Young student volunteers
from Ontonagon Middle School participated at Friday’s
Senior Expo at the Ontonagon Area School.
The community minded volunteers assisted with the work
in required in hosting the event.
Several of the pre-teens and teens are part of a group
referred to as TANGO, Teen Assets Never Grow Old. Other
students working with them are also part of the program
called Lions Quest.
Organizing the students in the admirable endeavor was
Ontonagon teacher Kirsten Menigoz.
On a day when their fellow students were off on summer
recess, the young volunteers were back in the school
building helping out. They waited on tables, helped in
handing out door prizes, sat in expo tables giving their
elder workers a respite, doing whatever was needed. They
were polite and conscientious, and they did their work
very well.
The information provided to us by Kirsten Menigoz, the
program coordinator states that Lions Quest Skills for
Adolescence is a comprehensive positive youth
development program for students in grades six through
eight. The program unites parents, teachers, and
community members to work toward a shared goal: helping
adolescents grow into healthy, capable, and productive
young people.
In Skills for Adolescence, young people practice skills
that will help them both now and in the future. Among
these skills are accepting responsibility for one's
actions, strengthening positive relationships with
family and others, and practicing how to solve problems
and make healthy decisions. Students also practice
effective listening and communication, managing
emotions- in positive ways, and setting and working
toward goals.
A major focus of the program is teaching students why
and how to be drug free. The program stresses the
physical, mental, emotional, and legal harm that can
result from alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use. It
prepares students with the skills, knowledge, and
confidence to refuse drugs, avoid unhealthy situations,
and resist negative peer pressure.
For students in the program, the learning does not stop
when they leave the classroom. They discover that
performing volunteer service in the community is
rewarding, both to the individual and to the community.
As part of the program, students identify needs in their
school or community. Then they select and carry out
service-learning projects that address those needs. A
project might include reading to young children,
visiting residents of a nursing home, or cleaning up
litter in a park. Students practice leadership and
planning skills and know they have made a difference in
their school or community.
The Ontonagon County Juvenile Court applied for a
grant that would allow the implementation of the Lions
Quest Skills for Growing and Skills for Adolescence
program in the Ewen Trout Creek and Ontonagon Area
Schools. The grant was awarded to the Ontonagon County
Juvenile Court in July of 2010. In August of 2010, 11
OAS employees, 1 ETC employee and 7 community members
attended the Lions Quest training offered as part of the
grant. While the grant focuses on students in grades
5,6,7 and 8, the program is a community program that
will serve children of all ages as well as adults. The
grant funds the curriculum as well as a Program
Coordinator.
Since the beginning of the 2010/11 school year,
students in grades 4-8 in ETC and students in grades 4-7
have been working with Mrs. Menigoz, Program Coordinator
on curriculum and various projects. Some of the
curriculum has taught skills such as how to get to know
people, building self confidence, decision making.
Other activities will rely on community support for
funding. The Ottawa Lions donated funds to be used for
programs for ETC students. The Mountain Lions donated
funds to be used for programs for OAS students. The
Ontonagon County Child Protection Council also donated
money and supports activities not financially supported
by the Lions Quest grant through community donations and
their own funds.
Donations can be sent to the Ontonagon County Child
Protection Council, c/o Paula Domitrovich, 725 Greenland
Road, Ontonagon, MI 49953. Please indicate that it is
for the Lions Quest program.
Polar Bear
Cookbook
Thank you
to everyone who submitted
recipes for the Polar Bear
Hockey Cookbook. The cookbooks
are now available. The cost for
the cookbooks are $10.00 so make
sure to grab one for yourself
and maybe one or two as a gift.
They can be purchased at the Pat
O'Donnel Civic Center concession
stand or by contacting Kerry
Roehm or Micki Sorensen.
