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Above: Winning Team: Diamond H/Plus C Cattle
Top Hand: Rodey Wilson of Willson Cattle
Top Horse: Jayten McCright – Slash W
2. Bonds
3. Wilson
4. Sarco Creek/Lemond
5. EC Cattle/Mule Creek (Above Photo by Elizabeth Scott; Photo to right by Elizabeth Scott)
Waurika Head Start program has been serving families in Jefferson County for many years. The center is currently under the direction of Gaylon Wadsworth and co-teacher Amanda Earnest. The center nutrition program is led by Carol Prewitt. Concerns over Covid-19 led to many challenges last year, and enrollment was impacted. In order to increase enrollment and better serve the families of the community, Waurika Head Start will be open for a full day of school this school year.
Families of Waurika Head Start students will no longer have the challenge of finding additional child care after lunch. The new school day will last from 8:00AM to 3:00PM. Students will receive instruction based on National Head Start Standards, and will help prepare students for elementary school.
Leslea Hixson, the new Director of Head Start and Early Head Start, added, “We are very excited to be able to continue to serve the families of Waurika, and hope the additional time in the school day will help to better meet the needs of our families.” School will begin August 12th, but families can call (580)228-2810 to enroll at any time. You can also contact Head Start offices at any time by email at, CADCHobart@sbcglobal.com, or by phone at,
(580)726-3343.
Health care professionals from throughout the state attended the Oklahoma Hospital Association’s (OHA’s) 103rd annual convention, Connect 22, Nov. 9-11, at the Oklahoma City Convention Center in Oklahoma City. In addition to the educational sessions and an exhibit hall, other convention highlights included the presentation of several awards to Oklahoma’s outstanding health care leaders.
During the convention, Jay R. Johnson, FACHE, president and chief executive officer, DRH Health, Duncan, received the association’s highest award, the W. Cleveland Rodgers Distinguished Service Award, in recognition of his outstanding service to the health care industry.
Johnson received his Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 1990 from Cameron University in Lawton and his Master of Health Administration degree in 1994 from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va. He began his career at Parkland Health and Hospital System in Dallas followed by nine years at Stillwater Medical Center and five years at Mercy Hospital Ardmore.
In August 2010, Jay began serving as president and CEO of Duncan Regional Hospital (DRH). Under his leadership, DRH Health has grown from $96 million in net revenue in 2010 to $169 million in 2021 while also maintaining high levels of patient satisfaction. The organization has expanded by adding Jefferson County Hospital along with clinics in 10 communities in southwest Oklahoma. New services include full-time programs in cardiology, behavioral health, and pulmonology/critical care.
Johnson currently serves as the past board chair of the Oklahoma Hospital Association. He served as board chair mid-2019 through 2021. He has been a member of the board since 2013 and he has served on the OHA Council on Policy and Legislation. Johnson received the OHA Advocacy in Action award in 2013 and 2017.
Johnson currently serves as board chair for the Cancer Centers of Southwest Oklahoma. He is the past chair for Vizient’s Arkansas/Oklahoma region and a past delegate of Region Seven for the American Hospital Association’s Regional Policy Board. In 2019, he was named the Duncan Man of the Year by the Duncan Chamber of Commerce, and in 2015 he was named Outstanding Alumni for Cameron University. He is a graduate of Leadership Oklahoma class 29, Leadership Duncan class 16, and Leadership Stillwater class 11. He is the past chair of the Duncan Public Schools Foundation and the past chair of the Duncan Area Economic Development Foundation. He is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Once upon a time, a powerful ruler publicly humiliated a simple woman. He invited her as a guest of honor to an annual celebration, but instead of honoring her, the ruler heaped ire and abuse upon her, attacking her character, honor, and integrity. She helplessly endured it in silence while her friends and colleagues silently watched. No one spoke up or even stood beside her. Her seat of honor at a celebration was instead a seat of scorn.
Those same friends and colleagues privately came to her afterwards and affirmed their love and support for her. The ruler also visited the woman and apologized very sincerely for his hurtful and unfair behavior and invited her to another celebration. She was not attacked this time, but the previous injustice was ignored, and she left more wounded than ever, because private praise rarely heals public wounds, and neither do secret apologies. Such a broken heart simply festers.
I share this little parable because I am often asked how people can affirm support for their local educators, and I believe it is how we choose to respond when someone sits defenseless in the seat of scorn. Like the simple woman in our parable, local educators often sit alone and humiliated in the public eye, but this is not just happening to school staff. Police officers and healthcare workers have been targeted mercilessly, and likewise, volunteer elected officials like school board members and city council members. Still yet, the seat of scorn is not limited to these leaders or professions.
Ask the men and women at the drive-thru windows and convenience store counters how often they are cussed or insulted lately. Ask your bus drivers, your cooks, your custodians, or your school secretaries how people often treat them. Ask the tellers at the bank, your servers, your pastors. Ask your friends and family, and ask the person in the mirror, for you probably have felt it, too. Yes, local educators currently feel isolated and humiliated at the seat of scorn, but they are not alone in regard to feeling so alone.
