The Algona Upper Des Moines focused this year on Community Pride. This is one of the few selections from the 74-page special section, available in this week's Algona Upper Des Moines newspaper.

Veronica Arndorfer and Josh Hollinger were named to the State of Iowa Youth Advisory Council this summer.
Arndorfer and Hollinger were both nominated by Mrs. Hanson at the end of the 2008-2009 school year. They each had to fill out an application and they answered several questions about what their goals and what were changes they wanted to see in the State of Iowa Youth Advisory Council. Later the committee called each of them and told them that they had an interview in Des Moines.
When Hollinger and Arndorfer both got to their interview, the committee asked each of them about the questions they wrote and they answered them.
There are 16 members across Iowa invited, and two are from Algona. The members get in touch with legislatures and local boards about various youth issues.
Arndorfer and Hollinger will serve a 1-year term, which started in August. On Wednesday, Sept.16, they had their first meeting of four. Arndorfer was voted as chair of the board and Hollinger is a member.
During the month of October, Arndorfer will travel to Washington D.C. with the coordinator of the National Youth Conference.
"My favorite part of the State of Iowa Youth Advisory Council is that they are trying to make the government just not about adults but also the youth," said Arndorfer.