Knight Pics website

We try to do our best to keep our readers informed of what is happening at Woodward Academy. We also pride ourself on having a graphic, and some times additional images, for each blog post. It helps send a visual message for the post that can go along with the content. But only a handful of the pictures ever make it to the blog. Most images from sporting events or other events on campus never make the cut. That is why we have our Knight Pics website. You can access the website by clicking here and some time catching up on the latest sporting events or past campus posters.

Powerlifting Poster 2013

We are clearly in the midst of powerlifting season with several of the last posts on this blog focusing on the team and their demolition path to Nationals. We've seen some of the lifters already after winning, so here is a look at them during practice. Pictured is the official poster for the 2013 team. The pictures were taken last week and composited together for the final image. Plenty more will be talk this team as they move towards the Nationals meet, April 5-7 in Denver, CO.

Knights Powerlifting Dominates... Again!

The road to Denver, CO and the USAPL High School National Championships has been very smooth for the Knights this year. Last week, the Knights performed very well in Lincoln, NE, that you can read about here. This past weekend, the Knights powerlifting team dominated competition at the high school meet at Peru State in Nebraska. Of the ten WA lifters who competed, 6 received first place finishes, 3 second place finishes (2 were behind other WA lifters), and 1 third place finish. The Knights brought home the team competition with Dedrrick Johnson winning outstanding lightweight lifter and Dillon Osborn winning outstanding heavyweight lifter. To demonstrate the Knight's true dominance against the field: of the more than 100 lifters at the event, only 2 placed in front of a Knight. Their next meet is at home in early March.

The Road to Nationals went through Nebraska

This year's USAPL High School Powerlifting Nationals meet is held in Denver, CO over the weekend of April 5-7. The Knights are 7-time National Champions (yeah, seven!) and the road to that event began this past weekend at a meet in Lincoln, NE. Most teen powerlifting meets are open to all entries, but the high school National's meet requires all lifters to qualify before attending. What that means is that in a USAPL sanctioned meet, a lifter must prove that they can lift a minimum amount of weight when combining the three events of squat, bench press, and deadlift. The meet at Lincoln was one of those meets. If you're wondering what all those metals are around the lifter's necks, then click after the break to see how this year's team did in Lincoln.

Save the Date(s)!

Dates have been announced for two of Woodward Academy's biggest annual events: the Open House and Knight's Scholarship Golf Tournament. If you have not been involved in these events yet, now is the chance. Like every year, the spring season is our busiest with some other on campus events as well. Below is a breakdown of what can be expected in the upcoming months. Mark your calendars!

Knowledge Bowl (March 8) - An all day competition that pits dorms against each other to see who is the smartest. With questions based on their academic classes, the winning dorm earns a huge day off campus. Past winners went to see a broadway show in Chicago with another an NBA basketball game in Minneapolis.

Graduation (May 23) - Commencement ceremony that celebrates our high school graduates.

Open House (June 6) - The day kicks off with a grueling 5K race that forces its competitors to run through a creek and up a muddy Iron Man (70 degree hill). After lunch, campus visits are arranged where guests can meet with students.

Knight's Golf Tournament (June 28) - Held at the Beaver Creek Golf Course in Grimes, Iowa, the four man best ball tournament helps support WA's Knight's Scholarship Fund. To date, eligible alumni have received financial support in college and with independent living needs.

For more information on any of these events, call us at (515) 438-3481.

New Executive Director - Ryan Santi

To start the new year, we wanted to introduce Woodward Academy's new Executive Director, Ryan Santi. Although new the position, Ryan has played an integral part in the decision making process for years as a part of the management team. He began his career at WA in 1996 as a youth counselor and eventually a Program Director of a dorm. After taking time away to be a Juvenile Court Officer, Ryan returned to Woodward Academy in 2005 as Education Manager and eventually Admissions Director, where he has made his largest contribution.

Since '05, Ryan played an important role as WA expanded to its eighth dorm and current student capacity of 248 students. He also helped expand WA nationally with some students now attending from California and Washington D.C. As Executive Director, Ryan looks forward to overseeing the facility that he has helped grow. With Ryan's promotion to Executive Director, other changes occurred as a result. Shawn Hollenkamp transferred to the Admissions Director and Trent Fleshner was promoted to Group Living Director.

College Begins!

Although it is not common, there are times when students who are attending Woodward Academy have already received their high school diploma. Typically, these students are starting to make plans as they begin to transition away from Woodward Academy. Many of them pick up jobs here on campus, making some additional money for the next stage in their life. Others are able to begin taking some college courses. Beginning this week, four WA students started online college courses through the Des Moines Area Community College. These courses included a contemporary literature course, a class on blueprint reading, one on sustainable science methods, and another in psychology.

WA has picked up the initial costs associated with these courses with hopes that they will be the start of a full college education. Students are dedicating portions of their day to the classes and are already learning time management and important study skills that all college freshmen typically struggle with. Weekly assignments and online discussion requirements are allowing the WA students to get a taste of how challenging college can be. As a result, they will be able to make calculated decisions about college after they leave Woodward Academy.