Education

by Brianne Eilers

It can be hard to imagine that hunger is an issue for families in America. However, life's twists and turns put many families in a situation where it can be a struggle to put food on the table.

One in five children in America faces hunger, and when children don't get proper nutrition, it can affect a number of things, such as concentration. Imagine having to go a whole weekend without having much to eat and then trying to focus on school lessons the following Monday morning.

The Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) has been involved in a program that has been trying to address those hunger issues for local students who may need such assistance. For almost 10 years now the ACSD has been partnering with the Northeast Iowa Food Bank to provide the BackPack

Program to help students make sure they have something to eat when school meals aren't available.

As college and career options begin entering the conversation for high school juniors and seniors, Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC), the Northeast Iowa Career Learning Link Partnership and the Waukon Center are resources that can be used now by students looking to answer the question of what they plan to do after high school graduation.

Taking advantage of the concurrent enrollment agreement between Waukon High School and NICC, as well as Career Learning Link, are good strategies for high school students who want a head start on a two- or four-year college degree, conveniently and more affordably.

Dietsy Mitchell, a 2017 Waukon High School graduate, completed numerous college credits through the college credit agreement. Her participation in the Career Learning Link program as an upperclassman also brought her healthcare career goals into focus.

Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) Business and Community Solutions is offering the class “Kids and Canvas - It’s Elementary!” Tuesday, November 28 from 3:30-6:30 p.m. at the NICC Waukon Center, located at 1220 Third Avenue NW.

Children can explore the world of painting in this class designed for elementary school-aged kids. In class, the kids are provided the paint and artist’s canvas, an age-appropriate subject and step-by-step guidance to release each child’s inherent creativity.

To register online for “Kids and Canvas - It’s Elementary!” (#57895) 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 (NICC Waukon Center).

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach recently visited the St. Patrick School kindergarten class to offer Fizz, Bubble and Goo, a science-based program which requires students to get messy and sparks their natural curiosity for learning. A few of the activities included making homemade bubbles and bubble blowers and cola with ingredients right out of the cupboard. The kindergarten students learned what makes Alka Seltzer fizz and what gas blew up their balloon when they mixed baking soda and vinegar. The grand finale was making elephant toothpaste (pictured above) and watching the reaction between hydrogen peroxide, yeast and soap. Included in the finale was the Mentos and soda pop experiment, dropping 10 candies into the Coca-Cola (pictured below and a must-try at home!) For more information about joining 4-H, contact Becky Rea, Allamakee County K-12 Program Coordinator, at the Iowa State Extension and Outreach Allamakee County Office at 563-568-6345. Submitted photos.

Equity Cooperative Livestock Sales Association is offering ten $1,000 scholarships for the 2018-2019 academic year to college students pursuing careers, as well as two $750 scholarships specifically for students earning degrees from technical colleges.

“Equity Livestock is proud to help students further their educational endeavors by offering scholarships,” says Chuck Adami, president/chief executive officer (CEO). “The rise in tuition isn’t making it easy for today’s youth to earn their degree, so if our scholarship program can slightly reduce their financial worries, then by all means, we should support their efforts.”

Life is not about money - but how people manage their money impacts their quality of life, their family’s life, and the life of their community. A new course from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach provides the tools Iowans need to work toward financial goals.

“Your Money, Your Future begins in three communities this November,” said Jeannette Mukayisire, Human Sciences Family Finance Specialist. “In this two-part course you’ll learn how to make your money work for you.” The course covers how to understand spending, use financial management resources, and build personal financial management skills. It is sponsored by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and Northeast Iowa Community Action Corporation.

The class will meet at the following Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Offices:

First and second graders put the “A” for Art in STEAM this fall. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach (ISUEO) partnered with the 21st Century Community Connections Learning Center (CCLC) Kids Club at West Elementary to offer a STEAM-themed after school program. Ten first and second graders met once a week for six weeks to participate in hands-on learning. They learned how to make their own scratch-off paper and experimented with marshmallow launchers. The youth also learned about chromatography and how a black marker is made up of multiple colors. Lastly, the youth made salt paintings. They observed how when placing the salt on wet paint, it will soak up the water but not the pigment, creating a unique picture. While painting they also learned if they were left or right “footed” when no hands were aloud (as pictured above).

The Waukon High School Music Department has selected "State Fair" as this year's musical production under the direction of Sarah J. Palmer and assistant director Louise Wild. Three performances are being planned for Thursday, November 2 at 7 p.m., Saturday, November 4 at 7 p.m., and a matinee Sunday, November 5 at 1 p.m. The performances will be held at the Waukon High School auditorium.

Imagine that it is the late Summer of 1946 on an Iowa family farm - the Frake family farm in Brunswick, Iowa to be exact. The Frakes are preparing to leave for the Iowa State Fair. Father, Abel (played by Nathan Smith), is confident his prize boar, Blue Boy, will win a blue ribbon, but neighbor, Dave Miller (played by Michael Benson), isn't so sure. He makes a $5 bet that something is bound to go wrong for at least one member of the family. Abel accepts the bet.

The Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) will once again be sponsoring a number of retreats for its students in November. Youth Frontiers, an organization from Minneapolis, MN, will host the retreats. Youth Frontiers is a nonprofit organization in existence since 1987. The group delivered over 861 retreats last year to over 130,000 students from 775 schools.

Youth Frontiers’ retreats act as a catalyst for students.  By taking an entire grade offsite (to Village Creek for ACSD students), Youth Frontiers challenges them to bring respect back to the hallways of the school. These retreats will focus on Kindness, Courage and Respect. Ultimately, students become engaged in making the school a place where students and teachers are respected and both are challenged to learn to maximize their full potential.

Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) Business and Community Solutions is offering the class “Using Social Media to Ramp Up Holiday Sales” Thursday, November 2 from 6-8 p.m. at the NICC Waukon Center, located at 1220 Third Avenue.

To register for the class (#59536) 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 (NICC Waukon Center).