Mastering New Worlds State of the School Report December 2011

Manson Northwest Webster
Mastering New Worlds
Vol. XX, Number 2
December 2011- January 2012
Manson Northwest Webster Community School District Newsletter
www.mnwcougars.com
State of the School Report
By Supt. Mark Egli
Open Enrolled
Students
Every year I submit a financial report to the
school board outlining the district’s current financial
position and projections as best as I can make them.
I will share some of that information with you in this
newsletter article.
Enrollment
There are two types of enrollment important
to a school district. First of all, there is the budget
enrollment. This is the number of resident students
in the district whether they attend MNW or go
elsewhere. In October of 2011, MNW had 611
resident students, down from 622 in 2010. The second
type of enrollment is open enrollment. Of the 611
resident students, 60 open enroll out of the district,
leaving 550 in district students. However, 120 students
open enroll into MNW (see chart), giving us a net
advantage of 60 students coming in over going out.
This translates into net dollars coming into the district
of over $350,000. Actual students in the seats for
MNW will therefore exceed 660 students this year for
MNW.
Projecting the MNW District’s future enrollment is
difficult. The Department of Education carries a link
to census-based projections that would indicate that
the number of resident students will rise over the next
5 years. However, those figures did not project a drop
for this year, so one wonders how accurately they will
predict the future years. Additionally, it is difficult to
predict the number of open enrollment students the
district will continue to attract. We have gone from a
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Y2006Y2007Y2008Y2009Y2010Y2011
OE IN
56
61.2 64.2
89
91
120
OE OUT 60.3 61.2 68.2
70
72
60
negative net open enrollment number to a positive
60 over the last five years. Whether the district can
remain as strong or even stronger remains to be
seen.
Financial Condition
Manson Northwest Webster is currently in good
financial condition. There are two critical financial
indicators for a school district’s operating fund—
general fund balance and accumulated budget
authority, more commonly referred to as unspent
balance. The general fund balance merely refers to
the cash balance in the general fund at year’s end.
Unspent balance is the amount a school district
has spent beneath its authorized budget authority
over the years. The authorized budget is arrived at
through the school funding formula, which depends
largely upon the number of students in the district.
School districts are forbidden by law from spending
in excess of their authorized budget. The chart
below depicts the history of MNW’s financial status.
Effective
January 10, 2012 Junior High and High
School student’s lunch
price will increase to
$2.05
Adult lunch prices will
increase to $3.00
MNW Jr.-Sr. High School 712.469.2245
*
MNW Elementary School 515.542.3211
The French Club is sponsoring a soup supper on
Friday, December 16, before the MNW basketball
game versus Newell-Fonda. The meal, which will
include chicken noodle soup and chili, crackers,
carrot and celery sticks, a bar, and a beverage, will
cost $5.00 for those 13 and older, $3.50 for ages 3-12,
and $1.00 for under 3 years of age. Serving will
be from 4:45 - 6:45 p.m. Tickets will be available
for sale from any French Club member after
Thanksgiving.
Thanks for your support!
The preschoolers are off to a great year!
We have 54 four-year-olds attending this
year, and 22 three-year-olds. We have
been busy learning our new friends’
names, our schedule, school rules, and
how to be a Superfriend!
Cards for Thanksgiving
From left to right: Josh Keller, Cody Callison,
Daniel May, and Good Samaritan Resident, Elmer
Eichelberger
The Manson Northwest Webster students
from Rabiner Treatment Center were not required to
participate in the Iowa Test Educational Development
testing. To occupy their time during the testing
periods they made Thanksgiving cards for the residents
of the Good Samaritan Center. On Friday afternoon
of November 11th, three of the students walked to the
Center and delivered their 36 cards. Mr. Eichelberger
was very pleased with his card and put it up on his
bulletin board with all his family pictures. The boys
enjoyed listening to Mr. Eichelberger tell about one
particular picture, a fish that he had caught at Twin
Lakes. The boys mentioned that it made them feel
good inside having helped to make the residents feel
good. Happy Thanksgiving to all.
On October 18th the students went to
the Community Apple Orchard. The
students had a great time touring the
orchard, the apple barn, the walk in
refrigerators, and the kitchen. We were
treated to some apple cider and an apple
too. We had a great day!!!
Team Trivia Night
Saturday, February 4
Clare Community Center, Clare
Six - Eight Adults are required per Team
@ $10 per Person
Clare Volunteer Fire Department
will host a cash meal
Team Registration and Social Time
Starts at 6 PM, Trivia Starts at 7:30
Emcee is Radio Personality,
Duane Murley
For More Details Contact MNW High
School at (712) 469-2245 or visit:
http://www.mnwcougars/HS/electrathon
Sponsored by: MNW Electrathon Team.
“Team Trivia Night”
“Team Trivia Night” sponsored by MNW Electrathon will be held Saturday,
February 4, 2011 at the Clare Community Center.
This event will be used to raise funds for MNW’s Electrathon team.
Registration and social time begins at 6:00 PM. Participants will be able to
purchase a cash meal furnished by the Clare Volunteer Fire Department.
Trivia will begin at 7:30.
Team trivia is played as follows:
1. Teams are comprised of 6-8 adults.
2. Eight rounds of ten questions will be asked using a variety of
categories.
3. After each question, team members will have time to confer and
come up with one answer.
4. After each round, the answers are corrected and point totals are
posted for all teams.
The team with the best score after eight rounds will be the “Team Trivia
Night” Champs.
Emcee for the evening will be radio personality Duane Murley.
Cost is $10.00 for each member of a team. It is not necessary to purchase
tickets ahead of time, just show up and play. If there are any further
questions contact Mark Lynch at Manson Northwest Webster High School
[(712) 469-2245] or e-mail Mark at [email protected].
Do you want to play and can’t get a team together? Let us know and we
can help you get a team together.
There will be an extensive silent auction for various materials. Check our
web page for a list of items at the silent auction.
For more information on the Electrathon visit the web site at:
www.manson-nw.k12.ia.us/hs/electrathon
Leadership
By Maggie Richardson
On October 14
and 17, the Leadership
class took a trip to the
elementary. The topics
the students focused on
were honesty, courage,
respect, and attitude.
Mr. Richman, who is
the leadership teacher,
thought it would be a
good idea to go over to
the elementary and teach
them about these topics.
Mr. Richman said, “It
would be a good way to
present leadership to the
younger kids to become
a better leader in the
Front row: Braden Moser, Brittany Wendland, Justin Moody, Cody Anderson, Tanner Spencer,
future.” The students
and Katie Smothers.
formed six groups and
Middle row: Lucas Fiala, Breena Wignall, Tessa Horn, Shelby Quade, Brittany Gerdes, Lucy
chose which concept
Besch, Marissa Reyes, and Daniel May.
they wanted to discuss.
Back row: Cal Twait, Isaac Ross, Adam Byrne, Keyton Stutzenberg, Hunter Ranthum, Dalton
Dillingham, Richard Hall, Remington Garst, Peyton Rice, and Mr. Richman.
Some of the groups read
books to the students. A
couple books they read
were; The Little Engine
That Could and Little Puppy Learns To Share. They chose
these books because of the overall message that the books
gave. The leadership students said that before they went
over to the elementary they were unsure on how it would go.
While they were there, they said they were nervous during
the presentation. After they were all done and came back,
they said that they thought they did a good job, but they
could improve on a few things they did. The leadership class
thought that the little kids enjoyed learning about semi familiar
topics from different people and students they can look up to.
Marissa Reyes said, “I think that the little kids learned about
Dalton Diliingham enjoys reading to Mrs.Larson’s
the definitions of the words they taught them.” If you are
kindergarten class
interested in learning more information about the leadership
class you can visit them at #leadmnw on Twitter.
Manson Northwest Webster
Publications Class
Page 2
Left: Cal
Twait shares
a story with
MNW
secondgraders.
Left: Shelby
Quade, Lucy
Besch, and
Tessa Horn
get students to
interact with
the story.
Left:
Brittany
Wendland
shares and
discusses a
photo from
the book she
is reading.
Left:Tanner
Spencer and
second graders listen
attentively
as team leadership reads.
Braden Moser, Mr. Richman, Katie Smothers, Keyton Strutzenberg, Peyton Rice, Lucas Fiala, and Adam
Byrne and the second grade class end the reading/share day with a picture.
