The Mark Owen Agency, LLC and MEEMIC Insurance Company are very much involved in helping to improve the educational communities in which we serve. We believe that giving back to the communities where we live and work is important. Here are a few of the services that are currently offered to teachers and schools.

MASSP & MEEMIC RECOGNIZE EXEMPLARY COMMITMENT TO STUDENT EDUCATION

Davison High School Principal Kevin Brown

The Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals (MASSP) is pleased to announce the award recipients of their school recognition program, Ready, Set, Success!, sponsored by MEEMIC Insurance Company.

The Ready, Set, Success! program recognizes school improvement teams' successful strategies in the following categories: collaborative leadership, and professional learning communities, or, personalizing school environment, or, curriculum, instruction, and assessment, or, ideas to reduce educational costs. Eight high school, four middle school, and one regional career technical education programs will be chosen every year. All programs submitted are searchable on MASSP's website.

Principal, Kevin Brown and the Davison High School Improvement team were among 13 recipients of the 2008-2009 Ready, Set, Success! Award sponsored by MEEMIC.

Award recipients were recognized at MASSP's Annual Convention October 4-6 in Mount Pleasant, MI. They also received school-wide recognition, a check for $500, and their principal will be provided a scholarship to attend the MASSP Annual Convention, compliments of MEEMIC Insurance Company.

Educator of the Year

Jill Richardson Receives VSA Arts of Michigan "Educator of the Year"

MEEMIC Insurance Company was very proud to award Jill and her school a check for $250 as sponsor of this honor.

Jill (who is retireing this spring) has been a teacher at Marion D. Crouse Instructional Center of the Flint ISD. Jill was given a wonderful sendoff from her fellow staff members and principal Sue O'Brien. This award is testimony to a productive and caring career. Kids have always been Jill's first priority as related by many of her fellow staff members. People like Jill are much respected in our MEEMIC community!

Congratulations Jill and enjoy a well deserved retirement!

MEEMIC Foundation Awards Local Teacher

Mr. Keith Verellen, a teacher at Bishop Kelley Catholic School in Lapeer, MI received a $2,000.00 mini-grant from the MEEMIC® Foundation for the Future of Education. Mr. Verellen petitioned the foundation to underwrite pedometers to be used in a "walking program" that will compliment other subjects like reading, physical education, and history.

Said Mr. Verellen, "All the 5 - 8th grade teachers will work together to integrate the walking program into each of their core curriculum classes. The program, called "Walk a Mile in My Shoes ~ Vancouver 2010" will focus on the upcoming Winter Olympics which will be hosted in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Each of our students, utilizing pedometers, will track the steps they take each day and record their travel on a map from Lapeer, MI to Vancouver. Along the way, the students will experience lessons about the various nations participating in the Olympics (social studies), their cultural diversity (religion and ethnicity) tracking distances (mathematics) and human body systems (science.)

Local MEEMIC Insurance Agent, Mark Owen of the Owen Insurance Agency located in Davison, MI helped to make Lapeer area teachers aware of the MEEMIC® mini-grant program by distributing applications in the schools. Mark Owen said: "Our agency is so happy that we were able to help Keith Verellen move closer to his goal of implementing a cross-curricular walking program for his students. We know that especially in today's economy, it's important that teachers are able to find funding for special programs and it's been our pleasure to help."

Armstrong Middle School Teacher Receives Grant from the MEEMIC Foundation

Mr. Brock Place, a teacher at Armstrong Middle School in Flint, MI received a $500 mini-grant from the MEEMIC Foundation for the Future of Education. Mr. Place petitioned the foundation for money to help purchase a multi-media projector.

Brock Place said, "I'm so happy to have received the $500 mini-grant from the MEEMIC Foundation! The money will certainly help me move forward in developing my economics/entrepreneurial class called, Money Matters. In this class, my idea was to purchase an LCD projector to enhance the presentations my students have been doing. The kids really take to anything technologically advanced and tend to grasp their lessons in a more meaningful way."

Local MEEMIC Insurance agent, Mark Owen of the Owen Insurance Agency in Davison, MI said, "It makes me proud to be affiliated with MEEMIC especially because they support educational programming at the local level. I was excited when I heard that Mr. Place would be able to buy a projector for his classroom. I wish him and all of the students at Armstrong Middle School continued success."

Atherton Athletic Director Receives $500 Grant from the MEEMIC Foundation

Pictured at the right is Atherton High School Athletic Director - Ralph LaDuke and MEEMIC Insurance Agent Mark Owen. Recently Ralph wrote a grant to give athletic equipment to underpriviliged students participating with his school in the greater Flint area. Ralph wanted to do as much as possible to encourage kids to participate and feel welcome. We salute Ralph and his committment to the kids not only in his school but others as well! This is what it is all about and we at MEEMIC Insurance Company feel very good about giving to such good causes and people! We are educators too! Please do not hesitate to look into applying for a grant through the MEEMIC Foundation or into our other in-school partnership programs.

• The MEEMIC Foundation - With funding for school programs, events and special projects more limited than ever before, more educators are turning to the MEEMIC Foundation for the Future of Education for assistance. The Foundation offers financial assistance to educational employees and educational institutions in the form of mini-grants. More information about the MEEMIC Foundation can be obtained at www.meemic.com at the "Especially for Educators" link.
  
  
• Teacher/Student of the Month programs
  We'll provide the certificates and recognition gifts. Your local schools decide who wins each month! It's that easy!
  
  
• Sponsorship Programs
  • Back to School Breakfast - Ensure a great back-to-school gathering with your teaching staff by allowing us to contribute money towards the breakfast. This is one of our most popular support programs.
  • In Service Lunches - We will be more than happy to contribute money to the midday meal when you are having an in-service day.
  • In School Sponsorship Opportunities - We love to support various school programs by purchasing advertising space, contributing prizes, or volunteering at events.

We at the Mark Owen Agency, LLC will work hard with you to make your community a better place. Call us to discuss a partnership opportunity!

Contact Us if you are interested in obtaining information about any of these programs.