Senators also passed a special

tribute recognizing the Lansing

Spartans for their achievements in

representing all Special Olympics

Michigan athletes.

The Lansing Spartan Unified Soft-

ball team was honored Tuesday on

the State Senate floor for their

accomplishments in the Special

Olympics North America Softball

Tournament.

The Spartans were honored for

their participation and success in

the 2013 invitational, where they

won the Division 3 gold medal,

beating a Florida team 12-5 in the

championship game. The tourna-

ment featured 24 teams from four

different countries.

“This is a great honor for the Lans-

ing Spartans,” said Lansing School

District Superintendent Yvonne

Caamal Canul. “The Lansing com-

munity is proud of our young ath-

letes and everything they have

accomplished.”

Tuesday’s events included demon-

strations from young athletes,

Project Unify and Unified Bocce

sports programs, all part of Special

Olympics Michigan.

Michigan Lt. Gov. Brian Calley, public health officials and

Delta Dental representatives visited Fairview Elemen-

tary School Tuesday to celebrate the expansion of the

state’s Healthy Kids Dental program to about 64,000

children in Ingham, Ottawa and Washtenaw counties.

Lansing School District Assistant Superintendent Diana

Rouse told students she and her five siblings were re-

quired to get a clean report from the dentist every year

before advancing to the next grade.

“I never had any cavities,” she said.

Calley read, “Tooth Trouble,” a cautionary tale about

Wilbur the Walrus whose tusk hurts but is afraid to go

to the dentist. The dentist removes a bit of shell stuck

in the tusk, and Wilbur feels better right away. Drawing

smiles from the students, Calley said, “The dentist gives

Wilbur some fish-flavored tuskpaste. Mmmm, that

probably tastes really good to a walrus.”

Members of the Lansing

Spartans Softball team were

honored on the Senate floor

Tuesday at Special Olympics

Michigan Capitol Day. Shown

with the team are Anne

Goudie, Adaptive PE Depart-

ment, District Superintendent

Yvonne Caamal Canul (with

special tribute), State Senator

Gretchen Whitmer, Director

of Special Education Marty

Alwardt, Head Coach and

Adaptive PE Instructor Mark

Hayes, Assistant Coach Glenn

Lopez, Assistant Coach and

Hearing Impaired Teacher

Amy Robinson and Assistant

Coach and Hearing Impaired

Teacher Meredith Dimaria.

Assistant Coach and Adaptive

PE Instructor.

Special Olympians honored at capitol

Lt. Governor visits Fairview for Healthy Kids Dental Day

The Bright Side O C T O B E R 4 , 2 0 1 3

U P C O M I N G

E V E N T S :

10/4: Truancy Assembly, 10

a.m., STEM

10/4: Homecoming Parade,

4:30 p.m., Eastern

10/4: Fiesta Friday, 6 to 7

p.m., Fairview

10/5-10: Japanese visitors

10/8: MEAP testing begins

10/9: Michigan PTA Q&A

session, 6 to 8 p.m., Elm-

hurst

10/12: Scrap Metal fund-

raiser, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.,

Everett

10/17: Half day for all schools

(morning only)

10/18: Noche de Ciencias

(Night of Science), 5:30 p.m.,

Pattengill

10/24: RIF Book Workshop

for Parents, 6 to 7:30 p.m.,

Eastern

10/30: Fall Fun Open House,

4 to 7 p.m., Elmhurst

10/31: Half day for elemen-

tary schools (morning only)

11/5: No school, all schools

— Election Day

11/27-29: Thanksgiving break

Thank you to all who voted

in our newsletter contest.

Vote counts were:

Urban Smart: 3

Half Full: 3

The Bright Side: 6

Promising Tales: 0

Top, Lt Gov.

Brian Calley

reads to

Fairview

Elementary

School students

Tuesday during

Healthy Kids

Dental Day.

Bottom,

Lansing School

District Assis-

tant Superin-

tendent Diana

Rouse helps

Marshall the

Molar distrib-

ute goody bags

to the students.

P A G E 2

“The coolest thing

about this is seeing a

student’s face after

they’ve been in a multi-

million dollar studio

and know they want to

pursue something in

that field.” — Bryce Quig-Hartman,

Producer/engineer

John Lennon Educational Bus

“It’s fabulous — this

whole event gets

the word out about

music education and

puts Everett in

the spotlight.” — TaPara Simmons, student

High School Nation Tour held

Parked adjacent was the Gibson

Guitar Factory Bus, commanded

by driver Don Crawford for the

last 46 years.

