Education

by Brianne Eilers

The icy winter weather early last week forced the Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) to hold its regular monthly board meeting Tuesday, January 17 instead of Monday, January 16. Board member Tom Baxter was absent.

During his Superintendent’s Report, ACSD Superintendent Dave Herold noted that representatives from Shive Hattery will be coming for a pre-bid meeting regarding the middle school gym improvements. Herold noted that Shive Hattery will also be assisting with a summer project regarding roofing for West Elementary and the Middle School and High School threshold requirement, which requires an architect or engineer to look at the plans.

Saturday, January 7, Waukon High School senior band member Adam Gruman (pictured at right in photo at right) participated in the Northeast Iowa Bandmasters Association (NEIBA) District Honor Jazz Band Festival at Kennedy High School in Cedar Rapids with 20 of the best high school jazz musicians in northeast Iowa. The band was directed by Myron Peterson (pictured at left in photo at right), president-elect of the Iowa Bandmasters organization and director of bands at Urbandale High school.  The students rehearsed throughout the day and presented a concert that evening.

St. Patrick School in Waukon will be holding its annual Mardi Gras fundraising event Saturday, January 28 at the Waukon Banquet Center. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. and dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m. Among the events taking place will be live and silent auctions for items such as those pictured above. There will also be a raffle for a Lifetime Tamarack Kayak bundle. Local businesses and individuals have donated items and funds to help make the event a success for St. Patrick School. For tickets and additional information, contact Jennifer Kovarik at 563-568-5318, Amy McCormick at 563-419-9336, Tami Stilwell at 319-361-6077 or St. Patrick School at 563-568-2170. Submitted photo.
 

BALANCING LANDSCAPE PLANTS AND DEICING SALTS

Winter is here, and with it comes inclement, icy, snowy weather. Many Iowans use deicing salts to rid their properties of snow and ice, and deicing trucks and snowplows also spread chemicals on roads and streets. But these chemicals can have a negative effect on landscape plants. Are there precautions to take to avoid damage?

Deicing salts can damage landscape plants when excessive amounts accumulate in the soil. The most serious damage typically occurs near major streets and highways where salt from run-off accumulates in the nearby soil. Excessive use of salt by homeowners also can create problems. Trees, shrubs, perennials and turfgrasses are susceptible to salt damage. Additionally, spray from passing vehicles can damage roadside plants, particularly evergreens.

Allamakee County Farm Bureau members who have a high school senior or student attending college are invited to have the student submit an application for the 2017 scholarship program. The deadline to apply for the 2017 IFBF scholarship is March 1.

The application is available online at www.iowafarmbureau.com. Under the members only section, choose the “Member Benefits” tab, then Scholarship & Grants. The application is a PDF document that can be filled out in the browser and printed off. The application must be mailed to the Allamakee County Farm Bureau office, P.O. Box 129, Waukon, IA 52172.

The Iowa 4-H Foundation announces its 2017 scholarship program for current or former 4-H members planning to attend college in the fall of 2017. Applications are now available for the  4-H scholarship program, which includes 90 scholarship opportunities valued at over $90,000 to be awarded.

The various scholarship awards range in amounts from $500 to $10,000. Certain scholarships are open to students pursuing any field of study, while others are open to students pursuing degrees in agriculture, food and nutrition, ag business, animal science, journalism and STEM-related studies.  Former and current 4-H members graduating from high school or currently attending college are eligible applicants.

While a majority of the 4-H scholarship opportunities are available for students attending Iowa State University, scholarships are available to students planning to attend an Iowa Regent university, Iowa private college, Iowa community college, or any land-grant university.

Winning video outlines plots of four popular Shakespeare plays, earns $2,000 cash prize

Students at Waukon High School created the winning video in a contest sponsored by the University of Iowa’s (U of I) School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) and inspired by the U of I Libraries’ Shakespeare at Iowa festival this fall. The contest, titled “All the World’s a Stage,” challenged K-12 students across Iowa to create a video demonstrating how Shakespeare is still relevant in classrooms today.

The winning video, titled “The Best of Shakespeare,” takes viewers on a quick tour of Shakespeare’s most beloved plays, summarizing the plots in general audience terms. Students wrote the script, directed the scenes, acted, and produced the video, which packed all the action into less than three minutes.

In Allamakee County five people are superheroes to a local youth. This January, Helping Services for Youth & Families is celebrating those champions and inviting others to become a hero, during National Mentoring Month.

Mentoring has a positive impact on youth, but many youth are without this type of role model. Nine million kids in America say they are growing up without adults whom they can turn to. In this area, 22 youth are currently waiting for a mentor.

Research shows that mentored youth are more apt to learn more, earn more and live healthier lives. Mentored youth have a greater chance of avoiding negative influences, such as substance abuse, bullying, or dropping out of school.

December 1, music students of Sandy Good performed Christmas songs at Wellington Place in Decorah. Pictured above, left to right, are Hannah and Thomas Castle, daughter and son of Pastor Matt and Sharon Castle of Waukon; Haylee Hackman, daughter of Jason and Lorie Hackman of Waukon; Alyssa Holthaus, daughter of Mitchell and Jennifer Holthaus of Ossian; Owen Leppert, son of Shawn and Dawn Leppert of Calmar; Jackson Goltz, son of Graham and Ashley Goltz of Ossian; and Wyatt, Ethan and Natalie Leppert, sons and daughter of Shawn and Dawn Leppert of Calmar. Submitted photo.
 

Guest reader Ross Geerdes, Conservation Naturalist of the Allamakee County Conservation Board, will share a story and hands-on look at "Bald Eagles" during the Tuesday Story Time scheduled for Tuesday, January 10 from 10:30-11 a.m. at Robey Memorial Library in Waukon.

Tuesday Story Time is a regular feature at Robey Memorial Library in Waukon each Tuesday from 10:30-11 a.m. All children and families are encouraged to attend. For more information contact the library by telephone at 563-568-4424 or by email at robeymemorial@waukon.lib.ia.us.