Education News

Natalie Brewer took a break from her summer internship to return to BVU to welcome a huge class of incoming freshman as a member of the Orientation Team. During introductions, Brewer, per the Orientation Team tradition, presented a gift to one new student. Brewer handed out a small puzzle, along with her explanation: “Because everyone’s story is unique, and BVU helps you along the way as you put the pieces together and discover your true identity.”...

The following students participated in the weeklong Tech Trek camp in July at Buena Vista University: • Maddy Courtright, of Storm Lake • Megan Courtright, of Storm Lake • Claudia Tapia, of Alta • Lydia Whitmore, of Storm Lake • Autumn Wunschel, of Lakeside...

Seven youth from Sac County recently participated in the Scratch your Video Game Itch Camp at the Sac County Extension Office. The participants played Olympic games with Dot. For the rest of the camp, the participants used Scratch and designed their video games. ...

Central College is adding new club sports for the 2019-20 school year, including men’s volleyball and women’s bowling with the possibility of both soon becoming varsity sports. Men’s volleyball and women’s bowling continue to be emerging intercollegiate sports, the result of increased participation at the high school level...

The annual retired staff breakfast will be August 23. Anyone who has retired from Storm Lake Community School is invited to attend. The group will meet at Lakeshore Cafe at 8 to chat for a bit, then order from the menu and eat around 8:30. If you have questions, call Marilyn at 732-7783 or Denise at 284-2843...

On Monday, July 8th, 6 youth from Sac County participated in the What is a Farmer? camp at the Sac County Extension and Outreach Office. The participants were able to take a personality assessment, had a crossword puzzle with different uses for animal products, learned about the different jobs within the farming industry, played a farming simulation game, and ended the day getting a tour of 2 different farms. ...

Dr. Dan Kinney of Iowa Central Community College was officially awarded the IACCT (Iowa Association of Community College Trustees) 2019 Iowa Outstanding Chief Administrator Award last week in Council Bluffs.

Briana Roberts, AC of Pierce, White, & Liberty Halls, has traveled to more than 17 countries. Briana encourages students to take advantage of traveling opportunities at BVU. “Expanding what you learn here, globally, is what I try to encourage and excite students about.”...

Nothing but smiles from BV’s first-year Mental Health Counseling and Professional School Counseling graduate students. They had an exciting residency week ahead of them.

High school and current college students will once again have the opportunity to win Upper Iowa University tuition awards and free classes during the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines. To enter the respective drawings, students are encouraged to visit the University’s information booth during the August 8-18 event...

School districts throughout the U.S. are struggling to find school bus drivers, a challenge that has worsened with low unemployment and a strong economy. The problem has become so severe that some districts are offering sign-up bonuses for new drivers, while others rely on mechanics, custodians and other school employees to fill the gap. For parents and students, the shortage can mean longer waits for a ride to school and more crowded buses...

Storm Lake student Lessly Ortega, taking part in the Rocket Girls education program at Kennedy Space Center.

The path Debra Marquart followed to becoming a writer was far from ordinary. And yet, it is hard to imagine how the Iowa State University Distinguished Professor of English could have taken any other route and achieved as much. That’s because every unexpected detour and fork in the road – even the “grim existence of life on the farm” – have strongly influenced her poetry, short stories and novels. ...

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds announced Wednesday that a total of 23 Iowa school districts including Storm Lake will be able to bolster their computer science teacher workforce, due to a state appropriation of $500,000. Storm Lake schools will receive over $57,000 for teacher professional development in science and technology...

Simpson College student Addalyn Boettcher of Storm Lake earned Dean’s List honors for the 2019 spring semester, the college recently announced. To qualify for the Dean’s List, students must achieve a minimum GPA of 3.70 for the semester. In all, Simpson placed 227 undergraduate students on the Dean’s List...

Iowa Central Community College will celebrate the accomplishments of its 2019 Radiologic Technology graduates at their pinning ceremony July 17.

Maggie Reyes’ eyes light up as she considers the impact Buena Vista University’s Education for Service Scholars have on campus, in Storm Lake, across Buena Vista County, and beyond. The 10 Education for Service Scholars, all freshmen, broke new ground for BVU in their recently completed academic year. ...

Construction is underway on the Greehey Student Success Center on the Iowa Central Community College campus. You can watch the progress live at https://public.earthcam.net/IowaCentral.

