'Be Brave and Shave' shows solidarity for boy fighting cancer

Submitted by WZZM13, News Staff

Monday, March 30th, 2015, 7:04pm

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WZZM) -- Hundreds of people gathered at a Grand Rapids school Friday night, many of whom lined up for a very special haircut.

They gathered to "Be Brave and Shave" at Crossroads Middle School on Ambrose Ave. NE, in honor of 14-year-old Schuyler Kleibusch. He was recently diagnosed with lymphoblastic lymphoma.

Just last week, he began a two-year treatment of chemotherapy.

We spoke to Schuyler's mother, who says her son's cancer is a very difficult journey and the support of the community makes an impact.

"Having that support system here is wonderful," she said. "It's a wonderful feeling. It's a feeling of, 'Yeah we can get through this.' As any cancer patient needs, they need that boost of confidence."

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My Town: Hundreds of students heading to state tournament

Submitted by Anonymous on Monday, March 30th, 8:30 am

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.—A battle of the brains will include hundreds of West Michigan students in May.

Seventeen local teams made the cut during the Michigan Science Olympiad Regional 12 Tournament at Grand Valley State University last weekend. Eleven middle school teams from Division B and six high school teams from Division C advanced to the State Tournament, including:

Division B

1. Lakeshore Middle School
2. Jenison Junior High School
3. Chandler Woods Charter
4. East Grand Rapids Middle School
5. Allendale Middle School
6. Harbor Lights Middle School
7. Plymouth Christian Middle School
8. White Pines Intermediate
9. Macatawa Bay Middle School
10. Grandville Middle School
11. Dutton Christian Middle School
Alternate: Forest Hills Central Middle School

Division C

Students competing in the Science Olympiad Regional 12 Tournament at GVSU. (Photo courtesy: GVSU)

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My Town: NorthPointe Christian 8th grade students win statewide essay contest

Submitted by Kim Lowitzki on Monday, March 30th, 8:00 am

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.-- Three NorthPointe Christian Middle School students have been named local winners in the 46th annual America & Me Essay Contest.

Awards were given to NorthPointe 8th graders Emily Clementz (third place), Alysabeth Richards (second place), and Abigail Lewkowski (first place), based on their essays addressing the topic “My Personal Michigan Hero.”

Emily and Alysabeth both look to their fathers as their inspirational Michigan heroes. Emily wrote, “From before I could walk, my dad has been shaping my whole life.” Alysabeth also recognized the impact her father has had on her: “My father has impacted me in unexplainable ways. He has taught me to love, fight for what I believe, and be strong.”

First place winner Abigail Lewkowski's essay advanced to the state competition in April

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My Town: 7 tips to protect your home from spring break predators

Submitted by Anonymous on Saturday, March 28th, 6:00 am

EAST GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.—With spring break fast approaching, many West Michigan families are fine-tuning their travel plans—and so are thieves.

Most West Michigan schools will be out of session April 3-10, so families can take a vacation. East Grand Rapids Public Safety Director Mark Herald says this is the time homeowners need to step up safety measures. Herald shares seven ways to make your home less attractive to thieves:

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My Town: Army of volunteers needed to pull off LPGA event

Submitted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 25th, 2:50 pm

PLAINFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich.— Nearly 150 top women golfers will return to Blythefield Country Club again this year to compete, and hundreds of volunteers are needed to pull it all off.

Meijer says more than 700 people pitched in during last year’s Meijer LPGA Classic presented by Kraft. This year, organizers opened volunteer registration a month earlier, in hopes of attracting even more help for this year’s event. Positions range from marshals and standard bearers to assisting the media. The volunteer fee is $55 and includes:

Two official tournament golf shirts
Tournament hat
Volunteer badge valid for week-long tournament access and parking
Four weekly grounds tickets for guests
Invitation to the volunteer appreciation part
Meals and beverages during assigned shifts

Organizers need an estimated 800 volunteers this year.

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My Town: Kent ISD throws support behind sales tax hike proposal

Submitted by Anonymous on Monday, March 23rd, 9:00 am

KENT COUNTY, Mich.--- The Kent Intermediate School District is throwing its support behind a sales tax hike to fix Michigan’s roads and provide additional funding for schools and local governments.

Thursday, March 19, the Kent ISD Board approved a resolution in support of Proposal 1, which will be on the May 5 ballot. In the resolution, the Board said Michigan ranks last in the nation in transportation spending per person. The Board also noted money being siphoned from the School Aid Fund to higher education, since the previous sales tax proposal generating funding for schools did not include colleges and universities.

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My Town: 3 ways to inspire your online learner

Submitted by Megan Susterich on Saturday, March 21st, 6:00 am

Whether learning online or in a traditional classroom, keeping your student motivated is important—it offers the opportunity for innovation and powerful learning experiences.

Alexandra Negrete, a teacher at statewide virtual public high school Great Lakes Cyber Academy, shares three tips to help challenge students to reach their highest potential.

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