August Oklahoma Magazine

AUGUST 2014

SPECIAL SECTION:

OKLAHOMA EDUCATION

+OUTSTANDING HIGH SCHOOL

Advocates And Activists

6

American Indians who are making a difference

SENIORS

20 OBJECTS THAT SHAPE

OKLAHOMA

from the state’s museums

#newbeginnings #backtoschool #firstdayoutfit #uticasquare

Capture, Share #uticasquare

uticasquare.com

Almost time to watch them stride through those school doors a grade older. They’re excited, maybe a tad nervous.

Help them ease into it with a fun day of shopping at Utica Square. Together you’ll discover styles that perfectly capture their personality. Best way to start the year.

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Advocates and Activists

Six native Oklahomans take a stand for American Indian culture.

August 2 014 O K L A H O M A M A G A Z I N E

VOL. XVIII, NO. 8

FEATURES

43 Education

As the new school year gears up, it’s time to learn the ABCs of education, from how to graduate from college debt-free to the importance of alumni to the further development of an institution of higher learning. We also recognize some of the outstanding high school seniors that are embarking on their collegiate journeys.

79

20 Objects That Shape Oklahoma

The Sooner State has seen much change and growth in her short, 107-year history. We take a look at objects that have contributed to Oklahoma’s identity – both past and present.

44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58

A Financial Education The New Market Lessening Brain Drain Master Your Fate The Importance of Alumni It Takes a Community The School Debate Destined For Greatness

New & Improved!

OKMAG.COM

August 2014

AUGUST 2014

Want some more? Visit us online.

MORE GREAT ARTICLES: Read expanded

articles and stories that don’t appear in the print edition.

SPECIAL SECTION:

OKLAHOMA EDUCATION

+OUTSTANDING HIGH SCHOOL

Advocates And Activists

6

American Indians who are making a difference

SENIORS

20

OBJECTS THAT SHAPE

OKLAHOMA

from the state’s museums

Aug cover 14.indd 2

2

7/18/14 10:31 AM

PAWNEE AND YAKAMA ARTIST BUNKY ECHO-HAWK IS A “MODERN WARRIOR” WITH A PAINT BRUSH AND NEW VISION OF AMERICAN INDIAN ART. PHOTO BY BRANDON SCOTT.

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2014

MORE PHOTOS: View expanded Scene, Fashion, Taste and Entertainment galleries.

MORE EVENTS: The online calendar of events includes even more great Oklahoma events.

Get Oklahoma

On The Go!

United in the fight against cancer, St. John Medical Center and MD Anderson Cancer Network® are now collaborating to bring a new level of cancer care to Oklahoma.

For 10 of the past 12 years, MD Anderson has ranked No. 1 in cancer care in the annual U.S. News & World Report “Best Hospitals” survey. As a certified member of the program, St. John employs nationally recognized quality management and best practices essential to more effective cancer treatment.

Utilizing state-of-the-art technology and MD Anderson’s renowned clinical standards and expertise, we are elevating the quality of patient care with one clear mission — to eliminate cancer.

To find a St. John physician certified by MD Anderson Cancer Network, please call the St. John PulseLine at 918-744-0123 or visit www.stjohncancercenter.com.

Contents

13

97

DEPARTMENTS The State

13

Twenty-five years after his memoir, Once Upon A Time When We Were Colored, was published to great acclaim, author, speaker and businessman Clifton Taulbert introduces The Invitation, a tale of two people from different backgrounds discussing difficult topics with brutal honesty.

16 20 22 24 26 28 30 34 38 40

People 5 Qs Culture Follow-up The Insider Scene Living Space Trend Your Health Destination

Taste

91

Some of the finest cuisine in Oklahoma City – or the state, for that matter – is prepared by brilliant students on the brink of their careers. Under the guidance of an excellent teaching staff, the students of the Francis Tuttle Technology Center’s School of Culinary Arts turn out plates both innovative and delectable to really make the grade at District 21.

93 94 95

What We’re Eating How To Kitchen Swag

Entertainment

97

Broadway’s diminutive champion Kristin Chenoweth is also entertainment’s triple threat – conquering television, film and stage – and she’s coming home to Broken Arrow for two live shows. Chenoweth performs highlights from her stage and entertainment career at the Broken Arrow Performing Arts Center.

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104

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Calendar of Events

In Person

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2014

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91

Elizabeth Pickvance, M.D. |

PEDIATRIC ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY

Pediatric specialist Dr. Elizabeth Pickvance talks about tinkering, adoption, practicing abroad and a new service for special needs children.

What attracted you to pediatric orthopedics as a specialty?

Why did you decide to adopt two children internationally?

I’ve always been mechanically inclined— taking apart clocks and bikes and putting them back together, so orthopedics seemed to be the logical choice. I chose pediatric orthopedics because of my love for children.

Now, as part of The Children’s Hospital at Saint Francis, I can build long-term

I adopted my oldest son from Ukraine when he was seven. When we decided to adopt again, I wanted to adopt a girl ethnically similar to my son. But you really don’t choose them as much as they choose you.

I went to Kazakhstan, saw this child, our eyes locked, we both smiled and that was it.

We adopted a Kazakh boy and I couldn’t ask for two boys to love each other more.

They were meant to be brothers.

relationships with patients and families.

What impact has your international experience had on how you practice medicine?

After medical school and residency in orthopedic surgery in the states, I returned to England (I was born there, moved here in grade school) for a fellowship in pediatric orthopedics at Oxford University. That led to an invitation to spend a year training in Australia.

Practicing abroad showed me that, although there are different ways to provide care, it all comes down to the patient/ doctor interaction.

That’s my reason for doing what I do.

What can you tell us about your new clinic within a clinic?

My younger son has mild cerebral palsy so I’m especially sensitive to special needs patients. We created the Special Needs Clinic within our clinic because it’s hard for these families to transport their children and wheelchairs, braces, etc., to multiple locations for treatment. Here, the doctors, physical therapists and equipment suppliers get together to observe the patient and discuss issues, which provides a more unified approach to comprehensive care.

Warren Medical Building | 6465 South Yale Avenue, Tulsa, OK 918-502-8810 | saintfrancis.com/childrenshospital SAINT FRANCIS HOSPITAL | THE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL AT SAINT FRANCIS | WARREN CLINIC | HEART HOSPITAL AT SAINT FRANCIS | SAINT FRANCIS HOSPITAL SOUTH | LAUREATE PSYCHIATRIC CLINIC AND HOSPITAL | SAINT FRANCIS BROKEN ARROW

OKLAHOMA OKLAHOMA PRESIDENT AND EDITORIAL DIRECTOR DANIEL SCHUMAN

OKLAHOMA

PUBLISHER AND FOUNDER VIDA K. SCHUMAN MANAGING EDITOR JAMI MATTOX ASSOCIATE EDITOR KAREN SHADE

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS TARA MALONE, CHRIS SUTTON, JOHN WOOLEY GRAPHICS MANAGER MARK ALLEN GRAPHIC DESIGNER NATE PUCKETT DIGITAL MEDIA SPECIALIST JAMES AVERY CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS NATALIE GREEN, BRENT FUCHS, CHRIS HUMPHREY, NATHAN HARMON, SCOTT MILLER, DAN MORGAN, BRANDON SCOTT, DAVID COBB

NOw OpeN

Albert Bierstadt Sierra Nevada Morning oil on canvas, 1870, GM 0126.2305 Title sponsor of the Gilcrease Museum 2014 exhibition season is the sherman E. smith Family Foundation.

1400 N. Gilcrease MuseuM rd.

Tulsa, OK 918-596-2700 Gilcrease.uTulsa.edu TU Is an EEO/aa InsTITUTIOn. 20031 Gilcrease.indd 1

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2013

Member

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™

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2014

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TM

August

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Love Your Job?

Let us Know...

Oklahoma Magazine is looking for the state’s best places to work, and we need your help.

Most of us can recall things in Oklahoma that hold great meaning for us. It may be the bridge on the outskirts of town you visited on Halloween nights – the one covered in graffiti and rumored to be haunted. It could also be the high school that provided a great education, a first love and best friends. Perhaps you’ve visited the hometown of your relatives, the one where your grandparents were raised, and found a hardware store and oil wells that bear your family name.

We all have memories surrounding objects in Oklahoma. It was in this spirit that we contacted more than 100 museums, all members of the Oklahoma Museum Association, and asked them to submit objects from their permanent collections that they feel represent a specific place, time or event in Oklahoma’s history.

We received a tremendous response. Dozens of museums submitted objects that have historical significance, from works of art to a desk upon which the Choctaw Constitution was signed. The state’s largest institutions, along with smaller museums and local historical societies, all gave us their best, and we narrowed them down.

In “20 Objects That Shape Oklahoma” (p. 79), you will find everything from fossils unearthed in southern Oklahoma to ancient rune stones, historical buildings and evidence from the worst attack of terror to ever occur in Oklahoma. We have curated a collection of items that can be found all over the state and that contributed to shaping Oklahoma’s identity into what it is today.

Of course, we’d like to share all the submissions we received with our readers. Log on to www.okmag.com to find a slideshow of objects along with information regarding where to find them. Perhaps this will nudge you to visit museums that are a little bit out of the way but hold precious treasures. For instance: I admit to having never visited Museum of the Red River in Idabel, Okla., but after seeing photos of the dinosaur skeleton cast housed in the building, along with works of art from nearly every continent, I am planning a cultural weekend in the southeast corner of Oklahoma.

Jami Mattox Managing Editor

Nominate your company for Great Companies To Work For 2014.

To receive the nomination form, email editor@okmag.com.

2013

THE ACROCANTHOSAURUS ATOKENSIS, WHOSE SKELETAL CAST IS HOUSED AT THE MUSEUM OF THE RED RIVER, WAS DISCOVERED NEAR ATOKA IN 1940.

IN 2005, IT WAS DESIGNATED THE STATE DINOSAUR OF OKLAHOMA. PHOTO COURTESY MUSEUM OF THE RED RIVER.

8Companies

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 20147/13/14 2:03 PM new Great 1-3 Strip.indd 1

A Top 100 National University

n n

11:1 Student-faculty ratio More than 60 majors in four colleges – College of Engineering & Natural Sciences, Collins College of Business, Henry Kendall College of Arts & Sciences and College of Health Sciences

n

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Vibrant city packed with culture, sports and entertainment Faculty-mentored undergraduate research Diverse campus with students from around the world 18 NCAA Division I sports teams

“A Top 100 National Research University” (U.S. News & World Report) “A Green College” for 2013 (Princeton Review)

TU is an EEO/AA institution.

Apply online: apply.utulsa.edu. For more information or to schedule a campus visit, contact the Office of Admission, 1-800-331-3050, or 918-631-2307, or www.utulsa.edu/admission

W W W . U T U L S A . E D U / A D M I S S I O N

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COMING SATURDAY, JANUARY 17TH, 2015

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2014

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Watch our web exclusive videos for expanded coverage.

View the current issue in its entirety through okmag.com’s digital edition.

Win An iPad Mini When you choose to make an ATM or Mobile Banking Digital Deposit at Bank of Oklahoma, you win in more ways than one.

With our new Banking Center ATMs, you no longer need an envelope to make a deposit.

Just insert cash and checks directly into the ATM, and you’re ready to go. And with the convenience of Mobile Deposit, you can deposit checks securely with your phone, even while you’re on the go.

Plus, you’ll enjoy winning with same day credit untill 10 PM on all Digital Deposits.

But the winnings don’t end there. Each time you make a Digital Deposit before August 31, 2014, you will be entered into the drawing for an iPad Mini!*

Visit www.bankofoklahoma.com/ipadmini to learn more.

© 2014 Bank of Oklahoma, a division of BOKF, NA. Member FDIC. Equal Opportunity Lender.

Contest will run July 01, 2014 through August 31, 2014. A Digital Deposit is defined as a cash or check deposit made at an approved Bank of Oklahoma ATM or via Mobile Deposit app. A client receives one automatic entry for every day a Digital Deposit transaction takes place. Clients and nonclients may also entry the sweepstakes by mailing in their name and contact information to: Bank of Oklahoma 16SW, One Williams Center Tulsa, OK 74107 Attn: Digital Deposit Promotion. Limit to one entry per day via Digital Deposit transaction entry or via mail-in entry. Winners of three new iPad Minis will be selected on September 1, 2014. Winners will be notified by overnight or U.S. mail and/or telephone the week following the drawing. Winners can pick up their iPad Mini at their home branch or have the iPad delivered to their home address on record. Sweepstake rules can be found at www.bankofoklahoma.com/ipadmini or at a Bank of Oklahoma Banking Center. * Apple, the Apple logo and iPhone are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. iPad is a trademark of Apple Inc.

2014

‘‘When I found out I had cancer, I thought I’d have to stop being active. But all I wanted to do was keep going.’’

— Heather Holladay Breast Cancer Patient

I’m a wife with two kids, I’m getting my master’s degree, I teach Zumba—so I was determined to get through my battle with breast cancer without having to give it all up. My naturopathic clinician and dietician at Cancer Treatment Centers of America® helped me stay strong during my treatments— and stay on track with my life.

Find out more about integrative cancer care by visiting cancercenter.com or calling 888-568-1571.

No case is typical. You should not expect to experience these results.

Hospitals in:

Atlanta Chicago Philadelphia Phoenix Tulsa

©2014 Rising Tide

The State

ALL THINGS OKLAHOMA

AUTHOR, SPEAKER AND ENTREPRENEUR CLIFTON TAULBERT HAS A NEW BOOK, THE INVITATION, AVAILABLE IN HARDCOVER AND FOR KINDLE. PHOTO BY BRANDON SCOTT.

The Trauma Of Culture

Noted author and storyteller Clifton Taulbert sows seeds of hope in The Invitation.

W

hen commentators called the 2008 presidential election for Barack Obama, author and storyteller Clifton Taulbert celebrated, but not wholeheartedly. The child in him, raised in the segregated Mississippi Delta of the 1950s and 1960s, waited for the other shoe to drop. Surely there was a miscount. Or perhaps this was a practical joke unleashed on an impossibly large, national scale.

“I’m 50 years removed from [segregated Mississippi], but it’s a lesson of race and place that lingers. It still shows up today because we’re still seeing a lot of African-American firsts,” he says.

Standing in a hotel room on an otherwise average Tuesday evening in suburban Anytown, U.S.A., Taulbert was wrestling with the ex-

traordinary. America had a black president. But initially, he couldn’t enjoy the finality of victory, the end of an era, the soulfully satisfying conclusion to one of the most important public conversations in the country’s history.

“I stood in the middle of the floor, and I cried. I still cry when I think about it today because I came from an era where this was impossible – totally and completely impossible. It was surreal. I thought AUGUST 2014 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

13

The State

I’d eventually wake up and none of it would have happened. I couldn’t believe it because it wasn’t believable,” Taulbert recalls.

He believes in the illuminating power of a story told well, and in his 12th book, The Invitation, Taulbert explores this “cultural post-traumatic stress disorder.”

It would be a year following the 2008 election before the story of The Invitation crystalized. It would take another six years before it saw bookstore shelves. Taulbert’s search for meaning behind the second-guessing, the hypersensitivity to the improbable, emerges in the pages of The Invitation as cultural post-traumatic stress disorder.

The Invitation – his recounting of an improbable friendship of a black baby boomer and the southern descendant of generations of slaveholders – invites readers to remember the lessons of segregation without reliving it; and it turns out, there is a sort of therapy for Taulbert’s brand of PTSD: hope.

“If the past shows up, hope is the most important bulwark. Reality isn’t the world of our childhoods. The future is not written. Be hopeful,” he says.

Taulbert’s frustration with PTSD emerges not just narratively, but stylistically. Every time the story starts rolling, Taulbert stops to check the surroundings and the audience.

The discomfort of being watched and the low-level anxiety of always watching constantly remind the reader what The Invitation examines.

AMONG TAULBERT’S BUSINESS VENTURES IS ROOTS JAVA COFFEE, AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN OWNED COFFEE BRAND THAT IMPORTS AND RETAILS COFFEE FROM RWANDA. PHOTO COURTESY ROOTS JAVA COFFEE.

Once Upon A Time

It’s unlikely that Taulbert’s first book, 1989’s Once Upon a Time When We Were Colored, would have made it to the big screen without its hopeful message.

Starring Phylicia Rashad, the film was a

14

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2014

LITTLE CLIFF

Clifton Taulbert is best known for his books of nonfiction, including Once Upon A Time When We Were Colored, which was made into a successful movie released in 1995. Taulbert has also penned a trilogy of children’s books that revolve around a young boy growing up in Taulbert’s hometown of Glen Allan, Miss. In the Little Cliff series, Taulbert tells the stories of the early years of Cliff, a precocious young boy at the center of the series.

Illustrated by E.B. Lewis, an award-winning illustrator and artist, the books hold Taulbert’s belief in community at the forefront of stories of the young child’s adventures.

Taulbert says he was prompted to write the three books – Little Cliff and the Porch People, Little Cliff’s First Day of School and Little Cliff and the Cold Place – for bittersweet reasons.

“Once upon a time, my wife, Barbara, and I shared the joy of a daughter who passed away at age 7,” Taulbert recalls. “Annie loved books and loved reading. It was my job to read to her at home and at her school. She clearly understood that her father was an author.

“After she passed away, I decided to write books for kids to always remember our daughter’s love of books and reading,” he continues. “I know I need to write several more – and hopefully one day I will.” – Jami Mattox

milestone for Taulbert. His life story, he saw, resonated powerfully with those of a much larger audience than the book gathered. It was also an important sign that his beliefs about community could resonate with a larger audience, as well. And it would find that audience in some unlikely arenas.

Taulbert credits his escape from poverty to the small community of his Mississippi hometown, Glen Allan, and to the even smaller community of the extended family – his “Porch People” – that raised him. His elders’ shared vision of his future, he says, shaped him before he was old enough to understand that he was being shaped.

“Community is about unselfish action, and ordinary people rising to the heights of leadership,” he says. “In my community, people did anything and everything necessary to protect kids in the world of legal segregation. In order to do this, the community came together and wove a safety net of sorts capable of catching us when needed.”

In 1997, two years after the release of the film, Taulbert codified the lessons of his youth in Eight Habits of the Heart. It was written proof that memories of caution aren’t the only ones that have stayed with him. Eight Habits contains messages of community carried forward from his younger years in the Delta. His forward-thinking elders, it turns out, were entrepreneurial thinkers.

With his consulting company, the Freemount Corporation, Taulbert has carried that gospel of community to everyone from nonprofit organizations and public school districts to Fortune 500 corporations.

“The message in Eight Habits resonates in a lot of places. I recently saw it resonate really well with Idaho’s public schools and the Human Rights Education Center.

If communities can be built in the face of segregation, they can be built under any conditions. Businesses with holistic communities, where every voice is respected, can succeed regardless of time and agendas,” he says.

With Taulbert’s help, cutting-edge business strategies emerge from the time-honored customs and traditions of the Mississippi Delta. They target, of course, the most significant investment of every business: people. Developing human capital, says Talbert, is where businesses need to succeed first. His ideas have reshaped a wide range of organizations, from the FBI and the National Security Agency to Ford Motor Co. and Harvard University.

Other forays into the business world include Roots Java Coffee, an African-American owned coffee brand that imports and retails coffee from war-torn Rwanda.

The direct link it provides between the American retail market and some of the world’s most sought-after coffee beans is slowly but surely pulling a group of hard-working Rwandans out of poverty.

Doing business with the lingering lessons of Eight Habits in mind defangs the past’s trauma, softening harsh memories by creating real communities with real people – at home and around the globe.

PAUL FAIRCHILD

2014 Vision in Education

Leadership Award Dinner HONORING

Jake Henry Jr. President and Chief Executive OfďŹ cer Saint Francis Health System

Tuesday, September 30, 2014 – 6:00 PM Renaissance Hotel

2014 Vision in Education Leadership Award Dinner The Vision in Education Leadership Award honors exemplary leaders in the Tulsa area for their dedication to education and community betterment through education.

Over the past

decade, the Vision Dinner has raised over $1.9 million to support scholarships and programs for TCC students, faculty and staff.

For sponsorship information, call 918-595-7836 or email jgrant@tulsacc.edu.

The State

PEOPLE

Dancing With Grace

A Broken Arrow teen dances despite the odds.

L

ike many other 19-yearolds, V. Kyle Tyson has spent the summer preparing for college, finding a place to live, choosing her classes and worrying about how she’ll make new friends.

Yet, Tyson isn’t quite like most 19-year-olds.

In 2011, when Tyson was 15, an illness left her paralyzed from her collarbone down. Doctors diagnosed Tyson with transverse myelitis, a neurological disease caused by an inflammation of the spinal cord.

In the following months, Tyson slowly regained feeling in her extremities; however, the swelling in her spine persists.

“I have good days and bad days,” says the Broken Arrow teen. “I fake it to make it some days.”

Medications allow Tyson to walk briefly, but she requires a wheelchair or a walker most of the time.

Through all of the adversity, Tyson has never lost sight of her passions in life.

“I have been dancing since I was 2 years old,” she says. “It never occurred to me to stop now.”

Tyson became the first wheelchair-bound person to perform for the Youth America Grand Prix, the world’s largest student ballet scholarship competition.

NINETEEN-YEAR“I didn’t OLD KYLE TYSON know it at the CONTINUES HER PASSION FOR DANCE time,” recalls DESPITE A CRIPPLING Tyson. “I was ILLNESS THAT LEFT HER just so excited PARTIALLY PARALYZED YEARS AGO. to be out of the PHOTO BY BRANDON SCOTT. hospital and be

16

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2014

ART

TO THE TUNE OF THREE

Can three conductors lead one orchestra?

Tulsans will find out as Tulsa Community College Signature Symphony continues its search for a conductor to replace Dr. Barry Epperley, the orchestra’s conductor and artistic director since it was founded in 1978.

The three candidates – Andrés Franco, Michael Rossi and Timothy Verville – will each lead the symphony for one performance during the 2014-15 TTCU Pops Series and one performance during the 2014-15 Williams Classics Series.

All performances will take place at the VanTrease Performing Arts Center for Education on TCC’s southeast campus.

“This will be a great opportunity for the arts community to see different conductor styles as each candidate takes the baton,” says Brett Campbell, TCC southeast campus provost and conductor search committee chairman. “We will see the creativity these conductors can bring to the professional orchestra as well as how they shape the sound and how they work with our Signature Symphony musicians and chorale members.”

Tickets for the upcoming season are available at the VanTrease PACE ticket office.

– Jami Mattox

with [my friends]. I was very excited to even get to compete.”

Tyson’s mother, Laura Tyson, has since created iMErge, a performing arts program for teens who are physically limited. iMErge is part of Oklahoma Performing Arts, a center for art education.

“There aren’t a lot of dance programs for people with mobility problems,” says Tyson. “iMErge puts students with mobility problems alongside other able-bodied students.”

Tyson, a recent graduate of Oklahoma Performing Arts, also teaches dance to children as young as 4 years old.

“I love teaching little kids,” shares Tyson.

“They are very accepting of what I can and can’t do. I show them everyone has limits, but you can still learn. I teach them, and they teach me.”

Tyson has big goals ahead. She plans to study public relations and minor in acting and film.

“It will be a struggle at first,” Tyson says of college. “But, everybody struggles at first anyway. I am excited for this adventure.”

TYSON AND HER THERAPY DOG, DESSA, PRACTICE BAR WORK. PHOTO BY BRANDON SCOTT.

LINDSAY CUOMO AUGUST 2014 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

17

The University of Tulsa

Presidential lecture series Sponsored by The Darcy O’Brien Endowed Chair Presents

September 3, 2014 7:30 p.m.

Donald W. Reynolds Center 3208 East 8th Street

Charles C. Mann

Photo, Justin Knight

Charles C. Mann

Turning history on its head, Charles C. Mann received a Keck Foundation book of the year award for 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus.

