ACSD 21st Century Community Connections highlights Summer Program, welcomes new JH/HS site coordinator

During the 21st Century Community Connections Learning Center (CCLC) Summer Program, also known as 10th Hour in the Allamakee Community School District (ACSD), students in sixth-12th grades were given the opportunity to become involved in a variety of hands-on clubs, including Gardening, Chess, Construction, Weight Training, Cooking, Euchre, Archery and Ping Pong.
In the Gardening Club this past session, students planted, nurtured and harvested a variety of vegetables. In addition, they designed and constructed a walkway in the garden area, painted the raised garden beds with original artwork, and utilized the harvested foods in Cooking Club recipes. Students also received an academic boost using the A+ Learning System, which is a computer program that tailors lessons to each individual student based on their strengths and weaknesses.
Students embraced learning opportunities with experiential learning trips. These trips allowed students exposure and experiences outside of their immediate community. They traveled to Fort Crawford and Villa Louis Museums in Prairie du Chien, WI, The National Eagle Center in Wabasha, MN, The Minnesota Marine Art Museum in Winona, MN, The National Mississippi River Museum in Dubuque and The Field Museum and Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, IL.
 
LOOKING FORWARD
The next Summer Session for the 10th Hour program will be starting up August 3 and will run through August 14. For the first week of the program, all students are encouraged to attend and become familiar with their new surroundings before the school year begins.
This next Summer Session will also be utilizing the 21st Century program's outdoor gardens to harvest the remaining food, experiment with recipes and plant new vegetables that can be harvested and used in the fall. Starting August 11, the group will be pairing with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach to offer students an opportunity to learn the process for making ice cream. This Ice Cream Camp will run until August 13, and the students who participated in the Ice Cream Camp will then travel to WW Homestead Dairy in Waukon and Weighner Farms August 14 to learn about the dairy industry and the process of ice cream production on a large scale.
Once school starts, the 10th Hour program will be returning to before school (7-8 a.m.) and after school (3:30-6:30 p.m.) programming and will be offering the popular Automotive, Gardening, Archery and Personal Finance Clubs. These clubs are just a small part of what the after school program has to offer, and all sixth-12th grade students are encouraged to check out all the opportunities.
Anyone with further questions about the 10th Hour program can e-mail sllewellyn@allamakee.k12.ia.us or stop by during the upcoming School Registration days scheduled for Wednesday, August 5 from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. or Thursday, August 6 from 12-6 p.m. at Waukon High School.

WELCOMING A NEW TEAM MEMBER
The 21st Century Community Connections Learning Center in the Allamakee Community School District is excited to have Shala Llewellyn join its Community Connections team as the Junior and Senior High School Site Coordinator, replacing former coordinator Nathan Todd. She moved to the area a few months ago and says she is excited to become involved in everything it has to offer.
Llewellyn's husband, David, works as a District Sales Manager for a local corn and soybean seed company. She says she loves the tight-knit community because it reminds her a lot of where she grew up.
Llewellyn attended Iowa State University in Ames and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Anthropology with minors in Sociology and Geology. Her goal was to find a job that enabled her to become engaged with area youth. This year she hopes to get more students involved, excited and interested about learning through the 10th Hour program.
She plans on brainstorming with students, families, community members, teachers and staff to see what types of programs would best foster learning and creativity. She enjoys seeing the students in action and watching them thrive within a safe and nurturing environment.
“The best part is that the students are getting so much more out of these programs than they ever realize," Llewellyn said. "They are learning and having fun at the same time.”
She said she is excited to be a part of such a special after school program that is so supported by school administration, teachers and the community as a whole. “The Allamakee Community School District has really embraced this program," she offered. "They know very few schools have access to such a wonderful resource. They have taken the blessing that they have been granted and run with the opportunity!”
Llewellyn said the Community Connections program reminds her a lot of Iowa State, where there is a club for any interest. “I want the students to feel empowered and take on responsibilities," she said. "If they have an interest, I want them to pursue it and create a club of their own to share with their peers.” Llewellyn says she is excited to start programming in August and begin building new relationships.