19th Street Magazine April 2021

Moore Chamber President Kim Brown

Looking to the Next Level

Raising Funds for Kid’s Surgeries

A Heart for Helping

Veteran of the Month

Kevin Easterling

April 2021 • Issue 4 • Volume 4

Southmoore Sprinter

FUTURE SOONER Sabercat Jada Atkinson

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Features

APRIL CONTENTS 2021

ISSUE 4– VOLUME 4 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Mark Doescher

A Heart for Helping

10 by Callie Collins

Lindsay Cuomo

Local high school student raises funds for surgeries that change children’s lives.

Looking to the Next Level

18 by Chelsey Kraft

MANAGING EDITOR

New Chamber president shares about her next chapter.

PHOTOGRAPHY

Mark Doescher

CONTRIBUTORS

10

Sharla Bardin | Callie Collins Lindsay Cuomo | Josh Helmer Chelsey Kraft | Bill Moakley Rae Lynn Payton | Chris Plank

ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES

Tracie Gray - tracie@sportstalk1400.com Trevor Laffoon - trevor@sportstalk1400.com Perry Spencer - perry@sportstalk1400.com

PUBLISHER

Casey Vinyard

In Memory of

Mission to the Moon

24 by Sharla Bardin

Moore Norman students create an app for NASA challenge.

SLUGFEST

28 by Chris Plank

Jocelyn Alo is taking her slugging and the Sooner softball team to new heights.

Southmoore Sprinter, 38 Future Sooner

RANDY LAFFOON

28

19th Street Magazine 2020 E. Alameda Norman, Oklahoma 73071 Phone: (405) 321-1400 E-mail: 19thstreetmagazine@gmail.com Copyright © 19th Street Magazine Any articles, artwork or graphics created by 19th Street Magazine or its contributors are sole property of 19th Street Magazine and cannot be reproduced for any reason without permission.

Any opinions expressed in 19th Street are not necessarily that of 19th Street management.

by Josh Helmer Star Southmoore sprinter set to join Sooner track and field.

Norman Regional Hospital:

42 In Pursuit of Excellence

by Lindsay Cuomo Norman Regional receives advanced certification by Joint Commission in Perinatal Care .

A Heartbeat for the Community

46

by Rae Lynn Payton

46

New independent clinic prioritizes patient wellness care with holistic approach.

Veteran of the Month:

50 Kevin Easterling

by Bill Moakley Oklahoma veteran looks back on his 25 year military career.

sportstalk1400.com

50

Cover photo provided

COMM U N I T Y

A Heart

BY: CALLIE COLLINS

W for

Helping

ith creativity and cookies, 16-year-old Abby Wenger helps put the heart in heartland when it comes to helping others on a world scale. The Westmoore High School sophomore has raised more than $4,000 for Smile Train, an international charity, as its only Oklahoma-based student ambassador.

While the much-lauded Oklahoma Standard is usually characterized by interactions between local friends and strangers, Abby’s commitment to helping children in need of medical care has furthered that sentiment’s reach far beyond our state.

Smile Train works in more than 90 countries to bring cleft palate care, including surgery, to children who need it.

Cleft palate is a birth defect that occurs when the upper lip and mouth form improperly during fetal development. The condition often leads to difficulties with speech and feeding, sometimes leading to social stigma. While severity varies, most cases can be corrected with an operation during childhood.

According to Smile Train, more than 1.5 million patients have received corrective surgery made possible through their programs. Continuing education opportunities for medical professionals are also part of the Smile Train’s outreach to make patient care more accessible, with support of regional healthcare infrastructure in both rural and urban areas throughout the world.

“I think it’s really important for students to know that you don’t have to raise a million dollars to make a difference,” said Abby. “It’s $250 to create an entire smile. I’ve also met the most amazing people in the group of student ambassadors who do this together from different states and countries. It doesn’t take you staying up all night and working all day. Just a little bit of heart and effort can help make a change.”

Abby’s awareness of Smile Train and the communities it serves started with a Scholastic-brand magazine in eighth grade at Brink Junior High. The social studies-themed publication often includes current events and stories about students in other countries. An article about a little boy in need of cleft palate surgery caught her attention and the story stayed with her through the spring semester.

Sunny Wenger, Abby’s mother, recalled hearing about her daughter’s interest in Smile Train and the short application process her daughter followed to get involved.

Local high school student raises funds for surgeries that change children’s lives 10 April 2021

“I came home from work one day and she said ‘I called them at their home office in New York City,’” said Sunny. “She’s a go-getter and I’m not surprised something like that grabbed her heart.”

