By: Charity Meier | Farmington Press | Published April 12, 2025
FARMINGTON/FARMINGTON HILLS — On April 3, the Farmington Public School District recognized 25 students who have worked hard to better themselves.
“Today we are here to celebrate something truly powerful — the ability to turn challenges into triumphs; the ability to take setbacks and shape them into success,” said Farmington Public Schools Board of Education President Terri Weems. “Today we honor rewriting the narrative and proving that who we were yesterday does not define who we are tomorrow.”
Each of the students, who are in grades 7-12, were selected by an FPS staff person who had taken note of how far the student had come.
The students were presented with a star trophy after a catered breakfast at The Hawk in Farmington Hills. The ceremony was attended by the students, their families, numerous FPS staff and administrators, as well as school board members, city council members, mayors, and other local dignitaries.
“I applaud your dedication and perseverance,” Todd Anderson, who is a commander with the Farmington Public Safety Department, told the students. “Your journey to self-enlightenment and self-actualization doesn’t stop here. You must constantly push yourselves to work hard. People will try to stop you and throw stumbling blocks in your path. Stay on course and focus on the future.”
The longstanding awards ceremony has had proven results in cementing students’ paths toward a bright future.
“I think this is one of the best things I attend all year round, because I love seeing young people recognized when they are able to turn things around when they weren’t necessarily going in a positive direction,” said Farmington Hills City Councilman Randy Bruce, who is also a psychologist and a mayoral candidate. “Then, with the help and support of their family, teachers, principals, and the community, they turn themselves around and they end up achieving great things.”
Nia Holland, who was the keynote speaker, is evidence of how impactful the awards program is. Holland said when she started at Farmington Harrison High School she was unsure of her path in life, and didn’t feel she had a purpose in school.
She said that she would often skip classes, didn’t have the best peer group, and wasn’t focusing on her grades. However, she said that changed when teachers, especially psychology teacher Timothy Russell, and her guidance counselor, started to notice her and guided her in the right direction.
“Just getting that recognition from teachers and counselors that know you is very motivating,” said Holland, who graduated from Harrison in 2017.
Holland said that although she had started to make changes in her life, by receiving the award it restored and reinstated her faith in herself and her own abilities. She said the award “definitely” helped to propel her through the rest of high school.
“I really realized after getting that award that although I had some challenges… the people closest to me in the school had faith in my abilities,” Holland said. “I was able to get myself on a better path.”
She said with the guidance of Russell and her counselor she realized she had a passion for psychology, teaching others, helping other students, and all things learning. She said that inspired her to go to college for psychology.
She went on to graduate from Spelman College in Atlanta, before going on to the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where she earned a master’s degree in public health, health behavior and health education. Holland is currently completing her doctorate degree in psychology at the University of Michigan.
She said she would “love” to come back and work for Farmington Public Schools one day.