Would you like your news to go here?  Send your story ideas or information to PRowbal@troy.k12.mi.us 

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Photos courtesy of Troy Schools 

Boulan Park Middle School sent an all-girls team to the First Tech Challenge (FTC) Robotics World competition in Houston, TX.  The team #16607 known as “Midnight Creators” advanced to Worlds from the Michigan State Championship, as a Second Place Inspire Award Winner at State Championship and placed impressively up against many older student groups at the international competition.  First Tech in Michigan limits FTC participants to be only from 6th to 8th Grade, but most of the US States and other countries allow High schoolers also to compete at FTC level.

“The girls proudly represented Boulan Park Middle School, Troy School District and State of Michigan at the worlds and participated with a lot of energy amongst many high school teams,” said parent coach Laksh Parthasarathy.  “They learned a lot, interacted with teams from all over the world, made presentations to judges and most of all had a great experience.” 

According to their website:  The FIRST Robotics Competition is a ten-week program in which students build 125-pound (54 kg) robots designed to compete in a game that changes each year. Students are given sets of parts to use, but they can also use off-the-shelf or custom-made parts. The FIRST Tech Challenge is a mid-level competition program for middle school and high school aged students with a more accessible and affordable robotics kit.

Students felt really proud of their achievement, as well:  “I felt really proud of advancing to the World Championships because I felt like all the work that we've done this whole season has resulted in this, and also because I've been on this team since the beginning,” said Nidhi Narayanan. “I felt like everything that I had learned over the years contributed to us achieving this fabulous outcome.”  Representing Boulan Park Middle School and the Troy School District as one of very few all-girls teams was very inspiring as well, because “it was really cool to show everyone how we do things here,” continued Narayanan, who plans to continue her work with FIRST tech next year on the Troy/Athens/IAE FRC (high school level)Team 226 Hammerheads.

There were 160 teams from all over US and world ( incl. Canada, Mexico, Romania, Germany, Israel, India, Korea etc.) at the Championships.  The following BPMS students represented Troy:

1. Nidhi Narayanan (8th Grade)
2. Anusha Gupta (8th Grade)
3. Arya Iyer (8th Grade)
4. Riya Athalye (8th Grade)
5. Pranya Vadaddi (8th Grade)
6. Sree Dhruti Maringanti (6th Grade)

The following students (also from Boulan Park and part of the team), weren’t able to be there due to other conflicts:
1. Avani Singh (7th grade)
2. Meera Ravi (7th grade)
3. Ananya Siranjeevi  (6th  grade)
4. Bhavisha Santoshkumar (7th grade)

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Photos courtesy of Troy Schools, Photo #4 L to R:  Arya Iyer, Pranya Vadaddi, Nidhi Narayanan, Anusha Gupta, Riya Athalye and Sree Dhruti Maringanti

Troy High School senior Hyun Kim has been awarded an Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship, including $40,000 to study computer science at a university of her choosing.  Hyun is only one of three students from Michigan, and one out of 250 students nationally to receive this scholarship out of thousands of applicants.

All Scholarship Recipients were chosen based on a variety of criteria, including their academic achievement, demonstrated leadership, participation in school and community activities, work experience, future goals, and financial need. Hyun, who is president of Troy High’s Physics Club, aspires to become a role model for women in STEM with her anticipated degree in Computer Science and Engineering at MIT. “As a Girls Who Code alumni and a female engineer, I will help close the gender gap by actively inspiring young girls to pursue computer science.” 

Amazon Future Engineer, Amazon’s global philanthropic computer science education program, aims to bridge the divide between interested students and computer science courses and opportunities.  The childhood-to-career education program helps students explore computer science through school curriculum and project-based learning, using code to make music, program robots, and solve problems, and offers teachers professional development opportunities. 

As part of the scholarship, Hyun will also receive a paid internship at Amazon after her freshman year of college to gain hands-on, practical work experience with mentorship from Amazon leaders.  Congratulations, Hyun!

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Photo courtesy of Troy Schools and Hyun Kim

Congratulations to the Athens JV and Varsity Winter Guard teams on an incredible season!! On Saturday, April 2 at Saginaw Valley State University, the JV team, performing their show "From the Gates of Heaven," earned a record-breaking score of 82.555 and were named Scholastic Regional A State Champions. The Varsity team finished the day by performing their show titled "13," scoring an Athens State Finals score of 85.225, also winning the title of Scholastic A State Champions! Senior Megan Van Kampen was also the recipient of an MCGC performing arts scholarship. The entire Athens community is very proud of these amazing student performers, who represented the TSD in incredible fashion all season long.  Well done to all Winter Guard performers and coaches!

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Our 4 Middle Schools along with AHS and THS are sending teams to the State Science Olympiad at MSU on April 30, having swept the competition at the Regional (County) level.  With 15 kids per team, they compete in a total of 23 events with topics that include anatomy, forensics, and ornithology, to lab events such as experimental design and chemistry lab, and build events where students have to build various cars, planes, launchers, clocks, and even wifi antenna. The Science Olympiad program is devoted to improving the quality of science education through activities and encouragement of intramural, district, regional, state and national tournaments.  “Students have the opportunity to explore topics that often they would not experience in their normal school day,” said parent coach Sachin Prabhu.  “For some activities, the experience is very “hands-on”, as students create designs, solve problems and learn the importance of teamwork.” Smith 8^th grader Kashifah Hossain agreed: “We faced many challenges to create a solid team for competitions, and we became like one happy family.  Events like Crime Busters, Green Generation and Write It, Do It taught me so much, I’m excited to experience the competition in person this year!”

Troy Athens High School senior Matthew Stein was selected as the 2022 Boys & Girls Club of Troy (BGCT) Youth of the Year. This is his first time winning this award. Matthew will now compete against members of other Boys & Girls Clubs in the state for the Michigan Youth of the Year title and a $5,000 college scholarship courtesy of program sponsors which include Toyota and Mondelez International.

As the 2022 Youth of the Year honoree for the Boys & Girls Club of Troy, Stein is among hundreds of teens across the country being recognized by Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) for sound character, leadership skills and willingness to give back to the community.

BGCA's premier youth recognition program, Youth of the Year is the highest honor a Boys & Girls Club member can receive. The program encourages Club members to reach their full potential by achieving academic success, leading healthy lifestyles and contributing to their communities. "Over Matthew’s time at the Boys & Girls Club of Troy, he has been a shining example of hard work, discipline, and dedication to BGCT for all of our members. From being a leader among our Leaders In Training and as a Junior Staff, Matthew has become an outstanding young leader. We have witnessed him grow over his 8 years at the Club and has become a positive role model for all of our youth here. I'm amazed by not only by how far Matthew has come both academically and personally, but that he continues to give back to the club that has given him so much," said Boys & Girls Club of Troy CEO Jeff Evans. "His talent, personality and work ethic make him a well-deserved representative of the Boys & Girls Club of Troy and the local community."

Athens Principal Dr. Lara Dixon agreed, saying “Mathew is an exceptional student, scholar, musician, and Red Hawk. We are so very proud of him and all that he has accomplished and are grateful for his commitment to others and the community. His work at the Troy Boys and Girls Club is truly impressive and appreciated. We are thrilled that he is their Youth of the Year.”

“It is an honor to represent the Boys & Girls Club of Troy as the 2022 Youth of the Year," said Matthew. "I thank the Boys & Girls Club of Troy for helping to grow me into the person that I am today. Thank you for providing me with a platform to share my story, to grow my voice, and to show pride and respect for my Club." Matthew has been a member of the Boys & Girls Club for eight years. He has volunteered in a number of roles throughout the Club, most notably in leadership roles through the Leaders In Training and Junior Staff programs. Additionally, Matthew recently earned his Eagle Scout rank by completing a service project at BGCT where he led a team to construct a climbing wall and sand box for younger members at BGCT.

Matthew says that his favorite memory at the Club was getting to play in a baseball game with members and staff against players from the USPBL and Detroit Tigers. He plans to follow his interests in either Architecture or Computer Engineering at only of the colleges on his short list.

Each year, thousands of Club teens participate in local, state and regional Youth of the Year events. Six teens, including five regional winners and a national military youth winner, advance to Washington, D.C., for the National Youth of the Year Gala & Celebration Dinner, where one outstanding young person is named Boys & Girls Clubs of America's national teen spokesperson. The National Youth of the Year is a role model, leader and advocate for the nearly four million youth served by Boys & Girls Clubs each year, and all of America's young people.

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Photo courtesy of Troy School District and Matthew Stein

Last week, 24 Troy High biology classes participated in a biology learning fair that focused on how humans are impacting the earth and our environment.  Students were asked to generate creative and actionable solutions including, but not limited to, Troy High School students, Troy community members, Michigan residents and in some cases, those that live in the United States.  Some of these solutions included an actionable or educational event, new programs and even grant proposals. 

The problems addressed by students were various climate change, invasive species, economic impact, natural disasters, water and air pollution, etc., basically, negative effects caused by humans.  The objectives of the fair were to have an audience for students to present to and show off their hard work, allowing them to learn from their peers and pick up some additional information on things they can do to lessen the negative impact humans are causing.

This project was important to the students because as they continue throughout their lives, they have the ability to make small (or big) changes that can have a large impact on our environment.  They could influence others to also make changes.  This project provided them with a purpose, the need to help our Earth and also provided them with the experience of collaboration, using their critical thinking skills, their creativity, their communication and helped develop a sense of community.  In addition, they were able to improve upon their presenting skills and learned how to write a professional email.  The projects were displayed in a variety of ways, but mostly PowerPoint presentations and posters. 

Approximately 550+ students (24 biology classes) participated in the fair, with over 100 attendees including parents, Central Office members, administrators, teachers and other students.

