The Iowa Community Education Association (ICEA) will mobilize more than 1000 young people to participate in the 21st Annual Global Youth Service Day (GYSD), Friday, April 24 through Sunday, April 26, 2009, across the state of Iowa.

Millions of youth in the United States and in more than 100 countries will plan simultaneous service events and service learning projects celebrating GYSD.  Spanning three days, GYSD is the largest service event in the world.

At ICEA, we are excited about facilitating opportunities for youth to plan, carry out and celebrate volunteerism. It’s a wonderful way to strengthen communities and learn valuable life lessons.

For more information, please contact: ICEA, Michael O. Johnston, MPA 09' Webmaster, ICEA, 1800 Grand Ave. Apt. 38, West Des Moines, Iowa 50026, Phone: (641) 799-1076, moj@iastate.edu

Washington, DC - Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa) announced today that Ben Wolf of Clinton received an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy.  Wolf will enter the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, this fall. 

"I'm proud to announce Ben Wolf's acceptance to the U.S. Naval Academy," Braley said.  "With his exceptional character and history of community service, Ben will be a valuable addition to the Naval Academy.  I'm happy that Ben will have the opportunity to further his education while continuing to serve his country at Navy." 

Ben Wolf will graduate from Camanche High School this May. Ben is the son of Michael and Margaret Wolf.

Each year Congressman Braley nominates students to the military service academies, including the U.S. Naval Academy.  Nominees must demonstrate upstanding character, academic achievement, physical fitness, and leadership skills.  A nominating committee comprised of community leaders reviews all applicants, with Congressman Braley recommending top candidates to the respective academies.  Final acceptance decisions are made by the service academy.

Students interested in applying to military service academies for enrollment in fall of 2010 should contact Congressman Braley's Waterloo office at (319) 287-3233.

The German American Heritage Center will open an historical exhibit with a regional focus. By focusing on a forgotten institution of the mid-19th century,the German Free School, this exhibit will explore a forgotten idea.  The migrating Germans of the 1850s took their ideas with them, and opened Free German Schools in Austin, Texas, Madison, Wisconsin, and Davenport, Iowa.  But only in eastern Iowa did the school continue in its original form until the 1880s, and enjoyed an attempted revival and an influence until 1910.                       

"This exhibit tells us many things about the original German settlers of eastern Iowa, and their unique ideas about education which impacted public education of today," said Schar Blevins of the Center.

The exhibit traces the powerful ideas of the 1848er generation who moved to America, and Midwestern leaders such as Theodore Guelich who supported the founding of a German Free School in Davenport, in 1853.  Attention is placed on the early teachers who helped make the school a success by the early 1870s, and the interesting interaction of ideas on Iowa's public schools.  The final attempts by Emil Geisler to revive this concept in the 1890s are traced for the first time.

"This is the first time that the whole story has been described, with an analysis of historical forces invovled and the results," said Prof. William Roba, Scott Community College and Executive Director, Roba consulting.  He will be presenting an interpretive talk about the exhibit on April 5, 2009, at 2 P.M. at the German American Heritage Center.

Poet Laureate of the Quad Cities Dale Haake will read from his new poetry in the Lion In Winter program of  the Independent Scholars' Evening on Thursday March 26, 2009 at the  Independent Scholars' Evenings.  Readings begin at 7.00 pm,  doors open at 6.30 pm.  The event is free and open to the public. Held at The Moline Commercial Club, 513 16th St, 2nd floor, Moline.  Light refreshments will be served. Independent Scholars' Evenings are sponsored by The Institute for Cultural and Healing Traditions, Ltd. A 501(c) 3.