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Anthony Alvarez: Mastering Life’s Challenges with Math and Computer ScienceNOTICEKalamazoo Public Schools welcomesall students and staff of any religion,race, color, national origin, age, sex,pregnancy, gender identification, height,weight, familial status, marital status,sexual orientation, and disability.The District will not tolerate orcondone any act of bias or discriminationtoward any person on the basis ofreligion, race, color, national origin, age,sex, pregnancy, gender identification,height, weight, familial status, maritalstatus, sexual orientation, and disabilityin any of its activities, hiring practices,programs or services.Inquiries by students and/or theirparents/guardians should be directed to:Assistant Superintendent forInstruction and Student ServicesKalamazoo Public Schools1220 Howard St.Kalamazoo, MI 49008(269) 337-0161All other inquiries should be directed to:Assistant Superintendent ofHuman ResourcesKalamazoo Public Schools1220 Howard St.Kalamazoo, MI 49008(269) 337-0177District Directory at :www.kalamazoopublicschools.comBOARD OF EDUCATIONPresidentPatti Sholler-BarberVice PresidentTiAnna HarrisonSecretaryJennie HillTreasurerKen GreschakTrusteeJermaine JacksonTrusteeMegan MaddockTrusteeTandy MooreSUPERINTENDENTDr. Rita Raichoudhuriwww.kalamazoopublicschools.comHe might be bashful.Kalamazoo Central HighSchool graduate Antony Alvarezis certainly soft-spoken, but he’scertainly not bashful or shy whenit comes to demonstrating hiscomputer coding skills.There he is a master. Therehe dominates. There his actionsspeak loud enough for anyone tohear.Alvarez, 17, has in essenceearned a varsity letter in computerprogramming at the KalamazooArea Math and Science Center,where computer science teacherShannon Houtrouw says Alvarezis one of the best he’s ever seen.Houtrouw has taught him theprogramming languages C and Java, but Alvarez came in asa sophomore already knowinghow to code in Python.“I asked him how he came tolearn Python and he told me thatwhenever he got bored in ninthgrade, he would take it uponhimself to learn that programminglanguage,” Houtrouw said. “Ibelieve this really speaks to hischaracter. While most otherstudents might choose to playgames or watch Netflix in theirleisure, Anthony takes the timeto develop himself and pursuehis goal of becoming a computerscientist or an engineer or both.”Alvarez is the equivalent of theComputer Science team captain,helping lead KAMSC to winningperformances in competitionsat University of Michigan-Flint,Michigan State University, andthe Governor’s High SchoolCyber Security contest. He helpedlead the program to a first placefinish in the American ComputerScience League’s ClassroomDivision Contest.His hard work and skillshave earned him a QuestBridgeScholarship, which will providea full-ride to NorthwesternUniversity in Illinois.Alvarez is the son of FannyHernandez and Antonio Alvarez.He moved to Kalamazoo fromthe Santo Domingo, DominicanRepublic, in the sixth grade whenhis mother earned a scholarshipU.S. was quite a big change in mylife. Suddenly, I was surroundedby people who spoke a differentlanguage and had a fairly differentculture from mine.“School was not an issue,but I had a hard time makingfriends. I think this also initiallyhad the effect of me having littleto no confidence in my languageand writing skills, as writing ina second language, especially atthe level expected at school, israther worrisome. Yet I am stillvery confident in my abilities todo other school-related things.”The one area where he hasalways felt confident is in hismath skills.“I think I have been goodAnthony Alvarez says it's easy to loseatmathfor as long as I canhimself in math and computer science.remember,” he said. “I guessto pursue graduate studies at it just makes sense to me morethan other subjects. I like theWestern Michigan University.He had to take English as a consistency of it.”By eighth grade he tested intoSecond Language classes when hefirst arrived. The language barrier the Academically Talented Youthmade it difficult to make friends Program in math, and then hisand probably made him a little counselor suggested he apply toKAMSC.more shy, he said.In addition to computer“I think coming to the U.S.humbled me a bit,” he said in sciences, he said he hasa college essay. “Moving to the particularly enjoyed the higherJune/July 2022level mathematics taught inphysics with Mike Sinclair andModhi Alshehri. He has alsoenjoyed the CTE Electronics &Robotics course taught by KenBriggs and U.S. history withEric Buckleitner at � not just for his CSskills but for his work ethic andhis personality.