“Mann navigates adroitly through the controversies. He approaches each in the best scientific tradition, carefully sifting the evidence, never jumping to hasty conclusions, giving everyone a fair hearing – the experts and the amateurs; the accounts of the Indians and their conquerors.

And rarely is he less than enthralling.” — New York Times His follow-up, 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created, received similarly glowing reviews.

Mann has coauthored four other books and written about science, technology and commerce for The Atlantic Monthly, Science and Wired.

Free and Open tO the public details at www.utulsa.edu/pls

The University of Tulsa is an equal employment opportunity/affirmative action institution. For EEO/AA information, contact the Office of Human Resources, 918-631-2616; for disability accommodations, contact Dr. Tawny Taylor, 918-631-2315. To ensure availability of an interpreter, five to seven days notice is needed; 48 hours is recommended for all other accommodations. No tickets or registration required. Please call 918-631-2309 for event details. TU#14466

Unlock Your Inner Explorer at a free opening celebration weekend for

The Helmerich Center for American Research September 6–7, 2014

Join us as we celebrate the opening of a new facility dedicated to research and scholarship. Enjoy a weekend of engaging programs and activities for all ages. Food, fun and free events! If you haven’t visited Gilcrease Museum recently, rediscover this Oklahoma treasure.

Full list oF EvEnts at GilcrEasE.utulsa.Edu

Helmerich Center for American Research 1400 North Gilcrease Museum Road • Tulsa, Oklahoma • 918-596-2700 The University of Tulsa is an equal employment opportunity/affirmative action institution. For EEO/AA information, contact the Office of Human Resources, 918-631-2616; for disability accommodations, contact Dr. Tawny Taylor, 918-631-2315. TU#14464

The State

5 QS

Pushing To Extremes

Triathlete and Oklahoma native challenges herself and others to achieve optimal fitness.

O

klahoma native Dr. Amanda Stevens has been pushing her body to its limits since she was a child, and now she has reached her own mountaintop as a professional triathlete. She is committed to empowering children across the nation, and primarily in Oklahoma, to do the same. In addition to competing professionally, Stevens travels the nation as a motivational speaker.

In what is your passion for fitness and competition rooted?

I grew up a competitive swimmer, and as a child, swimming was definitely where my heart was. I was lucky enough when I was in medical school at OU to get involved in the sport of triathlon, and I was on the fast track to the professional rank. I’ve been racing as a professional now for about 10 years…That’s pretty much been my full-time job, and I’m blessed and grateful that I get to compete in this way for a full-time job because it’s absolutely what I love doing.

It’s allowed me to travel the world and meet other athletes and likeminded people and really experience life.

How instrumental has your medical background been in your athletic career?

I’m not practicing medicine right now. It was a tough decision to make, but I couldn’t put my whole energy into medicine and my career as a triathlete at the same time. But I still dabble a little bit here and there, mainly through promoting health and wellness. I spend a lot of time helping kids develop healthy eating habits, teaching them to exercise and encouraging them to follow their dreams. I also coach a team of triathletes, and I think that’s where the bulk of my medical experience comes [into good use].

DR. AMANDA STEVENS COMPETES PROFESSIONALLY IN TRIATHALONS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. PHOTOS BY RANDY SADLER.

Did your passion for sports spark your interest in science and medicine, or vice versa?

I think they go hand-in-hand. I grew up swimming and playing other sports. I didn’t really get the bug for medicine until I was in junior high. We had a science class, and I did my first dissection. I thought it was the most awesome thing in the world. So I went home that

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2014

night and told my parents I wanted to be a doctor, and they were kind of thinking, “Where did that come from?” because none of my family or extended family were doctors. But then in high school, I grew to really love science and chemistry; and in college at Texas Christian University, I became really interested in anatomy and physiology, so I continued on the pre-med track.

How big is the need for fitness education, particularly in Oklahoma?

I think it is huge. I’m living and training my team in Boulder, Colo., now. If you look at [Boulder and Oklahoma] as far as demographics, Boulder is one of the healthiest places in the country, and Oklahoma is almost always in the bottom couple of states in regards to health.

There’s a stark difference. When my athletic career is over, my husband and I will most likely settle back in Oklahoma, and I really hope to have more of an impact here in the state. Childhood obesity is still on the rise in Oklahoma. A huge amount of kids are overweight, and I think that’s going to set them up not only for health problems, but potentially [problems in] many other areas of life.

What are some of the things you’re planning for in the near future?

I have two world championship events coming up in September. My primary focus for those events is to not only be on the podium, but also be on the top of the podium. I can see myself racing as an athlete

for two or three more years. After that, it’ll be time to pass that up, and my husband and I will settle down and start having some kids. At that point in my life, I think I’ll get back into medicine and hopefully be able to make a huge impact in Oklahoma on health and wellness.

NATHAN PORTER

THEY DECLARE JOBS FINISHED only after they are proud of the result. Their personal standards are higher than most, which is why their successes are also greater.

NEARLY 100,000 loyal and true Cowboys have combined to exceed $1 BILLION for Branding Success: The Campaign for Oklahoma State University. But the state’s most successful higher-education campaign continues until Dec. 31, 2014. OUR JOB ISN’T COMPLETE. There is still so much to do.

The State

COWBOYS FROM A DOZEN WORKING RANCHES IN THE STATE COMPETED IN THE 2013 OKLAHOMA CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION RANGE ROUND-UP. PHOTOS BY BRENT FUCHS.

CULTURE

Roping Pride

The Range Round-Up shows Oklahoma’s cowboy side.

I

t’s not often that many Okies get a chance to see what daily life is like on a cattle ranch. Our state may be proud of its cowboy heritage, but as state demographics have shifted away from the rural lifestyle, exposure to genuine cowboys has gone with it.

For 30 years, the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association Range Round-Up has given Oklahomans a glimpse of the daily tasks of modern-day cowboys with its yearly ranch rodeo.

On August 22 and 23, 12 teams of five Oklahoma ranch hands will compete in six events, showing off the skills the cowboys use every day on their ranches for fun, glory and philanthropy.

“One of the more unique things (about the event) is the winner of the rodeo only gets bragging rights,” says Tim Drummond, OCA Range Round-Up committee chairman and 29-time participant as a member of the Drummond Land & Cattle Co. team, based in Pawhuska.

Unlike other big rodeos, OCA doesn’t pay out large purses to winners, opting to donate its profits to charitable organization instead.

For the last 16 years, the beneficiary has been the Children’s Miracle

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2014

S TAT

Network, and the Round-Up has raised more than $420,000 for the charity.

Events this year include saddle bronco riding, calf roping and branding (using chalk brands) and wild cow milking.

“That one (wild cow milking) doesn’t simulate a whole lot out on the ranch, but it’s fun, and the guys get a kick out of it,” says Drummond.

The event’s success over the years has helped jumpstart the sport of ranch rodeos.

“When dad entered us in 1985, I was like, ‘What in the world is a ranch rodeo?’” says Drummond. “Now, you can probably go to a ranch rodeo somewhere in the state every weekend, from spring to fall.”

Drummond is eager to get his own family involved in ranch rodeos, just like his dad did for him.

“I’ve got two kids, one 14 and one 15, and it’s one of my goals to see them participate and be competitive,” he says.

MORGAN BROWNE

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The State

GREAT EXPECTATIONS

PROPONENTS OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN CULTURAL CENTER AND MUSEUM REMAIN OPTIMISTIC FOR THE CENTER’S FUTURE DESPITE FUNDING AND CONSTRUCTION HURDLES. PHOTO COURTESY AICCM.

FOLLOWUP

O

Culture In Limbo

A museum 20 years in the works is dealt a harsh blow.

klahoma City’s American Indian Cultural Center and Museum won’t see completion anytime soon. The 20-year-old project remains in limbo after this year’s legislature adjourned without allocating the funds needed to finish the work.

The project is $80 million short of opening the front doors, and private donors that were ready to match a $40 million state contribution are now ready to walk.

“We are awaiting direction from state leaders with regard to how they want to proceed with this state-owned project,” says J. Blake Wade, the center’s director. “In the meantime, I am working diligently with donors to retain the $40 million in non-state monies that was pledged several years ago. We have to have a solution soon to preserve their generosity.”

Some believe the Oklahoma legislature’s dropped ball is a symptom of the state’s budget crunch. The funding bill sailed through the Senate but wasn’t introduced in the house. That decision was made by House Speaker Jeff Hickman, who says it’s common to keep controversial bills that don’t enjoy majority support off the floor.

“Obviously, we need to do something

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2014

with the facility. It’s been started, and it’s not completed. I think we’ll continue to explore all the options on the House side. If members work out a plan they can rally around, there may be a possibility to work this out in the future,” Hickman says.

Sen. Kyle Loveless, a longtime supporter of the center, says the bill had support and should have been introduced in the House and given the opportunity to pass or fail on its merits.

Its supporters in the Capitol were prepared to raid the state’s unclaimed property fund to bankroll it. Now they’re talking about circumventing the legislature altogether, pulling funds from the state’s tobacco settlement fund and other funds that don’t require legislative approval for high-dollar spending.

“That might be the way to go, but for a project this big, I believe the best way of proceeding would be a package that the legislature had some input on,” says Loveless.

“It might be legally okay to do, but for me a project like this needs to have the people who represent the people sign off on it. That being said, if that’s our last shot, that’s our last shot.”

PAUL FAIRCHILD

The American Indian Cultural Center and Museum is intended to open the door to understanding Oklahoma’s many American Indian tribes.

“A visitor will spend a day discovering why the Oklahoma American Indian experience is representative of America’s national story,” says Shoshana Wasserman, AICCM director of communications and cultural tourism.

The 85-acre park and center will feature galleries housing a permanent collection of artifacts from the state’s tribes, highlighting the history and contributions of each.

There will also be space devoted to traveling and temporary exhibitions of contemporary American Indian art, plus the Turtle Shell Gallery, which will house pieces on loan from the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. The Family Discovery Center will be a child-friendly, interactive space using media to highlight tribal leaders of the past and present, American Indian stories, tribal symbolism and native languages.

Along with a café, the center will also have theater venues for live presentations, film and cultural demonstrations as well as space for participants to record and tell their family histories.

“Once a visitor has experienced the collective story of the [state’s] 39 tribes, then they will be prepared to travel to each of the distinctive tribal nations,” Wasserman says.

– Karen Shade

RENDERING OF THE TURTLE SHELL GALLERY OF THE FUTURE AMERICAN INDIAN CULTURAL CENTER AND MUSEUM. COURTESY AICCM.

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The State

THE INSIDER

The Swingin’ Days Beanie Fraley still plays the music that shaped his life.

A

vacation trip prevents drummer Don Hartzell from making a Friday morning gig at Reed Community Center, but the four other musicians who gather in a room at the west Tulsa recreational center every month are loose and jamming by a little after 9 a.m. As kids traipse by on their way to the basketball court, the men sit facing one another, instruments in hand, taking turns calling out tunes that were popular well before any of those passing youngsters were born.

“Let’s try ‘Cab Driver’ in D,” suggests bassist Ed Davison, and in a moment, they’ve launched into the old Mills Brothers standard with the ease and grace of the Queen Mary pulling out of New York Harbor. They’re comfortable playing classic pop, and there’s a good reason for it: Individually, they’ve been making music since the ‘40s.

“They call me the kid of the bunch,” says Davison. “I’m 80.”

Age-wise, the others fall between Davidson and guitarist Lee Oliver, 93, who not only sings and plays solid rhythm, but can also spin out a nice lead when the situation calls for it.

Tom Bordner, behind his accordion, calls the Earl “Fatha” Hines evergreen tune “Rosetta,” and Oliver and Davison leaf through big folders of chord and lyric sheets on the stands in front of them. Beanie Fraley, playing a double-neck guitar (12-string above, six-string below), has no need for a music stand; glaucoma robbed him of his sight a dozen years ago.

The four begin “Rosetta,” which was also a favorite of western-swing king Bob Wills.

It sounds more Wills than Hines, which

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2014

is appropriate, since 89-year-old Fraley is one of the last men standing who played, albeit briefly, in one of the golden-age western-swing groups led by a Wills brother.

Fraley would’ve been somewhere around 10 years old when Bob Wills led his ragtag bunch of musicians out of Texas and through Oklahoma City to Tulsa, launching from TTown a new sound that would make its way across much of America and beyond. At its base was the kind of fiddle music Wills and his father and grandfather had played for ranch house dances; by the time he got through with it, however, you could hardly find a musical style that it didn’t contain.

As western swing grew and spread throughout the ‘30s and ‘40s, other bandleaders came along to get a piece of the action, including Leon McAuliffe, Wills’ one-time steel guitar player. Wills encouraged his three younger brothers to front their own bands, and they did, giving the music world Johnnie Lee Wills and His Boys, Luke Wills’ Rhythm Busters and Billy Jack Wills’ Western Swing Band. Although Johnnie Lee would stick close to Tulsa, the others would emulate their big brother and work throughout the west and southwest.

It was with Luke Wills, then based in Fresno, Calif., that Fraley made his mark – if only briefly.

“It must’ve been about ‘47 that Luke made the trip out here [to Tulsa] and toured back to Fresno,” Fraley says. “[Guitarist] Junior Barnard had made the tour back here with him, but Junior didn’t want to go back. They put the word out that they were looking for a guitar player. So I was able to tour with Luke.

“It didn’t last a long time – at least a couple of weeks, I’d guess. But some eventful things happened on that trip. Bob Wills had loaned Luke his ‘41 Cadillac Town Car. Billy Jack had just bought a new Plymouth, and he’d loaned it to Luke; and those two cars were what was making the trip, one of ‘em hauling the trailer. Well, the fan that cools the engine went out on that Cadillac up in Burley, Idaho, and we couldn’t find nothing to fix it with. So they put a block of wood under the hood and tied the hood down and drove that Cadillac all the way back to Fresno,” Fraley says. He laughs. “I imagine that engine was shot by the time it got back there.”

Beanie Fraley, playing a double-neck guitar, has no need for a music stand; glaucoma robbed him of his sight a dozen years ago.

DESPITE BLINDNESS FROM GLAUCOMA, BEANIE FRALEY, 89, CONTINUES TO JAM ON HIS DOUBLE-NECK GUITAR DURING MONTHLY SESSIONS AT TULSA’S REED COMMUNITY CENTER. PHOTO BY JAMES AVERY.

Once they got to Fresno, he remembers, Luke Wills dismissed him from the band, “and it seems like the other guys were let out, too. So I went up to Merced (California) and played in a place called Blue’s Rainbow Club. It was just a part-time job. The singer there was Curly Lloyd. As Jack Lloyd, he went on to play [and sing] with Bob Wills.”

Luke Wills wasn’t the only western-swing bandleader to share a stage with Fraley. Right before going on the road with Luke, Fraley spent a little time with the Tulsa-based McAuliffe and his jazz-influenced group.

“I auditioned for him down at the Musicians’ Union Hall, right here in Tulsa,” he recalls. “Leon, he made a comment about me being able to play inverted chords; he must’ve thought I had more music theory than what I did.”

He laughs again. “He hired me, but I wasn’t able to stay. They read arrangements and stuff, a lot of charts, so I was only with Leon about a month or so.”

That gig may have been foreshadowed several years earlier, when a young Fraley was forced to spend six months in a sanitarium in Talihina, following his exposure to tuberculosis.

“I was 14 years old,” he says.

“My bronchial tubes were infected – praise God, I didn’t have anything in my lungs. But while I was there, Leon McAuliffe came there to see his first wife.

I think she passed away down there, a little later. I picked up my first guitar while I was there, and seven years later, I was playing in his band.”

From then on, Fraley only put his guitar down once for any extended period of time – from 1967 to ‘75, while he was working for an appliance delivery service in Tulsa. Once he picked it back up, however, he began

developing a new way of tuning and stringing a 12-string guitar.

His experimentation led to a story in Guitar Player magazine’s October 1983 issue.

“I got letters from guitar players all over the world – Taiwan, England, South America, Canada. I’d written an instruction book the best I could with my limited theory, and I sold quite a few of ‘em. I was in the process of resurrecting it for the Internet when I lost my eyesight,” Fraley says.

He still plans to make the technique he calls Twelve-String Magic available on the web.

Fraley’s 12-string magic weaves its spell particularly well this Friday morning on Duke Ellington’s moody “(In My) Solitude,” the others joining in to create a sound that recalls the cocktail-jazz of accordionist Art Van Damme. It’s one of many jazz and pop tunes the jammers 18635 Jim Norton.indd do, sometimes led by Fraley’s vocalist wife, Imogene.

Fraley explains that they used to play more country, but the singer who brought in most of those songs recently passed away.

Time and the Reaper have indeed claimed many of the jammers over the years, including steel-guitarist Buster Magness, Fraley’s longtime friend who recorded and played with Johnnie Lee Wills, and Oklahoma City-based western-swinger Merl Lindsay. In the beginning – and no one’s quite sure when that was – it was a big group that played in conjunction with a breakfast at the center.

That was some time ago, though. This morning, it’s just these four men and Imogene, filling up the little room off the hallway, joking with one another, singing the familiar tunes and fingering the familiar chords.

There may not be many of them left, but they play on, and their music does not die.

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3/7/13

12:17 PM

The State

SCENE

WELDON BOWMAN, TIFFANY EGDORF, PAUL KANE, KAREN STREETER AND PETER GRANT PARTICIPATED IN A RIBBON-CUTTING CEREMONY AT LINDSEY HOUSE TO DEDICATE THE NEW HARDESTY CHILD ENRICHMENT CENTER.

ANN ACKERMAN, MAYOR DEWEY BARTLETT AND VICTORIA BARTLETT HELPED KICK OFF SUMMER AT THE LEADERSHIP OKLAHOMA LAWN PARTY.

STEVE BRADSHAW, ABBY MEADERS AND BRIAN JACKSON ARE PICTURED AT THE JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF OKLAHOMA’S JA BUSINESS SUCCESS SERIES AT WHICH BRADSHAW WAS THE FEATURED SPEAKER.

BEVERLY DIETERLAN, JAN JOHNSON, JAN SWAFFORD AND JANIE FUNK ATTENDED SPEAKEASY, A FUNDRAISER FOR THE TULSA CENTRAL LIBRARY RENEWED FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN.

Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma There has been a resurgence in efforts to preserve and strengthen the Choctaw Nation’s culture and heritage. Language programs to learn Choctaw are provided from elementary school through college, as well as online programs for adults.

Historical games like stickball and traditional Choctaw dances are taught to the youth. A registry of Choctaw artists who have preserved traditional skills, such as beadwork, making baskets, gourds, pipes and wood sculptures to list a few, is maintained by the tribe.

atton

Chief Gary B

Assistant Chief Jack Austin, Jr.

The Choctaw Nation Headquarters is located in Durant, Oklahoma.

•••

Contact the Choctaw Nation at: 800-522-6170 •••

SHERRI COALE AND CASS HAWKINS ENJOYED THE ROTARY CLUB OF TULSA’S IBA AWARDS BANQUET.

DEBBIE GRILLOT, DIANA ASKINS, DIANA COOPER AND GARYANN TOMKALSKI WERE ALL SMILES AT RSVP TULSA’S SOMEWHERE IN TIME GALA: AN EVENING IN PARIS.

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The State L I V I N G S PA C E

Across The Lake

A Lake Aluma home renovation surpasses original plans.

E

Photography by David Cobb

stablished in the 1940s as a hunters’ haven, Lake Aluma is now a year-round enclave in northeast Oklahoma City. On the pristine lake circled by beautiful homes, canoes and paddleboats rest at the shoreline as swans and geese cohabit amiably. The picturesque setting is an ideal snapshot of relaxed country living.

Today, many of the older homes are being refurbished or replaced with newer homes befitting the bucolic setting.

In Amy and Roger Spring’s quest for the perfect home, they decided to renovate the dated Lake Aluma bungalow that they’ve lived in for the past several years.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: A SUNROOM OVERLOOKS THE HOME’S GARDEN. POOLSIDE ENTERTAINING IS EASY IN THE HOME’S BACKYARD, FEATURING DINING AREAS, LIMESTONE PATHWAYS, ROCK GARDENS AND A WATERFALL. THE MASTER SUITE FEATURES WINDOWS OPEN TO THE BEAUTIFULLY LANDSCAPED BACKYARD. INTIMATE CONVERSATION AREAS CAN BE FOUND THROUGHOUT THE SPACIOUS HOME. AN OFFICE OFFERS AMPLE STORAGE.

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AUGUST 2014 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

31

The State

Initially, the couple planned only to screen in a porch, but they eventually gutted the entire house and added 2,000 square feet to the existing 4,100. Oklahoma City designer Janie Comstock predicted a year to achieve the home’s transformation. The Springs moved out; the workers moved in.

“The only input Roger had was on the ‘tree of life’ he wanted for his wine storage,” says Amy Spring. “It is truly a work of art.”

So is the rest of the house. Rock walls and limestone steps now curve toward the spacious front lawn. The covered front porch can host 100 guests for outdoor entertaining.

From the narrow road that winds through the wooded setting, the first impression suggests a Colorado hunting lodge.

The rear lawn features poolside entertaining and dining areas. Limestone pathways, wood decking and natural landscaping add charm.

Native trees and perennials accent rambling rock gardens and berms. A fire pit provides warmth, while a waterfall adds nature’s music.

As landscapers embellished the grounds, the home’s interior assumed a sophisticated personality, designed to complement the lifestyle of parents with two children and demanding careers.

The main level was redesigned. Walls and windows were moved to open the living A COZY DEN FEATURES space; the rear grounds are visible from the COMFORTABLE FURNISHINGS AND EYE-CATCHING ART. entrance. A den, a music room and a sunroom overlook the garden.

The east wing, adjacent to the dining area, includes a library that offers overflow seating, a cozy den revealing lake views, the master suite, a masculine retreat and wine cellar.

The west wing houses the well-appointed kitchen, utility area, an office with abundant storage and the children’s suites. They never miss school or social events due to a floor-to-ceiling calendar nearby. Amy Spring credits Clutter Busters with streamlining her organizational skills.

“Organization is one of Amy’s fortes,” Comstock says. “She forgot nothing in considering how they live and entertain.”

The kitchen has storage areas for the children’s snacks, strategically placed for their limited reach.

Their upstairs playroom and theater contains areas for toys, games, crafts and sports gear.

During the renovation, Spring and Comstock shopped the region for furnishings and accessories to create a dramatic look in every room. Herringbone UNUSUAL CHANDELIERS patterned wood floors and reclaimed wood beams anCAN BE FOUND IN MANY OF chor most rooms. Walls are neutral, showcasing vivTHE RENOVATED ROOMS, idly colored art. Unusual chandeliers, many of them INCLUDING THE KITCHEN. antiques, create special lighting effects.

In every room, there are unique touches – a Grecian door, a pecky cypress ceiling inset, English antique wine casks, antique doors on twin refrigerators. Several areas invite intimate conversations or offer cozy reading nooks.

Now, dramatic art, treasured antiques and period and contemporary furnishings give this home across the lake a loved and lived-in look and feeling.

M.J. VAN DEVENTER

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2014

ANTIQUE ENGLISH WINE CASKS AND A LARGE CHANDELIER ANCHOR THE ECLECTIC DINING AREA.

THE MUSIC ROOM IS AN ECLECTIC MIX OF FURNITURE AND DECOR STYLES.

AN EYE-CATCHING “TREE OF LIFE” HOLDS THE COUPLE’S LARGE WINE COLLECTION.

AUGUST 2014 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

33

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J. BRAND GRAY SIDE-ZIP SWEATER, $395, GRAY T-SHIRT, $85, AND DENIM JEANS, $178; PROENZA SCHULER GRAY BACKPACK, $1,675; LANVIN BLACK TENNIS SHOES, $695; REBECCA LANKFORD HORN NECKLACE, $775, ABERSONS.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2014

VINCE WHITE T-SHIRT, $60; 10 CROSBY CREAM JACKET, 595; MOTHER DENIM JEANS, $178; PROENZA SCHULER BLACK MESSENGER BAG, $1,995; PEDRO GARCIA SLIP-ON SHOES, $410; RUBY KOBU BRACELET, $725, ABERSONS.

