By DAVE BERGMEIER <a href="https://www.hpj.com/ag_news/water-right-college-s-program-creates-opportunity-to-preserve-aquifer/article_b3559490-858d-11ea-a0ec-f74a3a290b76.html#utm_source=hpj.com&amp;utm_campaign=%2Fnewsletters%2Flists%2Fhpj-weekly%2F%3F-dc%3D1587747613&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_content=read%20more">High Plains Journal</a>

GOODLAND —&nbsp;Open-minded, common sense individuals
 matched with hands-on technology are making a difference in the drive 
to conserve water in the Ogallala Aquifer.

Those
 individuals are thriving at Northwest Kansas Technical College, 
Goodland, Kansas, an institution that has a history of regularly raising
 bumper crops of entrepreneurs. The latest addition is irrigation 
management. In 2016, NWKTC’s Precision Ag program launched its Water 
Technology Farms project to promote the adoption of various irrigation 
management technologies to help producers in that region, said Weston 
McCary, director of Precision Agriculture and UAS Technologies at the 
college.

Students welcome the opportunity to learn how to use new techniques to preserve groundwater, McCary said, adding that is essential for agriculture and agricultural-related businesses in the High Plains.

John Gower, Phillipsburg, Kansas, grew 
up on a farm in eastern Phillips County near Agra. He plans to be the 
next generation of that operation, and as a budding entrepreneur he is 
bullish because he has been able to work in a program that can tap his 
hands-on instincts. That has included how he can incorporate technology 
into improving a farm’s efficiency.&nbsp;

Irrigation
 application has always intrigued him. As an eighth-grader he had the 
opportunity to work with Josh McClain, an irrigator based in Almena, 
Kansas. Gower remembers how important it was to be precise on water 
application.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Technology tools
 pay dividends, Gower said, providing ways to help producers in ways 
that were not possible even a few years ago.

“The
 biggest thing to me is the moisture probes,” he said. “There’s data to 
show that if you do have a moisture probe, if used to its full potential
 and you trust it, you will save money on pumping costs and cut down on 
the water usage,” said Gower, whose major is in precision agriculture 
with an associate’s degree in applied science. “They can now grow as 
much corn with less water usage. It is hard to argue against success.”

Variable rate irrigation scripts also help producers to address topography and to keep water from running down ditches, he said.

Matching
 those VRI scripts with a soil probe in a well-maintained pivot system 
can help producers to be more efficient and preserve precious 
groundwater, he said. Gower is also working with McClain on a precision 
planter and the soon-to-be graduate wants to be able to follow a passion
 of improving planting equipment for producers and also farming.

The High Plains economy depends heavily 
on the Ogallala Aquifer and both Gower and classmate Blaine Sederstrom 
say the key is to continue to press for greater efficiency and 
conservation. Sederstrom agrees that new technology is making a 
difference on his family’s farm.

“There
 has been big changes in water probes,” Sederstrom said. “When we’ve had
 a good rain during the summer and because it is hot and dry for several
 days you don’t necessarily have turn the sprinkler on.”

Sederstrom will graduate in May with an associate’s degree in applied science with a certificate in precision agriculture.

One
 reason Sederstrom wanted to attend nearby NWKTC was he enjoyed a 
hands-on style of learning. It also helps him achieve his dream of 
returning to the family farm about 10 miles southwest of Goodland in 
Sherman, County, which includes irrigated and dryland corn, wheat and 
soybeans. He wanted a learning experience that in turn he can use to 
help his family to continue to be successful.

Irrigation is crucial to the family 
farm. &nbsp;Sederstrom said his family considers themselves fortunate because
 they still have groundwater wells that produce 350 to 400 gallons a 
minute.

It is essential to 
gather as much data as possible, learn from it and apply the knowledge, 
he said. Technology allows him to break down an entire field so that it 
can be analyzed to find deficiencies. What might appear to be a good 
field can have spots that are not as productive because he has found 
that not every acre in a 160-acre field was created equal. Variable rate
 irrigation is one of the tools to help.

“Let’s not spend any extra money or putting on more water when it does not pay a return,” he said.

Another
 change has been a no-till operation even in the irrigated fields. In 
western Kansas, the heat and sun can bake the soil so keeping the ground
 moist and shaded helps.

NWKTC 
has a 300-acre field that students can work with, and Sederstrom was 
appreciative of McCary’s initiatives and the college’s commitment to 
invest in a program that will pay off in a practical way.

From
 a practical standpoint teaching young men and women to enter the field 
of irrigation technology can be important if your livelihood depends on 
the Ogallala Aquifer.

“We try to teach young producers that 
irrigation water, especially in the Ogallala region, is a finite 
resource and that using it moving forward will require more and more 
strategies to use effectively,” McCary said.

NWKTC
 strives to give students a hands-on experience with various 
technologies plus exposure to ag retailers, he said, and in that way, 
students can understand firsthand what options are available to them and
 then address problems with confidence. Being able to approach 
complicated topics, like water, in a confident manner is a big factor in
 whether practices and technologies get adopted, he said.

“We don’t teach too much hypothetical,” 
McCary said. “We focus on real practices, technologies and skills that 
get used day-to-day in ag production.”

That
 includes teaching self responsibility, personal conduct and an overall 
attitude and with “the subject of water we’ve found has a lot to do with
 perceptions and attitude. All the hard skills and technology build off 
that.” &nbsp;

Precision ag and irrigation technicians 
became a natural fit in 2015. While working on the curriculum 
development for the Precision Agriculture Technology program, McCary was
 approached by Shannon Kenyon of Ground Water Management District No. 4 
with the idea of including at least one standalone class that focused on
 Irrigation Management Technology.

McCary
 understood the growing concern surrounding the depletion of the 
Ogallala as he had taught precision ag in neighboring Colorado. Concerns
 had emerged over a decade ago when several water right holders in 
eastern Colorado had their wells shut off due to declines and resulting 
politics.

“I felt motivated to 
do what we could educationally do to prepare young producers for what’s 
confronting them in the 21st century so that we don’t have to see more 
and more wells being turned off in the future.”

With
 that in mind, strategies were discussed on how to promote irrigation 
reduction across the region while absolutely making sure it would be 
economically viable for producers to do so, he said, as answers were 
found in volumes of research conducted by Kansas State University, 
Colorado State University and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The 
data showed that it was not about the volume of water applied to a crop;
 instead it was about delivering water at key stages of plant 
development.

“There’s a big 
difference between those two concepts. Furthermore it was also about not
 exceeding a given field’s moisture and nutrient holding capacity and 
accidentally pushing valuable nutrients below the root zone due to 
overwatering,” McCary said. “That’s not how producers hold on to their 
valuable dollars, and in some areas of the United States that’s how 
we’ve seen surplus nitrate getting into potable water supplies and river
 systems.”

The research also 
indicated that some fields have pretty uniform soil distributions yet 
others have four or five different soil types, sometimes within a single
 quarter section, he said.&nbsp; By geographically mapping the soil types and
 then placing soil sensors in the field during the irrigation season, 
researchers can monitor subsurface moisture regardless of whether it 
appeared dry on the surface or not.

“This
 concept is also the backbone in principles in precision agriculture and
 has become a huge game changer for the ag industry,” McCary said. “We 
designed our Precision Agriculture Technology program and our Irrigation
 Management classes around some of these same ideas.”

Students
 have three milestone options inside the Precision Agriculture 
Technology program; a two-year associates of applied science, a 
one-semester industry Certificate A, and a one-year Certificate B, 
McCary said. Each student has the option to focus on a specific area of 
expertise in his or her second year.

“Some have focused on planters and GPS 
guidance systems, while others have really taken a deep dive into 
electromagnetic soil mapping and grid sampling. Others focus on UAS 
(drones, some on computers, wiring and electronics, and others yet have
 focused on our indoor growing lab,” he said. “Three students have left 
the program and gone into the industry to work with water-related 
technologies. In addition to our annual Ag Tech Expo where we showcase a
 lot of our water technology efforts, the Precision Ag program will also
 be offering a Master Irrigator program for producers later in the year.
 The program is a joint effort between Northwest Tech, Groundwater 
Management District 4, Kansas Water Office and Ogallala Water. The sky’s
 the limit for the things we can potentially teach.”

The program goes hand in hand as growers look for ways to improve their efficiency.

“Never before have we seen so many simultaneous advances and adoptions of science and technology in agriculture,” McCary said.

In
 the past 30 years besides the genetics and chemistry in crops, the 
industry is seeing semi-autonomous, Global Navigation Satellite Systems 
controlled tractors across the landscape using individual row controlled
 planters and section controlled sprayers. Growers can log into their 
smart device and monitor the status of 20 center pivot machines at once,
 while also getting infrared plant health imagery from weekly satellite 
passes—just sitting at the breakfast table in the morning.

Weather
 stations monitor exact rainfall rates at the field from 50 miles away, 
online fleet management platforms let a producer see where all of his or
 her equipment is in the field in real-time, commodities can be sold 
from a smartphone app, and the industry is just seeing UAS platforms 
emerge capable of crop dusting in swarm formation.

All
 of this technology has been slowly emerging in response to a few 
significant factors, in his opinion. The big one is there are fewer and 
fewer people working in the ag sector than in previous generations, 
while the sector is expected to produce more volumes of product across 
more acres than ever before.

“We’ve
 been seeing a rapid decline in the ag workforce for several decades 
now, and that includes industries like crop dusting where the average 
age of a pilot is nearly 60 years old,” McCary said. “The irrigation 
industry is another part of the workforce that has seen substantial 
declines. Ag is already asking who is going to work all that ground, fix
 my pivot and fly those aircraft when this generation retires.”

Workforce
 development is the primary focus at the college, which prepares 
hands-on workers for numerous industries, but agriculture just might be 
the biggest, he said, adding it’s arguably the biggest industry in the 
world. Those are big shoes to fill.

The
 second factor driving all this innovation is that American producers 
are competing more directly with world markets than ever before. So many
 other ag economies, like Brazil and Ukraine, have been slowly growing 
to competitively produce the same crops with the U.S., and these 
countries still have the advantage of lower labor rates while still 
having access to the same latest technologies.

