Miller duo advance to National History Day

Posted on May 12, 2014 by marshalltownschools
L to R: Brad Buck, Iowa Dept. of Education director; Mary Cownie, Iowa Dept. of Cultural Affairs director; Jacqueline Wahl, Victoria Johnson, Gov. Terry Branstad.

L to R: Brad Buck, Iowa Dept. of Education director; Mary Cownie, Iowa Dept. of Cultural Affairs director; Jacqueline Wahl, Victoria Johnson, Gov. Terry Branstad.

Miller Middle School students Jacqueline Wahl and Victoria Johnson will complete in the National History Day contest June 15-19 in College Park, Maryland.

Wahl and Johnson qualified for the national competition after advancing through district and state contests. Their group exhibit, titled “The Rights and Responsibilities of Managing the Monopolies”, focused on the captains of industry in the Gilded Age: J.P. Morgan, Andrew Carnegie and J.D. Rockefeller. The 2014 NHD theme is “Rights and Responsibilities in History” so the pair focused on the role of monopolies in American political policy and human rights through the lens of these men and their empires.

Wahl and Johnson in front of their exhibit.

Wahl and Johnson in front of their exhibit at the state National History Day contest held April 28 at the State Historical Society of Iowa in Des Moines.

They became interested in the topic after watching the History Channel miniseries “The Men Who Built America” and conducted research in libraries and archives.

In preparation for nationals the pair will continue editing their display and adding to their already vast knowledge on the topic before presenting their research at the University of Maryland next month.

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Seventh grader projects positivity

Posted on May 12, 2014 by marshalltownschools

No matter what day it is, Miller Middle School seventh grade student Vanessa Magana has a smile on her face.

“She brightens the day of everybody in class and she’s a good role model,” said her math teacher Deb Johnson.

Read Vanessa’s full Spotlight in today’s Marshalltown Times-Republican.

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School district to purchase 1,200 more computers: Acer Chromebooks to be used by students

Posted on May 11, 2014 by marshalltownschools

More than 1,200 additional computers will be headed to the Marshalltown Community School District for student use next school year.

As part of what school leaders are calling a digital conversion, the district plans to purchase 1,248 Acer Chromebooks. The small, inexpensive laptops will be utilized by students in grades fifth through eighth in the district, but will remain at the schools and not taken home by students.

Read the full story in the Marshalltown Times-Republican.

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Eighth annual Lenihan Spelling Bee held May 8

Posted on May 9, 2014 by marshalltownschools
Spelling bee champions Jade Tesar (left) and Jillian Lang with Principal Ralph Bryant.
Jillian and Jade face off in the longest final round in Lenihan Spelling Bee History.

Jade Tesar was the champion of the eighth annual Lenihan Intermediate School Spelling Bee held Thursday, May 8.

Jillian Lang was runner-up in the contest, which according to organizers featured on of the longest final rounds in the bee’s history.

Twenty-four students participated in the bee, each earning a spot in the contest based on their performance on a qualifying exam.

Tesar and Lang each received a trophy for their expert spelling skills. All participants received medals.

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Schools celebrate healthy living on Go the Distance Day

Posted on May 7, 2014 by marshalltownschools
Rogers Elementary students dance on Go the Distance Day.

Rogers Elementary students dance on Go the Distance Day.

Several Marshalltown schools participated in Go the Distance Day on Friday, May 2, encouraging students and staff to participate in physical fitness.

At Rogers Elementary students participated in a flash mob dance. Students danced for 30 minutes outside, moving to everything from the “Chicken Dance” to the “Happy Song”.

MHS students lead Hoglan Elementary in performing the UNI Interlude Dance.

MHS students lead Hoglan Elementary in performing the UNI Interlude Dance.

Hoglan Elementary students performed the famed UNI Interlude Dance outside with the help of Marshalltown High School students. After the Interlude Dance students spent time walking on an outdoor path.

Go the Distance Day is part of Live Healthy Iowa.

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MHS to host health fair May 7

Posted on May 2, 2014 by marshalltownschools
Student visit the various booths at the 2013 MHS Health Fair

Student visit the various booths at the 2013 MHS Health Fair

The Marshalltown High School nurse’s office is hosting a health fair Wednesday, May 7, from 8:30am to 2pm in the upper lobby of the MHS/Community Auditorium.

The goal of the health fair is to empower students and staff to make healthy choices.

Featured booths at the health fair will be:

  • Carlie Beem — I-Smile Coordinator, MICA
  • Bantz Chiropractic — Certified Chiropractic Extremity Practitioner, Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician
  • Radiant Complexions—Dr. Stocker — Dermatology, Sun Protection
  • Marshalltown Medical & Surgical Center — Radiology
  • Marshalltown Medical & Surgical Center- Sports Medicine Program/rehabilitation
  • Kathy Dooley — Central Iowa Family Planning.
  • Officer Lageschulte — Effects of drugs on the body
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Taking on world hunger: Two MHS students land World Food Prize internships

Posted on May 2, 2014 by marshalltownschools

Abby Snyder is bound for Nepal while Adam Willman will pack for Turkey this summer.

Both Marshalltown High School seniors have been selected to help learn how to fight global hunger by being interns in the World Food Prize program.

Read the full story in today’s Marshalltown Times-Republican.

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Two MHS students among 23 selected for prestigious World Food Prize International Internship

Posted on May 1, 2014 by marshalltownschools
Abby Snyder and Adam Willman

Abby Snyder and Adam Willman

Marshalltown High School seniors Adam Willman and Abby Snyder are among 23 students to earn World Food Prize Borlaug-Ruan International Internships and will delve into issues relating to hunger and poverty throughout the world during eight-week, all-expenses-paid summer internships at leading research centers in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.

