Education

Allamakee Scholarship Fund, Inc. will be taking part in the observance of Great Give Day Thursday, May 10 in an effort to give supporters an opportunity to donate to its mission of encouraging students of the Allamakee Community School District to reach for and achieve their educational goals. Reorganized from its original Allamakee Dollars for Scholars in 2014, Allamakee Scholarship Fund, Inc. has awarded more than $938,355 in scholarships to 1,531 students in an effort to carry out its mission.

Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) Business and Community Solutions is offering a High School Driver Education course from July 5-20. The course will be held from 1-4 p.m. at the NICC Waukon Center, 1220 Third Avenue NW.

To satisfy the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) requirements for a drivers license, 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.

To register online for class (#59604), or for more information, visit www.nicc.edu/solutions or call NICC Business and Community Solutions at 800-728-2256, ext. 399 (Calmar Campus) or 563-568-3060 (Waukon Center).
 

by Susan Cantine-Maxson

The Eastern Allamakee Community School District (EACSD) Board of Directors held its regular meeting Monday, April 16. Audience comments included a presentation by instructor Tiffanie Peters about the Career Fair & Worked Based Learning Program. She has recently presented at several workshops, including the Iowa Workspace Learning Conference in Waukee, and will be presenting at Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) next week.

She described a new program which will be implemented in the fall which she will head up for the school district. This program has been discussed for four years but new legislation which supports 21st century skills for students who do not go to a college will make it a reality. Students will complete core subjects and then participate in CTE (Career Technical Education) programs which get them out into the workforce.

Tuesday, May 8 at 7 p.m., the Senior Awards Program for the Waukon High School Class of 2018 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 awards that evening. In addition, honors and achievements by Waukon High School Class of 2018 members will be recognized. Any organization presenting an award needs to contact Amy Wasson at Waukon High School to confirm program information and inclusion in the program by Tuesday, May 1.
 

by Brianne Eilers

The Allamakee Community School District (ACSD)board of directors met for its regular monthly meeting Monday evening, April 16. During the Superintendent’s report, ACSD Dave Herold updated those in attendance about several legislative items at the State level.

Herold said that ACSD would be updating its security plan in order to be compliant with SF 2364, and that this piece of legislation requires school districts to have a compliant emergency plan by June 2019. Herold noted that ACSD would just have to “tweak” its plan and add a few things.

Waukon High School Prom 2018 is scheduled for Saturday, April 21. Parents of high school students are again hosting the annual substance-free Post Prom event at the Waukon High School gymnasium immediately following Prom, from 11 p.m. until 3:30 a.m. the next morning.

Very strong past support from parents of Waukon High School students, as well as from local businesses and civic organizations, has resulted in the continued success of providing Prom-goers a safe alternative for celebrating the annual event. That support has provided these young adults with games, food, entertainment and prizes at the Post Prom event each year.

Assistance is needed for the event in two main areas:

Waterville native and Minnesota author Mary Evanson Bleckwehl will be visiting East and West Elementary Schools in Waukon to begin next week, Monday and Tuesday, April 16-17, to read her new book “Claire’s Hair” and discuss the importance of reading. She will also talk about how a book is made and the process of becoming an author.

The phrase "laughter is the best medicine" is played out in a new picture book by the daughter of the late Melbourne and Helen Evanson of Waterville. Following the success of her first two award-winning children’s books, “Henry! You’re Late Again!” and “Henry, You’re Hungry Again?”, she has now written "Claire’s Hair," recently released by Beaver’s Pond Press.

In the spirit of days gone by, Waukon High School drama students will be presenting “Beverly Hillbillies” on stage - now on each side of this weekend due to weekend winter weather. This play features the same famous family of hillbillies that many watched each week on television from the 1960s. Those attending will follow the Clampett family from their simple mountain cabin, where oil is discovered, out to the swank hills of Beverly Hills, CA. When Jed Clampett and his family arrive in their new home, their plain country ways result in considerable hilarity. For those who remember the television show, all the well-loved characters will be there. Due to anticipated winter weather for this weekend, performances are now scheduled for Friday, April 13 and Monday, April 16, both at 7 p.m. General admission tickets will be available for purchase at the door the evening of each performance.

 The annual P.E.O. reception for girls from the graduating  class at Waukon High School was held Monday, April 2 at Zion United Church of Christ in Waukon, marking the 55th anniversary of the event. The evening began with refreshments served. After a welcome by Chapter President Sue Torkelson, introductions by members and guests were made. Linda Johanningmeier then presented the program on “Life Lessons and Making Smart, Calculated Risks.” The graduating young ladies from Waukon High School’s Class of 2018, pictured above, then shared memories from their high school years. Submitted photo.
 

The Kee High School Drama Department will be presenting “Surviving Reality” as its annual spring play on stage this weekend. Show times are Saturday, April 7 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, April 8 at 2 p.m. Admission will be payable at the door for each showing. The play is a two-act comedy written by Daniel O’Donnell and published by Eldridge Publishing. It involves the owner of a small local television station deciding to produce his own reality show, casting the haughty Tuttletons of Park Avenue, NY with the down-home Hatter family of Hog Holler, KY. The families think they only have to live together in the Hatter cabin for a month, but unbeknownst to them, they must also endure a series of challenges made increasingly impossible so the million-dollar prize cannot possibly be won. Come see if and how the Tuttletons and Hatters comically endure everything thrown at them, including exchanging clothes and accents, to the final, ultimate test of eating worms and cow eyes.