Tree planting honors Ronald Warner

The Nipissing Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution has planted a tree and presented a plaque at Rolland-Warner Middle School to honor longtime Lapeer Schools educator Ronald Warner.

On Friday April 29th family, friends, members of Mark and Henry Schell C.A.R. Society and Nipissing Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution gathered at the Rolland-Warner Middle School for a tree planting to honor the late Ronald Warner, former teacher, principal and administrator of Lapeer Schools. The middle school is named in honor of Warner and former teacher and administrator Doris Rolland.

Nipissing Chapter chose April 29th, Arbor Day, as a fitting day for the dedication and planting of the Crimson King Maple tree in Mr. Warner’s name. Mrs. Ronald (Abi) Warner, a member of the chapter, received the gift and plaque and presented it to Tony Strump, Principal of Rolland-Warner Middle School.

Speakers included Lapeer teacher Fred Olive, State Rep. Kevin Daley and Nipissing Chapter Regent Marsha Jewett.

East Soccer team earns Good Sports award

Please congratulate Chad Kenny and the Lapeer East Boys Soccer team on being awarded the 2010-2011 “Good Sports Are Winners" award.

This award is in recognition of displaying a high level of sportsmanlike behavior during the MHSAA tournament. The award is presented by the MHSAA and Meemic Insurance Company.

High school art on display at Gallery 194

High School Art Downtown is featured at Gallery 194 in downtown Lapeer through May 14th displaying work of students engaged in studying art from Lapeer, North Branch, Almont and home school programs. On Friday, May 6, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. student artists will be on hand for a free opening with live music by Deb & Em, food and artistic conversation. The public is encouraged to venture to downtown Lapeer and enjoy the experience.

“Student art always inspires,” comments Gallery Director, Carolyn Manley McCarter. “This has become an annual event, and every year students stretch our imaginations working in a variety of mediums: clay, plaster, paint on canvas, fiber, photography, photography and mixed media. Some of these students are on their way to art school. Some not. But every one of them has important ideas to share and the Lapeer Center for the Arts Council is dedicated to providing an exhibit space accessible to the general public showcasing the depth of young talent in the region.”

Gallery 194 is located in downtown Lapeer at 194 West Nepessing Street and is open 11a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Admission is free.

Schools Kick off Book Boosters Fundraising Program

Lapeer Community Schools is pleased to announce the launch of its new fundraiser, Book Boosters. The program, which features simplified online contributions, is designed to provide the district with books and other materials that promote literacy and encourage students to read.

“This program is unusual because 100 percent of proceeds go toward buying books,” says K-12 English Language Arts Consultant Lisa Madden. Another feature that is welcome for many parents: There are no catalogs to peruse or gifts to buy. “It’s all online contributions, which makes it nice for people who don’t want to buy something or feel pressured to buy,” Madden says.

The fundraising campaign is being run in partnership with Jacksonville, Ill.-based Perma-Bound Books, a provider of books and teaching materials to schools and libraries worldwide. All of the money donated through Book Boosters will go toward purchasing books from the company.

“We picked the Perma-Bound program because we’ve dealt with them in the past, and we’ve been pleased with their products and service,”. Madden said. “Their binding lasts for years, and they offer an unconditional guarantee on their books—which is a money-saver for us and is increasingly rare these days.”

Like many other school districts, Lapeer Community Schools has faced budget cuts in recent years and is currently developing next year’s budget with an anticipated 20% cut in funding. That makes fundraising campaigns like Book Boosters especially important for students and educators, Madden says. “Certainly, something like Book Boosters can help us get the resources we need but would otherwise have to forgo,” she says. “Such a program can really make a big difference, especially in times like these.”

For more information, contact Lisa Madden at 810-538-1647 or via email at lmadden@lapeeerschools.org or visit the Lapeer Community Schools Book Boosters web page at www.book-boosters.com/caughtyoureading.

Host Families Needed

The Lapeer Rotary Club is looking for host families for a male foreign exchange student coming from Thailand. Each host family is asked to host the student for a 3- to 4-month time period.

The student will attend East or West High school starting this fall.

For more information, please contact Mike Higgins (810-245-4817) or Cindy Schlaud (810-667-3881).

Maple Grove Carnival May 13

The Maple Grove PTA will host its first Maple Grove Carnival on Friday, May 13th, from 5-8 p.m.

The event is open to families from the entire Lapeer area. The evening events include games, inflatables, cotton candy and slushies, and even a dunk tank for Maple Grove Principal Mr. Dombrowski!

East cagers earn trip to summer basketball camp

East High School basketball players Jeff Wells and Aaron Hirsh have both been dedicated to basketball since they were old enough to dribble a ball, and their hard work apparently has paid off. The two teens will spend a week this summer getting a good look from college coaches at a national competition in Ohio.

Wells, a senior, and Hirsh, a junior, were both standouts on the court this year for the Eagles. Wells, a small forward, averaged 10 points a game, and Hirsch, a point guard, averaged nine points a game and four rebounds. They will compete in the USA Junior Nationals competition July 18-24, which includes a free-throw contest, a three-point contest, and then pool play, where they will battle for a spot in the championship game.

Both qualified for the summer camp after attending a tryout of hundreds of high school players from Michigan and Canada on the Eastern Michigan University campus in early April. The competition in July will be loaded with Division II and junior college coaches and scouts, who will be looking for players to help bolster their programs.

“I went there and played not knowing if I could really make it, and in the end, I did,” Wells told a newspaper reporter last week. Wells says he is hoping this will give him an opportunity to play at the collegiate level this fall. “It’s exciting and fun,” said Wells, who also hopes the experience will earn him a basketball scholarship.

Hirsh still has a year left at East, but he also hopes that the scouts will see something they like when he takes to the hardwood at the summer camp. “It’s good to play against tougher competition. This is a lot tougher than the Metro League,” Hirsch said. The big difference: “Everyone’s a lot taller.”

The USA Junior Nationals is considered the top amateur high school basketball competition in the United States. It is viewed as an entry level to international competition and for high school athletes looking for college basketball scholarship opportunities. It is designed to serve as a gathering point for promising young players in an atmosphere of intense competition. Players who rarely are exposed to big time spring/summer competition go toe-to-toe with players of equal or superior skills.

Both students are working hard to save money for their summer trip. Each has to pay registration fees as well as transportation and lodging costs for the July competitions.

Photo caption:
Lapeer East Junior Aaron Hirsch and Senior Jeff Wells.