During an add-on day in conjunction with the annual Noyce Summer Summit in June, former Fort Hays State University Noyce Teacher Leaders received training on air quality initiatives thanks to a National Science Foundation grant.

The “Learning Where We Live: A Focus on Air” Workshop, held on the FHSU campus, provided air quality initiative training to math and science teachers from rural districts in Kansas. The training, facilitated by Dr. Paul Adams, FHSU GLOBE Partner Lead and Trainer and Dean of the College of Education, included air quality experts via Zoom. Dr. Kevin Czajkowski, University of Toledo, and Dr. Margaret Pippin, NASA Researcher, focused on the interconnectedness between the air we breathe and events taking place hundreds of miles away. &nbsp;

<a></a>PM2.5 Purple Air Sensors, the first to be provided to schools in the state of Kansas, were provided to six former FHSU math and science majors who currently teach in high-need Kansas middle and high schools. Teachers included Katie Flax, Lakin Werth, Kole Clarke, Nicole Voss, and Karisma Vigerney. The sensors, located in Oakley, Colby, Ransom, Lyons, Pratt, and the FHSU campus, are used to observe particulate matter.&nbsp;

With the launch of the NASA TEMPO satellite on air quality scheduled for December 2022, NASA is engaging professors, teachers, and students from the U.S. to learn more about air quality issues. Sensor data collected by Noyce Teacher Leaders will be used in conjunction with the satellite mission.

During the workshop, Czajkowski and Pippin discussed how data from the Purple Air Sensors could be used to engage students in the classroom. Key to the benefits of the data is understanding how measurements are related to weather events, clouds, wildfires, and other environmental issues.&nbsp;

“Learning about the Earth as a system provides our teachers with the tools to enrich the world of their students as they research what is happening in their backyard,” Adams said.&nbsp;

“Our Noyce teachers are leaders in their schools,” Stramel said. “As math and science teachers, they have formed this special bond. I always think science and math are all around us. We don’t just do it in isolation.”

The Noyce Teacher Leaders will meet again during the fall semester to share ideas about how the sensors and the data collected have been used in their classrooms.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659712157906.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU University CommunicationsDuring an add-on day in conjunction with the annual Noyce Summer Summit in June, former Fort Hays State University Noyce Teacher Leaders received training on air quality initiatives thanks to a National Science Foundation grant.The “Learning Where We Live: A Focus on Air” Workshop, held on the FHSU campus, provided air quality initiative training to math and science teachers from rural districts in Kansas. The training, facilitated by Dr. Paul Adams, FHSU GLOBE Partner Lead and Trainer and Dean of the College of Education, included air quality experts via Zoom. Dr. Kevin Czajkowski, University of Toledo, and Dr. Margaret Pippin, NASA Researcher, focused on the interconnectedness between the air we breathe and events taking place hundreds of miles away. &nbsp;<a></a>PM2.5 Purple Air Sensors, the first to be provided to schools in the state of Kansas, were provided to six former FHSU math and science majors who currently teach in high-need Kansas middle and high schools. Teachers included Katie Flax, Lakin Werth, Kole Clarke, Nicole Voss, and Karisma Vigerney. The sensors, located in Oakley, Colby, Ransom, Lyons, Pratt, and the FHSU campus, are used to observe particulate matter.&nbsp;With the launch of the NASA TEMPO satellite on air quality scheduled for December 2022, NASA is engaging professors, teachers, and students from the U.S. to learn more about air quality issues. Sensor data collected by Noyce Teacher Leaders will be used in conjunction with the satellite mission.During the workshop, Czajkowski and Pippin discussed how data from the Purple Air Sensors could be used to engage students in the classroom. Key to the benefits of the data is understanding how measurements are related to weather events, clouds, wildfires, and other environmental issues.&nbsp;“Learning about the Earth as a system provides our teachers with the tools to enrich the world of their students as they research what is happening in their backyard,” Adams said.&nbsp;“Our Noyce teachers are leaders in their schools,” Stramel said. “As math and science teachers, they have formed this special bond. I always think science and math are all around us. We don’t just do it in isolation.”The Noyce Teacher Leaders will meet again during the fall semester to share ideas about how the sensors and the data collected have been used in their classrooms.

Noyce Teacher Leaders collect air quality data

<a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast click here.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659766245002.jpeg" alt="080822.jpg" />
 <figcaption>080822.jpg</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast click here.</a>

Three-day weather outlook

I am sharing some wise words from a fellow 4-H agent today and it is a great follow up to the county fair and in preparation for the Kansas State Fair.

Growing up I was quick to hide any ribbons that were not purples! Yes, we all have those purple ribbons, buckles or duffle bags in our goals to win…but what about the “other” ribbons. 

She shared a photo with all ribbons represented because, as she notes, they all matter! 

4-H is about youth development and helping build the next generation. We hope that those who started as Cloverbuds will be in the stands as market buyers someday.

In life, not everyone wins every time and that’s OK, but it’s important to learn so you can grow. 4-H teaches youth valuable lessons that will be essential in this world such as commitment, responsibility, dedication, punctuality, organization, and those are just listing a few! There is no surprise that 4-H youth excel when it comes to job searches as these traits are exactly what businesses are looking for. 

Sarah’s favorite question to ask youth is “what did you fail at?” This can sometimes be a hard question because we are taught failing is bad…but if we never fail how would we learn and grow as human beings? FAILING IS NOT BAD!! Just because you got a red ribbon, it is not bad; instead ask yourself how can we learn from this? Maybe it is seeking out an upperclassman, volunteer, breeder or agent and asking questions. Maybe it's learning more about animal husbandry and being more aggressive with wormer or learning how to read your feed labels to understand protein better. 

There is always knowledge and personal growth to gain. We just need the right mind set to be open to it. So this year, show all your ribbons proudly because you accomplished that! It takes a lot to prepare your projects and present them to the judge! Recognize what did you do well at? What did you fail at? And what are you going to work on? 

Imagine a world of adults who were taught as children their short comings opened the door for opportunity. 

Many thanks to Cowley County 4-H agent, Sarah LaGrone, for sharing her perspective!

Keep learning. Keep showing grace and kindness.

Michelle Beran is the 4-H and youth development agent in the Cottonwood Extension District – Barton County office. For more information on this article or other 4-H and Youth Development related questions, email Michelle at mberan@ksu.edu or call 620-793-1910.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579114162620.jpeg" alt="Michelle Beran is the 4-H and youth development agent in the Cottonwood Extension District . " />
 <figcaption>Michelle Beran is the 4-H and youth development agent in the Cottonwood Extension District . </figcaption>
 </figure>I am sharing some wise words from a fellow 4-H agent today and it is a great follow up to the county fair and in preparation for the Kansas State Fair.Sarah states: Growing up I was quick to hide any ribbons that were not purples! Yes, we all have those purple ribbons, buckles or duffle bags in our goals to win…but what about the “other” ribbons. She shared a photo with all ribbons represented because, as she notes, they all matter! 4-H is about youth development and helping build the next generation. We hope that those who started as Cloverbuds will be in the stands as market buyers someday.In life, not everyone wins every time and that’s OK, but it’s important to learn so you can grow. 4-H teaches youth valuable lessons that will be essential in this world such as commitment, responsibility, dedication, punctuality, organization, and those are just listing a few! There is no surprise that 4-H youth excel when it comes to job searches as these traits are exactly what businesses are looking for. Sarah’s favorite question to ask youth is “what did you fail at?” This can sometimes be a hard question because we are taught failing is bad…but if we never fail how would we learn and grow as human beings? FAILING IS NOT BAD!! Just because you got a red ribbon, it is not bad; instead ask yourself how can we learn from this? Maybe it is seeking out an upperclassman, volunteer, breeder or agent and asking questions. Maybe it's learning more about animal husbandry and being more aggressive with wormer or learning how to read your feed labels to understand protein better. There is always knowledge and personal growth to gain. We just need the right mind set to be open to it. So this year, show all your ribbons proudly because you accomplished that! It takes a lot to prepare your projects and present them to the judge! Recognize what did you do well at? What did you fail at? And what are you going to work on? Imagine a world of adults who were taught as children their short comings opened the door for opportunity. Many thanks to Cowley County 4-H agent, Sarah LaGrone, for sharing her perspective!Keep learning. Keep showing grace and kindness.Michelle Beran is the 4-H and youth development agent in the Cottonwood Extension District – Barton County office. For more information on this article or other 4-H and Youth Development related questions, email Michelle at mberan@ksu.edu or call 620-793-1910.

