William Eash

Please join us Saturday, May 25 at 7 pm for the alumni and friends-of-IMS choir concert in Celebration Hall.

William (Bill) Eash, IMS music instructor (1976-78 and 1979-84) and Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at Bethel College, KS, will conduct the choir. Rehearsal takes place during the day, with the concert following that evening.  A reception hosted by the Alumni Association follows the performance.  There is no admission charge, but a freewill offering will be taken during the performance.  

IMS pulled out a win Friday night in the bottom of the seventh inning. With two outs and runners at 2^nd and 3^rd batter Jacob Bruns stepped in at the plate. The third pitch of the at bat got past the catcher allowing Tanner Leyden to score the winning run from third base. The game was a pitchers dual between Cameron Gingerich of IMS and Andy Dodson of Lone Tree. IMS only managed three hits on the night, two coming from Dallas Nye. Nye put IMS on the board with a RBI single in the fourth before Lone Tree tied the game in the top of the sixth. Nye put IMS back in the lead in the sixth with another RBI single scoring Gingerich from second each time. Lone Tree tied the game in the top of the seventh setting the stage for the walk off win. Tanner Leyden lead off the seventh with a walk and advanced to second base on a wild pitch. Leyden then moved to third on an infield single by Tobyn Bender, before scoring the winning run on another passed ball.

On the mound for IMS Gingerich allowed four hits while striking out nine Lion batters. “Dallas and Cameron did a great job of being leaders tonight for us and getting the job done in clutch situations. We were missing our soccer guys and had some young players fill in for them. I am extremely proud of the way the young guys stepped up and competed for us tonight,” said Coach Danny Hershberger.

IMS moves to 1-1 on the year and will next play at Wapello on Tuesday.

Iowa Mennonite School is holding a week-long theatre camp this summer July 8^th -12^th! Saddle up and join the cast of Calamity Jane and the Showdown at Dry Gulch.

WHO?      Children ages 7 – 13 and 10^th – 12^th grade (7^th-9^th graders have Crooked Creek Christian Camp).

WHERE?  Celebration Hall, Iowa Mennonite School, 1421 540^th St SW, Kalona, IA.

WHEN?    July 8-12 from 8:30 am – 12:30 pm, daily. Mid-morning snack will be provided. Final performance is July 12^th at 7:00 pm

COST?     $75 per child, $5.00 per child discount for more than 1 from same family. T-shirt included.                  

Camp Creamery: Calamity Jane and the Showdown at Dry Gulch is a week-long workshop for children interested in exploring the exciting world of theatre! The camp is designed to give children ages 7 and up the unique opportunity to work and perform with three professional actors from The Old Creamery Theatre while they rehearse and present a play. Calamity Jane and the Showdown at Dry Gulch is a brand new musical set in the Old West. Registration is first come, first served (up to 60 actors) and everyone that signs up will be cast in the show. A great way for boys and girls to have a theatrical adventure this summer!

Children must commit to attending all rehearsals and the final performance in order to participate in Camp Creamery.  Questions? Call Candi at 319-656-2073. Get your registration form here: Camp Creamery Registration Form

Support the soccer team by attending their sub-state match against Regina AT Regina at 12 noon on Saturday, May 25th. Admission is $6. Good luck team!

Jacob Valov reflected on his two years at IMS. He and his family will be moving out of state in June.

Sohee Kim, Alvard Mamikonyan and Rudi Mucaj speak in chapel one last time.

The last chapel of the school year included bread and jam to celebrate Jesus, our bread of life.

Last chapel small group of the school year.

The 2012-13 school year is now history.

Chapels during our final week included a Bible scavenger hunt in on Monday and the final small groups time on Tuesday where several seniors even returned to say final goodbyes to their groups. Wednesday included chapel reflections from Jacob Valov and our exchange students, Rudi, Alvard, and So Hee. Each person shared what IMS has meant to them and how lucky we are to have a school like this one. The year’s final chapel on Thursday included a class competition review of the entire year’s chapels with an emphasis on our 12 Scriptures, complete with bread and jam to celebrate Jesus, our bread of life. Pam Gerig Unruh, chapel coordinator, gave a final blessing, and principal Tony Miller gave a final prayer to dismiss us into our summer break.

Other final week activities included cleaning out lockers, returning textbooks, enjoying sack lunch picnic lunches, paying library fines, voting on class officers for the coming year, and taking final exams. Many of the girls also dressed up on Thursday.

With the final bell, students shrieked with delight, then lugged their belongings home one last time, until August 14 when the new year begins.

The girls dressed up for the last day of school.

Naomi Miller

IMS fell to conference rival Lone Tree Thursday night at IMS, 5-12. Lone Tree got on the board first with three runs in the second inning, but IMS quickly answered with two runs in their half of the inning to make it a 3-2

ball game.  Lone Tree got the bats going again, bringing across one run in the third and two more in the fifth, giving them a 6-2 lead.  IMS regained

the momentum in their half of the fifth by plating three runs to make it a 6-5 game.  Lone Tree put out the IMS threat by scoring four runs in the sixth, and two more in the seventh, making for a 5-12 final. 

Jacayla Litwiller

Laura Hochstetler led IMS with three hits.  Casey Perez, Keilah Brokaw, and Stasia Majerick each had two hits for IMS.  Majerick led IMS with two RBI’s, while Brokaw, Perez, and Naomi Miller each had one run batted in. Laura Hochstetler had seven strikeouts.

IMS falls to 1-2 on the season and next plays Tuesday at Wapello. 

