Bobcats Making Headlines

Marshalltown High School senior Matt Anzis is among 16,000 semifinalists in the 56th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.

Anzis has an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 8,400 National Merit Scholarships, worth more than $36 million, that will be offered next spring. To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, Semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the Finalist level of the competition.

About 90 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing, and approximately half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar title.

About 1.5 million juniors in some 22,000 high schools entered the 2011 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2009 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which served as an initial screen of program entrants. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists, which represents less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state. The number of Semifinalists in a state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the national total of graduating seniors.

To become a Finalist, a Semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by the high school principal, and earn sat scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying test. The Semifinalist and a high school official must submit a detailed scholarship application, which includes the student’s essay and information about the Semifinalist’s participation and leadership in school and community activities.

Approximately 15,000 Semifinalists are expected to advance to the Finalist level and it is from this group that all National Merit Scholarship winners will be chosen. Merit Scholar designees are selected on the basis of their skills, accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies, without regard to gender, race, ethnic origin, or religious preference.

Bobcat fans will see something new prowling the sidelines of Friday night’s home football game: a brand new Bobcat mascot.

Thanks to the initiative of two MHS students and the generous support of the MHS Class of 1980, a new, custom-designed Bobcat mascot will be cheering on the team and energizing the crowd Friday night and at many Bobcat sporting events in the future.

MHS students James Lindgren and Jessica Sotyn began discussing the need for a mascot last spring. Many years ago the school had a Bobcat head that was used, but it was too warn for use anymore.  James and Jessica began researching companies to create a mascot, settling on Bam Mascots in Canada. They then took their proposal to MHS Principal Bonnie Lowry.

At the same time, the Class of 1980 was looking for a project they could support in honor of their 30th class reunion. When class representatives called to ask what they could do, Lowry suggested the mascot. Combining donations from local business, Class of 1980 alumni donations, and proceeds from an auction held at their class reunion, the Class of 1980 was able to fund purchase of the new mascot.

The Bobcat will make his debut Friday at Leonard Cole Fiend as the Bobcats take on Des Moines North.

Marshalltown High School’s National Honor Society (NHS) of Marshalltown, Iowa received a Governor’s Volunteer Award from Governor Chester J. Culver during a special recognition ceremony held Thursday, July 22, 2010 in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

The Governor’s Volunteer Awards (GVA) program was created in 1982, with inaugural awards present in 1983. The program has grown from a small program only availalable to state agencies to its present function of providing all Iowa nonprofit, charitable , and government organizations with an easy and effective way to honor their volunteers with a prestigious state-level recognition award.

Volunteers may be nominated for an award in one of several categories: Individual, Group, Length of Service, or Disaster Volunteer. Nearly 800 volunteers were selected for awards in 2010.

Marshalltown High School’s National Honor Society was honored with a Group Volunteer Award by Department of Transportation for their work in the Adopt A Hwy program.

“The devotion of these volunteers has helped Iowa achieve the second highest state volunteer rate in the county,” said Governor Culver. “Lt. Governor Judge, the First Lady, and I are honored to have this opportunity to personally thank this year’s award recipients for donating their time, dedication, and talent to make a tremendous difference in our state.”

The most recent “Volunteering in America” study, released June 15, details the millions of hours that volunteers in Iowa collectively contribut. The estimated annual economic impact of that service is well over $1 billion. The entire report can be viewed at http://www.voluneeringinamerica.gov.

The Governor’s Volunteer Award program is coordinated by the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service and the Governor’s Office. For more information, visit http://www.volunteeriowa.org or call 515-725-3094.

Accepting the award for Marshalltown High School’s National Honor Society were Dr. Kenneth Hayes, administration, and members Ashton Baardseth, Zoe Harris, Ethan Lampman, and Jill Schoborg.