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• FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2020 • JENKSTRIBUNE.COM •
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School bond goes to vote Tuesday By KYLE SALOMON
ksalomon@jenkstribune.com
Jenks Public Schools district voters will hit the polls Tuesday to vote yes or no on the new General Obligation Bond JPS has put together. The amount of the G.O. Bond is $12,487,260. The Jenks school district voters have passed the past 55 of 56 bond issues. In a statement last month, Jenks Public Schools Director of Communications Rob Loeber talked about the importance of community
support. “We are very fortunate that voters in the Jenks school district have turned out and shown their support for Jenks Public Schools. We wouldn’t be where we are today without the support of our voters and stakeholders.” Here is a list of the items the bond will be used to pay for: -District wide equipment, such as items the district needs for day-to-day operations -Facilities management
equipment and repairs -Printing improvements, such as copiers and scanners for numerous buildings in the district -Textbooks and media equipment -Transportation, such as yellow school buses, Trojan Pride buses and district vans -More classroom/instructional space, including improvements to the older part of the Freshman Academy The dollar amount of the bond keeps Jenks Public
Schools below the 10% rule, which states that a school district must not have more than 10% bonded out of its net assessed value. “Think of the classroom and instructional space as like seed money for expansion,” Loeber said in January. “With our current growth rate, we know we are going to need more classroom and instructional space in the near future. We just don’t know what site will need it at this point.”
JENKS SERVICE NOMINEES Congressman Kevin Hern nominated three JHS students for service academies. See on Page 3.
UP TO THE CITIZENS
END OF AN ERA IN JENKS WRESTLING Seniors, coach say goodbye to Frank Herald Fieldhouse. Read story on Page 5.
City Council approves bond resolution for April By KYLE SALOMON
ksalomon@jenkstribune.com
Jenks residents will get their chance to let their voices be heard April 7 after the Jenks City Council approved a general obligation bond resolution Tuesday at the City
TULSA SINGS FINALISTS Two Jenks High School students were selected as finalists for Tulsa Sings. See on Page 9.
PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID JENKS, OK PERMIT NO. 7
Council Meeting. The bond resolution, which is set at $20,500,000, included five road projects that will have direct impacts with traffic on south Elm Street, Elwood Ave., downtown Jenks and the incoming outlet mall.
“We are very excited to be at this point,” Jenks Mayor Robert Lee said. “These are much-needed projects and projects that people wanted to see happen. I couldn’t be happier getting the ball rolling on Continued to BOND, Page 10
West Intermediate students get published By HAYDEN TUCKER
htucker@jenkstribune.com
Twenty Jenks West Intermediate students became published authors last month. For the third year, students at West Intermediate wrote books and published them for check out in the library as part of National Novel Writing Month. Students prepared to write their book in October and, as part of ‘NaNoWriMo,’ they had to complete the writing of their books in November. December was spent editing and revising the books.
Once they were complete, students went before their principal in a mock publisher meeting to pitch their books. “The feeling of accomplishment is very gratifying for me to see,” gifted coordinator Alicia Gillean said. “They go from thinking, ‘I can’t write 10 pages,’ to, ‘I just wrote 200 pages.’ I love seeing them push themselves and stretch themselves and have a creative outlet they don’t really have any other way.” The group of 20 is the largest to participate in three years. Through the program, students not only learn grammar and writing skills, but
public speaking and other real-world experiences. Peyton Richardt is in the fifth grade. Her book is called “Shadow Hunting” and it’s about a girl whose sister was taken by people when she was young. When she’s forced to leave her home, she finds herself running away from the same people who took her sister. “My favorite part was the imagination; I could have gone anywhere with my book,” Peyton said. “I didn’t have to be in this tiny box, I could just do whatever.” But it wasn’t always fun for everyone.
