“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.“
~Winnie the Pooh
Lee High School graduation is tonight.
Pomp and Circumstance
Many members of the Class of 2019 will make that final walk across the stage this week marking the end of their K-12 school years. Kelloggsville High School beat everyone to the punch and hosted its graduation ceremony last week. Godfrey’s Lee High School’s commencement is Tuesday, May 21, at 7 p.m. at Resurrection Life Church and Wyoming High School also has graduation tonight at 7 p.m. at Grand Rapids First. Godwin Heights will have its commencement Wednesday, May 22, at 7 p.m. at its school auditorium. East Kentwood High School has commencement on Thursday, May 23, at 7 p.m. at the school stadium and South Christian’s Class of 2019 graduates on Thursday as well. Next week, Grand River Prep hosts its graduation ceremony at Calvin College’s VanNoord Arena on Thursday, May 30, at 6:30 p.m. WKTV would like to say congrats to all the 2019 graduates.
Avery Robinson III accepts the Alpha Wolf 11 Champion of Character award from Principal Nate Robrahan. (WKTV)
Pack Leaders
Last week, Wyoming High School recognized six more students as Alpha Wolf 11 Champions of Character. There were two each from the sophomore, junior and senior classes. All the students demonstrate the school’s motto of being “kind, compassionate, and gracious.” We wanted to give these students one last around of applause for being so awesome: sophomores Rohim Mohammod and Cameron Simon; juniors Thomas Bushman and Dale Cross III; and seniors Rayne Vieau-Parfait and Avery Robinson III. This year’s Alpha Wolf 11 teacher is math teacher and wrestling coach Steve Zajac.
Grow some food to donate to a local food pantry.
Grow A Row
Michigan State University Extension is encouraging home gardeners to consider “growing a row” of produce for donation to their local food pantry this season. Many northern Michigan pantries are seeking donations of fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs. Pantries ask that donated produce is clean, fresh, ripe, whole, uncut, undamaged and in separate packaging for different produce types. If using pesticides, make sure to follow the pesticide instructions. Please don’t donate produce that you wouldn’t buy for your own family.
Fun fact:
6 years for a 4-year degree
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, about 60 percent of the students who attended a four-year program in 2010 took six years to graduate from the program. It was 59 percent for those who attended public institutions, 66 percent for those who attended private non-profit institutions and 26 percent for those who attended private for-profit institutions.
How can a student arrive in the U.S. speaking no English, with little formal education, and graduate from high school in just a few short years?
“Magic,” said Roufai Tagba, a refugee from Togo, who started attending East Kentwood High School in 2016 after a six-month journey from his native country.
Tagba left behind violence and famine in Africa, where he lost his parents, to start anew in the U.S. He spoke no English and was overwhelmed with uncertainty, to say the least. He didn’t believe he could learn in English. “I don’t know how to start,” he said about beginning high school at East Kentwood.
Staff and students in the English-language learner program embraced Tagba, as they do the many other immigrants and refugee students who attend East Kentwood. It wasn’t long before he was learning English – and passing math, social studies and science.
“EK is like magic,” Tagba said again, shaking his head and smiling. “I started loving to learn, I started being happy when I’m learning and I started to be able to say something and make sense in English.”
Tagba, 19, is finishing up credits required under the Michigan Merit Curriculum while attending school during the day and working second shift at Steelcase. He is graduating May 23 and hopes to become trained as a flight attendant, a profession in which he could use the six languages he speaks.
“I cannot wait to have my diploma,” he said. “It’s like I’m dreaming, to see myself graduate.”
He gives advice to others who face situations like his own: “If you want a great life, a special life, if you want to speak English fast, come to EK. They have everything to help you.”
Roufai Tagba talks about starting school at East Kentwood speaking no English and with little formal education. He graduates this month
For Some, It Takes Longer
East Kentwood administrators see many students like Tagba cross the stage at graduation, students who have overcome huge odds to earn a high school diploma. Sometimes it takes them a bit longer and they’re a couple years older than their peers.
Many English-language learner students, who make up 23 percent of EK’s enrollment, arrived with spotty or nonexistent formal educational. Often they need a fifth and even sixth year in high school to earn their diplomas. (For most situations, students cannot enroll in a traditional high school if they turned 20 years old before Sept. 1 of a school year.)
Districts including Kentwood, Grand Rapids and Wyoming face distinct challenges in their four-year grad rates, partly because of their large immigrant/ELL populations. But they are making progress under the radar.
“Our goal isn’t to hurry up and get them through.” said East Kentwood Principal Omar Bakri.
“Our goal is to make sure they have what’s necessary to make it to the next level. Sometimes it takes five or six years and that’s OK.”
Evan Hordyk, Kentwood Public Schools executive director for secondary education, said students working for five or six years rather than dropping out shows they understand the importance of a high school diploma.
“It also shows that they value what they have here at EK and what we are providing for them,” he said.
Roufai Tagba chats with East Kentwood Principal Omar Bakri
No One-Size-Fits All Deadline
The district has seen improvements in graduation rates overall, with the four-year rate for all East Kentwood students increasing from 83 percent in 2014 to 88 percent in 2018, according to MI School Data. But after factoring in fifth- and sixth-year graduates, that rate increases to 92.15 and 92.7 percent, respectively.
Looking closer at data, improvements by demographic groups are also clear:
The four-year graduation rate for African-American students and white students is 92 and 91 percent, respectively. Both of those groups have seen increases over the past five years, with the African-American four-year rate increasing by seven percent.
In that same five-year period, the four-year graduation rate for Hispanic students has increased from 59 to 79 percent, while the Hispanic dropout rate has dropped by two-thirds from 18 to 6 percent.
The four-year rate for economically disadvantaged students has increased from 76 to 85 percent.
The most dramatic improvement is among ELL students, like Tagba. The four-year rate for ELL students at East Kentwood has risen from 69 to 74 percent over the past five years, with even greater increases in the five- and six-year graduation rates (see chart).
Bakri said many of the students are refugees, have faced war, extreme poverty, food insecurity and unstable living conditions. But, at EK, they feel comfortable quickly and are with students who have similar circumstances.
“One of the great benefits of having the most diverse high school in Michigan is they don’t stand out in a negative way,” Bakri said. “They look like everyone else; they blend in, which is a good thing.”
The Newcomers program at Union High School teaches English and other basics to newly arrived immigrant and refugee students
Trend Seen Elsewhere
The trend of ELL students graduating at higher rates, especially as fifth-year students, is also evident at Grand Rapids and Wyoming Public Schools.
In GRPS, where 25 percent of students are English-language learners, the four-year graduation rate for ELL students has increased dramatically, from 37.8 percent in 2014 to 63.8 percent in 2018, and the five-year rate is 77 percent. African-American, Latino and low-income students have also made sharp gains. Overall, four-year graduation rates have increased from 49.6 percent in 2014 to 71.15 percent in 2018, including 98.85 percent at City High/Middle, 90.71 percent at Innovation Central, 70.49 percent at Ottawa Hills and 81.87 percent at Union.
The district has done many things to boost those numbers, from more closely tracking students’ academic progress to emphasizing the importance of graduating in four years, said Ron Gorman, assistant superintendent of pre-K-12 instructional support. But when it comes to English-language learners, for many, graduating in four years isn’t realistic, he said.
For more stories on local schools, visit the School News Network website, schoolnewsnetwork.org.
From left, seniors Michelle Pham, Summer Brown, Erik Lopez and Shamar Green worked on a video to tell the story of East Kentwood. (School News Network)
While the phrase “we are family” can be said in many languages, its feeling is universal inside the hallways and classrooms at East Kentwood High School.
Students in teacher Geoffrey Westman’s Falcon News Network broadcasting class created an eight-minute, 34-second documentary last spring to tell the story of East Kentwood, or “EK,” through the eyes of students, teachers and administrators. The video recently aired on FNN and at the Kentwood Education Foundation’s annual Black & Red Gala.
It shows school where flags from dozens of countries hang from the ceiling and no one is an outsider. Interviewees said:
“It’s a little piece of heaven.”
“It’s a beautiful space for students to be their authentic selves.”
“It teaches (students) to be human, to take off their ethnocentric lenses and have empathy.”
Erik Lopez and Shamar Green work with the camera. (School News Network)
Twelve students, several of whom graduated last year, took on the project after Mosaic Film Experiencerepresentatives approached them about showcasing diversity and inclusion through video. Mosaic founder Skot Welch, whose children graduated from East Kentwood, discussed the idea with Superintendent Michael Zoerhoff. Mosaic, which provides digital media opportunities for youth, introduced students to Carbon Stories Grand Rapids, filmmakers who lent equipment and shared storytelling tips. Students also partnered with The Wyoming/Kentwood channel WKTV.
Students brainstormed their vision, interviewed between 20-30 people and put everything together as a staff.
Class of 2018 graduate Allison Biss spent many hours crafting and editing the documentary. “It’s a representation of what I learned and the experiences I had while at East Kentwood,” said Biss, who is majoring in broadcast and cinematic arts at Central Michigan University. “Often, I asked myself what legacy I would leave after graduating from EK. Through the documentary, I am able to impact others in a positive way, even though I’m no longer a Kentwood student.”
Senior Shamar Green, who worked as a producer, said he wanted the video to convey that EK is “what the world should be,” he said: a place where people from all over the globe come together in harmony.
“People always ask, ‘How does EK work, with all our different ethnicities, races and culture?’” Shamar said. “We wanted to show them that we can handle it. It doesn’t have to be a tolerating thing; it’s an accepting thing.”
Senior Summer Brown, also a producer, said she hopes to counter negative perceptions she sometimes hears about Kentwood. “We are a great school,” she said. “We have all these things going on. We have all these students who love each other and care about each other. We work well together.”
Summer Brown interviews Michelle Pham in the Falcon News Network studio
Falcon News Network class member Erik Lopez was interviewed for the documentary. “I basically talked about why I like EK. What I really like about it is the diversity. Being Hispanic, I felt very much like I belong here. I transferred here from another school that wasn’t like that, and I immediately noticed the difference.”
Westman said the project gave students a change to work on something meaningful from start to finish.
“They did a wonderful job,” he said. “I hope it was an eye-opening experience for them as far as the whole process goes, from planning through filming and execution, all the way through the editing phase.”
Welch, of Mosaic, said facilitating the video’s creation was a gift from Mosaic to the district meant to instill a greater sense of inspiration, motivation and honor. Mosaic crew member Liz Merriman and Derk Baartman worked closely with students.
“It is one of the most amazing school districts I‘ve experienced because of its ethnic diversity and the high level of academic excellence they are constant getting awarded for,” Welch said. “It is something that is noteworthy nationwide.”
Inclusion, Academics and So Much More
Along with diversity, students said there is something for everyone at EK, socially and academically. “I don’t see too many kids walk the halls alone,” Shamar said. “Everybody’s got two or three friends they can fit in with. There are many people and so much to do. Eventually you find your footing.”
Summer said career exploration courses like Falcon News Network, clubs, sports and Advanced Placement offerings mean it’s easy to go beyond the basics. “We value academics so much, and it creates a higher level of student-integrated pride in our school,” she said.
“I want the Kentwood community to see (the video) and be prideful and know we are Kentwood. We are family. This is where we come from and we love it.”
For more stories on area schools, visit School News Network at schoolnewsnetwork.org.
These days, students have multiple ways to get credit for college courses – and save college tuition – while still in high school. We asked a few from East Kentwood and Rockford high schools which options they chose, and why.
Advancing with Advanced Placement
Kyle Dent, East Kentwood senior
Kyle is tallying up Advanced Placement courses, hoping to start college next year with a semester’s worth of credits completed through AP calculus, AP biology and AP economics.
He loved AP statistics as a junior. “The way they teach the curriculum is amazing,” Kyle said. “I can communicate and relate with (the teachers).”
While he’s not sure where he wants to go to college, Kyle said he’s prepared because of the challenging courses he’s taken. “It allows you to get college credits if you are willing and able. … It pushes kids to another level.”
Kyle said he would have enrolled in EK Middle College had it started his sophomore year. The program started last semester.
“If I had had the opportunity to do it, I would have, without a doubt,” he said. “I don’t see a con to taking middle college and AP.”
Rockford junior Elsa Dondit said she enjoys the challenge of AP classes
Elsa Dondit, Rockford junior
Elsa is taking an AP language and composition class this year, which also earns her credit at Ferris State University. She took AP U.S. history as a sophomore, and plans to take AP psychology, calculus and literature as a senior. Besides the lure of earning college credits without racking up tuition costs, she says the courses help her learn college skills such as time management and preparing for a major exam.
Plus, she enjoys the classes. Although a lot rides on getting a good score on the AP test, she figures that helps her gear up for the demands of higher education. She’s considering Hope College or the University of North Carolina.
“I like the challenge of it,” said Elsa, who aims to study psychology or a medical field in college. “I like the push for this big test at the end. It’s a good environment to be in to get yourself ready: learning how to learn and learning how to take tests.”
Taking the Middle College Path
East Kentwood sophomore Olivia Lewis said learning to navigate college courses is a benefit to EK Middle College
Olivia Lewis, East Kentwood sophomore
In August, Olivia started taking the Grand Rapids Community College courses, “Introduction to College” and “Environmental Geology” as one of 25 students in the first cohort of EK Middle College. She and her peers will take two college courses each semester through their senior years taught by GRCC instructors at East Kentwood.
