MHS StUDENTS EARN TOP AWARDS at mipa jOURNALISM CAMP
Three Monroe High School students – Samantha Drougel, Gabriella Anderson, and Emilia McLeod – earned four of the highest awards presented at the 2020 Michigan Interscholastic Press Association (MIPA) Summer Journalism Workshop.
Only ONE award is given for the Staff Challenge which is open to all of the student journalists at the prestigious journalism camp hosted by Michigan State University. This year’s challenge focused on designing plans for the upcoming school year, and the award was presented to Lotus Leaf Co-Chief Editors, Sam and Gabby.
The MIPA summer camp features in-depth classes led by nationally-recognized scholastic journalism teachers and professional journalists from across the country. It is normally held on the MSU campus, but this year’s program featured two 2-week sessions held virtually. Students could enroll in one class each session.
For each class, MIPA presents a few Excellence Awards and one top award – the Sparty. Emilia received an Excellence Award in Social Media. Sam received an Excellence Award in Broadcasting and a Sparty in Podcasting, which is especially notable since she did her first podcast in spring, 2020.
“I am exceptionally proud of our students,” Dr. Julie Everly, Monroe Public Schools Superintendent, said. “The awards reflect not only the level of individual journalistic excellence each student achieved but also the collective time and effort these student leaders and their advisor, Alison Drougel, have invested to elevate the quality and expand the reach of Monroe High School’s student media.”
Over the past year, the MHS student newsletter has evolved into the Lotus Leaf Media Outlet. It now features an online flip format, breaking news, social media channels, broadcasts, and podcasts. The MHS journalists use SNO apps (School Newspapers Online) to integrate the media into a single hub at lotusleaflive.com.
Mrs. Drougel said her journalism students remained highly engaged throughout the COVID-19 closure.
“The students continue to find new ways to use technology to deliver the news. The Lotus Leaf has really flourished,” Mrs. Drougel said. “They teach each other, and they support each other. They call each other when they have questions.”
Sam and Chancey Boyce, who are MHS broadcast co-anchors, now have green screens at their homes. In the spring, while schools were closed, they recorded news segments using green screens, added backgrounds, and edited the video footage to make it appear that they were anchoring together.
Mrs. Drougel said Sam and Gabby worked together over Zoom for the MIPA Staff Challenge. Their detailed plan for 2020-21 includes schedules, job descriptions, group norming procedures, and virtual bonding activities, as well as plans for writing, photography, podcasting, and video packages.
“We are tweaking the details with the supervising editors,” Mrs. Drougel said. “The Lotus Leaf team is excited to implement the plan and put it into action.”
The students are also eager to apply what they learned from the experts at the journalism camp.
Gabby participated in the Bobby Hawthorne Experience which focused on writing style.
“They showed us so many little things we can do if we just put a little more work into what we write,” Gabby said. “So many simple things can make a dramatic difference. If you just take a little more time on the simple things, it can make your writing so much better.”
Sam’s Broadcast Bootcamp included the production of MIPA Today and culminated in a film festival.
“We had guest speakers from the industry come and share techniques to make our product better,” Sam said. “My biggest takeaway was learning to always get more shots than you need, because you never know which ones you are going to use.”
Emilia is the Social Media Editor for Lotus Leaf. The social media class at MIPA helped her to think outside of the box regarding how different social media platforms are used. For one of her group projects, they used TikTok to share information about voting in Florida.
“It’s about meeting people where they are,” Emilia said, “and kids are on TikTok.”
Emilia said the workshops taught her how important journalism really is. “I realized how special the connections journalists make with people are,” she stressed, “as well how crucial it is to have individuals reporting on issues that might be overlooked otherwise.”
The camp’s virtual format didn’t hinder the curriculum or the connections.
“Even though it was online, it felt like a very personal experience,” Gabby said. “They held office hours; they wanted to get to know us. We had an assignment almost every night, and by class the next day, they had left in-depth, personal comments throughout the whole thing.”
Emilia had the opportunity to work with a boy from New York and a girl from California.
“I loved the connections I was able to make with other students,” Emilia said. “I thought that I’d feel isolated with the camp being online, but we did some amazing work together.”
Sam agreed about collaborating with other students. “What I enjoyed most was making the remote broadcasts and working with other students who care as much about broadcast as I do,” she said.
