The Talon - Farwell Area Schools
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The Talon
Farwell Area High School Newspaper
Volume 21, Issue 6 March/April, 2020
Advisor: Amy Rohdy
FHS Proudly Announces Caleb Pitts as our Valedictorian and Braeden Apps as our
Salutatorian for the Class of 2020 Along with a List of our High Honors and Honors Grads
Farwell Area High School is proud to announce Caleb Pitts as the Class of 2020 Valedictorian and Braeden Apps as the Class of 2020
Salutatorian. Farwell’s valedictorian and salutatorian recognition is based upon a formula of GPA and SAT scores.
Caleb Pitts is the son of Rick Pitts and Deana Hunt. He plans to attend Michigan Technological University
to pursue an engineering degree. Through Michigan Tech, he has been awarded the Presidential Platinum
Scholarship and the University Student Award. A dual enrolled student since his freshman year, Caleb will
be graduating from FHS and the Early College program with 40 college credits towards his MTA. Caleb is a
three-year member of National Honor Society and has been recognized as an academic scholar both at
FHS and Mid Michigan College. In addition, he has earned his Academic Letter and Bars, the President’s
Award for Educational Achievement, and was the Academic Gold Medalist in both Mathematics and
Spanish. Athletically, Caleb is a four-year veteran in basketball where he has earned JPC All Conference
Honorable Mention. In addition to high school basketball, Caleb competes on the REAL travel basketball
team and the FHS baseball team. He has been a representative on Homecoming Court both as an
underclassman and as a senior. When asked about his favorite community service projects, Caleb said he
enjoyed helping last summer with the youth basketball camp as well as helping
pack and distribute food boxes at the Clare County Community Connect Event.
Braeden Apps is the son of Andrew and Lisa Apps. He plans to major in Mechanical Engineering and minor
in Music at Michigan Technological University. Through Michigan Tech, he has been awarded the
Presidential Scholarship. Participating in both dual enrollment and the CTE AIME program, Braeden will
graduate with 18 traditional dual enrollment credits plus his college credit and certifications in Advanced
Manufacturing. An eight-year member of the Farwell Band, Braeden has been a part of the MSBOA state
qualifying band and is a section leader. As an individual musician, he has earned the Leonard Bernstein
Award for Musical Composition along with his band letter and pin. A three-year National Honor Society
member, Braeden’s favorite community service project is Gifts from the Heart that supports local families
during the holiday season. Other academic recognition includes being a member of Mid Michigan College
Students of Promise, the President’s Award for Educational Achievement, and having earned both his
Academic Letter and Bars.
Farwell Area High School High Honors Graduates (3.5-4.0 gpa – Gold Cords):
Caleb Pitts (Valedictorian, NHS); Braeden Apps (Salutatorian, NHS); Jenna Wilkerson (NHS); Zachary Haring (NHS); Kyle Frost (NHS);
Elizabeth Dawes (NHS); Andrea Torr (NHS); Sydnie Scott (NHS); Allison Marshall; Hannah Bellingar (NHS); Darren Eigner; Reilly
Mayville; Aleia Allbee (NHS); Caitlyn Simons (NHS); Joshua Mangus (NHS); Jeffrey Timoteo; Joshua Bosley; Alli Allbee (NHS); Emily
Higgins; and Conner Yule.
Farwell Area High School Honors Graduates (3.30-3.49 gpa – Silver Cords):
Jesse Fogle; James Railer; Nicholas O’Brien (NHS); Soyer Barnett; Madison Nunn; Summer Brouwer, and Alexis Card .
Celebrating the Farwell and Timberland Class of 2020: MY-1043 & WMMI Radio want to recognize
graduating seniors from our area schools. WMMI (92.3FM/AM 830), will be putting together (3) minute vignettes as a quick
ceremony honor, that will play on Saturdays & Sundays (May 16th thru June 14th) at Noon, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm, 4pm & 5pm. MY-1043
will host a “CELEBRATING OUR SENIORS” GRADUATION CEREMONY on the radio (and the my1043 mobile app), on
Saturday, May 23rd, starting at 12pm! Chris Spachman & Shawn Powers will host. Each school’s ceremony will contain brief
statements along with a reading of graduates’ names.
Meet Farwell High School's Jack Pine Conference All Academic Team.
The JPC All Academic Team is calculated based upon a formula taking into account HS GPA and SAT scores.
First Team members are Caleb Pitts, Braeden Apps, Zachary Haring, and Jenna Wilkerson.
Second Team members are Summer Brouwer, Kyle Frost, Darren Eigner, and Alexis Card.
Joshua Mangus Builds Benches for FHS as part of Eagle Scout Project
Senior Joshua Mangus, the son of Richard and Patricia Mangus, built the high school five beautiful, sturdy benches as part of his
Eagle Scout Project. Farwell High School and the entire community would like to recognize Josh for his dedication to both Eagle
Scouts and FHS. Students will be able to use these benches for years and years to come. Currently, they are stacked by the student
outside lunch area, but this fall, they will be placed for student access. Thank you Josh for this wonderful contribution to our school.
In addition to being an Eagle Scout, Josh is a 3-year member of National Honor Society, a 2nd-year CTE Criminal Justice student, and
a 4-year veteran of both band and choir. Previously, he participated in Science Olympiad and Track. A high honors graduate, Josh
plans to attend Mid Michigan College to pursue a degree in Criminal Justice.