Teachers involved in fair: Rachel Cervi, Amanda Chin, Meghan Sermo, Emily Zedan, Autumn Spiteri, Sydney Barosko, Alyssa Armstrong, and Noelle Wald, and Rebecca Brewer 

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Photos courtesy of TSD Creative Guild Student Producer Jeffery Wu

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1s9hkW9b5TyYlo_tPAQiky4-rB9QSkHtk

Today, Troy Athens High School concluded one of this country’s largest high school student-led charity campaigns, Charity Week 2022, February 14-18!  Their goal was to raise over $100,000 for their chosen charity, and as the crowd of students, teachers, administrators and friends looked on, the giant banner was peeled back, to reveal the 2022 number, an amazing $117,706.46!!!

These funds will be donated to Athens’ chosen charity for 2022:  Alex’s Saints Foundation, a local organization that combats the opioid epidemic with Athens ties. Named in memory of 2013 Athens graduate Alex St. Pierre who passed away from an overdose in 2019, this group raises awareness of this important issue while providing support and narcotic rehabilitation financial assistance, helping families who have a loved one suffering from drug addiction. Alex’s Saints Foundation was established by his best friend and fellow Athens grad, Tyler Bettelon, who misses Alex every day and doesn’t want any other family to endure what Alex’s has: “Alex and I became best friends starting in 7^th grade and we did everything together; he was my brother,” said Bettelon. “It was impossible to be in a bad mood when you were with Alex; he was known to light up any room with his contagious smile, energy, and laughter.”  At the age of 24, Alex St. Pierre lost his battle to drugs and left the world too soon from an overdose.  

Bettelon, who is also the organization’s Founder and Chairman, feels help is needed even more urgently today than ever before. In 2021, there was over 100,000 deaths due to a drug overdose--the highest rate in the history of the United States. Studies show that this number continues to grow higher and higher every year. With the donation received from Charity Week, Alex’s Saints plans to ramp up their outreach efforts and create relationships with more Rehabilitation Facilities to expand and help more individuals. A month of rehab can cost up to $15,000 per month without insurance, so these vital recovery plans can be expensive yet literally life-saving.

Athens students were eager to celebrate this year’s Charity Week, as last year’s event was cancelled due to COVID.  Said Shawn DeFresne, Co-Adviser of Athens’ Student Council: “Charity Week is the most memorable week of the year for our school, and I am proud our student council was able to provide numerous events to our students and community to raise money for a great cause. For half of our school, it was brand new for them after not being able to hold it last year. It’s a major event that is embedded in our school culture; it’s absolutely a team effort on part of student council, staff, administration, and parents.”  

According to Athens StuCo president Lilly Chrisopoulos, "After a year hiatus, we’re back and I’m so incredibly excited! Whether it was reintroduced to some or new to others, we’ve all had a blast during Charity Week 2022. Having some normalcy during COVID really did mean having Charity Week back.”  Jordan Doyle, StuCo First Vice President, enthusiastically agreed:  “Alex’s Saints’ motto is: ‘Together, we are stronger and tougher than addiction.’ Charity Week proves over and over again that we as a school and a community really are stronger together! I am so proud to be part of this week - Charity Week brings out the best in Athens!”   

Charity Week has been a tradition at Athens High school since the mid-80s, and it is 100% student-led, from choosing the charity, to coming up with all of the fundraising activities, to executing the plan.  The amount raised has increased yearly, challenging students to beat the previous year.  By 1998 (when the current advisors began keeping track), they raised $8,400 for Gilda’s Club.   In 2008, they raised $23,600 for ALS of Michigan.  In 2020 they raised $180,000 for Elli’s House.  “I am proud of the school for adapting and staying positive with the few changes we had to make this year. The participation and energy in the building has been incredible!” continued Chrisopoulos.  Athens’ Principal Dr. Lara Dixon shares her pride in her staff, students and community: “Charity Week is all about generosity, activism, collaboration, and service leadership. Kids have fun and make meaningful memories while giving of themselves for the benefit of others. I am so very proud of and grateful for our students, staff, parents, and community. Charity Week is back, and we couldn’t be happier.”

Concluded Hannah DiGiovanni, StuCo Second Vice President: “I am in complete awe of how much money our community was able to raise in just one week, especially knowing how huge of an impact that money will have on so many people in our area.”  Bettelon is hopeful about the good Alex’s Saints will be able to do with the money raised from Charity Week and feels that the story has come full circle.  “When I was a student at Athens, Charity Week was the one week of the year I always looked forward to. I never in my life imagined I would be connected to the Charity of choice, but here we are almost 10 years after graduating.  It’s pretty amazing to see how this has all come back to where I started, and I will be forever grateful,” he said. 

 

Mission:  Alex's Saints Foundation focuses on helping families who have a loved one suffering from drug addiction. Whether it's for rehab or a funeral, lean on ASF for emotional and financial support.  For more information, visit www.alexssaints.org .

 

Photo courtesy of the Troy School District, check out our Facebook page for more.

The Troy School District is preparing for the 2022-23 school year and the excitement that comes with our new Kindergarten students!  Do you have a child in your home or know a child in your neighborhood who is eligible for Kindergarten?  To be eligible your student must be five (5) years old on or before September 1, 2022. 

To begin the enrollment process it is important that a parent or legal guardian of a prospective Kindergarten student call the attendance area school the child will be attending and request that the student be placed on the 22-23 kindergarten list.  The end of January, instructions for kindergarten enrollment will be sent through the provided email to each student’s parent or legal guardian.   This email will include vital information that will guide you step by step through enrollment which will be completed through an online process.

If you reside within an apartment building or are unsure of your attendance area building, please call Central Enrollment at 248-823-4002 or 248-823-4004 and they will be happy to assist you with the child’s building placement.

The Troy School district is strongly committed to each student’s achievement and providing the best resources available to prepare them for their future.  We look forward to becoming an integral part of your child’s educational journey!

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Kindergarten Photos courtesy of Troy Schools: 

 

The Michigan Thespian Festival took place just before the holidays in Lansing. Two Troy seniors from Athens Troupe 3729 auditioned for college scholarship money and were offered a total of $807,500.00.  Cole VanAmberg was offered $511,000 in college scholarship money.  Alexis Gearty, who attends Troy High, was offered $296,500.

Said ATC Director Krista Manfredi:  “I am so proud of the talent, discipline, and initiative that Cole and Alexis presented.  They were excellent representatives of International Thespian Troupe #3726 and the Troy School District.”

Both actors recently performed in their respective schools’ fall productions, Cole as Buddy the Elf in ATC’s “Elf the Musical,” and Alexis as Elizabeth Bennett in TTE’s “Pride and Prejudice.”  They are each working hard on their spring productions:  TTE’s “Mama Mia the Musical” will be performed March 4-6 and 11-13, 2022 (tickets will be available at http://ttensemble.weebly.com/tickets.html) and ATC will be presenting Neil Simon’s RUMORS, April 7, 8, 9, 10 & 11. (tickets will be available via the ATC box office, more information to come.)

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Photo courtesy of the Troy School District:  Alexis Gearty and Cole VanAmberg

A special holiday donation came to the TSD Food Pantry at Morse Elementary, courtesy of a student at Athens who saw a need and filled it.  "I have friends and family members with severe food allergies so I’ve seen the importance of getting the type of food you need when you have food allergies."

 As someone with friends and families affected by food allergies, Ava Bunao felt passionately about providing the right kinds of food to people who need it.  To raise the money to fund her project, Ava baked and sold macaron cookie and used the proceeds to purchase the food for the pantry.  "My mom shared my idea (and my macarons) with her friends, and the idea just took off."  Ava made several deliveries of Gluten/Allergy Free friendly food in the month of December alone and plans to keep her Macaron project going into 2022 and beyond. 

Ava was super busy during the holidays, and her French Macaron waitlist is growing each day.  “Now I can focus on specialty foods, like the cases of gluten free Progresso soups I’ve purchased in addition to potato casseroles, cereals, beans, baking mixes, and snacks.”  Ava has also allocated some of her proceeds to purchasing hand sanitizer and wipes, as flu season is upon us.    

Ava is happy she is able to give back her talent and time to the community because of her French Macarons supporters.  “It was fun to see the kids, who loved seeing a highschooler at their school today---they especially loved my Antlers,” said Ava.🎄🤗 And Ava hopes that families love the variety of foods they can now get at the TSD Food Pantry.  For more information or to order macarons from Ava, email her at ebunao@gmail.com.

On Friday, December 10th , Hill Elementary 3rd grade students joined in a nationwide movement to help the homeless called Blankets of Hope.  

Students participated in a kindness workshop, and wrote handwritten letters of hope, encouragement and love to attach to 72 blankets, which will be delivered to homeless individuals in the metro Detroit area.  Hill Elementary was one of over 200 schools in 39 states across the country participating in this movement of kindness.

Blankets of Hope is an educational nonprofit that helps students practice empathy & kindness in an impactful service-learning experience. 

Here is the website to learn more: https://www.blanketsofhope.com/

 

Photos courtesy of Troy Schools 

Thanksgiving this year took on a new meaning, as life is slowly returning back to normal, but understanding there is still lots of work to do on behalf of healthcare workers who remain on the front lines fighting COVID. 

The “Connector Club” over at Boulan came up with an idea to show appreciation for healthcare workers and created a paper turkey (named Troy) mounted to the cafeteria wall, where each feather represented something a student could buy and contribute to be part of care packages that would be delivered the week before Thanksgiving to Troy Beaumont Hospital.  “The students decided they wanted to do something Thanksgiving related that would bring our community together and express gratefulness,” said BPMS Connector Club co-advisor Megan Luther.  So “Turkey Troy” was born with only two weeks before the holiday. 

