Shawnee Outlook June 2016

Rare Bike Comes Through Shawnee |

Child Advocate Parents of the Year

Bee Rescue BLAKE HARGROVE

JUNE 16

Vol. 13 Number 4

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CONTENTS

Publisher

FEATURES 9 Tow Truck Drivers Save Lives 10 Shiloh Steel Performing July 4th

30 Community Market 30 Students and Teachers See the World

13 Rare Bike Comes Through Shawnee 18 CPN Creates Monarch Butterfly Habitat 21 Bee Rescue: Blake Hargrove 25 N.E.R.D.s in Action 26 Music Teacher’s Legacy of Excellence 29 Child Advocate Parents of the Year

DEPARTMENTS 6 KEEP THE CHANGE 6 NUTRITION 101 14 GREEN THUMB 20 SONIC CONTEST 22 ART GUIDE

Michael Keith

Advertising Sales

Brad Carter

Managing Editor

Mindy Wood

Creative Direction

Layers Media, Inc.

Cover Photo

Mackenzie Herman

Writers

Andrea Beck Jamie Bergsten Tim Farley Angela Rowland Thresa Swadley Mindy Wood

Distribution

The Shawnee Outlook is delivered FREE by direct mail to 25,000 homes and businesses.

Contact Us

PO Box 1365 Shawnee, OK 74802 E-mail: info@layersmedia.com

To Advertise Call Brad at (405) 445-3033.

Volume 13, Number 4 Shawnee Outlook is a publication of Layers Media, Inc. Š 2016 Layers Media, Inc. Articles and advertisements in Shawnee Outlook do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the magazine or Layers Media. Layers Media does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors. The acceptance of advertising by Shawnee Outlook does not constitute endorsement of products, services, political candidates/parties or information. We do not knowingly present any product or service that is fraudulent or misleading in nature. Shawnee Outlook assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials.

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KEEP THE CHANGE

NUTRITION 101

Vacation on a Budget

Eggs to Go

Because my husband and I didn’t have an unlimited budget to celebrate our upcoming 10th anniversary, we opted to take a no frills road trip, to simply enjoy being together – what we consider to be the purpose of a vacation. Wherever you go, focus on your splurge. Think of what you want most from your vacation – what would hurt the most to cut out – and splurge on that while considering how to cut the fat from other not-as-important areas. My favorite thing about traveling is checking out local cuisine, so our lodging and activities will be simple and cost-effective, leaving space in the budget for dining out. Here are our tips to cut extraneous vacation costs:

I sound like a broken record when talking to people about breakfast – “It is still the most important meal of the day just like you learned in first grade health” – I hear myself say often. I know we are all in a hurry to get our to-do list done, get kids off to school with matching shoes, and get to work not looking frazzled. The nice thing about this recipe is that you can pre-make them when you have down time and either keep them in the refrigerator or freezer (if over a few days) and microwave them when ready to eat.

• Consider camping. For the cost of a tent and maybe an air mattress, you can have many nights of lodging throughout your trip. Campsites average $20-40 per night and offer a beautiful outdoor view. Many parks also offer “camper cabins” for travelers who prefer a more sturdy dwelling and real beds. If not camping, consider what amenities you are willing to sacrifice or provide for yourself (bedding? breakfast?) and find lodging that will accommodate.

• Embrace nature. Enjoying a destination for the natural beauty it has to offer is often much less expensive than pricey tourist traps or amusement parks. Look for state parks and natural wonders that pique your interest. Or search for interesting architecture to marvel at for free.

• Provide your own feast. Choose to grocery shop at your destination for snacks and lunches, rather than relying solely on restaurants.

• Read reviews. When cutting costs, you often get what you pay for, so check sites such as tripadvisor.com for reviews from other travelers to be sure your frugal find is going to actually suit your needs.

Angela Rowland is an OBU graduate and a stay-at-home mother of four. She enjoys finding new ways to stretch the paycheck and even posts some of her favorite tips and deals on her blog (steadfaststeward.blogspot.com)

Ingredients: • 1 chopped bell pepper • 2 diced green onions • 4 chopped cherry tomatoes • ½ cup shredded kale • ½ cup chopped summer squash • 6 eggs • ¼ cup part skim mozzarella cheese • pinch of salt • ½ teaspoon onion powder • ½ teaspoon garlic powder • 1 teaspoon black pepper Directions: Preheat oven to 400°F. Beat eggs in a bowl and add all additional ingredients. Grease a muffin tin or use paper cups. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the tops are firm to the touch. If freezing them for a later date, wrap each one individually in foil and place all in a freezer safe bag. Makes: 12 muffins, 3 muffins per serving Nutritional Information per Serving: Calories: 149 – Total Fat: 8g – Saturated Fat: 3g – Cholesterol: 283mg Sodium: 183mg – Carbohydrates: 6g – Fiber: 1.5g – Protein: 12g Andrea Beck, a Registered Dietitian, received her Master’s in Nutrition and Dietetics from UCO in Edmond. She offers her nutrition consulting services and strongHER workouts through Anytime Fitness and teaches nutrition at St. Gregory’s University.

Andrea is an active member of Junior Service League. Visit www. strongherfitness.net for more information.

