Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton Community School District

Exira-EHK 11th Annual School Spelling Bee  Congratulations goes out to the 42 students who participated in the 11th Annual Exira-EHK School Spelling Bee this week. Brooklynn Snider (7th grader) is our Exira-EHK School Spelling Bee Champion. Our runner-up is Aubrey Nelson (6th grader). Our Elementary (grades 1st-3rd) co-winners are RayLeigh Smith, Summer Pedersen and Harper Rasmussen.  Brooklynn’s winning word in round 12 was ‘dissolute’. Brooklynn will have the opportunity to compete in Scripps State Spelling on March 18 at Omaha Sports Commission.  Big Thank You goes out to the students and parents for raising over $1,300 in this year's Spartan Spelling Bee Fundraiser!!! Our Elementary students in 1st-5th grades received donations from family and friends. We will use the money towards our Elementary Spartan Pride Store and educational programs. Thank you to our judges, Connie Jessen, Jen Petersen and Brenda Hansen and those who helped with the event (Beth Peppers, Lexi Griffin, Connie Jessen, Riann Hansen, Jen Petersen, Shelli Nelson, Courtney Peppers, Brenda Hansen, and teachers). “Congratulations goes out to Brooklynn and all the students who competed in this year's School Spelling Bee! Spartan Nation is very proud of these students for representing academics in our school. Thank you to our amazing staff who helped with this educational spelling program and fundraiser. Good Luck, Brooklynn, at the State Spelling Bee!” expressed Lisa Dreier, TAG Instructor. 1st-Greyson Akers RayLeigh Smith Joseph Padilla Owen Glade Gray Inman 2nd-Bo Bartz Lucian Thomsen Theo King Benji Reinhardt 3rd-Hadley Andersen Summer Pedersen Harper Rasmussen Hannah Wedemeyer Cooper Melanson 4th-Joseph Yock Terra Anderson Lane Christensen Logan Wedemeyer Staci Partridge 5th-Nora Bieker Peyton Madsen Caden Akers Clara King Ben Dixon Skyla Rasmussen Jesse Scarborough 6th-Addison Weimann Aubrey Nelson Joshlynn Jacobsen Brooklyn Brobham Alex Eldal 7th-Brooklynn Snider Joei Carlile Meka Jensen Olivia Malloy Zoey Rasmussen 8th-Fred Harris Michelle Wilson Brooklyn Flathers Cooper Paulsen Kylie Christensen

Don't forget to go and support your Spartans!!! #EEHKSpartanPride

All 9-12th Exira-EHK students are invited to attend the Winter Formal on January 21st, hosted by the Junior Class After Prom Committee! Tickets will be available in the high school office before or after school starting Monday, January 9th. More details about the event can be seen in the flyer below. We hope to see you there!

Don't forget to check out the Spartans today while they are on the road!!! #EEHKSpartanPride

2023 Spelling Bee TOP 5 best scores in each grade (1st - 8th). These students will compete in the 11th Annual School Spelling Bee held this Tuesday (January 10th) in the Elementary Library. Congratulations to all these students in this academic event! Good luck with the new study words! Reminder to Elementary students to turn in their Pledge Sheets to the office ASAP.

Go and support your Spartan Basketball Teams! #EEHKSpartanPride

Come and enjoy a baked potato tonight!!! Get them while they last!!!

Come support your Spartans tonight!!! #EEHKSpartanPride

UPDATE: The home game for tonight's double header, has now been POSTPONED to Thursday January 5th, due to weather! JV Boys will start at 4:15 on Thursday in Elk Horn.

Catching up on things!! We hope you had a FABULOUS break! Here is something that happened before break! See you tomorrow! The Junior High Student Council hosted a holiday event, the day before Christmas break, complete with a hot cocoa station and popcorn! #EEHKSpartanPride

Mrs. Griffin's Senior English class worked on a careers unit over the past six weeks. Within this unit, students learned about and created their own resumes and cover letters. A human resources professional, Blake Wilkerson, came to speak to the class earlier in the unit regarding resumes, cover letters, and interview etiquette. To conclude the unit, students participated in mock interviews where they were interviewed by employers. We had the pleasure of hosting multiple organizations, that provided constructive feedback to students as they begin to look to life outside of high school. We would like to thank Elite Octane, Menards, the Museum of Danish America, the Danish Windmill, AMVC, Rasmussen Law, Wayne Hansen Real Estate, Camblin Mechanical, Elk Horn Public Pool, and Des Moines Fire Department for providing students with this valuable experience. #EEHKSpartanPride

Families with students in 1st-8th grades please read the following: 11th Annual Exira-EHK School Scripps Spelling Bee Contest

Due the construction to fix our preschool bathrooms, we need to delay our return date for PRESCHOOL ONLY to Monday, January 9th. We are sorry for any inconvenience, but excited to have our preschool bathrooms working again upon their return.

