Friday 13th February 2026

Pack the Backpack Holiday Edition: Farren Johnson

Pack the Backpack Holiday Edition, presented by Central Office Supply, a division of Minuteman, generous employees at Lenox in Marshalltwon and Kix 101.1! Each Wednesday in December, we will be awarding $101 to a Kix Country classroom to help out with supplies this holiday season. You can listen to each new winner on Wednesday at 8:30a on the Morning Kix Start.

Our 3rd Pack the Backpack Holiday Edition winner is Farren Johnson, Art Teacher in the Grinnell School District. She was nominated by fellow teacher, Ashley Wolfe:

Hello Kix Pack the Backpack,

I would like to nominate Mrs. Farren Johnson at Grinnell Elementary Schools. Mrs. Johnson is the art teacher for three elementary schools in our district. That’s a lot of kids she has the opportunity to work with and inspire using art! However, the pandemic has brought on new challenges for her. Art students are now asked to provide their own art supplies. As we all know the pandemic has also been hard on many families making them unable to provide these requested art supplies for their children. Last week Mrs. Johnson sent an email “begging” for clay, watercolors, markers, paint brushes, etc. that she is still lacking for every kid to have their own supplies for class. I know she would be more than grateful to win the Kix 101 Pack the Backpack! I have seen her do amazing things, especially with my unartistic sons :) Please consider Miss Johnson for this month’s contest.

Thank you,

Ashley Wolfe

Take a listen to our interview with Farren below!

Nominate your Kix Country class by submitting a letter to us at backpack@kixweb.com.

 

 

More Episodes

the-list-2025-2
Jonathan Knight

The List for Thursday, February 12th 2026

Welcome to The List,

We are saddened to report that James Van Der Beek has passed away at the age of 48 after battling stage 3 colorectal cancer. His family confirmed the news on social media, sharing that he had been fighting the disease since August 2023. Van Der Beek became a household name as Dawson Leery on Dawson's Creek, a show that defined a generation of television. He leaves behind his wife and six children. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and fans.

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Players on the winning Super Bowl team get $178,000 from the NFL. But Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold could reportedly lose money because of California’s “jock tax.” Out-of-state players get taxed based on duty days spent in the state. With his massive contract and bonuses, estimates say he could owe between $200,000 and $250,000. Win the ring, lose to taxes. Classic.

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Luke Combs just revealed the full 22-song tracklist for his new album The Way I Am. It includes a duet with Alison Krauss. And a song written by Cody Johnson. Twenty-two songs is not an album. That is a weekend.

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Kelly Clarkson is reportedly ending her talk show and says she has no regrets. Sources say it is about quality of life, not money. She is excited, but sad to leave staff she considers family. Sometimes success is not about doing more. It is about breathing again.

You can catch The List, weekday afternoons at 4:20 with Jonathan Knight. Only on Iowa’s BEST Country KIX 101.1

 
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