Our stars are shining

Libraries at four Zeeland elementary schools will have more science and math books, thanks to an annual grant from J&H Oil Company.  Matt VanZanten from J&H recently visited Zeeland to present $500 checks to the media aides of New Groningen, Quincy, Roosevelt, and Woodbridge Elementary Schools. The company, with headquarters in Grand Rapids, has made the presentation to libraries annually for more than a decade.  Pictured with VanZanten during the grant presentation are media aides, from left, Marlene Bredeway, Woodbridge; Carol Garnsey, Roosevelt; Linda Hunderman, Quincy; and Carol Talsma, New Groningen.

The hard working Zeeland Athletic Boosters Club in December disbursed $25,056 to Zeeland East and West High Schools to benefit the schools' athletic programs. Of the total, each school received $9,000 from the Boosters and a split of the $7,056 rasied by volunteer workers at food concessions.  Pictured above at the check presentation are, from left, Boosters Sheryl Thimm, Betsy Voetberg, Kim Dykstra, Rodney Wilson, Bobbie Jo Bruursema, Shelly Otis, Dawn Petzak, Teresa Ludema, Wendy Herber, East Athletic Director Tim Ritsema, Tom Postma and Paul Wiebenga. Not pictured are Boosters Amy Medendorp, Wendy Rebhan, Sue Riemersma, Randy Smith, Joe Zuverink, and Brent Robinson.  Thanks, Boosters, for your great support of our young athletes. 

Are you interested in being a Zeeland Athletic Booster? Contact member Tom Postma. 

On November 14, the Zeeland Board of Education honored the Zeeland East varsity boys' tennis team for receiving Academic All-State honors, finishing undefeated in the OK Green conference and earning the OK Green conference championship for the second year in a row. The team, coached by Jed Mulder, consisted of  Sanil Apte, Brandon Bloomer, Jeremy DePree, Connor Diemer, Sidney Hann, Taylor Hodges, Jeremy Lambert, Alec Mieras, Benjamin Newhouse, Tycen Nienhuis, Bryce Pieters, Brian Schrems, Joshua Scott, Kevin Slagh, David TerHaar, Andrew Villanueva, Nathan Weeldreyer, and Jordan Wiebenga.

On the same evening, high school cross country athletes were honored for making it to the state finals November 5 in Brooklyn Michigan. Zeeland East boys' team members honored included Spencer Ailes, Tyler Beyer, Samuel Boerckel, Luke Freeman, Andrew Geary, Jordan Gillespie, Quintin McKee, Joshua Meeuwsen, Daniel Keplinger, Kyle Nelson, Alex Ockerse, Derek Rice, Connor Ringling, Phillip Slagh, Maxwell Stears, Raymond Sundquist, Derrick Tesmer, Mitchell Tiethof, Thomas Waterway, and Zachary Wurst. Zeeland East girls' team members Danielle Groendyk and Taylor Dannenberg were recognized as were state finals participant Rachele Schulist from the Zeeland West girls' team and Ben Engelsman and Jamin Lash from the Zeeland West boys' team.  

Zeeland East senior Sanil Apte and West junior Nathan Long were among the top 1,100 students in Michigan who earned a chance to complete Part II of the rigorous Michigan Mathematics Competition.  Students earning the top 100 scores on Part II will be invited to an awards program in February at Hope College. The top 50 scorers will be presented with scholarships ranging from the bronze award of $250 to $2,500 for the first place gold medalist. Congratulations Sanil and Nathan for making the second round. We wish you the best in the finals!

Five Zeeland middle school students prepared written descriptions of art work they completed in class, then read the descriptions aloud to the Zeeland Board of Education on November 14.   The presentation showcased the importance of writing across the curriculum.  We applaud students Isabella Van Houzen and Rodrigo Zavala Cintora from Cityside Middle School and Katie Church, Antonio Kruithoff, and Makayla Kujawa from Creekside Middle School.

 Pumpkinfest 2011 is now history but a large group of artists from our middle and high schools will remember the honors bestowed upon them in an award ceremony October 17 in front of the Zeeland Board of Education.  Following tradition, Chemical Bank of Zeeland named the winners and distributed prizes and certificates.  The bank also displays the work of young Pumpkinfest artists in their lobby.  Below is the winners' list for 2011. Congratulations!

Congratulations to Roosevelt Elementary teacher Heather Pietrowski.  Her dedication and love for children earned her Teacher of the Week honors at TV 17!  Watch the video

 Middle school students at Creekside are doing their part to help younger children read. Teacher Tricia Kamer said this year's Reading Buddy program matches sixth graders with preschoolers in our Z-Tots program. Another group of sixth and seventh graders cross the parking lot to read to kindergartners at Roosevelt Elementary.  Ms. Kamer says students help select the books and activities appopriate for each group of youngsters.  Good job. This slide show was created on an iPad2 using the SonicPics app.