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The State

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The State THEORY PURPLE BLOUSE, $265; SEVEN FOR ALL MANKIND FLORAL JEANS, $198; BCBG FAUX SUEDE NAVY FRINGE MOTO JACKET, $398; MARC JACOBS BLUE LEATHER CLUTCH, $248; STUART WEITZMAN MOTORCYCLE ANKLE BOOTS, $498; NEST ROSE GOLD HOOP EARRINGS, $95, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE. OLIVER PEOPLES SUNGLASSES, $329, VISIONS UNIQUE EYEWEAR.

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REBECCA TAYLOR FLORAL BLOUSE, $250; ADRIANO GOLDSCHMIED DENIM JACKET, $188; J. BRAND GREEN SATEEN JEANS, $185; CHLOE NAVY SUEDE BALLET FLATS, $495; MARC JACOBS NYLON CROSSBODY BAG, $198, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE. OLIVER PEOPLES CLEAR CRYSTAL POLARIZED SUNGLASSES, $299, VISIONS UNIQUE EYEWEAR.

JOIE SILK PLAID TOP, $268; RAG & BONE BLACK SKINNY JEANS, $188; VINCE LEATHER JACKET, $995; CHLOE BLACK RIDING BOOTS, $1,075; TORY BURCH BLACK LEATHER SATCHEL, $495; ADRIANA ORSINI SILVER AND CUBIC ZIRCONIA NECKLACES, $90-$125 EACH; IPPOLITA STERLING SILVER AND QUARTZ DINNER RING, $595, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE. CHANEL AVIATOR WITH LEATHER TEMPLES, $409, VISIONS UNIQUE EYEWEAR.

MAIYET GREEN DRESS, $595; PEDRO GARCIA BROWN SUEDE HEELS, $475; REED KRAKOFF BROWN LEATHER HOBO BAG, $1,590, ABERSONS. ALEXIS BITTAR MULTI-BAND RING, $125, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE. FACE A FACE TWO-TONE CAT-EYE SUNGLASSES, $455, HICKS BRUNSON EYEWEAR.

AUGUST 2014 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

37

The State

LACKING LIBIDO

Sexual health is an important yet often overlooked part of total health.

Some believe sexual decline is a natural part of aging, but it doesn’t have to be, says Dr. Lynn Frame, an obstetrician and gynecologist practicing at Utica Women’s Specialists.

“I ask every patient how their sex life is,” says Frame. “There are effective treatments available. I have patients enjoying an active sex life well into their later years.”

Sexual dysfunction can be a sign that something is wrong, especially in younger women. Sexual health should be a part of a yearly well women exam.

“Don’t be too embarrassed to bring it up to your doctor and your partner,” says Frame.

Hormone replacement therapy can be beneficial for postmenopausal women experiencing pain during intercourse or a decreased sex drive. Conditions like endometriosis can cause pain during intercourse. Also, social and emotional issues can impact sexual health.

It’s important to look for the root causes of the problem, Frame says.

“The important thing to remember is help is available,” says Frame. – LC YO U R H E A L T H

Substantial Surgery

E

Weight-loss procedures can produce healthy results.

xtra pounds on the scale can carry more than just risks to self-image. They can impact health and quality of life.

Fighting obesity can seem like an impossible battle.

“Obesity is a medical condition, just like high blood pressure and diabetes,” says Dr. Hamilton S. Le, medical director of INTEGRIS Weight Loss Center in Oklahoma City.

If you are more than 100 pounds overweight – or more than 30 pounds overweight and struggling with conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea or high cholesterol – bariatric surgery may be a viable option for beneficial weight loss.

“Surgery is one treatment option and should be viewed as a tool to assist patients [needing to] reset their metabolism and get to a healthier weight,” says Le. Bariatric surgery (including gastric bypass) can offer such benefits as weight loss, improved quality of life and improvement of certain medical conditions, says Le. However, as with any surgery, there are risks.

When considering bariatric surgery, find an experienced and certified surgeon who addresses a comprehensive weight loss approach.

Le also recommends having a supportive family member or friend attend appointments to help keep track of important information. Le also advises visiting a support group to meet postoperative patients.

“Education is vital to prepare for the lifestyle changes after surgery,” says Le. “Long-term success will be up to the individual who follows up with their doctor, maintains healthy dietary choices and makes physical activity a daily routine.”

LINDSAY CUOMO

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2014

PRESCRIPTION SAVVY

When starting a new medication, the more you know, the better, says Dr. Theron Bliss, a primary care physician at St. John Health System.

“The better informed a patient is about their disease and their treatment, the better they usually do in terms of their care,” he says.

He advises patients to start with the basics by educating themselves about their disease or condition, medications prescribed and the doctor’s goals for treatment.

“Don’t be afraid to ask questions until you are comfortable [that] you understand,” says Bliss. “It’s important to understand why you are taking a prescribed medication and what the medication will do for you.”

Ask about the side effects and possible drug interactions.

“Be sure your doctor knows about any other medications you are currently taking and about any other medical conditions you have, especially if you are seeing a specialist or a new doctor,” says Bliss.

“They may not have access to all your medical records.”

Make sure instructions are clear regarding how and when to take a prescription medication.

“If you need to take it on an empty stomach, [taking it] first thing in the morning would probably work best,” says Bliss. “For people with several daily medications, a pill organizer can help keep track of what to take when.

“Make the medication part of your routine,” he continues. “You’ll be more likely to remember it each day.” – LC

The State

THE MILL CITY MUSEUM IS A FASCINATING STUDY IN HISTORY AND STRUCTURE. PHOTO COURTESY MINNESOTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

D E S T I N AT I O N

Portrait of a City

I

Experience the art of living in Minneapolis.

n a matter of weeks, trees covered in lush green leaves will soon break into their autumnal spectrum. Hazy summer bliss, however, lingers and bids late vacationers to make their plans before the first frosty morning. In Minneapolis, that’s usually around October, but in August, the western half of Minnesota’s Twin Cities is a balmy treasure of fine attractions, and the arts are rampant.

If Minneapolis is on the radar for a quick out-of-town getaway, the City of Lakes is abound in sophisticated culture with alcoves of quirky charm throughout. Those who look for it will find Minneapolis a thriving me-

tropolis filled with a spirit of discovery from its history to the present. Get a closer look at the beauty, architecture and art of a city that knows what it is to live in a masterpiece.

Mill City Museum Minneapolis was once the flour mill capital of the world, and the Mill City Museum stands as a reminder of those days. Constructed into the ruins of what was once the Washburn A Mill built in 1874, the museum was created by the Minnesota Historical Society after the Minneapolis Community Development Agency cleaned up the abandoned site and fortified its aged walls. In its milling heyday between 1880 and 1930, the mill turned out

enough flour to make 12 million loaves of bread daily. Today, Mill City Museum exhibits old factory equipment, an interactive Water Lab highlighting the impact of nearby St. Anthony Falls on local industries, a ride up the Flour Tower, the Baking Lab and an explosive surprise. www.millcitymuseum.org Weisman Art Center Located on the University of Minnesota campus in Minneapolis, the Weisman Art Center features a stunning collection of work by such 20th century American artists as Georgia O’Keeffe and Marsden Hartley as well as art across all disciplines. But the art isn’t just on the inside – the Weisman Art Center was designed by Frank Gehry, the architect famed for creating the ribbon-like splendor in effect at downtown Los Angeles’ Walt Disney Concert Hall and at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in Spain as well as the Cubist-inspired Ray and Maria Stata Center at MIT. The Weisman is a teaching center, which means the art created and shown there is ever-changing and evolving. www.weisman.umn.edu Walker Art Center The Walker Art Center’s prestige goes deep like its long-established origins – when lumber tycoon T.B. Walker built a room onto his house in which to hang his 20 favorite paintings, he opened the doors, allowing anyone who wanted to view them inside.

That beginning in 1879 was the catalyst for an institution that has grown into an internationally recognized center for visual arts, performing arts and creativity. Housing a diverse and expansive range of contemporary art, the campus also includes exhibition galleries, performance spaces, architectural marvels and the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, home to brilliant landscaping, water features and sculptures. The most famous of its artworks, Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen’s Spoonbridge and Cherry, has become iconic of the city itself. www.walkerart.org

AT A G L A N C E

CLAES OLDENBURG AND COOSJE VAN BRUGGEN’S SPOONBRIDGE AND CHERRY IS A HIGHLIGHT OF THE MINNEAPOLIS SCULPTURE GARDEN NEAR THE WALKER ART CENTER. PHOTO COURTESY MEET MINNEAPOLIS.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2014

Access: Arrive in Minneapolis through the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport. Get around town by a light rail system, city buses and taxis. Commuter trains run to Saint Paul and the suburbs. The city also features many dedicated bike lanes.

Climate: Temperatures in August average in the low 80s and drop about 10 degrees each successive month through fall and winter.

Main attractions: NFL Minnesota Vikings, Minnehaha Falls, Basilica of Saint Mary, NBA Minnesota Timberwolves

W Minneapolis Hotel: Tulsa isn’t the only city with stunning Art Deco architecture: The Foshay Tower was constructed in 1929 just before the stock market crash that sent the U.S. into the Great Depression. Today, it is the W Minneapolis, still the tallest building in Minneapolis with a total height of 607 feet. Sumptuous for its time, the W Minneapolis is still decadent with a contemporary elegance that complements this historic structure. Visitors frequently remark on the views from the 30th floor observation deck and the Prohibition Sky Bar on the 27th floor. www.wminneapolishotel.com

A STAY AT LE MERIDIEN CHAMBERS HOTEL IS LIKE LIVING IN A HIGH-END ART GALLERY. PHOTO COURTESY MEET MINNEAPOLIS.

F E S T I VA L S

Le Meridien Chambers Hotel: A weekend of the arts deserves a stay in accommodations created for both aesthetic and physical comforts. The luxurious Le Meridien Chambers Hotel is located in the heart of the city close to Nicollet Mall and the Hennepin Theater District. Classic luxury and the arts blend seamlessly with more than 200 art works displayed throughout this boutique hotel located in two landmark buildings. So committed is Le Meridien Chambers that the hotel partnered with the Walker Art Center. The key card guests receive at Le Meridien and Minneapolis Art Hotel opens more than just a room door. www.lemeridienchambers.com

T R AV E L E R ’ S N O T E S

S TAY I N S T Y L E

Guthrie Theater When the founders of the Guthrie Theater started it in 1963, their goal was to create a first-rate acting company devoted to producing classic work out-ofreach from commercially driven Broadway. Sir Tyrone Guthrie and his partners accomplished that goal and created a center focused on theater excellence and education. In 2006, construction was completed on a new facility featuring three stages, a coffee bar, restaurant and the Endless Bridge – a cantilevered lobby extending more than half a block from the theater toward the Mississippi River. The design helped earn architect Jean Nouvel the Pritzker Architecture Prize. Currently, the theater features productions of My Fair Lady and Christopher Durang’s 2013 Tony Award-winning Best Play Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike through the month of August. www.guthrietheater.org Stone Arch Bridge Minneapolitans love their historic Stone Arch Bridge so much that they hold a festival for it every June. The rest of the year, residents and visitors alike admire the old bridge, which was built in 1883 as a railroad crossing over the Mississippi River. Made of granite and limestone for its entire length, the bridge is now for pedestrians and bicycle riders only, and as part of the Saint Anthony Falls Historic District, it is on the National Register of Historic Places. Located just below Saint Anthony Falls, the bridge is a lovely foreground to shots of downtown Minneapolis and the skyline.

It’s also a favorite gathering place. www.stonearchbridge.com Nicollet Mall Nearby Bloomington’s Mall of America seems to be the most famous mall in the Twin Cities region, but Nicollet Mall is Minneapolis’ commercial heart. Running for 12 blocks on Nicollet Avenue, the stretch is a picturesque pedestrian district running through downtown and lined with such stores as Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5th and Macy’s. The district is also known for its theaters, restaurants and nightspots, many located within some of the town’s historic buildings. On Thursdays, the Nicollet Mall Market sets up with produce vendors and more.

Minnesota Fringe Festival: Fringe festivals – those showcases of theater and performance arts that take over cities in a flurry of unbridled creativity – are turning up everyone around the world, but one of the oldest and largest of them hits Minneapolis every summer. The Minnesota Fringe Festival this year features 169 performances across 11 days at 19 venues from July 31 to Aug. 10. Exciting and unique, Minnesota Fringe frequently uncovers cool new talent and voices in arts. www.fringefestival.org/2014/ Ethnic festivals: We usually think of Nordic heritage when we consider the early days of Minnesota statehood and immigration, but the region also is steeped in Celtic culture. That tradition is celebrated with the Welsh North American Association’s North American Festival of Wales, and visitors get to experience all the hallmarks, including songs, Welsh food, crafts and art. A lineup of lectures is also scheduled for Aug. 28-31 (www.thewnaa.org). Also in August, look for Irish Fair of Minnesota (www.irishfair.com), FinnFest USA 2014 (www.finnfestusa2014.org) and the Twin MINNESOTA FRINGE FESTIVAL. Cities Polish Festival (tcpolishfestival.org).

PHOTO COURTESY WWW.FRINGEFESTIVAL.ORG.

KAREN SHADE

VISIT ONLINE www.minneapolis.org

AUGUST 2014 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

41

OU - Oklahoma’s Leader in Excellence

• OU has the academically highest ranked student body at a public university in Oklahoma history.

• OU ranks No. 1 in the nation among all public universities in the number of National Merit Scholars enrolled.

• Three OU students were named Goldwater Scholars, placing OU in the top ranks of universities nationally with 46 Goldwater Scholars since the competition began in 1991.

• An OU student was named a Truman Scholar, one of only 59 selected in the U.S. • Four OU students were named Fulbright Scholars after a rigorous national competition.

• For the seventh consecutive year, University of Oklahoma students from the Peggy Dow Helmerich School of Drama have earned national honors at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival held in Washington, D.C. • OU’s Debate Teams have won the National University Debate Championship four times in the last eight years, with an OU student earning the Title of Best Speaker at this years’ National Debate Tournament.

• OU is the first public university in the nation to be awarded the prestigious Davis Cup in recognition of its record-setting enrollment of 45 United World College international freshmen.

• OU’s Research Campus was named the #1 research campus in the nation, placing it among such past recipients as the Research Triangle Park in North Carolina, Purdue Research Park in Indiana and University City Center in Pennsylvania.

• OU’s $250 million Campaign for Scholarships has reached $285 million in gifts and pledges. The success of the campaign has allowed OU to more than double its private scholarships.

• The One University Digital Initiative allows OU faculty to develop digital alternatives to high-cost textbooks, translating to an annual savings averaging $400 per student in textbook costs.

• OU is a leader among all American universities in international exchange and study abroad programs.

One in four OU students study abroad. OU currently offers programs in over 50 countries and 100 cities in six continents. Students from 120 countries are enrolled at OU.

The University of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity institution. www.ou.edu/eoo

- The Pride of Oklahoma

Special Section

Education Oklahoma Magazine takes a look at education issues facing the state’s students, from kindergarten through college.

44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58

A Financial Education The New Market Lessening Brain Drain Master Your Fate The Importance Of Alumni It Takes A Community The School Debate Destined For Greatness

AUGUST 2014 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

43

Education

A Financial Education Graduate without the debt.

Graduates usually leave college with greater knowledge, understanding and experience – and, more often, a staggering student loan debt.

An average of 53 percent of Oklahoma’s students graduate with debt, and those who do have an average of $23,636 to pay back, according to the 2012 statistics from The Project on Student Debt. It doesn’t have to be that way.

Scholarships For a college student facing debt, scholarships are huge opportunities, but they will not be awarded to a student who doesn’t search for them, says Jamie Glover, associate vice president for enrollment management at Cameron University in Lawton.

“Apply. Apply. Apply. Students should work hard to find scholarship opportunities,” Glover says. “Very seldom do scholarships just land in a student’s lap. Students need to make it a priority to seek out opportunities and to apply. Not all will work out, but those that do are well worth the investment in time in takes to apply.”

Scholarship and grant opportunities are almost always listed on a school’s website, but there are also many scholarship-specific search engines. Glover recommends www.okcollegestart.org as a source for sorting credible scholarship sites.

Sonya Gore, director of student financial aid at Oklahoma City Community College, says the U.S. Department of Education website www.studentaid.gov is a great tool for learning about federal student aid. The site also provides a link to the U.S. Department of Labor’s free scholarship search tool.

Be wary of membership sites that require money, says Gore.

“Never pay for a scholarship search or application,” Gore says.

Other places to look are local businesses and organizations like banks, credit unions, area businesses, Rotary clubs and churches.

“Local folks advocate for local students to succeed in their education endeavors,” Gore says.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2014

To increase chances of attaining scholarships, Matthew Hamilton, vice president and registrar of enrollment and student financial services at the University of Oklahoma, says students should carefully go through the application and complete all requirements.

“Students should meet all deadlines, complete all sections of scholarship applications and make sure to pay attention to details like letters of recommendation and personal essays,” Hamilton says.

Community Colleges

It can definitely be easier to complete school if the classes are cheaper in the first place. The cost of attending a community college can be less than half the cost of attending a university, says Gore.

Some community colleges, OCCC included, also partner with state universities to develop programs that transfer directly to larger schools. This way, students who want to go to a four-year university can make that transition easily after completing their basic coursework at a community college and at a more affordable price.

“This ultimately saves students and parents thousands of dollars,” Gore says.

Work-Study Programs

Federal work-study programs can also help pay the cost of attending school. Awarded through completion of the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), work-study jobs are part-time positions available to students with financial need. Universities also offer work positions, but to all students and regardless of need.

Once federal work-study is awarded, then it is up to the student to find jobs available through the program.

“Applying for and obtaining a work-study position is much like applying for any job,”

says Glover. “Students should present themselves like they would to any employer and be persistent in applying for jobs until they obtain one.

Once students have obtained a job on campus, they are often able keep that position until graduation.”

With federal work-study, it’s important that students follow-through with FAFSA paperwork as early as possible, says Jennifer Zehnder, creative services, marketing and media assistant director at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah.

“File the FAFSA early each year, after Jan. 1, to make sure you meet the state grant deadline and take advantage of certain programs that have limited funding,” Zehnder says.

Although work-study helps, Denise Flis, senior director of the financial services office at Oklahoma City University, says students should not rely exclusively on it if they hope to graduate without student loan debt.

“Work-study is typically limited to 20-25 hours per week and makes minimum wage, so it helps a lot but typically doesn’t result in a student being able to graduate debt-free,” Flis says.

Graduate students also have the option of applying for assistant positions through their degree program.

says. “A college education should be considered an investment in one’s self.”

High School Performance

want and stick to it won’t enroll in unnecessary classes. Additionally, certain degrees may also have specific programs to help. OU’s College of Education is establishing a Debt Forgiveness Program for its teaching graduates in such “high-need” areas as math, science and special education to encourage them to continue teaching in Oklahoma.

But no matter the price of higher education, many agree that college is still worth it.

“I believe the cost of an education at a college or university should be an important consideration for what college or university students choose to attend, but (cost) should not discourage a student from pursuing a college degree altogether,” Glover says. “Investing in a college education is a wise decision. Various studies have demonstrated the numerous long-term benefits of earning a college degree, such as higher income, better employment related benefits and more job security.”

While still in high school, ambitious and thrifty students can get a head start on college by planning ahead as much as possible. For incoming college freshman, opportunities for grants and scholarships can be dramatically improved by their high school achievements and performance excellence.

“For traditional age college students particularly, academic performance in high school and on ACT and SAT (exams) can be directly tied to scholarship attainment,” says Glover.

Students taking Advanced Placement classes in high school can also save money because they test out of the applicable college courses.

With careful planning and by being proactive, students should not be deterred from pursuing a degree because of the cost.

“It is important for students and parents to think critically about how to pay for college and how to live on a reasonable budget,” he

Apply Throughout College To graduate without student loan debt, a student must be persistent.

“One of the biggest mistakes I see students make is to not continue to seek scholarship opportunities while in college,” Glover says.

“Students usually do a good job leading into their first year in college.

However, a college degree is a multi-year investment, and students need to continue to apply for both federal financial aid and scholarships year after year to ensure they can graduate on time and with little or no debt.”

In school, students can help control costs. While the college lifestyle is not particularly extravagant, budgeting while in school can help busy students keep track of where they are financially. Zehnder recommends www.oklahomamoneymatters.org, the Oklahoma Money Matters site, for budgeting and saving tips. Also, fixing on a major as soon as possible cuts costs – students who know what degree they

MEGAN MORGAN AUGUST 2014 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

45

Education

The New Market There is not a shortage of jobs, just a shortage of workers with the skill set employers need.

As new high school graduates prepare for the next step, the question looms: “What should I do with my life from here?” Some have always known what they want to be when they grow up, but others struggle to find the place where their interests intersect with a career choice. In either case, tailoring a college education to meet future goals is important.

Adding to that decision, students today also face a new reality filled with less assurance, says Dr. Bill Path, president of Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology in Okmulgee.

“Throughout most of my lifetime, savings accounts always earned interest, houses always appreciated in value and bachelor degrees always led to employment,” says Path. “The conventional advice to young people planning to go to college was to get a degree in anything you want, [that] just having a college degree will open doors for you.

“The rules have changed for first-time job seekers,” continues Path. “Employers are much more selective than ever before. So many people are reporting themselves as unemployed or underemployed even with college degrees.”

Employers are looking for a work force with a specific set of skills.

“Most corporations today say their growth – and, ultimately, national economic growth – is limited by the country’s small pool of skilled workers,” shares Roger N. Blais, provost and vice president for academic affairs with The University of Tulsa.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2014

“Employers are not interested in book learning,” says Path. “They want applied learning.”

A recent Georgetown University report confirmed this new reality: Not all college degrees are created equal.

Specific fields and the higher technical skills associated with these fields can (and often do) boast lower unemployment rates and higher earnings.

“There is a need nationally for more students studying science, mathematics, engineering and technology (STEM),” says David Hamby, public relations director at Rogers State University in Claremore. “In order to be successful, you need a working knowledge in STEM areas.”

Students need to know where the greatest career opportunities can be found, Path says.

“Certain career fields become oversaturated. Today’s students need to be wiser consumers and make smarter decisions about college,” Path says.

Job growth is limited if an individual cannot operate the technology required, says Blais.

“We live in a technological society. Job growth is most vigorous for people who are competent in STEM areas,” he says.

But, you don’t have to be a science or math whiz, offers Path. If you are into journalism, for example, take courses in technical writing or on the many computer software programs used within the industry, says Path.

“Fit your education to your strengths,” says Hamby.

“Then, maximize those strengths.”

Opportunities in STEM-focused jobs are available at various levels of skill and training.

“Not all jobs will require a high level of competence,” says Blais. “Some jobs require the precise skills of highly trained scientists and engineers to create the technology, but a much larger group of positions involve the application of the technology in offices, factories or other field locations.”

As an example, “for every one engineer, they might need 10 support positions to apply that design,” says Path.

“College is an opportunity afforded to a very small percentage of the world’s population. Students should graduate from college with the tools and ambition necessary to educate themselves for the rest of their lives,” says Blais. “Disliking a class is a small price to pay in exchange for the wealth of wisdom students stand to gain.”

LINDSAY CUOMO

Education

Lessening Brain Drain

Oklahoma strives to keep young professionals in the state.

Brain drain.

No, it’s not a zombie reference. Brain drain is the incalculable economic loss sustained every time a young, educated Oklahoman leaves the state for opportunities elsewhere, taking their future earning potential with them.

State business leaders prioritize keeping young people here, and there is evidence that these proactive measures are effective, says Zack Stoycoff, communications manager at the Tulsa Regional Chamber. Bloomberg Businessweek’s “Best Cities for New College Grads” list recently placed Tulsa at No. 13 and Oklahoma City at No. 14 in the nation for providing numerous entry-level career opportunities with good pay and a low cost of living.

