Janine Lewandoski Story

Just Another Runner’s Story                                                                                                                  January 2026                                                                                                                        Written by Gale Fischer  

Running’s Social Pipeline                                                             “If you run, you are a runner. It doesn’t matter how fast or how far. It doesn’t matter if today is your first day or if you’ve been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run.”          ----John Bingham                      

There are multiple social groups that each of us associates with. These social groups are often categorized with work friends, church friends, and childhood friends being different examples. For those immersed in the running community a tight knit band of individuals is often formed with other runners. For some runners moving to another zip code, running becomes a prominent way to become familiar with the layout of a new city, town, or neighborhood. Running also helps these individuals to form new friendships as these individuals seek out others that they share a common interest with in running. For local runner Janine Lewandoski, the running community in Battle Creek became her first social connection when she moved to the Cereal City almost a decade ago.

Janine grew up spending much of her free time being active, but running wasn’t necessarily a part of this equation until early adulthood. “I started playing soccer when I was five years old,” Janine said. Organized sports was only a snippet of what kept her moving. “My brother and I were always outside playing with the neighborhood kids,” she added. “I grew up in a small town and for most of the children in our neighborhood any free time was spent outside playing games and riding bikes.”

Although spending time outside being active with kids from the neighborhood still dominated much of Janine’s free time as she became older, organized sports eventually took on a bigger role in her life. “More options for sports became available in middle school,” explained Janine. “I played volleyball, basketball, softball, and participated in track, during this time. I really enjoyed sports. It kept me from getting bored.” Janine would have to limit her participation in athletics to one sport for each season, after transitioning from middle school. “When I started high school, I continued participating in a sport each season, focusing on one sport in the spring," Janine said. “I loved each sport that I participated in but was always ready to end one sports season and begin another.” Janine was advised to choose track as her spring sport her freshman year, but this only fueled her desire to continue with soccer. “My math teacher was also the soccer coach, and he told me that I would just be a bench player for the soccer team. He encouraged me to choose another spring sport,” explained Janine. “I played soccer just to prove him wrong, which I did. I seemed to have more endurance than the other kids, so I rarely sat on the bench.” Just as Janine’s running hobby as an adult has provided her primary group of friends, her high school peer group also centered around sports. “I went to a small school, Algonac High School near Port Huron,” Janine noted. “Many of my classmates were involved in athletics and most of my friends played sports.” 

Janine graduated from high school in 2011 and went on to college at the University of Michigan. For the first time in her life physical activity was not a part of her routine. “Coming from a small community I had to adjust to a big school and shifted my priorities,” explained Janine, “and I was inactive my freshman year. During my sophomore through senior years, I played some intramural sports. As I approached college graduation in 2015, I began to try to focus on having a balanced life and adding physical activity back to my routine. I started running some on my own to lose a little weight and to establish some healthy habits. It was very sporadic. I would usually run a three-mile loop a few times a week starting from the house that I lived in and going around the football stadium and basketball arena.”

After earning her college degree, Janine experienced another major life transition common for college graduates with the true beginning of independent adult life. She would lean on physical activity to ease the transition. “I started working at a consulting company in Southfield after graduation,” Janine recalled. “It was a bit intimidating being a professional. I began going to the gym, which was a new experience for me. At the same time, a friend of mine from high school, who had never been active, had an itch to run the Detroit Half-Marathon. I decided to sign up to run it with him.” 

Committing to run a half-marathon moved Janine from casual runner to serious runner. “I had researched some ideas on the internet for how to train,” said Janine, “but I didn’t follow anything specific. I was running on my own about four days a week, usually around five miles for each of these weekday runs, with a longer run on the weekend.” Reaching the double digit mile barrier seemed like the mental push Janine needed to give her the confidence she needed to know she could run for 13.1 miles. “I remember building up to ten miles for a long run,” noted Janine. “My thought was that I should at least complete ten miles for a training run before race day. I was also going to the gym a few times a week to do some strength training. I was really excited when I ran the race that there was Gatorade at the aid stations. I guess I wasn’t expecting this.” 

