“I am so proud of all of the students,” Barragato said. “We are really happy with the way this all came together. This is something they will always remember from fifth grade.”

The 16- by 8-foot solar system project is the first piece of original artwork displayed at the museum.

Barragato conceptualized the idea in the fall to teach her students about the importance of recycling. She asked her students to collect plastic containers to use for the display. As the project began to take off in the spring, she decided to make a solar system display to teach her 25 fifth-grade students about the galaxy. When she contacted the museum about the possibility of displaying the artwork, the scope of the project grew quickly.

In addition to the support of the entire fifth-grade class, Barragato also managed to get support from three other fifth-grade teachers, their students and the Mount Pleasant community. Home Depot donated eight panels of plywood, 1,500 sheet metal screws and eight quarts of paint. Approximately 10 CMU art education students volunteered to assist the fifth-graders in painting and constructing the project.

“I’ve gained so much confidence as a future teacher,” Barragato said. “I’ve learned education does not always take place inside the four walls of a classroom. Wearing so many different hats has forced me out of my comfort zone. It feels great to have that experience.”

Launching a “Walking School Bus” program and earning a grant to fund improvements to allow kids to walk and bike to school, all while promoting physical activity on a daily basis has made a lasting impact on his community, said parent nominators. Hornak is one of three finalists in this category. He will be honored both at a legislative reception in Lansing and a gala celebration at Ford Field in Detroit on April 25.

In 2009, Hornak led the efforts along with parents and students to fundraise enough money to build a quarter-mile track circling the playground at Horizon Elementary School in Holt. Hornak also initiated “Tone-up Tuesdays” where staff and students exercise together. It’s also a day they can come to school dressed in workout clothes.

“I’m very honored to be considered a champion of health,” Hornak said. “I really do see a positive correlation in the activities we do here with our children. Our staff is just as involved. So it’s not just ‘go do this… it’s let’s go do this together’ and that is making a difference.”

Many parents nominated Hornak for the award.  “Dave has inspired students, families and staff to be more active, “ wrote one parent in the nomination letter. “He has provided more opportunities during recess and the school day for students to be involved in fitness and exercise.”

Hornak said sending a healthy message early is key.

“It just really sets them up for success,” Hornak said. “We have a captive audience here and our audience happens to be at a point in their life where their lifestyles are still becoming established, so if we can establish wellness as a life goal, I think we can change lives forever… In fact, I know we will.”

Marilyn Lieber, president and CEO of the Governor’s Council and a CMU alumna, said she is constantly inspired by the time and effort of all the finalists from across Michigan.

“David Hornak is a shining example of one individual making a difference in thousands of kids’ lives,” Lieber said. “The Governor’s Council is proud to recognize the men and women who are role models and advocates for healthy living.”

The Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness, Health and Sports and the Michigan Fitness Foundation host the Governor’s Fitness Awards each year to honor inspiring stories of individuals and organizations throughout the state for their pursuit, dedication and commitment to healthy lifestyles.

There are nine award categories in a wide range of areas to honor individuals and organizations making an impact on the health of their community. Nominations are submitted in the fall and early winter for each category, and then put through a comprehensive evaluation process by a selection committee.

To view a video of Hornak’s healthy school initiatives, click here. 

On Jan. 25, 2013 Central Michigan University’s College of Education and Human Services hosted 25 visiting science teachers and administrators from China. The day’s activities focused on Creativity and Innovation in Science. Dr. Dale-Elizabeth Pehrsson, Dean of the College of Education and Human Services, welcomed the participants.

Dr. Jim McDonald, instrumental in the design of the lab and director of the GEMS project, gave a brief introduction to the science methods lab. Dr. Ren Hullender, professor of Visual Arts Education, presented the first workshop entitled “Artistic Thinking in Science.” In the interactive lecture, Dr. Hullender introduced artistic instructional strategies that can deepen content learning and develop creative thinking skills in science classrooms.

Prior to lunch the participants were given a tour of CMU’s Education and Human Services Building. The tour included a walk-through of CMU’s innovative Child Development and Learning Lab. The visitors and presenters enjoyed lunch in the campus dining restaurant. After lunch, the chemistry, physics, and biology teachers from China participated in an art activity to illustrate the content learning that is possible through arts-based learning strategies.

In the afternoon, Dr. John Gordon from CMU’s Biological Station on Beaver Island, gave an overview of the research station’s educational mission. The day concluded with a presentation and hands-on workshop by Janis Voege, from the Science/Mathematics/Technology and NASA Regional Teachers’ Resource Center at EHS, which engaged the visitors in research-based practices that are designed to integrate engineering practices into the science curriculum.

