Jenks Tribune - Digital Issue 12 - November 1, 2019 by jenkstribune6

• FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2019 • JENKSTRIBUNE.COM •

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PROVIDING CHILDREN A SERVICE Speech and Beyond Pediatric Therapy makes impact in the community. Read the story on Page 6A.

Jenks Middle School teacher Tabitha Martin received a special gift last week from a group of Jenks Middle School students before she leaves for New Zealand to help take care of her ailing father. Photo/Courtesy

Students team up to gift shoes to departing teacher By HAYDEN TUCKER

htucker@jenkstribune.com

TAMING THE TIGERS Jenks football improved to 5-3 on the year with a dominmating win last Friday at Norman. Read the story on Page 1B.

• Friday, November 1, 2019 • 100 edition •

Meet our staff Editors in Chiefs Elise Siebert Jett Millican

Section Editors Drew Bethell Izzy Pankey

Lily Heritage

A group of Jenks Middle School students came together to surprise their teacher with a special gift the day she left the school. Tabitha Martin was just two days into the school year when her father was diagnosed with leukemia. A bone marrow match, Martin knew she needed to go back to her family in New Zealand to help her father. Martin’s last day at Jenks was last Friday and her students made sure she wouldn’t forget them. Many gave her letters and gift cards to send her off with, but four students took it upon themselves to get her a gift that she’ll never forget. “The day she told us she

was going home to be with her dad, my friend and I immediately looked at each other and said, ‘what if we get her a pair of shoes as a going away present?’ We planned it all out with the kids in our class and asked everyone to pitch in money to buy a pair of shoes,” said James Boudiette, who spearheaded the gift decision. Four students donated $30 each to purchase a pair of $120 Nike shoes that are mostly white with pink and blue in the colorway. The idea stemmed from a lesson over a month ago. Martin used shoes to explain the curriculum. “I use a lot of stories and try to make things relatable to them,” Martin said. “About six weeks ago we talked about shoes and relating it to the lesson, so they started

asking me about why I’m always wearing different kinds of shoes. They didn’t realize I have a good passion for sneakers.” Boudiette and his friends appreciated Martin’s innovation in the classroom. The shoes were a way for the four to show how her lessons will stick with them after she’s gone. “We all just really thought she was a great teacher and we wanted to show our appreciation by doing something really nice,” Boudiette said. “She always comes up with cool assignments that makes class fun and not boring we just wanted to show our appreciation for her.” Martin has tried to keep her composure in the recent weeks but the act of kindness from Boudiette and his friends made it difficult to

keep the emotions bottled up. “The past couple of weeks I’ve been doing something where I sit in my car before I walk into the building and I pray and I just try to take all of my emotions and put them in a cage in my mind so that I can still be optimistic and joyful and let the students not feel anything from my personal life,” Martin said. “Just because I’m leaving doesn’t mean their learning journey stops. It all came forward at once when I saw them walk in with the shoes, I started crying.” “It’s nice to know, their teacher is leaving, and it effects them negatively but they’re not showing it. Instead they’re showing their appreciation and kindness. It speaks to their character.”

Staff Members Grace Abraham

Hayden Alexander Isabella Arias Ben Brown

Andrew Cross Natalie Eaton

Victoria Gaikwad

Kegan Huckabone Mikyla Khan

Amelia Kimberling Jackson Lee

Carson Messick Natasha Perez Andrea Rosa

Bella Skinner Greg Tiller

@JenksTrojanTorch

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Trojan Torch’s 2019-2020 staff members during spirit week.

A letter from the editors Welcome to year 100 of the Jenks Trojan Torch! As a publication, we have been around since the 1940’s. In those days, we were known as the “Hi-Jinx,” and we covered anything from gossip around the school to US involvement in World War II. Now we have reached our current iteration of student publication. At the Trojan Torch,

we strive to be the voice of the student body. This year, we are excited to widen our audience to not only the students of Jenks, but now the citizens of Jenks. We hope that our partnership with the Jenks Tribune will allow us to grow as journalists, and will give you readers an insight into Jenks High School. We thank you for your readership!

Senior Elise Siebert, Editor In Chief

Senior Jett Millican, Editor In Chief

Spooky Season Under the Sea By Elise Siebert and Drew Bethell

Jenks High School students helped the Jenks Aquarium take Halloween to the next level. For the first time, the aquarium hosted “Hallowmarine.” During these days, guests were able to Trick-or-Treat while walking around the marine life exhibits.

Perryman Ranch to possibly become new neighborhood By KYLE SALOMON

ksalomon@jenkstribune.com

Check out the second Trojan Torch of the school year in today’s edition! See the Torch on Pages 5B thorugh 8B.

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Postal Customer Jenks, OK 74037

The popular land known as Perryman Ranch in Jenks might look entirely different in a year if a Planned Unit Development, or better known as a P.U.D., is approved in the next several weeks. If approved by the Jenks Planning Commission Thursday and the Jenks City Council Nov. 18, the Perryman Ranch land will be rezoned to residential and a neighborhood by the name of Perryman Ranch will be put in that area

with ground-breaking in the summer of 2020. According to Jenks city planner Jim Beach, the new neighborhood will consist of small lots for single families on the west 51 acres of the land. The other 29 acres will be left alone and remain natural. As of right now, the new neighborhood will have 136 lots, but that number could increase to 155. Residents who live within 300 feet of the proposed neighborhood have been notified by the city. Beach said the proposal could be denied and that it is

just a proposal at this point. He also added that the price points of the new homes will be lower than the average south Jenks home and allow for more people to move to Jenks. The homes will be approximately 2,000 to 2,700 square feet and there will be trails and different park amenities put in the new neighborhood and the land surrounding the neighborhood as well. The Perryman Ranch land is located at 11524 S. Elwood Ave. in Jenks.

SEE INSIDE! THE JENKS TRIBUNE IS ADAPTING FOR A MORE EFFECTIVE FUTURE

PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID JENKS, OK PERMIT NO. 7

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Friday, November 1, 2019 Chamber November luncheon to feature Oklahoma Labor Commissioner Leslie Osborn By LANE CASTLEBERRY

Jenks Chamber of Commerce

Pet of the Week Echo Meet Captain Nick Morgans and Echo! With ears like that, this little girl can probably hear a pin drop in the next county! About 4 to 5 months old, our guess is she’s a husky/Dutch shepherd mix. She’s 36 pounds now but is expected to get quite a bit bigger. She loves adults and children, and likes to play with other dogs, but she has somehow gotten the idea that ALL the food bowls belong to her. If you’d like to meet her or any of her adoptable friends, email Jenks Animal Control at animalcontrol@ jenksok.org or call 918-299-6311. Photo/Courtesy

The Jenks Chamber of Commerce November Monthly Luncheon will feature Oklahoma Labor Commissioner Leslie Osborn, Nov. 20. FlyingTee will sponsor and host the luncheon on the third floor of their building, located at 600 Riverwalk Terrace in Jenks. The program begins at noon. Registration will be limited to 75 people. Luncheons are $15 for members and $20 for nonmembers. Elected as Labor Commissioner in 2018, Osborn previously served 10 years in the

state House of Representatives and is the first Republican female chair of the House Appropriations and Budget Committee. She currently also serves as the Chair of the Oklahoma occupational licensing review board and the Department of Commerce’s automotive steering committee, which is actively working on recruitment of diversified manufacturing businesses to the state of Oklahoma. Osborn received a Bachelor of Science in business administration from Oklahoma State University and

resides in Mustang, Oklahoma. Leslie owned and operated her own business for 22 years, selling heavy duty truck parts, Osborn Pick-Up Accessories, and is the mother of two children. Osborn serves on the advisory board of OK Small Business Development Centers and the Oklahoma Academy. She also serves on the foundation board for the Canadian Valley Technology Center. She is a member of Oklahoma First Ladies and a lifetime member of the OSU Alumni

association. She was in Leadership Oklahoma Class 27 and served as the state director of the national group Women in Government. The Jenks Chamber’s Monthly Luncheons feature networking opportunities and a speaker targeting business development, legislative policy, career coaching and other important topics. For more information about the Jenks Chamber or to RSVP for the November Monthly Luncheon, visit jenkschamber. com or call (918) 2995005.

