Addressing a need
PCM teachers working to provide STEM programming to students added by $25K grant from Prairie Meadows
By Jamee A. Pierson PCM Explorer
With budgets tightening each year at public schools, teachers at PCM got creative when looking to address computer science programing for elementary and middle school students in the district. The teachers were rewarded for their hard work with a $25,000 Community Betterment Grant from Prairie Meadows.
“As a nonprofit organization, Prairie Meadows fulfills its purpose by giving back to organiza-
tions that support arts and culture, education, economic development and human services,” Julie Stewart, Prairie Meadows vice president of community relations, said.
“We are excited to see the impact K-8 computer science and STEM projects will have on our Central Iowa community.”
The need to have this programming was first brought to the attention of the teachers when they visited Osage Community Schools in fall 2023.
“We were blown away by what we saw,” kindergarten teacher Stacy Fridley said. “It was very clear that PCM was behind with computer science programming. A group of teachers got together to determine how we could move forward and we started looking for grants. The Prairie Meadows Community Betterment Grant was a pretty big one so we decided
‘It’s such an
By
4-H has been a part of Larry Opfer’s life for almost as long as he can remember. From his time as a Hamilton Hot Shot in Decatur County, to serving as a horse superintendent at the Jasper County Fair, he has stayed busy and helped a lot of 4-H’ers on their journeys through the organization.
Opfer was honored as a 4-H Hall of Fame member during a ceremony Aug. 18 at the 4-H Building during the Iowa State Fair.
to go for it.”
A group of four educators — Fridley, Aliyah Creger, former teacher Nathan Ferrell and former superintendent Michelle Havenstrite — worked on the application. They divided the work up into sections, and through early morning meetings got the application prepared to send.
The group already had in mind what they wanted to use any funding on after their experience at Osage.
“We knew we wanted to improve our computer science program at PCM. We wanted PCM students and teachers to have similar experiences that we observed in Osage,” Creger said. “We wanted to get a variety of robots and other tech-related materials for students in kindergarten through
honor’
“When I got the letter, I couldn’t speak for about five minutes,” Opfer said. “It’s an honor, such an honor.” Opfer started his 4-H career while growing up in south central Iowa. His leadership abil-
Rate increases set for Monroe sanitation services
Newton Sanitary Landfill’s rate hike makes for domino effect in Monroe
By Jamee A. Pierson PCM Explorer
Sanitation rates are set to increase in Monroe.
The Monroe City Council approved an amended rate increase of $.084 to $20.60 per year per residential unit, including an additional $.025 to help cover additional costs and extra requests the city may have in the coming months.
“This is completely not out of line,” Monroe Mayor Doug Duinink said. “There’s a lot of expenses when it comes to sanitation between the truck, the driver and landfill fees. I am not questioning it one bit.”
Currently, the agreement with Kal Services has city-wide trash each Wednesday and city-wide recycling every other Wednesday. Kal Services does provide collection of waste from city buildings at no cost to the city.
“I can control a lot of things but there is one thing that I cannot control and that is the rates of the Newton Sanitary Landfill,” the Kal Services representative said. “They are choosing to go up.”
The new contact will run from Aug. 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025.
The original five-year contact that was signed in April 2023 had increases each year through 2028. In 2025 it is set to increase $.082, in 2026 $.084 and in 2027 $.089. From July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2028, the services run on the fiscal year from the beginning of July through the end of June in consecutive years.
The Kal Services representative also warned the council he doesn’t believe the landfill is done increasing fee.
“I don’t have that crystal ball and I don’t have a lot of say, but I don’t think they are done increasing,” he said.
Larry Opfer inducted as member of 4-H Hall of Fame
ities showed early and during his eight years with the Hamilton Hot Shots he served in each leadership office at least once. He learned a lot of those skills close to home.
“As a kid in the fair, my mother was my leader,” Opfer said. “She was the first woman to be a leader of a men’s club in the State of Iowa.”
He continued down the path participating in educational presentations at both the county and state fair level, receiving an excellence rating and serving on county and area 4-H councils.