As feathers disappeared and donations poured in, students took an active role collecting and categorizing the items and filling decorated bags with goodies that included gift cards, hand lotion, tea, hot cocoa, travel mugs/thermoses, fuzzy socks, bath bombs, sleep masks, retractable pens, lip balms, scratch off lotto cards, and hard candies.  6^th grade Connector Club member Meera Iyr was glad to be a part of this project, saying: “It felt good to show appreciation for people who are still working so hard to keep others healthy and our communities safe,” said Iyr. 

Connector Club co-advisor Melissa Dodge was proud of the way students and staff stepped up to look outside themselves and care for others.  This was a student-driven initiative that she and Luther were delighted to be a part of:  “Megan and I were merely the ‘guides on the side’ helping to bring to life the ideas and dreams of our ‘Connectors,’” she said.  “We saw them gather and grow this spark of an idea into a reality. Seeing them come together, compromise, organize, and value giving back to the community is a lifelong practice we feel proud to have been able to encourage in each and every single one of them.”

All together, Boulan’s Turkey Troy project impacted 26 heroes at Troy Beaumont, who were so pleased to be remembered in this way.  Boulan’s Connector Club hopes this will become an annual tradition, perhaps with a new set of individuals receiving these packages each year.

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Photos courtesy of Troy Schools 

The 2021-2022 Troy High Jazz Ensemble wowed a packed house at their debut performance held at Aretha’s Jazz Café in Detroit on Tuesday, November 2^nd. The group played an hour-long set as the opening act for the Scott Gwinnell Jazz Orchestra in the intimate café, part of the Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts.  

“It was hard to believe that this was [their] first performance of the year,” said Scott Gwinnell, pianist and composer, who has invited the ensemble to open for his group for six consecutive years. “The students were disciplined on and off the band-stand, creative in their performance and solos, and the repertoire was inspirational.”

Jazz Ensemble is offered as a class at Troy High School for students who are accepted by audition. Professional jazz artists mentor the students several times a week. This was the Ensemble’s first formal performance since February 2020, and based on their enthusiastic response, the audience was thrilled to see the students back on stage.

Troy High School Director of Bands Brian Nutting said, “The student’s worked diligently for the past two months to prepare an hour-long concert set. Their debut performance was a tremendous success met with a well-deserved, extended standing ovation. I couldn’t be more proud of them. The opportunity to perform in one of Detroit’s most historical jazz venues was an honor we will not forget.”

Next up for the Jazz Ensemble is the Winter Concert held in the Troy High School auditorium on December 2, 2021 at 7pm. The group will be featured along with the school’s Symphonic, Concert, Cadet and Campus bands.     

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Photo credit:  Gretchen Ohman

 

The 184 members of the Troy Colt Marching Band (TCMB) impressed judges at the MSBOA (Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association) District 16 Marching Band Festival on Wednesday, October 13. The TCMB performed with several local, southeast Michigan high school marching bands, including Hazel Park, Avondale, Sterling Heights, Warren Mott, Rochester Adams, Utica, Stevenson, Rochester, and Troy Athens. The TCMB set a “season best” earning a Division I (Superior) rating with “A” and “A+” grades in all categories and subcaptions (marching, music, general effect/showmanship). This year’s halftime show, “Let’s Dance’, continues to wow audiences with riveting dance music taking the audience on a journey through the decades. Troy Director of Bands Brian Nutting and Associate Director Jacob Greenwood proudly stated, “The students have exceeded our expectations. This is one of the most difficult musical, visual productions this band has attempted, and they boldly stepped up to conquer all challenges. The judge’s ratings reflect their monumental achievement.”

The TCMB season will march on with a joined performance with Troy Athens Marching Band at the annual One “Band-Ed” Troy Exhibition on Saturday, October 16. Join us and enjoy the two exceptional Troy School District high school marching bands, the Troy Colts and Athens Redhawks. Both bands will perform their halftime shows followed by a keep-you-on-the-edge-of-your-seat drumline competition and concluding with a combined bands grand finale. The exhibition will take place at Troy High’s School Don Hill Stadium at 7:00pm. This will be a wonderful opportunity for our current TSD 8^th graders to spend time with the high school bands, witness the programs in action, and preview the high school band experience.

Concluding TCMB’s marching season is the annual indoor “Colt Spectacular” performance by that includes parade, pregame and halftime presentations as well as a senior salute. The event will take place on Tuesday, October 19 at 7:00pm in the Troy High School gymnasium (4777 Northfield Parkway, Troy). “After all the work these kids have put into this show and coming out of a slightly scaled back marching season experience last year, it’s a real thrill to perform for enthusiastic and supportive crowds in full stadiums again,” said the directors.

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Photos courtesy of Troy Schools, John Svoboda and Simona Lucut 

Two TSD Elementary Schools have been named 2021 National Blue Ribbon Schools:  Barnard Elementary and Leonard Elementary were honored today as top schools in the country, achieving National Blue Ribbon status for student achievement.

U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona today recognized 325 schools as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2021, Barnard and Leonard among them. The recognition is based on a school’s overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups.

“This year’s cohort of honorees demonstrates what is possible when committed educators and school leaders create vibrant, welcoming, and affirming school cultures where rich teaching and learning can flourish.” said Secretary Cardona.

The coveted National Blue Ribbon Schools award affirms the hard work of educators, families and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging and engaging content.

“Our Leonard community is proud to be honored as a 2021 National Blue Ribbon School,” said Principal Erin Detmer. “We have worked hard as parents, students, and staff to create a learning environment in which every student succeeds. This award is a celebration of our community’s collaboration in prioritizing our core values alongside high academic expectations for every Leonard Leopard. We are so excited!”

Barnard Principal Melanie Morey and her team also celebrated the achievement, “The Barnard staff and students cheered in excitement when we learned of our recognition as a 2021 National Blue Ribbon School! We are so fortunate in Troy to have a collaborative system that focuses on all learners. At Barnard, we dedicate all efforts to the development of the future generation. Fostering our learners to be their personal best in all academic areas while valuing strong character traits is our mission. We are so proud of our Barnard Bluejays!”

Now in its 39th year, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has bestowed approximately 10,000 awards to more than 9,000 schools. Barnard and Leonard join eleven other Troy District Schools to win this honor.

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Photos courtesy of Troy Schools 

The 64th Annual Distinguished Young Women of Michigan State Scholarship Program was digitally held on Saturday, July 24^th.  Troy High Senior Sharanya Swaminathan, the Distinguished Young Woman of Oakland Country, was selected as the Distinguished Young Woman of Michigan 2022, and IAE senior Jayanti Gupta was named the Distinguished Young Woman of Troy.  Participants were evaluated in areas of scholastics, physical fitness, performing arts talent, private interview, and self-expression question.

Sharanya will represent Michigan at the Distinguished Young Women National Scholarship Program in Mobile, Alabama next June where she will compete for additional college scholarships. She is also eligible for many college granted scholarships at various colleges around the country through the national scholarship program.  “This year was another challenging year with Covid restrictions, it made it impossible to hold the scholarship program in person.  Instead, participants submitted videos of their talent, fitness and self-expression segments and had private interviews through Zoom.  Through it all, all participants showed incredible dedication in their pursuit of college scholarship opportunities” said State Co-Director Pat Hermatz, “We are excited to have Sharanya represent this incredible scholarship program at statewide functions throughout the year and at the nationals in Mobile, Alabama.”

Sharanya is entering her senior year at Troy High School and is the daughter of Padma Krishnamurthy and Swami Balasubramanian.   She is active in the Model United Nations, Forensics Speech and Debate and International Youth Politics Forum.  For her performing arts talent, Sharanya performed a classical Indian dance. Upon graduation she plans to attend the University of Michigan and study Business Administration and Public Policy.

Thirteen contestants from around the state of Michigan participated and were awarded a total of $3,500.00 in college scholarships. Sharanya Swaminathan was selected as the Distinguished Young Woman of Michigan 2022 and was also selected as the Overall Scholastics, Interview, Talent and Self-Expression Scholarship Winner.  Sharanya received $1,850.00 in college scholarships.  Jayanti Gupta, the Distinguished Young Woman of Troy, was selected as the Brooklyn Kiwanis Be Your Best Self Community Service Essay Award Winner and received $250.00.

The Distinguished Young Women Scholarship Program awards college scholarships to young women who have distinguished themselves at school and in their communities. Participants are high school juniors from around the state of Michigan who are evaluated in areas of scholastics, physical fitness, performing arts talent, private interview, and self-expression question.  It is part of the Distinguished Young Women National Scholarship Program, which is the largest and oldest scholarship program for high school seniors in the country.  Founded in 1958, Distinguished Young Women is a free program that encourages participants to reach their full individual potential. Their mission is to empower young women by providing over $1 billion in scholarship opportunities, developing their self-confidence and participating in our Life Skills Workshops that prepare them for success after high school. National sponsors include Barbara Barrington Jones Family Foundation, Mobile County, City of Mobile, Alabama Power Foundation,  Encore Rehabilitation, Shoe Station, Gant Travel Management, Wellington and Bonnie Coffeen, Regions Financial Corporation, Jostens and Alabama Media Group.

The Distinguished Young Women of Michigan scholarship program is open to high school junior young women who live in Michigan.  If you are interested in finding out more information on this transformative scholarship program, go to  www.Distinguishedyw.org  or email michigan@distinguishedyw.org  for more information. 

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 Photos courtesy of Troy Schools

Ryan Werenka, a teacher at Troy High School, has been named the 2021 Michigan History Teacher of the Year, an award presented annually by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to K-12 American history education. 

In 2021, parents, students, teachers, and administrators nationwide nominated a record 8,510 teachers for the History Teacher of the Year Award. Amidst a very competitive field, Ryan Werenka rose to the top in Michigan.