Celebrating Our Scholarship and Award Winners
Congratulations to Jeffrey Carncross Jr., this year’s recipient of the $500 Lake George
Boosters Scholarship! The Lake George Boosters Club is a non-profit organization that has
supported the community and given a scholarship to a student from Farwell for many years.
Jeffrey’s essay on the importance of volunteerism and serving his community impressed the
panel. He spoke of what service has meant to him since a young age, having been involved in
Relay for Life, 4H, benefits for families in need, concessions, and more. He attributes his
passion for service to his mother who engrained in him from a young age the importance of
giving to others.
Jeffrey is the son of Carrie Carncross. He is a four-year veteran of both marching and concert
band along with Melodic Fusion for a year. He has been involved in drama for three years,
having earned a lead role in three plays. His favorite lead was as Captain Hook in Peter Pan and
Wendy, and he had been looking forward to playing Horton in the spring play before it was
cancelled due to the COVID shutdown. Never one to shy away from a busy schedule, this past
fall Jeffrey participated in both football and the school play. During his “double duty” time, he
earned Most Improved in football as well as JPC Honorable Mention as a defensive tackle while
capturing the role of the Fairy Godfather in Sleeping Beauty and the Beast. Other school
involvements include basketball for three years, baseball for a year, golf for two seasons, bass
club, dual enrollment, and Mid Michigan College Students of Promise.
Outside of the traditional school day, Jeffrey can be found either working at S&K Marathon in Clare or tending to his animals. He is a
proud member of Clare County 4H and has served as a Clover Bud 4H Camp Leader. When asked what he enjoys most about
volunteering through 4H, Jeffrey responded that he loves working with both kids and animals and sharing his passion about 4H with
others. He has won numerous awards having shown both poultry and pigs. This past November, Jeffrey earned the Swine
Herdsman of the Year Award based upon his exemplary leadership skills, helping others with their pigs and caring for the animals.
He hopes to participate in this year’s fair provided it is not canceled.
Jeffrey plans to attend Mid Michigan College in the fall to pursue a degree in either Education or Nursing. Congratulations again!
Congratulations to Nicholas O’Brien, the winner of the Michilimackinac Chapter of the Daughter of the American
Revolution Good Citizen Award and Scholarship. Earlier in the year,
Nick was one of three FHS seniors nominated by the staff for the DAR Good
Citizen Award, and the senior class selected him as our local winner. DAR
recognition is based upon four pillars: leadership, character, community
service, and patriotism. Nick exemplifies all of these characteristics. His
application and essay earned him DAR Chapter honors and a $50
scholarship. He was recognized at a ceremony surrounded by family and
friends prior to the school year shutdown. (Picture on left is receiving his
award. Picture on right is Nick along with Harrison High School’s DAR,
Lucas Cooper).
Nick is the son of Barbara and Michael O’Brien. He serves as the
President of National Honor Society and is Vice President of Student Council and Class
Council. In addition, he is a student representative on the Farwell High School Improvement
Team. A four-year veteran of Drama, Nick has been involved in all eight plays with his favorite
roles being Ebenezer Scrooge from “A Christmas Carol,” Scarecrow from “The Wizard of Oz,”
and Smee from “Peter Pan and Wendy.” He is the creator and host of “Nick @ Noon” sharing
the latest news happenings at FHS. In addition, Nick is involved in FCA, Yearbook, Newspaper,
and the Bass Club. In February, he was voted Farwell’s Snowfest Prince. Volunteering in
support of his fellow peers, school, and community, Nick can always be found on the front
line going above and beyond to help others. He spearheaded a paper drive this past winter
to raise funds for cancer awareness. In addition to the paper drive, some of Nick’s other
favorite community service projects include the NHS Yard Sale, the Farwell Easter Egg Hunt,
and CMU Concessions.
Nick’s career interests involve both automotive and education. Nick is currently in his second
year of Automotive Technology through CTE and is part of Early College where he is earning
college credits towards his post-secondary teaching degree.
Congratulations to Jenna Wilkerson!! She is the recipient of the U.S. Junior Chamber
International (JCI) Senate Foundation Scholarship for $1000. This was a national scholarship
competition based upon academics, leadership, and service.
Jenna is the daughter of Wade and Michelle Wilkerson. She is president of both Student Council
and Class Council, a student representative on the School Improvement Team, editor of the school
newspaper and yearbook, drum major for the marching band, and is a member of Farwell
National Honor Society, Mid Michigan College Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, band council, and
Melodic Fusion. She has previously participated in cross country, JV cheer, and track. Her favorite
community service projects are Gifts from the Heart and the Mac & Cheese Drive because she
loves to help those in need in a fun and creative way. In addition to school and extra-curricular
activities, Jenna is employed at Buccillis Pizza of Clare. She is a high honors student and is part of
the JPC All Academic First Team. As a junior, she won the Arion Award for musicianship and
academic excellence.
Jenna will be attending Ferris State University to study Pre-Pharmacy next fall. She has been
accepted into the Honors Program and the Pharmacists, Optometrists, and Scientists in Training
(POSIT) program.
Congratulations to Olivia Bass, Madison Forfinski, Bow Wardwell, and Tyler Wardwell. These 8th graders are the
recipients of the Junior High Honors Scholarship sponsored by Mid Michigan College.
Olivia participates in volleyball, softball, science olympiad, and class council. She enjoys reading, playing sports,
and hanging out with her friends. If she had a superpower, it would be the ability to read minds. She feels this
superpower could give her insight to help people through the rough times even if they don't know how to
express themselves. Her future goal is to become a nurse in order to help people in need and impact their lives
in a positive way.
