by Ann Schnoebelen Fernando C. likes his science classes at Moulton Extended Learning Center. The talkative 10-year-old murmurs excitedly with his friends about playing soccer. He and his buddies collapse in giggles when their after-school instructor raises her eyebrows and reminds them to behave. But...

By Jeff Glaze Basim Bakri sits in the unfinished basement of the Islamic Center of Des Moines, eating a plate of casserole and trying to stay warm next to a space heater and a tank of propane gas. Bakri, a 50-year-old engineer who works for a local construction company, explains that the expansion project...

Educators face growing population of non-English speaking students in local schools A classroom at Valerius Elementary School in Urbandale sits quiet during the lunchtime hour. The door opens, welcoming in Andre, a fourth grader, for a quick meeting with his teacher. The lesson for today: adjectives. His...

By David Johnson Most basketball fans in Iowa have heard of Harrison Barnes, the first college freshman to be named to The Associated Press’s preseason All-America team and former standout at Ames High School.  Fewer fans have been following the journey of Peter Jok, a sophomore hailing from Roosevelt...

Sudanese people celebrate their sanctuary in America while wanting the best for their homeland by Lizzie Pine Everyone shakes one another’s hands when they arrive and then finds a seat in a pew. Guitarists nod their heads to the rhythm of the drums. People sing along to the hymn in the language of...

by Nicole Wilke In 1975, Iowa’s Governor Robert Ray welcomed refugees of the Vietnam War into Iowa, when President Gerald Ford asked for help from state governments to provide a new home for victims of war. Since then, more than 30,000 refugees have been resettled in Iowa. In 2010, two of the three...

By Matt Moran Des Moines, Iowa – Summers in the United States consist of apple pie, hot dogs, baseball and … cricket? Believe it or not, America has seen an enormous growth in the one of the world’s most popular sports during the past few decades. The rise of the game in the states can be tied...