Jennifer Blaser and Carolyn Johnson; both of Bettendorf, have won High Scholarship Awards in agriculture and life sciences at  Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.  The award is given to undergraduate students who rank in the top 2 percent of their college class.

ROCK ISLAND, IL (04/19/2010)(readMedia)-- 827 students have been named to the Dean's List at Augustana College for the 2009-10 winter term. Students who have earned this academic honor have maintained a grade point average of 3.5 or higher on a four-point scale for courses taken during the term.

From your area, students who have earned this honor include :

Martha Ade from Moline, IL, a junior majoring in music and English.

Faria Ahmed from Bettendorf, IA, a senior majoring in psychology pre-medicine and biology.

Drew Allen from Bettendorf, IA, a senior majoring in international business.

Samuel Alvarado from Davenport, IA, a senior majoring in chemistry.

Courtney Anderson from Rock Island, IL, a first year majoring in liberal studies.

Samuel Anderson from Rock Island, IL, a junior majoring in math and computer science.

Nicholas Armstrong from Orion, IL, a junior majoring in psychology.

Angela Bahls from Rock Island, IL, a first year majoring in liberal studies.

Carrie Bestian from Taylor Ridge, IL, a senior majoring in elementary education.

Allie Bierhaus from Bettendorf, IA, a first year majoring in liberal studies.

Brandy Blakeney from East Moline, IL, a first year majoring in liberal studies.

Adam Bohland from Orion, IL, a junior majoring in psychology.

Nicholas Borchert from Rock Island, IL, a senior majoring in English and philosophy.

Courtney Brown from Port Byron, IL, a sophomore majoring in biology and pre-medicine.

Nicholas Camlin from Rock Island, IL, a senior majoring in political science.

Kevin Carton from Moline, IL, a senior majoring in speech communication, Africana studies and French.

Adam DeSimone from Bettendorf, IA, a sophomore majoring in economics.

Adelle DeVolder from Moline, IL, a junior majoring in business finance.

Brianna Dyer from Rock Island, IL, a senior majoring in teaching English.

Owen Engstrom from Sherrard, IL, a sophomore majoring in liberal studies.

Megan Ferris from Moline, IL, a senior majoring in elementary education.

Alyssa Harmon from Moline, IL, a junior majoring in business administration advising.

Thomas Harris from Davenport, IA, a first year majoring in liberal studies.

Victoria Hays from Milan, IL, a senior majoring in accounting.

Kjerstin Hurty from Moline, IL, a sophomore majoring in liberal studies.

Olivia Husman from East Moline, IL, a senior majoring in speech communication.

Mohammed Hussain from Moline, IL, a junior majoring in biology and pre-medicine.

Lindsay Hutton from Moline, IL, a first year majoring in liberal studies.

Gaetano Iaccarino from Davenport, IA, a junior majoring in music perfromance instrumental.

Regina Jarrell from Davenport, IA, a junior majoring in art.

Nicole Johnson from Moline, IL, a junior majoring in teaching English.

Manisha Kumar from Davenport, IA, a first year majoring in liberal studies.

Paul Lambrecht from Moline, IL, a senior majoring in teaching history.

Mary Lambrecht from Moline, IL, a sophomore majoring in liberal studies.

Jasmin Landeros from Moline, IL, a junior majoring in elementary education.

Thomas Larrison from Davenport, IA, a senior majoring in religion and history.

Peter Marogil from Moline, IL, a senior majoring in biology and pre-medicine.

Crystina Mayfield from Coal Valley, IL, a sophomore majoring in French.

Nathaniel McDowell from Rock Island, IL, a junior majoring in English and philosophy.

Courtney Mitten from Moline, IL, a junior majoring in psychology.

Allison Mulherin from Moline, IL, a senior majoring in biology.

Rayna Narvaez from Bettendorf, IA, a junior majoring in psychology and Spanish.

Leart Neziroski from East Moline, IL, a first year majoring in liberal studies.