Opfer also worked to encourage and assist younger 4-H members by conducting a county-wide swine fitting and show-
Miller-Meeks boasts conservative approach to climate change at Newton biorefinery
Congresswoman
By Christopher Braunschweig
U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks last week visited the Chevron Renewable Energy Group biorefinery in Newton
alongside fellow Republican members of the Conservative Climate Caucus, whose mission is to find “practical and exportable answers” to reducing emissions and making energy more af-
fordable. For the past three months, Miller-Meeks has served as chair of the Republican-led caucus, which was founded in June 2021 by U.S. Rep. John Curtis, R-Utah.
Miller-Meeks told reporters outside Chevron REG that in order to meet the goals of the caucus, the United States needs abundant and reliable energy. “Energy demand is going up and will require all of the above energy
manship workshop. He was also a member of the livestock judging team.
Leadership and delegate roles brought Opfer to the Iowa 4-H Conference, the American Royal Livestock Show, the National 4-H Conference and the Citizenship Trip to Washington D.C. His hard work was rewarded with a 4-H achievement scholarship that he used at Iowa State University to study agriculture business and finance.
Following graduation, Opfer started a career in banking initially helping those farmers impacted by the farm crisis of the early 1980s. He worked as
Jamee A. Pierson/ PCM Explorer Due to increases at the Newton Sanitary Landfill, sanitation rates will increase in Monroe starting in August.
Jamee A. Pierson/PCM Explorer
Teachers at PCM Elementary and Middle Schools recently received a $25,000 grant from Prairie Meadows to use for STEM programming at the district.
Jamee A. Pierson/PCM Explorer
Jasper County’s Larry Opfer with his 4-H Hall of Fame induction certificate during the ceremony Aug. 18 at the Iowa State Fair.
Jamee A. Pierson PCM Explorer
Christopher Braunschweig/PCM Explorer U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks speaks with reporters on Aug. 15 outside Chevron Renewable Enegy Group in Newton. As chair of the Conservative Climate Caucus, Miller-Meeks spoke about climate change and the need for an “all of the above” approach to renewable energies.
Percy Fair Aug. 25
The 94th Percy Fair is Sunday, Aug. 25 at the Percy School House, starting at 9:30 a.m. coffee and cinnamon rolls followed by a 10 a.m. church service and 11 a.m. lunch. Kids activities will also kick off at 11 a.m. followed by the afternoon program. Kid and adult sports finish off the day at 1 p.m. For more information follow the Friends of Percy Fair Facebook page.
Kingdom Criers at Brethren Church
The Kingdom Criers Gospel Quartet will perform in concert at 6 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 8 at the Prairie City Church of the Brethren, 12015 Hwy. S6G. The concert is in conjunction with a fundraiser for a new Fellowship Hall addition and a free will offering will be taken. The public is invited for a coffeetime of desserts and ice cream following the concert.
Hall of Fame
Continuedfrompage1
an advisor, problem solver and business partner with farmers, many of which were friends and acquaintances from his youth.
Later in his career, Opfer moved to Jasper County and started his next chapter at the Jasper County Fair. He and his wife were active in 4-H with his wife serving as a leader and himself as jack-of -all-trades. He built obstacles for llamas and horse projects, helped with fittings for llama, horses and cats and gave a hand with tack or general advice in the barns.
He helped his kids with a variety of projects from woodworking and gardening to art and animals. He took a special
Biorefinery
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sources, any of the above, as we reduce emissions,” Miller-Meeks said. “Our goal as members of the Conservative Climate Caucus is to do just that. Lower emissions to have a cleaner, healthier planet while we compete economically around the globe.”
Miller-Meeks suggested Iowa is already making a difference, noting that more than 50 percent of Iowa’s energy is renewables and more than 60 percent of the state’s electricity is powered by wind. She added that Iowa is a net exporter of energy, meaning its total energy exports are greater than its total imports.
In addition to ethanol and biodiesel, Iowa frequently uses wind, solar and bio mass for energy resources, among many others.
“We’re already a model for other states, but
Explorer PCM
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8th grade. Our goal was to have sets of robots or items that teachers could check out to use in their classrooms in each building.”
It was a long wait for the group after submitting for the grant in February but it was a great summer break surprise when it was announced in July the district received the funding.
“We were thrilled when we found out that we received $25,000 to go towards our project. That was a huge dollar amount and we were able to purchase so many things that will improve our computer science programming
interest in the Equine Experience and became a constant presence during the meetings, encouraging the kids to learn proper riding and safety techniques.
“I like to give my time back being a part of the fair,” Opfer said. “It has been invaluable for me and I’ll continue to do that.”
Opfer found a partner with a new employer who encouraged community involvement and volunteerism. They also became financial supporters to worthy community projects.
“It is so beneficial to be a part of the bank that I work for because they are so supportive,” Opfer said. “We’ve done a large amount of donations and I’m able to work (at the fair) the whole week of the fair which a lot of companies won’t allow.”
A recent project was a new photo board for the fairgrounds. Made of brick,
what’s more important is we’re using the natural resources we have,” Miller-Meeks said to Iowa Public Radio. “We do have wind. We do have solar. We grow crops. The best way to sequester carbon is to grow things. And so we do that here.”
According to the Conservative Climate Caucus website, the caucus helps bring “Republicans to the table to fight against radical progressive climate proposals that would hurt our economy, American worker and national security.” Miller-Meeks said there is a price to be paid for what the Biden administration is doing. “We want to bring practical, innovative solutions and affordability and accessibility into the market,” Miller-Meeks said, later noting the caucus’s views on climate differ from the
Biden administration’s in that they prefer “market-based solutions” and policies that encourage innovation, research and development. Especially if energy companies are utilizing already existing energy sources while simultaneously lowering emission. Miller-Meeks also claimed the caucus is not favoring certain industries but rather “looking at all of those industries and how do we meet energy demand,” which only continues to rise.
for all K-8 PCM students,” Fridley said. “We are so appreciative of Prairie Meadows for selecting PCM as a grant recipient.”
The funding will help the district in an area of need that often has costs on the higher side for materials. By being able to provide the programming, the teachers hope it will advance the opportunities students have in the fields of computer science and technology.
“As we know, technology and computer science is a huge part of the world we live in. We strongly believe that we need to give our students opportunities to learn and explore with a variety of computer science materials,” Creger said. “Many of the jobs that
these students will have some day haven’t even been invented yet therefore we need to continue improving our computer science program at PCM. By using these materials in the classroom setting, students will also learn how to work together and problem solve which are two important life skills.”
With the funds the district will purchase materials for each building specific to the age groups using them. In the K-2 building, there will be multiple sets of Wonder Dash, Sphero Indi, Botley and Wonder Dash accessories. There will also be 30 iPads that will be used in the first grade classrooms. The 3-5 building will have multiple sets of Wonder Dash and
Opfer said it can stand up to about anything.
“I think it will be an awesome addition to the fair,” Opfer said. “It is permanent and flood resistant and everything else.”
During his time in Jasper County he has also served as a horse superintendent, as a member of the Jasper County Fair Foundation and business partner and friend of the Brice Leonard Supreme Showmanship Competition.
“I don’t know how many years I have been a horse superintendent but that has been a highlight, being able to help the kids in the 4-H clubs,” Opfer said. It is because of volunteers like Opfer that 4-H continues to make a difference in the lives of youth across the county. Like Opfer, they are learning lessons to take with them for the rest of their lives and hopefully pass down to the next generation of 4-H’ers.
“So how do you meet that energy demand? We have an administration, the Biden-Harris administration, that’s actually taking energy offline,” Miller-Meeks said. “The EPA has a power plant rule that would take about 30 percent of natural gas and coal-fired plants offline within the next decade.”
Coal plants are widely considered the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. E&E News, an American news company covering
Wonder Dash Accessories, Micro Bits, Hummingbirds and Sphero Bolts. The middle school will have multiple drones, a drone curriculum and a Hydroponic ZipGarden.
