Hooray for Homecoming
Houghton Lake celebrates Spirit Week
Photos by Cheryl Holladay
     DIGGING Houghton Lake Varsity football player Zach Youngs makes a connection with the demolition car Friday during Interact's fund-raiser. The car was donated by AMR and was towed away and towed in the parade by Phil's Towing.
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DTE Energy mini-grant applications available
      The DTE Energy Foundation is accepting applications for its "Energy & Our World Mini Grants for Educators" program. The program has awarded nearly $800,000 since 1990 to teachers statewide to fund science projects that encourage students' curiosity and excitement about energy.
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RACCOON READING
     RACCOON READING Houghton Lake Public Library Youth Services Librarian Pam Bauchan joins author Nancy Shaw of Ann Arbor in a reading of Shaw's book, "Raccoon Tune," at the library Oct. 1. The book was chosen as part of the Michigan Reads! One State, One Children's Book childhood literacy program and evoked enthusiastic participation from the audience made up of pre-school and kindergarten students from Collins Elementary and throughout the area. (Photo by Thomas Reznich)
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St. Helen students, parents to play games
      St. Helen Elementary School students and their families will spend some quality time playing educational games that help youngsters master math and language arts skills Oct. 16. The school's Family Game Night is scheduled for 6 to 7 p.m. Games will be available for purchase at prices ranging from $7 to $30.
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PLOW PAINTING
     (Above) Houghton Lake Middle School eighth graders complete Phase I of a paint job on a Roscommon County Road Commission snow plow Oct. 1 in the school bus garage. The road commission donated the use of the plow, paint and supplies. Pictured are (left to right): Class Secretary Mary Rieger, President Avery Manifold, Treasurer Michaelynn Pakizer, Vice-president Ricky Press, Billie Delisle and Nichole Currie (and maintenance employee George Reiger in background). Not pictured are student Steve Press, who supervised the project, and HLMS teacher Sue Warner, who came up with the idea. (Below) After Houghton Lake High School AP Art students, supervised by long-term substitute teacher Jeremy Vaughn, painted Bobcat graphics on the plow, the road commission showcased it in the Homecoming Parade Oct. 3. (Photos by Cheryl Holladay)
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BOARD' WITH MATH
     Students in Mr. Chuck Schepke's eighth grade science tech class at Roscommon Middle School scale logs to predict the number of board feet of lumber they will produce during a field trip to Mel Legg's sawmill near Roscommon Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. The students also learned how to scale trees before they are cut into logs. Their predictions of the number of board feet that could be made were compared to the actual amount produced from Legg sawing the logs. Leading the tour of applying real life math applications and showcasing technology used at the sawmill was Ken Westphal, who also is an interpreter for Michigan's lumber history at Hartwick Pines State Park. "The students were very appreciative and excited about being close to the action, never dreaming using math 'wood' be this great," Schepke said. "This puts a positive spin of good things still happening in public education, especially when the community gets involved as Mr. Mel Legg and Mr. Ken Westphal have done." (Courtesy photo)
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CLASS OF '45
     Twelve members of the Houghton Lake High School Class of 1945 met at Coyles Sept. 23 for their 68th class reunion. According to the members attending, 23 students graduated that year, and the class has lost only four members. The Class of 1945 called the Old Stone School their alma mater. Class Secretary Eva Jean Leedy sent out the invitations and brought the scrapbook to the reunion. Pictured are (front row, left to right): George Reigle, MaryLou Webb Stuck, June Kinsel Sutton, Class Secretary Eva Jean Sanderson Leedy, Doralis Smith Vanderley and Jo Weir Hector; and (back row): Donald Riedel, William Hutson, Lee Stuck, Robert Leedy, Houghton "Bud" King and Class President Murl "Pinky" Randall. (Courtesy photo)
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Are you a 6-F teacher?
By Don Mainprize
      I've heard it said in a teachers' lounge as the school year begins, "Don't smile until Christmas, and you'll have a good year; otherwise you'll get too chummy with your captive audience." Granted, recent national school shootings have put a high awareness of violence in our consciousness. Educators must not allow the teacher-student nexus to become adversarial.
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FIRST INSTALLMENT
     Roscommon Middle School has announced its first Students of the Month for the 2008-09 academic year. They are, left to right, in front: seventh graders Heather Keene and Dustin Burkey and fifth graders Sarah Bacus and Collin O'Brien and in back: eighth graders Sarah Rondo and Matthew Holtcamp and sixth graders Kyle May and Regan Moffit. (RP)
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RES invites families to 'hoe-down'
      The annual Roscommon Elementary School Hoe-Down will take place during Family Involvement Night Oct. 16. Physical education teacher Linda Britton will teach line dancing, starting at 6:30 p.m. Fourth grade teacher Gregg Milne will then call old-fashioned square dancing.
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ON THE ROAD
     The Houghton Lake High School Marching Band performs Monday at the Cadillac Band Exhibition under the direction of Drum Major Mike Metzger. The band made its debut in the event at Cadillac High School, showcasing its Bon Jovi show. Other bands from northern Michigan appearing included Traverse City West, Traverse City Central, Chippewa Hills, Pine River, Elk Rapids, Cadillac and others. Musical selections ranged from songs by Jimi Hendrix to Queen to Stevie Wonder. (CHP)
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