All and all the race day experience was a positive one for Janine. “My goal was to go under two hours, but I really wasn’t sure how things would go after ten miles,” said Janine. “I had trained alone, and it was exciting running with others and having spectator support. I was tired after the race, but felt like I could do more. I thought that I could run a marathon. What stood out to me was the diversity of runners with young, middle aged and older runners, and runners with different body shapes. It was inspiring. After this, I kept training.” 

At the time Janine ran her first half-marathon, she was still working and living on the east side of the state but began to spend some time in Battle Creek with her work. “Kellogg's was a client of the company I worked for,” explained Janine, “and early in 2016, I started coming to Battle Creek for a few days at a time on different occasions to help as a consultant for Kellogg's. I would stay at the McCamly Hotel, so occasionally I would run around downtown when I was in Battle Creek. I would also do some strength training workouts in my hotel room.”

Although Janine wasn’t living in Battle Creek full-time, she was becoming familiar with the area surrounding Kellogg’s Headquarters through running. An opportunity would eventually bring her to Battle Creek full-time. “Kellogg’s offered me a full-time job during the summer of 2016,” said Janine. “It seemed like it would be a seamless transition to go from working for them as a consultant to working for them full-time.” Reaching out to other runners seemed like the best way to make the transition socially from Southfield to Battle Creek.  “I sought out the running community to get to know people in the area,” she noted. “My mom researched and found The Kalamazoo Area Runners online for me. I decided to show up to a group run on a Tuesday. For this first run, I met Holly McKee, who helped to introduce me to different weekly group runs in Battle Creek. It was a bit awkward at first, running with others, but it was a great way to get to know others outside of work. To this day many of my friends in Battle Creek are from the running community.” Soon Janine began running regularly with the Sunday run group from the Battle Creek YMCA with Matthew Santner. She began to run more during the week with Matthew and other runners who ran a faster pace that she was accustomed to. It gave her something to aspire to as a runner. 

As time went on, Janine began to meet other runners who also were active as cyclists and swimmers. “Many of my running friends in Battle Creek were participating in triathlons,” Janine noted. “This was kind of my introduction to biking and swimming competitively. I did my first triathlon in 2017. I have done a handful of triathlons. Most of these have been sprint triathlons. I had started training with the Cereal City Triathlon training group. Some in my training group decided to train for a Half-Iron Man triathlon. We did the Steelhead Half -ron Man in Benton Harbor in 2018. The water was very rough on Lake Michigan that day. It was like swimming in a washing machine. It was uncomfortable swimming in a crowd.”

Completing a Half-Iron Man piqued Janine’s interest in the next step as a runner. “After completing the Half-Iron Man, I started thinking that I could run a marathon,” said Janine. “The Half -ron Man took me six hours to finish, which in my head was more time than I figured I could run a marathon in. In the winter of 2019, I signed up for the KAR Beyond Marathon training group and traveled to Kalamazoo every Saturday morning for my long runs. My training that winter went well. It was exciting to complete my first twenty-mile run. For the first marathon training cycle, there are so many firsts in terms of milestone distances. I can remember my first twenty-mile run being on a hilly course on a snowy day.  In the spring of 2019, I ran my first marathon, the Kentucky Derby Marathon in Louisville.”

It was a memorable first marathon experience for Janine. “There was a group of fifteen of us who went to Louisville and stayed in an Airbnb, with some running the half and some running the full.,” Janine recalled. “ It was a great first marathon. The course was not too hilly, and the weather was perfect.There were people who were out spectating and were really engaged in the experience. My finishing time was 3:50. I knew that I wanted to run more marathons after this. It was exciting to finish my first marathon and feel good about it.”

Janine has completed another six marathons since her first in Louisville. She has improved her time with her PR coming at the 2021 Carmel Marathon in Indiana, with a finishing time of 3:27 and a Boston qualifier. She completed the Boston Marathon the next year in 2022. She was running well for the marathon distance but an injury would stall her progress a year after her Boston debut. “In 2023, I had been training for the Green Bay Marathon,”  Janine said. “I had just finished a twenty-mile run a few days earlier and was in my taper. I felt some pain in my lower back and leg in the middle of a five-mile run and had to walk home. I took a few days off and tried again a few days later to run, but still felt the same level of pain. I was unable to run the marathon. The doctor I went to diagnosed it as a bulging disc.” 