Madison is involved in basketball, softball, volleyball, science olympiad, ETS, and 4-H. She
enjoys four-wheeling, snowboarding, and archery. If she could have any 3 people join her
for lunch (living or dead), it would be Abraham Lincoln because he was a strong, humble
leader for America; Steve Irwin because he was a guardian of wildlife; and Amelia Earhart because she was a
powerful woman who set many flying records. Her future goal that she has had since kindergarten is to become
a veterinarian because she wants to help and heal animals.
Bow Wardwell is involved in science olympiad and strives to be the best person he can be.
He has a passion for music and if he could have any 3 people join him for lunch (living or dead) it would be Ozzy
Osbourne, Freddie Mercury, and Ivan Moody. Because music has helped Bow so much, he hopes to become a
musician and help people through music.
Tyler Wardwell has been involved in science olympiad and powerlifting. He enjoys reading,
watching tv/Netflix, and technology. He loves animals, and social studies is his favorite
school subject. If he had one superpower, it would be time travel in order to stop the
terrible things that have happened and introduce steam power earlier than it was so we'd
be more advanced. His future goal is to become a zoologist, working with animals and
studying their behaviors.
The ceremony to celebrate these 8th graders was canceled this spring due to COVID. The $250 scholarship that
these students earned can be applied towards their future post-secondary education at Mid Michigan College.
Brendan Green and Jassmine Warner nominated by CTE instructors for NTHS
Juniors Brendan Green and Jassmine Warner were nominated by their CTE instructors to be
inducted into the National Technical Honor Society. Brendan is part of Mr. Erickson’s CTE
Criminal Justice Program. Jassmine is part of Mrs. Rocha’s Culinary Arts Program. Both
students plan to return to their respective programs next year. This is the first year that
CTE has had a National Technical Honor Society program, recognizing their students with
outstanding achievement in career and technical education. The goal of NTHS is to
encourage higher scholastic achievement, cultivate a desire for personal excellence, and
help students find success in today’s highly competitive workplace.
Congratulations to Joshua Bosley and Sydnie Scott, this year's recipients of the Clare Gladwin Board of Realtors Scholarship for
$342 each. Every summer, the Clare Gladwin Board of Realtors hosts a golf outing. All proceeds from the event support the
scholarship program, providing two scholarships per local school district.
Joshua Bosley is the son of John and Elizabeth Bosley. He is a high honors graduate and plans to
participate in the 3+1 program between Mid Michigan College and Northwood University,
where he will earn a Bachelor of Business Administration degree
with a major in Accounting. New to FHS his senior year, he
participated in the powerlifting club, band, choir, and drama.
Outside of school, Josh has been part of the Michigan Singers
Traveling Choir, the Floyd Church of God Youth Group, and is a
drummer in a worship band. He is employed at Buccilli's Pizza of
Farwell.
Sydnie Scott is the daughter of Jason Scott and Emily Scully. A high honors and Early College graduate,
Sydnie plans to attend Northwood University to pursue a degree in Accounting. She has been involved
in National Honor Society for 3 years, class council for 4 years, and 4H from her childhood to present.
Athletically, she is a 4 year softball veteran and played basketball and volleyball for 1 year each. Prior to
the COVID shutdown, Sydnie was a co-op at Rogers Group. Currently, she is an essential worker at
Neyer Farms and just accepted a future position at J. Ranck Electric.
The Clare Rotary Club Scholarship winners are both from Farwell High School: Kyle Frost earned the four-year scholarship and
Jenna Wilkerson earned the two-year scholarship. The Clare Rotary Club, a local chapter of Rotary International, takes pride in its
support of the local community through financial gifts and service projects. Recent projects include assembling and delivering Easter
meals to local folks who have fallen on hard times; assembling backpacks with necessities for parents of newborns, which were then
donated to the baby pantry for distribution; hosting a spaghetti dinner fundraiser for the Clare Public Schools Target Shooting Club;
and awarding scholarships to two high school seniors from applicants from Clare Public Schools, Farwell Area Schools, and Harrison
Community Schools. This year, both winning applicants of the two-year and four-year Rotary scholarships were from FHS. This highly
competitive scholarship was based on an interview point system and the demonstrated experiences beyond having a high gpa, such
as community service projects, work outside of the home, and extracurricular activities. As recipients, both Kyle and Jenna will be
invited to a Rotary Club meeting at a later date to share their first year of college experiences.
Kyle Frost is the son of Don and April Frost. In high school, he has been involved in Band (4 years)
playing the trumpet, Cross Country (4 years), Science Olympiad (4 years), Track (would have been 4
years), and NHS (3 years). He serves as quarter master of the band trailer and is in Melodic Fusion
where he plays keyboard. Outside of school, he serves as an Eagle Scout and is active in his local
church, Our Lady of Hope in Clare. He is extremely proud of his Eagle Scout project of building
benches, straightening the monument, and cleaning up the island at Barnes Island Park in Clare. He is
employed at Frost Trucking LLC. Kyle is a high honors graduate who has earned his academic letter and
pins, his band letter and pins, and his varsity letter(s) and pins. This spring he was named to the Jack
Pine Conference All Academic Second Team. Kyle is a proud member of the band that has been a four-
time MSBOA State Finals qualifier. Having a passion for working with animals, Kyle was part of the CTE
Agriscience program. His post-secondary plan is to become a veterinarian. Kyle has been accepted into
the Honors Program at Ferris State University where he will major in Pre-Veterinary Science. He has
earned the WNF Ferris Gold Scholarship and the Honors Residence Life Scholarship.