Abby herself underwent a life-changing surgery at OU Children’s Hospital in sixth grade to treat scoliosis. Within a week or two of reaching out, Abby had completed the interview process by phone and proceeded to get in touch with Smile Train staff and peers in the program.

While children benefit directly from the medical care offered through Smile Train, Abby feels the organization has provid-

ing and even figured out how to include information about Smile Train in each kit.

“Each cookie decorating kit had three icing colors and two sprinkle types with a dozen cookies and every kit had one train-shaped cookie,” Abby said, who bagged each cookie individually.

Porch pick-ups ensured safe handling and the pre-orders sold out. Abby raised more than $650 from this year’s holiday cookie sales.

Photography is also a hobby that has proven useful to raise funds. From family portraits to events, Abby donates sessions and provides edited photos, with all donations given in support of Smile Train.

Broadened horizons and lessons learned from Smile Train will doubtlessly influence Abby’s future. Working with women and children in a branch of the medical field is what she envisions for her career. She intends to continue supporting the nonprofit’s mission, too.

ed life skills and provided a positive peer network to her in return.

“I’m not scared at all to share my passions. Before I was a little more hesitant but I have learned how to communicate with others and reach out,” explained Abby. “In addition to how to fundraise, I have learned a lot about the community.”

Fundraising has taken many forms, including donations following posts on social media. Hands-on efforts, though, have also proven extremely effective at both raising funds and giving Abby new ways to develop her skills. In 2019, for example, she brainstormed the logistics of a cookie decorating fundraiser hosted at her home during the holiday season. Abby organized the event during winter break, while Sunny volunteered to lead the cooking baking effort.

“My Mom is the world’s best baker and she stepped up to handle that part of it so the kids would have something to decorate,” said Abby. “It was a full day of cookie decorating madness for anyone who wanted to come.”

Sunny baked more than 400 cookies in response to the demand from friends, families and other members of the community.

“What bigger pain in life is there than your kids saying ‘We need to make cookies for Santa?’ As a parent, I saw it as a way to fill a need for families who are busy by having them come by our house and letting us take care of the mess,” Sunny said. “It was an event where they could stop by and get the decorating done but leave the mess somewhere else.”

The COVID-19 pandemic forced a shift in plans from an in-person event to a fundraiser adjusted to meet the need for social distancing this past December. Nonetheless, Abby engineered logistics to meet the demand for a fun, safe alternative: cookie decorating kits. She took pre-orders, sourced packag12 April 2021

“My heart will always be with Smile Train. I will always be involved, whether that’s by making a donation made each and every year or through additional fundraising efforts,” said Abby.

Specific community events, including races and runs, a yoga-based option and other initiatives also help raise funds for Smile Train, in addition to other affiliate programs especially for college students, young professionals and an associate board that works closely with staff.

Sunny agrees that Smile Train has brought out the best in people: Abby, her supporters and others who have decided to donate.

“Oklahomans are known as givers. Abby is raising money alongside students from more densely populated areas but Oklahomans really connect and give,” she explained. “We have seen that Oklahoma Standard over and over again.

They are good friends and neighbors. No matter what else Abby does in her life, she knows that people love and support her and consequently, they love and support anything she wants to do. She’ll carry that in her heart wherever she goes.”

Find more information about Smile Train at smiletrain.org and visit http://bit.ly/smiletrain_abby to donate through Abby’s student ambassador profile. -19SM

Who gets the Gold?

MOORE, OKLAHOMA!

The Moore Chamber of Commerce is not only welcoming 140 new members, but it is also recognizing the overall impact that its Membership Campaign “Go for the Gold” has made to Moore businesses and the community.

In less than 48 hours, nearly 100 volunteers came together to make a difference by learning more about what a chamber does for local businesses, how it elevates the economy, and how it provides meaning to economic development, business and a community.

Moore Chamber’s membership campaign faced several obstacles over the past year with the COVID-19 pandemic and a historical ice storm in November 2020. But despite these obstacles, the Moore Chamber brought in a total of 140 members and raised nearly $50,000 through its membership event led by “Your Chamber Connection.”

CAMPAIGN RESULTS: The Membership Campaign also came with some friendly competition. Among the 100 volunteers, there were six strong teams that “went for the gold” to bring in the most members and dollars for the Chamber.

GOLD: Purple Team, led by Kelly Wells, brought in 47 members SILVER: Red Team, led by Crystal Bennett, brought in 27 members BRONZE: Yellow Team, led by Jim Jennings, brought in 27 members

#MooreStrong

#GrowingMoore

#BuildingMoore

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COM M U N I T Y

BY:CHELSEY KRAFT

Looking to the Next Level

New Chamber president shares about her next chapter

A Photos courtesy: Jordan Mobley Photography

bout 15 years ago, Kim Brown entered the chamber of commerce world, discovering an industry she loves.