“It’s
 like many of these other countries have had the luxury of skipping the 
last 50 years of growing pains that American ag has had to go through 
and they’ve jumped right into the race next to us,” McCary said. “We 
teach our students that this is fourth quarter football and we’ve got to
 compete. This is no time to coast. You cannot know too much in today’s 
ag, and you can’t afford to get behind.”

Dave Bergmeier can be reached at 620-227-1822 or <a href="mailto:dbergmeier@hpj.com">dbergmeier@hpj.com</a>. Republished with permission.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587750497334.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy of Northwest Kansas Technical College" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of Northwest Kansas Technical College</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVE BERGMEIER <a href="https://www.hpj.com/ag_news/water-right-college-s-program-creates-opportunity-to-preserve-aquifer/article_b3559490-858d-11ea-a0ec-f74a3a290b76.html#utm_source=hpj.com&amp;utm_campaign=%2Fnewsletters%2Flists%2Fhpj-weekly%2F%3F-dc%3D1587747613&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_content=read%20more">High Plains Journal</a>GOODLAND —&nbsp;Open-minded, common sense individuals
 matched with hands-on technology are making a difference in the drive 
to conserve water in the Ogallala Aquifer.Those
 individuals are thriving at Northwest Kansas Technical College, 
Goodland, Kansas, an institution that has a history of regularly raising
 bumper crops of entrepreneurs. The latest addition is irrigation 
management. In 2016, NWKTC’s Precision Ag program launched its Water 
Technology Farms project to promote the adoption of various irrigation 
management technologies to help producers in that region, said Weston 
McCary, director of Precision Agriculture and UAS Technologies at the 
college.Students welcome the opportunity to learn how to use new techniques to preserve groundwater, McCary said, adding that is essential for agriculture and agricultural-related businesses in the High Plains.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587750566636.png" alt="John Gower" />
 <figcaption>John Gower</figcaption>
 </figure>John Gower, Phillipsburg, Kansas, grew 
up on a farm in eastern Phillips County near Agra. He plans to be the 
next generation of that operation, and as a budding entrepreneur he is 
bullish because he has been able to work in a program that can tap his 
hands-on instincts. That has included how he can incorporate technology 
into improving a farm’s efficiency.&nbsp;Irrigation
 application has always intrigued him. As an eighth-grader he had the 
opportunity to work with Josh McClain, an irrigator based in Almena, 
Kansas. Gower remembers how important it was to be precise on water 
application.&nbsp;&nbsp;Technology tools
 pay dividends, Gower said, providing ways to help producers in ways 
that were not possible even a few years ago.“The
 biggest thing to me is the moisture probes,” he said. “There’s data to 
show that if you do have a moisture probe, if used to its full potential
 and you trust it, you will save money on pumping costs and cut down on 
the water usage,” said Gower, whose major is in precision agriculture 
with an associate’s degree in applied science. “They can now grow as 
much corn with less water usage. It is hard to argue against success.”Variable rate irrigation scripts also help producers to address topography and to keep water from running down ditches, he said.Matching
 those VRI scripts with a soil probe in a well-maintained pivot system 
can help producers to be more efficient and preserve precious 
groundwater, he said. Gower is also working with McClain on a precision 
planter and the soon-to-be graduate wants to be able to follow a passion
 of improving planting equipment for producers and also farming.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587750597650.jpeg" alt="Blaine Sederstrom" />
 <figcaption>Blaine Sederstrom</figcaption>
 </figure>The High Plains economy depends heavily 
on the Ogallala Aquifer and both Gower and classmate Blaine Sederstrom 
say the key is to continue to press for greater efficiency and 
conservation. Sederstrom agrees that new technology is making a 
difference on his family’s farm.“There
 has been big changes in water probes,” Sederstrom said. “When we’ve had
 a good rain during the summer and because it is hot and dry for several
 days you don’t necessarily have turn the sprinkler on.”Sederstrom will graduate in May with an associate’s degree in applied science with a certificate in precision agriculture.One
 reason Sederstrom wanted to attend nearby NWKTC was he enjoyed a 
hands-on style of learning. It also helps him achieve his dream of 
returning to the family farm about 10 miles southwest of Goodland in 
Sherman, County, which includes irrigated and dryland corn, wheat and 
soybeans. He wanted a learning experience that in turn he can use to 
help his family to continue to be successful.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587750632582.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy of Northwest Kansas Technical College" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of Northwest Kansas Technical College</figcaption>
 </figure>Irrigation is crucial to the family 
farm. &nbsp;Sederstrom said his family considers themselves fortunate because
 they still have groundwater wells that produce 350 to 400 gallons a 
minute.It is essential to 
gather as much data as possible, learn from it and apply the knowledge, 
he said. Technology allows him to break down an entire field so that it 
can be analyzed to find deficiencies. What might appear to be a good 
field can have spots that are not as productive because he has found 
that not every acre in a 160-acre field was created equal. Variable rate
 irrigation is one of the tools to help.“Let’s not spend any extra money or putting on more water when it does not pay a return,” he said.Another
 change has been a no-till operation even in the irrigated fields. In 
western Kansas, the heat and sun can bake the soil so keeping the ground
 moist and shaded helps.NWKTC 
has a 300-acre field that students can work with, and Sederstrom was 
appreciative of McCary’s initiatives and the college’s commitment to 
invest in a program that will pay off in a practical way.From
 a practical standpoint teaching young men and women to enter the field 
of irrigation technology can be important if your livelihood depends on 
the Ogallala Aquifer.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587750665813.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy of Northwest Kansas Technical College" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of Northwest Kansas Technical College</figcaption>
 </figure>“We try to teach young producers that 
irrigation water, especially in the Ogallala region, is a finite 
resource and that using it moving forward will require more and more 
strategies to use effectively,” McCary said.NWKTC
 strives to give students a hands-on experience with various 
technologies plus exposure to ag retailers, he said, and in that way, 
students can understand firsthand what options are available to them and
 then address problems with confidence. Being able to approach 
complicated topics, like water, in a confident manner is a big factor in
 whether practices and technologies get adopted, he said.“We don’t teach too much hypothetical,” 
McCary said. “We focus on real practices, technologies and skills that 
get used day-to-day in ag production.”That
 includes teaching self responsibility, personal conduct and an overall 
attitude and with “the subject of water we’ve found has a lot to do with
 perceptions and attitude. All the hard skills and technology build off 
that.” &nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587750714853.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy of Northwest Kansas Technical College" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of Northwest Kansas Technical College</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Starting the process</h2>Precision ag and irrigation technicians 
became a natural fit in 2015. While working on the curriculum 
development for the Precision Agriculture Technology program, McCary was
 approached by Shannon Kenyon of Ground Water Management District No. 4 
with the idea of including at least one standalone class that focused on
 Irrigation Management Technology.McCary
 understood the growing concern surrounding the depletion of the 
Ogallala as he had taught precision ag in neighboring Colorado. Concerns
 had emerged over a decade ago when several water right holders in 
eastern Colorado had their wells shut off due to declines and resulting 
politics.“I felt motivated to 
do what we could educationally do to prepare young producers for what’s 
confronting them in the 21st century so that we don’t have to see more 
and more wells being turned off in the future.”<h2>History plays a part</h2>With
 that in mind, strategies were discussed on how to promote irrigation 
reduction across the region while absolutely making sure it would be 
economically viable for producers to do so, he said, as answers were 
found in volumes of research conducted by Kansas State University, 
Colorado State University and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The 
data showed that it was not about the volume of water applied to a crop;
 instead it was about delivering water at key stages of plant 
development.“There’s a big 
difference between those two concepts. Furthermore it was also about not
 exceeding a given field’s moisture and nutrient holding capacity and 
accidentally pushing valuable nutrients below the root zone due to 
overwatering,” McCary said. “That’s not how producers hold on to their 
valuable dollars, and in some areas of the United States that’s how 
we’ve seen surplus nitrate getting into potable water supplies and river
 systems.”The research also 
indicated that some fields have pretty uniform soil distributions yet 
others have four or five different soil types, sometimes within a single
 quarter section, he said.&nbsp; By geographically mapping the soil types and
 then placing soil sensors in the field during the irrigation season, 
researchers can monitor subsurface moisture regardless of whether it 
appeared dry on the surface or not.“This
 concept is also the backbone in principles in precision agriculture and
 has become a huge game changer for the ag industry,” McCary said. “We 
designed our Precision Agriculture Technology program and our Irrigation
 Management classes around some of these same ideas.”Students
 have three milestone options inside the Precision Agriculture 
Technology program; a two-year associates of applied science, a 
one-semester industry Certificate A, and a one-year Certificate B, 
McCary said. Each student has the option to focus on a specific area of 
expertise in his or her second year.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587750773556.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy of Northwest Kansas Technical College" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of Northwest Kansas Technical College</figcaption>
 </figure>“Some have focused on planters and GPS 
guidance systems, while others have really taken a deep dive into 
electromagnetic soil mapping and grid sampling. Others focus on UAS 
(drones, some on computers, wiring and electronics, and others yet have
 focused on our indoor growing lab,” he said. “Three students have left 
the program and gone into the industry to work with water-related 
technologies. In addition to our annual Ag Tech Expo where we showcase a
 lot of our water technology efforts, the Precision Ag program will also
 be offering a Master Irrigator program for producers later in the year.
 The program is a joint effort between Northwest Tech, Groundwater 
Management District 4, Kansas Water Office and Ogallala Water. The sky’s
 the limit for the things we can potentially teach.”The program goes hand in hand as growers look for ways to improve their efficiency.“Never before have we seen so many simultaneous advances and adoptions of science and technology in agriculture,” McCary said.In
 the past 30 years besides the genetics and chemistry in crops, the 
industry is seeing semi-autonomous, Global Navigation Satellite Systems 
controlled tractors across the landscape using individual row controlled
 planters and section controlled sprayers. Growers can log into their 
smart device and monitor the status of 20 center pivot machines at once,
 while also getting infrared plant health imagery from weekly satellite 
passes—just sitting at the breakfast table in the morning.Weather
 stations monitor exact rainfall rates at the field from 50 miles away, 
online fleet management platforms let a producer see where all of his or
 her equipment is in the field in real-time, commodities can be sold 
from a smartphone app, and the industry is just seeing UAS platforms 
emerge capable of crop dusting in swarm formation.<h2>Rural innovation</h2>All
 of this technology has been slowly emerging in response to a few 
significant factors, in his opinion. The big one is there are fewer and 
fewer people working in the ag sector than in previous generations, 
while the sector is expected to produce more volumes of product across 
more acres than ever before.“We’ve
 been seeing a rapid decline in the ag workforce for several decades 
now, and that includes industries like crop dusting where the average 
age of a pilot is nearly 60 years old,” McCary said. “The irrigation 
industry is another part of the workforce that has seen substantial 
declines. Ag is already asking who is going to work all that ground, fix
 my pivot and fly those aircraft when this generation retires.”Workforce
 development is the primary focus at the college, which prepares 
hands-on workers for numerous industries, but agriculture just might be 
the biggest, he said, adding it’s arguably the biggest industry in the 
world. Those are big shoes to fill.The
 second factor driving all this innovation is that American producers 
are competing more directly with world markets than ever before. So many
 other ag economies, like Brazil and Ukraine, have been slowly growing 
to competitively produce the same crops with the U.S., and these 
countries still have the advantage of lower labor rates while still 
having access to the same latest technologies.“It’s
 like many of these other countries have had the luxury of skipping the 
last 50 years of growing pains that American ag has had to go through 
and they’ve jumped right into the race next to us,” McCary said. “We 
teach our students that this is fourth quarter football and we’ve got to
 compete. This is no time to coast. You cannot know too much in today’s 
ag, and you can’t afford to get behind.”Dave Bergmeier can be reached at 620-227-1822 or <a href="mailto:dbergmeier@hpj.com">dbergmeier@hpj.com</a>. Republished with permission.

