Kyle Jackson
Kyle Jackson has been part of publications and the newscasts at Grand River Prep, which led him to a day job shadowing at WZZM. He is the guy behind the camera, editing and writing questions, telling stories to inform others.
It’s part of the surrounding community he has built in his time at Grand River Prep, a place that has prepared him for the next stage of his life.
“The school is definitely unique in the sense that its interconnected and everyone here is mostly understanding,” he said. “You can talk to a teacher about anything, from what’s ailing you at home to see how their day is doing. You can talk to the people around you and they’ll be happy to speak.”
Jackson had the opportunity to job shadow WZZM’s Matt Gard by way of volunteering for Windows for Widows. While trailing Gard on his shift, Jackson saw what goes into telling the story of how a shelter for animals of people in abusive relationships was started. It gave him a chance to see how to shed a light on stories that can lift up others in the community.
“It was enjoyable to witness and see how it works,” he said. “It’s a quick turnaround from story to get it on the air. It was a great experience.”
After graduation, Jackson plans to attend Grand Rapids Community College and get exposure to different studies before determining his career path at a four-year school. No matter what he decides, he will have experience in crafting stories that resonate with people thanks in part to his experience at Grand River Prep.
“I enjoy the idea that what I say matters to people,” he said. “Words matter because you can say something in passing and people forget about it, but if you say it and it affects them, they’ll remember it for their life.”
Laheri Kabemba
Laheri Kabemba has invested more than enough time and effort at Grand River Prep to mutually benefit herself and many others. As her days at Grand River Prep come to an end, it’s clear to her what she will miss most after graduation.
“Definitely the community that I’ve built around here,” she said. “This is like my second home.”
Kabemba is in the Early College Program, a five-year educational plan that allows your student to complete high school in three years and go on to earn an associate degree or certificate – tuition-free. She will be completing her 13th year with Davenport University and earn an associate’s degree, and transfer somewhere else.
She also has served as president of the Student United Way Program, which has allowed her to help host a volunteer opportunity for the school, visit and learn about nonprofit organizations, and write a grant. The process of writing the grant gave her perspective on crystalizing a goal such as building a garden to grow vegetables and fruit that could contribute to a food pantry for students.
“We could utilize the students in the AP environmental science to plant trees because we know that a lot of our students here are from backgrounds that are underprivileged,” Kabemba said. “In the future, we’re hoping to do more things here that involves other students as well, just to get them more involved with United Way and to get them to know more about the nonprofit world.”
The care and dedication of Grand River Prep’s staff helped Kabemba develop the knowledge, skills, and moral strength to succeed with a rigorous college-prep education and a strong moral focus program.
“The teachers and staff are very welcoming in a way that you can talk to them almost about anything,” she said. “They offer great leadership. They’re great advocates for myself and my peers, and they’re like my own models in a way.”
Congratulations, Kyle and Laheri, and good luck in the next part of your educational journey!
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About Grand River Prep
Grand River Preparatory High School is a tuition-free, public charter school in Kentwood, Michigan, serving students in ninth through twelfth grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies (NHA®) network, which includes more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.
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