ACGC commencement is this Sunday
By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette
The ACGC High School commencement ceremony will be at 1 p.m. on Sunday May 19, with 46 graduating studentsat ACGC High School. The public is welcome.
Piano students perform in Gathering Place concert series
Special to the Times Vedette
Gathering Place concert series included Janna Nelson’s piano students on Sunday, May 5. Soloists included Eli Nourse, Cooper Ehrsam, Lucas Nelson, Zoey Van Donselaar, Grace Nourse, Cherubim Mercado, Michidel Mercado and Brandon Carlson. Zoey sang with Michidel accompanying her, and Grace sang to Mrs. Nelson’s accompaniment. Michidel and Cherubim performed “Give Thanks” piano duet. Michidel also performed a flute solo “Melody” by Schumann with Mrs. Nelson accompanying. Certificates were presented to the students. Brandon Carlson received his second trophy for six years of I ratings. Eli Nourse and Grace Nourse were each awarded their first trophy for three years of I ratings.
Guthrie County Extension Notes — Week of May 13, 2024
Special to the Times Vedette
4H-FFA Garden Box Challenge Workshop
Wednesday, May 22, 6-8 p.m. at the Panorama High School Greenhouse. Cost is $10 per box. Call Guthrie County Extension Office at 641-747-2276 to register.
Guthrie County Dog Practices
Begin May 28 at 7p.m. 10 weeks long. Guthrie County Fairgrounds. $30 for adults. 4H kids free of charge. Call 641-747-2276 to get on the list.
The Guthrie County Extension Office is located at 212 State St., Guthrie Center, IA 50115. Email xguthrie@iastate.edu or call 641-747-2276.
Weekly Crop Progress and Condition Report — May 11, 2024
Special to the Times Vedette
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig commented on the Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. The report is released weekly April through November. Additionally, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship provides a weather summary each week during this time.
“Planters continue to be parked across much of the state. Widespread wet conditions last week have delayed planting progress and it’s certainly weighing on the minds of farmers,” said Secretary Naig. “We need sunshine and light breeze to get back into the field. Although chances of thunderstorms remain in the forecast, conditions are trending warmer and quieter mid to late week. Once the conditions are right, farmers will get back to planting.”
The weekly report is also available on the USDA’s website at nass.usda.gov.
Crop report
Rain across Iowa early in the week held farmers to just 1.7 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending May 12, 2024, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Iowa farmers reported planting corn, soybeans, and applying pesticides late in the week.
Topsoil moisture condition rated 1 percent very short, 7 percent short, 71 percent adequate and 21 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 4 percent very short, 17 percent short, 67 percent adequate and 12 percent surplus.
Fifty-seven percent of Iowa’s expected corn crop has been planted, 1 week behind last year and 5 days behind the 5-year average. Twenty-six percent of the corn crop has emerged. Iowa’s farmers have planted 39 percent of Iowa’s expected soybean crop, 1 week behind last year and 4 days behind the normal. Thirteen percent of the soybean crop has emerged. Ninety-eight percent of the expected oat crop has been planted while emergence reached 81 percent, 2 days ahead of last year and 5 days ahead of the 5-year average. There were reports of oats headed in isolated areas of the State.
Hay condition rated 77 percent good to excellent. There were a few reports of producers beginning their first cutting of hay. Pasture condition rated 67 percent good to excellent. Cattle feedlots were muddy due to rain received over the past four-week period.
Weather summary
Provided by Justin Glisan, Ph.D., State Climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship
For the fourth consecutive reporting period, Iowa observed unseasonably wet conditions with positive departures in the 1.00-3.00-inch range across the state’s northern half. Temperatures were also warmer than the 30-year climatology with the warmest readings approaching four degrees; the statewide average temperature was 60.6 degrees, 2.0 degrees above normal.
Sunday (5th) afternoon conditions were pleasant with mostly sunny skies and temperatures in the mid to upper 60s. Clouds increased across southern Iowa into Monday (6th) with lows ranging from the upper 40s north to upper 50s south. A southerly shifting wind brought warmer and more humid air into the state in advance of a strong low pressure system spinning over the Dakotas. Instability increased as a warm front pushed north over southwestern Iowa, providing atmospheric energy for the low’s attendant cold front to fire a long line of strong thunderstorms; the complex entered western Iowa during the evening hours with multiple severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings into central Iowa. Two EF-1 tornadoes spun up near Glenwood (Mills County) and at multiple locations in Pottawattamie County along with straight line wind reports. Moderate to heavy rain also fell as the line advanced rapidly to the east along with additional high wind reports. Rain totals reported at 7:00 am on Tuesday (7th) were highest in southwestern Iowa though nearly 140 stations across the state’s western half picked up at least an inch. Forest City (Winnebago County) registered 2.04 inches while 2.60 inches was observed in Corning (Adams County); the statewide average was 0.85 inch with totals generally under 0.75 inch in eastern Iowa. Gusty southwesterly winds developed behind the system with partly cloudy skies and daytime highs in the upper 60s and low 70s. Isolated thunderstorms formed over central Iowa into the evening hours before dissipating as they pushed east. Wednesday (8th) dawned with variable winds and low temperatures generally in the 50s. Daytime skies were partly to mostly cloudy south with temperatures reaching into the upper 70s and low 80s. Another low spinning over the Upper Midwest fired thunderstorms, a few producing hail and strong winds, across northwest and then central Iowa through the evening before the storms overspread northern Iowa after midnight.