They will then complete a fifth year, technically still as East Kentwood students — but with classes on GRCC’s campus full-time — to earn a tuition-free, 60-credit associate of arts degree.
“At first I just wanted to try something different,” said Oliva, who is considering transferring to Michigan State University after GRCC to become a special education teacher. “I could have taken AP, but now I’m actually getting college credits and I don’t have to take an exam,” she added, referring to AP’s requirement to earn college credit.
“The program will show me how college works, what the teachers are like, and it will expose me to different expectations.”
Potential savings are huge. The cost of full in-state tuition plus room and board at MSU is $24,844 per year. Starting with two years completed could save Olivia nearly $50,000.
Olivia said her parents were pleased she signed on to the opportunity. “They were excited for me and glad I was going to get my associate degree early. They both didn’t finish college.”
East Kentwood sophomore Jad Ramadan said saving money is a major plus of EK Middle College
Jad Ramadan, East Kentwood sophomore
Jad joined EK Middle College because he saw it as a can’t-lose option. He explained: “In the beginning I wanted to challenge myself. I needed a challenge.
“I felt like it would save a lot of time and money that my parents didn’t have, so I could grow up and do what I wanted to do.”
He wants to be a defense lawyer and plans to transfer from GRCC to MSU or Ferris State University.
Olivia and Jad said they will try to squeeze AP classes into their busy schedules to build their stack of college credits even higher.
Covering All the Bases
Rockford senior Jacob Simkins takes both AP and early college courses to get a hard start on a university program
Jacob Simkins, Rockford senior
Jacob is taking classes in AP calculus, physics and biology. But he’s also taking college courses, in health care and medical terminology, from Grand Valley State University as part of Rockford’s dual-enrollment agreement with GVSU’s health science program.
Along with two AP courses he took last year, and a Ferris State senior composition class earlier this year, Jacob figures on piling up about 15 college credits by the time he graduates. That should give him a great jump on work toward a degree in the biomedical field, either at MSU or Central Michigan University.
Jacob said he’s happy to take advantage of both AP and early college courses, to save money and get college basics out of the way.
“I figure if they have the classes offered and I can take them, why not? I don’t have to waste credits on fulfilling prerequisites.”
He hopes to be doing graduate-level math by the time he’s a college freshman or sophomore, putting him further ahead toward a career in medical research. He said he relishes the challenge of college-level work.
“It’s the best. It teaches you how to learn, and how to buckle down.”
Rockford senior Jake Engelkes said AP courses are run like college classes
He is counting on both classes to help him get started at Indiana Wesleyan, where he has a baseball and academic scholarship. He says the courses help with his GPA and get him an early start on his business major. Because of the scholarship, he has to play ball for four years, but the college credits will still help, he says.
“It’ll just get me moving quicker to my major, and knocks out these classes that I would have to take,” Jake said, noting the FSU credits will transfer to Indiana Wesleyan.
“I think the AP classes prepare you so well for college,” he added. “The teachers do such a great job. They run it like a college class.
Rockford senior Riley Belcher says the AP tests make her a little nervous, but knows it will help her in college
Riley Belcher, Rockford senior
Riley also took FSU senior comp, which doubles as an AP class, and is taking AP psychology. The latter class causes her some anxiety, knowing she must pass the test to get credit for it.
“I’m not a great tester,” she admitted. “That scares me a little bit, but I know it’s going to help me in college in the major I want to go into.”
Riley plans to major in special education and get a master’s in school counseling. She’s looking at Taylor University — which carries at $35,000 tuition tag – and needs to score at least a 3 on the 5-point AP test in order to get college credit. Either way, she would still earn high school credit and gain background in her field.
She preferred the FSU course and excelled in it. The teacher was tough, she said, but in a good way.
“I like the freedom that we had. It was cool to see what I could work on, because he definitely pushed you harder to do better.”
“If you place your head in a lion’s mouth, then you cannot complain one day if he happens to bite it off.” - Agatha Christie
Mayhem and Murder
Did Emily Brent do it in the library with the candlestick?
Join Cathy Van Lopik, aka Emily Brent, and the rest of the Grand Rapids Civic cast for a little murder mysteries by one of the best, Agatha Christie. Civic Theatre presents “And Then There Were None Jan. 11 – 27 at its theater, 30 N. Division Ave. Tickets are $18 – $29 with student tickets $26.
Some Local All Stars
East Kentwood High School lead the way for the AP All-State listings for the state of Michigan.
This past football season lead to four local high school players earning the title of first team AP All-State in the state of Michigan. East Kentwood, somewhat unsurprisingly, lead the way with three of those All-Staters coming from their team after a tremendous season from the Division 1-2 Falcons finishing the season 9-2. A student also came from South Christian High School and Wyoming’s Tri-Unity Christian had two seniors for 8-man football.
Something Funny’s Goin’ On
Getting their funny on: Brian Borbot (center) with comedians Stu McCallister (left) and. Matt Harper (right).
Brian Borbot, part of the Sunday Night Funnies, talks with area comedians about the art of being funny. The podcasts are part of a new feature at the WKTV Journal. To check them out, click here. Sunday Night Funnies is at 8:30 p.m. every Sunday at Woody’s Press Box, 5656 Clyde Park Ave. SW.
Fun fact:
Oymyakon, Russia
That is consider the coldest inhabited place in the world. In Oymyakon, the winter temperatures are known to average -58 F (-50C). Water freezes at 32 F. About 500 people live in the area. And while many Michiganders treasure having remote start to warm their cars, those in Oymyakon have to run their cars 24/7 to make sure the batteries do not die. The community earned the title in 1933, when a temperature of -90 F was recorded. The city beat its own record in 2013, when a -98 F temperature was recorded. Now that’s cold.
"Sing, sing a song,
Make it simple to last your whole life long
Don't worry that it's not good enough for anyone else to hear,
Just sing, sing a song..."
- "Sing" by Joe Raposo, written for "Sesame Street" in 1971
The airport is alive with music
Several Wyoming and Kentwood high school choirs will be performing at the Gerald R. Ford International Airport’s Holiday Music Festival, which is Dec. 3 – 7. Some of the groups scheduled are Potters House, Legacy Christian, South Christian, Wyoming High School, Lee High School, and East Kentwood High School. Performances are daily from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. andJe are free.
And the winner is…
Jennifer Lewis and Brian Jirous were declared the newest members of the Wyoming Board of Education this week. Both ran in the Nov. 6 election. Jirous was the only candidate who filed for one of the two open seats on the board. Lewis was one of two write-in candidates. It took a couple of weeks for the write-ins to be hand counted, according to school officials. The two will be sworn in at the Wyoming Board of Education meeting set for Jan. 14 at 6 p.m.
Santa is coming to town
While it is still a week yet until Kentwood hosts its annual tree lighting and parade, set for Dec. 7, and the Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce hosts the Santa Parade, Dec. 8, you can get your celebrating started at Byron Center’s community festivities this Saturday, Dec. 1. The parade portion has been cancelled due to the weather but the chili dinner and holiday concert at Pathway Church, 8350 Byron Center Ave. SW, is still taking place.
Fun Fact:
Light It Up
Ever wonder how many lights you can fit on a Christmas tree? Well a group in Belgium did, managing to get 194,672 lights on a real tree on Dec. 10, 2010. Seven years later, Universal Studios Japan was not about to be out done, so they managed to place 570,546 lights on an artificial tree. You have to admit, that is a lot of lights. (Source)
The Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GFIA) will soon be filled with festive sounds of the season. The 24th Annual Holiday Music Festival will take place the week of Dec. 3-7 in the Grand Hall. Daily performances run from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Some of the groups scheduled to perform are Potters House at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Monday, Dec. 3; Legacy Christian 7th and 8th Grade Choir at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 5; Wyoming High Concert Choir at 10 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 6; East Kentwood Varsity Voices at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 6; South Christian High School Madrigals at 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec.6; and Lee High School Varsity of Voices at 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 7. A full schedule is available on the Airport’s Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/FlyGRFord.
A total of 18 West Michigan schools are scheduled to sing a variety of carols during the Festival. Local choirs representing public and private schools will sing 20 minute song sets throughout the day.
“We love having the schools here during the Holiday Music Festival. The music helps to put passengers and guests in the holiday spirit around the airport,” said GFIA Marketing & Communications Director Tara Hernandez. “We hope to put smiles on passengers’ faces as they listen to the carolers.”
All Festival performances are free and open to the public.
Quick to react with words and fists, Farhiya Abdullahi became a regular in school administration offices. She spent many days suspended, and was eventually expelled.
“The way I reacted was terrible. I had so much anger built up in me… My mouth was terrible,” she said. “My attitude was terrible. I was suspended literally every month.”
Farhiya sat at the desk of Crossroads Alternative High School Assistant Principal Ian Gibson, the administrator who expelled her two years ago and welcomed her back last fall.
Turns out, a lot can happen in a year: Gibson recently recommended Farhiya for a School News Network article about how far a student can go after deciding to change.
Farhiya Abdullahi says time to reflect and the realization that she was out of options led her to change her ways
Farhiya now has 16.5 of 19 credits required to graduate and could earn her diploma as early as December, before her peers. Compare that to a year ago when she had earned just four total credits.
Farhiya immigrated to Kentwood as a toddler with her mother, Nunay Ali, and six siblings, as refugees from Kenya. Farhiya does not remember Kenya. She and her family speak Maay Maay, a Somali dialect.
“My mom ended up coming to America to make not only her life better, but her kids’ lives too. She wanted us to get our education. In Kenya, there aren’t that many opportunities. This is the place she felt her kids needed to grow up.”
Farhiya’s father, who emigrated from Africa separately from the rest of the family, moved away completely when Farhiya was young. “My mom was struggling; she had seven kids and was new to the country… She was a single mom and she had to raise all of us by herself.”
Farhiya had a few negative early experiences in school; her resentment grew and she began getting in trouble. She got in many fights at Crestwood Middle School, and, at East Kentwood High School, her fists landed her in long-term suspension.
She enrolled at Lighthouse Academy briefly, then at Crossroads Alternative High School in 2016. “I stayed in school for a month and got expelled,” she recalled.
Learning to not react to drama was a key to getting on the right path
Leaving Behind Anger and Resentment
Being out of school gave Farhiya time to reflect. She knew her options were limited and she had passed few classes at school. She realized her self-created predicament was sad, but she also knew she could get herself out of it.
Farhiya re-enrolled at Lighthouse and passed a couple classes. Last October, a Lighthouse staff member asked Shirley Johnson, the district’s assistant superintendent of student Services, if she would meet with Farhiya to talk about reinstatement. Johnson agreed.
“In my mind I was like, ‘I don’t deserve it. I got long-term suspended and I got expelled, and she’s still willing to talk to me?’ ” Farhiya recalled.
At the reinstatement hearing, Johnson asked Farhiya why she wanted to go back to Crossroads.
Her answer: “I sat down this summer and thought about everything. I shouldn’t be putting my mom through this. I shouldn’t be putting myself through this. My mom brought me here for better opportunities and I’m just putting it to waste.
“On top of that, I’m trying to graduate. I want to be successful. I want to make a better living for myself and my family. I don’t want to sit here and struggle. I see a lot of people in my family struggling because they have no education. They are working, breaking every bone in their body, just to survive.”
Johnson said students including Farhiya need champions and an advocate for a second chance. “I saw her heart and her authentic self in the process,” she said. “Farhiya has really made significant gains since returning to school, and I couldn’t be more proud of her maturity and growth.”
Farhiya was all in.
Back at Crossroads, she ignored drama, avoided conflict and soon realized she could excel. “Teachers are motivating here. Teachers will help you,” she said.
She completed 12 classes in a matter of months, often working at home into the wee hours. She was soon Crossroads’ No. 1 student and last spring earned a science award.
Mom Nunay Ali stands with Farhiya Abdullahi after Farhiya received her U.S. citizenship Oct. 31.
“She’s a model student now. She’s got that grit we talk about here in Kentwood,” Gibson said. “She has this positive vibe about her… She is absolutely college-bound.
Added Principal Rick Hatfield, “She’s done a phenomenal job. Farhiya has had exemplary behavior, academically and emotionally, since she was reinstated.”
Farhiya recently received her citizenship from U.S. Dept of Homeland Security, with her mother by her side.
Farhiya plans to go to Grand Rapids Community College. She said she is interested in healthcare or social work.
Her mother, who once was more accustomed to her daughter being out of school than in, is now proud of Farhiya, and says their relationship has improved.
That matters a lot.
“If I could buy my mom the world, I honestly would. The only way I can do that is to further my education.”
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
In U.S. History teacher Tyler Pettit’s class, ninth-graders formed arguments on the treatment of Japanese Americans during World War II. While students debated, others pulled up information on laptops to support their points and make counterpoints as to whether actions were justified. They sat in a “fish bowl” style, in a circular formation.
A new wide open space with lots of technology made the activity run smoothly, Pettit said. Students gathered in the Collaboration Center, a large wide-open space fully equipped with technology, such as large screens affixed to the walls, a huge screen on the wall of a stage and ample outlets, plus comfy furniture, moveable desks, and breakout rooms. It’s an optimal environment for group work, presentations, skits and instruction that requires movement and engagement, said teachers and students.