“I get to meet a lot of great peo-

ple, and it’s more luxurious than

my house,” he said.

Outside, students swarmed the

various tents where they could

create art, try out an instrument

or meet performers such as

STAMPS, a duo from Texas and

Illinois, and the girl group Blush,

from the Philippines.

Monday, Everett High School

became one of only 20 schools

to host the 2013 High School

Nation Tour, which included a

stop by the John Lennon Educa-

tional Tour Bus and the Gibson

Guitar Factory Bus.

“John Lennon believed that if

you were making art, you were

making peace,” said Kyle Bau-

dour, a musician, engineer and

producer on the bus. “We exist

to keep that legacy going.”

Baudour told students they

were sitting in the same seats

used by members of The Black

Eyed Peas and the duo Blood on

the Dance Floor before explain-

ing the bus is a popular place

for artists to rest and record.

Producer/engineer Bryce Quig-

Hartman said he was the

rookie, having been on the bus

for only 10 months. Making

stops at high schools and uni-

versities is a highlight for him,

he said.

“The coolest thing about this is

seeing a student’s face after

they’ve been in a multi-million

dollar studio and know they

want to pursue something in

that field,” he said.

“It’s fabulous,” said Everett sen-

ior TaPara Simmons. “This

whole event gets the word out

about music education and puts

Everett in the spotlight.”

Freshman Janaya McKinney was

adding her touches to a white

sheet with glitter paint while her

friends were trying out a drum

kit in a tent next door.

“This whole thing has something

for everyone,” the aspiring ac-

tress said. “It’s really a great

opportunity to learn.”

The High School Nation Tour that visited Everett High

School Monday was comprised of many components:

The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, Gibson Guitar

Bus, and a carnival-like atmosphere that included tents

where students could create art and music with other

students and professionals. Top, musician and producer

Kyle Baudour explains the recording equipment on

board the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus. Left,

individual tents, like this one that featured guitars and

keyboards, allowed students to try out an instrument

and speak with professional musicians. Right, Everett

ASD Teacher Denise Noble poses on the Gibson Guitar

Bus with an Epiphone Texan flattop guitar used by Paul

McCartney. The guitar is one of 36 Epiphone Texans

McCartney has autographed and donated to charity.

Everett hosts NAMM SupportMusic Community Forum

P A G E 3

ship to the school. It will be divided

among three students who are

“academically advanced, good citi-

zens and who participate in events.”

White said when planning the reun-

ion, the group wanted to not only

enjoy their classmates and revisit

the school, but also allow future

students the same wonderful op-

portunities as those enjoyed by

former Everett students.

“It was a wonderful time in my life,”

she said. “And I’m sure all of the

young people here are making won-

derful memories of their own.”

When Everett Alumna Karole

(Hull) White recalls her high

school days, she remembers out-

standing administrators and princi-

pals, even the ones who chal-

lenged her.

“Gymnastics was the only sport

available here for women,” White

said, remembering coach Ernestine

Russell Carter, a former Olym-

pian. “She was tough.”

White and her classmates from

1963 recently returned to Everett

for their 50th class reunion, where

they presented a $1,500 scholar-

District Superintendent Yvonne Caamal Canul, at lectern, addresses a panel at the National Asso-

ciation of Music Merchants Foundation SupportMusic Community Forum Monday in the Everett

High School small auditorium. Seated, from left, are Arts Council of Greater Lansing Program

Manager Barb Whitney, ArtServe Director of Public Policy Sarah Gonzales Triplett, Michigan State

University Chair of Music Education Dr. Mitchell Robinson, Everett High School Chair of Visual and

Performing Arts Jim Allen and Everett Parent Teacher Student Association President Julie Potter.

Seated behind the superintendent are NAMM Foundation Executive Director Mary Luehrsen and

Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs Executive Director John Bracey.

’63 Vikings establish scholarship fund

Members of the Everett High School Class of 1963 returned to the school Sept. 20 for

their 50th class reunion. During halftime of the football game, the group presented the

school with a $1,500 donation in support of three new scholarships. Shown from right are

Everett Assistant Principal and Athletic Director W.J. Davis, alumnus Dr. Robert Whipple,

Everett Principal Dr. Norman Gear and alumna Karole (Hull) White.