POLICE LOGS INCIDENT REPORTS Oct. 14 through Oct. 20 LARCENY- 200 E J ST Suspect took the victim’s bicycle without his knowledge or permission. MVA-HIT & RUN -PROPERTY DAMAGE- 117TH S FOREST The suspect failed to place his vehicle in a park position. The suspect’s vehicle stuck the victim’s mailbox while

unoccupied. The suspect fled the scene of the crash prior to my arrival. BURGLARY 2ND DEGREE- 400 w 131st Unknown suspect(s) opened the victim’s shipping container, by force, and took possession of the victim’s property. UTTERING FORGED INSTRUMENTS128TH S CEDAR Utilized checks issued to the victim’s bank account to remove

funds from her account without her authorization with the intent to deprive. ENTER VEHICLEBREAKING AND ENTERING- 135th S 20th Unknown subject(s) attempted to enter the victim’s trailer by prying open the handles on the box trailer belonging to the victim without his permission or knowledge. The subject(s) caused damages to the victim’s fence to

his back yard in attempt to enter the yard without the victim’s permission or knowledge. BURGLARY FROM AUTO (OTHER THAN PARTS)- 125th S 2nd Suspect entered the victim’s vehicle and removed the handgun without permission. MALICIOUS INJURY/ DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY- 3000 W MAIN Unknown suspect damaged victim’s vehi-

cle with intent. VANDALISM- 1900 E 134th An unknown suspect or suspects threw a white-in-color substance on the victim’s vehicle. EMBEZZLEMENT823 W MAIN The suspect intentionally gave items from Dollar General Stores to family members without charging them resulting in 500

dollars to 6900 dollars loss in store revenue. ARRESTS JOSHUA SPANGLE 10/22/19 EMBEZZLEMENT NICHOLAS STAMANT 10/23/19 POSSESSION OF TOOLS BY PREV BURGLAR; POSSESSION OF CDSCOCAINE/METH/ CRACK/MDM; POSS FIREARM DURING FELONY; BURGLARY 2ND DEGREE

Friday, November 1, 2019

JenksTribune.com

Jenks Tribune adapting for a more effective future Hello Jenks! Believe it or not, it is already November, which means we are 12 weeks into the Jenks Tribune. It seems like just yesterday I moved back to the Jenks area after being in the Oklahoma City metro for nearly a decade, but like the old saying goes, “time flies when you are having fun”, and this has been a very fun experience. The support has been incredible from the entire Jenks community. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. We don’t do this to get pats on the back, but it is a great feeling when people tell you how much they enjoy the product. There is no such thing as a perfect newspaper. We have made our fair share of mistakes, but we work tirelessly to make sure we are covering this community the way it needs to be covered. I believe we have accomplished our goal thus far in covering this community. I believe in full transparency, but I also believe in positivity.

There are not many media outlets who buy into the model of shining the light of transparency but maintaining a positive outlook, but I believe we have done that here at the Jenks Tribune and will continue to do that going forward. Starting out, we had a plan in place. I believe it was a good plan, the right plan for how we wanted to make an impact on Jenks and this entire area. We wanted the entire city of Jenks to get this newspaper. We wanted every Jenks citizen to have the chance to read about what is going on in their community. As we progressed, we added numerous businesses and school sites to our distribution list.

Right now, we are printing 9,000 newspapers every week with roughly 8,200 being mailed across the 74037-zip code with the other 800 being stacked and racked across the Jenks community. With any plan, there are things you learn along the way. That has certainly been the case here. No plan is perfect, especially when you are starting a small business and that business happens to be a community newspaper. I have learned that we need to be adaptable. We started out mailing to every mailbox in Jenks and that included the P.O. boxes, but quickly came to a realization that people were getting the newspaper three times if they lived in Jenks, worked in Jenks and had a P.O. box in Jenks, so we made an adjustment and pulled P.O. boxes from our delivery list and it has worked out well. Another way we have adapted is by adding our e-edition to our delivery system. We understand that

there are people who would rather read their news online than read it in the hard copy of a newspaper, so we made that available to them and that has worked out well. Now, we must adapt again, and we believe this will also work out well for us and for this community. Starting Nov. 22, we are going to a free subscription model. We understand that not every household and business in Jenks reads their Jenks news through the hard copy of the Jenks Tribune. Our goal is to make sure all our readers are happy with how they receive their Jenks Tribune. If someone wants to read the e-edition and/or our website at www.jenkstribune. com to get their Jenks news and not get the hard copy of our paper, we want to accommodate them, but if someone does want to keep getting their Jenks Tribune in their mailbox every Friday, we certainly want to accommodate them as well. The e-edition and

our website will remain free to anyone who wants to go to our website and/or our Jenks Tribune Facebook page. The hard copy of the newspaper will also remain free, but we need you to let us know you still want to get the printed edition every week. Please mail us the filled-out form from this page at 329 S. Elm St. Ste 201 Jenks, OK 74037 or email office@ jenkstribune.com with your name and address and we will make sure you get a newspaper in your mailbox every Friday. There will also be a form to fill out online on our website that you can email or mail in to us. This offer only applies to city of Jenks residents. We understand we have many readers who live outside of the city of Jenks and they can still get the paper in one of our many locations across the Jenks community or online, but at this time, we can only mail to those who have mailboxes in the 74037 zip code. I understand this is a big change, but we

believe this is the best model moving forward for how we want to get news to our community. We want as many free print subscriptions as we can get, but we also want to make sure people are getting the Jenks Tribune the way they want it. Our goal remains the same as it has always been. Our mission statement reads, “We are the Jenks community’s hometown source for hyperlocal news, sports and information that the people of our community need to know.” Our mission will never change. Whether you want the Jenks Tribune in your mailbox or online, our job is to keep you informed and we plan on doing that for a long time. Thank you Jenks! Sincerely, Kyle Salomon ksalomon@jenkstribune.com

JenksTribune.com

Jenks Tribune Founded, owned, operated and published by Hyperlocal LLC 329 S. Elm Street Suite #201 Jenks, Oklahoma 74037 Phone: 918-528-7272 Fax: 918-528-5605 www.jenkstribune.com

Jenks Tribune Mission Statement “We are the Jenks community’s hometown source for hyperlocal news, sports and information that the people of our community need to know.” Jenks Tribune is mailed weekly through the Jenks Postal Office and United States Postal Service to all U.S. Postal customers in the 74037 zip code.

Jenks Tribune Staff Kyle Salomon

Owner: Hyperlocal LLC Publisher: Jenks Tribune Office Phone: 918-528-7272 Mobile Phone: 918-231-0787 Email: ksalomon@ jenkstribune.com

Hayden Tucker Director of Media/ Sports Editor: Jenks Tribune

Office Phone: 918-528-7272 Mobile Phone: 405-651-8451 Email: htucker@ jenkstribune.com

Jinger Wiesman

Creative Director/ Advertising Executive: Jenks Tribune Office Phone: 918-528-7272 Mobile Phone: 918-813-0654 Email: jwiesman@ jenkstribune.com

Cami Rogers Advertising Executive: Jenks Tribune Office Phone: 918-528-7272 Mobile Phone: 918-688-2264 Email: ???

Friday, November 1, 2019 OPINION

HEARING FROM THE OWNER’S BOX Hello Jenks, America! I hope everyone had a fun and exciting week here in our adventurous community. The weather was not the best this week with the cold temperatures, wind and rain, but I hope you still made time to get out and enjoy all the great activities Jenks has to offer. Halloween took place Thursday, which means Halloween celebrations of all kinds took centerstage this week. The annual Hallowmarine, put on by the Oklahoma Aquarium, was another huge hit in the community with thousands of people invading the aquarium doors to show off their costumes, while getting the chance to learn about marine animals. Trick-or-Treat on Main took place Thursday with children

walking down Main Street here in Jenks getting candy from all the businesses along Main Street downtown. The Fall Festival at the Riverwalk took place last Saturday with thousands of people taking part in the fun in one of the more scenic areas in our great town. Whatever you did to celebrate Halloween, I hope you had a great time and kept safe. I would like to give a shout out to Sarah Koehling and Speech

and Beyond Pediatric Therapy for all the amazing work they do for children in this area. The service and tools they provide for these young people and their families give the children an amazing opportunity to grow and learn in a variety of ways. I would like to congratulate the Jenks girls cross country team for their performance at the 6A east regional cross country meet Saturday in Sand Springs. The Lady Trojans took first place as a team and will compete Saturday at Edmond Santa Fe High School in the 6A state cross country championships. I would like to personally welcome Cami Rogers to the Jenks Tribune team. Cami has joined the Tribune as a sales executive and will provide advertis-

ing sales assistance, as well as customer service. She has two sons that attend Jenks High School and lives in Jenks. We are very fortunate to have her on board and look forward to seeing her flourish in her role with the Jenks Tribune. Well, that is all for today folks. I strongly encourage you to check out Page 3A in today’s edition to see how the Jenks Tribune can be more effective for the future by making sure we are getting people their Jenks community news the way they want to receive it. I hope you all have a great weekend. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy the Jenks Tribune. Sincerely, Kyle Salomon ksalomon@jenkstribune.com

