Archive | December, 2011

Bobcat Boys Swimmers raise money for House of Compassion

21 Dec

Andi Walker (left) from the House of Compassion accepts a $414.09 donation from the MHS Boys Swim Team. Next to Walker are Bobcat senior swimmers (L to R) Glenn Van Staalduine, John Mahlstede and Nate Menuey.

The MHS Boys Swim Team donated $414.09 to the House of Compassion Dec. 21, all proceeds from their annual Change for Charity drive.

For three years Coach Mike Loupee has challenged his swim team to bring in spare change for a local charity. Each week (beginning after Thanksgiving) there is a different competition with swimmers competing against each other according to lane assignments, grade level, or birthday. Each week the team with the most money wins a batch of Coach Loupee’s famous homemade cookies.

Each year the seniors on the swim team get to choose the charity.

Franklin students Skype with teacher in Germany

21 Dec

Mrs. Pietig's second grade class waves hello to Ms. Rebecca Roth, who told students about German holiday traditions via Skype from Berlin.

For students in Angie Pietig’s second grade class, learning about holiday customs meant more than just reading about them in books. Using Skype, the students were able to talk to a teacher in Germany and gain first-hand knowledge about traditions halfway around the world.

The students talked with Rebecca Roth, a former German teacher in Marshalltown who currently lives and teaches in Berlin, Germany. Franklin media specialist Jae Dwyer arranged the conversation with Roth after talking with Mrs. Pietig about her class’s unit on “Holidays Around the World.”

Mrs. Pietig’s students gathered in the media center Tuesday afternoon at 2:20pm to talk with Ms. Roth in Germany (9:20pm local time).

Ms. Roth showed the students photos of Christmas markets and tree decorating traditions. She also took questions from students about different German traditions. The students also learned a little German during the process, telling Ms. Roth “guten tag” (Good day) and “Danke” (Thank you).

Hoglan Caring Project collects toys for Salvation Army

21 Dec

Holgan Elementary students and staff worked together to collect toys and raise money for the Salvation Army toy drive as part of their annual caring project.

Students and staff brought in toys to donate and also rang bells with the Salvation Army red kettles before and after school each day Dec. 5-16 collecting donations. A kettle was also placed at the Center Street Dairy Queen. Over the course of two weeks Hoglan collected $450 from the kettles, all of which was used to purchase more toys. This was $100 more than raised in 2010.

The toys were proudly displayed at the Hoglan Holiday Music program, which was held Monday at the MHS/Community Auditorium.

This is the third year Hoglan has supported the Salvation Army Toy Drive.

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Miller 8C raises $560 to buy presents for Salvation Army Angel Tree

19 Dec

8C students (L to R) Michael Smolik, Omar Medina, Cole Keeler, Sam Arneson, Courtney Schmidt, and Julissa Ramirez.

Students in 8C at Miller Middle School went on a shopping spree Friday. The students purchased $560 in toys, games, books and other presents – not for themselves, but for those in need this holiday season.

The students in 8C (about 120 eighth graders) raised the $560 to purchase presents for children on the Salvation Army Angel Tree. The students brought in donations over a period of two weeks. Six students’ names were then drawn to go with teacher Shea Lunsford to Wal-Mart Friday morning to shop for presents.

The gifts were then dropped off at the Salvation Army.

8C’s giving spirit was seen other places too. They came out on top of a school-wide food drive, donating 151 of a total 459 non-perishable food items.

Rogers Elementary students donate 320+ items to Emergency Food Box

19 Dec

Loren and Diane Upah from the Emergency Food Box accept donations from Rogers Elementary students.

Rogers Elementary collected more than 320 non-perishable food items for the Emergency Food Box this month.

Students brought donations to school starting at the end of November and going up until Friday, Dec. 16. The school had a goal of 300 items, which Rogers students met and surpassed with ease.

During an assembly Friday the food was given to Loren and Diane Upah from the Emergency Food Box. Diane Upah told the students to give themselves a hug and remember that feeling, for the donations they provided were going to give comfort to those in need during the holiday season.

Anson collects pop tabs, food for holiday caring project

16 Dec

Anson Elementary collected 350 food items for the Salvation Army and 32 1/2 lbs. of pop tabs for the Ronald McDonald House during their holiday caring project.

Students brought donated food items Nov. 23-Dec. 15 and collected pop tabs Dec. 1-15. Learning Supports Specialist Ashley Wiegand said one student brought nearly 16 lbs of the pop tabs himself. She also noted the students were extremely excited about the project.

Each student who brought a food item was able to put their name on a paper ornament that was hung on a tree near the Anson Media Center.

The donations were picked up by the Salvation Army Dec. 15.