NW Kan. college’s program creates opportunity to preserve aquifer

MANHATTAN – Each year Kansas Farm Bureau’s Foundation for Agriculture awards scholarships to college students studying in fields that benefit agriculture and rural Kansas. Forty-two recipients received $25,000 in scholarships for the 2020-21 school year.

Over the past decade, the foundation has awarded more than $325,000 in scholarships.

“We’re investing in students today to ensure they become tomorrow’s leaders,” says KFB President and Foundation Chair Rich Felts.

Max Harman, McPherson County, was awarded $1,000 for the Frank and Helen Bernasek Memorial Scholarship, a permanent, privately endowed scholarship fund.Allison Smith, Johnson County, received $1,000 for the K-State Agricultural Communications and Journalism Scholarship.

Colt Sutterby, Bourbon County, is the winner of the $500 Godfrey and Emma Bahr Miller Memorial Scholarship, a permanent, privately endowed scholarship fund for students attending a college in Kansas and majoring in a subject related to agronomy and conservation.

Kinsey Griffith, Trego County, was awarded $500 for the DeWitt Ahlerich Memorial Scholarship, a permanent, privately endowed scholarship fund.

Eight students received scholarships to Kansas technical colleges. They are Sydnee Beal, Harper County; Lane Berkenmeier, Wabaunsee County; Kyle Frederking, Lincoln County; Gage Harding, Neosho County; Joel Kennedy, Jackson County; Andrea Price, Butler County; Daniel Romero, Wichita; and Devin Simmonds, Doniphan County.

Four $1,000 KFB scholarships were awarded to juniors and seniors enrolled in Kansas State University’s college of agriculture and majoring in a subject related to agriculture. They are Grant Fincham, Marshall County; Emily Glenn, Finney County; John Kennedy, Jackson County; and Amber Oerly, Cooper County, Missouri.

Two $1,000 KFB scholarships were awarded to juniors and seniors enrolled at Fort Hays State University. Recipients are Sathena Scarborough, Howard County, Nebraska; and Camryn Youngers, Ford County.

Twenty-four recipients received $500 scholarships. These students are attending a Kansas college with a Kansas Farm Bureau Collegiate chapter. Students must be a Farm Bureau Collegiate member.

Kansas Farm Bureau's mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;

KFBMANHATTAN – Each year Kansas Farm Bureau’s Foundation for Agriculture awards scholarships to college students studying in fields that benefit agriculture and rural Kansas. Forty-two recipients received $25,000 in scholarships for the 2020-21 school year.Over the past decade, the foundation has awarded more than $325,000 in scholarships.“We’re investing in students today to ensure they become tomorrow’s leaders,” says KFB President and Foundation Chair Rich Felts.Max Harman, McPherson County, was awarded $1,000 for the Frank and Helen Bernasek Memorial Scholarship, a permanent, privately endowed scholarship fund.Allison Smith, Johnson County, received $1,000 for the K-State Agricultural Communications and Journalism Scholarship.Colt Sutterby, Bourbon County, is the winner of the $500 Godfrey and Emma Bahr Miller Memorial Scholarship, a permanent, privately endowed scholarship fund for students attending a college in Kansas and majoring in a subject related to agronomy and conservation.Kinsey Griffith, Trego County, was awarded $500 for the DeWitt Ahlerich Memorial Scholarship, a permanent, privately endowed scholarship fund.Eight students received scholarships to Kansas technical colleges. They are Sydnee Beal, Harper County; Lane Berkenmeier, Wabaunsee County; Kyle Frederking, Lincoln County; Gage Harding, Neosho County; Joel Kennedy, Jackson County; Andrea Price, Butler County; Daniel Romero, Wichita; and Devin Simmonds, Doniphan County.Four $1,000 KFB scholarships were awarded to juniors and seniors enrolled in Kansas State University’s college of agriculture and majoring in a subject related to agriculture. They are Grant Fincham, Marshall County; Emily Glenn, Finney County; John Kennedy, Jackson County; and Amber Oerly, Cooper County, Missouri.Two $1,000 KFB scholarships were awarded to juniors and seniors enrolled at Fort Hays State University. Recipients are Sathena Scarborough, Howard County, Nebraska; and Camryn Youngers, Ford County.Twenty-four recipients received $500 scholarships. These students are attending a Kansas college with a Kansas Farm Bureau Collegiate chapter. Students must be a Farm Bureau Collegiate member.Recipients include:Allen Community College<ol>
 <li>Lindsey Whitten, Doniphan County</li><li>Amanda Wray, Franklin County</li>
 </ol>Barton Community College<ol>
 <li>Dawn Ledeboer, Wabaunsee County</li>
 </ol>Butler Community College<ol>
 <li>Chad Hibdon, Franklin County</li><li>Shelby Varner, Butler County</li>
 </ol>Colby Community College<ol>
 <li>Hannah Eslinger, Sherman County</li><li>Shyanne Jones, Labette County</li>
 </ol>Fort Hays State University<ol>
 <li>Geordan Hayden, Ellis County</li><li>Bryce Maneth, Barton County</li><li>Patrick Zamrzla, Ellsworth County</li>
 </ol>Highland Community College<ol>
 <li>Justin Wenger, Nemaha County</li>
 </ol>Hutchinson Community College<ol>
 <li>Ellie Schwertfeger, Reno County</li>
 </ol>Kansas State University<ol>
 <li>Brandon Carp, Sedgwick County</li><li>Kayley Geesling, Reno County</li><li>Ciara Hodgkinson, Pratt County</li><li>Cale McCabe, Reno County</li><li>Haley O’Neal, Bourbon County</li><li>Sara Schlickau, Reno County</li><li>Zoe Schultz, Gove County</li><li>Isaac Wingert, Franklin County</li><li>Seth Yenni, McPherson County</li>
 </ol>&nbsp;Pratt Community College<ol>
 <li>Caleb Hinck, Wabaunsee County</li><li>Jaden Smith, Norton County</li>
 </ol>Seward County Community College<ol>
 <li>Emma McClure, Stevens County</li>
 </ol>Kansas Farm Bureau's mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;

NW Kan. students earn Kan. Farm Bureau Foundation scholarships

Tammy Wellbrock might have officially left her post from the Hays Area Chamber of Commerce in July, but she remains greatly involved in the industry with her new training and coaching business — Girl Twin Solutions, LLC. Most recently, Wellbrock was asked to present for the fifth annual Chamber Pros Online Conference. She is one of 20 experts to share information with Chamber professionals nationwide.

“I met many of the other presenters when I attended conferences or trainings during my employment at the chamber,” Wellbrock said. “Not only do they know their craft extremely well, they are some of the best in the chamber world. To be part of such an elite group of professionals is such an honor for me.”&nbsp;

With many training opportunities postponed or cancelled during the Covid-19 crisis, the Chamber Pros Online Conference is an opportunity for ongoing professional development covering multiple areas, including membership recruitment and retention, board organization and governance, and strategic planning and implementation. While focused mainly for the chamber industry, this training covers crucial topics for many nonprofit organizations.&nbsp;

To learn more about this online conference as well as watch free training video series, visit <a href="https://bit.ly/2020ChamberProsOnlineConferenceTW">https://bit.ly/2020ChamberProsOnlineConferenceTW</a>.

