For the past few weeks, numerous Kindergarten classes at Cedar Trails did a “Games for Tots” drive and collected over 100 games, which were dropped off here at the Cedar Springs Post this week. The following classes participated: Mrs. Bellamy, Ms. Birdsong, Mrs. Burns, Mrs. Dault, Mrs. Debri, Mrs. Matthew, Mrs. Schipper, and Mrs. Wolfe. Way to go Cedar Trails Kindergartners!  

It’s not too late to drop off your toys! You can still drop them off here at the Post on Friday, December 15 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. We are located at 36 E. Maple Street. Our boxes will be picked up sometime during the day on Monday, December 18. Please bag your toys if possible.

On Tuesday, December 13, Mrs. Bellamy’s kindergarten class made a gingerbread man cookie after completing a literacy unit including many different Gingerbread Man stories. The kids made signs warning others not to peek while he was baking. But to their utter surprise, the gingerbread man was gone when they went to retrieve him from the oven! This sparked a school wide hunt for the gingerbread man! After following many clues throughout the school, he was eventually found hiding the group room of classroom 408. The children enjoyed eating his legs off first just to ensure that he would not run away again!

Mrs. Bellamy’s (white t-shirts) and Mrs. Dault’s (green t-shirts) kindergarten classes went on a community walk on Friday, May 29. This hands-on learning experience included stopping at the police station, where students learned how they can stay safe and what policemen and women do. Next they stopped at the Post Office, where students mailed a persuasive letter they had written. This was followed by a trip to the fire station, where students were able to explore an ambulance, firetrucks, and fire equipment. Then they took a rest at the library, where they learned about the summer reading program and listened to a good story. The last stop was pizza and play at Morley Park.

Dear Editor,
The media stated that children do not understand 911. I disagree.
This was written by my daughter after processing the media coverage of 911 during the 5-year anniversary.
She is now a 17-year-old senior at Cedar Springs High School and again witnessed history in the making as Bin Laden was eliminated. Freedom’s bells are still ringing!
Rhonda Bellamy, Cedar Springs

9/11

Everyone can hardly believe it’s been five years,
Through the pain, through suffering, through crying, through tears.
Hundreds of people on that day died,
While millions more stood watching and cried.
The pride of New York, buildings so tall,
Who would have guessed that they would fall.
The impact of the plane, the buildings starting to sway,
While the people inside could not get away.
Think of the terrorists who hijacked the plane,
Their only objective was to cause America pain.
Think of the civilians about on the street,
Who became witnesses to that terrible feat.
Think of the workers with nothing to fear,
How could they know the ending was so near?
Think of the strength of the rescue team,
Determined to get through no matter how large the beam.
Think of the lost ones, the mothers and daughters,
The sisters, the brothers, the husbands and fathers.
What could anyone do on that fateful day,
Except to drop to their knees and pray.
So if everyone will just keep the anthem singing,
We’ll show those terrorists that freedom bells are still ringing.

By Brittany Bellamy
9/11/2006

Brittany Bellamy

Congratulations to Cedar Springs High School seniors Brittany Bellamy and Charles Hyde for being named 2011 National Merit Finalists by the National Merit Scholarship Program.  In the fall, the Red Hawk Review highlighted these two individuals as Semifinalist qualifiers. Now, Brittany and Chuck have joined a select, national group of 15,000 finalists. In March, the National Merit Scholarship committee will begin mailing over 8,400 scholarship offers to the winners from the Finalist group. We embrace the anticipation, along with Brittany and Chuck, as we wait at least one of these scholarship offers to arrive in the mail. Everyone in the greater Cedar Springs community should celebrate and congratulate the academic accomplishment of Brittany Bellamy and Charles Hyde.

Charles Hyde