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Back in August, we hosted our sixth Gus Macker Basketball Tournament on the campus of Northwood University. With beautiful weather and a great setting, the event went off seamlessly. In total, there were 369 teams, 75% of which were youth teams. The weekend kicked off with the Heroes Tournament, where the Midland Police Department won for the second year in a row. Later that weekend, the Unified Tournament brought together individuals of all abilities for a fun round of basketball.
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Because our summer programs have grown significantly, The Legacy Center has determined that it is time to hand off the Great Lakes Bay Gus Macker to another local host. We've been grateful to be a part of the event and are excited for the opportunities that lie ahead - for the event and for our agency!
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Issues & Assets Conference
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We recently hosted our fifth annual youth development conference and had nearly 150 guests! Participants explored the role of Developmental Assets in protecting youth from risk-taking behaviors, as well as a few key issues that kids are facing today: eating disorders, screens, and the latest trends in youth substance use. Attendees gained knowledge and practical tools to lift up the youth in their lives.
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stated that what they learned is relevant to their work with youth
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increased their awareness of how mental health concerns in youth can connect to substance misuse
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learned how to recognize risk factors in youth that may indicate a need for intervention
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Coalition Recovery Backpacks
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The Coalition for Substance Free Resiliency took on a big project! They provided supportive backpacks to folks leaving jail who are entering programs for substance use disorder. In total, the coalition and local community partners provided 120 reentry backpacks to the Midland County Jail. Each backpack contains items to help meet immediate needs during a crucial transition period, including hygiene supplies, clothing, gift cards, a medication lock bag, a recovery resource guide, and naloxone, a medication used to reverse opioid overdose. This initiative reflects the Coalition's commitment to strengthening community partnerships, reducing barriers to recovery, and supporting individuals on their path toward health and stability.
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Special thanks to the following partners who contributed to the backpack project:
Community Mental Health for Central Michigan
Greater Midland Coleman Family Center
Midland County Department of Public Health
Midland Nazarene Church & Mid Naz Kids
Mid-State Health Network
MyMichigan Health
St. John's Lutheran Church
Trinity Lutheran Church
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Literacy Tiered Programming
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All students learn differently. Some thrive when they are working one-on-one with an adult, where others do best when paired with other students. The Legacy Center is expanding our reading services to better meet students' individual needs. Thanks to gifts from the Midland 100 Club, we will be piloting a new tiered system of instruction for reading learners this fall. Depending on individual needs, students will be offered one-on-one tutoring, two-on-one tutoring, or small group instruction.
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In addition to serving learners today even better, we've hired a co-op and intend to hire an additional intern to implement our two-on-one tutoring. This program will introduce future educators to explicit, systematic, cumulative, multisensory literacy instruction and give them meaningful experience working directly with developing readers. Thank you, Midland 100 Club, for believing in our mission and supporting this pilot!
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This new summer program includes reading and writing support, math instruction, and social emotional learning to help students stay academically strong during the summer. Priority was given to students who are on our current reading or math waitlists.
See some of the results below!
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who were progress monitored showed growth in reading - the ninth maintained a perfect score.
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10 learners spent the summer strengthening reading and math skills and participating in activities designed to support social-emotional growth.
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the Learning Lab connected learners and families with continued services at The Legacy Center, creating pathways to additional tutoring and support.
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Our youth learners work hard year-round to build their reading and math skills. These students put in hours outside of school twice per week, working on subjects that are especially challenging for them. For their hard work and accomplishments, we host a Learner Celebration every year. This fall, we hosted a fun and relaxing evening for learners, families, and tutors with picnic foods and yard games. We're so proud of their accomplishments and enjoyed spending some downtime with these special kids.
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We are excited to welcome Natalie Kalitta, our part-time Marketing & Design Coordinator, to the TLC Team! She's been a part-time contractor for us since November 2022, updating our website, making social media content, and designing various online and print materials over the past four years. Now, she's an official staff member! Please help her feel welcome!
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Raine Smith, a Midland High School student who is also attending Delta College with an interest in special education, has joined our team through a paid co-op made possible by the generosity of the Midland 100 Club. Raine will work primarily with pairs of learners, implementing the Barton Reading & Spelling Program, and will provide general program support.
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