The Distinguished Young Women of
Wayne-Westland Scholarship Program
will take place beginning at 7 p.m. Friday,
March 9 at Wayne Memorial High
School.
Fourteen contestants from Wayne,
Westland and Inkster will compete for
thousands of dollars in college scholar-
ships and the chance to represent their
community at local events and at the
state finals in Canton Township in July.
This scholarship program is based on
academic scholastics, leadership, physi-
cal fitness and talent.
At the local programMarch 9, contest-
ants will perform an opening number
and compete in a performing arts talent
routine, a physical fitness routine and a
demonstration of self expression.
Contestants are also evaluated based on
academic scholastics and interview.
"This is an amazing group of smart and
talented young women and we are excit-
ed to have themshowcase their talents at
our 51st annual scholarship program. We
invite the public to come and support
these accomplished young women" said
Lauren Reed, Distinguished Young
Women ofWayne-Westland co-director.
Competing this year are Rebecca
Foster, Kiara Steward, Leah Kennedy,
Michelle Ferrell, Astou Dia, Cheyenne
Herren, Kayla Myles, Shamiya Carter,
Fatima Herrera, Omowunmi Ayangbayi,
Alana Broadnax, Jade Elder, Alanha
Rudd andNyahPhillips.
The show this year is titled "A
Distinguished Celebration Featuring
Literacy and Education". Gently used or
new books will be collected at the show
to promote literacy and education. Any
book donations will deduct $2 from the
regular admission price of $12. Tickets to
the event can be purchased from any
participant or on the night of the show.
All proceeds go toward scholarship
awards.
The Wayne-Westland local program is
part of the Distinguished Young Women
of America, which is the largest and old-
est scholarship program for high school
seniors in the country. Since it first began
in 1958, more than $106 million in cash
college scholarships have been awarded
along with $1.1 billion in college grant
scholarships.
The mission of Distinguished Young
Women is to positively impact the lives of
young women by providing a transforma-
tive experience that promotes and
rewards scholarship, leadership and tal-
ent, Reed said.
More information on the scholarship
program is available at
-
guishedyw.org or email waynewest-
.
A
SSOCIATED
N
EWSPAPERS OF
M
ICHIGAN
P
AGE
2
February 22, 2018
W
AYNE
- W
ESTLAND
After nearly a century of dedi-
cation to Catholic education in
the City of Wayne, St. Mary
School will close at the end of
this school year inSeptember.
Parents were notified of the
closing of the 94-year-old school
by letters from Bishop Walter
Hurley and Kathy J. Sparks,
principal at the school.
In his letter, Hurley said that
the school had struggled with
enrollment and financial issues
“that have severely impacted
operations” formany years.
“The parish carries a debt of
almost $5million, much of which
dates back over many years.
Until recently, this debt contin-
ued to escalate,” Hurley said.
“Over the years, the Archdiocese
has been exceedingly generous
to the school and the parish. No
interest has been charged on our
loan in 10 years.”
Hurley noted that tuition cost
at the school for this year was
$4,470 or $5,200 for a student liv-
ing out of the parish, while the
operating costs at the school are
$5,900 per student and expected
to increase to $6,900 next year.
He also noted that enrollment at
the school is only at 122 in grades
kindergarten through eighth
grade and that “three grades,
kindergarten, first and sixth
have fewer than 10 students this
year.”
He also said that tuition rates
do not have room to grow at the
school as they are already the
highest in the area.
“Decisions such as these are
never easy,”Hurley said.
His sentiments were echoed
in the letter from Sparks who
said that she, too, was “deeply
saddened” by the decision. “We
must focus on the needs of our
students, faculty and staff in our
plans to help them transition
well,” she said.
“Despite aggressive cost-cut-
ting measures, receiving signifi-
cant grants and increasing the
parish subsidy, we could not
project the enrollment growth
necessary to reduce the reliance
on additional financial support,”
she said.
Sparks assured parents that
administrators and staff mem-
bers at the school were develop-
ing a plan to help students and
parents identify and find a new
school for the 2018-2019 school
term. She said efforts were also
being made to contact other
Catholic schools to offer employ-
ment opportunities for the teach-
erswhowill bewithout work as a
result of the decision of the
Archdiocese.
“St. Mary School has a rich 94-
year history of providing an out-
standing Catholic education. Its
closure is painful for the entire
community, but especially to our
current students and their fami-
lies,” Sparks said in her letter to
families.
Distinguished Young
Women program planned
the petitions would be “disenfranchised”
if the petitions were rejected. He ordered
Garrett to call for a recall election and to
immediately begin that process.
According to Wayne City Clerk
Matthew Miller, the special election will
require a city budget amendment in the
amount of $20,000, which he said was an
estimate of the election cost. He added
that he did not have a recall election on
which to base an estimate of costs.
Recall
FROM PAGE 1
Candidates for the Distinguished Young Women of Wayne Westland honors are all
smiles for the camera.
Photo by Marvin Soleau
We must focus on the needs
of our students, faculty and staff
in our plans to help them transition well.
”
St. Mary School will be closed in June
