Lori Lindner

SOLON– Iowa is a long way from the mountains of Kyrgyzstan.
But for Aizhamal Nazhimidinoval and Ernis Sultanov, Solon has come to feel a lot like home; at least for now.
The two foreign exchange students are juniors at Solon High School (SHS) this year, as part of the World Link organization and its international FLEX program. Aizhamal is living with the Paula and Jeff Sears family, and Ernis with the Kris and Jerry McAtee family.

NORTH LIBERTY– They came to learn about the birds and the bees– as well as the spiders, snakes and other Iowa wildlife, at the fourth annual Bald Eagle Watch & Expo, held Feb. 6, in North Liberty and along the Coralville Reservoir.
The free annual event, co-hosted by the Iowa City Bird Club, Iowa Audubon Society, Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Wildlife Diversity Program and the Army Corps of Engineers Rock Island District, provides kids’ activities, guest lecturers and an opportunity to join others in sneaking peeks at the bald eagles roosting and flying near the Coralville Dam.

SOLON– It started as an alternative to the traditional beach-destined spring break trip.
It turned into a life of service to God and humanity.
In 2012, when the Treloar family of rural Solon was in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., for a spring break, they met a girl there who inspired them to make their next year’s vacation a mission trip to Haiti instead. Though the island experienced a devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake three years before, the impoverished and destroyed country had not been sufficiently restored.

CEDAR RAPIDS– “Waste Not, Want Not” was the old adage providing inspiration, but teams of middle school students went far beyond the common platitude to demonstrate their plans for solid waste management in the future.
It was part of the 2016 Future City Competition, an annual, nationwide program created by DiscoverE that encourages sixth, seventh and eighth grade students to study and employ STEM skills– science, technology, engineering and math– to solve a real-world problem.

NORTH LIBERTY– Although Midwesterners, Iowans are apparently not very good at winter.
That was the beginning of a discussion that ended with a plan for action to create “Beat the Bitter Winter Games and Good Cheer,” North Liberty’s newest community celebration.
The inaugural event took place Saturday, Feb. 6, with activities to encourage area residents to come outside, get moving, spark some new friendships and warm up to winter as best they could.