the bright side spartans,” said lansing school district superintendent yvonne caamal canul. “the...
TRANSCRIPT
Senators also passed a special
tribute recognizing the Lansing
Spartans for their achievements in
representing all Special Olympics
Michigan athletes.
The Lansing Spartan Unified Soft-
ball team was honored Tuesday on
the State Senate floor for their
accomplishments in the Special
Olympics North America Softball
Tournament.
The Spartans were honored for
their participation and success in
the 2013 invitational, where they
won the Division 3 gold medal,
beating a Florida team 12-5 in the
championship game. The tourna-
ment featured 24 teams from four
different countries.
“This is a great honor for the Lans-
ing Spartans,” said Lansing School
District Superintendent Yvonne
Caamal Canul. “The Lansing com-
munity is proud of our young ath-
letes and everything they have
accomplished.”
Tuesday’s events included demon-
strations from young athletes,
Project Unify and Unified Bocce
sports programs, all part of Special
Olympics Michigan.
Michigan Lt. Gov. Brian Calley, public health officials and
Delta Dental representatives visited Fairview Elemen-
tary School Tuesday to celebrate the expansion of the
state’s Healthy Kids Dental program to about 64,000
children in Ingham, Ottawa and Washtenaw counties.
Lansing School District Assistant Superintendent Diana
Rouse told students she and her five siblings were re-
quired to get a clean report from the dentist every year
before advancing to the next grade.
“I never had any cavities,” she said.
Calley read, “Tooth Trouble,” a cautionary tale about
Wilbur the Walrus whose tusk hurts but is afraid to go
to the dentist. The dentist removes a bit of shell stuck
in the tusk, and Wilbur feels better right away. Drawing
smiles from the students, Calley said, “The dentist gives
Wilbur some fish-flavored tuskpaste. Mmmm, that
probably tastes really good to a walrus.”
Members of the Lansing
Spartans Softball team were
honored on the Senate floor
Tuesday at Special Olympics
Michigan Capitol Day. Shown
with the team are Anne
Goudie, Adaptive PE Depart-
ment, District Superintendent
Yvonne Caamal Canul (with
special tribute), State Senator
Gretchen Whitmer, Director
of Special Education Marty
Alwardt, Head Coach and
Adaptive PE Instructor Mark
Hayes, Assistant Coach Glenn
Lopez, Assistant Coach and
Hearing Impaired Teacher
Amy Robinson and Assistant
Coach and Hearing Impaired
Teacher Meredith Dimaria.
Assistant Coach and Adaptive
PE Instructor.
Special Olympians honored at capitol
Lt. Governor visits Fairview for Healthy Kids Dental Day
The Bright Side O C T O B E R 4 , 2 0 1 3
U P C O M I N G
E V E N T S :
10/4: Truancy Assembly, 10
a.m., STEM
10/4: Homecoming Parade,
4:30 p.m., Eastern
10/4: Fiesta Friday, 6 to 7
p.m., Fairview
10/5-10: Japanese visitors
10/8: MEAP testing begins
10/9: Michigan PTA Q&A
session, 6 to 8 p.m., Elm-
hurst
10/12: Scrap Metal fund-
raiser, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.,
Everett
10/17: Half day for all schools
(morning only)
10/18: Noche de Ciencias
(Night of Science), 5:30 p.m.,
Pattengill
10/24: RIF Book Workshop
for Parents, 6 to 7:30 p.m.,
Eastern
10/30: Fall Fun Open House,
4 to 7 p.m., Elmhurst
10/31: Half day for elemen-
tary schools (morning only)
11/5: No school, all schools
— Election Day
11/27-29: Thanksgiving break
Thank you to all who voted
in our newsletter contest.
Vote counts were:
Urban Smart: 3
Half Full: 3
The Bright Side: 6
Promising Tales: 0
Top, Lt Gov.
Brian Calley
reads to
Fairview
Elementary
School students
Tuesday during
Healthy Kids
Dental Day.
Bottom,
Lansing School
District Assis-
tant Superin-
tendent Diana
Rouse helps
Marshall the
Molar distrib-
ute goody bags
to the students.
P A G E 2
“The coolest thing
about this is seeing a
student’s face after
they’ve been in a multi-
million dollar studio
and know they want to
pursue something in
that field.” — Bryce Quig-Hartman,
Producer/engineer
John Lennon Educational Bus
“It’s fabulous — this
whole event gets
the word out about
music education and
puts Everett in
the spotlight.” — TaPara Simmons, student
High School Nation Tour held
Parked adjacent was the Gibson
Guitar Factory Bus, commanded
by driver Don Crawford for the
last 46 years.
