Local Events and Opportunities
Community activities and events are listed below. All items listed have been approved by the district office for posting. In most cases, paper copies of these postings can be found in the designated school building's office. By clicking on the headings below, more information regarding the events can be viewed.
City of East Lansing
Annual Community Photo Contest Now Open for Submissions
Annual Community Photo Contest Now Open for Submissions
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Aug. 8, 2024
EAST LANSING, Mich. — The 2024 Community Photo Contest is now open for submissions! Contestants have until midnight on Sunday, Oct. 13 to submit up to five photo entries at www.cityofeastlansing.com/photocontest.
The East Lansing Downtown Management Board (DMB) is the official sponsor of the contest. Winners receive Downtown East Lansing eGift Cards in the following amounts: 1st Place: $150; 2nd Place: $100; 3rd Place: $50. Additionally, there will be 10 honorable mentions who will each be awarded $10 and a Downtown-specific winner who will be awarded $100.
The contest is open to people of all ages as well as to both residents and nonresidents of East Lansing. Photos MUST be taken in the City of East Lansing, be high resolution and have not been significantly edited.
“We love to see the East Lansing community through the eyes of our residents and visitors,” said East Lansing Communications Director Carrie Sampson. “This contest is something I look forward to each year. I’m grateful to the DMB for sponsoring the prizes, which provide extra enticement for contestants.”
Winning photos may be featured in City of East Lansing marketing materials, including the City’s annual report and community calendar. Free copies of the 2024 calendar are still available at City buildings for the public to take and enjoy. Last year’s winners were also featured in a special month-long exhibit at the East Lansing Public Art Gallery on the second floor of the East Lansing Hannah Community Center, 819 Abbot Road.
East Lansing City Clerk Seeks Election Inspectors for November General Election
East Lansing City Clerk Seeks Election Inspectors for November General Election
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Aug. 23, 2024
EAST LANSING, Mich. — The East Lansing City Clerk’s office is seeking election inspectors for the Nov. 5, 2024 General Election.
The City anticipates hiring approximately 500 election inspectors for the Nov. 5General Election to staff 17 polling locations throughout the City as well as two Election Day Vote Centers. Additionally, the City of East Lansing will be hosting two Early Voting Centers (EVC) this fall prior to the Nov. 5 election for up to 14days of early voting.
To serve as an East Lansing election inspector, a person must be registered to vote in the state of Michigan. However, inspectors do not necessarily have to be registered to vote in the City of East Lansing. Additionally, students who are at least 16 years old are also eligible to serve as election workers.
Election workers earn $20 per hour; precinct chairs and co-chairs earn $25 per hour. To learn more and apply to become an election inspector, visit www.cityofeastlansing.com/electioninspectors.
Those who have previously served as an election inspector in the City of East Lansing should email cityclerk@cityofeastlansing.com with their availability if they wish to work this year’s general election or at one of the EVCs.
Election Day shifts are scheduled for either half day or full day. Half day shiftscan be either in the morning (6 a.m.-2:30 p.m.) or afternoon (2 p.m.-close). Allday shifts run from 6 a.m. until approximately 10 p.m. Meal breaks are providedduring slow periods.
The duties of an election inspector include assuring that applications to vote areaccurately completed, verifying a voter’s identity, issuing correct ballots,recording the voter number and ballot number, tearing off the perforated ballotnumber tab before the voter inserts their ballot in the tabulator, helping voters ifthe tabulator machine rejects their ballot, assuring voter secrecy is maintained,providing excellent customer service and accurate information to help voters.
Precinct chairs, along with their co-chairs, are responsible for supervising theelection inspectors assigned to their polling location. There is one precinct chairfor each of the City’s 17 polling locations. Precinct chairs ensure that opening,closing and quality check duties are performed; handle any unusual issues thatmay occur; and deliver reports and information at the end of the day.
“The City is pleased to be able to offer two Early Voting Centers for this year’sGeneral Election and we are one of only three cities in the state permitted to hostan Election Day Vote Center,” said East Lansing City Clerk Marie Wicks.“However, that means that we need everyone to get involved as an electionworker this year. No one sits on the sidelines in 2024!”
To learn more about elections in the City of East Lansing, including how toregister to vote, visit www.cityofeastlansing.com/elections.
East Lansing Educational Foundation Events
East Lansing Educational Foundation Membership & Donation Opportunities
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EAST LANSING EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION |
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Board Members |
November 2023 Dear East Lansing Educational Foundation Family, The impact of the East Lansing Educational Foundation is evident in every classroom across the district, affecting every student from kindergarten through graduation. As we enter this season of “thanks-giving,” the ELEF would like to say THANK YOU for your generosity and support. Because of you, ELEF continues to enrich the lives of students in our district by providing grants which supplement and augment the excellence of their education. Our accomplishments in the last year include;
Another impactful way to support ELEF is volunteering for one of our many committees or joining the Board. Whether you are a parent, grandparent, business owner, graduate, or other ELPS supporter, your input and effort is appreciated and welcomed, and it’s a great way to give back. Contact Michele Huisgen at michele.huisgen@elps.us for more information. Blessings, Julie Thomas-Beckett |
East Lansing Educational Foundation Presents Sarah Tarpoff Creative Writing Award Winning Stories
History of the Sarah Tarpoff Creative Writing Award
The Sarah Tarpoff Creative Writing Award began in the spring of 1985 as a memorial to a young East Lansing girl named Sarah Beth Tarpoff. She was a student at the now closed Bailey School when she died in a horse-back riding accident. This accident occurred at the same time the school was closing. As a result, the school’s Parent Teacher Organization decided to combine the remaining PTO assets with monies given to the Tarpoff family in Sarah’s memory to begin a writing award and a new education foundation that has become the East Lansing Educational Foundation!
An accomplished rider, Sarah loved horses more than anything. She also loved to write and draw, so this award program was created in her name to foster and encourage other children to express themselves through writing and drawing.
For over thirty years the Sarah Tarpoff Creative Writing Project has been open to all students in East Lansing Public Schools, from kindergarten to high school seniors, who submit an original poem, story or essay no longer than 1,000 words. Each manuscript is read and evaluated by high school students in Honors English, under the direction of their teacher, to evaluate and judge submissions. Everyone who enters receives a ribbon honoring their participation. In addition, all students, Kindergarten through grade 12, may also receive first, second, third, or honorable mention ribbons.
For many years the Creative Writing Award was organized and run by Sarah’s family, with the help of many others dedicated to encouraging the language arts. It then transitioned into an East Lansing Educational Foundation sponsored program, retaining the core mission of encouraging creative writing within the East Lansing community and school district. First place entries are published, with parental permission, on the East Lansing Educational Foundation website and linked to the East Lansing Public Schools website.
The 2022-23 school year 1st Prize Award-winning entries will be showcased and published on the East Lansing Educational Foundation (www.elef.us) and the East Lansing Public Schools websites starting July 2023.
Stories By School
Community Events
EveryoneOn
EveryoneOn is a national nonprofit working to eliminate the digital divide by making high-speed, low-cost Internet service and computers, and free digital literacy courses accessible to all unconnected Americans. Through partnerships with local Internet service providers, EveryoneOn is able to offer free or $9.95 home Internet service in 48 states and the District of Columbia. We work with device refurbishers, so individuals and their families can purchase discounted devices, including $150 tablets and $199 laptops.