Jenna Wilkerson is the daughter of Wade and Michelle Wilkerson. In high school, she has been involved in Band (4 years) playing the
clarinet, Student Council and Class Council (4 years) currently serving as president, NHS (3 years), Cross
Country (2 years), Track (would have been 3 years), Cheerleading (1 year), Newspaper (1 year), Yearbook
(1 year), and is a student member of the School Improvement Team (1 year). In band, she has been Drum
Major for 2 years, serves on Band Council, and plays the Malletkat (electronic xylophone) in Melodic
Fusion. Like Kyle, she is a proud member of the four-time MSBOA state qualifying band, and she earned
the Arion Award her junior year. Outside of FHS, Jenna is part of the Mid Michigan Phi Theta Kappa
Honor Society and works at Buccilli’s Pizza in Clare. Being active in school is Jenna’s passion. She takes
pride in helping plan school events and dances and her favorite service projects include Gifts from the
Heart and the Mac & Cheese Drive. Jenna is a high honors graduate who has earned her academic letter
and pins, her band letter and pins, and her varsity letter(s) and pins. This spring she was named to the
Jack Pine Conference All Academic First Team. Jenna’s post-secondary plan is to study Pre-Pharmacy at
Ferris State University where she has been accepted into the Honors Program and the Pharmacists,
Optometrists, and Scientists in Training (POSIT) program. She has earned the WNF Dean’s Scholarship,
the Ferris Merit Grant, and the Honors Residence Life Scholarship.
John Cogswell and Mia Fetzer Earn Clare Kiwanis Scholar Athlete Scholarship
John Cogswell and Mia Fetzer are the 2020 recipients of the Clare Kiwanis Scholar Athlete Scholarship for $750 each. This
scholarship is based upon a calculation that takes into account student GPA, varsity letters earned, JV letters earned, and school-
related extracurricular activities. Clare Kiwanis has been a part of the Clare County community for over 75 years. Their mission is to
support and provide opportunities for youth within the county. One way they provide support is annually awarding approximately
$7,000.00 in scholarships to high school seniors who achieve high academic and athletic standards or to those continuing education in
Career Technical and Certification programs.
John Cogswell is the son of John and Sandy Cogswell. His athletic participation includes
football (4 years); basketball (3 years); bowling (2 years); and baseball (would have been 4
years). During his athletic tenure, John has earned numerous awards. In football, he earned
the JPC Sportsmanship Award and the Farwell Football Spirit Award. In baseball, he was
an all-conference honorable mention pitcher as a freshman, and a two-time Jack Pine
second team all-conference pitcher during his sophomore and junior years. During his
sophomore season, he was named to the Morning Sun Dream Team as a pitcher. Most recently, John earned JPC All Conference
honorable mention in bowling and was part of the MHSAA Division 4 State Runner-up Bowling Team. Outside of athletics, John
could be found helping out in the wood shop assisting underclassmen and creating projects to be placed in the auction to support the
wood shop program. He was also part of the Forestry program that was taking shape this past spring prior to the school closure. After
high school, John plans to attend Mid Michigan College. He signed with the MID Laker Baseball Team as a pitcher back in
November of 2019. His major is currently undecided.
Mia Fetzer is the daughter of Mike and Molly Fetzer. Her athletic
participation includes competitive cheer (2 years); volleyball (4 years); softball (would have been 4
years); and track (would have been 4 years). Her extra-curricular involvements include band (4+ years);
powerlifting (1 year); and 4H (12 years). Mia has numerous team and individual athletic accolades. In
competitive cheer, she earned all-conference honorable mention as a freshman and her team qualified for
MHSAA Division 4 State Finals both seasons. The team place 7th in the state in 2017, and in 2018 they
were district champions and went on to finish 5th in the state. In volleyball, Mia was JPC honorable
mention her senior year and was part of the MIVCA All-Academic Team both her junior and senior
years. In softball, she was part of the District Championship Team in 2018. Track & Field is where Mia
really shines and where she will continue to excel as a member of the LCC Star Track Team, signing just
prior to the school shutdown. She is a two-time MHSAA state-qualifying thrower in her sophomore and
junior years, and had high aspirations of qualifying/medaling in her senior year. During her junior year,
Mia was both the Jack Pine Conference and Regional Champion in shot put. Her achievements continue in her extracurricular
activities as well. She is part of the FHS Band that qualified for MSBOA State Finals all four years. During her senior year, Mia
decided to join the powerlifting club where she qualified for Division 3 State Finals in two weight classes (220 & 240). In the 220
weight class, she earned second place overall. Outside of school, Mia has earned numerous honors through 4H. Many will remember
her 2018 generous donation to help her teammate and friend, Harley Crawford, in her battle with cancer. Mia auctioned off Reginald,
her pig, at the Clare County Junior Livestock Association Auction held during the Clare County Fair for $11,000 dollars or $40/lb.
Mia’s post-secondary plan is to attend Lansing Community College, participate on their Track & Field Team, and pursue a degree in
the medical field.
The Clare Kiwanis hopes to schedule an awards dinner later this year to celebrate the area school recipients of the Clare Kiwanis
Scholar Athlete Award.
