Et Cetera

The following local students graduated from Drake University at the end of the fall 2019 semester.Drake University is a midsize, private university in Des Moines, Iowa, enrolling nearly 3,000 undergraduate and more than 1,800 graduate students. Students choose from over 70 majors, minors, and concentrations and 20 graduate degrees offered through six colleges and schools.

Once in a while I stumble across articles that I find interesting.  This is one of those. With permission from the fine folks in Texas, I am sharing this article about a gentleman that was born in Vinton and later settled in Texas having a rather interesting career. Thank you to the folks at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram for your permission to share this story!Click after the first few paragraphs to view the remaining story.

Students in grades six to 12 can now enter either the Money Smart Kid or Money Smart Teen Essay Contest and compete for the chance to win up to $1,000 to help boost their college savings. The statewide essay contests are both sponsored by the Iowa Bankers Association in partnership with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. Eligible junior high school students (in grades six to eight) can enter the Money Smart Kid Essay Contest by writing an essay of 500 words or fewer, addressing the following:  “Many families fall prey to predatory lending every year, which is a term used to describe a wide range of unfair financial practices that involve borrowing, lending and check cashing.

12th GradeBohnsack, Leah MCantrell, Spencer JCardenas, Amanda MClark, Haley R*Dudley, Charles DElwick, Andrew TEvans, Franki LEvans, Sonnie AGraves, Zandalee HGriffith, Sam NHaefner, Payton WHansen, Morgan LHazen, HunterHendrickson, Joanna LHepker, Jesse JHerger, Davia MJohnson, Paul DKarr, Cameron LKlinzing, Cole TKramer, Zachary M*Lamont, Lillie RLane, Kellsie LLang, Caroline ELipcamon, Marcus AMiller, Alexis KMurray, Raelyn NNovotny, Madison JO'Brien, Katelyn RRake, Jace RReynolds, AlyssaSass, Thomas*Scheel, Rylee LSchmidt, Gabriel V*Schoettmer, Ryan CSchulte, Raeleigh JShaw, Broc DSlaton, Jessica DSmith, Jonah MSteele, Catherine MThomas, Amy RUpmeyer, Lauren MVinton, Beauregard C*White, Jillian P11th GradeAllsup, Isaac J*Almquist, Brayden JAtkinson, Madison NBahmann, Kailey JBearbower, Ayden WBrunssen, Alesha ABunten, Alexis A*Carolan, Clarissa SChristy, Kallea MColsch, Elias DDavis, Marjorie LDickinson, Emma EDighton, Alexis ADilley, Gretta EDilley, Sophia LEngler IV, John FErickson, Brooks RGriffith, Kayla MHansel-Walker, Mackenzie MHarrelson, Christina MHicok, Conner LHowe, Abigail NHowes-Vonstein, Lucy C*Humiston, Katelyn GJeffery, Kyla JJi, SiwooJohnson, Brynn NKalina, Philip JKalous, Elijah JKemp, Allison RLapan-Islas, David A*Lee, Mymint*Lindauer, Noah JLindsey, Lucille VMedvedjevs, Kyle JMurray, Lauren OOtt, Keira LPowers, Eli WRadeke, Bryce BRadeke, Lydia LRedlinger, Maren MRickels, Caleb JRippel, Mathew SRollinger, Ethan TSagan, Josephine MSeitz, Katherine FShipley, Taylor JSloop, Julius JStephens, Cameryn ESwayzer, Aza MTharp, Chloe RThomsen, Brianna MTippie, Preston D*Trinkle, Emily KVoshell, JadenWatson, Jax JWebster, Geordyn RWilliams, Carly EWirth, Andrew PYarbrough, Evian C10th GradeAnderson, Taylor JAragon, Zena L*Armstrong, Natalie LBane, Rachel EBartz, Abby KBecker, Anna MBendull, Carly JBooth, Claire ECrane, Hannah RDlouhy, Cameron NElwick, Abigail BErickson, Caroline SEtten, Kortney KGeiger, Alexandria JGoodell, Lexi LGram, Renee SGuenther, Alex A*Hainey, Ella KHendrickson, Leah MHendrickson, Megan OHenkle, Graham EHyland, Katelyn EJanko, Caleb CJohnson, Charlee KKingsbury, Kaden M*Lang, Morgan TLangham, Hayden MLillibridge, Tess LMather-Lorenz, Eve MMaynard, Addyson BMcDaniel, Emma MMcGowan, Hannah GMiracle, Kinzzy AMoen, Gunnar EMullinex, Isabel KPage, Elsa JPatterson, Brynn AReeves, Morgan LRice, KiaraRippel, Chase MSchulte, Kale LSmith, Alexis AStiefel, Jamin JSturtz, Dawson PSutton, Grace LThomas, Ashlee JVasquez, Maximo IWalton, Samantha CWeeks, Bailey M*White, Jozee SYessak, Marissa JoZearley, Logan A9th Grade*Ahrenholz, Aspen BAllsup, Ian TBarber III, Leon HBearbower, PaigeBeauchamp, MadilynneBodeker, Merritt W*Bruce, Brylee RBrummer, Andrew VBrunssen, Nicole EBurke, Kalinda MCarolan, Hudson LCarolus, Ryan P*Coder, Mason TCoots, Jade EDahlstrom, Lillia MDavis, Abigail G*Dawson-Fink, Cameron DDean, Natalie MDominick, Justyce LDrury, Gracie MErickson, Curtis MEvans, Kail IFarmer, Bryleigh JFleming, Christopher RGlynn, Darby OGriffith, Alyssa THaefner, Ella MHaisman, Molly EHanson, Karli AHenry, Margaret MHerger, Paul JHermanson, Reid KHowe, Joshua MD*Johnson, Ellery LKemp, Austin TKies, Patience MKoopman, Joseph AKress, Riley C*Lapan-Islas, Maya RMarzen, Gabriel JMcGowan, Autumn KMcKenna, Noel EMeyer, Ashlie LMosher, Austin JMott, Caleb DNewton, Annabelle MNoe, Elizabeth ROrtner, Brant JPettyjohn, Kaelyn LPhelps, Clayton JRast, Sawyer TRickels, Benett CRilling, Audriana ARocarek, Montana JRosonke, Joseph HRule, Jaxson RSallee, Ian NSchminke, Grace ASisco, Tristan MSlager, Destiny JSlaton, Ashton PSoquet, Blake OStreeter, Ali BThompson, Faith ETruax, Reese LVan Fossen, Cheyenne JVrba, Ian ScottWalker, Bryce VWatson, Logan BWheeler, Baylee JWhite, Jeana KWichtendahl, Steven PWiley, Joshua DWilliams, Ryan LWilson, Carleigh J*BOLD = 4.

