The Lansing Star Online, Lansing, NY - Star of the Month: Micaela Cook

Aug 01 2006

Star of the Month: Micaela Cook

Staff

Tuesday, 01 August 2006

This month we chose Micaela Cook as our Star of the Month. Cook is the Lansing Youth Services Program Manager in Lansing Middle School. She administers a wide variety of programs that have included art, a gingerbread house construction workshop, grape picking, film making, survival skills, foreign culture, crafts, cooking and ecology.

On top of those she offers special events which last year included free family movie nights at the Town ball fields, an Indonesian music performance and the 3rd Annual Kids' Fishing Derby, which attracted 73 kids. Janice Johnson of the Tompkins County Department of Youth Services calls her a "top notch program manager."

When kids tugged a rope to turn a stick to create enough friction to start a fire in Primitive Pursuits, Cook (rear) joined the fun.

Barbara Barry, a long time member of the Lansing Youth Service Committee has this to say:

"Micaela has been a truly wonderful youth worker for the Lansing Youth Services Commission. She has a low-key and engaging rapport with the young people in the school. It may be of interest that when we interviewed people for this position several of the candidates whom we thought were very good were interviewed by a group of kids from the Middle School who had participated in programs with the former youth worker (whom we thought was irreplaceable) and Micaela was their choice, hands down.

Cook (left) at a Town Board meeting at budget time

"Micaela has brought some interesting activities to the program. Her own interest in environmental issues was a catalyst for a film program on GREEN HOUSES in which the young people filmed several families and the SPCA which have done remodeling of their homes to be more ecologically structured. The movie they made was excellent and Micaela arranged a showing of it at the Science Center. The kids were really high on this experience and were young people who would probably never have had this kind of opportunity in any other venue.

"Several members of the Commission have volunteered in various of her activities after school and they always give Micaela the highest praise after they have seen her in action. If young people get finished with a project, Micaela always has other activities around for them to do. And she is always actively engaged with them. I see her as a great role model and, although I am sure the kids don't think of her that way, I do believe they are absorbing the benefits of having someone who really "sees" and "hears" them."

Cook's Young Filmmakers hosted a premier night in which they showed their films to family and friends.

Micaela's supervisor, Rural Youth Services Coordinator Linda Schoffel, says:

"Former Lansing Middle School Principal John Gizzi wrote an unsolicited letter of support for Micaela's work about a year ago. He wanted to relay to me 'how important she is to the children'. Here's a quote from his letter: 'When a student needs additional support, my staff frequently brings up her name as a go to person. The projects she does with the children will impact them positively for years to come. The extra time, effort and care she gives children fills in the gaps in their lives.'

"During the middle school years, youth need to stretch their wings and practice positive risk taking. Micaela offers Lansing youth exciting new activities to try as well as offering the support and encouragement they need to feel successful, which then builds their confidence and feelings of empowerment."

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