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Tow Truck Drivers Save Lives

VOTE

REPUBLICAN PRIMARY • JUNE 28

Tow truck drivers may not seem like typical emergency responders, but oftentimes they see the worst of situations caused by accidents and drunk drivers. Often, they’re early on the scene, saving lives.

Other times, the stereotypical tow truck operators – with grease, grime, and dirt covering them head to toe – are rescuing people and their vehicles from devastating tornadoes, snow and ice storms, hail, and other tragedies.

Scott Brown, a third generation owner of Brown and Sons Towing in Shawnee, shared a story about a recent incident that involved a garbage truck that was on fire near some gas station pumps. The tow truck driver flipped on the truck’s overhead lights to expedite his way to the scene. He arrived in time to tow the garbage truck away from the pumps and prevent an explosion.

However, one woman called the tow truck company complaining that tow trucks are not first responders and the overhead lights should not have been used. That complaint prompted Tina Brown, wife of Scott Brown, to post a comment on Facebook. The post was shared at one point 1,600 times.

It read, in part, “We hurry safely when told to hurry by an officer or fireman or 911 dispatcher, which was our situation today. We had a burning garbage truck just feet from gas pumps. We not only put ourselves in danger, but were trying to avoid what could have potentially been a life threatening situation for many by getting to the scene quickly, safely; (and) as ordered (to) secure the scene.”

“We would never be in a hurry on a casual call,” Scott Brown said in a telephone interview from Nashville, Tenn.

However, there are many times when getting to the scene quickly pays off. “We have saved many lives by getting to an accident in time to lift the car off of a child or person who is trapped underneath,” Tina Brown wrote in her Facebook post. “We have

by: Tim Farley

held people’s hands who are trapped in a car that was mangled too much to remove them till we lifted the car for a first responder to cut them out. We have assisted many a first responder in lifting their victims to safety and we have saved many a lives by our fast response times.”

Often the drivers are called to tow semi-trailers, which isn’t an easy task. They change tires for people on a highway, another dangerous job since most motorists fail to adhere to the Move Over law, a national movement to help emergency responders.

In this case, the law also applies to tow truck drivers.

If motorists see a tow truck operator working on a roadside, they are now required by law to either move over to the next lane or slow down at least 10 mph below the posted speed limit.

Nationally, one tow truck driver is killed every six days in the United States by motorists who fail to move into the left lane. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration statistics also show injury and fatality rates among emergency responders, including tow truck drivers, are more than twice the national average for all other industries.

“Being on the shoulder changing a tire is one of the most dangerous things one of our drivers can do,” Scott Brown said. “We need to get people to slow down and move over,” Tina Brown said. “A life could be saved. We have drivers who almost get sideswiped all the time. They have to jump to the side of the truck.”

In one instance, one of Brown’s drivers was picking up a car for the Oklahoma Highway Patrol when a drunk driver hit the back of the tow truck and ripped off the back side of the operator’s right leg. Sadly, the drunk driver’s own vehicle had been impounded a week earlier.

Those types of situations often increase the stress level of a profession few people think about until a vehicle stops working or is involved in an accident. The next time a tow truck hits their lights, it could be to save someone else’s life.

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Shiloh Steel Performing July 4th A local rock band gaining momentum will be performing as the headliner for the Grand Casino July 4th celebration.

Shiloh Steel has just released an EP, “Demonstration,” for their growing audience and will record a full album later this summer. The band has gone from opening for famous artists to being the headliner for events.

Allen Nichols started the band in 2009 on a whim when Battle of the Bands sent a call out for their annual competition. Nichols decided to submit some of his work and made up the name Shiloh Steel.

He had been playing acoustically with a couple of friends, but hadn’t officially formed a band.

“Two weeks before the gig, they called me and said, ‘congratulations you’ve made the top five bands,” said Nichols.

“So we crammed for two weeks and we won it. There we went and took off from there.”

Although the lineup of band members has changed since 2009, Shiloh Steel is still made up of local artists. Allen Nichols performs guitar and lead vocals, Alicja Carter is a vocalist, Dan Shumaker plays bass, and Shane Loudon is the drummer.

They play a mix of covers in addition to their original music. Crowds enjoy songs by The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Journey, Prince, Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, AC/DC, and Van Halen to name a few.

Nichols said the music he writes for the band comes from the people and experiences that inspire him.

In an area dominated by country and red dirt music bands, Shiloh Steel is one of very few playing rock. Their flexibility in music selection is also thanks to adding a female vocalist. Nichols said, “I think Alicja brings a different dynamic, a different audience.

It’s more interesting when you have female and male vocalists. It opens the door to a lot of material.”

Carter said, “I absolutely love being a vocalist because it gives me the power to affect the energy in the room. Being connected to myself, my band mates, and the audience is both exhilarating and humbling.

by: Mindy Wood

There is just no substitute for doing something that I love with people that share the same passion. Every practice or performance holds an element of mystery and an opportunity to be pleasantly surprised.”

Shiloh Steel is a favorite at Shawnee Thunderbird Casino where they perform monthly. They have a following in Oklahoma City where they play in Bricktown at Stoney LaRue’s (formerly Moonshiners Music House). For the last several years, they’ve opened at the Grand Casino for headliners including Sammy Hagar, Quiet Riot, and Tom Keifer formerly with Cinderella.

