Zemmer holds first honor society induction

Zemmer Middle School held its first National Junior Honor Society induction ceremony for grades 6-8 on Tuesday, March 22. It was an honor for the 71 students who were recognized before their friends, parents, school staff and administration.

The presentation was conducted in the school’s cafetorium, followed by cake and refreshments for the students and guests.

“We are proud to announce the founding of the Deborah L. Thompson Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society at Zemmer Middle School. The NJHS has a proud tradition behind it, and we are pleased to be able to offer a chapter at our school. Being a member of the NJHS is a privilege for all students that meet the criteria for membership,” said Laurie Solack, a sixth grade science teacher and chapter adviser of the Zemmer NJHS.

The local chapter at Zemmer was named in honor of Lapeer Community Schools Superintendent Debbie Thompson, who is retiring at the conclusion of this school year. Present at the ceremony, Thompson addressed the students.

“These are the kind of honors that are fun to attend,” said Thompson. “This is a great day for all the students and their families. It’s an honor to be here and to have the chapter named after me.”

Membership in the chapter is an honor bestowed upon deserving students by the faculty, and is based on the criteria of scholarship, service, leadership, citizenship, and character.

To be considered for the Zemmer NJHS, students need to have a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher out of 4.0. All seventh and eighth grade students and second trimester sixth grade students are eligible.

Scholastic achievement alone does not automatically guarantee acceptance as a member.
“We are very excited and honored to be able to offer this opportunity to our students. We look forward to all the continued service and leadership that NJHS students will bring to both Zemmer Middle School and the community of Lapeer,” said Solack.

NJHS officers for 2011 at Zemmer are: Scott Hilgendorf, president; Victoria Roush, vice president; Randy Frack, treasurer; Shawn Deverell, secretary; and Whitney Roemer, historian.

The 2011 Zemmer Middle School inductees included:
Sixth Grade: Lauren Barber, Bradley Birkle, Levi Bleau, Megan Bopra, Derek Buike, Victoria Carbone, Olivia Card, Brendan Dunavant, Carson Ellis, James Felton, Allyssa Fenslau, Matthew Garcia, Paul Gregor, Abigail Horning, Ariana Iloncai, Kaytlin Kabelman, Kimberly Kuligowski, Alyssa Laidler, Emily Lewis, Anna Lowe, Shelby Metzger, Logan Morys, Kendra Newman, Caitlin Nykamp, Hope O’Neill, Gregory Orth, Ryan Rogers, Steven Romolino, Drew Rubick, Greggory Schabel, Joseph Schunk, Destyni Stone, Baylee Thompson, Isabella Tindall, Victoria Tripp, Alicia Wagner and Brooklyn Withey.
Seventh Grade: Hannah Anderson, Noah Bindschatel, Alicia Birkenhauer, Mallory Brooks, Trevor Bruce, Allison Ciak, Megan Clemens, Mickey Coulter, Ginger Eastman, Scott Hilgendorf, Allison Johnson, Sydnie Jostock, Kayla Koryciak, Faith Kruger, Emily Lass, Rylei McAllister, Manon McCullough, Victoria Roush, Matthew Schneider, Hannah Sornig.
Eighth Grade: Amie Barker, Julia Borowicz, Hunter Conzelmann, Shawn Deverell, Randy Frack, Alexa Hill, Alycia Kigar, Garrett Knowlton, Leah Komisak, Sydney Maggs, MacKenzie Putnam, Meriah Putnam, Whitney Roemer and Shelby Smith.

Photo by Jeff Hogan
Photo caption:
Superintendent Debbie Thompson, for whom the Zemmer Middle School’s new National Junior Honor Society chapter is named, addressed the 2010-2011 inductees at a ceremony Tuesday evening.

R-W Fine Arts Night March 29

On Tuesday, March 29th, Rolland-Warner Middle School will be holding its annual Fine Arts Night.

From 5:00 – 7:30 p.m. students will offer a night of band performances, theater performances, art displays and working artists.

Along with that, for the past six years at Zemmer Junior High and now at Rolland-Warner Middle School, students will once again be hosting a community service event called Empty Bowls. The premise of this project is simple. Art students have been busy making ceramic bowls in class. These bowls will be used on March 29th to serve a meal of soup and bread to anyone who attends. Everyone who comes will be asked to make a donation of at least $5 per person in exchange for the meal and a bowl created by one of our students.

All money collected this year will be given to the soup kitchen at the First Presbyterian Church in Lapeer.

The Fine Arts Department hopes that everyone can attend this evening of events in support of our students and our community.

