Entire Kindergarten Class Shows Up For Michigan Boy’s Adoption

GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Tears flow fairly often in courthouses across the country as cases play out involving horrific crimes, disintegrating families and financial ruin. But on Thursday at the Kent County Courthouse in Grand Rapids, the tears came straight from the well of the heart when about three dozen children were formally adopted and welcomed into the loving embrace of a family.

For one boy named Michael, Adoption Day was such a momentous occasion that he invited his entire kindergarten class to celebrate with him as he officially became the son of Andrea Melvin and Dan Eaton, during the 23rd annual Adoption Day in Kent County. They opened their home to Michael as a foster child a year ago.

Michael's classmates held up sticks with cutout hearts attached when he and his parents approached 17th Circuit Court Family Division Judge Patricia Gardner's bench. They told the judge who they were and why they were there — because they consider Michael not only a friend but a member of a great big, extended family.

The lesson those kindergartners learned at Kent County Adoption Day was as important as any she might impart back at the school, teacher Kerry McKee told news station WOOD.

“The lesson is put a little love in your heart,” McKee said. “We rise when we support others.”

The class began the school year as a family, she told news station WZZM, adding: “Family doesn't have to be DNA, because family is support and love.”

Melvin and Eaton told WOOD they felt a calling to foster Michael, who was among about 14,000 children in foster care in Michigan. About 3,000 of these kids — who have been abandoned, neglected, abused or lost their biological parents in some other way — are eligible for adoption every year.

Hundreds of them never are adopted, according to Adopt US Kids, a national project to find permanent, loving homes for children and teens in foster care.

Michael’s mother told WOOD that when she and Eaton wanted to expand their family, they realized “there are so many options, right, for building a family these days.”

When Michael and his new parents banged Gardner’s gavel to make the adoption official, the courtroom erupted in applause.

Gardner's eyes were as moist as everyone else's in the courtroom.

"Sometimes their journeys have been very long, they've included miracle and change for the children and family and incredible community support, as you're able to see today in Michael's adoption hearing," she said. "His whole kindergarten class and school being here to say 'we love you,' and 'we support you' and 'we'll be here not only today but in all the years in the future.' "

Thursday was a good day in the Kent County Courthouse.