19th Street Magazine October 2023

WINNING AT LIFE

Southmoore soccer standout earns a

on the South Region Olympic

Gavin Freeman , aka G-Freaky, sparks the Sooner’s

teams.

Sooner soccer forward Emma Hawkins

THE TRADITION CONTINUES

Haunt Old Town Welcomes the Community for an Evening of Festive Fun

For well over a decade, thousands of costumed kids and their parents have made their way to Old Town Moore to participate in a festive, free street fair celebrating Halloween.

The entire community gets into the spirit. Local businesses, merchants, churches and other groups set up around 80 exhibitor booths to hand out scads of candy. In addition to trick-or-treating, the event also features food trucks, inflatables, games and music.

“Haunt Old Town just keeps getting bigger and bigger every year,” said Kelly Johnson, secretary treasurer for the Old Town Merchants Association and manager of Moore Custom Monuments.

The party will kick off following the annual Red Ribbon Parade that will also take place in Old Town on Saturday, Oct. 28, beginning at 1 p.m. Johnson said that the streets will remain closed for the parade as well as during the preparations and preparations for the eve-

BY: LINDSAY CUOMO

ning’s activities that will stretch from Main Street all the way to Howard Avenue, where Moore Parks and Recreation host Haunting on Howard, beckoning only the brave to visit their haunted room.

“We want to draw the community to Old Town to showcase the vibrancy of the district,” Johnson said. “We want to keep Old Town thriving and these fun events are a great reminder of what the businesses and the community here have to offer.”

Haunt Old Town begins at 4 p.m. and continues until 7 p.m. Parking is available at Central Jr. High School, on Howard Avenue, at Intrust Bank and the Sooner Shopping Center on Broadway Avenue.

Organizations interested in getting involved with Haunt Old Town or the upcoming Christmas Parade of Lights happening Dec. 2, should contact Johnson at 405-799-9898. – 19SM

WHAT IT TAKES TO WIN AT LIFE

Southmoore Baseball Plans Charity Event for Local Kid Fighting Cancer

BY: VICTORIA STEPHENS

You don’t meet a lot of 12-year-olds who tell you they feel they have a calling in life, but you also don’t meet a lot of kids like Liam Lassak, who says his calling is raising awareness for Lymphoma through sprint car racing. Despite a heart transplant and five battles with cancer, he has no plans of leaving the track, and proudly dons his racing helmet every Saturday, climbing into a bright green lymphoma awareness sprint car. Liam has spent his entire young life fighting for his life, and now he wants to raise awareness through sports. The Southmoore baseball team wants to help him realize that vision and be part of his recovery support team.

Liam’s mom, Stephanie Lassak, was approached by the principal of his school, Southgate Elementary, about doing something special for Liam at a Southmoore event. Always outgoing and upbeat, Liam hit it off with the students during his visit to Southmoore, and the baseball coach asked if he wanted to attend a game to throw out their first pitch. While further health concerns and COVID protocols stopped him from being able to throw that pitch, Liam is now an honorary member of the Southmoore Baseball team. Each month, the Southmoore Baseball team sets up a fundraiser to support their local community. In September, the team hosted a Johnnie’s Charcoal Broiler fundraiser to support Liam’s mission to raise awareness as a junior sprint micro competitor. Liam will also throw the first pitch at a spring varsity baseball game.

“I thought it was a cool idea to give back and show the boys that we can give back,” Southmoore baseball booster club member Jeana Sandoval said. “I have a big heart for anyone going through something like this. Just to see how happy Liam is and how excited the baseball boys make him is awesome. And just to give his family some relief and let them know that the team is behind them.”

It’s been a long battle for Liam and his family. Stephanie knew before Liam was born that her son had a difficult journey ahead, diagnosed with a congenital heart defect, he had to have a heart transplant at 4 months old. There were a lot of variables for doctors to consider.as well as during the preparations , which could leave them unable to sew the chest back up until he grew. Despite all odds, it turned out that the heart was a perfect fit.

“On the third hour of his heart transplant surgery, the nurse called and said that the doctor was sewing him up and I literally just started crying and hit my knees,” Stephanie said. “He was the most beautiful pink baby I’ve ever seen. The whole time from the day he was born I had not gotten to hold him because he’d had so many tubes and wires hooked up to everything.”