GUEST COLUMNS

MAIN STREET MATTERS WITH SARAH CLAVIN Cold weather most often finds me somewhere in-between hibernation and a steamy cup of coffee. Don’t get me wrong, I love the cooler weather, I just wasn’t cut out for the life of an Eskimo that the cold temps and hail storms bring along with them. I’m also not much for the darker days, especially now that I have three munchkins to entertain and keep active at night. Summer and autumn bring with them the glorious days of late sunsets and a multitude of outdoor activities to keep our family active, but winter despite the happy holiday season, causes the tiny humans in my home to go a bit stir crazy. So, how do we fix it? What might seem counterintuitive this time of year, might just be our best solution. Let’s dive in and see what benefits swimming, yes I said, swimming in the pool, during the wintertime, has for us. As temperatures drop and SAD (seasonal affective disorder) rises, winter can be a particularly difficult time with less daylight and cooler weather. Have no fear, swimming is here! Indoor swimming is the ideal winter activity for a plethora of reasons; the first one is its health benefits, physically and emotionally. Swimming is an aerobic activity, simply stated, it gets the heart pumping, which causes blood to circulate more efficiently, reduces inflammation and increases lung capacity. Even more so, “exercises create endorphins, and endorphins make you happy , and happy people…” You get the picture. On a more serious

note, swimming is extremely good for your mental health. Besides the endorphins, it gives your little ones an opportunity to socialize, something we do less of as it gets darker/colder out. If you have older children in classes on their own, you get a much-needed 30-minute break, away from your precious cherubs. Or, if you’re like me and still have a child in a mommy-andme class, swimming is a fun, enjoyable activity you can do that allows you to focus oneon-one with the child in your arms. Cue oxytocin and dopamine; happy hormones. Practically speaking, winter is the ideal time to learn to swim (or to strengthen the skills you might have developed during the summer). While hopping in the pool is the last thing you might think to do when temps drop below 50, it is actually the best time to prep your kiddos (or yourself) for the upcoming summer season, before it actually arrives. Why wait until summer to learn to swim? The pools will have already opened and the boats will have been prepped for the lake. Why not learn to swim before summer arrives, so that you and your family can safely and confidently enjoy all the water activities the warmer weather brings

around? I would be remiss if I failed to mention the safety aspect. My family swims in the winter, frankly because my mom has a pool. We celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas, at my moms house, With. The. Pool. And I know all too well how often accidents occur in an unsuspecting season at a family event. There is a pretty common phrased tossed about at swim lessons, “Drowning knows no season,” and friends, I’m here to tell you, winter is no exception. A drowning or near drowning incident doesn’t care if it’s hot or cold out, if you are celebrating 4th of July or Thanksgiving, it doesn’t care if your kids are in their swimsuits, their Christmas best, or naked jaybirds before bath time. An incident can occur anytime of year, the water does not care. Pools and water safety might be at the furthest points in our minds this season, but over 10% of the drowning incidents for this year will occur during these “off season” months. Now, let’s talk logistics. Cold hair, flu scare. Right? Not necessarily. If you do opt to swim when it’s a little chilly outside, here are a few tips from one mom to another. 1. Invest in a hat, or 5. While not ideal, leaving swim lessons with wet hair can be totally fine as long as you’ve got that little tow head covered up, so the heat doesn’t escape their scalp. Toss on a cute CC beanie, or one of those adorable new hats Target has out this season,and load them in the minivan. Keeping the head and neck covered is crucial to keep-

ing the little ones healthy and happy. 2. Invest in a cozy robe or fuzzy pajamas. It might be easier for you to dress your kids at home, but facing the wind chill of 35 in a swimsuit can be less than ideal. Wrap them up in a long robe to head to class, loungewear is big this year, style and function, FTW. If you prefer to dress them at swim, like I do, pack their jammies. Rinse them off in a warm shower after class, put on some cozy PJ’s and head out the door. 3. Invest in a rash guard or wetsuit. No matter how warm the water is, the cool dry air will feel colder as the water evaporates from the skin. Regardless of both the air and water temperatures actually being comfortably warm, you might see your little one shiver when their shoulders are outside of the water. This is a great time to try out a rash guard or wetsuit. The extra layer helps retain body heat, and it acts as a buffer from any drafts the windows and doors might create as people move about the building. Sitting here, writing, I can still smell the chlorine in my hair from swim class tonight with my kids. I smile thinking about the infinite number of times I sang “Humpty Dumpty, 1, 2, ready go”with my son, and how all three kids were giggling and waving to each other from across the pool, everyone actually ate their dinners, and bed time was a breeze (thank you swim lessons!). Are you ready to dive in with us yet?

Naked Networking® w/Kari Mirabal Question: Why is networking important? Answer: In today’s competitive business market, networking can make the difference between success and failure. I get it. For some, talking to strangers is intimidating, but it can also open doors to life-changing experiences. And aren’t you curious to see where new paths might take you? If the thought of talking to new connections makes you feel awkward or exposed, you’re not alone. The solution lies in the YOU

ALREADY HAVE THE NO mindset (the muse behind Naked Networking®). Identifying potential contacts is the easy part. What’s difficult is working up the nerve to approach and make those all-important con-

nections. Extend a hand, introduce yourself, and don’t forget to smile. Adopting the YOU ALREADY HAVE THE NO mindset means feeling fear but not letting it hold you back from acting. Look at it this way, you’re already not doing business with the connection you’ve just identified, so what do you have to lose by going for the big ask? You’ve got a 50% shot they’ll say, “No,” but you’ve also got a 50% chance they’ll say, “Yes.” Networks are compelling and have the power

to transport you from point A to point B - faster. If you spend time networking each day, this investment can be one of the most rewarding experiences you’ll ever have. Consider each stranger you meet an adventure, and allow yourself to feel excited about the potential. Just keep thinking, “With this action, I am one step closer to developing a new, mutually beneficial relationship.” Have a networking question? Send us your inquiry: ksalomon@ jenkstribune.com

Friday, November 1, 2019

JenksTribune.com

Clarehouse provides a service to terminially ill people and their families. Photos/Kyle Salomon

Clarehouse set to reopen following devastating flood By KYLE SALOMON

ksalomon@jenkstribune.com

Clarehouse in Tulsa provides a unique, but important service to those who are terminally ill and their loved ones, but on Aug. 15, that service came to a sudden stop. The Clarehouse facility is located at 7617 S. Mingo Rd. in Tulsa and on Aug. 15, a sewage line was blocked by debris on the other side of Mingo Rd. and the toilets began to act funny and not flush correctly. The staff called a

plumber, but while he was in route raw sewage had started coming up through the floor drains. The plumber called the city of Tulsa and after several hours of searching for the problem, the blockage was found. The flooding started around 4:30 p.m. and everyone was evacuated out of the house by 7:30 p.m. “We were trying to contain the black water that was flooding the first floor, but we weren’t having any success with that,” Clarehouse Executive

Director Kelley Scott said. “The entire first floor was contaminated. They had to come in and rip out all the flooring and tear almost everything out. We lost a lot of furniture.” The house had to have extensive environmental testing done before any type of restoration occurred. After nearly three months of being closed, Clarehouse will open its doors again to patients on Monday. “Being a donation facility only, this has been a very trying time for us,” Scott said.

“However, we made sure to keep all of our staff employed and we have kept busy throughout this time to make sure we aren’t going to skip a beat when we reopen Monday. The community has been so generous in so many ways. We are also in conversation with the city of Tulsa to find out if they can take some of responsibility.” Clarehouse has 33 full and part-time employees with 250 volunteer workers. Jenks resident Anne Stevenson is on the

Board of Directors. Clarehouse has been around for 16 years and provides an alternative for those who are struggling on their own or those who do not want to go to an institution. The operation started in midtown Tulsa with several apartments but has grown rapidly since. It is a donation-based funded operation that operates on a $1.3 annual budget. Clarehouse does not charge any patient that comes to their facility. It is a short-term service. The

average length of time a patient will spend with them is less than a week. “We can’t wait for Monday to get here,” Scott said. “We love this house and love everything this house allows us to do, but we have missed being able to do our mission the most and that is making those who are in their final weeks and days as comfortable as possible and allow their families and loved ones to be as comfortable as possible.”

JenksTribune.com

Friday, November 1, 2019

Right, Nolan Stockam works with Physical Therapist Jennifer Thomas Tuesday at Speech and Beyond Pediatric Therapy. Photos/Kyle Salomon

Speech and Beyond Pediatric Therapy gives children tools to succeed By KYLE SALOMON

ksalomon@jenkstribune.com

Jenks resident Sarah Koehling opened Speech and Beyond Pediatric Therapy in 2009 and never envisioned what it has become 10 years later. Koehling, a Speech Language Pathologist, said she saw a need in the area and wanted to give back. “After we opened, we just kept growing,” she

said. “We added Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy and Feeding Therapy with a registered dietician pretty quickly after we started. We have always been located in Jenks. This has been an amazing experience. I never thought we would get this big.” Speech and Beyond Pediatric Therapy has been in its current location for the past four years. It is located at

1911 W. C St. in Jenks. The facility includes nine treatment rooms and is two stories. There are more than 20 staff members that work at the Speech and Beyond Pediatric Therapy facility. “We have really been blessed,” Koehling said. “A lot of kids will refer to us as the ‘Speech House’ because they think of this as a fun place to go, which is exactly what we want.