Tammy Wellbrock founded Girl Twin Solutions, LLC to enlighten and entertain through training, coaching, facilitating, and speaking engagements. While available to any human who aspires for greater success, her biggest desire is to empower and embolden women in their own professional journey.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587648097061.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedTammy Wellbrock might have officially left her post from the Hays Area Chamber of Commerce in July, but she remains greatly involved in the industry with her new training and coaching business — Girl Twin Solutions, LLC. Most recently, Wellbrock was asked to present for the fifth annual Chamber Pros Online Conference. She is one of 20 experts to share information with Chamber professionals nationwide.“I met many of the other presenters when I attended conferences or trainings during my employment at the chamber,” Wellbrock said. “Not only do they know their craft extremely well, they are some of the best in the chamber world. To be part of such an elite group of professionals is such an honor for me.”&nbsp;With many training opportunities postponed or cancelled during the Covid-19 crisis, the Chamber Pros Online Conference is an opportunity for ongoing professional development covering multiple areas, including membership recruitment and retention, board organization and governance, and strategic planning and implementation. While focused mainly for the chamber industry, this training covers crucial topics for many nonprofit organizations.&nbsp;To learn more about this online conference as well as watch free training video series, visit <a href="https://bit.ly/2020ChamberProsOnlineConferenceTW">https://bit.ly/2020ChamberProsOnlineConferenceTW</a>.Tammy Wellbrock founded Girl Twin Solutions, LLC to enlighten and entertain through training, coaching, facilitating, and speaking engagements. While available to any human who aspires for greater success, her biggest desire is to empower and embolden women in their own professional journey.&nbsp;

Wellbrock Presents for National Online Conference

As many of you are aware, our community will vote on May 12th regarding a bond for our school system.&nbsp; While there is information available to the public, the current situation connected to the COVID-19 pandemic has had a serious impact on educating our community on facts surrounding this issue.&nbsp; It is my hope that this brief write up will work to alleviate any misconceptions about what this bond is for, how it is funded, and why we need it. &nbsp;

	Taxes are a major concern for all members of the community, as they should be.&nbsp; Our district is paying off the current bond from 20 years ago which gave us the new gymnasium, the science classrooms, and the cafeteria in the high school.&nbsp; It is our hope that we can institute a new bond which will give us added security to district facilities, additional space to serve an expanding population of students with diverse needs, and key infrastructure improvements such as updated plumbing in the high school.&nbsp; With the old bond ending and the new bond beginning, the mill levy to repay bonds will NOT INCREASE.&nbsp; We will continue to keep the same number of mills in place dedicated to repaying the bond for our district facilities.&nbsp; School districts in the state of Kansas can only use a small portion of their annual budget to fund facility improvements.&nbsp; Because of this, bond issues are required to pay for larger capital projects, specifically those outside the scope of traditional maintenance and minor facility upgrades.&nbsp; The proposed bond that we will be voting on was specifically designed to not cause the residents of Trego County to see any increase in their mill levy. &nbsp;	

	It is VITALLY important that every community member vote on May 12th.&nbsp; This bond issue is about taking care of important facility needs while not requiring any additional mills. Thank you for your continued support of our district personnel, students, and facilities.&nbsp; If you have any questions regarding the bond issue please contact our district superintendent, Mr. Tavis Desormiers at 785.743.2145.&nbsp; You may have to leave him a message as he is an incredibly busy individual, but he will get back to you very quickly.&nbsp;

Seth Kastle, USD 208 Board of Education

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>As many of you are aware, our community will vote on May 12th regarding a bond for our school system.&nbsp; While there is information available to the public, the current situation connected to the COVID-19 pandemic has had a serious impact on educating our community on facts surrounding this issue.&nbsp; It is my hope that this brief write up will work to alleviate any misconceptions about what this bond is for, how it is funded, and why we need it. &nbsp;	Taxes are a major concern for all members of the community, as they should be.&nbsp; Our district is paying off the current bond from 20 years ago which gave us the new gymnasium, the science classrooms, and the cafeteria in the high school.&nbsp; It is our hope that we can institute a new bond which will give us added security to district facilities, additional space to serve an expanding population of students with diverse needs, and key infrastructure improvements such as updated plumbing in the high school.&nbsp; With the old bond ending and the new bond beginning, the mill levy to repay bonds will NOT INCREASE.&nbsp; We will continue to keep the same number of mills in place dedicated to repaying the bond for our district facilities.&nbsp; School districts in the state of Kansas can only use a small portion of their annual budget to fund facility improvements.&nbsp; Because of this, bond issues are required to pay for larger capital projects, specifically those outside the scope of traditional maintenance and minor facility upgrades.&nbsp; The proposed bond that we will be voting on was specifically designed to not cause the residents of Trego County to see any increase in their mill levy. &nbsp;		It is VITALLY important that every community member vote on May 12th.&nbsp; This bond issue is about taking care of important facility needs while not requiring any additional mills. Thank you for your continued support of our district personnel, students, and facilities.&nbsp; If you have any questions regarding the bond issue please contact our district superintendent, Mr. Tavis Desormiers at 785.743.2145.&nbsp; You may have to leave him a message as he is an incredibly busy individual, but he will get back to you very quickly.&nbsp;Seth Kastle, USD 208 Board of Education

LETTER: What is WaKeeney school bond for and how does it work?

Three-day weather outlook

Beginning Monday, pavement markings on Hall Street between Eighth and 27th streets are being replaced. 

 Hall Street will remain open, however, traffic may be temporarily restricted while work is in progress. 

 For more information, contact the Office of Project Management at (785) 628-7350 or the contractor, Roadsafe at (316) 322-3070.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584721067731.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Beginning Monday, pavement markings on Hall Street between Eighth and 27th streets are being replaced. Hall Street will remain open, however, traffic may be temporarily restricted while work is in progress. Work should be complete by May 1. For more information, contact the Office of Project Management at (785) 628-7350 or the contractor, Roadsafe at (316) 322-3070.— City of Hays

Pavement markings will be replaced this week on Hall

Three years ago, I enjoyed piloting a series of programs targeting our senior population titled, Keys to Embracing Aging. Each month for a year I brought a new topic complete with a well written fact sheet to a consistent audience of around twenty seniors. It is time to bring out those fact sheets again but this time, instead of just focusing on seniors, I’m calling it “Keys to Embracing Life.”

Today I’m sharing information from the Positive Attitude fact sheet. It’s no secret that the connection between mind and body is strong. An overall positive attitude, including an upbeat outlook on life, can affect overall happiness, health, and well-being. Similar to good health practices such as eating well and getting plenty of exercise, a positive attitude should be a habit that starts early in life.

A positive attitude can impact mental health and physical functioning, including the ability to fight disease and infection. Attitude can also affect relationships, social networks, and help make success in life more likely. The bottom line, being more positive across the lifespan causes less stress and enables people to live healthier, happy lives.

Dr. Martin Seligman, the creator of positive psychology, believes that happiness helps provide a sense of purpose in life because it is something that you can create and nurture. He identified seven habits of happy people. Happy people:

We all know people who are positive and almost always have a smile on their face. Our five-year-old grandson, Bo, is one happy kid. If the weather is nice, Bo and his mom will be practicing hitting or catching a baseball, or shooting baskets at their driveway basketball goal. After a recent rainy day, Bo and his two sisters, went on a worm hunt. It was such a success that a weekend fishing trip is planned. Our daughter, Kristen, sent a picture of three smiling kids with their gallon pail almost half full of worms.

Everyone has an occasional bad day, but in general, a positive attitude and happy outlook can help pull you through life’s challenges. Having an upbeat and proactive outlook on life over time can also contribute to better health and optimal aging, including longevity.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583253738760.jpeg" alt="Donna Krug is the Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent and District Director for the Cottonwood Extension District.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Donna Krug is the Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent and District Director for the Cottonwood Extension District.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Three years ago, I enjoyed piloting a series of programs targeting our senior population titled, Keys to Embracing Aging. Each month for a year I brought a new topic complete with a well written fact sheet to a consistent audience of around twenty seniors. It is time to bring out those fact sheets again but this time, instead of just focusing on seniors, I’m calling it “Keys to Embracing Life.”Today I’m sharing information from the Positive Attitude fact sheet. It’s no secret that the connection between mind and body is strong. An overall positive attitude, including an upbeat outlook on life, can affect overall happiness, health, and well-being. Similar to good health practices such as eating well and getting plenty of exercise, a positive attitude should be a habit that starts early in life.A positive attitude can impact mental health and physical functioning, including the ability to fight disease and infection. Attitude can also affect relationships, social networks, and help make success in life more likely. The bottom line, being more positive across the lifespan causes less stress and enables people to live healthier, happy lives.Dr. Martin Seligman, the creator of positive psychology, believes that happiness helps provide a sense of purpose in life because it is something that you can create and nurture. He identified seven habits of happy people. Happy people:<ol>
 <li>Build close relationships</li><li>Care for others</li><li>Engage in healthy, active lifestyles</li><li>Embrace spirituality</li><li>Practice positive thinking</li><li>Embrace a hobby or activity</li><li>Identify strengths</li>
 </ol>We all know people who are positive and almost always have a smile on their face. Our five-year-old grandson, Bo, is one happy kid. If the weather is nice, Bo and his mom will be practicing hitting or catching a baseball, or shooting baskets at their driveway basketball goal. After a recent rainy day, Bo and his two sisters, went on a worm hunt. It was such a success that a weekend fishing trip is planned. Our daughter, Kristen, sent a picture of three smiling kids with their gallon pail almost half full of worms.Everyone has an occasional bad day, but in general, a positive attitude and happy outlook can help pull you through life’s challenges. Having an upbeat and proactive outlook on life over time can also contribute to better health and optimal aging, including longevity.Donna Krug is the Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent and District Director for the Cottonwood Extension District. You may reach her at: (620)793-1910 or <a href="mailto:dkrug@ksu.edu">dkrug@ksu.edu</a>&nbsp;

KRUG: Keys to embracing life

By CORINNE BOYER <a href="https://www.hppr.org/post/update-coronavirus-clusters-grow-rapidly-three-western-kansas-meatpacking-counties">Kansas News Service</a>

Update: Kansas Health Secretary Lee Norman said on Friday that 
Kansas has now identified 250 cases of COVID-19 among workers at the 
state's six meatpacking plants. The federal government has sent supplies
 to test thousands of people in southwest Kansas. Meanwhile, the Centers
 for Disease Control and Prevention is sending staff to the region.

GARDEN CITY, Kansas —
 Two western Kansas counties that are home to meatpacking plants have 
some of the highest counts of the coronavirus in the state. It’s a 
distinction that comes as the Tyson plant near Garden City said this 
week it has several cases among its workers.

None of the 
meatpacking plants, which make up about 25% of the national beef supply 
according to a Kansas State professor’s estimate, has shared a specific 
count of workers with a COVID-19 diagnosis. And the state health 
department leaves it up to county health departments to decide whether 
to provide the public with detailed case information.

In the 
span of 11 days, Ford County, where there is a National Beef and a 
Cargill plant in Dodge City, has gone from 16 cases to 288. Seward 
County, which has a National Beef plant in Liberal, went from six to 
125. Finney County, where the Tyson plant is located, is up from 17 to 
87.