Heart transplant surgery was just the beginning of Liam’s battle. At age two, he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a type of cancer that affects the lymphatic system and is common among donor recipients. He had his tonsils removed to eradicate the cancer, but it came back. After his battle with Hodgkin’s, he was later diagnosed with B-cell, and because of the damage caused by the cancer, he now suffers from left-lung disease.

Throughout the extensive debilitating chemo treatment regimen, Liam remained upbeat and positive, playing more NASCAR Tony Stewart video games instead of getting out on the track. However, once he was able to return to racing, he named his racing team JaM racing, which stands for Jesus and Me Racing, another facet of what Liam said he feels is part of his mission in life. During a weekend race out of town, Liam became ill but raced anyway. On the final evening of the trip, his mom noticed his entire body was extremely hot. After multiple trips to the hospital with little clue as to what was causing him to become so sick, he was brought back unable to walk and gasping for air. He was admitted, sedated and intubated.

“They sent him for a CT scan, and he had a brain bleed,” Stephanie said. “I woke up the next morning to a crash cart. He was having a seizure and they had no idea what was causing all this.”

After over a month in the hospital, Liam’s parents were informed that he was not expected to make it. They discovered the source of his illness was a staph infection that was causing him to go into sepsis.

“He had ten machines next to his bed. They were using every single pole,” Stephanie said. “He was starting to

come around. I would use sign language to say, ‘I love you’ and one day he just lifted his little hand up and said it back, and I said, ‘okay, he is going to be fine.’” Since January 2023, Liam’s health has improved significantly, and he has completed his final round of chemo treatment. He is back in school and on the track every week.

“Hard work, courage and respect is what it takes in sports,” Liam said. “The team nickname means a lot because I have such a strong bond with God. It helps me and it helps others when I tell them that.” – 19SM

Liam and the Southmoore baseball team at Johnnie’s

RISING STAR

Southmoore soccer standout earns a spot on the South Region Olympic Development team

Thousands of young athletes tried out for the Olympic Development team, but only 18 roster spots are available. Among those thousands of aspiring athletes, Southmoore junior Kaden Locke is the lone Oklahoman to secure a roster spot on the South Region Olympic Development team.

Locke’s passion for soccer was ignited at the age of nine when friends introduced him during recess. From there, a love affair with the sport blossomed.

“My friends introduced (soccer) to me at recess,” Locke said. “After that, my parents put me on a team and now that’s all I do.”

As time went on, Locke racked up a lot of time playing soccer and views the ODP team as another chance to showcase his talents.

“Making ODP was one of my goals,” Locke said. “When the news came, I was proud of myself. This is the next step to perform on a big stage.”

Making an ODP team is a difficult task, but Locke has put in a lot of work to be in this position. He knew talent alone would not be enough to get him to where he wanted to be.

“I’m always doing individual work,” Locke said. “Fitness and technical work just trying to be as well rounded as possible.”

Southmoore head coach Kit Stephenson feels like the young attacking midfielder has made remarkable gains over the past two years.

“There were times as a freshman where I thought maybe he should have defended harder or maybe focused more in the weight room,” Stevenson said. “Now, he realizes he is a good player. He’s seen other players who are very good and now has even more determination to get better. He’s super focused and determined.”

Stephenson has been impressed by Locke’s accomplishments, especially so early on in his career.

“Making the ODP at such a young age is really big,” Stephenson said. “This is a really hard roster to make, so this is a really big accomplishment.”

Locke remains grounded in his goals, attributing his drive to his great grandfather, who instilled in him the belief that he would uplift their family.

“Someone who I looked up to and was always pushing me is my great grandpa who passed away in 2020,” Locke said. “He was always telling me that I was going to put our family on ‘easy street’, so no one has to work.”

Idolizing professional athletes is common among young athletes and Locke is no different in this regard. Growing up, Locke gravitated towards the Brazilian star forward Neymar.

“He has flair like me,” Locke said. “Also, we play the same position and have similar play styles.”

Being the sole Oklahoman on the ODP team comes with a sense of responsibility for Locke.

“I feel like there’s a big role to take on,” Locke said. “There’s been one person to do it before and it’s something I’m going to have to live up to and perform for my city.”