This year they are the lead band for the Grand’s annual July 4th celebration. They will perform from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

“We’re really thankful that people always come out and see us,” said Nichols. Carter said, “We are incredibly thankful to our friends and fans for showing their love and support in countless ways. Their faith and positive energy encourage us to dig deeper and dream bigger.”

Shiloh Steel’s music is available on iTunes and other digital download sites. For more information about their upcoming shows, visit their Facebook page “Shiloh Steel.”

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Rare Bike Comes Through Shawnee Lots of people collect things: baseball cards, rare coins, figurines, and guns, to name a few. However, only a small number of folks can claim to have a motorcycle collection, and few, if any, can top that of Andre’ Grasso. His recent acquisition of an extremely rare bike with a big price tag brought him to Shawnee Honda Polaris, a journey of nearly 1,500 miles from his New York home. While in town, he shared some insight about his collection and what led him to shop in Shawnee.

Andre’ Grasso didn’t grow up being interested in motorcycles. He says he enjoyed racing off-road Jeeps and trucks but had “never paid attention to bikes” until his early 30s. He then learned to ride them on a race track, and from there his interest in street bikes began. His enthusiasm quickly changed the path of his life; as much of Grasso’s career revolves around street bikes and racing.

Black + Gray, his company based in Garrison, New York, sells a variety of accessories and clothing specific to the motorcycle racing world. Grasso describes himself as an “industrial designer” by trade, but his company’s products are not his only renderings. His work spans a broader spectrum than racing and includes theater lighting and products for the medical field. He noted that the Hertz Corporation is one of his biggest clients. “I’m passionate about design, about making stuff,” he said.

He’s also passionate about owning motorcycles – Hondas, to be specific. The one he traveled to Shawnee to purchase made him the proud owner of “about 76” bikes, all of which are Hondas. “This one is a huge investment, and I’ll put it amongst the collection. It won’t be ridden. It’s one of a few, maybe the most expensive bike I’ll have. They aren’t formally open for public viewing, but they’re at Black + Gray.”

This model is a Honda RC-213VS with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $184,000. There are only three like it in the entire United States and less than 200 in the world.

The other two U.S. models are owned by a Honda dealer and by the owner of Jimmy John’s Subs. It was hand-built in Japan by the Honda Racing Company, and Grasso describes it as “the equivalent of a Formula One racecar. It’s all of Honda’s technology and knowledge in one bike.”

Michelle O’Bright

It was delivered to Shawnee from Honda’s corporate offices in Torrance, California via a racing team’s truck, and the sale prompted Honda executives to fly in for the unveiling and to visit with Grasso. “It was a huge event for Shawnee Honda Polaris and its staff,” says Jason Smith, sales manager at Shawnee Honda.

So what would lead a New Yorker to make such a big purchase here? “It’s really about these guys,” Grasso said, gesturing toward the Shawnee Honda Polaris staff and showroom. “I was in Oklahoma on business back in 2008, and I met the guys here. A facility like this is rare on the East Coast.” While in Oklahoma City he’d asked if there was a Honda dealer nearby, and someone had told him to “head down I-40 to Shawnee,” so he did. Since that visit years ago, he’s purchased “six or eight bikes” from Smith and his staff.

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When asked about other valuable motorcycles in his collection, Grasso points to the 1992 Honda NR 750N RC40. He has two of them – one to ride and one for display.

His display model truly has zero miles on the odometer. “It was the motorcycle equivalent of the space shuttle back in ’92. It’s like a piece of art to an enthusiast,” he says. He describes the RC he just bought as “the biggest splash since the NR came out.”

Grasso isn’t sure what his next bike purchase will be, but he says he’s constantly restoring bikes. As his Black + Gray website states, “A motorcycle is more than a ride, it’s a total experience.” For Grasso, this is certainly true.

To see photos of Grasso’s bike collection or for more information on Black + Gray’s products, visit www.blackandgray.com.

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June Gardening Tips Sometimes I think I was born in the wrong century. I loved Little House on the Prairie and how the family worked together. They raised their crops and were thankful for every small blessing, enjoying the quiet, simple times. I could see myself right there with the Ingalls, working the land and making quilts out of our old raggedy clothes...oh wait, as long as there was electricity, indoor plumbing (with toilet paper), central heat & air, cars, washing machines, microwaves, cell phones, computers, and Walmart. Ok, so I guess I’m just a wanna-be frontier person.

My point is that I love working the land, and I dream of a peaceful, slow-paced life, instead of go-go-go all the time, or having a TV blasting in the background.

I guess working outside helps to quench this desire. At our house, we have flower beds, rose bushes, azalea bushes, lots of strawberries, blackberries, peach and apple trees, pecan trees, etc., but my passion is mostly for my vegetable garden. June is the month when the summer growing season really gets underway. Here are a few things to remember this month: •

• • •

• • • • •

• • • •

Harvest vegetables such as beans, peas, squash, cucumbers, and okra regularly to ensure they keep producing. Likewise, dead-head spent roses.

There’s still time to plant cucumbers. Don’t forget to plant dill, so you and the kids can make jars of pickles.

For best results, harvest onions and potatoes when two-thirds of the tops have died down.

Clean off rows of early crops as soon as they are through bearing and use the space again for planting things such as sweet potatoes, peas, green beans, cucumbers, pumpkins, or flowers.