“It allows for students to learn how they want to learn. It allows for ownership really; that’s the biggest thing,” Pettit said.
Students say they love the open-space concept in the Collaboration Center at East Kentwood Freshman Campus
“Everything is very cutting edge,” added Principal Andy Kolzow. “It allows students to innovate. It allows teachers to be creative in their lesson planning and create more engaging lessons.
As the facility improvements made possible through a $64.8 million bond passed in November 2015 continue to take shape, the district is coming together – literally – in big, open spaces at all 16 schools and the Kentwood Administration Building, 5820 Eastern Ave. SE.
“One of the centerpieces of the bond was for each school have a Collaboration Center,” said Superintendent Mike Zoerhoff.
Collaboration Centers were built over the past two years at several schools including Valleywood and Crestwood middle schools, East Kentwood High School and Freshman Campus and Glenwood, Bowen and Explorer elementary schools. All will be built by 2021. At the elementary level, the centers serve as redesigned media centers blending features of a traditional library with the collaboration-center concept.
Zoerhoff said technology in the centers will be kept up to date, with bond money set aside to replenish equipment and devices.
Students are enjoying the spaces for many subjects and uses. “It’s not a classroom, and that helps because we are so used to being in a classroom seven hours a day,” said freshman Sylvia Shaver. “It’s nice to be in an open space with comfy seating.”
“I like being in here because it’s bigger and it’s not like being in a box,” added freshman Madison Rogers.
Tables, desk and other seating areas allow students to collaborate easily
A Community Hub
While students are using Collaboration Centers for academic purpose, a space under construction with plans to open in January at the Administration Building will bring together community groups. It will be a venue available for rent, with space for 50 to 100 people to meet, use technology, and have another connection to the schools.
“Kentwood Public Schools is a hub for the community and surrounding communities.
We love to have our facilities used because the taxpayers paid for them,” Zoerhoff said.
He envisions it as space for government and business partners to meet and as a professional development hub for teachers. “We appreciate the community support and want to make sure we are a community school and share these facilities with the surrounding community.”
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
Brady Strabel and Gabrielle Dykhouse, now University of Michigan freshman, researched gene editing for last spring’s East Kentwood High School STEM Fair (courtesy photo)
They may be in Ann Arbor establishing roots as college freshman, but four 2018 East Kentwood High School graduates used their senior STEM Fair projects to gain acceptance into a prestigious University of Michigan research program.
Now, as research assistants in the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program, they are conducting research on the environment, anatomy and magnetics in outer space, while working alongside U of M researchers on an ongoing or new research project.
Science teacher Chad VanHouten, in back, challenges students to research topics they are interested in (courtesy Photo)
Last spring, students had the chance to pick their own topics and delve into research for the fair. AP Biology students Brady Strabel and Gabrielle Dykhouse partnered on a project on gene editing in bacteria; Emma Pinchak studied small crustaceans called isopods (think potato bugs) and their dexterity and speed. Dat Huynh researched optimal light intensity for aquatic plants.
“The goal of the STEM Fair is to provide an opportunity for students to do research that they are interested in, not necessarily research that we put on them,” said AP Biology teacher Chad VanHouten, who emphasized that giving students free reign of learning can lead to great things. “We have four kids this year that used their STEM Fair projects to get into this elite program, and it is research above and beyond their normal major.”
Dat Huynh presents a calculus project he did along with research on aquatic plants (courtesy photo)
Bringing Science to the Next Level
The students are now researching complex topics. Gabrielle, a neuroscience major, is studying technology related to cardiac electrophysiology (the electrical activity of the heart).
She said her high school experience paved the way for her. “I wanted to pursue research in Michigan’s groundbreaking medical operations. My research experience definitely set me apart from the newbies and my (Advanced Placement course) content knowledge has made the college content transition very easy,” she said.
For UROP, Gabrielle interviewed with a Harvard medical school graduate cardiologist, now a U of M researcher, about his project with atrial defibrillation. She said the researcher told Gabrielle that her high school project set her apart.
“He basically said that out of his nine applicants mine stood out by far, and if I’m interested the position is mine.”
Emma, an environmental science major, is conducting global warming research in the area of forestry management. She said she was able to tell UROP program leaders about high school lab experience.
“Nothing seems too difficult. I’m especially seeing overlap in examples of famous studies we talked about in (East Kentwood biology and environmental science classes), especially to do with pollution and ecology.”
Brady, who is considering computer science or aerospace engineering as majors, is working on the project involving devices that measure magnetic fields for extreme environments.
Emma Pinchak, right, tells an East Kentwood graduate about her research on isopods (courtesy photo)
“We’re basically developing, packaging and deploying these new magnetometer systems around the poles and in space,” he said. “East Kentwood science exposed me to laboratory experience, helping me to identify my interest in research and strengthening my application for applying to research teams.”
The district’s annual fair is open to all STEM classes – middle school students have also participated – challenging students to make posters about the research they’ve done, from building robots to creating rat mazes. Students, parents and community members attend
“Kids are teaching kids, which we love,” VanHouten said.
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
(Courtesy photo) Women in Project Accelerate, pictured with an engineer, visit a worksite
Camille Reed is a business owner who wants to learn more about the construction industry. Brenna Mosley is a 2018 East Kentwood High School graduate with a dream to run an architecture and construction firm. Serena Small is a stay-at-home mother pursuing a degree in construction management. Elma Balic is an architectural drafter who wants to get away from from her desk and into the field.
The women, all with different backgrounds and goals, are exploring careers in construction, engineering, design and skilled trades by visiting businesses, seeing fieldwork up close and getting into the driver’s seats of big machines. They are completing Project Accelerate, a seven-week, once-weekly course offered through The Build Initiative, a Pontiac-based program that works to build knowledge for women interested in construction and related fields.
“My goal is to get as much information about the industry as possible,” Mosley said. Grand Rapids Community College is hosting the 10-woman cohort, the first for Grand Rapids, in space at the GRCC Leslie E.Tassell M-TEC. GRCC instructors lead sessions on carpentry and safety. Another cohort is planned for next fall.
“Our participants are entry level to CEO,” said Program Director Rita Brown, as participants attended a Friday session on construction law in a GRCC classroom. “What they have in common is they’re women and they want more knowledge. You can lead better with more knowledge, (and) you can learn better when you know where to get that knowledge.”
Women are networking, aligning talents and learning the scope of jobs available in the traditionally male-dominated fields, she said. They drove Caterpillar construction machines with help from Michigan CATand Operating Engineers 324 representatives, read blueprints with an engineer from Soils and Structures and listened to speakers in the industry.
“This program is about gearing up; it’s about exposing strengths we didn’t even know we had, reinforcing areas that need to be reinforced,” said Brown, who relies on volunteers to run the program. “Not a single bit of this is about lack at all. This as about the fact that we can do it for ourselves. It’s about accelerating our careers.”
Julie Parks, GRCC executive director of workplace training, said GRCC is excited about the partnership and to bring women into the building who are involved in construction and related fields. “We have women in our skilled trade programs and this is a way to connect them with people in the industry,” she said.
GRCC is exploring ways to provide articulated credits for Project Accelerate experiences in the future. “What we are really trying to do is help find pathways,” Parks said.
Brenna Mosley, a 2018 East Kentwood High School graduate, is exploring careers in construction
Showing the Way for Women
Brown knows how to navigate the industry. She owns a steel detailing company and is the north central regional director for National Association of Women in Construction. She started Project Accelerate about six years ago after realizing the need. It also has cohorts in Detroit and Flint.
During the economic downturn, Brown had to downsize her staff. Her female employees were unsure of their next move.“The men seemed to be at least a little bit more sure of what they could possibly do, but the women were not as sure,” she said.
Project Accelerate can help launch women into those jobs. “We are not trying to populate one single area of the industry. We are trying to make sure that women have the knowledge and opportunity to decide what their next best steps are,” Brown said. “From this program they will move to actual training programs, certification programs, degrees, jobs or will become better at the work they are already doing,” she said.
Participant Camille Reed, who co-owns a multi-service company that specializes in painting, carpentry and facilities management, said she wants to meet other professional women through Project Accelerate.
“For me, it’s the empowerment they are giving ladies to enter the construction field,” she said. She also was part of a Detroit cohort of Project Accelerate in June and July, and has learned everything from bricklaying, engineering, work-site development and road construction. “This is just giving me another insight of the construction field, and it gives me the change to network,” she said.
Serena Small, of Lansing, never considered a career in construction until she met Brown at a program called Women In Skilled Trades. She is currently enrolled at Lansing Community College majoring in construction management, which she knows will connect her to many different opportunities. She said Project Accelerate is another way to build her construction savvy.
“It’s opening my eyes to the construction industry as far as it’s not just manual labor. There are a lot of different careers in the construction industry,” Small said.
“This is definitely what I needed. I needed more information on the possibilities and the different careers that there are.”
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The new self-order kiosks are just one of the new additions at the renovated McDonald’s.
The McDonald’s restaurant at 6095 Kalamazoo Ave. SE in Gaines Township is inviting guests to experience McDonald’s in a new way with a greater level of choice, engagement and service. These changes are reflective of a new and innovative restaurant model that has been successfully rolled around the world and puts more choice and control in the hands of guests by evolving how they order, what they order, how they pay and how they are served.
The restaurant, which is located near East Kentwood High School and the Kalamazoo Avenue exit off of M-6, recently underwent extensive renovations and upgrades both inside and outside. These renovations include new self-order kiosks, table service, updated ways to pay and a redesigned seating area.
“We’re excited to share this evolved experience at McDonald’s with our customers,” said Carl Wiseman, McDonald’s owner/operator. “We appreciate and value our guests’ feedback on this new experience, and we’re looking forward to offering them a new way to dine at McDonald’s.”
A sneak peek inside the renovated McDonald’s on Kalamazoo Avenue.
For those looking to order at their own pace, the Gaines Township McDonald’s has new digital self-order kiosks which make ordering and paying for a meal easy. Kiosks empower guests to browse the menu, find new options and tailor their meal just the way they want. Guests’ orders are delivered to tables by McDonald’s crew members, allowing customers to relax and enjoy a more custom dining experience. The restaurant features mobile order and pay, which allows customers to order and pay through the McDonald’s app and then either pick up their order inside or have it brought out to their vehicle when they arrive. McDonald’s owner/operators and restaurant teams in Gaines Township and all around West Michigan are also placing a higher emphasis on hospitality by focusing on greeting customers, assisting with technology and ensuring a clean, welcoming environment.
This McDonald’s restaurant is among the latest in the area to offer this new level of choice, engagement and service. It is one of 400 McDonald’s restaurants in the state of Michigan that will be upgraded before the end of 2019, and is part of a total investment of around $205 million across the state.
In April, the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce awarded its Brent VanderKolk Scholarship to four area high school graduates.
VanderKolk was a chamber member and the chamber’s legal council along with being a freind to many, said Bob O’Callgahan, President/CEO of the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce. VanderKolk passed away in 2011 at the age of 37. The chamber decided to honor VanderKolk by naming the annual scholarship award after him.
This year’s award recipients are: Maria Aguirre from Godwin Heights High School; Adriana Sanchez-Parada from Lee High School; Shontiana Jackson from Wyoming High School; and Allison Biss from East Kentwood High School.
We were able to catch up with two of the students before they walked down the graduation aisle. These students offered a few words of wisdom to those coming into high school and to the Class of 2019.
Adrianna Sanchez
Adrianna Sanchez-Parada
Lee High School
Godfrey Lee Public Schools
Parents: Gallina Parada and Alejo Sanchez
When Adrianna Sanchez learned that one out of three freshmen at her school were failing one to two classes, she decided to do something about it.
“That was a big number of students failing,” Adrianna said. “When I was a freshman, there was a freshman transition class that was helpful to me so I decided to bring that program back.”
Adrianna pulled together members of the upper classes to serve as mentors, offering words of advice and to be there to help guide the freshmen.
“I’ve learned a lot about leadership especially through band,” Adrianna said. “I’ve been a drum major and have gone to a leadership conference where we learned about leadership through service. Through this program, our upper classes were able to show a different type of leadership through service.”
Adrianna has loved being involved at Lee High School and admits her involvement has prevented her from having a job. She has participated in soccer, National Honors Society, Spanish club, drama club, and student council, where she served as president. She plans to attend Western Michigan University in the fall.
Her advice for those entering high school: Try different clubs that you have never thought of and do not be afraid to be different.
Her advice for next year’s seniors: Don’t stress about the little things but also don’t let the assignments slide because it will come back at you. And lastly, watch out for every opportunity that you might have.
Allison Biss with Chamber President/CEO Bob O’Callaghan
Allisson Biss
East Kentwood High School
Kentwood Public Schools
Parents: Cheryl and Brian Biss
“Some people have sports, but I am not the sporty type,” said Allison Biss when thinking about her search for a high school activity that encourage her creativity. She was not a performer and some hobbies she didn’t felt she had started early enough to participate in. But once she discovered film and video, she knew she had found the passion that allowed her creativity to shine.
