Dan is the President of the (Michigan Association of Public School Academies) MAPSA and serves as a leading advocate and spokesperson for charter public schools and 21st century education in Michigan and the nation.

 

Dan is a member of the Board of Directors of New Detroit, member and past Chair of the Education Alliance of Michigan, a former member of the Board of Directors of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, an organization he helped form, and has served twice as chair of the State Leaders Council of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. He has served as president for MAPSA since 1998.

 

Dan’s counsel and advice are sought by policy makers on every aspect of K-12 education policy, from charter schools, education accountability, 21st century school funding, literacy and educator evaluations. He is frequently interviewed as an influential voice in Lansing by the media, radio, television and varied local state and national news outlets.

Any individual wishing to become a member of Rotary who is under 35 years of age may request an "Under 35 Membership" from the Membership committee.  You will be required to pay $100 per quarter which will pay the quarterly dues and a portion of the luncheon cost.  The Club will subsidize the remainder.  There will be a 60% attendance requirement.  Also, for continued qualification the member must contribute to each of the following three events:  Christmas, Paul Harris Fund and their Birthday.   Any member under the age of 35 who are currently members can apply for this "Under 35 Membership".  If you have questions, please don't hesitate to contact cathy@lansingrotary.com

11 Hundred Hours: The Lansing Center rolled out the pasta carpet for the most important and dependable corporate contractor. This time a salad, green beans, vegetarian linguine and Lasagna repast. Digestion was enhance by our musical maven, John D. Smith, bringing out the best the digital Kurzweil can hope for, not a bad beginning to the last week of July meeting. Did I forget to mention the cookies? We were welcomed by Julie Thomasma so it’s been a good month. Right?

 

12:30 PM Hundred Hours: Call to order by President Elect Pat Hanes standing in for our New President Dennis Fliehmann who was taking a well-deserved respite from the rigors of two weeks on the job.

 

12:32 PM Scott Duimstra, our invocator, in keeping with the topic of the day, thanked the Lord for the progenitors of Rotary and our moral country.

 

12:34 PM We Rotarians, in 49 part harmony, then gave voice to Samuel Smith’s lyrics “my country tis of thee etc.

 

12:35 PM Guests, joining us, were offered the mic by Janet Lillie after which Irv Nichols, hastily swallowing his cookie declared the health of the club to be “gub”, supported by testimony from Terry Terry who agreed he was healthy. Irv was greatly relieved.

 

12:42 PM Birthdays were celebrated by Mike Abel, who in keeping with the topic of the day, shared the birthers’s memories of their summer family fun.

 

12:45 PM Terry Terry, introducing the special music, took the occasion to promote Old Town’s Jazz Fest and Mike Freed’s “Black and White Americans “photographic exhibition. Nathan Borton, Masters candidate in jazz guitar, entertained the assembly with virtuoso performances on his 6 string acoustic jazz guitar. One piece fast fingered, really, and one slow and melodious. Both were enjoyed by all.

 

12:50 PM Susan Angel, by introduction, gave a teaser of Helen Mickens topic since Helen is the personification of “needs no introduction” Professor Mickens then adopted the dais to share her encyclopedic Knowledge of her genealogic paternal family tree, complete with slides and an infectious joy that her extensive research had allowed her roots to be exposed in such depth. We met “Hattie,” the character, Henry Work and Racheal, the entrepreneur who by dint of hard work bought is wife and seven children out of slavery prior to the civil war, James Lenox, mustanger, farmer and saloon owner. A remarkably talented and successful family, despite the limitations of the age, were obvious to everyone. Many generations of Pratts and Mickens will be endlessly edified by her diligent research. Seems like it was all leading up to the pinnacle that is past President Mickens. Remarkable considering she is “20% Irish”. How did she overcome the obstacle, oh, and stay sober?

 

1330 PM Next week at the Lansing Center Dan Quisenberry’s discussion of “Charter School Impact Across the Mitten" is not to be missed.

 

Gong

 

Jim McGillicuddy's email is:  sjmcgillicuddy@comcast.net