K-12 Students receive free tutoring support from NHS students.

This year, our chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS) is offering free tutoring and homework support for all students on Thursdays from 2:45-4:00 p.m. This opportunity is available to all of our K-12 students; students can sign-up or drop-in. This is the first year that this has been offered, and our NHS students are really excited about helping their fellow students.

The NHS members not only help with assigned homework, they also try to help students improve academically. With the younger elementary students, the NHS members sit and listen to younger students read and help them with spelling words. The students enjoy either typing them or writing them on a whiteboard. At the end of our time, the NHS members and the students play “Hangman” or Pictionary with spelling words. Through this, the students are able to get to know each other better and have something to look forward to. With the older students, the NHS members help them in whatever subject they are struggling with and try to make it easier to understand.

I asked some of our NHS members what their favorite part of tutoring students is. Danielle August, the president, said, “I really enjoy getting to know the younger kids and being able to help them learn. It is a way to make a difference in someone else’s life and hopefully make a lasting, helpful impact.” Willow Sidlauskas, a new inductee said, “Tutoring the younger kids gives me a sense of confidence in that these kids aren’t going through school feeling frustrated with their classes. We’re here to make homework a little less work and a lot more fun.” Lastly, I asked the NHS advisor, Trisha Rose, what her favorite part about tutoring was and she said, “I like watching the NHS students create relationships with the younger students.”

Tutoring Thursdays are making a positive impact on the school’s community. More and more students are coming, and NHS is excited to meet and help any additional students who decide to join over the course of the year.

Allyson Marvel, a 2016 graduate of Cedar Springs High School, and sophomore at Aquinas College, is the 2017 recipient of the Cedar Springs Women’s Club scholarship.

by Sue Harrison

Every year since 1990, the Cedar Springs Women’s Club has awarded an annual scholarship to a female, of any age, who resides in the Cedar Springs Public School District who is considering any type of skill training or degree program. The award is given based on a competitive process that considers personal and academic achievement, as well as family, school or community activities.  The award is given without regard to race, creed, color, religion, or national origin.

The 2017 recipient of the Cedar Springs Women’s Club $1,000 Scholarship is Scholar Athlete, Allyson Marvel, a 2016 Cedar Springs High School graduate and sophomore at Aquinas College. Allyson was active in many clubs, sports and activities in high school, including vice president of the National Honor Society and captain in the Athletic Leadership Council. She also made the Dean’s List at GRCC when she attended there as a dual enrollment student, and is excelling at Aquinas while also doing pole vault in track and field.

In addition to receiving several other scholarships, Allyson is also making major contributions to her own college expenses by holding down two jobs while taking classes. She is majoring in Athletic Training and exploring all that the field has to offer.

“I find it very exciting to be able to help athletes and non-athletes in the future to become fit and healthy, pain free, and filled with life,” said Allyson.

At the June Women’s Club June meeting, Nancy Nielsen, member of the Women’s Club Scholarship Committee, presented Allyson with a certificate, a special poem presented to all recipients, an engraved pen, and her scholarship which will be sent to the college. Allyson’s mother, Lynn, was there to share the ceremony.

Second grade students rocking their socks on World Down Syndrome Awareness Day.

Creative Technologies Academy, a K-12 Charter School in Cedar Springs, takes pride in character education in their 300 students, which is why they saw the great importance of promoting the Spread The Word To End The Word (STW) Campaign.

The STW campaign is a youth-driven campaign that was founded in 2009. It was created to build awareness for society to stop and think about its use of the R-word. Use of that R-word—retard or retarded—can be hurtful and painful, and whether intended or not, is a form of bullying. The STW campaign is an ongoing effort to inspire respect and acceptance through raising the consciousness of society about the R-word and how hurtful words and disrespect can be toward people with intellectual disabilities.

Special Education Administrator Lori Dulak made a to CTA Middle School and High School Students on March 20. Dulak believes, “Language affects attitudes and attitudes affect actions.” She shared two brief videos about the wide spread effect of the R-word and invited students to sign to take the pledge to not use the word—but only when they were ready to make that commitment. The poster was put up in the high school building and many students have signed. The campaign had such a profound impact on students that the National Honor Society at CTA is planning on expanding the school-wide campaign and will be planning additional activities throughout the remainder of the school year.

The Kindness Hearts are displayed in the elementary building as a visual reminder to use kind words.

Similarly, Sarah Classen, Elementary Special Education Teacher, presented to Kindergarten through 5th grade students. She kept the 4th and 5th grade students a bit longer to have a more candid conversation with them. At the end of the presentation, the elementary students received a large heart, to which they were either to write kind words on them or sign their name pledging to use kind words – regardless of differences. They also received smaller hearts so they could write a kind word about a classmate and share it with them to wear for the day.