Beran: All ribbons count

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<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659367796358.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659367779215.png" alt="" />
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 </figure><a href="https://dsnwk.e3applicants.com/careers">Click HERE to apply.</a>

Hays school board votes to prohibit satanism in dress code

GREAT BEND -&nbsp; The Kansas Wetlands Education Center (KWEC),&nbsp;located northeast of Great Bend on K-156 Highway, is gearing up for its annual “Out of this World” Perseid Meteor Shower Watch Party.

The public is invited to join the KWEC staff for this free, family-friendly activity. Each year, as the Earth passes through the dust and debris of the Swift-Tuttle comet, the Kansas Wetlands Education Center celebrates the end of summer with our guests by watching the meteors or shooting stars as they burn in our atmosphere.

This event coincides with the anticipated peak in meteor shower activity for the month on Aug. 12, from 8:30-10:30 p.m. Stargazers may be able to spot from 60-100 meteors per hour during this time. While we anticipate some potential light pollution from the last Supermoon (a full moon that occurs when the moon is closest to the Earth) of the calendar year that will peak the night before, the show will go on regardless of the conditions.

Guests at the meteor show watch party can also take advantage of an opportunity to learn about the science behind the remarkable images recently delivered by the James Webb Space Telescope.

The Webb telescope is the successor of the Hubbell Space Telescope. It uses giant mirrors to create infrared images. Those in attendance can learn how this infrared energy works through a hands-on experiment. Event participants will also be able to walk through a massive star's life cycle while creating a take-home reminder of the process.

Other hands-on activities include creating a spiral galaxy with a spin and paint machine, building&nbsp;a solar-powered moon base welcome sign, enjoying a view of the night sky, and listening to stories about the constellations in an inflatable planetarium. 

Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets and munch on s’mores as they scan the night skies.

More information about the KWEC can be found at&nbsp;<a href="http://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=AzU7JuM9gNoo13mIpsUPJFc7vEqe7DS7B3ss6a93outtocafAwUBsUvyMro9tPazV9Bs_r-2BDMsuWuYVmb7-2F1Mu1QL1I-2FJ8-2BHR91nNNNGTTc38Ah0CWayiZL-2BkhdmA3sx0XGnG-2FN1jk6rVQRO9vN7U5rFC-2BcXi909IOPAdkr3SvXFdyn3Ag1h6-2F-2B6atf0vMUKxRgZ-2BTai2JW0-2BEfkelhn7KNzSe5g-2Fe6vVLNPiWqb5Pqkk-2BWlELOOJbE6ATwNZ7-2BOBAIA5tg7-2BBrNLmOy-2Fu5V6OqLSX55-2FMJKzRNyj-2FqyA9Yvi0qhe6ZdO8O3umMvYM7wICBceZfr-2F3QObqkh0bPrfThdpdg9mN7GIEpo-2FvcAKpIBhG-2FmOCXpxcp04jiVINuYg0l1b6IPcQ22ghyCl8E3vGmIUXT3b3J3EaQMeb4xK68kRUGeOszKOpdTMyPtCTrsU2uL2" target="_blank">www.wetlandscenter.fhsu.edu</a>&nbsp;or by calling 1-877-243-9268.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659645570574.jpeg" alt="Perseid meteor shower File photo courtesy NASA/Bill Ingalls)" />
 <figcaption>Perseid meteor shower File photo courtesy NASA/Bill Ingalls)</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU University CommunicationsGREAT BEND -&nbsp; The Kansas Wetlands Education Center (KWEC),&nbsp;located northeast of Great Bend on K-156 Highway, is gearing up for its annual “Out of this World” Perseid Meteor Shower Watch Party.The public is invited to join the KWEC staff for this free, family-friendly activity. Each year, as the Earth passes through the dust and debris of the Swift-Tuttle comet, the Kansas Wetlands Education Center celebrates the end of summer with our guests by watching the meteors or shooting stars as they burn in our atmosphere.This event coincides with the anticipated peak in meteor shower activity for the month on Aug. 12, from 8:30-10:30 p.m. Stargazers may be able to spot from 60-100 meteors per hour during this time. While we anticipate some potential light pollution from the last Supermoon (a full moon that occurs when the moon is closest to the Earth) of the calendar year that will peak the night before, the show will go on regardless of the conditions.Guests at the meteor show watch party can also take advantage of an opportunity to learn about the science behind the remarkable images recently delivered by the James Webb Space Telescope.The Webb telescope is the successor of the Hubbell Space Telescope. It uses giant mirrors to create infrared images. Those in attendance can learn how this infrared energy works through a hands-on experiment. Event participants will also be able to walk through a massive star's life cycle while creating a take-home reminder of the process.Other hands-on activities include creating a spiral galaxy with a spin and paint machine, building&nbsp;a solar-powered moon base welcome sign, enjoying a view of the night sky, and listening to stories about the constellations in an inflatable planetarium. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets and munch on s’mores as they scan the night skies.More information about the KWEC can be found at&nbsp;<a href="http://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=AzU7JuM9gNoo13mIpsUPJFc7vEqe7DS7B3ss6a93outtocafAwUBsUvyMro9tPazV9Bs_r-2BDMsuWuYVmb7-2F1Mu1QL1I-2FJ8-2BHR91nNNNGTTc38Ah0CWayiZL-2BkhdmA3sx0XGnG-2FN1jk6rVQRO9vN7U5rFC-2BcXi909IOPAdkr3SvXFdyn3Ag1h6-2F-2B6atf0vMUKxRgZ-2BTai2JW0-2BEfkelhn7KNzSe5g-2Fe6vVLNPiWqb5Pqkk-2BWlELOOJbE6ATwNZ7-2BOBAIA5tg7-2BBrNLmOy-2Fu5V6OqLSX55-2FMJKzRNyj-2FqyA9Yvi0qhe6ZdO8O3umMvYM7wICBceZfr-2F3QObqkh0bPrfThdpdg9mN7GIEpo-2FvcAKpIBhG-2FmOCXpxcp04jiVINuYg0l1b6IPcQ22ghyCl8E3vGmIUXT3b3J3EaQMeb4xK68kRUGeOszKOpdTMyPtCTrsU2uL2" target="_blank">www.wetlandscenter.fhsu.edu</a>&nbsp;or by calling 1-877-243-9268.

Wetlands Education Center schedules meteor shower watch party

A friend and I were at a restaurant earlier this week having an end-of-summer-vacation celebration, when my friend mentioned to the waitress that she teaches high school in Wichita. “How great,” said the waitress. “Thank you for being a teacher.” 

This small appreciation meant a lot to my friend who’s facing another hard school year, partly because this fall teachers and substitute teachers will be in short supply.

In July, the Kansas State Department of Education reported around 4 percent or about 1,400 teaching positions were unfilled, and the vacancies are expected to grow as fall start dates come closer. 

Teacher and staff shortages are a long-building, national problem. In a July study, EdWeek Research Center found almost 75 percent of the 535 principals and district leaders surveyed said the number of applicants this year for teacher, para-professional, bus driver, food service worker and custodian is not adequate. 

Teachers’ salaries have not kept pace with other careers that require university preparation. However, the current competitive job market offers teachers opportunities for better pay that helps them deal with record inflation and threats of recession. 

Educators say recent shortages are compounded by demands on personnel brought about by COVID induced school disruptions which also created student learning loss and problems with student social interactions.

In a July Kahn Academy national study nearly 70 percent of 639 teachers surveyed chose “student behavioral issues” as a barrier to addressing unfinished learning and 57 percent chose “student mental health.” 

Educator burn-out is aggravated by worries about school safety amid rising numbers of school shootings. There is also increased stress about what teachers feel important to teach and what they feel safe to teach amid increasing pressure from politicians and parents motivated by social media.

Despite shortages and reasons thereof, school will go on.

Short term vacancy solutions include pushing upper-grade classrooms to as many as 38 students in larger schools, dropping elective courses to ensure classes required for graduation, asking current employees to take on additional duties and hiring long-term substitute-teachers when they can be found. 

State Board of Education members have authorized retired teachers who previously had a Kansas teaching license that has been expired for six months to receive a license for the 2022-2023 school year. The board also relaxed requirements for substitutes.

KSDE will be holding discussions this fall to go beyond stop-gap measures and address the current education environment. 