MHS Students Earn Top Honors at MIPA Journalism Camp
Please join us online on Sunday, June 14, at 6:30 p.m. for the virtual presentation of Monroe High School's Graduation Ceremony.
If you are unable to watch at 6:30, you may also use the link to view the ceremony later as many times as you wish.
Congratulations to the Monroe High School Class of 2020!
Two Monroe Public Schools students are state winners in the State of Michigan’s Earth Day Poster Contest. Ashrah Kelly’s poster was selected for First Place in the 5th grade contest, and Kailey Stump’s poster was selected for Honorable Mention in 5th grade. Both girls are students at Waterloo Elementary in Sharon Thomas’ class.
Photographs of the winning student posters are displayed on the Earth Day webpage for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy:
https://www.michigan.gov/egle/0,9429,7-135-3307_3580_66835---,00.html
The winners’ names will be announced during a livestream Earth Day Event on Wednesday, April 22, 10-10:30 a.m. (link provided in attached EGLE news release).
2020 marks the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day.
MPS Students Are State Winners in Earth Day Poster Contest
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Monroe Public Schools Food Service and Transportation staff prepared and delivered nearly 1,800 student meals on the first day of the state-ordered school closures. Governor Gretchen Whitmer ordered the closure of all K-12 Michigan schools to slow the spread of Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19).
On Saturday, MPS announced plans for bus drivers to make stops throughout the district on weekday mornings to drop off boxed meals for students and children 18 and under. Meals are also being passed out, Monday-Friday, at Monroe Middle School, from 10 a.m. until noon.
March 16th was the first day for food delivery, and the response was tremendous. Almost 900 meal boxes, each containing two meals (breakfast AND lunch), were distributed to children in the school community.
“Our food service workers and bus drivers were the champions of Monroe today!” Superintendent Dr. Julie Everly proclaimed in an email to district staff. “Amongst the unknown fear, there was joy, pride, and goodness,” she stated. “A big cheer to our Transportation and Food Service Departments!”
When school is in session, Monroe Public Schools offers free breakfast and lunch to all of the district’s students.
“We are aware that many families rely on the meals we serve each day to our students,”
Dr. Everly said. “It was a top priority for us to ensure that the children in our community continue to receive nourishing food during the days and weeks that our buildings are closed.”
Families do not need to sign up ahead of time, and no ID is required, she said. Any child, or any adult representing children, may pick up the meals. On Fridays, additional food will be distributed to provide weekend meals.
The MPS buses are also stocked with school supplies and extra charging cords that can be provided for those who need them. If a child’s Chromebook malfunctions, MPS families will also be able to send it on the bus with a repair slip to the district’s Technology staff.
Dr. Everly anticipates the numbers to grow as the program moves forward. The distribution routes and times are posted on the MPS website and were also published in the March 16th edition of the Monroe News.
Citing plans for capital projects to improve aging facilities and enhance school security, leaders at Monroe Public Schools are moving forward with the next steps to place a bond issue request on the May 5th ballot.
The Monroe Public Schools Board of Education has authorized Superintendent Dr. Julie Everly to submit the application for preliminary qualification of bonds by the State Treasurer. The action comes after more than two years of facility studies, committee meetings, community surveys, and Board work session discussions.
“We have had a team of people assessing our facilities over a number of years, and we have arrived at a time in the age of our buildings that we believe it is imperative that we give the community the opportunity to update them,” Dr. Everly said.
The request is focused on urgent facility needs and school safety. Funds from the bond issue would address critical facility repairs and upgrades, including boiler replacements, HVAC, and restrooms, and would provide secure vestibule entrances and new mass notification fire alarm and PA systems in every school.
“Projects were only included if they ranked as high priorities,” Dr. Everly emphasized, “both on facility assessments and on community surveys.”
Board President Bob Nichols said the issue is of paramount importance to the district. “We have old buildings, and we don’t know when our boilers are going to break down,” he stressed. “We need to be proactive and make upgrades to our facilities now.”
The average age of the district’s buildings is 63 years. Monroe Middle School was constructed in 1928 and is approaching the century mark. The “newest” building in the district – Monroe High School – is 45 years old. The other district buildings were built between 1949 and 1961.
“I was born in 1976. Our newest building was built in 1975,” Board member Heather Boone stated. “Every day I wake up with aches and pains, so I think the buildings may need a little bit of help.”
When the projects are completed, the district anticipates cost savings of more than $300,000 annually from energy savings and reduced operational costs. Over a period of 30 years, consultants project the savings to reach $10.7 million.
President Nichols expressed his excitement about the energy savings. “Over $300,000 savings per year!” he marveled. “How much better are we going to be able to educate our students with that influx of money?”
The cost savings reflect a conservative estimate, district leaders stressed, based on savings from new HVAC equipment, energy-efficient lighting, occupancy sensors, etc. What hasn’t been quantified is how much more MPS would have to spend in the future if the improvements and equipment upgrades are not made.
“As our equipment continues to age, we would expect maintenance and operational costs to increase,” Dr. Everly explained. “The calculations don’t include the cost to the district if a building would have to close or delay should equipment fail.”
Jerry Oley, Executive Director of Facilities, said the bond package would enable the district to implement a long-range plan for Monroe Public Schools’ buildings and assure the district’s schools and other facilities are safe, secure, and functional.
“We believe this is a necessary and very reasonable bond proposal,” Oley stated. “We’re not asking for brand new buildings. We’re asking to maintain what we have.”
MPS Board Moves Forward with Bond Issue Plans PDF
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Monroe Public Schools has announced three public hearing dates to explain the benefits of starting the 2020-2021 school year prior to Labor Day. The district has planned a September 2nd start. Public hearings will be held at the Monroe Public Schools Administration Building (1275 N. Macomb St.) on Monday, January 6, 4-5 p.m.; Wednesday, January 8, 11 a.m. – noon; and Tuesday, January 14, 8-9 a.m.
The Pre-Labor Day Start Calendar proposed by MPS would begin with a student half day on Wednesday, September 2, 2020. Students would attend a full day on Thursday, September 3. There would be no school on Friday, September 4 and Monday, September 7 (Labor Day). The remainder of the week (Tuesday, September 8 through Friday, September 11), students would attend full days.
In order to start prior to Labor Day, Michigan school districts must request a waiver from the State of Michigan. Nearly 200 waivers were granted state-wide for the 2019-2020 school year. The scheduled hearings are a requirement for the waiver. Each MPS hearing will include an informational presentation and a feedback session.
“As we continue to expand our options for students to earn college credit, it better serves our students and their families if our academic calendar is more closely aligned with college calendars,” Superintendent Dr. Julie Everly stated. “Our schools are providing instructional, enrichment, and athletic programming throughout the summer. Therefore, many students remain in our schools throughout July and August.”
Monroe Public Schools is introducing a five-year Early Middle College program this year in collaboration with Monroe County Community College, which will enable students to earn an Associate degree or certificate in addition to their high school diploma. The number of Monroe High School students participating in dual enrollment and direct credit programs also continues to grow. Monroe County Community College has not finalized its Fall 2020 start date, but MCCC students began on August 28th in 2019.
Students and staff may also appreciate the ability to avoid going later into the summer. Labor Day falls late in 2020 – September 7th. The required days of instruction for Michigan schools increased from 170 in 2012-2013 to 180 instructional days in 2016-2017, reducing flexibility for academic calendars. Starting school a little earlier shifts hotter temperature days to the start of the year, when motivation levels are higher, and provides more instructional time prior to state assessments and advanced placement tests.
Monroe Public Schools Holds Public Hearings on Pre-Labor Day Start
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Monroe High School held its 11th Annual Athletic Hall of Fame ceremony on Friday, December 6, 2019, during half-time of the Girls Varsity Basketball Game. Three individuals and two teams were honored – Amanda Arnett, Tauna Kinsey Byrd, Abigail McCollum, the 1929 Track 880 Relay Team, and the 1936 880 Relay Team.
Photo plaques of the inductees were hung in the school’s hall to permanently honor them. The inductees received special plaques inscribed with their name and bearing a figure representing the sport they excelled in.