Isabella Droemer is also in the fifth grade. Her book, titled “Courage”, is about a boy and his younger sister who discover the fate of the world is in their hands. They have to destroy an evil kingdom and if they don’t, the world as they know it will be destroyed in turn. Isabella found herself in trouble when she caught a case of writer’s block. “I was in the middle of a chapter and I just sat there and thought, ‘what do I do?’ I couldn’t figure out anything. I had to take a break for three Continued to NOVELS, Page 10
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SAY NO TO VAPING Jenks Middle School students got a fun lesson in vaping Jan 28. Students participated in trivia and games about the dangers of vaping and tobacco use. Winners were given cash prizes of $10-$15. Photos/Hayden Tucker
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Jenks High students receive service academy nominations
Several Jenks High School students recently received a nomination to a United States service academy from Congressman Kevin Hern at the Congressional Academy Nomination Ceremony. Isabella Griffey received a nomination to the United States Naval Academy, Hudson Mazzei received a nomination to the United States Military Academy and Kevin Glynn received a nomination to the United States Air Force Academy. Photos/Courtesy
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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 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
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Cami Rogers Advertising Executive: Jenks Tribune Office Phone: 918-528-7272 Mobile Phone: 918-688-2264 Email: camirogers9@ cox.net
Friday, February 7, 2020
HEARING FROM THE OWNER’S BOX Hello Jenks, America! I hope everyone has had a wonderful week here in our great community. The weather in the Jenks area this week has been rollercoaster ride with the first part of the week being warm before the middle to late part of the week turning to the frigid temperatures with even some winter mix precipitation coming into play. There are many exciting things happening right now, but the bond issues for the Jenks Public School district and the City of Jenks have taken center stage. First, the voters that reside in the Jenks Public Schools district will have a chance to let their voices be heard Tuesday when they vote on the new bond issue for Jenks Public Schools, which is set at roughly $12,500,000. The JPS bond issue covers more classroom space, facility improvements, additional security technology, etc. Whether you are for or against the bond
issue, it is important to let your voice be heard and that is through voting, so be sure to make some time Tuesday to get out and cast your vote for the Jenks Public Schools bond issue. Second, the Jenks City Council approved the general obligation bond resolution put before them Tuesday at the City Council Meeting. This means that City of Jenks residents will have a chance to decide if they truly want road-system improvements in Jenks or not. That vote will be on the ballot in April. This general obligation bond will be set at $20,500,000 and include only road and infrastructure improve-
ments in south Jenks, west Jenks, and the downtown area of Jenks. The improvements to south Jenks roads will include the completion of the widening of south Elm Street from 111th Street to 131st Street and engineering done for improvements made to Elwood Ave. from 91st Street to 121st Street. The improvements to west Jenks will include completion and engineering for 111th Street from Elwood Ave. to U.S. Highway 75. The downtown area improvements will include completion on Main Street from Date Street to 1st Street and completion on Birch Street from Main Street to Veterans Drive. The other area that the potential bond will cover is the engineering for improvements made on 106th Street from Elm Street to the River District. If approved and completed, this will allow another entrance and exit to and from the Simon Premium Outlet Mall, which is currently under construction. The estimated rise in
property tax in Jenks for the taxpayers will be roughly $46 per $100,000 property owned, meaning if you own a $300,000 house, your property tax will raise $138 annually. I want to personally commend the City of Jenks City Council and the City of Jenks staff for working tirelessly to get these bond items organized and completed in time for the Jenks residents to vote on in April. I strongly encourage Jenks residents to stay informed through the Jenks Tribune throughout the next two months as we break down this bond issue piece by piece and give a descriptive view on how each of these bond items will help the City of Jenks in the short and long run for our city. Well, that is all for today folks. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy the Jenks Tribune. Sincerely, Kyle Salomon ksalomon@jenkstribune.com
GUEST COLUMN