Because of Oklahoma state laws, the facility can only see patients from birth to 21 years old. In the past few months, Speech and Beyond Pediatric Therapy has added what they call milestone moments to help celebrate the accomplishments and graduations for the children who conquer a task they have been struggling with previously. “The parents and the

kids are the ones who do the work,” Koehling said. “We just give them the tools they need to do the work, but they are the ones who do the work.” Speech and Beyond Pediatric Therapy sees patients from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday. They are not open Fridays. Right now, they are seeing roughly 400 patients. They can accept

almost any insurance that people may have and have a good cash rate to try and make it more affordable for people. To make an appointment at Speech and Beyond Pediatric Therapy, people can call them or get a doctor’s referral. “We all love working here,” Koehling said. “We have a blast with these kids.”

Friday, November 1, 2019

JenksTribune.com

OBITUARIES Jimmie Marie Newton Jimmie Marie Newton was born April 26, 1929 in Henryetta, Oklahoma to parents Walter William Moore and Zella Hope Gilbert Moore. She departed this life and began her eternal life with the Lord on Saturday, October 12, 2019 at the age of 90. Although her father died in 1931 when she was just two years old, Jimmie enjoyed a very happy childhood in the Henryetta – Wilson – Drippings Springs area of Oklahoma with her mother and her brothers and sisters – John Menan, Tommie Charlotte, Robert Morris, Jo Aldretta and Billie Ann. She always said that she supposed the family was poor during those Depression years, but they never knew it because they had plenty to eat, clothes to wear, a warm house and the best mother in the world. Following the end of the World War II in 1945, Jimmie moved to

Siloam Springs, Arkansas, with her mother and sister Billie, along with older sister Tommie and her husband Joe Chisler. The family lived in what became known as Joe’s Fishing Camp on the Illinois River/Lake Francis, just outside of Siloam Springs, Arkansas and near Watts, OK. During the week, Jimmie and Billie lived in a small apartment in Siloam Springs where they attended high school, and came home “to the river” on weekends. Jimmie graduated from Siloam Springs High School in 1947, having served as senior class president and

achieving recognition as senior class valedictorian. She maintained her love of learning and respect for and belief in the power of education all of her life. Also in 1947, Jimmie met the love of her life when Calvin Robert Newton walked into the soda shop where she worked. Although she refused to date him at first, he persisted and they were married a short six weeks later at First Baptist Church of Siloam Springs. Their lifetime of love for each other had only just begun. Jimmie and Calvin moved to Tulsa in 1949, where he became a police officer with the Tulsa Police Department and she went to work in the wholesale plumbing industry. For the next 40 years, Jimmie worked for Cooper Supply Company, eventually becoming the company’s municipal water works expert. She was definitely a

successful woman in a man’s world as she advised and sold water works and water treatment systems and supplies to municipalities across northeastern Oklahoma. In the late 1950s, Jimmie and Calvin bought an acreage and built a home just west of Jenks, where they raised their two children: Sue Ann (Susie) and Calvin, Jr. (Bucky). Over the next six decades, Jimmie and Calvin’s place became home to children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, along with horses, cattle, sheep, pigs, donkeys, ducks, chickens and a variety of pets. Following Calvin’s death in 1986 and her subsequent retirement in 1988, Jimmie devoted herself to her grandchildren and her church. With very active grandchildren, Jimmie’s time was consumed with school activities, baseball games, speech contests, livestock shows, cheer

competitions and many other after-school practices and events. As a committed member of Manger Baptist Church, she taught Sunday School, Vacation Bible School and various special Bible studies. She also served as church treasurer for 25 years and worked on many special projects for the church. Jimmie believed in putting her energy into those things she loved most: serving God and loving others. She did both wholeheartedly. Her most passionate causes included the welfare of children, social justice, politics and civic engagement and education. Jimmie was preceded in death by her parents, husband Calvin, son Calvin Jr. (Buck), brothers Menan and Bob and sisters Tommie and Jo. Survivors include her daughter Susie, sister Billie Ann Furlow, grandsons Jody (Julie), Nicholas (Kellee) and

Donald Ray Catlett Donald Ray Catlett, 75, of Jenks, Oklahoma passed away October 22, 2019 in Fort Smith, Arkansas. He was born on January 24, 1944 in Lubbock, Texas to parents Ulysses and Mary Catlett. Don served the Jenks community as the Assistant Fire Chief for 30 plus years until his

retirement. Don served his country in the Air Force from March 13, 1969 until his honorable discharge on March 12, 1973. He enjoyed being a member of the Standing Tall Tractor Club in Checotah, Oklahoma. His family shared that Don loved people, camping in Arkansas, and tractors.

Don is survived by his wife of 50 years, Judy Catlett; two sons, Dustin Catlett and wife, Renee of Norman, Oklahoma, Frank Catlett and wife, Jennifer of Clewiston, Florida; one sister, Julia Ann Catlett of Tulsa, Oklahoma; Lily; 8 grandchildren as well as numerous nieces,

Anne-Marie McKimmy Anne-Marie McKimmey passed away at her home in Bixby on October 26, 2019 at the age of 54 years 3 months and 1 day. Funeral services were held at 11:00 A.M. on Wednesday, October 30, 2019 at the First Baptist Church of Jenks. Born July 25, 1965, in Lewiston, Maine, AnneMarie was the daughter of the late Maurice Dube and Patricia (Genesse) Dube of Olympia, WA. AnneMarie graduated in 1983 from Lakes High School in Lakewood, Washington. AnneMarie married Todd McKimmey September 7, 2002, in Wichita, KS. Anne-Marie was a member of the First

Baptist Church of Jenks, OK. She loved to serve others through her involvement with home remodels, floral arrangements, and interior decorating. Most importantly, Anne-Marie loved spending time with her family. Anne-Marie was preceded in death by her father, Maurice Dube.

She is survived by husband, Todd McKimmey; daughter, Samantha McKimmey; mother, Patricia Dube of Olympia, WA; sister, Donna Dube of Tenino, WA; sister, Michelle Dube of Olympia, WA; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Clyde and Jeannine McKimmey of Midland, Texas; niece, Ashley Watson; and grand nephew, Brayden Watson; brother-in-law, Drew McKimmey and wife, Kendell, of Dallas; nephew, Case McKimmey; and niece, Sinclair McKimmey. In lieu of flowers, the family request memorial gifts be sent to Proverbs 31 Ministries or to Saint Francis Hospice.

nephews, other family members and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Ulysses and Mary Catlett and his sister Dortha Wiser. A Memorial Service will occur at the Newspring Church in Jenks, Oklahoma officiated by Pastor Greg Ables under the direc-

tion of HargroveMarker Funeral & Cremation Service on November 2, 2019 at 2 PM. Memorial Contributions can be made to: Oklahoma State Fire Fighters Museum 2716 N.E. 50th Street Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73111

Bradley (Sarah) Brown, granddaughters Rebekah and Stephanie (Andrew) Newton, grandson Clayton (Simone) Heckler and granddaughter Jennifer Proctor. Greatgrandchildren include Kiersten, Kaleb, Hayden, Austin, Paxton and Sutton Brown; Loralei Newton; Tristan, Calvin and Parker Heckler; and Kalleigh and Kadience Proctor. Additional survivors include nieces, nephews, cousins and many extended family members and friends of all ages. A graveside service was previously held on Monday, October 21, 2019 at Bell Cemetery in Adair County, Oklahoma. Donations may be made to Meals on Wheels of Tulsa or Southern Hills Baptist Church, Tulsa, OK. Services were entrusted to HargroveMarker Funeral & Cremation Service, Jenks, Oklahoma.

