TulsaPeople August 2013

UNACCEPTABLE IN OKLAHOMA: PART 6

‘F’ FOR FUNDING PUBLIC SCHOOLS August 2013

2013’s

TOP

13

Meet our newest class of Brainiacs

Hornet history

Booker T. celebrates 100 years

Smartly dressed

TPS’ new district-wide uniform policy

Metro Christian Academy graduate and 2013 Brainiac Lauren Thomas will attend the University of Tulsa this fall.

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Features AUGUST

2013

✻ VOLUME 27 / ISSUE 10

36

East Central High School vocal music teacher Kevin Pearson, Tulsa Public Schools’ Teacher of the Year, is one of many Oklahoma teachers suffering from statewide budget shortages and unfunded mandates.

34

Smartly dressed

A welcome change or reign of the fashion police? Students, parents and staff comment on Tulsa Public Schools’ new district-wide uniform policy.

by JANE ZEMEL

36

‘F’ for funding public education

Oklahoma ranks 48th in spending for public education.

TulsaPeople explores the challenges caused by low state funding and what we need to move our focus “back to school.”

42

46

Meet our Class of 2013 Brainiacs, some of the best and brightest Tulsa high school grads.

Booker T. Washington High School celebrates 100 years of greatness this fall.

‘13s top 13

by HAYLEY HINTON and LAUREN RUTHERFORD

Centennial memories

by DOUG EATON

by JENNIE LLOYD

TulsaPeople.com

5

Departments AUGUST

2013

✻ VOLUME 27 / ISSUE 10

24

Evan Taylor

OSU Center for Health Sciences

102

26 88

Medical student Michael Moore demonstrating how to listen for heart sounds to a visitor during Med-Xtravaganza.

140

Image courtesy of John Hammer

94

CityBeat 13 Live and learn A Tulsa school is pioneering innovative programs for children with unique educational and social needs.

16 Passions Five standout community leaders are honored for their relentless dedication and passion. 18 What it’s like A Tulsa author is tackling the issue of bullying through a character named for her own mixed heritage.

20 Storefront 306 Phoenix House provides welcoming community activities for all.

22 Lunch with Ric Baser, vice president and chief academic officer, Tulsa Community College. 24 Everyday stories Preschool teacher Toni Willis emphasizes “going green” in her classroom. 26 Artist in residence One would never guess Tulsa-area artist John Hammer is new to the painting scene.

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TulsaPeople AUGUST 2013

28 Postgame Former Cascia Hall star Dan Dixon experienced college football like no one else. 30 Not so long ago Ollie Ollie Oxen Free 32 At large Stay hydrated, my friends.

The Good Life 83 Clothes encounters Designer Yoana Baraschi visits Miss Jackson’s 84 My top 10 Shirley Elliott, program and development director, Tulsa Performing Arts Center Trust 88 Home Guests relax and stay a while at a Tulsa couple’s remodeled guest house.

94 Dining out Boston Deli offers everything from smokin’ ribs to sandwiches. 96 Table talk Picnic fare 97 Wine Summer’s coolest white wines 102 Health Finding the right partner for OSU Medical Center

Agenda 131 Character building Thousands of fans of Japanese pop culture will descend on downtown for the Tokyo in Tulsa convention.

132 Agenda This month’s standout events 134 Out & about See and be seen 137 Benefits Fundraisers and fun happenings 138 The culturist Philbrook Museum’s new downtown location juxtaposes modern and Native American art. 140 Tulsa sound The Colony’s open mic night for singersongwriters 142 Worth reading Two Tulsa authors feature Oklahoma in their recent works. 144 The last word Pickles and tomatoes

“I PROMISED MY DAUGHTER I’D BE THERE FOR HER. THANKS TO ST. JOHN I KEPT THAT PROMISE.”

JOHN LEE, ST. JOHN HEART INSTITUTE PATIENT

JOHN LEE ALMOST MISSED HIS DAUGHTER’S wEDDING BEcAUSE HE wAS RUSHED TO THE EMERGENcY ROOM wITH IRREGULAR HEART RHYTHM. For five years, he’d struggled with constant ER trips, but his life changed when he found St. John Heart Institute and Dr. Mark Milton. Trained at the Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins, Dr. Milton recommended a treatment he pioneered in Tulsa: atrial fibrillation ablation. Since undergoing the procedure, John Lee hasn’t visited the ER once.

Life-changing experiences like John’s are our passion. Equipped with advanced diagnostics, an all-digital imaging center and a first-class cath lab, our skilled doctors prevent, diagnose and treat heart disease.

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Visit the newly redesigned TulsaPeople.com all month long for exclusive content you won’t want to miss, including daily blog posts, photo galleries, giveaways, a calendar of local events, dining and shopping directories, and much more.

Créme de la créme Want to eat the best barbecue in the city?

Put your guests up in the finest hotel?

Get your car repaired by the trustiest mechanic?

Find the hippest vintage clothing?

We asked our readers to name Tulsa’s best of the best in these and many more categories, and after tallying tens of thousands of votes, we’ve compiled the results in our 2013 TulsaPeople A-List directory. Visit TulsaPeople.com/A-List to see all the A-List winners in a simple list view or a sortable directory with location maps and contact information.

TulsaPeople.com

Volume XXVII, Number 10 ©2013. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher.

GIVEAWAYS

TulsaPeople Magazine is published monthly by

Aug. 2

Catch a Tulsa Drillers game, or two, with eight flex tickets and a $75 gift certificate to Cardigan’s Restaurant & Bar.

1603 South Boulder Avenue Tulsa, Oklahoma 74119-4407 (918) 585-9924 / (918) 585-9926 Fax PUBLISHER Jim Langdon

VP COMMUNICATIONS Susie Miller

Aug. 9

Get shocked with four tickets to an upcoming Tulsa Shock game and a $100 gift certificate to The Spudder Restaurant.

MANAGING EDITOR SENIOR EDITOR ONLINE EDITOR A&E EDITOR FOOD EDITOR

Kendall Barrow Morgan Phillips Matt Cauthron Judy Langdon Judy Allen

EDITORIAL CONSULTING Missy Kruse, The Write Company

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

GRAPHIC DESIGNER MANAGING PHOTOGRAPHER CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

VIDEO DEVELOPMENT

Amanda Watkins Morgan Welch Michelle Pollard Evan Taylor Greg Bollinger

ADVERTISING SERVICES MANAGER Amy S. Haggard ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Andrea Canada, Steve Hopkins

Aug. 16

Enjoy a night out with a $100 gift certificate to the Palace Café.

CONTROLLER Mary McKisick

MARKETING COORDINATOR Anne Brockman SUBSCRIPTIONS Gloria Brooks INTERNS Hayley Higgs, Hayley Hinton, Sharry Mouss, Hannah Roffers, Lauren Rutherford MEMBER ­­TulsaPeople’s distribution is audited annually by

Above, TulsaPeople A-List landing page Inset, sample of enhanced A-List listing

VIDEO

Aug. 23

Get bowled over with $50 gift cards to Andy B’s and Charlie Mitchell’s Modern Pub.

• One glimpse of Tulsa-area artist John Hammer’s series of “Okie Icon” paintings at his booth at Guthrie Green, and you’d never guess the former graphic designer is barely more than a year into his painting career. (See story pg. 26) • Get a closer look at the Philbrook Museum of Art’s newest addition to the Tulsa arts scene, Philbrook Downtown, a renovated warehouse space in the Brady Arts District housing an eclectic mix of contemporary and Native American art.

(See story pg. 138)

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TulsaPeople AUGUST 2013

Aug. 30

Dinner’s on us with a $100 gift card to KEO.

Langdon Publishing Company sets high standards to ensure forestry is practiced in an environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable manner. This issue of Tulsa People was printed on recycled fibers containing 20 percent post-consumer waste with inks containing a soy base blend. Our printer is a certified member of the Forestry Stewardship Council and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, and additionally, meets or exceeds all federal Resource Conservation Recovery Act standards. When you are finished with this issue, please pass it on to a friend or recycle it. We can have a better world if we choose it together.

DRQ&A

Mary-Jane Barth, M.D. | pediatric cardiac Surgeon tHe cHildren’S HoSpital at Saint FranciS

Pediatric cardiac surgeon Dr. Mary-Jane Barth on easing families’ concerns and what it means to care for her tiny patients.

How did you decide to become a pediatric cardiac surgeon?

Working as a secretary in pediatric cardiology inspired me to finish college and attend medical school. Initially I planned to pursue adult medicine but soon found that surgery was where I belonged. So I decided that if I were going to be a surgeon, I wanted to be

a pediatric cardiac surgeon.

How do you comfort the families of your patients?

Basically we talk to them about the anatomy and physiology of the baby. We talk about normal anatomy and about what we can do. Family members tend to be most anxious before the operation.

They often find the anticipation to be the hardest part. However, after surgery, most people are relieved that it’s done and to

see that their baby is doing fine.

How do you communicate with such young patients?

I always talk to my patients. Babies just don’t answer in the way you and I would.

They will smile, squeeze your hand or coo and give you some evidence of whether or

group in the community called Mended Little Hearts where mothers talk to other moms who are going through the same thing. These shared experiences help give families perspective.

What moments do you find most inspiring?

I love the kids, and I love to see them get better. Watching them go home and come back healthy and happy and just really enjoying life—it doesn’t get any better than that.

What made you choose The Children’s Hospital at Saint Francis?

The Children’s Hospital at Saint Francis has developed tremendously over the last three years. Several pediatric specialists have joined the hospital, and we’re all working to improve children’s health in the community. Families don’t need to go to Boston or Philadelphia. Top-notch care is available right here in Tulsa.

not they are comfortable.

What other resources are available for families?

Mothers, especially, need to know there are support options available to them. A mother may sometimes think, “I can’t do anything for my baby.” There’s a support

“ The heart of a newborn infant is about the size of a plum. Seeing it begin to beat again is just beautiful.”

Mary-Jane Barth, M.D.

The Children’s Hospital at Saint Francis | 6161 South Yale Avenue | Tulsa, OK 74136 918-494-1710 | www.saintfrancis.com/childrenshospital Saint FranciS HoSpital | tHe cHildren’S HoSpital at Saint FranciS | Warren clinic | Heart HoSpital at Saint FranciS | Saint FranciS HoSpital SoutH | laureate pSycHiatric clinic and HoSpital | Saint FranciS Broken arroW

From the editors

by MATT CAUTHRON

Online Editor

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TulsaPeople AUGUST 2013

The story behind the story On writing about Oklahoma’s unacceptable statistics — JENNIE LLOYD Oklahoma can be hard to love, what with its troubles rooted deep in red dirt.

Things, put simply, are not good. I was freshly dismayed as I studied the statistics of women behind bars, on Oklahoma’s deadly dance with meth addiction, and on the failings of public education.

But, as I met people working on each cause, I developed a newfound hope in our state – that things can and someday will be set right.

For this month’s feature on public education, I found hope in Tulsa Public School’s Teacher of the Year, Kevin Pearson, a young, go-getting, passionate voice coach who gives

public ed all he’s got every single day. I found optimism in parents across Oklahoma who have banded together to navigate the tricky waters of their children’s education.

I also found legislators and principals and administrators who are downright zealous about fixing a broken system.

For every issue in our state, there are hundreds of Oklahomans working, volunteering, cajoling, educating and fighting to make things better. The ones I spoke to each had the same refrain: get involved! Nothing will change without your voice and your help. Get out there and make a difference.

Joe O’Shansky

Y

ou know that feeling you get on a Sunday, when you’re happy to still be enjoying the weekend, but you can’t shake that nagging tinge of disappointment that Monday is right around the corner?

For many a student — the fresh-faced grade schooler to the grizzled college senior — that Sunday feeling lasts the entire month of August. It’s still great to bask in the leisurely freedom of summertime, but the thought that the care-free fun will soon come to a screeching halt is ever-present.

Of course, this analogy breaks down when one considers that the prospect of a new school year is far more thrilling than the prospect of a Monday morning at the office. A new year means reuniting with old friends, starting fresh with a new batch of classes and teachers, and climbing another step up the ladder of that weird, age-based social hierarchy.

So to celebrate the bittersweet (but mostly sweet) advent of this yearly rite of passage, our August issue is once again dedicated to education — the great, the not-so-great, and all points in between.

Starting with the great: Our cover story (pg. 42) features TulsaPeople’s 2013 class of “Brainiacs,” a selection of the best and brightest high school graduates in Tulsa, those who have excelled not only in the classroom but the community at large through extra-curricular activities and volunteerism.

For those students who have yet to don the cap and gown, what they’ll be donning at school this year has been a hot topic heading into the fall. We ask a selection of students, parents and staff to share their thoughts on Tulsa Public Schools’ new district-wide uniform policy (pg. 34).

Veering toward the not-so-great, we offer the final installment of our “Unacceptable” series, which highlights national categories in which Oklahoma ranks poorly and examines the reasons why. This month, appropriately, we delve into our state’s low ranking in education funding, exploring the challenges this issue creates and gathering perspectives on how communities can work together to address it (pg. 36).

Finally, we pay tribute to the rich history of Booker T. Washington High School (pg. 46), recently recognized by U.S. News and World Report as Oklahoma’s top public high school, as it celebrates 100 years of academic excellence this fall.

Although I’m fairly far removed from the excitement and/or dread of the yearly back-to-school routine, I still recall my school days with wistful, joyous nostalgia. And if I may offer a nickel’s worth of free advice to those students preparing for an exhilarating new journey, and to the parents who won’t exactly mind having them out of the house again: Don’t get too far ahead of yourself. For now, just enjoy your Sunday. tþ

On meeting some of Tulsa’s best and brightest grads — HAYLEY HINTON and LAUREN RUTHERFORD

Lauren Rutherford and Hayley Hinton We ask you one favor. We know you’re thinking, “Favor? I’m not even two lines into this thing.” Yes, a favor. Read our article first (on p. 42), and then we’ll chat.

Oh, good, you’re back. Aren’t those kids crazy accomplished? We hope you’re as impressed as we are. The Brainiacs project is really an astounding one to work on as college interns. It’s interesting to see what some of the Tulsa area’s top graduating seniors are

up to at schools other than our alma maters, Union and Jenks.

In all honesty, we each have a tendency to think our school of origin is best and put the others into boxes. Owasso is good at sports, Broken Arrow takes the cake for marching band and the Tulsa School for Arts and Sciences is home to the artistic prodigies. But what about the individuals that go there?

Every school has overachievers, and we’ve found them. Some are sporty and smart, while others are artistic and community-oriented.

Regardless of their differences, these kids are all going places — some to Ivy League universities.

Narrowing down their accomplishments to 75 words each proved to be a challenge. We were a bit jealous, but mostly we were drawn back to our high school days that weren’t so long ago.

Just a year or two at college can change things: perspective, involvement, goals. We threw out some questions to the recent graduates, reflecting — with our newfound college student wisdom — that the answers would surely change many times throughout their college careers. We hope they do.

We wish these Brainiacs an enriching and fulfilling first year of college — one that will change everything for the better.

citybeat

NEWS ✻ PEOPLE ✻ OPINIONS

Students Jackson Ingle, Hannah Young, Aiden Williams, Zoe Smith and Dietrich Brunjes enjoy Town and Country School’s customized approach to learning.

Live and learn A Tulsa school is pioneering innovative programs for children with unique educational and social needs.

by MARNIE FERNANDEZ

Mexiroo’s message P. 18

✻

It’s easy being green P. 24

✻

Okie artist P. 26 TulsaPeople.com

13

Live and learn: continued from p. 13

T

welve-year-old Wilson Sautter is having a good day. In fact, most of his days are good now that he is in a new school.

“Oh, wait — I forgot, I just turned 13,” says the shy but polite sixth grader at Town and Country School.

When asked what his favorite class was in school, he didn’t answer recess or lunch as many kids might.

“I really like math,” Sautter says. “I like to figure out problems.”

Sautter is one of the many success stories of Town and Country School.

In its 52nd year, Town and Country is the only accredited school in Oklahoma designed for students in grades 1-12 diagnosed with learning disabilities, attention disorders and autism spectrum disorder.

After an unsuccessful run at several other schools, Sautter’s mom, Kat Couch, decided to try Town and Country.

“He (Sautter) was not transitioning well at all,” Couch says. “He was diagnosed with autism, obsessive compulsive disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. He is very smart but socially awkward, and had a tough time in mainstream classes.”

This past school year, Town and Country served 159 students, which is a record enrollment for the school.

It also recently moved into a new facility which doubled its space and allowed the staff to expand programs. The facility, located at 8906 E. 34th St., was previously home to Tulsa Public Schools’ Fulton Teaching and Learning Academy.

“Our new space has been such a blessing to us,” says Dawn Duca, community and development director for the school. “We are so thankful to have all our programs under the same roof with room for growth.”

Each class has 12 students and two teachers. Therapists and counselors are available to all students at any time during the day.

“We customize an education plan to each student,” Duca says. “Our kids learn differently, so we teach differently. The small class size and student-teacher ratio allows us to really

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TulsaPeople AUGUST 2013

Sixth grader Wilson Sautter is one of Town and Country School’s many success stories. work with each student individually.”

Town and Country’s program differs from “pull-out” or “inclusion” programs found in other schools. Its individualized approach eliminates a student’s fear of competing with other students who can think, read, write, communicate and perform in a more expedient manner. By focusing on the child’s positive aspects and skills instead of his or her deficiencies, it builds the child’s self-esteem and motivation.

Staff and students describe the culture of Town and Country “like a big family,” Duca says. For Loretta Keller, the school has definitely been a family affair.

“I’ve been involved with the school for almost 20 years,” says Keller, who after 18 years on the Town and Country board of directors became the executive director in fall 2012.

“My son was a student here. He is 38 years old, lives on his own and is gainfully employed, and it was Town and Country that gave him a great foundation for his future success.”

Keller says her experience as a board member allowed her to understand the school’s financial needs and obstacles, as well as the needs it meets in the community.

“When I took the (executive director) position, I already had the history as well as knowledge of what the needs of the school are in order to sustain its growth,” she says.

Town and Country will soon launch a new program, Transition to College Success, to help its students make the transition from high school to college.

“Transitioning from high school to college is a major change for anyone and can offer some unique challenges for students with learning disabilities or social disorders,” Duca explains.

The program is designed to work cooperatively with a student during his or her first year in college. The course will focus on self-advocacy; social, problem-solving and organizational skills; and learning disability issues.

Other components will include mentoring and teaching study skills.

A staff member also will be available to visit with a participating student’s professors to help facilitate the learning process for the student if needed.

“You don’t necessarily have to be a student or graduate of Town and Country School to participate in this program,” Duca says. “We are opening this up to anyone who feels like they could use some help in learning to navigate their way through the college experience.”

Thanks to the innovative programs Town and Country provides, the future is bright for Wilson Sautter and the many others who attend.

“He has completely transformed since attending Town and Country,” Couch says of her son. “He is accepted for who he is and has become so much more confident in himself. He is brilliant, and I know with Town and Country’s help, he will go far.” tþ

PASSIONS

People, places and other things Tulsans love

Worthy women Five standout community leaders are honored for their relentless dedication and passion.

by RACHEL WEAVER

T

he Women of Inspiration program recognizes women impacting the lives of area youth and the community. This is the fourth consecutive year for the awards, presented by Williams and the Tulsa Shock.

The 2013 program’s five honorees were invited to attend a pre-game reception at the BOK Center before the July 13 Williams Women of Inspiration game. Williams also recognized the women during a special half-time ceremony and presented the top honoree with a trip to the WNBA 2013 Inspiring Women’s Luncheon, courtesy of World Travel.

Here are the 2013 Williams Women of Inspiration Honorees:

Sgt. Stephanie Jackson, Melissa Baker, Dr. Brenda Lloyd-Jones, Jo Bright and Carlisha Williams

Melissa Baker

Occupation/role: Girls On the Run (GOTR) program manager, YWCA Tulsa.

Passions: Running (Baker will run the 2013 NYC Marathon); teaching young girls to be healthy, joyful and confident through GOTR; living the YWCA mission of eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.

Community impacts: Race director for YWCA Tulsa’s Race Against Racism; H.O.P.E board member; American Diabetes Association/Tulsa’s Young Professionals board intern; Toastmasters 2013-14 district treasurer; Toastmasters Breakfast Club vice president of public relations; event committee member for various nonprofits.

Jo Bright

Occupation/role: Retired; former director, Salvation Army North Mabee Boys & Girls Club.

Passions: Children and education; She believes that college is a must for every child and tries to provide as

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TulsaPeople AUGUST 2013

many opportunities and exposures as possible — college visitations, TCC, and job-ready programs.

Community impacts: Assisted more than 20,000 children at the Mabee Center through cultural, recreational and education programs including college prep, tutoring, and mentoring; former Tulsa Air and Space Museum board member; founder of a free ACT college examination preparation program for high school students.

Sgt. Stephanie Jackson

Occupation/role: Family Violence Unit supervisor, Tulsa Police Department; adjunct professor, University of Phoenix.

Passions: Volunteering at various Tulsa charities with the goal of building up young women through mentoring, service projects and education; advocating for victims of domestic violence.

Community impacts: Domestic Violence Intervention Services board member; national instructor for child passenger safety; domestic violence instructor for Tulsa Police Department; member of Tulsa Black Police Officers’ Coalition and Delta Sigma Theta service sorority.

Dr. Brenda Lloyd-Jones

Occupation/role: Associate chair and associate professor, University of Oklahoma-Tulsa.

Passion: Making a positive impact in the lives of children and their families.

Community impacts: President of The Mothers Group Inc.; focus group facilitator for the OU Wayman Tisdale Specialty Health Clinic; mentor with New Voices, a collaboration between Leadership Tulsa and the Tulsa Area United Way; founder of the annual Santa Community Project in Tulsa.

Carlisha Williams

Occupation/role: Founder and executive director, Women Empowering Nations; 2011 Teach for America Corps member; motivational speaker.

Passions: Mentoring young women; youth leadership development; education; international travel; inspiring individuals internationally to lead, serve and be the change they want to see in the world.

Community impacts: Organizes/ leads Women Empowering Nations’ Literacy and Empowerment program, Girls Leading Our World mentor program and annual leadership conference; hosts/facilitates experiential learning travel seminars to West Africa for Tulsa teens; educator, KIPP Tulsa College Prep; U.S. Goodwill Ambassador to the Republic of Gambia, West Africa; Miss Black Oklahoma U.S.A. 2007; 2013 Circle of Friends in Service Award recipient; member, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. and Metropolitan Baptist Church. tþ

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WHAT IT’S LIKE

First-person experiences

Marsupial with a message A Tulsa author tackles the issue of bullying through a character named for her own mixed heritage.

by LINDSAY WHELCHEL

Why did you develop the Mexiroo book series? I think, sometimes, whenever you have that (mixed) heritage, you can feel like you maybe don’t fit in because you are different than a lot of the students around you.

When I volunteered with Big Brothers Big Sisters and was a C.A.S.A. (Court Appointed Special Advocate), I found that a lot of the children that I dealt with came from these multicultural backgrounds, and their self-esteem was pretty much nonexistent because they were being bullied and picked on. These kids would say, “I’m different, because I’m half this or half that,” and that’s kind of where the whole Mexiroo thing got started.

What have you learned from your own heritage and living abroad?

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TulsaPeople AUGUST 2013

Cindy Lou Barraza is the creator of Mexiroo, a children’s character promoting compassion and positive self-esteem.

Evan Taylor

W

hat do a kangaroo and a sombrero have in common, you ask? A colorful creature named Mexiroo, who has come to life in a children’s book series by Tulsa native and author Cindy Lou Barraza.

Mexiroo is an imaginary character with a purpose: reminding children to have compassion for one another in their daily lives, regardless of their heritage or diversity.

Barraza, who calls herself “the original Mexiroo,” is of Mexican and Irish heritage and is a dual citizen of the U.S. and Australia. She also has lived in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

When a friend jokingly called her Mexiroo, the nickname developed into an idea for others to embrace their mixed heritage.

The first book in Barraza’s Mexiroo series, “Mexiroo Says, ‘So What!!’” teaches children to avoid bullying and celebrate their differences. She is working on a second Mexiroo book, which focuses on healthy habits.

It definitely opens your eyes to so many different things. People are the same around the world. They’re different in their cultures, but deep down they’re all still the same. They have the same wants, the same needs, regardless of where they’re from. There’s no way you could ever learn in a classroom the things that you can learn by traveling.

kids can relate to and that you are touching on bullying and getting it out to these kids so they can understand what it is and how to stand up for themselves.” A lot of the things you see on bullying today tend to be focused on (students who are) high school age, but if we can nip it in the bud when these kids are younger, it won’t get to that.

don’t have to be dealing with it as they get older. A lot of our population today is mixed heritage. If I can stop one child from committing suicide because they’ve been bullied and didn’t know how to address it and let them know it’s OK that they’re not like everybody else, I feel like this has all been worthwhile. tþ

What feedback are you receiving from parents on the Mexiroo series? The parents are like, “I’m so glad you created something these

What is your long-term hope for this project? If we can influence and change the patterns and habits these kids have at a younger age, they

For more information, visit www.mexiroo.com.

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STOREFRONT

Looking at small businesses

Inspired fellowship 306 Phoenix House provides welcoming community activities for all.

by LINDSEY NEAL KUYKENDALL

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TulsaPeople AUGUST 2013

Shela Tarwater and Celeste McNeal, co-owners of 306 Phoenix House

Evan Taylor

O

nce upon a time, the building at 306 W. Phoenix Ave. was called the Peace House, and was run by three women. The Peace House held peace meetings, trainings in nonviolent communication, musical events and vegetarian potlucks.

History repeats itself. For the last year and a half, what is now simply 306 Phoenix House has developed into a community gathering place, again led by three women.

Celeste McNeal, a yoga instructor and childbirth doula, originally met Shela Tarwater in 2009 when she was finishing up her degree at OU-Tulsa. In a near-instant bond, they formed a monthly women’s circle, an empowerment group where women could come together to talk and support one another. What the group lacked in a formal meeting place, it made up for in successful gatherings and energetic friendships.

Tulsans may recognize 306 Phoenix House as the former Blue Jackalope, a small grocery store with a bent for fellowship. Tarwater drove by the grocery one day and saw the building vacant, its future in question. She consulted McNeal about the property with their group in mind.

“It was initially an opportunity to have our classes in one centrally located place,” McNeal says. “We were like, ‘Oh, this is perfect, we can have all of our classes here instead of jumping all over the place.’ We said, ‘We want to put down roots.’”

And with that, they became the new kids on the block.

Thirteen-year-old Haven Theseas lives down the street and welcomes the new community house.

“I remember when Celeste just walked down the road and gathered everybody that was outside, and we just did a little yoga class,” Theseas

recalls. “And that was my first yoga class. I think ever since then, my life has been really different. ... It changed my whole way of thinking about things.

“Before I met the Phoenix House people, I sat inside, ate junk food, played video games,” he says, “and now I feel like the most active person I’ve ever been. And I feel like for the first time, I actually want to go out and do something to help other people.”

Rose McCracken entered the picture in late 2012. She has since become one of the more active community members.

“I also came from a more mainstream background and currently serve as the development director for the Tulsa Symphony,” McCracken says. “I knew I had a desire or

purpose to make a difference, and I couldn’t define it. ... Coming to the Phoenix House was like coming home for me. It was like I found my family.”

Now, 306 Phoenix House offers much more than just yoga, although classes have expanded to include specialized yoga such as Kundalini (the yoga of awareness), prenatal yoga, children’s yoga, and family yoga. Other ongoing classes include rhythm and drums, breathwork and meditation. They charge on a sliding scale of $5-15 per class.

“We want this to be affordable for people,” Tarwater says. “When you come to a class, you just put however much you can pay that day into the basket. No questions asked.”

The space also hosts special events, including live music, com-

edy improv troupes, holistic and metaphysical workshops, training for yoga teachers, potlucks, small festivals and street parties. Tulsans can rent the Phoenix House for private events, too, though usage must align with the owners’ mission statement: “Honoring spirit. Connecting people.

Nurturing life.”

“It’s all about the spirit that connects us,” McNeal explains. “We are very cognizant of that. When we start thinking about how far we’ve come in this 306 Phoenix House venture, it’s bigger than us. It’s so much bigger than us. It does come down to love.” tþ

Visit www.306phoenixhouse.com for a schedule of classes and events.

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LUNCH WITH

Noshing with the newsworthy NUMBERS

School discipline by the numbers

Ric Baser

Vice president and chief academic officer, Tulsa Community College Date: June 12 • Time: 3 p.m. • Place: Panera Bread

by MISSY KRUSE

A

nniversaries are always worth celebrating, particularly when they acknowledge growth and success. That’s why Tulsa Community College’s Ric Baser and I took an afternoon break over icy drinks on Tulsa’s first sweltering summer day to talk about the Tulsa Achieves program. It is one of the myriad aspects of TCC he oversees as vice president and chief academic officer.

You’d have to be new to town to be unaware of this groundbreaking solution to help young people obtain a college degree.

For free.

To refresh your memory, it started when TCC President Tom McKeon wanted to make college a reality for every Tulsa County high school senior.

In March 2007, the school announced the Tulsa Achieves plan, which one TCC official likened to the GI Bill.

Those applying must have maintained a minimum 2.0 GPA. TCC covers tuition and fees by combining funds from its budget with grants and other scholarship sources, Baser explains.

If a student doesn’t qualify for outside monies, TCC foots the entire bill. A generous donor established a separate fund to cover book costs, if needed.

Graduates leave with no debt.

“They had no idea what to expect” in response to the offer, says Baser, who at the time was serving in a similar position at Rose State College in Midwest City — but 1,300 eligible students applied for the fall 2007 semester. That was 300 more than the previous year.

“We’ve averaged 1,500-1,600 a year since then,” coming into

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TulsaPeople AUGUST 2013

Ric Baser the program, he says. That means 2,500 Tulsa Achieves freshmen and sophomores on TCC campuses each semester, and a total of 9,000 Tulsa County students who have benefited from the program to date.

Additionally, the percentage of minorities represented in Tulsa Achieves is much higher, he tells me, giving opportunities to some who may have never thought college possible.

The results have made Tulsa Achieves a national model. Its students shine academically.

“They are our best performers,” Baser notes, and significantly exceed non-Tulsa Achieves students as far as their completion rate, especially when they transfer to a four-year institution.

They also are becoming dedicated volunteers. After completing the 40 hours of annual community service that Tulsa Achieves also requires, “we see a significant number who continue to volunteer,” Baser says.

“From a civic, student engagement standpoint, it’s a huge success.”

Have they met their goals for this unique program?

“I don’t think five years ago we knew what those goals would be,” he says honestly. Starting up, “it was like taking off in an airplane and then building it after you (were in the air.) We’ve shored up (the program’s) infrastructure because it is much bigger than we thought.”

TCC has added a director and three advisors to work with the Tulsa Achieves students on campus as well as in the high schools. Also, each Tulsa Achieves student must now take a three-hour orientation course that helps them improve study skills and learn how to navigate the college system.

“Students who complete the course show double-digit success in navigating courses like algebra, lab sciences, psychology, U.S. history,” Baser says.

Because the orientation course has been so successful, “this fall we will require it of every student, which is about 87 percent of incoming students.”

How has Tulsa Achieves benefited the city and the state?

“It’s expanding the base and cultivating students that would not have been college students,” he says, “so those students will have a higher earning income. They’re going to be more attractive to companies and businesses looking for more qualified employees.”

It also has re-engaged students in the community, and perhaps most importantly, “it gives students hope that wasn’t there before,” Baser adds.

And that, it would seem, is worth every penny. tþ

by ALDEN VAN PATTEN

N

early 1,400 Tulsa Public Schools faculty and staff participated in a January survey to gauge school safety and discipline in relation to academic achievement.

The recently released survey results will help TPS create a plan to improve students’ academic success and the district as a whole, according to a press release.

“Teacher and leader effectiveness has gone a long way toward ensuring that we have the best teachers in TPS classrooms ...” says Superintendent Dr. Keith Ballard.

“However, we also recognize that there are barriers to student success ... By making some adjustments in how we respond to a handful of students with chronic behavior issues, we have an opportunity to positively impact student achievement.”

41

Percent of the TPS educators surveyed said too much class time is spent on discipline.

76

Percent said most discipline problems in their schools are caused by a small number of students.

2-4

Students per class on average have serious chronic behavior or conduct problems, according to respondents.

73

Percent of educators reported having a written discipline plan with stated expectations and consequences.

30

Percent reported parents are “never” or “rarely” involved in their children’s education.

52

Percent reported most parents have given schools the responsibility of disciplining their children.

71

Percent recommended students attend mandatory classes on conflict resolution and building character.

60

Percent of respondents who claimed to have few students with chronic behavior problems attributed it to strong relationships with students. Other reasons included high expectations, consistent treatment of students, clearly posted classroom rules and a supportive principal and staff.

For a complete report of survey results, visit www.tulsaschools.org.

EVERYDAY STORIES

Tulsans you shoud know

Green teaching queen

by MEGAN GAY

A

room of squealing 4-yearolds is a tough crowd for most, but for preschool teacher Toni Willis, it’s a joy.

After working at B’nai Emunah Preschool for just over a year, Willis has already taken teaching to a new level. In her classroom she emphasizes “going green” and makes recycling a focus for her students during the school day.