MAIN STREET MATTERS WITH SARAH CLAVIN January was a tough month. But we made it. Between illnesses and the stresses of ending one decade and beginning a new one, the 245,896 days of January seemed as though they would never end. Yet here we are, eating 1 serving (=7) of mini dark chocolate wafers (because #goals) on February 4th declaring we are survivors. I hope that you started off 2020 by crushing your goals (and that you continue to do so!), but for those of us that came out of January looking a little haggard, well, we are a bit behind. So while we rally with you and cheer on your weight loss/ new job/ promotion/ new relationship/ whatever it is that you are rising with this year, the rest of us are just filing in to the starting line. Some of us may have even started the race, were blindsided with a twisted ankle, and had to shuffle back to the beginning. Whether this is your delayed or duplicate start, we are here for it. I’m thinking this is going to be a marathon kind of a year. Not the SeaWheeze, Lululemon Race where you get amazing swag at the end, or the lush Napa Valley marathon where you enjoy amazing variations of wine along the way, but more like BioFreeze San Francisco Marathon with an elevation gain of 990 feet. Those are some steep hills, ya’ll. How the heck are we going to tackle this? One step at a time. Goals are not crushed as a whole at
one time. The city wasn’t built in a day, right? Brick by brick, we lay the foundation, put up the support beams, and build it out from there. Let’s look at some practical steps we can take this year to ensure we all end up at the finish line together. 1. First things first. You want to start running? You’ve got to get some shoes. You want to learn a new language? Enroll in a course. Maybe you want to improve your marriage, schedule a counseling session, or grab a book on how to better communicate with your spouse. Do the first things first. 2. Stay consistent. Simple, right? It’s not always as easy as it seems. Remember how January was 543,986 days long and 90% of us fizzled out before the month ended? Let’s not make that same mistake again. Set a time and a date and keep it. Want to work out, but you’re not a morning person? Grab a quick sweat session at lunch or after the kids are in bed. Want to read through the bible in a year? Set a daily reminder on your phone or an alarm on your calendar that will remind you to pause
and read each day. Habits are formed over the long term, be consistent, keep the commitment. 3. Prepare for setbacks. There are going to be hills, big ones and small. They may look like an illness, a sick child, a job loss, a rough patch with your spouse, or a financial hiccup. Without proper training a hill can knock you out of breath, cause you to cramp, or it might be the last straw and cause you to mentally hit the wall. Train for the hills. They ARE coming. If you preemptively have a game plan for the setbacks, there is a higher chance they won’t set you back much (or at all). 4. Don’t rely on motivation. Motivation is an emotion, and just as volatile. We won’t always be motivated to do what we set out to do; too tired, too sick, too upset, too far gone... the list goes on and on. What we can learn to rely on instead, is discipline. “Self-discipline is that mental state of commitment, which gets you performing an activity regardless of your feelings.” Discipline is the difference between regret and success. 5. Gather the troops. New habits are formed easier when we surround ourselves with other likeminded people. Your BFF may not be working for the same promotion, but she can sure cheer you on each step of the way. Your children may not be training for the same race as you, but seeing you complete your training daily will
teach them that health and wellness is a priority in your home. Will there be naysayers? Always. But just like the dial on the radio, with a slight adjustment the noise becomes a beautiful sound. Motivation does not always come before action. For most of us it is necessary to take the first step and realize the victory of a single day. Then allow the days to compound by focusing on just doing the one thing the one day. After a few days you will accumulate a week. Then start over; focusing only on the one day. Golfers will tell you to just focus on the hole. Don’t let the success or failure of the last hole determine how you will play the next one. And don’t play the next hole until you have finished the current one. The best round of golf is played one hole at a time. The realization of new habits or the achievement of new goals happens one day at a time one step at a time. So, let’s get going friends, we vhave eleven more months ahead of us. And while we may have an elevation gain of 990 feet to climb, there is a corresponding loss of 990 feet within the same race, for a net change of zero. We are going to go up, and we will come down, but the exciting thing about it all, is the challenge does not outweigh the reward. The steep ascent of those hills makes the recovery of the decline that much sweeter.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY:
Is there an issue or topic that you feel strongly about and want to let your voice be heard? Submit a letter to the editor to the Jenks Tribune. Email your letter to Kyle Salomon at ksalomon@jenkstribune.com.
