Education

Finding a rewarding and well-paying career in life starts with a plan and having opportunities to learn about different occupations firsthand from individuals who work in the field. This was the motivation for the third annual Career Workshop event at Waukon High School February 10, which was developed in partnership between Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC), Allamakee County Economic Development (ACED) and Waukon High School.

The Kee High School Individual Speech season is underway with competition at the District Contest Saturday, February 25 at MFL/MarMac High School in Monona. Kee had eight students involved who performed in 13 events and will be advancing 10 of those events to the State competition scheduled for this Saturday, March 11 at Waldorf College in Forest City. Kee Individual Speech students earned the following District ratings - MaKayla Manning: Expository Address (I) and Prose (I); Emily Benzing: Storytelling (I) and Literary Program (I); Annika Stahl: Prose (I); Tony Martin: After Dinner (I) and Improvisational Acting (I); Tom Martin: Radio News (II) and Improvisational Acting (II); Ian Sickles: Poetry (II); Theron Maddox: Review (I); and Logan West: Storytelling (I) and Improvisational Acting (I). Pictured above, left to right, are this year's District competitors for Kee: Front row - MaKayla Manning, Emily Benzing, Annika Stahl.

Saturday Clover Kids are cleaning the earth one penny at a time. At their February 18 Clover Kids session, youth experimented with salt and vinegar as a cleaning solution. When they mixed the two ingredients together, not much happened, but after adding a dirty penny they watched it begin to shine before their eyes. Clover Kids learned that because water is recycled through the water cycle, humans can help keep it clean by using natural cleaning products at home. Next, the youth learned that flyways are like highways for migrating birds. Flyways provide food, shelter, water and resting places but during their journey birds can also face many obstacles. Youth became migrating birds and tried to fly south without running into one of those obstacles, such as a storm, hunter or fog (pictured above).  Eventually, the birds ran into more developing cities and therefore had habitat destruction and lack of food which caused many of them to not make it to their destination.

The Kee High School Speech Department will be hosting its annual fundraising Speech Dinner Theatre Saturday, March 4 at TJ Hunter’s Ballroom in Lansing. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. A full buffet will be served and entertainment from Kee's Large Group Speech contestants will begin at 6 p.m. The event will also offer a sneak peek at Kee High School's spring musical. Tickets for the event can be purchased from a Kee Speech student or at the Kee High School office in Lansing.
 

The Band Department of the Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) is excited to announce that its band students will be performing the world premiere of the piece "Iowa River Scenes" at the annual All-School Band Concert scheduled for Monday, March 6 at 7 p.m. in the Waukon High School gym. The piece was commissioned by the band department in honor of Cloy and Bonnie Meyer and Clay Kramer from a donation made to the program in their honor. The piece, "Iowa River Scenes," was composed by Cory J. McBride of Oelwein and is based on life in Allamakee County. It is a three-movement work with sections depicting the bluff country, rolling river and American Indian heritage. All band students in grades 5-12 will be participating in the performance of this piece. Submitted photo.
 

Annika Anderson, a senior at Waukon High School and the daughter of Marilyn and Lee Anderson of Waukon, attended the University of Dubuque President’s Academic Honors Luncheon Saturday, February 11 on the university’s campus. Anderson is pictured at right in the above photo with University of Dubuque President Jeffrey Bullock. The academic achievements of more than 30 high school students from the Midwest were celebrated at the luncheon. Each student will receive an academic scholarship for their education at the University of Dubuque. During the luncheon, students also learned about opportunities available to high achieving students at the University of Dubuque, including the Wendt Character Scholars Program, Joseph and Linda Chlapaty Summer Fellowship, Scholar-Leader Honors Program and the Pre-Law Program. Submitted photo.
 

After last Friday's winter weather forced early dismissal of school and postponement of all events, the Waukon High School Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) chapter is hosting its annual Carnival this Friday, March 3 at the Waukon High school gym and cafeteria from 4-7 p.m. Carnival games along with a small concession stand and cotton candy will be available. All games/activities can be participated in for just a quarter each. Proceeds from the carnival will be returned to the elementary schools in the Allamakee Community School District. Submitted photo.
 

East Elementary Kids Club has had many great volunteers thus far this year. The Kids Club staff and students appreciate the efforts of Waukon High School Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Advisor Joan Schwartz and her FBLA students, the Waukon High School Orange Cord Program, Keystone AEA and Kathy Hay, ISU Extension with Becky Rea, Northeast Iowa Food & Fitness Initiative with Andrew Blair, Robey Memorial Library, Ross Geerdes with Allamakee County Conservation, Ann Hart and Al Hanson with RSVP, TASC, Jim and Sue Bieber, Lynn Groe, Joanne Sherman and her Band Buddies,  Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) Tech Team and the STEAM Night for all volunteering time to the Kids Club program. Pictured above are Waukon High School students Michaela Dehli and Megan O’Neill, who started a Videography Club with Kids Club students while volunteering with FBLA.

by Jennyanne Hager

Members of the Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) Board of Education gathered for their regular monthly meeting Monday, February 20. Board Secretary Jaime Curtin noted that work is being done on the budget, and contracts are being prepared for the coming year. Superintendent Dave Herold noted that after a few months of declining funds, the school lunch fund had a gain in January.

Herold continued by reporting that insurance premiums had no increase again, making for at least three years of steady costs. “This is great news again. Our rates are down because we have been keeping our claims down,” Herold remarked.

The Waukon High School Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) chapter is hosting its annual Carnival this Friday, February 24 at the Waukon High school gym and cafeteria from 4-7 p.m. Carnival games along with a small concession stand and cotton candy will be available. All games/activities can be participated in for just a quarter each. Proceeds from the carnival will be returned to the elementary schools in the Allamakee Community School District. Submitted photo.