Recent Stories

Meet 2015-16 MTOY Rick Joseph August 17, 2015 Rick Joseph is Michigan’s Teacher of the Year for 2015-16. He’s a fifth/sixth grade teacher at Birmingham Covington School and has more than 20 years of classroom experience. We talked with Rick about his teaching experience and what his goals are for the coming school year. ... Topic: Community, MTOY, Teaching

Meemic Helps Humble Design Help Families August 11, 2015 On Saturday, Aug. 8, a team of 30 Meemic employees joined with Humble Design to prepare three houses, including furniture, accessories, toys and decor, for new families to move into. Topic: Community

Like a Boy Scout, Be Prepared When Camping July 1, 2015 Before you decide to go off the grid to enjoy the tranquility of nature, be sure to keep in mind a few tips that may help your camping experience be a more enjoyable one.   Topic: Safety, Travel, Education

The Vacation Road Trip – Prepare to Have Fun! June 16, 2015 Nothing creates more family memories than a road trip.  Be sure your trip is all that you want it to be by some simple planning and preparation before you go. ... Topic: Auto, Travel

Passing the Torch on Michigan Teacher of the Year May 18, 2015 Exactly one year ago, Melody Arabo's life completely changed. Within moments at a surprise assembly, she went from being a third-grade teacher to being the Michigan Teacher of the Year. While that day was incredible and overwhelming and emotional, it couldn’t even begin to prepare her for the wonder and awe she would experience through this once-in-a-lifetime adventure. ... Topic: Community, MTOY, Travel

Ignite the Flame in Education March 17, 2015 Michigan Teacher of the Year Melody Arabo was invited to speak at the Governor’s Economic and Education Summit at the Renaissance Center in Detroit. Her speech seemed to cause quite a stir, and several people reached out and asked her to publish it. She shares it here. Topic: Community, MTOY, Teaching

Nice Kids Can Be Mean, Too February 9, 2015 Michigan Teacher of the Year Melody Arabo discusses how even the brightest, nicest kids can show bullying behavior. But with a slight change in language, children are more willing to accept their behavior and take responsibility for it. ... Topic: Community, MTOY, Teaching

Keep Your Packages Safe December 10, 2014 If you don’t want to sit at work or on vacation worrying if your packages will be there when you get home, here are a few steps you can take. ... Topic: Safety, Community

OU Leadership Celebration Honors Pinos November 17, 2014 Since 2006, John and Marie Pino, owners of the Pino Insurance Agency, have honored John’s father with a scholarship in his name at the Oakland University School of Education and Human Services, and now Oakland University (OU) is honoring the Pinos and several other donors at its Leadership Celebration. Topic: Community, Insurance

Let's Get Connected November 5, 2014 Twitter was new for me last year. I opened a personal account years ago, but just didn’t see what all the buzz was about. Once my district started encouraging teachers to build their PLN’s, I reluctantly created a professional account. I was a little skeptical that it would be more of a distraction and less of a genuine resource, but I’m officially convinced otherwise. ... Topic: Community, MTOY, Teaching, Social Media