Inaugurated in 2004, the History Teacher of the Year Award highlights the crucial importance of history education by honoring exceptional American history teachers from elementary school through high school. The award honors one K-12 teacher from each state, the District of Columbia, Department of Defense schools and US Territories. In fall 2021, the National History Teacher of the Year will be selected from the pool of state winners. 

From Werenka’s Nomination Packet: In 2000, Ryan Werenka received his bachelor’s degree at Western Michigan University and in 2004 he completed a master’s degree in the Art of Teaching from Marygrove College. Werenka’s passion for history and political science have been combined in his classroom, and his students have reaped the benefits. He creates a classroom atmosphere in which history is directly correlated to students’ lives through analyzing community-based issues, and understanding government documents.  When students leave his classroom they have not only learned valuable information, they have become engaged and informed citizens.

In addition to a $1,000 honorarium, Troy High will receive a core archive of American history books and Gilder Lehrman educational materials in Ryan Werenka’s name and recognition at a ceremony in Michigan. 

The 10 finalists for the National History Teacher of the Year Award will be announced on Thursday, September 9, with the national winner announced later that month. An in-person ceremony for the winner will be held in late fall 2021, health and safety protocols permitting. Support for the National History Teacher of the Year Award ceremony is provided by HISTORY®

Nominations for the 2022 History Teacher of the Year awards are now open. Students, parents, colleagues, and supervisors may nominate K-12 teachers for the award by visiting gilderlehrman.org/nhtoy. The deadline for 2022 nominations is March 31, 2022. 

About the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History was founded in 1994 by Richard Gilder and Lewis E. Lehrman, visionaries and lifelong supporters of American history education. The Institute is the leading nonprofit organization dedicated to K–12 history education while also serving the general public. Its mission is to promote the knowledge and understanding of American history through educational programs and resources.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History is supported through the generosity of individuals, corporations, and foundations. The Institute’s programs have been recognized by awards from the White House, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Organization of American Historians, and the Council of Independent Colleges.

Troy School District Point of Pride:  Last year, Baker Middle School 8^th grade teacher Zach MacIntosh received this honor, as the 2020 Michigan History Teacher of the Year.

Photo courtesy of the Troy School District

For additional information regarding the Gilder Lehrman Institute, contact:

Josh Landon, Director of Marketing and Communications                                       

Phone: (646) 366-9666 x137

Email: landon@gilderlehrman.org

 

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Photos courtesy of Troy Schools 

Would you like your news to go here?  Send your story ideas or information to PRowbal@troy.k12.mi.us 

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Photos courtesy of Troy Schools 

Wyatt Lucas’ Eagle Scout project was supposed to be a day of hockey, ice skating and CPR lessons (an odd combination but it is all the things he is passionate about) for the Special Olympics of Michigan. He had gotten approval from BSA, ice and skate rental would be donated by Troy Sports Center, he designed a website (Hockeymentors.net) a logo and t-shirt design. Wyatt also secured donations from Trion Solutions, Troy Rotary and Troy Community Foundation. Hockey vendors were donating equipment which would be given to SOMI after the event.

The event would be free to special athletes and their caregivers. Participates would learn how to ice skate, learn how to play hockey and watch scrimmages of other disabled teams. Then with the help of Wyatt’s hockey team and Motor City Veterans Hockey Association, the athletes would take to the ice and play a scrimmage. Hands only CPR lessons would be taught on site for anyone interested. Participants would receive a T-shirt featuring his logo (and sponsors) and if they played a scrimmage, they would get a hockey jersey with the logo on the front and sponsors on the back. Players would have also gotten a swag gift bag and lunch. Then COVID hit.

Wyatt came up with Plan B and created a hockey video, part instructional and part parody. It showcased how hockey is truly an adaptive sport. It is a great video, and he earned his Eagle Scout, but he felt he let SOMI and their athletes down.  Wyatt is still planning to host the hockey day but now needs to raise additional funds for his project.

What: Great Bowls of Fire Chili Cook-off - This fundraiser will support hockey mentors with a day of hockey, ice skating and CPR lessons for individuals with special needs and their family/caregivers.

When: Sunday, July 25 from 12 – 3 pm

Where: Troy Nature Center | 6685 Coolidge Hwy | Troy

Tickets: $10/adult | $5/kids 6-12 | 5 & Under Free.  Tickets sold at the door or online via Venmo or Paypal:  hockeymentors@gmail.com 

Come sample chili prepared by talented local cooks and cast a vote for your favorite.

Two award categories: People’s Choice and Overall Winner. Special Judges include Troy Mayor Ethan Baker, Troy Police Chief Frank Nastasi, and Assistant Fire Chief Paul Firth. Winners will be announced at 2:45pm.  Also enjoy the Nature Center Trails and visit the owls in the new Raptor House.

For more information, call Eagle Scout Wyatt Lucas call 248.686.6740 or email at hockeymentors@gmail.com.

Visit www.hockeymentors.net  or  https://www.facebook.com/hockeymentors

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Additional background on Wyatt Lucas:

Wyatt is a senior at Troy High School and a dual enrolled college student. He will graduate HS with over 40 college credits. He has played on the Troy United Varsity Hockey Team for the past two years and played travel hockey before that. Wyatt has been in Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts since the first grade and very active in the community volunteering at the Troy Historical Village, Troy Rotary, Troy Police Dept, Oakland County Parks and Rec, HOPE Against Trafficking, Troy Nature Center, and teaching CPR to the public. Wyatt help raise a substantial amount of money for the new Raptor House at the Nature Center. He has been a member of Young Eagles aviation program since he was 12 and was just awarded a $10,000 scholarship from EAA, Experimental Aviation Association, to get his private pilot license. His goal is to attend Lawrence Tech University for a Masters in Biomedical Engineering with plans to make prosthetics for kids that are techy and cool, so they won't be embarrassed, and for adults that are mobility friendly. Wyatt would love to play hockey for the Blue Devils (LTU's team). 

Photos of Wyatt Lucas playing with Troy United Varsity Hockey Team this past season & Wyatt Lucas with Troy Mayor Ethan Baker at the Grand Opening of the Nature Center Raptor House.

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This year's retirees were honored during our June 2021 Board of Education Meeting. Congratulations and thank you to all of these dedicated employees!  

• Mary Abbruzzese, Early Childhood Educator, TSD Preschool - Dedicated Employee since 2007
• Sue Baran, Teacher, Smith Middle School - Dedicated Employee since 1986
• Nadeen Brown, Teacher, Leonard Elementary - Dedicated Employee since 1991
• Pam Brubaker, Secretary, Troy High - Dedicated Employee since 1994
• Adela Bustamante, Care Assistant, Bemis Elementary - Dedicated Employee since 1998
• Mary Jane Butler, Para-Professional, Leonard Elementary - Dedicated Employee since 2004
• Maureen Caldwell, Occupational Therapist, Services Building - Dedicated Employee since 2005
• Genia Connell, Teacher, Leonard Elementary - Dedicated Employee since 1988
• Judy Coster, Teacher, Barnard/Athens - Dedicated Employee since 2008
• Sue Domin, Teacher, Boulan Park Middle - Dedicated Employee since 1984
• Anne Drogosch, Teacher, Smith Middle - Dedicated Employee since 1980
• Cheryl Fisher, GSRP Associate Teacher, Preschool - Dedicated Employee since 2016
• Susan Flewelling, Teacher, TCCHS - Dedicated Employee since 2007
• Lisa Gaglio, Teacher, Baker Middle - Dedicated Employee since 2011
• Bettina Gamero, Teacher, International Academy East - Dedicated Employee since 1996
• Bonnie Gibson, Teacher, Smith Middle - Dedicated Employee since 1990
• Debbie Goldin, Para-Professional, Wass Elementary - Dedicated Employee since 2011
• Rhona Gorosh, Teacher, Bemis Elementary - Dedicated Employee since 1976
• Gary Harlan, Teacher, Troy High – Dedicated Employee since 1984
• Laurie Harnisch, Teacher, Schroeder Elementary – Dedicated Employee since 1986
• Janet Herberholz, Teacher, Baker Middle – Dedicated Employee since 1997
• Barb Johnson, Secretary, Troy Learning Center – Dedicated Employee since 2000
• Elizabeth Jones, Teacher, Boulan Park Middle – Dedicated Employee since 1999
• Kristen Karbon, Teacher, Boulan Park Middle– Dedicated Employee since 1987
• Laura Kemp, Teacher, Baker Middle – Dedicated Employee since 1993
• Betsy Kennedy, Teacher, Baker Middle – Dedicated Employee since 2000
• Lynda Keough, Training Specialist, Troy Career Center – Dedicated Employee since 2002
• Mary Kirby, Teacher, Larson Middle – Dedicated Employee since 2000
• Helen Kochanski, Secretary, TSD Preschool – Dedicated Employee since 2000
• Christine Kye, Para-Professional, Baker Middle – Dedicated Employee since 1999
• Pam Lewsley, Para-Professional, Wattles Elementary – Dedicated Employee since 1995
• Sue Lin, Teacher, Troy High – Dedicated Employee since 1997
• Pat Orczykowski, Executive Assistant, Central Office – Dedicated Employee since 1996
• Lorraine Palmer, Speech Pathologist, Troy Union Elementary – Dedicated Employee since 1985
• Cynthia Peterson, Para-Professional, TSD Preschool – Dedicated Employee since 1998
• Sue Pienta, Secretary, Services Building – Dedicated Employee since 2003
• Suzanne Rewold, Teacher, Barnard Elementary – Dedicated Employee since 2003
• Cynthia Shankin, Teacher, Boulan Park Middle – Dedicated Employee since 1988
• Jerry Shankin, Teacher, Hill Elementary – Dedicated Employee since 1989
• Deb Sheldon, Counselor, TCCHS – Dedicated Employee since 2005
• Rebecca Stradtner, Para-Professional, Wass Elementary – Dedicated Employee since 2000
• Carolyn Szymanski, Teacher, Bemis/Martell Elementary – Dedicated Employee since 2013
• Lillian Trudell, Teacher, Troy High – Dedicated Employee since 1996
• Suzanne Welch,Teacher, Hamilton Elementary – Dedicated Employee since 1986
• Kevin Wilson, Teacher, Boulan Park Middle – Dedicated Employee since 1995
• Gail Yax, Teacher, Troy High – Dedicated Employee since 1982
• Anne Young, Counselor, Troy High – Dedicated Employee since 1984
• Nancy Zambardi, Career Specialist, Athens/Troy High - Dedicated Employee since 1996
• Susan Zemmer, Teacher, Troy Union – Dedicated Employee since 1988

