News & Notes - 4/20/23 Rochester Post

RCS district robotics teams advance to the FIRST Championship 2023
ROCHESTER — The Rochester High School Falcon Engineering and Design Solutions team 201 and the Rochester Adams High School AdamBots team 245 earned the Impact Award at the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology robotics competition in Michigan.

“Competing against approximately 500 contenders, this award celebrates the teams that have done the most to inspire excitement for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, advocate for STEM resources, and expand access to STEM opportunities,” RCS Board of Education Secretary Jessica Gupta said in a press release.

To win the Impact Award, students are evaluated on essays, presentations and a video production outlining how their team promotes the mission of FIRST.

“Only five of the 500 teams competing win the Impact Award at the state championship, and two of those five are from Rochester Community Schools. This is incredible and unprecedented,” Gupta said in a press release.

The teams went on to the FIRST Championship in Houston, Texas, April 19-22.

Rochester Community Schools has 127 robotics teams that support K-12 education districtwide, which also include FIRST Lego Leagues and the FIRST Tech Challenge for younger students.

 

‘Women Helping Women’ luncheon and fashion show
ROCHESTER — Grace Centers of Hope presents the 25th annual “Women Helping Women” luncheon and fashion show 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, April 22, at the Royal Park Hotel, 600 E. University Drive in Rochester.

The event, which is presented by Marx Layne & Co., showcases spring fashion trends.

Tickets cost $150 per person and include a silent auction preview, a luncheon and a fashion show. All proceeds benefit the Women’s Program, which supports women who are faced with issues of homelessness, addiction and abuse.

To learn more about Women Helping Women or to purchase tickets, visit www.gracecentersofhope.org. For sponsorship opportunities, contact GCH Special Events Coordinator April Melik at (248) 334-2187 or amelik@gracecentersofhope.org.

 

Residents invited to sign up for gravel roads dust-control program
OAKLAND COUNTY — Residents of Oakland County townships living on gravel roads who would like to participate in the Road Commission for Oakland County dust-control program this year can submit their applications for the service by Monday, April 24.

Residents should check with their township to see if the township participates in the cost of dust control, which can change from year to year.

The program involves the Road Commission applying mineral-well brine to gravel roads four times during the summer and fall to help control dust. The cost to participate in the program is just over 50.64 cents per linear foot. Residents living on subdivision streets pay for a minimum of 1,000 linear feet of application — $506.40 total for four applications.

On “mile-type” gravel roads, orders should be for a minimum of 500 feet, with no more than one skipped section (non-participating property).

Residents can fill out and submit the dust-control application to place an order.

To submit an application, visit the Road Commission’s Department of Customer Services offices, 2420 Pontiac Lake Road in Waterford Township, at County Center Drive West, just west of Telegraph Road; call the office at (877) 858-4804; or send an email to dcsmail@rcoc.org.

Instructions and the application are available online at www.rcocweb.org.

 

Friends spring used book sale set for April 19-23
ROCHESTER — The Friends of the Rochester Hills Public Library’s seasonal used book sale will run April 19-23 in the upstairs used book sale room of the library, 500 Olde Towne Road in downtown Rochester.

The sale runs 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Thursday, April 20; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday, April 21 and Saturday, April 22; and 1:30-4:30 p.m. Sunday, April 23.

 

Rochester Hills celebrates Arbor Day
ROCHESTER HILLS — People can celebrate Arbor Day with Rochester Hills Mayor Bryan K. Barnett and city staff at the annual tree planting ceremony at 4 p.m. Friday, April 28, at the Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm.

The city will be planting a black walnut tree at the museum, helping to re-create the historic landscape on the park grounds. The tree is symbolic in many ways, celebrating the 200th anniversary of Stoney Creek Village as well as the city’s 33rd consecutive year as a Tree City USA community.

Following the planting of the tree by a local Boy Scout troop, visitors will enjoy light refreshments and explore the museum grounds, buildings and displays. Everyone who attends will also receive free tree seedlings. During the week leading up to Arbor Day, city team members will provide seedlings to local elementary schools to help promote the importance of trees and add to the community canopy. The city promotes planting through multiple annual free tree planting programs, including the Arbor Day Foundation’s Community Canopy Program. Information on this program can be found at arborday.org/rochesterhills.