Student Testimonials

Davan Deshazo #MiCharterGrad19

Merritt Academy is a K-12 charter school in Macomb County, north of Detroit - it's also the school I've called 'home' since sixth grade. My parents chose Merritt for my siblings and I because they wanted us to have the best chance at success, and Merritt's smaller class sizes and individualization inspired confidence.

My school’s mission is to “instill in its students academic excellence, character development, and a love for lifelong learning and service to others.” For me, Merritt taught me a “never give up” attitude, where the staff taught me how to be a problem solver inside the classroom and beyond. For that, I'm grateful, because it's an attitude and strategy I can always use in college when courses get difficult, and when things get tough.

To any parent in Michigan considering options for their child’s education, I would tell them not to overlook charters - because their kid is going to get an amazing education and connect more closely with both staff and the student body. My experience at Merritt gave me exactly that.

Next year, I will be attending Saginaw Valley State University, and I plan to pursue a degree in athletic training. With that degree, I hope to be a trainer on a college or professional athletic team. A big shout out goes to the Merritt family - without them, I wouldn't feel so confident as I take on SVSU.

Robotics

Robotics is all about learning new skills and finding a place to be yourself. Before robotics I bounced around from sport to sport, I didn't have a place to be my true self. It isn't for everyone but those who think they can handle it, thrive once they join. I knew nothing about it before I joined even though I had family members already on the team. In eighth grade I learned everything, now I am a part of two sections in the team rather than one. Robotics has become my home away from home. I have new friends, authority figures, and a place where I am accepted.

Like I said I am now on two sections of the team. I started on build section, then we lost one driver, so my mentor thought that I should give it a try. At first I was hesitant, but after just one lesson of driving I was sure that was what I wanted to do. The day after I had my first lesson I was thrown into the world of driving at our first competition. I was nervous at first, but our amazing main diver helped me calm down and focus. That same competition turned out to be our first ever win!

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Merritt Academy Academic Points of Pride

• Merritt Academy is tuition free and the #1 ranked academic school, public or charter, in Macomb county!  There are 39 school districts in Macomb county. Please see the Macomb Daily article for more information on this!

• Merritt Academy is the #1 ranked Academic K-12 charter school in the State of Michigan.  There are 54 K-12 Charter Schools in the state.

• Merritt Academy falls in the 90th percentile out of all the schools in the state public or charter.  To put it in more simple terms we scored better than 90% of all the schools based on the academic criteria the Department of Education uses. 

• Small class sizes, capped at 24 students, lead to unmatched individualization of instruction and programs like MTSS that both remediate and enrich students.

Nature Club:

The Merritt Academy Nature Club is offered to elementary students.  Nature Club meets after school and is a great enrichment activity for those who enjoy learning about different kinds of animals, plants, and different aspects of nature.  In the past, we have studied different kinds of deer, bats, polar animals, and how plants grow.  If you love learning about nature through a variety of hands-on activities, Merritt Academy Nature Club is the after school activity for you!

Robotics:

The robotics team competes in F.I.R.S.T. Robotics at the FRC level. It is currently a co-ed team with 18 members. Though we are a fairly new team, we have had great success; our team won the Rookie All Star Award in its first year, and has also competed at the state level. In the off-season, we travel to fairs and parades to show off our robot in hopes to gain interest in S.T.E.M. for all age levels. Overall, the team works to engage students in S.T.E.M. like challenges. Students, with the help of parent and teacher mentors, must put together a business plan, acquire funding through local sponsors, design a robot using CAD software, fabricate parts and assemble and program a working robot in just a few weeks. They then compete with their robot against 40 or more teams in friendly competition. Robotics is not like other sports or clubs; it has a place for all types of students and sets them up for success for the future using real-world, hands-on learning. 

National Honor Society:

National Honor Society (NHS) is an organization that is offered to students at Merritt Academy that rewards students for their hard work in the areas of scholarship, character, leadership and service.  This organization offers leadership opportunities, service opportunities, and looks great on a resume or college application.  It will also appear on your high school diploma, and you will be recognized at graduation for having been an NHS member!

National Junior Honor Society:

National Junior Honor's Society (NJHS) is the nation's premier organization established to recognize and involve outstanding middle grade students. Membership in this elite group honors students who have demonstrated excellence in areas of Scholarship, Leadership, Service, Character and Citizenship. Membership not only recognizes incredible student accomplishments, but also challenges young scholars to develop further through active involvement in school and local activities, as well as offering ample community service opportunities thereby allowing students to give back to the community. 

Ecology Club:

The Merritt Academy Ecology Club works to help our school become a certified Macomb County Green School. The club is made up of high school students who have helped set up recycling programs within our school. Last year we purchased water bottle recycling bins and it has been a HUGE success.  This year we will be focusing on recycling markers back to Crayola to help reduce plastic waste. We also plan to plants more flowers this spring in front of the school sign.  
Visit our website at:  http://merrittacademyecologyclub.weebly.com/

Student Council:

The 3-5 Grade Student Council is our students' first opportunity to be involved in democracy. Each classroom votes for a classroom representative at the beginning of the year. The chosen representatives meet during occasional recesses throughout the year to help plan and carry out activities and projects for the elementary students. These representatives bring and share the ideas from their classmates, and report back to their classrooms about items discussed. This group gives each elementary student a voice in elementary activities. 

The 6-8 Student council is a peer elected group of middle school students.  These students represent their classmates in making decisions that will affect the middle school.  Representatives help plan dances, pep assemblies, incentives, and other activities.  Overall these students work to represent the needs and wants of their class.  Student council members are an important part of the middle school team and help to make middle school a positive experience.

Merritt Mentors:

Elementary Merritt Mentors (grades 3-5):

The Merritt Mentor Program provides a friend and role model to those students that need it. Some of the students may include those with special needs. Mentors assist students that may have a hard time making friends, organizing their materials in their classroom, transitioning to specials, and those that may have low self-esteem. Mentors are students that are not only role models academically, but those that also exhibit all of the Merritt character traits (sharing, goodness, consideration, cooperation, commitment, etc.). Some of their responsibilities include greeting their new friend in the morning, assisting him/her with routine tasks, and spending lunch and recess together one to two times per week. Merritt Mentors learn important leadership skills, develop some unique and valuable friendships, increase communication skills, and have a better understanding of others.