HOLLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL students receive Chromebooks!

Holland Elementary School students recently received some welcomed technology. Kindergarten, first and second grade students now all have access to Chromebooks!

RANDALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL celebrates Cinco-De-Mayo

What do the colors red, white and green, along with sombreros and celebrations, have in common?

It's Cinco-De-Mayo!

Mrs. Holstein's first graders at Randall Elementary School had fun celebrating the Cinco-De-Mayo holiday.

They made a book, watched a short movie on BrainPop Jr. Website, listened to Mexican music, and made sombrero hats!

It was a fun learning time for all students.

MYERS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Student Council walks the walk

The Myers Elementary School Student Council purchased and planted flowers in the front of the building after cleaning up the yard.

Students that participated are Destiny Taylor, Kyng Winters, Joseph Anthony, Amia Rembert, Everest Reyes, Kenneth Aljumail, Jaylin Boggin, Aubrey Zalenski, SaMia Wade and Kyle Gayk.

TRUMAN HIGH SCHOOL'S Amario Massey shines in California

(NOTE: via Dave Herndon, The News-Herald Newspapers)

Amario Massey will live on in Truman High School history.

He recently travelled to Anaheim, California to compete in the International DECA Conference. Not only was he the first Truman student to ever place, but he finished in the top two in his event among all the students who compete in DECA worldwide.

Three other Truman students also went to the competition, but they only attended various training academies, rather than compete with the thousands of students who were there. Those students were Sara Sherazi, Kirsten Collett and Junaid Syed.

Massey competed in the hotel and lodging management division.

He earned the honor of attending the international conference by qualifying at the DECA State Career Development Conference, held in March at Cobo Center in Detroit.

At the international conference he was given two different role play activities and a test, each was scored independently of the others for a total of three potentials honors to be earned.

Massey knows he finished in the top two for one of the role-play activities, but won’t find out his final standings for another few weeks.

“I know it was for one of the role-plays, but not which one,” he said.

The role-play activities require the student to read over a scenario, and then act out how they would fix it to the customer and the fictional hotel’s satisfaction. They are only given about 10 minutes to figure out their course of action.

Massey also got a $750 scholarship for his efforts.

The other three each received scholarships from DECA to cover the cost of attending the conference, but all had to fund their own trips to the conference.

There were several different learning academy opportunities and each student went to a different one so they could bring back information and training to their classmates.

“This really is a great learning opportunity for them,” Truman marketing teacher and DECA advisor Carly Lundgren-Barnard said. “They all learned a lot from this trip.”

Massey served as the DECA president, and Sherazi as the vice president for the year.

“I’ve already got my project picked out for next year,” Sherazi, a junior, said. “I want to win.”

The other three students are all seniors and will graduate out of the program.

The conference, held April 26-29 at the Anaheim Convention Center in California, drew over 19,000 DECA members from across the globe who competed in projects.

DECA is an international organization that prepares students in marketing, management and entrepreneurship.

KENNEDY & TRUMAN HIGH SCHOOLS to sponsor suicide prevention roundtable

The recently released Netflix series “13 Reasons Why” deals with the main character listing the 13 reasons why she wants to die.

The staff at Kennedy and Truman high schools wants to make sure that students understand issue, and are planning an educational night to help combat those types of feelings.

Fliers for the educational program were going home with students this week, and the program will be held at 5-7 p.m. May 25 at the Taylor Human Service Community Room, 26650 Eureka Road.

Social worker Sandra Kluk said the night, entitled “13 Ways to Reach Out,” will be a roundtable discussion on suicide prevention and tips to aid in prevention.

“No matter what your stance is, we need to talk about suicide,” she wrote on the flier for the event.

Kluk said the event coincides with other Mental Health Awareness Week activities.

YOUTH ARTS COMPETITION offers fun prizes

The City of Taylor and the Taylor Farmer’s Market are holding a Youth Arts Competition, sponsored by MI Custom Signs and the Downriver Council for the Arts. Students in three categories will vie for various honors.

According to the rules and requirements (see below), the contest is open to Taylor residents or students in the Taylor Schools. The artwork must be submitted to the Taylor Community Library by May 23, and will be on display at the opening day of the Taylor Farmer’s Market, sponsored by Beaumont, from noon to 7 p.m. on Friday, June 2.

The winners of the contest will be announced at 5 p.m. that day.

The categories are split into three age divisions: 5-8, 9-12 and 13-18. The top three artists from each group will be featured in the Taylor Today Magazine and their artwork will be featured in City Hall throughout the summer.

First-place prizes include iPad minis, $20 gift certificates to Pips Paint Pub and a Taylor Recreation basket. Second-place awards will be two tickets to Greenfield Village and a Taylor Recreation basket. Third-place winners will receive a Taylor Recreation basket.

There will also be specialty award for "most creative" and "Farmer’s Market Choice, with the prize being a summer camp gift certificate from the Council for the Arts. 

All artists who enter will receive a prize (Northwest Pool pass, splash pad pass or batting cage pass).

All entries must be dropped off at the Taylor Community Library by Tuesday, May 30.

The library is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Artwork can be no larger than 18 by 20. Oil, acrylic, pen, pencil, watercolor, pastels, chalk and crayon will be accepted.

TAYLOR PARKS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL welcomes special guest

Taylor Parks Elementary School third-graders recently welcomed a very special guest, Genot Picor. 

As a part of Michigan studies, storyteller Genot (aka “Winter Elk”) kept the students in Mrs. Godfreys' and Mrs. McLaughlins' classes captivated with his stories of Michigan Native American Folklore.

In addition to his stories, Genot gave the students the opportunity to examine life-sized animal tracks, along with animal furs and skulls native to our area. The students loved their 'back in time' experience.