LAWRENCE (10/24/2013)(readMedia)-- LAWRENCE - The names of more than 1,100 candidates for degrees at the University of Kansas this spring - representing 55 Kansas counties, 44 other states and the District of Columbia, and 27 other countries - have been announced by the University Registrar.

Area graduates are as follows:

Sarah McHugh, of Bettendorf. She received a Certificate of Residency in Pathology -Anatomic & Clinical.

Michelle Stoffel, of Muscatine. She received a Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmacology.

Because KU conducts only one formal Commencement ceremony each year, some of these graduates will return Sunday, May 18, 2014, for the university's 142nd Commencement.

Washington, D.C. - Teams of high school and middle school students across the country can now register to compete in the 24th annual Department of Energy's National Science Bowl (NSB). Thousands of students compete in the contest annually and it has grown into one of the largest academic math and science competitions in the country.

The top two high school teams nationwide win educational adventure trips and the top middle and high school teams win money for their schools' science departments.

"Participating in the National Science Bowl both regionally and at the national championships encourages student involvement in math and science activities, which is of importance to the Department of Energy and the nation," said Patricia M. Dehmer, Acting Director of the DOE Office of Science, which manages the National Science Bowl and sponsors the NSB finals competition. "These students represent our nation's future science leaders. We wish them success in their efforts to reach the National Finals in Washington, D.C."

Teams of students can sign up to participate in the NSB by registering with the coordinator for their local competition, which they can find on the NSB website HERE. Separate competitions are held for high school and middle school. Regional competitions for each area typically last one or two days and take place throughout the country between January and March.

During the regional and national competitions, students participate in a fast-paced verbal forum to solve technical problems and answer questions from all branches of science and math. Each team is composed of four or five students and a teacher who serves as a coach. Teams can find sample questions on the NSB website to help prepare for the competitions.

The winning team from each qualifying regional competition will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to compete in the National Finals held in Washington, D.C., from April 24 to April 28, 2014. The national events include several days of science activities, sightseeing, and competitions. As part of the National Finals, middle school students design and race lithium ion battery-powered model cars. High school students compete in team science challenges in addition to participating in the academic competition.

The prizes for the top two high school teams for the 2014 NSB will be announced at a later date. The high school team that won the 2013 NSB received a nine-day, all-expenses-paid science trip to Alaska, where they learned more about glaciology, marine and avian biology, geology, and plate tectonics. The second-place high school team at the 2013 NSB won a five-day, guided adventure tour of several national parks, which included a whitewater rafting trip.

The top 16 high school teams and the top eight middle school teams in the National Championship also win $1,000 for their schools' science departments.

Last year, approximately 14,000 high school and middle school students from 49 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico competed in the NSB.

DOE created the National Science Bowl in 1991 to encourage students to excel in mathematics and science and to pursue careers in these fields. More than 225,000 students have participated in the competition since it began.

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Even though it is fall break at United Township High School...students in the Lights ON program are spending the day learning about local history

(East Moline) Heather Monson, Social Studies teacher at United Township High School, is leading a unique local history excursion for UT students on their fall intersession.  Approximately 50 students volunteered to take part in this experience, which focuses on Quad City history from the Civil War to the 21st century.  Through visits to the Black Hawk Hotel, Arsenal Island, Davenport House and Modern Woodman Park, students will learn how residences of the Quad Cities lived, worked and played through the decades.  The goal is for students to investigate our community's role in the American History they are studying in the classroom.  This trip is made possible by the 21st Century Learning Communities Grant and the Lights On for Learning grant coordinators.

