Building Brighton's Next Generation

The future isn't built by chance - it's built every day in our classrooms. Brighton builds students who shape our communities: future engineers, physicians, nurses, teachers, first responders, musicians, business owners, and community leaders.

With ZERO increase to the current tax rate, this bond proposal invests in three key areas: Safety and Security, Modern Learning Environments, and Protecting Our District's Infrastructure—ensuring our schools remain safe, functional, and prepared to serve students for generations to come.

Better Buildings.
Better Learning.
Better Outcomes.

When schools invest in facility improvements, students benefit.

Why facilities matter - Clean, safe and well-maintained schools support both student and teacher success.

Studies find a statistically significant relationship between facility/classroom condition and student behavior/achievement; students in newer/better facilities score 5–17 points higher on standardized tests.
New construction and major renovations are associated with sustained gains in math and reading, with effects growing over 4–6 years.
Attendance/behavior: Better facilities correlate with higher attendance and improved student effort/behavior, and educator retention —which themselves drive learning.

Sources:

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2006. Review and Assessment of the Health and Productivity Benefits of Green Schools: An Interim Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/11574.

Link: Do K-12 School Facilities Affect Education Outcomes? (21st Century School Fund / related brief)

The Impact of School Infrastructure on Learning (Barrett, 2019, ERIC)eric.ed

School Facility Conditions and Student Academic Achievement (2026 review)milhouseinc

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Brighton Builds Success

Meet the first responders, engineers, and educators who call Brighton home and built their futures in our schools.

Brighton Builds Innovators

Brighton builds leaders who improve lives. A Brighton High School graduate, Dr. Authur Pancioli combined a passion for science and service into a distinguished career in medicine at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and Senior Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer for the University of Cincinnati Health System. From leading emergency care to helping guide the University's response during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Pancioli's career reflects how a Brighton education can prepare students to make an impact far beyond our community.

Brighton Builds Leaders

Brighton builds leaders who break barriers. A member of Brighton High School Class of 1988, Kari Seitz became one of the most accomplished soccer referees in history, officiating five FIFA World Cups and three Olympic Games. She was the first woman to referee across every top U.S. professional soccer league and now helps shape the future of the game worldwide through her leadership with FIFA, creating new opportunities for women referees across the globe.

Brighton Builds Storytellers

Brighton builds voices that inform and inspire. A proud member of the Class of 1975, Dave LewAllen spent more than 40 years in television and radio, including 35 years as a trusted news and sports anchor at WXYZ-TV. A four time Emmy Award winner, Dave has not only kept our community informed but has also given back through decades of charitable work, proving that success is measured by service as much as achievement.

Brighton Builds Trailblazers

Brighton builds leaders who dream big and give back. A member of the Brighton High School class of 1965, Dennis Bowdoin turned an entrepreneurial vision into success, growing Movieland Video from a single store to more than 360 locations. He also became a respected leader in aviation and public service-launching Western Michigan University's helicopter program, serving as an FAA Safety Counselor, managing airports and heliports, and helping shape the future of aviation in Michigan. His career is a testament to how Brighton Builds innovators, entrepreneurs and community leaders.

Brighton Builds Performers

Brighton Builds students who turn passion into a profession. Cassi Mikat took the foundation she built in BHS Choir to stages around the world, performing professionally while also teaching at institutions including Boston Conservatory and Berklee College of Music. Today, she lives in New York City, where she performs, teaches professional singers, and co-founded her own voice studio. Cassi credits BHS Choir with fostering her love of singing and building the skills that helped turn that passion into a career.

Brighton Builds Creators

Brighton Builds students who turn their passions into possibilities. A member of the Class of 2020, Gavin Harrigan took the foundation he built through BHS choir, A Cappella, AP Music Theory, and musical theater all the way to Berklee College of Music. Today, he works professionally as a drummer and live sound engineer while pursuing entrepreneurial work in music technology. Gavin credits his Brighton music education with giving him the skills, confidence, and ability to collaborate that helped him succeed both in the classroom and on the stage—showing how opportunities discovered in Brighton can become careers.

Brighton Builds Educators

Brighton Builds students who come back and give back. Bella Rabold turned the leadership, hard work, and sense of community she found in BHS Choir into a career in education. Today, she teaches English at Saline High School while continuing to give back to Brighton as an assistant choreographer for Brighton Musical Theater. For Bella, the lessons learned at BHS went far beyond music—they helped shape the teacher, leader, and mentor she is today.

Brighton Builds Music Educators

Brighton Builds musicians who go on to shape the next generation. Ryan Shaw, Ph.D., a 2002 graduate and former drum major, is now Associate Professor and Chair of Music Education at Michigan State University and Academic Editor of Music Educators Journal. His experience is a powerful example of how the opportunities students receive today can shape their lives—and the lives of future generations. “I wouldn’t be where I am now, nor would I have had the musical experiences I’ve had, were it not for the music education opportunities I received at Brighton Area Schools. I was incredibly lucky to have access to the music teachers, spaces, concerts in the BCPA, and other resources in Brighton, and I hope the next generation of students can have the same.”

Brighton Builds Future Leaders

Brighton Builds musicians who grow not only as performers, but as leaders, collaborators, and confident young adults. For Seraya Mecham, Class of 2024, playing violin in Brighton’s orchestra gave her opportunities to develop leadership skills as a section leader and quartet leader, while performing in the pit orchestra for two musicals introduced her to the experience of working alongside professional musicians. Through AP Music Theory and an independent study focused on violin, she also developed the time-management and independence that prepared her for college.

Brighton Builds Engineers

Brighton Builds students who are ready to turn opportunity into a career. Genna Urbain graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and now works with Siemens Digital Industries Software. Through BHS Engineering and CTE, Genna gained hands-on experience in design, manufacturing, circuits, and coding—and a connection with Siemens that led to multiple internships. She credits Mr. Jourden and the BHS Engineering Program with giving her an engineering foundation that put her a step ahead in college and helped launch her career.

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