Photo Gallery – Villisca Alumni & Friends Association

President Pat Shipley presents a check to Liz Timmerman, PK-8 principal. to be used for a principal's discretionary fund.

Villisca Alumni and Friends Association (VAFA) Provides Funding for SWV FBLA National Contestants Several Southwest Valley students qualified for National FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) Competition in Orlando. Five students, Katie Lillie, Deklyn Mullen, Olivia Kathikar, Heather Mendenhall and Emma DeVore, along with their sponsor, Mr. Dan Ahrens, attended the May 5th quarterly meeting of Villisca Alumni and Friend Association requesting financial support for their trip and competition. Mr. Ahrens gave a summary of the competition indicating that students were fund-raising to help pay for expenses related to the trip. Each student gave an overview of the competition and area of individual qualification. Part of Villisca Alumni and Friends Association’s mission is to provide educational opportunities for students attending SWV West Campus elementary and middle school by funding field trips, “wish list” items for teachers at the SWV West Campus, and access to a $500 discretionary funding for the principal at Enarson Elementary and SWV Middle School. An additional item in the annual budget is to provide assistance for SWV High School students who qualify for national competitions/events during the summer months. Members of the VAFA Board are pleased to announce that each FBLA student was awarded $200 to assist in funding the trip to the national competition. VAFA information can be viewed on its Facebook Page (Villisca Alumni and Friends) or on its website: https://villiscaalumni.org/ Membership information is available at both locations.

Students of Steve Kerchner, SWV Middle School computer science instructor, show off the 3D printer purchased with VAFA teacher wish list funds. They are creating 3d objects from 2d sketches they drew.

Oregon Trail Day is a day where the students experience what it was like on the the Oregon Trail. The kids spend the day walking a grass trail listening to various speakers talk about what life was like on the Oregon Trail. To prepare for this they work on a unit on Westward Expansion. Within this unit they explore what Westward Expansion was and why it was important to the development of the United States. The speakers are often the same each year, but the class always seems to like something different. One year the students really enjoyed listening to “Talks-A-Lot” who talks about Iowa history using a large TeePee canvas of painted pictures to help tell the story. Another class loved listening to the Folk music from a violinist. The kids love being outdoors and walking the trail dressed as pioneers from the time period. It never fails though, every year the teacher always hears students complain about the last hill of the trail. It’s a big one and they’ve just walked 2.5 miles. They’re ready to be at the top! Fourth grade teacher, Janae Shough, thinks this resonates with her because she's sure by the end of the Oregon Trail travelers were ready to be to the end. Oregon Trail Day is definitely a day that the students will remember forever, and a tradition at Enarson that students love! This field trip is funded by VAFA.

VAFA provides numerous opportunities for students, both educational and fun!

VAFA was pleased to pay for the needed repairs for the Community Center sign in the amount of $513. Your memberships help with community projects as well as school activities and materials. Susie Enarson, VAFA board member, presents the check to city clerk Kadee Myers.

VAFA board member Donna Robinson presents a check to Jessie Forsythe, Business Manager, and Liz Timmerman, Middle School Principal, for just under $9000. This donation covers the expenses for field trips for elementary and middle school students, as well as teachers' wish list items for use in their classrooms.

President Pat Shipley presents a check to Enarson Elementary principal Alaina Lundgren.

President Pat Shipley presents a check to Liz Timmerman, Middle School Principal.

VAFA sponsors a used book sale to raise funds for the school libraries. Susan Stewart, school librarian, accepts a check from VAFA members Susie Enarson and Elinor Brown. Also present is Franklin Bush, who sells books for VAFA in his downtown store, Needful Things.

Thanks to VAFA these first graders had a great day at Strategic Air Command and Aerospace Museum in the spring of 2021.

Field trips provide experiences that students may otherwise not experience. VAFA sponsored this trip for the first graders to Strategic Air Command and Aerospace Museum.

Active learning took place for the first graders at Strategic Air Command and Aerospace Museum.

The fourth graders enjoyed their trip to Living History Farms thanks to VAFA.

There was much learning taking place at Living History Farms for the fourth graders!

During the spring of 2021 fourth graders enjoyed visiting Living History Farms.