Brown joined the Moore Chamber of Commerce in 2014, working as director of development and relations before moving into her current role of president and CEO in January 2021. She assumed the helm of the Moore Chamber following the retirement of Kathy Gillette, who has been both a peer and friend of Brown’s for the past 15 years. Gillette stayed on through January to help with the transition, which Brown said helped set the chamber up to continue and not have any downtime while working toward its goals.

Even though things will be different since that’s just how the progression of time goes, Brown said Gillette’s passion for the chamber and community will always be maintained.

Certain personal touches remain in place too, like the hand-

18 April 2021

written notes that Gillette liked to send to people, though Brown joked these notes will not come from her because her handwriting is terrible.

“We will always care about people on a personal level as well as a professional level,” Brown explained. “If you’re not happy professionally, it’s hard to be happy personally because we as human beings can’t always make that separation. We care about the success of our businesses and all the success of them personally. That will never change.”

As COVID restrictions are continuing to decrease, Brown said the chamber team has focused on getting back to normal, or at least what the new normal is going to look like.

The chamber’s doors are open, but she said needs will be accommodated and Zoom remains an option for all events and meetings so those who have restrictions can still engage.

To Brown, Moore is a progressive community in terms of the importance it places on quality of life for its citizens and the groundwork and foundation set up for businesses. She added that Moore has been blessed during the pandemic in the area of business, not seeing a large percentage of closures and having a sales tax base that exceeded projections.

In addition to efforts already in place, Brown shared the chamber also has some lofty goals. The group is not quite ready to divulge those yet, but Brown did say these plans will make a true impact on the community and be a catalyst to advance to the next level.

After growing up in Oklahoma, Brown graduated from high school in Richardson, Texas. She attended the University of Oklahoma, and aside from some time spent living in Arizona and Texas, she has been in her home state ever since.

“I just keep coming back to Oklahoma,” Brown shared. “It’s very dear to my heart.”

Brown and her husband, David, live in Tuttle, Oklahoma. They have goats and donkeys, grow grapes to make wine and also recently started growing tomatoes and mushrooms. The couple has two children – 19-year-old Allison and 18-year-old Parker.

Brown started her professional career in escrow before joining the Newcastle Chamber of Commerce, where she served as president and CEO for seven years. While serving as a nonprofit consultant, Brown saw that the Moore Chamber had an opening. She gave Gillette a call and has been with the Moore chamber ever since.

For Brown, working in the chamber world has been a perfect career fit. While it may look fun from the outside, she said it is also challenging at the same time because of all the T’s that must be crossed and the I’s that have to be dotted behind the scenes. Regardless, she loves what she does and enjoys making connections with Moore’s business owners.

Brown has completed multiple professional education opportunities, including the Institute of Organization Management through the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the final step in the industry toward becoming a certified chamber executive.

She also participated in the Chamber Management Institute through the Oklahoma Chamber of Commerce Executives, a state organization for which she has also served on the board.

Brown is just a few classes shy of being able to sit for her certified economic developer certification as well.

“To be a part of a business opening and seeing it be successful and grow, and then some of the businesses somewhat attributing that success to us, is probably one of the most rewarding things,” Brown said. “It’s also really heartbreaking to see businesses close. Being a part of that too and people taking the time out of all of what they’ve got going on to call us and say, ‘Thank you for your continued support over the years,’ interactions like that make this job rewarding.” –19SM

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19TH STREET MAGAZINE | 19

COMM U N I T Y

BY: SHARLA BARDIN

Mi ss ion to t h e M o o n

A

Moore Norman students create an app for NASA challenge

team of local students recently took on an out-of-thisworld task. The group from Moore Norman Technology Center competed in NASA’s App Development Challenge and was one of 10 teams in the nation to present their app in a virtual event this February.

The App Development Challenge is a coding challenge that gives students the opportunity to aid NASA in future mission planning activities, including with the Artemis program to land American astronauts, including the first woman and the next man, on the moon by 2024.

Lauren Smith served as the team leader and outreach manager for the group, who are all seniors from high schools in Moore and Norman. Smith said the experience was a great lesson in camaraderie, communication and networking with others. And it was cool to work with NASA. “Everybody wants the opportunity to work with NASA once in their lifetime,” said Smith, who is a senior at Moore High School.

Teams in the challenge developed an app that visualizes the South Pole region of the moon. Students utilized lunar terrain data to create a visualization that displays essential information for navigation and communication.

