Ryan High School Celebrated Homecoming last Friday evening. Below are pictures from the Coronation and from the celebrations during the week.
This year’s King was Trey Bryant and the Queen was Tawny Vanover.
On Wednesday, April 20, 2022, I personally delivered a book to each Oklahoma Legislator’s office called Shared Ideals in Public Schools: Enduring Values that Unite Parents and Educators. I outlined the book a year ago on a series of notecards in a meeting with my local legislators as a possible path to restore local control to public schools. Parents and local educators solve the toughest, most controversial of issues at the kid level every day, but kid-level issues can rarely be fixed by faraway strangers from Capital City or Washington D.C. Central planners do not necessarily have bad intentions; they are just too far away from the local realities.
For full disclosure, I produced this book at my own expense, and if it does somehow sell any copies, I have committed those funds to our local public school foundation. I wrote it because parents and local educators are being increasingly forced between two extreme options on a national level: a choice between progressive march toward Marxism or a progressive march toward Crony Capitalism. Nevertheless, such extreme national views do not represent the parents and educators I have worked with. One side seems to believe that big government knows better, while the other side seems to believe that big corporations know better. Meanwhile, both sides perpetuate the corporate testing structure to the detriment of learning, because both sides derive power from false metrics that offer little or no value at the kid level. Consequently, local parents and educators have less influence on a child’s education than the federal government.
Shared Ideals in Public Schools proposes that local parents and educators agree regarding local control, parental rights, faith-welcoming schools, safety and security, relevant and rigorous academics, adult-ready graduates, equal rights and equal opportunities, hidden agendas, transparency, and accountability. When operating within these principles, your local parents and educators successfully navigate the most difficult problems, but they do this at the kid-level, not because well-intentioned central planners came to the rescue.
I know parents and educators who are very ardent Democrats or Republicans, but their politics almost always fade at the kid-level. I do not know any educators who believe they know better than supportive parents, and I do not know any parents who believe their teachers are evil. They work together, even when they have differences, for the children they love. They take of their Cable News Goggles and do what is best for an individual child. Blanket decisions rarely work, but when we focus on individual children’s needs without endangering other students, local parents and educators can work miracles. We must give them the chance, however, and we will never do that as long as partisan extremists keep us focused on extreme examples.
We must first identify those enduring principles that unite us on the local level. We must also model the behavior we expect to see in our children. Unfortunately, national partisan forces create contrived division, and they demonize anyone who disagrees with them. Our children will never know true tolerance until we adults can disagree with civility. We can disagree without demonizing. We can tolerate someone else’s views without adopting them . . . or demanding they adopt ours.
Admittedly, I may be an arrogant fool, for self-delusion is rarely self-evident. Hopefully, this book reflects the hearts and minds of parents and educators currently voiceless in a shrill world of extreme megaphones. Shared Ideals in Public Schools will be free on Amazon Kindle from April 25 through April 29. That’s the longest they will let me make it free. If you live in Duncan, I have several free paperback copies available. (Of course, there may be a reason it is self-published!) May we soon rediscover the wisdom of local parents and educators in our state and nation.
Tom Deighan is superintendent of Duncan Public Schools. You may email him at deighantom@gmail.com and read past articles at www.mostlyeducational.com
Five Waurika High School band students competed at the State Solo and Ensemble contest recently held at Oklahoma State University.
Four of those came home with Superior medals.
Riley Hobbs, a senior, got a 1 on his baritone solo and the Clarinet Trio, consisting of freshmen Hope Cummings, Brooklyn Barnes, and Regena Bradley also received the top rating. Michael Bryant, senior tuba player, got a 2 on his solo.
Band Director Everett Hodges said, “This is the most we have ever had make I’s at state. All of these worked hard and had very good performances. Once again, I would like to thank Starr Herron for her extra time put forth in accompanying these students.”
NORMAN – University of Oklahoma associate professor Saeed Salehi is leading a team of researchers from the Mewbourne School of Petroleum and Geological Engineering in the Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy to turn abandoned and retired oil and gas wells into geothermal wells that they hope to eventually heat two Tuttle, Oklahoma, schools.
The OU team will be one of the pioneers in the world to put theory into practice and demonstrate the efficacy of this model.
“Researchers from around the world are doing simulations, doing calculations to show that this concept may work, but this is the first time somebody is going to go and do it,” said Salehi.
UNDERSTANDING GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
Geothermal energy uses the Earth’s natural heat to create energy. There are two methods for gathering and using geothermal energy. Both involve tapping geothermal hotspots deep below the surface that contain water heated by the Earth’s core. Engineers can harness steam to create energy, a principle similar to wind or water turbines. They can also pipe up hot water up from deep within the Earth and use it to heat buildings. This project will use utilize the latter option.
“The core of the earth is more than 5,000 degrees Centigrade, equivalent to the surface temperature of the sun,” explained Salehi. “It is a clean-energy resource beneath our feet.”
While people may be familiar with shallow geothermal heat pumps made for consumer use to power an individual home, the geothermal wells Salehi works with are categorized as deep geothermal wells and have the capacity to power cities or several thousand homes.
OU RESEARCH PROJECT
In a project anticipated to last three years, Salehi and his team will retrofit four retired Tuttle oil wells that range between 10,000 and 11,000 feet deep to determine the viability of geothermal production of the wells.
After the wells are modified to produce geothermal energy, researchers will spend the next year measuring the energy production to see if actual output aligns with their estimates and models, and if the wells will create enough energy heat two nearby schools.
The project has a number of partners. Runar Nygaard, director of the Mewbourne School of Petroleum and Geological Engineering, is part of the research team, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory is partnering to provide expertise. The wells were donated to the project by OU alumni-led Blue Cedar Energy. Baker Hughes also donated state-of-the-art software necessary for the project’s complicated computational work.
While the Department of Energy grant is expected to be $1.7 million, the involvement of Blue Cedar Energy, NREL and Baker Hughes puts the project value close to $3 million.
Grant funding will allow the team to hire graduate students, post-doctoral students and technicians for the duration of the project, and will fund research opportunities for undergraduate students at the Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy.
“The mentorship opportunities with this project are endless,” said Salehi.
The Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy is one of the only colleges in the United States to house both petroleum engineering and geology programs. Salehi sees this project as a perfect integration of both disciplines.
“At the University of Oklahoma, we pride ourselves on the pursuit of energy solutions that are both reliable and environmentally sustainable,” said Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy dean J. Mike Stice. “Geothermal energy is a prime example of a zero-carbon technology that complements our other areas of energy expertise. Dr. Salehi’s project will provide a real-world application of the technology that can be leveraged within the state and nation, as a whole.”
OKLAHOMA CAN BECOME THE GEOTHERMAL CAPITOL OF THE NATION
According to Salehi, deep geothermal drilling is not at scale in the United States, and he sees several reasons:
First, it has long been the belief that the western hemisphere states and Hawaii have better potential for geothermal energy because the Earth’s heat can be tapped at much shallower depths in those areas.
Second, there is financial risk involved with drilling geothermal wells. Drillers can inadvertently enter hot pockets where the extreme temperatures can destroy the drilling equipment. Geothermal wells have a higher risk of dry holes – wells that prove to be unfruitful – than traditional oil or gas wells.
Salehi believes these constraints are both negated by unique factors in Oklahoma, and indeed position the state to become the capitol of geothermal energy in the United States.
Constraint 1: Region
“The largest geothermal operations are currently in California and Nevada,” Salehi explained. “In those regions, geothermal wells generally only need to be half the depth as wells in Oklahoma. However, they are drilled through solid rock, making it a longer, riskier, and more expensive process. In Oklahoma, though the wells are deeper, they are drilled through sedimentary basins – softer rocks.”
It is not just Oklahoma’s rocks that make a difference but its workforce. “Oklahoma’s long history in the oil industry has created a skilled local workforce. We have decades of experience drilling Oklahoma’s sedimentary basins and can drill an 11,000-foot well in a week. That cannot be done in other places, even at shallower depths,” said Salehi.
Constraint 2: Risk and Cost
The risk, cost and environmental impact of drilling geothermal wells becomes obsolete when utilizing retired fossil fuel assets.
“The largest expense in geothermal energy is drilling the well. We’re eliminating it,” said Salehi.
It is also the abundance of retired wells in Oklahoma that makes this model highly appealing.
“We are blessed with so many of these wells throughout the state. They are close the schools, close to factories, close to farms. In Oklahoma, we do not need to invest in miles of pipelines to deliver energy to end users,” Salehi said.
He imagines a future where Oklahoma hospitals have access to geothermal wells for emergency power.
THE NEXT STEP
The wells for this project were strategically chosen because of their proximity to two Tuttle schools. The scope of this project does not include the next step of heating the schools with geothermal energy, but rather ensuring that it is possible. Salehi and his team hope that once their current project is completed, they can apply for new grants and state matching funds to make heating the schools with geothermal energy a possibility.
If that happens, the Tuttle elementary and middle schools would be the first buildings in the world to be heated by geothermal energy from repurposed deep oil wells.
While researchers around the world will be following the project with interest, it is the students at the Tuttle schools who will get up-close opportunities to interact with the OU research team. This includes OU students and faculty visiting the schools with updates about the project and guest lectures about geothermal energy.
The project comes at an exciting time for the Mewbourne School, which plans to launch a new geothermal-focused undergraduate degree, GeoEnergy Engineering, in fall 2022.