“One thing I really appreciateabout Anthony is that eventhough he is such an academicstar, he remains quite humbleabout his accomplishments,”Houtrouw said. “He is not justanother computer nerd. He is awonderful young man.”Alvarez said perhaps he does“undersell” himself sometimes.“I’m not sure. I’ve alwaysbeen a bit bashful, I think. Butnot in math or programming.I’m confident in those areas.Iget really excited about those soit’s kind of easy to lose myselfin those areas. I guess I alsolike mastering stuff. It’s gettingthrough things and knowingI’m good at something and thatfeels great.”EXCELSIOR5

Justine Barnard: Experience Defined by Social Justice and Study AbroadKalamazoo Central HighSchool’s Justine Barnard senioryear was pretty atypical — mostlybecause she wasn’t even inKalamazoo.Bernard, 17, has been livingabroad in Germany as part ofthe Congress-Bundestag YouthExchange, or CBYX, which is fullyfunded by the U.S. Congress andthe German Bundestag. It sends350 students from across theUnited States to live with a hostfamily and attend a German highschool. While there they travel,meet with government officialsand learn about global affairs.SheattendedElSolElementaryandLindenGrove Middle School. Whileat Kalamazoo Central, sheparticipated in Mock Trial, wasa volunteer at the YWCA, was asummer scholar with the GreatJewish Books Program, andvolunteered for various politicalcampaigns.Barnard, who is the daughterof Anja and Ken Barnard, willreturn to the States later thissummer and plans to attendBarnard College or the Universityto find that dozens of people inKalamazoo volunteered to giverides. I decided to tackle this issuebecause I hoped to make votingmore accessible and increaseparticipation. In a communitywith a high poverty rate, noteveryone can simply jump in acar and drop off their absenteeballot or easily navigate therequirements of requesting one.of Michigan in the fall, where shewants to study political scienceand public policy.Barnard answered questionsvia email while still studying inGermany.You received a City ofKalamazoo Social Justice YouthAward earlier this year. Howdid you get involved in socialjustice and what are your biggestconcerns?Like many students, Iworried about gun violence froma young age. I decided therehad to be some way to becomeactively involved in issues ofsocial justice and began interningfor Jon Hoadley’s campaign forCongress when I was 14. Some ofthe biggest social justice concernsI have are the climate crisis,racial injustice, and gun violence.These are complex and somewhatoverwhelming issues. But socialjustice is a process, a goal, andrequires participation. This is whyI decided to act. It’s importantfor everyone, especially youngpeople, to know that it is possibleto make a difference.Kalamazoo Central senior JustineBarnard spent her senior year inGermany.How have your studentactivities reflected these concernsand interests?My activities center aroundvolunteerism and communitywork. For example, beforethe 2020 election, I createda website and organization,KzooBallotBoxRides, which offeredrides to ballot boxes. I used aform to request or offer a rideand included a list of all ballotbox locations in my county. Icontacted several organizationsand made announcements attheir meetings. I was thrilledYou also did work studyingbail inequities in Kalamazoo.What did you learn through yourvolunteerism?The Eighth Amendment to theU.S. Constitution says “excessivebail shall not be required.”Logically, what is excessiveshould depend on a person’sfinances and circumstances. Butit doesn’t. Bail often requiresthat 10 percent be posted. So,if bail is set at 1,000, it