“Oklahoma is a beautiful, culturally rich state, and both of its largest cities have made concerted efforts in recent years to develop urban centers that attract young professionals,” Stoycoff says. “Both Tulsa and Oklahoma City are centers of culture, nightlife and quality of life with thriving economies.

The latter gives them an advantage over many competing cities, which have reputations as youth-friendly destinations but don’t necessarily have jobs for their new young residents. In Tulsa, we have one of the lowest unemployment rates in Oklahoma and the nation at 4.2 percent – below the state average.

“We have the nation’s second-lowest commute time, a cost of living that is 12 percent below the national average and a quality of life recognized by publications like Forbes magazine,” he continues. “Meanwhile, our downtown districts are continually surprising visitors, who inevitably say something like, ‘We had no idea this was here.’ We have built a city in which people – young people – want to live.

Our mission as a chamber now is to spread the word.”

For almost a decade, the Greater Oklahoma City

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2014

Chamber of Commerce has devoted an entire departmental division to recruiting and retaining recent and soon-to-be college graduates, says Drew Dugan, vice president of education and workforce development for the Oklahoma City chamber.

“It is more common these days for chambers to engage in education issues,” says Dugan. “We work with legislative task forces and often partner with the Tulsa chamber to get things done.”

The Oklahoma City chamber promotes its Greater Grads program, geared to create internships. The program has generated 435 positions so far in 2014. The chamber also hosts a job fair open exclusively to Oklahoma employers.

Dugan says both Oklahoma City and Tulsa need engineers for the oil and gas and aviation industries. To that end, a state tax credit benefiting both employer and employee helps lure new engineers to the state, resulting in economic benefits that such highly paid jobs bring to the state’s economy.

In 2005, the Tulsa Regional Chamber created Tulsa’s Young Professionals (TYPros) to promote and develop Tulsa as an attractive place for young professionals.

“With more than 7,000 members and 80 events a year all dedicated to getting young people involved in their city through networking, professional development, legislative advocacy, health initiatives, art and culture advocacy, TYPros is considered one of the largest and most successful young professional organizations in the country – so much so that its leaders are contacted almost weekly by cities across the country looking to mimic the effort in their communities,” says Stoycoff. “Today, its volunteers give more than 3,000 service hours annually to advance the organization’s mission of attracting and retaining young talent while establishing Tulsa’s next generation of leaders.”

Stoycoff says young people place an enormous priority on where they live and what there is to do in their city.

“One thing we see today is that young people tend to choose cities before choosing jobs. They look for cities with thriving urban cores, arts and culture and quality of life amenities that fit their lifestyles, and then they try to find a job,” Stoycoff says. “To compete for young, talented workers in the 21st century, cities and regions must concentrate on creating places (where) young people want to live.

“Today, the Tulsa region is experiencing a resurgence.

The population is growing and becoming more diverse, unemployment remains low and we are developing community assets with new attractions, restaurants, downtown nightlife, housing options, green spaces and more – all of which make our region more attractive to Millennials,” Stoycoff says.

TRACY LEGRAND

MACU MASH October 23-25

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show up and win Attend the free college preview week and receive a $500 scholarship!

Visit online or tour our campus today!

888.436.3035 | go.MACU.edu 3500 SW 119th Street, Oklahoma City, OK

Education

Master Your Fate Graduate school offers rewards with some risks attached.

A student may consider pursuing a graduate degree for many reasons.

Some may want the pay boost afforded by having more than a bachelor’s degree. Others need an advanced degree to move into higher-level positions at work. Still others might seek the satisfaction of increased knowledge and a widened skill set.

Whatever the underlying motivations, attending graduate school can be a tempting choice – but is it the right one?

On a purely economic level, the answer would seem to be “yes.” Aaron T. Christensen, manager of the Graduate Student Services Center at OSU-Tulsa, points out that the earning potential for those with advanced degrees far outpaces that of workers with just a bachelor’s degree.

Christensen cites a study from the U.S. Department of Labor, which finds that those with master’s degrees earn 17 percent more – and those with doctorates 32 percent more – than their counterparts who only completed an undergraduate education.

Those long-term benefits may come with daunting shortterm drawbacks, however. Graduate school is expensive: The total cost of a master’s

17 %

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2014

degree runs into the tens of thousands of dollars. Though Oklahoma graduate schools may offer generous scholarship opportunities, the competition for financial aid can be fierce, and it may not make sense for everyone to go into debt, even if the long-term financial benefits make sense.

Graduate school can take its toll on more than just the pocketbook. The time commitment involved can make it difficult for working professionals to pursue a degree while balancing career and family. Master’s degrees generally take between two and three years to complete, while a doctoral program can take six years and beyond.

For those with jobs, classes usually take up an entire evening a week per class, with many students taking two or three classes a semester. Family support is important.

“Spouses, significant others, children and other relatives [must] be aware of the time commitment [involved in] graduate school,” he says.

Students should be sure to balance long-term goals with the short-term health of families and other relationships.

Ultimately, the decision to pursue a graduate degree involves a number of factors that must be weighed by each student.

Christensen also warns that students should evaluate themselves personally to see if they are ready for the burden of graduate studies.

The U.S. Department of Labor finds that those with Most students master’s degrees earn 17 who enter percent more than those graduate school with bachelor’s degrees. have done well in their undergraduate education, but occasionally students who struggled in college may find that the intervening years have left them well prepared for further studies.

Since many graduate students are nontraditional – having taken large gaps between undergraduate and graduate studies, and pursuing further education part time – it is essential that they reflect on their readiness.

ASHER GELZER-GOVATOS

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PERSONAL

DISCOVERY

When Jake Cornwell was in search of a new career, he came to Oklahoma State University in Tulsa to explore his interests.

The professors, classes and internship opportunities offered at OSU-Tulsa helped Jake discover his true passions, writing and historical preservation. OSU-Tulsa can help you, too. Whether

Jake Cornwell B.A., American Studies and History

your goal is personal discovery, lifelong connections or a better quality of life, OSU-Tulsa can help you get there from here.

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51

Education

The Importance Of Alumni Former students show appreciation by giving back to universities.

Whether public or private, in boom or bust times, universities benefit in numerous ways from their alumni.

Those who have earned their degrees and left the hallowed halls of their alma maters continue to contribute to institutions of higher learning across the country – and Oklahoma is no exception.

Much of the alumni contribution takes the form of a financial boost, though attaching an exact dollar figure to it is difficult.

At Oklahoma State University, for example, alumni giving helped push the current fundraising campaign, “Branding Success: The Campaign for OSU,” over its $1 billion goal last year, says Jim Berscheidt, senior associate vice president for marketing and communications. The campaign has been active for more than six years and will continue until Dec. 31, as remaining projects still require funding, he says.

“Tens of thousands of alumni are helping make the transformational campaign a huge success and impacting the lives of current and future students,” Berscheidt says. “Many alumni have created new scholarships for OSU students, supported the expansion of academic programs or helped create new ones, and contributed to improving university facilities through renovation or new construction projects.”

Alumni contribute not only money but time invested in morale-boosting university events.

This becomes most noticeable during the school year, when thousands of OSU alumni return for sporting events, commencement exercises and homecoming festivities, according to Alumni Association Director of Communi

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2014

cations Chase Carter. The Alumni Association also works with more than 300 volunteers nationwide to support its 100 regional groups, which last year hosted more than 900 events with more than 25,000 alumni and fans in attendance, says Carter.

But such efforts are by no means limited to the state’s largest universities. Every little bit helps during trying economic times, and morale remains important to any educational institution, including smaller ones.

At Oklahoma City’s Mid-America Christian University, alumni are an important force behind positive growth, says Carol Alsip, associate director of annual campaigns for the college.

“There are several different avenues in which our alumni support us,” Alsip says.

“Some [support] financially, some teach for us in the traditional College of Arts and Sciences in our one-night-a-week, on-campus College of Adult and Graduate Studies program, and some even through our online program.”

The process by which colleges reach out to alumni is itself multifaceted. Social media and electronic giving play an increasingly significant role, Carter says.

But regardless of the means by which they accrue, financial contributions will always be vital to a university’s continued success, thus placing a high value on effective outreach to those in a position to give.

“The OSU Foundation encourages alumni giving by inviting them to participate in activities throughout the academic year and talking directly to alumni about how their gifts make a difference in students’ lives,” Berscheidt says.

Smaller universities, meanwhile, look for new ways to reach out to former students.

MACU does not currently employ an alumni director, Alsip says.

“But we are researching ideas and ways of further engaging our alumni until we have the capacity to add that position,” she adds.

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53

Education

It Takes A Community

Community colleges can provide valuable education to students seeking it.

Despite perceived negative perceptions surrounding twoyear programs, attending a community college prior to a university holds a number of tangible benefits.

The landscape of higher education has shifted drastically over the last several years, and with the cost of higher education rising and the amount of jobs diminishing, many throughout Oklahoma have begun to take a look at the best collegiate solution.

“I always preach overall best value,” says Terrie Shipley, an Oklahoma college consultant.

Both public and private universities across the country have steadily increased their costs over the years, making it more difficult than ever to finance a degree. This financial strain is certainly felt by students in Oklahoma. According to the Oklahoma State Regents For Higher Education’s 2012-2013 tuition impact analysis, Oklahoma public colleges’ tuition has increased an average of 4.1 percent in the last five years.

“There’s a lot of misinformation out there, and a lot of people don’t know how much they’re going to have to save to send their kids to a really good school,” says Shipley.

Despite these high costs, Oklahoma’s typical community college is still less than the national average. According to the tuition impact

4.1%

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2014

report, the average cost of community college in Oklahoma is $3,106 annually, as compared to $5,029 nationally.

One of the primary reasons individuals enroll in community colleges is academic ineligibility.

“Community college is usually the option for many of my clients if the student isn’t academically, emotionally or socially ready for a four-year college,” says Shipley.

The 2012 Annual Student Remediation Report revealed that 45 percent of freshman in Oklahoma were enrolled in developmental educational courses, and 73 percent of those students attended community colleges.

Community colleges do provide some advantages over four-year institutions. One advantage is class size. The courses at Oklahoma’s community colleges are in many respects just as challenging as those at other four-year state institutions, but the smaller student-to-teacher ratio at community colleges can help shorten the learning curve.

“People have a really good opportunity in a community college environment to have direct contact with instructors and professionals in the field they’re pursuing,” says Lauren Brookey, vice president of external affairs at Tulsa Community College.

Another pivotal advantage is the direct training for the workforce that students receive at community colleges.

While most universities promote academia, community colleges provide practical knowledge and real-world experience that can be extremely helpful in a struggling job market.

“Community colleges really provide a jumpstart to both a bachelor’s degree and/or a skill or certificate for the workplace,” says Brookey.

Two-year programs also offer a level of flexibility that most universities cannot offer. Unlike traditional four-year universities, community colleges almost always have multiple campuses throughout a city or county, and the growth of the Internet over the last two decades has allowed for many community colleges to offer The amount tuition has many courses increased at Oklahoma’s online. public colleges over the Brookey last five years, according believes that to a recent study of the Community colOklahoma State Regents leges are able to for Higher Education. respond more quickly to trends and changes in how students like to attend college. At Tulsa Community College alone, 80 percent of the students utilize both on-campus and online classes.

Attending community college may not be an automatic choice for many students, but with college graduates currently entering the workforce with high student loan debt and lower paying jobs, a more affordable college education is much more attractive.

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Education

The School Debate

Choosing among public, private or charter institutions can be difficult, but the right decision will set a child up for success.

With so many options for a child’s education, choosing the right path for success can be overwhelming. However, the process can be simplified by weighing the advantages of public, private and charter schools against what is most important to a parent for his or her child.

Private And Public Schools

The Oklahoma Private School Accreditation Commission oversees more than 100 private schools in Oklahoma.

Many of the state’s private schools reflect a religious affiliation.

Often, these schools provide financial aid or assistance for families interested in a private education.

Public schools are confined to specific districts, receive public funds and are governed by school boards. More than 500 school districts provide public education to Oklahoma children.

While most know the role of private and public schools in Oklahoma, the role a charter school plays in education can seem confusing.

Charter Schools

More than 13,000 Oklahoma children attend charter schools in Oklahoma.

“Legislation stipulates charter schools may be established in districts of 5,000 [student] attendance or counties with a population of at least 500,000. Schools listed in districts ‘needing improvement’ may apply for establishment of a charter school,” says Sam Duell, executive director of School Choice, a divison of the Oklahoma State Department of Education.

“The Oklahoma Charter Schools Act defines them as public schools. They maintain a different governance structure, providing greater flexibility in education. In

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exchange, there is greater accountability, and they must justify their existence to continue. Still, [charter schools] must perform to standards.”

“Enrollment is open to all children, and no tuition is allowed,” says Brent Bushey, executive director of Oklahoma Public School Resource Center. “Charter schools receive the same 70 percent funding all [public] schools receive. Public schools receive additional funding from ad valorem and property taxes within the school district.”

Because of educational opportunities and charter

“More than 13,000 Oklahoma children attend charter schools in Oklahoma.” schools’ popularity, some schools resort to a lottery method for admission.

“This limitation in charter schools for admission comes from facility size,” Bradley Clark, director of legal services for OPSRC adds. “The regulations in the law states children within the district receive priority, then those outside the district. There is a tier system to avoid the appearance of cherry picking.”

How To Choose

Charter schools provide innovation, parent involvement, smaller classes and educational specificity.

Private schools involve no state interference, have smaller class sizes and attract families with similar values.

Public schools, especially elementary schools, are typically close to home. Public schools provide transportation, no tuition and diversity in the student body.

Parent involvement is the most important part of children’s education. Determining what fits your family values is the most important component of choosing the best school for your child.

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57

Education

Destined For

GREATNESS These 13 Oklahoma graduates are ready to take the world by storm.

Edited by Jami Mattox • Photography by Dan Morgan

Nicole Ku’ulei-lani Flett THE OKLAHOMA SCHOOL OF SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS

Attending: Harvard University Major: Computer science and art What are your career plans? To design, code, and animate my own games and software. Also, to create programs to spread education on topics that many schools don’t even offer (like computer science) and [to create] organizations to help those without many opportunities.

What led you to want to pursue that field? My love of coding began by taking a class I never would have taken had my freshman language class program not been canceled. I fell in love with coding and decided I wanted to study it in the long run, along with my other favorite subjects of drawing and art. I realized I also want to help others who may be in a situation where they could never learn about such an amazing and applicable subject in today’s society. I want to help create opportunities for more to learn. I also want to create games that are not just fun to play, but also beautiful to experience – like many of those that have undoubtedly helped to shape who I am today.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2014

Dalton Nonweiler HOLLAND HALL

Attending: Washington University in St. Louis Major: Mechanical and/or aerospace engineering What has led you to pursue that field? A life-long love of building, tinkering, deconstructing, modifying and understanding how things work has led me to pursue a degree in engineering. My parents tell me that I was practically born an engineer because I have been building things since I could hold a hammer.

If you could trade places with one person for a day, who would it be? I would relish the opportunity to trade places with one of the Wright Brothers. To be the first pioneer on the cutting edge of such an intriguing field would be an incredible experience.

I think a look inside the minds of the Wright Brothers could affect the way I think of the world around me.

AUGUST 2014 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

59

Logan Mitchell RIVERFIELD COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL

Attending: Howard University Major: Marketing and minor in accounting Who has been the biggest influence in your life? My brother, hands down, has been the biggest influence in my life. His drive, compassion and humor have driven me to be who I am today. Not only has he been a role model and a great brother, but he has also been my best friend.

What do you hope to accomplish while in college? In college I hope to widen my view of the world and meet new people.

I hope to not only find myself, but find a career that not only makes me happy but also helps others.

If you could trade places with one person for a day, who would it be? Sheryl Sandberg. She is the chief operating officer of Facebook, ranked on Fortune’s list of the 50 most powerful women in business and the author of Lean In. I would like to be her for a day because I feel it would be interesting to be in the shoes of someone who has experienced so much.

Mariah Rubino BISHOP KELLEY HIGH SCHOOL

Attending: The University of Tulsa Major: Biochemistry What are your career plans? I want to become a trauma surgeon, a reconstructive plastic surgeon or an emergency room physician.

What has led you to pursue that field? I’ve volunteered at a hospital for several years, and that led me to realize that I love being in the [emergency room] and the [operating room]. The people I got to work with are amazing and give so much for their jobs, and I want to do the same.

Who has been the biggest influence in your life? My mom has been my biggest influence simply because she raised me by herself and taught me right from wrong and how to unashamedly be myself, and that no matter how hard life gets I can still pick myself back up and keep going.

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Noah Quinn Helsee

METRO CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

Attending: University of Oklahoma Major: Business Who has been the biggest influence in your life? My dad. The family is centered around the father, and he has trained me, corrected me, and loved me all my life.

What would people be surprised to learn about you? I write poetry in my spare time.

What do you hope to accomplish while in college? Get a great education, develop relationships, and draw people to Christ.

If you could trade places with one person for a day, who would it be, and why? Pastor Craig Groeschel, because he has a relationship with God that I would love to have for one day, so that I could strive for that in my life.

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Evelin Lopez SOUTHEAST HIGH SCHOOL

Attending: The University of Tulsa Major: Education and engineering What are characteristics that make you stand out from the rest of your graduating class? I have a desire to achieve more than the ordinary student. I always work hard for what I want, and my “overachiever” mindset has distinguished me from the rest of my graduating class.

What is your biggest achievement thus far? Becoming a 2014 Gates Millennium Scholar and receiving the scholarship.

What do you hope to accomplish while in college? I hope to start more clubs and organizations that help students and the homeless community.

Katie Coon

EDISON PREPARATORY HIGH SCHOOL

Attending: Oklahoma State University Major: Entrepreneurship What are your career plans? To expand my current business, KTHeadbandz, a custom decorative apparel business.

What has led you to pursue that field? Owning my own business in high school has allowed me to be creative and work on my own schedule.

What would people be surprised to learn about you? That I’ve completed the Disney Princess Half Marathon at Disney World the past four years.

What do you hope to accomplish while in college? Of course, I hope to gain knowledge in my degree field that will translate into real world skills for my business. But mostly I hope I don’t sleep through too many classes.

Farhan Umer Javed UNION HIGH SCHOOL

Attending: Harvard University Major: International relations What are your career plans? Despite wanting to major in international relations, I intend to apply to med school and go into the medical field after my undergraduate years. Cardiology especially interests me.

What has led you to pursue that field? I’ve always had a healthy appreciation for science and I’ve spent a lot of time volunteering in hospitals and hospices. I’ve also had the opportunity to do novel chemistry research at the University of Tulsa, and that has helped me realize my love of science.

What would people be surprised to learn about you? An interesting fact about me is that I hold or have held three citizenships in my life from various countries – the U.S., Canada and Pakistan – but never [citizenship] from the country I was born in, Saudi Arabia.

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LEADER IN

C H E E R L E A D E R .”

“The first middle school football game I went to, there weren’t cheerleaders, so I asked my mom if I could get a uniform,” says Laurel, who then initiated her own middle school cheering movement. “All my friends come and join in, even the boys. And the high school cheerleaders come up and say, ‘Good job’!”

Laurel also flips for new books. “I like how my school library has so many books, and they always get new books about different subjects.” It’s a good thing Laurel likes to read. When she grows up she wants to be, “A cheerleader and a doctor and a school nurse and a teacher. I like music and P.E. and science. I liked when we learned about birds and we practiced picking up popcorn with straws, like beaks. I like all the subjects.”

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Blake Crowley HERITAGE HALL

Attending: Texas Christian University Major: Finance and entrepreneurial management What is your biggest achievement? Becoming an Eagle Scout.

What do you hope to accomplish while in college? I hope to be in the top of my class academically, while still being involved in bettering the community.

If you could trade places with one person for a day, who would it be? I would trade places with Tim Cook because I have always wondered what it would be like to work for Apple, and I would want to see what Apple is developing for the future.

Annaly Ferrell

CASCIA HALL PREPARATORY SCHOOL

Attending: Brown University Major: Business, entrepreneurship and organizations (BEO) and specializing in organizational studies What are characteristics that make you stand out from the rest of your graduating class? I am willing to step out of my comfort zone to have experiences that will better my life and the lives around me. I am very driven and eager to embark on opportunities that will allow me to have the most liberating and successful life possible.

What do you feel is your biggest achievement thus far? As a young girl, I aspired to be an athlete at an Ivy League institution. I spent hours a day studying and training to make this dream possible. I am proud to say that I will be attending Brown University because of my wellrounded strengths in the classroom and on the soccer field.

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Jonathan Chou JENKS HIGH SCHOOL

Attending: Duke University Major: Engineering What are characteristics that make you stand out from the rest of your graduating class? I think modern-day American culture encourages teenagers to shy away from subjects and activities that are hard or difficult to them because of the “do what you love” mentality that educators and parents have promoted. In the past, I hated all subjects but math because it naturally came easy to me. But even then, instead of encouraging me to pursue math, my parents pushed me to take the hardest honors and AP history, English and science classes to prepare me for an important life skill: At times, you will inevitably find yourself doing something that you may not like, and you must learn to endure it.

Thankfully, I gradually became interested in subjects outside of math, and school became more bearable.

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A Foundation for Learning.

A Foundation for Life.

CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2014 In the class of 91 students, 30 were named Oklahoma Academic Scholars; 7 were recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation; 12 senior athletes received All State honors; 9 will play sports at the college level; class members performed 14,000 community service hours in three years.

OPEN HOUSE FOR PROSPECTIVE FAMILIES SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2014, 1:00 PM No reservation required.

The Cascia Hall Community congratulates the Class of 2014: $11 million was offered in meritbased scholarships for class members to attend college. See a complete list of college acceptances under Academics at casciahall.org.

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AUGUST 2014 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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Arel Rende

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL

Attending: The University of Texas at Austin Major: Finance and government What are your career plans? I want to go to law school after graduating and focus on international trade law and corporate litigation.

What has led you to pursue that field? It combines all of my academic interests: economics, politics, international relations and law.

Who has been the biggest influence in your life? My parents have always had the ability to motivate me to work hard and achieve all of my goals. They have relentlessly supported all of my endeavors, even if it wasn’t what they initially envisioned. Whether it was speech and debate, football or Model UN, they were always there.

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Lauren E. Hill

BISHOP MCGUINNESS CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL

Attending: The University of Notre Dame Major: Mathematics and business or science What are your career plans? I plan on either working corporately as a data analyst/statistician or as a teacher in higher education mathematics.

What led you to pursue that field? In eighth grade, geometry was the first time in my life that formal education presented me with principles that not only inspired me, but spurred me to a full-fledged pursuit of a subject. I have always loved math, I think it is beautiful, and I want to share that beauty with others.

Who has been the biggest influence in your life? My mother. As the oldest of nine kids, her entire life has been built around serving others, and now with six children, she constantly inspires not only me, but everyone we know with her organization, selflessness and hard work.

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CHARLIE SOAP TELLS THE STORY OF HE AND HIS LATE WIFE, WILMA MANKILLER, ON A QUEST TO BRING WATER TO A RURAL COMMUNITY IN THE 2013 FILM THE CHEROKEE WORD FOR WATER. PHOTO BY BRANDON SCOTT.

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ADVOCATES AND

ACTIVISTS

By Paul Fairchild

SIX AMERICAN INDIANS ENACT DIALOGUE AND CHANGE THROUGH THEIR WORK.

Luck favors Charlie Soap. His quest to bring water to the rural community of Bell, Okla., in the 1980s brought him into the orbit of Wilma Mankiller. The young activist cut her community development teeth on the Bell Water Project and later became the first female chief of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. Married in 1986, the two were inseparable until her death in 2010.

Two years later, Soap set out to tell the Bell Water Project story on the big screen, but to do it, he’d need to tell his wife’s story, too.

“In the beginning, I was very apprehensive about the movie,” Soap, also Cherokee, says. “I wanted to make sure it was done right. I’ve seen plenty of films that didn’t do justice to the people whose story they told.

They could’ve been done better. I was really nervous about doing Wilma’s story.”

While The Cherokee Word for Water was his first film project, telling stories with pictures wasn’t new to Soap. An accomplished photographer, he was accustomed to chronicling events with images. Learning the

technical aspects of filmmaking didn’t slow him down nearly as much as the deja vu that came with directing such a personal story.

“It was difficult for me to get into at first. The executive producer, Paul Heller, noticed that I was holding back. After thinking about it, I realized it was too new for me because Wilma had only passed about a year earlier. It was too fresh and painful. I took some time off but came back saying, ‘This is my story. This is mine and Wilma’s story. I can do this. Let’s do it right. Let’s make a movie,’” he says.

Mirroring the story it tells, the film itself is a community effort, from the extras pulled from the Bell area to the film’s distribution. It’s currently available at select screenings around the state. The screenings are typically hosted by activist groups working in the communities where they’re held. Soap hopes the film will inspire audiences to take on their own community development projects. So far, it’s hit the mark.

“The movie really inspires people. We screened it in Moore a week after [the 2013] tornado. On my way to the theater, I was worried nobody would show. When I got there, the place was full. I was really surprised that people came to see it. After we showed the movie, it got a standing ovation, and people were talking about projects for Moore.

It was a very heartwarming experience,” he says.

Until finances permit, The Cherokee Word for Water won’t see a big release. But while its distribution might not be as widespread as for a Hollywood feature, its production values and story make it worthy of wide release. The film has sparked interest in other projects, including a documentary film about Mankiller.

“We were advised by people in the business to take this movie directly to the public and see what kind of reception it gets. We’ve been doing that for a couple of years, and the response has been great. Wilma was well known and very popular. The theaters sell out,” he says.

AUGUST 2014 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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Dr. Majick Ravenhawk – therapist and activist in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues – wants to make the world a better place for kids with “two spirits.”

To do it, she’s changing one of the single most influential factors in every young person’s life – school.

“What I try to do is focus my activism in two areas,” she says. “The first is native peoples in general, particularly kids. They need help understanding the misrepresentations of our culture in film, television, as school mascots and so on. At the same time, I’m an activist for the LGBT community.”

Ravenhawk, who is Tigua Pueblo, uses the two-spirit (male and female) concept as a healthier, more holistic lens to view LGBT culture. Homosexuality went by many different names, but more than 150 tribes used the two spirits term for thousands of years, and homophobia was nonexistent in most native cultures.

American Indians, she says, honed their cultural responses to gender issues long before the Mayflower landed.

Today, two spirits is inclusive of the entire LGBT community, and that acceptance forms the foundation of the Oklahoma Alliance Academy. The Tulsa school will serve as a safe, welcoming environment for bisexual, gay and transgender students pursuing a high school diploma.

The academy, which fits into the frame of Ravenhawk’s anti-bullying policy, will open its doors this fall to 175 kids; there’s already a waiting list. The school is scheduled to open to more students in 2015.

“We have a great mix of students,” she says. “We have a mix of allies, twospirit kids and Native American kids. The school’s all about not hating. It’s about allowing these kids to be who they truly are.

They’ll be able to learn without worrying about being bullied or assaulted.”

The school, however, is about more than safety. Teaching kids about misrepresentation of marginalized people means revamping the curriculum. The history books in most public schools, she says, are inaccurate, particularly where topics concern native peoples.

“The school will teach kids how to be non-judgmental. You can’t say sexual orientation is a choice anymore. There’s science behind this. We can’t change the brain. We tried that already. So guess what? We change the outside to make these kids feel more congruent and happy.

There’s nothing wrong with these kids,” she says.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2014

DR. MAJICK RAVENHAWK BRINGS THE TWO-SPIRITS COMMUNITY TOGETHER TO HELP LGBT YOUTH STAY SAFE WHILE THEY GET AN EDUCATION. PHOTO BY BRANDON SCOTT.

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DR. RICHARD GROUNDS IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE YUCHI LANGUAGE PROJECT, AN EFFORT TO PRESERVE THE NATIVE LANGUAGE OF THE EUCHEE TRIBE. PHOTO BY BRANDON SCOTT.

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Euchee member Dr. Richard Grounds speaks his mind – in English and Yuchi, his tribe’s language. His habit of injecting Yuchi into every conversation, regardless of the context, can be unsettling until listeners realize what he’s doing. His mission to resurrect the disappearing language is a serious one, but it doesn’t mean he can’t have fun with it. “sô KAnAnô. We are still here. Our language is still here. It’s important to us, and it’s a critical issue that people are unaware of.

The absence is unnoticed,” he says.

Grounds takes every opportunity to speak the language, whether the listener understands or not. His voicemail message answers in Yuchi. So does he. He answers questions first in Yuchi, then in English.

Even when he’s not understood, it gives him a chance to exercise his fluency and stretch his Yuchi muscles. If he waited for conversations with other Yuchi speakers, he says, it might be a never-ending gap.

“There are so few Yuchi speakers on the planet. It’s a benefit to me to be able to use the language, regardless of the context.

Sometimes it seems that I have an imaginary discussion partner, but it’s an opportunity for me to use the language, to keep my skills up,” he says.

The Euchee are Tzo-Ya-ha – “Children of the Sun.” Yuchi is a language unlike any other American Indian language, and it resists classification. It’s not a member of a larger linguistic family, so there are no similar languages available for comparison.

There are few written samples available.

“We’re fortunate to have our elders, our living speakers. The youngest is 89 years old.

We work with them and try to learn as much as we can. They are our living dictionaries, walking encyclopedias of the culture, history and richness of our language,” he says.

Grounds heads the Yuchi Language Project, a systematic effort to rigorously document Yuchi. But he sees traditional methods of preserving languages as halfmeasures. More important is what he calls “breath-to-breath immersion,” the exposure of new speakers to Yuchi in conversational and cultural contexts.

“We’re the only ones on the planet that have been given this way of speaking, this way of thinking, this way of engaging the world. That’s certainly a privilege the Creator has entrusted us with. But it comes with a responsibility to make sure that gift is available to future generations,” he says.

THE

CHICKASAW NATION

B I L L A N O A T U B B Y , G O V E R N O R • www.Chickasaw.net

OKLAHOMA BORN AND RAISED, SUZAN HARJO TOOK THE FIGHT FOR CIVIL RIGHTS AND DIGNITY TO WASHINGTON, D.C. PHOTO BY LUCY FOWLER WILLIAMS.

In June, Cheyenne and Muscogee activist Suzan Harjo heard the gavel come down on a 17-year-old case. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office cancelled the trademarks held by the Washington Redskins. The name, offensive to many American Indians, is on its way out. But while Harjo and colleagues celebrated, others booed, insisting that it was a case of political correctness gone too far.

“The whole issue is about objectification.

It’s about overlaying our reality with false identities. Any time that people are standing up and saying, ‘We want this area of racism cleaned up and removed,’ it’s not political

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2014

correctness. That’s civil rights. That’s human rights. That’s what we’re engaged in,” she says.

The NFL team is only the latest group to be on the business end of Harjo’s activism. She’s been doing this since her college days, and everything she knows, she taught herself. Born in El Reno, Okla., she started down the path of activism beginning in 1967 during tribal gathering. Tribal elders invited members to discuss the treatment of sacred objects by museums and educational institutions.

“What we did at that meeting was to envision The National Museum of the American Indian. We envisioned what a museum that did it right would be,” she says.

After a stint as communications director and then president of the National American Indian Congress, Harjo went on to found the Morning Star Institute in 1984. Today, she serves as its president. It focuses on both traditional and cultural rights, acting as a national native rights organization that embraces a variety of causes.

“None of us knew anything about policymaking. We knew what we’d studied. We knew a lot of things. We knew our own tribal jurisprudence, how things were resolved and the penalty for this or that. But we didn’t know Washington, (D.C.), and it’s a whole different creature with its own set of rules. All of this was us learning as we went,” she says.

As a guest curator for the NMAI, Harjo will open the exhibit Nation to Nation in September. Through the lens of legal treaties, the exhibit takes a hard look at the federal government’s relationship with indigenous societies. A published poet and writer, Harjo edited the exhibit’s companion book of the same name.

At 69, she embraces her work with the same enthusiasm she showed when she first arrived in Washington, D.C. Even with three decades of life in the capital under her belt, there’s still plenty left to learn and do.

As medical director of the Sovereign Family Practice clinic in Ada, Dr. Tina Cooper, Chickasaw, knows about the life-threatening illnesses and diseases prevalent among the region’s native population. She also knows that many of these conditions are preventable, and prevention starts at the dinner table.

“I want to help people change their diets. So much of what we take in poisons our bodies and makes chronic conditions worse,” Cooper says. “Traditionally, Native Americans have a lot higher rate of these illnesses. We need to go back to a more natural way of eating. We’d all be healthier,” she says.

Diabetes, obesity, heart disease and hypertension were not health issues for indigenous people before Europeans settled the continent. As they adopted a more European-based diet, American Indians also experienced the same health problems. Today, Americans Indians show a much higher rate of such diseases and conditions than rates seen in the general population.

“This is all due to our diets – all those carbohydrates and corn syrup, which is particularly bad,” Cooper says. “We’re eating a lot more fatty foods than we used to. It’s easy and convenient.

A lot of times, it can even be cheaper.”

Cooper’s is a teaching mission. Like many of her colleagues, she works one-on-one with her patients to educate them about good nutrition. There are larger, community-focused campaigns,

but the personal approach is also effective.

She starts with the basics.

“We should all be eating more vegetables and fruits, particularly fresh and frozen because they’ve got a lot more nutrients in them,” she says.

That corn syrup? It’s a major sweetener for many soft drinks and largely should be avoided.

Cooper has other tips for greater nutrition awareness: Add more color and texture to a boring plate and pack healthy lunches for children to get them started early on the path of good eating.

The Chickasaw Nation recently celebrated the opening of the Sovereign Medical Clinic in Norman to better serve the Chickasaw tribe’s members as well as those from other Indian nations. But Cooper’s message extends beyond the walls of even the latest health care technologies and systems.

“It’s not just in the doctor’s office that we’re trying to do this,” she says.

DR. TINA COOPER DELIVERS A PLAIN AND STRAIGHTFORWARD MESSAGE OF DISEASE PREVENTION TO HER PATIENTS AND HER TRIBE. PHOTO COURTESY CHICKASAW NATION.

AUGUST 2014 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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A natural coolhunter, Bunky Echo-Hawk paints on the roughly serrated line between pop and American Indian cultures.

“It’s a lot of fun finding subjects for paintings,” says the Pawnee and Yakama artist. “When it comes to the intersection of pop culture and native culture, a lot of times I find myself looking through a native lens at mainstream culture.

I try to find ways to relate the two. When natives aren’t present in mainstream culture, I find a way to insert their influence into mainstream concepts.”

Injecting native symbols and elements into popular, highly recognized cultural universes like Star Wars, Echo-Hawk makes no bones about his artist’s duty: make statements. Get people thinking and talking. He’d be deeply uncomfortable if his paintings only appeared in museums or galleries. He uses social media to spin his work out to a larger, more diverse audience than the ones present for conventional art scenes. He navigates the digital world with ease, making new homes for symbols and references that date back thousands of years.

Echo-Hawk’s coolhunting adventures began in high school. Pulled into a rebellious skate scene as a youth, he began learning how to move through mainstream culture without being a fixture in it.

“Growing up in Colorado was hard. Here in Oklahoma, we have a diverse culture. There’s a lot of natives and a lot of non-natives that are familiar with native cultures,” he says. “In a lot of ways, race isn’t a big deal here. In Colorado, we were the only native family around. For some reason, I fell into the skate scene. It has a lot of parallels with native culture. It helped me through challenging times in high school.”

Years later, Echo-Hawk, who gave up skating after a back injury, still keeps up with the scene, even incorporating skateboard decks into his artistic arsenal. His custom boards were recently featured in a Smithsonian exhibit, Ramp It Up: Skateboard Culture in Native America.

Echo-Hawk has already seen more commercial success than most artists see in a lifetime. He designs skateboards and gear for Michigan skate company, Native Escapes.

Nike turned to him for design help with its Air Native N7 line, shoes built to fit the specific foot shape and width needs of indigenous people.

Echo-Hawk set his sights on an art career as a kid and never wavered. His father, human rights attorney Walter Echo-Hawk, is also a skilled illustrator. The elder EchoHawk often sketched for his son while telling Pawnee stories. It didn’t hurt that Echo-Hawk’s mother was also a painter. Riffing off of his parents, he began drawing and painting at a young age, turning his talents to homemade adventures of pop culture icons. Television’s The Dukes of Hazzard, he confesses, was a favorite.

“I basically use pop culture icons as vehicles to convey my messages. Everybody in the world knows who Yoda is and who Darth Vader is. People know what they’re about.

By associating Darth Vader and, say, [Gen. George] Custer – combining them – people get it. It’s humorous, and people understand what I’m saying,” he says.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2014

BUNKY ECHO-HAWK, WEARING ONE OF HIS OWN DESIGNS, EXERCISES HIS VOICE THROUGH ART. PHOTO BY BRANDON SCOTT.

AUGUST 2014 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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20 OBJECTS

By Jami Mattox

ACROCANTHOSAURUS ATOKENSIS ("HIGHSPINED LIZARD FROM ATOKA") MUSEUM OF THE RED RIVER IDABEL

THIS CARNIVOROUS DINOSAUR (THEROPOD) WAS FIRST DISCOVERED IN EARLY-MID CRETACEOUS DEPOSITS (125-100 MILLION YEARS OLD) NEAR ATOKA, OKLA., IN 1940. SIMILAR SPECIMENS HAVE BEEN FOUND IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA, TEXAS AND UTAH. IT IS THE LARGEST PREDATOR KNOWN FROM ITS TIME AND WAS DESIGNATED THE STATE DINOSAUR OF OKLAHOMA IN 2005. A CAST OF THE FOSSIL SKELETON IS FOUND AT THE MUSEUM OF THE RED RIVER; THE ORIGINAL SKELETON IS HOUSED AT THE NORTH CAROLINA MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY. PHOTO COURTESY MUSEUM OF THE RED RIVER.

THAT SHAPE

OKLAHOMA

Oklahoma is teeming with fascinating artifacts, works of art and structures that have influenced the state’s short history and that continue to mold its identity.

AUGUST 2014 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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SANTA FE RAILROAD DEPOT HISTORIC ROGER MILLS PRESERVATION FOUNDATION CHEYENNE

THE CLINTON & OKLAHOMA WESTERN RAILROAD WAS CONSTRUCTED BETWEEN 1908-1912. THE TERMINUS OF THE RAILROAD IS LOCATED FIVE MILES NORTHEAST OF CHEYENNE AT A TOWN CALLED STRONG CITY. THE RESIDENTS OF CHEYENNE USED MUNICIPAL FUNDS TO BUILD A RAILROAD THAT CONNECTED CHEYENNE TO STRONG CITY. AT THAT TIME, CHEYENNE WAS THE ONLY TOWN IN THE U.S. TO OWN ITS OWN RAILROAD LINE. IN 1928, THE SANTA FE RAILROAD BOUGHT THE TRACK AND EXTENDED THE RAILROAD SERVICE TO PAMPA, TEXAS, GREATLY EXPANDING DEVELOPMENT IN WESTERN OKLAHOMA. PHOTO COURTESY HISTORIC ROGER MILLS PRESERVATION FOUNDATION.

1921 POSTTULSA RACE RIOT PASS TULSA HISTORICAL SOCIETY TULSA

IN THE DAYS FOLLOWING THE TULSA RACE RIOT, PASSES WERE ISSUED TO BLACK TULSANS, WHO WERE REQUIRED TO CARRY THEM AS THEY WALKED THROUGH THE CITY. THIS PASS WAS ISSUED TO MRS. O.C. STAPLES. PHOTO COURTESY TULSA HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

KATE BARNARD BY SANDRA VAN ZANDT OKLAHOMA ARTS COUNCIL OKLAHOMA CITY

KATE BARNARD IS A SCULPTURE OF THE FIRST WOMAN IN AMERICAN HISTORY ELECTED TO STATE OFFICE. IN 1907, OKLAHOMANS ELECTED KATE BARNARD AS THE STATE’S COMMISSIONER OF CHARITIES AND CORRECTIONS. THOUGH WOMEN COULD NOT YET VOTE IN 1907, BARNARD RECEIVED MORE VOTES THAN OKLAHOMA’S FIRST GOVERNOR, CHARLES HASKELL, AND HER ELECTION WAS A CATALYST IN THE EVOLUTION OF WOMEN’S INVOLVEMENT IN POLITICS. PHOTO COURTESY OF OKLAHOMA ARTS COUNCIL.

RUNESTONE COLLECTION LEFLORE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY POTEAU

THESE RUNESTONES DOCUMENT SOME OF THE EARLIEST EUROPEAN EXPLORATION OF WHAT WOULD BECOME OKLAHOMA. THE ARTIFACTS MAY DATE AS EARLY AS THE EIGHTH CENTURY; THERE IS, HOWEVER, SPECULATION AS TO THE AUTHENTICITY OF RUNESTONES FOUND IN OKLAHOMA. PHOTO COURTESY LEFLORE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

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LADY’S SIDE SADDLE MOORELINDSAY HISTORICAL HOUSE MUSEUM NORMAN

THIS LATE 1800S-ERA LADY’S SIDE SADDLE WAS USED BY MRS. GEORGE GILES IN THE OKLAHOMA LAND RUN OF 1889.

PHOTO COURTESY MOORE-LINDSAY HISTORICAL HOUSE MUSEUM.

EAGLE DANCER BY WOODY CRUMBO GILCREASE MUSEUM TULSA

GILCREASE MUSEUM IS HOME TO WORKS BY THREE OKALHOMA ARTISTS WHO ARE AMONG THE MOST IMPORTANT AMERICAN INDIAN ARTISTS OF THE 20TH CENTURY: ACEE BLUE EAGLE, WILLARD STONE AND WOODROW (WOODY) CRUMBO. EACH OF THE THREE ARTISTS SERVED AS AN ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE FOR THOMAS GILCREASE AND HELPED SHAPE THE MUSEUM’S COLLECTION. CRUMBO CREATED EAGLE DANCER IN 1945.

IMAGE COURTESY GILCREASE MUSEUM.

ON THE CHISHOLM TRAIL BY PAUL MOORE CHISHOLM TRAIL HERITAGE CENTER DUNCAN

ON THE CHISHOLM TRAIL SITS ON THE LAWN AT THE SOUTH ENTRANCE OF THE CHISHOLM TRAIL HERITAGE CENTER. THE SCULPTURE WAS DEDICATED IN 1998. ONCE THE GREATEST CATTLE TRAIL IN THE WORLD, THE CHISHOLM TRAIL SERVED TO GET TEXAS CATTLE NORTH TO THE KANSAS RAILHEADS. IN THE 10 YEARS OF THE TRAIL’S EXISTENCE – FROM 1867 TO 1877 – MORE THAN THREE MILLION HEAD OF CATTLE PASSED THROUGH OKLAHOMA TO KANSAS. PHOTO COURTESY CHISHOLM TRAIL HERITAGE CENTER.

AUGUST 2014 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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POTTERY COLLECTION WOOLAROC MUSEUM & WILDLIFE PRESERVE BARTLESVILLE

A LARGE COLLECTION OF POTTERY OWNED BY WOOLAROC DATES BACK TO AS EARLY AS THE 12TH CENTURY. THE POTTERY WAS USED BY PEOPLE INDIGENOUS TO PRESENT-DAY OKLAHOMA. PHOTO BY JERRY POPPENHOUSE.

THE ROUND BARN ARCADIA HISTORICAL AND PRESERVA TION SOCIETY ARCADIA

HOMOTELUS TRILOBITE SAM NOBLE MUSEUM NORMAN

THE DAIRY BARN WAS COMPLETED IN 1898 BY WILLIAM ODOR, WHO HAD COME TO OKLAHOMA FROM KANSAS IN 1882. BUR OAK TREES WERE CUT ALONG THE DEEP FORK CREEK BOTTOM AND DRAGGED TO THE STEAM-POWERED SAW TO BE CUT INTO BOARDS TO MAKE THE BARN. THE BOARDS WERE SOAKED IN THE CREEK, CLAMPED INTO A CURVED FORM AND ALLOWED TO DRY.

TRILOBITES ARE EXTINCT ARTHROPODS THAT LIVED IN THE OCEANS AND DISAPPEARED ABOUT 250 MILLION YEARS AGO. THIS SPECIMEN WAS DISCOVERED IN THE ORDOVICIAN ROCKS OF THE CRINER HILLS OF SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA AND IS ABOUT 455 MILLION YEARS OLD. COMPLETE SKELETONS OF TRILOBITES ARE RARE BECAUSE THEY WOULD NORMALLY FALL APART QUICKLY AFTER DEATH, MAKING IT HIGHLY UNUSUAL TO FIND HUNDREDS OF SKELETONS CLUSTERED TOGETHER. A STORM CLOSE TO SHORE MAY HAVE STIRRED UP THE SEA FLOOR AND CARRIED MUD-LADEN WATERS OFFSHORE. AS THE STORM WANED, THE MUD WAS DUMPED ON THE SEA BOTTOM, BURYING THE TRILOBITES.

PHOTO COURTESY ARCADIA HISTORICAL AND PRESERVATION SOCIETY.

PHOTO COURTESY SAM NOBLE MUSEUM.

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TIRE AXLE OKLAHOMA CITY NATIONAL MEMORIAL AND MUSEUM OKLAHOMA CITY

THE TIRE AXLE FROM THE TRUCK USED TO TRANSPORT THE 4,000 POUNDS OF EXPLOSIVES USED IN THE BOMBING OF THE ALFRED P. MURRAH FEDERAL BUILDING ON APRIL 19, 1995, CONTAINED A CONFIDENTIAL VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER THAT CONNECTED THE TRUCK TO A RENTAL AGENCY IN JUNCTION CITY, KAN. EVIDENCE TAGS FROM THE COURT CASE LEADING TO THE CONVICTION AND A DEATH SENTENCE FOR TIMOTHY MCVEIGH ARE STILL ATTACHED. PHOTO COURTESY OKLAHOMA CITY NATIONAL MEMORIAL AND MUSEUM.

AUGUST 2014 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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WOODY GUTHRIE’S GUITAR WOODY GUTHRIE CENTER TULSA

THIS GUITAR IS ONE OF ONLY TWO THAT HAVE BEEN AUTHENTICATED AS BELONGING TO WOODY GUTHRIE. THIS MAY BELL GUITAR WAS FOUND IN THE THRIFT SHOP IN SPOKANE, WASH. THE SIDE WAS BROKEN, AND IT HAD A BIRD NEST IN THE MIDDLE OF IT. AFTER BEING PURCHASED FOR $2, THE GUITAR WAS RESTORED AND AUTHENTICATED BY THE LATE PETE SEEGER AS BEING GUTHRIE’S INSTRUMENT. PHOTO COURTESY WOODY GUTHRIE CENTER.

MIGRANT FAMILY AND THEIR AUTOMOBILE EAST OF FORT GIBSON, OKLAHOMA, 1939, BY RUSSELL W. LEE PHILBROOK MUSEUM OF ART TULSA

FARM SECURITY ADMINISTRATION PHOTOGRAPHER RUSSELL LEE WAS INSPIRED TO TRAVEL TO OKLAHOMA 75 YEARS AGO IN 1939 IN SEARCH OF “OKIE” SUBJECTS, OR MIGRANT FAMILIES, LIKE THOSE TRAGICALLY PORTRAYED IN JOHN STEINBECK’S THEN-RECENTLY PUBLISHED NOVEL THE GRAPES OF WRATH. IMAGE COURTESY PHILBROOK MUSUEM OF ART.

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NO MAN’S LAND BY EDWARD RUSCHA FRED JONES JR. MUSEUM OF ART NORMAN

IN 1941, 4-YEAR-OLD EDWARD RUSCHA MOVED TO OKLAHOMA CITY. ALTHOUGH HE MOVED AWAY FROM THE STATE IN 1945, RUSCHA’S FASCINATION WITH OKLAHOMA IS REFLECTED IN THIS 1990 PAINTING. RUSCHA, ONE OF THE NATION’S MOST SOUGHT-AFTER CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS OF HIS GENERATION, OUTLINES IN THE LARGE 54-BY-120-INCH ACRYLIC ON CANVAS PAINTING THE TERRITORY OF OKLAHOMA BEFORE IT BECAME A STATE – WHEN IT WAS, IN FACT, NO MAN’S LAND. IN SPRING 2013, NEARLY 200 MUSEUM SUPPORTERS, PRIVATE DONORS, ORGANIZATIONS AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY JOINED FORCES TO RAISE FUNDS TO ACQUIRE THE PAINTING. IMAGE COURTESY FRED JONES JR. MUSEUM OF ART.

GEN. THOMAS STAFFORD’S SPACE SUIT STAFFORD AIR & SPACE MUSEUM WEATHERFORD

THIS SUIT WAS WORN BY STAFFORD, AN OKLAHOMAN, ON BOARD APOLLO X. THE MISSION WAS A FULL-SCALE DRESS REHEARSAL FOR APOLLO XI. STAFFORD AND GENE CERNAN FLEW THE LUNAR MODULE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LUNAR ORBIT AROUND THE MOON, SCOUTING LANDING SITES AND DUTIES FOR NEIL ARMSTRONG AND BUZZ ALDRIN. WEARING THIS SPACE SUIT DURING RE-ENTRY, STAFFORD AND HIS CREW SET THE RECORD FOR THE FASTEST SPEED A HUMAN HAD EVER ACHIEVED – 24,791 MILES PER HOUR. THAT RECORD STILL HOLDS TODAY. PHOTO COURTESY STAFFORD AIR & SPACE MUSEUM.

JIM THORPE’S 1912 OLYMPIC DECATHALON CERTIFICATE OKLAHOMA SPORTS HALL OF FAME OKLAHOMA CITY

JIM THORPE FINISHED SECOND PLACE IN THE 100-METER DASH AND THE RUNNING BROAD JUMP. HE WON THE SHOT PUT BY 2.5 FEET TO COMPLETE THE FIRST DAY OF THE DECATHLON. HE WON FIRST IN THE HIGH JUMP AND THE 110-METER HURDLES WITH A TIME OF 15.6 SECONDS. HE FINISHED SECOND IN THE 400-METER RUN. ONE THE FINAL DAY OF COMPETITION, THORPE PLACED THIRD IN DISCUS AND POLE VAULT, SECOND IN JAVELIN AND FIRST IN THE 1500-METER RUN. HE WON THE DECATHLON GOLD MEDAL BY 700 POINTS AND WAS NAMED “WORLD’S GREATEST ATHLETE.” PHOTO BY BRENT FUCHS.

AUGUST 2014 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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PRESIDENT TEDDY ROOSEVELT SIGNING STATEHOOD PROCLAMATION BY MIKE WIMMER OKLAHOMA STATE SENATE HISTORICAL PRESERVATION FUND OKLAHOMA CITY

HANGING ON THE FOURTH FLOOR OF THE OKLAHOMA STATE CAPITOL OUTSIDE THE SENATE CHAMBER LOBBY, THE PAINTING DEPICTS PRESIDENT THEODORE ROOSEVELT SIGNING OKLAHOMA’S STATEHOOD PROCLAMATION AT 10:16 A.M. ON NOV. 6, 1907. THE PAINTING WAS DEDICATED IN 2003.

IMAGE COURTESY OKLAHOMA STATE SENATE HISTORICAL PRESERVATION FUND.

ADVERTISEMENT FOR THE WILD WEST SHOW PAWNEE BILL RANCH PAWNEE

THE CITY BY J. JAY MCVICKER OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY MUSEUM OF ART STILLWATER

THE 70-BY-10-FEET BARNSIDE BILLBOARD POSTER ADVERTISES A ONE-DAY SHOW IN BLACKWELL, OKLA., IN 1900. IT IS PAPER ON WOOD AND REPRESENTS HOW WILD WEST SHOWS WOULD HAVE ADVERTISED. IT WOULD HAVE COVERED THE ENTIRE SIDE OF A BARN. A RECENT VISIT

BY AN APPRAISER FROM AN ANTIQUES TV SHOW CALLED THE PIECE “LEGITIMATELY PRICELESS.” NO OTHER SUCH BARNSIDE BILLBOARDS ARE KNOWN TO BE PRESERVED IN EXISTENCE TODAY.

MANY ARTISTS CAME TO OKLAHOMA BECAUSE OF THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM, BRINGING INFLUENCES FROM AROUND THE NATION WITH THEM. ALTHOUGH THEY MAY NOT BE HOUSEHOLD NAMES, THEIR WORKS REPRESENT A PIECE OF OKLAHOMA MODERNISM AND EXEMPLIFY THE WAY OKLAHOMA MODERNISM FOLLOWED AND CONTRIBUTED TO ART TRENDS OF THE NATION AS A WHOLE. THIS OIL ON COMPOSITE BOARD WAS COMPLETED IN 1952 BY MCVICKER, WHO STUDIED AT OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY AND EVENTUALLY BECAME PROFESSOR OF ART AND CHAIRMAN OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ART AT THE UNIVERSITY.

PHOTO COURTESY PAWNEE BILL RANCH.

IMAGE COURTESY OSU MUSEUM OF ART.

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THE PROFESSIONALS PHD LICENSED PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR What are the differences the between narcissist personality and borderline personality?

Manipulation is a deliberate and artful thought process that requires thought and skill. The borderline personality defense is closer a reactive defense that operates as a COURTNEY LINSENMEYERO’BRIEN, PHD, LPC, MHR knee-jerk response, flung into motion from a low threshold of impulsivity.

Chances are, a patient is not a skilled manipulator due to his or her explosive behaviors.

A narcissist doesn’t have the ability to feel empathy for others and uses others as his or her narcissist supply, needing constant approval, strokes and identity assurance. The narcissist personality is not what society assumes, having a “big ego;” just the opposite, they use the ego (executive of the self) of others because they are truly empty. Once these needs are no longer met, the narcissist personality will easily dump the target and move onto the next. Quite different from the borderline personality, a narcissist personality is extremely good at manipulating, and their defensives are more advanced than the borderline personality. Understanding these personalities is helpful to setting relationship boundaries and better understanding relationship dynamics.

Courtney Linsenmeyer-O’Brien, PhD, LPC, MHR 1723 E. 15th St., Suite 250, Tulsa, OK 74104 918.639.0570 www.drcourtneyobrien.com drobrien@drcourtneyobrien.com

VETERINARIAN I have a dog that typically is outside during the day and enjoys it. Is it safe to keep him outside during the August heat?

There are steps you can take to make sure your dog is safe and comfortable.

First, have plenty of water – several bowls if necessary. You may want to DR. RODNEY ROBARDS include a bowl with frozen water that can melt throughout the day. Make sure there is a shady area to rest. A big plastic pool and/or sprinklers are also great additions and fun for pets.

Know the signs of a heat stroke.

• Panting • Pet appears disoriented • Pet collapses and gums appear bright red or blue If you believe your pet is having a heat stroke, apply cool tap water, not ice. Wrap the dog in a wet towel and take the pet to your veterinarian.

Rodney Robards, DVM Southern Hills Veterinary Hospital 2242 E. 56th Pl., Tulsa, OK 74105 918.747.1311 www.southernhillsvet.com

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INSURANCE PROFESSIONAL

BUSINESS BANKER What are the key factors in securing a bank loan?

Contrary to popular belief, banks love to make loans. They are our greatest source of revenue and we love to help clients achieve their dreams. We must first make sure the loan has a high probability of SEAN KOUPLEN being repaid. To do this, banks focus on the five C's of credit when making a loan decision. Character, Capacity, Cashflow, Collateral and Conditions.

Typically, a business needs at least two years of proven operating history and a down payment so that both parties share in the risk of the loan.

Sean Kouplen, Regent Bank 7136 S. Yale, Suite 100 Tulsa, OK 74136 918.488.0788 www.bankregent.com

What are some simple rules to consider when researching life insurance?

Researching how much life insurance a person needs can be confusing and sometimes can cause people to do nothing at the end of the day, which is the worst result. If JARED PETERSON you are married and have children, one of the more customary methods is to measure against your annual earnings. A common recommendation is to have 10 times your household income in life insurance, but you will also hear that 5-7 times can be adequate depending on your situation. Visiting with a life insurance professional is the best option to determine your needs but doing nothing is the worst form of planning. Whether you use a household income multiplier, or you visit with a financial planner, don’t put off this very important need for your family any longer.

You can go to AAA.com to see how inexpensive term life insurance can be through AAA or contact a AAA agent nearest you for a quote.

Jared Peterson, AAA Oklahoma 2121 E 15th St., Tulsa, OK 74104 918.748.1030 Jared.Peterson@aaaok.org

PR & MARKETING CONSULTANT Why should I be shifting more of my budget to content marketing, and what does my audience want to see?

In the past, creating a catchy jingle or clever commercial would be enough to sell your product. Today, content is king and your prospects JESSICA DYER are seeking advice online and on social media sites. This alone is why content marketing is so crucial to your brand, and the reason why marketers should spend close to 25 percent of their resources on it. The 3 R’s for good content?

Real. Relevant. Resource. For your potential customers to care, you have to say something worth hearing. Be informative when you update your websites, positioning yourself as an expert in your field. Attract and engage your readers with persuasive headlines and conversationcentered communications. Interesting content is one of the reasons people follow brands to begin with. It is important to note that being concise is as important as being informative. Include infographics and data, and use search engine optimization tools like InboundWriter.

Having great photos can be the biggest bang for your buck, because a picture is still worth a thousand words.

Jessica Dyer, Emerge Marketing & PR 539-777-6087 Jdyer@emergempr.com www.facebook.com/EmergePR

PHYSICAL THERAPY I have pain on the bottom of my heel; do I have a bone spur?

There are many possibilities that may contribute to heel pain. This may be due to soft tissue overuse, such as plantar fasciitis, achilles tendinitis or irritation to the growth TODD PETTY, PT/CSMT plate in the calcaneous. When this irritation is chronic (more than three months), you may develop a bone spur, which is called exostosis. This is the bony outgrowth extending from the surface of the bone, usually at the attachment point of one of the many tendons or fascia in our feet. It is actually an increase in the bone mass at the site of the irritative lesion in response to overuse, trauma or excessive weight bearing pressure. It is important to identify the possible causes of your heel pain early to possibly prevent exostosis. A complete physical therapy evaluation can identify what may be cause. Ask your physician to consult with a Physical Therapist that understands biomechanical feet issues.

Todd Petty, PT/CSMT Excel Therapy Specialists 918.398.7400 www.exceltherapyok.com

Views expressed in the Professionals do not necessarily represent the views of Oklahoma Magazine, Schuman Publishing Co. or its affiliates.

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

To be included in the Professionals, call 918.744.6205.

MARRIAGE COUNSELOR

HOSPICE CARE

My girlfriend cheated on me.

Is it normal to feel crazy after being betrayed?

An affair can be the most devastating betrayal a person can experience in their lifetime. I’ve had people tell me they would rather go back to a war situation and be shot BRAD ROBINSON, LMFT at than to experience their partner’s betrayal again. One woman said that her husband’s affair was worse than her child passing away. Just because an affair is so devastating doesn’t mean a relationship cannot be rebuilt. You can heal from the affair if the trauma is properly dealt with. Research shows that at least half of betrayed partners show high levels of post-traumatic stress disorder and depression after an affair. Many times, injured partners feel they’re going crazy after they discover their partner’s affair. But they are expressing actually very normal and healthy defense mechanisms that are meant to help them survive.

It is normal to have obsessive intrusive thoughts.

Brad Robinson, CEO Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist Marriage Solutions 2121 S. Columbia Ave Suite 301 Tulsa, OK 74114 918.281.6060 www.MarriageSolutionsTulsa.com

ATTORNEY AT LAW I have been off work at the doctor’s instruction because of an injury that occurred at work. The doctor has me taking off work while I get physical therapy and injections. My workers' compensation checks were just cut off after 16 ESTHER M. SANDERS weeks without any warning.

The insurance company said they will not pay any more.

It was a month before they allowed me to see a doctor, and they chose the doctor. What do I do?

Unfortunately, the current law does not allow for weekly benefits for a longer period of time, pursuant to Title 85A, Section 62, with some exceptions, depending on your specific injuries. However, you are allowed a onetime change of physician, which may help in your situation. You should immediately contact a lawyer to find out if there are any other options available to you.

Attorney at Law Sanders & Associates, P.C. 1015 S. Detroit Ave. • Tulsa, OK 74120 918.745.2000 Telephone 918.745.0575 Facsimile 800.745.2006 Toll Free

AVA HANCOCK

My grandfather is battling cancer, and his doctor says he has about six months left to live and has recommended hospice care. My grandmother is resisting because she feels like she would be giving up on him. What advice do you have for us?

That is a common belief many people have – that hospice care equates to giving up. Actually, hospice care means you are improving the quality of life for the patient. Hospice will allow your grandfather to be more comfortable and our team can help manage his symptoms and alleviate any pain. Hospice care can help improve his quality of life. Sometimes we will see patients improve to the point that they go off hospice care. For more information, please call us at 918.744.7223 or visit www.gracehospice.com.

Ava Hancock Executive Director Grace Hospice of Oklahoma 6400 South Lewis, Suite 1000 Tulsa, OK 74136 918.744.7223 www.gracehospice.com

WEIGHT MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST I have been thinking about having something done, but I am afraid of looking too “overdone.” Is there anything available that provides a more natural improvement?

For any patient wanting a more natural looking filler, we recomMALISSA SPACEK mend Sculptra®, the first facial injectable that gives you subtle results over time. It replaces lost collagen, giving you a more natural-looking appearance without giving you away. A full treatment of Sculptra Aesthetic can last up to two years. As you age, your body’s collagen production decreases, and you may begin to see wrinkles. Sculptra® Aesthetic (injectable poly-L-lactic acid) works to correct shallow to deep facial wrinkles and folds, as it replaces lost collagen, which can help provide a refined, more youthful looking appearance.

Dr. James R. Campbell D.O. and Malissa Spacek, Founder BA Med Spa & Weight Loss Center 500 South Elm Place Broken Arrow, Oklahoma 74012 918.872.9999 www.baweightspa.com

LICENSED PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR

MEN’S STYLE CONSULTANT

I have a son that wont stop abusing drugs. We have sent him to many expensive treatment programs, but he only maintains sobriety for short periods. Will he ever quit?

How do I define my personal style?

Many times I end up being a style therapist to my clients when they come to me for clothing advice. Men are sometimes afraid to be the best dressed man in the room because they are nervous that somehow they AUTUMN POHL are breaking some style rule. Who wants to deal with that? I’m here to share a few tips that will help you to become a more confident dresser, no matter the occasion. One topic that almost every man asks is what color of shoes is appropriate for what color of suit. I am all about personal style, and if it works and makes you feel amazing, go for it. But a guideline that I believe in is that one glance may be the only judgment others have of you. If you want to make a statement by wearing a camel colored belt and shoes with your navy blazer or suit, then make sure that every other element is soft and perfectly fitted. Let that be the one focal point. Style is accepted when it’s respected!

Autumn Pohl Independent Style Consultant J.Hilburn Men’s Clothier 918.407.4024 www.autumnpohl.jhilburn.com Autumn.pohl@jhilburnpartner.com

Addiction can be very complicated. An individual will not break an addiction unless they want to. There are many things that serve as motivators to look at their behavior, but prolonged changed is only sustained when the person wants to change. I am sure you have heard of hitting “bottom.” For some it is losing a job, losing a relationship, losing their children, health or legal issues. A person must want to change. What that bottom is for your son, only he will know. What you do in the meantime is encourage sobriety, support a sober life and activities, give emotional support but also set very clear boundaries on how you will not contribute to anything in his life that sustains the addictive behavior. Family therapy is a MUST when there is addiction. Everyone needs to understand the nature of addiction and how family patterns and environment can hinder or benefit an individual’s efforts toward sober living.

AMY KESNER, PHD, LPC, LADC

Amy Kesner, All Things Psychological 5500 S. Lewis, Suite 5505, Tulsa, OK 74105 918.691.2226 www.amykesner.com dramykesner@gmail.com AUGUST 2014 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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Taste

FOOD, DRINK AND OTHER PLEASURES PANCETTA CRUSTED SALMON IS TOPPED WITH A SALAD OF MICROGREENS AND SERVED AT DISTRICT 21 RESTAURANT. PHOTO BY BRENT FUCHS.

The Classroom Kitchen

E

District 21 Restaurant offers culinary students valuable hands-on experience.

ntering District 21 is not like walking into a traditional classroom. Dark wood dining tables and upholstered chairs stand in for desks. There’s no chalkboard; a rich gold banquette lines the wall. And students don’t complete their work on pencil and paper. Assignments are presented on white plates.

District 21 Restaurant is operated by Francis Tuttle Technology Center’s culinary arts program. It is here where students ready to graduate unite the skills and crafts acquired and honed through various culinary classes.

“District 21 is like a capstone class for [students about to graduate],” says Marc Dunham culinary director at Francis Tuttle. “It provides a venue for students to bring what they’ve been learning and practicing into a venue with customers, and bring it into context.”

The challenges faced at District 21, he says, are ones that students will encounter in the real world.

“The pressures of time and customers’ wants and needs – we’re

trying to incorporate that into the educational experience prior to students going out to get a first job. If the student is engaged, they are better prepared to enter the workforce and be more successful.”

District 21 recently completed its first year in business and is preparing to reopen Aug. 12 with new students in the kitchen. As Dunham points out, patrons to the restaurant tend to be a little more forgiving, but Chef Carlos Martinez, restaurant director at District 21, makes sure that diners receive the best food possible. Students are held to the standard of paying customers, and the kitchen does not allow mistakes to be sent out. If a dish is not executed correctly, says Dunham, the student starts over.

“We have an advantage over other restaurants in that we can be very experimental and take risks because we are an educational facility, and that’s good for us and for Oklahoma City. People are a little more adventurous when they step foot in our restaurant because they’re participating in somebody’s education,” says Dunham.

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Taste

FAV E

And part of that education is turning out beautiful plates. Steaks, short ribs, seafood and charcuterie all make regular appearances on a menu that changes on a near-weekly basis.

“We have things that hang around [the menu] for a while, but Chef Carlos likes to be creative, and a lot of what is on the menu is driven by in-season produce along with collaboration by instructors in other parts of the culinary program,” Dunham says.

Desserts served at District 21 are brought in from the pastry lab; the charcuterie plate – a collection of cured meats – are all made in-house. Dunham expects more pasta dishes to be added to the new menu, a great move given that Chris Becker, the owner of Della Terra Pasta – an Oklahoma City kitchen that lovingly prepares fresh pasta by hand – is part of the Francis Tuttle culinary arts team.

“We want as many people to come [to District 21] as possible, because the more they come, the better education these kids receive,” says Dunham. “They will be the next wave of chefs in our state.” 12777 N. Rockwell Ave., Oklahoma City. www. d21dining.com JAMI MATTOX ABOVE: STUDENT MEGAN RUBENSTEIN COOKS A STEAK TO PERFECTION. BELOW: A KEY LIME TART IS CREATED THROUGH COLLABORATION WITH THE CULINARY ARTS PROGRAM’S PASTRY LAB. PHOTOS BY BRENT FUCHS.

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Akira Sushi Bar

Going out for sushi can feel like an event, which isn’t necessarily bad. But sometimes you’d rather skip the reservations or the wait for seating to become available. Sometimes you don’t want the bother of putting together an outfit. Sometimes, you just want a couple of awesome rolls in an easy, casual setting. If that craving hits you in Owasso, you’re in luck. Akira Sushi Bar brings a more-than-decent selection of sushi combinations to the table along with pleasant, attentive staff and food quality rivaling Tulsa’s hot-spot establishments. That’s not to say Akira suffers from lack of atmosphere.

Owners Quinton Wong and Chef Huy Huynh, who worked together at a Tulsa sushi restaurant before striking out on their current venture, have created a refreshingly relaxed atmosphere behind an unassuming storefront on the frontage road parallel to U.S. 169. Some may have trouble getting to the shopping center south of 96th Street North, but for those who find it, the experience is one many can and will appreciate. Serving special makimono rolls and fresh sashimi dishes along with entrees of chicken, steak and creatively-made sides, Akira Sushi brings its best to the table, and don’t be surprised if that order arrives sooner than you expect.

9455 Owasso Expressway Frontage Road, Owasso. www.akirasushibars.com – Karen Shade

THE RING OF FIRE ROLL IS SERVED WITH VARIOUS NIGIRI SUSHI ON THE SIDE. PHOTO BY BRANDON SCOTT.

ON WHEELS

What A Brat

If you’ve ever been to the Guthrie Green for lunch during Food Truck Wednesday, you know the flurry of activity around the huge selection of food trucks that abounds. Scattered among the trucks, food cart vendors are ready for business, too, and The Wurst is easily among the best. In 2011, Lyndsi Baggett, along with her two business partners – her fiancé and her brother – built a mobile food cart out of a trailer. A Tulsa native who has lived in New York City and Austin, Texas, Baggett is back home grilling delicious beer-and-buttersoaked bratwurst served with onions, curry ketchup, spicy mustard and sauerkraut wherever she can haul her cart.

“Currently, we have a regular white brat, a cheese-filled brat and also a spicy brat,” she says. “Eventually, we plan on making our own buns, too.”

The brats are from Siegi’s Sausage Factory in Tulsa, but Baggett has plans to produce The Wurst’s own specialty sausages. And to really drive home the local angle, the beer she uses to marinate her brats is from Oklahoma’s Mustang Brewing Company. In addition to the Guthrie Green, Baggett and The Wurst GREG SHOCKLEE ENJOYS A SAUSAGE AT LUNCHTIME can often be found parked outside of FROM THE WURST. Sound Pony and Cain’s Ballroom in the PHOTO BY NATALIE GREEN. Brady Arts District on concert nights.

Follow The Wurst at www.thewursttulsa. com. – Jill Meredith

W H AT W E ’ R E E AT I N G

S I M P LY H E A L T H Y

Florence Park Café Growing up, Jonathon Haring’s mother insisted that her sons learn how to do three things: sew, cook and laundry. Haring later worked as a photographer for the Tulsa World, but he never lost a passion for cooking and baking. Joking that he needed a vocation with tighter deadlines and more stress, he opened Florence Park Café earlier this year in the location that previously housed Luna Bread.

Haring’s slogan – “Nothing fancy, but everything fresh” – speaks volumes about his philosophy regarding food.

“I want food to taste like food.

There’s nothing out of a mix or with a lot of preservatives,” he says. “Everything starts from scratch.”

Although Haring caters private dinners, the restaurant focuses on breakfast and lunch. Florence Park Café serves breakfast all day along with sandwiches, homemade soups, fresh bread and more. Haring also offers vegetarian and vegan options each day. 3144 E. 15th St., Tulsa.

918.619.6300 – Jill Meredith

The Lunch Spectrum

FLORENCE PARK CAFÉ OWNER JONATHON HARING BRINGS FRESH TASTES TO CUSTOMERS. PHOTOS BY BRANDON SCOTT.

DISHES LIKE CHICKEN CONFIT MEDITERRANEAN ARE SUCCULENT AND PERFECT AT LA BAGUETTE BISTRO & BAKERY. PHOTO BY BRENT FUCHS.

La Baguette Bistro & Bakery Some say the best part of any meal is dessert. While the desserts at Oklahoma City’s La Baguette Bistro & Bakery have assumed an exalted status, the rest of the menu is also worthy of exploration.