Schedule of events:
5:00 – 7:30 Art walk including art displays and demonstrating artists (in the hallways)
5:00 – 7:00 Empty Bowls (in the cafetorium)
5:30 – 6:30 Band solo and ensembles (in the band room)
7:00-7:30 Drama club performs (in the cafetorium)

Three Governor’s Exhibit artists featured at reception

The Governor's Art Show reception has been rescheduled for Friday night, March 25, from 6:30 to 7:30 in the Lapeer West Library.

The show honors students from both East and West High schools. In addition to featuring work by 2010 Governor’s Exhibit artists, including Hillary Davlin of Lapeer East and Cheryse Burns and Rachel Gillotte of Lapeer West, the works of about 30 students from both West and East will be on display.

The display will exhibit several works which have been or will be in other art competitions this year.

West art teacher Nancy Barry notes: "Come and see this wonderful work. You will see why our art program is so well respected."

Mrs. Barry and East art teacher Deb Helbig are co-hosting the reception.

Also on display will be the works of five artists – Adrianna Allen, Karley Bauroth, Catherine Wonders and Rebecca Korleski of West and Adam Porter of East -– who are among the top 100 student artists in the state for this year who will display their works at the Michigan Youth Arts Festival in May at WMU.

Work by Adrianna Allen also has been selected to be part of the 2011-12 Governor's Traveling Exhibit.

Photos of art work include that of Hillary Davlin (top) of Lapeer East and Cheryse Burns (middle) and Rachel Gillotte (bottom) of Lapeer West.

Schwan's Fundraiser at Rolland-Warner

The Schwan's Fundraiser at Rolland-Warner Middle School wraps up Monday, March 28.

Orders can be turned in at the R-W school office between now and Monday. The Schwan's Truck will be at the school for order pick-up on Friday, April 1st.

This is a great opportunity to support the school while enjoying the well-known quality of Schwan's.

Nominees sought for Alumni Hall of Honor

Do you know a Lapeer Community Schools high school alumnus worthy of induction in the Distinguished Alumni Hall of Honor?

Nominations for candidates for the sixth annual Lapeer Community Schools Distinguished Alumni Award program are being accepted for the fall induction program.

The Distinguished Alumni Award program is a coordinated effort 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 10 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. Honorees will attend the Distinguished Alumni Induction Ceremony this fall.

Applications are available in District buildings or by calling Mary Linn Voss at (810) 538-1634. Deadline for applications is Friday, April 29.

West, Rolland-Warner choirs are 'excellent'

On Wednesday, March 9th, the choirs at Lapeer West High School and Rolland-Warner Middle School attended the annual district choir festival.

Lapeer West took two choirs, Treble Chorus and Mixed Chorus. Both choirs from West scored "excellent" ratings allowing them to compete in the State Choir Festival on May 3-4th. This is the third straight year that Mr. Thomas Kaiser's choirs earned this honor.

Both choirs are extremely excited to be nominated and to compete in May. Last year, Lapeer West took two choirs to state festival, with one earning an excellent rating. "This year we will try and match last year's results and earn ourselves another plaque to add to the choir room wall." said Kaiser.

The Rolland-Warner choirs also attended the event and earned "excellent" ratings as well. This was the first year that the school has attended.

The choir, made up of 55 seventh and eighth graders, are headed to state festival. This year's Junior High festival will be held May 19th at Central Michigan University.

"I am happy that my choirs did so well yet again. They worked hard to earn excellent ratings, and it is just another achievement for all of my kids"

Parent volunteers needed

Rolland-Warner Middle School is looking for parent volunteers to help out with serving hot cocoa and donuts on Friday, April 15th, from 7:45-9:00 am.

The school will host its first YA Café (Young Adult Literature booktalk) with guest book-talker Mr. Sweeney, who will be talking about the book “Red Scarf Girl. “

Any parent interested in helping out with this event is asked to please contact Mrs. Taylor jtaylor@lapeerschools.org.

All middle school students are welcome to attend. Tickets will be available April 11th -14th free of charge to any interested students.

Seaton Elementary remains open for 2011-12

The Lapeer Community Schools Board of Education has decided to continue to operate Seaton Elementary School for the 2011-12 school year.

The Board voted Thursday evening to keep the school open during the next school year, 2011-12.

In its resolution, the board stated the building will close at the end of the 2011-12 school year unless the enrollment at Seaton is at least 300 students as of February 2012, or the district-wide K-5 enrollment on February 1, 2012 is at least 2,400, or a revised facility master plan is developed for the District.

The school, located on Coldwater Road in Oregon Township, has a current enrollment of 288 students in grades Early 5 through 5th grade.

Wandrie is finalist for Superintendent

The Lapeer Community Schools Board of Education on Thursday evening voted unanimously to advance Matthew Wandrie as a candidate for superintendent.