During the spring of 2021 fourth graders enjoyed visiting Anderson Conservation Area and traveling the Oregon Trail. These trips are made possible by VAFA.

The first grade visited the Strategic Air Command and Aerospace Museum during the spring of 2021.

It was a beautiful day for the fourth graders to visit Living History Farms.

The fourth graders enjoy eating their lunch on the Oregon Trail at Anderson Conservation Area during the spring of 2021. VAFA funds many field trips for the Villisca schools.

Fourth Grade On Oregon Trail

Fourth graders enjoy "traveling" the Oregon Trail!

Thank you Donna! Outgoing president Donna Robinson receives well deserved plaque in recognition of her 2 years tenure as president. Presented by newly elected president Ed Peterson. Best of luck Ed!

A big Thank You to VAFA for sponsoring a recent field trip to the Living History Farms in Urbandale.

President Donna Robinson and Kay Fast present a check from VAFA and the Rich Fast memorial donations to the Before and After program director Christine Smith. (along with a handful of photo bombers)

Fun times at the 2018 “Trunk or Treat” held at Enarson Elementary on Halloween.

Character Counts trip to The Twisted Stalk in the Fall of 2017.

CAD Drawing created in the STEM Room by students.

November 2018 VAFA meeting held at the SWV Middle School’s STEM Room. Teachers Nathan VanZant and Erin Wetzel gave presentations. Very impressive what students are able to learn and create using the tools and equipment from this room.

Erin Wetzel gives brief demonstration of student activities and projects created in the STEM Room.

“Green Room” used for the production of school announcements and videos which is located in the STEM Room at the SWV Middle School.

Character Counts trip to The Twisted Stalk in the Fall of 2017.

Preschool students show off their new SWV t-shirts provided by VAFA.

2nd Grade field trip to the Omaha Children’s Museum in the Spring of 2019.

A recent 2nd Grade trip to the Omaha Children’s Museum. The next six photos are a testament to some intense learning going on….ok, maybe a little fun mixed in!

Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines welcomed our Kindergarten and First Grade students in May of 2017.

SWV students at the Wild Hockey Event during a Character Counts Trip provided by VAFA.

Instructor Nathan VanZante, Gabe Fuller, and Kayla Mitchell after a terrific presentation to the VAFA board.

Kayla Mitchell and Gabe Fuller present their aquaponics project to the VAFA board during our November 2017 meeting.

5th Grade field trip to the Anderson Conservation near Red Oak.

VAFA Treasurer Linda Moore presents checks to Lora Top, Elementary/Middle School principal checks for $4,178.74 for teachers wish lists and $500.00 for additional teacher needs.

3rd Grade Students ready to explore Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha.

Four Timberwolves taming a Rhino at the Henry Doorly Zoo!

First row: Chris Fenster, Superintendent; Ed Peterson – President; Pat Shipley – Vice President; Jim Robinson – Treasurer; Jeff Focht – Secretary Second row: Susie Enarson, Mary Lynn Poston, Donna Robinson, Kyle Johnston, Dick Brown Third row: Trisha Johnston, Marcia Schrader, Bryce Sunderman, Linda Moore, Andrew Focht Not pictured: Dwight Lewis, Dave Williams, Darwin Peterson, Tom Shipley

New board members: Marcia Schrader – Class of ‘77, Pat Shipley – Class of ‘71, Kyle Johnston – Class of 2003, and not pictured Darwin Peterson – Class of ‘68.

5th Grade Students at Y Camp outside of Boone, IA in spring of 2017.

Donna Robinson, President of Villisca Alumni and Friends Association presents to Villisca Schools Business Manager Jessie Forsythe and her son Tanner, a check for $7,235.66 for field trips taken during the 2017-18 school year. This check was just part of the $14,500 that was recently donated.

5th Grade Field Trip to the State Capitol in Des Moines.

5th Grade Trip to the State Capitol in Des Moines.

All School Reunion 2017 – Hall of Fame Ceremony: From L to R, Inductees Dave Williams, Duane Johnson, Ken Westerlund (representing recipient Bill Day), Linda Artlip Weinstein, VAFA President Donna Robinson, and HOF Chairperson Elzene Gourley.

2017 All School Reunion – Alumni Choir: Fabulous performance under the direction of Kay Fast.