JenksTribune.com

Friday, November 1, 2019

• FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2019 • JENKSTRIBUNE.COM •

Jenks rolls Norman in rainy district showdown By HAYDEN TUCKER

htucker@jenkstribune.com

Jenks football continued their redhot streak with a beating of Norman despite less than ideal weather conditions. Over their last three games the Trojans (5-3, 4-0) had taken care of lesser opponents but against the Tigers (6-2, 3-2) and their potent offense, they knew it would be a challenge to keep it up. Jenks wasted no time setting the tone for the game that would end in a 49-25 score. On the first play of the game, star quarterback Cade Horton threw the ball deep, right into the hands of Grant Lohr. That was Horton’s second interception of the season, but it wouldn’t be his last of the game. The Oklahoma commit threw

another interception in the first quarter to Matt Ackerley. The Trojan defense got their hands on the ball several times throughout the matchup that didn’t manifest into interceptions. “We like that, we just want to finish them,” defensive coordinator Adam Gaylor said. “When we drop a pick, it’s like a defensive turnover. We’ve got to take advantage of those opportunities. Being around the ball tells me that we’re seeing the right things a lot of the time.” The Jenks offense put up four touchdowns, half of their total, in the first quarter. Will Cox scored three, each on five-yard runs or less. Quarterback Stephen Kittleman con-

Bo Estes leaps over a Norman defender to secure the reception. Estes recorded 58 yards on five catches. Photo/Norman Transcript

Continued to RAIN, Page 3B

Laffita to represent Jenks at state

GRAND CHAMPS

By HAYDEN TUCKER

htucker@jenkstribune.com

Jenks boy’s cross country will not be unrepresented in the state meet Saturday. As a team, the Trojans didn’t qualify for state, however, senior Andrew Laffita will be sporting the Jenks name in the meet. Laffita was the only Trojan to qualify as an individual. Though he was the only one to qualify, Laffita wasn’t entirely positive about the news. “Right after regionals when I heard our team didn’t qualify, I was let down a little bit,” Laffita said. “I was the only one that was going to go to state. For the most part I’m excited and I’m not going to let that ruin my race.” At the regional meet, Laffita placed third with a time of 16:59.32. He pushed some of the best runners in the state up to the finish line. “Third place gave me a lot of confidence, actually staying up there with them,” Laffita said. “Since I raced against the defending state champion, that gives me a lot of confidence to at least get in those spots.” That confidence has carried over in his goals for the state meet. Coach Clif Mitchell set the bar at Laffita taking a top 10 finish, which would place him in the all state list. Laffita, though, believes he can crack the top five. Laffita has every right to be confident. He took third place at the pre state meet at Edmond Santa Fe, the site of the state meet. He finished that race in 16:34.40. Edmond Santa Fe’s course is known to be one of the more difficult tracks in the state. Laffita’s abundance of time on the course over the years doesn’t make him worry about what to expect. “I feel like it’s going to be mostly the same just because I’ve been on the course and I’ve been on the course since sophomore year and every year I’ve been going to state,” Laffita said. “I think it’s just depending on how people go out and what position I’m going to be in.” Laffita and the rest of the state runners will begin racing at 10:45 a.m. at Edmond Santa Fe High School. Girls cross country squad punches ticket to state meet The Lady Trojans continued their blazing hot trail toward the state meet, winning the regional. Jenks took first place in the regional meet Saturday at Sand Springs. Owasso and Sapulpa placed second and third, respectively. Avery Mazzei took second place overall at Continued to STATE, Page 3B

Jenks pom poses with the grand champions sign at the Southern Spirit competition in Bentonville, Ar. The squad also captured the Execution Award. Photo/Courtesy By HAYDEN TUCKER

htucker@jenkstribune.com

It probably shouldn’t have happened, but it did. Jenks pom overcame many obstacles to be crowned grand champions at the Southern Spirit Federation Competition in Bentonville, Ar. Not only did they place first, they won the Execution Award. Jenks was the best team at the competition, and they did so having learned their routine on the fly. Injuries to three key girls earlier in the week changed the entire routine. The rest of the squad didn’t skip a beat in learning a new routine. “Anytime you do that, it’s not like football or basketball where you just take one out and move another kid in, you have to completely redo the entire routine,” pom coach Kristin Phibbs said. “The great thing about that is, they did that Monday and

Tuesday, practiced Wednesday and Thursday and you wouldn’t have noticed it Saturday. They do a really good job of adjusting and overcoming.” Not only did they have a short amount of time to get the routine down, their competition had more time by two months to prepare. Bentonville, who placed second, has been practicing their routine since the first of August. Despite the short time to prepare, Jenks found a way to stand out. “They performed the routine extremely well,” Phibbs said. “They did great in their projection and communication, their showmanship was excellent. They’re very strong jumpers. They’ve done a really great job in a short period of time of working hard and coming together.” The Execution Award is given to the team who executed their routine the best, according to a

group of judges. The award takes in to account every varsity, junior varsity, and junior high squad in attendance. “This team is very talented, but more importantly they work like champions and that showed this weekend,” Phibbs said. Though Jenks was the best squad at the competition, they weren’t perfect. Phibbs said there’s plenty of work to do before their next competition Nov. 17. “I thought it was a really strong beginning, first showing of our season,” she said. “Obviously we still have a lot of things to work on to get to where we want but I thought it was a strong beginning. I was happy with it. “We need to work a lot on our turn technique. Our dance technique with turns. Also just working on strength of movement. Formations. We need to Continued to GRAND, Page 3B

JenksTribune.com

Friday, November 1, 2019

Jenks City Council and Public Works Authority Meeting Agendas for Monday AGENDA JENKS CITY COUNCIL MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2019, 7:00 P.M. JENKS CITY HALL, COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 211 NORTH ELM If you require special accommodations pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, please notify the City Clerk’s Office at (918)209-4960 or email agendas@jenksok.org. CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL INVOCATION PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE CITIZEN’S COMMENTS EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION BUSINESS 1. Consideration and appropriate action relating to a request for approval of the Consent Agenda. (All matters listed under “Consent” are considered by the City Council to be routine and will be enacted by one motion. Any Councilor may, however, remove an item from the Consent Agenda by request. A motion to adopt the Consent Agenda is non-debatable.) A. Approve minutes of the regular meeting held on October 21, 2019 B. Approve Encumbrances and Expenditures C. Monthly Reports D. Request to approve using Oklahoma Municipal Retirement Fund for all non-represented employees. E. Request to note in the minutes Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Permit Number SL00007219751 for the construction of 229 linear feet of eight (8) inch PVC sanitary sewer line and all appurtenances to serve the Yale Cleaners, Jenks, Tulsa County, Oklahoma. F. Request to note in the minutes Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Permit Number SL000072190629 for the construction of 358 linear feet of eight (8) inch PVC sanitary sewer line and all appurtenances to serve the Starbucks, Jenks, Tulsa County, Oklahoma. G. Request to note in the minutes Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Permit Number WL000072190628 for the construction of 875 linear feet of six (6) inch PVC water line and all appurtenances to serve the Starbucks, Jenks, Tulsa County, Oklahoma. 2. Consideration and appropriate action relating to items removed from the Consent Agenda. 3. Discussion and possible action regarding the applications of Craig Bowman, Grant Butler, Dawn Dyke, Matthew McDonald, and Christopher Woods for the vacant Ward 4 position. 4. Request to approve Ordinance No. 1497, an ordinance amending Chapter 14 of the City Code, “Offenses.”, amending sections 14-2-3, 14-2-4, 14-5-1, 14-5-11, 14-8-1, regarding larceny offenses. [Nowlin] 5. Request to approve the emergency clause for Ordinance No. 1497, making it effective immediately upon passage. 6. Report on the anticipated completion schedule for Horizon Jenks. [Beach] 7. Discuss and potentially take action on a concept plan to widen South Elm Street (121st to 131st Streets) from 3-lanes to 5-lanes. [Robinson] 8. Consider, motion, and vote to enter executive session pursuant to Title 25 O.S. § 307(B)(4) to discuss the requests of Chris Shrout, Rebecca Stewart, Lisa Brewer, Teresa Nowlin, and Chief Cameron Arthur for legal representation in Case No. CIV-19-541-CVE-JFJ, Jonetta Bostic v. City of Jenks et al filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma. 9. Potentially take action on the requests of Chris Shrout, Rebecca Stewart, Lisa Brewer, Teresa Nowlin, and Chief Cameron Arthur for legal representation in Case No. CIV-19541-CVE-JFJ, Jonetta Bostic v. City of Jenks et al filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma. OTHER BUSINESS 1. City Manager’s Report. (a) Correspondence. ADJOURNMENT AGENDA JENKS PUBLIC WORKS AUTHORITY MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2019, 7:00 P.M. JENKS CITY HALL, COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 211 NORTH ELM If you require special accommodations pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, please notify the City Clerk’s Office at (918)209-4960 or email agendas@jenksok.org. CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL BUSINESS 1. Consideration and appropriate action relating to a request for approval of the Consent Agenda. (All matters listed under “Consent” are considered by the Authority to be routine and will be enacted by one motion. Any Board Member may, however, remove an item from the Consent Agenda by request. A motion to adopt the Consent Agenda is non-debatable.) A. Approve minutes of the regular meeting held on October 21, 2019 B. Approve encumbrances and expenditures C. Monthly reports 2. Consideration and appropriate action relating to items removed from the Consent Agenda. OTHER BUSINESS 1. General Manager’s Report ADJOURNMENT

Friday, November 1, 2019

JenksTribune.com

Dynamic offense key in Jenks’ success By HAYDEN TUCKER

htucker@jenkstribune.com

Offense has been rolling for Jenks football over the past four games. The Trojans turned in their lowest scoring outing of the four-game win streak last Friday in a 49-25 win over Norman. Jenks is outscoring opponents 59-14 during the win streak. Jenks looks like an entirely new team over the product seen on the field during their three game losing streak. The Trojans took some tough losses at the hands of some of the state’s best, but that only made them better. “I think the biggest thing is, you can’t duplicate them playing Friday night,” offensive coordinator Greg Calabrese said. “The first stretch of games was a monstrous schedule, it was either sink or swim. Kids were thrown into the deep side.” Rather than let the losses get the best of them, the Trojans continued to work tirelessly until things were right again. “Football is a tough sport and it needs tough players to play it,” Calabrese said. “You don’t get tough without going through tough times. They certainly went through some tough times Friday night, they went through tough times with the coaches through the weeks of practice and the film and really had to take an honest look at the way they’re doing things and understanding that if they wanted to move things in the direction they want it to, they’re going to have to change.” Whatever they changed, it

Rain

worked. Over the last four games Jenks is averaging 484.75 yards of offense, 255.75 rushing yards and 229 receiving yards per game. Leading the way on offense has been Will Cox. Cox put up 166 rushing yards against Norman and 137 against Edmond Memorial the week before. His versatility is what’s so valuable to the Trojans. Cox regularly switches between offense and defense and, for one game, quarterback. “He can do a little bit of everything for us,” Calabrese said. “He was our quarterback in the Union game, to throwing him the football to motioning him out of the backfield and playing receiver to his natural position at running back. He’s always had a very natural, instinctual feel for the game.” Quarterback Stephen Kittleman’s progression has helped in opening up the offense. Kittleman has been hitting recievers in stride over the past two games. Against Edmond Memorial he was 18-for-25 for 233 yards. He was 13-for-18 on 211 yards against Norman. The junior has seen the game come to him after a whirlwind start to the season. “I’ve seen that he’s been much more comfortable in the offense,” Calabrese said. “The things he’s seeing, the progressions. It’s a little more two-way conversations where, in the beginning, it’s more him just listening to me. Now it’s a little more back and forth. We can look on our iPads but there real-

From page 1B

nected with Justin Murphy on a 12-yard pass for the final score of the quarter. Jenks continued its first quarter offensive onslaught, however, the Norman offense also made itself known. Horton scored three of Norman’s four total touchdowns on run plays. The first a 69-yard run, the second a 43-yard run in the second, the third a one-yard dash in the third. Horton, a University of Oklahoma commit, recorded most of the offense. He gathered 219 rushing yards on 26 attempts and went 12-for-30 for 205 passing yards. “The quarterback run game, we just didn’t fit things right,” Gaylor said. “It wasn’t anything they changed, they ran the same quarterback run game they have all year, we just didn’t fit it right. Disappointed at times in our run fits. “It was good enough tonight against a really good offense but if we want to be great, we’ve got to get things fixed.” On offense, the rainy and cold weather typically hinders teams but Jenks didn’t skip a beat. Following a poor practice in like conditions the day before, the Trojans weren’t sure what to expect. Once the game started, they settled in and played as well as they have all year. “We practiced yesterday in these exact conditions and we were struggling a little bit, I was struggling a little bit throwing the ball,” Kittleman said. “We adjusted really well today. All the wide receivers were awesome. Catching every ball I threw, making me look good.” The Trojans compiled 513 total yards of offense, 302 coming on the ground, 211 through the air. Will Cox led on both sides, grabbing five passes for 106 yards and rushing the ball 166 yards. Bo Estes pulled down three receptions for 58 yards, Justin Murphy was targeted four times for 45 yards. “They came out a lot of man coverage, we took advantage,” Kittleman said. “Bo Estes made some huge plays, so did Justin Murphy. Our linemen did the best job they could do. They were so tough, that’s all we could ask for from them.” Before last Friday Jenks and Norman were part of a five-way tie for first place in the district along with Broken Arrow, Edmond Santa Fe and Westmoore. The Trojans gave themselves the upper hand with the win. It was a big game and not the rain or cold could change the excitement from the team after the win. “I was trying to soak it in on the sideline with no jacket, just the cold weather,” Kittleman said. “It was huge for us as a team.” Jenks begins a two-game homestand Friday night against Edmond Santa Fe. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

ly isn’t a better perspective than the one he has. Being able to hear accurate conversations from him has been a great way for us to make adjustments and tweak things.” What the Trojans needed from Kittleman more than anything was versatility in the offense. Passing the ball has created more lanes for running backs to attack. “When you’re calling plays and you’re able to, instead of saying, ‘oh the run isn’t working, let’s go to the pass.’ When all facets are working it really makes it tough on the defense because they don’t know what to stop.” Friday, Jenks will look to continue its offensive success against another district foe. Edmond Santa Fe comes to Allan Trimble Stadium for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff. “They are in a better situation,” Calabrese said. “They are in the driver’s seat in district 6A-I-1. They’re in a great situation. They’re going to come in here knowing they have everything to gain from this. Our kids are fired up but we’re confident. We feel like if we can continue to approach a Friday on a Monday and get to work, not take any of these days leading up to games for granted, I think they’re starting to buy into the formula that has worked for a long time under Coach Trimble and now under Caoch Riggs that we’re hopefully going to outwork some teams on a Monday through Thursday through our preparation and also with our talent on the field.”

Swim scrimmage season begins

Jenks swim began its scrimmage season, taking on Booker T. Washington at home. Photos/Courtesy

Grand

From page 1B

work on our synchronization. Heavily on turn technique and synchronization. That’s where our focus will be over the next few weeks, especially leading into state.” The state competition will be held Dec. 14. Before, Jenks will be at the Dance Team Union competition Nov. 17.

The Jenks offense continued to roll in the 49-25 win over Norman last Friday. Photos/Norman Transcript

JenksTribune.com

Friday, November 1, 2019

Jenks cross country competed at the regional meet last Satruday at Sand Springs. The girls team qualified with a first place finish, Andrew Laffita will represent the boys at state. Phots/Kyle Salomon

State

From page 1B

19:23.44. Deborah Mazzei placed fifth with a time of 20:22.44. Ryann Barber took ninth place at 20:43.91. At 20:57.74, Shelby Kihega placed 14th. Gabrielle Vargas recorded a time of 21:26.34 for 20th place.

Paige Twiehaus took 22nd place at 21:42.21. Tarryn Lowryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time of 21:48.53 gave her 25th place. The Lady Trojans race Saturday beginning at 10 a.m. at Edmond Santa Fe High School.

• Friday, November 1, 2019 • 100 edition •

Meet our staff Editors in Chiefs Elise Siebert Jett Millican

Section Editors Drew Bethell Izzy Pankey

Lily Heritage

Staff Members Grace Abraham

Hayden Alexander Isabella Arias Ben Brown

Andrew Cross Natalie Eaton

Victoria Gaikwad

Kegan Huckabone Mikyla Khan

Amelia Kimberling Jackson Lee

Carson Messick Natasha Perez Andrea Rosa

Bella Skinner Greg Tiller

@JenksTrojanTorch

JenksTrojanTorch.com

Trojan Torch’s 2019-2020 staff members during spirit week.

Senior Elise Siebert, Editor In Chief

Senior Jett Millican, Editor In Chief

Spooky Season Under the Sea By Elise Siebert and Drew Bethell

JenksTrojanTorch.com

Friday, November 1, 2019

Saving Lives, One Tee At a Time By JACKSON LEE

Eagle Ops Patriot Gary (Left), and AirForce Veteran Ric York (Right)- “It’s definitely all about the connections here. Having all these people coming out here and meeting is great.” For the past two years, Flying Tee has been supplying the Jenks community with limitless entertainment. Featuring both indoor and outdoor entertainment areas, Flying Tee has something for everyone. The venue also hosts large amount of events with every week being filled with something new to do. One stands out from the rest however: First Responder Mondays. Every two weeks, first responders and veterans get to play for free, with discounts on food and beverages. Flying Tee’s manager, Dionicia McCallum, helped organize the bi-weekly event. “Our company as a whole has been about involving ourselves in the community,” McCallum explained, “we wanted to give back to those who dedicate their time and

energy to putting others first.” McCallum didn’t do all of the work herself however. She received help from the non-profit organization Eagle Ops. Eagle Ops’ main objective is to bring previously mentioned first responders, veterans, and even active duty members into a community. Johnathon “Shep” Shepherd co-founded the business with a similar goal of helping create connections with those who work tirelessly to save lives and defend freedoms. “Our focus is connecting veterans with resources, and we do that through events like this. The opportunity for us to interact with veterans, patriots, and first responders is tremendous,” Shepherd described. “The opportunity they’ve provided

