Beatniks, bongos and poetry at the Hadley "Coffeehouse Poetry Night" March 26

Three first grade teachers took their students, parents and other relatives on a trip to the past with a "Coffeehouse Poetry Night" at the Hadley campus of Hadley-Murphy Elementary School Thursday, March 26.

Teachers, Ms. Karen Allmen, Mrs. Gayle Budzynski and Mrs. Emily Wenzel-Miles, presented the program to highlight the work done by their students in putting together poetry books this year.

Students each had a chance to read one of their favorite poems and the audiences responded in the fashion of the 1960s by clicking their fingers.

Mrs. Wenzel-Miles students also presented a special poem to long time substitute teacher, Jodee Colleck.

Students, parents and staff enjoyed a feast of homemade cookies and desserts before and after the performances.

It was real cool, man.

Lapeer East Robotics team takes robot on the road to Troy Athens High School

The Lapeer East High School robotics team poses Thursday in the school parking lot before heading to Troy Athens High School for a FIRST robotics competition.

The bagged robot can be seen inside the van. At an earlier competition at Kettering University, the team placed 15th out of 40 teams. More news after the event this weekend.

Tony Diadato, owner of Cypress Computer Systems of Lapeer, is the team sponsor and is fourth from the left in the photo.

The competition began today and ends Saturday, March 28th.

Lapeer West girls' tennis team serves up a winner on new home court

The Lapeer West High School girls’ tennis team served up a winner for the opening high school competition on the new Lapeer Optimist Community Tennis Courts.

It has been five years since either Lapeer East or Lapeer West High Schools have had a home court to play on. But the Lapeer West match against Waterford-Mott on Thursday, March 26, opened an exciting new era for Lapeer tennis.

(In this photo, coaches for Lapeer East and Waterford Mott begin the introductions of players)

“We are very appreciative of the work and donation of the Lapeer Optimist Club that has made this day possible,” said West tennis coach Sue Pittsley. “The community has eaten a lot of chicken to make this day possible.”

The chicken comment was a reference to the annual Optimist chicken barbecue at Lapeer Days.

An official, public dedication ceremony is planned for 4 p.m., April 23, at the tennis courts next to Lapeer West High School, 170 Millville Road when East meets West in a league tennis match. Rain date for the dedication is 4 p.m., April 24.

Tennis recruitment at both schools has improved with the construction of the new courts and both schools now have full varsity and junior varsity programs for the first time in memory.

Lapeer East gets hosts its first home match on Wednesday, April 1, against Goodrich.

On a cool, but beautiful, sun-filled day, the varsity tennis team won 8-0. A game box score is available at The Flint Journal.

More pictures of the historic day are on the District’s photo site.

Here are links to the East and West tennis schedules.

West lacrosse team fires up for 4th year

The Lapeer West High School lacrosse team is fired up for its fourth season.

The team is in its fourth year of competition with the first three as a club sport at the school. Last year, the team compiled a 10-4 record, but lost several players due to graduation.

The team is coached by Rick Kaupp.

The fast moving sport is funded through generous contributions from local donors, including the Lapeer Optimist Club.

A complete home and away schedule for the West lacrosse team can be found here. More lacrosse practices photos can be found on the District photo gallery.

An LA View article on the team is on the View website.

Lapeer East Quiz Bowl Team headed for State Tournament on April 24, 25

The Lapeer East High School Quiz Bowl team is headed to the State Tournament for the third consecutive year on April 24th and 25th at Michigan State University.

Although East and Lapeer West tied for second in the Flint Metro League competition, East edged out West by a couple points in a tie-breaker . The first place Metro League team had already qualified for the State tournament through another competition so East won the right to head to the State Finals. Photos are here.

Team coach, East counselor Mr. Jeff Lorenz, has been to the State Tournament four times in his 13 years of coaching. The team also competed in the Genesee Academic League in the fall and in the High School Challenge through Channel 28, losing only one match.

East team members are: Nick McHardy, Collin Schultz, Belinda Hammontree, Richard Brown, Turner Bradford, Ted McHardy, Kyle Bryce, Patrick Simpson, Emily Clairmont and Chris Milks. Ted McHardy was named to the Flint Metro League 1st Team Quiz Bowl All Stars and Nick McHardy to the 2nd Team.

Lapeer West’s Quiz Bowl team is coached by West teacher Brian Mauk. Members of the West team are: Captain Matt Sprague, Jaymes Schutz, Trevor Caldwell, Kevin Hallenbeck, Dan Barker. Matt Sprague and Jaymes Schutz were named to the Flint Metro League 1st Team Quiz Bowl All Stars.

Deadline extended for advertisers in the 3rd Annual Student Resource Guide

With a limited amount of advertising room still available in the third annual Lapeer Community Schools’ Student Resource Guide, the application deadline has been extended until Friday, April 17th.

The target audience of the Student Resource Guide is high school students.

The guide, which is handed out free to students at all three District high schools in August, has been an effective way for retail and service businesses to reach students and their parents well in advance of planning for homecoming, snow coming, prom and a variety of graduation activities.

Prices for advertising in the guide range from a full color back page ad for $225 to a black and white ¼-page ad for $75. Deadline for artwork is Friday, April 17th. For a small fee the ad can be designed and built for you.

For a complete advertising rate page and application contact Mary Linn Voss, Community Services Coordinator, at (810) 538-1634 or by e-mail at: mvoss@lapeerschools.org.

Murphy students learn recycling lessons: Turning household trash to art

Third grade students in Mrs. Amy Duncan's class took on a challenge from their teacher to make something new or artistic out of garbage and junk collected at home.

"We learned how reusing and recycling are all important for the environment and how vital our role is in reducing the amount of waste in our landfills," said Mrs. Duncan.

Each student received a signed certificate from Mrs. Duncan and "Mother Earth" in recognition of their efforts.

Pictures of all the projects are here.

New Photos - Rolland-Warner Middle School construction

Some new photos were taken today at the Rolland-Warner Middle School construction site.

A series of photos from the start to today are available at the Rolland-Warner photo album site.

Distinguished Alumni sought for 2009 induction to the Hall of Honor

A new class of Lapeer Community Schools Distinguished Alumni is being sought for a fall induction into the Hall of Honor.

The fourth annual Lapeer Community Schools Distinguished Alumni Award program is sponsored by the District and the Lapeer High School Alumni Association.

To be eligible for the award, a person, living or dead, must have graduated from the Lapeer Community Schools at least ten years ago and be noted in his or her field of endeavor or recognized for expertise and good works.

The person must be considered a role model for youth and demonstrated positive leadership and outstanding achievement, service or contributions to society. Living inductees must be able to attend the Distinguished Alumni Induction Ceremony scheduled for 4 p.m. Sunday, November 8, 2009 in the Lapeer East High School Auditorium.

Three previous classes of Distinguished Alumni Award winners included a former university president; a high school counselor, a U.S. Navy Blue Angels pilot; local business owners and executives, a women’s basketball team head coach, a former high altitude balloon test pilot killed testing flight suit equipment for the fledgling astronaut program in the 1960s and a police chief, among others.

Applications are available in District buildings or by calling Mary Linn Voss at (810) 538-1634.
Deadline for applications is May 1, 2009.

To see pictures of last year's induction go to the District's photo gallery here.

Food banks helped by West, East students

Students from Lapeer East and Lapeer West High School helped pack meals for the hungry at a Metro League Student Council event on Thursday, March 19, 2009 at Fenton High School.

The students, five from West and two from East, were part of a group of 70 students who packed 10,152 meals in about an hour for the “Kids Against Hunger” program out of Oak Park.

Each school donated $280 to pay for the meals. About one-third of the meals were distributed to local food banks and the rest are stored at the “Kids Against Hunger” facility in Oak Park for distribution to natural disaster sites and starving countries.