“We are so excited to watch students learn and explore with the different robots. We know students will be excited and engaged with their learning whenever these materials are being used,” Fridley said. “We strongly believe that this is the first step in improving our computer science programming at PCM. We hope to continue to add more materials that will help give our students computer science experiences and opportunities to help prepare them for their futures.”
environmental and energy issues, reported in 2022 that coal was responsible for 22 percent of the country’s electricity production and 60 percent of its carbon dioxide emissions.
Still, Miller-Meeks criticized the Biden administration’s climate agenda, especially the tailpipe emission
rule unveiled this past spring, which some argue is pushing the auto industry towards electric vehicles. Miller-Meeks claimed the rule would require 66 percent of the vehicles in the country to be electric in eight years.
“But yet no plan to bring energy on board,” Miller-Meeks said.
Jamee A. Pierson/PCM Explorer 4-H Hall of Fame inductees, including Jasper County’s Larry Opfer, take the stage and are honored during a ceremony held Aug. 18 at the 4-H building at the Iowa State Fair.
21 8am Prairie City Curbside Cleanup 9am V, VB at North Mahaska
TGP 4:45pm FR, FB vs Pella Christian at PCM 7:30pm V, FB vs Pella Christian at PCM
13 11:30am Congregate Meals at TGP 2pm Piano with Jacque Robinson at TGP 4:45pm FR, FB at PCM 7:30pm V, FB vs Nevada at PCM
9 8am Coffee & Devotions at TGP 10am Video exercise class at TGP 11:30am Congregate Meals at TGP 5:30pm PC Park Board 7pm PC Fire Dept, PC City Hall Monroe City Council 5pm JV2/JV, VB at West Marshall 6:30pm V, VB at West Marshall 6pm JV, FB vs Pella Christian at PCM 10 9:30am Jasper County Board of Supervisors, Jasper County Courthouse 11:30am Congregate Meals at TGP 6pm Mon American Legion 6:30pm Kiwanis, Mon City Hall 6:30pm PCM FCA Huddle at HS 11 Monroe Trash & Recycling Day 11:30am Congregate Meals at TGP 12:15pm Fresh Conversations at TGP 1pm “Get Fit, Move More!” with Amy S. at TGP 6pm PC City Council, City Hall 12 10am Patty Richards Music Show at TGP 11:30am Congregate Meals at TGP 12:15pm Matter of Balance at TGP 4:30pm JH/V, B/G XC at Davis County 5pm JV/JV2, VB at Saydel 6:30pm V, VB at Saydel
20 11:30am Congregate Meals at TGP 7pm Patty Richards Music Show at TGP 5pm FR, FB at Jesup 7:30pm V, FB at Jesup
19 10am Focus Group at TGP 11:30am Congregate Meals at TGP 5pm PC Community Bingo Night 4:30pm 8th, FB at Pella 6pm 7th, FB at Pella 4:30pm 8th, VB at Saydel 4:30pm 7th, VB vs Saydel at PCM 5pm JV2, VB vs Perry at PCM 6:10pm JV, VB vs Perry at PCM 7:15pm V, VB vs Perry at PCM
18 Monroe Trash 11:30am Congregate Meals at TGP 1pm “Get Fit, Move More” with Amy S. at TGP 2:15pm Jasper County Ride Share 5pm Community Meal at Monroe United Methodist Church 6pm PC Celebration Commission 6:30pm PCM FCA Huddle at HS
17 9:30am Supervisors, County Courthouse 11:30am Congregate Meals at TGP 6:30pm Mon Legion Auxiliary 3pm Alzheimer’s and Dementia Support Group at the PC FRC 6pm Bingo at TGP TBD JV2/JV, VB at Sigourney 7:30pm V, VB at Sigourney 4:15pm JH, B/G XC at Oskaloosa 4:45pm V, B/G XC at Oskaloosa 4:30pm 8th, FB vs Oskaloosa at PCM 4:30pm 7th, FB at Oskaloosa
16 8am Coffee & Devotions at TGP 10am Video exercise class at TGP 11:30am Congregate Meals at TGP 6pm School Board at ME 7pm PC Ambulance, City Hall 4:30pm 8th, VB vs Bondurant-Farrar at PCM 4:30pm JV, VB at Saydel 4:30pm 7th, VB at Bondurant-Farrar 5pm JV2, VB at Eddyville Blakesburg Fremont 6pm JV, FB vs Nevada at PCM
28 7am Prairie City Lions Club Pancake Breakfast at PC Community Building Monroe City-Wide Garage Sales 6:30pm Twice
11:30am Congregate Meals at TGP 2pm Piano with Jacque Robinson at
1pm “Get Fit, Move More!” with Amy S. at TGP 26 11:30am Congregate Meals at TGP 12:15pm Matter of Balance at TGP
