Annual Career Day teaches students about traditional and non-traditional professions

Eighth grade students from Clare and Gladwin counties met local professionals and learned about a variety of occupations during Career Day 2013 on March 6. Sponsored by the Clare-Gladwin Career Center, Clare-Gladwin RESD, Educational Talent Search Grant, and Mid Michigan Community College (MMCC), the annual event took place at the Harrison campus of MMCC.

Local police officers, veterinarians, and electronic engineers, as well as representatives from the Mid Michigan Health, Clare County Farm Bureau, and Chemical Bank were a few of the many professionals in attendance to speak with the students about what their job entails.  

“Career Day gives kids the chance to hear from people who work in both traditional and non-traditional career fields they may be interested in,” said Clare-Gladwin Career Center Director Doug Pummell. “I hope this event gives students a better understanding of the types of education and training they will need to pursue these career paths, as well as let them know about the programs we offer, like CTE (Career and Technical Education), that will help them accomplish their goals.”

The students also learned about career pathways during a game modeled after Trivial Pursuit called Career Pursuit, and took a virtual tour of Mid Michigan Community College.

Thank you to the following businesses for participating in Career Day 2013:

Zumba Fitness with Melanie

Three Rivers Corporation

Chemical Bank

MMCC Theatre

MMCC Student Advancement

Electronic Engineer/Technician  (retired)  Dow Chemical

MMCC Plastics/Manufacturing

Vantage Plastics

Lyle’s Flowers

Clare Co. Farm Bureau

Wishing Star Farm

Clare Animal Hospital

Kelly’s Kruising Kritter Kare

DNR-Law Enforcement

State Police

Clare County Sheriff Department

Jaynie Smith Hoerauf, P.C.

Mid Michigan Medical Center-Gladwin

Mid Michigan Health

Community Mental Health for Central Michigan

Mobile Medical Response

Clare Gladwin Career Center

St. Louis Corrections Faculties

Area School students donate items to animal shelter

Clare-Gladwin Area School students collected more than 200 items for local animal shelters in honor of their 100^th day of school last month. On March 6, students Michael, Jacki, and Gabby delivered some of those donations to the Clare County Animal Shelter.  

Local leaders in education meet with legislators

Approximately 25 local board of education members and superintendents gathered at the Harrison High School Media Center on March 4 to talk with Michigan legislators during this month’s Legislative Breakfast, sponsored by the Clare-Gladwin Area School Board Association.

State Senator Darwin Booher, State Senator John Moolenaar, and State Representative Joel Johnson spent the morning answering questions and discussing current and upcoming legislation related to public education.

“As superintendents and school board members, we are passionate advocates for our students and for public education,” said Clare-Gladwin RESD Superintendent Sheryl Presler. “The Legislative Breakfast gives us a chance to engage with our local legislators one-on-one, ask them questions, and give them insight as to how their decisions will directly impact the students in our communities.”  

Breakfast was provided by Chartwell’s Food Service.

Area School teacher and student take the Polar Plunge; More than $1,000 raised for Special Olympics

Clare-Gladwin Area School teacher Melissa Kleiman and student Addy braved the frigid temperatures as they leaped into the Central Michigan University Rose Ponds on Feb. 16 for the 2013 Polar Plunge. An event made possible by the Law Enforcement Torch Run, the Polar Plunge raises funds and awareness for the Special Olympics of Michigan. Kleiman and Addy raised more than $1,000 for the cause.

“The experience was fantastic and I am definitely doing it again next year,” said Kleiman. “Even though it was absolutely freezing, everyone's spirits were high and everyone participating was so proud to be raising money and awareness for such a good cause.

Polar Plunge participants also dress in costume for the jump. Kleiman sported a Miss America outfit and Addy wore a cheerleader uniform. 

Culinary Arts students welcome local dietitian to share expertise with class

Registered Dietitian Kati Mora shared her expertise and passion for healthy living with the Culinary Arts students at the Clare-Gladwin Career Center last month. Mora spoke about her profession, nutrition, and the variety of job opportunities available to those pursuing the dietetics field.

“Many students were surprised to learn about all of the things a dietitian can do,” said Culinary Arts Instructor Heidi Rocha. “Kati showed them how she has been able to break out independently to achieve a number of goals in her industry,” she said, referring to Mora’s role as a writer for Fitness Magazine, creator of the nationally recognized website www.aroundtheplate.org  and owner of The Plate Boutique in Mount Pleasant.

Culinary Arts is one of nine Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs offered to local high school juniors and seniors at the Clare-Gladwin Career Center, a program of the Clare-Gladwin RESD. Students spend half of their regular school day in CTE and the other half at their local high school. For more information, please visit www.cgresd.net.

More than 38,000 students to receive food benefits this summer

Applications mailed home week of Feb. 11;  

completed forms due March 1

For the second consecutive year, the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer for Children (SEBTC) demonstration project will provide a select number of local qualifying students with a food package valued at $60 per month for June, July, and August 2013. The project is designed to help low-income families supplement their food budgets when school breakfast and school lunch meals are not readily available during the summer months.   

Applications for the program will be mailed home during the week of Feb. 11 to students who received SEBTC benefits last year, as well as to students who qualify for free and reduced price school meals or who are direct-certified for free school meals through food stamp eligibility.

