Starke County Youth Club Cooking Class Serves Life Skills

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

The Starke County Youth Club teaches life skills to the 600 youngsters enrolled in their after-school programs. Executive Director Irene Szakonyi says the cooking class is one of the most popular enrichment activities they offer. She says it teaches nutrition, kitchen safety and self-reliance. Even the youngest participants can learn basic terminology like what it means to dice or core. Szakonyi says youngsters learn how to prepare food and also how to make healthy food choices. She says youngsters learn that filling their bodies with sugar and other harmful things will compromise their ability to learn well and will make them feel sick.

“The cooking class is a lot of fun because kids get to eat, but they also get a lot of information that is important for their lives, Szakonyi says. Learn about the cooking class and more during tomorrow’s 7th Annual Starke County Youth Club WKVI Radiothon. It starts tomorrow at10 a.m. CDT right here on WKVI. They hope to raise $40,000. Find more information about the club on their website, http://www.thescyc.org/index.html.

 

 

 

 

Starke County Youth Club Stresses Health and Wellness

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

The Starke County Youth Club provides more than homework help for the 600 students it serves at four after-school sites. Executive Director Irene Szakonyi  says health and wellness is a critical component of the Starke County Youth Club’s mission.

“When we survey our kids about how much time they would be watching television or how much time they’d be playing on their game systems or video gaming, we know that’s significant, and it’s way more time than is healthy for them,” Szakonyi  says.

She adds the Starke County Youth Club is constantly looking for ways to help the students they serve be more active. Instructors try to balance technology-based learning with physical activity, nutrition classes and life skills that help them to be healthier in all aspects. Continue reading →

Preschool Helps Children Develop Social Skills

Posted on Author WKVI

Starke County Preschool Project logoThe Starke County Early Education Advisory Council invites families with young children to a preschool fair this evening from 5 until 7 at the community center in downtown Knox. More than 25 preschools and community organizations will have booths, and several will offer activities for children. Porter-Starke Director of Children’s Services Todd Willis says preschool is a good opportunity for children and parents to get used to being away from one another. He says one of the main causes of stress for young children is separating from their family, so getting them into an environment where they can learn to take turns and make peer relationships outside the family is extremely important.

“When I don’t learn as a young child how to resolve conflict with my peer, and I need to resort to throwing a temper tantrum or aggression, if those basic skills are not learned early, they follow the kid into adulthood. Really, the opportunity for a child in that 3 to 4 age learning that early is crucial,” Willis says. Continue reading →

Starke United Fund Grant Applications Due Friday

Posted on Author WKVI
Starke United
 

Nonprofit organizations interested in applying for Starke United Fund grants have just a few more days to finish their applications. They are due Friday, May 2. The Starke United Fund Committee will review applications and award the grants to the chosen organizations. Last year 12 grants totaling $11,000 were given to Starke County organizations including: The Caring Place, Community Services of Starke County, HealthLinc, Junior Achievement, Marshall-Starke Development Center, Moving Starke County Forward, Love INC., North Judson-San Pierre School JumpStart, Psi Iota Xi, A.B.A.T.E. Toys 4 Tots, Starke County WIC Program and the Starke County Youth Club. Continue reading →

Starke County Youth Club Helps Schools Help Students

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

The Starke County Youth Club aims to be a support system for children, families and the three county school corporations.

“We know that schools are under tremendous pressure to have kids succeed academically, and that a lot of funding for schools is tied to how kids perform on standardized tests. That’s really a lot to ask of a school community. It is part of our job to ensure we are supporting what the schools need to accomplish.”

Executive Director Irene Szakonyi says the Starke County Youth Club does that by providing after school enrichment programs for 600 youngsters at four sites across the county. All of the programs are based in local schools, so Szakonyi says the staff is in constant contact with teachers, administrators and others to make sure students are getting what they need. She says children who succeed academically have a greater likelihood of being successful adults.  Continue reading →

Educator Stresses Importance of Early Childhood Education

Posted on Author WKVI

Starke County Preschool Project logoStarke County Preschool Project logoStarke County parents of young children are encouraged to attend tomorrow’s Starke County Preschool Fair at the community center in downtown Knox. The Starke County Early Education Advisory Council organized the event, which will take place from 5 until 7 p.m. CDT. More than 25 preschools and community organizations will have booths, and several will offer activities for children. Starke County Head Start Education Manager Dawn Wallen says sending your child to a quality preschool is an investment in their future. The kindergarten curriculum has become more rigorous since many of today’s parents and grandparents were in school. Wallen says students are expected to know and recognize all 26 letters of the alphabet and the sounds of letters. They should also be able to recognize numerals 1 through 20. Continue reading →

Starke County Youth Club Prepares for Annual WKVI Radiothon

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

Starke County Youth Club members and volunteers will take over the WKVI airwaves on Friday to raise money for the nonprofit organization. Executive Director Irene Szakonyi says they provide academic support to 600 youngsters across the county at after-school sites at Knox, North Judson-San Pierre and Oregon-Davis Elementary schools and at O-D Junior/Senior High School. They give students quiet time to do homework, offer one-on-one tutoring in a specific subject and offer a variety of enrichment programs like technology classes, videography and world travel through culture centers. Services are offered each Monday through Friday for three hours after school.

“That is the time when kids are most likely to be the victims of or perpetrators of violent crime. We know that kids who don’t have proper supervision, who don’t have great role models, who aren’t engaged in something productive, make the wrong choices in their lives. So we’re there to provide a safe, engaging and positive environment for kids once the school day ends,” Szakonyi says. Continue reading →

Jeff Blair Walking Along Lincoln Highway in Indiana

Posted on Author WKVI
Jeff-Blair
Jeff Blair

The President of the Indiana Chapter of the Lincoln Highway Association is taking the time to walk along Lincoln Highway to raise money and awareness for the Alzheimer’s Association and the Lincoln Highway Association.

