More than 300 runners and walkers took off from the starting line on the Gobles High School track, followed a course around the school and community of Gobles, then returned to the finish line to complete the first annual Gobles Wellness Initiative event, called Kenzie’s Superstars, on Saturday, October 26.

The event was held as a cooperative effort between the school district and City of Gobles as a benefit for the Great Strides Against Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Event coordinator Jodi Winne called the initiative a completely positive experience for volunteers, the committee, and the participants who came out on Saturday.

“Every step of the process exceeded my expectations for our first event,” Winne said. “We will definitely do this again next fall. In fact, we’re already looking for a date that won’t conflict with the busy schedules of our students and families. We want this to be an important highlight of our community and school calendar every year. And the feedback received from participants from other communities was the event was worthwhile and well organized, so our runners and walkers will be back next year.”

Gobles Superintendent Jeff Rehlander began the walk with Gobles Mayor Carol Johnson. For Rehlander, the event was a perfect example of what makes Gobles so special.

“I can’t say enough about the support we got from the City of Gobles,” Rehlander said. “They really opened up the city for us and provided the services we needed to hold a safe and successful event. It’s just another example of how both the school district and community take care of our people. Care and concern were really on display Saturday.”

Before the start of the run and walk, participants heard from eighth-grade student Mackenzie Pennell, a student diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at age four. Mackenzie thanked the hundreds who turned out for their support of a cause that she lives with every day and the sponsors and volunteers who made the event possible.

“Mackenzie Pennell is a role model for all of us,” Winne told the assembled crowd. “She comes to school every day and does what she needs to do to take care of her health, but she walks through the hallways with a smile on her face and a positive attitude. She teaches and inspires all of us to take care of one another.”

The bridesmaid finally became the bride when the Gobles volleyball team won its first Southwestern Athletic Conference title since 1997 by going 3-0 in Saturday's tournament. The championship comes after Gobles made the title game the last four years, but never came away with a first place.

Gobles defeated Hartford (22-25, 25-15, 15-6), Lawton (25-12, 25-12, 25-23) and Decatur (25-12, 23-25, 25-22, 25-16).

"It was an intense day, but I was extremely proud of the way my players played and executed when they needed to," said Gobles coach Megan Ivester, whose team is 26-13-2. "We got off to a slow start, but rolled from there. We knew coming in we couldn't take anyone lightly and we realized that we need to worry about our side of the net and play for who we are and what we've worked for."

Michaela DeKilder had 68 kills for Gobles. Sharyena Hunt had 21 kills and 52 digs. Ellen Doyle had 22 kills and 15 blocks.

Abridged, from original article by Steve Vedder, MLive.Com

Original article on MLive.Com at this link: http://highschoolsports.mlive.com/news/article/7207571545926144287/gobles-captures-sac-volleyball-tournament-for-first-time-in-16-years/

Eighth-grade student Mackenzie Pennell joined her mother Stephanie and Gobles teacher Jim Wiseley for a short segment on the morning news at Fox 17 to promote the walk/run taking place in Gobles on Saturday, October 26, starting at the Gobles football field at 10 am.

During the segment Mackenzie and Stephanie talk about Mackenzie's challenges of living with cystic fibrosis since she her diagnosis at age four, and the many ways it has impacted her life. Teacher Jim Wiseley talks about how Mackenzie is a role model for all of us in the Gobles Public Schools family, and how being part of her life as a teacher has inspired him and so many others to get involved in this event.

You can see the entire three-minute segment by clicking here:

http://fox17online.com/2013/10/21/kenzies-superstars-walk-and-5k/#axzz2iNmyvXsA

Events similar to what happened last winter in Connecticut and more recently here at Gobles cause us to review our safety program and practices.  

Last spring, I asked The Office of Domestic Preparedness of the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department to come out to our school district to conduct a full safety audit of Gobles Public Schools. The auditor looked at a number of the elements that make for a safe and secure campus. I was glad to hear from him that we are doing everything that we can do at this point in time to make sure Gobles schools are safe for students and for the learning environment we all expect.

The auditor did make some recommendations about ways we could improve our physical facilities and the security technologies we use, and in the coming weeks and months you’re going to hear in great detail how those recommendations have been incorporated into a facilities and technology upgrade proposal which we will be asking the community to support in May, 2014.

Then last week, we had a reminder about why safe and secure school facilities are so important. When we received news that the police were involved in a manhunt in areas that border the community of Gobles, we chose to take voluntary steps to provide for maximum safety and security for our students. We did not take these steps because there was a threat to our students, but because we will always choose the side of caution and safety when it comes to the well-being of our students.

The lockdown drill last Thursday will be used as an opportunity to continuously improve our safety and security procedures and communication practices in both buildings, something we have always done, and will always do in Gobles. This is the same reason we run fire drills and tornado drills every school year. We learned again last Thursday, like last spring, that we are doing things right in Gobles, given our facilities and the technology resources at our disposal. We learned there are some areas we can improve.

I invite parents and community members to examine the details of the bond proposal as they are made public, and to offer any suggestions or input that you think might help us continue to improve in any area, but especially in the area of safety and security.

And when we put the facility and technology upgrade proposal in front of the community for a vote next May, it will be a chance for the community to support the facility and technology improvements we desire.

Gobles is and will continue to be a safe, secure campus for students, and a great environment for learning. That’s our commitment you. We also appreciate your ongoing commitment to Gobles schools so that we are able to take recommendations and act upon them, on behalf of all the students and families we serve.