During the competition, teams posted videos online of their app for consideration and teams were then selected to present their app in an interview with engineers and scientists working with NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation team.

From there, the top 10 teams were chosen for the virtual event.

Smith said the team started working on the app last fall. The task proved even more of a challenge given that the students were in different class sessions and some were taking virtual classes due to COVID-19 precautions.

“We used a lot of online and virtual communication” to work on the project, she said, adding that a highlight of the effort was 24 April 2021

seeing how her teammates’ talents complemented each other.

“We were really able to see how different people had different skill sets and how those could blend together to create a team.”

Smith said the team also was grateful for the guidance and encouragement from their instructor, Rachel Hurt, programming and software development instructor at the center.

Hurt said she was thrilled to see her students’ accomplishments during the challenge and the knowledge they gained, including enhancing their communication and presentation skills.

“I am always in awe of what my students achieve when they pull together and work to succeed,” Hurt said.

This is Hurt’s second group of students to participate in the challenge.

“Moore Norman Technology Center is all about providing hands-on training, and I felt like this would be a great way to apply what they are learning in my classroom to actual real-life.”

Smith said the experience has helped her learn more about programming, collaborating with others and networking with industry professionals. After high school, she plans to attend the University of Central Oklahoma and major in computer science.

She said the field matches her interests, including the ability to create and contribute to others.

“I’ve always liked the idea that programming allows me to program something that can make a difference in someone’s life.”

Hurt said she’s impressed with what the team was able to achieve and the skills they can use going forward.

“These high school seniors took the knowledge of programming they’ve learned and used it in a real-life scenario,” she explained. “I am extremely proud of these students, and I am extremely proud to be part of an organization that does so much to promote student success.” -19SM

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S P O RT S

BY: CHRIS PLANK ocked in… no two words better describe the mindset of the Oklahoma Sooner softball team and its talented slugger Jocelyn Alo. As the Sooners head towards the postseason, Alo has put together a phenomenal season forged in hard work and commitment even through the most challenging of times.

L

“There is a new Jocelyn Alo,” Sooner head coach Patty Gasso said. “Her body is strong, she looks great, she is taking better care of her health. She has been locked in and on a mission. This is the best I’ve ever seen her and she’s not going to stop.”

Not many would understand the need for anything to be new for the talented Sooner slugger based on her numbers and production in previous seasons. Alo tied the Sooner single-season home run mark with 30 home runs during her freshman season and has continued to be one of the most feared hitters in college softball. Her sophomore season was filled with challenges and COVID-19 cut the season short during what would have been her junior season.

Despite struggles during the shortened season in 2020, Alo refocused during the latter stages of quarantine and has come back better than ever.

“Last year was tough,” Alo confessed. “I felt like I didn’t end the season like I wanted. And honestly, during quarantine, I had no motivation to do anything. But once we started getting closer to coming back, I felt like it was time to lock in. Being back with the team really made me more motivated because seeing them over Zoom I was not motivated at all. I needed to be around them.”

This season, Alo has already moved up to No. 2 on the career home run list for Sooner softball. She currently sits with the best career batting average in Sooner softball history and is in the Top 10 in career RBIs. But the Hawaii native made an impact on the sports world well before she even decided to make softball her full-time sport.

SLUG

In high school, the multi-sport commitment was anything but typical. While some student athletes might compete in basketball or even track and field, Alo made her presence felt on the mat. In fact, her prep accomplishments include a Hawaii High School Athletic Association wrestling title at 184 pounds as a Kahuku (Hawaii) sophomore in 2015. You read that correctly, one of the greatest home run hitters in college softball history was a high school wrestler who took home the state championship.

“My dad was a wrestler and he wanted me to wrestle to learn the mental toughness,” Alo said. “When you mess up it’s on yourself. You must be consistent with your emotions and not get too high or too low. But I just knew I had to focus on softball to get a degree and have a chance to play at the next level.”

Photos courtesy: Josh Gateley - OU Athletics

After winning the wrestling state championship, Alo had a singular focus on softball for the remainder of her high school career.

After transferring to Campbell High School, she took home consecutive state titles in softball and was named the Honolulu Star-Advertiser Position Player of the Year to end her high school career.

Attempts to pitch around Alo started well before she wore crimson and cream. During her senior year state tournament, Alo walked in 13 of her 17 plate appearances. Like her time with the Sabers, opposing pitchers have learned to be far more selective when pitching to Alo, who has the power to send one out whenever she swings a bat.

