Students from area high schools and middle schools will get the chance to participate in this year’s Veishea celebration.

“Veishea is supposed to be a showcase of Iowa State,” said Kathy Craig, Veishea general co-chair and senior in spanish. “The community school’s involvement is an outreach of Iowa State.”

The Veishea Community School Involvement Programs committee planned different activities to involve the Ames area and surrounding communities in activities such as drawing contests and pep rallies.

Ben Klocke, Veishea community schools programs coordinator, said the events are planned for an estimated 150 area students in attendance.

“We’re showing them a couple of different views of Iowa State throughout their visit,” said Klocke, freshman in pre-business.

The students will get to choose between a campus tour or a tour of all the Veishea barns, followed with a Stars Over VEISHEA matinee performance, he said. Afterwards, Klocke said there will be a lunch held at the Lied Recreation Center with members of the SOV cast.

“It isn’t just for them to see Veishea, but to see what a wonderful campus Iowa State is,” said Meg Harms, Veishea community schools programs coordinator. “Hopefully some of these students will want to come to school here.”

The committee has also coordinated activities targeting younger age groups.

Ames elementary school students will be able to participate in a drawing contest. The drawings have to pertain to the Veishea theme, and will be showcased at Cy’s Big Top festivities Veishea weekend.

“The purpose of the contest is for kids to understand the theme of Veishea,” said Harms, sophomore in pre-business.

Other activities planned are pep rallies at Wilson-Beardshear and Crawford elementary schools on April 19.

The rallies will include reading students a book and telling them about the student-run celebration. Harms said the ISU cheerleading squad and drum line would also be present to help.

All the activities planned by the community schools programs committee are in effort to increase community involvement and participation in this year’s Veishea celebration.

“We’re hoping these students will come and bring their parents to VEISHEA activities,” Klocke said. “We want them to feel like they’re a part of the weekend.”