Thin out fruits on your trees to reduce competition and encourage larger fruit.

Don’t remove the foliage from spring bulbs until after they turn yellow and begin to dry out.

Watch for and control blackspot on roses.

Remember to use the weed-eater “gently” around trees and roses, etc.

Spring flowering shrubs such as spirea, viburnum, lilac, azaleas, and forsythia should be pruned (if needed, to take out dead limbs, and to keep shaped) as soon as they are finished blooming.

Water young trees deeply.

Remember from last month’s article to try to identify some of the bugs.

Many of them are beneficial to your garden.

Use mulch !!!!!

For hanging planters or decorative pots of flowers, Steve Owens from Bustani Plant Farms in Stillwater, says that you need “a thriller, a filler, and a spiller”.

Article and Photo by Debi Renegar, Master Gardener with the Multi-County Master Gardener Association 14

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LINDA AGEE SHAWNEE SHAWNEE CITY CITY COMMISSION COMMISSION •• Downtown DowntownShawnee Shawnee business businessowner ownerand and advocate advocatewith withHistoric Historic Shawnee ShawneeAlliance Alliance •• Active Activemember memberof of the theShawnee ShawneeTwin Twin Lakes LakesAssociation Association •• Retired Retiredfrom fromFederal Federal Aviation AviationAdministration Administration •• 16 16year yearShawnee Shawneeresident resident

VOTE VOTE JUNE JUNE 28 28

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KELLI McCULLAR

SHAWNEE CITY COMMISSION • Life-long Shawnee resident • Graduate of Oklahoma City University Law School • Local attorney and small business owner • Former municipal judge with knowledge of challenges facing city officials

VOTE JUNE 28

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CPN Creates Monarch Butterfly Habitat Monarch butterflies are struggling to thrive due to habitat loss, but in Shawnee, there’s a safe place for these fluttering pollinators to rebuild their colonies. Citizen Potawatomi Nation welcomed the opportunity to replant native plants friendly to Monarch butterflies as part of an ongoing effort to preserve them. Approximately 2,500 milkweed plants will be planted on tribal landscapes in Oklahoma.

Seven tribes have united with CPN under this effort including Chickasaw Nation, Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, Osage Nation, and Seminole Nation of Oklahoma. The US Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Oklahoma State University, the Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Euchee Butterfly Farm and Monarch Watch joined Native American leaders to recreate sustainable habitats at the CPN Eagle Aviary complex.

Jennifer Randell, director of the CPN Eagle Aviary was pleased to participate. “This is a perfect fit for this program. The monarchs migrate, eagles migrate. They face challenges out there that we need to help them overcome. We need to be stewards of the land and help bring all this (habitat) back.”

Monarch butterflies have been compromised by weather patterns and land development. The population suffered heavily during Mexico’s snow, sleet, and hail storms early March. The butterflies leave Mexico and migrate north through Oklahoma and Texas.

Dr. Chip Taylor, a world expert on Monarch butterflies explained. “The (Mexico) storm killed millions of monarchs before they could leave. The monarchs coming north are relatively small and so we’re looking for a smaller population next year,” he said.

Taylor reported that while the population was very low in the last two years, Oklahoma’s population was up last year. Because of the storm, he’s not as optimistic. “The next big test is to see how many we see moving north in May and June. If the numbers coming out of Texas and Oklahoma are really good, then this population will recover well.

If they’re not good, we’re going to be right back to really low numbers next year. We’re still kind of in limbo,” he said.

Land development and herbicide resistant crops have hurt the Monarchs. Taylor reported in the last 15 years, especially in the upper Midwest states, these crops have destroyed milkweed in the fields. When corn became a renewable fuel, “Almost 24 million acres, which 77 percent was formerly 18

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grassland and native habitat for monarch butterflies and pollinators, were converted to crops in a four-year period,” said Taylor. “That’s an area the size of the state of Indiana. We’re losing a million to two million acres a year of habitat just to development, mostly in our cities,” said Taylor.

Six states, including Oklahoma, are considering a recommendation by Taylor to allow native plants favored by Monarchs and

by: Mindy Wood

pollinators to grow alongside interstate 35.

States are trying to determine a funding source.

“We’re not talking about hundreds of millions of dollars here. We’re talking about $15 million for all six states; surely we can find that kind of money to create that kind of landscape.”

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Bee Rescue: Blake Hargrove Six years ago Blake Hargrove took up the hobby of cultivating bees as a way to inoculate his seasonal allergies. Today he is known in the tri-county area for rescuing bees from homes and properties where they may pose a nuisance.

Using sustainable, organic practices to maintain hives, Hargrove has insight regarding myths about bees and the threats to their survival.

Bees can take up temporary or long term residence inside a structure or in trees. A bee swarm is how bees reproduce and when a hive gets crowded, part of them pack up their queen and set out to build a new one. There’s a difference between a temporary swarm of bees searching for a new home and an established hive that’s taken up residence a little too close for comfort.

“The problem is in urban areas those swarms set up in or near homes. That’s where I come in.

People have this weird fear that swarms are out to sting them and are highly dangerous,” said Hargrove. “That’s pretty far from the truth. It’s a good rule of thumb to leave them alone if you don’t know what you’re doing, but they’re really very docile. They’ve engorged themselves with honey and have no home to defend. At most, they’ll be there a few days. They’re literally hanging out until a scout bee reports back that they’ve found a suitable location for a new hive.”

