Turn-Around Achievement Awards honor students who have ‘taken charge of their futures’

The 2013 Turn-Around Achievement Award Recipients.
To see more photos, click here. 

Twenty students from ten local high schools were recognized at the eighth annual Clare-Gladwin Area School Board Association’s Turn-Around Achievement Awards on May 2. Held at Mid Michigan Community College, community leaders in education celebrated the accomplishments of local high school students who have made a positive and significant change in their lives during their high school careers.

“Every student’s story is different. Some have overcome academic challenges, while others have figured out how to handle negative peer pressure,” said Sheryl Presler, Clare-Gladwin Regional Education Service District superintendent. “This ceremony is designed to honor the students who have persevered during some very difficult personal or family situations and have taken charge of their futures.”

The Keynote Speaker at the awards ceremony was 1996 Harrison High School graduate Cora Hallauer. Holding an associate’s degree in elementary education and business from Mid Michigan Community College, Hallauer revealed details of her turbulent upbringing and how, despite her circumstances, she was able to achieve her goals. Hallauer and her husband currently own three area businesses.

As the awards were presented, tears of joy and pride were shared by both the students and the teachers as they reflected on their arduous journeys to success. Many award recipients thanked their educators, families, and friends for their encouragement along the way.

“As a principal, it’s days like today that make it all worthwhile,” said Beaverton High School Principal Joe Passalacqua.

In addition to a certificate, recipients of the Turn-Around Achievement Awards were given one of three scholarships, each of which entitles them to six credit hours of in-district tuition at MMCC. The Scholarships included the Doug Dodge Academic Opportunity Award for the Beaverton, Clare, Farwell, Gladwin, and Harrison schools students; the Al Roeseler Academic Opportunity Award for the students from Coleman High School; and the Tom Gilstad Academic Opportunity Award for those attending Bullock Creek High School or Meridian High School. 

“This is why we go into education,” said Farwell High School Principal Dee Yarger. “We don’t always get to celebrate these successes, but with events like this, we can. It’s just phenomenal.”

Turn-Around Achievement Award recipients include:

Beaverton High School

Kalene Batoha

Haeden McVicker

Bullock Creek High School

Bethany Coyle

Cody Evans

Clare High School

Poppy Adams

Gabrielle Cooper

Coleman High School

Elizabeth Bushre

Steven Snear

Farwell High School

Shane Cox

Mariah Veenstra

Farwell Timberland High School

Devon Verdon

Ashlee Wale

Gladwin High School

Ashlee Height

Andrew Teal

Harrison High School

Vanessa Kocur

Dylan LaPorte

Harrison Community/Alternative Education

Stacee Bonovitch

Summerlee Darabos

Meridian High School

Victoria Conway

Jarid Hoyt

Clare-Gladwin Criminal Justice students tour the Gladwin County Sheriff’s Department

The Clare-Gladwin Career Center’s Criminal Justice students stopped by the Gladwin County Sheriff’s Department and County Dispatch on April 26. The career and technical education (CTE) students met with the correctional staff to ask questions about the security of the jail, as well as learn what their careers entail.

“Visiting the Gladwin County Jail allowed students to see what type of jail structure we have compared to others that were used throughout the history of correctional institutions,” said Clare-Gladwin CTE Criminal Justice instructor DJ Newman. “They were also able to speak with correctional officers to gain a better understanding of what takes place inside the jail and what other job duties they have.”

Newman said the afternoon class also observed the 911 Dispatch Center. “This is another integral part of the criminal justice system,” he said. “The students saw the technology used to track calls and page rescue staff, and learned how emergency services can respond quickly in all different types of crises.”

Criminal Justice is one of nine CTE programs offered by the Clare-Gladwin Career Center to local high school juniors and seniors. 

Clare-Gladwin Area School teachers present at state conference; connect student crafts with the Common Core

Clare-Gladwin Area School teachers Rachel DuMond, Melissa Kleiman, and Leah VanOrman presented, “The Four C’s: Classroom Crafts and the Common Core,” at the 73^rd Annual Statewide Special Education Conference last month at the Grand Plaza Hotel in Grand Rapids. Hosted by the Michigan Council for Exceptional Children and the Professional Association for Special Educators, the teachers spoke about the variety of crafts the students make during the school year and how each project fulfills aspects of the Common Core State Standards in English language arts (ELA) and mathematics.

According to Kleiman, projects such as the inspirational word boards, luminary mason jars, and greeting cards address the English language arts standards, including reading, writing, speaking and listening, and language. “These activities require our students to write sentences with correct punctuation, spelling, and capitalization; add drawings to clarify ideas; and ask questions when there may be a concept they don’t understand,” she said.

DuMond said the greeting cards, coasters, and notepads are just a few of the many projects that address the mathematics standards of number sense and calculation, measurement and data, geometry, ratios, algebraic thinking, and so on. “The process of making these crafts involves measuring objects, solving addition and subtraction word problems, counting, creating number or shape patterns, and understanding the concept of a ratio,” she said.

The majority of the projects help students build the skills they need in both mathematics and ELA.

“Not only do the crafts incorporate the common core, they also help facilitate self-esteem, pride, and an overall positive school environment,” said Kleiman. “Plus, the kids love them!”

The three teachers have since received positive feedback about their work from their peers around the state. “The conference was a learning experience for all three of us,” said VanOrman. “It has sparked an interest to continue to seek out presentation opportunities to discuss and share the operations here within the Area School.”

All of the student-made crafts are available for purchase at the Area School and at local stores, including the Colonville Country Store in Clare, Simply Charmed in Gladwin, and Red Bird Feeds and Pet Supplies in Mount Pleasant. Proceeds go toward the cost of field trips, classroom supplies, craft supplies, and more.