“High school’s very different, they would just walk me and walk me and walk me,” she said. “Pitchers this year, they have film on you and know what you do and what your tendencies are. Freshman year, you come in and they don’t know who you are, they don’t know what you can do. For me it was just about adjusting to that, adjusting to how pitchers were pitching to me. It’s definitely different from being walked all the time.”

Her love for softball has been in place from an incredibly young age. While her father had wanted Alo to compete as a wrestler, Alo always had visions of playing on the diamond. She started preparing for her place in the softball world when she was just 3 years old.

28 April 2021

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19TH STREET MAGAZINE | 29

“I started tee ball at 4 years old and actually what really got me into tee ball was that I wasn’t old enough to play when I was 3 and I was watching my sister play and I got jealous,” Alo remembered. “So, my dad would take me to the park and we’d hit 500 balls pick them up and hit 500 more balls. The dedication that young was really something fun because it was fun to me.”

With her high school career in the rearview, Alo seemed destined to leave Hawaii and continue her softball career in the Pac 12. But things changed.

“What’s crazy is I was actually committed to Cal my freshman year of high school,” Alo said. “As my years progressed, I just had a change of heart and my heart wasn’t with Berkley.”

Sooner hitting coach JT Gasso had started to hear the buzz that the Hawaiian slugger might be available, so he did his research and decided that Alo needed to be a Sooner.

“She was committed to Cal for a long time, and it was one of those things where you get a call that she is looking,” JT said.

“The first thing I did was go to YouTube and put in Jocelyn Alo and the first thing that came up was her state championship wrestling video where she separated her opponents’ shoulder to win the State Championship and in my mind, I was sold.

We had to get this girl. It was by chance that it happened, and it has ended up working out and everyone is happy that it did.”

ended up working out and I got myself a scholarship and the rest has been history.”

Family has always been the most important thing to Alo and the strength of the Alo family bond is magnified in the sacrifice her family was willing to make to ensure she could play at Oklahoma. Her family does everything they can to be there every step of the way. While the trips might be long and tiring, her father Levi and mother Andrea try to make every single game they can, and that means the world to her.

“Girls in Oklahoma get to see their family all the time and I don’t … so when I do get to see them, I just want to enjoy every single minute even if it’s just me pointing to them when I’m on second base,” she said. “My family is very important to me and I wouldn’t be here without them.”

The personal disappointment of her sophomore season and the obvious frustration of losing a season to a global pandemic are in the rearview. She has charged into her “super junior” campaign as focused and prepared as she has been since she stepped on campus.

“She’s waited for this. She would tell you she’s been hot and cold through the time she’s been here,” Patty Gasso said. “Her freshman year she set a record and the attitude was now I’ve got to hit 40 my sophomore year and 50 my junior year. She figured out that’s not the way to look at it. She has grown up and matured quite a bit. She’s on a whole other mission here this season.”

In a wild twist of fate, Alo became a Sooner and she was willing to do whatever it took to get to Norman.

JT Gasso has seen a renewed commitment at the plate.

“I de-committed from Cal and, right before my signing, Oklahoma had something open up,” Alo said. “But when I committed, I did so without a scholarship. My parents were going to have to pay for everything my freshman year, but things

“What we’ve seen is how smart she is and how into the game she truly is... she’s next level. It’s been fun,” he said. “It’s fun to hear the conversations about the game and who they are facing and what they are going to do. She’s speaking her things

30 April 2021

into existence where she sees what she misses in one at-bat and be right on cue with her next at-bat before it happens. The maturity factor is there, and it’s been fun to see her grow.”

Despite the frustration of not having softball during quarantine, Alo made a commitment to change her body and her approach during her time away from softball. Under the watchful eye of Sooner softball strength coach Dane Sommers, Alo recommitted herself in the weight room and took her preparations seriously.

“He made me want to up my game more in the weight room,” Alo said of Sommers’ impact. “I lost a bit of weight… 20 pounds in quarantine… and I just changed my eating habits. I mean I still need my Chick-Fil-a; I still get that, but I just eat a lot better, a lot smarter… I’m just super locked into what I’m doing and what I want to do.”

Alo also found herself motivated by the roster that Patty Gasso put together for 2021. With a standout freshman class entering the competition, Alo was not about to lose her spot.

“Seeing the level of competition go up, honestly, I knew we had a good freshman class coming in and, to be honest, I wasn’t going to let a freshman or anyone take my spot,” Alo said. “That motivated me as well. I feel like I’ve upped my game and I’m super locked into what I’m doing. I wanted to be locked in even more than I’ve ever been, and I feel like that’s where I am.”

32 April 2021

“Jocy has been in a wonderful place,” Patty Gasso added.

“Probably the most prepared and in shape I’ve seen her since she stepped on campus. She’s on a mission and I feel that.