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See link to School Board Meeting here:  https://fb.watch/6lWiy1Fgda/

 

Kevin McGrail (THS ’05) always knew he’d make films.  During the dog days of summer, young Kevin enlisted kids in his Troy, Michigan neighborhood to create movies – a friend to write the screenplay, another to recruit kids and parents as actors, others to assemble wardrobes, scout locations, find props, build sets.  Kevin organized and collaborated with his ‘crew’ to direct, film and produce. His mom, Nancy Philippart remembers, “Kevin always had a camcorder in hand and was planning or shooting footage for his films.   When he and his friends graduated from high school, we had a neighborhood block party to watch the movies our kids had made together!  It was amazing to see how far they’d come!”

Kevin’s passion for production led him to earn one of the highest awards in the film making industry.  On June 8, 2021, he and his co-producers were awarded a Sports Emmy in the Outstanding Edited Sports Series category for The Shop: Uninterrupted. 

The Shop was conceived in collaboration with basketball superstar, LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s Uninterrupted to give viewers a one-of –a –kind barbershop experience in which celebrities in sports, entertainment and politics engage in honest, spirited discussion on important topics in the ‘sanctuary’ of a barbershop.  Kevin and business partner, Brandon Riley, formed the production company, Frēhand to produce the show as an experimental web series for the Uninterrupted website in 2017.  When HBO Sports got wind of the idea, they wanted to get involved.  Kevin and Brandon produced an episode that aired in 2018.  Ratings were strong as people enjoyed hearing celebrities speak openly and completely unscripted about sports, music, business, world events and other cutting-edge topics.  The partnership with HBO and Uninterrupted grew to two more episodes, then into a second, third and currently a fourth season, which films in barbershops across the county.  With political and racial tensions heighted due to the COVID pandemic and George Floyd killing, LeBron invited former President Obama to the barbershop for a candid discussion about the state of the country.  This was the episode that resulted in the Emmy nomination and win.

Kevin says producing The Shop “provides a platform for idolized people to speak candidly on their sacrifices, failures and successes.  Their real-life experiences and perspective give us a look into their unique world.”

About Kevin McGrail

Kevin is currently the production manager for a new TV Series Paper Girls for Amazon/Legendary/Plan B.  He started his first company, Dynamite Films Productions, while an undergraduate at Michigan State University in 2008.  After graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering in 2009, Kevin recognized that the same problem-solving skills he learned in engineering could be leveraged for a more innovative approach to production management of film and television content, especially in the areas of logistics and finance.  He moved to Chicago to study production at DePaul University’s groundbreaking Digital Cinema Program.  Since then, Kevin has supported the management of over 100 productions.  A member of both the Directors and Producer’s Guilds of America, some of Kevin’s notable credits include Noah Hawley’s Fargo Season 4 for MGM/FX, Joe Chappelle’s An Acceptable Loss for IFC, Austin Vesely’s Slice for A24, Joe Swanberg’s Easy for Netflix, in addition to The Shop for HBO Sports

About The Shop

The Shop is a collaboration with LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s Uninterupted that presents unfiltered conversation and debate from some of the biggest names in sports, entertainment and politics.  Airing on HBO Sports since 2018 and currently in Season 4, the show has featured musicians, actors, sports stars and politicians like rappers, Drake and Snoop Dogg, Grey’s Anatomy’s Jesse Williams, comedian Jimmy Kimmel, sports celebrities Draymond Green & Kevin Durant and politicians, Gavin Newsome and President Barak Obama.  The show was nominated for a Sports Emmy for Outstanding Edited Sports Series in 2020 and again nominated in this category for 2021 as well as for Outstanding Production Design/Art Direction.  The Shop was selected as the 2021 winner for Outstanding Edited Sports Series.

About the Sports Emmys

The Sports Emmy Awards are presented by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) in recognition of excellence in American sports television programming, including sports-related series, live coverage of sporting events and best sports announcers.

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Congratulations to our RedHawk athletes who celebrated their acceptance to elite sports programs with a virtual signing day!

• ·         Clara Shoales – Women’s basketball – Olivet College
• ·         Hunter Pidek – Baseball – Oakland University
• ·         Andrew Pokley – Baseball – Heidelberg College
• ·         Riley Weber – Baseball – Kalamazoo College
• ·         Miranda McKee – Women’s golf – Albion College
• ·         Gabe Brown – Men’s tennis – Boston University
• ·         Jake Thompson – Bowling – Rochester University
• ·         Waides Ashmon III – Football – Adrian College
• ·         TJ Renaud – Men’s Soccer – Rochester University
• ·         Adrian Lekocaj – Men’s Soccer – Northwood University
• ·         Mike Youssef – Basketball - Madonna University

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Photos courtesy of Troy Schools 

Congratulations to our 15 student-athletes who signed today to continue their academic and athletic careers at their respective school!

The day was filled with friends, family, coaches, and administration who watched these student-athletes succeed on and off the field. A special THANK YOU to the parents of these student-athletes for sharing your son/daughter’s talents with our coaches, programs, and teachers.

Again, to our student-athletes:

“I want to recognize your balance between academics, with the pursuit of excellence in your sport. You have endured one of the most robust public educations in the state, coupled with your athletic success is a major accomplishment. Congratulations!”  -Mr. Hynes

• Chris Baxter | Adrian | Lacrosse
• Jessica Green | Lawrence Tech | Soccer
• Alexandra Armin | Kalamazoo College | Soccer
• Maria Croci | Univ. of St. Francis at Fort Wayne | Track & XC
• Paige Anderson | Kalamazoo College | XC
• Lauren Gumma | St. Mary’s College | Basketball
• Angela Anderanin | Lawrence Tech | Tennis
• Manny Al-Nsour | UofM Dearborn | Hockey
• CJ Noon | Hope College | Baseball
• Brody Parker | Oakland University | Basketball
• Ethan Emerzian | Madona | Basketball
• Jake Emerzian | Madona | Basketball
• D’Anthony Hamilton | Concordia | Basketball
• Chris Worrell | Northern Michigan | Soccer
• Ryan Peluso | Central Michigan | Football

 

Photos courtesy of Troy Schools 

You’ve heard of the Newbery Reading Award, but have you heard of the Troybery?  A mock-Newbery medal program, Troybery has encouraged Troy middle schoolers since 2000 to read the best middle grade books published that year and then vote on their favorites. The contest usually begins in the fall, with students reading nominated books and then voting for them in a March Madness-style tournament.  But this year was different.

“Our ultimate goal is to get kids excited about and interested in reading,” said media specialist Christine Chatel.  But it couldn’t happen in person this year due to COVID. This was the first year that Troybery was all virtual—students could access e-book and audio book copies of Troybery and Newbery books online via a special app, track their reading on a digital form, watch video book talks made by the media specialists, vote online, and view the ceremony online.

For the 21^st Annual Troybery Award Program, TSD middle school media specialists Christina Chatel and Kathy Loch decided to choose a reading theme that would make it easy for all students, whether in-person or virtual, to access books to participate. In a normal year, the Troybery program would focus on the best current books of the calendar year, but the pandemic led our media specialists to take Troybery in a different direction.

“Team Troybery versus Team Newbery” became the theme for the 21^st annual Troybery Award Program, focusing on what originally inspired Troybery: the Newbery Award, given each year by the American Library Association to the best children’s books. Mrs. Chatel and Ms. Loch challenged students to read (or re-read) the Newbery AND the Troybery winners from 2001-2020, and in April, middle schoolers voted on whether they liked the Troybery or the Newbery winner best for each year.  The winners were:  for the Troybery—The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins; for the Newbery – New Kid by Jerry Craft.  To see the exciting reveal, visit:  https://youtu.be/gwmWe-vu9Ag.

And as is tradition, a special guest author was invited to SKYPE with the students in realtime.  This year, Alicia D. Williams, author of Newberry winner Genesis Begins Again spent an hour virtually with students, sharing her story of how she became a story-teller, and encouraged students to have the courage to be “Bold, daring, courageous and DREAM big.”  And to not let others’ opinions sway or distract them from writing.  She took questions from the students and ended her presentation with a quote from the Wizard of Oz: “You’ve always had the power, my dear, you just had to learn and find it yourself.” 

While different for sure like many things this year, Loch and Chatel felt this year’s Troybery program was a success:  “The 2021 Troybery reading program involved timeless award winners and classics, books that have been cherished over the years by generations of readers; many of the titles were already on students’ bookshelves at home or available with a click of a button on the iPad, making for easy access and affording students a chance to snuggle up with some of their favorite books, discover new titles, and find comfort in getting lost in well-written story.”

For more information about the Troybery program, visit http://troymiddleschoolmediacenter.weebly.com/troybery.html.   

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Photos courtesy of AliciaDWilliams.com

Seventy-two students from Troy High School are being recognized for community service as National Award earners and as inspirations for other students to get involved in their community.