Several meatpacking plants around the country, from South 
Dakota to Iowa to Colorado, have had to shut down temporarily over the 
past few weeks due to the number of workers coming down with the 
coronavirus. But so far, Kansas’ major meatpacking plants have not fully
 shut down, though the National Beef plant in Dodge City did close for a
 few days for deep cleaning.

Companies say they’ve been taking 
extra precautions and social distancing measures. But unions are 
pressing for better protections inside plants, where workers 
stand-side-by side to cut meat from carcasses.&nbsp;

Kansas Gov. Laura
 Kelly said there is an “all-hands-on-deck” approach to the situation at
 the local, state and federal levels for testing, isolation and 
providing things like shields and personal protective equipment to 
protect workers.

“We’ve found isolation housing for those who 
need to be quarantined if they’ve had any contact,” Kelly said Thursday 
on KCUR’s “Up To Date” talk show. “So we’re taking a very aggressive 
approach, because we don’t want to be like Iowa or South Dakota where 
we’re having to shut those plants down.”

The Tyson plant in 
Holcomb employs about 3,800 people. The announcement of cases among 
Tyson workers came shortly after the Finney County Health Department 
began testing up to 50 people a day for the virus. Health department 
director Colleen Drees said “there is evidence of community spread.”&nbsp;

High
 Plains Public Radio news director Angie Haflich and Kansas News Service
 news editor Erica Hunzinger contributed to this report.

Corinne Boyer covers western Kansas for High Plains Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter <a href="https://kannews.slack.com/team/UFFCS11T5">@Corinne</a><a href="https://twitter.com/Corinne_Boyer?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank"> _boyer</a> or email cboyer@hppr,org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587938713112.png" alt=" National Beef has a meatpacking plant in Liberal, Kansas, which is in Seward County. Bethany Wood / For the Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> National Beef has a meatpacking plant in Liberal, Kansas, which is in Seward County. Bethany Wood / For the Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By CORINNE BOYER <a href="https://www.hppr.org/post/update-coronavirus-clusters-grow-rapidly-three-western-kansas-meatpacking-counties">Kansas News Service</a>Update: Kansas Health Secretary Lee Norman said on Friday that 
Kansas has now identified 250 cases of COVID-19 among workers at the 
state's six meatpacking plants. The federal government has sent supplies
 to test thousands of people in southwest Kansas. Meanwhile, the Centers
 for Disease Control and Prevention is sending staff to the region.GARDEN CITY, Kansas —
 Two western Kansas counties that are home to meatpacking plants have 
some of the highest counts of the coronavirus in the state. It’s a 
distinction that comes as the Tyson plant near Garden City said this 
week it has several cases among its workers.None of the 
meatpacking plants, which make up about 25% of the national beef supply 
according to a Kansas State professor’s estimate, has shared a specific 
count of workers with a COVID-19 diagnosis. And the state health 
department leaves it up to county health departments to decide whether 
to provide the public with detailed case information.In the 
span of 11 days, Ford County, where there is a National Beef and a 
Cargill plant in Dodge City, has gone from 16 cases to 288. Seward 
County, which has a National Beef plant in Liberal, went from six to 
125. Finney County, where the Tyson plant is located, is up from 17 to 
87.Several meatpacking plants around the country, from South 
Dakota to Iowa to Colorado, have had to shut down temporarily over the 
past few weeks due to the number of workers coming down with the 
coronavirus. But so far, Kansas’ major meatpacking plants have not fully
 shut down, though the National Beef plant in Dodge City did close for a
 few days for deep cleaning.Companies say they’ve been taking 
extra precautions and social distancing measures. But unions are 
pressing for better protections inside plants, where workers 
stand-side-by side to cut meat from carcasses.&nbsp;Kansas Gov. Laura
 Kelly said there is an “all-hands-on-deck” approach to the situation at
 the local, state and federal levels for testing, isolation and 
providing things like shields and personal protective equipment to 
protect workers.“We’ve found isolation housing for those who 
need to be quarantined if they’ve had any contact,” Kelly said Thursday 
on KCUR’s “Up To Date” talk show. “So we’re taking a very aggressive 
approach, because we don’t want to be like Iowa or South Dakota where 
we’re having to shut those plants down.”The Tyson plant in 
Holcomb employs about 3,800 people. The announcement of cases among 
Tyson workers came shortly after the Finney County Health Department 
began testing up to 50 people a day for the virus. Health department 
director Colleen Drees said “there is evidence of community spread.”&nbsp;High
 Plains Public Radio news director Angie Haflich and Kansas News Service
 news editor Erica Hunzinger contributed to this report.Corinne Boyer covers western Kansas for High Plains Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter <a href="https://kannews.slack.com/team/UFFCS11T5">@Corinne</a><a href="https://twitter.com/Corinne_Boyer?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank"> _boyer</a> or email cboyer@hppr,org.

Update: Virus clusters grow rapidly In 3 western Kan. meatpacking counties

Collin Bielser, assistant Hays city manager, presented the monthly progress report during Thursday's city commission meeting.

Projects from each city department are highlighted.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587760733241.jpeg" alt="Collin Bielser, assistant Hays city manager, presents the monthly progress report at the April 23 city commission meeting." />
 <figcaption>Collin Bielser, assistant Hays city manager, presents the monthly progress report at the April 23 city commission meeting.</figcaption>
 </figure>Hays PostCollin Bielser, assistant Hays city manager, presented the monthly progress report during Thursday's city commission meeting.Projects from each city department are highlighted.<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yB_ZRgoFpoM"></iframe>
 <figcaption>(Video courtesy Nex-Tech)</figcaption>
 </figure>

🎥 Bielser presents Hays progress report

As the battle with COVID-19 continues and we daily thank our courageous health care and essential workers, Kansas teachers also need our thanks.&nbsp; They rose to the occasion and kept learning alive.

With the future still unclear, teachers now are envisioning what will become the “new normal” return to school.&nbsp; What changes for health safety and preparedness will be necessary? What federal funding will come?&nbsp; What state budget cuts may occur?

When schools closed, teachers rushed to completely transition classes to virtual learning and take-home packets for students.&nbsp; Currently they keep personal contact to instruct and mentor students through texting, email, phone calls and Zoom.

Nonetheless at-home family support and virtual learning cannot replace the full school experience, particularly fundamental teacher-guided, deep discussions that drive high-quality learning through complex analysis, help for at-risk students and extra-curricular activities.

Education research cannot yet provide definitive answers about the benefit of online learning overall or for different ages or groups of students.&nbsp; Nevertheless, the reality is that teachers need to be prepared to use technology in future situations which may call for students to be homebound, to make immediate plans to address the “corona slide” of reduced learning caused by the current situation and to integrate new virtual learning opportunities in traditional classrooms.&nbsp;

The recently enacted federal CARES act provides $13.5 billion earmarked mostly for K-12 schools and an additional $3 billion in education funding for governors to release.&nbsp;&nbsp;The act also specifies a separate rural-development item for distance learning.&nbsp; Moreover, engagement of the Federal Communication Commission may be forthcoming for distance learning.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Federal help may ease the pain in the short run, but it is not a solution to fill all needs incurred by or brought to light by the pandemic or mitigate budget cuts due to economic recession that may come as COVID-19 recedes.&nbsp;

Teachers deserve our thanks, the resources they need to create robust, flexible learning environments and the technology to make it happen.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Almost half of Kansas students attend rural schools where too often they don’t have access to fast, reliable broadband connection or internet service.&nbsp; Students in high-need urban schools often lack the same technology.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A stop-gap solution for Topeka folk during our stay-at-home period is placing the local library’s two “hotspot” equipped bookmobiles in parking lots of two areas with low connectivity.&nbsp; Wi-fi also has been used in school buses for parking-lot learning, but neither effort is a long-term solution.

Currently, Kansas schools cannot supply one-to-one technology--tablets or computers—for every student in each school (although some schools have done so, nor supply broadband and internet needed for every student to do schoolwork from home.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

It is essential for the Kansas economy and necessary for public education to provide all students contemporary communication technology.&nbsp; Creative leveraging of federal, state and local resources is vital for overall school budgets if we are to continue learning opportunities as in the past.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The virus exposed weaknesses in the system, but it taught us that Kansans are committed, people, intrinsically connected to supporting public school life and traditions.&nbsp; Sequestered in our homes, we long for spring music contests, baseball and commencement ceremonies--our students’ wish for interaction with peers and personal contact with teachers.&nbsp; Educational renewal may be the state’s greatest challenge for the future.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Never have teachers been more relevant.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Sharon Hartin Iorio is Dean Emerita at the Wichita State University College of Education.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1576185211786.jpeg" alt="Sharon Hartin Iorio is Dean Emerita at the Wichita State University College of Education." />
 <figcaption>Sharon Hartin Iorio is Dean Emerita at the Wichita State University College of Education.</figcaption>
 </figure>As the battle with COVID-19 continues and we daily thank our courageous health care and essential workers, Kansas teachers also need our thanks.&nbsp; They rose to the occasion and kept learning alive.With the future still unclear, teachers now are envisioning what will become the “new normal” return to school.&nbsp; What changes for health safety and preparedness will be necessary? What federal funding will come?&nbsp; What state budget cuts may occur?When schools closed, teachers rushed to completely transition classes to virtual learning and take-home packets for students.&nbsp; Currently they keep personal contact to instruct and mentor students through texting, email, phone calls and Zoom.Nonetheless at-home family support and virtual learning cannot replace the full school experience, particularly fundamental teacher-guided, deep discussions that drive high-quality learning through complex analysis, help for at-risk students and extra-curricular activities.Education research cannot yet provide definitive answers about the benefit of online learning overall or for different ages or groups of students.&nbsp; Nevertheless, the reality is that teachers need to be prepared to use technology in future situations which may call for students to be homebound, to make immediate plans to address the “corona slide” of reduced learning caused by the current situation and to integrate new virtual learning opportunities in traditional classrooms.&nbsp;The recently enacted federal CARES act provides $13.5 billion earmarked mostly for K-12 schools and an additional $3 billion in education funding for governors to release.&nbsp;&nbsp;The act also specifies a separate rural-development item for distance learning.&nbsp; Moreover, engagement of the Federal Communication Commission may be forthcoming for distance learning.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Federal help may ease the pain in the short run, but it is not a solution to fill all needs incurred by or brought to light by the pandemic or mitigate budget cuts due to economic recession that may come as COVID-19 recedes.&nbsp;Teachers deserve our thanks, the resources they need to create robust, flexible learning environments and the technology to make it happen.&nbsp;&nbsp;Almost half of Kansas students attend rural schools where too often they don’t have access to fast, reliable broadband connection or internet service.&nbsp; Students in high-need urban schools often lack the same technology.&nbsp;&nbsp;A stop-gap solution for Topeka folk during our stay-at-home period is placing the local library’s two “hotspot” equipped bookmobiles in parking lots of two areas with low connectivity.&nbsp; Wi-fi also has been used in school buses for parking-lot learning, but neither effort is a long-term solution.Currently, Kansas schools cannot supply one-to-one technology--tablets or computers—for every student in each school (although some schools have done so, nor supply broadband and internet needed for every student to do schoolwork from home.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It is essential for the Kansas economy and necessary for public education to provide all students contemporary communication technology.&nbsp; Creative leveraging of federal, state and local resources is vital for overall school budgets if we are to continue learning opportunities as in the past.&nbsp;&nbsp;The virus exposed weaknesses in the system, but it taught us that Kansans are committed, people, intrinsically connected to supporting public school life and traditions.&nbsp; Sequestered in our homes, we long for spring music contests, baseball and commencement ceremonies--our students’ wish for interaction with peers and personal contact with teachers.&nbsp; Educational renewal may be the state’s greatest challenge for the future.&nbsp;&nbsp;Never have teachers been more relevant.&nbsp;&nbsp;Sharon Hartin Iorio is Dean Emerita at the Wichita State University College of Education.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Teacher heroes face the 'new normal' school 