Thursday (9th) morning rain totals highlighted a pocket of 1.00-2.00-inch readings across several counties in central to north-central Iowa. Algona (Kossuth County) observed 1.58 inches, Iowa Falls (Hardin County) hit 1.80 inches with 1.92 inches in Mason City (Cerro Gordo County); much of northern Iowa received at least 0.25 inch with a statewide average of 0.44 inch. Showers persisted in eastern Iowa through the day with some embedded thunderstorms, one of which spun up a brief land spout near Charles City (Floyd County) along with 2.01 inches of rain. Northwesterly winds held with temperatures varying from the low 70s southwest to mid 50s northeast where rain was present. Several stations in Black Hawk County observed over an inch of rain with many stations reporting 0.20 to 0.40 inch. Clear skies and light winds allowed fog to form near daybreak on Friday (10th). As the disturbance pushed east, mostly sunny skies and gusty westerly winds built in with highs in the 70s. Clear skies persisted through Saturday (11th) with mid to upper 70s returning in the afternoon. Winds swung around to a southern direction into Sunday (12th) morning with pockets of cloud cover in northeastern Iowa and low temperatures dropping into the 50s.
Weekly precipitation totals ranged from 0.25 inch at Columbus Junction (Louisa County) to 3.67 inches in Sanborn (O’Brien County) and near Waterloo (Black Hawk County). The statewide weekly average precipitation was 1.51 inches, while the normal is 1.00 inch. Davenport Municipal Airport (Scott County) reported the week’s high temperature of 83 degrees on the 8th, 13 degrees above average. Marshalltown (Marshall County) reported the week’s low temperature of 33 degrees on the 6th, 11 degrees below normal. Four-inch soil temperatures were in the low to mid 60s statewide as of Sunday.
Panther Print — May 14, 2024
Front row: Ava Thompson, Miranda Laabs, Alexis Wasson and Taylin Woolheater; Back row: Karleen Ploeger, Brayden Galvan and Brayden Meinecke. Not pictured: Baylyn Herring.
NHS INDUCTION CEREMONY
By Maddy Carstens, junior, staff writer
The Panorama National Honor Society (NHS) held its induction ceremony on May 8 in the Panorama High School auditorium. At this annual ceremony, old and new NHS members walk into the auditorium one by one with a candle. Once members are seated, new incoming members, usually sophomores, sit on the stage. Older members, mostly seniors and some juniors, speak about the four pillars of NHS: scholarship, service, character and leadership. Superintendent Huebner also gave a speech focused mainly on leadership.
There were eight new NHS members inducted on May 8: Brayden Galvan, Baylyn Herring, Miranda Laabs, Brayden Meinecke, Karleen Ploeger, Ava Thompson, Alexis Wasson and Taylin Woolheater. These members were each called from their seats, one by one, to sign the book and receive a pin for their varsity letter. Seniors of the NHS were also recognized at the ceremony. Afterward, members provided ice cream and toppings for everyone to enjoy. Congrats to the new inductees.
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FFA STATE CONVENTION
By Zach Hayden, sophomore
On April 15-16, 14 members of the Panorama FFA chapter went to Ames for the State Convention. These members were Cody Kastner, Abby Zaruba, Evan Johnson, Taylor Fronapfel, Ashton Kunce, Ella Carico, Ava Thompson, Bridget White, Danica Isom, Chris Hayden, Emma Johnson, Sam Hansen, Isabelle Davidson and Malia Jacobsen. Members participated in contests and workshops, spoke to ag businesses and colleges, listened to the main speakers, and watched members Weston Ploeger, Riley Gibson, Hadley Klein and Sarah Westergaard walk across the stage to receive their state degrees.
Some of the contests and workshops include the following. Poultry judging was participated in by Ashton, Evan and Abby. The middle school leadership development workshop was participated by Chris, Sam, Malia, Isabelle and Emma. Cody and Ella received a silver rating in their chapter display, and Danica received a bronze rating in the Greenhand exam. Ava, Bridget, Ashton, Cody, Taylor, Abby and Danicka packaged meals for Meals of the Heartland as part of community service.
