The seventh annual Make a Difference Awards was held Wednesday to recognize those who have gone above and beyond in helping students with special needs. About 100 people were in attendance at the Greenville High School Performing Arts Center to show their support for those who were nominated and honored for going beyond what the job description states.

Kimberly Kleck attended Grattan Academy 13 years and Maria Heffron attended six years, while other students like Dena Campbell and numerous foreign exchange students attended only one year. But it didn’t matter Wednesday night when they started — there were 32 seniors together, wearing red and black caps and gowns, all graduating together.

The Greenville City Council made a change to a motion from its May 7 meeting and awarded a bid for a lawn mowing contract to a different business. During Tuesday’s meeting, City Manager George Bosanic recommended the council rescind a previous award of a bid for option two of the mowing contract of city property to Wolverine Landscaping Inc. of Stanton and award it to First Class Seasonal Solutions instead.

Two counties are coming together to develop a student-focused system called Hair on Fire. School districts in Montcalm and Ionia counties are working on the program that focuses on the needs of students.

The Greenville City Hall was more full than normal Tuesday, after many people came to support a student who asked the City Council to help him make a difference. Justin Barr, a junior at Greenville High School, spoke to council members during public comment.

A man awaiting trial on criminal child abuse charges has pleaded no contest to an abuse/neglect charge in a related civil case. Samantha Slater and Benjamin Wilkins, both 26 and both of Greenville, were each charged with first-degree and second-degree child abuse of Slater’s 2-year-old daughter Brooklyn Weimer, who has been hospitalized in intensive care since March 24 with severe abdominal and brain injuries.

A lifelong Montcalm County resident who has not only taken pride in her family and its heritage, but has celebrated it with the start of the Danish Festival, has been announced as the 49th Danish Festival grand marshal for 2013. Catherine “Kate” Hansen (Larsen) has been selected to represent this year’s festival.

BLOOMFIELD HILLS — Fifthgraders from Baldwin Heights Elementary School had the opportunity to spend a day at the Cranbrook Institute of Science in Bloomfield Hills on Monday — expense free.

A celebration of the 70th anniversary of when the original Fighting Falcon glider was dedicated will be held on Sunday. The event will include a reception honoring the anniversary of Glider Day from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Fighting Falcon Military Museum at 516 W. Cass St. in Greenville.

The Daily News has obtained three telephone call recordings from a Greenville child abuse case via the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Samantha Slater and Benjamin Wilkins, both 26 and both of Greenville, were each charged with first-degree and second-degree child abuse of Slater’s 2-year-old daughter Brooklyn Weimer, who has been hospitalized in intensive care with severe abdominal and head injuries since March 24.