The challenge will be to attract a diverse population of dedicated teachers without lowering the criteria for rigorous teacher preparation and licensure.  Ideas from my interviews include:   

	•	Tuition support for education majors who commit to five-year teaching contracts in Kansas public schools.

	•	Tuition support for teachers who are teaching outside their licensure area to become licensed in their current teaching area.

	•	Repurposing funds for unfilled para-professional positions to create paid internships for education majors in their final semester of student teaching. 

	•	Redirecting COVID relief funding and other federal and state resources to cover expanding teacher preparation costs.

	•	Reviewing current licensure requirements to eliminate waiting periods, fees and other non-skills or knowledge-based requirements.

KSDE will consider a range of options to build back the full complement of highly qualified Kansas teachers.

In the meantime, if you encounter a teacher who is returning to students this fall, just say thanks. 

Dr. Sharon Hartin Iorio is dean emerita Wichita State University College of Education.

A friend and I were at a restaurant earlier this week having an end-of-summer-vacation celebration, when my friend mentioned to the waitress that she teaches high school in Wichita. “How great,” said the waitress. “Thank you for being a teacher.” This small appreciation meant a lot to my friend who’s facing another hard school year, partly because this fall teachers and substitute teachers will be in short supply.In July, the Kansas State Department of Education reported around 4 percent or about 1,400 teaching positions were unfilled, and the vacancies are expected to grow as fall start dates come closer. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593719779701.jpeg" alt="Sharon Hartin Iorio is Dean Emerita Wichita State University College of Education." />
 <figcaption>Sharon Hartin Iorio is Dean Emerita Wichita State University College of Education.</figcaption>
 </figure>Teacher and staff shortages are a long-building, national problem. In a July study, EdWeek Research Center found almost 75 percent of the 535 principals and district leaders surveyed said the number of applicants this year for teacher, para-professional, bus driver, food service worker and custodian is not adequate. Such shortages should not be surprising.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Teachers’ salaries have not kept pace with other careers that require university preparation. However, the current competitive job market offers teachers opportunities for better pay that helps them deal with record inflation and threats of recession. Educators say recent shortages are compounded by demands on personnel brought about by COVID induced school disruptions which also created student learning loss and problems with student social interactions.In a July Kahn Academy national study nearly 70 percent of 639 teachers surveyed chose “student behavioral issues” as a barrier to addressing unfinished learning and 57 percent chose “student mental health.” Educator burn-out is aggravated by worries about school safety amid rising numbers of school shootings. There is also increased stress about what teachers feel important to teach and what they feel safe to teach amid increasing pressure from politicians and parents motivated by social media.Despite shortages and reasons thereof, school will go on.Short term vacancy solutions include pushing upper-grade classrooms to as many as 38 students in larger schools, dropping elective courses to ensure classes required for graduation, asking current employees to take on additional duties and hiring long-term substitute-teachers when they can be found. State Board of Education members have authorized retired teachers who previously had a Kansas teaching license that has been expired for six months to receive a license for the 2022-2023 school year. The board also relaxed requirements for substitutes.KSDE will be holding discussions this fall to go beyond stop-gap measures and address the current education environment. The challenge will be to attract a diverse population of dedicated teachers without lowering the criteria for rigorous teacher preparation and licensure. Ideas from my interviews include: 	•	Tuition support for education majors who commit to five-year teaching contracts in Kansas public schools.	•	Tuition support for teachers who are teaching outside their licensure area to become licensed in their current teaching area.	•	Repurposing funds for unfilled para-professional positions to create paid internships for education majors in their final semester of student teaching. 	•	Redirecting COVID relief funding and other federal and state resources to cover expanding teacher preparation costs.	•	Reviewing current licensure requirements to eliminate waiting periods, fees and other non-skills or knowledge-based requirements.KSDE will consider a range of options to build back the full complement of highly qualified Kansas teachers.In the meantime, if you encounter a teacher who is returning to students this fall, just say thanks. Dr. Sharon Hartin Iorio is dean emerita Wichita State University College of Education.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Kansas school districts feel staffing crisis

🎥 Green & Growing: Sexing plants

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659765414720.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast click here.</a>

I’ve mentioned we encourage birds to share our yard. Several American Robin pairs have accepted our invitation and raised multiple broods this summer. I met&nbsp;Grumpy Pot,&nbsp;one of the newest fledglings,&nbsp;the other morning between a pumpkin and tomato vine. While the disoriented little guy pretended to be invisible, I raced&nbsp;to&nbsp;the house for my camera.&nbsp;

Once outside, I&nbsp;knelt to his level and zeroed in for a picture.&nbsp;It&nbsp;clearly was not happy to get launched from&nbsp;a&nbsp;nest where parents delivered regular hot meals and then have some lady, even if she planted the garden&nbsp;that sort of hid&nbsp;it, point a lens in his face and say, “Smile!” In fact, if I had to compare his demeanor to someone most of us have heard of, I’d say he looked a lot like a stern Winston Churchill telling the free world,&nbsp;“Never, Never, Give Up!”

Once we’d met, I needed to&nbsp;learn&nbsp;more about this&nbsp;new&nbsp;neighbor. I abandoned&nbsp;The Attitude&nbsp;to hunt bugs in my garden as its parents flitted from clothesline to tree branch, singing encouragement. I headed&nbsp;inside&nbsp;to google&nbsp;robins. At the click of a button, I promptly discovered I could&nbsp;appropriately&nbsp;call the little&nbsp;saucy&nbsp;one a turd as&nbsp;its&nbsp;bird family is Turdidae and its genus is Turdus.&nbsp;

This little&nbsp;song bird&nbsp;is one of — if not — the most common birds in North America. According to Partners in Flight Database, 370,000,000 robins call this continent home. More robins claim&nbsp;its&nbsp;real estate and air space than do&nbsp;huge numbers of&nbsp;redwing blackbirds, finches, or mourning doves. Proportionally, our backyard census confirms these statistics.&nbsp;Robins&nbsp;may be common, butthey&nbsp;are engaging&nbsp;as all get out&nbsp;to watch as they build nests, search for food, and come to water for drinks and&nbsp;splashathons.

Watching robins construct nests exhausts me even though they do the work! They&nbsp;busily&nbsp;gather twigs, coarse grasses, feathers, and bits of paper&nbsp;for&nbsp;their nurseries. We&nbsp;devoted a morning to watching&nbsp;a pair&nbsp;assemble&nbsp;a nest in&nbsp;less than&nbsp;half a day in&nbsp;the&nbsp;branches&nbsp;hanging&nbsp;over our patio,&nbsp;only&nbsp;feet above our heads. Obviously,&nbsp;this species&nbsp;doesn’t mind living close to humans. &nbsp;We’ve watched&nbsp;robins, upon completing nests,&nbsp;visit&nbsp;our&nbsp;just-watered garden to&nbsp;gather&nbsp;mud to daub into the nest bowls. In short time, mom lays 3 to 5 blue eggs&nbsp;and so begins the next generation. &nbsp;

She incubates&nbsp;the eggs&nbsp;for two weeks&nbsp;and then nurtures her hatchlings with&nbsp;masticated&nbsp;worms, insects, and berries she and her mate forage&nbsp;til offspring fledge&nbsp;after&nbsp;another two weeks.&nbsp;Upon&nbsp;leaving&nbsp;their nest, it takes&nbsp;additional&nbsp;two weeks before youngsters fly&nbsp;reliably. That’s where the&nbsp;Grumpy&nbsp;Pot in my garden comes in.&nbsp;That little one is&nbsp;strengthening its wings and learning to find its own food.

This particular&nbsp;fledgling&nbsp;is lucky. We’ve watched its parents&nbsp;hunt food&nbsp;like pros all summer. They wander the yard and garden, cocking heads to listen for insects and worms&nbsp;or perhaps&nbsp;they feel vibrations. Anyway, in no time, that beak stabs&nbsp;repeatedly at&nbsp;the ground&nbsp;until,&nbsp;Eureka, up comes fresh meat. We make finding water easy with our&nbsp;always full&nbsp;bird baths. I’m sure mom and dad will provide bathing instructions that&nbsp;detail&nbsp;how to splash&nbsp;enough to make humans laugh.

Based on my observations, raising babies is&nbsp;endless&nbsp;labor for adult robins. The bad news is that some statistics say only a quarter of&nbsp;these offspring&nbsp;hatched live to maturity. That explains&nbsp;naked bird bodies I find&nbsp;littering the yard. For those that reach adulthood, most live an average of two years. &nbsp;I hope Grumpy Pot beats these&nbsp;statistics and returns to raise its own young next summer.&nbsp;I know we’ll&nbsp;enjoy&nbsp;seeing it&nbsp;and hearing&nbsp;its song as it raises its own young.

Karen is a retired teacher, writer, photographer, outdoors lover, and sixth-generation Kansan. After a time away, she’s glad to be home.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659711777234.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By KAREN MADORINI’ve mentioned we encourage birds to share our yard. Several American Robin pairs have accepted our invitation and raised multiple broods this summer. I met&nbsp;Grumpy Pot,&nbsp;one of the newest fledglings,&nbsp;the other morning between a pumpkin and tomato vine. While the disoriented little guy pretended to be invisible, I raced&nbsp;to&nbsp;the house for my camera.&nbsp;Once outside, I&nbsp;knelt to his level and zeroed in for a picture.&nbsp;It&nbsp;clearly was not happy to get launched from&nbsp;a&nbsp;nest where parents delivered regular hot meals and then have some lady, even if she planted the garden&nbsp;that sort of hid&nbsp;it, point a lens in his face and say, “Smile!” In fact, if I had to compare his demeanor to someone most of us have heard of, I’d say he looked a lot like a stern Winston Churchill telling the free world,&nbsp;“Never, Never, Give Up!”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658158605319.jpeg" alt="Karen Madorin" />
 <figcaption>Karen Madorin</figcaption>
 </figure>Once we’d met, I needed to&nbsp;learn&nbsp;more about this&nbsp;new&nbsp;neighbor. I abandoned&nbsp;The Attitude&nbsp;to hunt bugs in my garden as its parents flitted from clothesline to tree branch, singing encouragement. I headed&nbsp;inside&nbsp;to google&nbsp;robins. At the click of a button, I promptly discovered I could&nbsp;appropriately&nbsp;call the little&nbsp;saucy&nbsp;one a turd as&nbsp;its&nbsp;bird family is Turdidae and its genus is Turdus.&nbsp;This little&nbsp;song bird&nbsp;is one of — if not — the most common birds in North America. According to Partners in Flight Database, 370,000,000 robins call this continent home. More robins claim&nbsp;its&nbsp;real estate and air space than do&nbsp;huge numbers of&nbsp;redwing blackbirds, finches, or mourning doves. Proportionally, our backyard census confirms these statistics.&nbsp;Robins&nbsp;may be common, butthey&nbsp;are engaging&nbsp;as all get out&nbsp;to watch as they build nests, search for food, and come to water for drinks and&nbsp;splashathons.Watching robins construct nests exhausts me even though they do the work! They&nbsp;busily&nbsp;gather twigs, coarse grasses, feathers, and bits of paper&nbsp;for&nbsp;their nurseries. We&nbsp;devoted a morning to watching&nbsp;a pair&nbsp;assemble&nbsp;a nest in&nbsp;less than&nbsp;half a day in&nbsp;the&nbsp;branches&nbsp;hanging&nbsp;over our patio,&nbsp;only&nbsp;feet above our heads. Obviously,&nbsp;this species&nbsp;doesn’t mind living close to humans. &nbsp;We’ve watched&nbsp;robins, upon completing nests,&nbsp;visit&nbsp;our&nbsp;just-watered garden to&nbsp;gather&nbsp;mud to daub into the nest bowls. In short time, mom lays 3 to 5 blue eggs&nbsp;and so begins the next generation. &nbsp;She incubates&nbsp;the eggs&nbsp;for two weeks&nbsp;and then nurtures her hatchlings with&nbsp;masticated&nbsp;worms, insects, and berries she and her mate forage&nbsp;til offspring fledge&nbsp;after&nbsp;another two weeks.&nbsp;Upon&nbsp;leaving&nbsp;their nest, it takes&nbsp;additional&nbsp;two weeks before youngsters fly&nbsp;reliably. That’s where the&nbsp;Grumpy&nbsp;Pot in my garden comes in.&nbsp;That little one is&nbsp;strengthening its wings and learning to find its own food.This particular&nbsp;fledgling&nbsp;is lucky. We’ve watched its parents&nbsp;hunt food&nbsp;like pros all summer. They wander the yard and garden, cocking heads to listen for insects and worms&nbsp;or perhaps&nbsp;they feel vibrations. Anyway, in no time, that beak stabs&nbsp;repeatedly at&nbsp;the ground&nbsp;until,&nbsp;Eureka, up comes fresh meat. We make finding water easy with our&nbsp;always full&nbsp;bird baths. I’m sure mom and dad will provide bathing instructions that&nbsp;detail&nbsp;how to splash&nbsp;enough to make humans laugh.Based on my observations, raising babies is&nbsp;endless&nbsp;labor for adult robins. The bad news is that some statistics say only a quarter of&nbsp;these offspring&nbsp;hatched live to maturity. That explains&nbsp;naked bird bodies I find&nbsp;littering the yard. For those that reach adulthood, most live an average of two years. &nbsp;I hope Grumpy Pot beats these&nbsp;statistics and returns to raise its own young next summer.&nbsp;I know we’ll&nbsp;enjoy&nbsp;seeing it&nbsp;and hearing&nbsp;its song as it raises its own young.Karen is a retired teacher, writer, photographer, outdoors lover, and sixth-generation Kansan. After a time away, she’s glad to be home.

MADORIN: A little guy with a big attitude

By GERARD WELLBROCK Hays Post

WICHITA – Traditionally there are fireworks at the end of
the NBC World Series championship game. Saturday night Santa Barbara started the
show early scoring six runs in the first two innings and cruised to a 12-1 win
over the Hays Larks to win their 10th title and denying the Larks their first
crown in six trips to the title game.

The Foresters (31-12) used two singles and took advantage of a couple of Larks errors to score two runs in the bottom of the first inning. They added four more runs in the
second after back-to-back walks to open the frame and were on their way to a third-straight NBC title.

The Larks would get their only run in the fifth on a Hunter Rosson who finished with two hits giving him a team-high
12 in the tournament.

Santa Barbara starting pitcher Parker Smith (7-0) pitched seven innings and picked up the
win. The Rice sophomore struck out five and walked one and
allowed the one run on four hits.

Larks starter Hunter Marshall (4-1) suffered the loss going
one inning and allowing six runs on five hits with three walks and one
strikeout.

Santa Barbara has now won 10-straight NBC World Series title
games and this is their 10th NBC World Series championship. They became the
third team in NBC World Series history to win three straight joining Fort Wayne
(IN) in 1947-50 and Fairbanks (AK) in 1972-74. 

The Foresters have won 15-straight games overall at the NBC
World Series which ties the record set by the Boulder Collegians for the most
consecutive wins.

The Larks are now 0-6 in NBC World Series championship
games. They are tied with Fairbanks (AK) and Anchorage (AK) for the second most
runner-up finishes, one behind Liberal who has seven.

This was the 40th appearance by a Kansas team in the championship
game. Kansas team are now 19-21 in the NBC World Series finals.

By GERARD WELLBROCK Hays PostWICHITA – Traditionally there are fireworks at the end of
the NBC World Series championship game. Saturday night Santa Barbara started the
show early scoring six runs in the first two innings and cruised to a 12-1 win
over the Hays Larks to win their 10th title and denying the Larks their first
crown in six trips to the title game.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1319367823&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/hays-larks-coach-interview-08-06-22" title="Frank Leo Postgame vs. Santa Barbara (Aug 6, 2022)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Frank Leo Postgame vs. Santa Barbara (Aug 6, 2022)</a></div></div>The Foresters (31-12) used two singles and took advantage of a couple of Larks errors to score two runs in the bottom of the first inning. They added four more runs in the
second after back-to-back walks to open the frame and were on their way to a third-straight NBC title.The Larks would get their only run in the fifth on a Hunter Rosson who finished with two hits giving him a team-high
12 in the tournament.Santa Barbara starting pitcher Parker Smith (7-0) pitched seven innings and picked up the
win. The Rice sophomore struck out five and walked one and
allowed the one run on four hits.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1319367823&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/hays-larks-coach-interview-08-06-22" title="Frank Leo Postgame vs. Santa Barbara (Aug 6, 2022)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Frank Leo Postgame vs. Santa Barbara (Aug 6, 2022)</a></div></div>Larks starter Hunter Marshall (4-1) suffered the loss going
one inning and allowing six runs on five hits with three walks and one
strikeout.DOMINANTSanta Barbara has now won 10-straight NBC World Series title
games and this is their 10th NBC World Series championship. They became the
third team in NBC World Series history to win three straight joining Fort Wayne
(IN) in 1947-50 and Fairbanks (AK) in 1972-74. The Foresters have won 15-straight games overall at the NBC
World Series which ties the record set by the Boulder Collegians for the most
consecutive wins.SHORT AGAINThe Larks are now 0-6 in NBC World Series championship
games. They are tied with Fairbanks (AK) and Anchorage (AK) for the second most
runner-up finishes, one behind Liberal who has seven.KANSAS STRONGThis was the 40th appearance by a Kansas team in the championship
game. Kansas team are now 19-21 in the NBC World Series finals.

