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Student Leaders

Proudly sponsored by Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, learn about students at all grade levels who put their passions to work, and go “above & beyond” to serve their school, peers and community in surprising ways.

‘I want to change the world’

Northview Morgan Jarema

Ja'Kaurie Kirkland makes an impression on pretty much everyone he meets, including us. Learn what’s behind his positive outlook...

Young leaders leave a literary legacy

Student Leaders Janice Holst

Fifth graders did their research, worked with a budget and chose a new collection of books for their school as part of a new library legacy committee...

She’s a model for leadership, addressing big issues

Lowell Morgan Jarema

With a focus on local, national and global issues, Eleanor Cooper has dedicated herself to serving as a voice for minorities, an advocate for change...

This leader is always learning

Student Leaders Morgan Jarema

Elle Waldron is president of the Northview High National Honor Society, but she prefers listening to telling others what to do...

She starts small but thinks big: ‘I want girls to change the world’

Rockford Charles Honey

Rockford senior Jillian Snyman is passionate about her commitment to women’s rights, combating sexual abuse and violence, and electing strong Democratic leaders...

She’s a mentor, performer, editor with ‘a servant’s heart’

Northview Morgan Jarema

Mary Holohan is a natural leader, whether performing skits for elementary school kids or editing stories at the student newspaper...

Getting along, helping out are keys for this born leader

Kent City Janice Holst

This high school junior takes pride in keeping up her grades, but isn’t limited to classroom excellence...

School events ‘go live’ thanks to pair of juniors

Sparta Janice Holst

Thanks to the innovation and initiative of two high school computer students, others can now take a class in producing live-feed video...

A ‘drive to do good in the world’

Student Leaders Morgan Jarema

Born in Paris, Léa Schmitt and her family moved to Grand Rapids from France in time for the last few weeks of her sixth-grade year at Breton Downs. She barely spoke English...

Giving back as others gave to them

Student Leaders Erin Albanese

Three sisters, refugees from Rwanda, devote their Monday evenings to volunteering at the Learning Café, an education center in Grand Rapids that serves refugee children...

Injury, illness can’t hold back this future teacher

Student Leaders Morgan Jarema

Her junior year, another ACL suffered a tear, and that too meant a visit to a surgeon. It was while recovering from that injury that Emily was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma...

High school students spread kindness through service to larger community

Student Leaders Hannah Lentz

From volunteering at nursing homes to working with students at local elementary schools and making stickers for patients at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, students were kept busy during the sixth annual day of service...

Practicing leadership on the playground

Student Leaders Erin Albanese

Sixth-through-eighth graders are using the skills they learn in the semester-long leadership class and paying them forward helping out at the elementary school to reinforce good behavior...

Students Bring Concerns from Classroom to Council

Godfrey-Lee Erin Albanese

East Lee High School students recently served as a voice for the millions of victims of human trafficking worldwide, including thousands in West Michigan,...

Tireless Go-getter Makes Her Community a Better Place; Dreams of a Brighter Tomorrow

Godwin Heights Erin Albanese

Maria Aguirre likes to help other people's dreams come true: making sure a child has presents wrapped under the tree on Christmas morning, doing...

Getting it All on Film and Dreaming Big

Northview Charles Honey

If you want to know a bit about David Tay and the pride he takes in his school, watch this video. It’s a lip-dub he...

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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.

Ninth-grade soprano has big dreams of Broadway

Tour sparked interest in welding

He forecasts snow days with increasing accuracy

‘It’s a civic responsibility,’ teacher says of education work

Young musicians team up with orchestra to play recorders & do the hand jive

A career in auto repair? For some students, it starts in high school

Lightbulbs are going on thanks to Home Essentials class

New math curriculum spurs creative thinking

Paper quilt stitches cultures together as one colorful community

District addresses needs of autism students with smaller classrooms

Podcast: Schools hearing concerns from families over federal deportation plans

Podcast: ‘Serious fun’ leads to serious success

Student Leaders

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