“You could be given a video and create five clips with the end product being different depending on lighting or how you edit it,” she said.
A WKTV intern, Biss was awarded Central Michigan University’s Lem Tucker Scholarship for broadcasting and journalism, which covers a 100 percent of her tuition, room, and board.
At school, Biss participated in the broadcast program serving as an anchor and primary editor. Outside of broadcasting, Biss has been very active serving as a class officer for three years, on the National Honor Society, Student Council, and JV sideline and competitive cheerleading.
Her advice for those entering high school: It is not as bad as it seems. Always introduce yourself. Be that someone who cracks the joke and eats lunch with new people. Also don’t be afraid to try new things because high school is short.
Her advice for next year’s seniors: Don’t think of the moments as being the last ones, but new beginnings. Enjoy the moments while you have them because it goes by super quickly.
The three sisters, refugees from Rwanda, share experiences good and bad about getting used to life in America: Making friends was difficult; American food was hard to get used to; and being part of two cultures can be conflicting, they tell younger peers, for whom they tutor and provide translation.
They also tell them ways to have a successful future, like going to college, working hard and being respectful.
The girls, Jacqueline Uwimeza and Yvonne Uwimana, a freshman and junior at East Kentwood High School, respectively; and Chantal Uwimana, a seventh grader at Crestwood Middle School, devote their Monday evenings to volunteering at the Learning Café , a place where volunteers of all ages mentor African refugee children and adults at 235 Sheldon Blvd. SE, next to St. Andrew’s Cathedral.
They say they are giving back in ways others gave to them. Seven years ago, the girls arrived in the U.S. unable to speak English and unfamiliar with American culture.
From left, Jacqueline Uwimeza, Lucie Uwimbabz, Clemence Akimana and Chantal Uwimana have fun at the Learning Café
They now speak English fluently, are excelling in school, and tutoring, translating and interpreting for other refugee children who speak Kinyarwanda and go to schools in Grand Rapids, Kentwood and other districts.
“It gives you a feeling like you are important,” Jacqueline said. “It feels like you are giving back. A lot of people helped us, and sometimes you don’t feel like you are doing enough to help others, but with this, it makes you feel like you are paying back and paying it forward.”
The center bustles with laughter, singing and children chatting, busy with school work and academic activities. The sisters are there to help, and encourage the students to learn all they can in English and school, while holding onto their African culture. Devout Catholics, the girls also help tutor and translate for adults after church on Sundays.
Yvonne Uwimana helps Yvonne Mahoro
Home in Refugee Camp
The sisters remember life in a refugee camp in Rwanda, where they were born. They jumped rope, played with rocks, picked fruit from the forest, sang, danced, went to school and fetched wood and water. It was home.
“Because we were kids, we didn’t know about the conflict,” Jacqueline said. “It’s a different story for the parents. For us it was fun. It’s all we knew.”
“It was a good place,” added Yvonne.
The girls were shielded from the conflicts that led their family members to flee to the camp. They still have only general knowledge of the first Congo War and other conflicts that displaced people in the region.
Still, they couldn’t believe their luck seven years ago when they were chosen through an immigration lottery to move to the U.S. with their mother and grandmother.
“It was like paradise, to be honest,” Jacqueline said. “The refugees would always tell us about America, so it was a dream come true. We never thought it would happen to us, because it happens to very few people. But as we got older we started to miss where we came from.
From left, Florence Mukashyaka gets a little help from Yvonne Uwimana
A Knock at the Door
After arriving in the U.S., they moved into an apartment in Grand Rapids, and started the journey of becoming acclimated to the U.S., going to school and learning English. But it was intimidating and scary, they said, starting over in a whole new world.
“It was a challenge for our mom to learn how to drive and take care of all of us and work,” said Yvonne, who remembered her mother, Claudette Nyrasafari, would leave for work at 4:30 a.m., return in the evening and then attend English-language classes.
One winter day, someone knocked at their door, but they recalled being afraid to answer. The knock came again and again, until finally, the girls’ mother opened it to find Lisa McManus, co-founder of the Learning Café. She had learned about the family from neighbors.
McManus soon connected them with resources such as clothes, furniture, English tutoring and other help navigating life in Michigan.
Yvonne also needed medical attention. When she arrived in the U.S. she was deaf, due to an infection that had damaged her eardrums. She learned English by reading lips, and underwent several surgeries. She now hears well.
Chantal also has overcome speech difficulties.
The sisters have big dreams for the future: Yvonne hopes to become a surgeon. Jacqueline is interested in everything from medicine to law to public service. Chantal also wants to go into the medical field.
“I’m very proud of these girls. They are very smart girls,” McManus said. “They are wonderful role models because they were where the other kids are. They’ve done it. They’ve been able to be successful.”
She continued: “They have very strong belief in their the ability to do things, make things happen. They know how to work really hard. That is very good for the other kids to see. From a tutoring standpoint, they are able to communicate. It’s not just about speaking another language; it’s understanding what the other person needs because they’ve been in their shoes.”
Yvonne said she wants fellow refugees to be brave, to believe in themselves.
“I want to encourage the people who came from Africa to not be afraid,” she said. “If they need help, ask a teacher. Don’t be afraid of anything.”
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
East Kentwood High School is Shrek in Grand Rapids Civic Theatre’s upcoming production of “Shrek! the Musical,” which starts its two-week run Friday, June 1. The show runs through June 17.
Social justice educator, author, and activist Melanie S. Morrison comes to Schuler Books & Music, 2660 28th St. SE, on Monday, June 4. Morrison will be discussing her new book “Murder on the Shades Mountain: The Lynching of Willie Peterson and the Struggle for Justice in Jim Crow Birmingham.”
All-American Girls Professional Baseball Uniform League Uniform, circa 1952
Kent County: Public Museum host pop up exhibit
Grand Rapids Public Museum will host a pop-up experience this weekend only, June 1 and 2, featuring its Fashion Collection. This opportunity will allow visitors to see how the Museum photographs, catalogs and documents artifacts for the Museum’s online database, grpmcollections.org.
More than 1,700 students will be graduating from high schools in Kentwood and Wyoming during the next couple of weeks. Here is a breakdown of when some of the local graduation ceremonies are taking place.
Tuesday, May 22
Wyoming High School has 275 students graduating. Graduation is at Grand Rapids First, 2100 44th St. SW, at 7 p.m.
Godfrey’s Lee High School has about 150 students graduating. Graduation is at Resurrection Life Church, 5100 Ivanrest Ave. SW, at 7 p.m. For the school’s top ten, click here.
Wednesday May 23
Godwin Heights High School has 144 students graduating. Graduation is at the high school auditorium, 50 35th St. SW, at 7 p.m.
South Christian High School has 170 students graduating. Graduation is at Kentwood Community Church, 2950 Clyde Park Ave. SW at 7:30 p.m..
Thursday, May 24
East Kentwood High School has around 600 students graduating. Graduation is at the the school’s stadium, 6230 Kalamazoo Ave. SE, at 7 p.m. The rain date is May 25.
Tuesday, May 29
Tri-Unity Christian School has 18 students graduating. Graduation is at Resurrection Life Church, 5100 Ivanrest Ave. SW,at 7 p.m.
Wednesday, May 30
West Michigan Aviation Academy 133 students graduating. Graduation is at Calvin College, 3201 Burton St. SE. at 7 p.m.
Thursday, May 31
Kelloggsville High School has 137 students graduating. Graduation is at Kentwood Community Church, 2950 Clyde Park Ave. SW, at 7 p.m.
Potter House has 53 students graduating. Graduation is Calvary Baptist Church, 1200 28th St. SE at 7 p.m.
Friday, June 1
West Michigan Lutheran High School has 5 students graduating. Graduation is at West Michigan Lutheran High School, 601 36th St. SW, at 7 p.m.
Monday, June 4
Grand River Prep High School has 134 students graduating. Graduation is at Calvin College’s Van Noord Arena, 3201 Burton St. SE, at 6:30 p.m.
Local singer, Macy Krupiczewicz, won the Meijer State Games of Michigan National Anthem Contest. Krupiczewicz will perform at the summer games opening ceremony on June 22 at East Kentwood High School in front of an estimated 6,000 people.
The Meijer State Games of Michigan hosts a contest to find an audience-favorite singer to perform the National Anthem at the opening ceremony. Contestants submitted videos of themselves performing the National Anthem, then viewers could vote for their favorite performer through Facebook. There are over 6,000 members in the Meijer State Games of Michigan National Anthem Facebook group, where Krupiczewicz was declared the winner by 66 votes over her competition.
“Everyone knows how much music means to me, so to have a fan base of people rooting and voting for me is amazing,” said Krupiczewicz. “If you put enough passion into something, you’re bound to get there some day.”
Krupiczewicz is originally from Byron Center, Mich. She is a Michigan State University alumna, where she received a degree in broadcast journalism. Next year she will move to Nashville to chase her singing dreams. She will continue to pursue journalism, but pursuing her dream is the biggest thing, according to Krupiczewicz.
Heglund-Sova Realty is a company specializing in all areas of real estate and property management. Their success is attributed to the combined years of experience from their professional team.
“Heglund-Sova Realty is overwhelmed with the amount of people who voted, and we wish Macy the best of luck singing the National Anthem at the Meijer State Games opening ceremony,” said Jim Heglund, president of Heglund-Sova Realty. “It’s an honor to be able to sponsor such a fun event in the Grand Rapids area, which brings people together from all over the state.”
Ania Powell can relate to Akeelah Anderson challenges of stepping out of your comfort zone in “Akeelah and the Bee,” Grand Rapids Civic Theater’s upcoming children’s production.
“I always wanted to act,” said the East Kentwood High School 11th grader during a recent interview. “So I decided you’ve got to start somewhere. So let’s see how it goes.”
Her starting point was auditioning for the Civic production, which will run April 20 – 29, and landing the role of Ratchet Rhonda, a schoolmate of Akeelah.
“I was really surprised and excited,” Powell said of landing her first role at Civic Theatre. “There were 60 or more people who auditioned and about 12 were called back, so that was pretty exciting as well.”
Actually Powell is one of a half of dozen new faces to Civic Theatre in the “Akeelah” production which also reunites actors from the 2017 Civic production of “Ragtime,” including Eddie Stephens, Marissa Baty, Micah Mcdonald, Dona Curry, and Michael Travis.
Also new to Civic is guest director Dwandra Nickole Lampkin, associate professor of theatre and director of Multicultural Theatre at Western Michigan University.
“I don’ always jump at the opportunity to direct…I’m an actor first,” Lampkin said. “But in talking with Allyson Paris, associate director at Civic Theatre and co-director for ‘Akeelah,’ I realized this project was something bigger than myself. I thought, here is a theater that wants to commit a spot in their season to a show with a different perspective (both culturally and racially). I not only wanted, but needed to be a part of that. I thought, ‘if Civic Theatre is making this commitment, how can I not?’”
“Akeelah and the Bee,” based off the 2006 film starring Keke Palmer, Laurence Fishburne and Angela Bassett, tells the story of 11-year-old spelling enthusiast Akeelah Anderson. She must overcome many obstacles including her neighborhood in South Los Angeles, the prejudice of those she is competing against along with those of her friends and family, and finally her own self doubts to land a spot and participate in the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Powell said she can understand the challenges Akeelah faced. To be able to participate in the Scripps National Spelling Bee, Akeelah had to make a lot of sacrifices, Powell said, and to be part of a production such as “Akeelah and the Bee,” Powell had to make some tough choices as well.
“I learned that you have to be very committed to to a production,” Powell said about being in the show. “I usually play softball in the spring for school but I gave that up in order to focus on the show.”
Marissa Baty as Gail Anderson, Blessing Ouding as Akeelah, and Eddie Stephens as Dr. Larabee
Rehearsals for a show are almost daily which means a lot of time at Civic Theatre and Powell said learning lines and really getting to know her character has been a challenge.
“Akeelah went through a lot of stuff to accomplish what she wanted and she didn’t it let her stop her,” Powell said. “That inspires me as well.”
And Powell believes that “Akeelah” can inspire others to step outside of their comfort zone and try new things like she did.
“I would tell people that this show is about not being afraid to take that step outside of the box because you never know what it is going be like or if you will ever have the chance to do it again,” Powell said.
“Akeelah and the Bee” is April 20-29 at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre, 30 N. Division Ave. The show is recommended for 5th graders and older. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Thursday – Saturday with 2 p.m matinees on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $16-$10. For more information about the show or to purchase tickets, call 616-222-6650 or visit www.grct.org.
It was a packed house as East Kentwood High School hosted its fourth annual FIRST Robotics event just before Easter.
More than 800 students from around West Michigan and as far away as Troy and Milan, competed at the two-day event in hopes of landing a spot in the state competition set for April 12-14 at Saginaw Valley State University.
Teams for the Kentwood and Wyoming area included home team East Kentwood’s Red Storm, Wyoming High School’s Demons, Lee High School’s Rebel Robotics, Potter House’s Tactical Hams, and the West Michigan Aviation Academy’s Team Spitfire. There also were teams from Grandville and Grand Rapids such as Ottawa Hills High School.