Manson Northwest Webster
Publications Class
Page 3
El Phantismo
By Reese Morris
On November 11th and 12th the Drama Club presented
the play “El Phantismo.” This funny, action packed play takes
place on the island of Santacilia, which is filled with pirates,
padres, and posers. Santiago , the main character, is to marry
a woman named Sierra. Santiago and his buddies come up
with a plan to have someone pretend to be him and to find the
woman that he is to marry. What Santiago doesn’t know is
that Sierra and her friends have also come up with the same
plan. By the end of Act I, both plans are revealed. During Act
II everyone marries who they fell in love with. Then the plot
thickens. The priest that married all of the couples was really
a pirate posing as a priest. Throughout Act II, the couples
venture to find the real priest. In the end, they find the real
priest and everyone lives happily ever after. Chris Keller states,
“The play is funny and full of action!” Roles played by seniors
included Chris Keller as Pablo, Jade Green as Pia and Jordan
Neumann as Sierra. Other actors included Sam Wood, Melissa
Johnson, Hally Bergren, Karsyn Steib, Caleb Wubben David
Robideau, Ann Pedersen, Jocelyn Keller, Kierstyn Ferguson,
Jordan Ukena, Shelby Quade, Alli Rinard, Westley Aden, Matt
Johnson, Rachel Nickles, Justin Moody, Heath Nimke, Triston
Witte, Lucy Besch, Daniel May, and Tessa Horn.Sixteen other
students played the roles of villagers. Costuming was done
by Kim Quade and the set was done by cast members and
volunteers. They uniquely used paper plates to make the roof
of the balcony and plastic cups for the Spanish looking tiles on
the church. Under the direction of Kim Keller, the characters
were type cast well and the play was fun for all.
Thanks to Dylan Jones for manning the light
booth. Without the lights there is no action!
Under the direction of Byran Willer, the Jazz Band resounded their talents as the
played “Children of Sanchez.”
Manson Northwest Webster
Publications Class
Page 4
Manson Northwest Webster
Publications Class
Page 5
Bringing History into the Future
By Caleb Smothers
History infuses with technology.
The use of technology assists students
in learning about the past. Mrs. Gerke
teaches junior high history, and she
has students incorporate a variety of
technology in their projects. Mainly
because they have been decorating the
hallway, one specific project stands out
above everything else. Outside of Mrs.
Gerke’s classroom, several totem poles
were on display. Mrs. Gerke said that
students were asked to compare past
to present societies and represent them
on totem poles. Students investigated
three past Native American tribes to see
how they lived. Native American tribes
used totem poles to symbolize what was
important to them. Using collaboration,
imagination, connection, creativity,
and problem solving the students made
totem poles to represent a perfect society.
Front row: John Calmer, Tim Butcher, and Clayton
Three students were asked how project
Condon. Back row: Alex Ewing, Michelle Dolder, Tyler Franke, and
learning is different than book learning.
Ryan Brueschke.
Alex Ewing said, “Reading out of a
book doesn’t let me visualize a subject.”
Michelle Dolder said, “Projects let kids use their imagination.” Tim Butcher said, “Books don’t explain the
topic as well.” The high school teacher, Mrs. Gaskill has also been using technology to help students learn
about history. Students do research on the internet for all of their projects. So far this year students have made
scale models on ancient civilizations and have created websites over the middle ages. When asked how learning
with on the internet is different from learning with books Cole Kitten said, “The internet gives students more
information that is easier to find and also easier to cross reference.”
Another student, Hudson Spedding said, “There is a wider range of
sources that are more detailed and the information is easier to find.”
Overall the students like being able to use technology for learning
purposes in class.
Above are two scale models of ancient civilizations made in Mrs. Gaskill’s world
history class.
John Calmer’s project symbolizes the Indian
environment (buffalo), freedom (eagle), shelter (tee
pees), culture (snake), ag/farming (crops), education
(book), government (flag), and technology (gears).
Manson Northwest Webster
Publications Class
Page 6
在中國的利益: The Interest in China
By Jon Thornton
More people are learning Chinese due to China’s status in the world. To start off with, lets learn
a little about the background of China and why it is so very important to learn Chinese. Since the marketbased economic reform in 1978, China has caught up with other developed countries. China is the worlds
second-largest economy, after the United States, by both nominal GDP and purchasing power parity. In
2003, China became the third ranked nation in the world,
after Russia and the United States.
