(Left to Right) Ming Li, Dean of the College of Education and Human Development, Pam Kingery, Executive Director of Communities In Schools of Kalamazoo, Mayor of Kalamazoo, Bobby Hopewell
Upon leaving our seventh annual Champ Celebration, held last week at Cityscape, one of our almost 200 guests said, “Everybody in town should experience Champs!”
We agree. Our CIS board and staff had a great time hosting the event and we want to share with everyone what these nine individuals and organizations are doing to help kids stay in school and achieve in life.
So, in the weeks and months to come we’ll introduce you to each of them. You’ll be able to read what our various presenters said about their efforts and thanks to CIS volunteer, Don Kingery, you’ll be able to see what guests saw (and missed!) through his photographic lens.
Dr. Michael F. Rice, Superintendent, Kalamazoo Public Schools
And, because we’ve had numerous requests to publish the speech given by our youngest Champ ever—fifth grader Kawyie Cooper—we’ll post her speech next Tuesday. According to Kathy Jennings, editor of Southwest Michigan’s Second Wave, Kawyie “stole the show with her words of what being named a Champ meant to her.” You can read the entire article here. And, if we can convince some of our other Champs to guest blog for us, we’ll publish their reflections here as well.
Today, though, we’ll leave you with a list of our award winners. And then, take a moment to click on the “Dear Kalamazoo” video below that first aired during the event. This video was created because throughout the 19 KPS schools that CIS is currently in, we have a number of grateful students (not to mention parents and teachers) who wanted to take the opportunity to say thanks and give shouts out to their own Champs.
Special thanks to all of our CIS Site Coordinators and CIS Site Team members (Assistant Site Coordinators, Youth Development Workers, VISTAs, and interns) who provide the infrastructure to support the hundreds of marvelous volunteers and community partners who work with Communities In Schools and the Kalamazoo Public Schools to help kids stay in school and achieve in life.
Our 2014 Champs:
Kawyie Cooper, 2014 Champ
Terri Aman, KPS Executive Supervisor for Transportation
RSVP through Senior Services Southwest Michigan, CIS Nonprofit Partner
Jay Gross, KPS Home School Community Liaison, Maple Street Magnet School for the Arts
Consumers Credit Union, CIS Nonprofit Business Partner
Rosalie Novara, CIS Volunteer Tutor, King-Westwood Elementary School
Radiant Church, CIS Emerging Faith-Based Partner
Kawyie Cooper, CIS Student, King-Westwood Elementary School
Carol Steiner, KPS Principal, Parkwood Upjohn Elementary School
And this year’s recipient of the Diether Haenicke Promise of Excellence Award:
Barbara Witzak, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Services for Kalamazoo Public Schools
So, please, keep up with us at Ask Me About My 12,000 Kids to discover the Champ experience. We think you’ll agree it’s not just a one day event!
Carolyn H. Williams, President, Communities In Schools of Kalamazoo Board
Tags: Barbara Witzak, Carol Steiner, Champs, Consumers Credit Union, Diether Haenicke Promise of Excellence Award, Jay Gross, Kalamazoo Public Schools, Kathy Jennings, Kawyie Cooper, King Westwood Elementary School, Maple Street Magnet School for the Arts, Parkwood Upjohn Elementary School, Radiant Church, Rosalie Novara, RSVP through Senior Services Southwest Michigan, Second Wave, Terri Aman, volunteering, volunteers
