On June 25th Vinton-Shellsburg FFA Chapter members woke up early to have a head start on Party in the Park set up. After grabbing the trashcans from the fairgrounds, the FFA members put them out around the Farmers Savings Bank and the court house for the events that were held their later that day.

Central College student Hailey Benson of Newhall became a full-time researcher this summer. Benson, a biochemistry major, is working with professor of chemistry Cathy Haustein to develop safer lab methods for lessons in analytical chemistry.

            Karley Kenney, of Vinton, has been awarded a $1,500 scholarship from America’s Farmers Grow Ag Leaders, a new program sponsored by the Monsanto Fund.

The following students have been named to the Dean's List for the Spring 2015 semester at Buena Vista University: Kelsey Kankelfitz of Atkins Jamie Rich of Belle Plaine About Buena Vista University Founded in 1891, Buena Vista University offers 43 majors and 15 pre-professional programs that blend liberal arts with real-world applications, preparing students for lifelong success.

   New alumni were added to the roster of graduates of the University of Northern Iowa .   A * preceding a name indica

To be included on the list, a student must have earned a grade point of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale, while taking at least 12 hours of graded work during the semester.

Clarke University in Dubuque, Iowa, awarded degrees and honors at its 172th Commencement Ceremony on May 9, 2015.   The following area students were honored at the ceremony:  Maria L.

Benton County area students named to the Mount Mercy Dean's list include: Atkins, IA   Rebecca Bunce, Hum Res Mgmt  Abby Moser, Secondary Education Belle Plaine, IA   Paige Wiese, Nursing Garrison, IA   Amanda Erickson, Applied Management Keystone, IA   Sarah Dietze, Health Care Admin Norway, IA   Kristen Myers, Hum Res Mgmt Urbana, IA   Ronda Buchtela, Nursing AP  Jamie Duart, Business  Amber Reed, Business  Ashley Sparks, Nursing Van Horne, IA   Chad Miller, Secondary Education  Rebecca Norton, Business Vinton, IA   Brea Griffith, Elementary Education  Jessica Hoff, Nursing Walford, IA   Michelle Ernst, Nursing AP  Lauren Galus, Elementary Education  Marcy Koenigsfeld, Nursing  Elizabeth Merrifield, Nursing  Laura Sturm, Marketing Watkins, IA   Hannah Pickart, Nursing Graduate recognized One area student also graduated from Mount Mercy.

More than 7,560 Iowa State University undergraduates have been recognized for outstanding academic achievement by being named to the 2015 spring semester Dean's List.

Sarah Camp, a native of Shellsburg, IA, is one of approximately 85 University of Iowa students named and Iowa Center for Research by Undergraduates (ICRU) Research Fellow for the 2015 summer semester.