SAC Sound-off: You get one question
March 6, 2012
We asked the members of the Student Advisory Council to pick someone they wish they could meet, and tell us why. Here are their answers:
Ancestors
Carly Joseph, Pontiac Notre Dame junior
I would ask all of my grandparents about what it was like when they were growing up.
Elle Lehman, Portland St. Patrick senior
I would ask anyone in my family who lived hundreds of years ago what it was like where my family came from, and why they moved to America.
Visionaries
Tyler Wilson, Rudyard senior
I would ask Martin Luther King Jr. how he was so brave.
Maria Buczkowski, Detroit Country Day senior
I would ask Albert Einstein to convince my teachers to have a daydreaming class in school, since he developed the theory of relativity by daydreaming.
Entrepreneurs
Alissa Jones, Muskegon Catholic Central senior
I would like to ask Steve Jobs how he came up with the idea of the Ipod gadgets.
Bailey Truesdell, Grand Blanc senior
I would like to ask Warren Buffett how he made his billions.
Sports Legends
Kevin Beazley, Detroit Catholic Central senior
Michael Jordan: What are the little things that nobody knows about or sees that brought you to the top?
Matt Freeman, Owosso junior
Bear Bryant: What does it take to become the leader he was?
Evan Lamb, Rogers City junior
Joe Paterno: I'd ask how it felt to have touched the hearts of so many people throughout the years.
Kings (of rock-n-roll)
Lena Madison, New Buffalo senior
I would like to ask Elvis Presley if is he is dead or alive still.
5 Vie for Best Cheering Section in Michigan
January 18, 2012
Five finalists -- Frankenmuth, Grand Rapids Christian, Petoskey, Reese and Rockford -- have been selected for the Michigan High School Athletic Association’s inaugural “Battle of the Fans,” which will recognize the top student cheering section from among member schools and culminate in a video presentation including all five finalists during this season’s Girls and Boys Basketball Finals at Michigan State’s Breslin Center.
The contest, organized by MHSAA staff and its 16-member Student Advisory Council, will reward the cheering section that best creates the positive and festive atmosphere made possible when students show enthusiasm, togetherness and sportsmanship while rooting for their team.
Finalists were selected based on a vote by the Student Advisory Council. MHSAA staff and Student Advisory Council members will visit all five finalists for home games during the second half of this regular season, with the winner being announced Feb. 24. Video of all five sections will be played on the Breslin Center HD scoreboard during the Finals in March.
Sections were invited in December to submit a short video, via YouTube and Facebook, of their cheering sections in action. Video submissions also included explanations on how that section meets the following contest criteria: positive sportsmanship, sound volume, school spirit, originality of cheers, organization of the group and student section leadership. A total of 19 sections submitted videos by the deadline earlier this month.
“The Student Advisory Council decided to put its primary focus this fall on a sportsmanship campaign that would engage and motivate student cheering sections throughout the state,” said Andy Frushour, MHSAA director of brand management and advisor to the Student Advisory Council. “We’re thrilled with the level of participation and look forward to the coming months as we look to crown our first ‘Battle of the Fans’ champion.”
MHSAA staff will produce videos from each stop on its tour of the finalists. Those videos will be posted to the MHSAA’s Facebook page. An online vote Feb. 20-23 will contribute in determining the winner.
Finalists will be visited for the following home boys basketball games:
Jan. 21: Frankenmuth vs. Freeland
Jan. 27: Grand Rapids Christian vs. East Grand Rapids, Reese vs. Cass City
Feb. 3: Rockford vs. Hudsonville
Feb. 17: Petoskey vs. West Branch Ogemaw Heights
To view finalists’ submissions on YouTube, click on http://ow.ly/8y9s3.
The Student Advisory Council is made up of eight seniors and eight juniors, who each serve two-year terms. The Council acts as the voice of Michigan's student-athletes; it serves as a student sounding board for the MHSAA's Representative Council, assists in planning Sportsmanship Summits, Captain's Clinics and other student leadership events; participates in a yearly focus group about the state of high schools sports for Michigan State University's Institute for the Study of Youth Sports and assists with medal ceremonies at MHSAA championship events.
Photo courtesy Laingsburg student cheering section.