2004 Iowa Community Association Awards
ICEA extends our thanks and congratulations to our 2004 Iowa Community Association Award winners presented at the annual conference in Des Moines on October 19, 2004. These awards recognize outstanding individuals and organizations throughout Iowa that have demonstrated exceptional commitment and service to lifelong learning and community involvement.

Ivette Bender – Professional Service – (presented to a community education professional that has exemplified outstanding community-level leaderships in developing community education).

Nominated by Leone Junck, the Talented and Gifted/Service Learning Teacher at Ogden Middle School, Ivette is a school improvement consultant with Heartland AEA 11 and has a long history of involvement in service learning, character education, civic education, asset building and homeless, at risk and alternative education. She is a trainer, advocate and friend of community education throughout the AEA 11 area, state and nation. She serves as the International Vice President for North Central Region of Alpha Delta Kappa, an international honorary organization for women educators and has been a keynote speaker on a number of occasions. She recently coordinated the North Central Regional Conference in Omaha. Ivette has served on the Iowa Community Education Association Board of Directors. Former Governor Branstad appointed her to the Iowa Commission of Volunteer Service and she was a founding member of the Iowa Celebration of Youth Service Day.
She is the recipient of numerous awards including the Governor’s Volunteer Award and the Governor’s Volunteer Award for Leadership, the State of Iowa Fair Award for Volunteer Leadership, and several yearly awards including her leadership and service with the Center for Civic Education, Iowa State Competition of We the People the Citizen and the Constitution, Iowa State Competition of Project Citizen, and recognition in the US Congressional Record of the 108th US Congress by Senator Grassley. Ivette, congratulations!

John Bohy -- Citizen Leadership - (presented to a community member who has rendered exemplary leadership and service in developing the principles of community education in the community).

Nominated by Linda Nudd, Bellevue Elementary School Principal, John may be a retired educator and principal of 38 years, but he continues an active schedule in the community. Some of his many activities include: active participation in the classroom speaking of the importance of citizenship and respect for the American flag, organizing the annual Veteran’s Day Program and most recently, planning the upcoming November 11 Home Front play that focuses on how Iowa middle school youth demonstrated their character through service during WWII. He organizes the Little Comet Relays and has advocated and fundraised for improvements to the 400-meter, six-lane all-weather track at the high school. He was instrumental in bringing transportation services to rural students participating in an afterschool program by working with the Regional Transit Authority. He is active with the Area Aging Agency and the American Legion. John is well respected in Bellevue and has earned the honor as our Citizen Leadership Award winner for 2004. Congratulations!

First Bank & Trust Company -- Outstanding Organization – (presented to an agency, organization, or institution at the local or state level that has exemplified leadership and involvement in the principles of community education).

Nominated by teacher Superintendent of Glidden-Ralston Community Schools Vicki Lowe. First Bank &Trust Company has been a wonderful contributor to the district. Bank activities have included: bank tours, generous monetary donations to many students organizations, class presentations, provide miniature diplomas to all graduates, display and sell Wildcat Apparel for the Booster Club, provide scholarships to all GR seniors whose parents are bank customers, sponsor and staff an ongoing elementary bank and provided “mock” checks for special needs students so that they could practice writing checks and using a check register. Their phones were used to monitor polling places during school bond issue elections and they allow school organizations to withdraw savings from CD’s without penalty.
First Bank & Trust Company is an active community partner! Bank officers are city council and board of education members, and pool construction committee members. They also contribute to youth in the community through their support, both monetarily and time. Congratulations to First Bank & Trust Company!