The board will schedule a visit to his home district, the Dearborn Public Schools, and has authorized the Personnel Committee to pursue a contract with him.

Wandrie was among more than 40 applicants for the superintendent position. He lives in the Oxford area and is currently the director of human resources at Dearborn Public Schools.

Superintendent Debbie Thompson will be retiring at the end of the current school year in June, after serving as LCS Superintendent for the last six years.

Second graders help save endangered rhinos

From the County Press
Nancy Lamphere’s second grade class at Mayfield Elementary School presented $175 to Ruth Ann Prey, a retired school teacher, Monday morning (March 14). The money, raised entirely by the students, will be sent to an animal sanctuary in Africa that helps rescue endangered black rhinoceroses.

Prey gave a guest lecture to the second grade class in late February about the black rhinoceros, whose population has decreased dramatically in the past few decades. While tens of thousands of black rhinos thrived as recently as 1970, recent research suggests that as few as approximately 4,000 lack rhinos are alive today.

The rapid decline in population is mostly due to poachers who hunt the rhinos for their horns, which are then sold as trophies or ground into a powder used in pseudo-medical practices as a cure-all. Black rhinos are currently classified as “critically endangered” by the IUCN.

After the presentation, the second grade students decided they wanted to do something to help. In particular, second grader Ella Coulter took the cause to heart. Her parents said she spent an entire snow day making posters, writing a letter to other students and their parents and making a collection jar for spare change. “She did it all herself,” said her parents.

Thanks to Ella and the rest of the students at Mayfield Elementary, a total of $175 was raised. Prey returned to the school Monday to accept the money and thank the students for their efforts. “I think it’s really important.... I love animals,” said Ella.

Photos by JACOB HUNSANGER
Photo captions:
Above, Ruth Ann Prey, a retired Lapeer teacher, talks to the second grade class at Mayfield Elementary School and applauds them for their hard work raising money. To the left, student Ella Coulter shows off the collection jar she made. The students used the jar to collect spare change from parents and students in other classrooms. On the right is the letter Ella wrote to help with the fundraising efforts.

East's Burke signs to play at Concordia

From the County Press
A Lapeer East Eagle will become a Cardinal in the fall as senior Jacob Burke signed his national letter of intent to play football at Concordia University.

Burke will play wide receiver at the next level in the Pistol Spread Option offense, which has four wide receivers on the field at all times. Though the offense is relatively new, the coaching staff at Concordia believes they can put Burke in position to make plays with the ball in his hands and believes he is a perfect fit for a student-athlete at Concordia.

The senior also played in the defensive backfield for the Eagles on defense and was a part of the basketball team. Burke chose Concordia over other schools that included Albion College, Adrian College and Siena Heights University.

He selected Concordia over the other schools because he liked the campus. He believes his biggest challenge as he moves on to college athletics will be preparing for the better competition he will face and how much time football will consume in college.

The intended communications major is excited about meeting his new teammates and facing new competition at his position in a bid for playing time.

Lapeer East coach Jake Weingartz said he believes Burke will have no problems translating his game to the collegiate level. “Jake has great athleticism and he is an overall playmaker on the field. He made a lot of plays for us this season. He was a big reason we were as successful as we were this season,” Weingartz said.

“He will be a very productive wide receiver in college,” Weingartz added. “He will have to get in the weight room and continue to get bigger, faster and stronger, but there is no reason he won’t have a successful four years.”

Photo by Eric Hohenthaner

Photo Caption:
Lapeer East senior Jacob Burke signs his letter of intent with Concordia University as he is surrounded by his parents and Concordia coaches.

Mayfield 2nd graders perform "Ugly Duckling"

Mrs. Lamphere’s 2nd grade class at Mayfield Elementary will perform "Ugly Duckling" (a mini musical) for students March 16th at 2:00 p.m. and for the public March 17th at 6:00 p.m. at Mayfield Elementary located at 302 Plum Creek Road, Lapeer.

Mrs. Lamphere’s annual play is always a treat for the students and their audience. Come enjoy a delightful cast of singing second graders.

Superintendent finalists selected

The Lapeer Community Schools Board of Education has selected two finalists in its selection process to name a new superintendent for the District.

The finalists are Bethany Rayl, currently acting superintendent and assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction at Clio Area Schools, and Matthew Wandrie, currently director of human resources at Dearborn Public Schools.

The board narrowed the field of candidates from more than 40 applicants to six for the first round of interviews and completed the second round of interviews with three candidates on Thursday, March 10.

It is anticipated that the new superintendent will begin working for the District on July 1, replacing current Superintendent Debbie Thompson who is retiring after serving the district for the last six years as its superintendent.