She’s been a good leader, putting in all the extra work. She’s in good health. She looks strong, feels good physically so I’m excited for her the rest of the season.”

Jocelyn Alo has found a whole different level for her game this season. The expectations have always been high for the slugger, and sometimes the weight of those expectations can be overwhelming. But Alo has renewed her focus on being the best teammate, leader and overall contributor that she can be.

“This whole lineup is locked in top to bottom. Our bench is loaded as well. It’s just crazy to see the amount of talent we have on this team,” Alo said. “Coach Gasso always says that iron sharpens iron and I truly believe this team is full of iron.”

The focus will always be on Alo, the prodigious home runs, the jaw-dropping power she puts up, the overall pursuit of history, but in the end, only one thing matters to Alo. One thing that has proven to be elusive during her first three seasons in Norman. Alo wants a National title. And while the talk and focus might be on the Hawaiian-born slugger, she knows that it is a total team effort to take home a National Championship.

“I want to win a National Championship and I need my team to do that… it can’t just be on me.” –19SM

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34 April 2021

HI G H S CH O O L S P ORTS

BY: JOSH HELMER

SOUTHMOORE SPRINTER, FUTURE SOONER

O

klahoma track and field looked local to bolster its 2021 signing class with Southmoore sprinter Jada Atkinson.

“I think the biggest part was just it being so close to home,” Jada Atkinson said. “Growing up around it and seeing all the girls and watching people my parents have coached before running there and telling me how much fun they had there, that really attracted me to it. Plus, the coaches were really welcoming. They made sure I felt at home. It’s going to be like a second family and I’m excited.”

Jada Atkinson won the Class 6A girls 200-meter relay state championship in 2019 during her sophomore season with a time of 25.11 seconds. She also runs the 100-meter, 4 x 100-meter and 4 x 400-meter relays.

“With the recruiting calls, they would always ask me if I thought I was more of a 100, 200 or 400 girl. I said, ‘I’ll do whatever you tell me to do.’ I’m that versatile,” she said.

Her dad Shanon is Southmoore’s head track coach. After a decorated career at Duncan High School in the early 1990s, Shanon was a two-time All-American at OU and coached in two Olympics for Team USA in 2004 and 2008. He understands how valuable her versatility will be to OU. “Going on to the University of Oklahoma, I think she’ll be able to help in all four events,” he said. “That’s something that’s pretty special about her. You don’t see that range in a lot of kids, especially in sprinters nowadays. They want to try to specialize in one event or two events whereas she is so versatile that she can go from 100 all the way up to 400 and be competitive in all of those sprint events.”

The coronavirus pandemic canceled last year’s high school track

38 April 2021

and field season but that didn’t stop Jada from improving. She’s stronger today than when she won her state championship. The sprinter now reps 150 pounds on the bench press and squats over 250 pounds.

Weight training has helped her times, but an emphasis on tweaking her running form has, too.

“At the Moore meet, I ran the 400 and 200. It went really well.

The 200 felt really good. I was watching back on the videos and it was just crazy to see how much my form has changed from my freshman and sophomore years. I’m really excited to see how much it grows throughout the season,” she said.

Shanon has been impressed by the way Jada’s taken hold of her training.

“She had what we call in the sprint game a lot of back kick. We had to really work on her front action, strengthen up her hip and core area and get her dorsiflexion in the right position. We’ve done that,” he said. “Missing that year last year, she didn’t get a chance to really put that out there. People hadn’t had the chance to see her. When they see her now, it’s like a different kid running out there.”

It’s been a thrill for both to simultaneously operate as dad and daughter and coach and athlete. At practice, Jada doesn’t refer to Shanon as Dad, instead as Coach A. “Separating the two has always been the hardest thing. Jada’s done really good,” he said. “It’s a lot of fun. It’s gone by really fast.”

Jada will join new OU track and field coach Tim Langford’s program next fall. –19SM

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19TH STREET MAGAZINE | 39

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HE A LT H

BY: LINDSAY CUOMO

In Pursuit of Excellence

Norman Regional receives advanced certification by Joint Commission in Perinatal Care

A

n effort nearly two years in the making, Norman Regional Health System is now certified in Perinatal Care.

As the first program in the state to receive this accolade, Norman Regional’s departments within the Maternal Child Service Line underwent a lengthy certification process to become a Perinatal Center of Excellence.

“We are so honored to receive this prestigious recognition,” said Annette Troxell, director of Women’s & Children’s Services. “It’s a big deal for our community and our healers.

Patients are comparing hospitals, they are reading and listening and they want to know that we are practicing at the highest level of competence and that our care is evidence based. I believe this certification shows that we are.”