Jeffrey Carncross Jr. is the recipient of the Central Michigan Veteran’s Fund Scholarship for $500
and is eligible for a second year scholarship pending available funding and academic criteria. The
mission of the CMVF is to provide scholarships for Veterans and their dependents and raise
awareness for re-integration issues facing our service men and women as they return from combat
zones around the world. These scholarship funds are due to the generosity of donors. This year
CMVF awarded $11,300.00 to 14 local Central Michigan University & Mid Michigan College students.
In the spring of 2020 for the seventh year in a row, they earmarked scholarship funds for area high
school students of currently serving military personnel or veterans. Thus far CMVF have provided 129
scholarships for a grand total of $91,360.00. In addition, they awarded $750 each to the CMU & Mid
Student Veterans of America chapters. Both of these student recognized organizations continue to
develop and implement veteran awareness projects and fundraisers each year. CMVF has also
earmarked $2,500 in 2020 for veteran outreach programming and another $5,000 to the Central
Michigan Veterans Endowment through the Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation.
Jeffrey is the son of Carrie Carncross and Jeff Carncross, a proud veteran who served from 1993-1997 as a heavy construction
equipment operator (62E) for the U.S. Army, and is the grandson of Donald Carncross, who also served as a medic in the U.S. Army.
Jeffrey stated in his essay that serving one’s country, like his father and grandfather did, is important. “Without people like them
that take the plunge, volunteering to fight for and defend their country, we would have no country to serve at all. Their sacrifice
means my freedom, a guarantee that I will have a better tomorrow and that I don’t have to worry. American servicemen are some
of the greatest in the world for that reason; they don’t do it for just a better America, but for a better world.” For those who have
attended Farwell’s Veteran’s Day Assembly in the past, you would have heard Jeffrey’s heartfelt tribute to the veterans as he sang
the “Armed Forces Medley.” Throughout high school, Jeffrey has been involved in band, Melodic Fusion, drama, football, basketball,
baseball, golf, bass club, and Mid Michigan College Students of Promise. Outside of school, he is a proud Clare County 4H member
and is employed at S&K Marathon in Clare. Jeffrey plans to attend Mid Michigan College next year to pursue a degree in either
Nursing or Education.
Joshua Bosley is the recipient of a $750 Scholarship from the Michigan JCI Senate. The Michigan Jaycees were impressed with the
application he submitted for the US JCI Senate Foundation Scholarship, and while he did not win that
particular scholarship, they offered him this scholarship based upon his leadership and involvement. In
his application essay, Josh shared why he was passionate about his intended major in accounting. He
plans on participating in the Mid Michigan College to Northwood University 3+1 program. Josh wrote, “I
chose to pursue accounting for a variety of reasons. First, I’ve always appreciated math in general
because there’s less grey areas. There is almost always a correct answer to every problem, and I find that
very satisfying. Accounting wasn’t on my radar until I took a marketing class during my junior year at
Midland High School. I learned how to balance a general journal, a general ledger, the basics of having a
checking account, and running a small business. Accounting made a lot of sense to me and was my
favorite portion of the class. When I moved to Farwell and changed high schools, I was excited to be able
to take their only accounting class. I am even more determined to continue on my path towards
accounting now, and I enrolled in my first dual enrollment math class through Mid Michigan College this
semester to get the ball rolling.” Joshua is the son of John and Elizabeth Bosley. A high honors graduate, Josh participated in band,
choir, drama, and the powerlifting club during his senior year at FHS. Outside of school, Josh is a member of the Michigan Singers
Traveling Choir, the Floyd Church of God Youth Group, and is a drummer in a worship band. He is employed at Buccilli's Pizza of
Farwell.
Stay Up-To-Date on the Latest Scholarship Recipients and FHS Important Reminders/Events
While it has always been important to check Skyward Student/Parent Accounts and email, during these times of virtual education, it
is more important than ever. Please check your accounts on a regular basis. If you are a CTE student, check your CGRESD account.
If you are a dual enrolled student, check your Mid Michigan College account and email and/or your Baker College account. In
addition, you are encouraged to like/follow our Farwell Area High School Facebook Page. Through our Farwell Area High School
social media account, we are celebrating our scholarship/award winners on a daily basis as recipients are determined. There are
also links to virtual college virtual tours/fairs, links to important personal/family resources, and announcements about various
school events and happenings.
Please Help Keep Our Records Up-To-Date
Help us keep our records up to date! Families can update phone numbers and email addresses in Skyward so that we have the best
information to contact you and your students, which is especially important right now. Please use the following document to help
navigate Skyward Family Access. *The third phone number space is where you can input a STUDENT phone number if you want
teachers to be able to contact your student on their personal cell phone.
https://docs.google.com/…/1Q8QKyzbW2ELQtG0tMa-lMlekD1…/edit…
Senior Exit, Cap & Gown, and Graduation Information
Senior Exit Information Needed:
If you are one of the seniors who has NOT emailed Mrs. Rohdy your senior exit information, please do so by May 15. Email the
following to arohdy@farwellschools.net:
• Future Plan: (College Attending/Major, Armed Services/Division, or Work Force/Career Field).
• If attending college, please list the names of any collegiate scholarships earned so it can be added to the scholarship celebrations.
• Four-Year Participation: List any clubs/sports involved in for all 4-years of h.s. – count this spring if you would have participated.
• If your information is not provided by May 15, it will not be included in the end-of-the-year celebrations.