Bands capture honors at Festival

On February 25, 26 and March 4th , bands from Rolland-Warner, Zemmer, Lapeer East and Lapeer West participated in MSBOA District Band Festival.

More than 350 band students participated, and each band came home with recognition for outstanding performance and musicianship.

Five bands also qualified for State Band Festival by receiving an overall rating of a 1, which is the highest rating a band can receive at this event.

The Lapeer Community Schools bands all had a tremendous showing of parents at each of the performances to show support for students. The band students represented the District at the highest level and should be commended for their outstanding achievement.

Book drive aids FLC

Donations of new or gently used books will be collected at Murphy Elementary School between March 14th and March 18th as a school project to help the Family Literacy Center.

Books collected during the drive will be donated to FLC. The Family Literacy Center is a local non-profit organization that helps adults learn or improve their reading and assists school-age children and their parents to improve reading and literacy.

“The books can be for children or adults, fiction or non-fiction, but should be in good condition. We are especially looking for children’s chapter books,” said Lisa Schultz, a parent volunteer who is coordinating the drive. “We invite the community to support this worthy cause and drop your spare books off at the Murphy Elementary school office during the week of March 14th to March 18th,” Schultz said.

For further information on the Family Literacy Center go to www.readlapeer.org. For additional information on the book drive call Schultz at 810-797-5537.

Student art on display

Gallery 194 is hosting an art show featuring student art from students at Lapeer middle schools and high schools.

Stop by the gallery to see how talented these young students are at creating both 2- and 3-dimensional pieces.

The show is now open and will run until Saturday, March 19. A special student artist reception will take place from noon until 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 12.

Everyone is invited to meet the artists and to see their work, or to just stop by the gallery any time during normal business hours. Art from many other districts also will be on display at this special show (grades K-8).

Students of teachers Deb Helbig (East) and Jeff Bolzman and Nancy Barry (West) have work in the show which will go on to state competition this weekend.

The middle school artist are students of art teachers Marty Norton at Zemmer Middle School and Lisa Reinertat Rolland-Warner Middle School.

Many thanks to the folks at Gallery 194 for their continued support to the arts in Lapeer.

Zumba Fundraiser for Project Graduation

Lapeer East Project Graduation will host a Zumba Fundraiser on Friday, March 18th, beginning at 7 p.m. at Maple Grove Elementary School.

Pre tickets are available. Call Lisa at 810-627-9426 or email lmar925@charter.net

Cost is $6 per ticket in advance. $8 at the door.

TurrillMom 2 Mom Sale March 12

The Turrill Elementary PTC will host a Mom 2 Mom Sale on Saturday, March 12, from 8:30 am – 1:00 pm.

If you are interested in renting a table, please contact: Nichole Hayden nhayden@lapeerschools.org or (810)614-9438.

Table rental costs are $20.00 for an 8’ table, $10.00 for 1 additional 8’ table, $25.00 for a cafeteria table, $5.00 for rack space and $1.00 for large items.

The PTC is also accepting donations of toys and clothes. All proceeds from donated items will go to Turrill Elementary!

Donations can be dropped off to Nichole Hayden at Turrill Elementary before March 4.

March is Reading Month

Students all across the Lapeer Community Schools are putting an added focus on books this month to celebrate Reading Month.

Each school is charting its own course with a theme for this month’s extra focus on reading, from the wonderful tales of Dr. Seuss at Schickler to the eyes to the skies and the wonders of outer space at Mayfield.

At Lynch the theme is Reading Builds Character, and at Seaton the students have a decidedly automotive focus as they “track” their selections as they race into reading.


Many activities are underway across the District to help focus students and families on the importance of READING.

There is ample research that tells us over and over again that the best way to improve a child's ability to read is to read and be read to. Parents are being asked to help keep track of the minutes their children are reading, to help them participate in the events. Every child will be a winner.


Photo captions:Mayfield teachers garbed as white-suited astronauts offered the challenge to their students for their out-of-this-world focus on reading.

Schickler students were in for a wonderful treat at lunch on Wednesday, March 2, as they celebrated the birthday of Dr. Seuss with some personalized cake created by Jill McLaughlin from the food service department.

Seaton 2nd grader collecting school supplies for Haiti

When he learned his mom and dad would be going to Haiti in April to help out in the town of Desalines, he wanted to do his part, so Seaton 2nd grader Judson Page decided to collect school supplies to send along to school kids in the hurricane-ravaged country.

He began his project in early February and decided to collect pencils, pens, notebooks and rulers to send along to school children in Desalines. The collection also includes some other practical items such as jump ropes, barrettes, bouncy balls, jacks and small model cars.

