Annual Student Art Exchange now at the Briggs
Imagine you could be instantly transported to faraway Japan, where you would see temples, fireworks, funny-looking bugs and happy Japanese children playing together. The exciting news is that you can see all those things and more just by stepping inside Briggs District Library in St. Johns across from the Depot.
Kloe Foster, a first-grade student at Oakview South Elementary in St. Johns, looks at a Japanese picture showing a bus decorated like a tiger; that comes from a favorite children’s book in Japan.
The twenty-second Annual Student Art Exchange is now hanging throughout the library on bulletin boards, the ends of bookshelves, the cloud in the adult section, and lots of banners from the ceiling. Not only can you see interesting and exciting artwork by Japanese students in elementary and junior high, but also lots of great art created by students from students in the St. Johns elementary schools, under the direction of Ms. DenHerder and Ms. Parsons, the art teachers. This colorful exhibit will be on display at Briggs March 27 through April 29.
The Japanese art was done by students in our Friendship City, Konan, which is in Shiga Prefecture in Japan. They send their artwork to display with ours each spring and afterwards we send our artwork to them to display. It is a good way to help everyone feel like they know a little bit more about each others’ lives.
This annual art exhibit is a cooperative effort coordinated by the Clinton County Arts Council between the St. Johns School District, Briggs District Library, and the St. Johns – Konan Friendship Society, with special help from students in the National Art Honor Society of Ovid-Elsie High School, who faithfully hang up the whole exhibit on a Saturday afternoon and carefully take it down four weeks later.
Clinton County Arts Council is grateful to receive some operational funding in 2017 through a competitive grant from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Free Community Easter Egg Hunt – April 8
Pilgrim United Methodist Church is sponsoring a Community Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 8th at 3:00 PM for children ages 1 year to 5th grade. If it rains the event will be held inside.
The church is located at 2965 W. Parks Road, on the corner of Dewitt and Parks Roads.
Maundy Thursday Service scheduled – April 13
The First Congregational Church of St. Johns will hold a special service, Jesus In The Passover, on Maundy Thursday, April 13, 2017 at 6:00 pm.
Join them for a Christian interpretation of the traditional Jewish festival celebrated for more than 3,000 years. The evening will include all the elements of the Seder; singing, story-telling, praying and eating.
A full dinner will be served along with the elements of the ceremonial meal. Children are more than welcome to join.
Please call the church office at (989)224-2636 or visit www.fccsj.com for more information. There is no cost for this special event. Please invite your family and friends.
Annual Easter Egg Hunt coming up – Saturday, April 15
St. Johns Easter Egg Hunt sponsored by the St. Johns Lioness Club will be held on Saturday, April 15th at 1:00 p.m. at the St. Johns City Park. An alarm will sound to start the egg hunt.
Age groups are 3-4; 5-6; 7-8; 9-10. Special eggs will be given out by bunny helpers for those under 3.
Bring a camera; the Easter Bunny will be available for pictures. There will also be face painting, live bunny rabbits and balloon animal making.
This event is free to the public. Please make sure you thank the St. Johns Lioness Club for all of their hard work to make this event happen.
Museum asks: Where are all the old gas stations?
At one time there were many gas stations in St. Johns. East State Street was known as “gasoline ally.”
There were gas stations in the downtown area and out of town on north and south US 27.
Without photos of those old service stations a very significant part of our local history is lost.
Did someone in your family have a gas station anywhere in Clinton County many years ago?
You can help the Paine-Gillam-Scott Museum present a very interesting exhibit on early transportation and at the same time insure that some of your family’s history is not forgotten by emailing your photos to pgsmuseum@hotmail.com or call 989-224-2894 or 224-3064 to arrange for the photos to be scanned. Any transportation related photos would be appreciated.
STRIVE receives grant
SJPS Superintendent Dr. Dedrick Martin and Curriculum Coordinator/Assistant Principal Jason Gnegy accept a big check from Rich Kingsley.
Congratulations to the STRIVE Academy for receiving a $500 school supplies grant from the MEEMIC Foundation. Thank you to Rich Kingsley, and the Kingsley Insurance Group, for continuing to support our schools.
What is STRIVE Academy
At STRIVE Academy all of the classes are computer based. Students are able to work at their own pace. If a student is struggling with a topic, they are able to review the lecture and activities. They may also pause a lecture to ask a teacher a question for clarification on the subject.
Students can work on classes any time, any where. Students that are working towards credit recovery do not need to be slowed down due to weather delays, a day off from school or even waiting until teachers are at school. Classes can be worked on any time day or night.
Parents through the Family Portal will be able to see what classes their student is working on, how long they were working on it and how many activities they completed. They can also see what their student’s grade is in any class they are working on.
Please contact the office at 989-227-5202 for more information.
Mint Country Garden Club Meeting
The monthly meeting of Mint Country Garden Club will be held Thursday, April 6, at 7:15 pm.
Debbie Foote and Robert Johnson will be giving a presentation on bee keeping.
Meetings are held at Clinton Commons Community Center, 1105 S. Scott Rd, St. Johns. Visitors are welcome to attend.
For further information about this meeting or how to become a member, email mintcountrygardenclub@gmail.com or call 517-599-6307.
Art Competition open to 4th District high school students
Congressman John Moolenaar invites all high school students from Michigan’s Fourth Congressional District to enter their art in the 2017 Congressional Art Competition.
The winning student from the Fourth District will have his or her art displayed in the U.S. Capitol for a year and receive two round-trip tickets to travel to Washington, D.C for an annual event with Congressional Art Competition winners from around the country.
Regional winners from the Fourth District will have the opportunity for their art to appear in Congressman Moolenaar’s Midland and Cadillac offices.
The entry deadline for this year’s contest is April 17 and entries should be delivered to Congressman Moolenaar’s Midland office at 200 East Main Street, Suite 230, Midland, MI 48640.
More information on the rules and how to enter the Art Competition is online at https://moolenaar.house.gov/artcompetition. Further questions can also be directed to the Midland office at 989-631-2552.