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•FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2020 • JENKSTRIBUNE.COM •
END OF AN ERA
Seniors, coach say goodbye to Frank Herald Fieldhouse By HAYDEN TUCKER
htucker@jenkstribune.com
Above: the senior class and coach Ray Weis (center) pose before the senior night dual with Sand Springs. Bottom left: Bo Estes slings a Sandite to the ground. Bottom right: Killian McGrew battles for position. Photos/Hayden Tucker
Every season teams host senior night to honor the athletes that suit up at their home venue for the final time. Jenks wrestling held their senior night last Thursday in one that meant a little more than others. The Trojans sport 14 seniors on the roster this year. Saying goodbye to a large portion of the team is never an easy thing to do. To add to the big loss, it was also the final time coach Ray Weis would perform his duties at Frank Herald Fieldhouse. And though it can be an emotional time of reflection and celebration, Jenks still came out and took care of business against Sand Springs. In his 20 years coaching, Weis had never defeated the Sandites until last Thursday, when his squad won 42-26. “We let him end on a W so he finally won his first time against Sand Springs,” senior Drake Vannoy said. “We’re really happy about that.” Weis’ decision to end his tenure wasn’t an easy one. Seeing the wrestlers he’s coached since seventh grade take the mat in their final home dual made him reflect on how important the sport is to him. “Wrestling has been in my blood for a long, long time,” Weis said. “Wrestling isn’t going anywhere and I’m probably not going anywhere away from wrestling, it’s just a matter of I still want the kids to do well, I want them to learn, I want the kids to represent themselves well and have a great high school experience and that (senior night) was a great high school experience.” Before each round, the lights went out and the fog machine came on. An exuberant light display, along with a signature song for each grappler set an exciting atmosphere for the wrestlers who came out and handled Sand Springs. Though they eventually dismantled the Sandites, things didn’t start out in the Trojans’ favor. The first two Jenks wrestlers at the 106 and 113 pound weights lost by fall, triggering an early 12-0 deficit. An injury win for Garrett Rawlins cut the Sand Springs lead in half and began the scoring night for the Trojans. Jenks steadily climbed its way to a tie at 152 pounds when Thatcher Hall’s opponent forfeited and knotted the dual at 21 apiece. From there, the Continued to ERA, Page 6A
Swim teams ready for playoff challenge By HAYDEN TUCKER
htucker@jenkstribune.com
Right now, it’s difficult to see but to start the year, Jenks swim wasn’t in a good place. The boys and girls teams we know now having not lost a race and poised for a deep run in the postseason didn’t always look this synchronized. “There was a time during the beginning of the season that we weren’t a team,” coach Diego Henao said. “I think that’s with every team. I think it takes time to adapt, to adjust and then slowly we just got it together.” Though they didn’t start out as a tight-knit group, the swimmers worked their way to get where they are now. The Trojan and Lady Trojan swimmers seem to have the perfect balance of hard work, competitiveness, and camaraderie necessary for athletic success. Even when they’re not in the water the swim team is still insepara-
ble. “What they do out of the pool like going to the movies, going to someone’s house, that is a bonding that becomes why they want to train better,” Henao said. “That is because of our booster club. They are really involved in the program. I’ve got to thank them for that. It makes a lot of things easier for me because of that.” Having a strong bond outside the pool only helps their performance in the water. The boys and girls teams have taken first place in each meet they’ve participated in and they’re winning them by a mile. In the Frontier Valley Conference meet, the girls took first place with 493 points, 190 more than second place finisher Bixby which had 303 points. In the same meet, the boys scored 560.5, the second-place finisher was Bartlesville with 378.5 points. Continued to SWIM, Page 6A
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From page 5A
Trojans would go on to stomp their opponent. Drake Vannoy highlighted the second half of the dual, winning his match by fall just 58 seconds in. Ethan Felts and John Roberts would also win by fall. “Really proud of the fight we had,” Weis said. “We were ready to battle. We weren’t going to back down from anybody.” Jenks wrestling has a unique luxury every program hopes for; a large senior class. The Trojan class of 2020 has wrestlers at all levels which they’ve learned to use to their advantage. “Individually, we’ve got guys spread out all the way and that’s important,” Weis said. “They are the type of guys who came into the program and battled. Very good wrestlers, some not so great wrestlers that don’t have the experience. As they have developed, they’re pretty good and it’s fun to coach them and fun to put them in positions where they can be successful.” For a Jenks program with high goals this season, getting a win against one of the top teams in the state was a statement for what they are capable of. “Obviously there are things to work on to get better. They saw what it takes to go to the next level tonight. Very proud of their fight, proud of their effort, their composure. It was a great night for Jenks wrestling,” Weis said. Jenks defeated Bixby 45-33 Tuesday night and they wrestled Thursday against Owasso after press time. They’ll be in action this weekend at the Glenpool Tournament.
Swim
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At the Jenks Invitational, the most recent meet, the story was much the same. The Lady Trojans out-gained Bixby 502.5 to 351 and the boys ran away with their group by scoring 506 points over second place Bishop Kelley which scored 342. The same song was sung in nearly every meet this season. The meets haven’t exactly been close. That fierce competitive drive that comes out in both teams each meet doesn’t begin and end there, it’s the same at practice. “We have so many great talents and they’re so great about, they know what they want,” Henao said. “When you put them together, when they’re swimming together, no one wants to be second. When they’re training it’s like the perfect job. It’s like, how do I slow them down? I can’t. They just want to go fast.” Despite the splashing success Jenks has enjoyed this far, they don’t want to get ahead of themselves. “I tell them all the time; I
don’t want to assume anything,” Henao said. “I don’t want them to lower their guard. They need to maintain their focus. They need to know, if they do their best performance individually, we’re going to do great and that’s what I’m looking for.” Getting the best out of the individuals shouldn’t be hard with a focused 2019-20 team. Henao was met with difficulty deciding who his top swimmers were, he didn’t want to leave anyone out. He mentioned a few. For the boys: Andrew Truong, Austin Bick, Grant Stuckey, Jazz Widney, Austin Sung “he’s a beast. I call him ‘the train.’” The Girls: Laney Fenton, Jasmine Rau, Gabby Vargus. “We have a really good class on the junior side.” And Henao has found ways to keep the fire lit under his team. “There was a time three years ago they lost by a point or two and I remind them about that,” he said. “Or if we don’t go by points, there was a time they lost a relay by .001 of a second. I remind them of that.
