​    Diane Lastovka, right, with the Brooklyn Ruritans makes and serves an omelet to Diane Meyer during the pancake fundraiser for Big Hearts 4 Tiny Hands organization on Sunday, Feb. 19. This is the third year that the Ruritans has held the pancake breakfast for the local organization, which helps families with babies in the NICU.

       The Grinnell High School Curtain Club and Thespians presented “Crimes of the Heart,” a play by American playwright Beth Henley, on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, March 2 – 4.
     Play synopsis - Set in Hazlehurst, Miss. in the mid-20th century, the play follows three sisters and the dysfunctional way they interact together following a tragic upbringing after their mother committed suicide gaining national attention for it's disturbing nature. Babe, the youngest sister, has recently been released from jail following an arrest for the attempted murder of her husband. The sisters navigate reconnecting after being a part for many years and living their own lives. The play is full of good hearted family connections, chaotic and hilarious relationships, and a deep sorrow threaded throughout as the family navigates what could potentially become their new normal.
   The play won the 1981 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Play.Musical director is Steph Nefzger and the technical director is Kenneth Phipps.
    Cast -  Lenny Magrath, Olivia Mick; Chick Boyle, Elisabeth Kelley-Chown; Doc Porter, Brody Petig/Reece Madren; Meg Magrath, Jeslyn Voogd; Babe Botrelle, Maggie Kaup; Barnette Lloyd, Em Cooper.
   Crew - Stage Manager: Liz Sieck; Assistant Stage Manager: Cameron Thompson; Marketing/Publicity: Maddie Davis; Lights: Liam Leisure; Sound Chief: Joel Dressler; Hair/Makeup: Cora Miller; Costumes: Kaia Chang Roper; Props: Billy Lopatto.

​J.O. Parker
 
    Three Grinnell Tigers boys’ basketball players have received Little Hawkeye All-Conference Honorable Mention honors following the 2022-23 basketball season.
Grinnell’s Cole Blackford and Derek Doty both received honorable mention honors.
 
1st Team All-Conference (** Unanimous Selection)
**Drew Kingery, Senior, Indianola
**Brayden Drea, Senior, Indianola
**Redek Born, Junior, Norwalk
**Braeden Carlson, Senior, Norwalk
**Cole Plowman, Senior, Newton
Brody Bauer, Senior, Newton
Calix Cahill, Junior, Dallas Center-Grimes
Tysen De Vires, Junior, Pella Christian
2nd Team All-Conference
Brady Blake, Senior, Indianola
Jack Brown, Senior, Norwalk
Aidan Harder, Junior, Norwalk
Jake Ingle, Senior, Newton
Hudson Ehlert, Senior, Dallas Center-Grimes
Jonathan Howard, Junior, Dallas Center-Grimes
Cam Schulte, Senior, Pella
Dane Geetings, Junior, Pella Christian
Charlie Willmott, Senior, Indianola
Honorable Mention All-Conference
Jaden Jones, Junior, and Tate Perrin, Sophomore – Dallas Center-Grimes
Cole Blackford, Junior, and Derek Doty, Sophomore - Grinnell
Dakota Heimbaugh, Senior, and Casey Glascock, Senior – Indianola
Drew Thompson, Senior, and Tade Vanderlaan, Senior – Newton
Waylon Bolibaugh, Senior, and Max Roach, Freshman – Oskaloosa
Trey Van Hauen, Senior, and Romon Hugan, Junior – Pella
Aiden Stoltz, Senior, and Josiah Vos, Junior – Pella Christian