For now, Locke is grateful for the sacrifices his mom has made to allow him to play the game he loves.

“My mom always takes care of me,” Locke said. “She helps me be where I need to be and to play at the highest level.”

Locke has garnered interest from colleges but has his eyes set on the University of Memphis where he hopes to get his undergrad in criminal justice.– 19SM

Gavin Freeman, a lifelong Sooner fan, is living his dream, being a difference maker for the University of Oklahoma. But Freeman’s underdog story goes far beyond the statement he is making on the field every gameday.

From undersized prospect to preferred walk-on, playmaker to now scholarship player, the Heritage Hall product has provided some big moments over the last two seasons. As he continues to shine, his story as a hometown kid living his childhood dream is starting to get the attention it deserves.

A FAMILY TRADITION

Gavin Freeman was a star at Heritage Hall High School in Oklahoma City. But long before the wide receiver was dodging defenders and making big plays, his last name was well known throughout the state of Oklahoma. His grandfather Ron was a standout linebacker at Oklahoma State and a legendary high school football coach. His dad Jason was an All-Big 12 tight end for the Oklahoma Sooners.

Gavin, who grew up a Sooner fan in Oklahoma City, was surrounded by elite athleticism his entire life. While his dad, the former Oklahoma Sooner Don Key award winner, coached him and watched him grow, he knew there was a chance that Gavin could be special.

“Just being around it, you know, it just kind of soaks in,” Jason Freeman said of his son. “When you’re in an environment like that, and you’re always around football on a team, it makes a difference.”

Despite the family history of success playing football, Jason was slow to let his son take to the gridiron. Wrestling was the first place his dad wanted to see what might bring out the best in his son.

“Growing up, I didn’t have them play football. I had them wrestle,” Jason said. “Wrestling is one of the most competitive sports out there and I think that has a lot to do with where he’s at, as well.”

The message needed to be clear - hard work pays off.

“Make sure you’re tough and work as hard as you can you,” Jason said was his message to his kids. “If we’re going to play a sport…. If you’re going through those streams, that’s what you got to do. I saw the dedication in him.”

THE PATH TO OKLAHOMA

Long before Gavin was starring on Friday nights for Heritage Hall, he was making an impact on the youth football fields.

“Early when he had the ball in his hands in middle school, I could see some special things he was doing and it was really natural for him,” Jason said. “He always had a certain amount of balance and body control - core strength that not everybody had.”

As Gavin grew and matured, his physical development led to more speed and more opportunities. Though he was viewed as undersized, Gavin took advantage of the opportunities that he had in front of him. The athletic ability was obvious, the drive and passion were undeniable.

“In the middle of his junior year in high school, the speed started taking over. In a junior varsity game, he returned three punts for a touchdown,” Jason said.

RECRUITING

Gavin has created his own identity to add to his incredible family legacy. He finished his career at Heritage Hall with 35 career touch

GETTIN’ FREAKY WITH IT

BY: CHRIS PLANK

downs in 11 games as a senior at Heritage Hall, caught 74 passes for 1,438 yards (19.4 yards per catch) with 18 touchdowns, and rushed 14 times for 117 yards and four TDs.

Despite several scholarship offers, including one that seemed to disappear from Texas Tech, Gavin bet on himself and decided to accept a preferred walk-on offer from Oklahoma, as opposed to going somewhere else on scholarship. Following in the footsteps of his father and former Heritage Hall standout Sterling Shephard, he chose to play college ball at OU.

Despite his desire to someday see his son wear Crimson and Cream, Jason stayed out of the recruiting process, supporting his son in whatever decision he made.

“I didn’t pressure him in in any way, but it was kind of hard not really being recruited by the school (I) went to,” Jason said. “I wanted it to be open where

he could make his decision, do what he wanted to do and where he wanted to go, but it was kind of a non-issue because there wasn’t any interest.

“In the end, Coach Venables took over and everything changed because that’s where Gavin wanted to go.”

For Gavin to have the opportunity to play on the field where Jason played was a dream come true for both father and son.

FIREWORKS

Gavin did not wait long to make his impact in a University of Oklahoma uniform. Despite his walk-on status, Freeman found himself in position to make a play in the season opener in 2022.

