Flushing High School senior Hannah Boike has been named the Rotary Club of Flushing’s Student of the Month for May.

Boike, who graduated with the Class of 2022 yesterday, finished high school as a high honors student with a 4.031 GPA. She will be attending the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor’s School of Engineering this fall to double major in biomedical engineering and music performance.

Boike was a three-year member of the Rotary Interact Club at FHS and belonged to Mu Alpha Theta, the Science National Honor Society, the National Honor Society, Student Council (vice president), Beta Chi Theta choir and Madrigals (president). She sang with the Flushing High School choir and performed at many FHS concerts and events.

Additionally, Boike was awarded the Jan Liepmann Vocal Music Scholarship and received the Women of Engineering Merit Award. She was also part of the MSVMA State Honors Choir three years in a row and All State Honors Choir in her senior year.

Music is likewise a primary focus for Boike outside of school. She has composed and performed over 30 songs and plays various instruments, including the guitar, piano and ukulele. She hopes to release her own music someday on a streaming platform.

Boike dedicated time to serving with the NHS/Red Cross Blood Drive, Student Council’s Food Can Drive and the Rotary Mile Water Station at the Crim Festival of Races. As a Rotary Interact student, she also prepared s’mores at the Flushing Candlewalk, made blankets for Hurley Medical Center and volunteered at the Rotary Club’s Area 7 Book Distribution.

Boike said her favorite memories included performing at Flushing High School’s Holiday Collage concert and attending Raider athletic events. Her favorite teacher was Flushing High School choir director Nate Degner, who taught her valuable lessons with music and life in general.

Hannah’s parents are Kim and Jeff Boike, and she has three older siblings: Tyler, Megan and Connor.

(Reprinted courtesy of Ben Gagnon, The Flushing View)

Flushing High School senior Ella Schmidt has been named as the Flushing Rotary Student of the Month for February.

Schmidt, who will graduate with high honors this spring, is carrying a 3.6-plus GPA. She is involved with the Rotary Interact Club, the National Honor Society, and the Future Farmers of America (FFA), where she holds the position of Sentinel.

Through Rotary Interact, Schmidt volunteered to make s’mores at the Flushing Candlewalk and participated in blanket making for Hurley Medical Center, a Very Special Art Day, the Huge Indoor Garage Sale and Area 7 Literacy book delivery to Flushing Middle School. She has also volunteered her time at a local daycare, volunteered at the Burton Police Department and worked at the soup kitchen through NHS.

Schmidt has played three years of varsity tennis at Flushing High School and will be entering her fourth year of tennis overall this spring. One of her favorite FHS memories is competing at the Flint Metro League Championships at the Midland Tennis Club in her junior year.

Schmidt’s main hobby involves horse-riding and showing horses, especially her own horse named George. Moving forward, her vision is to have a side hustle as a horse trainer/breeder for the horse show circuit.

Schmidt plans to study crop and soil sciences at Michigan State University but she’s also interested in becoming a Michigan State Trooper and pursuing something in the criminal justice field. She currently works at the Flint Farmers Market Apple Cart and is a farmhand at Xanadu Farms.

Schmidt credits Skye McWilliams and Tracey Groom from Genesee Career Institute (GCI) for introducing her to a variety of career fields related to agriculture. She’s especially thankful to her GCI instructors for pushing her to do things outside of her comfort zone through the agricultural program and giving her the total FFA experience, like showing pigs and raising chickens.

Schmidt also enjoys traveling. In fact, her family has set a goal of visiting all 50 states (Alaska this June will be their 50th state). She is the daughter of Andrew and Brandi Schmidt, and her brother Drew is a ninth grader in the Flushing School District.

(Article courtesy of Ben Gagnon, The View Newspaper Group, Inc.)

Flushing High School senior Kylie Kapraun has been selected as the Flushing Rotary Club Student of the Month for November 2021.

Kapraun, a member of the FHS Rotary Interact Club, is carrying a 3.9 GPA and ranks in the top 20 in the Class of 2022. She will graduate this spring with high honors.

In addition to belonging to the Rotary Interact Club, Kapraun is also a member of the National Honors Society, Mu Alpha Theta, Blueberry Ambassadors and Varsity Club. Her volunteer work includes helping with food distribution at New Life Church through the National Honors Society, volunteering at the soup kitchen through the Blueberries, reading to kids at Elms Elementary School through Varsity Club and making Candlewalk s’mores and blankets with the Rotary Interact Club.

Kapraun has participated in cross country at FHS for three years (all varsity) and track for four years (all varsity). Her favorite FHS memory, in fact, was running the football from Fenton to FHS for Homecoming pep rally festivities.