J.O. Parker
 
     Three Grinnell Lady Tigers basketball players were recognized with Little Hawkeye All-Conference honors following the 2022-23 season.
     Grinnell’s Bailey Strovers, a senior, received first team all-conference honors while Leah Harris and Haidyn Hull, both seniors, received second-team all-conference honors.
    Grinnell’s Katelyn VanCompermolle and Kelsey VanCompermolle, both seniors, received honorable mention honors. 
First Team All-Conference (** denotes unanimous)
Bailey Stovers, Senior, Grinnell
**Emma Miner, Senior, Dallas Center-Grimes
**Finley Fitzgerald, Senior, Dallas Center-Grimes
Vanessa Bickford, Senior, Dallas Center-Grimes
**Emily Naughton, Senior, Indianola
Kylie Tauke, Senior, Pella
Presley Bloomers, Senior, Oskaloosa
Bailey Brimingham, Sophomore, Norwalk
Second Team All-Conference
Josie Lampe, Junior, Dallas Center-Grimes
Leah Harris, Senior, Grinnell
Haidyn Hull, Senior, Grinnell
Mia Wamer, Senior, Pella
Kennedy VanVark, Junior, Pella
Dasia Foster, Sophomore, Oskaloosa
Joslyn Terpstra, Senior, Pella Christian
Sophia Reynolds, Junior, Newton
Honorable Mention All-Conference
Kayla Reis, Junior, and Aubrey Johansen, Junior – Dallas Center-Grimes
Katelyn VanCompermolle, Senior, and Kelsey VanCompermolle, Senior – Grinnell
Gillian Smith, Senior, and Zoey Belt, Sophomore – Indianola
Alex Garvis, Sophomore, and Cadie Horn, Senior – Newton
Anna Larson, Junior, and Braelyn Clark, Sophomore – Norwalk
Lydia VanVeldhuizen, Junior – Oskaloosa
Hailey Van Vark, Senior, and Tristan Gordon, Junior – Pella
Faith Kacmarynski, Sophomore, and Anna Eveland, Senior – Pella Christian

      The Grinnell High Speech program received the “Critic’s Choice” Award banner in Group Mime for a second year-in-a-row at the Iowa High School Speech Association (IHSSA) Large Group All-State Festival on Saturday, Feb. 18 at Iowa State University. Group Mime, shown with teacher Kevin Hosbond, at left, performed “The Heist.” This is the 12th “Critic’s Choice” banner received by Grinnell. The banner will be on display in front of the auditorium.

      A group of 40 out of 60 GHS Large Group Speech Team students traveled to Ames on Saturday, Feb. 18 for the Iowa High School Speech Association (IHSSA) Large Group All-State Festival. Thirty of those attendees were designated All-State performers and gave their final performances of the season in front of professional critics. 
    The day began with the performance of Kalli Hart’s Solo Mime “My Very First Dragon” at the Benton Auditorium followed by Cora Miller’s Solo Mime “3017: An Escape Tale.” Critic Paul Kalina of the University of Iowa appreciated the poetic nature of Hart’s storytelling as well as the distinct characterization offered by Miller. Hart and Miller worked with Kevin Hosbond to create their stories.
   The next performance was “Young Frankenstein” in the area of Musical Theatre at the Ames City Auditorium. Will Dahlby Albright, Olivia Mick, and Brody Petig gave yet another outstanding performance, leaving the packed house completely energized. Critic Karoline Myers of Des Moines Performing Arts recognized the joy and maturity they brought to such a comical musical, also noting how their physical commitment to the roles contributed perfectly to the performance. The ensemble was directed by Hosbond with Michael Gookin assisting musically.
     Soon after that event, the Choral Reading “Lift” took the stage at CY Stephens Auditorium. All 15 students involved felt they gave their best performance to date. Critic Teresa Jackson (IHSSA Hall of Fame) of Iowa Central Community College applauded their movement, stage pictures, costuming, and artful use of vocal dynamics to create the choral sound they achieved. She enjoyed their mimicry of hummingbirds, airplanes, and all the soundscapes involved in the environment they sculpted. The cast includes Chloe Alger, Sarah Ashing, Emily Cooper, Maddie Davis, Joel Dressler, Kiran Elfenbein, Mary Jacobson, Kiran Jones, Maggie Kaup, Britt Kifer, Ketsia Kiphanzu, Erin Nicklas, Judith Perez-Valentin, Ezra Praitis Hill, and Peter Simpson. The piece was written and directed by Hosbond.
     Following Choral Reading it was time for Readers Theatre in the Scheman Building. “The End of the Road,” directed by Jennie Flinspach, performed for critic Elizabeth Hansen of Grinnell College. Hansen commented on not only the powerful commitment to storytelling by the actors, but also the layers of staging and the importance of such a story in today’s world. The cast includes Forrest Behrens, Tiernan Boggs, Tobias Crandall, Roman Mackenzie, Reece Madren, Charlie Nicklas, Natalie Nieuwsma, Catherine Schubert, Cameron Thompson, and Jeslyn Voogd.
     The final Grinnell performance of the day was the Group Mime “The Heist.” Critic Paul Kalina raved about their staging, their imagery, their attention to scale and tempo, and of course the physical commitment to telling such an epic story. The cast includes Chloe Alger, Maddie Davis, Kiran Elfenbein, Kalli Hart, Olivia Mick, and Cora Miller. The piece was written and directed by Hosbond with the assistance of the cast.
    The end of the day concluded with the closing ceremonies taking place at a fully packed CY Stephens Auditorium with overflow audience members watching online from the Scheman Building. Senior Erin Nicklas served as the medals page for GHS, carrying out the role of collecting the team’s 36 All-State medals. Kevin Seney (IHSSA Executive Board and Grinnell High School Principal) assisted in handing out medals to all the participants from across Iowa. 
    Each critic then gave their choice for the "Critic's Choice" award--represented by a traveling banner that goes on display in each school for the year before returning the next season. Senior Kalli Hart served as Grinnell’s banner page this year as GHS was set to return last year’s Group Mime banner. Yet when the time came for the announcement, it was revealed that Grinnell would once again be bringing the banner home for its performance of “The Heist.” Critic Paul Kalina said that the performances he saw that day were gifts to him. 
    According to the IHSSA, "123 Iowa high schools had groups selected as ‘Outstanding All-Staters’ at the IHSSA All-State Large Group Speech Festival held on Feb. 18 at The Iowa State Center in Ames. Approximately 24,000 students started at the district level from 466 school memberships. Approximately 1,800 students earned the right to be named as Outstanding Performers. This Critic's Choice is selected by a professional in the specific field as a top performer in the State of Iowa in that performance area for 2023.”
     In the areas in which GHS performed, only the top 20 in each category from across the entire state receive a high enough ranking to be invited to perform. So to receive a banner can be likened to winning a state championship.
    Of this second Group Mime banner, Hosbond noted, “Receiving the Critic’s Choice for a second year-in-a-row was a completely unexpected and amazing closure to our season. These six students worked harder than I could ever imagine and rose to every challenge I gave them with excitement and fearlessness. We share this banner with every mime student that ever roamed the halls of GHS.”
    This banner represents the 12th “Critic's Choice” banner received by Grinnell. It will be on display this year in front of the auditorium. The GHS Speech Team extends gratitude to the Ramsey Family Foundation who continues to fulfill their standing promise of purchasing a replica to hang on the auditorium wall for years to come.