⚾ Larks come up short in NBC title game

WICHITA - The Hays Larks used another strong pitching performance and a couple of late home runs to push past the Liberal Bee Jays 6-2 in the semifinals of the 88th National Baseball Congress World Series Friday night at Eck Stadium.

Garrett Gruell hit a two-run homer off the light pole in left field to break a 2-2 tie in the top of the eighth inning. Palmer Hutchison hit his second homer of the tournament, also a two-run shot to left in the ninth, to give the Larks some insurance.

The Larks (38-9), who entered the game with the lowest ERA in this year's tournament, got another great start this time from Ben Baker-Livingston. The New Mexico freshman allowed the two runs on two hits with three strikeouts and two walks over 5 2/3 innings. Sam Hendon (4-1) followed with a scoreless 1 1/3 innings and picked up the win. Ben McLaughlin, who missed Thursday's quarterfinal round game due to food poisoning, recorded the final six outs for his first save. McLaughlin struck out three of the final four Liberal to send the Larks to Saturday night's title game.

Liberal grabbed the lead in the second on a home run from Tyse Armstrong.

The Larks scored two in the fourth to take the lead.&nbsp; Dylan Dreiling was hit by pitch with one out then scored on a Garrett Gruell double. Leo Jiminian drove in Gruell with a two-out liner to center field.

The Bee Jays (34-6) answered with a run in the bottom of the inning on a groundout following a leadoff single and wild pitch to tie the game 2-2. They would only get two runners in scoring position the rest of the way.

Ben McLaughlin opened the decisive eighth inning with a walk but was forced out at second on a ground ball to second by Dreiling. Gruell followed with his third home run of the season to give Hays the lead for good.

Jack Torosian doubled with two outs in the top of the ninth then scored on Hutchison's team-leading 11th blast.

RUBBER GAME The Larks win the season series with Liberal 3-2. Each went 1-1 on their home field during the regular season with the Bee Jays clinching the Rocky Mountain Baseball League title in the final meeting at Larks Park July 22nd.

The Larks and Bee Jays are now 2-2 in games played at the NBC World Series. The Larks won in 1996 but lost in the 2000 title game and in 2008.

SIXTH TIME IS A CHARM The Larks will face the Santa Barbara Forester's in Saturday's title game at 7:00 p.m. Santa Barbara, who has won the last two titles, beat the Seattle Studs 9-2 in Friday's second semifinal.

This is the Larks sixth trip to the NBC World Series title game, losing in 2016, 2007, 2001, 2000 and 1995.

By GERARD WELLBROCK Hays PostWICHITA - The Hays Larks used another strong pitching performance and a couple of late home runs to push past the Liberal Bee Jays 6-2 in the semifinals of the 88th National Baseball Congress World Series Friday night at Eck Stadium.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1318840744&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/larks-coach-interview-08-05-22" title="Frank Leo Postgame vs. Liberal (Aug 5, 2022)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Frank Leo Postgame vs. Liberal (Aug 5, 2022)</a></div></div>Garrett Gruell hit a two-run homer off the light pole in left field to break a 2-2 tie in the top of the eighth inning. Palmer Hutchison hit his second homer of the tournament, also a two-run shot to left in the ninth, to give the Larks some insurance.The Larks (38-9), who entered the game with the lowest ERA in this year's tournament, got another great start this time from Ben Baker-Livingston. The New Mexico freshman allowed the two runs on two hits with three strikeouts and two walks over 5 2/3 innings. Sam Hendon (4-1) followed with a scoreless 1 1/3 innings and picked up the win. Ben McLaughlin, who missed Thursday's quarterfinal round game due to food poisoning, recorded the final six outs for his first save. McLaughlin struck out three of the final four Liberal to send the Larks to Saturday night's title game.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1318840729&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/08-05-22-hays-larks-vs-liberal-highlights" title="Hays Larks vs. Liberal Bee Jays Highlights (Aug 5, 2022)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Hays Larks vs. Liberal Bee Jays Highlights (Aug 5, 2022)</a></div></div>Liberal grabbed the lead in the second on a home run from Tyse Armstrong.The Larks scored two in the fourth to take the lead.&nbsp; Dylan Dreiling was hit by pitch with one out then scored on a Garrett Gruell double. Leo Jiminian drove in Gruell with a two-out liner to center field.The Bee Jays (34-6) answered with a run in the bottom of the inning on a groundout following a leadoff single and wild pitch to tie the game 2-2. They would only get two runners in scoring position the rest of the way.Ben McLaughlin opened the decisive eighth inning with a walk but was forced out at second on a ground ball to second by Dreiling. Gruell followed with his third home run of the season to give Hays the lead for good.Jack Torosian doubled with two outs in the top of the ninth then scored on Hutchison's team-leading 11th blast.RUBBER GAME The Larks win the season series with Liberal 3-2. Each went 1-1 on their home field during the regular season with the Bee Jays clinching the Rocky Mountain Baseball League title in the final meeting at Larks Park July 22nd.The Larks and Bee Jays are now 2-2 in games played at the NBC World Series. The Larks won in 1996 but lost in the 2000 title game and in 2008.SIXTH TIME IS A CHARM The Larks will face the Santa Barbara Forester's in Saturday's title game at 7:00 p.m. Santa Barbara, who has won the last two titles, beat the Seattle Studs 9-2 in Friday's second semifinal.This is the Larks sixth trip to the NBC World Series title game, losing in 2016, 2007, 2001, 2000 and 1995.

⚾ Larks use longball to advance to NBC World Series title game

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The Hays school board voted Friday to let bonds for its <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/129101d8-dc2b-43bf-a698-58ccdabed924">$143.5 million building project approved by voters in May</a>.

Dustin Avey, managing director of Piper Sandler, the district's bond counsel, told the board Friday the school board had secured a 4.12 percent interest rate for the full term of the 30-year bonds.

This saved the district about $6 million from the height of the bond market a few months ago and will mean the district will be able to keep the mill levy at what it estimated during the bond election.

"It think it starts the project out on the right foot relating to meeting the commitments that we communicated to voters during the project," Avey said.

The main project under the bond will be the construction of a new high 
school, which will include an auditorium. The bond will also <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/2a94d25d-ba77-49d6-9665-2651a7667965">renovate
 the current high school into a middle school and renovate the current 
middle school into an elementary school. Roosevelt and O'Loughlin 
elementary schools also will be renovated.</a>

Lincoln Elementary School and Rockwell Administration Center will be closed. The Westside school program will be relocated.

The district received an A+ bond rating, which Avey said was very good considering the district had not issued any bonds in 30 years.

In addition, Avey said the school board should be able to invest part of the bond money during the term of construction, which could net $5 million.

The bond projects are not anticipated to be complete until 2025.

The district will also be paying off the bonds with a half-cent city sales tax. Piper Sandler figured no growth in sales tax revenue when developing the bond issue. 

Avey said this means that a growth in sales tax revenue, which is likely, would allow the district to pay off the bonds early.

The sales tax will go into affect as of Oct. 1. The property tax increase will be included on property tax statements received by patrons in November 2022. 

