Students perform in Augustana Flute & Clarinet Choir concert

ROCK ISLAND, IL (05/14/2015)(readMedia)-- The Augustana Flute and Clarinet Choirs performed their spring concert on Wednesday, May 6 in Wallenberg Hall. Sixteen student musicians shared their talent with the Augustana community. Flute choir selections included, "The Last Rose of Summer", a traditional Irish song and "Tag!" by David L. Wells, among others. Clarinet Choir selections included "Argentine" by David Bennett and "Klezmer Jam" by Valentin Hude, among others.

Students from your area included Ingrid Schneider of Davenport, Kayla Jackson and Sierra thiery, both of Rock Island, and Ashley Martin of Moline.

Students perform in Augustana Jazz Ensemble Spring Concert

ROCK ISLAND, IL (05/14/2015)(readMedia)-- The Augustana Jazz Ensemble performed its spring concert on Friday, May 8 in Centennial Hall. Sixteen student musicians shared their talent with the Augustana community. Selections included "The Next Chapter" by Patty Darling and "Struttin' With Some Barbeque" by Lillian Armstrong and Don Raye, arranged by Mike Tomaro, among others.

Students from your area included Michael Daniels of Geneseo Benjamin McKay of Rock Island and David Soliz of Silvis.

Jens Hurty of Moline performed in Seniors' Recital at Augustana College

ROCK ISLAND, IL (05/14/2015)(readMedia)-- Six Augustana seniors, including Jens Hurty, performed in a Seniors' recital on Sunday, May 10 in Wallenberg Hall. Selections included "Regnava nel silenzio" by Gaetano Donizetti, sung by soprano Emily Webb, and "Rhapsody for Euphonium" by James Carrow, played by Gabrielle Potter, among others. Students were accompanied by Charles Schmidt and Robert Elfline on piano.

Founded in 1860, Augustana College is a selective four-year residential college of the liberal arts and sciences. The college is recognized for the innovative program Augie Choice, which provides each student up to $2,000 to pursue a high-impact learning experience such as study abroad, an internship or research with a professor. Current students and alumni include 155 Academic All-Americans, a Nobel laureate, 13 college presidents and other distinguished leaders. The college enrolls 2,500 students and is located along one of the world's most important waterways, the Mississippi River, in a community that reflects the diversity of the United States.

Summer Webinars Help Gardeners Grow in Knowledge June program offers landscaping designs and trough gardening information

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Scott County office is hosting the sixth annual "Growing Season" webinar series in June, July and August. Gardeners will learn about creative ideas for theme gardens, planting trough gardens, water features and conservation, attracting butterflies and bees, and growing herbs.

The three-part series, offered by the Iowa Master Gardener program, is open to all interested gardeners and features an Iowa Master Gardener and Iowa State University faculty or extension specialist presenting each of the two-hour courses. Participants are not required to have completed master gardener training to attend.

The June webinar, Design from Yard to Trough, with Iowa State University Department of Horticulture lecturer Lisa Orgler and Fayette County Master Gardener Gary Whittenbaugh, will be offered on June 17, 2015, at the Scott County Extension Office, 875 Tanglefoot Lane in Bettendorf, IA starting at 7 pm. Participants will learn how to add spark to landscape designs and dive into trough planters filled with conifers and their companions.  There is a $5.00 fee that is payable at the door.

"Garden design should be fun and represent the person who creates it," explained Orgler. "The theme garden design process is helpful to someone creating a garden in celebration of who they are as an artist, designer and gardener," Orgler said. Everyone taking this class will learn a simple five-step process to develop a theme from beginning to end.

"You can't have too many troughs in your garden," said Whittenbaugh who will demonstrate container gardening using troughs. "We'll use old muffin tins, cast iron pans and concrete planters for my favorite plants including conifers, hen and chicks and sedum." Whittenbaugh gives tours of his Franmara Gardens in Oelwein. As a master gardener volunteer he also speaks to groups around the state on dwarf conifers and trough gardens.

Growing Season webinars for July and August include :

• Water in the Garden. ISU Extension and Outreach horticulturist Denny Schrock along with Boone County Master Gardener Jamie Beyer, will discuss various water saving techniques to apply to the garden and how to incorporate creative water features.  Water in the Garden will be held at the Scott County Extension Office, 875 Tanglefoot Lane, Bettendorf, Ia on July 15, 2015 at 7 pm.  There is a $5.00 fee that is payable at the door.

• Pollinators and Growing Herbs. Nathan Brockman, curator of the butterfly wing of Reiman Gardens at Iowa State, and Polk County Master Gardener Susan Appleget Hurst will educate attendees about attracting bees, birds and butterflies. They will also focus on growing, harvesting and preserving culinary herbs.  Pollinators and Growing Herbs will be held at the Scott County Extension Office, 875 Tanglefoot Lane, Bettendorf, Ia on August 19 at 7pm.  There is a $5.00 fee that is payable at the door.

To register for any or all of the Growing Season webinars at the ISU Extension and Outreach Scott County office, contact Amanda Heitz at 563-359-7577 or aheitz@iastate.edu.  All master gardeners attending will earn two continuing education hours for each webinar.

SCOTT COUNTY EXTENSION CALENDAR

May 26, 2015 Scott County Extension Council Meeting, Scott County Extension Office, 7:00 pm

May 27, 2015 Master Gardener Hort Clinic, Bettendorf Public Library, 6 pm-8 pm

June 5, 2015 Pesticide Applicator Testing, Scott County Extension, 10 am-2 pm

June 9, 2015 Master Gardener Hort Clinic, West Campus of Eastern Iowa Community College,

June 23, 2015 Scott County Extension Council Meeting, Scott County Extension Office, 7:00 pm

6:30 pm-8:30 pm

Visit our events calendar at our web site:   http://dbs.extension.iastate.edu/calendar/

With a 2015 Iowa AP (Advanced Placement) Index of 5.33, Rivermont Collegiate is again the top ranked AP school in Iowa.

The Belin-Blank Center of The University of Iowa College of Education annually releases the Iowa AP Index to recognize Iowa high schools for providing Advanced Placement opportunities. The 2015 Iowa AP Index is based on May 2014 AP exams and graduation data. The formula is the number of AP exams given divided by the number of students in the graduating class. A high AP Index is a reflection that a school has a culture that is supportive of and places emphasis on student participation in AP courses and exams.

It's important to note that Magnet schools, Specially Accredited College Preparatory schools (Rivermont Collegiate), non-accredited schools, and home schools are not included in the AP Index Top 50 ranking. These schools, however, can receive special recognition for their score, as Rivermont has. Furthermore, because all schools are scored using the same formula, the Iowa AP Index provides a fair comparison across all school sizes and types, whether schools are included in the AP Index Top 50 ranking or not.

For more information on the Iowa AP Index, visit http://www.iowaapindex.org/index.htm

Rivermont Collegiate is the Quad Cities' only Private College Prep School for PreSchool through 12^th Grade.

Visit www.rivermontcollegiate.org or call 563-359-1366.