MHS Announcements

The Muscatine High School Attendance Office phone number is 563-263-6616. Please use this number when calling in for a student absence, early release, etc.

December 3, 2015

Go Muskies!

• Key Club: There will be a club meeting on Friday, December 4th at 7:30am in Ms. Hansen’s room (11-024). If you have not picked up your shirt, please stop by!
• Shout Out! to the Pom Squad as they head to Des Moines for their State Dance Team Competition. They will be competing in large school pom, jazz, and military categories.
• Good Luck to all of our winter sports teams in their competitions tonight.  Go Muskies!
• Hygiene Products Drive for the Homeless Shelter taking place through Dec. 16th.  The homeless shelter is in need of donations of hygiene products such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, floss, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, etc.  Donation boxes are by the main entrance, library, and Room 21-029. (This is a student-led U.S. Gov’t project.)
• MHS Bowling Boosters will fundraiser at Boonies on Monday, December 7th starting at 5 PM. They will receive a portion of the sales that night.
• Hour of Code: On the evening of December 9th the Muscatine Community College IT faculty be hosting an event called the Hour of Code. You don’t have to be an IT major or have any previous experience with programming to participate.  It’s meant to be a night of fun and to introduce students to one niche in the world of I.T.  If you haven’t heard of the Hour of Code, please check out these websites to learn more:
  https://youtu.be/FC5FbmsH4fw
  https://code.org
  https://hourofcode.com
  Go online and visit MCC.CODES to register.  Registration is free.  All needed is first and last name, a valid e-mail address to be registered.
  Date: December 9th, 2015
  Location of Event: Muscatine Community College, Gaekle Hall Room 209
  Time: 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
• Sign-ups for Intramural Dodgeball will take place in the next two weeks.  Start forming teams now!!  
• December 5 – Boys Basketball vs. CR Prairie has been rescheduled.  The sophomore game will be played at 1pm, varsity to follow on December 5th.  
• GSA will meet at 3:45 in room 130 on Wednesday, December 2.

• Holiday Stroll Performance Information – Dec. 5
  MHS Band
  4:30-5:15 PM	CBI – former Central State Bank
  6:30-7:00 PM	Vineyard Fellowship Church, 224 E. 3rd St
  Random groups throughout the evening	Muskie Nut House (former Button Factory)
  Vocal
  5-6 PM	CBI – former Central State Bank
  MHS Symphony Strings
  6-7 PM	Carver Trust
  MHS Flute Choir
  6:30 – 7:00 PM	Vineyard Fellowship Church, 224 E. 3rd St.

• MHS Holiday Concerts:
  8-Dec    Orchestra  7:30 PM
  12-Dec  Band           3:00 PM
  14-Dec  Vocal           7:30 PM 
• The Muscatine High School Counseling Office has invited a representative from the Iowa College Access Network (ICAN) to provide a free presentation on financial aid for seniors and their parents on Tuesday, December 8, 2015 at 6:00 pm in the Muscatine High School Commons. Topics will include:
  • Financial Aid Process
  • FAFSA Application Review
  • Understanding FAFSA Results
  • Understanding Costs – College Comparisons
  • Financial Aid Options
  • Scholarships Process
  • Where to Go for Help
    For more information, contact Muscatine High School Student Services at 563-263-6141.
• Muscatine Police Department Mentoring Program –  If you are interested in mentoring elementary school children and have a free period(s) during the school day and have your own transportation, contact  Jeff Conard, MHS Police Liaison.  Pay is $8.50/hr.
• Tri City Electric Apprenticeship Program: The Electrical Apprenticeship Program is open to high school graduates or persons with a GED, 18 years of age and over, and who have successfully completed one year of Algebra.  Those interested should contact the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local Union #145 at 309-736-4239.
• 26th Annual Cake Auction – Super Heros Theme – Friday, January 29th, 2016.  For more information, please view the MHS Cake Auction link.  MHS Cake Auction
• The Muskie Band’s Annual Nut Fundraiser is underway! Order cashews, mixed nuts, puddles, and chocolate dipped cherries and blueberries now – they make great holiday gifts or a treat for yourself!  For a flyer with pictures and prices, or to make a purchase, contact any Muscatine High School band student or Mr. Heid at Muscatine High School, email jeff.heid@mcsdonline.org to be put in contact with a student selling nuts, or call 563-447-1647.  Walk-ins are welcome at the band’s “nut house” at 215 W. Mississippi Drive (former Button Factory restaurant). Hours are every Tues. evening from 6-7:30 pm and Sat. morning from 10 am till noon until Dec. 19, so buy now before we run out!
• Countdown to the Holidays with delicious German chocolate!! $4 each.  In Germany many children have ‘Adventskalendar’ to help count down the days to the winter holidays. Starting December 1, they open one window on the calendar each day to reveal a tasty German chocolate until they’re all gone on December 24.  You can participate in this tradition too!  See a German Club member or stop by room 202 to buy one for $4.  Let your parents and grandparents know too – they make great gifts!