The Ellis County Ministerial Alliance has partnered with Hays Post to bring you Encouraging Words, a series of messages from Ellis County faith leaders.

Check Hays Post on Wednesdays and Sundays for the latest Encouraging Words.

<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WOmhOBsUvqY"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Ellis County Ministerial Alliance has partnered with Hays Post to bring you Encouraging Words, a series of messages from Ellis County faith leaders.Check Hays Post on Wednesdays and Sundays for the latest Encouraging Words.

🎥 Encouraging Words: Pastor Steve Dinkel

<a href="https://hayspost.com/state-farm-weather-window/">For a full look at weather visit the State Farm Weather Window by clicking here.</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/state-farm-weather-window/">For a full look at weather visit the State Farm Weather Window by clicking here.</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587873769400.png" alt="state farm.png" />
 <figcaption>state farm.png</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587873927296.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Can the government override our First Amendment rights with orders 
such as limits on public assemblies, faith-based gatherings and public 
protests during the COVID-19 pandemic?

The short answer is “yes … probably … in certain circumstances … within specific limits.”

Here’s what our public officials, should ask themselves — and what we
 should demand that they do — before using public health concerns as a 
reason to infringe on any of our core freedoms of religion, speech, 
press, assembly or petition.

First, take a measure of whether a quarantine, stay-at-home order or 
limit on public gatherings is in response to an actual crisis.

Little doubt today’s COVID-19 pandemic meets that test.

But going all the way back to 1900, courts have not always supported 
declarations. In that year, a federal court overturned a San Francisco 
quarantine order applied to a largely Chinese-American area of the city.
 The court, in Jew Ho v. Williamson, found the order overly broad, based
 on a biased and unsupported theory that rice consumption made people 
more likely to spread bubonic plague — a genuine health crisis of that 
moment.

More recently, several courts have rejected such government overreach
 in cases involving vaccination for measles — overturning attempts to 
ban unvaccinated students from attending public schools. Again, in other
 cases more than a century old to modern-day issues ranging from AIDS to
 the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic of a few years 
ago to concern about Ebola, courts largely have focused more on “how” 
government is applying limits on personal freedoms rather than “if” such
 action is constitutional.

In what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cites as
 the foundation case for government authority to impose public safety 
limitations, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld in 1905 Massachusetts’ state 
power to impose “public health control measures” in the face of a 
smallpox outbreak. The justices held that the 10th Amendment 
empowers states to undertake “reasonable regulations” to protect public 
health and safety” and cited a community’s “right of self-defense” to 
“protect itself against an epidemic disease.”

But both First Amendment and due process requirements of the 14th
 Amendment lead us to the second question that public officials should 
ask themselves: Is the order the least-restrictive means to protecting 
public health?

We see such reasoning applied when officials have turned first to 
“social distancing” — 6-, 8- or 10-foot separation from others — or 
limits on the number of people at public gatherings, rather than 
attempting outright bans on all meetings or short-term school closings 
before canceling classes for an entire semester.

As a coalition of free-speech groups — including, I should note, the 
Freedom Forum — argued in an open letter recently to federal, state and 
local officials, there also are ways to protest that don’t violate 
health orders: “Wearing masks and standing 6 feet apart outside 
hospitals and other places of business to protest inadequate safety 
precautions; participating in car demonstrations in Arizona, California 
and Michigan; and launching digital campaigns.”

The letter was promoted in part by a tweet on April 14 by police in 
Raleigh, N.C., that public protest is “a non-essential activity.” The 
coalition letter argued that “people must be free to express 
disagreement with government decisions, even when it involves criticism 
of essential public health measures.”

Two lawsuits directly stemming from COVID-19 restrictions give a hint as to the legal battles ahead.

Temple Baptist Church in Greenville, Miss., <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/justice-department-church-greenville-mississippi-coronavirus-order/" target="_blank">filed a federal lawsuit</a>
 challenging $500 fines for worshipers who attended a “drive-in” service
 in which they remained in their cars. The U.S. Justice Department is 
supporting the church, saying police targeted a religious gathering and 
were not applying meeting limits equally to secular events, and that a 
ban on attending services in a car does not meet the “least-restrictive 
methods” test.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court upheld last week that Gov. Tom Wolf’s
 March 19 order banning “non-life-essential” meetings does not violate 
the First Amendment right to peaceably assemble or other constitutional 
rights. A group supporting a congressional candidate had challenged the 
executive order, claiming multiple constitutional violations, including 
that it interfered with members’ rights to peaceably assemble at a 
“place of physical operations” that they wish to use to engage in speech
 and advocacy.

However, the justices, in <a href="https://law.justia.com/cases/pennsylvania/supreme-court/2020/68-mm-2020.html" target="_blank">Friends of Danny DeVito, et al v. Wolf</a>,
 said, “Constitutional rights to free speech and assembly … are not 
absolute, and states may place content-neutral time, place and manner 
restrictions on speech and assembly,” as long as the restrictions 
further a substantial governmental interest and do not unreasonably 
limit alternative means of communication, such as online campaigning.

Technology may be a barrier to successful challenges by faith-based 
communities to orders preventing them from gathering to worship, which 
some groups argue is essential to their religious practices. Courts may 
find that online meeting apps and software, such as Zoom and 
GoToMeeting, provide reasonable alternatives to actual gatherings, at 
least for a short time. Critics of social distancing or meeting bans may
 counter that not all people have access to the web, but not everyone 
has ready transportation to attend services in person, either.

And the element of time introduces a third question to be asked, 
likely to come more into play as the coronavirus crisis lengthens: “Is 
the duration of the limit appropriate to the danger?” As the danger to 
public health ebbs, the legal justification for preventing in-person 
worship services or shoulder-to-shoulder protest marches also will 
diminish.

For those watching the daily briefings from the White House, federal 
officials are, for now, limited in their power to impose widespread 
orders like stay-at-home restrictions. The U.S. government can impose 
individual quarantines to prevent the spread of diseases like cholera, 
yellow fever, pandemic flu and now “severe acute respiratory syndromes” 
like COVID-19 across state lines. But as with state and local officials,
 federal agencies like the CDC show a clear and compelling reason for 
detention — that it’s the least restrictive measure required to protect 
public health.

A complicating factor for First Amendment watchdogs is that each 
state has its own version of laws authorizing quarantines and isolation 
orders. A starting point for opponents of such restrictions rests with 
the U.S. Constitution’s provision in the 14th Amendment that 
none of us can be denied “life, liberty or property, without due process
 of law.” Again, courts have held there are reasons when we can be 
deprived of liberty because we pose a danger to others — for example, 
because of mental illness (U.S. Supreme Court, Addington v. Texas, 
1979).

But even in such cases, government has to prove a “clear and 
compelling danger,” not just a scientific theory or concern that someone
 or something might be a threat — a legal standard which might come to 
rely heavily on testing for COVID-19 exposure and infection once those 
interventions become widespread.

The COVID-19 outbreak is a real threat to public health, but it 
should not be a reason for long-term damage to our core freedoms.

