By Sam Parsons

The Oskaloosa City Council met earlier this week and officially swore in their new city manager. Shawn Metcalf was named the new city manager last month, and he replaces former city manager Amal Eltahir, who resigned from the position in November. Also at the meeting, mayor David Krutzfeldt signed a proclamation recognizing April as Child Abuse Prevention Month. The next regular meeting for the Oskaloosa city council is scheduled for April 21.

OSKALOOSA, Iowa – A group of Oskaloosa High School students stood at the front of the library, leading a lesson that could save lives. As part of the school’s Peer Helpers program, they spent the day teaching ninth graders about the dangers of drunk and distracted driving.

“The goal is for each student to walk away with a method to help prevent being that one teen killed every 48 minutes by a drunk driver,” said Carrie Bihn, Peer Helpers advisor. “We want them to know how to avoid drinking and driving, how to avoid riding with someone who has been drinking, and how to stop a friend from making a dangerous decision.”

For decades, the school’s Peer Helpers program has used student-led discussions to deliver important messages. This year, they expanded the focus to include distracted driving, emphasizing the risks of texting and other phone use behind the wheel.

“We know that students listen to their peers before they listen to adults,” Bihn said. “An adult sounds preachy, but a peer sounds like, ‘Hey, that’s a good idea.’”

The program, originally started by Scottie Moore, has continued for more than 20 years. Bihn said it remains a priority because of its impact.

Senior Ava Ridenour, one of the peer helpers leading lessons, said the discussions spark meaningful reactions from the ninth graders.

“We’re hearing a lot of good feedback from them,” Ridenour said. “Watching the videos, seeing their reactions, it’s clear they’re really taking it in.”

She emphasized that the lessons are especially important for ninth graders, many of whom don’t yet have their driver’s licenses.

“This is their first year in high school,” Bihn said. “They’re at the stage where they’re starting to think about driving, so it’s the right time to have this conversation.”

Technology and changing social habits have made distracted driving an even greater threat, she added.

“It might seem like a small thing, but it has a big impact,” Ridenour said. “More people are using their phones, and it’s got a lot worse”.

By the end of the day, the peer helpers hoped their younger peers would leave with a stronger sense of responsibility—not just for their own choices, but for their friends’ as well.

“It’s a message we have to keep telling kids,” Bihn said. “And it’s not one we’re willing to let go.”

OSKALOOSA, Iowa – When Oskaloosa High School seniors Lydia Whitley and Cooper Rupprecht walk into their video production class, they’re not just students—they’re producers, directors, and future professionals in the media industry. Their hard work and dedication have earned the Oskaloosa High School Video Production class multiple nominations in the Upper Midwest Student Production Awards sponsored by the Upper Midwest  Emmy® Foundation, putting them in competition with some of the top high school and college media programs in the region. The award ceremony is later this month, on April 11.

This year, Oskaloosa students were recognized for their coverage of key community events. Three of the entries submitted are nominated for recognition, including a story on the renovation of Edmundson Park, a feature on Oskaloosa Baseball students playing at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, and the viral Wizard of Oz-themed snow day video, which earned a nomination for its creative editing and production quality.

“It’s a pretty big deal,” said Rupprecht. “There’s a high school that always gets nominated, St. Cloud [Minnesota] High School, and they are mainly a digital media school. The fact that we are competing at the same level as them shows that we’re doing really good work.”

Oskaloosa’s video production program is a rare opportunity for high school students in the region. Oskaloosa’s High School has built a state-of-the-art program that rivals even some college offerings. That has led to impressive results—not just in awards but in real-world career preparation.

“Because of this class and how well I’ve done personally, I’m going to be interning with Joe Milledge for Thunder Country,” Rupprecht said. “I’ll be able to do real-life work based on what I’ve already been learning.”

Whitley, who plans to attend William Penn University, said the skills she’s gained in Oskaloosa’s program have set her up for success.

“Our setup is similar to what they have at William Penn, so I feel like I’m more prepared than other incoming students who haven’t worked with this technology before,” she said. “I’ll have the chance to direct right away, even as a newcomer.”

Beyond the classroom, students in the program are deeply involved in community projects. They have created promotional videos for local businesses, produced sports broadcasts, and worked on public service announcements. The class has even received calls from community leaders requesting coverage of local events.

“The biggest compliment is when people in the community reach out and say, ‘Hey, would you come do a story on this?’” said Kim Gile, Oskaloosa’s video production teacher. “We’ve had calls from the Optimist Club, the fire department, the police department, and even Musco Lighting asking us to do video work.”

The school’s larger size compared to neighboring districts has given it the ability to maintain and grow this program, providing Oskaloosa students with experiences they wouldn’t have elsewhere.

“I get emails all the time from teachers at other schools asking how we do this,” Gile said. “A college even asked me how I get my students to show up for events because they struggle with that. I just tell them—it’s part of the grade. But really, our kids are just passionate about it.”

Whitley and Rupprecht both emphasized how much they’ve learned by working hands-on with professional-grade equipment and collaborating with classmates.

“The amount of knowledge you gain from the beginning to the end is incredible,” Rupprecht said. “And the equipment has vastly improved since Lydia and I started. Freshmen coming in now get to work with tools that make a real difference in the quality of what we produce.”

The program is structured to give students increasing responsibility. By their fourth year, they take on leadership roles, organizing crews and managing projects.

“We’ve figured out that I’m more focused on sports broadcasting, and Cooper is more interested in technology and camera work,” Whitley said. “So, we get to take charge and help the younger students learn.”

For Gile, seeing students take ownership of their learning and launch into professional careers is the ultimate reward.

“I can name four former students right now who are in this industry and making more money than I do,” she said. “That’s what this program does—it gives students the skills and opportunities to succeed.”

As Oskaloosa High School continues to expand its video production program, its students are proving that Oskaloosa High School is offering big-time opportunities—opportunities that set them apart from surrounding districts and prepare them for futures in media, broadcasting, and beyond.