Don't forget to join us tonight!!!! Here in Elk Horn!!!! #EEHKSpartanPride

Spartan Shout Out! A dazzling display of technical skill and talent was on display during the 31st Annual #DMACC High School Hands-On Automotive Skills Contest on Dec. 16 at the Karl Chevrolet Automotive Technology Center on the DMACC Ankeny Campus! Congratulations to the winning team from the DMACC Carroll Career Academy and to all of the outstanding competitors. The final team results were: 1. DMACC Carroll Career Academy 2. Mt Pleasant Community High School 3. DMACC Ames Hunziker Center Career Academy 4. Fort Madison Community School District 5. #DMACC Ankeny Career Academy 6. Southwestern Community College (SWCC) Career Academy 7. DMACC Southridge Center Career Academy 8. Algona Community School District (unable to travel to compete due to winter weather) Here's how the contest worked: Earlier this fall, approximately 280 high students representing 14 different schools from across Iowa took the 100-question written portion of the Skills Contest, and the top-eight scoring teams qualified to move on in the competition. Two students from each of those teams were then selected to represent their team during the hands-on portion of the contest on Dec. 16. During the hands-on portion, students competed in 15-minute, hands-on challenges in eight different areas: Engine performance, engine repair, electricity/electronics, brakes, steering and suspension, automatic transmission, manual drivetrain and HVAC. The two competitors from each of the top-four finishing teams earned DMACC scholarships, and competitors from each finishing team received automotive prize packages featuring tools and equipment donated by sponsors. Special thanks to the Iowa Automobile Dealers Association (IADA), NAPA Iowa, O'Reilly Auto Parts, #AutoZone, Arnold Motor Supply, Lowe's Home Improvement, Snap-on Tools, Mac Tools, Johnston Autostores and Harbor Freight for their support. Be sure to scroll through the below photos to learn more!

Our HS Junior TAG students (Emily Bricker, Hannah Nelson and Hailie Snider) wanted their service project to help our new Kids in the Village Daycare. They sold over 800 Christmas Santa Bags to the entire school and staff. Plus the entire HS TAG students, Spartan Youth Leadership Club students and some Leo Club students help color the bags, fill the bags and deliver all of them to the entire school. We appreciate that the Spartan Booster Club made sure all students and staff received a Santa Bag. The girls gave the Kids in the Village a check for $1080 which they will purchase for new indoor play equipment. "Big thank you to these three young ladies who created this service project, all help from the HS TAG students, few Leo students and Spartan Youth Leadership Club and to our awesome Spartan Booster Club! We know our Village kids will have fun on their new indoor play equipment!" expressed Lisa Dreier.

Concert Update: Due to the changing in the weather conditions, our Exira-EHK MS/HS Winter Concert is being postponed to tomorrow at 9AM. Families are invited to join if able, otherwise we will be streaming it on KJAN.COM. Thank you for understanding.

Our HS Junior TAG students (Hannah Nelson, Emily Bricker and Hailie Snider) came up with selling Santa Christmas Bags (Kool-Aid pouch, Oreo cookies, and candy cane) for their service project and all proceeds would go to the Kids in the Village Daycare for purchase of new indoor play equipment. The Santa Bags were a big hit because they sold over 800 of them. Plus the HS TAG students, Spartan Youth Leadership Club students and some Leo Club students help color the bags, fill the bags and deliver all of them to the entire school. Big THANK YOU goes out to our Spartan Booster Club for purchasing Santa Bags for students and staff who did not receive one. Thank you goes out Beth Peppers and Connie Jessen for helping with this project. "What an amazing service project that will benefit our Kids in the Village Daycare! So proud of every student who helped on this project. It was a team effort and a lot of fun for everyone! Our Spartan Booster Club continues to do awesome things for our kids too!" stated Lisa Dreier, TAG Instructor.

Our HS Freshman and Sophomore TAG students made over 60 handcrafted Christmas Wreaths for the Salem Nursing Home residents for their service project. The HS TAG students are Hailiy Bieker, Gracie Olsen, Irelynd McCarthy, Alex Hansen, Gideon King, Shelbi Partridge, Mara Christensen, Sophie Kitelinger, Austin Rasmussen and Brayden Burnison (not pictured is Brylie Andersen and Jacey Smith). They delivered them to the home residents, shared their personal information (long term goal) and sang a short version ``We wish you a Merry Christmas!" "I am very proud of these students for showing our local nursing home residents they care with this Christmas Wreath and sharing some comments with them. I'm sure the residents loved their visit!" stated Mrs. Dreier, HS TAG Instructor.

Our Exira-EHK Middle School recently competed in the Fall American Quiz Bowl.The tests are self-scoring, computer contests of 100 multiple-choice questions. Areas covered include math, geography, government, sports, spelling, science, literature, English, history, general information and just plain fun trivia. It is meant to be a team activity with all takers around one computer. Two chances to answer correctly are given. Points are awarded based on how fast they answer as well as on accuracy. Therefore, teams who do well usually are teams who can come up with a consensus answer quickly. An adult is needed to monitor but no adult help can be given. The 6th grade Advanced Proficiency team and 7th/8th grade Advanced Proficiency /TAG team contests differ in question difficulty. This year’s Advanced Proficiency students in grades 6th were Aubrey Nelson, Katelyn Warnaca, Olivia Poldberg, Joshlyn Jacobsen, Jacob Porter, Lillian Andersen, Brooklyn Bradham, Travis Burnison, and Gavin Renstrom. Our 6th graders scored 733 points and got 67% correct. This year’s Advanced Proficiency /TAG students in grades 7/8th were Meka Jensen, Rye Butler, Zoey Rasmussen, Josephine Carlile, Brooklyn Snider, Cameron Dixon, Jack Hansen, Leah Boysen, Josiah King, Slade Sandbothe, Cooper Paulsen, Fred Harris, Kylie Christensen, and Lilly Bricker. Our 7/8th graders scored 996 points and got 85% correct “Our MS Advanced Proficiency/TAG students did extremely well in the tough academic competition which usually consists of larger schools! I truly enjoy their strategies they take in the Fall American Quiz Bowl! Good job! expressed Lisa Dreier, MS TAG Instructor.