Avon Magazine April 2023

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Eager to Serve

AHS SENIOR ABIGAIL HATFIELD IS HEADING TO WEST POINT

Writer / Kevin Carr Photography Provided by Ardea Photo

Abigail Hatfield

Abigail Hatfield partially credits her experience in the Avon High School (AHS) Marching Black and Gold for preparing her to march across the graduation stage this spring, and to continue marching when she arrives at the United States Military Academy - more commonly referred to as USMA or West Point - this summer.

“It is a rare honor, not to mention a courageous act of service, to seek and gain acceptance to West Point,” says AHS Principal Matt Shockley. “I am extremely proud of Abigail.”

AHS Bands Director Kevin Welborn calls Abigail an exceptional individual, student and musician. “We are certainly proud of Abigail and this major accomplishment,” Welborn says. “It’s no surprise, however, given her work ethic and commitment to her craft over the years.”

We interviewed this busy high school senior via email.

HOW DID YOU FEEL WHEN YOU DISCOVERED YOU’D BEEN ACCEPTED TO WEST POINT?

I was extremely excited when I first received the news that I had been accepted to West Point. There are so many criteria that must be met to be accepted, I was sure I would be called out on a technicality for at least one of them. When I received my appointment - what they refer to as acceptance - I was sent an offer of admission and a certificate of appointment.

For someone who might not understand the significance of attending West Point, give us an idea of what you’re getting into and what it means.

The United States Military Academy, commonly referred to as USMA or West Point, is America’s post-secondary school to train the Army. The first thing I will do is attend R-day, aka reception day or plebe day, on June 26. After that, I will attend a six-week basic training session known as Beast, due to the high training standards. In those six weeks I will learn marksmanship, land navigation, rappelling, camaraderie and many other skills necessary to being in the Army. At the end of the six weeks, the

new cadets take a 12-mile ruck back to campus. The school year at West Point is a lot more regimented than that of almost any other school. Meals are at set times, there are inspections of quarters and uniforms, specific uniforms must be worn each day as well as for exercise, the folding of clothes and making of beds are regulated, and, as opposed to most colleges, there is no way to graduate early. Once I graduate from the Point, I am obligated to serve five years active duty and three years reserve, as opposed to the four and four for ROTC scholarships.

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE?

As far as plans for the future, I am aiming for an engineering degree, though I’ve yet to decide which one. Once I graduate, I will be a second lieutenant, and I plan to join the branch of engineers. From there, I intend to go as far as I can in military rank.

HOW HAS YOUR TIME AT AHS, INCLUDING ACADEMICS, YOUR EDUCATORS AND EXTRACURRICULAR INVOLVEMENT, PREPARED YOU FOR WEST POINT?

I think attending Avon has helped me in so many ways, not least of which was participating in the marching band for four years. Although the military is much more strenuous than the band, the training we were put through will help me when doing physical training in any

part of the military, as well as providing me with the mental fortitude to push ahead when things get tough. The band also taught me one fundamental that many who join the Army don’t know how to do - march in time. I also believe the camaraderie I experienced, as well as the chain of command I was a part of, is a very good example of what I will experience in the Army. As far as classes go, I think Mr. Haiducu and Mr. Record’s classes have prepared me best. I am currently taking my second year of both AP physics and AP calculus. While West Point doesn’t offer AP credit explicitly, I can earn “validation” for classes if I prove to be proficient enough. This would result in the ability to substitute an elective for the core class.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO OTHER AHS STUDENTS WHO MIGHT CONSIDER CHOOSING YOUR PATH?

For any student considering West Point or any of the service academies, I would recommend looking into the application process as soon as possible. Even if you aren’t 100% sure you want to apply, the academies have a rather long application process, so it’s best to start as soon as possible.

There are four main parts to a West Point application - academics, physical fitness, medical fitness and a congressional nomination. Though you can also get a vice presidential nomination, this is more rare.

The nominations are a separate application.

I would recommend applying for as many as you can. Each candidate can apply for their two senators along with their congressional district’s representative. I applied for Jim Baird, Todd Young and Mike Braun’s nomination. You must receive a nomination in order to earn an appointment to the academy. I would also recommend, if at all possible, attending Girls or Boys State. This is a great leadership experience and is often looked for by admissions officers.