Jiao Yang, the Chinese teacher, thinks it will be
good for people to study other languages, so that they have
a chance to know the diversity of the world. One of these
studies should pertain to languages which will foster better
communication between world powers. There are so many
different dominate languages in China due to people being
isolated to different regions in China. One of the languages
is Mandarine. According to Jesse Sturgeon, he took Chinese
because MNW did not offer Spanish. He said he likes
Mandarine because it is easier than Spanish, grammatically
speaking. When asked what he though of the vocabulary,
Left: Jonathan Thornton, Jessie Sturgon, and Jolene
he said that it was really fun to learn, but it takes awhile
Bowman.
to pronounce words correctly. According to Jolene
Bowman she took Chinese because of the fact that it is a
new language for her to learn, and she likes the Chinese
teacher. Her favorite word is chi which means eat. She took Chinese instead of French and Spanish because
she had already taken the Spanish class offered and has no interest in taking French. She also thinks that the
vocabulary is very complicated. Catch on to a new language and try Chinese because it is becoming a new
world power. Learn Mandarin: Xuéxí Guóyǔ
Shūjí = books
Qí = ride
And =
Jí
ǔ
y
g
n
Roll = Gǔn
ī
Y
=
h rain = Yǔ
s
i
l
g
n
ǒ
E
W
=
I
Chī = e cat = Māo =Yán
at
Rock Zhōngguó = Chinese
Jolene Bowman concentrates as she studies
Jessie Sturgon looks confused but never is.
Jiao Yang, the Chinese teacher, presents
the class via a program like skype.
Manson Northwest Webster
Publications Class
Page 7
Fresh Out Of The Oven
By Johnathan Humphrey
MNW’s student-run restaurant is planned and
operated by sixteen students in two classes. There are
eight students in the Advanced Foods class and eight
students in the Independent Study in Foods class. Meals
are prepared for the general public, who make reservations
in advance for each meal. Community members can dine
in or carry out meal, or even have meals delivered to their
homes or businesses. A normal week in the advanced
foods class starts out with students increasing recipes
for the meal that will be served that week. At the same
time, a few other students will iron the napkins that will
be used. The next day, students will go to the store and
buy the food that is needed. After they get back, they
begin preparing the meal. Not all of the meal is created in
one day because students normally cook for about 45-60
people. The day after that they also cook the food while
the dining room attendants set up the tables in the dining
area. They clean the windows, put table service on, and
cover the tables. Finally, on the day of the meal, the dining
room attendants get dressed up nicely and offer excellent
customer service. The Autumn Grill is run like a normal
restaurant with a planned menu. After the customers have
eaten, the students have the huge task of washing all of
the dishes. Sometimes there are two meals a week which
doubles the student’s work. All of the students work
really hard to get the meals to look and taste delicious.
At the end of the class, they are proud of what they have
created, learned, and accomplished.
Garret and Keagan Janeski prepare ice tea and lemonade.
Mrs. Tague watches as Dylan Dorage practices
Daniel Goodwin garnishing while others watch
Students working to complete the meal
Manson Northwest Webster
Publications Class
Page 8
Lasting Impressions
By Mike Schmidt
In today’s culture, the number of people getting tattoos is on the
rise. More and more people from all walks of life don an impression that
bests suits them. Tatoos are seen on movie stars, musicians, teachers,
coaches, moms, dads, and yes, even students. In years past, typically it
was just guys who got tats; now, girls sport them as well. People might
ask themselves what’s the reason for the increase in body art. Some people
might think the tatoos are an attempt to cover up scars. Mrs. Allen, for
example, had skin cancer in her eyebrow region. She lost most of her
left eyebrow when the cancer was removed. Now, she has her eyebrow
tatooed. Other people are influeced to don tats to memorialize a loved one.
Jill Merrit has a design on her back for family members who have passed
away.Many people get tatoos to acknowledge their favorite sport; whereas,
other people have their names, nicknames, or a popular quote engraved on
their bodies. Many students at Manson Northwest Webster have body art.
Some kids got them as memorial tattoos
and others for personl reasons. Most of the
MNW students who have tatoos got them
when they were juniors or seniors. Is this art
just a phase? Most likely not.
Tattooing has been around for
hundreds of years. Its popularity
is spreading. For whatever
reasons that motivate people
to get tats, it’s an individuals
choice. A good piece of advice,
however, don’t make the lasting
impression something you’ll
regret later in life. Think smart!
Caleb Smothers dons a tatoo
that represents his favorite sport:
wrestling.
Some people get religious symbols to
show their belief.
Jill Merritt’s lasting impression
memoralizes family members who
have passed away.
Dani Ewing’s tatoo represents a
family member who passed away.
Cameron Taylor sports his last name on his upper back.
Here is another tatoo that depicts
the loss of a loved one.
