Education

Band accomplishes feat not achieved in three decades with third consecutive Division I rating at Large Group Festival

The Waukon High School band recently received its Contest results for this past spring. The band participated in a virtual solo and ensemble contest in April and an in-person full band festival in May.

The Iowa High School Music Association (IHSMA) State Small Group Festival was held virtually in April of this year. Participating schools were required to make video recordings of each event and submit the videos to the State prior to April 14. The Waukon High School Band submitted 10 small group ensembles and nine soloists this past year.

Results from the event are as follows:

Division I Solos: James VanderVelden - trumpet; Abby Wiemerslage - multiple percussion and marimba; Vivian Khan - flute; Cody Huinker - trombone; Hayley Christensen - oboe.

Waukon High School graduating seniors Madalyn Palmer and Bailey Shafer were each awarded a $2,000 scholarship from the Grand Lodge of Iowa, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. Palmer is the daughter of Eric and Stephanie Palmer of Waukon and Shafer is the daughter of Bill and Beth Shafer of Waukon.

A total of 35 outstanding Iowa high school students were selected to receive a scholarship award from a pool of over 260 applicants this year. Iowa Masons award scholarships each year in recognition of a student’s academic performance, community activities, leadership and financial need.

Since the program’s inception in 1970, the Grand Lodge of Iowa has awarded $3,689,900 in scholarships to over 2,479 students. This year, a total of $65,000 in scholarships was awarded from an endowment fund established to recognize the accomplishments of young Iowans and to promote the education of future state leaders.

The Standard newspaper office in Waukon hosted some special visitors Wednesday, April 28. First grade students from the classrooms of Ms. Deb Hauber and Ms. Thea Meyer at St. Patrick School in Waukon toured The Standard office for a field trip to learn more about the newspaper and the jobs it involves to make a newspaper. Students in Ms. Hauber’s class (pictured below) and Ms. Meyer’s class (pictured above) had a chance to ask questions and also helped finish their own newspaper front page to print and take with them.

Tuesday, May 18 at 7 p.m., the Senior Awards Program for the Class of 2021 will be held in the Waukon High School Auditorium. All students, parents and families, and community members are invited to attend.

Allamakee Scholarship Fund, Inc. and many community groups will present scholarship awards to this year’s graduating seniors that evening. Honors and achievements by member of the Waukon High School Class of 2021 members will be recognized. Masks are required.
 

Waukon High School Prom and Post Prom were held Saturday into Sunday, April 24-25. The dance was held in the Waukon Middle School gym with the theme “Night of a Thousand Lights”. The Grand March began at 8 p.m. with parents and community members attending to take pictures and view the students dressed in their Prom attire. Seniors Hailey Fahey and Ryan VanderVelden were crowned as the 2021 Waukon High School Prom Queen and King.

The dance began at 9 p.m. with students enjoying music provided by Austin Brink. The Post Prom committee provided a photo booth from Absolute Music and prizes every half-hour during the dance. Prizes included gift certificates to local restaurants and a $50 and $100 cash drawing at 11 p.m. for students who were present through the entire dance. Some other highlights of the night included a dance camera and board games in the cafeteria.

The annual P.E.O. reception for girls from the graduating class at Waukon High School was held Monday, April 26 at Zion United Church of Christ in Waukon, marking the 57th anniversary of the annually scheduled event. The evening began with refreshments served. After a welcome by Chapter President Nina Van Gorp, introductions by members and guests were made. Loretta Schafer then presented the program on “Defining Moments.” The graduating young ladies from Waukon High School’s Class of 2021, pictured above, then shared memories from their high school years. Submitted photo.
 

Each spring the Waukon Lions Club hosts its annual Waukon High School Honors Banquet at the First Presbyterian Church in Waukon, recognizing students ranking in the top 15% academically of Waukon High School’s graduating class. For the second consecutive year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the traditional banquet was not able to be held, but the Waukon Lions Club still wants to recognize this year’s 16 Waukon High School graduating seniors from the Class of 2021, listed below in alphabetical order, for their hard work and dedication to academic excellence in ranking within this year’s top 15% of their graduating class:

Animal agriculture lights a fire in Waukon High School senior Madalyn Palmer when she considers her career future. Palmer earned a $1,000 Farm Kids for College Scholarship in the 2021 competition sponsored by National Farmers, Ames.

Palmer lives on her family’s dairy farm where they raise Holsteins for milk production. Highlights of her farm involvement include helping with calf chores, milking cows, treating sick animals and interpreting for and training Hispanic employees using her Spanish skills. She is the daughter of Eric and Stephanie Palmer of Waukon.

April is Financial Literacy Month, so it’s a great time to figure out or revisit a family’s financial plan. Parents with K-12 students should include financial planning for education or training after high school as an integral part of any such plan. These tips from the experts at Iowa Student Loan can help parents plan:

1. Know what your goals are. Every situation is unique. You may need to reduce debt, plan for your students’ college expenses, save for retirement or fund some large purchases - or all of the above. The important thing is that you have a concrete list of your financial goals to start with.

2. Make reasonable estimates. Once you’ve defined your goals, it’s time to come up with a good estimate of the amount of money you need for each. How much will you need to save between now and retirement to fund your future lifestyle? What will college or a specific training program cost by the time your student is out of high school?

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach are launching an online training for the national award-winning Growing Up WILD activity guide.

This online training provides exciting hands-on activities and resources to help lead children (ages three to seven) out the door to explore nature. Activities use age-appropriate practices and concepts to build and nurture a child’s sense of wonder about nature, wildlife and the great outdoors. Early learning activities focus on: math, science, language, literacy, health living, play and creativity.

Participants are required to complete online pre-workshop activities and attend the online training May 19, from 6-9 pm. Cost includes the Growing Up WILD activity guide. Participants receive four (clock) hours credit for childcare license renewal approved by Iowa Department of Human Services.