K of C 5th & 6th grade Spelling Bee winners - The Cherokee Knights Of Columbus 5th and 6th grade Spelling Bee winners,pictured next to Knight Michael Letsche, are, left to right, Clare Conley, Molly Stines, and Frances Conley. Photo contributed

K of C Spelling Bee winners - Cherokee Knights of Columbus recently announced their 4th grade Spelling Bee winners. From left to right,are Addisyn Jensen, Barritt Kolpin and Alberto Sandez, with Grand Knight Terry Boisen. Photo contributed

Cherokee students involved with JEL (Just Eliminate Lies) anti-tobacco movement displayed signs and manned a booth offering treats and anti-smoking information for those attending Cherokee's home basketball games against Spirit Lake. Photo by Paul Struck

A bright idea - Cherokee Middle School fifth grader Eric Peterson is pictured during his first try at lighting a light bulb. Photo contributed

Super conductor - Samantha Conley checks different materials to see if they will conduct electricity while her class was learning about electricity at Cherokee Middle School. Photo contributed

Learning about electricity - Recently fifth grade students at Cherokee Middle School got a chance to learn about electricity. Pictured is Peter Campuzano as he shows off his completed simple circuit. Photo contributed

Connecting and learning - Alli Fiedler is pictured as she works on connecting her simple circuit. Photo contributed

Constructing a parallel circuit - Max DeVos, Josie Kindwall, and Eric Peterson were the first to construct a parallel circuit during a recent activity in electricity at the Cherokee Middle School. Photo contributed

Helping hand - Cherokee fifth grade science students Matt Pitts and Trey Valentine are pictured helping their group to construct a series circuit. Photo contributed

Out For A Stroll - A herd of deer took a walk down some of Cherokee's streets last week before the snow hit again. The group of more than a dozen deer was seen heading from Bluff Street down north 9th Street Saturday, Jan. 30. Photo by Sarah Boldt

Cheer camp - An excited group of Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn elementary cheerleaders are pictured waiting to perform at the MMC/Remsen-Union basketball game. Over 40 students attended a camp directed by the basketball and wrestling cheerleaders. Photo contributed

All Ears - Students learn best by hearing from people on a first hand basis. These 4th Grade students at Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn Elementary School students have just studied the human body systems. Stephanie Hunt (pictured), mother of fourth grader Trinity Clark, works in Sioux City as a nurse at Mercy Hospital in Sioux City, and the kids were all ears as spoke to the class and they learned more about the human body. Photo contributed

Loom talk - Lorna Wilson and Christine Palmer, right, are pictured at the Sanford Museum , chatting by one of the looms at one of their recent meeting of the Little Sioux Spinners & Weavers Guild. Photo by Mike Leckband

Looking for the right piece - Jordyn Bingham and Elizabeth Wulfsen are looking for the pieces to put together their robot at the recent Robot Camp for Kids held at the Cherokee Middle School and sponsored by the ISU Extension 4-H Youth Development Program. Photo contributed

Women in Science - Fran Conley, second from the left, Josie Kindwall, second from the right, and Dusty Wright, right, are pictured working on their robot with the help of an ISU Role Model from the Women in Science and Engineering Program from Iowa State University. Photo contributed

Test drive - Once the students had their basic robot together, they could go out and "test drive" it thru the obstacle course. Pictured are Clare Conley, right, and Hayden Graybill as they test their robot. Photo contributed

Watchful eye - Once the students had the basic robot built and tested, they could modify their robot to do other things and to have more power. Here under the watchful eye of Braydon Clyde, the robot carefully picks up a ping-pong ball. Photo contributed

Treats and Beats - Pictured are members of the Roosevelt Elementary School's first grade class as they performed several songs during Grandparents Day on Feb. 5. Both the first grade class and the kindergarten class performed a show entitled "Treats and Beats." Grandparents of the students had a chance to come to the school and visit the kids' class room and also see some of the kid's art projects that were featured during the program. Photo by Mike Leckband

Welcoming the grandparents Roosevelt Elementary Art Teacher Susan Jensen is pictured welcoming the guests to the school during Grandparents Day. The students decorated the gymnasium of the school with treats that they made during art class. Photo by Mike Leckband

Tasty treats? Here is a up close look at the some of the many art projects that the students at Roosevelt Elementary School made during the recent Grandparents Day held at the school. Photo by Mike Leckband

Special announcement - During the Grandparents Day program held at Roosevelt Elementary School on Feb. 5,, the school's music teacher, Dianne Gordon, announced that she would be retiring from teaching after this year. All in attendance gave Gordon a well - deserved round of applause for the many years of hard work and dedication she has shown during her time at Roosevelt. Photo by Mike Leckband