“I recycle and compost at home, and we have made (recycled pieces) a feature of our classroom,” Willis says.

The room features a box of repurposed items for students to make their own art projects such as jet

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TulsaPeople AUGUST 2013

Evan Taylor

B’Nai Emunah Preschool teacher Toni Willis brings green activities to life in her classroom. packs, and a paper recycling bin encouraging reuse for writing, painting and drawing. Willis also teaches her students to search for the recycle symbol on their items, a lesson many of them take home.

“We have had a number of reports from the parents of our students telling us that their child will point out that symbol and say, ‘We don’t throw this away, we can recycle it!’”

Willis says.

She commutes to work by bicycle and uses her energy-saving mode of transportation to demonstrate how the forces of motion and friction can impact her and her bike.

“This was a big hit for the kids, and

later I observed a couple of my students showing their friends on the playground a similar experiment by using a tricycle,” she recalls.

A Tulsan for the past 13 years, Willis is taking classes at Tulsa Community College and hopes to finish her degree in early childhood education through the University of Oklahoma – Tulsa.

Outside of teaching, she loves to cook and has done some comedy improvisation, which she says has made her “a few dozen dollars.”

During the summer, she works with teachers to create projects in their classrooms inspired by children’s authors. This summer’s project

focuses on Lois Ehlert and involves many natural, found and upcycled materials. Willis and her husband Matthew, a drummer and founding member of Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, also are working on a children’s story and music performance project.

Willis says being a teacher allows her to see the world differently.

“Children teach me to see the smaller details that often go missed in the world due to ‘being too busy,’” she says. “When I stop and really check out a bug and make that my whole focus, my busy world slows down and brings a true sense of calm.” tþ

The Collaboration Of Two Iconic Italian Brands:

The Classic FIAT 500 By Gucci Edition The successful FIAT 500 and 500c (Cabrio) by Gucci Edition are back in the United States…by customer demand. The special Gucci Edition models offer the perfect combination of Italian craftsmanship and style in a small car, and brings two of Italy’s most respected brands together for an encore.

“The new limited-edition 2013 FIAT 500 and 500c Gucci Edition models present a new discrete appearance inside and out,” The 2-door FIAT® 500 by Gucci says Colt Nipps, manager of Chris Nikel Fiat. “It doesn’t get any better than having two brands like Gucci and FIAT collaborating on a car that is destined to be a true classic. We are very excited to have these new models in our Tulsa studio.”

The FIAT 500 and 500c by Gucci Edition is a high-quality small car loaded with craftsmanship, technology and style…and priced from

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Come test-drive a small car that lives big. Italian at heart and rooted in a rich heritage, the FIAT is synonymous with modern, simple design blending form, function and pride of ownership that is genuine.

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ARTIST IN RESIDENCE

Highlighting local talent

Okie iconic One would never guess Tulsa-area artist John Hammer is new to the painting scene.

by JUDY LANGDON

T

hose who frequent Guthrie Green, the popular new Brady Arts District park, might have caught a glimpse of a painting of the iconic Blue Whale of Catoosa or Tulsa’s famous Golden Driller. They are the works of selftaught artist John Hammer, who recently opened a booth at the Green, and are included in his “Okie Icon” series.

Hammer, an Okmulgee native who resides in Claremore, only began his painting career in May 2012, after spending 27 years in graphic design, a profession he continues under the name HAMMER Designs.

Which artists have influenced you the most? I would say some of my favorite artists are Van Gogh, Norman Rockwell and Andy Warhol. I also think graphic design has been a large influence on my paintings.

Do you have a favorite painting among those in your body of work? My favorite painting at this time would have to be of the Tulsa

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TulsaPeople AUGUST 2013

Evan Taylor

How long have you wanted to be an artist? I have always wanted to be an artist for as long as I can remember. When I was in the third grade, I remember winning an art competition, and (I) won several others through high school. I would also draw pictures from Cracked and MAD magazines and of KISS to sell to the other students.

I am self-taught as a fine artist and just started painting last May (I’ve talked about doing it for the past 25 years). When it came time for college, I was advised by my art teacher to pursue graphic design and have made a career out of that for the last 27 years.

tute of Technology, Hammer’s alma mater). Thirteen of them fill a Student Union lounge ...

I have a booth most Sundays at the Guthrie Green Sunday Market through October. ... I am also planning a new Driller piece for the “Oh, Tulsa!” show at Living Arts.

At this point, I create and promote my own gallery shows at available venues around town. Part of the beauty of being a graphic designer is that I can create my own promotional pieces. My plan is to continue to expand my reach and exposure until it’s worldwide. I haven’t quite figured that out yet, but when I do, I may have to write a book.

Artist John Hammer in his Claremore studio

Driller. It’s titled “Gleaming.” I’ve always been intrigued by things that are larger than life, so I knew the Driller would be one of my first paintings. The contrail was added once I was finished and knew it needed something. It gives the Driller almost a heroic, space-age feel, like he’s protecting the city. It’s interesting how one little thing can change the feel of a painting.

From where do you receive your inspiration and what medium do

you use? I would say my inspiration at this time comes from challenging myself to paint different subjects.

I’ve painted buildings, animals, landscapes and portraits.

I use acrylics. The best thing about acrylics is how fast they dry. It allows me to work fast.

Besides your website, where else are your works showing? I have had the privilege of doing 14 commissioned pieces for OSUIT in Okmulgee (Oklahoma State University Insti-

What are your plans for future paintings? I will continue to paint more of my “Okie Icon” series that focuses on anything that stands for, represents or brings back a memory of things in Oklahoma. I will be traveling to Huntington Beach, Calif., (this month) and plan to take a lot of reference photos for a series of California paintings. I lived there for a few years after college, and it’s still dear to me. I find there are a lot of Okies and Californians still connected these days.

I just finished 12 new paintings based on “The Big Lebowski” movie for a show titled “The Art Abides,” and I’m currently working on some commissioned pieces that range from buildings in Okmulgee, a miniature donkey, some portraits and a John Deere tractor. ... Commissions are ... a big influence on the future of my paintings — you never know what someone might ask you to paint. tþ

See more of Hammer’s work at www.thehammerstudio.com.

POSTGAME

Getting to know top Tulsa athletes

Dan Dixon The former Cascia Hall star experienced college football like no one else.

by DOUG EATON

A

What was the highlight of your Cascia Hall career? No doubt, it was winning the state championship in football my junior year. Playing for Coach Joe Medina was great.

How did your move to OU come

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TulsaPeople AUGUST 2013

How would you describe your football career? My football career was somewhat of a rollercoaster and was filled with a lot of challenges, but I’m proud of myself for the way I handled all of it. I credit much of my college football success to trainer Jay Schroeder, based out of Phoenix, Ariz. He was instrumental in helping me overcome my injury and transformed me from a mediocre Ivy League player to an exceptional college athlete. I would also like to add what an important role my family had in helping me navigate my career. Without their love and support, I certainly would not have recovered from my injury and finished my career on a positive note.

Dan Dixon in his midtown office about? I was recruited to Cornell as a running back. In early season workouts that August, I suffered a hip injury. I was unable to play any games that season, and I took a medical leave of absence the next season trying to get back to 100 percent. I then decided to come back to Oklahoma and try to get well and then play football at OU. I always wanted to play defense, and at OU I played safety.

What made you decide to walk on at OU? I probably had a chip on my shoulder after suffering my injury at Cornell and enduring all the frustration it brought on. I had a lot of confidence in my abilities, but I had

Evan Taylor

product of one of Cascia Hall’s many state championship football teams, Dan Dixon naturally wanted to continue his football career in college.

Little did he know that his gridiron odyssey would take him to three Division I football programs and across two continents before he would hang up his shoulder pads.

Dixon started his college career at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., but decided to return closer to home and walked on at the University of Oklahoma. However, a nagging injury incurred at Cornell hampered his efforts. He played for two years at OU before graduating with a degree in political science.

While pursuing a master’s degree in public policy at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., Dixon found that, through a quirk in the NCAA rules, he had eligibility left. He played two seasons (21 games) at defensive back for the Wildcats.

He is likely the only person to play football in the Ivy League, Big 12 Conference and the Big Ten Conference.

And, oh, yes, along the way, Dixon was named to the All-Big 12 Academic Team, won the Derrick Shepard Award for the most inspirational player at OU and later was named to the All-Big 10 Academic Team.

If that weren’t enough, Dixon closed out his playing career with the Dusseldorf Dragons, a German pro team while working in Europe. Today, he lives in Tulsa and works in finance with the Frederic Russell Investment Management Co. TulsaPeople spoke to Dixon about his unique football career.

two All-Americans — Brodney Pool and Donte Nicholson — playing in front of me. But I was able to gain the attention of the coaches because I played hard in practice and made a lot of plays. Playing at OU was very demanding and very challenging, yet it was very rewarding.

How would you compare the football programs at Cornell, OU and Northwestern? OU was the closest to professional football. The expectations of the college athlete were the highest there. Cornell was completely the other side of the coin. But Northwestern was the perfect blend of the two, and I think that’s why I enjoyed my time there so much.

How did you start playing for a German team? It was by far the most fun thing I had done since high school in terms of football. I was working in Germany as a commodities trader.

The league there has some ex-NFL players and some American excollege players. It was on par with the 1-AA football that we have here in the states. My friends encouraged me to try it. I played in 16 games for Dusseldorf and it was awesome. I really enjoyed it.

What intangibles do you think you gained from your college football experience? I think I learned how to be more adaptable and learned more about the ability to overcome challenges. Playing for three different programs in a relatively short time required me to learn to adjust to different situations, different environments and totally different styles of play.

What brought you back to Tulsa, and what have you done since?

I love Tulsa for many reasons; the quality of life is exceptional, the neighborhoods are beautiful, and the economy is booming. Mostly though, what brought me back to Tulsa was my family and professional opportunities. tþ

Woolaroc p r e s e n t s

the

Lewis CLARK & “ corps of discovery”

Art Exhibit & Sale

Sept. 27 & 28 Interpreting the Journals of

Lewis & Clark Charles Fritz & Michael Haynes Sculptures By: Richard Greeves Paintings By:

Exhibit open to the public Sept. 28 through Dec. 29, 2013

Our lead sponsors: Hale Family Foundation • Osage Casinos/Osage Nation ABB • William S. and Ann Atherton Foundation 888-WOOLAROC • WWW.WOOLAROC.ORG

BARTLESVILLE, OK

NOT SO LONG AGO

Stories from Tulsa’s past

Ollie Ollie Oxen Free I

by JOHN HAMILL

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TulsaPeople AUGUST 2013

Hoover Elementary School’s pre-fab buildings

Evan Taylor

t was a glorious summer of Kick the Can, Ollie Ollie Oxen Free, Wiffle ball, water gun battle royals and Championship Wrestling, frightening the lady across the street.

That summer before the sixth grade, when you could still be a kid and read comic books and watch Saturday morning cartoons.

The only care in the world was the threat of polio. But moms countered that threat by keeping you inside during the heat of the day, because the concern of the time was that you could “catch” polio.

As soon as the relative cool of the evening came, it was out to the front yard. The next-door neighbors had, thankfully, not littered their yard with saplings as nearly everyone along South Toledo Avenue between East 52nd and 53rd streets had. (Today, it’s a forest.) Oh, your dad did, but it was on the south part of the front yard next to the driveway. As a result, you had about three-fourths of your yard north to the entirety of Allan and Tommy Stark’s yard for a ball field.

Home plate was a few feet from the Starks’ driveway. First base was the corner of the flowerbed at the far corner of their house. Second base was across the yard at a rock next to the curb along Toledo. (We only had two bases — this was Wiffle ball, with its plastic bat and plastic ball with holes in it.) Even the neighborhood strongman, Bobby Conine, couldn’t smash the ball much farther than my driveway — and then the breeze had to be coming from behind him.

When it wasn’t Wiffle ball, it might be Kick the Can up the street to Larry Nelson’s back yard. It backed up to a creek that ran through the neighborhood (that creek today has disappeared as a storm sewer).

The can would be in the middle of

Nelson’s back yard and the trick was to sneak up the creek bed and make a dash to kick the can to free all of “Its” prisoners. “It” claimed prisoners by spying on players, running to put his foot on the can and yelling, “One, two, three on Clyde hiding behind the oak tree!” When we finally tired of the game, “It” would call, “Ollie Ollie Oxen Free!” Don’t get me started on whether it was “Alley Alley All are Free” or something similar. In our neighborhood it was “Ollie Ollie Oxen Free,” and that’s that.

Some evenings we’d arm ourselves with various water pistols and guns.

There were no “Super Soakers” in those days, with the exception of my weapon. I borrowed a red plastic to-

mato about the size of a softball that my mother used to put catsup in.

Filled that with water and could soak a kid in a minute, thank you.

We were fans of Championship Wrestling on Channel 6. We knew it was fake because we learned how to imitate Red McKim, who appeared on the show. Clyde and his little brother, Tommy; Allan and his little brother, Tommy; and I would “play” Championship Wrestling in our front yards. We were pretty darn good at it as Mrs. Dale VanZant from across the street once dashed out of her house to break up the “fight” she thought she was witnessing.

Soon, summer ended. Carnegie Elementary School was to open for the

first time. Bobby Conine and I were going to be sixth graders as sweating on the field of play turned into sweating in a stifling classroom. But opening a new school, even if in “prefabs” (as the portable buildings were known), helped take a bit of the sting off the end of an idyllic summer — the last one for those of us who had no idea that we were saying goodbye to our childhood. tþ

Freelance writer John Hamill is the author/ co-author of three books on Tulsa and the former editor of TulsaPeople.

He also teaches writing at The University of Tulsa.

SPONSORED EDITORIAL Executive Leadership Series session at the Greenwood Cultural Center (top and bottom).

THE THIRD DECADE 1993-2003 Founding of Leadership Tulsa

Youth Leadership Class 7

YLT Class doing High Ropes Course

L

eadership Tulsa,founded in 1973, is celebrating forty years of service with a look back at the people and activities that have enriched its history. By the start of its third decade, Leadership Tulsa had just successfully hosted the annual conference of the National Leadership Association and held its 20th class. The Paragon Awards and the annual holiday party were well-established alumni events and discussions began about forming a youth leadership program to complement the adult program. The first Youth Leadership Tulsa program was hosted during the ‘96/’97 school year. In 1997, the new Leadership Tulsa logo with the starburst design was created along with a 25th anniversary logo. Tulsa People featured a story about Leadership Tulsa’s 25th anniversary in the spring of 1998. By 2001, programs had expanded yet again with the addition of the Executive Leadership Series. This period was also a time of transitions in Executive Directors (see inset below) with several capable individuals serving in that role before handing over the position to current Executive Director, Wendy Thomas in 2002.

PRESIDENTS OF THE LEADERSHIP TULSA BOARD 1993-2003 Matt Davis (1993-94) Mary Mitchell (1994-95) Tom McKeon (1995-96) Tamara Rains (1996-97) Hannibal Johnson (1997-98) Lynette Troyer (1998-99) Steve Wood (1999-2000) Alan Aaron (2000-01) Lynn Flinn (2001-02) Adam Seaman (2002-03)

EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS OF LEADERSHIP TULSA Shirley Scott (1977-1987) Sharon Gallagher (1987-1994) Jayme Cox (1994-1996) Sharon Gallagher (1997-2000) Karen Senger (2000-2001) Wendy Thomas (2002-present)

Leadership Tulsa feature in TulsaPeople, April ‘98 TulsaPeople.com

31

BARRY FRIEDMAN AT LARGE

One man’s opinion

Did Louisiana beat us?

Stay hydrated, my friends.

by BARRY FRIEDMAN Excluding geography At Tulsa International Airport, the ad on the wall read …

We’re Pumped! TU is the highest ranked university in Oklahoma. And Kansas. And Arkansas. And New Mexico. And Arizona. And Mississippi.

Okay, stop — we get it.

But really? Mississippi and Arkansas were in the control group?

Overheard: The 86-year-old Las Vegas man after being told what a cosmopolitan city Tulsa is becoming: “Doesn’t it know it’s in Oklahoma?”

Ups and downs  … Camp Quest for being a place, according to its director, Mary Eversole, that focuses on “ … the humanist, freethinking, skeptic, atheist, agnostic side.”

If nothing else, you get Can I go? ep in on Sundays

to sle

 … Hillcrest Medical Center for operating an air transport service for high-risk obstetrics patients.  … Oral Roberts University for its clunky, uninspiring slogan: Make No Little Plans Here. Who helped you with this, the mayor?

ment from her office that doesn’t make us want to stick our hand in a NutriBullet®.

In which two hogs wonder, “They do know we’re not feral, right?

A state law now allows farmers to kill not only hogs, but also coyotes from the air on private land.

Marriage is between one husband and one wife. Okay, maybe one more … each. But that’s it! There’s a tradition to maintain. So 1.4 milliseconds after the Supreme Court ruled the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional and gave states the right to allow gay marriages, Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin essentially released the following statement: Ewwww.

“Like the vast majority of Oklahomans, I support traditional marriage,” said the twice-married governor. “I do not and will not support expanding the definition of marriage to include same-sex couples.”

Just once we’d like to read a state-

A bad idea, badly spoken Mayor Dewey Bartlett on the city council’s decision to allow merchants in the Brady District to determine the area’s name: “Because it’s a direct impact upon them. And if a change does occur, then it’s them that will absorb the brunt of whatever decision is made, either keep it the same or not.”

What the mayor does to the language is enough to make our English teacher, Mrs. Gasman, start abusing Dilaudid.

We continue.

The Brady name is a sore, a reminder of a weekend in May more than 90 years ago that is neither fully forgot-

We are so stealing this

You had us at hot pink tank top In what has to be the greatest imagery ever written about noodling (hand fishing), The Oklahoman wrote, “When Lucy Millsap [aka “Bare Knuckles Babe”] walked onstage in a hot pink tank top with a 72-pound catfish hoisted over her shoulder, the crowd couldn’t help but take notice.”

Neither could we.

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TulsaPeople AUGUST 2013

Rule 49: Never trust a man with an initial for a first name.

ten nor adequately remembered.

It is the nimbostratus cloud over the city.

Tulsans, all of us, should decide if it should be changed — not the owner of a tattoo parlor who just moved into the neighborhood.

Thanks Barney. Can I talk to Andy now? “His hands and feet were tied and the body had been decapitated.

Tulsa police told KRMG the death was due to suicide.”

Dumb Criminal of the Month (State Edition) After a Durant woman sold pot to detectives twice in the span of a day, she said to the arresting officer, “I knew y’all were cops.”

Yeah, well, they knew you weren’t no Rhodes Scholar, neither.

Someday, and that day may never come, I’ll call upon you to do a service for me For all the joking about Pastor Keith Cressman’s lawsuit against Oklahoma over the depiction of a Native American on the state’s license plate, one point was lost: He was right.

Ah, talking pigs.

Barry’s sensitive side

Personally, I wouldn’t get my vestments in a wad over this, but if Cressman, who’s pastor at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Bethany, doesn’t want his church vans promoting a message — according to his attorney that “might imply his approval of contrary beliefs, such as that God and nature are one, that other deities exist, or that ‘animals, plants, rocks, and other natural phenomena have souls or spirits” — the state should give him another option … and it should be the same price as a regular tag.

And then come next December, when someone in Bethany wants to erect a manger on public land, I trust Cressman will be just as offended and supportive of those who don’t want to “imply” approval of beliefs they don’t have.

(Pastor, one more thing: Did you run this ‘dogs have no souls’ thing by those in your congregation who actually have dogs? Because that could get nasty.)

Things we never thought we’d say: We miss John Sullivan. tþ

Yeah, how ‘bout it, pastor?

Barry Friedman is a national touring comedian, the author of “Road Comic” and “Funny You Should Mention It,” and doesn’t trust anyone who refers to him or herself in the third person.

RESTAURANT

WEEK

SEPTEMBER 7-15 DURING HUNGER ACTION MONTH

BENEFITING THE COMMUNITY FOOD BANK OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA’S FOOD FOR KIDS PROGRAM

Mark your calendar for Tulsa’s most delicious week of the year!

Tulsa Restaurant Week will kick off Saturday, Sept. 7 and run for nine days including two full weekends. Tulsa’s top restaurants will offer prix-fixe meals for a low, fixed price and donate ten percent to the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma’s Food for Kids program. Donations will be generously matched up to $25,000 by the George Kaiser Family Foundation.

Threecourse

Lunch* • $12.95

Threecourse

Dinner* • $25 per person, $35 per person or $35 for two *Excluding tax, tip and beverage

2013 PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS BY AREA* DOWNTOWN

BROOKSIDE

CHERRY STREET/UTICA

Baxter’s Interurban Grill Dilly Deli El Guapo’s Cantina James E. McNellie’s The Chalkboard The Tavern The Vault Yokozuna

Cosmo Café In the Raw KEO Sonoma Bistro

McGill’s on 21st Street Palace Café Polo Grill SMOKE. On Cherry Street The Wild Fork

Presented by:

MIDTOWN Bodean Restaurant Cardigan’s

Sponsors:

WAGONER

The Canebrake

Benefiting: Fighting Hunger, Feeding Hope

Community FOOD BANK of Eastern Oklahoma

SOUTH TULSA Bluestone Steakhouse Bonefish Grill French Hen James E. McNellie’s South KEO South McGill’s on 61st Street Michael V’s The Melting Pot *as of 7/15/13 Villa Ravenna

DOWNLOAD THE TULSAPEOPLE iPad/iPhone APP FREE AT THE APP STORE! The September app edition will include a special Restaurant Week section with menus, videos and more!

VISIT TULSAPEOPLE.COM BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 1 FOR RESTAURANT WEEK MENUS.

Smartly dressed A welcome change or reign of the fashion police? Students, parents and staff comment on the new district-wide uniform policy.

K

by JANE ZEMEL

Khakis. They’re the new black. This school

season’s must-haves. And that’s not fashion jargon — students really must have khakis to attend class in Tulsa Public Schools.

The classic pants, shorts, and oxford and polo shirts on the approved wardrobe list may not be coming down any designer runways this fall, but they’ll fill the corridors of every school as part of Regulation 2601-R, the TPS uniform policy.

Stylist to the stars Rachel Zoe would hardly call the look “major,” but since 2006, all middle school students have been required to wear uniforms. In 2011, the district’s elementary and junior high students joined in, along with East Central and McLain high schools and the new Will Rogers College High School.

By Day 1 of the 2012-13 school year, uniforms were the order of the day for all students, in all grades, at all TPS schools. It’s like a never-ending game of “Who Stole My Look?” for the Joan Rangers of Joan Rivers’ “Fashion Police.”

Yet the biggest surprise of the new policy is how smoothly it happened and how little resistance it generated.

“It all started when a group of high school principals came to me with the idea, citing safety and security issues,” says TPS Superintendent Dr. Keith Ballard. Initially, there was a strong reaction that included a large number of emails, lots of activity at school board meetings — even student protests at the meetings.

“I was impressed with the students,” Ballard says.

“They were respectful and articulate in getting their point across.”

Since the implementation, both sides have calmed down.

“Now, there is no competition among students for designer this or designer that,” he says. “But we did have some pockets of pretty fierce opposition.”

Daniel Kupetsky of Booker T. Washington High School was one of the students protesting.

“The objection for me was that the uniform was uncomfortable and unnecessary,” Kupetsky says.

“Other students argued for the right to express themselves.”

Now, he admits, “I can live with it. It’s not a huge deal, but it didn’t help anything. And there are still people who miss class for code violations.”

34

TulsaPeople AUGUST 2013

Daniel’s mom, Michelle Cantrell, objected to the policy, too, but for different reasons. With three boys in three different schools with three different uniform requirements, this new policy hit her in the wallet.

“Before, they would have worn jeans with one of the countless hundreds of running shirts we had,” she says. “I know it sounds easy to put on a uniform, but finding a belt in the morning or not having clean khakis can be more stressful — and more expensive.”

White oxford shirts are the one item all three boys can wear, but that gives their mom little comfort.

“Those get stained,” she says.

Many parents of girls feel differently. Donna Keffer’s little fashionista is about to be a first grader, but already — thanks to the uniform policy — mornings with Madeline have taken a turn for the better.

“There isn’t a battle over what she’ll wear,” her visibly relieved mom says.

Their discussions have shifted to how Madeline can personalize her uniform look. Striped or polka dot leggings in school colors often do the trick. Hair bows and barrettes help. And footwear, of course.

“She wants shoes to make her run faster so she can catch the boys,” Keffer says. “Her turquoise sequin tennis shoes are good for that.”

The skirts, jumpers, shirts, pants and shorts in Madeline’s closet can be mixed and matched to make about 10 outfits. She is not really partial to pants, but the shorts come in handy on the days she wants to twirl on the monkey bars.

At Eisenhower, Madeline’s school, uniforms must include the school logo, which can add as much as $5 to the price of a garment.

“There are a couple of places around town that (can add the logo), or I can catch a 1-cent sale at Land’s End,” Keffer says.

The school also hosts a consignment sale every year, a convenient outlet for parents to donate and buy used uniforms.

The uniform policy has certainly changed the pace of business for Chari Edwards of C&J School Uniform Co. Her store originally catered to private and parochial school students, but now serves TPS families, too.

“This is our 18th summer, and the business has grown substantially,” she says.

Local discount and department stores carry the individual pieces that make up the TPS uniform collection, but a uniform store can offer additional perks.

Booker T. Washington High School student Daniel Kupetsky initially protested the new uniform policy, but now admits he can live with it.

“We have sizes parents can’t find in stores, like slims and huskies, from 2T to 54 men’s,” Edwards says. “Our boys’ pants have reinforced knees. Some girls buy the boys’ pants for that reason.”

C&J School Uniform Co. also hems pants and skirts to school-appropriate lengths so they can be adjusted later.

“Customers can bring them back in two or three months so we can let down the hem an inch,” she says. “It’s enough to get them to the next growth spurt.”

Edwards also has seen more family harmony as the uniform policy has spread throughout TPS. She has heard feedback from families shopping in her store that mornings are a lot smoother because it’s easier to get kids dressed, especially girls.

“It cuts down on the confusion in the house and the ugliness at the breakfast table,” she says. “Families can discuss what they’ll do at night rather than argue in the morning.”

For some families, uniforms represent a fashion issue or barrier to personal expression.

For other families, the hurdle is financial. In TPS, 87 percent of students are in the free or reduced-cost lunch program.

Foreseeing potential objections to cost, TPS considered clothing assistance in its uniform policy, stating, “No student will be denied an education due to a bona fide financial inability to obtain clothing that complies with the school dress code.”

The district and individual schools have several options for getting students the khakis, polos and other assorted items they need at a reduced or no cost.

At Will Rogers College High School and Junior High, parents and students are building a uniform closet filled with new or gently worn separates. Principal Stacey Vernon says the items come from the PTA, staff or parents.

School counselors or social workers also get uniforms from other resources.

It helps that most students at Rogers have worn uniforms in earlier grades, so the new policy presented virtually no learning curve.

Some Rogers students even spoke at the school board meeting in spring 2012 in favor of the uniform policy.

And many have found ways to personalize their looks. Students, for example, have leeway with the color and style of lanyards that hold their student IDs. “We allow some flexibility with socks and belts, if they’re not distracting,” Vernon says.

“Some students have hair that’s a different color every week — blue, red, purple (something not allowed in younger grades). That’s one way of expressing themselves.”

The students at Rogers also can request

additions to the approved uniform list, such as blazers with the 1939 school crest.

“They’re for high schoolers only,” Vernon says. “Some students wear them every day; others for college visits.”

The policy has other pluses.

“As an administrator, it’s easy for me to glance down the hall to see if someone isn’t a student and doesn’t belong there,” she says.

For her students, wearing uniforms takes the pressure off and removes the anxiety that can result in keeping up with the Joneses.

“Several students own just two pairs of pants, but no one has to know that,” Vernon adds.

Terri Hozhabri is the executive director of Project Elf, an organization she founded with Laurie Tilley that helps students with the basics they need for school — including uniforms.

“We keep an inventory of kids’, juniors’ and men’s and women’s sizes, mostly new, usually on sale or donated,” she says.

In addition to supplying uniforms, the organization also provides winter coats, hats, gloves and shoes.

Project Elf doesn’t work directly with families, but through school counselors or social workers.

“There are some heart-wrenching stories of parents being out of work or in need,” Hozhabri says. “We have students in every school.

With uniforms, though, no one knows who’s living in a shelter or who’s living in a home.

That’s made it easier on the kids.”

The TPS website provides no shortage of items on the what-not-to-wear list (cue the cheers from parents, school officials, and Stacy and Clinton of the TLC hit TV show by the same name). Gone are exposed bra straps, plunging necklines, off-the-shoulder tops or bare backs. Spaghetti straps are history; tank tops must have shoulder straps that are a minimum of two fingers wide (two adult fingers).

No more tattoos showing, no T-shirts with crude, vulgar, profane or gang-related symbols, mottoes, words or acronyms, according to policy. Excessively large or baggy pants are but a distant memory.

Expectations for the allowed pieces are especially aspirational. Shirts or blouses must be appropriately buttoned. Sleeveless garments can’t expose undergarments or “be otherwise immodest” (there’s a word not heard in many rap songs). Also, “garments must be of appropriate length, cut and/or fit to meet these requirements while sitting and/or bending.”

Really, no butt cracks?

And, in case there was any doubt, suspender straps must be attached and worn on shoulders, zippers on pants and shirts must be zipped (thank you), and belts must be fastened.

Pants and shorts are worn at the waist, which means no boxers or briefs can be visible.

Pant legs can’t puddle on the ground below the heel of the shoe. No bike shorts, no swimwear, no sleepwear. Forget dog collars, tongue rings or studs. Pierced jewelry is for ears only.

Bye-bye house slippers, shower slippers, curlers and bandanas. Sunglasses are no-nos in the classroom. Don’t even think about chains that connect one part of the body to another (was anyone thinking about that?) because it’s strictly taboo.

What about every kid’s favorite staple, the hoodie? The answer varies by school. But as rules are made, rules can change. As Heidi Klum tells her designers, “in fashion, one day you’re in, and the next day you’re out.” tþ Eisenhower International School student Madeline Keffer makes the most of the uniform policy with her accessories.

TulsaPeople.com

35

Part 6 Oklahoma ranks poorly in many national

categories, leading us to explore six of these rankings and the reasons behind them.

for funding public education Oklahoma ranks 48th in spending for public education.

TulsaPeople explores the challenges caused by low state funding and what needs to happen to move our focus “back to school.”

All stories by JENNIE LLOYD

When his fifth-grade home-

room teacher plopped a tub of Dubble Bubble chewing gum on her desk, Kevin Pearson realized what a powerful role teachers play in children’s lives.

The simple action was a game-changer for the 11-year-old because it came shortly after Pearson’s embarrassing diagnosis of Tourette’s syndrome. He and his family tried medications and physical therapy to end the spasms, but nothing worked — except chewing gum.

Nervously, Pearson brought his doctor’s note to the principal and his homeroom teacher, Mrs. Julie Ward. The strict rule was no gum in class, and he was knock-kneed terrified of primary school humiliation.

The day Mrs. Ward walked into school with a tub of bubble gum under her arm, she didn’t address anyone in particular. But she said she’d changed her mind about her rule against gum.

“She said, ‘Everyone can chew gum if they want,’” Pearson says. “She made it very understated, but it completely changed my life. She took this ‘freak’ and made me feel normal. And that was spectacular.

“That’s why I went into teaching,” he says.

“My goal is to reach all of my students. I knew what my mission was.”

Teaching against all odds Fast-forward a few decades. Now Pearson is a vocal music teacher at East Central Junior High and was recently named 2013 Teacher of the Year for Tulsa Public Schools.

With his passion and dedication, Pearson is 36

TulsaPeople AUGUST 2013

the kind of educator every school wants on staff.

And yet he has chosen a modest position in a school with the odds stacked against it; he offers up folk music and Vivaldi and music literacy to some of the poorest middle schoolers in Tulsa.

East Central has a 100 percent participation rate in the free and reduced-cost lunch program, Pearson says.

Yet he is sticking it out.

“I know I’m making an impact,” he says.

“My students need me, and I need my students.”

Despite Pearson’s commitment, he and other Oklahoma teachers today face a number of troubling obstacles: increased pressure from state legislators demanding more accountability; larger class sizes and more grading; and the logistical nightmare of more and more high-stakes testing. All amid statewide budget shortages and unfunded mandates.

Money problems 101 Ask nearly any local educator, and they will likely agree that the biggest problem facing Oklahoma’s public education system is a lack of funding.

“Whenever we see those funding levels go down,” Pearson says, “not only does it impact us in the day to day, it demoralizes us as educators simply because we feel like we don’t matter.”

While public education is partially funded through local property taxes, approved bond measures and donations, the state government appropriates the greatest portion of funding — about 50 percent.

Continued on p. 38

East Central High School vocal music teacher Kevin Pearson, Tulsa Public Schools’ Teacher of the Year, says low funding levels are demoralizing to educators.

TulsaPeople.com

37

Continued from p. 36 Yet since 2009, Oklahoma’s public education budget has been slashed by $221 million or 10.8 percent, according to data analyzed by the Oklahoma Policy Institute (OPI).

From 2009-12, the budget was cut each year as a result of falling state revenue. In 2013, it remained flat — but at less than the 2008 budget. However, less money post-recession did not slow enrollment. Oklahoma has enrolled 31,000 more children into its schools since 2008, bringing 2012-13 enrollment statewide to more than 670,000.

The lower-than-normal funding and increased enrollment has caused a drop in per-student spending by more than 20 percent since 2008, reports the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Only Arizona and Alabama have cut per-pupil spending more deeply over the same period, ranking Oklahoma K-12 schools 48th out of 50 states and the District of Columbia, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The state also ranks 48th in spending on instruction and school-level administration.

While the most recent state legislative approval added $74 million to the state’s public education budget for FY 2014-15, the increase “will go toward the increased student load and not toward adding serTPS Superintendent vices or bringing down stuDr. Keith Ballard dent-teacher ratios,” says Dr. Keith Ballard, TPS superintendent.

A supplemental budget of $17 million also was approved. However, this money is reserved for teachers’ flexible health benefits, which is technically required by law.

“We have a legislature that is not paying attention to these figures,” Ballard says. “We got $74 million in new money when there was a lot more money available. A lot more.”

Although state revenue has increased by $252.8 million in the past year, Ballard explains that until recently, the legislature used the additional revenue to replenish the state’s Rainy Day Fund instead of funding education at a greater level.

“In spite of the $74 million put back into education ... the Common Education share of total state appropriations has declined from 35.9 percent to 33.8 percent,” Ballard says. “The formula funding of Common Ed remains $213 below 2008 levels, despite an increase of 30,000 students statewide.

“This kind of puts the $74 million that the state has put back into education into perspective.”

Ballard became TPS superintendent in the thick of the 2008 recession. Since then, “the state (has) lost about $250-$280 million in education funding,” he says. “That cut Tulsa Public Schools by $22 million.”

How did the district make up for the significant budget crunch?

“We lost 225 teaching positions since 2009 and another 130 positions that are related to the Education Service Center (administrative positions),” Ballard says. “We don’t have enough teachers to do all of our work.”

Only so much to go around Overall, Oklahoma has weathered the recession far better than other states and also has recovered better economically, increasing tax

OKLAHOMA BUDGET ALLOCATED TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION:

Fiscal Year 2008 Fiscal Year 2013 Fiscal Year 2014

35.9%

TulsaPeople AUGUST 2013

More students, fewer teachers With Oklahoma’s public education system operating on a shoestring budget, limits on class size have been suspended because schools don’t have the funds to meet them. Since

PER-STUDENT ANNUAL SPENDING:

U.S. average: $10,834

34.3% 33.8%

Source: Oklahoma State Department of Education

38

revenue 3.8 percent from 2011-12. Yet funding for public education is still relatively low.

“The money is back, and it’s perplexing to me that we are not coming back and funding (schools)” at a higher rate, Ballard says.

Former Oklahoma Secretary of Education Phyllis Hudecki, who spoke to TulsaPeople before leaving office, describes the bleak picture of slashed funding from a different perspective. She oversees all aspects of Oklahoma education, from elementary to vocational and technical schools.

Hudecki, who is a former teacher and school administrator herself, acknowledges the steep budget cuts have caused “consternation and frustration” among education professionals and parents. However, the 2014 budget agreement is at least an improvement over years past, she points out.

The budget “reflects an increase for education, reversing the trend from the past few years,” and more than 50 percent of the state’s total budget is dedicated to education, Hudecki says. (The allocations include funding for higher education and career tech education.)

“As costs have increased and state revenue fluctuated, reductions in dollar amounts dropped, but the percentage still remained just over 50 percent,” she says. “Just like our family budgets, there is only so much available, and some tough decisions have to be made.”

Source: 2011-12 academic year, National Education Association

Oklahoma: $8,285

teaching positions have been cut, there is not only a shortage of teachers, but also a growing student-teacher ratio.

Statewide, the number of students per teacher has increased from 13.7 in the 200708 school year to 16 in 2010-11, according to figures analyzed by OPI. Realistically, for classes like Pearson’s, the ratio is more like 1-to-40, he says. Many teachers today have nearly 30 students in a classroom, allowing less time for individualized attention and requiring more time to manage student behavioral problems.

More than 4,000 of Oklahoma’s elementary and secondary school jobs were lost between 2009 and 2011, according to the Bureau of Labor. This means larger class sizes; fewer classes offered; and less support staff, including counselors, librarians and others.

Oklahoma educators are typically paid less than those in most other states. For example, starting pay for a first-year teacher in Oklahoma is $31,600, while the national average hovers around $35,672, according to the National Education Association (NEA).

The states with the highest starting salaries are New Jersey ($48,101) and New York ($44,370), which allocate three and 17 times as much money, respectively, to public education as Oklahoma. Of our surrounding states, only

FUNDING SOURCES FOR OKLAHOMA EDUCATION: Federal appropriations

Local and county

27%

13% 10%

State dedicated revenue

50% State appropriations

Source: Oklahoma State Department of Education

Missouri pays its teachers less, with a starting pay of $29,857, the NEA reports.

Ballard, who began his education career by teaching reading to Coweta junior high students in 1972, says it’s a shame many TPS teachers can’t survive solely on their salaries.

He has recognized some of them serving pizzas at Hideaway on a weeknight or working the counter at Braum’s or waitressing at Te Kei’s on weekends.

With a secondary education certificate, Bal-

What can parents do?

Seven years ago,

Jenks Public Schools parents scratched their heads, concerned about growing class sizes, increased testing, and shrinking arts and music programs. When they asked questions, they received the same vague answer: it’s a state Capitol thing.

If the answers were at the Capitol, then they decided to go there. Enter the Tulsa-area Parents Legislative Action Committee, a grassroots effort to get parents talking and learning more about public education — all while making their voices heard in the legislative process.

During the school year, Tulsa-area PLAC holds monthly forums on topics such as testing, funding and how Oklahoma public education is changing at the state and local levels. During spring, when the state legislature is in session, they take parents on a once-a-month day trip to the Capitol.

After the group’s first year, they joined with parents from Union Public Schools. Since then, the volunteer organization has grown rapidly, absorbing northeast Oklahoma suburban school districts (including Sand Springs and Broken Arrow, as well as Tulsa).

“It’s exciting, and I think parents are realizing they can be a part of the (public education) discussion on the front end,” says Melissa Abdo, a Tulsa-area PLAC coordinator, “instead of showing up at school in the fall and seeing that something’s different.”

With drastic funding cuts since 2008, our children’s public education demands our attention, Abdo says.

“There are people on the ends of these policies — they are kids,” she says.

Since the all-volunteer Tulsa-area PLAC took off, several other concerned parent groups have sprung up across the state.

All of the groups’ goals are simple: lobby on behalf of your own children. Make sure your legislators hear your voice. Write to your representative and senator. Send them emails. Invite them to monitor testing. Show them how the decisions they make in Oklahoma City affect children in classrooms around the state every day.

At first, stepping into political waters can be intimidating.

“This is a big hurdle for a lot of parents,” Abdo says.

That’s why the Tulsa-area PLAC educates inter-

lard explains, a new college graduate could go to work at many larger companies and receive a higher starting salary and better benefits than TPS offers.

The lackluster pay means a shortage of good teachers, especially in the areas of science, technology and math, as well as in special education.

Secretary Hudecki echoes Ballard’s concerns.

“Our teacher salaries are low,” she admits.

“While we have some very talented and dedicated professionals in the classroom, if we are to attract and retain more talented teachers, the issue of compensation will have to be addressed.”

High-stakes testing, unfunded mandates Simultaneously, educators must deal with the pressure of unfunded expectations. While state legislators pass bills requiring more highstakes testing and accountability, they haven’t approved enough money to fund and follow through on these new mandates, according to local experts.

For example, a requirement beginning in 2014 will retain third graders who do not pass a reading test. However, last year the state nixed Continued on p. 40

ested parents about the legislative process and the current legislative climate.

“Parents don’t want to call (their legislators) without understanding first,” she says.

Once parents are updated, Abdo says, “They can be the ones educating the legislators. Not a lot of legislators come from an education background.”

Going to the Capitol to talk to your representatives is only scary the first time, Abdo says.

“When you get there and do it once, you feel really kind of empowered,” she says.

On springtime field trip days to the Capitol, parents learn how to call their legislators off the floor to talk about their concerns.

“If you take time out of your day, then make sure your senator and representative are there, and see them in person,” Abdo advises.

Abdo and other parents who have been to the Capitol can help other parents craft a respectful, informative message for legislators.

“It doesn’t take parents long to find their voice,” Abdo says.

To join the Tulsa-area PLAC’s mailing list or find an active parents’ group in your immediate area, email tulsaareaplac@yahoo.com.

TulsaPeople.com

39

Continued from p. 39 $6 million for students who needed remedial reading help. A reading instruction program, Literacy First, also lost $3 million in funding.

Oklahoma also implemented nine end-of-instruction tests, called ACE — the Achieving Classroom Excellence Act — for graduating seniors that went into effect for the 2008-09 school year. The statewide effort was designed to raise expectations for student achievement in Oklahoma public schools. Students must pass at least four of nine ACE tests to graduate.

Paradoxically, the Oklahoma Legislature cut funding for a remediation program for students who needed extra help to pass the tests.

Ballard is bothered by cuts to remedial help while the legislature raises the punitive stakes.

“If a child is behind, we need to make sure there’s an effective teacher,” he says. “We need to be very intense with instruction. We may need to bring in high-intensity tutoring or summer school. (Yet) all of those funds have been cut.”

Each new mandate also increases administrative burdens on an already overworked system. Lawmakers now require Oklahoma schools to maintain and submit data for tests and grade calculations. And the testing is only becoming more extensive, something Ballard often hears parents protest.

About 77,000 tests will be given to Tulsaarea students during the 2013-14 school year, he estimates.

“There’s too much testing going on,” the superintendent agrees. “We do need to know where students are … we want them to do well on these tests, but we have really gone overboard with the amount of testing.”

Next year, Oklahoma public schools will be required to conduct even more testing as part of the Common Core Initiative, a new curriculum

Per-pupil spending, FY2008-13

Oklahoma Kansas Texas Arkansas Missouri Maryland* Iowa* North Dakota*

with more rigorous standards. States were given the option to participate, and Oklahoma and most others supported the initiative.

“I like the standardized curriculum of Common Core,” which focuses on “less rote memorization and more on critical-thinking skills,” Ballard says. “But we need to be careful about giving so many tests tied to the curriculum.”

Secretary Hudecki says she is “very excited” about Common Core’s more intensive focus on English, language arts and math.

“The standards are fewer but go into much greater depth in each subject” than the current curricula, she says.

Common Core standards also will “be voluntarily implemented in about 45 other states,” Hudecki says, “so we will have the ability to gauge how our students are doing compared to other states.”

However, Jenni White, president and co-founder of Restore Oklahoma Public Education (ROPE), a grassroots organization concerned with curricula, says she and other ROPE board members are wary. They cite the lack of local control Oklahomans have had in the development of Common Core.

The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC), an organization comprised of representatives from 22 states, created the tests that will be used as part of Common Core. The new program will be overseen by the federal Department of Education, White says.

“Oklahoma has really abdicated a majority of its local control over its educational standards,” White says. “This will make it very hard for local districts to determine what curricula work best to meet the needs of the local student population moving forward.”

(inflation adjusted)

Average public high school graduation rates, 2009-10

-20% -13% -11% -5% -2% 7% 11% 28%

79% 85% 79% 75% 84% 82% 88% 88%

*Top three states in per-pupil spending Source: Oklahoma Policy Institute; National Center for Education Statistics

40

TulsaPeople AUGUST 2013

‘Making an impact’ despite the challenges Until Oklahoma educators and legislators arrive on the same page with education funding, the lesson of the day is how to do more with less.

Pearson and other Oklahoma teachers have no choice but to grapple with the daily challenges that grow each time the public education budget and teaching and support staff positions are cut.

“It’s amazing the deal Oklahoma taxpayers are getting,” he says. “The money going into schools is significantly less than it has been, but people are still getting quality services.”

Despite Pearson’s job becoming more difficult, he insists students — at least, those in his classroom — are getting a good education.

He tells them stories and plays African drums; he recently purchased several more for his growing classes with a grant from the Assistance League of Tulsa Betty Bradstreet Fund.

He teaches the kids to read music in just five designated minutes per day. Tough concepts are best taught in small chunks; “it just takes persistence,” he says.

So, what does it take to face low wages, more work and larger class sizes — and still be a successful teacher in Oklahoma’s public education system?

“Everything you’ve got,” Pearson says. “You have to wake up knowing you’re going to fight battles, knowing you’re going to be somebody’s parent, not just their teacher. You have to wake up knowing your heart will be broken every day, (but also) knowing you’re making an impact.” tþ

AVERAGE PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER SALARIES: No. 1: New York, $72,708 U.S. average: $55,623 No. 48: Oklahoma: $44,343 No. 50: South Dakota, $39,850 Source: 2010-11, National Education Association

Street School Executive Director Lori McGinnis-Madland (third from left) walks with students Anthony Pelletier, Jordan Porter, Bianca Gray, Isreal Bringas and Kevin Mehloff. Street School is Tulsa Public Schools’ only tuition-free, nonprofit alternative high school of choice.

Street School turns 40 For 40 years, Street School has given

hope and education to Tulsa’s forgotten kids.

“We take students who have the light dimmed in their eyes,” says Lori McGinnis-Madland, the school’s executive director. “But they still want a high school education. They want to belong. We see that light reignited here.”

Street School is Tulsa Public Schools’ only tuition-free, nonprofit alternative high school of choice. The school has embedded a therapeutic counseling program to address the problems that led teens there.

“We help them pick up the pieces of their lives and become productive members of our community,” McGinnis-Madland says.

With one in 10 Oklahoma ninth- through 12th-grade students dropping out of school, destinations like Street School are needed, but rare.

The students who attend can’t graduate from traditional schools because they face significant difficulties, including academic deficiencies, behavioral and emotional issues, family struggles and teen pregnancy. Each student’s story is unique, often heartbreaking.

“The average Street School student comes from a home where there’s a lot of neglect, where one or both parents are in prison,” McGinnis-Madland says.

“There is drug and alcohol abuse, homelessness.

“You can see through everything dealt to them, school has taken a back seat,” she continues.

So, the students act out or stop showing up to class.

“We have kids, teenagers, who have always had to take on more adult roles, and they’ve suffered a lot of abuse,” she says. “But they are amazing kids.”

As they walk from class to class, the students appear average, happy. Despite all odds, they are here, getting an education, showing up. The light in their eyes is bright; they are engaged with energetic teachers in small classes of about 13.

Instead of dropping out, 120 teens (ages 14-19) enrolled in Street School last year, according to Street School’s 2012-13 Report Card. Ninety percent of last year’s seniors graduated with a high school diploma.

Six counselors are on hand at Street School to provide individualized counseling. Every student participates in weekly group meetings that shed

light onto topics like parenting, healthy living, art therapy, and grief and anger management.

The key to Street School’s success is in focusing on what each teen needs to be a success — not to emphasize what’s wrong or different or bad.

“Then change comes,” McGinnis-Madland says.

Street School needs to expand to help more students. The waiting list to get into the school sometimes tops 100, McGinnis-Madland says.

After students graduate, many start their college careers at Tulsa Community College or Tulsa Tech, enter the military or find employment.

Street School’s approximately $1.3 million budget is funded through state appropriations, the Tulsa Area United Way, donations from individuals and foundations, and TPS. The district supports Street School to the tune of about $8,000 through “in-kind monies” that pay for four teachers, a health assistant, custodial and security services, and building maintenance, McGinnis-Madland says.

Over four decades, Street School has grown to become a lifesaver for Tulsa teens in need of a diploma — and a helping hand. Since 1999, it has graduated 402 students. tþ TulsaPeople.com

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’13’ s top13

“POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE” has played, the graduation party confetti has been picked up; the Class of 2013 has graduated. From this point, Tulsa high schools send their seniors off to do everything from jumpstart a musical career to attend the nation’s most prestigious universities.

All are going somewhere, but we’ve found the select few that stand above the rest.

TulsaPeople.com

Read a Q&A with each of our 2013 Brainiacs.

Kelsey Ritchie Bishop Kelley High School Texas Christian University

Meet our Class of 2013 Brainiacs, 13 of the best and brightest Tulsa high school grads.

by HAYLEY HINTON and LAUREN RUTHERFORD

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TulsaPeople AUGUST 2013

Achievements: 4.67 GPA; valedictorian; ACT score of 34; National Merit Scholar; TCU Chancellor’s Scholar; AP Scholar; National Champion in Extemporaneous Commentary at the National Forensics League National Speech and Debate Tournament; hall of fame inductee for Tulsa County 4-H Youth Development Foundation; Youth Member of the Year for the American Paint Horse Association; three-time state champion in domestic extemporaneous speaking; state champion in original oratory; world champion of the American Quarter Horse Youth Association.

Community Service: All Stars Therapeutic Riding Center volunteer; John 3:16 Mission volunteer; Catholic Charities volunteer.

Involvement: National Honor Society president; national youth president of the Pinto Horse Association of America.

Brennen VanderVeen Broken Arrow High School University of Tulsa

Achievements: 5.17 GPA; valedictorian; ACT score of 32; National Merit Scholar; took 11 AP classes.

Community Service: Participated in Walk for Wishes, Race for the Cure, Relay for Life, and Laps for Little Ones

Lauren Thomas Metro Christian Academy University of Tulsa

Involvement: Member of academic team, Latin club and National Honor Society; mock trial participant; worked during the summer at United Warehouse as a general laborer.

Achievements: Valedictorian; headmaster’s honor roll; Oklahoma Academic Scholar; Princeton Book Award nominee.

Community service: Mission work with Asbury United Methodist Church in Guatemala and Jamaica.

Involvement: Vice-president of National Honor Society; member of MCA Leadership Class, a group of 20 students that organizes school functions and serves the student body; captain of the MCA track team.

Lexi Harris Owasso High School Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

Achievements: Prize-winning jazz piano player — more than a dozen soloist awards in local and state competitions; All-State Jazz Ensemble pianist; competed in the Mingus Competition in New York City and was selected as one of the competition’s outstanding soloists; recipient of the TSAS Louis Armstrong Award.

Community Service: Played at countless benefit and fundraising concerts supporting TSAS.

Kaze Mauser Tulsa School of Arts and Sciences University of Central Oklahoma

Involvement: Member of the Jazz Ambassadors, played in the student jazz combo called “The Passing Tones.”

Achievements: Salutatorian; Miss Owasso High School first runner-up.

Community service: Hosted Pregnancy Resource Center fundraiser; named Teen Volunteer of the Year at First Christian Church for service in the church nursery.

Involvement: Member of robotics team, drama club, Top RAMS and National Honor Society; involved in musical theater and played lead role in OHS’s production of “Thoroughly Modern Millie”; dances and taught a tap dance workshop at OHS for those auditioning for the school musical.

TulsaPeople.com

43

Joel Moffitt Mingo Valley Christian School University of Tulsa

Achievements: Valedictorian; U.S. Presidential Scholar candidate; Academic All-State 2013.

Community service: Served 200 hours assisting various organizations such as Oklahoma Blood Institute, the Tulsa State Fair and Tulsa City-County Library.

Involvement: Junior Achievement Club vice-president of production; president of Environmental Club; student council member at large.

Sarah Wymer Union High School Stanford University

Achievements: Valedictorian; principal’s honor roll; National Merit Commended Student; Special Scholarship recipient.

Community service: Cleaned and organized at John 3:16; washed dishes at Salvation Army; math tutor at Celia Clinton Elementary School; interacted with kids and organized at Happy Hands; children’s outreach at Kendall-Whittier Elementary School.

Involvement: Member of Key Club and National Honor Society; Sunday school teacher at East Tulsa Bible Chapel; captain of Mingo Valley soccer and basketball teams.

Chasity Asberry Daniel Webster High School Carl Albert State College

Achievements: 4.13 GPA; ACT score of 34; National Merit Scholar; composer and writer of the student musical.

Community service: Volunteer at The Little Light House; English tutor at Eugene Field Elementary.

Involvement: Member of National Honor Society, pep band, speech and debate teams, Spanish club, drama club, ultimate Frisbee team and technical theater club; performed in school and extracurricular theater productions; Cascia Hall ambassador; commencement address speaker.

Achievements: Valedictorian; graduated with an academic letter and bar; principal’s honor roll; 75th Miss Daniel Webster (homecoming queen).

Community service: Emergency Infant Services volunteer.

Involvement: Vice-president of Future Farmers of America; co-host of Webster’s Daily Morning News Show; member of All-Conference Girls’ Basketball and Tulsa World All-Metro Girls’ Basketball teams; captain of the varsity girls’ basketball and cross-country teams; varsity softball player.

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TulsaPeople AUGUST 2013

Walker McKinney Cascia Hall Preparatory School Northwestern University

Jack Schaefer Booker T. Washington High School University of Oklahoma

Achievements: 4.0+ GPA; U.S. Presidential Scholar.

Community service: GED tutor and Spanish translator at Catholic Charities; Spanish translator at various community organizations and elementary schools; ESL teacher for Vietnamese speakers.

Involvement: Tulsa Undergraduate Research Challenge junior scholar participant; research assistant to Dr. Justin Chalker of The University of Tulsa Chemistry Department; assistant editor of the student newspaper, Hallway; co-president of Spanish club; spent two summers at the Quartz Mountain Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute studying film.

Sarah Keglovits Holland Hall Stanford University

Achievements: 4.63 GPA; valedictorian; National Merit Scholar; ACT score of 36; AP Scholar with distinction; National Spanish Exam Silver Award recipient; International Baccalaureate Diploma candidate; Oklahoma Academic All-State Scholar.

Community Service: Volunteer at the Special Olympics Regional Tournament; Food Bank volunteer.

Involvement: Captain of the academic team; member of speech and debate teams, National Honor Society, jazz band and National Spanish Honor Society; vice-president of model U.N.

Jolee Potts Jenks High School University of Tulsa

Achievements: Valedictorian; AP Scholar with Honors; principal’s honor roll; named Best Science Student and Most Studious; tri-lingual (speaks Gujarati, Hindi and English).

Community service: Member and active volunteer at SLKS (Hindu Temple of Tulsa).

Involvement: Member of Edison Business Club, National Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta (math honor society); Greater Tulsa Cricket Club member and media manager.

Achievements: 4.49 GPA; ACT score of 36; valedictorian; Oklahoma Academic All-State; National Merit Scholar; TU Presidential Scholar; AP Scholar with Distinction; Oklahoma All-State Orchestra violist; National Latin Exam gold medalist.

Community Service: Relay for Life Team Captain; Junior Auxiliary Volunteer at St. John Medical Center.

Involvement: Member of Tulsa Youth Symphony Orchestra and JHS Chamber Orchestra; captain of the varsity academic team; president of the Latin club; treasurer of National Honor Society; instructor at Mathnasium. tĂž

Rushabh Bhakta Edison Preparatory School University of Houston

TulsaPeople.com

45

BTW

Centennial

memories Booker T. Washington High School celebrates 100 years of greatness this fall.

by DOUG EATON

One hundred years

Booker T. Washington High School celebrates its 100th year as it is recognized as Oklahoma’s top public high school.

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TulsaPeople AUGUST 2013

ago this fall, Booker T. Washington High School was founded to serve the citizens of Tulsa’s black community.

Since then, the school has undergone drastic changes, including several relocations, desegregation in the early 1970s and the transition to become a magnet school.

Today, BTW is an alternative for high school students looking for more challenges, broader curriculum offerings and social enrichment. The Advanced Placement Program and the International Baccalaureate Degree Program are the foundations of the school’s high-level academic offerings.

Athletics also play a key role in BTW’s legacy as the Hornets proudly claim 15 state championships in boys’ basketball and eight in football, as well as state championships in girls’ basketball, boys’ soccer, boys’ swimming, boys’ and girls’ track, wrestling and volleyball.

Considering its rich history and reputation for academic excellence, it’s only fitting that BTW celebrates its 100th year as it is recognized as Oklahoma’s top public high school. It was ranked as such by the U.S. News & World Report’s Best High School Rankings for 2013.

The following is a brief look back at the history of BTW.

The Booker T. Washington High School Band performs in June 1937

Photo courtesy of the Tulsa Historical Society Photo courtesy of the Beryl Ford Collection/Tulsa City-County Library

In 1920, a larger, three-story brick building had replaced the original schoolhouse.

Photo courtesy of the Beryl Ford Collection/Tulsa City-County Library

The original school building in 1914

BTW The original Booker T. Washington High School was constructed as a fourroom building at 507 E. Easton St. in the now-historic Greenwood District and was designed by Leon B. Senter. Opening in fall 1913, the school welcomed 14 students. The teaching staff consisted of two teachers, Lula Sims and Myrtle McKeever.

Ellis Walker Woods, a native of Mississippi who had just moved to Tulsa from Memphis, Tenn., was named the school’s first principal and served until 1948, making his tenure the longest in the school’s 100-year history.

By 1916, the school had grown more than three-fold with 50 students and six teachers.

Also that year, BTW enjoyed its first graduating class with just two students — Bertha Hale and Celey Pecala Wilson.

BTW soon found itself outgrowing its physical facilities. By 1920, a larger, three-story brick building had replaced the original four-room high school on the site. The staff had now grown to 15.

At school year’s end, the Class of 1918 graduated seven.

With the increasing student population, new subjects were added to the curriculum, including public speaking, debate, oratory and music. Basketball

Just about every student during the World War II years helped in the war efforts, with many collecting scrap iron and planting victory gardens.

Clyde Cole became principal in 1948.

Under his leadership, academic and graduation requirements for BTW students would deepen to require two majors and two minors.

Thomas Ousley, Class of 1948, still holds vivid memories of his school days at BTW. “Our school was not only very athletic-oriented, but we were outstanding in the arts, like drama and theater,” he recalls, noting an annual student talent show called “Hi-Jinks” that featured music, theater and drama. “I was not very good, but I sang in the chorus. It seemed everyone wanted to be in it.”

The students also manned outstanding athletic teams.

“In sports, we were usually so dominant that it was not a matter if we would win, but by how much,” says Ousley, who played basketball under Seymour Williams, the coach for whom the current BTW football stadium is named.

“Coach Williams was a no-nonsense

1913-32 was added to the list of school activities in 1921 and would prove to be a monumental addition to the school’s sports legacy.

Tragically, 1921 also brought the Tulsa Race Riot, resulting in many deaths and the virtual destruction of the Greenwood area that was home to many black families and black-owned businesses.

The building housing BTW was spared, and the school played a key role in the area’s recovery as the American Red Cross set up temporary headquarters to direct and implement relief efforts.

According to James S. Hirsch in “Riot and Remembrance: The Tulsa Race War and its Legacy,” an estimated 2,000 people, who were made homeless through the riot’s devastation, were provided temporary shelter in the school building.

Happier times prevailed in 1922 as BTW added even more activities. Band and football were added and the school crowned a football queen for the first time. That same year, the first school newspaper was printed.

By 1925, the school enrolled 470 students overseen by 21 teachers.

1933-51 coach,” Ousley says. “His emphasis was on winning, but not at all costs.”

The alumnus recalls that a grade sheet was posted at school every Thursday.

“The rule was simple: If you (aren’t) passing, then you’re not playing that Friday,” he says.

Fridays meant a school assembly, too, for which all the seniors and some underclassmen dressed up — “just like we did for church,” Ousley says.

He remembers many students in his class went on to successful careers, with some becoming doctors, engineers and lawyers, including a U.S. Attorney and a District Judge in Oklahoma City. Ousley himself went on to join the Army in 1948, serving for almost four years. Following that, he worked for the U.S. Postal Service until his retirement in 1986.

“We had a well-rounded atmosphere, even though it was a segregated atmosphere,” he says of his BTW days. “We had a great time at a great school.”

In 1951, the school moved to a new building at 1631 E. Woodrow Place.

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47

BTW

1973-92 With the U.S. Supreme Court’s declaration that the “separate but equal” doctrine was unconstitutional, school attendance areas in Tulsa were redrawn.

When the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed, school integration plans took on new urgency.

Plans for integration, court rulings, appeals from court rulings, transfer policies, Tulsa School Board decisions and community meetings highlighted the late ’60s and early ’70s in north Tulsa.

According to the “Progress Report on Integration in the Tulsa Public Schools,” the Tulsa School Board was directed in February 1973 to develop a voluntary integration plan for BTW. The community responded with offers to help. In one evening meeting, more than 200 interested Tulsans met to hammer out detailed suggestions for a plan.

Discussions continued until late March, when the school board approved a plan that would open BTW

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TulsaPeople AUGUST 2013

on a voluntary basis to 1,200 students — with an equal number of black and white students.

Incentives to voluntary enrollment included choosing from the most extensive electives of any high school in the city, a top-quality volunteer faculty and a teacher-pupil ratio of 1-17.

A progress report on the plan noted “the resounding success of the voluntary integration programs at Carver and Washington were listed as one of the major reasons for Tulsa’s selection as an All-American City for 1973.”

In 1973, H.J. Green became BTW principal and led the school through the integration process.

Loretta Collier was named principal in 1981, followed by James Furch, in his first stint as principal, in 1987.

BTW became the first Tulsa public high school to offer Advanced Placement courses and in 1983 began offering the International Baccalaureate (IB) program.

According to the IB mission statement, the goal of the program is to de-

Two of BTW’s early graduating classes

Tulsa Historical Society

In 1952, Henry C. Whitlow Jr. became principal and would serve for 17 years, the second-longest tenure to date.

Equal amounts of work and play seemed to be the norm for BTW students during this era. Alumna Mary Howell (Class of 1964), a member of the BTW Centennial Committee, fondly recalls her days at the high school.

“Our big social events at that time were the sock hops at the YWCA, which was located at Pine and Peoria,” Howell says.

Just about everyone liked the music of that day and had a favorite tune. “The Twist” by Chubby Checker, “Mashed Potatoes” by Dee Dee Sharp and “Please, Mr. Postman” by the Marvellettes were a few of the more popular songs of the day.

Howell also remembers there were limits. There seemed to be a big emphasis on curfews, even on local television. One of the Tulsa TV stations would announce each evening, “It’s 10 p.m. Do you know where your children are?”

She vividly remembers the large street clock located at the corner of East Pine and North Apache streets that many BTW students would use to check the time.

In the 1960s, there was a push for students to participate in practical classes such as homemaking, laundering and vocational courses that were geared to life experiences. There were hands-on classes such as vocational auto mechanics, vocational carpentry and cabinet making. There were also business-training classes using electric typewriters, Dictaphones, and other business and calculating machines.

Howell says her most memorable high school experience occurred during the fall of her senior year in November 1963. Like many Americans, she clearly remembers hearing the news of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination.

The ’60s also witnessed the rise to prominence of BTW athletics.

In 1967, the football team won the school’s first OSSAA state championship, a feat they repeated in 1968 and 1969. Those victories set the stage for BTW to excel in other sports, as well.

During the 1970s, the Hornets went on to win state titles in boy’s basketball, boys’ and girls’ track, volleyball and wrestling.

The end of that decade brought more administrative changes. In 1969, Dr. Raymond Parker succeeded Principal Whitlow. Parker was followed by Granville Smith in 1970.

Photos courtesy of Kavin Ross

Henry C. Whitlow Jr.

Image courtesy of Janice Bayouth

1952-72

Aside from academics and athletics, Booker T. Washington High School also boasts a strong arts curriculum.

Former vocal music director and assistant principal Janice Bayouth stands in front of the BTW Historical Building.

Photo courtesy of Janice Bayouth Photo courtesy of Janice Bayouth

The 1951 school building was partly demolished in 2003 to allow for a new building.

Image courtesy of Janice Bayouth

Inspirational quotes marked the halls of the 1951 school building.

The existing school entrance

Photo courtesy of Janice Bayouth

Cutline

velop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. The two-year program is designed to encourage students to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, also can be right.

Principal Furch oversaw the initial years

This period saw several changes in BTW administration. Karen Rogers became principal in 1994, followed by Thurman Stephens in 1997.

Dale Mingo was named principal in spring 1999, then Alice Black in 2000, with Debi Boyles assuming the role in 2002.

Rogers returned to the principal position in 2007, followed by Michael Johnson in 2008. James Furch returned to the helm in 2009.

Acknowledging the high turnover, Furch explains that as schools get bigger, it is hard to hold a principal for more than three years or so at a time.

“Times are changing, and we’re seeing shorter principal tenures everywhere, not just at Booker T.,” he says.

BTW reached a landmark in 2003 with the completion of a 213,000-squarefoot building, constructed at a cost of approximately $25 million. The new facility was funded by the 1996 bond issue during John Thompson’s tenure as superintendent of Tulsa Public Schools. The school’s state-of-the-art classrooms and laboratories feature the latest technology to provide students optimal learning opportunities.

In February 2012, a new multisport on-campus facility made its debut as the Hornets defeated Central High School. The Nathan E. Harris Field House, named for the former BTW basketball coach, is an $11.5 million, 54,000-square-foot facility that seats about 1,500 and includes offices for all of the school’s coaches. A 2010 bond issue funded the field house.

Assistant Principal Michael Mims has likely experienced more phases of BTW than any other person in the community.

of the IB program, including the first students in the program to graduate.

