There are some memories from growing up that stick with us for a lifetime. One of those core memories for Woodhaven Upper Elementary teacher Beth Palovich was when she had the opportunity to have breakfast with her elementary principal when she was in fifth grade. 

“It was something special that I got to do, and I thought it was a great way to be able to connect with my principal,” Palovich said.

She pitched the idea to Principal Roger Gurganus, who agreed that it would be a great idea to engage the students at Woodhaven Upper Elementary.

So begins the story of how 30 students from Woodhaven Upper Elementary joined Principal Gurganus at Big Boy in Woodhaven for breakfast on a recent winter morning. 

Each homeroom teacher nominated a student from their class based on certain criteria, and the Woodhaven Upper Elementary PTO supported the idea to help make connections with students. Palovich said from the teacher perspective, she loves how this program says to the students, “I see you, and I see what you’re doing in the classroom.” 

This breakfast with the Principal will be a monthly occurrence for students who earn the invitation and is supported by the school’s PTO.

“Anything we can do to help contribute to a positive experience and acknowledge positive leadership skills with the students, we want to celebrate that,” said PTO President Angie DeMoisey. 

Principal Gurganus said many of the adults dining in the Woodhaven Big Boy made comments about how well behaved the students were and were curious about the event. 

“This experience is about community, relationships with students, and empowering teachers when they have an idea that fits our mission of hope, love and education, to be able to bring that forward,” he said. “These kids are going to remember this experience, we want to make them feel special.” 

Grief to Greatness: WBSD ASD Coach Zahraa Boussi's Journey to Marathon Triumph

When Zahraa Boussi laced up her running shoes for her first marathon, she thought it might be a “one and done” experience. Little did she know that the race would ignite a passion that would carry her across the globe. Now, the Woodhaven-Brownstown School District’s Autism Spectrum Disorder Coach has conquered four of the six World Marathon Majors, with plans to tackle Chicago and Boston next.

What started as a way to cope with profound grief, stress and a battle with breast cancer has transformed Boussi into an accomplished runner and an inspiration to many.

“There are Six World Marathon Majors and I’ve run four, Chicago in October of next year will be the 5th and then the Boston Marathon will be the next,” she said. “Once you achieve those six you receive a special acknowledgement.” 

Boussi first ran in the London marathon in April 2023, then Toyoko in March, Berlin in September and the most recent NYC in November.

Running wasn’t always a constant in Boussi’s life. However, she was never a runner, and didn’t exercise as part of a daily routine prior to 2023. It was a combination of grief, stress and her health which brought her to running. 

In 2020/2021, Boussi lost her father to COVID, then experienced the birth of her second child. Weeks after her son’s birth, she was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 28. 

“Running became a way to deal with my everyday stress and challenges I was facing in my life and health,” said the teacher and social worker. Boussi joined a running group in Dearborn when she was finished with her treatments and the rest is history. Six months after her remission, she was sponsored for her first marathon, and ran in the London Marathon in April 2023.

“I felt like this was my biggest accomplishment, especially after all the things that I had going on in my life - I told myself this is something I’m going to do,” she said. 

Boussi has created a routine for herself which does include getting up early to run. 

As for the most recent marathon in NYC, the company Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) sponsored 50 spots for educators through their Team TCS Teachers program, and there were 4,000 applicants. Boussi said when she applied, she didn’t really think much of receiving a spot. 

Boussi finished the marathon with a time of 5:01:41 and placed 40,750 out of 55,530 runners.

Boussi had this inspiration for others: Do it for yourself. 

“I feel like the most important thing is to focus on what makes you happy and feel better,” she said. “The older we get the more important cardiovascular and muscular health are. Stick to one thing and do it and you’ll reap so many benefits. I made sure I was consistent with one thing. I do believe that helped improve my mental health going through that too.”

She knew that running just one mile was the part that helped her control her stress, it was an outlet to her grief, being a new mom, and handling unknowns about her health.

“I knew if I ran just one mile, it was channeling that energy to being in control of something,” Boussi said.

Boussi also had this advice, especially to younger men and women: “Everybody has the same amount of time every day, it's how you chunk things that are important to you to make it a priority.”

The spotlight was on Troupe 8057 of the International Thespian Society as they delivered an extraordinary performance representing the Woodhaven-Brownstown School District at the Michigan Thespian Conference in Lansing recently. Their talent, hard work, and dedication to the arts earned them both accolades and admiration.

Among the highlights of the event, students competed for college scholarships in Technical Theatre & Stage Management, Acting Performance, and Musical Theatre Performance. Together, they received an astounding $1,035,000 in scholarship offers, a testament to their exceptional skills and bright futures in performing arts.

In addition to the scholarship achievements, Troupe 8057 participated in 10 events and brought home multiple distinctions:

Superior Awards (highest rating):

• Tate Lertkasem – Solo Dance

• Caspian Burke & Samantha Syverson – Duet Musical

• Delaney Ryan – Solo Musical

• Cooper Fondaw – Playwriting

Excellence Awards (second highest rating):

• Broderick Justian – Monologue

• Raul Lopez & Hayden Brasgalla – Duo Acting

• Riley Barbee & Jeffrey Prueitt – Duet Musical

• Brooklynn Coleman & Broderick Justian – Duo Acting

• Hayden Brasgalla – Monologue

• Samantha Syverson – Solo Musical

Troupe 8057 has once again proven why they are regarded as the pinnacle of the Woodhaven Theatre Company. Their remarkable performances and well-deserved recognition underscore the importance of supporting the arts in education.

“A heartfelt thank-you goes out to the Woodhaven-Brownstown School District, Woodhaven High School administration, and staff for their unwavering support of the arts,” said Michael Clemons, Theatre Director. “Congratulations to all the students and staff who made this success possible - you’ve made the WBSD community proud!”

Students in Mrs. Banker’s 8th-grade science class recently welcomed a special guest speaker, Elina Villemure, a 2023 graduate of Woodhaven High School. Villemure visited to share her journey as a double amputee and her experiences with prosthetic technology, perfectly complementing the class’s unit on body systems and engineering design projects, including their recent assignment to create prosthetic hand prototypes.

Born in Bulgaria without legs, Villemure has used prosthetics her entire life. She brought three sets of prosthetic legs to demonstrate their evolution in size, materials, and technology. She also shared how her latest pair has dramatically improved her quality of life.

While at WHS, Villemure connected with Counselor Kelsey Smith, who introduced her to CrossFit and the FYR (Forging Youth Resilience) program. A lifelong athlete, Villemure found new challenges and opportunities through CrossFit, which she says has taken her to “new places,” both literally and figuratively. Her passion for adaptive fitness led her to launch the Adaptive Athlete Experience, a program teaching others what it’s like to workout with physical impairments.

“CrossFit is my favorite,” Villemure said. “It’s functional fitness, which is so important for everyday life. We train a lot of functional movements at the gym.”

Villemure described the intricate process of receiving prosthetics, from sleeve fittings and molds to the final adjustments ensuring a perfect fit. She explained how even minor weight changes can impact the fit of her prosthetics and demonstrated how her high-tech right knee - featuring a microprocessor controlled by a smartphone app - enhances her mobility. This advanced technology, which offers customizable settings for activities like walking or cycling, improves her stability and reduces muscle strain.

Students engaged with thoughtful questions, asking if Villemure could adjust her height or shoe size (she can) and learning about the unique features of her prosthetic legs.

Villemure expressed gratitude for the team behind her prosthetics, whose innovations enable her to live an active life - from excelling in CrossFit to navigating her college campus.

Her visit left students inspired, blending lessons in science, engineering, and resilience in a way they won’t soon forget.