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Arts and Academics

‘Uniquely talented’ a cappella ensemble finds the right beat

Northview Beth Heinen Bell
What is From the Top? “A bunch of music nerds in a room, just jamming out together and bringing that energy.” Get to know this high school a cappella ensemble.
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Practice with a pro makes for perfect NYC performances 

Byron Center Alexis Stark
Byron Center High School’s jazz orchestra worked with professional musician Walter Blanding to prepare for their eighth trip to the Essentially Ellington Competition and Festival.

From humble beginnings to ArtPrize winner, artist shares his story

Forest Hills Brett Atwood
2023 ArtPrize winner Abdoulaye Conde recently visited Forest Hills elementary schools to share his life story and culture. 

Middle-school multitasking: exploring career pathways during lunch 

Kelloggsville Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
The goal of these lunch talks is to help students think about possible careers as they plan for their next steps after high school.

Pilot class helps students navigate college, early careers

Godfrey-Lee Alexis Stark
Lee High School’s pilot career and college preparation class, in partnership with the Michigan Hispanic Collaborative, is helping students forge futures that include furthering education.

Teachers knock over barriers by embedding literacy into science

Comstock Park Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
Through science, Stoney Creek elementary skills are building vocabulary and grammar skills.

Nonprofit puts free books in hands of elementary students 

Kenowa Hills Alexis Stark
A local nonprofit recently brought new books to Alpine Elementary and gave copies to students to encourage literacy and a love of reading. 

Career unit helps prepare students for ‘life’s next step’

Northview Beth Heinen Bell
A unit on career exploration got these sixth-graders thinking about the future and how today’s classes are relevant. 

Students showcase talent & skill during ‘Musical Madness’

Kelloggsville Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
From individual scale competitions to team “Jeopardy,” students demonstrated their musical knowledge while learning to work as a team. 

If their teacher can be an author, so can they  

Byron Center Alexis Stark
Third-grade teacher and author Erica Abel encourages students to read, write and not let anyone ‘dull their diamonds.’

Opening career pathways through work-based learning

Kent ISD Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
The third in our series of articles about CareerPrep 2030, a Kent ISD initiative to expand offerings and boost student enrollment in career and technical education over the next five years.

Business, college and K-12 leaders come together to boost student literacy

Kenowa Hills Alexis Stark
TalentFirst partners with West Michigan K-12 and teaching-college leaders to work together to solve an early literacy crisis.

Middle-school artists add ‘squish’ to second-grade designs

Northview Beth Heinen Bell
When middle-school and second-grade artists join forces, anything’s possible. Even “Squishmallows.”

One Book, One City program culminates with visit from author

Grand Rapids Riley Kelley
To cap off the One Book, One City reading program, Author Varian Johnson spoke to GRPS fifth-graders about his book, ‘Playing the Cards You’re Dealt.’

Pi Day slices fun with math

Kent City Beth Heinen Bell
What is irrational, contains more than 200 trillion digits, and shares a special day with Steph Curry’s birthday? A middle school math teacher would be happy to teach you

Old McDonald had a math lesson 

Caledonia Alexis Stark
Old McDonald’s farm animals helped kindergartners learn addition, reading comprehension and how food comes from farms to markets. 
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