wouldrequire 100. This may seemfine to the average person, butfor a poor person, this may beimpossible. Reforming the bailsystem, or eliminating it for lowlevel, nonviolent offenses seemslike a part of criminal justicereform that everyone shouldagree on, but not enough peopleunderstand how bail works.Your mom is from Germany.Were there ever any questionsabout whether you would bebilingual in English and German?Immersion in culture andlanguage has always been animportant part of my life, whetherthat be learning Mandarin at TheChinese Association of GreaterKalamazoo, learning Spanish atEl Sol Elementary, or learningGerman at home. There was neverany question about whether Iwould be bilingual in English andGerman because my mother’s sideof the family lives in Germany andwe speak both languages at home.Do you feel like you missedout on anything by being awayduring your senior year?My senior year is differentbut I don’t feel I’ve missed out.I’m seeing the world and makinglife-long friends. I think I’vebecome more independent andhave a broader worldview afterstudying abroad.Heyl Scholarships Awarded to Five KPS GraduatesFive Kalamazoo Public Schoolsstudents have been namedrecipients of the KalamazooCollege Heyl Scholarships.The award is presented toKalamazoo County high schoolstudents seeking to major in STEMrelated fields at Kalamazoo Collegeor who are studying nursing atWestern Michigan University.This year a total of eight HeylScholarships were awarded. Thescholarships were established in1971 through the estates of Dr.Frederick Heyl and his wife EliseHeyl. The scholarship coverstuition, room and board, fees andbooks for four years.This year’s KPS Heyl winners are:Michael Ankley, KalamazooCentral, plans to attend K tostudy physics and environmentalscience. He has committed toswim or play lacrosse at K.Annaliese Bol, Loy Norrix,6EXCELSIORJune/July 2022plans to major in biology. Forfun, she runs and is consideringrunningcompetitivelyatKalamazoo College.Lillian Daniels, Loy Norrix,plans to study biology at K. Inher free time, she pole vaultsand seeks to become fluent in asecond language.Abigail Houtrouw is agraduate of Kalamazoo Centraland the Kalamazoo Area Mathand Science Center. She will beattending the Western MichiganUniversity Bronson School ofNursing. Her long-term goal is tobecome a nurse practitioner.Brigid Roth is a graduate ofKalamazoo Central and KAMSC.She plans to major in biology with afocus on neuroscience at K-Collegeand hopes to become a psychiatrist.She participated in WMU’s StrykerMedical School’s Early Introductionto Health Careers.www.kalamazoopublicschools.com

Neida Jaimes: Determined to Make Memories Despite PandemicNeida Jaimes knows that theCovid pandemic stole a lot of highschool experiences from her andher classmates at Loy Norrix HighSchool.While she’s sad about that,she has approached her senioryear determined to reclaim herhigh school experience.“I feel like Covid took a lot ofmemories I could have had. In theblink of an eye, it was gone,” saidJaimes, 18. “But I think this yearI’m making a lot of new ones. It’sbeen going really well. I’m takingit day by day and appreciatingevery memory that I’m making.”Jaimes is the daughter ofMaria Salinas and José Jaimes.Her older sister Lorena Jaimesand brother Christian Jaimes alsoattended Loy Norrix. In the fall,she will be attending MichiganState University.It was Lorena, who helped herget through quarantine, Jaimessaid. “As much as I don’t wantto give her credit, she definitelyhelped me,” she said with a laugh.“She was in the same spot herselffinishing college. We were bothclueless and had no idea what todo. She just helped make everyday different and kept pushingme to get through.”Jaimes moved to Kalamazoofrom the tiny town of Covert inthe fourth grade. She attendedMilwoodElementaryandMilwood Magnet schools.“Along the way I met somepretty good teachers,” who builtreal relationships with her, shesaid. Among her favorites wereDawn Kahler, a science teacherat Milwood Magnet, who remainsclose to her today.