Winterfest Week Kicks Off at Lakeland; Scholarships Available

The following was submitted to White Lake Patch by Scott Rolando.

Well Winterfest week is upon us here at Lakeland. Spirit Days as as follows: Tuesday is Naptime Day (PJ Day), Wednesday is Rep your Former School day (Elementary and Middle School Gear Day), Thursday is Class Color Day Seniors are purple, Juniors are red, Sophomores are yellow, and Freshmen are Orange. Friday is Lakeland Spirit Day. Break out your best Blue and White! We will also have cafeteria games all week during all three lunches.  

Also, this coming week there are plenty of home sporting events to attend. Monday is girls basketball, Tuesday is boys basketball (Senior Night), and Wednesday is more girls basketball. All basketball games are at 4/5:30/7 p.m. On Friday we have the Winterfest Marquee Matchup, this year it features Lakeland Varsity Hockey vs. Birmingham United. The puck drops at 8:20 p.m. at Lakeland Ice Arena in Waterford. Tickets are $5 and your HVS pass DOES work at this game. All students will get a FREE Lakeland Spirit Towel when they come to the game! Plus at all the games this coming week we will have student raffles for prizes and other things. There will be a grand prize raffle at the hockey game on Friday.  

The Winterfest Dance is Saturday Feb. 25 from 7:30-10:30 p.m. here at Lakeland in the Fieldhouse. The dance will be just like Homecoming, with the great lights show and an awesome DJ! The dress is semi-formal and all HVS Dress and Dance Guidelines are in effect. Tickets are on sale RIGHT NOW online at www.lakelandhs.com and will be on sale IN SCHOOL starting Tuesday, Feb. 21. Tickets are $15 a single and $28 a couple. Gets yours ASAP and don't miss out on this great event, Winterfest 2012!

Habitat for Humanity

Since 2007, Assistant Principal Marc Kay has been taking our students to work with Habitat for Humanity down in Florida. Our students have had the opportunity to work in both the East and Central Pasco Habitat and the Leesburg Habitat. The are both located north of Orlando. We have been fortunate enough to frame homes, side homes, build fences, sod, paint, clean up a home that is now a refurbished Habitat home and work at the Habitat Thrift Store to insure that these agencies would have enough money to build homes for those who are living in sub standardized housing. Here are a few things that you should know about Habitat home owners:

1. They are not homeless.
2. They must have a job and be able to pay their interest free monthly mortgage.
3. They must put in or find family to put in 500 sweat equity hours into their home or to help another Habitat recipient with their home.

Habitat for Humanity was not started by Jimmy Carter but he helped to make it a well known organization with affiliates in all 50 states and worldwide.

"I have been volunteering for them since 1998 and cannot tell you the joy it brings me when I take students and they see, first hand, what poverty can truly look like," Kay said. "Last year, I took 15 students in February and another 12 in April. Some say why do you go all the way to Florida when we have poverty in our own backyard and that is a valid question. I have found, over the years, that students need to be spurred on in some manner. By going to Florida, they initially think warm vacation. By time we are done, they are thinking how can I bring this sense of community service by to my own community. This may not happen right away but it will happen over time."

How can you help Lakeland High School continue to help others in this manner:

1. Have your junior or senior sign up for this experience which is being offered both in February and over spring break in April. Information is in the associate principal's office but spaces are filling fast. In order for students to join they must have a positive discipline record as well as good attendance as the February trip results in 4 missed school days and the April trip in 2 missed school days.
2. Make a donation to help keep our costs down. The cost of the trip seems high but it also includes having to pay for the staffing as well. If people help by making personal monetary donations we can keep the staff costs away from our participants thus allowing us to make a large monetary donation to the Habitat affiliate. A letter will be sent to you for tax purposes and checks can be made to LHS with Habitat Experience in the memo line.
3. Have your company become a sponsor of our trip. Any company who makes a donation of $500 or more will be included in all mailings, listserves, blogs and newspaper articles. This is a great way to get some PR for your company by helping us teach the next generation about charity both at home and away.

Scholarships available

Michigan State University Club of Oakland County scholarships are available for seniors who have been accepted for study and plan to attend MSU for the 2012/2013 school year. This scholarship is for $1,500. You must have an overall 3.5 academic average. Financial need is not a requirement. Applications are now available in the Counseling Office. Deadline is Friday, March 29. Contact Mrs. Flora in the Counseling Office for more information.

Michigan State University Enrichment Programs

SUMMER CSI FORENSIC SCIENCE PROGRAM AT MSU

The CSI Forensic Science Crime Scene Program at Michigan State University is a residential program, running from June 24, 2012 - June 30, 2012. The curriculum is intended for academically able students who are currently in grades 7, 8 or 9 and at least 12 years old. All students will be working in a university setting with professionals who work in the field of Forensic Science.

Students will be housed in a residential hall on the campus of Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan. The program enrollment is limited to 50 students.

For more information, or to enroll your child, visit the link http://gifted.msu.edu/programs/csi-forensic-science-program 

A Residential Summer Program for Middle School Students Interested in Math, Science, and Technology

Mathematics Science and Technology (MST) at MSU is a two week residential program for academically talented students who are currently in grade 7, 8 or 9 during the 2011-2012 school year and are a minimum age of 12 years old. The focus is on mathematics, science, and technology, and applications in these areas. The goal is to match the intellectual abilities of talented adolescents with rigorous and challenging course work which provides enrichment, but does not duplicate or accelerate course work that is part of the regular K-12 school curriculum.  The program runs from July 15 - July 28, 2012.  More information and registration is available on http://gifted.msu.edu/programs/math-science-and-technology-msu 

China Adventure

This travel program is designed to provide a three-week enrichment experience for high school students in contemporary Chinese language and culture. Students admitted into the program will spend four days living on the MSU campus taking intensive courses in Chinese language, history, and contemporary culture. At the end of the four days, students depart for a 14-day journey in China. They will travel to the cities of Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu, and Shanghai, China. Applicants for this program should be open-minded, willing to accept new challenges, and have an interest in Chinese culture.  Residential - July 29th-August 1st Travel Component - August 2nd-August 17th. For more information, go to http://gifted.msu.edu/programs/china-adventure 

More information can be obtained from Mrs. Burton, Lakeland Counselor, at BurtonL@huronvalley.k12.mi.us or 248-676-8368

Lakeland Bands

The Lakeland Jazz Band announces our 2nd Annual Jazz Band Raffle. Win a chance to have a 1 hour performance of your very own by the Lakeland Jazz Band (date/time/location to be finalized by winner and Mr. Green - Director of Bands at Lakeland). Tickets are available to sell/purchase from Mr. Green.  The tickets are $10 each, and you can order tickets directly from Mr. Green by contacting him at greenb@huronvalley.k12.mi.us The drawing will be held at the Lakeland Bands Pre-Festival Concert on February 29th during intermission. The concert will be held at the Lakeland High School Center for Performing Arts at 7 pm. You do not need to be present to win. Tickets will be on sale through February 28, 2012. Proceeds from the Raffle will go towards the Lakeland Band Program to help with instrument, equipment, and music purchases for our kids. To purchase tickets, please call the Lakeland Bands at 248-676-8332 or contact Mr. Green via email at greenb@huronvalley.k12.mi.us