It is very important to know what you’re getting into when applying to a service academy. These schools will be more strenuous than any Ivy League college. The mental and physical experiences of the cadets is unlike normal college life. At normal colleges, students have commented on poor time management skills, having too much free time and having large parties. Many of these are impossible at the service academies. The schedule is very strict with little room for negotiation, and free periods are usually spent as study periods. Large parties that other schools have would be a group run at the Point.

West Point is a school to teach you how to serve your country. While you do not pay in monetary terms for this education, you are dedicating at least eight years of your life to this service. It is important to understand the value of your education at the academy before committing yourself to it.

* * *

Congratulations, Abigail. Thank you for your sense of duty, your honor, and for choosing to serve your country.

Beasley’s Orchard Has Been a Homegrown Favorite for More Than 75 Years

Writer / Melissa Gibson Photographer / Amy Payne

Since 1946, three generations in the Beasley family have been bringing fresh fruits, vegetables and a ton of fun to families in Hendricks County and across the Midwest.

What began as an abundance of garden produce and a little red wagon on the side of U.S. Highway 36 has resulted in a major agriculture and agritourism spot within the county.

In the 1970s, the Beasleys transformed their Civil War-era barn into a retail market, apple packing facility and cider mill.

By the 1980s, families were taking trips there each fall to enjoy a traditional hayride and U-pick pumpkins in preparation for Halloween. In 1986, the first Heartland Apple Festival was held on the farm and quickly became a community tradition.

Today, Beasley’s Orchard sits on 165 acres and offers more than many people may realize.

“We’re looking at any improvements we want

to make and talking about new things to try,” says Owner Calvin Beasley. “There’s a lot going on behind the scenes, but very important because our season has been extended. We start U-pick strawberries in late May and it

doesn’t stop until after October.”

When the youngest generation of Beasleys came home from college in 2015, there was a huge shift to invest in agritourism. In fact, the

family was one of the first in central Indiana to adopt the agritourism business model.

“It’s not viable to not invite the community to your farm,” Beasley says. “You can’t make a living selling produce in a wagon. That business model has evaporated. However, agriculture and agritourism work holistically together. You can’t have one without the other because it’s the business of the farm that attracts the people who don’t live here but want the experience.”

By inviting guests to spend the day on the farm and taste the sweet, fresh fruit off of the plants or trees, the traditional hayride in the fall has resulted in many more options.

By adding a variety of U-pick events from strawberries to raspberries, sunflowers to pumpkins, visitors can enjoy an event nearly six months out of the year.

Even the annual fall trip to the pumpkin patch has been expanded to a full day

including a corn maze, apple cannons, Barnyard Bonanza (children’s activities), and a festival nearly every weekend throughout the season.

Though Beasley and his staff are always looking for ways to offer new and improved experiences for their customers, currently he’s turned his attention to infrastructure needs on the farm.

“We’ve planted over 40,000 apple trees since 2019, and in the next five years we’ll triple our apple production,” Beasley says.

Currently the market barn contains fresh produce, fresh baked goods, locally sourced items, and Beasley’s Orchard merchandise. In the back of the barn they still run a bakery, cider mill and fruit packing operation.

Beasley is hoping to build a new facility for efficiency and storage in the next few years, creating additional retail space in

the market and making more room for customers throughout their visit.

In addition, the work behind the scenes is paying off.

Beasley’s Orchard just brought home first place in the 2023 Indiana Horticultural Conference and Expo Cider Contest with their fresh-pressed, homegrown apples. Running a successful business doesn’t come without making tough decisions. A few years ago when Beasley made the move to general admission in the fall, he felt he lost some of the multigenerational families that held the tradition since the 1980s.

Popularity had grown to the point that staff were turning people away at the road. Guests were waiting two hours for access to attractions, and Beasley felt the general admission process would make everything run more smoothly.

“Going to general admission wasn’t easy but

it’s all about balance,” Beasley says. “Honoring your past is a wonderful thing but business has to continue to move forward. We have to evolve.”

Regardless of some tough decisions made, Beasley says the relationship with his customers is incredibly important.

“It’s everything to us,” he says. “We don’t do anything without first thinking about the customers and how they will perceive those changes. Ninety percent of what we grow on this farm is sold right here, directly to our customers. That’s why we decided to plant additional apple trees. The demand for fruit was outpacing the supply we had.”

That’s why Beasley continues to work on adding events that allow customers to enjoy life on the farm.