The Joint Commission that awards the certification looks at core measurements that are data driven and also conducts an 48-hour survey to interview patients, nurses and doctors.

“It was a grueling 48 hours but it was worth it. Patient outcomes are worth every extra hour,” said Tonya Faires, a nurse manager and perinatal care certification team coordinator. “They gave us great suggestions for future plans because our work won’t stop here. The certification is on going.

Each year, we have to make sure we are still meeting those requirements and moving forward with sustainable interventions that benefit our patients and their families.”

“It takes a tremendous amount of work in quality improvement, best practice implementation and measurement to achieve this certification,” said President and CEO Richie Splitt. “This positive result shows our healers’ commitment to do everything in their power to ensure the health and safety of mothers and newborns.”

Perinatal care encompasses several departments including obstetrics emergency care, labor and delivery, neonatal care and the women’s and children’s units and is comprised of roughly 200 nurses plus dozens of doctors, specialists and staff. Troxell pointed to improved communication between departments as

42 April 2021

a key benefit resulting from the certification efforts.

“We have worked to improve patient care and create a mindset of continuously pursuing excellence across all disciplines, even with our office staff because care often starts there,” she said.

Faires said a key piece in that process has been the newly established perinatal quality council, formed by Susie Graves, the former director of patient care services. The council consisted of the chief positions from all of the perinatal departments, a resource that proved to be vital during the pandemic.

“With all of our leadership meeting at the same table working through situations, it was a valuable resource to already have in place since information was changing so rapidly,” Faires said. “I can’t imagine going through something so significant without having that in place.”

The department originally began certification efforts in May 2019 and continued to work towards the voluntary advanced certification even in amid the pandemic. In fact, the collective pursuit of excellence has inspired individual staff successes as well.

“As we have started this journey, it gave us the opportunity to look at every area of our practice and it has ignited a passion within our nurses individually,” Troxell shared. “In the past year, we have had seven nurses earn national certifications, now we have over 30 in total.

“Our administration has created an environment where excellence is expected and they value each healer because of that. It makes it a great place to work.”

Tonya agreed that the certification has been “a true team effort” and has an long list of names she said were major contributors to the achievement.

“Everyone played an integral part in its success and will play a part in its continued success.” –19SM

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B U S I N E SS

BY: RAE LYNN PAYTON

Premier Healthcare

New independent clinic prioritizes patient wellness care with holistic approach

O

ptimal patient healthcare is at the forefront of Roy Slootheer and Amber N. Redding-Slootheer’s approach as they strive to care for their community. Both are board-certified family nurse practitioners that recently opened a new clinic located near 119th & Western in Southwest Oklahoma City.

The couple has practiced for years and decided to take their experience and knowledge to a new level by creating their own practice, putting an emphasis on wellness care.

“We treat the whole person: mental, physical, emotional and spiritual health combined,” shared Amber. “Every aspect is important for overall health.”

The husband-and-wife team blends traditional medicine with a holistic approach focusing on preventative care through diet, exercise and a healthy lifestyle. The goal is to use medication as needed but to help patients reduce and perhaps even stop the need for medication through lifestyle changes. They seek to treat the root of the need with a long-term healthy life.

The clinic is unique in that they are independent and not attached to any large corporations. An added benefit is that they can refer patients to any hospital or specialist necessary, regardless of their affiliation.

Additionally, the clinic offers same-day appointments, treating everything from minor injuries to COVID testing, with evening and weekend hours to accommodate traditional working hours.

This allows them to build longer-lasting relationships with patients to continue to treat their needs.

46 April 2021

“When we previously worked in urgent care, we had many patients ask us if we could see them as their primary care provider, but we couldn’t in that setting so we decided to open a primary care clinic where we could offer that for all patients,” Amber explained.

Rather than seeing six to eight patients an hour, the duo allots time to see only three to four each to provide individualized quality time. With extended clinic hours, patients can expect to be seen the same day typically and walk-ins are welcome as well, with online booking and a patient portal available.

“I think that primary care is unique in the fact that you can care for the whole family. People stay with you for years and you get to know them really well and be with them through life changes and see kids grow up. I really like helping people focus more on their health and disease prevention rather than waiting until something is wrong,” shared Amber.

When scheduling appointments, they accommodate patients’ comfort levels by asking their preference of gender in provider. Having both a male and female provider allows them to be sensitive to those needs, something they learned through their years in nursing.

“We want to make everyone feel as comfortable as we can,” said Amber. “Stepping out on our own and taking a chance on our own privately-owned clinic has been a big step. We can take care of patients in the way we want to without having a big corporation tell us how we have to do it. It’s been a big challenge and a lot of work.”

