Students show support for anti-bullying campaign

Cedar Springs Middle School students had a “white out” last Friday, May 12, and was one of several schools that participated in a helicopter flyover as part of the be nice. campaign (against bullying). Photo by Joe Corriveau.

By Autumn Fish

Students at Cedar Springs Middle School wore white last Friday to signal solidarity against bullying and participate in a helicopter flyover.

For the past couple of weeks, students at Cedar Springs Middle School have been learning about bullying and working out ways to get rid of it completely. A group of GVSU students and the West Michigan Mental Health Foundation visited CSMS last week as a part of the be nice. campaign, which encourages kindness and civility among all students.

To take the campaign to the next step, the Mental Health Foundation teamed up with Amway and Fox 17 News to fly a helicopter over participating schools. Students from middle schools and high schools across west Michigan were involved in this campaign. At CSMS, students gathered in the field on the west side of the school to form the words “be nice.” The helicopter then flew over the students to take aerial pictures of the words they created. Other schools involved included Grandville Middle School, Grandville High School, Grandview Elementary School, Century Park Learning Center, Forest Hills Central Middle School, West Catholic High School and Timberland Charter Academy in Muskegon Township.

Students also came together by having a school-wide white out in which all students and staff wore white in order to discourage bullying.

Following the flyover, teachers were able to bring their students to an assembly in the large group room of the middle school. Students from Cedar Springs High School directed the assembly. They presented a few skits and talked to students about bullying and other difficulties they may face as they enter high school. The skits exhibited troubles faced in high school such as bullying, drinking, smoking, depression, peer pressure, suicide, and more. CSHS students stressed the importance of keeping an open mind when students are in high school; to realize that they will eventually have to make choices that will change their lives. CSMS students were able to hear first hand about things that really do happen in high school by students that are currently going through those situations. Over 350 students and staff members attended the assembly put on by the high school students.

CSHS students can only hope that their presentation helped students of the middle school prepare for high school, to help them understand what to expect. What middle school teachers have been telling their students all along is true: They really are going to go through these troubles in high school.

To learn more about the be nice. campaign, visit www.themhf.org/index.php/education/be_nice1/

Autumn Fish is a junior at Cedar Springs High School.

Andrew signs his letter of intent at Celebration Cinema with 39 other West Michigan college bound athletes. From Left: Rebecca Klompstra, Andrew Klompstra, and Chuck Klompstra.

Cedar Springs senior Andrew Klompstra has signed his letter of intent to play football at Grand Valley State University. He is the third Cedar Springs football player to receive a scholarship to play college football in the past 4 years and the first at GVSU.  Andrew was selected All-Conference and All-area this past football season as well as Academic All-State HM.
Coach Brian Busen says that he will miss Andrew, and his leadership and work ethic that he grew into over his high school career.
“I am very proud of Andrew. He has worked hard and is very deserving of this great opportunity. I look forward to see the growth and improvement in college for Andrew.  Andrew is not only a great football player but he is also a great student and I think GVSU is a perfect fit for Andrew both academically and athletically,” said Busen.

CS senior Andrew Klompstra and Coach Busen.

“I wish Andrew and GVSU great success, with the exception of the Ferris State game!”

GVSU junior sets new school record in 3,000-meter steeplechase

Tyler Emmorey hit the automatic mark in the 3000-meter steeplechase and the provisional mark in the 1500-meter run.

The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) announced on Wednesday, April 21, that Grand Valley State’s Tyler Emmorey was named the Track Athlete of the Week.

Emmorey, a Cedar Springs graduate and junior at Grand Valley State University, set a new school record in the 3000-meter steeplechase at the Mt. SAC Relays April 16-17. Emmorey ran an automatic time of 8:56.62, which is the fourth fastest time in division II this year. He also hit the provisional mark in the 1500-meter run at the Long Beach Invitational. His time of 3:49.17 is the second fastest time in GVSU history.