Currently, Kapraun is undecided on which college she will attend, but she is planning to study business administration and attend law school afterwards.

Kapraun said that her favorite FHS teacher was Amy McInerney, whom she had for advanced biology and MI Outdoors classes. McInerney helped Kapraun to realize she could handle advanced classes and was always positive, uplifting and encouraging.

Outside of school, Kapraun has an Etsy business and makes products at home to sell—such as YETI cups. Additionally, she enjoys running, biking and reading realistic fiction.

Kapraun also participates in a lot of German folk dancing— mostly at the Carpathia Club in Sterling Heights. She plans to visit Germany next summer.

Kapraun’s Rotary donation will go to Special Olympics/ Project Unify through Elementary, Middle School, and Peer-to-Peer (P2P) at FHS.

(Credit: Ben Gagnon, The View Newspaper Group, Inc.)

The Rotary Club of Flushing has awarded scholarships to two Flushing High School students for going above and beyond with acts of community service.

On June 17, the club presented scholarships to Megan Kassuba and Ashleigh Whaley, who both graduated this spring. Kassuba received the Gerald and Josie Knight Memorial Rotary Scholarship, while Whaley received the Richard and Kathy Merrill Rotary Scholarship.

Kassuba, who graduated with a 3.69 GPA, plans to attend Central Michigan University this fall to study environmental science. Her goal is to become a park ranger and travel around the United States to all the national parks.

As a Girl Scout member, Kassuba earned the Girl Scouts Silver Award and helped younger Girl Scouts earn badges. She was also the captain of the FHS ski team for two years and the girls’ golf team captain for one year.

Kassuba’s volunteering experiences included collecting money for Whaley Children’s Center, making blankets for Hurley Medical Center, and restoring four basketball hoops at Seymour Elementary School. She also volunteered with the Catholic Charities Soup Kitchen, the Flushing Candlewalk, and St. John Vianney Church.

Whaley, who graduated with a 4.0 GPA, plans to attend Grand Valley State University and study nursing. She attended Mott Community College while in high school.

At FHS, Whaley was a four-year scholar-athlete with the girls varsity soccer team and was an MVP and scholar-athlete on the girls varsity basketball team. She also tutored students in mathematics as a member of Mu Alpha Theta and volunteered to help with kindergarten classes at the Early Childhood Center, where she was a role model for younger kids.

Outside the school setting, Whaley participated in a Nazarene Church project in Arizona and helped a local church revitalize its building. She and other volunteers also passed out water to homeless people who were suffering from the extreme heat at the time.

Whaley also volunteered with the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan to organize and distribute food products; prepared food at the North Flint Soup Kitchen; volunteered with Flushing Community Church to put together Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter gift baskets for those in need; and volunteered with youth at a Flushing soccer summer camp.

Each year, the Rotary Club of Flushing scholarships focus on service, as the Rotary motto is “Service Above Self.” The Rotary Club strives to award scholarships to students who demonstrate exemplary service above self and distinguish themselves among their peers by their service to the community. A scholarship subcommittee comprised of Rotary members and community representatives reviews student applications and makes recipient selections.

The scholarship program funds are administered by the Community Foundation of Greater Flint.

Flushing High School senior Megan Kassuba has been named the Rotary Club of Flushing’s Student of the Month for March, 2021.

Kassuba, a member of the Flushing High School Rotary Interact Club, is carrying a 3.711 GPA and will be graduating with high honors this spring. After graduation, she plans to attend Central Michigan University to study environmental science or biology to become a park ranger.

Kassuba has been a member of the FHS Rotary Interact Club for three years and participated with the Varsity Club and the National Honors Society. She was also a member of the Blueberry Ambassadors for four years. Megan’s brother Zach received Rotary Student of the Month honors in 2019 and her younger sister Grace, who’s in 10th grade at FHS, is currently an FHS Rotary Interact member.

While a student at FHS, Kassuba played golf and soccer and was the team captain for the FHS varsity ski team. As a skier, Kassuba was 1st Team All-District in Slalom this year and finished 13th at Regionals, playing a big role in helping her team qualify for the MHSAA State Finals. She also played varsity golf for three years and was the captain of her team.

From a young age, Kassuba has been involved with volunteerism. She began volunteering at the Flushing Candlewalk in fifth grade and has been helping ever since with the festival. Her other volunteer opportunities include: the North Soup Kitchen, Blueberry Ambassadors, the Flint River Clean-up with the Lions Club, and the Girl Scouts of America.

In her spare time, Kassuba enjoys hiking, taking pictures, and Girl Scout activities. One of her biggest recreational goals is to travel to all 423 national parks in the United States.

