Education

Aardvark to Zucchini Press is a publisher of children's books and reading accessories, located in West Des Moines, Iowa. We are dedicated to educating children, helping them to thrive within our communities and contribute to society to the greatest extent possible. Our company was established with the development of a reading primer that uses a unique phonetic alphabet containing the majority of the phonetic sounds in the English language. Designed to cover one chapter per day, the 64 phonetic sounds are gradually introduced in a specific order that helps the child grasp the concepts quickly and acquire basic reading skills within about one month. Although the book is targeted for children ages 1 to 6, the approach may appeal to older students, including those who are learning English as a second language.

The Ankeny Community School District is located in Polk County, Iowa, in the heart of the State of Iowa. Six miles from the capitol city of Des Moines, the district:

Had a 2013 state-certified enrollment of 9,901.86 students
Is the 8th largest district in the state (total students served)
Has been one of the fastest-growing school districts in Iowa for a decade
Encompasses 16 school buildings in 51.93 square miles
Has a K-5, 6-7, 8-9, 10-12 grade level structure
Has more than 360,540 miles driven by buses per year

Business Description: Since 2010, we’ve helped countless people just like you to find the piano and guitar lessons they need so their children can learn to play an instrument.

Our curriculum is fully accredited by the ACS WASC for grades 1-12 music education, both in-person and online programs, meaning you can trust our process. Every new student begins with a free trial lesson to get to know us and what to expect before signing up

Why do we utilize group lessons? Almost nothing else is learned alone—not sports, not the arts, not academics. Then why piano and guitar? We believe students quit piano and guitar too soon because they're isolated and unengaged. Our group lessons solve all that, bringing students together to challenge and inspire one another.

Outside of our standard guitar and piano lessons, we offer plenty of extra activities for our students and pack our summer calendar full of camps and other opportunities. We love watching our students grow and try new things all year long.

The mission of the Boys & Girls Club of Central Iowa is to inspire and enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.

At Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Iowa, we believe every child has the capacity to succeed and achieve greatness.

Why Camp Brainiac?
Camp Brainiac is a summer day camp that welcomes elementary school age kids K-5! We focus on this age because a love for learning starts in early grade school.
Local Des Moines mom, Andrea Hansen, and local teacher, Eden Sexton, partnered to create Camp Brainiac with a mission to avoid the dreaded "summer backslide."  The summer backslide is real! Research shows that kids lose academic ground over the summer. Even the best students are several weeks behind when they start back to school.  Camp Brainiac will help combat all that!
Camp Brainiac gives kids a break from the classroom but not necessarily from learning. Brainiac campers will spend their days immersed in experiential learning designed around a different theme each week.