“My motto is belief, self-belief really,” Gavin said. “Just being able to come to terms with yourself, like, ‘I can do this. I have the ability.’”

In the opening game of the season, Gavin took his first touch as a Sooner, in his first ever game, to the house. He turned the corner on a reverse handoff and got up field, spinning off a would-be tackler and racing 46 yards to the end zone.

As Gavin’s dream came true, his head coach could not hide how proud he was of the freshman walk-on.

“He chose to bet on himself,” Venables said after Freeman burst onto the scene in 2022. “He had opportunities to go to a lot of spots and I loved (that) he’s been super low maintenance, really humble, but he’s wide open every day. He’s fearless. I’m really excited to see where he goes.”

After playing in 13 games during his freshman season, Gavin started off his second season in a Sooner uniform with the same energy and playmaking ability. On the very first punt return of the 2023 season,

again his first touch of the season, he stepped toward the football, made an immediate cut up field, burst through a wide-open hole, cut back to his right, easily dodged the punter and exploded away from the coverage team for the final 40 yards.

“I just remember catching it and then I remember seeing the gaping hole because my guys were blocking their asses off. I just hit it,” Gavin said. “I hit the outside and they made another massive hole on the sideline.” In each of the last two seasons, Gavin’s first touch of the football resulted in a touchdown.

“He’s exactly what we expected - a guy that plays wide open, incredibly fast,” said Jeff Lebby, OU’s offensive coordinator. “When he has the ball in his hand, he’s a guy that can do some electric things with it. He’s earned everything that he’s gotten, and the dude is going to make some big plays here.”

SCHOLARSHIP

On Aug. 25 of this season, Venables closed practice by gathering the team at midfield in the stadium and directed their attention to the video board.

As a Gavin Freeman highlight video played, the entire team watched on the big screen in the south endzone. The video ended with the announcement that Gavin was no longer a walk-on, he was now officially on scholarship. His parents were there on FaceTime to see the whole thing.

As his teammates mobbed him and celebrated, chants of “G-Freaky,” his nickname among his teammates, resonated throughout the team mosh pit.

“You want to talk about a legacy?” Venables told his players. “You want to talk about a dream come true? You’re walking in the good ol’ days — right now. These are the good ol’ days for you.”

Gavin told his teammates how much he loved every minute with them, and still was at a loss for words after his big punt return after the first game.

“I don’t think it’s fully sunk in yet,” Gavin said after Arkansas State win. “It’s an incredible moment that I do not take for granted.”

For his family, it was an emotional moment but by no means was there a sense of mission accomplished.

“That’s the pinnacle of the work that you put in. He did it on his own, and to go compete and prove that he could play at that level, and not only play at that level, but play out at that level. It’s an incredible feeling,” Jason said. “Gavin really values what his team-

mates think of him, what his coaches think of him, that’s important to him. The work is not finished, in fact it’s just beginning.”

THE GRIND CONTINUES

“I love an underdog story,” Venables said. “Gavin Freeman’s a guy that I love everything that he’s about. He’s a football player. He’s always wide open. He’s gonna continue to help this football team. He brings the heat every day.”

Even though he is now a scholarship player, there has been no drop off in effort. Gavin says he doesn’t run through defenses with a chip on his shoulder. He’s not looking to prove anyone wrong or seeking affirmation. He lets his performance take care of all that.

His difference-making ability on gameday is no surprise to his teammates, including all world linebacker Danny Stutsman. It’s something he witnesses every day in practice.

“That’s a blue-collar dude. He works for everything,” Stutsman said. “It kind of shows what this program is about. He’s just a dude who’s going to put that work in, put that time in and see the fruits of his labor pay off on that field.”

As his family watches on, his father can’t help but feel an incredible sense of pride. While the family name provides a certain sense of pressure, Gavin has done it his way.

“I know my ability and confidence-wise what I can do,” Gavin said. “It’s more about proving myself right. You got to believe in yourself at the end of the day. You have to have confidence you can make plays.” – 19SM

Shooting tar

Sooner Soccer Forward

Emma Hawkins

BY: CHRIS PLANK

As a new era begins for Oklahoma Soccer, a known playmaker has emerged as a star.

Emma Hawkins has been everything first-year head coach Matt Mott has wanted and needed to build a foundation of success for Oklahoma Soccer.