Kassuba’s favorite memory as an FHS student was skiing at the State Finals this year at Nubs Nob in northern Michigan. Her favorite teacher was Brandi McMunigal, whom Kassuba described as a very relatable and helpful English instructor.

Kassuba’s $100 award from the Flushing Rotary Club will be a donation to Whaley Children’s Center.  The Flushing Rotary Club is a member of Rotary International, the world's first (founded in 1905) and largest service club organization worldwide, and is headquartered in Evanston, IL. www.rotary.org

Rotary Club of Flushing charter member Tim Glavin has received the 2021 Tommy Award for displaying exemplary service to the community and to the Rotary Club of Flushing.

Glavin, a 29-year charter member of the club who participated in its formation in April 1992, received his Tommy Award during a virtual Rotary Club of Flushing meeting on March 25. Fellow Rotary members describe Glavin as a dedicated Rotarian since the club’s chartering, assisting in every community service effort and ensuring that many functions of the regular Rotary meetings go smoothly

Glavin, who has primarily served as Sergeant-at-Arms for the club, quietly and consistently serves the club by arriving early every week, setting up for the weekly meeting, arranging for attendance, collecting 50/50 raffle funds, and managing member name tags. He is also responsible for ensuring all members are wearing their Rotary pins and will fine them if they are not, which is a Rotary tradition.

Glavin also collects “Happy Bucks” from members during the meeting when they share a positive event in their lives.

“It is not always those who are front and center who should be recognized, but often those who just do what needs to be done and make it look effortless and seamless in a consistent and dependable manner,” said Flushing Rotary member Dr. John Cote. “Tim is a master of ensuring things are always taken care of and his dependability and dedication to his role are without question.”

Glavin is the owner of CIS Insurance Agency in Flushing and has been a corporate sponsor of many Flushing Rotary fundraisers and events over the years. His wife Connie, who is in automotive sales at a local dealership, has also procured sponsorships over the years for various Rotary fundraising events to support community projects in Flushing.

Rotary has been a family affair for the Glavins, as their son Tom has also helped at Rotary fundraisers by wearing the duck costume during the annual Duckie Race fundraisers.

The Thomas J. McNally Memorial Award, named after former Flushing Rotarian Thomas McNally Jr. (who is not deceased, but rather the first recipient of the award), was first presented in 1995. The award was the brainchild of former member Gerald Knight, who wanted to establish an award within the Rotary Club of Flushing to recognize a member who exhibited exemplary service to the club. Because the Flushing Rotary chapter was just three-years-old at the time, it did not have sufficient funds to award a Paul Harris Fellow, one of Rotary International’s highest awards given to members.

The Tommy Award is traditionally awarded on the Thursday preceding St. Patrick’s Day each year (this year’s award was delayed because of COVID) and recognizes a member of the Rotary Club of Flushing who has exhibited outstanding service to the club in the preceding year.

The award is represented by a necklace made of emerald green beads that are referred to within the Rotary Club as “the precious gems.” The recipient is expected to keep these “gems” safe, to wear them periodically at club meetings, and to plan and coordinate their awarding to a successor each year, in cooperation with prior Tommy Award winners in a secret planning session known as the “Tomclave.” Only prior award recipients can participate in the selection of the recipient each year.

Flushing High School senior Isaac Tift has been selected as the Rotary Club of Flushing’s Student of the Month for February.

Tift, a member of the National Honor Society, is carrying a 3.97 GPA in his final year at FHS. He has been recently accepted to the University of Michigan-Flint, where he plans to study early education. Tift also plans to return for his master’s degree after he begins his career in the classroom as a Pre-K/third-grade teacher.

Tift, who is an avid reader and writer, plans to write a book of his own someday. One of his current interest areas involves writing an informational text on teen issues, particularly regarding anxiety and mental health. He would also like to write children’s books in the future—a goal that aligns with his early education career path.

As a student at FHS, Tift competed in the Quiz Bowl, participated in the high school board gaming club and served as a Teacher Cadet at Central Elementary School, Elms Elementary School and the Early Childhood Center (ECC).

Tift said that his favorite FHS teacher was Mrs. Canterbury, his 10th grade English instructor. He described Canterbury—who recently retired from the district—as kind, personable, compassionate and relatable, always open to conversation and willing to help him with any problems he brought to her.

In terms of volunteerism, Tift spent much time giving back to his community. He worked at the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan, where he helped prepare and serve food, clean up and greet guests when they arrived. He also had numerous volunteer experiences as a Boy Scout, including garbage pick-up duties at the Flushing Township Nature Park and other local parks.

Tift’s $100 Rotary donation in his honor will go to the Humane Society of Genesee County.

