Crowder speech and debate team first tournament results
From Crowder College
Bolivar, MO — The Crowder College Speech and Debate team had an excellent first tournament of the season. The team of John Winnett, Kalyn Finley, and Tessa Shaw worked together to best State Fair Community College for the title of Top Community College. In addition, our students placed in the top ten in six unique events. Individual awards are as follows:
John Winnett placed in the top ten placement in Interviewing.
Kalyn Finley, a true novice to the event and newest member of the team, placed 5th in informative speaking giving her speech on the vital role of water in our communities. In addition, she was a semi-finalist in IPDA debate, beating Southeastern Oklahoma State University in the quarterfinal round.
Tessa Shaw was the champion in poetry reading performances. She placed 2nd in Program of oral Interpretation, and 7th in Prose reading.
Crowder Alum, Julian Garrett, now attending Missouri State University, placed 3rd in After Dinner Speaking, 5th in Prose Reading, and was among the top 10 ranked speakers in Lincoln-Douglas debate.
“A notable part of the speech and debate community is that we are not divided into divisions, classes, or by size”, stated Kristen Stout, Speech and Debate Coach. “Our students compete against everyone, from other community colleges all the way up to the largest universities. This weekend we competed against 12 other schools including in-state competitors like Missouri State University, University of Central Missouri, Webster, and State Fair Community College as well as out of state competitors from Illinois, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa. This makes each win all the more impressive.”
The team will be traveling to the University of Central Missouri for their next competition.
All 3,700+ Joplin elementary school students to receive free sweatshirts and beanies
From Johnson, Vorhees & Martucci
Joplin, Mo. — All 3,700+ students enrolled in the Joplin School District’s eleven elementary schools will receive a custom-designed sweatshirt beginning October 27 compliments of Johnson, Vorhees & Martucci. All sweatshirts and beanies have a custom Eagle logo to show school spirit and pride among all students as winter weather approaches.
Attorneys from Johnson, Vorhees & Martucci presented sweatshirts and beanies to all students at Irving Elementary School on October 27. Students at the ten other public elementary schools will receive their sweatshirts over the next week from their faculty and staff.
“We get as excited as the students when these sweatshirts are handed out each year,” said Roger Johnson, partner at Johnson, Vorhees & Martucci. “You can see the personal and school pride on full display when an entire class is wearing the same sweatshirt for their school. This is our way of saying thank you to the Joplin community that has given us so much. We hope this inspires these students to one day do the same.”
More than 42,150 custom-designed sweatshirts and beanies have been provided to Joplin area students since Johnson, Vorhees & Martucci started the annual program in response to the devastating EF5 tornado that struck the Joplin area eleven years ago. The program is part of the law firm’s overall effort known as The CURA Project to give back and build a kinder, more fair community for all.
Johnson, Vorhees & Martucci participates in numerous programs to enhance the quality of life in the Four State region. For more information on the cold weather gear giveaway, visit https://www.4stateslaw.com/community/the-cura-project-by-jvm.
Missouri Gaming Association’s Project 21 scholarship applications now available
From the Missouri Gaming Association
JEFFERSON CITY, MO — The Missouri Gaming Association, the statewide professional association of the Missouri casino industry, is inviting high school seniors to enter the 27th annual Project 21 scholarship competition. One $2,500 first prize scholarship and three $1,500 second prize scholarships will be awarded. The Project 21 scholarship program encourages students to learn and educate their peers about the illegality, dangers and consequences of underage gambling.
The deadline for submitting Project 21 scholarship entries to the Missouri Gaming Association is March 1, 2023. The competition is open to all Missouri high school seniors planning to attend an institution of higher education in the United States within four years of graduation. The scholarship application and guidelines are available for download at www.missouricasinos.org or https://bit.ly/MGA-Proj21-2023.
Students must write and publish an original essay or article in the school newspaper, or create a poster or video. The article, poster or video must focus on the issues and ramifications of underage gambling. Entries must be published or displayed at the student’s high school for at least one full week between December 1, 2022 and February 15, 2023. Entries will be judged for originality, content, style and educational value.