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe Hays school board voted Friday to let bonds for its <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/129101d8-dc2b-43bf-a698-58ccdabed924">$143.5 million building project approved by voters in May</a>.Dustin Avey, managing director of Piper Sandler, the district's bond counsel, told the board Friday the school board had secured a 4.12 percent interest rate for the full term of the 30-year bonds.This saved the district about $6 million from the height of the bond market a few months ago and will mean the district will be able to keep the mill levy at what it estimated during the bond election. "It think it starts the project out on the right foot relating to meeting the commitments that we communicated to voters during the project," Avey said.The main project under the bond will be the construction of a new high 
school, which will include an auditorium. The bond will also <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/2a94d25d-ba77-49d6-9665-2651a7667965">renovate
 the current high school into a middle school and renovate the current 
middle school into an elementary school. Roosevelt and O'Loughlin 
elementary schools also will be renovated.</a>Lincoln Elementary School and Rockwell Administration Center will be closed. The Westside school program will be relocated.The district received an A+ bond rating, which Avey said was very good considering the district had not issued any bonds in 30 years.In addition, Avey said the school board should be able to invest part of the bond money during the term of construction, which could net $5 million.The bond projects are not anticipated to be complete until 2025. The district will also be paying off the bonds with a half-cent city sales tax. Piper Sandler figured no growth in sales tax revenue when developing the bond issue. Avey said this means that a growth in sales tax revenue, which is likely, would allow the district to pay off the bonds early. The sales tax will go into affect as of Oct. 1. The property tax increase will be included on property tax statements received by patrons in November 2022.

Hays USD 489 lets bonds; low interest rate to save district $6M

A&nbsp;highlight&nbsp;of&nbsp;every&nbsp;summer at Fort Hays State University is&nbsp;the&nbsp;wide range of exciting experiential learning programs we offer elementary, middle,&nbsp;and high school students.&nbsp;Our team does an amazing job bringing young folks to campus for a myriad of fun, friendship, and growth. Here are just a couple of recaps of a very full summer schedule.

<a></a>I absolutely love the variety and uniqueness of our Sternberg Science Camps! We offer elementary school camps (6-10 years old)&nbsp;with a focus on our&nbsp;museum and&nbsp;another specifically on&nbsp;dinosaurs,&nbsp;middle school camps (11-13 years old) including camping trips,&nbsp;and high school trips (ages 14-18).

<a></a>This year we offered three thirteen-day high school field&nbsp;programs,&nbsp;including field paleontology,&nbsp;field herpetology, the volcanic history of Oregon, vertebrate anatomy, fossil preparation, and a California&nbsp;zooquarium&nbsp;adventure.

<a></a>The staff at the Sternberg Museum know that people of all ages love the freedom of the great outdoors, so they successfully ran two parallel field paleontology high school camps. The programs drew 17 students, and with six camp staffers, these became our largest in-person camp operations since before COVID.&nbsp;

Student campers came from 12 states, led by New York with three. Students were delighted with the rich geologic landscape, an abundance of fossil shark teeth, fossil fish bones, and the ubiquitous giant clams that once covered the bottom of the Cretaceous Western Interior Seaway.&nbsp;

<a></a>Staff this year includes Teaching Assistant Kathryn Gatlin, who began with us as a camper in 2015.&nbsp;According to Sternberg’s outstanding camps director, David Levering,&nbsp;Kathryn has been crucial in our pre-camp prep and in-the-field execution of programs this year.&nbsp;

Prior to camp, she was one of two staff who volunteered to participate in an intensive 80-hour Wilderness First Responder&nbsp;(WFR)&nbsp;certification course through the National Outdoor Leadership School, giving her a certification one rank below a Wilderness EMT. Kathryn is a true powerhouse of a young scholar and will be starting her undergraduate at FHSU this fall as a freshman double majoring in Geology and Biology.&nbsp;

<a></a>Thanks to the intrepid Dr. Laura Wilson, multiple fossil sites were visited or revisited this summer. Much to our camper's delight, Dr. Wilson was also able to join our high school field paleontology campers for a day of fossil hunting on private land not normally accessible to fossil hunters.&nbsp;

<a></a>There is so much more to share about Sternberg camps (lots of great information on our website),&nbsp;but I also want to mention the 75thanniversary of&nbsp;the&nbsp;High Plains Music camp and&nbsp;one of&nbsp;many&nbsp;very successful&nbsp;athletic camps.

<a></a>The first High Plains Music Camp was organized by FHSU Professor Hal Palmer 75 years ago and has been held every summer since. It continues to be one of the most comprehensive summer camps in the state and has garnered a reputation as one of the top summer camps in our region.&nbsp;

This year’s High Plains Music Camp was held July 10-16, 2022. More than 200 middle and high school-aged singers, actors,&nbsp;and instrumentalists spent the week in rehearsals led by FHSU Music and Theater faculty, alumni, and invited guest teachers from around the state.&nbsp;

<a></a>Daily evening concerts included the Faculty Recital, High School Honors Recital, Faculty Band, Jazz Ensembles, Alternative Strings, and Theater Scenes from Annie Get Your Gun. The featured soloist with both the Faculty Band and Jazz Ensemble was the world-renowned trumpet soloist Allen Vizzutti.&nbsp;

<a></a>Our Tiger Volleyball Camps&nbsp;were also very popular&nbsp;this year.&nbsp;The youth volleyball camp in June&nbsp;attracted&nbsp;60 campers. This camp ended up being so popular&nbsp;Tiger Volleyball Coach&nbsp;Jessica&nbsp;Wood-Atkins&nbsp;added&nbsp;a second session at the end of July.&nbsp;

Along with learning the basics of volleyball, campers also enjoyed games, a pool party, and pictures with our inflatable Tiger Head. All Skills I Camp had 70 high school and middle school athletes from Kansas, Colorado, and Nebraska.&nbsp;

Campers enjoyed sharpening their volleyball skills while getting feedback from our current athletes. They also got to experience what it is like to live in the residence halls for a night of games,&nbsp;snacks,&nbsp;and stories. Camps continued throughout the summer. At the end of July,&nbsp;our outstanding staff worked with our incoming freshman class as well as some great recruits from the 2023 and 2024 classes.

<a></a>The FHSU Volleyball coaching staff was also busy with camps off campus as well. We ran four local Tiger satellite volleyball camps at Quinter, Hoisington, Ulysses, and Decatur High Schools. Our staff also traveled to two camps in Colorado at Byers High School and Limon High school. All these camps hosted both high school and middle school campers.

<a></a>Next up, the Tiger Volleyball team will kick off the 2022 season at the Oklahoma City Tournament on August 26. Don’t miss the 2022 home opener on Friday, September 16, at 6 p.m. in Gross Memorial Coliseum.

<a></a>It’s been a blistering hot summer, but the heat is not the only memory those who chose to spend part of their summer at FHSU will take home. Hundreds&nbsp;of&nbsp;student&nbsp;camperstook advantage of&nbsp;unique&nbsp;opportunities to pursue their intellectual, creative,&nbsp;or athletic passion, meet&nbsp;new friends, and begin or renew relationships with the caring and compassionate people who make FHSU special.&nbsp;