His fellow students chipped in, and by the end of the month he had overflowed the box that sits in the Seaton Elementary office. He says he thinks his total so far tops 85 pounds.

Judson’s efforts will continue through Friday March 4, and he’s looking for as many school supplies and small toys that he can send along to students in Desalinesi.

To make a donation of any of the items, you can drop them off at Seaton Elementary or leave a message for Judson’s parents, Kelli and Gene Page, at the Lapeer Free Methodist Church at 810-664-3393.

To learn more about the Haiti mission trip, visit http://haititrip.weebly.com.

Student art work on display at Gallery 194

The artwork of 20 middle and high school students from Lapeer Community Schools are currently on display at Gallery 194 in downtown Lapeer as part of the annual Michigan Art Education Association exhibit that runs through March 5.

The work of the artists includes a variety of media, including dry-point etching, prismacolors, pencil, oils, acrylics, tempera, fabric and clay.

The exhibit includes art work from nearly 70 students in Lapeer and Genesee counties. Winners from this regional exhibit will advance to judging in Lansing for statewide recognition. Winning artwork at the state level is displayed at several venues and in state offices throughout the Lansing area.

LCS exhibiting student artists at Gallery 194 include:

Adrianna Allen, Lapeer West 10th grade, “My Escape” conte pencils.
Karley Bauroth, Lapeer West, 11th grade, “Bonita Alta,” clay.
Kaitlyn Becker, Lapeer West, 11th grade, “Calla Lilies,” clay.
Eric Birkle, Lapeer West 12th grade, “Olde Time Machine,” prismacolor pencils.
Cheryse Burns, Lapeer West, 12th grade, “Three Siblings,” prismacolors.
Angelique Clark, Lapeer West, 12th grade, “Rainbow Rich,” clay.
Courtney Gilbert, Lapeer West 12th grade, “I Ride, Therefore I Am,” pencil.
Courtney Lang, Lapeer East 12th grade, “Sacre-Coeur,” dry-point etching.
Zoe Lovelette, Zemmer 8th grade, “Intense Color,” markers.
Amelia Meerschart, Lapeer East 11th grade, “Junk Yard Trucks,” oil pastels.
Jessica Ogles, Lapeer East 11th grade, “Initially Print,” mixed media.
Adam Porter, Lapeer East 12th grade, “Toy Store,” colored pencil.
Miranda Sanborn, Lapeer East 12th grade, “”Self-Portrait,” pencil.
Samantha Schlaud, Zemmer 7th grade, “My Many Emotions,” watercolor print.
Connor Schulte, Rolland-Warner 8th grade, Untitled, acrylic paint.
Madison Skene, Rolland-Warner 6th grade, “Frogs in the Rainforest,” water color.
Brooke Soroka, Rolland-Warner 8th grade, Untitled, embossment.
Lexi Thomas, Rolland-Warner 8th grade, “Spring Fever,” tempera/fabric.
Paige Tigner, Lapeer West 11th grade, “Trapped,” nu pastels.
Catherine Wonders, Lapeer West 12th grade, “Mad Hattress,” clay.

Cramton Center serves as hostage training site

During a professional development day for staff in mid-January, the Cramton Campus on Lake Nepessing Road, home of Lapeer Community High School, was transformed into a situational training location that was designed to both challenge the preparedness of the building in the case of an emergency situation, as well as allowing for the Special Response Team (SRT) members from the Lapeer County Sheriff Department to conduct valuable situational training in a school setting.

This was the first training of its kind in Lapeer County and involved more than 20 members of local law enforcement. “The scenario was modeled after the recent hostage situation in a high school in Wisconsin,” explained LCHS Principal Kevin Walters. “It was modified to present an opportunity for multiple levels of training and involvement.”

Staff members from LCHS were active participants in the training sessions, which include active shooter, bomb and explosives, barricaded gunman, and hostage situations throughout the day. The day ended with a luncheon and an opportunity to debrief between school staff and law enforcement.

“We would like to acknowledge the outstanding collaboration between the building and the Lapeer County Sheriff Department,” said Walters. He praised the work of Sgt. Andy Engster and Sgt. Don Brady, who worked with Walters to develop the scenario for this training.

Sheriff Ron Kalanquin was present during the training as well. Deputy Dave Hill assisted and is assigned to LCHS by the Sheriff’s Department. Last school year, LCHS enlisted the assistance of the department in providing a critical review of the school’s emergency response and lock-down procedures. Lt. Jim McLain, Sgt. Engster, Sgt. Brady and Deputy Hill from the Sheriff Department assisted in that review as well.

“This is a great example of collaboration between the school and local agencies in the interest of school safety,” Walters noted.

Rolland-Warner 7th graders celebrate Chinese New Year

It's the Year of the Golden Rabbit in China, and Rolland-Warner 7th graders celebrated the begining of the Chinese year 4708 on Feb. 11 (delayed because of a snow day on Feb. 3 when the new year began).

Rabbit is a lucky sign. Chinese tradition says the Rabbit brings a year in which you can catch your breath and calm your nerves. To gain the greatest benefits from this time, make it a goal to create a safe, peaceful lifestyle, so you will be able to calmly deal with any problem that may arise.

Students made masks and then took part in a dragon dance that filled the hallway and snaked through the media center and office before returning to the classroom.

The celebration was part of the 7th grade study of the Eastern Hemisphere and in particular the study of China.

For a look at more photos from the event, visit the LCS Picasa album at:
https://picasaweb.google.com/LapeerCS/RollandWarner7thGradersCelebrateChineseNewYear#

East's Donahue 1st girl soccer player to sign with Div. 1 school

She will attend Western Michigan University this fall


Lapeer East senior Ariana Donahue became the first-ever girls soccer player from Lapeer Community Schools to get a scholarship from a Division 1 school February 15 when she signed to play for Western Michigan University this fall.

While at East, Donahue’s accomplishments on the soccer field include starting all four years and earning All- Conference, All-District and All-Regional honors the past two seasons while leading the team in scoring.

She also was named to the All-State Second Team in 2010. Having been designated as Team MVP a year ago, Donahue, who plans to major in either psychology or journalism, also managed to lead the Flint Metro League tn 2009-10 with the most goals scored at 28 and notched 63 points as a junior, placing her fifth in the state for scoring after nabbing Honorable Mention All-State accolades as a sophomore.

“This is great. I’ve been playing (soccer) since I was seven, so this was my goal, to get a scholarship from a Division 1 school, so I’m really happy,” said Donahue. “My family has been with me every step of the way, so it’s really nice to have them here today.

“I really liked the campus and the general feel, but the coach (Suzie Grech) was probably the biggest thing for me. I really liked her. She said I would make a big impact (next season). I think she’s going to play me at center/mid, which is the position I’m used to playing, so I’m really looking forward to it.”

Besides friends and family, also enjoying the glow of Donahue’s on-field success was Lapeer East varsity girls soccer coach Chad Kenny, who helped guide the Lady Eagles all the way to the 2010 regional finals against Bloomfield Hills Marian.

“We take pride in all of our kids, but seeing Ariana accomplish what she’s been able to accomplish on the grander scale has definitely been a special thing,” said Kenny.

Having also considered Central Michigan University, Eastern Michigan University, Oakland University and the University of Wisconsin, Donahue’s development was a multi-faceted process that took many forms over time. This includes spending four years with the Michigan Hawks, the fourth-ranked girls soccer club in the nation.

Donahue’s other notable accomplishments include being the first female soccer player from the county to make the state and regional Olympic Development Program team.

She also boasts an impressive academic record, holding a 3.9 GPA and has been a 4-year starter on the Eagles Cross County Team and a four-year scholar athlete. She was named Academic All-State in 2009 and 2010.

Photos by Michael Selecky
Photo captions:
(top) Ariana Donahue signs her letter of intent to attend Western Michigan University flanked by her father, Richard, sister, Brennah, and mother, Susana.

(bottom)Ariana poses with coach Chad Kenny and teammates at Lapeer East.

East's Sawchuk signs to play at Wayne State

Lapeer East senior Mike Sawchuk on February 10 celebrated his signing of a letter of intent to play football for Wayne State University next year.

Having been projected as a safety by the WSU defensive staff, Sawchuk, who was an All-League defensive back as a junior prior to throwing for 1,201 yards and running for 1,063 yards as a senior, joins a WSU squad that went 9-2 overall in 2010.

“I’ve wanted this ever since I was little,” he told The County Press in an interview. “To finally actually do it is a huge accomplishment. This is the dream, what I’ve always wanted to do” said Sawchuk.

“It means a lot that my family supports me in everything I choose. They’re completely behind me. I’m going to miss my teammates a lot, too. They’re also my family and I’ve grown up playing football with them, so it’ll be really hard leaving them and moving on with a new group of people.”

Having also considered institutions including Grand Valley State University, Ferris State and Michigan Tech, Sawchuk was drawn to the Wayne State campus as much for its academics as anything else, where he plans to become a pre-med major in preparation for an eventual run at medical school.

“This is a great accomplishment for Mike, a real testament to all the hard work he’s put in,” said East football coach Jake Weingartz. “He’s a great kid and is going to a great university and he has an opportunity to play collegiate athletics, which is huge.”