“It was an awesome experience,” said West Student Council advisor Hollie Marcola. “We are going to try to have one at West soon!”

West students Caitlin O’Brien, Brittany Walker, Holly Gordon, Barbara Jones and Erica Henderson; and East students, Ashlee Eisinger and Emily Mullins, participated in the event.

See more photos here.

East girls' varsity soccer players to publicly sign college soccer commitments April 1

Three Lapeer East girls soccer plays will publicly acknowledge commitments to play collegiate soccer at a press conference at 2:15 p.m. on Wednesday, April 1, 2009 in the Lapeer East Media Center.

Seniors Kelsey Hizelberger, Kristen Tomczyk and Lauren Kobylik are beginning their fourth year as varsity soccer players at Lapeer East High School.

Kelsey, who has scored 39 goals, which puts her in seventh place on the school’s all-time scoring list, will sign with Savannah college of Arts & Design in Savannah, Georgia. In addition to her goals, Kelsey has 23 career assists and plays club soccer for the Bloomfield Force, a Michigan Division 1 premier team.

“Kelsey is a very talented attacking player,” said Bill Kinzer, her coach. “She’s one of those rare difference makers who can affect the outcome of a game by herself.”

Kristen Tomczyk has played a varitety of positions for the East Eagles and is a “natural defender.” Her East career includes 20 goals and 8 assists. Kristen will sign to play for Saginaw Valley State University. She plays club soccer for the Livonia United, a Michigan Division 1 premier team.

“Kristen is a skilled, athletic and versatile soccer player,” said Bill Kinzer, her coach. “One of the greatest things about her is her ability to make all of the players around her better.”

With 12 career goals and 22 assists, Lauren Kobylik will play her college soccer with Notre Dame College in Euclid, Ohio. She also played club soccer for the Livonia United team.

“Lauren will do really well at the collegiate level,” said Bill Kinzer, her coach. “Her first touch is super, and she’s a very strong tactical player.”

West's Alyssa Marino whips up winning dish and a chance for "Best Teen Chef"

Lapeer West senior Alyssa Marino whipped up a chicken, rice pilaf and broccoli dish so great it won her a first place medal at a local “Best Teen Chef” competition at the Art Institute of Novi and a chance to win a national competition and an appearance on the Food Network.

Marino also won $3,000 for her efforts.

Alyssa said she was given a general menu, but added her own touches at the competition.
“I made my own sauce and garnish,” she said.

“She was practically raised in a kitchen,” said Alyssa’s mother, Leah Hoadley. “She also used to help out in her grandparents’ restaurant. I’m very proud of her.”

Marino, who is a second year culinary arts student at the Lapeer County Intermediate School District’s Education and Technology Center, will compete with 40 other teens from around the country on May 9th in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The top winner of the competition will win a full-ride scholarship to one of the more than 30 Art Institutes in the country that offer a culinary arts program. Other winners will receive partial scholarships.

The top winner also wins an appearance in a short feature of the Best Teen Chef competition on the Food Network. The Food Network is in a partnership with the "Best Teen Chef" program.

The 2009 Best Teen Chef will be an “Intern for a Day” in the Food Network kitchens in New York City and receive a studio tour, dinner for two at a Food Network chef’s restaurant and a library of Food Network cookbooks.

East, West students excel at Lansing art competition, move on to Kalamazoo

Three Lapeer high school students, one from East and two from West, will have art on display at the Michigan Youth Arts Festival in Kalamazoo May 7-9.

The judging of the student art started at a show at Gallery 194 last month.

Artwork by Lapeer East student Travis Cushaway and West students Samantha Dahnke and Emily Korleski survived additional judging in East Lansing on March 7 to be selected for the Festival.

“Congratulations to all of these very talented young artists,” said East teacher Debbie Helbig.

Also, Abrianna DeBono, a Lapeer West 8th grader, had her painting chosen in the top 100 for middle school students in the Michigan Art Education Association competition in Lansing.