10 Jan 2012

$10,000 and $25,000 grants available to rural school districts

By Kevin Stillman

$10,000 and $25,000 grants available to rural school districts
through America's Farmers Grow Rural EducationSM

ST. LOUIS (Jan. 6, 2012) - Statistics show that the U.S. ranks only 25th in math scores and 21st in science compared to 30 industrialized nations. These facts show that education is strongly in need of support. To help, Monsanto Fund, the philanthropic arm of Monsanto Company, is launching America's Farmers Grow Rural Education? to aid rural school districts by providing $10,000 and $25,000 grants in 1,245 counties across 39 states.

"We believe our rural communities are the heart of America," said Deborah Patterson, Monsanto Fund president. "We want to help strengthen local communities and education systems, especially in the areas of science and/or math. A strong science and math education helps build a foundation for many careers in agriculture, but also will help our students to be more competitive with those in larger cities and other nations."
America's Farmers Grow Rural Education gives farmers the opportunity to nominate a public school district in their rural community to compete for a grant. Nominated school district administrators can then submit an application for either a $10,000 or $25,000 grant to support a science and/or math educational program by April 30, 2012. School districts that apply for a $10,000 grant will compete against other school districts that are located in the USDA-appointed Crop Reporting District (CRD); except that CRDs with fewer than five eligible school districts will compete against each other for a single grant. A school district that applies for a $25,000 grant will compete against schools that are located in its state or designated region.
The Monsanto Fund will award 199 grants this year. There will be 177 $10,000 grants and 22 grants of $25,000 awarded. Visit growruraleducation.com to see a complete list of eligible states and regions. Overall, the Monsanto Fund will donate more than $2.3 million to school districts in 39 states through this program.

Grants will be awarded based on merit, need and community support. The America's Farmers Grow Rural Education Advisory Council will select the winning grant application. This group is made up of 26 farmer leaders from across the country, who are passionate about both farming and rural education. The council members, from across the country, are actively engaged in their local communities through various leadership positions, such as a member of the local School Board, an active Farm Bureau leader or a member of an educational organization or committee within various organizations. The council is responsible for reviewing the top grant applications to select the winning school. These individuals are passionate about both agriculture and education, which is essential when choosing the best grant.
The program started with a successful pilot in Illinois and Minnesota, in which farmers were given the opportunity to nominate a public school district in 165 eligible counties in those two states. The Monsanto Fund awarded more than $266,000 to local schools in 16 CRDs through the pilot.
The America's Farmers Grow Rural Education program is part of a broad commitment by Monsanto Fund to highlight the important contributions farmers make every day to our society by helping them grow their youth. Visit www.growruraleducation.com for additional information and to view a complete list of winning school districts.

 

About Monsanto Fund
The Monsanto Fund, the philanthropic arm of the Monsanto Company, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening the farm communities where farmers and Monsanto Company employees live and work.  Visit the Monsanto Fund at www.monsantofund.org.

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10 Jan 2012

State Treasurer Fitzgerald Announces New Deduction Amount for College Savings Iowa in 2012

By Karen Austin

DES MOINES, IA (01/05/2012)(readMedia)-- State Treasurer Michael L. Fitzgerald announced today that the deduction amount for College Savings Iowa has once again been raised. "Iowa taxpayers can now deduct the first $2,975 they contribute to each College Savings Iowa beneficiary account from their state taxable income," said Fitzgerald. "This means that a married couple with two children will be able to deduct up to $11,900 in contributions on their 2012 state taxes."*

College Savings Iowa lets anyone - parents, grandparents, friends and relatives - invest for college on behalf of a child. Investors do not need to be a state resident and can withdraw their investment tax-free to pay for qualified higher education expenses including tuition, books, supplies and room and board at any eligible college, university, community college or accredited technical training school in the United States or abroad.**

One of the best features of College Savings Iowa is how easy it is to get started. "All you need is $25 and ten minutes of your time to start saving," said Fitzgerald. "I encourage all families to save whatever they can today to help offset what has to be borrowed in the future." For more information about College Savings Iowa, call 888-672-9116 or visit www.collegesavingsiowa.com.

* Adjusted annually for inflation. If withdrawals are not qualified, the deductions must be added back to Iowa taxable income.

** The earnings portion of nonqualified withdrawals may be subject to federal income tax and a 10% federal penalty tax, as well as state and local income taxes. The availability of tax or other benefits may be contingent on meeting other requirements.