Lorene Mugge of Cleghorn has a book in which she has faithfully affixed postcards received by her grandmother, Nell Rose Howell. The cards go back more than 100 years,and include some sent by Mrs. Howell's mother, Margaret Emeline Caldwell, who was born in Tennessee in 1815. Photo contributed

Lorene was looking through her collection of valentine's postcards the other day, Photo contributed

...and discovered several cards from the 1910-20 period, Photo contibuted

including this one, which was sent 100 years ago this week,on Feb. 13,1910. Photo contributed

High rollers - During the week of Feb. 16th, the second, third and fourth graders at Cherokee Roosevelt Elementary got a chance to strap on roller skates and test their skills in the school's gym. Pictured are members of Kimberly Miller's 4th grade class as they took their turn around the gym on Friday. Photo by Mike Leckband

Words for the wise - When the students in Jodi Feser's third grade class at MMC bump head on into a hard-to-spell word, they don't have to go far to find a little help. Their word wisdom received a jump start recently when the Cleghorn American Legion Post donated dictionaries for each and every member of the class. In this photo, the welcome books are seen being displayed by class members Rebecca De La Cruz, Carolynn DeYoung and Trevor Schneider.

Boxed in - The members of Jodi Feser's third grade class at MMC Elementary were really into St. Valentine's Day this year. The youngsters used a lot of creativity crafting holiday boxes in anticipation of the avalanche of cards to come. Branden Stodden, for example, went the robot route while his classmate Carolynn DeYoung opted for a Barbie theme for her box. Photo by Ron Flewelling.

Pint-sized patriot! - The students in Jodi Feser's third grade class at MMC Elementary recently tried their talents in the area of patriotic prose when they participated in a "I Love America Because" essay contest sponsored by the VFW Auxiliary from the L. A. Westcott Post #2253. This year, one of those students, namely Dakota Kasner, won first place honors for his age group on the County level as well as second place honors in the District end of the contest. Photo by Ron Flewelling

Guided reading rendezvous - The elementary library has been receiving a lot of use this year as the young scholars of MMC practice their reading skills. One of those groups...Mary Deichmann's first grade Guided Reading class to be exact, was spotted at that location recently engaged in a literary lark. The young readers are Braeden Kamphoff, Blacey Stodden, Tayler Florine and Brynn Jone Photo by Ron Flewelling

It's in the bag - In preparation for the Valentine's Day holiday, Patty Brandhordt's second grade class at RV Elementary combined some math lessons with a large dose of imagination to create bags custom made to hold all those holiday cards. Among those turning in exemplary Valentine's Day crafts were classmates Tristen Mammen and Cheyenne Hill. Photo by Ron Flewelling

Let's make a deal - The students in the second grade class at RV Elementary recently combined lessons in counting money with the world of commerce by participating in a mega white elephant sale held in the school lunchroom. The youngsters brought a bevy of used items from home and offered them for sale at their own sales stations. In this photo, Kaylee Petty is seen fine-tuning her hard selling skills with prospective customer and fellow classmate Sarah VanBeek. Photo by Ron Flewelling

Hard sell - The students in the second grade class at RV Elementary recently turned their school's lunchroom into a winter white elephant sale bazaar, an annual event at the school. The youngsters were able to hone their money counting skills while wheeling and dealing at both their own stations as well as their classmates' booths. A wide variety of items were offered during the event, a list that ranged from toys and books to jewelry and pencils. Young entrepreneur Zevon Wipf, for example, didn't have any trouble selling this flower vase to school cook Cassandra Simmons. Photo by Ron Flewelling

MMC's magnificent spellers - The super spelldown in Jan Brown's fourth grade class at MMC Elementary continues into the new year unabated. The latest word wizards in the contest were Cody Schuck, Aliyah Jackson and Hailey Law. Photo by Ron Flewelling

MMC students experience Black History Month - During February's Black History Month, Ric Collins' class at Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn set up an exhibit to show the living quarters on a plantation for slaves in the 1700's.Items and information in the "One Room Cabin" were shared with other classes and grades in the MMC Cleghorn building. Photo contributed

Enjoying food and conversation Many volunteers who work on various Marcus Fair committees gathered at the Marcus Community Center on Feb.21 to enjoy a free meal provided by the Fair Board. This is one way in which the Board can shows its appreciation for the efforts of thre volunteers. Photo by Nancy Hohbach

Schwarz honored - During the program at the annual Marcus Fair meal, John Schwarz received the award given by the Fair Board to an individual who has contributed much time and effort Board. and adjusts the sound as needed for each event. Photo by Nancy Hohbach