2006 Red Wagon Awards

2006 Red Wagon Award Winners

Michigan's Promise, launched in 1997, works to ensure that all of Michigan's youth will have a caring adult, safe place, healthy start, marketable skills and an opportunity to give back to their community, the state of Michigan and overall society. The Red Wagon Awards are designed to recognize and thank special local programs for their tremendous contributions toward making Michigan communities the best places to raise children. Eight Red Wagon Awards are given to programs that exemplify one of the five promises. Winning programs receive state and national recognition and a $500 grant award. The 2006 Red Wagon Award winners were honored during a ceremony on May 2, at the 2006 Michigan Nonprofit SuperConference in Novi, MI.

Category: Caring Adult

Michigan School Readiness Program Home Visitor Program – YWCA of Western Wayne County in Inkster.

Nominator: Ann Marie Fortunate, YWCA of Western Wayne County
This program provides opportunities for all children to learn, achieve, and succeed as healthy, responsible and productive members of society. This program is home-based to residents of communities in Western Wayne County. Ninety-six four-year-old children are enrolled and preschool teachers go the child’s home on a weekly basis for 30 weeks to give the child one-on-one instruction. Monthly socialization visits are scheduled. During these center visits, children come to a preschool classroom where they have an opportunity to be part of a classroom environment. Monthly educational field trips are planned. The field trips coordinate with the current lesson and activities. Parental involvement is strongly encouraged.

Reading Buddies Program – W.C. Cameron School in Gladstone.

Nominator: Theresa Nelson, Retired Senior Volunteer Program

This program offers the opportunity for volunteers from the Retired Senior Volunteer Program to work and meet people from the community and mentor over 100 first graders each year. The volunteers get together for one hour every Wednesday beginning in the fall and provide positive reinforcement related to the child’s interest and ability to read.

Category: Safe Place

“Books, Breakfast and Busses”

Nominator: Deanna DePree, Michigan Communities in Schools

This program came about because the Holland Public Schools reorganized the neighborhood elementary schools into Focus Schools which meant many families had children in multiple elementary sites and caused parents safety concerns for their children. Holland Communities in School offered to coordinate a before school program which would provide a safe, supervised and nurturing environment at all six of the elementary sites. Volunteers to staff these sites are recruited from Hope College, area churches, retirement homes, Holland High school students and school parents. Students feel welcomed, sit with friends, read, play games, do homework or listen to stories and are safe during this time before school.

The Lake Superior Village Youth and Family Center

Nominator: Martha Parks, Lake Superior Village Youth and Family Center

The Center provides a safe place for youth ages 6-16 during the time when they might otherwise be vulnerable and at risk for crime, experimentation with drugs and alcohol, or sexual assault or exploitation. The youth that attend the center are residents of this low-income family housing project and from the surrounding low-income neighborhood. The center serves 25-30 youth daily with a variety of services and activities including nutritional snacks, homework help, recreational activities, arts and crafts and reading. Many youth also become involved in the Junior or Senior Leadership Councils that provide opportunities for youth to contribute to the community through volunteer service projects and by sponsoring additional activities for the youth in the neighborhood. Northern Michigan University students volunteer to help nurture and support the development of social and academic skills and vocational interests.

Category: Healthy Start

The Healthy Morning Snack Program

Nominator: Brenda Long, Ionia Youth Workgroup

This program runs during the six week summer session by providing over eighty youth a healthy morning snack at three elementary summer school programs in the Ionia Public School district. The program also helps to build the connected relationship between school and community activities regarding healthy children. This program addressed the “Healthy Start” Promise by working together including consistent and reinforcing wellness messages about healthier foods, especially in the morning, in the school, home, and community environment that will make a difference in student performance and behavior.

Category: Marketable Skills

SCOOP TV – Cable Communication Public Benefit Corporation

Nominator: Latitia McCree, SCOOP TV, Cable Communication Public Benefit Corporation

This program empowers Detroit youth in grades 9-12, ages 14-19 to create their own television programming in a hands-on environment under the direct supervision of media professionals. They use industry standard equipment, via after school programs, summer workshops and paid internships, providing real world work experiences in the media. Youth are engaged in constructive activities during non-school hours, have a creative outlet for their interest and skills, and build strong adult relationships. In addition the program provides its participants with a heightened sense of self-esteem, exposing them to basic employability skills and an avenue for increased leadership skills. It allows the students to have pride in what they do and to care about their community as a whole. SCOOP provided a safe place for Detroit teens to constructively occupy idol time, while simultaneously giving them a vehicle to express themselves, develop marketable skills and build relationships with their peers and skilled media artists.