Jeff Blair, a Goshen, Indiana native, will be walking through Hamlet, Plymouth and Etna Green this week. On Tuesday, April 29, Blair will enter Hamlet on his walk along the Lincoln Highway and he will stop by the Marshall County Museum on Tuesday afternoon at approximately 3 p.m. ET. Then on Wednesday, he will continue on his route from Plymouth to Etna Green.

Continue reading →

Four Departments Respond to House Fire

Posted on Author WKVI
Thank you to WKVI listener Marcia Lockner for the photo of Sunday's fire on 175 N. at U.S. 35
Thank you to WKVI listener Marcia Lockner for the photo of Sunday’s fire on 175 N. at U.S. 35

Firefighters from four local departments responded to a house fire on 175 North just east of U.S. 35 Sunday afternoon. Dispatchers were notified of the fire at 2:15 p.m. The Knox, Hamlet, Koontz Lake and Washington Township departments spent three hours getting the blaze under control. No injuries were reported. As soon as we have more information, we’ll update the story on the air and on WKVI.com.

 

 

Commissioners Proclaim Starke County Youth Club Day

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

Friday, May 2 is Starke County Youth Club Day, by proclamation of the county commissioners. That’s also the day of the club’s 7th Annual RadioThon on WKVI from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. The club offers after-school programs at Knox, North Judson-San Pierre and Oregon-Davis Elementary Schools and Oregon-Davis Junior-Senior High School each weekday as well as summer programs for local youngsters. Staff and volunteers provide homework help, enrichment activities, recreational centers and community engagement through service projects. The proclamation notes the staff and volunteers at the Starke County Youth Club are committed to assisting children in acquiring the skills they need to learn and lead. They will be taking over our airwaves on Friday to share success stories and talk about the services they provide. The nonprofit organization has set a goal of raising $40,000 during that event. Find more information at www.thescyc.org.

Oregon-Davis Invites Community Members to Review English Textbooks

Posted on Author WKVI

The Oregon-Davis School Board discussed English textbook recommendations this week.

Superintendent Greg Briles said the teachers and students have reviewed the proposed textbooks and now members of the public are welcome to come in and review them as well.

“They’re going to set some dates for individuals in the community to come in, look at the textbooks that they’re planning on adopting,” said Briles. “If community members are unable to come in, they can email Mr. Pletcher, the high school principal, any concerns or comments or things they would like to see in those textbooks moving forward. He would be more than happy to include those in the conversations as they bring in a recommendation to the school board at our May board meeting.”

Donald Frazier Found Guilty

Posted on Author WKVI

starke-county-courthouseA Starke County jury has found Donald Frazier guilty on two counts in a one-day trial.

The six-member jury took less than 15 minutes Wednesday to find Frazier guilty on charges of Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated and Possession of Paraphernalia. He pleaded guilty to a charge of Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated with a Prior Conviction and that merged with the other OVWI charge which made it a Class D felony.

Continue reading →

Oregon-Davis School Board Approves Technology Plan

Posted on Author WKVI

The Oregon-Davis School Board members approved a three-year technology plan during their regular meeting Monday night.

Superintendent Greg Briles said a computer will be in the hands of every student.

“We’re looking at putting iPad Minis in our Kindergarten through second grade students’ hands, full-sized iPads for three through eight and laptops for nine through twelve students. In doing so, we will also have portable labs with the full-size computer laptops for the students to utilize if they need to for testing and other activities throughout the school year,” explained Briles.

Oregon-Davis SADD Students Recognize Don’t Text and Drive Awareness Week

Posted on Author WKVI
Car-at-Oregon-Davis
This car shows the result of a person texting and driving

The Oregon-Davis organization, Students Against Destructive Decisions, or SADD, are raising awareness about the dangers are texting and driving this week.

The school resource officers are helping the students in learning the dangers of texting and driving. The officers have a course for the kids to drive to show what impairment is caused when a person texts and drives at the same time. Students will have to maneuver a golf cart through cones while texting to complete the course.

Continue reading →

Economic Development Director Says Starke County Still on SYSCO’s Radar

Posted on Author WKVI

Houston-based SYSCO Corporation still plans to build a regional hub in Hamlet, according to Starke County Economic Development Foundation Executive Director Charlie Weaver. He told the county council he talks to SYSCO officials every two months.

“They say this is still part of their plan, as is the facility in Texas, but the people I talk to don’t have any idea when.”

Continue reading →

LaPorte Police Arrest Hamlet Man on Drug Charges

Posted on Author WKVI
Adam T. Jones
Adam T. Jones

A Hamlet man faces multiple drug charges in LaPorte after his arrest following a Monday morning traffic stop.

Officers from the LaPorte Police Department got a tip that a man in a white car in the 400 block of G Street was possibly using drugs. They responded at 8:41 a.m. and saw a white Pontiac Grand Am leaving the area. The car pulled across 4th Street in front of a vehicle that was northbound on I Street and nearly caused an accident, according to the police report.

Continue reading →

Oregon-Davis School Board Approves Bus Purchase

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

The Oregon-Davis School Board approved the purchase of buses through the Central Indiana Service Center during their meeting Monday night.

Superintendent Greg Briles said the board approved the purchase of two buses.

“We will be purchasing a new bus and then we are also going to be looking at the possibility of purchasing a one year off-lease bus in order to stay within our funding formula that the state has given us for bus replacement,” said Briles.

Continue reading →