Education

The Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Master Gardener program will again host the Home Gardening Webinar Series, beginning in January and ending in March.

Designed for anyone who is interested in gardening or horticulture, the series aims to inspire and educate. Throughout the series, participants will hear from experts at Iowa State, the University of Illinois, North Dakota State University, Polk County Soil and Water Conservation District, and Reiman Gardens. The sessions are free and open to the public, although registration is required.

Four sessions in January will cover edible topics including building and using cold frames, growing microgreens inside, growing and preserving herbs, and designing an edible landscape.

A program offering $1,000 scholarships is now open to Iowa high school seniors. Students not only have a chance at much-needed funds for college but can also learn ways to reduce college loan debt through the program.
Iowa high school seniors may register for the Iowa Financial Know-How Challenge: Senior Scholarship at www.IowaStudentLoan.org/Know-How between now and March 31. Once registered, students will receive instructions via email on completing two online modules. Scholarship recipients will be determined by random drawings among students who have completed the modules.

The two modules, Student Loan Game Plan and the Return on College Investment tool, are designed to help students and families determine maximum recommended levels of student loan debt and to also find ways to minimize debt to repay.

Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) Business and Community Solutions is offering two High School Drivers Education options for Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) students starting Monday, January 9-February 27, and Monday, March 6-April 26. The course will be held from 5-7 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays during those timeframes.

To satisfy the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) requirements, students must attend 30 hours of classroom instruction and six hours of Behind the Wheel (BTW) driving experience. Attendance is required at all sessions. Students must have an Iowa driver’s permit before the first class.

The deadline for paid registration is January 2 and February 27 (for free and reduced lunch, students should contact the school office). To register call NICC Waukon Center at 844-642-2338, ext. 6700.

Emergency Medical Services (EMS) agencies, and local fire and ambulance departments in northeast Iowa are working together with Northeast Iowa Community College to address an ongoing workforce shortage of certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and Paramedic professionals.

The need for more trained EMS personnel to meet increasing demand in northeast Iowa communities follows a similar trend throughout the state. Winneshiek Medical Center (WMC), for example, maintains a paramedic service in Decorah and draws upon EMS volunteers in the communities of Decorah, Burr Oak, Bluffton, Calmar, Castalia, Festina, Fort Atkinson, Frankville, Jackson Junction, Highlandville, Ossian, Ridgeway and Spillville to meet demand for pre-hospital care. WMC employs 28 staff members in its ambulance service, but one-third of these personnel are expected to retire in the next five to seven years, according to Steve Vanden Brink, a 31-year veteran leader at WMC and Director of Ambulance.

Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) Business and Community Solutions Vice President Wendy Mihm-Herold, Ph.D. has stepped down from her position at NICC to become the Iowa Jobs for America’s Graduates (iJAG) new President and CEO. Mihm-Herold begins her new role January 23, 2023.

Mihm-Herold has served as vice president for Business and Community Solutions for NICC since July 2010. She is an executive officer with more than 32 years of experience in public and private nonprofit sectors with extensive experience in fundraising, grant writing and grant administration, legislative advocacy for policy and funding at the local, state and federal levels, building innovative partnerships and public relations.

Alliant Energy is seeking applications for its 2023 Innovation Scholarships. Up to 25 students will receive $1,000 scholarships to help reach their academic goals.

Applicants for the annual scholarships are asked to write an essay that identifies a problem in their community and present their own innovative solution using science, technology, engineering and/or math.

“As I move onto the next chapter of my life, this scholarship will allow me to worry less about finances and more about learning,” said Mason Maeder, 2022 Innovation Scholarship recipient and University of Wisconsin-Madison student. “I hope one day I will be able to help students achieve their dreams, just as Alliant Energy is helping me achieve mine.”

Scholarship recipients will be selected based on essay content, participation in leadership roles, volunteer work and community service, activities and grade-point average.

Ross Geerdes, Naturalist with Allamakee County Conservation visited the Kindergarten classrooms at West Elementary School in Waukon Monday, November 14, presenting information about wild turkeys. Students learned about what turkeys eat, the names of male and female turkeys, what animals are their predators, their body parts, and their habitat (as listed on the whiteboard in the photo background). Along with learning about their predators, Geerdes brought in furs of these animals for the children to see and feel. Submitted photo.
 

“The Case of the Stinky Stench” engaged the Clover Kids during their November session as they followed Lady Pancake, Sir French Toast and Inspector Croissant through the refrigerator to find the source of the stench. At the end of the book, after the stench was found and cleaned, Lady Pancake was separated from her friends. The Clover Kids were challenged to build a bridge over Corn Chowder Lake for her. Using spaghetti noodles and marshmallows (as pictured above), the bridge had to be one inch off the ground and eight inches long. They worked together in groups and numerous bridge designs were made and tested. Afterwards the youth painted with different food items such as peppers, celery, broccoli and marshmallows (as pictured below) to create their own unique art pieces.

by Alaina Gebel

This past June, I had the privilege of attending the Washington FFA Leadership Conference. FFA members from across the nation traveled to Washington D.C. to learn about serving our communities, meeting new people, and touring the D.C. area.

FFA members attended sessions throughout the conference regarding advocating, setting goals, connecting with other FFA members, and leadership. The facilitators at the conference emphasized leadership and serving one’s community. Participants created an action plan to implement once they returned home.

Since my return from the Washington Leadership Conference, I have been hard at work trying to implement my community service projects. One of my main goals is to bring agriculture education into the elementary schools within our community.

by Brianne Grimstad

The Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) Board of Directors met for its regular monthly meeting Monday night, November 21. Board member Scott Melcher was absent.

Under the consent agenda, the following personnel were approved: After School Program Staff; Jon Snitker as eighth grade girls track coach; Cole Carolan as the Spring Play Director; Louise Wild as Spring Play Volunteer; and Karrie Zidlicky as a bus driver. The following staff appointments were also made: Jay Mathis and Kirby Jones as Level I Investigators for Child Abuse Reporting; Bill Shafer as Level II Child Abuse Reporting; Luke Steege as Equity Coordinator; Jennifer Garin as Title IX Officer; Luke Steege as Truancy Officer; Brian Hilsabeck as Homeless Liaison; Amy Wasson as Migrant Student Point of Contact; and Stacie Cooper as Foster Care Point of Contact.