Bobcats Making Headlines

Sculpture from Woodbury Elementary School

Four Marshalltown schools are participating in the Can-Do project at the Marshalltown Mall. The project has teams build can sculptures with donations of the canned goods going to the Emergency Food Box. The sculptures are now on display at the mall through May 3. Visitors can vote on their favorite sculpture by leaving a non-perishable food donation.

– Woodbury Elementary School and Wells Fargo partnered to produce a ‘The Cat in the Hat” hat .

– Lenihan Intermediate School’s student leadership group Ricochet partnered with Lennox to produce a tree sculpture.

– A Marshalltown High School graphic design class partnered with the Southridge Nursing and Rehab Center to create a sculpture of a corn cob.

– Franklin Elementary School partnered with United Bank & Trust for its Rubik’s cube sculpture.

Sculpture from Lenihan Intermediate School

Sculpture from a Marshalltown High School graphic design class

Sculpture from Franklin Elementary School

Hoglan Elementary School fourth graders Pweh Htoo (center) and Chesni Uhde present a check to Heidi Drager of the Animal Rescue League on April 23. The school held a penny war and raised $1,363.86 for the ARL.

Two Marshalltown schools recently made significant donations to the Animal Rescue League of Marshalltown.

Students in the Hoglan Elementary School fourth grade class of Lisa Frauenholtz presented ARL Director Heidi Drager with a check for $1,363.86 after a penny war between classes was held throughout the school to raise money to donate to the agency. The penny war started after a persuasive letter was written by Hoglan fourth grade student Chesni Uhde.

“We knew it was such a great cause,” Frauenholtz said.

Lenihan

Lenihan Intermediate School’s student leadership group Ricochet sold kindness grams (kind messages with candy) at the school for $1 each and raised $400. The group used the money to purchase supplies for the Animal Rescue League. Fifth graders Kale McKibbin and Paige Wertzberger helped shop for supplies and deliver the supplies to the ARL.

“We appreciate all the help,” Drager said of both projects to benefit the ARL. “It’s wonderful.”

Lenihan Intermediate School fifth graders Kale McKibbin and Paige Wertzberger and pictured with Lenihan teacher Diane Simpson as they deliver supplies to the Animal Rescue League recently.

The Marshalltown High School band earned 22 Division I ratings, 11 Division II ratings and two Division III ratings during the Iowa High School Music Association State Solo and Small Ensemble Festival on April 18 at Newton High School.

Receiving solo Division I ratings from MHS were Ellen Podhajsky (flute, alto flute and piccolo), Mary Sutton (flute), Hannah Stone (Bb clarinet) Lucas Duff (bassoon), Ben Harris (alto sax), Mikayla Wymore (trumpet), Collin Krukow (trombone) and Sam Johnson (marimba). MHS also had several groups of students receive Division I ratings in duets, trios, quartets and ensembles.

Sam Johnson earned a perfect score for his marimba solo. Collin Krukow earned an outstanding performer award for his trombone solo. Ellen Podhajsky earned perfect scores for her flute solo, alto flute solo, and piccolo solo as well as an outstanding performer award.

Individual Division II ratings from MHS went to: Skylar Lindeman (clarinet), Jacqueline Wahl (oboe), Jordan Smiley (trumpet), Frank Iole (trombone), Sam Johnson (snare), Dylan Roseburrough (snare) and Josh Arment (timpani).

A team from Marshalltown High School placed sixth out of 20 teams at the Science Olympiad held at Coe College on April 18. Pictured from MHS are, front row, Maggie Grimm. Second row, Joey Escobedo, Jose Garcia, Sumeet Panchal and Juan Andrade. Back row, James Drummer, Ryan McDaniel, Jill Podhajsky, Whitney Canaday, Chandler Fisher and Mary Drummer.

The Marshalltown High School team placed sixth out of 20 teams at the Science Olympiad competition held April 18 at Coe College in Cedar Rapids.

Science Olympiad is a contest where teams compete in pairs in 23 events covering all types of science including engineering, life science, earth science and physical science.

In all but four events, MHS teams placed among the top 10, with six medal winners who all earned bronze (third place) medals from Marshalltown. Medal winners from MHS were Chandler Fisher and James Drummer in entomology; Whitney Canaday and Juan Andrade in bridge building; and Ryan McDaniel and Mary Drummer in disease detectives. Ames High School won the overall title.

This group of Marshalltown High School students was inducted into the National Honor Society on April 20 at the MHS/Community Auditorium.

A total of 38 Marshalltown High School students were inducted into the National Honor Society during a ceremony held on April 20 at the MHS/Community Auditorium.

Students inducted included Michelle Ankrum, Jerilyn Cabrera Alviz, Bridget Carroll, Whitney Canaday, Aspen Chadderdon, Nicolas Cooper, Spencer Dempewolf, James Drummer, Mary Drummer, Leah Edel, Immaculate Edwin, Guadalupe Estrada, Denali Gardner, Reese Hageman, Raechel Hannam, Frank Iole, Sydney Johnson, Kara Kacmarynski, Trevor Lewis, Hannah Lindgren, Laura Lopez, Ashley Macbeth, Mai Mome, Sydney Mann, Nalicka Matthew, Ryan McDaniel, McKaylee Palmer, Eh Tha Dah Paw, Isabella Pedersen, Allison Reeder, Hannah Shirar, Tyler Smith, Tabitha Steffensen, Nicholas Summers, Morgan Van Staalduine, Sydnie Wohlert, Elliot Weidenaar and Peyton Williams.

David Hicks, director of Youth and Shelter Services of Marshall County, was the keynote speaker at the event. Hicks told the students not to be afraid to be leaders now. “You are the future leaders- but I don’t want you to wait – I want you to act now,” Hicks said.

