Archive | January, 2012

MHS art educators honored as 2012 Friends of the Arts

30 Jan

(L to R) Mary Giese, executive director, Marshall County Arts & Culture Alliance; Julie Bousum; Phyllis Lane; Kirk Niehouse.

Marshalltown High School art educators Kirk Niehouse and Julie Bousum were two of three recipients of the 2012 Friends of the Arts award given by the Marshall County Arts & Culture Alliance.

Niehouse, Bousum and Phyllis Lane were honored at the Alliance annual meeting Jan. 26, held in the community building at Riverview Park. Mary Giese, executive director for the Alliance, presented the awards.

A Marshalltown native, Niehouse attended Marshalltown Community College, where he studied under Ray Frederick. He graduated from the University of Northern Iowa and student taught under Don Lovell. He owns Marshalltown Pottery Company and has been a regular award winner at the Iowa State Fair since 2009.

Bousum is a native of Benton County who attended Iowa State University. She originally came to Marshalltown to teach English, speech, drama and language arts. For the past 20 years she has taught summer classes for children through Marshalltown Parks & Recreation. She also teaches pottery through Iowa Valley Continuing Education and the Amana Art Guild. She has work displayed at Wolfe Clinic and in Dysart, Iowa.

Both Niehouse and Bousum also support the annual Art & Compassion Soup Lunch, donating handmade ceramic soup bowls created by themselves and students in the MHS Art Department.

“We want to honor the many ways you have motivated, inspired and supported students of all ages in developing their love of art, and their skill in creating art,” Giese said.

Lane began singing in her choir at First United Methodist Church when she was 16 years old. She played flute in high school and later the municipal band. She helped create the community symphonic band and studied piano under Ellie Chandler. She was the first co-president of the Community Concert Association, a member of the Early American Glass Club and serves on the board for Binford House.

Her sons are also both musical. Nick is a professional trombonist, arranger and composer in Los Angeles and Lex is an organist in his church in Illinois.

MHS Forensics net six awards at Iowa City High Classic

30 Jan

The Marshalltown Forensics Team struck it big at the Iowa City High Classic tournament over the weekend. Overall, six awards were presented to Marshalltown students, while those not receiving awards still competed well.

At her first tournament ever, Zeina El Jahjah placed first in Lincoln-Douglas debate. Zeina secured five wins and only one loss during the tournament to place first. Zeina also earned third in LD speaker awards.

Gwen Morrison walked away with two awards: second in Prose and fourth in Dramatic Interpretation. Gwen also performed her DI piece for her team and a small group of firemen and women at the Heartland Inn on Friday night! The firemen and women truly enjoyed Gwen’s performance and gave her many accolades.

Christian Kremer-Terry brought home second in LD speaker awards, while Chandler Fisher placed fourth in Poetry at the event.

Congratulations to everyone who competed, and now it is time to get ready for districts on February 10-11.

Marshalltown ensembles advance to State Large-Group Speech

30 Jan

Four groups from Marshalltown High School are advancing to the State Iowa High School Speech Association Large Group Contest on Feb. 4 as a result of District Competition in Grinnell on Jan. 20.

One group is readers theatre, At the Sound of the Tone, with Chika Onyeka, Emily Nordstrom, Jasmine Vore, Jordan Cline, Marissa Chase, Megan Rachuy, Sydney Davis, and Brennan Goodman. Another is Radio News, Weekend Update, includes Cody Johnson, Jared Mills, Marissa Chase, and Megan Rachuy. The ensemble acting Eleemosynary features Emilie Nyssen, Emily Nordstrum, and Natalie Heddens, while the fourth group is Welcome to a Nightmare with all freshmen members: Chandler Fisher, Cassidy Fisher, Allyson Biggs, Dahlia Fifo, Alex Herink, Kierra Carbajal, Sumeet Panchal, and Marisa Anderson. Senior Gwen Morrison directed the freshman group.

The following groups earned Division II ratings: Senior Choral Reading, Pecos Bill and Slue Foot Sue, with Brittany Ryerson, Cody Johnson, Jenny Brisson, Lisa Earney, Natalie Heddens, Randy Hanson, and Zeina El-Jahjah; and two group improvisation groups with Brennan Goodman, Hanna Carter, and Chika Onyeka, Emilie Nyssen, Lily Larsen. The coaches are Craig Luttrell and Julie Bousum.

Individual Speech Contest work starts soon. Students may take part in readings, acting and improv pieces, original speeches, memorized speeches, radio news, after dinner speaking, and storytelling. If students are interested in participating in competition Feb. 25, they should contact Coach Bousum at Marshalltown High School 754-1130.

Bobcat Special Olympics compete in Winter Games

27 Jan

Marshalltown Special Olympics athletes competed in the Winter Games Jan. 9-11, 2012, in Dubuque.

More than 25 students and staff participated in the games, as well as the many other activities, including: opening ceremonies, the torch lighting, awards banquets and a pool party.

