April Area Happenings

... Winners of special Easter baskets at the Country Side Estates Annual Easter Egg Hunt were Matthew Wahl and his brother Mac Wahl. (Photo contributed)

Country Side Estates held its annual Easter Egg Hunt to the delight of all who participated... (Photo contributed)

Tastes & Sounds The impressive Cherokee Middle School Jazz Band opened the annual Cherokee Music Boosters "Tastes & Sounds" show at WITCC on April 2nd WHS and CMS vocal and band departments furnished delightful music while the packed house dined on great food from Cherokee stores and restaurants... (Photo by Paul Struck)

... Western Iowa Tech Community College Conference Center was packed for the "Tastes & Sounds" show on April 2nd, hosted by the Cherokee Music Boosters, with hundreds of people donating to the cause and dining on great food provided by restaurants and stores in Cherokee. The entertainment was provided by the WHS and CMS band and vocal departments... (Photo by Paul Struck)

... Mason Timmerman showed his stuff playing a saxophone solo during the Cherokee Middle School Jazz Band appearance at Tastes & Sounds at WITCC... (Photo by Paul Struck)

... The Cherokee WHS Brass Choir, under the capable direction of Allan Yeager, entertained the Tastes & Sounds throngs April 2nd at WITCC in Cherokee. Members included Blake Halverson, Rebecca Fajardo, Brianna Kellen, Jacob Fry, Mariah Collins, Hannah Lewis, and Calvin Chalstrom... (Photo by Paul Struck)

... Caleb Claycamp, bookended by the Conley sisters, plays one mean trumpet solo during Tuesday's Tastes & Sounds appearance by the CMS Jazz Band... (Photo by Paul Struck)

... The Cherokee Middle School Choir, under the direction of Amy Sarchet,also performed at the April 2nd "Tastes & Sounds" show at WITCC... (Photo by Paul Struck)

... and this Washington High School Mixed Sextet harmonized beautifully during the"Tastes & Sounsds" show. (eft to right) Sammy Hirschman, Paige Reinert, Sadie Brown, Paige Cedar, Josh Haupert, and Blake Halverson. (Photo by Paul Struck)

Tomahawk Coronation On Wednesday April 3rd, the 2013 Tomahawk Coronation was held at the Cherokee Washington High School auditorium. Pictured are the members of the 2013 Tomahawk Royal Court, first row, left to right, Sadie Brown, Amber Lundquist, Haley Mummert, Hanna Henson, and Emily Cosgrove. Back row, Devin Mongan, Ben Sampson, Jaden Lux, Kyle Comstock, and Skyler Mongan. (Photo by Mike Leckband)

Skyler Mongan, son of Tyler and Stephanie Scott and Dan and Casey Mongan,is shown with Emily Cosgrove, daughter of Denny and Jan Weiland and the late Steve Cosgrove, as the couple served as members of the Royal Court at this year's Tomahawk Relays Coronation ceremony Wednesday April 3rd at the Washington High School auditorium. (Photo by Mike Leckband)

Kyle Comstock, son of Jamie Werner, escorted Hanna Henson, daughter of Dave and Lexi Henson and Kristi and Paul Taylor, in the recessional at the WHS Tomahawk Coronation on Wednesday. (Photo by Mike Leckband)

Jaden Lux, son of Mark Lux and Sue Lux, escorted Haley Mummert, daughter of Duane Mummert and Carla Steele, on Wednesday during the WHS Tomahawk Coronation. (Photo by Mike Leckband)

Ben Sampson, son of Kirk and Lisa Sampson, escorted Amber Lundquist, daughter of Jeff and Lisa Lundquist, at the WHS 2013 Coronation held on Wednesday. (Photo by Mike Leckband)

Devin Mongan, son of Jim and Veronica Mongan, escorted Sadie Brown, daughter of Doug and Jan Brown, during the WHS Tomahawk Coronation on April 3rd at Cherokee Washington High School. (Photo by Mike Leckband)

Ridge View instrumental and vocal soloists - Several Ridge View High School music students and groups earned I's at the Solo/Ensemble Contest held in Sloan on April 6. Instrumental and vocal soloists are, front row, left to right, Glenn Zimmer, Jonah Kistenmacher, and Gabriel Carbajal. Back row, Audrey Hibbs, Amber Adams, Keziah Tracy, and Amelia Leuschen... (Photo contributed)

Clarinet Quartet - Several Ridge View High School music students and groups earned I's at the Solo/Ensemble Contest held in Sloan on April 6. The band instructor at Ridge View is Joe Vannatta, and the Vocal Instructor is Kris Kistenmacher. Clarient quartet are, left to right, Amber Adams, Glenn Zimmer, Jayde Vondrak, and Ashlynn Blenner... (Photo contributed)