“We want students to know it is illegal for anyone under the age of 21 to gamble in a Missouri casino,” said Mike Winter, executive director of the Missouri Gaming Association. “We also want them to understand the dangers and consequences when youth participate in other types of underage gambling.”
All Missouri high school seniors, including those whose parents are casino employees, are eligible for the Project 21 scholarships, provided their parent is not a Missouri Gaming Association officer or a Project 21 Executive Committee member. High school seniors employed part-time (less than 32 hours per week) by a Missouri casino also are eligible.
The Project 21 scholarship application is available for download at www.missouricasinos.org or https://bit.ly/MGA-Proj21-2023 or by calling (573) 634-4001. Written requests for applications can be sent to PO Box 305, Jefferson City, MO 65102. Winners will be announced by March 31, 2023 and scholarships will be awarded by April 15, 2023.
NEO A&M College awarded Department of Education Title III grant
From Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College
The United States Department of Education has awarded Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College cooperative funding under the Native American Serving Non-Tribal Institutions program.
The NASNTI program provides grants and related assistance to Native American-serving, nontribal institutions to improve and expand their capacity to serve Native American and low-income students.
NEO’s 2,040 square-mile, three-county primary service area – Ottawa, Craig, and Delaware counties – has a total population of 88,298 people, 30 percent of whom are Native American. The counties are home to 10 tribal jurisdictions.
In the fall of 2021, Native American students represented 29 percent of the college’s overall enrollment. NEO offers degrees and certificates in 38 transfer and occupational programs.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, NEO expanded online and hybrid class offerings and added real-time remote classes using Zoom videoconferencing technology.
NEO was awarded $1,596,013 over five years as the lead institution for the $2,749,977 grant, a two-initiative project to develop a robust virtual campus. The partner institution, Carl Albert State College, was awarded $1,153,964.
The first initiative is titled “Strengthen Faculty Capacity to Provide Effective Virtual Campus Instruction.” Institutions will develop new onboarding modules to orient faculty to virtual campus teaching. It will establish a faculty resource repository, and each institution will provide training in cultural responsiveness, Universal Design for Learning, teaching with technology, interaction and engagement in virtual courses, and using Open Educational Resources.
The second initiative is titled “Address Gaps and Weakness to Provide Efficient Virtual Campus Student Support.” Institutions will integrate new or redesigned student support into the coaching and mentoring systems and develop student orientations to virtual learning. NEO will develop online support to align with Universal Design for Learning, address students’ social and emotional needs, and ensure virtual support is interactive.
“NEO is very excited with the announcement of the NASNTI Title III grant award,” said NEO Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Dustin Grover. “This grant will allow the college to improve services to students while presenting a unique opportunity to work with another institution in Oklahoma on U.S. Department of Education initiatives.”
For more information, please contact NEO Administrative Assistant for the VP for Academic Affairs, Sam Hoover, at sam.hoover10@neo.edu or 918-540-6203.
Unconventional community guide earns tourism honor
From Explore Crawford County
PITTSBURG, Kan. — A coloring book whose purpose is to teach guests and local children about Southeast Kansas recently won a statewide marketing award. “Gus Explores Southeast Kansas” was produced by Explore Crawford County in partnership with Pittsburg State University’s Department of Art and the University Marketing & Communication office.
Judges in the Travel Industry Association of Kansas (TIAK) Marketing Awards contest gave the project 1st place in the 2022 Small Budget Print category, stating “targeting families and providing an activity for their children is an effective, creative strategy to get tourists to Crawford County!”
The award was presented by TIAK at the annual Kansas Tourism Conference on Wednesday, October 19 in Wichita. It was presented to Explore Crawford County staff, Executive Director Dave Looby and Marketing & Communications Manager Chris Wilson.
“We created a kids coloring book featuring PSU’s gorilla mascot, exploring his favorite spots in Southeast Kansas (Crawford County and slightly beyond),” judges had been told by Looby. “Originally designed as something to do for kids staying in hotels, it expanded to serve as a Kids and Family Visitor’s Guide handed out at shows and events like the Big Kansas Road Trip.”