(Courtesy of Ben Gagnon, The Flushing View, 2021).

Flushing High School social worker Pam Miller is the 2021 recipient of the Service Above Self Award presented by the Rotary Club of Flushing.

Miller, a longtime staff member at Flushing Community Schools, was presented with the award for her dedication to counseling students and launching outreach efforts for kids and their families.

Marty Barta, Rotary Club of Flushing president and former assistant principal at Flushing High School, said that Miller works relentlessly to get students the help they need, whether it involves situations at school and at home or scenarios involving mental health.

“She is deeply concerned about the students with whom she provides services,” Barta said. “She is confidential but also knows at what point she needs to seek help from outside sources. She is an exceptional listener, and the students know that she listens to their concerns.”

Along with her counseling work, Miller is described as having an “open wallet” because she frequently buys clothes, shoes, coats, lunches, food and other necessities for many students and their families in the Flushing community. For instance, Miller established a Prom Dress room, where she allows students to pick out dresses for an upcoming dance if they cannot afford to purchase one themselves.

Although she purchases many of the items herself, Miller has put together a network of community organizations and people whom she calls on for assistance when necessary. Over the years, she has arranged for beds, refrigerators and other household items to be delivered to families who need them and coordinated meals for families in the Flushing Community School District—especially around the holidays.

“Pam adopts students and their families every year during the holidays, gathering gifts that the students and the family want and need,” said Barta. “She digs deep into her own pocket to provide a holiday for these families. She takes no credit for these gifts, saying they are from Santa or from an anonymous donor.”

When the COVID-19 shutdown happened, Miller volunteered to help pack and distribute meals for FCS families—never missing a day of food distribution. She also volunteered at Flushing Christian Outreach Center to help pack and distribute food.

Professionally, Miller heads up the high school’s PPSC (Promoting Positive School Climate) efforts. In this capacity, she leads students, teachers and staff members in promoting a positive school climate at the high school by spearheading Raider Rewards when students are “caught doing something great.” She also hangs positivity banners throughout the high school and plays a huge role in preparing for the district’s annual Raider Rally to kick off a new school year.

In addition to being a problem solver for students, Miller serves as the high school’s “truancy officer” by tracking students’ attendance, arranging meetings with students and parents when a child has attendance issues and—when necessary—filing truancy paperwork with the county. Miller attends truancy hearings at Genesee County Probate Court and does all the follow-up work on getting students back on track and attending school.

The Rotary Club of Flushing’s Service Above Self Award reflects Rotary International’s motto and seeks to recognize someone in the Flushing community who goes above and beyond (Service above Self) in their service to the community and beyond, thereby exemplifying the Rotary motto. The recipient is always a non-Rotarian.

(The Rotary Club of Flushing expresses its appreciation to Ben Gagnon of The Flushing View for this story)

Flushing High School (FHS) senior Michael Benko has received the Rotary Student of the Month honors for the month of December from the Rotary Club of Flushing.

Benko, who will walk with his senior class in the spring, is also currently enrolled at Flushing Raider Early College (FREC). Although the program requires him to attend high school for five years instead of four, Benko is earning numerous college credits while attending high school at a fraction of the cost of college classes. All his classes during his fifth year will be taken at Mott Community College.

Upon graduation, Benko plans to transfer his credits to Kettering University or Carnegie Mellon University to earn a degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering. Benko said that he would like to work for NASA if he goes the aerospace route or get into the automation field if he decides to earn a mechanical engineering degree.

As a student at FHS, Benko said that his two favorite teachers were Mr. Taylor and Mr. Bartlett. He said he enjoyed how they engaged with students in unconventional ways and kept their classes fun, while getting the lessons across in an easily understandable manner.

Benko kept himself busy at FHS with a variety of extracurricular school activities, including spelling bee contests. Last year, Benko finished second in the Genesee Intermediate School District (GISD) Spelling Bee (representing 21 districts) and finished second in that contest during his ninth-grade year.

Benko also won his ninth-grade spelling bee contest at Flushing and has finished near the top in every spelling bee he’s entered since fourth grade.

From seventh to eighth grade, Benko participated with the Flushing Middle School robotics program and helped to design a robot that won a competition at Milford (Aquatics ROV) and a best design award.

Benko has also been involved with the FHS theatre program, getting his start as Juror #11 in “12 Angry Jurors.” He also starred in “Ax of Murder” and “Caught in the Act” during his junior year and appeared in “Clue: On Stage” (winter 2019) and “Star Stars: The Comedy Awakens” (spring 2019).

For hobbies, Benko enjoys model-making, fishing, reading fantasy novels, playing video games and drawing emblems from shows and video games, along with some portraits.

