MHS Announcements

December 16, 2015

Go Muskies!

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.

• Due to unforeseen circumstances, Student IDs must be presented when purchasing food from the Cafeteria.  If you have lost your original Student ID, you can visit the Attendance Office for your one free replacement. Additional replacements IDs are $5.
• SOAP will have its annual Christmas party Thursday night at 7:30 at 2797 180th Street.  Bring a ‘white elephant’ gift ($5 limit!) and be ready to celebrate!
• Sign-ups for Intramural Dodgeball will begin this week and end January 18th.  Start forming teams now!!  Sign-up forms are located outside the AD office.  The Championship Dodgeball team will be awarded a prize.  
• Muskie Apparel makes great Holiday Gifts – your last chance to get your Muskie apparel before Christmas is this Friday, Dec. 18th at the triple header boy’s basketball game (Freshman, Soph, & Varsity) vs. Dav. North. Come enjoy the game and get your Muskie t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, etc.   See you there!”
• An MCC representative will be in the Student Service office from 9:00 AM until noon today and Friday from 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM.
• Please submit celebrity look alike pictures for the yearbook to Cassie Hendrix at hendrixcj@mcsdonline.org  Pictures submitted are to be of any MHS member and their celebrity look alike.
• Enjoy the Star Wars movie in Spanish!  Please see the attachment for dates and times at the Palms Theatres. Star Wars – Spanish
• Muskie Fans:  Muscatine Basketball Gear is now ready for order.  Check out several Nike products ranging from shirts, hoodies, shorts and quarter zip polos that we have to offer.  To view and order products go to www.monticellosports.com, > Team Login, > click on Muscatine, password: gomuskies
• Opportunity to Join 2016 Student Council:
  The purpose of this organization through leadership is to develop attitudes of and practices in good citizenship, to improve school morale, encourage positive student-faculty interaction, to provide a forum for student expression and concerns, to provide activities which attract student involvement, to contribute to the betterment of our community, and to promote the general welfare of our school.

  Packets will be available to apply for the 2016 student council starting December 14th – 18th for any 9 – 11th grader outside of Mrs. Orr’s office in student services. There are 3 forms to complete and turn in by end of day January 8th. An interview process will be used to make the final decision. Interviews will be held January 12th – 15th.

• Need some ‘brain food’ at the end of the semester??  For $2 you can get 24 pieces of delicious German chocolate!  Stop in room 202 or see a German student to get yours before they’re gone!
• The MHS Boosters are holding a Booster Club Fundraiser night at Boonies on Dec. 15th. Boonies will donate a portion of sales to the Booster Club which is dispersed between MHS Sports and Activities.
• 2016 Girl Scout Summer Camp Employment
  Are you looking for a FUN and EXCITING way to spend your summer? If so, we have a great opportunity for you! The Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois are currently hiring for a variety of 2016 Summer Camp positions. Positions include Unit Counselor; Communications Specialist; Waterfront Specialist/Lifeguard; Equestrian Specialist; Food Service Assistant; Mentoring Specialist; Activities Specialist (Camp Positions – Level 3). For further information or to apply, please visit: www.GirlScoutsToday.org, scroll to the bottom of the page and click on our Careers tab.
• Muscatine Orchestra Boosters are selling Flower Cards for $30. Each month in 2016, the customer takes the card to The Flower Gallery for a “free” flower bouquet. Cards can be purchased from any orchestra member or by contacting Jon Thoma, Orchestra Director, via email at jon.thoma@mcsdonline.org
• The Muskie Band’s annual nut fundraiser will come to a close on Dec. 19.  The nut house at 215 W. Mississippi Drive will be open only four more times – Tues., Dec. 8 and 15 (6-7:30 pm), and Sat., Dec. 12 and 19. ( To purchase colossal cashews, mixed nuts, puddles (turtles), and chocolate dipped cherries and blueberries, contact any MHS band student or call Janet Clark at 299-0019 or email mclark@machlink.com. You can also go to Wester Drug, Elly’s Tea & Coffee, and Harper’s Cycling & Fitness during their regular business hours. 
• 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
  

  ** Silver Cord Opportunities **

• The Manta Rays Swim Team (formerly the Muscatine Swim Club) has a volunteer opportunity for students at our home swim meet.  Our meet is Saturday, December 19th and  we need people to help in concessions, swimmer escorts and timers.  We have shifts mornings, afternoon or the whole meet.  The meet will start around 9 am so volunteers for morning sessions or all day need to be there around 8:45 am.  If they can only work first half of the meet they should be done around 11:30 am/noon.  If they can only work 2nd half they would need to be there around 11 am we are hoping the meet should be done around 2 or 2:30 pm at the latest.  If anyone is interested they can email Jocelyn Paxton at jpaxton@muscatiney.org by Thursday, December 17th.
• The Muscatine Parks and Recreation Department is looking for 12-15 volunteers to assist with the Elves Workshop on Saturday, December 19, 2015.  This is a free event that is open to the public.  It will be held at the Muscatine Mall center court at 1-3 p.m.  Volunteers are needed at  12:30 PM sharp to help set up for the event, help children with their “projects” and assist with clean up.  We will be cleaned up and done by 3:30 PM.   If interested, please contact Karen Thie ASAP at kthie@muscatineiowa.gov or at 563-263-0241.

• ** Upcoming Events **

  • Dec. 14 – MHS B & G Basketball 9th – Home 6 PM
  • Dec. 14 – Holiday Choir Concert –  MHS Auditorium 7:30 PM 
  • Dec. 15 – MHS B & G Bowling – Home 5 PM
  • Dec. 15 – MHS Boys Basketball Soph/Varsity – Away – Burlington  6 PM
  • Dec. 15 – MHS Girls Basketball Soph/Varsity – Home 6 PM
  • Dec. 17 – MHS Boys Swim JV/Varsity – Away – Burlington 6 PM
  • Dec. 17 – MHS Wrestling JV/Varsity- Home – 6 PM
  • Dec. 18 – MHS Boys Basketball 9th/Soph/Varsity – Home 4:15PM/6-9PM
  • Dec. 18 – MHS Girls Basketball JV/Varsity – Away – Dav. North 6 PM
  • Dec. 19 – MHS Girls Basketball 9th – Away – Rockridge 9 AM
  • Dec. 19 – MHS Wrestling JV – Away – Wilton  9 AM
  • Dec. 19 – MHS Boys Swim Varsity – Away – Clinton 10 AM
  • Dec. 19 – MHS Wrestling Varsity – Away – Fort Madison 10 AM
  • Dec. 19 – MHS Girls Basketball Soph/Varsity – Home 5 PM

** Scholarships **

Muscatine County Cattlemen’s Association: We have changed our scholarship to “up to three $750 scholarships” this year. The student’s parent has to be a member for at least one year to qualify. Deadline is January 20, 2015.  Muscatine County Cattlemen Scholarship Application    Muscatine County Cattlemen’s Scholarship

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

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.