at TGP 23 NO SCHOOL 8am Coffee & Devotions at TGP 10am Video exercise class at TGP 11:30am Congregate Meals at TGP 4:30pm V/JH, B/G XC at PCM (Gateway) 5pm JV, VB at PCM 6pm JV, FB vs Chariton at PCM 24 6:30am Kiwanis, Mon City Hall 9:30am Jasper County Board of Supervisors, Jasper County Courthouse 11:30am Congregate Meals at TGP
IHSAA moves boys golf to fall season
According to executive director Erin Gerlich, the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union’s decision to move girls tennis to the fall came with lots of research, input and data.
That’s what Newton head girls tennis coach Erick Zehr is putting faith into. But on the surface, it’s difficult to see how the decision will benefit programs already at a disadvantage.
“I’ve met Erin. I think she’s doing good things for the union,” Zehr said. “I’m putting a lot of faith in her and the research they’ve done. But I am concerned and nervous that this will hurt schools like us.”
In a joint statement on July 12, the IGHSAU and the Iowa High School Boys Association decided to reduce spring schedule congestion by flipping girls tennis and boys golf to the fall starting in the 2025-26 school year.
For the most part, it has not been well received across the state of Iowa.
“Our member schools have been asking for ways to relieve the crowded spring sports seasons for years” Gerlich said. “The new changes provide relief in an already busy spring, and an opportunity for the IGHSAU and IHSAA to enhance the state tournament experiences for tennis and golf.
“A lot of work has gone into this process and we appreciate all of the input we have received regarding these changes.”
Change is hard. And this certainly won’t be easy for any female athlete who plays volleyball in the fall and tennis in the spring or for male athletes who play football or run cross country in the fall and golf in the spring.
But the changes address decades-long concerns from member schools over scheduling and were approved by both the IHSAA’s board and IGHSAU’s board following discussions at a joint meeting in early July.
Iowa’s current spring schedule includes eight sports — golf, soccer, tennis and track and field for both boys and girls — and overlaps seasonally with baseball and softball.
The adjustment was discussed across 2023-24 district meetings, the IHSADA state conference, advisory committees and the 2023 IHSAA membership survey.
“Reducing the congestion in the spring schedule has been a topic of conversation among ADs, our staffs, representative councils, boards and the joint IHSAA & IGHSAU committee for several years,” IHSAA executive director Tom Keating said. “Moving our Class 3A, 2A and 1A golf competitions to the fall to align with 4A is a step toward easing that congestion.”
Among nine other peer state associations in the Midwest, seven separate golf seasons by gender and all nine separate tennis seasons.
The increased availability of facilities, coaching and school resources, plus the reduction of scheduling conflicts are the top cited reasons for those successful season separations.
“Other Midwest states have found success with this model, and I’m confident our schools will adjust to the new format,” said Keating, who served as president of the NFHS in 202324. “While we recognize some of the initial challenges, the advantages of reducing scheduling congestion in the spring, reducing lost class time and giving the option of having the same coach for spring and fall combine to lead us in this direction.
“For boys golf, fall should provide good course and playing conditions, and the high school season will immediately follow summer, when most golfers
have enjoyed the opportunity to work on their game.”
In 2025, boys golf (3A, 2A, 1A) and girls tennis (2A, 1A) will compete in both the 202425 spring season and the 202526 fall season. Class 4A boys golf has competed exclusively in the fall since 1993 and features the earliest competition start date of any fall sport.