The 4^th Annual National Community Service Awards connect student service activity to the UN Global Goals. This year we have additional recognition for students working toward a world of Zero Hunger and Zero Waste.  This award program has been designed to elevate and expand the awareness of youth leaders contributing time and talent to drive positive progress toward global issues.  THS students have made the choice to include community service as part of the educational experience at Troy High School and have donated over 6,000 hours of their time toward this program.

Congratulations to Student Awardees at Troy High School

Ambassador Awardees: Rupal Athalye, Emily Baek, Charlie Chu, Shraddha Doddaguni Harish, Aksheet Dutta, Elizabeth George, Haarshini Gunalan, Ayushi Gupta, Deeksha Hadagali, Elise Hsiao, Nidhi Ikkurthy, Rebecca Johnson, Shreyana Keeta, Om Khuperkar, Noyonima Masud, Vishnu Nair, Tanisha Panchal, Esha Patel, Aanya Shah, Ivy Shi, Smriti Suresh, Sharanya Swaminathan, Sabrina Tallu, Sarayu Uppara, Cynthia Wang, Lily Wei, Helen Xiao, Dorothy Yin, Jiaying Zhou, Tianhui Zhu

Honor Awardees: Lisa (Seo Hyun) Baek, Arpita Bhandari, Arkesh Das, Yutong Du, Rithvik Girish, Mariska Goswami, Akul Gunukula, Allison Liu, Sriyan Madugula, Kyra McIntyre, Yumena Nagai, Naina Nagar, Anagha Nair, Nishit Palepu, Kush Parikh, Ashley Sawicke, Vidhya Harini Srinivas, Shreya Srugaram, Ruthesh Thavamani, Rachel Yang

Merit Awardees: Prisha Agnihotri, Grace Booza, Shannon Cai, Emily Chen, Hayley Chenfang, Dhruv Dighrasker, Vinati Donthireddy, Tyler Evans, Ananya Gummadi, Aranav Gupta, Nandita Jagan, Lekhana Katuri, Minwoo Kim, Isabelle Lamug, Lauren McIntyre, Minji Nam, Esha Sura, Vienna Thieu, Claire Wu, Erin Xia, Blenda Yan

Zero Hero Awardees: Rupal Athalye, Charlie Chu, Arkesh Das, Miguel Gambalan, Rithvik Girish, Akul Gunukula, Kyra McIntyre, Lauren McIntyre, Sarayu Uppara, Helen Xiao

The announcement of their awards can be viewed here:  https://innerview.org/award/members?schoolyear=2020&school_id=1836

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Can you imagine not being able to talk with your friends at recess and tell them what you want to do?  This is the problem that the Schroeder Elementary Robo-Dragons Girl Scouts team wanted to fix.  The Robo-Dragons, Megan Hatto, Samantha Downs, Isha Chawla, Shalini Srinivas, Tatum Sheckell, Lily Bastien, Lila Sieber, and Edy Mayotte, have been a robotics team together since Kindergarten.  They settled on helping kids with disabilities for their innovation project in their First Lego League Robotic competition.  The Girl Scouts goal was to help kids with severe communication delays, such as students with Autism or Down Syndrome, have fun at recess.  The Girls did research and they found that the best way to make this happen was a Playground Communication Core board.  

One member of the team, Megan Hatto explained that, “It’s a board that has pictures representing words.  If kids can’t talk or have limited language, they point to a picture with a friend and then they will be able to play if the word says ‘play’”.  Speech Pathologist Jenny Michalek said, “This is a good way for kids with a communication delay whether severe or moderate to be able to let people know what they want.  This can help prevent tantrums or an isolated feeling.”  Using the communication boards, kids can combine pictures to create many messages, such as “I want swing,” “I like you,” “I go on playscape,” “I want help,” and “I get ball.”  

In order to raise money for the communication board, the Robo-Dragons Girl Scouts team started with a presentation to their Schroeder Principal, Mr. Brian Canfield.  Mr. Canfield allowed the team to host a Pajama Day at Schroeder Elementary.  Students were able to wear pajamas at school for a $2.00 for a donation to the communication board.  The Schroeder students and staff were so supportive and raised over $200 from this event.  One student, Peyton Glynn said, “It should be near the swings on the 1st and 2nd grade playground because that is where a lot of kids play.”  Glynn also decided, “This can help kids learn better and have a good environment to learn in.”

The Robot Dragons worked with Mr. Pryde, a special education teacher at Schroeder, to write a grant for the Troy Women’s Association for $312.  Two Girl Scouts members created a small neighborhood business for making and selling handcrafted soap.  Between the grant, the Pajama day fundraiser, and the soap sales, the team raised all of the money to purchase the communication board.  Canfield was proud of his students:  “It is impressive to not only see our students excel at Schroeder, but for students to really embrace helping others and serving the school. The Girl Scouts saw a need in their community and worked to help others.”

The Robo-Dragons Girl Scouts team is so thankful for the support from Girl Scouts Southeastern Michigan, Mr. Canfield, Troy Women’s Association, and the Schroeder community.  Said scout Samantha Downs:  "Its so exciting, because we worked hard on it and it was finally on the playground so Schroeder students can use it at  recess and be social together."  Scout Megan Hatto agreed:  "I am so proud of our team’s accomplishment!! I hope this will help the Schroeder community for years to come.”

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PHOTO CREDIT - TROY SCHOOL DISTRICT:  The Robo-Dragons:  Megan Hatto, Samantha Downs, Isha Chawla, Shalini Srinivas, Tatum Sheckell, Lily Bastien, Lila Sieber, and Edy Mayotte

This past week, the staff at Athens High School was presented with an “Above and Beyond” award from the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) organization, nominated by Athens physical education teacher and coach Nick Lusk, who is also a Maritime Law Enforcement Specialist, Petty Officer 2nd class with the US Coast Guard.  This Award is presented by ESGR State Committees to recognize employers at the local level who have gone above and beyond the legal requirements of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act by providing their Guard and Reserve employees additional, non-mandated benefits such as differential or full pay to offset lost wages, extended health benefits, and other similar benefits.

According to Lusk, the Athens High School Administration Team has from day one supported his reserve duties and pride for our country. The Administration team is comprised of Principal- Dr. Lara Dixon, District Athletic Director-Tim Fulcher, Assistant Principal & Athletic Director- Bob Dowd, Assistant Principal- Michael Munaco and Assistant Principal- Kristin Meldrum. “The support started with hiring me as a full-time teacher, even knowing that at any time I can be called into Active Duty, then hiring me as the school's strength & conditioning coach and weight room supervisor, along with allowing me to volunteer as the assistant powerlifting coach.”

The “Above and Beyond” award is given in limited numbers by State Committees to employers who have had at least one of their supervisors/managers recognized with a Patriot Award (Dr. Dixon received the ESGR Patriot Award this past August), and who have signed an ESGR Statement of Support. State Committees are authorized maximum discretion in considering an Above and Beyond Award for Patriot Award nominations of smaller firms, those with no individual supervisors specified, and other similar situations. 

Lusk feels proud to be encouraged by his employer and peers, who have supported him during recent deployments, most recently last spring when he was activated by Coast Guard Station Belle Isle in Detroit to support the Belle Isle crew during the COVID-19 pandemic. The station was running on limited crew members due to the restrictions of reduced workers allowed at the station at one time and personnel being quarantined. “When I informed my administration of my activation, they all supported me and showed their patriotic values. They all offered their support and thanked me for my service.  This fall they again showed their patriotic values and love for our country and military members by allowing me to hang up an American flag and flags from each branch of the military in our weight room at the school.” 

The respect is mutual, according to Dixon, who said “The Athens administration team is proud of Mr. Lusk and grateful for who is he is and his service both to our country and our students. Mr. Lusk is a great teacher, coach and person. We are honored and humbled by this recognition.”

Lusk concluded:  “They never hold the fact that I can be deployed at any moment against me. They have even offered for me to join the School's Character Team, which has earned its State School of Character recognition within the 1st year of being established. I am truly honored to work in a building that is led by a team of individuals that are true patriots and have deep held American values, that they not only believe in but execute.”

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Photo courtesy of Troy Schools:  L to R:  Mike Munaco, Kristin Meldrum, Nick Lusk, Bob Dowd, Lara Dixon

To pivot in the pandemic, Athens High School Student Council recently created “Athens Community Week,” sponsoring a spirit week along with a few events to raise money for a charity suggested by the student body and picked by student council leaders. As a result, Alex’s Saints Foundation, a fledgling Troy charity named in memory of a former Athens student, was the beneficiary of $2,500 raised online.

Junior and executive secretary Jordan Doyle pointed out the challenges of offering activities this year.  “While it was impossible to put on Charity Week this year, we did not want to lose an important piece of Athens’ culture—how we come together as a school and a community each year to make the world outside the walls of Athens High School a little bit better,” Doyle said. “We brainstormed how to honor this piece of our culture in a responsible and safe way, this year has reminded us of the importance of our community, and we wanted to celebrate and support our local community.”  

Junior and executive treasurer Lilly Chrisopoulos stated the council kept safety protocols in mind during the planning phase.  “We spent a lot of time trying to make activities fun and easy to participate in while abiding to Covid-19 restrictions,” Chrisopoulos said. “At the end of the week I was really thrilled to find out we raised so much.”

A main event offered by student council was “Flock your Friends,” where students and families donated to a have a flock of flamingos displayed on their yard for a day. Another event was Teacher Cameos, where students paid to have a teacher share or send a video message. In addition, first hour classes competed to raise money to earn an asynchronous class period.

Moreover, council members conducted an online raffle with gift card packages purchased from local businesses. Finally, classmates were encouraged to share pictures according to each spirit day, which varied from recommending a movie to posting a picture of a pet.  “The final total made me absolutely ecstatic,” senior and executive first vice president Justin Esdale said. “However, the result is about more than the numbers, it’s about the fact that we were able to design this entire week without any precedent.”

