Education

Iowa residents are encouraged to participate in a free program to help them pay for college expenses. The Iowa Student Loan (ISL) Education Lending Scholarship program is designed to give high school students, undergraduate college students and their parents and guardians access to important information about planning for and financing college while awarding 45 lucky winners $1,000 each in college savings.

The ISL Education Lending Scholarship is open now through December 5 at https://www.IowaStudentLoan.org/Savings. After completing a simple online registration, participants have the opportunity to experience the engaging and informative resources provided by the nonprofit organization.

Participants also receive weekly emails from the time they register until the end of the registration period.

Two of the global causes that Lions Clubs International focuses on are youth and reducing hunger. Lions Clubs strive to help youth to have healthy, productive lives and have access to nutritious foods. With this in mind, the Waukon Lions Club donated $500 to the Allamakee Community School District Milk Program Thursday, October 9. Donations such as this are made possible by the generous support the Waukon Lions Club receives from the community. Pictured at the presentation of the donation check to the Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) Food Service Department are ACSD Food Service staff members Kay Gavin and Jessica Keenan, and Waukon Lions members Carrie Niehaus, Rosie and Tom Phipps, and Kim Gates. Submitted photo.
 

Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) Business and Community Solutions is offering two fall time Wooden Sign Painting classes, one for youths and the other for adults, Tuesday, November 4. The youth class will run from 3:45-4:45 p.m. that day, and the adult class will run from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the NICC Waukon Center, 1220 3rd Avenue NW.

Those attending will learn basic painting techniques and create their own adorable wooden signs. This class is perfect for budding artists who love to express themselves creatively. All materials will be provided.

The deadline for paid registration to participated in either of the classes is Tuesday, October 28. To register online, visit www.nicc.edu/waukon or call NICC Waukon Center at 844-642-2338, ext. 6700.
 

Osterholm will hold book-signing event this Friday at Luther College

Renowned epidemiologist and public health expert Michael T. Osterholm, Ph.D., a 1971 graduate of Waukon High School, will be signing his newest book, “The Big One: How We Must Prepare for Future Deadly Pandemics,” between 1 and 2:30 p.m. this Friday, October 3, at the Luther College Book Shop on the campus of Osterholm’s college alma mater in Decorah. The event is free and open to the public, and books will be available.

In “The Big One,” Osterholm and Mark Olshaker examine past pandemics, highlighting the ways societies both succeeded and failed to address them; trace the COVID-19 pandemic and evaluate how the global pandemic was handled; and look to the future, projecting what the next pandemics might look like and what must be done to mitigate them.

 Iowa Corn has announced the students selected to participate in the 2025-2026 school year’s Collegiate Advisory Team (CAT) program, which focuses on increasing college students’ understanding of the corn industry. During the one-year program, students will visit the Capitol, tour industry leaders’ operations, and expand their network and knowledge outside of the classroom. 

Among those students selected is Olivia Marti, a 2024 graduate of Waukon High School currently in her second year at Iowa State University in Ames. Marti is one of 26 students from Iowa colleges and universities, and one of 15 Iowa State University students, selected to participate in the Collegiate Advisory Team program.

As part of its Live & Learn: enriching lives through monthly learning series, Robey Memorial Library in Waukon is offering a presentation entitled “The Real Promise of Renewable Energy” Thursday, September 25 at 5:30 p.m. in the lower level Community Room of the library. This presentation will explore what renewable energy is, what it isn’t, and realizing the full promise of the technology.

Renewable energy provides a cleaner path forward and reduces dependence on non-renewable resources, offering hope for a more sustainable tomorrow. This program will examine both the obstacles and the opportunities looking toward a greener future.

Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) Business and Community Solutions is offering a Mini NICC Science Experiment class for youth Tuesday, October 7. The class will run from 3:30-5 p.m. at the NICC Waukon Center, 1220 3rd Avenue NW.

Join the Curiosity Crew on an epic three-part mission into the heart of science. Each part of this series will challenge young explorers to investigate fascinating phenomena and conduct awesome experiments.

To register online, visit www.nicc.edu/waukon or call the NICC Waukon Center at 844-642-2338, ext. 6700. The deadline for registration is September 30.
 

by Brianne Grimstad

The Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) Board of Directors met for its regular monthly meeting Monday, September 15. Under the Consent Agenda, the following personnel items were approved: Carolyn Homewood - increased cook hours; Neil Heins, middle school night custodian; Calista Morris, part-time elementary paraprofessional; and increased custodian hours for Brianna Meyer.

Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) Business and Community Solutions is offering the STEAM Makerspace Open Lab sessions for students in third through seventh grades. The following youth classes will run from 3:30-5 p.m. at the NICC Waukon Center, 1220 3rd Avenue NW:
September 17: STEAM Open Lab - Session 1
October 1: STEAM Open Lab - Session 2
October 15: STEAM Open Lab - Session 3
December 10: STEAM Open Lab - Session 4.

The lab is a learning space for creative exploration of STEAM. Participants can use Legos, robotics, electronics, create movies and animation, design and build and more. A teacher will be available to guide students in the basic use of the tools and technology. Registrations are preferred, but walk-ins are welcome.

To register online visit www.nicc.edu/waukon or call the NICC Waukon Center at 844-642-2338, ext. 6700.
 

The Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) Department of Instructional Innovation and Design (DIID team) was recently honored with a 2025 D2L Excellence Award at the annual D2L Fusion global conference held July 21-23 in Savannah, GA. The award recognizes innovative educators and institutions that use D2L’s Brightspace platform to transform learning experiences and drive student success.

The DIID team received the award for the design and implementation of the Accessibility Hub, a custom-built Brightspace course developed in partnership with Accessibility Services at NICC. The Hub streamlines accommodation tracking, documentation and communication, making it easier for students and faculty to access and manage support services.