For the second year, the Easter bunny will be on hand for scheduled photos in early April. Visit the Beasley’s Orchard website to reserve a time slot.

From late May to early June, visitors can pick strawberries on the farm, officially kicking off the growing season. In June and July, U-pick raspberry season leads directly into U-pick sunflower season.

In September and October visitors can enjoy picking a variety of apples, which ties

into the fall pumpkin-picking season and festival events, all of which have been met with excitement and enthusiasm from the community.

In December Beasley’s Orchard offers Christmas at the Orchard, including scheduled photos with Santa.

The amount of work that goes into growing enough fruits and vegetables to accommodate the U-pick seasons may surprise some, but Beasley has it down to a science.

“There really has to be a perfect combination of factors,” he says. “Apples and strawberries can be super risky. The strawberries bloom early in the year and there’s a risk of frost. I’ve been able to determine a five-degree difference on our own farm, so if you look at the forecast and it says 34 degrees, when you get down lower to the ground where your strawberries are growing, it could be within freezing temperatures.”

Managers Erin & Jim and owner

Calvin Beasley

After shaping the beds, covering them with straw each winter, removing the straw in the spring, planting, cleaning up foliage, and other detailed work, losing 50% of the strawberry yield can be quite expensive. This process of production is what Beasley finds most rewarding.

“I love it,” he says. “It makes it really rewarding when you make it through the ups and downs of the growing season. I’d do this for free but it’s not easy. There’s a lot of things out of your control and it’s not for the faint of heart. You can do everything right and still fail. I don’t know that there are a lot of professions that are like that.”

He has big shoes to fill but has carried on the family tradition on the farm since 2018. Those who know the family and have visited over the years can see the positive changes Beasley has brought to the business.

“I think my parents would be overjoyed with the growth,” he says. “They seized opportunities when presented to them, starting festivals back in the 1980s. I hope I’m making them proud.”

Beasley’s Orchard is located at 2304 East Main Street in Danville. Like the Beasley’s Orchard Facebook page to stay up to date on U-pick and other events, or visit beasleys-orchard.com. Hours are subject to weather and other factors.

JOINT PAIN? MAKE A MOVE!

The things that move you and keep you moving through life are everything. So, if you’re suffering from joint pain and want to get back to going with the flow, the Franciscan Health Center for Hip & Knee Surgery is your best move. Get in touch to find your flow again.

MOORESVILLE (317) 831-2273

COMMUNICATION TIPS FOR AMAZING RELATIONSHIPS

Story & Photography Provided by Autumn Rae

The quality of your relationships determines the quality of your life, and good relationships require excellent communication.

Try practicing a few of the tips below and watch your relationships transform into the real connections you’ve always craved. Communication is a skill, and just like any other skill, it can be learned.

• ASK FIRST. Most often, we jump into what we want to say without checking in with the other person on whether it’s a good time for them. Here’s what this could sound like: “Hey, there’s something important I want to talk to you about regarding our relationship. Do you have some time and feel ready for that right now, or would something in the next couple days be better?”

• SLOW DOWN. This is the answer to 99% of our communication problems. Most of us genuinely care about the people we are in relationships with and want to do our best. When there is tension, things can get out of control, and it happens fast. Try taking a deep breath between each sentence. You can even say to the other person. “I really care about you and this conversation. Can we slow down?”

• TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT’S IN YOUR CUP. If you’re carrying a cup full of coffee and someone bumps into you, what spills? The coffee, of course. If tea had been in your

cup, tea would have spilled, and so on. In relationships or conflict, when someone bumps into us, the only possible response they can get comes from what’s already inside of us. Are you holding anger, judgment and resentment in your cup, or are you filled with compassion, courage and love?

• “THE STORY I’M MAKING UP IS…” This is one of the most powerful ways to start a sentence and take responsibility for your thoughts. Our minds naturally create stories to explain other people’s behavior, whether accurate or not. We need to check these stories with the other person before we react as if they’re true. First, share this concept with them, acknowledging that you know you might be inaccurate, and then say something like, “You were late today, and the story I’m making up is that I’m not a priority to you.” This is a high-level skill that can be triggering even to those who are seasoned in their communication journey. Do your best to apply the other tips in this list while practicing this phrase.

• ARGUE FOR THE OTHER PERSON’S SIDE. This is a mental exercise to gain compassion and help you see the other person’s perspective during conflict. Grab some paper or a computer and start to imagine what it’s like to be them. Write out feelings, hurts, desires and thoughts. You can then share these with the other person, with a sentence that starts like, “I imagine you’re feeling/wanting/needing…Is that right?”

• CLEAN THE WINDOWS. In other words, be radically honest, and do it often - first with yourself, then with the person

you’re in a relationship with. It can feel easier to push aside the hurt, pretend everything is fine or ignore what you really wish would happen. However, the more you don’t say, the “dirtier” your relationship windows get. Over time, neither of you will see your relationship clearly, resentments will build and the relationship will break down.

• PAUSE AS NEEDED AND GIVE A TIME WHEN YOU’LL RETURN. It’s OK, and quite skillful, to take a break when you notice a conversation is getting too intense. Rather than stay in it when you’re both not thinking clearly and likely to say things you’ll wish you hadn’t, take a break. It’s important to pick a time when you’ll come back together though. Here’s what this could sound like: “I’m noticing that my emotions are running the show right now. This conversation is important to me, so I want to have my head on straight. I’m going to take a walk to calm down, and I’ll be back in 20 minutes.”

• REGULATE YOUR NERVOUS SYSTEM AND EMOTIONS. It doesn’t matter how many communication skills you learn if you aren’t calm enough to apply those skills in a heated moment. This is a complex rewiring, but some easy ways to start are breath work, mindfulness training, and cuddling with a pet or loved one.

• WORK WITH A COACH. Although we can make progress with self-study and practice, an outside, professional perspective can help us reach our relationship goals faster and with more ease than we ever could on our own. A coach can help us identify our triggers, get clear on our needs, problem-solve specific relationship challenges, provide support in emotional regulation, and develop a framework for creating the relationships and life we want.

• PRIORITIZE SLEEP (DON’T SKIP THIS ONE!). Getting enough quality sleep has serious impacts on our ability to regulate our emotions in conversations. Research shows us that without enough of it, we’re more likely to overreact, misinterpret and say things that we later regret. With a rested brain and body, it’s much easier to consciously choose how we want to respond, rather than jump to an emotionally charged and usually harmful reaction.

About Autumn Rae: Autumn is a trauma-informed life and relationship coach, certified yoga teacher, and degreed educator. She transformed her own life and relationships through a spiritual, self-love pilgrimage extending from Bali to Costa Rica. It is now her soul’s mission to help people master their communication and emotional regulation, and guide them on their path to passionate love, inner peace, and authentic, vibrant living.

Check her out on Instagram @autumnrae.co.

COUNTY PRIDE

MAKE THE MOST OF WHERE YOU LIVE WITH VISIT HENDRICKS COUNTY’S MANY RESOURCES

When the Hendricks County Convention and Visitors Bureau, now Visit Hendricks County (VHC), hired me 11 years ago, I remember telling a good friend of mine about my new job. After congratulating me, he asked two questions that have resonated with me ever since. Who would visit Hendricks County? Why do we even need a visitors bureau?

More than a decade later, maybe you wonder the same thing.

Tourism is thriving in our county, and plays a vital role in our economic development and making our community a vibrant place to live, work and raise a family. Hendricks County attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year, and I have the numbers to prove it.

TOURISM’S IMPACT

In 2019, the most recent numbers we have, visitors spent more than $300 million in Hendricks County, including contributing more than $50 million in local taxes. For every dollar spent by a visitor, 59 cents stayed in our county, and tourism employed more than 4,000 people, making it our eighth-largest industry.

Those numbers reveal Hendricks County as a visitor destination, and that tourism remains a significant economic boon for our community, which is important because we alone can’t support our businesses.

Our restaurants, shops, entertainment

Writer / Josh Duke

Photography / Visit Hendricks County

attractions and especially our hotels depend on visitors to keep their doors open.

Without visitors, many of the businesses you love simply wouldn’t survive.

VHC’S ROLE

When our organization helps to promote and/or develop an attraction or event, we create a place where people want to visit. When we create a place where people want to visit, we create quality places where residents like you want to live.

We’ve learned that our visitors come for various reasons and with varying interests, and we’ve done our best to adapt our promotions to reach them. We spend significant time and resources marketing our destination to potential visitors within a driving radius of our county.

We highlight the places, events and attractions that make our destination special, including Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, Beasley’s Orchard, Hendricks County 4-H Fairgrounds & Conference Complex, Splash Island, the Mayberry Cafe, and the Embassy Suites Hotel & Conference Center, just to name a few of our major drivers.

We also don’t forget our hidden gems such as Avon Gardens, Rusted Silo, Oinking Acres, Who North America, The Tie Dye Lab and so many more. We have developed tools over the years to support our locally owned businesses and attractions including a robust website, visithendrickscounty.com.

We focus much of our efforts on getting people to visithendrickscounty.com, which receives more than one million page views per year. It is updated daily

with the latest news and information for both visitors and locals, with information including:

• Listings for virtually every locally owned, tourism-related business in our county

• A popular events calendar

• An insider blog with new posts weekly, supported by multiple local writers

• A groups and meetings area for those hosting an event, planning a reunion or holding a conference

• A weddings section providing expert help for newly engaged couples planning their big day

• Many other resources including trip planning, an area for our tourism partners and even a section for locals

That site alone provides the help and resources anyone with interest in Hendricks County would need. Check it out today. You might be surprised by what you find, and you likely will learn something about your county that you didn’t know.

PLAN A TRIP

Whether using our resources to plan a staycation or planning a trip somewhere else in this great country, we highly encourage you to utilize your vacation days and make memories with your family and/or friends.

Studies show that time away from the stresses of work and daily life can be as beneficial to one’s health as anything

else they can do. Next month we will celebrate National Travel and Tourism Week, a great reminder to plan that next vacation.

No matter where you go, we recommend turning to organizations like ours to find the expertise and tips you need to plan a trip. Instead of scheduling that usual vacation to Disney World or the beach, maybe find that road less traveled to discover an authentic,

more affordable destination. DO YOUR PART

I hope my friend who asked me those questions 11 years ago is reading this today, because I’m sure I didn’t properly explain why Hendricks County is such a great place to visit. We need you, our residents, to recognize the importance of tourism and become ambassadors for our amazing destination, now and into the future.

Sign up for our monthly email newsletter and become a blog subscriber. You can register for one or both on our website. Request one of our free Travel Guides, which are great resources for locals too. If you or someone you know is planning a wedding, we also have a free Wedding Guide.

Finally, the next time you have friends and relatives visiting from out of town, take them to places right here in Hendricks County to support your community. If we help each other, everyone wins because there is so much to see and do right here in Hendricks County if you just take a moment to look.

ALCOHOL USE DISORDER SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT OPTIONS

Writer / Trisha Palencer, Clinical Social Worker at IU Health West Hospital

Photography Provided

Alcohol use disorder affects an estimated 16 million people in the United States. If you have difficulty stopping or cutting back on the amount of alcohol you drink, or if you spend significant time thinking about, consuming or recovering from drinking alcohol, you may have an alcohol use disorder. An important step in recovery is to recognize the symptoms and learn about the treatment options.

WHAT IS ALCOHOL USE DISORDER?

Alcohol use disorder often leads to difficulty in moderating drinking, a preoccupation with alcohol, the need to drink an increasing amount of alcohol to get a similar effect, continued drinking despite negative consequences, or physical withdrawal

symptoms such as tremors when trying to stop drinking. Alcohol disorders fall into three categories including binge drinking, alcohol dependence and alcohol abuse.

WHAT ARE SYMPTOMS OF ALCOHOL USE DISORDER?

Drinking can suppress immunity to diseases and infections, and can increase the risk of some cancers and liver problems. In addition, it can cause problems with blood clotting, skin rash, memory, balance and falls, the stomach, the pancreas and the heart. In these ways and more, alcohol use disorder can interfere with living a healthy life. Chronic, long-term abuse of alcohol can lead to alcoholic cardiomyopathy, which can result in heart failure. Seizures can also be caused by binge drinking and alcohol withdrawals. The greatest risk of seizures occurs between 12 and 48 hours following your last drink. Medically assisted

detoxification from alcohol use is vital to lower major risks including death.

WHAT ARE TREATMENT OPTIONS?

Treatment for alcohol use disorder often starts with detoxification. There may be risks to reducing or stopping alcohol consumption that require medical intervention. Side effects of detoxification are known as withdrawal symptoms, and there are medical, emotional and social supports that can aid successful detoxification. Once you complete the detox process, you’ll need ongoing treatment to reduce the risk for relapsing. Depending on your needs, your treatment can include medications, group therapy, individual therapy, and supportive housing or social environments.