Jim ‘Basketball’ Jones visits Seaton

Using a broad mix of basketball stunts, humor and common sense, speaker Jim “Basketball” Jones kept the crowd “in the game” February 9 as he visited Seaton Elementary with his motivational message.

His focus for the 1st through 5th grade students was on character, putting forth your best effort, teamwork and listening. With a bit of good-natured ribbing mixed in, his message is for kids to live their dream, which he says often means putting yourself out to help others do their best. Randomly selected students got a chance to test their skills alongside Jones and were rewarded with small gifts for their efforts.

Jones’s upbeat message comes from his own life. He overcame dyslexia as a youngster, honed his skills with basketball tricks and performed as a teen at halftime shows with the Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA.

Refusing to let his learning disability define him, he put forth the extra work needed to finally exceed everyone’s expectations and graduate with honors from Bowling Green State University.

Students were captivated as Jones engaged the crowd in his positive message as he ran through his bag of tricks with the basketballs: juggling, dribbling and inspiring balancing acts with the spinning spheres.

His feats included putting his autograph on a basketball with a spinning ball on top of his pen.

The Toledo native has been putting on his show for more than a dozen years, and during that time has visited 3,000 schools in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana.

For a look at addional photos from the day’s events, please visit:
https://picasaweb.google.com/LapeerCS/JimBasketballJonesVisitsSeaton#

East bowler rolls her first 300

From the LA VIEW:
Justice Schihl, a 16-year-old junior at Lapeer East became the first female and first youth bowler to roll a perfect game at Gerlach’s Bowling Center on Feb. 10.

Shihl was bowling during the East high school league, putting her up for Metro League honors. She fired a 176 and 193 in her first two games for a 669 series. She’s been bowling since the fourth grade and is three-year varsity player for East. Brother Austin also bowls for East as a sophomore.

"The closest I’ve ever come to 300 was a 235," Schihl told the View Newspapers Monday as she watched a brand new banner announcing her accomplishment go up above Lanes 3 and 4, where she had been bowling last Thursday. "I knew I was close when I had seven strikes in a row," she added. "I was nervous, but kept it all inside. Everyone was starting to circle around the lanes to watch."

Schihl credits her dad for getting her involved in bowling and she also plays tennis on East’s junior varsity squad.

"I like that (bowling) is all you," Schihl explained. "If you mess up, it’s all on you."

To celebrate, Schihl was taken to dinner by her mom, grandpa and boyfriend.

‘This is just a special accomplishment and I’m going to try to just let that stand as I prepare for the Baker match and then Regionals on Feb. 25," Schihl added. "I especially want to thank my grandpa, mom and stepdad, Tony, for supporting and paying for my bowling.”

Commenting on Schihl’s accomplishment, East coach Anthony Novick said, "I’ve had her for two years. She works hard, is at every practice and is a team captain. She is a leader on the squad and helped the team tie for second place in the Metro League. She made Second Team All-Metro, her first time for the accomplishment. Because she’s just a junior, it will be nice to have her back next year. She’s a good listener, and that helps in her bowling."
The banner that now hangs at at the bowling alley reads: Justice Schihl bowled 300 on 2-10-11. First Female ever @ Gerlach’s Bowling Center.

Photo by Lisa Paine
Photo caption:
Justice Schihl was surrounded by coaches Ken Sexton, Anthony Novick and Cody Crump.

Another big crop of Scholastic art winners

Ten high school artists from Lapeer West and Lapeer East have earned awards in the recent nationwide Scholastic Art competition.

The list of awards include three Gold Key, five Silver Key and five Certificates of Merit earned by nine students from Lapeer West and one from Lapeer East.

Nine students of Lapeer West art teacher Nancy Barry took 12 awards in this year’s regional show. West artists have won National honors in this Scholastics competition 13 times over the years. “Schools are honored to have even a single piece in this juried show,” noted Barry. “The competition is very tough.”

She added, “These students continue to impress me with their dedication and work ethic as well as their talent. To be successful in life these traits are invaluable. The arts connect people more deeply to the world and open them to new ways of seeing as well as improve motivation, concentration and confidence. This is evidenced in the comments from these students. “

The Scholastic art competition is the most rigorous art competition for high school art students. For more than 80 years, students from across the United States have competed in this difficult contest. The Regional show is the first step in what can lead to National recognition. All Gold Key winners go on to compete at the national level. The Gold Key awards will be photographed by professional photographers, and the images will be sent to New York for further competition.

If these Gold Key students are award winners at the national level, they travel to New York City to receive their awards onstage at Carnegie Hall.

