News High School

Pella High hosted a WorkSMART Connector and Career Academy of Pella signing event on Wednesday, joined by a crowd of supporters to celebrate the commitment of area high school students who enrolled in work-based learning apprenticeships and certificate opportunities. Students from Pella, Pella Christian, Knoxville, Prairie City-Monroe, Melcher-Dallas, Twin Cedars, North Mahaska, and homeschool backgrounds […]

Congratulations to the following Pella High students and their success at the 2024 State of Iowa Technology Student Association’s STEM competitions. Haden Papendick – 1st Place: CAD Engineering and 3D Modeling Grant Hartke and Jack Weaver – 1st Place: Structural Design and Engineering Jack Weaver and Seth Vos – 1st Place: VEX Robotics Meav Swank – 3rd […]

Congratulations to Pella High School’s Jazz 1 on winning the 2024 Iowa Jazz Championships! This is the fourth consecutive state championship for Jazz 1. Historically, of the forty-six held events, Pella has performed in the evening finals thirty-three times and won the state championship twenty-one times. We are proud of these students for their amazing […]

Four Pella High School students recently traveled to Space Center Houston to compete with other students from Iowa and Texas in the NASA Space Settlement Design Competition. Students Kaysar Lines, Lorien McClure, Jack Weaver, and Owen McCracken participated in the competition under the supervision of Erin Yoder-Funk, a science teacher at Pella High School. Kaysar […]

Congratulations to Marie Vander Wilt for being the first Pella High alum to complete a United States Department of Labor Registered Apprenticeship in Patient Care. Marie received skills training at the Career Academy of Pella through the WorkSMART Connector program, with work-based learning experience at The Cottages and Pella Regional Health Center. Marie shares, “I […]

On Wednesday, March 6, Pella High School hosted its first-ever WorkSMART Connector Career Fair. Over 60 members of the surrounding community presented to our students during iLead time, showcasing a variety of career options. Volunteers and students were grouped into Career Clusters based on their interests. Students had the opportunity to learn from volunteers about […]

A group of students showcased local apprenticeships at a “Day on the Hill” earlier this month. Students were visited by state lawmakers, including State Senator Ken Rozenboom and Representative Barb Kniff McCulla.  They showcased their work-based learning experiences through WorkSMART Connector and the Career Academy of Pella. The School Administrators of Iowa, the Iowa Association […]

Congratulations to the Bionic Dutch for securing a spot in the State of Iowa Robotics Championship, marking the first time in school history! Alongside this historic accomplishment, the team also earned the prestigious Engineering Design Award and the Finalist Alliance Award. Let’s extend a special congratulations to team Captains Jack Weaver and Ben Holmbeck, acknowledged […]

Congratulations Coach Jay McKinstrey! The Iowa Football Coaches Association has named Jay McKinstrey to the IFCA Hall of Fame Class of 2024. A graduate of Maurice-Orange City and Northwestern College, McKinstrey has been head coach at Pella through one of the great runs in Iowa high school football history. The Dutch won three consecutive championships […]