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• FRIDAY, JANUARY 17, 2020 • JENKSTRIBUNE.COM •
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RISING STAR
Jenks senior recognized as one of nation’s top young scientists By KYLE SALOMON
ksalomon@jenkstribune.com
WRESTLING COACH TO STEP DOWN Following the 2020 season, Jenks coach Ray Weis will step down to pursue other opportunities. Read the story on Page 5.
Most 18-year-old high school seniors are busy on Snap Chat or Instagram, but Jenks High School student Michael Hwang is being recognized as one of the top young scientists in the nation. Hwang was recently named one of the top 300 scholars in the Regeneron Science Talent Search, which is one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science and math competitions in the country. Hwang and Jenks High School were awarded $2,000 apiece for the Jenks senior being named one of the top 300 high school scientists. “It’s an amazing feeling to be selected,” Hwang said. “I wasn’t
expecting this at all, and I feel very humbled and privileged to be chosen.” Hwang is one of just two high school seniors from Oklahoma to receive the honor. Brendan Crotty of Muskogee and Hickory Hill Academy Homeschool was the other recipient from the Sooner state. The title of Hwang’s project he submitted in the competition is “Characterizing Matcha Green Tea as an Anti-Cancer Agent”. Hwang has been conducting research on this topic since he was a junior in high school at the University of Tulsa. The JHS student would spend most of his weekContinued to HWANG, Page 9
Jenks senior Michael Hwang has been named one of the top 300 scholars in the Regeneron Science Talent Search. Photo/Kyle Salomon
Public school state aid funding, a broken system in Oklahoma education, according to many By KYLE SALOMON
ksalomon@jenkstribune.com
TEDFORD INSURANCE, A JENKS STAPLE Tedford Insurance has been a staple on Main Street in Jenks since the late 1980’s. Read the story on Page 10.
Dr. Liz Kaufman, center, the veterinarian of the Gottesman Family Israel Aquarium in Jerusalem, with Oklahoma Aquarium staff Amy Alexopoulos, Lead Aquarist of Marine Fishes, and Ann Money, Director of Research and Education, at the aquarium quarantine, Israel, December 2019. Photo/Courtesy
Oklahoma Aquarium strengthens international partnership with aquarium in the Middle East SUBMITTED
Special to the Jenks Tribune
DOING WHAT SHE LOVES Jenks resident Linda Shade is getting back into the piano teaching business. Read the story on Page 12.
PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID JENKS, OK PERMIT NO. 7
Oklahoma Aquarium biologists recently visited their Sister Aquarium, the Gottesman Family Israel Aquarium in Jerusalem, to cross-train with staff in the areas of animal health, husbandry, edu-
cation, and research. This is the first time staff from the Oklahoma Aquarium conducted trainings in these areas in Israel. Amy Alexopoulos, Lead Aquarist of Marine Fishes, and Ann Money, Director of Education and Continued to PARTNERSHIP, Page 9
In the state of Oklahoma, a public school’s general fund is made up of four components. First; local property taxes, second; various county taxes, third; state money and fourth; federal money. The Oklahoma State Aid Formula was created to help with equity among Oklahoma public schools. The formula is designed to create a specific amount of state aid funding each school district will receive in an academic year by determining the weighted amount it takes to educate an individual student. The state of Oklahoma developed this state aid formula in a time when charter schools were not a consideration, especially virtual charter schools. Charter schools operate as a public-school district, but in fact are different in their approach. Allegedly, the initial idea behind charter schools was to allow a school to develop different and innovative ways of teaching and then bringing those new ideas of educating to the traditional school districts. According to many in the education system in Oklahoma, that has not been the case. Every year, the state of Oklahoma allocates a certain amount of money for each public-school district based on the state aid formula. Continued to FUNDING, Page 9
Aquarium donates $5K to ARC in Australia By HAYDEN TUCKER
htucker@jenkstribune.com
As wildfires blaze through Australia, the Oklahoma Aquarium in Jenks has announced a $5,000 donation to the Animal Rescue Collective (ARC) based in Victoria, Australia. ARC is a joint project of several rescue groups in Australia with the goal of saving
wildlife that have been affected by the fires. The Oklahoma Aquarium is joining their sister Aquarium, the Gottesman Family Israel Aquarium in Jerusalem, in fundraising efforts to support ARC. The Israel Aquarium donated funds and veterinary supplies to the rescue group. “With such an enormous loss of life and
habitat, the wildfires in Australia are having a devastating impact on local animals,” says Matthew Griffin, president of the Oklahoma Aquarium Foundation. “Animal loss to this scale affects us all, no matter where it occurs. The Oklahoma Aquarium is a staunch supporter of animal welfare both here and abroad. We hope that this donation will have
a positive impact, and we hope that community members will join us in our efforts to help Australian wildlife.” The Oklahoma Aquarium has set up a donation page through which the public can help support the rescue effort. The aquarium’s goal is for the community to match their $5,000 gift. The Oklahoma
Aquarium has ties to Australia, as it is home to a zebra shark and humphead wrasse – two endangered species found off the coasts of Australia – as well as many other animals. Publisher’s Note: If you would like to donate, visit okaquarium.org for more information.