Manson Northwest Webster
Publications Class
Page 9
Something Clever and Artistic
By Kierstyn Ferguson
Art is the place to be. Some students’projects progressed slowly
until Mr. Jim Schlapkohl decided to come out of retirement. A great buzz
filled the room and projects went in to overdrive. When asked about what
his various art classes were doing, he just smiled and replied, “Art.” In Art
with Computer, the class completed the assignment titled “Harvest.” Students in this class worked with the program CorelDRAW X5. Artists used
different techniques such as Bézier, which means a form of lines. These
lines go over
a picture and
then are filled
“BlackBerry Playbook” repeated to recreate
inside itself.
objects and incorporate them
with each
other in a different picture. Mr. Schlapkohl is glad to
be back, and will be working with ceramic pieces for
a personal project in the spring. When asked about
what she liked most in Art with Computer, Breena
Wignall, a sophomore, replied, “CorelDRAW. It’s
really interesting, and one I learned how to use it, it
was really fun.”
“Car” created using CorelDRAW X5.
Living La Vita Senior
By Ivan Potts
Seniors, the role models and future graduates
of MNW High, have come a long way since their days
as freshmen. They have prepared for the real world,
and the real world has prepared for them. But, what is
it about seniors that getst them to this point of success
in life? What is it in their daily lives that helped them
to get where they are today? Seniors responded to what is the first thing
they do every morning? The most common answer was, “Waking up and
getting ready for school.” While there were a few unique answers like Jill Merritt who said, “Playing with my
dog, Willy.” Seniors arrive at school a variety of times seniors arrive at the school building for classes. Most
students answered that they arrive around eight o’clock, but some are able to come later in the day because
they do not have a first period class and have the privilege of open-campus. The vast majority of seniors are
taking college classes, varying from Chemlab to Administrative Management. After school our seniors choose
different ways to spend time. Some seniors go to work while others go to practice. Everyone in the senior class
is in some sort of activity whether it’s sports related or academically oriented. The majority of seniors do not
have jobs, but a couple like Kea Bergren, Ben Dolder, Ivan Potts, Michael Schmidt, and Reese Morris do work.
Many seniors do not know if they are staying in Iowa after graduation. The seniors have had to make many
decisions so far in their lives, but they are about to make many more life decisions in the near future.
Manson Northwest Webster
Publications Class
Technologies in Math
Page 10
By Dalton Dillingham
In Mr. Jacobson’s and Ms. Peterson’s classrooms, students
and teachers involved with Math technology. The teachers have
infused technology and math together to give students a better feel
for the real world situations.
In Mr. Jacobson’s Algebra 1 class, they have been using
the Microsoft math graphing calculator to help explore graphing
problems. They have also been using the TI-inspire calculators and
TI-activities to explore new topics and create more of a student
centered classroom. They also been using the Iowa Communities
of Practice Moodle for additional resources and activities for our
Algebra classes. The new technology has been very helpful. It allows them to present material in multiple
ways which helps them reach every kind of learning style. I’m not sure if technology makes class easier. It
has made class better. Technology has shifted the responsibility of learning to the students. No longer are
students spoon fed information but they are given all the tools to succeed, it is now their responsibility to use
it and learn from it. The technology we have used in Math has related real life problems to the material we
are learning. It has made help for math available at the tip of students’ finger tips through youtube and other
websites such as our Iowa Communities of Practice website.
Ms. Peterson has been using Geogebra in my Advanced Geometry class. GeoGebra is a mulitplatform dynamic math software that joins geometry, algebra, tables, graphing, statistics, and calculus.
They have been using the algebra, geometry, and graphing parts of the software. Each student has it
downloaded to his/her laptop. Ms. Peterson and the students also use some interactive websites in prealgebra. Using the technology has been helpful to students when exploring concepts. It allows them to
visualize things and helps them make connections. I believe that using technology in the classroom makes
it easier for me to teach the lessons. The students are able to work through lessons with the technology in
order to be responsible for what they learn. They are able to come up with ideas on their own, without me
having to directly tell them. I think that with the dynamics of the technology the students are able to see the
connections better because they are able to move things around and see what those changes effect. Its a
more hands on visual way of learning which can be hard to accomplish in a math classroom at times.
A Battle about Books?