After 80 some qualifying rounds, the final eight teams were announced Saturday afternoon with team alliance selections made for the semi-finals. Several of the local teams including East Kentwood’s Red Storm, Wyoming’s Demons, Lee’s Rebel Robotics, and Potter House’s Tactical Hams made the semi-finals.
Top Dawgs: Code Red Robotics the Stray Dogs took home the prestigious Chairman’s Award.
But it would be the alliance of Kalamazoo’s Strike Force, Newaygo’s NC Gears, and Hackett Catholic Prep’s Irish Robotics that would bring home the win.
Several local teams did receive awards with Grandville’s Code Red Robotics the Stray Dogs taking home the Chairman’s Award. This is the most prestigious award at FIRST as it honors the team that best represents a model for other teams to emulate and best embodies the purpose and goals of FIRST. Teams who have earned the Regional and District Championship Chairman’s Award can travel to the FIRST Championship to be considered for the Chairman’s Award.
Code Red Robotics the Stray Dogs along with Wayland’s Widlcats and Lee’s Rebel Robotics were a district event finalist. The Wayland Wildcats also earned the Industrial Design Award sponsored by General Motors.
Receiving the Highest Rookie Seed was Potter’s House’s Tactical Hams and the Gracious Professionalism Award sponsored by Johnson & Johnson went to Grandville’s The RoboDawgs.
WKTV broadcast the event live on Saturday, March 31. Visit wkvt.viebet.com to see the broadcast or check the WKTV TV schedule at wktv.org or wktvjournal.org.
The energy in the gym is electric. Mascots lead the crowds in cheers as the teams take the field. Someone runs in front of the bleachers with a team flag with others in the stands holding up illuminated signs of team numbers. It only gets quiet as the match is about to start. The buzzer goes off and the place erupts with noise.
This is March Madness not for basketball, but for robotics, specifically FIRST Robotics. This Friday and Saturday, the madness comes to East Kentwood High School’s field house as the district for the fourth year hosts the First Robotics event.
“I have been superintendent for the district for five years, so I have really gotten the chance to see this event grow,” said Kentwood Superintendent William Zoerhoff, who added that watching the students work as a team to figure out a problem using their STEAM — science, technology, engineering, arts, and math — skills is pretty amazing.
Color coordinated fans are ready to cheer on their team at GVSU’s FIRST Robotics competition.
Started in 1992, FIRST is an international high school robotics competition founded by inventor and entrepreneur Dean Kamen — the man behind the Segway — and MIT professor emeritus Woodie Flowers. In fact, Kamen often has stated that FIRST is the invention he feels most proud of.
The program began with 28 teams in a New Hampshire high school gym, according to the FIRST website. In 2018, it is estimated that more than 400,000 students across the globe will come together and within six weeks, design, build, and program a functional robot which is able to fulfill the unique and complex challenges specific to that year’s game.
“But it is much more than just building a robot, “ said Grand Valley State University’s Dean of Engineering Paul D. Plotkowski. GVSU was one of the first organizations to host FIRST Robotic competitions with the university having its event last weekend. “It’s about teamwork. It’s about students coming together and solving a problem with each student having a specific task in accomplishing the goal.”
Teams are not only required to build a robot, but they have to come up with a business plan to help cover costs for parts and travel. In the cast of Kentwood’s Red Storm Robotics, Zoerhoff said when funding for the school’s program was needed, the students pitched the team and event to Switch which signed on as a major community supporter.
In the end, it is not about winning either, according to Kentwood’s FIRST Robotics Competition organizer Wendy Ljungen, who is a chief consulting engineer for GE Aviation Systems. It is about getting students interested in the field of technology and in fact, there are a vast array of scholarships available to students who participate in FIRST.
“When GE got involved, it was looking at how to get more women involved in technology,” Ljungen said. “GE has been a strong force in creating a balance by encouraging girls and building a better pipeline.”
So nine years ago, a GE group, called Women in Technology, began to look around to see what programs there were to encourage students and specifically pull girls into the pipeline of technology and engineering. They found FIRST and had about three months —which included the two-week Christmas break — to pull together a team. They did and Kentwood’s Red Storm Robotics team became the top seeded Rookie team that year.
Mentors work with the South Christian High School team
From there, GE branched out to help with establishing three middle school teams in Kentwood — one which went to the world competition last year — along with helping with the Wyoming High School’s team the Demons and this year, re-establishing the Ottawa Hills High School team. Those teams along with West Michigan Aviation’s Team Spitfire, Lee High School’s Rebel Robotics, and Potter’s House’s Tactical Hams are among the more than 40 teams that will be at this weekend’s event.
This year’s competition theme is based on a Mario game with the robots required to be able to pick up cubes that can be placed on a scale along with passing them out for stacking. Robots also need to be able to climb a structure with some able to load another team’s robot and climb.
The “game” floor has all the bells and whistles of the Mario game complete with a giant scoreboard showcasing who has the most points. There is a few minutes before a winner is announced as final scores are tallied.
Each team is required to attend two district competitions. Those teams that earn enough points or certain awards, then advance to the state competition which will be April 12-14 at Saginaw Valley State University.
“It has been quite a journey,” Ljungen said. “When we started there was about 200 teams. There are now more than 500 teams with the goal that ever listed high school in the state will have a team.”
The growth of FIRST is evident as to accommodate all the teams with Forest Hills Central High School added to the schedule this year as a new FIRST Robotics event site. That competition is next weekend.
With his lifejacket snug and dripping wet, Kentwood’s Challenger Elementary School fifth-grader Jaden Brown pulled himself up an East Kentwood High School Aquatics Center pool ladder. He had just practiced swimming in deep water with his classmates.
During three sessions at the pool, offered to all fifth-graders from the district’s 10 elementary schools, Jaden has learned the basics of water safety and he’s feeling more confident in the pool. “It taught me how to swim a little,” he said. “I didn’t know how to swim before.”
Leena Karaein, left, and Kelly Le, Challenger Elementary School fifth-graders, get ready to swim
The Aquatic Center, which features two swimming pools and 1-meter and 3-meter diving boards, provides the perfect opportunity to teach swimming as a life skill to many students in the district who don’t know how to swim, said Aquatics Director Joey Sutherlin. He leads the session with Jock Ambrose, high school boys’ swim coach.
Yet, like skills taught in health and physical education, water safety is something all students need to know, Sutherlin said. The district is one of the most diverse in the state, with students from more than 60 countries represented and a large population of English-language learners.
In the U.S., about 4,000 people drown each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including data from 1999–2010. Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional injury death among children ages 1 to 4, and one of the top three causes among persons age 29 or younger.
There is disparity in rates of drowning among some ethnic groups, including African-Americans, with blacks also reporting less opportunities to swim. Swimming pool drowning rates among blacks, ages 5–19, were 5.5 times higher than those among white youth. This disparity was greatest at ages 11 and 12 years; at these ages, blacks drown in swimming pools at 10 times the rate of whites.
Coach Jock Ambrose talks about water safety to Challenger Elementary School fifth-graders
Skills for Life
“It’s lifelong learning. We live in Michigan. We are 10 minutes from natural water in any direction,” Sutherlin said, adding that the district has continued to invest in the pool, while some districts have ended their programs. Grand Rapids Public Schools, for instance, once offered water safety but it fell victim to budget cuts.
If the program saves even just one life it is worth it, he said. “We have to make sure we are not just educating our kids in math, science, English, but that we are teaching them survival skills as well.”
While the fifth-grade three-session course is a way to build the district’s competitive swim program by introducing swimming, water polo and diving to elementary school students, a key component is teaching safety topics. Those include floating, reaching out with an oar or branch to help someone struggling in the water, and throwing them a ring buoy or other floatation device. Students learn to enter shallow water feet first and have the chance to try swimming in deep water.
“We believe there is nothing more important than teaching all kids from a young age all the way through high school, the importance of water safety,” Sutherlin said. “We want to make sure they will be safe when they leave here.”
Challenger teacher Jennifer Ray said she’s seen her students become more interested and comfortable in the water, and even start coming to open swim sessions with their families. “There are definitely some of them who, over the three classes, their confidence in the water has grown.”
East Kentwood also offers high school electives including lifeguarding, and beginning, intermediate and advanced swimming.
Once students get really confident in the water, Aquatics Center staff encourages them try the diving board. Fifth-grader Leilani Moore took the plunge off the 3-meter board.
“It was amazing. I felt like I was flying!” she exclaimed.
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
To truly address diversity and culture, sometimes you have to get down to the nitty-gritty. That was shown by East Kentwood students who recently discussed issues including gender roles, bridging a disconnect between general education and English-language learner students, and building mutual respect among students and teachers.
Sophomore Jamirea Lacy shares thoughts on connecting with ELL students
As part of a recent Student Council-designed Culture Week, students gathered on two days for Straight Talk during lunch periods.
“It’s about celebrating the vast array of cultures that we have in school because we are the No. 1 diverse school in the state of Michigan,” said senior Edgar Gatsinski, head of the council’s Diversity Committee. “We have a lot of different cultures and (57) countries represented at the school and we, as student council, wanted to celebrate that.”
Among activities that included games to identify countries and flags, and wearing traditional clothes from students’ native lands, Straight Talk was Culture Week’s way of exploring diversity deeper than through symbols and dress.
“I’ve been asking that key question: How can we acknowledge diversity more at East Kentwood?” Edgar said. “We talk about it, but aren’t really doing it.”
Junior Medina Vila waits to share her opinion
He noted the need for better connection among different student groups. “It’s important to me, given the current cultural climate in the world. I feel like this is so necessary. We need to come together in order for progress to be made. By doing this, that is the main goal.”
Overcoming Barriers Starts with Conversation
Students explored the need to better embrace and involve newcomers and to break down stereotypes. They also talked about student-teacher relationships, gender roles and of the risks of trying to fit in at the expense of not being authentic.
“I feel like once some of us step out of our comfort zone, like maybe we see an ELL student in class and we go and talk to them, then maybe other people will approach them,” said sophomore Jamirea Lacy.
Senior Edgar Gatsinski facilitates Straight Talk
“We have to overcome those language barriers that we have,” Edgar said. “There are other ways to connect with them, like sharing common interests.”
Students also talked about what makes it hard to reach out to others: awkwardness, fear of rejection and fear of what other people think. It’s difficult to step out of one’s circle of friends, they said, but there are ways to do it. “If you do talk to someone who is from a different culture, food is a great topic,” said junior Medina Vila.
Students said they have different standards concerning gender roles based on how they grew up. For some, they don’t really exist in their families, for others, gender roles are tied to tradition and heritage.
“I don’t think ‘being a man’ has an exact definition,” said Junior Ana Tran. “A woman can be anything. A man can be anything too.”
“My mom always instilled in me that it’s OK that she worked and my dad chose to be the one who stayed at home, but I feel like it’s a stigma that it can’t be that way,” Jamirea said.
Edgar said he thinks gender roles “are going to subside and be put aside because we are so progressive, noting that he still hears the “be a man” message from the older generation.
Students also discussed how teachers can better understand students and their cultures, especially within a heated U.S. political environment.
“Regardless of whatever political affiliation they have, I feel like they should still be a little more sensitive and a little more keen to what’s happening around them,” Edgar said. “There is a lot of divisiveness currently in the United States, and it would be nice if the teachers paid attention to that and saw where their students are coming from.”
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
A diverse group of students have straight-forward conversation
With her kind voice and seemingly ever-present smile, it’s easy to see how Kentwood Public School’s Challenger Elementary social worker Pam Buschle has impacted the lives of children over the past 26 years, offering support and a helping hand to many.
Now, with the help of East Kentwood High School engineering students, she’s made it possible to literally give a hand –- a 3-D-printed prosthetic one — to a child in need.
Students recently printed and assembled a hand prototype and will soon create a final version for a child, thanks to an online community of designers and a challenge from Buschle. They will be able to choose the child who will receive the hand, and they are especially interested in supporting someone from a war-torn country.
Social worker Pam Buschle uses an iPad with her prosthetic hand.
This gift was made possible by the No Limbits (pronounced “no limits”) Foundation, created by Buschle and her husband, Marty, a year ago. Its mission is to provide children with prosthetic limbs and to help people who have faced physical challenges have the highest quality of life possible in other ways. Challenger Student Council members raised about $500 for the foundation.
Buschle had both legs and both arms amputated while batting septic shock following routine surgery in early 2014. She now wears prosthetics to replace all four limbs, and is still able to work, walk, use her iPad, open doors and much more.
“I feel incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to give back,” Buschle said. “When I lost my limbs, the Kentwood community, students and teachers all gave back to me. This project is allowing me to give back to someone who might not have hope. I was the recipient of so much love and assistance, and now we are going to be able to offer that to someone.”
Because of cost, prosthetics are out of reach for many people. Buschle’s electric prosthetics cost $125,000 each, mostly paid for through insurance and Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital. Fittings alone cost thousands of dollars. While the 3-D-printed hand is much more basic than Buschle’s, a professionally made, muscle-actuated hand can cost around $6,000 to $10,000, so cost is a huge barrier around the world.
A 3D-printed prosthetic will give new opportunities to a child who is missing a hand
Making Prosthetics Accessible
E-NABLE, a community of individuals from all over the world, offers free, downloadable designs for people to use their 3-D printers to create prosthetic hands and arms. Design kits are open source and available through the site.