“It feels like a new environment,” Hawkins said of her new coach. “And then getting all these goals, it has been a lot of fun.”

“Getting all these goals” is a slight understatement for the senior forward. Hawkins has already surpassed her 2022 season goal and point totals in seven contests. She is also making program history with her ability to find the back of the net.

In an early season win over Murray State, Hawkins scored three unanswered goals over 25 minutes to notch her second hat trick of the year, becoming the first Sooner ever to tally multiple hat tricks in their career and in the same season.

“I just feel like we’re playing better as an attacking front. We’re getting balls crossed in,” Hawkins said. “That’s exactly what I want - my teammates being there and putting great balls in. It really helped me score. So, all credit to them.”

In that same match, Hawkins registered six points which marked the second-most in program history, trailing only her own school record of seven points she set vs. Tulsa earlier this season.

“She’s fast, she’s quick, she’s really tough,” Mott said of Hawkins. “She scored four goals with her headers and jumped over people. She’s a firecracker, good with both feet. She’s all about it and she’s making the most of her last season.”

A product of Forney, Texas, Hawkins fell in love with soccer at a young age. Starting at the young age of 4, she quickly realized how much passion she has to be on the pitch.

“I started soccer at 4, and then I stopped for a little bit to do dance,” Hawkins said. “At about 5 or 6, I realized I really like soccer.”

During her year away from soccer, Hawkins came to the realization that one piece of the family’s DNA was not passed along to her.

“My mom was a dancer and a drill team member and teaches a dance class,” Hawkins said. “But I had no rhythm so thankfully my sister Ally carried the banner on that front.”

Hawkins may lack rhythm on the dance floor, but on the field, she has been completely in tune. With her family supporting her the way they do, the sky is the limit.

“I lived basically my whole life in Forney, Texas and I don’t think they’ve missed a game, maybe like two games my whole life is all they’ve missed,” Hawkins said. “They’re always watching. They’re always supporting me, doing whatever they can.”

older and played more at every level. As she continued to step up in competition, she realized she was just as good as the players she was facing. The possibility of playing college soccer started to become more and more of a reality.

“In high school, I started scoring a lot more goals. We didn’t have the best conference, but I realized ‘oh yeah, I’m a little bit better than some of these girls,” Hawkins said. “Then I started playing in different showcases and I realized I’m just as good as the players there and I really want to go play in college and get my education paid for. I realized I could do this.”

As her high school career wrapped up, the honors had piled up. Hawkins received Offensive Player of the Year for the North Forney Lady Falcons as a freshman in 2016 and Most Valuable Player (an honor shared with fellow junior Shannon Boyle) her sophomore season in 2017. During her senior campaign, she scored 17 goals for the Lady Falcons in her role as an outside midfielder and striker.

Her numbers were impressive, and her skills were strong enough that the college offers were piling up. Hawkins decided to leave Texas to play college soccer in Conway, Arkansas for the University of Central Arkansas.

At that moment, I was all about being a PT (physical therapist), and Central Arkansas has a good PT school,” Hawkins said. “So, my dad told me to research them and when I did, I really liked what I saw. I went on a visit, then a camp, and I realized this was the school for me.”

When she stepped on the field at Central Arkansas, Hawkins was immediately making an impact. She broke the school’s single-season record for shot attempts. She also led the ASUN conference in goals, assists and points. Hawkins became the first Central Arkansas Bear to record three ASUN (Atlantic Sun Conference) Player of the Week honors.

But after breaking records and raising the standard during her three seasons at Central Arkansas, Hawkins was ready for a new challenge. She wanted to play in a program that not only faced highly ranked teams but one that could improve her odds of playing professionally.

Although other schools recruited her, Hawkins said she chose OU because “it just stuck out” and because of the championship mindset the whole athletics department fosters.

“The competitiveness and the championship mindset across all the teams is better than I expected,”

Hawkins said after committing to Oklahoma. “It’s just fun, it’s a whole new ballgame. I really like the culture here, the competitive nature of all the sports.”

During her first season with the Sooners, Hawkins made an instant impact, just like she has everywhere she has played. She led all Sooners with 13 points and 23 shots on goal and had two game-winning goals.

