Out of thousands, this good deed won top honors at Blueberry Ambassador celebration

FLINT, Michigan — The good work of hundreds of Blueberry Ambassadors was celebrated in a whirlwind end-of-year awards celebration Tuesday, May 7, at the University of Michigan-Flint's Riverfront Conference center. 

School-aged children throughout Genesee County volunteer to become Blueberry Ambassadors, each promising to do one random act of kindness and write about it in an effort to inspire others to also do good in our community. It is the sixth year for the program, founded by Flint businessman Phil Shaltz. 

Here is an excerpt of the Blueberry Moment submitted by Morgan Finley of Mott Middle College, which was awarded top honors winning the Founder's Choice Blueberry Ambassador Award:  

Sometimes we take for granted the little things. Even the tiniest things can make someone’s day. … I heard the footsteps behind me. I glanced behind my shoulder to see an older lady with her hands full of textbooks. We were about to reach a doorway so I stepped aside and held it open for her. She smiled. “Thank you,” she said. I watched her keep walking and turn into a classroom, a smile was still on her face.

It was strange, just for holding a door open, a thing anyone can do and everyone does, I made that woman smile for three extra seconds. I soon noticed that there was another person coming and I held the door open for them, handing them a Blueberry Card. The person smiled and thanked me, hurrying on their way. Yet, I noticed as they turned down the hallway, they were still smiling. It seemed from just opening the door, I could make people happy. If only for a moment or two. …

That got me thinking about how I feel when people do kind things for me. Just that morning, a cashier took 16 cents off my drink because I was short. Something so small and insignificant, 16 cents, an extra 2 seconds to hold the door open for someone … It’s a minor inconvenience for you, but a mood lifter for them. It makes me feel good that I can do something so small and have it have such a big impact on someone else. 

The Founder's Award winner will receive a $500 donation to their school and will be able to award a $12,000 scholarship for a junior or senior at their school to attend the University of Michigan-Flint for one year. The scholarship is funded through a personal donation from the Shaltz family and matching dollars from the University of Michigan-Flint provided by Chancellor Susan E. Borrego. 

Other award winners included Courtney Emerick, who was given the Inspirational Leader Award. She will award a $6,000 scholarship to the University of Michigan-Flint, funded through Huntington Bank and matching dollars from UM-Flint. And, Grand Blanc Mason Elementary won the People's Choice Award — netting more than 18,000 votes in an online poll to secure a $1,000 donation to their school. More than 61,000 votes were cast in the poll.

Blue Ribbon Award winners each received $100 donations to their school to do more good in their communities:

• Bendle Public Schools — Ryane Smythe
• Bentley Community Schools — Jasmine West
• Carman-Ainsworth Community Schools — Celia Peters
• Clio Area Schools — Katie Woods
• Davison Community Schools — Josie Rogers
• Flint Community Schools — Kenia Diaz-Rojo
• Flushing Community Schools— Laiken Lindstrom
• Genesee Academy — Masoud Qahwah
• Genesee School District — Madison Murdock
• Grand Blanc Community Schools — Kiona Henry
• Kearsley Community Schools — Lia Edgington
• Lake Fenton Community Schools — Davis Roberts
• Linden Community Schools — Isabella Abbott
• Mott Middle College — Kamia Jamison
• Mt. Morris Consolidated Schools — Princess Savage
• Richfield Public School Academy — India Redmond
• Swartz Creek Community Schools — Joe Genovesi
• Westwood Heights Schools — Jazmine Williams
• Woodland Park Academy — Olive Bills

For more information, visit imconcernedabouttheblueberries.com.