At Buschle’s request, East Kentwood engineering teacher Randy Smith challenged seniors Gabe LaComte and Jason Gray-Moore, and juniors Joshua Cancler and Cole Culp, to 3-D-print the hand using files from e-NABLE. They spent about 20 hours using two printers in Smith’s classroom to finish a prototype by following a step-by-step process. They will next upload a video of the hand to e-NABLE, which will verify it and send specific measurements from a child for the final hand.
Money raised by Challenger students was used to purchase materials, including filament for the 3-D hand.
“I enjoyed doing 3-D printing of the hand,” Jason said. “You can help somebody who is not as fortunate as us and we can give them a hand because we have the resources to do it.”
Added Cole, “It’s a good opportunity to make a change for someone who doesn’t have something as basic as a hand. Some people go their whole lives without being able to pick up something. It’s nice to know you helped them with something like that.”
Social worker Pam Buschle lost her arms and legs while battling septic shock
No Limbits has also brought a child to Grand Rapids for a prosthetic hand, Zoey Krause from the Dominican Republic, whose father, Tim Krause, is an East Kentwood High School graduate. They sponsored a 5K run called Medaling Monkeys for special education students; provided scholarships for teenagers who need adaptive equipment to participate in a sport; sent care packages to people around the country who have lost their limbs; and they plan to build more 3-D hands.
Buschle said her career has given her perspective on life. For many years she worked with students on the autism spectrum.
“Seeing the resilience and hard work students would put into living their happiest, fullest life gave me a lot of inspiration when I went through this experience,” she said. “I was able to look at the students and families I had known for years, and think about how they put one foot in front of the other when things seemed very impossible and difficult, and draw a lot of strength from that.”
Buschle returned to work seven months after losing her arms and legs.
“It was really beautiful, being back in school, how much the students encouraged me and accepted me, and have shown me how to be compassionate and accepting and loving. Children are naturals at that. There are a lot of lessons we can learn from our students.”
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
These students helped raise money for school social worker Pam Buschle’s foundation: from left, Challenger students Whitney Dixon, Aaron Cobb, Emma Belden, Leena Karaein and Cheyanne Meyers
The WKTV sports broadcast schedule will give you three games over two nights as our coverage truck makes visits to East Kentwood and West Michigan Aviation this week.
Tuesday night the truck and crew will be heading to East Kentwood for a boys basketball game against East Grand Rapids. Game time is 7 p.m. Friday night, the crew will be at West Michigan Aviation, where both the girls and boys teams will be hosting Wyoming Lee. The crew will then take the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day off before returning in the new year.
Currently, each Tuesday game will be broadcast that night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 at 11 p.m. and repeat on Wednesday at 5 p.m. Each Friday game will be aired that night on WKTV 25 at 11 p.m. and repeat Saturday at 11 a.m. The games can also be seen on AT&T U-verse 99.
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, Dec. 18
Boys/Girls Bowling
Godwin Heights @ Hopkins
Kelloggsville @ Wyoming Lee
Christian @ Wyoming
Girls Cheer
East Kentwood @ Grandville
Tuesday, Dec. 19
Boys Bowling
Wellsprings Prep @ Godwin Heights
Wyoming @ Middleville T-K
Boys Basketball
Wyoming Lee @ Tri-Unity Christian
South Christian @ Calvin Christian
East Grand Rapids @ East Kentwood – WKTV Featured Game
West Michigan Lutheran @ Barry County Christian
Grand River Prep @ West Michigan Aviation
Girls Basketball
Calvin Christian @ South Christian
East Kentwood @ East Grand Rapids
Grace Christian @ Zion Christian
West Michigan Lutheran @ Barry County Christian
Manistee Catholic Central 2 tri-Unity Christian
Wednesday, Dec. 20
Girls Cheer
Godwin Heights @ Muskegon Mona Shores
Wyoming @ Muskegon Mona Shores
Boys Basketball
Catholic Central @ Godwin Heights
Boys Wrestling
Wyoming Lee @ Comstock Park
Wyoming @ Holland
Kelloggsville @ Calvin Christian
Rockford @ East Kentwood
Thursday, Dec. 21
Boys/Girls Bowling
Wyoming @ Allendale
Friday, Dec. 22
Boys Basketball
Wyoming Lee @ West Michigan Aviation – WKTV Featured Game
Wyoming @ Kenowa Hills
Cedar Springs @ Kelloggsville
Lansing Christian @ Potter’s House
Girls Basketball
Wyoming @ Kenowa Hills
Lansing Christian @ Potter’s House
Wyoming Lee @ West Michigan Aviation – WKTV Featured Game
Boys Hockey
East Kentwood @ Catholic Central
Saturday, Dec. 23
Boys Wrestling
Kelloggsville @ Martin
Monday, Dec. 25
CHRISTMAS DAY
Tuesday, Dec. 26
Boys Basketball
Godwin Heights vs Covenant Christian @ Cornerstone University
After students spent last school year building a house through the East Kentwood High School residential construction class, Principal Omar Bakri bought it.
Senior John Walma turns a wheel to lift drywall
“I wasn’t planning on it,” said Bakri. “I stopped by the worksite to support the students and teachers. When I walked into the house, my jaw dropped. I fell in love with it right away.”
Bakri and his wife, Ayrica, a third-grade teacher at Explorer Elementary, also in Kentwood Public Schools, sold their Grand Rapids house and moved into the stately home in the Crystal Springs neighborhood with their children, Kian, a fourth-grader and Isaac, 20, in June.
Bakri loves the detail in the five-bedroom ranch, which boasts an open floor plan, brick fireplace, wood floors, cobblestone-bordered tile and 9-foot ceilings. “Everything seems solid, top to bottom,” he said.
Senior Corbin Butterly hoists up the drywall
Student-Built, Kentwood-Connected
Bakri’s house is among about 25 in the district built by students – with help from professionals – from the ground up. The class, taught for 13 years by Kyle Croskey, has been transforming teenagers into tradespersons since the mid-’80s, providing an invaluable experience. The program sustains itself because the sale of each house provides funding for the next. The district currently owns eight adjacent Crystal Springs lots for development.
Students gain experience in carpentry, windows and drywall installation, painting and assisting with electrics and plumbing. They install outlets, light switches and sinks, cut and polish granite countertops. They add their own design ideas and tweak things as they see fit.
Currently, 34 students are building a 2,700 square-foot, five-bedroom, three-and-a-half bathroom house, also in Crystal Springs. Students are already putting their own signature on it, modifying the original floor plan to include a wet bar in the basement, an expanded walk-in closet and a fancy, walk-in shower.
Senior Bryce Hansen sits atop a ladder in a new house students are building
Students earn a math credit for the class, and it attracts a diverse group of teens. More than half enter construction or a skilled trade as a career or in a post-secondary program, Croskey said. Others want to learn to “do-it-yourself” at home.
“It’s kind of like a Montessori approach,” said Croskey, who sees students discover aptitudes for different areas of construction, electrics, interior design. “I tell the students, find something you’re good at and get really good at it and the rest of it will come.”
It’s also about having a true sense of what occupations in construction entail. “We want you to have experience and decide if this is for you or not,” Croskey said.
It was the right fit for assistant construction teacher Cam Morris, a 2014 East Kentwood graduate, who took the class his senior year.
“The first time I worked with my hands was in this class,” Morris said. “I didn’t know I wanted to work with my hands for the rest of my life. It 100 percent changed my life and career path.”
A Strong Job Forecast
Skilled-trade professions are in high demand. According to the latest edition of the West Michigan Talent Assessment and Outlook, 10-year growth is projected in construction jobs, ranging from about 7 percent to 34 percent. Last year two students were hired by local companies because of the work they did in the class.
Hands-on exposure to careers creates the kind of connections students need, Bakri said. The class is a great example of the style of learning emphasized lately to build the future workforce. It helps students develop collaboration, problem-solving, creativity and critical-thinking skills. Said Bakri, “What (Croskey) is doing on a regular basis is exactly what we want our core teachers to do on a regular basis.”
Drills buzzed and hammers pounded as students installed drywall on a recent sunny Wednesday.
“It’s just the experience,” freshman Hector Avalos said about why he likes the class. He plans to become an engineer and start his own construction business. “You can look at something and say, ‘I know what that is and I know what that is.”
Senior Shannon McGhee said he’s learned to love carpentry and enjoys the setting of the class. “It’s more outdoors. You get out of the classroom. You do more hands-on things instead of being stuck in a classroom.”
Senior Jeremy Henry said he’s interested in carpentry as an occupation, but the class will help him in the future no matter what. “When I’m a homeowner, if something needs to be repaired I will know how to fix it.”
Senior Daniah Ali had her own reason for taking the course: defiance. “My brother took it and he said girls couldn’t do this.”
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
Seniors Allison Quinn and Chloe Quinn move a piece of drywall
In the recent WKTV Journal newscast, we talk to officials from Kelloggsville Public School and the Kent District Library about the new collaborative project to make the Kelloggsville High School library open to everyone in the community. We also visit the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park for a look at its 23rd annual Christmas and Holiday Traditions Around the Word exhibition. Lastly, renowned musician and original member of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra Mark Woods visits Kentwood Public Schools for a concert that was electrifying and had everyone dancing, especially the musicians.
Ice hockey is on WKTV’s coverage schedule this week. (WKTV)
By Mike Moll
sports@wktv.org
The winter seasons start up this week with boys hockey dropping the puck for the first time and WKTV will be there as East Kentwood entertains East Grand Rapids on Nov. 17.
Girls basketball tips off their season the last week of the month.
There is still three fall sports yet to crown champions: Girls volleyball state semi-finals and finals are at the Kellogg Arena in Battle Creek on Thursday, Nov. 16, and Saturday, Nov. 18, for all four classes. Girls swimming and diving will conclude with state finals on Nov. 17–18 at Oakland University, Holland Aquatic Center, and Eastern Michigan University. The last championships will be handed out on the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving, Nov. 24-25, with football finals being played at Ford Field in Detroit.
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:
Thursday, Nov. 16
Girls Volleyball
MHSAA Class A State Semi Finals @ Kellogg Arena
MHSAA Class B State Semi Finals @ Kellogg Arena
MHSAA Class C State Semi Finals @ Kellogg Arena
MHSAA Class D State Semi Finals @ Kellogg Arena
Friday, Nov. 17
Girls Swimming
Division 1 MHSAA State Finals @ Oakland University
Division 2 MHSAA State Finals @ Holland Aquatic Center
Division 3 MHSAA State Finals @ Eastern Michigan University
Boys Hockey
East Grand Rapids @ East Kentwood – WKTV Featured Game
South Christian @ Grand Haven
Saturday, Nov. 18
Stubby Overmire Card Show @ Wyoming Lee – Denny McLain, Mickey Stanley, Tom Matchick
Girl Volleyball
Class A MHSAA State Finals @ Kellogg Arena 2 PM
Class B MHSAA State Finals @ Kellogg Arena 4 PM
Class C MHSAA State Finals @ Kellogg Arena 12 PM
Class D MHSAA State Finals @ Kellogg Arena 10 AM
Boys Hockey
East Grand Rapids @ South Christian
Girls Swimming
Division 1 MHSAA State Finals @ Oakland University
Division 2 MHSAA State Finals @ Holland Aquatic Center
Division 3 MHSAA State Finals @ Eastern Michigan University
Sunday, Nov. 19
Stubby Overmire Card Show @ Wyoming Lee High School
A goal at the high school is for every student to receive college credit from at least one class before they graduate, said Evan Hordyk, the district’s executive director for secondary education. Well-established Advanced Placement (AP) opportunities, plus a middle college launching next fall, will make that possible.
East Kentwood students are already tallying up college credits by choosing from a slate of 21 AP classes. Soon they will be able to earn a free associate degree from Grand Rapids Community College by completing a fifth year of high school while dually enrolled as a college student.
It’s a way to give students a head start, in a setting where they feel comfortable. “We offer a very supportive family environment here, so taking a college class where they have those supports can help them be more successful,” Hordyk said.
From left, East Kentwood High School students Nisa Brooks and Adilene Garcia are earning credit in AP art
Adding a Fifth Year = Associate’s Degree
The district will begin the Middle College with its first cohort of 10th graders next fall. Students will take college courses at East Kentwood along with high school courses, and then finish a fifth year on the GRCC campus. Successfully completing the program will earn them a general associate degree with credits transferable to most four-year colleges and universities. Other Middle College programs established through GRCC partnerships include Wyoming High School, Cedar Springs High School and Ottawa Hills High School. Kenowa Hills High School has a partnership with Davenport University.
“The most obvious and biggest benefit for students and parents is that the tuition is covered,” Hordyk said. Considering a student entering a four-year university right after senior year pays an average of more than $20,000 including room and board, the savings is potentially huge and places students a year ahead of schedule.
“We have an opportunity for students, whether they have an economic need or not to walk out of here with an associate’s degree,” said Principal Omar Bakri.
For several years, East Kentwood students have pursued dual-enrollment opportunities with GRCC, Kendall and Davenport, with more than 100 students participating last school year.
Dan Clark, dean of academic outreach for Grand Rapids Community College, said this partnership is their sixth middle college partnership. Programs are filling a need, especially for economically disadvantaged students and those who are the first in their families to attend college.