“I’m not sure what to think about the change as of right now,” Baxter head boys golf coach Kyle Stribe said. “It will be interesting to see how it affects golf numbers with football and cross country to contend with. I think in very small schools it has the potential to be the death of some golf programs. It also will be tough for coaches in a small school. For me, I coach junior high football and high school boys golf, which means I will have to select one of the two to coach. Overall, the effect of this move won’t be seen until it all plays out.”
Stribe is not the only coach in Jasper County who may have to choose one sport over another.
Collin Harrison is the boys golf coach at PCM and has been a long-time member of the Mustangs’ football coaching staff. And he did not like the IHSAA’s decision.
“In short, I think this is an awful idea for 1A and 2A schools with the only benefit be-
ing weather,” Harrison said. “In small schools, football is generally king as far as the number of athletes is concerned. Golf relies on dual-sport athletes a lot in small schools and the time it takes to compete at a high level in football makes it much more difficult to be a dual-sport athlete.”
Class 4A golf has been a fall sport for more than 30 years. But a lot of those athletes do not play football or run cross country at that level. And the golf courses are typically bigger, 18 holes and maintained a lot longer through the fall.
These are just a few of the reasons Harrison doesn’t agree with some of the reasons behind the change.
He also doesn’t think moving girls tennis to the fall will help with congestion in the spring because most small schools do not offer tennis as a sanctioned sport anyway.
“Also, they are now pairing what I would call a finesse sport with a physical sport where we are expecting athletes who are going to get beaten up playing football to go play golf as well,” Harrison said. “The idea of practicing is insanely tough. You can’t miss football practices most weeks ... there is too much preparation on a week-to-week basis. So what do you do for golf?
“I think this is a move that was done to cater to the bigger schools to get everyone doing it at the same time. There’s absolutely no reason other than weather that this makes any sense from a logistical standpoint for small schools. This is an example of not thinking about the student-athletes first. We have made spring golf work forever so the excuse of easier on courses and coaches doesn’t make much sense either.”
PCM Activities Director Jeremy Swink is a former high school and college golfer. He has played golf in Iowa in both the fall and the spring and definitely thinks the sport of golf is significantly better to play in the fall.
“You have all summer to prepare, the weather is much better and the courses are in prime golf shape,” Swink said. “The major unknown and question is how it will affect football numbers and those students wanting to participate in golf and football, especially with small schools. That’s what I do not know. Our current varsity boys golf roster has one varsity football player on it, but I know a few years back we had key role players in football also on the varsity golf team.”
School administrators, coaches and parents of the athletes are going to have to be willing to be flexible with kids who want to do both sports, according to Swink.
He also thinks there can be quite a few golf meets scheduled before school even starts. And meets during the school year can be scheduled during the day to accommodate the shared athletes.
“We all know it’s much easier said than done so that will be a challenge ahead of us,” Swink said.
Harrison’s counter to scheduling golf meets during the day is athletes will be required to miss more school than they did before.
Pat Riley has been the head boys golf coach at Newton for two decades. His program played fall golf when the Cardinals were 4A but they most recently moved to the spring when they dropped to 3A.
Riley’s had athletes who have tried to dual sport before. It’s not impossible, but golf requires a certain time commitment that makes it more challenging.
His top golfer heading into next season is a kicker on this year’s Cardinal football team. Jackson Price also could have played soccer in the spring but
chose not to.
Price will now be able to play soccer if he chooses to, but he may have to make a decision between golf and football.
“I’m not happy about it,” Riley said. “We are going to lose some potentially good golfers, including my son Merrick in two years.
“It’s going to kill the likes of Colfax-Mingo and PCM. Even Newton to some degree. It won’t affect 4A players because none of those golfers ever played football.”
If you take football players off this year’s Baxter boys golf team, the Bolts would have had a roster of three.
Several golfers from Newton and Lynnville-Sully also play football for their respective schools.
PCM junior Charlie Ford is a varsity golfer who also competes on the Mustangs cross country team.