Barry quotes Daniel Pink, author of A Whole New Mind, when she notes: ‘“You can’t outsource creativity.’ These students have skills they can use in their work life. I am glad I had a part in their preparation for life.”
The award-winning artists:


Adrianna Allen is in tenth grade at West. She put three pieces into the show and won three awards. This is her first time entering. Her mom also was a student of Nancy Barry.

Adrianna said, “I was surprised to learn that I had won awards in Scholastics, and I am much honored. I worked hard on my pieces, but I did not think that they could compare to the amazing art of other students. It will be exciting to see the other students’ pieces in the show.”

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Kaitlyn Becker is a junior at West. She entered the competition last year and won a Certificate in Drawing.
Kaitlyn said, “The Scholastics art show is a great experience; you get to see the unique work from around the country. You see techniques you may never have seen before.”

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Eric Birkle is a West senior. He is also a student in Barry’s Kendall Dual Enrollment College Drawing class. This was his first time in the show. “After putting in as much effort as I did into this project, I am so pleased to have won a Gold Key!” Birkle said. “I was overjoyed when I heard the news. This piece was of an antique cash register, from about 1900. This is an era that I really respect, due to the great amount of effort they put into designing and making things look appealing to the eye. I hope and strive to show this through my work.”

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Rachael Broecker, a senior at West, won a Silver Key for her drawing of lacrosse players. She spent several hours just drawing the net in the picture. “I worked very hard on this piece so I am really excited to win a Silver Key.”

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Cheryse Burns is a senior at West. She said, “Who wouldn’t be super stoked? I am deeply touched that people enjoy my art in which I have invested countless hours of focus, frustration and annoying perfectionism.”
Cheryse entered a group portrait of herself, her brother and her cousins for which she was awarded a Silver Key. She also entered a charcoal drawing. It, too, won a Silver Key.
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Victoria Hays drew a very detailed drawing of ribbons in spirals. The piece was done in prismacolors and took several weeks of meticulous work to complete. Victoria is a West junior. “Though I have worked with prismacolor pencils before, I have never done a piece as challenging and time consuming as this project. Every inch of this project has taken a great amount of focus, dedication and patience. Because of this, it makes me even more proud of the Certificate in Drawing that my piece received.”

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Paige Tigner won a Silver Key in her first show. She drew her brother hard at work at his desk. Paige had this to say, “I was unsure that this project would even be accepted into the show, let alone receive a Silver Key! So, after spending many hours putting my best effort into every detail, I’m absolutely ecstatic that I’ve been so fortunate.” Paige is a junior at West.

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Emily Prchlik, a junior at West, is interested in fashion design. She made a hat using a felting process. Her piece won a Certificate of Merit in the fashion division. “Receiving a certificate in the fashion division has made me more confident in following my dream to become a fashion designer. It feels great to know that my work can be shown with the other students in the Scholastics show, and that my hard work is being recognized.”

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Paige Vronch won a Gold Key in Fashion for a dress she created using white garbage bags. Paige used the yellow tie section of the trash bags to make a pleated border around the top of the dress. The dress balloons out in layers and flows to the floor.
Paige is a senior in the commercial art class at Lapeer West. “When I found out how I did at Scholastics I was surprised. It made me feel like it was possible for me to enter a career in fashion, even though I’m only a senior in high school.”

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Shelbi Davis, an East senior, earned a Certificate of Merit of in the Scholastic art competition for her drawing of a young woman fashionably dressed for winter, titled “Wonderous Surprise.” She is a student of Lapeer East High School art teacher Debbie Helbig.

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Paige Vronch and Adrianna Allen also earned special awards for a scholarship for a class at The College for Creative Studies in Detroit.

All of the West students study with Mrs. Barry, who has taught at Lapeer West for 37 years and is also the school’s fine arts chairperson. Barry also teaches classes for Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University after school. Students receive college credit for the classes at a reduced cost. One half of the students who received awards are dual enrolled in these college classes and have already started their college careers.

For another look at the winning art and photos of the artists at work in the classroom, visit the Lapeer Community Schools Picasa photo album at: https://picasaweb.google.com/LapeerCS/LCSScholasticArtAwardWinners2011#

Distinguished Alumni nominees being sought

Do you know a Lapeer Community Schools high school alumnus worthy of induction in the Distinguished Alumni Hall of Honor?

Nominations for candidates for the sixth annual Lapeer Community Schools Distinguished Alumni Award program are being accepted for the fall induction program.

The Distinguished Alumni Award program is a coordinated effort 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 10 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. Honorees will attend the Distinguished Alumni Induction Ceremony this fall.

Applications are available in District buildings or by calling Mary Linn Voss at (810) 538-1634. Deadline for applications is Friday, April 29.