According to the organization’s website, the mission of Alex’s Saints Foundation is “to provide life-changing emotional and financial assistance to young adults and their families, who struggle with addiction, while empowering long term recovery.”

Chairman and Founder Tyler Bettelon, a 2013 Athens graduate and classmate of Alex St. Pierre, established Alex’s Saints Foundation in May 2020 in memory of his friend.  “We started this organization in honor of our best friend and former Athens student, Alex St. Pierre, who was taken away from us the day before his 25th birthday due to an accidental drug overdose,” Bettelon said.  Bettelon stressed that it is important to bring awareness to the current opioid epidemic, especially during the pandemic. According to Bettelon, overdose deaths are up over 20% since the pandemic started, and thus it is vital to always check up with loved ones and to support them.  

Senior and Executive President Michael Awwad was pleased that the week was organized to help others in need, and as a way for the senior class to be involved in a final charitable event.

“Raising money for Alex’s Saints Foundation was very important because in a time where mental health is more important now than ever before, unfortunately addiction is a path that people turn to,” Awwad said. “To be able to raise awareness and provide support to such a cause is vital during these times, as well as supporting our local businesses and bringing the community together.”

Senior and executive second vice president Sydney Kott agreed.  “This has been such a crazy year, and I knew that it was a blessing we were able to do anything,” Kott said. “I know Alex's Saints Foundation will be able to do great things with the money raised. The week also helped raise awareness for locally owned businesses in our area, which makes me very happy that we got people interested in these businesses.”

"Knowing that Charity Week would not happen, our kids still found a way to help our community,” student council co-adviser Dina Chrisopoulos said. “As always, I am so proud to be a part of such a great group of students who decided to support a local charity which is in honor of one of our former students."  “I am honored to work with this year’s council to help them forge ahead to find a way to lead and serve,” student council co-adviser Shawn DuFresne added. “The kids have been so resilient and positive throughout the year. They kept all options open and focused on what they could control.”

Bettelon emphasized his organization is humbled by the support of the Athens community.  “We are incredibly grateful to be chosen as the charity for Community Week,” Bettelon said. “As an alumni, it is truly humbling to be part of this tremendous week at Athens.”

 For more information on Alex’s Saints Foundation, visit their website: https://alexssaints.org/

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Photos courtesy of Troy Schools:

 --Athens High School student council representatives Erin Swartz, junior (left), and Jessica Jansen, freshman, share a flock of flamingos planted in a student’s yard as a fundraiser for the school’s Community Week held recently.

 --The sign accompanying the flock of flamingos as a fundraiser for Athens High School Community Week.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel today announced Troy High alum Lynsey Mukomel (2011) as her new press secretary in the Office of Public Information & Education.  

"I am excited to have Lynsey join our team and am confident she will be an asset to this office," Nessel said. "Her career experience in news provides insight and perspective I believe will further strengthen my department and our commitment to serving the people of this great state." One of her former teachers at Troy High, Michelle Tedder, agreed, saying:  “Lynsey was a student that stood out among the crowd, and it was easy to see that she would make a name for herself.  She is a positive role model for young girls, and I am so proud of all the work she has accomplished."

Prior to joining the Michigan Department of Attorney General, Mukomel was an anchor and reporter for WOOD TV in Grand Rapids. Her work on important stories often led to contact with the department - including coverage of the Larry Nassar investigation, Flint water crisis and lawsuits related to the 2020 presidential election. 

Mukomel is a Columbia College Chicago graduate, and a Troy High graduate from the class of 2011.

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Photo courtesy of Michigan Department of the Attorney General

It’s been quite a year.  And even though many fine arts ensembles were unable to meet, practice and perform as they were used to doing, Troy was still named a 2021 Best Community for Music Education by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) and the Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas.  The award recognizes the outstanding efforts of teachers, administrators, parents, students and community leaders who have made exemplary music education part of the curriculum.

This is the 14^th consecutive year Troy has received this elite designation, and it is especially impressive given this year’s pandemic challenges changed so much of how our music programs functioned.  “Our music programs at the middle- and high-school levels—choir, band and orchestra—by nature are ensemble programs,” said TSD Instrumental Music Coordinator Joe Havrilla.  “This has been a year of adaptation and growth for performing arts teachers in the Troy School District as they need to continually “pivot” between 100% virtual -vs- hybrid classroom situations. Throughout this time, they have been able to maintain a varied and valuable curriculum for students.  Some activities from previous years have been adapted to the new learning settings, but most of the music learning students are engaged in today are being created by teachers for their unique situations.” 

One of the most difficult tasks has been simultaneous teaching to both in-seat and virtual students, while keeping each group engaged and active in the learning process. Teachers have risen to the challenge and created lessons and methods that can engage students, regardless of their physical location.  In addition, new technology advancements have enabled students to develop their skills and knowledge using programs such as Acapella, iMovie, SmartMusic, Garageband, and Noteflight.  These expanded options have also helped the struggling student musicians, allowing them more opportunities to work with teachers and get the support they need to be successful.

Throughout the pandemic, the Troy School District has made it a priority to maintain and support the Performing Arts.  Music classes at all levels were adapted for online learning so that students continued to receive a well-rounded education and all music teachers retained their positions. “As we returned to a hybrid learning situation teachers rose to the challenge of providing rewarding lessons for simultaneous in-seat and virtual students,” concluded Havrilla.  “Our staff has continually reimagined ways to provide enjoyable and educational opportunities for students to make music.”

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Photo courtesy of the Troy School District:  Troy High’s Orchestras began the school year by getting creative and making music under a big tent, in order to accommodate COVID protections and social distancing. 

Congratulations to Biology Competitions Club Members and/or AP Biology Students on the following recent accomplishments: 

 At the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium Jasmine Wu (senior) won 2^nd Place and $1,500 for her research presentation titled: Modeling Michigan West Nile Virus Cases Amid Climate Change. Aryan Singh (sophomore) won 4^th Place for his project titled: Hyperglycemic conditions impair lung epithelial innate response to Klebsiella pneumoniae infection.   

 Claire Wu (junior), Jasmine Wu (senior), Alex Xu (senior), and Ray Zhang (sophomore) are all Semifinalists for the USA BioOlympiad having scored in the top 10% of the nation against over 9,000 students on this very challenging multiple-choice exam and will compete in April to become finalists.  

At the Science Fair of Metro Detroit, Angela Xu (junior), Ethan Chen (junior), and Jonathan Chen (sophomore) are the Grand Award Winners for their research on Non-contact Continuous Cardiovascular Monitoring System and they won a Yale Science and Engineering Association Award. This team will now compete at the ISEF Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair in May.   

Also, at the Science Fair of Metro Detroit, Deepti Aggarwal (sophomore) and Sanya Chawla (junior) won 1^st Place for their research on the Measurement of Reactive Nitrogen Species Using Automated Western Blot System along with an award from the Society for In Vitro Biology. Sonnet Xu (sophomore) won 2^nd Place for her research on A Machine Learning Approach to Mortality Prediction in Maintenance Hemodialysis and an award from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Sneha Dinda (senior) won 3^rd Place for her research on Mechanochemical Synthesis of Nanocrystalline Hydrooxyapatite. Gary Xu (junior) won 4^th Place for his research on Properties of Stella Binaries and an award from the American Statistical Association.  

The Wyland National Mural and Art Challenge awarded Annie He (senior) the 12^th Grade Individual Artist Winner which included a $50 gift card for her impressive entry shown below. 

The Boys & Girls Club of Troy (BGCT) and Troy Athens High School are proud to announce that Athens senior Ian Clark was selected as the 2021 Boys & Girls Club of Troy (BGCT) Youth of the Year. This is his first time winning this award after being selected as the Jr. Youth of the Year recipient in 2020. Ian will now compete against members of other Boys & Girls Clubs in the state for the Michigan Youth of the Year title and a $5,000 college scholarship courtesy of program sponsors which include Toyota and Mondelez International.

As the 2021 Youth of the Year honoree for the Boys & Girls Club of Troy, the 17-year old is among hundreds of teens across the country being recognized by Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) for sound character, leadership skills and willingness to give back to the community.

BGCA's premier youth recognition program, Youth of the Year is the highest honor a Boys & Girls Club member can receive. The program encourages Club members to reach their full potential by achieving academic success, leading healthy lifestyles and contributing to their communities.

"Ian has been one of the most active members at the Boys & Girls Club of Troy. From being a leader in our Keystone Club or helping kids grow as one of our Leaders In Training and as a Junior Staff, Ian has become an outstanding young leader. We have witnessed him grow over his 10 years at the Club and has become a positive role model for all of our youth here. I'm amazed by not only by how far Ian has come both academically and personally, but that he continues to give back to the club that has given him so much," said Boys & Girls Club of Troy CEO Jeff Evans. "His talent, personality and work ethic make him a well-deserved representative of the Boys & Girls Club of Troy and the local community."

"It is an honor to represent the Boys & Girls Club of Troy as the 2021 Youth of the Year," said Ian. "I thank the Boys & Girls Club of Troy for helping to grow me into the person that I am today. Thank you for providing me with a platform to share my story, to grow my voice, and to show pride and respect for my Club. I will also make sure that everyone knows how amazing it is to be a part of a great environment, the Boys & Girls Club of Troy."

Ian has been a member of the Boys & Girls Club for ten years. He has volunteered in a number of roles throughout the Club, most notably in leadership roles in the Keystone & Torch Clubs. Additionally, Ian has volunteered throughout the Club’s program areas and the Club’s Adopt-A-Road cleanup effort. Ian has also worked at the Club as a Junior Staff for the past two years and will be a part of this year's Summer Staff. He credits the Club with helping him to find his passion for math and science through the Club’s STEM programs. He plans to follow his passion to get a degree in Civil Engineering at Lawrence Technological University.

