Tony Willis is exhausting. Between being a father of 3 young boys and a leader at several community groups, Willis is leading an effort to promote equity and diversity in business development.
News
Virtual kindergarten has been a struggle for throughout Michigan
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Michigan school enrollment fell by 53,000 students during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Of those students, 13,000 were in kindergarten.
According to Chalkbeat Detroit, Detroit Public Schools lost 2,719 or 5% of students, Lansing Public Schools lost 927 or 9% of students, Kalamazoo Public Schools lost 690 or 5% of students, and Traverse City has lost 552 or 6% of students.
The decline in kindergarten enrollment is concerning to teachers, principals, administrators, and parents across four districts in Michigan.
Principals say the slide is continuing
Gier Park Elementary in Lansing has grades Pre-K-3 and Principal Christopher Cadogan has seen decreases in enrollment. Photo courtesy Christopher Cadogan. “If we just look at last year, the 2019 to 2020 school year, we ended that year with 84 kindergarteners,” Cadogan said. “This year we’re at 75 and it’s not the end of the school year.”
Comparing this to the 2018-2019 school year, Cadogan said the school had even more students at 97 and you can really see the contrast between then and now.
Cadogan said kindergarten teaches developmental lessons and tries to provide students with the basic and foundational principles of reading and numeracy.
News
Greater Lansing 100+ Women Who Care is closing in on $1 million in donati0ns
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The Greater Lansing chapter of 100+ Women Who Care held its first meeting of 2021 on March 23. The chapter includes multiple towns around Lansing, including Mason and the rest of Ingham County, as well as Clinton and Eaton County. The Greater Lansing area 100+ Women Who Care organization has more than 200 members and meets four times per year. Due to COVID, the past few meetings have been held over email.
The organization’s mission is to choose a charity or non-profit at each meeting to support and donate to. Each member is required to write a $100 check to the charity that is chosen, which is mostly the only requirement to join.
Community News
Girl Scouts: Celebrating the women of yesterday, today and tomorrow
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Women’s History Month is not all strictly about historical milestones. This month celebrates women of the past, present and future, and their vital roles as women in American society. Nicole CardwellGirl Scouts and their leaders find ways to make scouting happen despite the pandemic. For more than a hundred years, the Girl Scouts of the United States of America have been giving to and growing their communities, while also developing themselves into the next generation of female leaders. The history of the Girl Scouts began in 1912, when e women in the U.S. had limited rights compared to their male counterparts.
Community News
The Pandemic Adoption Boom
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It’s been over a year since the COVID-19 pandemic hit Michigan. Since then, there has been many new rules that have been enforced to contain its spread and prevent Michiganders from sickness or even death. In the early months, businesses were deemed essential or not. This meant that certain employees were needed come to work to keep the country and the state afloat. These were mostly grocery stores and hospitals which provided people with nessacary goods and services.
Campus News
“That smile of his.”
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MSU Sophomore Michael Zyrek is loved around East Lansing. He’s the President of Sigma Nu and impacted a lot of Spartan lives throughout his two years. But during a workout with one of his close friends mid-February, he began having a raging headache and texted his girlfriend saying something just felt off. It was then a split-second decision by her to leave a Zoom class, not even wearing shoes, and rush him to Sparrow Hospital. Just seconds after walking through the automatic doors, he collapsed unconscious.
News
Riverwalk Theatre brings a theatrical performance to Zoom
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LANSING, Mich. – With its first-ever virtual performance over, the Riverwalk Theatre is preparing for more virtual shows in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and a cold Michigan winter. Cold weather put an end to outdoor events hosted by the theater in the fall and led to a nearly three-month-long halt of any performances.
Community News
Ingham County health officer receives Inspirational Woman of the Year Award
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Every year, the Michigan State University Center for Gender in Global Context honors staff, faculty, and student women on campus and Ingham County with the Inspirational Woman of the Year Award. The Inspiration Awards highlight women’s abilities in several categories. Linda Vail, health officer of the Ingham County Health Department, was awarded the Community Engagement award.
Linda Vail
Women who receive the Community Engagement award demonstrate a commitment to engaging and advancing communities and organizations at MSU and in the greater Lansing community through service and leadership, per the MSU GenCen website. Vail is CEO of the Ingham County Health Department where she oversees the operations and leads the entire department, which includes public health services, federally qualified health centers and correctional health. Vail also holds a small responsibility related to the medical examiner’s office. Vail received her Bachelor of Science in microbiology from The University of Georgia in 1982 when she was 20.
Campus News
Lansing Community College fights against Covid-19
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LANSING — Lansing Community College has taken what officials describe as a people-first, safety-first approach to managing the COVID-19 pandemic.
News
Lansing schools unveil modified safe learning plan for March 22 reopening
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Delsa Chapman, deputy superintendent of Lansing School District via Facebook.
The Lansing School District Executive Board said schools are set to open on March 22. Board of education members recommended the Safe Learning Plan via Zoom at the school board’s Feb. 18 meeting.
In the hybrid model, morning classes Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday are screen to screen, said Deputy Superintendent Delsa Chapman. The afternoons during the week are for the Student Opportunities for Academic Re-Engagement initiative (SOAR). This means face-to-face instruction with familiar teachers.
Delsa Chapman, deputy superintendent, led a presentation that outlined the board’s reasoning and plans for safely reopening schools.
News
Lansing high schools take on winter sports
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After a nearly year-long hiatus, Lansing high schools are beginning their winter sports seasons.