“Neida is an original,” Kahlersaid. “She’s real. When Neidawould laugh in class it was neverat someone, but always includedeveryone in the humor. Everyonelaughed with her. She has somuch joy and she shares it. WhenI think of Neida I hear her laughand it puts a smile on my face.“She also was that kid thatcould work with anyone andboth people enjoyed workingtogether and learning. She alsoworked hard at her learning andnever sat back when things weregood enough. Neida is the kind ofperson that makes everyone feelKalamazoo Innovative LearningProgram 2022 GraduatesBaez-Cruz, Abel RenaultBaldwin, Hailee MarieBluntson, Jayla LashaBorden, Katherine LynBranstrom, Natacia ElaineEdick, Kali Michelle JoanneHasan Aljawad, InasHemmer, Annabel LinneaJones, Christopher JohnNix, Tiara LeaScott, Alizaye Khrystyle SimoneSeaberry, Ramone WilliamSirrine, J'Viohn RobertThomas, Jada LynnWalker, Jordan ElijahWebster, Ira CodyWilliams, Sophia MonetWilson, Alonte JavonNeida Jaimes, Loy Norrix High School 2022 graduate, was a four-year soccer playerand joined the football team as a kicker last year.good and it feels so good to knowher.”At Norrix, she readily founda niche as a varsity soccer player,which she played four years.She also served as a yearbookphotographer in her sophomoreyear. She’s in the National HonorSociety, plays club soccer andworks part time. Then Covid. Buteven with the pandemic, she stillfound a way to keep growing andtrying new things.Her longtime boyfriend TylerRoberts has always been a footballplayer, and Jaimes watched thegame dispassionately for manyyears. Then her junior year, “Ijokingly asked the coach if I couldbe their kicker,” she said. “He looksat me and says, flat out, ‘yes.’”She attended practice andtook the field the second gameof the season. Her soccer skillsdefinitely helped her take to thefootball field.She was never scared ofgetting hurt. She was more scaredshe’d mess up and disappoint theteam.“I eventually did get tackledonce. I got up and just laughed itoff. Oh, it hurt, but I was like, I’mplaying the game, it’s bound tohappen.”Her two seasons playingfootball will be one of her favoritememories from high school.“It’s something not a lot ofpeople do,” she said. “I got toexperience something differentand meet a lot of new people. I grewrelationships with the coaches. Itgave me a lot of connections.”Connections matter to her,and there are so many people whohave made a difference at LoyNorrix, she said. Her counselorBecky Parsons, Spanish teacherChristina Holmes, economicsteacher Ryan Allen, and footballcoach Lorenzo Robertson.“There were like so manyteachers in every grade, everyyear. I think everyone here hadan impact on me.”Southwest Child Care ResourcesServing Southwest Michigan CountiesAllegan Barry Berrien Calhoun Cass Kalamazoo St. Joseph Van BurenSUMMER’SCOMINGLooking for Child Care?Start by giving us a call269-349-3496Receive a list of Child Careproviders (Licensed Centersor Home/Group)in an area near you!Your first stop for all things Child Care related5250 Lovers Lane LL120Portage, Michigan 49002www.ccr4kids.orgSophia Williams, left, and Tiara Nix share a smile before the KILP graduation.www.kalamazoopublicschools.comFunding from the Office of Great Start within the Michigan Department of Education supports the implementation of Great Start.June/July 2022EXCELSIOR7

Robert Wheeler: Revved Up and Ready to Go to the Next LevelFor some students, highschool graduation is a big stepinto the unknown. But, forRobert Wheeler III his path iswell defined — in part because hehas been participating in virtuallearning for the past two years,including the past year in theKalamazoo Focused LearningExperience or KFLEX.The Covid pandemic createdinnumerable challenges, butWheeler, 18, who also goesby Bobby, managed to takeadvantage of the challenges tocreate a situation that allowedhim to earn his diploma andwork full time, developing theskills necessary to build a solidfoundation in his family business.When Covid closed downschools, Wheeler, 18, beganworking full time at his family’sbusiness, Crosstown Auto andTruck Parts, and he discoveredthat not only did he enjoy thework but that he was good at it.Crosstown Auto dismantlesold and wrecked vehicles andsells the salvaged parts mostly toother auto and body shops acrossthe country.Wheelerworksasadismantler. He takes apart cars,pulling items such as motors andtransmissions. He’ll also repairbroken parts so they can beresold.The company is owned by hisgrandfather and father RobertWheeler Sr. and Robert WheelerJr. and his aunt Carmen West. Therest of his family includes momErin, older sister Karley, youngerbrother Gavin, and little sisterSavannah.He had to participate invirtual school at the end of hissophomore year and through hisjunior year, but his senior yearhe could have chosen to return toin-person learning.