Education

Alaina Gebel, a 2023 graduate of Waukon High School, was awarded the PIC North America II 4-H Scholarship through the Iowa 4-H Foundation at a recognition ceremony held Sunday, July 14 in Ames.

One hundred and one Iowa 4-H scholarships valued at over $106,000 were awarded as a part of the Foundation’s scholarship recognition ceremony. Over 450 applications were submitted, and scholarships have been awarded to recipients from 56 counties across the state of Iowa with a wide variety of 4-H experiences.

Over 100 Iowans who want to advance their health care education to work in long-term care recently received over $300,000 in scholarships from the Iowa Health Care Association (IHCA) Foundation. Scholarship recipients include current long-term care employees, as well as high school students, veterans and Iowans in rural communities wanting to join the health care profession. Scholarships provide for the cost of a variety of health care and leadership programs to equip health care workers with skills they need to work in long-term care.

The Iowa Department of Education, Bureau of Nutrition and Health Services, has finalized its policy for free and reduced price meals for students unable to pay the full price of meals served under the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Special Milk Program and the Afterschool Care Snack Program.

For determining eligibility for the programs, State and local school officials have adopted the family size and income criteria listed in the chart accompanying this article at right.

Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) brought together more than 16,000 students and academic advisers from 48 states and territories to the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL from June 28-July 2 for the annual FBLA National Leadership Conference. The Conference is an opportunity for the best career and technical education (CTE) students in the nation to compete in more than 100 competitive events, take part in workshop sessions with industry leaders and state meetings, visit the expo exhibit hall, and conduct networking throughout the conference with the traditional state pin trading.

By Suzette Radke, Iowa Student Loan Liquidity Corporation board member

College bills for the next semester are looming, and students and families are looking for ways to pay for any amount not covered by financial aid, savings or earnings. Many turn to private education loans. Because most traditional-age students need cosigners to qualify or receive better rates or because you would like to take out a loan in your name to help pay a child’s expenses, you as a parent may be investigating student loan options specifically for yourself.

Iowa Student Loan Liquidity Corporation educates students and families on planning and paying for college, as well as providing education loans under the name ISL Education Lending. As an ISL board member, I want to help ensure that families understand the pros and cons of taking out student loans. I encourage you to remember the following tips for parents who want to help with education loans:

Gardening and pizza went together perfectly in Waukon and Lansing at recent youth sessions hosted by Allamakee County Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. Youth learned the different parts of a plant, and how each part is edible depending on the fruit or vegetable. It was discussed which parts help make a pizza, while everyone designed their perfect pizza. Ideas ranged from pepperoni to ice cream to candy pizza. Youth used English muffins to make personal pizzas for lunch.

They also discussed the four needs for plants to survive: air, soil, water and sun. To highlight soil, everyone was able to plant their own pizza garden to take home, using a variety of seeds used to make pizza such as tomato, pepper, basil and thyme. To highlight sun, they made UV bracelets, which turned colors in the sunshine. Other skills gained were knife cutting, correct handwashing using the Glo Germs, and measuring and making their own snack.

Four individuals of the Little Switzerland FFA Chapter from Waukon High School competed in the Agronomy career development event (CDE) at both the District and State levels earlier this summer. The team included members (left to right in the submitted photo above) Sarah Stock, Kendra Gibbs, Caleb Helgerson and Olivia Marti. May 13, the team competed at the Northeast Iowa District Contest held at Hawkeye Community College in Waterloo and was named the Reserve Champion Team. In the final individual standings, Olivia Marti placed 2nd, Sarah Stock placed 5th, Kendra Gibbs placed 12th, and Caleb Helgerson placed 16th.

April 24, three members of the Little Switzerland FFA chapter at Waukon High School participated in the District Agriculture Mechanics career development event (CDE) at the Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) campus in Calmar. The team, which included Ethan Gibbs, Ryan Kolsrud and Drake Hankes, achieved a 15th-place finish out of 39 teams. Individually, Ethan Gibbs placed 11th, Ryan Kolsrud 36th, and Drake Hankes 89th at that District level of competition.

by Brianne Grimstad

The Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) School Board met for its regular monthly meeting Monday night, July 15. Under the Consent Agenda, the board approved the following personnel items (pending a satisfactory background check): Katelyn Thiessen, 9th grade volleyball coach; Jarod Dahlstrom, Jon Snitker and Chris Dahlstrom, volunteer varsity football coaches; and Cassie Schellsmidt, high school night custodian.

There were four open enrollments out of the school district that were approved. A Student Teaching Agreement with Luther College was also approved, as well as a Day School Agreement with Chileda Institute, Inc.

by Nancy Dunkel
Iowa Student Loan Liquidity Corporation

Chances are, you and your student will rely on multiple sources of funding for a college education. Common funding sources are your own savings and earnings, your student’s savings and earnings, scholarships and loans.
Make a resolution to reduce the amount of future student loans with these tips: