Recreational and learning opportunities are available for adults. Courses, both in person and online, offer affordable, fun and convenient lifelong learning opportunities.
Youth Enrichment offers a variety of activities for youth age 4 thru 8th grade at each elementary school
St. Francis Area Schools Community Education offers both Classroom and Behind the Wheel Instruction.
ECFE is a place where all parents and children learn together and meet other families. All ECFE classes are parent/child classes.
Early Childhood Screening is a free, simple check of a young child's health and development. The program connects parents and children to early childhood programs and community resources, and answers parenting questions.
Several events of educational, and enriching experiences for you and your young child.
Kids Connection and Just 4 Kids - Offering quality childcare Monday through Friday for children ages 3 through 5th grade.
St. Francis Area Schools Early Childhood Programs focus on providing opportunities where young children of all abilities can grow and experience success and their parents can be partners in learning.
Community Education Rec Department offers activities for youth.
This section provides descriptions of upcoming entertainment offerings.
Basketball skill development.
Gymnastics
Clubs or opportunities offered to secondary students including high school fall performance dance team, trap club and ski/snowboard clubs.
Steven Marking plays Will Dilg in an inspiring, one-man movie entitled A Visit From Will Dilg. In the early 1920’s Will Dilg’s only son drowned in the Mississippi River at thier favorite vacation spot, Winona, Minnesota. Dilg rose up from the depths of depression and mourning to become a tireless, fanatic firebrand - leading an extraordinary national crusade to form the Izaak Walton League and save a 261 mile stretch of Mississippi River Backwaters we now know as the Upper Mississippi National Wildlife and Fish Refuge. While his life was cut short, his accomplishments are still legendary, and we all will benefit by hearing from him on the 100th Anniversary of the Refuge, which is in 2024.
Steven Marking grew up on the Upper Mississippi National Wildlife Refuge, on Pool #7. His father was Leif Marking, fishery research scientist at the National Fisheries Research Center in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Steve created a multi-media show called Our Mighty Mississippi to share the glory of the Mississippi River with anyone who would attend a show. One chapter of his show is about the creation and maintenance of the refuge, which led to his joining the Izaak Walton League while seeking more information about the Will Dilg Story.
In his production, Marking created a script that relies heavily on Dilg’s own published words. He plays the role of Will Dilg, the founding of the Izaak Walton League, and the battle against the reclamation menace that was stealing the Mississippi River’s precious backwater habitat from the Lower Mississippi on up. Ground zero for the battle was the Winneshiek Bottoms near Lansing, Iowa, which was already legally permitted to be drained, filled, and levied off to create protected farmlands.
Steven Marking holds a Masters Degree in Vocal Performance from the Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore, Maryland, and a Bachelors Degree from Viterbo University in his hometown of La Crosse, Wisconsin. He brings more than three decades of professional production and performance experience to his latest creation, A Visit From Will Dilg, and his ongoing masterpiece, Our Mighty Mississippi.
Steven is a Riverlorian, defined as follows:
"One who studies rivers and shares all aspects of navigation, nature, history, legends & lore with anyone who will listen. This could expand into river related topics that interest the Riverlorian and possibly even the audience."
Steven is a Guest Speaker and Resident Entertainer for American Cruise Lines as they travel the Mississippi, Ohio, and Cumberland Rivers.
More info on Steve can be found at stevenmarking.com.