By Billie Smith
A battle of books has begun among high school students. Battle of the Books is a competition where
groups of students in teams of four to six people battle, quiz-bowl style, about books they have read. In
January Christine Sturgeon, Manson’s battle of the books adviser, will gather participants and quiz them
about the thirty-one books on the list of books used in the competition. Two
of the most popular books on the list so far have been Hunger Games by
Suzanne Collins and Hacking Harvard by Robin Wasserman. The ultimate
goal for participants to make it to the Marshalltown competition. No matter
what happens, they say they will happy to just have read so many amazing
novels. Mrs. Sturgeon has her own personal goals as well. She hopes to learn
more about the program this year, so next year she can implement a junior high
level. Members so far include Melissa Johnson, Angel Thornton, Jonathan
Thornton, Jesse Sturgeon, Caleb Sturgeon, and Daniel May! The group is
eager to add more members, so be sure to join before January!
Manson Northwest Webster
Publications Class
Page 11
A Night of Fright
By Billie Smith
On November 4, 2011, the monsters gathered at
Manson Northwest Webster Senior High School. The
Manson Drill Team hosted a Monster Ball that had an
amazing turn out! Any person in grades nine through twelve
was allowed to attend. Costumes were not requiredbut were
definitely encouraged! Dressed in a variety of costumes,
students danced the night away to music played by the
night’s DJ, Dean Vinchattle. The two most popular costumes
for the night were no costume and cop costumes. There was
even a costume competition! The winners were Jade Green,
dressed as a nerd, and Trevor Schreier, dressed as a cat.
This is quite the group!
Minnie Mouse friends
with a Ghostbuster?
A witch and an indian!
Wonder where they
met?
Posing for a picture is always fun. Costumes make it even
better. Who’s behind the mask?
Our favorite french maid
poses with the contest
winner !
Caitlyn Poppen and Dani
Ewing as a masked princess and French
Expanding Your Horizons
By Kea Bergren
When students walk into Language Arts their freshman year, they learn
about Tier Two Words. Tier Two relates to higher level thinking words such
as precarious, dupe, acquiesce, vigilant, and fabricate. Words that are selected
as Tier Two are chosen because students will likely see or hear them in a
wide variety of texts, newspapers, magazines, and other media. Mrs. Allen
added Tier Two to her curriculum about 15 years ago. She believes that giving
students a broader base vocabulary that their comprehension and writing skills
both improve. When students internalize their knew words, they often use them in daily conversations and
in their written work. The focus is to use and recognize the new words. Use
them so they don’t lose them. Students reinforce their learning by using a
variety of sources, most of which are found on-line. Technology is a powerful
tool to help students relate to knew knowledge. Students use wordnik.
com, easydefine.com, bighugelabs.com, and todaysmeet.com to practice and
reinforce Tier Two. Also a few students had a few comments to make about
Tier Two. Dalton Dillingham made the comment that he hasn’t used them
since freshman year. Tim Butcher said he doesn’t use Tier Two as much as he
did last year. When I went to talk to Mr. Richman he said he uses them all the
time.
Manson Northwest Webster
December Birthdays
Chase Almond
Lucas Dolder
Harley Janssen
Cody Clark
James Bohn
Emily Lawler
Paige Mericle
Zachary Reese
Breena Wignall
Alex Vetter
Layton Sousa
Joshua Markert
Nicholas Christnagel
Harlie Jud
Amanda Bush
Jessica Montes
Tucker Herzberg
Treston Hanson
Dylan Samuelson
Colin Camamo
Garret Carman
Jacob McGill
Dalton Dillingham
Jonathan Thornton
Maxwell Gleason
Kea Bergren
Madison Swanson
February Birthdays
Ty Condon
Jillian Merritt
Sara Kauffman
David Besch
Devin Duis
Dalton Hartzler
Jade Green
Tabitha Poldervaart
Abigail Sturgeon
Allison Miller
John Walstrom
Jocelyn Keller
Savannah Shultz
December 3rd
December 6th
December 6th
December 6th
December 7th
December 7th
December 11th
December 12th
December 12th
December 14th
December 14th
December 15th
December 15th
December 15th
December 16th
December 19th
December 22nd
December 26th
December 27th
December 27th
December 29th
December 29th
December 29th
December 29th
December 30th
December 30th
December 31st
February 1st
February 3rd
February 4th
February 4th
February 7th
February 8th
February 9th
February 10th
February 10th
February 11th
February 12th
February 14th
February 15th
Publications Class
Page 12
January Birthdays
Austin Bedford
Faith Troshynski
Brenna Peters
Brandon Volf
Miranda Jud
Bryan Beckley
Ashlee Grady
Autumn Martin
Brendon Peed
Mikayla Archer
Alexis Caguelin
Bryce Birkey
Cal Twait
Alisha Marsh
Benjamin Dolder
Kayelyn Jacobsen
Nicholas Girard
Allison Rinard
Kady Calmer
Mackenzie Nelson
Zachary Larson
Brittany Wendland
Daniel Goodwin
Rebecca Krueger
Kimberly Hokinson
Avery Birchard
Benjamin Wignall
Dominic Morriss
Katlyn Thompson
Karlee Buchanan
Emma Johnson
Nichole Licht
Danielle Poppinga
Madison Moser
Ashton Dillon
Katie Smothers
January 2nd
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Manson Northwest Webster
Publications Class
Page 13
Hands On
By Avery Birchard
The Ag Science students are preparing another real world business
situation. Members are building a chicken coop which is located behind the
bus barn where they can raise broiler chickens. Students have been working
on the construction since mid October. The coop will be sixteen by twenty
feet and should be done by spring. When the coop is done, it will hold fifty
chickens. The Ag sciences class will be taking care of them for seven weeks.
