Iowa State University Extension and Outreach helped Clover Kids celebrate Valentine’s Day with shaving cream heart painting, cookies in a jar and gummy heart building. During their February session, Clover Kids cut out a heart shape, swirled food coloring into shaving cream, pressed their heart into the colored shaving cream (pictured in far right photo above) and then scraped off the excess. They were left with a unique heart to make into a valentine to share. After discussing how everyone likes to receive gifts, the group talked about how good it feels to give gifts to someone else, too. Each youth made a cookie in a jar to share with someone at home (pictured in photo at far left above), and they could also give their time and help make the cookies with their recipient. They also used their Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) skills when given gummy hearts and toothpicks, creating such things as houses and towers (pictured in the middle photo above).
February 27 and 28, four members of the Waukon High School Band participated in the annual Dorian Band Festival at Luther College in Decorah. Students from across the midwest were divided into either 2 massed band or one smaller wind ensemble. The bands rehearsed over the course of the two day festival and performed and late afternoon concert on Feb. 28 at 5:00 p.m. Bailey Sherman and Cody Huinker participated in the Noble band under the direction of Shelley Hanson of Macalester College. James VanderVelden and Logan Lubahn participated in the Sperati Band under the direction of Shawn Vondran from Northwestern University. The students are under the direction of Jo Ann Knipfer Sherman, Waukon High School Band director. Submitted photo.
The Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) Board of Directors met twice in the month of February. At a February 3 special meeting, the board approved the following personnel items: Erin Plein as student council advisor and Joanne Ericson as a mentor.
The board also accepted the following resignations, all due to retirement: Mary Milewsky, Jon Snitker, Louise Wild and Tim Bulman. Approval was also given to a bid from School Bus Sales in the amount of $116,520 for a propane powered bus.
The public is invited to attend a Wednesday, March 16 presentation by Trevor Ragan, founder of The Learner Lab, a resource for understanding the science of better learning. Ragan will be speaking to staff members of the Allamakee Community School District during that scheduled professional development day of no classes, and will then conduct a presentation for the general public from 5-6 p.m. that evening at the Waukon High School Auditorium.
Ragan’s presentations are described as “an opportunity for students, parents and community members to hear a message about striving for excellence in all they do.” He explains that “learning is the most important skill. Great learners are agile, resilient, and adaptable. Great learners can acquire new skill when demands arise. In times of change, learners will thrive.”
Top District 9 entries in annual Voice of Democracy essay contest... The sibling pair of, left to right, Rhianna Jones and Brendan Jones of Lansing were selected as the top two award winners at the District 9 level of the Voice of Democracy essay contest sponsored annually by Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). Rhianna Jones was named the District second-place winner and Brendan Jones was awarded first place in that District competition. Submitted photo.
Brendan Jones honored for top District 9 Voice of Democracy essay contest entry ... Kee High School freshman Brendan Jones was selected as the first-place winner at the District 9 level of competition in the Voice of Democracy essay contest sponsored by Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). Pictured above at his honoring from the District 9 competition are, left to right: VFW State of Iowa Senior Vice Commander Ron Leber; Eric and Liz Jones, parents of Brendan Jones; essay writer Brendan Jones; VFW 9th District Commander Jeffrey Hughes; and Past VFW 9th District Commander Virgil Thorstensen. Submitted photo.
Lansing VFW Post #5981 has announced this year’s Voice of Democracy winners at the District level of the essay writing contest. The sister-brother tandem of Rhianna and Brendan Jones, children of Eric and Liz Jones of Lansing, are this year’s top award winners in that District contest.
Brendan Jones, a freshman at Kee High School in Lansing, was named the District 9 first-place winner of the contest and the recipient of a $100 award. He also received a $100 award from Post #5981 in the Voice of Democracy Scholarship program. As the top District essay, his entry advanced to the State level of competition, where it was not selected among the State placewinning essays.
Rhianna Jones, a junior at Kee High School in Lansing, was named the District 9 second-place winner and the recipient of a $75 award. She also received a $50 award from Post #5981 for her Voice of Democracy essay. VFW Post #5981 sponsored both essay writers.
The Lansing City Council will hold a special meeting, open to the public, Monday, March 14 at 4:30 p.m. to allow council members to address any last concerns related to the revised City Code.
Monday, March 21, an open public hearing will be held on the revised City Code, during the regular Lansing City Council meeting, which begins at 7 p.m. The public is encouraged to attend to make any comment or ask any questions regarding City Code revisions.
Youth Mentoring at Helping Services for Youth & Families is hosting a bowl-a-thon Saturday, March 19 at Skyline Lanes in Decorah. This event aims to raise $7,000 to connect youth in Allamakee, Howard and Winneshiek counties with a mentor.
Currently, 75 people are involved in Youth Mentoring at Helping Services. Now is the time to strike up a conversation with friends, neighbors, club members and co-workers to form a team to bowl. Proceeds support those youth and adults being friends in mentoring, and involvement can happen in two important ways: register to bowl and/or donate to the cause.
Believed to be first woman in state of Iowa to serve as both General Manager and Golf Pro
Morgan McMillan is blazing new trails, as she has been named General Manager/Golf Professional at Oneota Golf & Country Club in Decorah. She is the first woman General Manager/Golf Professional in Oneota’s 100-year history.
McMillan is one of only nine women Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) club professionals in the state of Iowa, and is believed to be the only one of those women to also serve as General Manager of her 18-hole club. She is truly considered a pioneer among women golf professionals in Iowa.
“Morgan has the highest in quality hospitality skills; is high energy and hardworking; has an infectious smile and has received overwhelming support from the Oneota membership to be awarded the position of General Manager,” shared Oneota Golf and Country Club Board of Directors President Andy Nelson.
The Waukon Park & Recreation Youth Soccer Program is for boys and girls in Kindergarten through sixth grade. Basic fundamentals of soccer will be taught along with team participation. Teams will be grouped together as follows: Kindergarten is alone, first and second graders will be together, third and fourth graders will practice and play together, and fifth and sixth graders will be together.
Different size fields and balls will be used to accommodate the lower ages and skill levels. All players must wear shin guards and they must be covered by socks or pants. Cleats are optional.
The games will be played Saturday mornings starting April 23 and will run for five weeks. The dates will be as follows: April 23, April 30, May 7, May 14 and May 21. The make-up dates will be May 16 (Monday), May 17 (Tuesday), or May 19 (Thursday), if needed.
The Waukon bowling teams provided first-year head coach Kim Shelton with a memorable inaugural season at the helm during this 2021-2022 campaign, and for a number of different reasons. The pinnacle of that memorable season was the history that was made, fueled by the hard work and fun experienced by each squad of at least a dozen bowlers, with the Waukon girls bowling team rolling its way to a 4-5 season record and the Indian boys bowling to a 5-4 dual match mark this season.