Category: Opportunity to Give Back

Michigan Student Service Award Program

Nominator: Todd Essendrup, Dickinson Iron Community Services Agency

This program gives students the opportunity to interact with adults, senior citizens, younger children and other community members. It enables students to realize each one’s potential to go above and beyond their everyday school day and meet new people, create new experiences and possibly a life-long passion for volunteering. The youth benefit from this program by gaining skills they can use in everyday life. While volunteering they learn job skills such as dependability, teamwork and respect for others. They also experience first-hand the good feeling of sharing their time and talents to help others and most will carry that forward into their adult lives. The younger children in this community also benefit from this program because the students become role models for the younger children and build friendships with the students.

Promise Daze (Summer Camp)

Nominator: Iva K. Brownell, Coordinator, Ionia County Community of Promise

This Summer Camp experience was started in 2002 and has become an annual event for the past four years. Applications to attend camp are sent to every elementary and middle school in the county, including private and non-public schools as well as home schooled youth. The camp is four days in length, running from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Transportation to and from camp is provided as well as two meals each day for youth, counselors and all volunteers. Promise Daze is for youth entering grades 5 through 8 at no cost to them or their families. The youth that attend have learned empathy along with academic and technical skills as they participate in the different service projects. Service projects have included cleaning an accessible nature path, building bird houses, planting flowers, shrubbery and trees, painting the sidewalk leading to the nature path with designs provided by the teachers of the school to help students learn shapes, colors, numbers and letter recognition and motor skills. The biggest service project was building an outdoor volleyball court for the older students attending the school. Promise Daze covers all the Five Promises.