Benko also dedicated time to volunteer with the Soup Kitchen and Catholic Charities, where he prepared food, sorted clothes and toys, and helped in any capacity.  The Flushing Rotary Club places a priority on community service in selecting its Student of the Month and annual Rotary Scholarship recipients.

Benko’s $100 Rotary donation will go to the Old Newsboys of Flint. (reprinted from B. Gagnon, The Flushing View, January,  2021).

Flushing HS Interact Students during book sorting: (left to right) Madalyn VanLandeghem (Rotary Interact President), Marty Barta (Rotary Club president), Arissa Presley and Lauren Brokaw. 

The Rotary Club of Flushing recently collaborated with the Flushing High School Interact Club to set up a new book distribution center for the Rotary Area 7 Literacy Project.

Interact Club students under the direction of Rotary Club of Flushing President Marty Barta sorted through pallets of books at Future Engineering Inc. in Flushing, which is owned by Rotary Club of Flushing member Matt Catlin. Interact Club members then organized the books and arranged them on shelves, completing the project in two days (approximately five hours total). All the while, the students stayed masked up and maintained a six-foot of social distance as much as possible.

Catlin will be providing storage for the books at his company so that they can be distributed to eligible students in the area. Local Rotary clubs participating in the Area 7 Literacy Project include the Rotary Club of Flushing, the Rotary Club of Fenton, the Rotary Club of Grand Blanc, the Rotary Club of Flint, the Rotary Club of Greater Flint Sunrise, and the Genesee Valley Rotary Club.

The Area 7 Literacy Project started in 2014 with a primary focus to distribute books to kids from birth through age five. Books were given to Reach Out and Read at the Hurley Pediatric Clinic and distributed by the Salvation Army at the downtown Citadel and Beecher Corps.

After the Flint Water Crisis, Reach Out and Read secured other sources of book funding, and the Salvation Army requested that the Rotary Clubs distribute all materials through the Beecher Corps. Through 2019, 22,500 books had been distributed.

In 2020, the Area 7 Literacy Project was expanded beyond the Beecher district and adjusted its focus to include a K-6th grade reading level. This change allowed books to circulate to school districts in the Area 7 Literacy Project network rather than just the Beecher area.

While the project continues to provide 1,000 books annually to Beecher Salvation Army, it has also expanded to include the distribution of an additional 4,000 books annually by the six participating Rotary clubs. Five of the clubs will handle distribution through the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan Backpack Program, and the Rotary Club of Flushing will partner with the Bread for Life Backpack Program for distribution.

Books will be distributed four to five times a year based on the number of eligible students in each club’s school district.

The community goal of the Area 7 Literacy Project is to get children fluent in reading outside of school hours and ready to read when they enter school. Books distributed in the project network are fun books and not “assigned reading.” (Reprinted courtesy of Ben Gagnon, The Flushing View).

The Flushing Rotary Club awarded its 2020 scholarships to three Flushing High School graduates on July 23. The recipients were Flushing High School 2020 graduates Josie Willette, Landen Moore-Pierce and Landon Young.

Willette received the Gerald and Josie Knight Memorial Scholarship, Moore-Pierce was awarded the Richard and Kathy Merrill Scholarship and Young received the general Flushing Rotary Scholarship. Each student received a $1,000 scholarship that can be used for college tuition at the institution they attend this fall.

Willette plans to attend Michigan State University and pursue an education major in high school teaching. Moore- Pierce will attend Alma College on an athletic scholarship and plans to pursue a nursing major. Young will be attending Olivet Nazarene University in Illinois and is interested in a career in the healthcare field.

The Flushing Rotary scholarships are based upon a combination of factors, including academic achievement and community service. A priority is placed on service, as this is the motto of Rotary International: “Service above Self.” The Flushing Rotary Club seeks to recognize students who have engaged in active community service during their high school years.

A Rotary Scholarship committee comprised of Flushing Rotary members and non-Rotary community representatives selects the recipients. Funding is awarded from the Flushing Rotary Club Scholarship Fund and administered by the Community Foundation of Greater Flint. The Rotary Club typically awards between two to four scholarships per year.

The Flushing Rotary Club is pleased to recognize these three outstanding students in the Flushing community and wishes them success in their academic pursuits and career paths. The Flushing Rotary also recognizes the efforts of the scholarship recipients’ parents in their important formative role. 

Pictured (L-R): Marty Barta, Terry Bigelow, and Darwin Scherba.

Flushing resident Terry Bigelow has been named the Flushing Rotary Club’s Service Above Self Award recipient for 2020.