Janine was forced to take some time away from running. “I spent the following summer not able to run while also going through PT,” explained Janine. “I was able to swim some during this time, and I walked a lot. Looking back, I feel that it was good and that my body needed a break, but it was frustrating. I introduced running intervals with my walking in the fall of 2023. It took a while, but eventually I returned to a more normal running routine.” A year later Janine went through a major transition in her life. She reflected on this.  “I moved to Mexico for work for a year in 2024. I ran a lot on the treadmill in a gym that didn’t have air conditioning. I was really nervous about keeping my running routine while there, but it worked out. It was hot, and it was 6,500 feet above sea-level.”

Since her return from Mexico, Janine has reacquainted herself to running with friends she has made in Battle Creek and Kalamazoo. Working and running in Battle Creek the last five years has allowed Janine to grow professionally, personally and as a runner. She will soon be on the move again but will take her experiences from the last five years to guide her through this next stage of her life. “I have a new job with Denso and will be moving to Southfield,” she noted. “I will hook up with the running community there and have already done some research to find groups to run with.”

With her time in Battle Creek coming to an end, Janine reflected on running and on the connections she has made. “Running has been a good way to blend my social life with being active.The local running community here in Battle Creek is open to anyone at all levels. I credit my improvement in running to the running community, but also to Rob Lillie, who has been my trainer. He has kept me in the game physically, but also lets me and his clients know that, at the end of the day, running is supposed to be fun. When I moved to Mexico for a year and ran on my own, I came to appreciate what running can also do for my life individually. Running can be there for you to provide whatever you need.” 

For those who are fully immersed into a running routine there is no denying the positive impact it can have on your life. It can help to maintain and improve physical health. It can give each participant a confidence boost and an emotional lift that will benefit all aspects of life. It can provide a much needed dose of positivity in the midst of a bad day. Perhaps one of the most appreciated benefits of running is the friendships that it can provide. Running alone can make your life better. Sharing running with others can build on this. 

Everyone has a story.  Stay tuned next month for another runner’s story.

Grady Kape Story

                                                                 Poetry in Motion

“The only thing that stands between you and your dream is the will to try and the belief that it is actually possible.”

—-Joel Brown

Athletic success can at times be tied to talent, but accomplishments in the world of sports run much deeper than natural ability. Hard work, dedication, and following a scripted plan can be the difference between average and good. Still another element exists that separates the elites from the rest. To be the best of the best often requires a mental resolve to overcome discomfort, setbacks, and failures while blocking out the outside noise created by the naysayers. Harper Creek eighth-grade student, Grady Kape, has excelled as a gymnast, with his mental fortitude being his most important attribute. 

Grady was born on July 31, 2011, the first child of Corey and Suzanne Kape. Grady has a younger sister, Ella, who is a sixth-grade student at Harper Creek Middle School. Grady reflected on some of his childhood memories and interests outside of gymnastics. “I enjoy being outside, throwing a football around, or doing flips on the trampoline. I also like hunting and fishing with Mom, Dad, and my grandpa. My grandpa and I like to have a competition when we go fishing to see who can catch the most fish. We usually go fishing for bass and bluegill at Graham Lake or Lee Lake.”

Like Grady and Ella, Corey and  Suzanne were also Harper Creek students. Grady talked about being a Harper Creek student. “Ella and I both went to Sonoma starting in kindergarten. One of my favorite memories from Sonoma was the color run that our teachers at Sonoma organize every year, on the last day of school. I also like having Mom work at the Middle School and at Sonoma. It is convenient  being able to ride in with her to school on the days she is there.” Suzanne has worked as an occupational therapist for Calhoun ISD starting in 2009 and has been providing services for Harper Creek students since 2019.

Both Suzanne and Corey were athletes for Harper Creek, with Corey playing baseball and golf, and Suzanne as a decorated volleyball player. Grady has followed in his parents' footsteps as an athlete. “Grady started gymnastics in preschool when he was three years old,” recalled Suzanne, “taking classes at Branch Gymnastics.” At the time, Suzanne and Corey didn’t anticipate the impact gymnastics would have on Grady. “After a year of taking preschool classes, we decided not to sign Grady up for classes the following year,” said Suzanne. “Although he didn’t return to Branch the next year, we signed him up for rec classes a year later at the age of five.” From there, gymnastics would become a great passion for Grady, taking up much of his time. 

