Bobcats Making Headlines

Michelle Burgess, right, and Terry Frederickson, second from right, are pictured talking about their Lennox Manufacturing careers during the career fair at Miller Middle School on March 14. Students are learning from dozens of professionals in the community this week at Miller.

Dozens of community members have turned into the teachers at Miller Middle School for two days this week.

The school is hosting its annual career fair this week, as students are learning from professionals in a wide range of fields.

“The career fair allows students to gain insight into many different careers, some careers that students may not even have known they existed,” said Miller counselor John Augustine. “It is important that students start to learn what they may be interested in, as well as what they may not, as they prepare for their futures.”

For two other days this week, students are working on hands-on projects with Miller staff focusing on careers.

Augustine appreciated the support of the community members for volunteering their time during this week.

“Many area professionals have donated significant time to make this event happen and we certainly could have not pulled it off without their assistance,” Augustine said.

9th Street Gallery and Frame

Auto Sales

Criminal Justice

Perkins Restaurant

Antique Dealing

Marla’s Headliner

Marshall County Sheriff’s Office and Marshalltown Police Department

Times-Republican

Theater

Animal Clinic The Vet

Families from Anson Elementary School gathered for pancakes during the annual Chris Cakes night on March 10 at the school.

More than 330 people attended the annual Anson Elementary School Chris Cakes night on March 10.

Cooks from Chris Cakes were serving up –  and flipping through the air – pancakes in the school’s cafeteria for students and their families from Anson. The event also included math activities for visitors in the first grade classrooms.

The annual event is popular and a good way to bring families to the school and help them learn more about what goes on at Anson.

Becky Hassett from Iowa Works, left, conducts a mock job interview with MHS student Jazmin Ibarra on March 8. Ibarra is part of the MHS 4-H Club, which was learning how to develop communication skills for interviews.

Students in the Marshalltown High School 4-H Club were able to sharpen their interview skills in a relaxed setting after school on March 8.

Students took part in mock interviews with local professionals to learn what works and what doesn’t when looking for a job or a scholarship. Interviewers included Becky Hassett and Emily Babinat from Iowa Works, Terri Hungerford from Marshalltown Community College and Sarah Erikson from Emerson/Fisher.

“Students participated in practice interviews to develop communication skills and self-confidence in situations that they would be in during work and scholarship interviews,” said Caleb Carver, a leader of the 4-H group from Iowa State University Extension.

Other leaders of the 4-H group include Karina Hernandez from Mid-Iowa Community Action, Scott Johannes from Marshalltown High School and Samuel Ibarra from Emerson/Fisher.

The MHS 4-H Club was formed to boost higher education aspirations for Latino and Latina youth.  The focus of the 4-H Club is to help youth navigate the pathways to higher education through career development, college tours, networking with community partners and service learning.

Marshalltown High School junior Mitch Eberle earned the highest possible score of 36 on the ACT test recently.

When Mitch Eberle took the ACT college placement test last fall, he thought he did well. But when he got his scores back, it surprised even him. The Marshalltown High School junior earned a score of 36, the highest possible ACT composite score on the test.

Nationally, on average, students earning the top score of 36 represent less than one-tenth of 1 percent of the students who take the test. For instance, in the 2015 graduating class, only 1,598 students of more than 1.92 million who took the test earned a 36 ACT composite score.

“I was kind of surprised,” Eberle said. “I expected a decent score, but not a 36.”

Eberle is still deciding on his college plans after MHS, but has an interest in possibly studying computer science.

“I like the logical thinking and the problem solving,” Eberle said of his interest in computer science.

Mitch is the son of Brandi Eberle and Matt Eberle. The ACT consists of tests in English, mathematics, reading and science. Each test is scored on a scale of 1-36, and a student’s composite score is the average of the four test scores. ACT officials consider a 36 composite score as “significant and rare.”

Marshalltown High School junior Ashley Macbeth holds one of her charcoal drawings that helped her receive a fourth place award in a recent Simpson College high school art contest.

Marshalltown High School junior Ashley Macbeth was recently honored by Simpson College as part of a high school art contest.

Macbeth received a fourth place award and had her work displayed at Simpson in Indianola last month. She took part in an awards ceremony on February 26. “It was exciting,” Macbeth said.

Her entry consisted of three charcoal pieces and many of the other entries were from high school seniors.

“As an 11th grader competing amongst some of the best seniors in Iowa and surrounding areas, this was a great recognition of her hard work,” said MHS art teacher Wade Judge.

As of now, Macbeth has an interest in pursuing a double major of art and psychology in college.

Marshalltown High School students were part of a tour of the Emerson Innovation Center and took part in an engineering challenge on Feb. 23.

A group of 22 students from Marshalltown High School took a tour of the Emerson Process Management Innovation Center on Feb. 23 during the Day of Engineering.

Other area high school groups were also part of the event.

The students participated in a building challenge, and the Marshalltown teams swept the top three places in the competition.  Accompanying the students were MHS math teacher Bridget Kern and biology teacher Lynne Diggins.

“The students had a great time and many expressed an interest in the career opportunities they learned about at Emerson,” Diggins said. “We are so thankful to Emerson for supporting our students by holding events like this.”

Three Fisher Elementary School fourth graders thank the Marshalltown Police Department during an assembly on Feb. 25 at the school. Pictured are, from left, Sergeant Rick Bellile, Officer Dave Danielson, Jorllette Carrera, Berenice Bravo and Kaitlyn Rodenbeck.

Fisher Elementary School held a special assembly on Feb. 25 as students were recognized for exemplifying great character and perfect attendance.

At this assembly, the Marshalltown Police Department was recognized for service to the community. Representing the department were Sergeant Rick Bellile and Officer Dave Danielson.

The students presented the police department with thank you cards for their service. Students and Fisher staff also gave the police a standing ovation at the assembly.

Students and staff at Fisher Elementary School give the Marshalltown Police Department a standing ovation.

Pictured are examples of the Marshalltown Schools student art on display at the Fisher Community Center throughout March. An opening reception is planned for 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 27.

Some of the best art from throughout the Marshalltown Community School District will be on display in March at the Fisher Community Center, 709 S. Center Street.

The art was selected for display by the art teachers in the district, while award-winners selected by a panel which includes the school board.

The display will be open during normal business hours at Fisher Community Center until March 31. It is held in conjunction with Youth Art Month.

Groups of teams worked on science projects during recent elementary family STEM nights held in the district. Pictured is a group taking part in the event at Rogers Elementary School on Feb. 18.

Franklin, Rogers and Fisher elementary schools recently hosted family STEM nights at each school.

Iowa State University students from WISE (Women in Science and Engineering) were on hand challenging families to build the highest tower possible using only gumdrops and uncooked spaghetti.

In addition, fourth grade student volunteers directed other stations where families participated in hands-on science, technology, engineering and math activities.

“It was a lot fun watching the families actively engaged in science,” said Deb Christenson, elementary Extended Learning Program teacher. “Also, it was good experience for the fourth grade students to demonstrate leadership while providing a service to their school.”

Denice Ross Haynes, left, from Iowa State University Science Bound, speaks to parents and students about the program at Marshalltown High School on Feb. 22.

A strong partnership between Marshalltown Schools and Iowa State University is leading students into the science field.
Science Bound is its ninth year for students at Miller Middle School and Marshalltown High School. Students who are selected by their middle school teachers go on to participate in meetings and do extra work in the area of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) for the remaining 4 years of high school to be eligible for college tuition.

“Our main goal is to get students to college,” said Erica Malloy, a Project Lead the Way science teacher at MHS.

Science Bound held a parent information night at MHS on Feb. 22, which drew dozens of parents along with students. This meeting spotlighted opportunities for summer learning in the STEM field through Science Bound.

MHS junior Mary Drummer said Science Bound has taught her several different things.

“Science Bound has helped me in a lot of ways,” Drummer said. “It’s taught me to be self-motivated because things don’t just come to you. Science Bound has taught me how to look for opportunities and to take them, no matter how small or simple the opportunity may be. Science Bound has also taught me to work hard for the things you want.”

Science Bound is Iowa State University’s pre-college program to increase the number of ethnically diverse Iowa students who pursue degrees in the STEM field. The program draws students with potential from middle and high schools in Des Moines, Denison and Marshalltown. In Marshalltown, minority students are chosen by their 7th and 8th grade science teachers at Miller Middle School.