NHS president Grant Thimesch also gave an address to the students during the ceremony. Guidelines for membership into the National Honor Society are based on four main areas – scholarship, leadership, character and service.

Sydnie Wohlert, left, and Molly Major

Frank Iole, left, and Grant Thimesch

Bridget Carroll, left, and MHS Associate Principal Ken Hayes.

A group of students from the Lenihan Intermediate School student leadership group Ricochet donated 1,387 books to the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital on April 17.

A student leadership group at Lenihan Intermediate School held a highly-successful book drive and was able to donate 1,387 books to the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital patient library and free book cart program.

Emily Manis, a sixth grader at Lenihan, brought up the idea of doing a book drive for a service project for Ricochet (the Lenihan student leadership group) this year. Her goal was to collect 800 new or gently-used books to donate to children’s hospital in Iowa City. The group was able to surpass the goal by more than 500 books.

Lenihan teachers Diane Simpson and Raul Arevalo took 12 Lenihan Ricochet students to the hospital in Iowa City on April 17 to deliver the books.

“The students were quite impressed with the size of the hospital and were moved by the impact the donation of these books could have on young patients,” Simpson said.

Lenihan students who participated in the delivery trip were Brealyn Anderson, Alyssa Jordan, Emily Manis, Norah Wilson, Kathryn Johnson, Sophie Younkin, Lilly Duff, Diana Espinoza, Eli Thiessen, Maggie Augustine, Paige Wertzberger, and Taylor Jones.

Students were able to tour the hospital’s library and museum, meet a service dog and its handler, meet the director of the volunteer program, see the Life Flight take off from the helipad and take in the view from the rooftop patio.

“It was quite a day full of memories for them,” Simpson said.

A team of fourth grade students from Franklin Elementary School won the local Battle of the Books contest at the Marshalltown Public Library on April 16. Pictured from left are Emily Diggins, Willow Schmidt, Leticia Herrera, Mykiah Ayers, Mia Bradley and Franklin teacher librarian Jodi Duffy.

Franklin Elementary School took home the elementary Battle of the Books title on April 16 at the Marshalltown Public Library.

Battle of the Books tested teams of fourth grade students in a written test and three oral exam rounds on their knowledge of 12 books the students read recently.

The winning team from Franklin consisted of students Mykiah Ayers, Mia Bradley, Emily Diggins, Leticia Herrera and Willow Schmidt. Other teams participating were from Anson, Hoglan, Rogers and Woodbury elementary schools.

The Marshalltown High School Envirothon team placed fourth in the state. Pictured are, from left, Collin Krukow, Chandler Fisher, Jacob Ramsey-Smith, Dayana Carrera and Martin Runquist.

The Marshalltown High School Envirothon team achieved fourth place in the 2015 Envirothon state competition held April 13 at Springbrook State Park in Guthrie Center.

Envirothon is a team competition for high school students testing their knowledge of natural resources. In the field and classroom, teams of five students are challenged to use their knowledge and critical thinking skills to conduct hands-on investigations, solve real-life scenarios and answer written questions covering five categories — aquatics, forestry, soils, wildlife and current environmental issues.

The MHS team tied for first place in the aquatics category of the contest. Team members from MHS included Collin Krukow, Chandler Fisher, Jacob Ramsey-Smith, Dayana Carrera and Martin Runquist.

The team is led by MHS extending learning teacher Susan Fritzell who said she was pleased with the results, especially after losing five seniors from last year’s team to graduation.

More than 60 teams competed in Envirothon from across the state with the top 15 invited to the state contest. The state winning team this year was from St. Ansgar. The Iowa Envirothon is hosted by the Conservation Districts of Iowa.

Six Marshalltown High School students received awards at the CIML art competition and show in Mason City on April 15. Pictured with their winning pieces are, from left, Elizabeth Gomez, Elizabeth Tacconi, Yannely Pina, Lucas Snyder, Maria Ramirez and Niccole Wolken.

Marshalltown High School sent 22 students to Mason City on April 15 to participate in the 2015 CIML art competition and show. Six MHS students won awards in a total of eight categories at the show.

Winners from MHS included Elizabeth Gomez (Red Merit in graphite/B&W pencil drawing), Elizabeth Tacconi (Blue Merit in ninth grade 3D), Yannely Pina (Red Merit in ninth grade 3D), Lucas Snyder (Blue Merit in ceramics), Maria Ramirez (Red Merit in ceramics) and Niccole Wolken (Red Merit in graphite/pencil drawing, Blue Merit in charcoal drawing and Blue Merit in computer generated art).

These Miller Middle School students have been invited to take part in the Blank Summer Institute for Arts & Sciences at the University of Iowa. Pictured, front row, from left, Carissa King, Sloan Vry, Kya Naughton and Sam Estrada. Back row, Stella Roseburrough-Borras, Jane Ragland, Audrey Dempewolf and Zach Swartz.

Eight Miller Middle School students have been accepted into the Blank Summer Institute for Arts & Sciences at the University of Iowa. The one-week program in June at the Belin-Blank Center is for 120 of Iowa’s high-achieving students who are currently in grades seventh and eighth.

The institute provides students with an intensive and advanced educational experience designed to enhance their intellectual and social growth.

Students from Miller accepted and their fields of study for the program include Sloan Vry (creative writing), Kya Naughton (social sciences), Sam Estrada (invention and innovation), Stella Roseburrough-Borras (global and cultural studies), Jane Ragland (math problem solving), Audrey Dempewolf (visual arts), Zach Swartz (alternate in advanced science) and Carissa King (alternate in performing arts).

Fifteen students per subject area are accepted throughout the state. The students are accepted into the program after an application process that includes submission of essays, portfolios, teacher recommendations and test scores.