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Prairie Backpack

College Community School District’s “green” approach to distributing information from school sponsored activities and non-profit organizations.

Middle School

Events

  • The Corridor Jazz Concert

    Location
    Paramount Theatre, Cedar Rapids
    Audience
    students and families
    Cost
    $15 for adults, students are free!
    RSVP
    Mar 09, 2026
    Organization
    KCCK-FM
    Contact
    Dennis Green
    Email
    dennis.green@kirkwood.edu
    Phone
    (319) 329-2826

    Information

    21 High School Jazz bands (including Prairie Jazz Band one) perform in Iowa’s biggest jazz concert! The Corridor Jazz Concert matches high school bands with top adult players who have a professional recording studio experience and performance on one of the Corridor’s best stages. Eleven bands, including Prairie perform March 9 at the Paramount Theatre. The other ten take the stage March 10 in the Voxman Hall of Music at the University of Iowa.

  • Stars Like the Sun

    Location
    The Eastern Iowa Observatory and Learning Center, 1365 Ivanhoe Rd, Ely, IA. 52227
    Audience
    K-12
    Cost
    Free
    Organization
    Cedar Amateur Astronomers
    Contact
    Gordon Baustian
    Email
    gordonbaustian@gmail.com
    Phone
    (319) 721-0659

    Information

    Begins at 7:30 PM. We learn in grade school that the stars are other suns, only very far away. Alternatively, the Sun is a star up close, where we can get a good look at it. That raises the question as to whether all stars are assembly-line copies of the Sun, or if there are large differences between them. Astronomy over the past 100 years has shown that stars vary enormously in their basic properties like temperature, mass (how much matter is in them), age, and diameter. Nonetheless, if we put the stars up on a big “plotting board”, we see that they organize themselves in groups. In this talk, I will discuss which group the Sun belongs to, and describe the intriguing quest for a “Solar Twin”. After the talk, if it is clear, we will use the observatory telescopes to look at one or two stars in the sky that are very similar to the Sun”.

  • Red Shoe Run & Walk 5K

    Location
    Lower City Park, Iowa CIty
    Audience
    Families and participants of all ages
    Cost
    $20-45
    RSVP
    Apr 01, 2026
    Organization
    Ronald McDonald House Charities of Eastern Iowa & Western Illinois
    Contact
    Heather Younker
    Email
    hyounker@rmhc-eiwi.org
    Phone
    (319) 500-7642

    Information

    Ronald McDonald House Charities of Eastern Iowa & Western Illinois proudly presents the 42nd Annual Red Shoe Run & Walk 5K!

    This annual event raises critical funds and awareness to support our mission of keeping families close to each other—and close to the care they need—when they need it the most.

    Participants can run, walk, or join virtually, making this a truly family-friendly event open to all ages and ability levels. Strollers and leashed pets are welcome. Race begins and ends at Lower City Park in Iowa City. On-site festivities include pre-race snacks, a kids zone, and awards for top runners across multiple age groups. After the race, stick around and enjoy a FREE lunch on us!

  • MACR Sharks Swim Team — Evaluations for Spring/Summer are Underway

    Location
    Cedar Rapids Metro YMCA, Cedar Rapids, IA
    Audience
    Swimmers ages 6 and over
    Cost
    Varies by practice group
    RSVP
    Apr 06, 2026
    Organization
    Cedar Rapids Metro YMCA
    Contact
    Donald Pirrie
    Email
    iowayswimming@gmail.com
    Phone
    (319) 573-9294

    Information

    Ready to level up your swimming, make new friends, and be part of something bigger?

    The MACR Sharks Spring & Summer Swim Season is the perfect opportunity for swimmers to grow their skills, build confidence, and experience the excitement of competitive swimming in a positive, team-first environment.

    Practices are offered daily at the downtown YMCA for kids ages 6 and over. From novice swimmer to skilled competitor MACR has a practice group for your swimmer!

  • ExploreU

    Location
    Iowa City West High School
    Audience
    Girls completing 6,7 and 8th grade
    Cost
    $120
    Organization
    ExploreU
    Contact
    Elizabeth Kleiman
    Email
    exploreustem@gmail.com
    Phone
    (319) 467-1906

    Information

    ExploreU is a week-long, STEM program for middle school girls completing 6th, 7th and 8th grade, held annually in the summer. The program is designed to help young girls learn math and computer science skills while having fun.

    During the program, students use Scratch software to analyze patterns and learn the fundamentals of programming. This program teaches important mathematical and computational ideas while helping girls to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively.

  • Prairie School Foundation: Dueling for a Cause

    Location
    Olympic South Side Theater
    Cost
    $35/ticket
    Organization
    Prairie School Foundation
    Contact
    Alicia Tjelmeland
    Email
    aliciatjelmeland@crprairie.org
    Phone
    (319) 848-5200

    Information

    Join us for a Tailgate Dinner and cash bar followed with entertainment provided by Dueling Pianos!

  • 2026 Walford Ball Season Signup!

    Location
    Walford
    RSVP
    Mar 20, 2026
    Organization
    City of Walford
    Contact
    Parks and Rec Director
    Email
    Parks@CityofWalfordIowa.com
    Phone
    (319) 846-3103

    Information

    Registration is now open through March 20th! More details will be available soon, but please
    register as soon as possible to allow for planning. Rosters will be finalized by the first week of
    April. Practice and game schedules will follow.
    Parent Information Meeting will be scheduled in early April.
    Families will only be responsible for purchase of their player’s jerseys to participate in the
    program. NO additional season cost. More information on jersey purchases to come after
    teams are finalized.
    T-Ball | Grades Pre-K & K [Co-ed]
    Coach / Mechanical Pitch | Grades 1 & 2 [Boys & Girls Separate]
    Girls Little League Softball | Grades 3,4,5
    Girls Pony League Softball | Grades 6,7,8
    Boys Little League Baseball | Grades 3,4,5
    Boys Pony League Baseball | Grades 6,7,8
    Iowa Valley League Baseball/Softball Season Dates:
    More details to come soon!
    Use the link below to sign up:
    https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe0WBcRGE8W2jDlwRB14VXVQsEECML
    h-3QPT6jhZh8wIItLRQ/viewform?usp=header
    Please email Parks@CityofWalfordIowa.com with any questions relating to registration.

  • Project Creating Responsive Action Through Empowering Resources and Strategies (CRATERS)

    Location
    University of Iowa's College of Public Health 145 North Riverside Drive Iowa City, IA
    Audience
    middle school and high school students
    RSVP
    Mar 27, 2026
    Organization
    The University of Iowa-College of Public Health
    Contact
    Ebonee Johnson, Ph.D.
    Email
    ebonee-johnson@uiowa.edu
    Phone
    (319) 335-5188

    Information

    Mental Health Training Developed For Teens By Teens

  • Prairie Poms Varsity, Junior Varsity, and Junior High Tryout Signup!

    Location
    Prairie HS South Gym
    Audience
    High School, Middle School, 6th Grade
    RSVP
    Feb 22, 2026
    Organization
    Prairie Poms
    Contact
    Prairie Poms
    Email
    prairiepoms@crprairie.org
    Phone
    (319) 551-4089

    Information

    Register for our 2026-2027 Prairie Poms Teams! Our Varsity team competes locally, regionally, and nationally. Our Junior Varsity and Junior High teams will compete locally and regionally. We are looking for students with a passion for dance and the willingness to work hard and be part of something GREAT! Our season begins in the Summer once school has ended and goes through Winter with breaks in between. Varsity and Junior Varsity perform on the sidelines at all Varsity home football games and Varsity performs at 2 halftimes. Junior High will join HS teams on the track for the Homecoming game. This is a great opportunity to be competitive in dance through your school and represent Prairie with pride! Register today to get your information packet.

    Tryout Meeting – February 26th
    Clinics – March 2nd and 3rd
    Tryouts – March 5th

  • Horseback Riding Lessons and Weekend Trail Rides!

    Location
    Camp Io-Dis-E-Ca Sandy Beach Rd. NE Solon IA. 52333
    Audience
    4th through 12th grade
    Cost
    $60
    RSVP
    Mar 22, 2026
    Organization
    Camp Io-Dis-E-Ca
    Contact
    Jonathan Temme
    Email
    barnmanager@iodiseca.org
    Phone
    (319) 848-4187

    Information

    Come and take horseback riding lessons at Camp Io-Dis-E-Ca and learn to not only how to ride horses but also how to take care of them!

    Come out to Camp Io-Dis-E-Ca over the weekend and enjoy the beautiful scenery along the Coralville Reservoir on the back of a horse!