Last year, 10,600 students attending schools in the Bay-Arenac Intermediate School District, Clare-Gladwin Regional Education Service District, Grand Rapids Public Schools, Midland County Educational Service Agency, and Tuscola Intermediate School District received food assistance through the program. Those same students will be automatically selected to participate in the 2013 program as long as they still qualify and they return their completed application to their school office by March 1.

An additional 28,000 low-income students from the same areas, along with Detroit Area Schools and Kentwood Area Schools, who return their consent forms by the March 1 deadline, will be randomly selected to receive either the $60 per month food package or a $30 per month food package.

“Ultimately, students who are well-nourished are able to start the school year healthy and ready for success in the classroom,” said Clare-Gladwin RESD Superintendent Sheryl Presler. “I encourage families who qualify to return these applications to hopefully take part in this wonderful opportunity.”

Made possible by a grant awarded to the state of Michigan by the USDA, the $60 and the $30 monthly food package per student per month will be delivered to families by an electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card system existing through the State of Michigan WIC program.

Benefit recipients will be notified in May.

The SEBTC demonstration project is sponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture and administered by the Michigan Department of Education and the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Division of the Michigan Department of Community Health.  

The demonstration projects will be studied and evaluated by USDA providing critical information about the impact of these projects in the fight against hunger among our students during the summer months. 

To ensure healthy and nutritious selections are being made, the EBT cards will only pay for approved food items.

For more information on SEBTC, please call the Clare-Gladwin Regional Education Service District at (989) 386-8076, or visit www.sebtc-mi.com. 

Clare-Gladwin RESD honors school board members with donation to Imagination Library

January is School Board Recognition Month and the Clare-Gladwin RESD is joining local and intermediate school districts across the state in thanking their school board members for their commitment to public education. 

RESD Superintendent Sheryl Presler expressed her gratitude by making a donation to Imagination Library this month in honor of each board member. Imagination Library is a national program organized locally by the Clare-Gladwin RESD that currently provides 870 children from Clare and Gladwin counties with a free book every month until their fifth birthday. 

“We are fortunate to have community members who volunteer a great deal of their time to make our programs and services the best they can be for the students in our community,” said Presler. 

Thank you to the men and women who serve on the Clare-Gladwin RESD Board of Education: 

Lynn Grim

Don Hannah

Sarah Kile

Sue Murawski

Barbara Richards

CTE Construction Trades students begin remodeling project for Hope Pregnancy Center

Old flooring came up and wood-paneled walls came down this month as the Clare-Gladwin Career Center’s Construction Trades students began remodeling the future site of the Hope Pregnancy Center in Harrison.  

“The benefits of this project are abundant,” said Construction Trades Instructor Josh Myers. “We have on-site work that is ‘real life’ construction training that helps the community and fulfills a portion of our curriculum. We are very thankful for the opportunity.”

Construction Trades is one of nine Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs offered to high school juniors and seniors through the Clare-Gladwin Career Center, a program of the Clare-Gladwin RESD. Over the next few months, the students will be performing interior finishing, including hanging drywall, painting, trim carpentry, and flooring. The students will also do some landscaping and exterior painting in the spring. All of the labor will be free of charge.

“This partnership is definitely a win-win situation,” said Hope Pregnancy Center Director Jon Hoerauf. “The kids are getting real-world experience, and there is no way Hope Pregnancy Center would be able to carry out a project this big without them.”

With less than a month of work completed, Hoerauf said he is “amazed” at how quickly the students are working. “They are polite…and great representatives of their schools,” he said. “Many lives will be blessed because of the work of these students.”

The Hope Pregnancy Center offers caring and compassionate support and education to those experiencing unplanned pregnancies. All services are free and confidential.

Scheduled to open in the late spring, the new Hope Pregnancy Center office is located at 498 N. Clare Ave. in Harrison. 

Record number of CTE students earn ServSafe Food Safety Certification

Eighteen students from the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Culinary Arts class have earned the ServSafe Food Safety Certification from the National Restaurant Association. This is the highest number of students to earn the certification at one time in the program’s history. 

In order to obtain the certification, students must pass an exam administered by the National Restaurant Association, testing their knowledge on topics covering food borne illness, contamination prevention, and proper food serving techniques.   

“I was very impressed when I received the results,” said Culinary Arts Instructor Heidi Rocha. “Typical passing rate averages around 50 percent because of the exam’s level of difficulty. This year, we had a 75 percent passing rate. I am very proud of all of the students for working so hard.” 

In the state of Michigan, every food service operation is required by law to have at least one person on staff with the ServSafe Food Safety Certification. “Students are very marketable as potential employees when they have this credential,” she said. 

Rocha is an approved ServSafe Food Safety instructor through the National Restaurant Association. Students in her culinary arts/hospitality management class can take the test free of charge by participating in fundraising activities. Typically, individuals pursuing ServSafe Food Safety Certification on their own pay $200-$1000 for both the training and the exam. 

Culinary Arts is one of nine Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs offered at the Clare-Gladwin Career Center, a program of the Clare-Gladwin RESD. Students spend half of their regular school day in CTE and the other half at their local high school. 

Santa Claus shares post-holiday cheer at Area School

Santa Claus and his reindeer made a special stop at the Area School on Jan. 4 to spread some post-holiday cheer! A special thank you to the Reserve Division of the Clare County Sheriff's Office for providing a gift for every student.