A swarm of bees on a branch takes Hargrove

just ten minutes to shake loose into a box for transport. He has 20 hives, dispersed on three family properties in rural areas.

He rescues swarms for free, as it saves him the cost of purchasing bees which can cost up to $400. For hive removal inside a structure he charges a fee depending on the construction costs incurred, between $200 to $500.

He said pesticides are a temporary fix and only total removal of the hive is the solution.

“The problem is (pesticides) may not get to all the hive. It doesn’t kill the capped brood either, so in a week you have bees hatching and they have to spray again.”

If the bee entrance isn’t patched, other bees smell the remaining honey and move in. “The problem starts over again,” said Hargrove. “If you seal it off (without extraction), mice and bugs are attracted to the dead bees, honey, and larvae.”

As careful as he is to collect swarms and hives, Hargrove takes equal care of his own bees. He lets his bees start winter with 100 lbs. of honey on each hive so they can emerge strong in spring. He allows the bees to design the size of the cells which prevents common pests from taking over the hive. Hargrove keeps the strong hives and lets the weak die. “I’m propagating strong genes rather than helping the weak live.

It sounds harsh, but that’s how nature acts.

He attributes the threat to honey bee survival to a number of industrial practices and the use of pesticides and genetically modified crops.

“It’s the industrial beekeeping done in this state that’s done the most damage,” said Hargrove. “They ship bees in and out of the country that bring pests and diseases. They ship the bees all over the country to follow the crops. They rob all of the honey from the hives and replace it with corn syrup. All of this causes

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them an unnatural amount of stress. I think the practice of industrial beekeeping has degraded the genetics of the bees over time and gotten them to the weakened state they’re in.”

Scientific American published an article condemning these and other industrial beekeeping practices, titled “Honey Bees Greatest Threat?” in 2013. If you have a swarm or beehive problem, you can call Blake Hargrove at 405-584-0156.

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ART GUIDE

Enjoy the Arts in Shawnee The Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art has several offerings in June and July for arts camps for children of all ages. The offerings include Primary Partners for preschoolers, the Creative Arts Camp for ages 5-13, and the Art Clinic for Teens and Tweens. Check out the individual camp dates and offerings at www.mgmoa.org/calendar.

Want to escape the summer heat with your children? Check out the Jones Theater Kids Movies on Thursday mornings at 10 a.m. For complete schedule and ticket information: www. jonestheatres.com.

Thresa Swadley is a freelance cellist/teacher who has been active in the Shawnee Arts Community for almost 20 years. She is a member of the OBU/Shawnee Community Orchestra and plays in Trio Antiqua, a baroque music trio. Please contact her if you know of an upcoming arts event. Visit www.celloladyok.com.

Tales to the Wind. Cummin is an OSU graduate and a Woody Guthrie festival poet. The poetry reading will be on Thursday, June 16th at 7 p.m. at Benedict Street Market.

Head out for a night on the town on Friday, June 17th. The Downtown Block Party will have an art show featuring local artists and there will be live music on the streets. Downtown restaurants will also be open for dining

Ready for a daytrip? Take the family to the OK Mozart Festival in Bartlesville. This year’s festival is June 11th – 18th and will feature Oklahoma musicians including some from Shawnee. Check out the schedule at: okmozart.com.

There will be fun for the entire family at the 3rd Annual Shawnee Trail Days on Saturday, June 18 from 11 a.m. to 10 p. m. on Main Street. The event will include live music and dancing as well as an art show. For families there will be a trackless train ride, bounce houses, stagecoach rides, wagon rides, a cowboy camp and chuck wagon, a petting zoo, and much more! The day will end with a fireworks show.

Poetry Night’s featured reader will be Terri Cummin. She will be reading from her book, Poetry

The Arts@317 will have a busy month as they celebrate their one-year anniversary. Paint parties

with Penny Coates will be held on June 7th and 21st. They will also have their anniversary party during the block party on Friday, June 17th with a wine tasting and music by Edgar Cruz. Visit: www. theartsat317.com.

The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band will be in concert at the Firelake Grand Casino on Friday, June 17th. For tickets: www.grandresortok.com/entertainment.

Teens can register for a free acrylic painting class guided by the Be Wild for Art teaching artists at Shawnee Public Library on June 22nd. Supplies are provided. Registration is required and the class size is limited. For more information: pioneerlibrarysystem. org/hometowns/shawnee.

Ready to dance? The Shawnee Senior Center will be hosting its 3rd Annual 50’s Dance on Saturday, June 25th from 7-10 p.m. All ages are welcome and costumes are encouraged. Visit: www. shawneeseniors.org.

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Vote June 28

th

Dub Bushong

James Harrod

“I take pride in contributing to my community. I ask that you join me in getting involved to make a difference.”

“It has been my honor and privilege to serve as your city commissioner and I am looking forward working with the new commissioners & mayor. I feel my experience will be of great value to them and the city of Shawnee.”

Dub Bushong for Ward 1 Commissioner

James Harrod for Ward 3 Commissioner

Dub Bushong is a lifelong resident of Shawnee who’s goal is to simply help our City move forward and become an even better place for future generations. Having Dub as a Commissioner will give us the opportunity to work together to achieve these common goals. Please vote June 28th for Dub Bushong City Commission Ward 1

James Harrod’s experience as City commissioner and Vice Mayor along with his knowledge of current projects will be a great asset to all the newly elected City commissioners. We look forward to the privilege of working with him. Please vote June 28th for James Harrod City Commissioner Ward 3.

Sincerely, Darren Rutherford Commisioner Elect Ward 4

Sincerely, Darren Rutherford Commissioner Elect Ward 4

&

Richard Finley Mayor Elect

Paid for by Shawnee Your Town 24

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&

Richard Finley Mayor Elect

N.E.R.D.s in Action STEM has become a common acronym in education in recent years, as more districts implement programs on science, technology, engineering, and math. A favorite for many students is robotics, “a program that has the complete package when it comes to learning,” according to Lori Farris, coach of Grove School’s robotics teams. She and her students recently returned from a world competition in St. Louis, Missouri, where they finished as one of the top groups.

“The name of the competition was FIRST ® Lego League World Festival,” said Farris. “It’s a division of an organization called FIRST® Robotics. Their slogan is ‘The Hardest Fun You’ll Ever Have.’”

Grove’s team included eight eighth graders: Keegan Carrera, Joshua Cleveland, Laura Farris, Samantha Huff, Shelby Jones, and Kaitlin Koons, and two seventh graders, Sean Carmichael and Caleb Rice. They’re known as N.E.R.D.s, Nerdy Engineering Robot Designers. Farris, and her husband Roger, who works at Gordon Cooper Technology Center, also coaches two other Grove teams: the Mechanical Monsters and the K.A.T.S., for sixth through eighth graders.

Prior to the St. Louis competition, the N.E.R.D.s competed at a regional qualifier, where they placed first overall, and at the Oklahoma State Championship, where they received another win. Farris said there were about 200 FLL teams in Oklahoma this year.

Only Grove’s team represented the state at the world festival in late April.

“The season runs from August to December in Oklahoma, but if your team advances to the world championship, you continue until the end of April or May,” Farris explained.

There are four parts to FLL competitions.

Core Values ~ Students learn important values in the job market. They create a poster during the season about how they use those Core Values both in and out of robotics and present that information to judges. They are then given a teamwork challenge, a set of supplies, and a task to complete. The judges watch how they work together to solve the task.

Project ~ Students receive a theme at the beginning of the season with a problem to solve with engineering design. This year it was Trash Trek. Grove’s project addressed natural disaster debris and making cleanup safer and more efficient.

Robot Design ~ A 4’ x 8’ game board that has mission components related to the theme is released, and students must design, build, and program a robot that will accomplish as many missions on the board as possible. They are judged on creative design, good engineering strategies, and programming skills.

Robot Performance ~ At the event, students run the robot programs that they’ve created and hope to score as many points as possible.

At the world festival, 105 teams represented 29 countries and 31 U.S. states. Grove’s placed first for Innovative Solution (their engineering design project) and the Coach’s Award. This the second consecutive year the team attended a world-level event, having received significant awards both times.

Farris said, “Being on the robotics team at Grove is in high demand. I take as many kids as I can, but I can’t handle more than 30 or so. Every core subject that students learn in school is utilized for some component of the FLL competition.

To say that this is hands-on, real-world learning understates what these kids do. They ARE engineers, inventors, and thinkers, and to see how adults in business and industry value them and their ideas is beautiful. Engineers from NASA, Boeing, and energy companies attend the world festival to interact with students and encourage the patenting and manufacturing of their ideas. Team members network with universities like Duke and MIT and can apply for college scholarships on-site. FIRST ® awards around $25,000,000 in scholarship money annually. I don’t think many competitions can beat that.”

Kaitlin Koons, team member, said that all of their hard work gave them some amazing opportunities.

“This is an experience you’ll get nowhere else,”

by: Jamie Bergsten

she explained. “We’re excited to see teams we’ve created a special bond with and when we meet new teams from other countries. It is truly a humbling experience.”

Kaitlin’s mom, Kelli, echoed similar thoughts.

“To be able to go twice to worlds and come home with first place trophies in different categories is very exciting. We’re all very proud of their hard work!”

Laura Farris, Lori’s daughter, said that being a part of a robotics team is amazing. “When you’re driving the robot, a rush of adrenaline goes through your body. You have people surrounding you who have your best interests at heart and share your same passions.”

www.shawneeoutlook.com

25

Music Teacher’s Legacy of Excellence After 33 years of teaching for Shawnee Public Schools, Jefferson Elementary School music teacher, Sherri Thompson is retiring, leaving behind a strong music program, and more importantly, hundreds of students and colleagues that she has positively influenced to strive for excellence both at school and in their personal lives.

It seems being a music teacher is in Sherri’s blood. Her father, Bob Stoddard, was a long time Oklahoma band director who was the president of the Oklahoma Band Master’s Association, and in the OBA Hall of Fame. Even though Thompson initially did not plan to be a music teacher, within a few short years of being a classroom teacher with the district, she became Jefferson’s music teacher.

Jefferson Elementary did not have a history or tradition of a music program. The music classroom was in a portable building without chairs or books; the only supplies were a box of broken rhythm sticks. Thompson recalled that in the early days of her career she was forced to make it up as she went along. Eventually she was able to put together her own curriculum that met state standards, creating an environment where students learned to love music.

