Kentwood — With safety goggles on, students cracked pieces of sediment with miniature wooden mallets to find real marine fossils.
“I found a tooth and a coral thingie!” exclaimed Autumn Peterson, a fourth-grader at Explorer Elementary School.
At stations in the biology classroom lab at East Kentwood High School, first- through fifth-graders excavated for ancient specimens during Paleontology Camp on a recent Saturday morning. They learned about dinosaurs, when they roamed the earth and the evidence left behind.
“The best part is getting them interested and excited about science,” said high school biology and environmental science teacher Heather Pruski, who is leading the camp.
The next Sunday at Kentwood Ice Arena on the East Kentwood campus, students laced up and headed out for Learn to Skate class.
“I’m really passionate about having a rink here in the community serving the district,” said coach Megan Whitley, secretary to the athletic director, who also leads Learn to Play Hockey. “The biggest thing for me is I love that this program is diverse, which looks just like our district.”
Choose any given Saturday or Sunday in Kenwood Public Schools and there’s a good chance STEM and sports classes are taking place for students, district-wide and as various as Paleontology Camp, Anatomy Camp, Animal Camp, basketball, dance, ice skating, hockey, swimming tennis, Harry Potter Book Club or Cookie-making Camp.
The district’s Kentwood Inner District Sports program has brought accessible and low-cost opportunities to students outside of the school day for the past 25 years. In 2023 KIDS offered 147 classes — a combination of sports and STEAM — serving nearly 4,000 students. That’s about 40% of the 10,000-student district, said KPS Co-Athletic Director David Emeott, who serves as the KIDS program director. Each class meets for five hours, often spread over a few weeks. The cost is typically $10 or $20.
Even more students are now participating, he said. “We are having a banner year this year. It’s bigger and better than ever,” he said.
‘I love that this program is diverse, which looks just like our district.’
— Megan Whitley, leader of Learn to Play Hockey
Sharing Skills & Passion
KIDS was started 25 years ago by then Athletic Director Bill Giarmo, who implemented an elementary basketball program with each school having a team.
Offerings grew over the years and expanded to include swimming, baseball, dance, ice skating, hockey, tennis, splash ball and wrestling. The district added STEAM and enrichment classes in the last couple years. Courses take place at athletic venues and school buildings.
“It has served as an amazing way to build relationships with our younger students,” said Emeott, who is also head track and field coach for East Kentwood High School.
He said students receive mentorship from teachers and coaches, and develop connections with school. And that improves academics, he said.
Many of the programs are coached by high school coaches and teachers like Pruski and Whitley, who are committed to share their love of the sport or subject, said Emeott. He encourages anyone with a special interest to share their ideas for a class.
“Essentially, we are able to have our experts in the district teach and coach — people with passion for spending time with kids.”
He sees students develop passions and discover talents, he added, and coaches often notice potential in students who don’t have access to higher-cost athletic options.
“It’s a great gateway to sports.”
The district is so committed to the program, Emeott said, that they are fundraising through United Way, with educators opting to donate $5 per paycheck to support KIDS.
East Kentwood biology teacher Chad VanHouten oversees science KIDS camps. He said it’s fun to hook students with things like dinosaurs and “throw Earth science” in there too.
“We are really trying to build a sense of community STEM,” VanHouten said. “We are just using resources we already have.”
Another component of KIDS is introducing high school students to teaching. Older students volunteer at the camps, earning service hours or credit for Educator Rising, a course designed for students who want to teach.
Ahnna Sisco, Hamilton Elementary and Early Childhood Center principal and mom to Jude, 7, said she loved that her son gets to spend a few Saturday mornings learning about dinosaurs.
“It’s absolutely amazing that he gets to do something that really sparks his interest and that his school invests in this opportunity,” she said.
Jude agreed it was a fun morning.
“It’s not like school work. It’s, like, really fun work.”
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