A
SSOCIATED
N
EWSPAPERS OF
M
ICHIGAN
P
AGE
2
February 1, 2018
W
AYNE
- W
ESTLAND
Distinguished Alumni award nominations are sought
Lee Bradford doesn't really
mindbeing called a nerd.
The designation is new for
Bradford, a junior at JohnGlenn
High School in Westland, and
came along with the news that
he has been nominated for the
Congress of Future Science and
Technology Leaders in Lowell,
MA. this summer.
The congress is an honors
only program for high school
students who are passionate
about science, technology, engi-
neering ormathematics (STEM).
The purpose of the event is to
honor, inspire, motivate and
direct the top students in the
country who aspire to be scien-
tists and technologists, to stay
true to their dream and, after
the event, to provide a path,
plan and resources to help them
reach their goal, according to a
statement fromthe organization.
Bradford, an honor roll stu-
dent, is hoping that is the case
and that his attendance at the
end of June will help him with
his college enrollment choice.
He isn't quite sure which one
that will be yet as he is getting
letters from colleges “every
day.”
“I'm also interested in art, so
I'm looking for something that is
a goodmix,” he said.
Bradford said that while his
teachers all congratulated him,
as did many of his classmates,
he is now good-naturedly called
a nerdbymany of his friends.
Bradford's main scientific
interest is in computers and
computer technology. He said
he has always had technology
around him and has been fasci-
nated with how technology
works and the impact it has on
everyone's daily life.
Bradford, 16, was nominated
to represent Michigan at the
congress by Dr. John C. Mather,
winner of the Nobel Prize in
Physics and Science Director of
the National Academy of Future
Scientists and Technologists.
The nominations was based on
Bradford's academic achieve-
ment, leadership potential and
passion for science and technol-
ogy.
“I felt proud and honored
just at the possibility of being
able to attend. I was star struck,
I had no words,” Bradford said.
“Then to find out I could really
go. It was such an honor,” he
said.
During the three-day con-
gress, Bradford will join stu-
dents from across the country
and hear Nobel Laureates and
National Medal of Science
recipients talk about leading sci-
entific research; be given advice
from deans of the top technical
universities in the world; learn
about fellow teen science prodi-
gies and hear talks about cut-
ting edge advances and the
future of science and technolo-
gy.
Bradford is the son of Lisa
Bastian and step-son of Brant
Bastian who are equally, if not
more, proud of his acceptance
into the prestigious workshop.
Lisa Bastian said her son has
always been interested in all
kinds of science, biology and
math. “He can just look at these
things and it just 'clicks' for him”
she said.
She added that Lee has two
younger brothers, Michael, 14,
and Jackson, 10, who are also
honor roll students. His
youngest sibling, Maia, 2, hasn't
joined the ranks of academics
just yet, Bastian said.
Before entering the Wayne
Westland school system about 6
years ago, Bastian said the boys
attended school in the Plymouth
Cantondistrict.
“Words cannot begin to
express how proud we are of
him,”Bastian said.”
“This is a crucial time in
America when we need more
nimble-minded and creative sci-
entists and technologists who
are even better prepared for a
future that is changing exponen-
tially,” saidRichard
Rossi, executive director,
National Academy of Future
Scientists and Technologists.
“Focused, bright and deter-
mined students like Lee
Bradford are our future and he
deserves all the mentoring and
guidancewe can givehim.”
Each year, Wayne Memorial
High School awards a
Distinguished Alumni medal to
a former graduate of the school.
“There have been many out-
standing people graduate from
Wayne Memorial,” said Kevin
Weber, school principal. “Many
have contributed significantly
to the betterment of society on a
local, state, national or interna-
tional level. The Distinguished
Alumni Award is our way of
honoring an outstanding gradu-
ate on an annual basis.”
The prestigious award has
become a part of the annual
commencement ceremony of
WayneMemorial HighSchool.
“This is an opportunity for
our current graduating class, to
hear first hand from a former
alumnus who has made his or
her mark on society,” Weber
said.
The most difficult task is to
locate the many alumni who
have distinguished themselves
since their graduation, he
added. For that reason, staff
members at Wayne Memorial
are asking the community to
help in the search.
If anymember of the commu-
nity wishes to nominate a
Wayne Memorial graduate, con-
tact Weber's office at (734) 419-
2206 or submit a letter toWayne
Memorial High School, 3001
Fourth St., Wayne, Michigan
48184.
A Distinguished Alumni
committee has been established
at the school to select the 2018
recipient. The winner will be
announced in mid-May and the
recipient will be honored at
commencement June 2.
Nominations are due by Feb.
28.
I felt proud and honored
just at the possibility of
being able to attend.
”
Boertje's response detailed only that the
language stating the reason for the recall
was approved by the elections commission
and that1,390 signatures had been deter-
mined valid by Wayne City Clerk Matt
Miller. Neither of those issues had been
challenged inPirich's filing.
His response resulted in the notification
from Garrett's office stating that she was
“without authority to issue a Call for
Election due to the petition not complying
withMCL168.544c (1).”
At issue is the state requirement that all
recall petitions contain the omitted lan-
guage, which, according to filings from
Pirich, has been previously tested and
upheldby courts.
Sanders said that he did not want to
comment further on the situation but that
hehad “expected” a court challenge.
“I can only rely on the decision of the
courts. The processwill nowmove forward.
“I trust the judicial system. I will certain-
ly respect whatever the final court decision
may be,” Sanders said.
Boertje did not return calls seeking com-
ment.
Honored
Local student to attend prestigious science conference this summer
Recall
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Lee Bradford
