Announcing Winners of the 2014 Community Engagement Award

We are pleased to announce that Tayler Chicoine ’14 and Ana Novak ’14 are this year’s winners of the Community Engagement Award. The award, in its first year of existence, provides up to $1000 for Grinnell College students to implement creative projects collaboratively identified by the students and community partners that address relevant local needs.  Co-sponsored by the Office of Community Enhancement and Engagement, the Student Government Association, and the Service Learning and Civic Engagement Program, the award seeks to bolster student involvement in the community and make a meaningful difference, as successful applications require strong partnerships with local community partners. These criteria clearly resonate with the Award winners’ projects.  Tayler Chicoine will collaborate with the Poweshiek County Soil and Water Conservation District and the College’s local IOWATER chapter to increase awareness of local water quality by organizing water monitor training sessions, a storm drain labeling project, and creek and lake cleanup events. Ana Novak will partner with the local youth center, Galaxy Inc., to continue a program that teaches science through dance and movement. Since its announcement, the award has received important community support – the Claude W. and Dolly Ahrens foundation has expressed interest in partnering with the College to increase available project funding. Although the award is new, it appears to have a bright future.