News Digest Muskegon Tribune to sponsor free ‘Math Camp’ for youth

Telling Our STOry Since 2001

MOnday July 27-auguST 2, 2009MuSkegOn’S Weekly neWSpaper Free OF charge

The MuskegonTRIBUNE

FACT:Muskegon Heights Public Schools graduates attend the best colleges & universities in the country PROOF:

Alvin Fortenberry , MHPS 07’, Morehouse College

Whitney Dye, .MHPS 08’ University of Michigan

ENROLL:Let us help your child excel, call us at 830-3200

Muskegon Heights - You have heard of basketball camps, football camps and even band camps. On Friday Au-gust 14th you can add additional camp to the list - math! The Muskegon Tri-bune will sponsor a day of math learn-ing for young males in the community from ages 12-18 years old. The event will take place in conjunction with the Muskegon Heights Boxing Club and will feature math expert and author Shahid Muhammad, better known as “The Math Doctor”. Franklin A. Fudail, who is Publisher of the Muskegon Tribune and Presi-dent of the Muskegon Heights Boxing Club said of all the events he has spon-sored this may be the most important. “A lot of kids and adults suffer from math phobia, a fear of math. If I can help in any way to eradicate that fear I will feel like we achieve something great”. The guest Math Scholar is the au-thor of “How to Teach Math to Black

Students”. Mr. Shahid Muhammad received his undergraduate degree from Penn State University and his Masters Degree in Mathematics from Lincoln University. He served as head of the Mathematics Department at Mu-hammad University in Chicago, where he monitored and evalu-ated the entire Math-ematics program and developed cur-riculum. Mr. Muhammad has been a high school mathematics instructor for the past decade receiving recognition for his teaching and research competency. Mr. Muhammad is the recipient of the distinguished “Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers Award”. The purpose of the event is to break

down what may seem to be complicated math problems into simple, easy to understand lan-guage. “This will be a refresher course for some and a new learning experi-ence for many, as well as an opportunity for young men to learn the value and importance of math and to not fear it”, stated Fudail. “I hope parents will take advantage of this free educational event. If they

know their child is having trouble in math, they need to make sure he at-tends. I am confident, that if nothing else we will change attitudes towards math on August 14th”, asserts Fudail. The Muskegon Tribune Publisher said he has wanted to sponsor this event for a while and is happy to be able to bring such an important and practical event to the community. “In the past when I

have brought in speakers I would won-der if it was worth all the trouble and expense. With the math camp I have no doubt it is needed and will aid those in attendance”, said Fudail. Fudail said the attendees will be in for a treat with Mr. Muhammad. “I know what comes to mind when you say “math”, but the reason I am inviting Shahid Muham-mad is not just because he knows math. I am sponsoring this event because of the magnificent way he teaches math. He is really a great motivational speaker with outstanding math credentials. The young men will come in the door expecting to be bored, but will leave out the door be-lieving they can master mathematics”, said Fudail. The event will be held at the Muske-gon Heights Boxing Club located at 355 E. Broadway on Friday August 14 from 2:00pm to 4:00pm. Parents need to call to confirm their child’s attendance by calling Franklin A. Fudail at 231-903-5523 or email muskegontribune@gmail.com.

Mr. Muhammad , Math Doctor

“What We Did During Our Summer Vacation…”

The Muskegon Heights Math & Science Academy Director Recounts The Events of a Recent Summer Trip with Three Students

By Ms. Cynthia Smith

The journey for the three Math & Science Academy students who won this year’s “Ultimate Contest” began Monday morn-

ing, June 22nd, in the parking lot of Dr. Martin Luther King Elementary School. It took a little creativity trying to figure out how to fit a cooler, 4 sleeping bags, 2 tents, and 4 bikes, not to mention all our lug-gage, into the back of our rental truck, but somehow it fit. After a brief group prayer and a few good-bye hugs, the students, 4th grader Ajanae’ Phillips, 5th grader Rashon Rankin, and 6th grade student Brandi Redd, climbed into the cab of our rental truck and off we went. Our destination the first day was Traverse City State Park. Once we arrived, the stu-dents helped me set up our tents. Even though this was a new experience for them, they did a fine job working together to put our “homes” up. Then we drove towards Lake Michigan to climb the Sleeping Bear Dunes. We visited the welcome center first so the students could learn about the legend of the Sleeping Bear Dunes. The story goes that a mother bear and her two cubs were driv-en into the waters of Lake Michigan to escape a huge forest fire, but were soon separated in the large body of water. The mother climbed up on the bluff of the dunes to watch and wait for her lost cubs, but they never returned. The two is-lands that are visible from this bluff, North and South Manitou Island, are symbolic of the cubs that drowned. The students marveled at the size of the dunes; some of them tower 460 feet above Lake Michigan. They climbed a massive dune at the spot known as “The Dune Climb.” At the top, we could look out over nearby Glen Lake, and we all enjoyed play-ing in the huge natural sand box before go-

ing back down. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you how much more fun it was going down the dune than it was climbing it! That evening, I made a roaring fire, which we all might have enjoyed a bit more if it hadn’t been 92º that day! We made fire pies, which consisted of bread, cheese, and ham inside a metal cooker. We all expe-rienced a small amount of overcooking [oops!], but Rashon pretty much charred his. He did a much better job on his sec-ond attempt. For dessert, it wouldn’t have

been logical to make anything other than s’mores. Yum! Camping never tasted so good! After a rejuvenating shower, we invited Rashon to join us in our larger tent for a game of Chinese checkers. I knew they were all a bit nervous that first night, sleeping out in the wild, as I think they all thought a bear would come into our campsite while we slept. Af-ter reassuring them that prob-ably the scariest thing that

might walk through would be a chipmunk, we booted Rashon back to his tent [his tent faced ours and was only 2-3 feet away], and tried to get some sleep. With all the day’s activ-ity, it wasn’t too long before I heard plenty of snoring! Day 2 started in fine fashion. The students washed up and got

dressed while I packed up the sleeping bags and tents. After breakfast, we took off for the U.P. [Upper Peninsula], and our next campsite: Tahquamenon Falls State Park. It was another beautiful day, and although

Continued on page 5

Obama Birth Issue Is NuttyPage 3

OpiniOn

Weed growing Journalist returns to GR pressDavid Mayo is back to work at the Grand Rapids Press after being busted by the Kent Area Narcot-ics Enforcement Team for growing marijuna in his home. Mayo, a long time sports columnist with an attitude was fined $5,000 and given 3 years proba-tion and 240 hours of community service. He was convicted for a four-year felony for possessing marijuna and and manufacturing up to 20 plants. His original charge was a seven year felony for growing up to 200 plants. Mayo, who has written critical of other GR figures in the past, found him-self on the other side of the news. He is thought to be the only “felon” journalist working for the Grand Rapids Press, which is owned by the same company that owns the Muskegon Chronicle.

Join the Muskegon Heights Boxing ClubThe Muskegon Heights Boxing Club is acceptingregistrastion for young males ages 12-17 yearsand young men ages 18-25 years old. The club islocated at 355 E. Broadway in Muskegon Heights.The Muskegon Heights Boxing Club is offeringmanhood development classes, academic tutoringand cultural education. For more information call903-5523.

David Mayo

HOLLAND, July 25, 2009 - When he an-nounced his bid for Michigan Governor in March, U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Holland, promised that during his campaign he would perform 100 different Michigan jobs in all industries. On Monday, July 27, 2009, at 10 a.m., Hoekstra will be in Detroit to launch his “100 Jobs Campaign.” His first stop will be working in the City of Detroit with Inland Pipe Rehabilitation (Inland), a national, Detroit-headquartered, leading provider of underground rehabilitation solutions.

Hoekstra to perform first job of “100 Jobs Campaign”

U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra