Duke demonstrates electrical dangers

Also, Acacia holds Art in Bloom; Western hosts FIRST Robotics; Food Finders Blue Jean Ball is March 14

With bangs, pops and dramatic flashes, on Tuesday, March 11, Duke Energy line crews recreated live-voltage scenarios to foster a better understanding about the dangers of electricity as well as the precautions needed around power lines.

The presenters used an open utility trailer equipped with two transformers connected by a primary wire for the demonstration. As part of the demonstration, presenters used a hot dog to simulate what it might be like if a person touched a line.

More than 40 first responders from the Kokomo Fire Department, Howard County Emergency Management Agency, Greentown Police Department, Cass County Emergency Management Agency, and Russiaville Fire Department participated in this educational opportunity provided by Duke Energy at its Kokomo Operations Center.

Duke Energy Indiana provides about 6,300 megawatts of owned electric capacity to approximately 910,000 customers in a 23,000-square-mile service area, making it Indiana’s largest electric supplier.

Acacia Academy’s Art in Bloom

Imagine a world filled with wonder that inspires wisdom and points us toward our Creator. With wide eyes, smiling faces, and full hearts, the friends of Acacia Academy gathered for our annual fundraiser: Art in Bloom – Wisdom Begins in Wonder.

The event featured whimsical decorations, delicious dinner delights, special desserts by J Edwards, Sweet Tooth Bakery (Natosha Woods), and Jessica Maurer, an imaginative presentation of “Alice in Wonderland” by Acacia’s drama club, amazing student projects for live auction, various local items and adventures for silent auction, musical entertainment provided by Acacia students and Mrs. Joan White, and a colorful surprise confetti-filled finale.

Acacia Academy would like to sincerely thank the friends and sponsors who made the 16th annual Art in Bloom celebration a huge success, raising over $125,000!

Acacia could not have achieved this success without the community’s unwavering support and commitment to the school's mission: cultivating character, faith, and knowledge by means of an excellent classical, Christian education.

About 70 percent of Acacia students require financial assistance to receive Acacia’s excellent but not exclusive education. Acacia does not receive funding from federal or state sources.

Acacia asks the community to consider supporting the sponsors who have modeled generosity:

Hearn Dental, Stout Family/Shirley and Stout, DECO and associates, Kokomo Foot and Ankle, Hardie Group, CFD, First Congo Church, Miller Family Dental, Community First Bank, Caron and Jones Dentistry, Mygrant Realty and Appraisals, Singleton Allstate, First Farmers Bank, Trent Family Auto, Step 'n Stone PT, Erik's Chevrolet, Healthy Horizons, Advanced Medical Imaging, Team Rehab, Mark Hurt - Atty, Roberts Dental Group, and Authentic Screen Printing.

Acacia thanks the community once again for being a vital part of its Art in Bloom fundraiser. The contributions have made a lasting impact on the lives of the students. The school is deeply grateful for the generosity.

Acacia Academy cultivates character, faith, and knowledge by means of an excellent classical Christian school education for students in grades K-8. Acacia is currently accepting applications for the 2025-26 school year. Contact them at www.acaciaacademy.org, 1476 E 400 S, Kokomo, IN 46902, or call 765-457-5545.

Western hosts FIRST robotics

Western High School is hosting 40 robotics teams from across Indiana this weekend. The second of four qualifying events, Western High School's main gym, cafeteria, and classrooms will be taken over by robots. Greenwood will host state finals April 3-5 at Center Grove High School.

Teams competing this weekend include the TechnoKats Robotics Team from Kokomo High School, PantherTech from Westen High School, and CyberTooth from Northwestern High School.

Teams have been working since Jan. 4 to design, prototype, fabricate, and program robots for this year’s competition. Over the course of two days, teams will compete in a series of qualification matches that lead to the top eight teams choosing their alliance for the playoffs. After qualifications, those eight alliances play a double-elimination style tournament to determine the winning alliance.

Beneath the ocean’s surface lies our planet’s most complex ecosystems, full of life and potential for exploration and learning, where each inhabitant has a role to play in building a thriving environment. During the 2024-2025 FIRST season, FIRST® DIVE℠ presented by Qualcomm, teams will use their STEM and collaboration skills to explore life beneath the surface of the ocean. Along the way, they’ll uncover the potential in each of them to strengthen the community and innovate for a better world with healthy oceans.

In REEFSCAPE℠ presented by Haas challenge, FIRST Robotics Competition teams are using their engineering skills to strengthen one of the ocean’s most diverse habitats – making waves to build a better world.

“FIRST has served as a catalyst for my future education and career. Through participating on my team, I’ve had the opportunity to meaningfully impact my community and teach STEM skills to elementary and middle schoolers. I’ve seen the incredible effects that FIRST has had on my years, and I can’t wait to volunteer in the future.” – Student from Western High School

FIRST Robotics events are free and open to the public.

FIRST Indiana Robotics is a robotics community that prepares young people for the future through a suite of inclusive, team-based robotics programs for ages 4-18 (PreK-12) that can be facilitated in school or in structured after-school programs in Indiana. Boosted by the FIRST® global support system of volunteers, educators, and sponsors that include over 200 of the Fortune 500 companies, our teams operate under a signature set of FIRST Core Values to conduct research, fundraise, design, build, and showcase their achievements during annual challenges.

Those interested in bringing world-class STEM mentoring programs to your community reach out to us at: info@indianafirst.org

Food Finders Blue Jean Ball

Food Finders Food Bank will hold its 12th annual Blue Jean Ball, presented by the Coffin Family Foundation, Indiana Packers Corp., Pay Less Super Markets, and Zeigler Subaru of Lafayette, and in partnership with the Purdue University College of Agriculture.

This annual event raises vital operating funds to fight hunger in our community. This is Food Finders’ primary fundraising event. It is a fun way to raise awareness and funds to support its work addressing the essential needs of those facing food insecurity across a 16-county service area.

Food Finders distributes more than 12 million pounds of food annually to more than 84,000 Hoosiers through the combined efforts of 100 agency partners and Food Finders’ direct service programs. The Blue Jean Ball helps to raise the operating funds needed to continue the food bank’s mission of alleviating hunger.

The Blue Jean Ball takes place Friday, March 14, at 10:00 a.m. at the Food Finders Fresh Market, 2451 Greenbush St., Lafayette, Ind.