Several students from the Corning Community High School in Corning, are among 30 students from across the state who will be competing in the Real World Design Challenge, in Des Moines. The competition provided students with an opportunity to apply classroom lessons to technical problems currently faced in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) professions. The state-level component of the Real World Design Challenge (RWDC) is open to the public and will be held at the Science Center of Iowa on Saturday, February 18th The day-long event will take place from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., and will include presentations from the participating teams, and conclude with one team receiving the Governor’s Cup, awarded by Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds, and an all-expense paid trip to Washington, DC for the national finals.

Other schools sending students to the competition include: Don Bosco Catholic High School (Gilbertville); Hoover High School (Des Moines); Marshalltown High School (Marshalltown); and, West High School (Davenport). They’ll share their designs for “an efficient, low-carbon-emission and environmentally-friendly personal light sport aircraft (LSA),” as well as their 2000-word essay about what they would see and do if they were given the opportunity to fly their design across the country. The teams will be judged by a panel consisting of professors from Iowa’s Regent Universities, industry professionals and a representative from the Iowa College Student Aid Commission (Iowa College Aid).

Karen Misjak, executive director of the Iowa College Aid says “The Real World Design Challenge is a great opportunity for Iowa students to apply classroom learning to complex problems facing our society.” Misiak says “Iowa is faced with a worker shortage in STEM fields. We need to encourage greater student achievement and interest in STEM careers. By having students confront problems facing our nation’s leading industries, we not only encourage academic achievement, but also show them the promise their future can hold by pursing STEM-related professions.”

High schools from across the state were encouraged to form teams of 3-7 students in grades 9 through 12 to compete in the RWDC. Schools with participating teams received $1 million in professional engineering software, training on the software, curriculum materials and access to mentors. The state-level RWDC is sponsored by GEAR UP Iowa (administered by the Iowa College Student Aid Commission), the Iowa Department of Education, the Iowa Department of Transportation, Iowa State University, John Deere, NASA, Project Lead the Way, Rockwell Collins, Science Center of Iowa, Softronics, University of Northern Iowa and the University of Iowa.

For more information on the Real World Design Challenge event in Iowa, please contact Iowa College Aid at 877-272-4456. General information regarding the Real World Design Challenge is accessible online at http://www.realworlddesignchallenge.org/. In addition, information to help Iowa families plan, prepare and pay for college is available on Iowa College Aid’s website, www.IowaCollegeAid.gov.

The final numbers are in on a financial loss experienced by the Nishna Valley Family YMCA in Atlantic, due to Cyber Theft. In December, YMCA Executive Director Dan Haynes announced that their computer systems had been infected by a virus that targeted their ACH financial transactions. At that time, he said the YMCA sustained losses amounting to about $54,000. According to Haynes, to date, $18,500 has been returned, and with a reimbursement from insurance the total loss amounts to about $30,000.

He said they found out about the questionable transactions after they were notified by their financial institution on November 23^rd. In December, Haynes said it did not appear the virus went after their members’ personal financial information, but it’s possible some of that information, such as checking or bank account routing numbers, may have been compromised.

It was the first time the Nishna Valley Family YMCA has experienced a Cyber theft, and they are continuing to work with technology experts and local bank officials to make sure it never happens again. The FBI he says, have not yet provided the YMCA with a report into the agency’s investigation of the incident.

ServSafe, the national food safety certification program for food service employees, will be held at Cass County ISU Extension and Outreach Office in Atlantic on March 12th and 19th, 2012. Participants must attend both sessions to successfully complete the training.  The cost of the course is $135 which includes 10 hours class time, a manual, and the national certification exam. 

Anyone interested in preparing and serving safe food is welcome to attend. The course is currently required by some companies such as restaurants, hospitals, schools, nursing homes and assisted living facilities, but beginning in July of 2012 food safety certification will be required for all licensed food service establishments. ServSafe is one of three certification programs that will fulfill this certification requirement.  

For more information or a registration form, contact the Cass County ISU Extension and Outreach office at 712-243-1132 or your local ISU Extension and Outreach office. A registration form may also be found online at www.extension.iastate.edu/cass.  Anyone needing to take the recertification exam only may contact the office for more information. Registration is required by March 5.