A team of Kirkhof College of Nursing students and faculty and The Other Way Ministries staff members won $5,000 during the Laker Effect Challenge to implement their idea of promoting disaster preparedness through a Halloween fun house.
Judges voted to award the "Zombie Apocalypse" team all of the prize money during the April 11 event at the DeVos Center.
Maureen Ryan, assistant professor of nursing, said KCON students and faculty created a Halloween fun house for The Other Way Ministries, a westside development organization, in 2018. The event was successful and led to creation of the Zombie Apocalypse team, Ryan said.
The 2019 fun house will focus on disaster preparedness and participating families will receive a disaster kit prepared by KCON students.
Ryan said nursing students involved in the project are completing a community health rotation. "Last year the Student Nurses Association was also involved, and we are looking forward to engaging students not only during their clinical rotations, but creating volunteer positions for students who have not been assigned to The Other Way as their clinical site," Ryan said.
The Laker Effect Challenge asks teams of campus and community members to pitch an idea that will make lasting change in the community. Other teams that competed are listed below:
• Empowering Kids to Learn with Power Hour: The Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization with Boys & Girls Clubs of Grand Rapids
• Mobilizing Community Action for Inclusive Growth: Johnson Center for Philanthropy with Grand Rapids Community College
• Working Hand-in-Hand with Hearts for Heartside for Food Justice Reform: Student organization Hearts for Heartside with Heartside Gleaning Initiative
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