Grady talked about how his journey in gymnastics unfolded from the time he joined the pre-team. “Pre-team is kind of like a try-out for the team. It introduces gymnasts to what a team is like. For pre-team, we had two practices each week for two hours each time. I was on pre-team for half a year before being invited to move up to the team. I have been on Branch Gymnastics’ team since then.” 

Gymnastics has taught Grady a great deal about himself. It has given him tools to navigate through life while also showing him what he was capable of. “Through gymnastics,” Grady noted. “I have learned that I can push myself beyond what I perceive to be my limits.” Gymnastics shares many similarities with other sports, while also differing in other ways. Grady’s coaches help prepare him to perform individually. Although he and his teammates showcase their skills individually, the scores they receive are combined as a total team score. Each event score is calculated by adding a degree of difficulty score to an execution score. A perfect execution score is 10, with a typical total score ranging from 14 to 16 when the degree of difficulty is added to it. The scores for each individual for each event that they perform are then combined for a total team score. “When I first learn a skill, it’s hard to understand and perform it,” explained Grady. “Each skill becomes easier the more I practice it. As I learn a skill, I continue to practice and perform it, and eventually, other skills are introduced. Everything is a part of a progression, with tiny skills leading up to bigger and more difficult skills. The more I progress, the more I have to be tough mentally.” 

Gymnastics has evolved through the years into an athletic competition. At its core, it is a demonstration of physical strength, flexibility, and body awareness in space. In essence, gymnastics is a form of art. It is poetry in motion. Hours and hours of practice are required to perfect each skill. “We do strength training every day,” said Grady. “We use some weights, but a lot of it is body and resistance training. We do a ton of stretching. During the off-season, we work on new skills, cardio, and weight training. We do some running for conditioning.” Grady’s schedule can be grueling. “He usually does some training during the season and off-season at home,” Suzanne shared. “This includes practicing skills on the trampoline and also strength exercises such as chin-ups and push-ups.” Hard work and commitment have allowed Grady to experience success as an athlete, but this could not have happened without the support of his family. “He goes to practice four days a week for four and a half hours a day, a total of eighteen hours a week,” explained Suzanne. “It makes it difficult for him to eat at an evening meal at a normal time, and oftentimes, I have something prepared for him to eat on the drive home from practice.”

Grady’s team competes in a handful of competitions each year. “The events that I participate in include floor routine, pommel horse, rings, vault, parallel bars, and horizontal bar,” Grady noted. “The pommel horse is probably my favorite and strongest event.”  The floor routine is a dynamic and expressive event that includes tumbling passes, dance elements, and artistic flair and is performed on a specially designed spring floor. The pommel horse routine is a series of continuous circular movements performed while supporting the upper body on the hands with the legs moving in a scissor-like or swinging motion. The rings event is a test of strength, control, and skill, and is performed on two rings suspended with straps from a metal frame. The vault event consists of the gymnast sprinting down a runway, jumping onto a springboard, and then propelling themselves onto a vaulting table, and executing various ariel maneuvers before landing on a mat. The horizontal bar is an event that challenges the gymnast to perform various skills on a bar that is held above and parallel to the floor, including giant turns, release and regrasp skills, culminating with a dismount. Parallel bars consist of two wooden bars mounted on adjustable frames, set at a consistent height and width apart, with gymnasts performing swings, flight elements, movements requiring strength and balance, and a dismount. 

The competition season for Grady occurs over a six-month period of time. “There are typically five to seven competitions a year, including nationals and regionals,” Suzanne added. “Most are within a two-hour drive, except for nationals. Last year’s nationals were in Fort Lauderdale. The level that Grady competes at requires a big commitment from him and from Corey, and me. The competition season runs from December to May, but with practices and training, it is a year-round season. Grady entered the 14/15 year age group last year, which is the youngest group that can go to nationals. He was able to qualify for nationals at the regional meet, earning national championship status for his age group on the horizontal bar.”