Colfax-Mingo head boys golf coach Blake Warrick said about 12 of his 18 golfers out this past spring play football in the fall. And five of the seven varsity golfers are football players. One of them also ran cross country.
“It will definitely hurt our numbers because I’m guessing nearly all of those guys would choose football,” Warrick said.
The only area school affected by the tennis move is Newton. The girls will play in the fall and the boys will remain in the spring starting in 2025-26.
And the biggest fall sport affected by the change will be volleyball as a handful of players have participated in both in recent seasons.
Zehr thinks it will be difficult to share between the two sports. He also sees the logic in the decision because most schools have one coach between their two programs and smaller facilities that make it difficult for both teams to schedule practice time.
“The disparity in the haves and have nots in tennis is already an issue,” Zehr said. “I think this might increase that disparity.
“With tennis moving to the fall, I may not even be able to have Friday practices because the athletes will want to attend football games. My Friday practices may have to be Saturday.”
Zehr will miss having the boys tennis team around during the fall season. So many of their practices over the past few seasons have included the boys.
“Change is hard and sometimes the IGHSAU has to make difficult decisions,” Zehr said.
By Troy Hyde Sports Editor
Troy Hyde/PCM Explorer
PCM junior Charlie Ford will have to make a decision between golf and cross country or compete in both starting in the 2025-26 school year after the Iowa High School Athletic Association decided to move boys golf to the fall recently.
Troy Hyde/PCM Explorer
PCM junior Pete Kiernan will play golf for the Mustangs this spring and then turn around and play again in the fall after the Iowa High School Athletic Association announced its decision to move boys golf to the fall starting in 2025-26.
Explorer PCM
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Study tips for a strong start in school
Studying is vital to academic performance. At the dawn of a new school year, students get a fresh start to improve upon or continue strong their study habits. Teachers will be rolling out their curricula, and that may feel overwhelming. However, optimizing study skills can boost confidence in school and in areas outside of the classroom. These study tips can put students on a path for success.
• Find your optimal study space. The ideal study spot varies from student to student. Some need a quiet nook in the library, while others may prefer the sounds of nature while seated on a park bench. There’s no one-size-fits-all study location, so students may need to experiment with what works best for them. Also, The Princeton Review says that a student doesn’t need just one study space. He or she may find a change of scenery can prompt the brain to retain information better.
• Devise a study plan. Setting goals and a plan of attack allows students to space out their studying over several days. This can reduce stress and make the task seem less cumbersome.
• Avoid cram sessions. Devising a study plan is better than cramming the night before a test. The American Psychological Association says students may perform well on a test for which they’ve crammed, but that doesn’t mean they’ve truly learned the material. Studying with a goal of retaining the material long-term is important.
• Learn how to actively study. Some students think that studying requires reading over the material or highlighting text. Active studying involves engaging with the material and constructing meaning from the text. One way to engage with the material is to try acting as the teacher and explaining concepts to another person. Cre -
ating a study guide or even concept maps also helps one actively study.
• Balance intensity with laid-back study approaches. Students may procrastinate with their studying because they don’t want to devote a lot of time to the task. Instead, they can do shorter sessions mixed with longer sessions of studying. In fact, The Learning Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill says shorter, intensive study time can be more effective than drawn-out studying.
• Ask for help. Asking a teacher or
another student for help is not a sign of weakness. It’s a good strategy to develop early on. The longer one waits, the more difficult it may be to catch up on material. Asking for help goes hand-in-hand with setting up a buddy system for studying. Study groups enable students to go over material
quality care for a
together, which can provide different perspectives and help the material resonate more effectively.
Students will spend a lot of time studying while in school. Learning how to do it effectively is vital to fulfilling one’s academic potential.
Grant Funding for Abandoned
Wells and Cisterns
to ensure that their properties do not have any wells that pose a hazard to person or groundwater. Contact Jasper County Environmental Health today to schedule a free assessment at (641) 792-3084
*More Locations Coming Soon!
Missouri Valley, Central, Drake, Grinnell, Iowa State, UNI and University of Iowa. • 2024-2025 NFL schedule
