INSIDE THIS ISSUE Classifieds...................................................A8 Community Calendar ..............................A11 Healthy Times ............................................A2 Youth............................................................A3 Worship Briefs .........................................A10 Serving New Haven & East Allen County
FARMERS FINEST beef, poultry, seafood, pork
317-379-3628 Mention this ad for
15% OFF order
Home Delivery • Food Stamps Accepted
www.EastAllenTimes.com
May 18, 2012
Carnival for a cure
EACS happy with IREAD-3 results By Nichole Hacha-Thomas
Hundreds will spend 24 hours walking to fight cancer
nthomas@kpcnews.net
By Nichole Hacha-Thomas nthomas@kpcnews.net
The 2012 Relay for Life of East Allen County on June 9-10 will mark New Haven resident Wendi Creed’s third year walking the track at New Haven High School to fight back against cancer. 2012 marks the first time, though, that Creed will walk the survivor’s lap. Creed, who got involved in the 24-hour fundraising event because a friend talked her into it in 2010, recently had surgery to remove traces of cervical cancer. With a good prognosis, she now is even more dedicated to the cause. “This relay really hits home for me,” Creed said. “I feel blessed to even be here.” Creed’s story and those of countless others perfectly highlight the reason for events like Relay for Life, which is the largest fundraisier for the American Cancer Society with events span-
Courtesy photo
Cancer survivors take to the track during the 2011 Relay for Life of East Allen County. The 2012 event will see 26 survivors taking part in the traditional survivor’s lap. The 2012 Relay will be held June 9-10 on the track at New Haven High School and has the theme Carnival for a Cure. ning across the U.S. “Everyone knows June 9, the relay organizers will ramp up the “Everyone knows someone touched fun on the track with someone touched by by cancer.” box races, backward cancer,” Creed said. laps, backward race Even before Creed’s laps and other ways to own bout with cancer, -Wendi Creed make walking in a her mother-in-law lost Relay co-chairperson circle for 24 hours her battle with the more exciting. disease four years ago. A silent auction will take place Creed, who serves as the event’s with items donated by local New co-chairperson, said the 2012 Haven merchants. Creed said the theme is Carnival for a Cure. Each business community, as always, has of the event’s 24 team campsites been so generous to donate items will provide some sort of carnival like jewelry from Peter Franklin game, with face-painting, balloon Jewelers to gift cards from Pizza tosses and plenty of other games to Hut. play on-site. The event isn’t all fun and Each hour beginning at 9 a.m. See CURE, page A5
Grau named EACS Teacher Of The Year By Nichole Hacha-Thomas nthomas@kpcnews.net
Courtesy photo
Grau as the team around you,’” Grau said. “That is so true. It makes it easier to do your job when you have such great people around you.” Grau has spent the past 14 years teaching math and science at EACS. In addition, Grau served as the volleyball coach at New Haven Middle School this year, after giving up coaching at the high-school level when her son was born four years ago. Grau also coaches the
See IREAD, page A4
Budget Tight? Are you pregnant? Breastfeeding? Have a child under 5? WIC might be able to help. The Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program provides free checks for nutritious foods, breastfeeding support and nutrition education for all kinds of qualifying families - single parents, married, working, not working and foster.
Call to see if you qualify.
458-2641 You can ask about our medical and dental services too!
Neighborhood Health Clinics s 1725 S. Calhoun St. Fort Wayne, IN
3306 Independence Dr., Fort Wayne, IN 46808
Times Community Publications
Nineteen years ago, when Gretchen Grau completed her teaching degree at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne, she never imagined being named East Allen County Schools Teacher of the Year. Yet, earlier this month, Grau, who also was named the New Haven Middle School Teacher of the Year, stepped onstage to accept the award at the 47th annual East Allen Educators Association recognition dinner. One overall educator was chosen from all individual building Teacher of the Year honorees, and Grau also received the honor of being the secondary-level Teacher of the Year recipient. “You know what they say, ‘You’re only as good
Academic Super Bowl team and tries to stay involved with her students through extracurricular activities. “I try to go above and beyond and get involved outside the classroom, too,” Grau said. Grau almost never became a teacher. The area native enrolled at IPFW to study business while she played volleyball. Soon, though, she felt the urge to switch her major to education. Nineteen years later, Grau hasn’t regretted the decision once. “I can see myself retiring as a teacher one day. It’s what I love,” Grau said. When not leading her classroom, Grau said she enjoys spending time with her husband of six years, Karl, and their 4-year-old son, Kaden. She also likes to read, take part in outdoor activities and help at her church.
From March 19-21, 661 third graders in five East Allen County elementary schools sat down to take the Indiana Reading Evaluation and Determination, or IREAD-3, test for the first time. According to EACS Director of Accountability and Technology Bill Diehl, the results were “pretty doggone good” with nearly 80 percent of all students passing the test. Close to 90 percent of general education students earned a passing grade. Diehl said all third graders are required to take the test, including special education students and English language learners. The IREAD-3 seeks to ensure third graders are reading at or above grade level. “That means students who are a few years from Burma or Myanmar, or those who have academic impairments, they have to take the test, too,” Diehl said. “So, when we took a look at the test data, we wanted to look at how certain segments did.” Diehl said the district broke down the results into three main categories: All third graders, general education students and a category including special education students and English language learners. For all students, the pass rate was 79.7 percent, on par with what the school expected. For the general education students alone, 89.6 percent. For the third category of 145 special education or English language learners, less than half the students passed. “Considering that, we felt like we had some pretty