After the end of the 2022 season, Oklahoma decided to make a change at head coach and Hawkins decided to stick it out. With the hiring of Mott, Hawkins would be playing for her third coach in as many seasons. To compound the challenge, Mott had to rework the roster, adding 10 transfers to the Sooner roster. Hawkins had to not only find a way to mesh on the field but also in the locker room with her new teammates while learning a new system.

“It was a bit hard because we didn’t have much time before pre-season,” Hawkins said of the revamped roster coming together quickly. “I met everyone a few days before practice started. We spent most of the time together just building the relationships off the field and that really helped in building the rest.”

Hawkins was challenged to step up even more as a leader.

“It’s hard to be a leader in some ways with me having only been here for a year,” Hawkins said. “But it’s

been fun. I’m not a vocal leader at all. So, I just try to lead by example, try to bring energy on the field, and just do what I can to inspire others to do their best. Hopefully, people follow.”

Hawkins has never had a problem scoring, but her style of play may be more impressive than her ability to put the ball in the net.

“She’s impressed us,” Mott said. “She’s strong, fast and feisty. Just overall a great worker”

“That’s my style exactly,” Hawkins confirmed. “I have always been like that, a go-getter who works hard. I try to do my best and strive to make it exciting for people watching. I just throw my body into it and hope something comes out of it.”

In a new era for Oklahoma Women’s Soccer, Hawkins has brought an exciting and inspiring perspective. While scoring at a record pace, she won’t allow herself to be outworked. Despite the constant change, she has stayed consistent in her commitment and energy.

Now it’s time for the fans to match that energy.

“When we have a great crowd, it just really builds on to the excitement of the game,” Hawkins said. “It really gives us energy. It’s just always so much more fun with a lot more people there. It’s so loud and the excitement everyone brings, you won’t leave disappointed.”

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE NEW INCOME-DRIVEN REPAYMENT PLAN FOR STUDENT LOANS

After the Supreme Court blocked the Education Department’s student debt cancellation plan in June, the department announced its latest student loan overhaul: a new income-driven repayment plan called SAVE (Saving on A Valuable Education). The exact details of the new plan can be confusing, especially when the parameters and rollout dates keep changing. Here, we’ve broken down the plan into simple terms and outlined the steps you may need to take.

WHAT IS SAVE?

Income-driven repayment plans are based on a borrower’s discretionary income, and not on the amount borrowed. Payments typically do not cover all the interest that accrues. After a specific number of payments, the remaining balance is forgiven.

SAVE, the new IDR plan, features the most generous student loan repayment plan yet. Most significantly, the plan raises the amount of income not counted as discretionary income from 150% of the federal poverty guideline to 225%. It also includes the following benefits:

Borrowers earning less than $32,805 individually, or less than $67,500 for a family of four, would see $0 monthly bills.

Students who borrowed less than $12,000 would see their outstanding balance wiped away after just 10 years of payment.

Most other borrowers would see their payments cut by at least half. If the loan is an undergraduate loan only, the borrower will pay 5% of their discretionary income. If there are some graduate loans mixed with the undergraduate loans, the borrower will pay 5-10% of their discretionary income.

WHEN WILL SAVE GO LIVE?

Parts of the new plan have already gone live this summer ahead of the end of forbearance. With all loan payments set to resume on Oct. 1, 2023 – and interest building again from Sept. 1 – borrowers are encouraged to apply for an IDR plan now. It may take

a few weeks to process your application, so it’s important to do it as soon as possible. If your application is accepted, you should see the difference as soon as payment resumes in the fall. The following SAVE benefits are already available:

• Additional income protection. Income exemption has been raised from 150% to 225% of the poverty line.

• Interest won’t accrue. Unpaid interest will not accumulate if monthly payments are met.

• Benefits for some married borrowers. Spousal income for borrowers who are married and file separate taxes will be excluded from IDR payment calculations. Also, spouses are no longer required to co-sign an IDR application.

Additional benefits will not go live until July 2024:

• Monthly bills halved from 10% to 5% of income above 225% of the poverty line.

• Loan forgiveness applied for smaller loans ($12,000 or less) for borrowers who have been making payments for a minimum of 10 years.

• Consolidation penalty lifted for borrowers who consolidate their federal loans. These loans will no longer lose progress toward IDR loan forgiveness.