Gene Policinski is a senior fellow for the First Amendment at the
 Freedom Forum, and president and chief operating officer of the Freedom
 Forum Institute. He can be reached at <a href="mailto:gpolicinski@freedomforum.org" target="_blank">gpolicinski@freedomforum.org</a>, or follow him on Twitter at&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/@genefac" target="_blank">@genefac</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573872297806.png" alt="Gene Policinski is a senior fellow for the First Amendment at the Freedom Forum, and president and chief operating officer of the Freedom Forum Institute.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Gene Policinski is a senior fellow for the First Amendment at the Freedom Forum, and president and chief operating officer of the Freedom Forum Institute.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Can the government override our First Amendment rights with orders 
such as limits on public assemblies, faith-based gatherings and public 
protests during the COVID-19 pandemic?The short answer is “yes … probably … in certain circumstances … within specific limits.”Here’s what our public officials, should ask themselves — and what we
 should demand that they do — before using public health concerns as a 
reason to infringe on any of our core freedoms of religion, speech, 
press, assembly or petition.First, take a measure of whether a quarantine, stay-at-home order or 
limit on public gatherings is in response to an actual crisis.Little doubt today’s COVID-19 pandemic meets that test.But going all the way back to 1900, courts have not always supported 
declarations. In that year, a federal court overturned a San Francisco 
quarantine order applied to a largely Chinese-American area of the city.
 The court, in Jew Ho v. Williamson, found the order overly broad, based
 on a biased and unsupported theory that rice consumption made people 
more likely to spread bubonic plague — a genuine health crisis of that 
moment.More recently, several courts have rejected such government overreach
 in cases involving vaccination for measles — overturning attempts to 
ban unvaccinated students from attending public schools. Again, in other
 cases more than a century old to modern-day issues ranging from AIDS to
 the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic of a few years 
ago to concern about Ebola, courts largely have focused more on “how” 
government is applying limits on personal freedoms rather than “if” such
 action is constitutional.In what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cites as
 the foundation case for government authority to impose public safety 
limitations, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld in 1905 Massachusetts’ state 
power to impose “public health control measures” in the face of a 
smallpox outbreak. The justices held that the 10th Amendment 
empowers states to undertake “reasonable regulations” to protect public 
health and safety” and cited a community’s “right of self-defense” to 
“protect itself against an epidemic disease.”But both First Amendment and due process requirements of the 14th
 Amendment lead us to the second question that public officials should 
ask themselves: Is the order the least-restrictive means to protecting 
public health?We see such reasoning applied when officials have turned first to 
“social distancing” — 6-, 8- or 10-foot separation from others — or 
limits on the number of people at public gatherings, rather than 
attempting outright bans on all meetings or short-term school closings 
before canceling classes for an entire semester.As a coalition of free-speech groups — including, I should note, the 
Freedom Forum — argued in an open letter recently to federal, state and 
local officials, there also are ways to protest that don’t violate 
health orders: “Wearing masks and standing 6 feet apart outside 
hospitals and other places of business to protest inadequate safety 
precautions; participating in car demonstrations in Arizona, California 
and Michigan; and launching digital campaigns.”The letter was promoted in part by a tweet on April 14 by police in 
Raleigh, N.C., that public protest is “a non-essential activity.” The 
coalition letter argued that “people must be free to express 
disagreement with government decisions, even when it involves criticism 
of essential public health measures.”Two lawsuits directly stemming from COVID-19 restrictions give a hint as to the legal battles ahead.Temple Baptist Church in Greenville, Miss., <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/justice-department-church-greenville-mississippi-coronavirus-order/" target="_blank">filed a federal lawsuit</a>
 challenging $500 fines for worshipers who attended a “drive-in” service
 in which they remained in their cars. The U.S. Justice Department is 
supporting the church, saying police targeted a religious gathering and 
were not applying meeting limits equally to secular events, and that a 
ban on attending services in a car does not meet the “least-restrictive 
methods” test.The Pennsylvania Supreme Court upheld last week that Gov. Tom Wolf’s
 March 19 order banning “non-life-essential” meetings does not violate 
the First Amendment right to peaceably assemble or other constitutional 
rights. A group supporting a congressional candidate had challenged the 
executive order, claiming multiple constitutional violations, including 
that it interfered with members’ rights to peaceably assemble at a 
“place of physical operations” that they wish to use to engage in speech
 and advocacy.However, the justices, in <a href="https://law.justia.com/cases/pennsylvania/supreme-court/2020/68-mm-2020.html" target="_blank">Friends of Danny DeVito, et al v. Wolf</a>,
 said, “Constitutional rights to free speech and assembly … are not 
absolute, and states may place content-neutral time, place and manner 
restrictions on speech and assembly,” as long as the restrictions 
further a substantial governmental interest and do not unreasonably 
limit alternative means of communication, such as online campaigning.Technology may be a barrier to successful challenges by faith-based 
communities to orders preventing them from gathering to worship, which 
some groups argue is essential to their religious practices. Courts may 
find that online meeting apps and software, such as Zoom and 
GoToMeeting, provide reasonable alternatives to actual gatherings, at 
least for a short time. Critics of social distancing or meeting bans may
 counter that not all people have access to the web, but not everyone 
has ready transportation to attend services in person, either.And the element of time introduces a third question to be asked, 
likely to come more into play as the coronavirus crisis lengthens: “Is 
the duration of the limit appropriate to the danger?” As the danger to 
public health ebbs, the legal justification for preventing in-person 
worship services or shoulder-to-shoulder protest marches also will 
diminish.For those watching the daily briefings from the White House, federal 
officials are, for now, limited in their power to impose widespread 
orders like stay-at-home restrictions. The U.S. government can impose 
individual quarantines to prevent the spread of diseases like cholera, 
yellow fever, pandemic flu and now “severe acute respiratory syndromes” 
like COVID-19 across state lines. But as with state and local officials,
 federal agencies like the CDC show a clear and compelling reason for 
detention — that it’s the least restrictive measure required to protect 
public health.A complicating factor for First Amendment watchdogs is that each 
state has its own version of laws authorizing quarantines and isolation 
orders. A starting point for opponents of such restrictions rests with 
the U.S. Constitution’s provision in the 14th Amendment that 
none of us can be denied “life, liberty or property, without due process
 of law.” Again, courts have held there are reasons when we can be 
deprived of liberty because we pose a danger to others — for example, 
because of mental illness (U.S. Supreme Court, Addington v. Texas, 
1979).But even in such cases, government has to prove a “clear and 
compelling danger,” not just a scientific theory or concern that someone
 or something might be a threat — a legal standard which might come to 
rely heavily on testing for COVID-19 exposure and infection once those 
interventions become widespread.The COVID-19 outbreak is a real threat to public health, but it 
should not be a reason for long-term damage to our core freedoms.Gene Policinski is a senior fellow for the First Amendment at the
 Freedom Forum, and president and chief operating officer of the Freedom
 Forum Institute. He can be reached at <a href="mailto:gpolicinski@freedomforum.org" target="_blank">gpolicinski@freedomforum.org</a>, or follow him on Twitter at&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/@genefac" target="_blank">@genefac</a>.

FIRST FIVE: Our First Amendment rights must survive COVID-19

The women's basketball program at Colby Community College will be led by James Cole for the 2020-21 season, the college announced. He fills the vacancy left by Antwain Scales, who resigned in March.

"First, I'd like to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and my family, because none of this is possible without them and their unwavering support," Cole said. "I'd also like to thank Mike Saddler, Dr. Carter, and everyone else that was involved in the process of helping me become the next women's basketball head coach at Colby Community College. My goal is to continue to build this program, compete for championships, graduate our student-athletes, and help them become successful in life. Go Trojans!"&nbsp;&nbsp;

Cole has experience coaching at different levels. In the college ranks, he served as an assistant men's coach at Alabama Southern Community College, Millsaps College, Jones County Junior College, and Independence Community College. He was also a head basketball coach at both Greenwood High School and Saint Joseph Catholic School in Mississippi. Before accepting the position at CCC, he was the head girls coach at Independence High School.

"I'm extremely excited about bringing James Cole to Colby," said CCC Athletic Director Mike Saddler. "The women's basketball program took great steps over the last two seasons, so it was important that our next coach continue that momentum. We had a great pool of candidates, but it was clear that James had the skills we were looking for to continue to grow the program not only on the court but also in the classroom and in the community."

Coming to Colby, Cole brings a resume of building programs around quality student-athletes.

"He is known around the country as a top-notch recruiter and has been around successful basketball programs throughout his career," Saddler said. "I look forward to the future of Colby women's basketball under Coach Cole."

Cole earned a master's degree in interscholastic athletic administration and a bachelor's degree in coaching and sports administration.&nbsp;

He begins immediately, pending board approval.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587842695262.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>CCCThe women's basketball program at Colby Community College will be led by James Cole for the 2020-21 season, the college announced. He fills the vacancy left by Antwain Scales, who resigned in March."First, I'd like to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and my family, because none of this is possible without them and their unwavering support," Cole said. "I'd also like to thank Mike Saddler, Dr. Carter, and everyone else that was involved in the process of helping me become the next women's basketball head coach at Colby Community College. My goal is to continue to build this program, compete for championships, graduate our student-athletes, and help them become successful in life. Go Trojans!"&nbsp;&nbsp;Cole has experience coaching at different levels. In the college ranks, he served as an assistant men's coach at Alabama Southern Community College, Millsaps College, Jones County Junior College, and Independence Community College. He was also a head basketball coach at both Greenwood High School and Saint Joseph Catholic School in Mississippi. Before accepting the position at CCC, he was the head girls coach at Independence High School."I'm extremely excited about bringing James Cole to Colby," said CCC Athletic Director Mike Saddler. "The women's basketball program took great steps over the last two seasons, so it was important that our next coach continue that momentum. We had a great pool of candidates, but it was clear that James had the skills we were looking for to continue to grow the program not only on the court but also in the classroom and in the community."Coming to Colby, Cole brings a resume of building programs around quality student-athletes."He is known around the country as a top-notch recruiter and has been around successful basketball programs throughout his career," Saddler said. "I look forward to the future of Colby women's basketball under Coach Cole."Cole earned a master's degree in interscholastic athletic administration and a bachelor's degree in coaching and sports administration.&nbsp;He begins immediately, pending board approval.

Colby CC chooses Cole to lead women's basketball program

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

A Hays High School school senior is one of 621 students in the nation to be selected as a U.S. Presidential Scholars Program semifinalist.

Taylor Weidenhaft, 18, Catharine, wrote in one of her essays about the struggles she has overcome to be one of the top students in the nation.

Weidenhaft was 14 when she was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma. She underwent four rounds of chemo at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City.&nbsp;

She spent much of her eighth-grade year completing her school work remotely so she could undergo treatment for the illness. She was a 4.0 student going into treatment and has remained a 4.0 student at HHS.

She wrote about her eighth-grade Algebra I teacher, Desirae Kinderknecht, in one of her essays for her Presidential Scholars application.

"She motivated me to work harder and push myself,"&nbsp;Weidenhaft said, "because she believed in what I could do. She has helped me through my high school years too. She has always been there for me. I just really appreciated her."

She was announced to be in remission on Feb. 1, 2016.

Weidenhaft also wrote in her Presidential Scholars essays about the great support the community gave her when she was undergoing cancer treatment.

The community staged a spaghetti dinner fundraiser for Weidenhaft. About half of the 500 attendees at the dinner were total strangers, she said.

A third prompt for her scholars application asked her to write about a song or piece of art that inspired her.

Weidenhaft chose the song "Rise Up" by Andra Day.