“I get to meet a lot of great peo-
ple, and it’s more luxurious than
my house,” he said.
Outside, students swarmed the
various tents where they could
create art, try out an instrument
or meet performers such as
STAMPS, a duo from Texas and
Illinois, and the girl group Blush,
from the Philippines.
Monday, Everett High School
became one of only 20 schools
to host the 2013 High School
Nation Tour, which included a
stop by the John Lennon Educa-
tional Tour Bus and the Gibson
Guitar Factory Bus.
“John Lennon believed that if
you were making art, you were
making peace,” said Kyle Bau-
dour, a musician, engineer and
producer on the bus. “We exist
to keep that legacy going.”
Baudour told students they
were sitting in the same seats
used by members of The Black
Eyed Peas and the duo Blood on
the Dance Floor before explain-
ing the bus is a popular place
for artists to rest and record.
Producer/engineer Bryce Quig-
Hartman said he was the
rookie, having been on the bus
for only 10 months. Making
stops at high schools and uni-
versities is a highlight for him,
he said.
“The coolest thing about this is
seeing a student’s face after
they’ve been in a multi-million
dollar studio and know they
want to pursue something in
that field,” he said.
“It’s fabulous,” said Everett sen-
ior TaPara Simmons. “This
whole event gets the word out
about music education and puts
Everett in the spotlight.”
Freshman Janaya McKinney was
adding her touches to a white
sheet with glitter paint while her
friends were trying out a drum
kit in a tent next door.
“This whole thing has something
for everyone,” the aspiring ac-
tress said. “It’s really a great
opportunity to learn.”
The High School Nation Tour that visited Everett High
School Monday was comprised of many components:
The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, Gibson Guitar
Bus, and a carnival-like atmosphere that included tents
where students could create art and music with other
students and professionals. Top, musician and producer
Kyle Baudour explains the recording equipment on
board the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus. Left,
individual tents, like this one that featured guitars and
keyboards, allowed students to try out an instrument
and speak with professional musicians. Right, Everett
ASD Teacher Denise Noble poses on the Gibson Guitar
Bus with an Epiphone Texan flattop guitar used by Paul
McCartney. The guitar is one of 36 Epiphone Texans
McCartney has autographed and donated to charity.
Everett hosts NAMM SupportMusic Community Forum
P A G E 3
ship to the school. It will be divided
among three students who are
“academically advanced, good citi-
zens and who participate in events.”
White said when planning the reun-
ion, the group wanted to not only
enjoy their classmates and revisit
the school, but also allow future
students the same wonderful op-
portunities as those enjoyed by
former Everett students.
“It was a wonderful time in my life,”
she said. “And I’m sure all of the
young people here are making won-
derful memories of their own.”
When Everett Alumna Karole
(Hull) White recalls her high
school days, she remembers out-
standing administrators and princi-
pals, even the ones who chal-
lenged her.
“Gymnastics was the only sport
available here for women,” White
said, remembering coach Ernestine
Russell Carter, a former Olym-
pian. “She was tough.”
White and her classmates from
1963 recently returned to Everett
for their 50th class reunion, where
they presented a $1,500 scholar-
District Superintendent Yvonne Caamal Canul, at lectern, addresses a panel at the National Asso-
ciation of Music Merchants Foundation SupportMusic Community Forum Monday in the Everett
High School small auditorium. Seated, from left, are Arts Council of Greater Lansing Program
Manager Barb Whitney, ArtServe Director of Public Policy Sarah Gonzales Triplett, Michigan State
University Chair of Music Education Dr. Mitchell Robinson, Everett High School Chair of Visual and
Performing Arts Jim Allen and Everett Parent Teacher Student Association President Julie Potter.
Seated behind the superintendent are NAMM Foundation Executive Director Mary Luehrsen and
Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs Executive Director John Bracey.
’63 Vikings establish scholarship fund
Members of the Everett High School Class of 1963 returned to the school Sept. 20 for
their 50th class reunion. During halftime of the football game, the group presented the
school with a $1,500 donation in support of three new scholarships. Shown from right are
Everett Assistant Principal and Athletic Director W.J. Davis, alumnus Dr. Robert Whipple,
Everett Principal Dr. Norman Gear and alumna Karole (Hull) White.