​       Twenty four Grinnell FFA Members competed and were named the 2023 Iowa Pork Congress Youth Judging Contest Champions. There were 706 contestants and 162 teams from 69 Iowa schools who competed in the contest. Pictured are, from left, front row: Tyler Pearce, Dylan Heater, Brayden Graff, Maddie Eddins, Raine Malloy and Ireland Sebetka. Second row: Brody Collins, Kolton Kline, Nina Walton, Brayden Jones, Landon Foster Tanner Vogt. Third row: Xavier Moyes, Andrew Peterson, Kyle McDonald, Sophia Loudon, Cara Locker, Lexi Spooner, Brenton Hefflefinger. Back row: Kaiden Brobst Oliver, Loudon, Dominick Clayton, Connor Adkins, and Wyatt Eaton.

​      Members of the Grinnell FFA Chapter celebrated the 2023 National FFA Week, Feb. 18 – 25. Pictured are, from left, front row: Sophia Louden, Dominick Clayton, Nina Walton, Oliver Louden, Lexi Spooner, Ireland Sebetka, Wyatt Eaton (pink shirts are officer team). Second row: Colton Sieck, Carter Hansen, Kolton Kline, Andrew Peterson, Abbie Hatcher, Tristan Graff. Third row: Jase Koester, Ash Poush, Conner Adkins, Keaton Iverson, Brody Collins. Back row: Rhiannon Rees, Maggie Dayton, Emma Willenbring, Alyssa Peterson, Lauren Louden, Peyton Davenport and Raine Malloy. Some chapter members are not pictured.

       Jeff Menary, left, and Michael McKeag, right, are the newest GRMC Foundation Board members

​        The Friends of Drake Community Library are hold their annual meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 28 from 7 - 8 p.m. in the community room at the library.
    Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the program will start at 7 p.m. Board members will be supplying refreshments. including various cookies and sweet things. plus coffee. water. and tea.
      The program this year will feature the Library's very own Monique Shore, as well as Dr. Tamara Beauboeuf of Grinnell College. Their presentation will focus on Edith Renfrow Smith, the first Black woman to graduate from Grinnell College and the oldest living alumni of both Grinnell High School (1932) and Grinnell College (1937). They will share their journey of discovery of the Renfrow story and some of the remarkable stories of her family. Please join us - and bring a friend.
       There will also be a run-down of what the Friends have done this year for the library, a look at finances. and a peek at our plans for 2023.