The project surpassed expectations. An original print of 2,500 copies ran out so fast an additional 5,000 copies were ordered. Crayons were ordered and provided to local hotels and museums along with the coloring books. A downloadable version of the coloring book was also added to the Explore CrawfordCounty.com website.
“This coloring book would not have happened without the help of PSU Marketing, Dr. Oliver, and his art students,” Wilson said. “It is a perfect example of what happens when the right people see the value and potential of something, even something as simple as a silly coloring book, and then find a way to make it happen.”
“Community partnership projects like this further the Department of Art goal of having our students be active artists bettering the community,” said Dr. Jamie Oliver, Chair of the Pittsburg State University Department of Art. “This also shows the motto of Pittsburg State University, ‘By doing, learn.’ It shows this in an active, real-world way, as well as showing off our students’ skills to a broader audience.”
Artwork for the coloring book was undertaken by PSU students in the foundation course “ART 210-Visual Thinking: Digital Studio” during the Fall 2021 semester: Claire Bruening, Briana Carranza, Collin Chaney, Ali Doll, Olivia Frazier, George Hatcher, Jamesha Hawkins, Peyton Lemons, Abby McCoy, Katelyn Phelps, and Devynn Pitts.
“This course highlights, early within our program, integration of digital technologies in the art-making process,” Dr. Oliver explained. “The work for this project was all completed with the use of apps on digital tablets, a component of the course.”
“We hope to secure a partner to help us print a much larger run so we can also distribute them every year to kindergarten classes throughout the county to encourage kids’ love of learning, traveling, and exploring our world,” said Looby. “We anticipate that this will be a very cost-effective way to reach a broader audience directly.”
To get copies of the “Gus the Gorilla explores Southeast Kansas” coloring book visit the travel information center at 117 W 4th St in Pittsburg or go to www.ExploreCrawford County.com.
Latinas En Bici to Host Día de los Muertos Bike event at 8th Street Market in Bentonville
From Market Street Consultants
Northwest Arkansas — On Saturday, November 5, 2022, the Latina-owned and operated nonprofit organization Latinas En Bici will hold its annual Dia de los Muertos Bike Event at 8th St Market in Bentonville, Arkansas. Día de los Muertos is an important holiday for Latino cultures, and this bike event will encourage its celebration with the local communities in Northwest Arkansas. Latinas En Bici is one of the first Latino-serving organizations in Northwest Arkansas founded in 2016 by Olivia Barraza and Sofia Reyes.
A nonprofit organization, Latinas En Bici’s mission is to ignite and fuel the passion, excitement, and joy for cycling in Arkansas’ growing multicultural communities through bike rides, events, and education – to advance the sport, empower people, and create more inclusive, healthier, and happier communities.
“Culturally Día de los Muertos is an opportunity to create unity and an open invitation for all members of the community to learn more about our customs and cultures, as well as about our mission as a Latina-led organization here in NWA,” said Olivia Barraza, Executive Director for Latinas En Bici. “Our Día de los Muertos Bike Ride is also a major fundraising event for our year-round programs and services, which are focused on empowering families, children, and individuals. We meet our members where they are and work with them to get them more comfortable on a bike, as well as to feel more empowered as residents of this community.”
Latinas En Bici hosts weekly cycling and mountain biking rides for residents of the Northwest Arkansas community. They teach first-time child and adult riders how to ride a bike, loan bicycles out to novice riders for them to participate in their regular rides, and also teach their more than 100 members the basics of bike maintenance and repair. In addition, Latinas En Bici focuses its efforts on connecting its members to the Northwest Arkansas region by creating a more inclusive environment in the region through its collaborations and partnerships with other private and public organizations in the area.
The Dia de los Muertos Bike Event celebrates the life and memories of loved ones. The public cycling event will include food, music, as well as vendors from the Northwest Arkansas community such as Yeyo’s and Bike Rack Brewing.
The community event will take place at 8th St Market located at 801 SE 8th St, Bentonville, AR 72712, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Tickets are available for purchase at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dia-de-los-muertos-bike-ride-celebration-tickets-432137493877? utm-campaign= social&utm-content= attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=escb
For sponsorship opportunities or for more information contact olivia@latinasenbici.org.