The chemistry that Grady and his teammates have developed has left a lasting impression on Corey. “When Grady first started this journey, I wasn’t sure if gymnastics would have the same team bond and drive that you see in traditional school sports,” explained Corey. “After watching Grady’s first few gymnastics meets, and seeing how close this team has become, has opened my eyes. I’m amazed by how much of a team sport it really is. I appreciate the life lessons that Grady has gained along the way with this sport. The Branch Gymnastics boys are a special group with many individuals qualifying for nationals and several, including Grady, competing at an elite level.”

Grady’s coaches don’t restrict their athletes to a specific diet, but he still tries to give his body what it needs to train and compete. “I try to eat a lot of protein,” Grady explained. “We have to eat some during practices because they are so long. I usually bring a protein bar with me to practice. I also try to drink a lot of water during practice.” 

Gymnastics requires much of Grady’s time with daily practices and road trips for competitions, but he is still a student. Flexibility is the key for him when it comes to school. “I try to do some of my homework on the bus if I don’t need a computer,” Grady said.  “When I get home from practice, I take a quick shower and then finish my homework.” Grady understands that he may have to up his game when he starts high school with more academic and homework demands. 

As is common in sports, Grady’s body has been pushed to its limits. “I have had a few injuries,”  he added. “I have hyperextended both of my elbows on two different occasions when I was eight years old. I had to take a week off from training to recover from each of these injuries. One time, I fell while practicing on the floor and had a concussion. I was on concussion protocol for six weeks.” 

Grady has developed a passion for his sport. He reflected on this.  “I kind of fell in love with gymnastics after winning first place on the floor for my very first competition. I would like to compete in college with the U of M being my dream school to compete for. I also would like to compete in the Olympics someday.” Gymnastics has helped foster resilience and patience in how Grady approaches his sport and life. “When you think you have reached your limit, keep pushing,” Grady noted. “Eventually, you will hit your goal.” 

Watching your child work hard to experience positive outcomes and success can be a great source of pride. “It is rewarding to see your child find a passion and succeed,” Suzanne shared. “Grady’s physical strength is amazing, but his mental resolve is even more impressive. It is not just his performance as an athlete that makes me proud. Grady is very humble and does not flaunt his success to others. Another cool thing that has happened for Grady is that when he was in sixth grade, he was voted for the American Legion Award by his peers.”

Sometimes, appearances really can be deceiving. On the surface, Grady doesn’t look like a typical athlete. With the help of his coaches and an unwavering work ethic, he has built strength and dexterity that are not easily seen when he is not performing as an athlete. The skill set he has built is the vehicle that has helped him to excel, with his mental resolve being the engine that has driven his success in the past and will propel him to new heights in the future. He has the tools to continue to grow and also to be a role model to help others grow. 

Built on Routine

Just Another Runner’s Perspective December 2025 Written By Gale Fischer  

Built on Routine

“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.”

—-Jim Ryun

12/8/2025: I walked out of the dentist's office and braced myself as a cold blast of arctic air greeted me. It was 5 PM, with only another 20 to 30 minutes of daylight remaining before darkness settled in. I came prepared, having changed into my running clothes before I left work 90 minutes prior. I was a little out of my element as I strayed from my normal itinerary of running at 4 PM, immediately after school each Monday afternoon. With the change in time, the frigid temperatures, the snow-covered roads, and the sunset coming soon, I had been dreading tonight’s run the entire day. I turned right out of the parking lot with choppy strides, and a few minutes later, the lack of motivation that I had been experiencing instantly dissipated. 

The feelings associated with running always seem to come in a mixed bag. For any given run, one’s mind goes back and forth between eager anticipation to start the run and contrasting sentiments of trying to find the ambition to get going. There may be moments of physical discomfort during the initial phases of any given run, but soon muscle memory will kick in, with both the mind and body embracing the familiar stimulus that runners come to appreciate and become comfortable with through weeks, months, and years of running. Every run seems to offer an array of emotions, including moments of peace, periods of excitement, flashes of frustration, and occurrences of discomfort. Despite this disparity in emotion, the routine that comes with running can provide predictability to ease the not-so-pleasant parts of the sport, making the experience bearable, enjoyable, and extremely satisfying. As much as runners look forward to each run and live for the experience of every mile, there always seems to be a sense of relief when the run is finished. This feeling of relief will soon pass and be replaced with eager anticipation for the next run. 