“It was my first year as principal here,” he recalls. “Both the AP teachers and the IB teachers had differences of opinion as to their respective programs. I had to struggle to bring those two groups together. But since that time, there’s been no problem. ...

“The AP and IB programs really make Booker T. what it is today,” Furch adds.

1993-2013 A BTW 1964 graduate, Mims was named to All-Conference and AllRegional basketball teams as a Hornet and also participated in BTW track.

Both of Mims’ parents are BTW grads (father Reuben Mims, Class of 1937, and mother Geneva Ousley Mims, Class of 1938) as well as his son, Anthony, Class of 2001.

Mims has spent most of his career in education with TPS as a teacher, coach, dean and administrator.

He served as the Hornets’ head basketball coach from 1972-82, accumulating an enviable record of 170-84 and winning three state titles.

He then served 13 years as an assistant basketball coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of Oklahoma. He returned to various roles within TPS and in 2009 was named BTW assistant principal.

His lifelong experience with the school and the BTW community affords him a unique perspective on BTW’s legacy.

“We want to make sure that our students fully understand and appreciate the history and the achievements of all those from Booker T. who preceded them,” Mims explains.

To sum up the reason for its success, BTW makes this pledge to each of its 1,315 students: “We cannot guarantee a successful student. However, we can guarantee that we offer the opportunity for success. If a student is willing to make a choice and take the challenge, we can provide the opportunity.” tþ

THIS MONTH:

Aug. 31 — The Orange and Black Centennial Celebration 7 p.m. Cox Business Center, 100 Civic Center. Silent auction, cocktails and dancing. $25.

For more information, contact Mary Howell, 918-587-7227.

TulsaPeople.com

49

BTW

Booker T. Washington High School

Athletic Museum

La’Mar Burks’ passion captures Hornets’ excellence in school’s athletic collection.

Twenty or so

U.S. high schools are named for American educator and author Booker T. Washington, according to La’Mar Burks, founder and curator of the BTW Athletic Museum.

He should know. He has visited many of them.

But thanks to Burks’ passion and hard work, none has a collection of sports artifacts to match that of the Tulsa school.

Burks, a former Hornet football player who was an All-Conference center on the school’s 1973 state championship team, has led the efforts to record and preserve the athletic legacies of arguably the most decorated school in Oklahoma history. Burks graduated in 1974.

An art teacher for 32 years and a coach for 25 years in Tulsa Public Schools, Burks has combined both disciplines in his creation and continued expansion of the athletic museum. It is housed in the BTW Historical Building, which was formerly the school’s main entrance. Eventually, the Historical Building also will house similar collections that chronicle the school’s past academically and in music and the arts.

Burks contemplated the athletic museum after he and two former Hornet football buddies, Gerald Hicks and Rodney Clark, produced a DVD on BTW football successes called “Hornet Football Excellence.”

Burks jumped into the memorabilia project full speed in the summer of 2010 after receiving what he calls the “orange light go-ahead” from BTW Assistant Principal Mike Mims.

“Whenever I take a vacation, I usually go visit other Booker T. Washington schools and have visited about 10,” Burks says. “Many of them have sports museums, but none can even touch ours.”

He also has visited other sports halls of fame to gain insight as to the best practices of sports museums.

Burks’ first order of business in establishing the museum was furnishing the BTW Football Hall of Fame, which he began in the summer of 2010.

With 15 state championships in football, finding appropriate memorabilia was never a problem.

Jerseys, helmets, shoes, pads, footballs and various other mementos line the shelves.

The players whose framed jerseys hang on the walls all played in the NFL and could almost comprise their own All-Star team.

Established NFL players such as Reuben Gant, Jonathon Brown, Kevin Lockett, R.W. McQuarters, Demond Parker, Aaron Lockett, Mark An-

50

TulsaPeople AUGUST 2013

La’Mar Burks, founder and curator of the Booker T. Washington High School Athletic Museum, stands in the museum’s football room. derson, Felix Jones and Robert Meacham are among those enshrined.

The museum would not be complete without a tribute to longtime BTW Coach Seymour E. Williams, whose name graces the school’s football stadium. Williams’ coaching resume is impeccable: • Wins: 290; losses: 23; ties: 11.

• Won 17 Oklahoma Interscholastic Athletic Association Black Football Championships and 29 Oklahoma Interscholastic Athletic Association Black Basketball Championships.

• Won five National Basketball Championships.

• Never lost a track meet.

• Won six national track meets.

Burks started work on the BTW Basketball/Wrestling Hall of Fame in the summer of 2011. While it may still be a work in progress, two of the honorees are BTW’s best-known and most successful athletes: Kenny Monday (wrestling) and Wayman Tisdale (basketball).

Monday is a three-time Olympic wrestler with gold and silver Olympic medals to his credit. And an entire corner is devoted to the late Tisdale, who many consider to be the greatest Hornet of all time.

Tisdale was a three-time All-American at the Uni-

versity of Oklahoma; 1984 Olympic gold medalist; No. 2 overall draft pick in the 1985 NBA draft; had a 12-year NBA career; and was a renowned jazz bass recording artist with eight albums to his credit and a No. 1 on Billboard’s contemporary jazz chart.

Etched on the wall is a handwritten testament to the fame of No. 23 for the Hornets, in which Tisdale’s college coach, Billy Tubbs, tells the story of eating with him in a Norman café.

“Wayman goes to the restroom, and a female takes the straw from his soda (and) runs out of the cafe shouting, ‘I got Wayman Tisdale’s straw! I got his straw!’”

In addition to the mementos from Tisdale’s playing days, jerseys of former Hornets Richard Dumas, Ryan Humphrey and Etan Thomas, all of whom played in the NBA, grace the walls along with collages of newspaper clippings.

The Track/Baseball/Softball Hall of Fame is in the start-up phase in what was the school’s former library.

Most of Burks’ work on the museum takes place during the summer.

“When I come in here, I hate to leave because I can easily get lost in thought of all these great people,” he says.

It’s easy to tell Burks loves his hobby.

Continued on p. 52

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BTW Continued from p. 50

The first trophy BTW ever won was for the Black State Football Championship in 1922.

The 1942 Black National Championship game ball shows all the teams BTW defeated to win the title.

“Lots of times in the summer when I come in the morning, I’ll raise the blinds, just stand there and simply look out the window at the football field and take it all in,” he says. “It’s comforting.”

Why does Burks think the athletic museum is important to the BTW community?

“The reason the museum is important is that it gives both young and old alumni the opportunity to witness what they have seen or heard about BTW athletics,” he explains. “It gives a person the opportunity to add to the rich BTW legacy and to pass that legacy on to future generations.”

Burks says two people in particular have helped make the museum possible.

The first is the late Hicks (Class of 1975), who Burks says was instrumental in making the idea a reality.

“The other is my father, the late Sam Burks, a former BTW Stadium/S.E. Williams Stadium supervisor,” the historian says. “Having had the opportunity to work many ballgames during my early childhood gave me a firsthand insight as to the history of BTW — meeting players, watching championship ball teams and being around role models of Hornet players, teachers and coaches.” tþ

TulsaPeople.com

Find out how the hornet became the mascot of Booker T. Washington High School.

52

TulsaPeople AUGUST 2013

Centennial celebrations A few special events have already commemorated BTW’s centennial with a grand finale celebration planned for Labor Day weekend.

A fashion show titled “A Classy, Sassy 100 Years of Fashions: A Walk Down Memory Lane” was held March 9. All models were BTW graduates, including alumni as far back as the Class of 1929.

In April, the BTW and McLain High School basketball rivalry was revived once more as former players from both schools played before a packed Nathan E. Harris Field House. Former Hornets who participated included R. W. McQuarters, Melvin Gilliam, Marcus Peel and William and Weldon Tisdale. Former BTW head coach and current Assistant Principal Mike Mims served as a coach. For the record, BTW came out on top, 98-92.

The game ball from the football rivalry between Tulsa and Dallas Booker T. Washington High Schools, which the Hornets won in 1934.

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SPONSORED EDITORIAL

Bishop Kelley High School A Catholic high school in the Lasallion tradition

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ishop Kelley offers an excellent Catholic education at an outstanding value. Dedicated teachers, small class sizes, quality facilities and a curriculum that fits a wide variety of abilities are highlights. Many cocurricular activities, retreats, and 13 OSSAA athletic programs offer opportunities for students to grow in faith and prepare for life.

Students from more than 25 area schools join to form the close, spirited community at Bishop Kelley. Freshmen are welcomed with a host of activities to start the year. High School Preview is Oct. 13. Placement test for 2014-15 incoming freshmen is Nov. 2. Shadow visits are available.

For more information, visit www.bkelleyhs.org or contact Admissions Director Jane Oberste at 918-609-7133 or admissions@bkelleyhs.org.

Holland Hall Educating. For life.

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ounded in 1922, Holland Hall provides a challenging, comprehensive education for students in pre-K through 12th-grade. Grounded in a rigorous liberal arts, college-preparatory curriculum, Holland Hall promotes critical thinking and lifelong learning among its more than 990 students. Students also receive a strong moral foundation and develop a sense of social responsibility.

The school’s curriculum ensures a progressive transition from grade to grade where students engage in learning through traditional classroom activities and hands-on experiences. Holland Hall offers an individualized, encouraging atmosphere with a 9-to-1 student-faculty ratio.

Settled on a 162-acres, the facility includes seven science labs, four computer labs, three libraries and the 70,000-square-foot Walter Arts Center.

Those interested in Holland Hall should contact Olivia Martin in the admissions office, omartin@hollandhall.org.

Holland Hall is located at 5666 E. 81st St. Call 918-481-1111 or visit www.hollandhall.org for more information.

Metro Christian Academy Pursuing excellence through Christ

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etro Christian Academy is a state accredited, college preparatory, interdenominational Christian school serving P3-12th grade students. Metro provides an education founded on biblical principles, which cultivates Christian character. With a student-teacher ratio of 18-to-1, Metro offers challenging academic programs and a wide variety of co-curricular activities. Academic services range from AP and honors courses, and foreign language studies, to programs assisting students with diverse learning needs. As a member of the OSSAA, activities include state recognized fine arts and athletic programs, honor societies and leadership organizations. For more information contact our admissions office at 918-745-9868 ext. 164 or email dclark@metroca.com.

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TulsaPeople AUGUST 2013

Metro Christian provides, in partnership with involved parents, an accredited college preparatory education that is founded on biblical principles; cultivates Christian character and equips students to excel academically, spiritually, physically and socially.

SPONSORED EDITORIAL

Mingo Valley Christian School Building faith, knowledge and character

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ingo Valley Christian School is a non-denominational, college preparatory, discipleship school that helps students develop academically and spiritually. The school provides an academic environment that builds Christian thinkers who can communicate effectively and persuasively.

Students in grades K4-12 experience low student-to-teacher ratios and are offered a number of extra curricular activities, concurrent college classes, honors classes and an academic support program. The school also offers AP Calculus and classes which prepare students for successful CLEP testing.

With a strong emphasis on community service, Mingo Valley students lend their time and services to a number of local nonprofit organizations throughout the year. The Citadel student leadership program provides valuable training, mentoring and servant leadership opportunities for secondary students.

Mingo Valley Christian School is located at 8720 E. 61st St. For more information, call 918-294-0404 or visit www.mingovalley.org.

Miss Helen’s Private School Challenging students to achieve their full potential

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iss Helen’s Private School provides a high-quality professional and positive year-round learning environment in which all students are challenged to achieve their full potential. Miss Helen’s is committed to making a positive difference in the lives of its students and helping them achieve a high level of self-confidence and overall success. All faculty and staff play a critical role in both the student’s and school’s success, along with the family playing a key role in the learning process. Miss Helen’s believes the learning process should combine selfdiscipline with academics while being enjoyable and productive. With small class sizes and a low student-to-teacher ratio, students are given the ability to achieve.

Miss Helen’s Private School is located at 4849 S. Mingo Road. For more information visit www.misshelens.com or call 918-622-2327.

St. Pius X School Promoting personal responsibility and academic excellence.

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t. Pius X School’s faculty and staff believe a school is more than a place to learn; it’s a community united for the common good of student development.

The school’s mission is simple — to joyfully uphold “all things in Christ” by promoting academic excellence, personal responsibility and diversity.

St. Pius X serves students preschool through eighth grade, including a diverse cultural and educative population. In September the school breaks ground on a new state-of-the-art facility.

The school has a low student-to-teacher ratio and offers synergistic and foreign language labs, robotics, music and art. Students excel as National Academic Bowl Champions, in Mathcounts and as speech and drama competitors, athletes and community leaders.

St. Pius X is located at 1717 S. 75th E. Ave. For more information, call 918-627-5367 or visit www.spxtulsa.org.

Find St. Pius X School on Facebook and Twitter.

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A Foundation for Learning.

A Foundation for Life.

CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2013 In the class of 99 students, 40 were named Oklahoma Academic Scholars; 17% were recognized by National Merit Scholarship Corporation; 12 senior athletes received All State honors; 9 will play sports at the college level; class members performed more than 10,000 community service hours in four years.

OPEN HOUSE FOR PROSPECTIVE FAMILIES SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2013, 1:30 PM

The Cascia Hall Community congratulates the Class of 2013: 100% will attend college in the fall; $11 million was offered in merit-based scholarships to attend college.

2520 S. Yorktown Ave. Tulsa, OK 918-746-2600

www.casciahall.org admissions@casciahall.org

Our students are the best prepared for high school in Oklahoma.

See for yourself: www.montecassino.org/accolades

Founded in 1926, we are a traditional Catholic, Benedictine school focused on reading, writing, math and the sciences.

Preschool through 8 th Grade For more information, please call 918.746.4238 56

TulsaPeople AUGUST 2013

SPONSORED EDITORIAL

Riverfield Country Day School 2433 West 61st Street • Tulsa, Oklahoma 74132 918.446.3553 • www.riverfield.org

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iverfield helps students 8 weeks-12th grade reach their potential through innovation, small class sizes and positive collaborative relationships. The school’s experienced faculty develops the whole student as a confident and responsible learner, building a foundation for a lifetime of learning. Students are motivated and encouraged to learn, develop and mature in a respectful, secure and diverse environment.

The challenging personalized curriculum is presented as an integrated process, blending many subjects and activities. The result is academic excellence.

On average, Riverfield students test almost two grade levels above their current grade on standardized tests. The last three graduating classes had an average ACT score of 25. The school’s implementation of the Reggio Emilia approach in the pre-school and primary school is viewed as a point of reference for schools across the country.

Riverfield is home to the state’s first school rock band program, with 11 student bands comprised of fourth-12th grade students. A recent addition to the OSSAA, the school is finding success in athletic, academic and arts competitions.

AREAS OF ACADEMIC DISTINCTION

Year Founded............................................................................. 1984 Enrollment ................................................................................... 570 Student-Faculty Ratio................................................................4-to-1 16-to-1 based on age/grade level Grades ............................................................................ Infants-12th

The Riverfield campus includes 120 acres of woods, hiking trails, athletic fields and a barnyard that provide environmental learning opportunities. A 22,000-square foot middle and upper school academic building is currently under construction. Scheduled to open in Fall 2013, the building will include classrooms, cafeteria, a media center and more.

We asked our students What they can Be at RiveRfield... a friend • a scientist • an astronaut • a painter • a mentor a champion • a veterinarian • a butterfly • a leader • a good student • a Helper • a good person • a sculptor • an award winner an artist • an orator • respected • academic all-state a llama • accepted to tHe college of my cHoice • smart • excellent involved in everytHing • a cowboy • a singer • an arcHitect a n at H l e t e • a c o m m u n i t y • a s p e l l e r • a p o e t an engineer • a reader • myself • Quiet • a rock star • an actor Heard • king of tHe world • active • a national merit scHolar a peacock • a gardener • a kickballer • Helpful • a filmmaker a Hiker • accepted • a rock climber • nice • a coacH excited • a good friend • wHatever i want • respectful a bucket filler • kind • inspirational • sHy • successful sweet • different skin colors • a computer geek • caring • amazing

i can be blue • i can be green

i can be a raven

Zeke Clark Class of 2016 4A Singles Tennis State Champion 2013 Tuls a Wor ld Pl ay er of t he Year

here, I can

Innovative Education for Infants – 12th Grade

2433 West 61st S t.

918.446.3553 riverfield.org

TulsaPeople.com

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SPONSORED EDITORIAL

OSU Institute of Technology 1801 E. Fourth St. • Okmulgee 800.722.4471 • www.osuit.edu

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klahoma State University Institute of Technology is Oklahoma’s only university of applied technology. It is known for world-class teaching facilities, partnerships with industry, and successful students ready to enter the workforce immediately upon graduation.

Instruction is delivered through innovative programming to educate the high performance technicians that businesses and industries seek today for globally competitive environments. Students choose from 42 majors in more than two dozen degree programs earning associate of arts, associate of applied science or bachelor of technology degrees. Popular majors include culinary arts, natural gas compression, power plant technology, orthotics and prosthetics, nursing, IT network infrastructure, watchmaking, photography and 3-D modeling and animation.

OSUIT students have a more than 90 percent employment rate in technical degree programs. The school is also nationally recognized as a military-friendly university, working with service men and women to discover how their military skills can best transfer to college and beyond.

Year Founded............................................................................. 1946 Undergraduate Enrollment ....................................................... 3,000 Number of Undergraduate Degrees Offered................................. 26 Student-Faculty Ratio..............................................................19-to-1

AREAS OF ACADEMIC DISTINCTION Ranked among the top watchmaking degree programs in the world, the OSU Institute of Technology School of Watchmaking exemplifies the crossroads between precision skill and artistic vision. The school observes a rich heritage of classically trained Swiss luxury craftsmanship since World War II and is backed exclusively by the Rolex brand.

Precision craftsmanship. Exquisite Artistry. Timeless Quality.

The OSU Institute of Technology School of Watchmaking is among the leading watchmaking degree programs in the world. Join an elite caliber of luxury watchmakers backed by the exclusive Rolex brand.

Find out more at osuit.edu/watchmaking.

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SPONSORED EDITORIAL

Oklahoma State University - Tulsa 700 N. Greenwood Ave. • Tulsa 918.594.8000 • www.osu-tulsa.okstate.edu

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klahoma State University is in Tulsa for Tulsa, offering high-quality degrees that create a brighter future for students and the city. Together, OSU-Tulsa and OSU Center for Health Sciences make a big impact in the city.

OSU graduates are highly attractive to employers and a valuable addition to the workforce, while OSU’s resident faculty members create new products and jobs through innovative research and partnerships with local industry leaders.

OSU-Tulsa focuses on junior-, senior- and graduate-level education, providing opportunities for students to complete bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in a variety of programs. Students earn a respected degree from a Big 12 university here at home and graduates leave OSU’s Tulsa campus with a high quality, internationally recognized OSU degree — the same degree students in Stillwater receive.

The OSU Center for Health Sciences trains osteopathic physicians, research scientists and health care professionals with an emphasis on serving rural and underserved Oklahoma. U.S. News & World Report ranked the OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine as America’s most popular medical school in 2012.

Year Founded............................................................................. 1999 Undergraduate Enrollment ........................................................1,955

AREAS OF ACADEMIC DISTINCTION

Student-Faculty Ratio..............................................................21-to-1

Graduate students and faculty collaborate with national businesses and universities on comprehensive research projects to develop technology for commercialization in advanced materials for energy technologies, information technologies and biotechnologies.

Number of Undergraduate Degrees Offered................................. 33 Graduate Enrollment ................................................................ 1,207 Number of Graduate Degrees Offered .......................................... 56

Get the most out of your college experience by taking classes on site at Oklahoma State University in Tulsa. Students can connect with professors, network with fellow students and develop the interpersonal skills that employers value. As an added incentive, OSU-Tulsa is offering a $250 “Get Here” tuition waiver for students who take classes on campus this fall. To see how you can qualify for the “Get Here” tuition waiver, visit osuintulsa.com/gethere.aspx.

Downtown Tulsa

918-GET-HERE TulsaPeople.com

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SPONSORED EDITORIAL

Tulsa Community College Metro Campus • 909 S. Boston Ave. Southeast Campus • 10300 E. 81st St. Northeast Campus • 3727 E. Apache St. West Campus • 7505 W. 41st St. 918-595-7000 • www.tulsacc.edu

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ulsa Community College has served Tulsa and northeastern Oklahoma as a valued educational resource for 43 years. After opening in the heart of downtown Tulsa at East Ninth Street and South Boston Avenue in 1970, TCC has become Oklahoma’s largest, multi-campus community college serving 35,000 students in credit and continuing education programs annually. Four fully equipped campuses — Metro, Northeast, Southeast and West — populate the Tulsa area, along with several community campuses in suburban areas.

As one of the nation’s premier community colleges, TCC holds several national rankings. In 2013, Community College Week reported that TCC ranks 29th among the nation’s nearly 1,200 two-year institutions for granting associate degrees. In individual disciplines, TCC ranks second in education degrees, sixth in business related degrees, 14th in health related degrees and 16th in communication, journalism and related

programs. TCC continues to be a national leader in granting degrees to Native American students.

TCC students have access to 228 associate degree and certificate options ranging from bioscience to tomorrow’s technology, a thriving honors program, and a vibrant global education perspective with opportunities to study abroad throughout the year. Furthermore, the college has more than 35,000 enrollments annually in online and distance learning courses, making it the leader in distance learning education in Oklahoma.

TCC’s commitment to accessibility, flexibility, and articulation provide further benefits to students through transfer agreements with public and private four-year universities that make possible seamless transitions into baccalaureate programs both in Tulsa and throughout the state.

Tulsa Community College — Tulsa’s community college.

AREAS OF ACADEMIC DISTINCTION

Year Founded...............................................1970 Enrollment .................................................17,953 Student-Faculty Ratio .............................. 20-to-1 Number of Undergraduate Degrees Offered ........................................... 228 60

TulsaPeople AUGUST 2013

As students’ needs change and technology evolves, TCC is committed to developing and maintaining vibrant, enriched academic programming offered in dynamic learning environments, such as the Center for Creativity at Metro Campus, Center for Excellence in Energy Innovation at Northeast Campus, Health Sciences and Biotechnology Learning Center at Southeast Campus and the Veterinary Technology Center at West Campus.

SPONSORED EDITORIAL

The University of Oklahoma 550 Parrington Oval (OU Visitor Center) • Norman 800-234-6868 • www.ou.edu

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reated by the Oklahoma Territorial Legislature in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a doctoral degree-granting research university serving the educational, cultural, economic and health care needs of the state, region and nation.

The Norman campus serves as home to all of the university’s academic programs except health-related fields. The OU Health Sciences Center, located in Oklahoma City, is one of only four comprehensive academic health centers in the nation with seven professional colleges.

Both the Norman and Health Sciences Center colleges offer programs at the Schusterman Center, the site of OU-Tulsa.

OU has more than 2,600 full-time faculty members and has 21 colleges offering 163 majors at the baccalaureate level, 157 majors at the master’s level, 81 majors at the doctoral level, 28 majors at the doctoral professional level and 28 graduate certificates.

While OU has all of the opportunities of a large, public university, its service and commitment to help students succeed

creates a sense of family, more like that of a small, private institution. OU has more than 450 student organizations, 40 intramural activities, and 50 active fraternity and sorority chapters, leadership and volunteer programs.

OU stands out with its number of National Merit Scholars enrolled. It’s ranked No. 1 in the nation among public universities in the number of National Merit Scholars.

As a pacesetter in American public higher education, OU offers a culture of academic excellence and opportunity. OU students experience a vibrant student life, a diverse community and a beautiful campus.

Year Founded...................................................1890 Undergraduate Enrollment Norman ..................................................... 21,120 All Campuses ............................................ 21,993 Student-Faculty Ratio .................................. 18-to-1

AREAS OF ACADEMIC DISTINCTION The Joe C. and Carole Kerr McClendon Honors College offers one of the most energetic and creative honor programs among public universities in the United States. More than 3,100 students participate in small classes of 19 or less, typically. More than 80 informal book clubs have been created in the past two years.

Number of Undergraduate Degrees Offered ...............................................163 Graduate Enrollment Norman .......................................................5,894 All campuses ..............................................6,682 Number of Graduate Degrees Offered ............157

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SPONSORED EDITORIAL

The University of Tulsa 800 South Tucker Drive • Tulsa, Oklahoma 74104 918.631.2000 • www.utulsa.edu

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he University of Tulsa is a private, doctoral-degree granting university that provides excellence in scholarship and research, while nurturing student endeavors in public service and commitment to humanity. Founded in 1894, today the university is led by President Steadman Upham.

TU’s three undergraduate colleges offer 61 undergraduate degrees including petroleum engineering, computer science, energy management, speech-language pathology, anthropology, accounting, international business and languages, psychology, film studies and athletic training. TU offers 39 graduate degrees through its Graduate School and College of Law. TU students encounter many unique opportunities throughout their time on campus. One of those is the computer science department’s Cyber Corps Program, which trains elite squadrons of “MacGyvers” who work within the U.S. Government and military to protect and defend America’s critical infrastructure. Also, TU students placed among the top five teams during the three-year Challenge X competition to reduce automobile pollution and improve energy

consumption. The students transformed a 2005 Chevrolet Equinox into a diesel-electric hybrid vehicle.

Offering more than 160 student organizations including intramural sports, national fraternities and sororities, special-interest clubs, campus ministries, service organizations, honor societies and pre-professional organizations, students have plentiful options for involvement. As a member of the C-USA athletics conference, TU competes in Division I athletics with 18 varsity sports. The 200-acre campus has a vibrant residential life where more than 70 percent of undergraduates reside in campus housing, including 800 new apartments.

The university uses an individualized and holistic approach in evaluating potential students. TU seeks students who demonstrate intellectual promise in a challenging curriculum and are committed to the liberal education reflected in the university’s mission. All information, including academic and extracurricular achievement, school records and personal qualities, will be carefully considered.

For information on undergraduate admission, contact admission@ utulsa.edu. For graduate admission, contact grad@utulsa.edu.

Year Founded...................................................1894 Undergraduate Enrollment ............................ 3,160 Number of Undergraduate Degrees Offered .................................................61 Student-Faculty Ratio ...................................11-to-1 Graduate Enrollment ...................................... 1,166 Graduate Degrees Offered .................................39 64

TulsaPeople AUGUST 2013

AREAS OF ACADEMIC DISTINCTION TU is in the top 100 among national doctoral universities in U.S. News & World Report’s 2013 edition of America’s Best Colleges. It has also been named as one of the nation’s 50 “Best Value” private colleges and universities, according to Princeton Review. TU had 48 National Merit Scholars in its 2012 freshman class and 72 percent of students graduated in the top 10 percent of their high school class.

A Top 50 Private University

THE UNIVERSITY OF TULSA is a Top 50 private institution and Oklahoma’s only Top 100 research university. At #83 on the U.S. News and World Report’s list of the nation’s best colleges, TU is ranked higher than every university in our state as well as 19 others.

High school students are encouraged to schedule a campus visit. www.utulsa.edu/visits Counselors are reviewing applications for admission and scholarships for fall 2014. The Early Action Deadline for seniors is November 1. apply.utulsa.edu Register for our Tulsa Time program, November 10-11.

Visit campus, stay overnight in a residence hall, meet with professors and get to know other high school students who are applying to TU. www.utulsa.edu/admission

TU also offers a Top 50 business school and a Top 100 law school. We have some of the world’s best programs in important areas such as cyber security, petroleum engineering, energy management and Native American law. And our graduates have the highest salary potential in the state.

918-631-2307

n

1-800-331-3050

n

admission@utulsa.edu

www.utulsa.edu TU is an EEO/AA institution. For information, contact the Office of Human Resources, 918-631-2616; for disability accommodations, contact Dr. Tawny Taylor, 918-631-2315.

RacE tOgEthER sO NO ONE RacEs alONE. Susan G. Komen Tulsa Race for the Cure®

Saturday, September 28, 2013 ONEOK FiEld, dOwNtOwN tulsa

5K Run/Walk — 1-Mile Fun Run/Walk Whether you run, walk or stroll, discover with every step your power to change the world. Join the Komen Tulsa Race for the Cure® and the movement that started it all. Together, we CAN end breast cancer forever.

Register today at www.komentulsa.org

CENTER Fusion 2013-2014 Season

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CENTER FUSION

Tulsa Performing Arts Center

Welcome to the Tulsa Performing Arts Center’s 2013-14 season!

Ahead of us is another exceptional year of entertainment. In the following pages you can explore a world of music, dance, theatre and more. Most performances are presented by our local arts organizations. This fusion of their events, arranged here chronologically, shows the breadth of entertainment you can enjoy each month in our Center’s four theaters. We invite you to use our brochure as a quick reference throughout the coming season.

Many of the shows staged at the PAC first go on sale in a season package, and later as an individual event. You will find a listing of events grouped by presenter, and sales information for each, on the back page of this brochure. Some single tickets become available once the season begins, while others are sold closer to the show date. Be sure to check our website, TulsaPAC.com, for added performances, or enter your contact information on our website to receive presale notifications and a monthly bulletin of upcoming events.

We look forward to having you as a frequent guest in the months ahead. Thank you for your support of the arts!

I’ll see you in the lobby,

John E. Scott PAC Director

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Tulsa Performing Arts Center

110 E. Second Street, Tulsa, OK 74103 (Downtown at 2nd and 3rd Street and Cincinnati) Administrative Office: 918.596.7122 Ticket Office: 918.596.7111 Tickets at TulsaPAC.com and MyTicketOffice.com

SEPTEMBER I Hate Hamlet

Legally Blonde: The Musical

Andrew Rally is a successful New York TV actor with a problem. He’s agreed to play the role of Hamlet, but he’s not sure he has the chops for it. In hopes of finding inspiration, he rents an apartment once owned by legendary actor John Barrymore. Inspiration arrives in due course — in the form of Barrymore’s belligerent ghost! Written by Paul Rudnick.

Playhouse Tulsa

Lovable blonde ditz Elle Woods tries to woo back her boyfriend by earning a degree from Harvard Law in this lighthearted musical. If you’ve only seen the movie, you don’t know Blonde. Like, totally! Book by Heather Hach with music and lyrics by Nell Benjamin and Laurence O’Keefe.

Theatre Tulsa

September 6-14

Beethoven and Adler: Siwoo Kim, violin/ Sarah Coburn, vocalist September 7

Siwoo Kim Included in the evening’s program will be Adler’s Violin Concerto, featuring 2009 Crescendo winner Siwoo Kim. Oklahoma soprano Sarah Coburn will perform Adler’s “Song Cycle” and other selections. Also on the program is Beethoven’s “Leonore,” Overture No. 3, and the composer’s Symphony No. 5, led by guest conductor Philip Mann.

Tulsa Symphony

Blue Man Group September 10-15

Theatre, percussive music, comedy, art and high-tech stage effects combine in a highly creative performance. E! Entertainment News raves, “Blue Man Group is what every live performance aspires to be.” Celebrity Attractions

September 20-29

Brooklyn Rider September 22

This adventurous, classically trained, genre-defying string quartet from New York City combines a wildly eclectic repertoire with a gripping performance style. Hear the music of Schubert, John Cage, Evan Ziporyn, Bartók and Colin Jacobsen.

Chamber Music Tulsa

Brooklyn Rider

Rite of Spring September 27-29

Adam Hougland’s modernized staging of Vaslav Nijinsky’s groundbreaking Rite of Spring joins dance legend Paul Taylor’s Company B, which juxtaposes lighthearted 1940s music and dance moves with stark images of war. The Oklahoma premiere of Jorma Elo’s One/End/One rounds out this triple-bill program. Tulsa Ballet

Blue Man Group

OCTOBER Khaled Hosseini “Afghanistan Through the Decades: An Émigré’s Personal Perspective” October 4

Best known for his profound novels The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns, Khaled Hosseini is once again taking the literary scene by storm with his most recent book, And the Mountains Echoed.

Tulsa Town Hall

Khaled Hosseini

Stuart Little October 4-5

Stuart Little recounts the adventures of a most unusual mouse born into an otherwise ordinary human family. E.B. White’s charming, wise and joyful classic is brought to life as the mild-mannered Stuart learns to survive in his super-sized world of humans and discovers the true meaning of life, loyalty and friendship. Staged by Dallas Children’s Theater. PAC Trust

The Marriage of Figaro

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Brahms: William Wolfram, pianist October 5

American pianist William Wolfram performs during an all-Brahms evening.

This will be the Tulsa Symphony debut for both Wolfram and guest conductor Steven Smith. The performance of Piano Concerto No. 1 and Symphony No. 2 will complete the Brahms cycle that TSO has done over the years.