Canul said she had the opportu-
nity to “sit at the feet” of famous
opera singers, artists and musi-
cians and was raised in a culture
of arts appreciation that only
grew as she became an adult.
However, she said, economic
realities have forced Michigan’s
school administrators to make
difficult and painful decisions that
require every educator to think
differently.
Michigan State University Chair of
Music Education Dr. Mitchell
Robinson echoed Caamal Canul’s
comments, as did others on the
panel.
“A house in Alaska is not going to
look like a house in Hawaii even
though they provide the same
basic function,” Robinson said.
“We have the opportunity now
to rebuild an arts and music edu-
cation program that makes sense
for our schools here in Lansing.”
Members of the arts community
and other stakeholders in arts
funding in the schools partici-
pated in a discussion Monday at
Everett High School.
The National Association of
Music Merchants Foundation
SupportMusic Community Forum
organized the event, which was
designed to facilitate discussion
on funding for arts education.
“We have come to Lansing
where there have been tough
decisions made by some good
people,” said NAMM Foundation
Executive Director Mary
Luehrsen, moderator of the
event. “This shouldn’t be a ‘hand-
wringing’ exercise but rather an
opportunity to look forward.”
Lansing School District Superin-
tendent Yvonne Caamal Canul
opened the forum by providing
some personal insight on the
importance of the arts. As a
child of cultural attachés, Caamal
selves,” he said. “Because of
these challenges, we have the
opportunity to work with
other groups and create some
substantial programs we
wouldn’t have been tradition-
ally able to consider.”
Everett Chair of Visual and Per-
forming Arts Jim Allen agreed
that crisis can be the catalyst for
positive change.
“When times were good, we felt
we could do everything our-
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Rotarians lend a hand
Left, Assistant Governor for Rotary District 6360 Michael Givler,
Lansing DeWitt Sunrise Rotary Club Administrator Dawn Perry,
District 6360 President Walter Brown and Assistant Superinten-
dent Diana Rouse stuff school supplies into backpacks for district
students Sept. 26. Below, Brown, far right and Rotary Public
Relations Chair Steve Musselman, second from left, receive a
thank-you banner Tuesday from students at Willow Elementary
who received backpack donations.
Sexton teacher
competes in ArtPrize
“Thunder, Perfect Mind,” a piece of
original artwork by Sexton High School
teacher Sarah de Ruiter, is on display at
this year’s ArtPrize competition.
Sexton High School teacher Sarah de
Ruiter exhibited an original painting in
this year’s ArtPrize competition in Grand
Rapids.
This was de Ruiter’s first year participat-
ing in ArtPrize. She teaches seventh
grade science at Lansing Sexton and has
been painting for many years, though has
never attended art school. Her piece,
titled “Thunder, Perfect Mind,” is on
display through Oct. 6 at the Riverview
Center, 678 Front Ave. , Grand Rapids.
Her work is also currently on exhibit at
Avenue Café, 2021 E. Michigan Ave. in
Lansing.
“The painting is named after a poem in
the Gnostic manuscripts called ‘The
Thunder, Perfect Mind,’” said de Ruiter.
“It represents all women and the social
constraints they have endured through-
out history when women have been both
honored and scorned.”
“How did you help others
today?” Bill Musselman asked
Willow Elementary School
students Tuesday.
“I gave somebody a pencil,”
said one student. “I helped
my friend get up when he
fell,” said another.
“It’s nice to help others,”
Musselman said, “And that’s
what Rotarians do.”
Musselman, Public Relations
Chair for the Lansing DeWitt
Sunrise Rotary Club and fel-
low Rotarians distributed
backpacks filled with school
supplies that had been sorted
and filled last week. In return,
students presented them with
a handmade banner of thanks.
“They saw a need and filled
it,” said District Community
Outreach Project Specialist
Linda Sanchez Gazella. “We
are grateful for their help.”
Gardner staff stand
against bullying
Gardner staff and students
wear orange every
Wednesday to take a stand
against bullying. October is
Bullying Prevention Month.
Above are secretary
Cheryl Brand and teacher
Allison Miskin. Left, from
left to right, are ESL Assis-
tant Ganga Dangal, teacher
C.J. Wilson, Counselor
Pearl Johnson and Public
Safety Officer Linda Ringle.