Bigelow, who is the program manager for the Flushing Christian Outreach Center (FCOC), received her award at the Rotary Club’s weekly breakfast meeting on February 6. She was presented the award based on her outstanding professional achievement within her occupation and for contributing her time and energy to the problems and needs of society.

Bigelow, a 1974 graduate of Flushing High School, attended Michigan State University to pursue a career in teaching. During her junior year at MSU, she auditioned and was offered an acting role with The Young Americans Broadway Tour. After a nine-month tour, Bigelow returned to MSU and resumed her education, where she received a B.A. in Elementary Education in 1979.

Bigelow began her teaching career in the Los Alamitos Unified School District in California. She was involved in many aspects of education, from classroom teacher to directing student musicals and drama programs.

With the help of a colleague, Bigelow founded the Los Al Players—a youth performance troupe that developed into what is currently known as the Orange County School of the Arts. The California charter school currently enrolls 2,000 students in grades 7-12 and prepares students for higher education and a profession in the arts.

In 1986, Bigelow returned to Flushing and taught middle school writing in Montrose. She also served as the afterschool drama coach.

In 1989, Bigelow received her Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from Eastern Michigan University. She would go on to hold the position of Montrose Middle School Assistant Principal and Montrose Alternative Education High School Director from 2003 to 2010. She retired from Montrose Schools in 2010.

Shortly after her retirement, Bigelow became the program manager for the FCOC, which provides food and clothing for 400 to 500 individuals each month. FCOC has become an efficient resource for those in need within the Flushing community, serving every client with dignity and grace. The FCOC is supported by many of the Flushing churches.

Bigelow oversees around 100 volunteers at FCOC and coordinates a variety of programs at the center. She has become well-regarded for bringing compassion and expertise to the FCOC vision and for having a genuine concern for the wellbeing of the community’s most vulnerable members.

In addition to her role with FCOC, Bigelow has been instrumental in providing food for school-aged children within Flushing Community Schools through weekend distribution. As a certified trainer for Bridges Out of Poverty, she has also given presentations across the state and the country regarding the hidden rules of poverty, the barriers of poverty and how communities can help neighbors in need to become self-sustaining.

The Rotary Club of Flushing’s Service Above Self Award reflects Rotary International’s motto and seeks to recognize someone in the Flushing community who goes above and beyond (Service above Self) in their service to the community and beyond, thereby exemplifying the Rotary motto. The recipient is always a non-Rotarian.

(Left to right): Andrew Schmidt, Rich Willette, Josie Willette, Tina Willette, Lauren Quigley and Kevin Foltz.

Flushing High School senior Josie Willette has been selected as the Flushing Rotary Student of the Month for January.

Willette received her recognition alongside her parents Rich and Tina Willette and her favorite FHS teacher, Lauren Quigley, at a recent Flushing Rotary Club meeting. Josie is ranked eighth in the senior class with a 4.02 GPA and is currently taking AP Chemistry and AP Calculus classes.

After graduation, Willette plans to attend Michigan State University to pursue a degree in elementary education. She said she would like to stay in Michigan for the time being and job shadow teachers while in college. Eventually, she hopes to continue her education with a master’s degree.

As a student at FHS, Willette is no stranger to the spotlight. Last fall, she was crowned the 2019 Flushing Homecoming Queen and played a key role in leading the senior team to victory in the Homecoming Powderpuff game. She has also been a three-time captain of the Flushing Girls Varsity Soccer team at Flushing and has been named to the All-League Academic team in all four years of high school.

Willette belongs to several clubs at FHS, including the National Honor Society, the Science National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, the Student Leadership Organization and Varsity Club (where she is a Media Specialist).

Willette also fills her spare time with volunteering. She has dedicated many hours to serving with the Special Olympics, the Flushing Candlewalk, soup kitchens and food drives. Additionally, she tutors kids from Central Elementary School every week and serves with the “Chain Gang” for youth and sub-varsity football games through Flushing High School’s sports officiating class.

Although she is focused on grades and athletics, Willette earns some extra money by babysitting and using her painting skills to create welcome signs to sell. For hobbies, she enjoys watching movies and TV (her favorite movie is “The Proposal”) and hanging out with friends, family and cousins.

Willette said that her favorite time at FHS was attending classes when her older sister Logan was a senior at the high school. Namely, because Willette — a freshman at the time—got to hang out with her sister and her friends.

Willette has designated her $100 Rotary donation to be given to Special Olympics, which she has enjoyed being associated with as a volunteer since seventh grade.

(Reprinted from The Flushing View, January 30, 2020, by Ben Gagnon, with permission)

(Pictured L-R:  Dave Bennett, Rotary Club of Flushing President; Dr. James Cantwil, DDS;  Darwin Scherba, Rotary Service Above Self Award Coordinator).