Iowa high school seniors eligible for a chance at $2,000 while learningcollege financing and planning informationWEST DES MOINES, IOWA (Feb. 4, 2019) — Registration is ongoing through Feb. 21 for a scholarship that offers Iowa high school seniors a chance to receive one of 30 scholarships worth $2,000 for college while learning important financial literacy skills.

Coach Brian Sheston's Vinton-Shellsburg wrestlers put on a solid performance Saturday at the North Tama Invitational.In all the Vikings crowned a pair of champions, two-more runners-up and added a third place finish while placing in the other weights they entered. Sophomore Brady Ortner copped the 132-pound title with five falls, capping his day off by pinning Sam Hackett of Waterloo Columbus in 5:48.

Kirkwood Community College has released its Dean's List for the fall 2019 semester. These students have achieved a 3.3 grade point average or higher after completing 12 or more credit hours at the college.Kirkwood students from the area earning this distinction are listed below.Atkins, IA Thaddeus Barger, Benton Andrew Burkart, Benton&nbs

The Benton County Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa (CFNEIA), saw a 17.8 percent rate of return on its endowed assets in 2019, which is the highest return in the last 10 years. The 10-year average rate of return is 7.8 percent invested under professional advisement. “The 2019 rate of return demonstrates the potential power of endowment building,” said Liz Kurtt, vice president of finance and operations at the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa.

Friday will be a big day for an 8-week-old puppy named Doc. He will fly from Texas to Des Moines to join IOWA Service Dogs. Doc will spend the next two years training to become a service dog for a “warrior”—a first responder or veteran affected by psychiatric or mobility issues due to their service to community or country. Along with his volunteer “guardian,” Doc will attend weekly classes to learn basic obedience and service skills that will eventually assist his warrior.

University of Northern Iowa awards degrees to 893 Fall gradsNew alumni were added to the roster of graduates of the University of Northern Iowa . The following graduates of Benton County was among the graduates. The graduates are listed with their degree and major. * preceding a name indicates "graduated with honors" ** means "graduated with h