The first music program at Jefferson was memorable because many teachers did not think that parents would attend a musical performance.

Thompson combined grades three through five and prepared a music program of 1950’s music hoping some parents might attend. To everyone’s surprise, so many parents showed up that only half of the parents could fit into the auditorium.

When they finished the program, the principal told Thompson, “You need to do the program again for the parents that could not get into the building to see it the first time.” Thompson and the students performed the program a second time in its entirety so that all parents were able to see their children perform.

Since that first music program, Jefferson now has annual grade-level music programs, a Veteran’s Day Program, and an honor choir that regularly performs throughout the Shawnee Community.

In addition to these public events, there are also internal music traditions that include the Christmas sing-a-long and the end of the year talent show.

In Thompson’s early days at Jefferson, she remembers that once the students left Jefferson it was as if they entered middle school and disappeared. “We did not have students from Jefferson who became cheerleaders, who played sports, or who performed with the band,” stated Thompson. “I wanted to give them the confidence that they could succeed all the way through high school.”

She worked to instill in her students a love of music and of playing instruments. Jefferson now has many students who play with the band through high school and some who have even gone on to play with the marching band at Oklahoma State University. Even students who did not go on to do anything musical will frequently come back and tell Thompson how they have an appreciation for music from what they learned in her classroom.

Former students and colleagues remarked upon the rapport that Thompson is able to build with the students she teaches. Jefferson Principal Vickie Penson praised her, saying, “Sherri loves all of the kids and she can remember the name of every student she has ever taught. The kids love her and they will confide in her about things that they will not tell anyone else. She is an outstanding educator and an outstanding person as well. There will be a huge void when she leaves Jefferson.”

Elijah Gragg, a former student of Thompson’s, works as a professional singer and attributes his success to Thompson: “Ms. Thompson is the person that made me love music. I would not be where I am today without her instilling the love for music in me

by: Thresa Swadley

Current and former students gathering to sing for Sherri Thompson at her retirement reception. while I was a student at Jefferson.”

Those who know Thompson know that the key to her success as an educator is that she always expects excellence from herself and those around her. Melanne Greenwood who has taught with Thompson for 24 years stated, “Sherri does not care who it is, she commands you to come in with your game high all of the time. She wants the very best for whatever she is doing. Sherri models excellence and expects the same from others in return.”

As Thompson ends this stage of her career, she reflected upon arts education in the state of Oklahoma: “Schools are in dire straights right now, but Oklahoma still has stunning arts programs in education. Overall, the arts are a priority and you can tell it. All children should be exposed to a quality arts program. Maybe we take it for granted because we have always had strong arts educators, but if we start losing these educators because of budget cuts, we will begin missing out on future successful artists and musicians that Oklahoma is known to produce.”

When I come in, they call me by name.

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Child Advocate Parents of the Year The Pottawatomie County Child Welfare Collaborative named Aron and Tiffany Stringfellow as the 2016 Pott. Co. Child Advocate Parents of the Year.

The Stringfellows fully understand what foster care is about. They began fostering in 2011. Tiffany wanted to foster children, but the couple initially decided to wait until their two biological children, Aleah, now 18, and Clayton, now 14, were older. It wasn’t long before they decided to start the process sooner.

They had completed everything for the certification when Aron became gravely ill. Tiffany said, “We literally thought he was going to die.” He was diagnosed with Lyme disease. Foster care had to be put on hold.

A specialist put Aron on the necessary medicines, but cautioned the couple that his condition would likely get much worse before it began to improve.

However, Aron was determined to do what he felt God had called them to do. After they signed the contract to foster children, immediately his symptoms began to subside.

DHS soon called to ask them to take a little girl who had been in three homes in two months.

She and an older brother, Timothy, with newborn brother, Eddie, had been placed in separate homes.

Young Scottlyn was fearful of the world and cried incessantly. She wouldn’t let Aron have anything to do with her. Tiffany spent the first 6 weeks sleeping beside her in the living room. Slowly, Scottlyn began to adjust and learn to trust. Soon they received word that Scottlyn’s older brother, Timothy, was having trouble in his current foster home. They invited him for a weekend visit hoping it might help.

When Timothy arrived for the weekend Tiffany said, “He seemed so sad. I knew that the sibling bond was strong because he would put himself between us and Scottlyn. He wasn’t at all aggressive. He had

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a kind-hearted, nurturing spirit. He just wanted to protect her. I assured him that she was safe and that we loved her very much.”

When the weekend was over, Timothy was reluctant to leave. He told them, “Nobody gives me ‘lovins’ at the other place.” Fortunately, Timothy was placed with his sister in their care.

Tiffany and Aron maintained a close relationship with their biological mother who suffered with drug addiction. Tiffany admits that before she began fostering, their mother was the type of person she found hard to love. “God had to change my heart,” explained Tiffany.

She realizes how important the relationship is to successfully bridge the gap to reunification. “I want to be able to tell the children that I did everything I could to help,” said Tiffany. The mother began attending church with them and was working on her appointed plan for reunification. The Stringfellows were surprised when the mother contacted them and said she was in trouble and knew they were not going to let her have the children. She told Aron and Tiffany, “Please don’t let them have this life I have.” She asked the couple to adopt the children.

