07/20/23: Area Happenings & Accomplishments

Graduate from South Dakota State

More than 1,400 students completed all requirements for a degree and/or certificate program at South Dakota State University in Brookings. Overall, students from 27 states and 20 nations graduated following the spring 2023 semester.

Area graduates are listed by hometown, degree, SDSU college and any honors received.

Greenville: Ben Hargens, Bachelor of Science, College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, Magna Cum Laude.

Hartley: Joie Schmidt, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, College of Nursing.

Sanborn: Reece Petersen, Bachelor of Fine Arts, College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Cum Laude.

NCC receives grant for Career Academy

Northwest Iowa Community College in Sheldon and three other Iowa community colleges each received a $1 million grant through the Career Academy Incentive Fund. The grants will be used to prepare more high school students for success in college, postsecondary training and the workforce.

The goal of the grant is to increase access to career academy programs in high-demand fields through new regional centers. Students will benefit from industry partnerships, earn high school and college credit, and gain technical and traditional academic skills offered through career and technical education (CTE) programs.

NCC is allocating this grant award toward the purchase of Northwest AEA’s property and two buildings in Sioux Center for the new Career Academy location. The rest of the purchase price will be funded through Accelerated Career Education (ACE) infrastructure funds allocated from the state. Iowa Code limits expenditure of these dollars for facility expansion or improvements in order to increase programming offerings or enrollments at Iowa’s community colleges.

The site will provide another center from which NCC will better serve the area’s industries. NCC will work with area school districts to establish the new academy.

According to President Dr. John Hartog, NCC intends to make the most of this facility by offering classes to high school students during the daytime. Four career pathways will be offered: Engineering Design, Production Welding, Healthcare and Education (tied to the para-educator grant project). Additionally, NCC eventually hopes to offer adult basic education (ABE) classes and English as a second language (ESL) classes.

Current plans for maximizing usage of the facilities include offering additional non-credit industry and for-credit college programming in the facility throughout the day, especially in the areas of operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT). These particular career fields are part of NCC’s strategic plans for Industry 4.0 with the pressing need for skilled workers in the areas of data analytics, automation and cyber-security.

Solsmas to receive 2023 Way We Live Award

The Jay and Amy Solsma Family, of Sanborn, was one of six Iowa farm families selected as recipients of the 2023 Way We Live Award. Winners will be honored next month at the Iowa State Fair.

Nominations included descriptions of how living on the farm and choosing farming as an occupation has shaped the family’s life. These families exemplify values derived from work and a love of farming.

The award, in its 15th year, has recognized 82 outstanding Iowa farm families. Each award-winning family receives a prize package of $250, complimentary admission tickets, free parking, various coupons, recognition on the Anne and Bill Riley Stage and highlight videos and a photo display in the Paul R. Knapp Animal Learning Center during the fair, as well as an overnight stay at the Holiday Inn Downtown Mercy Campus.

The Solsmas will be honored on Monday, Aug. 14.

Although farming is challenging, the Solsma family – including Jay, Amy, Blake and Claire – loves life on the farm. Amy takes care of the five-acre ‘Solsma Punkin Patch,’ five-acre corn maze and country store that is in operation between Labor Day and Halloween. She also sells fireworks in the summer and around Christmas through New Year’s Eve.

Amy helps deliver seed to the field and customers while Jay and Blake farm, care for cattle and manage the Beck’s Hybrid seed dealership duties. Throughout the fall, Amy hosts many school groups and tours at the ‘Punkin Patch.’ During her tours, she explains the process of planting, caring for and harvesting the fall produce.

Hartley man elected to ICPB

Iowa Corn announced the Board of Directors election results for the Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA) and Iowa Corn Promotion Board (ICPB). Chad Harms, of Hartley, was among those elected.

Those elected as ICGA directors will continue to bring grassroots policy issues forward and be the collective voice for nearly 7,000 corn-farmer members lobbying on agricultural issues at the state and federal level. These individuals include: Aarika Schwarck (District 2), Mark Mueller (District 3), Laura Foell (District 4) and Dan Keitzer (District 9).

Since 1978, Iowa corn farmers have elected their peers to serve on the Iowa Corn Promotion Board to oversee the investment of funds generated by the Iowa corn checkoff. ICPB directors will continue to promote a thriving Iowa corn industry through research into new and value-added corn uses, domestic and foreign market development and providing education about corn and corn products. These individuals include: Chad Harms (District 1), Jason Orr (District 3), Mikayla Colehour (District 6) and Jeff Thomsen (District 7)

Both ICGA and ICPB are tasked with creating opportunities for long-term Iowa corn grower profitability. Elected directors will begin to serve their districts on September 1, 2023.