My running journey began more than a quarter of a century ago. One thing that has helped to feed my passion for running through the years is that each run and every accompanying mile can offer a varied experience. The same stretch that I have run hundreds of times provides a different memory for each run. Some of these experiences are unique, with scenarios specific to each particular run. Examples of these encounters when running a familiar route might include a memorable interaction with a dog for one run, running the same section in an unforgettable downpour, or a monumental sighting of a rainbow in the distance on another day. Many features of a particular route are there to observe every day; however, each run brings with it a different lens and an opportunity for a different perspective to notice something for the first time that had always been present for each run. 

As satisfying as it is to take in varied perspectives and experiences is for each run, the routine and familiar circumstances associated with running are what get me out the door on days when I’d rather just stay inside. As intoxicating as running is, it is never easy physically, and oftentimes challenging to deal with mentally. The daily routine of our sport has the potential to block out the challenging aspects, allowing it to be more manageable. Muscle soreness, labored breathing, and exhaustion are common symptoms experienced while running, but the physical and mental familiarity that comes with the miles accumulated over the years helps to overcome the not-so-pleasant symptoms of running. At times, it seems like a contradiction with the undesirable byproducts of running challenging each runner, while the endurance built over thousands of miles can make it feel like a simplistic task requiring little effort. 

Through my years of running, I have adhered to different schedules, with each remaining consistent for months and even years at a time. My weekly running calendars have been developed to fit into my family and career commitments as well as personal preferences. What makes running convenient compared to many other activities is that it can happen almost anywhere and at any time of day, so if circumstances prevent me from running on a scheduled day or at a scheduled time, I can easily squeeze it in at another time. 

Having to hold off my Monday run until after my dentist appointment had left me teetering a little bit on the edge all day, knowing my plan for the day would be disrupted. This subtle feeling of agitation quickly faded away, however, a few minutes after starting my run. The physical and mental familiar sensation of running quickly put my mind at ease with the disruption of my regular 4 PM run, blessing me with a not-so-familiar perspective of running in the dark through neighborhoods with yards and houses decked out in holiday fashion. The contrast of familiar stimulus and fresh perspective provided a perfect ending to a Monday.

 Many among us may fall into a predictable pattern with our running, but this pattern is never set in stone. Certain conditions might keep the most diehard runner from participating in other activities. Sore muscles, weather extremes, and jam-packed work and family schedules might drain any motivation for other endeavors, but for the passionate runner, few obstacles stand in the way of a running routine. This routine perhaps makes life better when running, but also creates a void with time taken away from running.

Until next time, this has been just another runner’s perspective.

Stefanie Howard Story

Harper’s Unsung Heroes December 2025 Written by Gale Fischer 

Coming Home

“The magical thing about home is that it feels good to leave, and it feels even better to come back.”

—- Wendy Wunder

A common theme around many of the Harper Unsung Hero stories centers on the strength and cohesiveness of the Harper Creek community.  The tight-knit nature of our school district often feels like an extended family. This is reflected within our student body, as current pupils walk the same halls that their parents and grandparents walked during their childhood, with many in each generation choosing to reside in our district and send their children to our schools. The family bond goes beyond our students. Many of our co-workers have found a home in our schools after growing up in surrounding communities and attending schools in Battle Creek, throughout Michigan, and from areas outside our state. While diversity among our staff exists in the variety of locations each of us has come from, there are those among us who have called Harper Creek home for much of their lives, as students, later transitioning to careers within our school district. Our administration works diligently to fill positions with qualified candidates coming in from many different zip codes, but perhaps there is no better way to fill future staffing positions than creating a sense of community that fosters a desire among our students to want to return to a career in education as an adult. Harper Creek High School principal Stefanie Howard is one of many examples of a current staff member who is also a Harper Creek alumnus. 

Stefanie reflected on her childhood. “I was born in 1990 in the Detroit area. We moved to Battle Creek when I was three years old, when my dad began a new job here. My grandpa owned a real estate company in town. My dad, David Howard, started working for my grandpa, and my mom, Brenda, worked for Office Max as a salesperson. My younger brother Kevin was born six years after we moved to Battle Creek in 1996.”  Stefanie was very active as a child and participated in a variety of activities. “I was involved in a lot of things growing up,” she explained.  “As a young child, I started playing soccer at Wattles Park Men’s Club and later for BC Fire. I was also interested in and enjoyed music while taking vocal lessons as a child.” 

Stefanie started school at Lakeview, attending Minges Brook Elementary in Kindergarten, before coming to Beadle Lake Elementary, her second year in school. “I went to Harper Creek starting in first grade and continued all the way through high school graduation in 2008,” Stefanie said. “My class was the first to go to the current high school building for all four years.”

Although education wasn’t Stefanie’s first career choice when beginning college, school was always something she enjoyed. She elaborated on her early interest in possibly someday becoming a teacher. “I always enjoyed being at school. I would play school at home. I had some wonderful teachers who influenced me. Two of my favorite elementary teachers were Mrs. Delmotte and Mrs. Willard for first and second grade.” 

Stefanie transitioned from Beadle Lake to Harper Creek Middle School in seventh grade. She reminisced about her middle school years. “I played soccer and participated in Destination Imagination, an extracurricular activity that involved real-world building. We would solve real-world problems and then perform a skit to act out each scenario. I also played basketball for one year. Student Council was another extracurricular activity that I participated in. I always liked to be involved in a variety of things. I had a good group of friends while in middle school, and have always been blessed with supportive friend groups through each stage of my life.” 

As Stefanie transitioned from eighth grade to ninth grade, she didn’t skip a beat with keeping her schedule full. “High school was great,” Stefanie shared. “I was in the Honors Choir for three years. We had a huge Honors Choir with well over 100 kids. It was very competitive to get in. I decided to try out for my sophomore year and was in Honors Choir from my sophomore through my senior year. I was also in the chorus and participated in the Follies and musicals. As the high school principal, I would like to encourage students to participate in a wide variety of extracurricular activities, including music classes. Soccer and the National Honor Society were a few more activities that helped to fill up my time. I started my first job, working at Office Max during my junior and senior years, and continued to work there during my winter and summer breaks later as a college student.”  Stefanie also utilized her vocal skills by singing “Four Good” solo at her high school graduation. 

Stefanie had always wanted to be a teacher, but when the time came to go to college and choose a career path, teaching didn’t seem like the most practical option. She reflected on this. “I remember getting a letter from Michigan State during my senior year of high school,” Stefanie explained. “The contents of the letter stated that I was a candidate for MSU’s Broad Freshman Program for Business.” Her heart was urging her to be a teacher, but Stefanie wasn’t confident that teaching was her pathway. She decided to apply for the Broad business program. “I started my freshman year of college in the marketing program. After only two weeks of classes, I realized that marketing was not for me.” 

Although marketing didn’t pique her interest, Stefanie didn’t give up on the idea of earning a business degree. She elaborated.  “I switched my major within the business school at least five times during my freshman year. Each major I chose just didn’t seem right, as I continued to search for something with a business emphasis that would align with my goals.”  Eventually, Stefanie realized that a career in the business sector was not for her. “When I went to sign up for classes my sophomore year, I didn’t like any of my options for business,” Stefanie said. “History had always been my favorite subject in high school, so I decided to switch my major to education. I majored in History and minored in English.”

Stefanie graduated from MSU in December of 2012 and came back home for a semester while she waited for her student teaching assignment to begin. “I spent the winter of 2013 substitute teaching for Harper Creek, and also worked part-time at Office Max,” Stefanie said. “I student taught during the 2013/2014 school year at Sexton High School in Lansing, taking an assignment with a U.S. History teacher and another with a World History teacher. MSU hosted a career fair in the spring of 2014, which I attended. There were representatives from schools from all across the country. I received about eight job offers, but all were out of state.”  The job market for teaching positions in Michigan was bleak at best during this time. Stefanie decided to accept a job she had been offered in Houston. She had family living there, which helped guide her decision. She packed her bags and moved to Texas in August of 2014 to teach high school social studies. 

