Education

Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) has received two separate invitations to apply for national competitive honors. This combination of honors is only extended to three percent of all U.S. community colleges.

October 11, both the 2019 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence and the 2019 Siemens Technical Scholars Program each invited NICC to apply for the honors. Only three percent of the approximately 1,100 community colleges in the Unites States, or 33 colleges, are invited to apply for both honors.

The Waukon High School Music Department has selected "State Fair" as this year's musical production under the direction of Sarah J. Palmer and assistant director Louise Wild. Three performances are being planned for Thursday, November 3 at 7 p.m., Saturday, November 5 at 7 p.m., and a matinee Sunday, November 6 at 1 p.m. The performances will be held at the Waukon High School auditorium.

Imagine that it is the late Summer of 1946 on an Iowa family farm - the Frake family farm in Brunswick, Iowa to be exact. The Frakes are preparing to leave for the Iowa State Fair. Father, Abel (played by Nathan Smith), is confident his prize boar, Blue Boy, will win a blue ribbon, but neighbor, Dave Miller (played by Michael Benson), isn't so sure. He makes a $5 bet that something is bound to go wrong for at least one member of the family. Abel accepts the bet.

by Brianne Eilers

The Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) Board of Directors met Monday evening, October 16 for its regular monthly meeting. Board member Patty Nordheim was absent.

During his report, ACSD Superintendent Dave Herold informed the board how things are progressing regarding an insurance claim for the roof over the auditorium and stage area. He noted that all the repairs have been made and they are just waiting on new curtains. He noted that they had received a letter from Shive Hattery on the matter, and they are acting as a go-between for the school and insurance company. He also noted that they have been discussing the matter with the district's attorney.

Sweeney's Village Farm and Home in Waukon has greatly aided in the success of the Little Switzerland FFA Chapter for many years in a variety of different ways. Again this year, they partnered with Red Brand Fencing and the National FFA Organization to donate $1,176  to the local chapter. Red Brand Fencing has been a proud supporter of FFA for 70 years and supports programs through its Home Grown Program. Through the Home Grown Program, for every roll of wire purchased at Village Farm and Home, $1 is donated back to the local FFA chapter. Annually, over 900 chapters from across the nation will receive a donation from the partnership that Red Brand Fencing has to offer. The donated funds will be used toward contest materials, National FFA Convention and other FFA necessities. From 2012 to 2016, Village Farm and Home, with the help of their customers, has provided $5,625 to the Waukon FFA Chapter.

This school year, there are two new fixtures on the playground at Waterville Elementary School - Buddy Benches. The idea behind the Buddy Benches, which are found at school playgrounds all over the world, is when a child has no one to play with or just needs a friend to talk to, they can sit on the bench and other students will know that they need a friend and can go join them. It is a place for friendships to bloom, as states the quote engraved on the benches. The Buddy Benches were constructed by the Waukon High School Industrial Technology class under the guidance of Jed Hemann, with woodworking by Roger Bollman of Volney, and painting by Sharon, Cody, Riley and Hayden Palmer. The benches were made possible by a generous grant from the Waterville Community Foundation to the Waterville Elementary Parents for Progress group, at the request of the school. Submitted photos.
 

Students at St. Patrick School in Waukon received some "hands-on" education in regard to health and hygiene recently. Andrea Leppert and Jared Donahue (left to right in back of the above photo), who are second-year nursing students at Northeast Iowa Community College this year, first taught students about thorough hand washing techniques and then used a special black light box, pictured at left  in the photo above, to show St. Patrick School fourth grade students Jeremiah Howe, Claire Schulte and Brandon Leppert (left to right in photo foreground) just how many germs really do live on unwashed or improperly washed hands. Students were amazed to see that even after they thought their hands were properly washed or sanitized, there remained much evidence to the contrary. Submitted photo.
 

Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) Business and Community Solutions is offering the class, “'Be Smarter Than Your Phone' Series: Android Operating Systems” Wednesday, October 11 from 6-8 p.m. at the NICC Waukon Center, located at 1220 Third Avenue NW.

Keep up with rapidly changing cell phone technology - they are only getting smarter and faster. Those who have any phone other than an Apple iPhone are using an Android operating system, and this class will help understand the basics - set-up, adjusting settings, adding contacts, downloading apps, etc. - and also share important features of smart phones and how they can enhance life, both professionally and personally. Attendees should bring their phone to the class.

The Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) Waukon Center is offering a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Workshop Thursday, October 19 from 4-7 p.m. The NICC Waukon Center located at 1220 Third Avenue NW.

This event is open to the public and is designed to help students complete their FAFSA and answer any questions. Students and parents are encouraged to attend. Representatives from Farmers & Merchants Savings Bank and Kerndt Brothers Bank will be available to discuss the impact of student loans and how to bridge the gap between a student financial aid package and college expenses.

Iowa's director of the Department of Education Ryan Wise (center in photo at right) toured three area school districts Tuesday, September 19. Wise began the day at the MFL/MarMac School District and proceeded on to Eastern Allamakee Community School District (EACSD), visiting New Albin Elementary and Kee High School in Lansing. Shared Superintendent Dr. Dale Crozier acted as tour guide through the two districts. Wise also spent the afternoon at Decorah schools. In his visit to New Albin Elementary, Wise met with Principal Chad Steckel and lead teacher Donna Thomas (far left and far right in photo at right). As they toured classrooms, Wise engaged with students (pictured below), asking them questions about what they were studying. He also questioned Steckel and Thomas about the District's experiences with ST math and the teacher leadership program. Both had high praise for the two programs. Steckel said student math scores within the district have risen dramatically.

In recognition of National Advanced Manufacturing Month in October, Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) sponsored advanced manufacturing tours in Allamakee County Thursday, September 14. The goal of the tours is to expose high school students, teachers and community members to high-demand, high-skill jobs that are found locally.

The 35-member group toured Norplex-Micarta in Postville, and Benjegerdes Machine, Inc. and G&S Machine, both of Waukon. Students from Waukon High School, Kee High School and MFL/MarMac High School attended, as well as members of Allamakee County's Business and Community Board.