Chinese Translation

2013年1月25日，美国中密歇根大学教育与人类服务学院接待了25位來访的中国理工科教师和教育管理人员。当天活动的主题是科学中的创造力和创新。院长戴尔－伊丽莎白·佩尔松博士首先致词，对访问学者表示热烈的欢迎。之后，科学方法实验室主任，GEMS項目负责人吉姆·麦克唐纳博士对该实验室作了简要的介紹。上午的活动由视觉艺术教授任·胡伦德博士主持。在题为“科学中的艺术思维” 的讲座中，胡伦德博士和访问学者互动，介紹了如何在科学课堂里应用艺术教学手段，探讨了艺术对加深理解和启发创造性思维的作用。讲座结束后，访问学者参观了教育与人类服务学院的新教学楼，包括隶属于中密歇根大学的创新儿童发展与学习实验室。接着，与会人员在校园餐厅共进午餐。午餐后，来访的中国化学，物理和生物教师参加了艺术实践活动，体会通过以艺术为基础的学习方法。下午，来自中密歇根大学狸岛生物科研工作站的约翰·戈登博士概括地介绍了该工作站的教育使命。这一天最后的活动由隶属于教育与人类服务学院的科学/数学/技术和美国国家航空和航天局（NASA）地区教师资源中心负责人贾尼斯· 沃格主持。她的讲座介绍了如何在科学教学中结合工程实践。

Zhao, who is presidential chairman and associate dean for Global Education at the University of Oregon, will speak on World Class Education: Educating Creative and Entrepreneurial Students.

“Current educational reforms are attempting to fix an old educational paradigm,” Zhao said. “But globalization and technology have demanded us to look at a new educational paradigm — one that aims to not impose the same knowledge on everyone, but rather individual knowledge based on every child’s interest and talent. Right now in our schools, we always prescribe what they need to learn, and not necessarily what they want to learn.”

Zhao challenges the traditional paradigm, debunks the myth of international tests such as PISA and TIMSS, and proposes a new paradigm of education aimed to cultivate diverse, creative, and entrepreneurial talents. In this presentation, Zhao will discuss the triad model of education to prepare global, creative, and entrepreneurial talents that include: personalized curriculum/educational experience, product-oriented learning, and the globe as the campus.

“The new model looks at how teachers are going to motivate their students, how they are going to inspire them to learn,” Zhao added. “I hope I will provide some re-thinking of why American education is doing worse than other countries. I want everyone to re-think the purpose of education and how we define quality education.”

Zhao’s presentation is based on a variety of sources he gathered for his new book “World Class Learners: Educating Creative and Entrepreneurial Students” and his “Catching Up or Leading the Way: American Education in the Age of Globalization.” A reception and book signing will take place outside of French Auditorium following Zhao’s presentation.

He is a recipient of the Early Career Award from the American Educational Research Association and was named one of the 2012 10 most influential people in educational technology by the Tech & Learn Magazine. He is an elected fellow of the International Academy for Education.

Zhao was born in China’s Sichuan Province. After teaching English in China for six years, he came to Linfield College as a visiting scholar in 1992. He then earned a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Zhao has taught at Michigan State University and worked as the Language Center Coordinator at Willamette University.

To learn more about Yong Zhao, click here. 

• A tuition program for three- or four-year-old children from the community whose parents pay for a preschool session four days a week.
• A Head Start program, which is a free, federally funded program serving three- to four-year-olds who meet income qualifications, with priority reserved for children of full-time CMU students.

Beuschel, a Conklin senior, received a $500 scholarship and her design will now be mass-produced by the Kellex Corporation of North Ridgeville, Ohio. The contest offered the chance for students to design their own upholstered chair for either hospitality or an assisted living setting.

Each student was responsible for their own designs, along with choosing the fabrics and colors. Beuschel selected a dark amethyst fabric color and dark chocolate for the wooden legs.

Beuschel said she wanted the chair to be a traditional wingback chair with elements incorporated to benefit older adults.

“I want to focus on improving the quality for these environments,” she said. “I feel older adults get neglected in terms of design. They have specific needs that they need to help them overall.”

Such needs include fitting, mobility and a sense of independence. Beuschel incorporated a higher height and deeper seat depth to better meet these needs.

Beuschel decided to enter the contest while interning with Americana Design Company of Highland, Mich. Input from co-workers and supervisors helped develop her winning design.

“I would be able to help change the way these places are designed,” she said. “My internship supervisors are always complaining because they can’t find a good chair for assisted living.”

The contest inspired Beuschel to continue designing furniture for health care after she graduates from CMU in May 2013. To learn more about CMU’s interior design program, click here.