Cap and Gown:
For seniors who have paid for their cap and gown, your package will be available for pick-up tonight, May 5, between 3:00-6:00 p.m.
in the school parking lot outside of the JPAC. If you did not order a cap and gown or owe a balance, please contact Jostens directly
at the following link: https://www.jostens.com/apps/store/customer/1064462/Farwell-High-School/
Graduation Date:
At the Board of Education meeting on Monday, May 4, the BOE approved the following dates for graduation:
• Farwell Area High School Graduation Ceremony: August 16, 2020
• Timberland High School Graduation Ceremony: August 14, 2020
Farwell Area School Continues Meal Distribution During COVID-19
Farwell Area Schools continues to support our school families during COVID 19 through meal deliveries every Tuesday and Thursday,
distributing breakfast/lunch packages in 3-day and 4-day increments. As of April 23, there were 32,000 meals provided for our
school families. For those who do not receive bus delivery, meals can be picked up at the JPAC from 3:00-6:00 p.m. on Tuesdays and
Thursdays. As we move in to warmer weather, it is important that we not leave meals and milk in the heat. You can leave a cooler
by the road, and we can place the meals and milk into the cooler. If you are unable to leave a cooler by the road, it will be imperative
that families continue to be on the lookout for the bus and meet the bus by the road. We will no longer be leaving meals at doors
that are not attended. Please remember to call the transportation department at 989-588-9111 if you would like to have us place
meals and milk in a cooler, or you will not be home for a delivery. Your cooperation in helping us with our meal delivery program is
appreciated.
Farwell High School and Timberland Remote Learning, Details for Scheduling 2020-2021
Trimester 3 education continues at FHS and Timberland. Remote Learning
Packets that cover Consumers Math, English Novels, Ecology, Current Events,
and a Fine Arts elective were distributed to all students in grades 8-11.
Seniors had their graduation requirement modified from 27.5 credits to 25.0.
Students that were enrolled in dual enrollment courses, CTE, PLATO, Educere,
yearbook, or work study had their course(s) continue for trimester 3. Staff
continues to communicate weekly through email, phone calls, Google Meet,
and Zoom. Farwell Area Schools has made the guest wifi accessible outside
the buildings for those who need a place to connect to the internet on their
own device. Students are welcome to park in the parking lots and connect to
the wireless network. No password is required.
In order to plan for 2020-2021 scheduling, students that were new to dual
enrollment or CTE courses that involve dual enrollment (Welding, AIME,
Health Occ 2, CRJ 2) must apply to Mid Michigan College as a dual/concurrent
student. If you have NOT already completed this process, please do so. The
link to apply is here: https://apply.midmich.edu/entries/new
Once you have submitted your application and your student account is set up
(information to do this comes in the mail from MID), please email Mrs. Rohdy
at arohdy@farwellschools.net. (NOT the stu account). Provide her with the
following: Your career area of interest, future colleges you are interested in,
and a cell number where you can be reached. She will then be in contact
with you to finalize a schedule. These appointments take approximately 30-
40 minutes per student to complete; therefore, if there are days/times that
work better for you and your schedule, please list that in the email. Priority scheduling is given to dual enrolled and CTE dual
enrolled students first followed by traditional CTE students and then regular FHS coursework students. Your patience is appreciated
during this time. Each and every student will be given the detailed care needed to build a future schedule that meets their specific
graduation requirements and Educational Development Plan. For any upcoming junior or senior that was interested in CTE but did
NOT turn in an application form, please email Mrs. Rohdy immediately at arohdy@farwellschools.net and let her know which
program you are interested in. She can then get you the necessary paperwork to initiate the process.
FREE Online Workshops for High School Juniors & Seniors Sponsored by MID & MSU Extension
Time / Day & Date / Topic of Workshop
• 2 pm Tuesday, May 5, 2020 Topic: Financial Aid
• 2 pm Tuesday, May 12, 2020 Topic: Student Loans
• 2 pm Tuesday, May 19, 2020 Topic: Success Strategies
• 2 pm Tuesday, May 26, 2020 Wellness Resources
Who Should Attend?
High School Juniors and Seniors
What Will I Learn?
• Discover quick tips that will help you navigate college
• Ask admissions representatives questions and get answers!
How Do I participate?
• Students MUST pre-register at: https://msu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_viKF8678SD--3fUzP69Anw
If you have questions, contact the following:
• Mid Michigan College Admissions
• Text (989) 256-8274
• Email admissions@midmich.edu
• Call (989) 386-6626
Northwood University Hosting Time Management Webinar – May 5 @ 2:00 p.m.
Reminder to an email that was posted on April 27: Northwood University is hosting a Time Management Webinar on May 5 at 2:00
p.m. The webinar’s purpose is to provide college bound students information that will enable them to be successful at the college
level. The webinars have been attracting 100+ students from around the State of Michigan. The link is the following:
https://youtu.be/R7a88ZDfLUE.
Promoting the Publics: Michigan Spring College Fair
The Michigan Spring College Fair will take place online through https://collegefairsonline.com/. The fair will take place May 5-7,
2020. This will be “live” during the following days and times.
• Tuesday, May 5, 2020 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, May 6, 2020 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
• Thursday, May 7, 2020 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Adulting 101 Series – MSU Extension
Reminder to an email posted on April 23: The Adulting 101 Series through MSU Extension has been very popular for our juniors and
seniors. They are back again by popular demand during the month of May, but students must pre-register. The dates/times/topics
are listed below:
• Thursday, May 7 @ 2:00 p.m. Creating a Spending Plan
• Thursday, May 14 @ 2:00 p.m. Credit vs. Debit
• Thursday, May 21 @ 2:00 p.m. Informed Renter
• Thursday May 28 @ 2:00 p.m. Cooking 101
• Thursday, June 4 @ 2:00 p.m. Household Tasks
Students may choose to attend one or more of the seminars. The link to register is:
https://msu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_XqQtQo7rTN6Ht-auSgK83g
Michigan Dept of Health & Human Services Crisis Text Line
Please know during these difficult times that help is here when you need it. Michigan
Department of Health and Human Services has a crisis text line that can provide mental
health support to those in need. Text RESTORE to 741741 to have a confidential text
conversation with a trained crisis counselor. Trained counselors are available 24 hours a
day, seven days a week.