Started in 1988 by brothers Alain and Michel Buthion, this happy little melt of French and American cultures is a regular stop for many Oklahoma City dwellers picking up French bread loaves, cakes and pastries from the bakery portion.

The bistro is also a favorite place for locals to bring out-of-towners for authentic French flavor. From simple dishes, such as French onion soup and Croque Monsieur – a kind of ham and cheese sandwich – to more complex fare, like mussels or succulent roast duck, La Baguette Bistro brings a delicious twist to tradition. And if dessert is still on your mind, the chocolate mousse cake is a local favorite. 7408 N. May Ave., Oklahoma City. www.labaguettebistro. com – Karen Shade

Even as school cafeterias offer more choices to students, some parents still opt to send their children to school with a packed lunch. No matter the reason, parents strive to pack lunches that are healthy and appealing.

“Eating a rainbow” is more than a pretty metaphor. With fruits and vegetables, different colors generally signify an abundance of specific nutrients. Orange produce is high in vitamin C and beta-carotene. Red is indicative of heart-healthy foods. Yellow foods tend to be high in potassium and aid in digestion. Green foods are often high in iron and help strengthen the immune system. Purple vegetables and fruits could be called “brain food” – not only are these foods good for your memory, they can also help prevent some forms of cancer.

Make these healthy foods appealing for kids by threading them on a toothpick or skewer and providing a healthy dip. Ranch dip is a good choice for veggies, while a simple yogurt dip is scrumptious with fresh fruit. – Jill Meredith

Luscious Low-fat Yogurt Dip 1 1-2 tbsp.

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1/2 tsp.

small container vanilla yogurt lime juice finely grated lime zest honey vanilla

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients.

Serve with fresh fruit. Makes about one cup.

AUGUST 2014 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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Taste

suggests trying a Garnacha, Rioja, Pinot Noir or Malbec red winevariety.

“You don’t want to spend a lot of money on wine that you are just going to cover up with a bunch of other flavors,” he says.

For orange liqueur, Triple Sec, Cointreau or Curaçao are good choices.

“Since Grand Marnier contains cognac, it can be a little overpowering in conjunction with the brandy,” he adds.

Jordan uses one completely non-traditional ingredient in his sangria recipe: arugula.

“It provides a little contrasting spice,” he says.

For a little fizz, add a nice splash of club soda. – Jill Meredith

Sangria

HOW TO

A Refresher Course

When the weather gets hot, chilled, fruity sangria is a great way to cool off.

Sangria is a red-wine-and-fruit-based concoction that traditionally contains brandy and orange liqueur.

Jared Jordan, owner of Mixed Company in downtown Tulsa, says that fresh ingredients and the type of wine used are key factors in making great sangria. He recommends staying away from frozen fruit, which can dilute the final product.

“Finding a good balance between the fruit, wine and sugar is also important,” he says.

There isn’t a right or wrong way to make sangria, he emphasizes, but there are a few guidelines that can make it better. Use an inexpensive brandy and red wine that costs less than $10. Jordan

2 1 c.

1/3 c.

1/4 c.

1 lb.

3 3 2 2 2

750-milliliter bottles red wine brandy cane sugar orange liqueur strawberries, hulled and halved oranges, thinly sliced limes, thinly sliced lemons, thinly sliced apples, cored and sliced cups fresh arugula (optional) lemon-lime or club soda (optional)

Blend and stir wine, brandy, sugar and orange liqueur in a large pitcher until sugar is dissolved. Add arugula, if desired, and muddle with a wooden spoon to release flavor. Add strawberry, lime, lemon, apple and orange slices to the mix and lightly muddle the fruit to release juices. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours and up to 24 hours. If desired, stir in soda to taste and strain before serving over ice. Makes 8-12 servings.

E N T E R TA I N I N G

Smokin’ Summer Summer is for grilling, and getting that superb all-day-in-the-smoker flavor doesn’t necessarily require special equipment. With just a few essentials, anyone can be a pro at smoking on a gas or charcoal grill.

Celebrity chef and Oklahoma City native Rick Bayless is known for his flair with Mexican cuisine. According to his website, www.rickbayless.com, the key to achieving smoky flavor on a grill is using wood chips and indirect heat. He suggests soaking two cups of mesquite wood chips (not chunks) in enough water to cover them for at least 30 minutes. Soaking will prevent the chips from burning out quickly.

For a gas grill, turn burners to mediumhigh to preheat. When ready to use, turn the center burner(s) to medium-low and add the drained wood chips to the smoker attachment box. In lieu of an attachment box, fold chips into a piece of aluminum foil, fold the edges and puncture packet with several holes. Place packet beneath the grate to the side during preheating and allow it to begin smoking before adding food over the center burner.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2014

For a charcoal grill, allow charcoals to burn until they turn gray and are very hot. Carefully push coals to the sides for indirect cooking and place soaked chips on the coals. Put cooking grate in place. Chips can also be placed in a foil packet and put on grate.

Other methods to achieve “smoke,” according to www.thekitchn.com, include adding bacon or bacon drippings, liquid smoke, smoked spices (such as smoked paprika or smoked salt) or a smoky beer like Guinness. – Jill Meredith

K I T C H E N S WA G

Pressed Perfect

Olive and Co. gets serious about good olive oil and business.

For a while, it seemed as if all oil was bad for you. Facial cleansers and cosmetics went “oil-free,” and we were told to avoid eating foods with oil in them. Today, however, we know that some oils can actually be good for you.

As part of a balanced diet, coupled with regular exercise, highquality olive oil has been shown to help people with arthritis and high blood pressure and to prevent cardiovascular disease, says Maggie Kite, co-owner of Olive and Co. At Olive and Co., educating customers about good foods is part of what Kite enjoys most in her work.

“It’s been fun and a learning experience,” she says.

Kite and fiancé Rane Peterson opened the Oklahoma City store in 2012 selling gourmet balsamic vinegars, silicone cookware, natural skin care products, gourmet condiments, jams, spices and sauces. But it’s the olive oils that have made the business a standout enterprise.

Selling a range of premium oils sourced from olive growers in Spain, Italy, Portugal and other countries in the Mediterranean region as well as from California, Olive and Co. can vouch for the quality of its products. Not every merchant selling olive oil can do the same in an increasingly complicated market.

“Olive oil is touched by organized crime, and [crime] is putting multigenerational families out of business,” Peterson says. “Some are taking a tiny amount of extra virgin olive oil and adding other [non-olive] oils to it.”

Stocked with a number of varietals, Olive and Co. is serious about making fresh olive oil a staple of every kitchen and home. 7602 N. May Ave., Oklahoma City. www.oliveokc.com. – Karen Shade

L O C A L F L AV O R

STEVE SEIKEL TURNED A SEARCH FOR THE PERFECT MUSTARD INTO GOLD. PHOTO COURTESY STEVE SEIKEL.

OLIVE AND CO. STOCKS ONLY THE BEST OLIVE OILS ON ITS SHELVES. PHOTO COURTESY OLIVE AND CO.

Oklahoma Gold

Steve Seikel has always loved mustard, but he was never able to find a brand he loved until he made his own.

“Every mustard that I tried was either too thick or contained corn syrup,” he says.

Coming from a corporate background, he began tinkering with his own mustard recipe in his home kitchen. He often gave it to family and friends as gifts.

He then gave some to a friend who worked for Backwoods Foods in Tahlequah, and the gift turned into a partnership with the food manufacturer.

“We started with one batch (about 20 cases) just to see how it would do,” Seikel says.

The recipe was a hit, and Seikel’s Oklahoma Gold Mustard was born.

“Our first account was Reasor’s 17 stores,

and it grew from there,” he adds.

Today, Seikel’s can be found at Whole Foods, Uptown Market, Sprouts Farmers Market and Homeland store locations.

“When a new product goes into Whole Foods for the first time, they do a taste testing with the employees, and we got 100 percent approval rating,” Seikel says.

Seikel’s mustard is also served at several local restaurants and is distributed regionally from Kansas City, Mo., to Dallas. – Jill Meredith AUGUST 2014 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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Entertainment G R E AT T H I N G S T O D O I N O K L A H O M A

Just A Small Town Girl

Even as the world beckons, Kristin Chenoweth makes time for Broken Arrow with two live shows in August.

PHOTO BY JOHN RUSSO.

L

ast month, Kristin Chenoweth performed her first solo show at London’s Royal Albert Hall, crossing yet another great world stage off her theater bucket list.

The audience that packed that great house quickly learned what many from Broadway and her home state of Oklahoma have known for years – no matter how many movies she films or television roles she takes, Chenoweth is a constant of theater today.

The Broken Arrow native brings the point home this month when she plays the theater bearing her name at the Broken Arrow Performing Arts Center, 701 S. Main St., Broken Arrow. Kristin Chenoweth Live! is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 22, and Saturday, Aug. 23.

A graduate of Oklahoma City University, Chenoweth and her unforgettable voice first caught acclaim when she won a Tony Award in 1999 for her performance as Sally in a Broadway run of the musical You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. Originating the role of Glinda in the Oz-inspired musical Wicked, she was nominated for another Tony.

More notably, Chenoweth’s performance in that role set the standard in what has become one of the most popular contemporary musicals of recent decades. She’s also become the epitome of today’s entertainer, the ultimate “threat” who can navigate the terrain of mass media (television’s Glee and the forthcoming Disney Channel film Descendents) with energy and charm to spare for sold-out live engagements, such as her Carnegie Hall show in May. And through it all, even as plans are made to set her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2015, Chenoweth has Broken Arrow in mind. The inexhaustible artist is making new plans for her fine arts and community foundation.

Kristin Chenoweth Live! opens the Broken Arrow PAC’s 201415 season. Tickets are $49-$81, available at www.myticketoffice. com. For more visit www.brokenarrowpac.com.

KAREN SHADE AUGUST 2014 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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Entertainment

Calendar

PERFORMANCES • IN CONCERT • SPORTS • FAMILY • ART • CHARITABLE EVENTS • COMMUNITY Door. www.bluedoorokc.com

Turnpike Troubadours, Wade Bowen, Cody Canada & The Departed Aug. 2 OKC Zoo Amphitheatre.

www.thezooamphitheatre.com

Wild Ponies

bluedoorokc.com

Aug. 3 The Blue Door. www.

BOBstock Aug. 3 Tribute band festival at the Zoo Amphitheatre in Oklahoma City. www. thezooamphitheatre.com Chiodos and Blessthefall Aug. 6 Cain’s Ballroom. www.cainsballroom.com The Dwarves Aug. 6 OKC Farmers Public Market, www.ticketstorm.com Old Monk

Aug. 6 The Conservatory. www. conservatoryokc.com

PHOTO BY MATTHEW MURPHY.

Bill Cosby Aug. 7 The Joint, Hard Rock Tulsa. www.hardrockcasinotulsa.com

PERFORMANCES

Cherokee National Holiday

The Phantom of the Opera It has been acclaimed as “bigger and better than ever,” but fans of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical The Phantom of the Opera are used to splashy and epic. What would it take to make the “new” production even more spectacular than the original? The answer is in more than smoke and mirrors – although there’s still plenty of each, too. Set in a Paris opera house, the musical about a disfigured and angry man who haunts it tours to Oklahoma City Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N. Walker Ave., in downtown Oklahoma City. Celebrity Attractions presents the play, setting the 2014-15 season’s table with a host of new musical and theater shows. The Phantom of the Opera – with new character choices, direction and a design face-lift – opens Wednesday, Aug. 27, and closes on Sept. 7. Tickets are $40-$135, available at www. celebrityattractions.com.

Avenged Sevenfold, KORN, more Aug. 7 OKC Downtown Airpark. www.okcairpark. com

Bare Naked Ladies Aug. 8 River Spirit Casino. www.riverspirittulsa.com Stephanie Urbina Jones Blue Door. www.bluedoorokc.com

Aug. 8 The

James Taylor

Aug. 9 Chesapeake Energy Arena. www.chesapeakearena.com

Earth, Wind & Fire

Theater. www.bradytheater.com

Aug. 9 Brady

Newsboys featuring Andy Mineo

PERFORMANCES Pericles ThroughAug.3 Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park brings the play about the Greek statesman and his magical Mediterranean tour to the Oklahoma City Civic Center Music Hall. www.oklahomashakespeare.org A Little Night Music Aug. 5-9 Stephen Sondheim’s delightful musical of romance and a weekend jaunt in the country is brought to the Oklahoma City Civic Center Music Hall stage by Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma. www.lyrictheatreokc. com

Enlightened Aging

Aug. 7 Spoken word artists present original and new work with special music and performance guests at Living Arts of Tulsa. www.livingarts.org

Glengarry Glen Ross

Aug. 7-24 David Mamet’s Pulitzer Prize-winning, dark-humored play set among cutthroat real estate agents is presented by Oklahoma City Theatre Company at Oklahoma City Civic Center Music Hall. www. okctheatrecompanyorg

Stardust: Janet Rutland

Aug. 8 Tulsa music icon Janet Rutland sings from 1927 (including “Stardust” and “Blue Skies”) at

the Guthrie Green and presented by the Oklahoma Center for Poets and Writers. www. guthriegreen.com

Les Misérables Aug. 8-24 Theatre Tulsa opens its new season with the musical adaption of Victor Hugo’s epic novel of the French Revolution and a man trying to escape his past. www.myticketoffice.com Harwelden Murder Mystery Thru Aug. 9 The annual theater event benefiting the Arts & Humanities Council of Tulsa blends dinner with a fun, original whodunit at Harwelden Mansion. www.ahhatulsa.org Musical Mondays: Mike Bennett Orchestra Aug. 18 Vocalist Sharon Mo-

Wanda Jackson Aug. 1 Vanguard Music Hall. www.thevanguardtulsa.com Michael Bublé www.bokcenter.com

Aaron Watson

The Phantom of the Opera

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2014

IN CONCERT

Nanyehi, Beloved Woman of the Cherokee Aug. 21-23 The Hard Rock Tulsa

Aug.22-23 The Broadway, film and television star (and Broken Arrow native) returns home for two stupendous shows at the Broken Arrow Performing Arts Center following a major performance at London’s Royal Albert Hall. www.brokenarrowpac.com

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Ongoing The melodrama continues with heroes, damsels in distress and over-the-top characters plus an entertaining musical revue most Saturdays of the year at the Spotlight Theatre. www. spotlighttheatre.org

John Fullbright

Kristin Chenoweth Live!

The Drunkard and The Olio

guin joins the orchestra at Cascia Hall Performing Arts Center for another LIFE Senior Services concert. www.lifeseniorservices.org

Hotel & Casino presents a musical featuring 17 original songs about the life of Nancy Ward, a Cherokee peacekeeper integral to negotiations between the tribe and other nations in the 1700s. www.hardrockcasinotulsa.com

Wanda Jackson at Vanguard Music Hall

a haunted man terrorizing a Paris opera house returns to Oklahoma City Civic Center Music Hall. www.celebrityattractions.com

Aug. 27-Sept. 7 Hailed as “bigger and better than ever,” the Andrew Lloyd Webber extravaganza about

Aug. 1 BOK Center.

Aug. 1 Myriad Botanical Gardens. www.oklahomacitybotanicalgardens. com

Aug. 1 Cain’s Ballroom. www.cainsballroom.com

Jeff Dunham

Aug. 1 First Council Casino & Hotel, Newkirk. www.firstcouncilcasinohotel. com

Counting Crows

Aug. 1 The Joint, Hard Rock Tulsa. www.hardrockcasinotulsa.com

Sleeping Giant

Aug. 1 The Conservatory. www.conservatoryokc.com

Okapi Sun

com

Aug. 1 VZD’s. www.ticketstorm.

Michael Bublé Aug. 2 Chesapeake Energy Arena. www.chesapeakearena.com Malcom Holcombe

Aug. 2 The Blue

Aug. 9 Frontier City. www.frontiercity.com

Fall Out Boy, Paramore

Aug. 10 OKC Zoo Amphitheatre. www.thezooamphitheatre. com

The Casket Girls Aug. 10 Opolis, Norman. www.ticketstorm.com Lincoln Durham Aug. 13 Mercury Lounge. www.mercurylounge918.com Curtis McMurtry

Door. www.bluedoorokc.com

Aug. 13 The Blue

Kate Tucker and The Sons of Sweden Aug. 13 The Conservatory. www. conservatoryokc.com

Michael McDonald, Toto

Aug. 14-15 First Council Casino & Hotel, Newkirk. www.firstcouncilcasinohotel.com. Hard Rock Tulsa. www.hardrockcasinotulsa.com

Polyphonic Spree

UCO. www.acm.uco.edu

Aug. 15 ACM@

R.L. Griffin Blues Extravaganza Aug. 15 Greenwood Cultural Center. www. ticketstorm.com

John Moreland, John Calvin

Aug.

15 The Blue Door. www.bluedoorokc.com

Maxwell Aug. 16 OKC Downtown Airpark. www.okcairpark.com 11th Annual Blues Challenge Aug. 16 Cain’s Ballroom. www.cainsballroom.com Patrice Pike bluedoorokc.com

Aug 16 The Blue Door. www.

LIVE Aug. 16 Riverwind Casino, Norman. www.riverwindcasino.com

and their adaptive abilities at Lake Dardanelle State Park near Russellville, Ark. www.arkansas. com

Sleeping Beauty

Aug. 9 South Tulsa Children’s Ballet presents the ballet of a sleeping princess set to Tchaikovsky’s music at the Tulsa Community College VanTrease Performing Arts Center for Education. www.tulsacc.edu

PHOTO BY JAMES O’MARA.

IN CONCERT

Ian Moore & The Losy Coils

Aug.

17 Guthrie Green. www.guthriegreen.com

Sevendust

Aug. 19 Cain’s Ballroom. www. cainsballroom.com

Chariots

Aug 29 Mercury Lounge. www. mercurylounge918.com

Chicago, REO Speedwagon

Aug. 30 OKC Downtown Airpark. www.okcairpark. com

Nickel Creek Aug. 20 Cain’s Ballroom. www. cainsballroom.com

and motorcycles will be heard from Osage Casino Tulsa Raceway Park for one of the biggest biker events in the country having its biggest gathering, riding and racing event yet. www. nbrkcmo.com

A Little Night Music

AQHYA World Youth Championship Quarter Horse Show Aug.

Casino. www.riverspirittulsa. com

Victor & Penny with The Swingin’ Low Chariots Aug. 22 The Blue

Gary Allan

Aug. 30 The Joint, Hard Rock Tulsa. www.hardrockcasinotulsa.com

Door. www.bluedoorokc.com

Offspring, Bad Religion, Pennywise Aug. 22 OKC Downtown Airpark. www.okcairpark.com

Aug. 23 Fron-

Colt Ford

Aug. 23 Cain’s Ballroom. www. cainsballroom.com

Panic at the Disco

Aug. 23 OKC Zoo Amphitheatre. www.thezooamphitheatre.com

Anais Mitchell

www.bluedoorokc.com

OneRepublic

bokcenter.com

Aug. 27 The Blue Door.

Aug. 28 BOK Center. www.

Delbert McClinton

Aug. 28 Cain’s Ballroom. www.cainsballroom.com

KISS, Def Leppard

Center. www.bokcenter.com

w w w.

37th Annual National Bikers Roundup Thru Aug. 3 The roar of thousands

Aug.22 OKC Zoo Amphitheatre. www.thezooamphitheatre. com

Aug. 29 BOK

Caskey Aug. 29 The Conservatory. www. conservatoryokc.com Kyle Reid and The Low Swingin’

SPORTS OU Football

www.soonersports.com

v. Louisiana Tech Aug. 30

TU Football

www.tulsahurricane.com

v. Tulane Aug. 28

Tulsa Shock

www.tulsashock.net v. Minnesota Aug. 2 v. San Antonio Aug. 8

OKC RedHawks

www.okcredhawks.com v. Colorado Springs Aug. 2-5 v. Iowa Aug. 7-11 v. El Paso Aug. 20-23 v. Albuquerque Aug. 24-27

Tulsa Drillers

www.tulsadrillers.com v. NW Arkansas July 31-Aug. 3 v. Midland Aug. 12-14 v. Frisco Aug. 15-17 v. NW Arkansas Aug. 26-29 v. Springfield Aug. 30-Sept. 1

Art Adventures Ongoing Children 3-5 experience art every Tuesday morning at the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, Norman, with special guests. Go online for schedules and other information. www.ou.edu/fjjma Second Saturdays Ongoing Families enjoy the Philbrook Museum of Art and participate in art activities for free on the second Saturday of every month. www.philbrook.org

Michael Bublé

Tiny Tuesdays and Drop-in Art Ongoing Guest artists at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art Education Center help families with young children create together and understand the museum artworks the third Tuesday of each month through May. Drop-in Art is open Saturdays from 1-4 p.m. www.okcmoa.com

to Turkey Mountain and River Parks in Tulsa with a race that’s one part running, one part mountain biking and one part team problem solving. www. tatur.org

Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association Range Round-Up Aug.22-23 Teams

v. Memphis Aug. 9

ZZ Top, Jeff Beck

tier City. www.frontiercity.com

www.energyfc.

oklahomathunder.net

Aug. 21 The Blue Door. www. bluedoorokc.com

All-American Rejects

Oklahoma City Energy com v. Orange County Aug. 2 v. Arizona SC Aug. 14 v. LA Galaxy II Aug. 16 v. Charleston Aug. 24

Oklahoma Thunder

Robby Hecht

Aaron Neville, Dr. John Aug. 22 River Spirit

James Taylor Whether he’s fronting a band, playing a duet with an equally iconic presence or alone and strumming his guitar, James Taylor and his music continue to mesmerize audiences. Respected for his simple, honest approach to songwriting, the singer behind classic songs such as “Fire and Rain,” “Carolina on My Mind” and “Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight” is also regarded for his interpretation of music by contemporaries like Carole King and George Harrison. “You’ve Got a Friend” and “Something in the Way She Moves” became two of Taylor’s most loved hits despite that he didn’t pen them. Taylor continues to gain an audience for his early work along with his latest, and he’s certain to bring a mix with him and his band to the Chesapeake Energy Arena, 501 W. Reno Ave., in Oklahoma City for his Saturday, Aug. 9, show. Show time is at 8 p.m., and tickets ($62.50$82.50) are available online at www.chesapeakearena.com.

1-9 Oklahoma State Fair Park opens the gates to some of the best young riders in the world for the 2014 championship show. www.aqha.com

Spin Your Wheels Bicycle Tour Aug. 9 Take a turn around the city, state or region on this non-competitive bicycle tour featuring 12- to 100-mile courses. Event benefits The Children’s Center. www.spinyourwheels.org

National Snaffle Bit Association World Show Aug. 9-17 See outstanding

rider and horse teams compete at Expo Square for big cash prizes during the world championship show. www.nsba.com

Professional Bull Riders

Aug. 1516 Champion bull riders from near and far battle the bulls, clock and each other for the ultimate ride and prize at the BOK Center. www. bokcenter.com

Summer ShootOut Barrell Racing Aug. 15-17 The 16th annual event is back at Oklahoma State Fair Park and brings big prizes for the best racers. www.shootoutbarrels.com

Mud, Sweat and Tears Adventure Race Aug. 17 The sixth annual race returns

of cowboys from 12 historic Oklahoma ranches compete in categories displaying the skills they use daily working with cattle and horses in a fun rodeo at Oklahoma State Fair Park. www. okcattlemen.org

UFC

Aug. 23 Ultimate Fighting Champion brings UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson to the BOK Center to defend his top rank against Rafael dos Anjos. www.bokcenter.com

Midnight Streak 5k Run for the Arts Aug. 23 The 10th annual USATF-certified

run takes participants through some of Oklahoma City’s coolest districts and neighborhoods to benefit Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center. www.oklahomacontemporary.org

Conquer the Guantlet

Aug. 23 The obstacle race has its competitors scale walls, crawl through mud and leap the unexpected at Tulsa Raceway Park. www.conquerthegauntlet. com

gloRUN OKC Aug. 23 Race under the black lights at Mitch Park in Edmond and travel through tunnels with bright artwork to the finish line. www.glorunokc.com Tulsa Reining Classic

Aug. 2631 Horsemanship goes under the spotlight for this fun show exhibiting reining horse teams at the top of the field and on the circuit. www. tulsareining.com

FAMILY Fin-tastic Fish Tales Fun!