When the awards assembly began at Gobles Elementary in early October, Fifth-grade student Chase Westerhoff had no reason to suspect he might be named student of the month. But when his cousin Jacob got his attention and pointed out that Chase’s parents had sneaked into the gym, Chase got the feeling his name might be called.

“When I saw my parents I got the strange feeling I might be it,” Westerhoff said. “My parents were sitting there smiling, and they were just looking at Mr. Breen. It was a strange feeling to think I might be student of the month.”

Though it might have been initially a surprise to Chase, students and teachers who know him had plenty of reasons to suspect he might be the fifth grade student of month. He has a reputation for being focused on his goals and willing to work hard to reach them.

It was this hard work approach that led to his selection by fifth grade teachers Julie Boes and Karen Ryder. According to Ryder, Chase is serious about school.

“Chase is always ready to get down to the business of learning,” Ryder said.  “I ask my students to be in an attitude of learning, and Chase is that kid. He’s always ready to get to work, he tries his best even when material is hard, and he asks great questions.”

Ryder said another reason Chase was chosen was the way he treats others.
“Chase is always nice to peers and adults, which is really a treat,” Ryder said. “Chase gets along great with his peers, yet he doesn’t think he’s too cool to be nice to adults!”

Like many classmates and teammates on the Gobles fifth and sixth grade rocket football team, Chase loves sports. If his dreams come true, the young quarterback will play in the NFL. But if he doesn’t make the NFL, he already has a backup plan, and he’s already working on it.

“I know I have to work hard if I want to get into a good college,” he said. “And I want to go to the University of Michigan, because after that I’ll be able to get a good job. My parents told me if I want to be successful, I have to start when I’m young.”

Starting young has also included working with his father Bill on construction projects around the house. He worked with his father to build a kennel for the family dog, and has also worked on renovation projects, taking nails out, putting in drywall, and using the measuring tape to help his dad, who is a builder.

Chase credits his parents Jennifer and Bill Westerhoff for his work ethic and for teaching him to treat others with kindness and respect.

Chase also enjoys the activities and services on Sunday mornings at the Journey Church in Gobles. Even at church he has goals he’s working on, especially in the youth programs.
“My older brother Logan gets to work with the younger kids as a student leader in the middle school program,” Chase said. I am definitely looking forward to being a student leader so I can help out the younger kids, too.”
 Chase enjoys school and works hard in all his classes, but thinks he might be best at math. He knows that it is the hard classes that will help him eventually get to his dream school The University of Michigan, so he’s willing to work hard for this goal.
“U of M is my favorite school, so I have to make sure I know everything my teachers want me to learn to go there,” he said. “By the time I get to the end of high school, there’s a lot I have to know. Like my parents told me, it’s good to start learning when you’re young.”
Chase’s parents got to sit and smile in the gym as their son was recognized as the fifth grade student of the month, a surprise to him at first, but clearly the result of hard work and a terrific attitude towards learning.

Every student loves to turn in a writing assignment and receive a high grade for the work. But what happens when the work is worth more than a grade? What happens when that student knows a writing assignment will receive a smile, spread a good feeling, make somebody's day, or maybe even spark a new friendship? 

Fifth grade students at Gobles Elementary School are finding out early this year that writing for somebody is a lot different than just doing a writing assignment for a grade, and they like the way it feels. Students have begun a new Pen Pal Letter Exchange Program with Meadow Woods Nursing Home in Bloomingdale, and the good feelings are going in both directions.

"Writing to my pen pal feels like doing a good deed," said Catherine Huston. "Every week we try to do something good for the community. Some of the things are small, like just picking up paper in the hallway, but we're learning every little bit helps."

Her classmate Madison Rose agreed about the significance of having pen pals at the nursing home. "It makes a real difference," Rose said. "We think it means a lot to the residents, and it means a lot to us. Some of them don't have many family members to visit. And some of them don't get any mail at all."

"The kids are learning that good things come to those who give good things."

The idea and connection for the project came this summer when Gobles fifth-grade teacher Karen Ryder connected with the social worker at Meadow Woods and learned about how many residents were isolated from family. She had been looking at a website called "Ripples of Kindness", and decided to work with her students this year to reach out to others with projects they made in class.

"This summer I really started paying attention to the random things people do to be kind to others, and I started doing them myself," Ryder said. "Then I thought, hmm, what would happen if I had my students do this, too. I talked to my class about it and they were instantly on board. Through my friend at church, the social worker at the nursing home, we decided to send residents weekly notes, pictures, jokes, and little pieces of writing meant to brighten their days. The kids are learning that good things come to those who give good things."  

The nursing home has been thrilled to receive the notes from the students, according to administrator Melanie Norman.

"We have been impressed with the work the kids send over," she said. "The projects are adorable, and the residents have been thrilled to receive them. So many of our residents don't get mail or have family close enough to visit very often, so we see this project as a wonderful touch of community that's good both ways."

Fifth grader Ben Jackson suggests that the good both ways is more than just for residents and students. It's good both ways for academics and service.

"I see this as something that makes you take your work more seriously," he said. "We are writing to two residents, and that's a responsibility we have now."

"Right," followed Huston. "I know I'm writing to somebody real, and that person is going to see it. I want to send them something I'm proud to send, and that they are happy to receive."