Michigan Cares about the Emotional and Mental Well-Being of our Children.
During times of crisis, our students need extra support to process their emotions. The Michigan Cares Portal offers Michigan
families and educators FREE digital lessons designed to help students in grades K-12 develop the skills required for social, emotional,
and mental well-being. This portal will be freely available until the end of the 2020-2021 school year. The link to Michigan Virtual
and Michigan Cares is:
https://michiganvirtual.org/sel/michigan-cares/?fbclid=IwAR25YTCu0HeOIc9-ortxdtgU7vMae4jj8Yj4DsBgyOZMCBKYlGgvYWMpjGE
Local Resources for Students and Families
Spring 2020 Prom Will Not Be Rescheduled, Seniors Invited Back Next Year
Unfortunately, the 2020 Junior/Senior Prom will not be rescheduled. The Class of 2020 will be invited back next spring to the 2021
prom.
Farwell High School Awards Ceremony
The 2020 Farwell High School Awards Ceremony has been canceled this year; however, each scholarship/award recipient is still
receiving special recognition through posts on our social media Farwell Area High School Facebook page with a follow-up in an issue
of The Talon. While this March/April edition of the Talon lists several award/scholarship winners, May will be even bigger! Like the
Facebook page for daily updates/celebrations and look forward to the next edition of The Talon later in May.FARWELL AREA HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 2020 EXCEEDS
GOVERNOR WHITMER’S FAFSA CHALLENGE GOAL OF 75% COMPLETION
As of April 29, 2020, Farwell Area High School still leads both Clare County and Clare-Gladwin RESD schools in FAFSA completion
rates. Farwell High School’s completion rate is currently at 81.6%. The average for Clare County is 63.03% and the average for the
Clare-Gladwin RESD is 61.34%. For our Eastern Central Michigan Region, Farwell Area High School is ranked third in completion
rates. As an entire state, the class of 2020 has completed 54,676 FAFSA applications at a rate of 49.4%. For seniors that have
completed the FAFSA, please double check with your collegiate institution to see if any additional materials and/or verifications are
needed. If your financial circumstances have changed since filing, please contact the financial aid office to assist you in making any
adjustments. If you plan to attend college and/or trade school in the fall and have NOT yet completed the FAFSA, please do so at
https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa.
Financial Aid – Your FAFSA was due to the State of Michigan by March 1, 2020.
The FAFSA for 2020-2021 remains open until June 30, 2020. If you are past due, please complete the application.
The FAFSA opened on October 1 for the 2020-2021 school year application and will remain open until June 30, 2020. The State of
Michigan deadline was March 1, 2020. If you did NOT submit, your application is past due. Students attending a
college/university/trade school need to complete the 2020-2021 FAFSA application. This is based upon 2018 tax information. Any
TIP eligible students MUST also complete the FAFSA in order to qualify. Any student seeking merit based (or need based)
scholarships MUST complete the FAFSA. Students who are TIP eligible but on the Certificate of Completion track are also
encouraged to complete the FAFSA. While these students may not receive federal aid, they are still eligible for state aid.
Remember: everyone is eligible for some form of financial aid. Refer to your senior packet or Skyward account for more details.
Checklist for seniors and their parents: https://studentaid.gov/resources/prepare-for-college/checklists/12th-grade
Link to create an FSA ID: https://fsaid.ed.gov/npas/index.htm
Link to complete the FAFSA for 2020-2021: https://fafsa.ed.gov/spa/fafsa/#/LOGIN?locale=en_US
Financial Aid in light of COVID-19: For those who have completed a FAFSA and whose financial circumstances have
changed considerably, you are encouraged to reach out to your collegiate institution’s financial aid office. Financial aid
administrators are afforded a degree of professional judgement under the law for state and federal aid, as well as for institutional
aid, and can work with students and families whose incomes have been negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Federal
Student Aid’s website https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/coronavirus includes information for students and parents
regarding the coronavirus crisis and financial aid. For those currently attending college, the site includes information on whether
students can keep financial aid if their campus is closed, for example, and provides answers to load repayment questions. As for
student loans, the US Department of Education’s office of Federal Student Aid is suspending federal student loan payments between
March 13, 2020 through September 30, 2020. It is important for student borrowers to contact their loan servicers (such as Navient,
Nelnet, FedLoan Servicing, or Great Lakes over the phone or online to determine the necessary steps to take. Your assigned loan
servicer can be found by logging into www.studentaid.gov.
The majority of Farwell’s students attend (or will attend) Mid Michigan College. Here is a link to their information regarding financial
aid in light of COVID-19 - https://www.midmich.edu/student-resources/financial-aid .
Tuition Incentive Program (TIP) – Seniors Must Complete Prior to Aug 31, 2020
***FARWELL HIGH SCHOOL IS AT 100% FOR TIP COMPLETION***
Tuition Incentive Program (TIP) – Eligible seniors need to complete the TIP Application on the MiSSG site
Who is TIP eligible? This is for students who qualified for Medicaid for 24 months within a 36-consecutive month period between
the age of 9 and h.s. completion as having met the Medicaid eligibility requirement. The TIP application must be completed prior to
the deadline of August 31 of the academic year in which the student graduates (this year August 31, 2020) or forfeit the
opportunity. Class of 2020 seniors were at 100% for TIP Application Completion.
In order to qualify once the TIP application is complete, students MUST ALSO COMPLETE the current-year FAFSA and be enrolled in
at least 6 credit hours at a participating institution. Note: Students who attend a state-approved Early/Middle College have until
age 21, but must contact the MI Student Aid office to complete the application. To verify if you are TIP eligible, go to
https://missg.guarantorsolutions.com/StudentPortal/SignUp to create an account and verify your TIP information. Students can also
call 1-888-447-2687 if there is an issue establishing the online account.
Upcoming seniors in the Class of 2021 that believe they are TIP eligible can go to the portal, create an account, and
complete/update their TIP application prior to the start of the 2020-2021 school year.YEARBOOK PICTURE AND FEATURE REQUEST
When we came up with this year’s Yearbook theme, “DoubleTake,” we never imagined the world we would now be living in. This is
certainly not the school year any of us were expecting. Nevertheless, the yearbook is meant to capture the life and times of your
school year. We would like to document this unprecedented and challenging time that you are going through in 2020, and
hopefully, you can look back in 20-30 years and share with your children and grandchildren how you handled this trying time. We
were only two thirds through the yearbook when the school year ended; canceling spring sports and prom. We are asking that you
document and chronical your time while you are at home and send pictures/comments on what you’re doing (or feeling) with your
family. How are you spending your time? Are you reading books, making puzzles, binge watching a tv show, taking up a new hobby,
learning to cook, helping neighbors/family, playing video games, making music, exercising, mastering the online communication
world, etc. Take pictures depicting what you love (or miss) about high school the most – sports gear pictures, pictures with your
instruments, your prom proposal ideas, or simply a screenshot of you with one of several Facebook frames capturing the times we
are now all living in. Please email your pictures/comments to Mrs. Rohdy at arohdy@farwellschools.net text them to a yearbook
staff member to send to Mrs. Rohdy, or post them on the Class of 2020 Facebook page by May 20, 2020.
CGRESD Will No Longer Be Using Career Cruising, Shift to Xello for Fall of 2020
All local school districts within the Clare-Gladwin RESD will be switching from CareerCruising to Xello as our Career Readiness
Software. While the majority of students’ current information will transfer, items such as uploaded resumes, journal entries, and
attachments will not transfer. If you have these items in your career cruising account and would like to save them, please download
prior to July 1, 2020. While students will have a “pass back” option into their old career cruising accounts, they will be “read only.”
The new Xello program allows students in grades 6-12 to build self-knowledge, explore career options, create a plan, learn, and
reassess their goals. Xello allows students to gain self-knowledge, personalize their plans, research opportunities, and gain critical
life skills. Xello also has a letter of recommendation request feature and a transcript request feature similar to our current
Parchment system. Students will be able to take assessments and complete interactive career, personality, and learning style
assessments to help them better understand their individualized interests, skills, and strengths. The new Xello program will be a
single user sign-on utilizing students’ Gmail accounts.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR ME? CAREER EXPLORATION, TRAINING, AND JOBS
While you’re at home, take some time to assess your future career goals. Review interest and skill inventories. Research various
careers and the job outlook in those fields. Here are some websites to assist:
https://www.careeronestop.org/ - Research careers, training, and jobs
https://www.onetonline.org/ The Occupational Information Network allows students to research careers, military opportunities,
training, apprenticeships, and more
www.mynextmove.org Browse careers, industry trends, and take questionnaires to match your interests and skills.
https://www.mitalent.org/career-explorer Visit Pure Michigan Talent Connect to see Michigan’s Hot Job Highlights and make
knowledgeable decisions about your future profession/careers.
In addition, visit a virtual college fair or check out the following links to our local college/university virtual tours.
Mid Michigan College: https://www.midmich.edu/admissio…/visit-us/campus-visit-form
Delta College: https://www.delta.edu/visit-campus/virtual-tour.html
Central Michigan University: https://www.cmich.edu/admissio…/undergrad/Pages/default.aspx
Eastern Michigan University: https://www.emich.edu/admissi…/…/online-visit-experience.php
Ferris State University: https://www.ferris.edu/admissions/schedule_visit.htm
Grand Valley State University: https://www.gvsu.edu/admissions/undergraduate-campus-visit-20.htm
Lake Superior State University: https://www.lssu.edu/admissions/
Michigan State University: https://admissions.msu.edu/visit/
Michigan Technological University: https://www.mtu.edu/admissi…/visit/previewday/online/campus/
Northern Michigan University: https://www.nmu.edu/admissions/visit…
Northwood University: https://admissions.northwood.edu/visit
Saginaw Valley State University: https://www.svsu.edu/go/visit/
University of Michigan: https://admissions.umich.edu/explore-visit/virtual-resources
Western Michigan University: https://wmich.edu/admissions/virtualCongratulations to the Farwell Varsity Boys’ Bowling Team – D4 State Runner-up The Farwell Varsity Boys’ Bowling Team had a fantastic end to their season, earning the MHSAA Division 4 State Runner-up Trophy. Team members include Darren Eigner, John Cogswell, Conner Yule, Jacob Holt, JJ Crysler, Dakota Wardle-Little, and Kaden Lewis.
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