Thousands of visitors flocked to The Henry Ford museum in Dearborn on Monday to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Rosa Parks' historic act of defiance that sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

The museum offered free admission to honor the civil rights icon, drawing nearly 2,000 people who came to see the actual bus where Parks refused to give up her seat to a white passenger on Dec. 1, 1955.

Watch Evan Sery's video report below: Commemorating 70 years since Rose Parks' defiant act, Henry Ford Museum offers free admission

"It made me want to cry a little bit, cause this is Black history," said Alijah Cheatham, a first-time visitor to the museum.

Cheatham was most excited to touch and be inside the Rosa Parks bus during his visit.

"Most people don't get to see this is the actual bus where she sat and got arrested in 1955, most people don't know... we wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her," Cheatham said.

The free admission day was unusual for the museum, which typically charges visitors and sees about 2,500 people on average weekend days during this time of year.

"It is very rare for us to actually have a free admission day," said Cynthia Jones, director of museum experiences, engagements and exhibitions at The Henry Ford.

Jones said the decision to waive admission fees for this milestone anniversary was obvious.

"We know the people who lived this history, that lived the Civil Rights Movement and we don't want that history to be lost, their stories to be lost," Jones said.

Dr. Brenda McGadney, a frequent visitor to The Henry Ford, praised the museum's decision to prioritize education over revenue.

"So proud of this museum that's made a decision that on this day, rather than bringing in money to the museum, they're bringing in people to the museum," McGadney said.

McGadney said seeing the bus never gets old and revealed she once saw Parks in person but chose to respect her privacy rather than approach her.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you," McGadney said when asked what she would've said to Parks.

On this special day, visitors were not allowed to sit in Parks' seat. Instead, the seat was occupied by a portrait of the late civil rights icon and a bouquet of roses.

For Cheatham, the visit held special significance as a new father to a 2-month-old son.

"I want to teach him history, who sat here before us, the presidents, more specifically Rosa Parks, the lady that did not get off the bus," Cheatham said.

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High school students across two Utica Community Schools competed Thursday in a Shark Tank-style pitch competition designed to inspire the next great invention.

Watch Evan Sery's video report: High school students compete for $7,500 in Shark Tank-style invention contest

The final showdown of the eight-week contest took place at Stevenson High School, with students vying for a grand prize of $7,500 in cash.

The energy was electric inside Stevenson High School's auditorium as teams presented their innovative ideas to a panel of three judges, including Bedrock Senior Vice President Brandon Kaznowski.

"I was most surprised by the entrepreneurial spirit of these kids, it's amazing to see, I think the future is really bright," Kaznowski said.

The competition was organized by SparkLab, a new nonprofit founded by local Metro Detroit entrepreneurs. For co-founder Saif Siddiqui, the event marked a full-circle moment as he was once a student at Stevenson High School.

"I was not so great of a kid, probably considered a troubled child, nothing really related to me, myself, and my founders came to find out this is something our educational system really needed," Siddiqui said.

SparkLab is an immersive eight-week program designed to give high school students the opportunity to pitch their business ideas. The three finalists split a total cash prize of $15,000.

The winning team consisted of four high school girls from Henry Ford II High School who pitched an app called FitPick.

"Our pitch was an app that creates outfits around your aesthetic and what you like to wear; it brings inspo from other apps and influencers," said Roula Victor, a junior at Henry Ford II High School.

Kaznowski praised the winning concept for its practical application.

"A lot of the products were ancillary add-ons to something, and this seemed to solve a specific problem people had," Kaznowski said.

This was SparkLab's first contest, which began with 300 students. Next year, the nonprofit hopes to reach 5,000 high schoolers across Oakland County schools.

"We're hoping to take this nationwide and impact as many students as possible," Siddiqui said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

After more than a decade of waiting, Detroit's crowdfunded RoboCop statue has finally secured a permanent location and is expected to be unveiled by the end of 2025.