‘Remember that time you lost the relay by .001 of a second? Let’s not make that happen again.’ I’ve got to keep them motivated in knowing that just losing that one race is going to affect you.” The postseason begins Friday with east regionals held at the Jenks Aquatic Center. Bixby girls have been right under Jenks’ nose all season and Henao mentioned them as a team to watch for going into regionals. Henao doesn’t want his team getting ahead of themselves, however, his goals remain lofty. “My goals are, great performance,” he said. “I want to see every kid drop time. At the same time, I want to see the team break some records. Some records that have been established a long time ago, I’d like to see them be broken now. It’s going to be a tough challenge; I think the kids are excited about it.”
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Middle school basketball
Jenks middle school basketball teams played Union last Thursday at home. Photos/Bella Skinner - Trojan Torch
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Friday, February 7, 2020
Boys, girls basketball defeat Broken Arrow at home
Jenks girls basketball defeated Broken Arrow 74-68 at home Tuesday night. Photos/Hayden Tucker
Jenks boys basketball secured its 15th-straight victory with a 60-43 win over Broken Arrow Tuesday night. Photos/ Hayden Tucker
Friday, February 7, 2020
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Jenks students named finalists for Tulsa Sings Signature Symphony at Tulsa Community College named seven finalists, including Reese Buchert and Emily Thresher of Jenks, in the third annual Tulsa Sings, a vocal competition embedded with the professional orchestra. This year’s finalists include six soloists, and a family trio and range from a doctor, two classically trained singers, three individuals involved in community theater, and three individuals still in high school. Emily Thresher is a Jenks High School senior, is a member of the Trojanaire Vocal Music Show Choir and a 2018 Tulsa Sings finalist.
Reese Buchert is a Jenks High School sophomore, is a member of the Trojanaire Vocal Music Show Choir and has performed with local theatre companies and Tulsa Opera. Photos/Courtesy
Adult Congenital Heart Association celebrates Heart Month SUBMITTED
Special to the Jenks Tribune
The Adult Congenital Heart Association (ACHA) is proud to celebrate Heart Month, and recognize more than two decades of advocating for lifelong care for those with congenital heart disease (CHD). Throughout its history, ACHA has made significant strides to enable individuals born with this most common birth defect—diagnosed in one in 100 births—to live happy, healthy adult lives. ACHA is the only non-profit in the country dedicated solely to the unique social, educational and medical needs of the 1.4 million adults in the U.S. with one of the many differ-
ent types of congenital heart defects. ACHA’s Midwest Regional Development Leader Brooke Marley is actively driving patient outreach and promoting ACHA resources in local communities in partnership with medical providers. It is estimated that there are 39,309 individuals currently living with CHD in Oklahoma, which makes Brooke’s mission to connect the community of those who were born with heart defects and spread awareness of CHD across the Midwest even more important. “Thankfully, due to medical advances, more children with CHD are growing into adulthood,” said Mark Roeder, President and CEO of ACHA.