Gary Gerken and his office staff are encouraging kindness in Jefferson County. They have joined a Kindness Revolution movement and want your help to spread kindness throughout the county. If you know of someone in Jefferson County who has shown kindness to others, please send your nominations to gerk0948@gmail.com or nominate them through the Facebook page “The Kindness Revolution-Jeff Co, OK led by Farmers Ins Gary Gerken Agency”. The people nominated will be entered in a drawing and one person will be recognized weekly on Facebook and presented an award. The goal of the Kindness Revolution is to spread kindness and good deeds throughout our community. Kindness packets are available for pickup at 109 S. Main St. Waurika, OK. Gary will be traveling the county visiting with schools, businesses, & individuals to work with him in making Jefferson, County the kindest county in Oklahoma.
Voters will go to the polls Tuesday for the June 26th State and County Primary and Special Election for the City of Waurika, County Election Board Secretary Tammy Richardson said today.
Please keep the following information and tips in mind as the election approaches.
– Early voting will be available at the County Election Board office from 8.am. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday. USE ONLY IF STATE OR FEDERAL OFFICES ARE ON BALLOT: Early voting is also available from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
– Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday. Lines are possible at peak voting times. Wait times will likely be shortest at mid-morning and mid-afternoon. Anyone in line to vote at 7 p.m. will be allowed to cast a ballot.
– Anyone who needs to look up their polling place, verify their registration information, or view a sample ballot can do so online. The Online Voter Tool can be accessed on the Oklahoma State Election Board’s website: www.elections.ok.gov. Those who vote by mail can also check the status of their ballot using the Online Voter Tool. Sample ballots are also available at the County Election Board office.
– Oklahoma law requires every voter who votes in person at the precinct polling place or during early voting at the County Election Board to show proof of identity before receiving a ballot. There are three ways for voters to prove their identity under the law (only one proof of identity is required): Show a valid photo ID issued by federal, state, or tribal government; or show the free voter identification card issued to every voter by the County Election Board; or sign an affidavit and vote a provisional ballot. (If the information on the affidavit matches official voter registration records, the ballot will be counted after Election Day.)
– Physically disabled voters who cannot enter the polling place, need help marking their ballots, blind or visually disabled voters and illiterate voters may be assisted by a person the voter chooses. In all cases, a person providing such assistance may not be the voter’s employer or an agent of the employer or an officer or agent of the voter’s union. A person providing assistance also must swear or affirm that the voter’s ballots will be marked in accordance with the voter’s wishes. Alternatively, all blind, visually impaired, and physically disabled voters in Jefferson County may use the audio-tactile interface (ATI), a feature offered on all Oklahoma voting devices, to vote privately and independently, either at Jefferson County Election Board during early voting or at their assigned polling place on election day.
– Voters who have moved since the last election, but who have not transferred their voter registration to their new address, may do so on Election Day by going to vote at the polling place where their registration has been in the past. While voting, they may fill out a form instructing the County Election Board to transfer their registration to the new address before the next election.
– Those who became physically incapacitated after 5 p.m. Tuesday June 26th still can request an emergency absentee ballot. Those who might qualify for an emergency absentee ballot should contact the County Election Board office at (580) 228-3150 as soon as possible for more information.
– Any violation of election law will be reported to the proper law enforcement authorities. Electioneering is not allowed within 300 feet of a ballot box. It is also unlawful to remove a ballot from the polling location, possess intoxicating liquors within half a mile of a polling place or to disclose how you voted while within the election enclosure.
For additional election-related information, visit: www.elections.ok.gov.
OKLAHOMA CITY (April 16, 2018) – The Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women (OCSW) is seeking nominations for 2018 inductees to the Oklahoma Women’s Hall of Fame. The deadline to nominate an individual is June 1, 2018. The event will be held later this fall.
“There are many outstanding Oklahoma women who are improving the lives of other women, families and children and deserve to be recognized for their efforts,” said Linda Haneborg, chair of the 2018 Oklahoma Women’s Hall of Fame who serves as a commissioner for OCSW and was inducted into the Oklahoma Women’s Hall of Fame in 2013. “It is important to honor these women in a permanent manner to inspire and encourage today’s young women and girls to pursue their dreams through today’s role models.”
To be eligible for the Oklahoma Women’s Hall of Fame, nominees must live in Oklahoma or be a former resident of Oklahoma. As a guide for choosing a woman to nominate, consider the following questions:
Current commissioners of the OCSW are not eligible.
Haneborg added, “The significant impact Oklahoma women have made due to their remarkable actions has transformed many lives. These actions have earned the right to be recognized in the Hall of Fame and be included in Oklahoma history record books.” The 2018 inductees will add to the current 115 women who have been inducted into the Oklahoma Women’s Hall of Fame since 1983, after being established in 1982 by then Gov. George Nigh.