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Investment returns are not guaranteed and you could lose money by investing in the plan. Participants assume all investment risks as well as responsibility for any federal and state tax consequences. If you are not an Iowa taxpayer, consider before investing whether your or the designated beneficiary's home state offers any state tax or other benefits that are only available for investments in such state's qualified tuition program.

For more information about the College Savings Iowa 529 Plan, call 888-672-9116 or visit www.collegesavingsiowa.com to obtain a Program Description. Investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses, and other important information are included in the Program Description; read and consider it carefully before investing.

04 Jan 2012

RECREATION: Look this month for the Davenport Parks and Recreation Winter Session to begin January 9th as well as 2012 Davenport Summer Kids Passes ($50.00) that are now on sale. Please check our website for all classes, all school out days, worksho

By Brittany Marietta

Make a New Year's resolution to maximize your child's potential!

Rivermont Collegiate is the Quad Cities' only private, independent college-prep school for students in preschool through grade 12.  Join us for an event in January to explore what Rivermont Collegiate is all about - all events are casual and no appointment is needed.

Did you know...

  • 100% of Rivermont graduates are accepted to 4-year colleges and universities
  • Over 90% of Rivermont graduates earn renewable college merit scholarships
  • Rivermont grades 2-8 ITBS composite scores rank in the 99th percentile
  • Rivermont features a 9:1 student to teacher ratio
  • Over 30% of Rivermont students qualify for some form of tuition assistance

 

Open Tours - Tuesday, January 3rd - 8:30-10:00 a.m.

 

Open House Coffee - Saturday, January 21st - 8:30-11:00 a.m.

 

Open House - Thursday, January 26th - 6:00-8:00 p.m.
04 Jan 2012

Young ones with cabin fever? Young Scholars is here! Come hang out!

By Brittany Marietta

What: Rivermont Collegiate Young Scholars Program

When: First Thursday of each month, 9:00-10:00 a.m. - first Young Scholars is Thursday, January 5th!

Who: Local children ages 2-4 (and an accompanying adult)

Where: Rivermont Collegiate - 1821 Sunset Drive, Bettendorf, IA 52722

Contact: Brittany Marietta, Director of Admission - (563) 359-1366 ext. 302 or marietta@rvmt.og

Join the current Rivermont PreSchool class for crafts, stories, and new friends!  Children ages 2-4 and an accompanying adult are invited to participate in any (or all) of Rivermont's Young Scholars days.  Young Scholars meets the first Thursday of every month, beginning in January, from 9:00-10:00 a.m. in Becherer Hall on the Rivermont campus.  Young Scholars is free and open to the community!  Don't miss this fantastic opportunity for your child to socialize, enjoy a story, and learn a craft!

Young Scholars is a fantastic opportunity to visit campus and casually explore Early School at Rivermont.  Rivermont Collegiate is the Quad Cities' only private, independent college-prep school for students in preschool through grade 12, where small class sizes ensure personalized attention for each student.  Our diverse student body comes from throughout the Quad City area.  Join us and explore Rivermont!
04 Jan 2012

Brown Mackie College - Quad Cities selected as a 2012 Military Friendly School

By J. Stephen Dobbins
"List shows veterans which colleges are a good fit"

(December 28, 2011 --- Bettendorf, IA)  For the second consecutive year, Brown Mackie College ? Quad Cities  has received the honor and was selected as a Military Friendly School by G.I. Jobs magazine. The school now appears on the 2012 list of Military Friendly Schools. The list honors the top 20 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools which are doing the most to embrace America's veterans as students. The common bond that the schools listed have is their shared priority of recruiting students with military experience.

Brown Mackie College ? Quad Cities has always held the deepest respect for the men and women who have served and continue to serve our country," says Kao Odukale, President of Brown Mackie College ? Quad Cities. "This ranking further acknowledges our long-term commitment to providing our military and veteran students with access to a quality education. We are extremely pleased to once again be included on this list and in the company of other distinguished colleges and universities."