Agenda:  Approximately 50 students and 4 adults will be leaving from UTHS at 9am.
9:00-9:30am-Travel to the Blackhawk Hotel
9:30-10:30am-Private tour of Historic Blackhawk Hotel
10:30-10:40am Travel to Modern Woodman Ball Park
10:45-11:30am Behind the scenes look at Modern Woodman Park
11:30-12:15pm Lunch in Sky Deck
12:15-12:30pm  travel to Arsenal Island Via Moline
12:30-1:30pm Groups Split 1st Group Arsenal Museum/Davenport House
1:30-2:30pm Route Groups
2:30pm Load buses, drive through cemetery...head home

Zydeco musician and Grammy winner Terrance Simien will be in the Quad Cities the week of November 4 as part of the MVBS Blues in the Schools artists-in-residence series for the 2013-2014 school year.  This is the first time he has visited our area as an educator, and the Education Committee is excited by his Creole for Kidz & The History of Zydeco program.   Terrance will be visiting 10 schools and presenting 3 open-to-the-public performances:

·        Wed. Nov. 6, 11:30-12:30 p.m.?CASI, 1034 W. Kimberly, Davenport IA

·        Thurs. Nov. 7, 7:00-9:00 p.m.?River Music Experience, Redstone Room, 2^nd and Main Streets, Davenport IA

·        Fri. Nov. 8, 9:00 p.m.?The Muddy Waters, 1708 State St., Bettendorf IA

Terrance Simien (born September 3, 1965 in Mallet, Louisiana), a zydeco musician, vocalist and songwriter, is an eighth generation Creole from one of the earliest Creole families documented to have settled in St. Landry Parish. He was introduced to music via the piano at home, the Catholic Church choir, and in school band programs where he played trumpet.

While in his teens, he taught himself to play accordion and formed his first band, Terrance Simien & The Mallet Playboys, and began to play the regional zydeco club and church hall circuit.  The early 1980s was a pivotal time in zydeco music history since the pioneers of the genre were aging and the music was in jeopardy of dying off without the critical presence of emerging artists perpetuating the traditions. In 1983 at the young age of 18, Simien began touring professionally and by 20 he was sharing the stage with Fats Domino and Sarah Vaughn at the Berne Jazz Festival. His career exploded after that, and he remains a pivotal part of zydeco music history. Simien was also vital to the "renaissance" of a genre that was becoming extinct with the passing of each pioneer, starting with Clifton Chenier in 1987. By the end of the 1990s, all of the other influential pioneers had departed. This placed Simien at the forefront of an exciting period of growth and popularity for his genre.

Simien and his band have toured internationally, presenting over 7000 live performances in more than 40 countries, and released dozens of solo recordings and collaborations. He has shared studio and stage with Paul Simon, Dr. John, The Meters, Marcia Ball, Dave Matthews, Stevie Wonder, Robert Palmer and the roots rockers Los Lobos.

In 2007, Simien helped establish a new Grammy voting category, Best Zydeco or Cajun Music Album. His group, Terrance Simien and the Zydeco Experience, were the first ensemble to win a Grammy in that same category in 2008.  Simien has appeared on screen and contributed to the soundtracks of multiple movies, television films and commercials. He appears on the soundtrack of the Disney film The Princess and the Frog set in the French Quarter of New Orleans, featuring authentic Louisiana music scored by Randy Newman. It was the first time Disney featured zydeco music in a film, but what really changed the game was when the word "zydeco" was actually spoken in the movie!   Simien has also contributed to the soundtracks of movies such as The Big Easy.

Simien and his business partner/wife, Cynthia, are active in Creole music education and advocacy. They created MusicMatters, Inc., a non-profit for education and advocacy.  They also created the "Creole for Kidz & The History of Zydeco" performing arts program, which provides informational performances to K-12 students, teachers and parents. Since it was created in 2001, Creole for Kidz has reached nearly 500,000 students, parents and teachers in more than 20 states, Mali, Dominican Republic, Brazil, Paraguay, Canada and Australia.

Creole for Kidz & the History of Zydeco is centered on the evolution of Simien's indigenous zydeco music: the traditional music of the black and mixed race, French speaking Creoles of south Louisiana. He also believes that the term Afro-Creole is very appropriate when referring to Louisiana Creoles.  The performance is accompanied by an 8-page study guide with glossary, available as a PDF download for students and teachers.  In-school exercises include making a frottoir (rubboard) from cardboard.

The MVBS Blues in the Schools artists-in-residence program is made possible by a generous grant from the Riverboat Development Authority.  Thanks to our sponsors The Moline Foundation, River Music Experience, Alcoa, The Lodge, and KALA radio.