Students raise funds to fight breast cancer

Students at All Saints Catholic School, Davenport, supported Breast Cancer Awareness Month by raising nearly $400 for the fight against breast cancer.

The students wore pink the same day in October to honor family, friends and teachers who have been affected by breast cancer.

Area principals honored by national organization

Michael Russell, founding principal of Rock Island Intermediate Academy, and Victoria Connelly, principal of Garfield and Franklin Elementary schools, Muscatine, Iowa, were among 63 elementary and middle school principals from across the nation and abroad named 2009 National Distinguished Principals by the National Association of Elementary School Principals.

They were honored Oct. 23 at an awards banquet in Washington, D.C.

Russell has led the development of the Rock Island Intermediate Academy since its founding in 2005. A key challenge of his leadership has been addressing security concerns in the school's urban environment. Using the theme "community of peace" and forming a peace choir to spread a message of harmony, the school has promoted its neighborhood as a safe and inviting place. The school welcomes a large number of volunteers who provide positive role models for students.

As the principal of two schools, Connelly describes the site she leads as "a two-building school that shares families." Both schools serve an ethnically diverse urban population, yet student achievement is high at both schools. Since arriving two years ago, she has improved discipline by spearheading an initiative supporting positive behaviors. Under her leadership, the schools piloted an instructional decision-making process for kindergarten through fifth-grade students. The program provides supplemental instruction and intensive interventions for struggling learners.

The National Association of Elementary School Principals serves more than 25,000 elementary and middle school principals in the United States, Canada and overseas.

Republican women honor volunteer

Charlotte Mohr, a longtime Eldridge resident, was honored at a Tribute to Women luncheon by the Iowa Federation of Republican Women Region F at their biennial convention Oct. 24.

Mohr has chaired many campaigns and provided years of leadership for Scott County Republican Women, the First District Republican Women, the Scott County Republican Party and Republican Party of Iowa. She was instrumental in revitalizing the Scott County Republican Women's Club, which is now the largest Republican Women's Club in Iowa.

She was appointed the first chair of Iowa's Job Training Partnership Act Commission by former Gov. Branstad, served as a member of the Environmental Commission and was involved for 32 years with the Scott County Library System. She also dedicated 15 years of service as chairman of the Scott County Board of Health. She served on the Quad-City Symphony board of trustees, was chair of the Valley Bank board for many years and is a current member of the Hoover Presidential Library Association board of trustees.

Art teacher receives Iowa state honor

Stacey Houk, a teacher at Eisenhower Elementary School, Davenport, was named Elementary Art Educator of Iowa by the Art Educators of Iowa.

She was honored for her creativity in integrating art across the curriculum. She has written grants that allowed her students to take field trips and experience the work of artists in residence, held after-school programs and worked with students for eight months on a mural.

"It is my goal as an art teacher of elementary students to encourage every student to express their ideas through the making of art and to come away with an appreciation of visual arts," she said. "I tell my students that some may not continue to make art after elementary school, but if they value art, can talk about art and find creative expression in many forms, they have gained much."

She received a teaching award through the Davenport Schools Foundation and was nominated for Disney Teacher of the Year. She also volunteers at the Figge Art Museum and is a committee member of the Living Lands and Waters education program.

Resident selected for homecoming royalty

Sean Paddock, Bettendorf, was selected one of 10 homecoming royalty candidates at Northwest Missouri State University, Maryville, Mo.

The nominees were chosen by a group of on-campus and off-campus judges. They were required to have at least a 2.7 grade-point average and prohibited from campaigning.

Paddock is a senior business management and marketing major and captain of the football team.

Residents honored by Sherrard Foundation

Robert "Bob" and Donna Jackson, former staffers and longtime residents of Sherrard, were honored as Friends of the Sherrard School District during the Sherrard Academic Foundation's Alumni Hall of Fame and awards event on Nov. 7 at the Rock Reception Hall in Coal Valley, Ill.

Bob Jackson began his career with Sherrard High School in 1958 and served several roles throughout his 28-year career, including teaching physical education, driver's education and social studies, coaching and serving as dean of students. He also served as the athletic director until his retirement in 1986.

Donna Jackson spent 25 years as a full-time teacher, teaching junior high English, math and geography. After her retirement, she served as a substitute teacher for another 14 years.

Today, the couple remains active in the community. Bob serves as a board member of the Sherrard Academic Foundation.

Student receives leadership award

Alexandra Scott, a junior at Davenport North High School, was selected to represent Iowa Jobs for America's Graduates, or iJAG, at the National Student Leadership Conference during Nov. 19-22 in Washington, D.C.

She joined nearly 350 students and alumni representing 34 iJAG programs from across the United States. The students participated in a variety of leadership, career and personal development workshops during the conference.

Scott is a second-year student in the iJAG program at North High School and serves as president of the school's iJAG Career Development Association.

iJAG is a state affiliate of Jobs for American's Graduates Inc., a national nonprofit corporation established in 1988 to help at-risk students graduate from high school and transition into a career.

Educators prepare for Fulton windmill programs

Three retired teachers from Fulton, Ill., who serve as volunteers at Fulton's de Immigrant Windmill and the new Windmill Cultural Center, spent a week in the Netherlands during October learning mill activities for children.

Betty Wiebenga, Judy Holensinger and Trudy Feldt spent five days in Koog aan de Zaan at a model mill museum and grist mill with Pauline Gingnagel, the Dutch mill museum educator.

The Windmill Cultural Center in Fulton is scheduled to open in April, so the educators were eager to learn how the Dutch museum organized the education program. For six weeks in the fall, the Dutch windmill museum personnel, teachers and parents work with 2,000 children, using hands-on activities to help the 7- to 12-year-olds become familiar with the workings of windmills.

The Fulton teachers presented a PowerPoint program to volunteer Fulton millers at their annual dinner Oct. 9. The trip was partially funded by Friends of the Windmill and the Fulton Association for Community Enrichment.

Students named to programming board

Susie Schwennen, Calamus, Iowa; Stephanie Russell, Clarence, Iowa; and Alyssa Maher, Grand Mound, Iowa, were named to the Activities Programming Board at Mount Mercy College, Cedar Rapids.

The mission of the board is to organize and implement activities and programs in the areas of education, cultural diversity, entertainment, health and social interaction.

National Merit Program announces semifinalists

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced names of 16,000 semifinalists in the 55th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.

The academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for National Merit Scholarships, worth more than $36 million, that will be offered next spring.

Area semifinalists include:

IOWA

Bettendorf High School: Laura Beck, Christopher Foss, Roderick Hoover, Leighton Huch, Stephen Manley-Buser, Samantha Molsberry, Thomas Romano

Pleasant Valley High School: Kevin Breckenfelder, Xiao Cao, Taylor Ehlis, Morgan Hoke, Sarah Miller

Central Clinton High School, DeWitt: Katie Dorpinghaus

Muscatine High School: Zachary Evans

ILLINOIS

United Township High School, East Moline: John Brown

Galesburg (homeschooled): Benjamin Wollin

Geneseo High School: Carlisle Evans Peck

Moline High School: Jessamyn Lockard

Sterling High School: Lauren Styczynski

Students inducted into business honor society

Nicole Moritz, Davenport, and Brian Nowack, Bettendorf, were inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma international honor society at the Tippie College of Business, University of Iowa, Iowa City.

Moritz attended Davenport West High School and Nowack attended Pleasant Valley High School.

Membership in Beta Gamma Sigma is the highest recognition a business student can receive. To be eligible, students must rank in the upper 10 percent of their junior or senior class.

Allstate agent honored for his volunteerism

Allstate Insurance agent Aaron Ohlensehlen, Bettendorf, was awarded an Agency Hands in the Community award from the Allstate Foundation.

The award includes a $500 donation to Hand In Hand, where Ohlensehlen volunteers.

Each year, Allstate agents and personal financial representatives are recognized for outstanding commitment to community service. To qualify, they must show evidence of volunteer work that has a positive impact on the community.