One of the many improvements this summer at Newell-Fonda, additional trophy cases. Thanks to Dan Lullman for making and installing new trophy cases next to the ticket window. They look awesome.

The P.E.O. Chapter GJ of Sioux Rapids is proud to announce four scholarship recipients for 2019. Three young women have received the Dr. Carol Steiler Halverson Scholarship for $500. Amber Chrischilles is the daughter of Russell and Amy Chrischilles from Storm Lake. She is attending Minnesota State University at Mankato. Her major area of study is Mass Media with a minor in Marketing and Communication Studies...

The following local students were named to the Buena Vista University Dean’s List for the spring semester: • Sara Eddie, of Storm Lake, earned Dean’s List recognition at BVU’s Spencer site for the spring semester. • Brynn Larson, of Rembrandt, earned Dean’s List recognition at BVU’s Spencer site for the spring semester...

National acts like Flo Rida, Liz Phair and George Thorogood are on tap for this year’s Saturday in the Park festival at Sioux City’s Grandview Park. A shuttle will be available from the Tyson Events Center. Admission is free to the entire day’s entertainment, which starts at noon and runs until about 10:30 p.m...

A mural at the Storm Lake Elementary School library featuring book jackets encourages children to develop a love of reading, proclaiming, “The Magic Lives Here.” The SLES walls were also covered this school year with book reviews written by the students themselves...

The new Future Ready Iowa Last-Dollar Scholarship, signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds, on Monday, June 3 will be available to qualified students at Western Iowa Tech Community College for the 20J 9-20 academic year. The Last-Dollar Scholarship is intended to cover tuition for students in programs that lead to high-demand jobs in Iowa. ...

Dr. Dan Kinney, president of Iowa Central Community College, has been awarded the IACCT (Iowa Association of Community College Trustees) 2019 Iowa Outstanding Chief Administrator Award. “Dr. K” was honored with a surprise announcement at the most recent board of trustees meeting...

On Wednesday, June 19, 19 youth from Sac County participated in the BBQ Camp at the Sac County Extension and Outreach Office. Youth were able to test their knowledge playing a jeopardy game about beef, participated in stations to learn about the cuts of meat and where they are located on a beef animal, identified breeds of cows, read food labels, worked on teamwork skills by playing a straw and eartag game, got to see the bacteria on a play-doh burger, and ended the day by making their own hamburger and seeing the difference when using 80%, 85% and 90% lean ground beef. ...

The following area students recently graduated from Buena Vista University: • Melanie Brashears of Storm Lake earned a master of science in education in professional school counseling. • Jasmine Demers of Storm Lake earned a master of arts in organizational leadership...

Buena Vista University has launched a new track within its existing Teacher Leadership, Curriculum, and Instruction (TLCI) master’s degree program designed from the ground up for the full-time K-12 educator powered by Discovery Education, the leader in standards-aligned digital curriculum resources, engaging content, and professional learning for K-12 classrooms. ...

With teachers in short supply, the Storm Lake School District has a new idea on where to get tutors for students in the Alternative High School program who may need extra help. “We have a whole high school full of kids who are really good at math,” says Superintendent Stacey Cole, adding that such people “don’t just fall out of the sky.”...

On May 22 the MMCRU physics class (Robert Russel, Daymion George and Lucas Sanchez) competed in a Milk Jug Boat Race at ValleyFair Amusement Park. This was the culmination of a semester long project of gathering milk jugs, designing, planning, and finally building with the help of Mr. ...

Kendall Snyder from Buena Vista County, was awarded the Northwest Iowa 4-H Scholarship through the Iowa 4-H Foundation at the recognition ceremony Sunday, June 2 in Ames. The Iowa 4-H Foundation has announced the recipients of over 100 Iowa 4-H scholarships valued at over $115,000. ...

Brea Baumhover from Buena Vista County, was awarded the Persinger-Asmus-Ferrin Family 4-H Scholarship through the Iowa 4-H Foundation at the recognition ceremony Sunday, June 3 in Ames. The Iowa 4-H Foundation has announced the recipients of over 100 Iowa 4-H scholarships valued at over $115,000. ...

The Sac County Extension and Outreach Office held its annual babysitting clinic at the East Sac County Elementary School last week. The participants were split into groups and observed the different aged rooms at Kids World. Ben Ringgenberg, Charlie Peyton and Bob Murley from the Sac County Ambulance showed the participants what to do when a child is choking or not breathing, Justin Ortner of Iowa State Bank taught the youth how to manage their money, and Annette Koster of BVCS ECI taught the youth ages and stages of children. ...