** Silver Cord Opportunities **

• The Muscatine Parks and Recreation Department is looking for 12-15 volunteers to assist with the Candy Cane Hunt on Friday, December 4, 2015.   Volunteers are needed from 6:30 p.m sharp – 8:30 p.m. and will meet at Pearl City Station.  Volunteers will help set up for the Candy Cane Hunt, help redeem candy canes for prizes and assist with cleanup.  If interested, please contact Karen Thie ASAP at kthie@muscatineiowa.gov or at 563-263-0241.

** Upcoming Events **

• ICAN Financial Aid Presentation – Dec. 8, 2015 – 6:00 PM – MHS Commons
• Student Council Movie Night (rescheduled) – Dec. 12 @ 7-10 PM

** Scholarships **

Tri-Rivers Conservation Foundation Scholarships:
Paris Application – the Paris Scholarship is for $1000 this year!  Applicants must be a resident of Louisa County ORattend a Louisa County High School AND attend an Iowa college or university.

Director Application – The Director’s Scholarship is for $500.  Applicants can be from a little wider circle known as the Louisa Resources Area (this includes all of Louisa County and surrounding towns/cities) and the applicant can attend any college or university (not restricted to a school in Iowa).

More detailed information is included on the application itself.  Participants can choose to apply for both if they qualify, and can receive these grants more than once.  To apply for both, two separate applications need to be submitted. if you have any questions, please contact Katie Hammond or Don Kline: no1fish@iowatelecom.net

Aspiring Nurse Scholarship:  Nursing Schools Almanac has just launched its second annual Aspiring Nurse Scholarship. Our website will award a $1,000 scholarship to an aspiring nurse who best demonstrates:  A track record of academic excellence, particularly in science and mathematics & A passion for the nursing profession and the overall field of health care
This scholarship is open to all high school seniors who plan to pursue a college education in nursing, including LPN / LVN, ADN, and BSN programs. Scholarship applications will be accepted until midnight on June 30, 2016. Visit www.nursingschoolsalmanac.com and click the banner on the right-hand side of the website’s homepage.

SFM Foundation: The SFM Foundation provides scholarships to students whose parents were killed or seriously injured in workplace accidents while working for Minnesota, Iowa, or Wisconsin employers.  These scholarships are up to $10,000 per year, for up to five years. Visit www.sfmfoundation.com to apply.

Drake Physics Prize: First place is full tuition to Drake University for 4 years.  The Department of Physics and Astronomy at Drake are sponsoring this contest. The exam covers topics in Physics that would normally be studied by students in their first semester of high school physics. The exam must be taken at MHS on a scheduled time between January 27th and January 29th. Students wishing to test must register online by 1:00 pm, Monday, January 25th, 2016 at http://tinyurl.com/DrakePhysicsPrizeStudent2016  For further questions, contact the Physics Department at Drake at 515-271-3141 orsharyn.oconnor-beener@drake.edu

Grand Lodge of Iowa, A.F. & A.M.: The Masonic Charitable Educational Corporation is offering the MCED Technical Scholarships (the Mark Earl and Esther Ruth Spencer Technical Scholarships). Students who plan to enroll in a mechanical or trade course of study at an accredited Iowa Community College may apply.  Applications are available in MHS Student Services.  Due Date: March 1, 2016

Grand Lodge of Iowa, A.F. & A.M.: The Scholarship Selection Committee of the Grand Lodge of Iowa is again offering scholarships to graduating seniors with a focus on Leadership roles in the area of school and community.  Applications are available in MHS Student Services. Due Date: February 1, 2016

Hy-Vee Foundation Scholarship: Forty (40) $1,000 scholarships will be awarded. Student must have worked at Hy-Vee since September 15, 2015 or a high school senior son and/or daughter of a full/part time employee.  Student must attend any accredited 2 or 4 year school leading to a Baccalaureate degree.  Applications are available at MHS Student Services or online at www.hy-vee.com under company info.  Due date is February 10, 2016.

Catherine McAuley Scholarship/Mount Mercy University: This scholarship provides free tuition to Iowa students whose family income is $45,000 or less annually. This scholarship is renewable for up to 4 years. The student must be a graduating Iowa senior and enroll at Mount Mercy as a new freshman.  Students must reside on campus for all 4 years and participate in Mount Mercy’s College Success Program during their first year on campus.  Students must complete the FAFSA. To maintain the scholarship, students must successfully complete 24 semester hours per academic year and maintain a 2.0 GPA. *Students are automatically considered for the Catherine McAuley Scholarship upon admittance to Mount Mercy University.

Young Entrepreneur Foundation Scholarship: NFIB is sponsoring a scholarship for graduating seniors who own their own small business.  Scholarships range from $2,000-$25,000. Apply at www.NFIB.com/YEA  Due date: December 18, 2015.