About Michigan's Promise Michigan’s Sites and Communities of Promise 100 Best Communities for Young People Public Policy Red Wagon Awards Resources Promise of Michigan’s Children Contact Us	2006 Red Wagon Award Winners Michigan's Promise, launched in 1997, works to ensure that all of Michigan's youth will have a caring adult, safe place, healthy start, marketable skills and an opportunity to give back to their community, the state of Michigan and overall society. The Red Wagon Awards are designed to recognize and thank special local programs for their tremendous contributions toward making Michigan communities the best places to raise children. Eight Red Wagon Awards are given to programs that exemplify one of the five promises. Winning programs receive state and national recognition and a $500 grant award. The 2006 Red Wagon Award winners were honored during a ceremony on May 2, at the 2006 Michigan Nonprofit SuperConference in Novi, MI. *Category: Caring Adult* Michigan School Readiness Program Home Visitor Program – YWCA of Western Wayne County in Inkster. Nominator: Ann Marie Fortunate, YWCA of Western Wayne County This program provides opportunities for all children to learn, achieve, and succeed as healthy, responsible and productive members of society. This program is home-based to residents of communities in Western Wayne County. Ninety-six four-year-old children are enrolled and preschool teachers go the child’s home on a weekly basis for 30 weeks to give the child one-on-one instruction. Monthly socialization visits are scheduled. During these center visits, children come to a preschool classroom where they have an opportunity to be part of a classroom environment. Monthly educational field trips are planned. The field trips coordinate with the current lesson and activities. Parental involvement is strongly encouraged. Reading Buddies Program – W.C. Cameron School in Gladstone. Nominator: Theresa Nelson, Retired Senior Volunteer Program This program offers the opportunity for volunteers from the Retired Senior Volunteer Program to work and meet people from the community and mentor over 100 first graders each year. The volunteers get together for one hour every Wednesday beginning in the fall and provide positive reinforcement related to the child’s interest and ability to read. Category: Safe Place “Books, Breakfast and Busses” Nominator: Deanna DePree, Michigan Communities in Schools This program came about because the Holland Public Schools reorganized the neighborhood elementary schools into Focus Schools which meant many families had children in multiple elementary sites and caused parents safety concerns for their children. Holland Communities in School offered to coordinate a before school program which would provide a safe, supervised and nurturing environment at all six of the elementary sites. Volunteers to staff these sites are recruited from Hope College, area churches, retirement homes, Holland High school students and school parents. Students feel welcomed, sit with friends, read, play games, do homework or listen to stories and are safe during this time before school. The Lake Superior Village Youth and Family Center Nominator: Martha Parks, Lake Superior Village Youth and Family Center The Center provides a safe place for youth ages 6-16 during the time when they might otherwise be vulnerable and at risk for crime, experimentation with drugs and alcohol, or sexual assault or exploitation. The youth that attend the center are residents of this low-income family housing project and from the surrounding low-income neighborhood. The center serves 25-30 youth daily with a variety of services and activities including nutritional snacks, homework help, recreational activities, arts and crafts and reading. Many youth also become involved in the Junior or Senior Leadership Councils that provide opportunities for youth to contribute to the community through volunteer service projects and by sponsoring additional activities for the youth in the neighborhood. Northern Michigan University students volunteer to help nurture and support the development of social and academic skills and vocational interests. Category: Healthy Start The Healthy Morning Snack Program Nominator: Brenda Long, Ionia Youth Workgroup This program runs during the six week summer session by providing over eighty youth a healthy morning snack at three elementary summer school programs in the Ionia Public School district. The program also helps to build the connected relationship between school and community activities regarding healthy children. This program addressed the “Healthy Start” Promise by working together including consistent and reinforcing wellness messages about healthier foods, especially in the morning, in the school, home, and community environment that will make a difference in student performance and behavior. Category: Marketable Skills SCOOP TV – Cable Communication Public Benefit Corporation Nominator: Latitia McCree, SCOOP TV, Cable Communication Public Benefit Corporation This program empowers Detroit youth in grades 9-12, ages 14-19 to create their own television programming in a hands-on environment under the direct supervision of media professionals. They use industry standard equipment, via after school programs, summer workshops and paid internships, providing real world work experiences in the media. Youth are engaged in constructive activities during non-school hours, have a creative outlet for their interest and skills, and build strong adult relationships. In addition the program provides its participants with a heightened sense of self-esteem, exposing them to basic employability skills and an avenue for increased leadership skills. It allows the students to have pride in what they do and to care about their community as a whole. SCOOP provided a safe place for Detroit teens to constructively occupy idol time, while simultaneously giving them a vehicle to express themselves, develop marketable skills and build relationships with their peers and skilled media artists. Category: Opportunity to Give Back Michigan Student Service Award Program Nominator: Todd Essendrup, Dickinson Iron Community Services Agency This program gives students the opportunity to interact with adults, senior citizens, younger children and other community members. It enables students to realize each one’s potential to go above and beyond their everyday school day and meet new people, create new experiences and possibly a life-long passion for volunteering. The youth benefit from this program by gaining skills they can use in everyday life. While volunteering they learn job skills such as dependability, teamwork and respect for others. They also experience first-hand the good feeling of sharing their time and talents to help others and most will carry that forward into their adult lives. The younger children in this community also benefit from this program because the students become role models for the younger children and build friendships with the students. Promise Daze (Summer Camp) Nominator: Iva K. Brownell, Coordinator, Ionia County Community of Promise This Summer Camp experience was started in 2002 and has become an annual event for the past four years. Applications to attend camp are sent to every elementary and middle school in the county, including private and non-public schools as well as home schooled youth. The camp is four days in length, running from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Transportation to and from camp is provided as well as two meals each day for youth, counselors and all volunteers. Promise Daze is for youth entering grades 5 through 8 at no cost to them or their families. The youth that attend have learned empathy along with academic and technical skills as they participate in the different service projects. Service projects have included cleaning an accessible nature path, building bird houses, planting flowers, shrubbery and trees, painting the sidewalk leading to the nature path with designs provided by the teachers of the school to help students learn shapes, colors, numbers and letter recognition and motor skills. The biggest service project was building an outdoor volleyball court for the older students attending the school. Promise Daze covers all the Five Promises.
Copyright 2007 by Michigan’s Promise. Address: 1048 Pierpont Suite 3, Lansing MI 48854 Phone: 517-492-2440