YIELD

About the YIELD Program

YIELD is modeled after the Leadership North Iowa program. The acronym stands for Youth Investing Energy in Leadership Development. In 2003, the Chamber partnered with the Mason City Youth Task Force to develop leadership skills in promising young adults by forging a connection between youth and the business community. Local business has a huge stake in area youth as future workers and leaders.

The class is comprised of high school juniors from Mason City High School and Newman Catholic High School. Chamber members generously share their knowledge and resources to serve as speakers at YIELD sessions. The course consists of 10 modules and each class selects and completes a Community Impact Project. Examples of Community Impact Projects include advocating for an ordinance restricting the sale of pseudoephedrine within Mason City, making fleece blankets for children in need, and creating interactive sidewalk paintings throughout Mason City.

The YIELD program has become a model for other communities interested in providing leadership training to youth. School administrators report that YIELD graduates are among their most successful and engaged students.

Nominate a student (current sophomore) no later than April 15 by contacting Allyson Krull. Nominees will be sent an application due May 13 and selections will be made by May 30.

2023 Community Impact Project:
Painting the Meredith Willson ‘The Music Man’ Footbridge

Each year, YIELD students complete a Community Impact Project as a graduation requirement. This year’s group quickly
landed on a project idea to help fill a need in the community. After discussing with the City how the students could help
enhance public parks, they learned the famous Footbridge over Willow Creek, connecting River Heights Drive and South
Connecticut Avenue, needed a fresh coat of paint.

Iowa weather contributed to missing paint and rust on the popular pedestrian bridge. YIELD students spent several October afternoons painting 900 ft of iron guardrail at this historic attraction. Once work started, the group quickly learned while the project wasn’t an exceedingly difficult task to complete, the structure was much longer than they had
anticipated and it took more time than originally planned. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of the students, Mason City’s iconic “The Music Man” Footbridge built in 1940, is looking like new. In November, YIELD students were awarded the 2023 City of Mason City’s Volunteer Award for the community impact projects completed in recent years, including their work on the footbridge.

 

 

 

 

“I feel very honored that I had the opportunity to do this because it’s such a special part of Mason City and it’s just a really important part of our history, and I feel honored that I could help restore it.” - Claire Sampson, 2023 YIELD Student

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

We are able to offer this program free to students, from the help of our sponsors. Please consider sponsoring the YIELD program with a $100 contribution. In recognition for your sponsorship we will list your business in marketing materials.

Please contact Allyson at the Chamber if you're interested in becoming a sponsor.

2023 YIELD Sponsors

98.7 KISS Country / 103.7 The Fox ▪ Alpha Orthodontics Powered by Smile Doctors ▪  Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Company ▪ Bergland + Cram Architects ▪ Burgmeier Dentistry ▪ Cargill Protein ▪ Central Park Dentistry ▪ Chevron Renewable Energy Group ▪ Children’s Dental Center of  Mason City ▪ Clear Lake Bank & Trust Co. ▪ CURRIES ▪ Dental Center of North Iowa ▪ Drs. Otto & Kotecki Family Dentistry ▪ Edward Jones - Sarah Carlsson, CFP ▪ Edwards-Brandt & Associates ▪ First Citizens Bank ▪ Heartland Asphalt, Inc. ▪ Henkel Construction Co. ▪ Hogan - Hansen, P.C. ▪ Holiday Inn Express and Suites - Mason City ▪ Jane Fischer and Associates LLC ▪ Kraft Heinz ▪ Laird Law Firm ▪ Major Erickson Funeral Home & Crematory ▪ Martin-Brower ▪ Mechanical Air Systems ▪ MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center ▪ Metalcraft, Inc. ▪ Mid-West Roofing Company/Custom SheetMetal Works ▪ Newman Catholic School System ▪ North Iowa Eye Clinic, P.C. ▪ North Iowa Orthodontics ▪ NSB Bank ▪ Overhead Door Company of Mason City ▪ Ozzie Ohl ▪ POET Biorefining - Hanlontown ▪ Pritchard Companies ▪ River City Morning Kiwanis ▪ Sukup Manufacturing ▪ The Nettleton Dental Group, PC ▪ The Window Source ▪ Wealth Progression Group - Todd Leet ▪ WHKS Engineers, Planners & Surveyors