Published: December 07, 2009 11:50 pm      

Education Newsmakers: 12/8/2009

-  Jaye Lynn Trapp's fifth-grade Talented and Gifted class at Central Grade School has developed a connection with Uganda through periodic letters received by Margaret Mimnaugh, who is serving in the Peace Corps in a small village called Bulera. Currently, the class is collecting maps and beach ball globes from Michigan Geographic Alliance to send to Bulera Primary School.

-  Zachary Siler, 19, a graduate of Elk Rapids High School, is a sophomore at Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea, Ohio, studying music theory with an emphasis in conducting. Siler landed a contract with Disney, conducting the Broadview Heights Christmas Choir for the September leg of a cross-country train tour of "A Christmas Carol," to promote the movie. He also has a conducting internship at Messiah Lutheran Church, and serves as assistant conductor of Kol Rina Jewish community choir and music director at the Pearl Road Methodist Church, all in the Cleveland area. Zachary is the son of Candy Kehoe (Daugherty).

-  Traverse City Area Public Schools has been awarded $4,500 by the Traverse City Light and Power Community Investment Fund. The contribution will benefit elementary science programs by supplementing funding for the Magnets, Matter and Energy, and the Electric Circuits and Magnetism Science Curriculum.

n The Kingsley Jazz Prism band is one of 18 high school jazz bands from Michigan to be invited to perform at the University of Michigan Jazz Festival Feb. 13.