“It definitely allows and provides greater opportunity for access and success for particular students who, it was probably a foregone conclusion, weren’t going to go to college,” he said.
Programs have also led to increased collaboration between high schools and GRCC. “If institutions can partner in a way to benefit students, families and the community, it’s a win-win-win all around,” Clark said.
A Reputable AP Program
East Kentwood has also built one of the most comprehensive AP programs possible, with 21 classes including AP courses in science, English, math, economics government and art. The high school last year earned a silver medal from U.S. News and World Report for achievements including having 35 percent of students take AP tests and, of those, 73 percent pass them.
These courses give students college-level opportunities they otherwise might not have. They aren’t just for the highest achieving students, Hordyk said.
“One of the things we are quite proud of is that in 2017, 1,000 AP exams were taken. If you go back five years, just under 600 were taken, so we’ve almost doubled that number.” The success rate of a passing score, a 3, 4 or 5 on the AP exam, has remained high. “We’ve added a lot of kids and they are still very successful.”
East Kentwood is the most diverse school in the state (as ranked by Niche, a data organization) with students from more than 60 countries represented. Much of the increase in AP enrollment is from students of various ethnicities, “groups that haven’t traditionally been part of AP,” Hordyk said.
Graduate Justin Lai, a University of Michigan freshman pursuing a degree in computer science engineering, recently stopped in to visit his AP physics teacher Laura Sloma. He took nine AP classes before graduating last spring and said he was glad to have the head start. “As far as preparation goes, it was nice to have a harder workload to prepare me for college.”
East Kentwood High School will host its annual marching band competition this weekend. (Photo by Jim Swoboda)
By Kelly Arganbright
Kentwood Band and Orchestra Boosters
The competition will be intense down on the football field, with a stadium full of cheering fans, at East Kentwood High School Saturday, Oct. 21. Uniformed players will be suited up in their school colors, every movement planned, with the sole focus of trying for the best performance of the season. It’ll be a lot like the games you see in every stadium across America, except for one thing, there will be no football.
In fact, this is no game at all. This event is the East Kentwood High School Falcon Marching Band Invitational, a marching band competition, and it’s happening from 2:30-10 p.m.
It is a musical extravaganza and one of the biggest marching band shows in West Michigan, with 20 high school bands from around West Michigan slated to compete for top honors.
People who have never been to a marching band competition, can liken the experience to watching twenty, football game, halftime shows. Bands are classified according to school size and compete in their respective classes. Each band’s performance has its own chosen theme with related music that they perform with synchronized, choreographed movements. This is no small task, when you consider some of these bands are in excess of 200 members. That’s a lot of moving parts and instruments! The result is a performance that is impressive to hear and watch.
And, the view should be spectacular. East Kentwood boasts the highest vantage point of any high school stadium in West Michigan. A very important detail, considering when it comes to marching bands, the higher a person is in the stadium, the better the view of the performance they will have.
People should plan to come out and spend the day. There will be a plenty of food and drinks available at the concession stand, so spectators will not have to miss a single performance.
Admission is $8 for adults, $6 for students and seniors and age 5 and under are free. All proceeds benefit the EKHS instrumental music programs.
Here is the performance line up:
Class D
2:30 PM Brandywine High School
2:45 PM Bridgman High School
3:00 PM Pewamo-Westphalia High School
3:15 PM Gobles High School
3:30 PM Break
Class C
3:45 PM Freemont High School
4:00 PM Oakridge High School
4:15 PM Parchment High School
4:30 PM Whitehall High School
4:45 PM Dowagiac High School
5:00 PM Lakewood High School
5:15 PM Break
Class B
5:45 PM Kenowa Hills High School
6:00 PM Ionia High School
6:15 PM Charlotte High School
6:30 PM Vicksburg High School
6:45 PM Spring Lake High School
7:00 PM Break
Class A
7:30 PM Wyoming High School
7:45 PM Kalamazoo Central High School
8:00 PM Olivet High School A
8:15 PM Portage Central High School
Exhibition
8:30 PM East Kentwood High School
9:00 PM Awards Ceremony
(Photos attached to file. Photo credit to Jim Swoboda.)
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.”
Whether you say “football” or “fútbol”, WKTV’s broadcast crew’s coverage has you covered as our high school sports crew will make two stops at East Kentwood High School over the next week, first with a Friday, Sept. 22 football game between Grandville and East Kentwood, then a Monday, Sept. 25, boys soccer game between South Christian and East Kentwood.
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:
Tuesday Sept. 19
Boys/girls Cross Country
Wyoming Lee @ Hopkins
Godwin Heights @ Hopkins
Kelloggsville @ Hopkins
West Michigan Aviation @ Holland Calvary
East Kentwood @ West Ottawa
Boys Soccer
NorthPointe Christian @ Wyoming Lee
Godwin Heights @ Calvin Christian
Zion Christian @ West Michigan Aviation
South Christian @ FH Eastern
East Kentwood @ Rockford
Holland Black River @ Tri-Unity Christian
Wyoming @ Middleville T-K
Girls Volleyball
Godwin Heights @ West Michigan Aviation
Tri-Unity Christian @ Zion Christian
Grand Rapids Christian @ South Christian
FH Eastern @ Wyoming
West Michigan Lutheran @ Rivertown Christian
Girls Golf
Caledonia @ East Kentwood
Boys Tennis
Wyoming @ Zeeland West
Wednesday, Sept. 20
Boys Tennis
Catholic Central @ Kelloggsville
South Christian @ Middleville T-K
Easy Kentwood @ Caledonia
Girls Golf
Middleville T-K @ South Christian
Wyoming @ South Christian
Boys/girls Cross Country
South Christian @ Grand Rapids Christian
Wyoming @ Middleville T-K
Boys Water Polo
Grandville @ East Kentwood
Thursday, Sept. 21
Boys Soccer
Kelloggsville @ Wyoming Lee
Godwin Heights @ Hopkins
Holland Black River @ Zion Christian
West Michigan Aviation @ Wellsprings Prep
Wyoming @ South Christian
East Kentwood @ Grandville
Girls Volleyball
Wyoming Lee @ Calvin Christian
Kelloggsville @ Godwin Heights
Holland Black River @ Zion Christian
West Michigan Aviation @ Wellsprings Prep
EGR @ South Christian
Wyoming @ Wayland
Hudsonville @ East Kentwood
Algoma Christian @ West Michigan Lutheran
Girls Swimming
South Christian @ Calvin Christian
West Ottawa @ East Kentwood
Girls Golf
East Kentwood @ Caledonia
Friday, Sept. 22
Boys Football
Belding @ Wyoming Lee – Homecoming
Cadillac @ Godwin Heights
Calvin Christian/Potter’s House @ Kelloggsville
South Christian @ Wayland
Grandville @ East Kentwood (WKTV’s game of the Week)
Wyoming @ EGR
Girls Golf
Kenowa Hills @ Wyoming
Saturday, Sept. 23
Boys/girls Cross Country
Wyoming Lee @ Cedar Springs – Cedar Springs Invitational
Godwin Heights @ Lowell
Grand River Prep @ Lowell
Kelloggsville @ Cedar Springs
South Christian @ Catholic Central
East Kentwood @ Jackson
Girls Volleyball
Hastings @ Kelloggsville
Wyoming @ Zeeland East
Boys/girls Equestrian
South Christian – Barry County Fairgrounds
Boys Football
Central Lake @ Tri-Unity Christian – 8 Man
Monday, Sept. 25
Boys Tennis
Coopersville @ Kelloggsville
East Kentwood @ Grand Haven
Grand Rapids Christian @ Wyoming
Boys Soccer
Coopersville@ Kelloggsville
South Christian @ East Kentwood (Special WKTV broadcast)
Girls Golf
South Christian @ FH Northern – Ernie Popiel Invite
WKTV’s football coverage crew was at Wyoming Godwin Heights last week as the Wolverines went 3-0 with a big win over Calvin Christian. (WKTV)
By Rob Gee
WKTV sports volunteer/news@wktv.org
What a start for Wyoming-Kentwood area high school football as four teams start the season 3-0 and two others start 2-1.
Lots of winning going on in the area right now and when was the last time East Kentwood, Kelloggsville, Godwin and South Christian all started the season 3-0? How about never.
One would need to go all the way back to 1960 when East Kentwood, Godwin and Kelloggsville all started 3-0 to find the last time three of these teams did it, but that would be five years before South Christian would begin fielding a team.
And WKTV’s high school football broadcast coverage crew will be at East Kentwood for the next two Fridays, first for a home game for South Christian and then for a home game for East Kentwood.
East Kentwood, who has started the season 3-0 for the fifteenth time, narrowly defeated Hudsonville, in Week 3. Defense in the first two weeks of the season only allowed 6 points but Hudsonville was able to almost triple that in their scoring 17 points. MLive had East Kentwood at No. 10 in the state prior to the game but after this last weeks performance, East Kentwood dropped to No. 13. East Kentwood is the only area team in MLive top 50.
South Christian did not have an easy time with Benton Harbor in Week 2 Forest Hills Eastern in the first half but the Sailors widened the gap in the second half to cruise to a 36-20 win and open the season 3-0 for the 15th time in school history. That is equal to the number of times East Kentwood has started the season 3-0, despite South Christian starting its football program five years after East Kentwood.
Kelloggsville looks to repeat as OK Conference Silver champs as they start the season 3-0. The Rockets were averaging 41 points a game in their first two games and only increased that average by scoring 51 at home against Buchanan. The Rockets defense was averaging 22 points a game given up and dropped that average to 17 points given up per game by holding Buchanan to just 8 points. Weeks 2 and 3 have seen Kelloggsville outscore their opponents 107-29. This is the eighth season in school history that the Rockets have started 3-0. This is the twelfth season Kelloggsville has started undefeated as they have had three seasons start at 2-0-1 and another season start 1-0-2.
Godwin Heights are no strangers to starting 3-0 as this is the third in the last five years that the Wolverines have begun 3-0 and the 11th overall. Last Friday’s game was a huge win for Godwin and Coach Carlton Brewster as they defeated Calvinm Christian by 49 points. Godwin had been 2-12 against Calvin Christian in their last 14 meetings. When Godwin has beaten the Squires, its not been by a whopping total. You would have to go all the way back to 1996 to find a similar result, Godwin won 53-13 that year. There is reason for pause in getting too excited to this 3-0 start as the opponents combined record is 0-9.
Tri-Unity Christian’s 8-man football tam started the season with an upset loss to Battle Creek St. Philips but have rebounded to win their last two. The Defenders seem to be only getting better as in Week 2 they beat Suttons Bay by 9 and Week 3 saw them easily defeat Atlanta by 26 points, 34-8.
Wyoming high head coach Irvin Sigler, at a preseason press conference. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
Wyoming continues to struggle adjusting to Coach Irvin Sigler schemes as the Wolves start the season 0-3. Wyoming was outmatched by Grand Rapids Christian 65-8 in Week 3 and led to the worst loss in school history. Like Godwin’s record can’t be given too much credit however, Wyoming’s record can’t be criticized too much as their opponents combined record is 9-0. Make no mistake, when Coach Sigler’s philosophies are grasped by his players this trend will not only stop but reverse.
Lee High school started off red hot at 2-0 but ran into a buzz saw in Northpointe Christian and their workhorse Jalen Shaffer. Surprising most everyone in the universe, its seems, Lee moved to 2-0 in Week 2 defeating White Cloud 48-0 and we would need to go back to 2005 to find that level of domination by the Rebels. Week 3 would not be a good one for the young upstarts as Northpointe was the dominant force in a 42-0 game. Lee’s lifetime record against Northpointe is 0-8 with a combined score of 330-46 and marks the third time Coach Tim Swore’s team has held the Rebels scoreless.
Currently, WKTV’s football games 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/
While Michigan Teacher of the Year Luke Wilcox has already delved into his statewide responsibilities, he isn’t forgetting the new crop of teachers at East Kentwood High School. In fact, he plans to use his experience with them to impact other Michigan schools.
Wilcox recently welcomed 11 new high school teachers, several fresh out of college, to boot camp for Rising Teacher Leaders, a group he started with English teacher Mike Traywick. They gathered inside the AP statistics classroom he has to leave for the year to fulfill his Teacher of the Year roles.
“One of my goals is to figure out how to best support new teachers, not just in Kentwood but across the state,” said Wilcox, who received the honor in May and is credited for helping create a culture of success at East Kentwood. “I’m now thinking of what we are doing here in Kentwood as an experimental lab, where we are trying ideas and refining ideas with the goal that we replicating some of the things we are doing here.
“As Michigan Teacher of the Year I have that platform where I could expand the programs into other schools,” he said.
New East Kentwood teachers take in some tips from Luke Wilcox
Tapping into Kentwood Talent
With its third cohort beginning this fall, Rising Teacher Leaders serves as a schoolwide teacher support system with 32 teachers now involved. Each year a new cohort begins, receiving mentorship from the previous ones. The goal is for the majority of teachers in the school to eventually be Rising Teacher Leaders.
Wilcox greeted teachers before leading them on a tour of the school. In classrooms, teachers in the first two cohorts presented on topics they find of value for new Kentwood teachers.