“I felt like virtual was the bestoption for me,” he said. “I couldcontinue to work and get handson experience and then balancethat out with doing school atnight. I think it was the best ofboth worlds.“My favorite part of the jobright now is being able to workand to use my hands. I just dowhat I do best, which is workon cars, whether tearing themapart or putting them backtogether. I took to it naturally8June/July 2022EXCELSIORKalamazoo Central.KFLEX teacher KathleenBriggs, who served as Wheeler’smentor teacher, said the virtualprograms create unique learningenvironments for students. Theschedule can accommodatestudents interested in working,Early Middle College, and offcampus courses such as Career &Technical Education, Educationfor the Arts or the KalamazooArea Math and Science Center.“It allows students incredibleflexibility to be able to take adifferent path than traditionalschooling, while still gainingadiplomathroughtheirhome schools and retainingrelationships with teachers andpeers,” she said.Robert Wheeler found the right balanceShe added that Wheeler’sbetween school and work with thematurity and discipline were keyvirtual program.to his success.“Robert fully utilized theand I’m really good at it.”toconnectIn the fall, Wheeler plans opportunitiesto attend Western Michigan in a virtual environment,”University to study business. Briggs said. “He attended theAlifelongKPSstudent, synchronous check-ins eachhe attended Spring Valley week, building rapport with aCenter for Exploration, King- source of support in the program,Westwood Elementary School, and participated in each liveHillside Middle School and session for his courses, whichconnected him with his peers.“Robert’sabilityandwillingness to not miss one day ofa live appointment and to speakin the live sessions of classes,worked so much in his favor.”That’s not to say it wasn’tdifficult and not without itsdownside, Wheeler said.He would get to work at 8a.m. His work day would end at5 p.m. He’d go home and havesomething to eat and then hit thebooks for three or four hours eachnight. It was exhausting.And, it equaled an almostnonexistent social life.“Don’t get me wrong, I havefriends and what not but onceCovid hit, you’re not in schoolseeing people every day andtalking to them — especially ifyou’re working full time,” hesaid. “Your schedules are mixedup and I didn’t really keep intouch with people — and peopledidn’t keep in touch with me. Wejust lost connections.”For fun, Wheeler finds anoutlet in an unusual familyactivity: car racing. CrosstownAuto sponsors two cars — anoutlaw super late model and atemplate late model — in the shorttrack racing circuit, travelingthroughout the Midwest for races10 to 12 times a year. Wheelerworks the pit crew, jacking upcars, changing tires, makingmechanical changes.“The same people that ownthe shop own the cars. It’s all myfamily, and that’s what makes itfun. That’s what makes work funtoo,” he said.Wheeler is looking forwardto the future and to seeing whatcollege life brings. He plans tokeep working at least part timewhen he goes to Western, but hisfocus will be on his studies, hesaid.“One thing I can say myparents were big on is that schoolis first. Work is not a priority. Thisis a privilege t

Play College Sports page 4 Heyl Scholarships Awarded to Five KPS Graduates page 6 EFE/EFA Outstanding Students page 12 KAMSC Graduates page 12 Meet Up & Eat Up Schedule page 19 First Day of School Monday, August 29 Congratulations to the Class of 2022 Special graduation edition: See inside for the names of graduates and selected student stories .