Moments with Merritt – October 2025
Plymouth-Canton Community Schools strives to be the best choice for families in our community. The district is able to meet that goal through their focus on academic excellence. Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Monica Merritt, spoke with two of the key leaders in the area of teaching and learning to discuss the district’s work in this important area. Jennifer Curry is the district’s new Chief Academic Officer. She joined P-CCS this fall after serving as Interim Superintendent of Wayne-Westland Community School District. She dedicated her entire career to Westland, where she started as an elementary school teacher. Joseph Greene is the new Executive Director of High School Education. Most recently, he served as Principal at North Farmington High School, where he was named the 2021 Principal of the Year in Michigan.
This episode of Moments with Merritt will air on October 7, 14, 21 and 28 at 5:40 p.m.
Moments-with-Merritt-Teaching_And_Learning 092425 final mix
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Canton, Plymouth and Salem Football Live on 88.1 the Park
Follow the Cobras, Wildcats and Rocks Football teams live on 88.1 the Park this fall. 88.1 the Park’s Sports Staff will bring you all the action from the opening kick to the final whistle blow. Listen Friday nights at 6:40 p.m. for the Countdown to Kickoff show featuring coaches interviews and a look around the KLAA.
9/12/25 – Salem vs. Canton
9/19/25 – Canton vs. Novi
10/3/25 – Plymouth vs. Brighton
10/10/25 – Plymouth vs. Canton
10/17/25 – Salem vs. Plymouth
Dr. Andrew Melin Distinguished Alumni Award – 2025 Recipients
88.1 the Park will honor three deserving alums when the station presents the Dr. Andrew Melin WSDP Distinguished Alumni Award on Wednesday June 4, at 7:00 p.m. at the Italian American Club in Livonia. The honor will be presented at the station’s annual banquet.
This year’s honorees are Bret Julyk, Plymouth-Canton ’82, Noelle Wright, Plymouth-Salem ’86, and Nick Gismondi, Plymouth-Salem ’00.
The award was created in the Spring of 2017 in honor of former WSDP Station Manager, Andrew Melin. The purpose of the award is to recognize WSDP Alums that have used their experience at the station to further the mission of WSDP by achieving success in their chosen career field; investing in the lives of young people; or supporting their local community. It is the hope of the station’s management that the honorees will serve as role models for future students at 88.1.
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88.1 the Park is the 2025 MAB High School Station of the Year
88.1 the Park was named the 2025 Michigan Association of Broadcasters High School Station of the Year during a luncheon at the MAB High School and College Awards on Thursday March 20, in Lansing. This is the eighth year in-a-row that the station has received the award. WSDP has been recognized as the High School Station of the Year 14 times since 2001.
The students received 16 awards in 16 categories, including eight first place and seven second place honors. This included sweeping the Sportscast category. 
Student Awards include:
Current Events Story
1st – Myles Alcott
2nd – Leo Popp
Daily Newscast/News Feature
1st – Leo Popp and Lucas Gentilia
Editorial
2nd – Jonah Kibin
Live Sports Coverage
1st – Leo Popp and Lucas Gentilia
Music Feature or Special
1st – Chae Eun Park
On Air Personality or Team
2nd – Ben Trudell
Public Service Announcement Sponsored by MASSP & MDHHS
1st – Carter Johnson, Myles Alcott, Jonah Kibin
Sports Feature
1st – Andy McLaren, Leo Popp and Andrew Stamatakos
2nd – Leo Popp and Ben Trudell
Sportscast
1st – Ben Trudell
2nd – Leo Popp
Honorable Mention – Andy McLaren
Talkshow/Podcast
1st – Anya Read
2nd – Mihir Shastry
Use of Social Media
2nd – Nia Wilson
88.1 the Park Amplification Capital Campaign
DONATE TO THE AMPLIFICATION CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
“I’m happy to support this upgrade. You guys are really the best. I’m 60 years old and love your music. I feel it spans the generations. Good luck!” – Carol Ann Levis, Canton Michigan
After more than 50 years of operating in essentially the same space, 88.1 the Park is in need of significant upgrades. On May 10th, 2024, we launched the Amplification Capital Campaign to raise funds to convert a classroom into a series of editing, recording, and interview studios, a staff room, and storage space. The $517,000 estimate for the capital campaign includes architecture fees, construction costs, HVAC considerations, sound attenuation measures, enhanced lighting, security considerations, ADA accessibility, video capabilities, and significant equipment purchases and upgrades resulting in four additional studios.
These upgrades will allow for significantly more student participation and more than double our current studio space, allowing for more on-air content, recorded news/programming, and edited news podcasts. These upgrades will put the broadcasting environment at 88.1 the Park on par with professional studio space—helping to maintain our award-winning broadcasting quality, while creating a more professional experience for students and studio guests.
In recognition of the Rotary Club of Plymouth’s centennial (the Club was founded in 1924), the Club’s Foundation has granted $200,000 to the capital campaign. This is a last-in grant: we must raise $200,000 first in order to receive the grant. Our fundraising horizon is December 31, 2026, but we hope to have the money raised by the end of 2025.
Help Us Reach Our Goal!
DONATE TO THE AMPLIFICATION CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
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Moments with Merritt – May/June 2024
As we wrap up another school year, P-CCS is already planning for next year. An important part of our planning will take place as we welcome our youngest learners and their families to the district. Key P-C-C-S staff members are making plans for Pre-School, Young Fives, and Kindergarten registration, along with open registration for all grade levels. Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Monica L. Merritt spoked with a couple key educators in the preparation for our youngest learners including Executive Director of Elementary Education, Dr. Denise Lilly, and Dodson Elementary Kindergarten Teacher, Joanna Perry.
This edition of Moments with Merritt will air on Tuesday May 21, 28, and June 4, at 5:40 p.m.
Moments with Merritt Kindergarten May 2024 final mixdown with music
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88.1 the Park Newsletter – Spreading the Airwaves Issue 45
88.1 the Park’s latest newsletter includes a preview of the 88.1 the Park Auction and looks at some of the biggest hits on the station. We also spotlight Plymouth Salem ’89 alum, Chris Butzlaff and share points of pride about our amazing alumni.
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88.1 the Park Honored at Michigan Student Broadcast Awards
For the staff at P-CCS’ student-run radio station 88.1 the Park, serving the Plymouth-Canton community while they learn broadcasting skills is more than an after school activity, it’s the chance to serve as the stewards of a community resource with a half-century old tradition of broadcast excellence.
That tradition was recognized by the Michigan Association of Broadcasters again this year, when it named 88.1 Michigan’s High School Station of the Year at its Student Broadcast Awards celebration on March 18.
This year’s honor is the seventh straight year (13th overall) that 88.1 has been named Michigan’s top high school radio station. It also represents the tenth consecutive year that the station has been named either a finalist for the National Association of Broadcasters’ Marconi awards, or the MAB High School Station of the Year
88.1’s students dominated this year’s Student Broadcast Awards. P-CEP students received 21 of the 45 total awards presented in the high school radio category, including six first place awards out of 15 categories. The station also swept two categories, taking all three places in both live sports coverage and a category highlighting anti-vaping public service announcements. The competition is judged by radio industry professionals from commercial stations and radio networks around the state. This year’s competition was the most competitive in recent years, with numerous high school stations from around Michigan challenging 88.1 for top honors.
“Our success starts with the great work our students produce. We’re thrilled to see them recognized by the MAB again this year,” 88.1 the Park Station Manager Bill Keith said. “The pride they take in their work, and in serving our community deserves to be celebrated, and it’s tremendously gratifying to see that the professional journalists who judge this competition believed as we do that our students produce excellent work.
88.1 the Park MAB Award Winners:
Current Events Story
- PCCS Security Upgrades
Credit(s): Akshayapriya Saravanan
Second Place
- Name Image and Likeness in Michigan House.
Credit(s): Nathaniel Behrens
Honorable Mention
88.1 The Park Phone Apps Available Now
88.1 the Park is excited to announce the release of the station’s new iPhone and Android Phone Apps. The phone apps are available at the iTunes and Google Play stores. You can search for 88.1 The Park.
“We’ve been working on this release for over a year so it is exciting to release the apps for our listeners in Plymouth and Canton, and throughout the world. We wanted to make it easier for our listeners to access the station and our digital content,” said Bill Keith, Station Manager.
The apps were created through a partnership with jācapps, a mobile apps development company in Southfield. They are one of the leading app development companies for radio stations.
