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– Showcasing the DNR – |
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| The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to Michigan.gov/DNR. |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 24, 2022 Contact: [email protected]
Gov. Whitmer Highlights Impact of Tuition-free Higher Education Programs in Macomb, Oakland and Wayne Counties
LANSING, MICH. — Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth (LEO) are celebrating the transformative impact the Michigan Reconnect and Futures for Frontliners programs have on the governor’s goal of making sure every Michigander has a path to a high wage job. These historic programs help make college degrees and skill certificates available and affordable for more residents.
“Our goal is to build a Michigan where every Michigander is equipped with the education and skills they need to get a good-paying job and the Michigan Reconnect students at Macomb Community College, Oakland Community College and Wayne County Community College District are on their way to high-demand high-wage jobs,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “Whether it’s a registered apprenticeship, an industry-recognized certification, a technical certificate, an associate degree, a bachelor’s degree or beyond, higher education or skills training opens so many doors. Bipartisan programs like Michigan Reconnect are putting us on track to achieve our ambitious but attainable goal to reach 60% of our workforce with a postsecondary credential by 2030. Let’s stay focused on empowering and uplifting our people.”
Michigan Reconnect and Futures for Frontliners are among the tools the state is using to achieve Governor Whitmer’s Sixty by 30 goal, which aims to prepare Michiganders for in-demand jobs and bigger paychecks by increasing the number of adults with a postsecondary degree or credential to 60% by 2030. In the past year alone, over 170,000 Michiganders applied for scholarships through Michigan Reconnect and Futures for Frontliners, two programs she created to put people on tuition-free paths to better-paying jobs.
The Sixty by 30 goal seeks to build a better Michigan in three ways:
To better showcase the impact across the state, LEO has launched an online map detailing Michigan Reconnect application data searchable by county.
Studies show an education beyond high school opens the door to economic opportunity, financial security and social mobility, with average annual earnings of $7,500 more for those with a two-year degree compared with only a high school diploma.
According to a recent report of long-term employment projections from the state’s Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives, nearly 530,000 jobs in high-demand, high-wage professional trades fields alone will be available in the state through 2028. It is estimated that nearly 50% of those jobs will require postsecondary education.
“Our Sixty by 30 efforts are working,” said LEO Director Susan Corbin. “More Michiganders are earning, or within reach of earning, a college degree or skills certificate thanks to efforts like Michigan Reconnect. We are creating new paths for fulfilling careers for our workers and opportunities for our Michigan businesses to fill critical talent needs so they can continue to compete, grow and innovate.”
The three community colleges illustrate how the programs are affecting the makeup of populations, certificates or degrees awarded and enrollment at their institutions.
OCC also reported that its Frontliners and Reconnect scholarship students had a higher average GPA compared to other students.
“Programs like Futures for Frontliners and Michigan Reconnect provide a great way for Oakland County residents to come to OCC to improve their job opportunities for in-demand careers and increase their earnings potential while getting free in-district tuition,” said OCC Chancellor Peter Provenzano, Jr.
“Community colleges are a critical talent pipeline in today’s economy,” said Macomb President Dr. James Sawyer. “Removing financial barriers to attending community college means connecting more residents to workplace opportunity and increasing the development of talent to meet business demand today and in the future.”
“We strive to empower people, businesses and communities through higher education and career advancement,” said WCCD Chancellor Dr. Curtis L. Ivery. “We do that by providing accessible, culturally diverse and globally competitive programs and services. We’re proud to work with our state and community partners through Michigan Reconnect and other efforts because nothing brings success like gaining the knowledge and skills that will ultimately lead to rewarding careers.”
The state’s Sixty by 30 efforts are creating rewarding paths to those high-wage, high-demand careers. Students have used the tuition-free programs to earn degrees or certificates in fields like accounting, business administration, cardiac sonography, computer support, line worker pre-apprenticeship, medical assistant and practical nursing.
Michigan Reconnect is the largest effort in state history to ensure that Michiganders who are 25 or older and do not have a college degree will have an opportunity to earn an associate degree or skills certificate with free or deeply discounted tuition.
Since the program’s launch in February 2021, nearly 93,000 state residents have been accepted into the program. In its first two semesters, Summer and Fall 2021, nearly 13,000 scholarship participants enrolled in courses leading to a degree or skills certificate program.
Michigan Reconnect pays the cost of in-district tuition for eligible adults who want to pursue an associate degree or skills certificate at any of Michigan’s public community colleges, including its three tribal colleges.
The state’s network of Michigan Reconnect Navigators is actively working with nearly 15,000 Michigan Reconnect applicants to guide them on their path to a college degree or skills certificate, including applying for federal student aid, setting career goals, selecting a program of study, registering for classes and creating a graduation plan.
The first program of its kind in the nation, Futures for Frontliners offered free in-district tuition to community college for Michiganders, with or without high school diplomas, who provided essential frontline services during COVID-19 Stay Home, Stay Safe orders between April and June 2020. While the application period for Futures for Frontliners closed in December 2020, more than 28,000 Frontliners initiated their participation in the scholarship program in 2021.
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News Digest – Week of March 21, 2022
Find your next great trail adventure at Michigan.gov/DNRTrails! |
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 22, 2022 Contact: [email protected]
Gov. Whitmer Announces Second Round of Grants to Deliver $1,000 Bonuses to Childcare Professionals, Resources to Childcare Providers Applications open today for the bipartisan $365 million grant program to support childcare businesses and deliver $1,000 bonuses to thousands of childcare professionals.
LANSING, Mich. — Governor Gretchen Whitmer today announced the launch of the second round of the Child Care Stabilization Grant program, which will distribute $365 million to give every full-time childcare professional a $1,000 retention bonus and keep childcare programs open and serving kids.
“I remember how valuable any bit of childcare was when my girls were young. Today, I’m fighting to make sure every family has access to quality, affordable childcare that meets their needs,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “That starts with making sure our local childcare businesses can stay open and pay their staff a living wage. I’m proud that we are getting things done for young Michiganders, childcare professionals, and small businesses. With this investment, we will continue growing Michigan’s economy and making our communities stronger.”
“As a father, I know how important childcare is for countless families across Michigan,” said Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist. “That is why it is so important to thank and support the childcare professionals who step up for Michigan communities every day. These stabilization grants are investments that support families and will make our communities stronger. Governor Whitmer and I will continue to work hard to help Michiganders access affordable, high-quality childcare.”
The Child Care Stabilization Grants are available to Michigan’s approximately 8,000 licensed childcare programs. This funding was included in the governor’s Fiscal Year 2022 budget that included game-changing investments in childcare and delivered on the kitchen-table issues that matter most to families, communities, and small business.
In January, nearly 6,000 childcare providers received funding from the first round of Child Care Stabilization grants and 38,000 childcare professionals received bonuses.
These grants saved small businesses and kept families working in every county. The Century Foundation estimates that to date grants from the Child Care Stabilization Fund and other childcare investments from ARPA saved 3,567 childcare programs and 135,795 slots in Michigan.
“I live in a rural area with only three licensed childcare programs. My children are older teens and I’ve thought about closing my daycare because financially I can make more money almost anywhere,” said Jennifer Lundquist, owner of a home-based childcare program in Nashville, Michigan. “With prices rising on everything and so many job options. Receiving this grant allowed me to keep tuition low for families and save money to keep the daycare open, when families in our community have very few options.”
“The childcare grant funds have improved my daycare by allowing me to be able give my employees extra pay that I didn’t have to give to them. It helped me buy more toys and supplies, and fix things in my daycare. It allowed me to do a lot of repairs that needed to be done and helped to provide a safer environment for the children that attend,” said Felicia Caver Davis, owner and operator of Little Bubbles Daycare in Detroit. “This grant helped me out tremendously! And I thank you all so much for the help. I’m looking forward to applying for the next grant so that I can do even more for my daycare!”
“This grant has been so helpful to our center,” said Molly Denman, owner of Wee Folk Child Care Center in Rockford. “It has allowed us to continue to offer health benefits to our staff, a benefit we were planning on cutting to save costs. It has also allowed us to recognize staff that works a physically and emotionally exhausted job. We have been able to make updates and repairs to our building, as well, as purchase materials and supplies in order to continue to provide a developmentally appropriate program.”
Details on First Round Recipients The Child Care Stabilization Grant is a non-competitive grant awarded to licensed centers, group homes, family homes, and tribal childcare providers to be used to support operational expenses. Nearly all applicants also requested and received funding for $1,000 sign on bonuses to fill staff vacancies.
Background The Child Care Stabilization Grant application is now open. Licensed childcare providers are eligible and should visit Michigan.gov/childcare to confirm eligibility, review frequently asked questions, and apply. The application will be open until May 26, 2022. This is a noncompetitive grant. All eligible applicants will receive funding. Childcare professionals will be awarded bonuses directly from their employer and do not need to apply.
The Child Care Stabilization Grant is part of a $1.4 billion investment to expand access to quality, affordable childcare for Michigan families. To learn more about how these dollars are delivering for Michigan families visit Michigan.gov/childcare.
Did you know? One in three Michigan children are eligible for low or no cost childcare. Families must be working or going to school and meet income requirements to qualify. Visit Michigan.gov/childcare to learn more and apply today.
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This is a blog that is devoted to the OAA. We cover 23 schools from Oakland County to Wayne County. From Oxford to Harper Woods. This blog will give insight and projections around the OAA.
Written Wednesday March 23rd at 12:40 AM
Written by Sammy Taormina
The Wolves kept the varsity football coaching job in house.
Clarkston named Justin Pintar as their new varsity football coach on Tuesday night. He replaces Kurt Richardson whom retired after 35 years on the Wolves sideline.
The hire was confirmed by The D-Zone’s Jeff Corriun and retweeted on Twitter by Wolves Athletic Director Jeff Kosin.
Pintar was the offensive line coach under Richardson. He is a teacher at Clarkston High School.
Pintar will have a lot of proven talent coming back in running back Ethan Clark and lineman Cole Dellinger. Also he will have linebackers Nick Waszczenko and Cavanaugh Diton, along with wide receivers Kohl Jarvis and Desman Stephens, and tight end Brady Kosin. The Wolves will have a new quarterback in John Kaul likely taking over the reins this fall.
Richardson said in an interview with MIPrepZone’s Scott Burnstein after he retired that program strength was very strong with Clarkston. The Wolves have a really good freshman class and the rest of the classes aren’t too bad either.
Clarkston opens the season at Davison against the Cardinals. They don’t have a week nine opponent as of yet. The Wolves will be in the Red with Oxford, West Bloomfield, Adams, Stoney Creek, and Lake Orion. They will have non league games against Southfield Arts and Tech and Oak Park.
Pintar is the fourth new coach in the OAA joining Dustyn Truitt (Royal Oak,) Tom Cook (Troy Athens,) and Chris Bell (Lake Orion.)
Thoughts
I really like the Pintar hire. He is a teacher in the school so familiarity is there. The transition should be smooth for the program. I am curious to see what offense Pintar will run if he will keep the RPO (run pass option) offense that has been very successful under Richardson.
The defense will be the question mark for Pintar this upcoming season especially in the secondary.
It will be very interesting to see what happens.
Stay tuned to OAA Now for the latest on this developing story.
Here is the Tweet confirming the hire from Corriun.
The creatures I’m talking about are volunteers.
DNR volunteers are innovative. Jim had the foresight to bring snowshoes on a kayak trip because he had to pass up beer cans that were in deep muck during the prior year’s cleanup.
These volunteers not only obligate themselves, but drag along their entire boot-wearing, glove-donning sets of friends and family members with pickup trucks and trailers.
Volunteer activities continue in the spring with volunteers who move through the woods listening for the songs of male Kirtland’s warblers defending their nesting territories. These bird counts, done every five years, help monitor the successful recovery of one of Michigan’s most iconic wildlife species.
Volunteers are most effective at enlisting others and correcting misconceptions about why laws are in place.
The Friends of Porkies at Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park raised $40,000 to finance the purchase of equipment for important emergency rescue operations at Michigan’s largest state park, located in Ontonagon and Gogebic counties.
Want to see more pictures like this, taken by Michigan state parks photo ambassador 
If your summer plans include time at your favorite lake, there’s an easy and rewarding way to show your lake some love: help the 
If you haven’t visited the 
If you’re looking for resources to help your community protect a local body of water from invasive species, mark your calendar for 9-10 a.m. Thursday, March 24. In case you missed it, the latest installment in the state of Michigan’s 
Staff recommendations on whether to keep, exchange or sell state-managed land in 10 counties are nearing DNR director approval, but there’s still plenty of time to review and share feedback.