HEATHER FRENCH

LAKE LINDEN — A Copper Country teacher and her school have been recognized with a grant from a national non-profit organization. Heather French, long-time teacher at Lake Linden-Hubbell Schools, was recognized by ‘Alice’s Kids,’ a nonprofit offering “charity with dignity” for students with a grant for $5,000. Alice’s Kids is an organization that helps with anything from fees for college applications, supplies students need like textbooks, calculators, etc. as well as, basic supplies like boots and snow pants, etc. Heather has worked with Alice’s Kids for the last few years, helping numerous students and families in her district.

On Wednesday, French received an email from the head of Alice’s Kids, Ron Fitzsimmons, who stated, “I would like to send $5,000 to this very special school – the Lake Linden-Hubbell School (MI) — and a special friend of Alice’s Kids, to Heather French. 

According to French, $2,000 will be used for the school’s “Care Closet.” These are items needed in emergency situations that Heather manages. The need keeps increasing every year as the vast majority of their kids are on free and reduced lunch.  French said “at LL-H, 97 percent of all requests for assistance from the Care Closet come from 6th-12th graders.”

The remaining $3,000 will be used for certain fees for the 24 seniors in the school. “This will pay for the senior ‘Exam Baskets’, send every Senior a prom ticket, sponsor the senior banquet and make a large contribution to the All-Nite Alcohol Free Graduation party,” French said.

Deputy Director Laura Basse of Alice’s Kids added, “I love everything about this. Heather is doing amazing things on a shoestring budget (if it’s not coming from her pocket) and I’m excited to provide some breathing room for your community.”

French has been honored for her dedication to her students and education throughout her 15 years at Lake Linden. She was the Michigan Regional Teacher of the Year for the Upper Peninsula in 2021-2022, the recipient of an award in education from Representative Gregg Markannen, the VFW Post 15 Teacher of the Year last year, and she doesn’t plan on stopping any time soon. French looks forward to continuing to help students and families in her district with this generous donation. She will present about this donation to the LL-H school board at its meeting Monday.