“The Bobcats did a tremendous job of competing at the Winter Games in Dubuque,” said Aaron Shipley, Special Olympics coordinator. “All of them showed great determination and effort while participating. This experience is a very special one for our athletes, and I would like to thank the staff and chaperones who helped this great event take place.”

Results:

Snow Shoe

400M

Breanna Woolridge Silver
Robert Wood Silver
Colton Lubbert Gold
Richard Olmstead Bronze
McKenze Lubbert Silver
Cody Freese Silver

800M

McKenze Lubbert Gold
Colton Lubbert Gold
Richard Olmstead Bronze
Robert Wood Bronze

100M

Laura Drennon Gold
Leticia Flores Bronze
Miguel Salas 5th Place
Micheal Manley Gold

200M

Breanna Woolridge Bronze
Miguel Salas 4th Place
Micheal Manley Gold
Laura Drennon Gold
Leticia Flores Silver
Cody Freese Silver

Cross Country Skiing

1K

Travis Mull Gold
John Johnson Gold

500M

Travis Mull Gold
John Johnson Bronze
Jenny Sinclair 5th Place
Autumn Nelson 5th Place

100M

Jenny Sinclair Silver
Autumn Nelson Silver

Alpine Skiing

Giant Slaloom

Isaac Youngblood Gold
Victor Puckett Gold
Daniel Sanchez Bronze
Tesa Nichol Silver
Joey Fisher Silver

Regular Slaloom

Isaac Youngblood Silver
Victor Puckett 4th Place
Daniel Sanchez Gold
Tesa Nichol 4th Place
Joey Fisher Bronze

 

MHS to hold Academic Awards Night Feb. 2

25 Jan

Marshalltown High School will hold its first Academic Awards Night Thursday, Feb. 2, at 7pm in the MHS/Community Auditorium.

More than 239 MHS students will be recognized for achieving a 3.5 grade point average for two consecutive semesters. Students will receive a letter for their first two consecutive semesters at 3.5 GPA and above. For each two consecutive semesters after that, students will receive a bar to place on their letter.

The academic letter is one of several new academic recognition programs at MHS.  Several others were announced during a school-wide assembly in November 2011. Read more about them here.

E-readers donated to MHS Library

11 Jan

Marshalltown High School students enjoy Nook e-readers donated in memory of Linda Matkovich.

Marshalltown High School students can now check out Nook e-readers from the MHS library, thanks to a generous donation in memory of Linda Matkovich,

Matkovich spent 36 years teaching government and social studies in Marshalltown Schools before retiring in 2004. She also served as a cheerleading adviser. She passed away in 2007.

Six Nook Simple Touch Readers were donated to the library. Each holds 40 titles, including Iowa High School Book Award nominees and the Iowa High School Battle of the Books competition titles.

Students with a signed parental permission form may borrow a Nook for a 2-week period.

For more information, please contact Sue Inhelder at 641-754-1130 or sinhelder@marshalltown.k12.ia.us.

STEP announces $5,000 in grants available to Marshall County non-profits

5 Jan

First row (standing L to R): Kelly Vopava, Elizabeth Anderson, Emily Barske, Brooklyn Contreras, Rachel Faircloth, Lainey Crawford, Vanessa Jorgensen. Second Row: Lauren Grabau, T.J. Miller, Daniel Talbert, Elizabeth Barske, Kate Penttila, Connor Ruddick, Brennan Goodman. Third Row: Emma Runquist, Nathan Davis, Kody Zuercher, Dan Martin. Not pictured: Diana Yepez, Riley Willman and Brittanie McGrane

The S.T.E.P. program (Students Teaching and Empowering Philanthropy) is excited to announce a $5,000 funding opportunity for nonprofits in the Marshall County area.

Now in its second year, S.T.E.P. is a philanthropic program open to sophomores, juniors and seniors and is sponsored by the Martha-Ellen Tye Foundation and the Community Foundation of Marshall County, an affiliate of the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa, in cooperation with Marshalltown High School. This program allows high school age students in Marshalltown to learn about local non-profit organizations and practice philanthropy. For the 2011-2012 school year, 21 students are participating in S.T.E.P. This type of program, which has been successfully implemented throughout the United States over the past twenty-five years, has proven that students involved in philanthropy at an early age are more likely to become volunteers and donors throughout their adult life.

The S.T.E.P. grant application form for 2012 is now available. The postmark deadline is February 15, 2012.  Non-profit organizations and projects located in Marshall County, Iowa may apply for funding from the S.T.E.P. Committee, which is responsible for allocating $5,000 this year to support projects addressing community issues. Organizations interested in receiving an application may send an e-mail request to info@marthaellentyefoundation.org or access the application online at www.marthaellentyefoundation.org on the Grantmaking page.

For more information contact Program Manager & S.T.E.P. Coordinator Heidi Pierson at the Martha-Ellen Tye Foundation, (641) 752-8340.

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