Iroquois, SD

Our electronic sign is finally in and running!! What a fantastic addition to our town. If anyone is coming our way from out of town, slow down a little and check it out. Some landscaping needs to be done yet but we have some gals trained on using it and following our annual Sports Day we’ll get the necessary downloads and it will be ready for community posting. Right now we’re using it to advertise the schedule for the Sports Day weekend, July 11, 12 and 13th. This sign is a direct result of our Horizons Study Circles and the assessment of community needs that resulted from that. Thanks to all participants in those Study Circles. Great things DO happen when people get together and discuss things.

As I am writing this, we are in the process of painting a house for a gentleman who is disabled. Volunteers are scraping the house, getting it ready to paint. One of our Community club members has a paint sprayer and has volunteered to paint it.
A beautiful cool evening last night allowed us to get a good start.
As part of our strategic plan, we want to beautify our little town, one house at a time.
Flowers have also been planted around town to help spruce up the town.
We want to have everything done in time for our sports day events that will be held in July.

There will be a Memorial Day Program on the 26th of May at 10:00 A.M. in the South Gymnasium.

Gunner Baatrap, former State Legion Commander, will be the featured speaker.

After the program the procession will go to the Maplewood Cemetery, where flowers will be placed on the Servicemen’s Memorial. While the names of deceased Veterans will be read. Followed by a Gun Salute.

The Legion will serve a meal at the Legion Hall following the service.

Brandi Blue, Hillary Bohlander, Brittney DeJong, April Leichtenberg, Kendall Leichtenberg, Shelby Matthews, Casey Miller, Lindsey Miller, Eric Schoenfelder, Melissa Schortzmann, Jordan Vaudrin, and April Nuese were Confirmed by Bishop Swain at St Paul, Iroquois on Wednesday, April 2, 2008.

Those receiving their First Communion on April 27th were: Kenzie Blue, Raysia Culver, Makayla DeDeyne, and Josh Keating.

And the Graduating students were honored at a Graduation Mass at St. Pauls on Sunday May 4, at !!:00 A.M.
Those graduating were: Megan Keating, Emily Lynch, Christopher Schortzmann, and Michael Whirledge.

    Monday afternoon, the elementary students participated in the Summer Reading and Writing program kick-off. Student and teachers dressed as cowboys and cowgirls to go with the theme of the program. Barb Madison read to the entire group before the children were divided into teams. Each team rotated to five different stations including: singing songs around the campfire, branding and decorating their journal covers, making saddle bags, lassoing, eating s’mores, and running barrel races and playing horse shoes. Each child has a summer reading and writing goal to work toward. Children achieving their goal will earn prizes and the special opportunity to participate in fun activities at the beginning of the next school year. The elementary teachers plan a summer reading and writing program each year to help the children practice these important skills throughout the summer months.

  An elementary spelling bee, for grades 1 through 5, was held in Iroquois on Monday, May 12. Students were given written tests to determine the top three spellers from each grade. The top spellers in the lower grades and upper grades advanced to the oral spelling competition. Students placing in the upper grade competition were Britney Moeller, first place, Allison Bich, second, and Cauy Hofer, third. Placing in the lower elementary were Gracie Fast, first place, Cassie Hofer, second, and Makayla DeDeyne, third.

The first graders, along with the preschool, kindergarten, and second grade classes of Iroquois Elementary went on their field trip. They went to Brookings for a day to enjoy the fine arts. The day started by touring the Harvey Dunn Art Museum. The kids were able to go on a scavenger hunt to find items that were hidden in the paintings. After the museum, we loaded up and headed to Burger King for lunch. We then raced back to the campus to watch the play Aladdin. The play was filled with singing, crowd participation, and a flying carpet! When the play was over, we went to the park. The first graders had a great time on their trip. We would like to thank the school, Donny DeJong, the Iroquois PTO, and our parent volunteers for helping make this a fun day for our students.

How can your community sustain the changes it has already made in its leadership? By continuing to encourage active involvement from the whole community. The more people involved the better off our community will be. Those in leadership will hopefully sustain if they know they have the help and support of others. And the community will thrive if we get everyone involved.

What structural changes have been made in how the community does its work / makes decisions? The community has discovered the value of getting everyone involved in the decision making process. When you get more involved in making decisions, it is easier to get those people involved in doing the work. If they have a part in the choices, they want a part in getting a favorable outcome. When you can get an idea that people are excited about, it is easier to get volunteers for the project.

What structural changes have been made so that your community leadership sustains partnerships with others? All the community organizations began meeting jointly to share ideas and resources with each other. Then, each group knows what each other are doing and can help each other out.

In the spring of 2009 high school students from Iroquois will have the opportunity to travel to Washington DC. Fundraising is currently taking place to help students raise funds to attend this trip. It is a wonderful opportunity for the students and a great learning experience. They will be allowed to do lots of sight seeing, learn about our national government and meet with leaders in Washington DC.

Students at Iroquois School participated in this year’s South Dakota Reading Council contests and were chosen as Pony Hills Regional winners.  Their entries will advance to the state level.         

In the Young Authors contest, each grade was given a writer’s prompt.  Young Authors selected from the elementary were 2^ndgraders Makayla DeDeyne, Avery Shumaker, and Gracelyn Fast, in 3^rd grade, A.J. Royal, and Nikka Lamont, and in 4^th grade, Lacey Bich, Allison Bich, Emily Hanson, and Michael Hofhenke.  Young Authors selected from Iroquois High School were, 9^th graders, Brent Matter, Carrie Bornitz, Stephanie McNutt, Tanya Sutton, and Jacob Langland.  Tenth Grade winners were Brandi Blue, Dakota Tschetter, and Kendall Leichtenberg.  In Eleventh Grade Hillary Bohlander, Brittney DeJong, and Melissa Schortzmann were chosen.  And in Twelfth GradeShane Geyer, Chase DeJong, and Emily Lynch were winners.  As Young Illustrators, the students were asked to draw a scene from their favorite book.  Any art medium could be used.  Winners in this contest were from 2^nd grade, Kenzie Blue, Avery Shumaker, and Gracelyn Fast, in 3^rd grade, Hannah Wehlander and Tiffany Miller, from 4^th grade, Justin Maas, Allison Bich, and Michael Hofhenke, and from 5^th grade, Dana Wipf, Marshall Wallum, and Kelsey Blue.       

The Reading Challenge began last September.  Students kept track of the number of pages they read through March.  Pony Hills Reading Challenge winners were in 1^st grade, Colton Schweigert, Cassie Hofer, and Adam Keating, in 2^nd grade, Makayla DeDeyne, in 3^rd grade, Cauy Hofer, and Hannah Wehlander, in 4^th grade, Allison Bich, and from 5^th grade, Britney Moeller. 

        These Pony Hills Reading Council winners will be honored in Huron at the next meeting.  They will also be honored at the South Dakota Reading Council convention at Pierre in August.