Watch Evan Sery's video report: RoboCop statue finally finds permanent home in Detroit's Eastern Market

The 11-foot bronze statue will be installed at Eastern Market, on the patio of Free Age, a film production company. The statue was originally funded through a 2011 Kickstarter campaign organized by Detroit resident Brandon Walley, which raised thousands of dollars with the slogan "Part man, part machine, all crowd funded."

"Brandon reached out, said congrats on the building on the move, I'm glad you're staying in the market," said Jim Toscano, co-owner of Free Age. "Why don't we put RoboCop on your patio? We laughed it off. I said alright, thanks for the congrats, good talking to you. Called me back the next day and said we're serious."

Toscano and Walley agreed the location made perfect sense an iconic film character displayed at a film production studio.

The statue's journey to installation faced several delays over the years. Walley cited COVID-19 and the 2024 Eastern Market tailgate shooting as factors that complicated finding an appropriate home for the bronze figure.

"Everyone involved liked this spot. It's on the far end of the market, a little quieter. It could use some excitement," Toscano said.

The RoboCop statue has found support among local business owners, including Bethany Shorb, who operates Well Done Goods in Eastern Market and sells RoboCop merchandise.

"I like 80s nerd stuff. Is it the most positive depiction of Detroit? No, of course not, but it's poking fun, poking fun at a lot of not good things that can happen, and now we do have actual robocops," Shorb said.

The 1987 RoboCop film depicted a futuristic, apocalyptic version of Detroit, making the statue's placement in the city both symbolic and fitting for fans of the cult classic.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

A Clinton Township high school teacher has transformed her classroom storage room into a food pantry to help students struggling with food insecurity during the ongoing SNAP benefit crisis.

Watch Evan's story in the video player below Clinton Twp. teacher's food pantry helps students during SNAP benefit crisis

Kim Johnston, who has taught social studies at Chippewa Valley High School for 18 years, launched the initiative on social media two weeks ago after recognizing the urgent need in her school community. With SNAP benefits on pause, Johnston decided to take action where her school lacked resources.

"I decided we had to do something here in our building, we do not have a food pantry," Johnston said.

The classroom pantry, stocked with pasta sauce, bags of pasta, mac and cheese, and canned foods, has already distributed 100 full meal kits since opening this week. Johnston posted signs throughout the school encouraging students to "grab a bag and take more if you want."

"I'm here to make life easier for them not harder, here to show I care about them," Johnston said.

The pantry's location was strategically chosen for student privacy. Students can exit directly to the parking lot after collecting food, allowing those who might feel embarrassed about needing assistance to leave discreetly.

Johnston's students have noticed the impact on their peers. Kayla Miglioraty, an 11th grader, said many of her closest friends are affected by the SNAP benefit situation.

"Yes a lot of my closest friends, are affected, they already struggle with the snap benefits," Miglioraty said.

Fellow student Natalie Ranieri praised Johnston's efforts.

"It's awful what they have to go through, but I'm really happy that she's taking a stand and helping out," Ranieri said.

The community response has been overwhelming, with donations pouring in after Johnston's social media call for help. The pantry will remain open for as long as needed, and the school has created an Amazon wish list to help maintain supplies.

"We can focus on the fact that people aren't in great situations or we can try to help and do something and I feel like with the donations and with the intensity, we've received them, shows people are desperate to help," Johnston said.

The food pantry represents more than just emergency assistance it reflects Johnston's 18-year commitment to her students, evident in the bobbleheads, handmade gifts, and flowers that fill her classroom shelves, tokens of appreciation from grateful students over the years.

If you'd like to help keep up with pantry demands, the school has come up with an Amazon wish list.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Frances Mauro Masters has lived through the Great Depression, World War II, and more than a century of American history. Now, at 103 years old, her contributions as an original Rosie the Riveter will be immortalized in bronze at Memorial Park in Royal Oak.

Watch Evan Sery's video report: 103-year-old Rosie the Riveter to be honored with bronze statue at Royal Oak memorial

The statue will be unveiled this Veterans Day, honoring Masters' work during World War II at a bomber plant in Ypsilanti, where she helped build B-24 bombers for the war effort.