Nomination forms may be obtained by contacting OCSW at ocswadmin@omes.ok.gov or 405-401-6970. The nomination form and list of former honorees are available at www.ok.gov/ocsw.
The nomination form and supporting materials must be postmarked no later than June 1, 2018, and mailed to:
Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women
Will Rogers Building
2401 N. Lincoln Blvd, Suite E-1
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
The Oklahoma Women’s Hall of Fame is one of several events sponsored by OCSW to support its mission to improve the quality of life for women, children and families in Oklahoma.
About the Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women:
The Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women is a non-partisan state commission that serves as the voice for women in Oklahoma. It strengthens and empowers women in Oklahoma by informing and educating the Legislature and Executive branches about issues to improve opportunities and quality of life for women. In addition to the Oklahoma Women’s Hall of Fame, OCSW conducts Community Conversations on issues impacting Oklahoma women and families, hosts the Guardian Award presented to an elected official who has contributed to guarding and preserving the rights of women and families, and the Kate Barnard Award to honor outstanding women in public service. OCSW is a proud member of Girl Scouts of America as Honorary Troop 1912 to help girls thrive in Oklahoma. Visit OCSW at www.ok.gov/ocsw/.
As rain fell gently on those gathered at Veterans Park in Waurika this past Monday, former Waurika School Supt. Roxie Terry delivered a moving speech honoring the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
Terry recalled a time when he was a boy attending a Memorial Day ceremony and hearing a veteran talk about how members of his family had died in service to the nation.
“I heard the speaker say, ‘My granddad is buried over there, my dad and brother are buried just down from his grave. They all died in combat, all in different wars.’”
From then on when he would hear the statistics of those who had died in combat were more than just a number. They were a member of someone’s family.
“I guess that was the first time that I realized that the term “Killed in Action” didn’t just mean a number that Walter Cronkite talked about on the evening news.”
He went on to say, “Every person that becomes a soldier takes an oath and when they sign those enlistment papers they are signing a blank check payable to their country in the amount up to and including death. They do this to stand up for our country, our freedom, our way of life. Many, many people have made the ultimate sacrifice for us and that is why we meet here today. To honor them, to thank them, to memorialize them and their families.”
Current Waurika School Supt. Cody Simmons conducted the ceremony.
He also recognized the veterans who had passed on during the previous year.
Fittingly, a tribute to Command Sergeant Major Bennie G. Adkins was read by Jennifer Aldridge and Tim Adkins, both relatives.
The Waurika native received a Medal of Honor for his service and there is a statue of Adkins in Veterans Park.
The solemn service honored our heroes and their families.
His desire to run for Congress was fueled by an editorial he read in the Norman Transcript, his hometown newspaper. The editorial was encouraging citizens to get more involved by running for political office.
Fred Gipson, longtime friend of Phillip and Pat Scott, was in town Monday talking to citizens about his goals to make Oklahoma a better place for future generations.
Gipson was born and raised in Seminole, Oklahoma.
Because of his love for the sooner state, he wants Oklahoma to continue to be a place where families grow and prosper.
Gipson is running for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, as Oklahoma’s District 4 Representative.
He has strong feelings about the importance of education in the lives of Oklahoma’s youth.
As a man of integrity, he vows not to accept campaign contributions from PACs, lobbyist or those who live outside District 4.
During lunch at the Circle D he talked about his experiences working with former US Senator Fred R. Harris (who was born not far from Hastings, Oklahoma). Gipson served as his legislative assistant in D.C.
Gipson is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma and close friend of former OU President David Boren.
Gipson was a captain in the Unites States Army.
He served as a law clerk for U.S. District Judge Ross Rizley.
He once served as the Mayor of Seminole.
Gipson was Chief legal Counsel to Oklahoma University, and also taught political science and higher education law there.
Since leaving the University of Oklahoma he has practiced law and been involved in several businesses.
He has been a partner in the Jerry Scott Drilling Company, Seminole Mud Company and Gipson Properties.
He recently formed Downhole Tubulars LLC.
Gipson is a lifetime member of the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association.
Ron Howard is more than just a famous actor (Happy Days and the Andy Griffith Show), and a director from Hollywood. He is also related to Waurika’s Elementary Principal, Mrs. Patricia Cook, by marriage.
Cook’s husband Bill is a cousin of Howard. He called during December and said he wanted to visit Duncan and see the hospital where he was born and other places related to his childhood.
The Cooks picked up Howard from the airport and brought him back to their home in Duncan.
They spent an afternoon together.
Cook said Howard is down to earth, very thoughtful and pleasant to talk to.
