Each year, we see thousands upon thousands of high school students holding ceremonies where they sign national letters of intent to continue their sports careers in college. Earlier this week, a local high school hosted one for a very different, and I'd argue more important reason.

Don't get me wrong. I absolutely LOVE sports. It's cool to see young men and women reveal what college they've chosen to attend to play the sport they love. However, for my money, there isn't a more important profession than teachers. Tuesday, 13 different seniors at Linn-Mar High School in Marion signed their letter of intent to be a teacher.

According to a post on the Linn-Mar Community School District Facebook page,

Linn-Mar District officials spoke to the students about employment opportunities and presented each with a certificate guaranteeing a future interview with the district.

Good luck to all these young people. I hope they turn into a great teacher like my sister. She's been teaching elementary students in eastern Iowa for more than 20 years and I absolutely love to see her kids... past and present... run up and give her a hug on holidays like the 4th of July. The hug always seems to be followed by the children updating her on everything they have going on. She loves them, and they love her.  Seeing that interaction reminds me of the impact she, and countless other teachers, have all around the state.

Here's hoping future challenges in the classroom pale in comparison to what all students and teachers have had to deal with the last two school years.

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Stacker compiled a list of the best places to live in Iowa using data from Niche. Niche ranks places to live based on a variety of factors including cost of living, schools, health care, recreation, and weather. Cities, suburbs, and towns were included. Listings and images are from realtor.com.

On the list, there's a robust mix of offerings from great schools and nightlife to high walkability and public parks. Some areas have enjoyed rapid growth thanks to new businesses moving to the area, while others offer glimpses into area history with well-preserved architecture and museums. Keep reading to see if your hometown made the list.

 

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