The clinic opened in November of 2020 and long-term goals include providing great care for their community. Their modern clinic is full of natural window light, with a bright, clean and inviting atmosphere to make patients feel right at home. The couple enjoys and appreciates their unique opportunity to get to work alongside each other as they do what they love.

“We want to use the blessings that we’ve been given to bless the community around us,” they shared.

They are involved in the area chambers and donate to St. Jude and March of Dimes, focusing on cancer organizations and those that help children.

As a nurse, Amber worked in women’s health, mom and baby postpartum and labor and delivery at OU Medical and as a recovery nurse at Dean McGee Eye Surgery Center. As a nurse practitioner, she practiced in emergency medicine, pediatric surgery and urgent care.

Roy has experience as a volunteer firefighter and paramedic specialist, ER nurse and as a nurse practitioner in urgent care, emergency and trauma care and thoracic oncology surgery.

The couple met while attending Graceland University where they both graduated with honors with their Master of Science in Nursing. They both enjoy fitness, traveling, watching movies and spending time with their three children, family and friends.

To learn more about their services or to book an appointment, visit premierhealthcareok.com or call 405-735-3135. –19SM

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19TH STREET MAGAZINE | 47

V ETE R A N

BY: BILL MOAKLEY PRESENTED BY

Veteran of the Month: Kevin Easterling

Oklahoma veteran looks back on his 25-year military career

K

evin Easterling was born to be on an Air Force base, literally.

“I was born at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado,” Easterling explained. “Not Colorado Springs hospital, but on the actual base. I have a birth certificate from the Academy and from the state of Colorado.”

Easterling is the son of an Air Force veteran with roots in Oklahoma. After skipping across the country as part of his dad’s career, Easterling and his family landed back in Oklahoma where he attended school in Moore and graduated from Norman High School in 1988. Following a year at the University of Oklahoma, he decided he too would join the military.

His first choice of service was a surprise to his family.

“I jump in the Army from 1989 until 1997,” Easterling laughed. “I came home after that time and about six weeks later my dad said, ‘you need to join the Air Force like I told you to originally.’ I said, ‘okay, let’s go talk to a recruiter.’”

Having finished his degree at OU via a military distance learning program (he also holds a master’s degree in history from the University of Nebraska, and a master’s degree in military history from American Military University), Easterling spent a year at the Pentagon in the aftermath of the 9-11 attacks.

While there, he worked with a chemical and biological weapons team. That experience would lead to a deployment to Iraq, arriving in Mosul just four days before Saddam Hussein was executed and the war began. A year in the country’s infamous Sunni Triangle would follow and Easterling found himself in the crosshairs of danger.

During what would eventually become an amazing 19 deployments, beginning during his Army stint with a 1989 trip to Panama and ending in Afghanistan in 2011, Easterling spent a total of almost 12 years’ time in combat conditions, earning an incredible four Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star and a Silver Star. He was injured from head to foot, including fa-

50 April 2021

CENTURIONCG.NET

Kevin Easterling served nearly 12 years of combined combat duty during 19 tours and earned four Purple Hearts among other medals.

cial wounds, shattered eardrums, a torn Achilles tendon and multiple shrapnel wounds.

For all the danger he saw, Easterling loved his active service, noting that the friendships he made along the way were worth the danger.

“The people you get to meet,” Easterling said of his fondness for the military. “They are some of my best friends in the world.”

Easterling remembers one person he met in Iraq, Former President George W. Bush.

“I got up on Christmas morning to go to work and I saw a guy standing on the flight line in civilian clothes, no badge,” Easterling recalled. “I said, ‘you know you’re on the flight line with no badge. Who are you?’ He tells me to go look around the hangar. I look and Air Force and Air Force Two are sitting there. I had no idea the President was going to be there.

“I went to breakfast and George Bush and three generals are serving breakfast. It was really strange to have the President of the United States ask me if I wanted scrambled eggs and bacon and sausage for breakfast.”

Easterling would get one more chance to talk to the former President one-on-one that day.

“He was walking by later on the base, about 30 feet away from me, and I yelled Boomer Sooner,” Easterling laughed.

“He came over and asked where I was from and reminded me he was from Texas. He laughed and gave me a presidential coin before he shook my hand.”

Easterling retired from the Air Force in 2014. However, his dedication to service has continued. He’s the second lieutenant commander of Moore’s American Legion Post 184.

He has also been very active in restoration efforts of veteran’s graves at Ardmore’s Rose Hill Cemetery as well as Masonic lodges in Norman and Cordell. –19SM