“I enjoyed hearing students around the school and in the hallways complimenting and encouraging one another throughout the week,” shared Classen.

STW events typically take place on March 1, but CTA took the opportunity to promote World Down Syndrome Awareness Day  on 3/21 (for three copies of the 21st chromosome) in conjunction with the Spread the Word to End the Word, as CTA has two elementary students with Down syndrome. World Down Syndrome Awareness Day uses a “Rock Your Socks” theme as an opportunity for conversation starters throughout the day about the abilities of those with Down syndrome. Many students and staff participated by rocking bright, mismatched, knee-high or other fun socks.

“Respectful and inclusive language is essential to the movement for the dignity and humanity of people with intellectual disabilities,” it said in a press release from CTA. “However, much of society does not recognize the hurtful, dehumanizing and exclusive effects of the R-word. The STW campaign is intended to engage schools, organizations and communities to rally and pledge their support at www.r-word.org and to promote the inclusion and acceptance of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.”

RETURNING SENIORS 2016

Brandimore, Parker

Bray, Joshua

Brown, Ethan

Cartwright, Jacob

Fisher, Blake

Holmquist, Holly

Kilts, Megan

Magoon, Camantha

Maguire, Melissa

Marvel, Allyson

Merritt, Joshua

Meyer, Kaley

Mitchell, Paige

Moore, Erin

Nelson, Jake

Ovokaitys, Ellie

Pike, Meredith

Spahr, Kyle

Wells, Jessica

RETURNING JUNIORS 2017

Behrenwald, Anna

Bird, Christian

Coons, Kaitlyn

Gamm, Lillian

Ingersoll, Maya

Kiander, Sarah

Moore, Gavin

Morris, Brooke

Oxford, Tatum

Scheer, Holly

Tepin, Tara

VonSeggern, Nicole

Wysocki, Hailey

NEW Class of 2018

Arnold, Hailey

Beverwyk, Heather

Campione, Nicholas

Carter, Anna

Ciise, Mumina

Darling, Mackenna

Davis, Christopher

Hager, Jesse

Hansen, Leslie

Hawkins, Riley

Hinton, Autumn

Hughes, Antiaisha

Hunter, Kyanna

Hyde, Emily

King, Haley

Larsen, Erika

Louck, Kaley

Markus, Ariana

McConnon, Madelyn

Metiva, Thomas

Morrin, Anna

Newlove, Julia

Outwin, Jacob

Pastoor, Emilee

Pierce, Madelin

Prins, Rachel

Reyers, Jarred

Rugg, Mackenzie

Ryan, Sidney

Saenz, Jeslyn

Sawade, Brandon

Shevock, Morgan

Suschil, Jasmine

Tawney, Michaela

Wheaton, Joseph

NEW Class of 2017

Conely, Dugan

Fliearman, Patrick

Grose,William

Kirchhoff, Brandyn

Kren, Jacob

Rios, Mariah

Ross, Brooke

NEW Class of 2016

Ackerman, Jordan

Cardinal, Erika

Hartley, Kayleigh

King, Grant

Odren, Janelle

Scheuneman, Madison

Scrivener, Katarina

Wilks, Alexis

Willitts, Connor

CTA National Honor Society and Girls Charging Ahead teamed up to volunteer at Le Tour de Donut bike race at Klackle Orchards in Greenville. The group helped direct bikers through the mountain bike trail and assisted at the donut stations. It was a great morning spent volunteering!

CTA inducted 14 new members into the CTA chapter of the National Honor Society on Wednesday, April 24. 12 existing members will be graduating in May. Social Studies teacher, Mr. Benjamin Watson is the faculty advisor for NHS. The entire membership list includes: Seniors – Austin Armstrong, Naomi Colburn, Esther Hubbard, Travis Johnson, Skyler Ingersoll, Sage Patchett, Grace VanEnk, Andre Winters, Jeremiah Wortz, Timothy Holmberg, Caitlin Marek, Ashley Marek; Juniors – Dani George, Maria Huizinga, Katie Tow, Michaela Smith, Alicia Beck, Justin Mead, Erin Munger; Sophomores – Emma Bishop, Matthew Wheaton, Hunter George, Dylan Yarrington, Grace Price, Hannah Hubbard, Jonathan Hoops, Rachelle Temple, Derek Winters, Kaitlyn Larsen, Olivia Wortz, Kaylynn Botruff, Brianna Bricker.