“Our whole focus is for us to be able to build connections with and between them.” Says Eagle Ops co-founder Johnathon Shepherd.

us with such a great venue is amazing.” “Even if you don’t like to play golf, you may just want to come out and just have dinner. Or maybe you might come out and have a soda, water, or beer with other veterans or patriots and socialize. We want to be able to make connections with this and offer help beyond just hitting some balls and relieving some stress,” Shepherd expressed. Mondays may not be for everyone though, and golf isn’t the most friendly to new players. If neither of these things work for you, don’t worry. There are still plenty of other events that happen which support this community, and some aren’t even at Flying Tee. “Not only does this happen on our Mondays, but it’s also grown into our Tuesday

cornhole. The veteran cornhole day is the first Tuesday of every month,” McCallum mentioned. “First responders also get a 20% discount all year long for the bays, food, or anything else. So even if they can’t make it on Mondays, we still want to show our thanks for all the work they do.” The success of these events has been amazing so far, but both parties want to continue to expand their operations to include more and more people. “We would love to have a ‘Guns and Hoses’ style event where it’s our police officers against our firefighters in a golf tournament. Or maybe host a challenger where we invite each branch of our armed forces to compete, since they all feel like their branch would come out on

“It’s really about the comradely. In the military, there’s a lot of brotherhood, but outside of it, you don’t see it in everyday life. Here it’s different.” Says USS Marine Corps Veteran Jerry Shepherd.

top.” McCallum stated. Eagle Ops also hosts many other events, from a semi-annual 5k run, a backyard fire pit session hosted at various houses in and around the Tulsa area, and even firing range competitions. The events are a big plus, but Shepherd wants Eagle Ops to be more than just a fun filled time for people to hang out and bond. He wants to be a resource to those who need it. “We are a resource in the community to help them reach other resources. From VA claims assistance, to housing, to job placement, and maybe even a friendly ear who can listen to your problems. That’s what we want to be.” Shepherd outlined. Though the partnership seems unlikely, Flying Tee and Eagle Ops hope to make a change in the commu-

nity and are welcoming to anyone who is looking for anyone who is willing to support these projects. If you have any questions relating to these style of events at Flying Tee, you can call them at (918)-528-7717 or visit the contact page of their website at flyingtee.com. If being more directly involved with the community of veterans sounds more up your alley, Eagle is always open to partners or volunteers to make these goals a reality. You can call them directly at 918-527-4330, get in contact with their office at 918-6001911, or text “EAGLE” to 51660 for more information about them. “As we grow across the United States, we truly want to make a difference in each of our first responders lives.”

“This is my first time out here. I wouldn’t be here now if it wasn’t for these guys. Golfing isn’t really my thing though, but I did win a shooting range contest they had.” Says Army Airborne Division Veteran Jeremiah.

Jenks Students Start Non-Profit: Kamen STEM By BEN BROWN

Kamen STEM runs a booth at Maker Faire where they teach kids how to make pool noodle rockets. The field of STEM (Science, Technology, Electronics, and Mathematics) is growing rapidly and is becoming one of the most sought after career paths in the country. A group of past and present Jenks High School students have started a non-profit called Kamen STEM that has a goal of teaching STEM to the less privileged parts of Tulsa. Kamen STEM is named after Dean Kamen, one of the most influential people in the field of STEM. He has hundreds of patents to his name and helped found the robotics association that Jenks and many other schools participate in. The idea of Kamen STEM started with Jenks grad and President of the non-profit, Palmer Tetley. “I was thinking how could we make a bigger impact than what we believe Jenks Robotics is doing? And how we could expand to everyone in Tulsa,” says Tetley. Senior and Chief financial officer Viraj Tennekoon and Junior and Head of marketing Grant Doolin have both been involved in STEM

Kamen STEM participating in Power Racing series series in Kansas City. They built their own burger car and raced it against other cars.

for years and jumped on the opportunity to make a difference in the community. “When we think about our younger selves we didn’t get a lot of STEM opportunities,” says Tennekoon, “This is a way for us to fulfill another younger kid’s dream.” The company’s operations are based around the goal of bringing STEM to people that may not have STEM programs at their school. For example, working at a building on 21st and Harvard. “We feel this area needs these kind of opportunities more than, for instance, Jenks because Jenks does have a robotics team and certain opportunities,” says Tetley, “but we are welcome and open to everyone in Tulsa.” “We’re also trying to aim for homeschool and online schooling where they don’t offer programs like this,” says Doolin, “or Tulsa Public where they don’t have the money to offer programs like this.” The non-profit has a building on 21st and Harvard that they will open with their first event, Spooky STEMtober. At the event, kids will com-

pete in STEM challenges with candy as a prize. Once the building is ready, they will be able to run events much more often. They have plans for bi-weekly STEM Saturdays where kids will come to their building for the day and design and build something that they can take home to their parents; it is an entrepreneurship program. It will teach high school and college participants important parts of starting a business and how to work on a budget. Plus, there is STEM Sitting where parents can drop off their kids, and they can spend the day learning and building instead of just hiring a babysitter. Since Kamen STEM isn’t able to run events in their building, they get involved in STEM programs throughout Tulsa. For example, they built a raft and competed in the Tulsa Raft Race. Most recently, they ran a booth where they taught elementary students how to make dry ice. “It takes a lot of effort,” says Tennekoon, “but it’s really satisfying in the end seeing the product you’ve created.”

Friday, November 1, 2019

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Athletic Trainers In Training By CARSON MESSICK

“Hey, watch out!” We’ve all read the stories about football players, volleyball players, and players every other sport, but what about the people who are also on the sidelines with them? The athletic trainers at Jenks attend almost every game our athletes play to help prevent injuries, alleviate existing injuries, provide water, and much, much more. So, what better way to write about their hard work than to go through the work myself. On Friday, October 11, 2019, I was able to become an athletic trainer for the night. Usually, athletic training is during sixth hour and goes until after the game, but I came at 4:15. When I walked up to the second floor of the Sharp, the teacher Michael Catterson was already working on taping ankles for the football players with a line of more players forming. While that line was forming, another was growing in a different room; the high school trainers were tapping the wrists of other players. I observed quietly, watching and listening to them. First they put on the pre-wrap, then they take to white tape, wrap it around once in one area, then tear. They do that to both wrists, making sure it is equal on both sides. This not only helps with player injuries but also helps prevent future injuries from happening. “Football players pick and choose who wraps their wrists,” Cyeli Nobles, a senior trainer tells me. “Each one of the trainers is special in their own way when it comes to wrapping wrists.” After all the players were taped up and ready to go, it was time for the trainers to stock the fanny packs, make the gatorade, and fill the water bottles. We went downstairs to make the gatorade in a gigantic cooler with 2 huge packets of blue gatorade. Every girl either grabs a crate of water bottles or assists another person with the gato-

rade and heads to the field. As soon as I stepped out, I began to shiver. How in the world do these girls stay out here the entire time? The trainers then start to talk about what sections they’ll take: offense, defense, etc. I floated around to each position. Once the game started, it was constant yelling, chaos, and moving. Sitting isn’t allowed for the trainers once the game starts, so your legs can become very tired within the first quarter. The more into the game we got, the more I realized how close the trainers and football players were. They kept conversations going by laughing and joking around all night. One of the most difficult tasks for me however was trying not to get run over by the football players. I cannot tell you how many times a football player had to move me out of the way or told me to watch out, it was insane. “You have to be careful on the side of the field,” Claire Williams , a junior trainer tells me. “Last year, I wasn’t looking out and a football player rammed into me. I ended up having a couple of my ribs break.” Though the trainers get an amazing view of the game, I couldn’t help but feel sad as I watched the student section cheer them on, throw the powder in the air, and hang out together while I was down on the field, standing around. It gave me a whole new respect for the trainers, as they have to sit and watch everyone else. However, the action of the game was intensified. The smacking of the pads was deafening, the whistles were ear piercing, and the hype of the crowd surrounding me felt electrifying. All and all it was an amazing experience. Without the trainers, the games would fall apart. If you are interested in becoming one, you can find the contact information here. Next time you’re at a game, don’t forget to give the trainers a thanks for all they do.