Justine Nuguid from Moline, IL, a sophomore majoring in pre-medicine and biology.

Luke Osborne from Moline, IL, a senior majoring in classics Latin emphasis.

Kayla Papish from East Moline, IL, a junior majoring in teaching math and math.

Douglas Peters from Port Byron, IL, a first year majoring in liberal studies.

Ividya Prabhu from Moline, IL, a senior majoring in biology and pre-medicine.

Andrew Randone from Davenport, IA, a senior majoring in political science.

Bridget Reich from Bettendorf, IA, a senior majoring in psychology.

Jessica Scheckel from Taylor Ridge, IL, a sophomore majoring in liberal studies.

Alyssa Schroeder from Coal Valley, IL, a senior majoring in business finance and accounting.

Michael Seevers from Cordova, IL, a senior majoring in geography.

Andrew Shaffer from Rock Island, IL, a junior majoring in history.

Blythe Sharp from Milan, IL, a sophomore majoring in liberal studies.

Meghan Showers from Moline, IL, a junior majoring in Asian studies and political science.

Andrew Showers from Moline, IL, a first year majoring in liberal studies.

Anna Smith from Moline, IL, a senior majoring in biology.

Darla Smith from Port Byron, IL, a senior majoring in elementary education.

Jonathan Smith from Moline, IL, a first year majoring in liberal studies.

Henry Stauffenberg from Bettendorf, IA, a senior majoring in geology.

Mark Stumphy from Moline, IL, a junior majoring in biology.

Astrid Tello-Rodriguez from Milan, IL, a sophomore majoring in liberal studies.

Theodore Teros from Moline, IL, a junior majoring in philosophy.

Anna Tunnicliff from Bettendorf, IA, a sophomore majoring in liberal studies.

Katherine Vander Vennet from Rock Island, IL, a senior majoring in business marketing and speech communication.

Courtney Vandewiele from Rock Island, IL, a senior majoring in political science and accounting.

Calvin Vo from Moline, IL, a first year majoring in liberal studies.

Katherine Voigt from Bettendorf, IA, a junior majoring in biology.

Audrey Waner from Davenport, IA, a senior majoring in art.

Emily Weller from Rock Island, IL, a senior majoring in art education.

Peter Wessels from Bettendorf, IA, a sophomore majoring in business administration advising and accounting.

Nicholas Wilczynski from Moline, IL, a senior majoring in pre-medicine and biology.

Jennifer Youngs from Taylor Ridge, IL, a junior majoring in psychology.

Catherine Ziegler from Bettendorf, IA, a senior majoring in English.

About Augustana: Founded in 1860 and situated on a 115-acre campus near the Mississippi River, Augustana College is a private, liberal arts institution affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The college enrolls nearly 2,500 students from diverse geographic, social, ethnic and religious backgrounds and offers more than 70 majors and related areas of study. Augustana employs 287 faculty and has a student-faculty ratio of 11:1. Augustana continues to do what it has always done: challenge and prepare students for lives of leadership and service in our complex, ever-changing world.

Keep young minds sharp over the summer with educational programs at Rivermont Collegiate! Rivermont is offering an assortment of Summer Adventures for children from preschool age and up.  Programs cover a wide variety of interests - from cooking to aviation - to algebra and band Camp. Children from any school may register. Each one week session 8:30-11:30 a.m. is $110. Rivermont strives to prepare students who are grounded in the basics, yet able to think analytically and creatively, to confidently meet the challenges of the 21st century.  Check out full class descriptions and obtain a registration form at www.rvmt.org.

Preschool - Junior Kindergarten - Kindergarten

June 21-25 What's Cooking

June 28-July 2 We Dig Dinosaurs!

July 12-16 Animal ABCs

July 19-23 Take Me Out to the Ballgame

July 26-30 Planes, Rockets and Aviation

 

Ages 7-11

June 14-18 Just Dig It!  