Willman will travel to Turkey this summer to work at the International Maize & Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) in Ankara. Snyder will travel to Nepal to work at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in Kathmandu.

“It is our hope that by engaging these young people in actual hunger-fighting research, they will be inspired to pursue academic and career paths in science, food, agricultural and natural resource disciplines, and thus prepared to become tomorrow’s innovative scientific and humanitarian leaders,” said Ambassador Kenneth M. Quinn, President of the World Food Prize.

The Borlaug-Ruan Internship is a unique program that allows student interns to participate in projects with distinguished researchers at leading agricultural research centers around the globe. While getting a firsthand view of real and pressing food security issues and nutrition problems in poverty-stricken areas, the students become an integral part of a project, spending time in the lab as well as days or weeks at a time in the field conducting research and interviews, and gathering data.

The interns are involved in global projects dedicated to reducing poverty and hunger such as: fisheries and aquaculture studies; biotechnology; micro-credit and the women’s self-help concept; the influence of education on household food security; and the calculation of Vitamin C concentration in numerous potato varieties.

A prerequisite for the Borlaug-Ruan International Internship is attending the World Food Prize Global Youth Institute, which occurs each October and exposes students to opportunities associated with careers in agricultural, natural resource, life sciences and affiliated fields.  Youth Institute participants present research papers and interact with World Food Prize Laureates and renowned experts to discuss issues relating to food security throughout the world.

A list of the 23 Borlaug-Ruan International Interns, including photos, can be found online at: www.worldfoodprize.org/2014interns.

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MHS inducts 40 students into National Honor Society

Posted on April 30, 2014 by marshalltownschools

The Marshalltown High School Chapter of The National Honor Society (NHS) inducted 40 new members on Monday, April 28, at 7 p.m. in the MHS/Community Auditorium. Karn Gregoire, Executive Director of the Martha-Ellen Tye Foundation, delivered the keynote address.

Faculty members evaluated the inductees on the basis of scholarship, leadership, character and service.

The 2014 inductees are:

  • Emma Alman
  • Marco Andrade
  • Tiana Andrade
  • Alison Ashby
  • Olga Avalos
  • Aleyna Bakirli
  • Ellyn Boland
  • Dayana Carrera
  • Kara DeVenney
  • Megan Emerson
  • Sydney Grewell
  • Gabriela Hernandez
  • Haley Hodges
  • Chu Htoo
  • Reggie Johannes
  • Samuel Johnson
  • Alexis Jones
  • Collin Krukow
  • Devan Mann
  • Cecilia Martinez
  • Olyvia Mathews
  • Cassandra Mayer
  • Karli McClure
  • Brant McKibben
  • Lexie McKown
  • Aime Perez
  • Beau Ragland
  • Elizabeth Ramirez
  • Carrie Schmidt
  • Courtney Schmidt
  • Anthony Smith
  • Haley Vajgrt
  • Blair Van Staalduine
  • Jaime Vergara
  • Rachel Whaley
  • Bailey Wildt
  • Aye Nu Win
  • Niccole Wolken
  • Jacob Youngblood
  • Vincent Zavala-Livengood
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Latina leadership honored at reception Sunday

Posted on April 29, 2014 by marshalltownschools

OnesIBringWithMeA special reception is planned Sunday, May 4, from 1 to 3pm at the Marshalltown Public Library recognizing several Marshalltown Latinas whose stories have been published in the book “The Ones I Bring With Me.”

Three MHS freshman plus several Marshalltown Latina leaders are among the fifteen Iowa girls and women who contributed stories to “The Ones I Bring With Me: Iowa’s Young Latinas on Education, Identity, and Success”,” which will be available for sale throughout the event.

The ‘meet and greet’ event will begin with music by members of the MHS orchestra from 1- 1:30 followed by with a short program, with Veronica Guevara serving as facilitator, and readings from the book.

All of the women and girls featured in the book have been active in “Latinas al Exito,” a project that links middle school Latino students with college-educated adults, and helps the students envision college in their future.

Pam Swarts, Marshalltown business owner, and Jan Mitchell, former MHS teacher, co-founded Latinas al Éxito in 2006 as a diversity project for the American Association of University Women.  Now called Al Éxito, the project has grown to become a 501(c)3 organization with a 15 member board, an executive director, and a presence in several other Iowa communities.

The original planning committee included five Latina women who continue to show leadership and guidance in Marshalltown: Anel Garza, elementary principal; district teachers Gladis Gonzalez and Francie Woerner; MEP coordinator with Marshalltown Community College, Joan Jaimes; banking professional, Gabriella Vargas Gonzalez; and real estate agent, Martha Garcia. These women and others who were recruited as the first madrinas, will be honored at Sunday’s event, alongside the madrinas of today.

The book itself is the first project of Drake University Press, and was created by a ‘cross-disciplinary’ team of students and faculty at Drake University.  Dr. Carol Spaulding-Kruse, project coordinator, will attend the reception and speak briefly about the vision and outcome. “Every Iowa should own a copy of this book!” says Spaulding-Kruse. “It will simultaneously make you proud and intrigued, plus saddened and motivated; it will definitely alter stereotypical perspectives in both the Anglo and Latino culture.”

The book will be available for purchase throughout the Sunday reception and 100 percent of the proceeds from book sales will go to Al Éxito.

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