Lets Get Together: How Project Unify Creates Inclusivity at JHS By: Izzy Pankey Student involvement. Seemingly a given at JHS. has been involved with Special Olympics since Students can join any club and participate in eighth grade. She has even had a special bond with Taylor Paul, since they were three years old. practically anything, but student involvement for our special needs students is a bit different. That’s Taylor has down syndrome, but both of their opportunities to connect and hang out with each where project unify comes into play. other through Project Unify allowed them to creProject Unify is a club for students, with and ate their special bond. without special needs disabilities, to create bonds “The relationships you build with some of the and just have fun together. They focus on providstudents are just amazing,” Kennedy tells the ing inclusivity and getting students to work Torch, “all of these relationships are just so spetogether here at JHS. Project Unify works to crecial and I think everyone deserves to have those ate an inclusive environment by working through Special Olympics, creating fun hangouts, and providing all types of opportunities for students to get to know one another. Special Olympics is one of the main ways Project Unify works to create bonds between peers and the Olympians. Peers are partnered up with an Olympian then practice and play with that Olympian throughout the year. Special Olympics allows Olympians and peers to bring out their competitive sides and have fun with each other. The games are fun for both partners and bring joy to everyone involved. Along with Special Olympics, Project Unify also uses events like fall dances, movie nights, and other fun hangouts Project Unify being recognized at the Jenks Trojan Preview. that allow students to create bonds they wouldn’t really cool opportunities.” have been able to make otherwise. While students use the club to create friendThe members of Project Unify use all of these ships with those different than them, the club is opportunities to make some amazing friendships and connections. Club president, Kennedy Fox, 12, also a way for those with special needs or disabili-

ties to connect with each other. Student Karley Keaton, 11, joined the club a couple years ago, after she was diagnosed with autism. While she doesn’t consider herself to be someone with special needs, others with autism do, and the club is a great way to meet and create friendships with others like her. “It just made me feel more connected to people who have special needs,” Keaton says. The club works hard to provide fun connection opportunities to all students at JHS. Principal Eric Fox, whose daughter Kennedy is the President of the club, is frequently involved with the club himself. “I remember going to school myself, in the 70’s and 80’s,” he tells the Torch, “you didn’t see a lot of special needs students integrated into the regular classroom. They were kind of segregated at times. So I find it important to do what we can to make everyone feel apart and let everyone know each other’s strengths and personalities.” The club hopes to allow students opportunities to understand their fellow students a bit more. They also work to help peers be more caring, compassionate, and understanding to all of the people around them. “The more we know about each other,” Principal Fox says, “ the more we can appreciate each other.”

JenksTrojanTorch.com

Friday, November 1, 2019

Nightingale Skis Her Way to Fame By NATALIE EATON

Jenks High School celebrates an amazing water skiing career as Mandy Nightingale, one of the Building 6 counselors, is inducted into the USA Water Ski & Wake Sports Foundation Hall of Fame. In a statement on the official website for Water Skiing and Sports, Nightingale is considered one of the greatest trick skiers of her era. Some of her many accomplishments include her 2003 and 2005 World Championship wins. In 2006, she set a world record of 8,740 points! We researched and found this link showing Nightingale competing at the 2009 World Cup. At that competition, Nightingale showed off multiple tricks. One such trick showed her effortlessly on one leg while spinning. As she managed to stay composed, she began to do a series of flips, making every landing in the process. With water flying through the air and a huge smile on her face, Nightingale managed to outscore all of her other competitors. Her mastery of the sport was rooted in years of practice. Nightingale has been skiing since she was three years old. Living in Sapulpa, OK, she and her dad would drive out to the lake and practice constantly. “I actually started when I was three years old, my dad and his friends were freeskiing, and he learned how to water ski, and he got me up on trainer skis. He pulled me around on a lawnmower,” Nightingale says. “My first water ski tournament was when I was five, so I started little and I’ve been doing it for a long time.” Shanna Howe, a Jenks Math and Science teacher and friend of Nightingale, notes that her practices were sometimes more impressive than actual competition. “I will not forget an opportunity I had to go ride on the boat and watch her practice!” said Howe. “It’s pretty cool to watch what she can do on a video but it definitely is even more insane getting

to watch it in person! Flips, holding on with her foot, going backwards, never falling… crazy cool!” Growing up, Nightingale also committed to other sports. She played basketball in college for the University of Colorado, and also played softball in high school. Nightingale believes that one of the main reasons why she succeeded in waterskiing and basketball was because

“She is basically amazing and pretty much a beast at life!” Howe says. “She also had to be so disciplined in her time and commitment to practice since she was living in Oklahoma and pretty much on her own (her skiing peers didn’t live here and many made it their full-time career). Her discipline plus talent is seriously impressive!” When Nightingale was living in Florida, her practice schedule for water skiing was split. Three to four times a day she would practice 15-to-30 minutes sets and then rest. When she lived in Oklahoma, Nightingale would work during the day and meet her dad at 5:30 p.m. until dark. “This sport is either an all or nothing for the high level of competition because you have to train every day,” explains Nightingale. “Just get in as much as we could before the sun went down.” While she worked at Jenks, Nightingale skied for 6 to 7 years. Soon after her retirement from water skiing, she got into other activities. Crossfit, gymnastics, and powerlifting have become something she does now to stay active. As stated by Nightingale, she loves competing, and with CrossFit, you can compete individually or with a team. During her time at Jenks, Nightingale made an impression on her peers. One such person is Jenks guidance counselor Kimberly Catterson. Talking about Nightingale, Catterson says Photo/USA Water Ski and Wake Sports as a co-worker and friend, Mandy gives all of her effort and heart in any job, hobby, or relationship she has. she never got burnt out on one sport.“I went to “You would never know she held world records. the University of Colorado out of high school to You would never know the hours and sacrifice, play basketball, and I did not water ski for four and work through the pain she has put in, weeks, years,” says Nightingale. “When I got done with months and years,” says Catterson. “She is as genmy undergrad, I went to the University of uine and kind as they come, her work ethic is one that no one can compare, she is the definition of a Louisiana Lafayette on the water ski team. Then through there, I would stay in Florida through the hall of famer, in skiing and in life.” After being retired for five years, Nightingale summers, and once I came back here, we started skiing on the Verdigris river because my dad lived now enjoys skiing for fun in Mounds, Oklahoma with her father. in Catoosa.” “I thoroughly enjoyed my entire water skiing Howe commented on Nightingale’s multi-sport career. I knew I was successful and it was someprowess, saying that she balanced sport/coaching thing I love to do, but to have this honor is like the icing on top of the cake,” says Nightingale. “It’s commitments, friends and family, and the educasomething amazing to show for all the hard work tion world very well. and time.”

Crossing the Line By DREW BETHELL

Taking off his helmet, Quinn Brownell winds down after his last run of the day.

Nearly 20 years ago a tornado ripped through Stroud, Oklahoma, shredding a nearby outlet mall. The owner decided not to rebuild, leaving it a wasteland of forgotten asphalt. Although there are no longer shoppers or even a building, the empty lot has found a new purpose as a race track for auto-crossers all around. One of these racers is Jenks High School senior, Quinn Brownell. “Pretty soon after getting my license I tried to find a way that I could drive my car like a madman,” Brownell says. “This was the safest way to do it. It’s enough for me right now that I won’t try to blow up my car,” Brownell says. Autocross is commonly set up in abandoned parking lots where no one can get hurt (thankfully). The art of speeding through an obstacle course painfully fast and with extreme accuracy is prepared by setting cones to outline the track and map the course. Before the meet, each driver walks the lot to memorize the quick turns. After, cars line up one at a time, their exhausts deafening. Each car is given

eight chances to shed seconds off their times and in some cases this could mean the difference between first or last place. Most drivers even have special racing shoes, helmets, and gloves to help better their control over their vehicle. After discovering that Tulsa had a league of it’s own, Brownell took to the track. At 17 years old, Brownell is the youngest racer there, but that doesn’t stop him from climbing the leader board or making friends with other drivers. “It’s mainly 40-60 year olds. It’s not really weird for me to be the youngest,” Brownell says. “The age gap actually pushes me to do better and see if I can beat some of the people that have been racing for so much longer than me... they cheer me on and try to push my driving to the limit. Everybody kind of acts like that to everyone, even if they’re your competitor. It’s all in good fun and progressing skill.” Autocross courses are made up of cones that can either make or break your overall time. When Brownell isn’t seen cruising around town in his Mini Cooper, he can be found practicing on his simulator or working

on his car. “Your car doesn’t have to be straight-line fast. It just has to turn well. Every cone that you hit is an extra second added to your time. In racing, especially autocross, since the track is so short a second means the difference between first and last. Recently I’ve been getting 2nd in my class. It’s based on skill level rather than your car’s speed.” To many, speeding through cones in an abandoned shopping mall parking lot on a Sunday afternoon might seem daunting (especially for their parents), but Brownell carries a different outlook on things. “My parents don’t really care because they trust me to make the right decision. It’s not dangerous. It’s just and empty parking lot with cones. The worst thing that can happen is if you spin out or run over a cone. There’s no real danger,’” Brownell says. “I don’t really get scared or freaked out in the car. I’m more calm while I’m driving. Right as I start driving, it’s nothing. That’s all that I can focus on. That’s all I can think about. It’s where am I going to point my car next. It’s only after that the adrenaline really gets me.”