Champions of Wayne

08/14/2025

From humble beginnings of about 25 students over 15 years ago, Champions grew to serve hundreds of students and mentors at Wayne Memorial High School. The program has been successful in helping the school culture move from a place of academic indifference to one where students strive to reach new academic goals. With the cultural change now part of the fabric of WMHS, there are new priorities for serving the youth of Wayne and WMHS service area.

In recent weeks, we have announced an exciting new direction for Champions of Wayne with the launch of the Champions of Wayne Youth Fund, a donor-advised fund established at the Community Foundation of Monroe County to continue serving youth in the Wayne Memorial High School community.

The move to a more nimble, dynamic fund will allow support to students in relevant ways through organizations best positioned to offer focused services.

The new fund has been given a seed grant by the Helppie Family Charitable Foundation. Consider a donation at thttps://tinyurl.com/55xj27b7. The fiduciary for the fund is the Community Foundation of Monroe County, whose Executive Director is Wayne native and former WMHS Principal,Valerie Orr. You are also able to support the fund by mailing donations directly to the Community Foundation of Monroe County, c/o Champions of Wayne Youth, 9 Washington St. Monroe, MI 48161.

07/02/2025

--Champions of Wayne Marks Latest Milestone--

Champions of Wayne, the meaningful mentoring and goal-setting program for students at Wayne Memorial High School, recently held its year-end . Established at WMHS in 2009 with a small cadre of students, Champions has been instrumental in a significant culture transformation, with adult mentors helping students reach their academic goals. The mentoring relationships are now a routine part of WMHS experience for students and staff.

In the most recent semester, 509 students were enrolled in Champions, with 319 students reaching their goal and earning recognition.

Following Champions 12 years as an independent agency, The Guidance Center assumed administrative responsibility for the program in July 2021. The expert operational support, grant writing, and staff of TGC enabled Champions to weather the pandemic and rebuild the program. With this success, WMHS is moving to its next set of important educational and social priorities beyond the positive student-faculty relationships that Champions helped facilitate.

Beginning July 1, 2025, The Guidance Center will focus its efforts on their important portfolio of services. With a job well done, support for the students at Wayne Memorial High School and the City of Wayne will return to its primary donors, The Helppie Family Charitable Foundation and ArrowCares, and a host of individual and corporate supporters.

Please join us in celebrating a wonderful philanthropic partnership and keep an eye out for information from Wayne Memorial High School about the future. Your tremendous support of and interest in the students at Wayne Memorial High School is greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

06/27/2025

12/11/2024

Champions of Wayne made significant impact in the lives of Wayne Memorial High School students over the past year. Please support this tremendous educational and life opportunity with a year-end gift to help propel this wonderful program forward. Together we can inspire hundreds of students to reach for their dreams!

Support Champions of Wayne at https://www.guidance-center.org/donate-online/ (please select "Champions of Wayne" from the dropdown menu). Thank you for making an impact on the lives of these students, and go Zebras!

10/04/2024

The Wayne Memorial High School Class of 1974 celebrates its 50th reunion this weekend. Members of the class will tour the high school today. This new Donor Spotlight on Richard & Leslie Helppie (Rich is an alumnus of the Class of 1974) and the Helppie Family Charitable Foundation will be featured on one of the group's stops in the school's Media Center.

There also is a new Champions of Wayne program display (see new cover photo) on the first floor of Wayne Memorial across from the school office.

Champions of Wayne is thankful to the Helppies and many other generous donors, sponsors and supporters who make this student mentoring/incentive program a reality. THANK YOU!

09/25/2024

Wonderful article highlighting the Champions of Wayne program, now part of The Guidance Center, at Wayne Memorial High School! Congratulations to our students and mentors, and thank you to our supporters and sponsors!

Champions of Wayne pairs students with a volunteer adult mentor who helps them create individualized goals for the semester. If they meet their goals, they are invited to a celebratory banquet and rewarded with a $250 check

06/29/2024

Our June Champions of Wayne Student Achievement Banquet was a tremendous success and a delight to celebrate the accomplishments of so many students from Wayne Memorial High School. A special congratulations to all the 2024 graduates. For those students returning to Wayne Memorial next school year: we look forward to working with you to reach and achieve your academic and personal goals. Have a great summer!