June 21-25 Bits, Bites and Hopefully NO Bugs!

July 12-16 Whoooo is a Genius?

Specialty Classes

June 21-25, June 28-July 2, July 5-9, July 12-16 Algebra I Tune up  

(Open to students entering Algebra I next fall)

August 10-12 Mini Band Camp (open to band students of all ages!) 

For enrollment information on Rivermont Collegiate contact Cindy Murray at 563-359-1366 ext. 302 or murray@rvmt.org.

April 2010, Bettendorf, IA?Community business leaders can access the knowledge and experience of eleven internationally-acclaimed leaders by attending the Chick-fil-A "Be the One" Leadercast at Harvest Bible Chapel in Davenport, IA, on May 7, 2010. The Chick-fil-A Leadercast is a one-day leadership training event broadcast LIVE from Atlanta, Ga. to hundreds of host sites throughout the nation, including Davenport. Results Marketing, "The Shef " and St. Ambrose University are bringing the event to the QCA. Speakers for the event include :

  • Jim Collins, author of "Good to Great," "How the Mighty Fall" and co-author of "Built to Last"
  • Tony Dungy (pre-recorded session), retired head coach for the Indianapolis Colts
  • John C. Maxwell, leadership expert and best-selling author of "The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership"
  • Dr. Ben Carson, neurosurgeon, professor of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
  • Chip Heath, Author of "Made to Stick," Columnist for "Fast Company," and Stanford Professor
  • Jim Goodnight, CEO of SAS Institute, Inc.
  • Ed Bastian, president of Delta Air Lines
  • Connie Podesta, expert in the psychology of human behavior and leadership development
  • Mark Sanborn, best-selling author of The Fred Factor
  • Steve Uzzell, award-winning corporate photographer and former staff member of National Geographic
  • Dave "The Shef" Sheffield, top selling author and "Always Better Your Best" motivational expert

The idea for the Chick-fil-A Leadercast was conceived ten years ago by Dr. John C. Maxwell, "New York Times" best-selling author and speaker. He wanted to combine his influential voice in the community with his desire to reach leaders at the heart level. What started out as a half day, classroom-format event with John Maxwell teaching has since become a full-day, experiential conference featuring authors, leadership experts and practitioners.

"The event was a highlight in my development," said Jennifer Boubel, director of field services for Continental Airlines. "Each speaker brought insights that were inspiring. It is an incredible way to improve upon our leadership so that in turn we can make a difference in the lives of those we influence."

This year's program will focus on how to be the one to make a difference at work, at home and in the community. Topics include connecting with others, standing out amid the competition, ideas for creative problem solving, leading in challenging times, creating strong team cultures and how to avoid, detect and reverse decline.

"Leadership is about who you are within," said Bill George, Harvard Business School professor and author of "True North." "I think it's important to ... listen to leaders to reflect on the kind of leader you want to become."


Cost is just $99 (a $129 value) and includes the day's manual and lunch. Call for group discounts. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the QC Boys & Girls Clubs and Big Brothers/Big Sisters leadership programs.

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(Moline, IL)  "The U in Community - An Education Fair On Ways U Can Be Part of the Solution" is being held on April 8th at the Moline Viking Club.  The Early Childhood Coalition has partnered with a number of other local agencies to offer the event for parents, family members, and concerned citizens to learn more about ways that their voices can be used to make a difference in the state.

There will be tables of information focusing on the impact of possible budget cuts and a variety of ways individuals can advocate for the services that impact them, their families, and their communities.

This event is not early childhood specific, but is concentrating on the impact cuts across education and human services will have on all of our community.   This event is scheduled for April 8th from 4:00-7:00pm at the Moline Viking Club.

Available for interviews are organizers, parents who are worried about education cuts and spokespeople for human services agencies.  The free fair is sponsored by the Early Childhood Coalition of the Illinois Quad Cities.