Tulsa Symphony

Love, Loss and What I Wore October 10-13

Back by popular demand, Nora and Delia Ephron’s play is organized as a series of monologues performed by several actresses who use clothing and accessories and the memories they trigger to tell funny, poignant and relatable stories. Based on the best-selling book by Ilene Beckerman. Mature audiences. Theatre Pops

The Marriage of Figaro October 18, 20

Love, intrigue and social commentary mingle as a servant outwits his master in Mozart’s sequel to The Barber of Seville. This immortal masterpiece features Ava Pine, Seth Mease Carico, Eleni Calenos, Alexander Elliott, Lauren McNeese, Peter Strummer, Linda Roark-Strummer and Marc Schapman. Sung in Italian with English supertitles. Libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. Tulsa Opera

World Blues

Ariel Quartet with Menahem Pressler

October 23

World Blues features Mississippi Delta blues icon and Grammy Award winner Taj Mahal and “The Voice” of South Africa, Vusi Malahsela. Mahal and Malahsela explore the intersection of African and American musical forms and celebrate the global influence of American blues. Joining them is the rock and roll band Fredericks Brown, from New Zealand, featuring Taj’s daughter Deva Mahal. PAC Trust

October 27

Ariel Quartet

Formed in Israel, and quartet-in-residence at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, this award-winning ensemble has earned a glowing international reputation. They will perform music from Beethoven and Britten. Legendary pianist Menahem Pressler joins them for Dvořák’s Quintet in A Major for Piano and Strings, Op. 81. Chamber Music Tulsa

Seminar October 24-27

Written by award-winning TV writer and novelist Theresa Rebeck (NYPD Blue and Smash), Seminar is about an international literary figure who gives private writing lessons to aspiring novelists. The four students who come to him for direction are in for a bumpy ride. Mature audiences. Theatre Pops

World Blues

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NOVEMBER A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Frogz

Four crisscrossed lovers are at the center of this humorous and enchanting reimagining of Shakespeare’s classic. Magical flying effects and nearly 30 local children in the roles of woodland sprites and fairies enhance the charm of Christopher Wheeldon’s 1997 work set to music by Felix Mendelssohn. Tulsa Ballet

Imago Theatre’s weird but creatively brilliant productions are a blend of theatre and circus. Their signature production, Frogz, populates the stage with oversized characters and beings that perform vignettes of physical comedy and visual charm. The New York Times describes Frogz as “a mastery of mime, dance and acrobatics.” Frogz will delight audiences as young as age three. PAC Trust

November 1-3

November 8

Simon Estes, Deborah Voigt and Friends November 5

Widely acknowledged as the preeminent dramatic soprano today, Deborah Voigt is lauded for her lyricism, beauty of tone and dramatic acuity, as well as her impressive aura and voice. Voigt appears in concert with the internationally heralded bass-baritone Simon Estes for a thrilling evening of entertainment. Simon Estes Foundation

Dan Rather “A Morning with Dan Rather” November 8

Dan Rather is one of the most recognized and renowned reporters of our time. Best known as anchor of the CBS Evening News from 1981 to 2005, Rather was a White House and foreign correspondent before that, covering events like the Kennedy assassinations, the Vietnam War and Watergate. Tulsa Town Hall

The Importance of Being Earnest

Dan Rather

November 8-17 Deborah Voigt

Two friends pretend to be “Earnest” to charm their respective loves, but when all four vacation at the same country estate at the same time, both men risk having their romantic hopes dashed. Oscar Wilde’s tour de force is as hilarious and relevant today as it was more than 100 years ago. Theatre Tulsa

Vienna Piano Trio

Disney’s ‘Fantasia’

Irving Berlin’s White Christmas

November 9

Conductor Ron Spigelman returns to lead the orchestra in a mix of live music and film. The program will include the original Fantasia along with new segments created for Fantasia 2000. Spigelman previously led the orchestra during accompanied showings of Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl and The Wizard of Oz. Tulsa Symphony

Ivory&Gold November 10

Ivory&Gold celebrates the best of American jazz, blues, ragtime, Broadway and The Great American Songbook. The duo, consisting of Anne Barnhart on flute and vocals with Jeff Barnhart on piano and vocals, was formed in 2001. This husbandand-wife team continues to thrill audiences with music, historical anecdotes and humor. Ragtime for Tulsa

November 12-17

Add the 2009 Tony-nominated Irving Berlin’s White Christmas to your holiday show lineup this year. Based on the 1954 film, with hits like “Blue Skies,” “Happy Holiday” and the Academy Award-winning title song “White Christmas,” this show will kick off the winter season with music and cheer. Celebrity Attractions

Vienna Piano Trio November 15, 17

The Vienna Piano Trio is the ensemble-in-residence at Vienna’s Konzerthaus and has held prestigious appointments in London at Wigmore Hall and for the BBC’s series at St. Luke’s. “An Evening in Vienna,” on November 15, features an hour-long concert of works by Schubert and Kreisler, along with Schönberg’s ultra-Romantic “Verklärte Nacht,” followed by dessert and champagne with the musicians. The November 17 concert features the music of Haydn, Beethoven and Saint-Saëns. Chamber Music Tulsa

Buddy Valastro: The Cake Boss November 24

America’s favorite baker, Buddy Valastro, returns with an all-new show of cakes, anecdotes and fun. In this live, interactive event, TLC’s Cake Boss will share stories, answer audience questions, and give lots of live cake and cupcake decorating demonstrations, sharing tips and techniques in a high-energy experience for the whole family. Mills Entertainment

Buddy Valastro

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DECEMBER

The Nutcracker

TULSA! : A Radio Christmas Spectacular December 5-7

It’s 1949 and KMOK, Tulsa’s fourth-most-popular radio station, is preparing its annual “Radio Christmas Spectacular.” If the show doesn’t bring in more listeners, the station will close on New Year’s Eve, so the station’s plucky new intern has coaxed a famous Broadway actress to headline.

But when the actress is suspiciously incapacitated, the staff has to pull off a Christmas miracle. A world premiere

by Cody Daigle. Playhouse Tulsa

A Christmas Carol December 6-22

TULSA! : A Radio Christmas Spectacular

Snow falls on Victorian London as three holiday ghosts, a deceased former partner, and one loving family expose Scrooge’s greed and help him discover the joy that comes with generosity and compassion. The large, multigenerational cast adorned in period costumes provides plenty of oldfashioned seasonal cheer. Charles Dickens’ classic was adapted by Robert Odle and Richard Averill. American Theatre Company

The Eight: Reindeer Monologues December 12-22

Scandal erupts at the North Pole when one of Santa’s reindeer accuses him of sexual harassment. As the media descend upon the event, the other reindeer demand to share their perspectives. This play was written by Jeff Goode and is recommended for mature audiences. Theatre Pops

A Christmas Carol

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The Nutcracker December 13-22

A young girl’s fantasy unfolds in this annual production that mixes the visuals of a Broadway show with the heartwarming story of a fairytale Christmas.

More than 100 children join the professional company as tumblers, baby clowns, mice, toy soldiers and party guests in Marcello Angelini’s version of this beloved holiday ballet, set to Tchaikovsky’s score. Tulsa Ballet

JANUARY Mozart and Prokofiev

Beauty and the Beast

Two epic works make up Tulsa Symphony’s fourth concert this season: Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 and Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5. This concert touches an array of emotions with Mozart’s dark, passionate symphony countered by Prokofiev’s light hymn to freedom and happiness. Guest conductor is James Judd.

Tulsa Symphony

Experience a “Tale As Old As Time” with the Tony Award-winning musical Beauty and the Beast. Based on the animated film, this love story is brought to stage with lavish costumes and sets and all the musical numbers you love. Please, be our guest! Celebrity Attractions

January 11

January 31-February 2

Chicago January 21-26

Chicago

Scandal, corruption and all that jazz are the backdrop for Broadway’s longest running American musical. John O’Hurley (Seinfeld, Dancing with the Stars) performs the role of defense attorney Billy Flynn in this high-energy, razzle-dazzle musical created by Bob Fosse.

Recommended for age 15 and older.

Celebrity Attractions

Beauty and the Beast

I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change January 24-February 2

Told as a series of vignettes, this riotously funny musical follows the twists and turns of modern-day relationships. As honest as it is hysterical, this is the perfect date night for people who love to laugh! Book and lyrics by Joe DiPietro, music by Jimmy Roberts. Theatre Tulsa

Feet Don’t Fail Me Now! January 25

I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change

Sparks fly as four extremely caffeinated young dancers burn up the floor in Feet Don’t Fail Me Now! by Rhythmic Circus. A six-piece band accompanies rapid-fire tap dancers with music from funk to blues, rock to salsa. Feet won the Spirit of the Fringe Award, the top prize at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2012 and will soon open off-Broadway. PAC Trust

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FEBRUARY Timothy Egan “Dust Bowl and Beyond: Lessons for the Future From Past Hard Times” February 7

Clybourne Park

Timothy Egan is a Pulitzer Prize-winning former reporter and current columnist for the New York Times. His book The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl won the 2006 National Book Award for nonfiction and led to a featured role in Ken Burns’ 2012 PBS series, The Dust Bowl. Tulsa Town Hall

Charlotte’s Web February 7

Wilbur the pig has a problem: how to avoid winding up as pork chops! Charlotte the spider, a fine writer and true friend, weaves a plan to make Wilbur a prize pig and ensure his place on the farm forever. This treasured tale by E.B. White explores bravery, selfless love, and the true meaning of friendship.

Staged by Theatreworks USA. PAC Trust

Saint-Saëns and Mozart: Christina and Michelle Naughton, pianists February 8

The Audience Choice Concert this year centers on the work of composers Mozart and Saint-Saëns and features pianists (and twin sisters) Christina and Michelle Naughton. The program comprises Mozart’s Concerto Christina and for Two Pianos and two pieces by SaintMichelle Naughton Saëns — Carnival of the Animals and his Symphony No. 3, also known as the Organ Symphony. Sarah Ioannides is guest conductor.

Tulsa Symphony

Elmer Gantry

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Cinderella February 14-16

A prince, a fairy godmother, a glass slipper — and a little magic — come together to make a princess out of a cinder maid. The antics of Cinderella’s awkward stepsisters add hilarity to this romantic fairytale choreographed by Houston Ballet’s artistic director emeritus Ben Stevenson to music by Sergei Prokofiev. Tulsa Ballet A Streetcar Named Desire

Adaskin-Schumann Ensemble February 23

The Adaskin String Trio and Ensemble Schumann collaborate frequently to perform masterworks with uncommon instrumentation, charming audiences with their passion and warmth. In Tulsa, the five players explore the timbres of piano, strings and oboe in different and delightful combinations, performing the works of Mozart, Bach, Martinu and Brahms. Chamber Music Tulsa

Elmer Gantry February 28, March 2

This new Grammy Award-winning opera by Robert Aldridge makes its Oklahoma premiere. Based on the novel of the same name by Nobel laureate Sinclair Lewis, this is the story of the rise and fall of a charismatic but unscrupulous adventurer who finds fame and fortune by joining the Evangelical Movement in the Midwest during the 1920s. The novel also inspired the 1960 film with Burt Lancaster. (Sung in English) Libretto by Herschel Garfein. Tulsa Opera

Cinderella

A Streetcar Named Desire February 14-22

In Tennessee Williams’ classic drama, fading Southern belle Blanche Dubois arrives at the seedy New Orleans apartment of her sister, Stella, having left behind a lost family plantation, a teaching job and a host of secrets and lies. Blanche is desperate for a new start, but her fragile illusions won’t endure the scrutiny of Stella’s macho husband, Stanley.

Playhouse Tulsa

Clybourne Park February 21-March 2

A Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner, Clybourne Park is a complex, challenging and groundbreaking work. Both a prequel and sequel to A Raisin in the Sun, this poignant play, written by Bruce Norris, covers the changing racial makeup of a Chicago neighborhood and the heartbreaking conflicts that transpire. Mature audiences only.

Theatre Tulsa

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MARCH The Neverending Story

A Few Good Men

A lonely boy discovers a curious book. As he hides in the attic of his school and begins to read, a huge adventure surges to life. Fantastica, a land of stories, is being destroyed by the Nothing. The Childlike Empress has chosen Atreyu, a young hunter, to be the Hero of the Great Quest. Adapted by David S. Craig from the book by Michael Ende. American Theatre Company

Before The West Wing and The Newsroom, Aaron Sorkin rocked the theatre world with A Few Good Men. Packed with electrifying characters, a blazing fast pace and a suspenseful plot that keeps you guessing, A Few Good Men still has the power to thrill. Can you handle the truth? Theatre Tulsa

March 7-15

March 21-30

Three Days of Rain

March 23

March 13-15

The children of a pair of famous American architects square off over their parents’ greatest achievement, Janeway House. In the same apartment 30 years earlier, those architects find the spark of inspiration for that house’s design in a woman they both love. Tony-winning playwright Richard Greenberg spins a lyrical and heartbreaking tale. Playhouse Tulsa

Mia Farrow “Having a Meaningful Life: One Woman’s Journey to Fulfillment” March 14

Recognized for her work in over 40 films, Mia Farrow is also a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador working for children’s rights in places such as Darfur, Chad and the Central African Republic. The mother of 14 children (including 10 adopted), Farrow presents a revealing account of her struggles and successes and the quest to find life’s deeper meaning. Tulsa Town Hall Flipside: The Patti Page Story

Flipside: The Patti Page Story March 16

Flipside: The Patti Page Story tells the story of Oklahoma’s own Clara Ann Fowler, who rose to international fame as The Singing Rage – Miss Patti Page. Written

by Greg White of the University of Central Oklahoma, Flipside is based on personal interviews with Page and features 28 of her hits, including “Tennessee Waltz” and “Mocking Bird Hill.” PAC Trust

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Elias String Quartet This vibrant English ensemble made its North American debut in 2012, including a sold-out concert at Carnegie Hall. The Elias’ concerts and educational outreach are part of the group’s three-year Beethoven Project, which will culminate with a recording of the complete Beethoven quartets.

The Quartet will perform Beethoven, along with music composed by Franz Joseph Haydn and Sally Beamish.

Chamber Music Tulsa

The Snail and the Whale March 28-29

The Snail and A tiny snail longs to see the the Whale world, so she hitches a ride on the tail of a humpback whale. But when the whale gets beached, how will the snail save him? Follow the tiny snail’s amazing journey, as seen through the eyes of an adventurous young girl and her seafaring father. Staged by Tall Stories of London. PAC Trust

One Man Star Wars March 29

A few years ago, in a garage far, far away, comedian Charles Ross decided to put his Star Wars obsession to good use, and now he performs the original trilogy in a light-speed 60-minute one-man show — voices, sound effects, sound track and all. One Man Star Wars is suitable for sci-fi nerds of all ages and aliens over 65. Wookies welcome. PAC Trust

APRIL The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber April 1-6

You’re sure to recognize more than a few tunes as an onstage symphony and cast of Broadway headliners perform beloved songs and blockbuster scores created by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

You’ll hear music from Cats, Evita, The Phantom of the Opera, Jesus Christ Superstar and many more. Celebrity Attractions

A Little Princess, The Musical April 4-13

Sara Crewe boards a ship in Africa headed for Miss Minchin’s London boarding school, while her father embarks on a mission to Timbuktu. Sara makes friends with other girls, but makes an enemy of Miss Minchin. Her survival and reunion with her beloved father can only be secured through faith, friendship and a healthy dose of imagination. Adapted by Andrew Lippa and Brian Crawley from the book by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Playhouse Tulsa

Gentry Lee “Space Exploration and the Curiosity Mission to Mars”

American String Quartet

April 11

As chief engineer for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Gentry Lee oversaw several NASA space missions, including the Juno mission to Jupiter, GRAIL missions to the moon, the Viking Gentry Lee mission (first successful landing on another planet) and most recently the Curiosity rover mission to Mars.

He has written several science fiction books and received the Distinguished Service Medal, NASA’s highest award. Tulsa Town Hall

Higdon, Haydn and Strauss: Kari Caldwell, cellist April 12

Tulsa Symphony concludes its season with TSO Principal Cellist Kari Caldwell as soloist for Don Quixote, the tone poem by Richard Strauss. Also included will be American composer Jennifer Higdon’s well-known Blue Cathedral and the Symphony No. 88 by Haydn. Gerhardt Zimmermann conducts. Tulsa Symphony

Endurance April 25-27

Hartford insurance man Walter Spivey is struggling to justify his promotion and save his co-workers’ jobs. He reads the biography of Sir Ernest Shackleton, who kept 27 men alive for two years after their ship, Endurance, was crushed by ice in Antarctica. Both stories are told by four actors from the Split Knuckle Theatre Company of Connecticut, who also collaborated to create the play. PAC Trust

American String Quartet April 27

Marking its 40th anniversary in 2014, the American String Quartet is a Tulsa favorite and the perfect ensemble to celebrate the conclusion of CMT’s 60th season! Internationally recognized as one of the world’s finest ensembles, the American String Quartet is famous for a luxurious sound and thoughtful, innovative programming. The Quartet will play the music of Berg, Bach and Beethoven. Chamber Music Tulsa

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MAY

Carmen

Race May 1-4

A wealthy white man accused of raping a black woman hires a team of lawyers — a white man, a black man and their young female associate — to defend him. As they review evidence, shame, guilt and personal feelings about racial harmony emerge. Written by David Mamet and recommended for mature audiences. Theatre Pops

Carmen May 2, 4

The sexiest and most notorious gypsy of all time returns, followed by contrabandiers, bullfighters, flamenco dancers and a soldier with a fatal obsession. April in Seville doesn’t get any sweeter than Tulsa Opera’s production of Georges Bizet’s Carmen, featuring mezzo soprano Leann Sandel-Pantaleo and tenor Jonathan Burton in their Tulsa Opera debuts.

(Sung in French with English supertitles) Libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy. Tulsa Opera

The Sound of Music

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Sister Act

[title of show] May 2-10

Sister Act

Written by Hunter Bell with music and lyrics by Jeff Bowen, [title of show] chronicles its own creation as an entry in the 2004 New York Musical Theatre Festival and follows the struggles of the author, the composer/lyricist and their two actress friends during the show’s creative period.

American Theatre Company

May 13-18

Wannabe diva Deloris Van Cartier’s life takes a surprising turn when she witnesses a crime. The cops hide her in the last place anyone would think to look — a convent! Under the suspicious eye of Mother Superior, Deloris helps her fellow sisters find their voices as she unexpectedly rediscovers her own. Celebrity Attractions

The Sound of Music May 9-18

Iconic music by Rodgers and Hammerstein, treasured characters and a timeless story all come together in what may be the most beloved musical of all time. From “Do-Re-Mi” to “Climb Every Mountain,” all your favorite songs are here for you to remember and share. Whether you’re new to the story or know it by heart, experience this masterpiece as it was meant to be. Theatre Tulsa

SUMMER

Wicked

SummerStage

Wicked

This annual performing arts festival takes place in the Tulsa PAC’s Williams, Doenges and Norman theaters. Performances staged by local arts groups and individual artists include a variety of disciplines — musicals, drama, comedy, dance and cabaret — in a casual atmosphere at affordable prices. PAC Trust

Long before Dorothy dropped in, two girls became unlikely friends in the land of Oz. Winner of 35 major awards, Wicked is the story of how the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch came to be. Songs include “Defying Gravity,” “Popular” and “For Good.” The musical is based on the novel by Gregory Maguire with music by Stephen Schwartz and book by Winnie Holzman. Celebrity Attractions

June-July

June 18-July 6

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2013-2014 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS Celebrity Attractions Blue Man Group Irving Berlin’s White Christmas Chicago Beauty and the Beast The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber Sister Act Wicked Season tickets: 918.596.7109 Single tickets: 918.596.7111

Tulsa Ballet

Rite of Spring A Midsummer Night’s Dream The Nutcracker Cinderella Season tickets: 918.749.6407 Single tickets: 918.596.7111

Tulsa Opera

The Marriage of Figaro Elmer Gantry Carmen Season tickets: 918.587.4811 Single tickets: 918.596.7111

Tulsa Symphony

Sarah Coburn and Siwoo Kim William Wolfram Disney’s Fantasia Mozart and Prokofiev Christina and Michelle Naughton Kari Caldwell Season tickets: 918.584.3645 Single tickets: 918.596.7111

PAC Trust

World Blues Frogz One Man Star Wars Feet Don’t Fail Me Now! Flipside: The Patti Page Story Endurance Single tickets only: 918.596.7111

PAC Trust Imagination Series Stuart Little Charlotte’s Web The Snail and The Whale Season tickets: 918.596.7109 Single tickets: 918.596.7111

Chamber Music Tulsa Brooklyn Rider Ariel Quartet with Menahem Pressler Vienna Piano Trio Adaskin-Schumann Ensemble Elias String Quartet American String Quartet Season tickets: 918.587.3802 Single tickets: 918.596.7111

Tulsa Town Hall

Khaled Hosseini Dan Rather Timothy Egan Mia Farrow Gentry Lee Season tickets only: 918.749.5965

American Theatre Company

A Christmas Carol The Neverending Story [title of show] Season tickets: 918.596.7109 Single tickets: 918.596.7111

Playhouse Tulsa

I Hate Hamlet TULSA! A Radio Christmas Spectacular A Streetcar Named Desire Three Days of Rain A Little Princess Season tickets: 918.596.7109 Single tickets: 918.596.7111

Theatre Pops

Love, Loss and What I Wore Seminar The Eight: Reindeer Monologues Race Single tickets: 918.596.7111

Theatre Tulsa

Legally Blonde: The Musical The Importance of Being Earnest Disney’s Aladdin Jr. I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change Clybourne Park A Few Good Men The Sound of Music Season tickets: 918.587.8402 Single tickets: 918.596.7111

Schedule subject to change.

PHOTO CREDITS PAC Building (Jeremy Charles); John Scott (Michelle Pollard); Brooklyn Rider (Sarah Small); Khaled Hosseini (© Elena Seibert); World Blues (Jay Blakesberg); Deborah Voigt (© Peter Ross); The Nutcracker (Sharen Bradford); TULSA! A Radio Christmas Spectacular (Michele Cantrell); A Christmas Carol (Michael Ervin); Chicago (Jeremy Daniel); Beauty and the Beast (Joan Marcus); I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (Steven Michael Hall); Clybourne Park (Steven Michael Hall); A Streetcar Named Desire (Michele Cantrell); Cinderella (J. Shelton Photography); Flipside: The Patti Page Story (Wendy Mutz); The Snail and the Whale (© Tall Stories); American String Quartet (Peter Schaaf); The Sound of Music (Steven Michael Hall); Sister Act (Joan Marcus); Wicked (Joan Marcus) Brochure design by Morgan Welch, Langdon Publishing.

Access TulsaPAC.com for detailed information, including nearby parking, dining and lodging.

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Plus

A Raisin in the Sun Love Bank 1 and 2 Brain Storms: New Works by Young Writers Simon Estes, Deborah Voigt and Friends Buddy Valastro: The Cake Boss Ragtime for Tulsa’s Ivory&Gold Single tickets: 918.596.7111

Brown Bag It

October 16, 23, 30 November 6, 13, 20 December 4 March 12, 19, 26 April 2, 9, 16

In the Gallery

September: The Blue Glass Group October: Kite Traces—Words and Images November: Tulsa Historical Society December: Art of Stephen Smith January: Lindsay Larremore Craige February: Michelle Firment Reid March: Linda Stilley April: Diversity in Art May: Mayfest June: Experience Tulsa

the

good life

Clothes encounters

Yoana Baraschi tweed armor stretch jacket, $415; skirt, $220; and goddess armor date top, $260; all available at Miss Jackson’s this month. Miss Jackson’s will host the designer and a special trunk show of her work, including these pieces, at its Fall Opening, Aug. 1 and 2. Also on tap for the opening is the return of Miss Jackson’s Mij Shop, featuring young contemporary apparel and accessories.

Fashion designer Yoana Baraschi will make a personal appearance at Miss Jackson’s Fall Opening this month.

by KENDALL BARROW

EDITOR’S NOTE: Baraschi will only be at the store 3-5 p.m., Aug. 1.

Art minded P. 84

✻

Be our guest P. 88

✻

Summer whites P. 97 TulsaPeople.com

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Photo courtesy of Yoana Baraschi

TRENDS ✻ HOME ✻ HEALTH ✻ FOOD

MY TOP 10

Shirley Elliott Program and development director, Tulsa Performing Arts Center Trust

by KENDALL BARROW

Although

not an artist by trade, Shirley Elliott is the driving force behind some of the city’s most impressive art offerings.

She began her career at Tulsa’s Performing Arts Center as a writer for Intermission Magazine and followed opportunities upward to programming events and hiring artists. Today she is the program and development director for the Tulsa PAC Trust, which recently partnered with the George Kaiser Family Foundation to bring free arts programming to the Guthrie Green. In May she was honored with the Newsmakers Award from the Association of Women in Communications for her work with the Guthrie Green.

Men: My three sons, grandson, sweetheart and two brothers: Joel, Aaron, Daniel, Jack, Steve, John and Richard.

The Vespa: Steve and I love riding around together on our Vespa.

The one time I drove we crashed!

Oysters on the half shell: S & J Oyster … yum.

Ancestry.com: Thomas Elliott, my sixth great grandfather came to America from England around 1750. Amazing.

Tulsa: It’s a great time to live in our beautiful city!

My Job: Working in the arts is fun, frustrating, rewarding and exhausting but ultimately full of joy.

Gardening: Life springing from dirt and manure gives us all hope.

Ghosts: Shameless plug for my book “The Ghost Signs of Downtown Tulsa”

Poetry: If a painting is worth a thousand words, then a poem is worth a thousand paintings.

Travel: International travel opens both the heart and mind. I can’t get enough! tþ

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A-LIST SPOTLIGHT To learn more about these honored businesses and to see the entire A-List Directory, go to TulsaPeople’s website. Visit TulsaPeople.com/Directories/the-A-List.

(See sample of Web Listing below.)

ASIAN KEO ASIAN CUISINE 3524 S. Peoria Ave. • (918) 794-8200 / 8921 S. Yale Ave. • (918) 794-0090 www.keorestaurant.com KEO offers a wide variety of dishes from an array of countries in Southeast Asia. Only the freshest ingredients are used, all prepared in traditional manners and served in a full-service atmosphere.

COSMETIC SURGERY

PLASTIC SURGERY CENTER OF TULSA 2107 E. 15th St. • (918) 712-0888 www.pscoftulsa.com Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Greg Ratliff and his staff offer many services to meet individual needs, including breast enhancement procedures, tummy tucks, liposuction, facial procedures, and more.

CREDIT UNION RED CROWN CREDIT UNION Tulsa: 5001 E. 91st St. and 5321 E. 41st St. • BA: 3101 W. Kenosha Pryor: 19 N. Rowe St. • (800) 318-7228 • www.redcrown.org Red Crown Credit Union offers a wide array of deposit and loan services available to those who live, work, worship, volunteer or attend school in the greater Tulsa area.

DOG BOARDING DOGVILLE DAYCARE & BOARDING 9525 E. 47th Place • (918) 949-6070 www.dogville-daycare.com Dogville Daycare & Boarding offers all cage-free suite boarding, a large outdoor play area and staff on site 24 hours a day. Specializing in senior dogs and special needs dogs, Dogville is co-owned and managed by a retired veterinarian.

KEO ASIAN CUISINE Chef Zahidah Hyman opened Brookside’s KEO with husband Bill Hyman in August 2007 and has since brought fresh and healthy dining options to guests. KEO specializes in the regional fare of a variety of Southeast Asia countries including Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Malaysia. All dishes are made to order using fresh ingredients, prepared in traditional manners and served in a full-service atmosphere. A second KEO location opened in south Tulsa in early 2013. KEO offers full lunch and dinner menus, full of well-known Asian favorites along with more unique dishes.

Appetizers include fresh spring rolls, Ahi poke, dumplings and KEO cakes. A selection of traditional Asian soups and salads are also available. Entrée specials include shrimp crepe, Ahi tuna burger, Malaysian Rendang and a wide selection of stir fry dishes.

HOME HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING

TANNING

Since 1961, family-owned Airco Service, Inc. has served the Tulsa area as a full service provider for air conditioning, heating, plumbing and electrical systems.

BAHAMA SUN 3732 South Peoria Avenue • (918) 748-9971 www.bahamasuntanandspray.com Along with four levels of tanning, Bahama Sun offers airbrushing and sunless tanning at its Brookside location. The new sunless booth, The Revolutionary, provides another option for a sun-kissed look.

AIRCO SERVICES 11331 E. 58th St., Tulsa OK 74146 • (918) 252-5667 www.aircoservice.com

LIQUOR STORE RANCH ACRES WINE & SPIRITS 3324A East 31st Street • (918) 747-1171 Great selection, a knowledgeable staff, attractive pricing, and placing a high value on community involvement have made Ranch Acres Wine & Spirits an award-winning favorite in Tulsa for over 54 years.

PET SHOP DOG DISH 6502 East 51st Street • (918) 624-2600 www.thedogdish.com Dog Dish is where pet lovers can come together, visit with staff or others, ask questions, share information or just enjoy the company of other pet lovers and their four-legged friends.

Advertise your A-List business with our Multi-Media package: • Monthly magazine listing and annual spotlight (see above) • Online directory listing and profile (see profile sample on right) Please contact Amy at AdServices@LangdonPublishing.com

TulsaPeople.com

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Shop

Talk

Embellish

Your Story Memories, Magnets & Magic

Embellish Fun Night August 22, 6-8 P.M.

3747 South Harvard Tulsa, OK 918-712-8785

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Golden Rabbit’s “Lobster” porcelain enamelware is stylish, durable and will provide years of enjoyment. Come see it…and many other fun things arriving for Fall. It’s almost here!

Tulsa’s Favorite Gift Store for Over 75 Years.

2058 Utica Square • 918-747-8780

Fine apparel d Custom Picture Framing

www.TraversMahanApparel.com South Lewis at 81st • The Plaza • 918-296-4100

d Fine Art “Happy Hour on Cherry Street” by Christopher Westfall

d Home Accessories

August Framed Art Sale 6. N. LEWIS d 918.584.2217 d www.zieglerart.com

GEAR UP! ith on w ’s g seas o e d h our or t , f y t g e n s i , OSU e U port Get O s , y om rse .TU a je er. C am.. y te te Thund fficiall i r o o , f fav s o nsa from tion Arkaur collec products t o s. pe see Dog nsed lice tar

S All-

Unique Toys • Trendy Collars • Snazzy Beds Clever Apparel • Healthier Foods • Gourmet Treats

The Farm • 51st and Sheridan (918) 624-2600

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HOME

The charming space now features a bedroom, kitchen, bath and even a sitting area.

Relax and stay awhile

Learn how one couple turned an old garage into a cozy, French-inspired guest cottage.

by ASHLEY ANTLE

The Arnoldis transformed their run-down, dirty garage into a French-inspired guesthouse.

J

Jeff and Kerry Arnoldi’s

home tells a story. It tells of their travels and the years they lived in Alaska and Russia. It tells of their childhoods — Jeff’s love for his grandfather, who played a key role in his life, and Kerry’s creative spirit fostered by her paternal grandmother.

The home also tells of their passions. Jeff, a retired chemical engineer, collects slide rules and scientific apparatuses. Kerry, a certified home stager, is a master decorator and loves to refurbish furniture.

It seems the two couldn’t be more different.

But, in love and in decorating, their story is one where opposites really do attract. Kerry has masterfully combined their heirlooms, collectibles and individual styles to create a home full of history, warmth, comfort and beauty. “(Our home) is a real combination of him and me,” Kerry says.

The same can be said for the couple’s guesthouse, formerly a run-down, dirty garage with

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quarters, which the couple remodeled with the help of contractor Paul Belongia, into a space that artfully displays many of their mementos.

“The carriage house was a total dump, but it had a good foundation,” Kerry says. “It had possibilities I could see immediately and, when I walked in, I said, ‘This is exactly what I have been looking for.’ I saw the finished result in my mind right then. The process, however, was not so quick, but it was worth it.”

The “little house,” as it’s known to the Arnoldis, is nestled at the back of their downtown Tulsa property and is surrounded by a pristine pool and lush gardens Kerry tends herself. One look at the picturesque cottage with its black and white awning and bright red doors, and you think you’ve stepped into a quaint French village.

Ever the gracious hosts and compassionate caregivers — the couple cares for three disabled family members — their goal for the guesthouse was to create an open, bright and cheerContinued on p. 90

Homeowners Kerry and Jeff Arnoldi with contractor Paul Belongia

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HOME

Continued from p. 88

The cottage provides space to display many of the couple’s mementos and unique finds they have acquired over the years, including a collection of aprons and trinkets.

ful place for their family and friends to enjoy when they need a respite. It’s a space where those they love can come for what they like to call a “Kerrycation.”

“It’s just a place to recuperate or get away, feel better or get happy,” Kerry says.

Happy is exactly what you feel when you step into the little house that sleeps five. Whitewashed walls featuring wood planks original to the house and large black and white square tiles reminiscent of a ’50s-style diner provide the perfect backdrop for Kerry’s colorful design aesthetic in pops of red, yellow and blue.

Her inspiration started with a single Sou90

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leiado scarf she found in Provence, France, and kept for years until she knew exactly what she wanted to do with it. Kerry bought a piece of the colorful linen in every French village she visited and eventually turned the scarfs into pillow shams and a tablecloth into a bed coverlet.

“I already had all of the French (linens) folded up,” she says. “I had been collecting them for a long time and I knew that this could be the place (for them).”

Ask her where she bought the rest of her décor and, while there is a story behind just about every piece, Kerry’s answer will be “a junk store here” or “a flea market there.”

“My style is different because we travel and go to flea markets, and we just pick up stuff,” Kerry says.

For example, a back-of-the-church-pew hymnal holder complete with communion cup slots she found at one flea market and repurposed as a bookshelf. The piece is a nod to Kerry’s upbringing in the Baptist church. Or, the chairs that sit at the foot of the bed. Kerry reupholstered them herself using authentic Suzani fabric she purchased in Moscow.