The list was compiled through exhaustive research starting last April during which G.I. Jobs polled more than 7,000 schools nationwide. Methodology, criteria and weighting for the list were developed with the assistance of an Academic Advisory Board (AAB) consisting of educators from Carnegie Mellon University, Duquesne University, Colorado State University, Dallas County Community College, Old Dominion University, Cleveland State University, Lincoln Technical Institute and Embry Riddle; as well as Keith Wilson, Veteran Administration's Director of Education Services; Michele Spires, American Council on Education's Assistant Director of Military Programs; Janet Swandol, Associate Director for College Level Examination Program (CLEP) and Derek Blumke, President of Student Veterans of America. A full list of board members can be found at http://militaryfriendlyschools.com/Article/advisory-board/.

Criteria for making the Military Friendly Schools list included efforts to recruit and retain military and veteran students, results in recruiting military and veteran students, and academic accreditations.


G.I. Jobs (www.gijobs.com), a veteran-owned business, is published by Victory Media, which also publishes The Guide to Military Friendly Schools, Military Spouse and Vetrepreneur magazines and annually rates the nation's "Military Friendly Employers," "Military Spouse Friendly Employers" and "Best Corporations for Veteran-Owned Businesses."

To learn more about how Brown Mackie College ? Quad Cities can support the education needs of military and veteran students, call K.L. Allen at (513) 830-2052, toll free (866) 696-1222, e-mail keallen@brownmackie.edu, or visit http://www.brownmackie.edu/pr.aspx?ID=BMC2414.

###

Brown Mackie College ? Quad Cities is one of 27 school locations of the Brown Mackie College system of schools (www.brownmackie.edu), which is dedicated to providing educational programs that prepare students for entry-level positions in a competitive, rapidly-changing workplace. Brown Mackie College schools offer bachelor's degree, associate's degree, certificate, and diploma programs in health sciences, business, information technology, legal studies and design technologies. See bmcprograms.info for program duration, tuition, fees, and other costs, median debt, federal salary data, alumni success, and other important info.
27 Dec 2011

Beginner Photography Workshop Jan 21 & 22

By Paula Neuhaus
Maquoketa Art Experience announces a photography workshop for beginners led by MAE Affiliated Artist Sindi Mueller on January 21 and 22 for a two-day workshop exploring the fundamentals of photography in a hands-on environment. This workshop, held on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., will cover the effects of shutter speed, aperture, and ISO (speed and sensitivity to light). Students will learn about shooting modes, auto focus, file-formats, depth-of-field, composition, quality-of-light, critique, and will receive tips a bout choosing equipment. Skills mastered in the workshop can be applied to any genre of photography including portraiture, landscape, abstract, photojournalism, and more.

Sindi Mueller is a Maquoketa Art Experience Affiliated Artist and has permanent gallery space at MAE. She also owns Luxe Photography portrait studio and is the only Certified Professional Photographer within 25 miles of Maquoketa and one of only 55 in the entire State of Iowa. Her love of photography led her to the Chicago Photography Academy where her mentor and teacher, William Benson, inspired her to create photographs that did not look like  photographs. This opened a whole new world of surrealism, abstraction and interpretation for her. She began exploring kinetic photography, which is photography in which the camera is moved while the shutter is open, and her collection of images began growing by leaps and bounds. You can often find Sindi huddled in a dark closet with a collection of lamps, lenses, lights and mirrors feeling her way to the next "perfect shot".

Sindi's kinetic images were featured in her first show, December 2010 in Chicago and unveiled her first collection at a solo exhibit at Maquoketa Art  Experience, Maquoketa, Iowa in April 2011.

In addition to her growing catalog of kinetic and abstract images, Sindi also appreciates the beauty of nature in her home state of Iowa, as well as the magnetism of the Chicago urban landscape. Sindi's landscape images have been published in the Maquoketa Sentinel Press and Bellevue Herald Leader.

Her fine art photography is currently represented by Maquoketa Art Experience.  The cost for the two-session workshop is $150 and is open to adults 18 or older. Registration materials are available at www.maquoketa-art.org. For more information contact Paula Neuhaus at
paula@maquoketa-art.org or call 563.652.9925.

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27 Dec 2011

UI students reaching across the globe

By Hawkeye Caucus

You have probably heard about Doctors Without Borders but did you know that there is an Engineers Without Borders, too?  This national organization does exactly what its name suggests: reaches out to help lift up communities that cannot do it themselves. It is through this national organization that the University of Iowa Chapter of Engineers Without Borders has made a long-lasting, positive impact halfway across the globe.

 

Over the past few years UI engineering students have been working in Ghana, a country in Western Africa, to provide clean drinking water and sanitation. The students also provide the communities they serve with the knowledge they need to manage and maintain these systems for years to come.

 

In order to find out more information click here http://www.uiewb.org/.

 

DID YOU KNOW?

There are more than 3,500 University of Iowa College of Engineering alumni living in 91 of Iowa's 99 counties.
23 Dec 2011

Treasurer Fitzgerald Reminds College Savings Iowa Investors to Bring in the New Year with Tax Savings

By Michael Fitzgerald

Contributions to College Savings Iowa accounts must be made by December 31, 2011.

DES MOINES, IA (12/21/2011)(readMedia)-- Once again, the year has flown by, and it's already time to start looking ahead to 2012. However, State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald has an important reminder about College Savings Iowa before the big ball drops on New Year's Eve. "Before you start celebrating, don't forget to make your final contributions to your College Savings Iowa account," Fitzgerald said. "To help ring in the New Year and remind Iowans about the importance of saving for college, College Savings Iowa is giving away a $529 College Savings Iowa account." For more information and to enter the giveaway, please visit www.collegesavingsiowa.com.

Contributions to College Savings Iowa must be made by the end of the year to qualify for 2011 state tax deductions. Account holders can deduct up to $2,865 for each open account and can contribute online at www.collegesavingsiowa.com.* Contributions sent by mail must postmark checks by December 31, 2011.

College Savings Iowa lets anyone - parents, grandparents, friends and relatives - invest for college on behalf of a child. Investors do not need to be a state resident and can withdraw their investments tax-free to pay for qualified higher education expenses including tuition, books, supplies and room and board at any eligible college, university, community college or accredited technical training school in the United Sates or abroad.** For more information about College Savings Iowa, call 888-672-9116 or visit collegesavingsiowa.com.

* Adjusted annually for inflation. If withdrawals are not qualified, the deductions must be added back to Iowa taxable income.

** Earnings on non-qualified withdrawals may be subject to federal income tax and a 10% federal penalty tax, as well as state income taxes. The availability of tax or other benefits may be contingent on meeting other requirements.

###

Investment returns are not guaranteed and you could lose money by investing in the plan. Participants assume all investment risks as well as responsibility for any federal and state tax consequences. If you are not an Iowa taxpayer, consider before investing whether your or the designated beneficiary's home state offers any state tax or other benefits that are only available for investments in such state's qualified tuition program.

For more information about the College Savings Iowa 529 Plan, call 888-672-9116 or visit www.collegesavingsiowa.com to obtain a Program Description. Investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses, and other important information are included in the Program Description; read and consider it carefully before investing.

23 Dec 2011

Dustin Secrist Selected as Resident Assistant at Illinois College

By Elizabeth Findley

JACKSONVILLE, IL (12/21/2011)(readMedia)-- Dustin Secrist of Hillsdale has been chosen to serve on the residence life staff at Illinois College for the 2011-2012 academic year.

Secrist, is the son of Casey Secrist of Hillsdale. He is a graduate of Riverdale High School.

Resident assistants, or RAs serve the college in many capacities: as peer advisers for new residents, coordinators of residential life, and liasons between the students and administration. RAs are responsible for creating an environment that promotes positive academic and social experiences.

Founded in 1829, Illinois College is a residential liberal arts college fostering academic excellence rooted in opportunities for experiential learning while preparing students for lifelong success.

23 Dec 2011

Grassley: Coralville Student Selected by West Point

By Grassley Press
WASHINGTON - Senator Chuck Grassley said today that Christopher J. Drew of Coralville has been selected for admission to the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York, for the 2012-2013 school year.

Drew will graduate in May from Iowa City West High School.  He is the son of Tracy and Stephen Drew.

"Admission to West Point is highly competitive and a great honor," Grassley said.  "Students like Christopher Drew work incredibly hard to earn this kind of opportunity, and I join many others, no doubt, in wishing him well and expressing appreciation for his commitment to serving our nation."

At Iowa City West High School, Drew has been active in National Honor Society, student government, Boy Scouts, track and field, jazz band, show choir, and the school musical.

Drew was one of the Iowa students Grassley recommended this year for appointments to the U.S. service academies.  Information about seeking a nomination is posted at http://grassley.senate.gov/info/academy_nominations.cfm.

For more than 200 years, the U.S. service academies have educated and trained the best and the brightest to lead and command the U.S. armed forces.

 

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