Demi Brezina

Keilah Brokaw & Coach Aaron Gingerich

Casey Perez on 1st, Laura Hochstetler pitching

Stasia Majerick

Justin Boller

IMS 3, Mid-Prairie 1

Nicholas Yoder

Joel Shetler

Enrique Sanchez & Eli Gingerich

Dillon Bender

Peyton Thompson

Less than a week ago IMS and Mid-Prairie battled to a 1-1 tie in Wellman, so the sub-state match between the two teams promised to be a competitive match with both teams knowing this one could not end in a tie. Playing in a light mist the two teams worked to establish possession of the ball and to create offensive chances. Mid-Prairie came out strong but the back line of Justin Boller, Cody Miller, Jameson Lammer and Kirby Shetler made it difficult for Mid-Prairie to get any clean shots and those which found their way towards the goal were snagged by goalie Joel Shetler.

Just over the halfway point of the first half, Peyton Thompson collected the ball and started a quick counter attack sending a ball through to Spencer Schrock. Shrock one touched a ball past the Mid-Prairie defensive line where a speeding Nicholas Yoder burst through to put the ball into the net and the 1-0 lead.

IMS continued to put on offensive pressure which paid off in the closing minutes of the half. Enrique Sanchez sent a long ball in towards the goal where Dillon Bender had made a good far-post run and back-heeled the ball into the net for the 2-0 halftime lead.

Mid-Prairie came out strong in the second half putting immediate pressure on the ball and making it difficult on the IMS midfield. Goalie Joel Shetler made some key saves while the back line continued to play well, frustrating the Mid-Prairie forwards.  Near the halfway point of the half Reggie Hostetler sent a crossing ball across the box where Spencer Schrock put on a strong shot only to see a great diving save by M-P goalie Chase Murray.  

Continuing the pressure, Nicholas Yoder sent a ball through to Hostetler who out muscled his defender to get to the ball and to send it into the net for the 3-0 lead. Mid-Prairie did not give up and with seven minutes left notched a goal.

IMS is now 14-6-1 and will play at Iowa City Regina,Saturday at noon.

Gloria Hochstedler presents the check for $913.34 to Tony Miller.

Gloria Hochstedler of Hills Bank again presented IMS with a check for $913.34 which was a result of the bank’s Classroom Cash program that enables its customers to designate Iowa Mennonite School as the recipient of cash back from your debit card use. With every purchase, Hills Bank will make a donation back to IMS. There is no cost to you, it’s just a way for the bank to make a difference in the community.

If you would like your debit card to support IMS just fill out an application at any Hills Bank location or online at www.HillsBankClassroomCash.com. If you are not a Hills Bank customer simply visit a Hills Bank location and apply for a checking account with a Hills Bank debit card.

Since the program began, $11,504.64 has been donated to IMS. IMS uses this money to purchase “above budget” items for the classroom and school. As always, we thank Hills Bank for their support.

Demi Brezina

IMS got the bats going in the top of the first by scoring three runs to take the early lead. After four scoreless innings, IMS added a run in the sixth, giving them a 4-0 lead heading into the seventh.  Waco made things interesting in the final inning with a double to center that scored a run,

followed by an IMS throwing error that allowed two Waco runners to come home, trimming the IMS lead to 4-3.   Senior Laura Hochstetler was able to put out the threat with a strikeout for the final out of the game.

Hannah Miller, Riley Schmieder

Naomi Miller, Demi Brezina, Jacayla Litwiller, and Casey Perez each had a run scored for IMS.  Litwiller had two RBIs and

Hochstetler and Keilah Brokaw both had one RBI for IMS.  Brezina led IMS with three hits, while Hochstetler had a pair of hits for the visiting team.  

Jacayla Litwiller

Hochstetler went the distance on the mound, recording nine strikeouts for the second straight night, while allowing just six hits.

With the win IMS moves to 1-1 on the season and next plays Thursday at home against conference rival Lone Tree. 

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Casey Perez

Casey Perez, Laura Hochstetler

Perry Miller

Cameron Gingerich

Hannah Gingerich

Joyce Bontrager Lehman

Principal Tony Miller announcing that Laura Hochstetler was the class salutatorian and Naomi Miller was the valedictorian.

Excitement filled Celebration Hall over the weekend of our 66^th annual graduation exercises. Beginning Saturday night at six, 18 seniors filed into the hall to the processional played by juniors Nicole Roetlin and Casey Perez. Following an invocation by Lori Miller, mother of Cody, the gathered sang Wonderful Grace of Jesus, led by music instructor Josh Tyson. The combined Chorale and Touring Choir then presented two pieces: For the Beauty of the Earth and This Little Light of Mine, accompanied by Susan See. Perry Miller, father of Jordan and pastor at Fairview Mennonite Church, spoke about “Purpose in Your Heart”, using texts from Daniel and others. Senior Cameron Gingerich challenged his fellow classmates to shine like shooting stars and Hannah Gingerich extolled the gifts of each classmate, encouraging them to continue using their gifts to serve God in their student addresses. Following the singing of Be Thou My Vision, a benediction was offered by Bruce Hochstetler, father of Laura.

Commencement on Sunday evening began much the same way with the traditional processional to Pomp and Circumstance. After a welcome by principal Tony Miller, the congregation sang My Life Flows On, followed by the touring choir singing He Never Failed Me Yet and Bound for the Promised Land. Joyce Bontrager Lehman (’61) spoke to the graduates about “Home is What You Make It”. Diplomas were presented by Galen Graber, board president-elect, and the class was greeted by their sponsors, Marcus Miller, Bonnie Smith, and Darvin Yoder before presenting roses to their parents. Class president Laura Hochstetler presented the class gift of money for technology improvements, with an acceptance on behalf of the school board by Galen Graber. A benediction given by Holly Blosser Yoder, mother of Nicholas, preceded the congregational singing of Praise God From Whom. The tradition of greeting the class around the island outside continued and another group of God’s children headed into the world.

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