A
SSOCIATED
N
EWSPAPERS OF
M
ICHIGAN
P
AGE
5
May 11, 2017
W
AYNE
- W
ESTLAND
District teachers awarded grants
Beaumont Health is teaming
up with the City of Westland, the
Wayne/Westland Community
School District, faith-based
groups and other community
service organizations to help pro-
mote goodhealth in the city.
Officials kicked off the
Healthy Westland initiative this
week, a cooperative venture
designed to proactively address
the main health issues facing the
community by providing educa-
tion and resources to help resi-
dents livehealthier lives.
Launched in 2015, theHealthy
Communities program has
already been adopted in the
cities of Trenton, Taylor,
Dearborn andWayne.
“We wanted to bring this to
Westland because of the many
partnerships involved,” said
Lynette Ish-Green, Healthy
Communities project manager in
Wayne and Westland. “Because
Wayne and Westland share a
school district, this was a natural
connection.”
The Healthy Communities
program grew out of the
Beaumont Health Community
Health Needs Assessment
(CHNA), a study non-profit
health organizations perform
every three years to determine
the major health issues in the
community and come up with a
plan to address those issues.
Throughout
southeastern
Michigan, the major health
needs identified in the CHNA
are: obesity, cardiovascular dis-
ease anddiabetes.
The goal of the kick off meet-
ing was to bring together key
community stakeholders, such as
government, business, faith, serv-
ice organization and education
leaders, to forma broad coalition
dedicated to improving the over-
all health of residents. Other
Healthy Communities have
formed walking and biking clubs,
worked with Farmer's Markets
and created other events that
emphasize health. Beaumont
Health has sponsored free health
screenings and brought in guest
speakers, too, to educate the pub-
lic about issues like diabetes pre-
vention and management, nutri-
tion and others. The key, said Ish-
Green, is to work collaboratively
with the community.
“This is not a top-down
approach,” she said. “We want to
get the residents involved. We
want to involve as many key
stakeholders aswe can.”
Westland Mayor Bill Wild said
he was looking forward to work-
ing with Beaumont Health to
promote healthy lifestyles within
the city. Wild has encouraged
other healthy initiatives in the
past, including the Passport to a
HealthyCity program.
“Healthy environments are
essential. Even the best efforts to
encourage families to exercise
more and eat better won't work if
communities don't support
healthy lifestyles,” he said.
“Across the country, policy mak-
ers, community leaders and the
private sector are collaborating
to build healthier neighbor-
hoods. Everyone has a role to
play.”
Betty Priskorn, vice president
of Community Health and
Outreach for Beaumont Health,
said the program has been a suc-
cessful one that will be expanded
into other communities in south-
east Michigan, as well. Wayne
County, she said, has continually
been ranked among the
unhealthiest in Michigan and it
was important to work proactive-
ly with people to reverse that
trend.
“Our Healthy Communities
framework utilizes a collective
approach for maximum level
impact and change in the com-
munity,” she said. “By engaging
city leaders, schools, community
organizations and-most impor-
tantly-residents, we have had
tremendous success in engaging
communities in healthier eating
and increasing physical activity.
We are looking forward to
expanding this program to
Oakland and Macomb counties
in the near future. By working
together, we can have a huge
impact on the overall health of
the community.”
Meemic Insurance chose three
Wayne-Westland Community Schools
District teachers as ClassroomMakeover
winners earlier this month, and present-
ed eachof themwitha $300 check.
Each of the teachers submitted an
essay on how they would use the funds to
improve their classrooms.
Maureen VanHulle, a teacher at
Schweitzer Elementary School in
Westland, wrote, "I have 27 active stu-
dents in my class. Each is in need of a
whole lot of love, attention, and guid-
ance. Each one comes to me for new
knowledge every day, and it is my pas-
sion to instill the love or learning in each
growingmind.
"If I were to get this grant, I would use
the money in two ways. The first way
would be to purchase alternative seating
and fidget gadgets formy students.
"The next would be to buy some dis-
covery center items. As a new kinder-
garten teacher, my classroom does not
include all of the items necessary to
enhance the educational experience of
my students."
Elizabeth Clark, an educator at
Stevenson Middle School in Westland,
wrote, "I would like to use the classroom
makeover grant to purchase a class set of
the book, Harriet Tubman: Conductor on
theUndergroundRailroad, by AnnPetry.
This would enhance my students' educa-
tional experience because there is an
excerpt in our literature series, but to be
able to enjoy the entire book would give
them a much broader picture of what
she did in history. This is also cross-cur-
ricular because students in history learn
about the Civil War and Underground
Railroad."
Paul Chisholm, a teacher at Tinkham
Educational Center in Wayne, wrote,
"This grant will allow approximately 90
alternative education high school stu-
dents an opportunity to produce a signifi-
cant, permanent, autobiographical piece
of ceramic art. Funds from this grant will
purchase 250 pounds of ceramic clay,
glazes andmosaic supplies. Students will
make connections between art and a
variety of core curriculum subjects such
as history, science, and social studies."
This is not a top-down approach.
We want to get the residents involved. We want to
involve as many key stakeholders as we can.
”
Westland joins in healthy city program
School to host
Dueling Pianos
St. Mary School in Wayne will host a
Night of Dueling Pianos from 5-11 p.m.
Saturday, May 13. The school is located at
34516MichiganAve.
Dueling Pianos International will pro-
vide 3 hours of live entertainment along
with raffles, a 50/50 drawing, a silent auc-
tion and live auction. The $40 per person
or $75 per couple admission also
includes appetizers, dinner and two
drinks. Acashbarwill be available.
All proceeds will go to support St. Mary
Catholic School.
For tickets or more information, email
