NEVER TOO EARLY
There are more than 4,000 colleges and universities in the United States, with 93 in Michigan alone. In January, students in fifth through eighth grades were challenged to send a letter to at least one out-of-state college, asking them to send back materials that could be used to advertise their school. After they hear back from the schools, students will display their materials during a “It’s Never Too Early to Think about College” open house.
BE THE CHANGE
Northwestern High School recently teamed up with the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan to provide an on-site food pantry for its students. A key focus for YouthQuest is volunteerism and civic engagement, teaching students how they can make a difference in their own community. As such, YouthQuest students have played an active role in the pantry, helping unload deliveries, record inventory and keep the space clean. With their help, the pantry is better able to serve the school’s students, providing those who use its services with ingredients for a complete family meal.
HITTING THE ICE
Knowing that physical fitness can positively benefit both health and academic performance, YouthQuest staff aim to help expose students to a variety of physical fitness activities. In January, for instance, many of YouthQuest’s middle and high school students visited Crystal Fieldhouse Ice Arena for an afternoon of ice-skating fun. While some of the teens and pre-teens played broomball in one rink, others practiced their skating skills in the venue’s second rink. For many of the students, this was the very first time they had ever put on a pair of ice skates.
FINDING BALANCE IN ART
Alexander Calder was an American sculptor known as the originator of the mobile. This month, students learned about Calder’s life and practiced his technique as they made their own hanging mobile sculptures using wire coat hangers, fishing line and cardstock. Family and friends will see some of the resulting pieces on display during this year’s ArtQuest, which carries the theme of “Meet the Masters.”
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE