1. Congratulations to this year's Black History Makers of Tomorrow.
21 students from across the state took home $1,000 scholarships for making a positive impact on their communities. McDonalds owners and operators awarded the scholarships for things like volunteering, tutoring, or taking on a job to help their family and save for college.
Five of those students are from West Michigan: Dynise Anderson from Battle Creek High School, Sadaya Hamby from Kalamazoo Central, Janaysha Miller from Ottawa Hills, Nia Parker from East Kentwood and Da'carion Taylor from Muskegon High School.
2. West Michigan Works! and its agribusiness talent council are hosting an Ag-For-All Job Fair on March 5, focusing on inclusive hiring for veterans, returning citizens, individuals with disabilities, and refugees.
The event aims to highlight the diverse opportunities within Michigan's Agribusiness Sector, which contributes over $104 billion annually to the state's economy and employs 1 in 5 Michiganders. With Kent County alone boasting over 51,000 direct jobs and generating billions in economic output, the fair seeks to connect job seekers with employers actively seeking to diversify their teams.
Participating companies are offering positions ranging from entry-level to advanced roles across various departments. More info is on the West Michigan Works website.
3. The Muskegon Museum of Art is hosting an exhibition of illustrations by award-winning artist and children's book author Oliver Jeffers from March 14 to May 26.
Titled "Oliver Jeffers: 15 Years Of Picturing Books," the exhibition will feature 80 original artworks from Jeffers' most beloved books, including "The Day The Crayons Quit" and "How To Catch A Star." Jeffers' work has sold over 14 million copies worldwide and has been translated into over fifty languages.
The exhibition will showcase sketches, line drawings, and finished illustrations from sixteen of his picture books, offering creative activities for all ages. Additionally, the museum will host "Storytime In The Gallery" in partnership with Hackley Public Library, providing children aged 0-5 with storytelling sessions and exploration of Jeffers' Illustrations
4. The awards we see as part of Hollywood’s biggest night are just a fraction of the Oscar categories. For those who really love film and want to dig deeper into the years’ best, here's your chance.
The Tibbits Film Series is offering an exclusive screening into the 2024 academy award nominees for animated and live action short films this Sunday.
From heartwarming tales to though provoking narratives, there are a wide variety of animated and live action films to enjoy. The 80-minute animated shorts segment starts at 4:00. Then, after a short intermission, catch the 140-minute live action sequence at about 5:45.
It's all happening at the Tibbits Opera House in Coldwater. Tickets are just $15. Head to tibbits.org to get yours.
5. Downtown St. Joe will come to life on Friday, March 8.
Store windows will display community. Volunteers as they pose perfectly still, like mannequins.
These storefronts will come alive from 7 to 8:30 p.m. This year's theme features musicians and bands.
You can vote for your favorite window too at stjoetoday.com.
Then on March 9 enjoy the annual, indoor spring artisan fair from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. featuring local artists.
