Klager hosts Community Leadership Day as school year draws to a close

Kids had fun “shopping” and learning more about the CRC and Food Pantry from director Carol Wotring. Photos by Fritz Swanson.

by Marsha Chartrand

As part of a continuing effort to grow as a Leader in Me School and to immerse children in the world of community leadership, Klager Elementary School is continuing its tradition of holding a Community Leadership Day at the end of each school year.

“The idea is that the leaders of Manchester come to Klager to share what they do to contribute to the greater community,” said Melissa Yekulis, who has coordinated this venture for several years. “The set-up is similar to a job fair, with students coming to different ‘booths’ within the gymnasium to learn all about each community leadership business or organization, and what it means to be a leader in Manchester.”

This year, the event was held on Thursday, June 8, from 8 to 11am, allowing time for setup and breaks between grade-level groups.

Each participant was requested to bring items to engage the students and capture their interest, such as pictures, books, and maps to help them learn more about each individual business or leadership organization.

Participating this year were the Community Resource Center, the Manchester Mirror, the Manchester Area Historical Society, American One Credit Union, the Manchester Farmers Market, Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office, Manchester Fire Department, and Manchester District Library.

Klager staff and students thank all the participants for their time and consideration! This collaboration with the community can further help our children as they grow into their role of leaders within Manchester.

Learning more about the history of Manchester was another component of Community Leadership Day.

Comparing a 137-year-old copy of the Manchester Enterprise with a current copy of the Manchester Mirror elicited lots of questions from the Klager kids.

Students from Ms. LaPointe’s first grade had fun doing Mad Libs and writing their own “newspaper story” with Mirror editor Sara Swanson!

For as little as $1 a month, you can keep Manchester-focused news coverage alive.

by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.