HomeProfiles of Students, Staff, TeachersMeet the Future

Meet the Future

Creative, innovative, imaginative … Many of today’s students are all that and more in a vast variety of interest areas. Meet the Future features students with exceptional and unusual gifts.

This graduate found her passion in the arena with horses

Kenowa Hills Alexis Stark

Recent Kenowa Hills High School graduate Alyxzin Taylor’s passion is spending time riding, showing and loving her two pet horses.

National Merit Scholarship winner plans career in medical field

Forest Hills Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

Two shoulder surgeries lead this Forest Hills Northern senior down the medical path to becoming an orthopedic surgeon.

Making music makes this junior feel ‘fulfilled, proud’

Godwin Heights Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

Kai Christiansen is laying tracks for a future filled with music.

Senior shutterbug lives to capture moments in time

Sparta Riley Kelley

A Sparta High School senior is getting a head start on his dream to pursue professional photography.

High school junior earns high honors in culinary

Comstock Park Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

This Comstock Park High student is cooking up a delicious career.

For pro swine handler, it’s all about family bonding

Kent City Beth Heinen Bell

Macy first got a pig of her very own to care for when she was 3; now this eighth-grader is an expert at raising and showing pigs.

Northview grad is a future forest mapper

Northview Morgan Jarema

It’s been nearly six years since Calder Burton inspired what quickly became one of our most popular series, Meet The Future. We recently checked back in with Calder, at a park, because — you’ll read why.

Fifth-grader publishes book, sequel to come

Kentwood Erin Albanese

Discover how student Isaiah Lowe became a published author and learn his plans for his next chapter.

Bespoke shoe biz signals successes to come

Kent City Beth Heinen Bell

This creative sixth-grader has started his own shoe customization business and YouTube channel to help him achieve the goal of higher education.

Already thinking page count & merch

Kent City Alexis Stark

Fourth-grader Xavier Beiter isn’t waiting until he grows up to pursue his passion of writing and illustrating comic books.

Credit to Minecraft? Student plans future in engineering

Cedar Springs Riley Kelley

Cedar Springs High School senior Joslyn Zavala is working toward a career as a civil engineer. Kent Career Tech Center, she said, helped her figure that out.

Snowboarding a ‘rush of adrenaline and happiness’ for seventh-grader

Cedar Springs Riley Kelley

Supported by his school community, this Cedar Springs seventh-grader plans to go pro with his passion for snowboarding.

‘Your brain is so powerful’

Comstock Park Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

She’s fascinated by how the human brain works, what it is capable of and what it can overcome. What has helped her reach her goals so far: communicating and taking advantage of available resources.

‘Seeing the world through the eyes of someone else’

East Grand Rapids Beth Heinen Bell

Whether it’s reading ancient Greek texts in their original language or discovering how one’s native language can affect perspective, everything about linguistics is intriguing to this recent graduate...

Change begins with love

Northview Morgan Jarema

This Northview High senior says her action is about more than a particular cause; it boils down to love...

Doing good well

Forest Hills Carol Lautenbach

Harpreet Kaur has a passion for connecting with others of different faiths...

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School News NetworkA Window into Your Public Schools

ABOUT US

School News Network reports on the 20 public school districts in Kent ISD, which enroll more than 102,000 students. Founded in 2013 as an initiative of Kent ISD, we are supported by local districts and community sponsors, and powered by an experienced team of reporters, editors and multimedia journalists. We specialize in covering classroom teaching and learning, analyzing the many issues facing students and highlighting the education magic that happens each day in our public schools.

Her career path was laid in first grade

She helps students develop language, read, write & grow

Not just a volunteer, but ‘a piece of the library’

He is demonstrating how important English is in business

Mobile Farm Science Lab ‘udder-ly’ engaging

Partnership pairs high-schoolers with scientists for real-world research

Simulated crime ties science, critical thinking & data analysis

Opportunities abound at first in-house career fair

Newcomer students experience first Thanksgiving

Learning life skills ‘where life happens’

State of the Student tackles four big topics

High-schoolers talk mental health with education leaders, legislators

Meet the Future

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