"It just talks about how you can rise above your circumstances. Even when you get knocked down, you have to get back up and continue to push yourself and keep fighting," she said. "I felt that was really connected to me."

Weidenhaft has used her experience to reach out to others who have been affected by cancer. She helped a friend whose mother was undergoing cancer treatment.&nbsp;

"I tried to give him someone to talk to who understood what she was going through," she said.

She also met a another student from Tulsa at church camp whose younger sister was fighting Hodgkin's lymphoma, just as Weidenhaft had.

"I was able to be there for her when her little sister finally made it out of treatment and was announced into remission," she said. "It is crazy to see that I can have a positive impact on people who are going through similar things as I did."&nbsp;&nbsp;

Weidenhaft said her experience fighting cancer has inspired her to pursue a career in the medical field. She will be attending Kansas State University in the fall and hopes to major in human health biology with a minor in psychology.

She said she aspires to be a pediatric plastic surgeon.

"When I was at [Children's Mercy], I saw kids walking in and out of my appointments with all kids of medical needs and different disabilities," she said. 

"My dad has a client who is a plastic surgeon and talked about how you could work with kids who have cleft pallets or dog bites or burn victims. I thought that would be really neat.

"I know how difficult it can be for children to have good self-esteem. I experienced that when I was in chemo and lost all my hair and gained weight from all the medications I was on. It was really hard for me.

"It eventually taught me what you look like on the outside isn't what your identity is."

She said she knows it is easier to be confident in who you are when you have a physical appearance you can be proud of.

Weidenhaft said she intends to do undergraduate research at K-State and said vaccine research would be an area she would consider after seeing the affects of COVID-19.

Weidenhaft has kept busy at HHS with a variety of activities, including varsity soccer, Red Cross Club, Future Medical Professionals Club, Student Council and National Honor Society. She also competes in barrel racing and is active in her youth group at Celebration Community Church.

Her volunteering with her youth group has included participation in A Night to Shine, which is a formal dance for developmentally disabled adults.

Weidenhaft said she is particularly disappointed to not be able to finish her senior year of soccer, but she said she understands schools are closed to keep everyone safe.

HHS Principal Martin Straub said this was the first student in his memory from HHS to be named a semifinalist in the Presidential Scholars Program.

Weidenhaft was one of 5,600 students out of the anticipated 3.6 million U.S. seniors that was invited to apply for the program. She has gone through several rounds of competition to reach this final stage.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587762559909.jpeg" alt="Taylor Weidenhaft, senior at Hays High School, is a semifinalist for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program." />
 <figcaption>Taylor Weidenhaft, senior at Hays High School, is a semifinalist for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program.</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostA Hays High School school senior is one of 621 students in the nation to be selected as a U.S. Presidential Scholars Program semifinalist.Taylor Weidenhaft, 18, Catharine, wrote in one of her essays about the struggles she has overcome to be one of the top students in the nation.Weidenhaft was 14 when she was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma. She underwent four rounds of chemo at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City.&nbsp;She spent much of her eighth-grade year completing her school work remotely so she could undergo treatment for the illness. She was a 4.0 student going into treatment and has remained a 4.0 student at HHS.She wrote about her eighth-grade Algebra I teacher, Desirae Kinderknecht, in one of her essays for her Presidential Scholars application."She motivated me to work harder and push myself,"&nbsp;Weidenhaft said, "because she believed in what I could do. She has helped me through my high school years too. She has always been there for me. I just really appreciated her."She was announced to be in remission on Feb. 1, 2016.Weidenhaft also wrote in her Presidential Scholars essays about the great support the community gave her when she was undergoing cancer treatment.The community staged a spaghetti dinner fundraiser for Weidenhaft. About half of the 500 attendees at the dinner were total strangers, she said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587762690163.jpeg" alt="Weidenhaft enjoys barrel racing in her spare time." />
 <figcaption>Weidenhaft enjoys barrel racing in her spare time.</figcaption>
 </figure>A third prompt for her scholars application asked her to write about a song or piece of art that inspired her.Weidenhaft chose the song "Rise Up" by Andra Day."It just talks about how you can rise above your circumstances. Even when you get knocked down, you have to get back up and continue to push yourself and keep fighting," she said. "I felt that was really connected to me."Weidenhaft has used her experience to reach out to others who have been affected by cancer. She helped a friend whose mother was undergoing cancer treatment.&nbsp;"I tried to give him someone to talk to who understood what she was going through," she said.She also met a another student from Tulsa at church camp whose younger sister was fighting Hodgkin's lymphoma, just as Weidenhaft had."I was able to be there for her when her little sister finally made it out of treatment and was announced into remission," she said. "It is crazy to see that I can have a positive impact on people who are going through similar things as I did."&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587762775971.jpeg" alt="Weidenhaft also played varsity soccer at HHS." />
 <figcaption>Weidenhaft also played varsity soccer at HHS.</figcaption>
 </figure>Weidenhaft said her experience fighting cancer has inspired her to pursue a career in the medical field. She will be attending Kansas State University in the fall and hopes to major in human health biology with a minor in psychology.She said she aspires to be a pediatric plastic surgeon."When I was at [Children's Mercy], I saw kids walking in and out of my appointments with all kids of medical needs and different disabilities," she said. "My dad has a client who is a plastic surgeon and talked about how you could work with kids who have cleft pallets or dog bites or burn victims. I thought that would be really neat."I know how difficult it can be for children to have good self-esteem. I experienced that when I was in chemo and lost all my hair and gained weight from all the medications I was on. It was really hard for me."It eventually taught me what you look like on the outside isn't what your identity is."She said she knows it is easier to be confident in who you are when you have a physical appearance you can be proud of.Weidenhaft said she intends to do undergraduate research at K-State and said vaccine research would be an area she would consider after seeing the affects of COVID-19.Weidenhaft has kept busy at HHS with a variety of activities, including varsity soccer, Red Cross Club, Future Medical Professionals Club, Student Council and National Honor Society. She also competes in barrel racing and is active in her youth group at Celebration Community Church.Her volunteering with her youth group has included participation in A Night to Shine, which is a formal dance for developmentally disabled adults.Weidenhaft said she is particularly disappointed to not be able to finish her senior year of soccer, but she said she understands schools are closed to keep everyone safe.HHS Principal Martin Straub said this was the first student in his memory from HHS to be named a semifinalist in the Presidential Scholars Program.Weidenhaft was one of 5,600 students out of the anticipated 3.6 million U.S. seniors that was invited to apply for the program. She has gone through several rounds of competition to reach this final stage.

HHS student, cancer survivor rises to be a top student in nation

By BECKY KISER Hays Post

The numbers within the March financial statement reported Thursday by Kim Rupp, Hays finance director, were pretty rosy.

Revenues in March totaled $2,594,262, an increase of $331,530 compared to the same period last year. Sales tax receipts were up nearly 4 percent in 2019, and so far in 2020, continue a positive trend.

The receipts lag about two months behind, Rupp cautioned city commissioners, and they are going to decline as retail spending decreases during the coronavirus pandemic.&nbsp;

The 1.25 percent retail sales tax is the largest source of money for the city's general fund. The general fund revenues pay for city services including police, fire, street, parks, swimming pool and the golf course. It also provides funding to outside agencies such as economic development, United Way, CARE Council, and Fort Hays State University/City of Hays scholarships.

Working with Rupp, Toby Dougherty, city manager, along with department heads, have projected what they expect the "obvious losses" will be in sales tax collections and the transient guest tax.

"The further we go along, we're going to be losing things like court fines and forfeitures, things like that," Dougherty said. "We'll try to figure out what the effect of that is going to be."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587763722515.jpeg" alt="Kim Rupp, Hays finance director, reviews the city's March 2020 financial report." />
 <figcaption>Kim Rupp, Hays finance director, reviews the city's March 2020 financial report.</figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostThe numbers within the March financial statement reported Thursday by Kim Rupp, Hays finance director, were pretty rosy.Revenues in March totaled $2,594,262, an increase of $331,530 compared to the same period last year. Sales tax receipts were up nearly 4 percent in 2019, and so far in 2020, continue a positive trend.The receipts lag about two months behind, Rupp cautioned city commissioners, and they are going to decline as retail spending decreases during the coronavirus pandemic.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587763040442.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The 1.25 percent retail sales tax is the largest source of money for the city's general fund. The general fund revenues pay for city services including police, fire, street, parks, swimming pool and the golf course. It also provides funding to outside agencies such as economic development, United Way, CARE Council, and Fort Hays State University/City of Hays scholarships.Working with Rupp, Toby Dougherty, city manager, along with department heads, have projected what they expect the "obvious losses" will be in sales tax collections and the transient guest tax."The further we go along, we're going to be losing things like court fines and forfeitures, things like that," Dougherty said. "We'll try to figure out what the effect of that is going to be.""The departments have all been tasked with finding what they can cut in the <a href="https://www.haysusa.com/DocumentCenter/View/2712/2020-BUDGET-pdf">2020 budget</a>. As everybody is preparing their 2021 budget, the mandate was, let's keep things as lean as possible for 2021."<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/a3tnlmgGviM"></iframe>
 <figcaption>(Video courtesy of Nex-Tech)</figcaption>
 </figure>Dougherty reassured commissioners the city is in a good financial position and has adequately funded reserves."We aren't living hand-to-mouth or paycheck-to-paycheck."We have a good unreserved fund balance. If we make cuts or have a revenue loss, we do have the ability to absorb that and hopefully recoup that at a later date."&nbsp;&nbsp;Commissioner Michael Berges, noting some communities have furloughed city employees, asked if Hays is at risk of that.&nbsp;"We're not there yet," Dougherty responded, "and it's really not something I'd consider right now."Worst case scenario, we might put hiring freezes into place and not fill positions as they vacate. We have a certain amount of turnover and could hopefully downsize that way."Furloughing is a pretty drastic cut that I don't see us taking right now." The city has 181 employees.According to Dougherty, Hays hotels currently have an occupancy rate of 15 to 20 percent.A 2 percent increase in the transient guest tax two years ago is earmarked for partial funding of the North Vine Street Corridor Improvement Project, along with a $6 million federal grant.

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