Dr. James K. Cantwil, DDS, has received the Rotary Club of Flushing’s distinguished Service Above Self Award for 2019.

Cantwil, who has owned and operated a dental practice in Flushing for 12 years, was presented with the honor at the Rotary Club’s breakfast meeting last Thursday. He received the award based on three qualifications: exemplifying outstanding professional achievement within his occupation; contributing his time and energy to the problems and needs of society; and demonstrating high ethical standards.

From a professional achievement standpoint, Cantwil has received several comprehensive dental and surgical certifications.

He also serves as a trustee on the Michigan Dental Association board (MDA) and has served multiple terms on the Genesee District Dental Society Board of Directors.

In many instances, Cantwil has given of his time to take care of the needs of others. He has participated as a coordinator for the Give Kids a Smile Foundation, volunteered as an oral health presenter in the Flushing, Swartz Creek and Clio school districts (1994-2014) and served as a Eucharistic Minister and Lector at local Catholic parishes (1980 to the present).

Cantwil has also completed several volunteer medical trips with the Haiti Dental Mission to the mountain village of Delatte, Haiti. As part of the team, he has helped to provide dental care and surgery to over 360 people in an impoverished region.

Cantwil will return to Haiti this month, where he will bring a pre-med college student along to get hands-on experience and receive the spiritual reward of serving others.

The Rotary Club also wishes to recognize Cantwil for his commitment to high ethical standards. As a convenience store employee from 1979-1988, Cantwil observed abuses in the use of state aid and food stamps. That experience has led him to remain politically active in regard to reforming the use of the state’s welfare programs.

Cantwil graduated from the University Of Detroit’s School Of Dentistry in 1988 and practiced as an associate dentist until 1989, when he began his own practice in Flint Township. He would later move his office to its current W. Pierson Road location in 1997.

Cantwil has been married to his wife, Elisa, since 1986 and has three children: Elizabeth (born 1989), Olivia (born 1992), and Roselyn (born 1996).

The Rotary Club of Flushing’s Service Above Self Award reflects Rotary International’s motto and seeks to recognize someone in the Flushing community who goes above and beyond (Service above Self) in their service to the community and beyond, thereby exemplifying the Rotary motto. The recipient is always a non-Rotarian.

The Flushing Rotary Club instituted this award in 2011 and has awarded it in each subsequent year to a Flushing area resident who demonstrates this level of selfless service. It is among the highest annual recognitions awarded by the Flushing Rotary Club. 

(Reprinted from article by Ben Gagnon, The Flushing View, February 7 2019)

Pictured L-R:  FHS Assistant Principal Kevin Foltz, Quincy Davis and Flushing Rotary President Dave Bennett.

Flushing High School senior Quincy Davis has been chosen as the Rotary Club of Flushing's Student of the Month for January 2019.

Davis received the award on January 24, 2019 at the Rotary Club of Flushing meeting with her parents, Jason Davis and Kristy Lord, siblings Mason, Brooklyn and Chandler, and grandparents Karen and Andy Suski, in attendance. She has designated Hurley Medical Center's Children’s Miracle Network to receive her $100 donation from the Rotary Club in her honor.

Davis, an honor student at FHS, is set to graduate this spring. Her plans include studying business management at Mott Community College on a volleyball scholarship and entering the family’s automotive dealership business upon graduation.

At Flushing, Davis is a three-sport athlete and has been named to four Academic All-State teams. She was the team captain for the 2018 Raider volleyball team, which captured a regional championship, a district title and a conference championship this fall. She is also a two-year varsity member of the girls basketball team (which is in season) and will begin her fourth year of varsity tennis this spring.

Davis has taken active involvement in varsity clubs, belonging to the Student Leadership Organization (SLO), the National Technical Honor Society, the Varsity Club and the COLT Squad.

For community service, Davis has read to kindergartners at the Early Childhood Center; assisted at the Mobile Food Pantry for three years; operated a Speed and Agility clinic for first to sixth graders at the 2018 Flushing Harvest Festival; set up for the Flushing Candlewalk with the Student Leadership Organization; and volunteered at a local soup kitchen for the past three years.

In the summer of 2017, Davis took a mission trip to Cincinnati to help remodel a building into a school for underprivileged kids. The trip was made possible through her home church, Flushing Community Church.

As for hobbies, Davis enjoys sports, travel and spending time with family. Her favorite trip was just this past year on Disney’s Alaskan Cruise.

Davis’ favorite memories at Flushing including winning the volleyball regional and being crowned Homecoming Queen this past fall. Her favorite teacher is Mrs. Harden, who she credited with pushing her to succeed in math.

