education

Free Activities for Youth Promote Healthy Lifestyles

St. Clair County, MI — The St. Clair County SPEAK coalition’s mission is to prevent youth substance abuse and they use creative activities to promote healthy lifestyles.

All school aged St. Clair County youth can participate in their virtual scavenger hunt that takes place through the GooseChase app.  Youth complete missions in the app to earn points, and the highest point-getter will receive a $100 Amazon Gift Card.

The scavenger hunt is available from now until August 15, 2021.

The SPEAK Coalition is also sponsoring a free Youth Trivia Night at the YMCA of the Blue Water Area on August 19th at 6 PM. The trivia night includes pizza and prizes while educating and engaging those in attendance.

For more information, visit the SPEAK Coalition’s Facebook or Instagram page.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

Hearing and Vision Screening at Health Department

The St. Clair County Health Department is offering free hearing and vision screening for any child entering preschool or kindergarten in the Fall.

All children must have a hearing and vision screening before entering kindergarten. Hearing and vision screenings can identify problems that could interfere with your child’s development and hinder their success in school.

Early diagnosis of a hearing or vision problem can help prevent permanent issues down the road.

Appointments are available at the main location on 28th Street in Port Huron, and walk-ins will also be accepted.

Screenings are available in June and July, Monday – Friday from 8:30 – 4 PM. Screenings are not available during lunch hour from noon- 1 PM, or on July 7th.

In August, screenings are available on Mondays from 10:30 AM – 6 PM (not available from 2 – 3 PM) and on Tuesdays – Fridays from 8:30 AM – 4 PM (not available from 12 – 1 PM).

For more information, call the Health Department at
(810) 987-5300.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

More Grants to Support Community Colleges

Nine community colleges will receive grant funding to support adult students in the Futures for Frontliners and Michigan Reconnect programs. One of those, St. Clair County Community College, will receive a grant to hire a college completion coach.

The grants are part of the State of Michigan’s  Sixty by 30 goal to ensure 60% of Michiganders will have a postsecondary degree or certificate by 2030. The credential attainment rate is currently 49.1%,

In the 2018-19 school year, the success rate for students attending all community colleges in Michigan was 23.8% after two years. The new grants are aimed at increasing the degree completion rates for the more than 88,000 Michiganders now enrolled in the Futures for Frontliners and Michigan Reconnect programs.

Susan Corbin, Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity acting director, said, “We know that it can be tough to juggle life – many who are returning to their studies will have jobs, family obligations and bills to pay which can get in the way of receiving that degree or certificate.” She believes “it will take more than just tuition assistance to get us to 60% by 2030.”

St. Clair County Community College will receive a $20,000 grant to hire a full-time AmeriCorps member to serve as a completion coach for adult students. Completion Coaches provide extra support and direction for students which increases their potential for success.

To learn more about the Michigan Reconnect program visit www.michigan.gov/Reconnect

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

TEC Students Awarded Medals at SkillsUSA

St. Clair County, MI — Students attending the Digital Media Technology program at St. Clair TEC learn a variety of media production techniques including audio, video, photography and graphic design. This year’s class included two teams of students who won awards at the SkillsUSA virtual contest.

Kristian Duffy from Port Huron Northern and Maria Falleti from Marine City achieved a Bronze Medal for Audio Production.

Noah Atherton from Port Huron Northern and Zachary Floyd from Virtual Learning Academy won a gold medal for Digital Cinema Production, and they will represent Michigan at the National Virtual SkillsUSA competition in June. Their winning project can be viewed <HERE>.

Students at St. Clair TEC compete in Skills USA to improve their skills and develop a competitive edge in vocational and technical career areas. Skills USA also heavily focuses on developing positive attitudes, professional skills, and teamwork.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

Kindergarten Round Up Just Around the Corner

Port Huron, MI — Spring is in the air which means it’s time for kindergarten round up for many area schools.  Port Huron Schools will host events at its elementary schools from May 11th through May 17th.

Children must be five years old on or before September 1, 2021 to enroll, and this year’s theme for Kindergarten Round Up is “Cars”.

Families can pre-register their kids for the Round Up event at their local school, or they can attend a Round Up at another district school if they can’t make the date at their school. They can also enroll their child at the McKinley Administration building or attend a makeup event in June at the Port Huron Schools Early Childhood Center.

When attending a Round Up event, parents should bring their child’s original birth certificate, vaccination records, and two proofs of residency.

Families that pre-register will receive a personalized goodies bag for their child at the event.

Port Huron Schools Round Up Events are:

Tuesday, May 11 from 5 to 7 p.m. at:

  • Indian Woods Elementary – 4975 W. Water, 984-6515

Wednesday, May 12 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at:

  • Michigamme Elementary – 2855 Michigan Rd., 984-6523

Wednesday, May 12 from 5 to 7 p.m. at:

  • Keewahdin Elementary – 4801 Lakeshore, 984-6517
  • Thomas Edison Elementary – 3559 Pollina Ave., 984-6507

Thursday, May 13 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at:

    • Garfield Elementary – 1221 Garfield St., 984-6509
    • Roosevelt Elementary – 1112 20th St., 984-6525

Thursday, May 13 from 5 to 7 p.m. at: 

    • Crull Elementary – 2615 Hancock, 984-6504

Monday, May 17 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at: 

    • Literacy Academy at Cleveland – 2801 Vanness St., 984-6500

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

“March is Reading Month” Brings Reading Proficiency and School Funding into Focus

March is here and with it comes “March is Reading Month”. Schoolchildren nationwide look forward to the chance to spend some extra time with a good book and enjoy the activities and reading contests that go along with the special month.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer said, “Every year the country uses this month to promote reading and imagination. I am proud to declare March as Reading Month in Michigan and I encourage everyone to find time to read. This month, we should recommit ourselves to encouraging children and young adults to read diverse literary works early and often so they can see themselves and others in what they read.”

There is a more serious side to the month beyond “read-ins” and book sales, and that is education funding that gives teachers the resources they need to make every child a good reader.

Michigan ranks below the national average when it comes to 4th-grade reading proficiency, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress. By 8th and 12th grades, Michigan students are slightly above average.

Michigan’s budget plan for this fiscal year is the largest public-school allocation in Michigan history, and that includes $1.7 billion to go directly into schools.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland