Rockford, P-CCS Student Broadcasters Honored Among 'Stations of the Year'

By Jon Ross
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties

April 15, 2024

Rockford High School’s “Beyond The Rock” and Plymouth-Canton Community Schools’ “88.1 The Park” were among those named the 2024 Student Stations of the Year by the Michigan Association of Broadcasters (MAB).

Johnny Kane (Bally Spots Detroit), Mark Champion (Pistons Radio), Greg Kelser (Bally Sports Detroit), and Sam Klemet (MAB) participate in the panel discussion.Students from those schools and collegiate winners Hillsdale College (“Radio Free Hillsdale”) and Michigan State University (“School of Journalism”) were rewarded with a trip to a Detroit Pistons game Thursday, and participated in a panel discussion with Pistons’ broadcasters Mark Champion, Greg Kelser, and Johnny Kane. The event was moderated by the President/CEO of the MAB, Sam Klemet.

Student journalists from Davison, Cedar Springs, Troy Athens, Montrose, Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central, East Kentwood, Bloomfield Hills, Warren Cousino and Dearborn Heights Star International also received awards in high school visual and audio categories.

For a complete list of Michigan Student Broadcast Awards, click here.

PHOTOS (Top) Rockford students enjoy the Pistons game at Little Caesars Arena. (Middle) Johnny Kane (Bally Spots Detroit), Mark Champion (Pistons Radio), Greg Kelser (Bally Sports Detroit), and Sam Klemet (MAB) participate in the panel discussion.

Performance of the Week: East Grand Rapids' Kate Simon

November 29, 2024

Kate Simon headshotKate Simon ♦ East Grand Rapids
Senior ♦ Swimming

The Pioneers’ standout capped her high school career with two more individual and two more relay championships – and a meet record – in helped East Grand Rapids to its record 27th Finals championship, this one in Lower Peninsula Division 3. She’ll graduate with four individual and eight relay Finals titles and having contributed to EGR team championships all four years of high school.

Simon swam an LPD3 Finals-record 50.06 in the 100-yard freestyle and just missed on another meet record in winning the 200 freestyle in 1:48.19 – just 12 hundredths of a second shy of another all-time best. She also led off the winning 200 freestyle relay (1:36.24) and anchored the winning 400 freestyle relay (3:37.01). She will continue her swimming and academic careers next year at Notre Dame, where she’s considering studying business. Simon also played No. 1 doubles for East Grand Rapids last spring, reaching the quarterfinals at the LPD3 Girls Tennis Finals.

@mhsaasports 🏊‍♀️POW: Kate Simon #swimming #EastGrandRapids #Finals #champion #record #part1 #highschoolsports #tiktalk #interview #performanceoftheweek #mistudentaid #fyp #MHSAA ♬ original sound - MHSAA

@mhsaasports 🏊‍♀️POW: Kate Simon #tiktalk #questiontime #potbelly #TikTok #friends #tootsieroll #part2 #performanceoftheweek #mistudentaid #fyp #MHSAA ♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys - Kevin MacLeod & Kevin The Monkey

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Previous 2024-25 honorees

Nov. 22: Ella Kokaly, Essexville Garber softball - Report
Nov. 15:
Caroline Bryan, Grosse Pointe South swimming - Report
Nov. 8:
Kaylie Livingston, Whitmore Lake cross country - Report
Oct. 25:
Oliver Caldwell, Grand Rapids West Catholic tennis - Report
Oct. 18:
Alex Graham, Detroit Cass Tech football - Report
Oct. 11:
Victoria Garces, Midland Dow cross country - Report
Oct. 4:
Asher Clark, Bay City John Glenn soccer - Report
Sept. 26:
Campbell Flynn, Farmington Hills Mercy volleyball - Report
Sept. 19:
TJ Hansen, Freeland cross country - Report
Sept. 12:
Jordan Peters, Grayling soccer - Report
Sept. 6:
Gabe Litzner, Sault Ste. Marie cross country - Report
Aug. 30:
Grace Slocum, Traverse City St. Francis golf - Report

(Photos courtesy of the Simon family.)