88.1 the Park Newsletter – Spreading the Airwaves No. 46
88.1 the Park’s latest newsletter includes a preview of the 88.1 the Park Thanks for Giving Pledge Drive, looks back at our concert with Grace West, spotlights our latest Dr. Andrew Melin WSDP Distinguished Alumni and looks at some of the biggest hits on the station. We also spotlight Plymouth Canton ’80 alum, John Matthews and share points of pride about our amazing alumni.
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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.
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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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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.