Flushing Rotarian recalls medical mission trip to Kenya

NOVEMBER 01, 2018

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Dr. Duane Allyn with Enoch, a Kenyan child he sponsors through the Kenya Relief organization. Photo provided

FLUSHING — From its inception, the Rotary Club of Flushing has encouraged members to pursue the Rotary International motto of “Service above Self.”

Flushing Rotarian Dr. Duane Allyn has exemplified that calling.

Allyn, a pediatrician based in Flint, recently embarked on an 11-day medical mission trip to Kenya this September. While overseas, he helped to perform numerous medical treatments and examined children and adults before they went into surgery.

For Allyn, the trip represented his sixth time serving as a volunteer with Kenya Relief, a faith-based organization that sends around 20 short-term mission teams to Kenya each year.

“When you go, you get to meet wonderful people…and you get to give your heart,” he said. “Our presence there can make a total change in a person’s life.”

Allyn served in the rural Migori region of Kenya, which is west of the Kenyan capital of Nairobi. Here, Kenya Relief operates an orphanage, a school and a clinic with surgical rooms and a pharmacy.

Over the course of his trip, Allyn saw hundreds of patients and treated everything from goiters to high blood pressure. His team included three ENT specialists, a plastic surgeon, two residents and an operation room staff.

Allyn said that his desire to serve on medical missions was stirred seven years ago, during a time when he was dealing with depression and a sense of professional “burn-out.”

“My wife prayed and sensed God was telling her that I needed to return to my roots (of service),” he said. “She called a surgeon friend of ours, who then connected us with the Kenya Relief Fund.”

In August 2012, Allyn took his wife and daughter to Kenya for the first time. He said that the experience was mind-blowing because of the country’s dire lack of basic medical care.

“There was a young lady—probably eight or nine-years-old—who had been kicked in the leg and had her femur broken,” the doctor said. “My wife and I had enough money to have a rod flown over (from the United States) so that she could have surgery to repair her leg.”

Allyn said that the operation would have cost the girl’s mother $200, which is about 20,000 shillings in Kenyan currency. For perspective, the average Kenyan only makes $1 to $2 a day.

Filling Kenya’s great need for medical treatment, Allyn said, has given him purpose and fueled his desire to give back even more.

“I’ll do anything they ask of me over there,” he said. “It’s ‘Service above Self.’”

Outside of administering medical care, Allyn has also helped his Rotary district to raise funds for a new well at Kenya Relief’s missionary home in Migori, as well as bathrooms and a septic tank for the organization’s school. Altogether, Rotary District 6330—along with contributions from the Flushing United Methodist Church and a Rotary Club in Alabama—raised $26,000 for the project.

Back home, Allyn encourages medical students and Rotary members alike to get involved with Kenya Relief’s causes, whether through participation with mission teams or by donating.

As a multi-faceted outreach, Kenya Relief also welcomes educational, construction and evangelistic mission teams. To get involved or to donate, visit kenyarelief.org

Applications are now being accepted for two $1,000 scholarships from the Rotary Club of Flushing Scholarship Fund. Established by the Rotary Club of Flushing, applicants may apply for these scholarships by completing the necessary forms available in the "Files" area at the top of this website or through area high school guidance offices. The awards are named in honor of outstanding Flushing Rotarians Gerald & Josie Knight, and Richard & Kathy Merrill.

As a service organization, the emphasis of the scholarship awards is leadership and community volunteerism. All 2018 high school graduates or equivalency certification recipients living in the community boundaries of the Flushing Community School system qualify for participation and are strongly urged to complete the brief application. Students attending post-graduation programs such as vocational training, medical assisting certification, trade school or traditional college/university are encouraged to apply.  This is not an exhaustive list.

Applicants will have demonstrated completion of high school or equivalent certification. Candidates will indicate the activities they’ve participated in locally as a volunteer, leader or demonstrate their likelihood of participating in community activities as an adult. The potential candidate shall reside within the boundaries served by the Flushing Community School District. Candidates may have attended any high school or home-based program in the Flushing area.

The Rotary Club of Flushing is a service organization that has a dual emphasis, one of which is  humanitarian programs such as the eradication of Polio worldwide and the other being local community projects. Each of these endeavors will represent the Rotary motto: Service Above Self.  Two examples out of dozens locally include the Flushing Riverview Park beautification project and the Scholarships addressed in this article.  Applications are available in the "Files" area of this website above.  Directions for submission of the applications are contained within the application. Applicants should review the "Scholarship Rules" file (located under "Files" on website) before completing the application. Applications are due by April 6, 2018, and the scholarships will be awarded during a Rotary Club of Flushing meeting in June.