Dennis Young, a longstanding servant leader for Buena Vista University, was recognized as a Sir John Marks Templeton Life Trustee during a ceremony that capped off the spring meeting of the BVU Board of Trustees in Storm Lake. “Induction as a Sir John Templeton Life Trustee is a special honor,” BVU President Joshua Merchant said in a presentation. ...

Verizon awarded a technology grant to the Friends of the Storm Lake Public Library to implement an Inter-generational robot program for parents and their children this coming autumn. Ozobot Evo robots and other teaching materials will be purchased to teach basic coding to those with preschool or early elementary school children. The program will end with an Ozobot Race. Registration will be required due to limited materials...

In an ongoing effort to continually better serve their students, St. Mary’s High School added a Heritage Language Learners Spanish course for native Spanish speakers to fine tune their overall Spanish communication skills. St. Mary’s Spanish Educator Anne Dahlhauser said when she arrived at St. ...

Storm Lake St. Mary’s Elementary School STEM program will be receiving a robotics kit from the Science Center of Iowa Making STEM Connections, awarded by the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council. Fourth grade educator Denise Hull earned the award for the school...

The Storm Lake High School band performed at the recent Memorial Day ceremonies held at the school auditorium.

At the State Conference in Ames it was announced that Sydney Herrig was the Iowa Society DAR 2019 Memorial Scholarship winner. Sydney graduates this May from Sioux Central High School. Her entry was sponsored by Buena Vista Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution...

Dr. Nathan Backman, associate professor of computer science, was named the 33rd recipient of the George Wythe Award, Buena Vista University’s highest honor for excellence in teaching, at the conclusion of the University’s Employee Recognition Celebration on Friday, May 24...

Buena Vista University Commencement was held Saturday. Students made the march to the fieldhouse, top. Above, some of the creative mortarboard decor celebrating the students achievements, and in one case (center) bemoaning student debt.

The 2019 DAR Good Citizens from six area schools are proudly announced by Buena Vista Chapter. Anna Tiefenthaler of Newell-Fonda, Rachel Kenny of Ridge View, Ben Hargens of Sioux Central, Kylee Lange of Storm Lake, and Alondra Melendez of St Mary’s were selected by their local schools. ...

The Buena Vista University Concert Choir has been named a finalist in the prestigious American Prize national nonprofit competition in the performing arts, the only Iowa choir to earn the acclaim this year. “It’s an extreme honor for us,” says Dr. Merrin Guice, BVU’s director of vocal studies. “With this advancement to the position of finalist, we are joining some very big-time ensembles.”...

Four local graduating seniors have received $1,500 scholarships through the Discovery Scholarship program sponsored by the Flint Hills Resources Arthur ethanol plant. The Discovery Scholarship recognizes outstanding achievement both inside and outside the classroom. Scholarship winners are selected based on academic performance, demonstrated leadership, entrepreneurial skills and their intent to pursue careers in STEM – science, technology, engineering and math – or agriculture...

Five siblings gathered in Storm Lake this weekend to watch their youngest brother graduate from high school, decades after their parents emigrated from war-torn Sudan to the United States. Cham Deng received his diploma Sunday from Storm Lake High School with a 3.4 grade point average, ranking him 28th in his class of 190 students, the Sioux City Journal reported. Storm Lake is a city in Buena Vista County with a population of roughly 10,600...

College graduates will be hitting a hot job market this spring if they’re ready to begin their careers, counselors and recruiters said. “The market’s pretty phenomenal for our students right now,” said Bill Watts, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s director of advising and career services. He said graduates have better chances this year to land good jobs than he’s seen in 20 years...

First Cooperative Association, headquartered in Cherokee, Iowa with 23 locations in Northwest Iowa has awarded 24 $500 scholarships to chosen graduates in their trade area. Since 1997 in excess of $178,000 has been given to local graduates to further their education in a variety of fields...

State Treasurer Michael L. Fitzgerald wants to remind Iowans May 31 is their last chance to celebrate 529 College Savings Day by registering for a chance to win a $529 College Savings Iowa account for a child in their life. “This year, we’re celebrating 529 Day with a College Savings Iowa account giveaway along with an informational video to go along with the contest,” Fitzgerald said. ...