In this time they will have grown to full size and be ready for the market. A
project that students have been involved with for a number of years now is
raising tilapia to market weight, and then they fillet and sell the meat. There
is a 700 gallon tank in the back of the FFA room which makes it handy for students to take care of the fish.
They have to keep the tank clean, make sure that the water has the proper PH for the fish, watch the amount
of waist in the water, and check the temperature of the water. The process is very hands on and helps the
students learn responsibility and collaboration. There are many other opportunities for kids to be involved in
hands-on-projects such as the green houses and the test plot. When students look for a great hands on learning
experience, they have to look no further than the Ag department.
Construction moves quickly when multiple ag science students pitch in to enclose the project before
the snow flies.
Harley Janssen, Jacob Koons, and
Joe Kitten measure and nail side wall
panels for the boiler house.
Killer on the Loose!
Just kidding, but check out Biology class.
By Cole Kitten
For those who don’t know Biology is the study of
all living things on earth. In the class they have done three
projects where laptops have come in handy for research and
the actual projects. On a scale of one through ten the average
was eight on how useful the laptops were for these projects.
The favorite project by far was building models of cells and
other organisms. Very few students who were interviewed
used books for their research but used their laptop 100%
of the time. So over all the laptops are not only improving
technological abilities, but the laptops are also helping student
research their work and complete tasks.
Jack Walstrom ,Collin Christensen , and Alex
Dangelser are framing walls.
A Debate for the Ages
By Cole Kitten
The MNW debate team went to
Cedar Rapids for a debate tournament.
Over one hundred students participated
in the event. MNW was represented by
three teams of two students. The debate
was over the use of the Electoral College.
Students flipped a coin to see if they
were for or against the Electoral College.
Ultimately,they had to defend both sides.
All of the students interviewed said they
enjoyed going and meeting new people.
Although MNW did not place in the
competition, they did very well and had fun
doing it.
Manson Northwest Webster
Publications Class
Page 14
Odyssey of the Mind
By Ellie Herzberg
Front row: Emma Nelson, Liz Stange, and Abby Sturgeon. Middle row: Emma Simpson and Kate Jacobson. Back row: Alex Larsen, Remington Garst, Courtney Condon,
Brenna Peters, Skyler Michalski, Nick Ruhland, Melissa Johnson, Jessie Sturgeon, Logan Fiedler, and Adam Siepker. Students show their enthusiasm about self-learned
adventures of real life.
Odyssey of the Mind is a new program at MNW that was started by Mrs. Roethler, the T.A.G teacher. The
students involved in the program chose a variety of different activities to develop. One group of students
decided to alter and act out Shakespeares’s phrase “To be or Not to be.” This group includes Alex Larsen,
Jordan Neumann, and Melissa Johnson. Other students involved in Odyssey of the Mind are creating
various individual projects. Hailey Brueschke, for example, is working on developing a portfolio of book
reviews. She selects novels; and once she is done with each novel, she writes her personal analysis of each
book. Braden Moser is also involved in Odyssey of the Mind. He commented, “Odyssey of the Mind
interests me because I can choose topics that I like and that challenge me.” Remington Garst is writing
a paper dealing with hunting, and the changes that have evolved over time. Connor Alne is focusing on
the concept of intelligence. He is formulating his own theory of intelligence and how learning occurs.
Along with the group project, Jordan Neumann is doing a documentary on softball. Whereas, Tessa Horn
is working on a performance for National History Day. “I chose to participate in National History Day
because it’s a lot of fun and a great way to learn,” said Tessa Horn. All of the students who are participating
in Odyssey of the Mind chose their topics based on interest.
