2010 Champs Celebration

Communities In Schools of Kalamazoo hosted its third annual Champs event at Cityscape on June 22 to honor community partners and individuals who share in our vision-an engaged community where every child fulfills his or her promise-by actively putting forth time, energy, talent, and resources to drive this vision to reality.

"As an organization, we value each and every one of our over 300 individual volunteers and partners who support the students of the Kalamazoo Public Schools," said Bernard Palchick, Board President. "We couldn't do our job without them. Singling out a few each year for special recognition in no way diminishes the good work that others are doing. In fact, shining the spotlight on a few champions inspires us all to do and be better."

The CIS board also honored Dr. Janice M. Brown, former KPS Superintendent and Executive Director of The Kalamazoo Promise®, with the first Diether Haenicke Promise of Excellence Award. Created in 2010, this award is named for the late Western Michigan University President Emeritus Diether Haenicke.  It will be given each year by the Board of Directors to honor an individual or an organization that embodies the spirit Dr. Haenicke demonstrated in the years he served on the CIS Board.  That spirit suggested that we always challenge ourselves to a higher standard as stewards of the community's resources and developers of the next generation.  Dr. Haenicke served as a catalyst for challenging our assumptions and considering alternative points of view, always with the intent of improving the lives of young people and the quality of life of his adopted home of Kalamazoo.

Bernard Palchick shared several statements the CIS Board received from those who either nominated Dr. Brown or sent letters of support including: "For the past 40 years, Janice Brown's career, as a teacher, principal, superintendent, consultant, and educational executive has involved finding ways to support student success in school and in life.  Her work touched individual students, districts, the state, and the country.  Janice is currently one of the most important stewards of philanthropic and grant dollars in the community as Executive Director of The Kalamazoo Promise®.  The Promise, rolled out in 2005, is a direct result of the respect and trust that the philanthropic community has in her vision and ability to implement that vision.  She is a tireless advocate for the public schools and for student achievement."

Pam Kingery, Executive Director of Communities In Schools of Kalamazoo, summed up the event well. "All twelve of our Champs along with Janice Brown are, in both big and small ways, teaching us all what it means to be engaged in making a difference for our community's children."

To learn more about our current and former Champ award recipients and to read more about the Diether Haenicke Promise of Excellence Award, please visit our website, www.kcis.us.

Photos: Top Right: Dr. Janice Brown receives the first Diether Haenicke Promise of Excellence Award; Bottom Left: Champ statuettes were created by local artist Jon Reeves.
 

View All News