Education

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.
 

4-H Food and Fitness members gathered from nine school districts throughout northeast Iowa for the Regional Youth Leadership Team winter gathering on the Luther College campus in Decorah recently. These youth and adults from area schools meet quarterly to learn about wellness issues in their communities, identify projects to help their school or community, and network by sharing experiences of their club projects and build ideas for future ones.

Robey Memorial Library in Waukon is offering a Knit-A-Project class during the month of January. The general public is invited to create a simple project from start to finish. The class will meet during five sessions from 5:30-7 p.m. January 10, 12, 17, 19 and 24.

Students must have basic knitting skills. Those who are interested in the class and have never knitted before are invited to the library's Hook & Needle Club meeting Thursday, January 5 at 5:30 p.m.

Students must bring their own materials for the class. A supply list and project pattern will be provided at registration.

This class will be limited to eight students on a first-come, first-serve basis. Contact the library's Front Desk at 563-568-4424 or reserve a spot in the class online at www.waukon.lib.ia.us.
 

Library patrons have anytime, anywhere access to a dynamic collection of digital audiobooks and eBooks through the library service of BRIDGES, Iowa’s eLibrary.

Robey Memorial Library in Waukon is offering a class on Using BRIDGES Thursday, December 29 at 5:30 p.m. in the lower level Community Room of the library. Learn to download free audiobooks and eBooks, navigate and use the new BRIDGES website, www.bridges.overdrive.com. The website and a new Overdrive app are available for patrons to use on their computers, laptops, tablets, smartphones, MP3 players, iPods, iPhones, iPads, eReaders, Kindles and Nooks, or some of those devices may also be borrowed from Robey Memorial Library.