"We just came out of the depression, and we all had to work," Masters said. "Since my brothers were in the army, the next person to help my family was me."

Masters worked at the plant not just for the paycheck, but out of patriotic duty.

"I worked at the plant to make money, plus it was an honor to help with the war effort," Masters said.

Despite her advanced age, Masters still remembers those wartime days vividly. She recalls her daily commute to the factory, taking the streetcar and bus in the early morning hours to get to work.

"I sorta do, few things I forget, but yeah, most of all I do remember going early in the morning, taking the streetcar plus the bus," Masters said.

The bronze statue will depict Masters working on the factory line, riveting panels for B-24 bombers. She used various tools during her time at the plant, including presses, small riveters, and power guns that hung from the ceiling for larger aircraft components.

"I used a press, I used a small riveter, plus on the bigger part of the plane, I used a power gun, it came from the ceiling," Masters said.

John Maten, president of the WWII Legacy Memorial, said Masters was chosen because she perfectly represents Michigan's contributions to the war effort.

"We wanted to make sure it represents Michigan's contributions to World War 2, not only the warfront but also the homefront," Maten said. "She told us about the plant, seeing the President go through with Henry Ford."

Before her factory work, Masters was a performer who took the stage at Detroit's historic Fox Theatre when she was just 9 years old as an acrobat.

When asked about her secret to longevity, Masters offered some lighthearted advice.

"I eat a lot of vegetables, I kid, and I say I use a lot of olive oil," Masters said.

For Masters, being honored with the statue represents recognition not just for herself, but for all the women who stepped up during the war.

"Oh, it's a privilege not only for me, but all the other Rosies," Masters said. "We were in the front, helping out besides the soldiers, so I'm really honored to be one."

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Youmacon is officially underway in downtown Detroit, marking a milestone 20th anniversary for the anime and pop culture convention that draws enthusiasts from around the world.

At least 10,000 anime and pop culture fans are expected to pack Huntington Place through Sunday for the celebration that has grown significantly since its humble beginnings.

Watch Evan Sery's video report below: Youmacon celebrates 20th anniversary with thousands of anime fans in downtown Detroit

"There's a lot of people who are growing into this genre and learning about it," said Mark Cooper, Youmacon event coordinator.

The convention features new attractions this year including a kids corner, expanded tabletop gaming options and entertainment events. Cooper highlighted the variety of experiences available to attendees.

"We have a new kids corner, new games at tabletop gaming, great raves and things like that," Cooper said.

Artist Alley showcases numerous vendors including Daniel Kim, a digital artist from Sterling Heights attending Youmacon for the first time.

"It might start as a paper sketch," Kim said, describing his artistic process.

Kim, originally from California, expressed excitement about Michigan's convention scene.

"I'm originally from California, so when I found out Michigan has quite a bit of a convention atmosphere, that was pretty exciting to hear," Kim said.

The arcade room proved particularly popular, featuring classic gaming systems including Sega Dreamcasts on old-school televisions. The nostalgic gaming experience resonated with many attendees.

"I love gaming rooms like this because I have a lot of memories playing DDR in arcades and stuff, and you don't get that experience anymore," said Luna Noelle, a Twitch streamer.

Noelle noted the challenge of introducing modern gamers to retro systems.

"Convincing people to play an N64 is hard nowadays," Noelle said.

The gaming area features arcade cabinets and tournaments that keep some attendees occupied throughout the entire event.

"Arcade cabinets, there's gonna be game tournaments, so if you're a gamer and that's something you wanna do, some people just stay there all day," Cooper said.

Cooper reflected on the convention's growth from its origins in a Troy hotel with about 1,000 attendees to the large-scale event it has become.

"They enjoy the comics, they enjoy the video games, all the particular lores of the particular fandoms, and they bring them all together whether old-school fans of "Ghost in the Shell," to new fans of "Chainsaw Man" or "Dragon Ball Z" still, it's just an overall melting pot over time," Cooper said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.