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U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan today announced that Iowa will receive more than $18 million to turn around its persistently lowest achieving schools through the School Improvement Grants (SIG) program. These funds are part of the $3.5 billion that will be made available to states this spring from money set aside in the 2009 budget and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
"When a school continues to perform in the bottom five percent of the state and isn't showing signs of growth or has graduation rates below 60 percent, something dramatic needs to be done," said Duncan. "Turning around our worst performing schools is difficult for everyone but it is critical that we show the courage to do the right thing by kids."
The $18,710,222 made available to Iowa is being distributed by formula to the state and will then be competed out by the state to school districts. In order for a school district to apply for these funds, it must have a state-identified "persistently lowest achieving" or a Tier III school -- a school that has failed to meet annual yearly progress for two years and is not identified as a persistently lowest achieving school.
However, Tier III schools can only receive funds once all of the state's persistently lowest achieving schools have received funds. Iowa's application, which includes its list of persistently lowest achieving schools, as defined by the state, can be found here: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/sif/summary/index.html.
School districts will apply to the state for the funds this spring. When school districts apply, they must indicate that they will implement one of the following four models in their persistently lowest achieving schools:
  • TURNAROUND MODEL: Replace the principal, screen existing school staff, and rehire no more than half the teachers; adopt a new governance structure; and improve the school through curriculum reform, professional development, extending learning time, and other strategies.
  • RESTART MODEL: Convert a school or close it and re-open it as a charter school or under an education management organization.
  • SCHOOL CLOSURE: Close the school and send the students to higher-achieving schools in the district.
  • TRANSFORMATION MODEL: Replace the principal and improve the school through comprehensive curriculum reform, professional development, extending learning time, and other strategies.
Once schools receive SIG funds, they will be able to begin to spend them immediately to turn around schools this fall. States may apply to the Education Department for a waiver to allow them to spend funds over a three-year period. An additional $545,633,000 has been provided for SIG in 2010 and will be awarded to states to fund additional schools in the 2011-12 school year. The department has also made a request for an additional $900 million for the program in the 2011 budget.
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WASHINGTON, April 5, 2010 - Senator Chuck Grassley recently met with Jonathan Daters of Eldridge in Washington, D.C.

Daters, a junior at North Scott High School, was in Washington, D.C. attending the National Youth Leadership Conference.  The conference provides opportunities for students to discuss issues with private and public sector leaders, meet members of Congress and visit Washington's historical landmarks.  During their visit, students take part in group discussion and decision-making exercises to further prepare themselves for leadership roles.

Grassley discussed the opportunity that students have to intern in one of his offices.  "Being an intern is a valuable experience that allows students to get an inside look at politics and become more involved in representative government."

"It was great to meet with Jonathan," Grassley said.  "I enjoyed hearing his views and answering his questions about government.  During his time in Washington, he received a first-hand look at the federal government in action.  I'm glad Jonathan was able to see some of my day-to-day activities."

Meeting with young people has been a priority for Grassley throughout his career in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.  He enjoys meeting with nearly 60 groups of students every year.  To schedule a meeting with Grassley, visit http://grassley.senate.gov and click on Scheduling Requests under the Info for Iowans tab.

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Rivermont Collegiate is thrilled to announce sophomore Pavane Gorrepati, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Krishna Gorrepati of Davenport, was named Grand Individual Senior Champion at the 2010 Eastern Iowa Science and Engineering Fair (EISEF)!  As a Senior Champion, Pavane will attend the International Science and Engineering Fair in San Jose, CA in May.  In addition, Pavane's project was awarded a Class I ranking in the Senior Physical division and received an Outstanding Achievement award from the Wapsie Sierra Club.  EISEF was held Saturday, March 10th in Cedar Rapids and featured 180 impressive exhibits critiqued by 120 judges.

