Upcoming Events:
May 31, 2009
Distinguished Alumni Recipient speaks at the Lakeshore High School Graduation Ceremony.
August 10, 2009
LEF 7th Annual Golf Outing
LehrerDance Residence
Berrien County Dancers is about to begin a $7,000 fundraising campaign to provide a unique guest residency that will involve both students and the community. Partial funding has been awarded by the Lakeshore Excellence Foundation through a Foundation Project Grant. BCD will need to raise the rest before the residence can be scheduled.
LehrerDance is an inspiring and innovative contemporary dance company based in Buffalo, New York. The LehrerDance residence will be unlike any other previously hosted by BCD. It involves having the entire company, rather than a single choreographer, work with the dancers for an entire week. It also includes community master classes and a public performance by LehrerDance in the Lakeshore Community Auditorium.
Lakeshore Auto Shop and Welding Students Helping Out
Thanks to the group effort of the auto shop and welding students of Mr. Carr and Mr. Haygood at Lakeshore High School, the new Holly Woods Nature Loop has been created and connected to the existing walking track. These high school students donated time to assist in the preparation and the hauling of the stone under the guidance of Creative Landscaping. It was a muddy job, and their service was greatly appreciated!
With funding through a Lakeshore Excellence Foundation grant, the crushed stone path will allow handicapped accessibility to the Holly Wood Nature Area. Since the early 90’s, classes at Hollywood have planted native Michigan trees to be used for nature study. More recently prairie plants have been added to extend learning. The trees have now matured, and the area is being developed for “hands-on” nature study experiences for our community. Signage, benches, and a teaching station are in the future plans. The plan also includes wildlife habitat supports such as bat and owl houses, a bluebird trail (installed by Michael Bakos as an Eagle Scout project), and critter boards to enhance learning about animals as well. What a tremendous team effort! Come and enjoy nature in the Holly Woods! |
Announcements: |
Lakeshore Excellence Foundation Time to Tee Off for Excellence - August 10, 2009
The Lakeshore Excellence Foundation is currently planning their 7th Annual Golf Outing. The event is set for August 10, 2009. Register now! The scramble will again be held at Berrien Hills Golf Course with four-person teams teeing off for 18 holes of golf. Lunch will be provided. Prizes, raffle items, and a good time are guaranteed!
LEF relies on monies raised at this annual event to fund programs that enhance, enrich, and supplement learning opportunities for students, staff, and community members in the Lakeshore School District. This is LEF’s primary fundraiser of the year, so please support the foundation by playing, sponsoring a hole, or making a donation.
Details and Registration Form
Out With the Old … In With the New -- Thanks to an LEF Foundation Grant!
Recently, some very exciting new equipment arrived at the middle school! This technology is dramatically changing the way Mrs. Stover and Ms. Knaack are teaching 7th grade science.
“We were able to “retire” our old overhead projectors, and move on to a system that allows us to make learning more fun and exciting for our students.” Laptop computers, LCD projectors, document cameras, and sets of student clickers arrived thanks to a Lakeshore Excellence Foundation grant.
It is now possible to project information onto a large screen using PowerPoint and other presentation software. The ability to take students beyond the classroom walls has been opened by accessing the World Wide Web and projecting that as well. Furthermore, video can be inserted into Power- Point lessons, so students can watch a one or two minute video clip about a specific concept that is being taught.
Additionally, a document camera is connected to the LCD projector. This equipment works much like an overhead projector, except that any object can be projected onto a big screen without the use of a transparency. Students can now watch exactly what their teachers are doing; such as, the demonstration of a dissection, or even learn how to operate science lab equipment. “Every student in the classroom can now easily see exactly what we are doing, no matter where he sits.” Prior to having this equipment, it was often difficult to show students how to utilize lab equipment, and other teaching tools, since it could be hard for everyone to see.
Another exciting addition to our rooms are the individual clickers for students. This equipment allows us to review material and check for understanding. Each student can participate by pointing their clicker (similar to a remote control) at the screen and, basically, vote for their personal answer choice -- much like playing a video game. We have certainly gone from “good” to “great” in regards to classroom equipment.
A heartfelt thanks goes out to the Lakeshore Excellence Foundation for awarding us an innovation grant, which truly transforms our classrooms and impacts “every child, every day” in such a positive way.
STUDENTS ATTEND SOUTHWESTERN MICHIGAN ECONOMIC CLUB
High school students from Lakeshore and surrounding area high schools have enjoyed a season of exceptional, high profile speakers at the Southwestern Michigan Economic Club, sponsored in tandem by the Economic Club and the Lakeshore Excellence Foundation. Between May 27, 2008 and May 28th, 2009, approximately 200 students have benefited from speeches by the following lineup of dignitaries: Prime Minister Tony Blair, former Chief of Staff/Senior Advisor Karl Rove, former Governor of Arkansas and Republican Presidential Candidate Mike Huckabee, former Chief Political Correspondent Richard Reeves, Steve Kroft-Correspondent for 60 Minutes, former Secretary of State/National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, and the former President George W. Bush.
National and international interests and events, current affairs, political insider information, along with personal insights and first hand accounts, were just some of the special lessons high school attendees were privileged to learn from the people who influence our country and our world, and who report the news to the public. Students commented after each and every event that they were walking away with changed attitudes, new insights, and enlightened visions of our country and world. The speakers frequently shared points of view much more introspective and generally not available as part of media reporting, which helped attendees take a “bigger picture” look at issues and occurrences going on in the world today. Many of the speakers this season are generally regarded as more conservative in their thinking, yet students were surprised to find they had great respect and a new perception of them and their philosophy, even if they had a more liberal philosophy on various issues themselves. The students commented wholeheartedly that they learned it is very important to dig deeper than news programs and articles to really get to the bottom of issues and acquire input needed to make intelligent decisions and comments about the goings-on in our world.
Much thanks and appreciation to the Southwestern Michigan Economic Club.
|