There is also her grandmother’s apron, which hangs in a shadow box in the guesthouse’s kitchen next to her other grandmother’s bonnet.

“When I would go stay with (my Granny Hudson) in the summer, she made something every day,” Kerry remembers. “She had a ceramics studio, and I really feel like she taught me to be artsy.”

A refurbished ’50s-style settee that was in Jeff’s childhood home anchors the cottage’s sitting area. There, guests can kick up their feet on the large whitewashed cable spool that doubles as a coffee table and bookcase.

The Arnoldis raised the ceiling in the guesthouse, allowing them to build a loft area perfect for sleeping or snuggling up with a good book.

To get to the loft, guests climb a ladder — once part of a Borders Bookstore — that the couple purchased on eBay. Built-in closets with reclaimed glass-front doors from Dawson Building Supply were added to give guests ample storage. Pictures from a gothic architecture design book have been decoupaged onto the doors’ glass panes to creatively hide the contents of the closets.

Continued on p. 92

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HOME

Continued from p. 90

The quaint kitchen features open shelving and a retro chrome and Formica table purchased at a Jenks antique store. The kitchen counter is finished with black and white tiles and a wood countertop that once topped an antique French sideboard the Arnoldis had adapted for bathroom cabinets in the house. Kerry found the countertop while cleaning out the garage prior to the remodel. The refinished piece was set on top of tile for a custom layered effect full of vintage charm.

The original bathroom in the garage quarters was just big enough for a toilet and small sink.

The Arnoldis expanded it into a large wet room complete with a handicap-accessible shower and toilet. The floors are finished with small black and white square tiles set in a diamond pattern. Metal cube lockers provide storage space for towels and toiletries. With an eye for meticulous detail and a heart for hospitality, Kerry even provides guests with plush his-and-her robes that hang next to the shower and complement the French-inspired décor.

The Arnoldis purchased their home, built in 1935 by a Greek oilman, in 2009 while living in Alaska. They had lived in Oklahoma prior to their adventures abroad and knew that, someday, they wanted to return.

“This just fit our long-term plan,” Jeff says.

“We knew this was going to be our forever house, and we knew Tulsa was going to be the place we were going to settle.”

Remodeling their home and guesthouse has been a labor of love and a creative outlet for stress relief as they have faced many challenging days as caregivers.

“The reason I came here was to save this house,” Kerry says. “And by working with my hands, allowing myself to sort our lives out while restoring or reupholstering something, and by just having a reason to stay ‘up,’ this house has saved me.” tþ The cottage’s kitchen features several antique and vintage pieces and carries on the French-inspired décor.

Black and white tiles complement the kitchen’s wood countertop that used to top an antique French sideboard.

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The renovation included expanding the bathroom.

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TulsaPeople.com

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DINING OUT

Saturday night special Boston Deli offers everything from smokin’ ribs to sandwiches.

by JUDY ALLEN Italian meatball Parmesan on a baguette

Pork tenderloin served over smoked tomato grits

Boston Deli’s ribs, available only on Saturday nights, usually sell out by 7 p.m.

Q

Quite often,

especially during the summer months, I get a bad case of grill envy.

I specifically covet those lucky to own an Oklahoma-made Hasty-Bake grill, but more often I envy the talented few able to transform a rack of ribs into a tender, juicy delicacy.

For both reasons, Ken Schafer, owner of the Boston Deli Grill & Market, has been the target of my envy for quite some time. Every Saturday, his talented crew (led by Chef Doug Zimpel) throws rack upon rack of baby-back ribs on his Hasty-Bake grills just outside the restaurant’s back door, and smokes them to perfection.

I have to backtrack a bit, however, before going into detail about those ribs. Schafer took over the Boston Deli (then located on downtown’s South Boston Avenue) back in 1991, after leaving a career as the corporate food and beverage director for DoubleTree Hotels in Scottsdale, Ariz.

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In that position (in addition to regularly clocking 100-hour workweeks) he gathered recipes, menus and tips from chefs all over the world. It was inspiration that would soon be put to use at the deli he bought on a whim after several lunchtime visits.

After a crowded weekday trip to Ike’s Chili in which the line was too long to wait, Schafer headed next door to the Boston Deli and grabbed a sandwich. He loved the quaint café’s location as well as its potential and made several trips back before offering to buy it from the owner.

After updating the space (it was decorated with lobster traps and life-size photos of Larry Bird) and the menu, he stocked his lunch fare in 15 snack shop locations around downtown.

In 1993, an opportunity presented itself in a south Tulsa shopping center — so, Schafer headed south, invested in some bread ovens and never looked back.

At the new location, along with the Boston Deli’s now-popular lunch service, he added a chalkboard dinner menu. Items changed daily based on seasonality and availability — a trend that continues more than two decades later.

Today, the chalkboard menu is a memory, but the restaurant still offers up fresh, seasonal dishes.

Schafer has always offered an eclectic menu, with dishes featuring Asian, Southwestern and European twists on classic dishes.

“I have gone with what I have liked and enjoyed over the years,” he says.

Now, about those ribs ... Schafer’s father was friends with Grant Hastings (the founder of Hasty-Bake). As a result, growing up in south Florida, Schafer’s was the only house with a big Hasty-Bake.

“It was the neighborhood foodie hangout,” he says. “My father grilled for the neighborhood at least once a week.”

Schafer’s father loved to experiment with different rubs, marinades and woods as well as cuts of meat.

“Back then hanger steak and flank steak were unknown, inexpensive cuts, perfect for grilling,” he says.

He learned his father’s recipes and techniques, and puts them to good use today. He cooks ribs one day a week: Saturday. I suggest you get to the restaurant early; it usually sells out by 7 p.m.

But don’t fret if you can’t make it in on a Saturday evening, for the menu offers delicious specials on a daily basis. Pop in for a casual order-at-the-counter lunch with your choice of sandwiches made on freshly baked bread, salads (that take advantage of local produce whenever possible) and creative side dishes (quinoa tabouli and carrot, raisin and walnut salad).

If you are a fan of the classic Reuben, Schafer offers the best version around — thinly sliced, house-cured corned beef, smoked pastrami or smoked turkey is piled high on his own Jewish rye and topped with fresh caraway sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and BD’s version of Russian dressing ($8.29).

If I am ever able to order something different, I will go for the Italian meatball Parmesan on a baguette ($7) or hickory-smoked

chicken salad sandwich ($4.50, small; $7, large).

Dinner service is a bit more dressed up. Servers take care of you tableside, and the menu is kicked up a notch. Aside from those ribs ($16), you will find daily specials, including fried chicken with chili honey ($13) and Hasty-Bakesmoked chicken ($16). Regular favorites include pork tenderloin with chili-ginger drizzle served over smoked tomato grits ($16) and a coffee-spiced smoked rib eye with ancho chili-mushroom sauce ($21). Each month, Schafer designs a seasonal Thursday night special; the entree comes with a salad and a piece of pie ($23).

Portion sizes are reasonable, allowing customers to sample starters and salads, but maybe more importantly, to have room for dessert. Pastry Chef Jessie Rice stocks the case daily with mile-high pies and desserts. Try the signature Limoncello-Pecan Pie ... I’ve had nothing like it.

“We have the best loyal customers,” Schafer says. “We love to hear our customers talking about food while they are in the restaurant. We have an unbelievable following.”

I suspect those customers are following their noses to some Hasty-Bake grills on South Sheridan Road. tþ

Don’t end your visit without popping into the Boston Deli’s adjacent market. Droves of loyal customers grab house-made breads and many of the restaurant’s other popular items to enjoy at home — soups, salads and dressings, and desserts, as well as housecured charcuterie, roasted garlic, salsas, side dishes, jams and jellies and, if you Chef Doug Zimpel and Pastry Chef Jessie Rice are lucky, some of those baby-back ribs.

Schafer is working to expand the market — his way to affordably offer the most popular items from his ever-changing menu — by adding a larger baking area, walk-in refrigeration and more deli cases. To me, that just means more space for more delicious food.

LaMode... it’s the people!

Boston Deli Grill & Market 6231 E. 61st St., 918-492-4745; www.thebostondeli.com

Cuisine — American “with a twist” Capacity — 95 Setting — Park Plaza Shopping Center Owner — Ken Schafer Chef — Doug Zimpel Pastry chef — Jessie Rice Prices — Lunch, $4.50-$8.29; Dinner, $6-$23 Reservations — Not accepted Credit cards — All major accepted Hours — 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Monday; 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday Dress — Casual Noise level — Low to moderate Handicapped access — Yes Parking — Shopping center lot

“Hal Walker and I are LaMode customers because LaMode’s quality of product and service matches what we strive to provide to our customers each and every day at McGills Restaurants.”

—Greg McGill

Eleven Convenient Locations One Standard: Quality

www.lamodecleaners.com TulsaPeople.com

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TABLE TALK

The buzz on Tulsa’s tastiest products, restaurants and events

by JUDY ALLEN

In August, the last thing I want to do on a steamy Oklahoma day is crank up the oven or gas cooktop to whip up lunch or dinner. Instead, I prefer to hit our local farmers’ market for fresh veggies, grab a loaf of bread and a condiment or two from one of Tulsa’s great bakeries and gourmet markets (for one example, see my article on Boston Deli Grill & Market on p. 94), and put together this hearty no-cook meal.

The sandwich can be made a day ahead and is very mobile. It’s perfect for a picnic (assuming it’s not 100 degrees outside) or easy entertaining with friends and family.

ANTIPASTO PICNIC SANDWICH Serves 6-8 1 large round loaf of rustic bread (I especially like loaves flecked with olives, garlic or rosemary.

Try to find one about 12 inches across.)

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup prepared black olive paste 6 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced 4-6 ounces salami or sopressata, thinly sliced 8-ounce jar of roasted red peppers, drained and cut into strips 8-ounce jar of marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, drained and julienned 6-8 ounces fresh goat cheese or feta, crumbled A few handfuls of fresh baby spinach or arugula A few handfuls of fresh basil leaves 1. Slice the bread horizontally, and remove most of the soft interior crumbs (reserve them for use as fresh

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titles (The Grapes of Wrath chicken salad and The Count of Monte Cristo monte cristo, for starters).

Stop in for a shared dessert. We love Fahrenheit 451 (s’mores with house-made marshmallows cooked on a tabletop grill) and Paradise Lost (fruits and breads dipped in tabletop fondue pots).

Antipasto picnic sandwich

The Phoenix: 1302 E. Sixth St., 918-7287828, www.thephoenixtulsa.com

Judy Allen

If you can’t stand the heat ...

bread crumbs). In a small jar, combine mustard, vinegar and olive oil, and shake until well mixed. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

2. Smear olive paste over the top half of the loaf, covering the entire area; set aside.

3. Cover the bottom half of the loaf with a layer of prosciutto, followed by a layer of salami, making sure to cover the loaf all the way to the edge.

4. Finish layering the ingredients on top of the salami, starting with roasted red pepper strips, then artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes and cheese. Finish with a layer of spinach and basil.

5. Give the dressing a shake and spoon 4-6 tablespoons over the mixture. Save any remaining dressing for another use or to serve with the sandwich. Place top of loaf on sandwich and wrap it tightly with plenty of plastic wrap. Refrigerate, weighed down with a heavy cast iron pan or bricks, for at least an hour or overnight. Unwrap and cut into wedges.

New and notable This is not your parents’ Bodean’s! I recently caught up with Chef Trevor Tack about his new position as

executive chef of Bodean Seafood Restaurant. He was in the adjacent fish market checking out the daily catches and planning the menu for that evening. (He updates it on a weekly or even daily basis.) This past spring, he featured a soft-shell crab tempura, served with a soft-boiled egg and roasted tomato remoulade.

RUN FOR THE BORDER From Aug. 6-10, the 115th annual Tontitown Grape Festival will be in full swing.

Just over the Oklahoma border on U.S. Highway 412, this tiny Arkansas town will celebrate the large number of Italian immigrants that settled there more than 100 years ago with a $10 spaghetti dinner, arts and crafts fair, live entertainment and carnival rides.

Call 479-361-2615, or visit www.tontitowngrapefestival.com. tþ

Bodean Seafood Restaurant: 3376 E. 51st St., 918-749-1407, www.bodean.net Gyros by Ali, the popular food truck, has made the move to a permanent location in south Tulsa. The menu features the delicious gyros (served by the dozen from the truck), as well as an assortment of salads, sides and other entrees — think falafel, seasoned chicken and tzatziki, tabouli, and hummus with pita.

Gyros by Ali: 8232 S. Lewis Ave., 918 5286107, www.facebook.com/gyrosbyali Blake Ewing, Blue Dome restaurateur, recently expanded his reach to the burgeoning Pearl District.

The Phoenix features local art, live music and poetry readings. The book-themed (and well-stocked) café offers nearly two dozen varieties of boiled bagels (rosemary olive oil, green chili and pretzel are just a few), fresh-baked croissants and other pastries, as well as signature sandwiches — all with catchy

Judy Allen is an awardwinning journalist, avid home cook and food magazine/cookbook junkie.

Prior to moving back to her home state, she was the senior food editor for Martha Stewart Living magazine.

She also has developed recipes, written articles and styled food stories for Real Simple, Cooking Light, Cottage Living and Food Network magazines. In her spare time, she blogs at www.homemadeoklahoma.com.

WINE

Best swallows of August Hot temperatures call for the summer’s coolest white wines.

T

by RANDA WARREN, MS, CWE, AIWS, CSS*

The old proverb, “One swal-

low does not a summer make,” obviously isn’t referring to wine drinking, but it could.

Because there are plenty of refreshing white wines you’ll want to swallow to keep cool in August’s scorching temperatures.

Many white wines have higher acidity than red wines and are therefore perfect to cleanse the palate and wipe away one’s thirst.

Whites are served chilled, and honestly, doesn’t a chilled glass of anything sound better than one at room temperature?

There are the old standbys such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio ... but come on, don’t you get tired of the same ol’ choices? Let’s remove the dark sunglasses that blind our judgment from time to time and branch out a little.

Here are a few of my favorites: Albariño from Spain; Grüner Veltliner from Austria or California; Pinot Blanc from Alsace or Austria; Picpoul de Pinet from the Languedoc, France; Riesling from Germany; Viognier from California; Ugni Blanc from France or California; Colombard from France; Marsanne/Roussanne from France or California; Vinho Verde from Portugal; and Vermentino from Italy. And the list goes on.

Remember to pair your white wines with foods of a similar weight. One example: light mozzarella cheese is best paired with a light wine like Vermentino versus a heavy, oak-laden Chardonnay.

Whatever you swallow should leave you lusting after your next sip. One swallow of the right white truly does a summer make. tþ Continued on p. 98

*Wine columnist Randa Warren is a Master Sommelier; Certified Wine Educator; Associate Member of the Institute of Wines and Spirits; and is a Certified Specialist of Spirits.

TulsaPeople.com

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WINE

Continued from p. 97

SIPS AT HOME HOT DAMN Leitz Eins-Zwei-Dry 2010 Riesling Trocken, Rheingau, Germany — $19.99 This a great dry Riesling for under $20. Talk about a thirst quencher and a top selection for any summer food. Think of this high-acid wine as your “squeeze of lemon” with fish such as salmon or trout.

THIRST BUSTER Pomérols 2011 Picpoul de Pinet Coteaux du Languedoc, France — $10.99 The grape in this refreshing white wine is Picpoul (Piquepoul blanc), displaying flavors of apples, pears and lemons with a subtle stone character. The wine is on the light side — a perfect match for pasta salads, green salads and shellfish.

Thank you for supporting Tulsa’s locally owned restaurants.

ZOCK IT TO YOU Zocker 2011 Grüner Veltliner, Edna Valley, Calif. — $15.99 The nickname for Grüner is “Groovy” and the grape hails from Austria.

That’s what makes this so special; Zocker has produced a wonderful version of it in Edna Valley. It’s crisp, clean and has flavors of tart green apple and pears and a slight vegetal note with a hint of pepper.

SIPS AROUND TOWN S&J OYSTER BAR Bar manager Jonna Burkett’s personal favorite for a crisp white wine is the Primaterra Pinot Grigio from Italy. “It goes with almost everything on our menu and is even great by itself,” she says. It sells for $7.50 per glass and $28 per bottle. 308 E. First St., 918-938-7933

YOKOZUNA Manager and bartender Sarah Bruce says one of the hottest white swallows they offer is the Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. It is $10 per glass and $40 per bottle. “Try this with a Yokozuna Pop (sushi roll),” she recommends. “It’s awesome.” 309 E. Second St., 918-508-7676

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FOREST RIDGE CHEF SALAD Large House Salad topped with ham, turkey, fresh bacon crumbles, hard boiled egg, grape tomatoes, Jack and Cheddar cheeses with choice of dressing. Open to the public. Dinner specials (Wednesday-Saturday).

Sunday Brunch. Sun.-Tues. 7 a.m.-3 p.m., Wed.-Sat. 7 a.m.-9 p.m.

CAFÉ SAVANNAH’S AT FOREST RIDGE 7501 E KENOSHA BROKEN ARROW • 74014

918-357-2719 WWW.FORESTRIDGE.COM

MANGO AND STICKY RICE - Fresh champagne mangos served with sweet sticky rice three ways brewed with butterfly pea flowers, banana leaves and a hint of mango. Our most popular dessert. The Tropical is open seven days a week. Lunch is served from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Dinner is from 5-10/11 p.m.

THE TROPICAL 8125 E. 49TH ST. TULSA • 74145

918.895.6433 THETROPICALTULSA.COM

HOR-MOK TALAY - A seafood curry dish. Scallops, calamari, shrimp and fish, filled and poached in a creamy coconut milk and red curry paste with eggs, napa cabbage and carrots. Topped with sweet basil and kaffir lime leaves. $17.95. Open seven days a week. Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m./11 p.m.

LANNA THAI 7277 E. MEMORIAL DR. TULSA • 74133

LANNA THAI

918.249.5262 LANNATHAITULSA.COM

MCNELLIE’S CHARBURGER Eight ounces of freshly ground beef, seasoned and cooked to perfection. Served with pickles, onion, shredded lettuce and tomato. Side item choices include: Pub Fries, Tabouli, Sweet Potato Fries, Cottage Cheese, Irish Mashed Potatoes, or Seasonal Vegetables. Open 11 a.m.- 2 a.m. Monday-Sunday.

MCNELLIE’S 409 E. 1ST ST. TULSA • 74120

918.382.7468

GRILLED SALMON Celebrity Restaurant’s Grilled Salmon is grilled to perfection with a special blend of seasonings. Celebrity Restaurant is open for lunch 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Friday. Dinner is served 5-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 5-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

GUACAMOLE BURGER A juicy 1/3 pound burger topped with a slice of grilled poblano pepper, melted jack cheese, and fresh guacamole served on your choice of bun. Enjoy live entertainment each Friday and Saturday night, 8:30-11 p.m., at Delaware location. Proudly serving Tulsans for over 35 years.

CELEBRITY RESTAURANT 3109 S. YALE AVE. TULSA • 74135

PEPPER’S 1950 UTICA SQUARE TULSA • 74114 2809 E 91ST ST TULSA • 74137

Reservations Preferred.

918.743.1800 CELEBRITYTULSA.COM

SEARED U-10 DIVER SCALLOPS Riverside Grill has several items unique to Tulsa.

The Seared U-10 Diver Scallops are served with wild mushroom ravioli, lemon veloute sauce and Bixby braised greens. Come and enjoy an amazing sunset overlooking the River, patio seats are limited. Please Call for reservations. Mon-Fri 11 am–2pm and dinner Mon-Sat 5 pm-10pm.

RIVERSIDE GRILL 9912 RIVERSIDE PARKWAY TULSA • 74137

RIVERSIDE 918.394.2433 GRILL RIVERSIDEGRILLTULSA.COM

UTICA - 918.749.2163 DELAWARE - 918.296.0592 PEPPERSGRILLINC.COM

GRILLED SALMON Boston Deli’s grilled Scottish salmon is served with tomato, basil, shallot, roasted garlic and asparagus. TulsaPeople A-List and Editor’s Choice-award winning deli by day with upscale bold contemporary food by night. Monday 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Closed Sunday. View our monthy specials online.

BOSTON DELI GRILL & MARKET 6231 EAST 61ST STREET TULSA 74136

918-492-4745 THEBOSTONDELI.COM

TulsaPeople.com

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FITNESS AND HEALTH

Q&A From Tulsa Professionals

ATTORNEY Q: Is there any way that I can have my criminal record expunged?

A: Oklahoma affords some individuals the opportunity to request expungement of their criminal record. If you meet the criteria set by law you may be eligible to request the expungement. Generally, if you were never charged or you were acquitted, exonerated or just deserving of a second chance at a clean record, you may be eligible. An expungement is not guaranteed, but worth pursuing since a clean background may provide an opportunity at a better job, admission into a school or program or just provide peace of mind in knowing that your record is clean.

Q: I want to train for a race this fall but it’s hard for me to stick to a plan and stay motivated. What can I do to make it to the finish line this time?

A: Congratulations on making a commitment to your fitness goals! It can be difficult to stay on track in the months leading up to a race so we recommend training with a group to keep you accountable, motivated and, perhaps most importantly, having fun. We offer coached, supported training programs for everything from walking a mile to running a marathon in small, organized and friendly pace groups. Both the experienced coaches and your fellow participants will become your support crew for reaching your goals. Fall training programs start soon, visit our stores or website for more details!

Lori Dreiling, Owner Fleet Feet Sports Tulsa 5968 S. Yale • Tulsa, OK 74135 | 418 E. 2nd St. • Tulsa, OK 74120 918-492-3338 • www.fleetfeettulsa.com

GENERAL DENTISTRY Q: Does in-office or at-home tooth bleaching work better?

A: In-office produces quick results by using a concentrated gel on the surfaces of your teeth, breaking up most stains. At-home bleaching is best when professionally made bleaching trays are filled with bleaching solution and worn, holding the solution against the teeth. The frequency of use can be tailored to suit each patient. Studies have shown that in-office whitening solution does not penetrate into enamel as efficiently and therefore requires more frequent touch-ups. Not all stains can be removed.

Kate D. Thompson Stall Stall & Thompson, P.A. 1800 South Baltimore, Ste. 900 • Tulsa, OK 74119 918-743-6201 • stallthompsonlaw.com

Gene McCormick DDS SAFE/COMFORT 2106 S. Atlanta Pl. • Tulsa, OK 74114 918-743-7444 • www.genemccormickdds.com

APTITUDE TESTING/CAREER COUNSELING

INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT

Q: Why is it important to know my aptitudes?

A: Since aptitudes are natural abilities — what you have been hardwired to do quickly, easily, almost effortlessly — they are key factors in determining a direction that will lead to greatest satisfaction and success. Certain careers and classes will come more easily and be a better fit depending on your aptitudes.

Furthermore, every aptitude creates a need. Your aptitudes need to be utilized to avoid a general sense of dissatisfaction, that something is not right or missing. This often becomes especially apparent in mid-life.

Jenny Larsen, M.A., GCDF 2:10 Consulting, Inc. 8988 S. Sheridan, Ste. Y • Tulsa, OK 74133 918-814-2629 • www.210consulting.org 100

TulsaPeople AUGUST 2013

Q: My portfolio is currently over-allocated in equities. Should I consider rebalancing?

A: Consider rebalancing when asset allocation becomes 5-10 percent off a predetermined goal.

Also, consider the tax consequences in aftertax accounts, since long-term capital gains and qualified dividends rates increased in 2013 for high income taxpayers. The increased rate for long-term capital gains and qualified dividends can reach 20.0 percent, plus a 3.8 percent tax associated with the Affordable Care Act. Lower-income taxpayers still pay 0 or 15 percent on their long-term gains and on dividends. Rebalancing tax deferred accounts may also be an option to accomplish your overall goal without the same tax consequences.

J. Harvie Roe, CFP, President AmeriTrust Investment Advisors, Inc. 4506 S. Harvard Ave. • Tulsa, OK 74135 hroe@amerad.com • 918-610-8080

WILLS AND TRUSTS Q: Termination of rights is not enough?

A: Although you gave up your parental rights to the child you and your high school sweetheart (or the hottie you met at the Grateful Dead concert!) had together and then put up for adoption, that child may still inherit a full share of your estate. Mere termination of parental rights does not affect distribution of assets upon your death unless you have taken more steps to preclude this happening. Contact an experienced estate planning law firm to prevent unintentional beneficiaries receiving your estate.

Presenting Sponsor

Karen L. Carmichael The Law Office of Karen L. Carmichael 918-493-4939 • 2727 E. 21st St., Ste. 402 www.tulsawillsandtrusts.com

BEAUTY AND WEIGHT MANAGEMENT Q: The back of my hands look at least 10 years older than they should! What options are there to restore fullness and firmness?

A: We use a highly effective treatment combining IPL (intense pulse light) therapy and filler. The filler is administered using a cannula instead of a needle. This delivery system ensures an even distribution of filler throughout the surface to “plump” the back of the hands and less bruising versus using a needle. The laser is used to treat age spots and other skin discolorations and to tighten the skin. The combination of these treatments results in returning “aging” hands to a more youthful appearance.

Malissa Spacek and Dr. James Campbell BA Med Spa & Weight Loss Center 500 S. Elm Place • Broken Arrow, OK 74012 918-872-9999 • www.baweightspa.com

VETERINARIAN Q: What causes heat stroke?

A: Obvious causes of heat stroke are being left in a car when the weather is greater than 70 degrees or being left outside in excessive temperatures. There are also other factors that predispose dogs to heat stroke. Brachycephalic breeds (e.g., pug) are more prone because of their anatomy. The older the dog the more heat intolerant they are. Higher temperatures and humidity also increase the likelihood of heat stroke when exercising. If you believe your dog has heat stroke, immediately call your veterinarian or emergency center so they can safely cool down your dog.

Erin Reed DVM 15th Street Veterinary Group 6231 E. 15th St. • Tulsa, OK 74112 918-835-2336

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HEALTH

A unique beast Finding the right partner will help beleaguered OSU Medical Center maintain its role as the nation’s only osteopathic teaching hospital.

Medical student Andrea Partida demonstrates heart sounds to Ali Nolan at the Operation Orange summer camp held at Tahlequah in June.

W

When the Oklahoma legis-

lature voted last spring to provide $13 million to the Oklahoma State University Medical Center, it seemed like yet another reprieve for the Tulsa-based academic health center.

But this latest infusion may finally allow the hospital to find the ongoing help it needs to maintain the nation’s only osteopathic teaching hospital.

“It’s a unique beast,” says OSU-Tulsa and OSU Center for Health Sciences President Howard Barnett. The medical center draws

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hundreds of applications from osteopathic students throughout the country. And the “symbiotic relationship” between it and the OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine is essential to the latter’s mission of training primary care physicians for Oklahoma’s rural communities.

For years, the financially troubled hospital’s continuing operations have been bolstered by a variety of measures, including ownership by Ardent/Hillcrest Health System.

Six years ago, fiscal pressures forced the hospital to announce it would close and move its residency program to Saint Francis Hospital, a

change that could have done more than disrupt OSU’s medical program, because the hospital also is critical to providing care for the area’s indigent patients.

On average, OSUMC sees 45,000 people a year in its emergency room, says Barnett. Last year, 19,000 of those had no ability to pay.

Were it not available, other local emergency rooms would become overwhelmed.

In September 2008, “when we announced the move of the residency program, suddenly everybody got up in arms,” says Barnett. After Continued on p. 104

OSU Center for Health Sciences

by MISSY KRUSE

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER. What you don’t know can hurt you. Take charge of your health by getting the facts.

See your doctor at least once a year for a routine exam so you know how you’re doing.

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H E A L T H Continued from p. 102

“We have to go out in the next stage of our evolution and find a partner, another health care system.” much discussion, ultimately in early 2009, the hospital became a City of Tulsa trust, with an operating management agreement with St. John Medical Health System. After three and a half years, St. John, whose main facility is only two miles away, asked the trust to make other arrangements, says Barnett. A consulting firm now manages the hospital.

The Oklahoma legislature agreed to supply $5 million annually from 2009-2013, Barnett says. The hospital matched those dollars with federal funds “so that the $25 million ended up being more like $75 million,” Barnett says. But that funding ended June 30.

Hospital officials with the aid of the consulting firm knew they would continue to need state funding, but also another approach.

“We have to go out in the next stage of our evolution and find a partner, another health care system,” Barnett says. “In the days of the Affordable Care Act, the small, stand-alone hospital(s), particularly urban hospitals, will be

OSU Center for Health Sciences

— Howard Barnett

dinosaurs. There are just so many things that need to have a system around,” whether for economies of scale to process medical records, for buying power or for bundled payment plans.

Hospital officials took their case to the legislature, stressing OSUMC’s role in providing indigent care and its importance as a teaching hospital, and the need for state support to attract a partner. It received the aforementioned $13 million for the next year while it searches.

Dr. Stephen Eddy, professor of family medicine, working with medical students Jeremy Ransdell, Todd Thomas, Sully Drotar and Nikki Warren.

Presently, the medical center is developing criteria for the right match. “From a school standpoint, we want a partner who understands what it means to be an academic health center, and wants to be part of the educational process,” Barnett says.

It may also be the first, best solution to cure its chronic fiscal bleeding. tþ

Strategy: Early recruitment OSU is seeking potential medical students in unusual places.

O

klahoma may partially alleviate its physician shortage by assertively identifying and recruiting potential candidates at home, and doing so as early as possible.

“Students who come here and train here are likely to stay here, which is part of our goal,” says Dr. Kayse Shrum, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences provost and dean of the OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine.

They also are more likely to set up a practice within a 100-mile radius of where they do their residency.

In that regard, the school is considering oft-overlooked ways to find and retain future physicians, whether it involves developing residency programs in key smaller communities, creating relationships with regional universities, speaking to a Future Farmers of America meeting, or offering a

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one-day medical summer camp.

Although Tulsa’s OSU Medical Center provides residency slots for a portion of OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine students, those choosing to specialize as primary care doctors in rural medicine may also do their residency work in Tahlequah, Durant, McAlester and Lawton, where OSU has relationships with local hospitals, Shrum says.

To support this effort, she and others have worked to create early admissions programs at regional universities such as Northeastern State University. Students apply in their sophomore year, then spend their junior year shadowing and working with a physician. If they meet all the academic criteria, they come to Tulsa their senior year to start medical school, all of it applying to their bachelor’s and cutting

down a year of training, she says.

Shrum says OSU is strategically identifying rural students who may want to pursue a career in medicine.

This summer, the school conducted Operation Orange, a oneday summer camp at local college campuses in several smaller cities. There, students learned about Oklahoma’s rural physician shortage and what is involved in attending medical school.

“We show them the pathway and make it easy for them,” says Shrum, who notes many students never consider becoming doctors because they are not exposed to the idea. She knows firsthand.

Attending college on a softball scholarship, she was encouraged to think about medicine by a college science professor who saw her abilities.

But Shrum wants to capture the imaginations of students even earlier. OSU plans to start a Student Doctor of the Day program in which high school students shadow a medical student in Tulsa, or a physician in their home community.

Additionally, the past two years, she has taught a seminar on how to become a rural physician to students at the state Future Farmers of America convention. “To get someone interested (in rural medicine), they have to have a love of agriculture and an interest in the rural lifestyle,” says Shrum, who also encourages FFA teachers to identify students who may be potential candidates. So far, it has worked well and has resulted in a number of families coming to visit the medical school.

“We have plenty of applicants” to the medical school, she says, “but we have to be strategic about getting the right students.”

Care, Comfort, and Compassion

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As a dentist and a clinical psychologist, Dr. McDougall provides compassionate, high-quality dental care. Dr. McDougall and his staff listen to and understand your concerns, needs, and goals. As a reflection of his commitment to the highest level of patient care, Dr. McDougall will call you personally following each treatment visit. Dr. McDougall and his staff are dedicated to creating a comfortable, relaxing, and enjoyable experience, utilizing the best of current technologies to help you achieve the smile of your dreams.

918-742-8775 • 4433 S. Harvard Ave. www.mcdougalldds.com

NOW LOCATED ON THE ST. JOHN MEDICAL CENTER CAMPUS

Thursday, Sept. 12, 2013 at 6:30 P.M. join us for the

McDazzle 2013 Fun Ball Fundraiser for the Ronald McDonald House of Tulsa!

Why

To provide a memorable event to raise funds for the operating budget and capital improvements for the Ronald McDonald House of Tulsa.

Attire

DARAN L. PARHAM, M.D. PROVIDING THE SAME PERSONALIZED AND COMPASSIONATE OBSTETRIC AND GYNECOLOGIC CARE NOW AT UTICA WOMEN’S SPECIALISTS HOLLIMAN MEDICAL BUILDING 1705 E. 19TH STREET, SUITE 707 TULSA, OK 74104

Fun Cocktail

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Tickets

TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT CALL 918-749-1413

$150 each. Patron Sponsorship starts at $500-$10,000. Contact the House at (918) 496-2727 or www.rmhtulsa.org for more details on tickets and sponsorships.

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SPECIALTY CLINIC PROFILES Dr. Shannon Morgans and Dr. Lynsey Bigheart

Twenty Twenty Eyecare Practice offers unique Corneal Vaulting Device for improving vision Persons who have fluctuating, blurry vision or vision loss due to Radial Keratotomy(RK) or an eye injury are those who benefit most from the skills of Lynsey Bigheart, O.D. and Shannon Morgans, O.D. at Twenty Twenty Eyecare in Tulsa. With the use of a Corneal Vaulting Device (CVD), the doctors at Twenty Twenty Eyecare can provide vision for those who can no longer see clearly with glasses or contact lenses.