Lenihan FIRST LEGO League team wins regionals

13 Dec

Front (L to R): Martin Runquist, Maggie Grimm, Joseph Anguiano. Back: Jill Podhajsky, Joshua Arment, Lucas Duff

Lenihan’s FIRST LEGO League team took the overall championship at the regional contest held Saturday, Dec. 10, at Marshalltown Community College. The win advances the team to the state competition Jan. 14, 2012, at Iowa State University.

Lenihan’s Extended Learning Program team won the overall Championship, in a field of 32 Central Iowa teams, by earning the highest combined scores in all four competition categories:  Robot Challenge, Technical Interview, Research Presentation, and FLL Core Values.  Members of Team Mu are sixth graders: Joseph Anguiano, Joshua Arment, Lucas Duff, Maggie Grimm, Jill Podhajsky, and Martin Runquist.

The 2011-2012 FLL theme is “Food Factor”. Throughout the fall semester, the team has researched milk production and possible bacterial contamination points.  Based on this research, the students wrote a project presentation, designed an innovative solution to the contamination problem, and compiled an annotated bibliography of their research sources.

Work on the robot challenge included completing advanced programming tutorials, constructing three robot prototypes and their final robot design, and programming multiple missions using LEGO MINDSTORM software. The students incorporated a light sensor and ultrasonic sensor to input data for an autonomous program as well as utilized a third motor to operate their forklift, fishing net, catch basin, and bumper attachments.

The team will face 72 qualifying teams Jan. 14 at the ISU College of Engineering. More than 200 teams competed at regional competitions across the state.

Miller LEGO League team advancing to state

13 Dec

Front (L to R): Mary Drummer, Nick Summers. Back: Whitney Canaday, Juliana Osgood, Tim Potter, Jacob Ramsey Smith, James Drummer, and Ethan Thill.

Two Miller Middle School teams competed at the FIRST LEGO League regional competition Saturday, Dec. 10, at Marshalltown Community College, with one team advancing to state.

The “Space Unicorns” won a trophy in Project Presentation, where teams explore an actual problem that scientists are trying to solve, develop an innovative solution, and share their findings.

This year’s theme is “Food Factor”, and the Space Unicorns’ project focused on the use of lasers in chicken processing as a means of reducing microbial contamination. The team includes Mary Drummer, Nick Summers, Whitney Canaday, Juliana Osgood, Tim Potter, Jacob Ramsey Smith, James Drummer, and Ethan Thill.  Joel Thill assists as a tech coach.

The team will compete at the state FIRST LEGO League contest Jan. 14, 2012, at the Iowa State University College of Engineering. Out of 200 teams competing at regionals, only 72 qualified for state.

The “Mango-pacas” were sponsored by the Girl Scouts and won a certificate in Programming for their efficient use of code.  This team includes Emma Alman, Olivia Arneson (Lenihan), Haley Hodges, Victoria Johnson (Lenihan), Hannah Lindgren, Andrea Lothe, Olyvia Mathews, and Sydnie Wohlert.  Their coaches are Janine McCormick and Nate McCormick.

Miller students, staff kick off Friday by kicking up their heels

9 Dec

There are many ways to mark the beginning a Friday. At Miller Middle School, this morning was all about dancing.

At 8:10am, while students were waiting in the auditorium for the morning bell, a group of teachers flocked in front of the stage and as music turned on they began to dance. It started small with just a handful of staff, but before long teachers and students were joining in until a large group was sharing in the holiday spirit.

Miller science teacher Tammie Sotyn said the idea of the spontaneous dance party came after a similar performance at the Holiday Stroll. A few staff members practiced earlier in the week to get down the basic moves.

She said they hoped to use the activity to have some fun together and enjoy the holiday spirit.

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MHS Policy Debaters place second, third at Okoboji Invite

9 Dec

Front (L to R): Keyana Vasquez, Becky Schwartzenburg, Natalie Kueny, Maria Vasquez, Kade Vopava. Back (L to R): Kierra Carbajal, Aaron Livingston and Tim Counts, Coach Brian Bown.

The Marshalltown High School Policy Debate Team had its most successful tournament to date recently, with two Bobcat teams taking second and third place at the Okoboji Invitational.

The debaters competed in Spirit Lake Dec. 2-3. Juniors Tim Counts and Aaron Livingston advanced to the championship against Des Moines Roosevelt and came away with a second place trophy. The freshman team of Kade Vopava and Keyana Vasques took third.

This weekend the debaters travel to Des Moines for the Dowling Catholic Paradigm Debate Tournament.

“They are going from the frying pan into the fire this weekend,” Coach Brian Bown said. “Dowling is one of the tournaments on the national debate circuit. If we want to go where we want to go in the future we need to get used to tournaments like Dowling. Okoboji was fun. Now it’s time to get serious.”

Marshalltown will finish December with a tournament at Des Moines Lincoln Dec. 17 before the state tournament in January. The National Forensic League District 31 tournament in February qualifies teams for the NFL National Tournament to be held in Indianapolis this summer.

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