KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — Communities in Schools of Kalamazoo (CIS) is set to host it’s 15th annual Champs event on Thursday, April 28.
The Kalamazoo Spice Extraction Company (Kalsec), and PNC Bank will serve as the presenting sponsors for the event which honors community partners who share in the CIS vision. In a news release issued on Monday, April 25, CIS stated their vision as one which is an engaged community where every child fulfills his or her promise by actively putting forth time, energy, talent and resources to drive this vision to reality.
This year’s champs supporting the vision include Tracy Chappell, a KPS teacher at Milwood Magnet Middle School and Alaya Hunter, a KPS student at Kalamazoo Central High School.
Other awardees on the docket include Cathy Boris who will be recognized with the Gulnar Husain Volunteer Award which recognizes CIS volunteers who emulate Gulnar’s belief that there is no greater calling than serving children. Boris supports students in at Northeastern Elementary School by providing classroom support, assisting on school beautification projects and providing one-on-one tutoring support.
Also, Diane Lang who will receive the Diether Haenike Promise of Excellence Award. This award is named for Western Michigan University President Emeritus Diether Haenicke. For more than three decades, Lang devoted herself to educating students in the Kalamazoo Public Schools, most of those years serving as a math teacher at Milwood Magnet Middle School. Since retiring in 2007, she continued to go above and beyond for kids. As a volunteer at the very school she once taught, she created a school store and engages students in learning the ins and outs of running this business. Lang also extended her reach through Communities In Schools of Kalamazoo, Pretty Lake, Kzoo Parks, and the Solstice Scholarship to help students pursue their dreams.
Also to be recognized is Jody Sikkema who will be honored for her commitment to students and families as a CIS Site Coordinator, and for her efforts of directly supporting KPS students for over 16 years. Sikkema currently works at Hillside Middle School and has coordinated vital services for hundreds of students at multiple KPS schools over the years.
Livestreamed from the Radisson, the community is invited to enjoy the celebration via YouTube by visiting the CIS Kalamazoo channel at http://CIS Kalamazoo Channel
Additional program details can be found at http://ciskalamazoo.org/champs
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