Iowa Student Loan/Iowa Financial Know-How Challenge: Senior Scholarship: 30 Iowa High School seniors will be awarded $2,000 each for use for their Fall 2016 college expenses. Interested seniors must visit www.iowastudentloan.org/SeniorScholarship to register and read the complete rules. Students must complete all three steps before 4:00 pm on March 4th, 2016.

Christina Hixson Opportunity Award: This award is a four-year grant of one-half tuition and fees to be used at Iowa State University. One hundred high school seniors will receive the award.  For eligibility criteria and to apply go to Hixson Award Application or www.hixson.dso.iastate.edu  Due date is February 1, 2016.

United States JCI Senate Foundation Scholarship: This is a $1,000 scholarship for graduating seniors planning to attend an accredited college, university or vocational school. The application and more information are at www.usjcisenate.org under scholarship.  Applications are also available in MHS Student Services.  Due date is January 15, 2016.

National Scholarship Search Websites:

1. bigfuture.org
2. scholarships.com
3. fastweb.com
4. icansucceed.org

The GE-Reagan Foundation: This scholarship is looking for students who display leadership, drive, integrity, and citizenship.  Applicants must have a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale, must show financial need, must be a US Citizen and be seniors intending to enroll in a four year college or university.  This scholarship is $10,000 and is renewable for a total of $40,000. Application is available at www.reaganfoundation.org/scholarships. Deadline is January 7th, 2016.

The Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC): The organization offers 4 types of scholarships to apply for.  Students may only apply for ONE: Scholars, Asian-Pacific Islander Heritage, African-American or Black Caribbean Heritage, Hispanic/Latino Heritage. Seniors must plan to graduate from high school and enroll full time in a 2 year, 4 year, or technical school. Other requirements can be found at www.rmhc.org.  Application is at https://aim.applyists.net/RMHC. Deadline is January 20, 2016.

The Quad City Engineering and Science Council is accepting applications for its 2016 college scholarship awards from area high school seniors. Applications are due by January 22, 2016. The winners are selected based on a committee review of their application. This will be our 23rd year of encouraging students pursuing an engineering or science college degree.  Last year we awarded twelve scholarships with a total value of $20,500. You can download a copy of the scholarship application from http://www.qcesc.org under the scholarship link.

The Quad City and Engineering Science Council Scholarship Program was established and is administered by the Council.  This program provides multiple one-time grants/scholarships between $1000 and $3000 each for high school seniors pursuing a STEM degree at a 4-year university. These are awarded on an objective basis without regard to race, sex, or religion.  Criteria include academics, civic/community service, extracurricular involvement, career goals, and an essay on why you want a STEM degree

This year we are pleased to also offer engineering scholarships from Iowa State University, University of Iowa, University of Illinois at Chicago, University of Wisconsin, Platteville, Western Illinois University Quad Cities Campus, and St. Ambrose University.

The Quad City Engineering and Science Council (QCESC) is an umbrella organization representing 36 technical societies totaling about 5,000 members here in the Quad Cities. The QCESC proudly sponsors annual events such as the National Engineers Banquet and the Engineering and Scientist of The Year Awards. We also provide judges for the local technical activities including Invent Iowa and FIRST LEGO League among other Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)-related activities.

Muscatine Chapter of the Iowa Engineering Society: Must plan to pursue a career in engineering. Must attend either University of Iowa or Iowa State University in the Fall of 2016. Must have a 3.0 GPA for 10th and 11th grades. Must have an ACT composite score of at least 24.   Two scholarships available; each worth $1000. The application is available in MHS Student Services. Application deadline: January 15, 2016

Jerry Woods/Iowa Ready Mixed Concrete Association (IRMCA) Scholarship: Must be enrolling in the first year at an Iowa community college or tech school building trades program including concrete technology and practice. Must be a resident of Iowa.  Scholarship is $2,500 per year for 2 years.
The application is available at www.iowareadymix.org or in MHS Student Services.
Application deadline: November 30, 2015.

Young Entrepreneur Foundation Awards: Must have demonstrated entrepreneurial spirit and initiative. Must be a graduating senior that owns/operates his/her own small business. Must plan to attend a 2 year, 4 year or vocational school.  Scholarships/awards range from $2000-$15,000
The application is available at www.NFIB.com/YEA   Application deadline: December 18, 2016.

Iowa Newspaper Foundation: Must be preparing for a newspaper career.   A total of 9 scholarships, all available with ONE application.  Total awards will be approximately $6,700. The application is available at www.INAnews.com   Application deadline: February 12, 2016.

Pearl Hull Falk Scholarship: Must be of Protestant Faith, resident of Iowa, and will attend the University of Iowa full time in the Fall of 2016.  The scholarship award is $800.  The application is only available in MHS Student Services.  Application deadline: May 2, 2016.

Midwest Technical Institute Scholarship Program: Must plan to attend MTI in Fall of 2016.
The application is available in MHS Student Services or with an admissions representative at MTI www.midwesttech.edu   Application deadline: July 1, 2016.