Aug. 2-10 The staff at Oklahoma Aquarium share stories, and kids enjoy themed crafts and activities weekends in Jenks. www.okaquarium. org

Adaptable Animals Day Camp

ART Harmless

Aug. 1-28 Living Arts of Tulsa presents Fayetteville, Ark., artist John C. Kelley’s suite of short films exploring narrative structure through telling a formulaic horror-suspense film. www.livingarts.org

Janet O’Neal, Behnaz Sohrabian Aug.1-30 The JRB Art at The Elms gallery highlights the work of O’Neal (mixed media) and Sohrabian (painting). www.jrbartgallery.com

John Bryant Aug. 1-30 Photography at the Tulsa Artists Coalition Gallery. www. tacgallery.org Art Gone Wild

Aug. 1-31 Shake the paw, hoof or flipper of the Oklahoma City Zoo animal artists, each painting canvases in their unique ways that will be exhibited and sold at the a.k.a. gallery in the Paseo Arts District. www.okczoo. com

Chandelier & Other Luminous Objects Aug. 1-Sept. 25 Metal, glass, wood,

paper and other materials both traditional and not go into Living Arts of Tulsa’s exhibition of 40 art chandeliers and other lighted art objects. www.livingarts.org

Prix de West Invitational Art Exhibition and Sale Thru Aug. 3 More

than 30 paintings and sculptures in the vein of Western art by contemporary fine artists are the main attraction of annual exhibition and art sale at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. www.nationalcowboymuseum.org

Art 365

Thru Aug. 9 The innovative work of five Oklahoman artists, working through the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition, are displayed at the Hardesty Arts Center in Tulsa. www.art365. org

TAC@AHHA Aug. 21-Oct. 4 Members of the Tulsa Artists Coalition hold their 26th annual juried group exhibition at the Hardesty Arts Center with artwork across all media and disciplines. www.tacgallery.org

Aug. 6-8 The camp for ages 8-12 explores animals

AUGUST 2014 | WWW.OKMAG.COM

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Entertainment

CHARITABLE EVENTS Back to School Bash

Aug. 2 This fun day provides more than just backpacks for kids. Urban League of Greater Oklahoma City also offers school supplies, health screenings, haircuts and more with children’s activities. www.urbanleagueok.org

Project Manna Girls’ Home Anniversary Aug. 2 Join the fun over PHOTO COURTESY THE UNIVERSITY OF TULSA ATHLETICS DEPT.

brunch, an art show and more to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the transitional living home for girls and young women. www.freetolaunch.com

SPORTS

2014-14 College Football Summer is gone. Sure, the temperatures may be hovering higher than the ragweed count at a Woodward wind farm, but when that pigskin is hiked, it’s officially the season for team colors. The 2014-15 college football season begins Labor Day weekend, and both University of Oklahoma and The University of Tulsa open with home games. The TU Golden Hurricane face Tulane University on Thursday, Aug. 28, at H.A. Chapman Stadium, 3112 E. Eighth St., on the TU campus in Tulsa (www.tulsahurricane.com). The OU Sooners square off with Louisiana Tech University on Saturday, Aug. 30, at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, 180 W. Brooks, on the OU Norman campus (www.soonersports.com). Supporters of the Oklahoma State University Cowboys can watch their team play Florida State University in the 2014 Cowboys Classic, which is scheduled to be televised live from Arlington, Texas, on Saturday, Aug. 30. The Cowboys’ first home game will be against Missouri State University on Sept. 6 (www.okstate.com).

Jason Willaford: Vinyl Exposed Thru Aug. 22 The Dallas mixed media artist known for his re-purposed billboard vinyl series of found art exhibits at the Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center. www.oklahomacontemporary. org

Warped Wefts: A Weaving Invitational Thru Aug. 24 108 Contemporary

puts the work of local weavers in the spotlight with an assembly of pieces ranging from the t r a d i t i o n a l t o c o n t e m p o r a r y. w w w.

108contemporary.org

Alexandre Hogue: An American Visionary Aug. 24-Nov. 30 Gilcrease Mu-

seum of Art presents this collection of more than 50 works by the revolutionary artist who made his name in painting scenes of the Dust Bowl-ravaged southwest and Midwest with undulating lines. www.gilcrease.utulsa.edu

Theodore Fried: Pivotal Moments in Twentieth Century Art Thru Sept.

7 Works by the Hungarian painter at the confluence of eras and schools in modern art go on exhibit at Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art. www.jewishmuseum.net

Beauty Within

Thru Sept. 7 Philbrook Downtown exhibits the jewelry, drawings, ceramics and prints of Hopi artist Charles Loloma and looks at his innovative use of materials and technique. www.philbrook.org

Oil and Wood: Oklahoma Moderns George Bogart and James Henkle Thru Sept. 14 The Fred Jones Jr.

Museum of Art shows work from two professors emerti of the University of Oklahoma School of Art & Art History. www.ou.edu/fjjma

Gods and Heroes: Masterpieces from the École des Beaux-Arts Thru Sept.

14 About 140 paintings, sculptures and works on paper dating between the 17th and 19th centuries go on exhibit at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, bringing focus on the influential European school of fine art. www.okcmoa.com

Wunderkammer and Totemic Taxonomy Hard Times, Oklahoma, 1939-40

Cherokee Homecoming Art Show Aug. 29-31 This exhibition of work by Cherokee artists spans genres, influence and method at the Cherokee Heritage Center in Tahlequah. www.cherokeeheritage.org

Arts Festival Oklahoma Aug.30-Sept.

1 See hundreds of fine artworks in a festival environment with activities and music at the 36th annual event at Oklahoma City Community College. www.occc.edu/afo/ 100

Thru Sept. 15 Brandice Guerra’s Wunderkammer mixes art and natural history’s curiosities, while artists Peter Froslie and Cathleen Faubert present Totemic Taxonomy, interpreting people’s relationship to objects and symbols, at Science Museum Oklahoma. www.sciencemuseumok.org

American Encounters

Thru Sept.

15 The five-piece exhibit subtitled AngloAmerican Portraiture in an Era of Revolution, demonstrates how the art of portraiture evolved in American and European painting in the 18th and 19th centuries. American Encounters is on exhibit at Crystal Bridges Museum of American

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2014

Art in Bentonville, Ark. www.crystalbridges. org

Monet and the Seine: Impressions of a River Thru Sept. 21 Philbrook Museum

focuses on Claude Monet’s intimate connection to the river Seine in an exhibit bringing together pieces from across his career. www. philbrook.org

Cowboys of Influence

Thru Sept.

28 A new photo exhibit at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum focuses on world champion bull rider Lane Frost and rancher Robert C. Norris. www.nationalcowboymuseum. org

Kachinas From the Red Earth Collection Thru Sept.30 Nearly 100 distinct

Kachina figures of the Hopi and Pueblo cultures are featured in a special exhibition demonstrating the art and their significance at Red Earth Museum. www.redearth.org

Art with Purpose: The Work of E.W. Deming Thru Oct. 12 Gilcrease Museum presents an exhibit of 30 rarely seen works from the permanent collection by the artist who painted scenes of daily life among various American Indian tribes. www.gilcrease. utulsa.edu

Hard Times, Oklahoma, 1939-40 Thru Oct. 26 Photographs by Russell Lee documenting the struggles of rural Oklahomans during the Great Depression for the Farm Security Administration create a portrait of history and heritage at Philbrook Museum of Art. www. philbrook.org

Allan Houser: A Celebration

Thru Nov. 2 Philbrook Downtown features the paintings and influence of Oklahoma artist Allan Houser on the centennial of his birth year. www.philbrook.org

Born of Fire: Ceramic Art from Regional Collections Thru March 2 Fired clay takes many forms in this exhibition at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Ark., and explores its use and art

Smarty Pants Trivia Aug. 7 Trivia buffs team to play at this fundraiser for the Multiple Sclerosis Society that features entertainment, refreshments, a silent auction and prizes at the Oklahoma History Center. www. nationalmssociety.org

Adaptable Animals Day Camp at Lake Dardanelle State Park

through time and around the world. www. crystalbridges.org

Recent Acquisitions of Photography and Works on Paper Ongoing Art work in a variety of media and styles collected over the past five years by the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art go on display for the public. Works include photos by Laura Gilpin, prints by Andy Warhol and more. www.ou.edu/ fjjma

Illuminations: Rediscovering the Art of Dale Chihuly Ongoing Tour the Oklahoma City Museum of Art’s collection of glass art by the celebrated artist. www. okcmoa.com

Focus on Favorites ongoing A new Gilcrease Museum exhibit highlights the treasures, art, artifacts and historical documents cherished in the museum’s collection and reflective of the American experience. www.gilcrease. utulsa.edu Identity & Inspiration

Ongoing Philbrook Downtown showcases pieces from Philbrook Museum of Art’s permanent collection of Native American art. www.philbrook. org

Opening Abstraction

Ongoing Philbrook Downtown presents abstract work in all its manifestations. www.philbrook.org

First Friday Gallery Walk Ongoing The galleries of OKC’s Paseo Arts District welcome all each month. www.thepaseo.com First Friday Art Crawl

Ongoing Stroll the Brady Arts District in Tulsa for new exhibitions at galleries and art centers as well as live music and other events at the Guthrie Green and other venues. www.thebradyartsdistrict. com.

2nd Friday Circuit Art

Ongoing A monthly celebration of arts in Norman. www.2ndfridaynorman.com

Weekends On Us

Ongoing Free admission to the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum the first full weekend of every month. www.nationalcowboymuseum.org

Mustache Bash Aug. 9 Unlike any pub crawl in Tulsa, the event supporting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation takes place at venues in the Blue Dome District offering ample mustache sightings. www.cff.org/chapters/tulsa Dancing for a Miracle Gala Aug. 9 The Children’s Hospital Foundation gala features local celebrities paired with professional dancers in a ballroom dance competition along with special treats for guests. www. okchf.org Operation Aware Charity Golf Tournament Aug. 11 The Operation

Aware of Oklahoma tournament raises funds helping youth and children make better choices. Play at Cedar Ridge Country Club in Broken Arrow. www.operationaware.org

Engaging Men Breakfast Aug. 13 Men make a difference in the lives of women and families impacted by domestic violence and sexual assault at this event of YWCA Oklahoma City at the Cox Convention Center. www.ywcaokc.org Will Rogers Film Festival

Aug. 14 The night includes a reception and screening of the Will Rogers film Steamboat ‘Round the Bend at this fundraiser event at Tulsa’s Circle Cinema for the Will Rogers Memorial Foundation. www.willrogers.com

Casino Florale Aug. 15 Enjoy a night of fun inspired by Vegas-style casino games and attractions at TEEMO Gold Dome to help OKC Beautiful. www.okcbeautiful.com Festival of Hope Aug. 15 Heartline honors community leaders in central Oklahoma with dinner and an auction at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. www. heartlineoklahoma.org Marlin Oil Golf Classic

Aug. 18 Oil company pros and power players play through at the Twin Hills Golf and Country Club to benefit cystic fibrosis research and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. www.cff.org/chapters/okc

DIVAS 4 H.O.P.E. Aug. 22 Favorite local singers and musicians share their talents at the annual HIV and HCV prevention gala, taking place this year at the DoubleTree Hilton Hotel Tulsa-Warren Place. www.hopetesting. org.

Wild Brew 2014

Aug. 23 Sip and sample some of the coolest artisan beer labels around at the “Greatest Party Ever Hatched,” happening at Expo Square and benefiting the George Miksch Sutton Avian Research Center. www.wildbrew.org

Tour de Palate Aug. 23 The night benefits the Go Mitch Go Foundation, which

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Entertainment

Summer’s Fifth Night

Thru Aug. 28 The song goes on throughout summer Thursday evenings at Utica Square. www.uticasquare. com

Tulsa Overground Film Festival Aug. 29-30 The Tulsa-based independent movie festival is back with more films from a variety of formats, styles and creators along with other events at Circle Cinema. www.tulsaoverground. com

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Aug. 29-31 Labor Day weekend means it’s time for the annual Cherokee gathering in Tahlequah with sports (traditional and contemporary), arts, crafts and entertainment. www.cherokee.org

ART

Alexandre Hogue: An American Visionary Oklahoma no longer looks like the arid, over-plowed wasteland seen in photos from the 1930s. Photographers documented the Great Depression and Dust Bowl migration of Oklahomans and their neighbors as windstorms shoved mounds of dirt and sand through the cracks of abandoned houses and across barren fields. Artist Alexandre Hogue, too, saw this landscape and painted it as victim of human insatiability and greed. Hogue’s vision, however, exceeded his criticism – he painted in a new spirit with sensuously bowed lines, vivid colors and a scope for beauty. Gilcrease Museum brings the exhibition Alexandre Hogue: An American Visionary to its galleries, featuring the works that brought him his first wave of renown as well as art focused on the American southwest and other subjects. The exhibit opens Sunday, Aug. 24, and runs through Nov. 30. For more, visit www.gilcrease.utulsa.edu. raises money to research a cure for blood cancers and lymphoma, and includes live music, carefully selected wines and food from 15 Oklahoma City restaurants plus a beer garden, all at the National Cowboy &Western Heritage Musuem. www.tourdepalate.com

Habitat Fore Humanity Golf Classic Aug. 25 Play through with Habitat for

Humanity to build more houses for families at the Patriot Golf Club in Owasso. www.tulsahabitat.org

COMMUNITY Tulsa County Free Fair

Thru Aug. 1 Join the fun of community art and culinary exhibits along with livestock shows and fun for all at Expo Square. www.oces.tulsacounty.org

Starlight Concerts Summer Series Thru Aug. 1 The Starlight Bands’ bring their orchestra and jazz shows to the Guthrie Green for outdoor entertainment every Tuesday. www. starlightbands.net

Bricktown Reggae Fest

Aug. 1-2 Groove to the sounds of reggae bands, snack on Caribbean foods and enjoy the vibe coming from Bricktown. www.brewerentertainment.com

Star Party Aug. 2 Discover the night skies with amateur astronomers at Pinnacle Mountain State Park near Little Rock, Ark., at this fun event. www.arkansas.com R.K. Gun Show

Aug. 2-3 Oklahoma State Fair Park. www.rkshows.com

World Wide Paint Horse Congress Thru Aug. 3 The Kansas Paint Horse Association brings excellence in breed and showmanship to Expo Square. www.exposquare.com

American Indian Expo Aug. 6-9 One of the state’s largest events for powwow dancing is also a long-running expo event of Native American culture, history and talent in Anadarko. www.americanindianexposition.org IICOT Powwow of Champions Aug. 8-10 The Intertribal Indian Club of Tulsa puts on its 37th annual gathering and dance competi-

102

tion that also features an arts and crafts market and more at the Mabee Center. www.iicot.org

Rush Springs Watermelon Festival Aug.9 Want locally-grown watermelons?

Find them south of Oklahoma City in the town celebrating another great crop with carnival rides, vendors and entertainment. www. rushspringswatermelonfestival.com

Summer Sizzler

Aug. 9-10 Oklahoma City Obedience Training Club event at Oklahoma State Fair Park. www.ocotc.org

Oklahoma City Gun Show Aug. 9-10 Oklahoma State Fair Park. www.okcgunshow. com Civil War Round Table of the Delta Aug. 11 Scholars and historians will

lead a program on Civil War medicine at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Helena-West Helena, Ark., www.deltaculturalcenter.com

Will Rogers Family Film Festival Aug. 16 Circle Cinema screens two Will Rogers films (Too Busy to Work, In Old Kentucky) as part of activities remembering the late Claremore native on the anniversary of his death. www. willrogers.com

We Own the Street Car & Bike Show Aug. 16 Souped-up cars and bikes on

hydraulics get their day at Oklahoma State Fair Park. www.reddirtstreetkings.com

Tulsa Steampunk Fair

Aug. 16 The IDL Ballroom in downtown Tulsa touches down in the dimension where Victorian culture meets science fiction and more. www.idlballroom.com

Oklahoma City Indian Clinic 40th Year Celebration Powwow Aug. 16 Native American dance, music and festivities are free to the public at Oklahoma State Fair Park as the clinic looks forward. www.okcic.com

Sonic Summer Movies 2014 Thru Aug. 13 Favorite

movies for the whole family are screened on the Great Lawn at the Myriad Botanical Gardens. www. oklahomabotanicalgardens.com

Just Between Friends Aug. 1723 Family consignment event at Expo Square. www.tulsa.jbfsale.com Oklahoma City Storytelling Festival Aug. 21-23 The Arts Council of

Oklahoma City unites storytellers with listeners over workshops, performances and more at the Oklahoma History Center. www.artscouncilokc. com

Oklahoma County Free Fair Aug. 21-23 See the best of Oklahoma County’s citizenry with jams, quilts, photography, pies and more on exhibit along with the livestock show at Oklahoma State Fair Park. www.okstatefair. com Midsummer Nights’ Fair

Aug.22-23 It wouldn’t be summer in Norman without this celebration of visual arts complete with art activities for all ages, performances and music at Lion’s Park in Norman. www.normanfirehouse. com

tors and dealers meet for an extravaganza of numismatic proportions at the Ramada Inn Convention Center in Mountain Home, Ark. www. deltaculturalcenter.com

Oklahoma Championship Steak Cook-Off Aug. 23 Dozens of teams compete Bill Cosby at Hard Rock Tulsa Hotel & Casino

Summer Spectacular Craft Show Aug. 15-16 Vendors sell

hand-made items at Oklahoma State Fair Park to benefit the Sooner Sensations Chorus. www. soonersensations.com

U.S.S. Batfish Living History Days Aug. 16 Guides dressed in period Navy regalia take visitors on tours of the World War II submarine on display in Muskogee. www.ussbatfish. com

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2014

Rogers and his aviator friend Wiley Post takes place at Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch in Oolagah with activities. www.willrogers.com

Sixth Annual Stamp & Currency Show Aug. 22-23 Coin and currency collec-

Will Rogers Tribute and Program Aug. 15 The Will

Rogers Memorial Museums pay tribute to the famed Oklahoman on the anniversary of his death with a wreath-laying ceremony and theatrical presentation at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Claremore. www.willrogers.com

Art Gone Wild

Grand American Arms Show

Aug. 16 Expo Square. www.grandamericanarmsshows.com

Remote Area Medical Oklahoma Aug. 16-17 The clinic offering free health care will set up at Oklahoma State Fair Park. www. ramok.org

Will Rogers & Wiley Post Fly-In Aug. 17 The annual fly-in remembering Will

to cook the best steak in the state while diners listen to live entertainment, snack on appetizers and enjoy the car show before dinner is served. www.oksteakcookoff.com

Amazing Pet Expo

Aug. 23 Meet Shorty and Hercules from Animal Planet’s TV show Pit Boss while visiting this show at Oklahoma State Fair Park that’s all about pets and helping homeless animals. www.okcpetexpo.com

No Boundaries Expo Aug. 23 The expo show brings the latest products and technology for individuals with disabilities along with a health fair at Oklahoma State Fair Park. www.neuroresourcesoutreach.org

Tulsa Mini Maker Faire

Aug. 30 The imagination and ingenuity of Tulsans are at the forefront of this event in which hobbyists, scientists, engineers, artists, educators and more bring ideas and projects to the town’s biggest “show-and-tell” at Expo Square. www. makerfairetulsa.com

Gala of the Royal Horses Aug. 31 The renowned equestrian tour comes to North America with magnificent stallions from the royal houses and schools in Vienna and Spain along with Spanish flamenco dancers and more at the BOK Center. www.bokcenter.com Arts Council of OKC’s Sunday Twilight Concerts Thru Sept. 28 Don’t

miss these mellow evening concerts at the Great Lawn and band shell at Myriad Botanical Gardens. www.oklahomacitybotanicalgardens.com

Movies in the Park Thru Oct. 31 Tulsa’s Guthrie Green screens favorite comedies and dramas Thursday evenings through Halloween. www.guthriegreen.com International Gymnastics Hall of Fame Ongoing Celebrate the athletic and

artistic elements of the sport while honoring its most accomplished athletes at Science Museum Oklahoma. www.sciencemuseumoklahoma.org

Destination Space Ongoing Revealing the amazing science that allows us to travel beyond the confines of earth. www.sciencemuseumoklahoma.org Walking Tour Ongoing Take a walking tour of historic downtown Tulsa. www.tulsahistory.org Gilcrease Films

Ongoing See various films throughout the month. www.gilcrease.org

OKCMOA Films

Ongoing Oklahoma City Museum of Art. www.okcmoa.com

Planetarium Shows Ongoing Science Museum Oklahoma. www.sciencemuseumoklahoma.org To see more events happening around Oklahoma, go to

OKMAG.COM

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SCULPTOR ROSALIND COOK IS PICTURED WITH HER PIECE TITLED CELEBRATING THE ARTS, INSTALLED IN 1990 DISPLAYED AT HARWELDEN MANSION. PHOTO BY DAN MORGAN.

IN PERSON

Giving The Gift

Tulsa sculptor Rosalind Cook reviews a life of art and inspiration.

M

ost Tulsa residents have seen a sculpture by Rosalind Cook, an artist with more than 30 public works in the city who will be inducted into the Tulsa Hall of Fame in October. Her bronze sculptures line Riverside Park and Utica Square and are features at Woodward Park, the Peggy V. Helmerich Library and Saint Francis Hospital, among other places.

Capturing the Spirit in Bronze, a book penned by Cook is scheduled for release this month. The book, she says, is a “thank you” to the people of Tulsa who have made her public sculptures possible.

The book “documents many of the stories behind the commissioning and creating of these sculptures,” says Cook. “Raising a family and building a career in Tulsa has been an amazing adventure.”

As she transitions into retirement, Cook wants to encourage Tulsans to use their gifts to benefit others, which she says is one purpose of her book.

“God has truly blessed my career with success, and I saw an opportunity to perhaps be a catalyst for budding artists,” Cook says.

She also recently created a foundation for Tulsa’s art teachers and art projects.

A beneficiary of her foundation, Booker T. Washington High School art teacher Jennifer Dix Brown, received one of the 2013 Rosalind Cook Encouragement Awards, making possible a mixed media show at the Hardesy Arts Center featuring work by Dix’s students. Awards have also gone to TRACE Academy for art supplies and to Jenks High School for photographic equipment.

Cook majored in special education in college, a choice that she says shaped her career as a sculptor.

“There was a great emphasis in working with the younger students on shape, form and texture,” Cook says of her training with visually impaired and blind students. “Often, my eyes were covered as we explored everything from toys to food and insides of buildings. This developed in me a keen sense of form and texture, which has added greatly to my skill when I finally did move into sculpture.”

Sculpting as a practice came later to Cook, who first explored painting and more manageable forms of art while she and her husband, Hal, raised three children.

“In our early marriage,” Cook says, “I had many garage sales and would become so flattered at selling my oils that I would pull the paintings off of our apartment wall, and [I]even sold one of Hal’s favorites, which he still misses today.”

Many of Cook’s sculptures depict children at play, but others bear a somber tone. While working on a sculpture for World Vision near Tacoma, Wash., the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building was bombed. Her sculpture of Jesus holding out bread to the children of the world was shaped by that horrific event.

“I was sculpting the children for the monument in my studio as the rescuers were finding bodies of the victims,” says Cook. “My heart was heavy with grief. This grief was my new motivation to capture life in the faces and movements of the children I was working on in clay.”

The experience of making this sculpture taught Cook how to capture the spirit of her subjects in bronze.

SHAUN PERKINS

Capturing the Spirit in Bronze is available for sale on Cook’s website, www.rosalindcook.com, and she will hold several book signings in Tulsa in September.

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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2014

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