“It’s super exciting,” said math teacher Sarah Stecker, who is beginning her first year at East Kentwood. “I met Luke awhile ago and I was really inspired by his teaching style and I am excited to get to work with him.”
“I feel like it’s really comforting just to know you have a group to lean on and go to with questions,” said Katie Roth, a health and biology teacher starting her first year after graduating from Central Michigan University. “They are having the same struggles. You feel less alone. I think it’s cool that (Wilcox) wants to give back to teachers.”
Rising Teacher Leaders meets weekly for professional development focused on helping teachers in their first few years. Topics are anything teachers want to discuss, questions they have, or things they want to brainstorm. Wilcox sees it as a way for teachers to grow in the profession surrounded by colleagues they know, trust and can learn from.
Traywick said Wilcox’s work as Teacher of the Year means more opportunities and value for the group.
“I’m hoping it brings us more ideas. It should amplify what we are trying to do here tenfold,” he said. “Wilcox is one of the best in the nation. To be able to tap that knowledge will be a big deal.”
Wilcox wants to help keep momentum going at East Kentwood, which climbed from the 4th percentile (meaning 19 out of 20 schools in Michigan were deemed better) to the 49th percentile rank statewide since 2012, after receiving Priority School status based on standardized test scores, graduation rates and achievement gaps.
“I still want to have impact, and I want East Kentwood High School to be great. I feel like this is a way I can maintain some influence on the positive direction we’ve had in the past few years.”
Wilcox’s work to support teachers is already expanding further than East Kentwood. He is developing a teacher leadership academy at Van Andel Education Institute for teachers to support each other, develop skills and learn new strategies.
Michigan Teacher of the Year Luke Wilcox, at right, chats with new East Kentwood teachers
A drone buzzed over the East Kentwood Freshman campus, snapping photos to document the path of water runoff from the school building to a Buck Creek tributary that runs across the property. While watching the miniature aircraft, science students talked about how to reduce humans’ impact on the environment. They would later use technology to create maps and documentaries.
Welcome to 21st-century biology, where students have tools like drones for snapping photos from a bird’s eye view, 3-D printers for creating three-dimensional models and smartphones to create video.
Students gather to fly the drone in the schoolyard.
In science teacher Nicholas Bihler’s class, they also had the drive to tackle a real-world problem: Water that comes off the school roof simply drains onto the ground, collecting sediment and chemicals and polluting nearby waterways.
While solutions to fix the runoff problem are still unfolding, students completed several projects connected to nonpoint source pollution, and the ramifications it has on the community and local watershed. They recently showcased their work – models of campus that show the runoff path, reports, informational posters and videos – after several weeks exploring the issue and building awareness.
“Our whole purpose is to educate the community on how water runoff affects the community and the environment as a whole,” said freshman Emily Kwekel.
Students created projects with technology including drone pictures of campus and 3-D printed items.
Ongoing Work
Students’ projects and data will be used by next year’s class, and could eventually be part of a local information campaign to spur efforts to reduce pollution in the watershed. Research included gathering and testing water from the creek to create an analysis of the stream’s health. Results showed excessive phosphorus levels. Insects lacked diversity, indicating poor water quality, and next year’s students will use the data as a baseline.
“I want my students to be able to educate others about nonpoint source pollution and meaningful ways citizens can take action to reduce it,” Bihler said.
Students said they learned that pollution can come from everyday things: Fertilizers and cars have a far-reaching effect.
“It hurts the animals and then those animals can’t eat because their food source is dying off, and then they die and go extinct and people wonder why,” said freshman Lilli Crowley.
A water-mitigation garden, created by staff, is just one step in reducing the problem of water runoff from the school.
Taking action at a staff level, Bihler and his colleagues, teachers Adrienne DeMilner, Alan Freudigmann and Beth Thompson, partnered with Groundswell, an initiative through Grand Valley State University, in creating a rain mitigation garden in the school to capture water runoff and hold it in the soil with native plants.
As for sharing the message, freshman Will Chatlosh’s report, presented to his class and earning loud applause from peers, gets to the point.
“Human activities such as deforestation, agricultural advancements, and increased urbanization are all factors that increase pollution in this way,” he said, while reading his report to the class. “However, it may be a lack of information that kills millions of animals a year and increases the chance of disease around the world. However, more specifically our community is also affected by nonpoint source pollution.”
He said becoming informed is key. “Nonpoint source pollution could destroy the world but it doesn’t have to.”
Students debate what do do about non-point source pollution during a Socratic Smackdown.
Editor’s Note: This story was first published in August 2016
Gloria Tungabose’s eyes flash as she tells of her father, killed in Burundi. Her mother’s ethnicity was Tutsi and her father’s was Hutu, and the two groups were engaged in a bloody civil war. Her mother, Butoyi, was arrested.
“My mom went to jail and was raped there and had my sister,” said the East Kentwood High School student, describing how men measured her mother’s nose to determine her ethnicity.
The family moved to Congo, where violence also raged, Gloria said. They eventually arrived at a refugee camp in Namibia, living off rations of flour, beans, oil, sugar and salt, carrying drinking water to their shelters and going to school. She was 10 years old, and would remain there for three years.
Rwandan refugee Sifa Nyamuhungu and Gloria Tungabose join each other at the lunch table
Sponsored by a local organization, Gloria moved to Michigan four years ago, to discover a place where snow falls in the winter, people ride daily in cars and buses and where she can go to school with students from many different backgrounds. Now she can graduate from high school, go to college and become a nurse.
“I feel like it’s a dream and I’m still sleeping. Am I in America, really?” she asked. “I just have to live life and accept the reality in it. Even though the past was horrible and bad, I want to make my future better and help people in the future.”
Gloria’s story is similar to many refugee students who attend East Kentwood High School. They’ve escaped war. They’ve ridden on top of trains to elude dangerous gangs. They’ve seen family members murdered. They’ve crossed oceans and lived in refugee camps. They’ve faced religious and ethic persecution unlike most Americans ever experience.
Now they are seated at their desks Monday through Friday, reading literature, learning algebra, studying U.S. history and taking Michigan Merit Curriculum tests. They dream of careers, financial security, a future without violence.
Fresenai Haileselassie, from Eritrea; Arafat Abdikarim Yassin, from Somalia; and Mohamed Hisabu, from Eritrea, are refugee students who attend East Kentwood High School.
A Mosaic of Backgrounds
School diversity is often painted with a broad brush: white, black, Hispanic and Asian. But in Kentwood Public Schools, where students there come from 89 different countries, that picture is much more detailed. Diversity means students hail from all over the globe: from bustling Indian and Chinese cities to mountainous Balkan countries, to African tribal communities.
“We have 61 languages spoken here, which creates unique challenges,” said Erin Wolohan, an interventionist who works with students learning English. “We have many, many languages and cultures, so we have to come up with unique solutions.”
Many students speak half a dozen or more languages, a result of growing up in several countries, as their families fled areas and resettled in others. Gloria speaks Swahili, Kirundi, Kinyarwanda, English, French and Portuguese. She has already graduated out of the English Language (ELL) Learner program, and her accent is barely detectable.
“I feel great. I am surrounded by different cultures. I feel at home,” she said.
Unique Challenges
Newcomers arrived in waves to the Grand Rapids area from Bosnia, Kosovo, Vietnam and other Asian countries, Burma, Nepal and Africa. Many have moved to the Kentwood area because of housing availability. In the 8,856-student Kentwood Public Schools district there is an English-language learner population of 1,686 students, 19 percent of the district.
“For the past two decades Kentwood Public Schools has experienced a demographic shift within our student population,” said Shirley Johnson, assistant superintendent of Student Services.
One way the district has responded is to provide cultural competency training to all employees to address the numerous challenges: logistic, communication and cultural. Teachers help with transportation and in reaching parents who don’t have cars or driver’s licenses, and who work second- and third-shift jobs. The district spends approximately $60,000 annually on translation services.
Two Kentwood schools, Meadowlawn Elementary and Crestwood Middle, have Newcomer Center programs for which students receive full-time, intensive ELL instruction. The high school also has many newcomer classrooms. Recently, in ELL social studies teacher Carlotta Schroeder’s class, students from Nepal, Burma, Congo and many other countries finished their first-semester exams.
Damber Chhetra, who came from Nepal five years ago, said his family came for better opportunities. “It’s a better life. I can have a better education,” Damber said. “I like the way the teachers teach. It’s different. They are so nice to the students.” He wants to become a computer engineer.
Burundi refugee student Gloria Tungabose gets her lunch.
Students Settle Where Housing is Available
Families often live in apartments, and children who come unaccompanied by parents live with foster families and have church sponsors. Many high school students, without families to take them in, begin living on their own.
There are several reasons the Grand Rapids area became a destination for refugees, Johnson said. Grand Rapids participated in the resettlement of refugees even before 1980, when the Refugee Resettlement Act was passed authorizing more organizations to help facilitate refugee migration to the U.S. Some local agencies include Bethany Christian Services, Lutheran Social Services and West Michigan Refugee Education & Cultural Center.
Placement of refugees is based on housing availability. Resettlement agencies work with landlords to get fair and affordable housing, said Susan Kragt, executive director of the West Michigan Refugee Education & Cultural Center, located in Kentwood. Because Kentwood and Grand Rapids school districts have newcomer center schools, most refugee children end up in those schools.
School is sometimes entirely new for refugee children. Many come from non-urban areas without formal education systems, putting them behind academically. For teachers, nothing can be assumed or taken for granted, ELL Interventionist Wolohan said. Even the volume of someone’s voice can seem aggressive to non-English-speaking students.
Students have cultural differences and experiences that affect attitudes toward education, the roles of men and women and how they interact with each other. They may have never seen snow before, so aren’t prepared for cold winters. There’s also pressure from family members for teenagers to go straight to work to make money, Wolohan said. Kentwood teachers encourage them to stay in school because they will make more money in the long run, she said.
Adjusting to the Culture
A key piece in breaking down barriers is helping students and their families adjust to U.S. culture, as well as educating teachers about their needs, Kragt said.
The center works with refugee students through its School Impact Program. The program provides orientation sessions for students and parents; holds workshops for educators on the resettlement process and the cultural backgrounds of refugees; hosts panel discussions with refugee students and offers eight-week peer support groups for middle- and high-school students.
Workshops inform educators about students’ prior school experiences, and alert teachers to the symptoms of culture shock and trauma that can leave refugee students feeling isolated and depressed, Kragt said.
“Unfortunately, sometimes our kids get bullied,” she said. “We talk about the trauma of what they’ve been through, but sometimes it can be more traumatic trying to fit into a new culture… Their classmates are looking at them going, ‘You’re different.'”
Also, Wolohan added, it’s incorrect to assume students are here because they want to be. While many came for a better life, often they wish they could have stayed in their own countries.
“It’s a lonely life, it’s a hard life. They know they are better off than where they were, but it wasn’t their idea,” she said. “It’s not like they woke up one day and said, ‘I want to live in America.’ We have that misnomer that we think they should be so thankful to be here, and they are grateful, ultimately. But that doesn’t mean they don’t miss their families. If they could go back to their homeland and have it be more free, they would.”
Nepali refugee students Bhim Chuwan, Chandra Subba and Jog Sharma have come a long way to be part of the EL program at East Kentwood High School.
A Welcoming Environment
Teachers are encouraged to lead by example in the classroom, giving other students “less permission to pick on that kid,” Kragt said. “These kids are not going to be the ones going around introducing themselves to everybody. They need people to reach out and say, ‘Hey, how are you?'”
The big picture is to help students acclimate permanently. A successful school experience is crucial to refugee families’ fortunes in America, Kragt said. Without students learning English, graduating high school and going on to college, refugees are apt to stay in an “enclosed community” apart from the broader society.
But in schools where there may be 21 foreign languages in one classroom, teaching is “a pretty daunting task,” she noted.
Her center provides after-school tutoring and other programs to help students catch up. More broadly, it strives to provide a welcoming culture for refugee resettlement in West Michigan. When Gov. Rick Snyder last fall sought to pause the state’s acceptance of Syrian refugees due to terrorism concerns, Kragt accused him of “leading with fear rather than reason” in a teleconference sponsored by the World Affairs Council of Western Michigan.
“We have a strong history of welcoming refugees (in West Michigan), and a lot of people are informed about refugee resettlement,” she said. “That’s allowing us to maybe push back on some of the misinformation that’s out there.”
Just walking the halls at East Kentwood High School helps dispel fears and promote acceptance. Students are often dressed in native clothes, speak their native languages and celebrate their traditional holidays, all while navigating the U.S. education system.
Wolohan said refugee students and the perspectives they bring add to the richness of the district.
“It’s an education you can’t buy,” said Wolohan, who’s had four children in Kentwood Public Schools. “What we have here doesn’t exist anywhere else. I think this is one of the most diverse schools in the country. For my own children, it’s given them more acceptance of other cultures and also a world view. It brings the world to them.”
That kind of attitude is one of the district’s core values, Assistant Superintendent Johnson said.
“We believe that our district reflects the real world. As students prepare to live and compete in a global market place, they will fully appreciate the rich differences among their peers, understand the value of diversity and be equipped to successfully interact within a multicultural society.”
SNN reporter Charles Honey contributed to this article.