The two optometrists specialize in the treatment of moderate to severe vision loss, including that caused by an abnormally shaped cornea or large amounts of astigmatism. The cornea is the front surface of the eye that can become distorted due to vision correction surgeries, eye injury, or eye diseases like keratoconus.

“The vision provided by a CVD is unparalleled because the device creates a smoother, more regular ocular surface,” says Bigheart. “The device is custom-

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made and easily fit to the eye within an hour. It is comfortable and durable. The CVD lasts up to two years with regular six month appointments.”

“A Corneal Vaulting Device is particularly helpful for those with abnormal corneas but it can also be beneficial for those who are unable to wear contact lenses due to dry eye,” says Morgans. “The space between the CVD and the anterior cornea acts as a tear reservoir to keep the front of the eye moist and comfortable.”

Generally, anyone interested Twenty Twenty Eyecare in achieving “their best vision 8931 S. Yale, Suite H possible” is a candidate for a 918-794-6700 corneal vaulting device. Insurance www.2020Tulsa.com may help cover the cost.

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SPECIALTY CLINIC PROFILES

Bixby Family Dentistry Creating beautiful smiles

Terry J. Reavis, D.D.S. helps make patients smile everyday.

For the past 25 years, he and his staff have provided quality oral health care for all ages at the family dental practice. With a dependable and compassionate group of dental professionals, patients receive quality, conservative care that focuses on prevention — from regular cleanings to full mouth restorations. The team builds a foundation of trust by treating patients as special individuals vital to the practice’s success and promotes a positive and relaxing environment for all.

Recently, Bixby Family Dentistry was chosen as the 2013 Readers’ Choice Favorite Dentist in the South County Leader.

Bixby Family Dentistry 13302 S. Memorial Drive 918-369-3990 www.bixbyfamilydentistry.com

Dr. Terry J. Reavis, D.D.S.

The Hearing Doctor Providing sound service to patients Audiologist Dr. Brandy Vowell assists individuals with hearing and balance disorders, adult amplification and aural rehabilitation. Hearing loss affects people of all ages, posing many challenges with communication in all aspects of their family and professional relationships.

The Hearing Doctor evaluates each patient’s problems and concerns and develops a communication solution based on the latest technology available from all major manufacturers. Personalized care is a standard of the family owned practice. Common procedures include earwax removal, diagnostic hearing evaluation, hearing

aids, & custom ear molds for noise protection. The office accepts most insurance and is an in-network provider for American Airlines employees. The Hearing Doctor is also a contracted provider for workers compensation hearing aid services.

The Hearing Doctor 10115 S. Sheridan Road, Suite A 918-779-7500 www.TheHearingDr.com

Dr. Brandy Vowell

Skin Medic

Introducing Sheryl Bridgewater, R.N. Recently, SkinMedic welcomed Sheryl Bridgewater, R.N. to its staff.

In 2007, Bridgewater received a bachelor of science in nursing from Baker University in Topeka, Kan. She began her nursing career in orthopedics in Leawood, Kan., and later as the case manger for the Johnson County Health Department.

To pursue her lifelong love of skin care and health and wellness, Bridgewater chose medical aesthetics and quickly established a large following. She has extensive training in laser enhancements and cosmetic injections, helping

patients achieve natural looking facial rejuvenation through Botox®, Dysport®, dermal fillers and lasers.

The Norman native is a fitness enthusiast, licensed personal trainer, nutritional counselor SkinMedic and a profes1727 S. Cheyenne Ave. sional figure 918-587-7546 competitor. www.skinmedic.com

Sheryl Bridgewater, R.N.

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SPONSORED EDITORIAL

Dr. Courtney O’Brien, PhD. Counseling individuals to personal success As a licensed professional counselor, Dr. Courtney O’Brien specializes in treating anxiety, depression and sexual issues within relationships. Sexual addiction is a specialty specific to O’Brien’s practice and encompasses range of behaviors. She also offers sexual health therapy, discussing with individuals the emotional and physical factors associated with intimacy, sexual issues and how to surpass these difficulties to achieve a healthy sexual lifestyle and communications. Family, individual and couples counseling is also available.

O’Brien takes a multidimensional approach to healing before resorting to medication when possible. O’Brien says, “Less invasive forms of therapy such as exercise, nutrition and therapies directed toward behavior modification can often help meet the needs of a client’s therapeutic goals.”

She provides guidance and the tools for individuals, ages 18 and older, to facilitate a healthier mental and physical growth opportunity.

The services are based on understanding one’s symptoms and finding the best method of treatment to help promote growth Dr. Courtney O’Brien, PhD., LPC, MHR and provide relief.

O’Brien says, “it is not what you do, but how well you invest in your skill and those Courtney O’Brien, PhD. who embrace you.” Throughout her career, O’Brien says 1723 E. 15th St., Suite 250 her quest for knowledge and encouragement given from Office: 918-794-0570 those who have supported her own personal journey, have Cell: 918-639-0570 helped to make a difference in people’s lives. www.drcourtneyobrien.com

Indian Health Care Resource Center of Tulsa, Inc. Providing family medical care in a culturally sensitive setting.

Indian Health Care Resource Center of Tulsa, Inc. is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit, comprehensive health care facility governed by a local volunteer board of trustees. IHCRC provides medical, health education, dental, optometry, behavioral health, chemical dependency and pharmacy services to the Tulsa Indian community. Members of any federally recognized tribe and their dependents are eligible to receive care. IHCRC promotes quality health care by providing culturally sensitive access to comprehensive medical care. A team of family physicians and medical specialists deliver comprehensive care including acute and preventative care, chronic disease management, health education, outreach and therapeutic services. Conforming to quality assurance and medical practice standards, IHCRC is nationally accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care.

The organization is strongly committed to maintaining continuity of care and addressing individual health care needs. The family is recognized as the traditional and most important basic social unit in American Indian and Alaska

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Carlisa Phillips, APRN, CNP and Marisa Feuerman, APRN, CNP have joined the IHCRC pediatric team. native communities. IHCRC’s providers are sensitive to cultural beliefs and practices.

Throughout the year, IHCRC hosts a variety of events to promote health to the Tulsa Indian community including free wellness and Indian Health Care Resource cultural camps for youth, as Center of Tulsa, Inc. well as the Restoring Harmony 550 S. Peoria Ave. Pow Wow which promotes 918-588-1900 children’s mental health www.ihcrc.org awareness.

SPECIALTY CLINIC PROFILES

SPONSORED EDITORIAL

Chad Chamberlain, D.O.

Triad Eye Medical Clinic Welcoming Chad Chamberlain, D.O. to the Triad Eye team A native of Broken Arrow and a graduate of the Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Dr. Chad Chamberlain practices comprehensive ophthalmology with a special emphasis on cosmetic and functional oculoplastics, including upper/lower lid and brow reconstruction and the application of Botox速 and dermal fillers. Dr. Chamberlain also performs cataract removal and corneal refractive procedures.

Dr. Chamberlain joins Triad Eye ophthalmologists, Marc L. Abel, D.O., Ryan P. Conley D.O. and a team of skilled optometrists and medical staff, all dedicated to providing superior patient care.

Since 1986, Triad Eye Medical Clinic has helped thousands of Oklahomans to See More of Life through advanced cataract removal, LASIK vision correction and

now, oculoplastics. Dr. Chamberlain brings a new level of care and experience to the Triad Eye team and can help Oklahomans who suffer from impaired vision because of a misshapen or drooping eyelids or eyebrows.

With clinic locations in Tulsa and Muskogee, Triad Eye Medical Clinic offers state-of-the-art eye care and is dedicated to staying on the forefront of technology for cataract removal, LASIK vision correction and oculoplastic procedures.

Call Triad Eye Medical Clinic today to schedule your appointment!

Triad Eye Medical Clinic 6140 S. Memorial Drive 918-252-2020 www.TriadEye.com

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SPONSORED EDITORIAL

Oklahoma Heart Institute offers the Cardiac CT Scan, under the direction of Dr. Victor Cheng, director of the Cardiac CT program.

Cardiac CT at Oklahoma Heart Institute State-of-the-art scanner detects your risk for heart disease Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States for men and women. But for many, the first symptom of heart disease is a heart attack.

In Tulsa, Oklahoma Heart Institute is changing that by offering a Cardiac CT Scan performed by a state-of-the-art ultrafast scanner that is more than 95 percent sensitive in detecting heart disease. The scanner creates detailed and accurate images of the heart and arteries in just seconds, all meaning easy and early detection of heart disease.

Dr. Victor Cheng administers this new technology at Oklahoma Heart Institute.

Cheng, who came to OHI via Los Angeles’ Cedars-Sinai Hospital, says using the Cardiac CT Scan is a good way to test if a patient’s symptoms are due to heart disease or if a patient with significant risk factors has developed heart disease.

“For both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals, Cardiac CT detects the presence and amount of plaque in the coronary arteries,” Cheng says. “This information helps doctors tailor the intensity of recommended therapies to reduce heart attack risk and can motivate individuals to live a more heart-healthy lifestyle.”

He adds, “For individuals with chest pain or breathlessness, Cardiac CT is the most reliable noninvasive test to show that the person does not have significant

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coronary artery blockage. The use of Cardiac CT in this situation determines whether additional evaluation or treatment for coronary artery disease is needed.”

Cardiac CT is a painless screening test that uses an X-ray machine to take clear, detailed pictures of a heart and blood vessels. The scanner uses 50-90 percent less radiation than earlier generation scanners. The average patient is exposed to a radiation dosage comparable to a mammogram. This one-time radiation exposure is considered quite safe.

For individuals concerned about, or are at risk for, heart disease, Cardiac CT detects Oklahoma Heart Institute if there is no disease, mild 1120 S. Utica Ave. disease or severe disease.

1265 S. Utica Ave., Suite 300 Cardiac CT also effectively 9228 S. Mingo Road, Suite 200 determines presence of heart 8801 S. 101st E. Ave. disease in those who have 918-592-0999 undergone a stress test with www.oklahomaheart.com an inconclusive result.

SPONSORED EDITORIAL

SPECIALTY CLINIC PROFILES

Dr. Regina Lewis examines a child at the OSU Physicians clinic at the North Regional Health and Wellness Center in Tulsa.

Oklahoma State University Physicians Serving the health needs of Tulsa and Oklahoma OSU Physicians focus on the health and well-being of the entire family and provide services in general and preventative health care, family medicine and behavioral medicine.

Thirteen clinics serve Tulsa and northeastern Oklahoma in the OSU Physicians system. These clinics are staffed by medical residents and faculty physicians, covering a wide variety of specialties with more than 135,000 patient visits per year.

People of all ages look to OSU Physicians for health care needs in primary care and a range of specialties including family medicine, cardiology, general surgery, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, ophthalmology, osteopathic manipulative medicine, pediatrics, plastic and reconstructive surgery, and women’s health.

Because OSU is dedicated to improving the health of all Oklahomans, the university partners with community organizations in a number of ways.

From creating more access to primary care to enhancing a women’s health program, OSU Physicians is at the forefront of community health care improvement.

The community-based Tulsa clinics serve as a teaching model for medical students at the OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Jenny Alexopulos serves as the medical director of OSU Physicians and oversees a network of students, faculty and medical personnel, ensuring the needs of patients are met. Patients receive high-quality care and service with exceptional health care delivered in each visit to an OSU physician.

The clinics are utilized by medical students at the OSU Center for Health Sciences, which offers programs in osteopathic medicine, biomedical sciences, forensic sciences and health care administration. On-campus programs, distance learning and OSU partnerships train osteopathic physicians, research scientists and health care professionals with an emphasis on OSU Health Care Center serving rural and under2345 Southwest Blvd. served Oklahoma.

918-582-1980 www.healthsciences.okstate.edu

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SPONSORED EDITORIAL

ProCure Proton Therapy Center Targeted cancer treatment Prostate cancer is the No. 1 cancer diagnosed in men each year in the United States. There are many treatment options available for patients with prostate cancer. Current treatment options include: surgery (open and robotic), radiation therapy using brachytherapy (seeds), or external beam therapy in the form of intensity modulated radiation therapy (like tomotherapy or cyber-knife) or proton therapy. Active surveillance may be appropriate for many men.

It is important to understand all of these treatment options and the possible short- and long-term side effects that are associated with them.

Proton therapy, unlike standard radiation, has unique characteristics, which conform the irradiation to the tumor, resulting in less risk of damage to healthy tissue and nearby structures. This helps minimize short- and long-term side effects. With proton therapy, patients report a quick return to normal activities during and soon after treatment.

There are only a dozen places in the United States to receive proton therapy.

ProCure Proton Therapy Center in Oklahoma City is the only place in Oklahoma offering this precisely targeted cancer treatment. Proton therapy is not limited to

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those living in the Oklahoma City area. “We have treated over 1,150 patients with various tumor types from all over the globe,� says Dr. Gary Larson, medical director and radiation oncologist.

Good candidates for proton therapy are those with localized cancer (cancer that has not spread), recurrent disease after prostatectomy, previous radiation to the pelvic area, preference for non-surgical treatment, and those with a history of inflammatory bowel disease.

You owe it to yourself and your loved ones to learn about all possible treatment options. The treatment should not be worse than ProCure Proton Therapy Center the disease. Call ProCure Proton 5901 W. Memorial Road, Therapy Center in Oklahoma City Oklahoma City today to learn if proton therapy is 877-917-7628 right for you, your diagnosis, and www.procure.com/ok your lifestyle.

SPONSORED EDITORIAL

SPECIALTY CLINIC PROFILES

Tulsa Dermatology Clinics’ seven board-certified dermatologists are: Mark Lehman, M.D.; Kelli Lovelace, M.D.; Christina Kendrick, M.D.; Lawrence Gregg, M.D.; Ashwini Vaidya, M.D.; Don Seidel, M.D.; and George Monks, M.D.

Tulsa Dermatology Clinic Tulsa Skin Specialists since 1968 Tulsa Dermatology Clinic welcomed its seventh board-certified dermatologist — Ashwini K. Vaidya, M.D. — earlier this year. Dr. Vaidya is a graduate of Duke University and The University of Oklahoma College of Medicine. She has nine years of experience in medical, surgical and cosmetic dermatology.

For more than 40 years, Tulsa Dermatology Clinic has specialized in the diagnosis and treatment of all diseases of the skin, hair and nails, as well as skin cancer. The physician-owned and operated clinic has grown to be the largest dermatology practice in the state, with seven board certified medical doctors who specialize in dermatology.

“We have always strived to set a high bar on quality care,” says Dr. Lawrence Gregg. “Each patient at the clinic is directly evaluated and treated by a board-certified dermatologist as we do not employ physician assistants or nurse practitioners.”

Tulsa Dermatology’s primary focus is on general dermatology with doctors performing cosmetic procedures, laser, Botox®, Juvederm® injectable dermal fillers, microdermabrasion, skin rejuvenation, and treatments for skin cancer.

The clinic carries and uses only the highest-quality physician-dispensed brands of cosmetology products. These include SkinMedica® and Elta®, each designed to enhance skin texture and appearance, and minimize signs of aging; and Latisse®, a noted product that enhances and Tulsa Dermatology Clinic lengthens eyelashes.

2121 E. 21st St. 918-749-2261 www.tulsadermatology.com

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SPONSORED EDITORIAL

Tulsa Weight Loss & Aesthetics Helping patients meet their beauty best At Tulsa Weight Loss & Aesthetics, patients are treated with more than just pampering. They’re treated with results.

“Ultimately getting the patient the desired results quickly and without pain is what we strive for,” says Dr. Jason Sims, of Tulsa Weight Loss & Aesthetics. “We’re affordable, friendly and professional, working to target a patient’s problem areas fast and effectively.”

Tulsa Weight Loss & Medical Aesthetics helps patients with losing weight, removing fat/cellulite without surgery, wrinkle reduction, skin tightening, permanent hair removal, age spot and blemish removal, and stretchmark and pigmentation treatments.

Patients lose 30 pounds in 30 days — guaranteed — in Tulsa Weigh Loss & Aesthetics’ specialized weight loss program. “Patients participating in the program may actually lose 8-15 pounds the first week,” Sims says.

Another weight loss tool used at the clinic is a Cavi-Lipo™ machine, which uses high frequency ultrasound to penetrate fat cells, disrupting them and liquefying them in the body, eliminating the fat almost instantly.

The IPL laser is another high-tech tool used at Tulsa Weight Loss & Aesthetics. The IPL laser provides permanent hair removal, skin tightening and wrinkle removal.

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For a limited time, Tulsa Weight Loss & Aesthetics is offering the Beauty Boot Camp, a power-packed aesthetic regimen designed to get patients looking their best. This is being offered for only $999 to the first 50 participants.

The Beauty Boot Camp Package includes: • Six Cavi-Lipo™ treatments • Six laser hair removal treatments • Three IPL or RF facelift/skin tightening treatments • Three facial microdermabrasion treatments Whether it’s just for some personal rejuvenation, a girls’ night, wedding preparation or getting ready for the summer season, Tulsa Weight Loss & Aesthetics can custom design the right program to meet Tulsa Weight Loss & Aesthetics your needs and personal goals.

3311 S. Yale Ave., Suite 210 918-592-7779 Find Tulsa Weight Loss & Aesthetics on Facebook

Freedom from back pain, without surgery or narcotics.

M

y name is Dr. James Webb. I am a board–certified radiologist specializing in treating patients with weak bones (osteoporosis). I optimize their medications and treat their back pain.

For patients with painful spinal fractures, I have performed thousands of procedures for extraordinary back pain relief.

Many of these patients had been told there was “nothing we can do”, or that they were too old or sick to do anything. Many had invasive back surgery and were still left with debilitating pain – sometimes even worse.

We help these patients improve function, decrease pain and get their life back.

My name is Dr. James Webb and my life’s work is to improve the lives of my patients.

Phone: (918) 994-1938 | Fax: (918) 364-9322 6550 E 71st Street, Suite 200 Tulsa OK 74133

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McGraw Realtors

a neTworK of BroKers rePresenTinG The finesT ProPerTies worLdwide McGraw realtors has enjoyed the reputation of beinG northeastern oklahoMa’s leader in sellinG luxury hoMes. the luxury property Group at McGraw is an extension of this reputation. the luxury property Group brinGs toGether these experts in MarketinG luxury and unique properties, eMployinG the hiGhest standards.

GroTTos aT Grand LaKe

oaKview esTaTes

REDUCED! Beautiful Italian Villa overlooking the main lake! This spacious home offers gorgeous finishes such as granite, marble, hardwoods, and tile. Detached garage has a darling guest quarters above with stainless and granite kitchen. PRICE INCLUDES DOCK ALLOWANCE! MLS#13-37, $775,000

2618 E 37th St. Custom built for the current owners in 1991, this 5,616 SF home offers formal living and dining rooms, combined kitchen and family room, first floor master suite and office. 4 bedrooms , 2 baths, game and hobby rooms up. An inground pool, deck, and 3 car garage completes this home on 1/2 acre lot! $975,000

eiGhT aCres in midTown

siLver Chase

2660 S. Birmingham Pl. Renovated and remodeled Jack Arnold home feels like new construction in gated and guarded Midtown community. Grand scale rooms, all new high-end kitchen, master with marble bath. Outdoor living with huge covered patio, fireplace, cooking center, pool and spa. $1,500,000

3304 E. 98th St. Gorgeous landscaped setting with mature trees. Professional grade stainless steel appliances in granite kitchen. Hardwood floors, heavy crown moldings. Great Room open to Kitchen. Master Bath with free-standing tub. Tranquil outdoor living with infinity pool. 4 BR, 3 Baths, 2 Living Areas, 3-car garage. $649,000

The Luxury ProPerTy GrouP 918 739-0397 TulsaPeople.com

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Luxury ProPerTy GrouP aT mCGraw reaLTors LaKe sKiaTooK

Tim hayes

12266 Sunset View Drive, Located on an acre lot with gorgeous views of Skiatook Lake. Chef’s kitchen is equipped with 6-burner gas cook cop, double ovens and large pantry. Gorgeous great room open to kitchen.

Master Suite is downstairs with exercise room.

Second bedroom down. $699,000

918.231.5637 Tim@TimHayesJr.com

KeLLy howard 918.230.6341

CresTwood aT The river

khoward@mcgrawok.com

12023 S. Kingston Ave. New construction with pond view. Transitional Contemporary design.

First floor theatre room, formal dining room, wine bar, study & guest suite.

Master Suite has fireplace and closet connecting to laundry room. Exercise & game rooms up. Pool & outdoor living. 5 BR, 5/2 baths, 6 liv, 4-car garage. $1,249,000

diana PaTTerson 918.629.3717 dpatterson@mcgrawok.com

sherri sanders

TerwiLLeGer heiGhTs 2238 Terwilleger Blvd.

Exquisite renovation throughout with respect for original architecture. SubZero/Viking professional kitchen with honed granite, marble baths, heated floors, elegant formals, family room, basement club room, guest quarters.

Master with spa bath and dressing room. Offered at $945,000

918.724.5008 ssanders@mcgrawok.com

Gordon sheLTon 918.697.2742 Gordon@GordonShelton.com

ConTaCT The Luxury ProPerTy GrouP and enjoy The

Luxury LifestyLe you desire.

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McGraw Realtors

Luxury ProPerTy GrouP aT mCGraw reaLTors

Grottos, Grand Lake. 4 BR, 3 BA, great outdoor living space, 2-slip boat dock w/lift. Totally furnished. $625,000.

Eagles Roost, Grand Lake. 4 BR, 3.5 BA, covered porch, open living spaces, furnished, boat lift. $440,000.

1441 E 33rd St. Quality new construction in Midtown.

Outdoor living with fireplace & kitchen. $750,000.

Ten acres of beautifully manicured land near 171st St. and 33rd West Avenue. Adjacent to golf course. $120,000

2737 E. 39th Pl. Ranch Acres. Open floor plan, single level home. Granite kitchen remodeled. 3 BR, 2.5 BA. $500,000.

2218 E. 25th Pl. Charles Dilbeck designed home near Utica Sq. Master w/spa-like bath. 3,014 sq. ft. $495,000.

Retreat at Brookside. Luxurious urban living. Custom cabinets, open floor plan, 3 BR with private baths. $299,000

River Oaks. 6009 E 117th Pl. Breathtakingly beautiful inside and out. Pristine newer construction. $1,995,000

4340 S. Victor Ave. Bolewood. 1.3 acres with heated pool, tennis court and cabana w/full bath. Safe room. $994,900.

CaLL any one of The Luxury ProPerTy GrouP reaLTors aBouT one of These homes or any ProPerTy ThaT you have an inTeresT.

They wiLL

Provide you wiTh suPerior PersonaL serviCe in

Triple Crown Estates. Gorgeous home on 7.5 acres with pool and pond. 6-car garage. $1,400,000.

ConCerT wiTh The hiGhesT inTeGriTy.

The Luxury ProPerTy GrouP 918 739-0397 TulsaPeople.com

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9 1 8 . 5 1 8 .0500 BrownAndZinn@mcgrawok.com Raising Standards. Exceeding Expectations.

11446 South Louisville Place. Estates of WaterStone. $1,775,000 Exquisite Custom Chateau on stunning wooded acreage with unparalleled amenities & finishes in Jenks SE! Nestled on gated culde-sac, this private oasis features fabulous gourmet Kitchen, downstairs Media, lovely Pool & Spa plus hidden Wine Cellar & Safe Room 5 Bedrooms, 6 Baths, 4 Living Areas, 3-Car Garage.

6103 East 106th Street. Forest Park South. $1,995,000 Rare South Tulsa Crown Jewel of matchless quality and beauty! Nearly one level on lush acre crafted w exquisite woodwork, palladium windows, grand Formals, Library, Office, lavish Master, full private Quarters, Pool, Outdoor Kitchen & Bath, Rec/ Theater Room and much, much more. Jenks Southeast Schools. 5 Bedrooms, 6 Full & 2 Half Baths, 6 Living Areas, 4-Car Garage.

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Chris Zinn

Brooke Spencer-Snyder

Senior Partner

Realtor Associate

Janis Taylor

Gannon Brown

Realtor Associate

Realtor Associate

McGraw Realtors TulsaPeople.com

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www.silverchaseclassic.com

www.thunderbirdlane.com

Total renovation, South Tulsa ¾ acre treed lot, 6 Br, 5 living, “Cook’s Dream” kitchen, in-law suite w/full kitchen, 4 car, incredible landscaping and gardens, NOT YOUR COOKIE CUTTER HOME $760,000

Car enthusiasts Dream Home -1 Acre Totally updated, single story, 4Br, 3.5 bath, 6000+/- sq ft,, 4 living, approx.

44x60 game room, pool, 2 car plus HEATED & COOLED 34X48 SHOP, $498,000

TulsaPeople AUGUST 2013

    

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View all these homes & thousands more at our web site

www.LarrySellsTulsa.com

1417 E. 43rd Pl. Gated Brooktowne. Formals, granite/stainless Kitchen open to handsome Great Room. Master down. Expansion area upstairs. 4 BR, 3.5 BA, 2 Liv, 2-car Garage. $425,000.

3901 West Roanoke. Nottingham in Broken Arrow! Granite Kitchen, Great Room, Formal Dining, Office + Master down. 3 BR, 2 BA & Game Room up!

26501 E. 41st St. 5 wooded acres w/pond. Main Lvl Master Suite, GRT RM, FML Dining & Guest Neighborhood park & pool!

Suite. 3rd & 4th BR w/pullman bath up. 17 add’l acres available. 4BR/3.5BA/2CAR $309,900.

4 BR/3.5 BA/3Car. $274,000.

Larry Harral 918-231-4455

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Ann Harral 918-231-4456

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Point South 3807 East 66th Street. Remodeled!. Spacious and open, all bedrooms have a private bath. Upscale granite and stainless steel kitchen. Vaulted master suite with luxury bath and huge custom closet. Home backs to greenbelt. Neighborhood tennis courts, pool and trails. 3 BR, 3 BA. $309,900.

Catherine Tatum

918 492-7191 ctatum@mcgrawok.com

Catherine’s rescued dogs, Magic and Merlin.

Spay & Neuter Your Pets. It’s a Kind Act & The Law.

TulsaPeople.com

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Take a Stand with DVIS

pre s e nts

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7TH, 6PM

Tulsa’s Expo Exchange Center Saddle Up For Dinner, Dancing, Auction Items & Animals for Adoption

REGISTER TODAY!

TulsaWalk.org

www.tulsapets.com 918-495-DOGS

“I stand against domestic violence and the notion that men have greater power and therefore control over women. I was taught, and hopefully practice, that girls and women are valued as equals in our relationships, workplaces and society. A key to eliminating domestic violence is understanding the profound importance of gender equality.”

Jim Langdon Publisher, TulsaPeople Magazine Photo by Michelle Pollard 130

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dvis.org

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ✻ OUT & ABOUT ✻ BENEFITS

agenda

8/2-4

CHARACTER BUILDING

Thousands of fans of Japanese pop culture will descend on downtown for the Tokyo in Tulsa convention.

by BRITT GREENWOOD

Visit our online calendar for additional and updated event information.

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David Linder

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Tokyo in Tulsa attendees dress in character costumes while also taking on the persona of those characters.

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f you thought playing dress up, watching cartoons, dancing and video gaming were only for kids, you haven’t been to Tokyo in Tulsa (TnT). Around 7,000 attendees are expected to meet at the Cox Business Center Aug. 2-4 to celebrate Japanese culture and its spirited mark here in the U.S. Beginning as a small block party almost a decade ago at Tulsa’s now-defunct Darkstone Anime Store, the annual event has exponentially grown into a celebrated affair. TnT welcomes all ages to a family-friendly and energetic atmosphere with plenty of activities and entertainment — all Japanese-inspired.

Be prepared for a Halloween-like experience.

“Cosplay,” short for costume play, will be rampant among convention-goers. Cosplayers dress in character costumes while also taking on the persona of those characters.

“Attending Tokyo in Tulsa is a visual feast,” says Saif Khan, one of the event’s directors. “The bright colors and detailed artistry that is cosplay is well beyond anything some imagine. While plenty of

Just Between Friends

8/18-24 Just Between Friends One of the Midwest’s largest consignment events, Just Between Friends, returns this month to the Expo Square Exchange Center. Thousands of gently used toys, baby products, and baby and maternity clothes are available for purchase at a fraction of what one would pay new. Designated for fall and winter weather, the JBF sale is perfect for back-toschool shopping.

Admission on opening day, Aug. 18, is $10; admission Aug. 19-24 is free. Discount days begin Aug. 22. For free admission on opening day, JBF is accepting donations of diapers, food and baby hygiene products for Emergency Infant Services.

Visit www.tulsa.jbfsale.com for more information.

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attendees will simply be in their everyday wear, cosplayers will be there in droves.”

Serious cosplayers will change up to eight times in a weekend, he says.

Beyond costume changes, attendees can choose from a plethora of activities. Gamers can look forward to classic arcade games and pinball, as well as current video and role-playing games.

“Tokyo in Tulsa has so much happening at once; it really depends on your focus,” Khan says.

Other features include vendors and artwork from around the nation, and anime video rooms with the latest videos streaming from Japan.

Art and costume competitions will also take place along with evening musical performances.

Highlighting the weekend’s musical acts is the Japanese chart-topping band, DESTROSE, in its U.S. debut, Friday at 9 p.m. Plus, more than 200 hours of seminars and panels, on topics from Asian culture to comic books, are scheduled throughout the convention. Select events will be held at the DoubleTree Hotel in downtown Tulsa.

Lori Holden, from the cosplay group Mythos,

Conquer the Gauntlet

8/24 Conquer the Gauntlet A test of physical and mental toughness comes in the form of a challenging 4-mile obstacle course Aug. 24. Located at Tulsa Raceway Park, 3103 N. Garnett Road, the event stands apart from other races with more than 25 grueling obstacles on difficult terrain. If an excuse to get muddy isn’t reason enough, Conquer the Gauntlet’s mission is to develop character, commitment and community via the difficult course. All participants receive an “I Conquered the Gauntlet” T-shirt, and top male and female racers receive cash prizes. Cost is $85. Register

by Aug. 15 at www.conquerthegauntlet.com/tulsalocation.

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sees the event as a brief but exciting alternative to the mundane.

“We’re all joined together by the community of Japanese and pop culture,’” she says.

Holden’s favorite part about TnT is interacting with convention attendees. She says to not miss the Artists’ Alley, which sells unusual items “from keychains to T-shirts to handmade cupcakes you can wear on your head.”

The event runs from 2 p.m. Friday to 5 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are available at the door of the Cox Business Center; options include a $30 one-day all-access pass and a $50 three-day all-access pass.

A $15 one-day limited pass gives holders a choice of access to one day of music, one evening music performance, the gaming area or the vendor room/ Artists’ Alley.

The Cox Business Center is located at 100 Civic Center. The DoubleTree Hotel is located at 616 W. Seventh St. For schedules and additional information, visit www.tokyointulsa.com. tþ

Glow Run 5K

8/24 Glow Run 5K A nighttime run to beat the summer heat and have a glowing good time, Glow Run is a 3.1 mile jaunt through Veterans Park, located at 1875 S. Boulder Ave. The race course is complete with black light zones, a glowing finish-line arch and music. An on-course DJ will spin the latest dance mixes to keep runners motivated. Participants receive a Glow Run T-shirt, glow swag, a medal and entrance to the post-race glow celebration. The race starts at 8:30 p.m. Dogs aren’t allowed, but strollers are welcome.

Registration $37 until Aug. 10; $40, Aug. 11-21; $45, on race day. Visit www.glowrun5k.com/tulsa.html for more information.

We make this the best part of your day!

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OUT & ABOUT

People, places and events

Volunteer Tulsa Local professionals took action during Deloitte’s 14th annual IMPACT Day in June. Volunteer Tulsa connected Deloitte volunteers with YMCA of Greater Tulsa to tackle organization, cleanup and repair projects inside and out. Pictured are Goodluck Mbise, Deloitte; Maita Smallwood, Deloitte; Kyle Wilkes, YMCA executive director; and Barb Osteen, Deloitte director.

Tulsa Community College Above: Oklahoma Secretary and Director of Finance Preston L. Doerflinger and TCC Southeast Campus Provost Brett Campbell at the 2013 Best of TCC event celebrating the achievements of TCC alumni. Right: Rick Neal, Susan Neal and Former TCC President Dean VanTrease at the 2013 Best of TCC event celebrating the achievements of TCC alumni.

Kaleidoscope Ball Dr. Don and Megan Zetik, honorary chairs; Wendy Drummond, board president; and Tom Taylor, executive director; gathered to promote Emergency Infant Services’ Kaleidoscope Ball, which will be held Sept. 7 at the Cox Business Center.

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Hillcrest The Peggy V. Helmerich Women’s Health Center at Hillcrest hosted Tatas & Tinis to benefit Oklahoma Project Woman earlier this year. Pictured presenting the check for funds raised by the event are Angela Peterson, event coordinator; Anne Bogie, executive director of Oklahoma Project Woman; Kevin Gross, Hillcrest HealthCare System CEO; Peggy Helmerich and Gayle Otto, event coordinator.