Such treatment is often face-to-face, but nowadays, anyone can be abused publicly by petty tyrants on social media. Simple folks retreat to social media for a celebration with friends and family, but they quickly find themselves sitting ducks in the virtual seat of scorn. Despite dozens and dozens of “friends” looking on, people rarely stand beside them publicly. An avalanche of support may pour in privately, but private praise and secret apologies never heal public wounds; they just make it worse.
I am often asked what our local educators need, and it is the same thing everyone else needs right now: someone . . . anyone . . . brave enough to stand beside them at the seat of scorn. Whether online in social media or in line at the store, people should not suffer alone when someone browbeats them for the higher cost of a fountain drink or for simply being a healthcare provider, police officer, or educator. We should never return bad behavior with worse behavior, but we can always walk across the room and stand beside them, so they know they are not alone. I wonder how many times I have personally been guilty of being a bystander.
When schoolkids receive anti-bully training, they learn that being a bystander simply fuels the bad behavior. As a result, children learn to be upstanders. Simply standing up with the person often neutralizes the bully, and the person is no longer alone. Instead of silently watching when someone is humiliated in the seat of scorn, we should be like our children. We should stand beside them, whether online or in person, because private praise and secret apologies afterwards never help. We all know the hot seat of scorn, so let’s be upstanders rather than bystanders when it happens in our communities. Please pray for restored civility in our communities, the courage to stand with each other, and above all, the safety of our schools this Second Sunday of the Month.
Tom Deighan is superintendent of Duncan Public Schools. You may email him at deighantom@gmail.com and read past articles at www.mostlyeducational.com
Renie wanted a gorgeous new flower garden. So she spent some time picking the brain of a college educated agriculturalist. A man who had spent years as a high school teacher in that field. Plus, for the last ten years after retirement, he and his wife had a “hobby” – working their own small truck farm. He had qualifications galore for knowing when, what, where, and how to plant just about anything.
So now she was ready. She knew exactly what plants she wanted to have in her flower garden, and where, And how to care for them. The expert had briefed her on the best environment for her plants. Fertilizing, watering, and amounts of sunshine were included in the tutorial.
So far, so good.
The morning came when they both began the process of digging holes and planting. (Well, in the interest of full disclosure – Renie mostly directing, Andy digging and planting.)
Renie, sweetly: “Honey, these have to be right here, ‘cause they need morning sun, but they can’t take the scorching heat of the afternoon. And don’t forget to sprinkle the fertilizer in the bottom of the hole each time!”
Andy, cheerfully: “Okay, sweetie, you were the one who talked to the expert, so whatever ya say!”
This process went on for quite a while, her directing with him patiently digging, fertilizing and planting. But as the hours went by, and the day’s heat increased, so did the conversation.
Renie, exasperated: “Andy, I thought I specifically said this plant had to be placed in full sun! Look at it! Here it is only 1:00 P.M., and it’s already in the shade!”
Andy, muttering: “I can specifically tell you where I’d like to place that plant, and it would be in full shade!”
But finally, all was done, and it looked great. Every one of those babies were in the perfect location, fertilizer in the holes under them, watered well, and lookin’ good! Weeks went by, and they flourished, with deep green leaves and beautiful blooms beginning to show.
Then it began.
A wilted leaf here, a drooping bloom there, Then those pretty blooms started hitting the ground, and those wilting leaves began yellowing. And finally, everything was acting as if autumn had hit a couple of months early, the garden looking like the end of October.
What in the world? Yep, you’ve probably guessed it by now. Too much of a good thing…fertilizer.
Folks, anything can be carried to excess and cause the exact opposite of its intended outcome. Dessert gives a great touch to meals, but too much leads to bad endings. Working extra hours is admirable, except when you take on so much that the kids begin to ask Mom what Dad looks like. Building up your credit score is a great idea – but without monitoring your spending, it’s gonna backfire on you.
Plan, execute, and enjoy. Important stuff. But correct dosing is pretty important too.
The Jefferson County 4H Shooting Sports Team went to compete in Fairview in preparation for state in January.
They will be starting a new air rifle team as well as a .22 rifle team in February for ages 9 and up.
Moore, OK – Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04) released the following statement after learning about the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, who reigned for more than 70 years.
“Queen Elizabeth II lived an extraordinary life and displayed an unwavering sense of duty to her country. As the longest reigning monarch in modern history, she leaves behind an unparalleled legacy that extends numerous generations and 15 prime ministers. Her loss will be deeply felt not only by her loyal subjects but by countless admirers around the world. My prayers are with the Royal Family as they grieve the loss of a truly legendary matriarch and with our British friends as they mourn the loss of their much beloved Queen.”
