Blockbuster films have been predominantly led by male heroes for decades, but as Marvel actresses dominate the box office and call for an all-female Marvel movie, this lengthy era of male dominance in…

The Pleasant Valley School District is no stranger to coming together to support members of the community facing immense hardships. And the recent cancer diagnosis of high school English teacher Tracy…

On any given day, almost half a million American children are in foster care hoping for the day they will see a brighter future and the local Scott County District Court is working to ensure every kid…

Congresswoman Katie Hill stepped down from Congress on Nov. 1 after allegations of an inappropriate relationship with a member of her staff and pornographic images were released by her soon to be ex husband.
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Social stigmas control how people treat certain topics and how they’re viewed. While birth control is something many women need for their health, the discussion of this subject among teenagers remains…

Hate entered the doors of the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh on Oct. 27, 2018. One year later, anti-Semitism continues to spread.

But the state of Iowa is spreading a different message.

The…

This story was originally published on Spartan Shield on October 24, 2019.

This story was originally published on Spartan Shield on October 25, 2019.

The title of the most decorated athlete at the World Championships is no longer a tie. On September 28, Allyson Felix broke her tie with Usain Bolt for the most gold medals at a World Championship in Doha,…

As the saying goes, sometimes the littlest things end up making the biggest difference. Such is the case for one local man’s once small idea.

For years in the Quad Cities, Pete Pohlmann was a household…

While just 60 miles separate Pleasant Valley students from the University of Iowa, the generosity of Iowa native Carson King has been felt much closer to home.

What started as a plea for enough money…

Pleasant Valley alum, Samantha Pauly, has gained significant recognition for her theater work, from her title role in “Evita” in London, to her Chicago performance as Katherine Howard in “Six”,…

In a sport traditionally dominated by men, one female PV student is taking the wrestling world by storm.

Champion of the first ever girls’ state tournament in Iowa, Chloe Clemons just moved to the…

Pleasant Valley’s varsity teams typically garner plenty of attention, but the district’s Special Olympics athletes are now claiming some of that attention for themselves.

The school’s team is…

After being involved in the performing arts for well over a decade, one PV student took her years of training, a tiny nudge and a giant leap of faith to compete for a cause and a crown.

Decorated dancer…

Eleven minutes: the amount of time it might take an average person to shower, or pick out an outfit or jog a mile. For one local family, however, 11 minutes on the night of July 31 felt like a lifetime–and…

Heading back to school with fresh sneakers, state-of-the-art folders and a new backpack has taken on a different meaning this school year as many began classes with the thought of one of the worst epidemics…

For many performers, aspirations of performing on stage during a large-scale event are nothing more than dreams. For one dancer, however, this dream became a reality.  But her dance was for a greater…

While many high school students are spending their time outside of school kicking a ball around or getting coffee with friends, two PV students are piloting planes and practicing military-style leadership…

From movies to books, spoilers have been occurring in society for years. However, with the recent release of “Avengers: Endgame,” students at Pleasant Valley have heard this term more than ever.

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When Jasmine Babers was 15 years old, she started a nonprofit magazine that had one main message: every girl has a story.

After seeing how a friend was callously bullied by her classmates, Babers knew…

Many seniors are making final preparations for their post-secondary journey this fall, and Pleasant Valley sophomore Priyanka Srinivasan has decided to embark on that journey herself.

As a 15-year-old,…

This year, Cody Elementary School began implementing a language program after school. The participants will begin learning a foreign language long before their peers, giving them an advantage in the future….

Although April is Autism Awareness month, a student at Pleasant Valley High School is making a year-round commitment to help those living with Autism.

ACEing Autism is a national organization with one…

For Pleasant Valley athletics, last year brought with it the end of an era.

With a combined eight years of tri-sport varsity play, Ellie and Carli Spelhaug competed in their last games together, seemingly…

Welcome to Culture over Coffee, the Spartan Shield’s podcast where we talk about pop culture, new trends, and other news outside of the PV school district over a cup of coffee.

Episode #3: Spartan…

A bill that would eliminate the requirement for Iowa schools to hire full-time nurses and librarians was introduced in the Iowa Legislator by Iowa Senate Republicans at the end of February.

Although…

In the dim lit theater, a young violinist in a teal gown emerged from the wings.

As the violinist and the orchestra behind her started playing, the sounds of Henri Vieuxtemps’ “Concerto No. 5 in…

Jake plays tennis, Ryan plays both baseball and basketball, and Sydney plays basketball.

The Drake Relays is one of the most prestigious track and field events in the country. Iowa’s finest track athletes dedicate countless hours to their training in the hopes that they will one day be invited…