• Automatic credit toward IDR forgiveness applied to borrowers’ accounts for specific periods of deferment and forbearance.

• Make up for missed payments allowed for borrowers to receive credit for all other periods of deferment or forbearance that don’t qualify for automatic credit.

• Automatic enrollment in an IDR plan for borrowers with default risk, or payments at least 75 days late, if they previously agreed to give the Education Department access to their tax information.

HOW WILL THE IDR PLAN DIFFER FROM THE EXISTING PLANS?

The new plan will be a direct replacement of REPAYE, one of the current IDR plans.

While there are many similarities, repayment choices under the new SAVE plan are simpler. In addition, as mentioned above, the protected income amount has been raised significantly. Also, the monthly payments will be halved.

Let’s take a look at a true-to-life example to illustrate the differences between existing and new plans. A family of four with an income of $75,000 has a discretionary income of $30,000, according to the 2023 U.S. federal poverty guidelines. Payments under the current IDR plans are 10% of that amount. Monthly, that would amount to a discretionary income of $2,500 a month, and a monthly payment of $250 toward student loan debt. With the new plans in place, and the threshold for discretionary income now at 225%, the same family would see payments based on only $7,500 of their income, or $625 a month. With payments also now halved to just 5% of this number, this family would only pay $31 a month toward their student loan debt.

HOW DO I APPLY FOR THE NEW IDR PLAN?

If you have an open federal student loan and you haven’t already applied for the new SAVE plan, you’ll

want to do so as soon as possible. Contact your student loan servicer and submit an IDR application on the studentaid.gov website. If you are already enrolled in REPAYE, your plan will automatically be transferred to a SAVE plan when it rolls out.

The new SAVE plan can seem confusing to student loan borrowers, but this guide can help you work through the details and learn what you need to know about the new plan.

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RALLYING FOR KIDS

HBC Champions Foundation Hosts Event to Benefit Children

The heat didn’t halt the fun or the fundraising at this year’s HBC Champions Foundation golf tournament.

“Everybody had a lot of fun and we raised a lot for some very good causes,” said Matt McMillen, president of the foundation.

There were 27 teams comprised of 160 players who gathered at the Jimmie Austin OU Golf Club for the tournament on Sept. 8 during a late summer heat wave. But the hot temperatures didn’t dampen the enthusiasm and excitement about the mission behind the tournament.

“I think we did really, really well,” McMillen said about the money raised, also adding, “We have a lot of great sponsors who help us.”

Proceeds from the golf tournament help the foundation offer financial support to organizations that assist children in need in Norman and Oklahoma City.

Since the foundation’s inception in 2001, it has contributed more than $2.1 million to organizations that include Fields and Futures, March of Dimes, United Way of Norman, Bethany Children’s Health Center, OU Children’s Hospital, Norman Youth Foundation, Cavett Kids Foundation, City Care, OK Kids Corral and the Center for Children and Families.

The foundation started as the Bob Stoops Champions Foundation, which was established by Stoops, former

head football coach at OU. Later, famed OU former football coach Barry Switzer joined the efforts, and the foundation became known as HBC Champions Foundation, which stands for “Head Ball Coaches.”

The golf tournament is just one of the ways the foundation raises money for area organizations. McMillen said the foundation began hosting a golf tournament about a year after its inception and the goal is to create a fun event that builds camaraderie while giving back to the community.

The tournament attracts former OU coaches and players, as well as longtime tournament supporters.

“I think it’s a great experience for people,” McMillen said.

Along with the golf tournament, the foundation also hosts an annual bowling tournament and has added a .1k race this fall that will have participants running or walking 328 feet. McMillen said both events offer the chance to have fun, win prizes, wear themed costumes or uniforms and raise money to support programs and services for children.

McMillen said the foundation’s events offer friendly competition, the chance to help community organizations and the opportunity to further the work the foundation does on behalf of children.

For more information about the foundation, visit hbcchampionsfoundation.com– 19SM

ORTHO CENTRAL HAND CENTER

Ortho Central Opens Dedicated Orthopedic Hand Clinic

Ortho Central recently welcomed Dr. Carlton Fernandes, a distinguished orthopedic surgeon specializing in upper extremity treatment, to lead their new Ortho Central Hand Center. The Hand Center, located on the third floor of Ortho Central’s Norman office, will provide surgical and non-surgical interventions for various hand-related conditions such as carpal tunnel, arthritis, fractures and stenosing tenosynovitis, commonly referred to as trigger finger.