Brainiac Ball Nearly 600 attended Family & Children’s Services 10th annual Brainiac Ball on June 1 at the Cox Business Center.

Pictured are Jennifer Johnson, co-chair; Marcus Lemon, president of the Family & Children’s Services board of directors; and Laura Revella, co-chair.

Tulsa Metropolitan Ministry Annual Dinner Five awards were presented at TMM’s yearly recognition event. Pictured left to right: Rev. Dr. Bill Crowell, awards presenter; Michael Brose, recipient of Ron McDaniel Recognition; Ray Hickman, TMM executive director; Rev. Dr. Warren Blakney Sr., recipient of the Points of Light award for Tulsa Dream Center; Buddy Stone, recipient of Don Newby/Ben Hill Recognition as founder of the Stand In The Gap initiative; Nancy Day, recipient of Interfaith Understanding Recognition; Pastor Wendell Hope, executive director of Tulsa Dream Center; Rev. Willard Jones, recipient of Interfaith Service Recognition award for Greater Cornerstone Baptist Church and Cornerstone Community Center; and Rev. Howard Plowman, TMM board member.

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OUT & ABOUT

People, places and events

Chef Aid 2013 The inaugural Chef Aid event, held June 22 at the Cox Business Center Ballroom, featured tastings from more than 36 local restaurants, live music featuring saxophonist Grady Nichols, and a silent auction. Leaders behind the development of Chef Aid were, pictured left to right: Eli Huff, executive chef at Union Public Schools and owner of Salt Food Group; chef Kenny Wagoner of Cancer Treatment Centers of America; chef Devin Levine of SMG Tulsa at the Cox Business Center and BOK Center; and chef Michael Fusco of Fusco’s Catering.

A Gathering Place The final plan for the development of a central park along the Arkansas Riverfront was unveiled to the public on June 18. The 55-acre park is being designed by New York City-based landscape architecture firm Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates Inc. and is primarily funded by the George Kaiser Family Foundation (GKFF). Pictured at the unveiling event are, top photo, landscape architect Michael Van Valkenburgh; Jeff Stava, COO of the Tulsa Community Foundation and park project manager for GKFF; and landscape architect Matthew Urbanski. Bottom photo: GKFF board members Phil Frohlich and Fred Dorwart with philanthropist George Kaiser. The park’s three-year construction will start in 2014.

Volunteer Leaders

The inaugural event saw 32 teams compete, and over 1,000 people came downtown to dine on the Trinity parking lot. ... Last year, over 50 teams from four states participated, and 2,700 diners partook of the great steak feast.

When we began, there were only three similar cook-offs in the country, and today, there are over 35, and more starting every day. I am proud to say that we have been consultants on many of these.

by JUDY LANGDON

Tripp Haggard Founder, Oklahoma Championship Steak Cook-off

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ulsans, whet your appetites, and get in line. For the fifth consecutive year, the Oklahoma Championship Steak Cook-off, on Aug. 24 at Trinity Episcopal Church, will turn nine downtown blocks into a steak lover’s heaven.

More than 60 teams from six states will compete for more than $7,000 in cash prizes. Along with dinner, music and kids activities, the event includes the new Grillin’ with Kids Contest for children ages 8-16.

Proceeds benefit local nonprofits.

Tripp Haggard, the founder of the annual feast, tells us more.

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Annual Henry P. Iba Citizen Athlete Awards University of Oklahoma graduates Tom Clark, owner of Tulsair Beechcraft, Inc.; David Boren, president of the university; and Ted Owens, former head basketball coach at the University of Kansas; were among hundreds who gathered to honor 2013 Henry P. Iba Citizen Athlete award recipients WNBA star Swin Cash of the Chicago Sky and NFL star Adrian Peterson of the Minnesota Vikings. The Rotary Club of Tulsa’s annual awards recognize athletes for their success and for being positive role models who give back to their communities. The keynote speaker was John Calipari, head basketball coach at the University of Kentucky.

Tripp Haggard Give us a brief history of the Steak Cookoff. The Oklahoma Championship Steak Cook-off (OCSC) was born in 2009 with little fanfare, and in truth, skepticism, from many in the Brotherhood of St. Lawrence at Trinity Episcopal Church, who founded it. The idea was to create a small-town event in the heart of the city to raise funds for the less fortunate.

(It was) a simple idea to have teams of grillers cook a steak to be judged in competition, and then cook steaks for anyone who bought a ticket to enjoy a rib eye dinner.

What organizations have benefited?

Initially, funds raised from the OCSC went to Iron Gate, Habitat for Humanity and New Hope. We have also been able to send financial aid to other (nonprofits) as well, including Rebuilding Together Tulsa. To date, the OCSC has raised over $100,000 for local organizations. Starting in 2012, all proceeds from the cook-off go towards “Our Garden Project.” This endeavor establishes community gardens in partnership with churches, schools and others to make produce available to those who have little or no access to it.

How has the OCSC’s reach increased locally as a result of its recent incorporation? In late 2010, the OCSC incorporated and became a stand-alone 501(c)(3) corpora-

tion. We have begun our own outreach, “Our Garden Project,” which has over 40,000 square feet of produce growing now, (and) with that, much more in the planning stages for this fall and next spring.

We are also partnered with Guy Fieri’s Cooking with Kids Foundation to provide New Hope with an Awesome Pretzel Project cart, which they use to teach entrepreneurship to at-risk kids.

Aug. 24 — Oklahoma Championship Steak Cook-off 10 a.m., Grilling with Kids Competition begins; 12:303:30 p.m., appetizer samplings; 5:30 p.m., serving lines open; 7 p.m., awards. Trinity Episcopal Church, 501 S. Cincinnati Ave. Outdoor grilled rib eye steak dinner/championship, prepared by more than 60 grilling teams from six states. Presented

by Brotherhood of St. Lawrence of Trinity Church; benefits Iron Gate, Habitat for Humanity, New Hope, and Rebuilding Together Tulsa. Call 918-582-4128, or visit www.oksteakcookoff.com.

CHARITABLE EVENTS REGISTRY

Fundraisers and fun happenings

August compiled by JUDY LANGDON

8/24 Fifth Annual Oklahoma Championship Steak Cook-off The cook-off will feature an outdoor-grilled rib eye steak dinner prepared by more than 60 grilling teams competing from six states.

8/24 Walk to End Alzheimer’s Tulsa Walk co-chairs Andy Eckstein and Mendee Perry visit the 2013 walk site at CityPlex Towers.

Join or start a team at www.tulsawalk.org.

Aug. 1 — Odyssey de Culinaire Tulsa 6-9 p.m. DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Tulsa Warren Place, 6110 S. Yale Ave. Presented by the Oklahoma Restaurant Association.

Well-known Oklahoma City chefs create five-course dinner for Tulsans.

Benefits Hospitality Career Initiative.

Visit www.okrestaurants.com.

Aug. 1 — Uncorking the Cure for MS 6-9 p.m. Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame, 111 E. First St. Wine and food tasting; wine and restaurant pulls; and silent auction with music-themed items at the “Wall of Sound.” $100. Ages 21 and older.

Benefits National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Contact Jessica McNeal, 918-488-0882, ext. 35126; or visit www.nationalmssociety.org/ok.

Aug. 1 — Women of Character Speaker Series with Julie Hadden 6 p.m. Live Healthy, Lead Healthy expo; 7 p.m. talk. Lorton Performance Center, The University of Tulsa, 550 S. Gary Place. Tickets $25. Benefits Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma. Contact Marilyn Palik, 918-745-5202; or visit www.gseok.org.

Aug. 1-3, 8-10 — Harwelden Murder Mystery Dinner 7 p.m.

Harwelden Mansion, 2210 S. Main St. This year’s theme is “The Gatsby Murder Case: A Felonious Flapdoodle.” Dinner and drinks, followed by “whodunit” live performance by local cast, with audience participation and prizes. $45. Reservations required. Benefits Arts & Humanities Council of Tulsa.

Call 918-584-3333; or visit www.ahct.org.

Aug. 2 — Sleep with the Sharks 7 p.m., Friday, until 8 a.m., Saturday.

Oklahoma Aquarium, 300 Aquarium Drive, Jenks. Includes light snack, drinks, dive show, scavenger hunt, flashlight tour, movie and light breakfast. Bring sleeping bag and pillow; toiletries and change of clothes, if desired. The minimum age is five and there must be one adult for every five minors. $45, non-members; $40, groups of 15 or more; $35, members. Registration required by July 31 at 3 p.m.

Benefits Oklahoma Aquarium. Call Kara Lovell, 918-528-1503; or visit www.okaquarium.org.

Aug. 3 — Ninth annual Bridging the Gap Walk 9:30 a.m.-noon.

Centennial Park Center Auditorium, 1028 E. Sixth St. Walk indoors as individuals or groups; leashed pets allowed. Registration begins at 8 a.m.

Kids 12 and under are free; Ages 13 and up, $25; Adult and canine friend, $35. Includes music, games and complimentary food. Benefits The Bridges Foundation. Contact Kasey Littlefield, 918-798-3655; or visit www.thebridgesfound.org.

Teams of eight “crawl” from bar to bar, spending 45 minutes at each location. $40, individuals; $100, VIP tickets. Ages 21 and older. Benefits Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Contact Amanda Shank, 918-744-6354; or visit www.cff.org/chapters/tulsa.

untimed 5K walk; 8 a.m., 1.5-mile walk; 10 a.m., quarter-mile walk; 10:15 a.m., kids’ dash. Benefits Alzheimer’s Association, Oklahoma and Arkansas Chapter. Contact Sarah Hauptman, 918-392-5012; or visit www.act.alz.org.

Aug. 12 — Operation Aware Charity Golf Tournament 7:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., tee times. Cedar Ridge Country Club, 10302 S. Garnett Road, Broken Arrow. Benefits Operation Aware of Oklahoma. Call Mandie Rowden, 918-582-7884, ext. 101; or visit www.operationaware.org.

Aug. 24 — Fifth annual Oklahoma Championship Steak Cook-off 10 a.m., grilling with kids competition begins; 12:30-3:30 p.m., appetizer samplings; 5:30 p.m., serving lines open; 7 p.m., awards.

Trinity Episcopal Church, 501 S. Cincinnati Ave. Outdoor-grilled rib eye steak dinner prepared by more than 60 grilling teams competing from six states. Presented by Brotherhood of St. Lawrence of Trinity Church; benefits Iron Gate, Habitat for Humanity, New Hope and Rebuilding Together Tulsa. Call 918-582-4128, or visit www.oksteakcookoff.com.

Aug. 15 — 34th annual Close/ MS Regatta Launch Party 6-10 p.m. Home Builders Association of Greater Tulsa, 11545 E. 43rd St. Benefits National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Call Rachel Klenda, 918-488-0882; or visit www.nationalmssociety.org/ok.

Aug. 5 — Be a Bell Ringer for Operation School Bell® Benefits Assistance League of Tulsa’s Operation School Bell. Call 918-8328832 or visit www.altulsa.org.

Aug. 23 — H.O.P.E. 15th Anniversary Celebration and Divas Show 6:30-11 p.m.; 6:30 p.m., reception; 7:45 p.m., concert.

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Tulsa Warren Place, 6110 S. Yale Ave. Entertainment by eight local performers including John Sawyer, Tavis Minner, Pam Van Dyke, Cindy Cain and more. $150, individuals; $1,500, tables of 10. Benefits Health Outreach Prevention Education, Inc. Call 918-749-8378, or visit www.hopetesting.org.

Aug. 10 — 2013 Pub Crawl and Mustache Bash 1-5 p.m. Blue Dome District, various locations.

Aug. 24 — 2013 Walk to End Alzheimer’s Tulsa 8 a.m. CityPlex Towers, 2448 E. 81st St. 7:30 a.m.,

Aug. 26 — 15th annual Habitat “FORE” Humanity Charity Golf Classic Tee-off times, TBA. The Patriot Golf Club, 5790 N. Patriot Drive, Owasso. Shotgun start; scramble format. Includes breakfast, lunch, snacks and awards presentation. $2,500-$7,500, team sponsorships.

Hosted by Bo Van Pelt. Benefits Habit for Humanity. Contact Jane Dunbar, 918-592-4224, ext. 215; or visit www.tulsahabitat.org. tþ

TulsaPeople.com

Visit the online Charitable Events Registry for updated event information.

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THE CULTURIST

The best of local arts and culture

Philbrook goes contemporary The museum’s downtown location juxtaposes modern and Native American art.

by KENDRA BLEVINS

T

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brook’s modern and contemporary collection.

The open space is perfect for larger pieces, says Lauren Ross, the Nancy E. Meinig curator of modern and contemporary art.

“I have always wanted to display the pieces that are 9 feet tall, but we couldn’t at the Villa because of the limited space,” she says.

The contemporary works of abstract artist Willem de Kooning and glassblower Josiah McElheny are on display in the “Opening Abstraction” exhibit, among other striking pieces.

Works by expressionist painter and sculptor Adolph Gottlieb, the first to be shown by Philbrook, are on display through Aug. 25 in the William S. Smith Charitable Trust Gallery.

“Sirens of the Southwest” in the Irene and Sanford Burnstein Gallery features the work of influential 20th-century women artists who worked in the American Southwest.

It is on display through Nov. 10.

“This exhibit is about a circle of women writers, painters and thinkers who responded to the Pueblo culture through their craft,” Ross says. “What was special about Taos and Santa Fe made it into their work.”

The best part about Philbrook Downtown? You can get in free during the First Friday Arts Crawl, a monthly event sponsored by the Brady Arts District Business Association, says Jeff Martin, Philbrook’s online communities manager. On the first Friday of the month, Philbrook Downtown will stay open until 9 p.m. with a cash bar, music and events. tþ Evan Taylor

he buzz is loud for The Philbrook Museum of Art’s new downtown location at 116 E. Brady St. in the Mathews Warehouse.

The Brady Arts District space is exciting because it allows the museum to display large contemporary art pieces for the first time. For all its majesty, the original Philbrook is limited in its display space for oversized art.

Upstairs is what you could describe as the “cornerstone” of Philbrook Downtown. It’s where Christina Burke, curator of Native American and Non-Western art, has developed the “Identity and Inspiration” exhibit featuring the contemporary Native American collection of Eugene B. Adkins.

A successful businessman and native of Tulsa, Eugene Brady Adkins (1920–2006) spent nearly four decades acquiring his extraordinary collection of Native American and Southwestern art. His vast assemblage includes paintings, photographs, jewelry, baskets, textiles, and ceramics by many of the Southwest’s most renowned artists and artisans, many of which are affiliated with the Taos Society.

Philbrook acquired the coveted and massive Adkins collection in collaboration with the University of Oklahoma Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, Burke says.

“Museums nationwide competed for this collection,” Burke says.

The collection is unique because it is well documented with letters from the artists, receipts and loan documentation, she says. “(The documentation brings) the art to life and tells what Adkins was looking for and why,” Burke explains.

“He also kept the blue ribbons won by the artists at juried art shows. He loved the Southwest and visited frequently, but always brought the work back to Oklahoma. He was voracious in his appetite for the work of the Southwest.”

Philbrook’s new downtown location allows the museum to display large, contemporary pieces for the first time. The upstairs houses the contemporary Native American collection of Eugene B. Adkins.

The “Identity and Inspiration” exhibition will be on display long term.

On the ground floor is the Nancy E. and Peter C. Meinig Gallery, which serves as a permanent home to Phil-

Regular hours are noon-7 p.m., Wednesday-Saturday, and noon-5 p.m., Sunday.

Kendra Blevins is a freelance writer who enjoys playwriting, community theater, traveling and reading.

OH, TULSA! BIENNIAL AT LIVING ARTS OF TULSA Oh, Tulsa! Biennial Co-Chair Melanie Fry chose the theme for the second biennial juried art show at Living Arts of Tulsa because she’s a self-proclaimed Tulsaphile.

“I love Tulsa,” says Fry, who is chairing the show with Diane Salamon. “But the artists can interpret the city how they want to, and I anticipate it will be wildly interpreted.”

Oh, Tulsa! is a juried exhibition open to artists 18 and older who currently live or have lived in Tulsa.

“It will be a city biennial much like other cities have, says Paula Cortner, Living Arts’ director of development and public relations. “Every two years, the best artists that the city has to offer submit (their work), but with a twist. The biennial will have our city as the star. Tulsa will be celebrated or critiqued, beloved or bemoaned. It is a new tradition worth celebrating.”

The biennial will display paintings, drawings, installations, jewelry, performance works, videos and photography. About 100 artists are expected to exhibit, including Cathy Deuschle, Cynthia Marcoux, Chuck and Annie Tomlins, and Christopher Westfall.

The competitive show will bestow three artists with uniquely Tulsa awards of excellence and prize gifts, Cortner says.

Current Deputy Director of the New Mexico Arts Council Ann Weisman, a native Tulsan now residing in New Mexico, will be the judge.

Fry encourages attendance during the show’s opening night, which is during the First Friday Arts Crawl at 6 p.m., Aug. 2.

“It will be the best party of the night,” she says. “The artists will be there. We’ll have food and great art for sale.”

Biennial art will be on display Aug. 2-23 at Living Arts of Tulsa, 307 E. Brady St. Admission is free.

ALSO THIS MONTH: Fourth annual Heller Shorts Festival: “Let Them Eat Short-cake!” This evening of short plays includes “Monday after Work”

by Glenda Silvey; “Secret Recipe” by Kelley Friedberg; “Tick Tock Love” by Jeffrey Wetterman; “Will This Table Work for You?” by Lindsey Lewis; “Miss Appleside” by Jillian July Summers; “Rebecca’s Remnants” by Michael Massey; “Next” by George Romero; and “Let’s Make A Meal” by Camie Hayes.

7:30 p.m., Aug. 15-17, and 2 p.m., Aug. 18, at the Henthorne Performing Arts Center, 4825 S. Quaker Ave. Tickets are $10. Call 918-746-5065.

You’re Invited

to announce your recent wedding in the October issue of TulsaPeople Magazine REAL WEDDINGS

Live in: Melbourne, Australia.

Occupations: Gracie is an interior designer; Simon is the CEO of Fivespot Brand Management and a volunteer firefighter in the Country Fire Brigade.

Weather: Warm, sunny, mid-80s; perfect.

Number of people who attended: 100.

How they met: Gracie, a native Tulsan, was introduced to Simon, who was born and raised in Melbourne, through a mutual friend while interning in Australia.

Favorite date: Picnic in the park.

What she loves most about him: Gracie loves how compassionate and loving Simon is to everyone. She loves how smart and clever he is and that he’s an amazing cook. She especially loves his ability to make her smile all the time.

What he loves most about her: Simon loves Gracie’s cheeky smile and infectious laugh, not to mention her amazing eyes.

Favorite detail: Simon’s mom made the wedding cake, which was enveloped in berries from the garden and had a cake topper — made by a local artist — depicting Simon’s favorite birds. The beautiful “Queen Anne” cake, which is a Turner family recipe, was served with a variety of “American”-flavored cupcakes such as peanut butter and jelly.

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Gracie Coury

&

Simon Turner

3.31.12 photography by Jake Walker

What was unique: Simon and the groomsmen arrived at the wedding on a firetruck with lights flashing and sirens sounding. Although it scared a few people at first, it set the tone for a fun and exciting day.

Her advice for other brides: Gracie says Simon’s advice was the best: “Don’t sweat the small stuff!”

Honeymoon: Bali, Indonesia.

Colors: Gracie loves native Australian flowers, so they chose earthy and bright colors to complement the exotic flowers.

Pre-wedding parties: There was a festival of activities the week prior to the wedding, including wine tasting, golfing, spa days, dinners and bachelor/ bachelorette parties.

The engagement: Simon surprised Gracie in Tulsa over Christmas vacation in 2010. She thought he was camping and had no phone service, but he was actually on the 20-hour plane ride from Australia to Tulsa to surprise her for Christmas with a proposal.

Number of months it took to plan the wedding: 15.

Thing they would have done differently: Absolutely nothing.

Ceremony and reception site: “Araluen,” Simon’s family property in the Melbourne countryside.

Gown: Gracie wore her mother’s wedding dress, which she redesigned. She used a dressmaker in Claremore (Mrs. K and Co.) and then had a designer in Melbourne (Oglia-Loro) complete the dress with Italian lace. Gracie loves the evolution and history of the dress.

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65

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139

TULSA SOUND

A look at what’s happening in the local music scene

Open season at The Colony Local musician Cody Clinton offers singer-songwriters a unique showcase.

by MATT CAUTHRON

O

pen mic night.

The very phrase is awkward. Uncomfortable.

Cringe-inducing. It conjures for me the following scene: That guy (all of us knew that guy) who played a little guitar in high school but never pursued the instrument seriously, has decided that tonight is the night. Tonight, his Big Musical Moment — the one he fantasized about while strumming purposefully yet unnoticed in the corner of a frat house kegger — will suddenly materialize out of thin air simply because he summoned the courage to write his name on a list.

And that guy, after a couple of awful, hackneyed renditions of Sublime’s “What I Got” or Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here,” with vocals off-pitch and guitar out of tune, will slink back to his barstool, glowing with the rush of adrenaline, while stilted applause trickles out from the tiny fraction of the assembled audience polite enough to offer it.

And then, unmercifully, torturously, it’s the next guy’s turn. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Fortunately, Cody Clinton doesn’t want to hear that guy or anyone like him. Over the past few months, he has attracted a regular following of like-minded musicians and music lovers who share his vision of a different kind of open mic night.

Clinton is best known in Tulsa as one half of the excellent folk-rock duo Desi & Cody, but he’s ubiquitous as a lead guitarist all over the Tulsa music scene. He started “Singer-Songwriter Night” on Monday nights at The Colony, one of Tulsa’s most reliable venues for original live music, with the hope that he might attract folks who aren’t interested in playing (or

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hearing) the same poorly-performed, clichéd covers that infest most other free-for-all stages. He wanted to find serious songwriters, serious musicians, who have well-honed original material but no other outlet to showcase it.

The experiment has worked better than he could’ve ever hoped.

“I never expected this many people to show up,” Clinton says one Monday night as the sign-up list is so full he has to flip the page over, which by all accounts has become the weekly norm. “And it surprises me week after week. I don’t know what it is. Open mics can usually get really bad, but there’s something about the vibe here. We keep getting these great musicians just coming out of the woodwork.”

That vibe can probably be attributed to the collective admiration

among the regulars, which is immediately apparent once the performances begin. A hush falls over the crowd. People listen.

They applaud supportively. A shared enthusiasm for the entire enterprise is palpable.

Clinton and regular Monday bartender Nate Alexander chat about the event’s early incarnations, during which this coveted vibe hadn’t completely coalesced.

“People used to come in and do their three covers,” Alexander says. “But the crowd just kind of ran them off. Not in a mean way or anything, it was just sort of understood. People got the point pretty quickly that this wasn’t that kind of thing.”

Clinton originally offered the musicians an opportunity to record their sets, but the amount of signups swelled so quickly that he had to abandon that aspect for logistical reasons. He’s still toying with the idea of choosing a performer each week for an extended set, beyond the standard three songs that is the Monday night rule.

Whatever its future, this weekly showcase, which Clinton wasn’t even sure would attract enough interest to fill up just one night of music, seems to grow in popularity with every passing week. Even on “slow” nights, the audience at The Colony dwarfs a typical Monday night bar crowd.

“We’ve got something special going on here,” Alexander says. “And it’s not going away.”

It’s funny — I’ve heard that exact sentiment from all corners of the Tulsa music scene for a couple of years now, and it’s true every time.

Then something like Cody Clinton’s Singer-Songwriter Night comes along and makes it even truer.

It makes you wonder: What’s next? tþ

AUGUST’S BEST BETS FOR LIVE MUSIC 8/11 Milkdrive, Jacob Tovar and the Saddle Tramps, Whirligig; Guthrie Green Austin “jazz grass” string band Milkdrive will set downtown to shaking with a show that “crosses genres, geographies and generations.” Throw in local honkey tonk troubadour Jacob Tovar and his merry band, plus longtime Tulsa mainstays Whirligig, and you’ve got quite the enjoyable Sunday on the lawn.

8/23 Elephant Revival, Vanguard Music Hall Independent film director Mikey Eberle describes the band thusly: “When I hear Elephant Revival I am struck by my inability to define it.

I am forced to confront the music as it is, connecting to it with a virgin spirit of mind. Consequently it feels like I am experiencing music and all its joys for the very first time.” Sound like something you might be interested in? Featuring a couple of guitars, an upright bass, a fiddle, a washboard and some hauntingly beautiful voices, this eclectic, folk-inspired ensemble is no stranger to Tulsa, and if you have yet to catch them, now is the time.

Matt Cauthron is TulsaPeople’s online editor, a lover of live music and a true believer in the volcano of musical talent currently simmering in Tulsa. You may remember him from such defunct local rock bands as Scissortail, but almost certainly you do not.

Steak On August 24th in tulsa,It’s AllAbout

Your 16-Ounce Ribeye Will Be Perfectly Grilled By One Of The 50 Competitive Cooking Teams!

ENJOY OKLAHOMA’S LARGEST & BEST STEAK DINNER ON AUGUST 24TH!

URING 80+ AUTO SHOW FEAT C CARS! SI AS CL COOL AND

10 AM An event that encourages and educates young people to learn how to cook for themselves!

Come join over 2,000 people who will enjoy a 16-ounce ribeye steak dinner for just $25 each. The steaks will be cooked by the 50 competitive cooking teams each vying to win the 5th Annual Oklahoma Championship Steak Cook-Off’s $5,000 in prize money.

Come enjoy live music, a vintage car show, and appetizer samplings during the afternoon, topped by a great steak dinner beginning at 5:30 p.m.

FOR $25 TICKETS GO TO WWW.OKSTEAKCOOKOFF.COM

Inspired by Guy Fieri’s Cooking With Kids Foundation

The annual event is held in the area around Trinity Episcopal Church at 6th and Cincinnati in downtown Tulsa. Enjoy a festive atmosphere during the day. Follow the smoke!

SPONSORS A BENEFIT FOR: “Our Garden Project”

Muirfield Resources Company

to create Community Gardens to feed the hungry

WORTH READING

News and notes on the local literary scene

One for the books Two Tulsa authors feature Oklahoma in their recent works.

by ANGIE JACKSON

A

dd two literary looks at Tulsa and Oklahoma to your summer reading list: “A Map of Tulsa” by Benjamin Lytal and “Imaginary Oklahoma” compiled by Jeff Martin.

Lytal was in Tulsa this past March to talk about his book. He was here because Martin, BookSmart Tulsa impresario — and TulsaPeople contributing writer and author — arranged his visit. The Tulsa book community is a small world.

The New York Times’ book reviews and other critics have praised “A Map of Tulsa,” Lytal’s first book. He was a book reviewer himself for the New York Sun. “A Map” is a stupendous read regardless of whether or not one is familiar with Tulsa. In fact, that it takes place in Tulsa is irrelevant, yet charming, to us natives. Lytal is a native, too, and it is abundantly clear that the author respects his roots.

In these pages, readers encounter Adrienne, a Holly Golightly dream, that the protagonist, Jim, meets in Tulsa and loves during his first summer home from college. (Lytal studied away from home as well at Harvard University.) Readers will adore Adrienne just as much as Jim does.

She is bigger than life and full of life. In Tulsa, she is a nonconformist, hell bent to find her way amid local traditional stodginess. Jim finds her refreshing, and through her eyes he sees a different hometown.

As the New York Times reviewer wrote, “Girl, town, youth are literary devices, as Jim (Lytal) makes clear.”

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but get caught up in the conceit. The exercise reminds me of a college English course where the professor assigns a haiku after the students have read “The Scarlet Letter.”

To assemble an anthology of fiction written by outsiders is a worthy feat.

Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote the musical “Oklahoma” without ever setting a foot here, yet the play’s theme song is our state’s anthem. For natives to read the views of outsiders is healthy and expanding.

Speaking of literary devices, the second recommended read, “Imaginary Oklahoma,” is crawling with them.

Martin asked 46 writers (a nod to Oklahoma as the 46th state) to write their ideas of Oklahoma in flash-fiction mode, i.e., super-short stories accompanied by original illustrations from 46 artists.

The out-of-state writers are accomplished

Unfortunately, some of the writers fall deeply into a clichéd rut. They write about driving though Oklahoma (never the destination), tornadoes, Tom Mix, the Trail of Tears and, of course, the musical.

Redeeming of the 46, many are whimsical and provocative. “Find Your Oklahoma” by Rachel Kushner, who lives in Los Angeles and whose novel, “Telex from Cuba,” was a National Book Award finalist, writes one of the longer essays.

Another by Craig Morgan Teicher, “The Whale of Catoosa,” was chosen by This Land, the publisher and local multi-media entity, for its video translation, which you can see on its website. Teicher lives in Brooklyn and teaches at The New School and New York University.

Martin writes in his introduction, “Throughout these works, Oklahoma remains a mystery, an idea that allows the creative mind to go almost anywhere.” Read these essays and start a lively conversation around the backyard grill. tþ

A reader and freelance writer, Angie Jackson has had a lifelong career doing both. After 16 years as book columnist for TulsaPeople, she lives and breathes the words of regional and visiting writers.

Watch a TulsaPeople story come to life “on the air” every Thursday morning at 6:20 a.m. on Channel 8's “Good Morning Oklahoma”

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143

The Last Word

I

Commentary on Tulsa life by CONNIE CRONLEY

Pickles and tomatoes

It’s been an emotional summer.

Remorse, worry and a bit of guilt.

First, I was remorseful and guilty about pickles. Then, I began to worry about tomatoes. Let me start at the beginning.

I was reading a novel set in the early 1900s and came across a passage about a doctor having a breakfast of cold ham and pickles.

Pickles! I thought. When I was a restaurant critic, I read lots of books about food in history.

Pickles had a starring role. Cleopatra ate them for beauty and spirituality. Julius Caesar ate them for health. Napoleon hauled them along to feed his armies on campaign. Aristotle wrote about them, so did authors of the Bible. Sailors ate them to prevent scurvy. Elegant menus of the 1800s often listed “assorted pickles.” Shame on me for taking pickles for granted.

I vowed to take up pickling. First, I would have to overcome two fears bred into me from the 1950s.

1. The dreaded pressure cooker (“They’ll explode and kill you.”) and 2. The skulking danger of food poisoning from anything left unrefrigerated for 15 minutes.

I jumped into my new hobby by ordering a small library about pickling. “The Art of Fermentation” by Sandor Ellix Katz seemed to be the primary authority. The author is so keen on the subject, he writes about his “love affair with sauerkraut.” He writes with emotion about fermenting everything: yoghurt, bread, cheese, fruits, vegetables, beer, wine, grain, beans, fish, eggs and much more. Bacteria is our friend, he declares, not our enemy. “When it’s late at

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night and quiet in the house,” he wrote, “I can hear my ferments gurgling contentedly.” It’s a joyful sound to him; “it means my microbes are happy.”

Sadly, this fascinating book was too much for me. It was like taking a graduate class in bacteria, enzymes and anaerobic metabolism.

Cleopatra ate them for beauty and spirituality. Julius Caesar ate them for health. Napoleon hauled them along to feed his armies on campaign.

I moved on to easier instructional books, “The Joy of Pickling” by Linda Ziedrich and “Pickled” by Kelly Carrolata. I learned the basics, that pickling means preserving food with salt or vinegar or both. I learned we have a national Pickle Day, that Hyderabad, India, is considered pickle heaven, and that some Chinese and Japanese travel with suitcases full of pickles. I read about pickle crocks and jars and seasonings. I learned that some people use pickle brine as a cosmetic and some as a hangover remedy.

The more I read, the more making my own pickles seemed too labor intensive. Lazy to the bone, I put away the instruction books and turned my attention to tomatoes. Even I can grow a few tomatoes. I planted a few of my favorite varieties — Best Boy, Beefsteak and Cherokee Purple — in large pots, wondering again if the Cherokee really did bring the seeds

with them over the Trail of Tears. I set pots of grape and cherry tomatoes by the door so I can pop a tiny tomato into my mouth as I come and go.

I believe that everything goes better with books, so during a short rainy season, I read “Tomatoland” by Barry Estabrook. A blurb on the book’s cover says “It will change the way you think about America’s most popular vegetable,” and boy, is that right. Except that according to my research the tomato is the second most popular vegetable, behind lettuce.

Furthermore, botanically speaking, the tomato is a fruit, although in 1893 the Supreme Court ruled it was a vegetable for taxation purposes.

In “Tomatoland” I learned the history of the tomato. It traveled from its ancestral home in the deserts of Peru and Ecuador, to Spain, Italy, France, and eventually to California. This book, however, is a condemnation of the Florida tomato industry where the plant is grown in barren sandy soil and pumped full of chemical fertilizers and herbicides. They are picked hard and green, gassed with ethylene to a ruby red, then sold to us “as bereft of nutrition as they are of flavor.”

Even if I could get past that unappetizing news, I couldn’t overlook the book’s report of the slavery of the Florida tomato workers. “Not virtual slavery, or near slavery, or slavery-like conditions,” according to the chief assistant United States attorney in Florida, “but real slavery.”

Until my own handful of tomatoes ripen, thank heavens for the local farmers’ markets.

I’ve also renewed my vows with Vlasic pickles. tþ

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