Students present backpack safety
Written by Melissa Kruse and published by The Grand Rapids Press. Published: 9/25/03
FOREST HILLS -- The governor knows them as "the chicks in charge."
Their 20 male classmates cannot argue.
Last week, the only girls in Carole Cotts' eighth grade honors social studies class at Northern Hills Middle School were recognized in Novi by Gov. Jennifer Granholm for their idea, which sparked House Resolution 28.
Catherine Coyn, Kristin Winn, Kelli Dykman and Lauren Smith came up with the idea for Backpack Safety Month.
A few weeks ago, Granholm signed a proclamation declaring it for October.
The goal of Backpack Safety Month is to spread awareness about the harm heavy backpacks can cause to students' backs and shoulders.
The girls were invited to the Michigan House Civics Commission event, where Granholm called "the chicks in charge" on stage.
Kristin, 13, said Granholm gave them "more recognition than she had to."
"She told us no matter who you are, to stand up and try to achieve your goals."
The girls came up with the backpack safety idea for a MHCC public hearing they attended.
The MHCC is a bipartisan group of lawmakers who listen to student testimony on issues they find important. Since December, it's held 14 public hearings within Michigan's K-12 schools.
The girls and their classmates brainstormed their ideas on the chalkboard, and the whole class got behind the girls' proposal.
In December, the class testified at the MHCC hearings at Northern Hills Middle School. MHCC co-chairman, state Rep. Doug Hart, R-Rockford, was impressed and took the idea to Granholm.
"I was amazed they came up with this idea," Cotts said. "They weighed their backpacks, and the average weight was 30 pounds.
"They found out packs should weigh 10 percent of your body weight. My kids are not 300 pounds."
Lauren, 13, said she was really excited and nervous about meeting the governor.
"She said we could be anything we wanted and gave us some examples. I thought that was pretty neat."
Lauren usually carries home about 40 pounds of gear, between books, binders and sports equipment.
Kelli, 13, typically hauls home three or four textbooks every night. She said the recent recognition felt good.
"I actually did something to help out different people, which made me happy," she said. "Granholm said girls will be in power in 10 years. I'd like to learn more about politics and get into it more."
Catherine, 13, who also daily lugs a 30-pound backpack, said she loved Granholm's speech and had a great time.
"I'd love to do something like that again. Everyone kept asking us if we would be going farther, but I think it's a pretty big accomplishment just getting her to sign the resolution. It was a big learning experience."
The class' proposal won a superior rating at the national competition of MHCC proposals in San Francisco this summer.