The Wellmark Foundation awarded 30 Community Kickstarter grants totaling $277,654 for initiatives intended to make Iowa communities more active or improve access to healthy foods. Continue reading
Students at Riceville School will soon have a complete walking trail following approval of completion by the district’s board of education. Continue reading
With the wrap-up of the school year comes the wrap-up of our Walking School Buses. We’ve had another successful WSB season in Northeast Iowa! Continue reading
It’s National AmeriCorps Week!
If you’re not familiar with the AmeriCorps organization, what their members do, or why it matters, I would love to spread the word. Knowledge is power, people! Continue reading
...an excerpt taken from the Northeast Iowa Safe Routes to School 2013-2014 Annual Report… Continue reading
Hi! I’m Jake Geis and I will be the resource contact for North Fayette/Valley, West Central, Starmont, and Riceville. I come from Green Bay, but I spent my college years at Luther before graduating this past spring. I’ve been in the area for a few years now and I’m so happy to be back. While studying, I could always see that there were great things happening here in Northeast Iowa, but I didn’t have the time to get involved. I’m so excited for this position, and the opportunity it allows me to finally engage in this active and passionate community.
I double majored in Environmental Studies and Biology, using my education as time to explore and begin to understand the physical world around me. I love the outdoors, and I am fascinated by Ecology and Sustainability. I find that the values of preservation and responsible, intentional progress are key to Healthy lifestyles as well. During summers, I have served as Camp Staff to help direct program and lead youth in focused curricular activities. It is so great to be able to find outlets which allow me to share my gifts, knowledge, and passion with others, so I’m glad that I was able to find AmeriCorps.
It’s been a very busy couple of weeks with a flood of new information. I’m finding it a lot easier now that I’m physically in the school and gaining context for my many binders. I’m excited to meet more kids and teachers, and to begin doing lessons, singing songs, and getting active with them!
I am officially signing off today as I check out of AmeriCorps and move back home to Des Moines. I am sure that during my four hour drive home many memories will cross through my head as I reflect on all that I have learned and discovered during my term of service. I have had the most amazing experience working with the Food and Fitness Initiative and and serving this beautiful part of Iowa. The work that is being done here in schools with FFI is essential in developing healthy kids, schools and communities and I hope that it will continue for many, many years to come. Continue reading
On Thursday, April 25, representatives from 12 regional school districts gathered at Luther College for the fourth and final Regional 4-H Youth Leadership Team meeting for the 2012-2013 school year. Our first three gatherings focused on promoting youth advocacy for healthier school environments and empowering students to share their stories with key decision makers in local schools and communities. Continue reading
Sometimes after teaching lessons I wonder how much of what I teach in 45 minutes actually sticks with the students. In the field of education and working with young people, I guess it may be common to wonder every once in a while if students are really clicking with the messages. I put all worry aside after something that happened in Riceville one day. Continue reading