KEEP YOUR BRAIN IN SHAPE WITH THESE TIPS

Writer / Kelsey Miller, Physician Assistant

As human beings, our bodies are constantly developing and changing. According to Harvard Health Publishing, there is no time in our lives when our brain and its functions remain steady. As you age, it is common to see changes in your ability to remember things. It may take you longer to remember things such as names, faces, appointments or where you put something. Help preserve your memory and keep your brain in shape with these tips.

STIMULATE YOUR BRAIN

Continuously stimulating our brains can help build cognitive reserve, which is our brain’s ability to find other ways to perform different tasks. A strong cognitive reserve could help preserve your brain function for longer. Stay mentally active and stimulate your brain with mental exercises such as reading, learning a new hobby and completing word puzzles or riddles.

PHYSICAL EXERCISE

Physical exercise is not only great for our overall health, but also for our brain health. When we exercise, beneficial proteins are released in our brain. These proteins keep our brain cells healthy. Incorporate daily exercises into your everyday routine to help ensure that you get at least 30 active minutes each day.

HEALTHY DIET

It has been shown that people who eat more fruits, vegetables, fish and healthy fats are less likely to develop cognitive impairment and dementia. Fuel your mind and body with healthy fat sources like nuts, unsaturated oils, and avocados, along with whole grains such as brown rice and oatmeal.

STAY SOCIAL

Your mental health is important for your brain health. Strong social interactions and relationships have been associated with a lower risk of dementia. Healthy relationships with friends and family can lower stress and provide a strong support system. Connect with friends or family through tough and happy times to build a strong connection and foundation for emotional support.

LIMIT YOUR ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION

Excessive drinking can lead to long-term damage to your hippocampus, which is the part of your brain responsible for learning and memory. If you’re going to drink, try to stick to the recommended amount of one alcoholic drink per day for women and two per day for men.

THE NEXT STEP

IU HEALTH WEST HOSPITAL LAUNCHES ROBOTIC SURGERY PROGRAM

The surgical team at IU Health West Hospital is taking patient care to the next level. The hospital is the first and only location in Hendricks County to offer advanced robotic surgery.

The team began using the new technology at the end of December.

“Robotic surgery is an instrument used to do various operations,” explains Dr. Christopher Bearden, general surgeon and medical director of IU Health West surgical services. “We’ve done open surgery, which is where we cut people open. Then we

did the laparoscopy, which is small holes. Robotics is the next step in that evolution. It gives you better optics, better feel of the tissues, better visualization.”

The technology allows surgeons to operate with extreme precision, while keeping the incision sites small.

Sean Eads, manager of clinical operations for IU Health West’s surgical services, helped the team train on the new technology for several weeks before rolling it out for patients.

“The surgeons have a 3D view, which they currently do not have when they do standard laparoscopic procedures,”

Eads says. “They do everything with their fingertips.”

The surgeons sit in what Eads refers to as a “driver,” and how they move their hands is how the instrument head moves. “It has the ability to do really a lot of finesse, more so than you can actually do with the human hand,” Bearden adds.

For those who might be nervous or intimidated by hearing that a robot will aid in their surgery, Bearden stresses that the surgeon is still in control.

“The robot is not doing the operation,” he says. “The surgeon is doing the operation. The robot is just mimicking the moves I do. It doesn’t do anything on its own.”

THE GOAL IS BETTER PATIENT OUTCOMES

Though the robot does not guarantee an easier, faster recovery for the patient, that is what the team has seen overall, according to Bearden.

Writer / Emma Avila Photography Provided

More than 30 surgical team members prepare for their first day of surgery cases using advanced robotics

“Because you are able to do a better operation, the results are better,” he says. “It helps patients get back to work better.”

Many surgeries that the team now performs robotically were previously open surgeries. The new technology allows the procedures to be outpatient, whereas before, the patient would have to spend more time recovering in the hospital.

MORE TRAINING TO FURTHER THE PROGRAM

Though the team trained extensively to use the robot, Eads plans for that training to continue.

“A lot of things happen behind the scenes to get us where we need to be, and we need to do more and more of that training as we move forward,” he says.

Bearden also recognizes that the

equipment requires more intensive training, for doctors and other operatingroom team members.

“There are a lot more instruments, a lot more mechanical things moving around,” he says. “You have to have a bigger room. There’s a lot of flow that has to happen.”

The goal of the robotic program is to expand the capabilities of surgeries at the hospital. The early focus was more

The surgeons sit in ‘drivers,’ where they have a 3-D view of the procedure

Advanced robotic surgical ‘arms’ controlled by the surgeons assist with the procedures

general surgeries, but Bearden has a specific hope for the future.

“Once we get the staff trained, we will start doing more cancer cases,” he says. “That’s really the goal of all of this.”

PUTTING PATIENT CARE AT THE FOREFRONT

Part of the excitement surrounding the program is that IU Health West is the first hospital on the west side of Indianapolis to offer robotic surgery. Though the team is thrilled to be part of that milestone, the focus has always been on the patients.

One major benefit to robotic surgery is that while the robot doesn’t act on its own, it does run safety checks throughout the procedure.

“It’s running over 1,000 checks a second - energy usage, pressure on tissues, things that the brain can’t even comprehend,” Bearden adds. “So yes, it is a robot, it is mimicking movements we’re doing, but it’s also a big safety factor.”

All of these components help the hospital with its primary mission - providing the best care possible for the patients who walk through the doors to get better.

“We have a little saying in-house that ‘West does it best,’ and we’re going to do this the very best as well,” Eads says. “It just gives us another tool to provide topnotch care to the folks in the community.”

Dr. Christopher Bearden

Sean Eads

AHS VARSITY DANCE TEAM EARNS MULTIPLE STATE COMPETITION PLACEMENTS

Photography Provided by Bateman Photography

The Avon High School varsity dance team recently took on the solo and ensemble state competition and finished with multiple placements.

Our junior soloist, Ava York, placed third at state.

Our junior ensemble also placed third at state with the following dancers:

• Leah Levstek

• Emerson Bullerdick

Writer / Victoria York, Varsity Head Coach, Avon Dance Team

• Alaina Gulley

• Deon Readus

• Addi Mason

Lastly, Avon High School’s reigning largeensemble state champions brought home their third state title in three consecutive years. They not only earned the highest score to date, but also the highest score of the entire state competition, which is composed of multiple categories including solos, duets, junior ensembles, small ensembles and large ensembles.

Our 2023 large-ensemble state champions included the following dancers:

• Ava Clark

• Claire Rininger

• Ava York

• Kaylee Diaz

• Reese Moore

• Orlancia Askie

• Lucy York

This is a huge accomplishment for these girls, and we are so proud of the hard work they have put in!

ACSC LAUNCHES PROGRAM PROVIDING ADULT ENGLISH CLASSES

Avon Community School Corporation has partnered with Ivy Tech Community College, Hendricks County Community Foundation, the Duke Energy Foundation, and the Metropolitan School District of Wayne Township Adult Education (WTAE) program to provide foundational English classes for parents of Avon students who are recent immigrants.

More than 50 adults registered and showed up for classes, which began in January. Local parents and families had been asking the leaders of Avon Community School Corporation’s Multilingual Learners program for assistance to build language skills that would empower them to help their children at school, build skills needed at work, prepare for entry into post-secondary classes, and truly develop confidence for everyday living and life. “Over 13% of our 10,500-student enrollment consists of students who speak English as a second language,” says Avon Multilingual Learning Coordinator Angela Rasor. “In fact,

Writer / Kevin Carr

Photography Provided

there are more than 90 different languages spoken in the homes of Avon students. We are so excited and proud of this newly created partnership for our community.”

These classes would not be possible without the experience and involvement of the WTAE program leaders. Their mission is to serve the needs of the community by providing lifelong learning opportunities, empowering students to learn English, earn their high school equivalency diploma, or gain access to training and post-secondary education. This is accomplished with the support of passionate, optimistic and talented adult education professionals and volunteers, in a school culture where everyone feels valued and belongs. The program is one of the first adult education programs in Indiana with a reputation as a national best-practice program for integrated education and training.

Partnerships with the Hendricks County Community Foundation, Duke Energy, Ivy Tech and the Town of Avon have also made these classes possible. Collectively, these funders have enabled WTAE to launch three levels of English language classes for parents of Avon students.

If you or someone you know is interested in these opportunities, please encourage them to visit adulted.info/avon. Also call Seliat Yekinni-Elebute or Rosa Liz, Avon’s family

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