Girls' Vocal Ensemble - ... Members of the Ridge View Girl's Vocal Ensemble are, front row, left to right, Lauren Franken, Keziah Tracy, and Amelia Leuschen. Back row, Destinee Staley-Williams, and Abby Clark. Absent are Sage Bennett and Tylar Conover... (Photo contributed)

Saxophone Choir - ... Members of the Ridge View Saxophone Choir are, front row, left to right, Glenn Zimmer, Christian Egger, and Aaron Cuthrell. Back row, Audrey Hibbs, Mason Johnson, Jadyn Mohr, and Lucas Hansen. (Photo contributed)

Veterans honored - Dedication of a red rose,'Veterans Honor,' donated by Randy and Shirley Kirchner of Quimby, was dedicated on Sunday April 7th at the Blue Star Veterans Memorial Sign in Quimby. A short program was held by Pastor Bruce Rapp of Aurelia. This rose was dedicated to all veterans. (Photo contributed)

On top of things - It's not every day you see an excavator on top of a house, but this excavator and its operator, from Schoon Construction, were spotted cleaning up what was left of a recently demolished home near the Cherokee Regional Medical Center on North 1st Street in Cherokee. (Photo by Nancy Nelson)

Shrimp farm tour - Roosevelt Elementary kindergarten students visited the Shrimp 59 sfarm south of Cherokee., and owners Chad and Keely Dutler gave the students a tour and told them a little bit about how to raise shrimp. Chad Dutler is pictured catching shrimp with a net and showing them to the students... (Photo contributed)

... While on the Dutler Shrimp 59 tour, students from Cherokee Roosevelt Elementary got to see two different sized shrimp, shown here sitting on a scale. (Photo contributed)

New type of learning - The students in Jennifer Burch's kindergarten class at Cherokee Roosevelt Elementary School are using iPads as part of their morning calendar routine. The iPads belong to an iPad cart available for the students and teachers at Roosevelt to use. The students are shown here helping their teacher write the morning message and daily schedule with an app called Magnetic Alphabet. (Photo contributed)

Cherokee Roosevelt Elementary students are pictured here using an app called Doodle Buddy to write new sight words, practice shape drawing, and number writing in Jennifer Burch's kindergarten class. (Photo contributed)

Bentley Bezoni, a first grader at Cherokee Elementary School, recently donated his hair to a charity such as the Locks of Love or Pantene Beautiful Lengths. Bentley has been growing his hair for the past four years, and it had reached a length of 11 inches. Ivy Doeden of the Headlines Salon in Cherokee clipped Bentley's hair while his mother, Jaime Bezoni-Johnson, held the long locks... (Photo by Mike Leckband)

... Bentley was excited about getting his hair cut, and he admits that he was tired of washing it all the time and hopes that now that he has short hair he will no longer be mistaken for a girl. Ivy Doeden helps Bentley show off his new look. (Photo by Mike Leckband)

The Cherokee 7th and 8th grade band,under the direction of Casey Kingdon performed four lively tunes for a packed house at the Cherokee Midddle School Spring Concert in Apri... (Photo by Paul Struck)

... Director Allen Yeager leads the Cherokee 5th grade band through a few entertaining songs a at April's Cherokee Middle School Spring Concert... (Photo by Paul Struck)

6th Grade Band - ... The Cherokee 6th grade band, under the direction of Casey Kingdon, entertained a packed house at the Cherokee Middle School Spring Concert... (Photo by Paul Struck)

... Caleb Claycamp's trumpet solo was a popular hit at the Cherokee Middle School's 2013 Spring Concert... (Photo by Paul Struck)

... Bass saxophonist Clare Conley wowed the crowd at the Cherokee Middle School Spring Concert ... (Photo by Paul Struck)

Mason plays - ... Mason Timmerman's alto saxophone solo had the crowd applauding at the Cherokee Midddle School Spring Concert. (Photo by Paul Struck)

Alta- Aurelia students display award-winning art - Three students from Alta-Aurelia High School were named award winners at the recent Twin Lakes Conference Art Show. Paige Sivinski won the Best of Show artwork for her work entitled 'Adicus,' (shown here), and she also won second place in the Student Critics' Award for the same piece...

... Morgan Droegmiller also placed fifth in the Students' Choice Awards for her "Make My Day."...

... and first place in the Student Critics Award, for her work entitled "Sailor's Delight." The same piece also received Honorable Mention in the category of Sculpture and 3D Mixed Media...

... Kaity Brake also received Honorable Mention in that category, for her "Nightmare on Elm Street."

Kaitlyn Goth, left, is shown playing eventual champion Joel Johnson in a semi-final match at the Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn 4th, 5th, 6th grade ping pong tournament in April... (Photo contributed)

... The winners of the Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn 4th, 5th, 6th grade ping pong tournament this year were, front row, left to right, Joel Johnson (champion) Collin Law, and Caden Sand. Second row, Alex Paulsrud (2nd place) Kaitlyn Goth and Heather Schmidt. The ping pong tournament was started by Bob Byers in 1973-1974. (Photo contributed)