KIRN STUDENTS ATTEND ALHS ENGINEERING EXPO

AL students visited Kirn 8th graders Tuesday, January 12th to share some of the exciting opportunities available to students in AL’s Project Lead The Way (PLTW) Pre-Engineering Academy.

Current students from Introduction to Engineering Design, Principles of Engineering Design, Digital Electronics, Civil Engineering & Architecture and Engineering Design & Development classes talked with Kirn students about the engaging activities kids encounter and what they learn in each class.  Several AL students also demonstrated their class projects, including a T-Shirt cannon which was the summative project of a pneumatics unit and an electronic personal safety device that was a student’s final project from the previous year.

The morning ended with AL students presenting hands-on displays, giving 8th grade students the chance to experience a wide assortment of projects developed throughout the year in each course.  For more information about the PLTW Pre-Engineering Academy or course registration, please contact David Shreffler (dshreffler@cbcsd.org) or Lorraine Duitsman (lduitsman@cbcsd.org).

ALHS DANCE TEAM PERFORMS AT STATE COMPETITION

The ALHS dance team performed well at the state dance competition December 4th at Vets Auditorium. They received fifth place in their pom routine, third place in their production number and a division 1 rating in their jazz routine.

ALHS ORCHESTRA AND BAND STUDENTS HONORED

Congratulations to the following Abraham Lincoln Orchestra students for being selected to be part of the Northwest Honor Orchestra which will be held in LeMars on January 21, 2010. Honorees include:  Jesse St. Clair, Kayleigh Sabo, Molly Giles, Lexi Raygor, Evan Giles, Ryan Wood, Conner Giles, Seamus St. Clair and Nathan Wink.

Congratulations also to those students who auditioned for the Southwest Iowa District Honor Band. Forty two students from ALHS auditioned and 25 students were selected. Students selected from Abraham Lincoln High School were Brandon Swanson, Brittany Rupp, Olivia Petersen, Natasha Konfrst, Payton Shively, Zane Rau, Shannon Holmes, Philip Dickinson, Alex Beck, Colin Dall, Austin Farwell, Ashley Cross, Jordan Kinney, Emily Koontz, Allison Goldapp, Hannah Zimmerman, Luke Thallas, Conner Snyder, Taylor Matuzeski, Sam Kunkle, Isabella Taylor, Nate Stuart, Cody Hollinger, Alex Cleveland and Zach Williamson. The Abraham Lincoln High School band continues to lead the Southwest Iowa region for the 10th consecutive year with the most students selected for this district honor band.

AL STUDENT ANNA JO COWAN FIGHTS TO MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF OTHERS

The 16-year-old Council Bluffs junior chose to undertake a project for a Talented and Gifted Seminar at Abraham Lincoln High School to research and draft a law to present to Nebraska state lawmakers.

It would “require all liquor and retail establishments to be civilly liable when the establishment over serves a patron to the point of intoxication and that patron is then involved in an alcohol-related accident killing or injuring an innocent third party.”

It's called a dram shop law, and she hopes to see the Nebraska Legislature take up the issue when it convenes in January.

Anna Jo presented in front of Project Extra Mile on November 11th, has lobbied senators for support, has been an active force in the media, and is currently taking up a letter writing campaign to urge Nebraska senators to support the bill.

Nebraska might get that law. Former Nebraska State Sen. Lowen Kruse has spoken with the Cowan women and said Anna Jo “has a solid plan, and she presents it well.”

AL STUDENTS COLLECT NEARLY 4000 GOODS IN CANNED FOOD DRIVE

ALHS student Aurora Owens, a freshman, with the support of National Honor's Society, and students and staff at ALHS, helped to raise nearly 4,000 canned food goods for Catholic Charities Food Basket in Council Bluffs, IA.  Aurora chose this project as part of her TAG Seminar class and helped to organize the drive.  The competition between 5th hour classes came down to a close race with Mr. Wilder's and Mr. Cameron's classes running neck in neck, each raising nearly 800 cans a piece!  Wilder's class won the can collection and will be receiving a pizza party for their efforts on Tuesday, November 24th. Teachers Charlotte Mull-Young, Kristy Courter, and Lorraine Duitsman helped to spur the competition on by getting staff involved as well.  All around, it was an outstanding school-wide effort to help those in need.  Thank you everyone for your generosity!