“Through patient advocacy and awareness campaigns and, most recently, the accreditation program we launched, we are prioritizing the need for constant support and access to specialized care to meet the needs of adults with CHD. We look forward to continuing to extend our impact in the years to come.” ACHA boasts a number of accomplishments in its history, most notably, serving the needs of more than one million adult patients with CHD. The organization has grown to include a Medical Advisory Board made up of top adult congenital cardiologists throughout the United States, and the Heart to Heart Peer Mentor
Program, which connects ACHA patient and family members with trained peers who provide support, guidance and resources. Throughout 2020, ACHA plans to engage the broader community by hosting thousands of participants in the Walk for 1 in 100, reaching more than a dozen U.S. cities to raise funds and awareness for the 1 in 100 children and adults living with CHD. ACHA is also planning its 9th National Conference for October 15-17, 2020, in Bloomington, MN. This unique event offers the hundreds of attendees an opportunity to meet others who are affected by CHD, as well as medical providers, through educational sessions and net-
working opportunities. In 2017, ACHA launched the ACHA Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD) Accreditation Program, a crucial area for advancing and standardizing the quality of care for ACHD. A targeted initiative to build a community of support and network of experts with knowledge of the disease, ACHA worked with doctors, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, and ACHD patients to define and vet the accreditation criteria and process. To date, there are 35 accredited centers throughout the country, with that number growing annually. About the Adult Congenital Heart
Association The Adult Congenital Heart Association (ACHA) is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life and extending the lives of adults with congenital heart disease (CHD). ACHA serves and supports the more than one million adults with CHD, their families and the medical community—working with them to address the unmet needs of the long-term survivors of congenital heart defects through education, outreach, advocacy, and ACHD research. For more information about ACHA, contact (888) 921-ACHA or visit www. achaheart.org.
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Bond
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this.” Now that the bond resolution was passed, it will immediately go to the Tulsa County Election Board and be put on the April 7 ballot. All five road project items on the bond will be under one question. Voters will not be able to vote yes on one road project, but no on another. They are all a package deal. “These are the projects that people have been asking for and we have been wanting to deliver these projects to them,” Lee said. “Now, we need their go ahead to finally get them done. We really appreciate the citizens’ support.” Here are the five road projects that will be on the April 7 ballot: -$16 million for construction of south Elm
Street from 111th Street to 131st Street. This will make Elm Street all five lanes from 111th Street to 131st Street and add a trail and medians with trees and landscaping -$1 million for design of Elwood Ave. from 111th Street to 121st Street to include landscaping and a trail -$1 million for design of improvements of Elwood Ave. from 91st Street to Main Street with landscaping and trail -$1 million for construction of Main Street from Date Street to the railroad, including drainage going from Birch Ave. all the way to the Veterans Park Pond -$1 million for design of 106th Street going east from Elm Street to the River District area where the outlet mall
Friday, February 7, 2020 will be located The other $500,000 will be for cost of creating all five projects for the bond issue. The G.O. bond will be a 20-year bond and raise property taxes $75 per $100,000 in property ownership for the first year. However, the property tax hike will level out to a $46 per year raise per $100,000 in property ownership throughout the 20-year span. “We have been working on this since last summer vetting these projects,” Lee said. “The council has also been working hard to get the citizens’ point of view and we feel like they have done a great job with that. The City of Jenks staff have been a real workhorse in this process. There is no way we could have accomplished this without all their hard work.”
Novels
South Elm Street widening to five lanes with a trail and medians with trees and landscaping from 111th Street to 131st Street is the centerpiece of the April bond issue. Photo/Kyle Salomon
PET OF THE WEEK Emmy Meet Sergeant Steve Wiley and Emmy! A 4- to 5-yearold pointer/boxer mix, Emmy loves to cuddle with everyone she meets. She is especially fond of tummy rubs! If you’d like to meet Emmy or any of her adoptable friends, warm up your tummy-rubbing hand and call Jenks Animal Control at 918-299-6311 Option 8 or email animalcontrol@ jenksok.org.
From page 1
hours. I went back to the computer multiple times, but I didn’t have anything. I was so frustrated.” So far, the books have been a hit. The first day they were available in the library, all books were checked out. There is currently a waiting list for each book. The students have heard many good
things about their books. “Whenever I got done with the presentation my friend came up to me and said, “I’m reading your book first,’ and another said ‘no, I am.’ And that was pretty fun,” Peyton said. Not only are these students getting the rare chance to write a
book, they’re getting experience that will help them in other parts of life as well. “I think it helps a lot with goal setting and how to reach your goal,” Gillean said. “It is not an easy task. I think it gives them a lot of confidence to know they can do hard things even when they think they can, they can push through and get there.” “I think it takes a lot
of confidence to sit down with an adult and talk about your book. A lot of opportunities to build public speaking skills and build confidence.” Some are already seeing the benefits come to fruition. “I’ve been setting more goals for myself,” Isabella said. “Walking my dog three times a week. It has definitely helped me, I’ve seen.”
Friday, February 7, 2020
For by grace are we saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast. - Ephesians 2: 8-9
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