in the classroom or on the field, he continues to give back to the Godwin community in immeasurable ways! Chris Pulliams, we thank you for being what it means ‘To Be a Godwin Heights Wolverine’.”
Pulliams was inducted into the Ferris State Hall of Fame Sept. 15.
Pulliams arrived at Godwin as a student and athlete, according to supplied information. He played varsity football at Godwin Heights before moving on to success as a running back at Ferris State, where he currently ranks sixth on the school’s all-time career rushing chart with 2,743 yards and 35 TD’s in his career. He claimed All-America honors in 1995 and was a two-time All-GLIAC tailback. He received the 1996 GLIAC McAvoy Leadership Award. He ran for a career-high 1,729 yards and 23 scores during the 1995 season, which ranks as the most yards in a single-campaign by a FSU tailback in school history. His performance helped the Bulldogs post a 12-1 overall record in route to the school’s first NCAA Division II National Semifinal appearance.
He was also a First Team MIFC All-Academic choice in 1996 with a 3.29 GPA in Business Education.
Next, after graduating from college, and teaching at Forest Hills Public Schools, he returned to Godwin Heights as athletic director.
“Two years later, he moved back into the classroom as a teacher in order to impact our students academically; this truly is his calling. He continues to dedicate his days, nights, and weekends in honor of our students’ needs,” the announcer told the crowd.
