Micki O’Neil warmly greeted folks at the door and then President Elect Susan Angel called the meeting to order at 12:31 p.m. She led us through our always reliable 4-Way Test.
Barb Whitney invited us to reflect on our 4-Way Test themes of truth, fairness, goodwill, and friendship and challenged us to foster those ways of being. She urged us to pay attention and be inspired by the way today's youth are uplifted and offered a sense of belonging through the collaboration of today’s speakers who exemplify our themes, and to also celebrate our collective impact as Lansing leaders and change agents for good.
Rotarians and guests raised their voices in song, singing America the Beautiful with piano accompaniment by Hari Kern.
Dan Aylward passed the microphone around for the introduction of guests:
- Ben Rathbun introduced
o Cat Rathbun (his bonus mom)
o Brihanna Berwald (his mentee at Wilson Talent Center on her 3rd visit)
o Jason Stoken (General Manager of Alro Steel’s Lansing plant)
- Katie Krick was seated with and introduced Ben’s guest
o Sherry Scott, (Lhauren Singleton’s mom)
- Micki O’Neil introduced
o Conor Kiernan (an engineering student)
Then we moved on to announcements:
- Two seats were available to the Martin Luther King Jr. Brunch on January 19 (Too late now!)
- Linda Sarnelli reintroduced Kelsea Hector from Punks with Lunch, and they thanked the Club for collecting items (especially toothpaste) for the unhoused.
- Ben Rathbun shared that Rathbun Insurance is turning 70 this year and throwing a big block party in August. All are invited!
Our three speakers’ topic was It Takes a City: How Collaboration Creates Belonging for Lansing’s Youth, and they were introduced by Barb Whitney.
First, our very own Ben Rathbun (Chair of the Day, Chair of the Month, and Speaker – a trifecta!). Ben Rathbun is the third-generation CEO of Rathbun Insurance, carrying forward a family legacy. He founded the For Good Foundation in 2021 to honor his father’s legacy through local impact. Widely recognized for his professional and community contributions, Ben passionately opens doors for students, fostering opportunities that bridge education and industry.
Lhauren Singleton is the Executive Director of Ready Set ASPIRE. She advances holistic relationship education and champions experiential learning, creating safe spaces where students can thrive emotionally and academically. Inspired by her own teenage experiences, Lhauren is passionate about developing the next generation of leaders.
Dustin Hunt is a Michigan-based artist and educator. Influenced by hip-hop culture and an inclusive upbringing, his work blends creativity with youth empowerment and education. Dustin founded Muralmatics to merge mural-making with learning through commissioned projects, youth camps, and paid apprenticeships. With more than 25 large-scale murals, Dustin strives to spark curiosity, pride, and cultural transformation through art.
All three of our speakers understand children’s need for belonging. Many children face challenges in traditional learning environments, so by involving students in their businesses, they help students develop a sense of belonging through experiences and relationships within the work environment which in turn support their learning.
Together, the three speakers created Mural Camp to provide a multidisciplinary learning experience by integrating art and math and storytelling concepts. It forms an intersection between art and different industries to expose the students to what is involved in being an artistic minded entrepreneur. This cross-sector collaboration “multiplies belonging” by integrating business, non-profits, and the arts, creating diverse entry points for youth to engage, learn, and thrive.
When you open a boardroom to a student, you’re telling them they belong in that space, too. “A mural tells a city: We are here and we belong in this landscape.” When students witness their ideas come to life as public art, it has a profound impact on them and ignites their sense of belonging within the community.
The benefits to the community are great. Students connected to their community are more likely to stay within them, becoming leaders who invest their talents locally. This will strengthen Lansing’s economy and create a vibrant future for our community.
Belonging isn’t taught, it’s felt. At Mural Camps, initially shy and hesitant students find their voice and quickly blossom as they express their creativity in collaboration with peers and mentors.
In designing their Mural Camp lesson plans, our speakers considered four developmental factors that young people need to thrive:
- Communities that Care - Introducing the students to a business that cares, identifying the values of the business, helping students identify their own values, and weaving those values throughout the lessons day-to-day
- Communication Skills – Identifying their communication styles and the styles of the people they will engage with, and learning how to adapt to different styles of communication (business-oriented vs. casual conversation)
- A Circle of Support – Identifying who is in their circle of support which consists of 3 things: their heart, their home, and their school, and helping them identify the characteristics of people that can help fill in the gaps in their circle of support.
- Goal Setting – Identifying the incremental steps they need to take to fulfill the vision they have for themselves.
The teachers and students were both transformed by the end of the Mural Camp – it was “a meta experience.” It was great to see the students develop a sense of capability and accomplishment as they transformed throughout the week.
Community leaders in the arts were engaged and showed up for the kids, and their parents saw a difference in them and were grateful:
- “My child felt like she belonged.”
- “Thank you for making her feel like she mattered.”
Mural Camps create well-rounded individuals. They may be in other chosen careers, but as well-rounded individuals with an interest in the arts they become good members of our community.
During Q&A, guest Brihanna Berwald thanked them and asked how she could promote what they offer to help others build a sense of belonging. The speakers shared that storytelling nights and community painting events were two ways/ideas to help inspire students.
Through other questions we learned that:
- Murals can be copyrighted.
- Mural Camps are primarily designed for middle & high school students.
- Team building challenges and exercises are used to build camaraderie and trust, helping students to overcome their fear of putting themselves out there artistically.
- There are a few apprenticeships offered each year.
- The three things that are needed to conduct/host a Mural Camp are wall space, funding, and youth.
President Elect Susan inquired about the Health of the Club at end of meeting. There was nothing reported, so hopefully that means we’re all healthy!
Susan adjourned the meeting at 1:27 p.m. with this directive: Spread peace, goodwill, and positive energy everywhere you go.
Next Week: Speaker Lisa Nielson, Branch Director at Ele’s Place.
Email for Phyllis Riley: phyllisriley@msn.com
Lisa Nielsen recently joined Ele’s Place Capital Region as Branch Director. A seasoned nonprofit leader with a Master of Public Health, Lisa brings over a decade of experience creating patient- and family-centered programs. She previously served as Executive Director of Elara Caring Hospice Foundation and has held roles with the American Cancer Society and Make-A-Wish Foundation.