Manson Northwest Webster
Publications Class
Senior Spotlights
Page 15
Name: Benjamin David Dolder
Parents: Kevin and Sandra Dolder
Siblings: Haleigh, Lucas, and Michelle Dolder
My goal is to be: Happy and successful.
My role model is: My mom.
Extracurricular activities: Football, wrestling,
FFA, soccer
It would surprise people: I am a 3 time letter
winner at Fort Dodge Senior High.
Place I would like to visit: Virgin Islands.
Favorites:
T.V. Show- Bonanza
Movie- Toy Story Series
Color- Green
Food- Pretty much everything
Kind of Music- Country and R&B
Specific song- “Country Must Be Country Wide” by
Brantley Gilbert
Quote: “Gold medals aren’t really made of gold.
They’re made of sweat, determination, and a hard
to find alloy called guts.” - Dan Gable
Name: Danielle Poppinga
Parents: Dan and Cyndi Poppinga
Siblings: Drew Poppinga
My goal is to be: Successful
My role model is: My mom.
It would surprise people: I can go a day without a
glass of milk.
Place I would like to visit: Australia.
Favorites:
T.V. Show- How I Met Your Mother
Movie- She’s Out of My League
Color- Red
Food- Grilled cheese
Specific song- “God Gave Me You” by Blake
Shelton
Kind of Music- Anything
Quote: “If the person you’re talking to doesn’t
appear to be listening, be patient. It may simply
be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear.” Winnie the Pooh
Manson Northwest Webster
Publications Class
Page 16
Senior Spotlights
Name: Brittany Wendland
Parents: Brett Wendland and Heather Harklau
Siblings: Brenna Harklau
My goal is to be: An accomplished person
My role model is: Superman
Extracurricular activities: Basketball, softball, choir
It would surprise people: For me to NOT spill something down
the front of me.
Place I would like to visit: Australia
Three people I would like to have supper with: Amelia Earhart,
Elvis, Ville Valo
Favorites:
T.V. Show- The Three Stooges
Movie- King Kong
Color- Green
Food- Chocolatey desserts
Kind of Music- Just about anything
Specific song- Too many to pick just one
Name: Caleb Smothers
Parents: Steve and Stormy Smothers
Siblings: Katie and Cole Smothers
My goal is to be: Successful
My role model is: Stacey Rice
It would surprise people: I like to build things
Place I would like to visit: Hawaii
Three people I would like to have supper with: Steve
Perry, Robert Plant, and Rick Allen
Favorites:
T.V. Show- Tosh.O
Movie- Frequency
Color- Purple
Food- Burgers
Specific song- “Believe” by The Bravery or “California
Love” by Tupac
Quote: “If you think you can’t do it, you’re probably
right.”
Manson Northwest Webster
Publications Class
Senior Spotlights
Page 17
Name: Danielle Rae Ewing
Parents: Ron and Nicole Ewing
Siblings: Roni and Alex
My goal is to be: Successful and Happy
My role models are: Grandma Ewing and Roni Ewing
Extracurricular activities: Volleyball, Basketball, Drill
Team, Softball, Speech, Student Council, Quantum, Wrestling
Manager
It would surprise people: That I’m jealous of my dad
because he was Twirp King at FD school his senior year.
Place I would like to visit is: Any Tropical Island.
Three people I would like to have supper with are:
Grandma Ewing, Grandpa Evans, and Channing Tatum.
Favorites:
T.V. Show- Criminal Minds
Movie- Titanic and Fast Five
Color- Seafoam Green
Food- Chips and Salsa
Kind of music – Country and R&B
Specific song- “Red Dirt Road” by Brooks and Dunn
“Summer Girls” by LFO
Quote: “Angels Do Exist.” - Jordan Evans
Name: Jessie Marie Hamman
Parents: Torey and Shannon Martin
Siblings: Destinee, Autumn, and Dakota Martin,
Brody and Bryce Kafton
My goal is to be: A nurse
My role models are: My mom and my Grandma Terri
It would surprise people: I like to go prairie dog
hunting, and I roofed all summer with my uncle.
Place I would like to visit: Anywhere tropical!
Favorites:
T.V. Show- Law and Order: SVU
Movie- Soul Surfer
Color- Baby Blue
Food- Strawberries
Kind of music - Anything
Specific song- “My wish” by Rascal Flatts
Quote: “Anyone can give up, it’s the easiest thing in
the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone
else would understand if you fell apart. That’s true
strength.”