An open house honoring Henry and Patricia Tippie will be held at the Belle Plaine Museum on Saturday, June 27, from 3-4 p.m. Everyone is invited to attend.

Central Elementary entrants included, front row, from left: Grace Parrott, Tanner Meeks, Shaylee Dodd, Hope Brecht and grand prize winner Ashton Bohlen. Back row: Hannah McLennan, grand prize winner Will Mengler, Kobe Hovious, Trey Alcott, Brodie Bohlen, grand prize winner Bailey O'Brien, Cole Benton, Blake Kriegel and Lacey Jacobi.

Sixty-five posters were entered and a panel of four judges picked the winners. It was open to all elementary students and they were asked to pick a favorite book and then create a poster based on the book. All entries are on display at Country Foods and the Belle Plaine Community Library. Each student that turned in an entry received a Subway Kids Meal certificate. Winners for each classroom were able to pick a new book, and grand prize winners were given a goodie bag that included a pass to the King Theater.

Kindergarten entries included, from left: Jackson Tegeler, Zach Brecht, Emma Longnecker and Hope DeBrower.

First graders included, from left: Katelyn Cook, Macy Dodd, Hannah Cook, Brenda Steinford and grand prize winner Pantera Ranberger.

More than half of the 55 members of the Belle Plaine Class of 2009 received at least one scholarship or award this year. Many of the awards were presented at Sunday’s commencement ceremony at the high school, while others were presented at the annual senior awards breakfast earlier in the week.

This year’s class motto was “Life brings us tears, smiles and memories – the tears dry, the smiles fade but the memories last forever.”

The commencement address was a joint effort by the 2009 valedictorian Cameron Wagner and the salutatorian, Colton Wagner.

They produced a video which included best wishes from many members of the faculty and staff of the district.

There were 65 different awards and scholarships presented this year with several presented to more than one senior for a total of 104 awards.

In the following list, the awards and recipients are listed, as well as the monetary amount, where released:

Environmental Education Scholarship – Samantha Behncke
R.J. McElroy Trust Scholarship ($1,000) – Will Pierce
Wendy’s High School Heisman Nomination – Megan Ehlen and Cameron Wagner
Army Reserve National Scholar/Athlete Selection – Cameron Wagner and Katie Walton
KWWL Best of the Class 2009 – Cameron Wagner
Wheaton Franciscan Auxiliary Scholarship ($2,000 each) – Cameron Wagner and Colton Wagner
Mary J. Boland Scholarship ($1,000) – Wes Spading and Beth Purk
East Central Iowa REC Scholarship ($500) – Ben Novak and Paige Lohf
Bernie Saggau Award – Colton Wagner
Grand Lodge of Iowa, AF and A.M. ($2,000) – Colton Wagner
American Legion Post 39 – ($500) – Wes Spading
American Legion Auxiliary ($400) – Beth Purk
Vertis Communications Scholarship ($500) – Katie Walton
National Council on Youth Leadership ($100) – Spencer Roth
Iowa Bowling Council Scholarship ($300) – Kayla Steuart
George M. Sheets Trust Scholarship (approx. $3,000 per semester) – Emily Upah
Henry B. Tippie University of Iowa Scholarship – Emily Upah and Wes Spading
American Bar Association Citizenship Award – Emily Upah
2009 Hixson Opportunity Award for Poweshiek County (one-half of tuition and fee expenses for four years) – Paige Henning
Capri College Scholarship ($250) – Ashlie Fisher
Tama County Farm Bureau Scholarship ($500) – Davis Coover
United States Air Force Math and Science Awards – Cameron Wagner, Colton Wagner and Spencer Roth
Spanish Awards – Samantha Behncke, Katie Blank, Williams Pierce, Beth Purk, Cameron Wagner, Colton Wagner and Eric Ward
Knights of Columbus Scholarship ($400) – Wes Spading, Emily Upah, Spencer Roth
Governor’s Scholar – Cameron Wagner
Zamastil Memorial Scholarship – Katie Walton and Spencer Roth
Christ United Methodist Church Scholarship ($333.33) – Drew Hinschberger, Will Pierce and Paige Lohf
Blairstown Community Foundation Scholarship ($200) – Spencer Roth
Iowa County Cattlemen’s Scholarship – Tate DeMeulenaere
First Congregational Scholarship – Kayla Steuart
Dollars for Scholars ($500) – Spencer Roth, Tyson Squiers, Paul Grieder, Janet Petitt, Myles Kelly, Kristen Bevins and Katie Blank
Athletic Boosters ($250) – Megan Ehlen, Beth Purk, Phillip Stanerson and Katie Walton
Rotary (Kirkwood) ($400) – Katie Walton
Rotary in Memory of Wayne Conrad ($400) – Megan Ehlen
Lions Club ($250) – Rich DeFauw
Women’s Club ($400) – Amber Hohn
H.W. & Alberta Staffenbeal Trust Scholarship ($2,000 each) – Beth Purk and Drew Hinschberger
Jane Sayers UNI Scholarship ($500) – Beth Purk
Music Boosters ($250) – Paige Lohf and Will Pierce
MidWestOne Bank ($500) – Tate DeMeulenaere
Ruritan – Ben Novak
BPEA ($400) – Megan Ehlen, Drew Hinschberger, Tyson Squiers, Collin Walton and Amber Hohn
Donovan Scholarship ($3,000 renewable) – Samantha Behncke and Davis Coover
Clare M. Allee Memorial Scholarship – Colton Wagner, Cameron Wagner, Paige Henning, Samantha Behncke, Spencer Roth and Emily Upah
Belle Plaine Ambulance Scholarship ($300) – Katie Walton
Coe College Trustee Scholarship – Spencer Roth
Coe College Academic Enhancement Scholarship/Science – Spencer Roth
Coe College Writing Center Fellowship – Spencer Roth
Ernest Hayden & Harriet Thomas Memorial Scholarship at ISU – Paige Henning
Florence V. Ritchie Scholarship at ISU – Paige Henning
CHS Incoming Freshman Merit Scholarship at ISU – Paige Henning
Drake University Presidential Scholar – Amber Hohn
Drake University Fine Arts Scholarship for Music – Amber Hohn
UNI Distinguished Scholars – Beth Purk
Coe College Dean’s Scholarship – Megan Ehlen
Crimson Award – Megan Ehlen
Legacy Scholarship – Megan Ehlen
Iowa State University Future of Agriculture & Life Sciences Scholarship – Samantha Behncke
Cornell College Academic and Community Enrichment Scholarship – Myles Kelly
Kirkwood Leaders for Tomorrow Scholarship – Collin Walton
Wartburg College Regents Scholarship – Cameron Wagner and Colton Wagner
Wartburg College Legacy Grant – Cameron Wagner and Colton Wagner

Senior members of the Belle Plaine High School band told the crowd what they will be doing after graduation.

Belle Plaine’s band students from 5th grade through high school gave their final performance of the year earlier this week. Here is a selection of photos from the event.