Each year, thousands of Club teens participate in local, state and regional Youth of the Year events. Six teens, including five regional winners and a national military youth winner, advance to Washington, D.C., for the National Youth of the Year Gala & Celebration Dinner, where one outstanding young person is named Boys & Girls Clubs of America's national teen spokesperson. The National Youth of the Year is a role model, leader and advocate for the nearly four million youth served by Boys & Girls Clubs each year, and all of America's young people.

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Photo of Ian Clark courtesy of the Clark Family and Troy School District

Troy High ‘20 graduate Isabella Hom recently earned the rank of Eagle Scout, becoming the first female Eagle Scout in Troop 1707G and the city of Troy.  She joins the national inaugural class of female Eagle Scouts, since Scouting BSA opened its program to female youth in 2019 and is one of only 1,000 female Eagles across the country and of 35 in the state of Michigan.

“I have been a scout since elementary school, moving up the ranks and completing projects,” said Hom, whose family has quite a history with the Scouting program.  “My twin brother, Alex, is an Eagle (received in 2018) and my father was a ‘life rank,’ (the step just before Eagle).  My mom’s father and brother were also Eagles, and my mother was an Eagle Coach, who advised and helped scouts along their Eagle journey.”  Scouting was something her family took pride in, and Bella appreciated the leadership opportunities and opportunities to help people by doing service projects.  “When Scouting opened their Eagle ranks to girls, I knew it was something I wanted very much to pursue,” said Bella.  And so she chose a project idea and pushed her way forward.

Her Eagle project benefited a homeless shelter in Pontiac by providing hygiene kits, touchless thermometers, pulse oximeters, blood pressure monitors, and Naloxone medical supply cabinets.  To fund these purchases, she organized Scouts to collect over 21,000 bottles and cans ($2,100), more than doubling her original goal of $800.  The main purpose was always to help others, but Hom developed some personal skills along the way.  “I learned the importance of communication, and of being organized,” she said, skills that will carry her into a successful future.  “The Scouting Motto is ‘Be Prepared.’  Throughout my Eagle process I really learned organization, preparedness and time management,” continued Hom, who is a freshman Health Sciences major at U of M Dearborn. 

And as a former member of the Troy Colt Marching Band, Hom had the privilege of being asked to be the Bugler for the inauguration of the first class of female Eagle Scouts, held online this past weekend, and visible at:  Be the Change .

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Photos courtesy of Troy Schools and the Hom family

Over the last year, our community has spent many hours logged on to devices and in front of screens for work and school. It has also been difficult to stay physically active for adults as well as students.  The teachers in the TSD Elementary physical education department recognized this, and brainstormed ways they could help their students stay engaged and connected, and provide some fun, community activity and exercise opportunity.

And so, the “Log Off & Lace Up!” virtual walk and run was created--a virtual 1-Mile, 2-Mile or 5K run/walk that ALL students, families and staff can participate in. “Exercise is incredibly important, not just for physical but for mental health,” said Bemis PE teacher Sarah Redden.  “Things are closed down, people aren’t doing their regular sports or activities, and it is so important for everyone—not just kids—to get some exercise,” agreed Hamilton/Barnard PE teacher Christina Attard.

What is a virtual run?  Because of the continued COVID situation, it was unwise to try to plan a “physical” 5K.  (Think about lots of runners close together, on your marks, get set, go!) Instead, people have the opportunity to sign up for FREE, and choose from several suggested routes including the tracks at Troy Athens and Troy High tracks and at all 4 of our Middle School (Baker, Boulan, Larson & Smith).  You can even choose routes at many Troy parks, including Jaycee, Firefighters, and Raintree among several others, and several trails including at the Troy Stage Nature Center and the Sylvan Glen golf course.  You choose the route, and then walk/run it on your own time and at your own pace.

Feeling a little out of shape?  You can even set up an online training plan, in order to get in shape for your very own virtual run/walk.  

“Log Off & Lace Up” is free and open to all ages, so there’s no excuse not to run!  Registration is online, from March 1 – 31, and training and racing at your own pace will be completed from April 1 – May 31.  Free printable running bibs will be provided, and race apparel to show your spirit is available for purchase through the Varsity Shop in Birmingham, who are providing the items at cost (no markup or profit).  “We made the run FREE because our main goal is to get people moving,” said Redden.  With all the time spent in front of computers and activities being canceled, people are spending less time being active. “This event is definitely not limited to people in Troy School District, but is open to anyone, anywhere.  “We would love to get people all over motivated to get moving.”

To register, choose a route, get prepared, or for more information, visit https://logoffandlaceup.weebly.com/. 

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There’s something in the water at Barnard Elementary in Troy. The popular 2021 Oakland County Kids’ Clean Water Calendar Contest has resulted in great work being submitted by local fourth and fifth grade student artists across the county, and yet another sweep by Barnard Elementary School (Troy) students. Out of nearly 200 4^th and 5^th grade art submissions from across the County, Barnard 4^th grader Aditya Yogesh, won the grand prize with his artwork titled, “Save Water, Save Nature” and is featured on the cover of the 2021 Kids’ Clean Water Calendar.

“When we learned about how so many countries in the world do not have access to safe drinking water, I wanted to create awareness about saving our water resources,” said Yogesh.  Barnard teacher Gwen Simon encourages her students to participate in the annual contest because “…they know how vital the Great Lakes are to everyone in Michigan and know how important it is to protect our waterways.”  The poster contest gives students a chance to teach others some of the ways we can have a positive impact on our environment.  And its something Simon and the staff at Barnard have been on top of (literally) for years. 

Out of the last 12 years, 5 Barnard students have been Grand Prize Winners, 37 have been Monthly winners, 32 have been Honorable Mentions and 47 have been Special Acknowledgement winners.  That’s a lot of Bluejays, and this contest has become part of the fabric of what they do over at Barnard. “We are grateful that the WRC continues to honor our students for not only their beautiful artwork, but also for the important messages they share about protecting our waterways,” continued Simon.

The winners are selected by a panel of special guests.  “The Kids Clean Water Calendar Contest is one of my favorite annual projects,” said Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner Jim Nash.  “The fourth and fifth graders put great effort into their art and they learn a lot about how they can protect the environment and our water resources now and when they grow up.” 

The 2021 calendar artwork gallery can be viewed at www.oakgov.com/water/resources/education/calendar-contest , and calendars can be ordered and picked up at the listed local libraries, including the Troy Public Library.

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Photo of Aditya Yogesh courtesy of the Troy School District and Oakland County Water Resources Commission.

On Tuesday, the Troy School Board swore in two current trustees for their next 6 year terms:

Dr. Nancy Philippart, Trustee, has been a resident of Troy for 30 years and is serving her 12th year on the Board. She is married and has three Troy School District graduates. Dr. Philippart is a former engineer and executive in the automobile industry, currently owns and manages an early stage investment fund that supports local entrepreneurs and is an adjunct professor in the engineering and business schools at Wayne State University. She holds a PhD in Industrial Engineering, an MA in Economics from Wayne State University, an MS in biomedical/civil engineering from Carnegie-Mellon University, and a BS in Industrial Engineering also from Wayne State University.

And Vital Anne, Trustee, our newest Board Trustee, has been a resident of Troy for 16 years. She is married and has two daughters – a graduate from IA-East and a junior at Athens. Mrs. Anne is an IT professional with STEM background and has more than 25 years of experience in various roles from Project Engineer to Vice President. She has a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University.

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Pictured with Mrs. Anne are her husband Siva Balusu, and daughter Nitya Balusu 

Pictured together are Mrs. Anne and Dr. Philippart

Pictured taking the oath is Dr. Philippart

It started out as a way to pass the time and learn a little something during an are-we-there-yet summer car ride, when Hamilton 5^th grader, Lucy Spangler first learned about Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.  Lucy’s mom Courtney plugged into a podcast based on the book “Bedtime Stories for Rebel Girls,” which told the life stories of strong women including Cleopatra, Jane Austen, Amelia Earhart, Coco Chanel, Serena Williams and Ginsburg.    

 

From the very first chapter, Lucy was hooked. “I loved that her nickname was ‘Tiny but Mighty,’” Lucy said, “My nickname is also Tiny, and it was her life story, how she overcame illnesses, pursued higher education when not many women did, and became only the 2^nd woman in history to be a Supreme Court Justice that really interested me.”  From there, Lucy read books and learned more about Ginsburg online, and collected RBG memorabilia.  She even dressed up as the Justice for Halloween (the resemblance was uncanny!)

 

Lucy’s connection to RBG comforted her during the pandemic, and she started asking herself WWRBGD (What Would Ruth Bader Ginsburg Do?) when faced with problem situations.  She even sent her a handwritten birthday card for her 87^th birthday in March.  Sadly, Ginsburg never responded, and passed away on September 18, 2020.  “It was like I lost an admired friend or family member,” said Lucy, who feels more strongly than ever about celebrating and remembering RBG’s legacy.  “She embodied ‘girl power,’ and showed through her perseverance and leadership that girls can do anything, and to never give up.”  Lucy admired the fact that while Ginsburg was on the Supreme Court, she made tough decisions and always wanted to do the right thing regardless of who disagreed.  Excellent lessons to learn that can carry us through dark times, and push us all forward.

 

And just recently, Lucy connected with a group called ‘Notorious RBG’ (a cheeky nickname for Ginsburg) who put on a virtual charity 5K run in RBG’s name.  “My mom and I did the run, and were proud that the proceeds went to women’s charities.”  Just like RBG would have wanted. 

 

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Photos courtesy of Troy Schools and the Spangler family