MEA honors students, educators and community members

Academic All-Stars

VICTORY TOWNSHIP (Mason County) — The Michigan Education Association’s 13-B Coordinating Council honored students, educators and community members Wednesday, April 15, during the inaugural 2026 OPIE Awards Banquet at West Shore Community College.

The event marked the 30th year of recognizing area students and the second year the council has honored local association members and community supporters for scholarship, leadership, character and service.

Nine students were named Academic All-Stars, four individuals received Outstanding Persons in Education awards and one individual was recognized as a Friend of Education.

Academic All-Star recipients were Grayden Etchison, Mason County Central High School; Ian Lundberg, Ludington High School; Hailey Hart, Onekama High School; Miley Kessel, Mason County Eastern High School; Caleb Forward, Bear Lake High School; Shelbie Choponis, Hart High School; Mackenna Wardie, Brethren High School; Lauren Davis, Pentwater High School; and Brylee Friedman, Shelby High School

Outstanding Persons in Education award recipients were Stacey Kraft, Ludington Education Association; Mary Marshall, Ludington Education Association and Educational Support Professionals Association; Collene McCormick, Mason County Central Education Association; and Heidi Fleming, Pentwater Education Association.

Nick McKenney, a Mason County Central librarian, online support specialist and volunteer, received the Friend of Education award.

The banquet was hosted by Mason County Central Education Association President and 13-B Coordinating Council Chairperson Becky Gerhart. Teachers from each nominating association introduced their district’s Academic All-Star, including Lori Mullet, Bear Lake Education Association; Kirsten Amstutz, Kaleva Norman Dickson Education Association; Kirstie DeVries, Hart Education Association; Amy Stone, Ludington Education Association; Gerhart; Micah Schmidt, Mason County Eastern Education Association; and Megan Delke, Onekama Education Association.

Pentwater’s All-Star was unable to attend. Sarah Merten of the Pentwater Education Association will deliver her certificate, bouquet and gift basket. Merten also introduced OPIE recipient Fleming.

Honorees received certificates of achievement and gifts of appreciation during the banquet.

Caleb Forward of Bear Lake High School received a special $500 award in recognition of his achievements. Miley Kessel of Mason County Eastern High School received an additional $150 award, funded through sponsorships from the Michigan Education Special Services Association and MEA Financial Services.

Each honoree was presented with a bouquet of tulips donated by A Garden in the Woods Farm. Table decorations were also provided through sponsorships from MESSA and MEA Financial Services.

The event was sponsored by the Michigan Education Association under the leadership of MEA UniServ Director Judy Bussey and Field Assistant Nicole Birkett.

_____________________________

Please Support Local News and Sports Coverage

Receive daily MCP and OCP news briefings along with email news alerts for $10 a month. Your contribution will help us to continue to provide you with free local news. 

The payment can be paid monthly through PayPal: Click this link.

To sign up for an annual subscription, email editor@mediagroup31.com. In the subject line write: Subscription. Please supply your name, email address, mailing address, and phone number (indicate cell phone). We will not share your information with any outside sources.

For more than one email address in a household, the cost is $15 per month per email address.

We can send you an invoice for a yearly payment of $120, which you can conveniently pay online or by check. If you are interested in this method, please email editor@mediagroup31.com and we can sign you up. You can also mail a yearly check for $120 to Media Group 31, PO Box 21, Scottville, MI 49454 (please include your email address).

Payment must be made in advance prior to subscription activation.

We appreciate all our readers regardless of whether they choose to continue to access our service for free or with a monthly financial support.

_____

This story and original photography are copyrighted © 2026, all rights reserved by Media Group 31, LLC, PO Box 21, Scottville, MI 49454. No portion of this story or images may be reproduced in any way, including print or broadcast, without expressed written consent.

As the services of Media Group 31, LLC are news services, the information posted within the sites are archivable for public record and historical posterity. For this reason it is the policy and practice of this company to not delete postings. It is the editor’s discretion to update or edit a story when/if new information becomes available. This may be done by editing the posted story or posting a new “follow-up” story. Media Group 31, LLC or any of its agents have the right to make any changes to this policy. Refer to Use Policy for more information.