Ypsilanti Community Middle

Seth Palmer
Site Coordinator

wpalmer2@emich.edu

510 Emerick St,
Ypsilanti, MI 48198

Seth Palmer is currently the Site Coordinator at Ypsilanti Community Middle School with over twenty years of teaching experience. He is a life-long educator: from his teen years as a park supervisor to coaching and camp leadership during his college years to teaching at both the elementary and middle school level, Seth’s passion for connecting, inspiring, and developing youth is evident.

Seth earned his BA in Teacher Education from Eastern Michigan University and his Master’s in the Art of Teaching from Marygrove College of Detroit.  He is the current president of the nonprofit Elijah’s Blessing. Seth was previously the assistant site coordinator at Henry Ford Early Learning Center in Ypsilanti. His teaching experience covered Chicago, Illinois; Ann Arbor, and Dundee, Michigan.

Seth’s mission as an educator is to provide a safe place where youth can explore and grow both emotionally and academically, becoming life long learners.  He is passionate about developing and facilitating programs to engage youth in dynamic ways, inspiring self-awareness of unlimited potential in each and every student.

In his free time, Seth enjoys spending time with his wife and their six children, as well as their large, extended family.  Game night is always a hit, as well as family travel. He enjoys cooking, movies, and many genres of music.

The EMU Bright Futures program at Ypsilanti Community Middle School serves grades 6-8.  We operate at YCMS from Monday-Thursday, 4:15pm-5:45pm.  We also offer morning academic support before school from 7:45am-8:45am.  Students must turn in a registration form and have their parent/guardian contacted before attending.

The goal of our program is to provide academic support and promote positive youth development through social-emotional learning.  These elements are intentionally embedded into everything we do.  Our daily schedule includes an after school meal, homework help, various activities to promote a sense of community, a selection of student-driven clubs, and time for meaningful reflection.  Our revolving club catalog may engage students with anime, arts & crafts, fashion, martial arts, roleplaying games, computer science, and more.

We are also proud of feature of variety of partnerships with local community agencies.  Groups such as HackBlue, Growing Hope, Ring of Steel, and EMU Project BIG work regularly with our students.  We also organize and support a variety of community events in order to connect families with helpful resources.