Stefanie was introduced to working in the education sector as a teacher, but there was a part of her that felt she might want to serve in a leadership role eventually. “I have always been interested in the operations side of school,” Stefanie explained. “I started working on my first Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction through MSU while I was student teaching in 2013.” She put her graduate studies on hold when she moved to Houston, but would eventually continue. “I decided to continue with my Curriculum and Instruction Master’s program with MSU in 2018,” Stefaine said, “signing on virtually and finishing in 2019.” She waited a few years before making the decision to work on another Master's degree. “I started my second Master's in 2021,” Stefanie explained. “I had a mentor who had gone to Columbia University to get a Master's degree in Education Leadership. This sounded like something I might want to do, so I decided to apply and was accepted. It was a hybrid program. I took virtual classes during the school year and then lived in New Orleans for two summers, taking classes at Columbia’s satellite campus there.” Stefanie enjoyed being a student from elementary school through two graduate school programs. After earning her second graduate degree, she considered returning to school to pursue a law degree. She had an interest in working as a lawyer for a school district, but ultimately she decided that she didn’t want to commit to another three years of school.

Stefanie enjoyed her time teaching, but after a few years, she added a position as a school administrator to her bucket list and waited patiently for an opportunity in this area. Her opportunity finally came in August of 2023, when a principal position was available at a middle school in Houston. She applied, interviewed, was offered the job, and accepted. She was content teaching and working as a principal in Houston, but the thought of returning home, or at least closer to Michigan, was always something Stefanie reflected on. She talked about the process of returning to Battle Creek. “I had always thought about coming back to Michigan,” Stefainie explained, “but it was always about timing and the right opportunity coming my way. I had applied for a teaching job in 2019 in Chicago to get closer to Michigan, but shortly after this, my brother got a job in Austin, so I decided to stay in Texas. Eventually, my brother moved to DC in 2022, so I continued my search for jobs in Michigan.”  Stefanie would have been satisfied being a few hours from the Cereal City, but an opportunity to return to Battle Creek was on the horizon. “Last spring, several friends reached out to me, letting me know that Harper Creek was hiring a principal for the high school,” Stefanie recalled. “I decided to apply and was beyond excited to be chosen to lead the high school team.” The decade spent teaching and living in Houston was very positive, but returning to the Midwest was a welcome transition. Stefanie talked about this fork in the road. “I loved living in the big city in Houston, but I was happy to come back home. I feel blessed to be able to help the community I grew up in. I am just a few months into my role as the high school principal, and I feel great about things. The staff and kids are wonderful. The community is very supportive.” 

Stefanie inherited a great scenario in her role as high school principal, with a seasoned staff and positive structures that have already been put in place. The cupboard was full, so to speak, but she isn’t the type to just coast through. She has a vision for the immediate and long-term future. She reflected on the blessings that were already here waiting for her and what she wants her and her staff to accomplish moving forward. “Many people have asked me how it feels to be a boss for former teachers of mine. I don’t think of it this way. I’d like to think of us as a team. We all have a shared vision and a shared mission.” Stefanie leads by example but understands the importance of being a part of something bigger within her school family. “My goal as principal is for all of us to go from good to great,” she said. “I would like our high school to be one of the top high schools in the state in the next five years. One of my assignments in graduate school was to create a written blueprint with details about what my dream school would look like. I call my dream school the Joy School. I would like Harper Creek to be that school, the place where everyone wants to come every day. I see that already. I just want our staff to continue to build on that.” 

  As a Harper Creek teacher of twenty-five years, I continue to witness the cohesiveness of not just our staff, but the entire community. Spending my career as a teacher has been a blessing, and doing so at Harper Creek is an added blessing. Stefaine has had to good fortune of being exposed to the Harper Creek family as a student, with the opportunity to move out of state to gain perspective, and the fortune to come back to us. Her words of wisdom are something to reflect on. “Giving your life energy to do good and serve the community is a unique role and is important. Choose your heart.”