Some members said that the convention went well and was fun. Others said that it had many people and that it was a great way to socialize and meet people with similar interests as you. A few said it’s a good experience for new and old members, and you will have many different learning opportunities.
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FUN THINGS MATTER
By Addie Astley and Peyton Walker, sophomores, staff writers
Fun activities in school help students. Kahoot, Blooket and Quizlet are fun learning activities that get students engaged in school subjects. Activities like these enhance students’ motivation, enjoyment, engagement and concentration. These are positive tools that can help students learn in positive ways. Students get excited about getting to participate in playing these games. They really do promote positive and active learning in classes and help students study.
How do Kahoot, Blooket and Quizlet work? A teacher will make a quiz with multiple choice questions. They can be true or false, or however they prefer. Then the students will join. Some of the websites have different types of games they can play. However, the goal of the game is to answer learning-based questions correctly. These games are appropriate for all ages and can be used in every classroom.
Not everything in a classroom is supposed to be fun, and we all know that. Having a few fun activities planned for your classroom can help the kids want to learn and help them memories better by having fun. By doing fun activities in the classroom, it releases dopamine that improves memory, attention and motivation. These things don’t just have to happen in a classroom. Having fun outside of school is more important than you think. By having fun, it can boost your emotional well-being.
Sometimes, exploring new activities can be stressful. So when you want to have fun, do something you know you’d like to show yourself. You could develop a strong social connection by just scheduling a time with family and friends to have fun and bond. You could be better at problem solving, as you can learn faster by seeing other people. You could get your spark back. What I mean by that is that you could’ve been feeling sad and you could push yourself to go out and feel like yourself again. These are just some reasons why having fun is very important for you and everyone around you.
Information from
https://www.bryan-harris.com/why-fun-matters-more-than-you-may-realize
https://www.bravethinkinginstitute.com/blog/life-transformation/benefits-of-having-fun
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SCHOOL IS ABOUT TO END
By Bjoërg Skovgaard, sophomore, staff writer
School is almost over, and it’s time to say goodbye to the seniors. Remember to show your love and support when they graduate and at their grad parties. For non-seniors, the last day of school is slowly approaching so make sure all your grades are in check, homework is turned in, and your locker is clean.
As sports like golf, soccer and track and field are ending and preparing for a chance at state, softball and baseball are slowly starting. It’s important to show support to the sports teams and give the seniors’ last game an extra round of applause. What a great school year we all had. Next year will also be a lot different. New schedules and new teachers. See you next year and don’t forget about school over the summer.
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CHOOSING CLASSES FOR YOU
By Lillie Greenlee, freshman, staff writer
It’s important to choose the right classes for you and your future. High school is where you should start thinking about your career and what you want to do. You can get prepared for what you want to major in while still in high school. For example, if you want to be an engineer, there are many engineering classes that you could take whether it’s through your high school or through a college. There might even be classes you could take in high school so you don’t have to take them in college, which could open your schedule up.
I want to study psychology and/or psychiatry. So, while I’m in high school, I plan on taking psychology courses through my high school or through college. You should pick what classes are best for you. You shouldn’t take a class just because it’s easy or just because one of your friends is taking it. This being said, it’s also good to be open minded and try new things. However, you should take classes that will help your future the most and that you have the most interest in, even if they’re difficult.
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DRONE DEMO
By Miyah Small, eighth grader, staff writer
The eighth-grade science classes had a drone demonstration on Tuesday, May 7. Two biologists gave a presentation about drone safety, flying and about the different types of drones. They used a DGI drone to capture about 100 photos of the area demonstrated. The drone flew by itself on the route created before takeoff. Soon, the photos will be transformed into one photo and sent back for student observation.
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TEACHER FEATURE: MR. CAMERON LITTLE
By Peyton Walker, sophomore, staff writer
Panorama’s business teacher and assistant baseball coach, Mr. Cameron Little, has been teaching at Panorama for 12 years but has been coaching baseball since out of high school. The thing that inspired him to start teaching was his love for coaching. He started coaching baseball because baseball was his favorite sport, and Mr. Bahrenfuss got him into coaching right after high school. He played baseball in high school, and he loved it. Mr. Little chose to teach business because before he decided to be a teacher, he started to go into a business major.
He was inspired to start teaching by his mom, Mr. Bahrenfuss, and Mark Johnston; his favorite part about teaching is being able to help the kids. Mr. Little was homeschooled but duel enrolled at Panorama. He stayed to teach at Panorama because his family, friends and the things he loves are here. His favorite part about coaching is being able to share his value with his players and their families. Mr. Little loves working at Panorama. What he’s learned most from being a teacher is to put kids first, but to put God above all.