The Eleventh Class of Honorees included:
*Amanda Arnett, Softball, 2010-2013:
Amanda was a 4-year varsity letter winner for the Trojans, who achieved numerous pitching and hitting accolades. As a pitcher, she threw 11 no-hitters, 26 shut-outs, 913 strikeouts, and 64 wins. Her career earned-run-average was 1.06. In addition to superb pitching, Amanda set numerous offensive records for the Trojans. Her season records include 68 rbi’s, 16 doubles, 15 triples, and 48 runs scored. Her career records include 188 rbi’s, 48 doubles, 36 triples, 26 home runs and 153 runs scored. Amanda was All League (4 years), All District (4 years), All Region (4 years), and All-State Honorable Mention in 2013. She accepted a softball scholarship to Ball State University, where she played 4 years.
*Tauna Kinsey Byrd, Softball, 1994-1996:
Tauna was a 3-year letter winner for the Trojans as a pitcher and infielder. During this time, she established herself as one of the region’s best pitchers. As a senior, Tauna batted .385 and posted a pitching record of 22-3. She led the MEGA Conference with 5 shut-outs. Her career records were equally impressive, as she threw 7 no-hitters, totaled 336 strikeouts and 15 shut-outs, and compiled a 33-4 record. For these accomplishments, she was named First Team All GLEA, First Team All-District in 1995, Monroe Evening News Player of the Year in 1996, and All-State Honorable Mention in 1996. Tauna received a softball scholarship to Eastern Michigan University, where she played 4 years.
*Abigail McCollum, Four Sport Athlete, 2007-2010:
Abby was a 4-sport letter winner at Monroe High School, amassing 11 varsity letters in soccer (3), basketball (3), track and field (3), and football (2). Soccer was Abby’s most dominant sport, as she set school season and career records. She is second in career goals with 81, and she set season records with 7 goals in a game and 40 goals in 2010. Abby was selected Monroe County Soccer Player of the Year twice, All Conference twice, and Region Player of the Year once. Because of Abby’s soccer skills, she was invited to try out for the 2009 Trojan football team as a kicking specialist. She came through for the Trojans by kicking 17 of 19 extra points after touchdowns. Abby was elected to play in the Monroe County All-Star game in 2010.
*1929 Track 880 Relay Team – Fred Schatte, John Benedict, Lester Clark, Ronald Sayles
In 1929, the Monroe High School Track Team was in its third year as a blossoming track power in the State of Michigan. Monroe finished 4th in the MHSAA State Meet in 1927 and 5th in 1928. The 1929 880 Yard Relay Team that finished as State Champions helped propel MHS to a 3rd place team finish to continue Monroe’s rise to prominence in Michigan Track and Field.
The 880 Yard Relay Team of Fred Schatte, John Benedict, Les Clark, and Ron Sayles distanced themselves from the rest of the field in 1:34.7. Fred Schatte also placed 1st in the 100 yard dash and 2nd in the 220 yard dash. Many of the 1929 Track Team members returned to capture Monroe’s 1st State MHSAA Championship in 1930.
*1936 Track 880 Relay Team – Ira Hughes, Percy Zimmerman, Perry Mason, Willie Campbell
The Monroe High School Track team won the 1936 MHSAA State Track Meet largely on the backs of the athletes that won the State Championship in the 880 Yard Relay Team. Ira Hughes, Percy Zimmerman, Perry Mason, and Willie Campbell dominated their relay performance with a time of 1:32.5. Monroe scored points in 8 of 12 events beyond their relay championship. Perry Mason won the 200 yard low hurdles, placed 3rd in the broad jump, and 6th in the 120 yard high hurdles. Ira Hughes won the 100 yard dash and placed 3rd in the 220 yard dash. Willie Campbell placed 2nd in the 120 yard high hurdles. Percy Zimmerman placed 6th in the 100 yard dash. Many members of the 1936 State Championship Team returned to lead Monroe back to the State Championships in 1937.
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NOTE: Plaques for team members honored posthumously were accepted by family members. The names listed below are inductee names.
Seated: Percy Zimmerman (1936 Track 880 Relay Team), Amanda Arnett (Softball), Tauna Kinsey Byrd (Softball), Abigail McCollum (Soccer, Basketball, Track, and Football).
Standing: Willie Campbell (1936 Track 880 Relay Team), Fred Schatte (1929 Track 880 Relay Team), Ronald Sayles (1929 Track 880 Relay Team), Lester Clark (1929 Track 880 Relay Team).
Also honored but not present: John Benedict (1929 Track 880 Relay Team), Ira Hughes (1936 Track 880 Relay Team), and Perry Mason (1936 Track 880 Relay Team).