In October of 2014, the Stringfellows officially adopted all three.

Three days later, they stopped by the DHS office to take care of some paperwork on the way to the zoo. Tiffany ran in while Aron stayed in the car with the kids. While inside, Tiffany noticed a young baby and asked about the circumstances. DHS had removed the child during the night and were trying to find placement. That four-month old baby enjoyed his first trip to the zoo and is now thriving in the care of Tiffany’s brother and sister-in-law.

Tiffany’s sister is also a foster parent. Together they form a support group for one another.

The Stringfellows continue to foster and have had 12 long-term placements. When asked how

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they have been so successful in a foster system that is sometimes looked upon disparagingly, Tiffany answered, “You have to realize that you are a part of a team. You can’t leave everything to the caseworker.

Build a relationship with the biological parents. Help them. Encourage them. Care about every aspect, and learn not to give up too easily. The biggest problem is that there aren’t enough homes and foster families are overloaded. If you foster for the right reasons, the joy and the reward is much greater than the upset.”

For information on foster care or adoption, contact Pott. Co DHS recruiter, Andrea Stasyszen at 405-878-4042 or 405-765-9650

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Join us the 3rd Friday of each month for our open house with great Art, Live Music, Wine tasting & Hors d’oeuvres!

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29

Community Market

The long awaited grand opening for Community Market is scheduled for June 13. The food pantry is set up much like a grocery store and will focus on nutrition dense foods that positively affect health outcomes for the disadvantaged.

The facility was constructed in partnership with the Avedis Foundation who donated $750,000 and the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma who gave $350,000 among other non-profit organizations in Pottawatomie County. Mission Shawnee donated the land at 1125 E. Main in concert with Immanuel Baptist Church.

Director of Community Market, Daniel Matthews said their vision is part of the collaborative efforts in the community to end poverty. “One of our main goals is to help people exit crisis mode.

When people don’t know where their next meal is coming from, they’re constantly in crisis mode. We will start launching other programs, but our main focus is healthy food.”

Matthews hopes to partner with other agencies to help with the underlying issues that perpetuate poverty like education and job placement. For now, the focus is on hunger.

“In the last eight years, the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma has doubled the number of people they serve,” said Matthews. According to RFB, 16.1 percent of Pottawatomie County residents have “inconsistent access to food” and provided 1 million meals to local hungry residents last year.

Mathews said RFB of Oklahoma selected his church food pantry at Family of Faith as a centrally located regional partner. “We decided to start a separate organization because we believe this should be a community issue. We want everyone to be involved. Our board is made up of business leaders, non-profits, and churches.”

“To watch Community Market of Pottawatomie County grow from a vision to a reality has been a testimony to the beauty of true community collaboration,” said Paula Waters, program director for the Avedis Foundation. “So many have selflessly given of their time and talents to insure the success of this project. Community Market of Pottawatomie County is an investment in the future of Shawnee.”

For more information, visit their Facebook page “Our Community Market of Pott. Co.” 30

www.shawneeoutlook.com

Students and Adults See the World

A Shawnee high school world history teacher invites students and adult sponsors to learn about the world by seeing it for themselves. Dustin Tenney had studied abroad before becoming a teacher and as his class turned the pages of their textbooks, Tenney shared his experiences. They asked him to put together a trip and last year he took a group of 21 students and adults to Europe with EF Educational Tours.

Through Tenny’s Word Studies Program, this summer a group of 10 will see Australia, New Zealand and Hawaii. Next year, the trip will include Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Czech Republic and Austria. Tenney plans the trip according to history lessons learned during the year so students experience what they studied.

He hopes to see it grow. It’s not unusual for as many as 200 students and chaperones to embark on educational travels through EF Educational Tours. The prices are far below standard travel rates, making it affordable.

“Last summer, the trip was $4,000 per student, $4,500 for adults and that covers everything except tips and souvenirs. It would have cost over $8,000,” said Tenney.

Some students did fundraising and others

by: Mindy Wood

worked jobs to pay for the trip. They are prepared well in advance for the cost and the cultures they encounter. Monthly meetings address everything from food and language to customs and passport checks.

Joe and Cheryl Cowdon were chaperones last year. “It was nice because it prepared the kids for what to expect,” said Cheryl. “It was a good time to get know the kids and it gave the parents peace of mind knowing who their kids would be around for two weeks.”

Tenney said the trips are all part of being a teacher. “My job is to prepare them for the world outside high school. What better way to prepare them for the world than to show them the world?

We need to be impacted by places other than Shawnee because the world is so much bigger,” he said.

While it is too late to sign up for this summer’s tour, Tenney invites anyone interested to attend the next meeting at the Shawnee YMCA, June 14 at 6:30 PM. The 2017 tour is open to area students and adults outside the Shawnee public school system. For more information, email Tenney at dtenney11@gmail.com or call 617-470-3278.

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OHH interventional cardiologists serving the Shawnee clinic (from left): Naveed Ahmed, MD; Suresh Chandrasekaran, MD; Bryan Perry, MD; Parker Truong, DO; Soni Zacharius, MD; Ronald White, MD; Michael Schoeffler, MD; Aamir Hameed, MD; and Nabhan Al-Nabhan, MD. Not pictured: cardiothoracic surgeon John Randolph, MD.

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