<a></a>It’s almost August, and in less than 30 days, the new academic year will begin at FHSU.&nbsp;Many of the new students we will welcome this fall will already know&nbsp;us pretty well from their time as summer campers.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575302014229.png" alt="Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU president" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU president</figcaption>
 </figure>A&nbsp;highlight&nbsp;of&nbsp;every&nbsp;summer at Fort Hays State University is&nbsp;the&nbsp;wide range of exciting experiential learning programs we offer elementary, middle,&nbsp;and high school students.&nbsp;Our team does an amazing job bringing young folks to campus for a myriad of fun, friendship, and growth. Here are just a couple of recaps of a very full summer schedule.<a></a>I absolutely love the variety and uniqueness of our Sternberg Science Camps! We offer elementary school camps (6-10 years old)&nbsp;with a focus on our&nbsp;museum and&nbsp;another specifically on&nbsp;dinosaurs,&nbsp;middle school camps (11-13 years old) including camping trips,&nbsp;and high school trips (ages 14-18).<a></a>This year we offered three thirteen-day high school field&nbsp;programs,&nbsp;including field paleontology,&nbsp;field herpetology, the volcanic history of Oregon, vertebrate anatomy, fossil preparation, and a California&nbsp;zooquarium&nbsp;adventure.<a></a>The staff at the Sternberg Museum know that people of all ages love the freedom of the great outdoors, so they successfully ran two parallel field paleontology high school camps. The programs drew 17 students, and with six camp staffers, these became our largest in-person camp operations since before COVID.&nbsp;Student campers came from 12 states, led by New York with three. Students were delighted with the rich geologic landscape, an abundance of fossil shark teeth, fossil fish bones, and the ubiquitous giant clams that once covered the bottom of the Cretaceous Western Interior Seaway.&nbsp;<a></a>Staff this year includes Teaching Assistant Kathryn Gatlin, who began with us as a camper in 2015.&nbsp;According to Sternberg’s outstanding camps director, David Levering,&nbsp;Kathryn has been crucial in our pre-camp prep and in-the-field execution of programs this year.&nbsp;Prior to camp, she was one of two staff who volunteered to participate in an intensive 80-hour Wilderness First Responder&nbsp;(WFR)&nbsp;certification course through the National Outdoor Leadership School, giving her a certification one rank below a Wilderness EMT. Kathryn is a true powerhouse of a young scholar and will be starting her undergraduate at FHSU this fall as a freshman double majoring in Geology and Biology.&nbsp;<a></a>Thanks to the intrepid Dr. Laura Wilson, multiple fossil sites were visited or revisited this summer. Much to our camper's delight, Dr. Wilson was also able to join our high school field paleontology campers for a day of fossil hunting on private land not normally accessible to fossil hunters.&nbsp;<a></a>There is so much more to share about Sternberg camps (lots of great information on our website),&nbsp;but I also want to mention the 75thanniversary of&nbsp;the&nbsp;High Plains Music camp and&nbsp;one of&nbsp;many&nbsp;very successful&nbsp;athletic camps.<a></a>The first High Plains Music Camp was organized by FHSU Professor Hal Palmer 75 years ago and has been held every summer since. It continues to be one of the most comprehensive summer camps in the state and has garnered a reputation as one of the top summer camps in our region.&nbsp;This year’s High Plains Music Camp was held July 10-16, 2022. More than 200 middle and high school-aged singers, actors,&nbsp;and instrumentalists spent the week in rehearsals led by FHSU Music and Theater faculty, alumni, and invited guest teachers from around the state.&nbsp;<a></a>Daily evening concerts included the Faculty Recital, High School Honors Recital, Faculty Band, Jazz Ensembles, Alternative Strings, and Theater Scenes from Annie Get Your Gun. The featured soloist with both the Faculty Band and Jazz Ensemble was the world-renowned trumpet soloist Allen Vizzutti.&nbsp;<a></a>Our Tiger Volleyball Camps&nbsp;were also very popular&nbsp;this year.&nbsp;The youth volleyball camp in June&nbsp;attracted&nbsp;60 campers. This camp ended up being so popular&nbsp;Tiger Volleyball Coach&nbsp;Jessica&nbsp;Wood-Atkins&nbsp;added&nbsp;a second session at the end of July.&nbsp;Along with learning the basics of volleyball, campers also enjoyed games, a pool party, and pictures with our inflatable Tiger Head. All Skills I Camp had 70 high school and middle school athletes from Kansas, Colorado, and Nebraska.&nbsp;Campers enjoyed sharpening their volleyball skills while getting feedback from our current athletes. They also got to experience what it is like to live in the residence halls for a night of games,&nbsp;snacks,&nbsp;and stories. Camps continued throughout the summer. At the end of July,&nbsp;our outstanding staff worked with our incoming freshman class as well as some great recruits from the 2023 and 2024 classes.<a></a>The FHSU Volleyball coaching staff was also busy with camps off campus as well. We ran four local Tiger satellite volleyball camps at Quinter, Hoisington, Ulysses, and Decatur High Schools. Our staff also traveled to two camps in Colorado at Byers High School and Limon High school. All these camps hosted both high school and middle school campers.<a></a>Next up, the Tiger Volleyball team will kick off the 2022 season at the Oklahoma City Tournament on August 26. Don’t miss the 2022 home opener on Friday, September 16, at 6 p.m. in Gross Memorial Coliseum.<a></a>It’s been a blistering hot summer, but the heat is not the only memory those who chose to spend part of their summer at FHSU will take home. Hundreds&nbsp;of&nbsp;student&nbsp;camperstook advantage of&nbsp;unique&nbsp;opportunities to pursue their intellectual, creative,&nbsp;or athletic passion, meet&nbsp;new friends, and begin or renew relationships with the caring and compassionate people who make FHSU special.&nbsp;<a></a>It’s almost August, and in less than 30 days, the new academic year will begin at FHSU.&nbsp;Many of the new students we will welcome this fall will already know&nbsp;us pretty well from their time as summer campers.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Heart of a Tiger: Hot fun in the summertime

LAWRENCE — The names of more than 6,600 graduates at the University 
of Kansas for summer and fall 2021 and spring 2022 have been announced 
by the University Registrar. Many graduates and candidates for degree 
celebrated by participating in KU Commencement, which took place May 15.

Click <a href="https://news.ku.edu/summer-fall-2021-spring-2022-ku-graduates-kansas">HERE</a> for a county-by-county listing of area graduates.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1606950387926.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KU News ServiceLAWRENCE — The names of more than 6,600 graduates at the University 
of Kansas for summer and fall 2021 and spring 2022 have been announced 
by the University Registrar. Many graduates and candidates for degree 
celebrated by participating in KU Commencement, which took place May 15.Click <a href="https://news.ku.edu/summer-fall-2021-spring-2022-ku-graduates-kansas">HERE</a> for a county-by-county listing of area graduates.

KU announces summer-fall 2021, spring 2022 graduates

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659543127980.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast click here.</a>

When the calendar turns to August, I&nbsp;find myself saying the same four words, “Where did summer go?” Families with kids adapted to a summer schedule filled with&nbsp;ball games, camp, swimming lessons, and&nbsp;4-H activities and now the schedule is about to change again! With the start of school just a few short weeks away it is the perfect time to call a family meeting and get everyone on board with the new routine.

​Research shows that kids ages 3 to 6 need ten to twelve hours of sleep each day.&nbsp;As youngsters begin pre-school or the early grades it is important to have a set bedtime with a routine that encourages success. Perhaps you want to target 8 p.m. as bedtime. If so you will want to begin the wind down process around 7. Perhaps a warm bath and bed time story help your child to relax. Planning what will be worn the next day or eaten for breakfast also encourages a less hectic morning when the alarm goes off. Whatever you want to adopt as a routine, now is a good time to start working toward your final goal.&nbsp;If the summer schedule has been lax, start moving the bedtime up a few minutes each day until your target is reached. That should help make the first day of school a success.

​One of the most important messages I like to share at this time of year is to “Eat breakfast every day.” &nbsp;As kids start back to school they need to start each day with some nutritious food in their stomachs. &nbsp;It’s really brain food. &nbsp;Countless studies have shown that kids perform better in school, and are less irritable, when their day starts with breakfast.

​There is no doubt about it: our bodies need to refuel after not eating for 10-12 hours. &nbsp;So why is it that breakfast is the meal most often skipped? &nbsp;The most common answers I hear are that “there isn’t time” or “my kids aren’t hungry in the morning.”&nbsp;

As you plan to start each day with breakfast, keep in mind the following tips. &nbsp;Breakfast does not have to be a big meal. &nbsp;Try to include something from the grain group as well as a fruit. &nbsp;Breakfast does not have to be traditional. &nbsp;Be creative; nutritious foods are healthy any time of the day. Last night’s leftovers can be reheated in a hurry. &nbsp;Peanut butter can be spread on a piece of whole grain toast and served with a glass of 100% fruit juice. &nbsp;Equal amounts of juice, milk and yogurt can be combined for a smoothie like treat. Get your day off to a great start and be a breakfast eater!

​And finally, if you live close enough to school can your children safely walk or bike to school? Research shows that starting your day with some physical activity (i.e. walking to school) encourages better concentration and behavior in the classroom.&nbsp;If your schedule allows it, do a trial run with your child; either walking or biking on a safe route to the front door of the school.​

Here’s hoping your school year gets off to a great start!