With an undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame and a medical degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, Dr. Fernandes completed a fellowship in hand and upper extremity surgery at Loyola University Chicago Medical Center. Originally from Edmond, Fernandes said he always planned to return to Oklahoma to practice medicine. His mother was a family physician and he said hearing her stories about caring for patients was what drew him to become a doctor. He narrowed his focus to orthopedics because of the outcomes he could achieve for his patients.

“With a lot of medicine today, it is mostly symptomatic treatment, but, in orthopedics, we can solve the problem,” Dr. Fernandes shared. “We use our hands every day. They get a lot of wear and tear. Hand and wrist issues and pain can significantly impact your quality of life.”

Fernandes said there have been significant advancements in hand surgery in recent years. Perhaps one of the most exciting is awake surgery - a groundbreaking surgical option that uses local anesthesia, allowing the patient to remain conscious during the

procedure. The benefits can include reduced risks associated with general anesthesia, faster recovery times and potential cost savings.

“We can do the procedure all in the office,” Dr. Fernandes explained. “You don’t have to go into a surgery room and be under general anesthesia which means you can skip the long prep and go back to work possibly even the same day.”

Fernandes will offer awake surgery at the Hand Center. “We also have a surgery center right next door for patients that prefer or need traditional surgical treatments,” he added.

The Ortho Central Hand Center is located at 3400 Tecumseh Rd, Suite 305 in Norman. Learn more about Dr. Fernandes and the center at orthocentralok.com/ hand-center.– 19SM

ORTHO CENTRAL HAND CENTER SERVICES:

• Cyst Removal

• Trigger finger surgery

• Carpal tunnel syndrome treatment

• Hand surgery for arthritis

• Fractures

• Sprains

• Chronic pain

• Rehabilitation

• Sports-related injuries

• Work-related injuries

UNDERSTANDING YOUR RISK

The Oklahoma Breast Center Offers Genetic Testing to Assess Cancer Risk

According to the American Cancer Society, one in two men and one in three women will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. An estimated 1.9 million new cancer cases are expected to be diagnosed in the United States this year.

The National Cancer Institute has compiled a list of nearly a dozen risk factors that increase your likelihood of developing cancer. Some factors, such as smoking or excessive alcohol consumption, can be avoided. However, others, like aging or inheriting specific gene mutations, cannot. This is why Jeneice Miller, a nurse practitioner with the Oklahoma Breast Center, decided to pursue an advanced genetics certification through the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Miller also studied genetic testing at MD Anderson Cancer Center, firmly believing that “knowledge is power.”

“If we are aware of potential genetic predispositions, there are proactive measures we can take to prevent or detect cancer at an early stage,” she explained. While there is no crystal ball, genetic testing can assist patients in understanding their inherent risk.

“All cancers are caused by gene mutations,” Miller clarified. “Some mutations are acquired due to environmental factors, while others are inherited. If you have two mutations in the same gene, cancer can develop.”

Through specialized, noninvasive tests, DNA is analyzed to identify different gene mutations that may signify an elevated risk for various types of cancers. This information can empower patients to make informed decisions regarding screenings and prevention options. Miller facilitates the Oklahoma Breast Center’s genetic counseling and testing services. The clinic sees adult

patients of all ages, and no referral is necessary.

“For patients who have a personal or family history of young, unusual or multiple cancers, if you were adopted or anybody who is just concerned, we can give you a little piece of mind,” Miller said.

Before testing, Miller counsels patients on potential legal implications and psychological considerations while also gathering as much family history as possible.

“We get a bigger picture of the family to discover patterns and decide if testing is right for that patient,” she said.

If certain criteria are met, genetic testing may be covered by insurance. If not covered, the cost of testing is typically around $250, Miller noted.

To schedule a genetic testing appointment or take a cancer risk assessment online, visit oklahomabreastcenter.com. The Oklahoma Breast Center is a comprehensive breast care program, with two locations in the metro area, one in Norman and another in north Oklahoma City.– 19SM

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