Pavane's project, Warning about Warming: A Global Problem with a Fuel Cell Solution, is an analysis assessing the use of fuel cells in eliminating idling emissions.  The Class I ranking is awarded to only the top 15-20% of exhibits at the fair and was accompanied by a $100 cash prize.  In parallel to judging for the EISEF awards, a number of organizations interview students to determine which projects merit their own sponsored awards; the Wapsie Sierra Club awarded their Outstanding Achievement award to only two projects at the fair.

Pavane, who has attended Rivermont Collegiate for 13 years, intends to devote her life to the study of alternative energy.  When not conducting science research, she also enjoys volleyball and tutoring.  Rivermont looks forward to Pavane's future contributions to the field of alternative energy and wishes her the best of luck at the International Science and Engineering Fair in San Jose!

For additional information on Rivermont Collegiate contact Cindy Murray at (563) 359-1366 ext. 302 or murray@rvmt.org

ST. LOUIS, MO (03/29/2010)(readMedia)-- Karen Leslie Barnes of Milan, IL (61264), was named to the Dean's List for the fall 2009 semester at Washington University in St. Louis. Barnes is a graduate of Leesville Road High School in Raleigh, NC, and is enrolled in the university's Olin Business School.

To make the Dean's List in the Olin Business School, a student must earn a semester grade point average of 3.6 or higher and be enrolled in at least 12 hours of graded course work.

Washington University is counted among the world's leaders in teaching and research, and it draws students and faculty to St. Louis from all 50 states and more than 125 countries. More than 13,500 undergraduate, graduate and professional students enroll each year.

The university's 3,297 faculty teach in seven schools: Arts & Sciences, Olin Business School, Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts, School of Engineering & Applied Science, School of Law, School of Medicine and George Warren Brown School of Social Work. Twenty-two Nobel laureates have been associated with Washington University, with nine doing the major portion of their pioneering research here.

The university offers more than 90 programs and almost 1,500 courses leading to bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in a broad spectrum of traditional and interdisciplinary fields, with additional opportunities for minor concentrations and individualized programs.

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Rivermont Collegiate is pleased to announce the following students have been recognized on the Third Quarter Honor Roll:

Upper School Honor Roll (9th - 12th) 

3rd Quarter 2009-10

Headmaster's List (3.85-4.00)

Roshan Babu

Vivek Bobba

Pavane Gorrepati

Alejandra Martinez

Christine Mbakwe

Matthew Newsome

Meghana Pagadala

Kelsey Qu

Darsani Reddy

Asha Tadepalli

Distinction (3.50-3.84)

Vishal Bobba

Souriyo Dishak

Chloe Hall

Basilia Koster

Christopher Mbakwe

Victor Mbakwe

Ramya Prabhu

Darcy Ryan

Joann Weeks

Chi Ieong Wong

Merit (3.00-3.49)

Manas Chimpidi

Archana Chintalapani

Rebecca Cupp

Tristan O'Harrow

Jacob Petre

James Weeks

Middle School Honor Roll (6th - 8th)

3rd Quarter 2009-10

High Honors

(All grades B+ or higher or B or higher for courses designated as Upper School level)

Helena Barber

Katherine Beltz

Madeline Bowman

Sarah Bowman

Adam Dada

Brandon Eckhardt

Christian Elliott

Colin Fly

Michael Garneau

Hannah Hansen

Neha Haque

Summer Lawrence

Victoria Mbakwe

Amanda McVey

Grace Moran

Hayley Moran

Michal Porubcin

Shravya Pothula

Harrison Qu

Suhas Seshadri

Marta Storl-Desmond

Loring Telleen

Honors

(All grades B- or higher or C+ or higher for courses designated as Upper School level)

Jay Dolan

Thatalia Garcia

Karanveer Gill

Abhishek Gowda

Collin Hunt

Lee Meier

Michael Moskaluk

For additional information on Rivermont Collegiate, contact Cindy Murray at (563) 359-1366 ext. 302 or murray@rvmt.org

Rivermont Collegiate is the Quad Cities' only private, independent, non-sectarian, PS-12 college preparatory school, ranked #1 on Iowa's AP Index.

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