More Achievements to Celebrate!

by Kristy Muller, Communications Director

Congratulations to the many students, teachers, and administrators who have been rewarded with special opportunities and achievements this year. We thank God for his gifts to you and through you. Recent accomplishments include the following:

Millbrook Christian Named a 2008 Meijer Good School

The Grand Rapids Community Foundation has named Millbrook Christian Elementary School a 2008 Meijer Good School. Along with the recognition this award brings, Millbrook will receive a $15,750 grant from The Grand Rapids Community Foundation for the purchase of a laptop-based, wireless computer lab. The announcement was shared with the media on Monday, June 2, and a press release can be read by clicking here.

Millbrook Christian has been working with the Grand Rapids Community Foundation throughout the year to complete the application process, which is somewhat similar to the process a school goes through to be named a Nation Blue Ribbon School. A formal presentation and celebration will take place at Millbrook Christian in Fall 2008 with Grand Rapids Community Foundation, teachers, and students.

The Meijer Good Schools for Grand Rapids Program is an initiative of the Grand Rapids Community Foundation and is funded by the Meijer Foundation with support from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation.

Millbrook Christian Accepted to Grand Rapids Symphony’s Artists In Residence Program

Millbrook Christian Elementary School has been accepted into the Grand Rapids Symphony’s Artists In Residence (AIR) program for 2008-2010. Highlights of this award include:

  • A visit by a symphony ensemble, which will spend a morning performing for groups of students
  • A special Lollipops Concert for kindergarten-2nd grade students
  • A percussion concert for 3rd grade students
  • An instrument discovery visit for 4th grade students
  • A 5th grade concert at DeVos Hall

Dawn Peterson, a member of Millbrook’s PTO and cultural arts committee, developed the school’s application for this program, which aims to “help supplement the shrinking resources for music in the school systems,” according to the Symphony’s website.

Rockford Christian School Earns Green School Award

Rockford Christian School was one of 32 schools to receive a Green School Certificate at the first Green School Awards Program, hosted on Earth Day by Kent County and Kent Intermediate School District. The April 22 ceremony recognized the work of educators and students across KISD in environmental education and energy conservation.

Rockford Christian, the first school to complete an application for this designation, easily met the requirement to participate in 10 or more environmental activities. At Rockford, these include:

  • In-school recycling program
  • Recycling center tours
  • Weekly trips to Camp Roger
  • Volunteer work projects at Frederik Meijer Gardens
  • Calvin College Botany Lab
  • Three-day trips to Au Sable Institute
  • Four-day camping trips to Sleeping Bear Dunes
  • NASA Space Lab project
  • Adopt-a-Highway cleanup projects
  • Guest speakers
  • Compass and Global Positioning System (GPS) activities

“The Green School Certificate is based on school environmental activities and supports the County’s continued effort to strengthen conservation, encourage energy reduction, and build ‘green buildings,’” said Roger Morgan, chair of the Kent County Board of Commissioners.

Jade Varineau Competes in National Geographic Bee

Jade Varineau, a 6th grade student at Grand Rapids Christian Middle School, was a semifinalist in the 2008 Michigan Geographic Bee, sponsored by the National Geographic Society. Jade is the daughter of John and Gwen Varineau.

Geography bees were held statewide in schools with fourth- through eighth-grade students. School-level winners then took a qualifying test, with results submitted to the National Geographic Society. The Society invited students with the top 100 scores to compete at the state level. Michigan’s competition was held in April at Western Michigan University.

Rockford Christian Girls Basketball Team Takes First

For the first time, the Rockford Christian Middle School girls basketball team won the Algoma Christian Tournament championship. Coached by Jon Holesinger and assisted by Cathie Brasser, the team of 13 girls is very excited to have taken first place.

Forensics Coach and Team Earn Awards

Nancy Fitzgerald, forensics coach at Grand Rapids Christian High, has earned Diamond Key Coach recognition from the National Forensics League. The honor reflects the number of credit points Fitzgerald’s students have earned under her instruction.

“Several hundred students have been taught the vital skills of communication, analysis, leadership, organization, and fair play at GRCHS over the last five years,” said the National Forensics League’s notification letter. “This award, based upon student participation, is the highest honor NFL can bestow upon a chapter.” Fitzgerald will receive special recognition at the NFL National Tournament this month.

In addition, the Christian High forensics team received the NFL Leading Chapter Award in the Michigan district this past winter.

National Merit Semifinalists and Commended Students Announced

Three students from the Christian High class of 2008 have qualified as National Merit Semifinalists: Joshua Boerman, Emma DeVries, and Stephanie Garvelink. Of the 1.4 million students who took the PSAT test last year, only about 50,000 students were awarded with this honor.

At the GRCHS Honors Convocation, Joshua Boerman, Emma DeVries, and Stephanie Garvelink turned National Merit Finalists. All three are going to Calvin College and received scholarships for this distinction.

In addition, six students qualified as National Merit Commended Students: Tony Ditta, Sarah Feenstra, Kevin Harris, Margaret Haviland, Sarah Langeland, and Mitchell Overbeck.

Ninety-Nine Christian High Students Give Blood

The Michigan Community Blood Center recently presented Grand Rapids Christian High School with a plaque recognizing 99 students who donated blood this spring. In total, students donated 70 pints of blood, saving 210 lives. Half of the students were first-time donors.

High School Choir Students to Tour Europe

The Western Michigan Christian Youth Chorale, formed in the 1970s and now reestablished, will travel and perform in Europe June 12-22. The choir comprises current students and recent alumni of Grand Rapids Christian, Calvin Christian, Unity Christian, and South Christian high schools.

The Chorale will hold concerts in Germany, Holland, Switzerland, and Austria under the direction of Grand Rapids Christian High choir director Randy Van Wingerden, along with Karel Malefyt, Judy Roelofs, and Doug Rosema. Please pray for the directors and choir members as they tour together.

Alumni, Now at Calvin College, Excel in Math and Science

  • A trio of Christian High graduates, now students at Calvin College, took first place in a statewide mathematics competition in April. The team consisted of Tim Ferdinands ’06, Ethan Van Andel ’07, and Jess Vriesema ’05.
  • Alumna Sarah Tasker ’06 has received an honorable mention from the board of trustees of the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation. Tasker, a chemistry major at Calvin College, was one of 1,035 mathematics, science, and engineering students who were nominated on the basis of academic merit by the faculties of colleges and universities nationwide. She hopes to go on to earn a doctoral degree in organic chemistry.