Canul said she had the opportu-

nity to “sit at the feet” of famous

opera singers, artists and musi-

cians and was raised in a culture

of arts appreciation that only

grew as she became an adult.

However, she said, economic

realities have forced Michigan’s

school administrators to make

difficult and painful decisions that

require every educator to think

differently.

Michigan State University Chair of

Music Education Dr. Mitchell

Robinson echoed Caamal Canul’s

comments, as did others on the

panel.

“A house in Alaska is not going to

look like a house in Hawaii even

though they provide the same

basic function,” Robinson said.

“We have the opportunity now

to rebuild an arts and music edu-

cation program that makes sense

for our schools here in Lansing.”

Members of the arts community

and other stakeholders in arts

funding in the schools partici-

pated in a discussion Monday at

Everett High School.

The National Association of

Music Merchants Foundation

SupportMusic Community Forum

organized the event, which was

designed to facilitate discussion

on funding for arts education.

“We have come to Lansing

where there have been tough

decisions made by some good

people,” said NAMM Foundation

Executive Director Mary

Luehrsen, moderator of the

event. “This shouldn’t be a ‘hand-

wringing’ exercise but rather an

opportunity to look forward.”

Lansing School District Superin-

tendent Yvonne Caamal Canul

opened the forum by providing

some personal insight on the

importance of the arts. As a

child of cultural attachés, Caamal

selves,” he said. “Because of

these challenges, we have the

opportunity to work with

other groups and create some

substantial programs we

wouldn’t have been tradition-

ally able to consider.”

Everett Chair of Visual and Per-

forming Arts Jim Allen agreed

that crisis can be the catalyst for

positive change.

“When times were good, we felt

we could do everything our-

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Rotarians lend a hand

Left, Assistant Governor for Rotary District 6360 Michael Givler,

Lansing DeWitt Sunrise Rotary Club Administrator Dawn Perry,

District 6360 President Walter Brown and Assistant Superinten-

dent Diana Rouse stuff school supplies into backpacks for district

students Sept. 26. Below, Brown, far right and Rotary Public

Relations Chair Steve Musselman, second from left, receive a

thank-you banner Tuesday from students at Willow Elementary

who received backpack donations.

Sexton teacher

competes in ArtPrize

“Thunder, Perfect Mind,” a piece of

original artwork by Sexton High School

teacher Sarah de Ruiter, is on display at

this year’s ArtPrize competition.

Sexton High School teacher Sarah de

Ruiter exhibited an original painting in

this year’s ArtPrize competition in Grand

Rapids.

This was de Ruiter’s first year participat-

ing in ArtPrize. She teaches seventh

grade science at Lansing Sexton and has

been painting for many years, though has

never attended art school. Her piece,

titled “Thunder, Perfect Mind,” is on

display through Oct. 6 at the Riverview

Center, 678 Front Ave. , Grand Rapids.

Her work is also currently on exhibit at

Avenue Café, 2021 E. Michigan Ave. in

Lansing.

“The painting is named after a poem in

the Gnostic manuscripts called ‘The

Thunder, Perfect Mind,’” said de Ruiter.

“It represents all women and the social

constraints they have endured through-

out history when women have been both

honored and scorned.”

“How did you help others

today?” Bill Musselman asked

Willow Elementary School

students Tuesday.

“I gave somebody a pencil,”

said one student. “I helped

my friend get up when he

fell,” said another.

“It’s nice to help others,”

Musselman said, “And that’s

what Rotarians do.”

Musselman, Public Relations

Chair for the Lansing DeWitt

Sunrise Rotary Club and fel-

low Rotarians distributed

backpacks filled with school

supplies that had been sorted

and filled last week. In return,

students presented them with

a handmade banner of thanks.

“They saw a need and filled

it,” said District Community

Outreach Project Specialist

Linda Sanchez Gazella. “We

are grateful for their help.”

Gardner staff stand

against bullying

Gardner staff and students

wear orange every

Wednesday to take a stand

against bullying. October is

Bullying Prevention Month.

Above are secretary

Cheryl Brand and teacher

Allison Miskin. Left, from

left to right, are ESL Assis-

tant Ganga Dangal, teacher

C.J. Wilson, Counselor

Pearl Johnson and Public

Safety Officer Linda Ringle.