Members of the MVAOCOU Dance Team love dancing their way into the hearts of all who watch their moves. Two of the current team members took a step farther than others and attempted to dance into the hearts of judges critical of their every move. Their fancy moves and smiling faces paid off as both ladies were chosen for All-Iowa dance teams. Over 500 dancers auditioned for this prestigious honor, and only around 200 dancers are chosen to perform during the state basketball tournaments in March of 2026.
    Senior Delani Welte (daughter of Nikki Ford of Mapleton and Nick Welte of Danbury) was no stranger to the state honor auditions. Delani had tried out of the elite teams last year and had been chosen to perform at the state basketball competitions. That experience helped Delani's confidence this year.
    "Delani auditioned for the first time last year and made the pregame team so I'm super excited to see her perform in the halftime group this year," exclaimed Coach Lexi Paulsen. "If she was nervous for auditions, she didn't show it! She has such a calm approach to dance, is so dedicated, and is always thinking one step ahead. I could really see that in auditions this year. She just wanted to do her best and leave everything in the audition!"
    "I didn't focus as hard on my mistakes as last year," she commented. "I was super excited and shocked that I made hip hop."
    Delani added that, as a member of the hip hop team, she will also be performing the pom routine at the state basketball competitions.
    Sophomore Caitlee Koenigs (daughter of Abby and Josh Koenigs of Mapleton) will be joining Delani in performing hip hop at stated basketball. Her first time auditioning, she was also chosen for the All-Iowa honor team.
    "When I found out I made All-Iowa, I was super excited and honestly a little surprised," said Caitlee. "I wasn't totally confident in my audition, but I guess all the hard work and practice really paid off, and it felt amazing to see my effort recognized.
    Caitlee added that she prepared for the audition like she treats all performances.
    "I spent a lot of my practice time working on the audition material until I felt confident with every part," she said.
    "Caitlee is such a hard worker and is so determined and dedicated to this sport," commented Coach Paulsen. "These auditions are a challenge, and she knew exactly what she had to do in order to be selected. As soon as they were done learning the routine, she didn't stop practicing until it was her turn to go in. She is a perfectionist, in the BEST way and wanted to make sure she gave it her all!"
    Delani has spent all four years of her high school career as part of the dance team. That's a lot of time to gain good experiences and great memories. Do they factor into her favorite part of dance? Well, they do go hand in hand.
    "My favorite part of dance is how much fun it is to perform and learn new dances," she said. Her love of the sport is so easy to spot during their dance routines.
    How about those who would consider being on the dance team but are a little hesitant to show off their moves?
    "If someone was interested in joining dance, I would encourage them to take the chance," said Caitlee. "Dance helps build confidence, discipline, and teamwork while letting you express creativity. It's an amazing way to challenge yourself and be part of a supportive dance family!"
    Both of these ladies have embraced the confidence and discipline they have gained in this sport. These aspects were part of the reasons they have been successful in dance.
    "Both of these girls have given a lot to our team, so to see them accomplish something so special and challenging outside of the team is really amazing," stated Coach Paulsen. "They were both selected for the hip hop and pom section of the honor team and I'm super excited for them to experience this together! I'm so proud of them and can't wait for March to see it all come together!"
    Congratulations, ladies!

    Saturday will have the kitchen and cafeteria at Danbury Catholic School filled with apples, butter, crusts, and people assembling the Dutch apple pies and putting in hundreds of boxes. It will also have a stream of people stopping to pick up their purchases.
    If you wish to help creating the pies, show up at Danbury Catholic in the morning on Saturday ready to jump in and help.
    If you have ordered pies, please plan to pick them up sometime Saturday. The Rosary Society has limited storage space.

    DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate is reminding Iowans that local elections matter, and it's time to make a plan to participate in November's City-School Election. Iowans can begin casting ballots for the 2025 City-School Election on Wednesday, October 15. This date marks the first day of Iowa's absentee period and the first day Iowans can vote in person absentee at their local county election office. October 15 also marks the first day county auditors can mail absentee ballots to those who have requested them.
    "Local elections matter. Now is the time to make your plan to vote and have an impact on what happens right in your neighborhood," said Secretary Pate. "Our City-School Elections decide who sits on our school boards and city councils, and have a profound impact on local taxes, property values, infrastructure quality, and access to community services."
    All registered voters are eligible to make written requests for absentee ballots. Absentee ballot request forms are available for download directly from the Iowa Secretary of State website, voterready.iowa.gov. Requests to receive a ballot by mail must be received by the County Auditor's office by Monday, October 20, no later than 5:00 p.m. In-person absentee voting at the county auditor's office is available through November 3, the day before the election.

    The attendees at the Friday morning Mass was much higher than normal, and the lunch line at Danbury Catholic School was much longer than normal as 90 grandparents joined their grandchildren for the annual Grandparents Day celebration.
    The morning began with Mass followed with a little time in the classrooms and lunch. A special program commenced, honoring the guests with songs, poems, stories, and prayers.
    "It's a wonderful way to celebrate and honor the grandparents who support our students and our school," commented Principal Molly Petersen.
    Smiles were on the faces of the students, the grandparents, and the teachers on this special day. It was indeed a very special day for all involved in the event.