Donna Krug is the&nbsp;District Director and&nbsp;Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent with K-State Research and Extension –&nbsp;Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: (620)793-1910 or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:dkrug@ksu.edu">dkrug@ksu.edu</a>&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573141404420.png" alt="Donna Krug is the District Director and Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. " />
 <figcaption>Donna Krug is the District Director and Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. </figcaption>
 </figure>When the calendar turns to August, I&nbsp;find myself saying the same four words, “Where did summer go?” Families with kids adapted to a summer schedule filled with&nbsp;ball games, camp, swimming lessons, and&nbsp;4-H activities and now the schedule is about to change again! With the start of school just a few short weeks away it is the perfect time to call a family meeting and get everyone on board with the new routine.​Research shows that kids ages 3 to 6 need ten to twelve hours of sleep each day.&nbsp;As youngsters begin pre-school or the early grades it is important to have a set bedtime with a routine that encourages success. Perhaps you want to target 8 p.m. as bedtime. If so you will want to begin the wind down process around 7. Perhaps a warm bath and bed time story help your child to relax. Planning what will be worn the next day or eaten for breakfast also encourages a less hectic morning when the alarm goes off. Whatever you want to adopt as a routine, now is a good time to start working toward your final goal.&nbsp;If the summer schedule has been lax, start moving the bedtime up a few minutes each day until your target is reached. That should help make the first day of school a success.​One of the most important messages I like to share at this time of year is to “Eat breakfast every day.” &nbsp;As kids start back to school they need to start each day with some nutritious food in their stomachs. &nbsp;It’s really brain food. &nbsp;Countless studies have shown that kids perform better in school, and are less irritable, when their day starts with breakfast.​There is no doubt about it: our bodies need to refuel after not eating for 10-12 hours. &nbsp;So why is it that breakfast is the meal most often skipped? &nbsp;The most common answers I hear are that “there isn’t time” or “my kids aren’t hungry in the morning.”&nbsp;As you plan to start each day with breakfast, keep in mind the following tips. &nbsp;Breakfast does not have to be a big meal. &nbsp;Try to include something from the grain group as well as a fruit. &nbsp;Breakfast does not have to be traditional. &nbsp;Be creative; nutritious foods are healthy any time of the day. Last night’s leftovers can be reheated in a hurry. &nbsp;Peanut butter can be spread on a piece of whole grain toast and served with a glass of 100% fruit juice. &nbsp;Equal amounts of juice, milk and yogurt can be combined for a smoothie like treat. Get your day off to a great start and be a breakfast eater!​And finally, if you live close enough to school can your children safely walk or bike to school? Research shows that starting your day with some physical activity (i.e. walking to school) encourages better concentration and behavior in the classroom.&nbsp;If your schedule allows it, do a trial run with your child; either walking or biking on a safe route to the front door of the school.​Here’s hoping your school year gets off to a great start!Donna Krug is the&nbsp;District Director and&nbsp;Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent with K-State Research and Extension –&nbsp;Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: (620)793-1910 or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:dkrug@ksu.edu">dkrug@ksu.edu</a>&nbsp;

KRUG: Back to school tips

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Wednesday reported 63 new COVID-19 cases had been identified in Ellis County from July&nbsp;23 to 29.

KDHE reports updated case numbers weekly on Wednesdays.

Nearly the entire state is now in the high-incidence classification (see map below). Cheyenne, Decatur, Gove&nbsp; and Wichita counties are in the moderate classification, while Wallace, Ness and Graham counties are in the substantial-incidence classification.

<a href="https://www.ellisco.net/97/Health">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;for information on how to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.

Since reporting began, there have been 7,503 cases of COVID-19 identified in Ellis County, including 79 coronavirus-related deaths as of April 1. KDHE has also discontinued county-by-county death totals.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659737419357.png" alt="Ellis County COVID-19 curve / KDHE" />
 <figcaption>Ellis County COVID-19 curve / KDHE</figcaption>
 </figure>The Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Wednesday reported 63 new COVID-19 cases had been identified in Ellis County from July&nbsp;23 to 29.KDHE reports updated case numbers weekly on Wednesdays.Nearly the entire state is now in the high-incidence classification (see map below). Cheyenne, Decatur, Gove&nbsp; and Wichita counties are in the moderate classification, while Wallace, Ness and Graham counties are in the substantial-incidence classification.<a href="https://www.ellisco.net/97/Health">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;for information on how to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.Since reporting began, there have been 7,503 cases of COVID-19 identified in Ellis County, including 79 coronavirus-related deaths as of April 1. KDHE has also discontinued county-by-county death totals.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659737597100.png" alt="KDHE" />
 <figcaption>KDHE</figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: 63 new COVID cases in Ellis Co. this reporting period

PHILLIPS COUNTY—Two people were injured in an accident just after 9:30a.m. Friday in Phillips County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2020 Kenworth trash truck driven by Dennis W. Brown, 64, Phillipsburg, was westbound on Mohawk Road just west of 100 Road.

The truck veered into the north ditch, overturned and came to rest on the passenger side.

EMS transported Brown and a passenger Douglas E. Koester, 64, Phillipsburg, to the Phillips County Hospital. They were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

PHILLIPS COUNTY—Two people were injured in an accident just after 9:30a.m. Friday in Phillips County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2020 Kenworth trash truck driven by Dennis W. Brown, 64, Phillipsburg, was westbound on Mohawk Road just west of 100 Road.The truck veered into the north ditch, overturned and came to rest on the passenger side.EMS transported Brown and a passenger Douglas E. Koester, 64, Phillipsburg, to the Phillips County Hospital. They were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

2 hospitalized after NW Kansas trash truck crash

A minor earthquake was reported earlier this week in Rooks County.

The 2.0-magnitude temblor was reported at 4:09 p.m Monday. The epicenter was just east of Plainville in southern Rooks County.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659731848291.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>A minor earthquake was reported earlier this week in Rooks County.The 2.0-magnitude temblor was reported at 4:09 p.m Monday. The epicenter was just east of Plainville in southern Rooks County.

Minor earthquake reported this week in Rooks Co.

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays Post

Ellis County will have two new commissioners in January, but who those two individuals will be is still to be determined following Tuesday’s
Republican primary.

The race for District 1 Ellis County commissioner between Michael
Berges and Jim Pfeifer was separated by just nine votes (838-829) following Tuesday’s
election.

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays PostEllis County will have two new commissioners in January, but who those two individuals will be is still to be determined following Tuesday’s
Republican primary.The race for District 1 Ellis County commissioner between Michael
Berges and Jim Pfeifer was separated by just nine votes (838-829) following Tuesday’s
election.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649176038808.jpeg" alt="Michael Berges" />
 <figcaption>Michael Berges</figcaption>
 </figure>In the race for District 3, Nathan Leiker leads Chris McGowne
by 126 votes (758 to 632).Ellis County Election Officer and Clerk Bobbi
Dreiling said there were 136 provisional ballots that must be verified by staff
before they can be accepted at the Aug. 15 election canvass.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659638403574.jpeg" alt="Jim Pfeifer" />
 <figcaption>Jim Pfeifer</figcaption>
 </figure>Dreiling’s office has also received a handful of mail-in
ballots that will be added to the totals.With those ballots still yet to be counted, both races are extremely
close with the race between Berges and Pfeifer still to close to call.Berges said this week he really has not put a whole lot of
thought into the final outcome with the canvass still days away.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649709010370.png" alt="Nathan Leiker" />
 <figcaption>Nathan Leiker</figcaption>
 </figure>“I always figured Jim was probably the favorite going into
it, everybody seemed to know him,” Berges said. “Looking at past primaries, I
figured I was going to need about 700 votes, probably more than that. So
getting 800, I guess I’m thankful that that many people think I’m a quality
candidate.”Berges said he was happy about the large voter turnout as
well.“Either of us are fine candidates. I don’t think the county
is necessarily better or worse with either one of us,” Berges said. “We had two
quality candidates, and it was very close, and we both got over 800 votes.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645551961650.png" alt="Chris McGowne" />
 <figcaption>Chris McGowne</figcaption>
 </figure>Pfeifer said it was an exciting race, and she’s looking forward
to the final results.“Either way it goes, it was exciting how many people came
out and voted,” Pfeifer said. “There was lots of support on both sides, and
whoever wins, wins. Ellis County will move forward.”He added, “I think Ellis County will be in good hands either
way.”The First District represents the northwest part of Ellis
County, including the City of Ellis and a portion of Hays. Current District 1
Commissioner Butch Schlyer chose not to seek re-election.The race for the Third District is not as tight but still undecided.
The Third District includes the entire eastern edge of
Ellis County and an area north of Hays.Leiker said he was excited to see the great voter
turnout and was surprised by the results.“I appreciate all the support and the trust that the people
have put in me so far, and I look forward to the results after the canvassing,”
Leiker said. Leiker praised McGowne and said it was a good race between
the two.“It was exciting and nerve racking at the same time. I didn’t
know where things were going to fall out at,” Leiker said. “I’m happy to be on
top at the end of the day, and I look forward to working for the county.”Incumbent Joe Leroux, who was appointed to the position in January,
finished fourth in the voting.No Democrats filed for either commission seat, so the winners
of both Republican primaries are considered the presumed nominees. Barring a
successful challenge by an independent candidate in the November general
election, the new commissioners will take their seats on the commission in January.The election canvass will be at 8 a.m. Aug. 15 at
the Ellis County Administrative Center, 718 Main.

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