Who We Are

The Legacy Scholars program is a Supporting Organization of the Battle Creek Community Foundation operating under the auspices of Kellogg Community College and governed by a board of directors. The board is comprised of community leaders, parents, residents, and students.

Board members and Legacy Scholars staff work together to accomplish the mission and goals of the Legacy Scholars program to ensure it provides the educational, emotional, social, and financial support and opportunities for Battle Creek Public Schools and Lakeview School District students.

The leadership and staff of the Legacy Scholars program currently consists of, Paula Langston-Ware , Program Director, and Shanette Bowser, Program Specialist and a 17 member board:

Karl Dehn, Board President

President & CEO, Battle Creek Unlimited

Brenda Minter, Board Vice President

Senior Manager, Materials Procurement, Kellogg Company

Wayne Bush, Board Secretary

DMMI Purchasing & Senior Buyer, Denso Corporation

Patricia Brasseur, Board Treasurer

Owner, McDonalds Restaurant

Carolyn Ballard

Teacher, Lakeview School District

Rachael Burnham

Student Representative, Lakeview School District

Dr. Charles Coleman

Superintendent, Battle Creek Public Schools

Alexa Glau

Student Representative, Battle Creek Public Schools

Dr. Edward Haring

President, Kellogg Community College

Brenda Hunt

President & CEO, Battle Creek Community Foundation

Reggie LaGrand

Director of Greater Battle Creek Programming, W K Kellogg

Foundation

Sidney McCoy

College Student Representative, Kellogg Community College

Keanu Palmer

Student Representative, Battle Creek Public Schools

Gavin Pollard

College Student Representative, Kellogg Community College

Jazmine Price

Student Representative, Lakeview High School

Cindy Ruble

Superintendent, Lakeview School District

Dionisio Sanchez

Coordinator, Michigan Works

Mission Statement

It is the mission of the Legacy Scholars program “To provide educational, emotional, social, and financial support and opportunities for Battle Creek Public and Lakeview School District students to graduate from high school and obtain a college degree or certificate.”

Vision and Goals

children in our community are Battle Creek’s future and the Vision Statement to “Strengthen our community through education, generation by generation, as a vibrant place to live, learn, prosper, and grow” laid the framework for the entire Legacy Scholars program.

The Legacy Scholars program is an initiative developed as a component of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s 75th anniversary in 2005 and was created with the intention of investing in the educational future of Battle Creek area youth. This program supports students attending Battle Creek Public Schools and Lakeview School District who are beginning the sixth grade and follows them through to high school graduation. It was developed to support the following goals:

• Increase on-time graduation rates for Legacy Scholars
• Establish community supports and/or resources that provide or enhance services to Legacy Scholars and their families
• Establish a Funding Development Committee to create a three year fund development plan
• Prepare students to secure opportunities to obtain college degrees or certificates, and
• Create a well trained and educated workforce.

To help support the goals of the Legacy Scholars program, the following exposures and opportunities have been, and will continue to be, provided to the students: